PDLP Chapter 1391 The Truth About Ji Ling and Xing Mu's Search for Someone Revealed
Chapter 1391 The Truth About Ji Ling and Xing Mu's Search for Someone Revealed
Yun Mujiu had Xiao Zhao pull Ling Xingmu away, and the group went to a private tea room.
She immediately gave Ling Xingmu acupuncture to clear his mind and also to help him better recall the past.
The cold night wind demanded that Ling Xingmu confess everything, and Ling Xingmu gave a dazed and confused account.
Seven years ago, Ling Xingmu secretly fled the Northern Border with a few servants, without telling his family, and traveled all the way to the Southern Border of Zhongyue. Unfortunately, he encountered a flood, and was rescued by a veiled girl.
The young girl was kind and righteous, and she and her attendants helped with disaster relief. During the relief efforts, they eventually became friends, though their relationship wasn't very deep yet.
The girl was also very mysterious. He didn't know her name or identity, nor did he know what she looked like when she was wearing a veil.
As Ling Xingmu finished speaking, a sudden headache struck him.
"Later, I must have fallen ill, and I was captured and taken back by the Ling family guards who arrived, so I lost contact with her and left no message."
Yun Mujiu inserted another golden needle into Ling Xingmu's forehead to calm his intense emotions.
She said, "Do you know what? The information you described is very similar to Ji Ling's. Seven years ago, she also traveled to the south and experienced a flood. She saved a boy and became friends with him, but the boy left without saying goodbye. She has been heartbroken and angry ever since."
Ling Xingmu frowned. "The world is vast, and coincidences are bound to happen. Huiyang happened to be traveling and helped with disaster relief. Ji Ling and other royal princesses, or other women, may also have had similar experiences."
Ye Xiaohan said, "I think you've lost your mind."
Yun Mujiu chimed in, "Your Highness is right. It's possible that your memory is inaccurate. You might have been delirious from the fever when you were sick, and your memory might have been a bit confused."
Meng Ninglang then analyzed, "Are the attendants from back then still around? Let's ask them."
Ling Xingmu smiled bitterly: "They came home with me to be punished. They were all thrown into the military camp, and I can no longer contact them."
Yun Mujiu calmly recounted: "Your story is very similar to Ji Ling's. She has been waiting for a young man with the surname 'Mu' to question whether he did not consider her a friend and left without saying goodbye."
Ling Xingmu paused. "Previously, my elder brother, the princess, and I dined at the Night King's residence. Didn't you ask about my elder brother's trip to 'Xiangchuan Prefecture', Night King's Consort?"
"Seven years ago, Princess Ji Ling went to 'Xiangchuan Prefecture,' but I went to 'Xianggua Prefecture'!"
"Bang!" Ye Xiaohan slammed down his teacup. "Idiot! The ancient name of 'Xiangchuan Prefecture' was also 'Xianggua Prefecture'! Seven years ago, this prefecture was officially named 'Xiangchuan Prefecture', while the ancient name was taken by the neighboring prefecture."
Yun Mujiu nodded in agreement, then complained, "Ling Xingmu, you're so 'wooden,' I think you're not 'Mu Shaonian,' but 'Wooden Shaonian'!"
Ling Xingmu's eyebrows twitched, and his lips trembled. At this moment, the second wave of acupuncture effects hit, his head felt hot, but he also felt increasingly clear-headed.
Seven years ago, in the same state, a masked girl saved a boy with a wooden paw print...
At this moment, Yun Mujiu dropped another bombshell.
"According to my and the Prince's latest investigation, Princess Huiyang actually went to the north for her studies seven years ago—and never went to the south! Only Ji Ling passed through Xiangchuan Prefecture seven years ago!"
"Impossible!" Ling Xingmu pounded his head with both hands and said firmly, "I found out that Huiyang went to Xiangguazhou!"
“Ling Xingmu, that’s fake news. Ji Ling can’t reveal the news of her studying in the south because her status in the royal family is too low to be publicized.”
Yun Mujiu rose gracefully, pacing as she continued to explain: "Gao Yang couldn't stand Ji Ling's good reputation for saving people and helping with disasters, so he simply attributed Ji Ling's achievements to Hui Yang. Gao Yang had also harbored resentment towards Hui Yang for a long time, and then found an opportunity to have Hui Yang assassinated. Now neither Ji Ling nor Hui Yang benefited."
Upon hearing this, Ling Xingmu's pupils widened, as if he had completely lost focus.
"I think I've remembered something too. That night I had a high fever, and my older brother arrived with his men and took me away that very night. After that, I don't remember much, and I can only look for that girl based on the vague impressions in my mind. In the end, by some twist of fate, I actually went to the wrong person!"
Ye Xiaohan picked up his teacup again and said calmly, "Because you looked in the wrong place, and because your elder brother's experience in Xiangchuan Prefecture matched Ji Ling's impression, Ji Ling also looked in the wrong place."
Yun Mujiu kindly poured tea for Ling Xingmu and said, "Fortunately, Ji Ling is only looking for deviations, not completely wrong ones. We and Ji Ling are just testing whether your brother is that Mu-surname boy, not completely convinced that he is the person Ji Ling is looking for."
Meng Ninglang chuckled and added, "Whether you find the right person or not isn't the key. The key is that Princess Ji Ling might develop a special fondness for your older brother during her search! What happened back then is long gone and might not matter at all. Ji Ling might still harbor resentment towards that Mu boy. Now that a fake but outstanding 'Mu boy' has appeared, do you think the princess wouldn't be happy or wouldn't like him?"
Ling Xingmu's lips trembled. Yun Mujiu told Meng Ninglang to stop teasing him and then turned to comfort Ling Xingmu: "However, we have only found some information and dare not make any guarantees. The two of you involved still need to verify the specifics."
Ling Xingmu smiled wryly: "Actually, I've felt a faint sense of familiarity with Ji Ling for a long time." He paused, then added: "Her eyebrows and eyes are also very similar to the girl in my mind, but I later thought they were relatives, so they are somewhat similar."
Yun Mujiu sighed and joked, "You're hopeless. You could think of her as a relative, but couldn't you have investigated Ji Ling more thoroughly?"
“I…” Ling Xingmu paused, then said in a muffled voice, “Actually… I have investigated Princess Ji Ling.”
"But they were stopped by Ji Ling's royal guards, and Ji Ling was unaware of who was investigating her." Ye Xiaohan revealed everything in one sentence.
Ling Xingmu held his teacup but didn't drink. Yun Mujiu and the other two said to him, "Keep it up!"
As darkness fell, Yun Mujiu briefly explained to Ling Xingmu the process of helping Ji Ling find people. Several times they had focused on Ling Xingmu and Ling Chiye as potential targets, and unexpectedly, they actually found a rough match.
The group went out onto the main street and met Princess Ji Ling and Ling Chiye at Wangxian Tower in the city center lake.
Ling Xingmu wanted to rush up and speak, but then stopped.
He saw Ji Ling and Ling Chiye talking and laughing, seemingly reluctant to part ways.
He thought to himself that he lacked the opportunity and courage to approach and ask questions, and also lacked the confidence and status to do so…
He couldn't face anything anymore...