The Slender Waist-Chapter 537 - 383: Lecturing by Imperial Command

The next day as dawn broke, Feng Yun got out of bed to wash up. As she sat before the mirror to apply her makeup, she suddenly thought of the pampered Prince of Danyang who had caused a ruckus until midnight.

She glanced sideways at Xiaoman, "Go see if the noble has risen yet?"

At the mention of "noble," Xiaoman couldn’t help but let out a giggle.

"Having gone to sleep so late last night, how could he possibly be up already?"

Feng Yun’s eyebrows raised ever so slightly.

Just last night, upon settling into Huaxi Village, Puyang Zong had started to fuss.

The bed was too hard, there were mosquitoes, no one attended to him, the food was not to his taste—in short, not a single aspect met his expectations.

Of course, accustomed to the comfortable life at the Princess Residence, how could he endure the modesty of a rural estate?

The Prince of Danyang, used to being waited on hand and foot, found doing his own dressing and washing akin to an ordinary person’s life, quite literally taking half his life.

Making a scene until midnight, he disturbed the peace of the entire estate.

Feng Yun would not indulge him; she simply had someone carry in a convenient wooden bucket and then locked the room door from the outside, letting him thrash about within.

By the latter half of the night, he probably exhausted himself, and finally he quieted down.

Feng Yun yawned as she thought of the "living Bodhisattva" and the troubles he had brought with him.

"Go, tell the noble to get up; it’s time to prepare for school in the village."

Xiaoman responded with a smile.

After a while, she returned with a crestfallen face.

"The Prince says it’s still too early and wants to sleep a little longer..."

Feng Yun didn’t say a word and stood up, heading towards the side wing’s quarters.

Actually, Alou hadn’t treated him unfairly, choosing the best available room at the moment, and yet he was still dissatisfied—Feng Yun was ready to switch it for him that evening.

"Get up," she ordered.

Her side was followed by Ge Yi and another retainer.

Upon hearing her, Ge Guang stepped forward and knocked on the door.

The lock had already been undone, but Puyang Zong had not woken up and was full of fury. He turned over, ignoring everything completely.

Feng Yun gestured towards Ge Yi with her lips, "Drag him out."

Ge Yi answered, "Yes."

The two retainers pushed open the door, and moments later, the room erupted with screams like that of a pig being slaughtered.

Puyang Zong, having never suffered such humiliation, saw retainers as mere servants. Servants manhandling their master or a guest—it was simply preposterous.

"Let go of me, let go!" 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

"I am the illustrious Prince of Danyang; how dare you lay your hands on me?"

"Release me! If you don’t let go now, believe me, I’ll have you killed when we get back..."

While Puyang Zong shouted and cursed, the retainers felt a tingling in their scalps. Yet they eventually dragged him out of bed, disheveled, and after forcing him to dress, they hauled him before Feng Yun.

Feng Yun greeted him with a slight smile and a minor bow.

"Good morning, Prince. It’s time to go to the village school."

"You know it’s early, huh?" Puyang Zong had an explosive temper, but Feng Yun was no retainer. That much he still understood, swallowing the curses that had reached his throat. He shook his sleeve and glared at Feng Yun from under furrowed brows.

"Is this how the Princess receives her guests?"

Feng Yun slightly curled her lips with a smirk, "Since the Prince came to my estate as a guest, you must abide by the rules here. There are no exceptions for anyone."

Puyang Zong’s eyebrows arched aggressively, his voice pressed low.

"Is the Princess deliberately tormenting me?"

Feng Yun’s eyebrows pinched together slightly as she pursed her lips looking at him, but she remained silent with a smile.

Grinding his teeth, Puyang Zong stared hard at her.

"Others might not know, but the Princess is well aware. That day at Little Jieqiu, I never flirted with you, I even tried to persuade Yuan Kang... I’m such a good person, yet the Princess bears a grudge against me. You tricked my sister, swayed my mother, and dumped me here in your shabby estate to put up with your mood..."

Feng Yun slowly raised her hand, pointing in the direction of the estate’s main gate.

"I have never forcibly kept the Prince here. The gate is over there, should you wish to leave."

Puyang Zong gulped down his spit harshly, snorting heavily.

"Do you think I want to stay? I’m only here because you forced me."

Feng Yun’s expression was unflinching, and even her smile didn’t waver as she serenely said, "Whether to stay or leave, the Prince decides. But let me repeat myself: once you step outside the estate, I have no authority over you. However, if you set foot within it, you must follow my rules."

On that last sentence, she emphasized her tone.

