Chapter 143

Although he had long known that the submissive and accommodating Jiang Herun from Luo’an City had merely been an act, when Feng Liwu was actually grabbed by the throat and threatened by the very lackeys who once flattered him, his molars still ached from grinding his teeth.

Jiang Xiurun had no intention of becoming a waterlogged ghost along with him.

After revealing her trump card, she saw him glaring at her as if he might faint from rage.

So, she softened her tone, giving the Great Qi Emperor a way out.

“I heard that the blackhead river fish from Anxi is the fattest and most delicious. Would Your Majesty like to try it? You just need to tell the cook to stew it with the local chili paste and line the edge of the pot with flatbread to soak up the fish broth—it’s the best way to enjoy it!”

Feng Liwu seemed to regain his breath.

He gave her a long, unreadable look before finally calling out to Dou Siwu, who stood outside the door.

“Go! Do as Empress Yaren of Bo said—catch a river fish and stew it.”

Perhaps the kitchen had already prepared the food, for in no time, dish after dish was brought into the room.

Jiang Xiurun glanced at the spread, then walked to the table, personally picking up a wine pot and pouring wine into Feng Liwu’s cup.

But when she presented the cup, the man made no move to take it.

Jiang Xiurun did not insist.

She simply stood up, pushed open the window facing the river, and softly called out, “Your Majesty, would you care to come and admire the moon with me?”

Feng Liwu, however, showed no sign of wanting to move.

She knew him well—when he got sulky, it could last a long time.

So she simply walked over and reached out to pull him up.

Her hands, as smooth as fine jade, were so soft that even if he wanted to fling them away, he had to first summon the strength to do so.

Thus, with some effort, Jiang Xiurun led the tall man to the window.

Outside, the river gleamed silver under the moonlight.

The waters here flowed unevenly over the riverbed, creating three whirlpools on the surface.

Due to refraction from below, the river reflected three perfect moonlit discs.

Jiang Xiurun pointed at the reflections and said softly, “I chose this place precisely for its famed ‘Three Waters Reflecting the Moon’… We’ve been apart for two years, missing two full moons of the Jade Rabbit. Now, we can see them all at once, easing some of our regrets…”

(T/N: The “Jade Rabbit” is a mythical figure residing on the moon, often depicted as a companion to the Moon goddess Chang’e. The rabbit got the name Jade Rabbit because of its precious, jade-like fur, and lived on the moon, working hard making the potions of immortality. Some people say, during the full moon, you can see the outline of the Jade Rabbit making the potions of immortality. The rabbit is often associated with the Mid-Autumn Festival. )

When she spoke naturally, without disguising her voice as a man’s, her tone was as clear and refreshing as a mountain spring, calming the heart.

While she gazed at the moon, Feng Liwu was gazing at her.

When she spoke of regrets, there was a clear sorrow in her eyes…

For a moment, Feng Liwu almost believed that despite her resolute departure back then, she had, in her heart, still thought of him…

Hearing her words, then looking back at the mist-covered riverbank, he suddenly felt an inexplicable melancholy.

For the life of him, he could not recall how he had spent the last Mid-Autumn Festival.

Probably like every night since she had left—alone with a dim lamp and a book, half lost in solitude, half lost in longing, dragging himself through the hours.

Now, she was standing right beside him, close enough that he could breathe in her faint fragrance.

But he could not bring himself to pull her into his arms.

She had left him, borne another man’s child, yet he still could not let go of her.

How lowly and pathetic was that?

So, he had wanted to scare her, to make her understand the gravity of her unforgivable mistake.

But when he saw her turn pale and retch from fright, his heart ached for her.

Even so, when she climbed upstairs, he ordered himself not to relent.

If he did not break the defiance in this woman, even if he dragged her back to Great Qi, she would never truly submit.

What he had never expected, however, was that she had foreseen everything—setting a deadly trap in Anxi from the start.

The rage of being outmaneuvered by the woman he loved nearly made his chest burst.

Yet now, she claimed that she had chosen this place merely to enjoy the moonlit reflections with him, to make up for her regrets.

That towering fury within him was suddenly doused as if by a bucket of water, leaving him feeling much lighter.

After a long silence by the window, he finally spoke coldly, “Even after we parted, you still thought of me?”

Jiang Xiurun turned to look at him.

The once vibrant young man now bore the faint imprint of worry between his brows.

She slowly reached out, gently stroking the lines on his forehead.

After a moment of silence, she said, “How could I not…”

Feng Liwu tightened his grip around her waist and finally pulled her into his embrace.

But the words that escaped his lips were still filled with resentment.

“Yet you thought about how to drown me?”

Jiang Xiurun did not want to continue this endless argument.

Seeing that he was finally speaking again, she took his hand and led him back to the table, picking up a piece of mooncake and offering it to him.

Feng Liwu had not eaten all day, and his stomach was empty, but he refused to let her off so easily.

He merely snorted and did not open his mouth.

Jiang Xiurun kept holding the mooncake near his lips, her eyes gentle as she gazed at him.

Looking into those clear, tranquil eyes, Feng Liwu finally parted his lips slightly, allowing her to feed him the mooncake.

The flavor was smooth and comforting, and the filling was his favorite—red bean paste.

Having taken the first bite, the two of them seemed to reach a silent understanding.

