Chapter 85: Counter-Espionage Against Liu Fengying – Bonus for Hitting the Diamond Goal, Thank You All

"You are not entirely wrong to say that, but there is one thing King Cangmo surely did not tell your master: when his daughter tried to kill my manor lord, she was so utterly captivated by his dashing elegance that she not only spared his life but fell in love with him instead. My master is merely being kept under house arrest by them. Although we cannot rescue him for the time being, his safety is not in the least compromised. He is perfectly fine!" Tang Li’s blend of truth and fabrication left Liu Fengying half-doubting.

Tang Li did not bother to explain further; he kicked Liu Fengying aside and prepared to leave.

"Wait! Go tell Feng Linglong that I truly have something of great importance to tell her!" Fearing her plan would fail, Liu Fengying grabbed Tang Li’s leg and refused to let go.

At that moment, Linglong appeared. She looked at the scene before her with a faint, mocking smile.

"Feng Linglong, you finally decided to show yourself!" Upon seeing Linglong, Liu Fengying quickly stood up, smoothing her clothes, unwilling to appear weak in front of her.

Linglong said indifferently, "Princess Xiang... what is the matter? Is your husband dying, so you have come to seek refuge with me?"

"Feng Linglong, you are truly foolish and naive. Do you think that by scattering those secret letters between him and King Cangmo around the capital, you can get rid of him? Let me tell you, he is doing just fine. Furthermore, he has already dispatched a large number of assassins to kill you and bring your corpse back." Liu Fengying also looked at Linglong with a sneer.

Linglong frowned and looked at Liu Fengying. "You are being so kind? Telling me this the moment you arrive?"

"I have not forgotten the deal I made with Qin Daofei, nor have I forgotten how heartless Prince Xiang was to me. I merely slapped you once, and he chopped off five of my fingers. After I heard about this, I wanted to send word to Xiaoyao Manor, but Prince Xiang discovered me and wanted me dead. His men suggested that since his charges of colluding with the enemy were not yet cleared, it would be better to let me take the fall. Later, Prince Xiang truly made me the scapegoat, but I managed to escape and came to find you."

Liu Fengying did not know that before their plan was even implemented, it was already common knowledge throughout the capital. Naturally, Prince Xiang would never have told her that. Thus, she foolishly believed her plan was flawless.

Linglong played along, biting her fist and acting exaggeratedly. "I never expected the Emperor to be so lenient toward Cheng Xiang! How terrifying!"

"Linglong, no matter how much unpleasantness there was between us before, I am now being hunted by Prince Xiang with nowhere to go because I tried to save your life. Can you, for the sake of Manor Lord Qin, take me in?" Liu Fengying asked in a pleading tone.

Hmm!

Linglong nodded readily. "Although I don’t particularly like you, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Besides, you have the entire Liu family behind you. To topple Prince Xiang, as long as the Liu family doesn't help him, the job is half done."

"Thank you, Linglong!" Liu Fengying was surprised that Linglong had agreed so quickly; she had expected it to take some time to persuade her.

Linglong said coolly, "Don't thank me. Thank your own luck."

Linglong settled Liu Fengying into a room in the furthest corner of the courtyard and paid her no further mind. She spent her time playing with Feng Yixiao, as carefree and spirited as ever.

Hearing the laughter of Feng Linglong and Feng Yixiao, Liu Fengying couldn't help but feel curious. She came out to investigate and saw that the courtyard was filled not only with Feng Linglong but also with other people, some she recognized and some she did not.

"Sister-in-law, do you not know how to pay your respects when you see the Imperial Prince?" The Second Prince put on an air of authority, looking quite the part of a royal.

Liu Fengying was not surprised to see the Second Prince; after all, the fact that people from Xiaoyao Manor were staying here proved that their relationship with him was anything but simple.

"I, Liu Fengying, pay my respects to the Second Prince. I have already severed all ties with Prince Xiang and am no longer the Princess Xiang. I ask the Second Prince not to address me as sister-in-law in the future; I cannot bear such a title." Liu Fengying was very humble.

The Second Prince, haughty as ever, gave a faint hum in response.

Liu Fengying did not realize that her presence had turned the previously harmonious scene awkward. She walked over, wanting to tease Feng Yixiao, but Linglong pulled the child away. Linglong said, "My daughter has the same spirited temperament as I do. If she doesn't like someone, she will cry all day if they touch her, so you had better not tease her. It would be difficult for me to soothe her later."

Having said that, Linglong handed the child to Hua'er, who carried her into the house.

Only then did Liu Fengying feel a slight sense of awkwardness. She remarked, "I didn't realize your child had such a strong personality."

