Chapter 42: A tentative advance led to her being pulled into the hot spring by the man...
Upon hearing this, Gao Yu's expression immediately changed. His usual official tone vanished, replaced by an unquenchable resentment. "Feng Tan, when you crippled my son for a prostitute, didn't you ever think he would end up in my hands?"
Feng Tan toyed with a straw in his hand, not even lifting his eyelashes. "Fighting and injuring people should be punished by imprisonment. It's only natural that you ran into the authorities."
Gao Yu suddenly approached Feng Tan, tightly gripping Feng Tan's prison uniform with his uninjured hand, and said, word by word, "Fighting and assault? Do you think I, Gao Yu, would only convict you of such a crime?"
Feng Tan looked at his furious face without fear, her eyes clear and calm, and said, "Then what crime do you want to pin on me?"
The young man before him was stunningly beautiful, and Gao Yu now felt nothing but hatred as he looked at him. He tightened his grip, forcing Feng Tan to tilt his head back, and sneered, "I can't pin any crime on you, but I have plenty of ways to make you wish you were dead while you're imprisoned."
According to the laws of the Great Vision, causing serious injury to someone is punishable by sixty strokes of the cane and five years of imprisonment. Just as Feng Tan had guessed, Emperor Chongming would not allow Gao Yu to imprison her for five years according to the laws of the Great Vision. With her chained hands, she forcefully pried off Gao Yu's fingers that were gripping her prison clothes, quickly pried open his jaw, and threw a pill inside.
Feng Tan moved with lightning speed, so fast that Meng Sheng was stunned and didn't even have time to react. Gao Yu's face was contorted with rage as he strained his throat and roared, "What did you feed me?"
Meng Sheng quickly pinned Feng Tan to the ground. Despite her disheveled appearance, her words were firm: "This poison dissolves in water and cannot be extracted."
Gao Yu then stopped hoarsely, grabbed Feng Tan's hair and pulled her painfully, his bloodshot eyes like those of a demon from hell, and said, "You dare to poison this old man?!"
“This is the only poison pill in the world,” Feng Tan grinned. “I will give you the antidote whenever I am released from prison. If you touch me in the meantime, this year will be your death year.”
A crimson flame flickered in Gao Yu's eyes. In the Wan Niang case, the two officials who died had died from ingesting a large amount of Yin Ghost Poison, and their deaths were extremely painful and gruesome. Where did Feng Tan get this poison? Feng Tan was a man of integrity and a man of his word, so there was no way Gao Yu could torture him as he pleased.
Gao Yu gradually calmed down. Today, he was blinded by Tongtian's rage, which led him to dare to approach this arrogant brat in person... No matter, no matter, there is still a long road ahead. When Feng Tan is no longer useful to His Majesty, he will definitely grind Feng Tan down to the bone!
Gao Yu had suffered a defeat. He looked at Feng Tan with the eyes of a hawk ready to tear its prey apart, his malice undisguised. "Feng Tan, this cell will eventually become your grave. We'll see."
Gao Yu turned around, and Feng Tan released her grip. While moving her twisted arm, she "advised" Gao Yu: "What goes around comes around, be careful of backlash, Lord Gao."
Seeing Gao Yu leave, Meng Sheng silently gave Feng Tan a smile and followed him away. Zhen Yongming glanced at Feng Tan and was stopped by her as he was leaving.
"Lord Zhen, please wait."
......
Feng Tan was imprisoned for more than a month. After her release, she immediately went home and took a hot bath. Meng Henabuer cooked a large table of dishes for her, and she finally ate to her heart's content.
In early May, a gentle breeze blew, and at sunset, the sky was ablaze with rosy clouds, and the courtyard was tranquil. Feng Tan fed the gyrfalcon, dressed in a loose blue robe, and stepped out.
