The Minister Behind the Curtain Chapter 5

Hearing his answer, the smile on Feng Lezhen’s lips deepened. “Then tell me—why?”

Chen Jinan swallowed. His always clear and steady gaze flickered slightly. After a long silence, he stiffly met her eyes, then paused.

“To… make Lord Fu angry,” he said, voice full of hesitation.

“What reason would I have to make him angry out of nowhere?” Feng Lezhen raised an eyebrow.

“He made you upset,” Chen Jinan said.

“Oh?”

“You didn’t look at him after getting off the carriage,” he added.

Feng Lezhen couldn’t help but laugh. “You do pay close attention. But calling you in wasn’t just to make him jealous.”

Chen Jinan looked more confused.

“Come here.” She looked straight into his eyes.

He hesitated for a moment, then obediently walked toward her. Though it was just a few steps, he took an age to cross the distance. Feng Lezhen, lounging lazily on the edge of the bed, watched him patiently.

She wore no makeup. Her long black hair spilled over her shoulders. Though her posture was relaxed, her innate nobility didn’t lessen in the slightest. As he neared her, Chen Jinan faintly felt like prey walking into a trap—yet he never wavered.

Step by step… until his foot touched the pile of robes at her feet, and instinctively he tried to step back.

“Sit down,” Feng Lezhen said, not giving him the chance.

He lowered his eyes and sat cross-legged on the carpet. Then, while she wasn’t paying attention, he gently tugged out the corner of her robe caught beneath him.

Feng Lezhen sat a little higher on the footrest. She stared at him for a long time, then suddenly leaned forward. Chen Jinan’s body swayed and tried to lean back, but he stopped himself.

She didn’t miss his reflexive movement. Her smile deepened. “Disgusted by me?”

“No!” Chen Jinan blurted out, only realizing after that his reaction had been too intense.

Feng Lezhen smiled, casually pulling out a bottle of wound medicine from under the pillow and tossing it to him. “Apply this.”

Chen Jinan was stunned for a moment before he finally responded, “…Thank you, Your Highness.”

The room fell silent again. The steadily rising temperature caused even Feng Lezhen, who was famously unafraid of heat, to break out in a light sweat. But she seemed completely unaware, simply leaning against the bed as she watched him lower his head to apply the medicine.

“Whether servants or nobles, wherever there are people, there will always be bullying of the weak by the strong. Even in a place as strict as the Eldest Princess Royal’s residence, no one can control people’s hearts.”

Her gaze briefly swept over his wounds. “Before you were pushed down today, you must have suffered other injustices. You kept enduring, and so they pushed further and further, which led to the injuries you have now. I remember you used to be a young man with a backbone—you never compromised even in those brutal black brick kilns. So why, now that you’re in the Eldest Princess Royal’s residence, do you no longer dare to resist?”

Chen Jinan kept his head lowered, his movements applying the medicine slowing down, but he didn’t speak.

“Chen Jinan,” Feng Lezhen called him.

“Your servant is here.”

“When your master asks you a question, you must answer.” Feng Lezhen’s smile didn’t fade, but the pressure in her presence intensified.

Chen Jinan paused, holding the medicine bottle, unsure whether to kneel or sit. Feng Lezhen gestured for him to continue, so he resumed applying the medicine.

“…I cannot resist,” he muttered in the silence.

“Why not?” Feng Lezhen raised an eyebrow.

“The house rules state that anyone causing trouble, regardless of reason, will be immediately expelled and never employed again.” Chen Jinan gripped the medicine bottle tightly.

“…There’s such a rule?” Feng Lezhen sounded mildly surprised.

“Yes.”

“Probably something Wanwan set. She always takes things too seriously, so seriously she loses all human warmth.” Feng Lezhen sighed, then looked at him with amusement. “You don’t dare to resist because you’re afraid of being kicked out of the Eldest Princess Royal’s residence?”

“Yes.”

“Why must you stay in the Eldest Princess’s residence?” Feng Lezhen already knew the answer but deliberately made him say it aloud.

Chen Jinan didn’t know how to answer. His instinct was to stay silent, but he remembered what she said earlier—that when your master asks, you must answer.

“I’ll give you two options,” Feng Lezhen changed to an easier way for him to answer. “First, one hundred taels of gold, ten mu of land, and a two-courtyard house. Leave the residence and live as a common man. Second, stay here and continue to serve me as a servant.”

The first option was more than enough to live a worry-free life, marry, and raise a family. The second was no different from his current life. Anyone with even a bit of sense would know which to choose.

