The Slender Waist-Chapter 764 - 545: Have One Too

Feng Yun personally took charge of Emperor Tianshou’s grand funeral arrangements.

The child who once played with the Wind Chime, looking forward to her arrival with anticipation, calling her "wife," has now become a solemn and majestic temple name, forever fixed in the imperial tomb.

Returning from the imperial tomb, Feng Yun simply took a bath, and her body began to heat up...

She could not remember how long it had been since she last fell ill.

This fever brought all the emptiness, helplessness, loss, and regret from her past and present lives, sweeping through her and making her head dizzy...

She had been tired these days, without proper rest.

Lying down, she wanted to sleep deeply, unconscious to the world.

"Xiaoman, do not let anyone disturb me."

At this time, Pei Jue had entered the palace.

The palace was preparing for the New Emperor’s coronation ceremony.

In ten days, King Zhuangxian Yuan Yin would ascend to the throne at Chongzheng Hall.

After the national mourning, with a New Emperor, the people of Xijing would have new gossip. Feng Yun felt limp, lacking any strength, as if extra thought would cause her head to explode.

Her thoughts were drifting, and what lingered in her mind was that string of Wind Chimes...

She remembered the feast that year when Yuan Shangyi jumped into her arms, the child’s gaze as earnest as a mother’s.

He hugged her tightly and said, "If only you were my mother, then I could see you every day..."

He also said, "Wife, I want to go back to Huaxi. Will you take me back to Huaxi?"

Then she thought of that year at the entrance of Zhaode Palace, her holding Queque tightly, with a eunuch prying them apart bit by bit, dragging the child away.

Queque, with tears streaming down his face, said to her, "Mother, rest assured. I will take good care of myself."

He also held a string of Wind Chimes in his hand, swaying it back and forth, "Mother, take care. I will dream of you every night. In dreams, we will be together, always together."

Queque...

Queque...

Feng Yun reached her hand out into the void.

She wanted to hold Queque tight, never letting go.

She also wanted to wake up Ayuan, to take him back to Huaxi...

But the void was weak, those remnants of warmth slowly dissipated, ultimately leaving only a string of Wind Chimes...

In the wind,

the tinkling...

the tinkling...

She was dizzy with tears she couldn’t suppress.

"Queque..."

A weak, low cry, accompanied by weeping.

Pei Jue’s brow furrowed slightly.

He wiped the sweat from Feng Yun’s forehead and turned to urge urgently.

"Where is the Imperial Physician? Why has the Imperial Physician not arrived yet?"

"Replying to the King, Jiu You has gone to fetch him; he should be here very soon, soon."

Pei Jue said nothing, bent down to hold Feng Yun in his arms, gently stroking to comfort her.

"Don’t be afraid. Lady Yun... don’t be afraid."

"Have you come?" Feng Yun half-opened her eyes, not knowing whether it was real or a dream, with everything around her blurred by memory, only Pei Jue’s face remained vivid and clear.

"You have finally come..."

She clutched at Pei Jue’s sleeve, her body shivering.

"Save Queque..."

"Save Queque, please..."

Pei Jue gripped her hand silently, holding it firmly in his palm, watching her tears slide down, he sighed silently without a sound.

The room was quiet.

Others did not understand why the Lady had become so fragile from a bout of illness.

The person who would not shed a tear even if the sky fell was now crying in the King’s embrace, like a person made of tears.

Xiaoman was both heartbroken and perplexed...

She did not know who Queque was, dared not ask, nor had the opportunity to ask.

The maid rushed in hastily.

"The Imperial Physician has arrived, the King, the Imperial Physician has come."

Puyang Li had arrived.

The person carrying the medicine chest behind him was Puyang Jiu.

Puyang Jiu glanced at Pei Jue, then turned to look at Feng Yun on the bed.

Perhaps due to the fever, she was somewhat delirious, her cheeks flushed, her brows slightly furrowed, and she was sleeping restlessly, mumbling something in her mouth...

Puyang Jiu glimpsed at Pei Jue, sighed, and pulled him aside.

"Haven’t I warned you? Be careful with what you do. During the period of national mourning, how could you not restrain yourself..."

"Shut up!" Pei Jue’s eyes reddened as he glared and turned away without uttering another word.

Puyang Jiu raised his eyebrow, rubbing his head.

"Your temper sure is growing."

In the past, even if everyone in the world was afraid of Pei Jue, Puyang Jiu was not.

