Chapter 256: Falling Ill

Xiao Ye Ci and Lu Chunying sat in the room, silently watching Prince Chun perform opera.

Prince Chun played a female role, performing "The Case of Zha Mei."

The timing and mastery of this opera were flawless; Prince Chun portrayed Qin Xianglian with profound depth, making Lu Chunying's eyes well up with tears.

Xiao Ye Ci's eyes also welled up, but she was terrified.

Yet no matter how frightened she was, she had to watch the entire opera—Lu Chunying had offended Prince Chun, and his demand was that she watch one play.

The cost was not great, but Xiao Ye Ci was truly terrified.

Lu Chunying watched her tremble and softly reminded: "Mother, if you can't hold it, speak up—I'll take you to the latrine. This prince loves cleanliness; we can't cause any more trouble."

Li Banfeng sat in the Sui Shen Ju, quietly watching his wife and Hong Ying.

Chichi~

His wife spoke first: "Hey, husband, didn't Prince Chun tell you everything? That old rascal is cunning—don't believe everything he says."

Hong Ying sighed lightly: "Among all the court officials, who isn't cunning? Compared to them, Prince Chun is almost benevolent."

The singing machine scoffed: "In your eyes, Prince Chun isn't just benevolent—he's the peerless perfect man."

Hong Ying fell silent for a long while, then said: "I am not close to Prince Chun, nor do I have any affection for him. The Emperor ordered the marriage—I had no choice. This has nothing to do with our grudge."

Li Banfeng was about to ask: "Why did you two fall out?"

The singing machine sneered: "Ask that wretched woman. I certainly can't understand it."

Hong Ying's voice grew agitated: "If you can't understand, think carefully—I fought beside you on the battlefield, through countless armies, when did I ever waver?

I killed you because you deserved it, and I had no choice—I did nothing wrong!"

Both fell silent again. Li Banfeng lay on the bed, gently stroking the singing machine, and asked: "Wife, you've been fighting the Demon Lands for years—where exactly are the Demon Lands?"

Chichi~

"Little slave can't remember. Ever since that wretched woman harmed me, I've forgotten many things. If I strain to recall, my soul feels like it's scattering."

Hong Ying snapped: "Wicked woman, don't blame everything on me—I've forgotten the Demon Lands too. If you count it that way, aren't you the one who harmed me?"

Forgotten. Everyone said they'd forgotten.

Prince Chun couldn't say where the Demon Lands were either.

He couldn't even say where the Da Huan Dynasty was.

Whether his wife, Hong Ying, or Prince Chun—they had all died once.

After experiencing death and rebirth, losing most of their memories was understandable.

Li Banfeng embraced the singing machine: "Enough. Don't think anymore. After fighting all night in the rain, I'm freezing."

The singing machine exhaled a cloud of steam, wrapping tightly around Li Banfeng: "Little slave is lucky—she has a husband who cares for her. Unlike that wretched woman, she deserves to suffer all her life."

…

After finishing "The Case of Zha Mei," Prince Chun was still pondering the next opera.

Xiao Ye Ci trembled and said: "Your Highness, didn't you say once we heard this opera, you'd let us go? We're in a hurry to travel."

Prince Chun's face darkened: "You think listening to my opera is a burden? I tell you, as long as this rain doesn't stop, you won't move fast—and if you don't move fast enough, you'll never leave the Old Lands."

After waiting a full day, the rain finally stopped.

Li Banfeng gathered everyone and left the Prince's mansion.

Prince Chun stood in the main courtyard's central hall, placing a record on a tray, listening quietly as Zhao Xiao sang "The Battle of Changban."

After the song ended, he carefully stored the record, then stood at the door, gazing silently into the distance.

Opera is just opera.

You can't disbelieve it entirely, but you can't believe it wholly.

How much is false, how much is true—depends on whether there's a discerning eye.

It depends on whether you are that discerning eye.

…

Li Banfeng led the group for half a day, finally exiting the Old Lands.

Using the map Prince Chun had given him, Li Banfeng drew out the route for everyone.

"Xiao Niu, take these people back to Haichiling,

Xiao Fang, take them to Yaowanggou,

You all know the way?"

The route Li Banfeng drew was simple and clear; Niu Guangda understood it, but he didn't want to go: "Master, I don't want to return to Haichiling."

"Why?"

"When my father sent me here, he slapped me twice and said I couldn't endure hardship, that I'd never amount to anything.

If I go back now, he'll slap me again and send me right back—no matter what I say, he won't believe me."

Li Banfeng said: "Go back and explain properly. If he still doesn't understand, slap him yourself. Tell him a man with a big beard ordered you to."

Niu Guangda shook his head frantically: "He's my father—I couldn't dare."

Li Banfeng thought a moment: "Come with me to Lüshuiwan. One day, I'll take you to slap him."

Niu Guangda's heart rejoiced: "From now on, I'll follow Master. My life belongs to you."

He followed Li Banfeng, and everyone else followed Li Banfeng too.

Using Prince Chun's map, Li Banfeng led them toward Lüshuiwan.

The route on the map matched Xiao Ye Ci and Lu Chunying's memories; within less than three days, they left Wuyouping and arrived at Guangming Town.

