The Slender Waist-Chapter 673 - 487: Joy or Sorrow

Feng Yun returned to Huaxi, and before that, she visited Yuan Shangyi in the palace for one last time.

It was her farewell.

Today the sky was clear, and as the carriage arrived from outside, the weather was gentle and the sun was bright. Upon entering the Emperor’s bedchamber, however, an inexplicable chill pervaded the air.

The scent of medicine filled the space, windows were tightly shut, and the curtains were drawn tight.

That large dragon bed almost engulfed the tiny body of Ayuan.

Feng Yun looked around and said, "Open the south window to let in some air."

Dong Bai replied, "The Imperial Physician said, ’With the spring cold still sharp, the chill can easily seep in, so be careful of catching something from outside.’

Feng Yun looked at Yuan Shangyi and softly said, "At the beginning of spring, when all things awaken, Ayuan should also be allowed to adjust his spirits."

What spirits could the Young Emperor possibly have left, Dong Bai thought to himself.

With a silent sigh, he bowed respectfully and said, "As you wish."

When the south window was opened, a gentle breeze blew in and the morning sunlight softly spilled across the room like a layer of fine sand, coating the wooden window with a golden glow. It cast its quiet light into the room, sweeping away the chill and silence.

Warm and bright, this finally felt like a place fit for living.

Feng Yun sat in front of the bed, gently taking his hand.

It was as thin as kindling.

From the first day she had met this child, he had been ill...

Always in sickness.

On the most honorable dragon bed of Dajin laid the most pitiable child...

Feng Yun tried to contain her emotions, yet her breath still unavoidably revealed a tinge of sorrow.

"Ayuan, I’m going back to Andu."

She gently stroked Yuan Shangyi’s hair, with her apology resting upon her fingertips.

"I promised to take you back to Huaxi, but Feng Yun cannot fulfill it..."

No one would agree to Feng Yun taking the critically ill Young Emperor away, not even Feng Yun herself, for she could not shoulder such responsibility...

If anything were to happen to Ayuan along the way, she could not bear to imagine.

Staying in Xijing, with Imperial Physicians like Puyang Li from the Imperial Medical Bureau devotedly attending to him, was the best treatment the helpless Yuan Shangyi could hope for.

"Ayuan."

Feng Yun slowly lowered her head, her forehead touching Yuan Shangyi’s body, feeling the warmth that still lingered, motionless for a long time.

Having lived through two lives, she had come to understand that the essence of life was a series of farewells, until the end.

Yet she was still so fearful of death.

There was silence in the great hall.

The Palace Attendants stood with their heads bowed.

The entire hall seemed to be shrouded in despair, an invisible pressure almost engulfing everyone...

Dong Bai had been standing quietly for a while when suddenly, he blinked in astonishment, rubbing his eyes.

He doubted his own vision...

The Young Emperor’s fingers seemed to be moving?

Holding his breath, he stared intently, his heart thumping in his chest to the point of suffocation. Finally, he saw Yuan Shangyi’s hand, exposed from the blanket, twitch once more...

"Princess..." Dong Bai cautiously began, fearing he might disturb something. He dared not even blink.

"The Emperor, the Emperor is stirring."

Feng Yun abruptly looked up.

Yuan Shangyi’s eyes remained closed, but that withered little hand was, indeed, doing its best to... twitch.

A buzz went through Feng Yun’s head.

In that moment, it seemed as if the whole world had brightened.

"Quickly, summon the Imperial Physician."

"Yes, I’ll go at once."

Dong Bai, weeping with joy, stumbled over his words while gasping for air as he ran outside.

"The Imperial Physician, the Imperial Physician, come quickly... The Emperor has awakened, the Emperor has awakened..."

In no time, two on-duty Imperial Physicians hurried in, one nearly tripping over the threshold in his haste.

Soon after, Puyang Li also hurried in.

