Volume 1: Laughing at the Splendor Chapter 28

  Yun's eyes sank slightly, what a wonderful move by Feng Ce Fei! She actually came up with this trick!

  "Feng'er!" The king was startled and hastily reached out to grab Consort Feng's arm.

  "Woe is me... Your Highness, I am no more..." Concubine Feng flung herself into the prince's arms and burst into heart-wrenching sobs. Although over forty years old, she had taken good care of herself and still retained a hint of her former beauty, like a pear blossom in the rain, so lovely that it was hard to look away.

  Yun Shallow Moon didn't even bother to appreciate the artificial expression on Wang's wife's face, and instead turned her head to look at Old Master Wang. But he just acted as if he hadn't seen anything. She pouted, it seemed that this old man had really made up his mind to ignore her.

  "Yun Shallow Moon! Are you still unaware of your guilt? Must I really be driven to death by my stepmother before you stop?" The king gently comforted Feng Ce Fei for two sentences, then turned around and furiously scolded Yun Shallow Moon.

  Yun Shallow Moon clearly saw a flash of complacency in Feng Ce Fei's eyes, and she had completely lost the last bit of hope for this biological father. She felt chilled to have such a father, her gaze slightly cold, her voice also cold and calm, "Since Feng Ce Fei doesn't want to experience it again, Father can ask her to return and rest, I won't say it in front of her, just tell the story in front of Father, isn't that simple? Why make such a fuss? Doesn't Father think Feng Ce Fei's reaction is too extreme?"

  The king was taken aback and looked down at Consort Feng.

  The phoenix concubine gritted her teeth, and the cry that had just subsided suddenly grew louder again. She struggled free from the king's grasp and rushed towards the wall, "Your Majesty, let me die then! If I'm humiliated by her like this again, how can I still stand in the backyard of Yunwang Fu?"

  "Don't die! Did I say I agreed to it? What are you seeking death for?" The king forcefully pulled Feng Ce Fei back, but Yun Qian Yue's words still struck a chord in his heart. He carefully looked at Feng Ce Fei again, and saw that she was only crying, unable to discern anything else. Irritated, he turned to Yun Qian Yue and said: "Feng Ce Fei has always been gentle by nature, if you hadn't hurt your elder sister's hand yesterday, and thrown her into the lake today, how could she have become so agitated? Qian Yue, just because you're favored by the old king doesn't mean you can be more and more unreasonable. Don't you apologize to your stepmother?"

  "Are you admitting your mistake? Yun Shangyue coldly looked at the king, her eyes flashing with severity. "I really doubt whether you are my father or not, whether I am your biological daughter or not, whether I am the only legitimate daughter of the Yun Wangfu or not. You didn't even give me a chance to explain myself, and yet you're so quick to assume I'm in the wrong. Is this how you treat your concubines and their daughters, eradicating your wives and their daughters? This is your style? I even doubt that you've been swayed by the whispers of a woman's tears, allowing yourself to be manipulated by her words. How have you managed to remain as king without being dismissed by the emperor?"

  Her voice was clear and sharp, completely overturning all the capital that Wang Ye took pride in.

  The king's face changed with her words, turning from green to white, from red to green, and finally pushed away Feng Ce Fei, slapped his hand towards Yun Qian Yue, shouting "Bastard!"

  Yun patted the moon and sat still. She didn't believe he would really beat her to death! Besides, there was old Wang Ye by her side, what was she afraid of?

  "You're the one who's shameless! Stop right there!" Old Master Wang had been watching the three of them with great interest, but when he saw Master Wang getting angry and wanting to hit Cloud Shallow Moon, he finally intervened. He picked up his walking stick and threw it at Master Wang, saying angrily: "What did she say wrong that you want to hit her? I think you've wasted your life for over 40 years! You're always surrounded by women, look at the little dignity you have left! The teachings I taught you, all gone down the drain?! Try hitting her once today and see what happens!"

