Chapter 83: Shattered Perception
Li Xuanyue’s original intention was to go to Xihe Hall to probe whether Lang Hua’s disappearance was Hua Shan’s doing.
In the end, she didn’t get the information but was instead stunned by the successive revelations from Hua Shan. Consequently, after the father and daughter talked in the hall for an hour, Li Xuanyue excused herself, claiming she had other matters to attend to.
“Master, looking at the Princess’s demeanor, I fear she will come again.”
From the shadows, Xiao Ce suddenly stepped forward and spoke.
In truth, from the bottom of his heart, he hoped Hua Shan would release Xiao Han. However, Xiao Han knew too much. If no one saved him, he might very likely stay in that secret chamber for the rest of his life, never to leave.
Hua Shan looked up. “Then we will deal with it when she comes.”
He spoke with an attitude of meeting every move as it came, clearly not taking such a small matter to heart.
“How are the people sent out doing? Have they found the Wusi herb?”
Regarding Hua Sang’s current physical condition, the imperial physicians had said he needed large quantities of precious medicines mixed with the Wusi herb to survive. For this one herb, Hua Shan had practically mobilized all the elites in his hand. It was enough to show the importance he placed on this matter.
Xiao Ce lowered his head. “They returned last night,” he said in a deep voice. “The herbs found have already been handed over to the imperial physicians.”
Hua Shan nodded with satisfaction. “You may leave!”
Outside Xihe Hall, Feng Yi, who was still waiting for news from Li Xuanyue, saw her walk out. His eyes lit up with joy, and he quickly rushed toward her.
Li Xuanyue kept a dark face, acting as if she didn’t see him.
The atmosphere instantly became strange. Even Yin Xin, standing to the side, didn’t dare make a sound. Feng Yi, being merely a servant of Consort Lang, certainly didn’t have the courage either.
It wasn’t until a long time later, after they returned to Fenghe Hall, that Li Xuanyue spoke her first sentence since leaving Xihe Hall.
“Tonight, This Princess intends to investigate Xihe Hall by night!”
This was a decision Li Xuanyue made after careful deliberation upon leaving Xihe Hall. Since she couldn’t be sure if everything was truly related to Hua Shan, she would take the risk personally. Using herself as bait, she would see exactly what her Father was hiding from her.
Lang Hua’s disappearance was no small matter. Although Li Xuanyue had intentionally kept it under wraps, the other Consorts, who constantly monitored everyone’s movements, already knew.
They were all guessing who had made the move on Lang Hua.
Among the group, Lang Hua had the most lively and active personality. Usually, if he wasn’t visiting here, he was visiting there. Although everyone treated him with indifference, privately, they didn’t dislike Lang Hua’s familiar manner. On the contrary, they felt he lived the most authentically among them. He was neither hypocritical nor affected, and he was someone who understood the times and situations well.
Now that he was missing, Jun He and the others naturally couldn’t sit by and watch.
“I heard the Princess went to Xihe Hall today,” Yu Mian said. “Do you think this matter is related to the Prince Consort?”
Although they didn’t understand Li Xuanyue’s personality very well, they knew she wasn’t impulsive. For her to take Lang Hua’s people to Hua Shan’s place at this critical juncture, it was hard not to suspect her motive.
Yao Guang’s eyes held a glimmer. “The possibility cannot be ruled out. What do you think, Consort Jun?”
They had all been sent by the five clans for marriage alliances. To put it nicely, they were heroes of the alliance; to put it bluntly, they were abandoned pawns. Even though they had their own shadow guards, in the Phoenix Clan—a place where they were unfamiliar with the land and people—their guards were nothing more than ants. They couldn’t stir up any trouble.
Jun He was the most composed among the five. Suddenly being stared at by them, he also felt the trickiness of the situation.
“Perhaps we can go ask the Princess first,” Jun He said hesitantly.
Guessing here was useless. Without tangible evidence, the best way was to probe Li Xuanyue or summon Lang Hua’s servant for a proper questioning.
However, that idea likely couldn’t be realized right now. Lang Hua’s servant, Feng Yi, hadn’t left Fenghe Hall since stepping into it yesterday. One could imagine he was either being watched by Li Xuanyue’s people or was waiting by her side for news of his master. Regardless of which possibility it was, it wasn’t very favorable for them.
Yu Mian, Yao Guang, and the others looked at each other, and finally, their gazes landed on Jun He again.
“Alright, we will do as Consort Jun says.”
After deciding together, they stood up and walked toward the direction of Fenghe Hall. This was probably the most united they had ever been. Before, they had all worn expressions of mutual disregard. But ever since the night pearl incident, the mode of interaction between them seemed to have slowly shifted.
Perhaps because Li Xuanyue’s lack of care made them feel insulted, they harbored an illusion of mutual sympathy?
At this moment, Li Xuanyue was unaware that Jun He and the others were coming to find her. She was currently feeling extremely vexed by Feng Yi, who was crying out of breath in her hall.
“If you knew it would come to this, why didn’t you stop your Master when he left?”
Watching Feng Yi cry like a maiden, Li Xuanyue truly had a headache. His appearance really confirmed the saying that men are made of water too—they just hadn’t met the person who could make their tears flow.
Coincidentally, Lang Hua was Feng Yi’s tear trigger.
Look at him; ever since following her back from Xihe Hall, he hadn’t stopped choking with sobs. Now, he was wailing loudly. Anyone who didn’t know better would think she had done something to him! Just thinking about it gave her a headache.
“Still crying?”
She couldn’t help but scold in a low voice, threatening Feng Yi, “If you cry again, do you believe This Princess will have Yin Xin drag you out and feed you to the dogs right now?”
Consort Lang seemed like such a refined man of the breeze and moon. How could the servant following him be so timid and prone to crying? It completely shattered her perception.
Feng Yi, who had been crying heartbrokenly, immediately fell silent upon hearing Li Xuanyue’s threat. However, tears continued to drip pitter-patter from his eyes. He looked both comical and pitiful.
“Princess, Consort Jun and the others have arrived.”
Just as Li Xuanyue was calculating how to settle Feng Yi, Yin Xin suddenly stepped forward and reported softly in her ear.
A sharp light flashed across Li Xuanyue’s eyes. “Let them in.”
She didn’t refuse to see them. Presumably, they also knew about Lang Hua’s disappearance.
A moment later, the four of them walked in from outside the hall, standing side by side in a row. They all carried the charm of mature men. Standing in the hall, they exuded a strong sense of oppression that filled the space.
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