Wolf King And His Fox Consort

There was total silence in the tent after Xiao Zai spoke. Chu Yun could only blink in shock while trying to come up with anything to say. 

Unfortunately, Xiao Zai was on a roll. "He's a terrible father, a terrible King, anyone would be better than him."

His sister raised an eyebrow. "Like you?"

Chu Yun bit down on a hiss. That was exactly what he thought she was going to say. Her relationship with Xiao Zai wasn't great. Of course she would think he was being an opportunist. 

Xiao Zai rummaged into the pockets of his robes and took out the folded letters they found at the estate. Other than that one letter talking about a child, there was nothing else of note in the rest of them. They were clearly addressed to the 'treasonous' uncle, and it was obvious he was familiar with the person writing to him. They would never know what he wrote back, but from the contents of the letters he got, it seemed he was aware that he was in danger.

Xiao Ziyi skimmed the letters at first, not really interested, but as she got to the most recent ones, her eyes narrowed in concentration. She gasped when she got to the final letter -- the first Chu Yun and Xiao Zai had read.

"What is this?" she asked, although her voice was wavering.

"We found these at the estate. There are no names, but it's obvious they were meant for Uncle."

Xiao Ziyi's mouth fell open on a gasp. "But he never...he didn't even have a concubine."

"Is there anything you remember from the time around his execution? I barely remember him." Xiao Zai leaned over across the table, his eyes not leaving Xiao Ziyi's.

Chu Yun observed him quietly. Maybe he wouldn't need to intervene, he seemed to be handling the situation better than anticipated. It made Chu Yun feel oddly proud.

Xiao Ziyi ran her eyes over the letters again, fer knuckles white from how hard she was gripping the thin stack. "I don't know much, he was a kind man from what I recall, he was on good terms with my mother, and...," she gave Xiao Zai a pointed look, "your dam."

The implications in her tone was plain, and something that had crossed Chu Yun's mind briefly. However he discarded the thought as quickly as it came, because, surely, certainly, Gu Wei wasn't dumb enough to have two children whose sires weren't the King he was married to.

It could be a very odd, revenge strategy, but Chu Yun doubter that Gu Wei thought there was any point in trying to spite a man who hated him by having children with other men -- when that could very much get him killed.

"I think it's safe to say Gu Wei is not the dam of your Uncle's mysterious child," Chu Yun said with certainty. "He would never allow one of his children to be sent somewhere he wouldn't even be able to visit them."

Xiao Zai shot Chu Yun a look of tender admiration. He wasn't used to hearing people defend his dam.

"It certainly wasn't my mother," Xiao Ziyi bristled, as if anyone had implied that.

"We didn't come here to ask about that, we just want to know if you remember anything about those times, if you heard any mention of a child." Chu Yun paused. "Actually, maybe the child wasn't his...just someone's child he wanted to hide? A foster child perhaps?"

Xiao Zai pulled the last letter from his sister's tense fingers and read it again. "This 'friend' mentions they can't imagine Uncle's grief at being parted from the child. It makes their relationship seem very close. And he says it himself the child is a toddler."

Chu Yun plucked the letter from Xiao Zai's fingers and folded it into his own pockets. Something like that could turn out to be very important evidence one day. The rest of the letters they could afford to leave with Xiao Ziyi, but that one they must absolutely keep under close watch at all times.

"In any case, it seems obvious from this letter, and all the others, that your Uncle knew he wasn't going to be alive for much longer and was making arrangements about his eventual death."

The First Princess, the Commanding General of Zui's armies, her father's daughter, was silent for a time, worrying her lip between her teeth. "Well, if he was guilty of treason, it's only natural that..."

Chu Yun groaned, unable to mask his impatience. "Your Highness, please be reasonable."

Xiao Ziyi's mouth snapped shut with a loud click of her teeth. She shot Chu Yun a glare, but it was obvious she didn't have any arguments. Chu Yun didn't understand if she had a better impression of the King than Xiao Yuan and Xiao Zai because she had a genuinely good relationship with her father, or if she was just too filial for her own good. Filial duty shouldn't come before the good of her country.

Chu Yun understood the value in letting someone ruminate over a thought, take some time to pull at it like a scab. So, he put a hand on Xiao Zai's inner arm, and said abruptly, "We've taken too much of the General's time, we should go."

Xiao Ziyi shot Hua Nanyi a look, who didn't meet her eyes. She'd said it herself: she was loyal to Chu Yun. The General returned her gaze to the letters on her desk and said, "We'll talk about this after I return to Haolin."

---

Xiao Zai was looking forward to arriving home and drawing himself a bath. Maybe he could even talk Chu Yun into joining him.

Those hopes were dashed the moment they crossed the estate's gates, and came face-to-face with a wild-eyed Xiao Yuan.

He rushed to Xiao Zai's horse and held onto one side of the reins, making the animal come to a sudden halt. "You're finally back, I need your help."

"What is it?" Chu Yun asked, pulling his horse to a stop behind Xiao Zai.

"It's A-Jiang, he's fallen ill."