Chapter 715

The servants stared at each other in bewilderment.

One person bowed and said, "Lord, this morning the master was still here."

"I cleaned this house today, and when I entered," he lifted his hand to point at the chair by the table, "he was sitting there."

Another person nodded and said, "Yes, master, the master said he was feeling unwell, so we were not summoned to attend to him."

"Half an hour ago I asked through the door if he wanted any food prepared. He said no, and told me not to disturb him."

The Masked Man asked slowly, "Since this morning, has any of you seen him again?"

The few of them looked at each other and all shook their heads:

"None."

"I haven't either."

The Masked Man asked, "What about the secret medicine I instructed you to find?"

A servant hurriedly replied, "Lord, we have each examined his belongings many times, and found nothing that resembles a medicine."

The Masked Man was silent for a moment, then walked to the table and picked up the paper figure on it.

The paper figure was crude, with only a few strokes outlining the facial features, like a child's doodle, yet it exuded an indescribable eeriness.

Strangely, the paper figure's limbs and head bore faint scorch marks.

A gust of wind entered the room, causing the paper figure to sway slightly, as if it were alive.

The Masked Man stared at the paper figure for a moment, turned it over, and saw a line of small characters on the back.

He focused his eyes on it:

"Supreme elder, keep those ten cities to buy a coffin for you!"

The Masked Man's gaze suddenly darkened; he clenched his five fingers, crumpled the paper figure into a ball, and hurled it hard onto the floor.

"Lu Wu! You actually deceived them with a visual trick and took the Shadow Blade!"

"Don't you want the antidote after all?"

He took a deep breath, stepped out of the courtyard, slipped into a small sedan chair, and shortly arrived at Cheng Jing's residence.

Cheng Jing had just finished a needle treatment and was lying on the bed with his eyes closed, recuperating.

Hearing the commotion, he opened his eyes and said, "The Xibei army is about to arrive; how do you still have time to come?"

The Masked Man sat slowly at the table and said, "Lu Wu fled."

"What?" Cheng Jing sat up abruptly, "Lu Wu fled?"

A crisp "snap" rang from the doorway, and Liu Guiyan's bowl of ginseng soup fell to the floor.

She stood rigidly, her complexion drained of color, a faint golden hue spreading across her face, while her eyes and lips instantly turned a blood‑red; her hand swiftly rose to reach into her bosom.

The Masked Man suddenly stood up, his gaze full of vigilance.

"Don't move!" Cheng Jing hurried, "Guiyan! Don't move, quickly! Come to me."

Liu Guiyan slowly lowered her hand, lifted her stiff leg, and walked to the bedside.

Cheng Jing pulled her to sit beside him and clasped her hands tightly in his.

His voice was gentle, as if soothing a baby, "Guiyan, we can't do without Lu Wu; it's only my headache medicine after all."

"Isn't Divine Doctor Mo still here?"

"Look, these past days, without the secret medicine, I've still managed to get by."

"He ran away, so Divine Doctor Mo can stay here permanently."

"I won't be in trouble; set your mind at ease, okay?"

Liu Guiyan stared blankly at Cheng Jing, her eyes and lips gradually losing color, and the golden sheen on her face fading away.

She lifted her eyelids, glanced at the shattered bowl of ginseng soup by the doorway, and softly said, "Alright, I'll brew another bowl for you." With that, she slowly walked out.

The Masked Man sat down slowly, "You two truly can only restrain each other."

Cheng Jing looked at his wife's silhouette and asked in a low voice, "Where is the Shadow Blade?"

The Masked Man shook his head, "It's all gone; he must have taken it."

Cheng Jing cursed fiercely, "You damned Eastern old dog of mischief!"

Immediately after, he frowned and asked, "How is his poison neutralized?"

The next day, in the secret chamber, Xiao Feifei lay listlessly on the floor, spreading its four little legs and curling into a fox‑skin shape.

"Xiao Feifei, be good!" Tuan Tuan cooed, patting its tiny head, "Don't worry, there'll be meat tonight!"

She looked up at her big brother, "Xiao Feifei has become skinny! Big brother, shall we go to Imperial Aunt tonight?"

Xiao Feifei let out a low "eek—", sounding utterly aggrieved.

Xiao Er shook his head helplessly, "That's right, a few days of vegetarian food is fine, but not a fox."

Lu Qi laughed, "Indeed, a fox never eats vegetarian food."

Xiao Ningyuan crouched beside Xiao Feifei, patted its small body, and said, "Hmm, it does seem a bit thinner."

"But Tuan Tuan," he turned his head toward his sister, "haven't you always worried it's too chubby, and when it's full you chase after it?"

"Without meat it can lose weight, and we can also cure its little cravings."

Tuan Tuan blinked, "But big brother, it's called Xiao Feifei! If it gets skinny, it won't be Xiao Feifei anymore."

She picked up the fox from the floor, patted its tiny belly, and looked pitifully at her brother, "Look, its little belly is all sunken!"

"Big brother, it's not Xiao Feifei's craving; it's its belly that wants to eat!"

After speaking, she pursed her lips; Xiao Feifei lay in her arms, its two little ears drooping, its mouth also slack, one big and one small, the two faces pressed together, sharing the same expression.

Xiao Ran was the first to lose restraint, bursting into laughter, "Hahaha! Little runt, you're exactly like it!"

Xiao Ningyuan couldn't help laughing either, gently flicked Tuan Tuan's nose and said, "Alright, let's go tonight! Let Xiao Feifei stay this plump forever!"

Xiao Er and Lu Qi exchanged glances, both smiling as they shook their heads.

Eunuch Cheng laughed, "I've never seen such a likeness!"

Feng Zhou glanced at Tuan Tuan, then at Xiao Feifei: "Young Alliance Leader, you two—who learned from whom?"

Tuan Tuan lowered her head to look at Xiao Feifei in her arms, and Xiao Feifei lifted her head to look at her.

Tuan Tuan grinned, "It learned from me!"

Xiao Feifei also grinned, letting out a "heng" as if saying, "Right!"

Everyone burst into laughter again.

At night, several people came to the Imperial Radiance Hall.

The Grand Princess had long been waiting; on the table were roast chicken, braised meat, preserved goose, several pastries, and a pot of hot tea.

"I figured you'd come tonight." She took Tuan Tuan's hand and walked to the table, saying, "Come, try it—I had the kitchen make this especially for you."

Tuan Tuan sat nicely; Lu Qi placed Xiao Feifei in her arms, and Xiao Ningyuan tore open the roast chicken, handing a drumstick to his sister.

"Thank you, Imperial Aunt!" Tuan Tuan quickly took it and held it to Xiao Feifei's mouth, saying, "Hurry up and eat."

Xiao Feifei started eating in big bites.

The Grand Princess looked amused: "This little thing is really clever."

Tuan Tuan lifted her little face to look at her: "Imperial Aunt, it's starving!"

The Grand Princess startled, then couldn't help but chuckle: "I forgot—foxes aren't vegetarians."

She glanced at everyone: "Please eat, no need to be formal."

"Thank you, Grand Princess." After they bowed and thanked her, they also began eating heartily.

Xiao Ran sighed, "Great, we have meat again!"

"Hey hey, don't eat it all—we need to leave some to bring back for Chen Hao and the others!"

The Grand Princess wore a worried look, but waited until everyone had finished eating before saying: "When you came, didn't you notice that the palace no longer smells of smoked vinegar and mugwort?"

Everyone was startled—indeed it was!

The Grand Princess sighed, "Prince Chen and Prince Qing have locked Consort Rong up."