Beauty Feng Vol. 2

Chapter 126: Far Longer than Usual

His heart drummed inside his chest.

Yao Liheng informed him that his given name would be Siyan and the Empress used it immediately. As if the name he previously used was stained.

"Bengong has always felt an affinity with you. Who would have known that it was because we are truly related."

[In case people have forgotten, bengong is a pronoun used by the Empress that translates to "this palace"]

Feng Yanyan couldn't read if this was sarcasm or the Empress just didn't have anything to say. But the meaning could be finally discerned in the next few words.

"It's just that during the time you spent in Suliang, you never once remembered Bengong."

Yanyan felt the hall become cold or was it just the air around him? The random sounds he was hearing from outside suddenly vanished too. Cold sweat trickled down his back.

Because he was relying on Long Xu Le's strength during his stay in Suliang, he forgot how dangerous the Empress was. She was a real life snake who could snap his neck any minute. That was always the feeling Yao Duchenge gave off.

Left with no choice, Feng Yanyan kowtowed. "Your Majesty, this one has sinned. That– That evil King detained me and didn't let me contact anyone from the outside. I'm begging for Your Majesty's mercy!"

"Detained you? Bengong heard you were living a good life, pampered by the King of Suliang. Or should Bengong say the former King?"

Yanyan felt a lump forming in his throat. If it was before, he was a master of talking bad about someone in front of the Empress. But this someone right now was Long Xu Le, who was very dear to his heart. He couldn't even utter a single insult about her.

He squeezed a few tears from his eyes. "Your Majesty! She treated me well to fool outsiders' eyes but when it was only us– hic, hic she... she would..."

Yao Ducheng's eyes flashed. "What insolence! How dare that woman lay her hands on Bengong's kin!"

The handmaiden beside the Empress quietly reminded Her Majesty to take care of her health, to not be angry at someone who departed already.

Feng Yanyan felt a fan lifting his chin up. Crystal-like tears still fell from his eyes. What greeted him was a smile on the Empress' face. Her Majesty had no problems shifting from one emotion to the other, as though none of them were real.

"Then, does this mean that the rumors that you are madly in love with each other are not true?"

This woman, the most powerful woman on Dalong right now, wanted to know from his own two lips that he didn't have feelings for Long Xu Le.

Earnest people can't ever lie about what they keep in their heart. It was a value cultivated in this era.

But Feng Yanyan was someone who wanted to survive until the end. His heart screamed for Long Xu Le's name even now. The only one he cannot lie to is himself.

More tears flowed down his cheeks. "There are even rumors like that? How can I face people now?"

The fan dug deeper on his neck. "Answer the question."

He sobbed, "No! How could I fall in love with that horrible person?"

Oh, but that's what I love about her.

What he said was opposite of what he felt.

"Very well, this Empress has already exacted revenge for you. The King of Suliang is no more. You can stand tall once again and it shall be known that you were never involved with Long Xu Le."

Those were empty words. How could people forget that someone named Feng Yanyan was once King Wan Li's lover?

"After all, Feng Yanyan is no more. You are now Yao Siyan. This Empress will make sure nobody will harass you for your past."

Feng Yanyan didn't know why she was being so generous but he still thanked the Empress.

He stayed the whole afternoon in the Empress' palace before going back to the Yao estate, not expecting what would greet him the moment he arrived.

"Young master... welcome back."

Matron Pu saluted rather nicely but there were obvious beads of sweat on her face.

What is going on?

"Please follow this old servant." There was urgency in her voice that Feng Yanyan found himself hurrying along with her.

"What is the matter, Matron?"

The old woman took a quick glance at him but couldn't say any word as there were a bunch of servants watching their exchange. Feng Yanyan raised a brow. He might know where this was going.

He decided to stop talking for now.

When they arrived at the decrepit hall of his father, there were busybodies running here and there. As soon as he stepped into the threshold, he caught a whiff of what he could recognize as expensive incense.

Feng Yanyan was someone who studied very hard on the ways of royalty so he knew this scent was agarwood. The scent that was also favored by the Empress.

Who else could use such expensive incense and mobilize countless servants in the Yao estate other than the Prime Minister himself? Another proof was that he could hear shouting from the inside of the house.

"Fool! You even failed to find your own seed for 25 years! Just what kind of son did I bear? And to think, he's right under our noses all this time. How do you think Dalong will see us? Our family?!"

The outburst was met with silence so it was followed with a frustrated sigh.

"I'm tired. This old man waited for you to come to your senses. I gave you a wife back then but what did you do? You don't even know the price for appeasing that girl's family for what you did and now you're telling me you have a son! A son!"

Heavy steps were heard from inside the room.

"Tell your old father, did you purposely hide him from me? Why? Do you think I'll destroy him like I did to you?" The Prime Minister laughed and suddenly paused.

Feng Yanyan thought that the crazy really ran in the blood. The Prime Minister was just like his granddaughter.

"You... stop listening and enter."

Yanyan felt his heart drop at suddenly being called out. The seemingly ordinary man had sharp senses. Granted that he didn't bother hiding his presence anyway.

He opened the door and Prime Minister Yao's beady eyes fell upon him. Something about this old man had always scared him. It felt like there was innate evil inside his soul that couldn't be ignored.

Now that his gaze was on Yanyan, the feeling of being watched by a monster was magnified. He felt like the day was far longer than usual.