TSFLIP Chapter 249

The man was incredulous. “You… want me to go and provide disaster relief?”

Feng Guang smiled faintly. “Why not? Fools like you, willing to sacrifice themselves for the greater good, are rare.”

Was that a compliment or an insult? Either way, it was infuriating to hear.

“Oh, right. You’ll probably need proof of identity on the way, and I’m too lazy to draft an imperial decree.” She thought for a moment, and then an idea struck. She bent slightly, lifting her skirt to reveal a fair, snow-white ankle.

The man had a clear view since she was standing right in front of him. His face turned red instantly. “What are you doing!?”

“Giving you a token of authority.” Feng Guang removed an anklet from her foot. With a glance, the Imperial Guard released their hold on the man, allowing him to stand. She tossed the anklet to him casually. “This has a mermaid pearl embedded in it—something only I possess. Use it as your proof.”

The silver anklet indeed held a translucent white pearl, but it also carried the warmth of her skin. Holding it made his hands feel uncomfortably hot, and his face inexplicably flushed.

“Elder Sister, I want to go to Dongyang City too,” Xia Fengya spoke up, her small face filled with curiosity. “I’d like to see the world outside the palace and experience the struggles of the common people.”

If only she weren’t staring so intently at the man while speaking, Feng Guang might have believed her.

“Suit yourself. Go if you want.” Feng Guang chuckled and turned to leave. “Xiao Wo, Xiao Hao, Xiao Wu, Xiao Liao, let’s return to the palace.”

The four palace maids answered in unison, “Yes, Your Majesty.”

After taking a single step, Feng Guang paused. She turned her head slightly, her ink-black hair brushing against her neck, her profile as delicate as a painting. “If anyone dares stop you, kill them. Mu Liang, don’t disappoint me.”

With that, she walked away gracefully, leaving behind only the image of her stunning silhouette.

He stared after her, dazed. “How does she know my name?”

“It’s engraved on your sword,” Xia Fengya pointed out, gesturing at the weapon in his hand. Sure enough, the words Mu Liang were etched onto the blade.

Mu Liang: “…”

As the moon rose, the lake was adorned with floating lotus lanterns. It was the Qixi Festival, and young women prayed for good marriages. In the past, such displays were forbidden in the palace. But since the empress had ascended the throne, she had relaxed many of the rules. She even allowed palace staff over the age of twenty-five to leave and live outside the palace. The atmosphere in the palace seemed much lighter these days.

Feng Guang sat in the lakeside pavilion, resting her chin on her hand. “You four can go have fun. You don’t need to stay here with me.”

The four maids exchanged glances. The eldest, Xiao Wo, hesitated. “But we must protect Your Majesty.”

“Just don’t wander too far. If another assassin shows up so soon after the last one, Qian Qiu won’t be keeping his position as Commander of the Imperial Guard for long. Go on, leave me in peace for a bit.”

“As you wish… If anything happens, just call for us.”

“Mm-hmm.” She waved them off lazily.

The moment they left, she sneezed. Then, a soft, elegant voice broke the silence. “The night air is cold. Why doesn’t Your Majesty wear more layers?”

Without turning around, she replied naturally, “If I wear too much, it’d be inconvenient to seduce a handsome man when I see one.”

“Your Majesty, you’re as irreverent as ever.”

A man dressed in pristine white sat across from her. He was stunningly handsome, with eyebrows as graceful as willow branches and a stature as upright as a jade tree. Refined and poised, he seemed almost otherworldly under the soft glow of the moonlight, which cast a dreamlike quality over his gentle smile.

For a man to look like this—he was indeed a rarity.