Chapter 439: Losing him massive face
Jun Yixie was rescued?
Han Yunxi was shocked by the news. “When did this happen?”
“The same night the poison fog appeared.” Long Feiye handed over the message to Han Yunxi, who glanced through its contents before her expression grew heavy.
“Your Highness, it must have been a high-level poisons expert who saved him. It’s likely that even I wouldn’t have been their match.”
Long Feiye naturally knew the culprit had to be an expert, but Han Yunxi’s words surprised him. In his knowledge, the woman by his side was Cloud Realm Continent’s foremost expert in poisons!
“It’s not just anyone who can control an entire poison fog,” Han Yunxi intoned. When she read the first missive, she didn’t think Jun Yixie had much chances of escaping even with the poison fog in place, because the natural conditions of Fishery Island made it impossible for any fog to stay in place for long. Controlling the fog to cater to one’s whims was an even more impossible feat. She assumed that a fleet as large as the Baili Navy would be able to stand against the fog, but Jun Yixie had been taken away that very night. As an expert poisons master herself, she had no idea how any human could control such a fog. Just who is this person?
Long Feiye’s expression had been gloomy throughout. If not for the taboos on Fishery Island, he would’ve killed Jun Yixie long ago instead of wasting all this time and effort. He figured that three months would be enough to trap Jun Yixie to death, but something like this had happened instead. After pacing around the courtyard, Long Feiye lost to his temper and slammed his fist into the wall.
“Jun Yixie, your lordship will make you pay even more dearly!”
Han Yunxi’s temper evaporated upon seeing him so angry. Instead, she even wanted to smile. When the person you like grew furious on your behalf, that was a type of joy too. Of course, she didn’t dare smile now, much less alert Long Feiye to her thoughts.
“Your Highness, let’s pay them a trip anyways. I want to see those poisoned men,” Han Yunxi said sincerely.
Long Feiye only nodded, too unhappy to talk. The issue of the exploding stove was temporarily set aside. Long Feiye tasked Chu Xifeng to keep an eye on Su Xiaoyu and Zhao mama while he brought Han Yunxi out of the capital and set off for Fishery Island. They would get back at Jun Yixie in time, but figuring out the mystery of the poison fog was more pressing at the moment, as well as who had saved the man. For Jun Yixie to have such a strong supporter only spelled bad news for them both.
Su Xiaoyu was excited upon discovering that His Highness Duke of Qin and esteemed wangfei were leaving. She finally had a chance to slip out of the estate! But after seeing Chu Xifeng outside the Leisurely Cloud Pavilion, her heart withered.
She couldn’t get out!
Ever since the stove exploded, she’d failed to find a chance to leave the estate. She had originally arranged to meet with her master mid-month, but now it was already the end of the month. Moreover, there was no way for her to pass on the news. If she knew this would happen, she wouldn’t have been so impulsive. Although neither His Highness Duke of Qin nor esteemed wangfei had brought up the stove incident, she still felt uneasy at heart. The Duke of Qin’s return to the estate had only made her more fearful. She dearly wanted to escape, but that would only expose her instantly. Moreover, there was no guarantee that she’d escape successfully. At her wit’s end, she could only wait and think up alternative ideas.
By now, Chu Tianyin was burning with anger while waiting for Su Xiaoyu.
“Young master, why don’t this subordinate pay a visit to the Duke of Qin’s estate?” one of his guards murmured.
Chu Tianyin struck at him with his foot. “Stupid thing. You think you can get into the Duke of Qin’s estate?” If it was that easy, he would have gone himself instead of sitting around. Su Xiaoyu wasn’t the type to be late, so something must have happened at the estate to keep her back. Despite his impatience, he had no choice but to wait. Worse came to worst, he could throw away his piece in Su Xiaoyu.
He had an important mission this time in Tianning’s capital, so he couldn’t be hasty or startle the snake in the grass. Everything would be over once his identity was exposed. The guard he kicked slowly crawled to his feet and remained silent. Soon enough, Chu Qingge arrived. In less than half a month and under her brother’s instruction, Chu Qingge had already turned all the servants in her palace into submissive, docile, and loyal subjects. She had established good ties with Emperor Tianhui’s personal eunuch, Eunuch Luo as well. Today she’d taken the chance to sneak over here while taking a trip out of the palace to pay her respects to Buddha.
“Big bro, you guessed right! Noble Consort Xue, that slut, slandered me in Tianhui’s ears last night. Eunuch Luo told me everything,” Chu Qingge said hatefully.
“Tianhui’s already bestowed favor on Noble Consort Xue, but he’s yet to visit your palace?” Chu Tianyin furrowed his brows. Although Emperor Tianhui liked Chu Qingge very much, he’d yet to sleep with the girl.
Chu Qingge’s eyes turned red at the mention. She was loathe to broach the subject. Fortunately, Emperor Tianhui had been ill when she married into the family. During his recovery period, he had to refrain from sexual intercourse. As a man who cherished his health, he had supreme self-control when it came to such matters. Naturally, he would recover sooner or later, but Chu Qingge didn’t want to face her eventual nightmare just yet.
It was a while before she spoke again, her tone unhappy. “That slut went to the imperial study to give him ginseng chicken soup and forced her company on him for awhile. Tianhui takes his health seriously and didn’t touch her at all!”
“Aside from Gu Beiyue, who else is familiar with Tianhui’s illness?” Chu Tianyin asked. He directed this question to the advisor by his side. Chu Tianyin had spent his last trip in Tianning doing no end of investigations, collecting a large number of counsellors and advisors familiar with Emperor Tianhui’s court.
