Chapter 259: Chapter 259: Gradually Showing Weakness

Every time he kissed her, the poison in his body would surge.

Ye Yiheng’s expression was slightly dazed– how could he continue like this in the long run?

Unable to hold back, Jian Lecheng raised his voice, “Your body is already so cold, and yet you say the cold disease hasn’t acted up? From what I see, it’s both the cold disease and a problem with your eyes happening at once.”

“Crown Prince, Leng Yu Yan is indeed beautiful, but she is deadly! Your Highness, do you really plan to be with her?”

Ye Yiheng slightly tilted his head towards the source of the voice and said coldly, “Jian Lecheng, does who I choose to be with require your approval?”

“Your Highness, that’s not what I meant,” Jian Lecheng bowed and lowered his head, “I am concerned for Your Highness’s health!”

At that moment, Ruofeng came in to report, “Your Highness, the Commandery Princess has Song Guo for company, and with Liu Yun and Mo Chen escorting her, the road will surely be safe.”

Ye Yiheng nodded and said indifferently, “Everyone, leave. I wish to be alone.”

Everyone complied.

—

When Leng Yu Yan returned to Prince Zhenbei Mansion, she discovered that the incident at Prince Xian Mansion had already spread throughout the Capital City.

At home, during lunch, she received a note from Mi Xinmei and after the meal, went to the address written on the note as arranged.

In a small courtyard in the suburbs of the capital, Leng Yu Yan met the long-absent Mi Xinrong.

The girl before him moved gracefully like a startled swan coming towards him. Mi Xinrong saluted with a hand-clasp, “Greetings to the Commandery Princess!”

“Brother Mi, please rise quickly!” Leng Yu Yan raised her hand in a gesture of aid, “Although the note was sent under Xinmei’s name, when I saw the address, I knew it to be from Brother Mi.”

Mi Xinrong raised his hand, indicating they should walk and talk, and the two headed towards the river bank outside the courtyard.

“Returning from the battlefield of that year, I have little to show for it, and I feel I have let the Commandery Princess down!”

“After five long years, it is difficult to investigate.”

“However, I have found out that after your brother received a secret report, he went with his trusted aides to deal with it. According to what I heard, when your brother returned to camp, he was alone. War erupted again before he had a chance to rest, and he went back into battle. It was during that battle that he never returned.”

At these words, Leng Yu Yan’s eyes filled with tears, “Who issued that secret report? What exactly happened when he went to deal with it?”

Mi Xinrong shook his head, “Those old soldiers know very little; the general situation was difficult enough for me to ascertain. Commandery Princess, your brother’s death is quite mysterious. Those who knew the details of the event were probably dealt with in secret.”

A tear slid down Leng Yu Yan’s cheek, “My brother was wounded in many places, do you know which wounds were fatal?”

Again, Mi Xinrong shook his head, “All I’ve heard from the old soldiers is that when your brother left, he clutched the red-tasseled spear tightly in his hand, standing there, facing towards the Capital City, unmoving for a long time.”

At these words, Leng Yu Yan’s tears could no longer be held back and spilled forth like a dam breaking.

Xiaoshan and Miao Zhu, who followed at a distance, exchanged glances and hurried over.

“Commandery Princess, Commandery Princess.”

Leaning on Miao Zhu’s shoulder, Leng Yu Yan murmured, “My brother was facing the capital… he must have remembered that he promised to come back and see me, he said he would…”

Staying at a distance, Mi Xinrong felt helpless, regretting his inability to find more information.

—

The next day.

Leng Yu Yan wrapped her chest and bound her hair in men’s clothing.

The secret report her brother had received must be archived in the Ministry of War; if not openly, then certainly in secret. With this in mind, she decided to enroll in Imperial College in order to gain experience at the Ministry of War and find that secret report.

After obtaining consent from her grandfather and Father King, she rode to Imperial College.

It was time for classes, and the entrance of Imperial College was filled with teachers and students, who were quite surprised at her arrival.

However, the Sacrificial Officer was delighted and greeted her personally, “Commandery Princess, what brings you here today?”

Leng Yu Yan saluted with a fist, “I wish to discuss with the Sacrificial Officer about returning to the academy as a student.”

