The Slender Waist-Chapter 262 - 184 The Lady’s Pleasure

Feng Yun returned to Chunpei Academy, where Daman quickly approached her and bowed slightly, saying, "Miss, just now people from the Princess’s court came with a message, saying the Princess is ill."

Feng Yun glanced at her and continued striding into the building without a pause.

"If she’s ill, fetch a doctor."

Daman, looking slightly red-faced and taken aback, followed after a moment of hesitation, looking around and whispering, "The Princess is delirious with fever, and she’s crying out to see Miss."

Feng Yun sneered, "So if she wants to see me, I must go to see her?"

Ever since she had brought Xiao Rong back to Xinzhou, she had been kept under watch in the back courtyard, with attendants looking after her every need, enjoying freedom in all respects except for leaving the courtyard.

Especially since the peace negotiations between Jin and Daqi had been put on the agenda, no one would trouble her, and she endured no undue hardships.

She hadn’t made a fuss before, but now she was starting to, why would Feng Yun indulge her?

Seeing the Miss’s face void of compassion, Daman seemed a bit anxious, "Miss, after all, the Princess is still the Princess..."

Feng Yun turned her head to look at her.

"Then you make the decision for me."

Daman’s mouth opened and closed twice, her face flushed with shame.

"The servant dares not. The servant is only thinking of Miss’s best interest..."

Feng Yun gave her a deep look, then returned to her room without a word, and had Xiaoman prepare ink and paper, burying herself in the study.

Xiaoman, not knowing how she had upset Miss, didn’t dare to make a sound or ask anything, only standing by quietly to assist.

It wasn’t until noon when Feng Yun stretched lazily, put down her brush, and Xiaoman brought in a brass basin for the Miss to wash her hands. Only then did she dare to cautiously seek favor.

"Miss, please don’t be angry with my sister, alright?"

Feng Yun looked at her.

Without any hint of emotion, just a flat glance.

Xiaoman was startled and almost cried.

"Miss..."

Feng Yun stretched her hands into the basin, scooping water to rinse them off, and said indifferently, "In front of me, there’s no need to always defend me or make decisions for me. If you just do your job well, I will not let you down."

Daman and Xiaoman bowed their heads in agreement.

After finishing the agenda, Feng Yun contemplated for a moment and still went to see Xiao Rong in the back courtyard.

The Princess, with her eyes swollen like peaches from crying and her cheeks flushed red from illness, appeared to have grown significantly thinner...

Upon seeing Feng Yun, Xiao Rong’s tears fell anew, her visage one of utter heartbreak.

Her crying was due to Xiao Cheng.

In Xiao Rong’s heart, her imperial brother, whom she held in divine regard, had shown no reaction to her situation in the enemy camp, and even the several envoys sent to negotiate had not mentioned her in the slightest...

"I used to tell myself that my imperial brother has his own difficulties, that he is not just my brother but also the Emperor of Daqi, who has to consider the people of Daqi. I understood him..."

"But now that both countries have agreed to negotiate peace, my imperial brother still hasn’t said a single word about me, it’s as if he has forgotten he has a sister..."

Xiao Rong pouted, her tears streaming down her face.

"My brother has no place for me in his heart."

"He has no place for me..."

Seeing the Princess’s tearful plight, Feng Yun remained expressionless, "The peace talks between the two countries do not imply that the hostility has ended. Besides, the negotiations haven’t even started yet."

Even though Feng Yun also felt that Xiao Cheng’s lack of reaction was a bit odd.

But she never guessed Xiao Cheng’s intentions with good will.

Of course, she would take the opportunity to give him and Feng Ying a piece of her mind.

"Your brother has always been warm on the surface but cold at heart. The kindness you see is under the condition it doesn’t involve his own interests. Once his interests are involved, just how much do you think his own sister matters to him?"

After Feng Yun spoke, she scoffed and continued watching Xiao Rong’s disheartened expression, she said flatly:

"Moreover, your brother has now taken a new wife. Naturally, things won’t be the same as before. Whether your sister-in-law has been whispering things in his ear behind the scenes, who’s to say?"

Xiao Rong was instantly overcome with indignation, looking at her stiffly.

"Ayun would never speak ill of me."

Feng Yun made a noncommittal sound, her eyes resting on Xiao Rong’s swollen eyes, she smiled and turned away.

"Then you continue crying."

Feng Yun left as she spoke, not giving the other any chance to think or retort.

Already heartbroken, Xiao Rong cried even harder at the sight of Feng Yun’s unfeeling departure.

"Feng Family’s Ayun, you are wrong."

-

Feng Yun had someone make a trip back to Huaxi Village.

Soon, Xing Bing personally led Xing Dalang, the Ge brothers, several of their men, and some craftsmen who had helped them set up the forge at Tu Family Fort from Huaxi Village to Xinzhou.

Andu was just across the river from Xinzhou, a mere hundred miles or so, a day’s journey away. The group arrived at Chunmeng Hall in a grand procession, and their excitement was palpable upon seeing Feng Yun.

"Miss, I’ve seen you again."

So many things had happened these days.

Meeting again, master and servant did not know what to say at first.

Xing Bing pushed Xing Dalang forward.

"Quickly show the accounts to the Miss for review."

Xing Dalang, who was a deputy manager in Changmen, had already built up some confidence, gave Feng Yun a sheepish smile, bowed, and shot his father a reproachful glance.

