The funny counterattack of traveling through time and space and becoming a vicious female supporting

Chapter 225 Identity Mystery

Feng Jingsu, Feng Xinying, and Wen Yuan, accompanied by their guards and maids, boarded two separate carriages and returned to Nanyang Prefecture. Lu Ling'er bid a fond farewell to Dabai, Dahui, and their wolf cubs. The cubs, now grown, often patrolled Taoyuan Villa, herding sheep and guarding the mountain to prevent animals from straying. Dabai and Dahui, evidently sensing Feng Jingsu's intimidation, quietly hid in the forest, watching Lu Ling'er board her carriage and depart.

Lu Ling'er, Gu Yichen, Ji Junche, Yun Ruoxi, and Yun Ruolin, along with Mo Yan and Mo Xian, bid farewell to Ji Yun and Gu Yazhu, and set off on their journey back to Nanyang Prefecture. Ji Yun and Gu Yazhu watched them go. Gu Yazhu, worried about Lu Ling'er's pregnancy and the long journey, was particularly concerned about the dangers of the journey. Despite the numerous duties at Taoyuan Villa, the two couldn't split up, so they arranged for Zhishu and Fudong to accompany them as a precaution.

Inside the carriage, Lu Ling'er gently stroked her slightly swollen belly, a flood of doubts welling up within her. Though she didn't articulate it, she could clearly sense Ji Yun and Gu Yazhu's underlying unease, like a thin mist shrouding the horizon beyond her view. Dabai and Dahui's behavior at the villa also left her perplexed—the beasts, once her constant companions, were now instinctively retreating from Feng Jingsu's pressure, stirring a wave of uncertainty within her.

In another carriage, Feng Jingsu and Feng Xinying sat in silence, while Wen Yuan sat beside them, his expression calm, yet his eyes etched with alertness. Feng Jingsu glanced thoughtfully out the window, occasionally catching a few fleeting glances from the mountain path. Wen Yuan kept a close eye on the movements along this path. In his mind, this road, though remote, had always been tranquil, yet now it felt strangely aloof.

"Third brother, have you noticed... someone seems to be following us all the way?" Feng Xinying's tone was calm, but her eyes were sharp. Feng Jingsu nodded and whispered, "These people are not simple. They look like the emperor's dragon guards. They may have been targeting us for a long time, perhaps coming for Ling'er."

Wen Yuan listened calmly, a sense of alarm building within him. Although he had already begun investigating the old case of Lu Ling'er and the missing daughter of the Prince of Zhennan, the clues seemed far more complex than he had anticipated. Not only was there no official record of the disappearance of the Prince of Zhennan's twin children, but even the residence of the Nanyang prefect who handled the case had no trace left, as if they had been erased from history.

Upon returning to Taoyuan Villa, Ji Yun immediately intensified his investigation into Prefect Wen through Qingyun Pavilion, specifically investigating his actions against Lu Chenting several months prior. Ji Yun paced back and forth within the mansion, his expression grave. Recent news from Qingyun Pavilion had forced him to confront a problem: Prefect Wen appeared to be acting under orders from a higher power, perhaps even beyond the Third Prince's control. A single hunter, however, could stir up so much controversy, suggesting a far greater crisis.

The next day, Gu Yazhu sat in her study, her brow furrowed. Recalling her observations of Lu Ling'er over the years, she couldn't help but harbor a wave of suspicion. "Husband, Ling'er's father mysteriously disappeared after being captured by Prefect Wen several months ago, and her mother's whereabouts remain a mystery. Do you think her life story might be more complicated than it actually is?"

Ji Yun nodded and said slowly, "It was with this in mind that I asked Qingyun Pavilion to speed up the process. They've almost thoroughly investigated all the old cases in Nanyang Prefecture, but there's no trace of Lu Chenting's files. It's as if someone deliberately erased everything." He paused and instructed, "Yazhu, Zhishu and Fudong, on this trip, you must not only protect Ling'er's safety, but also conduct secret investigations, especially keeping an eye on the movements of the Zhennan Palace."

Gu Yazhu replied, "I'll tell them to be extra careful. Ling'er is pregnant now, and we can't afford to make any mistakes. We must find out Lu Chenting's whereabouts as soon as possible, perhaps that's the only way to unravel these mysteries."

A few days later, news arrived from Qingyun Pavilion again. Ji Yun's brow furrowed as he read the intelligence. Lu Chenting had disappeared without a trace after being escorted to the capital. Such tactics were clearly unusual, as if an invisible hand was secretly manipulating them. He vaguely suspected that this might be connected to his brother, Emperor Yuande.

Meanwhile, Gu Yazhu was mulling over all this, her heart aching for Ling'er. She shared her concerns with Zhishu and Fudong, instructing them to keep a close eye on any movements within Nanyang Prefecture, especially those within the Zhennan Palace, and even the movements of the Prince of Zhennan's entourage. They both obeyed the orders and left, knowing that this mission to protect Lu Ling'er was different from previous ones.

At that moment, inside the Prince of Zhennan's mansion, a man in a cyan brocade robe stood by the window, his gaze faraway. He casually unfolded a document, smiled softly, and muttered to himself, "Lu Chenting... Ling'er... How interesting." The document in his hand was a case from Nanyang handled by Prefect Wen.

As intelligence gradually gathered, a disturbance in Nanyang Prefecture seemed to be brewing secretly, and Ji Yun and Gu Yazhu became increasingly aware that behind Lu Chenting's disappearance and Lu Linger's life experience, there might not only be a family mystery, but a more complicated power struggle.