The Slender Waist-Chapter 303 - 212: Demanding an Antidote

Feng Yun wore a wide garment in misty tower gray today, with a tight waist belt, her charming eyes vivid, her countenance bright as spring, her demeanor so uninhibited that she resembled the peony king blooming in the General Residence of Central Capital—a living embodiment of allure...

Regrettably, it seemed the General was oblivious to the mood.

He pointed to the spot beside him, signaling for Feng Yun to sit.

However, that left sitting as the only activity.

He at one end, Feng Yun at the other.

Separated by mere inches, yet it felt like the ends of the earth.

In their previous lives, there had also been times of silence between them; most often, it was he who chose not to speak, but the atmosphere had never been this odd.

Feng Yun glanced at him.

The man became even more handsome when serious, but not in the least bit charming...

She sort of missed the beastly side of Pei Jue—at least then he was flesh and blood, human. Now, he was dull, rigid, a big block of wood.

Thus, what Tan Dajin walked in on was akin to two sculptures.

Sitting opposite each other at the wooden desk, one more indifferent than the other, their grave expressions as if facing a formidable foe made him doubt whether he should wipe the cold sweat pouring down his forehead with his left or right hand.

"Great General, Madam..."

Tan Dajin bowed and greeted them.

"If I have done something wrong, please enlighten me."

His heart pounded; in a brief moment, he had envisioned countless ways he might die. Only then did he see Feng Yun curl her lips in a shallow smile, and Pei Jue’s face also relaxed. There was no issue at all.

"Who is in charge of the timber for the Negotiation Hall?"

Tan Dajin almost fainted.

Good heavens! Their expressions had made him think he had committed some capital offense.

Only then did Tan Dajin lift his sleeve to wipe the sweat, his smile resembling that of a Buddha, "Reporting to the General, the materials for the Negotiation Hall are arranged by Lai Zhong, the head of the Prefecture Treasury. That old chap usually seems very honest and kind-hearted; it is unlikely he would dare to mess around with such things..."

To tamper with the construction materials for the Peace Negotiation Hall would be suicidal.

Tan Dajin did not believe that Lai Zhong would dare to do so.

"Could there have been an error during transportation?"

Pei Jue: "You ask me, whom should I ask?"

Tan Dajin began contemplating the various ways he might die again, as anxious as an ant on a hot pan thinking about the serious problems with the Negotiation Hall.

"This subordinate will investigate immediately and also have a word with Lai Zhong."

Pei Jue looked on with a chilling detachment, apparently not troubled, and with a wave of his hand dismissed Tan Dajin.

Then he turned back to Feng Yun:

"Do you know who sent the message?"

Feng Yun pondered a moment, "You ask me, whom shall I ask?"

Pei Jue: ...

As the two locked eyes for a moment, Feng Yun watched the man’s handsome features and her eyes betrayed a nearly imperceptible trace of mirth, though her expression remained serious.

"If the issue lies within the Prefecture Treasury, then the opportunity to know of this matter and the willingness to warn me..."

She examined Pei Jue, speaking each word with utter desolation.

"I am alone and helpless in Jin Court, surrounded by those who wish me dead. Besides the General, I know no one else; I can’t imagine who else, moved by conscience, would alert me."

Pei Jue’s lips tightened slightly, his gaze softening upon seeing her cat-like, docile, pitiful state, "If you don’t know, then you don’t know. Why feel aggrieved?"

He added, "Are you feeling much better now?"

Feng Yun had not expected any comforting words from him, surprised that the righteous General Pei showed sudden concern.

"With the General’s medicine, I am recovering quickly."

She cast a coquettishly shy glance at Pei Jue. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"Did I embarrass the General that night?"

Pei Jue frowned slightly: "Do you truly not remember?"

Feng Yun looked at him with feigned guilt, "I dare not deceive the General, I really... can’t recall."

Thinking of how she had misunderstood his visit to Li Sangruo, she lowered her gaze even further, her voice growing softer, "I also misunderstood the General, adding one mistake atop another. Please punish me..."

She bowed her head, revealing a stretch of her fair neck.

The delicate little face, the pale skin, a spitting image of a soul-enthralling vixen.

Far from accepting punishment, she was clearly tempting him into sin.

Pei Jue hummed noncommittally, his tone even.

"Don’t let it happen again."

Afterwards, he commanded sternly: "You should go back. Once Tan Dajin has news, I will send someone to inform you. If the timber is insufficient, purchase it on your own. Ten or so beams should suffice."

Feng Yun chuckled softly.

Pei Jue’s frown deepened at her laughter, watching her without a word.

Feng Yun formed an ’oh’ with her mouth, bowing to him.

"Your subordinate understands."

"What subordinate, all confused," Pei Jue watched her with a cold face.

Feng Yun moved closer to him and spread her arms to embrace him.

"I’m sorry."

Pei Jue held her hand, "Why apologize?"

His hand was warm, a comfort to hold in the palm during winter.

Feng Yun took his hand in return, interlocking their fingers lightly.

It wasn’t easy to mention the incident at Pingyang, so she simply apologized with a light laugh, "Next time I will definitely remember, remember it well."

Pei Jue glanced at her.

Her mouth spoke no true feelings, only exploitation.

He asked, "What do you want now?"

Feng Yun said with all seriousness, "I want the antidote."

The lady’s alluring eyes, like silk, glanced over, a faint light in them that made one’s heart flutter and breath quicken, suddenly inspiring an almost irresistible desire.

Pei Jue: "Lady Yun..."

