The Slender Waist-Chapter 363 - 256 Yummy
In the years that Xiao Cheng and Feng Yun spent together, he had never seen such a smile.
Feng Shi Er Niang, in her girlhood, was shy and pure, never casting such looks at a man.
The woman who returned from Jin Country, having experienced the hardships of the world, had less light in her eyes, and even her smiles, as if veiled in an impenetrable gauze, never seemed to come from the heart.
In front of Pei Jue, her smiles were enchanting, tender, mature, like ripe berries that would ooze honey with a gentle touch, irresistibly tempting...
Xiao Cheng’s understanding of intimate relationships was shallow; he had never deeply pondered what kind of emotion was affection, what kind of love was love.
But the scene just now, Feng Yun looking at Pei Jue, and Pei Jue towards Feng Yun, that atmosphere impenetrable to outsiders, struck his vulnerability in an instant.
Silence surrounded him as Xiao Cheng felt as if his body was cooling down.
He didn’t speak, nor did he move.
Watching the two approaching slowly.
Pei Jue was silent, the fleeting chill in his eyes almost unnoticed, and Feng Yun all the more graceful, upon seeing Xiao Cheng and two elders from the Feng Family, she curtsied deeply with a smile, executing a respectful greeting.
"Greetings, Qi Jun, greetings uncle, father."
Her expression was mild, as if harboring no grudges.
It was as if she was bringing her husband back to her family’s home to visit relatives.
Their greetings exchanged, Pei Jue remained silent.
Feng Jingteng spoke up, "Why has Shi’er Niang come?"
Feng Yun’s smile was wan, "This daughter has come accompanying General."
Feng Jingteng wanted to say something but swallowed his words.
He knew his elder brother disliked Feng Yun, intended to admonish her a little, that she shouldn’t be here in such a setting, but now that she was married, she was not under his control. A woman follows her husband, and with her husband present, it wasn’t his place, as her father, to teach her a lesson...
"What a coincidence! Everyone’s here?" A light laugh broke in, inexplicably tinged with a hint of mischief, immediately thawing the stiff atmosphere.
Chunyu Yan entered, his attire dashing, steps light, laughter joyous and melodious. A mask half-concealing his face added a touch of mystery.
"What are you all doing here in the cold wind?"
After asking, it was as if he had only just noticed Feng Yun and broke into a smile.
Towards the Feng Family and envoys who were looking over, he swept his fox fur cloak with a gesture of utter grace and dignity, and introduced her:
"Everyone witnessing this grand yet elegantly exquisite conference hall, it is the work of Feng Twelve."
He didn’t call her the General’s wife.
His tone towards Feng Yun was extremely intimate,
Even in the presence of Pei Jue and Xiao Cheng, he didn’t shy away, moving close to her with his peach blossom eyes full of mirth.
"Of course, I am also her partner in this endeavor."
Feng Yun politely curtsied, "I dare not, you flatter me too much."
Chunyu Yan’s lips curled slightly, "There’s no need to be modest. When you humble yourself, others will take you for granted."
Such pointed remarks, which no one else would make in such a formal setting, were typical of the Crown Prince of Yunchuan. It was as if he was directly telling others not to disregard Feng Shi Er Niang.
Though Yunchuan Country was a vassal state, it was wealthy, prosperous, and maintained good relations in all directions, and this Crown Prince of Yunchuan, compared to his father, the Prince of Yunchuan, seemed even more adept at stirring the winds and the clouds. Even with the Prince of Yunchuan not favoring the Princely Heir, he was at a loss as to what to do with him. Many in Yunchuan expected the heir to depose and replace his father and waited for the day to come.
However, years passed without incident.
Chunyu Yan spent most of his time traveling between states, rarely returning to Yunchuan, thereby avoiding conflict with the Prince of Yunchuan. It seemed he had the patience to wait to succeed his father after his death...
In any case, Yunchuan’s unique position, along with a special Crown Prince, led this particular peace conference.
Yet this proud and intractible Crown Prince of Yunchuan was openly and covertly supporting Feng Shi Er Niang.
The reputation as a femme fatale was probably already ingrained in people’s hearts.
Feng Yun leaned close to Pei Jue, responding to Chunyu Yan with a smile.
All around were praises, lauding the Feng Family of Xuzhou for its excellent upbringing in raising such an extraordinary young lady. Feng Jingyao’s face wore a smile, but his eyes were frosty, and Feng Jingteng felt so awkward he wished he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
The matter of Andu offering its beauty had long since spread.
While nobody explicitly mentioned it, every word felt like a slap to his face.
Amidst insincere pleasantries, Xiao Cheng slightly lifted his gaze, "The time is upon us."
He was the Emperor, his status exalted, there was no need to wait for anyone’s beckoning. His glance casually swept over Feng Yun, and he walked past without expression.
Pei Jue looked inside, then lowered his gaze to Feng Yun, "Lady Yun, wait for me in the side-room." 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎
Feng Yun said with a light smile, "Husband, please go ahead."
In public, she would call him "husband," gentle and modest, the demeanor of an aristocratic woman, dignified and elegant, observing all the proper rites, never out of place, also giving Pei Jue considerable face.
Pei Jue gave her a look, a slight tug at the corner of his mouth.
Without further ado, he turned to look for Ao Qi.
