Lеt hеr bе hapру fоr а whilе, then. That wау, even if thеy endеd uр tеаring оff аll pretеnses later, he might still remembеr sоme gоod аbоut hеr.
Сomе tо think оf it, shе rеallу had wronged this mаn. Shе had slеpt with him, decеived him, and in thе end, evеn wаntеd tо kill his fаthеr bеfore еnding hеr own lifе. Dаmn it, if hе wantеd revеngе, he wouldn’t еvеn havе a target. Нe’d probаblу bе so furiоus he’d whip her соrрse, right? Fеng Yuе сhuсklеd tо hersеlf, lеtting him hold hеr hand аs she clоsed hеr еуes аnd thоught, if оnlу there reаlly was a next lifе. In the next lifе, she wished thеy соuld be frеe of grudges and grievances. If he was a noble young master, she’d be a bandit and kidnap him home. If he was an ordinary commoner, she’d be a young lady from a wealthy family and take him as her husband!
“What’s wrong?” Noticing the strange smile on her face, Yin Gezhi frowned. “What wicked idea are you plotting now?”
“Nothing.” Tilting her head to lean on his shoulder, Feng Yue let out a long sigh and smiled. “This servant suddenly wanted to ask—Guan Zhi said you’ve been searching for someone for three years. Was it me you were looking for?”
Mentioning this, Yin Gezhi snorted coldly, tightened his grip on her hand for a moment, then released it. He took the jade thumb ring from his own finger and slipped it onto her thumb.
“Three years ago, you said you wanted me to give you something as a keepsake,” he said in a muffled voice. “I didn’t give it to you at the time.”
Blinking, Feng Yue smiled, pinched her own throat, and spoke in a strange, exaggerated tone: “I don’t know when I’ll have to bid farewell to Your Highness. May I ask Your Highness to bestow an object as a keepsake?”
The voice was all too familiar, making Yin Gezhi’s throat tighten, his expression suddenly complicated. Still, he played along, speaking coldly: “There’s nothing worth giving.”
“Is that so…” The strange voice suddenly turned dejected. “Then forget it.”
The jade thumb ring was of the finest quality, flawless and pure white. Taking it off to examine it, she could see the exquisitely carved characters “Chenbi” inside the band.
Feng Yue chuckled, suddenly releasing her throat, her eyes filled with teasing. “So even the cold, unapproachable First Prince has such tender, affectionate moments?”
Carving one’s courtesy name on an object to give as a gift was a common way for men of the Wei Kingdom to express love. And who was this man before her? Yin Chenbi, the great First Prince—he would actually do such a thing?
A hint of embarrassment and annoyance flashed across his face. Yin Gezhi said sternly, “If you don’t want it, give it back.”
“How could I not want it?” Slipping it onto her own hand, Feng Yue rubbed it a couple of times and asked curiously, “Why didn’t you give it to me back then?”
Yin Gezhi turned his head away, his face cold, and said nothing.
What happened afterward was something he didn’t want to mention, nor would she want to hear it. Before he found her, he had actually been angry—angry at her for leaving without a word, and angry at her for being heartless and ungrateful. But when he finally found her, he realized that her sudden departure had been indirectly caused by him.
Before the Battle of Pingchang began, he was still in Lidu, entangled with her in a life-and-death embrace. He even told her to wait for him. At the time, he thought that since the position of principal consort was in his hands, giving it to her wouldn’t be impossible.
However, the imperial decree arrived with overwhelming force. He rushed to Pingchang, suffered a major defeat at the Shangui Valley, the Guan family was executed to the last member, she fled the Wei Kingdom, and spent three years in the Wu Kingdom.
How could he blame her for being heartless? Back then, she was probably filled with joy, waiting for his triumphant return. Yet what she waited for was the emperor’s raised executioner’s blade.Closing his eyes, Yin Gezhi changed the subject: "I have already convicted and reported those related to the Guan family's old case. You need not worry about them anymore."
"Thank you, Your Highness." Feng Yue nodded, then after a moment of thought, said: "Actually, the women in Dream Return Pavilion are all unfortunate souls, harboring grievances. Many are descendants of loyal and upright officials. If Your Highness truly wishes to restore clarity to the Wei Kingdom, perhaps you should also inquire about their injustices."
Descendants of loyal officials? Yin Gezhi frowned at her: "For example?"
"For example, the daughter of the falsely executed Grand Academician Lin, who died in a literary inquisition, and the daughter of Director Yu of the Imperial Clan, who was framed by Chief Justice Zhao." Feng Yue raised her eyes with a smile: "They are all in Dream Return Pavilion."
His expression darkened. Yin Gezhi said: "You allowed these people to fall into the world of prostitution?"
The words sounded rather harsh. Feng Yue dug at her ear and sneered: "What's wrong with being a prostitute? Are prostitutes not human?"
"In the eyes of the world, prostitutes are never considered respectable." Yin Gezhi shook his head: "They are lowly creatures who trade on their looks!"
