"If that's the case, could it be... that woman isn't even from our Western Qin Kingdom... Father, did that woman ever tell us her name?" Yi Shangjun silently deduced and guessed, then suddenly blurted out.
Upon hearing this, Yi Shangkun looked up at him in surprise and said, "This... I really hadn't thought of that. I asked her then, but she didn't have time to answer, or perhaps she simply didn't have the strength. After the child was born, the morning sun was just rising, and she just kept gazing at the red sun in the eastern sky with a faint smile, as if she was already very happy and content, without any regrets, until she finally closed her eyes."
“The morning sun… woman… could the name she wanted to say be… ‘Ruoxi’?… Gazing eastward, so happy and content… could her home be in the east? Not within the borders of my Western Qin Kingdom, then it must be… the incredibly wealthy Eastern Ning Kingdom.” Yi Shangjun boldly speculated based on this series of information.
Yi Shangkun was deeply shocked at this moment and exclaimed, "Ruoxi... Dongning Kingdom."
Immediately, the father and son looked at each other, staring at one another in bewilderment.
Suddenly, Yi Shangjun remembered the inexplicable words Yan'er had said to her when they parted the night before. But those words suddenly made sense in that instant, no longer just nonsensical ramblings.
After a moment's thought, he suddenly exclaimed in panic to Yi Shangkun, "Oh no! No wonder my eldest sister inexplicably said something to Yan'er like, 'She's not a young lady of the Yi family, and she'll leave the Yi family sooner or later.' It seems, Father, does my eldest sister already know about her background?"
"Impossible, there's absolutely no way she could know about this. Back then, there were only the three of us in the entire Beishan area, it's impossible for anyone else to know about this." Yi Shangkun said confidently without even thinking.
Seeing his father's certainty, Yi Shangjun lowered his head again, pondering to himself, and muttered, "What exactly does my eldest sister mean by that?"
Suddenly, he seemed hesitant, and asked stammeringly, turning his head to ask, "Father, don't you... don't you think that after my eldest sister was in a coma for a year, she seemed like a completely different person?"
Yi Shangkun said calmly, "Yes, she's becoming more and more like her biological mother."
After much deliberation, Yi Shangjun finally took a breath. Since things had come to this point, he figured it might be better to sort everything out together. So he said with a serious expression, "Father, people on the street are talking about a strange thing that happened in our household."
Yi Shangkun's daily life was quite traditional and simple. He almost always traveled between two points: his home in the west of the city, working at the Imperial Pharmacy, or simply traveling between the two. Even occasional tea gatherings with colleagues were almost exclusively during holidays. Their conversations revolved solely around medicine, actively filtering out gossip and rumors from the neighborhood. He truly lived by the motto, "Hearing no one outside the realm of medicine, focusing solely on studying herbal classics."
At this moment, although he always disdained these rumors, seeing his son's serious expression, he still asked solemnly, "What are they talking about us about?"
Looking into his eyes, Yi Shangjun said seriously, "Many people on the nearby streets are talking about it. They say that on the night my eldest sister woke up, someone saw a dazzling light, like the phantom of a seven-colored phoenix, descend from the sky above the backyard and finally land on my eldest sister's attic. Some of them also say... that the real eldest sister is actually dead, and the current eldest sister is possessed by the soul of a monster."
Upon hearing this, Yi Shangkun could no longer contain himself. He slammed his hand on the table in front of him and shouted angrily, "Nonsense! Who spread such rumors? Aren't they afraid of being struck by lightning? Your eldest sister already has so many bad reputations, and yet someone still spreads such rumors. She's still an unmarried woman. Are they going to let her live in the future?"
“Father, please calm down. But there’s no smoke without fire. Father, we still need to think of a solution. If this matter continues to spread like this, I’m afraid even the whole of Western Qin will know about it. That would really cause great harm to my elder sister,” Yi Shangjun hurriedly analyzed.
"Who first told you this?" Yi Shangkun asked through gritted teeth, trying to suppress his anger.
Yi Shangjun then raised his starry eyes and glanced resentfully at the Zhao Family Teahouse signboard. Yi Shangkun immediately understood, "Father understands. This man has always been glib, opportunistic, treacherous, and wicked. From the first moment I saw him, I knew he would be the nemesis of the Yi family. Now it seems I was absolutely right. It seems it's time to settle this score with him."
"What does Father plan to do?" Ishigami Jun asked, puzzled.
"Let your father think about it some more, think it some more, think it some more..." Yi Shangkun let out a long sigh, seemingly lost in thought as he plotted something, and said silently.
