After a brief pause, Feng Yue playfully poked Ling Shu’s head. “You little clever one, why are you being so nosy? Quick, go check how Guan Zhi’s medicine is brewing!”
Ling Shu covered her mouth and ran out swiftly!
Watching her carefree silhouette, Feng Yue sighed softly, her eyes filled with tender affection.
“I haven’t asked you yet.” The person on the bed suddenly spoke, startling Feng Yue so much that she clutched her chest as she turned to glare at him. “You could at least announce that you’re awake!”
Yin Gezhi moistened his cracked lips and paused briefly before saying, “I’m awake.”
Feng Yue: “…”
Feeling somewhat strange, she lowered her gaze and asked, “What did you want to ask just now?”
“Given how special your identity is, who is Ling Shu?” He had been wondering while sleeping, seeing how she always protected that little girl like an elder sister. Could there be more than one person who escaped from the Guan family?
However, Feng Yue replied, “She’s just an ordinary girl, nothing special about her identity.”
Yin Gezhi didn’t believe it. If she had no special identity, why would Feng Yue say he must protect Ling Shu’s life?
“Whether you believe it or not,” Feng Yue said, “she was born in Xinghe Village outside Lidu. Her ancestors were farmers for three generations.”
Seeing the confusion in his eyes, Feng Yue’s lips twitched slightly. “If there’s anything different about her, it’s that her mother served in the Guan household for over twenty years, starting from when I was born. She helped raise me, and though she often lectured me about loyalty to the country as the old man wished, she also cared deeply for me. When I got into trouble, she would cover for me. When my father wanted to beat me, she would step forward and plead on my behalf.”
Yin Gezhi started. “What happened then?”
“Then?” Feng Yue narrowed her eyes. “Then I was supposed to die, to be pushed onto the execution platform. She wore my clothes, styled her hair like mine, and walked the path of death that was meant for me.”
Yin Gezhi’s hand tightened slightly as he closed his eyes.
“Ling Shu was born when her mother was sixteen and returned to the village to marry. My father wanted to give her some silver to live a good life back home. But she said she couldn’t bear to leave me, knowing I’d surely get beaten every day for causing trouble without her around. So as soon as Ling Shu was weaned, she returned to the Guan family to continue taking care of me.”
“The entire Guan family, hundreds of people, all perished. Only Ling Shu survived because of these special circumstances. Though she’s not technically part of the Guan family, she’s the last person who could carry on their line, and the only one Your Highness can make amends to because her heart holds no hatred. She doesn’t even know who her mother was, or why her mother never returned to see her.”
With a smile on her lips but no trace of joy in her eyes, Feng Yue said softly, “Your Highness, if someday this servant happens to lose her life, I must entrust Ling Shu to your care.”
His hand tightened again as Yin Gezhi spoke with closed eyes: “What has that to do with me?”
Taking a deep breath and then another, Feng Yue couldn’t help but place her hand on his throat, grinding out, “What has it to do with Your Highness?”
What Yin Gezhi had wanted to say was that she wouldn’t die, and there was no need to entrust Ling Shu to him. But somehow, when spoken, his words came out stiff and altered.
Somewhat annoyed, he opened his eyes to look at her and said angrily, “You owe Ling Shu a mother, why drag me into it?”
Feng Yue immediately smiled as if the previous gloom had never existed: “To give Ling Shu a father through Your Highness! After all, her mother was indirectly lost because of Your Highness!”
At these words, Yin Gezhi actually became docile, turning his head away in what might have been guilt or something else, remaining silent for a while before finally responding, “I understand.”
Somewhat relieved, Feng Yue continued to watch over him by his bedside, occasionally checking his temperature.
The usually robust Crown Prince Yin had somehow fallen seriously ill this time, the sickness lasting several days, causing Guan Zhi to frantically rush about. This forced Feng Yue to remain constantly by his side, not even changing her clothes.
During these days while he lay ill, the Wu Kingdom palace was thrown into chaos. Noble Consort Yi was accused of plotting to assassinate His Majesty. With abundant evidence, the emperor was furious and ordered her confined within the palace. When General Yi heard the news, he immediately tried to enter the palace to plead for mercy but was stopped at the palace gates for lack of an imperial entry permit.
The situation in Buyin City suddenly became tense. Anyone with eyes could see that something was about to happen to the Great General Yi’s household. If he didn’t surrender his military authority soon, he might be charged with plotting against the throne, and his position as general would be forcibly stripped.
Yi Zhaozhu cried bitterly and went to the streets to gather the common people she had helped before, claiming she would petition with ten thousand signatures to prove her father’s innocence. However, those who had been quick to accept her charity in peaceful times now scattered just as quickly when trouble arose. Forget ten thousand signatures – finding even ten people willing to put their fingerprints was difficult.
“Why?” Running to the envoy’s residence in tears, Yi Zhaozhu asked Yin Gezhi desperately, “Why won’t they help? I helped them so much before!”
Yin Gezhi coughed twice and shook his head.
Feng Yue said softly, “Miss Yi, His Highness is still ill. Perhaps you could wait until he’s better to discuss this?”
“Wait?” Yi Zhaozhu choked, “Father is about to be thrown in prison…”
“Forgive this servant’s directness,” Feng Yue sighed, “but your crying won’t help His Highness think of a way to help you. After all, the evidence of General Yi’s corruption is conclusive…”
“What do you know!” Yi Zhaozhu shouted angrily, “My father is the person who loves me most in the world, how could he be a bad person!”
Yin Gezhi turned over in bed as if having a headache, while Feng Yue wiped her face and forced herself to continue, “Someone good to you isn’t necessarily good to others. General Yi might be a good father, but that doesn’t prove he’s a good general.”
“Nonsense!” Yi Zhaozhu stamped her foot in anger, her eyes red as she berated, “What do you know about good generals and bad generals? What lowborn thing are you to dare lecture me? What does it matter to you what kind of person my father is? At least he’s a great general – what are you? What kind of person was your father!”
“Zhaozhu!” Unable to listen further, Yin Gezhi finally sat up, his face very unpleasant as he said, “That’s enough!”
“Brother Yin, you’re defending her and scolding me?” Already in a foul mood, seeing his attitude made Yi Zhaozhu cry even harder. “Now that my father is in trouble, are you also thinking of how to avoid us?”
“No,” Yin Gezhi said, “I won’t avoid you.”
Feng Yue nodded secretly – indeed, he wouldn’t avoid them, he’d even go up and stab them himself.
With hatred in her eyes, Yi Zhaozhu said angrily, “Liar! You’re just like Crown Prince Brother, using sweet words to deceive me! None of you ever truly put me first!”
After speaking, she shot Feng Yue a fierce glare and ran out crying.
Feng Yue sighed, “Your Highness has a unique taste, truly beyond ordinary people’s comprehension.”
Giving her a sideways glance, Yin Gezhi asked, “Do you want to know why I’m so close to General Yi’s family?”