Feng Yi looked at her scarred hands with heartache and said, "Don't fight so recklessly in the future. It's not worth hurting yourself, and besides, scars are easily left on the back of your hands."
An Xin seemed to focus all her energy on the little wooden figure, and after giving a casual "hmm," she stopped talking.
Feng Yi, however, treated it as if it were a priceless treasure, carefully applying the ointment and bandaging it. The onlookers couldn't help but whisper among themselves.
One person said, "Could it be that the young master of the Feng family has taken a fancy to Lord An's daughter? Although Lord An's daughter was divorced, the two of them look quite well-matched standing together!"
One opinion is: "But the young master of the Feng family is both talented and handsome. It would be a real loss for him to marry a woman who has been married before."
One saying goes: "Love knows no age, height, or family background. Love can transcend everything. Does love even care if you're married or not?!"
...
Feng Yi listened to the surrounding discussions, his heart sometimes pounding with joy, sometimes frowning, and sometimes glancing cautiously at An Xin. Seeing that An Xin had no expression, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
An Xin didn't pay attention to the surrounding discussions. She finally discovered something strange about the little wooden figure. She originally thought the little wooden figure was a woman, but upon closer inspection, she found that the little wooden figure actually had an Adam's apple!
So, does that mean the little wooden figure was actually a man?
An Xin's heart skipped a beat as she looked at Feng Yi and asked, "Can you draw?"
Feng Yi was taken aback, then said, "No, but I can help you find an artist."
An Xin couldn't help but say, "If Jing Lan were here, that would be wonderful."
Feng Yi was taken aback. When he realized that Jing Lan was a man, he felt a pang of jealousy and said sourly, "I can learn that in the future too."
An Xin shook her head: "Let's try repairing the little man first."
Feng Yi's eyes flashed and he said, "You want to restore the little wooden figure to its original appearance?"
An Xin nodded and said, "I think this is the key to solving the case."
****
Kyoto.
It was the morning court session, and the Yongle Hall was completely silent.
An Youwei knelt on the ground trembling, feeling his head covered in sweat.
Ling Tian and Ling Xiyao, who were standing to one side, exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with surprise.
How could this be? When An Youwei was demoted, the Emperor clearly stated that he was never to serve in the court again. How could he be summoned so easily?! The saying "a ruler's word is law" is truly... a ruler's word is lawless...
Ling Xiyao, dressed in court attire, was dashing and handsome, with striking features. However, his expression held a different emotion. The whole court knew that An Xin had divorced her husband. Although her father later intervened and made it seem like An Xin was the one who was divorced, and everyone believed that An Xin was the one who was divorced, he still harbored some resentment in his heart.
Fortunately, time seems to heal all wounds. After not seeing her for many days, he had already forgotten An Xin. Even if he remembered her, he would only give a cold laugh. After all, he was emotionless. Even though her sudden change from being obedient to being resolute made him feel uneasy for a moment and caused some fluctuation in his heart, this feeling quickly disappeared.
An Xin is still the same An Xin, but no matter how she changes, she can't catch his eye. As for An Xin's younger sister, his infatuation in his youth turned into disappointment and then complete numbness, and it seems that she is dispensable to him.
This is true of everything in the world; loyalty, steadfastness, and infatuation are mostly stories in novels and do not exist in reality.
But An Youwei is back, so An Xin should be back too, right? Is that woman as cowardly as ever? If they meet again, Ling Xiyao doesn't believe she has no feelings for him at all; if she does, he'll naturally scoff at it.
Ling Tian frowned slightly. An Youwei's official rank had risen three levels, and he was now the Grand Granary Commander under the Nine Ministers, in charge of the storage of grain in the national treasury. This position was neither too high nor too low, but it was very important.
An Youwei secretly looked up and saw many ministers casting friendly glances at him, which made him feel uneasy. He also saw Ling Xiyao and Ling Tian, which made him feel a little embarrassed.
The beaded curtain swayed, and Huang Yixuan's voice slowly drifted over: "An Youwei, you've been demoted, but you've only grown bolder, daring to defy the imperial edict."
An Youwei trembled and hurriedly bowed his head, saying, "Your subject knows his crime!"
Huang Yixuan said, "What crime do you know? Do you want me to demote you back again?"
An Youwei wiped away a cold sweat and suddenly regretted not listening to his daughter.
"Your Majesty, I deserve to die!" An Youwei kowtowed, feeling cold sweat almost soaking through his court robes.
"Since His Majesty has summoned Lord An back to the palace, he must miss you. How could he possibly demote you back, let alone condemn you to death?" A lazy, casual voice came from the palace. An Youwei was suddenly filled with fear. Why did this voice sound so familiar to him?
“It is still the Right Chancellor who understands my heart. My dear minister, please rise!” Huang Yixuan said immediately.
An Youwei hurriedly kowtowed and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your mercy in not punishing me."
Behind the beaded curtain, a folding fan was opened one foot, and a man dressed in brocade lazily looked at An Youwei through the curtain. His shimmering eyes shone with youthful brilliance, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.
An Youwei is back, but what about her?
"Your Excellency is truly magnanimous. You once severely beat Lord An, but now you are pleading for him. Your broad-mindedness is a blessing to our region." The gentle voice was like a clear spring flowing slowly over jade, instantly making one feel as if bathed in a spring breeze.
Yan Zhen smiled lazily: "When it comes to magnanimity, the Left Prime Minister is the one. He is as delicate as jade, with the people in his heart. How can he be compared to the wolfish ambition and scheming nature of the Prime Minister?"
To dare utter such words in front of the Emperor is already an act of treason!
The faces of all the court officials below changed, while the Right Chancellor seemed even more relaxed, as if he wasn't the one who was always making outrageous statements!
Huang Yixuan frowned and said, "Why would the Right Chancellor be so malicious towards himself? Our Great City is prosperous and peaceful. If it weren't for the Right Chancellor's diligence, how could we be so secure? He is still young, and important matters of the court still require the support of the Left and Right Chancellors. The two of you should treat each other with harmony!"
Yan Zhen smiled with a beautiful curve and said casually, "Your subject will certainly get along well with the Left Prime Minister and live up to His Majesty's grace."
Huang Yixuan yawned and said, "If you have something to report, then present it; if not, the court is adjourned."
The court officials hurriedly kowtowed and respectfully saw him off; how could they dare to submit any memorials?
As soon as the morning court session ended, the ministers rushed to An Youwei, all raising their hands to congratulate him. An Youwei was once again flattered and hurriedly returned the greeting with a cupped-hand salute.
Ling Tian frowned. How could this be...? These adults are all arrogant and incompetent, always looking down on others. Why are they being so polite to An Youwei today?