Feng Lezhen couldn’t understand what sudden illness had struck these men. None of them seemed to want to sleep at night, all showing up to bother her at this exact time. She was usually even-tempered, except for one thing—she hated being disturbed while resting. And now, within one day, she’d been interrupted twice. Even the most patient person would be at their limit.
She took a deep breath and coldly pushed Feizhan away, getting up to light the candles.
The room brightened, and under the candlelight, Feizhan’s gray-blue eyes looked nearly black, making his foreign features seem a bit more subdued, almost harmless.
Facing such a candle-lit beauty, Feng Lezhen had only one thing to say: “If you don’t want to be beaten to death by the Eldest Princess’s guards, you’d better hide yourself well.”
“Your Highness is planning to keep me hidden in a golden house, but shouldn’t you first ask if I’m willing?” Feizhan curled his lips, his eyes full of provocation.
Feng Lezhen didn’t waste words and turned directly to open the door.
Since the moment the candlelight lit up the room, Fu Zhixian and Shen Suifeng had both gone silent. When the door creaked open, they both stepped forward at the same time.
“Middle of the night—don’t you people have anything better to do?” Feng Lezhen said impatiently.
Shen Suifeng, looking perfectly innocent, held up the tray: “Didn’t Your Highness ask me to cook Four Seasons Soup?”
…She told him to cook soup, but when did she say to bring it over in the middle of the night? Feng Lezhen let out a breathy laugh in exasperation, but before she could say anything, Fu Zhixian spoke first, his tone faint: “So Mr. Shen can even cook Four Seasons Soup—how very multi-talented.”
Shen Suifeng acted as if he hadn’t heard the sarcasm, his grin growing even more brazen: “Anyone serving Her Highness should be somewhat skilled in everything—only then can one win her favor, isn’t that right, Your Highness?”
Sometimes the chemistry between people is just like that—if you don’t get along, you can’t stand each other from the very first glance, and with just a few verbal jabs, the mutual dislike becomes impossible to hide.
Fu Zhixian’s gaze turned cold, and just as he was about to speak, Feng Lezhen cut him off without any expression: “Leave the soup and get lost.”
The maid standing guard outside the bedchamber hurried forward to take the tray with both hands. Shen Suifeng raised his brows and handed it to her: “Make sure Your Highness drinks it while it’s still hot—it’s good for sleep.”
…If no one had interrupted her tonight, she would’ve been sound asleep by now—what need would she have for soup to help her sleep? Feng Lezhen’s face showed nothing but impatience as she waved him off.
Shen Suifeng, knowing when to retreat, left sensibly. Only then did Feng Lezhen turn to Fu Zhixian: “Why are you here all of a sudden?”
Fu Zhixian still carried the chill of the night on his body and said nothing.
Feng Lezhen smiled: “What’s the matter?”
“Is Shen Suifeng really a teacher?” Fu Zhixian finally asked.
Feng Lezhen raised her eyebrows slightly: “You came all the way here just to ask that?”
Fu Zhixian remained silent, simply watching her.
Feng Lezhen considered for a moment, then decided to speak frankly: “Do you remember that physician Qing Wangfei was desperately searching for all over the capital?”
“It’s him?” Fu Zhixian was a little surprised.
Feng Lezhen nodded: “It’s him. When I heard he’d left Qing Wang’s residence, I brought him back here.”
Given her personality, she usually couldn’t be bothered to get involved in things concerning someone like Qing Wangfei. But now she’d deliberately hidden the physician who had treated Qing Wangfei’s illness. Who she was doing this for seemed rather obvious.
They were both clever people—he should’ve let it go at this point. But Fu Zhixian fell into a longer silence, his mind repeatedly flashing to the way Feng Lezhen interacted so naturally with that man.
“You don’t believe me?” Feng Lezhen asked.
Fu Zhixian returned to himself and smiled: “How could I not? I believe whatever Your Highness says. I just don’t understand why you told me he was a teacher.”
“He has nothing to do in the residence, so he occasionally tutors Chen Jinan in his studies—he’s half a teacher,” Feng Lezhen explained, then glanced at him. “Whether he’s a teacher or a physician—what’s the difference? If I’d known Lord Fu would be so jealous that you’d come here in the middle of the night, I would’ve explained his identity properly from the start.”
Her tone was open and forthright, leaving no room for suspicion.
Fu Zhixian, keen as ever, let it go immediately: “Then Your Highness should make sure to explain it to him as well, so he doesn’t get the wrong idea.”
“What could he misunderstand?” Feng Lezhen smiled. “If you hadn’t deliberately provoked him, he wouldn’t have made those ambiguous comments just to rile you.”
“So Your Highness realized he was trying to provoke me on purpose.” Fu Zhixian raised his brows slightly.
Feng Lezhen crossed her arms: “If I couldn’t see through something that obvious, I’d have wasted all those years living in the palace.”
Fu Zhixian let out a rare laugh, his expression finally softening.
“It’s getting late. Go back to sleep. I need to rest too,” Feng Lezhen began shooing him out.
Fu Zhixian’s eyes flickered slightly as he slowly took a step toward her. “Curfew has already started.”
Feng Lezhen remained perfectly composed. “So?”
Fu Zhixian looked straight into her eyes. “Your Highness isn’t going to keep me?”
“Get lost.” Feng Lezhen tossed out the words and turned to head inside.
Fu Zhixian chuckled softly. As he turned to leave, his peripheral vision caught something on the bed—an ebony belt, casually left atop the layered blankets.
