Chapter 37 Threat: "Feng Tan, make another deal with me."...
Xiao Yinshi stood in the shadows, while Feng Tan stood by the window where the sunlight shone; their positions were an extreme clash of black and white. Xiao Yinshi's tone was light and detached, yet it pressed Feng Tan into a narrow, dead-end alley, leaving her no room to turn back.
Under such extreme pressure, Feng Tan's heartbeat slowly calmed down. Light and shadow floated on her face, like a watercolor painting suddenly emerging with shimmering beauty. "All of this is for Feng Youming."
When Xiao Yinshi said this, it was a statement of affirmation from a superior, while when Feng Tan said it, her tone was powerful and firm, reflecting the goal she had strived for for the past eight years.
Feng Tan gripped Xiao Yinshi's wrist tightly, using some force to move the man's fingers away. She looked up and met Xiao Yinshi's gaze, her voice firm and powerful, "Lord Xiao is the head of the Fengshen Yamen and the Censorate, specializing in impeaching officials. Are you going to imprison me?"
Should we imprison them?
Xiao Yinshi's gaze fell on Feng Tan with a deep and calm expression. He was not surprised that the boy would admit his target. He stroked Feng Tan's white wrist bone with his hand, and used his height advantage to press the boy back against the window frame. He said in a low voice, "Feng Tan, I still underestimated your courage."
Feng Tan humbly replied, "You flatter me, sir."
Xiao Yinshi chuckled, looking at the fearless demeanor of the person in his arms, and said, "You've revealed your true intentions, and you're certain I won't imprison you. What are you relying on?"
“Without any backing, a case must be solved based on evidence,” Feng Tan raised an eyebrow and smiled. “Sir, do you have any evidence?”
Xiao Yinshi certainly didn't. Feng Tan was meticulous in her actions, and after a moment's thought, she said, "Gao Yu had no evidence whatsoever that forced Wan Niang to her death. Feng Tan, how do you know I can't?"
Feng Tan understood the deeper meaning in his words: How do you know that I can't make you submit obediently without any evidence? This is the advantage of those in power. The law is just for show, torture is used to satisfy personal interests, and the lowly underlings can only be killed at the mercy of others.
Ke Fengtan didn't agree with the rules that the world accepted. Since she dared to admit it, she dared to deny it outright. He had leverage, but how could he know that she didn't? "Xiao Yinshi, you have investigated my background thoroughly. You don't think you can hide yours perfectly, do you?"
The man tightened his grip on Feng Tan's wrist, his gentle gaze suddenly turning fierce. "What do you know?"
If the Embroidered Uniform Guards were Xiao Yinshi's hounds, capable of gathering intelligence for him, then the Red Sleeve Pavilion was Feng Tan's spy, whose ability to gather intelligence was unparalleled.
Feng Tan's gaze fell on Xiao Yinshi's arm, which was gripping hers, and she said, "Lord Xiao has nine scars on her wrist. No one can carve such long scars on the wrist of a ninth-rank martial artist. You attempted suicide, didn't you? But your family is wealthy and peaceful in Jiangnan, and your life has been one of smooth and successful advancement. What could possibly be worth committing suicide for?"
Xiao Yinshi narrowed his eyes. "So you investigated me?"
Feng Tan nodded, "How could I, Feng Tan, dare to be careless when dealing with a tiger?"
Xiao Yinshi felt a secret excitement rising within him as he met his match. He slowly parted his lips and asked, "Tell me, what did you find out?"
Feng Tan waved his hand and said, "That's all. All I know is that your identity is fake."
Xiao Yinshi coaxed, "Is that all Lord Feng is capable of?"
Feng Tan wasn't fooled. He said, "That's all the ability you have, but it's enough. The Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, the highest supervisory body in Dahuang... His identity is fake. If this news comes out, the Dahuang officialdom will be in an uproar. You've offended quite a few people, haven't you? What will be the outcome?"
Xiao Yinshi said, "You're threatening me."
Feng Tan remained noncommittal. She would stop at nothing to bring down anyone who stood in her way. Her deal with Xiao Yinshi was coming to an end. He could be a handy weapon, or he could be a demon from hell coming to take her life.
Xiao Yinshi stared intently at Feng Tan, his dark eyes reflecting the boy's confident expression. Recalling their first meeting, the boy had fearlessly challenged him to rescue Lin Wanzhou, and now he still fearlessly threatened him. In truth, his personality hadn't changed at all: bold yet meticulous, recklessly naive.
Amidst the tense atmosphere, Xiao Yinshi subtly curved the corners of his lips. A strange, perverse addiction surged within him, causing his eyes to redden and the nine scars on his arm to burn. "Feng Tan, make another deal with me."
The two were very close, enough for Feng Tan to clearly see every change in Xiao Yinshi's face. Xiao Yinshi was usually calm, aloof, and taciturn, but now, looking at the faint red at the corner of his eyes, she felt a strange sense of dread. She felt that there seemed to be other attributes beneath this calm exterior, making him hard to fathom.
