The Slender Waist-Chapter 340 - 238 Waiting for Him in the Room

Xiao Cheng’s travelling palace was located across the Zhu River.

After a bout of illness, Xiao Cheng had grown much thinner, but his elegance and noble charm remained unchanged. Clad in plain garments instead of his imperial robe, he still resembled an orchid and a jade tree when seated at his position—befitting a cultured gentleman and the bright moon over the human world.

Xie Congguang entered with his head hanging low, full of dejection. After paying his respects, he stammered for a long while, somewhat downcast.

"I acted impulsively and almost ruined everything."

Xiao Cheng’s gaze was gentle, and he seemed to smile slightly.

"General Xie is wholeheartedly devoted to the state; your loyalty and courage are commendable. What error could there be?"

Xie Congguang had heard people say that the Emperor had crossed the Zhu River by night to meet Feng Shi Er Niang, but as a military general with a mind not so meticulous and knowing the Emperor’s profound scheming, he did not believe that Feng Shi Er Niang could truly be the Emperor’s beloved.

Thinking of Feng Ying weeping and kneeling down to receive a slap, he, a grown man, couldn’t help but feel distressed for the Emperor.

"Lady Feng has been wronged today."

Xiao Cheng furrowed his brows, displaying little emotion.

"She hit someone?"

She? Who?

It took Xie Congguang a moment to realize that the "she" Xiao Cheng asked about with such a gentle tone was Feng Yun.

Why wasn’t he concerned about Lady Feng, whom he adored, not even one word?

Xie Congguang rubbed his forehead and nodded.

"Yes, she hit pretty hard."

A tremor ran through Xiao Cheng’s heart.

Could Feng Yun, as she was, actually strike someone in public and speak wildly?

Had it not come from Xie Congguang’s mouth, Xiao Cheng wouldn’t have believed it.

Unaware of the Emperor’s thoughts, Xie Congguang blurted out another sentence.

"Lady Feng comes from the Feng Family of Xuzhou; her character and appearance are decent, quiet and graceful—originally suitable for the great responsibility of the Central Palace. But after today’s incident, it will be hard to avoid some unfavorable rumors... Your Majesty should still be cautious."

Xie Congguang previously had no objection to Feng Ying becoming the Empress, just like other civil officials, he believed that the Emperor should appoint the Central Palace sooner to solidify the state’s foundation.

But he had also heard the words spoken by Feng Yun.

"Lady Feng’s status is not suitable."

After a brief pause, he added, "Your Majesty is in the prime of your life and should consider the well-being of the state. You ought to admit more beauties into the palace to continue the imperial lineage."

These were the kind of words the civil officials usually said so often that Xiao Cheng had callouses in his ears from hearing them. He never expected that Xie Congguang, a military general, would also have a day when he would advise accepting concubines.

He gave a faint smile.

"My loyal subject actually has time to worry about me. It seems the new concubines from Bingzhou are not to your liking?"

Xie Congguang found himself at a loss for words.

Yet Xiao Cheng sighed, "If only it were that easy."

Xie Congguang was taken aback.

The Emperor’s eyes were filled with crushed emotions, his voice husky and indistinct, yet firm.

"You may leave. I’m a bit tired."

Xie Congguang sighed secretly and withdrew with his plea for mercy.

The smile on Xiao Cheng’s face slowly froze, and he lifted the tea cup to his lips with his eyes downturned.

"Thanks to Xiao San’s righteousness in not marrying, I was spared from jumping into the fire pit."

Feng Yun’s voice seemed to echo in his ears.

Xiao Cheng felt as if his scalp was going to explode.

His head throbbed fiercely, and he took out a porcelain bottle, poured out the medicine inside, popped the pills into his mouth, and gulped down water.

The water dripped down his chin, cold and chilling, but it couldn’t wash away the swelling pressure accumulating in his chest...

His heart pounded fiercely.

