FID – Chapter 218

Feng Qingbai and his party have indeed boarded the ship.

He was sitting in the cabin by the window and leaning on the railing lost in thought. His hand would sometimes unconsciously rest on his chest with a light caress.

Here hung the gift Shengsheng had given him.

Feng Mohan looked at him several times during the period, and was curious about what he had hidden in his lapel.

“Imperial Uncle, what are you hiding in your lapel? Is it a gift from Aunt Liu?”

The man looked back and gave him a faint glance.

In the past, Feng Mohan would have immediately shrunk his head and dared not make a sound. But after spending a period in Xinghua Village, his fear of the man has subsided quite a bit, and now he was no longer turned into a wimp at the drop of a hat.

“I also have a gift from Aunt Liu. She personally refined the medicine.” The boy carefully pulled out a jade white porcelain bottle from his sleeves. “Look, Aunt Liu said this is the most valuable medicine in her hands and asked me to keep it well. She said it can come in handy at critical moments!”

He flaunted it.

He just wanted to show off.

He wanted to let his Imperial Uncle know that he also had a place in Aunt Liu’s heart.

Gazing at that porcelain bottle, Feng Qingbai’s eyes flickered, and he reached for it.

“Imperial Uncle, this is from Aunt Liu!” You want to grab even this? It’s not like you don’t have one yourself!

He ignored the boy’s shout and opened the porcelain bottle to have a look. It also contained liquid, exactly the same as the one he had in his arms.

Feng Qingbai’s face darkened and casually tossed the porcelain bottle back without saying a word.

The boy had the same gift as him, which made his already bad mood even worse.

The uniqueness that should have belonged to him was shared thinly by the boy.

Looking at how the little boy took care and cherished the pill bottle, he still admonished, “Keep it well. Don’t let anyone find it. Under no circumstances can you take it out for others to use.”

The boy froze imperceptibly. “I know, Imperial Uncle.”

He already cherished this gift, but now that he gave him instructions, he immediately understood deep inside that this bottle of medicine might be even more precious than he had imagined.

Even because it was too precious, it would bring trouble to Aunt Liu once it came out.

The gratitude to Liu Yusheng in his heart grew stronger.

Aunt Liu would only give him the most precious gift if she treated him truly as one of her own.

As the sky dimmed into night, the ship still kept sailing forward.

Looking out from the cabin, the whole river was shrouded in darkness.

Only flashing fishing lights could be seen in the distance. 

Meanwhile, Liu Yusheng had already had her evening meal and returned to the inner courtyard.

Because of the absence of her master, Wei Hong no longer needed to hide in the dark to perform her duties as a hidden guard, but could walk around the Liu family compound with a swagger, regaining her freedom of movement.

When she saw Liu Yusheng returning to her room, Wei Hong followed her and finished the second task her master gave. 

“What’s this again?” Looking at the pile of brocade boxes Wei Hong brought over, Liu Yusheng’s eyes widened.

Just how many tasks did Feng Qingbai leave to Aunt Hong?

Wei Hong didn’t say anything. She merely put the things down and flew away.

Leaving it to Yusheng Liu to take her own time checking.

On the table were more than ten large and small pieces. 

Liu Yusheng opened the exquisitely wrapped brocade boxes one by one.

Inside was clearly the best of each industry that appeared at the Xuzhou business convention.

The most valuable silk brocade fabric, the ingenious double-sided silk kerchief embroidery, the elegant and unique design of jade hairpin…

These things reminded her of a picture in her memory. 

“Shengsheng, I will send more and better things to you in the future.” The boy, who was only eight years old at that time, said when he gave her his first gift.

He never forgot what he promised her.

She opened the bottom of the jewelry box on the dresser and took out the pair of red hair ties that were still brightly colored inside. Sweetness crept into the corner’s of her mouth.

He was gone, but he used his own way to dispel her bitterness and sorrow from his departure. 

He let her be so immersed in the surprise and sweetness that she has no time for sentimentality.

Fool.

No matter how many gifts he gave her in the future, no matter how precious they were, this pair of red hair ties would always be the best in her heart.

The last bit of sorrow between Liu Yusheng’s eyebrows had all but faded away when she appeared in front of people again.

Thus, the Liu family has resumed their orderly life.

Time also passed quietly in such an orderly manner.

Feng Qingbai and his companions rushed to the capital at the fastest speed along the river.

It took a full twenty days.

At the entrance of the capital, civil servants and the military crowded to welcome them.

They quietly left, but alarmed the entire city on their return.

Other parties knew everything about their whereabouts and invited the entire ruling and opposition parties to meet them.

Instead of currying favor, this battle was more like a display of power. 

In the carriage, Feng Qingbai’s eyes were dark and calm, without any ripples.

Feng Mohan also shed off his cheerful simplicity back in Xinghua Village and replaced it with coldness and pensiveness beyond his age.

Returning to the capital meant embarking on their battlefield.

There would be bloodless fights everywhere.

Those people wanted to drag him down before he came of age, and their means were getting more and more intense. He must sit firmly in that position!

When they returned to the King of Nanling’s mansion, someone also greeted them at the entrance.

In the forefront, the graceful woman with a group of household servants bowed and stood.

The carriage rolled to a stop at the door, and the woman greeted them, “Your Highness, Your Majesty, did you have a good trip?”

“Yeah, let’s go back to the house first.” The man said as he got off the carriage and walked towards the mansion.

Feng Mohan followed closely behind, nodding towards the woman as he passed her.

Returning to the King of Nanling’s mansion was also like his home.

But compared to Liu’s house in Xinghua Village, there was no warmth here to iron one’s heart.

Fu Yuzheng curled her fingers and led the group of servants along with her. After entering the courtyard, she dismissed everyone and marched to the hall alone.

The man was already sitting in the main seat. His dark purple brocade robe was all high and luxurious, and his reserve could make people ashamed of themselves.

“Speak.”

Fu Yuzheng stepped forward and paid her respects. “The one in the palace had summoned me over to ask about Your Highness’s departure and return date. Recently, the Liu family’s frequent failures made her a little impetuous, and will probably carry out more aggressive methods next. You need to be cautious at all times.”

“What about the house?”

“It’s business as usual.” They both knew very well what the phrase “business as usual” meant. It was referring to the spies of the various forces in the house.

“Have the servants prepare hot water. After bathing and dressing, I send the emperor back to the palace.”

“Yes.”

Feng Mohan who had been silent secretly pouted. “Imperial Uncle, can I stay here today and return to the palace tomorrow…”

“No.”

The boy’s shoulders collapsed in an instant. From today onwards, he would be alone again.

The man left after his command. 

Fu Yu Zheng looked at the pitiful boy and walked over. “Your Majesty, after days of traveling, you also should take a bath and change into clean clothes. If you really want to stay, I will go and persuade the king later to see if he can change his mind.”

Feng Mohan powerlessly waved his hand. “No need, Aunt Zheng. Since Imperial Uncle said, he will not easily change his mind. Besides, it is also true that I have been away from the palace for too long and just returned. It is not appropriate for me to stay too much in the royal residence, lest the court criticize Imperial Uncle.”

Controlling the emperor and commanding the nobles – This kind of gossip was not unheard of in private, but for the time being, no one dared to say it in his Imperial Uncle’s face.