FID – Chapter 841

Chapter 841: I Won’t Eat Anymore 

Feng Qingbai’s eyes were deep and unreadable.

The shadow guards had been sent to investigate the past relationship between the Empress Dowager and Qin Xiao, but there had been no report back yet.

However, the timing was suspicious. Qin Xiao had just caused trouble at the border, and now the Empress Dowager had followed Shengsheng to Xinghua Village. There had to be some connection.

“Today is the grand wedding of Young Master Liu, and it’s our honor to see Your Highness at the banquet. May we have the privilege of toasting with you?” a voice at the table interrupted his thoughts.

Feng Qingbai raised his glass and accepted their toast.

With that, the surrounding tables followed suit. Even if they couldn’t get close to the prince, just showing their face in front of him was a fortunate opportunity.

As for the Empress Dowager, even if people wanted to approach her, they didn’t have the courage. Toasting the Empress Dowager? That would be practically insulting her!

So, the toasts kept coming, mostly aimed at Feng Qingbai. As for Liu Zhiqiu, the groom, he was reaping all the benefits.

With two highly esteemed figures at the Liu family courtyard, none of the scheming guests wanted to leave. Since the wedding was an open banquet, people came and went, and the celebration lasted until the late afternoon.

Only Feng Qingbai suffered through it all.

After nearly a month on a fast boat, he had just stepped ashore when he was hit with a tremendous shock, doused in vegetable soup, and then had to drink a bellyful of alcohol.

Even his breath reeked of wine.

Liu Yusheng, heavily pregnant, had been feeling increasingly drowsy since conceiving. After spending half the day with Fu Yuzheng and Shi Xianrou in the bridal chamber, keeping Liu Muqiu company, she couldn’t resist her fatigue and was eventually urged by the others to return to her room and rest.

Just as she stepped out of the inner courtyard, she saw a man standing upright at the entrance. His long, deep eyes were fixed on her.

“Still not recovered?” She sighed helplessly and walked up to him, only to be immediately pulled into his embrace.

It wasn’t very comfortable though—their bellies bumped into each other.

“Shengsheng, I don’t dare hold you right now. Can you walk a few steps on your own?” the man said softly.

Liu Yusheng tilted her head to look at him.

“I drank too much. I’m afraid I won’t walk steadily and might accidentally hurt you.”

“Are you drunk?”

He gazed at her, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “I wouldn’t dare be drunk.”

Which meant—he was.

She tugged on his sleeve and led him back to the room. The man followed her obediently, step for step.

They entered the room, closed the door, took off their shoes, and got into bed.

No sooner had Liu Yusheng laid down than the man leaned over toward her. “Shengsheng, I missed you.”

“Go to sleep,” she murmured, her fair fingers brushing the stubble on his chin. “Look at you—so worn out. You must’ve rushed back in such a hurry, you didn’t even bother grooming yourself.”

He really did look haggard—there were dark circles under his eyes.

“I was in a rush. I wished I could grow wings and fly back.”

“You’re back now. Want me to sleep with you?”

“Okay.” With that, the man quickly stripped himself bare, his dark eyes locking intensely onto her.

Liu Yusheng: “…” That wasn’t what she meant.

“Shengsheng, you don’t have to do anything. Just look at me.” He kissed the corner of her lips, breathing heavily.

But he only dared to give her a few light pecks.

With her in this condition, even touching her made him nervous. How could he possibly act recklessly?

There was still a faint scent of alcohol on his breath. Liu Yusheng felt dizzy, as if she were getting drunk along with him.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked hoarsely. His voice was low but steady—if not for the desire in his eyes and the quickness of his breath, he would’ve looked completely serious.

It made her grit her teeth in frustration.

As if she were the only one feeling shy.

“You went there to play a psychological game with the Dongyue Emperor. If I distracted you and made you unsettled, how would you beat him?”

“If you had told me, I would’ve won even faster.” In order to rush back sooner, he would’ve used more extreme measures.

Instead of patiently negotiating with Dongyue.

Liu Yusheng: “…” If she’d known that, she absolutely would have told him right away.

“While I was gone, did you suffer any grievances?”

“No. I’m the Princess Consort of the King of Nanling—who would dare make me suffer?”

The man pressed his lips together. He might not be a woman, but he knew pregnancy was an incredibly difficult thing.

She was already suffering just by being pregnant without him by her side.

“If anyone dares to wrong you, I’ll skin them alive and break their bones!”

He held her hand tightly. Liu Yusheng’s palm was already beginning to feel hot and tingly.

She didn’t understand how, in a moment like this, he could still talk to her so seriously about other things.

……

By the time the man had washed up and climbed back into bed, the woman beside him had already fallen asleep, eyes closed, breathing softly.

Feng Qingbai’s gaze darkened as he gently pulled her into his arms, placing one hand over her belly. Maybe because the baby could sense they were sleeping together, it was being quite well-behaved at the moment.

A soft smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

Good. Obedient children are best.

This one would surely be just like Shengsheng was as a child.

Before he realized it, his eyes closed, and he drifted off to sleep, that gentle smile lingering on his face.

Next door, someone else, despite being deeply tired, couldn’t sleep at all.

Back in the palace, she had gotten used to napping every afternoon. Today, after sitting through half the day’s wedding celebration at the Liu family’s main hall, the Empress Dowager felt exhausted.

Yet she still couldn’t fall asleep.

She had returned to her room even earlier than Liu Yusheng and Feng Qingbai.

So when they came back, she heard the sound of doors opening and closing next door.

And her heart grew even more restless.

She didn’t know if Liu Yusheng had asked Feng Qingbai yet. Nor how Feng Qingbai had responded.

Having been steeped in imperial power for so many years, losing one’s composure was a grave mistake—yet at this moment, she simply couldn’t calm herself.

“Granny, go and see if they’re up yet.”

The old matron bowed her head and obeyed, stepping outside to check.

This was already the fourth time in nearly an hour.

In truth, there was no need to go and check. If the Prince and Princess Consort were awake, there would naturally be some noise from the room—it would be obvious just by listening.

But the Empress Dowager was anxious.

“Your Majesty, the Prince and Princess Consort have not yet risen. His Highness rushed back from so far away—he must be utterly exhausted. Who knows how long he’ll sleep. Perhaps Your Majesty should also rest for a while. Once they’re awake, this old servant will inform you right away, okay?”

The Empress Dowager said nothing. She walked calmly to the window, opened it herself, and sat down.

That left the granny unsure of what else to say.

It was the front window—anyone stepping out of the room next door would be immediately visible.

The elderly woman sat ramrod straight, her back stubbornly upright. Her silhouette radiated quiet defiance.

And so she sat for yet another hour.

She didn’t end up seeing the pair next door rise, but instead was called to dinner by a servant from the front courtyard.

The room next door remained silent. Thoughtfully, no one went to knock or disturb them—instead, they only called for the Empress Dowager to eat.

Closing the front window, the Empress Dowager turned and lay down on the bed. “This Empress is not eating.”

The granny was speechless.

She was clearly sulking again.

At that moment, the old matron couldn’t help but feel that Her Highness had once said something quite right: Who is the Empress Dowager? If she’s angry, it should be the one who upset her going hungry—not her punishing herself.

In the front courtyard, when the old maid relayed that the Empress Dowager wasn’t eating dinner, the whole family grew worried. They looked at each other in confusion, not understanding what nerve the Empress Dowager had gotten herself twisted over this time.

Grandma Liu slapped her thigh, picked up a bowl of food, and marched straight into the inner courtyard.