In a daze, it was Feng Yun who was crying.

Desperate sobbing echoed from that abandoned palace, startling the crows into flight, up onto the high palace eaves.

Those scenes he had never seen or heard in his previous life crazily burrowed into his brain...

"Ayun."

"You are my wife."

Xiao Cheng held his head in his hands, sweating profusely in the grip of a nightmarish hallucination.

-

In the elegantly furnished room, fragrant with precious incense,

Feng Ying lay motionless on the bed with her long hair draped over the pillow, resembling a dead person.

The maidservant carefully applied ice packs to her face,

Each touch on her face felt like the cut of a small knife.

Lady Chen watched from the side, trembling at the sight, but Feng Ying remained still.

"Be good, tell your mother if it hurts..." Lady Chen said with heartfelt sympathy, holding her cold hand and constantly rubbing it.

"Mother, your daughter is unharmed." Feng Ying lifted her eyes slightly, "Compared to today’s humiliation, what is this pain?"

"Do you even realize that was a humiliation?" Lady Chen was reproachful, wanting to poke her forehead, but seeing her so injured, she held back and scolded:

"That little wretch has never had good intentions, and yet you always spoke highly of her before your father..."

Feng Ying fell silent for a moment, her eyes moistening.

"After all, she is my elder sister. I watched her fall into a pit of fire without lifting a hand to help her, even marrying the man she loved. It’s natural that she hates me..."

"Are you foolish?" Lady Chen glared at her.

After being humiliated on the streets of the council hall, she wanted nothing more than to dismember Feng Yun on the spot. How could she bear to listen to her daughter defending her?

"With all that wily fox charm of hers, if not sent to the enemy camp, she would sooner or later be a disaster, just like her short-lived mother, bound to tarnish the Feng Family’s good name. Do you think your father and I did what we did for anything else? It was all for the sake of you and your sisters..."

Feng Ying’s expression grew tense and even less pleased.

"Mother, please stop. If the Emperor hears of this, who knows what he’ll think..."

Lady Chen became even more agitated upon hearing Xiao Cheng’s name.

"You let that little wretch hurt you like this, and you still worry about him? I see that he has never treated you with the slightest bit of marital affection..."

"Mother!"

Feng Ying couldn’t stand hearing such talk.

"The Emperor has always treated me very well, never wronged me; we, husband and wife, live in harmony. How can you say there is no affection?"

Seeing her displeasure, Lady Chen held her tongue, "You, how could I have given birth to such a spineless creature..."

Alternating between scolding and getting angry, Lady Chen was full of complaints.

Feng Ying remained silent, enduring her tears with a pitiful look.

Lady Feng looked at her daughter’s face, red and swollen, when suddenly, an idea flashed through her mind. She took a handkerchief from a servant girl’s hands, gesturing for her to leave. After the door closed, she then said:

"The other day, when your father went to the council hall, he accidentally came upon some news..."

Feng Ying, her face hurting when she spoke, asked stiffly, "What?"

Lady Chen moved closer and whispered conspiratorially:

"Do you know how that wretched girl managed to please Pei Jue, to charm him into taking her as his wife, and also bewitch Xiao San until he was utterly spellbound?"

Hearing her speak of Xiao San being captivated by Feng Yun, Feng Ying frowned unhappily, growing impatient.

"Mother, the Emperor has his difficulties, stop talking about this..."

"What difficulties? It’s just his lust," Lady Chen glanced at her daughter’s expression and let out a quiet sigh.

"I’m not saying you’re not as pretty as her, but that little vixen has ways to seduce men. Look at her seductive ways, isn’t she just perfect at leading men by the nose?"

Then, leaning forward, she whispered lowly:

"Do you know, she has a kind of ointment that makes men utterly devoted to her once applied..."

-

Pei Jue was to attend the banquet at the retreat in Cuiyu.

He changed into his clothes in the camp, groomed himself well, and, accompanied by Qian Sanniu and a few guards, rode to Chunpei Academy.

