C98 Falling to Your Knees

Rong Qi wasn't in the prison for long because Tiange said she needed some peace and quiet. The funny thing was, Rong Qi actually asked who this "peace and quiet" person was, which was a pretty silly question. Tiange ended up kneeling in exasperation...

After Rong Qi left, Feng Qing visited, and so did Nanny Sunn from Empress Dowager Chu's side. They both reassured Tiange that she shouldn't worry, as no matter how the case concluded, she wouldn't be harmed in the slightest. Tiange felt grateful and oddly hopeful.

Would Wen Yu come...?

Tiange's imprisonment was like a refreshing rain after a long drought, saving the second branch of the family from despair. During dinner, the matriarch was in an exceptionally good mood, and Sunn Hexiang ate an extra bowl of rice. Afterward, Sunn Hexiang eagerly followed her daughter to share her thoughts in the parlor.

"That ugly duckling is finished now! I've never heard of anyone coming out of that prison alive!" Sunn Hexiang said with a smug smile, sitting close to her daughter at the table. In contrast, Xueyao was much calmer. "Mother, why are you being as silly as that old lady?"

Ever since the matriarch gave the blue jade bracelet to Feng Ranxiu, Xueyao's attitude toward her grandmother had subtly changed.

Some people, no matter how well you treat them, take it for granted. But if you neglect them even slightly, they'll hold a grudge forever. Feng Xueyao is exactly that kind of person.

"How could I be so confused? Feng Tiange killed someone. Even if she doesn't pay with her life, she shouldn't be able to just walk free, right?" Sunn Hexiang poured herself a cup of tea. The usually bitter brew seemed to have a special flavor tonight.

Feng Xueyao glanced at Sunn Hexiang. "Feng Tiange has a grandmother who's the Empress Dowager and a father who's the South Suppressing Marquis. I just heard that the Director of the Imperial Academy, Imperial Tutor Meng, has also written to the Crown Prince, willing to vouch for Feng Tiange. Whether or not Feng Tiange actually killed someone, do you think the Crown Prince would risk offending so many powerful people over the life of a mere officer's son?"

Sunn Hexiang suddenly found the tea unbearably bitter and spat it out. "So you're saying Feng Tiange can do whatever she wants?"

"You could say that," Feng Xueyao replied, still puzzled at how Feng Tiange, who had once squandered every advantage, suddenly seemed to have wised up.

"No way... If that ugly duckling keeps rising, how will we manage in the future?" Sunn Hexiang seemed to have an idea. "Looks like your father was right. We need to find some powerful allies!"

Feng Xueyao sneered, "What ally could be more powerful than the Empress Dowager?"

"Prince." Sunn Hexiang leaned closer to her daughter. "When your father mentioned it before, I didn't think much of it. But now, if you could win the Crown Prince's favor, when he ascends the throne, even if you're not the Empress, you'd be a Noble Consort. By then, she—Tiange..."

"I don't like the Crown Prince." Feng Xueyao's mind instantly conjured the image of Rong Qi, every smile and frown captivating her heart. In this life, she would marry no one but him...

In the deep night of the Royal City, the sky was a dark canopy, and all was silent. In the northeast, where the affluent lived, a lavishly decorated mansion was lit up. Inside the master bedroom, Guu Yunyi personally brewed tea and respectfully offered it to the man seated before him. "Please, Your Highness."

"There are no outsiders here; you don't need to be so formal," Beiming Yuan said, accepting the cup and gently stirring the tender leaves with the porcelain lid. "You handled the matter with Wei Zhanpeng well."

"Thank you for your praise, Your Highness." Regardless of Beiming Yuan's attitude towards him, Guu Yunyi always adhered to the decorum of a subject, never overstepping his bounds. Even though he genuinely liked Dugu Rou back then, once he realized Beiming Yuan had feelings for her, he stepped back without hesitation. Guu Yunyi's rationality surpassed everyone's expectations.

"Just feeling a bit sorry for Tiange," Beiming Yuan sighed softly as he sipped his tea.

Guu Yunyi picked up on the nuance and looked up sharply, "Does the Crown Prince have feelings for Feng Tiange...?"

"Just a touch of sympathy, after all, she is my sister," Beiming Yuan replied with a faint smile. "I'm quite curious to see how far Qin Chun will go to defend Wei Xun in this Wei Zhanpeng case. What do you think?"

"Wei Xun once took an arrow for Qin Chun on the battlefield, so Qin Chun is bound by duty and emotion to seek justice for him. However, since Wei Zhanpeng wasn't killed by Feng Tiange herself, it's hard to predict how Ding Yuv will rule," Guu Yunyi mused.

"Interesting," Beiming Yuan chuckled, leaving the topic there.

"Regardless of the outcome, the Marquis of Martial Peace and the South Suppressing Marquis will surely become estranged. There's no chance of them joining forces in the future," Guu Yunyi had calculated this when he saw Wei Xun causing trouble for Feng Tiange and had acted on it that very night.

Beiming Yuan seemed only half-listening to Guu Yunyi, his gaze wandering around the room. "Why don't you stay at the Huaiyin Marquis Mansion?"

Guu Yunyi paused, a flicker of melancholy passing through his eyes. "The Crown Prince already knows."

Indeed, Beiming Yuan was aware that during his prime, Huaiyin Marquis Gu Yu had received aid from the local scholar Cao Xian while campaigning in Shu, leading to his acquaintance with Cao Xian's eldest daughter, Cao Min.

Cao Min fell head over heels for Gu Yu at first sight, but Gu Yu was smitten with Cao Min's sister. This tangled situation eventually led to Gu Yu marrying both sisters from the Cao family. However, his heart's true desire caused him to inadvertently neglect Cao Min. Tragically, Cao Min passed away three years after giving birth to Gu Yunyi, overcome by sorrow.

Gu Yunyi's appointment as the Crown Prince's reader was largely due to his own efforts. He worked tirelessly to catch Beiming Yuan's attention, which led to his successful selection. His main goal was to leave the Marquis Mansion.

"So much time has passed, and the Marquis of Huaiyin still hasn't elevated your mother to the status of the main wife, which is..."

"I believe, if His Highness the Crown Prince could humble himself to visit Feng Tiange in the Celestial Prison, Empress Dowager Chu would be extremely grateful," Gu Yunyi interjected, not wanting Beiming Yuan to continue.

To Gu Yunyi, what had passed was merely time...

Someone was having trouble sleeping. On the wooden bed of the Celestial Prison, Feng Tiange found rare solace, lying on her back and gazing at the starry sky through the window.

She didn't need to worry about how Wei Zhanpeng died. Since both her father and her royal grandmother had spoken, they would ensure Wei Zhanpeng met the most fitting end. The rift between the Martial Peace Marquis and the South Suppressing Marquis was also of no concern. With Qin Luoyi mediating, any future conflicts could be resolved.

Feng Tiange's vision began to blur as her consciousness started to drift away. Suddenly, a golden mask appeared, blocking the moonlight. Beneath her calm exterior, her heart pounded twice before stopping abruptly. Was it Wen Yu? Or just a dream?

"I'm sorry, I'm late," a clear, deep voice whispered in her ear. Feng Tiange slowly sat up, her hands pressing against the bed. She stared blankly at the man in the golden mask before her, feeling a rush of emotions—excitement, sadness, disappointment, and regret. A mix of feelings swirled in her chest, and inexplicably, her eyes welled up with tears.

Rong Qi was taken aback. Knowing Feng Tiange as he did, he wondered if seeing her cry meant he was in real trouble.