C56 Mistress

Chu Ping glanced at Rong Qi, "How do you plan to protect her?"

Rong Qi tilted his head back, gazing at the ceiling with a deep sigh, "I don't know if I can keep her safe..."

It wasn't that he lacked the ability; it was just that Bai Yushuang was too unpredictable.

Early in the morning, Beiming Yuan found a rare moment to accompany Dugu Rou to the Cloud Light Hall to pay respects to the Empress.

Initially, Dugu Rou hesitated, fearing that Gu Ziyan might give her a hard time. But then she thought it might be a good opportunity for Beiming Yuan to see his mother's sharp tongue, so she agreed to go.

However, things didn't go as expected.

As Dugu Rou bowed in greeting, Gu Ziyan surprisingly helped her up and guided her to sit on a nearby chair. "It's cold, why aren't you wearing more layers?"

"Actually, outside it's still..."

"Yuan, really, why didn't you make sure Rou had an extra coat in this cold weather?" Gu Ziyan interrupted, looking at her son with mild reproach.

"You're right, Mother," Beiming Yuan replied respectfully.

"Never mind, Jinkui, go fetch my purple fox fur coat. Make sure Rou wears it when she leaves," Gu Ziyan said, holding Dugu Rou's hand with apparent concern.

Dugu Rou was stunned; this was a woman who had spent decades in the palace!

"I heard you both attended the entrance exam at the Imperial Academy yesterday?" Gu Ziyan didn't seem particularly concerned about her son, instead, she kept inquiring about Dugu Rou's well-being.

"I did, Mother," Beiming Yuan replied, nodding slightly from across the table.

Gu Ziyan acknowledged with a nod, "I heard the Empress Dowager's granddaughter, Feng Tiange, took first place in both the literary and martial exams. Is that true?"

"It is true. Ms. Tiange's unexpected brilliance truly surprised me," Beiming Yuan admitted, a hint of admiration crossing his face as he recalled Feng Tiange's performance.

"Indeed, the Empress Dowager must be proud to have such an outstanding granddaughter..." Gu Ziyan said warmly, glancing at Dugu Rou beside her. "I hope you don't mind me saying something."

"Of course not," Dugu Rou replied with a soft smile, though she felt a wave of nausea inside.

Here sat the most esteemed woman in the realm, yet she was the epitome of duplicity.

No wonder Dugu Yan had once told her how kind and approachable Gu Ziyan was; she must have used the same act with Dugu Yan.

Gu Ziyan glanced at Jinkui, who understood the cue and walked to the door, closing it tightly from the outside.

"There's no one else here, so let me speak frankly with you," Gu Ziyan said, holding Dugu Rou's hand tighter. "Don't underestimate Empress Dowager Chu just because she's older now. Back in the day, she was a key figure in our kingdom, and even now, many senior officials still hold her in high regard."

"Mother is right; the Empress Dowager's influence hasn't waned," Beiming Yuan agreed.

Gu Ziyan glanced cautiously toward the door. "Your father has been ill for over six months. The kingdom can't go a day without a ruler. Yuan, it's about time you took the throne. It seems only natural, but if a few senior officials or the Empress Dowager could lend their support, it might speed things up..."

Seeing that Beiming Yuan and Dugu Rou remained silent, Gu Ziyan continued, "Currently, the Empress Dowager favors Feng Tiange. Yuan, if you could treat Tiange well, it might be beneficial."

"The Crown Prince has often praised Ms. Tiange," Dugu Rou said with a gentle smile.

"Praise alone isn't enough. I believe the position of Crown Princess shouldn't remain vacant for too long," Gu Ziyan noted, sensing Dugu Rou's body tense. She turned her head immediately. "Are you upset?"

"No..." Dugu Rou forced a smile, though her heart felt as if it had been pierced, leaving her breathless from the pain.

Beiming Yuan was momentarily taken aback. Even though Feng Tiange now seemed like a phoenix reborn from the ashes, shining brightly, he had never entertained such thoughts.

