"Can you tell me what on earth I said to you last night?"
Qin Yuchuan chuckled lightly. "Nothing much, just clamoring and fussing about wanting to go paint."
"...Clamoring and fussing?" Had she been so childish when drunk?
"What's done is done, so don't overthink it. Now hurry up and get out of bed for breakfast. We'll make up the class you missed this morning tonight. And no more drinking in the future," Qin Yuchuan instructed.
"Alright, I understand," Feng Qingyi responded.
After hanging up the phone, Feng Qingyi hurried into the bathroom.
She had no idea what other embarrassing things she might have done last night. She was utterly mortified.
Feng Qingyi finished washing up and changed her clothes. Just as she walked out the door, she saw Lou Xi.
"You're awake. How are you feeling?"
"I'm feeling fine," Feng Qingyi replied.
"That's good. I didn't know you had such a low alcohol tolerance," Lou Xi said apologetically.
Feng Qingyi hastily explained, "It has nothing to do with you. I didn't know my tolerance was so poor either. Are the other two awake?"
Lou Xi: "I just called them."
"Good, then let's go downstairs and wait for them."
Feng Qingyi and Lou Xi walked to the living room, where the table was covered with snacks, indicating they must have had quite an enjoyable movie night yesterday.
Thank goodness it was just her close friends; otherwise, it would have been truly awkward.
Inviting people over as guests, only to get drunk herself—this sort of thing could only happen to her.
Shen Hanyue and Qu Jingqiu came to the living room and looked Feng Qingyi over. Seeing that she had returned to normal, they finally breathed sighs of relief.
"Qingyi, we really had no idea your alcohol tolerance was so low. Jingqiu and I were drinking for the first time too, but we each had two glasses and were fine."
"You seemed to pass out after just two sips yesterday. You'd better not drink anymore in the future."
Feng Qingyi didn't want to continue discussing this topic.
"I know, I definitely won't drink anymore. Let's hurry and go out for breakfast together."
...
Shengjing, Jishi Medical Hall.
Yan Yang had obtained some information about the person who had paid a hefty sum for the Cold Ice Herb from the doctor at the medical hall.
To confirm his suspicions, Yan Yang had been staking out at the teahouse across from Jishi Medical Hall for three days.
The Cold Ice Herb had already been delivered to the medical hall through an intermediary. Now they were just waiting for someone to come pick up the medicine.
But why hadn't anyone shown up yet?
Although Yan Yang had initially thought about going back to report, he ultimately decided to continue his stakeout.
After all, their people were currently scattered in various places, and he was the only one in charge here at the moment.
Even if he had to leave, he would wait until someone came to take over his shift.
Just when Yan Yang was growing impatient, he finally spotted the person in a wide-brimmed hat that the doctor had mentioned.
Yan Yang secretly tailed this person, only to find that they were heading towards Prince Xian's Residence.
After Xuanyuan Yan lost his sight due to illness, he had remained in his residence, refusing all visitors and never leaving the premises.
Although Yan Yang had some confidence in his abilities, the people at Prince Xian's Residence were not to be underestimated.
He didn't believe he could single-handedly take on all the guards in the residence.
While Xuanyuan Yan was now just a prince without any real power, five years ago he had been a shining presence in Shengjing.
He excelled in both civil and military affairs, and with his handsome features, there wasn't a woman in Shengjing who didn't dream of marrying into Prince Xian's Residence.
But times had changed, and fate had been cruel. Even so, Yan Yang knew this was not a man to be taken lightly.
So, he chose to return to the estate and report to Qin Yuchuan.
Upon learning that the person seeking the Cold Ice Herb had gone to Prince Xian's Residence, Qin Yuchuan grew pensive.
Though he was no expert in medicine, he knew that even if Xuanyuan Yan's eyes were to be treated, only mild herbs could be used. The Cold Ice Herb would not be suitable for him.
It seemed he would have to pay a visit to Prince Xian's Residence himself. He just didn't know how to face him when they met.
Compared to Shangguan Yi, Chu Sixing, and Xu Liyan, Qin Yuchuan's relationship with Xuanyuan Yan had actually been closer.
The two had similar temperaments and often played chess and practiced martial arts together, forming a deep bond.
However, since losing his sight, Xuanyuan Yan had shut his doors to visitors. With Qin Yuchuan's hands tied, the two hadn't seen each other in five years.
He wondered how Xuanyuan Yan was doing now.
"I will go to Prince Xian's Residence myself. You continue leading the investigation in the city," Qin Yuchuan said.
"Understood," Yan Yang replied. After he withdrew, Qin Yuchuan remained silent for a long while before finally deciding to go to Prince Xian's Residence immediately.
He didn't have much time left and needed to get to the bottom of this quickly.
Compared to the General's Estate, Prince Xian's Residence was truly in a state of disrepair.
Apart from the courtyard where Xuanyuan Yan resided, the other courtyards were overgrown with weeds.
Withered yellow leaves lay on the ground, adding to the desolation and loneliness of the place.
Qin Yuchuan paced outside the courtyard for a long time before finally knocking on the tightly closed door.
Hearing the sound, the person inside spoke slowly, "Come in."
Qin Yuchuan pushed open the door to see a man in white sitting quietly by the window. His eyes were vacant, his whole being exuding an air of deep melancholy.
"Yuchuan, you've come."
Qin Yuchuan remained silent for a long while, not responding, just quietly looking at him.
Xuanyuan Yan: "Why don't you speak?"
"It's been a long time," Qin Yuchuan said after much deliberation.
Xuanyuan Yan: "Yes, it has been a long time."
The two lapsed into silence again, until finally Xuanyuan Yan spoke.
"What brings Yuchuan here today?"
Qin Yuchuan: "I'm investigating some matters. A suspect entered your residence, so I came to take a look."
"You're investigating those people from the Southern Border. My dilapidated Prince Xian's Residence doesn't harbor anyone you're looking for."
"If you want to know about them, you might as well visit the Chancellor's Residence."
Seeing Xuanyuan Yan speak thus, Qin Yuchuan asked, "Do you know something?"
Xuanyuan Yan: "Confined to this small space, what could I possibly know? If Yuchuan has no other business, you should leave soon."
"Sometimes, turning a blind eye and a deaf ear isn't such a bad thing. But I know you won't do that, so take care."
As soon as Qin Yuchuan stepped out of the room, the door was closed by a gust of wind.
It seemed that Xuanyuan Yan hadn't been doing too badly these years. Though he had lost the radiance of his youth, he hadn't become excessively dejected. That was good.
However, he seemed to be concealing something.
Would the Chancellor's Residence he mentioned really hold the answers Qin Yuchuan sought?
After Qin Yuchuan left Prince Xian's Residence, Xuanyuan Yan stood up from his chair and gazed thoughtfully at the swirling leaves outside the window.
"Your Highness, why did you inform General Qin about the Chancellor's Residence? Isn't that like startling the snake by beating the grass?" Ming Jiu, Xuanyuan Yan's guard, asked in confusion.
Xuanyuan Yan chuckled lightly, "Giving him a hand doesn't hurt me either, so why not?"
Ming Jiu: "But General Qin's existence is of no benefit to us."
Xuanyuan Yan: "He is indispensable to Tianqi. Without him, at least for now, things won't work."
"Moreover, the bond between him and me is not something ordinary people can compare to. By helping him, I am also helping myself."
