New From the Board of Astronomy

  Duan Mu Qing gave the note to Feng Jin Yuan. On it, there were the third prince’s, Xuan Tian Ye’s, eight characters.

  Feng Jin Yuan furrowed his brow tightly. He was truly unable to understand what exactly they were thinking. With things as they were, could it be that he could still have his daughter marry into the Xiang Palace?

  He was filled with anger and wanted the throw the note back at Duan Mu Qing’s face, but the hand that was already raised was unable to throw it away because Duan Mu Qing had completely frozen him. He said: “Prime minister Feng, think carefully. Who can the Feng family hope to rely on now? Who still dares to give you guys hope?”


  Feng Jin Yuan’s back went cold. That’s right. Presently, the Feng family could not compare with the past. Something had happened with Qian Zhou, and it was already pretty good that the Feng family did not get in trouble too. Could it be that they could still hope for the Emperor to treat him as he had before? Now, everything was done to give Feng Yu Heng face, but, without speaking of how this ruler was like a tiger, the ninth prince was already hard to predict, and the Emperor was practically the same as him. Who knew when they would suddenly go back on their word. As for that second daughter, Feng Yu Heng, that was a temper that was even harder to understand! With that incident involving Yao shi, Feng Yu Heng hung that servant in front of Pine courtyard and beat her to death. Pointing straight at him, she cursed at him, completely tearing away his face. To have the large Feng family rely on her to survive, was that reasonable?

  Buan Mu Qing saw that Feng Jin Yuan put down the hand that he had raised, as a gloomy smile surfaced on his face. He then continued: “Prime minister Feng, think carefully. You and the third prince have been tied together with the same rope for so long. Even if you truly desire to make a change, who would believe you? It’s likely that any prince you support would get rid of you first after they stabilize their position. Also, do you believe that anyone dares to accept the Feng manor that has had a deep relation with Qian Zhou? Oh, I heard that your marriage has already been annulled. What a pity. One day married leads to a never-ending relationship. This is something that nobody will forget.”


  A cold sweat appeared on Feng Jin Yuan’s body, as he glared at Duan Mu Qing. He coldly snorted then said: “The third prince is already crippled. Could it be that he still desires to ascend the throne?”


  Duan Mu Qing gently retorted: “You must not forget who caused those injuries. My Duan Mu family has not come to settle its debts with you. Instead, it came to ask for a marriage. This is already considered a wager. Prime minister Feng, it would be best not to push people too hard.”


  “Hahaha!” Feng Jin Yuan laughed for a while. He pointed at Duan Mu Qing and said: “You also know that the injuries to his body were caused by my second daughter? Then you should know why A-Heng went and whipped him, right! A prince went to harm a woman, yet he still could not do it properly. Just based on his abilities, he still wants to ascend the throne? This prime minister is truly too disappointed! He is lacking in ability, and he is lacking in knowledge. He is a grown man that was unable to beat a young girl, yet you still have the gall to speak about settling a debt? Really.” Feng Jin Yuan spoke while waving his hand, “Whatever, if you wish to settle the debt, go find that girl. This prime minister wants to see if your Duan Mu family really has that much ability to settle a debt with her.”


  Duan Mu Qing’s face had truly turned green. Feng Yu Heng was truly a hurdle that the Duan Mu family could not get over. Not to mention the willful ninth prince supporting her, she now had the ability to produce steel. She had become something similar to a national treasure. Just based on this, there was not a single person that could touch her.

  But his conflicting emotions only lasted for a brief moment, and he very quickly recovered. He then asked Feng Jin Yuan: “Prime minister’s meaning is that the marriage that you secretly promised the third prince will no longer count?”


  Feng Jin Yuan looked at him blankly, “Back then was back then. Now that the Feng family is in trouble, we will not cause the third prince any more trouble.”


  Duan Mu Qing nodded, “That’s fine. Then I will go back and tell my cousin, saying that Prime minister Feng has gone back on his word. The daughter with the aspect of the phoenix will no longer marry him.”


  Feng Jin Yuan did not say anything, and this was considered a tacit agreement.

  But immediately following this, Duan Mu Qing said something that caused him to become dumbfounded: “Prime minister Feng, do you know who else came with me on this trip to the capital?” He did not wait for Feng Jin Yuan to speak and spoke for himself: “Ghost doctor Song Kang.”


  Feng Jin Yuan was extremely shocked and suddenly stood up, subconsciously asking him: “The one that could bring people back from the dead…… ghost doctor Song Kang?”


  Duan Mu Qing nodded, “Indeed.”


  Feng Jin Yuan was completely deflated, as he quietly sat back down on his chair. Ghost doctor Song Kang, this person’s name reverberated in his ear like thunder. When he had gone to the North to relieve the disaster, he found that the families of the North all had a portrait of him. On that portrait was a man roughly 40 years of age. He was very thin, but his eyes were bright and piercing. Everyone called him ghost doctor Song Kang, and they said that he was the most amazing divine doctor in the world. The Northern border was remote and far from the government. The citizens there naturally have never heard of divine doctor Yao Xian. They only knew about Song Kang, and because that person always wore a black robe through the entire year, once evening came, he looked like a ghost. That was why he was called ghost doctor Song Kang. The rumors of his medical ability included him being able to revive someone whose heart had died. There was another rumor that he had been able to transfer one person’s internal organs to another person, prolonging that person’s life.

