Ye Yunyue quickly stopped thinking about Gu Jianli, her brow furrowed as she gazed in the direction where Ji Wujing had disappeared. This… was not quite what she had anticipated.
Logically, shouldn’t Ji Wujing have asked her for more details when she came to report the news? Then, she could have acted as a guide, leading Ji Wujing to find Ji Xinglou. A frantic fake father and a fearless, gentle guide—maybe they would even ride together, creating countless opportunities for contact along the way.
Once she led Ji Wujing to the hidden Ji Xinglou, naturally, Ji Wujing wouldn’t know how to take care of the child. That would be Ye Yunyue’s moment to shine, showcasing her gentle side. She could make Ji Wujing think she was brave and gentle while gaining the favor of the future emperor. Although the future emperor was a bit peculiar, he was only four years old now, and after being thrown out of the manor with smallpox, he was at his most vulnerable.
But…
Ji Wujing didn’t even ask her for clues and flew off! Was he an idiot?
Ye Yunyue had once feared catching smallpox from Ji Xinglou. But then she thought, she had already died once, what was there to fear? Moreover, she had stayed in Fifth Master’s courtyard for so long and had contact with Ji Xinglou on the day he fell ill. She couldn’t be sure whether she had contracted smallpox herself, so why not take a gamble?
But…
Ye Yunyue had planned everything perfectly, yet she had not only watched Ji Wujing fly away but also couldn’t see any trace of Gu Jianli, who had ridden out after him.
What kind of situation was this?
Ye Yunyue was still dazed when she saw Gu Jianli riding back. The steward, along with some maids and guards from the manor, had also arrived.
Gu Jianli glanced at Ye Yunyue from atop his tall horse and asked, “Were Nanny Lin and Xinglan also thrown out of the manor?”
Ye Yunyue had expected Ji Wujing to ask her, not Gu Jianli. Though displeased, she replied, “Sixth Master was thrown out first. Then Nanny Lin and I were put into sacks and thrown into a mass grave. It was too dark, and when I climbed out of the sack, I didn’t see where Nanny Lin was, nor did I see Sixth Master. Maybe the servants threw us in different places. When we were thrown out, Fourth Miss was still in the manor.”
Ye Yunyue lied. She knew where Nanny Lin was. Nanny Lin had broken her leg and couldn’t move, so Ye Yunyue tricked her into calling for help and then ran away.
Gu Jianli turned to the steward and immediately ordered, “Someone, tie her up with ropes and lock her in the woodshed. No one in the residence is allowed to have any physical contact with her. Stay five steps away from her.”
Looking at the ropes entwining her wrists, Ye Yunyue angrily shouted, “Why are you treating me like this? I’m here to deliver a message!”
“Miss Ye, until the incubation period of smallpox is over, I have to treat you this way. I apologize.”
Gu Jianli no longer looked at Ye Yunyue but instructed the steward to report the epidemic to the palace, prepare the entire city for an epidemic, and invite the imperial physician to examine Ye Yunyue and also check the Marquis of Guangping’s residence.
Gu Jingyuan was not in the residence. Gu Zaili rushed over, inquiring what had happened. Gu Jianli briefly explained the situation to her sister and then asked her to send someone to find their father and inform him.
The smallpox epidemic could not be taken lightly. If even a slight mistake was made, and the epidemic spread throughout Yong’an City, the consequences would be unimaginable. Gu Jianli felt a heavy pressure on her chest, blaming the ignorance of the Marquis of Guangping’s residence for throwing out Ji Xinglou, who had contracted smallpox, and possibly Ye Yunyue and Nanny Lin, who might have also contracted it.
This frustration was not only due to the ignorance of the Marquis of Guangping’s residence but also because of the pain caused by her own decision.
Gu Jianli knew that exposing the matter immediately might lead to someone trying to capture and burn Ji Xinglou, who had contracted smallpox. However, smallpox was difficult to cure, and Ji Xinglou’s chances of survival were slim. Faced with the choice between Ji Xinglou’s life and the lives of the people of Yong’an City, after much struggle and hesitation, Gu Jianli could only choose the latter.
Gu Jianli was betting, betting that Ji Wujing would find Ji Xinglou before anyone else. As long as Ji Wujing found Ji Xinglou first, he could prevent those who wanted to burn him. That way, the outcome wouldn’t be too bad. But what good outcome could there be?
It was smallpox.
“Jianli, let the guards search. You shouldn’t go,” Gu Zaili advised.
Gu Jianli shook her head and said, “I’m not reassured. The guards won’t recognize Xinglou and his wet nurse.”
Gu Jianli looked at Jixia, wanting to speak but hesitating.
Jixia, seeing Gu Jianli’s gaze, paused and vaguely guessed something. Her heart panicked slightly, and then she gritted her teeth and said, “You want me to return to the Marquis of Guangping’s residence to look after Fourth Sister?”
Gu Jianli frowned, unable to speak. Given the current situation at the Marquis of Guangping’s residence, there might already be someone infected with smallpox. How could she dare let Jixia take such a risk?
Jixia steeled herself and said with a smile, “It’s fine. I was holding Xinglou just yesterday morning. If I were to get infected, I would have already been infected. I’m not afraid to go back! There’s no one in the courtyard, only Fourth Sister, who must be terribly frightened. I’ll go back right away!”
“Wait for the imperial physician to arrive first. Let him examine you, and then go back with him,” Gu Jianli advised worriedly. Only after that did she turn her horse around and head to the mass grave with the palace guards, sending others to the Marquis of Guangping’s residence to find out which mass grave it was.