A man’s belt.
His steps halted abruptly. Just as Feng Lezhen was about to close the door, he reached out and blocked it.
“What now?” Feng Lezhen’s patience was on the verge of running out.
Fu Zhixian stared at her, silent for a long time before suddenly smiling. “What should I do, Your Highness? I still want to stay.”
Not knowing whether Feizhan had already left, Feng Lezhen naturally couldn’t let him in. “If you want to stay, go sleep in the side room.”
“Why not the main chambers? Could it be that Your Highness is hiding someone inside?” Fu Zhixian’s lips were still curved in a smile, but the hand pressing against the door gradually tightened, his knuckles turning white.
Feng Lezhen tugged the door twice but couldn’t close it. Her gaze turned cold. “Fu Zhixian, what nonsense are you pulling now?”
Fu Zhixian remained silent, locking eyes with her. The smile in his beautiful eyes slowly faded like a receding tide.
After a long pause, he suddenly withdrew his hand, regaining his usual calm and ease. “Since Your Highness isn’t willing, I won’t force it.”
Feng Lezhen frowned slightly. Only after watching him walk away did she turn back into her room, where her gaze immediately landed on the belt Feizhan had deliberately left by the bed.
…No wonder Fu Zhixian reacted that way. That b*stard Feizhan was truly reckless—he wasn’t even trying to hide his association with the Eldest Princess’s residence! Feng Lezhen took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed her anger as she called for her maid. “Take this thing and burn it.”
“Yes.” The maid quickly obeyed, grabbing the belt and hurrying off.
Feng Lezhen then ordered Ah Ye to summon all the guards on duty. After a furious scolding, she commanded them to reestablish the security arrangements. If anyone dared sneak in again, they might as well pack up and get out of the Eldest Princess’s residence altogether.
By the time she finished reprimanding them, dawn had already broken. She returned to her chambers, but by now, she had no more sleepiness left.
“Your Highness, I had someone reheat the Four Seasons Soup that Mr. Shen prepared. Please have some,” Qin Wan softly urged.
Feng Lezhen hadn’t properly rested the entire night and was indeed hungry. “Bring it here.”
“Yes.”
Qin Wan immediately had the soup served. Feng Lezhen sat at the table with a slight frown, gently stirring the soup with her spoon. She saw that the bowl contained over a dozen rare medicinal ingredients, a few of which needed to be simmered for at least three hours to remove their bitterness. Yet, when she tasted the soup, it was sweet and fresh without the slightest hint of bitterness. Not even the palace’s best medicinal chefs could achieve this flavor.
Just as Shen Suifeng had said—this was a bowl of soup truly one of a kind in all of heaven and earth.
After finishing the soup, the restless frustration she had carried through the night finally settled, and she began to feel sleepy.
Qin Wan dismissed the other attendants and, before she herself left, hesitated for a moment before finally speaking. “Earlier, when Lord Fu was leaving, he suddenly asked where Chen Jinan was.”
“How did you answer?” Feng Lezhen asked calmly.
Qin Wan replied, “I answered truthfully—resting in the side courtyard.”
“Hmm, got it.”
Seeing that her mistress was growing drowsier, Qin Wan lowered her head and quietly withdrew.
Feng Lezhen didn’t wake until afternoon. After getting up, she felt refreshed, without the usual grogginess that came after sleeping too long.
Feeling well-rested put her in a better mood. And in that better mood, she thought of Fu Zhixian, who probably wasn’t in a good mood. After a brief moment of contemplation, she asked Ah Ye to prepare the carriage—she planned to pay a visit to the Fu residence.
When Ah Ye heard she wanted to go to the Fu residence, she hesitated and seemed like she wanted to say something.
“What is it?” Feng Lezhen asked.
Ah Ye cleared his throat. “Your Highness, are you going to the Fu residence to see Lord Fu?”
“Who else would I go see?” Feng Lezhen was helpless—who else would she be going to the Fu residence for?
Ah Ye said, “Then Your Highness probably doesn’t need to go. Lord Fu’s carriage has been parked outside our residence this whole time.”
Feng Lezhen’s hand, which had been holding a hairpin, paused. “He didn’t leave last night?”
“He left, but he came back very quickly,” Ah Ye scratched his head. “You were already asleep by then, and this servant didn’t dare disturb you, so I didn’t mention it.”
Feng Lezhen paused and looked at herself in the mirror.
Fifteen minutes later, she personally pulled open the door of Fu Zhixian’s carriage.
Fu Zhixian was still wearing the same clothes from yesterday, but now looked even more exhausted.
The moment their eyes met, Fu Zhixian’s Adam’s apple bobbed. “Your Highness.”
“Didn’t you leave?” She lifted her chin, and even though she was standing lower than him, her gaze felt as if she was looking down on him from above.
Fu Zhixian stared at her for a long time before finally answering, “I left, but I came back.”
“Why did you come back?” Feng Lezhen asked.
Fu Zhixian didn’t answer. He just quietly looked at her.
There was no denying that Lord Fu’s face was one that could easily soften people’s hearts—especially those slightly reddened eyes from staying up all night, like a porcelain vase just beginning to crack. Feng Lezhen sighed softly and reached out her hand to him.
The corners of Fu Zhixian’s lips lifted slightly as he took her hand and stepped down from the carriage.
“About the belt,” Feng Lezhen said as she led him back inside, “I can’t explain it to you for now.”
