Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Nine: He Really Smiled

Yuwen Lingxiao wanted nothing more than to swallow his own tongue. Even his speech became halting. “Yes... yes, that’s right.” Yet he still could not quite believe it. His elder brother had really smiled. This was the first time he had ever seen him do so. So he was capable of smiling after all.

For a time, Yuwen Lingxiao had even wondered whether his elder brother suffered from facial paralysis. He remembered that when he was six, his father had suddenly taken him to a room. There, he had met the elder brother who had taken his place and identity. The man’s icy, distant manner, which seemed to keep everyone thousands of miles away, had sent a shiver through him.

Their father had locked the two of them together for half a month, yet Yuwen Lingxiao had failed to melt Yuwen Lingxi’s coldness. Instead, he had learned his brother’s expression all too well. The emotions on his face had gradually diminished, his sentences had grown shorter and shorter, and even his tone had become increasingly cold.

After fifteen days, if Yuwen Lingxiao deliberately imitated Yuwen Lingxi in front of an outsider, no one would have been able to tell them apart.

And today, Yuwen Lingxi had actually smiled. What was more, his smile had looked so natural. Yuwen Lingxiao had no doubt that it was all because of Lianyue, his sister-in-law.

The smile vanished in an instant—not for any other reason, but because Yuwen Lingxiao’s reaction had been far too great, leaving Yuwen Lingxi somewhat unaccustomed to it.

While marveling inwardly at the tremendous power of love, Yuwen Lingxiao asked in a gossipy tone, “When does Elder Brother plan to confess his identity to Sister-in-law and marry her as soon as possible?”

That was precisely what Yuwen Lingxi wanted to do. Yet, given the way matters were unfolding, he could only appear for the time being as Dark Nether. That, too, was a problem.

Most importantly, what had Uncle Guan meant by his final words before his death? As the current master of Rakshasa Hall, Yuwen Lingxi knew that his father had been engaged in close dealings with Zhou Qian, the eldest son of the Zhou family, in the name of Rakshasa Hall. But what did that transaction have to do with Phoenix Ridge?

Yuwen Lingxi had been thinking about it all the way there. He suspected that the matter was connected to Meng Yue, who was already dead. Had his father truly become so utterly deranged? If that was really the case, would he, Lianyue, and Ming still have a tomorrow?

Looking at Yuwen Lingxi’s silence, Yuwen Lingxiao thought of the abnormality within Lianyue’s body and felt some resentment toward their father. Why had he always forced his elder brother to do so many things he did not want to do?

What was Father worried about? Was he afraid that Elder Brother would be unable to win Sister-in-law’s heart? Why go to such needless lengths?

“Elder Brother, do you blame Father?” Yuwen Lingxiao ventured, testing his own thoughts aloud.

When he saw Yuwen Lingxi’s brows slowly draw together, he already knew the answer. His elder brother certainly blamed their father; he simply refused to admit it in front of him. After all, aside from taking away his identity, their father had actually treated him rather well.

His elder brother was worried that he would be caught between them and placed in a difficult position.

Yuwen Lingxiao understood that perfectly, so he immediately changed the subject. “Sister-in-law should know about your identity in Rakshasa Hall, shouldn’t she? She has many questions she wants you to answer. Have you thought about how you’ll explain what happened in the woods when you meet her?”

“I’ll tell her the truth.”

Yuwen Lingxi’s answer was brief, but it made his attitude clear. This was something Yuwen Lingxiao had always admired about him from the bottom of his heart. It also gave him a deeper understanding of Lianyue’s place in his elder brother’s heart.

When it came to matters of the heart, his elder brother had always been far more sincere than he was. Perhaps he could be honest for once as well.

“Do you need me to cooperate?”

“No. I trust Yue’er.”

Yuwen Lingxiao helplessly changed the subject again. “Qiao Zhi has fallen for Sister-in-law.”

This time, Yuwen Lingxi’s expression changed once more. Clearly, the matter troubled him.

“He won’t do anything.”

Yuwen Lingxiao had known that would be the answer. He had dealt with Qiao Zhi before. As long as Lianyue’s engagement to the Yuwen family remained, Qiao Zhi would bury his feelings deep within his heart.

In Qiao Zhi’s eyes, he and Yuwen Lingxi were friends who had shared life and death. Qiao Zhi was also one of the few friends Yuwen Lingxi himself acknowledged. Yuwen Lingxiao was grateful to Qiao Zhi as well. If Qiao Zhi had not saved him all those years ago, he would have lost his elder brother.

Had the woman been anyone else, Yuwen Lingxiao believed his elder brother would certainly have withdrawn. But that woman was Lianyue. Retreat was therefore impossible.