"What deal?"
Xiao Yinshi said, "I guarantee you won't die if you fail, and you'll have a night of pleasure with me."
"..." Feng Tan's eyes widened. "I'm not doing this deal."
How did he know he was bound to fail? And he didn't discriminate between men and women, expecting her to trade her dignity for her life? Speechless with frustration, Feng Tan didn't even have the desire to argue with him anymore.
Xiao Yinshi curled his lips, not surprised by the boy's answer, and then delivered other news, "Feng Tan, Feng Hengdao has passed away."
A roar filled Feng Tan's ears, and a crack appeared on his usually composed face. His voice was calm as he asked, "When?"
Xiao Yinshi said, "One month ago."
Xiao Yinshi released his grip on Feng Tan, took two steps back, and before Feng Tan turned and walked out of the cabin, he looked at her lonely figure and sighed, "This deal is still valid."
The boundless darkness completely concealed the terror in his eyes, and his unfinished words echoed in the dim cabin, "I want to see you with nowhere else to go... and the pitiful sight of having to beg me for help."
***
The capital city, the residence of Grand Tutor Feng.
Since Feng Hengdao requested to withdraw from officialdom in the third year of Chongming, the Feng family has become more and more desolate. Few servants have been dismissed, and those who remain are loyal old servants who have served for many years.
It was early March, just past Shen time, and the sky was neither dark nor light when the old servant Bai Liang heard a knock at the door. He hunched over and opened the gate.
The visitor was Zheng Qingru, dressed in white with a bamboo flute hanging from his waist. He bowed and said, "Uncle Bai, I have come to pay my respects to the Grand Tutor."
Bai Liang is mute. After his family suffered a tragedy when he was young, his father sold him to human traffickers. The traffickers made him mute and forced him to beg on the streets. Fortunately, he met Feng Hengdao, who rescued him from the traffickers. He lived up to Feng's expectations and worked his way up to the position of steward.
Feng Hengdao had been kind to him, and the once vast Feng mansion now only had him as a servant. After Feng Hengdao's death, he handled all the ceremonies by himself. The mourning hall for the old Feng was set up in the back hall. Zheng Qingru often came to the Feng mansion to accompany the Grand Tutor and listen to his lectures. He was familiar with the back hall, so he did not lead him there. He only gestured, "The princess is also here."
Zheng Qingru nodded and walked to the back hall.
In the back hall, Feng Qinghuang stood before Grand Tutor Feng's memorial tablet. She was dressed in a white palace gown, her hair piled high, and she stood alone. Hearing footsteps behind her, she raised an eyebrow, a look of surprise flashing across her face. "Zheng Qingru? What brings you here?"
Zheng Qingru walked up to Feng Qinghuang, his gaze fixed on her with a focused and inquisitive look. "I've come to find you."
"Looking for me?" Feng Qinghuang smiled slightly, turned around and sat down on the carved sandalwood chair behind her, and slowly scoffed, "You've come to interrogate me, haven't you?"
Zheng Qingru's handsome face stiffened slightly. Seeing that she made no attempt to hide the matter, he nodded and said, "Yes."
He had always been a reserved and refined gentleman, but now his words were sharp and aggressive, "Yongle, you... why did you seduce Gao Zhizhen!"
Zheng Qingru leaned closer, his eyes burning with passion. A breeze swept through, causing their hair to tangle together. Feng Qinghuang smiled knowingly and said, "There's no reason. As long as I seduce him and play with him, it'll make me happy."
Zheng Qingru's pupils constricted, his fingers gripping the armrests on either side of hers until they turned pale, and he gritted his teeth, saying, "Don't you understand what you're saying? He's your brother-in-law now, and your sister is carrying his child, the child is already over three months old... How could you... how could you do such a thing..."
Zheng Qingru couldn't bring himself to say anything harsher, so Feng Qinghuang calmly finished his sentence, "How could someone do something so immoral, shameless, and utterly inhumane... Hmm... what other words are there? Let me think..."
"Phoenix Soaring Phoenix!"
Zheng Qingru hadn't called her by her real name in a long time, always referring to her by her title. This roar showed how furious he was; his handsome face flushed slightly, and bloodshot veins appeared in his eyes. "You're a princess! You could have any man you wanted, why him of all people? He's a scoundrel!"
Feng Qinghuang watched the young man's furious outburst, her emotions remaining perfectly stable. She gently lifted their intertwined hair, her movements alluring, but her voice devoid of emotion. "Zheng Qingru, I asked you for help but you refused. You uphold your gentlemanly ways, while I walk my humble path. Where do you get such a magnanimous attitude?"
