Traveling through another world to stir the emperor's heart

Jun Lingyuan's suspicions grew stronger after he left Feng Qingyue that day. He secretly instructed his secret guards to carefully investigate Feng Qingyue and the entire Yueli Palace where she lived.

Jun Lingyuan had thought he knew Feng Qingyue intimately, but the various abnormalities she had developed had left him feeling as if this woman was shrouded in mystery. In reality, he hadn't had much in-depth interaction with the supposed original owner, Feng Qingyue, having only met her a few times at palace banquets. Therefore, he had no idea what had changed about the current Feng Qingyue, or what secrets she held.

After receiving the order, Qianyi quickly arranged for his men to quietly plant spies around Yueli Palace. From Feng Qingyue's daily life to her conversations with the palace maids and eunuchs, everything was under investigation.

Feng Qingyue also noticed something strange about Jun Lingyuan. She felt that Jun Lingyuan had been looking at her with a probing gaze lately, a gaze that was like a cold light, making her feel a little guilty.

She knew full well that she wasn't the real Feng Qingyue. If Jun Lingyuan discovered this secret, she would be in great danger in this palace. The more she thought about it, the more frightened she became, and she couldn't help but feel a little panicked.

So, Feng Qingyue called her maid Ah Cui to her side. Ah Cui had been serving Feng Qingyue in the general's mansion since she was a child and knew a lot about the affairs of the general's mansion.

Feng Qingyue took Ah Cui's hand and asked softly, "Ah Cui, tell me about the situation in the General's Mansion. I feel like a lot of things have become blurry since I fell ill."

Ah Cui said with a gentle smile, "Your Majesty, our General's Mansion is a prestigious family. You have a brother, Major General Feng Qingxue. He leads troops in battles all year round. He is awe-inspiring and highly respected in the army. The general is usually busy attending court, so Madam Chen and Madam Yang take care of the family at home."

Ah Cui continued, "Your Majesty, you were truly loved in the mansion. Madam and the old lady treated you very well. Our entire mansion was harmonious, and everyone truly loved you. You must have lived a very comfortable life in the mansion."

Feng Qingyue felt a little comforted after listening to A Cui's description.

Ah Cui added, "You haven't been back to visit for a long time. Madam and the old lady must miss you very much."

Feng Qingyue's heart stirred after hearing this, and she came up with an idea. She said to Ah Cui, "Ah Cui, I want to go back to the General's Mansion to stay for a while. This palace has been a bit depressing lately, and I want to go back and relax."

Ah Cui looked troubled. "Your Majesty, this might be inappropriate. If the Emperor doesn't agree, we can't leave the palace without permission."

Feng Qingyue frowned. She knew Ah Cui was right, but she felt uneasy staying in the palace, as if she could fall into an icy cave at any moment. She bit her lip and said, "Ah Cui, go and ask if there's any way to get the Emperor to agree to let me stay in the palace for a while."

Seeing that the queen was so insistent, Ah Cui could only nod and agree: "Yes, queen, I will go and find out right away."

After Ah Cui left, Feng Qingyue sat alone in her room, her heart filled with worry. She didn't know if her plan to return to the General's Mansion would be realized. She only hoped to spend the next six months in peace and quiet. She also hoped that she could find some clues about the original owner in the General's Mansion, so that she could more perfectly disguise herself.

In Yueli Palace, Feng Qingyue waited for news from Ah Cui while trying to come up with an excuse to return to the General's Mansion. She wondered if she could convince Jun Lingyuan that she missed her elders. But she worried that Jun Lingyuan might find the excuse too far-fetched.

Meanwhile, the people Jun Lingyuan sent to investigate had already made some discoveries. They discovered that some of Feng Qingyue's habits were indeed different from before, and that in Yueli Palace, they would occasionally hear Feng Qingyue utter strange words that didn't sound like something someone from the Beiming Dynasty would say.

These news continued to reach Jun Lingyuan's ears, making his brows furrow more and more, and his curiosity and doubts about Feng Qingyue became stronger and stronger.

He sat in the imperial study, holding a secret report in his hand, which detailed Feng Qingyue's recent abnormal behavior. He muttered to himself, "Feng Qingyue, who are you? Where are you from? What secrets do you have?"

Jun Lingyuan was no longer as eagerly awaiting the results of the secret guards' investigation as before. He had his own plans in mind. He decided to have dinner with Feng Qingyue.

The maids in Yueli Palace were all busy when they learned that the emperor was coming to dine. Feng Qingyue was also a little uneasy when she heard the news.

