Qing Yun’s gaze remained fixed on Zhan Yuheng, as though he had not heard a single word Feng Qingyin had said.
After a moment, he released a quiet sigh, turned, and made to leave.
“It seems only Jiu’er can save His Highness the Crown Prince now.”
“Qing Yun.” Feng Qingyin spun around, fixing him with a sharp glare. “What do you think you’re doing?”
Qing Yun stopped and turned to face her.
“I am going to find Feng Jiu’er. If she is willing to save His Highness the Crown Prince, then my life is hers.” He dropped those words and turned away once more.
“Stop right there!” Feng Qingyin commanded in a frigid voice.
But Qing Yun showed not the slightest intention of obeying.
Feng Qingyin’s brow tightened, and she said in a low, measured tone, “If you want two lives to be lost, if you want the Crown Prince to wake up to find that his child is gone, then you are welcome to keep walking.”
Those words, heavy with consequence, brought Qing Yun to an involuntary halt.
He composed himself but did not turn back.
“Noble Consort, I understand that you dislike Feng Jiu’er. But right now, she is the only one who can save His Highness the Crown Prince. You…”
“Nonsense!” Feng Qingyin cut Qing Yun off sharply. “We have the finest Imperial Physicians from the Imperial Capital. What is Feng Jiu’er compared to them?”
She turned to look at the man in the bed, reaching out to touch his face.
“The Imperial Physician said that as long as Crown Prince brother wakes up today, he will not be in danger.”
“But if…”
“Qing Yun.” Before Qing Yun could finish his words, Feng Qingyin cut him off hard.
“If you dare say another careless word, I would not mind submitting a report to His Majesty and having him exterminate your nine clans.”
“I am an orphan. My life was salvaged by His Highness the Crown Prince. I have no nine clans to speak of.” Qing Yun glanced back at Zhan Yuheng, and something in his bearing grew heavier.
“Since your life belongs to Crown Prince brother, you should be doing whatever benefits him.”
Feng Qingyin returned Zhan Yuheng’s hand to rest beneath the covers and stood up.
“I will only follow the orders of His Highness the Crown Prince, or those of…whoever holds his command token.” Qing Yun lowered his voice, as though not wanting to disturb the person resting in the bed.
Feng Qingyin looked at him, her brow creasing slightly.
“I know you do not recognize me as the Crown Prince Consort, but this is already the reality — a reality that even Crown Prince brother has accepted.”
Feng Qingyin straightened slightly, as though making a silent point.
“Since Crown Prince brother has accepted it and acknowledged it, what standing does a servant have to refuse?”
“With me here, Crown Prince brother will be fine.” She glanced back once, and something in her tone settled.
“You focus on drawing up the battle plan. The moment the reinforcements arrive, march straight into the city and wipe out everyone inside in one fell sweep.”
“Only by killing Feng Jiu’er will Crown Prince brother be free to give his whole heart to supporting His Majesty. And you are his man — surely you also hope that one day he becomes the sovereign, don’t you?”
She settled back into the chair at the bedside, looking at Zhan Yuheng, drawing a slow breath.
“Feng Jiu’er is absolutely a stumbling block in Crown Prince brother’s way. If she does not die, she will bring ruin upon Crown Prince brother in the end.”
“Just like this time — if the one who struck had not been Feng Jiu’er’s man, Crown Prince brother would not have let his guard down, and he… would not have been wounded so severely.”
Feng Qingyin clutched the blanket, her voice breaking with a choked sob.
“I am the person in this world who loves Crown Prince brother most. Even if I had to resort to means, even if others despise me for it, the feeling I carry for Crown Prince brother will never change.”
“I believe that one day, Crown Prince brother will be moved by me. He will eventually fall in love with me.”
“For Crown Prince brother’s sake, I am willing to give everything I have. And so…”
“…” A soft, muffled cry escaped Feng Qingyin as she slumped forward beside Zhan Yuheng. “Crown Prince brother, you must wake up.”
“Qingyin cannot be without you. Our child cannot be without you either, Crown Prince brother.”
Qing Yun watched her weep, and after a long moment, seemed to come back to himself.
“Noble Consort, you stay here with His Highness. I will go and check on the status of the reinforcements.”
“Go on.” Feng Qingyin managed between broken breaths.
Qing Yun turned, stepped forward, and left the tent.
The moment he was gone, Feng Qingyin straightened up. She retrieved a cloth and dabbed at the corners of her eyes.
She leaned in and reached out to touch Zhan Yuheng’s face with careful tenderness. The corners of her mouth curved faintly upward.
“Crown Prince brother, rest easy. That woman who troubles your heart won’t be around to cause you grief much longer.”
“In the future, the world will be yours, Crown Prince brother. And I will be yours as well.”
Feng Qingyin closed her eyes, and the smile on her lips carried a thread of cold calculation.
Perhaps she ought to be grateful for Jian Yi’s sword. Without it, how would she have ever found herself with a voice over tens of thousands of troops?
The smile returned, and her gaze settled on Zhan Yuheng’s face.
“Crown Prince brother, rest well. When you wake, everything will be put right.”
“Miss Qingyin, are you inside?” A delicate voice floated in from outside.
Feng Qingyin stood, turned, and moved toward the entrance.
She lifted the curtain herself and stepped out, then turned back to look at the guards posted on either side of the tent.
“Watch over His Highness the Crown Prince carefully. If anything happens to him, none of you can expect to return to the palace alive.”
“Understood.” Eight guards responded in unison, heads bowed.
With Ling Long supporting her, Feng Qingyin walked into a nearby tent.
“What news?” The woman settled at the table and lifted a cup of tea, blowing lightly at the surface.
“My lady, the reinforcements have been held up by several thousand soldiers from Mo City. Their advance has been delayed.” Ling Long murmured.
“What?” Feng Qingyin set the lid of the cup aside and placed the cup down.
“Where did Mo City get that kind of force? Are they not worried that we’ll march straight against them?”
“My lady, in truth, the best opportunity to strike Mo City is right now.” Ling Long suggested quietly.
“If we advance on Mo City, the expenditure in manpower and resources would be significant.”
“His Majesty sent His Highness the Crown Prince to reclaim Mo City. It was only because of Ya Mu City’s strategic position that attention was redirected there first.”
“Now that Mo City has deployed forces twice, the troops remaining within its walls cannot be plentiful. For us to march in would be nothing short of effortless.”
Feng Qingyin’s brow furrowed slightly. She lifted the cup once more and took a sip.
“Unfortunately, His Highness the Crown Prince is gravely ill and has yet to regain consciousness. No one dares change the strategy unilaterally.” Ling Long gave a quiet sigh.
Feng Qingyin looked at her, a faint curve touching the corner of her lips. “Very good.”
“Very good?” Ling Long blinked, somewhat at a loss. “My lady, do you mean…?”
“Ling Long, it was a good decision to keep you by my side.” Feng Qingyin set down the cup and rose to her feet.
“If you hadn’t had those people kill the thousand surrendered soldiers in Feng Jiu’er’s hands, the two armies would still be at a standstill.”
“Even though we were pushed out of the city, our casualties were not severe.”
“Ling Long, go and investigate the situation inside Mo City. If their defenses are thin, we march right back in and strike.”
“My lady, as for the Crown Prince’s side of things…” Ling Long’s brow creased.
“It is of no matter.” Feng Qingyin swept her sleeves and moved forward with unhurried, poised steps. “Crown Prince brother cannot wake up for now — and Qing Yun will do as I say.”