"You’re blushing!" Fengyu hooked his chin with her fingers, her thumb gently caressing his cheek, deliberately lowering her voice, sultry and deep. "I know why you like to tease me. It’s so fun." Now it was his turn to be teased!!! If it weren’t for the body swap, he would have thoroughly enjoyed it. But now, looking at this overly familiar face, Xie Xun felt as if he were sitting on pins and needles. Just as he was about to plead for mercy, Fengyu suddenly leaned down and planted a forceful kiss on his lips! Xie Xun’s heartbeat became uncontrollable due to the intimacy from someone he admired, yet he was thrown into disarray because of that face. He couldn’t decide whether to turn the tables and kiss her back passionately or push her away in flustered embarrassment. It was undoubtedly the most complicated kiss he’d shared with Fengyu. Fengyu, on the other hand, found it amusing and even licked his lips. "You look like you’re about to cry. Somehow... you seem even easier to bully." Xie Xun’s hair stood on end, utterly mortified. He was shamelessly teased by Fengyu to the point of blushing furiously. Taking a deep breath to suppress his discomfort, Xie Xun said, "Ayu, if I slapped you right now, would you be angry?" "I wouldn’t be angry, but... you might end up being divorced." Fengyu glanced at his rage-filled yet suppressed expression, finding it immensely entertaining. Usually on the bed, it was always her being embarrassed and flustered by Xie Xun’s provocations. Finally, the tables had turned. Of course, her feelings and his were not the same. She was genuinely embarrassed, while he was mostly mortified. Fengyu kissed him again. She rather liked the feeling of stealing kisses , and teasingly asked, "Still mad?" "Mad. Very mad!" Xie Xun replied bluntly and pushed Fengyu away, unable to adapt to this mismatched dynamic. "I’ll send someone to find Master Miao Yun. We’ll figure this out and definitely switch back!" Xie Xun’s gaze suddenly shifted downward, and he coughed twice, "You... haven’t felt uncomfortable anywhere, have you?" "Nope. It’s quite fun." Xie Xun’s expression instantly turned extraordinarily colorful. He didn’t know whether he should feel angry, relieved, or embarrassed if Ayu had some sort of reaction while kissing him. Surely, he wouldn’t have to help her resolve it, right! Just imagining that scenario made Xie Xun feel like thunderclouds were rumbling inside him. Thankfully, it hadn’t happened. But on second thought, while she was in his body, she had gotten so physically close to him, yet not even a hint of inappropriate intent occurred to her? The body may be hers, but the person was still him! "What on earth am I thinking!!!" Xie Xun had never felt this tormented by the exchange of bodies and souls before—far worse than the time Dugu Jing had stomped on his leg and snapped it clean. "Why are you angry?" Fengyu asked, completely perplexed, thinking Xie Xun was making a big fuss over nothing. Wasn’t it just a little teasing? Why was he so mad? "Ayu, you’re wearing my face. Stop doing strange things!" Xie Xun simply couldn’t tolerate her pushing things further. "And where’s your hand now?" Fengyu’s hand was still tugging at his ear, both of which had already turned bright red. Fengyu tilted her head in confusion. "Don’t you love touching them?" She was merely curious to try and understand why Xie Xun enjoyed it. "Once we swap back, you’re dead!" he threatened with false bravado. Fengyu wasn’t afraid in the slightest—what could he even do to her? Fengyu had never been in good health, so her injuries healed slowly. Zhang Lingzheng had not visited in days, nor had any messages been delivered. The small courtyard felt as secluded as a hidden paradise. Feiying, in disguise, ventured out to purchase food, while Ying Si remained shadowing them for protection. Both Nuanyang and Xie Xun were injured and needed rest, their daily care entrusted entirely to Fengyu. Nᴇw novel chapters are publɪshed on 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹✶𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲✶𝗻𝗲𝘁 Fengyu wasn’t particularly skilled at tending to others, but fortunately, Xie Xun wasn’t picky about food. After three days of basic care, he finally regained the ability to get out of bed and walk around. Fengyu supported him in the