Chapter Thirty-Six: What Reason Is There

  She had just returned to the inner courtyard when Ling Yuexuan couldn't help but glance at Yuan Dai, whose pretty face showed obvious discontent. She wanted to say something, but was afraid that Xiao Chengyan would mock her, so she hesitated and didn't speak.

  She didn't say a word on this side, but Xiang Chengyan had already frowned and said: "Ninth sister, you have always been cautious and rarely spoken, how did you say such words today?" The tone was quite dissatisfied with what Yuandai had just said.

  Ling Yuexuan heard Xiao Chengxian speak up and also hastily responded: "That's right! Ninth sister, what's wrong with you today?"

  As for this matter, Yuandai also showed a good attitude, after nodding her head, she quickly admitted her mistake: "Today's affair, I really shouldn't have involved tenth sister and Lu family cousin! I must have had too much to drink today, and spoke nonsense!"

  She said that, and Ling Yuexuan's face turned bright red with embarrassment. She hastily dropped a sentence: "It's late, I'm going back to my room!" Ling Yuexuan turned around and quickly left.

  Watching her hastily departing back, Xiao Chengyan could only shake his head: "Tenth sister is now even easier to get rid of!"

  Looking at the distant figure hastily leaving, Faru smiled and said: "Sister, don't you think that's the right way for her to be?"

  Xiao Chengxian was taken aback for a moment, then fell silent and pensive. After a long while, she smiled faintly and said: "What Ninth Sister says is always reasonable!" After speaking, she raised her hand to cover her mouth, as if covering up a yawn: "It's late, I should also go back to my room to rest!"

  Seeing her like that, although Xue'er had some regret in her heart, she didn't say much. Xiao Chengyan considered her as one of her best friends, and she was indeed the same to him. However, being close friends meant that there were some things that should be said with caution, lest they hurt each other's feelings.

  Quietly turning towards the west wing, Yan Dai had just arrived at the door when Wen Ping came out to greet her with a smile: "Miss is back!"

  She smiled and nodded at Dawn, then went into the house and sat down on the kang. After receiving the tea brought by Cui Yi, she finally spoke up: "I knew today would be interesting, I should have taken you with me!" She was not a god after all. Without seeing Mrs. Ning in person, it was hard to know her intentions. In fact, even though there was that transaction between them, she still couldn't confirm what kind of attitude Baili Zhao had towards her.

  With this idea in mind, when she went to Pingshuyuan Villa last time, she deliberately didn't bring Wenjing and others along.

  Wen Ping rarely heard the word "interesting" from her mouth, and couldn't help but smile. The green-robed woman on the side asked enthusiastically: "Miss, please tell me, what's so interesting about it?"

  Seeing her so eager and curious, Yuandai couldn't help but smile, and simply told them about the barbecue party. Wenping was a born-and-bred son of the Ling family, rarely able to leave the Ling estate, and upon hearing this, even though he appeared calm, his face revealed a hint of regret. Cuishan, on the other hand, came from a poor background, having grown up in a humble home with barely enough food to eat, otherwise she wouldn't have been sold to Yuandai's side, and upon hearing this, she couldn't help but feel a sense of wistful longing.

  Seeing the two of them like this, Yu Yan couldn't help but speak up to comfort them, and smiled: "To be honest, even if you guys went today, it's not like you'd be doing much, just helping out on the side. It's not worth going, let's just wait for another day when we have the chance, we can find a place to roast our own and eat ourselves, it'll actually be more fun than today!" As she spoke, her face showed a few shades of fatigue: "I'm tired, let's get some rest early!"

  Wen Jing and the two of them heard this, and they quickly brought water to serve her in washing. After a while, after washing, they also sent away Cui Yi, and Yuan Dai suddenly opened her mouth to ask: "Where is Du Ruo?" Since she returned from the mountain, Du Ruo's chances of appearing in front of her have been much less than before, but these past two days have been busy, and it wasn't until now that she had the heart to ask about this.

  "Wen Ping quickly replied: 'Sister Du Ruo has contracted a cold and over the past day or two, it has become increasingly severe. She can't even get out of bed now and is currently resting in her room. I went to see her earlier and she's thinner than before, and her spirits aren't great either!'"

  Yuan Dai nodded slightly and asked again: "Have you fallen asleep?"

  Wen Jing listened to her words, and seemed to be planning to go over and take a look. Hurriedly speaking out to stop her: "It's already late at night now, I'm afraid she has gone to sleep early. Just now when I went over, I had already brought her some ginger date paste. It seems like it's just a case of wind-cold, after sweating, it should be fine!"

  Yuan Dai listened to her and immediately dispelled the idea of going over to take a look.

  Yu Ru saw her leaning against the head of the bed, lost in thought, and couldn't help but smile and ask: "Miss, what are you thinking about again?"

  She slightly raised her eyebrows, and a faint smile appeared on her distant face. Then she suddenly gave a shocking answer: "Thinking of Prince Rui!"

  Miss Wen's face suddenly changed when she heard this sentence, and she almost fell to the ground: "Miss!" She cried out in distress, for Farong's answer, she really didn't know how to respond. A young lady from a boudoir, even if she is thinking about her beloved or future husband in her heart, should be evasive when asked, but someone like Miss Dai is truly a rare species.

