Feng Lezhen didn’t really want to think of the little fairy-like Qi Jingqing that way, but considering how Qi Zhen doted on him like a treasure, yet was willing to publicly declare that the Qi army would go to Qi Jingren’s son…
How could she not overthink it?
Perhaps the silence had gone on too long, because Qi Jingren suddenly ended the conversation by force, sheathing her sword and cutting it off. “I don’t know what you did, but stay away from my brother in the future. Any member of the Qi family won’t stand by and do nothing.”
“Canjiang Qi, if you have time to worry about your brother, perhaps you should spend more time thinking about your own marriage.” Feng Lezhen smiled. “There’s a saying: marriage and children are the best way for a woman to change her fate. Whether that change is good or bad depends on who she chooses.”
At the mention of marriage, Qi Jingren’s gaze turned cold. “That’s not something Your Highness needs to concern yourself with.”
“True, with the Marquis around, it’s not my place to worry,” Feng Lezhen laughed. “Then let me congratulate you in advance—once you marry and have a son, the entire Qi family will practically be yours.”
She paused. “No, I mean your son’s. But it’s about the same. Before he grows up, you’ll have at least ten or twenty years to control the Qi army. Congratulations, Canjian.”
“You came all this way just to say this and provoke me?” Qi Jingren’s eyes were icy.
Feng Lezhen spread her hands. “I came to comfort you, but I hadn’t even gotten my footing before your sword was at my neck. Hard to stay in the mood for sympathy after that.”
“Thanks for your kindness, Your Highness. But I don’t need comforting.” Qi Jingren turned and walked away.
As they passed shoulder to shoulder, Feng Lezhen suddenly said: “You’ve worked harder than anyone, and every bit of the respect you’ve earned came from years of bloodshed on the battlefield. But the Marquis can erase all that with a few words—as if everything you’ve done means nothing compared to just giving the Qi family an heir…”
“Heir,” Feng Lezhen repeated the word with a smile. “You are clearly an eagle soaring through the skies, a tiger hunting through the mountains—the best candidate to inherit the Qi family army. And yet, just because you’re not a man, your greatest value lies in giving birth to a male heir for the Qi family… If it weren’t for Qi Jingqing’s poor health, I’m afraid even that bit of value wouldn’t belong to you. Canjiang Qi, Miss Qi—do you truly not need comforting?”
Qi Jingren had already stopped walking when she said the first sentence. By the time Feng Lezhen finished, the anger and frustration in her heart seemed to have suddenly dissipated.
Qi Jingren lifted her eyes and looked at her, for the first time truly studying her features. Feng Lezhen stood there with a faint smile, allowing herself to be scrutinized.
It had been more than ten years since they’d last seen each other. They had both changed a great deal. The one thing they had in common was that they had become steadier than before. Even if they still found each other unpleasant, they no longer bickered or fought like they did when they were children—making such a scene that it reached the previous emperor.
“You’re talking about yourself, aren’t you?” Qi Jingren finally spoke after a long silence, a small smile tugging at her lips. “Though I’ve been far away in Yingguan, I’ve heard quite a few things. When the late emperor was seriously ill, wasn’t that exactly what Chancellor Yu intended? First support Qing Wang to the throne, then once you married and bore a child, remove Qing Wang with the excuse of illegitimacy, and put your son on the throne instead.”
Feng Lezhen raised her brows. “You even know about that? Seems the Marquis’s influence stretches farther than I imagined.”
Qi Jingren’s eyes flickered, and she turned to leave.
But Feng Lezhen continued, “The difference between you and me is—I killed Qing Wang with my own hands, putting an end to everyone’s fantasies of bypassing me and passing the throne down. Though I lost the empire because of it, at least I remained myself—not some vessel for a so-called heir. But could Canjiang Qi do the same? If the time came, would you kill your father? Your brother?”
Before the words even fully fell, Qi Jingren’s sword was once again pressed to her shoulder.
Ah Ye, who’d been bored and idly glancing around, turned her head just in time to see this scene. Without thinking, she launched a hidden dart from her fingers. Qi Jingren was caught off guard—pain burst through her wrist, and the next second, the sword clattered to the ground.
Blood dripped down her arm. Ah Ye and Chen Jinan instantly appeared in front of Feng Lezhen, faces cold as they squared off with Qi Jingren.
