novelraw Chapter 749 - 729: On a Mission
Chapter 749 - 729: On a Mission
Dugu Hongying is part of the Priest Court, and her being tasked with overseeing the Priest Court is already very appropriate. Fengyu’s harsh words were meant to wake her up. Moreover, Beining is vast and rich, with great national strength. It is absolutely impossible for it to be threatened by the calamity of Gu poison. If the royal family is coerced with such threats, Xie Xun would stop at nothing to eradicate it. The priests’ use of the Heavenly God to manipulate Beiman would definitely not work in Beining.
Fengyu, having once suffered the harm of Gu poison, was extremely cautious during this meeting with Dugu Hongying. Zhang Lingzheng was also present in the palace hall to attend to her and would not allow Dugu Hongying to get too close. Thus, the idea of poisoning her using Gu was impossible. Dugu Hongying was deeply dissatisfied with Fengyu’s attitude, but she did not argue back. Instead, she submissively agreed to persuade the High Priest to comply upon her return.
Fengyu didn’t believe that Dugu Hongying would be so easily persuaded. Dugu Hongying was completely transformed compared to the first time they met in the Imperial City years ago. Back then, her impression of Dugu Hongying was that she was a timid little girl who always followed behind Dugu Jing. But now she had undergone a remarkable change. She was resolute and courageous—so much so that Fengyu could hardly recognize her anymore.
Zhang Lingzheng meticulously inspected all the tools and even checked Fengyu’s pulse to ensure her safety. Fengyu remarked, "The Emperor and the Prince have both sent people to monitor the priests. They are still trying to extort resources. Unless it’s due to personal vendettas, they would not dare stir up trouble at such a critical juncture. Dugu Hongying likely wouldn’t dare either; she is extremely obedient to Dugu Jing and Prince Jingbei."
Zhang Lingzheng, erring on the side of caution, ordered an inspection of the courtyard once more after confirming Fengyu’s well-being. Only then did Fengyu return to the palace to rest. The sun was setting, and the sky was painted with fiery hues of evening clouds. The twilight of early spring was breathtaking. As Xie Xun returned to the palace, he saw Fengyu sitting on the second floor of the side hall of Changshou Palace, taking in the view. This side hall had been intentionally built with an additional floor; otherwise, everything would have been the typical square and confined structure, which could feel stifling. Fengyu enjoyed observing the scenery from high places, whether it was watching the rain or admiring the snow—she always preferred sitting on the second floor of the side hall.
"The weather is still a bit chilly; don’t catch a cold." Seeing that she was dressed only in a light spring outfit and leaning against the windowsill watching the clouds, Xie Xun smiled, picked up a long, cross-collared robe, and draped it over her shoulders. Fengyu didn’t feel cold at all, but Xie Xun, being overly cautious, insisted. Her health was currently robust—she had only fallen ill twice during the entire winter and had since fully recovered.
On the heated table beside them was Fengyu’s painting, depicting the colorful clouds in the sky. Xie Xun couldn’t help but smile when he saw it, though he refrained from dampening her enthusiasm. He took off his shoes and sat beside her, embracing her. The fatigue of the past few days seemed to dissipate entirely. He still loved holding Fengyu like this—comfortable and warm. Fengyu gently caressed his cheek, her heart aching, and asked, "Aside from the Priest Court, is the matter with Beiman also resolved for now?"
Closing his eyes slightly, Xie Xun rested his head on her shoulder. "Today I probed Dugu Jing, and it turns out Prince Jingbei is not heavily involved. The High Priest, however, is excessively greedy. The issue is that it’s difficult to deal with him. The High Priest holds a revered position in the minds of the people of Beiman. If we rashly eliminate him, the millions of Beiman citizens at the border would struggle to find peace, and unrest would be inevitable. The only solution is to gradually diminish the influence of the Priest Court."
"That’s what Dugu Hongying said as well. It’s their belief system, ingrained in them since childhood—it’s tough to change," Fengyu said lightly. "As long as they don’t recklessly use Gu poison, we won’t have a justified reason to act. Do you think the High Priest will accept Second Brother’s proposed conditions?"
"Those conditions are non-negotiable. He has no choice but to accept them," Xie Xun replied with a soft laugh, holding her tighter. "From the end of last year until now, I haven’t had a single day of rest. I’m really tempted to move to the summer retreat in the gardens."
This was the Imperial City’s summer retreat, beautifully constructed. Unlike the square and rigid palace structures in the Imperial City, the gardens were much more open and relaxing. However, moving to the gardens would make it inconvenient to attend early court sessions every morning.
Fengyu knew he was utterly exhausted and chuckled softly. "When summer comes, we’ll move there."
"That’s exactly what I was thinking!" Xie Xun replied with a laugh. He kissed her and added, "You always understand me, Ayu."
Fengyu smiled tenderly. Xie Xun leaned closer, sniffing her lightly, then frowned. "Why do you smell like medicine? What’s wrong?"
She had just finished drinking some medicinal tonic for health maintenance. The prescription had been altered by Zhang Lingzheng and Doctor Zhou, resulting in a stronger scent compared to her usual tonic. Xie Xun’s sharp sense of smell had immediately noticed the difference. Fengyu playfully pinched his nose with a laugh. "You have a dog’s nose! I’m perfectly healthy—it’s just a regular tonic for maintenance."
Seeing her in good spirits, Xie Xun felt reassured. He then brought up the matter of Xie Jue and Lan Ningzhen. "Second Brother has sent Lan Ningzhen a divorce paper. Looks like that’s the end of the entertainment."
His tone carried a hint of regret. Fengyu, on the other hand, had already anticipated this outcome. Though Xie Xun had long hoped for his Second Brother to marry and have children, he also knew it was an unrealistic expectation and had given up on the idea long ago.