Вдовствующая императрица Сяосюань

Глава 209

In her heart, however, she was sharpening her knives. If Mu Wenchen truly loved Yi Han and was genuinely willing to marry her, then she would definitely torment him. She didn't have the magnanimity to forgive the man who dumped her. That's what she thought, but deep down, Ru Feng knew very well that Mu Wenchen could never love Yi Han, nor could he marry her, unless he was forced into it or had been deceived. In any case, Ru Feng was confident of that.

Tianze? Yun Tianze's heart stirred slightly. Ru Feng hadn't called him by his name like that in a long time. He gazed at Ru Feng and saw that her face was flushed and a little damp, obviously from exertion and sweat. But looking into her eyes, he couldn't help but want to answer.

“No, he doesn’t want you anymore. You can stay here. I’ll be good to you. We can start like we were at the academy. You can treat me as a friend, and we’ll take it one step at a time.” He said affectionately, patting Ru Feng’s head. Thinking that Ru Feng had begged him for the sake of Mu Wenchen, who always wore white and looked like he was mourning, he felt uncomfortable again. Ru Feng suddenly felt suffocated. She shook off Yun Tianze’s arm and said in distress, “Tianze, how many times do I have to tell you? Look, I won’t give up now. I’ve already fallen for another man. If he really marries me, I won’t be a concubine, nor will I share a husband with someone else. So, if I give up then, I can accept other people’s feelings, like yours. But now, I simply can’t accept you. I only see you as my friend.” A sour feeling welled up inside her. What if Mu Wenchen… Hmph, castrate him! Ru Feng chuckled sinisterly.

Seeing her expression, Yun Tianze pondered, and it seemed... Ru Feng's words made sense. The situation over there was almost settled, and it would take at least twenty days to travel from here to the capital of Zi Luo Kingdom, even if they traveled at breakneck speed. Mu Wenchen's wedding was in eighteen days, so even if Ru Feng did return, she couldn't change her mind.

Seeing that Yun Tianze's expression had softened, Ru Feng quickly added more pressure, saying, "Tianze, just say yes, or I'll make a huge scene here. I still have a lot of tricks up my sleeve, like going on a hunger strike, crying, making a scene, and threatening to hang myself..." Ru Feng counted on her fingers for him to see.

Yun Tianze frowned as he looked at Ru Feng, feeling very unhappy but helpless. If loving someone meant not wanting her to get hurt, then he must have fallen in love with her.

Seeing the sadness in her eyes, Ru Feng stopped her earlier playful antics and said earnestly, "Hey, Tianze, I've known you since I was sixteen. I'm almost nineteen now, it's been three years, and we were classmates for a year, so our friendship is quite deep. I don't have any other female friends besides my female classmates, so I really value you as a friend. I hope you'll take pity on me." Her tone was incredibly sincere and honest, and her expression was pitiful and sorrowful...

Seeing that Yun Tianze was struggling to cope, Ru Feng pressed her advantage, saying, "If I really can't be with Mu Wenchen, then I'll travel around the Spring Vine Kingdom. I'll forget about him then and come back to you, okay?" She was secretly plotting, wondering if Yun Tianze would be married by then. Besides, she thought that once she married Mu Wenchen, he would finally give up, since he was an emperor and surely had women in his harem.

"Alright, alright, you've let me go back." Ru Feng shook Yun Tianze's arm with difficulty. She hoped the appeasement policy would work.

Yun Tianze's expression changed several times before finally settling into a long sigh. He said, "Let me think about it some more."

"Could it be that you're unwilling to give up what you've given to the emperor of the Violet Kingdom?" Ru Feng suddenly asked.

Yun Tianze's expression froze for a moment, but he still said, "What nonsense are you talking about? It's no match for you at all."

"Tianze, time waits for no one. Are you trying to make me torture myself so I can kick the bucket?" Rufeng frowned, looking at him with displeasure.

Yun Tianze looked at Ru Feng with a struggle, grasped her hand, and said, "Why haven't you fallen in love with me?"

Ru Feng let him hold her hand, and whispered, "Actually, I like you too, just not romantically. And I know you're very good to me, but I..." She couldn't finish her sentence when she saw the pain in Yun Tianze's eyes. Was her current behavior hurting him? But there was nothing she could do; the person she loved wasn't him...

Yun Tianze seemed unmoved by her words. He simply stared intently at her, as if trying to see into the depths of her soul, and slowly asked, "Do you really love him that much?"

Ru Feng nodded without hesitation, staring directly at him with her large eyes.

"One life, one love, one pair, together until old age. In heaven, we wish to be birds flying wing to wing; on earth, we wish to be trees with intertwined branches. Though the ends of the earth may be reached, our love will never be separated. Even if the sea dries up and the rocks crumble at midnight, I will return to you in life, and in death, I will long for you." Yun Tianze released Ru Feng's hand, murmured, his face pale, and slowly walked out of the room.

In truth, he understood what Ru Feng meant, but he just pretended not to...