Feng Lezhen, entirely calm, gestured for the two to stand down. Her gaze toward Qi Jingren still carried a trace of amusement. “Be it Zhenbian Marquis or Qi Jingqing, they are your blood relatives. And in all these years, they’ve supported your training, allowed you into the army, and never demanded you bear a male child to be passed to Qi Jingqing. That alone shows they’ve never treated you harshly—better than most fathers and brothers, even. Canjiang Qi, you clearly can’t harden your heart. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have been so worried just now that I’d ‘use’ Qi Jingqing.”
“You couldn’t kill them—even if you could, so what? In this world, do you think a woman is allowed to wield real military power? Even if you kill Zhenbian Marquis and seize control, the very next moment countless people will take your command away, citing ‘a hen crowing at dawn’ as a curse. And the whole world would mock you as an overreaching woman who dares dream of power in a realm ruled by men.”
She smiled faintly and stepped toward Qi Jingren without fear, even as the other still held her sword. Ah Ye instinctively wanted to follow, but Chen Jinan stopped her just in time.
Feng Lezhen halted one step away from Qi Jingren and looked her in the eye.
“Canjiang Qi, tell me—if that day truly came, how many people do you think would pity you?”
Qi Jingren stared back. Only now did she realize all of Feng Lezhen’s repeated provocations, all her intentional or unintentional closeness, even that previous unsolicited help—had all been deliberate. But for what?
“Why are you telling me all this?” Qi Jingren asked directly, unwilling to dig deeper into the guess that was forming in her heart.
“Because you’re smart,” Feng Lezhen said softly. “You know what you want. And you know the biggest obstacle to you rising in the military isn’t your political enemies, or Qi Jingqing occupying the position of heir, or even Zhenbian Marquis who could strip you of rank at any time—it’s the fact that you’re a woman. But if you’re willing, I can make that obstacle disappear.”
The blade shows when the map is fully unrolled. That old saying suddenly flashed in Qi Jingren’s mind.
“I didn’t know Your Highness’s ambition ran that deep.” After a long silence, Qi Jingren finally spoke, her face expressionless.
Feng Lezhen chuckled. “I just want to inherit the family business. Isn’t that the same for you?”
“Family business…” Hearing her describe an empire with those two casual words, Qi Jingren felt it absurd—but couldn’t refute it.
After all, wasn’t the entire Great Qian the Feng family’s business?
After a brief laugh, Qi Jingren calmly took a step back. “Then I wish Your Highness success in inheriting your family business. As for me… I’m just a minor Canjian. I dare not, and have no intention to, involve myself in Your Highness’s family matters.”
Feng Lezhen wasn’t surprised by the refusal. She only smiled and said, “No need to decide so quickly. Who knows? Maybe you’ll change your mind one day.”
With that, she turned and left without pressing further.
Chen Jinan immediately followed and, feeling a chill in the air, draped the cloak he’d been carrying over her shoulders. Ah Ye was a step slower. After a few paces, she looked back coldly at Qi Jingren’s bleeding hand.
“Try that again, and I’ll make sure that hand of yours never holds a sword again.” She delivered the threat flatly before following after them, leaving Qi Jingren standing alone, her expression dark.
Ah Ye quickly caught up with Feng Lezhen. The three boarded the carriage in silence. It wasn’t until they had left the camp that Ah Ye finally blurted out: “Is Qi Jingren insane? She actually dared to raise a sword against Your Highness.”
“Twice, no less,” Feng Lezhen added, fanning the flames.
Chen Jinan froze. His expression darkened instantly.
“What?” Ah Ye cried out, clearly not as composed as Chen Jinan. “She pointed a sword at Your Highness twice?!?”
When she saw Feng Lezhen nod, she immediately turned to go back and kill someone, only to be held back by Feng Lezhen.
“Your Highness, let me go—this servant must kill her!” Ah Ye shouted furiously.
Chen Jinan said nothing, but he too was ready to jump out of the carriage.
Feng Lezhen was both amused and exasperated by the two of them. She grabbed one with each hand and forced them back into their seats. “What killing! Sit down and behave!”
The moment her face turned stern, both of them immediately quieted down.
“But, Your Highness…” After calming down, Ah Ye felt something was off. “Qi Jingren is not the impulsive type. Why would she draw her sword on Your Highness twice?”
“Oh, the first time was because she suspected I sullied Qi Jingqing’s virtue. The second was because I encouraged her to kill her father and brother,” Feng Lezhen answered calmly.
Ah Ye: “…”
“So now you think she’s somewhat justified?” Feng Lezhen teased.
