The Slender Waist-Chapter 368 - 260 Autumn Scenery of the Rivers and Mountains
The rain in Mingquan Town was drizzling today, casting a layer of gloom in the hearts of everyone in the council hall.
The theatrical fight was a gamble, a wager with Xinzhou City as its stake; it was massive, a matter of being enshrined in history or being despised by the world, weighing on the hearts of the envoys from both sides like a heavy stone.
The council chamber was quiet and oppressive, the candles on the high platform still managed to look dim.
The envoys from both sides presented the lacquered cases to the desk in the center, which were checked by the envoys from both sides, then handed over to the Crown Prince of Yunchuan. After reviewing them, he sealed them and hung them above the main beam as a sign of solemnity.
The order of the test questions was determined by drawing lots.
The whole process was just and open, with no way to cheat.
Feng Yun sat in the side room, waiting for the results, just like most people.
Today, Ao Qi had specially prepared a brocade pillow that could be used for sitting or leaning, soft and comfortable to lean on. Feng Yun, who had slept late last night, felt drowsy against it.
The atmosphere in the side room was tense.
All eyes were eagerly fixed on the main hall...
The only one drowsy was Feng Yun.
Ao Qi sat opposite her, poured a cup of tea, and silently watched her in the wafting aroma of the tea. He felt happy, imagining a quiet life sitting with her in the years to come, increasingly lost in thought...
"General Ao."
The sudden voice of Ye Chuang startled Ao Qi so much that he nearly spilled his tea cup.
He was shocked back to his senses, a fine sheen of cold sweat covering his back.
"What is it?"
Ye Chuang raised his eyebrows.
Just knew this kid wasn’t harboring any good intentions...
Seeing Feng Yun open her eyes and look over, he coughed and suppressed the urge to tease Ao Qi, putting on a serious face:
"The news has come out."
Ao Qi was very tense, "What is it?"
Ye Chuang said, "The first test question announced is from the Crown Prince of Yunchuan. Our side and Qi Country’s side still don’t know."
They hadn’t expected it to start with Yunchuan.
Everyone thought Yunchuan would be saved for the last, as the final question.
The decisive point was originally on Yunchuan.
After all, both Jin and Qi would certainly put forward questions favorable to their side.
Everyone was somewhat surprised.
Feng Yun asked, "What is the test from Yunchuan?"
Ye Chuang frowned, "It seems to be the restoration of some ancient painting, called, called, ’Rivers and Mountains in Autumn’. The Princely Heir has two paintings, one of which is a fake, both damaged..."
The atmosphere in the side room suddenly became tense.
Everyone racked their brains, trying to think of someone skilled in restoring ancient paintings from their side who could compete with Qi Country’s representative.
Feng Yun suddenly stood up without saying a word.
"I need to change my clothes."
Xiaoman, standing by the door, hurried over to attend to her at her call but saw the young lady with a tense face, seemingly with deep displeasure, and couldn’t help feeling uneasy.
In the changing room, Xiaoman asked her.
"Will Jin lose in this challenge?"
"They will," answered Feng Yun with certainty.
Xiaoman gasped, "Why?"
Feng Yun gave her a glance with a hint of coldness creeping onto her face.
"This is Xiao San’s forte, unmatched by anyone."
Xiao San, renowned as the leading scholar of Nanqi, naturally had broad knowledge and talent. But few knew that he was not only proficient in poetry and calligraphy, and exquisite in painting but also had a hobby—restoring ancient paintings and artifacts.
The artifacts he restored were nothing short of astounding.
People still don’t know that around five years after Xiao San ascended to the throne, he researched books, gathered scholars, and personally wrote a book on restoration called "Records of Broken Objects."
In the book, he wrote, "Cherish objects, as one cherishes talent."
In other words, he was someone who enjoyed restoring old items and found satisfaction in it. With his dedication to restoration and the natural resources and knowledge passed down by his noble family, he would have too great an advantage in this round.
After coming out of the changing room and washing her hands, Feng Yun gradually calmed down.
When she returned to the side room, she wore a gentle smile as if the sudden change in her emotions earlier had been an illusion.
Ao Qi breathed a sigh of relief, "Aunt... are you alright?"
Feng Yun shook her head, "Nothing’s wrong."
Ao Qi took a plump little cloth bag from his waist and handed it to her.
"It’s the dried small fish I prepared for Ao Zi, crispy from the oven; if you want to try it, have a taste..."
"..."
At this point, what appetite could Feng Yun have?
She smiled perfunctorily, "Thank Ao Qi on behalf of Ao Zi for me. Keep it for him."
Ao Qi, clear and simple-hearted, unaware of her inner scheming, smiled broadly as he sat back down and glanced towards the hall, frowning in concern.
"This game, I’m afraid we’re going to lose."
Feng Yun hummed, as serene as if she hadn’t heard.
The council hall doors opened, and envoys from both sides emerged, discussing amongst themselves.
Because the restoration required materials and couldn’t be finished immediately, there was a long break in-between, lasting until the afternoon.
The material for the repair was provided by the side posing the challenge.
Feng Yun watched Chunyu Yan come out of the council hall, directing the servants to carry the materials over and hand them to the Jin and Qi envoys.
