El viaje de una mujer loca a través de la dinastía Song

Capítulo 59

She...she...she actually brazenly 'invited' him to dinner with their food and drinks? And she didn't even ask for money? This was their money, when did it become hers?

Yuan Chajing didn't faint with her eyes open. Feng Xinglie's shameless ability to distort the truth was so powerful that it was considered weak if it didn't make people vomit. At this moment, Yuan really wanted to find a few basins to vomit up the pent-up blood in her stomach. This woman could make people angry to death with just three sentences. The legendary marshal was indeed extraordinary!

"I... I don't have time to indulge in your pleasures. Feng Xinglie, you'd better be sensible, otherwise..."

"Otherwise what? What do you want to do to me?" Feng Xinglie held the wine jar, a long-unseen mocking smile on his lips: "Do you think I'm a three-year-old child? Or one of your pampered princesses? You should still have doubts for me to resolve, so what do you dare to do to me?"

She maintained her arrogant attitude; though lying down, her body exuded an indescribable aura and oppressive force. Lord Yuan involuntarily took a step back, but he no longer had the time to be infuriated by her threatening tone. Instead, he pointed at her with a knowing look and roared, "It really was you!"

Feng Xinglie raised his head and smiled lightly: "So what if it's me? Everyone in the world probably knows what kind of temperament I have. I don't really want to die right now, but if you really push me too far, this general doesn't care about this life. Zijin Mountain is, Baihui Pass is, Tianqi Mountain Range is, and now is."

Her resolute tone was unusually serious, devoid of any joking tone. This caused Lord Yuan to take another step back, utterly exasperated by this terrifying woman.

"If you want a living Feng Xinglie, you'd better also bring me a few side dishes, a few military books, a few jugs of fine wine, a few doses of calming medicine, and a few..."

Feng Xinglie spoke eloquently, but Yuan was so enraged by the threat that she felt like her lungs were about to explode. With great difficulty, she managed to squeeze out a few shouts through gritted teeth: "You'd better stop now. We won't tolerate your unreasonable behavior!"

"That's strange. Eating, sleeping, and reading are considered unreasonable? Then isn't it even more unreasonable to just invite me over as a guest?"

"You...you shut up!" Yuan couldn't argue with this sharp-tongued woman any longer, and shouted angrily. Feng Xinglie glanced at him and saw that he seemed to be almost driven to madness. For the sake of his life, he temporarily shut his mouth, smiled leisurely, and continued to hold the small wine bottle lazily and comfortably. To be able to go to jail to this extent is probably a kind of realm!

Feng Xinglie chuckled inwardly. Her various exploits were already widely known. Even high-ranking government officials with some influence were familiar with her ruthless methods. Whether it was extortion or not, it seemed she was a vicious woman who wouldn't be happy unless she killed or maimed herself. Therefore, everyone treated her with utmost care and apology, avoiding anything that might anger her, except for the fact that she couldn't let her go. As long as she glared at him and gave an order, the prison wardens would carry it out unless it was too outrageous.

The meal in front of her, comparable to that of a fine restaurant, was one of her requests. She had only been here for two days, yet she was eating and drinking well and had everyone at her beck and call. She didn't look like a prisoner at all.

"You've been plotting against us from the very beginning?" Her voice was almost a roar; though it was a question, Yuan's tone was unequivocal. If anyone else could outmaneuver them, who else but this woman?

"Scheme? I wouldn't presume. If I could have schemed everything perfectly, how could I have fallen into your hands? Although it was my negligence, you certainly put in a lot of effort; even Heaven wouldn't let you leave empty-handed!" Feng Xinglie sighed for a while. Indeed, if she hadn't been pregnant, these people would never have succeeded. But even if they had, so what? Feng Xinglie sneered, a strange glint flashing in her eyes.

"What a shrewd strategist! How did you know we would attack at that time?" Yuan was truly unwilling to accept defeat. He simply couldn't believe that their long-planned conspiracy had been so easily seen through by Feng Xinglie!

