FRGNM -Chapter 37 Young Lord of Qiongyu

But just now… that familiar figure—there was no mistaking it. It was Ruoxi! Where… where was she?

“Mommy, why do we have to leave Uncle Ningfeng? He’s a good person, and being our prospective Daddy would be nice too.” Yimeng pouted, holding her little head.

Seeing the crowd parted around them, she tiptoed to peek outside—but saw nothing.

Ling Ruoxi smiled faintly, holding Yimeng, and looked at the street divided by the guards. Yet her mind was entirely on Yizhui; she had no thought for the people ahead.

“It’s Uncle! Mommy! The uncle who saved us on the road! Uncle!” Waving her little hands, Yimeng shouted at the figure ahead.

Huangfu Xuan? Ling Ruoxi frowned. She had long known he was also heading to the capital but didn’t want to travel with him to avoid trouble.

Hearing Yimeng, Huangfu Xuan froze, scanning the crowd for that familiar figure. He paused—white-veiled woman, her expression more haggard than the first time they met, eyes red and swollen from crying.

What’s going on? Just now, her child was in a stranger’s arms, and now…

Huangfu Xuan stopped the carriage and dismounted with the guards’ help. His pale, frail appearance evoked concern.

Ling Ruoxi simply nodded lightly, not speaking. Yimeng in her arms smiled brightly. “Uncle! Uncle! We meet again! You’ve come to the capital too?”

“Yes, Uncle is also here. Young lady, you…” Huangfu Xuan hadn’t finished when a pale yellow figure darted from the crowd like a ghost toward him.

The mounted guard jumped in fright, goosebumps rising, swinging his whip toward the figure.

“How dare you!” A cold voice spread. The white figure caught the whip first, yanked sharply, and the guard flew backward like a kite with a cut string.

Ling Ruoxi’s expression stiffened as she saw the familiar figure. Coldly frowning, she held Yimeng and turned to leave.

“Ruoxi! Ruoxi, stop!” Nangong Mo finally caught sight of her. How could he let her go? Grabbing her arm, he looked at her anxiously.

Yimeng, cradled in her arms, looked at Nangong Mo curiously. “Mommy, he’s your type! Thick eyebrows, big eyes, sharp nose, sweet mouth, strong build, skilled.”

“Don’t talk nonsense!” That was just casual chatter, but compared to Nangong Mo, it did sound strikingly similar.

No wonder the little one in her arms was imagining things. Ruoxi wanted to smack her for saying such things.

“Really, Ruoxi, you…” The little girl in her arms looked exactly like Ling Ruoxi herself, her delicate features charming, large eyes blinking as if speaking.

A daughter like that meant the father must be good-looking too. But she hated herself—why wasn’t he the one in the Bamboo Sea, letting her go?

“No! I like a man with sword-like brows, small eyes, a captivating rogue, gentle yet ruthless—you’re not!” Ruoxi nearly went mad seeing Nangong Mo’s eyes. What had she done to provoke this? Six years later, returning, and already causing trouble for them.

Huangfu Xuan coughed lightly, breaking the tense silence. His guards handed him a pill; after taking it, his complexion improved slightly.

“Ruoxi, is this your child?” Nangong Mo tried to change the topic. But Ningfeng said her child had gone missing…

“Uncle, I’m Mommy’s child. My name is Yimeng. What’s your name?” Yimeng blinked and smiled, showing no hostility toward Nangong Mo.

Meanwhile, a guard thrown to the ground scrambled up, pointing at Ye Ningfeng. “You… you’ve gone too far! Someone’s causing trouble in the capital—see if I don’t beat you!”

“The Crown Prince is here to receive the Dongling Kingdom’s Grand Prince, and you dare cause trouble? Bold indeed!” Ye Ningfeng coldly snorted. He displayed the royal token in his hand, symbolizing authority.

The guard nearly fell backward, and the crowd knelt. Even the Crown Prince personally came to receive the Dongling Prince—they naturally had to pay respects.

Yet judging by the Crown Prince’s demeanor, it seemed he came more for the woman than the prince.

Yimeng tilted her head. “Uncle, so your name is Crown Prince? Can I call you Uncle Crown Prince? And the Dongling Grand Prince—Uncle, can I call you Uncle Prince?”

“Pfft!” A faint smile appeared on Huangfu Xuan’s icy face. He nodded and glanced at the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince of Beining personally coming for that woman—called her… Ruoxi?

