Chapter 154

Cao Xi, enraged, swept the golden hairpins and rouge from her dressing table onto the floor, while Tian Ying let out a series of cold laughs, declaring outright that the demon concubine had indeed returned.

As for the three beautiess once offered by the Emperor of Han, now elevated to the rank of concubines, they could only swallow their grievances in silence, each nursing their own quiet disappointment.

Yet, at the state banquet honoring a foreign empress, while the grand feast was lavishly set, not a single concubine from the imperial harem was in attendance—a scene that was truly improper.

The great noble families had long been discontented that the emperor’s harem was filled only with foreign noblewomen, with no representation from the native aristocracy.

Now, seeing the emperor push this even further, they took the opportunity before the banquet began to have the court etiquette officials raise the issue.

Feng Liwu, however, listened to the official’s concerns with an impassive expression and responded flatly, “Why should concubines accompany the ruler in drinking at a state banquet? From this dynasty onward, this practice shall be abolished.”

His words carried undeniable weight, spoken with unyielding authority.

The court official had no choice but to comply.

Thus, when the state banquet commenced, it was truly a case of “two flowers amidst a sea of green.”

One was Empress Jiang Xiurun of Bo, seated beside Feng Liwu, sharing drinks with him as they strengthened diplomatic ties between their two nations.

The other was the female general who accompanied her from Bo.

This General Bai, though a woman, was tall and robust, with a strikingly athletic build.

A distinctive purple birthmark on her face made her unforgettable at first glance.

This immediately stirred the curiosity of the entire court.

Her features were too unique—anyone who had seen her before would surely remember.

And indeed, some recalled that the young master of the Agricultural Department, Jiang, had once had a maidservant who looked exactly like this.

But how was it that after returning to Bo, this very maidservant had transformed into a female general of their nation?

The more observant among the officials couldn’t help but fix their gazes on the empress.

No matter how they looked at her, she bore an ‘uncanny’ resemblance to the former Minister Jiang. Eight parts alike in appearance, two parts in bearing.

Moreover, her name—Jiang Xiurun. The character “Xiu” was only half a stroke different from “He”.

This was too much of a coincidence.

But most importantly, the Emperor’s attitude toward this foreign empress was one of undeniable warmth and attentiveness, showcasing the manners of a truly hospitable monarch.

The fish dishes served at the banquet were already carefully prepared with minimal bones, yet the Emperor still took the trouble to select a large, tender piece himself and place it directly into the Queen’s bowl.

And the empress? She ate the fish naturally, without hesitation—hardly the behavior of mere acquaintances.

Furthermore, when the Emperor personally led the campaign to pacify the Three Counties, he had made an unexplained detour to the northern.

It was said to be related to Bo.

The connections between Yao, the former concubine of the Crown Prince; Jiang Xiurun, the former minister of the Agricultural Department; and the now-exalted Queen of Yaren—what exactly was the truth behind it all?

The entire court was nearly driven to madness with curiosity.

Some officials, attempting to probe discreetly, began circling around the topic, asking the empress indirect questions about their “former colleague,” the young master Jiang—inquiring whether he was well after returning to Bo.

Jiang Xiurun smiled faintly, just about to deflect the question, when Feng Liwu suddenly spoke.

“The late emperor of Bo deeply cherished the empress,” he declared.

“Admiring the literary and cultural traditions of Qi, he entrusted his beloved daughter to our dynasty’s care, writing to the late Emperor and myself, requesting that we look after her. To make things easier, she took on the alias ‘Jiang Herun’ and disguised herself as a man to enter the academy and study.”

At these words, the entire court collectively widened their eyes in astonishment.

For a moment, they were at a loss for words.

After all, the Emperor’s stance was clear:

First, the empress had come to Qi in admiration of its culture, not as a criminal.

Second, both the late Emperor and Feng Liwu had been aware of and had ‘permitted’ this arrangement.

As for whether the late Emperor had truly known? Well, who could descend into the imperial tomb to ask him?

One thing was now undeniable—Jiang Xiurun and Jiang Herun were the same person!

The prodigious scholar, the eloquent young master Jiang, was, in truth, a woman!

This revelation sent shockwaves through the court, leaving every official reeling.

All eyes turned toward the two figures seated in the place of honor.

Jiang Xiurun had not expected Feng Liwu to reveal the truth so openly.

In fact, had he simply brushed the matter aside with a vague answer, it would have passed.

After all, disguising herself and entering officialdom was a clear violation of Qi’s laws.

But Feng Liwu was utterly unperturbed.

Had he left things unsaid, some opportunists would have surely investigated deeper, seizing the chance to gossip about Jiang Xiurun’s identity and that of Baoli.

He and Jiang Xiurun had long harbored feelings for each other, and Baoli was undoubtedly his child.

As for Yao’s identity, he had deliberately left it unspoken—because Jiang Xiurun had reservations about sharing a husband with another.

Now that she was an empress, having once been a concubine would indeed be unseemly.

In any case, the ‘real’ Jiang Xiuyao had long been exiled to the wastelands along with the disgraced Shen family of Bo.

There was no need to fear anyone uncovering the truth.

Even if Jiang Xiurun and her so-called sister Jiang Xiuyao were identical in appearance, there were still ways to deflect suspicion.

And so, the palace banquet concluded, leaving the entire court with their minds in a storm of unanswered questions.

After a long day in the city, Jiang Xiurun could finally rest.

Feng Liwu had arranged for her to stay in a palace residence near the Eastern Palace, just across a single street.

Thus, after the banquet, Feng Liwu took a simple bath, changed out of his dragon robes into more casual attire, and slipped out through the Eastern Palace’s side gate.

Crossing Yongding Bridge and making his way through the city streets, he arrived at the temporary residence of the empress.

Still too far.

