The Slender Waist-Chapter 362 - 255: Feng Family’s Unique Favor

Wishing for death and experiencing such brutal torture that life feels worse than death are two entirely different things.

Fear quickened her blood flow and fueled her will to live, to the point where she even lost the despair and fury that had once driven her to wish for death.

She wanted to live, to live wholly and completely, or... to die wholly and completely.

She said, "What can Li Sangruo give you?"

Tang Shaogong bent down to look at her, "What she can give, you cannot."

"But what I can give, she also cannot."

Tang Shaogong seemed to be intrigued, with a flicker of change in his pupils.

Yet, he seemed utterly unmoved as the mocking sneer on his face deepened even more than before.

"Truth be told, I have wondered what it would be like to be with a beauty like you..."

Tang Shaogong clenched her chin, lifting it, and looked at her reaction with satisfaction, "But I would rather see you struggling desperately, with no way to live and no door to death. That would be more enjoyable than possessing your body..."

His grasp was strong and merciless as he squeezed her face; her delicate and pale skin instantly turned a shade of crimson, revealing the pinpoints of blood beneath the surface.

"I’m not talking about that." The sense of falling into an abyss filled her with near-suffocation, "I see that you, sir, have an extraordinary bearing... not like an ordinary dog of the Li Family... A man of your stature must have his own quests, and I might be able to help you in achieving them..."

Extraordinary bearing? Tang Shaogong had heard many flatteries, but this one made him laugh.

"You, a female captive from Qi Country, unable to even protect yourself, discarded by Pei Jue, what do you have left?"

He leaned down again, and through clenched teeth whispered in her ear, "Silly child, why don’t you think about how I could take you out of the residence right under Pei Jue’s nose? The Empress Dowager wants you dead; she cannot exist with you around. So tell me, would Pei Jue choose you, or the Empress Dowager?"

Feng Yun knew he was right.

She had nothing.

But in dire straits, one can only seek ways to save oneself.

Even if it means speaking nonsense, she had to seize any chance for herself.

"Sir, you would gain more by sending me back to Qi... I and Qi Jun grew up together, our affection is as deep as the ocean... He has sent people several times to find me, all blocked by the General... If you can help us achieve our wish, he will give you whatever you want..."

Like a gambler who has lost everything, facing the executioner’s blade ready to strike, her mind was devoid of any judgement about right and wrong, victory or defeat; it was pure instinct driving her not to miss a single opportunity.

"Or, please grant me a quick end, sir. My death would bring relief and the Empress Dowager would have no more worry..."

Tang Shaogong looked at her.

Clutching her neck, he gave a cold laugh.

She couldn’t breathe, her brain plunged into chaos, and her body felt lighter as she slowly fell into the abyss...

In the terrifying darkness, it seemed she could hear the sound of countless people fighting, screaming, and wailing in pain.

She curled into her stiff body, which was then stretched out by someone...

In boundless despair, she saw light.

She was saved.

Falling from suspension to the ground, when she opened her eyes, she saw Pei Jue.

Majestic and with a cold complexion.

The Biyong Sword was dripping with blood, falling on the bluestone slab, forming a dark and dirty puddle.

She had a chance to catch her breath, and with red eyes she called out:

"General."

It was the second time she’d been saved by Pei Jue, stolen from death’s grip; she had a revelation at that moment—about Xiaoman’s death and all that had happened in the past.

She decided to truly live, with a heart full of words she wanted to share with Pei Jue...

But Pei Jue didn’t respond to her and turned to leave.

It was Ao Qi with his men who took her back to the General Residence...

She was so weak she couldn’t move; it was also Ao Qi who carried her onto the soft couch, all the while she didn’t speak, but Ao Qi had plenty of harsh things to say, which Feng Yun no longer remembered.

The two different attitudes of the young man from her past life and now felt like two different people; to the point that when she recalled Ao Qi’s insults and curses, the pain seemed to have dissipated, and she no longer felt bothered by it.

It wasn’t long after that incident that Feng Yun was sent back to Andu by Pei Jue, and then taken to Tu Family Fort by Ren Rude, making her way back to Qi...

The last time she heard the name Tang Shaogong in her previous life was after she had returned to Qi, revealed to her by Xiao Cheng.

He said that Tang Shaogong had been executed along with his entire family, more than twenty people, by order of Prime Minister Li Zongxun—no one was left alive.

She had never understood why, since Tang Shaogong was one of the Li Family, Li Zongxun would order his execution...

Tang Shaogong said something in front of Pei Jue, then bowed and saluted.

"I take my leave."

Turning his head, he saw the woman at the door to the inner chamber.

Her piercing gaze came through; Feng Yun struggled to control herself, expressionless.

Tang Shaogong sized her up, with just one look, and then bowed in greeting.

"Lady Feng."

His voice was very deep, carrying a chill, somehow higher by several degrees than in that secret room of the previous life, very calm.

Feng Yun stared at this man, smiled slightly, returned the greeting, but didn’t speak.

Tang Shaogong left.

Feng Yun stood still for a moment, then held back the nausea and slowly walked over.

Ao Qi was eating, while Pei Jue was silent.

The eating table in the inn seemed cramped, especially with the uncle and nephew both being tall and slender, and Pei Jue even more imposing with his broad shoulders and narrow waist. Sitting there, he made the table seem all the more pitiful...

