Dugu Jing was taken into the second branch of the Feng Family. Outside the Fengyu Courtyard, the Jinyi Guard had it completely surrounded, allowing no one to approach. Even the old matriarch and mbers of the first branch were forbidden from entering or leaving freely. Inside the courtyard, apart from Fengyu’s own people, were Xie Xun’s personal guards.
Dugu Jing was brought into Fengyu’s small courtyard, where Fengyu’s breathing was faint. The Imperial Physicians were still struggling to keep her alive. Dugu Jing’s expression was cold and grim. "I am alone in the Capital City, without any subordinates, and I haven’t so much as touched a hair on Fengyu. Xie Xun, don’t pin this on without proof."
The matter of Fengyu being afflicted with a curse had always been a thorn in Xie Xun’s side since before he personally led his campaign. He had instructed Zhang Lingzheng to perform a check on Fengyu every three days. Until now, Fengyu displayed no signs of the curse. Xie Xun, preoccupied with the war, had dismissed the matter as Yuwen Jing’s dying attempt at intimidation. After returning to the Capital, he had asked Zhang Lingzheng again, and Zhang affird that Fengyu was in good health with no anomalies. Only then did Xie Xun finally let his guard down.
Now, Xie Jue’s reminder had made him realize that perhaps Yuwen Jing hadn’t lied. It was possible that Fengyu indeed had the curse in her body. After Dugu Jing entered the Capital, he had never ntioned anything regarding this curse, and neither had Fengyu inquired about it. Dugu Jing truly seed unaware of the situation.
Xie Xun found it difficult to determine whether Dugu Jing was lying. Xie Jue took one look at Xie Xun, who was showing signs of losing composure, before ushering Dugu Jing closer to Fengyu. "Look at her. Tell , has she been cursed?"
Fengyu’s complexion was so pale it was nearly transparent, entirely devoid of any trace of blood. Dugu Jing’s gaze fell on her lifeless face, void of any emotion or vitality. Xie Jue spoke, "If it’s a Beiman curse, and if you can save her, na your terms."
"It’s not," Dugu Jing declared firmly. "I don’t believe a single word you’ve just said, Second Young Master. Do you even know what kind of reputation you have among the Beiman?"
Xie Jue eyed Dugu Jing’s mocking expression. "Fengyu has nothing to do with our grudges. She hasn’t wronged you in any way. You’ve only been able to enjoy relative freedom in the Capital lately because she spoke on your behalf. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have been able to step out of the inn’s gates."
"Then I must thank Miss Feng San. How unfortunate for her—it seems her beauty is wasted on such a short lifespan. She doesn’t look like she’ll last much longer." Dugu Jing’s voice was icily indifferent, devoid of the slightest sympathy.
Listening to those words, "a short-lived beauty," Xie Xun, standing outside, felt his eyes redden.
Dugu Jing continued, "While in the Capital, I’ve heard people say Miss Feng San wouldn’t live past the age of eighteen. How coincidental that today happens to be her eighteenth birthday. Two hours remain until midnight. I’ll pray to the Heavenly God for her."
Xie Xun strode in, his eyes reddened at the corners. "Na your terms, Dugu Jing. If it’s a curse, I beg you to save her. Whatever you want, I’ll give it to you."
"Oh? I want the lands of Beining. Would you offer them to with both hands?"
"Don’t push your luck. If Ayu dies, I would rather kill a thousand wrongly than let one escape. Neither you nor Han Ziqi would leave the Capital alive." Xie Xun’s voice was ice-cold, sharp as a blade. He issued this ultimatum emotionlessly. "It doesn’t matter—Beining will find soone to succeed . If Ayu dies, then I’ll just go to accompany her."
"Fengyu’s life hangs by a thread, yet instead of saving her, you’re here blaming . Why not focus on ways to save her?" Dugu Jing turned his gaze away and left the room with heavy steps.
As Xie Xun was about to pursue him, Xie Jue grabbed his arm and spoke lightly, "Stay here and keep Ayu company."
Xie Jue guided Xie Xun back towards the bed and pressed him to sit down. Then, he left to find Dugu Jing. The Imperial Physicians, with brows knit in worry, dared not utter a word—so oppressive was the atmosphere that even their breathing beca cautious.
In the courtyard, Dugu Jing lifted his head to gaze at the bright moon overhead. In his hotown, such weather would show no moon. There would only be endless snowfall, bitter cold, and nomadic people who continued to suffer.
