Feng Yu Jiu Tian - Volume 7 - Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

Feng Ming chased after Empress Dowager. Because he was worried that someone might be following them, he didn’t dare to open his mouth and speak one word to her. The two of them didn’t say anything and continued their way back to the inner palace.

Upon returning, the maids told them that the Advisor has arrived and is currently waiting for Duke Ming in the main guest room.

Feng Ming quickly went inside to see, from afar he could see Lu Dan’s back and not understanding why, his heart was a bit relieved.

FM: It’s snowing heavily and Advisor chose to come by at this time, are you not afraid of the cold?

Lu Dan turned around and curved his lips.

LD: A moment ago when I heard Duke Ming’s heavy and rush footsteps, I thought you were angry. But now that I heard Duke Ming’s voice, it seems like you are rather in a good mood.

Lu Dan wore a red robe, which reflected his white skin, making him even more beautiful.

FM: Don’t say it anymore. It’s all because of that military meeting hall, they suspect that my master is lying, what nonsense.

Feng Ming sat down and retold the matter again until he suddenly remembered something. FM: My master also came back with me, how come I don’t see her?

One of the attendants answered, “The Master stated that she is tired and went back to her room to rest, she request that Duke Ming entertain the Advisor.”

LD: No need to bother the Master, to be honest, Lu Dan came today to meet Duke...cough cough... (He suddenly placed his hands over his mouth and cough for a scary moment, as if it was hard to breathe.)

Feng Ming frowned and came closer.

FM: Are you alright, Advisor? Somebody bring over some hot tea.

Lu Dan motioned his hand and again coughed for awhile, slowly stopped and then smiled. LD: The day keeps getting colder.

His face flushed red, which added more beauty to his appearance.

Feng Ming held onto his hand, which felt ice cold. From afar there is not much difference, but when looking close up, Lu Dan was much thinner than before.

FM: Two days ago, you were alright, how come now...

LD: Duke Ming had taught Lu Dan one line: when sickness comes, it’s like a landslide, but for it to go away, it’s like peeling off raw silk from a cocoon. I have already told Duke Ming earlier, could it be that Duke Ming believed Lu Dan was lying about this? It seems like 80% I can no longer conceal [my sickness] from Jun Ling Si anymore. Lu Dan is not a good person, my death is not worth anything.

Though his words were true, he did indeed cause Feng Ming misery, but at this moment,

hearing his words, Feng Ming felt as if he was stabbed. His tears almost wanted to trickle down.

FM: There are many valuable herbs within the palace, and great physicians, Advisor should not think of the worst.

LD: Seeing Duke Ming’s good will, Lu Dan don’t know whether to be for the Great King or to be worried for Duke Ming?

Patting Feng Ming’ hands, Lu Dan lowered his voice.

LD: Don’t worry, even one day with my presence inside the palace, Jun Qing will not dare to touch you. The Master...well, I can’t request for her teaching today.

Lu Dan slowly stood up, his body almost fell, causing Feng Ming to exclaimed and grab hold of him and that was when he knew how weak Lu Dan was.

Lu Dan broke free from Feng Ming’s support, barely standing up straight, he smiled and said.

LD: I’ve let Duke Ming see me as a laughingstock.

FM: Next time if Advisor need anything, just send someone over to call for me.

Lu Dan nodded his head, he looked at Feng Ming and wanted to say something, but hesitated.

FM: Didn’t Advisor wanted to say something to me?

Lu Dan stared at Feng Ming for a long while and then chuckled.

LD: Duke Ming should already understand that everywhere inside and outside the palace, there are spies.

Feng Ming gave him a puzzled look.

LD: Lu Dan has one request... FM: Please do say.

LD: The Great King has a heart of gold, loves his people, respect his teacher, devoted to the Gods, deeply endowed with wisdom...

Feng Ming in the beginning did not understand what Lu Dan was trying to say until the words “deeply endowed with wisdom,” that his mind lit up and finally understood.

Apparently the words that Empress Dowager said earlier in the morning mentioning about accepting a second disciple had reached the ears of Lu Dan.

LD: Request Duke Ming to say a few good words to Master Sun on behalf of the Great King. (Revealing a faint smile, he stepped onto a small palanquin and departed in the snow.

After escorting Lu Dan, Feng Ming returned to study hall, where he saw his half written paper on military training strategies on the desk. Jun Qing and Lu Dan are two old foxes playing with politics and in the process of fighting for power. All of those so called scientific theories are of no use if Jun Qing purposely tried to make things difficult. Even an impressive training method will be rejected.

