The Slender Waist-Chapter 122 - 95 Lian Ji Lian Ji

Jiang Yin seemed somewhat shocked, dumbfoundedly lifting her gaze towards Feng Yun.

Feng Yun rarely saw Chunyu Yan so serious, pausing to contemplate.

"What does the Princely Heir mean?"

Without a word, Chunyu Yan stood up and suddenly walked towards Jiang Yin.

His steps were leisurely, yet his stride carried an inexplicable pressure.

Jiang Yin held her breath anxiously, lowering her head even further.

Chunyu Yan arrived in front of her, commanding in a indifferent voice, "Lift your head."

This was one of Pei Jue’s consorts, and such behavior was inappropriate for him, but Chunyu Yan was never one to reason, and Pei Jue had never acknowledged these consorts either.

In Feng Yun’s view, they still had the freedom of "choice in marriage".

Therefore, Feng Yun did not intervene.

Jiang Yin’s hairpin trembled slightly, her beautiful face flushed with embarrassment, but she was compliant.

She nervously bit her lower lip, slowly lowered her wide sleeves, and lifted her gaze to look at him.

Before her were a pair of beautiful eyes.

And, a cold mask.

Jiang Yin was taken aback for a moment, but she did not speak.

She was shy and cautious, yet Chunyu Yan’s inquisitive gaze was aggressive.

"Where is your ancestral home?"

Jiang Yin’s eyelids fluttered rapidly, not daring to meet Chunyu Yan’s eyes, "Your humble servant comes from Danyang County."

Chunyu Yan’s eyes narrowed slightly, "May I ask for your name?"

Asking a woman for her personal name was indeed presumptuous.

Feng Yun shot a glance at Chunyu Yan.

Unfortunately, the Crown Prince Chunyu’s attention was entirely on Jiang Yin, completely oblivious to Feng Yun’s attitude.

Jiang Yin twisted the handkerchief in her hands and under the Crown Prince’s intimidating presence, she modestly hesitated and then whispered in reply.

"Your servant’s surname is Jiang, with the given name of a single character, Yin."

Chunyu Yan then asked, "Do you have a nickname?"

This time, Jiang Yin’s eyebrows furrowed a bit tighter, hesitating for a moment before she softly spoke two words through her teeth.

"Ah Lian."

Feng Yun’s gaze sharpened slightly, as if realizing something, and watched quietly.

At that moment, Chunyu Yan took two steps closer to Jiang Yin, bending over slightly to ask her.

"As a child, did you ever visit Jiming Temple in Tai City?"

Jiang Yin was frightened by the noble’s gaze, panic showing on her pale face as if she was desperately trying to recall or distressed at finding no memory.

"Your servant... left Danyang with her parents at a very young age to live in Chenliu Commandery, and I don’t remember much from my childhood."

"You don’t remember?" Chunyu Yan slowly stood up straight, his long fingers lightly supporting the right side of his mask, and a smile curved at the corner of his mouth.

Even through the mask, one could sense his pleasure.

"Then I shall allow you to remember at your leisure."

Jiang Yin clenched her hands tighter, shyly looking down.

"Your servant wonders... for what reason does the noble ask me these questions?"

A trace of gloom flitted through Chunyu Yan’s eyes, "No reason, just an offhand question."

Jiang Yin lowered her head, "Yes."

The disappointment on her face was obvious, and she stood there looking visibly uneasy.

Seeing that Chunyu Yan had returned to his seat and showed no intention of leaving, Feng Yun did not say much else. He called over Xing Bing and asked him to arrange for someone to accompany Jiang Yin in search of her parents and young brother.

At this moment, Doctor Yao had also prepared his prescription and respectfully presented it to Xiang Zhong, "Senior, please review it."

Xiang Zhong smiled faintly, accepted the prescription and seriously said to Doctor Yao:

"If the young master benefits from it, he will seek you out again."

Doctor Yao responded with a stunned "oh", taking a string of coins from Xiang Zhong’s hand before thanking him and leaving.

Feng Yun observed Chunyu Yan sitting silently, yet not intending to leave, and smiling with a touch of amusement, "Has the Princely Heir found the object of his affection?"

Chunyu Yan’s gaze floated over casually.

Slowly, like a cloud drifting across the sky.

Though he was smiling, there was an unfathomable chill in it.

"What difference does it make whether I have found her or not?"

