When Feng Chen Yu arrived, she had heard about the situation from granny Zhao. Although she did her best to slow down her pace, to buy herself some time to think, she still did not know what to do when she arrived at Shu Ya courtyard.
She did not know why the matriarch had called for her? Could it be she wanted her to move out of Jin Yu courtyard and give it to Feng Yu Heng? This was the worst possible outcome Feng Chen Yu had considered.
“Greetings to the eldest young miss.” When Chen Yu entered, An shi and Han shi took the initiative and stood up. Han shi did not even dare look at Feng Chen Yu. At times like this, she felt it best to distance herself from Chen Yu. Regardless of how this eldest young miss developed, she first had to survive the present.
“The two concubine mothers need not stand on ceremony.” Chen Yu maintained her kind character, superficially greeting An shi and Han shi. Seeing both of them rise, she faced the matriarch and bowed, “Chen Yu greets grandmother.”
“Quickly get up.” The matriarch had granny Zhao help Chen Yu get up, “Sit before speaking.” Regardless of how much she disliked Chen shi, this granddaughter, in the matriarch’s eyes, was slipping behind Feng Yu Heng. Feng Yu Heng was currently very impressive, but she could not offend Feng Chen Yu, as she would be the hope of the Feng family’s future. Whether the Feng clan could make a full rise depended entirely on Feng Chen Yu.
“For what reason did grandmother call Chen Yu here, did something happen?” Chen Yu sat beside Feng Yu Heng and asked the matriarch, “I heard about some details from granny Zhao, but Chen Yu does not understand. Mother is currently at Pu Du Nunnery praying for the fortune of the Feng family. Grandmother calling Chen Yu here is for what reason?”
Her meaning was very clear. You have already thrown my mother out, so you won’t be asking me to return the money, right? I am a girl who has not married out of the family yet, so where would I get money?
The matriarch obviously did not think of it this way. She could treat Chen Yu well, but she definitely could not tolerate Chen shi, let alone forgive the Chen family. On the ride back from Pu Du Temple, Feng Jin Yuan told her many things about the Chen family. Only then did she find out what had truly happened that night, but it had already been taken care of by one of Feng Yu Heng’s experts; however, the Chen family, which had hired assassins, became absolutely detested by the matriarch.
“Since Chen Yu already knows of this matter, grandmother will be direct. That money was not put in to the manor’s funds by your mother. I have checked the accounts for the manor’s funds, and they are very clear. Since she is at the nunnery and can not return, Chen Yu, you will contact the Chen family. The money that Chen shi embezzled will be returned by the Chen family. The total comes to two hundred thousand taels, which must be delivered to the Feng manor within three days. Not a cent should be missing.”
“What?” Feng Chen Yu never thought that the matriarch would have the Chen family repay the money. For a while, she stood in surprise, “Grandmother’s words sincere?”
The matriarch also became a little unhappy. She merely wanted for the Chen family to repay the money Chen shi had embezzled, so why did this granddaughter react in this way?
“Indeed, they are sincere.” The matriarch calmed her expression, “Chen Yu, you are still young and have no married out. You have never worried about a housewife’s duties, so you naturally do not know the rules of this area. Who did Chen shi give the embezzled money to, the Chen family should understand. Now they should return that money to the Feng family. That’s right, you have some uncles that have not said anything.”
“But mother is one of Feng family’s people! She married in to the Feng family, so she is one of Feng family’s people. Even if she did something wrong and wasted money, it should not fall on the Chen family to repay it.”
“Do you not understand the words I am saying?” The matriarch finally became truly angry and slammed the table, “Chen Yu, if you do not understand, then I will say it directly. All of the money that your mother embezzled was sent to the Chen family! The Chen family used this money to expand their businesses. Currying favor with influential officials, and they still…” She wanted to say they still hire assassins to kill the Feng family’s daughter. Now I want the money to be repaid, so what? So what!
