19

The Beauty of Kunning Palace

Leng Yufeng stared blankly for a moment at the departing carriage. Is that the Crown Prince? Truly extraordinary. He had just returned to the capital a while ago when he received the emperor’s decree appointing him as the Crown Prince’s tutor. He was quite surprised at the time—after all, he was a general becoming the Crown Prince’s tutor. The emperor’s order seemed somewhat obvious. But if the emperor really had such intentions, why had he neglected the Crown Prince for so many years, not even allowing him to gain a shred of power? Even though he didn’t want to get involved in the court’s intrigues, he understood that from the moment he became a general, he was already entangled.

But just now, seeing the Crown Prince’s carriage, he wanted to take a look. Just one glance made him have to admire the Crown Prince’s good looks and commanding presence. However, none of this was his concern. When the time came, he would go to the frontier and leave this complicated capital behind. In his eyes, the battlefield, still full of passion, was what he truly preferred.

“Yu Feng, why aren’t you going in?” Huan Mo Che, dressed in blue, looked at his friend sitting on the horse, seemingly lost in thought, which caught the secret attention of the young ladies from the official families.

Leng Yu Feng snapped back to reality and looked at his friend Huan Mo Che, quickly jumping down from the horse with a happy expression. “Why did you come?” For Leng Yu Feng, attending these banquets was really boring, but given his status, he couldn’t avoid it. He didn’t expect a friend who originally didn’t have to come to show up; even at the emperor’s birthday banquet, he rarely came.

“Hehe, isn’t it because I was afraid you’d be bored alone in the palace? As a friend, I had to come keep you company!” Huan Mo Che said half-jokingly. Although he held no official position, as the top son of the capital, he was invited to all kinds of banquets in the palace. In previous years, he might not have entered the palace even once in several years, but now, thinking of the Crown Prince, he unconsciously came here. The Crown Prince was very intelligent but had no power, and since the palace was full of treacherous people, if anything happened, as the Grand Tutor, he could look after him.

Leng Yu Feng glanced at Huan Mo Che, clearly unwilling to believe him. Although they were close friends and he trusted that in life-or-death situations they would not betray each other, neither of them were truly good people. Where would they have so much time to waste on such things? Given this world, they might as well just sleep.

“It’s only been a year since we last met, Mo Che, why do you sound so insincere now!” Leng Yufeng snorted coldly, then the two walked side by side into the palace.

One was cold and ruthless, a war god; the other gentle and refined, a noble young master. Both were one in a million in terms of status and appearance. On top of that, given their identities and abilities, countless women in the capital coveted them, yet the two never spared a second glance at any of them. Later, rumors even spread that General Leng of the General’s Mansion and Young Master Huan of the Chancellor’s Mansion were lovers. When they first heard this, they were furious, but then thought that if such rumors kept those women away, it was fine. So they never clarified and let the rumors spread. They also believed they would never fall in love with a woman like ordinary men, so they never considered marriage. As a result, whenever the two were together now, they would receive countless pained looks from women.

“How many people in this world actually speak the truth?” Huan Mo Che sneered. He had met too many two-faced people. Becoming friends with Leng Yufeng was not only because they admired each other but also because they shared a sincere friendship.

“Ah, judging by these people’s expressions, I wonder how the capital will gossip about our relationship tomorrow!” Huan Mo Che looked at the women whose faces were flushed with admiration but also tinged with jealousy, a look of disgust flashing in his eyes.

Leng Yufeng cast a cold glance around at the people. Sure enough, they seemed much more at ease, but many still secretly scrutinized them, and some even whispered and gossiped about them. However, Leng Yufeng didn’t care; if he truly minded, he would have clarified the matter long ago.

“I don’t really mind, anyway, I’ll be going to the frontier soon. But you probably don’t realize how many women’s hearts you’ll be breaking!” Leng Yufeng said with schadenfreude.

“So soon?” Huan Mochen frowned. Every time Leng Yufeng returned to the capital, it seemed he only stayed a few days before heading to the frontier. He knew there was no war there now, but he didn’t even want to return to the capital for New Year’s Eve. It seemed… “You still can’t let go of those things?”

