Changmen Village’s main gate was just ahead, where a messenger was bending over to tie up a horse.

Feng Yun couldn’t help but quicken her steps.

"Princess."

Upon the guard’s shout, the messenger heard the voice, looked up for a glimpse, and quickly tied the horse’s reins to the hitching post before turning back to salute Feng Yun with a clasped fist.

"At the Governor’s command, I’ve come to deliver a message."

Feng Yun suppressed her emotions, offering a faint smile.

"Whose letter?"

The messenger presented it with both hands, "It comes from the northwest, passed on to Andu, and the Governor sent me to deliver it overnight."

A letter from the distant northwest deserts would have passed through how many horses, how many hands, before traversing thousands of mountains and rivers to reach Andu County, to the Governor’s Office...

He Qia knew Feng Yun was waiting and, leaving aside the official documents, he immediately sent over the private letter from the Great King to the Princess, not daring to delay a moment.

The messenger could scarcely contain his excitement. Gazing at the Princess’s calm visage, as if afraid she might not realize it, he said excitedly:

"There’s also news from Xijing, saying the Great King will soon return to court and will arrive in Xijing in a few days."

Feng Yun thanked him and, taking the letter, instructed Xiaoman.

"Please invite our messenger brother inside for a cup of tea, to rest for a moment."

The visitor grinned, "Thank you, Princess, but I won’t sit. I’m in a hurry to return and report. The Governor has been busy visiting the villages these last few days, and I’ve been run ragged following him around. I just want to get back and sleep a solid sleep..."

Feng Yun asked, "How’s the locust plague in Liu Family Village?"

The messenger replied with a laugh, "The Princess’s method worked wonders. The Governor, in Xinyi and Andu, found more than ten duck farms, large duck breeders, and had the duck herders drive their ducks to Liu Family Village. These past few days, they say, the ducks have put on quite some weight."

Feng Yun smiled fondly, "That’s good to hear."

The messenger’s brows creased.

"However, just as Liu Family Village’s plight was easing, a few villages in Yupu Prefecture began to show signs of trouble. These past days, our Governor has been frantically searching for more ducks, utterly overwhelmed."

Feng Yun chuckled softly.

She signaled Xiaoman to dig into her pocket and give the messenger a few large coins.

"Wish you a safe journey, brother messenger, and pass a message for me to the Governor. Thank him for his kind intentions. Regarding the locust disaster, should there be any changes, please report back immediately."

The messenger accepted the money, his face beaming with joy.

"Thank you, Princess, I’ll make sure to pass the message. I always like visiting Huaxi Village."

The Princess was always kindly and generous, and who wouldn’t enjoy that?

Feng Yun watched the messenger ride away before suddenly changing direction.

She didn’t enter the main house but walked towards the farm tool workshop instead.

Xiaoman was puzzled, "It’s so late, the workshop’s closed. What’s the mistress doing there?"

Feng Yun replied, "I’m going to see my ducks."

Xiaoman watched her place the letter inside her attire, at a loss for words.

The King had sent a letter, yet the mistress was not in a hurry to read the Great General’s message, instead going to see the ducks?

If it were her, she would have been frantic...

But then again, no one would send her a letter.

The one she worried about truly hadn’t sent even a single word.

During the days when Pei Jue’s whereabouts were completely unknown, Xiaoman also kept thinking to herself if the Left Guard might have been killed in action...

Even until now.

She didn’t even know if Zuo Zhong was alive.

-

The farm tool workshop was originally built on a piece of wasteland overgrown with weeds and thorns. After the workshop started operating, residential houses were gradually built nearby for the artisans to live and rest in.

There were no good fields behind the workshop, so Feng Yun built a pigsty there, and raised some chickens, ducks, cattle, and sheep, using the manure as fertilizer.

However, the quantity of ducks wasn’t that high initially. With the recent locust plague, batches of fuzzy ducklings officially took up residence in Huaxi Village.

Not only did Changmen raise many, but other farmers followed suit, trying to emulate the Village Chief’s wife by raising ducks with all their might.

The ducklings grew quickly and were very cute. Feng Yun played with them cheerfully for a while, checked the environment of the breeding grounds, and after giving a few instructions to the caretakers, she departed and then went to the clothing workshop.

She talked with Kong Yun’e, admired treasures from Hengyang, and played with six little kittens.

She seemed quite at ease.

Xiaoman couldn’t understand her.

At this hour, why not read the letter instead of wandering everywhere?

Was she avoiding it? 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Didn’t she care whether the Great General was returning or not?

Or was she upset that the Great General had to return to Xijing first?

After meandering outside for roughly an hour, Feng Yun finally returned to the estate.

After bathing and changing, she sent Xiaoman and the other servant girls out before she sat down, lit the oil lamp, and opened the letter.

There were only a few words on the envelope.

"For Lady Yun’s personal perusal."

Feng Yun hummed softly through her nostrils.

Her face revealed no emotion, and her movements to open the letter were very slow. She used scissors to precisely cut the envelope open, as if savoring a carefully cooked meal, simply enjoying the process of opening the letter...