Ruyue Pavilion was the only palace building in all of Tayuan’s royal palace with a waterside pavilion. Both the courtyard’s design and the layout inside were complete imitations of the southern architecture of Great Qian. Though the palace wasn’t large, the attention to detail made its purpose clear.
This was Luo Ying’s residence. As the “daughter-in-law,” Feng Lezhen had rarely come here—this visit was only her third, counting generously. Unlike her previous drop-ins, this time she walked the courtyard twice, carefully examining every plant and stone, before finally turning to the visibly nervous woman behind her.
“To maintain the garden this well… seems the Tayuan King does have some genuine affection for you,” she said slowly.
Luo Ying forced a dry laugh and did not take offense at her rudeness. “His Majesty has always treated me very well.”
For reasons she couldn’t explain, from the very first time she’d met this “daughter-in-law,” she’d felt an instinctive unease—and that hadn’t changed to this day.
Feng Lezhen gave her a cool, casual glance. “So while Feizhan was away from Tayuan all those years, I suppose you lived rather well.”
“Y-yes,” Luo Ying perked up and replied.
At that moment, the servants had gone to fetch tea, leaving just the two of them in the courtyard. Feng Lezhen’s lips curved slightly upon hearing her admit it. “No wonder then. Even when Feizhan was trapped for so long in the Great Qian palace, you never thought to find a way to rescue him. Turns out your own days were too comfortable to be bothered with your son.”
“I—I…” Luo Ying nodded reflexively, but once she registered the implication, her eyes flew wide in panic. “No! Never! How could I not care about my son? He went to Great Qian as a hostage for the sake of peace between the two nations—what could I possibly have done?”
“The Tayuan King had five sons. In these past years, two have died. When he sent Feizhan to Great Qian, all five brothers were still alive. Why not send someone else? Why him?” Feng Lezhen pressed.
Luo Ying said awkwardly, “I didn’t want him to go either. But he has Great Qian blood, and compared to the other princes, the royal family of Great Qian would be more inclined to accept him. That’s why His Majesty made that decision. I’ve always felt guilty over it, but fortunately he lived well in Great Qian, and was well educated. Now that he’s back, we’re finally reunited.”
“‘Lived well,’ huh…” Feng Lezhen gave an ambiguous smile, and her expression suddenly cooled. “You really think he lived well?”
“W-what do you mean?” Luo Ying didn’t understand. As Feng Lezhen stepped closer, she involuntarily took a step back.
“He was nearly nine when he went to Great Qian. That means he lived by your side for nine years. Do you really not remember what kind of child he was back then?” Feng Lezhen’s lips curled, but her gaze was icy. “If you’ve forgotten, I can remind you. I don’t know what lies you and the King told him, but you made him believe he was going to Great Qian as a guest. When he first entered the palace, he was like a wild cub who knew no fear—rash and impulsive. He offended many royal children who studied alongside him. Do you know how those children retaliated?”
“W-what…” Luo Ying stammered.
Feng Lezhen gave a cold smile. “In the dead of winter, they threw him into freezing water and left him there for an entire hour. When they finally dragged him out, he was stiff all over—but they wouldn’t let him change clothes. Only after his face turned pale from the cold did they throw him into a room. That night, he burned with fever but no one came to check on him. If not for his stubborn will to survive, he’d be a frozen corpse. But even then, those children weren’t done. Do you know what else they did?”
“What…” Luo Ying’s mind had gone blank. She kept replaying Feng Lezhen’s words.
Feng Lezhen’s eyes were deep black, her voice calm but chilling. “They killed the only servant he trusted.”
Luo Ying flinched violently.
“That servant was someone Tayuan had sent with him—some kind of nursemaid or governess. Judging by your reaction, I assume you knew her?” Feng Lezhen gave a faint smile.
Luo Ying backed away. “N-no! Ah Luo… Ah Luo died of illness from not adapting to the climate… how could…”
“Since when does ‘climate sickness’ leave a body with three stabs and six cuts?” Feng Lezhen countered coldly.
Luo Ying’s eyes widened in horror.
“Do you know how Feizhan reacted when he saw the only person he trusted killed?” Feng Lezhen’s voice was low. “He didn’t scream, didn’t cry. He locked himself in a room with the corpse, refused to eat, drink, or sleep. Not until the body started to rot did I force a burial. Only then did he begin to act ‘normal’ again.” She paused and turned her eyes back to Luo Ying. “No—he only seemed normal. What he truly thought, no one knows. All I do know is that a few years ago, when I went to visit him, I saw an urn in his room.”
She smiled faintly at the memory. “The body had already rotted, the nails and hair grown long, yet he still dug it up and cremated it—kept the ashes right in his main hall.”
Luo Ying’s face went deathly pale, as if she might throw up.
“Y-you… why…” After a moment, she managed to speak. “Why do you know all this?”
Feng Lezhen’s face remained calm. “Naturally, Feizhan told me himself.”
