"People from the Fengyin Clan have arrived..." Xue Zixuan hurried into the study, reporting this news to Wen Yuxi.
Wen Yuxi looked up at Xue Zixuan, his brow furrowed. "Who told you?"
"News from the Northern Frontier King's Estate."
Wen Yuxi's expression darkened considerably. "It seems the Fengyin Clan places great importance on their two deceased clansmen."
"Don't analyze it now, think of a countermeasure. I suspect they are not here with good intentions."
"Naturally, they are here to ascertain the cause of death of their clansmen, but they may not necessarily suspect us."
Upon hearing this, Xue Zixuan said anxiously, "But the Northern Frontier King is involved. He won't let this go. It's best to prepare early."
"There's no need to rush," Wen Yuxi said slowly.
Xue Zixuan felt he was anxiously pacing back and forth, while Wen Yuxi seemed unaffected.
Why was he still worried? It wasn't as if he had done it. Why should he care so much?
With this thought, Xue Zixuan snorted and walked out of the room.
Wen Yuxi watched Xue Zixuan's retreating back, a hint of gloom appearing in his calm eyes.
In the evening, someone from the Northern Frontier King's Estate came to invite Young Master Yan, stating that the Northern Frontier King wished to summon him.
After Xue Zixuan's lengthy admonitions, he let Wen Yuxi leave. Wen Yuxi arrived at the Northern Frontier King's Estate and was led to a courtyard.
In the center of the courtyard, he saw a young girl sitting there. If not for her tender age, he might have mistaken her for Jiang Yuli resurrected.
The young girl seemed to have heard his footsteps and turned her head. He was slightly taken aback. Her gaze was clear and pure, and for a moment, he felt as if he had encountered the Empress in her youth.
"Who are you?" the girl asked.
He snapped back to attention and bowed slightly, clasping his hands. "I am Yan Jin Chao. May I ask where you are from, young lady?"
The girl giggled. "You speak so formally. My name is Feng Ling."
He was stunned. Feng Ling? Could she be from the Fengyin Clan?
"Ling'er..." a voice, old and stern, drifted from within.
Feng Ling stuck out her tongue. "The Grand Elder is calling me. Young Master Yan, we'll meet again next time."
The girl's lithe and agile figure vanished in an instant.
He gazed at the vanishing figure, deep in thought.
"Young Master Yan..."
He turned around and saw a young maidservant who had appeared behind him without his knowledge. "Is there something?"
"The King wishes to see you!" the young maidservant said.
"Please lead the way, young lady."
The maidservant led him to the study. Upon entering, he saw not only the Northern Frontier King but also an old man.
The old man was not particularly tall, his face exuding a chilling aura, his eyes sharp and penetrating.
"Your Highness..."
The Northern Frontier King smiled and said, "Elder, this is Young Master Yan."
"Young Master Yan, I have heard your name," the old man said, looking at him with a hint of coldness in his gaze.
He felt a chill spread from his spine.
"Your Highness, this gentleman is..."
The Northern Frontier King suddenly remembered, laughing heartily. "Look at my memory, I forgot to introduce him. Young Master Yan, this is an elder from the Fengyin Clan."
"So it is Elder Feng. I have eyes but failed to recognize Mount Tai. Please forgive me, Elder."
"You are too kind, Young Master Yan. Just call me Grand Elder," the Grand Elder said calmly.
"Grand Elder."
"Since you have met, come, I have prepared some humble wine. Let's sit down and have a drink."
The Grand Elder sat down after the Northern Frontier King, and Wen Yuxi took the last seat.
After three rounds of drinks, Wen Yuxi feigned drunkenness and left the study. The evening breeze blew, dispelling much of his inebriation.
"Young Master Yan, did Mr. Feng die by your hand?"
The sudden voice made Wen Yuxi much more sober. He turned around and saw the Grand Elder, his icy face filled with coldness, a sinister glint in his eyes.
"Grand Elder, what makes you say that?" he asked.
The Grand Elder let out a cold laugh. "Young Master Yan can deceive the Northern Frontier King, he can deceive everyone, but he cannot deceive my eyes."
"I do not understand what the Grand Elder means."
"Young Master Yan, you will understand in the future."
"Then let it be the day I understand!"
The Grand Elder chuckled coldly, as chilling as the deep night, making one tremble.
When the powerful sense of coldness vanished, Wen Yuxi finally stepped outside.
"Second Sister, do you think he really killed Uncle and Second Uncle?" Feng Ling asked Feng Xian from behind the bushes.
Feng Xian retracted her gaze. "Won't we know soon enough?"
Feng Ling lowered her eyes. She had finally found someone pleasing to the eye, only for him to be an enemy. This fate... was not very good!
"Feng Ling, don't tell me the handsome man you told me about before was him?"
Feng Ling twitched her mouth. "What's wrong with that?"
"Nothing, nothing..."
"Why not?" Feng Ling asked.
"Feng Ling, you must be clear about the clan's rules. You are not allowed to have any dealings with outsiders. Feng Ling, I advise you to withdraw your affections early, lest you suffer a great loss," Feng Xian warned.
"I know, I just..."
She just felt a bit regretful. After leaving the clan, she realized there was always someone better, and men outside were all handsome.
Seeing that Feng Ling seemed undecided, Feng Xian added, "Feng Ling, you are the clan leader of our Fengyin Clan, the one who will lead the Fengyin Clan to glory. I don't want you to be like the Fifth Elder, consumed by love your entire life."
"Second Sister, I know," Feng Ling lowered her head.
Feng Xian reached out and touched her head. "Feng Ling, no matter how fierce our struggles are within the clan, I hope you can grow into a true clan leader and lead our people out of the unequal agreement signed with the imperial family in the past."
Feng Ling was surprised. "Unequal agreement?"
Feng Xian sneered. "Why our Fengyin Clan lives in seclusion beneath the desert is all due to the imperial family's command back then. Don't you want to break free from this unequal agreement in your lifetime? Our Fengyin Clan should be free and unrestrained."
Feng Ling looked at Feng Xian. "But it was the imperial family who saved us back then, allowing our Fengyin Clan to survive. Shouldn't we be grateful to them? Without them, we might have turned into dust underfoot, blown away by the wind without a trace?"
"Feng Ling, we have paid our debt to them. Must we continue to repay it for generations to come?"
"Second Sister, even if we don't want to repay it, we have to make things clear with the imperial family, don't we? I cannot unilaterally break the agreement."
"Feng Ling, you..."
"Second Sister, I have my own considerations," Feng Ling interrupted Feng Xian coldly.
"Feng Ling, people of the imperial family are unreliable. If you try to reason with them, I fear you will die without a burial place."
Feng Ling shook her head. "Feng Xian, what you say is wrong. There are also reasonable people in the imperial family, I believe."