Feng Ming was depressed and tore up the sheet of paper. He sat down and tried to reorganize his thoughts that were all jumbled up because of those two men.

Lu Dan seems to have fallen severely ill, never thought that the sickness would come so quickly. Seeing him like this, it’s unknown whether how many more days he has left. This time looking back, Lu Dan was slowly becoming weak on the way from Yong Yin to here. It was because Feng Ming was simple minded and ignorant to not realize this.

As for the military division of Jun Ting, the writing of the Gods, Morse code, the prophesized upcoming catastrophic disaster compared to the book on the Twelve Kingdoms are much more complicated, Feng Ming didn’t bother to think about it.

As for that message from Rong Tian, what does it really mean?

Currently angry that everywhere is filled with spies, causing him to not question Empress Dowager about it. However, knowing her, she hasn’t even openly told him where Rong Tian’s plans were.

Feng Ming tried hard to think for almost half the day, but he still couldn’t come up with the reason why.

After yawning and hearing his stomach growl, Feng Ming suddenly remembered that he still haven’t had lunch. The servant told him that Master Sun chose to eat lunch inside her room and asked Feng Ming if he wanted to eat inside his room or out in the main room.

Feng Ming chose to eat in the living/main room and that’s when Chang Yen and Jun Ting came by and brought over a rabbit.

FM: General Chang Yen, how come you came here all of a sudden?

CY: After the meeting, I had some free time, so I came to see Duke Ming and Master Sun to request for a lunch together.

Chang Yen handed the rabbit to the servant.

JT: (bluntly said) My father sent us to look after the two of you. If it’s true that you use unsettling lies to disrupt the military’s minds, then immediate punishment is ordered without mercy.

CY: My dear 13th Captain, why are you like this? Haha, the weather is cold outside, how about we sit down and have a hot pot, wouldn’t that be good?

Feng Ming had a very good impression towards this veteran general and smiled affectionately at him, not minding the attitude of Jun Ting. He ordered the servants to fetch for some dishes and chopsticks.

During the meal, Jun Ting was being a mood spoiler basically even when Feng Ming tried to offer her some wine. Feng Ming can’t believe that earlier, she was all telling him to think for himself and now her attitude was the complete opposite. Chang Yen on the other hand was more open and relatively pleasant.

After three cups of wine, Chang Yen suddenly asked Feng Ming.

CY: I heard that ever since Duke Ming was little, you were raised up as a Crown Prince of Xi Lei?

FM: Ha? That’s right. That year, Xi Lei was unstable and worried that someone might murder the Crown Prince so Duke Rong used his own son to replace the Crown Prince in the palace. He then took the real Crown Prince, who is the later Xi Lei King, and protected him.

CY: Haha, old Duke Rong used his own child...Hearing Duke Ming’s words, it feels like you are retelling the story from a third person. Isn’t Duke Rong the father of Duke Ming?

Hearing Chang Yen’s words, Feng Ming felt he had an ulterior motive.

Heavens, will all of Dong Fan know that he is a drifted spirit? Could it be that before Lu Dan dies, he still wants to mess/joke around with him? And yet he just felt extremely sympathetic to Lu Dan.

FM: General Chang Yen is half correct. Ever since I was little I was brought into the inner palace, my father wholeheartedly protected the real Crown Prince, so he had never teach his real son; therefore, it’s inevitable that there is alienation between father and son.

Feng Ming forced on a smile and slowly drank a cup of wine.

CY: There is one thing I don’t know whether I should say it or not...

Chang Yen pondered for a long time, his face showing an expression of hesitation.

FM: If there is something, please go ahead and say it.

CY: This thing, if Rong Tian is still here, Duke Ming is still Xi Lei’s minister of state, I will not mention a word, but since the situation is like this, there is no reason not to.

This time, even Jun Ting expressed a bit of curiosity. Chang Yen sighed and continued.

CY: Duke Ming, do you know that your appearance and temperament is very similar to an old friend of mine many years ago. When I first met you, I thought you were his son; therefore, upon first meeting, I had a good impression of you.

Feng Ming’s eyes widened.

Jun Ting Interjected: “General, you must be mistaken, Duke Ming was born and grew up within the palace of Xi Lei, is the son of Duke Rong, how can he be someone else’s son?”

CY: This is the problem. 13th Captain, please put yourself in Duke Rong’s position, in the case others, you would use someone else’s child as a replacement, so would he push his own son into the most dangerous situation of being assassinated at any time?

Feng Ming loosen his grip of the cup in his hand, it fell to the floor and shattered into pieces.