Feng Yun said, "If the Princely Heir were to collaborate with me, I could plead on his behalf and request the beauty from the Great General..."

Chunyu Yan’s smile ceased, and his gaze turned icy.

"Qingqing really knows how to do business."

Feng Yun smiled, "For the Princely Heir to say so, means treating me like an outsider. I do you a favor, and you give me a little profit, it is human nature... Still the same old saying, we each get what we need, I lose nothing, nor do you. Everyone is happy, why not do it?"

Chunyu Yan said, "And what if I refuse?"

Feng Yun thought for a moment, a captivating allure flashing in her eyes.

"Then you won’t be able to take Jiang Ji with you."

"Oh?" Chunyu Yan said coldly.

Feng Yun’s smile brimmed with confidence.

"The Great General listens to me. If I say you can’t, then you won’t be able to take her."

Chunyu Yan replied with a smile that was not quite a smile, "You try and see?"

Feng Yun smiled faintly, locking eyes with him.

Her gaze seemed indifferent, but it was filled with doubt.

Chunyu Yan had been searching for so long, and the Lian Ji he’d been yearning for appeared.

In his previous life, whether Chunyu Yan found her or not, Feng Yun didn’t know. Anyway, whenever he came to torment her, it was always under the pretext of Lian Ji. That day he was poisoned in Huayuejian, he kept calling "Lian Ji’s" name while making a scene with her.

Yet, with the real Lian Ji right in front of him, his reaction was too calm...

This was not normal.

Feng Yun even began to doubt whether the man in her previous life who grabbed her and wanted to strip her to check for a birthmark was the same Chunyu Yan before her...

Could it be that he still hadn’t confirmed Jiang Yin’s identity?

Feng Yun glanced at him and hinted with a smile, "As long as the Princely Heir is willing to offer some benefits, I wouldn’t mind investigating for you, the secrets you wish to know..."

Chunyu Yan suddenly looked at her sternly, "Last time you came to Huayuejian, you claimed you were Lian Ji and showed me the injury on your waist, and you deceived me... At that time, did you already know where Lian Ji was or not?"

Feng Yun was taken aback.

She hadn’t expected the Crown Prince Chunyu to make so many connections.

To prevent things from getting complicated, she quickly shook her head.

"A complete misunderstanding. I was guessing blindly."

Chunyu Yan’s beautiful eyes darkened as he stared at her.

"If she didn’t tell you, where did you learn about Lian Ji? And from where did you know... what birthmarks Lian Ji has on her body?"

Feng Yun: ...

The logic of this matter was something she couldn’t explain to Chunyu Yan. But without saying anything, she couldn’t make it clear. Moreover, if Jiang Yin was indeed Lian Ji now, from her demeanor, she also seemed to have no recollection of her past affair with Crown Prince Chunyu when she was young.

Unable to prove it herself, Feng Yun simply countered with a question.

"So because you suspect me, you’re unwilling to recognize even the Lian Ji you adore?"

Chunyu Yan scoffed, "I will find out the truth."

-

Jiang Yin didn’t return to the estate until noon the next day.

Her hair was in disarray, her face pale, exuding an air of utter desolation.

Feng Yun went to her room.

Normally, she seldom ventured to this side where the concubines lived; counting the time, aside from the last instance when she brought someone to catch an adulterer, this was only her second time entering.

Jiang Yin was sitting alone in the room, seemingly lost in a daze.

Her exquisite body was adorned in an embroidered skirt cinched at her willowy waist, enchanting and graceful. With eyelids slightly drooping, her obscure pupils half-closed, her skin was fair, revealing a fine figure – she was indeed an exceedingly beautiful woman. It must be said that Chunyu Yan was rather blessed in this regard.

Feng Yun paused at the door for a moment before entering.

Seeing her, Jiang Yin snapped out of her reverie and quickly bowed in greeting.

"My lady..."

"No need," Feng Yun stopped her and sat down.

Jiang Yin poured her water, eyes cast down, "Does my lady have any orders for this concubine?"

No one visits without a reason; Feng Yun didn’t like to beat around the bush, and she was tired of riddles.

"If a person of high status took a fancy to you, would you be willing..."

"This concubine is not willing," Jiang Yin interrupted eagerly, refusing before she could finish.

After saying this, she set down the teapot and knelt softly in front of Feng Yun, looking up at her.

"My lady, please don’t drive this concubine away, will you?"