Chapter 54: The Battle Begins

Having carefully calculated the time they would ascend the mountain, she waited for the perfect moment, took out a fire starter, and pretended as if she intended to burn all of Old Snow Mist’s medical books. This would create the illusion that the medical techniques beneficial to Luo Wensheng were hidden within, so that by the time Feng Xiaoli and Zilin realized they had been deceived, it would already be too late.

The lord had long escaped with the precious notebook in hand.

Feng Xiaoli and her companions, unwilling to waste time on the black-clad figures, would not give chase. Instead, they would search the cottage for the answers they sought as quickly as possible.

Such a deep and cunning scheme!

But regret was useless now.

Feng Xiaoli slumped to the ground, gazing through the window at the swirling snow outside. The flakes seemed to fall upon her, beautiful yet cold, capable of claiming a life in an instant. She murmured, “Zilin, who do you think is behind all this?”

Zilin frowned lightly. Only one person came to his mind, but based on his understanding, that person was not the type to meddle in such matters, only ever acting for his own benefit. He shook his head.

Sitting here in silent misery would accomplish nothing. It was better to return to Huai Capital and see how things had unfolded. Rising, she left the cottage, Zilin walking beside her. Setting foot here again, her heart felt blocked by a stone—one she could neither step over nor walk around. Only by shattering it could she move forward.

Returning once more to the entrance, Feng Xiaoli called out for a moment’s pause. In her hand were several river stones she had picked up from who knows where; she threw four in the directions of east, south, west, and north, then tossed a few more in the center. In a moment, a formation was set.

She did not wish for Snow Mist Mountain to be climbed again so easily, but dared only to lay a simple formation—one her master and companions could easily unravel.

Mounting her horse again, Feng Xiaoli’s expression regained its cold indifference. Zilin, watching her, felt that the girl had changed greatly overnight, though only she could truly know what had changed.

Upon returning to Huai Capital, Feng Xiaoli did not head straight for the Prince Chun’s residence. Instead, she went immediately to the Prime Minister’s mansion to see Yue Wanqing. At this time, Yue Wanqing was under house arrest by the Left Prime Minister, confined to her room. Apart from attending to her basic needs, she was forbidden to leave even for meals or leisure.

Feng Xiaoli dared not enter through the main gate. The Left Prime Minister, knowing of her friendship with Yue Wanqing, would likely forbid any contact. This was a critical time; letting Feng Xiaoli and Yue Wanqing meet could mean passing information about Xiang Lian, which was absolutely unacceptable to him.

Previously, the Left Prime Minister had already disliked Yue Wanqing’s association with Xiang Lian, but as she was his most beloved daughter, he had turned a blind eye. Now, however, the situation had changed. Xiang Lian had been convicted and thrown into the Celestial Prison. Who would visit or help this princess left behind as a hostage by the Celestial Court? Only a fool would refuse to stay out of it, and the Left Prime Minister would never allow it.

Feng Xiaoli was not his daughter, so he had no say over her. But Yue Wanqing was his pride among all his daughters, and he intended to protect her well, never allowing her to interact with Xiang Lian.

From Yue Wanqing’s few words, Feng Xiaoli could guess that the Left Prime Minister disliked both her friendship with Xiang Lian and her own visits. She certainly did not wish to appear before him, for the old stubborn man would surely say unpleasant things—it was better to sneak over the wall to see Yue Wanqing.

This time, Zilin refused to enter the Prime Minister’s mansion with Feng Xiaoli. In his words: “Li’er, I cannot simply enter another lady’s chambers. I must keep my distance from other women.” With that, he quickly rode away.

She thought the man was simply odd—what business was it of hers if he went in or not? But seeing his hurried look, it was clear he had something important to attend to.

Feng Xiaoli deftly avoided the hidden guards lurking in the shadows. With a flicker of movement, she slipped through the window into the room. As she landed, the window closed behind her. Yue Wanqing, still dreaming, saw Feng Xiaoli enter so boldly and her first reaction was, “Ali, you actually didn’t get caught by the hidden guards?”

Feng Xiaoli gave her an annoyed look—after all the effort she had gone through just to see her, the first thing Yue Wanqing did was curse her to get caught. No wonder this woman deserved to be locked up.

“Stupid Wanqing, I shouldn’t have come at all. I should’ve gone straight home and left you to your lonely, empty days with nobody around! Farewell, no need to see you again, may we never meet, let this be the last time!” With that, Feng Xiaoli turned to leave.

Yue Wanqing sprang from her bed with a swift movement, blocking Feng Xiaoli’s path. She struck out with a palm and raised a leg for a kick, venting all the pent-up frustration and gloom that had built up over the day. As luck would have it, Feng Xiaoli’s arrival gave Yue Wanqing a bright spark in her eyes—just as she used to bully Feng Xiaoli, she struck out at her.

But this time, Feng Xiaoli would not simply take the blows. She would fight back. Wanqing suffered, and so did she. These days—neither long nor short—could easily break the weak-willed, dragging them down into despair with no hope of recovery.

Yue Wanqing continued her flurry of attacks. With a turn in the air, Feng Xiaoli snatched Wanqing’s sash, and in the blink of an eye, hoisted her up, tossing her onto the bed. Wanqing’s fury exploded, channeling all her internal strength. She no longer saw Feng Xiaoli as a friend, but struck as if she were an enemy. Feng Xiaoli would not let her have her way. As Wanqing’s palm neared her chest, Feng Xiaoli retreated, back pressing against the wall, then quickly turned aside. Wanqing’s palm struck the wall instead, leaving a clear handprint—a sign that she had struck with full force, no mercy.

Feng Xiaoli stepped onto the table, her expression relaxed, her gaze lazy. She poured herself a cup of water, then poured another for Wanqing, offering it with a gesture that meant, “Wanqing, drink up!”

But Wanqing ignored her, continuing her attack. She launched a kick at Feng Xiaoli’s abdomen. Feng Xiaoli blocked with the cup meant for Wanqing; it shattered with a crash, fragments scattering across the floor.

Hearing the unusual sounds of the wall being struck and the breaking cup, several hidden guards immediately emerged from the shadows. Their leader, standing outside the door, called respectfully, “Miss Wanqing, is anything the matter?”

“Nothing!” Yue Wanqing replied in a deep voice.

Feng Xiaoli watched her with a wry smile. After this bout, Wanqing’s restless heart finally calmed. She had needed to vent her frustrations, and as her friend, Feng Xiaoli was naturally there to help.

“Ali, that’s enough now.”