"Hmm, it is said that back then it was due to poor health, and the Master divined that he would only recover if he left the capital to recuperate, which is why the Wei family reluctantly sent him away. For so many years, I have only seen this Wei Shaochen once at the Duke of Wei's mansion. He was unremarkable, not as outstanding as his grandfather, perhaps more like his father."
Wei Dalang was not very remarkable himself, he thought at the time.
No wonder Duke Wei wanted to desperately support the Ninth Prince's ascension, it was all for the Wei family to establish a firm foothold in the Eastern Capital in the future and to enjoy glory for another hundred years.
He never expected to misjudge someone!
Princess Qianling had once revealed that Sun Zhong was captured by Wei Shaochen. If he were also in Qingzhou, perhaps Sun Zhong would be here too.
That would be killing two birds with one stone.
"Rest assured, with me here, I will get to the bottom of this matter!"
Xiao Tingyi's assurances always worked.
This was because the secret guards of Prince Ding's mansion were trained by him personally, and he naturally knew their capabilities.
Therefore, in less than two days, Xu Lin brought back good news.
Feng Jinxu was indeed not dead.
And Prince Ding's previous guess was entirely correct.
Wei Shaochen had indeed defected to the Sixth Prince, and the fire at the Qingzhou post station this time was intentionally set by them.
The "burned" supplies were currently safely hidden in the warehouse, and no one suspected anything.
It seemed that Qingzhou had long since become the Sixth Prince's base for vying for power and profit.
Otherwise, why would he go through such a roundabout way?
As a prince, he had been undervalued for so many years.
Although he had the same opportunity to inherit the throne, he was overshadowed by the brilliance of the First Prince and the Ninth Prince.
Including his imperial concubine, although she held the rank of concubine, few people in the harem took her seriously.
Thinking of this, Feng Jinyao couldn't help but feel pity for Emperor Qi.
What was the point of being in a high position? What was the use of holding imperial power?
His empress, consorts, sons, and daughters were all scheming to get more benefits from him.
No wonder people say that high places are cold.
The emperor's throne was both fatally attractive and built upon countless sacrifices.
Feng Jinyao looked at Prince Ding with a sudden surge of compassion in her eyes.
Xiao Tingyi looked back at her with a smile, "Discard those strange thoughts from your mind. My relationship with my father is very good, and I have never aspired to that position. It is merely that my imperial brother has been blinded by power."
That was why he had pretended to be ill for over a decade.
That was why he had withdrawn from court, pretending to be insignificant.
That was why, no matter how many beneficial deeds he had done for the Great Jin behind the scenes, they were destined not to be recorded.
That was why his glory remained forever at the age of seventeen, when he became a legend in one battle.
It had to be said that after understanding these things, Feng Jinyao felt a little heartache for Xiao Tingyi.
Although pursuing fame and fortune was not good, his achievements were enough to be recorded in history, yet now he could only remain unknown, gradually fading into obscurity.
It was a pity, a lament, and at the same time, very admirable.
The more Feng Jinyao got to know Xiao Tingyi, the more she was impressed by his various aspects.
He was skilled in strategy, but he did not use his power to harm others.
He was calculating, but he only targeted corrupt officials.
He kept secret guards, not for power or profit, but merely as a means of self-preservation.
He possessed extraordinary talent for governing the country, but he did not show it off, only doing it quietly.
Feng Jinyao could understand him, yet she couldn't. This enigmatic man had slowly entered her heart, and by the time she realized it, it was too late to retreat.
Therefore, they could only advance hand in hand.
"If you are like a rock, I will be like silk," Feng Jinyao silently told herself in her heart.
They did not see Feng Jinxu in the end during their trip to Qingzhou.
Because Wei Shaochen was extremely vigilant, Feng Jinxu had managed to deceive everyone and remained there to secretly investigate matters related to the Sixth Prince. Therefore, Feng Jinyao and Xiao Tingyi decided to continue north to the Eastern Capital.
If nothing else, they had to inform their family members of the news that their eldest brother was not dead as soon as possible, otherwise their eldest sister-in-law might not be able to bear it.
Thus, they came and went without a trace, until they had already arrived in the Eastern Capital.
Outsiders were unaware that they had been to Qingzhou along the way.
And the Sixth Prince did not know that the secret they had been plotting for so many years had finally been discovered.
At this moment, he was busy making an appearance in the disaster relief efforts for the southwest floods.
Wen Zhonghe had heard very little of the Sixth Prince's name. Unexpectedly, after spending a few days together, they found themselves surprisingly compatible.
Perhaps it was because they both had someone they missed.
As Wen Zhonghe's son-in-law, Feng Jinxu had a strong presence. So when Wen Zhonghe heard that he had died in Qingzhou, he almost passed out.
Fortunately, the Sixth Prince constantly comforted him, but Wen Zhonghe could not hide his grief.
"My daughter and my worthy son-in-law have only been married for a few years. Now she is pregnant, and her mother has gone to the capital to accompany her childbirth. Unexpectedly, after the child was born, my worthy son-in-law is gone. How will she live her life from now on?"
The Sixth Prince also appeared to be grieving the loss of a friend, which earned him considerable trust from Wen Zhonghe.
With the floods at hand, there was not much time for them to grieve. After a period of weeping, they had to continue their official duties.
After the Sixth Prince arrived in the southwest, his communication with the Eastern Capital was naturally frequent. He constantly drafted reports on the situation there and submitted them to Emperor Qi.
Upon hearing that the reconstruction in the southwest was progressing smoothly, Emperor Qi's favor towards the Sixth Prince was evident.
He happily declared that Liu Xianfei would be promoted.
She had held the rank of concubine for many years, and now that the position of Noble Consort was vacant, it was only natural for her to move up.
This matter received the Empress's hearty agreement.
The position of Noble Consort was equivalent to that of the Vice-Empress. In the past, it had been held by a woman from the Wei family, who not only opposed her everywhere but also subtly acted as if she would replace her.
However, Liu Xianfei's promotion was different. She had been well-behaved in the harem for over twenty years, and the Empress knew her disposition thoroughly. Therefore, supporting her would not pose a threat.
Moreover, by occupying the position of Noble Consort, even if the Wei family woman wanted to make a comeback in the future, she could only hold the rank of Consort and would not be able to act as arrogantly and recklessly as before.
Therefore, while Liu Xianfei was still recuperating in the palace, news had already spread like wildfire.
Emperor Qi had originally intended to bestow the promotion during the Mid-Autumn Festival, but he was stopped by the Empress.
"Your Majesty, this concubine remembers that Sister Liu's birthday is in October. It might be better to bestow the promotion then. It is only a few days until the Mid-Autumn Festival, and it would be difficult to organize a compliant promotion banquet in time."
Since the promotion was going to happen anyway, it was just a matter of delaying it by over a month to make better preparations. Emperor Qi did not think much of it and agreed.
"The Empress's words are reasonable. If that is the case, then everything will be handled by the Empress."
"This concubine obeys your decree."