Chapter 56 - 45: Logging Off One Person

Pei Jue’s meaning was quite simple.

That is, he could forgive Feng Yun, but he couldn’t forgive Wen Xingsu.

Feng Yun understood how General Pei conducted business and didn’t want to argue or entangle with him on this issue; it would be all disadvantages and no advantages for Wen Xingsu.

So she gave a slight, charming smile, "Okay, then General, spare my brother’s life for me, and let me slowly persuade him to surrender."

Pei Jue tapped his fingers lightly on his knee twice, his expression indifferent, "Fine."

With that word, Feng Yun’s tense body relaxed a little.

Not to mention, Pei Jue was a man of his word.

He had agreed, so her older brother’s life was temporarily safe.

Feng Yun thought for a moment, then spoke again in a gentle voice, "After a day’s rush, the General must be hungry, right? How about we have a meal first and rest before we talk more in detail later?"

Pei Jue’s dark eyes deepened as he looked toward her.

She said nothing, her expression calm and natural.

The gazes of the two met in the air as if sparks were colliding, yet there was also a strange kind of tacit understanding.

Feng Yun didn’t make any explicit hints, but the implications were very clear in her words.

She was willing to compromise for the sake of Wen Xingsu.

For Wen Xingsu’s life, she could do anything.

Including tenderly and gently attending to him.

Pei Jue looked at her with cold eyes, his expression calm as water, "No."

Then, he stood up, "I still have matters to attend to."

Listening to the steady footsteps of Pei Jue gradually moving away, Feng Yun was stunned for a moment before realizing, and was certain, that she had been rejected by Pei Jue...

Feng Yun was stunned for an instant, then let out a long sigh of relief.

That sadly delicate face visibly regained its calm at a pace discernible to the naked eye, and even the corners of her mouth lifted in a barely-there smile.

What kind of proud person was the Great General?

Pei Jue wanted her.

But he wouldn’t want her like this.

Of course, if Pei Jue indeed stayed because of this, Feng Yun wouldn’t mind.

She had indeed thought it through, to suffer a blow sooner or later. General Pei was quite good, he had the merit for it.

Moreover, she could disgust Li Sangruo, which was truly not a loss.

But he left, and Feng Yun was also content to be at ease; after all, if it really came to that step, she still needed some mental preparation. That man was like a wild beast, not easy to deal with—

Feng Yun poured herself a full cup of cold tea, and it took a good moment before she calmed her heart and summoned Alou to ask.

"How is Lin E doing?"

Alou’s expression was tense and sad; she closed the door behind her before coming over to Feng Yun, handing her the packet of medicine she had just confiscated from Lin E’s room.

Feng Yun took it and glanced at it.

"Is she dead?"

Alou spoke softly, "Those two guards were heavy-handed, Lin Ji is at death’s door. The Left Guard said, to find a place later on, dig a hole and bury her, then it’s done."

Feng Yun said, "I’ll go take a look."

—

It was almost the start of autumn, and the weather was dry and stuffy.

The Meiling boys carried buckets of water to the channel to wash their feet; not far away, Lin E, beaten until her skin split and flesh gaped, was discarded like a pile of mud under the porch in the courtyard, blood splattered all over the ground.

The once beautiful and charming head courtesan of Yutangchun, whose body many men had lusted after, was now too damaged to look upon.

Zuo Zhong knew how to make someone suffer intensely.

To beat without killing, to slowly die in the torment of pain, the process was more excruciating than death itself...

Feng Yun didn’t know what others thought when they saw Lin E’s outcome, but the courtesans she saw coming out earlier did not dare to look her in the eye anymore.

It seemed, things would quiet down for a while.

Lin E was no longer viable; seeing Feng Yun holding an umbrella and walking leisurely over, her skirt fluttering elegantly, Lin E forced open her swollen eyelids. It was unclear if she sought help or was filled with regret, her purplish mouth opening and closing.

"Does it hurt?" Feng Yun walked over to Lin E, stood there for a moment, and then slowly squatted down to look at her, "You could have lived well, but you sought death instead. It was such a thoughtless act."

A look of fury suddenly flashed through Lin E’s eyes, which also seemed like confusion, grievance, or perhaps even more emotions.

Feng Yun knew that Lin E was confused.

The packet of medicine in the makeup box, Lin E herself hadn’t opened it, so why was Feng Yun poisoned?

Without clearing this up, Lin E would not die in peace.

"So foolish," Feng Yun chuckled lightly, gazing at the stars far in the sky, gently stroked Lin E’s hanging hair, sighing at her deathly struggle and unwillingness to give in.

"I actually never intended to harm you. Yet you, although you did not poison me, it wasn’t because you harbored any kindness, but because I never gave you the chance to do so..."

Lin E’s head shook slightly, her breathing faint.

"Are you wondering how I knew about this?" Feng Yun pursed her lips in a smile and whispered two words in her ear.

Lin E’s eyes widened, staring fixedly at Feng Yun.

Seeing her angry and helpless, Feng Yun didn’t feel happy.

She knew the pain and despair of death and sighed again.

"Do you still want to know who actually poisoned me?"

Lin E couldn’t speak, only her body occasionally convulsed, showing she was still alive.

But she winked at Feng Yun, showing her strong, desperate desire to know.

Feng Yun was silent for a long time.

As she took in Lin E’s appearance, the image that emerged in her mind was of the Feng Yun who had died in the Qi Palace in her previous life. And so, she smiled bitterly, "Sometimes, after enduring too much suffering and injustice, a person’s nature becomes hardened. Cruel to others, even crueler to oneself."

