Chapter 854: Chapter 596 Grand Finale (Part Six)
Feng Yun was locked up by Wen Xingsu, confined in a courtyard whose location she herself could not bear to identify.
Heavy guard surrounded her, leaving her with no means to move an inch.
Wen Xingsu sent two mute maids to serve her, tending to her daily needs with fine food and drinks. They were skilled in martial arts, worked efficiently, but never spoke to her.
When questioned, they seemed to know nothing.
Only feigning ignorance.
Thus, she remained unaware that during the days of her imprisonment, the entire realm was teetering on the edge of chaos.
The battle at Suo Yue Ridge concluded with Qifang retreating, while the surprise attack in Bingzhou faltered due to Wen Xingsu’s cunning feint and a lack of reinforcements from Chunyu Yan’s Yunchuan Army. This disrupted the offensive strategy and nearly resulted in Qi Army engulfing Bingzhou in a crushing encirclement.
The struggle between the standoffish heron and the steadfast clam made Wen Xingsu, the opportunistic fisherman, the ultimate victor...
In the seven years he held control over Da Yong’s military forces, he had planted numerous personnel within the armies of Nan Yong and Eastern Yong. Now, with a simple command, he rapidly gained control of everything north of Huaishui, advancing directly toward Xinjing...
Xinjing was on the brink of despair.
Regent Crown Prince Pei Jun, young and inexperienced, remained stationed at Ming Tang and issued decrees to all divisions in the Capital Central, ordering the closing of city gates, rallying the citizens, and preparing supplies.
Northern Yong Army Commander, General of Anping Ao Qi, personally donned armor and led the integration of the Imperial Guards with the troops from various Jingji camps, sending out official announcements, rallying morale, and setting up a vigilant defense surrounding the Imperial City.
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The wheels of history rolled forward relentlessly...
Feng Yun was forced to sit in this unstoppable carriage, yet she was like a clay puppet—utterly powerless against the situation.
Wen Xingsu sat before her for half a day, his tea growing cold, before her eyes barely shifted.
"Where are you planning to take me?"
Wen Xingsu replied indifferently, "Back to Huaxi."
Feng Yun said, "You’re not that kind-hearted."
Seeing her disbelief, Wen Xingsu gently pursed his lips.
"Why do you say that?"
Feng Yun responded, "Huaxi has Changmen. Changmen has a retinue. Others may not know my strengths and weaknesses, but you are intimately aware."
At this mention, a feeling of resentment surged within her.
She sneered bitterly, clenching her teeth.
It truly was a case of guarding against all but being undone by betrayal from the inside.
She had anticipated betrayal but never imagined that the traitor would be Wen Xingsu.
She even feared that her absence would leave Wen Xingsu at the mercy of Pei Jue’s coercion, pushing him so far as to hand over everything Changmen had entrusted to him in order to protect his life during critical times.
Wen Xingsu exploited this point.
He took away the Yuejian pendant hanging around Feng Yun’s neck and the token used to command the retinue of Meilin.
He informed everyone at Changmen, Xing Bing, Hou Zhun, Huaxi—he told the entire realm, shared with Pei Jue, explained to Xiao Cheng, revealed to Chunyu Yan—
Feng Yun had rebelled.
"Anything Shi’er Niang desires, I will go through fire and water, risk my life to win it for her."
Wen Xingsu belonged to Feng Yun.
To a considerable degree, he could act as her proxy.
The news spread like wildfire; the world was thrown into an uproar.
If the insurgent wasn’t Feng Yun, perhaps few would believe it...
A woman who was already exalted as Empress, favored solely by her husband, with her son as Crown Prince—able to command wind or rain at will—had no reason to rebel.
But she was Feng Yun...
The mistress of Changmen.
Rich, possessing a powerful retinue, wrapped in secrecy.
She indeed had reasons to rebel.
After all, Empress and Emperor differ by one word yet worlds apart. An ambitious Empress seeking to replace the Emperor was not inconceivable.
The rumors spreading outside served Wen Xingsu well.
This was why Feng Yun refused to believe he would take her back to Huaxi.
"If I were to appear in front of others, your lies would instantly unravel."
Wen Xingsu fell silent for a moment.
"Even if you don’t appear, there are still people who doubt."
"Who doubts?" Feng Yun countered.
Wen Xingsu stopped speaking.
The carriage wheels creaked monotonously.
Feng Yun chuckled bitterly, her laugh bringing sharp pain to her head.
"In truth, you acted prematurely, rushing recklessly. You could have waited a bit longer. Once the two nations were engulfed in flames, fighting to exhaustion, with none able to oppose you—it would have been even better, wouldn’t it?"
Wen Xingsu looked at her, "If you hadn’t gone to Dan Prefecture, that was my original plan."
Once Yong, Qi, and Yunchuan tangled into a chaotic mess, a battle of attrition, lingering at death’s door, he would emerge to clean up the aftermath.
By then, his intervention would assure victory.
"Without your schemes disrupting the Qi Army’s advances, the two nations would have been evenly matched, allowing me to sit back at ease... But you arrived, and Yunchuan intervened. If I hadn’t acted, Da Yong and Yunchuan joining forces, coupled with Xiao Cheng’s impatience and eagerness for results, would inevitably cause defeat under your clever tactics. If Qi Country lost Bingzhou and retreated to Hengqu Pass, Xiao Cheng would undoubtedly seek peace and cease fighting. Being cautious and prudent, it’s uncertain when war would break out again..."
