Yin Gezhi particularly liked how this Crown Prince loved peace—especially peace between Wu and Wei! His expression immediately softened as he nodded, watching him leave first with Yu Hexiang.
When Fengyue and the others emerged from behind, they saw Yin Gezhi turn around in good spirits to look at them: “We have work to do.”
Thinking about what they had just discussed, Fengyue smiled and stepped back: “This servant hasn’t been feeling well lately…”
Pulling her into his arms, Yin Gezhi said in a deep voice: “To demonstrate your value, it would be most appropriate to simply obey.”
Though this should have been a joke, for some reason, hearing it made Fengyue’s back go cold, and she couldn’t help but look up at him.
Yin Gezhi’s expression remained unchanged, his eyes calm and undisturbed, as if nothing was wrong.
Was she overthinking it?
“Master,” An Shichong and Xu Huaizu came out saying, “We’ll take our leave first, we need to go train the troops.”
“Mm, don’t neglect your studies.”
“Yes.”
The two righteous young men walked away into the sunlight, leaving Fengyue trembling in the wind.
“We need to venture into the tiger’s den again,” Yin Gezhi said softly behind her. “Only this time, the tiger is home, and we could easily be eaten.”
Fengyue shook her head repeatedly: “Everything else is negotiable, Your Highness. This servant can find you the guard duty roster and shift changes for the General’s mansion, even the security arrangements for various locations. Anything, but please don’t take this servant along—it’s too dangerous.”
“Oh?” Yin Gezhi said: “I was thinking of staying at the General’s mansion like before, which would make it easier to gather information. General Yi is very interested in you, using you as an excuse would make it more legitimate.”
Shaking her head like a rattledrum, Fengyue said: “This servant would rather be hunted outside than face such a powerful figure directly—it’s too frightening.”
People will die!
Narrowing his eyes, a strange light flashed in Yin Gezhi’s pupils. Gently playing with the long hair of the person in his arms, he said flatly: “With me there, he won’t do anything to you. Rather, you’re more likely to run into trouble where I can’t see you.”
“No, no,” Fengyue shook her head. “This servant will hide away carefully.”
“What if you can’t hide successfully?”
“Then this servant deserves whatever death comes!”
His heart tightened, and Yin Gezhi reached out to grip her chin, turning her to face him as he said angrily: “When you act like this, it makes me want to take you to meet General Yi even more, to see exactly what would happen.”
“Please don’t!” Her body immediately went soft, and Fengyue looked at him pitifully: “This servant isn’t afraid of anything else, but in front of the tiger, what if they snap at us and you can’t stop them? Besides, there’s also Miss Yi in the mansion. What if you lose control in front of that beauty and abandon this servant? Who would this servant cry to then?”
Letting out a light snort, Yin Gezhi said: “In your eyes, am I someone who forgets his duties for the sake of beauty?”
Yes, yes, Fengyue nodded seriously, pointing at herself earnestly: “Last time when Guanzhi came to discuss matters with you, weren’t you with this servant and left him waiting outside?”
Yin Gezhi: “…”
Wasn’t that a different matter entirely?
Before he could say more, the shameless woman had already crouched down to hug his leg, wailing: “Please spare this servant, young master…”
“Alright,” unable to bear this ear-piercing noise any longer, Yin Gezhi said impatiently: “All those things you mentioned earlier. Look into all of them and bring them to me.”
“No need to look into them!” Her face immediately brightened as she pulled him toward the carriage, smiling ingratiatingly: “Everything’s already prepared, you can have someone fetch it as soon as you return.”
Already prepared? Yin Gezhi was startled: “You’ve been keeping watch on the General’s mansion?”
“That’s natural, isn’t someone like General Yi worth watching?” Fengyue grinned foolishly.
That’s not what I meant, Yin Gezhi shook his head: “The guard duty roster, shift changes, security arrangements… If I remember correctly, since the last theft, Zhaozhu had all of these changed.”
“Yes,” Fengyue nodded: “So this servant put in great effort to obtain the new ones from people.”
“Why did you need to get new ones?”
“Because it’s better to be prepared!” Though her heart was beating faster, Fengyue kept smiling: “They’ll be useful sooner or later.”
Yin Gezhi fell silent, his eyes dark and bottomless as he stared at her steadily.
Feeling uneasy under his gaze, Fengyue looked away.
Yin Gezhi lowered his eyes, his heart heavy.
Just as the carriage stopped at the embassy’s entrance, dark clouds began gathering overhead. Yin Gezhi calmly finished his evening meal and was preparing to go to the study to read when thunder suddenly crashed in the distance. The boom made his entire body freeze, standing rigid in place, not daring to move.
Fengyue was still clearing away the bowls and chopsticks, listening to the sound of rain hitting the eaves, thinking this was quite a heavy rain.
Lingshu carried a stack of plates to the kitchen and came back soaked like a drowned rat. She jumped in front of Fengyue with wide eyes: “Mistress, Prince Yin seems to be in a bad mood!”
“What happened?” Fengyue raised an eyebrow.
