The Slender Waist-Chapter 307 - 215: Claiming Kinship and Old Acquaintance

Chapter 307: Chapter 215: Claiming Kinship and Old Acquaintance

Indeed, it was Wei Zheng who had come, accompanied by a few Imperial Cavalry guards from the palace. Dressed in extravagant clothing and with a hand on his waist sword, he was tall and straight, exuding a certain handsomeness.

Feng Yun gave a slight smile and bowed in greeting.

"Congratulations to Division Chief Wei."

Wei Zheng returned the gesture, looking around at those present.

"I have words for the lady. Everyone, stand down."

"As you wish." The Imperial Cavalry responded in unison, taking the weeping and pleading Song Shou’an away with them.

Wei Zheng looked at Feng Yun. "I wonder if it’s convenient for the lady to talk?"

Having been apart for many days, Division Chief Wei’s prestige had greatly changed.

Feng Yun curved her lips in a smile, "With such a generous gift sent by Division Chief Wei, how could I possibly speak of inconvenience? Division Chief Wei, please?"

Wei Zheng: "Madam, after you."

Watching them exchange courtesies and head towards the small flower hall, Ao Qi’s expression darkened. Holding his child in his arms, he followed silently behind Feng Yun, then stood still outside the door.

Just like he used to do when he was a guard.

Feng Yun glanced at him, touched the head of the child, but said nothing.

Wei Zheng raised his eyebrows unexpectedly, entering the room with a smile.

Ao Qi, having been promoted to General of the Red Armor Army, his father, Ao Zheng, wished the whole world knew about it. For Wei Zheng, whose job was to spy, this was no secret.

Seeing the new General’s posture piqued his interest.

But he did not ask.

Sitting opposite Feng Yun in the flower hall alone, he finally said, "The Great General has given me quite a difficult problem."

Feng Yun smiled at him, saying nothing.

Wei Zheng was somewhat troubled. He suddenly felt that it wasn’t unjust at all for him to have been bested by her in the past. This woman was very shrewd; extracting any information from her mouth was almost impossible for ordinary people.

He decided to be straightforward.

"Madam need not guard against me. My visit involves personal matters, public affairs, but no ill intent."

He paused, and then added, "Luo Ji often speaks of you in my presence, saying that it was thanks to Madam’s care when she was with you that she survived. It seems to me, Madam and I are, in a way, old acquaintances. The following words, please listen if you find them agreeable, and if not, do not take them to heart."

Feng Yun’s eyes gleamed with amusement, "Are the disagreeable words personal or public matters?"

Wei Zheng laughed along, "Naturally, they are public matters."

Feng Yun inquired, "Let’s talk about personal matters then."

Wei Zheng glanced at her and clapped softly twice.

"Today, I am passing on something from Luo Ji to the lady."

Feng Yun expected something like the last time, perhaps a small trinket, only to notice, as Wei Zheng’s clapping ceased, two guards carrying a large chest hung with a shiny lock, heavy and mysterious in its contents.

Wei Zheng slid the key across the wooden table.

"Madam, please accept this with a smile."

Feng Yun frowned, "Is Luo Yue well? Why send these things?"

Wei Zheng replied, "She originally wanted to accompany me to Xinzhou, but she suffered greatly from morning sickness and feared the travel would harm the child. My mother refused to let her leave, so she had to give up the idea. However, Luo Ji has been thinking of you, so she sent me with some specialties from Central Capital as a token of gratitude for your past kindness."

Looking at Wei Zheng’s expression, Feng Yun felt a deeper sense of respect for Luo Yue.

A woman full of strength.

Not to mention that Wei Zheng is a man whose heart holds Li Sangruo, even by the standards of Central Capital, with a decent family background and an appealing appearance, he would hardly lack for feminine companionship, yet Luo Yue had the skill to win a piece of his heart...

"Give my thanks to Luo Yue."

With the fall of Song Shou’an and the rise of Wei Zheng, he would now head the Jin Court’s secret service. She naturally didn’t need to be hostile towards someone who could offer good relationships and connections.

Feng Yun’s tone softened a few degrees in her next words to Wei Zheng.

"You’ve taken all this trouble to bring these things from afar. You’ve been considerate, Division Chief."

Wei Zheng responded with a few polite remarks, then steered the conversation back on track.

"I’ve discussed personal matters just now, but there is a public affair that I find quite troublesome and would like to seek your advice on, Madam."

Feng Yun laughed softly, "Division Chief Wei is too kind. I am but a woman, unworthy of your consultation."

After leaving Huaxi Village, Wei Zheng reviewed the whole matter and understood his own foolishness from beginning to end, having never regarded Feng Yun as an ordinary woman.

Hearing her words, he shook his head, holding his teacup and sipping lightly.

"My promotion to Division Chief owes much to Madam’s assistance."

"Where do you start with that idea?"

"Madam acts decisively. I hold great admiration for that."

A flicker of surprise crossed Feng Yun’s mind.

Indeed, Wei Zheng was not to be compared with the inept Song Shou’an; he had actually picked up on some clues in the matter.

She merely smiled, "I am just a victim, unluckily so."

Wei Zheng did not press the point, but with a frown, he said, "I won’t hide it from you, Madam; being a Division Chief is not easy. Just yesterday, upon my arrival in Xinzhou, the Great General handed Song Shou’an over to me. I am... in a dilemma..."

Feng Yun also took a sip of tea, slowly lifting her head, "Oh?"

