Chapter 87: Attending to Matters When There Are Tasks, Cultivating Together When There Are None

“So it was a bird.” Su Qingmeng watched the sparrow soar up into the sky and let out a long breath of relief.

“But the odds of that are very low.” Li Yunjie’s gaze swept over the treetops, his tone calm. “Prime Minister Su brought me the imperial message.”

“It’s meant to inform the Crown Prince and my second uncle that my journey north is by the emperor’s command, to investigate a case.”

“If they make a move, it’s as good as confessing their guilt.”

Li Yunjie paused, brushing the ash from his flatbread. “Unless there’s something behind the tax silver case that compels them to take a risk.”

Su Qingmeng’s brows were tightly knit, completely absorbed in his words, so much so that she didn’t notice her flatbread had burned.

“It’s burnt.” Li Yunjie lifted the wooden stick from her hand.

With a gentle sigh, he broke his flatbread in half, sharing it with her.

“You needn’t worry too much,” Li Yunjie continued. “If the Crown Prince acts, Prime Minister Su will be the first to notice.”

“As for Northern Tomb, the mountains are high and the roads long—it won’t be easy for them to reach us quickly.”

“Besides…” Li Yunjie’s gaze drifted into the distant forest, suddenly falling silent.

“Well, say it.” Su Qingmeng’s tone grew impatient.

Li Yunjie shook his head and laughed softly. “It’s nothing.”

Su Qingmeng nearly swore at him.

Only half a conversation! If you keep this up, you’ll end up alone in your old age!

After dinner, the sisters slept in the carriage, while Li Yunjie and Eleven kept watch outside.

The campfire burned brightly, crackling and popping.

“Master,” Eleven leaned against a tree trunk, sighing, “We’re returning to Northern Tomb, but I don’t feel any joy.”

Li Yunjie, chewing on a foxtail stem, smiled. “Things change, people change.”

His parents were gone, the princely manor lost.

Apart from the two lonely graves on Zhuang Mountain, Li Yunjie could hardly recall anything in Northern Tomb worth his nostalgia.

“But Northern Tomb is your hometown, after all,” Eleven’s eyes were cast down, his face tinged with melancholy.

“Hometown?” Li Yunjie smiled indifferently. “The world is vast—wherever there are beauties, that’s home.”

Eleven grinned foolishly. “Everything about you has changed, Master, except your fondness for pretty girls.”

“What else?” Li Yunjie laced his hands behind his head, letting his mind wander. “The ancients said: eating and passion are human nature.”

“I don’t have grand ambitions.”

“When all is settled, I’ll take three or four wives and retire to the mountains.”

“If there’s business, I’ll tend to it; if not, I’ll cultivate alongside my wives.”

“Isn’t that wonderful?”

“Of course!” Eleven laughed even brighter.

But his smile soon faded. He looked up at the star-strewn sky, sighing quietly.

...

The night passed uneventfully.

At dawn, the first light pierced through the gaps in the trees, landing right in Li Yunjie’s eyes.

He opened them slowly. Eleven was feeding the horses, Su Qingmeng sat meditating.

Li Yunjie stretched, heading for the nearby riverbank to fetch water and wash his face.

There he saw Su Xiyan standing in the middle of the stream, her expression serious.

“Hey, little sister, what are you up to?” Li Yunjie asked, puzzled.

Su Xiyan didn’t respond, pursing her lips and signaling for silence, her gaze fixed on the lake’s surface.

Suddenly, as if she’d pressed a switch, Su Xiyan bent down in a flash.

When she straightened, she was holding a lively, wriggling carp.

“Well, I’ll be!” Li Yunjie was genuinely surprised. “You just grabbed it right out of the water?!”

But then he remembered how Su Xiyan had mastered talismanic arts at the age of six, entirely self-taught, and his amazement faded into pride.

This was the true mark of a prodigy—no wonder Gong Qingfeng had come to the Prime Minister’s residence in person to take her as his disciple.

Su Xiyan bounced over to Li Yunjie, showing off, her round, chubby face beaming with delight.

Her big, sparkling eyes yearned for praise.

Li Yunjie patted her head and gave her a thumbs-up. “Impressive!”

The little girl skipped away, heading for Su Qingmeng.

Breakfast was flatbread soaked in fish soup. After eating their fill, the group set out on the road.

Li Yunjie wanted some fresh air, so he and Eleven took charge of driving.

“You seem troubled, Master?” Eleven ventured, seeing Li Yunjie silent along the way.

“I’m thinking,” Li Yunjie’s brows furrowed, “Who’s been following us?”

“You noticed too?” Eleven’s eyes brightened.

Li Yunjie nodded calmly. “Ever since we left Jiangnan, wherever we go, flocks of birds are startled within three miles on either side.”

Eleven let out a long “oh,” suddenly understanding. “No wonder you kept watching the sides.”

“How did you notice?” Li Yunjie was curious.

“Their aura,” Eleven replied breezily. “Judging by the numbers, at least two hundred people.”

Li Yunjie gave Eleven a skeptical look—his estimate was nearly spot on.

But at such a distance, sensing someone’s aura would require third-rank martial strength or better.

Could this lad really be hiding such depths?

Li Yunjie couldn’t help but doubt.

But he quickly dismissed the thought.

If Eleven were truly a master, why hadn’t he acted when Li Yunjie nearly died at the mass grave?

At best, he was gifted.

“What do you think their purpose is?” After a pause, Eleven spoke again.

“I can’t say yet,” Li Yunjie shook his head. “But for now, it doesn’t seem to be anything harmful.”

With that, he flicked the whip, speeding up the horses.

Around noon, they stopped at a relay inn.

Though called an inn, it was really just a shady shelter.

Inside, there was no one but a single attendant bustling about.

“Tea, please,” Li Yunjie chose a cool spot to sit.

The attendant greeted them warmly, “Honored guests, we’ve just got a new batch of Sichuan iced tea. Would you care to try?”

Li Yunjie glanced at his companions—seeing no objections, he ordered a pot.

“Is this Sichuan territory?” Li Yunjie asked, making conversation.

“Yes indeed,” the attendant replied. “Ours is the first inn at the border of Sichuan.”

“Your accent doesn’t sound like you’re from Sichuan,” Li Yunjie noted.

“You’re very perceptive, sir.” The attendant brought the tea over. “I’m from Yizhou.”

“So why are you working here? Yizhou is quite far from Sichuan,” Li Yunjie pressed.

The attendant paused, setting down the teapot and cups, and explained:

“You may not know, sir, but five years ago my family suffered a severe drought. I had no choice but to wander here.”

“Drought in Yizhou?” Li Yunjie’s gaze lingered on the attendant’s hands, his brows tightening. “I haven’t heard of that.”

The attendant’s expression shifted subtly, a barely noticeable hint of killing intent in his eyes.

“You must be joking, sir,” the attendant forced a calm smile. “Your attire shows you’re from a wealthy family—how could you care about a backwater like Yizhou?”

Li Yunjie’s eyes grew deep and cold. “Is that so?”

His face changed abruptly.

A flash of steel—a sword drawn!

The attendant reacted quickly, leaping back several paces.

“I knew you were suspicious!” Li Yunjie’s tone was icy. “Tell me, who are you really?!”