Gesturing dramatically, Lingshu said: “Just now when this servant went to put away the plates, I saw him standing alone in the rain. I hurried to ask if he was alright and if he needed an umbrella. But he fiercely told this servant to go away and continued standing in the rain… Looking at his silhouette, he seemed so melancholy!”
Melancholy? Fengyue narrowed her eyes, listening to the thunder and rain outside, then suddenly slapped her forehead and quickly grabbed an umbrella to go out.
Someone like Yin Gezhi would never show his vulnerable side to others, so even if he was too frightened by the thunder to move, he would still present the world with the image of a tall, solitary figure.
Only she knew that his legs must have gone weak.
Just as he was being drenched in the rain and feeling utterly miserable, Yin Gezhi suddenly felt the rain stop. Opening his eyes, he saw someone holding a peach-colored oil paper umbrella on tiptoes to shield him, smiling warmly: “Your Highness, let’s go inside. You’ll catch a cold.”
Pressing his lips together, the great Prince Yin said stiffly: “Not necessary.”
“BOOM—” Thunder crashed, like some giant deity raging overhead, instantly draining the color from that icy face.
Fengyue couldn’t help but laugh, reaching out to take his hand, her fingers intertwining with his as she pulled him toward the main house.
“Let go of me,” the person behind her said rigidly.
Completely ignoring him, Fengyue pushed him into the room and began removing his soaked clothes one by one.
Yin Gezhi wanted to resist, but with the thunder and rain showing no signs of stopping, his body remained frozen. He could only watch as this vixen smiled mischievously while stripping his clothes, then placed a towel on his wet head as if caring for a child.
“Hey.” With the towel hanging down on both sides covering half his face, only his eyes remained bright and exposed, looking at her very seriously: “I’m not afraid of thunder.”
Fengyue had barely been holding back her laughter, but hearing this, she completely lost it, showing eight snow-white teeth as she roared: “HAHAHA—”
Prince Yin’s face darkened considerably, and he wanted to reach out and strangle her. But unexpectedly, she rose on her tiptoes to embrace him, immediately transferring warmth to his chest. His cold lips were covered by hers, kissed thoroughly with little smacking sounds, and only then did she look at him with tears gleaming in her eyes: “You’re not afraid, but this servant is.”
“Scared enough to cry?” Yin Gezhi looked disgusted.
Wiping away her tears with a laugh, Fengyue nodded, then patted his head like comforting a large wolf: “Don’t worry, Your Highness, everything will be fine.”
These words were purely asking for death—who was worried? Who was worried?! Yin Gezhi was very agitated!
However, with his palm being held, his body being embraced, and warmth continuously flowing through him, it felt very comfortable. Prince Yin thought aggressively, forget it, anyway, she’s the only one who knows about this.
Hugging her back, Yin Gezhi closed his eyes and lowered his head, resting his chin on her shoulder: “If you had no other thoughts in mind, I truly could ensure you a lifetime of peace.”
“Thank you, Your Highness,” Fengyue responded happily: “Then this servant’s life is in your hands.”
Squeezing her delicate shoulder, Yin Gezhi pressed his lips together.
Outside, wind and thunder raged, but inside was warm and fragrant. Fengyue wore only her undergarments. The person in her arms was curled up like a wolf cub, his tall frame too large to fit completely in her embrace, but even holding just half of him made Fengyue feel very secure.
She didn’t know where this sense of security came from, but she felt that Yin Gezhi during a thunderstorm truly put her at ease.
However, even though he slept well, Yin Gezhi still had a nightmare. He dreamed that Guan Canghai stood before him holding his head, coldly saying: “Your Highness was arbitrary. His Majesty was heartless. The wronged souls of the entire Guan family should all come to claim Your Highness’s life!”
Yin Gezhi frowned, asking in confusion: “Weren’t you a traitor?”
“Based on what evidence? What evidence!” Guan Canghai’s head laughed in his hands: “You wronged me, how will you repay the lives of over a hundred members of the Guan family!”
His chest tightened, and Yin Gezhi’s eyes snapped open.
Outside it was dawn, the rain had stopped, and the fresh post-rain fragrance drifted in, very refreshing.
Fengyue sat by the bed watching him, smiling: “Your Highness should get up. Didn’t you say you were going to the General’s mansion today? This servant has prepared everything.”
Saying this, she handed over a rosewood box.
Gathering his thoughts, Yin Gezhi rubbed his brow and opened the box, looking at its contents before giving an “Mm” of acknowledgment.
“Is Your Highness unwell?” Fengyue asked: “Did you have a nightmare?”
Remembering the dream, Yin Gezhi’s expression darkened: “Mm.”
“What occupies the mind by day appears in dreams at night—Your Highness just thinks too much,” Taking out clothes to help him dress, Fengyue smiled faintly: “Just relax a bit.”
Getting out of bed and standing before the mirror, Yin Gezhi looked at himself, his fists clenching and unclenching. After a long silence, he suddenly asked: “If you made a decision that led to many deaths, and later discovered that decision might have been too hasty, what would you do?”
Anyone else might not have understood what he meant. But as it happened, Fengyue knew exactly what kind of dream he’d had as soon as she heard this.
Smiling as she tied his sash in a tight knot, she said softly: “Those who know their mistakes but don’t correct them will go to hell.”