Feng Yun sat in the side room for a long time, only blocking Chunyu Yan’s path in the corridor after he came out of the office.
"I wondered why Xiao San was so confident; turns out his trump card was the Princely Heir all along."
After busying himself, Chunyu Yan was in a rush to relieve himself when Feng Twelve appeared out of nowhere, staring at him with displeasure. He was startled, then broke into a smile.
"Who could be so audacious, if not you..."
He waved his hand, signaling Sang Jiao and Yin You, who were following by his side, to back off before he approached Feng Yun.
"Seeking me out in secret, it’s not because you miss me, but to blame me. Feng Twelve, you are heartless."
Feng Yun looked at him with a cold face, her expression unchanging.
"The Princely Heir is supposed to be impartial, posing a question from a fair standpoint, but how about you? Favoring so blatantly, where has your conscience gone?"
The wind was strong in the corridor, and the fine rain made the young lady’s face look even more displeasing. The surrounding corridor was open on all sides, making conversation inconvenient.
Chunyu Yan’s eyebrows sank a little as he laughed softly.
"The questioning was done in front of many, how could it be biased?"
Feng Yun sneered, "Not to mention that since the noble families moved south, Qi has been obviously superior to Jin in terms of painting and restoration skills. And you, Princely Heir..."
She lifted her eyes, a hint of frost in her gaze.
"Having done business with Xiao Cheng so many times, don’t you know he’s an exceptional figure?"
Chunyu Yan: "If I say I didn’t know, would you believe me?"
"No."
"I wouldn’t believe it either," Chunyu Yan laughed, looking at her leisurely: "When Xiao San was still the Prince of Jingling, I indeed asked him to restore a few paintings. His skills are truly unmatched..."
Feng Yun’s eyes grew colder, "So, you two had a deal?"
"Of course not," Chunyu Yan said with a smirk that was not quite a smile: "But I’ve recently acquired two ’Rivers and Mountains in Autumn’ with authenticity in question. After Xiao San became Emperor, asking him for restoration became difficult. To avoid wasting masterpieces, I’m seizing the opportunity for a dual benefit."
Feng Yun didn’t move, her eyes curving with a smile.
"So the Princely Heir is just a sitting duck, being used by Xiao San. Let’s make a bet, these two paintings must have circulated into your hands, and you for sure would have guessed they’d be used as the subject..."
"What’s there to bet on?" Chunyu Yan was not surprised, even looking like he had expected it all along.
"The authentic ’Rivers and Mountains in Autumn’ has always been in the Jingling Royal Residence."
Feng Yun, seeing how he took everything with such indifference, felt her teeth itch with irritation.
"So it seems I’ve misunderstood the Princely Heir. You’ve not been outwitted, but rather, you’ve willingly fallen..."
Chunyu Yan’s brow furrowed slightly; he obviously did not like to be mocked like this. He dropped his usual smile, his gaze cooling as it landed on Feng Yun’s face, tinted with an indistinct chill.
"You wish for Jin to win?"
Feng Yun looked at him, silent.
Chunyu Yan let out a scoff,
"Xinzhou isn’t yours, nor is Jin Country."
His voice grew heavier with every word, nearly a growl through clenched teeth by the end.
"Losing Xinzhou, you, Feng Twelve, might win your freedom. What’s wrong with that? I think you lack sense, unable to discern good from bad. Princely Heir is helping you!"
"Help?" Feng Yun actually laughed out loud.
Then, with her eyes bent, she confronted him with an icy gaze.
"Doesn’t it pain your heart to speak such words?"
"It doesn’t." Chunyu Yan retorted, facing those dark, beautiful eyes felt like gulping fiery liquor, a scalding pain burning from his throat to his heart, his voice deepening.
"Who’s benefiting from this win? Empress Dowager Li. Don’t you hate her? She poisoned you in Cuiyu. Have you forgotten?"
"So what?"
"Losing Xinzhou under circumstances of certain victory would subject Empress Dowager Li to the ridicule of the world. Wouldn’t that please you?" 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺
"Why should I be pleased? Don’t sugarcoat it; you’re after money. A ’Rivers and Mountains in Autumn’ restored personally by the Emperor of Qi, completed in the council hall with everyone watching, involving the ownership of Xinzhou... Combine all these factors, and one can imagine how much this ’Rivers and Mountains in Autumn’ would be worth in the future?"
Letting Xiao Cheng feel triumphant and Li Sangruo disappointed was essentially no different.
But Xinzhou was conquered by Pei Jue and the Northern Yong army, forming a strategic position along with the five towns of Andu, which could support each other. Moreover, its geographic location was extremely advantageous.
If one day Pei Jue should break with the Jin Court, it would become an ideal stronghold.
Today, if Xinzhou were to be lost, who knows what sacrifices would be required to reconquer it...
These thoughts Feng Yun could not explain.
She was utterly sick of hypocrisy, and with a cold laugh tinged with sarcasm and sharpness, she said,
"What exactly did Xiao Cheng offer you?"
Her aggressive questioning changed Chunyu Yan’s expression too, his eyes darkening like the cold waters of an autumn river, utterly frigid.
"What do you think he could offer me? What I want, he cannot afford to give!"
