FID – Chapter 648

Chapter 648: She is his thought

The narrow space of the pavilion made it difficult for either of them to fully utilize their abilities in pursuit or evasion.

However, it was impossible to stop the man’s relentless attacks.

The wheelchair, a tool under his command, moved with the precision of an arm. But no matter how Prince Ting tried, he could not shake off his relentless pursuer. The more they fought, the more Tying Wang found himself growing alarmed. 

He was shaken not just by the man’s formidable martial prowess, but also by his sensitivity to the name ‘Xinghua Village,’ which seemed to pierce through his inscrutable composure.

With a resounding crash, the back of the wheelchair hit the pavilion column, and the man’s fingers tightened around his throat.

“What is this all about, Your Highness?” Prince Ting laughed bitterly. “I merely spoke a word, and this is how you react?”

“If you dare to disturb Xinghua Village, I’ll take your life,” the man said plainly, without hesitation.

Prince Ting’s eyes narrowed. “You’re exposing your weakness to others—are you not worried about the disaster it might bring?”

Feng Qingbai smiled coldly. “My weakness is well known throughout the world. Whoever dares to touch it… shall die.”

He tapped the armrest of his chair and asked, “What if I insist?”

“Then I will use all my strength to ensure your country falls and your people perish!”

“Beicang and Nanling are equally matched in power, and yet you’re willing to disregard your country for a woman.”

Feng Qingbai leaned in, approaching him, their gazes locking. “Since you’ve investigated everything thoroughly, do you not know that I, once, was a madman?”

The pavilion fell silent for a moment.

Then, Prince Ting raised both hands in surrender. “I shouldn’t have tested you. Could you please release your grip and let’s have a proper discussion?”

Withdrawing his hand, Feng Qingbai turned and left the pavilion. “Sorry, I’m not in the mood to talk right now.”

Prince Ting was slightly stunned. This person was even more willful than he was. “I wonder when Your Highness will be in the mood?”

“If Prince Ting has the patience, you can wait.”

“…” It was only when the man’s back disappeared that Prince Ting finally sighed and laughed lightly. “It’s over. I’ve completely offended him. I wonder if I can still stay at the King’s Manor tonight?”

The answer was no.

The gates of the King’s Manor were tightly shut, and the doorman delivered the message, “The King is in a bad mood and has closed the gates to guests. He will not meet anyone.”

“Your Highness…” The maid hesitated.

“Never mind, let’s return to the inn. We’ve stood them up a few times already, and the people at the inn need an explanation,” Prince Ting said calmly.

To the maid, it sounded like the Prince was saving face for himself.

They were locked out, what else could they do but leave?

Inside the king’s manor, the study door was tightly shut.

The man stood in front of the desk, holding a brush, carefully sketching the final stroke of the painting. It was an image of Shengsheng playfully resting in his arms, smiling sweetly.

Gazing at her smiling face and imagining her appearance, he was able to suppress the violent urges that had risen in his blood.

He was Feng Qingbai, the regent, a gentleman in public, graceful and modest.

But only he knew that when that mask was torn off, he was even more obsessive than before.

In this world, she was the only antidote that could heal him.

She was his every thought.

For her, he could become a Buddha on the spot.

For her, he could slaughter and become a demon.

When his restlessness finally subsided, he sat down, took out a piece of paper from his sleeve, and briefly scanned it under the light.

Then, he burned the paper to ash.

Two days later, the peace talks between the two countries proceeded smoothly.

This time, the negotiation table was full.

At the beginning of the talks, the civil officials from both countries began their verbal sparring, each unwilling to yield on their own interests.

The entire process lasted for six days, with over ten rounds of bargaining and debates.

When the peace talks were finally concluded, the officials emerged from the palace, looking gaunt and weary, their expressions downcast.

After the talks, the Beicang delegation were scheduled to return home at the beginning of October.

The news reached Xinghua Village by the end of September.

It was the season of osmanthus flowers, their fragrance filling the air.

Xinghua Village remained, as always, peaceful and serene.

The setting sun dipped below the horizon, and the village was filled with the warm, inviting smell of cooking from every household. Villagers stood at their gates, calling their mischievous children inside for dinner, while the big yellow dogs they kept ran around their feet, occasionally barking with a few sharp yelps.

Before long, the laughter of the children drew near.

In the large courtyard of the Liu family, it was time for dinner. Grandma Liu shouted from the kitchen, and the entire family—young and old—gathered around.

Among the older ones, the most agile and quick was Elder Jiu, who darted into the kitchen and claimed the best spot, with meat on the left and wine on the right.

Since coming to the Liu family, Elder Jiu had finally experienced what life was really like.

Before, living in the mountains and scraping by on whatever they could find, he’d never known such pleasures. Just thinking about it made him grit his teeth and furrow his brows in dissatisfaction.

If Xiao Lan had come to find him sooner, he would have been able to enjoy this kind of life much earlier. All those wasted years were such a shame.

When Liu Yusheng entered, she was holding half a jar of specialty wine, which she planned to share between Elder Jiu and the rest of the family, twice a day with their meals.

“Nannan, have you heard the news from the county? That envoy group is getting ready to leave for Beicang,” Grandma Liu said, brushing off the kitchen ash from her clothes as she sat down. “They’re leaving at the beginning of October. Once they’re gone, things should quiet down in the capital, right? Do you think Axiu will be able to make it back for the New Year?”

“It’s hard to say. The envoy group is leaving, but General Qin Xiao is still in the capital. With all the government affairs piling up for the New Year, he might not be able to make it back,” Liu Yusheng replied.

She wanted him to return, too. But given his position, he couldn’t act freely.

“He probably won’t be able to come back,” Elder Jiu shook his head. “The emperor is young, and the prince regent is handling everything. He has to personally deal with all the matters, so it’s not easy for him to get away. If he could leave whenever he wanted, Nanling wouldn’t be able to maintain its position as a strong nation.”

Grandpa Liu poured some wine, “Whether he comes back or not doesn’t matter. It’s just a New Year. At our house, we can celebrate every day if we want, no need to be confined to just one day.”

“Aren’t I just worried about the child?” Grandma Liu chided. “During the New Year, every family is together, lively and bustling. But Axiu will be alone in the capital. The King’s Manor is so big. Sure, there are many people, but it’s completely lacking in warmth. How can that be called celebrating the New Year?”

Liu Dalin said, “Mother, are you still worried about that boy being alone? Whenever there’s a big festival, the palace will definitely host a banquet. He’ll have a whole bunch of civil and military officials with him. And if Axiu comes back, that Xiao Feng will also be left alone in the palace without anyone close by. Now, that’s truly pitiful.”

Grandma Liu thought about it and agreed, “That’s true. Xiao Feng’er is still young. Without Axiu to watch over him, it really wouldn’t be safe with him surrounded by all those fierce people. Fine, if he can’t come back, then so be it.”

In an instant, someone was completely forgotten by the family. Liu Yusheng’s lips twitched as she stood by, not sure whether to feel sorry for him.

However, recently, she couldn’t make it to the capital either.

After Qian Wanjin returned to the capital, she had to oversee the winery here. Second Brother was lazy, and as soon as they returned, he would wash his hands of everything.

Besides that, the expansion plan for the winery had to continue. After they chose the site, she’d need to find time to inspect it herself and coordinate with the local government, making sure all the details were properly arranged.

Fortunately, during this time, there hadn’t been too many patients coming to the Liu family courtyard, so she could relax a little.

But that thought didn’t last long, as reality soon broke it.