The Slender Waist-Chapter 224 - 160: Fine Flowers Are Worth Picking

On the way back to the camp, Feng Yun’s steps lightened considerably.

The afterglow of the setting sun bathed the ancient city, making her feel as if she had grown wings and could soar freely, unbound by anything. This uplifting sentiment made her eager to reward herself.

The chicken that Tan Dajin sent her, with its golden skin and feet, looked simply delicious.

Feng Yun couldn’t wait for the wedding feast; she instructed the cook to chop the chicken into small pieces, find some dried mushrooms, marinate them briefly in aged wine, toss in a couple slices of ginger and a pinch of salt, and stew it all in a pot. The aroma wafted out, and she began to salivate before it was even ready.

It smelled heavenly.

Just the scent alone seemed to explode on the tip of her tongue with rich juices...

Lacking grease in her diet, Feng Yun felt that holding a festive event might be good, considering it could satisfy her cravings for half a month.

With meat to eat, she was in a good mood. Once the chicken soup was ready, Feng Yun sent someone to deliver a bowl to Wen Xingsu, enjoyed some herself, and left the rest warming on the stove for Pei Jue’s return.

And with that, night fell.

She had Xiaoman prepare some warm water for washing, and after cleaning up, she went to bed.

The air carried a subtle fragrance, which Feng Yun noticed upon lying down wasn’t that of smile lotuses but rather plum blossoms on snow. After a moment of silence, she asked:

"Who lit the incense?"

Daman responded from outside the tent, "Lady, it was me."

Feng Yun asked, "Where did it come from?"

Daman said, "I found it while tidying up the incense holder. It seems like a fine item, and it’s comforting to smell. Since the lady has been sleeping poorly, I thought I’d light it to see if it would help..."

Feng Yun didn’t respond for a long time, prompting Daman to ask tentatively:

"Doesn’t the lady like it? Do you want me to change it?"

"No need," Feng Yun said. "I like it."

There had been no sun these past few days, and she always felt that the quilt was damp, the bedding not as comfortable as the ones she had at Changmen. Indeed, her sleep had not been good these past two nights.

The weather had grown chillier, and despite the warmth from the charcoal brazier, her feet still felt ice-cold under the blanket. She curled up into a ball, thinking of her son, breathing in the scent of plum blossoms on snow, and drifting in and out of consciousness. She seemed almost to dream, returning to the past...

In the General Residence at Central Capital, when the peony flowers blossomed, the weather was bright and warmly clear.

When her servant said the General had returned, she hurriedly got herself ready to go out and meet him.

But she came up empty-handed; the guards said the Empress Dowager had arrived, and the General was escorting her to the garden to see the flowers.

Feng Yun walked over, heavy-hearted, and what she saw were two silhouettes—Pei Jue standing beside Li Sangruo, with guards and servants keeping their distance, not daring to approach.

Whispering things she couldn’t hear, Li Sangruo looked up at Pei Jue with flushed cheeks, while the embroideries of peony flowers on her skirt seemed to come alive, even more radiant than the blossoms from the Peony King.

Feng Yun did not dare to approach, instead making a distant bow.

"I give my respect to the Empress Dowager and to the General."

Li Sangruo turned her head and saw Feng Yun, a lowly concubine who didn’t even dare to come close.

She slightly raised her chin, her smile proudly brimming with satisfaction.

Feng Yun’s gaze fixed on Pei Jue.

Pei Jue was also looking at her, his eyes dark and deep, like the ancient well in the residence, unfathomable.

The man was too tall; Li Sangruo, already shorter than Feng Yun by half a head, made the contrast with Pei Jue even more pronounced. His towering stature complemented her delicate frame, an unexpected harmony.

"Xiaotao, cut down the most vibrant one for me," said Li Sangruo.

The most vibrant peony sat at the very top, reigning over the other flowers, clearly the most noble and beautiful. Li Sangruo must have felt this peony was worthy of her esteemed position, demanding that flower to be picked.

But that peony was nurtured by Feng Yun.

Visited three times a day, how could she bear to part with it?

Unable to speak, she just watched Pei Jue, feeling an aching sourness, as if being pierced by needles.

It wasn’t just a flower—it was her dignity being trampled upon at will. But a concubine has no dignity; she couldn’t even object to Empress Dowager Li wanting the most beautiful bloom from her garden.

Eventually, she could bear it no longer and turned away.

Passing the servant holding the scissors...

In the end, that peony was not cut.

After the Empress Dowager left, Feng Yun learned of this and showed extra tenderness to Pei Jue, grateful beyond words, even hinting she was willing for more during the night. But Pei Jue had only a cold response.

"It has nothing to do with the concubines. The things in my residence, even if the Jade Emperor himself wanted them, can’t be taken on a whim."

His words left Feng Yun blushing with shame, feeling foolish for her thoughts.

He wasn’t defending her or taking her side.

It was simply because the peony was something of his residence, a flower king he also cherished greatly, or perhaps there was a disagreement with Li Sangruo, and he didn’t want her to have her way.

No matter the reason, it was their business, and she had no place in it.

Later, Feng Yun let the peony die.

She didn’t know why she dreamed of this event, even seeing things that happened after she left the garden.

As the servant came with the scissors to cut the flower, Pei Jue finally spoke.