“I’m not a god, of course I don’t know.” Feng Xinglie shrugged frankly and laughed, “Originally, I didn’t know if you would come, but King Qing’s order made me certain that you would come to steal Qingli’s birthday gifts.”

"An order?" Yuan's eyes showed doubt.

"King Qing has ordered a 3,000-strong escort team to carry the gifts—your delegation. While this might seem like a feigned retreat, who knows if it's a choice born of necessity?" Feng Xinglie easily propped herself up, her spirits high, as if nothing in the world could faze her. She continued, "How many men is Qingli's army? 550,000! Surrounded by them, you won't have a chance. Therefore, this is a decision made out of necessity. Only by moving Qingli's 500,000 troops to a distance where they can't instantly surround you can you..." They stole the birthday gifts. And I also discovered that many members of those delegations came from the Nangong family. Currently, every official in the Qing Kingdom knows that the Nangong family is far too powerful, and the Emperor is scheming to eliminate them. Creating such an excuse, even if it doesn't kill them, will certainly weaken their influence. As for Pang Ji, he's merely a pawn discarded by the Qing King. As long as the birthday gifts presented by Qing Li are stolen, he'll have ample opportunity to arrest him on charges when he enters the city. And once arrested, why worry about killing him?”

She smiled faintly: "He can calculate against us, so of course we can't be without any intention of retaliating. I guessed when we set off that you would definitely come. Moreover, we were determined to strike decisively and take all the gifts away, making it seem like Qingli first disobeyed orders and didn't return to court, and then failed in his duties, resulting in the interception of the gifts, thus creating an excuse. Although it's not the easiest way, it's undoubtedly the best way, killing two birds with one stone. What reason does the Prince of Qing have to let this opportunity pass?"

"So that's why you replaced everything in that box with stones. All my hard work robbing it only to end up with nothing?" Yuan's gaze grew increasingly dangerous, as if he wanted nothing more than to tear Feng Xinglie to pieces. Heaven knows how they felt when they excitedly opened the box, hoping to see how much gold and silver treasure it contained, only to find a pile of stones! He never wanted to see that feeling of falling from heaven to hell, nearly dying of anger, again.

Feng Xinglie, however, seemed oblivious to his expression, and said calmly, "I'm not stupid. If I knew you were coming to steal my things, would I give them to you? Anyway, they're sealed, and you wouldn't know what's inside until you open them. Filling them with a bunch of big stones as a gift for you isn't bad."

"You...very good!" Yuan practically gritted his teeth as he uttered those three words, his eyes flashing with a fierce light: "As expected of the Wind King War God. Everything you planned was meticulous. I suppose General Qing also has a way to escape?"

Thinking of Qingli, Feng Xinglie shook his head helplessly and said, "Prince Qing is really clever. Regardless of whether this gift is real or not, it will still allow him to achieve his goal. His goal is actually very simple: to eliminate Qingli legitimately. He has already appointed Qingli as the crown prince, almost cutting off his own escape route. He knows that he is now claiming to be ill, and as long as we have a way to put him to death, it would be perfectly normal for us to change dynasties immediately."

Seeing the sinister smile in Feng Xinglie's eyes, Yuan suddenly felt a chill. This inexplicable fear gripped her, and her fingertips trembled slightly: "You mean... you murdered your father and ascended the throne?"

"What? Is it not allowed?" Seemingly mocking his pedantry, Feng Xinglie sneered: "It's like only officials are allowed to set fires, but commoners aren't allowed to light lamps? If he can kill his son to let Qingxuan ascend the throne, why can't Qingli kill his father and brother? Are there few deaths during each generation's transfer of imperial power? This is your battle for the throne, it's just a pity that you've been dragged into it too."

"Marshal Feng, you wouldn't be trying to sow discord, would you?" Yuan calmed down slightly, but his eyes were full of mockery.