He wanted to say something, but Feng Yun quickly covered his mouth, her soft hand pressing lightly against his lips. The other hand tightened its grip around his waist, and she leaned closer to plant a kiss on the back of her own hand.

Despite the barrier of a hand, the kiss was forceful, even producing a loud smacking sound.

Then, without expression, she let go and stood up.

"I have always disliked forcing others. Since the General is unwilling, consider that I never asked."

She bowed formally with a face full of righteousness and then turned around gracefully.

"Farewell, I am off to attend to important matters."

Pei Jue stretched out his hand, only to catch half of her palm. It slipped through his grasp like a slippery eel, leaving a trace of lingering softness. His fingers twisted slightly, his restless blood boiling with frenzy.

The things she could not remember...

Were etched into his brain.

Gentle moans and cries of ’master’, she almost wished she could strangle him to death before she would be satisfied. She entangled herself with him, driving him mad, provoking his loss of control, and in the end, she completely forgot.

-

After returning, Feng Yun forgot about seeking out Pei Jue. Cong Wentian sent word that the dozen or so logs they had purchased and brought to the Peace Negotiation Hall were rejected by the Imperial Court’s construction supervisors.

The Peace Negotiation Hall was staffed not only by people from the Jin Court but also those from the Qi Court, who only accepted lumber from the Prefecture Treasury. They refused to handle materials from outside.

Without their signatures and approvals, Cong Wentian dared not use them.

Feng Yun scoffed.

She didn’t go looking for Pei Jue; instead, she told Chunyu Yan.

"In the Jin-Qi peace negotiations, the Princely Heir is not just a mediator but also a major contributor to the cause. When someone is targeting your money, insulting the Princely Heir in the process, how can you tolerate this?"

Chunyu Yan laughed upon hearing this.

"Why not seek your ’master’?"

His tone dripped with acidity. Feng Yun smiled, opening her eyes wide and teasingly said, "The Princely Heir wouldn’t like to just distribute silver coins without doing any work, right? I wouldn’t want you to feel guilty."

Chunyu Yan, of course, understood Feng Yun’s little trick.

But the most brilliant thing about this lady was...

She always had reasons that were impossible to refuse.

Chunyu Yan went to Mingquan Town, found the Jin Court’s construction supervisor, and rarely, in a good-natured manner, laid out the facts and reasoned with the man. But, adamant about the Imperial Court’s regulations, the supervisor refused to sign.

This stubbornness amused Chunyu Yan.

One moment, the gentle-toned Crown Prince of Yunchuan, and the next, he gestured with his hand, and two guards stepped forward, dragging a man over and forcing him to kneel on the ground. The sharp blade rested on the man’s fingers,

"Do you sign now, or do we cut and then you sign?"

Chunyu Yan’s face, hidden behind a mask, suddenly turned sinister and terrifying. The jesting smile was cold and sharper than the blade itself.

The supervisor signed very quickly.

Pleased, Chunyu Yan smiled and had someone bring the document over for inspection.

"Had you been this compliant from the start, you wouldn’t have suffered."

Having said this, he rose languidly, "Give him a good beating; a dog that feigns power through others."

The lumber was delivered to the hall, and construction proceeded as usual.

Upon receiving the news, Feng Yun sent a couple of steamed buns to Chunyu Yan in gratitude, adding a note that read:

The evil meet their own kind, thank you for your efforts, Princely Heir.

Chunyu Yan lived next door, and his reply came swiftly.

A large chicken leg with a note that read:

The unjust are doomed to self-destruction; be extra careful.

Feng Yun looked at it, rewarded the big chicken leg to her pet Ao, and then, with a bright smile, hugged it and went to Mingquan Town with it.

She was eager to get the shops outside the negotiation hall up and running, ready to profit from both sides during the negotiations. Thus, she spent the entire day hustling about, making two trips to Mingquan Town. By nightfall, when she returned to Chunpei Academy, she was so exhausted she could barely stand.

Before bathing, she told Xiaoman.

"Starting tomorrow, I will join Xiaozhou and the others for morning practice."

Not to prepare for battle, but just to strengthen and invigorate the body.

At least, her body wouldn’t be so frail that she’d pass out after finishing her tasks...

After her bath and changing into nightclothes, she lay down, and Xiaoman knelt on the edge of the bed to massage her.

With someone to attend to her, Feng Yun comfortably closed her eyes and soon fell asleep.

This sleep was very restful. When she woke up, the fire in the stove had died, the room was cold and empty, and the person lying beside her was not Xiaoman but Pei Jue.

He was propped up beside her as usual, still wearing his armor, his eyebrows tightly furrowed, his lips pressed firmly together, gripping the Biyong Sword in his hand — ready to stand and fight at any moment.

Feng Yun slowly sat up and lightly touched the iron plate on his shoulder. The cold that passed through her fingertips was a heavy power that penetrated deep into her skin...

She pulled the covers over him.

Pei Jue did not wake up.

He was very proper in his sleep; however he lay down was how he remained all night, just as rigid as he was in person.

Feng Yun waited a moment, then snuggled up beside him and closed her eyes.

In the dark night, breaths were audible.

Perceptions from two lifetimes surfaced in the haze of half-sleep.

It was as if she had returned to her previous life when she had regarded Pei Jue as her world, taking meticulous care of him, tender and considerate, wishing only for his safety.

It was a pity that one day, that world crumbled.

Otherwise, she’d probably still be in the General Residence, a golden canary fostered by Pei Jue, enveloped in worries and self-pity, forever unable to fly out of those layered courtyards...