In the early hours of the first day of the new year, the father and son sat together amidst fallen red petals at the street corner, having a long and heartfelt conversation.
As the moon above them grew fainter, Yi Shangkun suddenly looked up and realized that it was no later than the appointed time to enter the palace. He hurriedly told his son, "Never let anyone else know about our conversation today, especially your mother and Xue'er. If they find out, the whole world will know."
"Jun'er knows the importance of this matter, Father, please rest assured," Yi Shangjun said confidently.
Yi Shangkun nodded, slowly rising to look at his son, who was no longer the spoiled brat he once was, and felt a surge of relief. Suddenly, as if remembering something, he spoke, instructing, "Also, regarding your eldest sister's fall off the cliff and into the water, never tell your aunt the truth. Just say… just say that I instructed your eldest sister to search for medicinal herbs needed by the palace in the south of the city, and that Yan'er stayed behind to keep her company. Although your eldest sister isn't your aunt's biological daughter, she treats her like her own. Her health isn't good; she can't accept such a thing."
"I know, Father, don't worry... By the way, Father, Yan'er, I've asked her to stay and search for my elder sister's whereabouts with the princess and His Highness the Prince of Qin's men. She's always been by my elder sister's side since she was little, and she knows my elder sister best. Her staying should be useful." Yi Shangjun stood up and explained to him.
"Jun'er, you did a great job. My Jun'er has finally grown up." Yi Shangkun put a hand on his son's shoulder and praised him with a smile.
Yi Shangjun pursed his lips, lowered his head for a moment and thought for a while, then said somewhat solemnly, "Father, Jun'er is packing his bags today and leaving home to report to General Cheng. In the future, I will not be able to be by your side all the time, so Father must take good care of himself and... be more patient with Mother and Xue'er's tempers! In the end, they are all doing it for the good of this family."
Upon hearing this, Yi Shangkun's eyes suddenly filled with tears, and his voice seemed a little hoarse, but he still forced himself to say, "'A good man's ambition lies in all directions,' Jun'er, go in peace. Father believes that my Jun'er will definitely make something of himself, and will definitely be better than Father. Father and your mother are waiting for you to return with glory."
When Junichi saw his father's graying hair, tears welled up in his eyes, and he asked with concern, "What about finding my eldest sister..."
Yi Shangkun let out a sigh of relief and said quietly, "Didn't you just say that the princess and His Highness Prince Qin have already sent people to search? There are so many people searching, surely more than our entire family of dozens of people. Don't worry, your eldest sister has endured so many hardships since before she was even born, yet she has only grown braver. This time, she will surely be blessed again. Heaven won't be so unfair to her. It can't close all the doors and windows for her to live; it will always open a window for her to let the sunlight in. We will definitely find her, we will definitely find her."
"Well then, Jun'er will go back and make preparations, and then I'll be leaving." Sometimes parting comes unexpectedly, and a feeling of extreme reluctance suddenly rose in Yi Shangjun's heart.
As a father who understands and supports his son, Yi Shangkun could only reluctantly offer a word of concern: "Be careful in everything you do when you're out and about!"
"Father, you are serving in the palace. Please be careful in everything you do! Jun'er bids farewell to Father." As he spoke, Yi Shangjun knelt down heavily in front of Yi Shangkun and kowtowed three times in succession.
These three kowtows contain so much father-son affection from childhood to adulthood. It is said that fatherly love is as heavy as a mountain, and at this moment, everything is understood without words.
Yi Shangkun gazed into his son's eyes, his eyes filled with deep reluctance and love, yet he still pretended to be strong and endured it. Only after his son reluctantly got up and then turned around and strode away did Yi Shangkun wipe away his tears alone in front of his back.
After turning around, Yi Shangjun also couldn't hold back any longer and shed the most precious tears of a man.
Then, the two carriages separated and drove off in opposite directions, and the two tall figures also moved in opposite directions. Their shadows were stretched very long in the dim candlelight hanging in front of the carriages.
Meanwhile, the carriages of the Prince of Qin's residence in the east of the city were also slowly making their way towards the palace, heading to the morning court session.
Lieutenant Cheng Liang, riding his horse, said worriedly to his master in the carriage, "Your Highness, your injuries have not yet fully healed. You don't really need to go to court so early. Why not rest at home for a few more days?"
"Today, His Majesty must decide on Yue'er's marriage proposal. How can I not go?" The voice from inside the carriage could still be faintly heard, indicating that he was still somewhat weak.
"Actually, regarding Princess Yue's matter, Dongning Kingdom is now..."
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