Understanding? Whаt's thеrе nоt tо understand? Feng Yuе smilеd, generоusly pеrfоrming а sаlutе: "Вeing ablе to make him taste somе bittеrness, this sеrvant аlrеаdу cоnsidеrs hеrsеlf fоrtunatе, and dares nоt dеmand аnything more."
Аfter all, hе is the number оnе grеаt gеnеrаl of the Wu Кingdоm. Cоuld оnе truly еxреct the Сrоwn Prinсe of Wu to hаve his head сhорpеd off? Impossiblе. Fеng Yuе knew it, аnd Yin Gеzhi knеw it tоо. Sо, how ехaсtly Yi Guоru was to diе was а vеrу brain-tахing mаttеr.
Ye Yuqing had told hеr this in advance prеcisely tо prevеnt her frоm inсiting Yin Gezhi tо drive Yi Guoru into a corner. In truth, even without her incitement, Yin Gezhi probably wouldn't let Yi Guoru live.
Having fought many battles, Yin Gezhi knew best what Yi Guoru relied on to win each time—a general with such improper, unrighteous, and dishonorable tactics. Even winning battles wouldn't earn him the respect of his opponents.
Yin Gezhi respected him and was even close to Yi Zhangzhu, which must have been for some purpose, and a considerable one at that.
Having figured this out from the very beginning, Feng Yue knew. The Crown Prince's boat, she could only ride for a stretch, but Yin Gezhi's boat could be ridden to the very end.
Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, yet her expression remained unchanged. In Ye Yuqing's eyes, Feng Yue appeared as a satisfied, maidenly figure, which greatly reassured him: "Go inside first and find a place to sit."
"Yes."
Yu Hexiang had placated Yang Fengpeng very well. When he appeared in court, Yang Fengpeng held nothing back. He fiercely accused Yi Guoru, clearly stating that all military supplies passed through his hands, and that he shared the spoils with those under his command who managed military funds. The account books of their dealings all had detailed records.
When the testimony reached the palace, the court immediately erupted in an uproar. The emperor was furious, urgently summoning Yi Guoru to the palace. Citing his moral failings, he ordered him to immediately hand over his military authority.
Military authority—something that protects one's life—would Yi Guoru hand it over at such a critical moment? No. Consort Yi immediately knelt outside the imperial study, weeping and pleading, recounting Yi Guoru's many years of achievements and begging for mercy on his behalf.
"The emperor will soften." Yin Gezhi, his face pale, closed his eyes, his thin lips parting slightly: "Fortunately, I was prepared."
Feng Yue shook her head as she watched, changing the cloth on his forehead while saying: "You, lying ill in bed, still don't forget the major affairs of the Wu Kingdom. It's truly too touching."
"Can't let all the effort go to waste." Coughing lightly twice, Yin Gezhi slowly opened his eyes. His long eyelashes fluttered, and it took a long while for his eyes to focus. His voice hoarse, he said: "Have you ever deciphered those letters General Yi exchanged with others?"
Letters? Feng Yue thought for a moment: "If you mean those love poems, I didn't understand them. They were all about daily meals."
"Hmm." Nodding slightly, Yin Gezhi said: "Those were the emperor's daily meals."
Her hand paused. Feng Yue was shocked: "The emperor's?"
She had thought they were love poems between Yi Guoru and Consort Yi!
"Look carefully and you'll know." Yin Gezhi said: "The Wu emperor has been unwell since the beginning of spring this year. It likely has something to do with them."
The emperor's diet is handled with great care and caution. Even snacks prepared in the consorts' palaces must be tasted first. Only those particularly familiar with the emperor, through long experience, could predict what the emperor would eat and thus take action."So you mean Consort Yi and General Yi are plotting against His Majesty?" Feng Yue frowned. "Why? Consort Yi only has an adopted prince, and with the Crown Prince currently in a strong position, even if they somehow managed to harm the emperor, Ye Yuqing would still be next in line for the throne."
"That's why I had someone warn the Crown Prince to be cautious of Consort Yi," Yin Gezhi said calmly. "To guard against the two of them joining forces to plot harm, aiming for the throne of Wu Kingdom."
Yi Guoru was an ambitious man, evident from his military campaigns—he would stop at nothing to achieve victory and had repeatedly disregarded imperial decrees from Wu Kingdom. The emperor both trusted and feared him, while the Crown Prince was directly opposed to him. Under such circumstances, it was understandable that Yi Guoru might want the throne for himself.
Still, Feng Yue was shocked. Even though she held no particular loyalty to the emperor or the kingdom, the sheer audacity of such a treasonous plot surprised her. She couldn't help but murmur, "So that's possible? In that case, if I dislike the old man on the throne of Wei Kingdom, could I also stop holding back and just find a way to kill him?"
The atmosphere in the room turned icy. Feng Yue tensed and quickly turned to bow three times toward the bed. "Please pretend you didn't hear that! This servant was just talking nonsense!"
With a cold glare, Yin Gezhi eyed her and said, "You'd better not entertain such thoughts."
"No, no, this servant was just joking. How could I possibly think such a thing? Guan Canghai would crawl out of the ground to strangle me!"
Exhausted, Yin Gezhi closed his eyes. "If one day I return to Wei Kingdom, would you be willing to go back with me?"
Startled, Feng Yue looked at him curiously. "You'd be willing to take this servant with you?"
"Just answer yes or no!"
"Yes!" Feng Yue nodded eagerly. "With Your Highness protecting me, who would dare bully me back there?"
But after a moment's thought, she felt deflated. "By the time you can return, this servant will probably be old."
"No, you won't."
"Hmm?" Feng Yue blinked. "What did you say?"