At the Xuanjing Sect, Changsheng was watching Lizi throw hidden weapons out of boredom.
Lizi, though strong, had never seriously learned any martial arts. Changsheng thought about it and decided to let Lizi return to the Xuanjing Sect for the most basic training. Now that Ji Wujing was married, it was inconvenient for him to enter the inner quarters. If Lizi learned some skills, it would be more reassuring for her to take care of things there. He had thought about selecting another skilled woman from the Xuanjing Sect, but none could enter Ji Wujing’s inner quarters. It was only because Lizi was simple-minded that Ji Wujing didn’t mind her.
Lizi threw all the darts in her hand, and with a crash, a whole row of wine jars in the distance shattered.
“Brother!” Lizi looked up with a silly smile.
Changsheng glanced over and nodded, saying, “Not bad…”
Before he could finish his sentence, a red light suddenly rose into the sky. Changsheng looked up in shock. The thin red beam slowly crossed the azure sky, moving slowly, and finally stopped at a point before exploding. In an instant, the entire sky was tinted red.
Changsheng’s face changed dramatically. He left behind a command, “Stay here and don’t run around,” and then his figure flickered. His wide robe fell away, revealing the bright red armor of the Xuanjing Sect underneath. With a leap, he disappeared from sight.
Lizi scratched her head, bewildered as she watched her brother disappear. Then, she frowned, sensing something strange around her.
Did she see it wrong? She always thought the Xuanjing Sect was lifeless, but for a moment, countless red shadows flashed by. Lizi rubbed her eyes, and when she opened them again, the red shadows were gone, as if nothing had happened.
The current acting head of the Xuanjing Sect, Yu Jinqiu, was on a mission with two disciples, driving their target into a dead-end alley. Just as they were about to pursue further, they saw the half-red sky and immediately withdrew without hesitation. The person who thought they were doomed opened their eyes, only to find their assassin gone…
Similar scenes unfolded in different places, with all Xuanjing Sect operatives halting their missions and retreating upon receiving the signal.
The half-red smoke was the highest level of signal for the Xuanjing Sect, only issued by the gate master. In the past ten-plus years, the last time the half-red smoke signal was issued was four years ago when Ji Wujing was critically injured on a mission.
In the palace.
Dou Hongyan’s face was grim as he rushed anxiously to Ji Lan’s side.
“Still haven’t found out?” Ji Lan, reviewing memorials, didn’t look up.
“No…” Dou Hongyan replied reluctantly.
“You’ve been investigating for four years!” Ji Lan suddenly slammed his vermilion brush down.
Dou Hongyan knelt down in submission.
Always refined and courteous, Ji Lan couldn’t help but become impatient. Before ascending the throne, he had been cautious and meticulous, but after becoming emperor, he found no relief. Instead, he became even more uneasy.
Originally, everyone thought that Ji Lan had no supporters in the court and relied on the least. However, in reality, many years ago, the Eastern Depot had already become his.
Ji Yan had disappeared without a trace, and the search for the late crown prince’s orphan had been fruitless for four years. How could Ji Lan possibly feel secure on the throne?
Four years ago, everyone believed that the late crown prince’s concubine, who was pregnant, jumped off a cliff. However, in truth, she jumped off the cliff alone after giving birth. Although her due date hadn’t arrived, she was distressed by the late crown prince’s misfortune and induced labor, giving birth to the little prince prematurely.
At that time, the head of the Eastern Depot was not Dou Hongyan but his elder brother.
The former head of the Eastern Depot received the news and dispatched men to hunt down the late crown prince’s concubine’s trusted maid, who fled with the orphan. The maid was killed by the Eastern Depot’s men. Just as they were about to kill the baby, a man in black appeared and rescued the child.
Dou Hongyan, trembling with fear, said, “Although my brother couldn’t catch the man in black, he did manage to poison him with Xuanyan powder. This chronic poison isn’t fatal but cannot be eradicated for life. As long as we find the person poisoned by Xuanyan powder…”
“You’ve been searching for four years!” Ji Lan roared in anger.
Dou Hongyan was silent and terrified.
“To escape from your brother and even kill him, that person’s skills are extraordinary. Four years… poisoned…” Ji Lan slowly sat back down, frowning.
A young eunuch hurriedly came to report, bringing someone from the Prince of Wuxian’s mansion. The butler, following Gu Jianli’s instructions, reported the smallpox outbreak.
Ji Lan was shocked. Smallpox was no trivial matter. He immediately ordered the city gates sealed, the imperial physicians to diagnose and treat the outbreak quickly, and the Imperial Guards to intensify their search throughout Yong’an City for more infected individuals.
Despite these orders, Ji Lan’s heart remained uneasy. He had just ascended to the throne, and now there was a smallpox outbreak? This was an ominous sign.
Dou Hongyan knelt by the side, not daring to lose focus.
After a long while, Ji Lan gradually calmed down. Once composed, he frowned and spoke slowly, “Dou Hongyan, don’t you think that person resembles Ji Zhao?”
Dou Hongyan was taken aback and immediately shook his head, saying, “At that time, Ji Zhao was not in the capital but on a mission elsewhere.”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course. That was Ji Zhao’s only failed mission, which prompted Xuanjing Sect to issue the rare half-red smoke signal. Moreover, the imperial physicians have treated Ji Zhao multiple times and confirmed he wasn’t poisoned by Xuanyan powder but by the incurable Xiyu’s deadly poison, Heart-Eating powder.”
Only then did Ji Lan stop thinking about the late crown prince’s orphan and focused entirely on epidemic prevention.
