The Slender Waist-Chapter 203 - 144 The Plot Thickens

Feng Yun had no recollection of this matter.

The images from their two lifetimes together often overlapped, and some words she could not immediately clarify when exactly they were spoken.

When Pei Jue looked at her, she would frequently confuse him with the past.

"If you won’t call me that, then never call me that again."

The corners of her eyes were slightly red, and her lips were wet, creating the perfect atmosphere. Her voice was enticing, with a lilt at the end.

Pei Jue looked down, staring into her eyes, "Then in our tender moments, how should I address you?"

Feng Yun looked back at him.

Then she glanced at General Xie’s grave and was certain.

The Pei Jue of this life was no more serious than before. No matter how restrained he seemed, deep down, he was still that despicable man. The Qi Army calling him Pei Gou was not mistaken.

She said, "As you wish."

Pei Jue: "I’ll call you that when we’re intimate."

Feng Yun, looking at the man’s stern, impassive face, found herself momentarily at a loss for words. Glancing at the lone grave in the cold wind, she signaled to someone to restrain themselves while craftily steering the conversation towards him.

"The other day I heard the Zhang Family brothers say that the Empress Dowager has deep feelings for the General. I, Feng Yun, am but fragile as willow, what merits do I have to rival the Empress Dowager for your favor?"

Having said that, she pursed her lips and continued, "Have you ever thought about how isolated and helpless a girl from Qi would be in Jin Country? Like a tiny ant without support, the Empress Dowager could snuff me out effortlessly..."

She spared no effort in applying eye medicine.

"Seizing a city is inferior to seizing a heart," and this applies to the interactions between men and women as well.

Pei Jue was indeed moved.

His dark eyes softened a bit.

But it was still far from what Feng Yun wanted; he didn’t mention Li Sangruo at all, casually stroking her wind-tousled hair as though petting a cat.

"Is this why you say you won’t enter the marital home in this lifetime?"

Feng Yun’s stance wasn’t solely because of this, but she simply didn’t want to. But as General Pei expanded the idea himself, attributing this matter to Li Sangruo, she felt no need to refute.

"Mhm," she nodded, not feeling hard done by.

It was the restraint of feeling hard done by that was hard done by.

Pei Jue was more receptive to soft approaches than hard ones, and he was easy to coax.

She had him all figured out.

However, today the Great General was uncharacteristically stern, as if he had anticipated what she would say. Cupping her face in his palm, tilting it up slightly, his thumb brushed her lips again as though something had stained them.

"Then tell me, Lady Yun, what should I do?"

The calluses on his hands felt rough against her tender skin, prompting Feng Yun to nip at him.

"Are you testing me, General?"

She looked alarmed, like the snapping turtle she raised stretching out its claws.

Pei Jue: "Testing what?"

The cold breeze made Feng Yun feel a little chilly under his gaze.

She said, "The General’s intentions are unfathomable. What if you enjoy being trampled by the Empress Dowager? If I fall into your trap, I’d be the villain who came between you and the Empress Dowager."

Pei Jue asked, "Have you fallen into the trap?"

"I have," Feng Yun’s gaze wavered, feeling as though today she was recklessly testing the edges of death.

"If the General suspects my motives, my life is as good as over."

Hooked. Then she was the strategist devoted to her lord, looking out for his interests. Not hooked, then her current demeanor was truly that of a villain intent on seduction and destruction, without merit, only fault.

She decided to quit while she was ahead.

"The General has his own plans, and I shouldn’t speak out of turn. It’s just that..."

She stopped there, her eyes dark and mournful, portraying a dilemma.

"Ever since my biological father abandoned me, I’ve seen things clearly. To have a father, to have a mother, is not as good as having oneself. Whatever the General does to remain loyal to the Empress Dowager is up to you. Just don’t let others manipulate you and cut off your own retreat. Not only will you ruin yourself, but you’ll also betray the soldiers who have followed you through battles north and south. That would be..."

While her initial intent was to induce Pei Jue, her emotions truly got the better of her as she spoke.

"When the General dies, at least there is a patch of yellow earth and historical records to mark his passing. What about those soldiers who died unjustly? Their blood spatters three feet high, dying in a foreign land, unknown to anyone."

Pei Jue’s expression changed, his palm pressing on her back, pulling her body against his chest.

After a long silence, he said:

"Fine, from now on, Lady Yun, you may manipulate me."

Feng Yun: ...

Her back felt a bit cold.

She sensed that Pei Jue had seen through her thoughts. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

-

Zuo Zhong found a woodworking shop in the western part of Bingzhou City that had the lumber Feng Yun requested.

The carpenters were readily available, a few were brought over from the Northern Yong Army’s engineering battalion, along with the original two carpenters from the shop, and they began work that very night.

Luckily, Feng Yun had brought books with her.

Unfortunately, the book contained only a rough sketch of the exterior; the rest was detailed text explanations. Feng Yun needed to comprehend from the text, then disassemble it to draw the diagrams herself.

