Noble Lady Yuan left with a smile on her face. Ever since she had been demoted to the position of Noble Lady, this was the first time that she had smiled so pleasantly.
Yue Xiu walked at Noble Lady Yuan’s side and quietly asked: “Master, will Her Highness the Empress really help us?” She was a bit worried. The Empress just had a very angry appearance, and she did not know what her master had done to anger the Empress. Although the Empress ended up agreeing, it was done unwillingly and reluctantly. No matter what, it looked unsettling.
Noble Lady Yuan heard her question and coldly snorted. She then said with a tone that was full of readiness: “She will. How can she not help. As long as I have that handle, no matter how angry she is, she will help.”
In the end, Yue Xiu did not know what this handle was, but she did not dare ask because anything that Noble Lady Yuan wanted to tell her about, she would take the initiative to speak about. That this sort of thing was not told to her meant that Noble Lady Yuan did not wish to reveal it. It was related to the Empress, thus Yue Xiu thought that it would be better to not know. But in the end, she was still a bit worried, “Will the Empress…”
“Kill us to silence us?” Noble Lady Yuan giggled, “She doesn’t dare because she doesn’t know how many people I’ve told; however, she’s also very clear that it was Mo’er that told this One. It’s easy for her to kill me, but she will suffer from retaliation from Mo’er. She has not prepared herself to fight to the death.”
Noble Lady Yuan left feeling very pleased with herself. Inside Jing Ci Palace, the Empress’ anger had not dissipated, as her hands were still clenched. Fang Yi had someone come in to clean up the shattered bowl and bird nest. She then closed the door and turned to quietly ask the Empress: “What she is speaking of, is it really that matter?”
The Empress’ fists were clenched tightly, and her voice had changed when she spoke, “Aside from that matter, what else would allow her to feel so secure and come in here to threaten this One?”
“But how did Noble Lady Yuan find out?” Fang Yi was completely puzzled, “How could that matter have spread? Inside the palace, aside from Your Highness and this servant, even the Cheng family’s young misses don’t know about it?” Just as she said this, she suddenly stopped the dropped to her knees in front of the Empress, “Your Highness, it was not this servant that spread it. This servant swears on her life that I have never said it to anyone. Your Highness must believe this servant!”
The Empress looked at Fang Yi and was stunned then quickly said: “What are you doing? Quickly get up. No matter whom this One suspects, it would not be you! Get up!” She gently raised her hand and slightly helped Fang Yi up. When Fang Yi stood up, she continued: “This matter is said to be a secret, but in truth, there isn’t a single wall that doesn’t leak. This One’s family is also not a snug fit. As long as there is someone that wishes to know, there is nothing that can’t be found out.”
Fang Yi calmed down and thought carefully but still furrowed her brow: “If it really was leaked from that side, this matter would not be easy to handle. If it’s just Noble Lady Yuan, it’s fine, but if it gets spread to someone else’s ears, the palace will not be peaceful!”
“Hmph!” The Empress snorted coldly, “When has this palace ever been peaceful. Noble Lady Yuan finding out must have been from the eighth prince. Now that they have this information, them coming to threaten us once has reminded this One. If they will do it once, there will be a second and third time. Who knows what they will come to ask for in the future.”
“Then imperial concubine should simply not help them. Just Noble Lady Yuan, we don’t even care about her.” Fang Yi’s expression revealed some hatred. It was clear that she already intended to refuse.
The Empress shook her head, “Forget it, it’s just a marriage. It’s not something big. If this One wants to help her out, it will not be particularly difficult. As for the future… we can’t just tolerate her doing this repeatedly. If she wants to use this to coerce this One, she will not be able to. In the worst-case scenario, we will just fight to the death. This One has been seated on this boat for long enough. In the first half of my life, there wasn’t much movement from that side, and we had a peaceful time, but now, I fear that if Noble Lady Yuan does not use this matter to cause a stir, he will come searching in the palace. This One does not want to be one of his chess pieces. I did not want to in the past, and I want to even less now. But there’s nothing that can be done. This is this One’s fate. From the day of my birth, it was already determined, and it could not be avoided nor hidden from. Unless this life is forfeited and given back to him. Fang Yi, say, if there is a day when we can no longer hold on, just give this life back to him. How about it?”
The Empress’ words caused Fang Yi to feel emotional. In an instant, the head palace maid seemed to have aged by over ten years, immediately losing her strength. She even dropped to the side of the bed that the Empress was seated on. Sighing bitterly, she only spoke after a long time: “Alright, when the day comes that we can no longer hold on, life will be given back to him.”
Feng Yu Heng and Xuan Tian Ming remained in Winter Moon Palace until the palace’s main gates were about to close. Xuan Tian Ming had not returned for a few months and naturally could not send Feng Yu Heng back to the imperial daughter’s manor, thus the young girl was successfully led back to the Yu Palace. Upon setting foot inside, a warm welcome could be felt from Lady Zhou.
Xuan Tian Ming returned to the palace, and the entirety of the Yu Palace was even happier than if they were celebrating the new year. While Lady Zhou led them inside, she said to them: “We were worried that Your Highness would not be able to return before the new year. This old one was thinking that if Your Highness really was delayed along the way, this old one would bring the chef and guards toward the South to meet up. Wherever we met up, it would be fine, and we would celebrate the new year in that location.”
Xuan Tian Ming helplessly said: “How could it be that exaggerated. This prince said that I would definitely be back before the end of the year. When have my words ever been empty.”
