Ji Bozai’s keen eye immediately noticed. He approached, pretending to check Mingyi’s pulse, then bowed to the Grand Duke: “Madam Ji is unwell. She may need a small courtyard for a thorough examination.”
Mingyi’s gesture, coupled with Ji Bozai’s words, led everyone to guess the situation. The Grand Duke quickly said, “Go, go! If there’s good news, remember to send word.”
Those with high Yuan Power aptitude often produce offspring with excellent meridians. If Ji Bozai could have an heir, it would be another joyous occasion for Muxing City.
The Grand Duke was beaming with joy. He instructed an attendant to follow and see to Ji Bozai’s needs, then hurriedly poured wine and invited the envoys from the Upper Three Cities to drink together: “Today is a good day. Come, let’s all have a toast.”
The envoys’ expressions were not pleasant. What kind of celebration was this? Only Muxing City was pleased; it had nothing to do with the other cities.
However, the two people from Chaoyang City had different reactions. Shen Tianlin’s emotions were complex, both surprised and saddened. Dan Er, on the other hand, remained silent with a gloomy face, his fingers fidgeting as if calculating something.
Regardless of others’ thoughts, Mingyi successfully led Ji Bozai away from Tage Platform, retreating to a small courtyard with Ji Bozai.
With no one around, Ji Bozai stopped pretending and let out a muffled groan as blood spilled from his mouth.
Ji Bozai, as if accustomed to this, quickly took out silver needles to pierce two of his blood vessels, draining a small vial of blood before carefully bandaging him.
“That shameless Zuo Ping,” he cursed.
Ji Bozai, having regained some strength, sneered, “His methods can’t defeat me.”
“He may not defeat you, but he can still hurt you,” Ji Bozai said, annoyed, as he found some pills to give him. “It’s truly despicable.”
Mingyi wiped the area around his wounds without a word. Ji Bozai glanced at her, wanting to appear unconcerned, but after a moment’s hesitation, he couldn’t help but ask, “Are you feeling unwell?”
“It’s fake. I had to pretend to get away,” she answered flatly, without looking up.
His smile faded slightly as Ji Bozai turned away. “I thought as much.”
Seeing Ji Bozai’s fluid movements, Mingyi stood up: “I’ll go check near the stables. Physician Ji, please take care of him.”
Ji Bozai was surprised. Though Ji Bozai wasn’t in mortal danger, his injuries were severe. Covered in blood with pale lips, he looked utterly frail, yet she could speak of leaving so coldly?
“There’s urgent business,” Ji Bozai lowered his eyes. “You may go.”
“I take my leave,” Mingyi said.
Her water-red skirt swept across the threshold, leaving not even a lingering breeze.
Ji Bozai looked at her retreating figure, then at the silent Ji Bozai before him, and suddenly laughed: “So you have your day too.”
“What day is that?” He still pretended to be indifferent. “I asked her to handle something, so she left as she should.”
“But aren’t you quite fond of her?” Ji Bozai asked while bandaging, observing his expression. “Yet it seems she doesn’t care much for you.”
“Nonsense. You didn’t see how much she cared for me before, waiting outside the mansion with a lantern every night,” Ji Bozai scoffed. “In this world, there are only people I don’t care about, never people who don’t care about me. You’ve known me for so long, don’t you understand this?”
“I understand, I understand,” Ji Bozai said, tightening his bandage.
He let out a muffled groan, his long eyelashes lowering slightly in annoyance: “Gentler.”
“Alright, I know. Don’t get angry; it’s not good for healing.”
Healing or not, these fighters weren’t so delicate, without obvious external wounds… Wait a moment.
Looking down at his wounds, Ji Bozai suddenly felt something was amiss: “Fighters usually have some wounds, right?”
“Yes.”
“She has Yuan Power, so she must have trained too. She should have wounds,” Ji Bozai frowned, sitting up straight. “But she doesn’t even have a shallow scar on her body.”
Ji Bozai paused, thinking briefly: “What’s so strange about that? Many cities have miraculous medicines for healing scars.”
“But didn’t she say she was from Muxing City?” Ji Bozai narrowed his eyes. “How could a daughter from a herb-gathering family in Muxing City afford such expensive healing medicine?”
“…” Ji Bozai was stumped.
It was obvious that no ordinary girl would coincidentally learn Yuan Power. Her identity was already full of doubts, but he refused to kill her easily, wanting to uncover the truth.
Licking his dry lips, Ji Bozai leaned back on the cushion and chuckled softly: “There are so many women in this world – gentle and virtuous, soft and lovable – I’ve seen all types. But she, cunning and unfathomable, is truly interesting.”
Ji Bozai poured him a cup of hot tea with disdain: “In the past, when you encountered cunning individuals, you always made them beg for death. Now that you’ve met her, how come you find her interesting and lively?”
“People are different.”
“Tsk, why don’t you just admit that you like her, so you treat her differently?” Ji Bozai muttered. “With your abilities, can’t you live a peaceful and harmonious life with her?”
Ji Bozai lowered his eyes without responding.
A peaceful and harmonious life?
From the moment he stepped into Muxing City’s main city, such a life would never belong to him again.
The Tage Platform remained lively, while the stables where the beast carriages were parked were naturally empty. Even the guards had sneaked away to watch the festivities, leaving only a group of beasts pulling the carriages. As soon as she entered the stables, they became alert.
Beast companions were also ranked. High-level ones, like Bo Yuankui’s three-headed wolf, were very shrewd and fierce, never allowing outsiders near the carriage.
Mingyi stood in a secluded corner and took out what Ji Bozai had given her.
A bamboo hairpin is as thick as a finger.
This thing was neither attractive nor valuable. She examined it for a while but couldn’t find anything special about it. What use could it have on Bo Yuankui’s beast carriage?
Never mind, since it was a task, she would do it.
After observing the snarling three-headed wolf for a moment, Mingyi released her pure white Yuan Power, transforming it into a cat.
Unlike her timid demeanor, the cat yawned as soon as it landed, scratched its chin with its hind leg, then took the object from her hand and sauntered towards Bo Yuankui’s beast carriage.
The surrounding beast companions watched it, panting heavily, their breath ruffling its white fur. But its cyan eyes were full of contempt, striding past anyone in its way with a raised chin.
The three-headed wolf bared its teeth and lowered its head to bite it. The white cat used this opportunity to jump, stepping on each of its three heads in turn to leap into the air, successfully dropping the bamboo hairpin into the carriage.
The three-headed wolf, enraged, lunged to bite its swaying tail. The white cat twisted its body and slapped the wolf’s mouth with its paw, leaving five bloody scratches.
The wolf was stunned, its expression even a bit wronged. The white cat looked down at it haughtily, seemingly ready to strike again.
Mingyi quickly recalled it: “That’s not okay. We’re doing bad things here, don’t be too arrogant.”
The white cat mewed unhappily and disappeared into her arms.