In Feng Yexuan’s study.
Leng Ji placed the items he had organized in the cave onto the table.
"Your Highness, this painting was found in the cave. It was torn, so your subordinate had it repaired."
Perfect restoration was impossible, but the craftsmen pieced the portrait together bit by bit with a wooden frame.
When it was propped up, the person in the painting was still quite clear.
Long Qianyue.
Why was it Long Qianyue again?
"Does Consort Yu know Long Qianyue?" he asked Leng Ji.
Leng Ji looked puzzled and shook his head. "Your Highness... your subordinate has never even met Madam Long."
If Your Highness hadn't said anything, he wouldn't have known the woman in the painting was Long Qianyue.
Hadn't Long Qianyue been dead for over a decade? Why would Consort Yu keep her portrait all this time?
Leng Ji also presented the painting he brought back from Xianlan Palace to Feng Yexuan.
Although the two paintings were different, the woman in both was the same person.
"Is she truly Madam Long?"
"She is this prince's savior. Her appearance is etched in my memory, unforgettable until death!"
If that was the case, then the woman in the painting was indeed Long Qianyue.
"Could it be that Consort Yu, like Your Highness, was also indebted to Madam Long in the past?"
However, there was one point Leng Ji didn't understand.
"Now Qin Liuyan has informed the Duke's mansion that Miss Chu is Long Qianyue's daughter, and everyone knows it now."
"If Madam Long truly showed Consort Yu such great kindness back then, leading Consort Yu to be grateful for over a decade, then why has Consort Yu never been heard to have taken care of Miss Chu all these years?"
"Moreover, now that Miss Chu's identity is clear, even if Consort Yu is still heartbroken over the matter of the Fifth Prince, she wouldn't go so far as to harm the daughter of the person she has worshipped as a benefactor for over a decade."
Leng Ji felt that this matter was very strange.
When had Consort Yu ever paid attention to Chu Qianli?
"If one is so grateful to someone, Consort Yu should have met Miss Chu from time to time in the past, shouldn't she, Your Highness?"
Just like Your Highness, although he detested the former Chu Qianli, he still married Chu Qianli out of gratitude.
Why was there no reaction from Consort Yu's side at all?
It didn't make sense?
"Is it possible that the woman in the painting just resembles Madam Long? Or perhaps Madam Long has a twin sister..."
Sensing Feng Yexuan's cold gaze, Leng Ji felt a chill down his spine and quickly bowed his head.
"Your Highness, I, I got carried away and said too much. I didn't mean to..."
"It's not without reason."
"Huh?" Leng Ji was stunned.
Did Your Highness think what he said made sense?
Leng Ji almost jumped up and screamed!
After so many years by Your Highness's side, Your Highness had never praised him like this before!
Your Highness said he made sense!
He was almost ecstatic, feeling as if he could ascend to heaven.
Feng Yexuan glanced at him indifferently. "Go investigate Long Qianyue's background."
"What?" Leng Ji was suddenly confused.
Long Qianyue, wasn't she the eldest daughter of the Long family? What was there to investigate?
"Your Highness, the Long family has been in the imperial city for many years. Could the Long family also have a problem?"
Feng Yexuan narrowed his eyes, staring at the woman in the painting.
A strange feeling lingered in his heart.
Why did Chu Qianli approach Long Ziyue?
He had intended to wait for that girl to tell him herself; he didn't want to interfere in her affairs.
After all, she was different from ordinary women; that woman was too stubborn, and he didn't want to upset her or even hurt her by using his past methods.
But now, she had been subjected to Consort Yu's soul-capturing technique, and Consort Yu was related to Long Qianyue...
The whole story needed to be investigated clearly.
Leng Ji nodded without hesitation. "Yes!"
If Your Highness said to investigate, he would investigate, whether it was the Long family, the Chu family, or even any other prince.
He just needed to obey!
Leng Ji took his orders and left.
Feng Yexuan's gaze remained fixed on the painting.
Long Qianyue, Consort Yu, the dead woman, and Prince Ding of Longteng Kingdom, whom Long Ziyue represented...
Li'er, what exactly are you trying to do?
What is your relationship with Longteng Kingdom?
...
"A'Li, Fourth Imperial Brother is truly your husband."
"Oh."
Feng Wuya was somewhat helpless.
This was their nth similar conversation, and even he couldn't understand what A'Li was thinking.
Why did Consort Mother's soul-capturing technique result in this situation?
A'Li remembered everyone, even Tie Xin and Leng Ji, but she just didn't remember Fourth Imperial Brother?
How could a simple soul-capturing technique do this?
Could it be that what Consort Mother used on her was not just the soul-capturing technique?
"A'Li..."
"Wu Ya, you don't like being with me?" Chu Qianli asked him to sit by the bed, holding his wrist to check his pulse.
"Why do you keep trying to push me towards other men?"
"I'm not trying to push you to Fourth Imperial Brother; it's just that you originally belonged to Fourth Imperial Brother."
"No, I remember, I am currently just the Seventh Miss of the Duke's mansion."
"A'Li..."
"Wu Ya, I have a headache."
Chu Qianli rubbed her temples, a hint of darkness flashing in her eyes.
"I can't remember anything about that person, but some memories are very strange, fragmented, as if they can't be connected."
"That person?" Feng Wuya was slightly taken aback.
"The Fourth Imperial Brother you mentioned, Prince Xuan, the God of War." Chu Qianli looked up, meeting his gaze.
Her fingertips still rested on his pulse, gently pressing.
"I have no feelings or memories of him at all. Perhaps I did have some relationship with him, perhaps it's as you say, that Consort Yu used some soul-capturing technique on me..."
She frowned, then shook her head, a look of distress on her face.
"No, I can't think about it. If I try too hard, my head will hurt."
"Alright, alright, then don't think about it! For now... don't think."
When she said her head hurt, she was not joking. Feng Wuya could see that her face would turn pale when she pondered this issue.
It was as if she was enduring increasing pain.
"A'Li, don't think about it for now, let's take a break," Feng Wuya coaxed gently.
Chu Qianli closed her eyes.
Her furrowed brow was difficult to relax.
"I know, I must have forgotten something..."
"A'Li."
"But," she opened her eyes again, still meeting his gaze, "I know that what I want to do most right now is to stay by your side and protect you."
Most of his heart meridian was broken. Relying on someone with profound martial arts to use their internal energy to suppress his almost bursting heart, he had barely managed to save his life.
But this life was like a withered leaf in the autumn wind, hanging precariously.
Chu Qianli's slender fingers slowly moved away from his wrist, and she cupped his large hands with both of hers.
"Wu Ya, don't think about anything else! I just want you to live. I don't care about anyone else, nor do I want to care."