Feng Yu Heng, however, was fully in agreement with what Lady Zhou said and told Xuan Tian Ming: “In truth, I was also thinking this way. If you could not get back before the end of the year, I would not remain in the capital and would have gone with Lady Zhou toward the South to look for you.”
Bai Ze was following in the back and said: “What is this? Traveling a thousand li to find your husband?”
Feng Yu Heng rolled her eyes at him and did not speak; however, this could also be considered a tacit approval. This caused Xuan Tian Ming to cover his mouth and laugh, feeling that this girl was becoming more and more interesting. He liked teasing her more and more. Unfortunately, the days that the two could spend together were always short. Running into the Emperor’s current age and running into Da Shun’s current situation, even if he wanted to stop and spend time with her, the burden on his shoulders was so heavy that he could not catch a breath.
The two had eaten their meal in the imperial palace, thus the servants of the palace only prepared a bath for when they returned. Xuan Tian Ming saw that a large screen divided two different baths and helplessly said to Feng Yu Heng: “Let’s go get washed up in the space. This prince truly has been missing that place greatly over the past few months.”
Feng Yu Heng smiled and thought to herself that this was what it meant when people said that it was easy to go from frugality to extravagance but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality! Becoming accustomed to the bathing implements of the 21st century, to then have Xuan Tian Ming go back to using these inconvenient wooden buckets for water, it was natural that he would think it was no good. Thus she grabbed his hand and moved her right hand to the phoenix-shaped birthmark on her left wrist. Their bodies disappeared, and they instantly entered the pharmacy’s space.
Inside the space, they washed up and bathed then found some snacks to eat. Xuan Tian Ming felt that the things that Feng Yu Heng had here were all delicious; however, Feng Yu Heng had already gotten sick of eating them. When the two exited, it was later in the night. The two lay in bed and were unable to sleep for a while. Xuan Tian Ming said to Feng Yu Heng: “After the new year, I will need to go South once more. Sending the princess of Gu Shu back to the South, Gu Shu’s attitude was quite entertaining. They don’t acknowledge our Da Shun’s court; however, they do acknowledge the little court that old eighth has established. They even feel that the new policies enacted by old eighth are truly great for the development of the desert countries. They want to help put old eighth on Da Shun’s throne, and it can no longer be stopped.”
Feng Yu Heng was confused and asked him: “Are the eighth prince’s policies actually good?”
Xuan Tian Ming shrugged and laughed, “Those were policies specifically created for Gu Shu, and they made countless things easier for Gu Shu. It’s natural that they would say it’s good. But to Da Shun, they are extremely harmful and without any benefits. I know old eighth’s intentions. He is placating Gu Shu’s army and people to have them place him on Da Shun’s throne, but once he has taken the position, those policies will be the first to go. Gu Shu will not be able to get even the slightest bit of benefit. In the end, he is using Gu Shu and the other small countries in the desert to compete for the throne, and he is putting on a good show to make them believe him.”
“Based on what I know, there are many small countries in the desert. Could it be that all of the small countries are supporting the eighth prince? Gu Shu’s view is no different?”
Xuan Tian Ming nodded, “This is where small countries are different from us. Over there, an imperial daughter is an existence that has no superior. With just a few words from the imperial daughter, there will definitely be no arguments from below. It’s unlike Da Shun, where there is at least a court, and there are at least two sides to each argument. As for reports to the Emperor, there will at least be some discussion from the court. On my trip to the South, there was a clear feeling of them preparing to make a move. In the contents of a report from spies, there are already ten small countries that have teamed up, Gu Shu included. Being urged by old eighth, they have decided to launch a test offensive against Da Shun after the new year. Old eighth also promised that as long as he can successfully ascend the throne, Lan Zhou and Shu Province will both be given to Gu Shu as repayment.”
Feng Yu Heng frowned from listening to this. Was this not selling the country for help? Selling Da Shun’s territory to obtain the throne, was the eighth prince not afraid that his position would not be stable? “Test offensive, what are they testing?” She asked Xuan Tian Ming, “Is it how fierce Da Shun’s attack will be? Using this, they will decide whether or not they will support the eighth prince?”
“That’s right.” Xuan Tian Ming snorted coldly, “For the sake of allowing them to successfully launch their offensive, old eighth will definitely mingle in the group and collaborate with them to make their offensive even more successful and make suppressing them even harder for me.”
“And once Da Shun has been suppressed, the eighth prince will make an appearance at that time and use his strength to strike at the ten desert countries and steal this contribution.” Feng Yu Heng faintly stated. At the same time, she was extremely puzzled by these actions, “Could it be that they all believe that as long as he assumes the throne, they will have reached the pinnacle for this era? After that, they will no longer need to be governed, no longer need to make decisions on reports to the Emperor and no longer need to attend court in the mornings? That being an emperor is just about eating, drinking and playing around? Why does everyone want to be the emperor? As I see it, the most difficult job is that of emperor. Not only must they bear the burden of the world, but they are also tied up by the country for half of their life. Not only are they tied up, but their children will also be tied up. Then, when they reach their waning years, their sons will continue the struggle and kill each other for the throne. To watch their own children fight to the death, does the person on the throne not feel hurt?” Feng Yu Heng held Xuan Tian Ming’s forearm and said in a serious tone: “I don’t want to be tied down by the country. Xuan Tian Ming, if your brothers were a bit more competent, and the country would not fall to ruin in their hands, I really want to advise you to give up on all of this. Unfortunately, I can’t. With them shouldering this country, not to mention you, but even I am uneasy…”