Fu Zhixian said, “Your Highness only needs to tell me—last night…”
“No.” Feng Lezhen stopped walking and looked at him calmly.
The smile at the corners of Fu Zhixian’s lips deepened. “Got it.”
“You believe me just like that?” Feng Lezhen raised an eyebrow.
Fu Zhixian gently tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear, his voice hoarse from the sleepless night. “I know Your Highness’s temperament. If something really happened, you would have openly brought him out—you wouldn’t bother hiding.”
“You know my nature, yet you still got that angry last night?” Feng Lezhen clearly wasn’t going to let him off that easily.
“I am human, not a god. I can’t always stay calm. Besides…” Fu Zhixian paused for a moment and looked steadily into her eyes. “Lately, I’ve been feeling uneasy, like you’re hiding something from me.”
As soon as he said this, Feng Lezhen lifted her gaze. “Am I?”
“You are.” Fu Zhixian answered with certainty.
“There is indeed something, but you’ll know it on your birthday.” Feng Lezhen smiled lightly and looked up at him. “What about you? Are you hiding something from me?”
Fu Zhixian briefly lost focus. When he met her eyes again, he answered, “Yes.”
Feng Lezhen’s smile slowly faded. “What is it?”
“I can’t tell you.” Fu Zhixian looked at her steadily.
Feng Lezhen was silent for a moment, then seemed unconcerned. “Then forget it. After all, there are no walls in this world that don’t let the wind through. Sooner or later, I’ll find out.”
“That’s true.”
The two of them exchanged a glance and said no more.
The danger Feizhan left behind was brushed off just like that, but Feng Lezhen wasn’t going to let it go so easily. Two days later, news spread from the palace that Prince Feizhan had fallen into a lotus pond while walking at night.
“Prince Feizhan really is quite unlucky.” She took a sip of her tea and sighed leisurely.
Before long, August arrived. A hint of autumn wind began to rise, but the heat remained intense. The capital was as bustling as ever, and shops of all sizes had started putting out incense and offerings for sale.
The ninth day of the eighth lunar month was Jingyu Festival, a unique day of worship in the capital. Around this time, people would begin returning home to honor their ancestors, and the temples and Taoist shrines would be crowded with people praying and making vows.
Feng Lezhen didn’t revere gods or ghosts, nor did she believe in them, so she naturally had no interest in such festivals. But ever since the money in the Eldest Princess’s residence had constantly been tight, she made a habit of visiting the most famously “effective” Hongshan Temple every year, praying for the heavens to open their eyes and drop a golden child into her lap.
This year would make it her fourth visit.
“Is your wish still the same this year, to pray for a golden child from the heavens?” Early in the morning, Fu Zhixian came to escort her.
Feng Lezhen shot him a sideways glance, and out of the corner of her eye, she once again caught sight of Shen Suifeng strolling in the courtyard.
Shen Suifeng saw them too, and without hesitation, immediately turned and walked away.
“I’m thinking of changing my wish this year.” Feng Lezhen pretended not to notice him.
Fu Zhixian genuinely hadn’t seen Shen Suifeng. He held out his hand toward Feng Lezhen. “For example?”
“For example, praying that His Majesty stops losing his mind and dragging out our wedding date.”
Fu Zhixian was slightly stunned, his outstretched hand pausing in midair.
“What are you spacing out for? Aren’t you coming?” While he was distracted, Feng Lezhen had already gotten into the carriage ahead of him.
Fu Zhixian calmly withdrew his hand. “Aren’t we waiting for Ah Ye?”
“That little girl refuses to get up early—let her be.” Feng Lezhen shook her head at the thought.
Fu Zhixian chuckled and climbed into the carriage after her. Neither of them mentioned Feng Lezhen’s so-called wish again.
Hongshan Temple was the largest temple outside the capital. Even before dawn, crowds of worshippers had gathered outside the temple gates, eagerly waiting to rush in and light the first incense stick once the doors opened. Inside the temple, separated by just one wall, Feng Lezhen accepted incense from the abbot and placed it into the censer with one hand.
“If gods and buddhas care so much about the first incense, then they’re not much after all.” Feng Lezhen lifted her gaze to the mercifully lowered eyes of the Bodhisattva statue.
“Your Highness has always been very devout in past years. What’s changed this year?” Fu Zhixian rose from the prayer mat.
Feng Lezhen glanced at him. “Probably because the gods and buddhas are now useless to me.”
Hearing her reckless and fearless words, Fu Zhixian’s eyes filled with amusement.
“You were praying so seriously just now—what did you wish for?” Feng Lezhen crossed her arms.
“First, that Your Highness is safe. Second, that Your Highness lives long. Third…” The smile on his face slowly faded.
Feng Lezhen had only asked casually but now felt genuinely curious. “Third wish for what?”
“That’s a secret.” Fu Zhixian’s lips curled slightly.
Feng Lezhen scoffed lightly and didn’t press further.
After offering incense, the two shared a vegetarian meal. By then, the temple gates had finally opened and the people waiting outside flooded in like a tide. Finding it too noisy, Feng Lezhen and Fu Zhixian went together to the rear mountain.
The scenery at the rear mountain was beautiful, the air fresh and quiet. If there was one flaw, it was probably that it was too damp and chilly. Feng Lezhen subtly tightened her sleeves to block the cold air, and in the next instant, a cloak was draped over her shoulders.
She paused and looked up at Fu Zhixian, who was now without his outer robe. “Aren’t you cold?”
