On hearing this, Ji Youzhiâs mouth twitched sharply; he clearly couldnât suppress his irritation. If the man before him werenât His Majesty, the Emperor, he would have shot him several angry glares by now.
"Did you not hear what the Island Master just said, Your Majesty?" Ji Youzhi continued. "Suisui resembles his daughter, WanâEr, and my motherâs name is Yun Wan. Moreover, although this Island Master Yun looks young, he is actually seventy-three years old. He must have maintained his vitality through consistent martial arts practice over the years. Combined with proper care, it has not only granted him longevity but also kept him looking youthful."
"Now that you mention it, I recall it too," the Emperor said. "When I was only seven or eight, I heard my Imperial Father and old General Ji discussing Qi Gong. Old Madam Ji knew a set of health-preserving boxing techniques. Itâs said that set of techniques was very powerful and learning it could lead to a long life. My Imperial Father even learned it."
Hearing the Emperor mention this, Ji Youzhi couldnât help but smile. "But Your Majestyâs Imperial Father learned that boxing technique and ultimately never had a chance to use it, did he?"
The Emperor was...
"Ji Youzhi! Youâve got guts!"
"Hey! What are you two muttering about back there?" Yun Yi called out. "Weâve arrived! Dahai! Take them to get settled, then tell the kitchen to prepare a few good dishes to welcome our guests from afar."
As they spoke, they arrived before a large, beautiful mansion at the islandâs center.
"Wow! What a beautiful house! And so many flowers! Did you plant them all, Great-grandpa?"
When Xiaosuisui saw the various flowers in the courtyard, she couldnât hold back. She immediately jumped down from Yun Yiâs arms and went to pick a beautiful cyclamen.
"Stop! Who allowed you to pick my flowers?" Just as Xiaosuisui picked the cyclamen, a woman in her thirties or forties ran out of the house. Seeing her cultivated cyclamen picked, she flew into a rage and started yelling, "Whose child is this, so ill-mannered as to pick my flowers the moment she arrives!"
"I... I... Iâm... Iâm sorry!" Hearing the womanâs rebuke, Xiaosuisui became flustered and quickly hid behind Yun Yi.
"Great-grandpa... I... I think Iâve caused trouble."
"Donât be afraid, child. Itâs alright." Yun Yi picked Xiaosuisui up and sternly chided the woman. "What are you shouting about? Whatâs all the fuss? Sheâs just a child and liked a flower. So she picked it. Is it worth you making such a scene? Have you no decorum at all? No upbringing? Making a spectacle of yourself in front of guests!"
The woman stared wide-eyed, looking at Yun Yi in disbelief. "Father... Father-in-law, do... do you know what youâre saying?"
"Of course, I know what Iâm saying! Why are you so worked up all the time? Donât frighten the child. Hurry to the kitchen and see what good food there is. Prepare it quickly to entertain our guests from afar!"
Yun Yi chided the woman a couple of times, then, holding Xiaosuisui, he went straight into the house, leaving the woman standing there in stunned silence.
Guests from afar? Isnât Yunzhou Island supposed to forbid outsiders from staying?
"Madam, Madam!" A young maid hurried into the kitchen, relaying the news she had gathered to the Third Mistress of the Yun family. "I secretly inquired earlier. Uncle Dahai said the Old Master allowed those outsiders to stay because one of the little girls resembles the Young Mistress."
"What did you say?" The Third Mistress of the Yun family looked astonished.
"The Yun familyâs Young Mistress, the one who fell into the sea years ago and was never found. I heard the child the Island Master was holding earlier looks exactly like her."
The Third Mistress of the Yun family certainly knew of the Yun familyâs Young Mistress. She had disappeared more than thirty years ago; by now, she would be in her forties or fifties, wouldnât she?
Back then, when they were young, they often played and bickered together. Later, because of someoneâs appearance, she was forced to jump into the sea. She still remembered those years on Yunzhou Island; due to this Young Mistressâs disappearance, many people dared not even breathe loudly in front of the Old Island Master. Outsiders, even more so, couldnât dream of staying on Yunzhou Island. Later, a merchant association called Bright Moon Pavilion wanted to establish trade relations with Yunzhou Island and had to expend considerable effort. If the owner of Bright Moon Pavilion hadnât learned that the islandâs Fourth Young Master had left the island and had been unheard of since, and if he hadnât, from somewhere, obtained news of the Fourth Young Master and sent it back, Yunzhou Island would never have allowed the people of Bright Moon Pavilion to stay. But today, Father-in-law actually agreed to let outsiders stay merely because of a childâs appearance. There must be something very peculiar about this!
As the Third Mistress of the Yun family mulled this over, the corners of her lips curled up slightly. "Quickly prepare some food that children like. I will personally take it over and try to sound out that child!"
"Yes! Iâll go right away!"
In Xiaosuisuiâs room, she was muttering to Xiaobai. "Xiaobai, do you think we can find clues to Wangwu Mountain here? Also, that Great-grandpa... the way he looks at me, I feel like heâs looking at someone else through me. I used my mind-reading ability to listen to Great-grandpaâs thoughts, and I heard a familiar name, Yun Wan. But I canât remember whose name it is. Xiaobai, do you think Iâm just overthinking things?"
Xiaobai lay in Xiaosuisuiâs arms, resigned to its role as a cat, licking a dried small fish and occasionally rolling its eyes dramatically at Xiaosuisui.
"Why are you calling me silly?" Xiaosuisui pouted. "Donât you think Seventh Uncle is strange? I also think Seventh Uncle is very strange, okay? I wanted to find a chance to ask Seventh Uncle, but I havenât had a chance to talk to him since we came ashore. I donât know what Seventh Uncle is busy with either. I looked for him outside several times just now but didnât see him anywhere!"
While Xiaosuisui was muttering to Xiaobai, Xie PanâEr brought in a basin of water for her to wash her face. Hearing her ramblings, she replied in Xiaobaiâs stead, "Your Seventh Uncle has probably gone to investigate the situation outside. Itâs normal that you canât find him now. Later, when itâs time for the banquet in the main hall, you must keep your mind-reading ability in check. Donât listen to everyoneâs thoughts, and even if you do hear something, donât blurt it out. Otherwise, if youâre not careful, youâll offend people."
Ever since Xie PanâEr began caring for the Princess, she had truly suffered from the troubles caused by that girlâs loose tongue. Recently, Xiaosuisui had also learned the mind-reading ability. Although her intelligence had increased, this ability had also brought them a lot of trouble.
"I know, pretty sister, donât worry!" Xiaosuisui promised. "Iâll definitely keep my mouth shut tight in the future and wonât speak carelessly. Even if I hear some earth-shattering secret, Iâll hold it in and tell you quietly. I wonât shout it out loud."
Having received Xiaosuisuiâs assurance, Xie PanâEr let out a huge sigh of relief. Just then, the light at the roomâs entrance suddenly dimmed, and an astonished voice came from the doorway.
"Well, now! Am I seeing things? How come I see a rabbit eating dried fish snacks?"