Later, having received the news, Pei Jue, the Grand Princess, Ruan Pu, Ao Zheng, and several senior officials from the Chongzheng Hall all gathered in the outer hall, holding their breath, waiting for news from the Imperial Physician.

The hourglass silently trickled away...

A group of people, each with their own thoughts, seemed to be frying in an oil pan. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

After what seemed like an eternity, the door to the inner hall finally opened, and out came not only Imperial Physician-in-Charge Puyang Li but also Feng Yun.

All eyes turned in unison to look at them.

"Imperial Physician-in-Charge, is the Emperor restored to health?"

Everyone clamored with questions, all centered around Yuan Shangyi’s condition.

Puyang Li glanced at Feng Yun.

Feng Yun pursed her lips, not uttering a word.

Puyang Li looked down slightly, "The Emperor has regained consciousness..."

Everyone just heaved a sigh of relief.

Then they heard his heavy sigh.

"But the Emperor... has suffered damage to his spirit and cannot recognize people. He doesn’t recognize us nor the Princess of Yonghuai."

Puyang Li’s voice choked up.

Everyone was shocked.

"How can this be..."

Puyang Li explained, "The spirit is the master of a person, and the soul accompanies the spirit in action. Hit at the back of the head, the Emperor’s spirit and soul were harmed. It’s as if the night has lost its lamp to illuminate the way forward. Naturally, he won’t recognize what’s before him, nor the people he sees..."

"Then... can he recover?"

Puyang Li hesitated for a moment.

"According to the medical texts, the Emperor’s condition is not unique. There have been those who recovered fully and were indistinguishable from healthy individuals. But..."

All eyes were on Puyang Li, filled with inquiry.

"How so?"

Puyang Li said, "Those who have fully recovered are few and far between. Most retain some residual effects and struggle to return to their former selves."

The ministers followed with a collective sigh.

"The Emperor is of the true dragon lineage, blessed by divine spirits. Now that dawn has broken, bitter times will lead to sweet. There must be a turning point ahead..."

To them, as long as the Young Emperor woke up, that would be a good thing.

With the person awake, they could stabilize the situation.

Even if he was just a figurehead.

Everyone’s faces were filled with smiles and the joy of finally relaxing.

Ruan Pu suddenly spoke, his expression solemn as he looked at Puyang Li.

"Imperial Physician, what is the worst outcome if heaven does not favor us?"

Minister Ruan really had thorough considerations.

Puyang Li furrowed his brows and after a long time under everyone’s gaze, he sighed deeply.

"The worst outcome is that His Majesty... will not grow up anymore."

Everyone was surprised.

"Imperial Physician, what do you mean?"

Puyang Li paused for a moment and then said, "The mind will be like that of a young child, remaining at the current age. The body grows, but the intellect does not."

Before the sound faded, the expressions of the eager ministers around them turned stiff.

There were so many people in the hall,

yet not half a word was spoken.

After a long time, the Grand Princess’s eyes reddened as she broke the silence.

"May I enter and visit His Majesty?"

Puyang Li bowed slightly and said, "Your Highness is of course allowed to visit the Palace, but His Majesty is weak and has just fallen asleep again... It is best if one or two people enter the hall, so as not to disturb His Majesty with noise and chatter, and instead let him rest and recuperate..."

The Grand Princess readily agreed.

Everyone else nodded frequently.

Pei Jue looked over at Feng Yun.

The two exchanged glances and Feng Yun pursed her lips slightly.

"Let’s go."

-

Feng Yun had come to the palace by carriage, whereas Pei Jue was on horseback.

As Feng Yun was settled in the carriage and about to lift the curtain to say something to Pei Jue, she was caught off guard when he also came inside.

"Let’s go."

The two shared a ride while Ta Xue obediently followed the carriage.

Feng Yun bit her lip slightly.

"It’s really cute."

Ta Xue was Pei Jue’s cherished treasure, and she would compliment it from time to time. Pei Jue’s lips would slightly lift in satisfaction whenever she did.

