Something had happened in Nanguan.
Nanguan was the place closest to the desert.
The Chu siblings were initially rescued by Ye Ling from Nanguan, but they had never known about their own origins.
To the east of Nanguan, it was infinitely close to the desert.
For many years, there had basically been no abnormalities here.
But just this year, a tornado had swept up from the eastern desert, engulfing the entire desert.
It lasted for almost five days and five nights.
Only after the tornado had subsided did the people of Nanguan dare to go out.
Many merchant caravans used camels to carry goods and passed through the desert to reach Haiyou City on the other side to exchange for some daily necessities.
But this year, when the merchant caravans passed through the desert, they found that there was a new ancient tomb in the middle of the desert.
Then some curious people went inside, and they never came out.
When someone later discovered them, that person was already dead at the Zhou Pass near Haiyou City. And judging from the appearance, it was obvious that he had drowned.
This made people even more suspicious.
The desert was full of sand. If it was said that someone got separated from the merchant caravan and died of thirst after getting out, it would be understandable.
But drowning?
That was absolutely impossible.
In Nanguan and Haiyou City, water was extremely scarce. There were people who died of thirst and hunger, but no one ever drowned.
When Chu Wen and Chu Nuan arrived, Ye Xingchen had already been waiting for them for a long time.
On the ancient tomb, it was written that it was the tomb where Chu Fenglin lived.
The three of them entered the ancient tomb together. Finally, a flash of light passed, and the three of them were separated. The Chu siblings were sent out of the ancient tomb, while Ye Xingchen remained inside.
After that, several times, Chu Wen and Chu Nuan tried every possible way but still couldn't enter the ancient tomb.
Chu Wen and Chu Nuan returned to Nanguan and immediately sent a message to Zhao Shuning.
Unfortunately, at that time, Zhao Shuning was seriously injured and taken away by Yan Ruyu. Zhao Shuning didn't come, but the poisonous snake Xie An did.
When he arrived, he introduced himself to the Chu siblings.
Then they discussed countermeasures in the old house of the Chu family in Nanguan.
"How long has Ye Xingchen been inside?"
"For more than two months."
Chu Nuan said, "I heard from the people around Nanguan that the bodies of those commoners and merchant caravans who accidentally broke in were all found at the pass near Haiyou City."
Xie An asked, "What about Ye Xingchen?"
Chu Wen shook his head and said, "We haven't found him. We've been conducting a thorough investigation recently, but so far, we still haven't found Ye Xingchen's body."
Chu Nuan said, "If something happens to him, how can we be worthy of our master?"
Xie An said, "We can't enter the desert blindly now. By the way, have you ever been to Haiyou City?"
Chu Wen and Chu Nuan both shook their heads.
Xie An said, "Why not? The city lord of Haiyou City has been living here for many years. He should know something about this suddenly - appeared ancient tomb in the desert. At least, he should know more than us."
The siblings looked at each other and both shook their heads.
"It's impossible. You don't know the identity of the city lord of Haiyou City. If it was before, we could still sit together and drink and talk. But later, because of what happened to the empress, he completely severed relations with us and never had any contact again."
Xie An asked in confusion, "Why?"
He didn't understand what kind of relationship the Chu siblings had with the city lord of Haiyou City.
Chu Wen sighed and slowly told what had happened back then.
It turned out that Chu Wen and Chu Nuan were important guards in charge of the imperial guards beside the empress Ye Ling. They held great power.
But on the eve of Ye Ling's attack, Chu Wen and Chu Nuan received a false imperial edict and then led the most important imperial guards in the palace out of the city to fight against a group of bandits in the east.
At that time, although they were puzzled why they two needed to be mobilized for a group of bandits, seeing Ye Ling's personal handwriting on the imperial edict, they didn't dare to doubt. Their duty was to obey unconditionally. So despite their doubts, they still assembled the army that night and quickly left.
It was on the day after they left that Ye Ling was attacked in the palace. When they rushed back, the palace was destroyed and Ye Ling was dead.
Even her body had disappeared.
Hearing this sad news.
Dongfang Yuxi from Qingyun Country, Gu Zhiruo from Cangwu Country, Ji Qinglin who was on a mission outside, and Song Zhiyi, the city lord of Haiyou City, all rushed back in a hurry.
But all they saw was desolation and nothing else.
At that time, the five children were not very old. Although they were all quite capable, they didn't have any real power. Seeing Ye Ling's palace in such a state, they were completely helpless.
Chu Wen still remembered.
At that time, he and Chu Nuan were kneeling on the high - platform outside the palace. They said that Ye Ling's body had once been in the middle of that high - platform.
They kept kneeling and kowtowing to admit their mistakes.
But nothing could be retrieved.
Song Zhiyi, the city lord of Haiyou City, was smart since childhood, but he didn't have spiritual roots and couldn't cultivate spiritual power. He also didn't have much achievement in spiritual energy.
Haiyou City was also entrusted to him by Ye Ling to manage.
Ye Ling gave nice names to the five children she had brought up. Each name corresponded to eight characters.
And Song Zhiyi's name corresponded to "knowing everything and being unexpected".
At that time, the thin young man suddenly rushed towards Chu Wen and Chu Nuan, grabbed their clothes, and questioned them where they were when Sister Ling had an accident.
Chu Wen and Chu Nuan knew they were at fault and could only cry bitterly without any explanation.
Song Zhiyi had been in poor health since childhood and was thin. He liked to wear sea - blue clothes and looked like a gentle and elegant young master.
He had never been angry or lost his temper at anyone.
Even when he spoke, he was very gentle.
But that time, everyone saw his madness for the first time.
He staggered and was unsteady on his feet. He knelt at the bottom of the high - platform for a full ten days and ten nights.
Wind, rain, and hunger didn't make him get up.
Later, until he fainted completely while kneeling on the ground, the Chu siblings took him back to the Chu family.
But when Song Zhiyi woke up and saw Chu Wen and Chu Nuan standing in front of him, he got up, put on his clothes without saying a word, and then staggered out of the Chu family's main gate.
Chu Wen told him to leave after getting better.
But the young man's gaze made him unable to say a single word and he could only lower his head in shame.
When Song Zhiyi was going out, Chu Wen and Chu Nuan gave him a lot of things and sent people to protect him.
But Song Zhiyi threw those things one by one in front of the Chu siblings.
"You are guilty."
"You also have a share in Sister Ling's death."
The young man's eye sockets were sunken and his pupils were lifeless because he hadn't rested for many days. He looked at the Chu siblings with angry eyes.
"Song Zhiyi, I'm sorry, we—"
How could the Chu siblings not be sad about Ye Ling's death.
"I don't want to see you anymore in the future."