Feng Liwu was dissatisfied.

Once again, he found himself reminiscing about the old days—back when she had stayed in the Crown Prince’s residence, and he could reach her in just a few steps.

His dragon bed in the sleeping quarters was large enough for two, yet every day, he had to go through the trouble of passing through the garden, crossing the moat, and traversing the streets just to see his beloved woman and son.

After just one day of this, he already felt it was too much.

As he passed through the hall and walked toward the inner courtyard, he heard Baoli’s babbling laughter from afar.

Stepping inside, he saw his son, who had been crawling around all this time, now standing on his own little legs, slightly apart, raising his chubby hands high in the air with a look of triumph on his face, giggling happily.

Baoli could stand up on his own now!

Feng Liwu quickly strode forward and scooped up his son, who had barely stood for a while before he began to wobble.

Jiang Xiurun had only just seen her son stand as well and chuckled.

“Looks like it’s time to bring out that little wheeled cart you sent over so Baoli can push it around.”

As they spoke, the golden-furred puppy that Feng Liwu had ordered to be sent over—named Walnut by Jiang Xiurun—circled eagerly around Feng Liwu’s feet, pawing at him for attention.

As soon as Feng Liwu put his son down, Baoli immediately wobbled over on his little white bottom, hugged the puppy close to his face, and babbled away in baby talk.

Feng Liwu noticed that a table had just been set up in the outer hall, with maids bringing in dishes, so he asked, “Did you not eat enough at the state banquet?”

Jiang Xiurun shot him a glare.

“I was too busy answering the officials’ endless questions—who had the appetite to eat? I had someone make sliced noodles with salted duck egg yolk and minced braised meat. Want a bowl?”

Feng Liwu had eaten well earlier, but after walking around so much, he was hungry again, so he accepted.

These hand-cut noodles, uneven in thickness, had the perfect chewiness.

It had been a long time since he had eaten such simple, homely food.

Ever since his concubine had left him, he hadn’t had a chance to enjoy such dishes.

Now, with a bowl of springy noodles, a salted duck egg yolk oozing rich golden oil, and finely chopped spicy minced meat, every bite warmed his stomach with comfort.

Setting down his empty bowl, Feng Liwu glanced at the woman beside him, eating her noodles in small bites, and felt a warmth spread through his chest.

This—this feeling of truly living—was wonderful.

But alas, spring nights were fleeting.

Though he relished his time spent with his beloved woman, the troubles of the court arrived promptly with the morning sun.

Previously, there had been signs of rebellion in the three counties, with frequent collusion with foreign powers.

Feng Liwu had originally led his army to reprimand his younger brother, hoping to stop him before he made a grave mistake.

Unfortunately, after only half a month in the three counties, he diverted his path to the northern state of Bo, giving Feng Wu the opportunity to recruit soldiers and expand his territory.

By the time Feng Liwu returned to the court, Feng Wu’s army had already seized control of the strategic Xigu Pass outside the three counties—a key stronghold that could be defended by one man against ten thousand.

Thus, the situation had escalated into an outright standoff.

Sending imperial forces to suppress the rebellion would now be immensely difficult.

The court was in an uproar.

Many senior officials were deeply dissatisfied with Feng Liwu’s earlier actions, though they dared not criticize the emperor directly.

However, their pointed remarks made their displeasure clear.

Even the newer officials whom Feng Liwu had promoted found themselves struggling to understand his decisions.

As the elder statesmen launched their attacks, these newer officials remained silent.

The morning court session was no better than a marketplace.

Finally, Feng Liwu lost his temper and, with just a few sharp words, reprimanded his maternal grandfather, Wei Zhong, silencing the dissent.

After court, he summoned Ji Binglin alone to the imperial study.

Ji Binglin gave a detailed report on Feng Wu and the current state of the three counties.

Then, after a moment’s hesitation, he added, “Your Majesty, it is said that before the late emperor’s passing, he drafted three separate edicts naming Feng Wu as his successor. I have received word that these edicts have recently surfaced in Luo’an. It seems that many of the old aristocratic families and veteran officials are already aware of them.”

Feng Liwu let out a cold laugh.

“That so-called edict is nothing more than a joke. The late emperor was determined to make my life miserable—he wouldn’t even let go of the chance on his deathbed. Every court official knows this. If anyone dares to take a mere feather and wave it like an imperial decree, they are harboring ulterior motives. I wouldn’t mind showing some generosity and sending them off to reunite with the late emperor so they can continue playing the role of loyal ministers and filial sons.”

Ji Binglin, however, shook his head.

“Your Majesty, right now, civil and military officials alike are voicing doubts about your decision to lead the army to the state of Bo. If you cannot provide a justification that convinces the court, I fear the ministers will not be easily appeased.”

Feng Liwu had nothing to hide from Ji Binglin and stated directly, “The Empress of Bo is my woman. The child she bore is my own flesh and blood—the firstborn prince of Great Qi. If I were to abandon the two of them, I would be worse than even a beast that protects its young. Prime Minister Ji, do you think I should not have gone?”

Ji Binglin wore a bitter expression.

He certainly couldn’t say that the emperor should have stood by and watched as his wife and child were taken by the enemy.

The problem was, what the emperor said would not be enough to convince the court! If the officials’ hearts scattered, then steering the ship of Great Qi through the raging storms and towering waves ahead would become a near-impossible task.

In the past, when Ji Binglin faced difficult matters, he always had a confidant to confide in.

He would bring two taels of wine and a plate of sliced braised meat, head over to the Agricultural department, and drink the night away with Minister Jiang until his troubles lightened.

But now, he could no longer bring a bottle and drink with his old friend as he once did.

Yet, ironically, this entire mess had started because of her.

Ji Binglin felt that, in private, he still needed to have a conversation with the Empress of Bo.