Ah Ye gave a small cough. Before she could respond, Chen Jinan quietly said, “She pointed a sword at Your Highness. She deserves to die.”
“Didn’t you hear what I just said?” Feng Lezhen raised an eyebrow.
Chen Jinan paused. “I heard.” But he didn’t understand what that had to do with anything. Just because Her Highness told her to kill her family, she was allowed to point a sword at her?
He didn’t say the rest, but it was written plainly on his face.
“…You really are the most biased person I’ve ever seen,” Ah Ye said with feeling.
Feng Lezhen laughed and reached out to pinch Chen Jinan’s cheek. “Good boy.”
Chen Jinan’s face reddened from the gesture, and the murderous aura around him instantly vanished.
While they chatted, the carriage had already returned to the Eldest Princess’s residence. As soon as Feng Lezhen stepped down, she saw Shen Suifeng approaching.
“How did you know I was back?” Feng Lezhen asked, eyes full of warmth the moment she saw him.
“I heard the sound of hooves,” Shen Suifeng replied.
“Ah, I forgot to bring you the flatbread you wanted.” Feng Lezhen smacked her forehead, suddenly a little annoyed with herself.
Shen Suifeng chuckled and took her hand, leading her into the courtyard. “As long as Your Highness didn’t forget yourself, it’s fine.”
“That’s unlikely,” Feng Lezhen said with a soft laugh.
Chen Jinan watched their figures disappear into the distance. Just as he was about to return to his room, he turned around and met Ah Ye’s deeply sympathetic gaze.
He hesitated. “What is it?”
“Must be tough, huh?” Ah Ye asked knowingly.
Chen Jinan’s eyes flashed with confusion. “What do you mean?”
“No need to say it. I understand everything.” Ah Ye clicked her tongue twice and walked off.
Chen Jinan paused for a moment, then turned and went back inside.
As Feng Lezhen and Shen Suifeng chatted on their way into the courtyard, they saw a stone table in the pavilion stacked with seven or eight medicinal recipe books. Several of them were flipped open, densely covered with notes.
“What’s all this?” she asked curiously.
“Your Highness has been drowsy these days and shows signs of qi and blood deficiency,” Shen Suifeng explained. “I thought I’d study medicinal cooking more, to help nourish you.”
Feng Lezhen laughed. “Having Mr. Shen prepare medicinal food for me—it’s really a bit of overkill.”
After spending so much time with Shen Suifeng, she had come to understand the differences among physicians. A doctor like Shen Suifeng, skilled in treating critical illnesses, was the most respected among healers.
Those who prepared medicinal meals were, in the hierarchy of physicians, not so much doctors as cooks—those with the least authority. Though Shen Suifeng occasionally added medicine to food, it was usually just tossing the formula into a dish without regard for taste. Yet now, for her, he was willing to study how to make those medicinal recipes palatable—it was, without a doubt, a great concession.
“There is no high or low in knowledge. Your Highness should know that better than me,” Shen Suifeng said, pulling her into his embrace. Only then did he feel the dullness of the day begin to lift. “Besides, once I learn, I can also prepare some for the shizi. He’s been taking stronger medicine lately and is eating even less. If this keeps up, it will become a problem. If I can incorporate the medicine into his meals quietly, it might help him.”
Hearing him mention Qi Jingqing, Feng Lezhen suddenly looked up at him from his arms. “Mr. Shen.”
“Hm?” Shen Suifeng looked down at her.
After holding each other for a while, Feng Lezhen asked, “Is Qi Jingqing… not functional?”
Shen Suifeng: “…”
After a moment of silence, Shen Suifeng sighed helplessly. “You’re in my arms and thinking about another man—is that okay?”
“Don’t change the subject. Is he impotent?” Feng Lezhen pressed again.
Shen Suifeng laughed softly. “That’s a private matter concerning a patient. I can’t disclose it.”
“So it’s true,” Feng Lezhen mused. “No wonder Qi Zhen is forcing Qi Jingren to marry and have children, but never once mentioned Qi Jingqing’s marriage.”
“That’s not it… The shizi’s condition is complicated. I can’t explain it to you in a few words. But he… he’s just physically weak, not…” Shen Suifeng rarely stumbled over his words, but if he explained, it would reveal too much of Qi Jingqing’s privacy. If he didn’t explain, he’d let her keep thinking like this—which wasn’t good either.
He struggled through a few sentences. When he saw her gaze, he simply gave up. “Why are you suddenly asking about this?”
