FID – Chapter 692

Chapter 692: Why the Urgency? 

“Can we leave now?” As soon as she saw the person, Liu Yusheng immediately asked.

The man glanced at her, took large strides upstairs, and just as Liu Yusheng thought he might be changing his mind, she saw him take down the basket with the little puppy inside.

“Are you going to give me the little puppy?” She blinked and reached into the basket to scratch the little puppy’s chin, which still seemed a bit sluggish.

If he really wanted to give it to her, she wouldn’t mind—she was quite fond of the little thing.

“I never give away anything from my Baicao Valley,” the man replied.

Liu Yusheng immediately rolled her eyes internally.

Never give anything away? Did he know that Xue Qinglian used Baicao Valley’s signature Hundred Poisons Pill as candy?

“Since you’re not giving it to me, why are you bringing it along? We’re supposed to be on a journey. Is carrying an injured pup going to be convenient for us?”

“It’s better for it to be with you than to be left here.”

“Thanks for the compliment,” Liu Yusheng responded with a forced smile and took the basket from him.

Well, being a caretaker for a few hours wouldn’t be too bad… probably.

This time, the man didn’t pull any more tricks. He led her to the back of the courtyard where they had stayed the first time, boarded a ship that had already been waiting there, and as the ship set sail, it slowly left the isolated island.

Sitting at the stern of the ship, Liu Yusheng gazed in the direction of the isolated island and sighed softly. She hadn’t said goodbye to Xue Qinglian.

That guy was confined by his own people, and she didn’t know when he would regain his freedom.

He was probably in the same situation as Qian Wanjin, who had fled his marriage for years, forcing the elders of the Qian family to capture him and bring him back.

Xue Qinglian had probably been wandering the Jianghu for many years, and he too, had likely angered his elders and was being punished.

The sound of soft footsteps approached from behind. Liu Yusheng turned to look at the man. “Heilian, your name is similar to Xue Qinglian’s. What is your relationship with him? Are you cousins? Real brothers?”

“Why are you curious about this?”

“Of course I’m curious. You’re both from Baicao Valley, and you might even share the same blood. How is it that Xue Qinglian is so likable, but you’re so unpleasant?”

The man’s eyelids twitched slightly. Despite his ever-unchanging tone, Liu Yusheng could feel a drop in the temperature of his voice by a full degree. “Unpleasant? If it’s so difficult and thankless, I could take you back to the island, and you can find your own way out.”

“…” Liu Yusheng silently turned away, pretending to be nonchalant as she played with the puppy. “Ah, little puppy, your survival skills are truly impressive. After just one night of rest, you’re much more spirited. Maybe in a few days, your bones will heal, and then you can jump and run around again. Hahaha!”

One must bow one’s head under someone’s roof for a time.

The man, quietly observing the girl acting meek, had no change in his expression. But there seemed to be a brief flash of tenderness in his usually indifferent eyes, quickly gone in an instant.

He took two steps forward, pulled out a black cloth strip, and blindfolded the girl from behind.

Liu Yusheng was startled. “Hey, Heilian, what are you going to do again?”

“The route off the island is a secret, known only to a few. If you want to die, just pull off the cloth. If you want to live, keep it on,” he said coldly.

“……”

With her eyes completely covered and not a hint of light penetrating through, Liu Yusheng began to live the life of a blind person crossing a river on the ship.

Meanwhile, at the royal hunting grounds in the capital, due to the Eighth Prince’s assassination attempt, with no assassin found, the planned hunt ended abruptly.

In just five days, they returned to the capital.

Ever since the argument in the tent, Feng Qingbai finally got some peace and quiet. Seventeen had not appeared before him again.

Not only were the officials and other royal family members curious about the argument, but even Duan Ting was intrigued. He had asked Feng Qingbai countless times but hadn’t gotten the answers he wanted.

On their way back to the city, Duan Ting shared a carriage with Feng Qingbai, and the old topic was brought up again. “Don’t you want to secretly tell me? My Seventeenth Sister is not so easy to handle. You haven’t seen how troublesome she can be. If you’d told me in advance, I might have been able to offer some good ideas to clarify your relationship.”

“Thank you for your concern, but I must decline.” Feng Qingbai slightly closed his eyes, leaning against the carriage, resting and closing his mind.

Duan Ting grew bored, stayed silent for a while, then spoke again, “I heard some news from the capital the day before yesterday. Did you hear about it? An inn in the capital caught fire late at night, and then there was an attack. I heard quite a few people died. The most interesting part is, the in was housing a merchant group from Nanling.”

This successfully made the man open his eyes and look at him.

“Indeed, the dragon crossing the river needs to be watched carefully. In Beicang, you are not as well-informed as me.”

“A Nanling merchant group? The names of the members?”

“I don’t know that. It was chaotic at the time, and who would have thought to look into that? Besides, it’s not my concern, why would I look into other people’s names?”

Feng Qingbai furrowed his brows slowly, looking out of the carriage window. “Wei Zi, once we return to the capital, go to the inn and verify things, list the names of the merchant group members.”

“Yes, master.”

“Are there any people you recognize in there?” Duan Ting asked.

“Someone has attempted an assassination in Beicang’s capital. The Beicang court will definitely not ignore this matter,” Feng Qingbai said softly, staring at Duan Ting. “Do you think that between the two courts, there will be another disruption, Prince Ting?”

Duan Ting’s face showed no particular concern, but his brows darkened.

Whether the other party was truly targeting the Nanling merchants or pretending to, if not handled carefully, the recent negotiations between the two countries could very well fall apart again.

This was no small matter.

“I’ll keep a closer eye on the movements in the court. Once I have any information, I’ll inform you immediately.”

“Thank you.”

Afterward, neither of them had the mood to talk. One rested his chin on his hand, staring out the carriage window, while the other continued to close his eyes, lost in thought.

On the surface, everything seemed calm, but inside, Feng Qingbai’s heart subtly tightened with unease.

Nanling merchants… Before setting off after the New Year, he had met with Qian Wanjin and learned from him that the Qian family intended to open channels for selling nourishing wines to surrounding countries.

And that suggestion had originally come from Shengsheng.

If the Merchant Guild that came to Beicang this time really came for this purpose, could Shengsheng be among them?

It’s not impossible!

The news of the two countries considering a marriage alliance had been circulating wildly, and Nanling was probably aware of it as well. If this information reached Shengsheng’s ears, she was likely to come looking for him!

“Wei Zi! Ride quickly and return to the capital, immediately investigate that inn! No omissions allowed!”

“Yes, master, I will take care of it immediately!”

The long procession back to the capital saw a lone rider galloping swiftly, speeding past the front of the convoy, making a brief turn near Beicang’s royal dragon carriage to show respect, before continuing on his way!

This scene left many officials and royal family members dumbfounded.

That was the personal bodyguard of the King of Nanling. His urgent appearance certainly meant that he had been sent on a task by his master. But what could have happened that made the King forget even the most basic etiquette for such an occasion?

“The King is usually calm and rational. Over the course of many discussions and negotiations with us in Beicang, we have never seen him show any emotion. But today, he is so flustered… Seventeen, do you know why the King is in such a hurry?”