Chapter 47: A Friend Delivered to the Door

Chapter 47: Chapter 47: A Friend Delivered to the Door

The Great Yu Dynasty was not a corrupt and incompetent empire, nor was he a fool.

The imperial family had long known about the Yun Family discovering ruins in Tilan Mountain. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have personally come to Fenglin Town this time.

It had to be said that Yun Jin’s excuse was terribly lame; it probably couldn’t even fool a toddler.

However, Li Xingchao didn’t intend to harp on it. After all, it wasn’t the time to fall out with the Yun Family just yet.

"Yun Jin, you must be joking. What is there to punish?" Li Xingchao smiled faintly. "Since there really are ruins in the mountain, let’s adjust our plans for this trip.

"Later, Yun Jin and I will personally lead a squad of Golden Scale Army elites into the mountain. As for the matter of the sorcerer in Fenglin Town, we’ll leave that in the hands of Xun’Er and Wan’Er.

"It’s a good opportunity for the younger generation to get closer and cultivate their feelings for each other."

Li Xingchao was a master of calculation.

Having seized upon the Yun Family’s failure to report the ruins, he smoothly proposed that Yun Wan and his son handle the sorcerer’s matter together to foster closeness. Neither Yun Wan nor Yun Jin dared to refuse this arrangement.

Yun Jin forced a smile and nodded in agreement. "Very well, we can treat it as a chance for them to gain experience. Wan’Er, you must follow the Crown Prince closely and learn as much as you can," she instructed immediately, seemingly afraid that Yun Wan wouldn’t grasp the gravity of the situation.

Even though Yun Wan had a hundred reasons to be unwilling, she could only bite the bullet and endure it. She bowed slightly toward Li Xun and said, "I will have to trouble the Crown Prince for guidance."

Li Xun jumped down from his stool and approached Yun Wan with a wide grin. He reached out to grab her hand, but she smoothly dodged his grasp.

He touched his nose resentfully, then cupped his hands toward Yun Jin and Li Xingchao. "Father, Nanny Jin, I will take Wan’Er to investigate the case now."

Li Xingchao nodded. "Go ahead, and be careful."

The two left the Government Office. Li Xun secretly peeked at Yun Wan’s graceful figure before putting on a serious expression. "I heard you’ve been in Fenglin Town for some time?"

Yun Wan nodded and replied nonchalantly, "Yes."

"Have you sorted out the details? When did the sorcerer first appear?" Li Xun asked in a deep voice.

Yun Wan answered his questions one by one, and he listened surprisingly intently.

"In that case, the source of this matter is this Wang Family you mentioned, along with that lowly peasant named Fang Xu?"

Yun Wan paused for a moment and nodded.

"Let’s go. Take me to see them," Li Xun said, clasping his hands behind his back with feigned maturity.

Yun Wan was puzzled. "Where does the Crown Prince want to go?"

Li Xun gave her a strange look. "Naturally, we are going to find the Wang Family and that lowly peasant to understand the situation."

At Fang Xu’s courtyard.

Wang Family carried a basket of fresh apricots into the courtyard. Seeing Fang Xu and Chu Muyun, who had just finished eating, she smiled and said, "Fang, Mu Yun, Yunshan brought these apricots from the county. I’ve brought some over for you."

Placing the basket of apricots on the stone table nearby, Wang Family picked out a few larger ones and handed them to Chu Muyun, then gave two to Fang Xu. "They’ve been washed. They’re very sweet."

Seeing the slightly intimate interaction between the two, Chu Muyun pouted her lips and said in displeasure, "Fang Xu, I am going back to my room first."

With that, without waiting for Fang Xu to speak, she turned her wheelchair, returned to her room, and slammed the door shut.

Looking at the closed door, Fang Xu shook his head with a bitter smile.

Wang Family was also at a loss. She asked in a low voice, "Does Mu Yun not like me? Or was I too loud that night, and she heard it?"

Fang Xu was just about to speak when two figures appeared outside the courtyard gate.

"Miss Yun?"

Seeing that the visitors were Yun Wan and a child who looked to be only eight or nine years old, Fang Xu was a little surprised.

Wang Family stood awkwardly to the side with her head bowed.

