Zhou Guiying’s friendly expression changed into a serious one.
"How did you know about Yunmeng?"
"The answer to that question is for me to know and for you to find out," Zhang Fengxi replied with a sweet smile. "Unless you are interested in a trade of information."
"Do you know where Yunmeng is?"
"Of course."
Zhou Guiying licked his lips. Zhang Fengxi could almost picture the gears turning in his head until he came to a decision.
"Fine. If you take me to where Yunmeng currently is, I will share you my secret."
"My pleasure. Come."
The two princes left the tea house without further ado. By then, the serious look on Zhou Guiying’s face suggested that all amorous mood had evaporated from his mind. The two ladies who kept sneaking hopeful glances at him were thus left disappointed.
Zhang Fengxi led the way with Xiao Huang, while Zhou Guiying cut through the air on his saber.
Zhang Fengxi could sense Zhou Guiying’s burning stare at the back of his head. He could not help but chuckle.
Who was Yunmeng? Officially Zhou Yunmeng, she was Zhou Guiying and Zhou Guizheng’s youngest sister. When she was but two years old, her then wet nurse kidnapped her and ran away with her to the Human Realm.
The Zhou family had searched the entire realm for traces of the little girl, but they had not been able to do so within ten years.
Now, Zhang Fengxi happened to run into Zhou Yunmeng in his past life, but by then she was already a cold corpse, one of the war casualties who were not able to escape in time.
Zhang Fengxi had wanted to return Zhou Yunmeng to Qingyuan Palace, but he lacked an adequate excuse to do so. In the first place, he was not supposed to know about Zhou Yunmeng’s whereabouts.
This time, thankfully, he did not have to explain how he found Zhou Yunmeng. Zhou Guiying should be happy enough to be reunited with his little sister.
Zhang Fengxi led Zhou Guiying to a small village in the Human Realm.
"Is it here?" Zhou Guiying was full of doubt.
"Yes."
Zhou Guiying stepped off his saber and picked it up from the air. He intended to march into the village like a lunatic warlord. Thankfully, Zhang Fengxi was there to knock some sense into him.
"Brother Guiying, don’t you think that you should be less ostentatious?"
Zhou Guiying glared at Zhang Fengxi, but then he sheathed his saber and hung it at his back.
"Better?"
"Much better."
Ten years had passed. Even though he was looking for his biological sister, Zhou Guiying was unable to recognize her. When he saw the first group of village children who played marbles on the ground, he squatted close to them and inspected them one by one.
The children naturally resisted being grabbed by a random stranger.
"Help! Help!"
"Papa! Mama! A weird uncle!"
Zhou Guiying flared up instantly.
"Uncle??? You should call me Big Brother!"
Zhang Fengxi clicked with his tongue.
"Brother Guiying, will you please stop catching random children? Come with me, I know where Yunmeng is."
At this time, Zhou Yunmeng was twelve years old. She does not go by the name Zhou Yunmeng. She instead responded to a new name that her wet nurse gave her.
Zhang Fengxi found the same girl some distance away. She was busy plowing a field with other children her age. Zhang Fengxi cupped both hands around his mouth and called out.
"Chen Yaoyao!"
The skinny girl looked up and furrowed her brows. The small village did not receive too many visitors, so she was naturally wary of strangers.
"Who?"
Zhou Guiying stared at Chen Yaoyao. Her hair was tied together in a messy bun. Her cheeks, arms, and legs were partially covered with dried mud. She wore a patched-up robe that showed off her skinny, tanned legs. Her feet were firmly planted into the muddy field.
"Is this...?"
"Your little sister Zhou Yunmeng. She is currently known by another name -- Chen Yaoyao."
Zhou Guiying whipped around and asked, "How are you so sure? She looks so... ordinary."
Zhang Fengxi rolled with his eyes. Did Zhou Guiying expect to find a little princess in a remote castle, waiting for him to pick her up? The wet nurse did kidnap the child, but she was unable to grant her the life of a palace princess.
At this time, Chen Yaoyao had just lost the wet nurse to old age. She was currently being raised by the village head.
Zhang Fengxi approached Chen Yaoyao, but the teenager stepped back in fear. Meanwhile, the other children dropped their tools and fled. They were probably alarming the village elders.
"Yaoyao, don’t be afraid, we are here to pick you up," Zhang Fengxi explained. "This is your biological elder brother, Zhou Guiying."
Chen Yaoyao shook her head. Her big, round eyes were full of fear and confusion.
"I-I don’t have any elder brother," she stammered. "I am a sole child. My mother passed away a week ago..."
"You do," Zhang Fengxi patiently explained. "Do you still have the jade pendant that your mother left you?"
"I... it’s mine."
"We won’t take it. Your real name is written on top of it."
Chen Yaoyao slowly took out the jade pendant. On one side, the mermaid sigil of Qingyuan Palace was clearly visible. On the other side, the three characters "Zhou Yunmeng" were neatly carved unto its smooth surface.
Zhou Guiying choked with sobs.
He no longer cared about the girl’s dirty appearance. The jade pendant was enough proof that this little girl was truly his sister.
Zhou Guiying pulled Chen Yaoyao into a hug.
"Yunmeng... it’s you, it’s really you..."
Stupefied, Chen Yaoyao was unable to respond properly. She tightened her grip around the jade pendant instead.
"Thanks," Zhou Guiying said to Zhang Fengxi with a broken voice. "Our Qingyuan Palace is forever indebted to you. In return, I will tell you what you want to know."