“Who says otherwise?” Feng Xinglie did not deny it, shrugging and smiling, his eyes shining like stars: “The King of Qing’s move was brilliant, not only convicting Qing Li, but also pushing you all to the brink of death, wasn’t it?”

Yuan's hand suddenly trembled, as if he had been punched. The shock in his heart was indescribable!

"You...you knew about this too?" he asked, trembling.

"Why wouldn't I know? Just the fact that you kidnapped me is something the Green King wouldn't be so foolish as to do. So, although you and the Green King are in cahoots, you're not his confidants. You're just dependent on him." Feng Xinglie said almost with certainty, his tone brimming with confidence. "I might have had some doubts before. But these past two days, I've slowly pondered and recalled everything, and I've come to understand that I still have oversights. I realize that I can't be completely thorough, and sometimes I'm even kept in the dark."

As she shook her head and sighed with regret, Yuan suddenly took a few steps forward. He walked straight to Feng Xinglie's bedside, looking down at her, but he couldn't sense any advantage over her.

"How much do you really know?" he asked bitterly.

"You should have some manners before asking others. At the very least, you should take off that ugly mask and greet me respectfully, otherwise I have no interest in wasting my breath on you." Feng Xinglie yawned lazily, turned over and lay down, leaving his back awkwardly exposed outside.

"Do you even understand your current situation? Do you even know where you are?" Yuan seemed to be driven mad by her attitude, yet he was desperately trying to calm down, which was truly difficult for him.

"What situation! For your safety, sir, it's best not to tell you, lest I anger you to death. As for this place... it should be the Qingcheng Death Prison." Feng Xinglie glanced at Yuan indifferently, then looked around at the four walls, no longer looking at him. But this one sentence was enough to make Yuan almost jump up from the ground.

"You actually know about Qingcheng Death Row?" He was utterly astonished. What abilities did this woman possess? It seemed there was nothing that could be hidden from her. Could she foresee the future? Did she know this place inside and out? She…

As if seeing through Yuan's doubts, Feng Xinglie curled his lips and said calmly, "Is Qingcheng Death Row really that unknown? Anyone with a bit of underground influence would know about this place. Although I don't know the exact location of Qingcheng Death Row, I'm certain it's outside of Qingcheng, and definitely a crucial stronghold within Qingcheng..."

Yuan's eyes were filled with growing horror, but Feng Xinglie smiled confidently at him and said, "As for this stronghold, it's probably just a place that Qing Kingdom allocated to your Southern Army for recuperation."

Suddenly, Yuan was terrified, as if struck by lightning. He quickly retreated several steps, like a startled rabbit. The food and wine scattered all over the ground were knocked over by his retreating body. He kept going until he crashed into the iron fence, where the powerful resistance behind him stopped his retreat.

Unaware that she was trembling, in her extreme panic, she uttered words that were strangely calm.

"What...what exactly are you?"

Feng Xinglie raised an eyebrow, noticing the oddity. "What?" instead of "human"? She pursed her lips, and everything suddenly became clear.

Chapter 100 The Man Behind the Scenes

"You should know better than I what I am." Feng Xinglie gave a sinister laugh, but his inner thoughts were far from calm. In a flash of inspiration, he said calmly, "You should invite the real master of this place. You alone are not enough to make a difference in front of me."

Lord Yuan had already retreated to the side of the shed, his wooden mask tilted halfway on his head, but upon hearing her words, he seemed to suddenly become clear-headed. Her cold words were like ice water poured over his head, instantly restoring his mind to normal, and he immediately dismissed those strange thoughts.

"You're not qualified to see our leader! You want to reveal our leader through me? Feng Xinglie, I'm sure you're always falling into your traps!"