But the matriarch did not say it. This did not mean that Feng Yu Heng would not say it. She simply turned her head towards Feng Chen Yu and faintly said: “They actually associate with people of Jiang Hu to cause trouble at the Feng manor. Eldest sister, do not protest on behalf of the Chen family. Just repeat what has been said to them. I think the Chen family will understand the reasoning.”
With the words that came from Feng Yu Heng and the matriarch, the intelligent An shi naturally understood the reasoning. So the happenings of that night were orchestrated by the Chen family! Truly evil and ambitious.
“Mother-in-law.” An shi spoke, “I think the Chen family also has clear reasoning. Speaking of, look at how they have worked in the capital and done business with the royal family. If they did not have the help of our Feng family, I’m afraid it would have been impossible. With the head madam now in Pu Du Nunnery…” She turned her words towards Feng Chen Yu, “Eldest young miss must find someone who can speak on behalf of the Chen family.”
These words were clearly meant to remind Feng Chen Yu, think of your mother and think of the Chen family’s wealth.
Feng Chen Yu was stifled and became speechless.
All along, the wealthy Chen family had been the support of the mother and children. With the Chen family’s money heading to the manor of the Feng family, only then did they have a proper standing. Two hundred thousand? Not to speak of two hundred thousand, but the Chen family had put over two million taels in to the Feng family. Yet why did she never see the Feng family speak of repaying it? Chen shi embezzled a mere two hundred thousand taels. This was simply the Feng family’s nature!
Feng Chen Yu fiercely looked at Feng Yu Heng. She knew that this entire incident was caused by this younger sister.
“Eldest sister, what are you looking at me like this for?” Feng Yu Heng smiled, “It isn’t that you will not listen to the words grandmother said, right? That is the worst possible offense. Da Shun places a heavy emphasis on filial duty. If eldest sister’s actions were to become known, I fear that it would affect eldest sister’s future negatively. Eldest sister should think of herself a bit more.”
These words once again reminded Feng Chen Yu.
That’s right. She had to think of herself. Mother could not be relied upon. Brother could not be relied upon. She could only rely upon her father, and her father’s mother was the matriarch. Only by winning over the most important person, could she preserve her own peaceful future.
Forget it, she would just bear with it. After she has a meteoric rise, she would clearly sort these debts one by one.
Chen Yu fiercely glared at Feng Yu Heng then softly replied to the matriarch: “Granddaughter understands. Grandmother, please do not worry. Granddaughter will send a letter to my uncles and have them send the money to the manor as soon as possible.”
“Un.” The matriarch nodded with satisfaction, “That you can think of it that way, then the Feng family’s adoration was not in vain.” The matriarch’s temper finally calmed. She truly worried that Chen Yu would resolutely refuse. It had to be known that this two hundred thousand did not need to be added in to the manor’s funds. Feng Yu Heng had said that it would be split between them.
The matriarch did some calculating. She had a share, Feng Jin Yuan had a share, Xiang Rong and Fen Dai each had a share. That was to say, if this two hundred thousand were split equally, then each share would be fifty thousand. She naturally would be too embarrassed to ask for some of Xiang Rong and Fen Dai’s share, but Feng Jin Yuan was her son. Based on Feng Jin Yuan’s personality, even if she did not say anything, his share would definitely be given to her. With these calculations, she could receive one hundred thousand taels. One hundred thousand taels!
The more the matriarch thought about it, the happier she was, but at this moment, Feng Yu Heng said: “The matter of the money has been settled. Let us now calculate the products that have been taken from Wonderful Treasure House.”
Feng Chen Yu gritted her teeth so hard they almost shattered “Second sister, the Chen family is not an inexhaustible treasure shed.”
“Hm?” Feng Yu Heng was curious, “Eldest sister, is your name Feng Chen Yu or Chen Chen Yu? Why is it that when we are trying to get things back for the Feng family, every word of yours has been in favor of the Chen family? The Chen family stole things belonging to the Feng family. As a member of the Feng family, even if you do not hold a grudge like us, that’s fine. Why do you still come and berate us?”
