Free Web NovelChapter 429: Truly Doting on the Children
Ye Qianning calmly looked away.
"Did you know? Consort Yuan’s palace was actually robbed. And I mean everything—they took all of her old belongings," Zhan Chi said, launching into gossip, unfazed by her indifference.
Ye Qianning picked up her cup and sipped her tea.
"How are you not the least bit curious?"
"What’s there to be curious about?"
"About who could be powerful enough to steal so much from the Imperial Palace."
"That’s not important. All that matters is that Consort Yuan is feeling the sting." ’I just want her to know what it feels like to hurt. To see her palace left destitute from now on—that’s what I want most.’
"My second sister said Consort Yuan is absolutely furious. She’s even sent for her senior brother to hunt down the thief."
"Who is this senior brother of Consort Yuan’s?" Ye Qianning asked, her curiosity piqued.
"He’s the son of the Medicine King’s Sect Leader and the heir apparent. I heard he’s an incredible martial artist and an expert at raising Gu worms. Apparently, one of the medicinal pills stolen from Consort Yuan can attract them." Zhan Chi thought for a moment before adding, "I wonder if the thief has left the Capital City. If they’re still here, they’re in real danger."
Ye Qianning’s expression grew complicated. She had inspected all the pills and confirmed that some were indeed the kind Gu worms favored. One of the bottles even contained a mature Gu worm, which looked to be many years old.
After maturing, some Gu worms emit a scent imperceptible to humans, but other Gu can sense it.
They can pinpoint its location even from a thousand li away. It was, admittedly, a thorny problem.
’I opened that bottle. The scent must have rubbed off on me.’
"What are you thinking about?" Zhan Chi waved his hand in front of her face.
Ye Qianning snapped back to reality and blinked. "How did you find out such important information?"
"My second sister, of course. Did you really think she’s completely oblivious to everything that happens in the Imperial Palace?" Zhan Chi chuckled.
"She seems like the type to stay out of worldly affairs."
"Even if you don’t want to fight for power in the Imperial Palace, you still need to be capable. You can’t survive without a few tricks up your sleeve. The Zhan family was originally planning to leave the Capital City, but then the Emperor decreed that my eldest sister—your great-aunt—was to become a consort. There was an... accident, so my second sister went to the palace in her place. Your grandmother was afraid your second aunt wouldn’t be able to secure her footing in the palace without the support of her maternal family, so we stayed. And we’ve been here ever since." Zhan Chi explained the Zhan family’s history, clearly hoping to close the distance between them.
Ye Qianning couldn’t be bothered to pick apart his words. ’The Zhan family has had its own share of sorrow. For three generations, the men of the Zhan Mansion were military commanders. In Zhan Yi’s generation, several of his brothers died on the battlefield.’
’The family forbade Zhan Yi from pursuing a career as a court official. So while the Zhan family holds no official posts now, their family’s honor is second to none.’
’The fact that the heads of the Zhan family were willing to stay in the Capital City for their daughter shows how much they truly dote on their children, even the girls.’
’Having parents like that... it’s truly enviable.’
After he finished speaking, Zhan Chi silently watched Ye Qianning’s expression. Seeing that she remained quiet, he ventured, "Pangtuan, if you wanted to leave the Capital City, the Zhan family could go with you."
"That won’t be necessary," Ye Qianning said languidly.
Hearing this, Zhan Chi knew he hadn’t managed to close the distance between them. A heavy feeling settled in his chest.
For the past two days, he’d had so many questions buried in his heart, questions he desperately wanted to ask. The murderous aura from that day had haunted his dreams. He dreamed she was being hunted down, cut down by her pursuers.
He dreamed she had endured brutal torture, which was how she had acquired such an intense, murderous aura.
When he woke from these nightmares, he was too afraid to fall back asleep. ’How could someone possess such a powerful aura without having experienced true despair and death?’
"Miss Xiang." Xi Fengying stepped into the pavilion.
Ye Qianning looked at the woman from Xi Yan. "Ying Ge will see you out of the mansion."
"The situation outside hasn’t calmed down at all. There are soldiers searching everywhere. If I go out now, wouldn’t I be walking right into a trap?" Xi Fengying said, sitting down beside her.
