Chapter 654 - 471 Impeachment of Sher Folding

The Grand Princess’s upbringing of male favorites was known to everyone at the Imperial Court, yet the common folk rarely heard of it.

With such widespread rumors this time, the reputation of the Grand Princess was certainly damaged.

Many onlookers, specifically making a trip to the front of the Princess Residence, peered from a distance, eager to catch a glimpse of the commotion.

However, the doors of the Princess Residence were tightly shut today, with silence all around, and no one to be seen leaving or entering for quite a while.

When Puyang Yi pushed the door and entered, only the Grand Princess was sitting alone in the inner room.

The fire in the stove had extinguished, and the room was chillingly cold.

"Mother," Puyang Yi approached cautiously, seated beside the Grand Princess’s knees, looking up at her.

"What others say doesn’t matter, let them speak; as long as you and my brother understand, that’s enough."

The Grand Princess lowered her head to look earnestly at her sensible daughter.

Puyang Yi managed a smile, "Men having numerous wives and concubines raises no objection, and my dear mother, being the Grand Princess, is entitled to keep a few favorites, isn’t she?"

Puyang Yi used to detest such conversations.

To reassure her mother, however, she had loosened up.

The Grand Princess also let out a wry smile, slowly raising her hand to gently stroke Puyang Yi’s head.

"I should have dismissed them all long ago... Yi’er, do you really not blame your mother, for ruining your marriage prospects because of me?"

After Puyang Yi’s widowhood, the Grand Princess had enlisted a matchmaker to find her suitors, but in their social standing, many things were interrelated—what pertained to the Grand Princess was not openly discussed but was known to all.

They dared not offend the Grand Princess to her face, declining her with excuses and reasons, but in truth, it was because of this matter.

Back in the day, the most absurd instance was an official surnamed Qiu whose position was too low. Fearing that the Grand Princess would force her daughter upon his son, and unable to refuse gracefully, he hastily arranged a marital alliance for his son overnight...

Puyang Yi shook her head, "Mother, I don’t blame you. Really, do not feel guilty, I truly don’t."

Her biological father, the previous Prince Consort Commandant, was a man the Grand Princess seldom spoke of, and even more so after his death, remaining reticent.

Yet Puyang Yi retained memories of her early years...

Her mother was not as glorious as she appeared.

"What do you think, could this have been Feng Yun’s doing?"

The Grand Princess suddenly turned and looked at her sharply.

Puyang Yi was startled, shaking her head reflexively in denial.

"No, it can’t be Ayun... Ayun wouldn’t stoop to such despicable means for revenge. If she had taken the matter to heart, she wouldn’t have let it go at the time."

The Grand Princess saw her daughter’s eagerness to defend Feng Yun and sighed.

"So, it seems someone can’t wait to see me and the Prince of Yonghuai at each other’s throats."

Puyang Yi hadn’t thought that far.

She naively assumed it was a careless servant’s blabber that got exaggerated by others.

Her expression changed upon hearing this.

"Who would dare such boldness?"

The Grand Princess looked at Puyang Yi, and blinked slowly.

"Later, take a couple of people with you, tie up Tan Tai, and bring him to the Pei Residence."

Puyang Yi was stunned for a moment, "Yes."

Tan Tai had been with the Grand Princess for many years, held more esteem than other favorites, and was closer to her than anyone else...

Speaking of which, with so many favorites in the residence, most were merely for entertainment; very few could truly become the Grand Princess’s confidants.

Tan Tai was one of them.

Puyang Yi often felt that her mother had genuine affection for this man. Perhaps this was another reason her heart felt unsettled...

-

When Puyang Yi visited the residence, Feng Yun was sitting by the window, warming herself near the brazier, watching Xiaoman and Huanhuan clean up.

The gifts for the wedding banquet had been received by the Pei Residence, but Xiaoman and Zuo Zhong paid for the expenses; thus, Feng Yun gave Xiaoman everything she would need.

Xiaoman, being generous, took out some fabrics for the sisters to pick from.

Feng Yun knew the purpose of Puyang Yi’s visit the moment she was reported to be coming.

Therefore, when Puyang Yi entered the room, Feng Yun greeted her with a warm inviting smile.

"My lord, please come sit. I was just about to send for you, and here you are."

Puyang Yi, coming from the outside cold, rubbed her hands vigorously and sat down beside Feng Yun.

"Ayun, I’m here at the behest of my mother."

Talking about this matter made her hesitant, "It’s all my fault. If I had accompanied you to see Gong yesterday... Tan Tai, I’ve brought him. Mother says his fate is up to you."

Feng Yun looked at her calmly, still with a faint smile.

"This puts me in a difficult position. The people of the Grand Princess, how could I, a mere subject’s wife, dare to decide their fate? I won’t be pretentious with you. If your highness cannot tolerate him, just deal with it yourself. If you can’t bear to let him go, keeping him is fine as well. There’s really no big issue here, no need to be so solemn. And don’t pay attention to the idle gossip outside."

Puyang Yi did not expect her to turn around and comfort her.

"Ayun, you’re truly kind."

Is that all?

Feng Yun chuckled softly, "You are indeed easy to please."

Puyang Yi held Feng Yun’s arm, leaning on her for warmth.

"I don’t need your cajoling, I cling to you on my own. Ayun, you’re warm, you’re fragrant, not just men but even I, a woman, want to be close to you..."

Feng Yun hummed with laughter, offering no response.

Puyang Yi then lifted her eyes, asking with curiosity, "You said you had something to find me for?"

Feng Yun nodded with a smile, had someone fetch Wen Xingsu’s letter, and handed it to Puyang Yi.

"Take a look."