“With this lingering summer heat? How could I be cold?” Fu Zhixian looked helpless. “When we get back, forget choosing a birthday gift. Just go home and have Shen Suifeng check you over.”
“I’m not sick.” Feng Lezhen had lost count of how many times she’d said this.
Fu Zhixian’s eyes glimmered with amusement. “I never said you were sick, just asked him to take a look.”
Feng Lezhen tugged at the corner of her lips, pretending not to hear. Fu Zhixian sighed. “Your Highness is perfect in every way, except sometimes a bit too stubborn.”
“Being stubborn can be good, too.” Feng Lezhen looked up at him.
Fu Zhixian smiled. “That’s true. Being stubborn can be good.”
They wandered for a while longer and eventually grew bored, slowly making their way back.
“The scenery here is nothing special. If you really want to clear your mind, why not come with me outside the city tomorrow?” Fu Zhixian suggested.
Feng Lezhen didn’t answer right away. The mountain forest was quiet, only their footsteps softly echoing.
Just as Fu Zhixian thought she didn’t want to go, she slowly said, “Alright.”
Fu Zhixian smiled silently and was about to speak when the sound of a twig snapping behind them suddenly rang out.
The two turned their heads at the same time and saw several men in black sneaking toward them. Fu Zhixian’s expression changed instantly. He grabbed her hand and pulled her to run.
The men, realizing they had been discovered, shouted and charged toward them, with three of them blocking their way back.
Surrounded from both front and back, attacked from all sides.
Fu Zhixian’s face was cold as he firmly shielded Feng Lezhen behind him. “Who sent you?”
“Hasn’t the Eldest Princess offended someone? How could you not know yourself?” the leader of the black-clothed men shot back.
In her previous life, these people hadn’t even gotten close before being captured by Ah Ye and the shadow guards. Feng Lezhen had only seen them during interrogation. Facing this assassination directly now, she realized they were even more foolish than she had imagined. They hadn’t even confirmed whether the assassination would succeed, yet their first words were already full of holes.
Qing Wangfei must really have gone senile to use such useless fools.
Feng Lezhen shook her head. The next instant, the attackers charged. Fu Zhixian kicked a tree branch toward her; she caught it and spun it like a sword, defending while retreating with her.
These men were desperate and reckless, though their skills were mediocre. Fu Zhixian, bound by the need to protect her, was quickly at a disadvantage. The black-clothed men noticed his hesitation and began targeting Feng Lezhen directly with every strike. Realizing this would only get more dangerous, Fu Zhixian snatched a sword and thrust it into the throat of the nearest attacker, then swiftly placed Feng Lezhen behind a large stone.
“Stay hidden.” He left her with a cold command, then turned and charged back into battle.
Feng Lezhen calmly nodded, her eyes never leaving him. Now unrestrained, Fu Zhixian’s swordplay was like a soaring dragon and a dancing phoenix. In no time, he had slaughtered all the attackers.
When the last man fell, Fu Zhixian finally let out a long breath and turned to look at Feng Lezhen behind the rock.
“Don’t be afraid, Your Highness, it’s over.” He reached out his hand to her.
Feng Lezhen glanced at his hand, which trembled slightly from exhaustion, and walked toward him with softened eyes. Fu Zhixian’s gaze showed his relief, and just as he was about to go to her, he caught sight from the corner of his eye—deep within the woods, someone had drawn a fully-tensed bow.
“Your Highness, watch out!”
In the instant the arrow flew, his mind went completely blank. When he came to, he had already pulled Feng Lezhen behind him.
The sharp arrow cut through the wind and pierced flesh. In that moment, the sounds of insects and birds seemed to vanish, and the world spun. Feng Lezhen only felt a sudden warmth splash on her face. She reflexively closed her eyes. When she opened them again, she saw Fu Zhixian’s chest soaked in blood, his blue robe stained almost completely red.
“…Does it hurt?” Her voice was strained.
Fu Zhixian’s throat bobbed, as if he wanted to speak but couldn’t. He could only look at her silently. It wasn’t until Ah Ye and the others’ anxious shouts echoed from the distance that he finally seemed relieved, sinking into unconsciousness.
The journey from Hongshan Temple to the Eldest Princess’s residence usually took about an hour, but their carriage cut that time in half.
Shen Suifeng had been enjoying the breeze in the garden when he suddenly heard a commotion in the front yard. After a brief hesitation, he walked out to check and saw Feng Lezhen approaching with a group of people.
“Didn’t Your Highness go to offer incense? How come—” Before he could finish his sentence, he saw the bloodstains on her, and the smile on his face instantly froze.
“Come here.” Feng Lezhen continued walking forward, dropping a hurried instruction as she passed him.
It was only then that Shen Suifeng noticed several servants carrying a stretcher behind her, on which lay Fu Zhixian, an arrow embedded in his chest, eyes tightly shut, clearly unconscious.
This was a matter of life and death. Shen Suifeng, unlike his usual talkative self, immediately followed them into the main residence. As soon as Fu Zhixian was laid on the bed, he stepped forward to check his pulse and begin emergency treatment.
“Can he be saved?” Feng Lezhen only cared about this.
“He’s lucky—the arrow didn’t hit his heart. If it had been a finger’s width higher,” Shen Suifeng tapped the shaft of the arrow, completely ignoring the blood staining his fingers, “then even the gods wouldn’t be able to save him.”
After a pause, he added, “But it’s still not guaranteed. If he loses too much blood when we pull out the arrow, or if anything else goes wrong, his life is still in danger.”
