TNIBFT -Chapter 203 No Need to Fawn Over Anyone

Ignoring Tao Lichun’s words completely, Qin Fengyi paid him no attention. People from the Left Chancellor’s faction were not allowed into the residence—whatever she did within the City Lord’s Mansion, no one would know.

Those by her side were all trusted confidants; Qin Fengyi had no desire to keep up any pretense, not even for a moment.

Ye Yunting looked up—just in time to meet Qin Fengyi’s phoenix-like eyes.

Their gazes locked.

What kind of feeling was that?

In that instant, Qin Fengyi’s heart softened completely. The vast world seemed to shrink until only the child before her remained.

His eyes were deep yet clear.

Familiar, yet strange.

Ye Yunting was stunned. Never before had a pair of eyes made him feel so lost, as if they held endless warmth and tenderness—like a pool of autumn water filled with longing. What he felt was an overwhelming love.

Why did it feel like this?

“Ye Yunting!”

A sudden shout shattered the moment between mother and son. Beside Tao Lichun, a middle-aged official in a red robe seized the chance to bark loudly. Then, with an obsequious bend, he hurried to Qin Fengyi’s side.

“My lord, this Ye Yunting is crude and disrespectful, daring to overstep his place. At such a young age, he already craves attention.”

“In front of you, my lord, how could it be his place to speak?”

“He’s merely flaunting arrogance because he relies on others’ power—leaning on the fact that he is Tao Lichun’s disciple—”

Tao Lichun was dumbfounded.

He couldn’t understand why his subordinate would act like this at such a moment.

The officials standing behind him exchanged bewildered glances.

Tao Lichun anxiously cupped his hands, about to speak—

Bang!

With a loud crash, the envoy kicked the man to the ground.

Her gaze turned icy. “It is precisely because your Liang is full of people like you that it has fallen into its current state.”

“What do you mean by ‘relying on others’ power’?”

“Who is the ‘dog’ you speak of?”

“You dare speak in front of me—whose authority are you relying on?”

Killing intent filled Qin Fengyi’s eyes. Right in front of her, he dared call her child a dog?

Her son—Qin Fengyi’s son—had no need to fawn over anyone.

“My lord…!”

“My lord, spare me, I—I…”

The man lay trembling on the ground. Seeing the murderous look in Qin Fengyi’s eyes, he lost control in fear, his whole body shaking violently.

“Nanfeng.”

Qin Fengyi’s gaze was filled with disgust.

Understanding at once, Nanfeng stepped forward, nodded, and ordered his subordinates to drag the man away for disposal.

“My lord, spare me…!”

“Spare me!”

The pleas faded into the distance.

Qin Fengyi walked to Ye Yunting’s side. Looking at her son—barely reaching her thigh—she saw his fine hair damp with snow, his delicate face fair as jade, the tip of his nose slightly red.

Her voice softened. “Are you freezing?”

Ye Yunting froze again.

He only felt that this envoy was… not quite normal.

Should he tell Ye Tian when he got home?

Tao Lichun lowered his head in silence.

The officials behind him from Sifang City didn’t dare even breathe loudly. All they understood now was that this envoy from Great Zhou—Lord Meng—seemed to treat Ye Yunting differently.

Perhaps she had frightened the child.

Qin Fengyi frowned slightly, troubled. She shouldn’t have resorted to violence in front of him—what if it left a bad impression?

Ye Yunting looked up at the envoy’s graceful, delicate jawline, wondering if staying silent might be considered impolite.

He pressed his lips together. “Not too cold.”

Just three simple words made Qin Fengyi’s heart skip several beats.

Her eyes lit up with joy as she looked at the child beside her, doing her best to restrain her emotions.

“What is your birth order at home?” she asked.

“I mean… do you have any older brothers or sisters?”

“I’m the eldest.”

Hearing Ye Yunting’s words, Qin Fengyi nodded repeatedly. “The eldest—no wonder you’re so sensible. With a child like you, your father must be very satisfied.”

