In regards to Lord Ding An’s rudeness, Feng Jin Yuan was very unhappy. Standing up, he reminded him: “Would my lord be cautious.”
Lord Ding An quickly took a few steps back and looked at Feng Yu Heng, saying: “Would second young miss please stay a little. This lord indeed has something to request. Would second young miss please provide a helping hand.”
“What can an insignificant concubine’s daughter like me do to help my lord?”
“That…” Lord Ding An was a little embarrassed. The things Qing Le had said were truly too terrible. Not to mention, Feng Yu Heng was also a victim. Having her help Qing Le, even Lord Ding An himself felt this was a little difficult to justify. But that was still his daughter, after all. No matter how angry he was, he still had to find her a way out. “Would second young miss Feng please put in a few good words to his Highness Prince Chun and have his Highness not report…. the matters of that day to the Emperor.” Lord Ding An felt that all of his dignity was about to be lost by Qing Le.
Yet, Feng Yu Heng immediately asked: “The matters of that day? What day? What matters?”
Lord Ding An was a little depressed, “The matters from the day of the princess’ birthday banquet… in the back area.”
“Oh, the matter of imperial daughter Qing Le getting in a bath with a man that was seen by everyone.”
Hearing Feng Yu Heng’s words, Lord Ding An nearly fainted from anger. He thought to himself if you already knew then is there a need to say it so clearly?
“A-Heng truly does not understand how my lord is thinking.” Feng Yu Heng’s expression cooled. Turning to face Feng Jin Yuan, she said: “Thinking about it, father has investigated what happened that day. At that time, imperial daughter Qing Le said before everyone that she did not want to marry the man in the bathtub. She wanted to marry daughter’s fiance, who happens to be his Highness Prince Yu. Today, Lord Ding An personally came to the manor and wants daughter to plead with his Highness the seventh prince. Could it be that this is forcing daughter to hand over the position as the official Princess Yu?”
“No no!” Lord Ding An did not wait for Feng Jin Yuan to speak. He quickly made his position clear, “Second young miss, please do not worry. This lord will strictly control Qing Le. We definitely will not target second young miss and Prince Yu’s marriage.”
“Is that so?” Feng Yu Heng looked at Lord Ding An in confusion, “My lord, you are certain that you can take responsibility for imperial daughter Qing Le? Then why did my lord kneel before the Emperor, under imperial daughter Qing Le’s insistence, and request a marriage be sanctioned a few years ago? This humble girl knows that you are a lord. Our small gate and small manor naturally can not be compared to a palace, thus my father endured it. Now imperial daughter Qing Le is still loudly hollering about wanting to marry Prince Yu. Father,” She said to Feng Jin Yuan: “You are the court’s prime minister! Why must we suffer such insults?”
She passed the bullying she suffered over to Feng Jin Yuan. Feng Jin Yuan then also felt that Ding An palace was too deceitful. He could not help but question Lord Ding An: “My lord, why exactly must you make things difficult for my Feng family?”
Lord Ding An found it hard to defend himself. The anger he endured and repressed inside slowly began to rise, as he angrily pointed at Feng Jin Yuan “You had best not be unable to differentiate between what’s good and what is bad! I am Lord Ding An, after all. You, as a prime minister, have a lower ranking than I. What right do you have to throw your weight around before this lord?”
Feng Jin Yuan laughed, “My lord, if this minister did not remember incorrectly, it was my lord that came to us; furthermore, my lord should not forget, this is my Feng manor! The one throwing their weight around is you!”
“You…” Lord Ding An stomped in anger, “Fine! Fine! Feng Jin Yuan, you should not rejoice too much. This lord coming today was giving you some face. Do not assume this lord will not dare go to the Emperor and report you!”
“Then I invite my lord to do so! Thinking about it, his Highness the seventh prince has already explained the happy happenings of imperial daughter Qing Le to the Emperor. The Emperor should also be waiting to see you to sanction imperial daughter Qing Le’s marriage.”
Feng Yu Heng also smiled, “What is my lord getting angry over. A celebratory matter is approaching your home. You should be happy.”
