The Slender Waist-Chapter 54 - 43 Xiao Lang Mr. Pei_2

This was an extremely indifferent, restrained, and arrogant man, who would never bow his head for a woman.

Feng Yun knew this, but she did not regret saying so.

It seemed like a moment had passed, or perhaps a long time, when finally, footsteps could be heard.

Pei Jue had left.

Feng Yun looked up and saw only his back as he took his sword and left, without a word.

—

The next day before dawn, Pei Jue returned.

Feng Yun did not know where he had slept that night, nor did she ask, but she was somewhat surprised that Pei Jue insisted on escorting her back.

Leaving the camp at this critical moment, his behavior puzzled Feng Yun.

From the camp at Jieqiu Mountain to the Tianzhuang in Huaxi Village, it was a good few dozen miles.

Fortunately, at this time of day, they could avoid the heat, and Pei Jue had found a cart used for hauling goods in the camp to ride in, which was quite comfortable.

Along the riverbank’s official road, with a light breeze, Feng Yun’s stomach played the Empty Fort Strategy, and her thoughts were especially active. Some were occurrences of the past, and some were things yet to happen, entangling her mind until she became dazed. After taking some medicine left by Puyang Jiu, she gradually became drowsy and drifted off to sleep.

"No, don’t..."

"Don’t come over... Help... Xiao Lang..."

"Xiao Lang..."

"Save me..."

The cart stopped.

Pei Jue lifted the curtain to look, and the girl was leaning against the cushion, breathing shallowly with a tight frown as if she was caught in some nightmare, her lips moving and forehead covered in a thin layer of sweat, her face showing visible terror...

Pei Jue watched for a moment, then let the curtain drop and turned back to instruct the driver.

"Go slower."

Zuo Zhong watched the general ride ahead with a slight furrow in his brows, and uncharacteristically, he spoke up.

"Shi’er Niang is very talented. Watching her gather food and manage both internal and external affairs, everything is neat and orderly, especially since... as a woman, she could come up with those ways to govern the people. It’s not just the officials, in my view, she could be a governor."

Pei Jue replied coldly, "You are quite talkative today."

Zuo Zhong immediately lowered his eyes and apologized, "Your subordinate is distressed that the general has to labor over military duties and still attend to the welfare of the people. If there is a sage-like lady to help, then you can breathe easier."

Pei Jue said, "You, Ao Qi, Ye Chuang, all of you keep a good watch on the Feng Family."

Zuo Zhong felt a slight shock in his heart.

There seemed to be another layer of meaning in the general’s words.

He braved himself to say, "Your subordinate is frightened and overstepped."

It was not yet fully light, and Zuo Zhong couldn’t clearly see Pei Jue’s expression, but the general’s cold aura made him somewhat regret his loquaciousness.

What business does a guard have concerning themselves with the general’s heart?

Fortunately, Pei Jue did not say much more.

—

The journey was silent.

As the cart entered Tianzhuang, Feng Yun was still not awake.

Daman and Xiaoman looked on anxiously from outside the cart, thinking of mustering the courage to call the lady, when they saw the general make a move.

He lifted the curtain and knocked twice on the cart wall.

The sound, neither light nor heavy, was enough to awaken Feng Yun from her deep slumber.

"Is it you?" Feng Yun paused momentarily, as if seeing Pei Jue was something astonishing, her gaze dull, perplexed, and somewhat uncertain, behaving a little unusually.

Pei Jue leaned in slightly and fixed her with his gaze.

Feng Yun’s eyelids twitched, met the slice of cold in his eyes, and she instantly became alert.

It wasn’t a dream; it was truly Pei Jue.

A living, breathing Pei Jue!

She rubbed her forehead, smiling as if unintentionally.

"Did the General call for me just now? My head’s still groggy from sleep."

Pei Jue asked, "What did you dream about?"

Feng Yun lowered her eyes, pausing for a moment, "I dreamed of my mother. She taught me to manage Tianzhuang well. In chaotic times, securing food is of utmost importance; other matters can be set aside."

Pei Jue glanced at her, not saying much, and slowly reached out a hand.

Feng Yun looked down at it.

The hand had long, slender fingers with thin calluses on the pads, powerful. She subconsciously extended her own hand.

"Thank you, General."

Pei Jue held her hand, tightly, as if wanting to crush her hand...

This strength made Feng Yun’s heart pound with trepidation.

She glanced sideways and saw Pei Jue’s expression was cold and stern, like a piece of emotionless wood. If not for the warmth coming from their clasped palms, she would have thought he was a monster incapable of feeling.

The courtyard was full of people.

There were Ao Qi and the guards of the Northern Yong Army.

There were servants and maids from Tianzhuang.

There were Xing Bing and his men from Meiling.

And there were Lin E and other concubines, secretly excited, waiting for the General to explode in anger.

Silently, they awaited the imminent execution.

With Feng Yun in tow, Pei Jue walked through the crowd, leaving the anxious onlookers even more uneasy...

"Who do you think drugged you?"

Pei Jue’s voice was low, without any title.

A simple "you", compelled Feng Yun to involuntarily raise her head and glance at him.

"Doesn’t the General suspect Chunyu Yan?"

"It wasn’t him." Pei Jue said and added, "He said it wasn’t him."

He said it wasn’t him, and you believe him?

Who would’ve thought General Pei had such a naïve side to him?

Feng Yun didn’t know the outcome of the fight between the two men yesterday, and she chuckled softly, "Hmm. It wasn’t him."

Pei Jue cast a glance her way, their eyes meeting in midair.

This was Feng Yun’s Tianzhuang, her private property from the moment she had the deed. Yet Pei Jue seemed like the master of the estate as he took the main seat in the hall, with maids obediently offering him tea.

Feng Yun saw that the whole hall was holding its breath, even Ao Qi stood despondently at the top, prompting her to quietly take a seat below him.

Unsure of Pei Jue’s intentions, her expression grew slightly colder, keeping quiet.

To outsiders, the pair seemed almost to be in harmonious accordance...

Within Tianzhuang, there was dead silence.

Everyone wondered how the General would dispense justice.

Pei Jue picked up the tea from the desk and sipped it slowly.

His fingernails were clean, not matching the words "fierce soldier" or "barbaric man", even a single act of sipping tea drew attention solely to his handsome appearance, making people forget he was the King of Hell who killed on the battlefield.

"You do the questioning." Pei Jue suddenly looked towards Feng Yun.

With an abrupt command that came without preamble, Feng Yun understood.

He didn’t question why she released Wen Xingsu, nor did he deal with Ao Qi and the others’ crimes; instead, he started with the matter of her being drugged. Pei Jue’s actions were intriguing.

Was the Great General testing to see if she had the ability to be a strategist?

Feng Yun pondered for a moment, "Bring Lin Ji to the hall."