A flash of malice in her eyes was quickly caught by Nan Shiying.
People of Linyuan Kingdom were prone to exaggeration. Someone as common as Nan Yuan'er had been bestowed the title of a refined and talented woman?
How was she intelligent and refined, or unparalleled in the world?
She was merely a fool who couldn't even conceal her thoughts!
Catching the scent of iris wafting into his nostrils, Ji Jinmo knew Nan Shiying had returned without even looking up. He moved the pastries on the table towards Nan Shiying, took a sip of wine, and then said nonchalantly, "Try them."
Nan Shiying picked up a piece of pastry and put it into her mouth. Her eyes immediately narrowed. "Delicious!!" she exclaimed, then took another one.
Ji Jinmo turned his head, watching her satisfied expression, and couldn't help but curve the corners of his lips upwards.
"Did you get things done?" he asked.
Nan Shiying nodded, then shook her head. "Not completely yet."
After speaking, she remembered the蛊师 (gu師 - sorcerer/witch doctor) she had seen. She looked around, spotted the unfortunate soul who had been affected by the蛊 (gu), and leaned into Ji Jinmo's ear to ask softly, "My Lord, who is that person?"
Ji Jinmo followed Nan Shiying's gaze and saw Mu Baiyu, who was lowering his head to drink. The smile on his lips slowly deepened, and an inexplicable surge of warm, sour anger welled up in his heart, as if a giant stone was pressing down on his chest, suffocating him.
"Don't know!"
He replied in a stiff, cold voice.
Nan Shiying blinked, her face filled with confusion.
She turned her head and glanced at Ji Jinmo. Seeing his dark expression, the storm brewing in his slanted phoenix eyes, and the oppressive aura emanating from him, giving the impression that he could erupt at any moment.
Nan Shiying looked at him, then turned back to the unfortunate man.
Was he… jealous?
Nan Shiying couldn't help but let out a laugh. As she laughed, she gently tugged on Ji Jinmo's sleeve. Although Ji Jinmo had a sullen expression, he obediently lowered his head and leaned closer.
Nan Shiying whispered into his ear, "My Lord, I just saw…" She then recounted all the interesting things she had witnessed to Ji Jinmo.
The warm breath drilled into his ear, like rows of small insects swarming into his heart through his ear canal.
Ji Jinmo felt a tingling, itching sensation that spread from his ears all the way to his heart. His ears couldn't help but blush. The heart in his chest pounded like an impassioned war drum.
He could no longer hear clearly what Nan Shiying was saying.
"My Lord, you say, is that蛊师 from Nan Chaoyin's faction?"
"My Lord?"
Receiving no reply for a long time, Nan Shiying poked her head forward to look at Ji Jinmo's face.
Seeing him dazed, lost in thought, his strikingly handsome face taking on a blank look, his phoenix eyes hazy, softening his features. The drastic contrast suddenly gave Nan Shiying an urge to ruffle his hair. As she thought this, she couldn't help but raise her hand and pinch Ji Jinmo's face.
Lü Wan's hand trembled, almost struck by Nan Shiying's audaciousness.
The pain on his cheek brought Ji Jinmo back to his senses. He lowered his gaze and looked at Nan Shiying.
Nan Shiying looked at Ji Jinmo.
After a zero-point-zero-one-second stare, a piercing alarm sounded in Nan Shiying's mind.
She shivered all over and immediately let go.
She wished she could chop off her own self-destructive hand!
"Uh, well, My Lord, you say, is that蛊师 from Nan Chaoyin's faction?" Under Ji Jinmo's lingering gaze, Nan Shiying awkwardly changed the subject, trying to use the matter at hand to confuse him and escape punishment.
Ji Jinmo looked at Nan Shiying, whose guilt was clearly showing. Hearing the word "gu師," he was slightly taken aback. He hadn't really heard what Nan Shiying had said earlier.
He mused, let out a deep, enigmatic "hmm" from his nose, and without answering yes or no, he said to Nan Shiying, "That person is the eldest grandson of Prince Gong, Mu Xiaoxiao's own brother, Mu Baiyu."
"From the Mu family?"
Nan Shiying hadn't expected that the person she had casually saved was from Prince Gong's mansion.
So, she had also helped a friend's brother.
She unconsciously touched her chin. "My Lord, if he is from Prince Gong's mansion, then the蛊师 who put the love蛊 on him is likely someone from Nan Chaoyin or Ji Hong. Prince Gong's mansion has remained neutral for too long. Some people are probably impatient and have made a move."
Ji Jinmo seemed to have figured out what she had said.
In other words, someone had put a love蛊 on Mu Baiyu.
A蛊师!
Ji Jinmo rubbed his sleeve corner, a cold glint flickering in his eyes. His voice suddenly turned somber, but he said with great certainty, "It won't be Ji Hong's people."
Nan Shiying was taken aback.
Why was My Lord so sure?
However, Nan Shiying didn't ask any more questions. Instead, she nodded, "If that's the case, then it's Nan Chaoyin's people."
"My Lord, you say Nan Chaoyin is quite capable. Not only does he have loyal assassins like Qing Yuan, but he also has figures like a蛊师. How many people do you think he has cultivated in secret, and how many forces has he colluded with? Ji Hong actually allowed him to reach this point? Isn't he afraid of raising a wolf that will turn on its master?"
Ji Jinmo lowered his eyelids and sneered, "Ji Hong probably doesn't know about these things."
"That idiot!"
Nan Shiying always felt that Ji Jinmo's emotions when mentioning Ji Hong were a bit off. It didn't feel like the resentment of a long-standing enemy, but more like an elder who was disappointed in his ward. Of course, perhaps his feelings for Ji Hong were complex. After all, the former emperor was his own brother, and Ji Hong was his nephew, which might explain this.
But Ji Jinmo's ambition was clear for all to see.
"Then that's interesting."
If Ji Hong didn't know, how could an official like Nan Chaoyin develop such influence right under Ji Hong's nose? This was not something a loyal minister assisting the emperor should do or could do.
It was highly suspicious.
However, compared to Nan Chaoyin's hidden strength, Ji Jinmo thought of something else. He turned his head and asked Nan Shiying, "You understand蛊 too?"
Nan Shiying waved her hand humbly. "A little, just a little."
"Learned from Poison Elder?"
Nan Shiying gave a vague "mm-hmm." As for whether Poison Elder understood蛊, since he played with poisons, he must have known a thing or two.
Ji Jinmo looked at Nan Shiying, feeling that she wasn't telling the truth. But if she understood蛊—
"Your Highness, you understand蛊, My Lord, you can ask Your Highness to..."
Lü Wan's excited words gradually faded under Ji Jinmo's stern gaze. Lü Wan lowered her head, not daring to say another word.
Having spoken halfway, Nan Shiying looked at Ji Jinmo curiously. Ji Jinmo, however, did not intend to explain, seeming more like he wanted to keep it a secret and not discuss it further with her.
Nan Shiying pouted and gave him a sideways glare.
If you don't want to say, then don't!