FID – Chapter 866

Chapter 866: Like a Bristling Hedgehog, Ready to Attack at Any Moment

When Feng Qingbai received the official document, he wasn’t surprised at all.

As long as Yan Rongjin ascended the throne, he was bound to come to Nanling. After all, the Imperial Jade Seal was still in the King’s Manor.

That item was something he had to retrieve no matter what. But as for how he would retrieve it, Feng Qingbai smiled — that wouldn’t be up to Yan Rongjin to decide.

The entire first lunar month passed without any major incidents. The court was peaceful, and the King’s Manor was no different.

As for Xue Qinglian, he seemed to have been completely intimidated by the couple. He avoided leaving his room whenever possible, and even during meals, he would arrive exactly on time, eat quickly, and leave immediately afterward.

He was terrified they might trick more information out of him.

Qin Xiao, meanwhile, had been reassigned as the Chief Military Instructor and had begun the process of selecting capable military talents. A series of assessments was already underway.

Feng Qingbai didn’t interfere or inquire about this. He acknowledged that in this area, he was not as capable as Qin Xiao and had no right to dictate anything.

Regardless of their differing stances, he trusted that with Qin Xiao’s character, he wouldn’t resort to underhanded tactics.

As for the Tiger Tally of the Three Armies, the military token all top-ranking generals eyed with envy, which had been reclaimed from Qin Xiao, Feng Qingbai entrusted it to Shi Kewei.

He would henceforth lead 600,000 troops to guard the border.

Although his reputation in the military didn’t quite match Qin Xiao’s, he was still a formidable general. He got along extremely well with his subordinates and was well-liked. Honest, sincere, and loyal — these were all traits most valued by rank-and-file soldiers.

With Qin Xiao’s letter of recommendation in hand, once he arrived at the border, it wouldn’t be difficult for him to win over the troops.

In mid-February, the King’s Manor received a letter from home in Xinghua Village.

Liu Yusheng was nearing her due date, and the elders at home were worried and kept saying they wanted to come take care of her in person.

Now that the New Year festivities had passed, spring had already begun in the south. Once the spring planting was done, they planned to travel together to the capital to assist with Liu Yusheng’s delivery.

After receiving the letter, Liu Yusheng was all smiles every day. Her spirits were high, and she became noticeably more generous.

When Xue Qinglian came to ask her for a certain medicinal potion, she didn’t refuse like she usually did, prompting Qian Wanjin to exclaim that she had changed her nature.

That particular potion was a treasure. He had known Liu Yusheng for many years and had never seen her take it out lightly, let alone talk about it with others.

Even the Liu family probably only knew of the potion’s effects, not where she had obtained it. 

Fortunately, he wasn’t the type to dig too deeply. As long as Nannan didn’t favor others over him, and if everyone else had it and he did too, he was perfectly content.

After entering February this year, the snow and wind in the capital gradually came to a stop. In another month or so, spring would arrive, with blooming flowers and warmer weather. It was in mid-March that the new emperor of Dongyue landed on the shores and set foot on Nanling territory.

At that time, Feng Mohan and Feng Qingbai, accompanied by the civil and military officials, were at the docks in the suburbs of the capital to welcome him.

When the two young men met again, there was an undercurrent of tension between them. Even a casual glance between them sparked friction like lightning and fire. Neither was willing to yield, and both found the other disagreeable.

However, Yan Rongjin appeared more composed and better at maintaining his calm.

At such a young age, to have already mastered the ability to keep his emotions in check was naturally tied to his life experiences.

Although Feng Mohan had been an orphan since childhood and was raised by Feng Qingbai, his life had been well cared for. Feng Qingbai protected him, planned everything for him, and he never had to worry about much. He had lived in luxury and comfort. The hardships he experienced couldn’t truly be called suffering.

Yan Rongjin, on the other hand, had endured genuine hardship and turmoil.

He had been cruelly branded and tortured by his own siblings, leaving his voice permanently damaged. Later, he was hunted by royal factions and forced to flee constantly. At his lowest point, he had even lived as a beggar.