However, in an instant, he returned to his normal state.

When he looked at her again, his gaze carried a hint of scrutiny.

"Does His Majesty truly not recognize people anymore?"

Feng Yun nodded, "Medical Officer Puyang said that it might be due to the soul becoming enclosed after being unconscious for too long. With gradual treatment complemented by acupuncture to dredge the meridians, perhaps there will be some improvement after some days..."

Pei Jue responded with a nonchalant hum, saying no more.

Through the thin curtain window, the sunlight outside was vaguely visible, shining on Pei Jue’s side face, creating a shifting pattern of light and shadows.

Feng Yun said, "After I leave, you need to have someone keep a close watch on Ayuan. The Princely Heir of the Zhuangxian Royal Residence might not have had any intentions before, but after countless petitions from ministers to establish an heir... his ambition has inevitably grown. You need to have someone watch him, never underestimate him, and certainly don’t underestimate a person’s ambition."

Pei Jue said, "Okay."

Whatever Feng Yun suggested, he agreed to it one by one.

Feng Yun leaned close to him, her head resting on his shoulder, and unknowingly, she fell into his embrace.

"If it weren’t for the fixed itinerary and the matters of war at hand, I would wish to stay with Ayuan a few more days before departing."

Pei Jue looked down, "Not stay with me?"

Feng Yun curved her lips into a teasing smile.

"What reason is there to accompany the great king?"

Watching the smile on her face, Pei Jue’s heart softened.

The carriage moved slowly, and the curtains swayed. The light and shadows occasionally danced into Feng Yun’s eyes. She held onto Pei Jue’s large hand, her mood so buoyant it felt like she could fly away...

-

The Pei Residence.

The atmosphere of departure was particularly strong.

As soon as they returned to the back courtyard, they heard laughter and chatter under the flower trees in the garden.

Having lived in Xijing for so long, Xiaoman, Huanhuan, and the others had made friends in the Pei Residence. As departure approached, naturally they were reluctant to part and exchanged gifts...

Upon seeing Pei Jue and Feng Yun come in, the servants promptly stopped and saluted.

"Greetings to the great king."

"Greetings to the Princess."

Pei Jue hummed in response.

He rarely responded to others, so even such an indifferent reply was uncommon.

Feng Yun glanced over.

She noticed that besides Huanhuan and Peipei, who were beside her, there were also several young girls from the Pei Residence, including Jin Shuang and Pin Shuang.

This pair of twin sisters were as popular as ever in the Pei Residence, and even Pei Yao, who usually had high standards for servants, had praised them several times.

Feng Yun smiled faintly.

"What is being discussed with such fervor?"

Huanhuan replied, "To respond to the mistress, we were talking about Jin Shuang..."

Before she could finish, Jin Shuang’s face flushed red, sending frequent glances at Huanhuan with a shy yet annoyed expression.

Clearing her throat with a smile, Huanhuan said:

"We were saying that Jin Shuang is as talented as she is beautiful, and also skilled at making delicious pastries. Today, she even outdid the Mistress Pei’s Cui Si Niang with her baking skills, leaving Cui Si Niang green with envy..."

They knew about Cui Zhi’s identity, not like the ordinary maids. Cui Zhi, being highly favored by Pei Yao and often carrying an aura of cool elegance, meant that it was difficult for other servants in the residence to get along with her, naturally creating a distance.

Listening to Huanhuan, they could not help but laugh along. Imagining that scene, Feng Yun felt amused, her lips slightly raising.

"Well, that sounds good."

She made a nonchalant comment, told them to enjoy themselves, and then went with Pei Jue to the Meixiang Academy.

Pei Jue went to his study to busy himself, while she sat by the south window for a moment, listening to the faint laughter from the outer courtyard. She then called for Xiaoman.

"Go call Jin Shuang and Pin Shuang over. We’ll take a trip to Mistress Pei’s courtyard."