Feng Guang’s conscience gave a sharp twinge. Under its quiet reproach, she reached out and accepted the flower, saying against her true feelings, “Thank you for the flower. I really like it.”
He smiled suddenly, a brightness that seemed to outshine a garden in full spring bloom.
Feng Guang lowered her gaze and silently took another sip of tea, reminding herself to stay calm. She had no interest in competing with other women over a man. At this moment, she had no real awareness that this man was, by all rights, her lawful husband.
Baili Mo wrote again: “It’s getting late. Rest early.”
She quickly replied, “Mm. You should rest early too.”
Baili Mo stood up, glanced at her one last time, and then turned and left the bedchamber.
These past few days, he had been sleeping in the study, giving the peaceful and comfortable bedroom to her alone.
Thinking about it that way… he was actually quite gentlemanly.
Feng Guang blinked in confusion. But why couldn’t she bring herself to fall for this man?
If she liked him, she thought it would feel much easier to sit comfortably in the position of Crown Princess.
Fei Yu, clearly frustrated, said, “Miss, why didn’t you make His Highness the Crown Prince stay?”
“Why would I keep him?” Feng Guang shot her maid a look. “So he can fight me for the bed? No, thanks.”
“Miss!” Fei Yu stamped her foot.
Feng Guang pursed her lips and ignored her. She had always been the type to go with the flow, never liked to think too much, and now that it was late, she only gave a symbolic thought to how she should live her future before heading back to sleep.
The next day, well past mid-morning, she was woken up by a loud noise from outside.
Feng Guang was always grumpy when woken from sleep. She threw off the blankets, sat up in bed, rubbed her temples, and shouted, “Fei Yu!”
“What does Miss need?” Fei Yu rushed in at top speed.
“What’s going on outside? It’s so noisy—are they holding a market fair?”
Fei Yu’s face showed fear. “Miss… people from the Western Factory have arrived.”
“The Western Factory?” Feng Guang remembered Fei Yu mentioning a few days ago that the head of the Western Factory was a terrifying eunuch. And it had been that very man who had framed Baili Mo and thrown him into prison, only for her to act out a scene to save the pitiful Crown Prince. She instantly perked up. “What are they here for?”
They say they’re here to arrest the assassin who tried to kill His Majesty a few days ago. Right now, they’ve called everyone outside to be checked one by one.”
Feng Guang let out a cold laugh. “To catch an assassin? How can the Western Factory be so sure the assassin is in our Eastern Palace?”
“Not just the Eastern Palace. They’ve searched other palaces too.”
Alright… if every palace was being searched, then it wasn’t strange for them to come to the Eastern Palace. Feng Guang asked, “Where’s the Crown Prince?”
“Early this morning, His Majesty issued an order summoning His Highness. Right now… His Highness is probably still with His Majesty.”
As soon as she heard that, Feng Guang jumped out of bed in panic. “How long has he been gone?”
“About an hour.”
“Oh no, oh no…” Feng Guang hurriedly got dressed.
Fei Yu went forward to help her. “Miss, why are you in such a hurry?”
“The old emperor has been trying to get him killed forever. He’s been gone this long and hasn’t come back—what do you think I’m panicking about?!”
“You mean—”
“Stop talking. Hurry up and fix me up.”
“Yes.”
In just a few minutes, Feng Guang, fully dressed and groomed, walked out of the bedchamber.
At the entrance of the palace, all the maids and eunuchs stood in neat rows. In front of them stood a group of men dressed in black.
Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152