These words were even more boastful than those of Manager Li, who was known for his bragging! Just as everyone burst into laughter and was about to tease her from all sides, the door was suddenly kicked open with a “bang.”
Yin Gezhi stood expressionlessly in the doorway, his gaze moving past everyone and landing precisely on Feng Yue’s face.
Feng Yue nearly bit her tongue!
“Your… Your Highness?”
In an instant, the room fell silent. Everyone grabbed their low tables and cushions, retreating to both sides with remarkable coordination, creating a clear path. At the end of this path sat Miss Feng Yue, her face filled with shock.
With eyes that seemed both mocking and not, smiling yet not, Yin Gezhi stepped through the doorway and walked toward her slowly, step by step.
The scene resembled a wolf stalking its prey, knowing the prey had nowhere to escape. I’ll just stare at you as I approach slowly, letting you savor the fear and anxiety before death!
Swallowing hard, Feng Yue gave a nervous laugh: “Your Highness, we meet again so soon… How did you know we were staying here?”
In the corner, Ganjiang shuddered and busied himself eating meat, attempting to appear innocent. However, while everyone else in the room was still, he was the only one eating with such enthusiasm. Feng Yue spotted him immediately, narrowed her eyes, and gritted her teeth: “This was my oversight!”
The white robe swept to a stop before her, and Yin Gezhi looked down at her with eyes full of disdain: “You look down on me?”
“No, no…” Waving her hands frantically, Feng Yue said: “Let me explain!”
“I won’t listen.” Lifting his chin, Yin Gezhi’s expression grew severe. His gaze was so sharp it seemed as if he might strike her with his palm at any moment!
Feng Yue closed her eyes tightly in fear, covering her head with both hands in a defensive posture.
However, after waiting for a long while, the expected strike didn’t come. Instead, someone said in a low voice:
“I’m hungry.”
What? Opening one eye, Feng Yue looked questioningly at the person before her, wanting to say that this wasn’t a restaurant, and if he was hungry, couldn’t he just find the imperial chef?
However, when she met his eyes and saw the loneliness in them despite his towering presence, her heart tightened.
What had happened?
Without asking, Feng Yue pulled him down to sit beside her, then called out: “Aunt Zheng, bring another set of bowls and chopsticks!”
“Right away!”
Seeing that the strike hadn’t come, everyone seemed disappointed at missing out on a good show. But why was Crown Prince Yin here bumming a meal off them instead of attending the welcoming feast at the palace?
Though everyone had questions in their eyes, no one dared to ask them aloud. They all pretended to continue eating naturally, while their ears stretched long toward the main seat.
A fresh set of dishes was placed before Yin Gezhi, and only after watching him finish a bowl of rice did Feng Yue ask: “Did something happen at the palace?”
“No,” Yin Gezhi said casually. “The food at the welcoming feast wasn’t good.”
This reason startled everyone in the room, and Aunt Zheng exclaimed with pride: “So my cooking is better than the imperial chef’s.”
“Oh, stop it,” Madam Qiu laughed. “They’re just trying to make you happy. Use less salt next time.”
“Madam Qiu, you cleaned your plate the most thoroughly, yet you dare say such things?” Yin Xianzhong shook his head. “Be careful, or you might not get any food next time.”
Everyone burst into laughter, and the atmosphere in the residence became harmonious. They didn’t seem like a leader and followers, but rather a happy family, arguing and joking. Those who disagreed would step outside to spar a bit, then return to continue drinking.
Yin Gezhi watched, momentarily dazed, his lips slightly pursed, his eyes revealing a strange expression.
Feng Yue looked at him in surprise and asked: “Your Highness, are you… envious?”
Coming back to his senses, Yin Gezhi snorted coldly: “Who’s envious?”
You are! Feng Yue pouted and used her chopsticks to place a duck head in his bowl: “Have this, it suits you.”
Looking down at the duck’s beak in his bowl, Yin Gezhi narrowed his eyes: “Are you tired of living?”
“Indeed,” Now that the threats between them had become meaningless, Feng Yue boldly replied: “If you’re unhappy, go ahead and report me, have me arrested and beheaded!”
Yin Gezhi frowned, giving her a very displeased look, then continued eating.
“Young Master!” Someone rushed in from outside, running straight to Feng Yue’s side: “Something terrible has happened!”
Looking at the sweat on his forehead, Feng Yue smiled: “Brother Shi Chong, speak slowly. No need to rush.”
Wiping his sweat, Shi Chong was still panting and hadn’t noticed who was sitting next to Feng Yue. He blurted out: “It is terrible! The Crown Prince confronted His Majesty in Fulu Palace, saying General Guan was wronged and demanding a retrial of the Guan family case. The Emperor was furious and declared he would behead anyone who mentioned this matter again! Now the Crown Prince has left the palace, and his whereabouts are unknown!”
Everyone gasped, and Feng Yue’s eyes widened as she slowly turned to look at the person beside her.
Shi Chong wiped his sweat and looked at them curiously: “Why are you all looking to the side…”
As he followed their gaze, his legs went weak, and he nearly fell to his knees.
Yin Gezhi calmly took a sip of tea, set down the cup, and looked up at him: “Has the news spread?”