Although he had managed to calm down, Feng Xinglie knew that he was only putting on a brave face. If she provoked him even slightly, this composure would crumble instantly! Had he not fallen into a trap? She smiled sarcastically; the answer was, of course, no. From the very first moment he entered this place, his emotions and words had been unconsciously led astray by Feng Xinglie.

She didn't say much, but her words were startling. She casually grinned, revealing a set of crystal-clear teeth. Her lips moved slightly, and the entire Lord Yuan trembled violently once again! He could hardly speak anymore, and his gaze towards her was filled with deep fear, a fear even more certain than before!

Feng Xinglie calmly but firmly uttered a single sentence.

"Brother, let Father come out. You are far from being a match for him!"

Her disdainful glance seemed to be a deadly poison, and a strange, explosive sound came from Lord Yuan's throat. If he hadn't been breathing, Feng Xinglie would probably have thought he had broken his own throat joint in fright.

However, it hadn't reached that serious level yet, and the shock in Lord Yuan's heart was beyond words!

He couldn't utter a single word, nor dared to utter a single word. His fingers trembled, and he didn't even dare to point at Feng Xinglie. It was as if he had seen a ghost! In fact, he was indeed thinking the same thing in his mind—whether he had really seen a 'ghost'.

Feng Xinglie couldn't help but chuckle at his expression. A mediocre person is a mediocre person; he can't even handle something this simple. Even if things were exactly as he expected, Ling Yuxiang and the others wouldn't have reacted this strongly when they learned he was a transmigrator. He was completely losing his composure; no wonder he was used by that old fox Qingyuan.

"How long do you intend to watch? Or how long do you plan to stand there trembling? You want my help, but you won't explain yourself clearly. Do you expect me to guess?" Feng Xinglie struck another pose, pretending to be deep in thought, then suddenly looked up, his voice chilling as he said, "Ah! I understand. Brother Jingyuan, are you asking me... whether I'm a human or a ghost?"

The words "human or ghost" were slowly uttered, carrying a murderous intent that created an eerie ripple in the air. They reverberated in Yuan Daren's heart like a giant drum, beating louder and louder, his heart pounding uncontrollably, and even his ears ringing with a constant "thump thump thump thump!"

Just as the atmosphere became tense, and Lord Yuan was sweating profusely, seemingly on the verge of collapse, a hoarse, thunderous shout suddenly resounded in the small cell, timely averting Yuan's crisis. If he were to continue under Feng Xinglie's mental pressure, he might truly go mad!

The appearance of that head of silver-white hair and a wooden mask identical to Yuan's appeared before Feng Xinglie in an instant. This caused Feng Xinglie's pupils to contract, clearly realizing that this old man's martial arts skills were no less than her own; at least for now, she was completely unable to compete with him.

Even if she didn't have a child in her belly, her internal strength was only temporary, somewhat similar to the Ten Fragrant Softening Powder, except that the effect was not as strong. It only made her lose her internal strength and unable to break through the iron bars to escape.

But who could have imagined that Feng Xinglie would have such ability, still able to stir up trouble even after being imprisoned?

Feng Xinglie stared intently at the man who looked very old with a slightly complicated look in his eyes. Although his eyes were still bright and his inner strength seemed to be very profound, aging is a natural law. No matter how high his martial arts skills are, he will eventually die and cannot always stand at the pinnacle of power.

"I underestimated your intelligence. It seems you are already certain of our origins, so there's no point in hiding anymore. I just didn't expect you to force me to reveal myself in this way," the old man sneered.

"That's strange. I've been sitting here the whole time, without moving a single finger. How could I be being forced?" Her eyes were full of surprise, and her innocent question made even the air in one's chest smell of blood.

For Feng Xinglie, her methods were wise.

However, this was undoubtedly a malicious act against the old man.

The old man glanced at Yuan, who was also wearing a mask, his expression stern yet helpless.

His only son! He fell for their psychological manipulation so easily. He unknowingly betrayed everything. He was too impulsive, though he arrived quickly, it was too late to salvage anything. But it didn't matter much anyway, the woman before him didn't care at all.

