The matriarch angrily stared at the servant and asked Jin Zhen: “Who is this person?”
Jin Zhen was smart. Earlier, she had only been occupied with shouting to grab this person. She had completely forgotten that she needed to pretend that she had no idea about this incident. Thankfully, she was smart enough and immediately found an excuse: “This servant was sneaking looks inside. If we did not catch her, what if she began speaking out randomly. Wouldn’t the Feng family suffer at her hands?”
The matriarch nodded, “You have done well.”
Feng Jin Yuan did not have the patience to waste any time dealing with a servant and simply waved his hand: “Since she did not have any good intentions, there is no need for her to wake up again.” Saying this, he gaze the hidden guard a look. The hidden guard began to move, and in the blink of an eye, he arrived beside the servant. They could not see what he did, but when he returned to Chen Yu’s side, the servant’s head had been cut off.
Xiang Rong trembled in fear. On this night, she had seen too much bloodshed. She was, after all, just a ten year old girl. This scene caused her legs to turn soft from fear.
An shi also found it hard to endure. Pulling Xiang Rong, she said to the matriarch: “Third young miss is still young and can’t handle seeing this sort of scene. This concubine will be bringing third young miss back first.”
The matriarch waved her hand: “Go! Everyone can go!”
An shi glanced at Yao shi and gave a comforting look before taking Xiang Rong and leaving.
Wang Chuan supported Yao shi and quietly said: “Madam, do not hold any further hope in Prime Minister Feng. His Highness should be arriving shortly.”
Yao shi’s heart finally calmed down a little, but there was still a little anger left with no place to vent it. She looked at Feng Jin Yuan and coldly asked him: “Eldest young master and eldest young miss using poison to harm A-Heng, what do you say to that?”
Feng Jin Yuan’s heart was in a bit of disarray and could not help but loudly shout “What more do you want? Between the two, one is dead and one is crippled. Yao shi, you vile woman, what exactly is it that you want?”
“Very well, I am a vile woman.” Yao shi stared straight at Feng Jin Yuan, “I just want to know what you think after finding out that your second daughter was poisoned by your eldest daughter. How was it that I became a vile woman?” She advanced a few steps, her forehead practically bumping against Feng Jin Yuan’s nose, “Remember well, sooner or later, a day will come where you will come to me and beg!” After she finished speaking, she turned around: “We’re going!” Wang Chuan and Huang Quan immediately followed her. Right as they left, they did not forget to give Feng Jin Yuan a scornful glance.
Feng Jin Yuan angrily shouted: “Forget you! This prime minister will never in this lifetime beg anything of you!”
Han shi, however, suddenly covered her mouth and began giggling. She giggled as she walked out. After she passed through the doorway, she said: “The Yao family is filled with divine doctors!”
These words were like a nail that stuck in Feng Jin Yuan’s mind. How could he forget. The Yao family had divine doctors. For him to keep Chen Yu from dying, did that not mean he held a glimmer of hope for her? Whether or not this hope would be realized depended not only on managing and working with her, he had to find a good doctor.
And under the heavens, who was the best doctor?
It was Feng Yu Heng’s maternal grandfather and Yao shi’s father, Yao Xian.
Feng Jin Yuan’s eyebrows twitched, as he looked in the direction of the parting Yao shi. Only then did he understand what Yao shi meant when she said “Sooner or later, you will come to beg me.”
In the room, the ones taking care of the cleaning were all servants brought from the capital. Although they were all working like clockwork, they would not ignore the words of their masters.
Taking care of the corpses of Yi Yue and the little servant girl was slightly better; however, when they went to raised the corpse of Feng Zi Hao, the matriarch suddenly shouted “Don’t touch him!”
Feng Jin Yuan was startled and quickly went forward to comfort her: “Mother, at least put him in a coffin.”
“Coffin?” The matriarch stared at Feng Jin Yuan, “If you don’t bring the coffin in, where will you place Zi Hao? Jin Yuan, your son had done something wrong and should have been beaten and should have been killed; however, do you not feel for him?” She looked at her son and felt that she did not know when her son’s heart had become to rigid. “Is there really not a shred of remorse in your heart? If you properly raised Zi Hao from a young age, would he have turned out this way?”