Naturally, their mindsets were vastly different.

On the way back to the palace from the suburban dock, Feng Mohan kept glaring at Yan Rongjin. His eyes were sharp, his nose twitching; everything about the other person irritated him.

Even Feng Qingbai felt helpless about his behavior. He couldn’t figure out what Yan Rongjin had done to offend him. Every time Feng Mohan saw him, he bristled like a hedgehog with its quills up, ready to attack at any moment.

“Imperial Uncle, when envoys from other nations visit, don’t they usually stay at the diplomatic post in the city? Why are we bringing him directly into the palace?”

Yan Rongjin, seated beside them, lowered his eyes slightly and completely ignored Feng Mohan’s rude comment. He maintained an air of detached indifference, as if the matter had nothing to do with him.

The three of them were riding in the same carriage.

For Feng Mohan to say something like that right in front of him was extremely disrespectful. It was unbecoming of an emperor and lacked the decorum and grace expected of a sovereign.

Feng Qingbai gave him a cool glance. “The Emperor of Dongyue has just ascended the throne and immediately made a visit to Nanling. It is a gesture of goodwill and a sign of the importance placed on relations between our two nations. As such, we in Nanling should respond with courtesy and respect. Only with mutual politeness can we demonstrate the bearing of a great nation. National interests must come first. You must not act so petulantly.”

Only then did Feng Mohan lower his head sullenly, pouting as he replied, “Understood, Imperial Uncle.”

He then looked up at Yan Rongjin and muttered reluctantly, “I ask Your Majesty of Dongyue not to take offense at my earlier rudeness.”

“Your Majesty, Huijing, you speak too seriously,” Yan Rongjin replied calmly. “My personal visit is indeed for the sake of establishing friendly relations between our two nations. I wouldn’t take such a minor incident to heart. I only hope that Nanling and Dongyue can maintain peace for generations to come, wiping the slate clean of past grievances and misunderstandings.”

He was referring to the battle the two countries had fought at the border. Though Dongyue had been defeated and suffered heavy losses, Nanling had not emerged unscathed either.

And it was true that the conflict had been started by Dongyue, placing them in the wrong.

Hearing this, Feng Mohan’s expression eased a bit. He turned his face toward the window and said nothing more.

It wasn’t that he wanted to show kindness to the young emperor. He still didn’t like him, but with his uncle present, he had to put on a proper front no matter what. He couldn’t risk angering his uncle again.

In the past, his uncle had never scolded him so openly. The fact that he had done so this time meant he must have truly found his behavior inappropriate.

“Your Highness, may I ask how the Princess Consort has been lately? This visit to Nanling is partly to establish diplomatic relations between our two nations, and partly out of personal sentiment. I wished to check in on her.”

“She’s doing well. Your Majesty’s concern is appreciated.”

“Would it be possible for me to visit the residence and see the Princess Consort in person? She once saved my life, and I have never forgotten that kindness.”

Feng Qingbai smiled. “Of course. For the Emperor of Dongyue to visit in person is an honor for the King’s Manor.”

He understood clearly. The visit was not just to pay respects, but also undoubtedly had something to do with the Imperial Jade Seal.

For someone so young, Yan Rongjin was already capable of speaking so tactfully. In the future, once he matured, his strength and influence would surely be formidable.

It was no wonder that the former emperor of Dongyue had passed the throne to Yan Rongjin before his death.

Compared to Yan Rongwei’s arrogance, recklessness, and indulgence, Yan Rongjin was far superior.

It wasn’t that Yan Rongjin didn’t have a violent streak. That much could be glimpsed from his occasional sharp looks, but at the very least, he knew how to weigh the consequences and wouldn’t reveal that side of himself lightly.

That was a quality Feng Qingbai admired.

“Thank you, Your Highness.” Yan Rongjin, composed and serious, nodded to Feng Qingbai with the air of a little adult — entirely unlike a boy of just over ten years old.