The Slender Waist-Chapter 129 - 101 The Thief’s Heart Never Dies

The Andu County winery had just opened for business, and Feng Yun had hidden many casks of osmanthus wine in Changmen Village. The servant girls and concubines were used to her company, so when they heard the news, they burst into excitement and cheers...

It was exactly then that Chunyu Yan came to Changmen Village.

Accompanied by his servants, his steed and luxurious carriage were quite imposing.

Xiang Zhong said that the Crown Prince had taken the medicine prescribed by Doctor Yao and felt slightly relieved, but he still suffered intermittent chest pain—it was feared that there might still be lingering poison, so he came to seek a follow-up consultation with Doctor Yao...

"I’ve troubled you, and I would like to rest a while in your estate."

Feng Yun looked at Crown Prince Chunyu as if she was looking at the God of Wealth since they had not concluded the graphite deal last time.

"Princely Heir, please come this way."

In the time it took for Doctor Yao to arrive, Feng Yun specially looked for Jiang Yin. Just now, Jiang Yin was with Ying Rong, consulting her about stitching. As soon as Crown Prince Chunyu arrived, Jiang Yin vanished in the blink of an eye.

It seemed she really had no interest in Chunyu Yan at all.

Watching Chunyu Yan, who sat calmly sipping tea, Feng Yun curiously asked:

"Has the Princely Heir verified the identity of Lian Ji?"

Chunyu Yan shook his head, then nodded.

"Too many years have passed to prove anything. She doesn’t remember me, and no one can do anything about that..."

Feng Yun said, "When the Princely Heir and Lian Ji met, did you wear a mask?"

Chunyu Yan looked at her, "No."

"Did you ever tell her your name, your title?"

"I did not."

"..."

Feng Yun couldn’t help but roll her eyes inwardly.

"In that case, how could Crown Prince Chunyu blame her for not remembering you? You didn’t wear a mask back then, and she recognized you. Now you wear one, and she didn’t recognize you. It’s understandable..."

Chunyu Yan: "Is that so?"

Feng Yun: "Of course."

What had been incomprehensible to Feng Yun now made sense.

As the Crown Prince of Yunchuan Country, had he truly cherished Jiang Yin with all his heart, that would have been a perfect match for her. Yet Jiang Yin’s outright refusal was, in fact, nonsensical.

"It seems that she still harbors thoughts of the young boy she knew back then, while not recognizing the present Crown Prince Chunyu, hence the misunderstanding. Maybe, Princely Heir, it would be better to remove your mask and reveal your true self to her?"

Chunyu Yan pursed his lips tightly, remaining silent.

Behind the mask, Feng Yun couldn’t see his expression, but she sensed that he was not pleased.

Indeed, after searching for years without success, he had finally met her, only to realize it was a case of unrequited love—a slap in the face for someone as proud as Crown Prince Chunyu, completely losing face...

"Princely Heir?" Feng Yun half-jokingly and half-seriously proposed: "If you are willing to take off your mask to face Jiang Yin, I could be the go-between and arrange a meeting for you two to talk things through..."

"No need," Chunyu Yan’s gaze suddenly turned icy, seething with anger, "My mask is not so easily removed, and my face is not for just anyone to see..."

Feng Yun couldn’t resist a scoff.

"Then how does the Crown Prince wish to win her heart?"

Chunyu Yan responded methodically, "With affection."

Feng Yun was taken aback, almost laughing out loud.

She had not expected Chunyu Yan to be such a shy and romantic man, actually thinking of moving someone with affection?

"If the Crown Prince is hesitant to come forward, you can share your past with me, and I’ll convey it for you. I could also gauge Lian Ji’s thoughts on whether she still remembers your past commitment..."

Feng Yun spoke earnestly.

In reality, her heart was full of curious probing.

She really wanted to know what exactly happened between Chunyu Yan and Lian Ji, what kind of deep, affectionate bond they had that made Chunyu Yan so unable to let go, obsessing over her in a previous life...

Nevertheless, Chunyu Yan still refused.

"No need, I have my own ways with her issues."

Feng Yun merely responded with an "Oh."

She suspected that Chunyu Yan was deluding himself.

The process he couldn’t forget was something Lian Ji had long since dismissed from her mind.

These so-called feelings might just be his own one-sided affection...

At this moment, Doctor Yao arrived, and she swallowed the jest on the tip of her tongue, leaving the West Hall to them. Finding an excuse to step out, she went to see Jiang Yin.

Jiang Yin sat silently alone in the room, her expression changing ever so slightly upon seeing Feng Yun.

"Miss, why has that man come again? Can’t he take a hint?"

Feng Yun pondered the fervor Chunyu Yan had for Lian Ji and hummed softly, sitting down to ask:

"Do you truly not recall any connection with him?"

Jiang Yin shook her head, "I don’t remember."

"What about when you were younger? Think back, won’t you?"

"..."

The two exchanged looks.

Unable to uncover any truth and holding no leverage over Chunyu Yan, Feng Yun had no choice but to take her leave.

"Alright, you rest. As I’ve said before, unless you agree, I won’t force you, and I won’t let anyone take you away."

Jiang Yin nodded firmly, then hesitantly said:

"Am I getting in the way of something important for you, Miss?"

"Hmm?" Feng Yun raised an eyebrow.

"I heard you mention graphite. If I refuse him, does it mean he will not do business with you?"

"Not at all," Feng Yun smiled faintly, "I have other ways to persuade him."

When Feng Yun returned to the West Hall, Doctor Yao had already completed his examination of Chunyu Yan and was writing a prescription at the desk, his brows so furrowed they looked as if they could trap flies. Holding the brush, he found it hard to continue writing, seemingly in quite the dilemma.