Lord Ding An flew into a rage over the father and daughter’s comments, but before he could speak again, a servant called out from outside, saying: “Master! A guard from Ding An palace came and requested a meeting.”
“Hm?” Lord Ding An froze and casually asked: “Is something the matter?”
The servant pushed the door open and a guard from Ding An palace came in. The guard did not look at Feng Jin Yuan, his face anxious, he looked Lord Ding An and said: “Master, this is bad. You should go back to the palace to take a look! Our palace has been set on fire by the ninth prince again!”
“What?” Lord Ding An was very shocked. Feng Jin Yuan was also shocked. Feng Yu Heng, however, could not endure and began laughing. Lord Ding An was furious. Glaring at Feng Yu Heng, he said: “What are you laughing at?”
Feng Yu Heng displayed her innocent eyes and replied: “My lord, I am laughing in my own home. What are you getting mad over?”
Feng Jin Yuan did not want to see these two continue arguing and simply gave an order: “Such a big problem has arisen in the palace. How does my lord still have time to argue with my daughter? She is still only twelve years old!” You are already a pretty grown person and you are arguing with a twelve year old girl. Do you not think this is too unsightly.
Lord Ding An finally reacted and flicked his sleeve before hurriedly departing.
Pine courtyard’s servant followed the two and sent them out of the manor. Finally, it was just the father and daughter that remained in the study.
Feng Jin Yuan looked at his second daughter and could not help but ask: “His Highness Prince Yu setting fire to Ding An palace, did you know about this in advance?”
Feng Yu Heng obediently shook her head, “I really did not know.”
Feng Jin Yuan helplessly and bitterly laughed, “Thinking about it, his Highness is venting some anger for you.”
“He is also venting for the Feng family.” Feng Yu Heng looked at Feng Jin Yuan and said: “The day of the birthday banquet, Ding An palace did not only wrong A-Heng. Eldest sister and third sister were both wronged. Speaking of eldest sister, such beautiful technique with the zither was actually used to play for a group of servants. As for third sister, although she is a concubine’s daughter, she was innocent, yet a servant spilled tea all over her dress. What could that be considered?”
Feng Jin Yuan nodded, “Father knows. You have all been angered. Today, father did not give Lord Ding An a good expression. You need to understand, by doing this, father will be under great pressure.”
Feng Yu Heng was appreciative of this point. Today, Feng Jin Yuan’s attitude satisfied her fully. Thus, she showed him a smiling face: “Father, do not worry. If Lord Ding An really does go cause trouble before the Emperor, A-Heng will definitely ask his Highness Prince Yu to assist the family. But, thinking about it, Lord Ding An should have no time to argue with us. Who knows how badly burned their home is.”
Feng Jin Yuan sighed: “The ninth prince has had this temper ever since he was young. I hope he treats you a little differently. You must remember, do not anger him. That person is subject to mood swings, so who knows if he will suddenly change his disposition towards someone he was treating well.”
“Many thanks, father. Daughter has remembered it all.” These words Feng Yu Heng said were very sincere. Ever since returning from the palace, Feng Jin Yuan had begun acting a bit more like a father. “Oh, right.” She suddenly remembered something and reached her hand into her sleeve, taking out a purse and handing it to Feng Jin Yuan: “This was from the day of the birthday banquet. Eldest sister gifted it to his Highness Prince Chun. In this case his Highness Prince Chun did not want it, so he had daughter bring it back to father. He also said that this time, he would not dispute with eldest sister over this, but if there is a second time, he invites father to speak with him personally.”
Feng Jin Yuan stared at the purse with an indescribable anger. Chen Yu was not proficient with needlework. The stitching for the purse looked awkward and poorly-done. At a glance, he could tell that it was her handiwork. But he had clearly warned Chen Yu that she could not make a decision on a man before the Feng family decided on its position. Why did Chen Yu not listen to his warning?
Reaching out to receive it, he waved to Feng Yu Heng: “You can go back!” His mind was a bit of a mess. He already knew that his Highness Prince Chun’s appearance was one that very few girls could resist, but he never thought that Chen Yu, who clearly knew what path she wanted, why would she also become moved by that person?
