042 The Jun Family: Masters of Intelligence

Yun Feiyue immediately shot a glance at Little Mumu. Understanding the signal perfectly, Little Mumu dashed toward Mo Feiyuan, crying out, “Father! Father!”

The scene froze in an instant.

Yun Feiyue glared fiercely at Little Mumu, grabbing him back in exasperation. This wretched boy—always causing trouble.

Sensing Yun Feiyue’s intimidating gaze, Little Mumu quickly turned pleading eyes toward Mo Feiyuan for rescue.

Mo Feiyuan reached out and patted Little Mumu’s head indulgently before turning to Yun Kuang. “Master Yun, allow me to handle this matter.”

Lady Murong, clearly unwilling to return to her family home, hurried to echo him. “Yes, yes, Old Master, let Lord Shen Yin take care of this. He’s the only one who can resolve it properly.”

Yun Kuang did not reply but felt it inappropriate to contradict Mo Feiyuan publicly. After some thought, he realized entrusting the matter to Mo Feiyuan was indeed the best course.

“Very well, I’ll leave it in your hands, Lord Shen Yin. I’ll report the situation to His Majesty. Yue’er, you are to remain indoors and reflect on your actions. And as for you…” He looked at Little Mumu, “You’ve been idle and undisciplined since childhood, just like your mother. I suppose it’s time to find you a strict teacher!”

Little Mumu shook his head furiously, as if wound up by a spring. “No, no, I don’t want a teacher!”

“Hmph! That’s not your choice!” Old Master Yun huffed and swept out, his sleeves billowing with indignation.

Lady Murong finally breathed a sigh of relief and strode over to Yun Feiyue, her posture suggesting she was about to deliver a scolding. Yun Feiyue immediately retreated to one side.

“Mother, there are so many people here. Please compose yourself; after all, you are a noble lady of a prestigious family.”

Lady Murong pursed her lips into a beautiful, bewitching smile, making Yun Feiyue’s skin crawl.

“Mother, are you really not going to rest?”

Lady Murong replied with an easy laugh, “Of course I am. You wretched girl, you stay home and reflect on your actions!”

“Lady Murong, the Old Master also instructed me to deliver this message,” Yun Hen said with a blank expression, then turned to Yun Feiyue.

“Yue’er, you are not to leave the house for the next few days. I will make arrangements regarding the Gongsun and Nangong families. After all, the Lady of the Nangong family is the Empress Dowager, and being struck here at the Yun residence will surely cause trouble. Who knows what consequences this might have for our house.”

Yun Feiyue’s expression was calm and untroubled. “Don’t worry. Beichen Yi won’t act against the Yun family, at least not for now. Don’t forget, Beichen Yu commands the army at the border. The mere fact that we didn’t kill the Empress Dowager today is already giving Beichen Yi enough face. With such an irrational mother, it’s hard to believe she’s his birth parent.”

Yun Hen was taken aback; he hadn’t expected Yun Feiyue to consider such things. In the past, she would never have thought so far ahead. He had assumed her rudeness to the Empress Dowager was a moment of youthful impulse, but it turned out she had already anticipated that the Empress Dowager would not dare retaliate.

Though Yun Feiyue seemed the same as ever on the surface, she had become much more mature within. She was willful, but she had the means and capability to be so.

Stern as ever, Yun Hen let out a hearty laugh. “As expected of my daughter. Since you understand, I won’t say more. Just try not to draw too much attention these days. As for compensating for the Soul-Calming Jade, that will require some effort.”

At the mention of the Soul-Calming Jade, Yun Feiyue could only sigh helplessly. She had only wanted to let Little Mumu play with it for a few days to see its effects, but this boy…

“Yes, thank you for your pains, Father. I’ll keep a close eye on Little Mumu.” With that, she dragged Little Mumu into the tower, taking the rare opportunity to admonish him seriously, “You brat, be careful from now on. Don’t think this is the Battlecloud Sect.”

“But I miss Senior Brother…” Little Mumu whined.

As the words faded and the wind swept by, the door closed. Those lingering outside the Feihua Pavilion exchanged glances before scattering.

“Well, I didn’t expect Lord Shen Yin to end up locked out as well?” Ye Qi toyed with a jade ruyi, making sardonic remarks.

