Soon, Yi Shangkun, the head of the Yi family in the west of the city, was brought to the main hall.

As soon as he approached, he respectfully clasped his hands in greeting to Xuan Yuanhan, who was seated on the throne, and said, "Greetings, Your Highness, the Prince of Qin."

Unexpectedly, Cheng Liang spoke first, asking, "Pharmacist Yi, you've come at the right time. There's something I've been wanting to ask you, sir."

Yi Shangkun was somewhat surprised by this and said, "I dare not accept such praise. May I ask what the general wishes to ask?"

Cheng Liang looked into Xuan Yuanhan's eyes, and the two seemed to have reached a consensus.

Cheng Liang asked, "I wonder if there have been any new female pharmacists at the Imperial Pharmacy recently?"

"Why are they asking this? Have they discovered something?" Upon hearing this, Yi Shangkun began to have some doubts.

"The newly arrived female medicine doctor..." He hesitated for a moment, pretending that he was seriously considering it.

In the end, however, he said, "This humble servant does not seem to have heard of any new personnel entering the Imperial Pharmacy recently! I wonder why the General would ask about this?"

Cheng Liangdun paused for a moment, then said, "Oh, it's nothing, just asking casually. Right now, the capital city and its surrounding areas are preparing for war and disaster relief. This general is just concerned about whether the Imperial Pharmacy has sufficient staff reserves!"

Yi Shangkun, of course, did not believe Cheng Liang's explanation, but he could only accept it: "I see!"

Cheng Liang then asked, "By the way, I wonder what brings Pharmacist Yi to the Prince of Qin's residence in such heavy rain?"

Just then, Yi Shangkun suddenly knelt down in the main hall, bowing his head, and said, "Your Highness... Yun'er has been found!"

Upon hearing this, Xuan Yuanhan stood up in surprise and cried out in unison with Cheng Liang.

"Found it? Where did you find it?"

Yi Shangkun suddenly began to sob softly: "Your Highness... Yun'er... she's dead..."

"What did you say?"

Upon hearing this, Xuanyuan Han suddenly stumbled.

Cheng Liang hurriedly reached out to help, but Xuan Yuanhan blocked him with his hand.

While shaking his head, he kept repeating:

"I do not believe it."

"I do not believe it."

She won't...

At this moment, Yi Shangkun slowly took out something wrapped in a silk handkerchief from his body.

Cheng Liang took it from him and handed it to Xuan Yuanhan.

Xuanyuan Han looked at the handkerchief in his palm and saw that it was the same material that Yi Shangyun usually used, and it was still embroidered with the same "Yun" character that he knew all too well.

With a slight tremor, he reached out and gently stroked the word before slowly unfolding the silk handkerchief.

He suddenly stared at him with wide eyes, as if he had been startled by something.

She then reached into the silk handkerchief and picked up a bracelet, staring at it blankly as she said, "This bracelet..."

Yi Shangkun explained, "This is the only keepsake that Yun'er's birth mother left to her before she passed away. I'm sure Your Highness is familiar with it as well. Yun'er always carries it with her at all times, keeping it close to her body."

At this moment, the firm resolve that had been firmly established in Xuanyuan Han's heart finally crumbled.

In an instant, everything went black before my eyes, and I felt as if I was about to fall.

"Your Highness..." Cheng Liang, realizing that something was wrong, quickly stepped forward to help him.

But Xuan Yuanhan stopped him with a hand, and then slowly sat down.

Yi Shangkun then recounted the entire story to Xuan Yuanhan.

This is the scene.

Huan'er, who happened to be sent by Consort Chun to Chenghua Palace to inquire whether Xuan Yuanhan had finished his official business and returned home safely, bumped into him.

Huan'er was stunned at the doorway, clearly shocked by the news.

His eyes widened in disbelief, and he could only stammer, "She...is dead..."

Before she could think any further, she turned around abruptly, lifted her skirt, and hurriedly went down the steps to return home.

I ran all the way back to Zihexuan.

Before she even entered the hall, her voice rang out: "It's terrible, Your Highness! Something's happened! Something horrible has occurred..."