“Your Highness once saved my life. I… I want to stay by Your Highness’ side.”

Feng Lezhen was satisfied with his answer and casually glanced at her fingernails, noticing they were getting long. “A third-class servant can’t protect me.”

Chen Jinan lowered his head again.

He carefully applied medicine to all his wounds, but the small bottle was still more than half full. Feng Lezhen teased, “At the rate you’re applying it, you won’t heal in eight hundred years.”

Chen Jinan had to reapply the medicine, using the entire bottle before stopping.

“Can you read?” Feng Lezhen asked.

Chen Jinan paused. “A little.”

“How much is ‘a little’?”

“Five characters.”

“…How many?” Feng Lezhen almost doubted her ears.

“…Five characters,” Chen Jinan quietly repeated, faintly embarrassed.

“Which five?”

“Chen, Quan, Chen Jinan.”

Feng Lezhen mercilessly exposed him: “That’s only four characters. Don’t think I didn’t notice there are two ‘Chen’s.”

Chen Jinan pursed his lips.

He couldn’t read, couldn’t fight—he really had a lot to learn. Feng Lezhen shook her head. “Starting tomorrow, find two tutors to teach you reading and martial arts. My people can’t be completely useless.”

“…Yes.”

“Do you want me to punish the person who pushed you?” Feng Lezhen asked.

Chen Jinan was silent for a moment. “No need.”

“And if he bullies you again in the future, what will you do?” she continued.

Chen Jinan’s answer this time was firm. “Hit him back.”

Feng Lezhen was satisfied and went straight to bed. She soon fell asleep. She usually disliked anyone keeping watch when she rested, so for years there had been no night attendants. Now, in the vast bedchamber, the only people present were her and Chen Jinan.

Seeing that she was asleep, Chen Jinan stiffly sat in place. When she frowned from the brightness of the candlelight, he finally moved his numb legs, forced himself to stand, and went to extinguish the lamps.

One by one, the candles were put out, and the room fell into complete darkness. The cool summer night breeze drifted in through the window cracks, finally bringing some relief from the heat. Feng Lezhen turned in her sleep and slept even more soundly.

Outside the courtyard, Fu Zhixian stood guard, watching the light inside gradually fade. The light in his own eyes dimmed as well.

After one night, the morning sun rose.

The door opened silently, and Chen Jinan stepped out. As he passed by Fu Zhixian, he caught the faint scent of morning dew.

“Stop,” Fu Zhixian said calmly.

Chen Jinan paused, his eyes lowered in a peaceful expression.

Fu Zhixian looked at his face for a moment before unfastening the jade pendant at his waist. “You served Her Highness well. You should be rewarded.”

Chen Jinan’s fingers twitched. He lifted his gaze to meet Fu Zhixian’s.

“When the master rewards you, you must accept it.” Fu Zhixian’s tone at that moment bore some resemblance to Feng Lezhen’s.

“Lord Fu is not yet this servant’s master,” Chen Jinan said.

But he still accepted the jade pendant. “Thank you, Lord Fu, for the reward.”

Fu Zhixian stepped aside and watched as Chen Jinan walked away without looking back. His eyes quickly lost their brightness.

Inside the bedroom, Feng Lezhen sat in a chair with her eyes closed, resting while Ah Ye and the others did her hair. Perhaps the new incense was too calming, or maybe Ah Ye’s skilled hands were too soothing—what was supposed to be a moment of rest turned into a real nap.

But no chair is as comfortable as a bed. She woke up after a short while, still in a daze, when she felt her fingers being gently held.

Feng Lezhen slowly opened her eyes and saw Fu Zhixian sitting beside her, head lowered, carefully trimming her nails.

“I was gone for just over ten days, and Your Highness’s nails have grown quite a bit,” he said without looking up, though he clearly knew she was awake.

She glanced at the dew-soaked shoulder of his robe. “You kept watch all night?”

“Mm,” he lifted his head, leaning in slightly. “My eyes are bloodshot.”

There was no denying it—Fu Zhixian’s face was striking. Even after all these years together, having shared countless absurd experiences, being this close still made Feng Lezhen’s breath catch for a moment.

Her nails were already trimmed, filed into neat, elegant curves—better work than even the experienced handmaids could manage. She remembered the first time he’d done this for her—it had been right after the current emperor ascended the throne.