His voice was too weak and muffled, making it hard to hear clearly. Feng Yue leaned closer to his mouth to listen again, but he pressed her down with a hand, causing her to fall onto his chest.
Steady, long breaths, mixed with the panting of a lingering high fever, rose from his chest.
Her body stiffened. Feng Yue blinked in confusion and looked up at him.
What was going on? Earlier, he had been shouting about how dirty she was and resisting her fiercely. Now, he was actively drawing her close?
Had the fever addled his mind?
She reached out to touch his forehead, but before her hand was halfway there, she saw his hand rise. Remembering the pain from the last time he struck her, Feng Yue reacted swiftly and immediately withdrew her hand!
The man beneath her half-opened his eyes, a hint of displeasure in his gaze. He reached over, pulled out her curled hand, and placed it firmly on his own forehead.
The loud "smack" made Feng Yue's jaw drop.
His brow relaxed, and he closed his eyes again, falling peacefully asleep, leaving Feng Yue dumbfounded and unable to make sense of it for a long while.
What was this? Atonement? Was this how the Yin royal family atoned for things? So peculiar?
Still, feeling the scorching heat of his forehead, Feng Yue pursed her lips and hurried to fetch cold water for him. No matter what, until General Yi was overthrown, this man's mind was crucial for survival. It absolutely must not be damaged by the fever!
In the palace.Ye Yuqing walked toward the imperial study with a grim expression. According to intelligence reports, Consort Yi's recent tearful outburst seemed to have moved the emperor. His father had summoned several senior ministers and was now preparing to have him suppress all the corruption allegations exposed by Yang Fengpeng.
His mind was restless and agitated. Pacing several times outside the imperial study in his embroidered dragon-patterned palace boots, he still couldn't bring himself to enter.
Wangyou followed quietly at his side and, seeing this, softly said, "Your Highness need not worry too much."
"How can I not worry?" Ye Yuqing sighed deeply and shook his head. "Once I step inside, all the efforts I've made so far will be wasted."
"Have you forgotten what Prince Yin said in his letter yesterday?" Wangyou reminded him. "He said that when you face difficult decisions, you need only wait, and a solution will present itself."
"I haven't forgotten, which is why I'm waiting." Clutching the fan in his hand, Ye Yuqing frowned. "But I can't understand—what am I waiting for? In this situation, how can it possibly be resolved?"
Wangyou fell silent.
Ye Yuqing continued pacing anxiously when suddenly a loud shout echoed from inside the imperial study: "Summon the imperial physician!"
His heart tightened, and he hurriedly lifted the hem of his robe to rush inside.
The imperial study was in chaos. Several senior ministers knelt on the ground, not daring to look up. The chief eunuch supported the emperor, patting his back repeatedly to soothe him. "Your Majesty, please take care of yourself, please take care of yourself."
"Father!" Ye Yuqing frowned as he stepped forward and saw a pool of dark blood beside the dragon throne, mixed with something unidentifiable—a horrifying sight.
"What happened?!"
The chief eunuch quickly knelt down. "Your Highness, please calm your anger. His Majesty may have eaten too much recently. The imperial physician has already been summoned."
What did he mean by "eaten too much"? Ye Yuqing's expression darkened, and as he lowered his head, he recalled the reports that had recently come from outside the palace.
He didn't know whether they came from Feng Yue or Yin Gezhi, but it made no difference. The gist of the reports was that Consort Yi and General Yi shared a deep bond, but their family letters contained anomalies, suggesting they might have leaked information about the emperor's diet and daily routines. There were suspicions of disloyalty, and he was advised to be cautious.
Narrowing his eyes slightly, Ye Yuqing watched as the imperial physician entered to take the emperor's pulse. He stood thoughtfully beside the emperor.
"Crown Prince," the emperor said weakly, looking at him. "Regarding General Yi's matter..."
"Father," Ye Yuqing said with a serious expression, "I know you have deep affection for Consort Yi. But this matter is not merely about corruption—it also concerns your imperial authority. Allow the imperial physician to carefully examine your illness and determine the cause of your vomiting blood today. We can discuss state affairs afterward."
The old emperor was puzzled. What did his vomiting blood have to do with state affairs? Could someone be plotting to usurp the throne? Impossible. He had always been cautious, never repeating the same dishes for years. Unless it was someone who had served in the palace for over a decade, no one else would know his preferences. Thus, no one could take advantage of him.
However, after taking the emperor's pulse, the imperial physician knelt and said, "I deserve death, Your Majesty! You have ingested a poisonous substance, which has harmed your spleen and stomach!"
A poisonous substance? The emperor was shocked, and after the shock came fury. He immediately summoned the imperial kitchen to investigate the crime, temporarily setting aside the matter of General Yi.
Ye Yuqing breathed a sigh of relief. Yin Gezhi's words had proven true—by waiting, a solution had indeed presented itself.
Now, as long as they could verify that Consort Yi had interfered with the emperor's diet, she could essentially be convicted.These matters were not for Feng Yue and Yin Gezhi to worry about, so the Envoy's Mansion remained peaceful as ever. Lingshu, nibbling on a horse-hoof cake, crouched by the bedside watching Yin Gezhi and asked curiously, "Master, has His Highness been learning from you lately? He always frowns in his sleep."
Glancing at his deeply furrowed brow, Feng Yue reached out to smooth it and said calmly, "He hasn't learned it from me. People frown when they have nightmares. His Highness hasn't been sleeping well."
"Why hasn't he been sleeping well?"
"A guilty conscience."
Nodding with partial understanding, Lingshu smiled and said, "Then you should still sleep with His Highness. From what I've seen, His Highness always seems happier when the two of you are together."
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