Chapter 114: He Is Your Second Uncle

Li Yunji was taken aback. Perhaps it was the hidden concern in Su Qingmeng’s words that stirred an inexplicable warmth within him, and a faint smile touched his lips.

The atmosphere by the lotus pond grew somewhat intimate. A dragonfly skimmed the water, sending ripples spreading outward.

"I wouldn't call it exhaustion, just a restless night," Li Yunji said lightly. "That is why I feel a bit weary today."

Su Qingmeng remained silent, simply watching his profile, her gaze carrying more concern than usual. After a long stillness, she slowly crouched down, picked up a pebble, and tossed it into the pond.

"Your second uncle is truly a difficult man to deal with."

"Who can deny that?" Li Yunji replied, resting his hands behind his head. "If I don't investigate, he isn't at ease. And if I actually investigate, he isn't pleased."

He glanced sideways at Su Qingmeng and continued, "In fact, him pulling a stunt like this today suggests he found out about what happened last night."

"Last night?" Su Qingmeng frowned. The rain had been torrential, and she had retired early, oblivious to any disturbance.

Li Yunji drew a deep breath and, after a moment’s hesitation, recounted the events to her. Like him, Su Qingmeng was left stunned upon hearing about the twenty thousand private troops stationed at Changming Mountain. For a moment, she even forgot that this information had been brought by Gu Xian'er.

"You mean Li Yi discovered someone had infiltrated the military camp?"

Li Yunji gave a faint nod. Otherwise, Li Yi would not have acted against him so readily.

"Even though Gu Xian'er has remarkable lightness skills, don't forget that my second uncle is a third-rank expert—and at the peak of the third rank, at that."

"No wonder he suddenly abducted Xiyan..." Su Qingmeng said, her eyes grave. She fell into thought for a moment before adding, "Then why don't we set off for the capital immediately and report this to His Majesty?"

Li Yunji sighed helplessly. "Beiling is currently swarming with soldiers; I doubt even a fly could escape."

His reasoning was sound, and Su Qingmeng had no retort. When she had gone out to search for Su Xiyan earlier that day, she had clearly noticed that the patrols around the manor had tripled.

"Today’s events were my second uncle’s final ultimatum to me," Li Yunji said, looking at the full moon reflected in the water. "If I continue to dig, he will likely turn against me completely."

Su Qingmeng was silent for a long time before she suddenly looked up at him, feigning a relaxed tone. "Then stop investigating."

Li Yunji was startled; the Su Qingmeng before him felt like a stranger. Normally, she would be busy devising countermeasures, even if he rejected them. She had never once considered giving up.

"That doesn't sound like something you would say."

Su Qingmeng sighed softly, her expression desolate. "Perhaps there are some things beyond our control." For instance, even knowing the Crown Prince was harboring a private army in Beiling, they were helpless. As Li Yunji had said, they could not leave the region. If they tried to flee, Li Yi would surely silence them.

"Are you afraid?" Li Yunji probed. From the moment she realized Su Xiyan was missing that morning, a shadow had hung over her. This woman, who in Li Yunji’s heart had earned the title of "the iron lady of the Great Qian," now appeared somewhat helpless.

"I suppose... I am." Su Qingmeng admitted her vulnerability for the first time, her voice soft yet firm. "When I was searching for Xiyan today, I kept wondering: what if I truly cannot find her? How would I answer to my father, and how would I answer to myself?"

She paused and tossed another pebble into the water. "Today at the General's Manor, Li Yi neutralized my five layers of internal force with a mere flick of his hand. In that moment, I realized that with my meager fourth-rank cultivation, I cannot protect anyone."

The gloom surrounding her deepened, her voice sinking further with self-reproach and resignation.

"Who says that?" Li Yunji suddenly stood up, his shadow elongated by the moonlight, falling over her. "Whether it was the Tiger Case or the assassination in Shuzhou, if you hadn't protected me, I would have died eight hundred times over by now."

He paused, then added, "As for Xiyan, haven't you always been the one protecting her?"

Su Qingmeng looked up, a flicker of complexity in her eyes. Though she knew these were words of comfort, she still felt a touch of warmth. Li Yunji stepped closer and patted her shoulder.

"Don't be so sentimental. The real show has only just begun; don't you dare think of retreating."

From some point on, whenever Li Yunji was by her side, Su Qingmeng always felt an inexplicable sense of peace. Like now. Hearing his confident tone, she couldn't help but ask, "What devious plan have you cooked up this time?"

"Not yet," Li Yunji said calmly, "but I will have one soon."

Su Qingmeng smiled and said nothing.

"You don't believe me?"

"I do," she replied without hesitation. She stood up slowly and brushed off her hands. "I must admit, you are indeed quite strategic."

Their eyes met. Li Yunji smiled faintly and held up three fingers. "The third time."

The smile on Su Qingmeng’s face gradually faded. "What do you mean?"

Li Yunji did not answer her question; he turned with a flourish and walked toward the house, leaving her behind, utterly bewildered.

...

In the study, Shiyi and Chuji sat by the window, watching the entire scene with silly grins.

"Shiyi," Chuji said, resting her chin on her hands, eyes full of curiosity. "What did the young master mean by that gesture at the end?"

Shiyi chuckled. "That was the third time Miss Qingmeng has praised the young master."

"The young master remembers things like that?" Chuji asked, surprised.

"That’s our young master for you," Shiyi replied, his grin unwavering. "Miss Qingmeng has always been proud; she doesn't hand out compliments easily."

"No wonder..." Chuji muttered.

"As expected of the young master," Shiyi said, a note of pride in his voice. "He’s got it all under control."

As the words fell, Li Yunji stepped into the study. He went straight to Su Xiyan, who was slumped over the desk in boredom, and poked her adorable cheek.

"Do you know you were wrong today?"

Su Xiyan frowned, pouting in defiance.

"You have the nerve to ask where you were wrong?" Li Yunji said, hands on his hips. "Someone lured you away with a bit of good food—do you have any idea how worried your sister was?"

Su Xiyan remained stubborn, her little mouth pouting even further. She looked around, grabbed paper and a brush from the desk, and with a wave of her small hand, scrawled a few crooked, childish characters:

[He said he is your second uncle. Since he is family, how could he possibly harm me?]

Li Yunji was momentarily struck dumb, staring at Su Xiyan’s innocent expression. In the eyes of this young girl, who had yet to see the depths of the world, there was no room for such dark schemes among kin. Unable to bear the thought of shattering her purity, he let out a long breath and gently stroked her forehead.

"You're right. Family... how could they ever harm me?"