The Slender Waist-Chapter 661 - 476: A Storm is Brewing

Feng Yun stepped out of the Young Emperor’s sleeping chamber and immediately noticed a change in the atmosphere of the palace.

Along the palace walls and through the corridors, security was tight. Each gate was guarded by the imperial guards, and on the short journey to the Changxin Hall, she encountered five separate patrols from the Inner Court. Each was clad in armor, wielding sharp weapons, with solemn expressions—there was a sense of a looming storm, a building tension ...

In contrast, there was an eerie silence in the palatial halls.

Not a single sound was heard.

Below the suffocatingly calm façade, undercurrents were already coursing through everyone’s veins.

To her surprise, the security inside the Changxin Hall was even more formidable.

The guards, draped in armor and holding weapons, watched their surroundings with an eagle-eyed alertness, as if ready for battle.

The entire Changxin Hall seemed to be overwhelmed by an invisible force, silent and deadly.

Feng Yun crossed the threshold calmly, under the watchful eyes of everyone, and slowly moved towards the inner chamber.

Walking past a rosewood screen carved with the image of a hundred birds paying homage to a phoenix, Pei Jue’s tall, imposing figure came into view.

He was alone.

Standing in front of a curtain that touched the ground.

Clad in a wide robe and wide belt, his figure was erect. Unarmored and without blade or spear, his presence seemed to evoke the sound of fluttering banners and the roar of a tidal wave of combat. This imperial bearing, so different from that of the civil officials, appeared to be a natural embodiment of imperial authority ...

Glancing at him, Feng Yun thought he looked to be the true master of this palace.

He looked to be the Emperor.

Startled by her own thought, she composed herself and deeply bowed to the Empress Dowager’s counterpart beyond the curtain.

"Subject Feng Yun pays respects to Empress Dowager," she said.

The curtain was silent.

A gust of wind from an unknown source lifted the hem of her dress.

Feng Yun moved closer, standing quietly beside Pei Jue.

"Has the Empress Dowager’s condition improved?"

Pei Jue hummed a response and gestured lightly with his hand, "Your Highness, your wife has come to visit you."

The Empress Dowager’s mouth opened, but it took a long while before she managed to draw a breath.

"I... wish to speak... alone... with the Princess," she said.

Feng Yun furrowed her brow.

The Empress Dowager’s voice was muffled and her words were hardly articulate, clearly showing symptoms of a stroke.

Without a word, Feng Yun glanced at Pei Jue.

From the moment she had set foot within these palace walls, she knew that many things were bound to change and that she could not afford to be emotional. Moreover, she needed to stand by Pei Jue resolutely.

Pei Jue glanced at her.

"I’ll wait for you in the outer chamber," he said.

He didn’t hesitate, walking away with firm and composed strides.

Yet that fleeting glance, as if it possessed the power to penetrate everything, pricked Feng Yun’s scalp with a slight numbness.

She stood still, waiting for the Empress Dowager to speak.

After a moment, she heard the Empress Dowager’s voice, thin as a thread.

"Princess... come and talk..."

"Yes," Feng Yun responded.

The light inside the chamber was dim, and all was quiet.

The air was heavy and tense, with the cold wind making a rustling sound against the curtains.

Feng Yun stood beside the bed, looking down at the Empress Dowager.

The commoners probably didn’t know that the Empress Dowager, who lived a life of luxury in the palace, was actually very thin, like a withered skeleton, covered in ill health and unfitting melancholy. Now with sickness etched in her features, her entire being exuded an air of someone with a foot in the grave.

"Empress Dowager..."

Feng Yun had barely spoken when the figure on the bed trembled.

At this moment, she was extremely sensitive to every little movement.

Feng Yun pursed her lips and asked directly.

"What is it that you wish to say, Your Highness? Please speak freely?"

"You... recently..." the Empress Dowager’s voice was indistinct, and she had to exert a great effort to speak, making her mouth appear a bit skewed.

Feng Yun took a step closer.

Suddenly, the Empress Dowager reached out her hand towards her.

"Princess..."

Her voice and gaze carried a plea.

Feng Yun sat down on the round stool beside the bed and glanced at the tray of water.

"Would Your Highness like to moisten your throat before continuing?"

The Empress Dowager’s eyes reddened as she weakly shook her head, her ungrasped hand falling limp.

"I beg you... save... the Emperor..."

Feng Yun slightly stiffened, a furrow of thought appearing on her brow.

"What do you mean by this, Your Highness? The Emperor holds the celestial title, why would he need my protection?"

"The Prince of Yonghuai..." the Empress Dowager strained to articulate her words a bit more clearly, "wants to kill the Emperor."

Feng Yun’s heart skipped a beat.

Her breath caught, stuck in her chest.

"What did Your Highness say? I didn’t hear clearly."

The Empress Dowager’s emotions were tumultuous, her throat seemed to be choked with air, making her words slow and difficult.

"The Emperor... is in danger... it is the Prince of Yonghuai. In light of the Emperor’s true kindness to you... seeing you as a mother... save his life..."

Feng Yun looked down and smiled faintly.

"Is the Empress Dowager still not willing to let go at this point? My husband and I have a deep bond, and I have never had any intention of betraying the Emperor. Yet the Empress Dowager insists on finding evidence to make the Emperor suspicious of me, to abandon and punish me. Now as the Empress Dowager lies seriously ill, not only does she seek to undermine my relationship with the Emperor, but does she also intend to label the Emperor as a traitor?"

Pausing, she stared coldly at the Empress Dowager with both eyes.