"Take good care of your aunt."
Ao Qi was in high spirits.
In his uncle’s heart, he was someone to be relied upon...
So he quickly stepped forward, bowing, "This nephew understands."
Pei Jue sized him up with a glance, lips pressed tightly together as he strode in.
"Feng Twelve." Chunyu Yan did not leave but looked at Feng Yun with a distant tone and smiled, "You’ve made me suffer."
Feng Yun was puzzled, "I am not sure what the Princely Heir means?"
Chunyu Yan’s gaze floated towards her, as if hiding something deep, and as he looked on, his eyes seemed to wander off into a daze.
Ao Qi reminded, "Princely Heir, it is time."
Chunyu Yan slowly withdrew his gaze and huffed, "I’ll settle the score with you later."
As proud as he was, was he feeling aggrieved for having been at a disadvantage with Jiang Yin? Feng Yun raised her eyebrows, her eyes full of complexity, "I haven’t settled accounts with the Princely Heir yet. What did you do to Jiang Ji? When I left the house earlier, she seemed distracted. Could it be that the Princely Heir... "
"I didn’t do anything." Chunyu Yan, remembering the embrace from earlier, felt slightly guilty and could not wait for Feng Yun to finish speaking. He flicked his robe and headed to the council hall without looking back.
Feng Yun stared at his retreating figure, asking Ao Qi.
"Don’t you think he looks a bit guilty?"
Ao Qi: "He’s up to no good."
Feng Yun did not hear him clearly, "What?"
Ao Qi pursed his lips, "Aunt, be wary of this man."
Even a seventeen-year-old little brother is a man. The natural instincts of male creatures allow them to quickly determine who is an enemy when courting. This was exactly how Ao Qi felt about Chunyu Yan at the moment, a clear line drawn.
Besides his uncle, everyone else was an enemy.
"Aunt, come with me to the parlor for a brief rest."
Only envoys were allowed in the main council hall, but since both sides had brought officials and entourage, they were assigned to their respective parlors for rest and protection.
One on the left, one on the right, the doors corresponding to the two missions entering the main hall. Each parlor had a window to facilitate the exchange of documents.
Feng Yun, who had personally drawn up the blueprints, knew the layout better than anyone.
She asked Ao Qi, "Will you come in with me?"
"I will keep you company." Ao Qi was quite delighted, his face aglow with a fresh smile. He escorted Feng Yun inside and found a spot near the window. "You sit here. I’ll go get you some treats."
"...What did you say?" Feng Yun could hardly believe her ears.
The phrase ’get some treats’ should be spoken to children, or perhaps to baby turtles. Why was it coming out of Ao Qi’s mouth, and directed at her, in such an indulgent tone?
Thankfully, there were no others nearby.
Feng Yun’s eyes flickered slightly, "Please speak properly."
Ao Qi could not help but smile.
"I see you as a baby turtle, too."
She said he was like a big cat.
So he used that to tease her back.
He was still a youth, unwilling to be outdone even in the slightest.
After speaking, he left the room and magically returned with two bags of pastries and dried fruits. Such snacks were inappropriate for the occasion. While other people in the parlor stared in envy, Ao Qi pretended not to notice, stuffing them into Feng Yun’s hands like he was pampering a child and then personally pouring her tea and water, attending to her as if she were a princess.
"Tell me if you need anything."
Feng Yun said, "There’s no need for that, General Ao, please don’t trouble yourself."
Hearing the formal address from her, Ao Qi looked at her with dissatisfaction, his round eyes mirroring the disgruntlement of a baby turtle that had been petted by her for too long, and Feng Yun’s lips lifted involuntarily.
Ao Qi, seeing her smile, smiled as well.
"Do you like them? They were brought by my father from home, personally made by my mother."
Feng Yun paused.
Such lovingly made pastries, now in her stomach, would Lady Ao know, wouldn’t she be furious?
"They are delicious." She was polite in her praise.
The pastries were sweet, sticky, and soft, very similar to the yellow rice cakes she had eaten as a child. With each bite, they were sticky and stretchy, pulling into strings. When she was young, her mother also used to make them for her. Feng Yun, being mischievous, deliberately pulled the strings very long, eventually dropping them onto her clothes, which brought her mother’s scolding, then a gentle wipe down from her, as her mother warned her not to let others see and exhorted her to be more proper.
As Feng Yun ate, she tasted a flavor from her childhood.
The flavor of her mother.
She looked down, a mist forming in her eyes.
Ao Qi looked down at her, "What’s wrong?"
Not wanting to dwell on it, Feng Yun smiled slightly, "The pastries are so good, I’m quite moved."
Ao Qi’s chest tightened as if countless little creatures were rejoicing in his heart. He felt his cheeks burning, his ears aflame.
The affections of a young man are pure and intense, a single sentence easily stirring all his emotions.
"If you like them, eat more. Once you’re done, I’ll have my mother make more."
Because he was so pleased, his voice carried his laughter, his eyes brimming with honey, sticky and sweet.
Li Sangruo purposely arrived late, stepping out from the small council hall of Jin. Glancing at Feng Yun, a thunderous noise erupted in her head. The emotions she had struggled to suppress burst forth like a breached dam, and she stopped in her tracks with a cold expression on her face.
"Why is she here?"