Consort Chun, who was also sleepless with worry that the current torrential rain might bring an unprecedented disaster to Western Qin, was also concerned.

At this moment, he is kneeling on both knees, closing his eyes and concentrating in the Buddhist hall, praying devoutly and chanting scriptures with all his heart, praying for the people of the whole city.

Hearing Huan'er's panicked cries, she seemed to be used to her occasional fussiness and did not stop because of it.

Hearing Huan'er's shouts, Zhang Mama, who was standing quietly to the side, hurriedly went to the door and whispered a warning: "Shh... keep your voice down, the Empress Dowager is praying for blessings!"

Huan'er then covered her mouth and was pulled inside by Zhang Mama.

After a while, Consort Chun finally stopped muttering, clasped her hands together, and bowed deeply to the statue in front of her, completing her prayer.

With Zhang Mama's help, she got up and turned around to see Huan'er's disheveled appearance.

So he began to admonish, "You've been in the Prince's mansion for so long, why are you still as flustered as before? Is the sky above your head about to collapse?"

Huan'er, who was already quite frightened, was breathless from running all the way and couldn't speak for a moment, only shaking her head repeatedly.

Consort Chun seemed somewhat helpless towards her and shook her head.

Concerned for Xuan Yuanhan's safety, she turned to ask, "Have you found out if His Highness has returned to the manor?"

Huan'er couldn't speak, she just kept nodding.

Upon learning that Xuanyuan Han had returned to the manor, Consort Chun's furrowed brows relaxed slightly, as if she had been relieved.

"Thank goodness, since the prince has returned to the palace, it means that the situation in the city is not so bad."

Then she glanced at Huan'er again and nagged at her, "You clumsy girl, how come you still can't get rid of your impatience! What's wrong? What happened? I just asked you to find out if His Highness has returned to the manor, and you've made such a mess of things?"

Huan'er put her hands on her hips, took several deep breaths, and finally said, "Your Highness... Something terrible has happened... People from the Yi residence... The Yi residence has arrived!"

Upon hearing this, Consort Chun looked into Huan'er's eyes, quite surprised: "Someone from the Yi family has come?"

Considering that since Xuan Yuanhan and Yi Shangyun's wedding, the Yi family in the west of the city has rarely visited, so why are they here today...?

As he pondered this, he glanced out at the torrential rain pouring down outside the door.

For some reason, a bad premonition suddenly rose in her heart, and she murmured, "In such heavy rain, what are the Yi family doing at the Prince's residence? Do they even know who they are?"

However, at this moment, Huan'er's expression suddenly became hesitant. Of course, Huan'er had not yet figured out how to tell Consort Chun this bad news.

She truly didn't know if she could bear it, so she stammered, "The one who came from the Yi family is Master Yi Shangkun, the head of the family. Master Yi said... he said..."

Seeing Huan'er suddenly avoid eye contact and become hesitant, Consort Chun urged, "What's wrong with you, girl? You were in such a hurry just now, why are you hesitating now? What happened? What did Yi Shangkun say to His Highness?"

Seeing that Consort Chun was already anxious and angry, Huan'er originally wanted to proceed gradually and tell the story: "Your Highness, please don't...please don't be too anxious. Huan'er just heard Master Yi say at the entrance of Chenghua Palace that he has found the Princess Consort."

"What did you say?"

Before Huan'er could finish speaking, Consort Chun looked excitedly into Huan'er's eyes and interrupted her, saying, "Are you telling the truth? You've really found out Yun'er's whereabouts?"

For a moment, Consort Chun was so shocked that she was at a loss for what to do.

"Great! Finally, we have news of the Princess Consort..."

Zhang Mama, who was standing to the side, also smiled broadly and looked at Consort Chun.

These days, I finally saw Consort Chun's gloomy face turn into a happy one.

Huan'er was even more at a loss as to how to continue the conversation and tell them the truth.

Just as Huan'er was still hesitating, Consort Chun couldn't wait to drag Zhang Mama out: "No, I have to go and see, I have to go and see for myself. Zhang Mama, you accompany me to Chenghua Palace."