In Beining, though the weather was sowhat cold, the night sky was still so beautiful. The Heavens were truly unfair. Why had they designated such an uninhabitable frozen wasteland for the Beiman?
"I lived in Beiman for two years and encountered three kinds of curses. Cursed poison can’t be used on the battlefield on a large scale because every single curse worm must be nurtured using the handler’s blood. Cultivating them is no easy task. Not everyone is suited for it either. You despise curse worms because your mother, the Princess, died because of one." Xie Jue spoke as he approached Dugu Jing. "While carrying you and the Sixth Princess in her womb, your mother was cursed. She died of blood loss during childbirth. After her death, the Beiman King witnessed with his own eyes a curse worm crawling out of her body."
"How do you know about this?" Dugu Jing’s face darkened in shock, looking at Xie Jue in disbelief. This matter had long beco a secret that no one dared to speak of. How could Xie Jue possibly know?
"To sow discord among the princes of Beiman, naturally I had to investigate your histories thoroughly—your grudges, your conflicts, your relationships. Though difficult to uncover, I eventually pieced it together after much effort. After the curse worm erged, the Beiman King imprisoned all the won in the Beiman Imperial Court. The strongest curse worms in Beiman are always twin-bonded. When your mother died, and the curse worm lost its supply of blood, it beca desperate for another source, as a person would starve without food or drink. Naturally, it would seek the other curse worm and a fresh supply of blood. The curse worm would crawl into whoever possessed it, revealing the one who cast the curse. Thus, the Beiman King found the culprit and avenged your mother."
Dugu Jing’s expression grew increasingly grim, veins bulging from the strain of his suppressed emotions. Xie Jue continued, "I once heard soone ntion that the Princess exhibited no outward signs of being cursed. She glowed with vitality, had a good appetite, and appeared perfectly healthy. For so types of curse worms, unless their toxicity is deliberately triggered, they offer no harm to the host. Thus, the Princess carried the curse for months without anyone noticing. I believe Ayu must have the sa type of curse."
"Even if my mother died from cursed poison, how can you conclude that Fengyu is cursed as well? I’ve never cursed her," Dugu Jing sneered dismissively.
"True, it wasn’t you. It was Yuwen Jing who did it. And the curse worm was given to Yuwen Jing by your sister, the Sixth Princess." Xie Jue looked calmly at Dugu Jing. "After Yuwen Jing’s death, the mother worm lost its blood supply and should have died. And when the mother worm dies, so too does Ayu. Zhixu feared that Ayu might truly perish from the curse poison, so he didn’t execute Yuwen Jing right away. Instead, he imprisoned him and orchestrated your entry into the Capital."
"Even if everything you’re saying is true, the mother worm is already dead. If the worm dies, Fengyu dies too." Dugu Jing sneered coldly. "So what does this have to do with ? After Yuwen Jing’s death, hasn’t she been perfectly fine?"
"Yes, Yuwen Jing is dead, yet Ayu remains alive. It’s all rather inexplicable," Xie Jue replied, following Dugu Jing’s line of thinking. "Let hazard a guess as to what truly transpired."
Dugu Jing clenched his fists, suddenly alard by how terrifyingly intelligent Xie Jue was. For the first ti, he felt firsthand how fearso a truly smart individual could be.
"I recall that it wasn’t long after Yuwen Jing’s death that you entered the Capital, correct?" Xie Jue pressed his lips together, falling into thought. "Two or three days at most, am I right?"
Dugu Jing kept his lips sealed, refusing to respond.
"When the curse worm leaves its host, it can survive for a few days without issue. Yuwen Jing ruled for several years, and both the Forbidden Army and Jinyi Guard were under his command. Secretly cultivating a number of deathsworn followers wouldn’t have been difficult. After Yuwen Jing’s death, those deathsworn would undoubtedly remain loyal to him. If I were one of those followers, seeking vengeance for my master, I would deliver the curse worm to you after you entered the Capital. As the Sixth Princess shared the sa bloodline and nurtured the mother worm, you, as her twin bond, could naturally sustain it too. Am I right?"
"Quite the tale, Second Young Master. Feel free to send your people to examine whether I’m carrying any curse worms." Dugu Jing’s tone was steady and calm. "To save Fengyu, it seems you’re willing to concoct even the wildest stories."
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