The Minister Behind the Curtain Chapter 21

Being cursed didn’t anger Feizhan at all. Instead, he laughed loudly and raised his cup to toast her. The officials immediately turned to look at this foreign hostage prince, ready to reprimand him at the slightest breach of decorum.

But Feizhan simply held his cup, half-smiling as he looked at Feng Lezhen. “Surely Your Highness wouldn’t deny me this small courtesy?”

Feng Lezhen swept him a glance with a blank face, her hands resting on her knees without moving in the slightest, her silent refusal clear in her posture.

Feizhan truly was a madman. While others would feel awkward and tormented by such a scene, he remained perfectly calm, his hand holding the alcohol cup steady in midair, as if he were prepared to hold it there forever if she didn’t drink.

The standoff was set.

More and more officials were starting to pay attention to the situation here. Yu Shou, seated closest to the high platform, looked increasingly displeased but made no move. Others ran the scenario through their minds a thousand times, weighing whether they should step in to ease the tension, when suddenly a loud slam of the table interrupted them.

Everyone’s eyes immediately turned back to Feng Ji on the high platform. Even Feizhan’s attention was drawn by his thunderous expression.

“If the Eldest Princess does not wish to drink, why should Prince Feizhan insist?” Feng Ji said coldly.

“Yes.”

Other people’s words could be ignored, but the Emperor of Great Qian was not among them. Feizhan immediately set down his cup.

Feng Lezhen, seeing how obedient he was, shot him a sideways glance, her expression practically spelling out: So you’re only just this much. Feizhan looked innocently back, thinking, I’m under someone’s roof—knowing my place isn’t shameful.

After reprimanding Feizhan, Feng Ji turned his cold gaze to Feng Lezhen. “Hengkang.”

“Present,” Feng Lezhen replied, stepping forward to the front of the dais.

Feng Ji stared at her without speaking.

He was the former Emperor’s son. Though he hadn’t inherited his father’s looks, when he fixed his gaze on someone like this, there was still a trace of the old Emperor’s imposing air. As his silence dragged on, the court officials shifted from confusion to unease. The opera troupe on the stage fell quiet without realizing it. In the vast palace hall, a pin drop could now be heard. Everyone’s expressions shifted subtly—everyone but Feng Lezhen, who remained as composed as ever.

Feng Ji stared for a long while, until the air itself felt frozen, and finally spoke in a low tone: “I truly underestimated you.”

Yu Shou frowned at these words, his scrutinizing gaze falling sharply on Feng Lezhen.

“I don’t understand what Your Majesty means,” Feng Lezhen said with downcast eyes.

You don’t? Feng Ji smiled.

It was only now—seeing the documents brought in by the eunuchs, different from the ones before—that he realized he had walked right into her trap.

She had known all along that he’d ordered Fu Zhixian to forge evidence of treason. So she’d used the situation, leveraging Qing Wangfei to kill Fu Zhixian… no, perhaps even that assassination was part of her plan from the beginning. Qing Wangfei was just a pawn to lower his guard. If only he had seen through it earlier, if only—

It would’ve been useless anyway.

While he had used Fu Zhixian to lure her out of the palace, she had already sent people to switch out the evidence. Now, the trump card in his hand was worthless, while she held material and witnesses that could accuse him of murdering the imperial Eldest Princess. As long as he couldn’t clear that charge, he’d be forced to meet all her demands. Even if he’d discovered her plan earlier, the outcome wouldn’t have changed. The moment that evidence was switched, he had already lost.

“Royal Sister’s scheming truly chills me to the bone,” Feng Ji said hoarsely.

Feng Lezhen smiled faintly. “I only learned from Your Majesty.”

To return another’s move with their own, one must first suffer the original move.

Feng Ji heard the implication clearly. The hand resting on his knee slowly clenched into a fist. “Royal Sister is too clever for me to teach. I can only remind you to speak and act with caution—lest your cleverness be the very thing that ruins you.”

“Your Majesty’s guidance is appreciated.”

The matter was settled. What he held was now just waste paper, but what she had could turn him into a criminal at this very Mid-Autumn palace banquet. Feng Lezhen no longer needed to press for momentary advantage.

Their veiled exchanges left the court officials completely in the dark. None dared speak rashly—except, of course, one person.

“What are the Emperor and Her Highness talking about? I can’t follow,” Feizhan piped up cheerfully.

Feng Ji gave Feng Lezhen a steady look. “Just some idle conversation with my Royal Sister.”

