Chapter 641: Chapter 641

The minutes ticked by, and midnight was approaching. Xie Xun, driven by impulse, seemed ready to kill Dugu Jing, but he was restrained by Xie Jue. At this moment, whoever lost their composure would lose entirely. Dugu Jing stood under the moonlight, silent and seemingly composed, even exuding an air of calm. Xie Jue had clearly laid out the pros and cons—Fengyu’s life was a matter of Dugu Jing’s single word.

Indeed, the poisonous parasite within Fengyu had been planted by Yuwen Jing. On the very first day Yuwen Jing entered the capital, someone had approached him with the parasite and revealed the truth. He also understood that this person was a loyal servant of Yuwen Jing, hoping he would avenge Yuwen Jing. At the time, Dugu Jing thought the Beining People were truly cunning and devious. Once the parasite died, Fengyu would also die. And yet, Yuwen Jing had gone out of his way to ensure the parasite remained alive, claiming it could be used to threaten Xie Xun.

If Xie Xun were willing to sacrifice Beining’s lands or interests for Fengyu, the entire realm would rise against him, branding him as a foolish emperor who put love above the nation. Yuwen Jing had anticipated Xie Xun’s profound love for Fengyu, knowing that he would give up everything for her. Even if the nation wasn’t his to lose, his reputation would be utterly destroyed.

The hatred between Beiman and Xie Xun was as deep as the sea. With such a significant leverage in their hands, they would undoubtedly make full use of it. So, Yuwen Jing hadn’t instructed his servant to kill the parasite outright, nor had he ended Fengyu’s life.

Dugu Jing had initially been puzzled as to why Xie Xun would order someone to bring him to the capital. Upon learning of the parasite, everything became clear. Thus, whether it was Xie Xun testing him or Fengyu probing him, he remained composed. He disdained the idea of using such despicable methods to threaten a woman’s life, yet undeniably, this was the quickest way to resolve the Beiman issue. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ N0velFire.ɴet

When Fengyu woke up, three days had already passed. Her head felt heavy, her thoughts foggy, and her skull throbbed painfully. She looked around at the familiar red pomegranate-patterned silk canopy and felt an inexplicable sense of surviving disaster.

She remembered losing consciousness on her way to the palace, her heart aching as though being wrenched apart. At that moment, she thought fate had played a cruel, enormous joke on her. Just when she believed she had overcome the ominous curse tied to her eighteenth year, it struck viciously during her birthday with sudden cardiac pain, prompting her to lose consciousness. Before fainting, a thought flashed through her mind: had she failed to escape the curse after all? But now, waking to bright daylight, she took a relieved breath.

She had passed eighteen—surely her path would be smooth and peaceful from now on!

The courtyard outside was quiet, save for the sound of the autumn wind rustling through. There was no other noise. Fengyu struggled to sit up. Her sudden collapse must have greatly frightened Zhixu, as well as her mother, grandmother, and father. As she attempted to get out of bed, Qiuxiang brought a basin of steaming water into the room. Seeing Fengyu awake, Qiuxiang was ecstatic. She quickly set the basin aside and ran out, shouting loudly, "The young lady is awake! The young lady is awake!"

Su Yuejiao must have been keeping vigil outside for a long time. At the sound of Qiuxiang’s call, she rushed in and enveloped Fengyu in a tight embrace. Overwhelmed with joy, her heart finally found peace. After losing Feng Shu, the pain of potentially losing Fengyu was unbearable for her. She had spent days in constant vigil beside Fengyu, terrified her daughter might slip away as well. Now, with Fengyu awake, Su Yuejiao was sobbing hysterically.

Fengyu gently soothed her mother, "Mother, I’m fine now. You’ve suffered."

"As long as you’re fine, as long as you’re fine!" Su Yuejiao exclaimed. She cared only for Fengyu’s safety. No matter how hard, how tired she was, it was worth it. Fengyu was confused by her mother’s grief-stricken state and asked with concern, "Is my health still at risk?"

"The parasite has been extracted. You are healthy now. From now on, Ayu will live in peace, and no one will harm you again." Su Yuejiao comforted Fengyu before coldly cursing, "That wretched Yuwen Jing! Even in death, he continues to torment us. He planted the parasite within you—why didn’t you tell me earlier?"

"So it really was the parasite!" Fengyu had suspected this before. Yuwen Jing was not a man of idle boasts. He had gone to the trouble of capturing Master Miao Yun; it was unlikely he had done nothing. Furthermore, Chen Mo was unwaveringly loyal to him. However, after Yuwen Jing’s death, her body remained unharmed, even strong. Fengyu had tested Dugu Jing multiple times but found nothing unusual, so she had let it be, leaving things to fate.

If she had been consumed by anxiety over whether or not she was afflicted, she would’ve been living in tremendous fear. Unexpectedly, it really was the parasite. But given that, why was she still alive?

"It was Dugu Jing who extracted the parasite. Yuwen Jing had been nurturing it all along yet revealed nothing for so many days. That night, he planned to use the parasite against Han Ziqi, but somehow you ended up entangled in it," Su Yuejiao explained. She held no particular grievance against Dugu Jing. If he had truly intended to kill Ayu, he would’ve done so long ago. In hindsight, if Ayu hadn’t stumbled upon his fight with Han Ziqi, perhaps this uncalled-for calamity wouldn’t have arisen. The parasite had been within her this entire time, but who knew how long Dugu Jing would have kept the truth before revealing it?

Fengyu’s heart sank. Dugu Jing couldn’t have extracted the parasite without some considerable cost. What price had Xie Xun paid? "Where is Zhixu? Where did he go?"

"You’ve been unconscious for three days. He’s the emperor; he can’t stay by your side constantly. He has court duties to attend to and must also negotiate Beiman and Sannan’s affairs. These past nights, he’s visited you when free, sitting by your side before leaving for court in the morning with your father." Su Yuejiao stroked Fengyu’s soft and warm face. "Ayu, don’t worry. With the emperor, your father, and your mother all here for you, you will remain safe and sound. The parasite has been completely extracted. We saw it with our own eyes. You won’t endure any more torment."

The parasite had been inside her for so long, yet Fengyu hadn’t felt tormented. Occasionally, she’d only experience bouts of unease or irritability.

"Mother, do you know what Zhixu and Dugu Jing negotiated as part of their deal?"

Su Yuejiao shook her head. She wasn’t ignorant—Dugu Jing couldn’t have saved Fengyu for nothing. He had the power to kill Fengyu outright, but his decision to spare her must have been tied to securing benefits for Beiman. As for the exact terms of the agreement, Su Yuejiao hadn’t asked. She was merely Ayu’s mother, wishing only for her daughter’s safety and peace. Whatever Xie Xun exchanged, Su Yuejiao was willing to endure; half her life had been spent in guilt toward Ayu. Now, she only wished to compensate for all Ayu had suffered and never wanted her daughter to endure hardship again.

Her awakening brought joy to the Feng Family. The First Madam visited her with Feng Wan and Feng Ling. Still physically weak, Fengyu drank her medicine and rested until evening. When she woke, she found Xie Xun sitting beside her, staring at her intensely. The room was dimly lit, his eyes bloodshot. Fengyu was startled and couldn’t help clutching her chest, "Why are you sitting there without making a sound?"

"Is your courage that small?" Xie Xun laughed softly. His fingers gently glided across her cheek as he spoke solemnly, "Ayu, it’s over now. You won’t face any more misfortunes."

"And what about you? What did you trade with Dugu Jing?"