Feng Yun glanced at his emotionless face, shook her head regretfully, and let out a soft sigh.
"She wanted to live, her face full of desperation for survival, begging to save her. But alas, the injuries reached her lungs—it was beyond help."
Pei Jue’s gaze sharpened slightly, "Did she say who did it?"
Feng Yun shook her head, her brows furrowing tightly, as though striving to recall sothing, her tone carrying a faint chill.
"At that ti, she was no longer able to speak clearly... She grasped my hand and seed to say two indistinct words..."
She hesitated, pondering for a mont, as if preparing to say sothing but swallowing it back instead. Facing Pei Jue, she said:
"I didn’t catch it."
Pei Jue nodded, "Then there’s no need to dwell on it further."
Feng Yun curled her lips into a faint smile, "I thought your return tonight was to condemn ?"
Pei Jue glanced at her, "How shallow of you."
Feng Yun paused briefly, found the comnt sowhat amusing, but recalling that he had just lost his sister, it seed inappropriate, so she stifled her smile awkwardly, "Has the Imperial Court been giving you trouble?"
She didn’t need anyone to tell her—she could easily guess the situation Pei Jue was facing.
The entire court, both civil and military officials, likely felt uneasy about her Changn Forces.
More unsettling was the fact that Pei Jue had only one wife, her, yet so many years had passed, and still, there were no heirs...
The tumultuous court dynamics shifted like the winds and clouds.
The more support Pei Jue received from his allies in the past, the more they cared about the matter of establishing an Empress now.
Because Pei Jue’s rule directly tied to their own prosperity and fortune.
Only with Pei Jue’s dynasty safely passed down could their descendants benefit from his protection...
Thus, the contributions made to the Dragon’s rit often turned into shackles—a rope that binds, and the good advice once offered often transford into knives that backstab.
Only this ti, as the blade was thrust down, the edge pointed solely at her.
Feng Yun watched Pei Jue remain silent, guessing his spirits were low. After so thought, she chuckled and said:
"What’s the matter? Unhappy? Or... do you not believe what I said?"
Pei Jue shook his head, "I believe you."
Feng Yun breathed a sigh of relief, laughed, and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down, planting a kiss on his cheek, "Sleep early. Look at your eyes... So weary, so fatigued. Ayuan was indeed right, isn’t it tough being Emperor?"
Pei Jue’s gaze swept over her face, "Lady Yun."
He gently held Feng Yun, wrapping her and the soft quilt together in his embrace, "You should return to Andu for now, to lie low."
Feng Yun’s heart skipped slightly.
She had long prepared for the journey back to Andu; Pei Jue had noticed it too. This was, in fact, matching the trends of the ti. But the misunderstanding in the previous life caused by Li Sangruo, and now being sent back again due to Li Sangruo’s death—it stirred up peculiar emotions within her.
"Alright." She agreed without hesitation.
"My luggage is all packed—ready to depart at any ti..."
That night, they didn’t discuss much about Li Sangruo’s death.
Pei Jue didn’t bring up the topic himself, and Feng Yun, not one to be overly kind, didn’t feel a need to dwell on it. Even though Li Sangruo had just called her "sister-in-law" before dying, the resentnt persisted—it didn’t dissolve just because of death.
Who hasn’t died before?
In her past life, Li Sangruo had beaten Xiaoman to death and cost Feng Yun her life.
This life, dying in front of her and Xiaoman—wasn’t it karma, an inevitable reckoning?
Feng Yun felt no extra sympathy.
What lingered instead was curiosity—
Who exactly had stabbed Li Sangruo to death in Cixin Hall?
i Xiang had already been questioned by the Imperial Cavalry Division.
News ca quickly from Luo Yue. By the next afternoon, Feng Yun learned that the little maid had written a farewell letter in prison, accusing Feng Yun of murder before taking her own life in loyal tribute to Li Sangruo.
"Sister, what do you make of that little maid? Hurting you was unforgivable, but how could she just decide to end her life so abruptly?"
Luo Yue shuddered and, speaking of i Xiang, gritted her teeth in hatred, "When Wei Zheng ntioned this, I felt so infuriated—I wanted to skin her alive! My poor sister must have been so distraught..."
Feng Yun shushed her, glanced at her rounded belly, and gently caressed it.
"Don’t say such unsettling things. What if Da Bao overhears and gets frightened, hmm? Isn’t that right, my little darling..."
"How could he possibly hear?" Luo Yue’s lips twisted slightly, as she tightly grabbed Feng Yun’s hands, staring at her with reluctance.
"Are you truly going back to Andu?"
Feng Yun gave a soft smile, "Do you want to co back with ?"
Luo Yue sighed with regret, "I’d love to go back with you, but I’m carrying a child... I have to wait until the baby is born at least."
This sentint, it seed, had lingered for years.
One pregnancy after another.
After the first, there was the second.
Now with the third, the idea of returning to Andu seed an unattainable dream.
Feng Yun smiled at her, patted her hand, "Take care of yourself."
Luo Yue’s eyes turned red instantly, "Who knows what the situation will be like when we et again... Even His Majesty wouldn’t insist on keeping you here..."
She suddenly realized her misstep, awkwardly smiled at Feng Yun, and added:
"It’s all those self-righteous fools—why can’t won lead their own forces, or own retinues, or even beco Empress? Ridiculous! They are utterly ridiculous..."