The old man smiled bitterly. Yes! Even if she didn't get the information she wanted from Yuan, could he guarantee he wouldn't fall into her trap? He lacked confidence. Feng Xinglie's schemes were often difficult to detect. She could completely manipulate people's emotions; that was what made her so terrifying!

"We're all intelligent people, let's speak frankly. Feng Xinglie, I just want to ask you one question: how much do you really know?"

This unhurried question caused Feng Xinglie to fall silent for a moment. She said calmly, "Take off your mask and let me see your true face. Although I already know who you are, I am still a little unwilling to accept it until I see the mastermind behind it all with my own eyes... As for your question, I originally didn't want you to say too much, but considering that I once called you 'Father King,' I can clear up your doubts."

Her words carried an air of authority and an unyielding strength. The killing intent honed on the battlefield was no joke and was enough to make any veteran feel as if he were entering a cold winter!

The old man sighed deeply. In the silence, a glint of light flashed in his aged and withered eyes, but it eventually faded away. With a wave of his hand, he untied the long rope behind his head, removed the wooden mask from his face, and took off Jingyuan's mask as well.

Two faces, somewhat blurry yet deeply etched in his memory, appeared before him. Feng Xinglie gazed at them, slowly took a deep breath, and suddenly, smiled comfortably.

"King Jingcheng of the Southern Region, it's been a long time! When you discovered I wasn't your daughter but still sent me to the Ling Kingdom, did you ever imagine that one day I would discover your true identity and stand before you?"

The Southern Prince's eyes flickered thoughtfully, then his gaze turned to horror, followed by a bitter smile.

"So, you realized back then that I knew you weren't my daughter," Jingcheng sighed, a bewildered look on the old man's face.

"Hmph, shouldn't I have discovered it?" Feng Xinglie sneered, his confidence as strong as ever. "Back then, after I provoked you, you called out 'Hua'er' to the sky instead of calling me 'daughter.' Isn't that enough to prove you discovered I wasn't Jinghua at all? Besides, if I could really drive someone to vomit blood with just a few words, I'd truly become a god. Unless something they value is destroyed, it's impossible for someone to accumulate so much resentment that they vomit blood. Moreover, I was the one who accused you back then. Didn't you realize that someone with such a personality would never suffer a loss even if they went to Dadu? If you hadn't known that Jinghua might already be dead, why would you have been so heartbroken that you vomited blood?"

"Everyone says you, the Prince of Nanfan, are honest and kind, but I discovered the day after I woke up that this wasn't the case at all. You are a cunning and calculating old fox, adept at maximizing your own interests. That's why I felt indignant about Jinghua's death. Hmph, you should know now that I am also a master in the martial arts world. Even Yao Tianlin couldn't hide his strength from me. Although you are a master with considerable martial arts skills, how could you be as weak as you looked? There's a huge problem with that! With your influence in the martial arts world, you should have been able to take your daughter away from this misery, but you didn't. Otherwise, do you think I would speak up for you on behalf of Jinghua? I would think you're not worthy of my permission!" At this point, Feng Xinglie glanced contemptuously at the Prince of Nanfan, only to find that he didn't offer any rebuttal. He lowered his head, his eyes glazed over, and listened to her continue slowly.

"You should know Princess Jinghua's personality better than anyone else. How could you send me off without a second thought after such a sudden change in temperament? Although the Southern Kingdom is a small country, it is still a princess's marriage. You didn't even give me a personal guard. How can that be considered treating a princess? When I saw you coughing up blood and collapsing, and I left without anyone by my side, I understood. You must have already realized that I, the princess going to marry into the Southern Kingdom, am not your daughter. Although this is somewhat unbelievable, the Southern Kingdom is a place where witchcraft is most prevalent. Given your quick wit, it shouldn't be difficult for you to figure this out, nor should it be unacceptable. So you assumed I was a spirit possessing another body..."