Could it be… The familiar name echoed in Huangfu Xuan’s mind. The woman before him was Ling Ruoxi—the one whose reputation had been ruined at fifteen, just after her coming-of-age ceremony, and then vanished.

He thought it ended there—but Ruoxi returned with children… two children!

“Good, Yimeng, since Mommy found you, go back with Uncle Crown Prince.” Nangong Mo petted Yimeng’s head.

But Yimeng shook her head. “Uncle Crown Prince, I haven’t found my brother Yizhui yet, and Mommy is still looking too. Everyone here is bowing to you; you must be very important. Uncle Crown Prince, will you help me find my brother?”

“Brother?” It was like thunder struck Nangong Mo’s head. Six years had passed—had she really given birth to twins?

Ye Ningfeng sighed. “Ruoxi had a dragon-and-phoenix twin. Both are her biological children.”

“Miss Ruoxi…” Huangfu Xuan hesitated to address her properly, looking at the blank-faced woman. “I saw Yizhui just now…”

“What? You saw Yizhui? Where is he? Is he okay? Was he hungry or thirsty? Where is he?” Ling Ruoxi trembled, eyes blazing, as if she could kill the man before her.

Huangfu Xuan smiled faintly. “Calm down. He’s fine. Yizhui was with a man… and he clings to him. The man said he had to leave and wanted to leave Yizhui with me. But Yizhui cried and fussed, sticking to him. He was around the bend two streets ahead, but he might have left by now.”

“A man? How could Yizhui cling to a stranger? Prince Huangfu, please describe the man!” She needed to know where her child was. Yizhui was too young to understand danger—what if he was kidnapped?

“Don’t worry, that man isn’t bad,” Huangfu Xuan reassured her. “He wore a conical hat covering his face. I couldn’t see him, but he wore silver-white robes with gold embroidery. He stood out in the crowd. His clothes are likely made of golden silkworm silk—he is someone of extraordinary status, not a kidnapper.”

“What? Silver-white robes with gold embroidery!” Nangong Mo and Ye Ningfeng both gasped, their faces changed.

Ye Ningfeng quickly squatted, dabbed tea on the ground, and recreated the strange pattern.

“Is this it?” Ye Ningfeng asked Huangfu Xuan.

It wasn’t text but a pattern. Even the learned Huangfu Xuan didn’t recognize it. “What is this pattern? Looks like a totem?”

“Yes, a totem. So he came?” Nangong Mo’s face turned dark. He glanced at Ruoxi, gritting his teeth, saying nothing.

Ye Ningfeng whispered to Ruoxi, “Don’t worry. That man won’t harm your children. He’ll even help them. We need to return to the palace and inform the Emperor. Ruoxi, say anything you need. Prince Huangfu, don’t mind taking Ruoxi with you to the embassy?”

Ye Ningfeng promised, “Ruoxi, within ten days, I will find Yizhui. Trust me. Don’t worry, okay?”

“Mm.” Somehow reassured, Ruoxi nodded slightly. Her anxious heart felt calmer.

That man—she would find him! Judging by Nangong Mo and Ye Ningfeng’s expressions, he must be extremely important. Who else in Beining Kingdom could draw such attention?

She vaguely recalled the man six years ago—the masked man, called the Young Lord of Qiongyu.

“Miss Ruoxi, let’s depart. I guarantee with my life that Yizhui will be safe.” Huangfu Xuan smiled faintly.

The child in his arms laughed, cuddling him. “Uncle Huangfu, you’re in my notebook. Want to be my Daddy?”

“Haha…” How could he hope for that? Huangfu Xuan smiled faintly, taking it as a joke. He lacked the courage to love anyone.

Meanwhile, the two rushing back to the palace looked grim, entering Nangong Qin’s bedchamber without summoning ministers.

“Father!” Nangong Mo stepped forward. “He’s here.”

“Who’s here?” Nangong Qin was confused, looking at his son.

Six years ago, that man returned. Once a candidate for Young Lord, now—six years later—he had succeeded, becoming the official Young Lord of Qiongyu Immortal Island. The position of Island Master would soon fall to him.

“Young Lord of Qiongyu!” Ye Ningfeng’s voice deepened. He frowned, recalling six years ago, that man’s murderous eyes. Afterward, they had received a bloodstained token from Qiongyu Island, bearing a single character: “Kill.”