The Slender Waist-Chapter 592 - 427: The Duty of the Chief Historian

Chapter 592: Chapter 427: The Duty of the Chief Historian

Days grew colder, one more so than the last.

The Coal Ball Workshop increased production, hiring a significant number of craftsmen, and the agricultural tool workshop also cast many new molds.

Feng Yun aimed to produce as many coal balls as possible before the bitter cold of the ninth winter’s cycle set in...

And the batch of genuine products that originally "leaked" from the Coal Ball Workshop, through Chunyu Yan’s hands, had already been continually sent to Yunchuan, Nanqi, and of course, to various counties of the Western Capital Dynasty.

The manufacturing capacity of the Coal Ball Workshop was unknown to outsiders, but the partnership between Chunyu Yan and Feng Yun was far from a secret.

It was no surprise that Chunyu Yan always had stocks in hand.

No one doubted this point.

Chunyu Yan made a hefty profit with composure, and his affection for Feng Twelve reached an extreme...

"Such a clever scheme, unthinkable without a cruel heart... Feng Twelve, you truly are remarkable."

When Chunyu Yan called upon her, Feng Yun had just returned home from Andu City and was sitting in her study, nursing her injured foot.

These days, she had been limping around, busy with Ao Qi’s wedding preparations, and even now her ankle had not fully healed.

After being out for the day, feeling terribly sore, she took off her shoes and sat on the warm kang bed in her study with only her socks on, preparing to rest, when this fellow ridiculed her, and she retorted without good humor.

"Was that a compliment or an insult? If you can’t speak properly, then sew your mouth shut."

"..." Chunyu Yan pursed his lips as he regarded her, his lips pressed so tightly together they might as well have been stitched.

Feng Yun snorted. "If they weren’t cruel, they wouldn’t have fallen for it. My trap is set only for those who wish to harm me. If I were truly cruel, Princely Heir, your name would have been erased from the book of life and death..."

Chunyu Yan said, "What’s with this little mouth churning out kind and unkind words indiscriminately? Do I have to praise you... Hey, Feng Twelve, how come you’re so capable with me? Ready to scream and shout at any moment. Where is your composure, your wisdom? Your graceful elegance? It appears Pei Jue has seen all of that, hasn’t he?"

Feng Yun snapped back without courtesy, "Of course, he is my husband. Why should I be courteous with Princely Heir? You are used to biting the hand that feeds, not recognizing a kind heart."

Chunyu Yan’s jealousy made his teeth almost sour, and swallowing saliva felt bitter in his mouth.

"Do you feel comfortable only after poking at me?"

Feng Yun said coldly, "You brought it upon yourself. Haven’t I let Princely Heir make money too, and still, you come to find fault with me. Think about it properly, since we started this partnership, have I ever let you suffer a loss?"

That was indeed not the case...

No.

It was.

He had suffered a deep, silent loss.

Chunyu Yan hummed his dissatisfaction.

"Who owes whom? To whom do I owe my current position?"

Feng Yun rolled her eyes wordlessly, "If Princely Heir has no business, please leave. I’m tired and want to rest."

Chunyu Yan’s gaze swept over her foot covered by her skirt hem; the corner of his mouth involuntarily curved.

"This kang is quite warm. I think I’d like to lie down here myself. May I?"

Feng Yun wished she could kick him dead.

"Get out!"

Chunyu Yan pressed his lips together, his fingers resting lightly on the mask, a hint of sparkly moisture gleaming in his eyes, "Don’t you want to see me? Feng Twelve, how long has it been since we’ve seen each other? I mean... without the mask?"

Was he tempting her again?

Feng Yun laughed, "I’ve built up my resilience thanks to Princely Heir. Not interested! I won’t walk you out."

Chunyu Yan was silent, his eyes narrowing slightly as he watched her.

After a long while, he murmured vaguely, "I’ve missed you during this long time out."

"What?" Feng Yun didn’t hear him.

"Feng Twelve, I crave you."

His voice was husky, as if he were drunk, yet sober, carrying a seductive rasp. Those red lips curved lightly, and his starry eyes shimmered with an indescribable charm.

Tsk tsk.

Feng Yun truly admired her own self-control.

"You should be thankful that my foot’s injured. Otherwise, you would have definitely been kicked to death today."

Chunyu Yan was unconvinced, his smile faint as he stood up in silence.

"I only came to see you. It’s proper for an adulterer to check in when he returns from a long journey."

Before leaving, he left an account book behind.

Feng Yun was too worried and too tired lately to want to see anything related to numbers. She immediately put the ledger away in a drawer of the wooden desk, opting not to examine it right away.

For so long now, there hadn’t been a single discrepancy in the accounts between her and Chunyu Yan.

In matters of making money, Chunyu Yan’s seriousness matched hers perfectly.

It couldn’t be wrong.

Feng Yun lay down and closed her eyes, pondering for a moment,

then suddenly opened them again, looking at the already closed door.

She remembered that Chunyu Yan’s departure this time was to Yunchuan.

No, "return" was the proper term.

Returning to Yunchuan would surely mean a visit to the Royal Residence, where he would meet his father, his younger legitimate brother, witnessing their affectionate, harmonious interaction...

