The Crown Prince Chases His Wife
Chapter 118 Risks
Emperor Hui was growing increasingly impatient with the immature Shizifei, raising his hand to signal that the banquet should begin.
The guests took their seats around the tables.
Qin Xi cast a worried glance at Qin Lin beside her, relieved to see that Qin Lin appeared as calm as usual.
Qin Yan signaled for the feast to commence and gestured for Ji Nanfeng to introduce the dishes to everyone.
Servants began to bring out steaming hot pots for each table, with charcoal fires still burning beneath them.
They also served platters of thinly sliced meat, fresh white radish slices, leafy vegetables, and mushrooms.
“The soup in the hot pot is made from deer bones sourced from the western outskirts, simmered with ginseng, angelica, and other herbs that are ideal for winter nourishment,” Ji Nanfeng explained slowly.
“This meat is so thin!” exclaimed Xu Jieyu, sitting next to the emperor.
Ji Nanfeng bowed and then spoke, “This venison was rushed back from the western outskirts by fast horses. The legs were cut off and buried in a clean snow pile for an hour. After that, a skilled chef sliced the meat into paper-thin slices with a sharp knife. It’s best enjoyed by dipping it briefly in the hot pot. The texture is exquisite. Esteemed guests, remember not to leave the meat in the broth for too long, or it will lose its tenderness.”
The guests picked up the meat slices, and dipped them into the bubbling hot pot, and once the meat changed color, they quickly took it out and dipped it into the prepared sauce. Upon tasting it, there was even a hint of sweetness.
“Indeed, absolutely delicious.”
Everyone praised the dish endlessly.
Outside the veranda, snowflakes fluttered down gently, while nearby, the chef in the stove shed continued to roast fragrant venison. Inside, the fire crackled warmly as the guests admired the snowy scenery, enjoyed the sight of the blooming plum blossoms, drank wine, and feasted on meat, indulging in the luxurious banquet. It was a truly delightful scene.
However, not everyone could fully enjoy the feast, as some found it difficult to savor the food.
————–
Emperor Hui grew tired halfway through the banquet and left early with Imperial Concubine Xu.
After the Emperor’s departure, Feng Subei prepared to leave with An Yanxi. Just as he was about to stand, An Yanxi suddenly gagged, looking as if she was about to vomit.
Feng Subei frowned and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Everyone turned their attention toward them. An Yanxi, however, just covered her mouth and nose with a handkerchief, bent over, and continued to gag without saying a word.
Feng Yunchao quickly approached, “Yanxi, what’s the matter?”
Then, a thought crossed Feng Yunchao’s mind, and he glanced at Feng Subei, “Yanxi, are you pregnant?”
Feng Subei’s expression shifted, and he narrowed his eyes at An Yanxi, who had slowly regained her composure. Without hesitation, he rose and addressed the Taizi and Taizifei.
“Your Highnesses Taizi , Your Highnesses Taizifei, I must take my leave.”
With that, Feng Subei grabbed An Yanxi’s hand and quickly left.
Feng Yunchao vaguely sensed that Feng Subei’s expression toward Yanxi wasn’t quite right. She stood, ready to follow them, but Feng Yuyao stopped her.
“It’s a matter between husband and wife. Why are you getting involved?”
Feng Yunchao sat back down, still a bit worried, not paying much attention to how Feng Yuyao’s words seemed to overstep propriety.
After a hearty meal, Feng Yuyao smiled and suggested, “Shall we play horse tag?”
Qin Xi rubbed her hands together, eager to try, “Heh, horse tag? Who can beat me at this game?”
Feng Zhan, on the other hand, looked less than pleased. These noisy people, he thought, would be better off vanishing so he could enjoy some quiet time with Qin Yan.
Sensing her husband’s mood, Qin Yan took his hand and said to the others, “Enjoy yourselves.”
With that, Qin Yan and Feng Zhan left together.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk,” a few girls in the corridor whispered as they watched the Taizi and Taizifei walk away, secretly envious.
It was rare to see a truly loving couple among the aristocracy, especially in the royal family. But the Taizi and Taizifei were a once-in-a-lifetime rarity.
The remaining princesses and the Qin family twins moved to the warm pavilion and started their game of horse tag, which Qin Xi jokingly called “the battle of horse tag between commoners and royalty.”
————–
Outside the Taizi Mansion, Feng Subei helped An Yanxi into the carriage. His gaze was cold as he looked at her.
“What’s going on with you?”
An Yanxi met his eyes with a similarly cold expression, “A cold.”
Feng Subei narrowed his eyes, suspecting something more, “A cold? Then why did you still come to the western outskirts?”
An Yanxi tilted her head, letting out a mocking laugh, “Feng Subei, this is the longest conversation we’ve had since you returned to the capital.”