"The young lady will surely have instructions for us upon her arrival; there’s no rush at this moment,"

Xing Bing watched Feng Yun merely smile without refuting Daman’s statement, and scratched his head with a chuckle.

"Steward Alou was supposed to come too, but there was so much to do on the estate that he couldn’t get away. He even nearly cried about it..."

Alou was by nature a tender-hearted person.

It was Feng Yun who had painstakingly trained him to become the steward.

She smiled and inquired about the estate’s situation.

Xing Bing answered each question, then said, "I will be heading back later. Daman and the Ge brothers will stay behind to assist the young lady."

Feng Yun did not refuse.

These were her own men, men she could order around at will, which was different from the likes of Ye Chuang.

"Please convey to Alou that he has worked hard during this period. You have all done very well," she said.

Xing Bing and his son exchanged glances and grinned together like fools.

Feng Yun didn’t rush to look at the account books but went to check the ox cart Xing Bing had brought, which was filled with goods from the estate: food, supplies, and also medicines from neighbor Wang’s wife and Doctor Yao.

What Feng Yun liked most was the fresh vegetables picked from their own estate.

She looked on with satisfaction.

Xing Bing added, "Granny Han made me bring these; I said Xinzhou has everything, but she was worried you’d endure hardships and insisted I bring them..."

Feng Yun asked, "How is Granny Han?"

Daman replied, "Granny Han wanted to come as well, but her leg problems flare up in winter, so she needs to see Doctor Yao every now and then for moxibustion. We didn’t bring her along, and oh, she made winter clothes for you..."

He said cheerfully and was about to move a chest from the cart.

As soon as the chest was moved, a little head popped out.

Everyone was stunned.

The little creature, Aouzi, was crouched in the corner behind the wooden chest, huddled into a ball, his big round eyes wide open, gazing at Feng Yun, with a hint of grievance in his gaze.

"Aouzi?" Feng Yun’s smile brightened as she scooped him up and showered him with kisses. "Are you frozen stiff? What are you doing here? Miss your sister?"

She then looked toward Xing Bing.

"Did Aouzi sneak here?"

Xing Bing was unaware as well, looking at the people around in surprise, "When did Aouzi get on the cart?"

Everyone shook their heads.

Feng Yun smiled, her eyes curving into crescents.

"No matter, since he is here, it just so happens I missed Aouzi too." 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

She cuddled the kitten-like creature, stroking his back, feeling immensely content at this moment. Aouzi burrowed into her embrace, purring, a sound that seemed both defiant and coquettish. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief at the sight.

"We thought you went to the mountains to find your parents, but it turns out who you missed most was your sister..." Feng Yun talked to Aouzi as if no one else were present.

The people around her joined in her laughter.

All of a sudden, Feng Yun looked up, "You’ve come a long way, you mustn’t have eaten yet, right?"

Feng Yun asked Xiaoman to go down and arrange the meals, then she returned to the house with everyone and had Xiaoman bring a hand warmer, placing it on her lap.

Aouzi moved over, cozily commandeering the hand warmer, then lay down comfortably and quieted down.

Feng Yun’s face was adorned with a smile as she glanced at Daman’s ledger, casually pointing out a few things before letting him take it back.

Her mood clearly very pleased.

After everyone had eaten, she called over Cong Wentian, the senior craftsman from the Tu Family Fort, to discuss the construction of the Peace Negotiation Hall.

The two were old acquaintances and communicated well on serious matters.

Cong Wentian’s grandfather was the designer of the Tu Family Fort’s layout and its buildings, and he himself was very knowledgeable about construction. For such a grave matter involving negotiations between two countries, Cong Wentian was very cautious.

"Upon receiving the young lady’s message, I began to ponder. On the journey here, I sketched a draft. Please take a look and guide me," he said.

"Uncle Wentian, you’re too polite," Feng Yun smiled.

She respected skilled old craftsmen like him greatly and took the draft with both hands, her eyes lighting up immediately upon seeing it.

"I knew Uncle Wentian wouldn’t disappoint."

Cong Wentian’s design was much more detailed than what she had envisioned, and considered many more details, the only issue being...

She put down the draft and looked at Cong Wentian.

"We don’t have that much time."

Cong Wentian was taken aback, "The young lady means?"

Although Pei Jue hadn’t specified an exact time yet, the peace negotiations were urgent, and they couldn’t afford to take their time building the hall.

"I guess, at most a month, at minimum half a month," she said.

Cong Wentian gazed at her, his lips pursed in silence.

Feng Yun picked up the draft again, "Uncle Wentian, could you see if it’s possible to simplify it based on this? Remove some of the less critical parts."

"It is possible," Cong Wentian said, "but building is no small matter. The required wood and stone are not insignificant, and that all takes time."

"Don’t worry about that, Uncle Wentian, I will take care of it. It’s just the manpower issue..." Feng Yun smiled, "Let’s put it this way, I don’t trust anyone else; I hope Uncle Wentian can find craftsmen from the Tu Family Fort to do the work. Is that too much to ask?"

Cong Wentian laughed heartily, "The young lady worries too much. Before I came, the Castle Master and his wife said that everything is up to the young lady’s request..."

Feng Yun smiled, "Then it’s settled."

Tu Boshan was an open-minded person, and his men were cut from the same cloth. The two hit it off splendidly and didn’t part until all the details had been hammered out. Content, Cong Wentian left to arrange the manpower.

Feng Yun organised the blueprints and the newly written charter, ready to take them to Pei Jue, but unexpectedly, Chunyu Yan arrived uninvited.