Feng Jin hesitated, suddenly unsure how to explain.
It was something that had to be said sooner or later, so the sooner the better. Steel-ing herself, Feng Jin said, "Actually, I'm not from your world..."
Ling Mohan's eyes were full of confusion. He steadied himself and continued to ask, "What do you mean, not from our world?"
"I come from another world, separated from yours by a thousand years. I am merely a soul; the real Feng Jin has been dead for a long time. I'm living by borrowing this body..."
Feng Jin's words left Ling Mohan stunned. The information was too overwhelming, and he couldn't accept it all at once.
He had indeed suspected Feng Jin's true identity before, thinking she was a spy sent by someone else impersonating Feng Jin. He never imagined it would be like this.
After half a moment, Ling Mohan had a rough grasp of the intricate details. He looked up, meeting Feng Jin's gaze, and said in a deep voice, "Will you still disappear inexplicably after this?"
"I don't know, perhaps not."
In her past life, the laboratory exploded, and she transmigrated to Dong Chu, surviving by inhabiting Feng Jin's body. The real Feng Jin had long since died.
"As long as you don't leave, that's all that matters."
Ling Mohan murmured, lowering his head. He could accept anything about Feng Jin, as long as she didn't leave him.
"Can you tell me about your world?"
Ling Mohan's interest was piqued. It was primarily because Feng Jin had brought him so many surprises – gunpowder, and now these miraculous firearms. These were all from Feng Jin's world, making him even more curious.
Feng Jin told Ling Mohan everything, detailing her environment and her education. She even confessed to the few boys she had secretly liked.
"You're saying you liked three or four men?" Ling Mohan asked, his voice almost gritted.
Feng Jin, not yet realizing the gravity of her statement, nodded honestly, "Yes, but..."
Upon seeing Ling Mohan's suppressed anger, Feng Jin's words caught in her throat. A sudden sense of fear washed over her, and she unconsciously shifted backward, moving away from him.
"Tell me properly, what happened between you and those men?"
Feng Jin shivered and steadied herself, "That was just childhood crushes, and they only lasted for a short time..."
"Is that so?" Ling Mohan's voice was light, his eagle-like eyes fixed on Feng Jin.
"Yes... really..." Feng Jin's tone was a little guilty. Why had she been so talkative, sharing these things with Ling Mohan?
Indeed, when one got too happy, they often became careless. She really wanted to slap herself for being so glib.
"I only secretly liked them, and besides, that was all when I was four or five years old. I don't even remember what they looked like now."
Feng Jin was exasperated. Ling Mohan was dwelling on something that happened when she was four or five.
"You were childhood sweethearts then!"
The anger Ling Mohan had managed to suppress flared up again, burning even more intensely than before.
"Sort of..." According to ancient terms, it might indeed be considered childhood sweethearts.
"We haven't been in contact for over ten years, and I can't even see him now, with centuries and millennia separating us."
Startled, Feng Jin quickly corrected herself.
The man's expression did not improve with Feng Jin's explanation. Ling Mohan stared intently at Feng Jin, and after a long silence, he said, "To remember things from over a decade ago so clearly, it seems, my wife, you were truly deeply infatuated with this childhood sweetheart, unable to extricate yourself."
Feng Jin's mouth twitched twice. She helplessly put her hand to her forehead and sighed. How could she not explain this clearly?
Was it her explanation method that was flawed, or was it Ling Mohan's comprehension that was problematic?
"What must I say for you to understand? Those were all things from childhood. Who hasn't had a nascent affection for a neighbor's child when they were young? It was just pure liking."
"Just liking."
Ling Mohan's lips were pressed tightly together. Suppressing the anger in his heart, he took a deep breath and grabbed Feng Jin's hand. "Tell me, do you still like him now?"
This time, Feng Jin's mind was perfectly clear. She directly denied it, "I don't like him. Not even a little bit. My eyes and heart are only for you, and no one else."
Hearing the answer he wanted, the anger that had been accumulating in Ling Mohan's heart subsided somewhat.
"If you ever dare to like anyone else in the future, you will never be allowed to step foot in the Ling manor again."
Ling Mohan felt an overwhelming sense of crisis. He had to keep a very close watch, lest his wife run off with someone else in the blink of an eye. What would he do then?
"I promise, now and in the future, I will only like you."
Feng Jin quickly assured him. Seeing Ling Mohan's expression soften slightly, she let out a sigh of relief. This man was truly too difficult to deal with.
"You almost made me forget the important matter in my anger. Can this pencil be mass-produced?"
Ling Mohan's gaze fell on the pencils on the desk, and he remembered the important business. He picked up a pencil and asked Feng Jin.
"Yes, the manufacturing process for this kind of pen is very simple. With Dong Chu's current craftsmanship, it should be possible to produce it."
"Write down the formula, and I will present it to His Majesty at an opportune time."
On the battlefield, in freezing weather, ink would freeze. When delivering messages, ink had to be heated with boiling water before it could be written, and the ink dried slowly, causing delays. Many crucial military dispatches were delivered late.
This was highly disadvantageous for military operations. If these pencils could be carried on one's person, intelligence could be written anywhere, and there would be no need to worry about smudging the paper.
Feng Jin wrote down the manufacturing method on paper and handed it to Ling Mohan.
"I visited Yan Yu today. His injuries have healed, and his throat has also been treated. He told me about Feng Ruoyan's actions today and is willing to testify against her. When do you plan to have Dali Temple hear Feng Ruoyan's case?"
"At any time, as my wife commands."
"The trial can proceed tomorrow. We need to cut the Gordian knot swiftly. The longer it drags on, the more likely Feng Yuanping is to find Feng Ruoyan and take her away. If Feng Ruoyan is not in our hands, it will be even more difficult."
"As you say, we will have Dali Temple hear Feng Ruoyan's case tomorrow."
"Then, my wife, we should also rest early." After saying this, Ling Mohan directly kissed Feng Jin's lips. Before she could react, he picked her up and lay down on the bed.
...
The next day, Lu Shi, leading the dark guards, brought Feng Ruoyan, who had been held captive in a deserted manor for days, out.
After several days of confinement in the pitch-black manor.