Yun Shu's ears twitched.
Beside her, Jing Heng's ears also twitched.
The two exchanged glances.
That voice they just heard was Yun Xiao Jing's!
They could recognize Yun Xiao Jing's voice anywhere.
And that voice...
"It's coming from the Night King's manor!" Jing Heng said.
"Indeed, it's from the Night King's manor. He's there right now," Yun Shu's expression turned icy.
Yun Xiao Jing was actually at the Night King's manor!
She thought of how Yun Xiao Jing had gone missing twice recently, how Ruan Xi had searched for him all over the capital but found no trace, as if the boy had vanished completely.
And now, to her utmost dismay, he had gone to the Night King's manor!
"I'll go and bring him out right now!" Jing Heng declared.
He really knew how to hide!
Yun Shu frowned, "Wait until tonight. I'll fetch him myself!"
Yun Xiao Jing's courage was growing with each passing day.
To come to the Night King's manor without a word.
She knew Yun Xiao Jing; he must have a reason for going to the Night King's manor.
"Let's go. Zhan Xiao Li was brought back by the Night King, so he should be fine. Besides, Yun Xiao Jing calls him 'brother' so often, they must be getting along well. With him around, Xiao Li won't be too sad."
Yun Shu spoke and then walked away directly.
Jing Heng followed immediately.
Not long after they left, a carriage stopped in front of the manor.
First, Zhan Tian Ye, with Qiu Lu's help, was settled into a wheelchair.
Then came Zhan Xiao Li.
After dismounting, Zhan Xiao Li lowered his head and walked into the manor, looking extremely dejected.
"The young heir was injured quite badly by Miss Yun," Qiu Lu sighed.
Zhan Tian Ye's expression turned even colder, like an unmelting iceberg, chilling and terrifying.
A servant at the gate quickly approached Qiu Lu and whispered a few words.
Qiu Lu's eyes lit up.
He quickly said in a low voice to Zhan Tian Ye, "My Lord, Old Han is arriving in the capital! The divine physician can visit Old Han's residence the very next day!"
"Agree to whatever conditions the divine physician proposes," Zhan Tian Ye commanded in a deep voice.
"Yes."
"For the next two days, do not bother Zhan Xiao Li with his studies. Let him do whatever he wishes. Issue a decree that no one in the manor is to discuss Yun Yue Yin and Yun Shu," Zhan Tian Ye commanded, looking at Zhan Xiao Li entering the manor.
Qiu Lu nodded immediately, "Xiao Jing is very lively and cheerful. Let Xiao Jing accompany the young heir."
"Mm."
At this moment, Yun Xiao Jing was not far from the main gate.
Seeing Zhan Xiao Li return with his head hung low, Yun Xiao Jing muttered to himself, "Not good!"
He must have seen that wicked woman!
His heart must have been broken by that wicked woman!
That's why he's so dejected now!
Yun Xiao Jing spat out the foxtail grass from his mouth and his short legs scurried towards Zhan Xiao Li.
Zhan Xiao Li didn't want to see anyone right now.
Before Yun Xiao Jing could speak, he began to shoo him away, "I want to be alone. Don't follow me!"
He then ran off quickly.
He gave Yun Xiao Jing no chance to speak.
Yun Xiao Jing's eyes widened. His brother must have been badly hurt by that wicked woman!
That wicked woman actually broke his brother's heart!
"Xiao Jing, find an opportunity to spend more time with Zhan Xiao Li."
Zhan Tian Ye, who had been pushed in by Qiu Lu, said to Yun Xiao Jing.
"He's my brother. I will absolutely not let him be sad!" Yun Xiao Jing was not someone who would back down after being rebuffed. Would he stop talking just because Zhan Xiao Li didn't want him to?
Then he wouldn't be Yun Xiao Jing!
He quickly ran towards Zhan Xiao Li's direction.
Qiu Lu chuckled, "Xiao Jing calls him 'brother' so naturally. Anyone who doesn't know would think they're actual brothers."
Zhan Tian Ye suddenly frowned.
Xiao Jing and Xiao Li had a few facial similarities.
Xiao Jing's mouth and eyebrows resembled Xiao Li's, and also his own.
If he didn't clearly remember only having been with one woman, he would have thought Xiao Jing was his son too.
...
Dusk was approaching.
At the General's manor.
Yun Chang Feng was personally cooking.
He wanted Yun Shu to taste his culinary skills.
He had only ever cooked for Yun Shu's mother.
After many years, this was the first time he was cooking.
Yun Shu waited eagerly outside the kitchen, her eyes full of curiosity, "Dad, how much longer will it be?"
Half an hour ago, her father had confidently declared that he would let her taste his cooking.
He said that her mother had been won over by his cooking, and fearing she wouldn't believe him, he insisted it wasn't his handsome appearance that had won her over, but definitely his culinary skills!
She chose to believe him.
And then she waited.
She had been waiting for a long time.
"Almost there, almost there!"
A slightly flustered reply came from inside the kitchen.
Then,
"Huh? How did it turn out like this? I forgot to peel it! This one needed blanching! There's still time, still time."
With her excellent hearing, Yun Shu clearly heard every mumbling word from Yun Chang Feng inside the kitchen.
To avoid starving, Yun Shu said to Yu Le beside her, "Go buy some dishes from a restaurant."
"Ah?" Yu Le was initially taken aback, then quickly understood.
His master had entered the kitchen almost an hour ago!
Yet, not a single dish had been brought out.
"This servant will go right away!"
Yun Shu decided to sit in the courtyard and leisurely drink tea, waiting for her father to finish dinner.
Fortunately, it was still early.
A while later.
Yun Chang Feng finally emerged from the kitchen.
Followed by several experienced cooks and the manor's head chef.
Behind them came thick, acrid smoke.
Yun Chang Feng held a plate in his hand, containing something dark and unidentifiable.
Thick smoke continued to billow from the kitchen.
"Is the house going to catch fire?"
A servant sweeping the courtyard exclaimed in alarm.
"No! Something just got burnt!" Yun Chang Feng waved his hand, his tone extremely confident.
Carrying the plate with the unknown substance, he hurried to Yun Shu, "It's done, Shu'er, try it quickly."
Yun Shu looked at the charcoal-blackened, utterly unappetizing thing. Her gaze fell on the back of Yun Chang Feng's hands, dotted with several burns from hot oil.
Her heart warmed.
It was full of fatherly love.
She felt she could eat it.
"Your mother loved this dish the most. Try it!" Yun Chang Feng looked at Yun Shu with anticipation.
Yun Shu smiled and nodded, "Okay."
Her hand trembling slightly, she picked up a small piece.
As soon as it entered her mouth.
It was incredibly salty!
That wasn't all.
It was terribly bitter!
The shape had already made it unrecognizable.
After taking a bite, it became even more unclear what it was.
What on earth was it?
"Is it delicious?" Yun Chang Feng asked.
Yun Shu's eyes welled up with tears, "Did Father taste it just now?"
A flicker of sadness crossed Yun Chang Feng's eyes, but he still smiled gently, "When I was on the battlefield, I was poisoned, and my tongue lost most of its taste. But your mother tasted it and said it was delicious."
Yun Shu was startled at first. His taste buds were gone due to poison?
No wonder!
"Let me see," Yun Shu, steeling herself, swallowed the mouthful.
Just as she was about to ask Yun Chang Feng to stick out his tongue to examine it, she heard someone running from not far away, saying as they ran, "Master, someone from the palace has arrived, saying the Regent King wishes to see the General and the Young Lady!"