  The king's palm had reached the front of Yun Shangyue, but he stopped abruptly. However, his body was indeed hit by Old King's cane, and it hurt so much that his body trembled. But due to the pain, he also became more awake. He looked at Yun Shangyue who was calm and cold, and suddenly a scene appeared before his eyes - a little girl pulling on his clothes, begging him to play with her. His mind wavered, and when he looked again, Yun Shangyue's expression was still cold and detached. Her eyes no longer had the admiration and expectation they once had, but were as cold as those of a stranger. He felt a pang in his heart - since when did his favorite daughter become so distant from him, even treating him like a stranger? Was it five years ago or ten years ago? He slowly lowered his hand, saying nothing.

  Feng Ce Fei was frightened out of her wits, staring blankly at the beaten prince, wanting to step forward but unable to move a single step.

  "You're getting more and more foolish! You dare to be so stupid in front of me, can't even see through a woman's cheap tricks. I've always thought myself wise and intelligent, how did I end up with a son like you who can't tell right from wrong and is controlled by women?! Cough cough..." Old Master Wang was thoroughly enraged, his beard quivering with rage, and before he could finish speaking, he suddenly burst into a fit of violent coughing.

  Yun Shallow Moon was also shocked. Although she had made preparations to let Old Master Wang help her, and also wanted to test Old Master Wang, she didn't expect that Old Master Wang would truly care for her and dote on her, and even hit the prince for her sake. She hastily patted his back with her hand, seeing that he finally stopped coughing, and hurriedly ran down from the chair to pour a cup of hot water for him. In a soft voice, she comforted: "Grandfather, be good, don't get angry, don't get angry..."

  "You little scamp..." The hot water finally suppressed his cough, and Old Master Wang glared at Yun Shangyue.

  Yun Shallow Moon let out a sigh, and with a sideways glance, she saw the king staring at her and Old King in a daze, his eyes filled with pain. She looked away, and suddenly said indifferently: "Forget it, I've got a reputation for being reckless and lawless anyway. Everyone knows I'm a spoiled brat who doesn't know how to behave. I even dared to burn down the Wishing Spring Pavilion, so of course I'd dare to do anything else. It's true that I broke Big Sister's hand, and it's also true that I threw Feng Ce Fei into the lake. As for why, I don't think you want to know either, so I won't say it. You can just say I'm wrong and punish me however you like!"

  Feng Ce Fei heard this and was overjoyed, looking at the king, seeing that he didn't react, she couldn't help but softly call out, "Wang Ye..."

  The king looked at Yun Qianyue, his painful eyes gradually clearing up. After a moment, he turned to look at Feng Ce Fei, and this time he clearly saw that the gentle and charming face had no longer the deep affection for him in her eyes, but rather an uncontrollable sense of triumph and complacency. He suddenly didn't want to look anymore and turned his head away, a hint of disgust rising from the bottom of his heart, and he fell silent.

  Yun Shallow Moon coldly smiled and thought that Feng Ce Fei was quite capable. She only retreated one step, but she already showed her true colors!

  "Preposterous! It's absolutely preposterous! As a member of the Yun Wang Fu family, whether male or female, we all stand tall and proud. How could we tolerate someone sullying our good name?" Old Master Wang slammed his cup on the table, spilling water everywhere, and furiously exclaimed: "Today, I will see who dares to bring shame to the Yun Wang Fu! If I don't punish this evil influence, I'll write the character 'Yun' upside down!"

  The Phoenix Consort's pleased expression changed in an instant.

  The king remained silent with his head hung low.

  "Jade Bangle!" Old Master Wang's words fell, and he shouted out towards the outside.

  "The servant is here!" Yu Mei's voice rang out from outside the door.

  "Get Meng Yun, the maid of Stinky Tofu, the old woman beside Consort Feng, and the people beside Da Ya Tou, as well as those illegitimate daughters and their attendants. Summon all who participated in these two matters last night and this morning to come to this courtyard! I'll let them tell what happened today, and everyone will watch and see whether I'm biased towards Stinky Tofu or if someone is intentionally trying to frame her by pouring dirty water on her." Old Master Wang gave the order.

  "Yes!" Yu Mei responded and left.

  The face of Feng Ce Fei suddenly turned white, but she quickly regained her composure. In these years, she had always been the mistress of the back house of Yun Wang Fu. Under her long-term intimidation, everyone was afraid of her and did not dare to confront her. She didn't believe that Yun Qian Yue, who fundamentally didn't understand how to win people's hearts and had a notorious reputation, could get them to speak for her.