Soon, Jun Lingyuan arrived at Yueli Palace. The table was laden with exquisite dishes, candlelight flickered, and it should have been a warm and cozy scene, but a subtle tension permeated the air between the two.

Feng Qingyue forced herself to remain calm and bowed slightly, "I greet the Emperor."

Jun Lingyuan waved his hand and motioned her to sit down.

During the meal, both of them had their own thoughts.

Feng Qingyue hesitated for a long time before finally summoning the courage to speak: "Your Majesty, I have been feeling very uneasy lately, often dreaming of my mother and grandmother. I haven't seen them in a long time, and I miss them terribly. I wonder if Your Majesty would allow me to stay at the General's Mansion for a while?"

Jun Lingyuan put down his chopsticks and gave Feng Qingyue a deep look. He could sense her nervousness, but her request filled him with suspicion. He wondered why she was suddenly so eager to return to the General's Mansion. Was she trying to hide something there? Or had she sensed something?

Jun Lingyuan didn't answer immediately, but just said with a half-smile: "My beloved concubine, are you not happy in the palace? Why do you suddenly miss your family so much?"

Feng Qingyue's heart suddenly tightened, and she hurriedly explained, "Your Majesty, I have been blessed by Your Majesty in the palace, but I can't help but miss my family. Moreover, since my last illness, I have felt the preciousness of family affection even more, and I just want to go back and spend some time with my mother and grandmother."

Jun Lingyuan looked into Feng Qingyue's eyes, trying to find a flaw in her expression. Feng Qingyue tried to make herself look sincere and frank, but her hands unconsciously clenched in her sleeves.

Jun Lingyuan was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "It's natural for my beloved concubine to miss her family. I will consider it."

Feng Qingyue felt a little relieved, but she knew Jun Lingyuan hadn't fully agreed. She could only continue cautiously, "Thank you, Your Majesty. I'm truly grateful."

Jun Lingyuan began to eat in silence again, but his mind was not on the food at all. He wondered if she really had some secret that she couldn't tell anyone, would returning to the General's Mansion give her the opportunity to hide it even deeper?

Feng Qingyue just ate mechanically, she was worried that Jun Lingyuan would see through her lies. She knew that if she was discovered that she was not the original Feng Qingyue, she would be in great danger.

The meal ended with both of them having their own ups and downs in mood and ulterior motives.

After Jun Lingyuan left Yueli Palace, he immediately ordered the secret guards to monitor the movements in Yueli Palace more closely.

Feng Qingyue sat in the room, anxiously waiting for Jun Lingyuan's final decision. She hoped that she could return to the general's mansion smoothly so that she could escape temporarily.

A few days later, Jun Lingyuan came to Yueli Palace again.

He looked at Feng Qingyue with a hint of amusement in his eyes, and slowly said: "My beloved concubine, I have already made arrangements. I have never accompanied you back to the mansion to visit you. Tomorrow I will accompany you back to the general's mansion to stay for a few days."

Feng Qingyue's eyes widened upon hearing this. She refused directly, "Your Majesty, the court is busy with many matters. How dare I distract Your Majesty from my affairs? I will go back alone."

Jun Lingyuan, however, strongly requested, "My beloved concubine, what do you mean by this? I will accompany you back to the mansion. Firstly, I can show my affection, and secondly, I can see the current situation of the General's Mansion. My beloved concubine, there is no need to say anything more."

Feng Qingyue was howling in her heart. She knew that Jun Lingyuan's departure would definitely disrupt her plans, but looking at Jun Lingyuan's determined eyes, she reluctantly agreed: "Yes, Your Majesty."

Jun Lingyuan listened to Feng Qingyue's inner ventriloquism, his lips curled up slightly, and he smiled happily. He seemed to see the panic beneath Feng Qingyue's disguise, which made him feel that his decision was correct. He wanted to see what this woman was going to do in the general's mansion.

Feng Qingyue was now preoccupied with how to deal with the difficulty of Jun Lingyuan's companionship, and she paced back and forth in the room.

She was not the original owner, and she had no memory of the original owner's personality. In the general's mansion, facing her mother and grandmother, she was afraid that her behavior would reveal her true colors, and Jun Lingyuan would notice that something was wrong with her.

As for Jun Lingyuan, he was also thinking about how to quietly explore Feng Qingyue's secrets when he arrived at the general's mansion. Should he observe secretly or question her directly? All this depended on Feng Qingyue's performance on the way back to the mansion.