The Slender Waist-Chapter 824 - 581 Sudden Change in Weather_2

Feng Yun couldn’t bear to see him wronged, so she had Cong Wentian bring some items from the Tu Family Fort, and then took him to Huaxi for a visit. Only then was the child satisfied, planting a flurry of kisses on her face...

"You’re the best, Mom. The absolute best."

Feng Yun felt sweetness well up in her heart...

As winter arrived, news came from Yunchuan.

After Chunyu Yan ascended as the Prince of Yunchuan, he married the Yunchuan Wangfei in December.

Entering together with the Wangfei were two concubines and twelve lady consorts.

Yun City was alive with celebrations for three whole days.

Regarding the Yunchuan Wangfei, the letter only stated that she was Xiahou Wanyu, the daughter of Xiahou Shi, a prominent figure in Yunchuan Country, without providing more details.

Matters concerning women often followed after major events in importance.

No one knew how this Wangfei won Chunyu Yan’s favor, but those old acquaintances from Huaxi who had known him before, upon hearing of his wedding, rekindled a wave of discussion that harkened back to the time after his departure from Huaxi.

Most spoke of him as peculiar, difficult to approach, and not a good man...

Yet when asked what exact misdeeds he had committed, no one could point to anything concrete.

And so, with laughter and noise, three or five days later, the matter faded into nothingness.

Perhaps the Wangfei’s entrance into his household tempered the Prince of Yunchuan’s fury, for in the years that followed, Yunchuan remained quiet and well-behaved.

As for the rivalry in national strength between the Yong Dynasty and Nanqi, it gradually became habitual, with both nations straining to advance, ensuring peace as long as no wars erupted.

Life was tranquil, like a stagnant pool of water.

If not for the sudden disaster in the seventh year of Jingning, people would probably have forgotten the struggles of the chaotic times amid the increasingly prosperous peace, forgotten that this was far from a truly peaceful world, forgotten the ferocious years marked by flames and smoke of war...

That year, in Gengzi of Jingning Seven, celestial phenomena suddenly shifted, the earth trembled, and the mountains and rivers lost their luster.

The Jinzhou Three Jurisdictions, situated in the southwest of Wanning County, bore the brunt of the calamity, experiencing earth-shattering tremors. City walls and houses collapsed, streets became ruins, cries and screams of the populace filled the air, and the casualties were countless.

It was July, in the heights of summer’s scorching heat, with blistering skies over some areas, while torrential rains abruptly poured over others, causing river levels to surge.

Flooding rampaged, rivers burst their banks, and the floodwaters, like wild beasts, devoured villages, towns, and cities along their path. Thousands of acres of fertile land vanished, leaving countless displaced and destitute.

Pei Jue urgently summoned the imperial envoy to the disaster zones, ordered the opening of warehouses for relief, organized rescue efforts, directed floodwater, and steadied the people’s hearts.

A season plagued with troubles.

The Yong Dynasty faced its most chaotic year since its founding.

The Changhe River, which runs behind Huaxi, had undergone reinforcement and repairs in recent years and thus suffered minimal impact.

On the second day of the disaster, Feng Yun instructed Alou to organize Huaxi and nearby villages and towns to donate money and food to aid the victims.

But waves upon waves of refugees continued to arrive.

Though Huaxi itself was spared from the disaster, unrest began to stir among its residents.

Feng Yun never expected to see Kong Yun’e and Jin Ge again.

The family of three blended in amidst the refugees and arrived at Changmen. Kong Yun’e’s son Hengyang had already grown into a young man.

When he saw Feng Yun, he shyly called out.

"Aunt Feng."

Kong Yun’e’s eyes turned red with emotion.

"Lady Yun, I came to seek refuge with Hengyang."

Feng Yun gazed at her, "Didn’t you go to Yunchuan? Yunchuan wasn’t affected by the disaster."

Kong Yun’e glanced at Jin Ge and lowered her gaze, "Indeed, we weren’t affected. Blending in with the refugees was just an excuse..."

Feng Yun stared at her, saying nothing.

Kong Yun’e grew uneasy under the piercing gaze, wringing her hands repeatedly and looking toward Jin Ge.

"You say it."

Jin Ge appeared much calmer.

"Lady Yun didn’t explain it clearly. Madam, we’re here to pass along a message."

A pang tightened deep within Feng Yun’s heart.

Yet her face remained unmoved.

"Truthfully, Changmen receives countless pieces of intelligence daily. What is it you wish to say?"

Jin Ge replied, "The new Prince of Yunchuan has grown closely connected with Nanqi after ascending the throne."

Feng Yun laughed, "That’s no secret. Do you have anything new?"

Jin Ge’s expression remained stoic as he stared at her, every word seeming to grind through the gaps of his teeth.

"The Qi Army has shown unusual activity as of late. Given my understanding of the Qi Emperor, I fear the Mingquan pact can no longer restrain his ambitions."

Feng Yun raised her eyes slightly, "You’re still in contact with Nanqi?"

Jin Ge shook his head, "I’ve only met with Mr. Ren."

He paused, hesitating as if worried that Feng Yun wouldn’t believe him. Ultimately, he straightened up and confessed.

"To be frank, this intel comes from Mr. Ren."

"Oh?" Feng Yun chuckled softly, her brows calm and composed, "With the extent of my acquaintance with Mr. Ren, surely it wouldn’t inspire him to risk being accused of betrayal to deliver a message to me?"