Feng Lezhen’s gaze settled on Fu Zhixian’s tightly shut eyes. After a long silence, she finally spoke slowly, “You must save him.”
“I will do my best.”
As they spoke, several imperial physicians arrived in haste. Shen Suifeng glanced at them but paused briefly in his work to stop the bleeding.
“Please assist Mr. Shen,” Feng Lezhen instructed before stepping outside to give them space.
Basin after basin of bloody water was carried out. Everyone passing by wore heavy expressions and didn’t dare to breathe loudly near Feng Lezhen. She, however, remained calm, quietly standing in the courtyard, lost in thought.
“Your Highness, please wipe your face.”
A damp handkerchief was handed to her. Feng Lezhen came back to herself and met Chen Jinan’s steady gaze.
She stilled briefly, took the cloth, but didn’t use it.
Chen Jinan didn’t urge her, simply standing silently by her side, watching the people coming and going at the residence’s door.
“Until today, I never knew a person could lose so much blood,” Feng Lezhen said slowly amidst the silence.
“Don’t worry, Your Highness. Lord Fu will be fine,” Chen Jinan reassured her.
Feng Lezhen lowered her gaze and didn’t respond.
After a while, Ah Ye rushed over, speaking in a low voice, “Steward Qin has returned. The person is in the secret prison now.”
“Were they seen on the way?” Feng Lezhen asked.
Ah Ye pressed her lips together. “Steward Qin brought quite a few people with her. It’s already caused quite a stir—word will likely reach the palace very soon.”
Feng Lezhen’s eyelashes twitched slightly, but she continued to stare at the open doors of the main bedchamber.
Seeing that she had no intention of going to the secret prison, Ah Ye wisely said no more and stood silently with Chen Jinan, one on either side of her.
The sky gradually darkened. The lights in the main bedchamber glowed brightly, casting a warm hue even across the courtyard. Feng Lezhen remained standing just outside the doorway, waiting. Compared to the many people hurrying around her, she appeared eerily calm.
Once night had fully fallen, Qin Wan suddenly arrived in a rush and leaned close to whisper in Feng Lezhen’s ear: “That one from the palace has arrived—and brought several imperial physicians.”
Feng Lezhen looked at her, and she silently nodded.
Feng Lezhen lowered her gaze. “Let him wait.”
Qin Wan acknowledged and went to make arrangements.
Feng Lezhen, exhausted, pinched the bridge of her nose and headed straight for the main chamber. Ah Ye was about to follow but was stopped by Chen Jinan.
“Let Her Highness go alone,” Chen Jinan said calmly.
Ah Ye sighed and, in the end, didn’t follow.
Compared to when they had just brought Fu Zhixian back, the scent of blood in the main chamber was even stronger now. The once-clean bedding was now thoroughly soaked in blood. The renowned doctors Ah Ye had summoned were gathered around Shen Suifeng, their expressions tense as they discussed how to extract the broken arrow. The maids kept carrying out used gauze and basins of blood while bringing in fresh supplies. Everyone was busy, but Fu Zhixian’s complexion grew increasingly pale.
When the late emperor passed, his complexion also turned pale first, then took on a faint bluish tint, and after his final breath, it settled into a sallow, gaunt hue. Feng Lezhen stared at the deathly still Fu Zhixian, unusually dazed.
“Your Highness.” Ah Ye eventually came in. “That person is growing impatient and wants to bring the imperial physicians over, but Steward Qin is holding him off… when do you plan to go over?”
Feng Lezhen said nothing, quietly gazing at Fu Zhixian.
Ah Ye, helpless, whispered, “Your presence here is making the doctors nervous.”
Her eyes flickered slightly, and indeed, she saw that the doctors’ movements were restrained. Without a word, she gave Fu Zhixian a deep look and turned to leave. Shen Suifeng raised his eyes to watch her retreating figure, frowned, and continued discussing the arrow extraction with the other doctors.
Time passed, and soon it was midnight. No more basins of blood were being carried out, but the atmosphere inside the chamber grew increasingly grave. Feng Lezhen remained standing by the door, unmoved even though Qin Wan had urged her repeatedly to go to the front hall.
Finally, the visitor’s patience completely ran out.
“Your Majesty, please forgive us. Lord Fu’s life is still in danger. Her Highness the Eldest Princess will meet with you shortly.” A commotion suddenly broke out at the courtyard entrance as Qin Wan’s anxious voice approached.
“Shortly? When is shortly? Out of my way!” Feng Ji stormed into the courtyard, his anger palpable. Feng Lezhen turned upon hearing the commotion, and as the siblings locked eyes, Feng Ji’s furious words abruptly halted when he saw the bloodstains covering her.
Feng Lezhen seemed not to notice his brief shock and calmly looked past him——To the chief eunuch of the palace, Li Tong. The very man who, in her previous life, had ended her life.
In her previous life, he had been stationed at Lincheng overseeing palace construction and only returned to the capital a few days before the Mid-Autumn Festival. This was the first time she had seen him since her rebirth.
“Li Gonggong, when did you return?” she asked slowly, betraying no emotion.
Li Tong bowed respectfully. “Greetings to Your Highness. I returned this morning.”
Feng Lezhen finally lifted her gaze to Feng Ji. “Why is His Majesty so angry?”
Feng Ji had originally lost his temper at being made to wait, but seeing her covered in blood, his anger had somewhat subsided. Yet her question rekindled a trace of his fury. “I was told you and Fu Zhixian were attacked at Hongshan Temple. I kindly brought imperial physicians to visit you, but you left me waiting in the front hall for nearly two hours!”