Han shi also followed up: “That’s right, eldest young miss. You are, after all, a member of the Feng family.”
Feng Yu Heng continued: “Just after we returned to the manor, father told me that I am a daughter of the Feng manor. Only when the Feng family prospers will I have face when I marry out of the family. Could it be that eldest sister does not believe this to be so?”
The two sang the same tune, stifling Feng Chen Yu and rendering her unable to speak.
“Then second sister, what exactly are you thinking?” Chen Yu was so angry that her liver started to hurt.
“I have not thought of anything.” Feng Yu Heng fiddled with her fingernails and faintly said: “I was just thinking that when I met with his Highness Prince Yu next, I would need to tell him that some wealthy family in the capital is deeply associated with Jiang Hu. Furthermore, there are clues that they have hired assassins to kill an official of the court. I hope his Highness will help investigate.”
“Feng Yu Heng!” Chen Yu was no longer able to continue pretending. Pointing directly at Feng Yu Heng, she cursed: “Slut! Empty words with no evidence. Based on what are you saying that the Chen family hired people to murder you? What value do you have?”
“Oh!” Feng Yu Heng laughed, “When did I say the Chen family hired assassin? When did I say the assassins came to kill me? Eldest sister, you confessed without being asked. Also, I am a daughter of the Feng family, so you tell me what value do I have?”
The two sisters went tit-for-tat, angering the matriarch to the point where she almost found it hard to breathe. She readily picked up a tea cup and smashed it on the ground. The sound of a tea cup being smashed caused the arguing to end.
“Chen Yu!” The matriarch was disappointed by Feng Chen Yu to the limit. In her eyes and in her mind, this eldest granddaughter had always been a kind person. She was like a Bodhisattva with her compassionate heart. How was it, that for an instant, that she saw Chen shi’s shadow on Chen Yu? Could it be that it really was like mother like daughter? “You truly make me disappointed.”
The matriarch shook her head, not wanting to look at Feng Chen Yu.
Feng Chen Yu felt extremely wronged. Pointing at Feng Yu Heng, she said: “Grandmother, why do you not say that second sister is wrong?”
The matriarch saw that she still did not know to repent, instead she pointed at someone else and said they were wrong. She could not help but become a little more angry. “Everything your second said was the truth! Chen Yu, have you been blinded by the Chen family? A-Heng said nothing wrong. They are simply using money to act rampantly. I will say just this much today. Chen Yu, inform the people of Chen family that they should not assume the Feng family does not know. What they do outside, I do not care, but if they point a sword at Feng manor, do not blame us for becoming ruthless!”
With these words from the matriarch, Feng Chen Yu truly felt the jitters.
So the matriarch knew about it. That would mean her father also knew about it. How much did they actually know? Did they know that she was the Chen family’s inside man?
Chen Yu’s heart sank more and more. The earlier excitement gradually began to fade.
An shi spoke up in a timely manner: “Eldest young miss, are you one of Feng family’s people.”
That’s right! She was one of Feng family’s people! In the future, no matter what her future held, the Chen family would not be able to provide her with any help. She had to rely on the Feng family for support.
Chen Yu’s arrogance faded and the fierce expression slowly receded from her face.
Finally, took large strides forward and knelt before the matriarch: “Granddaughter knows she was wrong. It was as grandmother said. Granddaughter was blinded by the Chen family. Grandmother, please do not worry. It will not happen again.”
The matriarch nodded, “If you can think this way, then that is good.”
Feng Yu Heng smiled, “Since eldest sister has thought it through, then quickly get in touch with the Chen family.” As she spoke, she pulled out a piece of paper from inside her sleeve, “This is a list of the items missing from Wonderful Treasure House. If the Chen Family can not return them all, I will report it to the court as lost goods. At that time, if any of the items are found in the Chen family or in Jin Yu courtyard, it will be treated as stolen items.”