The Aloof Lord's Mysterious Wife
Chapter 198: Tainted with the Eerie Aura of the Deceased

Chapter 198: Tainted with the Eerie Aura of the Deceased

Ye Siheng’s gaze flickered, his expression gradually growing solemn. "It is also possible that he came to Mu to seek vengeance for his aunt."

Ye Chengyan was taken aback, a shiver running down his spine.

Unable to hold back, he asked, "Hasn’t he already suffered a great loss at the hands of Uncle and Aunt? Doesn’t he know better?"

Ye Siheng lowered his eyes once again, slowly toying with his prayer beads.

Although Jiang Kingdom was but a small country, Xuanyuan Cang was rescued by a mysterious person and swiftly returned to Jianguo. It was unknown whether he still had the assistance of this enigmatic figure.

The reason Ye Siheng did not request troops from Jiang Kingdom was twofold: firstly, he did not know the origins of the mysterious person and whether they would protect Jiang, and secondly, he feared that Qi would take advantage of the situation and strike from behind.

Even if A’li had caused Xuanyuan Cang to suffer a great loss, they were ultimately mere mortals. If the mysterious person accompanied Xuanyuan Cang this time, it would be difficult to handle.

His well-defined fingers involuntarily tightened around the prayer beads, exerting a slow, steady pressure.

At this moment, he only resented being an ordinary person, but he also understood a bit of Daoist arts and immortal techniques. He would surely be able to assist A’li in every way possible.

"Uncle?" Ye Chengyan saw him lost in thought and became puzzled.

"I will instruct the spies and guards to be vigilant and increase their defenses," Ye Siheng said. "You should also be cautious in the coming days, preferably staying in the palace."

The palace was protected by formations and guarded by the Imperial Guards, making it the safest place in the capital.

"Yes, I will heed Uncle’s words," Ye Chengyan replied, bowing.

"If there is nothing else, I will take my leave."

Ye Siheng waved his hand, but as he raised his gaze, he noticed a faint aura lingering around Ye Chengyan.

Although his eyes could now sense some auras, they were not as experienced as Nanli’s, unable to discern the nature of the aura.

"Wait." Ye Siheng furrowed his brow and spoke.

"It seems that you have come into contact with something unusual. When A’li returns, have her take a look at you."

These words frightened Ye Chengyan to the core.

He trembled as he anxiously asked, "Uncle, could it be that I have been haunted by a ghost?"

"Show some backbone. You are the Crown Prince and will eventually become the Emperor of Mu," Ye Siheng said.

Ye Chengyan had not been so fearful of these things before, but after experiencing so much in the past year, how could he not be filled with trepidation?

After all, those skilled in Daoist arts could instantly kill someone with a single talisman.

The waiting lasted for half an hour.

When Nanli returned, it was already late at night, and she was famished.

Seeing her exhausted face, Ye Siheng felt a surge of pity.

He left Ye Chengyan aside and washed Nanli’s hands before realizing she lacked strength.

He took a pair of chopsticks and fed her, ensuring she ate.

Nanli was indeed exhausted and didn’t bother with formalities.

She devoured the food, filling her stomach a bit and regaining some energy before recounting the difficulties she faced that day.

Most of the impoverished people in the slums had short lives.

Therefore, it was not uncommon for the sudden death of those who sold their longevity.

Numerous spirits rambled the land, but once the sun set, Nanli captured these spirits and opened the path to the underworld, where the ghostly officials meticulously verify each one.

Fortunately, she and the King of the Underworld were old acquaintances, willing to help her find a place to settle these souls whose allotted lifespans had not yet expired.

In this way, they need not wander in the mortal realm, sparing their souls from harm and ensuring they do not dissipate into nothingness, thus preventing them from being reincarnated in the future.

Ye Siheng then fed her a shrimp, saying, "You have worked hard."

The servants in the flower hall were already accustomed to this; with the prince present, they were not needed to attend to the princess.