  Feng Jin Yuan, at first, thought that these were just rumors, but after staying in the North for a couple months, during the most severe moment of the Winter disaster, there would be deaths among the civilians every day. That Song Kang did appear once, and he really took the healthy leg of a dead person and gave it to someone that had lost a leg.

  Right now, Duan Mu Qing said that ghost doctor Song Kang had been brought along. What did this mean? There was hope for the third prince?

  “Prime minister Feng, do you wish to consider the engagement a little longer?” Duan Mu Qing saw the change in Feng Jin Yuan’s expression and naturally knew that he had changed his mind, thus he added: “Gan Zhou’s troops, my Duan Mu family will send people to take over them. Prime minister Feng must understand that the third prince does not rely on the strength that he himself has. He also has the entire support of the Duan Mu family.”


  Feng Jin Yuan was completely shaken, picking up the note once more. He then thought about this marriage once more. The Feng family was currently on the verge of extermination. If there was salvation for the third prince, he would need to clench his teeth and support him to the end, but…… “Why is the third prince so obsessed with the Feng family? This prime minister could not possibly provide him with any less support.”


  Duan Mu Qing laughed, “Prime minister Feng, truth be told, there is news that came from the Board of Astronomy in the imperial palace. Apparently, the head observer did indeed see the star of the phoenix, and this star was in the Feng family.”


  “What?” Feng Jin Yuan was given a shock, “The star of the phoenix is in the Feng family?” Immediately following this, he recalled what that old Taoist Zi Yang had said, but he always believed that it was just an arrangement set up by the Chen family to support Chen Yu. Could it be…… “That’s not right!” He shook his head once more, “Even if it is in the Feng family, how can you be certain that it is Chen Yu? She was indeed said to have the aspect of the phoenix, but she is still just the daughter of a concubine of the Feng manor. There has never been an Empress that was born of a concubine. Moreover, you should also have heard that the ninth prince’s legs have now healed. Based on the favor that the Emperor shows him, even an idiot could see whom the throne will be given to. Thinking like this, the star of the phoenix should be……” He spoke until here, and his skin began to crawl. Although he did not want to accept it, he still had to admit reality, “It should be A-Heng.”


  How could he know that Duan Mu Qing did not care about this, as he just waved his hand: “It’s fine. No matter who it is, as long as it is the Feng family, even if it is your third daughter or fourth daughter, it’s all fine. Prime minister Feng, with the situation as it is, do you still not understand? The so-called star of the phoenix is nothing more than a tool to affect people’s hearts. The manor’s eldest young miss has already been said to have the aspect of the phoenix. If we now secretly spread the word that the star of the phoenix is in the Feng manor, it would quickly spread through word of mouth. When everyone has heard about it, those silly citizens will believe it, and eldest young miss Feng will leave behind a strong first impression. This is the best way to influence the people.”


  Feng Jin Yuan could not help but quietly praise him for being intelligent. He never knew that the Board of Astronomy could secretly influence people. Even the Emperor believed in the Board of Astronomy. If word of this spread, the citizens would naturally form a basic concept of the future empress and even emperor. For the third prince, this was too beneficial to the third prince.

  He had changed his mind rather quickly. With a laugh, he put away the note then said to Duan Mu Qing: “Would the deputy leader inform the third prince that this engagement can be considered set.”


  “Good!” Duan Mu Qing also began laughing, “Then from this day forward, we will be family. When the eldest young miss has passed the age of marriage, the third prince will immediately welcome her into the palace as a secondary princess.”


  “Wait a moment!” Feng jin Yuan was stunned, “Secondary princess? How could she be a secondary princess?”


  Duan Mu Qing casually waved his hand: “Hah! There is no need for Prime minister Feng to take this to heart. After all, the official princess is still in the palace. Also, her illness was treated by the manor’s second young miss. Now, that official princess’ personal servants were changed out by the Empress. To take any action now would be a little too difficult. Also, the eldest young miss is still the daughter of a concubine. If the daughter of a concubine marries a prince, they would definitely be a secondary princess. This is not the important thing. So what if she’s not the official princess. When the important things have been completed, and they have entered that palace, there is no rule on whether or not a secondary princess could become the empress.”


  Feng Jin Yuan thought about this and also arrived at the same conclusion. Back when the current Emperor was still a prince, the first Empress was nothing more than a side wife, and did she not end up becoming the Empress? Thinking like this, he calmed down and nodded once more, “Then it will be agreed upon like this.” He stood up, “It’s not easy for the deputy leader to return to the capital. Normally speaking, this prime minister should host a banquet, but given the Feng manor’s current situation, it is truly not suited for a banquet. This prime minister will not be keeping deputy leader.”


  He was clearly sending out the guest, but Duan Mu Qing continued to remain seated, his butt not raising for an instant.

  Seeing that he had no intention of leaving, Feng Jin Yuan knew that there was still another matter, thus he asked: “Is there something else that deputy leader would like to talk about?”


  Duan Mu Qing gently said: “In truth, I came today with two things to do. The first matter, naturally, was to mention the matter of the marriage between the third prince and the manor’s eldest young miss. As for the second matter……” A dark and gloomy expression appeared on his face, “This lowly one wants to see the county princess Ji An that injured my cousin to the point that he could not get out of bed for multiple months!”