After the fire years ago, Lan Qing Courtyard had been completely renovated, both inside and out. It was only because she had been preoccupied with other thoughts that she hadn't noticed it until now.
Sensing her pause, Qi Xuan turned his head to look at her.
"My lady, what is it?"
Feng Yinwan's heart churned, but she pursed her lips, showing nothing on her face.
"Nothing."
Qi Xuan glanced at her, nodded with a hint of doubt, and said, "Then please come in with me."
The courtyard gate was ajar. He pushed it open and stepped inside. Feng Yinwan followed half a step behind. Once inside, a slight softening finally appeared on her stern face.
She realized that Ye Tinglan seemed to have a peculiar obsession in some aspects.
For instance, the renovation of this courtyard.
Not long ago, he had ordered this courtyard to be renovated once, following the exact specifications of the embroidered pavilion where she had lived in the Feng Mansion.
The fire at the time had been ferocious, destroying most of the courtyard. Yet, when he ordered the repairs again, the scene was exactly the same as before.
Feng Yinwan couldn't comprehend his intentions, but seeing a scene identical to that of the General's Mansion again made it difficult for her to remain calm.
In an instant, the emotion in her eyes vanished without a trace.
Qi Xuan, however, didn't notice anything amiss. After escorting her in, he stopped in the courtyard.
"His Highness said that my lady prefers a quiet environment and has attendants with her, so he did not send anyone to serve you. Of course, if you need anything, you can call out."
Feng Yinwan directly refused, "No need. I don't like strangers near me."
"Yes."
Seeing that she had no further instructions, Qi Xuan responded and withdrew.
The commotion in the courtyard instantly subsided. Feng Yinwan took a step, her stern expression softening slightly.
It had been cold lately, but the flowers and plants in the courtyard showed no signs of wilting. They were lush and vibrant, clearly well cared for. Yet, as she approached to examine them, she found herself increasingly dissatisfied.
This one was too short, that one too delicate, and that one, its pruning was done incorrectly...
With her father and brother disgraced and the Feng family's assets confiscated, such scenery was long gone. From a certain perspective, she should thank Ye Tinglan for this strange obsession.
But what was fake was fake. No matter how beautiful these flowers were, they were not hers, not from her own courtyard. It was like their fragile and superficial peace, beneath which lay a profound and irreconcilable chasm.
They were no longer the same people they once were.
First, there was that strange title of concubine, then the absurd yet grand ceremony for a principal consort that left her speechless, and now, her residence in this Lan Qing Courtyard.
She didn't know Ye Tinglan's intentions, nor did she want to know.
All she knew was that she stayed for the Bai Mu Lingxi, to completely eradicate the villain and prevent future trouble.
As for these familiar yet now strange surroundings, they had nothing to do with her. Even if they did, they could no longer shake her in the slightest.
A silent, mocking smile curved her lips. Feng Yinwan lowered her gaze, her eyes hardening with a flicker of coldness.
Turning back to her room, she pushed open the door, only to be met by a powerful gust of wind, carrying a chilling intent, that surged towards her.
Feng Yinwan's beautiful eyes narrowed, and her body recoiled.
The palm strike pushed the door shut again. Feng Yinwan steadied herself, and the moment she stopped, several silver needles shot from her fingertips.
As if anticipating her move, the continuous palm strikes from within the room neutralized the sharpness of the needles. In an instant, the needles she had thrown were pushed back, neatly embedding themselves in a row on the wooden stakes in the courtyard.
Feng Yinwan glanced at them and raised an eyebrow.
It seemed she had encountered a formidable opponent.
The next moment, she curled her lips, her body relaxing, and she crossed her arms lazily.
"If you don't come out, I'll start throwing poison."
A emerald-green pill in her fingertips seemed to move as if guided.
Silence filled the room for a brief moment, then the door was "whooshed" open, and Feng Wuxi's cold expression appeared.
She hadn't expected it to be him. Feng Yinwan was slightly taken aback and stepped forward.
"Why are you here?"
Feng Wuxi cast a sharp glance at her, his expression slightly displeased. "If I didn't come, you would be marrying again."
Feng Yinwan: "?"
Please, put away that resentful tone.
Feng Wuxi not only did not comply but also escalated.
"You said you had urgent matters. Is your urgent matter marrying Ye Tinglan again? I went to such great lengths to help you escape back then, was it so you could fall back into the same trap?!"
He really wanted to crack open this woman's head and see what was inside.
Since he couldn't stop her, he had to resort to force.
Feng Yinwan's pretty face darkened, and she retorted righteously, "Can you speak properly?"
He was clearly in a foul mood.
Feng Wuxi's eyes fixed on her, and he sneered, "If I weren't speaking properly, I would have knocked you out with a single palm strike just now."
During their brief clash, he had indeed held back, and Feng Yinwan knew this. But it didn't stop her from firing back verbally.
"Don't boast. Try it?"
As if it were a joke, knocking her out would require at least three strikes!
"Are you sure?"
These three words were almost gritted out between his teeth.
Feng Yinwan's neck retracted silently.
Alright, perhaps she wasn't entirely sure.
Seeing her fall silent, Feng Wuxi gave her a dagger-like stare before speaking again.
"What exactly is going on?"
He knew she had been living in Prince Mo's mansion since her return to the capital, but he never expected this woman to play such a high-stakes game.
On the way here, he had even hoped the news was a mistake.
After she explained the cause and effect, Feng Wuxi's face became even darker than before.
"I think you're crazy. The Huan Yan Gu can only last for forty-nine days. Calculate how much time you have left!"
Feng Yinwan's eyes narrowed. She answered without hesitation, "Seventeen days."
It had been over a month since she left her sect until today. The current appearance she maintained was due to the Huan Yan Gu left by Yu Che when she escaped.
This Gu was different from disguise techniques; it changed the flesh and blood, not a false mask.
To deceive Ye Tinglan, this Gu was crucial.
"You know this, yet you dare to act like this!"
Feng Wuxi was truly angered. "Do you know that troops from various provinces are already en route to the capital? Conflict is imminent. To be trapped now is no different from seeking death."
The struggle for succession was inevitable. Involving Ye Tinglan would undoubtedly place him in the eye of the storm.
This wedding was harming her!
Feng Yinwan pursed her lips. "I have no choice."
She understood these risks, but the poison in Feng Jin Chen's body still required time to be completely eradicated.
There were already clues regarding the villain, and she needed time to continue her investigation.
Until then, she could not leave.
"You!"
Feng Wuxi was enraged and was about to lash out when he suddenly sensed something amiss. His eyes turned cold, and with a palm strike, he pulled open the half-closed courtyard gate.
"Ouch—"
A cry of pain, and a small figure tumbled out from behind the door, falling heavily to the ground.
Seeing who had been eavesdropping, both of them were stunned.
Feng Yinwan reacted first and immediately stepped forward to help the figure up.
"Chen Chen? Why are you out here?"
In an instant, Feng Wuxi was also by their side.
He narrowed his eyes, staring at the milky-white ball of a child before him, his stern expression softening slightly.
"Is this the precious son you've been hiding so carefully?"