Puyang Yi saw the envelope addressed to her; she laughed lightly.

Feng Yun pulled out the letter, pointing it out.

The letter read: "General Wen sends his regards to the Lord of Pingyuan County: Your jade pendant was well received, for which I can offer no words of thanks. I will return to Xijing soon and visit you then."

Puyang Yi, reading the forceful calligraphy, felt her heartbeat race like the thundering hooves of ten thousand horses. Clutching Feng Yun’s hands, she was bashful yet overjoyed.

"Ayun, you must tell me, does General Wen like the jade pendant or does he like me?"

Feng Yun made her laugh.

"Don’t you already have an answer in your heart?"

Puyang Yi bit her lower lip, holding back a smile, and shook her head.

"Of course, I hope he likes me, but... I feel insecure."

From Wen Xingsu’s indifference to his sudden change, it all happened so fast, and she was somewhat taken aback.

Feng Yun actually felt the same way.

But after pondering, she said teasingly.

"When the eldest brother returns home, there will certainly be family members urging him to marry, or arranging some lady for him. The eldest brother will definitely remember... How the Lord of Pingyuan County, far away in Dajin, is ten times, a hundred times better than them? Thinking of this, he will remember your good qualities more and more..."

Puyang Yi was overjoyed with her words.

"Thank you, Ayun..."

"Thank me for what?"

"If it weren’t for you, there wouldn’t even be the beginning of an’eight-character’ connection between me and General Wen..."

Feng Yun also smiled, "Then you better prepare your thanks gifts early."

Originally, Feng Yun planned to return to Andu after the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, but because Wen Xingsu had written that he would come to Xijing with serious intentions to finalize the marriage arrangements, she had to change her plans and stay a while longer to take care of her eldest brother’s affair.

-

Pei Jue returned to his residence very late that day.

Ever since he returned to Xijing, he had not taken a single day off, braving wind and snow, attending court every day. Feng Yun hadn’t seen anyone more diligent in governance than him.

Feng Yun had someone take his outer robe and sat down to wash up before sitting at the wooden desk with him to warm by the fire and drink tea.

"The Lord of Pingyuan County came by today."

She told Pei Jue about the day’s events.

"I didn’t keep her, she took the gifts and left."

Pei Jue nodded.

Since the Grand Princess had backed down, clearly with the intention to mitigate the issue, they naturally couldn’t nitpick...

But that was only in the case of the Grand Princess.

Pei Jue clearly didn’t want to let the matter rest there.

"I’ve sent people to trace the source of the rumors."

Feng Yun thought for a moment, the matter was framed as involving her and the Grand Princess, but in the eyes of others, it was Pei Jue who was put in an awkward position.

Who would want their wife to be harassed by others?

Her eyes flickered slightly, "Do you feel you’ve lost face?"

Pei Jue glanced at her half-smiling expression and reached out to brush a lock of hair from her forehead.

"I don’t want Lady Yun to be wronged."

His voice was deep and gentle, and in the firelight, his face took on an indefinably handsome quality.

Indeed, one should not look upon their beau beneath the lamp light, for it makes the heart flutter.

Feng Yun suspected that she was too swayed by desire, just watching Pei Jue, she found her thoughts couldn’t stay focused on the matter at hand.

"Let them be, I will be back in Andu soon enough. If I don’t hear it, it’s not a problem."

Pei Jue’s expression tensed slightly, and after looking at her for a moment, he said:

"We won’t be able to leave anytime soon."

Feng Yun looked up, gazing deeply into his eyes.

Pei Jue wasn’t quite himself tonight.

She asked, "What happened?"

Pei Jue said, "Today I saw two petitions. One was from the Andu County Commandant, Liang Huanzhang, and the other from the County Lord of Xinyi, Chen Jue..."

Feng Yun, "What did they say?"

Pei Jue furrowed his brow, but instead of speaking, he slowly pulled Feng Yun into his arms.

"With me here, nothing will happen."

Feng Yun’s heart skipped a beat, "Are they impeaching me?"

Pei Jue confirmed with his silence.

Feng Yun raised her eyebrows with a smile, "Let me guess, surely it’s again about me being a Nanqi spy or something of that nature, right?"

Pei Jue wrapped his arms around her, pressing her soft body tightly against his chest, his hot palm caressing slowly and deliberately over her back.

"The petitions have reached the Empress Dowager’s hands."

"What evidence?" Feng Yun raised her eyebrows, "They can’t just accuse without proof based on their bare words, right?"

Pei Jue didn’t reply.

Feng Yun noticed a fleeting coldness in his sharp gaze and felt a surge of anxiety.

"Or are you saying they’ve obtained some definitive evidence?"

Pei Jue reached out, smoothing the wrinkles in her clothes, and spoke casually.

"Come with me to the palace to see His Majesty tomorrow."

As not only the Princess of Yonghuai but also the Chief Historian of the Prince of Yonghuai Residence, she had to be dealt with according to the laws of the Imperial Court due to the incident.

She smiled, quickly regaining her composure.

"I knew it, why bother with all this effort. So, they were all waiting here for me."

The Andu County Commandant, Liang Huanzhang, was someone she had offended before, but the County Lord of Xinyi, Chen Jue, had no grievances with her...

Moreover, this man was born of the staff at the Grand Princess Residence, indeed a confidant of the Grand Princess.

Initially, when Xinzhou was seized, every significant family wanted a piece of the action.

It was at that time Chen Jue took up his position in Xinyi County.

Feng Yun’s lips curled slightly, "All right, I want to see how they plan to judge my crimes."

"Judge crimes?" Pei Jue looked at her with unchanged expression, his eyebrows raised as if he wanted to say something but then swallowed his words, "Just you watch."