"Your Highness, could this be a tactic of retreating to advance?"
Liu Jin did not have a good impression of Chu Huaiyu.
As a physician, he most disliked people who feigned illness.
Chu Huaiyu had been pretending to be fragile for a long time.
He had grown tired of her methods.
Feng Yexuan remained noncommittal.
As long as Chu Huaiyu's health was truly not a major issue, that was all that mattered.
He could not allow the daughter of Long Qianyue to meet with an accident and perish at his hands.
As for her intentions, he cared not at all.
Liu Jin also chuckled, "Your Highness is a perennial iron tree; only one maiden under heaven can make you bloom. As for whether Chu Huaiyu is playing tricks, we will know tomorrow when we send her back to the manor and see if any more mischief arises."
Feng Yexuan glanced at him faintly, raising an eyebrow, "Since when have you become so meddlesome?"
"Heh, as a physician, I naturally enjoy meddling."
Liu Jin was unperturbed.
Among the few who had followed His Highness for many years in this manor, Liu Jin was probably the only one who dared to speak so freely in his presence.
He smiled, "Tomorrow, do you want me to accompany Your Highness to see off this Miss Chu?"
If Chu Huaiyu had any tricks up her sleeve, such as feigning illness halfway, he could expose her immediately.
He genuinely wished to send this jinx back to the Duke's manor as soon as possible.
The scheming and infighting between women did not suit their manor.
It led to dead people and poisonings, and regardless of who was right or wrong, it was all rather unpleasant.
Feng Yexuan, however, held his cup and said thoughtfully, "There is no need. Tomorrow, you will do something for me."
...The next morning, Chu Huaiyu obediently boarded the manor's carriage and, accompanied by Feng Yexuan, returned to the Duke's manor.
Along the way, there was no "feigning illness" as Liu Jin had worried.
Even though Chu Huaiyu had not fully recovered, she conducted herself with great fortitude.
She wore a smile, appeared calm and composed, and even tried to stand tall when walking.
Not only did she not feign illness, but she even tried her utmost to appear extremely healthy.
It was completely out of character.
Even Leng Ji found it incredible.
However, Leng Ji's mind was not on this matter at the moment.
As they neared the Duke's manor, he finally received news and immediately reported, "Your Highness, the news from those two guards has returned."
The two guards who had been stationed outside Qianyun Pavilion had been on duty and were transferred outside the city these past two days.
It was all Leng Ji's fault for being too officious, resenting their disrespect towards Miss Li and harshly transferring them out of the city.
Otherwise, this news would have been gathered much earlier.
"Your Highness, on the night Miss Li was confined in Qianyun Pavilion, Consort Jin, along with her little palace maid, had visited her."
"Mother Consort?" Feng Yexuan's expression darkened, yet there was a hint of confusion. "I only saw her these past two days, and she seemed fine."
Therefore, that pool of blood should not have been his mother consort's.
"What about the little palace maid?"
"It was the same one Your Highness saw when you met Consort Jin at the manor a couple of days ago."
That little palace maid, like Consort Jin, showed no signs of serious injury.
That pool of blood should not have belonged to the little palace maid either.
Not Miss Li, not Consort Jin, and not the little palace maid... Now, even Leng Ji did not know where that pool of blood had come from.
"After Consort Jin arrived, she stayed in the room for less than half an hour. She then left with the little palace maid and never returned. After that, Miss Li remained in her room. According to the two guards, no one besides myself had visited Miss Li. And I only delivered food and drink to Miss Li daily. However, in reality, the door was not locked securely, and it would not have been difficult for Miss Li to leave. Even the window was not closed; the door was merely symbolically locked to comply with Your Highness's orders."
"Did you notice anything amiss when you went there daily?" Feng Yexuan's eyes were deep in thought.
Leng Ji shook his head. "At first, Miss Li was indeed listless in her room, but I could hear her breathing and occasional movements. Later, after three or five days, Miss Li seemed to regain her spirits and would occasionally speak to me. Then, I had to go out of the city, and Miss Li..."
Leng Ji lowered his head, not continuing.
Miss Li had instructed him not to tell anyone about this.
But facing His Highness...
"What you promised her not to say, I permit you not to say," Feng Yexuan said expressionlessly.
Leng Ji was taken aback, and his face flushed.
So, His Highness knew that he had helped Chu Qianli find Fulong.
However, His Highness's words were a great relief to him.
He truly did not want to betray or harm Chu Qianli again. That girl... was already pitiful enough.
"After that night, I left the city. When I returned, it was several days later, and I saw Miss Chu playing music in the backyard with Your Highness."
His Highness knew what happened afterward.
He had not secretly met Chu Qianli behind His Highness's back.
Feng Yexuan said nothing.
All those who had visited seemed unlikely to have bled so much.
Whose blood was it that had been left behind, not completely wiped away?
Could it be that some supreme master had arrived, and the guards had not noticed?
Although the Xuan Prince's manor was heavily guarded, if it were truly a top-tier master, they might not be stopped.
"Your Highness, I did consider the possibility of a master infiltrating, but..."
Leng Ji thought for a moment, feeling he had finally had a clever idea. "If it were such a powerful master, how could Miss Li have seriously injured them and caused so much bleeding?"
Feng Yexuan remained silent.
Leng Ji's analysis this time was at least correct.
It could not have been left by a master.
The matter remained shrouded in mystery, the truth yet to be revealed.
However, one thing was certain: Qianyun Pavilion was indeed lacking a few servants.
She had to do the work herself when she was in a bad mood. It seemed rather pitiful.
"After returning, arrange for some servants to attend to Qianyun Pavilion."
"Yes!" Excitement and joy flickered in Leng Ji's eyes.
Was His Highness finally starting to favor Miss Li again?
However, between the two of them lay the life of Qian'er.
Although His Highness was not involved in the matter, a maid had still died.
He wondered when Miss Li would truly open her heart and accept His Highness.
He also wondered when His Highness would truly let go of his suspicion towards Miss Li and be honest with her.
As they spoke, they arrived at the Duke's manor.
Before Feng Yexuan could dismount from his horse, a large group of people emerged from the Duke's manor to greet them.
Grand Tutor Chu, along with his several wives, sons, and daughters, and a host of servants, lined up in two rows, a grand reception.
"Welcome, Your Highness! Your Highness, please!"
Grand Tutor Chu's face was beaming with joy and excitement.
His Highness personally escorting Huaiyu back—was this not a declaration to the world that His Highness's concern for their Huaiyu was extraordinary?
After all, the last time His Highness had visited, it was as the Duke's manor's new son-in-law.
So, would this time be the same?
Was this an opportunity to discuss marrying Huaiyu?