Princess Yue was sitting in the study room while perusing a bamboo scroll.
“Creak.” Feiyun opened the door with his eyes right on her: “You shouldn’t be touching the Divine King Faction’s things.”
“I’m also part of the faction now, why can’t I?” Long Jingyue slightly looked up to glance at him, still holding the scroll.
Feiyun walked up and took it from her then returned it to the shelf: “You are only my fiancee right now, still not the King Consort.”
Her eyes were deep like two dark lakes with an evil affinity: “I’ll be part of this faction sooner or later, Feng Feiyun, don’t think that you still have a chance to run from me back to your Nangong Hongyan since our wedding day is still a year away. Stop daydreaming.”
“Pa!” Feiyun’s body flashed and appeared again in front of her. He grabbed her neck and said: “I don’t care if you are Ji Cangyue or Long Cangyue. It’s your business that you want to be the King Consort but I’m not interested in this position at all. I’ll leave this faction sooner or later.”
Long Cangyue’s expression remained unchanged: “Even if you leave, I’ll still be considered your official wife. If you marry anyone else, they won’t be eligible for the role.”
“What if you were dead?” Feiyun threatened.
“You want to kill me?” Long Cangyue asked.
Feiyun replied: “You should leave the competition for the crown prince or you’ll die for sure. Even if I don’t kill you, someone else will.”
With a cold evil looks on her face, a pitch-black ray shot out from her forehead and flew towards Feng Feiyun. Feiyun retaliated with two fiery sparks igniting in his eyes. A phoenix screeched as the two plumes of light slammed into each other.
“Boom!” Long Cangyue turned into a nether gale and got out of Feiyun’s grasp. She swept behind him like a phantom and placed both hands on his shoulder then leaned her head on his back. It looked as if she had turned into a different person, like a gentle wife: “I was already yours and now I’m your fiancee, your future wife. We’re family now, you’ll help me, right?”
Feiyun shuddered. Long Cangyue had become so powerful and devilish. She clearly had cultivated the Grave Palace Treasuring Seeking Record to a high level and might be even better than him in this regards.
‘She actually got out of my grasp. How many people had she devoured by now? Just how strong is she?’ He thought before speaking: “You think it’s that easy to take the crown prince position? Not to mention the other princes and princesses, just the competition between the current one and Princess Luofu is dangerous enough with so many undercurrents yet you want to stick your foot in?”
She hugged him even tighter, letting him feel her soft body while coquettishly complaining: “Though you’re the Divine King, you still won’t be able to take on the future Jin Emperor. After the current crown prince or Princess Luofu take the throne, the first person they’ll take down is you. Thus, I’m doing this for you and our future family.”
“Your mother taught you to say this?” Feiyun said.
Her eyes had a tinge of envy and tears: “Feng Feiyun, you think I’m only a ruthless woman who would do whatever to accomplish my objectives? Yes, I hate you for heartlessly taking my virginity, but don’t forget, I used half of my blood to trade for your millennium ginseng to help you breakthrough and fight the enemy. I almost died then, was this all for nothing? That I don’t have a little bit of love for you?”
Feiyun remained quiet.
Her eyes were trembling as she continued: “I don’t hate just you but Nangong Hongyan too. You are so protective and gentle towards her but the complete opposite towards me, why?! Why?! I, I actually miss the time pretending Murong Ta back at the pagoda, at the very least, we were still friends, not enemies with drawn swords!”
With that, she leaped out of the study room. Clicking noise came from her snow-as-white neck, this was the green bamboo necklace Feng Feiyun gave Murong Ta before.
She had left the mansion. Because they haven’t formally wed, she couldn’t actually stay here.
He stood in the study room and found her words to be true. Perhaps she said it in order to garner some sympathy. He was slightly moved and began to think.
“Long Jingyue is an ambitious woman but she is right about one thing. Both Princess Luofu and the current crown prince will certainly maneuver against me after their ascension to the throne.” Feiyun slightly frowned. He closed his eyes and began to plan.
He had entered the chess board so he needed to make the right move now in order to avoid elimination.
In order to seize the initiative in the dynasty, he needed to have a powerful force first. Both the Divine King Faction and the Feng Clan were strong, but he needed more allies.
“Destruction Corpse Cave, Wolong Sheng.” Feiyun slowly opened his eyes.