“Fu Zhixian’s life is still in danger. If I have slighted Your Majesty, I beg your forgiveness.” Feng Lezhen lowered her eyes.
Seeing her concede, Feng Ji softened a little. “Forget it. It’s understandable for you to be distraught in this situation. The imperial physicians have been waiting—let them go in—”
“Your Majesty,” Feng Lezhen suddenly interrupted, “it’s best to send them back. The people you brought, I don’t dare to use.”
Her tone was calm, but her words were sharp as blades. Feng Ji was stunned, then flew into a rage. “What do you mean by that!”
Feng Lezhen turned her face away, completely ignoring him.
Since ascending the throne five years ago, Feng Ji had never been treated with such disregard. His hands trembled with fury as he was about to lash out at her, but Li Tong quickly stepped in.
“Your Highness, why are your words so harsh today? Is it because you’re upset about Lord Fu’s injury, or is there some misunderstanding with His Majesty?” Li Tong smiled kindly, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes bunching up.
Just then, a maid ran out from the room. “The arrow has been extracted! The bleeding has been stopped!”
Everyone in the courtyard turned to look at her. The maid quickly bowed and apologized, knowing she had been too abrupt.
Feng Lezhen said nothing, but Chen Jinan could tell she had visibly relaxed, the pressure around her dissipating. Standing beside her, the so-called Son of Heaven now seemed as dull as a cup of ash compared to her resurgent strength.
Feng Lezhen stepped toward the main chamber, but Feng Ji suddenly blocked her.
“You’re not leaving until you explain yourself,” he said, barely restraining his fury.
Feng Lezhen calmly met his gaze. “Very well. I will explain it clearly to Your Majesty.”
With that, she turned and walked toward the front hall. Feng Ji took a deep breath and, his face dark, followed her.
Once inside the front hall, Feng Lezhen sat directly in the seat of honor. After being provoked by her multiple times that night, Feng Ji was somewhat numb and sat across from her without protest.
As soon as he settled, Qin Wan presented a report. Feng Ji accepted it irritably, but upon seeing its contents, his anger reignited. “This is complete nonsense! When did I ever order Qing Wangfei to kill you?!”
“This is Qing Wangfei’s confession, complete with her signature and seal. The evidence is clear.” Feng Lezhen’s voice was calm. “Since Your Majesty knows we were attacked, you must also know that I had Qing Wangfei captured.”
She had sent dozens of guards to seize the Wangfei, parading through the streets for all to see. There was no way Feng Ji didn’t know.
“You’re saying Qing Wangfei is connected to the assassination attempt?”
“Your Majesty still wants to play dumb with me?” Feng Lezhen’s eyes were filled with mockery.
Feng Ji’s face darkened. “I told you I had nothing to do with this. Bring Qing Wangfei here, I will personally interrogate her.”
“Bring her here? So the Emperor can silence her?” Feng Lezhen countered.
Feng Ji slammed the table in anger. “Insolence! Hengkang, remember your place!”
Feng Lezhen lowered her gaze. “It is precisely because I remember my place that I didn’t report this directly to the Dali Temple for public trial, so that the world wouldn’t know that the current Emperor is a man who disregards family bonds and is cruel and tyrannical.”
“You—”
“Your Highness, please calm your anger. There must be some misunderstanding here. How could the Emperor, perfectly well, wish to kill his own royal sister?” Li Tong earnestly persuaded. “Why not summon Qing Wangfei to carefully question her and see why she would slander His Majesty?”
“Li Gonggong has already concluded she’s lying?” Feng Lezhen lifted her gaze toward him.
Li Tong smiled obsequiously. “Qing Wangfei has been widowed for many years. Suddenly being dragged to the Eldest Princess’s residence, she might have been so frightened that she spoke nonsense.”
“Oh? So Li Gonggong isn’t saying she’s slandering, but that I tortured a confession out of her?” Feng Lezhen appeared to suddenly understand.
“Your servant would not dare. Your servant simply feels that accusing the Emperor based on her sole testimony seems a bit hasty.” Li Tong hurriedly said.
“Hasty? I don’t think so.” Feng Lezhen narrowed her eyes. “Li Gonggong also knows that Qing Wangfei has been widowed for years, with no income in the Qing royal residence. The valuables in her estate have long been sold off just to scrape by. Yet days ago, she suddenly held a grand lotus banquet, and now she can even spend heavily to bribe desperate assassins. Clearly, she recently acquired a large sum of money. According to what I know, if this money came from the palace, it would certainly be recorded in the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ accounts. If we want to determine whether her confession is false or well-founded, why don’t we investigate whether this income is connected to the imperial palace?”
Li Tong furrowed his brow and glanced at Feng Ji, who quickly looked away with a guilty conscience. His heart suddenly sank.
“I just remembered,” Li Tong quickly said, “some days ago, I advised His Majesty to extend more compassion, so a sum of silver was allocated to her from the palace… Could it be that she used this silver to do such wicked things?” His face filled with shock.
Feng Lezhen smiled without speaking. “The Emperor ignored the Qing royal residence for years, yet after I opposed the canal construction, he suddenly gave Qing Wangfei a large sum of silver. She happened to use this silver to hold a lotus banquet, happened to sacrifice her niece’s purity to frame Fu Zhixian, and happened to hire assassins to kill me after the plan failed. So many coincidences all at once—Li Gonggong still believes it’s just chance?”
