Chapter 149: Midnight Conversation, Heart Cold as Ashes

At the mention of the imperial envoys, Meng Yuanheng's expression darkened instantly, and he said in a chilling voice, "Given what those few can do in the Northwest, they won't be able to stir up any major trouble. We shall see what they have to say tomorrow. Hmph, does Meng Tianxu take this Prince for a fool, trying to persuade me to lead the army back to the capital now?"

If Meng Tianxu thought he would compromise with the imperial court for the sake of the Prince Xuan's Estate's empty reputation of generations of loyalty, only to be slaughtered at the whim of the Great Sheng royal family, then he was gravely mistaken.

He would never let his father's life and the lives of the one hundred thousand soldiers of the Meng Family Army be sacrificed in vain!

Remaining in the Northwest now meant that various factions across the realm might not easily make a move against this region, simply to maintain that delicate balance of power. However, if he were to return to Shengjing, certain death awaited both him and the Meng Family Army. Alas, he did not want to die at all right now; he still wanted to hold Mo'er's hands and grow old together with her.

Shen Qianmo let out a soft sigh. "If Meng Tianxu had any sense, he wouldn't dare provoke the Prince Xuan's Estate again."

"Unfortunately, in this Prince's view, he is clearly lacking in intelligence." Bathed in the clear moonlight, a sharp, cold light flashed in Meng Yuanheng's eyes.

Shen Qianmo was exceptionally sensitive to her surroundings and atmosphere. Sensing the piercing chill emanating from the man beside her, she took his hands, placed them on her lap, and said softly, "A-Heng, shall we go back to our rooms?"

"Is Mo'er cold?" Meng Yuanheng removed his moon-white outer robe, draped it over Shen Qianmo's shoulders, rose to sweep her up in his arms, and with a light touch of his toes, leaped down from the rooftop.

The moment he landed, Changdong's ghostly figure materialized soundlessly out of nowhere.

"Master, General Feng requests an audience with the Princess Consort." The tone was flat, devoid of any fluctuation.

Hearing this, Meng Yuanheng's face darkened, and without a moment's hesitation, he replied in a deep voice, "Not seeing him."

This Feng Ze was becoming increasingly audacious, actually daring to brazenly seek out Mo'er right inside the Prince Xuan's Estate.

"Wait!" Seeing Changdong's figure flicker as if about to vanish, Shen Qianmo quickly spoke up to stop him. She turned to Meng Yuanheng and said, "A-Heng, I need to go see Feng Ze. There are some things I must make clear to him."

Feng Ze was the first friend she had made after arriving in this world. Moreover, because of his striking resemblance to Yuan烈 (Yuan Lie), she felt a special sense of warmth and friendliness toward him. She knew Feng Ze liked her and harbored deep affection, and judging by his reaction upon seeing her earlier, it was evident he still hadn't let her go. Yet, in this lifetime, she was destined to be unable to reciprocate his feelings, so taking this opportunity to make things clear with him was for the best.

"This Prince forbids it." Meng Yuanheng's voice turned icy cold instantly. How could he possibly agree to let Shen Qianmo go and see Feng Ze alone? The name Feng Ze had always been a thorn embedded in his heart. As a man himself, he could naturally see how deeply Feng Ze felt for Shen Qianmo, and based on his understanding of Shen Qianmo, he could also perceive that her feelings for Feng Ze were different from those she held for others. Simply because of that man named Yuan Lie from a millennium later, an intricate web of ties inextricably linked Mo'er and Feng Ze.

And he was truly, deeply jealous of those ties.

"A-Heng, you must be reasonable." Feeling the dangerous aura radiating from him in an instant, Shen Qianmo said helplessly in a low voice. Whenever this fellow was in a bad mood, he would start referring to himself as "this Prince" in front of her.

Ever since emerging from the prefectural governor's dungeon a few days ago, this guy's possessiveness toward her had grown increasingly intense. He practically wanted to hang a sign reading "No Trespassing" outside her courtyard, demanding that no one else come near her except himself.

In truth, she understood in her heart that the intense display of his possessiveness was precisely a reflection of how devastating the truth told by Lou Xinyue that day had been to him.

How could she not know what was on his mind? If it were possible, she too wished she could ignore all worldly entanglements and complications with him, watching the drifting clouds and passing mist together hand in hand. But since they had already walked this far and found themselves in such positions, how could they possibly cast everything aside and ignore the consequences?

Hearing Shen Qianmo's words, Meng Yuanheng's expression grew even more gloomy. He stared fixedly at Shen Qianmo in silence for a long moment before suddenly pulling her tightly into his arms. He said in a chilling voice, "This Prince simply refuses to allow you to go see him. Even if this Prince is being unreasonable, Mo'er is not permitted to dislike me for it."

Sensing the trace of cold and profound loneliness emanating from Meng Yuanheng, Shen Qianmo looked up. Seeing his bewildered yet resolute expression, she realized that the hidden insecurity deep within his heart was beginning to spread once more. A pang of ache rippled through her heart, and she hurriedly hugged him soothingly. Reaching out, she brushed a few stray locks of black hair behind his shoulders and said softly, "A-Heng, I will never dislike you. How about we go see him together, hmm?"

Feeling Shen Qianmo's tenderness toward him, Meng Yuanheng pulled the woman before him into his embrace and took a deep breath. The familiar and tranquil fragrance wafting to his nose made his previously cold and gloomy mood much better. He simply loved how Mo'er yielded to him and followed his lead in everything.

The gloomy look in his eyes gradually faded. The gaze he cast upon Shen Qianmo regained its warmth and indulgence as he murmured a low response, "Alright."

