The Slender Waist

Puyang Yi sighed silently, a hint of desolation in her clear black-and-white eyes.

"My brother is good in every aspect, but he’s careless in choosing friends, blind in seeing people’s true natures. He always hangs around with Yuan Kang and those guys..."

Feng Yun didn’t say much, took a sip of tea, and smiled:

"Why would these noble gentlemen, instead of enjoying leisure time at home or sipping wine in a flower tower, go up a mountain? What are they up to?"

Puyang Yi pouted and glanced at her.

"What else could it be, if not that they’re fed up and bored to death with idleness..."

"Oh?" Feng Yun lifted her teacup, toasted Puyang Yi, and waited for her to continue.

Wen Xingsu took another look at her and immediately furrowed his brows.

Ayun was not usually someone who interfered in others’ affairs without reason; she must suspect something to be inquiring so persistently.

Puyang Yi was completely oblivious to the probing in Feng Yun’s words and let down her guard, talking non-stop about her second brother, Puyang Zong, which was all complaints, both openly and between the lines.

"That night in Central Capital, a disaster struck. The Princess Residence, which had been perfectly fine, also suffered an unwarranted calamity, affected by the neighboring fire, with more than half of the estate being burned..."

Arsenists were everywhere in Central Capital City that night; no one came to help, the fire spread unceasingly, and it was impossible to extinguish.

"The internal strife within the Royal Family deeply distressed my mother, who said it brought shame to our ancestors..."

As she spoke, she glanced at Feng Yun.

"Before the disaster, the Prime Minister sent people to tell us to move our family and flee to Yecheng with him to establish a New Dynasty... My mother scolded him for that."

Feng Yun said, "The Princess’s eyes are obviously very sharp. A puppet court in Yecheng won’t last long. It’s one thing for the Princess to be laughed at and scorned by the people, but how would she face our ancestors?"

Puyang Yi sighed.

"That’s what my mother said too."

Feng Yun asked, "Then why have you come to Andu?"

Without beating around the bush, she directly asked, "Do you plan to travel through Andu to Xinyi and then make your way to Yecheng?"

"Not at all, not at all," Puyang Yi denied vehemently, hesitated for a moment, then frowned and said, "Even if my mother agreed, I would absolutely refuse. Why would I leave a perfectly good life to suffer in Yecheng..."

Feng Yun smiled and did not press further.

Puyang Yi’s gaze swept towards Wen Xingsu, and she smiled.

"It was my suggestion to my mother to stay in Andu for a while."

Although this hid Puyang Yi’s ulterior motives, it was also a viable option for the Princess.

Xijing was in ruins and needed rebuilding, and with the current situation in chaos, she had no desire to get involved and muddle through. The same held for Yecheng. Moreover, many cities were either unsafe or controlled by powerful clans and warlords with fortresses.

By comparison, Andu was the best choice.

"We decided to take refuge in Andu, and many royal relatives from Central Capital City followed us. The few families you bumped into on the mountain today are those who are well acquainted with my second brother; they all came."

She looked at Feng Yun and continued, "But Andu, after all, is no match for Central Capital. There’s little excitement here, and they’ve just arrived and haven’t found much entertainment. I don’t know where they heard it, but they claim there’s a treasure on Little Jieqiu, so a group of them rushed to the mountain with great enthusiasm to hunt for treasure..."

"Treasure hunting?" Feng Yun laughed lightly, glancing at Puyang Yi indifferently, "Did the County Lord hear about my plans to dig wells and mine on Little Jieqiu?"

Puyang Yi shook her head. "Mine what? Aren’t all the mines owned by the Imperial Court..."

She stopped herself there.

The Imperial Court referred to the previous dynasty; now, Andu belongs to the New Dynasty.

With the Prince of Yonghuai acting as regent, what did it matter if Feng Yun opened a mine?

Puyang Yi’s expression suddenly became awkward.