“In this world, no matter how strange a thing is, it’s not impossible,” Li Tong bowed respectfully. “As long as Your Highness and His Majesty remain of one heart, no amount of provocation can divide you.”
“Listening to you, you mean to have me endure this grievance in silence?” Feng Lezhen sneered.
Feng Ji could no longer endure it. “I’ve already told you this matter has nothing to do with me!”
“Your Majesty.” Li Tong silently shook his head.
That palace expenditure and Qing Wangfei’s confession together made the truth irrelevant. Once this matter became public, whether it was officials in court or commoners on the street, they would all believe the Emperor had colluded with outsiders to murder his only remaining blood relative.
Of course, no one in this world could punish an emperor. Even if this matter spread far and wide, it wouldn’t harm Feng Ji in the slightest. But history would show no mercy. For generations to come, this would remain his greatest stain. No matter how many achievements he might have in the future, it would never outweigh the brutal crime of murdering his own sister. And to attack his sister merely because she opposed the canal project would chill the hearts of his officials.
Feng Ji might not be clever, but he had been emperor for years. He quickly understood the crux of the issue and his expression darkened as he fell silent.
“Your Highness just said that you remembered your position, which is why you didn’t make this a public trial. I suppose you didn’t want His Majesty to face public condemnation either. Since Fu Zhixian’s condition is now stabilized, I can only ask Your Highness to swallow this grievance.” Li Tong spoke as he knelt low, his posture exceedingly humble.
Back when the late emperor was still alive, he had been the chief eunuch of the palace. After Feng Ji ascended the throne, he had continued to serve the new emperor faithfully. He was practically Feng Ji’s right hand. His kneeling now was essentially kneeling in Feng Ji’s place.
Feng Ji’s face turned even darker, but Feng Lezhen’s tone noticeably softened. “Gonggong, what are you doing? Please rise quickly.”
“Your Highness, if you do not agree, this servant will not rise.” A man who had thrived in the palace was now shedding tears without hesitation.
Feng Lezhen sighed helplessly. “Why must you push me like this, Gonggong…”
“Your Highness!”
“Fine. For Gonggong’s sake, I agree not to make this matter public.” Feng Lezhen sighed, finally compromising. But before Li Tong and Feng Ji could breathe a sigh of relief, she continued, “However, I can no longer remain in the capital.”
“What does Your Highness mean by this?” Li Tong quickly asked.
Feng Lezhen glanced at Feng Ji. “My own blood brother has developed the desire to kill me. If I remain in the capital, I fear I would soon collapse from constant fear and exhaustion.”
“I already told you, I had nothing—”
“Your Majesty,” Li Tong interrupted, frowning. Feng Ji coldly snorted and turned his back on them.
Li Tong gave an awkward smile and asked Feng Lezhen, “If Your Highness doesn’t stay in the capital, where would you go?”
“When the late emperor was alive, he promised me that after my coming-of-age ceremony, I could choose any fief within the Great Qian Empire. I simply never wanted to leave him, so I didn’t bring it up. But now, I think I must go.” Feng Lezhen slowly spoke, “Lingnan is hot, and Mobei is bitterly cold, but either is preferable to the heartless capital. I hope His Majesty will grant me this request.”
“Impossible!” Feng Ji absolutely would not allow her to leave his control.
Feng Lezhen lowered her gaze. “Then, to protect myself, I can only make this matter public.”
“You’re threatening me?” Feng Ji was incredulous.
Feng Lezhen calmly responded, “I would not dare. I only fear that if I die unjustly in the future, no one will speak for me.”
“You—”
“Your Highness, this is a grave matter. May I ask Your Majesty to consider it carefully for a few days?” Li Tong quickly asked.
Feng Lezhen looked away. “The latest deadline is the Mid-Autumn Palace Banquet.”
Feng Ji flung his sleeves and left in fury, while Li Tong, apologizing as he went, hurried after him.
When Qin Wan entered the room, she saw Feng Lezhen sitting alone in the main seat, eyes closed in quiet rest. Qin Wan hesitated for a moment, but finally broke the silence. “Your Highness, Qing Wangfei insists on seeing you.”
Feng Lezhen slowly opened her eyes and remained silent for a long while before speaking. “Call Ah Ye here to help me change.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
By the time everything was arranged and she arrived at the dark prison, half an hour had passed.
Qing Wangfei laid weakly on the ground, a cup of clear alcohol placed beside her. The fragrance of the alcohol spread through the cell, making her already parched throat feel even worse, but she stubbornly refused to touch it.
“This alcohol has quite a fine taste. Does Qing Wangfei truly not want to try it?”
A familiar voice came from above. Qing Wangfei twitched her eyelids and used all her strength to barely sit up. When she saw Feng Lezhen dressed in fine robes, she subconsciously straightened her own disheveled clothes before lashing out, “Feng Lezhen, you dared to abduct me in broad daylight and forced me to sign and seal a confession—how incredibly bold of you!”
Feng Lezhen chuckled softly. “You sound so wronged. Are you saying that the assassination attempt wasn’t your doing?”
“Whether it was or not is for the Dali Temple to decide. On what grounds do you imprison me here?!” Qing Wangfei demanded.
Feng Lezhen leaned down slightly, meeting her hate-filled gaze. “I warned you before to know when to stop, to not stir up so much trouble that you’d lose your own life. Why didn’t you listen?”