courtyard to bask in the sunlight. Xie Xun, thoroughly tired of lying down, would have gladly swapped places to lie somewhere else instead. The early summer weather in the Capital City was pleasant, with bright sunshine. Yet a foreboding shadow seemed to constantly hang over everyone’s heads. It was now the beginning of June. The sixth of June was drawing closer—a memorial day for Marquis Zhenbei, Xie Zhang, Xie Junhua, and several other late family members. Each year on that day, even in urgent military times, generals in Ningzhou wouldn’t dare disturb Xie Xun. Fengyu also knew the sixth of June was a sensitive time. During the healing period, she avoided mentioning it, trying her best to cheer Xie Xun up, hoping his heart could be a bit lighter. In past years, being in Ningzhou was manageable, as Xie Jue provided comfort. Marquis Zhenbei, Xie Zhang, and the others were all buried in Ningzhou. Whenever the memorial day arrived, both Xie Jue and Xie Xun would return from wherever they were to pay their respects and sweep the graves. Not just on memorial day—even on normal first and fifteenth days of the lunar month, Xie Xun would visit the cemetery, occasionally playing tunes up in the mountains to ease his feelings. This year, it seemed unlikely they’d be able to return to Ningzhou. Neither Xie Xun nor Xie Jue could spare the time. The Capital City remained tense and turbulent—the Jinyi Guard tightened their inspections of the city gates bit by bit. Mudan Building, having burned down and drawn suspicion, had closed for several days. Even with King Qi protecting Lady Thirteen, the Jinyi Guard carried enough weight to make him wary. Lady Thirteen and the girls were fortunately untouched, with King Qi working hard behind the scenes to shield them. Under Chen Mo’s strict command, the dead men loyal to Marquis Zhenbei Mansion were also waiting silently for orders, keeping their movements minimal. Fengyu suspected Yuwen Jing had informants in Ningzhou. Knowing that Xie Xun wasn’t recuperating in Ningzhou, nor heading to the Jiangnan battlefield, Yuwen Jing would surely guess Xie Xun had come to the Capital City. The more they stayed hidden, the safer they were. Feiying had skillfully forged letters and delivered them to various officials in the Cabinet, which immediately stirred tremors across the court. Rumors soon spread through the Capital City—letters of correspondence between Yuwen Jing and Dugu Jing were posted publicly at the South City marketplace. Enraged commoners began to debate fiercely, and scores of students began demanding that the Emperor prove his innocence. The forged letters weren’t enough to convict Yuwen Jing, but Dugu Jing’s accusations, which had already made their way from Ningzhou to the Capital City, had ensured the matter couldn’t be silenced. Yuwen Jing found himself powerless to sway the narrative in the city or stop the discussions spreading nationwide. Even a few reclusive imperial uncles of the Yuwen Royal Family came forth to question whether Yuwen Jing had colluded with the Beiman people and harmed loyal subjects, and whether he intended to cede territory and invite the Beiman forces inside the city walls. Yuwen Jing was left with no room to argue, utterly overwhelmed. The court was now mired in unpredictable turbulence, with Lin Helin and Zhang Boju fighting against the tide, struggling, as public sentiment against Yuwen Jing grew ever colder. On this particular day, Fengyu accompanied Xie Xun beneath a peach blossom tree to soak in the sun. Beneath the peach blossom tree stood a small table with a tea set—something Fengyu had found within the courtyard. While keeping Xie Xun company in the sunlight, Fengyu would idle away her time brewing tea. Xie Xun chuckled and said, "This hobby of yours is exactly like Second Brother’s." "My skills can’t compare to Second Brother’s—I’m just muddling through for your sake," Fengyu teased lightly, while Xie Xun, who didn’t have exacting standards for tea, casually regarded it merely as something to quench his thirst. Xie Xun laughed, and Fengyu couldn’t help but ask curiously, "You grew up in the Capital City. Why aren’t you interested in the things that noble family heirs usually enjoy—brewing tea, appreciating tea, playing chess, or strumming the zither? You’re not good at any of these."