He knew his true nature, clear and distinct.

But in recent years, the Pei Jue in Puyang Jiu’s eyes had become increasingly difficult to deal with, utterly inscrutable as to what he was really thinking...

For instance...

After getting married, allowing Feng Yun to live in Andu, occasionally living apart as if nothing was wrong, clearly suffering from physical illness and yearning, yet he took no concubines nor mistresses, focusing solely on government affairs, living a life so rigid it hardly had any joy to speak of...

Puyang Jiu didn’t understand.

He had tried to imagine what it would be like if he were like Pei Jue, and the very thought excited him.

Power is the greatest aphrodisiac.

How could one waste such a splendid world?

Puyang Jiu shuddered and dared not delve any deeper.

By the time he approached again, Puyang Li had already finished taking the pulse, nodding towards him before heading to the outer room to write a prescription.

Puyang Jiu sat by the couch, reaching out to feel Feng Yun’s pulse.

"It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you so anxious. Wangzhi, in this lifetime, you are truly bound to Lady Feng Shi Er Niang..."

Pei Jue looked at his hand: "I have summoned the Imperial Physician."

Puyang Jiu: ...

Indeed, he was not an Imperial Physician, nor under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Medical Bureau.

"Heartless," Puyang Jiu huffed, "I rushed over in such worry upon hearing your mansion summoned the Imperial Physician..."

Pei Jue lifted his eyes, "You are not needed here, just leave."

"Hey, what have I ever done to you..."

Puyang Jiu’s words trailed off as he looked down at his hand, holding onto Feng Yun to take her pulse, then suddenly it dawned on him.

"Pei Wangzhi, Pei Wangzhi, don’t tell me you think I am coveting your wife?"

Pei Jue cast him a glance, remaining silent.

Puyang Jiu’s cheeks twitched, and he withdrew his hand with a cold snort.

"I’m not that despicable. I’m leaving; can’t be bothered with you."

He picked up his medical kit, turning around in a huff.

Pei Jue paid him no attention.

When Puyang Jiu reached the doorway and looked back, he found that Pei Jue had already turned back, focusing on his wife and not caring about his well-being at all...

He was so infuriated.

"Pei Wangzhi, you’ve got nerve! From now on, you better not come looking for me. Once you run out of Pearl Charms and Jade Gates, don’t come looking for me either... Hmph!"

Listening to the footsteps fade away, Pei Jue held onto Feng Yun’s hand.

"It’s quiet now. Sleep."

-

After Feng Yun took the medicine from Puyang Li, she slept quietly for a while until she started struggling with fever in the middle of the night, her forehead sweaty, her eyes half-closed, clutching Pei Jue’s hand and pressing it against her body, the burning gaze making his heart skip a beat.

"Lady Yun..."

He gently encircled her, like soothing a wounded animal.

But Feng Yun wouldn’t stay calm, her hands and feet just tucked under the covers flailing out again, shivering as she rubbed against him.

Pei Jue touched his knuckles to her forehead and picked up the pill left by Puyang Li.

Puyang Li had warned, if Feng Yun’s fever spiked again in the night, to give her another pill.

"Don’t go... Save... our son..." Feng Yun’s mind was hazy, sensing someone was putting something in her mouth, she began to struggle in fear, trying to spit it out.

Pei Jue had no choice but to pin her down, covering her mouth.

"Mm..." Feng Yun, with half-lidded eyes and a stretched neck, swallowed the pill reluctantly.

Whether it was out of grievance or the recollection of the deceased Queque and Ayuan, tears began to involuntarily well up in the corners of her eyes.

Pei Jue frowned, feeling as though there was a fire burning inside him.

Her tearful appearance was unlike her usual self.

Very soft, so soft it turned everything inside him upside down.

And it was itchy, an itchy sensation as if there was warm water swirling in the depths of his heart.

He actually liked Feng Yun very much at that moment.

Tearful, tender, delicate, fair-skinned, so endearing that he wanted to bully her ruthlessly...

"I know you love children."

He bowed his head, drawing close to Feng Yun’s face, kissing her several times.

"Once you’ve recovered, we can have one too."

Feng Yun, already weak, trembled with his kiss, unaware of Pei Jue’s thoughts, feeling only the uncomfortable sweat drenching her and the familiar longing that pressed against her skin. It was an overwhelming surge, as if desperately seeking that profound union with the soul...