Unlimited estates for rural beauty-Chapter 657 Reunion (4)
Zi Weijiang was taken aback, then smiled and said, "Since the empress has got straight to the point, I won’t beat around the bush either. I want to make a deal with Your Majesty."
"A deal? Zi Weijiang is the richest man in the Luo Kingdom. Are you still in need of silver?" Feng Xuxu said with a light, teasing smile.
"One can never have too much silver without worrying about it hurting the hands. Moreover, I have many mouths to feed under me, so I must earn silver to support them," Zi Weijiang said, finding himself in a difficult spot as he sat opposite Feng Xuxu, looking at her.
Meeting his gaze, Feng Xuxu smiled and said, "Indeed, everyone likes silver, but I prefer gold. Tell me, what is the deal?"
"It’s about sericulture and marine fish."
Feng Xuxu was taken aback, this was a conversation she had with the Emperor of the Luo Kingdom, and there weren’t many people in the room. Her own people would not spread this around, which meant there must be spies by the Emperor’s side. His reach was long enough to have people even around the Emperor. His nose was indeed very keen.
Zi Weijiang, seeing her dark expression, sneered inwardly. This was also an indirect way to demonstrate to Feng Xuxu just how extensive his influence was within the Sunset Kingdom.
Feng Xuxu also understood the implication in his words. He had approached her so boldly. Was he fully prepared, trying to stop her plans, or was there something else?
"Young Master Zi, as things stand, the Luo Kingdom is not suitable for sericulture at present. If we want to proceed, it will take time. Whether to proceed and with whom, I have my own thoughts. There is no need for Young Master Zi to worry. If you wish to engage in sericulture, it’s not impossible. With your capabilities, power, and silver, it’s very convenient for you to do it on your own," Feng Xuxu said as she looked at his purple face, feeling a rush of relief in her heart.
"So, the empress will not cooperate with me!" Zi Weijiang had not expected that despite his frankness, she still indirectly refused him, and a nameless fury suddenly surged inside him.
Feng Xuxu raised an eyebrow, "If that is how you understand it, that’s fine."
"Aren’t you afraid you won’t be able to leave the Luo Kingdom?"
"I’m not afraid, because you wouldn’t dare!" She retorted decisively, confronting his sinister eyes.
The teahouse was silent for a long while until Zi Weijiang finally retracted his fierce gaze and said with a smirk, "The empress truly has courage. Zi will not touch a single hair on the empress’s head in the Luo Kingdom, but I absolutely will not allow Your Majesty’s mulberry trees to be planted in the Luo Kingdom."
With a clever smile, Feng Xuxu said, "Who can tell what will happen in the future? We’d better wait and see." She walked a few steps, then as if remembering something, turned back and said, "I hate being threatened the most, so my hand shook a moment ago and I accidentally scattered some poison powder from my sleeve. Consider it a stern warning, though the powder is not meant to take lives, just to cool down your temper." She didn’t glance back at the dark-faced person behind her and confidently strode away.
By the Dragon Carriage, Feng Xuxu saw Xiao Jiazhen anxiously waiting for her, and took her chilly hand, "Why aren’t you waiting inside the carriage? It’s so cold outside; you must be freezing. Come warm up."
Xiao Jiazhen shook her head, "Cousin-in-law, I’m not cold; I was only outside for a short while."
"Don’t do this next time. If you catch a cold, it will be you who suffers," Feng Xuxu scolded lightly.
"Hehe, don’t worry, cousin-in-law; I won’t," Xiao Jiazhen said cheerfully.
Feng Xuxu saw her slowly becoming more cheerful. Although a trace of sorrow occasionally showed, it always quickly passed, and overall, she was getting much stronger day by day.
It was the twenty-seventh of January, and in just two more days it would be New Year’s. At their current pace, they needed at least three more days, so Feng Xuxu steeled her heart and decided to travel overnight, determined to return to the palace by New Year’s Eve.
The Iron Cavalry Army was accustomed to traveling overnight, and several people including Feng Qing possessed Inner Strength to protect themselves. The Luo Kingdom’s one thousand elite soldiers were also not afraid of the night travel, as they had all battled on the field before. The sufferer was the people inside the carriage. Since speeding up the journey, Feng Xuxu had been nauseous, vomiting after eating, and feeling dizzy all day. Xiao Jiazhen wasn’t faring much better; her little face had grown visibly thinner.
The group hurried along crazily, and finally, on the evening of New Year’s Eve, they rushed back to the Capital City. As soon as the Dragon Carriage entered the city, a cold breeze blew in. Feng Xuxu suddenly opened her eyes to meet his affectionate and worried gaze. Seeing her husband whom she hadn’t seen in half a month, she sweetly called out, "Husband."
"Wife, I’ve come for you," he said as he wrapped her and her blanket up from the couch and held her close to his chest, wary of his own cold body chilling her and thus not holding her too tightly.
Xiao Jiazhen looked at her cousin and cousin-in-law, feeling like she should neither stay nor leave. Finally, she quietly said, "Cousin, cousin-in-law, we’ve arrived in the Capital City, I will head home then."
Dugu Chen glanced at her coldly, "You really are bold... Go on then." Saying this, he turned back and glared at the woman in his arms. If she hadn’t been tugging at his sleeve just then, he would have certainly given Xiao Jiazhen a stern talking to.
"Um, cousin, cousin-in-law, goodbye," Xiao Jiazhen said, shrinking her neck and quickly exiting the Dragon Carriage.
"Huang Yi, escort Miss Xiao back to her residence," Dugu Chen commanded.
"Yes, Master," the voice of Huang Yi came from outside, followed by the sounds of the carriage rolling away.
Snuggled in his embrace, Feng Xuxu inhaled the familiar scent of ambergris on his body and gradually drifted back to sleep.