Feng Yun asked, "How is the Princely Heir’s condition?" 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Doctor Yao looked up, about to speak.

Chunyu Yan suddenly covered his chest and began to cough, "Residual poison hidden in the lungs, such entrenched afflictions are hard to cleanse. To fully recover, I’m afraid will take much effort, I’m indebted to Doctor Yao."

Doctor Yao closed his mouth, lowered his head to write the prescription, and a layer of fine sweat appeared on his forehead.

Feng Yun watched, thinking that Chunyu Yan seemed in better spirits than Doctor Yao.

So, she sat down and began to talk about Yunchuan Graphite.

"What does the Crown Prince think?"

Chunyu Yan said, "Qingqing’s words the other day, I pondered at length thereafter. If the Yunchuan trade route can be opened, it would benefit Yunchuan greatly. I have already written to my father; I trust this matter can be achieved..."

After speaking, his delicate and clear eyes narrowed slightly.

"Only, I wonder, how does Qingqing plan to help me open the trade route?"

What he used to call her didn’t matter much to Feng Yun. Now that she thought about his beloved being in the estate, she felt that this form of address was somewhat nauseating.

"Change the way you address me, and then I will tell you."

Chunyu Yan pursed his thin lips slightly, and his gaze turned colder again.

He seemed to always be unhappy, speaking in a sarcastic tone right from the onset.

"Call you what? Feng Twelve? Or do you want me to address you as ’My Lord’?"

Feng Yun sighed in relief, "As you wish."

"Feng Twelve." Chunyu Yan decisively picked the former, "Speak then."

Feng Yun hesitated for a moment, and after Doctor Yao finished writing the prescription and left the room, she composed her expression and seriously discussed the matter with Chunyu Yan.

The trade route was impassable mainly because the roads were too treacherous.

Transporting graphite over mountains and ridges incurs a labor cost far exceeding the value of the graphite itself...

Therefore, Feng Yun’s solution was to carve a passage through the mountain.

"Creating roads through mountains and digging a tunnel suitable for ox cart passage could allow us to go through the mountain, greatly increasing transport capacity..."

Chunyu Yan chuckled.

"So that’s it, do you think Yunchuan hasn’t considered this method before?"

Feng Yun smiled, "To think is not the same as to do. Though road making is easy, mountain carving is difficult, to actually chisel out a tunnel requires a technique..."

Chunyu Yan straightened his expression and scrutinized her.

"You have a method?"

Feng Yun bowed her hands, "Indeed, I have a modest stratagem that might aid the Crown Prince’s great undertaking."

Chunyu Yan sniffed disdainfully, "Liar!"

Feng Yun looked him up and down, "What is there about you worth my deception? For the graphite, one must transport it to lay hands on it. In terms of wealth, you are unwilling to part with it. As for seduction, I would be at a loss..."

"Feng Twelve!"

This remark was too insulting. Chunyu Yan scowled and snapped back, subconsciously recalling her words that he was inferior to Pei Jue from the other day, his ears burning with anger, so furious that he wished he could smack her down right then...

"Even if the Yunchuan Graphite were to rot in the mountains, I wouldn’t need your hands to transport it out!"

Feng Yun let out a languid sigh:

"Graphite won’t decay even in a thousand years, the Crown Prince worries too much. I’m also aware that you didn’t come here sincerely to do business with me, but because you still harbor the ulterior motive of acquiring Lian Ji... So be it, Crown Prince, please leave. Poverty makes me fearless."

"Feng Twelve..."

"Crown Prince, please... get lost!"

"Just you wait."

After spewing his threat, Chunyu Yan left with a swish of his sleeves.

Feng Yun watched him leave in a volcanic rage, laughing so hard her belly ached.

As evening fell, her stomach began to hurt more and more, and she realized that whatever she was thinking about seemed to come true.

Her monthly visitor had arrived silently and without warning.

Possibly due to the fatigue from being overworked these past few days, her reaction this time was much more severe than the last, her body felt soft and the pain was pronounced, leaving her with hardly any strength.

Feng Yun propped herself up to get out of bed and tidy up before lying down again; by then, it was the middle of the night.

The night lamp flickered, and with it, her heart trembled.

Xiaoman was deeply sympathetic, "If you feel unwell during the night, just call for Xiaoman. I’ll be on watch tonight and won’t sleep soundly."

Feng Yun blinked lazily, too lethargic to move.

"Go to sleep; it’s nothing."

Xiaoman made an affirming sound, "Does it hurt, young miss?"

"It doesn’t hurt." Feng Yun smiled, "Go out, and put out the lamp."

Xiaoman complied and went out, her eyes still filled with concern.

This lifetime’s Xiaoman treated her even better than in the previous life, but this lifetime’s Feng Yun was no longer prone to melancholy diseases like before. She dressed warmly when it was cold, ate when she was hungry, and sought out others’ troubles when annoyed; never shortchanging herself, her health had improved...

Snuggled in the quilt, she clutched her aching lower abdomen, drifting off to sleep.

"Clang!"

A crisp sound came from the window.

The wind was blowing outside; she thought it was the wind knocking down the bamboo curtain.

But after a pause, the noise came again.

Feng Yun reached under the pillow for the scissors, about to call out for someone...

A gust of cold wind blew in from the window, and then a dark figure leaped in.

The moonlight streaming through the window illuminated the person’s face.

It was none other than Chunyu Yan who had just left Huaxi Village during the day?

Feng Yun half-squinted at him for a moment, as if realizing something, and suddenly burst into laughter.

"Barging into a lady’s room in the dead of night, Crown Prince, what are you up to?"