To avoid arousing suspicion, Shi Yin and Yu Zhong left before nightfall.

Feng Yun went back to her room to sleep again, but had a muddled dream.

She sat in the Empress’s phoenix carriage, slowly passing through the long street.

It was like the year she returned to the city after praying at Jiming Temple, but the person who came to receive her was not a servant of Qi Palace, instead, it was Pei Jue, who came rushing over on Ta Xue.

In her dream, she was greatly frightened, her hand shaking as she pulled the curtain.

"Why are you here?" 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

In the dream, it felt as if a thousand-pound boulder was pressing on her chest, leaving her somewhat breathless.

"Hurry up and leave, hurry up and go, don’t let anyone discover you."

This is Qi Palace; if a Great General of Jin Country like him gets discovered by Xiao Cheng’s men, there would be no escape.

Feng Yun was anxious, wanting to shout, but she couldn’t muster a sound. As for Pei Jue, he remained calmly composed, personally lifting her off the carriage, his sharp eyebrows slightly furrowed.

"Lady Yun, what’s the matter with you? You went to offer incense to the Buddha and came back all confused?"

Around them, there were low murmurs of laughter.

Well-intentioned.

"Your Majesty, the Empress is just playing around with you."

It was only then that she belatedly realized something was off.

This was not Tai City.

Feng Yun’s eyes widened as she looked at the man’s face.

So familiar, so real.

Without the sensation of dreaming, she couldn’t believe it.

"Why do they call you Your Majesty? Where am I?"

She then abruptly grabbed onto Pei Jue.

His sturdy arm was so real that she almost burst into tears the very next moment.

"Mr. Pei, did you come to fetch Queque?"

"Silly girl, I came for you," Pei Jue said softly, wrapping his arms around her waist. He didn’t let her ride in the carriage but placed her on the back of the horse. Just like that night in Xinzhou City, he encircled her waist and walked down the long street under the gaze of countless eyes.

"Lady Yun... are you experiencing sleep paralysis?"

They moved further and further away with the wind, ever so distant.

His voice, carried by the wind, grew fainter and fainter.

"General," she called out.

Inside her chest, there was a flame burning, making her feel a bit stifled, and her heart seemed to have a hollow space, gradually swallowing her consciousness...

Pei Jue, surrounded by a halo of light, gradually blurred...

The dream sequence was also quite disjointed.

She tried to grasp something, holding tightly onto Pei Jue’s arms, like suddenly getting caught in a downpour on a hot summer afternoon, sweating all over, drenched, heart pounding, yet helpless...

"Have you come? Have you really come?"

"Mhm, Lady Yun, I’ve come for you," he said, gazing at her, his deep eyes seemingly looking into hers...

"It’s good that you’ve come, good that you’ve come." Feng Yun curled up in his arms, suddenly laughing, her forehead resting against his shoulder, lost in a daze, her heart brimming with joy...

"My lady, time to get up."

Feng Yun was awakened from her dream by someone, dizzy and disoriented. It took her a moment to realize the absurd and incredible dream she had.

"What time is it?"

Xiaoman drew back the silk curtain slightly.

"5-7 AM, the sun is already up."

Feng Yun squinted at the streak of sunlight, taking a long time to let out a sigh of relief.

"The king is still alive."

Xiaoman looked at her, remaining silent.

Feng Yun said, "He told me so in my dream."

Xiaoman’s eyes reddened, suddenly feeling overwhelmed.

She would have preferred if Feng Yun could cry like other women, letting her emotions out, instead of being so cold and indifferent, acting as if nothing had happened.

If only the lady was truly that strong.

The words "He came to me in a dream" broke Xiaoman’s tear ducts.

Xiaoman bit her lower lip, on the verge of breaking into tears.

But Feng Yun remained unnaturally calm.

"Is the eldest brother up?"

Xiaoman said, "The eldest master got up early, took Zhanjiao, and said he was practicing his skills."

As they were talking, Wen Xingsu came back, his face glowing, but his expression was even calmer than last night.

"Why don’t you sleep a little longer?"

Feng Yun shook her head, pouring him a cup of hot tea.

"I can’t sleep. If I had known the eldest brother was practicing, I would have accompanied you."

Wen Xingsu looked at her. "I went to the agricultural tool workshop to check. And to the village school you set up."

Feng Yun looked up, "How is it?"

Wen Xingsu’s gaze deepened a bit, "Very good."

Feng Yun waved her hand to signal Xiaoman to leave, then sat down.

"Great Brother, I had a strange dream..."

Before Wen Xingsu could ask what kind of dream, she paused, her gaze flickering as she stared at him and said, "After awakening, I realized we overlooked a key point."

"What?" Wen Xingsu asked.

"The Young Emperor of the Western Capital." Feng Yun looked at Wen Xingsu with a calm expression and a sharp look in her eyes, a faint smile hanging on her lips, "I’m thinking of bringing him over to take care of."

She said this casually.

As if she wasn’t talking about the Young Emperor, but some abandoned kitten or puppy.

Wen Xingsu was silent and watched.

These days, Feng Yun had been busy with all kinds of things, showing no signs of fatigue as if nothing had changed, and she even refrained from bringing up Pei Jue at all.

