Chapter 115
"Let go! What are you trying to do—" The dimming light gradually brought Xiyang back to her senses. She began struggling desperately, but Yixiao held her wrist firmly, refusing to loosen her grip no matter how much Xiyang flailed.
Only when the campfire became mere flickering dots amidst the trees did Yixiao finally release her. She turned to face Feng Xiyang. "Get a grip. Do you think this is the Su Sha Imperial Palace or Lu City Inner Garden? Even if you don’t care about your own dignity, at least save some face for His Highness!"
Feng Xiyang, scolded so bluntly, was both humiliated and furious, but she couldn’t think of a retort. She forced out a reply, "This is between me and my husband. It’s none of your concern."
"Is that so?" Yixiao yawned openly, then grinned. "Then why did you keep calling out 'Fu Yixiao' over and over, making it impossible for me to even pretend to sleep? Don’t tell me you like that name—but if you do, I don’t mind giving it to you. From now on, you can be Fu Yixiao, and I’ll be Feng Xiyang. How about that?"
"Who said I like— You—you’re insane! I don’t want to talk to you!" Feng Xiyang stamped her foot and turned to head back toward the camp.
"Hey—" Yixiao didn’t chase after her, merely calling out lazily, "So all those words you said at the wedding were just lies, huh?" Her voice wasn’t loud, but it struck Feng Xiyang like thunder echoing through a valley, freezing her in place.
Seeing her stop, Yixiao also dropped her smile and spoke slowly, word by word. "You were the one who said you’d do everything to be a good wife—to share his burdens, stand by him through honor and disgrace, advance and retreat together. That was why I could let go and stay in Su Sha. But tell me, what have you actually done so far?"
"I wanted to!" Feng Xiyang whirled around, choking on her sobs. "If only he treated me even a hundredth as well as he treats you, I’d be content. But I never had the chance—he won’t even spare me a smile! How can I be good to him? How can I share his burdens?"
Yixiao fell silent. The dark space was filled only with Feng Xiyang’s quiet weeping.
After a long pause, Yixiao exhaled deeply and said with difficulty, "He really isn’t an easy man to move." Seeing Xiyang’s sobs weaken, she stepped forward and gently patted her back. "But the way you’re acting now will only push him further away. Stop crying. Once we’re out of this mess, I’ll talk to His Highness—"
"No!" Feng Xiyang suddenly slapped Yixiao’s hand away with a hysterical shriek. "Stay away from him! Don’t you dare go near him again!"
Yixiao’s hand hung in midair, her expression stunned. Though tears still streaked her face, Feng Xiyang glared at her with venom, as if transformed into a different person. "What do you really want? You already have my imperial brother—isn’t that enough? How much longer are you going to cling to him?!"
"Me?" Yixiao barely managed to get a word in before Feng Xiyang cut her off again. "If it weren’t for you always hanging around him, he would never have treated me like this!"
Understanding dawned on Yixiao, but it was quickly overtaken by anger. She narrowed her eyes and sneered. "Oh, so that’s what this is about. You and your father really are cut from the same cloth."
Just then, Feng Suige’s voice called out from afar—it was time to move on."Coming," Yixiao called out loudly, stretching lazily. "Tsk, didn't even get a proper nap," she muttered as she lowered her arms. Noticing Feng Xiyang's still-hostile expression, she curled her lip. "Oh my, you really seem to hate me—how about this? Once you've recovered, let's have a fight. The loser gives up His Highness."
Before Xiyang could react, Yixiao had already brushed past her, heading toward the campsite.
Feng Suige handed the reins to Yixiao while picking off the dried twigs and leaves clinging to her clothes from trekking through the woods. "How did it go?" he asked softly. Yixiao shot him a glare. "If I had a knife, I'd have sliced her into a thousand pieces by now." Seeing his startled expression, she pursed her lips into a smirk. "Luckily, I remembered her kindness in giving me medicine, so after some consideration, I mercifully decided to bury her alive instead."
Only then did Feng Suige realize she was joking. Grinning, he made a playful grab for her cheek, but Yixiao dodged, leading the horse a few steps ahead while shouting, "The Imperial Son is hitting people!" Immediately, the surrounding soldiers turned to look.
Embarrassed, Feng Suige withdrew his hand. Turning, he spotted Xia Jingshi standing not far away, holding his horse's reins, his gaze fixed tenderly on Yixiao's retreating figure. Noticing Feng Suige's stare, Xia Jingshi smiled at him before mounting and riding briskly toward the gathering troops.
When Xiyang emerged dazedly from the woods, only Feng Suige and his personal guards remained in the clearing. Seeing her, Feng Suige exhaled in relief and hurried over. "Let's go. We're only waiting for you."
Xiyang nodded obediently but suddenly glanced toward the departing group and called softly, "Elder Brother..." Feng Suige turned back, puzzled. "What is it?" Xiyang shook her head. "Never mind. Let's go."
The mounted party rode until noon. Rounding a sharp bend, Yixiao pointed excitedly. "Once we cross Weiyu Mountain ahead, we'll be near His Highness's territory. If we pick up the pace, we might meet Weiran and the others in a day or two." Feng Suige raised an eyebrow. "Don't celebrate too soon. We're only half a day ahead of the Imperial Guards at most. We might spot them at the mountain's base before we even reach the summit." "Way to kill the mood," Yixiao grumbled, though her expression grew tense as she frequently glanced back.
Sure enough, halfway up the mountain, a large flock of birds suddenly burst from the forest below.
"They've caught up," someone murmured from behind.
Feng Suige looked surprised. "That was fast." Yixiao shot him a worried glance. "What do we do?" "Keep running, of course," he replied cheerfully. "Unless you want to wait for them." "Feng Suige!" Yixiao leaned over to punch him in frustration. "Can you be serious for once?!"
"Fine," Feng Suige said solemnly, turning to her with a grave expression. Yixiao withdrew her hand, waiting intently for his next words.
"We must all move faster," he declared grandly. "Or they'll catch us!" Unable to contain himself, he burst into laughter and spurred his horse forward, overtaking Yixiao in an instant. Torn between anger and amusement, she urged her mount after him.A military officer following Xia Jingshi chuckled softly and murmured, "I can hardly believe this is the same Feng Suige who once faced us on the battlefield." A Su Sha military general riding beside him had already grinned widely and chimed in, "Since the Minor Imperial Concubine arrived, the Imperial Son has been smiling much more."
Xia Jingshi listened quietly, a faint smile playing at the corners of his lips.
Yixiao was still the same Yixiao as before, yet not the same Yixiao anymore.
Wasn't this what he had always hoped for?
Then why did his heart still ache?
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