The Slender Waist-Chapter 403 - 291: Pei Jue Wants to Rebel

The moon was sparse and the stars dim; their flickering firelight faintly fell upon the couple, making their figures indistinct. At a glance, the woman appeared no different from Feng Yun. The pair leaned on each other, a perfect match, their affection seeming without doubt.

Pei Jue asked Wen Xingsu with a sideways glance.

"What does big brother say?"

Wen Xingsu smiled bitterly in his heart.

He had come today merely to see for himself.

Feng Yun had once asserted, with no room for question, that she would never be with Xiao Cheng again, let alone return to Qi Country. Such a rapid change, he didn’t believe it was Feng Yun’s decision, nor would he allow Xiao Cheng to force her.

But just as Xiao Cheng had said...

After all, he was the man she had adored since her youth.

Who could say she couldn’t change her mind?

He said, "I have nothing else to say, but I wish to hear it from Yunyun herself."

Hearing it from her own mouth would be quite interesting.

They all had their doubts.

Pei Jue’s lips curved slightly, "Alright."

"Yunyun," Wen Xingsu called out, looking up into the night, his striking brows raised high, his eyes filled with anxious concern, "Do you truly wish to return?"

His skepticism was evident.

How could someone who had tried by every means to persuade him to stay in Jin Country suddenly change her mind after a turn of events and leave him without a word?

Wen Xingsu couldn’t make sense of it.

But the woman on the boat did not speak. After standing for a moment, she bowed slightly to Wen Xingsu and Pei Jue on the shore, then turned and walked away.

All was silence around them, and everyone’s gaze fell on Pei Jue’s face.

Pei Jue watched the retreating figure silently and spurred his horse forward.

He was a tall man, and the fire seemed to shield him in shadows.

"Lady Yun!"

Pei Jue called out to the Imperial Boat with a deep voice.

"Turn around and speak to me."

The lovely figure leaving paused momentarily, almost as if she hadn’t found her footing and nearly fell, but a maid steadied her. Xiao Cheng took two or three steps and drew her into his embrace.

"Are you alright?"

She shook her head, her back still turned to Pei Jue, and rested her forehead against Xiao Cheng’s shoulder.

They looked like any ordinary loving couple, filled with affection and trust for one another, and as if she were too ashamed to face her former husband, full of embarrassment...

Onlookers couldn’t see any issue. Pei Jue’s expression even softened a bit compared to before.

He looked at those slightly shaking delicate shoulders, his dark eyes deep, his expression inscrutable.

"As husband and wife, is there anything you can’t say to my face?"

The firelight fell on the woman’s back; her body tensed even more, almost completely falling into Xiao Cheng’s embrace.

Ao Qi watched, his eyes reddening with fury and frustration.

"Aunt!" he called out, "Are they threatening you? Don’t be afraid, I and Uncle will surely save you, at all costs..."

"Don’t just keep silent!"

Xiao Cheng let out a cold snort, his eyes filled with a chilling cold.

"Jixiang!"

After a moment, Jixiang hurried down the deck, reached the shore, and presented a letter to Pei Jue with both hands.

"General Pei, the lady refuses to see visitors. This letter is her heart’s intent," Jixiang said.

Zuo Zhong gave Pei Jue a look, took the letter, and passed it on.

Pei Jue looked down at it.

On the plain white page were just ten words.

"In this life we shall not meet, our parting grief to the nether flowing."

Xiao Cheng witnessed Pei Jue’s face under the lamplight, cracking bit by bit.

At that moment, he felt an immense satisfaction.

The heartache and despair at Zhu River’s ferry on that rainy night, Pei Jue should now feel the same.

"General has seen it, it is not I who wishes to keep her, but Ayun who has chosen me. Why won’t General let go generously, and let both sides be happy?"

Pei Jue remained silent.

He had held some doubts upon seeing that figure before.