"When the incident occurred, Pei Jue was beneath my bed while His Majesty was within the palace, right under the Empress Dowager’s watchful eye. The one under suspicion should be you, not Pei Jue."

The Empress Dowager’s eyes bulged in disbelief as she looked at Feng Yun.

"No... in this world... the least likely to harm the Emperor... is I..."

Feng Yun sneered, "That remains to be seen. Who knows whether someone has promised the Empress Dowager great benefits?"

The Empress Dowager’s expression turned more sorrowful, "It has to be the Prince of Yonghuai... definitely him..."

Gasping heavily, she suddenly grabbed her own throat, her body trembling slightly, as if trying to tear the words out from her throat.

"He does not believe the Princess conspired... It is precisely because the conspirator is himself."

"What he did in the main hall was to feel out the court officials’ intentions, to take the opportunity to assert his power."

"He wanted everyone to see that this world is ruled by his word, by Pei Jue."

"He revealed his true intentions in the great hall and thus couldn’t wait to make his move against the Emperor..."

The Empress Dowager’s mouth quivered, saying much, but her tongue was becoming increasingly unresponsive, her voice unclear within it. Feng Yun leaned in closer, yet couldn’t make out a single word.

"Your Highness, do you need water?" she asked, "Do you need to moisten your throat?"

It was the second time she had asked.

With a nonchalant demeanor,

the Empress Dowager’s gaze became even more desolate, and tears incongruously fell from her eyes.

"Save... the Emperor..."

Almost completely voiceless now, her mouth twisted into a contorted shape.

But from her lips, Feng Yun nevertheless discerned those three words.

"Rest assured," she said, her eyes deep and tone resolute, "I will find a way to save His Majesty, but if..."

A person’s fate is decided by heaven.

After two lifetimes, her perception of life and death had changed.

Reluctant to let go of Ayuan, to let such a child perish in the confines of the palace, yet as a mere human, she felt too insignificant to snatch someone back from the King of Hell...

"The Empress Dowager should focus on recovering her health, take care of herself."

She bowed her head to tuck the Empress Dowager in, her gaze sweeping slowly over her confused face.

"At this moment, I won’t hide it from Your Highness... you have misunderstood me. I am not a spy, nor do I belong to Xiao Cheng..."

She paused briefly, pity flashing in her eyes.

"Your Highness did not need to be so anxious. The Prince of Yonghuai helped elevate you and your son to power; you should have thrived together. Since the Empress Dowager has never meddled in politics as an in-law, nor fought for power and profit, Pei Jue had no reason to distrust you, let alone harbor the intent to kill... Your Highness, why act so impatiently against a meritorious subject before your foundations are set?"

How foolish!

The Empress Dowager’s tears fell even more fiercely.

She wanted to say something, but only her lips trembled.

Feng Yun’s eyebrows lifted slightly as she emphasized her words.

"Who on earth gave you this advice... Empress Dowager, this person isn’t trying to help you, they’re plotting your demise."

"No..." the Empress Dowager gathered all her strength, letting out a hoarse and unbearable cry, as if in desperation to grasp something, her body stretched out to reach for Feng Yun.

Then, amid this emotionally charged pursuit and grab, she opened her mouth slightly and slowly slumped back onto the bed, slipping into unconsciousness once more.

"Someone, call the Imperial Physician!"

Feng Yun turned and called out sternly.

Soon, Puyang Li entered with his medical chest in hand.

He glanced at Feng Yun, "The Empress Dowager is frail and weakened, unable to withstand agitation..."

"Is that so?" Feng Yun sat in place, her demeanor composed. Her eyes were quietly normal as she responded, "The Empress Dowager is anxious for the Emperor."

Puyang Li was taken aback.

With a sigh, he remained silent.

The Empress Dowager and the Emperor consecutive crises, even without dabbling in court affairs, he knew the situation was grave.

The young sovereign’s ascent, the Empress Dowager’s regency, and the Prince of Yonghuai as regent, had all been favorable circumstances. But now that the delicate balance was upset, the court was likely to be in for another round of turmoil and bloodshed.

Feng Yun quietly left.

As expected, Pei Jue was waiting for her outside.

The two exchanged glances.

Pei Jue said, "I have sent someone to escort you back to your residence."

Feng Yun looked up slightly, "I want to stay with Ayuan a bit longer."

-

That day, Feng Yun stayed by the Young Emperor’s imperial bed until late into the night before she reluctantly left the palace to return home.

Pei Chong and Pei Yao both waited up without sleeping, eager to hear the full account.

Feng Yun briefly explained the situation.

"Amidst the storm, let’s hope for peace."

Pei Chong nodded, motioning for the servants to clear the front hall.

After Pei Yao expressed her concerns, she then left.

In fact, when Feng Yun first entered Jin Camp, planning to leverage Pei Jue to turn the tables and deal with Li Sangruo and Xiao Cheng, she had considered spurring Pei Jue to overthrow the Li Family’s control of the empire and declare himself Emperor.

But after the fall of the Li father and daughter, with Pei Jue supporting Yuan Shangyi, she felt that Pei Jue’s lack of ambition made the situation not too bad. However, with Pei Jue ascending to the nine bestowments and holding the regency, he was ultimately pushed onto the cresting waves of power...

During the night, Pei Jue did not return, and Feng Yun lay in bed, restless and unable to sleep.

If Ayuan indeed does not awaken, who should sit upon the Dragon Throne?

She believed that this must be the shadow hanging over the heads of everyone in the Western Capital Dynasty’s court...