He had known there would be drama here, but preparing his disguise had delayed him, and he’d missed the spectacle. Arriving at the pavilion entrance, he saw Yun Feiyue dragging Little Mumu inside, so he could only tease Mo Feiyuan.

Mo Feiyuan gave no reply, only glanced at Ye Qi before heading toward his own quarters. The sharpness in his eyes made Ye Qi fall silent, regretting his earlier words.

Ye Qi turned and gazed thoughtfully at the tightly closed doors of the Feihua Pavilion. Could this be the person Mo Feiyuan was searching for? But was Yun Feiyue truly strong enough to claim the top spot on the Heavenly Martial Ranking? Things were becoming more and more interesting.

The crowd gradually dispersed, leaving only a few people at the gate.

Yun Feng, Jun Shaomo, and Ye Qi remained.

Yun Feng stood guard at the entrance, wary of any sneak attack from the Nangong family. Jun Shaomo approached Ye Qi. “Princess, today is already the fourteenth; shouldn’t you return to Jing Nation?”

Ye Qi replied with a faint, elegant smile, “Young Lord Jun, my affairs are hardly yours to manage. Worry about yourself! Don’t tell me that clingy father of yours hasn’t sent letters urging your return.”

Jun Shaomo smiled lightly, dimples gracing her lips. “I heard your situation in Jing Nation is not favorable. Though your martial skills are unmatched, you are restricted by some form of restraint. Are you truly all right?”

At these words, Ye Qi’s expression changed at once. He had long heard of the Jun family’s prodigious intelligence network, but hadn’t expected them to know even this. His circumstances in Jing Nation…

He strove to maintain his composure, turned on his heel, and swept out of the pavilion. As his long sleeves brushed the flowers and leaves, they shattered to pieces.

“How amusing!” Yun Feiyue, watching from her window, couldn’t help but laugh.

“Chunhua, please invite Third Brother and Miss Jun inside. I have something to discuss with them.”

In short order, Jun Shaomo and Yun Feng entered the front hall of the Feihua Pavilion.

Yun Feiyue smiled cheerfully and instructed Chunhua to prepare some delicious pastries before turning to serious matters.

“Young Lord Jun, I have something to consult you about. I know the Jun family’s intelligence network is second to none, so I’d like to ask about the Sevenfold Bloom.”

Jun Shaomo’s brows furrowed slightly. “The Sevenfold Bloom is a most deadly and beautiful flower, found in the Ghostlands. Only those who walk the Ghost Path cultivate it.”

Yun Feiyue shook her head. “But it clearly exists elsewhere.”

Jun Shaomo laughed softly. “Flowers found elsewhere can hardly be called the Sevenfold Bloom. Only those grown in the Ghostlands are considered genuine. The Sevenfold Bloom’s poison can cause even the most skilled martial artist to temporarily lose their abilities. Why, is Miss Yun interested in such a flower?”

Yun Feiyue’s memories of events three years prior were still vague, her mind seemingly missing a crucial segment—one that was exceedingly important. She only remembered being hunted by a strange group, now confirmed as followers of the Ghost Path. As for what happened before or after, she had no memory at all, especially concerning the period when she became pregnant with Little Mumu—those memories were utterly lost.

That day, Beichen Yi had produced the Sevenfold Bloom, and Yun Feiyue had felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity. Perhaps that missing memory was connected to the flower.

“Could you tell me what specific effects and uses this flower has?”

The old matron beside Jun Shaomo immediately intervened. “Miss, your father instructed you to speak less of such matters when outside. Things from the Ghost Path are ominous. We should not discuss or be involved with them.”

That “father” again! Jun Shaomo frowned in annoyance. “He’s so far away—if you don’t report to him, he’ll never know what I’m doing. Besides, the Sevenfold Bloom isn’t that much of a secret.”

“This flower is mainly used by adding it to tea. Consuming a large amount causes fainting; a small amount induces confusion for a period of time. Only those from the Ghostlands truly possess the pure Sevenfold Bloom; all others are mere imitations.”

Then where had Beichen Yi acquired his Sevenfold Bloom? Yun Feiyue grew ever more bewildered. Could the events of three years ago be connected to Beichen Yi after all?