Finally, the 49 needles were completed. Chen Yu’s bed with soaked with her sweat. The matriarch and Feng Jin Yuan along with the servant were dead tired.
Feng Yu Heng cleaned her hands while she had Huang Quan put away the silver needles. At the same time, she faintly said: “This is truly a strange illness. If A-Heng were any slower to begin the acupuncture, perhaps eldest sister would never have woken up again in this lifetime.”
The matriarch felt a wave of fear wash over her and could not help but glare at Feng Jin Yuan: “Thankfully, I went to call Feng Yu Heng over. If we kept waiting for the doctor you called, then you would not even have a chance to feel regret over Chen Yu.”
Feng Jin Yuan felt this situation was very odd, especially the way Chen Yu’s eyes were filled with resentment when she woke up. She was like a poisonous scorpion that wanted to kill Feng Yu Heng. How could that be the appearance of someone who had just woken up?
He seemed to have realized something. Looking at Chen Yu’s hand that was riddled with holes, his entire body froze. Could it be that Chen Yu had feigned her illness, but he and the matriarch had brought Feng Yu Heng here, which caused her to suffer?
Feng Yu Heng saw that Feng Jin Yuan was beginning to understand. Knowing that he had thought of something, she could not help but raise the corners of her lips.
This Feng family, it truly was becoming more and more interesting!
“Feng Yu Heng!” Feng Jin Yuan gritted his teeth and looked at this daughter, hating that he could not personally beat her to death, “You have such a cruel heart!”
These words were said very quietly, as they were squeezed out from between the gaps in his teeth.
Feng Yu Heng looked at him with innocent eyes and suddenly let out a beautiful but malicious laugh. She said: “What of it?”
That’s right! What of it?
Even if Feng Jin Yuan guessed that Chen Yu was feigning illness, could he expose it? Would Chen Yu dare admit it?
Aside from the father and daughter that realized it, neither could do anything about it. Chen Yu had been poked 49 times, yet she still had to appear deeply grateful. This made the two want to spit fire.
“Alright.” The matriarch wiped away some sweat with the help of granny Zhao then said: “Since Chen Yu has woken up, I can relax.” She gave some orders to the servants in the room: “Help the eldest young miss change her clothes. Change her sheets as well. They have all been soaked in sweat. Save the bath for later to avoid catching a cold.”
The servants nodded and set to work.
The matriarch looked again towards Feng Yu Heng, her eyes full of gratitude: “A-Heng has truly been troubled. You already did not get any sleep yesterday, and you were woken up in the middle of the night today. Grandmother is truly sorry.”
Feng Yu Heng comforted her: “Grandmother, do not say such things. To say nothing of eldest sister’s illness, even if it were someone else, so long as grandmother asked, A-Heng will definitely take action.”
The matriarch that she had a lot of face and repeatedly praised A-Heng for being good. She then held Feng Yu Heng’s hand and left the courtyard.
When only Feng Jin Yuan and Chen Yu were left, Feng Jin Yuan really wanted to ask if Chen Yu’s illness was faked. But when he saw the resentment on Chen Yu’s face, he felt that there was no need to ask. The answer was obvious, but he did not know why Chen Yu would feign such an illness.
After returning to Tong Sheng pavilion, Huang Quan finally exploded in laughter after holding it in. Holding on to an old tree, she shook as she laughed.
Feng Yu Heng waited patiently for her to finish laughing then said: “Was it really that funny?”
Huang Quan vigorously nodded: “Too funny! Young miss, this trick of yours really was fiendish. If the prince knew, he would also praise you like this.”
Feng Yu Heng held her forehead, fiendish? This was considered praise? Your Prince Yu’s Palace really is original with its praise!
The next day, Feng Yu Heng slept until noon. When she woke up, Yao shi was sitting at her bedside and sewing some clothes.
She sat up and rubbed her eyes, “What is mother doing here? What are you sewing?”
Yao shi smiled, “I am making some inner clothes for you and Zi Rui. I am just a few stitches away from finishing.”
“Didn’t the manor already provide clothes? Why is mother wasting time on this?” She reached out and touched the white cloth. It was incredibly soft and indeed of higher quality than what the manor provided.
“This is something your concubine mother An specially went out and had people look for. There is not much of the fabric. There is only enough to make one piece for each of you three children.” Yao shi put down her work and patted Feng Yu Heng’s hair, “Previously, when we were in the mountains, you could not eat well. Your hair was always yellow and sparse. Now, not only is your hair growing well, you have become quite a beauty.”
Feng Yu Heng could tell that there was another meaning within Yao shi’s words. Looking at her for a while, she resolutely said: “Mother, if you have something to say, say it directly. There is no need for this.”
Yao shi sighed and held her hand: “A-Heng, there are some things that mother does not want to ask, but holding it in is too painful. In the future, if anyone else asks, I do not know how to respond.”
“Mother is wanting to ask when I learned to use a bow, right?” She knew that although Yao shi did not personally see the skills she revealed the night of the banquet, there was no possibility that the people of the manor would not speak of it. Yao shi had always been one with a heavy heart. Having doubts was normal.
She brought out a commonly used excuse: “It was a Persian eccentric that taught me.”
“Is there really a Persian eccentric?” Yao shi simply followed up with this question.
Feng Yu Heng smiled, “Mother, if you believe it, then there is one. If you do not believe it, then there isn’t one. I am your daughter, so I will not harm you.”
Yao shi saw that she did not want to say anything further. Being able to give an excuse like this was just so she could give an explanation if anyone asked in the future.