"She's the Empress Dowager's granddaughter..."

"So what? She has no blood ties to the Beiming royal family, and aside from being the Empress Dowager's granddaughter, she's also the legitimate eldest daughter of the South Suppressing Marquis... Anyway, it's your business. I'm just making a suggestion," Gu Ziyan said, stopping herself as she turned to Dugu Rou. "Rou, now that you're officially the Vice Crown Prince Consort, I must admit, I'm eager to have grandchildren..."

After some polite conversation, Beiming Yuan and Dugu Rou left the Cloud Light Hall.

Inside the hall, Jinkui entered just as Gu Ziyan was vigorously wiping her hands with a silk handkerchief. "I noticed that Vice Consort Rou didn't look too pleased when she left. She might be upset... Do you really want the Crown Prince to marry Feng Tiange?"

"Hmph! Dugu Rou is nothing special, she has no right to be upset!" Gu Ziyan said disdainfully, tossing the handkerchief aside. "As for Feng Tiange, she's indeed impressive and her status is fitting, but I'm worried she might become another Dugu Yan."

At the mention of Dugu Yan, a shadow of something dark and unreadable flickered in Jinkui's eyes, disappearing in an instant...

Though the winter chill was in the air, it didn't dampen the enthusiasm and admiration the people of the Great Qi had for the Nether Market.

Unlike other markets, winter is the busiest season for the Nether Market.

Drunken Immortal Tower, Private Room, Second Floor.

Meeting Qin Luoyi again, Feng Tiange noticed that the woman before her seemed much better than before. As far as Feng Tiange knew, after the Martial Peace Marquis called off the engagement, his attitude toward Soong Yu in court had softened, at least not as confrontational as before. However, getting the Marquis to accept a son-in-law from a humble background would still require a lot of effort.

"Eldest Miss Feng, please have a seat," Qin Luoyi greeted warmly as Feng Tiange entered. True to the rumors, Feng Tiange stood with a proud posture and striking beauty, a rare sight indeed. The entrance exam of the Imperial Academy had heralded the rise of a prodigious talent.

Feng Tiange smiled and nodded, taking a seat opposite. Soon after, a servant respectfully approached with a banknote worth $10,000. "This is a token of gratitude from my lady."

Ten thousand dollars was no small sum, clearly showing Qin Luoyi's sincerity. Unfortunately, Feng Tiange wasn't short on money.

"If I accept this money, what then? And if I don't?"

"If you accept, Eldest Miss Feng, it would ease my mind about repaying a debt of gratitude. If not... I honestly wouldn't know how else to repay you for saving my life," Qin Luoyi replied with a gentle smile.

Feng Tiange preferred to be straightforward. "What if I want to be friends with you, Miss Qin?"

Qin Luoyi didn't find Feng Tiange's words abrupt at all and gave a knowing glance to Ruyi. Once Ruyi stepped back, Qin Luoyi slightly lifted her chin, "Then I'll gladly call you a friend, Miss Feng."

Their eyes met, and suddenly, they felt a sense of regret for not having met sooner.

As they chatted, Qin Luoyi openly shared her suspicions, suggesting that the note labeled 'Douyao' was likely penned by Feng Tiange. She also pointed out the many coincidences during the snow viewing at Biyuan, which didn't seem like mere chance.

Feng Tiange didn't act superior for her role in the events and candidly admitted that her relationship with the second branch of the Feng family wasn't harmonious.

As their conversation deepened, Qin Luoyi even confided her troubles to Feng Tiange, seeking her advice. Feng Tiange, in turn, generously shared her thoughts. She suggested that to secure a match with Soong Yu, the first step was to gain the approval of the Martial Peace Marquis. The only way to achieve this was for Soong Yu to replace Xie Jin and become the Minister of War.

"That's impossible; Soong Yu comes from a humble background," Qin Luoyi said, a bit disappointed.

"Ding Yuv was also from a humble background," Feng Tiange replied. "If someone can come back from the dead, then what else is truly impossible?"

"But..."