The ministers did not bring their families, so he naturally could not bring Feng Yun along.

Privately, he didn’t want Feng Yun to come with him either, not wanting to drag her into that vortex.

But he had to tell her personally.

When Daman saw him, she called out "General" and then lowered her head, moving aside.

Xiaoman was even more enthusiastic than her.

"The General has arrived? My lady, the Great General is here."

Pei Jue responded with a grunt and strode forward.

The embroidered curtains were rolled high, and a slight chill seeped through.

Feng Yun was in front of a bronze mirror, applying makeup to the corner of her eyes.

She usually dressed plainly, but now, she was all dolled up, with a jade-like complexion and a waspish waist, exuding a tender charm. Her full bosom boldly showcased her coquettish allure. At a glance, one could not get enough of her radiant beauty...

Pei Jue stopped in his tracks.

His breath became slightly strained.

"General?"

Feng Yun, seeing Pei Jue in the mirror, seemed a bit surprised.

Raising her eyebrows, she walked towards him slowly, a teasing smile on her lips. She gently wrapped her hands around his neck.

"I heard from the Lord of Pingyuan County that there’s a banquet tonight in Cuiyu?"

Pei Jue, looking at her elaborate attire, asked, "Lady Yun, do you wish to go?"

Feng Yun shook her head, her smile gentle, looking like the most serene and modest of wives.

"Today, I had a conflict with the Feng Family in Mingquan Town. Although it settled down eventually, I still caused trouble for you, General. How could I have the cheek to go and mooch off the feast?"

Pei Jue frowned, "You are not a trouble."

"The General just knows how to flatter me."

Feng Yun wanted to kiss him.

Disgruntled about his height, she complained again,

"General, bend down a little."

Pei Jue bent his head slightly, and she pushed his neck toward her lips, biting down hard until they were swollen and deep red. Only then did she smile contentedly.

"General, you should go, don’t keep the Empress Dowager waiting."

Pei Jue looked down at her, the soft and delicate figure before him like a flower too fragile to bear, which set his heart racing.

"Why are you dressed like this?"

So cold.

Really, so cold.

Can’t this bastard speak with a bit of warmth?

Feng Yun started to laugh, "I heard that Crown Prince Chunyu is staying next door. I haven’t paid him a visit yet, and I happen to have some accounts to review with him, so I was just about to go over..."

Night has fallen, and she’s going to see Chunyu Yan to reconcile accounts?

Dressed to entice like this?

Pei Jue’s fingers gently gathered around her shoulders.

"Crown Prince Chunyu will also attend the nighttime banquet in Cuiyu."

Feng Yun was taken aback, disappointment flashing in her eyes as she looked at him briefly.

"Is having just the General not enough that Crown Prince Chunyu must be summoned, too?"

Pei Jue: ...

Feng Yun went in for another kiss.

Much more tender than before, she peppered his chin and neck with gentle bites, her hands haphazardly tugging at his clothes, gradually moving toward his collarbone.

"General, have you not administered the antidote to me for several days?"

"Lady Yun," breathed Pei Jue raggedly, his breath scorching hot.

"It’s too late now. Wait for me in the room. I’ll return as soon as the banquet is over."

"No," Feng Yun whispered lowly, "If I have an attack while you are in the palace accompanying the Empress Dowager, who else can I turn to?"

"..." Pei Jue tensed fiercely.

Feng Yun noticed it and pressed her head against his chin, her tongue grazing his Adam’s apple, biting gently and refusing to let go, "Let’s do it now."

Pei Jue breathed heavily, pulling back to look at her, the tremulous light in her eyes making his voice huskier than ever, "There are people outside, all waiting for me..."

Feng Yun smiled slightly and suddenly went to extinguish the candle light. She then threw herself onto him, embracing him in a manner that clung to his waist.

"Once the lights are off, no one will see."