Everyone took a deep breath and did not exhale for a long time. Only when they nearly suffocated themselves did they exhale once more. Who knows who was the first to begin applauding.
For a while, the applause was thunderous. Even the Emperor himself could not help but repeatedly cheer “Good! Good! Good!” The words of praise were like they came from imperial concubine Yun, giving Feng Yu Heng a feeling of affirmation.
Feng Yu Heng turned her head around to look at Xuan Tian Ming. She saw that person give her the thumbs up. She felt a little bit proud from having been praised by the person she liked. That was a joyous feeling that could not be expressed.
Although she had recovered some of her qi gong abilities, it certainly was not to the point of routinely shooting arrows 100 paces. She could only make use of the things she had learned from various instructors in her previous life. Although it was considered a trick, it was quite magnificent went put on display.
The imperial guards present had already run over to the target and simply brought the entire thing over to the Emperor, “Your Majesty, please look. Young miss Feng shot it 100 paces and hit the bullseye.”
The Emperor’s face displayed a very rarely seen smile, but tonight, it was for Feng Yu Heng. He nodded his head then waved to Feng Yu Heng: “Girl, come here.”
Feng Yu Heng quickly went over and knelt down: “This humble girl, Feng Yu Heng, greets your Majesty.”
The Emperor smiled so hard that he almost could not close his mouth. Personally going forward, he helped her up then stared at her for a while before saying: “What are you saying humble girl for? You are the daughter-in-law We chose for Ming’er. Although you have yet to marry, sooner or later, we will be family. I heard that you have begun calling imperial concubine Yun, imperial concubine mother, and you have begun calling Hua’er seventh brother. Thus, you should call Us Father Emperor!”
Everyone that had come today felt that their brains were being overloaded. The amount of information was too much, and they had no time to install expansion hard drives! When had Da Shun’s Emperor become so easy to approach? Was he not one with an explosive temper? Was he not subject to mood swings? Was he not merciless and unfeeling? Why was it that he was so completely different on this night?”
Of course, the person most envious was Bu Ni Shang! Both of them were daughter-in-laws that had yet to marry, but the Emperor only allowed Feng Yu Heng to call him Father Emperor without giving her a single glance. She stared sideways at the fourth prince, her gaze asking: What is the meaning of this?
The fourth prince naturally could not resolve her doubts. Don’t speak of how Bu Ni Shang did not understand, even he as his son could not understand. But, the Emperor had always favored the ninth prince. From childhood to now, when had the ninth prince not received something he desired? He could do whatever he wanted to do. Being able to kill the previous head imperial concubine with a crack of the whip, yet Father Emperor did not even scold him once. Thinking of these precedents, he did not feel that this was odd at all.
As for Feng Yu Heng, she still had a smile, as she looked at the Emperor, she appeared quite clever. It was as though she were a completely different person from the one who was so valiant on the archery competition field. At this moment, she was just a twelve year old girl. When she heard the recognition from her elders, she appeared happy, shy and a little bit proud as she smiled.
Feng Yu Heng kowtowed and said: “Daughter-in-law thanks Father Emperor for this great kindness.”
At the same time, a person squeezed out from the crowd. It was Prime Minister Feng Jin Yuan.
His daughter had received such a great kindness. As her father, since he was present, him coming to give thanks alongside her was logical. Thus, he quickly knelt down as well and fully lowered his head: “This official thanks Imperial Emperor for the kindness.”
The Emperor nodded, but he looked at Feng Jin Yuan and asked: “Old man Yao’s granddaughter, as We remember it, was the Feng family’s daughter to the first wife, right? During the palace banquets of previous years, the Feng family’s daughter to the first wife never came. We originally thought it was Minister Feng that considered these sorts of things beneath you. Now, however, it seems that We have misunderstood Minister Feng. Such a good daughter really should be hidden away to keep others from catching a glimpse of her and coming to fight with Ming’er over her.”
These words caused the kneeling Feng Jin Yuan’s face to turn bright red then a pale white.
He truly did not understand what the Emperor meant. The matter from three years ago was clearly the court lowering the value of the Yao family. That very night, he made his position clear, and the Emperor was quite happy. Now, however, it seemed that he had completely forgotten about what had happened three years ago. How could he…. tell such lies so boldly?
Feng Jin Yuan was not the only one going crazy. Standing behind Qing Le, Feng Chen Yu was losing it even more. Daughter to the first wife, these five words were a slap to her face! She, a daughter to the first wife, had to darken her face and pretend to be a servant to get into this banquet. Feng Yu Heng was clearly a concubine’s daughter, yet everyone remembered her as being the Feng manor’s original daughter to the first wife. Then what exactly was Chen Yu?
Her heart filled with feelings of hate, as she gritted her teeth and asked Qing Le: “The things we have prepared, will it really work?”
Qing Le also hated Feng Yu Heng. Especially after seeing all the others girls with their long silky hair, she hated her even more. Thus, she gnashed her teeth and replied to Chen Yu: “It must work.”
The Emperor waited for a long time but did not hear Feng Jin Yuan’s reply. He could not help but sneer and say to the Empress: “Bring the phoenix hairpin and place it on Our daughter-in-law’s head. Minister Feng’s memory is no good, being unable to remember who his own family’s daughter to the first wife is. We can not be like that and forget who Our own daughter-in-law is.”
These words caused Feng Jin Yuan to be covered in sweat. The Emperor had always been a person with a short temper. He truly feared that this great Emperor would become unhappy and have him executed. As the saying goes, the Emperor is like a tiger, and this tiger was quite a moody one.
