Ye Jingyu entered the capital early the next morning and reported to the Emperor in the palace.
Despite the short time, the new policies were implemented successfully, and the Emperor was very pleased, even intending to bestow a title upon him.
Ye Jingcheng was present when the Emperor spoke these words and looked extremely displeased.
Ye Jingyu thanked him graciously and returned to his residence.
As soon as he entered the main gate, Qianxue came to report the events of the capital in the past few days: "Young Miss has arrived and is waiting for you in the main hall."
Ye Jingyu looked up.
It was lunchtime.
He first returned to his room to change his clothes, removed his mask, and then went to see Su Yunmo.
"Oh, Your Highness Prince Yu looks energetic. It seems the Prince Yu's residence will soon welcome good news." Su Yunmo was already seated at the dining table, eating.
After a few days, he seemed a bit more tanned. Perhaps it was an illusion, or perhaps he had indeed been tired lately, but he also appeared to have become more robust.
However, his features remained as exquisite and handsome as ever.
Ye Jingyu sat down beside her and said, "I must also congratulate you on your swift recovery from your backside injury."
Su Yunmo glared at him.
He had to bring up the sore spot!
Qianxue had felt a strange loneliness these past two days without hearing them bicker. Now, she felt much more at ease and stepped forward to hand Ye Jingyu his chopsticks.
Ye Jingyu took the chopsticks, hesitated over several dishes, and finally sighed, putting them down.
"You still haven't changed your habits after being away for so many days," Su Yunmo said disdainfully, picking up a dish and offering it to him.
"With so many dishes in the world, is there not a single one you like?"
Ye Jingyu opened his mouth and bit down, glancing at her. "There is, but it needs more time to mature."
Mature? Was it fruit or vegetables?
Su Yunmo leaned closer curiously, "What is it? Can't you buy it ready-made? Tell me, you know, some things are best when they're tender."
Qianxue's eyelids twitched, and she shot Su Yunmo a conflicted glance.
Ye Jingyu's lips also twitched. "Are you serious?"
Su Yunmo tilted her head, confused.
Ye Jingyu quietly withdrew his gaze. "You'll know later."
Su Yunmo rolled her eyes.
How baffling.
"Never mind, I just came to see you. I have things to do this afternoon, so you can eat slowly." Su Yunmo hopped off her seat and headed for the door.
Ye Jingyu furrowed his brow, watching her retreating back. "Qianxue, make arrangements. The plan can be executed."
Qianxue hesitated. "Master, we may have to wait another two days. Tonight is the full moon."
Ye Jingyu frowned, a hint of irritation flashing in his eyes. "Then strengthen the defenses. Don't let anything go wrong during my seclusion these two days."
Qianxue said "Yes" in a deep voice, a trace of worry in her eyes.
She hoped tonight would pass safely.
Meanwhile, Su Yunmo left Prince Yu's residence.
A carriage was waiting outside to take her to the palace.
She was going to the palace today not to see the Empress Dowager, but to visit Consort Liang.
Consort Liang had been taking medicine for some time, and based on her previous condition, there had been improvement. It was likely that soon she would be able to meet Ye Jingyu.
"Consort Liang?" Su Yunmo entered with a bag of pastries.
Consort Liang sat in a corner, disheveled. The wound on her ankle, which had been healing after medication, had been reopened and was bleeding.
Su Yunmo was startled and hurried over. "Your Highness? Your Highness, do you still recognize me?"
Consort Liang turned her head to look at her, her gaze somewhat hazy. "Ah~"
Something was wrong!
Su Yunmo quickly took her pulse and then frowned deeply.
The medicine had stopped!
Damn it, that brat Ye Jingguang was indeed unreliable!
There was a movement at the door, and a figure flashed by.
Su Yunmo's heart leaped, and she turned to chase after him, catching him at the entrance of the cold palace.
It was a boy about Su Siqi's age, likely one of the princes.
Su Yunmo had not seen him before. "What are you doing lurking around here?"
Ye Jingge waved his hands in a flustered manner, hastily explaining, "Don't misunderstand, I'm not a bad person. I... I'm just worried about Consort Liang and came to see her."
Su Yunmo narrowed her eyes.
Worried?
"Did Ye Jingyu send you?"
Ye Jingge was taken aback and lowered his gaze with some disappointment, shaking his head. "Third Brother... hates me. My mother did something bad."
Su Yunmo was not entirely clear about what had happened in the palace years ago, but this person's guilt did not seem fake. "Have you been secretly visiting Consort Liang all this time?"
Ye Jingge nodded and took out a piece of wrapped chicken from his embrace. "To bring food."
Su Yunmo recalled that on her previous two visits, she had indeed smelled the faint aroma of pastries or chicken, duck, and fish in the room.
She had originally thought it was wafting from elsewhere and hadn't thought much of it. Now, it seemed it was indeed from him.
To care for Consort Liang day after day like this, he couldn't be a bad person.
"Do you know Ye Jingguang?"
"Fourth Brother?" Ye Jingge blinked, his expression softening considerably, clearly more relaxed than when Ye Jingyu was mentioned.
It was evident that his relationship with Ye Jingguang was quite good.
Su Yunmo continued, "Ye Jingguang has a bottle of medicine for Consort Liang. Can you help me get it back? Give it to Her Highness to take, one pill daily."
A spark lit up in Ye Jingge's eyes. "If Consort Liang takes it, will her illness get better?"
Su Yunmo said, "Remember, do not interrupt it."
This interruption could be made up for later.
But if it was interrupted again, all the efforts made so far might be in vain.
Ye Jingge said solemnly, "Don't worry, I will definitely do it!"
Su Yunmo nodded.
At this point, she could only trust him.
Su Yunmo gave a few more instructions, and by the time she left the palace, it was already late.
Ziyuan was waiting by the carriage for her.
The mistress and servant headed towards the General's residence.
Su Yunmo lay on the soft couch, thinking about the young prince she had met that day, planning to have Ziyuan investigate the past events another day.
She yawned and was about to close her eyes to rest when she suddenly felt a sense of unease.
The glazed lock in her arms was glowing.
Su Yunmo jolted awake.
Ye Jingyu!
"Ziyuan, go to Prince Yu's residence, quickly!"
Ziyuan didn't know what had happened, but she still drove the carriage towards Prince Yu's residence as requested.
Upon entering the residence, a strong smell of blood assaulted them.
The scene in the courtyard stunned Su Yunmo!
On the ground opposite lay guards in disarray.
They were all severely injured, their faces and bodies covered in blood and gore, their skin bearing scratch marks, clearly from sharp claws.
On the other side, Ye Jingyu was choking Qianxue, pressing her firmly to the ground.
His hair was disheveled, his eyes bloodshot, and his teeth bared like a wild beast, emanating a bloody aura.
"Ye Jingyu!" Su Yunmo rushed forward and threw a punch.
Ye Jingyu raised his hand and blocked the punch, letting out a beast-like roar before turning and flying out of the residence.
Qianxue collapsed on the ground, a long bloody gash on her neck, bleeding profusely.
"How are you? What happened?" Su Yunmo had never seen Ye Jingyu in such a state.
He couldn't be called human.
Qianxue clutched her neck, unable to get up, gasping for air.
"Young Miss, Master's蠱毒 (gu poison) has acted up. Stop him, or everyone on this street will be torn to shreds by him!"
"What蛊毒? Damn it!" Su Yunmo knew it wasn't the time to ask questions and turned to chase after him.
Autumn had arrived, and it got dark early.
There was almost no one on the street at this hour.
However, there were still a few people returning home drunk at night.
Su Yunmo found Ye Jingyu tearing at a man's neck.