Chapter 576: Chapter 576

When Xie Xun returned after the coronation ceremony, his steps were hurried. Even though the guards had assured him that Fengyu was safe and sound, Xie Xun feared they might be lying—he had to see Fengyu with his own eyes, or he wouldn’t be at ease. It seemed Fengyu also understood his feelings and had not left the Imperial Palace, staying in a side hall and reading letters from Ningzhou.

The urgent dispatch from Ningzhou arrived at Xie Xun’s desk first. The Ningzhou Iron Cavalry sent fifty thousand troops from Ningzhou and another ten thousand from Salt City, totaling sixty thousand heading toward the Capital City. Judging by the timing, they should arrive in a few days. Yuwen Jing was dead, and Xie Xun could control the situation, so Fengyu wasn’t overly anxious. She reckoned that by the time the Ningzhou Iron Cavalry arrived, Ruyi would arrive as well.

"Ayu!" Xie Xun’s voice preceded his arrival. Hearing his anxious shout, Fengyu immediately knew he must be frantic. Thankfully, he had no pressing matters after the coronation ceremony, with just a busy afternoon ahead and a break of an hour. Fengyu raised her head and smiled as she watched Xie Xun striding toward her in his black and gold dragon robes.

Seeing that she was safe and unharmed, Xie Xun finally let out a sigh of relief. Fengyu was seated behind the desk that Xie Xun usually used for handling memorials. Xie Xun dropped to one knee beside her and hugged her tightly, so forcefully that it almost hurt. Fengyu’s restless heart began to calm as she gently stroked his back and softly asked, "Did the coronation ceremony go smoothly?"

Xie Xun murmured affirmatively, his voice muffled and his heart heavy with pain. Once he’d recovered from his terrifying panic, Xie Xun roared furiously, "Who permitted you to take it upon yourself to kill Yuwen Jing? I told you to stay out of this matter, didn’t I? Did my words just go in one ear and out the other? You enjoy acting first and reporting later, don’t you? Are you so certain that I can’t do anything to you? Fengyu, do I need to punish you for you to finally learn your lesson?"

"Him staying alive would be a burden and nauseating for everyone. Why let him live any longer? Being able to kill him with my own hands made me very happy." Fengyu showed no fear in the face of Xie Xun’s anger. To her, he was like a paper tiger.

"You were happy, but I was frightened to death! How’s your body? Are you feeling unwell anywhere? What did the Imperial Physician say? Did they examine you?" Xie Xun asked urgently.

"I don’t know. I’m neither sick nor in pain and didn’t call for the Imperial Physician to diagnose me. Zhixu, I’m fine, sitting here perfectly well. Yuwen Jing tried to scare you." Fengyu spoke gently. At the moment Yuwen Jing fell from the city tower, Fengyu had closed her eyes and braced herself for death as well. She was fully prepared to perish alongside Yuwen Jing. She knew this might be cruel to Zhixu, but it was the only way out. Her death could exchange for lasting peace and prevent needless bloodshed and sacrifice.

But Yuwen Jing died, and she survived.

Yuwen Jing had claimed that their lives were linked by a venomous worm—if he died, she wouldn’t survive either. Both Fengyu and Xie Xun had believed this to be true; it was undoubtedly something Yuwen Jing would scheme. But she didn’t die, and Fengyu herself didn’t know why. Regardless, it was a positive outcome. Each additional day she could spend with Zhixu was a small blessing, and she was content with that.

"Ayu, I truly don’t like you acting on your own initiative." Xie Xun didn’t want to say ’don’t let it happen again,’ yet in such critical moments, he couldn’t bring himself to get angry with Fengyu, leaving his frustrations bottled up.

Fengyu thought to herself, "How hypocritical—he loves acting on his own judgment too! Didn’t he decide to sacrifice himself for me in Yangzhou years ago without consulting anyone? Why can’t I take my own initiative?"

Pulling on his sleeve, Fengyu coquettishly teased and tried to soothe him. "Are you mad?" Fınd the newest release on novel⁂fire.net

"Don’t be upset anymore. I was wrong. It won’t happen again!" Fengyu lightly kissed his lips and pleaded, "Zhixu, be good, forgive me."

Why does this sound so familiar?