That couldn’t be Feng Yun, it was impossible for her to be Feng Yun.

Yet, upon seeing this piece of paper, he was unable to convince himself anymore.

It wasn’t Feng Yun, but it was the message she wanted to convey.

Fate had come full circle, returning to the cycle of destiny.

In a past life, she conspired with her lover, attacking his city, aiming for his life, turning his brethren against him, and leaving him to flee to Qi Country, leaving behind only a piece of plain paper.

A phrase, "In this life we shall not meet, our parting grief to the nether flowing," erased years of moments...

Ruthless and heartless.

She had never changed, still the same heartless and unrighteous Feng Yun...

"Lady Yun."

Pei Jue looked toward the firelight of the Imperial Boat.

A lifetime of grace and grudges, love and hatred, and dissatisfaction, in truth, he also couldn’t distinguish clearly.

But this time he wouldn’t let her go again, wouldn’t let the tragedy repeat itself...

For a long time, Pei Jue didn’t speak. Those around him were all on edge, and all eyes at Zhu River’s ferry were on him, the shadow of war hanging overhead like a suspended sword, everyone’s palms sweating.

"Don’t blame me for being heartless."

Pei Jue slowly raised his bow and arrow, aiming in Xiao Cheng’s direction.

"Uncle!" Ao Qi called out softly, "Don’t hurt Aunt!"

Xiao Cheng was slightly startled and shifted the woman in his arms to one side, using his sleeve to shield the front of his body before he slightly lifted his lips and looked at Pei Jue,

"General, are you certain of the outcome with that arrow?"

Pei Jue said, "To take your life, that is more than enough."

The corners of Xiao Cheng’s lips lost their smile, "To assassinate the Qi Emperor and destroy the alliance between the two countries, General, I’m afraid you can’t bear such a responsibility."

Pei Jue: "An alliance with villains is not trustworthy. Whatever the responsibility, I will bear it alone."

What a resolute and unyielding man.

It’s a pity...

"As a subject of the state, one often has no control over one’s own life."

With a smile, Xiao Cheng was overwhelmed with emotions.

He had once been a subject himself and knew too well the constraints and helplessness.

He also firmly believed that Pei Jue would never escape the shackles of imperial power throughout his life.

Sure enough, before his voice fell, several figures were seen sprinting down the official road toward them.

The horses had not yet arrived, but their shouts had already reached them.

"The Empress Dowager has decreed that the Great General hand over his military token and return to the city for an audience!"

The one issuing the decree was Chen Xi from the Empress Dowager’s side, accompanied by Duan Weixiao, a close attendant of Pei Chong.

Without waiting for Pei Jue to speak, he leapt off his horse, knelt on one knee before Pei Jue, and respectfully fist-saluted him, urgently whispering:

"Great General, quickly withdraw the troops, you must not act recklessly..."

Xiao Cheng smiled faintly.

This moment, he seemed to understand Feng Yun’s intentions.

Sly as a fox, one arrow with several targets, pressuring not just him, but also Pei Jue, and dealing not just with him, but also with Li Sangruo and the Great Jin Court. Xiao Cheng once again questioned why Ayun had become like this...

It now depended on how Pei Jue would handle the situation.

"Tell father, I have been unfilial." Pei Jue’s expression was stern, his tone dispassionate, looking at Duan Weixiao’s anxious face, he suddenly dismounted and bowed thrice in the direction of Xinzhou.

"Fortunate to have the protection of my ancestor’s spirit, Wangzhi has been granted office and noble rank, and has been given command of the Northern Yong Army, honored for a time. Now that I am aware of His Majesty’s will and yet choose to act alone, I disgrace the spirit of my ancestors, dishonor my father’s teachings, and do not deserve the title of Great General."

Before his voice fell, he took out the military token from within his clothes and handed it to Duan Weixiao.

"Qi Country has not kept its promise, torn up the treaty, and captured my wife—I must kill them."