Feng Yun noticed Pei Jue’s bowl was still quite full, so she bent down to serve Ao Qi a bowl of fermented rice balls.

"Xiaoqi eats as if he were gobbling it down like a monster."

Ao Qi looked up, his smile bright and cheerful, "I’m not a cat."

"You’re a big cat."

She joked around, but Pei Jue kept silent, while joy flickered in Ao Qi’s eyes.

Little turtle liked him, a feeling that no one could replace, not even uncle, he decided that from now on he would be even better to little turtle...

Feng Yun was actually just making conversation.

Pretending to be nonchalant, she cracked a few jokes and then turned her gaze toward the direction where Tang Shaogong had left.

"Who was that person just now?"

Pei Jue’s handsome face was unexpressive, and his eyes, cold, "A guest from the Prime Minister Residence."

Feng Yun asked, "Then what did he want with General?"

Pei Jue was silent.

Ao Qi looked up at his uncle, wanting to say something but hesitated.

"For the matter of Cuiyu..."

In Cuiyu, Pei Jue had snubbed the Empress Dowager’s face. With the Empress Dowager looking unpleasant, naturally, the face of the Prime Minister Residence didn’t look good either...

Feng Yun said with a light smile, "Was he here to scold the General? Or spouting nonsense about something?"

Ao Qi looked at Pei Jue’s indifferent face and sighed so faintly it was almost inaudible.

"He didn’t dare to scold, but he did say, say..."

What did he say?

He did not continue.

The air hung in Feng Yun’s throat, she waited for a moment, and then lightly laughed.

"The Empress Dowager hates me, and the person the Prime Minister Residence does not want to let off, should also be me, right?"

Ao Qi’s throat choked up a bit, "I..."

He wanted to say that he would protect her, but the words wouldn’t come out.

"Aunt can rest assured, uncle is here."

Feng Yun still smiled, just smiled.

Ao Qi, with his childish nature, was still a big kid.

He didn’t know that it was precisely because of his uncle that she would face even more trouble, that there would be endless traps and persecution ahead. The more Pei Jue defended her, the heavier Li Sangruo’s jealousy and rage would become, and the more pressure would come from the Prime Minister Residence...

Unless they broke off completely, sooner or later they would tread the same old path again.

"Is it almost time?" Her eyes dimmed slightly, and without meaning to, a hint of weariness showed on her face.

Seeing Tang Shaogong prematurely had unsettled her for no reason.

Glancing at the leftover food in Pei Jue’s bowl, her brows began to furrow.

"Eat it up quickly, don’t let it go to waste."

Ao Qi: "Yes."

He was someone who could shine brightly with just a hint of sunshine, and the wine-soaked meatballs were particularly fragrant, he finished them up in no time.

Pei Jue, however, ate quite slowly, his scholarly and proper manner completely at odds with the cold, steely fighting gear he wore.

Feng Yun’s face was smiling, but her heart and lungs were suffused with a gloomy air, as if stuck in her throat, unable to dissipate.

"Lady Yun," Pei Jue put down his bowl, looked up at her, his gaze still fairly gentle, "come with me."

Feng Yun was slightly startled, "Where to?"

"To the council hall," said Pei Jue.

Had he been contemplating this matter in his silence earlier?

Feng Yun was rather surprised.

Even though she didn’t want to belittle herself, she knew her status was sensitive. When Pei Jue married her, there was no shortage of idle gossip, and he likely didn’t want to bring her into the public eye.

Moreover, he had always been reluctant for her to meet Xiao Cheng. Their past would make Pei Jue feel embarrassed...

She smiled, "Would it be appropriate for me to go?"

Pei Jue seemed to detect her mood and suddenly reached out, covering the back of her hand, giving it a slight squeeze.

"Let’s go."

Feng Yun didn’t move. Pei Jue got up, pulled her to her feet as if he hadn’t noticed Ao Qi’s gaze, and drew her into his embrace, fixing a deep gaze on her, "If I don’t say anything, then no one dares."

The hand on her waist was very firm, as if trying to crush her.

Feng Yun was clinging to him passively, smiling helplessly.

"If the General isn’t afraid, I care even less."

The negotiation was like a gambit, just like a war without smoke.

Perhaps she could seize the opportunity to strengthen herself and not be a lamb to the slaughter...

-

Inside the council hall, the next round of negotiations was about to begin.

A few clerks were nervously sorting documents on a table outside the door.

The envoys from both sides entered the main hall one after another, speaking in low voices in pairs and trios, the atmosphere heavy.

Xiao Cheng, accompanied by Feng Jingyao and Feng Jingteng, stepped out of the Qi side’s council chamber and saw Pei Jue walking with Feng Yun through the grand gate of the council hall. As they crossed the high elm threshold, Feng Yun’s skirt hem was caught, and Pei Jue bent down to pick it up for her. Feng Yun looked at him with shining eyes full of deep affection...

Xiao Cheng stopped in his tracks, squinting his eyes.

That foolish woman Li Sangruo, fantasizing about adding her name to the exchange list...

Now that Pei Jue brought the woman to the council chambers, it was tantamount to announcing to both Jin and Qi that the wife of the Great General had an unassailable status in his heart...

"Lady Feng is indeed exclusively favored by the Great General," someone who was not afraid of dying muttered softly.

The surrounding atmosphere suddenly fell into a chilling silence.