6

  "Is there something wrong with your heart?" The Empress Dowager put down her tea cup, looking at Murong Feng, her voice slightly stern. Even if her grandson was not good enough, it was not up to a small Murong Feng to refuse the marriage.

  Murong Feng's face was calm, but his voice remained gentle. "Grandmother is indeed meticulous, and I thought I could deceive her. It's true that I fell ill because of my own stubbornness. I had heard some unfavorable rumors about the Fourth Prince, and I was afraid of being wronged for life, so I asked my parents to cancel the engagement. However, Father said I was believing in rumors and punished me by making me kneel in reflection. I felt wronged and caught a cold, which led to my illness. My parents are worried about me and asked Big Sister to send an imperial physician from the palace to diagnose and treat me at the Murong King's residence. Please don't blame my parents and sister, Grandmother; they were only concerned about me and didn't intend to deceive you."

  The Empress Dowager was taken aback, glancing at the Queen, who was also looking back at her. The two exchanged a look, and they couldn't help but wonder if this was really the Murong Feng they had met before?

  "Why did you agree again?" The empress asked in a slightly warmer tone.

  Murong Feng's eyes seemed to have a hint of tears, but his voice didn't reveal it much. "It's the parents' orders, how can children disobey? Moreover, after raising me for over ten years, how could they bear to let Murong Feng suffer? I must be too soft in my ears and listened to some rumors from the world."

  "Rui'er seems to have gone out and caused trouble again last night. Don't you blame your grandmother for wanting you to marry him?" The empress looked at Murong Feng, her eyes filled with a probing meaning.

  "The Fourth Prince is not an ordinary person, he has his own way of doing things. Since marrying the Fourth Prince, Feng'er cannot arbitrarily discuss her husband." Murong Feng did not respond, "However, last night the Fourth Prince did not return for the whole night. In Feng'er's opinion, it was because the Fourth Prince had a kind heart and did not want to force Feng'er. Feng'er is truly grateful in her heart."

  The empress dowager was speechless for half a day, she couldn't think of what to say next.

  "Did you know that Rui'er is like this because he originally wanted to marry your sister Murong Xue, not you?" The empress dowager stared at Murong Feng and suddenly asked.

  "Maple knows." Murong Feng raised his eyes, looking at the Empress Dowager with a pair of deep and profound eyes that seemed to be intoxicating. "Last night, the Fourth Prince had already told Maple about it. As for this matter, Maple is truly powerless. Therefore, Maple wants to ask Grandmother to help Maple."

  "I can help you?" The empress was taken aback for a moment, "How can I help you? I certainly cannot force Rui'er to treat you as Murong Xue."

  Murong Feng smiled, radiant as a spring flower. "That's not necessary, Grandmother is really good at joking. Feng'er only knows that the Fourth Prince is extremely filial to Grandmother, so Feng'er wants to request Grandmother to issue an edict, asking the Fourth Prince not to force Feng'er before he truly likes Feng'er. As for Feng'er, naturally, she won't force the Fourth Prince to like her either. Feng'er originally wanted to ask Mother for help, but Feng'er thinks that Grandmother is more authoritative in the Fourth Prince's heart, so Feng'er asks Grandmother to help Feng'er."

  The empress dowager couldn't think of a reason to refuse, and looking at the gentle and delicate face in front of her, she felt a pang of sympathy, so she agreed, ordering Xiao Dezi to bring pen and ink, and wrote an imperial edict which was handed over to Murong Feng.

  Murong Feng's mouth curved into a smile, this was what she had been wanting.

  Simazhe quietly looked at Murong Feng, this was very different from the Murong Feng he saw in the Murong Wangfu, or rather, it was fundamentally two people. But in fact, it was just one person, perhaps because he had never noticed this third miss of the Murong Wangfu who was ignored by everyone before.

  That clear and innocent smile actually moved his heart.

  Leaving the Xiangfu Palace, Murong Feng returned to the Fourth Prince's residence, looking at the imperial edict in his hand with a smile on his face, appearing delighted. Last night, Sima Rui did not return for the whole night, but it could not be guaranteed that he would not stay away every day. Now that she had married him as his wife, the only thing she could do was to delay their conjugal time together. With this imperial edict from the Empress Dowager, for the time being, Sima Rui would temporarily not trouble her.