However, it was the first time Ye Siheng had seen this!

He was dumbfounded, having only witnessed the prince’s icy demeanor towards others, never before experiencing such caring and considerate treatment from him.

Nanli had regained some strength and no longer needed assistance with eating, so she allowed Ye Siheng to eat as well.

Just as she picked up her chopsticks, she noticed a figure in the corner and asked, "Crown Prince?"

"Imperial Aunt,"

Ye Chengyan felt superfluous.

"When did you arrive? Let’s eat together," Nanli politely said.

"Nephew has already eaten, thank you, Imperial Aunt,"

Ye Chengyan deliberately moved closer, allowing Nanli to see him clearly.

After all, it was Nanli who possessed extraordinary Daoist skills; the prince might just be speaking nonsense.

Nanli paid him no mind and continued eating.

Ye Siheng remained silent, and Ye Chengyan didn’t feel comfortable for leaving, so he reluctantly stayed by her side.

Thankfully, his Imperial Aunt was kind-hearted and ordered a maid to bring him a chair to sit on.

Since his Imperial Aunt didn’t say anything, it meant he had no business to attend to, right?

Indeed, the prince was only an amateur in the Daoist arts, with mediocre abilities.

He felt a slight sense of relief.

Once Nanli had eaten her fill and regained her vitality, her gaze fell upon Ye Chengyan as she asked, "How did you come into contact with the aura of the deceased?"

Ye Chengyan thought he was in the clear, but upon hearing Nanli’s words, he nearly fell off his chair. "Wha...what aura of the deceased?"

"Just the literal meaning," Nanli stared at him intently, "In fact, it is quite normal for us to occasionally come into contact with the aura of the departed, but your aura is not quite normal. This aura is dense, indicating that this person has been dead for at least three months, right?"

Ye Chengyan then looked at Ye Siheng with a probing gaze.

He directly asked, "Do you have such a peculiar inclination?"

If they hadn’t had close contact, how could he have been affected?

Ye Chengyan understood the prince’s meaning and his face immediately turned red as he hurriedly defended himself, "Prince, you see through me, but I...I am innocent and have never had any peculiar inclinations!"

The person had been dead for three months, who would even entertain such thoughts when the body had already decayed?

After hearing this, Nanli pondered for a moment and said, "However, this aura of yours...why does it resemble Miss Rong’s from earlier? Have you two met recently?" \"We have! We just met today," Ye Chengyan replied.

Since Rong Dongling was about to enter the Eastern Palace, they didn’t have as many reservations, and their interactions had become somewhat intimate.

Nanli said, "Strange, I gave her a protective talisman earlier, which should have dispelled her aura."

Ye Chengyan’s whole body trembled.

Could it be that he, the future Crown Prince’s consort, had this peculiar inclination?

Ye Chengyan quickly responded, "Perhaps the aura of that deceased person was too strong to be dispelled."

"I have seen it, and it wasn’t very strong. I know what I’m doing when I draw talismans," Nanli said.

"The only possibility is that the deceased person has not been buried and their soul has not entered the underworld for reincarnation. Miss Rong visited them, which caused her to be affected once again."

Ye Chengyan raised an eyebrow and asked, "Would you like to go and see?"

Nanli hadn’t answered yet, but Ye Chengyan was already in a difficult position.

"Prince, could you please refrain from searching the Duke of Zhenguo’s residence?" Rong Dongling was the future Crown Prince’s consort, and if the Black Armor Guards searched the Duke of Zhenguo’s residence, not only would the residence be implicated, but his own reputation would also be tarnished.

Ye Siheng understood this reasoning and said in a displeased tone, "When did I say I wanted to search the residence? A’li, if she wants to go, she has her own methods." Ye Chengyan immediately felt relieved, only now remembering that Nanli possessed various types of talismans and could easily investigate the Duke of Zhenguo’s residence without making a sound.