The Slender Waist-Chapter 347 - 243 Catching Cheaters in Pairs_2

Especially the beauty before him, with her eyebrows and eyes clear and cold, yet bearing a hint of spring passion, almost instantly provoked a reaction in him.

Disaster!

Wei Zheng was greatly fearful.

In the Imperial Cavalry Division, he was accustomed to dirty deeds done away from the light, and he had the treacherous tactics of the deep-seated residences within the palace at his fingertips; he immediately understood Feng Yun’s words.

Li Sangruo had tampered with his wine.

And that accidental spill on his clothes from the tea was not by chance.

"Madam..." Wei Zheng’s eyes reddened, his entire body tensed, his voice seeming to struggle through his clenched teeth, cold and angry.

"How would I dare offend the madam? Today’s incident, truly, was not my intention."

Feng Yun sneered, "Was it Empress Dowager Li who coerced you?"

Wei Zheng shook his head, his throat felt irritated, and he started feeling a bit aggrieved.

"Had it been coercion, at least, I could’ve heard her state a reason to my face..."

Li Sangruo said nothing to him, only sought to harm Feng Yun, conveniently dragging him into it as well, a scheme of killing two birds with one stone, to avenge the resentment from his departure halfway that day.

Wei Zheng suddenly felt a sharp pain in his chest.

He had once been fond of Li Sangruo...

Even if he had left her that day, it wasn’t that he had stopped liking her completely. His feelings for her had become complicated. There was fear, caution, the influence of Luo Yue, considerations due to the child, as well as deep-seated terror about Song Shou’an’s downfall...

Or perhaps, what he had been avoiding was that disreputable relationship, and not the person Li Sangruo.

He had been so enamored with her to the point of losing himself; aware that she kept a paramour in the palace entangled with Song Shou’an in a perverse reversal of yin and yang, yet his original feelings remained unchanged, acting daily like a deeply secluded housewife, fighting jealous battles with Song Shou’an and covertly contending with Fang Fucai.

She had seen it all—his affection and folly, but she had always treated him like a dog...

When she needed him, she would call him over.

Sometimes tossing him a bone, letting him have a taste of her favor.

When she had no use for him, she wouldn’t even bother to discard him...

She would directly offer him up in sacrifice, demanding his very life.

One could imagine, if he actually had offended Feng Yun, would General Pei allow his blood to stain the spot?

Without need for thought, Wei Zheng knew Li Sangruo had given up on him.

At this moment, his life hung on the judgement of the woman before him...

Wei Zheng’s back was covered in cold sweat, he bowed deeply with his hands clasped.

"Please enlighten me, madam. How should I resolve this predicament?"

-

At the banquet, toasts and laughter intertwined.

The ministers appeared to be in high spirits, discussing the peace talks and comparing the strengths and weaknesses of both nations; some argued for delaying until the spring to capitalize on the high morale of the Jin Army and continue to seize territories, while others advocated for a ceasefire to restore civilian life.

"General." Li Sangruo raised her cup, her gaze inadvertently falling on General Pei.

"I still do not know your thoughts, General?"

Her intense gaze did not reveal what she meant by "thoughts."

General Pei looked up, "Dragging out the supplies and unsettling the troops’ hearts are not beneficial to our dynasty."

Li Sangruo smiled faintly, "So, General, you advocate peace?"

General Pei: "A nation may be large, but war-mongering will lead to its downfall."

Li Sangruo smiled shallowly.

"No wonder the General can win the hearts of his soldiers."

In her view and that of many ministers, General Pei was valiant and full of fighting spirit, a lover of slaughter and conquest, a natural warmonger who believed in sustaining troops through warfare. If peace were established, what would become of the General’s value?

Li Sangruo glanced at him, her final note belittling, "The General is truly selfless for the sake of the country."

As if General Pei had not heard this praise, he pinched the cup in his fingers and drank down its contents without uttering another word.

At that moment, a maid rushed into the flower hall, her face filled with panic and alarm.

"It’s terrible, it’s terrible, the General’s wife is missing from the garden," she exclaimed.

Li Sangruo spoke sternly, "Show some decorum. Explain yourself clearly, how could the General’s wife just disappear?"

The maid said, "The General’s wife seemed a bit drunk. She reeked of alcohol as she went to change her clothes in the garden. I saw her enter, but just now, her personal maid came out with red eyes, searching everywhere and saying that the lady has disappeared..."

Having said that, she appeared somewhat hesitant, her eyelids fluttering nervously.

"However, I, I saw Wei Zheng also headed that way. I don’t know if he ran into the General’s wife or not..."

She hadn’t said everything, yet her implication was crystal clear.

Once people discovered Feng Yun and Wei Zheng together, even a thousand explanations wouldn’t clear her name.

Li Sangruo glanced at Pei Jue and, fearing that others hadn’t heard, raised her voice.

"Nonsense! Why would Wei Zheng be with Lady Feng?"

The maid shrank her neck nervously, "Or, perhaps I was seeing things, it’s also possible..."

The atmosphere in the flower hall instantly became tense.

Whether she saw correctly or not didn’t matter; the spread of rumors never needed the truth.

Li Sangruo turned her head and instructed Fang Fucai, "What are you standing around for? Hurry and send more people to look for the General’s wife. This garden is not small. If she had an accident, if something bad happened, how can we handle it?"

Fang Fucai bowed and said, "I understand!"

The maid led Fang Fucai away, and chaotic footsteps could be heard from outside. Li Sangruo watched Pei Jue leave his seat without a word, her elegant brows slightly raised.

"The Autumn Osmanthus Wine is indeed intoxicating. I’m also feeling a bit of its effects. I’ll go out for a walk and help look for Lady Feng in the process."

With her departure, others found excuses to change their clothes or to get some fresh air and left the flower hall.

How could a perfectly fine lady just disappear in this garden?

And what was that maid implying about Wei Zheng?

Remembering the expression on General Pei’s face, everyone was quite excited, scrambling to find an excuse to go out and see what was really happening.

The season was somewhat cold, and a chilling wind whistled through the garden, rustling the leaves.

Li Sangruo emerged grandly with several palace attendants, made a symbolic search in the garden, and headed straight for the side chamber.

Muffled sounds came from within.

Soft and restrained, with a trembling note, they carried a low, whimpering quality through the layered barriers, causing a blush to creep up on one’s face...

It was Feng Yun.

The voice of drunkenness, seductive and melodious, like an overflowing moan.

The garden was eerily quiet, and for a good while, no one spoke.

A hint of ruthlessness flashed in Li Sangruo’s eyes as she signaled Fang Fucai without a trace.

"Open the door," she ordered.

The door was bolted from the inside. Fang Fucai pushed twice but couldn’t open it, and then directed two young Huangmen to ram it.

Ordered by Fang Fucai, the Huangmen charged forcefully.

The door swung open with a bang.

The cold air blew in, and the scene strangely slowed down.

Inside, two entwined figures clung together tightly. As the wooden door burst open, the tall man fiercely pulled the woman into his embrace. She was limp as if to melt into him, too weak to stand.

Li Sangruo stepped over the threshold and saw this scene.

Her mocking laugh froze on her face as she felt as if struck by lightning.

It wasn’t Wei Zheng?

The man turned around, his gaze cold as he stared at her, his palm clasping the back of the woman’s head in his arms, forcing her face down onto his chest, their breathing slightly unsteady.

"What is the meaning of this, Your Highness?" he questioned.