PFC Chapter 247 Jiang Qingxue's happiness and sweetness, Xu Fenghua's anxiety and unease
Chapter 247 Jiang Qingxue's happiness and sweetness, Xu Fenghua's anxiety and unease
As Jiang Qingxue lay in Qin Mu's arms, she felt as if the whole world had become quiet.
There is no more loneliness, no more solitude, no more worry, no more fear, no more unease.
This was a feeling she had never experienced before.
She has always been alone since she was a child.
In the Listening Snow Pavilion in the Northern Territory, she practiced swordsmanship alone, read books alone, and faced those long days and nights alone.
Xu Longxiang would visit her occasionally.
He would look at her with tender eyes, coax her with affectionate promises, and gaze at her with a complex look that she couldn't understand.
But every time he left, she was still alone.
She lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, pondering questions she would never understand.
At that time, she thought that was loneliness.
It's the feeling of facing everything alone.
But at this moment, she was curled up in Qin Mu's arms.
Feel his heartbeat, feel the warmth of his hands, feel the warmth.
She suddenly understood what it felt like to be held in the arms of someone you love.
It was as if all the loneliness, all the fear, and all the anxiety were melted away by that warm embrace.
It was as if from that moment on, she was no longer alone.
It was as if she had finally found her place.
The smile on Jiang Zhaoyue's lips deepened even further.
She recalled the scenes that had just made her blush and her heart race.
Her face flushed again.
The blush spread from her cheeks to her ears, down her neck, and all the way into the depths of her collar.
She could feel her heart racing.
So fast it almost seemed to burst out of my chest.
But she didn't want to suppress it.
I don't want to suppress all my emotions like I used to.
At this moment, she just wanted to let herself go.
Let yourself blush, let your heart race, let yourself think about those embarrassing scenes.
because.
She's his now.
From now on, she no longer needs to be afraid.
No more loneliness.
No longer do I have to face everything alone.
"What are you thinking about?" Qin Mu asked with a smile.
Jiang Zhaoyue remained silent for a moment.
Then she spoke.
His voice was soft, with a hint of languid hoarseness from just having eaten his fill:
"Thinking..."
She paused, then took a deep breath.
Then, word by word:
"I have never felt so happy before."
Qin Mu smiled.
His fingers gently caressed her cheek.
"Then let it stay like this," he said.
Jiang Zhaoyue nodded vigorously.
She nestled back into Qin Mu's arms, burying her face in his chest, feeling his warm body temperature and strong heartbeat.
The moonlight outside the window was like water, spilling onto the floor of the bedroom and coating it with a layer of silver.
The flickering candlelight inside the hall cast the shadows of the two people onto the curtains, where they intertwined.
Jiang Zhaoyue closed her eyes, the happy smile on her lips lingering for a long time.
She never imagined that one day she would have such a moment.
Such tranquility, such warmth, such a sense of belonging.
Qin Mu's hand continued to gently stroke her back, the movement tender and slow, as if soothing a small animal that had finally fallen asleep.
His chin rested on the top of her head, his breathing steady and long.
Neither of them spoke.
They simply embraced each other quietly, enjoying this rare moment of tranquility.
Outside the window, the night breeze rustled through the old plum trees in the courtyard.
Several drumbeats sounded in the distance, indicating it was already past 1:45 AM.
The night is still long.
This moment of tenderness will forever be etched in Jiang Zhaoyue's heart.
It became one of the most precious memories of her life.
.........
It is completely different from the warmth of Yuxiu Palace.
The inner hall of Huaqing Palace was brightly lit.
Xu Fenghua sat alone in a rosewood armchair, her fingers tapping unconsciously on the armrest.
Tap tap tap tap...
The increasingly rapid pace revealed her inner anxiety.
She had been sitting like this for an hour.
She has been sitting here ever since she returned from Yuxiu Palace.
Everything that happened tonight kept replaying in my mind—
Qin Mu suddenly appeared and told her to leave alone.
That meaningful gaze, that phrase, "My beloved concubine, please rest early."
And then there's Jiang Qingxue's unusually calm gaze in Yuxiu Palace.
Those images were like a tangled mess, churning wildly in her mind, yet she couldn't make sense of them.
Xu Fenghua stood up and walked to the window.
She pushed open the window, and the night wind rushed in, carrying the chill of early winter, and ruffled the stray hairs at her temples.
But she was completely unaware.
He simply gazed out the window at the deep night, towards the direction of Yuxiu Palace.
The lights there have been extinguished.
Will Qin Mu stay overnight at Yuxiu Palace tonight?
Or have they already left?
What exactly happened between him and Jiang Qingxue?
Why does she feel that everything tonight is so wrong?
Countless questions churned in my mind, but I couldn't find a single answer.
Xu Fenghua's fingers slowly tightened on the window frame.
That feeling of unease grew stronger and stronger.
