Hearing these words, Ganjiang was momentarily stunned.
Did all members of the Guan family have this habit? After a battle, they would always turn their head and say “Thank you for your hard work” to others, stirring indescribable feelings in people’s hearts. Especially hearing it now when people were gone and things had changed, it almost brought tears to one’s eyes.
“His Highness Yin is truly ingenious,” Fengyue smiled, completely unaware of the emotions of the person beside her. “No wonder he told me to be careful. I must already be in many people’s thoughts.”
“Naturally,” feeling somewhat embarrassed, Ganjiang quickly composed himself and said with a lowered head, “The capital has been in chaos this past month, and you avoided trouble during the turmoil. Now that the Grand General has returned and learned that His Highness has someone new by his side, of course, he wants to send his regards.”
“Such crude greetings,” Fengyue blinked, swaying her waist as she walked toward the main courtyard, complaining coquettishly, “How could someone as delicate as me withstand such frightening treatment? Oh my, I must quickly have some chilled white fungus soup to calm my nerves.”
Ganjiang: “…”
Lingxu, who had been hiding and playing dead, was retrieved. While drinking white fungus soup on the soft couch, she suddenly asked curiously, “Master, why is it that whenever something happens, your first thought isn’t about how to escape, but about hiding this servant away?”
Fengyue smiled, “Because you’re very adorable. Your master can’t bear to let you die.”
Is that so? Lingxu frowned. Though young, she wasn’t stupid. Since being bought by her master, she hadn’t done anything particularly meritorious. Yet her master treated her incredibly well, buying whatever she liked to eat, and always thinking of protecting her first whenever anything happened.
“Why?” Lingxu asked again.
Glancing at her sideways, Fengyue lowered her fan and gently flicked the little maid’s forehead. “Why think so much? When you have good days to enjoy, enjoy them wholeheartedly. Don’t always get stuck on this and that, or you’ll waste the good times and make yourself unhappy. What’s the benefit in that?”
Master’s words are always so reasonable! Lingxu clenched her fists and nodded, picking up the fan to continue fanning her master.
When Yin Gezhi returned, it was already dusk. Trading moves with the old fox had consumed much energy, and fatigue showed in his features.
However, when the envoy mansion’s gate opened, the courtyard was filled with flower fragrance, two rows of lit stone lanterns led straight to the main courtyard entrance, and someone stood on the steps by the door, smiling at him with stunning beauty: “You’ve returned just in time, dinner is ready.”
Pausing slightly, Yin Gezhi raised his eyes, which reflected the warm light of the stone lanterns falling gently on that person. Suddenly it seemed as if everything else in heaven and earth had vanished, leaving only this courtyard of flowers and grass, two rows of stone lanterns, and the person standing on those steps.
For a moment, he thought Fengyue was truly beautiful, though her makeup was excessive and her clothing too thin for his comfort, but… she was just beautiful.
“Master?” An intrusive voice cut in. Yin Gezhi came to his senses and glanced sideways at him.
Guanzhi wore a dejected face, holding a long bamboo cane high above his head, saying softly, “This subordinate requests punishment.”
“What?” Walking inside, Yin Gezhi asked, “Made a mistake?”
“This subordinate failed in his duty,” holding the cane and following him, Guanzhi said quietly, “When I went out at noon to get ice blocks, something happened here, someone broke in.”
His footsteps paused slightly, Yin Gezhi looked up at Fengyue standing perfectly fine ahead, then continued walking: “Where are they?”
“We captured three alive, they’re locked in the woodshed.”
“Just hand them over to the officials as thieves.” Speaking indifferently, Yin Gezhi stopped in front of Fengyue: “You seem completely unaffected.”
“Thanks to your blessing,” taking his hand and leading him to sit at the table, Fengyue said, “This servant didn’t bring shame to the envoy mansion.”
“That’s good then.” Yin Gezhi responded, looking down at the dishes on the table, his eyebrows twitching: “What are these?”
Fengyue smiled sheepishly: “Steamed mandarin fish, duck soup, steamed meat, and boiled cabbage.”
“Why suddenly so light? Don’t you usually prefer greasy food?”
Having arbitrarily used up a jar of oil by pouring it out, naturally, she couldn’t make greasy dishes! Fengyue smiled apologetically: “It’s good to eat light occasionally… How did things go at the General’s mansion?”
Yin Gezhi nodded, elegantly picking up food: “Successfully reached the mountaintop, now we just need to watch the tigers fight.”
Looking at him with surprise, Fengyue asked: “General Yi didn’t question you about the Wind-Listening Decree?”
His Highness Yin remained silent, only giving her a meaningful look.
So Fengyue nodded and dug into her rice, saying between bites: “He couldn’t question you about it anyway, I worried too much.”
Today she only ate one bowl of rice before putting down her chopsticks. Yin Gezhi watched her, then beckoned to Guanzhi who was still standing outside holding the cane: “Redeem yourself.”
“Please instruct me, Master!”
“Go to the mountain and catch a wild rabbit, a fat one.”
What? Guanzhi stared, looking at the sky outside: “At this time?”
Yin Gezhi’s eyes were full of certainty.
So Guanzhi rushed out holding the cane, making Fengyue click her tongue: “He’s too obedient.”