"Great General!" Duan Weixiao’s eyes widened, not daring to accept the military token, and even less to stop him.

Pei Jue then turned, mounted his horse, and commanded, "Imperial Guard Camp, follow me to capture the enemy leader and rescue my wife."

Pei Jue’s aura was filled with a stern resolve, like a thunderclap on flat ground, striking at the hearts of all present.

The Imperial Guard Camp were his personal guards, who responded in unison.

The Beiyong Army were not his personal guards, and even after handing over the military token, they could have chosen not to follow his orders...

Yet three thousand iron-armored soldiers responded in unison as well.

"We are at the General’s command!"

"We share fortune and misfortune with the General, and will follow him in life and death!"

Ao Qi even took the lead, charging out in attack.

The battle erupted suddenly, as if in the blink of an eye, three thousand cavalry with swords and spears struck out like a swift wind towards the ferry crossing...

The Qi Army scrambled to defend.

Flares of fire, flashes of blades. The din of voices mixed with the clamor of horses, creating turmoil.

Chen Xi was so frightened his complexion turned pale, "Great General Pei, you ignore the Empress Dowager’s sacred decree, do you mean to rebel?"

"So what if I do?" Pei Jue’s gaze met his, a pair of dark eyes like bright, pointed blades, frightening Chen Xi so much his body swayed on his horse, nearly falling off, his voice weakened.

"Great General... The Empress Dowager and General Pei are still waiting for you at the council hall... Don’t be impetuous."

Pei Jue’s face was cold, he did not look at him, nor at Duan Weixiao.

"Kill!"

The Imperial Guard Camp bellowed, "Kill!"

Ao Qi roared: "Men of the Northern Yong Army, follow me to charge ahead, and rescue our lady!"

The soldiers had weathered storms with Pei Jue, shared meals from the same fire and drank from the same pot, entrusting their lives to each other. Such bonds were not governed by that one military token.

With blood boiling and spirits merging, three thousand cavalry formed a tight formation to strike out, indestructible, unstoppable. The Qi Army shouted as they barricaded the boat’s prow, forming battle lines, their voices loud and clear.

"Protect the convoy, protect His Majesty!"

"Secure His Majesty!"

The Northern Yong Army was the elite of Jin Country.

These three thousand cavalrymen were the iron-armored heart of the Northern Yong Army.

They would rip open chests and spill their guts, disregarding their own lives, to avenge the humiliation of having their wives snatched away.

Pei Jue was now not restrained by the Jin Court, and the Northern Yong Army was completely under his command. The crisis loomed large, and no one had anticipated such a development.

Even Xiao Cheng had not expected Pei Jue to go to such lengths...

"Pei Jue has rebelled."

He chuckled softly, turning to Daman, "Is this the outcome your master wanted?"

Daman’s brow furrowed, "My master does not wish for further conflict between the two nations..." 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Amidst the smoke of battle, the history books would surely record this moment with heavy emphasis. What did her wish matter? Even if she was the one controlling the game, she could not account for everything.

Xiao Cheng watched as the surging Northern Yong iron-armored troops came fighting like a tide, and sighed lightly.

"Speak! Tell Pei Jue the truth."

The teeming crowd was packed at the riverbank, and under the repeated assaults of the Northern Yong Army, the Qi Army struggled to defend.

Upon hearing Xiao Cheng’s order, Daman finally breathed a sigh of relief. Just as he was about to step forward, a loud shout suddenly rang out from the crowd.

"The Crown Prince of Yunchuan has arrived."

"Look, it’s the Crown Prince of Yunchuan."

The newcomer was indeed Chunyu Yan. Resplendent on his horse, adorned in luxurious robes, he wore a lazy smile, just like when he was watching the world’s performances as if detached, showing no emotion about the current situation. It took some time for him to indifferently raise his voice.

"This Princely Heir arrived a step too late! Everyone stop fighting and hear me out."