A Mistaken Marriage Match: Mysteries in the Imperial Harem

Chapter 105: Losing The Soldier To Protect The Chariots (Part 1)

Yan Hong Tian walked very quickly and Qing Feng chased without even thinking. When she reached her hand out to stop Yan Hong Tian and meet his surprised dark eyes, Qing Feng then realised that she was overeager but in any case, that child must be brought up by her. Avoiding Yan Hong Tian’s gaze, Qing Feng lowered her eyes and softly said, “Is the Emperor willing to have dinner with Chenqie?”

Qing Feng knew that Yan Hong Tian was looking at her. Even if she did not look up, she was able to feel his line of sight was much hotter than it was in the Cold Palace. After waiting for very long, Yan Hong Tian did not speak and Qing Feng was hesitating if she should raise her head when her hand got suddenly warmed as Yan Hong Tian held her hand. There seems to be a sighed by her hear which made Qing Feng thought if she heard wrongly.

“Come on.”

Having her hand suddenly held by Yan Hong Tian made Qing Feng shivered. Yan Hong Tian grabbed tighter and Qing Feng wanted to break away but seeing the clear clenching of his teeth, her heart was somewhat sore.

The two persons headed back to Qing Feng Hall and neither said anything. The dinner tonight was enriching but Yan Hong Tian and Qing Feng had no appetite and only ate a little before it was cleared.

“Yue Sheng left?” Yan Hong Tian asked as he was sipping his tea.

“En.” Qing Feng only nodded her head. Her heart was very tangled up, this was their first time sitting down and talking calmly after Zhi-er left. She knew that with regards to Zhi-er’s death, Yan Hong Tian was not indifferent to it but she could not help but to blame him, especially when he knew that the child did not die from sickness and from the beginning he sent someone to take the medicine dregs away. This blame had evolved into a type of grudge. She felt that perhaps Yan Hong Tian know the other reason for Zhi-er’s death but he was not willing to investigate deeper and this kind of speculation made her feel hurt.

“Come here.”

This seemed to be like how Yan Hong Tian usually call her and as compared to the first violent confrontation between the two, this ‘come here’ had a slight warmth to it but made Qing Feng not want to step forward.

Yan Hong Tian was never a patient person and seeing Qing Feng not moving, Yan Hong Tian reach out directly and pull her into his arms.

“You want that child?”

Qing Feng entire body stiffen a little. She leaned towards Yan Hong Tian’s embrace for a while before replying, “Yes, I want.” Worried that Yan Hong Tian would not agree, Qing Feng immediately said, “I need a child right now.”

Need? Yan Hong Tian’s dark eyes got colder before it darken when they swept over Qing Feng’s fingers. He pull her hands to take a closer look. There were some faint scars that were made by the cuts on her palms and on the slender fingers, it was covered with many tiny cuts. Even though it was not considered serious, it made one feel uncomfortable. Yan Hong Tian asked in a cold voice, “How did this happen?”

Qing Feng withdrew her hand and coolly replied, “By snatching.”

Yan Hong Tian was clearly not satisfied with such a half-hearted answer and Qing Feng did not want to dwell on this issue so she looked up at Yan Hong Tian and insisted, “I need that child.”

Again with the need. Yan Hong Tian could understand the pain of losing a child and once again placed her hands in his and spoke in a somewhat coaxing deep voice, “If you need, Zhen can let you have your own child.” Won’t her heart be in more pain if she were to look after other person’s children?

This sentenced stepped on Qing Feng’s sore spot. Qing Feng stared at Yan Hong Tian as if she want to stare a hole into him, “I have had before. And the result? I was already disappointed once, does the Emperor want to break another promise again?”

The expression in Qing Feng’s eyes was like a knife and the words that she spoke were like a double edge thin blade that pierced into his heart directly. At first one did not feel any pain but afterword the pain was bone-piercing.

“Must you treat Zhen this way?”

As her hand was tightly held, a familiar pain returned with that violent set of eyes. Qing Feng stared at Yan Hong Tian and she suddenly laughed. Both of them was so accustomed at hurting one another like this.

“Qing Feng!” He did not like this laughter of hers, he extremely dislike it.

Qing Feng only felt her feet lighten as Yan Hong Tian carried her from her waist and in the next moment, already placed her in the centre of the large bed.

As the fingers gently caressed her delicate face, that hand around her waist tightened and both bodies tightly fitted together. The eyes followed the fingers and gradually some mesmerising feelings heated up. Qing Feng suddenly laughed, “You previously said before that the most incorrect thing that I did in my life is to destroy this face. Now are you satisfied?” Even though the injuries on her face no longer exits, but her heart was in shambles.

Yan Hong Tian cupped Qing Feng’s cheeks with one hand as the heat of that pair of eyes turned cold. He was not satisfied seeing her eyes like this and that laughter of hers. Yan Hong Tian wanted to cover Qing Feng’s face more than the first time he had her.

That night, she catered to Yan Hong Tian demanded crazily like she never did before. Their body had never been so close but both hearts were separated by a cloud of haze, they couldn’t get closer but neither wanted to stay away.

*****

Under the thick cloak of the night, a slim figure stood in front of a bonsai and was carefully trimming the foliage looking very relaxed. But it was in the middle of the night so no matter how one see it, it was somewhat strange. Yi Yue ran over from far away and stood behind the slender figure and said panting, “Older sister… Older sister Shui Xin, the Empress is looking for you.” The Empress just threw a large temper that almost collapsed the entire Yi Lan Palace and no one dared to come near.

