Chapter 130: A Letter Arrives

"If that is the case, then this Si Xueyi is harder to deal with than Si Nuosang. Her mind is very methodical."

"Indeed, except for the fact that her combat skills are nothing to speak of. That is why I had to send her to Bi Shui. At least there, in Bi Shui, she won't be able to escape for the time being."

"Sigh, about this matter... but you can't keep her trapped for long. You cannot imprison her for a lifetime. What if one day she meets Si Nuosang and tells her everything? Do you think Si Nuosang will forgive you?"

"Future matters will be dealt with in the future. I cannot worry about that much right now."

"You cannot worry about it? Then what do you intend to do now? On one hand, you are pushing Si Nuosang away, and on the other, you are preventing her from leaving."

"I know I am being contradictory, but please, brother, stay out of this. I will handle it myself."

Xuanyuan Juesi had his own plans; he simply wanted to teach Si Nuosang a lesson!

Now that the stone had been taken by Qin Shuang, and Ye Xuan had betrayed her, she had become the person she was today.

"I believe Ye Xuan was framed."

Mo Qianli immediately steered the conversation back to this topic. Xuanyuan Juesi nodded.

"I know Ye Xuan's character perfectly well. He could not have done this."

"Then who could it be? Qin Shuang could not have gotten close enough to her to poison her. Furthermore, the poison belonged to the Ye Manor. There is no doubt about that. How could Qin Shuang possibly possess the exclusive, secret poison of the Ye Manor?"

The issues buried here were incredibly complex. Too many people and circumstances were entangled.

"I do not know either. Some things remain beyond my vision."

Xuanyuan Juesi did not understand what was happening, but he was certain of one thing: it could not have been Ye Xuan. Soon, Si Nuosang would also realize that Ye Xuan was not the culprit.

Even though Ye Xuan’s departure had improved his mood for the moment, Si Nuosang was no fool. She would eventually figure out that Ye Xuan was not behind these events.

"So, there are things even you do not know."

"Of course, there are many. For instance, Si Nuosang—I do not understand her at all."

"Perhaps that is why she attracts you. I once thought you would not remain the same forever. I had hoped someone would change you, and then Si Nuosang appeared. That is good, but the process of this change worries me deeply."

Xuanyuan Juesi did not know how far things would go, but his current state was already cause for concern. Perhaps the future would only bring more reasons to worry, and that was not something he wanted to see.

"Brother, I am fine. You should worry about your wife's situation. That woman in pink must be from Bi Shui, but she is not the Bi Shui Fairy of the past. You should remind your wife of this."

"Mm."

Mo Qianli was also pondering this. He felt the web being spun was growing larger and larger, and they were merely a small part of it. An invisible conspiracy was closing in.

"By the way, what is the story with Si Nuosang's item? If it is not the one they were looking for, why have they stopped now? Or, looking at it another way, if it is the one, why does Si Nuosang have it? I have so many questions."

"I am also puzzled. I originally thought they would deem it a fake, but after so many days, it seems to have been proven genuine. I have seen Si Nuosang's item, but it had always been with her. Why has suspicion been cast upon me? And as I said, I know nothing about Si Nuosang. That is the core of the problem between us. I do not understand her at all."

He concluded with a sigh.

"Then what will you do now?"

"What else can I do? I will just let things be."

"Is the Emperor not giving you any more trouble?"

"What trouble could he give? He holds the military power. I am no threat to him. But perhaps that is for the best. I can enjoy some peace and quiet. Aside from staying in the Prince's mansion, I rarely go out anymore."

Xuanyuan Juesi let out a heavy sigh; his days felt devoid of any vigor.

"Sigh!"

Mo Qianli shook his head helplessly. Xuanyuan Juesi had brought this upon himself.

They spent a long time at the tea house. Eventually, Mo Qianli returned to the mansion with Xuanyuan Juesi. Mo Qianli intended to stay in the capital for a while, as his own affairs of the heart were not going smoothly either.

Xuanyuan Juesi did not mind; Mo Qianli could stay as long as he pleased. He truly did not know what else to do. Everything felt stagnant and drained of energy.

However, the things they feared most always have a way of happening.

Just as they reached Bi Shui, Si Xueyi escaped!

Yuan Qianlü, in a panic, hurriedly ordered his men to report the news while he set out to track her down.

Si Xueyi had used some unknown method to vanish right before his eyes. Yuan Qianlü felt a deep sense of humiliation. He had allowed a woman to disappear from under his nose—and she was a woman with no martial arts skills.

Yes, she had no combat skills, but that did not mean she was clumsy. In truth, when two carriages had passed close by each other, Si Nuosang had slipped underneath the other carriage and fled. It had happened in a mere instant.

As for the locks that bound her, she had opened them with ease. They were not top-tier electronic security locks; such trifles were no obstacle to her.

After several hours, Yuan Qianlü realized how she had escaped. He rushed to ask the people of Bi Shui.

"Where did the carriage that was parked next to mine go?"

"To the village at the foot of the mountain, Master Yuan," the Bi Shui attendant replied hurriedly.

He immediately mounted his horse to give chase, but it was already too late. The carriage was still there, and the people remained, but Si Xueyi was nowhere to be found.

He searched the entire way, asking everyone nearby if they had seen her, even providing a sketch, but there was no trace.

"Your Highness, a letter has arrived!"

Xuanyuan Juesi received the missive. After opening it, his expression shifted. Mo Qianli asked urgently, "What has happened?"

"Si Xueyi has escaped."

This Si Xueyi was truly no ordinary person to have escaped from Yuan Qianlü. Xuanyuan Juesi shook his head, gripping the note tightly.

"Good heavens, it has only been a few days. You must be careful."

"Careful? How can I be careful? I cannot simply kill her."

"You must not do anything reckless. If you kill Si Xueyi, you can forget about ever being with Si Nuosang. Besides, perhaps Si Xueyi is not as dangerous as we imagine."

"I hope so! But she must have a terrible impression of me now. I have already left a bad mark. It is all my fault; perhaps I should not have handled it that way in the beginning."

Xuanyuan Juesi regretted his past actions, but it was too late to turn back.

"Indeed, but this is not the time to dwell on that. You must handle this matter carefully. Because you cannot strike at Si Xueyi, just think—she fled with such speed. If you fail to kill her, you will truly become enemies," Mo Qianli analyzed, hoping to keep Xuanyuan Juesi from taking an extreme path.