She was helpless, but she did not pursue this matter any further, only saying: “I am your mother, and I am only worried about your well being.”
Sending off Yao shi, Feng Yu Heng could not help but think more about it.
Yao shi was already beginning to have questions. She could use “Persian eccentric” to fool other people, but it could not deceive the mother she had lived with in the mountain village.
Today, she only asked. If she had more questions in the future that were hard to answer, she feared that this would become a bigger and bigger knot.
It seemed that she had to find a way to distance herself from Yao shi. Send her to Xiao Zhou to accompany Zi Rui?
Feng Yu Heng thought about it for a while, but she also understood that this did not need to be rushed. Presently, there were too many unknown factors. Firstly, she had to ensure Yao shi’s safety. Escaping from under her eyes, this matter needed further consideration.
That afternoon, Qing Yu brought back some news: “The Bu family is conducting a funeral. Right now, the entire capital is discussing the funeral of Lord Bu.”
Only then did she remember the Lord Bu who had been smashed to death by his own daughter. That might be the most depressing way to die in the world, right?
“The funeral must be quite large, right?” She ate desserts while speaking with Qing Yu.
Qing Yu poured her a cup of tea and nodded, replying: “Regardless of circumstance, he was still a second rank official. Moreover, there is still head imperial concubine Bu’s face to consider. How could it not be well-attended. Yesterday evening, Wonderful Treasure House sold a cicada mouthpiece. This servant sent someone to ask around after that and found that it was the Bu family that bought it.”
The so-called cicada mouthpiece was really just an ancient funeral item. It was placed in the deceased perseon’s mouth to hold down the tongue. The cicada mouthpiece was made of jade in the shape of a cicada. The jade means for the spirit to never die, while the cicada symbolized rebirth. Normally, wealthy families were extremely particular about it. The Bu family buying a cicada mouthpiece for Lord Bu’s funeral showed that they really attached importance to this.
“Has there been any movement from the Bu family?” Recently, the one who had been walking around outside the most was Qing Yu. Feng Yu Heng gradually became accustomed to inquiring about things from Qing Yu. If she had anything to do, she would go find Wang Chuan and Huang Quan.
“The partner at Wonderful Treasure House heard the two people who came to buy the cicada mouthpiece chatting. It seems they said that they have already sent a letter to the great general at the border, telling him to hurry home for the funeral of his father.”
Feng Yu Heng was very interested in this piece of news. She was also very satisfied with the performance of that partner at Wonderful Treasure House. She told Qing Yu: “Give the partner that heard this news two taels as a reward. At the same time, make it clear to them that any news they heard, they must not tell anyone else. Aside from you and me, anyone else that wants to learn any information must do so with my waist plate.” As she spoke, she pulled out the waist plate that the matriarch had especially made for her and Xiang Rong before the banquet and handed it to Qing Yu: “Look carefully at this. I will use this for now. In the future, when I have found something more appropriate, I will naturally switch.”
Qing Yu was a smart servant. She understood the meaning behind Feng Yu Heng’s words. “Young miss, you are wanting to train informants. Do not worry, this servant will definitely keep watch over the people of the three shops. At the same time, this servant will also pay close attention to people who are fit to be trained.”
“Recently, you have been handling the matters on the outside, so I am reassured. Only, the people you have noticed need to not only pay attention to business. Just like the matter with the informants, they must also work seriously. They can not be good looking, but they also can not be ugly. It would be best for them to be the type that can blend in with a very ordinary face. Like this, they will not leave any impression on others and can be used more.”
Qing Yu nodded: “This servant has remembered it. Yesterday, young miss mentioned wanting to bring in more helpers, thus this servant also made some decisions. A group of people can be brought in for young miss to choose tomorrow.”
“There is no need for me to choose. You can directly bring the people into the manor. I trust you.” She did not want to do everything herself. She had to leave some room for her subordinates to grow. Even if the people Qing Yu chose were not good, or even bad, it was also an experience to learn from. The reason she was developing people like Qing Yu was so they could support the heavens even if she were not there.
Qing Yu was very grateful for Feng Yu Heng’s trust, rather she was moved.
She originally did not dare act as a normal maidservant that took care of people. Feng Yu Heng putting her to work like this made it so she could practically make use of all her abilities. By allowing her to handle things on her own, it brought back her past self-confidence.
Qing Yu believed that there would not be another master like Feng Yu Heng in this lifetime.
The master and servant chatted for a little while longer before Qing Yu left the manor with her work. Feng Yu Heng called for Huang Quan and ordered: “Find a way to investigate Bu Cong. The more information the better.”
Huang Quan nodded in compliance, but she also reminded her: “That sort of thing needs to be inquired from his Highness’ side. Or we could borrow people from his side to investigate.”
Feng Yu Heng faintly sighed: “Go, either way, we are lacking people at the moment.”
Watching Huang Quan quickly leave, Feng Yu Heng could not help but feel a little anxious. In this era without convenient communication or transportation, how important was it to create a reliable information network!
Bu Cong, that was the man that she had supposedly had some disputes with, and he was returning to the capital. Why was it that when she heard this news, she felt a little panicked?
That day, when she had heard the story relating to the body’s original owner and Bu Cong’s past, she had taken it as a beautiful story. She even listened to it with a bit of a desire for gossip.
Now, however, intuition told her that Bu Cong returning to the capital could be a disaster for the Feng manor, or rather for her, Feng Yu Heng…