When Feng Yu Heng returned to Tong Sheng pavilion, Huang Quan had just returned from Pu Du Nunnery. She had gone to deliver medicine to Man Xi, and she had brought back news from Man Xi: “Young miss, Man Xi said the people of Chen family had gone to Pu Du Nunnery two days prior. But one of the nunnery’s Buddhist nuns did not allow them to meet. But at night, Chen shi did not keep Man Xi to keep watch over night. Man Xi secretly looked into Chen shi’s room at night and saw that the candle remained lit for half of the night.”
Feng Yu Heng sneered. How could the people of Chen family bear to watch Chen shi suffer in the nunnery. They had to find a way to get her out. But she did not know what sort of method they would use. She also did not know if this plan would be at the expense of someone else.
At this time in Han shi’s courtyard, Feng Fen Dai’s arm was already healing, and she no longer hid in bed. A doctor hung a piece of cloth from her neck, and she used it to hold her arm. Back and forth, she paced around her room.
The servants in the room had been sent out long ago, leaving only her and Han shi.
Han shi sat on a chair and watched the restless Fen Dai with a bit of fear.
Previously, Wang Chuan had sent the shoes directly to Fen Dai and had directly said that these shoes were to take the place of the fifty thousand taels of dowry. Fen Dai had already lost her mind, and after Wang Chuan left, she simply began to tear and hit her. She was, in the end, still her mother and she worried about Fen Dai’s injury. She did not dare to push her away, nor did she dare to even touch her. She could only suffer through Fen Dai’s attacks, which resulted in a cut on her forehead and a swollen face. Han shi was truly worried that Fen Dai would attack once again.
But this time, Fen Dai seemed to have a new train of thought. After pacing around the room a few times, she stopped and looked at Han shi, pondering for a long time.
Han shi wanted to ask her what she was thinking, but at that moment, Fen Dai spoke up, saying: “Concubine mother, while Chen shi is not in the manor, shouldn’t you take this chance to give father a son?”
Han shi felt her heart tremble, but she immediately sighed: “Ever since Jin Zhen was taken in, how many days has it been since your father last came to this courtyard?”
“It all depends on your effort. So long as you desire it, there will always be something that can be done.”
Fen Dai wracking her brains for ideas came up with the idea of Han shi having a son. As for the other side, Feng Jin Yuan, for the first time, broke his pattern of staying at Ru Yi courtyard and went to Tong Shen pavilion when everyone was sound asleep.
He had remembered the things the matriarch had said previously. Yao shi was also one of his women. He did not need to raise her to the position of head wife, but he could not continue to leave them alone and ignore them.
Feng Jin Yuan felt that his performance before Lord Ding An should have left something of a decent impression on Feng Yu Heng. If he took this chance to treat Yao shi well, perhaps he could repair his relationship with that daughter.
Moreover, the ninth prince was very willful when he was young, but now that he was already grown, setting fire to the palace for no apparent reason was a little unjustified. He pondered for a long time before concluding that the only possibility was that the Emperor had quietly suggested it. The only way the ninth prince could burn down the palace in such an unscrupulous manner was if the Emperor consented. He would need to remember to send people to see what Ding An palace was reduced to tomorrow.
At this time at Tong Sheng pavilion, Feng Yu Heng and Feng Zi Rui had not yet slept. Yao shi, however, had prepared to sleep. Immediately after finishing with washing up, granny Sun came in an anxiously said: “Madam, master is coming over here.”
“What?” Yao shi was startled and subconsciously asked: “What is he coming here for?”
Granny Sun turned her head and looked outside at the dark skies, guessing: “Could it be that master wants to rest here tonight?”
Yao shi did not feel too well, as she suddenly felt a wave of nausea surge upward. She had given birth to a son and a daughter for Feng Jin Yuan, but after so many things had happened, that man still came over to see her. No matter how she thought about it, it felt uncomfortable.
“Have Qing Ling go tell second young miss.” Yao shi ordered with a cold face. At the same time, she picked up the outerwear she had already taken off and put it back on.
At this time, Feng Jin Yuan had already arrived outside and quietly said “Qian Rou, are you already resting?”