Seeing his slight frown, An Yanxi no longer cared to maintain their facade of peace, “I came to see what kind of woman could captivate you so much that you’d jump into an icy lake to save her.”
Feng Subei’s expression shifted subtly, confirming her suspicions—An Yanxi was here because of Qin Lin.
“Feng Subei, in your heart, what am I?” An Yanxi stared directly into his eyes, finally asking the question that had been haunting her for days.
“You’ve made me doubt whether your affection for me was ever real.” She studied his face closely for any reaction, but to her disappointment, Feng Subei remained expressionless, revealing nothing.
Feng Subei took a deep breath, looking at the woman before him who was, in name, his wife. His voice carried a hint of mockery as he spoke, “An Yanxi, we both know the truth of who resides in your heart. There’s no need to spell it out. Isn’t it better to leave things unsaid and live peacefully?”
An Yanxi knew that Feng Subei was aware of her lingering feelings for the Taizi, a fact that wasn’t exactly a secret among the nobles of the capital. Yet she had always assumed that Feng Subei, like He Xiao, was hopelessly infatuated with her, no matter who held her affections.
As if reading her mind, Feng Subei’s next words struck directly at her core, “Today, you deliberately addressed the Taizi’s wife as Princess Zhaoren in front of everyone. That was provocation.”
“An Yanxi, you still haven’t let go of the Taizi.”
His gaze sharpened as he continued, “I married you because it was advantageous for the Grand Scholar Mansion, and both Grand Scholar An and An Wenjing were pleased by it. You’d best restrain yourself so as not to embarrass anyone.”
“Whether your act of vomiting at the banquet was due to a real cold or just some petty rear courtyard trick, I don’t care. But you’d better stop pulling stunts like that.”
His final warning cut deep, “And one last thing, don’t even think about challenging the patience of the Taizi or the Taizifei. That Taizifei… she’s not someone you can afford to provoke.”
An Yanxi felt as if each of Feng Subei’s words had peeled away layers of her dignity, leaving her utterly humiliated.
Feng Subei turned to the carriage driver and ordered, “Take Shizifei back to the Duan Wang Mansion.”
As he prepared to get out of the carriage, An Yanxi suddenly grabbed his sleeve. “Are you going to find her?”
Feng Subei shot her a cold glance. “Let go.”
An Yanxi replied sarcastically, “Are you going to explain things to her? Explain what? That we haven’t consummated our marriage? Do you think she’ll believe you?”
Feng Subei’s voice grew colder, “Let go.”
In the end, Feng Subei exited the carriage and headed straight for the Taizi Mansion.
From the carriage, An Yanxi lifted the curtain and gazed at the tall wall connecting the Taizi Mansion and the Princess Mansion, her heart filled with seething hatred.
Qin Yan!
It’s again Qin Yan!
————–
When Feng Subei returned, the card game had already ended. Feng Yuyao, Qin Xi, and Qin Lin stayed at the Princess Mansion because it was too late, while Feng Yunchao had gone to the Taizi Mansion residence.
Upon learning that Qin Lin was in the library, Feng Subei had a servant from the Princess Mansion guide him there.
As Feng Subei entered the library, he saw Qin Lin stretching to reach a book on a higher shelf.
Feng Subei quietly approached her from behind. His tall figure cast a shadow over her, and he took her hand, retrieving the book.
Qin Lin stiffened for a moment. After he took the book, she stepped aside, distancing herself from the imposing man.
Feng Subei was about to speak when Qin Lin interjected first, “Let’s talk outside. Don’t let those matters tarnish these books.”
Feng Subei’s expression darkened.
What matters could tarnish the books?
Qin Lin stepped out of the library and stood on the outer corridor, with Feng Subei following closely behind.
Qin Lin turned to face Feng Subei, her tone serious, “Shizi, please finish speaking all at once.”
Feng Subei understood that Qin Lin wasn’t planning to leave them any room for interpretation, but some things needed to be said to avoid misunderstandings.
“My relationship with An Yanxi is not what you think.”
Qin Lin responded coldly, “I already told you yesterday, I hope you won’t disturb me anymore. What you and your Shizifei do has nothing to do with me.”
Feng Subei looked at Qin Lin with absolute certainty in his tone, “Qin Lin, don’t deny it, you have feelings for me.”
Qin Lin met his gaze directly, “And even if I do, so what? It’s just a momentary impulse.”
“Shizi, have you forgotten you have a Shizifei? She might even be pregnant. What feelings could possibly take precedence over your responsibilities?”
Pregnant?
Feng Subei was sure that Qin Lin had misunderstood and he believed An Yanxi’s earlier vomiting was likely intentional. As he prepared to explain, Qin Lin spoke first, “You men think having multiple wives is a given, but I’m not interested in playing along.”