Back then, she’d been busy preserving her former power base, spending nights in counsel with her advisors and neglecting even the most basic self-care. She hadn’t noticed how long her nails had gotten until one accidentally broke and bled. That was when he’d forcibly taken her back to her room, cut her nails, and applied medicine himself.

“Your Highness excels at everything but doesn’t know how to take care of yourself. From now on, let me handle things like this,” he’d said with a smile under candlelight.

And for the five years that followed, he truly never once failed to follow through.

Feng Lezhen lifted her hand, the smooth curve of her nail brushing lightly against the reddened corner of his eye. Fu Zhixian watched her quietly—his eyes, naturally carrying a trace of roguish charm, were now calm, clearly reflecting her image.

Her fingers slid from his brow, along the bridge of his straight nose, and came to rest at his jaw. With a gentle tilt, his Adam’s apple came fully into view.

“This little kink of yours is truly strange,” Feng Lezhen said, pushing him away.

Fu Zhixian chuckled, “I was trying to play the pitiful one—how is it that, in Your Highness’s eyes, I’ve become a weirdo?”

He didn’t mention the events of the previous night at all, as if he didn’t mind in the slightest. Feng Lezhen, too, decided not to bring it up. “I’m not one to be swayed by pity. That tactic won’t work on me.”

Fu Zhixian took her hand. “Then what would work?”

Feng Lezhen looked down at their intertwined hands. “Give up everything the Fu family owns, and convince the emperor to abandon the canal project.”

“Your Highness…” Fu Zhixian sighed helplessly.

“I was joking. Why so serious?” Feng Lezhen’s lips curled into a smile. “Or… how about you offer yourself up for punishment?”

Fu Zhixian laughed. “Then how would Your Highness like your servant to do so?”

“Bare your back before a crowd, kneel with thorned branches, and beg for forgiveness—how else?” she said, still smiling.

Fu Zhixian made a mock-distressed face. “That sounds… rather humiliating.”

It was more than humiliating—he was a high-ranking court official. If he really did such a thing, his career would be over, likely impeached and ruined.

“Until you do, don’t bother coming to the Eldest Princess’s residence,” Feng Lezhen said, reclining in her chair. Her tone was light, but the finality in it left no room for debate.

Fu Zhixian met her eyes for a long moment, then suddenly leaned down and kissed the corner of her lips.

Her lip rouge transferred onto his lips, adding a vivid color to his already handsome face.

“…Seduction won’t work,” Feng Lezhen said lazily.

Fu Zhixian smiled silently. “Then that’s rather disappointing.”

He stayed just a moment longer before leaving for his official duties. Not long after he departed, Ah Ye entered carrying a tray of fried pastries.

“Lord Fu left so soon?” she asked, setting the tray before Feng Lezhen. “He had someone fetch these from the early market on East Street—they’re still warm, Your Highness, you should try them.”

The pastries were golden, crispy, and still glistening slightly with oil. Feng Lezhen’s appetite stirred, and she didn’t hold back. She picked one up and took a bite. Ah Ye, meanwhile, asked where Lord Fu had gone, so Feng Lezhen told her about the punishment demand.

“…So you’re planning never to see him again?” Ah Ye asked, startled.

Feng Lezhen replied, “Of course not. As long as he follows through, I’ll see him.”

The matter of the canal still needed time to simmer. She wasn’t ready to face him again just yet, so she’d come up with this excuse to buy herself some peace. When the time was right, she’d just rescind the condition.

“Oh, right,” Feng Lezhen added, remembering something, “go hire one scholarly and one martial instructor to teach Chen Jinan reading and martial arts.”

“…Teach him those? For what?”

“To help him reach his potential. Don’t underestimate him just because he seems clueless now. With proper training, he’ll become someone remarkable,” Feng Lezhen said. After all, even without any training, he’d managed to infiltrate the heavily guarded prison—his courage and cunning were far from ordinary.

Ah Ye didn’t understand how Her Highness could conclude in a single night that Chen Jinan would achieve greatness, but she couldn’t help sighing, “No wonder you’re giving Lord Fu such a hard time.”

So… a new flame has stolen her attention, and the old love has to take a back seat!

Feng Lezhen curled her lips but didn’t reply.

She didn’t feel the need to explain—but in others’ eyes, her silence was as good as an admission. Ah Ye could be trusted to stay quiet, but the other maids in the residence? Not so much. So by midday, the entire Eldest Princess’s Manor was abuzz with rumors: Lord Fu had fallen from favor, and Chen Jinan was now basking in glory.

