The Slender Waist-Chapter 321 - 226 So Much Desire

Daman’s words frightened Feng Yun considerably.

Head bowed, she did not dare to look more than necessary, her voice timid.

"Madam is kindhearted."

Feng Yun sipped her tea leisurely, slowly observing her.

"Knowing you had a divided loyalty, I still kept you by my side for Xiaoman’s sake."

In her previous life, Xiaoman died a painful death at Li Sangruo’s hands while trying to save her. Daman was also punished at that time and had nearly perished, if not for her robust health allowing her to strenuously survive.

"Young lady..." Daman’s lips trembled, then she changed her form of address, her emotions becoming agitated, yet she was unable to utter even a single word.

Feng Yun glanced at her, "Speak whatever you want to say."

Daman closed her eyes briefly, "Initially, Lady Chen instructed Daman to follow the young lady and keep watch over you. But all this time, Daman never reported a single private matter of the young lady to Lady Chen..."

Feng Yun asked, "Why didn’t you speak?"

Daman cast her gaze downward, "Lady Chen had hoped that after the young lady entered the camp, you would not withstand the humiliation and would take your own life. With the young lady dead, the Feng Family and Lady Chen would be at peace. For this reason, Lady Chen ordered me to frequently instigate the young lady to take her own life in the name of personal honor and the reputation of the Feng Family..."

Feng Yun watched her without saying a word.

Daman said, "The young lady knows, Daman never acted that way. Always hoping the young lady would pull herself together, hoping you would catch the General’s favor and find another way out. In fact, Daman had already offended Lady Chen..."

"But you did not do it for me," Feng Yun responded with an unceremonious smile, "You are a clever person, you understand very well that if I died, Lady Chen would not let you off either..."

Daman nodded helplessly.

"The young lady is wise; Daman cannot hide such a small trick from you. Whether it’s for myself or for the young lady, the goal is to survive, and I truly have never betrayed madam..."

"If you had betrayed me, you wouldn’t be standing here talking to me right now."

Feng Yun stared at her.

After a moment, she let out a soft chuckle.

"Guess why I’m confronting you today? If you guess correctly, I’ll spare you."

Daman thought for a moment, "Either the young lady wants to deal with me, making me understand why I must die. Or you hope I can do something for you..."

Feng Yun looked at her thoughtfully.

In this world, everyone regards women as worthless and depends upon men, but the minds of women are often intricate—who among them is truly foolish? It’s just that fate mocks them, born to a destiny that confines them within the rigid bounds of social convention, never able to free themselves for a lifetime.

Feng Yun initially did not want to use Daman again.

Once betrayed, there would always be a splinter in the heart, never to fully trust again.

But at this moment, she suddenly wanted to give her a chance.

Like Wen Hui, Ying Rong; like Nan Kui, Chai Ying; like Jiang Yin, and like Luo Yue.

They might not all be purely good, but they were all struggling in this chaotic world trying to find a way to survive...

"Planning for one’s self is not a great sin."

Feng Yun’s gaze coolly fixed on Daman, a hint of a smile on her lips.

"I am willing to give you another chance. Weigh it yourself. Trust Lady Chen, or trust me. If you choose me, from now on, do not keep secrets and don’t play tricks in front of me. If you choose her, I will not take your life, but in consideration of our sisterhood, I will let you go."

At the mention of "sisterhood," tears silently began to flow down Daman’s face.

"Young lady... did you, did you know everything?"

Feng Yun picked up a teacup from the table, smiling at her while silently pouring hot tea.

Daman bit her lower lip, her voice so faint it could barely be heard.

"The young lady kindly lets me go, but where can a lowly servant like me go in this vast world? These days, being by the young lady’s side, I’ve come to understand only the young lady truly pities the difficulty of being a woman, only you genuinely have good intentions towards us..."

She bowed respectfully in front of her, kneeling down.

"Daman is willing to follow madam, to work like an ox or a horse, and only hopes that one day madam will grant me justice."

"Rise."

As the common saying goes, the world bustles for profit; everyone hustles for personal gain.

The exchange of interests, sometimes, can be more stable and solid than heart-to-heart talks or romantic entanglements.

Feng Yun curved her lips, "I don’t need your sincerity, and I will not make any promises to you. But if Feng Yun gains power one day, I will not mistreat those who are loyal to me. The justice you and your mother seek, I will help you claim it."

Daman bit her lip as she looked at her, kneeling and weeping without making a sound.

"Thud, thud, thud..."

There was a knocking from outside.

Feng Yun asked with authority, "What is it?"

The person outside was Xiaoman, speaking with a tense voice that carried a hint of fear.

"Young lady, Brother Ge has something urgent to report."

Feng Yun looked towards Daman, "Leave now, and remember to write to Lady Chen often, show some eagerness."

Daman was momentarily startled, then quickly understood, "Once the servant girl has written it, it will be presented to madam for review."

Feng Yun acknowledged with a sound, raising her hand to rub her forehead.

The door opened.

