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After everything his young master had done to make Feng Wu accept it, the empress dowager took the jade pendant back from the girl… Feng didn’t know what to say.

The crown prince’s face was so grim.

Emperor Wu noticed it as well and was displeased. “You brat! What’s with that look on your face? Your grandmother took the jade back for your own good! Don’t tell me you’re in love with that little Feng Wu?!”

1Jun Linyuan stared at Emperor Wu and said proudly, “Tch, I’ll never fall in love with that Failure Wu!”

1Only then did the empress dowager let out a breath of relief. For a moment there, she really thought that Jun Linyuan was fond of Feng Wu. After all, that was an exceptionally beautiful girl.

“Then why do you look unhappy about Her Majesty taking it back?” Emperor Wu scowled.

The empress dowager also looked at Jun Linyuan in bewilderment.

Feng looked at his young master in astonishment as well. He was curious as to how the crown prince was going to talk himself out of it this time.

But one should never underestimate the crown prince’s intelligence.

Still dark-faced, Jun Linyuan asked impatiently, “Why did you take the jade back?”

The empress dowager hesitated. “Should I not have done so?”

Jun Linyuan said, “Of course not! The jade… was tainted by something unholy!”

2“Huh?” The empress dowager dropped the jade on the table right away.

Feng stared at the crown prince. Nice job. Please go on.

1Jun Linyuan didn’t disappoint Feng, and he went on in a solemn tone. “The jade is tainted and it can only be cleansed by a virgin girl wearing it.”

1The empress dowager asked gingerly, “Really?”

Jun Linyuan casually said, “Yes. Or my life will be shortened.”

1Baby Jun’s life was at stake?!

The empress dowager was flustered and she grabbed Jun Linyuan’s hand. “Sweetheart, are you alright? Do you feel pain anywhere? Doctor! Where’s Master Chu?! Get him here!”

Jun Linyuan stopped the empress dowager. “I’m fine for now.”

Only then did the empress dowager sigh with relief, but she still looked quite shaken.

Emperor Wu eyed Jun Linyuan suspiciously. “Are you telling the truth?”

Before Jun Linyuan could say anything, the empress dowager glared at Emperor Wu. “Shut up!”

1Emperor Wu did as told.

He rubbed his nose, still finding the whole thing unbelievable.

The empress dowager tugged at Jun Linyuan’s sleeve. “Baby Jun, what are we going to do now? What have I done?”

Feng looked at the crown prince in amazement.

This was the very first time that the crown prince had told a lie, wasn’t it? And it was another “first” he had done for Miss Feng Wu. That girl was… incredible.

1Jun Linyuan cleared his throat. “It’s not that difficult. Like I said, we need a virgin girl to wear it, and in a few years, the jade will be cleansed.”

1“Dongxue, quickly, put on this jade pendant!” The empress dowager beckoned at one of her maids.

Jun Linyuan’s face darkened again.

“No!” He rose to his feet.

“Why not?” The empress dowager was confused. Didn’t he ask for a virgin girl?

Jun Linyuan was losing his patience as he explained to the empress dowager in a solemn tone, “Of course it’s not that easy! That girl has to match a lot of criteria, from the circumstances of her birth to her attributes. You can’t just pick some random girl!”

The empress dowager was speechless.

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“Master Linghu had to look all over the imperial capital to find the right candidate, which was Feng Wu, and I took advantage of this goddaughter thing to give her that jade. But Grandma, what you then did —”

He accused the empress dowager with his eyes, which made the old lady feel very guilty.

Emperor Wu was a lot harder to convince. He rubbed his chin. “Why didn’t Master Linghu bring it up when I visited him last time?”

The empress dowager threw a dirty look at Emperor Wu. “You wouldn’t only be learning about this now if you cared about Baby Jun!”

Emperor Wu was speechless. How come he was the one getting blamed again?

The empress dowager caressed Jun Linyuan’s cheek affectionately. “Sweetheart, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know. I’ll send the jade back to Feng Wu.”

Jun Linyuan nodded. “Yes, and make sure she wears it.”

The empress dowager said solemnly, “Of course! She has to! I don’t care what her feelings are about it!”

Jun Linyuan said, “Well, it’ll be a little troublesome for the girl that way.”

His grandmother patted him on the shoulder. “Don’t worry about it! I’ll give her something amazing in return so that she won’t wear it begrudgingly. She’ll cleanse the jade for you and make sure your life is in no way threatened.”

