Pei Jue approached, sizing her up for a mont, his gaze falling on the snow-white, gentle curve of her jade neck, his voice slightly hoarse.
"Why are you dressed like this?"
Feng Yun looked down at herself.
She was only waiting for soone from the Tu Family Fort to co, her mind elsewhere, too lazy to change.
"The king bestowed it upon . Of course, I should wear it for the king to see," she replied, "Doesn’t it look nice?"
Pei Jue responded, "It looks nice."
Feng Yun saw the light in his eyes and shivered, stepping back, "Don’t get any funny ideas. I’m not in the mood for that today."
Pei Jue laughed, "I’m not a beast."
Feng Yun raised her eyebrows and relaxed a bit, chatting casually with him.
"The Ao Residence wedding banquet is all ready, isn’t it?"
Pei Jue nodded, saying little.
Feng Yun continued, "Has Xiaoqi returned yet?"
Pei Jue’s eyebrows slowly furrowed.
Seeing his expression, Feng Yun understood.
She chuckled softly, "It seems the groom must be waiting until the actual day to return and give everyone a surprise."
Pei Jue knew what was going on with Ao Qi.
But in this matter, Feng Yun had done nothing wrong and had always been open with him,
so the two never avoided the topic.
Pei Jue said, "The Pri Minister has sent soone to fetch him. He should arrive tonight."
He addressed Ao Zheng by his official title, rather than brother-in-law.
Feng Yun laughed softly, "It’s just youthful temperant; he’ll grow out of it."
Pei Jue watched her, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"You’re only a year older than him."
Age brings different tones, ways, and expressions in people, with apparent characteristics and distinctions.
Yet from Feng Yun often emanated a kind of...
world-weariness, as if she had lived a lifeti and seen through everything.
Pei Jue rembered how she had asked, "Can one return to the past?"
He was startled, and his gaze grew even colder.
Feng Yun, realizing his probe, smiled affably.
"I am wise beyond my years, unlike that child Xiaoqi. You should know, I was a prodigy who could predict wars at the age of three; he can’t compare..."
She spoke to dispel his doubts, her tone light, and even the last part of her sentence was tinged with jest.
Before she even finished speaking, she saw a change in Pei Jue’s expression.
That dark gaze, like the sky before a thunderstorm, piled with layer upon layer of clouds so thick they seed unbreakable; she felt suffocated just looking at him.
She also rembered the harsh words Pei Jue had said during their conversation about the Jin-Qi battle years ago.
What history he had with the Xie Family, Feng Yun couldn’t figure out for the mont, but Pei Jue’s eyes were frightening enough that she had to rein in her emotions.
"I wasn’t laughing at them," Feng Yun suppressed a breath of unease, and said sincerely:
"You know, I have never taken that battle lightly, and I feel compassion and sympathy for the Xie Family Army. And since it involves , I have been troubled by it for many years..."
Pei Jue remained silent.
Feng Yun observed the weariness in his eyes and brows.
"I know the things the king doesn’t want to speak of are pointless to ask about. But your reactions, they really make curious."
From visiting Xie Xian’s grave in Bingzhou to scowling whenever the Xie Family Army was ntioned, Feng Yun couldn’t help but speculate wildly.
"Could it be, General Xie showed you rcy...? A rcy on the battlefield? No, that’s not right, you were only a few years old then, what battle could you have been on..."
"There is a debt of gratitude," Pei Jue followed her words, "a debt as heavy as a mountain, impossible to repay."
"Hmm," Feng Yun nodded.
"The benefactor is gone; such a debt cannot be repaid. It is truly regrettable."
Pei Jue humd in acknowledgent but said nothing more, picking up the account book she had left on the wooden case and glancing at it.
"Chunyu Yan’s?"
Feng Yun said, "Business dealings."
She also glanced at it and said, "I’ve been too busy these days, haven’t had the ti to look at it closely. Let’s talk about it after Xiaoqi’s big wedding, there’s no rush for now."
Pei Jue made no sound, casually threw it to the side, went straight into the inner room to change out of his light armor, and ca out wearing a loose robe, nonchalantly walking over to Feng Yun, bending to adjust the beast-foot incense burner, and sitting down.
Feng Yun was taken aback by his actions and laughed.
Usually, he was in his military attire and she dressed ordinarily. Today, she awkwardly wore official robes while he, on the other hand, was dressed simply like a wealthy idler.
"Your Majesty, please wait; allow to change clothes before we talk."
"No need," Pei Jue said languidly.
Feng Yun smiled and was about to turn around.
The wide sleeves brought a cool whiff of fragrant breeze.
Pei Jue stopped her, casually pulling her into his embrace.
"Lady Yun is just fine like this," he said.
His voice, deep and magnetic like rich wine, plucked at her heartstrings, making Feng Yun feel wary...
"Your Majesty..."
She leaned into the bend of his arm, her gaze eting a pair of eyes as deep as ancient wells.
The incense smoke curled.
In the silent air lingered an ambiguous atmosphere...
Circulating within the breath of the two of them.
Pei Jue looked down, his fingertips gently caressing her fair and delicate cheek, slowly finding her lips.
Feng Yun instinctively opened her mouth, biting down.
Her teeth knocked against his finger, and she quickly let go.
Pei Jue chuckled low, moving to her hot earlobe and giving it a pinch.
"This look is very beautiful."
"Improper," Feng Yun’s cheeks ward slightly as she glanced at the sunset glow on the western window, "Lady Tu is taking a rest in the side room, and later we have important matters to discuss..."
Pei Jue humd, "What about when it’s late at night and all is quiet?"
He wasn’t the type to tease and flirt, and even such words were uttered with utmost seriousness, but in a warm and soft tone, just like when he was "asking for sothing" with a clever look exposed.
Feng Yun, helpless yet amused, shot him a glance.
"Then you may have to wait."
As they spoke, the sunset receded, and the sky gradually darkened into night.
At this ti of year, night falls quickly, and once it arrives, Huaxi Village quiets down from the day’s hustle and bustle, serene amidst the dim lights.
Therefore, the urgent sound of horse hooves on the village road, still at a distance, reached the manor.
Xiaoman knew Feng Yun was waiting for soone from the Tu Family, hurried out to have a look, then rushed back ecstatically, exclaiming:
"Madam, Madam, they’re back..."
Feng Yun looked at Pei Jue, "Your Majesty, please rest; I may be late, don’t wait for ."
"It’s fine," Pei Jue strode with his long legs, sitting back at the wooden case, casually picking up the account book Feng Yun had placed on the desk, "I’ll wait."
The oil lamp flickered, its fla dancing.
Without his heavy armor, the man’s handso figure appeared even more striking and outstanding in front of the wooden case.
Feng Yun took another look, nodded without saying anything more, and left with Xiaoman to find Lady Tu.
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