Feng Xinglie gave a bitter smile. As for the Azure Blood Eagle, it was merely a product of this wonderful misunderstanding of possession. She didn't know how these people found the Azure Blood Eagle, but one thing was certain: the old vassal king believed he had seized Jinghua's body, so he tried to use the Azure Blood Eagle's abilities to extract her soul in an attempt to find his daughter. However, he hadn't expected that not only would he fail to extract her soul, but the Blood Eagle would also become Feng Xinglie's pet…

Indeed, Feng Xinglie wasn't from this world, but he wasn't using Princess Jinghua's body either. This crisis had frightened him, and the coincidences involved were so numerous that it was both laughable and pathetic. When she didn't know, she often felt uneasy about the shadowy figures behind the scenes, but now that she knew who was behind it all, she didn't think they were anything to worry about anymore. It was all just a psychological effect.

As for her resemblance to Princess Jinghua, perhaps it's just a joke played by fate. There are so many similar people in the world; the difference between these two wouldn't be so great.

After gathering his thoughts, he continued speaking to the old man and the young man, who were already sitting on the haystack, one deep in thought and the other in shock.

"You don't know who I am. You just used me as a pawn to make up for your guilt about sending your daughter away, and to mediate between the Southern Kingdom and the Ling Kingdom. But before the other armies arrived, you swept away all the troops of the Southern Kingdom. No wonder Liu Wukan occupied the Southern Kingdom's territory so easily with only five thousand elite soldiers, while I couldn't find out how he wiped out the Southern Kingdom without anyone noticing. Speaking of which, if I hadn't been so resentful, perhaps I wouldn't have continued to investigate, and I wouldn't have known that you disappeared into thin air..."

Yes, Feng Xinglie hadn't given up on investigating the Southern Domain. All the firsthand data brought by the Dark Moon Gate was constantly tracking its movements. However, this area remained a blank; she had always kept the Southern Domain's disappearance in mind, but simply hadn't had the time to address it.

Feng Xinglie has always been arrogant, but arrogance requires immense effort and meticulousness. Heaven knows how much effort she put into cultivating such observation and analytical skills. Along with her arrogance, she must also possess equivalent strength. Without such keen observation and the ability to see through everything, how could she grasp the overall situation, and how could she dare to be arrogant?

"Unfortunately, I am not a god, so I have no way of knowing your whereabouts. When we launched our war against Qing Kingdom, I never considered your involvement. Although I knew that there must be another force lurking within Qing Kingdom, I always thought it was just a purely martial arts force, and I never thought of the small countries that were attached to it. So, my being kidnapped here today was ultimately a miscalculation." Feng Xinglie sighed softly. After such a long and rambling speech, she was still annoyed by such a small flaw.

The Southern Prince seemed to have just recovered from a serious illness, looking haggard and powerless. He inexplicably became weak in front of her, and his voice carried a hint of worry: "Child, you have done very well. At least, you are much stronger and smarter than Jinghua."

Feng Xinglie shook his head indifferently and said, "One wrong move can lead to the loss of the whole game. Sometimes, a single move can take a person's life!"

Isn't that the situation now?

Chapter 101 Earth Shakes and the Sky Trembles

“One wrong move and the whole game is lost, that’s right.” The old prince’s long sigh echoed in the small stone chamber. His gaze towards Feng Xinglie was deep and full of emotion, as if he were looking at something he cherished: “Do you know that Jinghua is my precious daughter, the child I care about most?”

“I understand.” Feng Xinglie’s gaze swept to the ground, his deep voice filled with unspeakable sorrow: “If she weren’t your most beloved daughter, why would you be so furious and vomit blood over her death? In truth, although you originally used her as a pawn, it wasn’t entirely for your own benefit, as I said. You also considered her survival, which is why you sent her away under such uncertain circumstances. Who knows what Qing Wang’s attitude towards you really is?”