Feng Yanyan suddenly swayed as though falling any minute now. Even though JuZi was stunned, she still supported the young master.

"Forgive the impudence, your highness. This lowly one is not feeling quite well. Asking Highness for punishment."

Before Long Sangyu could react, chief eunuch Cheng arrived.

"Master Feng, Wangye is asking for you."

There wasn't a change in Long Sangyu's face but his thoughts turned. Cheng Gong arrived at the right time. It didn't look like a coincidence. His sister wanted to protect Feng Yanyan?

He couldn't understand. He only heard of the name Feng Ting several times. Even he was forbidden to ask who that man was or what happened.

As far as the prince knew, Feng Yanyan being related to Feng Ting wasn't even proven yet.

Junwang left with a scoff. Zhang Yunlei was frozen in his spot.

Who was Cheng Gong?

He was the highest-ranked eunuch in Wan Li wangfu and served beside the King, being the closest to her aside from her confidant and top guard, Xiao Hao.

What honor did Feng Yanyan have to actually make the buddha personally go out to let him in?

However, Beauty Feng had no clue who this old eunuch was. Judging from his confident gait and experienced aura, Feng Yanyan didn't dare to be presumptuous.

With a bow to the leaving Ping Junwang, he followed the scary eunuch.

Remembering the eunuch's words, Feng Yanyan started to panic. Why would Wangye even wait for him?

Oh, he understood.

Wangye would probably kick him out now. Her Highness summoned him for formality. What a coincidence, he wanted to go back to his courtyard too.

They entered the large drawing room. It was Feng Yanyan's second time entering here. The first was when Liu momo sent them to the palace. He was about to leave his maid behind the painted screen when a voice called out.

"Bring the maid."

Feng Yanyan was puzzled and turned to look at the old eunuch but who knew when that old fart vanished?

Ignorant of JuZi's stiff posture, Feng Yanyan walked past the screen painted with the intimidating white tiger and bent his knees in greeting. He couldn't help but notice that the thick smell of medicinal incense was still there. Remembering the smell of blood on her a month ago, he now believed that the King wasn't sickly. It was just that she was always injured.

It made sense for someone who was at constant war inside and outside her territory.

He wondered if she was still wounded...

After the formalities, the whole hall was too quiet.

Now that he was sober and not sick, Feng Yanyan still had the innate fear of the King so he only stared at the embroidered shoes a few paces away from him.

The previous occasions they met, either Feng Yanyan was out of it or muddleheaded. In fact, up to now he had no idea he met the King when he was drunk.

The more he stared at the shoes, he couldn't help but gasp in his mind. Its white rose embroidery was complex and sophisticated and probably used ice threads. He could tell this from the shining quality of the threads. Normal threads would have to be sprayed or painted on to look as though it's gleaming with luster. Ice threads were priceless treasures reserved for embroideries presented to the highest ranked women of the Tanglin Great Palace. Other families would treat it as an heirloom if they get their hands on it.

However, it was the boots' material that was the real deal. Black Cotton from the province of Gang, thousands of li away from Suliang. There was no problem with the distance, the trading routes are open across Dalong after all.

But Black Cotton was a tributary material only offered to the Emperor. And yet here it was, right in front of Feng Yanyan's eyes. To wantonly wear such precious things as though they were just fetched from around the corner, Wan Li Wang had this subdued extravagance!

"Are your injuries all healed up?"

"Ah?" Feng Yanyan woke up from his reverie. "Yes! I mean, answering wangye. My wounds healed long ago."

Long Xu Le was brewing her own tea. Hearing that the other person seemed to be distracted, she glanced up for a moment.

At the same time, Feng Yanyan's soul seemed to break and crumble.

He had beef with the Long family in general but he couldn't deny the breathtaking beauty of King Wan Li. It was so much that he could forget his fear of her.

"Why are you still kneeling?" Long Xu Le frowned.

If she didn't glance up, would these two kneel forever?

JuZi immediately helped young master Feng get up. Who knew Feng Yanyan would sit in front of wangye?

The palace maid almost had a heart attack. Wangye didn't invite him to sit directly in front of her! True, there was a tea table between them but still...

King Wan Li went back to concentrate on brewing after that one look so it seemed she didn't mind.

"How is the General Feng estate?" Her voice drifted, seemingly wanting to test him.

???

Feng Yanyan was confused. "Your highness... this one doesn't remember a General Feng estate in Tanglin. There's the Minister of Horses Feng."

>different pronunciation and meaning of Feng<

Long Xu Le's hand that was holding the small pot shook but she managed not to splash any. After saving the golden tea, she decided not to risk it and just put the pot down.

