After Feng Yu Heng said “Who is outside” The first to react was Wang Chuan. Like the wind, she turned and arrived at the door in an instant. Pulling the door open with one hand, she reached out with the other to grab the person’s collar.
The person outside trembled in fear and quickly said: “Sister Wang Chuan! It’s me!”
Wang Chuan stared over and saw that it was Qing Shuang. Only then did she let out.
Qing Shuang had been quite seriously frightened, as her face had turned pale. Seeing Wang Chuan let out, she finally let out a sigh: “You scared me to death! Sister Wang Chuan, I was worried that young miss would be hungry at night, so I specially prepared a soup and brought it over. I was just wondering whether I should come in or not if young miss had not woken up.”
Wang Chuan moved to the side, “I thought there was someone looking through the cracks of the door in the middle of the night. Come in, young miss is awake.”
Only then did Qing Shuang step into the room and placed the bowl before Feng Yu Heng, “Young miss has not eaten anything from noon to now. Now that it is night time, it would be best to not eat too much. Just have some soup to fill your stomach for now.”
“Un.” Feng Yu Heng did not say anything. She only nodded, and Qing Shuang did not remain for long. After putting down the food, she left.
Even after Qing Shuang left, Feng Yu Heng still had a pensive look. Wang Chuan could see what she was thinking and could not help but say: “It has been some time since Qing Shuang entered the manor. Both inside and outside the manor, it is her who manages things, and she has never made a mistake. Is young miss being too nervous?”
“Really?” Feng Yu Heng smiled wryly and shook her head, “I hope that I am being too nervous, but take a look” She said this and pointed at the bowl of soup on the table.
Wang Chuan was shocked, “Is there a problem with the soup?”
“No.” She said: “The soup is a very good soup, but Wang Chuan, we are both trained in martial arts, and we both know how much of a shock a person should be given by your strength. Despite suffering such a large shock, she was actually able to steadily bring the bowl of soup over without spilling any. Tell me, am I being too nervous?”
Hearing Feng Yu Heng say it like this, Wang Chuan also felt that something was not right. Just now, Qing Shuang’s face had turned pale from fear, but her hands remained steady. This was not something a normal servant was capable of.
“This servant will go chase her down!” Wang Chuan furrowed her brow tightly and turned to leave; however, Feng Yu Heng called for her to stop.
“Wait a little.” She stopped Wang Chuan, “No rush. Let’s take a look at what she hoped to accomplish by mingling into our courtyard.”
Wang Chuan stopped and thought for a little, but she was still worried, “I will keep watch for young miss tonight.”
“You still need to prepare to head towards Xiao Zhou tomorrow. If you truly can not keep calm, call Huang Quan over.”
That night, Huang Quan stayed outside of Feng Yu Heng’s room, but the person inside did not sleep much, either.
Feng Yu Heng was wondering, if there was a problem with Qing Shuang, where would it be? Who did she serve? When did she begin serving that master? Did it happen before she entered the manor or after?
She truly hoped that it was after. After all, the people that could be seen here at Tong Sheng pavilion were mostly the Feng family’s people. She did not fear the people of the Feng family. But what she did fear was that it had happened before entering the manor. That would mean that she had been targeted when Qing Yu had begun selecting new maidservants. To have drawn up such a long battle line and put in so much thought, it truly caused her to feel flattered.
The next day before noon, Feng Yu Heng went to the matriarch’s side to pay respects. When she arrived, Chen Yu was pouring tea for the matriarch.
Seeing her arrive, the matriarch subconsciously sat up a little straighter. She was a little nervous, but she did not know what she was nervous about.
Feng Yu Heng stepped forward and bowed: “Granddaughter pays respects to grandmother.”
“A-Heng has come.” The matriarch looked at her and wanted to smile, but she could not, “Quickly sit.”
“I won’t be sitting.” Feng Yu Heng, however, gave her a thin smile, “A-Heng came here to pay respects to grandmother and to tell grandmother that after noon, A-Heng will be going into the palace to apologize to father Emperor for my mistakes.”
The matriarch’s heart had been on edge since yesterday. Hearing that Feng Yu Heng would be entering the palace today, her nervousness became even more apparent “Nothing will happen when you go into the palace, right?”
Feng Yu Heng blinked a few times, “Does grandmother feel like something will happen?”
“That…” The matriarch could not say, but there were somethings that would cause her to feel panicked if they remained unasked, “You could not heal his Highness Prince Yu’s legs, will the Emperor blame you?”
Feng Yu Heng responded with a question: “So what if I am blamed? So what if I am not blamed? Is grandmother worrying about A-Heng or the Feng family?”
The matriarch was rendered speechless, as she did not know how to respond. Instead, it was granny Zhao who spoke for her: “Elder madam is worried for second young miss. After all, second young miss will need to spend a lifetime with his Highness.”
Granny Zhao avoided the serious matters and spoke on the lighter topics by speaking of Feng Yu Heng’s personal happiness. The matriarch nodded, “That’s the reasoning.” Thinking a little more, she added: “After you have entered the palace and met his Majesty, you must speak properly and gently if possible. If his Majesty cares very much about his Highness’ legs, do not speak too firmly. Next time, there will be another opportunity. At that time, treat it carefully. If that is no good… if that is still no good, just send a letter to Huang Zhou. Ask divine doctor Yao to see if anything can be done. Either way, A-Heng, you must remember. You are currently the Feng manor’s daughter of the first wife. When you receive glory, the whole manor receives glory. When you fail, the whole manor fails!”
“A-Heng understands.” She did not say anything further. The matriarch had already made herself clear. The Feng family must not collapse, and it absolutely must not suffer because of the matter between her and the ninth prince.