At the mention of Ye Tian, Ye Yunting’s little face tightened slightly, and he immediately grew wary.

What exactly was this envoy trying to do?

The road to the main hall wasn’t long, but as she looked at the child by her side, Qin Fengyi felt an unprecedented sense of happiness. If not for fearing he might get too cold, she would have wanted to circle the City Lord’s residence again and again.

From childhood anecdotes to their current situation…

And Ye Tian—was he really as abusive as the letters claimed?

Most importantly, she wanted to ask her eldest son: had he ever, even for a fleeting moment, thought of his mother?

She knew she had no right.

During the five years when the children needed her most, she had been absent, never asking or caring. And now, she didn’t even dare to ask. Bitterness filled Qin Fengyi’s heart.

…

At this moment, inside the main hall of the City Lord’s residence—

Everything was ready, just waiting for the envoy to arrive.

Tao Ling’er stood at the entrance, anxiously wringing her hands as she paced in circles. “They said he already arrived—why isn’t he here yet?”

“Could something have gone wrong?”

She looked up at Ye Tian beside her.

Ye Tian narrowed his eyes. As long as the envoy could be stabilized, and the Emperor of Great Liang stayed out of the affairs of Sifang City, then given a year or two to develop, Sifang City would surely fall into his grasp. If, in the future, his eldest son still intended to rise in rebellion amid the chaos, then he would at least have laid a foundation for him.

At the very least, with soldiers and power, the whole family would have a chance to survive.

“No good!”

“No good—I’ve got a stomachache, I need to go to the latrine!” Inside the hall, Yuan Heipang sat in the main seat, clutching his stomach with a pained expression.

“Old Yuan, seriously?”

“Yeah, we’re all here—do you think the Great Zhou people are going to eat you?” Duan Qingshan and Old Yang mocked him.

Yuan Heipang stood up awkwardly, legs pressed together, looking aggrieved. “Don’t lie to me! What if the food is poisoned? I’ll be the first to die! I—I…”

Before he could finish, he saw Ye Tian stepping inside.

Yuan Heipang froze where he stood, not daring to say another word.

Ye Tian said, “Gao Defu is dead. If the people of Great Zhou find out that the eunuch they colluded with is dead, they’ll have the perfect excuse. In a fit of rage, they could march north. When that happens, it won’t just be us who die—the entire city’s population will be wiped out.”

“And where would you run to then?”

No one in the hall could refute him.

Yuan Heipang silently sat back down.

“The envoy has arrived!”

“Lord Meng Yuquan of Great Zhou has arrived!”

Outside, Tao Ling’er shouted loudly, alerting Ye Tian and the others.

Inside the hall, everyone immediately returned to their positions. Duan Qingshan supported Yuan Heipang, whose face was filled with confusion and fear. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to hold on, nearly stumbling on the steps—fortunately, Duan Qingshan caught him in time.

A flurry of footsteps sounded from behind. Ye Tian rose from his seat and turned toward the entrance.

Backlit by the doorway, the snow on the ground reflected a blinding brightness.

A man dressed in luxurious robes, wearing a golden crown, strode in against the light. He seemed almost dreamlike, making everyone around him fade into insignificance.

His eyes shimmered, as if filled with endless tenderness.

Every glance, every smile, every movement—held a fatal allure for Ye Tian.

This is a man!

Snapping back to his senses, Ye Tian turned his head away, looking at the dishes on the table.

Yet in that very moment—

Thump! Thump! Thump!

His heart began to race uncontrollably.

“This is Lord Meng Yuquan.”

Tao Lichun’s voice sounded, bringing Ye Tian back to himself.

At that moment, the atmosphere in the hall turned awkward.

Qin Fengyi’s gaze was stern as she looked up and down at the wretched Yuan Heipang before her. His knees went weak, and he nearly dropped to the ground in a kneel…