Drawing was a meticulous task. Feng Yun locked herself in her room in the afternoon, and it took her two hours to complete the drawings. Then she took them to the woodworking shop, where she spent an hour communicating and consulting with the craftsmen, adjusting the sizes and proportions.

The carpenters in the camp usually worked on chariots, repairing and maintaining them, but this wooden tube, which Feng Yun called a "megaphone," was not only demanding in terms of the wood quality but also required exquisite and intricate internal structure. They couldn’t believe that a young lady had drawn the plans.

"Can this thing really transmit sound?"

"Of course," Feng Yun’s eyes were red from exhaustion, but her gaze was focused as she carefully selected from the wood the carpenters had chosen.

That was oak and walnut.

According to the book, they had a higher density and were suitable.

"How exactly does this thing transmit sound?"

"To transmit sound is to amplify it. Firstly, it saves one’s voice when speaking; secondly, it can intimidate the enemy forces."

"To think such divine objects exist in this world, where did the young lady obtain this from?"

Feng Yun saw doubt in their eyes.

"Just do as I say. The Qi Army has been hurling insults outside for a whole day."

In the face of war, personal thoughts are insignificant.

A few carpenters, sensing her impatience, exchanged glances, examined the diagrams seriously, and dared not hold any more contempt for the young lady before them.

It was uncertain whether the megaphone would be effective.

But just being able to draw such detailed diagrams meant that the young lady was more than just a concubine kept for warming a general’s bed; she was a capable person.

In these times, talented and capable people were respected by all.

Carpenters too, should have the spirit of a craftsman.

Measuring, snapping lines, sawing wood, carving, setting form, assembling, sanding, oiling... the entire process was labor-intensive. And to achieve the desired effect, Feng Yun had them craft it ten times the size of the diagrams, requesting that they make at least five, and also a few smaller megaphones for daily use.

The entire woodworking shop bustled with activity.

Feng Yun didn’t want them to work for nothing and earnestly said:

"Once the megaphone is made, I will help you seek commendations and rewards from the Great General. Rest assured, the Great General does not default on promises."

The carpenters chuckled.

"Reward or not, it’s not important. It’s good enough just to walk out of Bingzhou alive."

The siege on Bingzhou put everyone in the city on edge, didn’t it?

"I have wives, children, and an elderly mother at home, I wonder if I can go back for a family reunion this year."

"Yes, sigh..."

"The ruler dies for the country, the subjects die for duty. What can we do?"

These were the most genuine thoughts of ordinary people.

The nation’s fate is less important than a warm bowl of soup on a warm bed surrounded by one’s wife and children.

Feng Yun listened without saying much and turned to Xiaoman to jot down the prices of the wood used, instructing the shopkeeper to go to the camp later to settle accounts with Tan Dajin.

The shopkeeper was pleasantly surprised.

"Alright, alright, many thanks to the young lady."

Initially, they thought the arrival of the Beiyong Army would mean bad luck; spending money and effort was the least of their concerns, as failing to do the job well could cost them their lives. Unexpectedly, the Beiyong Army brought their own workers, and they compensated the carpenters for labor and meals and paid for the timber as well.

By not taking advantage of the common folk, they worked hard on the task.

By dawn, the megaphone had taken initial shape. The craftsmen felt guilty seeing the young mistress had stayed up all night.

"Young lady, go back and rest. It has taken shape now, we’ll send someone to call once we need you again."

By this point, it was time for joinery and sanding, with the diagrams at hand, her presence wasn’t essential, so she nodded in thanks and left the woodworking shop with two maidservants.

Today, the Qi Army still hadn’t attacked the city.

But there was a lot of activity on the city walls, with the shouting matches continuing nonstop.

Feng Yun stood below and listened for a moment, hearing nothing new, she turned and walked away. Both Daman and Xiaoman, however, were quite upset.

"Aren’t you angry, young lady?"

Feng Yun looked at their faces, flushed with anger, and shook her head.

"If everyone were like you, wouldn’t that be playing right into their hands?"

"It’s just so infuriating," Xiaoman said indignantly. "It was clearly the lord who, out of fear of death, presented you to the general. And then there’s Master Xiao San, if he truly cared for you in his heart, he would have come to marry you long ago. Why else wait until Andu City falls? Hmph, nobody criticizes the lord, and no one speaks ill of Master Xiao San for marrying another..."

"Enough," Feng Yun didn’t want to hear Xiao Cheng’s name.

"The Emperor isn’t in a hurry, so why would his eunuchs be to death? Do you see the general getting angry?"

As the servant and her mistresses talked while walking, they arrived at the entrance and saw Puyang Jiu’s figure.

His hands were not carrying a medical box, and he looked as if he was upset about something.

Feng Yun stopped in her tracks, gathered her cloak, stepped aside, and when he approached, she bowed slightly in greeting.

It was only then that Puyang Jiu noticed her.

The dark circles under her eyes were covered in red, betraying her fatigue, but when she looked at him directly, there was strength in her gaze.

Feng Yun didn’t answer but instead looked at him for a moment, then with a slightly raised delicate eyebrow, countered, "Does Medical Officer Puyang have something to say to me?"