FID – Chapter 847

Chapter 847: I’m Not That Fragile

But it seemed that Heaven couldn’t stand to see someone remain happy forever.

It always had to strike just when you were happiest, most hopeful, hitting you hard when you least expected it.

That was how fate worked—fond of toying with people in the palm of its hand.

There was no escaping it, no predicting it.

Lost in thought, her mind drifted further and further away. She absentmindedly tugged at a bunch of grapes she thought she had already snipped and tried to drop it into her basket—only to be yanked forward by the pullback of the vine.

The sharp tip of the small pair of scissors ended up right in front of her eyes.

“Your Majesty!”

The trembling of the vine startled the old matron nearby, who turned and saw the scene—her face instantly drained of all color in terror.

The cry rang out from her and also from the women surrounding them.

The Empress Dowager closed her eyes tightly, a faintly self-deprecating smile appearing on her lips, bracing for the pain to come.

Fate had given her enough blows—one more wouldn’t make a difference. But the pain never came.

Instead, she felt a hand grab her firmly around the waist and pull her backward. The small pair of scissors was knocked out of her hand.

She opened her eyes to see everyone in the Liu family courtyard rushing toward her, worry etched on their faces—genuine, not the kind of pretense she was used to.

There was also the hand on her waist—strong and steady, the forearm above it wrapped in a purple sleeve.

The Empress Dowager’s eyelids twitched, and her whole body stiffened without turning back.

That hand had already released her, leaving behind a soft voice in her ear: “Be more careful.”

It was a voice she had once hated deeply, yet was extremely familiar with.

“Your Majesty, are you alright? Were you scared? Are you hurt anywhere?”

Grandma Liu who rushed over was slower on her feet. 

She pushed past the young people blocking the way to get in front of her. After giving her a quick once-over, she patted her chest and said, “You scared me to death, but luckily you’re fine. You must have been scared too. Look at how pale your face is. Alright, no more cutting for now. Go sit over there and eat some grapes. Don’t worry, these grapes don’t need washing; they’re wild and grow naturally in the mountains, so they’re clean.”

She guided her toward a stone bench, followed by her two daughters-in-law carrying small baskets. Then they placed a basket on the stone table.

“Your Majesty, these are all picked by you. Try them and see if they’re sweet.”

“These are wild grapes, so they might be a bit sour, but they taste good and are very juicy.”

A small accident happened, and everyone got startled, so they stopped picking grapes and all gathered around to sit by the stone table. The stone stools weren’t enough, so they even brought out small folding stools.

After sitting next to the Empress Dowager, Liu Yusheng immediately reached out to check her pulse, frowning with worry, as if a little fright could really knock her down.

The Empress Dowager pulled her hand back and gave her a glare. “I’m not that delicate.”

She had been through all sorts of storms. Could she possibly be scared by such a minor commotion?

What a joke.

“Alright, alright, you’re not delicate. I just want to be reassured,” Liu Yusheng responded gently.

“Honestly, even I got scared just now. That situation was too dangerous. Your Majesty didn’t flinch or shout. Is it that people in the royal family are all so brave that they never show emotion no matter what?” Qian Wanjin exclaimed, amazed. He just couldn’t train himself to keep a calm face like that in the face of a mountain collapsing.

If a mountain’s about to crush you, what’s the point of holding it in? Screaming and crying would be normal.

“Do you think everyone’s like you?” Grandpa Liu shot him a glance. “The Empress Dowager and Axiu both lived in the palace in the capital. If they hadn’t developed some skills, they would have been chewed up and spat out long ago.”

“That’s true.”

Grandma Liu then scrutinized the Empress Dowager several times. “Your Majesty, you really weren’t scared? If you were, just say so. Don’t pretend—we can’t tell anyway, but if you keep it in, you’ll suffer later. Whatever you feel, just say it. We’re all here and can help you.”

The Empress Dowager’s expression visibly darkened. “When have I ever pretended? I’m just fine!”

How could she pretend? Did she have to cry and wail for it to be ‘normal’? What kind of people were they?

Liu Zhixia picked up the little kid crawling around under the bamboo and placed him by the stone table for the elders to watch. Then he pulled Liu Zhiqiu, Qian Wanjin, and Feng Qingbai aside. “We’ll handle the rest. The sun’s not so strong now. It’s the perfect time to sit here and eat grapes and chat a bit.”

“I’ll go brew some tea.” Chen Xiulan stood up.

“Mom, don’t bother with tea—make some fruit tea instead. Otherwise, drinking tea after eating grapes will dilute the flavor.”

“Alright, I’ll bring it soon. You all keep chatting.”

That afternoon, the inner courtyard was filled with a faint fruity fragrance and a gentle breeze.

People sat all around the stone table, talking and laughing warmly, with occasional childish baby voices mixed in.

The Empress Dowager didn’t say much to Feng Qingbai, but blending into this atmosphere was especially easy.

Even without speaking, she didn’t feel excluded or awkward.

Naturally, just sitting there listening, she found herself smiling along with them from time to time. The dark clouds that had long gathered in her heart seemed to gradually thin for no clear reason.

By the time the sun was about to set, the courtyard had been tidied up. Grandma Liu took her two daughters-in-law to the kitchen to prepare dinner, and the others went off to find their own cozy spots.

Liu Yusheng, heavily pregnant and tired after playing for a while, returned to her room to take a short nap.

Only the Empress Dowager and Feng Qingbai remained seated there.

Feng Qingbai had originally intended to follow Liu Yusheng back to their room, but seeing the Empress Dowager still sitting there unmoving—and after Liu Yusheng gave him a discreet pinch—he stayed behind.

At first, neither of them spoke.

The old maid served quietly at the side, doing her best to minimize her presence.

Whenever the Empress Dowager and the Prince faced off, the atmosphere was always much more tense and stiff than usual.

Watching the silent, unmoving old woman, Feng Qingbai raised his hand to massage his brow, letting out a helpless sigh. “Does the Empress Dowager have something to say?”

Just as Shengsheng said, the Empress Dowager had a difficult and stubborn personality.

The only reason he was still sitting here, patiently enduring this silent standoff, was firstly because of Shengsheng, and secondly, because when Grandma Liu dragged the Empress Dowager out earlier, although she was furious and cursed, she didn’t order the maid to stop her. 

The Empress Dowager’s tolerance toward the Liu family was far greater than he had expected.

Naturally, his current opinion of the Empress Dowager ended right about there.

“When my Yun’er died, he had just passed one month old. He was thrown to death. When I arrived, the killer was already gone.” The Empress Dowager clenched her fists tightly and looked up. “I want you to find the one who did it.”

Feng Qingbai’s face remained expressionless. “And why should I?”

“When the Princess Consort was in the palace, I never made things difficult for her. In fact, I helped her three times. You have never liked to owe favors. If you don’t want to owe me, then pay me back now.”

A wave of frustration welled up in Feng Qingbai’s chest.

Three times—aside from the two Shengsheng had mentioned, the third time was when the Empress Dowager had personally invited Shengsheng to stay in the Yangxin Hall. Otherwise, rumors would have spread like wildfire.

At that time, Shengsheng would have become the target of public condemnation. 

Feng Mohan would also have been plagued by scandal. And so would he, as well as the entire King’s Manor—they would all have been swept into the storm of gossip.

Feng Mohan had meant well, but the consequences had been numerous. Back then, he hadn’t fully considered the fallout.

Or perhaps he simply didn’t care about rumors.

But he did. Anything that might harm Shengsheng—he would not allow it to exist.