The Slender Waist-Chapter 197 - 139: Beauty Lies in the Bones

Feng Yun was startled.

The fact that two grown men locked themselves up for a bath that lasted an hour, coupled with Daman’s description of Puyang Jiu, made it very difficult not to imagine they were engaged in some unspeakable acts.

No wonder...

Falling asleep during the day was not as comfortable as at night, and upon waking, one’s mind wasn’t so clear; Feng Yun’s thoughts immediately veered off course.

"Is that so?"

Daman hung his head even lower, while Xiaoman remained blissfully ignorant of the situation.

"Miss, would you like some lunch?"

The room was too warm, and Feng Yun’s body was sweaty and uncomfortable.

"Prepare the bath; I will bathe first."

Xiaoman perked up, "The servant had it ready since early morning."

-

Feng Yun indulged in a thoroughly relaxing bath, easing both her body and mind, and the emotions that Pei Jue had stirred within her—those that were so intensely raised and subsequently left unsoothed—began to fade.

She did not forget what she had come for.

Regarding Pei Jue, she wasn’t desperately attached to him.

If the man she encountered in this life had "no such aspirations," then she would respect, understand, and bless him, and simply tuck away her own feelings. It was hard to find a three-legged frog, but three-legged men were everywhere; she wouldn’t miss out on just one.

After stepping out of the bathing chamber, she called for Xiaoman.

"Bring me that sandalwood chest."

She had brought a considerable amount of luggage with her to Bingzhou, but there was only one sandalwood chest, which contained all her important belongings.

Xiaoman quickly fetched the chest, "Should I place it here, Miss?"

Feng Yun grunted her approval and instructed her to lay it flat on the ground, then ordered, "Go see if the young master has gotten up yet. It’s getting cooler; remind him to put on more clothes, we wouldn’t want him to catch a cold."

Xiaoman chuckled.

The young master was hardly a child, yet the miss always fussed over him like one, more anxiously than she watched her own eyeballs.

Smiling, Xiaoman left, and Feng Yun opened the chest, taking out several books wrapped in green cloth. She neatly arranged them at the edge of the bed, intending to read them later in the afternoon...

Then she noticed a small Wind Chime lying in the corner.

The bell hung from a carefully polished pinecone, exquisite in appearance and producing a clear, crisp sound...

Feng Yun slowly bent down, picked up the Wind Chime, and swung it gently toward the window light, swaying it slowly, listening to the pleasant noise while immersed in her emotions...

"Why didn’t you have lunch after waking up?"

Feng Yun turned her head and saw Pei Jue standing in the light and shadow, still with that cold and indifferent demeanor, tall and majestic, broad-shouldered and upright, clad in heavy armor, although he had changed his undergarments and tidied up his face by shaving the stubble, looking completely rejuvenated.

"I’m not hungry yet."

Feng Yun’s face remained expressionless.

She had gone to sleep in anger that morning, so she needed to maintain appearances.

Interacting with others was a process of mutual accommodation, and constantly showing weakness in front of him was futile. She had to be herself and only aimed to please herself.

Feng Yun, in a matter-of-fact manner as if discussing the weather, asked him, "What’s the situation with the Qi Army today?"

Pei Jue pondered, "Very quiet."

Feng Yun frowned slightly, "They attacked so fiercely last night, but less than a day later, they’ve quieted down? That doesn’t seem like Xiao San’s character."

Pei Jue’s gaze was deep.

"What should be Xiao San’s character?"

Feng Yun thought for a moment, shook her head, "Perhaps last night’s battle was merely a probe of the General’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as a means to pacify his own troops."

Pei Jue watched her quietly, waiting for her to continue.

Feng Yun said, "Laying siege without attacking will surely deplete supplies over time. If this drags on, criticism is inevitable. With Xiao San newly enthroned, there will undoubtedly be talk within the court, and there must be those in the Qi Army’s camp who are dissatisfied. He doesn’t really want to attack the city; it’s more about gauging Bingzhou’s military strength while quelling any disputes..."

After all, warfare was invariably a mix of feints and genuine threats.

"This is just my humble opinion. I would like the General’s guidance."

Her tone was all business, as if she were a staff member getting her position straight. It was as though the embarrassing incidents from this morning hadn’t occurred, and she was no longer the petulant woman on the bed who, when denied sweets, had turned her back to him in silent protest.

Pei Jue nodded, showing no particular reaction, his eyes falling on the sandalwood chest.

"What’s that?"

Feng Yun held out the Wind Chime in her hand.

"I had Cao Kai bring one for the General last time. Did you receive it?"

Pei Jue hummed in acknowledgment, took the Wind Chime to examine it, and then directly bent down to pick up a piece of cloth she had discarded on top of the chest.

"What is this for?"

There were two rolls of cloth, each about three fingers wide, undyed in their original shade, cut very neatly, with an extremely soft and smooth texture. It looked like something used for bandaging wounds, but not quite.

Upon hearing his question, Feng Yun’s eyelids twitched oddly. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

She snatched the cloth back from his hand in an instant.