The Slender Waist-Chapter 404 - 292 Debating Again and Again

The estate of Chunyu Yan wasn’t far from here; the last time he showed up was during the previous dispute between Pei Jue and Xiao Cheng, and another unexpected encounter like this was certainly not a coincidence.

Xiao Cheng stood on the deck, his hands clasped behind his back.

"I would like to hear more."

Pei Jue sat high on horseback, the Biyong Sword gleaming with a cold light all over.

"Princely Heir, keep your distance so you don’t get splashed with blood."

Chunyu Yan approached slowly, with a swaying, leisurely air about him.

"Don’t you want to hear the news about Feng Twelve, Brother Wangzhi?"

Impatient, Pei Jue had already determined that Feng Yun was on that ship.

If she wasn’t, Xiao Cheng wouldn’t have taken such a huge risk in claiming her, nor would there be that piece of paper.

As for Chunyu Yan, a mercenary trader who helped whoever gave him benefits, Pei Jue never trusted him.

Unaware that Pei Jue had abandoned the military tally, Chunyu Yan was slightly startled by his icy black eyes and a face filled with suppressed rage, though his own face showed no hint of fear.

"While the two of you are fighting here to the death, Feng Twelve might just be somewhere weeping bitterly, waiting for you to come to her rescue."

Feng Yun was right there, yet he spoke such words.

Ao Qi’s face darkened on the spot. "Princely Heir, are you here to mock us?"

Chunyu Yan’s response was casual, with a slight smile on his lips, "General Ao, are you sure the person beside His Majesty is not Feng Twelve?"

Ao Qi’s expression changed.

In fact, he too had his doubts, but being young and impetuous, since neither Wen Xingsu nor Pei Jue said anything, he just assumed that Feng Shi Er Niang was on the ship, eager to take her back without caring about the rest.

Hearing Chunyu Yan’s taunt and seeing Pei Jue silent suddenly made him uncomfortable.

"Uncle..."

Pei Jue remained silent.

Xiao Cheng’s gaze fell on Chunyu Yan’s face, but he laughed.

"On whose side does the Princely Heir truly stand?"

With a faint smile, Chunyu Yan said, "This Princely Heir stands on the side of justice."

Then he cast a meaningful glance towards the Imperial Boat, "The real cannot be faked, and the fake cannot become real. Whether a ghost or a person, why don’t you come out, take a few steps, and say a few words?"

Xiao Cheng gave him a look, with no emotions or sharp edges, just an almost imperceptible smile.

"Come over, Ayun, and see an old acquaintance."

Daman had been standing behind her in the shadows. Hearing the command, she slowly walked forward. As the lantern flickered, she stood under the light and bowed deeply to Pei Jue on the shore.

The light of the lantern at night shone on that face.

A murmur rose from someone, "It’s the General’s wife."

Yet Chunyu Yan smirked, "Impersonating the General’s wife, what should be your crime?"

"I am not the wife," said Daman, her eyes downcast, fear apparent on her face, "I had no intention of impersonating her. It was just, I was compelled to do so, I beg His Majesty for forgiveness..."

Xiao Cheng watched her silently, "Where is the wife?"

With her head lowered, refusing to meet his eyes, Daman replied, "After Daman took the wife’s place at the lookout tower, I lost touch with her. It was by the grace of His Majesty’s rescue that Daman narrowly escaped death, while the wife..."

A touch of sorrow appeared in her eyes.

"Daman knows nothing of the wife’s whereabouts..."

The situation seemed mysterious, how could one get lost at the lookout tower just like that?

Xiao Cheng was too composed upon hearing that it wasn’t Feng Yun.

The crowd was filled with curiosity, all turning their gaze towards them.

Speaking softly, Daman said, "When Empress Dowager Li claimed there was a malevolent spirit, the wife became uneasy, fearing something might happen. As it so happened, Daman bore a slight resemblance to the wife, so I volunteered to protect her, dressing up as her..."

She looked at the crowd, removed her elaborate headpiece, had someone bring clean water, and washed off the makeup, transforming like magic. The face that had resembled Feng Yun changed eyebrows, removed eye makeup, and contouring, leaving only a vague similarity.

"The wife foresaw the risk, but she didn’t expect to actually encounter a malevolent spirit..."

These words startled everyone.

No one truly believed in mischievous spirits.

But when the person involved said so, it piqued everyone’s curiosity. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

"What malevolent spirit? Speak up, what exactly happened?"

Fear appeared on Daman’s face.

"After exchanging clothes and makeup with the wife, I went to the lookout tower together. The wife and Xiaoman waited below, while I went up in place of the wife, waiting for Master Garu’s rituals. When the green cloth was raised, the master told me to close my eyes, and then I felt dizzy, my whole body sinking down... When I came to, I was in the carriage. I opened my eyes and saw His Majesty..."

Master Garu was Xiao Cheng’s man—didn’t this mean Xiao Cheng took her away?

Where was the rescue?

It was just that Xiao Cheng thought he had taken away Feng Yun, but he got the wrong person.

Chunyu Yan raised an eyebrow, steering the conversation back, "Do you truly not know where the General’s wife has gone?"

Daman shook her head, "After Daman took the wife’s place at the lookout tower, I have not seen her. Also, because I secretly dressed as the wife, His Majesty was mistaken... Since then, I dared not reveal the truth, leading to this misunderstanding..."

Her voice was meek, and having said that, she knelt in front of Xiao Cheng.

"I realize my mistake, please punish me as His Majesty deems fit."

The title and posture she used were highly suggestive.