"You’re being ruthless, aren’t you? Well, who isn’t capable of that?" Puyang Zong licked his lips, his eyes fixed on her, and pointed forcefully at her face, "Just you wait."

Feng Yun spoke indifferently, "I’ll be waiting for the Prince. Now go, get yourself together, and join me at the village school."

Seeing her as unmovable as Mount Tai, Puyang Zong grew infuriated.

"I’m not going. Let whoever wants to go."

Feng Yun stated plainly, "If you refuse to go, then please leave. My estate does not harbour idlers. To eat, one must work."

Puyang Zong wished he could stamp off then and there...

But he knew he couldn’t.

His mother had set her heart on leaving him here, and if he did not satisfy her, he would not be able to return to the Princess Residence, and his life would not be good afterward.

"Fine, fine. I’ll teach, I’ll do what you say, I’ll go teach, but can I at least get a full night’s sleep first? It’s so early in the morning; can’t a person get some sleep?"

After speaking, Puyang Zong yawned broadly, forcefully pushed away the attendants in front of him, and started to swagger.

"I’m going back to my room to sleep..."

Before he finished speaking, Alou came over beaming.

"Madam, the Emperor says he is ready and is asking when you will take him to the village school..."

Puyang Zong staggered, kicked the door sill, and nearly fell down.

"What did you say? Who’s going to the village school?"

No one paid him any attention.

Feng Yun smiled faintly, "I will go invite the Emperor."

She gently swept her wide sleeves, ready to walk toward Yangxin Restaurant, when Yuan Shangyi, led by Dong Bai, came running toward the side yard.

"Madam, I’m here, I’m here."

Puyang Zong looked at the tiny figure rushing into the yard, rubbed his eyes, and watched him in disbelief.

Yuan Shangyi threw himself onto Feng Yun, chatting excitedly with her, his little face brimming with smiles.

"I got up early today and did my homework."

"Ayuan is really diligent," Feng Yun touched Yuan Shangyi’s head.

Puyang Zong’s foot, which had already crossed the threshold, slowly withdrew back.

Well, isn’t that the Young Emperor?

How come the Young Emperor, upon seeing the Princess of Yonghuai, looks as if he’s seen his own mother?

Puyang Zong straightened his clothes and hurried forward to perform a salute.

"Your servant Puyang Zong greets Your Majesty."

Yuan Shangyi glanced back at him, then looked at Feng Yun, and murmured:

"Why is cousin here?"

He knew Puyang Zong and was curious about his appearance at the estate, but Puyang Zong was even more curious about the Young Emperor’s meek demeanor in front of Feng Yun.

"Your Majesty." He took the conversation and said with a smile, "I am here by my mother’s command to teach at Huaxi Village."

Yuan Shangyi suddenly understood.

Glancing at Feng Yun one more time, he turned, with his hands clasped behind his back.

"Then, Prince of Danyang, please teach well."

Puyang Zong: "Your servant obeys the decree."

He bowed his head as he finished speaking and when he looked up again, Yuan Shangyi was already holding Feng Yun’s hand, looking up at her happily:

"Madam, let’s go."

Feng Yun glanced at Puyang Zong and smiled, leading the way.

Puyang Zong felt his heart tying in knots.

It was initially just a command from his mother, but now, did it not seem like he was carrying out an imperial decree to teach?

The Young Emperor is still an Emperor.

There’s truth to the saying, "A monarch’s words carry weight."

He obediently followed behind Yuan Shangyi and Feng Yun, leaving the estate.

A group of palace attendants and soldiers silently followed them.

The sun hung high in the sky, a dazzling orb of red.

Puyang Zong raised a hand to shield his eyes and suddenly felt like crying.

How pitiable he was.

From now on, there would be no more good days...

Feng Yun did not pay him any more attention and led Yuan Shangyi by the hand toward the village school.

The child was excited.

Yet there was a trace of worry in Feng Yun’s smile.

As they passed over the small bridge in Huaxi, she noticed that the water in Huaxi had completely dried up, revealing the cleanly washed stones on the riverbed, pale in color.

It had been a long time since the last rain.

A couple of days ago, Chief Yang mentioned that villagers now had to wash clothes and carry water for irrigation from Changhe Bay, but even the water level there was rapidly dropping,

He and Wa Chang went upstream to check, and many places had begun to expose their riverbeds.

The people of Huaxi Village relied on Huaxi Creek, and Huaxi Creek depended on Changhe River; this was a chain of survival. If the creek dried up, the river would fare no better.

This was the first year of a three-year drought.

The disaster was far from over; she had to be fully prepared.