Chapter 113: If You Are Tired, Then Rest

General’s Mansion. The main hall.

Li Yi sat before a desk, leafing through documents. Li Yunjie strode through the entrance, the water from his boots leaving clear prints upon the bluestone floor. Li Yi looked up slowly, a smile forming on his face as he rose to greet him.

"My dear nephew, what brings you here in such a rush?"

Li Yunjie got straight to the point: "Second Uncle, there is no need for us to play games, is there? Why did you abduct my sister-in-law?"

Li Yi’s mustache twitched slightly downward. He patted Li Yunjie on the shoulder, his expression a mix of amusement and insincerity. "Oh! What a massive misunderstanding! I invited Miss Xiyan here simply to have her illness treated."

Li Yi did not deny it; he spoke with blunt candor. Upon learning that Su Xiyan was in the General’s Mansion, the heavy tension on Li Yunjie’s face lessened. He spoke coldly, "What is the meaning of this?"

Li Yi chuckled. "I heard that the Second Miss of the Su family has suffered from muteness since childhood. I thought I would bring in the best physician in Beiling City to see if she could be cured. If she were to recover, it would be a favor I could return to Minister Su."

Li Yunjie looked him up and down, then put on a fake smile. "I see. Where is she?"

"In the study," Li Yi gestured.

The two moved to the study. Upon entering, they saw an elderly man, clearly a physician, packing up his medical chest. Su Xiyan, however, seemed entirely unbothered, happily stuffing her face with food from the table. When she saw Li Yunjie, her face lit up; she waved a chicken leg at him, inviting him to sit and join the feast. Seeing that she was unharmed, Li Yunjie let out a long sigh of relief.

"Doctor Ma, what is the verdict?" Li Yi asked, feigning concern.

The physician shook his head and sighed softly. "This ailment is extremely rare; I am afraid I am at my wits' end."

Li Yunjie was not surprised; if even Gu Xian'er could not cure her, a mere wandering physician certainly could not. Li Yi sighed as well, his expression appearing despondent.

Just then, the sounds of a scuffle erupted outside. The two looked toward the source. As they stepped out, several soldiers were thrown into the front courtyard. In mid-air, Su Qingmeng, enveloped in a crimson aura and wielding a long sword, glared coldly at Li Yi.

"Commander Su, what is the meaning of this?" Li Yi asked with a smirk.

Su Qingmeng remained silent, unleashing a blade of sword energy that slashed directly toward Li Yi. Li Yi snorted, flicking his sleeve to easily deflect the attack.

Su Qingmeng furrowed her brows; the formidable power of a Third-Grade expert was not to be underestimated. "Li Yi, is Xiyan in your mansion?!" she demanded coldly.

Before Li Yi could answer, Su Xiyan poked her head out from the room. Seeing this, the weight on Su Qingmeng’s heart vanished, and she let out a long, relieved breath. She sheathed her sword and descended to the ground.

Su Xiyan cast a longing glance at the remaining food in the room, pouted, and trotted over to Su Qingmeng.

"Look at the trouble this has caused," Li Yi said, looking awkward and feigning annoyance. "I truly meant to help Miss Su, never imagining my good intentions would lead to such a mess."

Before he could finish, Su Qingmeng led Su Xiyan away with unwavering determination. Li Yi watched them go, then turned to Li Yunjie with a faint smile. "Nephew, do help me explain things to Miss Su. This really was all a misunderstanding!"

Li Yunjie offered a stiff, fake smile, glanced back at the physician, and strode away.

"Oh, by the way."

As Li Yunjie walked a few paces away, Li Yi’s voice drifted from behind him. "How is that tax silver case coming along, nephew?"

Li Yunjie paused, drew a deep breath, and called out loudly, "Thanks to your blessing, Second Uncle, the truth will come to light very soon!"

A flicker of gloom crossed Li Yi’s eyes, yet a smile remained on his lips as he watched Li Yunjie depart.

...

Beiling Prince’s Mansion.

In the main hall, Su Qingmeng’s face was ashen. The disappearance of Su Xiyan had clearly shaken her deeply. No matter how the young girl nuzzled against her, it did little to quell her lingering rage.

"Young Master," Eleven approached and asked, "who abducted Miss Xiyan?"

"My second uncle," Li Yunjie replied calmly.

"Why would he do such a thing?"

"He claimed it was to treat her illness."

"Do you really believe he has such a kind heart?" Su Qingmeng scoffed.

"Of course not," Li Yunjie said solemnly. "The medical treatment was a lie; the warning was the truth."

"A warning about what?" Su Qingmeng glared, her voice laced with anger.

Li Yunjie moved toward the armchair and reclined leisurely. "A warning to stop us from investigating the tax silver case. He kidnapped her right under our noses to show us that he has us under his thumb. He wants us to know that whenever he wishes, he can put us in mortal danger."

Su Qingmeng clenched her fists, her rage burning as she slammed her hand onto the table. The huanghuali wood cracked instantly. "Insidious villain!" she rose, ready to settle the score with Li Yi.

Chuyi stood at the doorway to stop her, but Li Yunjie called out, "If she truly wanted to go, she would have done so at the mansion just now."

Su Qingmeng was not blinded by rage. She stopped, cast a cold glance at Li Yunjie, and slowly sat back down. It wasn't that she didn't want to go; it was that she knew she couldn't defeat him, and going would be a wasted effort.

A long silence fell over the room. Li Yunjie slowly rose, stretched, and walked to the backyard to lie down on the armchair. Everyone watched him through the window; after the chair swayed a few times, he drifted into a deep sleep.

"The Young Master is truly exhausted," Eleven whispered with a sigh.

Ever since he took on the tax silver case, Li Yunjie’s nerves had been stretched to the breaking point. Combined with the several assassination attempts he had faced—though he had escaped each one—he had never been able to let his guard down. Everyone had seen this, including Su Qingmeng. A rare look of worry flickered across her face.

Li Yunjie slept until nightfall. The sky, scrubbed clean by the heavy rain, was exceptionally clear. Above Beiling, stars twinkled, their reflections shimmering on the surface of the mansion's lake.

Li Yunjie slowly opened his eyes to find a thin blanket draped over him. He recognized it immediately as Su Qingmeng’s.

"Awake?" Su Qingmeng’s voice reached his ears. Perhaps it was the dim twilight or the gentle night breeze, but her tone sounded unusually soft.

Li Yunjie smiled slightly and thanked her. Su Qingmeng nodded, her lips parting as if she wanted to say something, but she held back.

"Say what you wish to say," Li Yunjie turned to his side, chuckling. "Between us, there is no need for such restraint."

Su Qingmeng bit her lip and turned her head away. "It is nothing."

"You want to ask me what we should do next, don't you?" Li Yunjie said to himself. He was well aware of Su Qingmeng’s keen interest in the case. Whenever they hit a dead end, she would always ask that very question. Today was surely no exception.

Seeing that Su Qingmeng did not respond, Li Yunjie drew a deep breath. Just as he was about to speak, she interrupted him.

"If you are tired... then just rest for now."