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墨書 Inktalez
Yun Yang was taken aback. "What are you going to do at Tian Zhuang?"
Yun Kexin lowered her gaze, nervously tugging at the edges of her clothes. "Daughter wants to accompany Second Uncle."
Yun Yang was stunned, as if waking from a dream. He straightened up and said, "That won't do! The murderer hasn't been caught yet; it's unsafe for you to stay at Tian Zhuang right now!"
Yun Kexin felt anxious but reminded herself to stay calm. She looked up earnestly and said, "Father, Kexin must speak frankly. I want to lure the snake out of its hole because the murderer is likely to find Tian Zhuang again—"
"Are you out of your mind? You think you can catch the murderer all by yourself?" Yun Yang glared at Yun Kexin, fuming, "This is nonsense!"
Yun Yang was about to get up in a hurry when Yun Kexin pressed him back down. She glanced around to ensure no one was watching and whispered, "Of course, I'm not alone. Shanling, Shining, and Shan Yue are coming with me."
"Even if there are ten of you, it doesn't matter," Yun Yang took a deep breath and said decisively, sternly, "They're all girls."
"No, Father, listen to me," Yun Kexin bit her lip and whispered, "Those three sisters are not ordinary women; they all possess martial skills..."
"What?" Yun Yang nearly jumped up again but was pressed back down by Yun Kexin. He looked at her suspiciously. "Kexin, don't let your emotions lead you to lie to Father; this is serious."
So, Yun Kexin explained how she met Shanling, Shining, and Shan Yue. Although he remained skeptical, he knew that Seventh Young Lady never lied or deceived people; her account was detailed and believable. He believed her half-heartedly but still expressed his concern. "I need to see them demonstrate their skills first."
Yun Kexin urged, "Father, it's really inappropriate for them to show their skills in the manor because they came in as maids to protect me. If they reveal their abilities, it would expose their identities, which isn't good. Besides, think about it. I'm not reckless; if those three were just ordinary servants, I wouldn't dare make this decision. At least until the murderer is caught, I won't rashly stay at Tian Zhuang." Seeing that Yun Yang nodded but still looked worried, Yun Kexin added helplessly, "Young Lord will protect me in secret..."
Only then did Yun Yang slowly raise his head and smile slightly while probing. "Kexin, are you very close with Young Lord?"
Yun Kexin was momentarily speechless—she had spoken hastily without thinking; there wasn't really anything between them. If it weren't for Young Lord's presence, Father probably wouldn't let her go; having Young Lord around felt like having a protective charm.
"Well, not really," Yun Kexin's cheeks suddenly flushed red. She lowered her eyes to look at the ground. "It's just that we went to Tian Zhuang together last time and then—"
Seeing his daughter's hesitance and blushing face made Yun Yang smile slightly: it seemed Young Lord really would "protect her in secret." What else could he worry about?!
"Since that's the case, Father will trust Kexin," Yun Yang said cheerfully upon learning of Yun Kexin's "secret." "But you still need to be careful; after all, we don't know what tricks the murderer might use."
Yun Kexin smiled slightly and replied, "Thank you, Father. We will be extra cautious. Once we catch the murderer, we will bring them to justice and apologize before Father's spirit!"
"Can the Three Maids really handle this?" After pondering for a moment, Yun Yang asked with a serious expression. "If you need help, I can speak with someone from the Ministry of Justice to have the officers assist you—"
"No, Father," Yun Kexin warned, "the Ministry of Justice is already investigating under the alias of 'Dark.' There's no need to trouble them, and it's better if fewer people know about this matter."
Yun Yang nodded in understanding. Yun Kexin leaned closer and whispered, "Also, please don't let anyone know about our conversation today, especially not about my whereabouts. If Mother asks—"
"I won't say anything to her," Yun Yang interrupted coldly at the mention of the Fu Family, then turned to Yun Kexin with a warmer expression. "Don't worry, Father will know how to handle it. Just remember that everything should be done with care."
"Thank you, Father, for your support," Yun Kexin said, feeling as if a weight had finally lifted from her heart. She smiled and added, "Let's go back to the Western Courtyard; I have something to discuss with those three sisters."
Yun Yang stood up in response and accompanied Yun Kexin back to the Western Courtyard. She then called for Shanling, Shining, and Shan Yue, asking them to accompany her to the palace. The three sisters didn't question why and simply complied. Yun Kexin was eager to find Feng Yinxiao because she needed to relay what she had just told her adoptive father. If Feng Yinxiao happened to encounter her adoptive father later, they would have a plan ready.
However, upon reaching the palace gates, a guard who had gone inside came out and informed them that the Young Lord had taken leave recently and hadn't been in the palace for several days. He hadn't even gone to the Training Ground and was likely on official business outside.