Feng Chen Yu, who was originally kneeling on the ground properly suddenly raised her head and looked towards the matriarch. Her face was pale white and her eyes empty. With her eye sockets slightly sunken, she had a ghostly appearance.
The matriarch was stunned by fear and was a little too scared to look at Chen Yu’s eyes. Chen Yu, however, asked her at this time: “Are you complaining that Feng Zi Hao was wronged?”
Feng Jin Yuan frowned and scolded her: “Shut up!”
Chen Yu, however, could not be silenced, as she simply stood up from the ground and walked over to the matriarch. Large tears dripped from her eyes “Why do you complain for him? Did he die an injust death? Do you even know what he has done? Ever since I was little, you have been telling me that I am the aspect of the phoenix, and that I would be the future Empress! I can’t choose who I like and must pay attention to who the family chooses to support. In the end, I am no more than a chess piece. I must land wherever you need me to land. Now, however, I landed in Feng Zi Hao’s hands! Not only did he ruin me, he has ruined many years of the Feng family’s hopes! Old woman, you are actually complaining that this sort of person was wronged?”
“You…” The matriarch looked at Chen Yu, as her anger surged forth. She actually reached out her hand and began clamping down on Chen Yu’s neck, which caused Chen Yu to cough repeatedly; however, she did not release her grip. Feng Jin Yuan motioned to granny Zhao to restrain her a bit, but the matriarch had been insulted. How could she let go so easily. Chen Yu coughed while the matriarch said: “Feng Zi Hao was my grandson. He was the one who would carry on the family line! You were nothing more than a trickster of a girl. Even if you had the aspect of the phoenix, if the family did not support you, you would be nothing! You harmed your second sister, now you even harmed your own brother! Feng Chen Yu, you are just as horrid as your dead Chen shi! You are just as disgusting!”
The matriarch finally grew tired from choking her and speaking. Forcefully pushing Chen Yu back, she also sat down on the ground.
Granny Zhao, who had also worked up a sweat, helped the matriarch up. Fortunately, the matriarch could be considered wide awake, as she reminded Feng Jin Yuan: “Since you have made the decision, I will not say too much else. But the manner in which you will seal everyone’s mouths, you must think of a thorough solution. Also, Zi Hao’s coffin must be a good one. Even if he can not enter the ancestral grave, he must be closer to your father. When he was alive, he doted on Zi Hao the most.”
Feng Jin Yuan solemnly nodded and advised granny Zhao: “Quickly bring her back.”
Granny Zhao promised then quickly supported the matriarch and walked away.
In the room, only Jin Zhen remained at his side. Feng Jin Yuan looked at her and sighed: “Fortunately, your head ache led us here tonight. Otherwise, who knows what sorts of things would have happened.”
Jin Zhen also had a sad look, as her heart was filled with prayers. Feng Yu Heng absolutely must not have been intoxicated by this drug!
“You should also go back first.” He patted Jin Zhen on the shoulder, “Is your head still hurting?”
Jin Zhen shook her head, “Since such a big thing occurred in the family, how could this concubine use something as small as a head ache to trouble husband. Husband, do not worry, this concubine is fine.”
Feng Jin Yuan was moved: “Only you are the best. Go, go back and rest.”
Finally, Jin Zhen also left. Feng Jin Yuan gave orders to the servants: “Bring the eldest young master’s body to a proper place in the side room. First thing in the morning, go buy a coffin. Remember, anyone who dares reveal anything that happened tonight, do not blame this prime minister for killing your entire family.”
The servants had worked in the Feng manor for many years. How could they not know at least this much. Although the happenings of the night made for a fantastic tale, but in a noble’s house, what sort of odd happenings had they not seen before. Ever since the original shock, they had already recovered, so they all replied: “Master, these servants did not see anything.”
Feng Jin Yuan was very satisfied.
Only after the room was finished being cleaned did Feng Jin Yuan look towards Feng Chen Yu once more.
