Zhang Yuan knew that the Emperor was interested in this, but he did not dare say anything resolutely. He could only vaguely say: “Who knows.”
The Emperor became unhappy: “What sort of thing is that? If you don’t know anything, why do I keep you around?”
Zhang Yuan felt wronged, “The intentions of the Emperor cannot be blasphemed, and her Highness’ intentions also cannot be blasphemed! If this servant said something wrong, if your Majesty tears this servant’s ears off, this servant will not be able to hear anything in the future. How could I still take care of your Majesty!”
The Emperor angrily chased him away: “Out, out, go stand outside. So annoying.”
Zhang Yuan quietly went outside. Who knew that just as he exited the hall, he saw a palace maid carrying a box of food and was walking over. He thought that imperial concubine might have come to send food to the Emperor and was about to say a few words to not send it for now. Presently, anyone that offended the Emperor right now would end up dead.
But just as he took a few steps forward, he felt that something was not quite right. That palace maid did not walk in the direction of the hall. Instead, she walked toward Feng Yu Heng.
Zhang Yuan thought quickly and stopped moving. Stopping, he looked carefully at the palace maid and felt that she looked familiar. Only after the palace maid brought out pastries and tea for Feng Yu Heng did he have a sudden realization!
He no longer had time to continue watching. Turning around, he rushed back inside.
The Emperor saw him hastily run back inside. A bit of surprise appeared on his face, as he could not help but feel shocked. Anxious, he asked: “Could it be that there have been movements on that side?”
Zhang Yuan rushed forward and nodded, saying: “Your Majesty, they’ve come! That side sent a palace maid to deliver pastries and tea to county princess.”
The Emperor was very happy and quickly ordered Zhang Yuan: “Just watch from a distance. Let that girl eat for now. When she is almost done eating, chasing that person away.”
Zhang Yuan asked him: “Then how long will county princess need to keep kneeling?”
The Emperor said: “Naturally, she will continue kneeling until she personally comes!”
Zhang Yuan was speechless and wanted to ask, what if she doesn’t come? You’ll exhaust county princess!
But the Emperor had his temper. Could something that he had decided on be changed? Zhang Yuan saw that he no longer spoke and had returned to reading reports, he helplessly shook his head and left the hall.
At this time, the palace maid that had brought the food was saying to Feng Yu Heng: “Wasn’t it just beating a prince, and he wasn’t beaten to death. The Emperor punishing you, he really must have nothing better to do.”
Feng Jin Yuan could not bear to hear this, as he said: “Bold palace servant, who gave you the courage to say such a thing about his Majesty?”
The palace maid was not afraid fo Feng Jin Yuan in the slightest, calmly saying: “Imperial concubine Yun. Just now, those words were personally said by imperial concubine Yun. This servant only complied with imperial concubine’s orders to bring that message to county princess. Prime minister Feng, if you cannot get used to hearing such things, you can choose to not listen. Or perhaps you can go and file a complaint to his Majesty about imperial concubine, but this servant must remind Lord Feng that it is possible that his Majesty likes being cursed in this way.”
Feng Yu Heng picked up her cup of tea and brought it to Feng Jin yuan: “Does father want to take a sip?”
Feng Jin Yuan turned away, not wanting to pay any attention to her. Feng Yu Heng no longer asked as she continued to just eat pastries and drink tea. While eating, she looked at Zhang Yuan, who stood in front of Heavenly Hall.
The palace maid said: “County princess, just relax and eat. Imperial concubine said that the fight in the afternoon already used up some energy, and you came to kneel later in the night without even eating food. These pastries are meant to help fill your belly. In a while, the kitchen will prepare some more food for you.”
Feng Jin Yuan began sweating upon hearing this. Imperial concubine Yun, in this world, only imperial concubine Yun dared to do this.
But Feng Yu Heng refused the additional food, saying to the palace maid: “Thank imperial concubine mother for her kind thoughts on my behalf. Just these pastries are enough. There is no need for anything else. No matter how little, I still must give father Emperor some face.”