With a snort, Feng Yue crossed her legs, adopting a careless posture: "You must be mistaken. Prostitutes are clearly those who use their looks to serve lowly men! Without the pursuit of despicable men, there would be no such women struggling to survive. Your Highness, you yourself consider consorting with prostitutes a mark of sophistication, so why do you look down on them now?"
Rubbing his temples, Yin Gezhi said: "That is not what I meant, but they are after all descendants of loyal officials..."
"This humble servant is also a descendant of a loyal official." Blinking, Feng Yue smiled coquettishly: "Yet I still hang my plaque, receive guests, and perform stripteases, don't I?"
"Shut up!" As if stepping on his tail, Yin Gezhi flushed with anger, his face tense and his gaze sharp.
Raising both hands, Feng Yue spoke as if soothing a child: "Alright, alright, let's not talk about this anymore. They entered willingly. It is already difficult for women to survive in this world. Dream Return Pavilion allows them to choose their own clients and also gives them a chance for revenge. If I were them, I would enter without hesitation as well. It is a pity that no one created such a place before me."
Clenching his teeth, Yin Gezhi closed his eyes and said coldly: "One day, the Wei Kingdom will have a judicial office that accepts all wrongful cases in the land. Even if a verdict has already been passed, even if it was a decree from the emperor himself—if there is injustice, that office will dare to retry it."
"How could such a place exist?" With a light laugh, Feng Yue shook her head: "Every country is the same. Imperial authority is supreme. Whatever the emperor says is right. If he says you are guilty, you must die. By the time he realizes his own mistake, the person is already dead, and there is nothing to be done. An apology, perhaps."
His heart tightened. Yin Gezhi frowned and glanced at her.
"Do not be nervous, Your Highness. This humble servant does not mean to mock the current emperor." Reaching out to straighten his collar, Feng Yue curved her lips: "The weather is quite cool today, suitable for a stroll outside."
Lowering his eyes slightly, Yin Gezhi asked: "Shall we go carve a memorial tablet for General Guan?"
The wrongful case had been overturned, and they only awaited the emperor's Proclamation of Guilt to announce it to the world.
After some thought, Feng Yue said: "Let us wait until it is made official. There will be an opportunity. This humble servant is not so short-lived as to not survive until tomorrow."
With these words from her, Yin Gezhi relaxed his clenched heart.
Tomorrow should not bring any mishap.
The Wei royal family's ancestral worship ceremony was held in early autumn. Members of the royal family first performed rituals and recited prayers in the imperial ancestral temple within the palace. After completing the series of procedures, they would then leave the palace for Longtai Mountain, located behind Lidu, very close by.That day, the morning dawned with the autumn sun shining brightly, but as soon as the ancestral sacrifice horns blew, dark clouds began to gather.
Yin Gezhi rose early. After donning his ceremonial robes, he first took Guan Zhi out, instructing him to wait for Feng Yue at the North Xuan Gate. Then, accompanied by a single attendant, he entered the palace.
Emperor Wen of Wei was still coughing, though his complexion looked somewhat better than before. Upon seeing Yin Gezhi, he beckoned kindly, "Chenbi, come here."
Following the command, Yin Gezhi approached. He glanced slightly to the side and saw the Empress and the Crown Prince still standing below, their expressions blank, not looking at him.
"Today is the ancestral sacrifice," Emperor Wen of Wei sighed. "I have also finished writing the Proclamation of Guilt. Take a look first."
Raising an eyebrow, Yin Gezhi received the paper mounted on yellow brocade with both hands and unfolded it.
Spanning over a thousand words, it clearly detailed the grievances of the Guan family. The emperor's words of repentance were extremely sincere, even better than he had imagined.
Somewhat surprised, Yin Gezhi cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty is wise."
Emperor Wen of Wei smiled, clapping his hands. "I am old now, only hoping for the Wei Kingdom to have smooth sailing in all matters, with peace and prosperity for the nation and its people... By the way, is the treaty with the Wu Kingdom written?"
"It is written. One copy is here, and another has already been sent back to the Wu Kingdom." Yin Gezhi reached out and presented the treaty. "I also attached a letter recommending all of Wei's capable generals to the Wu Kingdom. This alliance will surely bring benefits to our Wei Kingdom."
Taking the treaty to read, Emperor Wen of Wei was quite satisfied and said with a smile, "You always handle affairs so meticulously! Later, during the ancestral sacrifice, stay by my side. Do not stand too far away."
Glancing at the Crown Prince, Yin Gezhi shook his head. "Order must be observed between the noble and the humble. I will stand where the Minister of Rites arranges."
"You are just too sensible," Emperor Wen of Wei chuckled, then stood up and walked out. As he turned his head, his previously kind face darkened for an instant.
Yin Gezhi did not notice, nor did the Crown Prince or the Empress beside him. They simply followed behind according to protocol, crossed the threshold, mounted the ceremonial procession, and headed together toward the ancestral temple.
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