Chapter Twenty-Five: The Whole Story

Li Xingyu then proceeded to open the safety lock, and indeed discovered inside it a bean-sized object resembling natural uranium ore. Turning to those around him, he said, “It’s this thing that made Miss Mu ill, and it’s also the reason why anyone staying near her for several days would feel unwell.” After speaking, Li Xingyu placed the object into a box and instructed a servant to take it to an uninhabited area within the residence, making it absolutely forbidden for anyone to approach within a hundred meters.

Now that the cause had been found, the Mu patriarch knew the ensuing conversation should not be overheard by staff. He turned to the remaining servants and said, “All of you may leave. Remember, everything that happened today and everything you saw must not be spoken of, not even within the estate. Make sure you inform those who are absent today and the one who just left of the family’s instructions. Anyone who violates this will be dealt with according to family law.”

“As you command, Master,” the servants replied in unison and withdrew. Since the patriarch had spoken, Li Xingyu did not explain further immediately, but waited until only the core members remained before continuing: “If my estimation is correct, Miss Mu’s illness was caused by this small object within the safety lock. It emits an invisible substance that gradually harms people, and the closer one is, the greater the harm. I have now removed it from Miss Mu, but as for how to treat her hereafter, I’ll need to conduct an experiment.”

Even the worldly Mu father and son were stunned by his words, for they had never heard of such a fearsome, indefensible thing. “Does that mean, if someone possessed this, they could harm anyone at will, and no one would be safe?” Such shock made them momentarily forget about Mu Xueqing’s condition. It was Mu Bat, more composed than his child, who recovered first and asked this question.

“It’s not that serious,” Li Xingyu replied. “First, objects like this, which form naturally and can affect people without refining, are exceedingly rare—almost impossible to find. Even if such a thing were discovered by chance, few would know its use. That someone obtained this and understood its effect is likely a coincidence. Second, this object cannot retain its potency for long; as time passes, its effect diminishes until it becomes harmless.” Li Xingyu knew these people had no concept of radioactive elements, so he explained accordingly.

This explanation finally put them at ease. Though curious how Li Xingyu knew such things, they sensed it would be improper to ask directly—and that doing so might arouse suspicion. Besides, for a formidable figure like Li Xingyu, to remain unknown in the Empire, he must be a discreet person who dislikes inquiries about his background and learning. If he were not so, given his strength, their family would certainly have heard of him.

“What more do you require to continue treating Xueqing? If you need anything, just say the word—we will do our utmost,” the Mu patriarch asked after pondering the new information.

“It’s quite simple,” Li Xingyu responded. “Just have someone find a place on the estate where no one lives within a hundred meters. Then, bring a strong horse there. I’ll return the object to the safety lock, and you can hang the lock around the horse’s neck. By observing the horse’s daily condition, I can roughly gauge how much Miss Mu’s body was harmed and thus devise an accurate plan for her recovery. Also, judging from the lock, Miss Mu has worn it since childhood. Since it caused no trouble before but does now, someone must have tampered with it recently. You should investigate whether the lock left Miss Mu’s possession lately.”

“That’s no problem; I’ll see to it at once,” Mu Bat said, rising to give instructions to the steward before returning. “This lock has indeed been with my daughter since she was small. But I’m not sure if anything happened to it recently. Our estate is well-guarded, and Xueqing herself is strong. It would be difficult for anyone to tamper with the lock while she wore it. If someone managed to obtain such an object and use it to harm her, the perpetrator must be a powerful force. Yet, even the royal family couldn’t do such a thing.”

After he finished, the room fell silent as everyone pondered the matter. Suddenly, from the bed, Mu Xueqing spoke—the first time since Li Xingyu had arrived. Her voice was soft, but all present were experts with keen senses and heard her clearly. “Father, about half a month ago, the chain of my lock broke. I remember taking it to Feng’s Jewelry Shop in the city for repair. It took three days to fix. I thought it odd at the time but didn’t dwell on it.” Li Xingyu found Mu Xueqing’s voice clear and pleasant, her words concise and logically precise—evidence of an extraordinary mind. Since they had been speaking at the outer table, she could hear their entire conversation.

“That makes sense. It was about ten days ago that Xueqing began feeling unwell, and it grew worse. It must have been during those three days that someone tampered with the lock. Whether it was the jewelry shop or another who seized the chance, we cannot say.” Mu Bat analyzed. Since Li Xingyu had already unearthed the plot and rescued Xueqing, they held nothing back in his presence, discussing openly to gain his trust.

During their ensuing conversation, Li Xingyu mostly listened, saying little. He still knew little of the Heavenly Gift Empire, and Mu Xueqing occasionally interjected, her voice not only pleasing to his ear but also revealing her intelligence and sharp, rigorous thinking. Through their discussion, Li Xingyu gained a deeper understanding of the Empire’s major powers. He also learned that if this plot truly originated with Feng’s Trading House, then it meant the Tianfeng family—one of the four great clans and the Mu family’s peer—was behind it, for Feng’s Trading House was their enterprise.

The Tianfeng family’s involvement seemed likely, given the circumstances. The current Tianfeng patriarch was about the same age as Mu Bat, and his eldest son only a few years older than Mu Xueqing. About a year ago, though the Tianfeng family had rarely interacted with the Mus, the patriarch suddenly proposed marriage, wishing his son to wed Mu Xueqing. But Mu Chenhua, suspecting hidden motives and wary of the Tianfengs’ ambition, declined—especially as Xueqing herself was unwilling. Though the Tianfengs expressed no displeasure, Mu Chenhua sensed their resentment and had warned all family branches to be wary of the Tianfengs’ influence. He had not expected they might be the masterminds behind this plot against Mu Xueqing. But to what end? Did they wish to provoke a war between the two houses? Though the Tianfeng family was stronger, they surely lacked the strength and boldness to instigate such a conflict, especially with the other two great families and the imperial clan present.

Those unfamiliar with phoenixes might assume the Tianfeng family was matriarchal, but that was not the case. In truth, “phoenix” refers to both male and female; the male is called “feng,” the female “huang,” and together they are “phoenix.”

Finally, the third chapter of the day is finished just before midnight. I hope you all enjoy reading, and once more, I ask for your support and recommendations.

Jointly recommended by the editors of Zhulang—Zhulang’s hot book collection is now online. Click to add to your favorites.