TNIBFT -Chapter 248 The Empress’s Secret Order

Qin Fengyi froze mid-motion, slightly furrowing her brows as she glanced at Nanfeng.

Her gaze was icy, yet measured, appraising.

Every line of her face radiated the sharp, commanding aura of a sovereign. Nanfeng’s knees went weak, and he lowered his head to kneel before Qin Fengyi. “Your subordinate knows his mistake.”

He didn’t speak any more than necessary.

The bond between him and Qin Fengyi was unusual. Compared to others, he had spent the most time by her side. They were like companions, like comrades-in-arms, having faced life-and-death situations countless times. Because of this unique bond, he sometimes involved himself in Qin Fengyi’s personal matters.

He knew Qin Fengyi was a ruler, not an ordinary woman, yet he feared she might be deceived.

Others didn’t understand, but Nanfeng did. Though Qin Fengyi appeared cold and ruthless, her mind was actually delicate and tender.

She could be fragile. She could be hurt.

Years ago, she had been poisoned in a brief moment when he was pulled away. That incident had led to the birth of three children and everything that had followed.

“Rise.”

Qin Fengyi’s clear, cold voice rang out. Nanfeng lifted his head. Qin Fengyi’s gaze was fixed on the scroll in her hands; her long lashes drooped, not once meeting his eyes.

Nanfeng felt a chill run down his spine, a cold sweat soaking his clothes.

The atmosphere in the study was solemn.

“Rustle—”

Qin Fengyi flipped to the next page; the paper made a faint sound, yet in the silence, it seemed unusually loud.

“Ye Tian has killed Zhao Boping. If he stays in Daliang, he will surely die. I wish to reveal my identity to him, so he can leave Sifang City with peace of mind.”

“Even if he refuses to leave with me, I will still protect him!”

Her tone was calm, but the sorrow in her eyes was deep, inextricable. She knew Ye Tian would not follow her; she only wished to try.

Qin Fengyi casually tossed the book onto the desk.

Nanfeng lowered his head, silent.

Turning her gaze sharply to the top of his head, Qin Fengyi said, “Earlier, you seemed to have a lot to say. Why don’t you wish to speak now?”

Nanfeng raised his head, meeting her teasing gaze, and nervously bowed his head. “Your subordinate dares not speak recklessly.”

“It’s just that Ye Tian is Ye Zhengyang’s son. If he learns Your Majesty’s identity, I fear he will not return to Dazhou with you. The Ye family is loyal and patriotic. If the Ye descendants side with Dazhou, wouldn’t that confirm Ye Zhengyang’s betrayal?”

Qin Fengyi’s brows knit together.

This matter was indeed difficult!

She could sense Ye Tian wanted to get close to her—they had mutual affection. Ye Tian sought a chance to start over, and she wanted to try as well.

“Master!”

“Master, something urgent has happened!”

Outside, a loyal subordinate shouted anxiously.

Qin Fengyi exchanged a glance with Nanfeng, then turned her gaze to the door. “Come in and speak.”

“Yes!”

Rushing footsteps, and then: creak! The study door opened.

A subordinate clad in black armor immediately dropped to his knees, breathing heavily. “Master, just now we noticed someone acting suspiciously outside the courier post. Our men captured them and, following the trail, searched another person and found this letter—and also this.”

He then presented the intercepted letter and object with both hands.

“Could it really be Meng Yuquan’s seal?”

Nanfeng was shocked, staring at Qin Fengyi in disbelief.

Meng Yuquan had been personally thrown into a secluded lake by Nanfeng, with stones tied to his body. Most crucially, he had been completely dead before being thrown in. And now the seal had reappeared.

Had the mastermind already discovered that Meng Yuquan was an impostor?

Qin Fengyi remained calm. She reached for the letter and swiftly opened it. The contents made her pupils constrict in surprise.

