The Slender Waist-Chapter 394 - 283: Who Wants to Force a Palace Coup
Doctor Yao arrived faster than Feng Yun had anticipated; she was still sitting on the wooden couch in the side room, drinking the health tea brewed by Jiang Yin, when he arrived at the council hall.
Feng Yun had Xiaoman call him over, sent everyone away, gave a few instructions, and then had Ye Chuang escort him there. ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ซ๐ฃ๐ธ๐ซ๐ฎ๐.๐๐๐ถ
The Empress Dowager of Jin was in trouble, her fate unknown, and the musical feast and entertainment could not go on.
Without the strings and bamboo music, without the loud laughter and joy, the entire atmosphere of the council hall became incredibly somber.
A group of envoys from Jin stood outside Li Sangruoโs side room, pacing back and forth from time to time.
Qi Country also sent people to inquire, asking what had happened...
In front of Qiโs representatives, Jinโs side kept tight-lipped, not saying much. But how could they keep it a secret when the incident had caused such a loud commotion?
Rumors spread among the crowd.
Some said the Generalโs wife was seeking personal revenge.
Some said the Generalโs wifeโs heart was with Qi while she stayed in the Jin camp, and that she attempted to assassinate the Empress Dowager.
There were even some who said that Empress Dowager Li had suffered fatal injuries and was passing away...
Wei Zheng, leading the scouts from the Imperial Cavalry Division, came to inquire about the situation.
The attendants from Jiafu Hall unanimously declared, "It was the Generalโs wife who pushed Her Highness the Empress Dowager off the watchtower..."
Pushing someone off a platform, thatโs an accusation of murder.
The person she supposedly wanted to kill was the Empress Dowager, no less.
Wei Zheng could not pretend he hadnโt heard and came seeking an audience, only to be turned away.
Zuo Zhong told him, "The lady has been frightened and refuses to see anyone at this time. The Great General said, if Wei Division Head has any matter, he should come directly to him."
What more could Wei Zheng fail to understand?
In the face of conflict, Pei Jue chose Feng Yun, ready to confront both the Empress Dowager and the Imperial Court.
This wasnโt the first time, but the situation was clearly more serious than the last time on Cuiyu.
With envoys from two countries present, and the Empress Dowagerโs life at stake...
Wei Zheng personally went to see the fresh blood on the wooden steps, a glaring pool, which could not be faked...
Even if Li Sangruo was mad, she wouldnโt play with her own life.
He and others thought the same, that Li Sangruo must have said something to provoke Feng Yun, which led her to push someone inadvertently...
But as things developed, it was no longer just a matter of pushing someone.
The Imperial Guards stood guard on the corridors, the Beiyong Army guards were on high alert, and outside the council hall, there were large numbers of Imperial Guards and stationed Beiyong Army soldiers.
The atmosphere was so tense that it seemed even the air carried the scent of gunpowder, a mere spark away from explosion.
A storm was likely brewing.
Wei Zheng bowed with his hands clasped and eyes downcast, "Then let the Generalโs wife rest first, Wei will continue to investigate."
Feng Yun could hear the occasional sounds from outside.
She looked at Pei Jue and laughed lightly, "Heโs gone. Scared off by the General."
Pei Jue stood with his back to her, at the window, his expression not as relaxed as Feng Yunโs.
"Iโll go take a look." After saying this, he was about to go out but seemed to remember something. He turned back to look at her, "Where is the dagger I gave you?"
"Jian Shui?" Feng Yun laughed as she lifted her skirt and pulled out a delicate small knife from the leggings she had tied on.
It was the very Jian Shui dagger that Pei Jue had given her before.
"Iโm very fond of it, so naturally, I carry it with me." Feng Yun smiled and tucked it back in, looking at Pei Jue calmly, "Donโt worry, General, I will take good care of myself."
Pei Jue fixed his gaze on her, and after a moment, he lifted her hair and tucked it behind her ear before gently caressing her cheek with a warm hand.
"Ever killed anyone?" he asked.
Feng Yun pressed her face against his palm, "Not before."
Which meant she didnโt rule out the possibility of doing so in the future.
Pei Jue said, "Iโll teach you."
Their eyes met and locked.
It was a brief moment, yet it felt endlessly long.
In each otherโs eyes, they saw the turmoil of barrack mutinies, rivers of blood.
"Alright," Feng Yun pursed her lips slightly, her eyes and brows soft with a tender smile, "I might not be successful at killing others, but Iโm sure I could do it to myself."
Pei Jueโs expression darkened as he stared coldly at her, "No matter the danger, never entertain such thoughts. If youโre alive, I will come to save you."
Feng Yun wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his lips.
"Go, Iโll be fine."
"No joking around." Pei Jue was serious as he gazed at her, his eyes sharp and piercing as glacial thorns.
Feng Yun subdued her smile and nodded, "Iโll remember that."
Only then did Pei Jue release her hands and leave. Feng Yun didnโt know what he would do next, but from the moment he personally led her down from the watchtower, she knew that Pei Jue would not let go of her, not now at least.
The trajectory of her life was indeed different now...
So the storm he was about to face would be much greater than hers.
Li Zongxun was not in Xinzhou, but he had sent Tang Shaogong, and among the envoys were many of his followers. This matter, if trivialized, was a squabble among the women; if amplified, it was an "attempted assassination of the Empress Dowager," shaking the very foundation of the nation...
A single thread pulled could move the whole body.