Jun Linyuan said, “If it takes too long to get to her…”

“No, it won’t!” The idea of Jun Linyuan’s life being shortened made the empress dowager on edge. She gave the order right away. “Hurry, summon Feng Wu here! Now!”

Feng stole a glance at his young master. That was incredible. The crown prince had played his grandmother like a fiddle. However, when would he admit his true feelings, instead of taking all these detours?

1Feng looked up at the sky. Well, His Royal Highness was adorable this way. Who was he to remind the crown prince how he really felt?

1The imperial edict baffled Feng Wu.

Go to court?

Night had almost fallen. What was this about?

“Is Her Majesty the empress dowager not feeling well?”

Granny Lan had come to deliver the edict herself.

Granny Lan was the empress dowager’s most senior maid, and her performing this task proved how much importance the empress dowager attached to it.

Granny Lan smiled politely. “Miss Wu, Her Majesty the empress dowager and His Majesty are waiting. We should be on our way.”

Could Feng Wu say no to that?

Without absolute martial prowess, Feng Wu had to succumb to authority, no matter how reluctant she was.

Everyone in the family was worried, and the beautiful lady was on the verge of breaking into tears.

Granny Lan genuinely pitied the lady. She was so beautiful.

Feng Wu took her mother’s hand and comforted her. “Don’t worry. Everything’s fine. I’ll be back before you know it.”

In the imperial palace.

Feng Wu paid her respects to Emperor Wu, the empress dowager, and…

Blue veins popped on Feng Wu’s forehead when she noticed Jun Linyuan.

He was here, too?

Feng Wu suddenly had a very bad feeling about this.

Was he trying to set her up again?

Immediately, Feng Wu was on guard as alarms went off in her head.

From the empress dowager’s point of view, Feng Wu seemed to be staring at her Baby Jun the whole time, until she forgot to blink. That was…

“Feng Wu!” The empress dowager’s voice was devoid of warmth.

Feng Wu looked away from Jun Linyuan and faced the empress dowager obediently.

The empress dowager didn’t say a word, and only darted a look at Granny Lan.

Granny Lan then brought out a glossy red tray, on which lay the jade pendant.

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Feng Wu looked puzzled when she saw the jade pendant.

Looking at Feng Wu’s exquisite face and the innocent look on it, the empress dowager felt a little guilty as well.

But nothing was more important than her Baby Jun.

So she cut to the chase. “Feng Wu, take the jade pendant.”

“Huh?” Feng Wu was bewildered. The empress dowager had practically snatched it back from her, but why was she giving it to her now? What the hell?

Feng Wu’s first reaction was to turn it down. “I really shouldn’t, Your Majesty. The jade belongs to His Royal Highness and is related to his marriage. I can’t take it. I really can’t.”

1The empress dowager looked a little embarrassed.

She had said pretty much the same thing when she took the jade away from Feng Wu earlier.

Was the girl doing it on purpose?

The empress dowager was displeased. “I said take it and you should do as told! Are you going to defy me now?”

Of course Feng Wu couldn’t do that.

She knew too well that Emperor Wu was a dutiful son. If she said no to the empress dowager now, the emperor would make her life a living hell.

Despite the bitter taste in her mouth and the complaints she was venting inwardly, Feng Wu had no choice but to take the jade pendant.

She then sensed an intense gaze. Looking up, she met Jun Linyuan’s eyes, which were like bottomless pits!

1The look in them was unreadable.

Feng Wu’s stomach lurched.

Why was Jun Linyuan here? Did he have something to do with the jade pendant being given back?

Feng Wu stared at Jun Linyuan.

Jun Linyuan returned Feng Wu’s gaze arrogantly. He was gloating.

Gloating? Feng Wu was frustrated. So, it was Jun Linyuan’s idea after all.

Seeing that Feng Wu was stealing glances at Jun Linyuan again and had let her mind wander, the empress dowager was displeased!

“Feng Wu!”

“Yes, Your Majesty —” Feng Wu came back to herself right away.

She was in the imperial palace, and in the presence of the empress dowager and Emperor Wu. She had to focus.

“What are you doing just standing there? Put the jade pendant on,” the empress dowager urged Feng Wu, with Jun Linyuan’s reminder.

Feng Wu was confused. “P- put it on?”

The empress dowager grew impatient. She darted a glance at Granny Lan.

Granny Lan went up to Feng Wu, bowed, then said, “Miss Wu, please stand still.”

Feng Wu did as told, then looked at Granny Lan in confusion.

