Xiao Yunting snapped back to his senses.
Of course, he knew exactly what this “life-saving grace” referred to.
Back then, Xiao Yunting and Feng Caiwei were born only a few months apart. When he was sent to Mao Mountain, Princess Baorong and Noble Consort Xiao Liu had already caused the deaths of over a thousand people on that mountain.
At the time, even within Mao Mountain, there was internal division over whether they should keep the Imperial Grandson.
Empress Feng, far away in the capital, keenly sensed that Mao Mountain was no longer safe. She arranged for the Feng family to help secretly send Xiao Yunting to Mount Longhu.
The Feng family knew it wouldn’t be easy to safely escort Xiao Yunting there.
So, they devised a trick—“sacrifice the plum tree to preserve the peach.” They deliberately leaked false information, split their forces, and sent out decoys pretending to be Xiao Yunting to mislead the pursuers from Duke Chu’s household, even faking a fall off a cliff.
And at that time, the child who stood in as the decoy for Xiao Yunting—was none other than Feng Caiwei.
Naturally, Xiao Yunting’s master had been very worried. After all, she was just a little girl, nearly the same age as Xiao Yunting. If she were to die young just to save him, the cost would be far too cruel.
The master even offered to have his own disciple take Xiao Yunting’s place since his disciple was highly skilled in martial arts and had a better chance of survival if danger arose.
But the Feng family insisted on using Feng Caiwei. Their reasoning was simple—she and Xiao Yunting were born in the same year, and at the time, their age and size were nearly identical.
Fortunately, it all ended safely.
Empress Feng had reminded him of this many times throughout the years, constantly telling him to remember how much the Feng family had sacrificed—and especially never to forget the life-saving grace of Feng Caiwei.
The women of the Feng household soon came out.
Leading them was Feng Yuqing’s wife. They bowed respectfully to the Crown Prince and Xiao Yunting.
The Crown Prince quickly stepped forward with a beaming smile and pretended to help his aunt up. “Aunt, please, no need for so many formalities! All these years, I can’t count how many times I’ve missed the sour bamboo shoot and chicken skin soup you used to make. Now, finally, you’ve returned!”
Second Madam Feng quickly dabbed the corners of her eyes. “It’s just a humble skill… Your Highness is too generous to still remember us after all these years.”
Praised for his kindness, the Crown Prince’s smile grew warmer. He asked with a laugh, “By the way, where is Caiwei? I must thank her in person for saving my son’s life!”
Xiao Yunting glanced toward the group of women kneeling behind Second Madam Feng. His expression remained unchanged.
But Second Madam Feng looked a bit hesitant, as if there was something difficult to say.
The Crown Prince immediately raised an eyebrow. “What’s the matter?”
“Your Highness, that girl has always had a strange temperament.” Second Madam Feng glanced at Xiao Yunting somewhat awkwardly. “She said… back then, she was only a child. The decision to save His Highness wasn’t hers to make. Therefore, she doesn’t consider herself some kind of ‘life-saving benefactor’…”
The smile on the Crown Prince’s face became a little… subtle. “Oh? That’s what the girl said?”
Even Xiao Yunting was a little surprised. He had been thinking about what sort of reward would be appropriate to repay this life-saving grace.
Who would have thought that Feng Caiwei would be this unconventional?
Second Madam Feng sighed deeply. “That girl has been stubborn since she was little. Once she decides something, even nine oxen couldn’t pull her back! I always say she’s read herself into stupidity with all those books… but there’s no changing her.”
Feng Yuqing’s face also showed some awkwardness.
But he quickly added, “Your Highness, just let her be. Honestly, she’s not wrong. This was a decision made by us adults. She was only a child at the time—what could she possibly have understood?”
He paused, then added, “Besides, it feels inappropriate to make a big deal of it now. We are family—blood relatives whose bones remain connected even if broken. Speaking of debts of gratitude… that’s far too distant.”
The more magnanimous the Feng family acted, the less the Crown Prince could dismiss this with a mere reward.
He turned sharply to scold Xiao Yunting. “You fool! Why aren’t you thanking your granduncles and their family already? If it weren’t for them, you wouldn’t even be standing here!”
Xiao Yunting immediately cupped his hands and gave Feng Yuqing a solemn bow of gratitude.
Feng Yuqing waved his hands hurriedly. “Your Highness, please, please, there’s no need for such grand gestures—you’ll break me with them!”
In the front hall, where the Crown Prince and Xiao Yunting were being entertained, the lights were bright and the atmosphere lively.
But with even the women having been called out front, the back courtyard felt especially quiet and deserted.
Feng Caiwei calmly continued reading her book, not even blinking.
The maids, on the other hand, were restless.
Zhenzhu finally couldn’t hold back and quietly asked, “Miss… this is such a good opportunity. Why didn’t you go out with them?”
Feng Caiwei and Xiao Yunting were the same age. For girls on the frontier, most were married by this age.
Even in the capital, someone her age was definitely no longer considered young.
So many years had passed. The political landscape had completely changed. People and circumstances were no longer the same.
If Feng Caiwei didn’t seize this chance to make herself known… how would her marriage prospects turn out?
Especially since the family seemed to have that intention, she should be making an effort, shouldn’t she?
Feng Caiwei glanced at Zhenzhu with a smile. “What do you know?”
What was the point of going out now?
Xiao Yunting already had someone by his side—Qi Yuan, who had accompanied him through life and death.
Feng Caiwei could practically imagine how Qi Yuan, so completely different from all the other noblewomen, would strike Xiao Yunting like lightning the moment she appeared.
Men are very consistent—in that until the day they die, they are always attracted to novelty and excitement.
With such a shining gem already before him, if she were to appear now, flaunting her status as his “life-saving benefactor,” what good would it do?
She wasn’t about to do something so thankless.
Better to be direct—first, plant an impression in Xiao Yunting’s mind.
She had plenty of time. And even more confidence.
A woman who only knows how to fight—what kind of woman is that? Novelty fades quickly. It doesn’t last a lifetime. Sooner or later, Xiao Yunting would realize what kind of person was truly suited to walk alongside him.
And she… could afford to wait.
Zhenzhu didn’t quite understand, but sighed quietly. “Miss… then… about the banquet at Zhou Wang’s mansion—you’re not going either?”
The Feng family had just returned, and with such pomp and fanfare no less. Everyone in the capital knew that the Feng family was now the hottest name around.
As the Empress’s maternal family, though they had only just arrived back in the capital, the pile of invitation cards at their door was already sky-high.
If they wanted to re-enter the circle of noble families in the capital, attending these social events was inevitable.
Feng Caiwei chuckled softly, tapped Zhenzhu lightly on the head with her book, and said, “What nonsense. I’m just not going near the Imperial Grandson. Who said I plan to stay low-profile?”
She was walking a path completely different from Qi Yuan’s.
But no matter how different the paths were—she would walk hers with style and grace.
Zhenzhu didn’t fully understand, but hearing that her lady was willing to attend the banquet at least, she breathed a sigh of relief and quickly went to prepare her clothes and jewelry for the occasion.
Feng Caiwei put down her book, walked to the window, and looked out at the brightly lit front courtyard, listening to the sounds of laughter drifting over.
Her lips slowly curled into a faint smile.
First come, first served?
No.
She would always—always—come out on top.
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