The Mute Wife Who Brings Prosperity

Chapter 835 - 793: Extracting Information (Second Update)

When Yun Huai and the others arrived at the hall, the Princess Qing Shui had already had the tea prepared.

Upon seeing the leader was Yun Huai, the tea bowl in the Princess Qing Shui’s hand trembled, almost slipping from her grasp.

She hesitantly wanted to speak, but Yun Huai had already stood in the middle of the hall, hands folded and reaching forward in a respectful salute, "Sixth Son of Yun Family has visited unannounced, causing inconvenience to the Eldest Princess. I hope the Eldest Princess can forgive me."

The Princess Qing Shui was frightened to death by him, hardly daring to blame him. After recovering from her daze, she hurriedly said, "Master Yun, no need for such courtesy, please sit, quickly sit."

Yun Huai was a distinguished guest among the noble families in the capital. Knowing of his arrival, countless people sent invitations daily, asking him over to the mansion for tea. But except for invitations from the palace, he rejected almost all others. Today, he came uninvited, and it was to the merchant Feng family, giving Princess Qing Shui a feeling of being flattered. She took a while to calm her emotions, glancing at Yun Shisan and Xu Jia.

Yun Shisan cleverly stepped forward, "I am Thirteen, the master’s direct disciple, she is Sixteen, my junior."

The Princess Qing Shui had heard of Yun Huai’s two direct disciples; however, she always felt that the one named Yun Shiliu looked familiar, as if she had seen her somewhere before.

Yun Huai glanced at the Princess Qing Shui, seeing her scrutinizing Xu Jia, he spoke, "I have some business to discuss with the Eldest Princess, Thirteen, take Sixteen and step outside for a while."

"Yes, Master."

Yun Shisan gave Xu Jia a look, and the two of them then left the hall one after the other.

Xu Jia knew Yun Huai was creating an opportunity for her, but the Princess Mansion was so large, where to begin searching for her elder brother?

Yun Shisan seemed to notice her concern and chuckled, "With me here, finding someone is not a problem."

Before Xu Jia could react, Yun Shisan had already casually pulled over a patrolling household guard and asked, "Brother, where is the toilet?"

The guard didn’t speak, only pointed it out with his hand.

Following the direction, Yun Shisan glanced over, understanding in his mind, then turned back, smiling warmly at him, "Then, do you know how many people are in this mansion?"

These household guards should be well-trained and refused to utter a single word in response to Yun Shisan’s questions.

Yet Yun Shisan was not in the least bit upset, continuing to ask, "Has anyone important recently appeared within the mansion? Yes? No? Yes! Then, where are they being held? East? West? South? North? North! The northern side has an artificial lake, and there’s a Waterside Pavilion near the lake, besides which there are three cellars—a vegetable cellar, a wine cellar, and an ice cellar. Is it the Waterside Pavilion? Vegetable cellar? Wine cellar? Or ice cellar? None, could it be the woodshed?"

After posing these questions, Yun Shisan raised his eyebrows and bowed, "Northern woodshed, thank you for informing me, Brother."

Although the guard clearly hadn’t spoken, upon realizing the boy wasn’t from the mansion, his face darkened, and was about to call someone to apprehend Yun Shisan. But Yun Shisan swiftly dealt a karate chop, knocking him out and dragging him into the dense shrubbery nearby.

Xu Jia stood stunned, watching Yun Shisan’s seamless actions. When he returned after hiding the guard, she whispered, "Did you manage to ask?"

"Northern woodshed, there’s no mistake." Yun Shisan nodded.

"But he didn’t say anything before." Xu Jia’s face couldn’t hide her astonishment.

"He did."

"Did you hypnotize him earlier?" Xu Jia recalled the questioning process.

"I don’t understand hypnosis." Yun Shisan shook his head, "This is something my master taught me. He said that people with weak will have their thoughts revealed on their face. With careful observation, you can easily get many answers from facial expressions."

Xu Jia was entirely overwhelmed, unable to speak.

That guard to her appeared to keep a stiff face throughout without any expression, yet Yun Shisan was able to deduce where Xu Shu was being held from such a face — what kind of divine skill is this?

Moreover, Yun Shisan said this was taught by Yun Huai, doesn’t that mean Yun Huai is even more adept in this skill?

Xu Jia suddenly remembered how she tried to approach Yun Huai years ago for a bracelet and was deeply guarded against on her first approach.

Could it be, at that time, he had discerned her ulterior motives from her facial expression?

It’s terrifying! Yun Huai is too terrifying! In the future, she must keep her distance from him, never provoke him; otherwise, her life could be at risk!

Thinking this, Xu Jia shivered involuntarily.

Seeing this, Yun Shisan asked her what was wrong.