As he spoke, he began to walk.

As she followed, Granny Zhang said with concern, "Oh dear, the road is slippery in the rain, Your Highness, please watch your step carefully and go slowly!"

Consort Chun was overjoyed and said, "It's alright, it's alright. I'm truly happy right now! I promised my son that once he brought the Princess Consort back from Lu County, I would personally pass on the position of the mistress of the Prince's Mansion to her. Now, I've finally waited for this moment!"

Seeing this, Huan'er stared wide-eyed at the departing figures of the two.

His mouth opened and closed, he was at a loss, wanting to stop them, but he didn't know how to stop them.

After a while, Huan'er came to her senses and finally chased after him while calling out.

"No...no...Your Highness...you can't go, you can't go to the main hall..."

Meanwhile, Yi Shangkun had already left Chenghua Palace.

Only Xuanyuan Han, utterly despondent, suppressed his immense grief and sat forlornly in the vast hall, staring motionlessly at the seven-colored gold and jade bracelet in his hand.

The deputy general, Cheng Liang, who was standing to one side, still didn't know how to comfort his master.

Just a second before Yi Shangkun stepped into the Qin Prince's mansion, Xuan Yuanhan was still convinced and rushed to the palace to confirm that Yi Shangyun was the medicine girl he had met in the palace the night before.

In just a moment, no one expected that Yi Shangkun would bring such terrible news.

"This isn't true."

"impossible"

"She won't just abandon me like this..."

"How could she..."

"How dare she..."

After an unknown amount of time, the voice of Xuan Yuanhan, unable to accept the news, suddenly echoed once again in the vast and silent hall.

How could Cheng Liang believe it? But that bracelet was indeed a personal item that Yi Shangyun never took off: "But this bracelet..."

Just as the two were talking, Consort Chun and Granny Zhang walked into the main hall together.

Consort Chun looked around and, seeing only Xuan Yuanhan and his servant in the main hall, asked in confusion, "Where is Yi Shangkun? Wasn't it said that Yi Shangkun came to the Prince's residence? Didn't he find Yun'er?"

As he spoke, he glanced around again and asked the silent Xuan Yuanhan several questions.

Where is Yun'er?

Where is your queen?

Why aren't you saying anything?

Seemingly noticing something amiss, he glanced in Cheng Liang's direction again and continued to ask.

Why aren't you all saying anything?

What happened?

Xuanyuan Han breathed a sigh of relief and finally spoke.

"Mother, Yun'er, she..."

Consort Chun had a very bad feeling: "What's wrong with Yun'er?"

Xuanyuan Han thought for a moment, gritted his teeth, and said resolutely, "She's not coming back?"

"They're not coming back?"

Consort Chun repeated herself, seemingly understanding the meaning of those words yet not quite.

She asked him again, unwilling to believe it, "What do you mean Yun'er isn't coming back?"

At this moment, Xuanyuan Han handed the seven-colored gold and jade bracelet in his hand to Consort Chun.

Suppressing her heartache, she said, "After the sandstorm in Lu County receded, a merchant found Yun'er while passing through the desert. This was Yun'er's dying wish, which she entrusted to that merchant to take back to the Yi residence for Yi Shangkun. Yun'er has already..."

Xuanyuan Han couldn't bear to think about how desperate and helpless Yi Shangyun must have felt at that time.

Upon hearing this, Consort Chun looked at the familiar bracelet clutched in Xuan Yuanhan's hand and whispered in disbelief, "You mean... Yun'er..."

Though he had just begun to speak, his thoughts had already wandered far, far away.

Suddenly, Consort Chun felt a wave of dizziness wash over her head, and in an instant, she could no longer stand and her body fell heavily to the ground.

Xuanyuan Han noticed and quickly reached out to support her, calling her in her ear, "Mother... Mother..."

Granny Zhang and Cheng Liang also called out anxiously, "Your Highness, the Imperial Concubine!"

Soon after, Consort Chun closed her eyes completely and lost consciousness.