Feizhan let out a knowing chuckle but didn’t continue.

Feng Lezhen smiled and generously gave him an out. “I did something wrong and angered His Majesty. I imagine those documents on the table are impeachment memorials against me.”

Feng Ji’s eyes flickered.

Feng Lezhen personally poured a cup of alcohol and walked step by step up the dais. The guards on either side made to stop her, but were held back by a single glance from Feng Ji. So she ascended without hindrance and appeared before him, kneeling slowly before the court and the palace attendants.

“Your Majesty,” she said in a low voice, loud enough only for Feng Ji to hear, “my counterattack was born of desperation—I didn’t wish for it. When I discovered Fu Zhixian had stolen my personal seal, my heart shattered. First, for the bedfellow who harbored secret intentions. Second, for the murderous intent of my dearest younger brother. After my grief, I reflected—and saw that in the years since your ascension, I truly did interfere too much, and perhaps that is what provoked your displeasure. Now I seek nothing but to preserve my life and leave the capital, far from its politics and intrigues, to live as a free, idle person. I hope Your Majesty will permit this.”

Her eyes brimmed with tears. Then, raising her voice so all could hear: “I beg Your Majesty’s pardon!”

Feng Ji looked at her expressionlessly. Though she lowered herself greatly, he knew in his heart—victory was victory, defeat was defeat. Tonight, only one of them could achieve their goal.

Under the eyes of all, he tossed the switched evidence to a young eunuch at his side. “Distribute these. Let the ministers take a look.”

“Yes.”

The eunuch hurried to obey, bringing others to help. Yu Shou, closest to the dais, was first in line. The eunuch, knowing Yu Shou loathed anything related to Feng Lezhen, hesitated—but Yu Shou snatched several documents from his hands without waiting.

The eunuch dared not offend him and quickly moved on.

The officials had expected some grave, classified content. But what they read was: the Eldest Princess’s carriage hit a vendor’s stall and didn’t compensate; trivial matters of that sort. For a moment, they were speechless… Who even submitted these? Did they really think this kind of thing could bring down the Eldest Princess?

“Y-Your Majesty, are you angry today because of these?” someone cautiously asked.

Feng Ji fixed his gaze on Feng Lezhen. “I am not angry because of these trifles—but because some people actually believe that such trifles can drive a wedge between me and the Eldest Princess. The Eldest Princess and I are the only two children of the late Emperor. From birth, we were raised by him personally. Our bond is unlike that of other siblings. That someone thinks it can be so easily undermined—how laughable.”

Feng Lezhen smiled softly, still holding her cup raised.

Feng Ji took the cup from her hand, then reached out and gently helped her up. Holding her hand, he turned to the court.

“When the late Emperor was still alive, he promised to grant my sister her own fief. I have always remembered this. It was only that I had not found the right time to announce it. Now that all of you, my loyal subjects, are here—let’s settle the matter today.”

When the crowd heard this, everyone had different thoughts, but most of the court officials had been present when the late emperor made the original promise. Now that the new emperor was bringing up an old matter, neither the imperial loyalists nor the Eldest Princess’s supporters would step forward to oppose it at this moment.

Seeing no one respond, Feng Ji turned to Feng Lezhen and said, “Eldest Princess Hengkang, receive the decree.”

“I accept the decree,” Feng Lezhen replied with a smile, kneeling. The officials below also knelt in unison. Feizhan, being a hostage prince from Tayuan, had already received the late emperor’s decree exempting him from kneeling, so he remained seated and watched with amusement.

“Eldest Princess Hengkang is wise and virtuous; this pleases Zhen greatly. Zhen hereby bestow upon her one chest of gold, three chests of jewels and ornaments, ten chests of fine silk, and grant her residence in…” Feng Ji looked into her eyes and slowly smiled, “Yingguan.”

The hall erupted. Yu Shou immediately crushed the alcohol cup in his hand, and even the usually detached Feizhan looked up in shock.

“Royal sister,” Feng Ji said, eyes gleaming with satisfaction, “Once you arrive, give Zhen’s regards to the Marquis who guards the border.”

Feng Lezhen gave a bitter laugh. “Your Majesty knows full well Zhenbian Marquis loathes me to the bone, yet still grants me residence in Yingguan. Seems you truly wish me no peace.”

“What are you saying, Royal Sister? Yingguan is vast, rich, and scenic—surely better than the far reaches of Lingnan or the northern deserts? If you are dissatisfied, I can rescind the order, but let there be no more talk of leaving the capital.”