It was as if something big was happening, but she was kept in the dark and knew nothing about it.
This feeling almost drove her crazy.
She's too used to being in control.
During her six years in Jiangnan, she strategized and won decisive victories, with every move perfectly anticipated.
But ever since she entered the palace, she has been in a passive position.
She was manipulated by Qin Mu, led by the nose by schemes she couldn't see through.
She thought she could endure, wait, and secretly accumulate strength.
But at this moment, that deep sense of powerlessness made her feel like she was suffocating.
No.
We can't just sit here and wait to die.
Xu Fenghua turned around abruptly, walked to the palace gate, and pushed it open.
"Someone come here!" Her voice was exceptionally clear in the quiet night.
Qiuyue, the personal maid, hurried over and bowed, asking, "What are your orders, Your Highness?"
Xu Fenghua took a deep breath, suppressing the surging emotions in her heart, and her voice returned to its usual calm:
"Go to the Imperial Hospital and invite Physician Wang over."
Qiu Yue paused slightly, then looked up at Xu Fenghua.
Under the candlelight, Xu Fenghua's dignified face was expressionless, except for her slightly furrowed brows, which formed a shallow "川" (river) shape between her eyebrows.
Qiuyue hesitated for a moment, then asked cautiously:
"Your Majesty, it's so late...is it inappropriate to let the imperial physician in?"
The palace rules were strict. To summon the imperial physician to the inner palace at night, one needed a legitimate reason and had to report to the higher authorities.
If we alert those people...
Xu Fenghua glanced at her.
His gaze was calm, yet carried an undeniable authority.
"My head is throbbing with pain," her voice turned cold. "Which is more important, my health or those rules?"
Qiu Yue's expression changed slightly.
She immediately knelt down, her forehead touching the ground:
"This servant deserves to die! Of course, Your Highness's health is more important! This servant will go and fetch the Imperial Physician Wang right away!"
After saying that, she got up and ran quickly out of the hall.
The footsteps faded into the night.
Xu Fenghua stood in front of the palace gate, gazing in the direction where Qiuyue had disappeared, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes.
She knew it was risky.
Summoning the imperial physician to the palace late at night would inevitably alarm some people.
But she couldn't care less.
The feeling of unease had become so intense that she could no longer bear it.
She needs to know what exactly happened.
We must find out what is the root cause of her unease.
As for whether they will be monitored—
It's out of control.
In any case, her every move these days has probably been under Qin Mu's control.
If that's the case, what's there to worry about?
Xu Fenghua turned and walked back into the hall, sitting down on a rosewood armchair.
My gaze fell upon the deep night outside the window, and I waited.
Time seemed to slow down dramatically at that moment.
Every breath felt like an hour.
I don't know how much time passed.
It might only be a quarter of an hour, or it might be half an hour.
Footsteps finally came from outside the hall.
It was very light, very steady, and carried with a touch of caution.
Xu Fenghua looked up.
A middle-aged man dressed in a blue official robe and carrying a medicine box strode into the hall.
It was Wang Jimin.
He walked three steps in front of Xu Fenghua, knelt down, and respectfully kowtowed:
"Your humble servant Wang Jimin pays respects to Consort Hua."
Xu Fenghua looked at him and said calmly:
Get up.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Wang Jimin stood up and stood with his hands at his sides.
His gaze swept across Xu Fenghua's face, a hint of seriousness flashing in his eyes.
The Empress looked very unwell.
His face was pale with a hint of bluish-gray, and there were obvious dark circles under his eyes. His brows were tightly furrowed.
This is……
What happened?
An ominous premonition welled up in Wang Jimin's heart.
Xu Fenghua didn't give him time to think it over.
She turned her head, looked at the palace maids standing by the palace gate, and said calmly:
"You may leave now."
The palace maids were slightly taken aback and looked at each other in bewilderment.
Qiuyue stepped forward and asked cautiously:
"Your Highness, we servants will be waiting outside the door. If anything happens..."
"No need," Xu Fenghua interrupted her, her voice calm but authoritative. "Let Physician Wang examine my pulse in peace. You may all leave."
Qiuyue opened her mouth, as if to say something.
But seeing Xu Fenghua's unquestionable gaze, he ultimately swallowed his words.
She bowed in greeting:
"Yes."
Then, together with the other palace maids, they withdrew from the palace.
The palace doors closed gently behind them.
Inside the hall, only Xu Fenghua and Wang Jimin remained.
The candlelight flickered, casting long, long shadows of the two people on the wall.
Xu Fenghua looked at Wang Jimin and spoke.
His voice was very low, but every word was clear:
"Has anything major happened in the palace recently?"
"or--"
She paused, her gaze fixed on his face:
"What's strange about this?"
Wang Jimin was stunned.
He looked at Xu Fenghua, at the urgency and anxiety in her eyes, and his ominous premonition grew stronger.
Your Majesty, what is this...?
What's wrong?
