Zhao Huai raised his chin, utterly fearless.

“If you’ve got the guts, kill me then.”

“Fine!”

What Lang Bo hated most was being goaded. He immediately raised his sword, preparing to slice across Zhao Huai’s throat.

Suddenly—

Jingrong called out, “Stop!”

The sword stopped without moving an inch.

Jingrong stepped forward and gave Lang Bo a meaningful look.

He commanded, “Stand down!”

“Your Highness, we cannot indulge them any longer.”

“They did save Yunshu’s life, after all.”

That’s right!

If they hadn’t pulled that switch at the Ministry of Justice prison, Ji Yunshu couldn’t have emerged safe and sound—she would probably be dead already. Jingrong had always remembered this debt of gratitude.

Though Lang Bo was unwilling, he still obediently complied.

He withdrew!

Jingrong walked before Zhao Huai and spoke reasonably: “If you want to know the truth, you can only wait! But if you want to take Wei Yi away, that’s absolutely impossible. Forget about leaving the capital—you probably couldn’t even leave this Prince Rong’s manor right now. Moreover, even if you took Wei Yi away, what then? Would you bring those hundred thousand troops to attack the capital? When those hundred thousand troops are defeated, the young lord you’ve been trying to protect will perish along with you. Would that be worth it?”

Not worth it!

“His identity is so sensitive that once people know about it, it could bring trouble. Right now, the safest place for him is with us.” Jingrong analyzed the stakes!

Zhao Huai’s impulsive energy gradually subsided.

In the end, reason prevailed.

“Fine, we’ll wait!”

Reluctant compliance.

The commotion ended, and the two finally left.

Inside the hall, it became quiet.

Ji Yunshu wrapped her garments tighter around herself and looked outside. The strong wind continued to blow, and the sky began dropping goose-feather snowflakes again.

She murmured: “Why can’t we find this person?”

“The world is so vast—we’ll definitely find him.” Jingrong said.

“I just can’t figure it out. If the person is alive, how could we not find them? If they’re dead, did they die before the fire? Or after the fire?” She continued muttering, then immediately shook her head, negating herself. “No, if they died before the fire, it’s impossible that no one would know. If they died after the fire, where did they die? If they died in the capital, someone would definitely know. If they died outside the capital, they must have found a way to leave the capital. Leaving the capital means passing through the city gates—how could there be no trail? But now, it’s as if this person never existed—vanished without a trace, leaving nothing behind. They were just a cook—how could they have such godly abilities?”

The more she thought, the heavier her head felt!

Seeing her complexion was off, sweat appearing on her forehead, and her body beginning to sway slightly, Jingrong quickly reached out with the back of his hand to feel her forehead.

Uh!

Too hot.

“Why didn’t you say you were sick?” He was extremely nervous. He immediately grasped her ice-cold hand and said in a commanding tone: “Listen, stop thinking about this matter. Go rest first.”

She twisted her body. “I’m not…”

Before she could finish, without any hesitation, Jingrong scooped her up in his arms, carried her back to the room, gently placed her on the bed, and immediately had someone summon a physician.

In just that short time, her lips had already turned pale, and her eyes drooped weakly.

Her body was terribly cold.

The physician arrived quickly, prescribed medicine, and brewed the decoction.

After drinking it, she felt much better.

“When you’re not feeling well, you must say so. You can’t hide it, understand?” Jingrong furrowed his brow—he’d truly been frightened just now.

Nestled in the blankets, she nodded, a faint smile at the corner of her mouth. Suddenly remembering something, she instructed: “Wei Yi is still at Bamboo Creek Garden. I’m afraid I won’t be able to return today. Have someone inform him, but don’t tell him I’m sick—I’m afraid he’ll worry.”

“Don’t worry, I know what to do. Rest well.”

“Mm.”

She obediently rested.

Jingrong stayed by her side the entire time, only leaving with peace of mind after her fever subsided.

And this sleep lasted until the next morning.

The moment she opened her eyes—

“Awake?”

Muruo?

Ji Yunshu sat up in bed. “Why are you here?”

Muruo fussed with the medicine in his hands, speaking in a complaining tone: “You ask why I’m here? It’s all because Jingrong was worried about you. Before dawn even broke, he had people drag me over here, saying he wouldn’t let me leave until he was certain you were alright. I’ve truly never seen anyone so domineering.”

Ha!

Ji Yunshu smiled with pursed lips. “I’m fine now. My head isn’t as dizzy as it was yesterday.”

“If you were still dizzy, that would be terrible—I’d never get to go home.” He brought the medicine over and stuffed it into her hands. “Drink every last drop. It’s very nourishing—I guarantee you’ll be bouncing around immediately.”

She obediently drank the medicine.

“By the way, where is Miss Tang?”

“She…”

“What’s wrong?”

“She’s currently quarreling with me!”

Just as he finished speaking—

A figure burst in.

“A Ji!”

Tang Si rushed to the bedside, her face nearly colliding with Ji Yunshu’s. Her large eyes rolled around as she asked with concern: “A Ji, are you alright now?”

“You’re married now—why are you still so rash and impulsive?”

At the mention of marriage, she puffed up with anger.

Hm?

Ji Yunshu asked, “What’s wrong with you?”

She glared at Muruo and complained: “It’s all because of him! He’s infuriating!”

“You had a fight?”

“Worse than a fight!” She pulled out two elongated boxes from her sleeve and opened them. Inside were two identical jade hairpins.

Except one was broken!

And one was intact!

So what?

Ji Yunshu was puzzled and glanced at Muruo. The young man helplessly shrugged and kept his distance.

Tang Si continued: “A Ji, tell me if this isn’t infuriating! That day I accidentally broke this hairpin and asked him to take it to be repaired. Instead of doing that, the lazy bum had Xiao Tong buy an identical one back, claiming it was the repaired one. Does he think I’m a fool? Moreover, the newly bought hairpin is a fake—a counterfeit! He refused to admit it, insisting it was the original one. Later, I found this broken hairpin in his medicine room, and only then did he confess. Otherwise I would have been completely fooled.”

Pff—

This was exactly something Muruo would do.

Tang Si glared at him again. “Thinking that by finding an identical hairpin and putting it in an identical box, I wouldn’t recognize it? That’s really underestimating your auntie here.”

What?

Ji Yunshu’s expression changed, and she asked seriously: “What did you just say?”

“Huh?” Tang Si was stunned for a moment and opened her mouth. “I said… that’s really underestimating your auntie here.”

“Not that sentence—the one before.”

“The one before? The one before was… ‘Thinking that by finding an identical hairpin and putting it in an identical box, I wouldn’t recognize it’? Is that the one?”

Ah!

Truly a single statement that awakens the dreamer!

Ji Yunshu finally had her revelation. “I understand now!”

She finally understood why they couldn’t find Zhao Huai even after issuing maritime arrest warrants.

So that’s how…

She threw back the blankets and got out of bed, then rushed quickly out the door…