The palace maid nodded, “Good, then this servant will go tell imperial concubine later.”
Feng Yu Heng smiled and looked at the last pastry on the plate then said: “There is no need for later. Someone has come to chase you away.”
Just as she said this, Zhang Yuan came over with an unhappy expression: “What are you doing? This place is Heavenly Hall! Kneeling here is equivalent to admitting culpability to a crime. Who has ever been allowed to eat here? Quickly go back! Go!”
The palace maid was not scared of Zhang Yuan’s shouting. Without hesitation, she tidied up and watched Feng Yu Heng eat the last pastry then asked: “County princess, does it taste good?”
Feng Yu Heng nodded.
“It’s good if it’s delicious.” The palace maid deliberately raised her voice to say: “These pastries were made by imperial concubine Yun herself. Originally, there was a plate here to be sent to his Majesty, but eunuch Zhang is chasing us away in such a hurry, and Lord Prime minister Feng does not like seeing us, so this servant can only go back.” After saying this, she picked up the box and left.
Zhang Yuan was frozen. There was some for the Emperor? Handmade by imperial concubine Yun?
This time, it was him that broke out into a cold sweat.
It was over. It was incredibly rare for imperial concubine Yun to make food for the Emperor, but it had been sent back by him like this? If the Emperor found out about this, would his legs be broken?
Feng Yu Heng consoled him: “Eunuch, there is no need to feel regret for father Emperor. Although imperial concubine mother rarely makes pastries and is even more rarely makes them for father Emperor, father is in a bad mood today. Chasing away a servant like this is something that you are quite helpless to do anything about. This is not eunuch’s fault. Do not mind it.”
Huh?
Zhang Yuan’s eyes lit up. Why did it sound more and more like it had been said by the ninth prince? Was county princess Ji An relieving him of his guilt?
Feng Jin Yuan was confused, “When had I chased away that servant? It was clearly just eunuch Zhang…”
“Father!” Feng Yu Heng’s eyes became fierce, “You are the court’s prime minister. Whether or not you have the ability to help father Emperor take care of the country is one matter, and whether or not you you are a man of indomitable spirit do not need to be spoken of. Most importantly, are your ears still capable of hearing? Just now, that palace maid said that Lord Prime minister Feng does not like seeing her when she left? Did you not hear her?”
Feng Jin Yuan was so angry that his liver hurt, “But she also said that eunuch Zhang was in a rush to chase her away!”
“Did she?” Feng Yu Heng looked at Feng Jin Yuan then looked at Zhang Yuan, “Who heard it?”
Zhang Yuan shook his head, “Either way, we did not hear it.”
Feng Yu Heng pointed at herself, “I also did not hear it. Could it be that only father heard it? Then this cannot possibly count.”
Feng Jin Yuan knew that she was doing this deliberately! When had this girl ever been reasonable? She had always been one to spout lies with a straight face. It was as though she was in a race with the ninth prince to see who could invent more stories and who could invent wilder stories.
But he was afraid! Feng Yu Heng making up stories about other things was fine, but now she was inventing stories related to imperial concubine Yun! His mind immediately conjured up images of the palace banquet with head imperial concubine Bu and Lord Bu. The Emperor had picked up head imperial concubine Bu and fiercely thrown her at Lord Bu. One died and one was severely injured. The floor had been covered in blood. Just thinking about it now, his heart began to tremble. Feng Jin Yuan felt that if he could not resolve this situation, the next person to die would likely be him.
Perhaps when it came to other things, the Emperor was a rational ruler. No matter whom he favored, he would not go too overboard; however, whenever something was related to imperial concubine Yun, that was a completely different matter. The rational Emperor would immediately change. What fairness, what wife, what child, as long as they offended imperial concubine Yun, even the king of heaven would be in trouble. How much ability did he, Feng Jin Yuan, have to live under the oppression of imperial concubine Yun?