Putting down his bowls and chopsticks, Yin Gezhi turned to ask her: “What has the Crown Prince been doing lately?”
Fengyue blinked: “You’re asking me?”
“Who else?” Lifting her to sit on the soft couch, Yin Gezhi said coldly: “This is the envoy mansion, I know about all letter correspondence.”
So the Crown Prince’s skills are insufficient, she thought. If you’re going to send letters, couldn’t you disguise them a bit, not make them look so obviously like letters? See? You got caught, didn’t you? Fengyue cursed inwardly a couple of times, then respectfully knelt on the soft couch.
“This servant doesn’t know what His Highness the Crown Prince is doing, the letters are only meant to remind this servant to serve you well.”
“Is it to serve me well, or to watch me well?” With a hint of sharpness in his calm gaze, Yin Gezhi looked at her: “And you don’t reply to any letters.”
Without a word, Fengyue took out both letters from the Crown Prince and handed them to Yin Gezhi: “You’d better read them yourself, this servant doesn’t know how to reply.”
So straightforward? Yin Gezhi raised an eyebrow, eyes fixed on her while his hands opened the letters, slowly lowering his head to read.
The first letter was earlier. It did tell her to serve him well, praised this girl extensively, trying to get close by saying nonsense like “rarely finding such a good person, you should cherish them well” – probably only effective on women.
The second letter must have been recent. Reading through it, only one matter stood out.
Court official Ning Guozhong memorialized the throne, requesting that for the stability of the state, the Emperor should recall military authority during peacetime.
Ye Yuqing mentioned this matter subtly, overtly only telling Fengyue to be careful. But such letters sent to the envoy mansion – how could they be meant for Fengyue? They were meant for him to see.
Letting out a scornful laugh, Yin Gezhi crushed the paper in his hand, saying with mockery: “Being so hasty to strip Yi Guoru of his military power, trouble will easily arise.”
Fengyue blinked: “You think it’s inappropriate? But now General Yi has no troops with him, his whole family is in the capital – if the Emperor truly issues an edict to recall the military tally, how could he not hand it over?”
“Whether he’ll hand it over or not, I don’t know, but,” Yin Gezhi raised his eyes to look at her, “This way, the Crown Prince has truly pushed Wu’s greatest general to the opposing side. With Yi Guoru’s personality, he certainly won’t have any notion of loyalty to the monarch first. When truly pushed to desperation, even rabbits will bite, let alone tigers.”
Shrinking her shoulders, Fengyue said: “Will he rebel? But Noble Consort Yi has no children, if he rebels it would lack legitimacy, and it seems impossible to succeed.”
“Rebellion is a great taboo for soldiers, he may not commit it,” thinking of the letters placed on the flower rack, Yin Gezhi lowered his eyes, “But other things are hard to say.”
Fengyue fell silent. Suddenly she smiled and said: “Do you think generals like General Yi are better, or generals like General Guan?”
Pausing slightly, Yin Gezhi frowned: “One is a cunning and ambitious hegemon, and one is a hero loyal to his country yet betrayed it – how can they be compared?”
“Loyal to his country yet betrayed it.” Mulling over these words, Fengyue smiled and said: “Yes, common people also curse General Guan as a traitor, this servant has cursed him too. But having stayed by your side for long, this servant suddenly feels curious. If General Guan had the ability like General Yi’s, would he have been so easily exposed for selling out the country?”
Yin Gezhi’s face darkened. Suddenly somewhat angry: “As a woman, why concern yourself with these matters? Those who should die have died, those who should fail have failed, what’s the point in dwelling on past events?”
Those who should die have died, but what about those who shouldn’t have died?!
Clenching her hands, Fengyue smiled alluringly and responded with a lowered head: “This servant asked too much.”
The strange feeling in his heart rose again, and Yin Gezhi suddenly asked: “You think General Guan was wronged?”
“No,” Fengyue shook her head, “This servant just had a sudden thought and asked. The royal family determined his crime, how could he possibly be wronged?”
With that, she stood up to pour water at the table.
Yin Gezhi’s expression wasn’t good, his eyes fixed on a spot lost in thought. When Fengyue returned with the tea, he spoke softly: “I’ve never believed in people. Only in evidence.”
Fengyue nodded and smiled: “Your Highness is wise.”
Grabbing her hand as she tried to withdraw after setting down the teacup, Yin Gezhi raised his head in confusion: “Why do you praise me while avoiding me?”
Blinking, Fengyue asked: “Do I?”
Yin Gezhi pressed his lips together, looking at her face with its false smile. Suddenly he let go: “Never mind.”
Just a mere courtesan, why should he care about her attitude? Guanzhi was right, he had been too indulgent with her, spoiling her into having an attitude.
The person before him smiled brightly, clearly able to read his expression. Yet she showed no reaction, her face full of innocence, hands folded at her abdomen, standing properly as she asked: “Does Your Highness have any other instructions?”
“No, you may go.”
“Yes.”
Ning Guozhong’s memorial caused an uproar in court. The Crown Prince didn’t state his position, but his faction responded enthusiastically. Civil officials pressed with loyalty, military officials cited regulations, all requesting General Yi General Xu, and other great generals to hand over their military authority.
Xu Huaizu rushed anxiously to the envoy’s mansion, pushing open the door and shouting: “Master, save me!”