If Xiao Cheng, unaware, had been intimate with her, she was then the Emperor’s woman. Whatever wrong she did, it would be the Emperor’s decision.

Xiao Cheng squinted slightly and glanced over at the silent Feng Jingteng.

"Your matter will be punished later by Us..."

Having said that, he glanced indifferently at Chunyu Yan and then asked Pei Jue.

"Since it was a misunderstanding, is it urgent for General Pei to find your wife?"

Pei Jue’s expression remained unchanged as he looked at Daman, his voice carrying a suppressed chill.

"That piece of paper, where did you get it from?"

Daman bowed her head, not daring to look at Pei Jue, "Just now, in fear of being exposed by the General, the servant did not dare to speak out and had no choice but to mimic the handwriting of the madam."

Mimic?

Through the veil of night, Pei Jue scrutinized Daman, whose features were indistinct.

In fact, he had never believed she was Feng Yun; what made him judge were the contents of that piece of paper.

"Please wait here before my return, Qi Jun."

His words were polite, but so many people surrounding them clearly meant that Xiao Cheng was not to leave.

Good, Xiao Cheng didn’t have any intention of leaving either, and responded with a warm smile.

"General, please feel at home."

Pei Jue turned his horse around and started walking towards Chunyu Yan, his gaze complicated.

"According to the Princely Heir, where might Lady Yun be?"

Their eyes met, and Chunyu Yan could see the inquiry and suspicion in Pei Jue’s eyes as he calmly said, "Didn’t the wildgrass spirit say that she was taken away by some mansion demon in the conference hall? If it’s a mansion demon, how far could it have gone? Could it still be within the conference hall?"

Ao Qi could not stand his nonsensical talk.

"I’ve almost turned the conference hall upside down, how could someone still be hiding there?"

Chunyu Yan chuckled, "The conference hall is vast, there are surely places where General Ao can’t search, right?"

"Thanks for the reminder, Crown Prince Chunyu!"

Pei Jue’s hum was neither light nor heavy, and it was unclear if he took the advice to heart, he passed by without another word and galloped off.

The Beiyong army’s cavalry split in two, fluid like water, some followed Pei Jue, and the rest remained. The entire process was highly disciplined, no extra commands from Pei Jue were seen, yet they quietly completed the handover and deployment...

Xiao Cheng watched the dark mass of people and felt a sudden chill in his heart.

That was close!

Chunyu Yan was watching too.

It was only now that he realized something unusual about the situation.

"It seems I’ve missed something?"

Xiao Cheng smiled faintly, "Would the Princely Heir care for a drink on board?"

Chunyu Yan raised an eyebrow, "This isn’t a Hongmen Banquet, is it?"

Xiao Cheng replied, "Whether it is or not, what is there for the Princely Heir to fear?"

Chunyu Yan’s eyes were fixed on Xiao Cheng, his voice low and teasing.

"Good. Then I, the Princely Heir, shall join Qi Jun for a few drinks to congratulate you on acquiring a beautiful woman."

Xiao Cheng neither confirmed nor denied, simply saying, "Please."

-

Li Sangruo changed her clothes and lay on the bed, feeling a sense of heaviness and pain below her abdomen. Biting her lower lip to endure the groans, she had the servant girl help her turn on her side and lie on the couch, still feeling uncomfortable, she couldn’t help but become angry.

"Has the General not returned yet?"

The servant girl did not answer.

The door was pushed open, and the person who entered was Tang Shaogong, his face grim as he stared at her.

Li Sangruo was startled, "Uncle Shaogong, why do you look at us so?"

Tang Shaogong lowered his eyes, unable to hide the disgust on his face, "Your Highness should not have gone behind your servant’s back to take away Pei Jue’s military token."

Li Sangruo pursed her lips, restraining her temper, "It wasn’t entirely my own idea, it was also General Pei’s. The Great General wouldn’t listen to persuasion, waging war against the Qi Emperor for a woman, breaking the alliance between the two nations. If I sat back and did nothing, what would I be doing as the Empress Dowager in charge of the court?"

"General Pei is General Pei, the Great General is the Great General," Tang Shaogong said unkindly, mocking her, "Could it be, Your Highness forgot who currently commands the Northern Yong army?"

"Of course, they follow the Imperial Court’s command. Without the military token, how could Pei Jue command the troops?"

Hearing her naïve statement, Tang Shaogong’s face stiffened.

"Could it be that Your Highness never considered that General Pei was just being polite, or perhaps he was testing Your Highness?"

Li Sangruo wasn’t without her own suspicions, but with Pei Chong pushing his wheelchair in front of her, admitting his guilt over and over, it couldn’t be false.

"After all, I haven’t done anything wrong this time. No matter what, I have prevented a clash between the Jin and Qi armies..."

Before she could finish speaking, Chen Xi came tumbling in, followed by two eunuchs shoving each other, seemingly quite scared, and stammering out his words.

"Your Highness... General Pei has led men here, he says he wants... to search... no, not search, to look for the General’s wife."

"This is outrageous!" Li Sangruo, disregarding the pain in her body, sat up angrily, her face pale as she said,

"Is he trying to stage a rebellion, daring to search my quarters for someone?"

Chen Xi wanted to say that he might indeed dare to rebel.

In an instant, he swallowed his words and fell silent, bowing his head.

"The General is desperate to find his wife at Zhu River Crossing, fighting fiercely with Qi Jun..."

He had already cast aside all concerns.

Chen Xi dared not continue, nor did he have the chance to, as there was a scream from a servant girl in the other room, followed by someone running out.

"Your Highness, no, this is bad, the General’s wife... she’s hidden, in Your Highness’s wardrobe."