Early summer arrived quietly, with abundant sunshine and a gentle, warm breeze.
Leng Ruo Li woke up in the morning and first checked on Xie Yichuan's injuries. Finding him mostly recovered, she left the Cold Prince's manor and took a carriage to the Cold General's manor.
Steward Qi Bo led her to Leng Jinyu's courtyard. Upon entering, she saw Xiao Cheng helping his father walk around the yard.
Leng Ruo Li immediately became anxious.
"Father, you're so seriously injured, why aren't you lying in bed resting properly?"
Leng Ruo Li's delicate brows furrowed as she asked.
"Eldest Miss, you need to have a good talk with the Grand General. No matter what I say, he doesn't listen. He insisted on getting up early this morning and strolling around the yard," Xiao Cheng quickly interjected.
"Ah, Li'er, your father slept all day yesterday and is mostly recovered. If I'm made to lie in bed any longer, I'll go mad from boredom," Leng Jinyu said with a chuckle.
"Father, that's still not right. People always say it takes a hundred days for bones to heal, and there's a reason for that. It's only your second day, and you're already getting out of bed and running around. You really don't seem to care about your own life," Leng Ruo Li lectured Leng Jinyu helplessly.
"Alright, alright, father will listen to you. I'll go back to my room and lie down now."
Leng Jinyu, unable to persuade his daughter, chose to obediently go back and lie down.
"Father, have you eaten breakfast yet? Shall your daughter get you something from the kitchen?"
"No need, Li'er. Father has already had breakfast," Leng Jinyu quickly declined.
But then, he remembered something.
"Yesterday, on the road, father heard you and the Prince discussing your plan to investigate the whereabouts of the Imperial Seal last night. Have you found any clues?"
"No, Father. The person behind this might have realized that many people were tracking Deputy General Yang, so he or she didn't dare to show their face," Leng Ruo Li explained casually.
"Mmm, that's possible. Father speculates that the mastermind behind this message recently obtained the Imperial Seal. Otherwise, this person wouldn't be so impatient," Leng Jinyu mused.
"Father, you and the Prince are thinking the same thing," Leng Ruo Li said with a smile.
"Then how are you planning to lure this person out?" Leng Jinyu asked again.
"Father, the Prince has already dispatched many people to search. I believe there will be results soon," Leng Ruo Li reassured him.
"Mmm, although the rumors outside have been quickly suppressed by the Emperor and the Cold Prince, the sooner we find the Imperial Seal, the sooner we can silence the public's gossip and bring peace to everyone's hearts," Leng Jinyu sighed.
"Father, please don't worry about this matter. We will find the Imperial Seal," Leng Ruo Li comforted him.
"Alright. Then how is your elder brother's health? Can he go out yet?" At this moment, Leng Jinyu asked with concern. The reason was that he had been overwhelmed by military affairs these past few days and hadn't had time to check on his son. Unexpectedly, he had been ambushed and injured yesterday.
"Father, elder brother is fine. In another couple of days, he'll be able to get out and about. You, on the other hand, need to remember to recuperate properly," Leng Ruo Li chided him.
"Okay, Father remembers," he thought. If he didn't remember this time, his Li'er would probably nag his ears off.
"That's more like it!" Leng Ruo Li gave him a thumbs-up.
After that, the two chatted in the room for a while longer. However, as it neared noon, a pleasant voice suddenly reached their ears.
"Li'er, you actually concealed your father's severe injuries from your elder brother."
Xie Yichuan was wearing a fitted moon-white brocade robe. His features were handsome, his posture lean and upright, his steps steady and powerful. He exuded an air of noble elegance, like a jade tree in the wind, a picture of refined grace, a truly gentle and elegant handsome man.
His appearance immediately captured everyone's attention. It even stunned Leng Ruo Li, a self-proclaimed admirer of handsome faces.
Good heavens, her elder brother was too handsome. With that handsome face alone, he could captivate men, women, young, and old alike.
"Li'er, your saliva is dripping," Xie Yichuan observed, looking at Leng Ruo Li, who was staring at him in a daze, and teased her.
Hearing his words, Leng Ruo Li raised her hand to touch her mouth. Realizing she had been tricked, she said indignantly, "Elder brother, you're too wicked! You dared to tease me."
As she spoke, the few people present burst into laughter.
"Your man is also here. If he saw you like that just now, he'd get jealous over nothing. I was just reminding you," Xie Yichuan explained helplessly.
"You're saying Jun Mohan is also at the Cold General's manor?" Upon hearing this, Xie Yichuan nodded.
"Yes. The Prince and I traveled in the same carriage. When we reached the manor entrance, he was delayed by something, so I came in alone."
"Then why are you running around instead of recuperating properly at the Prince's manor?" Leng Ruo Li chided him affectionately.
"Father suffered such a major incident, and you two managed to keep it from me. I'm very angry," Xie Yichuan said, his expression changing slightly.
"I was worried about your health, that's why we kept it from you. I wonder who it was that carelessly revealed the news to you?" Leng Ruo Li said after some thought.
"I learned about this by interrogating one of the guards at your residence. Please don't blame him when you return to the manor," Xie Yichuan instructed her.
Just then, Jun Mohan also entered, dressed in a dark black robe, his steps steady.
Xiao Cheng and the other stewards inside the room quickly bowed to him. Jun Mohan waved them away and instructed them to leave the room.
"Your Highness, what is it?" Leng Jinyu and Leng Ruo Li looked at Jun Mohan with puzzled expressions.
"This King has something to tell you."
"What is it? Why so mysterious?" Leng Ruo Li frowned upon hearing this.
"Last night, this King sent people to investigate the background of the Guigu Valley Master. This morning, a guard returned and reported something to this King: the Guigu Valley Master from twenty-two years ago was skilled in both medicine and divination, and of good character. However, the current Guigu Valley Master only possesses some unorthodox medical skills and knows nothing of divination. Therefore, this King suspects that the current Guigu Valley Master is a fake," Jun Mohan said, dropping a bombshell.
"Then where is the real Guigu Valley Master now? Could it be that this current Guigu Valley Master harmed him?" Leng Ruo Li immediately voiced her doubts.
"It's possible. But we must first find the Guigu Valley Master to expose his true face," Leng Jinyu said after some thought.
"This King suspects that the person who met with Deputy General Yang is the Guigu Valley Master."
"It's highly possible. Yesterday, in the military camp, a soldier mentioned that Deputy General Yang had met an old man privately in a small grove. During their conversation, the other party mentioned the words 'Guigu'. At that time, I already suspected that the person who wanted to meet Deputy General Yang might be the Guigu Valley Master. However, we didn't see it with our own eyes, and the military camp was so chaotic, so I temporarily put the matter aside," Leng Ruo Li said, nodding repeatedly and sharing her own deductions.