Chen Jinan had kept watch outside the main chambers all night. After returning to his quarters, he’d fallen asleep from exhaustion. When he finally woke, it was already afternoon—and he hadn’t done a single chore for the day. He quickly changed clothes and rushed to the door, only to be surrounded by a crowd of people who used to bully him.

“Brother Chen! You must be hungry after such a long sleep—I’ve got food ready, won’t you have some?”

“Watch your mouth! Don’t call him ‘Brother Chen’—it’s Lord Chen now!”

“Yes, yes, Lord Chen! I didn’t recognize greatness when I saw it. Please don’t hold it against a fool like me.”

Everyone was speaking at once, but Chen Jinan kept a calm face, lowered his eyes, and pushed through the crowd without a word.

“Lord Chen, where are you going?”

“To fetch water,” he said without even turning his head.

…Even favored by Her Highness, and he still hauls water himself? The crowd was stunned for a moment—then scrambled after him. Some fought to carry the buckets, others grabbed the shoulder pole. Everyone jostled to do the work, while Chen Jinan ended up shoved to the side, frowning at the ridiculous scene.

“Lord Chen, are you hungry?” someone holding the food tray asked with a sycophantic smile.

Chen Jinan glanced at what the man was holding and asked, “Where’s Qian Da?”

Qian Da was the man who’d shoved him yesterday and accused him of lying to Her Highness.

The man quickly replied, “You didn’t hear? Her Highness ordered him kicked out first thing this morning!”

Chen Jinan was slightly taken aback.

“Lord Chen, things are different for you now. Her Highness is burdened with state affairs—when has she ever bothered with the petty matters of the rear court? But this time, she handled Qian Da herself, just for you. That shows how highly she thinks of you…”

He kept rambling on, but Chen Jinan didn’t want to hear it. He pushed back through the crowd, reclaimed his water buckets and carrying pole without a word, and started fetching water. Seeing this, the crowd immediately fell silent, and the large courtyard finally quieted down.

The rumors at the Eldest Princess Royal’s residence lasted three days before Qin Wan forcibly ended them.

Ah Ye watched as Qin Wan punished those spreading gossip and then strode off, then looked toward Her Highness, who seemed completely indifferent.

“What?” Her Highness tilted her head innocently.

“…You stirred up such a mess, and she didn’t even scold you?” Ah Ye said.

“What mess?” Feng Lezhen asked in return.

Ah Ye blinked. “Now that you mention it… it’s really not much of a mess.”

So she took a liking to a man. And he was from her own residence—what big deal was that? What did surprise her, though, was that even though Her Highness had clearly neglected Lord Fu for a new favorite, Qin Wan hadn’t tried to persuade her to consider balance and decorum.

“Right, did you find the tutors I asked for?” Feng Lezhen asked.

“Not yet,” Ah Ye said.

“That slow?” Feng Lezhen frowned.

Ah Ye sighed. “There’s no shortage of famous teachers in the capital, but finding one that suits him isn’t easy. Please give me a little more time. I’ll hurry.”

That made sense to Feng Lezhen. Chen Jinan was over nineteen; his personality was already well-formed. It was important to find someone compatible.

After a short chat, Feng Lezhen glanced out at the moonlight. Since she wasn’t feeling sleepy, she decided to go for a walk in the courtyard.

“No one follow me,” she instructed.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The Eldest Princess’ residence was a grand estate gifted by the late emperor—largest and most lavish in all of the capital. More than a hundred people were tasked with maintaining the grounds alone. Feng Lezhen had lived there for five years and had long grown used to the scenery others so admired. But now, reborn into a new life, walking the same garden stirred something different within her.

She strolled aimlessly and, without realizing, ended up in the rear courtyard.

It was already late, the servants had gone to rest, and aside from the guards on duty, the path was empty.

Her interest came and went quickly. After half a circuit, she was ready to head back—but just as she turned, she heard a rustling sound from behind the rockery.

“Who’s there?” she called out.

The rustling stopped abruptly. After a moment, someone familiar stepped out from behind the rocks.

“Chen Jinan?” she said, a bit surprised. “What are you doing here?”

Chen Jinan hesitated, clearly not expecting to run into her.

“How did I instruct you before?” Feng Lezhen asked, lips curving slightly as he stayed silent.

“…Practicing writing,” Chen Jinan said.

“Practicing what?” Feng Lezhen doubted her own ears.

Chen Jinan pressed his lips together and stepped aside. Feng Lezhen walked over and saw a few crooked… characters?… scratched into the dirt.

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