Wei Zheng chuckled, licking his lips, "The Great General branded the word ’debauchee’ on Song Shou’an’s face, and, with a single cut, severed his... meal-time utensil, preserved it in saltwater, and gave it all to me, to present to the Empress Dowager."

He shook his head with a sigh.

"This is truly a thankless task. The Great General has been kind to me, and going against him would be ingratitude, but if I follow the General’s orders, I would offend the Empress Dowager, and I can forget about holding onto my position. I came here today to ask the lady to point out a clear path for Wei."

Feng Yun’s eyelids twitched.

She had only intended Ge Guang to pour tung oil and set fire to disfigure Song Shou’an’s face.

She didn’t expect Pei Jue to be so ruthless, actually castrating the man, not to mention soaking him in brine and handing him over to the Empress Dowager?

Feng Yun didn’t have time to think further, because Wei Zheng was staring at her intently, seemingly earnestly seeking advice, but actually trying to indirectly plead for Pei Jue’s mercy.

Before coming to Xinzhou, Wei Zheng had known that Fang Fucai had sent spies, prepared to silently "finish off" Song Shou’an and shut him up, but Song Shou’an had been constantly under surveillance by the Beiyong Army, so it seemed unlikely that the spies would have a chance to act.

Who would have thought that as soon as he arrived, Pei Jue handed him the responsibility and insisted that he "must" personally present this "gift" to Her Highness the Empress Dowager.

And so the hot potato fell into his hands.

Everyone knew Pei Jue had handed over Song Shou’an to him.

If the "gift" died along the way, that would mean offending Pei Jue.

If he delivered the "gift" to the Empress Dowager as instructed, and it ultimately embarrassed Her Highness, making it widely known, then he could forget about being head of his division.

The delicacy of this situation went without saying.

"Head Wei flatters me," said Feng Yun with a shake of her head and a wry smile, "In this tangle of threads, how could a woman of the inner court possibly have a solution?"

Wei Zheng bowed deeply again, "In front of the General, the only one who could influence him is you, madam."

Feng Yun curled her lips.

How could she "help" when she longed to see Li Sangruo make a fool of herself in public?

"It’s not that I won’t help, Head Wei. It’s that I can’t help."

Wei Zheng’s hands, clasped in salute, stiffened slightly, and then he lowered his voice.

"Taking into consideration that Wei once sent a messenger to warn you, enabling you to deal with the situation, I trust you won’t stand by and do nothing, letting Wei be caught between a rock and a hard place, will you?"

Feng Yun observed Wei Zheng without a change in her demeanor.

Wei Zheng said, "I have only just taken up my post, and have faced many constraints in managing the Imperial Cavalry Division. There are some affairs I know of that I cannot meddle in... this matter, I am putting my neck on the line for you, madam."

Feng Yun lowered her head to sip her tea.

"What matter?"

Wei Zheng clenched his teeth inwardly.

This woman wouldn’t take action until she saw benefits, not easy to handle.

He bowed slightly, "In the matter of the lumber incident at the Peace Negotiation Hall, I couldn’t bear to see you caught in the vortex, so I took action to warn you. If my assistance has helped the General and you, then our old friendship formed while working the land has not been in vain."

The friendship of working the land, he sure could say it.

Feng Yun responded, "So that’s the case."

Wei Zheng shook his head, "The head of the Prefecture Treasury, Lai Zhong, is the Prime Minister’s man. I was forced into this approach as a last resort."

Feng Yun narrowed her eyes at Wei Zheng and let out a light laugh.

Wei Zheng really was a character.

Forgetting past grievances, he could see immediate benefits.

Much more astute than she had thought, and not at all like Song Shou’an, who had ascended purely through looks.

Holding a steaming cup of tea, she blew on it gently and asked with downcast eyes,

"Doesn’t Head Wei think the key to this matter lies with Her Highness the Empress Dowager?"

Wei Zheng’s brows furrowed, seemingly puzzled by her words; he bowed and said, "Please enlighten me, madam."

Feng Yun raised an eyebrow and asked with a smile, "Doesn’t Head Wei wish to be more favored by the Empress Dowager?"

Excitement flickered in Wei Zheng’s eyes.

It was evident he was willing.

Indeed, a true loyalist to Li Sang.

Feng Yun smiled and said, "If Head Wei trusts me, I do have a plan. This will not only secure your position in the Empress Dowager’s heart in one stroke, making it unnecessary for you to compete with Fang Fucai for favor but also perfectly resolve this situation, offending neither the Great General nor causing any difficulty for Her Highness the Empress Dowager."

Wei Zheng’s eyelids twitched fiercely.

"To be honest, I haven’t been able to close my eyes all of last night, trying to think of a solution, but I couldn’t think of any way to satisfy both parties. Unless the General raises his hand in mercy, letting me deal with Song Shou’an privately, that might win the Empress Dowager’s favor..."

Feng Yun chuckled softly.

A cunning light shone in her almond-shaped eyes.

"You still do not trust me, Head Wei."

Although Wei Zheng certainly didn’t trust her in his heart,

he still replied respectfully, "Wei wishes to hear the details."

Feng Yun asked, "Who does Head Wei dislike the most in the court?"

Wei Zheng, not knowing why she asked, replied, "Fang Fucai."

"That makes things easy. I too can’t stand that eunuch," laughed Feng Yun, closing the distance between them, fostering agreement before she began devising her strategy.

"Let’s push this hot potato onto Fang Fucai."