Traveling through another world to stir the emperor's heart

Finally, the day arrived to return to the General's Mansion. Jun Lingyuan and Feng Qingyue boarded the carriage, which lurched slowly toward the General's Mansion. The atmosphere inside was oppressive, like the sky before a storm, suffocating. Jun Lingyuan leaned against the wall of the carriage, his gaze like a sharp hawk, occasionally scanning Feng Qingyue, who sat across from him.

Feng Qingyue lowered her eyes, her fingers nervously twisting the hem of her clothes. She could clearly feel Jun Lingyuan's probing gaze, each glance like an electric current running through her body, making her feel uneasy. The jolting of the carriage further upset her, and she was completely agonizing over how to respond to Jun Lingyuan.

Jun Lingyuan was the first to break the silence, his voice carrying a hint of nonchalance: "My beloved, you seem very nervous."

Feng Qingyue's heart skipped a beat. She hurriedly raised her head, forcing a smile as she said, "Your Majesty, I was just so excited at the thought of meeting my mother and grandmother that I lost my composure a little."

Jun Lingyuan raised his eyebrows slightly, a faint smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, and he said softly: "Oh? Really? I thought my beloved concubine had other concerns."

Feng Qingyue pretended to be calm and shook her head gently: "Your Majesty, you are worrying too much. What worries could a concubine have?"

Jun Lingyuan stopped talking and just stared at her silently. The carriage fell into silence again, with only the monotonous sound of the wheels turning.

Feng Qingyue's thoughts drifted towards the General's Mansion, her heart filled with unease, unsure of the situation she was about to face. She desperately recalled the information Ah Cui had given her about the General's Mansion, trying to piece together the complete picture, silently praying that she could handle it smoothly and that Jun Lingyuan wouldn't notice her flaws.

The carriage slowly stopped in front of the General's Mansion's gate. Jun Lingyuan gracefully jumped out first, then politely extended his hand to help Feng Qingyue down. Feng Qingyue took Jun Lingyuan's hand and slowly stepped out of the carriage. Looking up at the familiar gate of the General's Mansion, a complex emotion welled up in her heart.

Jun Lingyuan stood at the gate of the General's Mansion, watching everything unfold with interest like a bystander. Feng Qingyue hesitated, looking up at the familiar yet unfamiliar gate with a mixture of emotions. She tried to recall what Ah Cui had said, trying to act more naturally.

Jun Lingyuan tilted his head slightly, a faint smile on his lips, and whispered, "My beloved, why don't you leave? Aren't you longing to return to the General's Mansion? I'm here today to show you what kind of place you used to live in."

Feng Qingyue's heart tightened, and she forced a smile and said, "Your Majesty, I was just excited for a moment. After all, this is my home that I haven't returned to for a long time."

Upon hearing the emperor's arrival, everyone in the general's residence hurried out to greet him. The general and the women in the residence were startled at first when they saw Feng Qingyue and Jun Lingyuan arrive together, then hurriedly bowed respectfully. Jun Lingyuan smiled gently and said, "Please stand up. I'm just here to stay with Qingyue for a few days. There's no need for such formalities."

Everyone welcomed Jun Lingyuan and Feng Qingyue into the mansion. After entering the main hall, everyone took their seats in order. Jun Lingyuan discussed court affairs with the general, while Feng Qingyue gathered with the female relatives.

While she reluctantly dealt with the greetings of the other women, she mentally recalled how she had behaved in such situations before, fearing she might say or do something wrong and be noticed by Jun Lingyuan. Jun Lingyuan appeared to be conversing seriously with the people from the General's Mansion, but his peripheral vision kept a constant focus on Feng Qingyue. He noticed that Feng Qingyue was somewhat absent-minded, which only deepened his suspicions. He secretly resolved to scrutinize every tiny detail to find something amiss with this woman.

Feng Qingyue felt like an ant on a hot pot, the burning sensation unbearable. Unable to bear it any longer, she stood up and said, "Mother, Grandma, Yue'er feels a little tired and wants to rest for a while."

Upon hearing this, Jun Lingyuan immediately said, "I am also a little tired. Where is my beloved concubine's room? I will go and rest with her."

Feng Qingyue's eyes widened. She wanted to refuse, but she couldn't find a suitable reason in front of everyone. Helplessly, she led Jun Lingyuan and Ah Cui back to her room. The entire way, Feng Qingyue silently prayed, hoping for a smooth transition. Jun Lingyuan followed behind her with a leisurely expression, like a fox watching its prey, waiting for it to reveal more clues.