The imperial decree promoting her has been issued, and Feng Tan will be going to the Ministry of Justice to take up her post tomorrow. Therefore, she is hosting a banquet today for several of her colleagues from the Ministry of Justice at Fangchun Garden. The reason is simple: the Prince of Chu is also there today, and she wants to use this opportunity to gather information about the Prince of Chu and assess his true strength.
Standing here again, Feng Tan looked up at the couplet personally written by Zheng Guanhe on the pillars at the entrance of the garden: "The sound of mist and clouds riding the wind never stops, winter and spring are just natural." At this moment, she had some different feelings. To Feng Tan, Zheng Guanhe was just a powerful minister she didn't know. She didn't understand why Zheng Guanhe had helped her this time.
Fangchun Garden was famous for its imitation of spring scenery and the presence of Su Bai, the most famous courtesan in the capital. Now that spring is in full bloom and Su Bai has been completely wiped out by Xiao Yinshi, people in the capital feel that the place has become less auspicious, so fewer people come here by reputation, and those who come regularly are mostly old customers.
Walking along the corridors and across the water in the garden, every step revealed a new scene. The servant who led Feng Tan was the same one as before. He looked at Feng Tan and his tone was noticeably more respectful, "I heard that Lord Feng has been promoted to the fifth rank. Congratulations!"
When Feng Tan was still a seventh-rank official, this servant was talkative and easygoing, clearly having seen many high-ranking officials, and had no intention of flattering the seventh-rank position. The capital was in turmoil, and now Feng Tan had risen to the fifth rank and was renowned throughout the city. His exploits—competing with a powerful minister for a woman and beating up a spoiled brat for the same person—were widely publicized, earning him a reputation for deep affection and loyalty.
The servant led Feng Tan into Huichun Hall and said, "The gentlemen you invited today arrived early and are just waiting for you to take a seat. The kitchen has prepared fine wine and dishes. Please sit for a moment, and they will be here shortly!"
Upon seeing Feng Tan emerge, the officials from the Six Ministries who had come that day all stood up and said, "Congratulations, Lord Feng!"
After exchanging pleasantries, the group sat down again. Feng Tan looked around and wondered why Jin An wasn't there either, except for Hang Yuanting, who had a grudge against her.
"Brother Jin'an said that to congratulate you on your promotion, he would empty all the fine wines and spirits in Fangchun Garden," the Supervising Secretary of the Ministry of Personnel said, noticing Feng Tan's question. "Hey, hey, here we are!"
Jin An used a hemp rope to tie five jars of wine and laughed, "Gentlemen, let's drink until we're drunk today!"
He opened the wine jug with a hearty gesture, took a big gulp, wiped it with his sleeve, and said, "What strong liquor! Colleagues, let's drink to that!"
The group laughed, raised their glasses, and each took a proud sip before sitting back down. Feng Tan said, "We have plenty of good wine and food today. Gentlemen, please enjoy yourselves!"
Jin An patted Feng Tan on the shoulder and said with a grin, "Don't worry, we won't let your money slip by. A fifth-rank official's salary is much higher, right? We brothers will at least eat your salary for two months, won't we?"
Feng Tan chuckled and patted him on the shoulder, saying, "Alright! Come on, cheers!"
After a few rounds of drinks, some people gradually couldn't keep up. Jin An, who had been so bold just moments before, was now slumped on the table, his cheeks flushed, and he couldn't be woken up no matter how much they called him.
Feng Tan smiled and shook his head, then said to the people at the table, "Please enjoy your meal. I'd like to go to the restroom first."
She found an excuse to leave, pretending to be drunk and staggering. When she reached a secluded spot, she leaped into the Mirror Spring Hall next door, where the King of Chu resided.
Feng Tan's memory of Jingchun Hall was not good. The scene of Xiao Yinshi's men cutting flesh from living people was still vivid in her mind. She bypassed the heavily guarded area and used her superb lightness skill to jump into a corner of the hall.
The moon was high in the sky, and the area was dark and gloomy without lanterns. Feng Tan hid beside the cave rocks and peered into the misty hot spring.