Feng Ze sat quietly in the side parlor of the estate, absentmindedly turning a white jade teacup on the nearby small table. The cup was filled with tea, but it had lost all steam, making it clear that he had not touched a single sip.

The light inside the hall was bright and clear, allowing every piece of furniture and decoration to be taken in at a single glance. It was said that this Prince Xuan's Estate had only been rebuilt after Meng Yuanheng moved into Jingzhou, but whether it was the exterior architecture or the interior furnishings, both exquisitely showcased the financial power of the estate and left Feng Ze secretly startled.

Ever since the Meng Family Army entered Zhengyang Pass, the imperial court had severed economic ties between Great Sheng and the Northwest, effectively sealing off the region. Yet even under such circumstances, in less than three months, Meng Yuanheng had still managed to govern this barren, desolate land plagued by frequent warfare into such a state—truly a remarkable feat.

Just how formidable were the strength of the Prince Xuan's Estate and the capabilities of Meng Yuanheng?

Footsteps sounded outside the door. Feng Ze turned his head and, upon seeing the matching pair walking toward him, rose to greet them. The corners of his mouth pulled upward into a faint smile, though that smile was brimming with bitterness.

As expected, he knew Shen Qianmo would not come to see him alone. Even if he were dull-witted, he could see how intense Meng Yuanheng's possessiveness toward Shen Qianmo truly was.

He knew it was indeed rather abrupt of him to seek her out at this hour, but the urge to see her remained unstoppable. Wasn't the very reason he had volunteered to come to the Northwest this time precisely to catch a glimpse of her and confirm with his own eyes that she was safe and sound? Now that he had seen she was safe and unharmed, he was already satisfied. Tonight would likely be the last time he ever saw her.

The Prince Xuan's Estate was permeated everywhere with the joyful atmosphere of an upcoming wedding. He had heard that their wedding date had been set, and Qianmo was with child. There was no longer any room for a third person between the two of them. It seemed he truly ought to give up hope.

His heart felt as cold as dead ashes. At this moment, he finally understood that sensation.

"Feng Ze, long time no see." Upon seeing Feng Ze, Shen Qianmo still felt her customary sense of familiarity—a feeling of finally encountering an old acquaintance in an unfamiliar, alien world.

However, Meng Yuanheng clearly had no intention of letting Shen Qianmo stand before Feng Ze for long. Before Feng Ze could even respond, he had already pulled Shen Qianmo toward the main seats of honor, where they sat side by side. Catching sight of the look of loss in Feng Ze's eyes, Meng Yuanheng's expression darkened, and he asked with ill intent, "Why has General Feng requested an audience at this late hour?"

Detecting the dangerous undertone in his words, Shen Qianmo secretly pinched Meng Yuanheng's somewhat chilly hand, a faint smile still lingering on her face. "Feng Ze, I heard you were looking for me. Is something the matter?"

Feng Ze smiled bitterly, ignoring the icy glare Meng Yuanheng was directing at him, and looked straight at Shen Qianmo. "Does Qianmo know why the Emperor sent the Seventh Prince to Jingzhou this time?"

Shen Qianmo pondered for a moment and nodded. "Although the Seventh Prince only spoke half his words earlier, we understood the gist of it. Does the Emperor want us to return to the capital?"

"That's right." Feng Ze nodded, then said to them with utmost solemnity, "You cannot go back."

"Feng Ze... what makes you say that?" Shen Qianmo was somewhat startled. She knew Feng Ze was an upright and steadfast man, and the Chu family had remained utterly loyal to Great Sheng for generations. Yet here he was, clearly and plainly advising them not to return to the capital. Wasn't this going completely against the mission Meng Tianxu had sent him to Jingzhou to accomplish?

Could it be because of his lingering feelings for her?

Meng Yuanheng said coldly, "I hear that Meng Tianxu already intends to confer upon General Feng the title of Senior General of the Cavalry. If you fail to accomplish your mission during this trip to Jingzhou, aren't you afraid you won't be able to answer to Meng Tianxu when you return to Shengjing?"

Feng Ze was secretly shocked. The Emperor's intention to confer the title of Senior General of the Cavalry upon him had not yet been made public, and even in the capital, only a handful of people knew about it. Yet Meng Yuanheng, despite being far away in the Northwest, remained thoroughly informed of affairs in the capital. This showed just how formidable the intelligence network of the Prince Xuan's Estate truly was.

Straightening his expression, he decided to speak his mind bluntly to the two of them. "Even if I hadn't said anything, Your Highness the Prince likely already knows. The capital has long since laid an inescapable net. The moment you return to Jingzhou—no, to the capital—certain death awaits you."

Hearing this, a cold, frosty glint flashed across Meng Yuanheng's calm eyes. Though his features were refined and handsome, it was enough to make one shudder involuntarily.

In truth, how could he not know about the petty schemes Meng Tianxu was plotting behind the scenes? What he hadn't expected, however, was that Feng Ze would be so candid with them. It seemed this man's feelings for Mo'er ran even deeper than he had imagined.

"Feng Ze, thank you for your kind warning." Shen Qianmo felt genuine gratitude for Feng Ze's well-intentioned advice, given regardless of his stance.

Feng Ze smiled bitterly, his tone heavy and his voice low. "I believe you also know that ever since the Emperor ascended the throne, he has become increasingly arbitrary and self-willed. Not only is he unable to listen to the advice of loyal ministers, but he also constantly fixates on schemes and plots. Great Sheng is currently plagued by troubles both internal and external and is far from peaceful. After returning to the capital this time, I intend to submit a memorial to the Emperor requesting command of the troops to go to the front lines. I only hope that in the future, if foreign tribes slaughter the people of Great Sheng, I will still have the chance to fight alongside the Meng Family Army to resist external enemies."