At this point, Wang Chuan also came to Feng Yu Heng’s side and quietly said to her: “She is Wen Xuan palace’s daughter to his official wife, sovereign Wu Yang, birth name Xuan Tian Ge.” Thinking a little, she added: “Prince Wen Xuan is the current Emperor’s younger twin brother. He is the only brother he has alive.”
Feng Yu Heng understood. No wonder she was so bold.
Feng Jin Yuan had already made these sorts of mental preparations. Since Chen shi had very early on made use of the Feng manor name, the other side had actually scolded her for her lack of consideration. Then there were only two possibilities. One possibility was the other side was someone who was a part of Jiang Hu and had absolutely no idea what sort of existence the Feng manor was. The second possibility, and also the one Feng Jin Yuan wished to avoid, was the other side being someone of higher rank than him.
Thinking of his position as the current prime minister, he was the highest rank official. It could be said that he placed none of the ministers or generals of the imperial court in his eyes.
But there was a class of people that were especially hard to deal with: the Emperor’s relatives.
And recently, he seemed to have been causing trouble with the relatives of the Emperor.
Not this. It’s come again.
“Oh, uncle Feng. You finally showed up.” The sovereign Wu Yang who stood atop the carriage showed some disapproval towards Feng Jin Yuan, “This sovereign thought that you were really prepared to continue hiding in your carriage, accepting how your wife cursed my princess mother.”
Hearing these words, Feng Jin Yuan’s head swelled up. Sovereign Wu Yang’s words meant that princess Wen Xuan was also in the carriage?
He quickly took the matriarch and walked forward together. Facing sovereign Wu Yang, he extended a greeting: “I did not know that sovereign was present…”
“Alright, stop wasting time with these useless things.” Before he could finish speaking, sovereign Wu Yang interrupted him, “Go spout these pointless words to my princess mother. I am asking you, for what reason does this pig get mad and curse at us? Did she see this sovereign as easy to bully? Did she see my princess mother as easy to bully? Or perhaps she wanted to challenge my imperial father’s prestige? Those of us in the palace are permitted to ride in carriages. This sovereign has grown to this age, and even uncle Emperor is not willing to blame me. For what reason must I suffer bullying outside of the palace by a pig?”
No matter what she said, it was about a pig. Feng Jin Yuan and the matriarch felt the blood rush to their temples from listening; however, they did not dare say anything.
Needless to say, the first to begin cursing was Chen shi. Furthermore, the things she said were much worse than what sovereign Wu Yang had said. Even if it were Wen Xuan Palace in the wrong, could they, as officials, overpower the Emperor’s twin brother? This wasn’t idle gossip!
Feng Jin Yuan said nothing more. Facing the carriage, he knelt down with the matriarch. Seeing them kneel, the other members of the Feng family felt it was not good to continue standing, as they quickly knelt as well. They heard Feng Jin Yuan say: “We did not know that princess and sovereign were present. This one, Feng Jin Yuan, presents the guilty party, Chen shi, for princess and sovereign to punish and hope that princess will be lenient.”
The matriarch also said: “It’s this old one that was not strict enough. Would princess please forgive the Feng family for its rudeness.”
The matriarch’s voice came out shaky. She currently wondered if the Feng family’s star of disaster wasn’t Feng Yu Heng but Chen shi. For the matter today, how did it have anything to do with Feng Yu Heng? Chen shi was just a calamity!
The person on the carriage remained silent for a long time.
As for the one clamoring Chen shi, she had now shriveled up. It was another royal that she had annoyed. Although it was just a princess, she had been the wife of a top ranking official for many years, so it wasn’t as though she didn’t know anything. Forget that the current Emperor only had this one prince Wen Xuan as a brother. He had nine sons but no daughters. There was only the daughter of the Wen Xuan Palace’s official wife. He doted on her like crazy. Apparently, when she turned fifteen, she would conferred the title of princess.
But that was her character. She had been cursed and cursed rather vilely at that. Worse yet, in the carriage sat her mother! Prince Wen Xuan’s official wife!
Chen shi felt that her life would not last much longer.
“Chen shi?” Finally, a voice came from inside the carriage. It was even a stable and noble voice, “Prime minister Feng, this Chen shi is your concubine?”
Feng Jin Yuan glanced at Chen shi with loathing and helplessly said: “She is this one’s official wife.”
“Hm?” Princess Wen Xuan asked, “Was the official wife of the Feng family not Yao Qian Rou? The year that the daughter of imperial physician Yao married in to your Feng manor, I personally came to help her apply make up. Why, after a few years of not seeing you, have you changed your official wife to someone else?”
Chen shi felt so much hatred that her teeth began to itch. It had been so many years, so why did some people still see her as a concubine?
Feng Jin Yuan was also quite embarrassed. The matters of the Feng family’s back court were things he was too embarrassed to speak of to outsiders. Regardless of what had happened to the Yao family, the Emperor did not pass judgement on the daughter that had married out of the family, yet they still hastily chased them out in to the mountains for three full years. How should he speak of this?
“Hmph.” Seeing that he did not speak for a long time, a cold snort came from inside the carriage, “Qian Rou was so good yet you did not want her. Instead you raised this thing to the position of head wife. Might I ask prime minister Feng, if you can’t even take good care of your family, how can you take care of the country?”
This was too severe and Feng Jin Yuan frowned. His face sank as he replied: “This humble one replies, my treatment of the back court manners have indeed not been proficient. Would the princess please forgive it. However, the matters of the court, this one has never once been ambiguous.”
“Is that so.” The princess completely ignored Feng Jin Yuan’s displeasure, instead she began chatting leisurely with her daughter: “Tian Ge.” She called sovereign by her birth name, “A few days ago, your uncle Emperor was speaking of wanting to visit. When we return to the capital from Pu Du Temple, remember to go and visit him in the palace.”