Feng Yu Heng watched sweat appear on the forehead of the person beside her, and her smile became even more profound, “Father also knows fear, huh? Daughter really believed that father really did not fear anything to curry favor with the third prince.”
The more she said, the more Feng Jin Yuan was afraid; however, at the same time, the thoughts that he absolutely had to get rid of Feng Yu Heng became even more profound.
Zhang Yuan did not remain any longer. Turning around, he returned to Heavenly Hall. Inside the hall, the Emperor was still holding a report. It appeared that he was still reading it.
Zhang Yuan walked forward and looked at the report. Helpless, he said: “Your Majesty, she has already left. Just stop pretending.”
The Emperor angrily snorted, “What are We pretending to do? Zhang Yuan, have you grown tired of living?”
Zhang Yuan pointed at the report: “You still say that you aren’t pretending. When this servant went out, you were already holding that report. After returning, you are still holding that same report. There are a total of two lines of text written on it.”
The Emperor lost his temper and simply threw the report onto the table, “I’m done with reading it. Hah! Say, what is the situation outside?”
Zhang Yuan told him about the things that had happened outside. Of course, he would definitely be more vague about chasing off the servant. Either way, county princess Ji An had already found him an excuse. As long as he repeated it, it would be fine.
Sure enough, just after he said this, the Emperor became angry, “Fuck! Has Feng Jin Yuan grown tired of living?”
These words were shouted with the use of inner energy. The sound was too loud, as the father and daughter outside could hear it clearly. Feng Jin Yuan immediately fell to the ground, and a cold sweat appeared on his back.
Feng Yu Heng asked him in surprise: “Father, what is wrong? Could it be that you’ve kneeled for too long? Daughter will have eunuch Zhang call an imperial physician for you!”
Feng Jin Yuan could no longer speak. He felt that he was on the verge of dying. The Emperor had become so angry. It would be odd for him to be able to continue living.
Sure enough, immediately after that, they heard a loud shout come from inside: “Feng Jin Yuan! This grand old man will cut you into ten thousand parts!”
Feng Jin Yuan completely collapsed.
Inside the hall, Zhang Yuan was desperately trying to console the Emperor, repeatedly consoling him: “Your Majesty, calm down! Haven’t you said it before that keeping Prime minister Feng will allow a great number of clues to appear. How come you are unable to endure now?”
The Emperor said: “But my dearest made pastries for Us!”
“Hah! There will be more opportunities in the future!”
“Is that possible? It’s not like you don’t know her temper! After this, how could she possibly still care for this place? Feng Jin Yuan, that Feng Jin Yuan, simply tearing him to shreds is not enough to relieve me of the hatred in my heart!”
Upon seeing that he could not be consoled, Zhang Yuan simply brought out a fierce trick: “County princess is already 13 this year! If you were to kill Prime minister Feng now, county princess will need to mourn for three years to fulfill her filial duties to her father. His Highness the ninth prince already said that he wanted to marry county princess as soon as she turned 15. If you caused him to wait two years, at that time, his Highness the ninth prince will be unhappy. Then, mother and son will both be against you!”
Sure enough, this trick actually worked. The Emperor, who had been filled with rage and had wanted to rush out to kill him, immediately gathered himself. Looking at Zhang Yuan, he thought about the things that he had just said. With a helpless expression, he said: “Those two really are a pair of debt collectors!”
Zhang Yuan quietly whispered: “Who told you to owe them a debt!”
“What are you saying?” The Emperor became furious once more, “Lowly servant, say it to Us one more time!”
Zhang Yuan had a bitter expression and said: “Your Majesty, you misheard. This servant did not say anything. This servant was just cursing Prime minister Feng!”
“Hmph!” He had been infuriated. Flicking his sleeve, he returned to his throne, “Hah!” Waving to Zhang Yuan, he called him over, “Provide some analysis for Us. If We allowed county princess Ji An to continue kneeling outside for a while, will dearest come here personally?”