Liu Xing glanced at Yun Xiao, his voice filled with heartache. "The Prince has been arrested."
"Why? Is it because of brother's matter?"
If that were the case, she would beat Yun Zhen to a pulp. To think that he would implicate their father. He loved Yun Zhen so much, yet he brought such disaster upon him.
But Liu Xing shook his head and spoke word by word, "It's not about young master. Someone has accused the Prince of rebellion, of attempting to usurp the throne."
"How is that possible? Father has always been a law-abiding person. How could he be a rebel? This requires evidence. How can they say such things without proof?"
Yun Xiao spoke in a furious tone. Her delicate eyebrows furrowed like the colors of late autumn, her smooth skin seeming to be covered by a thin layer of ice, and a cold, bloodthirsty glint in her eyes.
"The secret letter says that because the Prince's concubine is, is..."
Liu Xing couldn't continue, staring fixedly at Yun Xiao. Yun Xiao spoke sternly, "Is what?"
Wasn't that concubine her mother? There were only two women in the Yun Prince's mansion: the Prince Consort and the one who bore the simpleton.
Honestly, she had always been curious about what kind of person her mother was, to make her father love only her his entire life.
But now, she was afraid to know her identity, as if she subconsciously knew it was an unfortunate fact.
"She is the Eldest Princess of Xi Liang."
A princess of Xi Liang, such a distinguished identity. She never expected her mother to be a princess of Xi Liang.
If that were true, her father's charges might be difficult to clear. However, she refused to believe it.
If her mother was a princess of Xi Liang, why would she be willing to be a concubine? Moreover, despite her discomfort with the climate, she never returned to Xi Liang even when she was dying. How was that possible?
She had always believed her father deeply loved her mother. If her mother was indeed a princess of Xi Liang, then how deep was his love? For a man she loved, she was willing to give up glory and wealth to become a concubine in a general's mansion.
At that time, her father should have only been a general, not a prince. How could a princess marry a general as a concubine? This was too unrealistic.
Even if her father was as handsome as Pan An, Yun Xiao still found it hard to believe such a woman existed. Therefore, she believed someone must have plotted this.
Now, all she needed to do was find conclusive evidence proving her mother was not a princess of Xi Liang, and her father would be safe.
Yun Xiao sat up straight and ordered Liu Xing, "Immediately go to the Yun Prince's mansion. I want to see Yun Zhen. That scoundrel, he knows nothing! That damned man."
Liu Xing was startled. He had never seen his mistress so furious. He responded and went out to drive the carriage.
Wanwan climbed onto the carriage. Seeing her mistress looking dejected, she had already heard the conversation from outside the carriage and was shocked.
She never expected her mistress's own mother to be a princess of Xi Liang. If that were true, then her mistress would be a county princess of Xi Liang.
"Mistress, what do we do now? The important thing is, how is the Prince doing?"
"I won't let him be harmed."
Yun Xiao said with determination. Her usually gentle face turned somber and fierce, her gaze icy as she stared at a corner of the carriage.
Wanwan dared not say anything more. The carriage headed towards the Yun Prince's mansion.
Fearing to alert unnecessary people, Yun Xiao leaped over the wall from the back courtyard. Liu Xing supported Wanwan, while Zhui Yue kept watch on the perimeter.
Although he didn't know why Liu Xing and this Miss Yun looked so cold, he was only responsible for doing his job well, which was to protect Miss Yun and prevent her from being harmed.
Yun Xiao led a few people around the mansion and couldn't find her brother Yun Zhen. However, she saw the mansion's steward. The steward, seeing the cold and chillingly intimidating Young Master Leng Yue, gaped for a long time without being able to speak.
"Speak, where is your young master?"
The steward was stunned and stammered for a long time before finally saying, "In the ancestral hall."
Yun Xiao knew where the Yun family's ancestral hall was. That place used to be where the Yun Prince Consort recited scriptures and prayed to Buddha.
What was Yun Zhen doing in that place? Was he praying there? No matter what he was doing, Yun Xiao couldn't be bothered. With a turn of her body, her feet became wind, and she vanished in an instant, demonstrating her remarkable lightness skill.
Liu Xing dared not be negligent and followed closely. Wanwan and the steward ran towards the ancestral hall from behind.
The ancestral hall was somewhat dim, with wisps of incense smoke rising. The faint light made Yun Xiao momentarily uncomfortable.
She saw a person sitting cross-legged on a prayer mat, their eyes slightly closed as if in deep meditation, silent and contemplative, like some enlightened master.
Who else could this be but Yun Zhen? Yun Xiao was already furious. She sprang forward, grabbed Yun Zhen's body, and shouted coldly.
"Yun Zhen, you're hiding here! The sky is falling outside, and you don't even ask anything? You damned scoundrel!"
As Yun Xiao spoke, her fists rained down on Yun Zhen. He remained motionless, allowing Yun Xiao's blows to fall on him. Only when she was tired did he turn his gaze and speak in a calm voice, "What's wrong?"
Since waking up, his heart had fallen into a state of desolation, like dead ashes. It was not only the perverse affection but also the shame he could not overcome.
Therefore, he avoided her, not daring to inquire if she was doing well, not daring to hear anything about her.
He never expected her to appear, and so angrily. Yun Zhen looked blankly at the ancestral tablets in the corner of the ancestral hall. This was the hall dedicated to the Yun family ancestors.
Before, he didn't understand why his mother hated Xiao'er and always hid in the ancestral hall reciting scriptures. Now, he understood. At that time, her heart was actually very pained, and only by hiding here could her heart find peace.
"Father has been arrested."
"What?" Yun Zhen took two steps back, his pupils flashing with disbelief, and finally, realization dawned. "Could it be because of my matter?"
"Liu Xing."
Yun Xiao didn't want to say anything more. She turned and called out towards the outside. Liu Xing walked in and respectfully said.
"Young master, we received a secret letter stating that someone has accused the master, saying that the master is a spy for the Xi Liang army. He married a princess of Xi Liang as a concubine and is currently being escorted back to the capital."
After Liu Xing reported, he retreated. Only Yun Zhen and Yun Xiao remained in the ancestral hall, along with the silent Wanwan.
Yun Xiao stared intently at Yun Zhen and said word by word, "We must immediately find evidence to refute the accusation against Father. As long as we prove that my mother is not a princess of Xi Liang, then the malicious intentions of these people will be thwarted. Even that bastard's schemes will fail."
Yun Xiao said coldly and reached out to pull Yun Zhen. However, Yun Zhen turned his head motionlessly, shifting his gaze to the corner of the ancestral hall where a tablet stood. It was the tablet of Yun Xiao's mother.
Generally, concubines' identities were not permitted in the family's ancestral hall, but here lay the tablet of Yun Xiao's mother. The first reason was her father's command, and the second was her mother's distinguished identity.
"Xiao'er, this is your mother's tablet."
Yun Zhen pointed to the tablet in the corner and said calmly, but his pupils were no longer calm; they were filled with a surging storm.
He wanted to save his father, but he wanted to let Xiao'er know that finding counter-evidence was futile because her mother was indeed a princess of Xi Liang, and moreover, the Emperor of Xi Liang's most beloved eldest princess, Ji Yu.
"My mother?"