They both carried a scar in their hearts; perhaps their past experiences were somewhat similar, which was why they felt a mutual understanding and sympathy.

“There’s nothing left to hold onto. I’ve already avenged the grudge. All these years at the frontier weren’t about hiding; the capital was just too dull, and there was nothing to miss. It’s better to be at the frontier where things are more straightforward!” Leng Yufeng said, but his eyes grew colder. Some things, even if you’ve let go, still leave an uncomfortable feeling inside.

“And you? When will you make your move? You’ve prepared for so many years; it should be enough by now,” Leng Yufeng asked with a hint of concern. “You’re not hesitating to act, are you?”

“Heh…” Huan Moche sneered coldly. “Hesitating? I don’t have that mood. It won’t be long before he receives the gift I’m sending him!” He could have acted earlier all these years, but he wanted to watch him climb higher and higher, only to fall when he was most excited. That would be more painful.

“You’ve already entered the Crown Prince’s mansion as the Grand Tutor. I wonder…” Leng Yufeng asked with some curiosity. He rarely felt curious and knew better than to be curious about that Crown Prince, but he couldn’t help recalling the young man he just saw and had to ask.

Seeing that his friend seemed interested for some unknown reason, Huan Mo Che suddenly did not want his friend to know about the prince’s uniqueness, nor did he want his friend to also become the prince’s tutor. He hoped to be the prince’s only tutor and to become the prince’s friend from now on.

“Nothing special!” Huan Mo Che clearly seemed talkative, which made Leng Yu Feng stop asking. After all, it was just a little curiosity; this crown prince was nothing more than a stranger to him. Leng Yu Feng brushed away the impression the prince had just left in his mind, and the two each headed toward the Taiji Hall of the banquet with their own thoughts.

Shang Wu Xin did not go directly to the Taiji Hall but instead avoided the crowd and came to the quietest palace in the palace complex, which was Kun Ning Palace, the residence of her mother, the Autumn Empress. She did not come here to mourn anything; it was simply that this place was very quiet and could give her ears some peace.

“Miss, this place is so beautiful!” Wu Ju admired. Although they were still somewhat afraid of the crown prince, after gradually getting to know him, they had relaxed a lot.

Shang Wu Xin looked around. Indeed, although Kun Ning Palace was the empress’s residence, it was not the kind of luxurious beauty one might expect. Instead, it exuded a transcendent and serene quietness everywhere. The palace courtyard was filled with flowers, which were not rare or precious varieties but quite ordinary. Yet, they were very well cared for, and each flower emitted a unique beauty. Although the palace was empty, it was very clean. If it were not for the three of them being highly skilled in martial arts, they probably could not have entered, as many guards were stationed outside to protect this palace.

“Indeed, it’s very nice!” Shang Wuxin also felt that this palace could bring peace to the soul. She thought her Empress Mother was truly a woman of refined character and grace, no wonder she could ascend to the position of Empress without any backing from her maternal clan.

After spending a long time in the palace, Shang Wuxin noticed that the most carefully tended part was the side hall. That must have been where she lived when she was little. Empress Qiu passed away when she was only two years old, and she probably stayed in this side hall for two years. This place was filled with a mother’s love and affection for her child.

Shang Wuxin lay down on the bed in the side chamber and squinted his eyes, while Wujue and Wuwei stood there guarding the Crown Prince. After a short while, the three of them heard footsteps approaching the palace. Wuwei and Wujue immediately slipped into the inner room of the side chamber, quieting their breaths and hiding, while Shang Wuxin remained motionless, still lying there as if asleep.

The person entered the sleeping chamber of Kunning Palace, stayed inside for a long time, and then left without saying a word. Only after sensing that the person had been gone for a long time did Wuwei and Wujue come out from the back of the inner room. Wuwei said with some lingering fear, “I don’t know who would dare come here!”

“Father…” Shang Wuxin said with an ambiguous meaning.