The Empress had issued a secret order, instructing Lin Jingzhong, the commander guarding Lindong City, to tally his forces and, ten days later, march to attack Sifang City.

This person held Meng Yuquan’s seal.

And there were correspondences.

There was only one possibility: the letters had reached Sifang City, meaning the impersonation of Meng Yuquan hadn’t been discovered. But Meng Yuquan’s seal was in the hands of outsiders, which meant there was a traitor close by trying to inform someone behind the scenes.

The letters were not forged; the paper was all made by Da Zhou officials and completely inaccessible to ordinary people. Therefore, the attack on Sifang City was real.

The Empress’s secret decree was real as well.

The question was, while she was in Sifang City, who was impersonating her?

Nanfeng and Sun Yang exchanged glances, both uneasy, as if an invisible hand was manipulating everything from behind the scenes.

“Take those sent by the Left Chancellor to a place with no one around and deal with them all!”

Qin Fengyi said coldly.

All who had come with her to Sifang City were loyal confidants for many years. Even if there were spies, they would first deal with the Left Chancellor’s men.

If no further issues arose, it meant her personnel were clean. If problems persisted, she would continue taking action.

“Yes!”

Nanfeng cupped his fists and stepped out with a serious expression.

Sun Yang furrowed his brows, looking at Qin Fengyi with panic. “Your Majesty, we only understood the severity after reading the letters. Someone in the Imperial City is impersonating Your Majesty… this…”

Sun Yang was so shocked he didn’t know what to say.

“Attacking Sifang City must be intended to spark a war between the two kingdoms.”

“Lin Jingzhong is stationed at Lindu City. Your Majesty has been unconscious for five years, and the Chancellor has never summoned him to the capital. I fear the Left Chancellor wants to use this opportunity to eliminate Lin Xianzhong. Lin Xianzhong has always been utterly loyal to Your Majesty…”

Sun Yang glanced at Qin Fengyi, who was deep in thought, realizing he was probably speaking out of turn. The Empress always had her own judgments.

“Utterly loyal… yet perhaps he is the one showing me this.”

Qin Fengyi’s lips curved into a cold smile. She took a deep breath and looked at Sun Yang with authority. “Issue orders. Count the troops immediately. We depart for Lindu City in one hour.”

Once Lindu City was secured, she would know what the person behind all this wanted.

Who had issued the Empress’s secret decree, after all?

Inside the hotpot restaurant.

Ye Tian squinted at the sun in the sky. The light was tinged with red, weak in intensity.

Was it nearly noon?

Ye Tian adjusted his collar, shook his shoulders, and was just about to leave when Zhu Huyu entered. He glanced at Ye Tian with suspicion, recalling Ye Tian’s unusual arrangement with the Da Zhou woman.

The two had ridden together—clearly, their relationship was not ordinary.

Seeing Ye Tian step outside, Zhu Huyu hesitated, then spoke: “Young Master, where are you going?”

“Ah, just going for a walk!”

Ye Tian smiled casually.

Obviously, it wasn’t just a simple walk.

Zhu Huyu’s eyes flicked as he pondered briefly. “Young Master, there’s something I want to tell you alone.” His expression was urgent, as if it were something he absolutely had to say.

Huh?

Ye Tian frowned suspiciously. “Then I’ll hear it when I return. I’ll tell you after I come back.”

With a wave, he continued forward.

Zhu Huyu was anxious, watching Ye Tian’s back and stomping his feet. If the Young Master fell for the Da Zhou enchantress, who would avenge the general’s great grudge?

Impossible!

Seeing that he couldn’t stop Ye Tian, Zhu Huyu rushed into the restaurant. Inside, he saw Ye Shuangxue and Ye Yunting in the hall, writing and playing. He quickly had an idea and approached them: “Little Young Master, where did the Young Master go?”

Ye Yunting frowned. How would he know? Everyone was busy; who had time to care about others?

“My father went out?”

“When did he go? I want to go too!”