Shui Xin lightly nodded her head and there was no trace of panic on her face as she continued to slowly trim the flowers as she lightly replied, “Noted. You can withdraw first.”

Not sure why but watching Shui Xin’s elegant action in the dark made Yi Yue start to be fearful. She did not dare to anything more and nodded her head before running off.

Shui Xin had no intention of returning as she cut the flowers smoothly. One after another branch that she finds unpleasant was cut off and fell onto the ground. A dark shadow crept up towards her and stopped about three to four paces behind her. That person was wearing a eunuch uniform but his voice was not at all sharp and instead was a little hoarse, “Master, someone is investigating towards the direction of Shen Yao. To proceed to nib the problem in the bud?”

“Kacha.” A crisp noise sounded and a long shoot fell onto the ground after being cut. Shui Xin place the scissors down and replied, “No need. Since they want to search, let them find it then.”

“Yes.” When that person received the instruction, he respectfully exited. Master usually did not like to leave any ends so this time there must be a new plan in place.

Shui Xin was appreciating the freshly cut bonsai and was in a good mood. In the beginning she did not think that this time the Little Prince’s death would attract so many investigation from different people but after thinking, she felt that it was also very interesting. Anyways the mastermind of everything had always been the Empress. What involvement did she have?

Furthermore… She was getting more impatient towards Xin Yue Ning.

*****

Yan Hong Tian was indeed a good Emperor, even with the greed during the entire night, when the hour came, the people outside the door only need to lightly call out and Yan Hong Tian would immediately wake up.

Getting up quickly and wearing the robes neatly, Yan Hong Tian returned back to the bed to slightly cover the blanket over her and gave a very light kiss by her ear, “If you want a child, Zhen will give you one!” Yan Hong Tian did not show any more reluctance to leave and quickly walked out of the room.

At the moment when the room doors were closed, the person who was supposedly fast asleep suddenly open her eyes and her hand touched her ears. She took a long while before her hand reach into the pillow and dug out that small white porcelain bottle. Pulling out the stopping, a herbal scent hit her as a small black pill rolled out into her hand.

She picked the pill and placed it in her mouth but did not swallow it. Qing Feng quietly laid on the bed and felt the bitter pill melting slowly in her mouth, making her throat a little sore.

Just after the morning court, in the Xin family study room, the atmosphere was very heavy as Xin Sui sat on the main seat with a dark face filled with anger. His three sons kept their heads down and dared not say anything at all.

“Kuang Dang.” A hot cup of tea was fiercely thrown onto the ground by Xin Sui and both the hot water and porcelain debris flew at the feet of the three persons, making them dared not even breath loudly.

“Absolutely disgraceful thing that cannot even settle a small matter! Still dare to hid it from me?!” Xin Sui was heaving with anger as he glowered.

Xin Fu Cheng was also very resentful in his heart and softly complained, “It’s all from Dan Yu Lan.” If he was not meddlesome how would the already closed army ration case be that eventful.

Xin Ruo Zheng did not get along with Xin Fu Cheng all the while and when he heard him saying that, he lightly coughed and replied, “Second younger brother is too naïve. If it was not the Emperor’s intention, Dan Yu Lan would not have dared to dig that deep.”

“You still dare to say, this matter was due to the unfavourable work that you, the Ministry of Revenue, had done prior, where we need to wipe your ass afterwards!” Seeing Xin Fu Cheng and Xin Ruo Zheng was about to fight, Xin Yi Heng quickly interrupted the two stop the unnecessary quarrel and said, “It is now not the time to discuss about that, what should be done next?”

Two of them stared at one another but did not continue quarrelling. The three of them looked towards Xin Sui who was at the main seat.

Xin Sui shook his head. These three sons of his. The eldest son was mistrustful and suspicious of everything, second son was rude, impetuous and lack of wisdom and his fifth son was too young and not steady enough. Three of them also like to suspect one another and if it wasn’t them trying to take credit for their own to deal with his matter and let him be aware earlier that Dan Yu Lan was looking into the matter, things would not have gone to this stage.

Xin Sui felt resentful towards them for failing to meet his expectations and was so angry and lack of option that he did not bother to rage on with them and said, “Send someone over to the Lin family to say that the Imperial court is keeping a tight grip on the investigation, so they should take the initiative to get rid of the assets and wealth from the sale of the rations and declare bankruptcy to disappear and avoid the limelight. As for the officials involvement to this matter, manage it well. Things that should not be said or should not be pulled in must not be disclosed. You all should also exercise restraint.”

Xin Yi Heng was anxious, “Father, like that the damage will be huge!” Like this, the Lin family will no longer lean towards them and there were many officials that would be implicated in the case of the army rations. It was truly a pity to sacrifice these confidants were promoted difficultly.

“Who let you all be so careless at things! Now the basket is overturned, do you what it to ruin the hundred years of family business of the Xin family?!” All a bunch of wastrel, they think he didn’t know damage value was huge! The more he see them the more anger he felt. Xin Sui waved his hands in anger, “All of you get out.”

“Yes.”

Three of them did not dare to speak more and exited dejectedly as Xin Sui’s anger lingers. Yan Hong Tian wanted to get rid of him and it would absolutely be easy. It was fortunate that he has still one trump card, just wait for a few more years and he will raise again!