After entering the room, Feng Qingyue looked around and found it exquisitely decorated. Several calligraphy and paintings hung on the walls, and the table was filled with the four treasures of the study and women's toiletry items. Jun Lingyuan sat casually on the edge of the bed, his eyes wandering around the room. Suddenly, he noticed a small box in the corner. It was slightly dusty and looked like it hadn't been opened in some time.

Feng Qingyue followed his gaze and was startled. She had no idea what was in the box, nor did she know if the original Feng Qingyue had any special memories of it.

Jun Lingyuan looked at her with a half-smile and said, "My dear, that box looks very special. What treasure is inside it?"

Feng Qingyue's mind raced as she stammered, "Your Majesty, I don't quite remember. Perhaps it was some childhood toy."

Jun Lingyuan raised his eyebrows, stood up, and walked towards the box. He gently blew away the dust on it, wanting to open the box to see what was inside.

Feng Qingyue's heartbeat suddenly quickened. She didn't know what Jun Lingyuan would find after opening the box. If there was something inside that could prove that she was not the real Feng Qingyue, then she would be completely finished.

Just as Jun Lingyuan's hand was about to touch the box, a sudden commotion erupted outside. It turned out that a servant in the mansion had accidentally knocked over a pot of flowers and was being scolded by the housekeeper.

Jun Lingyuan frowned, put down his hand, turned around and walked out of the room to check the situation.

Feng Qingyue breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that she had only escaped danger temporarily. Too many unknown dangers awaited her in this general's mansion, and Jun Lingyuan's probing gaze made her feel even more uneasy.

When Jun Lingyuan returned to his room, he said, "Since you are tired, my beloved, I will rest with you."

She said, "Your Majesty, Yue'er wants to change her clothes. Could Your Majesty please step aside for a moment?"

Jun Lingyuan raised his eyebrows and said jokingly, "Are you shy, my beloved concubine? Do I need to be so formal with you?"

Feng Qingyue gritted her teeth and said, "Your Majesty, now that my father and mother are not here, there is no need to pretend anymore."

Jun Lingyuan looked at Feng Qingyue, thought for a moment, and nodded with a smile: "Okay, let's go outside."

Jun Lingyuan waited for a long time, but Feng Qingyue didn't speak, and he couldn't help but feel suspicious. When he stood at the door, he saw Feng Qingyue rummaging through the drawers in the room, looking a little flustered. Jun Lingyuan's doubts grew stronger. He couldn't understand why Feng Qingyue was so unfamiliar with his room. Could it be that she had completely forgotten about her original identity? What was she looking for?

Feng Qingyue felt a gaze from behind her, and like a startled deer, she turned around and saw Jun Lingyuan. Her expression changed slightly, but she quickly regained her composure and said, "Your Majesty, what brings you here?"

Jun Lingyuan slowly walked into the room, his eyes falling on a purse in Feng Qingyue's hand. He asked, "My beloved, what are you looking for? Is there anything special about this purse?"

Feng Qingyue tightly grasped the purse, feeling somewhat flustered. She stammered, "Your Majesty, this was embroidered by me when I was a child. I haven't seen it in a long time, so I wanted to take a look when I came back today."

Jun Lingyuan stared into her eyes, his gaze piercing her soul, seeing through her lies. Jun Lingyuan knew Feng Qingyue was lying, but he didn't expose her. He wanted to continue watching this woman's performance, to see how she would cover up these lies. Feng Qingyue tried to appear calm and natural, but her heartbeat involuntarily quickened, beating violently in her chest like a drum.

During her time at the General's Mansion, Feng Qingyue had been extremely cautious in her interactions with her family. She tried her best to mimic the original owner's likely behavior, but sometimes she'd let herself slip. For example, she didn't know the original owner's favorite snack, so when the old lady had it brought, she hesitated. This subtle gesture didn't escape Jun Lingyuan's attention, and he saw it all.

One night, Feng Qingyue had a dream. In it, she saw the original owner hiding a notebook in a secret compartment in her room. Feng Qingyue woke up with a start, her mind replaying the dream. After a moment, she immediately decided to find the notebook.

She quietly entered the room under the cover of night. Relying on memories from her dream, she carefully groped along the wall next to the bed. Finally, she found the secret compartment. With a mixture of nervous excitement, she opened it. Sure enough, there was a notebook inside.

Just as she picked up the note and prepared to check it, Jun Lingyuan suddenly appeared behind her silently and asked softly, "My dear, what are you doing here in the middle of the night?"

Feng Qingyue was so frightened that the note slipped from her hand and was about to fall to the ground. She reached out to grab it, but Jun Lingyuan was quicker than her. He bent down and caught the note...