He carefully chose his words and asked cautiously:
"What important matter... does Your Majesty mean?"
Xu Fenghua frowned even more deeply.
She took a deep breath, suppressing the surging agitation in her heart, and spoke slowly and deliberately:
"Anything."
"Anything you don't understand, don't get, or feel is wrong—"
"Tell me everything."
Wang Jimin remained silent for a moment.
Then, he shook his head.
"Your Majesty," he said, his voice tinged with helplessness, "I do not know."
A hint of disappointment flashed in Xu Fenghua's eyes.
But she did not give up.
"Then do you know," she continued, her voice even lower, "where Qin Mu has been these past few days since he left the palace?"
Wang Jimin sighed.
He raised his head and looked at Xu Fenghua.
Those cloudy old eyes were filled with helplessness and guilt.
"Your Majesty," he said, "I am merely a court physician, responsible for taking pulses and diagnosing illnesses."
"The whereabouts of the Qin Emperor..."
He paused, then shook his head with a wry smile:
"How could I possibly know?"
Xu Fenghua fell silent.
She knew Wang Jimin was telling the truth.
He was just a royal physician, although he could move freely within the palace and access a lot of information.
But Qin Mu's whereabouts are the most crucial secret.
How could he possibly know?
But she had no other choice.
In recent days, she has used almost every eyeliner she could find and every person she could contact.
Aside from Wang Jimin, she had no other way to obtain information.
Xu Fenghua's fingers slowly tightened inside her sleeve.
My fingernails dug deep into my palm, sending a sharp pain through me.
The pain kept her conscious until the very end.
She raised her head and looked at Wang Jimin.
Those amber eyes were filled with determination.
"Think of a way," she said, emphasizing each word.
"Find a way to find out Qin Mu's whereabouts these past few days."
"besides,"
She paused, then took a deep breath:
"Recent matters concerning the palace."
"Any slight disturbance, anything that seems amiss."
"Tell me everything."
Wang Jimin frowned.
He looked at Xu Fenghua, at the anxiety and unease that was almost overflowing in her eyes.
A deep sense of worry welled up in my heart.
"Your Majesty," he asked cautiously, lowering his voice, "Have you...discovered something?"
His voice carried a hint of barely concealed nervousness.
Because he knew that he and Xu Fenghua were in the same boat.
No, the entire Northern Territory's layout within the palace is all in cahoots.
If something happens to Xu Fenghua, if her identity is exposed, if the Northern Border's plot is discovered...
Then Wang Jimin will also be unable to escape death.
Xu Fenghua shook her head when she saw the tension in his eyes.
"I didn't find anything," she said.
He paused, then added:
"But that's precisely why."
She looked at Wang Jimin and spoke slowly and deliberately:
"That's what made me feel uneasy."
Wang Jimin fell silent.
He understood what Xu Fenghua meant.
The absence of findings does not mean there are no problems.
On the contrary, sometimes, the calmer the surface, the more turbulent the undercurrents.
Like the calm before the storm.
Looking at his silent demeanor, Xu Fenghua felt an even deeper unease in her heart.
She thought of Cao Wei.
The old eunuch who entered the palace under an assumed name, disguised himself as a eunuch, and hid in the Imperial Garden.
She has been thinking about this constantly these days.
What does the appearance of Cao Wei signify?
This means that the Xu family's scheme may have been exposed long ago.
This means that Qin Mu may know everything.
It means all her struggles, all her forbearance, and all her waiting these past few days.
It might all be a joke.
This thought almost suffocated Xu Fenghua.
She took a deep breath, suppressing the surging emotions within her.
His gaze fell on Wang Jimin's face, his voice hoarse yet unusually clear:
"Doctor Wang, I know this is difficult."
"But I had no other choice."
"I can only rely on you."
Wang Jimin looked at her, at the deep weariness and anxiety on her dignified face.
A complex mix of emotions welled up inside me.
He knew what the Empress had been enduring these days.
Entering the palace as a concubine, she endured humiliation and hardship, suffering day and night.
Those humiliating nights, those moments of forced smiles, those torments that felt like living hell.
Anyone else would probably have collapsed by now.
But the Empress pulled through.
I've held on until now.
Hold on until this moment.
He couldn't let her down.
Wang Jimin took a deep breath and nodded solemnly.
"Your Majesty, rest assured," he said, his voice steady and powerful, "I will do my utmost."
Xu Fenghua looked at him, a hint of gratitude flashing in her eyes.
"Thank you," she said.
Just then.
A sudden wave of nausea surged up from my stomach.
Xu Fenghua's expression changed, and she abruptly covered her mouth.
"vomit--"
A dry heave was particularly clear in the silent hall.
She bent over, gripping the armrest of the chair, and kept dry heaving.
But my stomach was empty, and I couldn't vomit anything.
Only that feeling of nausea surged up in waves.
Wang Jimin's pupils suddenly contracted!