Granny Lan hung the pendant on Feng Wu’s belt so that it pressed down the lower half of her dress nicely.

The deep green color of the pendant was set off perfectly against the floaty white dress.

The empress dowager only nodded when she saw that the pendant was put on. She added, “Now that you’re wearing it, make sure you have it on you all the time, even when you’re sleeping. Is that understood?”

Feng Wu asked hesitantly, “May I ask why?”

The empress dowager darted a glance at Feng Wu.

The girl was beautiful. She had porcelain skin, pink, tender lips, a nicely curved neck, and slender shoulders. She looked almost too delicate to hold the dress up.

Her forehead was round and smooth, and her eyelashes were long and dense. When she looked up, they reminded one of butterflies, which only added to the charm of her eyes.

The empress dowager thought to herself, “Am I being too harsh?” Poor girl. She might not be around anymore in a few years.

At that thought, the empress dowager said something to Emperor Wu.

Emperor Wu’s eyes flickered. “Mother, are you sure?”

“Of course I’m sure! Let’s do it!” The empress dowager gave the final word.

Feng Wu looked at the empress dowager in bewilderment. The old lady was so unpredictable. What was she going to do now?

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Feng Wu looked at the empress dowager in bewilderment. What did she want?

However, Emperor Wu gave the answer before long.

“Summon Lady Xuanji to court —”

Lady Xuanji? Who was that? Feng Wu didn’t recognize the name at first, but it soon occurred to her!

Shit!

Lady Xuanji was her own mother!

The look on Feng Wu’s face changed. “Your Majesty, what’s…”

Emperor Wu smiled at Feng Wu. “Don’t worry.”

Feng Wu then turned to the empress dowager.

The empress dowager only nodded at Feng Wu with an impassive face.

How could Feng Wu not worry? Jun Linyuan couldn’t let a day pass without causing her trouble, which made her on edge. Now, he was trying to drag her beautiful mother into this…

The beautiful lady was Feng Wu’s bottom line that no one could cross!

Feng Wu looked up at Jun Linyuan involuntarily.

Jun Linyuan was smiling a little, which could be a smirk or a taunting expression.

Feng Wu was speechless.

What on earth did the royal family want?!

Would her beautiful mother be flustered when the imperial edict arrived?

Of course she would!

The beautiful lady was like a flower in a glasshouse and a kept bird in a cage. She had the mind of a five-year-old! She would be frightened!

However, the imperial messengers were very efficient. Before long, Feng Wu heard footsteps outside.

Feng Wu looked up to see her beautiful mother walk in, supported by Chaoge.

Good, Chaoge was with her.

“Xiao Wu —”

As soon as she spotted Feng Wu, Lady Xuanji raised the lower hem of her dress off the floor and ran toward Feng Wu. Clasping Feng Wu’s face between shaky hands, she began to cry.

“My Xiao Wu. Did they hit you? Does it hurt?”

Tears dampened her long eyelashes and her pink lips quivered.

She looked up at the royal family with her wet, doe-like eyes.

The temperature seemed to drop instantly!

Feng Wu’s stomach lurched.

That was so strange. When did her mother ever have that sort of authoritative manner? She looked like an ice goddess.

Feng Wu wasn’t the only one who thought that way. Jun Linyuan narrowed his eyes as well.

As for Emperor Wu…

He was lost in Lady Xuanji’s eyes as soon as he saw her…

1Talk about toppling a country with one’s beauty alone, to say nothing of a true beauty with flesh of ice and bones of jade…

For a moment, Emperor Wu could think of nothing but this stunning woman.

She didn’t look like the mother of a 13-year-old at all.

She was a teenage girl herself.

She had the pure, innocent look of a baby… and she looked a couple of years older than Feng Wu at most.

Emperor Wu was infatuated…

1Feng Wu didn’t want to bring more attention to her mother. Pushing her suspicions aside, she took her mother’s hands. “Mum, I’m fine. I really am. Look, no one hit me.”

Lady Xuanji examined Feng Wu and let out a breath of relief after she saw that Feng Wu was really fine.

With that, the chill in the air disappeared…

Jun Linyuan stared at Lady Xuanji with his piercing eyes and was lost in thought…

The beautiful lady beamed at Feng Wu. Her smile reminded one of the evening glow, which was fresh and brilliant at the same time.

“I’m so glad my Xiao Wu is alright. I was so worried…” Caressing Feng Wu’s long hair, the beautiful lady still looked a little shaken.