"You’re both here. Good, it saves us another trip," Yun Wan introduced. "This is the Crown Prince of the dynasty. He wants to ask you a few things about Wang Ergou."

The Crown Prince of the imperial family?

Hearing this, Fang Xu briefly examined the "child" before quickly cupping his hands in a salute. "I am Fang Xu. Greetings, Crown Prince."

Seeing this, Wang Family beside him quickly curtsied as well. "I am Wang Family. Greetings, Crown Prince."

Li Xun held his head high and glanced at the rather charming Wang Family. He shook his head slightly and muttered, "Quite attractive, but a pity she is no longer a maiden..."

"Rise," he said arrogantly, staring at Fang Xu. "Your name is Fang Xu?"

Fang Xu cupped his hands. "Yes."

"Tell me everything that happened before and after you found Wang Ergou dead that day. If you hide anything, careful with your little life."

Fang Xu quickly bowed and recounted the previous events in detail.

This matter had nothing to do with him in the first place, so there was naturally no reason for him to lie.

Li Xun had been keeping a close eye on changes in his body language and expression, but couldn’t detect anything amiss.

"Is everything he said true?" Li Xun asked Wang Family after listening to Fang Xu’s account.

Wang Family nodded repeatedly. "It is all true."

Off to the side, Yun Wan secretly breathed a sigh of relief when she noticed that the little girl Fang Xu had rescued that day was nowhere to be seen in the courtyard.

Given that little girl’s looks and delicate disposition, if Li Xun discovered her, he probably wouldn’t let her go easily. If a conflict broke out, Yun Wan knew exactly what the consequences would be.

"In that case, you, take me to look at the crime scene," Li Xun commanded, pointing at Fang Xu after a moment of thought.

Fang Xu glanced at Yun Wan. Seeing her remain silent, he bowed slightly. "This way, Crown Prince."

Li Xun tilted his chin up and strutted arrogantly out of the courtyard.

"Wang Family, please help look after Mu Yun; I’ll be right back."

After giving Wang Family this instruction, Fang Xu was about to follow. However, Yun Wan gently tugged at his sleeve and whispered, "Do not let the Crown Prince see that little girl."

Fang Xu froze for a moment, then cast a grateful glance at Yun Wan.

"After you, Miss Yun."

Leading Yun Wan and Li Xun to the place where Wang Ergou perished that day, Fang Xu spoke up, "Crown Prince, please look, this is where I found Wang Ergou’s body.

"And over here is where his family’s ox died.

"The flesh and blood of the ox looked as if it had been air-dried. It was a terrifying sight."

After quickly briefing Li Xun on the state of the crime scene at the time, Fang Xu stood respectfully to the side.

Li Xun walked over to the two spots Fang Xu pointed out, gave a light sniff, and sneered. "It really is that bunch!

"You are quite good.

"I will be staying in Fenglin Town for a while to investigate this matter. Since you seem sharp and are familiar with the town, you can follow by my side during this time."

Hearing this, Fang Xu was startled and quickly looked at Yun Wan.

Yun Wan, however, said calmly, "It is your honor to serve the Crown Prince. If you do this well, the Crown Prince naturally will not mistreat you."

Feeling helpless, Fang Xu could only cup his hands and say, "I am honored by the Crown Prince’s high regard. I will naturally put myself at your disposal and serve the Crown Prince!"

This little bit of flattery clearly pleased Li Xun greatly. He immediately nodded. "Not bad. I like this cleverness of yours. If this matter is handled well, I will take you to the Central State."

Fang Xu quickly cupped his hands in "gratitude." "Thank you, Crown Prince!"

"Let’s go, we should head back and take a look," Li Xun said.

The three returned to the town from the outskirts and made a trip to the Yizhuang, which was under reconstruction. They kept busy until evening before finally wrapping things up.

"I heard that Fenglin Town’s famous wine, Maple Brew, has quite a unique flavor. Is that true?"

At the Late Hour of You (5:00 PM), as the three were walking through the town, Li Xun suddenly spoke up.

"The Crown Prince wishes to drink?" Fang Xu was taken aback, then said with secret delight, "I know a wine shop in town that serves the most authentic Maple Brew!"

Li Xun nodded. "Lead the way."