Upon hearing Kang Yi come up with an idea, Feng Jin Yuan perked up and quickly said: “What matter? Speak, quickly!”
Kang Yi said: “It’s better to be proactive than reactive. Since things have become like this, we cannot possibly avoid this matter. It would be better for husband to take the initiative and go beg his Majesty for forgiveness. Perhaps the situation can be turned around.”
Take the initiative to beg for forgiveness?
The people of the Feng family were startled. The matriarch was uncertain and asked: “Can the situation really be turned around?”
Kang Yi replied with her own question: “If not this, is there any other choice? Could it be that we will really need to do as fourth young miss said and run away?”
An shi was in agreement with what Kang Yi said, thus she also said: “In this world, where could we run away to? Rather than waiting at home for the imperial decree telling us of our crimes, it would be better to take the initiative to beg for forgiveness.”
Presently, the matriarch hated listening to An shi speak the most. She could not help but coldly snort: “Shut your mouth! You two, mother and daughter, are not even capable of keeping an eye on a servant. She has been with the third prince for so long, yet you actually did not notice it in the slightest, and you even had her send Yao shi pastries? This makes you an accomplice! Just you wait and see. If A-Heng can return alive, she will definitely come and settle a debt with you!”
An shi had prepared herself for such a thing, as they heard her say: “No matter what, this concubine cannot escape being implicated by this matter. When the time comes, I will await second young miss’ judgment. That is all. Even if she wants this concubine’s life, this concubine has no complaints.”
“Hmph!” Fen Dai coldly snorted, “You’re really making light of this. I really don’t understand. What are you doing sending pastries to a woman that is divorced? That Yao shi caused father to suffer a great deal of humiliation, so we should view her as the enemy. Concubine mother An, what sort of heart do you have?”
Fen Dai’s words represented what the matriarch felt. Feng Jin Yuan also felt this way, thus, for a while, nobody in the room spoke. An shi did not defend herself. After all, she knew that the Feng family would not let her off easily for this situation.
At this time, Xiang Rong, who had been silent the entire time, suddenly asked: “Why has second sister still not returned? Where has she gone?”
Feng Jin Yuan was startled. He then remembered that Feng Yu Heng was with the seventh prince when he had left, thus he said: “She should have gone to the Chun Palace, right?”
Just after saying this, an attendant, who had been sent to report to the imperial palace, returned and quickly entered the hall, saying to Feng Jin Yuan: “Master, there is news from second young miss.”
“Oh?” Everyone asked in unison: “How is second young miss?”
The attendant replied: “Second young miss entered the palace. Right now, she is kneeling in the square in front of Heavenly Hall, but the Emperor still has not met her.”
Once this was said, everyone in the Feng manor was startled. Kang Yi was the first to react, urgently pressing Feng Jin Yuan: “Even A-Heng could think of this method, so what is husband hesitating for? Go quickly!”
The matriarch also pressed him: “Kang Yi is right. Quickly go and admit your mistakes to the Emperor!”
Feng Jin Yuan nodded. Without saying another word, he brought the attendant and headed towards the manor’s entrance.
The matriarch had a face full of worry, as she asked Kang Yi: “Say, do you think this will help?”
Kang Yi no longer felt any certainty because she had grasped the most important part of what the attendant had just said: The Emperor still has not met her.”
It had to be said that she was not very clear on Feng Yu Heng’s standing in Da Shun when she first arrived. Now, however, she already understood 80 to 90 percent. The only person that knew how to produce steel was kneeling in front of Heavenly Hall, yet the Emperor refused to meet her. It seemed that the Emperor had truly become angry over this fight between Feng Yu Heng and the third prince.
Seeing Kang Yi furrow her brow, the matriarch also became filled with uncertainty. She could not help but turn her gaze to the Cheng sisters.
Cheng Jun Man understood what the matriarch meant and took the initiative to say: “This concubine has already sent someone into the palace to see aunty. Their movements are a bit slower than the attendants, so elder madam, please do not get anxious.”
Upon hearing that Cheng Jun Man had already sent someone to see the Empress, the matriarch finally calmed down slightly. Thinking a little more, she ordered the servants: “Go to the temple and let eldest young miss out! With this much happening in the family, there is no need to delve too deeply into that small matter.”
Upon hearing this, Fen Dai wanted to explode with fury. Her personal servant, Li Luo, grabbed her wrist and slightly shook her head, trying to tell her to calm down; however, how could Fen Dai be willing? Ignoring Li Luo’s objections, she said: “Grandmother, granddaughter still thinks I should take concubine mother Han and run! On one side, second sister has offended a great number of people, and now you have let out eldest sister. What if she tries to do something to harm concubine mother Han?”
The matriarch angrily scolded her: “Run, run, run! Where will you go? The child in Han shi’s belly is the Feng family’s child. If she is to die, she will die in the Feng manor!”
Kang Yi also said: “Fourth young miss must think carefully. If you want to leave now, it would be quite simple, but if you want to return later, that would be quite difficult.”
“What do you mean?” Fen Dai glared at Kang Yi: “Are you threatening me?”
Kang Yi shook her head, “I have not threatened you. I am just hoping that fourth young miss can have the heart to share the Feng family’s burden in troubling times and celebrate in times of prosperity. You are the Feng family’s daughter. Even if you ran away, where can you run away to?”
Fen Dai was rendered completely speechless. She glared at Kang Yi for a long time before reluctantly saying: “Then we won’t run away, but when the time comes that the Feng family is left without an heir, do not regret it!”
When Feng Jin Yuan arrived at the palace, the sky was already dark, but the palace’s gates had not been closed. Upon seeing him arrive, a eunuch immediately trotted over and saluted, saying: “Eunuch Zhang Yuan said that Prime minister Feng would definitely be coming tonight, so he had this servant come here and wait for my Lord. Who knew that Prime minister Feng would really come.”