Lin E’s mouth gaped open as if she had an epiphany.

She seemed to want to say something but couldn’t make a sound.

That look of disbelief in her eyes slowly turned to horror amid Feng Yun’s smile.

The most astute hunter always appears in the guise of prey. Indeed, Feng Yun had ingested the poison herself.

Upon discovering Lin E’s collusion with Eunuch Fang, she bided her time, waiting for an opportunity like this to turn the tables.

She rescued Wen Xingsu, fooled Ao Qi and others, then let Wen Xingsu go— as long as they didn’t leave Andu, what followed would inevitably be a storm from Pei Jue, Li Sangruo, and even the entire Imperial Court of the Great Jin Dynasty.

At this moment, she was still weak, reborn but without the strength to resist powerful forces.

When one lacks the power to resist, the only option is to use the power of others.

Therefore,

she devised a plan to "kill three birds with one stone."

She poisoned herself and arranged for her trusted Meiling lads to pretend to be kidnapped in a feigned act of self-harm. Firstly, this could quell some of Pei Jue’s anger, and secondly, she could frame Eunuch Fang, incidentally sowing discord between Pei Jue and Li Sangruo’s affections...

As long as Pei Jue remained interested in her, he wouldn’t easily consign her to death.

Thirdly, taking the poison was also to prevent further harm.

In a time of chaos, she couldn’t stay pure and unaffected forever, nor did she have plans to preserve her chastity for a lifetime, but she also didn’t want to go through the pain of childbirth again, or leave behind future troubles that would bring the pain of her past life upon her once more.

Better to consume a potent poison and end it all...

What she hadn’t anticipated was that Chunyu Yan would suddenly come into the picture, stepping in ahead of the Meiling lads to abduct her...

Staring at the dying Lin E, Feng Yun spoke indifferently, "It’s futile that you’ve struggled among men, yet fail to understand them. Lin Ji, I’ve never considered you a rival. It’s your own doing that led to such an unworthy death."

While speaking to Lin E, she also reminded herself.

"The last thing a woman should do is long for a man who pays her no mind."

Lin E’s tears fell as she stared motionlessly at her, her mouth open as if gasping for breath, squeezing two words out through her clenched teeth...

"You... so... cruel..."

Feng Yun smiled.

What’s wrong with being cruel to oneself? She hadn’t actively harmed anyone.

If Lin E hadn’t harbored the intention to harm her, she wouldn’t have been met with a resounding slap in return...

Yet even so, she merely escaped punishment from Pei Jue and ensured that Lin E received her retribution, without causing the slightest damage to Li Sangruo...

This was probably the bias of a man’s favor.

She had to devise every tactic just to survive, hoping Pei Jue would spare her due to her victim status and personally ensure her safety. Meanwhile, Li Sangruo did nothing and yet received his full protection...

"Uh... ah..."

The moan carried by the wind was brief and faint.

Then it fell into silence.

Lin E likely didn’t have enough strength left to let out a cry of despair.

She just lay there, her eyes wide open, staring at Feng Yun in agony as she left this world.

Feng Yun covered Lin E’s eyes with the palm of her hand, waiting until her eyelids closed before she quietly stood up, supporting her knees as if the prolonged squatting was too much for her, her movements slow like those of an elderly woman...

Alou came over to support her, "My lady..."

Feng Yun shook her head, "I’m fine, just a bit of leg cramps."

Having been with her for so long, Alou somewhat understood her temperament and naturally knew it wasn’t just leg cramps.

"That medicine, are you really alright?"

"I’m fine." Feng Yun’s smile didn’t waver, "With the Medical Officer from Puyang here, what could go wrong?"

Alou, still half doubting, also felt a twinge of annoyance, "It is my fault for not managing things properly, causing so many complications. Now, there’s still no news of the brothers Ge Guang and Ge Yi. I’m really anxious. Could it be that they’ve fallen into the hands of the Crown Prince of Yunchuan?"

Yesterday, Ge Guang and Ge Yi were ready outside, just waiting for Feng Yun to signal through the window to "abduct" her. Even their escape plan was thoroughly prepared...

But who could have predicted that Feng Yun would be taken by Chunyu Yan, while the whereabouts of Ge Guang and Ge Yi remained unknown.

Feng Yun had also suspected that Chunyu Yan had taken them.

However, there was no indication from him inside the carriage yesterday, so she wasn’t sure.

"If they’ve fallen into Chunyu Yan’s hands and they confess honestly, they should have no fear for their lives. But the fear is, if they keep tight-lipped and refuse to divulge the truth, they’ll suffer."

Alou was deeply concerned, "The Ge brothers would never betray you, my lady."

Therefore, Chunyu Yan, eager to clear his own name, will surely interrogate them harshly.

If they refuse to confess, they’ll endure severe torture.

And what was even more frightening was...

"If they’re not with the Crown Prince of Yunchuan, what then?"

Feng Yun knew that Alou had formed a bond with the Meiling lads over these days, sharing joys and sorrows, and had become as close as brothers.

Seeing his worry, she could only attempt to reassure him calmly.

"I will find a way to reach out to Chunyu Yan, to probe his intentions. You continue to send people to search. No matter the cost, we must find them..."

Alou nodded heavily as if thinking of something else, then asked in a low voice, "My lady, what should we do with Huan Jiao?"

Feng Yun turned back to glance at the curled-up and deceased Lin E.

"She cannot be spared."