"Yes, it's an arranged marriage."
Feng Lingyan's eyes were long and vague, as if she was recalling the past.
"Back then, when I married the Emperor, I unexpectedly met Meng Lishi during my three-day visit. Brother Meng is not only incredibly talented, but also incredibly handsome. He's also the legitimate son of the Meng clan, a family that dates back centuries. Back then, there was a saying in Laifeng Country, 'Lishi in the South, Lingyan in the North,' and he and I were collectively known as the 'Laifeng Twins.'"
"We met in a temple. Initially, he just wanted to compete with me in poetry, song, calligraphy, and painting. However, as we got along so well, we began to feel a mutual appreciation for each other, a sense of regret that we had met too late."
When talking about his past acquaintance with Meng Lishi, Feng Lingyan's handsome face unconsciously showed a smile.
"Have you ever sparred?"
Hua Qingcheng squatted in front of Feng Lingyan, rested her head on his legs, and rubbed her face against his hand, like a kitten with its sharp claws retracted, waiting to be stroked, well-behaved and docile.
"Yeah, compared."
"So who of you wins?"
"We're equally matched. I'm good at calligraphy, and Brother Meng is even better at painting. To be honest, although I come from a family of military commanders, I can't wield a sword or a spear, but Brother Meng is a master of both. Brother Meng once painted a picture of a horseman on horseback for me, and I painted a picture of him dancing with a sword under the moon."
"Lingyan's Horseback Riding Picture?"
Hua Qingcheng understood immediately. She was afraid that the painting "Lingyan Imperial Horse" that the Emperor had shown her at the General's Mansion was most likely an imitation of Meng Lishi's. It was just that the Emperor's painting skills were limited, so he ended up painting a dog instead of a tiger.
"You know this painting? Could it be that... you've seen the emperor?"
Feng Lingyan's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this, and she couldn't help but feel a sense of unease and anxiety. Back then, the emperor had said this painting was incredibly lifelike, but it could only be appreciated by her, so she had taken it.
"No. But... I have indeed met the emperor." Hua Qingcheng said truthfully.
"What? You have met the emperor? Then... did she recognize you?" Feng Lingyan opened her bright eyes, a hint of sadness flashing in her eyes.
Shortly after Feng Lingyan gave birth to Hua Qingcheng, she was abducted by masked men in black. Heartbroken, Feng Lingyan begged the Emperor to find their daughter. However, the Emperor, convinced by slander, believed she had given birth to a demon child, which led to postpartum depression and hallucinations. Has she now realized there was more to the story?
"They didn't recognize each other. The emperor just asked me to appreciate the painting of 'Lingyan Imperial Horse' that she painted for you. However, the emperor's painting skills are really hard to describe. I looked at it for a long time but couldn't figure out what she painted. The more I looked at it, the more it looked like an old man selling charcoal." Hua Qingcheng said embarrassedly.
"The old man selling charcoal? It really looks like it was written by her..." Feng Lingyan couldn't help but smile.
Feng Lingyan and Nalan Yunzhi also had a warm and sweet time, but that beauty was like a blooming flower, stunningly beautiful, but fleeting...
"It's just that, Qingcheng, the Emperor... after all, is the ruler of a country. As the saying goes, 'Serving the Emperor is like serving a tiger.' He can make clouds and rain with a flick of his hand. Life and death are all in her hands. Remember not to be too presumptuous when speaking to her in the future, or you'll get into trouble."
"Okay, I'll remember that."
Seeing Feng Lingyan grabbing her arm excitedly, Hua Qingcheng hurriedly held Feng Lingyan's hands to reassure him.
"Qingcheng, I'm glad you're so sensible."
Feng Lingyan tightened his grip on Hua Qingcheng's hand. In countless dreams of the past, he'd held a little girl's hand, watching her grow up little by little. Her once tiny hands had gradually grown larger, just like now. It was a pity that the time he'd missed out on accompanying his daughter's growth could never be made up.
"Qingcheng, a month before Brother Meng gave birth to Feng'er, the imperial physician diagnosed me with the Phoenix Child. Brother Meng and I made a pact: if I gave birth to a prince, we would become brothers; if I gave birth to a princess, we would become husband and wife."
"Unfortunately, on the day I gave birth to you, you were taken away by a masked man in black. Later, something happened to me, and I've been trapped in this valley ever since. I never expected that even in my absence, Brother Meng would be so loyal and righteous. Not only did he find you, but he also arranged for you to marry Feng'er. But fate has played a trick on me. Feng'er... should have been your legal husband."
Feng Lingyan's handsome face couldn't help but turn a shade of sadness at the memory of the past. If all the pain and suffering he had endured in the past could bring peace and prosperity to his daughter, then he would accept it.
"Master Feng, there is something I must tell you. I hope you won't get too excited after hearing it."
Although she felt a little reluctant, Hua Qingcheng decided to explain some things about the outside world to Feng Lingyan before he left the valley, so that he would not be caught off guard and shocked when he went out.
"What is it?"
Feng Lingyan couldn't help but feel a little nervous when she heard this, but she still tried to restrain herself so as not to make her daughter worry about her.
"Meng Lishi... has passed away." Hua Qingcheng held Feng Lingyan's hand tightly, hoping to bring him some comfort.
"What? Why did Brother Meng..."
"He passed away on the Dragon Boat Festival twelve years ago, on the wedding night of his wife Si Tianyu and Pingfu. Moreover, before Meng Lishi's body was cold, Si Tianyu made Pingfu Nangong Chen his legal wife. Poor Afeng at that time, he was only five years old. Not only did he have to deal with the pain of losing his father, but he also had to endure all kinds of torture from his stepfather Nangong Chen, both overt and covert." Hua Qingcheng said indignantly.
"I never thought that such a talented person like Brother Meng would end up with such a tragic end. It's pitiful! It's sad! It's lamentable!" Feng Lingyan's eyes were red, and she was sad for her former confidant.
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