"Children are the most direct with their feelings. If that assassin were to hold her, she would cry harder than anyone. Oh, I don't think I told you—this one here is an assassin from the Nether Hall. She has a bad habit: whenever she kills someone, if the woman is beautiful, she peels off the skin to make human-skin masks. So you... had better not provoke her either. Look at me—even a beautiful woman like me dares not cross her."

Uh!

Everyone was left speechless by Linglong’s straight-faced nonsense, but Liu Fengying actually believed her. She glanced at Ai Fei and said tremulously, "Well, I have been fleeing for a day and a night, and I am exhausted. I shall retire to my room!"

With that, Liu Fengying stumbled away.

At dinner, Linglong did not call for Liu Fengying, only having Hua'er set aside some leftovers for her, and the rest of them ate together. By evening, Liu Fengying finally emerged from her room. As she stepped out, she saw Linglong holding Feng Yixiao in the courtyard, looking at the stars. Both had just bathed and looked remarkably fresh. Dressed in matching outfits made by Hua'er, they looked inexplicably harmonious.

"Linglong, I never expected you to be hiding so much. Since the first time we met, you were already pregnant with Manor Lord Qin's child, weren't you?" Liu Fengying’s tone was faint, tinged with a hint of sorrow.

Linglong did not refute her, only calling into the house, "Hua'er, prepare some food for Miss Liu!"

"Thank you," Liu Fengying said softly.

Linglong did not respond. She hugged Feng Yixiao and teased her, "Yixiao, let's go back to our room to sleep. Sleep well and grow tall!"

Along the way, only the crisp, giggling laughter of Feng Yixiao remained.

Liu Fengying narrowed her eyes and watched the direction in which Linglong had disappeared, muttering to herself, "Feng Linglong, it is impossible for all the good luck in this world to be occupied by you alone. You have Prince Xiang’s mad love, you have Qin Daofei’s affection, and you bore him a child. But you have no life left to enjoy all of this. In the end, you will be nothing but a pile of dirt, watching as I become the supreme woman of the world!"

After eating, Liu Fengying used the excuse of taking a walk to wander the courtyard. Hua'er said coldly, "Wander if you must, I have no time to accompany you. But remember, you cannot go just anywhere in this Garrison Mansion. Even my young miss does not dare to act recklessly here; you had better restrain yourself. The Second Prince is only letting us stay here for the sake of our master."

"Miss Hua'er, is Qin Daofei really not dead?" Liu Fengying asked, looking at Hua'er with expectation.

Hua'er, busy cleaning up, replied, "Of course. My young miss went to the Great Demon City herself to confirm it. But the master is being held in the Great Demon Palace. They have drugged him, so he cannot return and must remain there!"

"But why have I heard that the Princess of Cangmo has taken a fancy to Qin Daofei, and that he cannot return for the time being?" Liu Fengying watched Hua'er closely, not wanting to miss a single expression.

At the mention of this, Hua'er seemed genuinely angry. She said bitterly, "Don't even bring that up; it makes me furious. My young miss has suffered so much, yet in the end, she couldn't be with the master. By what right does that Princess Nuo Xi'er occupy my master?"

"A man like Qin Daofei, even if he were nothing, would still have a fatal attraction for women. Come to think of it, Linglong is quite pitiful—chasing Qin Daofei her whole life, yet never able to possess him." Liu Fengying’s pity sounded exactly like gloating.

Hua'er did not seem to want to argue with her. After clearing the dishes, she said indignantly, "My young miss is not lacking in suitors. If worst comes to worst, she can go back to Prince Xiang. He is so devoted to her; if she went to the Prince Xiang Manor, the position of Empress would be hers in the future."

With that, Hua'er left.

But Hua'er’s words stung Liu Fengying deeply. She narrowed her eyes at Hua'er’s back and whispered to herself, "That wretched maid is right. As long as Feng Linglong returns alive, if she truly harbors the thought of spending her life with Prince Xiang, then my chance at the throne will be handed away. No, I cannot let her have the position I dream of. I must tell Prince Xiang that Feng Linglong still harbors thoughts of killing him and refuses to return. That way, killing her will be perfectly justified."

After thinking this through, Liu Fengying paced the courtyard, occasionally performing small actions, such as tossing silver coins outside the wall or burying things beneath it. No one appeared to stop her, which delighted her.

However, Liu Fengying did not transmit the message immediately. She checked the spot where she had buried the item, memorizing its appearance. She was waiting; if the item remained undisturbed by tomorrow night, it would mean no one was monitoring her.

Having done all this, Liu Fengying left.

After she was gone, Jifeng appeared. He sat on the wall with a mocking smile, looking down at the spot where Liu Fengying had buried her things. After a while, he swept off toward Linglong’s room.

Inside Linglong’s room, everyone was sitting quietly, waiting.