"A fine flower should not be recklessly plucked. Please be cautious, Your Highness."

Li Sangruo was clearly displeased, her eyes showing a hint of petulant annoyance.

"Her Majesty has made a special trip to the General Residence, precisely for this purpose. Would the General have Her Majesty leave empty-handed?"

Pei Jue clasped his hands in respect, "I wouldn’t dare."

He glanced in the direction Feng Yun had left, seemingly adjusting his clothing inadvertently, and as he straightened up after completing the bow, inadvertently exposed two claw marks hidden on his neck—marks Feng Yun had scratched in a moment of passion the night before.

Pei Jue, expressionless, said, "My beloved concubine is delicate and has a particular fondness for this peony. If the Empress Dowager takes the Peony King, it will be difficult for this humble official to explain, and I will be punished again."

Li Sangruo had left in anger that day, the cat-like scratches on his neck clearly the work of a woman, revealing the wildness of their bedchamber. In his words, Pei Jue also went to great lengths to shield Feng Yun, even at the cost of belittling himself.

It was the first time he had stood up for Feng Yun in front of Li Sangruo.

Pei Jue had never spoken of the incident, but ever since Feng Yun drowned the peony, she often felt guilty toward the flowers.

Just for her own selfish desires, she had sacrificed the Peony King, and she found herself both helpless and detestable.

Unexpectedly, the dream shifted, and she dreamt the Peony Fairy came to claim her life, its withered claws trembling as they caressed her face, black hair falling over her features, obscuring her face. She couldn’t see its face, but that eerie breath seemed to clutch her heart...

"Bestow upon you a drop of sweet dew for your fish-and-water joy, but henceforth you must not harm my flower spirit again..." The Peony Fairy’s voice had hardly faded when Feng Yun felt something heavy pressing down on her, so heavy she couldn’t breathe. A fierce fire erupted in an instant, and she agonized, entangled in flames, one side cold and one side hot. When the sweet dew was bestowed, it came sliding down slickly...

"No... I am not sincere..."

Feng Yun whimpered, struggling.

"It was the Empress Dowager... she forced me."

She wanted to explain to the Peony Fairy, but her words came out stilted and broken. The Peony Fairy laughed ominously and suddenly raised her hand, spilling a bottle of sweet dew all over her, drenching her from head to toe...

With a low cry, Feng Yun rolled over, coming back to her senses...

Only then did she realize she was too close to the stove, her body covered in sweat from the heat.

"Awake?" The voice of Pei Jue.

Feng Yun opened her eyes to find Pei Jue sitting beside her, his deep eyes fixed on her.

Feng Yun wasn’t sure if she had cried out during the dream, she nodded groggily, "What time is it?"

"It is past the hour of zi (11 PM - 1 AM)."

"Oh." Feng Yun, thinking of the bizarre and absurd dream, sat up in a daze and asked him.

"Has the General eaten?"

Pei Jue hummed a response, glancing at her, "Are you hungry?"

"No."

"I heard it."

Her stomach timely grumbled in response. Feng Yun’s ears heated slightly. She had intended to wait for Pei Jue to return for dinner and had only taken a few bites to save her appetite, waking from the nightmare now, she indeed felt a bit hungry.

But talking like this, they seemed like an ordinary couple, and she felt like laughing.

"Is the General not hungry?"

"I am."

"There’s chicken soup left on the stove, shall we eat some...?"

Before she could finish, Pei Jue leaned down to silence her with a kiss. The light coming from the side highlighted his form like a cheetah launching its attack, fierce and unexpected, leaving Feng Yun breathless with surprise.

"..."

She remembered that Pei Jue hadn’t been fond of such intimacy before, rarely initiating kisses, usually just seeking her out purely for release, at least that’s how she saw it.

But perhaps her initiative had prompted his change. Having tasted a reward, the General had come to enjoy such tenderness.

She didn’t resist, letting him hold her tightly, closing her eyes to allow him to take and give.

It wasn’t until after a long while that they stopped, their gazes colliding as she gasped:

"General, I’m hungry."

"Where are you hungry?" Pei Jue’s hand slid down her spine, pulling her hips close to his.

"..." Feng Yun stifled a laugh.

Was she wrong to say she was hungry, and also wrong not to be hungry?

The same phrase always seemed to have double meanings with Pei Jue.

She certainly wouldn’t admit defeat. Losing in chess was enough; if he prevailed again, how would she cope in the future?

With resentment lingering from the dream and the elegant fragrance of plums on snow wafting around her, she smiled faintly, leaning close to Pei Jue’s ear to breathe out warm air, "My belly."

Pei Jue’s eyes darkened, "I will have someone bring the chicken soup to the room."

Feng Yun replied, "I’m very hungry, I’m afraid that soup won’t be enough..."

She indeed knew how to provoke. Before her words fell, the man gripped the back of her head and kissed her fiercely and violently once more, startling her into pushing him away and loudly protesting.

Pei Jue’s voice came out firm, "Aren’t you hungry?"

"Mhm..." Her breath landed on his neck, making her shiver and reach out to pinch him hard.

"General, please don’t, there’s a war going on. My damned husband is still outside the city... waiting to storm in and take me back..."

Pei Jue: ...

She understood the art of flirtation.

This madwoman.