Of course, Xu Jia didn’t dare to say she felt their Master was inhuman. Tugging the corner of her mouth, she said, "I was just wondering, how did you know what’s in the north?"

Yun Shisan replied, "When the intelligence was sent earlier, it was accompanied by a map of the Princess Qing Shui Mansion, which I took the liberty to memorize."

Xu Jia took a deep breath.

From getting the intelligence until now, how little time had passed, yet Yun Shisan already memorized every location?

If even direct disciples are this proficient, how formidable must those secret operatives be?

Xu Jia couldn’t hold back from asking, "Thirteen, are Yun Family disciples omnipotent?"

"Of course not." Yun Shisan pouted.

Xu Jia thought he would mention some impossible-to-achieve task, but instead, he said, "Now is the national mourning period. If Master can eat meat, I can’t."

Xu Jia: "...So you’re not all-powerful, huh."

Yun Shisan pulled a face, "The fish this morning was caught by Master himself. I’ve been eating vegetarian for so long, I’m craving, craving meat, craving meat..."

Clearly such an impressive person, yet his behavior is so endearing. Xu Jia laughed and ruffled his hair, "Be good, after the national mourning, I’ll personally cook for you, a whole table of meat, you can eat however you like, okay?"

Yun Shisan smacked his lips cooperatively.

With Yun Shisan around, they easily evaded the household guards and smoothly arrived at the woodshed.

After knocking out the guards, Xu Jia pushed open the door.

Xu Shu was tied to a pillar, hair disheveled, reeking of alcohol, completely in a daze.

Hearing the noise, Xu Shu looked up in their direction. Seeing Xu Jia, he was stunned for a moment before finally chuckling, "Jiajia, you came?"

He completely looked as if he didn’t know what day or place it was.

"Brother."

Upon seeing Xu Shu like this, Xu Jia felt a pang in her heart, reaching to untie him.

Yun Shisan reminded, "There are many patrolling household guards. Miss Xu, ask what you need quickly. Once you’re done, we need to leave quickly, or we’ll be in trouble if discovered."

Xu Jia paused her hand, which was about to untie Xu Shu, and looked at him, "Brother, quickly tell me, what exactly happened at Shiban Alley on Zhu Chao Street back then? Drinking is prohibited during the national mourning period. Why did you get so drunk?"

She was eager for the answer, but Xu Shu was too drunk to understand, let alone respond.

Xu Jia paced anxiously and asked Yun Shisan, "What should we do? We can’t get anything out of him."

Yun Shisan took out his silver needle bag from his sleeve and pulled out a silver needle, "I can temporarily keep him awake with a silver needle, but you know, I’m only skilled in using poisons, so afterward, he might sleep for a long time."

Xu Jia thought for a moment, "The Eldest Princess might be furious, but she wouldn’t kill the Princely Heir of the Western Marquis Mansion. Besides, it’s normal for my brother to sleep in such a state. They probably wouldn’t notice anything unusual. Let’s do it, Shisan, apply the needle."

Yun Shisan walked over, lifted Xu Shu’s clothes, and inserted a needle into him.

Xu Shu’s previously unfocused eyes slowly regained clarity, appearing as if he had sobered up.

Yun Shisan said, "It will only last for half a tea’s time, ask quickly."

Xu Jia looked into Xu Shu’s eyes, "Brother, tell me quickly, what happened on Zhu Chao Street back then?"

Xu Shu replied in a mumbled voice, "I was patrolling with the soldiers and saw a thief trying to assault a virtuous woman, so I stepped in to save her."

"And then?"

Xu Jia asked just as Xu Shu’s head drooped, and he fell asleep again.

"He’s too drunk." Yun Shisan quickly withdrew the silver needle, "Let’s leave here first and discuss after we meet up with Master."

...

A quarter-hour later, Yun Shisan brought Xu Jia back to the front yard.

Yun Huai and the conversation with Princess Qing Shui were wrapping up.

Princess Qing Shui personally escorted Yun Huai out, noticing that Yun Huai’s two direct disciples were still outside, looking normal. She curved her lips.

...

After the three departed the mansion and mounted their horses to return, Yun Huai asked, "Did you meet him?"

"We met him." Yun Shisan nodded, "He was too drunk, we only got one sentence out before he fell asleep again."

"What did he say?"

"Heir Xu said he was patrolling when he saw someone attempting to assault Mrs. Feng and so he intervened to rescue her."

At this point, Yun Shisan was puzzled, "Since Heir Xu saved her, why did she retaliate and accuse Heir Xu of defiling her?"

"Because she had no other choice." Yun Huai responded.

Upon hearing this, Xu Jia thought Yun Huai must have somehow coaxed the information from Princess Qing Shui, so she urged her horse forward hopefully, "Master Yun, can you tell me the truth?"