For the rest of the evening, they refrained from discussing politics or schemes, merely enjoying their food, wine, and the moonlit night together.

Outside the door, Dou Siwu noticed that Bai Qian had not eaten anything.

He eagerly brought her a tray filled with meat, vegetables, and rice.

But Bai Qian was not moved.

She shot him a fierce glare.

Dou Siwu, feeling wronged, whispered, “We’re just doing our duties. Back on the boat, I let you have your way, didn’t I? Why are you so petty? We haven’t seen each other in so long, and you don’t even say you missed me…”

His words stabbed right into Bai Qian’s sore spot.

If it hadn’t been for the cramped space on the boat and her momentary carelessness, she would never have let Dou Siwu restrain her.

Ignoring the food on the tray, she simply scoffed coldly and took a long swig from her own water flask.

As beautiful as the river and moon were, all gatherings must come to an end.

Midway through the meal, Feng Liwu suddenly set down his chopsticks and began tapping his long fingers rhythmically against the table.

Jiang Xiurun knew this habit of his well—whenever he was plotting something and felt confident about his plan, he would do this unconsciously.

Judging the timing to be about right, Jiang Xiurun quietly rose to her feet.

“Our meeting today has fulfilled our agreement. It’s getting late, and I should return now to avoid any misunderstandings with the guards at the dam—unnecessary trouble would not be ideal.”

Feng Liwu drawled, “You built that dam to flood Anxi. Quite a clever plan… But do you really think I am so easily frightened?”

Jiang Xiurun’s heart clenched as she turned to look at him.

Feng Liwu said leisurely, “I admit that when I first saw your blueprint, I was indeed startled. But after carefully considering the topography of the Bo, I realized this plan is absolutely unfeasible. Not far from your dam, there’s a valley that is more than enough to contain the floodwaters.”

Jiang Xiurun’s body stiffened.

Earlier, when they were together, Feng Liwu had neither summoned anyone in for questioning nor looked at any maps.

So how did he know about the valley beyond the dam?

The dam was something she had only recently planned to build to expand rice cultivation—it had nothing to do with flooding Anxi.

Even that valley was something she had only discovered on a map not long ago.

She had just drawn up the blueprint and, on a whim before setting out, decided to bring it along, thinking it might come in handy.

After all, Feng Liwu had traveled a great distance—how familiar could he be with Bo’s terrain? She had always been good at bluffing.

As long as she exuded confidence and managed to intimidate him for the moment, it would be enough to secure her escape.

Who would have thought that in just the time it took to share a meal, Feng Liwu would figure it out on his own? Had he already memorized Bo’s geography so thoroughly that he saw through her deception?

At that moment, a thudding noise came from outside, sounding like someone had collapsed.

Jiang Xiurun’s face instantly changed.

Beyond the hall, Bai Qian and several guards who had accompanied Jiang Xiurun across the river had all collapsed unconscious after drinking their own water.

It turned out that, despite Bai Qian and the others being cautious, Feng Liwu’s subordinates included people from all walks of life, even those skilled in deception and trickery.

During the scuffle by the river earlier, the remaining guards who had not fallen into the water had their waterskins tampered with—someone had dusted the wooden stoppers with a potent sleeping agent.

The moment the stoppers were opened, even the smallest amount of powder would fall into the mouth of the flask.

The drug was strong enough to knock them out in mere moments.

By now, Feng Liwu was well-fed and satisfied.

His expression and tone had become composed as he said calmly to Jiang Xiurun, “Empress Yaren, you must understand—I did not come all this way just to return empty-handed. Whether you like it or not, I will take you back to Luo’an City. The palace I prepared for you has already been fully renovated. You will be provided for as an empress should be, but for the rest of your life, do not think about ever stepping out of that palace again.”

Having said his piece, Feng Liwu could no longer be bothered to listen to Jiang Xiurun’s flowery rhetoric or deceitful arguments.

He simply seized her arm, twisted it behind her back, and used the drapery from the side to bind her tightly.

Then, with a single hand, he hoisted her up and strode out the door.

As he stepped outside, he saw Dou Siwu frantically helping Bai Qian up, mumbling in a panic, “Auntie, I swear I didn’t set you up. I even specially prepared separate food and water for you, but you just had to drink your own… His Majesty lost his wife—does that mean I have to spend my life unable to marry one?”

His anxious muttering came to an abrupt halt the moment he saw Feng Liwu carrying Jiang Xiurun out.

Unfortunately for him, Feng Liwu caught enough of his words to shoot him a piercing glance and say coldly, “If you don’t hurry up and chain up that Bai girl before taking her away, you might not even live to see the day you marry.”

Dou Siwu thought it over and realized the emperor had a point.

But since iron chains were too harsh, he opted for thick rope used for securing sails instead.

With practiced ease, he tied a series of knots, ensuring they were tight and secure.

Thus, the emperor and his men, appearing no different from bandits stealing brides, carted off the women and departed in carriages.

Before long, they reached the dock, ready to switch to a ship and set sail for Luo’an City in Great Qi.

Jiang Xiurun shouted several times, even cursing Feng Liwu for breaking his word, but he remained completely unmoved.

Before long, her voice turned hoarse from yelling, and her chest began to ache as the milk started to swell.