FID – Chapter 854

Chapter 854: You Want to See Him? Wait Until He Can Crawl Out

“What do you mean by that? You suspect Consort Liu and Prime Minister Zuo?” the Empress Dowager asked.”

“Indeed, I once suspected them, but later dismissed those doubts,” Feng Qingbai explained. “Because afterwards, you secluded yourself in here and didn’t come out. This provocation caused me no harm. Even General Qin siding with them was only natural. You and I were already at odds, so General Qin wouldn’t possibly join me.”

“Go on.”

Feng Qingbai glanced sideways at the old woman, enduring her tone as she ordered servants around. “Your Majesty has spent so many years in the harem, and there are many who know your temperament well. With all your blood relatives gone, perhaps some have guessed what you might do, which is why your grandson was ruthlessly targeted.”

“What do you mean?” The Empress Dowager’s brows slowly furrowed, her expression darkening.

“The Empress Dowager suffered blow after blow and became heartbroken, neglecting affairs of the harem. Who stands to benefit from that?”

“Dowager Consort Liu!” Liu Yusheng exclaimed in shock.

If the Empress Dowager collapsed and stopped managing affairs, wouldn’t Consort Liu become the most powerful in the harem?!

The Empress Dowager suddenly stood up, her gaze sharp. “You’re saying Consort Liu deliberately killed Yun’er to seize power, intending to weaken me and claim the throne of the harem?”

“With Consort Liu’s temperament, after the late emperor passed away and there’s still an Empress Dowager above her, she’ll have to spend her whole life under your authority. How could she ever accept that? Besides, since you hate me, it was easy for them to try to win over General Qin.”

“I will confront her immediately! If it’s really her, I will settle the score properly!”

“If Your Majesty approaches her like this, how could she possibly admit it? We have no evidence. I also suspect that the black-clad men who came to see you back then might be connected to the secret faction behind her. She is certainly one of the masterminds, but that faction might not be clean either.”

“She wouldn’t dare not admit it,” the Empress Dowager sneered coldly. “I have lost everything, but she still has her son and grandson. Unless she wants to become a lonely, helpless widow like me!”

Liu Yusheng looked at the fiercely determined Empress Dowager, feeling a chill.

The Empress Dowager was willing to use Consort Liu’s own ruthless methods to force a confession, even to the extent of wiping out her entire line?

Feng Qingbai didn’t stop her. The Empress Dowager was stubborn by nature; once she made a decision, it was hard to change. And she certainly wouldn’t listen to him.

So he let her be.

They watched the Empress Dowager, accompanied by an old maid, head straight toward Qingning Palace. Feng Qingbai then helped Liu Yusheng slowly walk out of the palace.

“You just said this might also involve Consort Liu’s secret faction. Are you referring to Heilian?” As they strolled through the imperial garden, Liu Yusheng walked very slowly.

Her body was growing heavier, and walking was becoming more cumbersome.

Feng Qingbai raised a hand and smoothed away the crease between the woman’s brows. He said, “We can’t be sure if the person who approached the Empress Dowager that day was him. Xue Honglian has someone backing him. He has an uncle who deeply hates the Nanling royal family.”

“An uncle? How do you know that?”

“We ran into each other at the southeastern border,” Feng Qingbai said lightly. He wasn’t going to tell her all the dangerous details. What was done was done, and here he was, standing in front of her safely.

Liu Yusheng pressed her palm to her forehead, feeling like things were only getting more complicated.

Heilian was the leader of the Cangying Pavilion and also the young master of Baicao Valley. He has always been opposed to Feng Qingbai and has attempted to assassinate him dozens of times. 

If he had someone behind him who deeply hated the Nanling royal family, did that mean there was some unresolved hatred between Baicao Valley and the Nanling royal family that they didn’t even know about?

She also sensed that Feng Qingbai was still hiding something. But since he wasn’t willing to say, she didn’t press.

The things he hid were probably because he didn’t want to worry her.

“Do you think Consort Liu will admit it?”

“No. She’ll shirk responsibility.” That was Consort Liu’s usual style. Feng Qingbai didn’t want her to worry too much, so he pulled her close. “You don’t need to worry about these matters. I’ll handle everything. Since I promised the Empress Dowager, I will help her.”

He knew that she cared about the Empress Dowager. Although he and the Empress Dowager were still at odds, he would do his best to reassure her.

“Husband, you truly know how to win my heart.”

“As should be.” A faint smile appeared in his eyes, and when he looked at her, there were stars shining within them.

Standing halfway through the imperial garden, the man and woman embraced, their gazes locked so deeply that even the air felt sweet and thick.

Although it was already December and the weather was cold, there were still palace concubines and servants strolling through the garden who took in this scene.

Once again, they witnessed the king’s affection for his consort.

The wind in the garden was strong, and before long the woman’s nose began to turn a little red from the cold. Feng Qingbai bent down and wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her up and walking quickly away.

Winter clothes were thick enough, and with the weight of the child, most people would find it hard to carry her. But to the man, she felt light as a feather, effortless to hold.

“Feng Qingbai, actually I’m not that heavy; it’s just the coat and the cloak.”

“Right, you’re not heavy. It’s your belly and the clothes.”

“As long as you know.”

The woman was reassured.

The man’s face held a gentle smile all the way as they walked out.

When they returned to the manor, they immediately sensed something was wrong.

The servants each wore expressions of gloom, and when they saw the two, they hesitated to speak as if afraid to say something.

Feng Qingbai raised an eyebrow. They entered the main hall, and he gently placed the woman in a chair, then looked around. “Xue Qinglian, come out.”

No one answered.

Liu Yusheng said slowly, “If you don’t come out soon, I’m going to throw all those jars and bottles in your room away.”

There was no one else in the entire manor who made the servants so secretive and fearful that they dared not complain—except Xue Qinglian.

“Lucky Nannan, you really have no heart! After all, I saved Feng Qingbai’s life at the border, and this is how you repay me—ow!” A figure suddenly climbed in through the window under the eaves, covering his nose and glaring angrily at Feng Qingbai. “Damn you! What did I ever do to you? Aren’t I telling the truth?”

“Saved Feng Qingbai’s life?” The woman’s voice grew cold. Xue Qinglian noticed Liu Yusheng’s face change and, seeing Feng Qingbai’s sharp look, thought, ‘Uh-oh.’ He quickly said, “Back then, the Dongyue Emperor wanted to capture him. It was me who warned him in advance, letting him avoid the trap. Isn’t that saving his life?”

For a moment he forgot that Feng Qingbai never told her anything dangerous.

“Really?” Liu Yusheng frowned suspiciously.

“What else? There’s no need to worry about Feng Qingbai. When it comes to scheming, who can outmatch him?” Xue Qinglian sat down lazily nearby, spreading out behind her, her nose red as she sighed. “I have nowhere to go now, so I’ll just stay at the King’s Manor. You don’t have to worry about me—just remember to feed me three meals a day.”

“What about Xue Honglian?” Feng Qingbai asked calmly.

“Do you want to see him?” Xue Qinglian smiled lazily. “Then you’ll have to wait until he can crawl out.”