Chapter 71: Yunxiao - Rebirth of the Noble Daughter

 Chapter 71: Yunxiao

"The young lady has such good hair. I've heard from the old maids in the house that having good hair signifies good fortune. It means you'll find a perfect husband in the future."

These words made Feng Jinyao feel stifled. She suddenly thought of Wen Mengsheng, and her good mood from looking at the moon dissipated considerably.

A perfect husband? She didn't think so.

In her past life, she had suffered so much. In this life, she didn't even have the thought of getting married.

Meeting Xu Mingyue today made her realize something. After avenging herself, could she also immerse herself in nature and live a carefree life?

She didn't want to be confined to the inner courtyard, nor did she want to compete with her husband's concubines. Living that kind of life once was enough. In this life, she wanted to live happily.

The moon was high above the treetops. Not far away in Yunxiao Pavilion, Xiao Tingyi stood with his hands behind his back, gazing into the distance.

His face, under the moonlight, was no longer pale but had gained some healthy color. He wore only a black brocade robe, and there was no brazier in Yunxiao Pavilion.

Strangely, he, who used to cough frequently, was quite calm at this moment.

Yunxiao Pavilion stood high, overlooking the entire Jin dynasty. The thousands of lights shining below were all in his sight.

He often stood here for an hour, watching the people live peacefully, feeling that he had not let his father down.

Few people knew that behind Fahua Temple, hidden in the woods, was Xiao Tingyi's private residence.

The mountain was cold, but his courtyard was warm all year round, unaffected by the mountain winds and undisturbed by outsiders.

After returning from the Nanyue battlefield, outsiders thought he was recuperating in the palace. In reality, he had already moved to this place.

It was with the warmth of this place and the superb medical skills of Doctor Zhang that he had recovered.

He still pretended to be ill, just as a decoy for the Emperor. Otherwise, who knew how many concubines would be sent to his palace to ensure 'offspring'?

To the suspicious Emperor, a sickly prince without a wife or children, even with military power, posed little threat.

Unwilling to waste his efforts in intrigue, he simply feigned illness. Thus, he had enjoyed a peaceful life over the years.

The small courtyard he lent to the Xu family was just a cover. Occasionally, someone would deliver vegetables, but they didn't know the vegetables were for Xiao Tingyi's private residence.

Separated by a forest, the outer world was blocked by the Five Elements Eight Trigrams array, so ordinary people couldn't find the entrance to the private residence. Over the years, very few people knew about this place.

As the lights gradually went out, Xiao Tingyi withdrew his gaze from the distance. Unexpectedly, he saw a scene in the small courtyard illuminated by a lantern.

Seeing her here was indeed a surprise.

Could it be that the Xu family's girl left her here?

Though the two were far apart, Xiao Tingyi saw it clearly.

Despite the tranquil appearance, that girl had an inexplicable sadness in her expression.

Sometimes, her eyes were deep and unfathomable like a bottomless pool, while at other times, they were clear like a stream, captivating anyone who looked at them.

In almost thirty years of life, this was the first time he found an outsider interesting.

Under the moonlight, he quietly watched for a while. Somehow, he had the thought that these thousands of lights couldn't compare to the bright eyes of that girl by the window.

As he was thinking, he heard faint footsteps behind him. Without turning, he knew who it was and said softly, "You're here."

Yang Zhao, holding the latest military intelligence, stood outside the pavilion, not surprised at Xiao Tingyi's keen hearing. "Your Highness, this is the latest military report."

Xiao Tingyi withdrew his gaze from Feng Jinyao and walked towards Yang Zhao.

After reading the military report, his expression remained unchanged. Instead, he asked, "How is the investigation into the Zhu family going?"

"Your Highness, our spy in the Zhu family hasn't sent any information yet. However, it's said that the Zhu family's eldest son will marry the daughter of the Chi family from Jinling next May."

"He is quite calculating. By allying with the Chi family's wealth, even if he's found guilty of corruption, he can evade most of the charges."

Xiao Tingyi's tone was mocking. "Send word that the evidence of his corruption in the transportation department must be obtained before May."

"Understood." Yang Zhao received the order and left to make arrangements.

Thinking of escaping disaster by marrying into the Chi family? Dream on!

The military report turned to ashes in Xiao Tingyi's hand, disappearing without a trace.

When he turned back to look at the small courtyard, the beauty by the window was gone, and the lights inside had dimmed, indicating she had probably gone to bed.

Retracting his gaze, he looked into the distance again, his eyes filled with a mixture of ink-like darkness and a hint of killing intent.

The Jin dynasty had been established for many years. Through several reigns, power had become intertwined and corrupt. Power bred desire, and with it, many corrupt officials.

In recent years, he had focused on investigating corruption in the transportation department in Jiangzhe, but had often hit dead ends.

The thirteen divisions of the transportation department and the numerous commandants along the route were like a tightly woven net, impervious to penetration.

Finally catching the Zhu family, he wouldn't let them go.

If they were so collusive and unrepentant, he would break them from within, ensuring a swift and thorough clean-up.

With this in mind, he pushed aside thoughts of romance and gazed toward Jiangzhe.

Standing tall in Yunxiao Pavilion, looking down on the world, he felt no loneliness or desolation.

In the main room, the Xu family's orange cat slept soundly. Madam Xu had left the cat there to keep the girls company, knowing they might feel lonely.

Cats were very intuitive and could give early warnings if something happened.

With two lamps extinguished, the room became softer. Outside, the night was deep.

Watching the cat's sleeping posture, Feng Jinyao couldn't help but think of her own pet, Chilin, her eyes filled with a smile. She wondered how the little creature was doing.

As she thought of it, a fiery figure suddenly burst through the door, leaping into her arms and whimpering as if complaining about being left behind.

For a moment, Feng Jinyao was astonished. Seeing it clearly, her heart melted.

"I didn't leave you; I just went out to play for a few days." She lifted it to eye level, speaking softly.

"But how did you get here? If Xiuqiu finds you missing tomorrow, won't she be worried?"

No matter, no matter, I won't leave you for so long again!
Though it didn't speak, its playful demeanor conveyed the message clearly. Feng Jinyao, helpless, called for Yunxu.

"Send word back tomorrow morning, tell Xiuqiu that Chilin ran out."

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