FID – Chapter 821

Chapter 821: Who Schemed Against Whom

Moreover, it was unusual for Xiao Feng’er to come over at this hour.

It was already midnight, and she had just finished refining her last batch of pills. She was planning to return to the side hall to rest. Once she left, the Empress Dowager would naturally also retire for the night.

Xiao Feng’er knew their routines well and wouldn’t normally come to disturb them after dinner.

Tonight was an exception.

“Did something happen?”

Feng Mohan didn’t expect the woman to be this perceptive. He stared at her, unsure how to respond.

Should he hide the truth, or tell her directly?

His gaze finally landed on her protruding belly, and he smiled faintly. “It’s nothing really. It’s just that Uncle isn’t here, so I’ve had to handle all the government affairs on my own. I can’t shift them to the Central Cabinet or the Imperial Hanlin Academy. I’m just a bit worn out.”

“You used to look for every opportunity to slack off, and now you’re throwing yourself fully into state affairs.” The woman shook her head and advised, “You need to strike a balance between work and rest. Don’t overburden yourself.”

“I know, Aunt.”

Seeing her start tidying up the medicinal herbs scattered across the table, clearly getting ready to return to the side hall to rest, Feng Mohan helped her.

Over on the soft couch, the Empress Dowager still reclined, flipping through a scripture. Under the bright candlelight, her expression was serene.

These days, it was rare to hear her strike the wooden fish anymore. Only occasionally, during leisure time, would she take out the scriptures to read.

Her diet had also shifted more toward vegetarian meals.

It seemed she was no longer as devoted to Buddhist practice.

“Your Majesty, it’s quite late now. Don’t keep reading and rest early. Prolonged reading in this lighting isn’t good for your eyes,” the young woman added while coming over to pay her respects.

The Empress Dowager gave a low ‘Mm’ in response, not even lifting her eyelids.

“Granny, once we leave, don’t let Her Majesty keep reading. Help her settle in and rest early.”

“This servant understands.”

Once the woman turned and left, the Empress Dowager finally lifted her eyes and watched her departing figure.

Not yet twenty, nineteen at most, and already trying to manage everything—even her.

Then she looked toward Feng Mohan. Though the young man’s face wore an indifferent expression, the occasional downward glance and the heaviness between his brows did not escape her notice.

Something significant must have happened. Otherwise, Feng Mohan would not be showing his emotions so openly.

If it could shake him like this, it likely had something to do with Qin Xiao.

By now, he should be halfway through his military campaign.

“Your Majesty, it’s time to rest. Please stop reading,” came the old maid’s gentle reminder.

The Empress Dowager closed the scripture and set it aside, her tone cool: “So now you’re helping the Princess Consort to manage me too? I am the one who’s your mistress.”

“I wouldn’t dare,” the old maid said quickly, bowing in apology. “It’s just that Your Majesty must take care of your health.”

Over the years, the Empress Dowager had shut herself away in the Yangxin Hall, consumed by sorrow and grief. The prolonged sadness and emotional turmoil had already taken a toll on her health.

Before the Princess Consort had moved into the Hall, the Empress Dowager would often cough through the night, unable to sleep. It was only recently that her condition had slightly improved.

The Empress Dowager was well aware of her own state, so she said no more and walked into the inner chamber.

Through the window, her gaze fell outside, where the moonlight was bright.

The same moonlight cast its glow on the surface of the Grand Canal, creating shimmering ripples.

At a glance, the water looked as though it were filled with scattered stars from the heavens.

The great army was crossing the river—boats followed one after another, forming a long line like a dragon stretched across the canal.

Cutting through the waves.

At the head of this dragon-like fleet stood Qin Xiao, clad in silver battle armor, hands clasped behind his back, eyes fixed on the distant end of the dark horizon.

The fleet had been on the river for nearly twenty days. In about ten more, the army would reach Yigu City.

The young emperor, anxious and uneasy, had ordered him to mobilize two hundred thousand troops to Yigu City to intimidate the Emperor of Dongyue. Recalling that night’s game of chess with the emperor, when the young ruler had set a tenfold trap for him in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, Qin Xiao’s gaze darkened.

“Foolish child.”