“Oh, it’s nothing.” Feng Lezhen gave a brief explanation, then went inside with him.
Because of Qi Jingren’s sudden departure, the celebration banquet ended hastily. The next day, word spread that Zhenbian Marquis was looking for a husband for his only daughter—infuriating Qi Jingren into making a huge scene at the marquis’s residence, throwing the entire household into chaos before storming off.
At the height of her uproar, Qi Jingqing… was sleeping.
For someone who had been on long-term medication and never eaten heavily seasoned food, one cup of alcohol—especially one prepared for release in some QQ group—was still too much. Qi Jingqing didn’t wake until late afternoon, and when he did, he felt a splitting headache and a complete lack of energy.
“Awake?”
Qi Jingqing paused and turned toward the voice. He saw Shen Suifeng sitting at the table reading.
He sat up wearily. “Why are you here?”
“If I hadn’t come, your page boy would’ve worried himself to death.” Shen Suifeng glanced at him. “You’ve got some nerve now, drinking alcohol.”
Qi Jingqing gave a bitter smile. “The alcohol cup looked like a teacup. I wasn’t paying attention…”
Halfway through his sentence, he suddenly remembered what he had done while drunk. His face instantly went pale.
Noticing his abrupt pause, Shen Suifeng looked at him again. Seeing how awful his complexion was, he immediately came over to check his pulse.
“Your pulse is racing,” Shen Suifeng remarked as he lifted Qi Jingqing’s chin to examine him more closely.
Qi Jingqing stared at him in a daze for a long moment before speaking with difficulty: “Suifeng, after Her Highness returned last night… was there anything unusual?”
“She wasn’t drunk. What could be unusual?” Shen Suifeng asked, amused.
Qi Jingqing’s throat tightened; he couldn’t get a word out for a while.
Seeing the anxious look in his eyes, Shen Suifeng paused briefly.
After a long silence between them, Shen Suifeng chuckled. “Relax. Even if you did something offensive, Her Highness didn’t take it to heart.”
Qi Jingqing pursed his lips and turned his face away silently when he saw the knowing look in Shen Suifeng’s eyes. “Got it…”
Shen Suifeng smiled and asked someone to bring over a new medicinal dish he had just developed.
“Try it.” He gestured.
Qi Jingqing obediently took the bowl, and after one bite, he looked up in surprise.
“Seems like it tastes good,” Shen Suifeng said, quite pleased.
Qi Jingqing said nothing, just lowered his head and slowly finished the meal.
Only after he’d eaten the entire bowl did Shen Suifeng pack up his medical kit and prepare to leave. Qi Jingqing quietly watched him until he was nearly at the door, then suddenly spoke:
“I’ve known Her Highness since I was eight.”
Shen Suifeng stopped in his tracks and gave a silent smile. “Some things can’t be decided by who came first.”
Qi Jingqing paused. When he spoke again, his voice was a little hoarse. “Could you keep it a secret?”
“That depends on whether the shizi will follow medical instructions,” Shen Suifeng replied casually.
Qi Jingqing was silent for a while, then said, “…I’d like another bowl.”
Shen Suifeng smiled and called for the page to come in and serve him.
Leaving the marquis’s residence, he returned straight to the Eldest Princess’s estate. Feng Lezhen happened to be heading out, and the two ran into each other at the door.
“I’m heading out with Hu Wensheng and the others to take inventory of the grain stores today. I’ll probably be back very late—no need to wait for me,” Feng Lezhen explained.
Shen Suifeng stared at her for a moment, then suddenly flicked her forehead.
For the sake of maintaining the dignity of the Eldest Princess, they were always very proper in front of others—at most, they’d hold hands. So this sudden flick, though not painful, left Feng Lezhen rather confused.
Just as she was about to ask what that was for, she heard him sigh.
“Your Highness, too many people like you.”
Feng Lezhen: “?”
Before she could question further, Shen Suifeng had already stepped inside.
She was in a hurry to leave as well, so she pushed the question aside for now, planning to ask him after she got back. But by the time she returned late at night, Shen Suifeng was already resting—and she had forgotten all about it.
Unknowingly, it was already May. Most commoners had finished their planting. Those who were especially poor and couldn’t afford seeds had no choice but to leave their land uncultivated.
The land around Yingguan was strange—it had both the harshest, longest winters and the most fertile soil. Oddly enough, even the poorest families owned at least a few mu of farmland, and wealthier ones had so much they couldn’t count it. Perhaps because land was so abundant, people here rarely leased it. Those who couldn’t afford seeds couldn’t rent out their land either, so it simply sat fallow.