Xiaoman, supporting Daman’s trembling shoulders and wiping her tears, kept asking what had happened, but Daman shook her head, silent.

Ge Guang glanced over, then closed the door softly, advancing to offer a respectful bow.

"Miss, the envoy from Jin Country has arrived in Xinzhou," he reported.

Feng Yun paused briefly, "How is it on Wei Zheng’s side?"

Ge Guang bowed his head, "This humble one saw Administrator Wei, the Great General, General Xie, General Ao, and all the defenders of Xinzhou welcoming the Jin Country envoy at the docks. As soon as the Empress Dowager’s barge docked, this humble one returned to deliver the message..."

Li Sangruo had finally arrived.

A complex smile surfaced on Feng Yun’s lips as she curled them slightly.

At this moment, she didn’t care how Li Sangruo’s meeting with Pei Jue would go; she was just looking forward to seeing Li Sangruo’s reaction when he saw that Song Shou’an was still alive, living so miserably...

She said, "Go and investigate further."

Ge Guang responded and turned to leave but looked back, adding:

"Today, the Chunpei Academy has many additional guards, inside and out, the security is extremely tight. Guard Ye mentioned that the Great General ordered it and said that whenever the Lady leaves the house in the near future, Imperial Guard Camp must escort..."

Feng Yun raised an eyebrow.

"Understood. You are handling your duties better and better, remember to collect your reward."

With a face full of smiles, Ge Guang clasped his hands, "Thank you, Miss."

-

The mist on the river had dispersed.

There was no sunshine, and the weather was bleak.

The defenders of Xinzhou, from top to bottom, braved the cold wind and waited at the docks. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Yet, even though the ship had docked quite some time ago, the Empress Dowager had not disembarked; only envoys like Ao Zheng and their servants came off the ship one by one, standing in the piercing cold wind with them, waiting reverently for the Empress Dowager.

The affair in Andu County had caused the Empress Dowager to lose face.

But Li Sangruo, although usually arrogant, was quite clear-headed in serious matters and restrained her temper.

This delay in appearing, then, to whom was she showing her authority?

Minister Lou Ding said, "Great General, since the Empress Dowager has summoned you twice without you going to meet her, why not board the ship yourself to receive the Empress Dowager and allow the officials to avoid the cold for a bit?"

Pei Jue gave him a glance.

"Is the Minister complaining about waiting for the Empress Dowager?"

"This official has been rash, too rash," Lou Ding lost face with his remark and ended with an awkward laugh.

The officials stood waiting in the cold wind at the docks for the Empress Dowager’s grand arrival.

But at that moment, Li Sangruo was on the ship, vomiting profusely.

Already feeling emotionally distressed and further troubled by the rocking of the ship, she was in great discomfort, her vomit spoiling her poise and ruining her makeup and hairstyle.

After washing up, she looked at her haggard face in the bronze mirror. Not wanting to meet Pei Jue in such a state, she had her palace maids open the well-prepared trunks and redo her attire, hairstyle, and makeup, applying rouge to improve her complexion.

It had been over a year since they last saw each other.

She did not want Pei Jue’s first sight of her to be one of disarray.

She had long fantasized about appearing before him in full graceful and radiant beauty—how could she let that scene fail?

Thus, as thousands waited at the docks, the Empress Dowager was still dressing herself.

It took her half an hour before Li Sangruo finally stepped slowly out of the cabin, adorned with beaded rings and tinkling jade, with a blue gemstone on her forehead twinkling in the river breeze, dazzling onlookers. Her skin painted with thick layers of powder, her hair and makeup immaculate, she displayed an air of opulence and luxury. Assisted by two palace maids and led by a temple attendant, she made quite the entrance.

The officials shouted in chorus.

"We welcome the grand arrival of the Empress Dowager."

"Greetings of peace to the Empress Dowager."

"My dear officials, dispense with the formalities," Li Sangruo said from her elevated position as she scanned the crowd, lifting her hand, her gaze eagerly locking onto Pei Jue.

He stood out amongst the crowd.

One did not need to try to find him; he was immediately visible.

That face, stern and indifferent as ever, devoid of emotion, his towering stature even amidst the tall military generals, stood out heroically, his armor casting a cold gleam, standing silently as if a deity who could rescue the masses from fire and water, exuding a formidable presence...

Seeing him made her unable to move, her legs going weak, her heartbeat seemingly ceasing.

Upon meeting his gaze, her cheeks burned, and she wished to collapse into his arms, wanting his embrace, his kiss...

She so desired him...

"Pei, my dear official."

A soft, velvety voice with a commanding presence suddenly broke the silence.

All eyes turned to Pei Jue.

His defiance twice was the epitome of arrogance.

Jin Country’s Empress Dowager called for him now, and it surely wasn’t for anything good.

Some worried while others took pleasure in his misfortune.

Yet Li Sangruo’s tone wasn’t the slightest bit reproachful, nor did it sound like an interrogation. In fact, there was an undertone of excitement and concealed delight at the reunion.

"Come closer to me," she beckoned.