Chapter Ninety-Five: The Rear Mountain of the Prince’s Residence

"You're teasing me, nephew." Li Yi narrowed his eyes, his expression grave. "Since you were ordered to investigate the case, how could you possibly fail to do so?"

Before Li Yi had finished, Li YunjI had flopped back onto the ground and began smacking his lips.

After a few sluggish writhes, he sank into deep sleep.

Li Yi stood in silence, looking down at Li YunjI on the floor, and a complicated feeling rose in his chest.

Only after a long while did he sweep his sleeve and leave.

When he returned to the general's residence, three masked attendants followed close behind him and entered the hall in step.

"General."

Li Yi gave a slight nod and said in a low, solemn voice, "Has the young lord remained in the prince's manor all night?"

The three exchanged glances. The leader recalled the hem of Li YunjI's robe he had glimpsed through the crack.

He bowed with clasped fists and answered with certainty, "Yes, General. The three of us watched him closely. The young lord never once left the manor."

The other two nodded in agreement.

Li Yi fell silent for a long moment. Most of his doubts were dispelled, yet his brows remained furrowed.

"Was the Northern Ridge Prince's Residence really in revelry every day?"

The three nodded. The leader raised three fingers. "For a full three days and three nights."

His tone was thick with accusation.

The short one beside him took up the thread. "Could the young lord truly be as the rumors say, lost in wine and women in the capital and unwilling to better himself?"

Li Yi shot him a cold glance. After a thoughtful pause, he said in a low voice, "If that were so, then who solved those cases before?"

"Perhaps Chancellor Su has been supporting him from the shadows," the leader offered. "From what I observed, the young lord is by no means a talent for solving cases."

Li Yi offered no comment and waved them away.

Standing alone by the window, he murmured to himself, "But if not you, then who?"

...

The next day.

Northern Ridge Prince's Residence.

In the main hall, the girls from Star-Picking Pavilion, tormented for three days and three nights, were all leaning wearily against the pillars, eyes half shut.

Li YunjI woke from his drunken stupor, rubbed at his bleary eyes, and yawned. "All of you may go rest."

With that, he ordered Eleven to distribute a few banknotes to each of them.

The girls let out a long breath, accepted the money, curtsied, and prepared to withdraw.

"Stop." Li YunjI rose, dressed himself, and his gaze turned frigid. "Until I leave Northern Ridge, no one is to step outside the manor."

"If anyone dares to slip away in secret—"

"Kill them on sight."

The girls went pale. They lowered their heads in unison, answered shakily, and retreated in fear.

Once they were gone, Su Qingmeng slowly entered the hall. Seeing the mess strewn everywhere, she wore an expression of utter disgust.

"So where did you go last night?"

Li YunjI replied, "The docks."

Su Qingmeng frowned. "Did you find anything?"

Li YunjI fastened his belt, smoothed his hair, and said with easy indifference, "The silver from Thousand Gold Gambling House was indeed moved to Northern Ridge."

Su Qingmeng said solemnly, "Then there really is some kind of deal between the Crown Prince and Northern Ridge?"

"Absolutely true." Li YunjI stepped over the low table and descended the stairs.

"Those two are truly audacious," Su Qingmeng snorted.

"Don't rush to conclusions." Suddenly, Li YunjI's brow tightened and his eyes turned sharp. "In Northern Ridge City, my second uncle is not the only one with a voice worth hearing."

As soon as the words fell, a glint of cold light flashed in the distance. In the next instant, the whistle of something tearing through the air rang in their ears.

Su Qingmeng instantly went on guard and brought two fingers together to summon the sword at her side.

Clang.

In a flash of lightning, all that could be heard was the sharp rasp of steel slicing wood.

Looking down, they saw a broken shaft driven deep into the floorboards, its tail still trembling faintly.

"What superb archery!" Su Qingmeng could not help exclaiming.

Yet Li YunjI did not change color. He gave a cold smile. "Speak of the devil."

He bent to pick up the broken arrow from the ground, removed the triangular arrowhead, and examined it closely.

General Zhou's arrow was still as swift as lightning.