Qin Lin turned and returned to the library, shutting the door behind her.
Feng Subei didn’t chase after her. He truly had no way to deal with An Yanxi’s situation.
Standing in the cold wind, he disregarded years of upbringing and cursed inwardly.
Who the hell wants multiple wives?
———-
On the way back to the bedroom, Qin Yan and Feng Zhan were approached by Ji Nanfeng, “Master, Young Master Jiang requests an audience.”
Qin Yan soothingly squeezed the hand of the man beside her, who had suddenly darkened his expression.
“I’ll be right back.”
Feng Zhan grabbed Qin Yan’s hand, seemingly unwilling to let her leave him.
Qin Yan lightly hooked her fingers in Feng Zhan’s palm and her voice softened a little, “Your Highness, be good.”
Feng Zhan’s expression darkened even more, but his grip relaxed slightly.
Qin Yan withdrew her hand and went to the study with Ji Nanfeng.
Entering the study, Qin Yan didn’t plan to waste time with Jiang Mu. Otherwise, the man who had just darkened his face would certainly make her pay for it later.
“Let’s get to the point,” she said as she walked toward the large chair behind the desk.
Jiang Mu held back the boiling blood within him and tried to speak calmly, “I’ve heard that next spring, the Great Xia will invite imperial families from various countries to the capital to attend the ceremony. Will the Western Rong attend?”
Qin Yan had guessed the reason for Jiang Mu’s visit, and it turned out to be true.
“Yes,” she replied succinctly.
Jiang Mu felt his blood stirring with excitement.
“Are you planning to take action against the Western Rong?”
This time, Qin Yan didn’t answer directly. Instead, she said one thing, “Be prepared.”
Jiang Mu’s narrowed his eyes, Qin Yan’s words meant one thing: it was decided.
He nodded and turned to leave.
The day was finally approaching, Uncle Emperor.
Qin Yan watched Jiang Mu’s retreating figure, her fingers lightly tapping the table.
She wasn’t just going to take action against the Western Rong; there was also the Turks, and…
A cold glint flickered in her eyes.
And there was the backup that Empress Xiao had left for herself which was the southwestern granary in Yizhou.
———-
When Qin Yan exited the study, she saw a man standing nearby, emanating coldness. From a distance, she felt that Feng Zhan’s expression seemed somewhat forlorn.
The two returned to the bedroom and went straight to the hot spring.
Today, however, Feng Zhan was very restrained in the hot spring, which left Qin Yan puzzled.
“Hmm?”
Feng Zhan had his arms braced on the edge of the spring, encircling the woman in front of him, trying hard to refrain from making a move.
Qin Yan frowned slightly, reaching her hand into the water and tilting her head slightly, “Is there a problem, Your Highness?”
Feng Zhan grabbed her restless hand, beads of sweat streaming down his forehead, his throat bobbing.
“Yan Yan, how about we use contraceptive medicine instead?”
His words froze the atmosphere in the hot spring.
Qin Yan looked at Feng Zhan with a cold glint in her eyes, and Feng Zhan suddenly realized she had misunderstood.
He gently brushed his fingers along Qin Yan’s face, his deep gaze locking onto her phoenix-like eyes, his voice hoarse, “Yan Yan, I don’t want you to suffer the pains of childbirth, and I certainly don’t want…”
Feng Zhan’s throat bobbed slightly, and his voice seemed somewhat low, “I can’t bear the risks you would face in giving birth.”
“We could follow the example of Emperor the Northern Liang and have the imperial family…”
Before he could finish, Qin Yan sealed his lips with a kiss. Her kiss was passionate, and Feng Zhan was unable to resist; he lost control of the situation, and the atmosphere in the hot spring became intoxicating.
An hour later, Feng Zhan carried Qin Yan back to the bedroom. As he set her down, Qin Yan flipped him over and pinned him beneath her.
Qin Yan seemed to understand why Feng Zhan had been acting unusually today; it was likely because of the incident yesterday when Han Shuangling had a miscarriage at the horse racing grounds.
Indeed, childbirth for a woman was like crossing a gate of hell. If one was careless…
Still flushed, Qin Yan reached out and lightly touched Feng Zhan’s thin lips with her fingertips, speaking slowly, “I’ve always believed that what is meant to be will be, and what isn’t meant to be shouldn’t be forced.”
“But if heaven grants us a child, then we should accept it.”
“If I am truly fortunate enough to become a mother, I won’t fear anything.”
Feng Zhan’s gaze was deeply fixed on Qin Yan’s face, and he suddenly pulled her into his embrace.
Qin Yan, I have never feared anyone or anything in my life.
But I can’t even imagine how I would feel if you were to face such a situation…
Then, what about me…