This was one of the oldest lineages in the northern region and was listed on the Great Powers Ranking at number fifteen, even higher than the Feng. If he could form this alliance, he could definitely contend against behemoths like the four great clans.
On the second day, Wan Xiangcen came to the Divine King’s mansion.
This ex-heretical lord had a relatively unsightly expression today, just like an angry woman.
“You’re beaming now, must be nice being the Divine King and marrying a princess. Congratulation, Young Lord Feng, oh wait, no, the young Divine King.”
The two of them strolled along a pond inside the mansion on top of a bridge, shoulder to shoulder. There was no sign of proper etiquette and status.
“My beautiful Xiangcen, why are you so angry today?” Feiyun smiled and said.
She sneered in response: “Feng Feiyun, you are still part of the Feng Clan despite being the Divine King. The ancestor told me to tell you that within one to three years, the dynasty will deteriorate. The court isn’t that carefree right now, he wishes for you to take advantage of your position to strengthen the Feng’s plan in the future. After all, the royal clan are outsiders, the Feng is your real family.”
Feiyun didn’t show any change in emotion and smiled: “Why do you listen to Feng Mo so much? What’s in it for you?”
She only smiled and didn’t reply.
“Did he tell you that once we are successful, he’ll betroth you to me?” Feiyun teased.
“Stop flattering yourself, I don’t want to be someone’s concubine.” She quickened her pace to create a gap between them. Suddenly, she paused and said: “Wolong Sheng is waiting at the Blissful Palace. I hope the two of you will have a good talk about the potential alliance.”
He stared at her back and asked: “Where are you going then?”
“Back to the Feng mansion.” Her long hair was fluttering in the wind behind her beautiful figure.
“Stay here instead.” Feiyun requested.
She trembled a bit and stopped again: “Where?”
“The Divine King’s mansion.” Feiyun continued: “This place is too big and not one familiar face is around, a bit too stuffy too.”
“You want me to stay here to entertain you? Haha, Feng Feiyun, you think too lowly of me. Go find your fiancee, Princess Yue, instead.” Xiangcen left without any hesitation but there was a hint of confusing bitterness in her heart.
She was an arrogant woman and wouldn’t accept charity from anyone.
Feiyun rubbed his forehead and complained: “Women nowadays, not even willing to talk it out nicely.”
Little does he know, a woman who won’t actually talk to him nicely has yet to appear.
***
In the capital, the most famous places for playboys outside of Beauty’s Smile Pavilion were the three flower palaces.
These debaucherous places didn’t look lowly and dirty at the capital. On the other hand, they were elegant in appearance. The girls were beautiful and talented; well-educated just like scholars and matchless in looks. Some female cultivators from the great powers would even come to these places to support their idols.
It wasn’t like physical relationships weren’t possible in these places. However, once you have slept with someone, you must buy their freedom. Even if you couldn’t give her a proper title as a wife or let her enter the clan, you must still show respect.
They weren’t prostitutes, only ridden with debts for a multitude of reasons and lacked autonomy. Thus, one would be mistaken to treat them disrespectfully like prostitutes.
In places like the three flower palaces, the women inside were quite arrogant and proud. They had no lack of suitors. Even if one was a young lord of a cultivation sect or a member of the four great clans, the women might still not give them a second glance.
Winning the favor from just one of them was an honor of sorts that would incite much envy and jealousy.
In order to win the heart of these women, many young nobles would linger around these parts in order to support the women. They fought, laughed, and cried; some eventually won the women’s heart and brought them home. All of this was quite common.
This played a big part as to why these women had such a prestigious status in the capital. They had too many young prodigies guarding them, elevating their worth.
Right now, the heroes in the world have gathered at the capital and more than half were hanging around in these parts. Of course, some historical geniuses were present as well. This made the competition even fiercer. One could sense a tense atmosphere breaking out everywhere.
A while ago, the number one in the capital was Ye Xiaoxiang from Beauty’s Smile, or Maestro Ye. After her disappearance. The new top idols were the three flower fairies.
They were all among the top twenty of the prettiest women in the Jin Dynasty and had literary and musical skills close to Ye Xiaoxiang. All three were supported by the prodigies now.
Blissful was one of the three flower palaces.