“He… why would he…”
“Why would he tell me and not you?” Feng Lezhen asked the question for her. “You should ask yourself that, Third Consort. When the princes were sent as hostages to Great Qian, every mother fought to protect their sons—except you. You followed the King’s will without question. And over all these years, you never once checked on him, simply believing the King’s claim that he was doing well. Now that he’s returned, you only care about your own joy. Never once did you think about what he might have endured. So tell me—why should he confide in you?”
“I did consider him…” Luo Ying couldn’t help but retort, but when her gaze met Feng Lezhen’s, she faltered a little. “Of course I thought about it. He’s already back now, and he has a wife. Wouldn’t it be best for our family to live peacefully and grow old together?”
“That’s the future you want, not what he wants,” Feng Lezhen gave a light laugh. “You’re his mother—don’t you know what it is he truly wants?”
Luo Ying turned her eyes away. Only after a long pause did she say softly, “With his bloodline, anything else is just wishful thinking.”
“His bloodline is thanks to you. Since you knew Tayuan would never accept him, then you never should’ve brought him into this world in the first place,” Feng Lezhen’s voice was emotionless. “He’s a man, so I suppose he’s lucky. But what if he had been a girl? From what I’ve heard, in Tayuan, girls with impure bloodlines—even royal-born ones—aren’t allowed to be proper wives, are they?”
“You’ve never been a mother—how would you understand a mother’s heart!” Luo Ying finally snapped back. “Now that you’ve married into Tayuan too, once you’re pregnant, you’ll understand how I feel.”
“If I knew that my child would be born inherently beneath others, then I’d either deny her the chance to be born at all, or I’d give everything I have to change the world she’s born into. And what did Her Highness the Third Consort do? Just lie in bed whispering sweet nothings to the Tayuan King?” Feng Lezhen let out a cold laugh. “I may not be a mother, but I was born of one. My mother schemed and planned for me, gave me everything she could. Compared to her, you—who are a mother—don’t seem to know what being a mother really means.”
Luo Ying’s breath hitched. She found herself unable to argue.
“You know everything. You know your son wouldn’t have an easy time in Great Qian, and you know he never wanted to live out a bland, ordinary life. You know it all. You just don’t want to admit it—that as a mother, you were selfish and you failed. You only want to keep the peace on the surface, to force everyone to live the life you envision.”
Feng Lezhen’s words were like knives, cutting Luo Ying’s so-called dignity to shreds.
The servant who had gone to fetch water finally returned, but before she could approach, Luo Ying raised a hand to wave her off.
Once again, only the two of them remained in the courtyard. In the silence, Luo Ying asked softly, “You came all this way to say all this to me. What exactly do you want?”
After all that talk, they were finally getting to the point. Feng Lezhen looked at her with satisfaction, then pulled a small medicine bottle from her sleeve.
“Feishai is dead. The Eldest Consort’s clan now stands behind Feizhan. We just need a little help from you—to help him ascend to the heir’s position faster.” As she spoke, she forcefully pressed the bottle into Luo Ying’s hand.
Luo Ying’s hand trembled. “Wh-what is this? What do you mean?”
“Something that’ll make the Tayuan King fall ill. Don’t worry—it won’t take his life. When the time comes, he’ll get the antidote.” Feng Lezhen spoke slowly and calmly.
Luo Ying suddenly threw the bottle to the ground. “You want me to…”
Afraid the walls had ears, she cut herself off mid-sentence.
“You don’t have to help. But if you don’t, we’ll be forced to seize the throne by force. If we succeed, the Tayuan King will surely die. If we fail, Feizhan will die. Either way, you’ll lose your husband or your son,” Feng Lezhen’s voice softened a little. “But if you do what we ask, you can save them both.”
“Impossible!” Luo Ying refused without hesitation. “I will never betray the King!”
“Then get ready to bury one of them.” Feng Lezhen turned to leave.
“Stop right there!” Luo Ying shouted in anger. Seeing that Feng Lezhen didn’t pause at all, she chased after her. “You! I said stop!”
Only then did Feng Lezhen halt. “So the Third Consort has changed her mind?”
“I’ll go talk to Feizhan. He’ll change his mind.” At this point, Luo Ying finally realized—this girl was no innocent young woman her son had brought back, but a mysterious strategist he’d found somewhere.
Feng Lezhen gave a chuckle. “And how exactly do you plan to convince him? Same tricks as before? Cry, scream, threaten to hang yourself?”
She glanced around, then leaned in and whispered by Luo Ying’s ear, “I guarantee, if you use that move again, within twelve hours, your son will die right before your eyes.”
Luo Ying’s whole body began to tremble, her face growing pale.
“Using death as a threat isn’t a tactic that belongs to you alone,” Feng Lezhen straightened, looking down at the dazed woman. “In Great Qian, women are supposed to follow their husbands after marriage, sure. But once they have children, they usually think for the child too. A mother like you, who’d happily send her son away like some object just to please her husband, is quite the rarity. On this point, I’d say the other consorts of Tayuan are far better than you.”
Feng Lezhen paused for a beat, then sneered. “No wonder the Tayuan King has favored you for so long.”
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