After Feng Yu Heng left Shu Ya courtyard, the matriarch’s mind was constantly on edge. Even if Chen Yu consoled her a great deal, it did nothing.
Only when Xiang Rong went to pay respects did the matriarch suddenly recall the previous palace banquet. The seventh prince had sent people to deliver clothes to Xiang Rong. She did not know what she was thinking, but she said to Xiang Rong: “In a while, when your second sister leaves for the palace, you will also leave the manor and head to the Chun Palace. Go and ask his Highness the seventh prince.”
Xiang Rong was startled, “What does grandmother want to ask about?”
“Of course ask whether or not anything will happen to your second sister in the palace!” The matriarch let out a heavy sigh, “She is going into the palace to admit and apologize for her mistakes. What if his Majesty becomes angry and punishes her. It will be likely that our manor will also be punished. You are a little more familiar with his Highness the seventh prince, so you can go and ask around. That way, we can make some preparations.”
Xiang Rong was a little troubled. How could she and Xuan Tian Hua be considered familiar. The clothes that were sent last time were sent because of her second sister’s advice. Xuan Tian Hua was merely helping out. Now, the matriarch wanted her to visit the Chun Palace, and she truly did not have any idea if they would see her.
Seeing Xiang Rong hesitate, Chen Yu was a little anxious. Glancing at the matriarch, she tried probing the situation: “How about… Chen Yu goes.”
The matriarch glanced sideways at her, “Why would you go?”
“Chen Yu is also acquainted with his Highness!” Her heart was filled with hope, as she looked at the matriarch, “How about Chen Yu and third sister go together. That way, we can ask more thoroughly.”
The matriarch quietly snorted and waved her hand, “No need. Xiang Rong alone will be enough. You should just obediently stay at home. Avoid going out as much as possible.”
These words put an end to Chen Yu’s thoughts of love, and it also caused a child who had always been timid and kept a low profile like Xiang Rong to be placed on a list in her mind. The hatred Chen Yu felt for Feng Yu Heng somehow shifted slightly to Xiang Rong. Her gaze was now filled with venom.
“Quickly go tidy up and change your clothes. When you go, you must thoroughly ask about it. His Highness the seventh prince has always been close with his Highness the ninth prince. You will definitely be able to hear some news.”
Xiang Rong was rushed out of Shu Ya courtyard by the matriarch. Upon returning home, she told An shi then changed her clothes. Only then did she hurriedly leave the manor and head towards the Chun Palace.
When she left, Feng Yu Heng had not left long before. Xiang Rong did not know what exactly would happen when Feng Yu Heng entered the palace this time. But the matriarch’s worries also affected her. She felt worried that something would happen, but she could not say what exactly would happen.
The carriage stopped before the Chun Palace’s entrance, and Xiang Rong exited the carriage. Raising her head, she looked at the sign with the words Chun Palace inscribed in large characters. She could not help but feel her heart tremble.
This palace was a place that she had fantasized about, including the person residing within it. Every time she saw him, she would feel overwhelmed, and she would not even dare to raise her head. Clearly, that person seemed to be bathed in the Spring breeze and appeared to have good intentions. But he was still able to cause her to be extremely nervous.
For example, she was already standing before the palace’s entrance, but she did not have the courage to take another step forward. Just like that, she stood there at the entrance for a long time. Up until the palace’s gates opened up and a servant seemed to want to come out. Seeing her, he curiously went forward and asked: “Which family’s young miss are you? Why are you standing before our palace’s gates?”
Xiang Rong recovered her mentality and finally replied: “I am the Feng family’s third young miss. I want… I request to meet with his Highness Prince Chun.”
“Feng family’s third young miss?” The servant pondered for a while, “From Prime minister Feng’s family?”
“Un.”
“Then please wait a little. This lowly one will go in to report. But whether or not his Highness will receive you will remain to be seen.” The servant finished speaking then ran back inside.
Fortunately, she was not kept waiting for too long. Very quickly, a granny came out and saluted Xiang Rong: “Paying respects to third young miss. His Highness is currently inside. Third young miss, please follow this old servant.”
Xiang Rong quickly responded: “Granny has been too modest. Xiang Rong should be the one to ask how you are.”
The granny smiled then glanced at Xiang Rong and could not help but nod. She had heard that the Feng family had four young misses. The eldest young miss was exceptionally beautiful. The second young miss was both intelligent and courageous. The third young miss was delicate and lovable. The fourth young miss was rude and unreserved. She knew the second young miss, and now it seemed that the third young miss was indeed delicate and lovable. She was also very well-mannered.
This was the first time Xiang Rong entered the Chun Palace. Although she really wanted to carefully look around, she could not bring herself to raise her head at all. She could only follow behind the granny and walk further inside. They walked straight, then turned a corner, then walked around a small pond, then passed through a small forest. Finally, when they stopped, Xiang Rong felt that if she were told to go back by the same route, she would become lost.
“Third young miss, please wait here for a while. His Highness will be here shortly.” The granny left Xiang Rong in a guest hall and informed a servant to take care of the tea. After that, she left.
Xiang Rong finally let out a sigh of relief. Looking at the cup of tea that was brought up, it was a cup made of white jade, and inside there was a water lily calming floating. It was just like Xuan Tian Hua as a person, divine and calm.
But Xiang Rong was unable to calm down. At this very moment, her mind was filled with the thought, I have arrived at his Highness the seventh prince’s home.
However, what of it?
An shi’s words remained in her mind. She knew that there were some things she could not even contemplate. There were some roads, where if she took a single step, she would end up in hell. She did not have the courage, and she did not have that blessing.
“How come third young miss has come?” While she was thinking, a voice floated over. It was like a Spring breeze that instantly melted all signs of Winter.