Here, Prince Ji, Jun Moyun, had been waiting in his manor for a long time, but his butler had not yet brought back his two benefactors. The anger simmering within him was about to erupt.
Just then, he heard a sharp, loud voice.
"Your Highness, Your Highness, your servant has found your two dear benefactors!"
The butler of Prince Ji's manor hurried in from outside, bowed, and reported breathlessly to Prince Ji.
"Where are they? Hurry and invite them in," Prince Ji said with an anxious expression.
"Your Highness, look at the doorway!" The butler pointed to the doorway with a flamboyant gesture.
Yan Yu and Lu Li Luo had just walked through the entrance. As they looked up and saw Prince Ji, with his handsome features, tall stature, and noble bearing, their faces immediately became a little nervous.
"This commoner greets Your Highness Prince Ji!" Yan Yu and Lu Li Luo said in unison.
"My two benefactors, there's no need for such formality. Quickly, quickly, please be seated!"
Prince Ji looked at the two young women, who were as fresh as dew, and his face also turned slightly red. In the urgency of last night, he hadn't taken a good look at Yan Yu and Lu Li Luo.
"Your Highness, let's just stand and talk. Ask whatever you need to ask. After that, we still need to go out and find people," Lu Li Luo said with her usual directness.
As she spoke, Yan Yu, who was standing beside Lu Li Luo, furrowed her brows. This girl knew who she was talking to, yet dared to speak to Prince Ji like that.
Then, Yan Yu stealthily placed her hand behind Lu Li Luo and tugged at her hem, signaling her to stop talking nonsense.
"Your Highness Prince Ji, Li Luo is still young and doesn't know how to speak properly. Please do not hold it against her," Yan Yu quickly added, afraid that the gentleman before them might get angry.
"It's alright. I quite like this young lady's straightforward nature. My two young ladies, please don't be so reserved. Sit down and talk with me."
Prince Ji said with a smile, the joy on his face like a newly bloomed flower bud.
"Then we thank Your Highness for your kindness."
Seeing Prince Ji's sincere expression, Yan Yu and Lu Li Luo felt they couldn't refuse. Thus, the two of them promptly sat down opposite Prince Ji.
"My two young ladies, you don't need to be afraid of me. Just treat me as an ordinary friend. My name is Jun Moyun. May I know your courtesy names?" Prince Ji asked with a smile.
"This commoner's name is Li Yan Yu, and I am from Qingyun County," Yan Yu replied respectfully.
"This commoner's name is Lu Li Luo. I live with my grandfather, and we have no fixed abode, having traveled all over the country."
After Lu Li Luo finished speaking, she flashed him a sweet smile.
"Your names, both of you, are very pleasant to hear!" Jun Moyun praised them.
Afterward, the three of them sat in silence. To break the awkwardness, Yan Yu suddenly thought of Prince An's situation.
"Your Highness Prince Ji, how is Prince An's injury now?"
When Prince Ji thought of Prince An, his face was filled with worry.
"My second sister-in-law said she has saved my fifth brother, but we haven't seen fifth brother's whereabouts. Now the Emperor has entrusted my fifth brother's injuries to my second sister-in-law's care. We have to wait three days before we can see my fifth brother," Prince Ji sighed and said.
"As long as he's alive, that's good. Three days isn't very long," Yan Yu comforted him.
"Yes, yes, what Miss Yan Yu said makes a lot of sense."
Prince Ji strongly agreed with her statement. As long as his fifth brother could live, three days was not a long time.
"For the life-saving grace you bestowed upon me and my fifth brother last night, I will never forget it in this lifetime. Miss Li Luo, you might not know it, but the few silver needles you inserted into my fifth brother saved half his life. I am truly grateful to you," Prince Ji said, his expression filled with emotion.
"Your Highness Prince Ji, you don't need to be so polite. As the saying goes, saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda. I am merely accumulating merit for myself, so you don't need to be grateful to me." Lu Li Luo's face was instantly flushed by Prince Ji's words.
"Miss Li Luo, I seemed to hear you say earlier that you were looking for someone?" Prince Ji asked with a look of confusion.
"Yes, Your Highness Prince Ji!" Lu Li Luo replied truthfully.
"Then can you tell me who you are looking for? Perhaps I can be of assistance," Prince Ji asked very directly.
"Replying to Your Highness Prince Ji, it is this commoner's grandfather." Lu Li Luo did not hide it from him and directly explained the situation of her grandfather's disappearance. Perhaps if she told him, Prince Ji might be able to help.
"Miss Li Luo, do not worry. I will arrange for people to help you search for your grandfather. You can stay at Prince Ji's manor for a few days with peace of mind. When your grandfather is found, I will arrange for someone to send you back to Qingyun County," Prince Ji said with a generous smile.
This made Yan Yu and Lu Li Luo feel that perhaps being a prince was not so difficult to get along with after all.
...
Lin Guogong's Manor.
Since Lin Zhenfan learned of the news that Prince An, Jun Moyu, had been severely injured and his life was in danger, he had urgently ordered people to investigate who had committed the act of assassination. However, he had not received any news until now.
If his chest was not aching faintly today, preventing him from using his internal energy, he would have gone to investigate this matter personally, as it only took an hour and a half to ride from the capital to Qingyun County.
He suspected that the person who had attacked Prince An and Prince Ji might be her.
Just as Lin Zhenfan was lost in thought, Lin Zhenfei hurried into his courtyard.
"Zhenfan, are you in your room?"
Lin Zhenfei gently knocked on the door of Lin Zhenfan's room twice.
"Big Brother, I am here. Please come in."
Lin Zhenfan's train of thought was interrupted by Lin Zhenfei. He coughed lightly and replied indifferently.
Immediately, Lin Zhenfei pushed the door open and entered Lin Zhenfan's room.
"Zhenfan, when I got up this morning, I heard the servants say your old ailment had flared up again. Are you feeling any better?" Lin Zhenfei asked him with concern in his voice.
"Big Brother, I am fine now. You don't need to worry about me," Lin Zhenfan said with a smile.
"Yes, yes, it's good that you are alright. If your chest is still hurting, send someone to Prince Qing's manor to invite the Valley Master of Guigu to examine you again," Lin Zhenfei suggested.
Lin Zhenfei genuinely doted on this younger brother, who was two years his junior. After the old Duke and Duchess Lin passed away consecutively, their father's favored concubine wanted to seize control of the Lin Guogong manor and have her two sons inherit it. However, at that time, they were still young, and their wings were not yet strong. The three siblings almost failed to protect the Lin Guogong manor from being seized by their father's two illegitimate sons. Fortunately, the three siblings worked together to defeat their father's favored concubine and those two illegitimate sons. Otherwise, the three siblings would not be where they are today.
Therefore, the bond between the three siblings was quite strong.
"Since you are fine, I will ask you something. Prince An and Prince Ji were ambushed on their way back to the capital last night. Prince An was seriously injured and his life is currently unknown. Did you send people to do this?" Lin Zhenfei asked Lin Zhenfan seriously.
"Big Brother, I have also heard about this matter, but the assassination of Prince An and Prince Ji was truly not done by me," Lin Zhenfan said truthfully.
"Are you not lying to Big Brother?"
Hearing this, Lin Zhenfei looked at Lin Zhenfan with a hint of disbelief.
"Big Brother, I am telling the truth. I sent people out to investigate this matter last night, but they have not returned to report the news to me yet," Lin Zhenfan said, looking into Lin Zhenfei's eyes with a firm tone.