“Tianhui has always used Gu Beiyue as his physician. When he asked for leave, he recommended an Imperial Physician Huang. From what this subordinate understands, Noble Consort Xue tried to bribe this person on various occasions but was rejected every time,” the advisor replied immediately.
“I’ll give it a try!” Chu Qingge immediately piped up.
Chu Tianyin glared at her. “How many times have I told you, think thrice before you act?”
Chu Qingge shut her mouth resentfully. Her heart was filled with displeasure—towards this marriage, towards the fact that she had no choice but to submit as a piece in their game. But father had long given her orders to obey. With father’s personality, she’d be ruined for life if she refused him. She comforted herself with the fact that the marriage alliance gave her more chances to strike back against Han Yunxi. At the very least…at the very least, I can see the Duke of Qin as well.
Father and elder brother both told her that the Chu Clan wanted the Tianning throne, but she felt that things couldn’t be so simple. She had asked them both multiple times, but neither of them would tell her anything. Now she was too tired to try, so she simply followed her brother’s instructions. But any ones involving Han Yunxi…had a fat chance!
“I’ll deal with Imperial Physician Huang. Qingge, has Mu Liuyue come to find you recently?” Chu Tianyin asked next.
“She hasn’t,” Chu Qingge denied it immediately.
“Has she or hasn’t she?!” Chu Tianyin asked again.
“She has! As of yesterday, she still came looking for me!” Chu Qingge shot back angrily.
Every few days, Mu Liuyue would come over to discuss how they could get back at Han Yunxi. Although her ideas were stupid beyond belief, having a comrade-in-arms in the palace with a common foe was something that Chu Qingge cherished.
“Mu Liuyue is one of Empress Dowager Li’s pieces. By no means are you to tell her of our plans,” Chu Tianyin said seriously. “And also, I’m warning you for the last time. Don’t waste your time on Qin Wangfei.”
“All she talks about is Han Yunxi when she finds me. Am I supposed to chase her out?” Chu Qingge retorted coldly.
Chu Tianyin gave a disdainful laugh. “Go through the motions and fool her for now. By the time our plans mature, see how your brother uses that crown prince’s consort to deal with Empress Dowager Li!”
Chu Qingge nodded. Of course she believed in her brother’s abilities, but she took his warning as the breeze. Tianning’s imperial harem was brewing up a storm. Whether or not Han Yunxi would be a victim of those machinations was still unclear. At the very least, Han Yunxi had never taken any of those harem ladies seriously.
A few days after departing the capital, she and Long Feiye finally took to the seas. The Baili Navy hadn’t withdrawn from their post, so nobody knew that Jun Yixie had escaped, including Gu Qishao. Gu Qishao had arrived on shore and departed for parts unknown with the Bear chuan in tow, while Mu Linger was close to tears as she tried to track him down.
As for Jun Yixie, he was still unconscious!
Sailing across the vast expanse of ocean was an unremarkable fishing boat. None of the other boats paid it any mind, but treated it as an ordinary skiff of some seafaring fisherman. However, Jun Yixie was sleeping right inside. Next to him was a girl dressed in yellow robes, applying acupuncture needles to his shoulder. She looked around sixteen to seventeen years old, with delicate features and a thin, petite figure. Her large, expressive eyes seemed to speak with a language of their own and were bizarre to the extreme.
After placing the needles in place, the girl hugged her knees and sat there to wait. But it wasn’t long before she grew impatient and pinched Jun Yixie by the nose.
“Senior brother, we’re almost at shore. It’s time to wake up!”
Jun Yixie was drowsy to begin with, but the lack of oxygen immediately caused his eyes to fly open. He peered groggily at the yellow-robed girl before shutting his eyes again. But a second later, they flew open again as he shouted, “Yuqiao!”
Bai Yuqiao1 sneered with laughter. She didn’t let go of his nose, but pinched him harder. Jun Yixie rudely brushed her aside and rubbed his stomach before surveying his surroundings. Then he rose to his feet and walked out to the deck. He knew that he’d left Fishery Island, and that the poison in his stomach was gone.
“Where’s master?” he asked coldly. There was no way that Bai Yuqiao had the skills to take him off Fishery Island, much less treat his stomach poison. But one person definitely could—his father’s ally and sworn friend, the Hundred Poisons Sect’s previous leader, Bai Qingyan.2 When he was three years old, his father succumbed to illness and left him with Bai Qingyan, who raised him as his disciple while treating him as his own son. But once he turned thirteen, Bai Qingyan had left him in the care of Northern Li’s emperor and disappeared. Jun Yixie had searched for him over the years, but only in vain.
He never expected his master to appear now of all times and save him. Most likely, his master had been watching over him the entire time. Bai Yuqiao was master’s adopted daughter and his junior sister. She was rather young, but skilled and early to mature. When he wasn’t around, she was more than capable of overseeing things at the Hundred Poisons Sect.
“Master said you were nearly poisoned to death. You’ve lost him massive face, so he doesn’t want to see you,” Bai Yuqiao giggled. “Senior brother, who poisoned your shoulder? I’ll tell you a secret, even master couldn’t figure it out. He took a bit of your blood back to study!”
1. Bai Yuqiao (白玉乔) – Bai is a surname that means “white,” Yu is “jade,” Qiao is “tall.”
2. Bai Qingyan (白青彦) – Bai is a surname that means “white,” Qing is “youth, black/blue/green,” Yan is “man of virtue and ability.”