On her first visit to Andu, Feng Yun was nothing but a serving concubine, while she was the daughter of the Princess, the Lord of Pingyuan County bestowed by His Majesty...

In the blink of an eye, not much time had passed, yet everything had changed—circumstances, people, all were different now.

Puyang Yi said, "These matters are beyond my understanding. But then again, my second brother is just a brainless thing, mingling with Yuan Kang’s bunch of good-for-nothings, always daydreaming about accomplishing great feats. In reality, aside from producing manure, I haven’t seen him do anything worthwhile. He’s talentless, incapable, and unvirtuous, yet he thinks so highly of himself..."

Feng Yun raised her eyebrows slightly.

To belittle her own family like this was, on one hand, Puyang Yi’s sincere apology, and on the other, it truly reflected the current state of those people.

They were born into wealth, shielded by their family’s influence, unskilled in anything themselves, but this did not prevent them from believing they were capable and constantly dreaming of "undertaking great ventures."

Feng Yun did not inquire further; Puyang Yi was not a scheming person. What she spoke of was likely true. Upon returning, the Princess and Puyang Zong would surely inquire, and she would relay it to them.

Asking too much could inadvertently provoke speculation.

Feng Yun asked only, "Where does the Princess reside now?"

Puyang Yi replied, "Taiping Garden."

Feng Yun’s expression changed subtly, but she said no more.

That Taiping Garden was the very guest palace of the last life where Li Sangruo had stayed during her visit to Andu.

"What’s wrong?" Puyang Yi was also observant, noticing the emotions that Feng Yun inadvertently revealed, and asked with concern.

Feng Yun smiled faintly, "I was just wondering. Today I encountered your esteemed brother, and I only identified myself as a member of the He family from Andu, without revealing my name. How did you know it was me?"

"Isn’t that obvious?" Puyang Yi’s smile was brimming, "From his description, I guessed it instantly. In Andu, aside from you, where else could you find someone with such fairy-like beauty? Besides, who else could it be that the Crown Prince of Yunchuan would protect at the cost of offending the Princess?"

The last sentence made Wen Xingsu frown slightly.

Feng Yun, on the other hand, showed no reaction, "Indeed, I owe today’s escape to the Princely Heir’s assistance. No wonder we have been neighbors, cooperating several times."

The food was quickly served.

The servants came in to invite Feng Yun to the table.

Feng Yun asked them to invite Chunyu Yan to enjoy the delicacies hunted today and also extended an invitation to Puyang Yi to join them for the evening meal.

Puyang Yi declined.

Though she very much wanted to stay.

But firstly, she was eager to return to report to her mother, and secondly, considering what her second brother had done, she did not have the shamelessness to stay.

Of course, more importantly, there was the change in Wen Xingsu’s attitude after learning about Puyang Zong’s deeds.

With him barely giving her a glance, staying would only be a dampener on the mood and might even affect others’ appetites—why bother?

Puyang Yi took her leave politely, leaving only the gifts in apology for Feng Yun.

Feng Yun casually tallied them up—jewelry, snacks, fabrics, all fine items from the palace. She unceremoniously accepted them and instructed Alou to store them away before joining Wen Xingsu for dinner with laughter and conversation.

"Big brother, the Lord of Pingyuan County is actually quite amiable," she said.

Her remark was not intended as match-making but arose from noticing Wen Xingsu’s aloofness towards Puyang Yi; she felt it fair to slightly vindicate Puyang Yi.

Wen Xingsu did not show much change, merely offering a faint smile.

"Associate with gentlemen and keep away from villains. A house that accumulates evil deeds should not be befriended. Moving forward, you should also keep your distance from her," he said.

Feng Yun arched an eyebrow and mentally lit a candle for Puyang Yi.

It was clear that due to Puyang Zong’s actions, Wen Xingsu would have difficulty harboring any fondness for Puyang Yi.

This marriage prospect was likely impossible now.