If Pei Jue insisted on protecting her by himself, he would be rejected by the Li faction. There would be no turning back, and a small dispute at the council hall was trivial compared to the never-ending bloodshed and infighting that could follow.
Pei Jue was anticipating the risks, warning her in advance of the possible cost.
Some paths, once taken, offer no return.
-
Outside Li Sangruoโs side room, Yao Ru stood still.
As soon as Pei Jue arrived, Ye Chuang came over and whispered in his ear.
"Not allowed in."
Pei Jueโs eyebrows knitted slightly, "Who refuses entry?"
Ye Chuang turned his head, his gaze landing on Tang Shaogong.
Without a doubt, it must have been him causing the obstruction.
Pei Jue looked over coldly, "By delaying the Empress Dowagerโs treatment, can you bear the responsibility?"
"General, please do not be impatient."
Tang Shaogong looked over calmly, seemingly not intimidated by Pei Jueโs aura.
"The Imperial Physician is examining Her Highness; as of now, thereโs no need for these quack doctors..."
Being referred to as quack doctors to his face, Yao Ru was not annoyed but only smiled and bowed his hands in greeting.
Pei Jue coldly snorted, "Tang Shaogong, youโve got some nerve."
That one remark, filled with commanding presence, frightened the Imperial Guards at the gate into tensing up.
"How dare you underestimate Doctor Yao who has saved the lives of countless Beiyong soldiers? Step aside! I must see the Empress Dowager, or else..."
Under the watchful eyes of all, he rested his hand on the hilt of his sword and stared coldly at Tang Shaogong.
"I suspect you have ulterior motives, of harboring the intent to force the palace!"
The envoys were astounded.
The standoff was broken by Pei Jueโs action.
What was said mattered not; what was done mattered more.
The Great General coming with the doctor and so many troops, it was clearly not to consult on the Empress Dowagerโs illness but evidently to force the palace himself.
Tang Shaogong, staring at Pei Jueโs stern face, did not move an inch.
"General, please forgive me, the Empress Dowager has yet to regain consciousness and cannot receive your visit..."
"Hmph!" Pei Jueโs speed in drawing his sword was so quick that Tang Shaogong saw only a blur before he felt a chill and a sting on his neck.
"General..." Tang Shaogong took a deep breath, "May I have a word in private?"
Pei Jue stared coldly, seeing the rise and fall of his chest, tension without disarray, and gestured with a wave of his hand.
"Step back."
The guards retreated more than ten steps. Tang Shaogong seemed to feel it was still insufficient, walking to one side before turning around and bowing his hands, waiting for Pei Jue to approach before raising his head quietly.
"General, what is the purpose of bringing the doctor here?"
Pei Jue stared at him and countered, "And what are your intentions for stopping the doctor from seeing the Empress Dowager?"
The two men looked each other firmly in the eye.
After a moment, Tang Shaogong slowly began to speak.
"It seems the General has already made a decision."
With Pei Jueโs temperament, he would not make such a major move without careful thought, especially to embarrass Li Sangruo.
"Are you doing this to support your wife?"
Without uttering a word, Pei Jue looked at him, "Who do you think you are?"
A mere guest in the Prime Ministerโs residence indeed had no right to question him. Tang Shaogongโs lips thinned, and a hint of a smile emerged in his gloomy gaze.
"I count for nothing, but in earlier years, I served under General Xie Xian as a military counselor and earned considerable trust."
Pei Jueโs eyes sharpened, his expression turning instantly grim.
"Why pledge loyalty to Li Zongxun?"
"Has not the General also become the Great General of the Jin Court?"
Tang Shaogong said lightly, his eyes lowered, avoiding Pei Jueโs gaze.
"With an unavenged vendetta, how can you let a woman throw you into disarray?"
He cast a slow glance, stared unmovingly at Pei Jue.
"You may harm anyone, but you must not harm the Empress Dowager Li."
-
Waiting was one of the most tormenting things.
All around the inner chamber was quiet, and after two cups of ginseng tea, Feng Yun felt herself burning up.
"Ge Guang." She summoned one of her own, "Is there any news from their side?"
Ge Guang hesitated, glanced at the guards and Imperial Guards outside the window, and spoke softly, "My lady, Iโm currently unable to leave, but just now, there was no commotion observed. It seems the Empress Dowager has not woken up yet..."
No commotion?
Images of Pei Jue leaving flashed through Feng Yunโs mind.
After a momentโs hesitation, she rose to her feet, gathered her clothes, and summoned her maid.
"Follow me to change."
Once outside the door, she was blocked by the Imperial Guards.
They didnโt dare to arrest Feng Yun, but neither would they allow her to leave; hearing that she needed to relieve herself, they immediately brought her a chamber pot.
"Until the Empress Dowager issues a decree, my lady must not leave this place."
Feng Yunโs heart suddenly sank.
She faintly sensed that something had gone awry.
But having chosen this path, with the curtain already drawn, sooner or later there would be a storm of blood and violence. If Li Sang was willing to harm her own life and the life inside her to persecute her, then hiding and fearing would be of no use; she had only to step forward slowly, one step at a time...
Feng Yun gently touched her stomach, forcing a smile.
"Jiu You, guard."
Jiu You was facing off against a group of Imperial Guards with anger in his eyes; he turned at her voice, "My lady."
Feng Yunโs face was pale, and with a trembling voice she said, "I am feeling extremely unwell, may I trouble Jiu You, guard, to inform the General, please, please call for the doctor..."
Jiu Youโs pupils darkened, "My lady, please wait!"