“Y-yes, it has.” Swallowing hard, Shi Chong forced himself to continue: “Wasn’t tonight your welcoming feast? All officials of third rank and above were present, plus many palace servants and eunuchs. With such a major incident happening in front of so many witnesses, naturally, the news spread like it had wings…”
“Good.” Yin Gezhi nodded, wiped his mouth with a handkerchief, and looked at Feng Yue: “In that case, you’ll have to ask for my help again, Young Master.”
The last two words carried a hint of mockery, making Feng Yue flush with shame and anger. She gritted her teeth: “If the Emperor wants to behead you, why should I ask for your help?”
“Because he won’t behead me, and I can find a way to clear the Guan family’s name.” Yin Gezhi curved his lips, lifted his chin, and looked down at her through half-lidded eyes: “In all of Wei, I’m the only one who can do this.”
Startled, Feng Yue frowned at him in complete confusion: “Why do you want to clear the Guan family’s name? You were the one who convicted them in the first place!”
“It wasn’t me,” he interrupted her. “I only provided the evidence. I didn’t pass the sentence.”
“Isn’t that the same thing?” She snorted coldly. “If you had believed my father back then, you wouldn’t have submitted that evidence!”
“It’s not the same,” Yin Gezhi frowned. “I judge based on facts, not people. Given the evidence of General Guan’s collusion with the enemy and the prior military defeat, any rational person would not judge right from wrong based on their own opinions, but would submit it to the judicial system for three trials.”
“…” Rendered speechless by his words, Feng Yue grew furious and turned away sharply.
Beside her, Madam Qiu sighed, stood next to Feng Yue with her hands on her shoulders, and said gently: “Your Highness’s words aren’t without reason. But guilt by association is still guilt. Regardless, the royal family’s inaction, allowing General Guan to die wrongfully and the Guan family to be executed – these are facts.”
“I know,” Yin Gezhi pressed his lips together. “That’s why when there’s a mistake, I correct it. You should at least give me the chance to right a wrong.”
“How do you suddenly know it was wrong now?” Feng Yue sneered. “Just because you believe me?”
Giving her a sideways glance, Yin Gezhi looked thoroughly disgusted: “You really think too highly of yourself.”
Feng Yue: “…”
“I heard the final conversation between Yi Guoru and you,” Looking at her rolling up her sleeves as if to hit him, Yin Gezhi spoke calmly. “I heard it.”
Shaken heavily, Feng Yue was bewildered: “Didn’t you say you were outside at the time?”
“I was outside, on the roof above your heads.”
“Then why didn’t you tell me?!”
So she wasn’t the only one who knew the truth, wasn’t the only one bearing the weight of the Guan family’s wrongful conviction – there was someone else who knew!
Why didn’t he say so earlier?
Inexplicably feeling somewhat wronged, Feng Yue’s throat tightened, and her eyes reddened.
Yin Gezhi turned away, his hands beneath his sleeves clenched until his knuckles turned white: “There’s no point in saying more, let’s just act. I will clear the Guan family’s name, consider it compensation…”
“Your Highness, when you’re bestowing favors, have you ever asked if others are willing to accept them?” Feng Yue laughed coldly. “What use is compensation? I’m thick-skinned and don’t care about reputation, so I don’t care whether the case is retried or not.”
“…”
“I returned to your Wei country just to seek revenge. Who wants to risk beheading trying to retry a case under your stubborn, judgmental father who can’t tell right from wrong?! If you wrongly accuse someone, you can say sorry. But if you wrongly kill someone, what good is sorry?!”
The last sentence came out as a roar. Just thinking about her father with his full beard and serious and loyal face, Feng Yue’s tears fell like they cost nothing, streaming down her face.
At age seven, her father had held her and recited “Only knowing to die for the ruler on the battlefield, why need the horse’s hide to wrap the corpse in return.” At ten, he had placed military texts and “Treatise on Loyalty to the Ruler” before her. At fifteen, when she went to the battlefield, her father told her not to be afraid. A great man dying for his country had nothing to fear!
Yet he hadn’t died for his country, but at the hands of the person he had served loyally all his life, unable to even clear his name.
Who wouldn’t hate that?!
Frowning as he watched her, Yin Gezhi raised his hand, then stiffly withdrew it halfway, saying coldly: “Since you won’t accept it, I won’t involve myself in this matter.”
What? The people nearby were thrown off by his quick change of heart. Although everyone thought simple revenge would suffice if they could clear the family’s name… Madam Qiu sighed and looked at him: “Your Highness can still handle this.”
“Handle it for what?” His jaw tightened as Yin Gezhi said: “If I don’t handle it, there’s no problem at all. As soon as I say I’ll handle it, look how fierce she becomes.”
These words left people not knowing whether to laugh or cry. Even Feng Yue was momentarily stunned, her mind turning several times before suddenly wondering if she was being unreasonable. Though his words seemed to make sense, something still felt off. Was she being fierce because he wanted to handle it?
“Let’s leave it at that.” Yin Gezhi stood up, saying indifferently: “I’m tired too. I’ll return to the prince’s mansion now. Thank you for the meal.”
“Hey, hey.” Everyone asked him to stay, but Yin Gezhi seemed genuinely angry, leaving with great flair without looking back.
Feng Yue was dumbfounded. She roughly wiped away her tears and pouted: “Fine, don’t handle it then, did you really think I was going to ask for your help? Brother Luo, let’s prepare our things and go!”