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That was right. There was no General Feng in Tanglin.

That man died even before the edict conferring the estate and official title  arrived. After that, it was as if that promise never existed.

Feng Ting served as a general in Suliang but wasn't honored by the Emperor yet. That was the reason they were in the capital that year. To get his medal.

She wondered and wondered if the two were related but still couldn't bring herself to investigate once and for all.

"Is that so? Ben dian thought you hailed from a family of generals. Otherwise, why would her Majesty be so fond of you?"

To tell wangye the truth, her Majesty loved this face. Feng Yanyan wanted to say that but couldn't.

It was good that Wan Li Wang didn't continue with that line of questioning.

"Tell me more about your family." Her Highness cocked her head to the side although there was no obvious curiosity on her blank face. "The positions of your father and brothers if any."

Her highness wanted to threaten me using my family? Feng Yanyan stiffened. He didn't even plan to tattle to anyone about what Long Tang did to him.

"This lowly one's father is an official of the fifth rank in Tanglin's yemen house. Eldest brother is fortunate to be a footman soldier of the eighth rank of the Imperial Brigade of Tanglin Great Palace. Second brother is part of the cavalry of the Eastern border's frontier army. Third brother was not interested in the military so he took care of the family's finances and businesses in Tanglin. He's assisted by the little sixth brother. Fourth brother is a page to General Shangguan in Northern Su Prefecture."

As he said these things without missing a breath, he had no idea that something seemed to be hammering down on JuZi's heart.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

If told to a simple commoner, they wouldn't find anything amiss with the job arrangements of the Feng male members. They could be admired as honest soldiers protecting the country. If one was blunt, the Feng clan were all low-ranking soldiers and not worthy of mentioning.

But Wangye was someone who had weathered storms and had an astute mind.

The Feng family's placements, although low-ranking, were all strategical posts. If they managed to snatch important positions in each of their assignments, the monarch would have enough reason to suspect them of rebellion.

But because of their unassuming posts, nobody questioned it. What could ordinary soldiers do?

"Interesting." Long Xu Le said this without an ounce of enthusiasm on her face.

In Feng Yanyan's mind, how could it be interesting. His older brother and cousins were simply too untalented. It wasn't that he was arrogant but even though he didn't dabble in the military, he was still the number one mei ren in the Tanglin Great Palace. Isn't that something to be proud of?

But not only did they not acknowledge this achievement, they also cussed him in the letters for rebelling and going to the Great Palace.

He could only shake his head at his country bumpkin family.

Feng Yanyan had the look of hating the iron for not being steel. Long Xu Le's eyes caught all this. She came to her own conclusion about the matters with the Feng family.

This young man was dearly protected and knew nothing of his family's schemes and machinations.

Wan Li Wang's gaze landed on the servant girl who tried acting nonchalant but the faint twitching of her fingers betrayed her feelings.

She turned back to Beauty Feng. "If you want to go back to your courtyard today, you may do so. Leave the maid here for a bit. Ben dian has some instructions for her."

Feng Yanyan bobbed his head and turned to leave. Before doing so, he patted JuZi's shoulder. He also didn't want to be left with wangye.

He could only sympathize with her. Good luck! Fighting!

Seeing him so glad to leave, Long Xu Le frowned. He didn't even ask what happened to the Junzhu. All the time, he stayed in Zhongqing without a care for the outside world.

Such a naïve man. From what she knew, even womenfolk of Feng Ting's family were trained in martial arts.

Was it possible that he wasn't really a Feng Ting's cousin or nephew?

But then again, the existence of the spies in her palace wouldn't be explained. The King trailed her eyes on the maid.

When the young master left, JuZi returned to a half kneel position. But wangye paid no attention to her.

"Xiao Hao," She summoned. "Bring them in."

The palace maid was puzzled. Who?

She didn't dare turn around to satiate her inquiring mind.

Soon, steps shuffled next to her and there was a ruffle of fabric as the people all knelt in reverence.

Wan Li Wang uttered two words to their horror.

"Feng family."

JuZi felt a tremor run through her whole body. Her Highness knew.

Since when?

Scenes of meeting the King when the young master went out to drink and when wangye rescued him from Junzhu flashed inside her mind.

Her highness must have tolerated young master Feng because she knew his identity already.

"Raise your heads up. Ben dian has to admire your daring."

---

Damn, this one is longer than usual. Thanks for the wait! We are slowly unraveling the mystery of the Feng family!

Good news: We will have daily updates for next week. I'll announce the schedule for the month of December on the next chapter which is tomorrow.

Edited: Feb. 14, 2023