“Know when to stop? What a fine phrase… ‘know when to stop’…” Qing Wangfei laughed wildly, her eyes suddenly sharp with malice. “Why should I stop? If you hadn’t betrayed us at the last moment, Qing Wang would have already become emperor. He wouldn’t have ended up with his head separated from his body! I wouldn’t have been bedridden for five years, a useless cripple who can’t even walk!”
“Betrayed at the last moment…” Feng Lezhen looked at her mockingly. “You really dare to say it.”
Qing Wangfei panted heavily, her breathing like an old, broken bellows. “You probably don’t know, but before the late emperor passed, he summoned Lord Yu and the others to discuss the matter of the heir. After much persuasion from them, he had already considered establishing Qing Wang as crown prince. If it weren’t for you, if it weren’t for you—”
She was so consumed by hatred that she couldn’t finish.
“You certainly know quite a bit,” Feng Lezhen straightened up and put some distance between them. “But do you know, I was behind the screen that day, listening to my maternal relatives urging the late emperor to name Qing Wang.”
Qing Wangfei froze and looked at her in shock.
“During the early years of the late emperor’s reign, the harem was childless. Out of desperation, he selected from among the clan’s sons. Do you know why he chose Qing Wang?” Feng Lezhen’s lips parted with a gentle smile, but her words were cruel. “It wasn’t because of any great talent, but because he had the lowest status and was the most foolish. He served as a temporary solution to silence the ministers, yet posed no future threat should the emperor later have his own children. Nor would he ever be capable of harboring resentment or exacting revenge.”
“The late emperor was a wise and capable ruler remembered throughout history, but his greatest regret was his lack of heirs. To him, Qing Wang’s existence was a humiliation. Otherwise, when Feng Ji was born, the late emperor would not have immediately returned Qing Wang to the clan, nor would he have chosen the least favored daughter among the Liang family to marry him.”
Qing Wangfei’s breathing grew heavier. “Impossible. Impossible! The late emperor chose me because I was most cherished by my father and brothers. I—”
“How much dowry did your father and brothers provide when you married? All Liang daughters who married out took a large dowry. How much did your family give you?” Feng Lezhen suddenly interrupted.
Qing Wangfei snapped back, “Our family was struggling in those years. I voluntarily declined!”
“Struggling? Yet right after you married, they bought your brother a six-courtyard mansion,” Feng Lezhen laughed softly. “Maybe you truly did decline, but when you tried to frame Fu Zhixian, you deliberately chose your brother’s most beloved daughter. Wasn’t that out of jealousy? If you were the most cherished, what were you jealous of?”
“Stop trying to sow discord! I’m Yue’er’s own aunt. Why would I be jealous of her?!” Qing Wangfei grew angrier but, when she met Feng Lezhen’s gaze, she suddenly laughed. “You’re the one who’s jealous. Even if you overheard behind the screen, so what? If the late emperor never intended to make Qing Wang emperor, why would he summon Lord Yu and the others?”
“That was the late emperor’s way of making me see clearly that even if Feng Ji could not ascend the throne, I would never be allowed to become emperor either—at least not then. Since I could not take the throne, I naturally had to help Feng Ji secure his position. I couldn’t let the Great Qian Empire fall into the hands of outsiders. As for your so-called betrayal… betrayal did occur, but who betrayed whom—it seems Qing Wangfei doesn’t know.”
A hint of ridicule flickered in Feng Lezhen’s eyes. “Insignificant pawns—only because I needed a puppet to oppose Feng Ji, so I could use that momentum to rise. Yet you dared to form secret alliances behind my back and even covet the throne? Utterly foolish.”
“Impossible. Absolutely impossible. You’re lying. You’ve always been good at lying…” Qing Wangfei’s eyes began to glaze over as she murmured to herself in denial.
Feng Lezhen gazed down at her for a long while before speaking calmly, “For the sake of our former friendship, I specially came to see you off on your final journey—and to answer the questions that have plagued you for years. When you reunite with Qing Wang, don’t forget to send him my regards.”
“You will face retribution. You will definitely face retribution. I will wait for you on the road to the underworld, watching you meet a fate a thousand times more miserable than mine!” Qing Wangfei screamed after Feng Lezhen’s departing figure, her voice growing shrill and twisted. “I heard Fu Zhixian is gravely injured, that his blood trailed from Hongshan Temple all the way to the Eldest Princess’s residence. Perhaps he’ll reach the underworld before me!”
Feng Lezhen stopped and turned back with a blank expression.
Qing Wangfei stared at her fixedly, her face contorted with excitement. “Feng Lezhen, how does it feel to lose the one you love? Remember, he ended up like this because of you. Every beautiful dress you wear from now on will be stained with his blood. Every delicacy you eat will be his flesh. You must spend your whole life wracked with guilt over his death—never free, even in death…”
“The person who shot—did it from dozens of meters away and hit precisely one inch below his heart. Are you sure the rabble you hired had that kind of skill?” Feng Lezhen looked at her with a hint of pity. “Guilt? Remorse? You really underestimate me.”
Qing Wangfei froze, and when she realized what Feng Lezhen meant, a chill spread through her whole body.
Autumn had arrived. Even though it was deep into the night, the weather was still oppressively hot. The entire Eldest Princess Residence was filled with a restless heat, except for the entrance to the dark prison, where it remained somewhat cool.
Ah Ye had been waiting a long time for her mistress and was growing increasingly bored. She absentmindedly scratched a cross on the stone wall ten meters away and tossed pebbles at it for fun. The pebbles varied in size and weight, but every one she threw struck the center of the cross without fail.