The King of Chu was half-immersed in the hot spring, his white hair flowing freely, his jade-like skin glistening with water droplets, his chest muscles clearly defined, and his lines smooth and even. Behind him, a maidservant was using a jade ladle to slowly pour water onto his back, and beside him was a celadon wine cup filled with clear liquid.
The King of Chu slowly opened his eyes, a slight smile playing on his lips, and said to the maidservant who was serving him, "Alright, you may leave."
With no one to provide water for him, the King of Chu sighed, picked up his wine cup, drank it down, and said, "Would you like a cup as well, Your Excellency?"
Feng Tan emerged from behind the stone wall, his gait somewhat unsteady. He shook his head, rubbing his chin, and said, "Huh? Where have I ended up?"
The King of Chu chuckled and said, "Since Lord Feng is lost, if you're not in a hurry to go back, why not have a couple of drinks with me first?"
Feng Tan had the same idea. She walked unsteadily to the edge of the pool and sat down, looking down at the King of Chu in the hot spring. She said, "Your Highness is enjoying yourself. I have heard that the hot springs in Fangchun Garden are all flowing water, drawn from glaciers thousands of miles away. It costs five hundred taels of silver for one soak."
The boy's sharp glint was hidden behind his misty, watery eyes. The King of Chu, with his deep gaze, spoke elegantly: "Five hundred taels of silver is nothing. Whether you give it to the girls at the Red Sleeve Pavilion or come here for a bath, it's hardly a luxury."
Feng Tan raised an eyebrow and said, "Then I should say, Your Highness has a lot of money?"
Feng Tan emphasized the words "so much silver," and the King of Chu understood the implied meaning. He leaned against the stone wall, his peach blossom eyes filled with unfathomable emotions as he looked at Feng Tan, and said in a soft and gentle voice, "Lord Feng, would you like to try this hot spring?"
“No need,” Feng Tan readily agreed, a smile playing on her lips. “After all, not everyone is as fortunate as Your Highness.”
The King of Chu's eyes darkened, and he said, "The imperial family enjoys wealth and honor, but some people would rather not have these blessings."
The playful look in Feng Tan's eyes vanished, and she looked back at Feng Tingxiao with a serious expression.
Judging from his behavior, he is a womanizer in the capital and seems to have no ambition for power. However, he always gives her a feeling that he is very secretive. During the Fengshan ceremony, he intentionally or unintentionally tried to expose Feng Qinghuang's identity. Now, his words seem to be saying that she does not want the title of princess, and also that she is willing to give up her promising future for Lin Wanzhou.
The Silver-Masked Venerable is an eighth-rank official. If the King of Chu is also an eighth-rank official, then the King of Chu is undoubtedly the most suspicious.
Feng Tan picked up the jade ladle and, mimicking the maid's actions, poured water onto the Chu King's back. Looking at the Chu King with a half-smile, she said, "Your Highness was born into a wealthy family, yet there are people around you who treat this wealth as worthless."
The King of Chu stared intently at Feng Tan with his deep gaze, his smile deepening as he said, "Indeed, some people are courting death, preferring to show off their strength rather than wealth and status."
The silent probing and fighting unfolded, containing certain unspeakable emotions, causing the corners of King Chu's peach blossom eyes to turn slightly red. Coupled with his slightly flushed cheeks, he was unbelievably effeminate, lacking any of the maturity and composure one would expect in one's thirties. Instead, he resembled a male fox spirit who had just entered the world.
Feng Tan felt a slight anger rising within her at the blatant sarcasm, but she remained outwardly composed. While her ability to feign innocence wasn't top-notch, it had certainly improved considerably. She sighed and said, "That's truly a pity, to give up such immense wealth. However, Your Highness doesn't look too well. Perhaps you've suffered a stroke from soaking in the water for too long? Let me take your pulse."
After Feng Tan finished speaking, she grabbed one of the King of Chu's arms, but before her fingers could even touch his wrist, the man pulled her into the hot spring pool.
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