  "Spring Willow," Murong Feng said quietly, solving a problem that had been bothering her, and now she could have a comfortable life. "This fourth prince's mansion is good, but the bed board is too hard, it's uncomfortable to sleep on, and it's tiring. You can find a few quilts and combine them into one thick quilt to put on top, it will be more comfortable."

  The willow in spring is somewhat astonished.

  "Oh, it's just that the quilt will be disassembled, and the cotton wool will be re-laid to make a thicker mattress, then wrapped in cotton cloth. I'm talking about cotton cloth, don't use anything like silk. Then put it on the bed. That way, you won't have to sleep on the hard wooden board, which is exhausting and makes your bones ache."

  Murong Feng sat on the stone bench in the courtyard, watching as the autumn wind gently blew through the leaves and flowers on the trees. The scenery of ancient times was really beautiful, clean, without a single speck of pollution, and the air was refreshingly crisp.

  Chun Liu nodded and turned to go busy.

  In the mansion of Crown Prince Sima Zhe, Sima Zhe and Murong Xuan were discussing what had just happened when Murong Feng brought them too many shocks.

  In the Shangfu Palace, the Empress Dowager and the Queen were also talking about Murong Feng. This girl who was originally extremely ordinary in their memories had surprisingly broadened their horizons today.

  While Murong Feng was sitting in the Fourth Prince's mansion, leisurely basking in the sunlight.

  Having watched many palace dramas and read numerous books, arriving at this place, it's already like this. Perhaps if I say it disappears, it will disappear; perhaps it was just a dream. Suddenly opening my eyes, outside the window is still everything she's familiar with. Let's just consider it a dream, and let nature take its course, living freely for once.

  Although his body was that of a sixteen-year-old Murong Feng, his mind was still that of the twenty-seven-year-old Bai Min. The two combined together; if there wasn't a miracle, it would truly be a waste of this dream's appearance.

  "Miss, Young Miss is here to see you." Chun Liu said softly to Murong Feng who was reading a book.

  The autumn sun in the afternoon was shining coolly and clearly in the courtyard. After taking a nap, Murong Feng had been sitting on the stone bench inside the small pavilion in the yard, reading an ancient poetry book with thread binding, looking somewhat unfamiliar. On the stone bench was placed a thick cushion to ward off the chill of the stone, and a cup of hot tea was emitting faint steam on the nearby stone table, occasionally accompanied by one or two insect chirps.

  She was too lazy to get up, turned her head sideways, and saw Murong Xuan standing quietly not far away, wearing a brocade dress that wrapped around her slender body, with a dignified face and noble temperament, worthy of being the eldest daughter of the Murong royal family and a future empress candidate.

  "Sorry, I'm just recovering from an illness and it's not convenient for me to move around. Please, sister, take a seat." Murong Feng pointed to the stone bench across from him, which was also covered with thick cushions.

  Murong Xuan sat down opposite him, gesturing for the people beside her to leave.

  "Are you still holding a grudge against Big Sister?" Murong Xuan looked at the languid expression of Murong Feng.

  Murong Feng smiled faintly, "It's come to this, let's not mention it."

  "You're completely different from before." Murong Xuan had no intention of hiding it, in her mind, this Sanmei was still the same as before. Although Murong Feng's performance this morning had shocked her greatly, she still subconsciously treated Murong Feng as the one she used to know - not good at speaking, weak-willed, cautious, and unable to achieve great things.

  "I know you're strange. But, there are some things that we can't help but sacrifice our own interests for. The Fourth Prince you married is a willful and arbitrary person who has been spoiled by the Empress Dowager and the Queen. He saw your younger sister at the Murong Wangfu and was immediately smitten, but how could someone like her marry someone like him? However, he's still the Emperor's son, and it's not possible for the Murong Wangfu to offend him. In this situation, we can only sacrifice you by marrying you off to him. Although he's not very capable, he can at least let you continue living a comfortable life as before. Compared to marrying someone else, it's still better to have more wealth and glory. Moreover, with me taking care of things in the palace, and your second sister looking out for you, even if the Fourth Prince is not very capable, he won't be too harsh on you. You should just accept your fate and not show your resentment, or it will bring disaster to our family. For example, this morning, you actually dared to ask the Empress Dowager to issue an edict forbidding the Fourth Prince from approaching you. Do you think that's enough to deal with him? I'm afraid... " Murong Xuan shook her head, "If it were that simple to deal with him, would the Murong Wangfu have needed me to replace your younger sister in marrying him? You should just accept your fate!"