CHAPTER 235: CHAPTER 234: THE STRANGE XIE YUNZHE!

"Break off the engagement?"

Xie Yunzhe was taken aback, his eyes looking bewildered. He shook his head, "Impossible, my feelings for Yunzhi are so strong, how could I break off the engagement? You must be mistaken, Jiarou, Yunzhi is your future sister-in-law, why would you help an outsider instead of her?"

"An outsider?"

Xie Jiarou’s gentle expression was about to break. She gritted her teeth and said, "Brother, are you really possessed? Have you forgotten everything that happened before?"

Then she pleaded, "Zhaozhao, is my brother possessed by evil forces?"

Yu Nianzhao examined Xie Yunzhe up and down, shook her head, and said, "There’s no evil possession on him, but he certainly seems peculiar.".

Xie Yunzhe was shrouded in a purple aura, generally not susceptible to evil forces contaminating him.

"He is indeed very strange."

Xie Jiarou whispered to Yu Nianzhao, "Ever since my brother sent Pei Yunzhi back last time, he’s been acting more and more strangely. Pei Yunzhi invites him, and although he initially refuses, he eagerly goes running when she comes over, as if she has bewitched him somehow."

Although he isn’t possessed by evil, his brow is darkened, which is indeed mysterious. Perhaps it isn’t just a simple evil possession."

Yu Nianzhao pursed her red lips; she felt the most peculiar person was Pei Yunzhi. Her coy and charming actions appeared seductive, as if she had become a different person.

"Not evil forces? Then what is it?"

Xie Jiarou shook Yu Nianzhao’s arm and said, "No matter what it is, Zhaozhao, please help my brother. If this continues, he might want to propose again."

"Yunzhe, holding me like this in public isn’t very appropriate."

Pei Yunzhi blushed and said shyly.

"Why not? We are betrothed."

"But... After you found out about my background, you broke off the engagement." Pei Yunzhi’s eyes dimmed, showing a pitiful side profile, her voice faltering, "I know I don’t deserve you, but my love remains."

"Really broke off the engagement?"

Xie Yunzhe furrowed his brows, suddenly feeling a pressure in his mind, as if a memory wanted to break free but was held back. He murmured, "Yunzhi, I didn’t want to break off the engagement, I..."

The love in his heart for Pei Yunzhi burned passionately, ready to speak out about rekindling their relationship, allowing his mother to propose again, but the words caught in his throat due to a sudden unease, as if his body instinctively stopped him.

"Yunzhe, what are you trying to say? Hurry up and speak."

Pei Yunzhi’s eyes sparkled, waiting for Xie Yunzhe to propose before the consorts and everyone again, allowing her to become the Princely Heir’s bride.

But Xie Yunzhe hesitated, leaving Pei Yunzhi’s smile frozen. She instinctively gripped the Jade Pendant at her waist and urged, "Yunzhe, hurry up and say it, I’m listening."

"I..." Xie Yunzhe was in pain.

There were two voices in his mind; one urged him to speak, the other to hold his tongue.

"Brother, this is the Spring Banquet, both consorts are here, don’t speak recklessly, or you’ll regret it."

Xie Jiarou couldn’t hold it anymore, having seen through Pei Yunzhi’s true face, realizing her ruthless ambition to marry into An Nan Royal Mansion.

Yu Nianzhao considered briefly, forming a hand seal, sending a gold light into Xie Yunzhe’s forehead.

"I’m not feeling well, I’ll go rest a bit."

Xie Yunzhe’s mind buzzed; he stood up, bowed to Consort Jing and Consort Chen, then stumbled towards the exit.

"Yunzhe!"

Pei Yunzhi lost the opportunity and blamed Yu Nianzhao, glaring at her fiercely.

"Zhaozhao, you’re all wet, go change before catching a cold."

Consort Chen, being considerate due to past events, noticed Pei Yunzhi’s intentions to harm Yu Nianzhao and spoke up.

"Alright."

Yu Nianzhao stood up, planning to change clothes in another connected cabin.

Pei Yunzhi watched her with venomous eyes, lips curling into a sinister smile.

She wouldn’t miss this rare chance; she wanted to possess Xie Yunzhe and destroy Yu Nianzhao!

These cabins were linked, each luxurious cabin had maids attending.

Yu Nianzhao was led to a room on one cabin, where a maid thoughtfully offered her clothes to change.

Just as she raised a collar to change, footsteps sounded outside.

Yu Nianzhao’s eyes sharpened, she gathered her clothes and peered out the window, indeed spotting a stealthy shadow.

The shadow crept lightly, like a ghost, nearing a window, pushing a bamboo shoot through the paper, releasing white smoke into the room.

The shadow accomplished its task and left shortly.

Yu Nianzhao sniffed the smoke and calmly asked, "Jiu, what is this?"

[No idea, it smells like sleeping smoke or something.]

[Child’s play, useless for the master.]

[Though the master awakened in a mortal body, her Divine Power is 20% restored, rendering this insignificant.]

"Miss, the shadow escaped swiftly, I couldn’t catch it."

Wei Zhao entered at some point, frustrated.

"No problem!"

Yu Nianzhao eyed the clean clothes, deciding to dry them with Karmic Fire, choosing not to wear the new ones, sensing a trap.

Yu Nianzhao didn’t change and left the room, not hurrying back to the banquet, casually standing by the mast, gazing at Shangjing’s shimmering night.

Suddenly, a cool breeze blew; in the dark, a pair of cold eyes gazed at her.

Yu Nianzhao turned, seeing Nan Guili’s figure.

"Nan Guili? You’re here? Lurking there why?"

Yu Nianzhao waved him over, "Did you find the person possessed by the ghost?"

Nan Guili stood in darkness, quietly watching her without speaking.

"Nan Guili?"

Yu Nianzhao frowned, noticing something amiss, walked closer and stopped, staring intently at him, "The ghostly aura around you is thickening; are you Nan Guili? Or...a ghost?"

Nan Guili smiled, "Does it matter who I am? I only want to warn you, meddle less, or those you care about will pay."