Just last night, she had a quarrel with Wei Zheng over this matter. Speaking of it now, she was still fuming, her words full of indignation on Feng Yun’s behalf.
Feng Yun gave a faint smile in response.
"They have their positions, and rightly so."
Luo Yue hadn’t expected her to voice understanding for the court’s stance and was briefly stunned, her expression betraying a mix of shock and sorrow.
"His Majesty doesn’t suppress these people and lets them prattle nonsense. If it were , I’d slap them all right across the face!"
Feng Yun chuckled softly, "His Majesty has his own difficulties..."
"He’s already Emperor—what difficulties could he possibly have?"
"Luo Yue." Feng Yun tightly grasped her hand, "In a man’s heart, apart from won, there’s always his realm. Governance isn’t for you or to comnt on. Even if you don’t think their actions are fair, rember to watch your words. Disaster can co from the tongue."
Luo Yue froze, glanced around cautiously, and whispered, "Sister... Do you not trust him anymore?"
Feng Yun looked at her earnestly and suddenly laughed, "He and I have our own way of trusting one another."
Hearing this, Luo Yue exhaled deeply.
"Very well, it’s good for you to take so ti to lie low. When Wei Zheng shared his concerns, I was so frightened for you. The court is truly ruthless; they’re practically itching to flay you alive..."
Watching her gnash her teeth with hatred, Feng Yun couldn’t stop laughing, glancing at her belly to offer consolation.
"Don’t upset the baby."
Luo Yue noticed her consistent calm deanor and couldn’t stop herself from becoming emotional again.
Shi’er Niang had always been strong and resilient, seeming invincible—like nothing in the world could hurt her, no challenge could break her down...
Yet these shoulders—how delicate they still were.
At the end of the day, she was still just a woman.
Luo Yue’s eyes brimd with tears, "When you leave, I’ll co see you off. I’ll bring Da Bao with ."
Feng Yun handed her a handkerchief, speaking warmly with a smile, "Alright."
-
The Empress Dowager’s death stirred intense commotion.
As court and society erupted into chaos over her demise, Feng Yun quietly left the capital with her entourage.
That day, the weather was clear. Doctor Yao flipped through the almanac and said that leaving at Yin Ti would be most auspicious, so she woke early especially.
Usually, by this ti, Pei Jue would already be attending court, but today he didn’t go. Instead, he changed into plain robes and personally escorted her out of the city, assigning guards from the Imperial Guard Camp to protect her along the way.
Everything that needed to be said had already been said.
At the end of the wind-swept road, gazing at the distant carriageway, the two exchanged a glance and said only one word to each other: "Take care."
-
By mid-June, Feng Yun arrived at Andu and returned to Changn. At the entrance of Huaxi, hundreds lined the road to welco her, their faces filled with enthusiasm—the joy in the air was palpable...
Fate works in mysterious ways.
Returning to Huaxi from Xijing again, Feng Yun had changed identities.
No longer the Feng Family’s daughter, no longer Princess of Yonghuai, but... the future Empress.
What others thought didn’t matter—little could hinder the Andu people from viewing Feng Yun as their rightful Queen. The Governor of Andu County oversaw the clearing of streets in her honor, personally arriving at Huaxi to pay his respects, with officials from Xinyi County, Yupu Prefecture, and Wanning County... governors of nearby areas waiting early in Huaxi.
In Huaxi, Feng Yun felt completely in her elent.
This place—this was her true "realm."
Xiaoman pulled open the curtain, half leaning out of the carriage to greet people passing by. This aunt, that uncle, exuberantly rry.
Outside Changn Village, the carriage stopped.
A group of people bowed deeply.
"Welco ho, Your Grace."
Your Grace?
Feng Yun’s lips curved slightly.
Though not yet officially conferred, as Pei Jue’s legitimate wife, this title was appropriate and not overstepping.
She lifted her hand slightly, "You may all rise."
The crowd thanked her for her kindness and then heard her laugh:
"To celebrate His Majesty’s ascension, Changn will host a feast tomorrow. I hope you will all grace us with your presence."
At the ntion of the feast, the tense atmosphere relaxed.
The crowd laughed and cheered, offering congratulations nonstop.
Feng Yun pursed her lips slightly, took Xiaoman’s hand, and stepped down from the carriage.
Just entering the main door, she spotted soone lounging lazily beneath the flowering tree in the courtyard.
Seeing her, he didn’t bow, didn’t pay respect, and the faint smirk on his lips seed visibly displeased.
"Long ti no see. Your Grace has grown... more prosperous? Is that a thicker waist I see—ah, fuller indeed!"
Feng Yun’s brow twitched slightly, watching as he slowly stood up and approached her. She abruptly covered her mouth with a handkerchief and made a dry heave, her expression full of disdain.
"Don’t provoke ."
Saying this, she turned away, "Xiaoman."
Xiaoman understood, shot a glance at Chunyu Yan’s confused face, and helped Feng Yun toward the inner chamber.
"Feng Shi Er!" Chunyu Yan watched her resolutely walk away, a surge of frustration rising in him, his chest heaving, his breathing quickening, yet he couldn’t utter a word for the longest ti.
Feng Shi Er truly despised him this much?
After so long without seeing him, not even offering a greeting was bad enough, but to react with outright disgust—the audacity!
Unbelievable!
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