The Ugly Empress by Yun Guo Shi Fei / 丑娘娘 by 云过是非

Chapter 25 - Breaking All Ties

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When Rui Xue entered the room, Feng Ming was lying on the bed with his back to her. She couldn't tell whether he was asleep or not.

She glanced at the untouched dinner on the table, seemed like Feng Wang hadn't even eaten yet.

Feng Country was located more to the south, the weather had turned very cold but it wasn't snowing yet. 

Feng Wang had always had strong constitution, even if he tended to wear women's clothing due to Marquis Zhulu's influence, he was still worthy of being a military commander he once had been. Feng Ming had shown his outstanding talents since he was still very young, and since then he had already led troops of soldiers to many wars.

These few days, because of a difference in opinion regarding the Grand Princess' matter, Feng Ming's relationship with Zhao Lu had been tense. Other than the days when Zhao Lu actually showed up at the court assembly, they had not seen each other at all.

Feng Ming was unhappy about this, but he was still a king of a country, he refused to back down.

Right at this time, Xue Junliang's messenger arrived and informed him that their Empress was frightened in an assassination attempt and could not come to Feng Country as planned.

Feng Ming realized he'd been outsmarted by Xue Junliang, he was so angry he fell ill for ten days.

Rui Xue was an aide and an asset personally picked by Zhao Lu, but she was also a woman. She had been around Feng Ming for so long, she knew that Feng Wang's feeling for the Marquis was deeper than anyone could say; could not so easily be erased. But she was helpless and powerless, and even if she had the power to help, she could not. Because it was no longer a matter between two men, it was also a matter between two countries.

Rui Xue walked over to the bed and said gently, "Da Wang, please, eat something."

An infinitesimal shake of the head was Feng Ming's only answer.

Rui Xue said, "Da Wang, you're Lord Marquis' most important person. You also the one who knows Lord Marquis the best. These few days, he didn't want to enter the Palace for fear of offending anybody. Da Wang, please, don't take it to heart."

Feng Ming let out a curt laugh, then rolled around to face Rui Xue, staring at her intently. His gaze somehow made Rui Xue uneasy.

"You're right," Feng Ming said, "I put him at the deepest place in my heart, but for so many years, he has never taken me seriously... Gu is the highest monarch in this country, nobody dares treating me like he does. Even if... Even if I wasn't a king, I deserve to be treated with the most common courtesy."

"Da Wang, you..." The more Rui Xue heard Feng Ming's grievance, the more her heart ached. She wanted to say something but Feng Ming was not finished.

Feng Ming said, "Rui Xue, I know, in the entire Marquis Zhulu's residence, you're the only one who actually treats me kind. Not only the Marquis' residence, every one at the Imperial Court despises the mere mention of me. If I... If my feeling for Zhao Lu wasn't this sincere, how would I ever willing to lower myself for him? How would I always strive to please him?"

Rui Xue wanted to say that Lord Marquis was aware how sincere Feng Ming's affection towards him; that Lord Marquis understood that very well, it was that the two of them, unfortunately, each stood on different and opposing sides.

Those were words she wasn't allowed to say, though...

Feng Ming laughed again and said, "Are you sad? I am even sadder."

Then he got up and walked towards a knife hung on the wall. He took the knife off its sheath then proceed to cut the clothes he wore to pieces. His movement was sure and methodical, as if he hadn't been ill these few days.