On hearing this, Ji Youzhi’s mouth twitched sharply; he clearly couldn’t suppress his irritation. If the man before him weren’t 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, Wan’Er, and my mother’s na 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 ntion 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. It’s 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 ntion this, Ji Youzhi couldn’t help but smile. "But Your Majesty’s Imperial Father learned that boxing technique and ultimately never had a chance to use it, did he?"
The Emperor was...
"Ji Youzhi! You’ve got guts!"
"Hey! What are you two muttering about back there?" Yun Yi called out. "We’ve arrived! Dahai! Take them to get settled, then tell the kitchen to prepare a few good dishes to welco our guests from afar."
As they spoke, they arrived before a large, beautiful mansion at the island’s 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 couldn’t hold back. She imdiately jumped down from Yun Yi’s arms and went to pick a beautiful cyclan.
"Stop! Who allowed you to pick my flowers?" Just as Xiaosuisui picked the cyclan, a woman in her thirties or forties ran out of the house. Seeing her cultivated cyclan picked, she flew into a rage and started yelling, "Whose child is this, so ill-mannered as to pick my flowers the mont she arrives!"
"I... I... I’m... I’m sorry!" Hearing the woman’s rebuke, Xiaosuisui beca flustered and quickly hid behind Yun Yi.
"Great-grandpa... I... I think I’ve caused trouble."
"Don’t be afraid, child. It’s alright." Yun Yi picked Xiaosuisui up and sternly chided the woman. "What are you shouting about? What’s all the fuss? She’s 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 you’re saying?"
"Of course, I know what I’m saying! Why are you so worked up all the ti? Don’t 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 tis, then, holding Xiaosuisui, he went straight into the house, leaving the woman standing there in stunned silence.
Guests from afar? Isn’t 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 family’s 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 family’s Young Mistress. She had disappeared more than thirty years ago; by now, she would be in her forties or fifties, wouldn’t she? Back then, when they were young, they often played and bickered together. Later, because of soone’s appearance, she was forced to jump into the sea. She still rembered those years on Yunzhou Island; due to this Young Mistress’s disappearance, many people dared not even breathe loudly in front of the Old Island Master. Outsiders, even more so, couldn’t dream of staying on Yunzhou Island. Later, a rchant 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 hadn’t learned that the island’s Fourth Young Master had left the island and had been unheard of since, and if he hadn’t, from sowhere, 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 rely because of a child’s appearance. There must be sothing 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 so food that children like. I will personally take it over and try to sound out that child!"
"Yes! I’ll go right away!"
In Xiaosuisui’s 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 , I feel like he’s looking at soone else through . I used my mind-reading ability to listen to Great-grandpa’s thoughts, and I heard a familiar na, Yun Wan. But I can’t rember whose na it is. Xiaobai, do you think I’m just overthinking things?"
Xiaobai lay in Xiaosuisui’s 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 silly?" Xiaosuisui pouted. "Don’t 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 haven’t had a chance to talk to him since we ca ashore. I don’t know what Seventh Uncle is busy with either. I looked for him outside several tis just now but didn’t see him anywhere!"
While Xiaosuisui was muttering to Xiaobai, Xie Pan’Er brought in a basin of water for her to wash her face. Hearing her ramblings, she replied in Xiaobai’s stead, "Your Seventh Uncle has probably gone to investigate the situation outside. It’s normal that you can’t find him now. Later, when it’s ti for the banquet in the main hall, you must keep your mind-reading ability in check. Don’t listen to everyone’s thoughts, and even if you do hear sothing, don’t blurt it out. Otherwise, if you’re not careful, you’ll offend people."
Ever since Xie Pan’Er began caring for the Princess, she had truly suffered from the troubles caused by that girl’s 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, don’t worry!" Xiaosuisui promised. "I’ll definitely keep my mouth shut tight in the future and won’t speak carelessly. Even if I hear so earth-shattering secret, I’ll hold it in and tell you quietly. I won’t shout it out loud."
Having received Xiaosuisui’s assurance, Xie Pan’Er let out a huge sigh of relief. Just then, the light at the room’s entrance suddenly dimd, and an astonished voice ca from the doorway.
"Well, now! Am I seeing things? How co I see a rabbit eating dried fish snacks?"
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