As Princely Heir, drifting outside for years, how much of it was out of genuine preference, and how much was out of compulsion?

Feng Yun sighed deeply. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Just now, she should have let Chunyu Yan finish speaking.

Perhaps he had some vexing matters he wanted to discuss.

Although they fought upon every meeting, barely exchanging a few kind words, they were astonishingly similar in some aspects. So amidst the belittlement and vitriolic curses, they could speak their minds freely...

-

Pei Jue didn’t return to the room until after dark.

As usual, they spoke briefly before each immersing themselves in a book, lost in their own worlds.

Feng Yun loved reading too much.

During reading, she was extremely focused.

So much so that she didn’t even notice that Pei Jue’s gaze wasn’t on his book, but on her instead; his eyes were dark and inscrutable, filled with emotions she couldn’t fathom...

She had become a person inundated with a multitude of duties.

When busy, she seemed even busier than Pei Jue.

Of course, this was completely different from her previous life...

But what did that matter?

No one would know the hardships she had endured.

All people knew was the current Feng Yun, ruthless and cunning, not the Feng Family daughter who had compromised to survive yet still met a bad end...

She felt entirely justified, without a trace of distraction.

Until Pei Jue coughed lightly.

The silence was broken, Feng Yun turned to look, "Does Your Highness need something?"

Pei Jue said, "My older sister has arrived in Wanning with our father. They will reach Andu tomorrow."

Feng Yun placed the book on her lap and turned to face him, "Didn’t Prime Minister Ao Qi come with them?"

Pei Jue was silent for a moment, "They are not traveling together."

Feng Yun made a sound of realization.

Pei Yao was actually still angry with Ao Zheng.

Her unwillingness to compromise for so long had earned a bit of Feng Yun’s respect.

She smiled lightly, "Then how does Your Highness intend to arrange things?"

Pei Jue looked at her steadily, a trace of chill fleeting across his dark eyes.

These matters were originally meant to be managed by the lady of the house.

Feng Yun clearly had no such awareness, nor the mood for it.

Pei Jue stated, "The Chief Historian will take care of it."

Feng Yun raised her eyebrows, "Without the imperial decree, the Chief Historian cannot carry out his duties, right?"

Pei Jue took a deep look at her, "The decree will be delayed."

While the Chief Historian of the Royal Residence might merely seem like a butler, managing a king’s household is no simple feat. Holding a rank of Fourth Rank, overseeing household subordinates, following imperial commands, and directing affairs of the mansion...

And, it must be decreed by the Emperor himself.

Although this matter was entirely under Pei Jue’s control, and nobody would oppose him for such a position, all the necessary protocols and steps must be followed without omission.

Noticing her silence, Pei Jue felt a stir in his heart.

"If Lady Yun is anxious, I can urge them to hurry."

"No need," Feng Yun looked up at him, a faint smile on her face, "I was just thinking about how the Chief Historian should earn everyone’s respect. How to set rules for a mansion that does not yet exist."

Pei Jue chuckled, "Whatever you say becomes the rule."

Feng Yun arched her eyebrows playfully, "Does that apply to Your Highness as well?"

Pei Jue hummed affirmatively with a neutral tone, took the book from her side, "Let’s sleep."

Feng Yun intended to comply, but having sat curled up too long, her legs had grown numb, and without any warning, she collapsed limply between his legs...

Pei Jue grunted.

When she looked up again, she was met with a pair of deep, dark eyes that seemed to carry a repressed tide, overwhelmingly sweeping toward her...

Feng Yun instinctively sought something to grasp to sit up straight, only to feel warmth filling her palm...

Strange yet familiar emotions stirred, quickening her heartbeat, causing her ears to suddenly feel hot...

Seeing this, Pei Jue lifted his hand to her earlobe, gently kneading it, "Why so delicate?"

When it came to bedtime, no matter how cold it was, Feng Yun preferred to wear light clothing. Last year’s newly built heated kang met her needs against the cold greatly during this season, but Pei Jue was intolerant to heat. With her clinging to him, their bodies fitting tightly together, it was a torment as if being near a furnace.

"Lord Chief Historian, is it permissible?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

The heat from him seemed to pierce through Feng Yun, her eyelashes trembling slightly as she countered.

"Does the Chief Historian also manage the affairs inside Your Highness’s chamber?"

"Yes," Pei Jue pressed down, his lips brushed her nose gently, flicking open the loose hair beside her cheek, his whole weight bearing down on her, his voice sounding as if squeezed from his throat, "Everything."

Feng Yun saw the slide of his Adam’s apple. Clearly.

Her slender figure contrasted sharply with Pei Jue’s tall stature.

The ferocity, sharp as a blade, made her tremble slightly.

"What if I don’t manage well?"

"Then there must be a punishment."

Heat spread out, traveling up her spine. Feng Yun felt an apprehensive fear of that dragon awakening in the darkness, instinctively wanting to withdraw, but Pei Jue held her lower back and bit her lips lightly as he looked at her, moved by passion, then slowly led her to join him in sinking into the mundane, to face the most honest exchange with each other...