The Empress waved to Feng Yu Heng, and Feng Yu Heng obediently went over, kneeling before the Empress. The Empress placed the phoenix hairpin in Feng Yu Heng’s hair and said: “It really is pretty. It’s as though it were made for you.” These words let everyone’s imaginations go wild.
Feng Yu Heng thanked the Emperor and Empress once again. When she raised her head once more, she saw that the Emperor was looking at her with a gaze full of contemplation.
She pondered for a while and suddenly smiled. Lightly walking forward, she quietly said to the Emperor: “Father Emperor, do not worry. Daughter-in-law will make sure to protect this phoenix hairpin. I will not cause Father Emperor to be disappointed.” When she returned, her face had a clever and harmless smile.
As for the Emperor’s test, Feng Yu Heng had received it well.
The phoenix hairpin was something good, but at the same time, it was also a hot potato. This was something similar to the imperial jade seal. Whoever received it would be, in the hearts of many people, the one who has received the world.
Now, this phoenix hairpin was on Feng Yu Heng’s head, but she was engaged to the ninth prince, who had no ability to create a child. At this very moment, how many people were there that would strike her for this golden hairpin. Thinking about this, Feng Yu Heng felt her head swell.
The Emperor truly was the Emperor. He would not give something away for no reason. Even more, he would not make any decision for no apparent reason.
This was a test for her. If she could handle it, whether it was herself or Xuan Tian Ming, their futures would have limitless possibilities. If she could not handle it, then for the Emperor, it was fine not to have a daughter-in-law like her. He was doting on his ninth son, but he would not use his own country to joke around.
As for that idiotic rumor about Xuan Tian Ming not being able to have a child, Feng Yu Heng did not believe it for a second. Moreover, she was a doctor from the 21st century with a mastery of both Chinese and Western medicine. She also had a pharmacy space that the people of this era would consider a godly hall of medicine. What sort of illness could she not treat? Even if Xuan Tian Ming had been truly injured, she could use her own two hands to fix it again!
What is there to fear!
The more the Emperor looked at this understanding daughter-in-law, the more he liked her. He could not help but begin dreaming about this daughter-in-law marrying his Ming’er. How many years had it been since he last felt this way? That face was something he thought of even in his dreams.
The most important part of the banquet came to an end with an astonishing matter leaving a deep impression on them.
Bu Ni Shang no longer had any face and could not remain at Liu Li courtyard, so she simply left the palace and returned to her manor. Still on the stage, there was still one person who stared at Feng Yu Heng as though they wanted to get a clear look at her internal organs.
The person was Bu Ni Shang’s aunt, head imperial concubine Bu Bai Ping.
At that moment, Bu Bai Ping appeared as though someone had dug up her ancestor’s grave, given how green her face looked. At this time, imperial concubine Hua sat down beside her and idiotically said to her: “Sister Bu really has good fortune! The Bu family’s niece being able to shoot that arrow so far, she truly is a girl of exceptional ability!”
Imperial concubine Hua had never been one to know how to read the situation, especially to Bu Bai Ping. Over the many years, for not much reason, imperial concubine Hua had not once said anything to ease her heart. Bu Bai Ping had always believed that imperial concubine Hua was specifically chosen by the Empress to cause her trouble.
Like now, if Bu Ni Shang had won, imperial concubine Hua’s words would have been fine; however, her mistake was that Bu Ni Shang had lost!
The head imperial concubine became angry and suddenly stood up. Not caring for what the situation was, she went and slapped imperial concubine Hua twice.
Imperial concubine Hua was also quite interesting. As someone who was almost thirty, she actually began crying upon being slapped by Bu Bai Ping.
This crying had already disrupted the song and dance. The dancers all retreated, while everyone’s gaze went towards the stage. It was as though head imperial concubine Bu and imperial concubine Hua were acting out a play.
Bu Bai Ping felt that she had already been humiliated to the extreme today. Imperial concubine Hua was just someone for her to vent on. Her true hatred lay with Feng Yu Heng.
But she was still an elder, so she could not go over and make life difficult for Feng Yu Heng in such a place. Since she had no place to vent her anger, imperial concubine Hua was the unlucky victim.
But imperial concubine Hua could cry. As she cried, she said with grief: “Your Bu family’s niece lost the competition, and you are unhappy, but you still can’t hit me! Sister Bu, what exactly have I done wrong?” As she continued crying, she began calling for the Emperor and Empress: “Your Majesty, Empress, this one has been wronged! Why is it that sister Bu can be such a bully and begin hitting people when she wants to?”
Bu Bai Ping was first to reply: “Because I am the head imperial concubine and you are just an imperial concubine!”
Just as she said this, she heard another voice speak up. She did not know where this voice came from. It was faint and ethereal. It sounded ghostly, but it was also a very pleasant sound.
That voice said “This one is also just an imperial concubine. Bu Bai Ping, just try and hit me!”
Bu Bai Ping was suddenly startled. Even the Emperor and Empress were surprised. The Emperor had the most hilarious reaction. He instantly stood up then froze in place, as though he were nailed to the ground. Completely frozen, even his half-open mouth remained in place.
This voice… Yun… Imperial concubine Yun?
The Emperor was a little hesitant to trust his ears. How many years had it been since he last heard imperial concubine Yun’s voice? How many years had it been since he last saw imperial concubine Yun’s face? Could it be that damn woman without a conscience was finally tired of remaining in Winter Moon Palace and wanted to come out for a walk during the Mid-Autumn banquet?