Guangming Town was a town north of Lüshuiwan, far from Lüshui City, yet still bustling—merchants often stopped here, and inns, restaurants, and shops were all well-stocked, even including a movie theater.

Li Banfeng first settled everyone in lodgings, then bought two sets of men's clothing and gave them to Xiao Ye Ci and Lu Chunying.

Everyone else was fine, but these two were special—the Lu family was searching for them.

In men's clothes, ordinary people wouldn't recognize them, but the Lu family had many unusual people—this couldn't last. Li Banfeng asked: "Do you two really want to return to the Lu family?"

Lu Chunying shook her head: "No. The Lu family won't accept us."

Xiao Ye Ci shook her head: "Not 'us'—they won't accept me. You still have to go back. Staying with someone like me means you'll never amount to anything."

Li Banfeng didn't fully understand, so Lu Chunying recounted the full story of their arrival at the Lu family.

After hearing the events, three questions emerged before Li Banfeng.

First: Lu Xiaolan was freed by Monkey Qiu, who was summoned by Xiao Ye Ci and Lu Chunying—Li Banfeng knew this.

But Lu Xiaolan never knew Xiao Ye Ci and Lu Chunying would come; she consistently denied ever writing them a letter.

Mentioning this, Xiao Ye Ci and Lu Chunying grew furious, accusing Lu Xiaolan of being ungrateful and turning her back on them.

But Li Banfeng believed Lu Xiaolan wasn't lying.

At the time, she was trapped in the Lu family's old mansion; aside from the hook on Li Banfeng's phone, she had no way to contact anyone else.

She couldn't have written to Xiao Ye Ci and Lu Chunying—even if she could, she'd have written to her mother, begging her to rescue her.

Lu Xiaolan didn't lie—so who wrote the letter Xiao Ye Ci and Lu Chunying received?

Lu Xiaolan was trapped in the He family mansion—besides Lu Xiaolan and me, who else knew that?

Second question.

Xiao Ye Ci claimed she witnessed the entire attack on Lu Dongliang.

He Yuxiu struck first, then Zhuo Yuling, then Lu Dongjun.

Then Lu Dongliang shoved He Yuxiu, and both flew backward.

Lu Dongliang was a Level Nine Travel Cultivator—is this a Travel Cultivator technique?

Lu Dongliang ultimately flew into Li Banfeng's hands—was this prearranged by Lu Dongliang?

Third matter: Lu Chunying heard this on the way to the Lu family mansion.

"Lu Xiaolan told Monkey Qiu that on the train, she tried to kill someone named something-Qing, but he shoved her, and she flew into the He family's old mansion.

Monkey Qiu didn't believe her, the Lu family didn't believe her, and I thought she was delusional too—until I saw my father shove He Yuxiu and fly out too. Maybe she was telling the truth…"

Li Banfeng's cheek twitched briefly.

His lips curled slightly upward, revealing a stiff smile.

Among his university acquaintances, this stiff smile was known as the precursor to an episode—he was best avoided at such moments.

Li Banfeng controlled his tone and asked: "The person you mentioned—something-Qing—is he He Jiaqing?"

Lu Chunying paused, then nodded: "That sounds right."

Li Banfeng asked again: "Is it He Jiaqing?"

Lu Chunying said: "It must be him."

Li Banfeng asked again: "Is it He Jiaqing?"

Lu Chunying grew frightened; Xiao Ye Ci interjected: "Master, she might not remember clearly—let me think again."

"Is it He Jiaqing?" Li Banfeng repeated the same phrase.

Xiao Ye Ci was frightened too: "Master, what's wrong with you?"

"Is it He Jiaqing?" Li Banfeng turned and left the room, stepping into the corridor.

He didn't want to harm the mother and daughter.

"Is it He Jiaqing?" He repeated the phrase, entering his own room.

"Is it He Jia…" Li Banfeng clapped his hand over his mouth—he was having an episode. He repeated the phrase uncontrollably.

With one hand, he pulled out his key and entered the Sui Shen Ju.

Seeing Li Banfeng clutching his mouth, face flushed, the singing machine asked anxiously: "Master, what's wrong?"

"Ooooh, ooooh~" Li Banfeng's nose still hummed the same phrase.

Still couldn't stop, even covering his mouth wouldn't stop it!

He covered his nose as well.

He clamped his mouth and nose tightly, his face turning blue-purple as he neared suffocation.

"Husband!" Jiang Yue stepped forward, prying open Li Banfeng's hands and wrapping him tightly in a cloud of steam.

"Is it He Jiaqing?" Li Banfeng croaked.

Honglian, far away in the Sixth Branch, heard Li Banfeng's cry—and a layer after layer of dew formed on her body.

PS: Li Banfeng boarded the train with Zhou Changhong to uncover the mastermind behind Ling Miaoying and dig to the root.

On the train, due to a series of accidents, they arrived at Jianren Gang.

At Jianren Gang, they met Xiao Ye Ci and her daughter.

Through Xiao Ye Ci and her daughter, the root was unearthed.

Who could have imagined the root would be unearthed so easily?

(End of Chapter)