He sounded like he was compromising.

Feng Lezhen stayed silent for a long moment before smiling faintly: “This subject thanks Your Majesty for the generous grace.”

Feng Ji’s gaze darkened, and he coldly ordered her to step down.

Feng Lezhen took a deep breath and returned to her seat with an expressionless face.

“When he summoned you just now, did you really think I had swapped the documents back?” Feizhan curved his lips.

Feng Lezhen shot him a look. “Don’t say such nonsense.”

She hadn’t believed a single word of what he said earlier.

“Your Highness, you’re really no fun,” Feizhan curled his lips, then suddenly seemed to recall something amusing and smiled, “Never thought our Great Qian Emperor, who usually seems useless, could be so spiteful when it matters. Of all places, he gives you Yingguan. I wonder how you plan to deal with it.”

“What can I do? The Emperor has decreed it—how could I disobey?” Feng Lezhen replied calmly.

“You’re really going?” Feizhan asked, momentarily stunned.

Feng Lezhen didn’t respond. She glanced at the alcohol she’d poured earlier, then signaled for another cup to be brought over, calmly refilling it herself.

…She had wanted to drink earlier, but everything had been unresolved and she hadn’t dared. Now that the dust had settled, a drink wouldn’t hurt. She raised the cup and lightly tapped its base against Feizhan’s cup before downing it in one go.

Feizhan stared at her, eyes deep. “I really don’t understand you anymore.”

Yingguan was Zhenbian Marquis’s domain, and their enmity was well known. What business did she have going there?

Facing his scrutinizing gaze, Feng Lezhen responded coolly, “Then stop looking.”

“How could I? Not only can’t I stop looking—I’ll be watching even more,” Feizhan smiled. “Yingguan borders Tayuan. Since Your Highness insists on going, how about we travel together?”

Feng Lezhen smiled but didn’t answer, instead clinking her cup against his again.

The banquet ended around the hour of the pig. Feng Lezhen didn’t want to be surrounded by people asking about what had just happened, so she deliberately lingered until the end to leave. Just as she reached the palace gates, she saw her maternal grandfather standing outside with a grim face.

She paused, pretending not to see him.

“What play were you and His Majesty performing today?” Yu Shou finally couldn’t hold back as she walked right past him.

Feng Lezhen stopped, gave him a lazy glance, and said, “Don’t ask what you shouldn’t.”

Yu Shou: “…”

Before he could explode, Ah Ye rushed over with a carriage, helped Feng Lezhen in, and quickly drove off. Yu Shou stood there fuming, spun around three times in frustration, and finally stormed away.

From the carriage window, Feng Lezhen saw him stomping his feet, and the tension of the past days finally relaxed: “It’s finally over.”

“Your Highness…” Ah Ye hesitated.

Feng Lezhen looked up. “What is it?”

“Lord Fu has woken up.”

She paused, then gave a soft laugh: “Shen Suifeng really does keep his word. He said he’d keep him asleep until the Mid-Autumn banquet.”

It was already deep into the night, but the lamps in the main chamber were still burning.

As Shen Suifeng walked out, he happened to run into Feng Lezhen returning from the palace.

“Why is Your Highness dressed so plainly tonight?” he asked with a raised hand, as if greeting her casually.

Feng Lezhen ignored him and went straight into the bedchamber. Shen Suifeng was momentarily stunned, then let out a laugh: “Burning the bridge after crossing it, huh?”

The moment she entered the room, her steps slowed. On the bed, the man opened his eyes at the sound of soft footsteps. When he saw it was her, a faint shimmer finally appeared in his previously dry, lifeless gaze.

“Your Highness,” he called out softly, looking at her with gentle eyes under the candlelight.

Feng Lezhen stopped five steps away from the bed and studied him quietly. Having returned from the brink of death, he looked gaunt. His sleepwear hung loosely on him, evoking a strange sense of vulnerability.

“Your Highness,” he called her again.

Feng Lezhen snapped out of her daze. “You’re awake?”

“I’m awake,” Fu Zhixian replied, still looking at her.

“Have you been sleeping well these days?” Feng Lezhen asked as she noticed his chapped lips and turned to pour him a cup of water.

“Not really,” Fu Zhixian replied. His gaze held something she couldn’t read. “I had a very long dream—one I couldn’t wake up from.”

“What did you dream about?”

“I dreamed I married someone else… and you… died in the imperial prison.”

Feng Lezhen’s gaze flickered. Water overflowed silently from the cup, soaking the tablecloth.