But her cheeks were noticeably thinner than at the New Year, making her eyes look enlarged.

Seeing her appearance, Wen Xingsu felt an unwillingness to continue like this in his heart.

"What are your plans?"

Feng Yun’s expression grew tense, and she smiled lightly: "Yuan Shangyi is now the only child of the Emperor of Xifeng. If something happens to him, who do you think Dajin will let become Emperor?"

It would either be a puppet under Li Zongxun’s support, Yuan Shuo, or another member of the Royal Family elevated by the Western Capital Dynasty to follow Li Zongxun’s practices and be respected as Emperor...

The Princess obviously preferred the latter approach.

She did not choose Yecheng during the Central Capital turmoil and already harbored grievances against Li Zongxun. Even without Pei Jue’s interference, she wouldn’t risk going to Yecheng again to become a Princess with a title but no real power...

And the Western Capital court was currently divided into two factions.

One was the Old Guard, consisting of officials from before the split of Dajin.

The other was the New Guard, made up of officials who rose to prominence after the coronation of Emperor Tian Shou.

The New Guard was led by Ao Zheng, while the Old Guard was led by Ruan Pu, the Shangshu Puyi.

But it was well-known that Ruan Pu’s daughter had married the Prince of Danyang, making Ruan Pu the father-in-law of Puyang Zong and his backer being the Princess, who represented the forces of the Yuan Family of Pingcheng and the Royal Family.

Friction was constant between the two factions, each trying to outmaneuver the other.

"If the young prince has an accident, the Princess can easily find someone from among the Royal Family to come forward, but what about us?"

This was under the premise that Pei Jue was not present.

With Pei Jue around, no one dared to touch them.

But without Pei Jue, being of Qi origin, even if the New Guard wanted to protect them, it would be very difficult. One could imagine the unified opposition they would face from the entire Western Capital Imperial Court...

Feng Yun said a lot.

She had thought it would take some effort to persuade Wen Xingsu to agree with her idea.

After all, bringing the Young Emperor to Andu was too crazy of a move.

However, Wen Xingsu did not hesitate at all.

"Whatever Ayun says, that’s what we’ll do." His simple words were an unconditional support for her.

"It’s just that this matter is urgent and must be carefully considered."

Feng Yun spoke with a hint of amusement: "Great Brother, do you think I’m being too reckless and impulsive?"

Wen Xingsu felt a slight stir in his heart and set his teacup down heavily on the table.

"You are the wife of the Prince of Yonghuai, being a bit capricious is no harm."

As long as the Western Capital didn’t announce Pei Jue’s death, they had to let the Beiyong Army have its way with the Prince of Yonghuai.

"Hmm." Feng Yun nodded.

"If we can think of it, they can too, so we must act quickly."

It seemed the heavens also favored Feng Yun, before she could finalize the action plan, news came first from the Western Capital.

"His Majesty has fallen ill."

The bearer of the news was Pang Gui from the Imperial Cavalry Division.

Feng Yun had dealt with this person before and knew he was a confidant of Wei Zheng. She asked directly.

"A true illness or a feigned one?"

Pang Gui replied: "A true illness."

Feng Yun then inquired, "Which faction does the Empress Dowager currently favor? The New Guard or the Old Guard?"

Pang Gui said, "The Empress Dowager has no firm stance. For domestic matters, she consults the Chief Eunuch Xu Yong, and for external affairs, she asks the Prime Minister Ao Zheng..."

Feng Yun asked, "So, whose idea was it to summon General Wen back to the capital?"

Pang Gui shook his head, "The Empress Dowager was led to believe by the slanderous words of Xu Yong that once the Prince of Yonghuai dies, the Beiyong Army would become a leaderless mess. Considering General Wen is from Qi, there’s a strong chance he might take the opportunity to seize power, potentially allowing Xinzhou’s five counties to fall into enemy hands once more, hence the preemptive action."

The Imperial Cavalry Division, moving within the palace and forbidden gardens, usually had first-hand information, so it should be accurate.

This meant that the Chief Eunuch Xu Yong was certainly worth looking into further.

Feng Yun inquired, "Then who wanted you to send a message to me in Andu?"

Pang Gui looked up at her, lowering his voice.

"It’s Commander Wei’s intention."

He paused then added, "The Imperial Physician has been repeatedly called for consultations with no improvement. The Empress Dowager does not trust the Imperial Physician nor the medical officers from Puyang..."

"Why not?"

"The Empress Dowager believes that anyone with the surname Puyang is of one heart with the Princess."

Feng Yun snorted coldly.

"The Princess is the Young Emperor’s aunt; would she harm him?"

"Whether the Princess would harm His Majesty, I don’t know, but Xu Yong will definitely tell the Empress Dowager that the Princess harbors ill will, will harm His Majesty, and then support the son of the Prince of Zhuangxian..."

The Prince of Zhuangxian is the brother of both the Emperor of Xifeng and the Princess, but the Princess is not of the same mother as the Emperor of Xifeng, whereas she is truly related to the Prince of Zhuangxian, having come from the same womb.

With such a relationship, as long as someone with intentions whispers in the ear, how could the Empress Dowager not be deceived upon learning of Pei Jue’s mishap, finding herself without support and utterly confused?