Facing the sunlight, Ru Feng watched the desolate figure. The pale blue robe seemed too large on him, giving off a sense of emaciated beauty. Watching his slowly departing back, listening to him recite the poem she had unintentionally written on the table, Ru Feng felt a sudden pang of sadness, and tears began to flow.

Sometimes, tears fall, but they have nothing to do with love.

Yun Tianze went out the door, staggered a few steps, and gave a bitter laugh.

Now she could no longer deceive herself! Ru Feng really wouldn't fall in love with her! She had fallen in love with someone else! She had always thought that Ru Feng was too young to understand love, and that her feelings for Mu Wenchen were just infatuation, but now? Could it still be called infatuation? Those big eyes were filled with love! Just like the way a mother looked at her father.

Yun Tianze stopped, his usually straight back slumping in dejection. In this life, like the wind, I so wished to be connected with you, though it wasn't a good match.

Turning back, he gazed sadly at the Hidden Wind Pavilion where Ru Feng lived. After a long while, he could only let out a long sigh, staggered away, leaving Uncle Yun with a tall and thin figure.

Looking at his master, Uncle Yun turned and glared fiercely at Cangfeng Pavilion, a thoughtful look and a decision flashing in his eyes.

After a long while, Yun Tianze returned to the palace from the street and composed himself. He slowly glanced at the magnificent palace, smiled slightly, but a chill ran through him, and his mind was filled with the image of Ru Feng's soft body and warm smile.

"Your Majesty, the princess requests an audience." Yun Tianze was still in a daze when he heard this.

"Where is she? I'll go find her!" Yun Tianze coldly glanced at the eunuch on the phone, then resumed his usual demeanor.

The eunuch trembled and quickly and respectfully led the way.

Upon arriving at Xuan Yuan Bing Yu's palace, they dismissed everyone else, leaving only the two of them.

"Royal sister, is there something you need?" Yun Tianze didn't want to be too distant from his own sister.

Xuanyuan Bingyu smiled gently and said, "Brother, I have something to discuss with you."

"Speak, but don't tell me you don't want to go through with the marriage." That's impossible, after all, it was already agreed upon. It's just that within his permission, Yun Tianze can let his sister choose someone she likes.

"How could that be?" Xuan Yuan Bingyu smiled gently. She understood her responsibilities. Even if her brother doted on her, she still had to know her limits.

"Brother, I heard that someone has moved into your Hidden Wind Pavilion?" she asked cautiously, observing Yun Tianze's actions.

Upon hearing this, Yun Tianze paused, his teacup still in his hand, and said in a low voice, "Which gossipy person told you?" It was easy to guess who it was. Besides Uncle Yun, who else would be so bored as to see Feng as a thorn in their side?

“I will find out eventually. The truth will eventually come out, especially your whereabouts. Someone with a keen eye might find out if they investigate.” Xuan Yuan Bingyu only gave a hint before continuing, “Brother, I met Yu Chi Rufeng before the flower viewing banquet.”

"Oh, where did you see her?" Yun Tianze asked casually, looking at his sister.

Xuan Yuan Bingyu smiled and slowly said, "We were on our way to the flower viewing banquet, but you were a step behind us, so I heard her voice on the street. At the time, I didn't know she was a woman; I just felt that this man must be extraordinary, and I immediately felt a liking for him." Her face was a little shy.

Yun Tianze's lips curled up, and he said, "I know that Ru Feng has always been very attractive to women."

Xuan Yuan Bingyu nodded in agreement and said, "Later, at the flower-viewing banquet, I saw him in person, and I felt that he must be a free and easy man, and that few things could hold him back. At that time, I thought that it would be nice to marry him. But, she is a woman." She sighed slightly and said, "Although I was surprised, I still admire her. It is not easy for a woman to achieve what she has done."

Yun Tianze was taken aback, recalling how Ru Feng used to get up early every day to practice her skills back in the academy, and how she would hide her stomachaches from him and the others.

"What exactly do you want to say?" Yun Tianze's tone was a little impatient. He already had a lot to think about today, and his sister was still saying some irrelevant things.

Right now, he didn't want to hear Ru Feng's name.

“Brother, what I want to say is that even if you imprison her, she will not belong to you unless she is willing. She is a free and unrestrained woman. Why don’t you let her live freely among the common people? Why do you have to imprison her by your side?”

Upon hearing this, Yun Tianze quickly retorted, "Does she think she's happy or at ease by Mu Wenchen's side?"

Seeing that his tone was getting impatient, Xuan Yuan Bingyu quickly said softly, "Brother, that's not what I meant. Let me ask you this: if you had known that Ru Feng was a girl back in the academy, would you still have wanted her to join the army?"

"Of course not." Yun Tianze asked subconsciously, "Why would Ru Feng join the army? It's too dangerous there, and it's all men."

“Yes, that’s what you think. But look at Mu Wenchen. After his attempts to dissuade her failed, he supported Rufeng’s decision to go because Rufeng had no choice but to go, for her grandfather’s sake.” Xuan Yuan Bingyu smiled at Yun Tianze, her gentle tone and soft voice quickly calming Yun Tianze down.