Ye Tingyun said nothing more.
As early as yesterday, Song Qing'an had already left the city to gather troops. Feng Yinwan had originally come to remind him of this matter, so that he would not be panicked and would have some idea. After finishing her instructions, she also withdrew from the hall.
This had caused quite a delay. By the time she returned to her sleeping quarters, the Empress had already left.
Jiang Rumò guarded the bedside. Seeing her return, he retreated slightly.
Feng Yinwan stepped forward, asking as she looked, "Did the Empress do anything when she came?"
Jiang Rumò shook his head, "She only glanced at the bedside from a distance. I didn't see anything unusual."
From afar, the Emperor lay quietly on the bed. If it weren't for the trace of color on his face, he would have looked no different from a dead man.
Feng Yinwan examined him carefully and, seeing that there was indeed nothing unusual, her expression relaxed slightly.
Just as she stepped back from the bedside and was about to turn, two short knocks came from the roof beams. Feng Yinwan stiffened, her eyes suddenly sharpening.
This was the signal she and Feng Jingyuan had secretly agreed upon. Two knocks meant something urgent.
After turning and giving Jiang Rumò instructions, she immediately went outside the hall.
There were many eyes and ears in the sleeping quarters. Feng Yinwan slipped out of the palace and, in a secluded spot, Feng Jingyuan was already waiting.
Seeing him, she quickly descended using her qinggong.
"Brother, why the urgency? Did something happen?"
Feng Jingyuan nodded, his resolute gaze appearing solemn in the darkness.
"Someone tried to break into the sleeping quarters just now. I intercepted them from the shadows. This person's qinggong is remarkable, but they have now disappeared without a trace."
Feng Yinwan's beautiful eyes instantly darkened. After a moment of thought, she said in a deep voice, "Could it be that Yu Guiren?"
Feng Jingyuan thought for a moment, then shook his head.
"I exchanged blows with him. Judging by his movements, it doesn't seem like it."
During their brief confrontation, the person had not revealed much, but it was enough for him to discern that this person was not the same as the mysteriously disappeared Yu Guiren.
Feng Yinwan's expression grew more serious upon hearing this.
If it wasn't Yu Guiren, then who could it be?
With such formidable skill, could there be other hidden forces within the palace?
A heavy feeling settled in her heart. She nodded and was about to retreat to her sleeping quarters to make plans when, out of the corner of her eye, a black shadow flashed past.
"Wan'er, be careful!"
Feng Jingyuan's reaction was more acute than hers. By the time Feng Yinwan regained her senses, he had already shielded her behind him.
He then nodded to her and swiftly pursued the direction where the black shadow had disappeared.
They moved stealthily in the darkness, as silent as geese in flight, their movements agile and extremely subtle.
A faint, unusual fragrance drifted by on the night breeze. Feng Yinwan's beautiful eyes suddenly lifted, wanting to explore further, but the scent had already vanished without a trace.
Feng Jingyuan pursued the person to a secluded cold palace. In a moment of distraction, the person had once again vanished.
Frowning, he was about to go down to search when, from behind him, a fierce palm strike came rushing towards him.
Feng Jingyuan leaned to dodge it, but the attacker's speed was even faster, launching another assault around him.
He passively defended against several moves, not even catching a glimpse of the attacker's figure. His eyes darkened, and he seized an opening to draw his sword. Just as he was about to swing it, two spherical hidden weapons accurately struck him.
Feng Jingyuan instinctively swung his sword to block. Unexpectedly, the hidden weapons did not make the expected clanging sound when they collided with the blade.
With a dull thud, the two hidden weapons landed on the ground. He instinctively looked down, and a faint, unusual fragrance entered his nostrils.
They were not hidden weapons at all, but two pills!
"Not good!"
His heart tightened, and he tried to retreat, but the opponent seemed to have anticipated this and attacked directly from the direction he was retreating.
Seeing the palm strike nearing him, yet feeling his body weaken due to the medicine, Feng Jingyuan gritted his teeth and swung his sword to meet the attack. In the distance, Feng Yinwan's voice reached them first.
"Uncle, stop quickly!"
The palm strike in front of him ceased instantly. Feng Jingyuan was momentarily stunned, his sword technique still in motion.
He tried to pull his arm back, but a light "tsk" sound came from in front of him, and then his sword tip was firmly grasped.
At the same time, he finally saw the person's face.
It was a man, or rather, a middle-aged man wearing the attire of the Yue Kingdom, with eyes and brows that bore a slight resemblance to their mother.
Feng Yinwan's address from moments ago still echoed in his ears. Feng Jingyuan froze, remaining motionless.
In the ensuing awkward silence, Feng Yinwan arrived, holding the sword with one hand and quickly separating the two.
Feng Jingyuan, holding his sword, stammered, "Wan'er, who did you just call him?"
Why had he never heard that their mother had a younger brother?
Before Feng Yinwan could speak, Luo Qingyi, who had been separated, interjected with a somewhat condescending evaluation.
"Hmph, the brat actually has some skills."
Feng Yinwan ignored their previous animosity and, at his words, her lips curved into a slight smile. She immediately introduced him to Feng Jingyuan.
"Brother, this is Mother's younger brother, your and my uncle."
Having received her direct confirmation, Feng Jingyuan finally believed it. Before he could react, he heard Luo Qingyi speak.
"Brat, quickly put away your sword. Are you trying to make a move on your uncle?"
Feng Jingyuan's face flushed slightly, and he quickly sheathed his sword, cupping his hands in apology.
"Jingyuan did not know it was Uncle who was here. I have offended you greatly just now. I beg Uncle to forgive me."
Luo Qingyi gave a hum and was about to reprimand him further when Feng Yinwan interrupted.
"Uncle, why have you suddenly come to Jingguo? You didn't send word in advance, and you even deliberately fought with Brother in the palace."
Luo Qingyi had intended to hide his tracks. If she hadn't noticed him, he wouldn't have been identified.
Knowing that she was defending Feng Jingyuan, Luo Qingyi cast a glance at her, blaming her for having lost her conscience after only a few days away from the sect.
Feng Yinwan pretended ignorance. After being stared at for a few moments, she heard him reluctantly get to the point.
"I am aware of the situation in Jingguo. I have come precisely to warn you."
"To warn me?"
Feng Yinwan was puzzled. "If there was news, Uncle could have ordered Xi Wen and Jian Ye to deliver it. Why did you need to come personally?"
Luo Qingyi looked at her and said in a deep voice, "A general in Jingguo has defected. The Emperor has ordered troops to be dispatched, bypassing the imperial council. Prince Qi and Zhao Qing, fearing the outbreak of war, have done their utmost to prevent it. Unfortunately, the two of them died in a fall from a mountain while praying for blessings yesterday."
This news struck Feng Yinwan like a dull wooden fish on her head. She froze, recalling the situation in Yue Kingdom.
Unlike the autocratic imperial rule of Jingguo, the royal family of Yue Kingdom adopted an imperial council system, where all members of the royal family had the right to voice their opinions on state affairs.
Among the current Yue royal family, besides Luo Qingyi and the reigning Yue Emperor, there were two direct descendants left by the former Empress: Prince Qi and Princess Zhao Qing.
As an important part of the royal bloodline, the direct descendants held significant influence in the imperial council, which could be imagined how much the Yue Emperor feared them.
And these two, who had opposed the war, had coincidentally died at such a crucial juncture?