Yuwen Lingxiao knew how difficult this was for his elder brother. “I still have an entire bottle of Blood Ganoderma Pills. I’ll find a suitable opportunity to give them to him.”

Yuwen Lingxi nodded and picked up the mask from the table, putting it on. “I’m leaving.”

He knew that, with his temperament, if he stayed any longer, they would have less and less to say, and the conversation would inevitably end in awkward silence.

Yuwen Lingxiao watched Yuwen Lingxi disappear into the night and let out a helpless sigh. He returned to his room, picked up the letter he had just finished writing, and went outside. Facing the sky, he gave a long whistle.

A white speck appeared in the darkness and plunged downward. Yuwen Lingxiao rolled the letter into a tube, tied it to Meng’er’s claw, then blew another whistle—two short notes followed by one long note. Meng’er spread his wings and soared into the sky.

Since the Princess Consort of Nanping was Lianyue’s eldest sister, he might as well sincerely do a few things for them.

The next morning, when Lianyue awoke and saw the unfamiliar surroundings, she was dazed for a moment. Then she remembered the matter at hand. After urging Zizhu to help her wash and dress, she hurried toward the courtyard where Yue Lingjun lived.

Yue Lingjun was practicing swordplay with Meng Chuchen in the courtyard. The moment he saw Lianyue rushing toward them, he knew why she had come. The two men sheathed their swords, and Yue Lingjun looked at her.

“Come. We’ll discuss it inside.”

Zizhu and Qingqiu tactfully remained outside.

As soon as Lianyue entered, Meng Chuchen closed the door from within. She immediately asked, “What happened? Have you found anything?”

“We’re fairly certain.” Yue Lingjun wiped the sweat from his cheeks with a damp towel and casually handed another to Meng Chuchen, who had just walked over. “There is indeed something strange about that prescription. We’ll have to wait for the Medicine Elder’s reply to Yuwen Lingxi before we can confirm the exact results.”

Lianyue grew even more anxious. “Oh, come on, Elder Brother, can’t you explain it all at once? What exactly is strange about that prescription, and what does it have to do with Eldest Sister’s miscarriage? Second Brother, you explain.”

Having been called upon, Meng Chuchen continued, “According to our speculation, the prescription was meant to target male fetuses. It should have no effect on female fetuses. If the Medicine Elder confirms that this is true, it will surely unleash a storm of bloodshed. The Prince of Nanping has already sent people to investigate Imperial Physician Gan, who prescribed the medicine back then. We have also begun our own investigation. Once we determine whether Eldest Sister’s miscarriage was caused by someone’s deliberate scheme or was merely a coincidence, the truth will naturally come to light.”

There was actually a prescription designed to target a fetus. Lianyue had truly broadened her horizons. Looking back, those folk remedies she had once heard about—ones supposedly able to guarantee the birth of a boy—might not have been entirely fraudulent after all. If that was the case, then what Qiao Ke had told her last night might indeed be possible.

“I have some news as well. I need both of you to mobilize the Yue family and investigate it.”

Lianyue then told them about the major discovery Qiao Ke had shared with her the previous night. Naturally, she only said that someone had informed her and did not mention Qiao Ke by name. Her nephew did not want anyone to know, so it was best for her to keep his secret.

Yue Lingjun and Meng Chuchen thought back over the medical records they had examined the night before. As far as they could remember, Consort Yun’s name had indeed not appeared among the consorts who had taken pregnancy-preserving medicine.

This further confirmed the effects of the prescription.

The matter truly required a serious investigation. Ordinarily, no matter how great the conspiracy behind the medicine might have been, the Yue family would not have cared. The palace’s intrigues had existed for more than a day or two, and they had uncovered no shortage of disgraceful affairs in the past. But this time, the matter involved Lianyue—and an unborn child. Since the imperial family had been unable to discover anything, the Yue family did not mind lending them a hand.

“Qingqiu.”

Hearing Yue Lingjun call him, Qingqiu pushed open the door and entered.

“Go and inform the hidden guards to compile a record of everything that has happened to Consort Yun since she became pregnant. Pay particular attention to why she did not use the pregnancy-preserving medicine customarily prescribed in the palace. Also investigate her true origins. Do not tell me that she is merely the distant niece of Grand Commandant Gao. And compile a detailed record of every living thing she comes into contact with each day.”

“Also, investigate Grand Commandant Gao thoroughly. Leave no detail unchecked. Go.”

“Yes.”

Qingqiu left the room, exchanged a brief greeting with Zizhu, and hurried away.

This was the first time the Young Lord had dispatched all four people around him. Zizhu had a premonition that a storm was about to break—and that its cause must certainly have something to do with her young mistress.