Feng Jin Yuan trembled: “Eunuch Zhang knew that this prime minister would come? Speaking like this, his Majesty also knew?”
“Oh!” The eunuch said: “This servant does not dare say such a thing. Eunuch Zhang indeed had this servant wait for my Lord here. As for whether or not his Majesty knew, this lowly servant does not dare to say. Lord Feng, please.” Saying this, he gestured for him to enter, as he led Feng Jin Yuan into the palace.
Just as Feng Jin Yuan entered the palace, he turned around and saw a gatekeeper close the gate and lock it up. He was shocked, as he knew that he was most likely not going to be able to return home on this night.
Outside of the palace, the person who had come from the Feng manor immediately returned to report on the situation. On Feng Jin Yuan’s side, while being led by the eunuch, he arrived at the square in front of Heavenly Hall.
He immediately saw Feng Yu Heng kneeling there. Counting the hours, that girl had been kneeling for a very long time, but she did not appear to be tired. She continued to kneel there with her back straight. Who knew what she was thinking.
Taking another couple steps forward, he finally saw Feng Yu Heng’s expression. Feng Jin Yuan became even more puzzled.
what was this girl doing? Was she reciting scripture?
He saw Feng Yu Heng with her eyes closed and her lips slightly moving. It seemed like she was reading something, but she did not make a single sound. Her face was still without concern. She did not look as though she had been punished with kneeling. She was, however, kneeling, as the eunuch said: “County princess Ji An arrived in the afternoon and has been kneeling here the entire time. Has Prime minister Feng…”
“This prime minister is also here to kneel.” What else could Feng Jin Yuan say? Sweeping his robe, he simply kneeled at Feng Yu Heng’s side.
The eunuch glanced at him then did not say anything else. Turning around, he left. It was Feng Yu Heng who opened her eyes and glanced at him, asking: “Father only just arrived? I thought that you would come much sooner! You really don’t think much of this.”
“You.” Feng Jin Yuan was furious. He really wanted to scold her, but this was the imperial palace. How could he possibly speak as he pleased? He could only hold it in his heart and grit his teeth, quietly saying: “Wasn’t all of this caused by you!”
“Me?” Feng Yu Heng’s eyes also revealed an anger, “What did father just say? Daughter did not hear it clearly. Say it again.”
“I said that this trouble was entirely caused by you!” Feng Jin Yuan still had a desire to choke this daughter to death.
But Feng Yu Heng did not think that this was the case!
She spoke in a serious tone to Feng Jin Yuan, one word at a time: “Listen well, Xuan Tian Ye harmed my mother. This is a debt that has only partially been repaid. For every day that he is not dead, this debt shall not be considered completed. Also, aiding a tyrant in their deeds is something that I have remembered well. Who was it that formed a party to pursue their interests, who was it that secretly provided support, who was it that continued to send money to the Xiang Palace time and time again, and who was it that secretly helped Qian Zhou’s divine archery squad sneak into the country. These debts, one at a time, I will come to collect on them all. Don’t believe that you can fool this daughter just because I am young. Father, if we are playing dirty, you cannot beat me.”
Feng Jin Yuan’s leg trembled, as he lost balance and fell.
Feng Yu Heng, however, managed to hold him up in time, “Since you have come to beg for forgiveness, kneel properly. What sort of thing is meant by sitting here?”
Feng Jin Yuan quickly returned to kneeling, the cold pavement causing his knees to hurt.
“Just kneel!” Feng Yu Heng let go and faintly said: “You need to prepare yourself to kneel here for the night. Oh, that’s not right. I can go back tomorrow morning, but it’s not certain for you. It’s possible that you will need to kneel for longer.”
Feng Jin Yuan was puzzled, “How do you know that you can definitely return tomorrow morning?”
Feng Yu Heng giggled a couple times: “Because tomorrow morning, Xuan Tian Ming will return! Hah, father, how many years has it been since you’ve kneeled? It’s shameful, right? Your knees hurt, right? Endure a little. Who told you to commit such sins?”
Her words were said clearly. Feng Jin Yuan was angered to his limits, but he could not rebut. He finally understood. Out of all the things that he had done, not a single one had been hidden from Feng Yu Heng. The things that he thought he had done without leaving a trace were discovered by her. What could he still say? Could he deny it? He did not believe that Feng Yu Heng would believe it.
Feng Jin Yuan slowly closed his eyes and no longer spoke with Feng Yu Heng, but his thoughts were like a raging sea. This was not the first time that he had thought of getting rid of Feng Yu Heng, but in the end, he was just putting on airs and making use of others. At the time the Chen family and Feng Chen Yu had taken action, he himself had feigned ignorance to avoid stopping them.
But this time, Feng Jin Yuan really wanted to personally take action and get rid of this daughter.
Feng Yu Heng could no longer be kept around. This was the feeling that welled up within him, time and time again. This time, it came with even more determination!
Inside Heavenly Hall, the military officers had long since left the palace. Only the Emperor remained in the hall alone. Although he had a blanket, he was a little absent-minded.
Zhang Yuan brought up a new cup of tea then quietly said: “Your Majesty, Prime minister Feng finally arrived. He is kneeling outside with county princess.”
The Emperor coldly snorted, “Only coming after the sky is dark. He really is serious.”
Zhang Yuan followed the flow of what he said: “The hours that he missed can be made up for tomorrow. Your Majesty, do not get angry and injure you body.”
The Emperor put his pen on the table and took a sip of tea. He then glanced sideways in a shifty manner and asked Zhang Yuan: “Say, that side’s people, will they be able to come?”