"General Zhou?" Su Qingmeng's eyes sharpened. "The Right Commandant of the Northern Ridge army, Zhou Li?"

"Exactly." Li YunjI put away the arrowhead, lifted his eyes toward the direction from which it had come, and said gravely, "Of the three hundred thousand iron cavalry of Northern Ridge, my second uncle commands two hundred thousand. The remaining hundred thousand are in Zhou Li's hands."

"Why did he shoot at you?" Su Qingmeng asked, puzzled.

"I killed his son." Li YunjI's voice remained calm, though a trace of frost flashed in his eyes. "As the father, he naturally took his vengeance out on me."

"When did you kill his son?" Su Qingmeng's doubts only deepened.

"You haven't heard?" Li YunjI said in a low voice. "Zhou Jingzhi was Zhou Li's legitimate eldest son."

The words struck like thunder. After hearing them, Su Qingmeng finally understood. Shock filled her face. After a long silence, she could only sigh.

"On one side, your ruthless second uncle; on the other, the Right Commandant with a son's blood for yours."

"Your present situation is hardly encouraging."

Li YunjI gave a wry smile. "As if I didn't know."

...

At noon, the sun blazed overhead.

Li YunjI had changed his clothes, and now looked far more formal.

After lunch, he took a flask of fine wine and went alone toward the rear mountain.

Seventh tried to follow, but Eleven stopped him.

"What is your young master going to do on the rear mountain?" Su Qingmeng asked, watching Li YunjI's retreating figure.

Eleven sighed and said in a low voice, "The prince and princess are buried on the rear mountain."

"The young master is probably going to pay them a visit."

At this, Su Qingmeng fell silent. Her gaze toward Li YunjI grew a little more complicated.

After hesitating for a moment, she quietly followed behind him.

"It's a pity the prince and princess died so young and never got to see the young master married." Seventh spoke, his eyes turning slightly red.

Halfway up the mountain, on a secluded path, Li YunjI suddenly stopped and stood there for a long time.

Su Qingmeng came forward and, seeing his troubled expression, softly said, "I know this is hard for you."

"But since you've come, you should go and see them properly."

Li YunjI said nothing. Looking left and right, he rubbed his chin and muttered, "Which way should I take?"

Su Qingmeng nearly toppled over.

"So after all that, you've gotten lost?"

Li YunjI gave an awkward laugh. "It's been more than ten years since I came back. The last time I visited them was the night before I left Northern Ridge."

Su Qingmeng sighed inwardly. Turning around, she looked at the two paths beneath their feet and plunged down the one on the left.

"Are you sure?" Li YunjI frowned. "I thought it was that way."

"Not sure," Su Qingmeng said flatly. "Come if you want to. Don't if you don't."

Li YunjI pouted and hurried after her, trotting along behind.

The path twisted and turned, passing through several bamboo groves and crossing a number of valleys.

Only after about half an hour did they reach a broad open clearing.

"So it really was this road." Looking at the two lonely tombs on the steps ahead, Li YunjI could not hide his surprise.

Su Qingmeng walked forward slowly and looked around, exclaiming, "This place is backed by mountains and faces water, with hidden winds and gathered energy. It is indeed a fine piece of geomantic land."

"Of course." Li YunjI grinned, looking pleased with himself. "Old Li picked it himself."

When he finished speaking, he smiled mysteriously and led Su Qingmeng around to the rear of the tombs.

The view opened at once, and the whole of Northern Ridge City lay spread out before them.

"When I was little, Old Li loved bringing me here."

"He'd force me to listen while he droned on about all those stale old tales."

"About how he had fought alone from the city gates of Northern Ridge all the way to the Holy Mountain in the Northern Desert."

"About how he had beaten every master who came to challenge him so badly that they went home with their tails between their legs."

"Honestly, I was never interested in any of it."

"Not interested at all?" Su Qingmeng asked, the question straight to the soul.

Li YunjI nodded so vigorously it was almost a bobblehead motion.

"Then how do you remember it all so clearly?"

Li YunjI's heart jolted. The embarrassment of having his mask torn away left him suddenly at a loss...