Mu Rong Jin Yun was momentarily confused about Feng Jin's intentions, wondering what she was up to.
Why had she been invited here today?
"I don't mean anything in particular, I just want to talk with you."
Feng Jin remained calm and composed, "Calm down a bit, don't be so hasty. You just need to know I bear you no ill will."
"I clearly remember what you said in court yesterday. Could you let me see your half of the jade token?"
Mu Rong Jin Yun eyed Feng Jin suspiciously. She was still in a fog, and after a pause, she reluctantly took out the jade token. Given her identity, she wasn't worried Feng Jin would do anything.
Taking the token, Feng Jin examined it meticulously. It indeed bore a strong resemblance to the shape and pattern Ling Mo Han had described.
"Cai Qing, bring out the item."
To be safe, last night she had asked Ling Mo Han to draw the shape of the jade token from memory for comparison.
"Yes, Madam."
Cai Qing took out neatly folded papers from a sachet and spread them on the table.
Feng Jin compared them carefully. The patterns and shapes were about eighty percent similar. On the back of the jade token, only half of the character 'Ling' remained, a character carved by Ling Mo Han himself.
It was likely because of this character that Mu Rong Jin Yun had determined the man who had pledged vows to her was Ling Mo Han.
"What are you comparing? Give me back my jade token!"
Mu Rong Jin Yun's heart sank. She stood up, intending to snatch the jade token back. Feng Jin dodged with a turn, holding the token tightly.
"Are you trying to create a situation where there's no one to testify? Don't forget, everyone in the palace banquet knew about this. If you dare to do this, I will definitely report you to your Emperor!" Mu Rong Jin Yun directly invoked Emperor Xuan Wen to threaten Feng Jin.
Feng Jin chuckled dismissively, "This jade token indeed belongs to my husband, but he didn't personally give it to you. My husband lost this jade token on the battlefield three years ago."
"No... no..." Mu Rong Jin Yun shook her head in denial, "This is just a lie you've concocted to trick me into not fighting you for Ling Mo Han. Madam Ling, are you really that lacking in confidence, worried I'll steal Ling Mo Han away!"
"The person who pledged his life to you was not Ling Mo Han, but someone else."
Upon seeing this jade token, Feng Jin was quite certain that the person who had pledged his life to Mu Rong Jin Yun was Gu Bei Chen.
"Madam, Young Master Gu has arrived," Lu Shi entered the pavilion to report.
"Please invite him in."
Mu Rong Jin Yun looked at Feng Jin in a daze, momentarily not understanding what was happening. As her gaze fell upon Gu Bei Chen, a familiar feeling washed over her, causing her heart to tremble.
The feeling was too familiar, something she hadn't detected even in Ling Mo Han.
"Why did you call this young master here? Speak quickly, I'm busy!"
Gu Bei Chen's voice echoed through the pavilion, clearly reaching Mu Rong Jin Yun's ears.
This voice was too familiar, as if etched into her bones. Mu Rong Jin Yun's gaze slowly shifted to Gu Bei Chen.
At that time, she was blind and had no idea what he looked like. When she returned, he was already gone. She searched the hundred-mile radius around Wei Yi Mountain but found no trace of him. All she had was this half jade token.
After much searching, she learned that the owner of this jade token was the young general of Dong Chu, Ling Mo Han.
She knew that the vast differences in their identities made it impossible for them to be together, so she had no choice but to bury her love deep within her heart.
Upon learning that her father intended to forge a good relationship with Dong Chu through marriage, she volunteered to go to Dong Chu. She knelt in the snow for a day and a night before her father finally agreed to let her decide her own marriage.
After waiting for three years, she could finally come to his side, only to learn that he was already married with children. What was even more laughable was that the person she had longed for and missed for three years didn't recognize her and even detested her.
She had originally thought that person had changed his heart, but the moment she saw Gu Bei Chen, it seemed... everything felt different.
"Young Master Gu, do you recognize this lady?"
Feng Jin didn't waste words with Gu Bei Chen, directly pushing Mu Rong Jin Yun towards him.
Whether it was him or not, they would know after meeting.
Under Feng Jin's pressure, Gu Bei Chen turned his head to look. The moment he saw the person behind him, Gu Bei Chen froze in place. It was an eternity in a single glance, and he couldn't react for a long time.
Seeing the emotions of the two, Feng Jin instantly felt confident.
"Young Master Gu, Princess..." Feng Jin called out tentatively but received no response. She unconsciously raised her voice slightly, "What's wrong, both of you?"
Gu Bei Chen reacted first, pointing at Mu Rong Jin Yun and asking Feng Jin, "What is going on?"
"Young Master Gu, has your memory degraded with time?" Feng Jin handed the half jade token to Gu Bei Chen.
"This lady is the Princess of Xi Liang. She came here to find the person who gave her this half jade token."
Gu Bei Chen looked at the half jade token in his hand. The memories etched into his bones rushed back into his mind, and his gaze fixed intently on Mu Rong Jin Yun.
Three years ago, her appearance was even more youthful than now, but he recognized her at a glance as the person he had been searching for for three years.
He took out the other half of the jade token from his embrace and put the two pieces together, a smile forming on his lips. "I never expected you to be the Princess of Xi Liang. No wonder I couldn't find any news of you for so long."
Mu Rong Jin Yun looked at Gu Bei Chen with a slightly dazed expression. An overwhelming sense of familiarity enveloped her. The moment she saw the half jade token Gu Bei Chen produced, she knew for sure that the person before her was the one she had been searching for. All this time, she had mistaken the person and looked for the wrong one.
"Back then, I was blind. To protect myself, I had to hide my identity. When I returned to Xi Liang and went back to look for you at the foot of Wei Yi Mountain, it was all in vain. I could only rely on the half jade token to search for you, but I never expected to find the wrong person and almost cause trouble. Through a twist of fate, I actually found you."
Mu Rong Jin Yun suppressed the surge of joy in her heart, trying to keep her tone calm. Who would have thought that through a twist of fate, she would actually find him.
Seeing the expressions of the two, Feng Jin suddenly felt she was shining brightly. While no one noticed her, she quietly left with Cai Qing, leaving the space for the two of them.
"Madam, are we just leaving like this, not staying any longer?"