Zheng Qingru was taken aback upon hearing this. He shifted his grip from the armrest to the shoulders of the person in his arms, his tone sincere yet pained, "You did this for Mr. Gao? Why... I've already said, rescuing Mr. Gao is a pipe dream, even if you are His Majesty's legitimate princess, you can't... But you've taken a risky approach, why did you seduce Gao Zhizhen?"
“I’ve already said, as long as I’m happy, that’s all that matters. Why ask so many questions?” Feng Qinghuang leaned closer to the young man, her breath gently brushing against his face, and teased, “Or is it that if I seduce Lord Zheng, he can lend me a hand?”
Zheng Qingru's face flushed red, and he abruptly took a step back, shaking his head. "Yongle, you weren't like this eight years ago. What's wrong with you? Why are you so determined to overturn Feng Youming's case? She violated the laws of the court and the principles of morality and ethics, and it was only for Your Majesty's sake that she was allowed to live for ten more years. You are just a princess, behave yourself..."
Feng Qinghuang interrupted him again, "Wouldn't it be better to wait patiently for you to marry me, then live a peaceful life in the Zheng family's inner quarters, being a good wife and mother, enjoying the happiness of family life?"
Zheng Qingru remained silent; this was exactly what he meant.
When he was a child, he was a tutor to Emperor Yongle and he truly admired Mr. Feng. Mr. Feng was a man of great knowledge and interest, as he was proficient in astronomy, geography and all things related to the emperor and could invent many novel things.
Later, however, she began to teach Yongle and Yu Ruxi not to be bound by feudal dogma, but to be self-reliant and to live a free life. She even led a group of women to establish a girls' school and a women's journal...
Zheng Qingru was a student of Confucianism and received an education that emphasized the Three Obediences and Four Virtues, male superiority over female, the husband being the head of the household, the saying "starving to death is a small matter, losing one's chastity is a big matter," and "a woman's virtue lies in her lack of talent." Therefore, he did not agree with these teachings.
Feng Qinghuang stood up and walked step by step closer to Zheng Qingru until he had nowhere to retreat. She raised her face, her eyes gleaming with brilliant light. "No! She is a pioneer, a savior, a revolutionary! She who carries firewood for the masses must not be allowed to freeze to death in the wind and snow! Zheng Qingru, didn't you ask why my spy was at Dali Temple that day?"
Zheng Qingru was stunned by her sudden outburst of aura and asked, "Why?"
Feng Qinghuang calmed down somewhat and said, "I was investigating the cause of Empress Xiaoxian's death, and the results were very unexpected and drove me crazy."
Zheng Qingru's mind was no longer sharp. He didn't notice why Feng Qinghuang didn't address Empress Xiaoxian as "Mother Empress" but as "Empress Xiaoxian." So he simply followed her words and asked, "Didn't Empress Xiaoxian immolate herself in the flames?"
Feng Qinghuang smiled sarcastically, her eyes calm and deep. "No."
Zheng Qingru was utterly shocked. "Then how did she die?"
Feng Qinghuang smiled, but did not answer the question.
It was already completely dark, and the early spring night was a bit chilly. When Shang Chunxiang saw the princess come out, she bowed and helped her up.
Feng Qinghuang placed her hand on Shang Chunxiang's back, her demeanor noble and elegant. She glanced back at the refined young man standing in front of the mourning hall and said, "Stop criticizing my actions. You have been taught by her for many years, yet you think her death is not worth mourning. You are not worthy at all."
She paused, then said, "From now on, we don't need to walk the road together."
Shang Chunxiang noticed the princess's fingers were cold and asked, "Is the princess still so sensitive to the cold? Is the illness you developed as a child so difficult to cure?"
“This is a terminal illness, it’s incurable,” Feng Qinghuang said softly. As her intense emotions subsided, she regained her composure and asked, “When will Feng Tan return to the capital?”
Shang Chunxiang said, "Ren Pingsheng sent word that he'll be back in the next couple of days, probably tomorrow."
Feng Qinghuang's eyes flickered. "Ah, what a coincidence. Emperor Chongming is setting off for Jingshan tomorrow to hold the Jingshan Fengshan ceremony, isn't he?"
Shang Chunxiang said, "That's right."
Feng Qinghuang asked, "Who are the nobles and princes who accompanied you?"
"The cabinet, the six ministries, the nine ministers and six departments—officials of the fourth rank and above, the two princes, the Imperial Concubine, and Princess Daijie, and perhaps those nobles from Hua Kingdom are also there." Shang Chunxiang looked at Feng Qinghuang's beautiful face and asked, "Does the princess wish Gao Zhizhen to come along?"
Feng Qinghuang's red lips curled up, revealing a naturally alluring fox-like appearance. She winked mischievously and said, "Of course, the stage is all set up, how can the performers not be there?"
She stepped onto the magnificent carriage adorned with brocade and dragon carvings. The palace lanterns hanging from the four corners of the carriage illuminated the enigmatic smile on Feng Qinghuang's lips. "On the big day of my Ah Tan's promotion, I naturally have to give her a grand gift."
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