She was still seated on the ground, remaining in the same position as when the matriarch had pushed her. Her eyes no longer had the same light they once had. As a whole, she looked more or less like a zombie.
Feng Jin Yuan slightly closed his eyes. He sincerely hoped that the happenings of this night were a dream. Like that, he would not lose a son and would not have wasted a daughter.
Unfortunately, this brother and sister pair could only blame themselves!
“Over the years, father has taught you plenty of things.” He slowly began speaking and sorted out the things that had happened over the years, “From the Four Books and Five Classics to the four arts1, you were not proficient in all of them, but a normal person could never compare to you. But why is it when something happens, you can not bear to strike first?” He truly could not understand, “Chen Yu, oh Chen Yu, is that all that there is to your mind? When your mother was still alive, she praised you for being smart. Father also believes you to be very smart, but how is it that you were so smart that you were ruined by your own cleverness?”
Chen Yu raised her head and looked at Feng Jin Yuan with her empty eyes. With a hoarse throat, she said: “I just want to kill Feng Yu Heng.”
“Fool!” Feng Jin Yuan suddenly flicked his sleeve and pointed at Chen Yu, saying: “You are made of porcelain, so why are you constantly ramming against an earthen jar? Are you stupid or have you learn to pretend to be stupid?” Feng Jin Yuan was nearly losing it with Chen Yu, “Father has raised you for so many years. For what purpose, you should be very clear. How is it that the moment Feng Yu Heng returned to the manor, she could cause you to end up like this? Could you not ignore her? She has her own courtyard, which is very far away. You two could very well live in peace without trouble, so why must you fight her head on?”
Chen Yu did not understand why either. In the beginning, she only felt that Feng Yu Heng was a bit of an eyesore; however, after that, there was a period where she thought like Feng Jin Yuan. She did not want to pay any heed to Feng Yu Heng, but that girl seemed to take the initiative to look for her.
“Father…” Chen Yu finally began crying. She understood. Since her father forgave her and allowed her to live, it meant that he still held some hope for her. There was no longer any meaning in finding out who wronged who. Presently, her father was the one who controlled whether she lived or died and was the master of her destiny. She directly hugged Feng Jin Yuan’s leg and began begging while crying: “Daughter was wrong. Daughter truly knows that she was wrong. I beg father to save daughter. Daughter does not want to be given up on by the Feng family!”
Feng Jin Yuan looked at the daughter he had placed the most hope in and felt an ebb and flow in his heart.
He knew at heart that the matters of tonight definitely had someone secretly acting. He did not know why the drug Chen Yu used on Feng Yu Heng would end up being used on herself. Nor why Feng Zi Hao suddenly arrived in Chen Yu’s room in the middle of the night? There was definitely a problem with this scenario. As for this problem, it was very likely something to do with Huang Quan and Wang Chuan.
But even if that was the case, so what? Chen Yu was the first to harm the other. They were only giving her a taste of her own medicine. Taking a step back, even if the other side was unreasonable, what could he do to those two girls? They had made it perfectly clear. If he was unhappy, they would fight. Can your hidden guard defeat us?
Feng Jin Yuan felt his head hurt. He moved his leg a little and shook Chen Yu off his leg, “For these few days, do not leave your room. I will arrange for us to quickly return to the capital. Just safely stay here. Even after we return to the capital, do not casually leave the manor. The matters on the outside, father will make arrangements. The marriage between you and the third prince will be quickly decided upon. Somethings… will need to be hastened.”
“But…” Upon hearing that it was still a marriage to the third prince, Chen Yu could not help but feel afraid, “Now that daughter…”
Feng Jin Yuan obviously understand what she meant. She was no longer a virgin. After she married over, was there not going to be a problem?
“You do not need to worry about such matters.” He collected himself and continued: “Father naturally has arrangements.”
Early in the morning the next day, in the Qi Feng Mountain range, there was a group of soldiers protecting a carriage that sneaked into Feng Tong county.
1: Four books and five classics of Confucianism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Books_and_Five_Classics
The four arts are, lute/zither playing, chess, calligraphy and painting.