For some reason, upon hearing this news, Yun Kexin felt a sense of relief. Earlier on the way there, she had been troubled about how to broach the subject with him. After all, this "sudden inspiration" felt somewhat presumptuous and difficult to articulate. Now that she knew he wasn't in the palace—perhaps away on official business—she could avoid that awkwardness. Maybe by the time he returned, they would have already caught the culprit...
Yun Kexin thought optimistically and decided to prepare a bit before quietly setting off tonight without drawing attention.
As night fell, darkness enveloped the outskirts like ink. The countryside was shrouded in shadows; nearby, the rolling mountains resembled long claws stretching toward the sky. Under the dim moonlight, their reflections cast eerie silhouettes on the grass that were both haunting and foreboding. Occasionally, intermittent calls from birds and beasts echoed from beyond the mountains, adding an extra layer of eeriness that made one’s heart race.
In a thicket within Tian Zhuang, a handsome young man squinted his eyes while lying back in the fork of a lush century-old tree. He appeared relaxed but was actually keenly attuned to his surroundings; at any sign of movement or sound, he would alertly open his eyes and gaze downward—across from him lay a clear lake where anyone intending to enter this residence would inevitably cast their reflection on its surface.
Suddenly, a cold breeze swept through, bringing with it the fresh scent of grass from the lake along with whispers. The young man in a black cloak immediately opened his eyes; one hand grasped a branch while he gently pushed aside some leaves obstructing his view. Looking down by moonlight, he saw an unexpected sight: a woman bathing in the center of the lake—how could someone be so bold as to come here in such secrecy? Alarmed, he was about to carefully lie back down when he heard a low voice filled with suppressed laughter:
"Seventh Sister, don't worry; I've checked around and no one has come here."
The Black Cloaked Youth froze; his heart raced: Seventh Sister? How could it be her?!
But perhaps it was another "Seventh Sister" from another household? Yet judging by the speaker's voice just now, it sounded like Shining. Could it really be Seventh Sister Yun Kexin?! His heart thundered as he leaned forward again to look down: beneath the night sky's green waters of the lake stood a long-haired girl casually splashing water on herself as if no one were watching. Suddenly she stretched out her arms to wash herself; the pale moonlight illuminated her exposed neck and shoulders like snow—crystal clear and breathtakingly beautiful.
The Black Cloaked Youth suddenly realized that although he hadn’t intended to "spy" on someone bathing, it was still quite unseemly. He quickly shifted his gaze away toward the shore opposite Seventh Sister where three girls stood vigilantly watching their surroundings: it was Shanling, Shining, and Shan Yue! He wondered what Seventh Sister and they were doing at Tian Zhuang? As he pondered this while trying to retreat back into hiding among the branches, he suddenly heard a loud shout: "Who’s there!"
The Black Cloaked Youth was startled: it was Shanling's voice! Among the three sisters, she had the sharpest hearing—especially at night—and could hear far better than most people. He cursed under his breath; earlier he had been concealed among dense foliage and hadn’t been noticed but now that he had moved slightly forward and made noise by pushing aside leaves… What should he do? If he revealed himself now, there would be no way to explain; if he didn’t reveal himself they might come looking for him—and then there would be no escape...
Yun Kexin gasped sharply in surprise as she felt a chill run through her body: there was someone else in Tian Zhuang! Was it the culprit? But if it were truly a culprit seeing her in such a vulnerable state, why wouldn’t they take advantage of it?
Yun Kexin felt both anxious and angry as she shot an incredulous glare at her three sisters across the lake: didn’t you all check thoroughly before saying no one ever came into Tian Zhuang? Well now look what’s happened!
Shanling was the calmest of them all. Without saying a word, she waved her hand, and Yun Kexin understood, stepping onto the shore from the lake. The other three jumped into the water, surrounding Yun Kexin from three directions. After draping a coat over her, they led her to a secluded spot before finally stepping out.
“Seventh Sister, I just heard some movement in the bushes across the way,” Shanling whispered into Yun Kexin's ear while indicating the direction with her eyes. “Though it was slight, I still caught it.”
Yun Kexin, Shining, and Shan Shan Yue all turned to look in the direction Shanling was pointing: the thicket was filled with ancient trees, lush and dense, and being deep in the night made it hard to spot anything hidden.
“Let’s go take a look,” Yun Kexin said softly. “Everyone is a bit worried.”
The group walked around the edge of the lake. Since it wasn't very large, they quickly reached the opposite side.
Shanling was the first to approach the tree where the noise had come from. With her hands on her hips, she shouted:
“Who’s there? Come out at once!”
“Which scoundrel dares to be so bold?” Shining also shouted angrily. “You better surrender quickly, or my sisters and I will climb that tree to catch you!”
Meanwhile, Black Cloaked Youth, still perched among the branches, felt his palms begin to sweat as he gripped the trunk. His arms, which had once pulled heavy bows with ease, started trembling for the first time. He felt an overwhelming anxiety: Should he jump down? Should he jump down? If he did, he would really be in deep trouble! More importantly, how would she see him? She would definitely think he was a real scoundrel! (To be continued)
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