“Why discuss? You may enroll immediately.”

“Thank you, Sacrificial Officer! So, how about tomorrow?”

“It is indeed possible.”

“I have a question. A few months ago, during the archery examination, I achieved first place and was given the opportunity to gain experience at the Ministry of War. Is that opportunity still valid?”

“It was supposed to be valid,” whispered the Sacrificial Officer, lowering his voice, “but some time ago, Zheng Likuo lost two teeth, so the Empress Dowager decided to give the chance to him. Now, he is gaining experience in the Ministry of War.”

Leng Yu Yan looked around and, sure enough, did not see Zheng Likuo’s figure.

The Sacrificial Officer raised his hand, “Please, Commandery Princess, come to this old man’s study for some tea!”

Leng Yu Yan waved her hand, “There’s no need for tea. Since I returned to the capital, I’ve been busy with affairs and haven’t even visited the Mountain Master in the neighboring academy. I will join the Sacrificial Officer for tea another day when the opportunity arises.”

Afraid that this promising student, Leng Yu Yan, might be snatched away by the old man next door, the Sacrificial Officer hurriedly said, “On September 19th, a new round of the monthly archery examination will start, and the Commandery Princess will have another chance to go to the Ministry of War.”

Today was September 14th, not many days left. Leng Yu Yan smiled and nodded, then took a bundle from the horseback and handed it to the Sacrificial Officer.

The Sacrificial Officer opened it and saw a bag full of pomelos and asked with delight, “Are all these for me?”

Leng Yu Yan smiled, leading her horse toward Xinya Academy, and as she walked, she said, “Yes!”

“Very good, very good!”

The Sacrificial Officer was overjoyed, as the bundle of gifts students had given him were all cured meats, which he could now refresh with the Commandery Princess’s pomelos.

When the Mountain Master heard that Leng Yu Yan had appeared in the Imperial College, he stretched his neck to look toward the Imperial College’s main gate for a long time.

Not until he saw Leng Yu Yan leading her horse into view did the Mountain Master turn his back, pretending not to see.

Seeing this, Leng Yu Yan pursed her lips with a smile, took another bundle from the horse’s back, and placed it at the Mountain Master’s feet.

“You have a share too!”

The Mountain Master covered his mouth with his hand, whispering, “Mr. Yan, you’ve finally returned!”

“What happened?”

“Someone took a look at my two books of calligraphy and presented them to the Emperor. I haven’t been able to retrieve them since. Look at me, my hair and beard are even whiter now, this…”

“Do you want me to help you get them back? But you also know about my identity and wouldn’t want a third person to find out.”

“The old man understands. The Commandery Princess is clever and I hope you could think of a way to help.”

After another exchange, Leng Yu Yan bid farewell and mounted her horse to head straight to the Eastern Palace.

Inside the Eastern Palace, everyone fell silent, a heavy stillness in the air.

Seeing Leng Yu Yan’s arrival, people looked at her oddly, as if to say, she’s the one, the one who caused the Crown Prince’s cold disease and eye ailment to act up.

Only Song Guo greeted her with a smile and led her to Ye Yiheng.

“Your Highness, the Commandery Princess has come to see you.”

“I do not wish to see her.”

His voice was clear and cold, chilling, distancing himself a thousand miles away.

Leng Yu Yan was completely stunned, but then she gathered herself and wanted to ask for clarity, so she walked up to him.

Hearing footsteps, Ye Yiheng hurriedly tied his eye veil, but in his haste, he fumbled with it even more.

Never before had he been so afraid of her looking down on him for his blindness, even more scared that his own days were numbered, and that he wouldn’t be by her side for long.

She was so wonderful, and he didn’t want to leave her just as he had gotten her!

He had never feared death before, but now, he was afraid!

Leng Yu Yan tiptoed and gently held his eye veil, and looking at him, his pupils a deep amber color, she asked after a long pause, “Your Highness, can you no longer see?”

Indifferently, he replied, “Yes, I can no longer see. I am struggling to even take care of myself, let alone protect the entire Prince Zhenbei Mansion.”

“I am blind and weak, my life will not be long, Commandery Princess, choosing me as a partner was truly a mistake.”