Since the New Year, Feng Lezhen had been busy with this very issue. After she and Hu Wensheng finished taking inventory of the grain stores, she gathered the poor families who couldn’t buy seeds, distributed rice seeds, and signed agreements to collect newly harvested rice from them later. Though Yingguan had few industries, it had a surplus of grain. Once word got out that the government office was offering to buy rice at 10% above market price, even families that weren’t poor couldn’t sit still.
“We don’t need seeds from the office. We just want you to buy our rice at the same price,” the villagers pleaded—and Feng Lezhen, of course, didn’t refuse.
When Qi Zhen heard what she was doing, his brows furrowed so tightly they could pinch a fly to death. “She’s already increasing military pay, and now she’s buying rice above market price. Where does she think all this money is coming from?”
“If you have the time to worry about others, why not worry about your own household?” Song Lian said coolly. “How long has it been since your daughter last came home after that fight?”
“I’m planning to strip her of her post. Let’s see if that doesn’t bring her back.” Qi Zhen stiffened his face.
Song Lian laughed. “If you’ve got the guts, go ahead and try. Let’s see if pushing her too far makes her obey you—or if she just cuts ties with you altogether.”
Qi Zhen hesitated, immediately second-guessing himself.
Meanwhile, more and more villagers were signing contracts with the government. Hu Wensheng’s headaches grew by the day. Feng Lezhen, on the other hand, kept welcoming them all with open arms, as if there were no tomorrow, choosing to enjoy the moment first.
“…Your Highness, what exactly are you trying to do?” Hu Wensheng asked her for what felt like the hundredth time.
Feng Lezhen carefully put away the newly signed agreement. “Once this season’s rice is planted, about when will it be ready for harvest?”
“August or September,” Hu Wensheng replied.
Feng Lezhen nodded. “That’s more or less the timeline I remembered.”
Still, she didn’t answer his earlier question.
Hu Wensheng stared at her for a while and couldn’t hold back anymore. “Your Highness wants to stockpile the new rice and sell it at a high price to fund soldiers’ wages? That won’t work. The court regulates rice prices—anything above a certain rate gets penalized. It’s impossible to buy low and sell high… and besides, Your Highness isn’t even buying low. Your purchase price is already 10% higher than what regular rice merchants pay.”
“Ten percent higher than other merchants’ prices is just barely on par with rice collection prices in other regions. Am I then to assume rice merchants deliberately suppress the price when they come to Yingguan?” For once, Feng Lezhen didn’t deny his speculation.
Hu Wensheng gave a bitter smile. “Your Highness might not know this, but Yingguan is too remote. It costs merchants more just to make a trip here. If they don’t cut prices, no one would bother coming.”
“The cost of coming to Yingguan is so high, yet over 300 merchants still come every year. That shows Yingguan’s rice isn’t easily replaced by other sources,” Feng Lezhen chuckled and tossed the stack of finalized agreements to him. “Since it’s irreplaceable, we certainly shouldn’t let others profit cheaply. As for the price… yes, the sale price is fixed, but the purchase price isn’t.”
So she really did want to profit off the new rice. Hu Wensheng’s expression grew even more miserable. “Your Highness, if you were thinking this way, why didn’t you say so earlier!”
“The esteemed Governor is brilliant—didn’t you figure it out on your own?” Feng Lezhen teased.
But Hu Wensheng couldn’t laugh. He looked at the towering pile of agreements, nearly as tall as a person, and thought about how much money it would cost. He felt utterly defeated. “You’re really putting me in a tight spot! You think the prefecture’s never tried this before? Those rice merchants are all in cahoots. As soon as they hear the price is going up, they leave. That year, all the new rice was left in the warehouses, no one came to buy it. People couldn’t afford charcoal or winter clothes. The prefecture had to empty the treasury just to help the people survive the winter. And now you want to try again? Either we waste ten percent of our silver for nothing, or we let the rice rot in storage again!”
Seeing that he was practically on the verge of tears, Feng Lezhen chose neither comfort nor scolding—she simply turned and walked away.
Once she was out of the government office, the world finally quieted. She let out a long breath and looked up at the cloudless sky. “Three more months and it’ll be Fu Zhixian’s birthday. Do you think I should send a gift ahead of time?”
The attendant Ah Ye, following behind her, froze for a moment, momentarily dazed.
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