He, Qin Xiao, had fought on the battlefield for decades, earned countless military honors, and weathered endless storms—how could he be intimidated by a mere boy?

Even the distinction between sovereign and subject… he no longer regarded it as something worth acknowledging.

If he refused to do something, not even a blade to his throat could make him bow his head.

The court was a place of constant intrigue, every step steeped in calculation.

Who schemed against whom—until the very end, who could say for sure?

“General, there’s a place called Ten-li Slope on the northern outskirts of Yigu City. It’s surrounded by a hundred li of open grassland—ideal for setting up camp…” a subordinate reported.

(Li – is an ancient measure of length, approx. 500 m)

“Good. Then we’ll camp at Ten-Mile Slope,” Qin Xiao said calmly. “Send word—have the deputy generals of the left, center, and right divisions report to my cabin. I have orders for them.”

“Yes, General!”

Back in Yigu City, Feng Qingbai had already met with the Emperor of Dongyue three times for negotiations, and all three had ended in stalemate.

Cheng Sheng had seen enough and was growing increasingly anxious. In recent days, he’d stopped bothering with diplomatic niceties and pressed Feng Qingbai directly. “Your Highness, the two sides have already met three times, but the Dongyue Emperor remains indecisive and won’t commit to any agreement. His army remains stationed at the border, posing a serious threat to Nanling. If talks fail, why not go to war and assert our national strength?”

“Is General Cheng confident of achieving a swift and decisive victory?” Feng Qingbai asked.

“Well… I wouldn’t dare claim absolute certainty, but if reinforcements can arrive from the capital and our supply lines hold, Dongyue won’t easily break through our border defenses.”

Feng Qingbai lifted his head to gaze at the moonlight, his expression distant and contemplative. “Tomorrow will be the final round of talks. If I still cannot persuade the Dongyue Emperor, then we’ll make our decision accordingly.”

After dismissing Cheng Sheng, Feng Qingbai didn’t return to his quarters. Instead, he sat alone in the courtyard of the  garrison office, quietly watching the moon.

In recent days, there have been three rounds of negotiations with Dongyue. Though the Emperor of Dongyue had shown signs of wavering, he had never actually agreed to withdraw his troops.

Yet he continued requesting talks.

Feng Qingbai lightly tapped his fingers on his knee, mentally reviewing all that had transpired during this time. As he thought it over more carefully, a trace of coldness entered his gaze.

He won’t give a clear answer, and uses ongoing negotiations as an excuse to keep him bound to Yigu City. The Emperor of Dongyue was deliberately stalling.

That could only mean something major was being plotted behind the scenes.

——‘Leave immediately.’

Xue Honglian’s warning from that day echoed once more in his ears. Curling his lips, Feng Qingbai let out a faint smile.

So, someone had joined forces with the Dongyue Emperor in an attempt to trap him permanently in Yigu City.

In a war between two nations, the envoy was not to be harmed.

He had made it out safely the first three times. But tomorrow will be the fourth. Would the Dongyue Emperor still honor that rule?

He wasn’t so sure.

“Master, are you truly going tomorrow?” Wei Zi appeared.

“I am. Why wouldn’t I? If I backed out now, wouldn’t that make me a coward unworthy of respect?” This round of talks had been initiated by the Dongyue Emperor himself, and the location was set at a border palace on Dongyue’s side.

“Master, the Emperor of Dongyue is a man who breaks his word and plays dirty—treacherous and cunning. I fear tomorrow will be a Hongmen Banquet.”

“Even if it is a Hongmen Banquet, I must go and see it for myself, mustn’t I?” Feng Qingbai replied calmly. “Otherwise, how can I expose the black hand behind all this?”

Realizing he couldn’t persuade his master otherwise, Wei Zi furrowed his brow and said, “Then I will accompany you tomorrow, and I will not leave your side for a moment!”

“No, you can’t go tomorrow,” Feng Qingbai said. “If you go and they try anything, I won’t even have someone to assist me when I need to make an escape. You wait outside the palace and be ready to respond.”

Wei Zi was speechless. He couldn’t understand how, even at a time like this, his lord could still appear so calm and composed—utterly unfazed.