  Seeing Wenping's even more flustered appearance, Yan Dai couldn't help but burst out laughing. She glanced at Wenping and said, "Alright, alright! There are only the two of us in this room, I just casually mentioned it, why do you have to be so startled!"

  With a sigh, Wenping said: "Miss has always been cautious in her words, but today she suddenly said this, and I couldn't help but be startled." As he spoke, Wenping's heart suddenly thought of Yuanzhen for no reason. If Yuanzhen were here today and heard Far Dai's words, her reaction would probably not be like hers. Wenping thought silently, and suddenly had an epiphany.

  "Miss..." She called out in a low voice, with a hint of regret.

  She waved her hand and said, "It's nothing! It's late, you should rest too!" Wenping heard this and his heart finally settled down a bit, although he still felt some regret, but it was no use dwelling on it, so he let it go.

  …………

  Sparse Shadow Villa, Clear Heart Small Pavilion.

  With a cup of tea in his hand, he sat calmly in his wheelchair, sipping it slowly. At his feet, however, sat Yue Yao, whose face was gloomy and silent.

  He finally put down the teacup in his hand, and Bai Li Zhao smiled slightly, saying: "It doesn't matter if you talk about that Yuan Zhen!"

  After a long silence, Yue Yao finally spat out four words: "He's a master!" But he obviously didn't plan to elaborate.

  His eyebrows slightly raised, Baili Zhou said: "Earlier when I met her, she asked me if I dared to bet with her on a game......" That calm and confident face suddenly appeared in front of him, and unexpectedly made Baili Zhou smile again: "She said, she believes in Yuan Zhen. She even thought that even if I wanted to move Yuan Zhen, it's not necessarily possible."

  Yue Yao fell silent, remaining so for a long time before finally saying in a cold tone: "Yu Zhen... she's an expert!" Although he spoke reluctantly, he still said it: "In terms of martial arts, I'm not her match!" His voice unexpectedly carried a hint of despair.

  Although he had mentally prepared himself, however, upon suddenly hearing these words, Baili Xiao's face still involuntarily flashed a hint of astonishment: "Hearing such words from your mouth, it's really making me somewhat unbelieving!" He smiled, but his emotions were indiscernible.

  After humming a soft tune, Yue Yao said: "These two women have a rather strange background, can the king just listen to them and let it go?" His tone was very dissatisfied with Bai Li Zhao's attitude of being nonchalant.

  Baili Zhuo had known him for many years and naturally understood his meaning. He raised an eyebrow: "Then, in your opinion, what should I do?"

  Yue Yao said in a deep voice and with a serious expression: "It's necessary to investigate them thoroughly!"

  Baili Zhou couldn't help but burst out laughing and immediately asked back: "What's the reason?"

  Yue Yao heard this and was taken aback, his expression changing to one of strangeness. What's the reason for investigating them? Is it just because Yuan Zhen's martial arts skills are superior to mine? After a moment's thought, he forced out an excuse: "Your Highness should know that Miss Ling Jiu didn't grow up in the Ling family. Originally, this matter had nothing to do with us, but now that Your Highness wants to make her the official consort, how can you not thoroughly investigate her past? In my opinion, starting with Yuan Zhen is the most suitable approach!"

  Wei nodded slightly, and Baili Zhao said: "What you said is not unreasonable." Yue Yao was overjoyed when he heard this, and immediately stood up, just about to speak when Baili Zhao continued in a calm tone: "However, I am unwilling to do so!"

  Yue Yao heard this and was shocked, blurting out: "This... what's going on again?"

  Without raising her eyes to look at him, Baili Zhou gently rubbed her own brow and then said lightly: "Compared to sending someone to investigate this matter, I would rather - one day, she can tell me about her past herself."

  Yue Yao's sword-like eyebrows suddenly stood up, and he said, "What if she never says anything?" The displeasure in his words was already apparent.

  "If she doesn't want to say, then she has her own reasons for not saying!" Bai Li's voice was calm: "If I let her not say, it's because those things didn't affect me. One thing that didn't affect me, and she didn't want to talk about it, what's the necessity for me to know?! Yue Yao, don't forget, between us, there is still a very important transaction."

  Yue Yao was speechless, and after a long while, he smiled bitterly and said: "The prince is right! Today I was the one who misspoke!" Indeed, for them now, there was nothing more important than Bai Li Zhao standing up again.

  Waving his hand, Baili Zou asked: "What kind of person is Yuan Zhen?" Although he didn't intend to pry too much into those matters, he was still quite interested in Yuan Zhen himself. After all, this Yuan Zhen was someone who could even make Yue Yao lose face.

  Having known Yue Yao for many years, Bai Li Zhao was more than clear about his abilities.

  When he heard the two words "Yuan Zhen", Yue Yao's face tightened, and after a brief pause, he said: "This woman has extremely high martial arts skills, and she also has a good head for business." At this point, Yue Yao cleared his throat: "That day when she accompanied the Shao family to stay at Wen Xuan Hall, I took advantage of the opportunity to sneak into her home and investigate. In her study, there were stacks of thick account books. I was momentarily interested, so I flipped through them briefly. Among them, even included the account book of Wen Xuan Hall."

  Baili Zhao was taken aback: "Wenxuan Pavilion?"