“Do not worry, mother. Tian Ge knows. Uncle Emperor really loves Tian Ge. From childhood, he was reluctant to berate me even once. I remember one time imperial father felt I was being naughty and scolded me a little. Uncle Emperor was so angry that he did not allow father to enter court for two months. If uncle Emperor knew that someone pointed at Tian Ge’s nose and called her a slut, he would definitely have that person dismembered alive.”
“Sov-sovereign!” Chen shi was scared silly, “Sovereign, it was my mistake. I did not curse at you. I was cursing at myself! I am a slut. I am a huge slut!”
How could Chen shi still be worried about face. What face did she have left! Angering a princess, there might still be a way out; however, if the Emperor were angered, then she could only die. She worried that Chen Yu and Zi Hao would also not live long!
“Sovereign!” Chen shi shouted and cried, “I know I was wrong. I beg sovereign and princess to be graceful. I truly know that I was wrong. Wu…”
Sovereign Wu Yang could no longer bear to watch, “Princess mother, there is a pig crying in front of me. It’s truly disgusting.”
Princess Wen Xuan’s voice immediately came out: “Then chased her back to her pig pen.”
As these words came out, two guards came forward and threw Chen shi back in to her carriage.
Feng Jin Yuan was also frightened by these words. The matriarch had already fallen to the ground.
The Emperor’s doting of sovereign Wu Yang was something everyone knew. Although it was not to the degree that he doted on the ninth prince, it still did not allow for anyone to provoke her! It was as the sovereign said, even the Emperor is reluctant to scold her. On what basis would she allow Chen shi to curse her?
“This one requests that princess and sovereign for forgiveness.” Feng Jin Yuan felt that his face was trampled under their feet. The court’s highest ranking official, like with all other families, was subject to such humiliation because of a woman.
At this time, an idea suddenly came to the matriarch, “That’s right, Yao shi is here!” She used her elbow and prodded Feng Jin Yuan, “Quickly, quickly have Yao shi come out and pay respects to the princess.”
Feng Jin Yuan was able to reach. Quickly and quietly gesturing to a servant, “Invite concubine mother Yao over.” Yao shi had relationships with many influential people in the capital, this much he knew. Furthermore, the Yao family had produced many generations of physicians, so their foundations were too deep.
Feng Yu Heng saw this small movement and became unhappy. Why was it that her mother would have to patch a hole made by Chen shi? Her father and grandmother were so optimistic!
“Mother.” She tugged at Yao shi’s sleeve, “Whatever the other side asks, respond to that alone. Speak truthfully. There is no need to cover up for anyone else.”
Yao shi hesitated for a moment but still nodded, “Ok, I will listen to A-Heng.”
With a servant bringing Yao shi before princess Wen Xuan’s carriage, sovereign Wu Yang looked at Yao shi for a while before squatting down and asking Yao shi: “Are you aunt Rou from before?” She was born two years before Feng Yu Heng. A that time, the Yao family was still flourishing, and Yao shi and princess Wen Xuan were extremely close. After sovereign Wu Yang was born, she would often be able to see her. Only after she was sent to the Northwest three years ago, did communication break.
At this time, hearing sovereign Wu Yang call her aunt Rou, tears began to flow from Yao shi’s eyes. It was really kind of this child to remember her.
“Aunt Rou, don’t cry!” Sovereign Wu Yang anxiously wiped away Yao shi’s tears, “Aunt Rou has not come to visit Tian Ge for so many years. I thought that you didn’t like me anymore.”
“Silly child.” Yao shi completely could not stop her tears, “Aunt Rou thought about you everyday, but aunt Rou has been very far away these past few years and could not return to the capital.”
A sigh came from inside the carriage. Finally, a young servant girl pulled the curtain to the side. A noble lady wearing an informal dress came out. With the support of Wu Yang and a servant, she exited the carriage.
She appeared to be a few years older than Yao shi. The two always appeared to be like sisters. After this long-awaited reunion, their eyes met, and they hugged as they cried bitterly.
For a while, everyone also wiped away tears.
The Feng family’s matriarch began to feel regret making such a hasty decision. Now that she thought about it, the Chen family gave the Feng family wealth, but Yao shi could have provided Feng Jin Yuan with a different kind of support!
“Little sister does not need to say anything. Big sister understands.” Having finally stopped crying, princess Wen Xuan pulled Yao shi’s hand and fiercely glared at Feng Jin Yuan. Looking away, she directed her attention towards Feng Yu Heng and Feng Zi Rui.
Yao shi quickly waved to them. Seeing that Feng Yu Heng was bringing Zi Rui over, she said: “Big sister, take a look. A-Heng and Zi Rui are already so big.”
Feng Yu Heng had never met princess Wen Xuan and sovereign Wu Yang. Before the body’s original owner left the Feng manor, she was the eldest daughter of the official wife. The Feng family assigned her an endless amount of homework. Add on the fact that the body’s original owner was someone who liked learning about medicine, and whenever she had free time, she would rush straight over to the Yao family and learn from the elderly physician Yao. Where would she find time to go visiting other people with Chen shi. 1
At that time, Yao shi would often bring up the royal Wen Xuan family; however, the original owner never competed in anything. She liked even less to interact with influential officials. For the most part, she would smile then move along without ever taking anything to heart.
However unexpectedly, recently she had always been under the spotlight. With her, Feng Yu Heng, taking over the original, she came over.
She pulled Zi Rui and knelt to pay her respects. Without being too distant or familiar, she spoke: “A-Heng greet elder sister sovereign and greets princess.”
Princess Wen Xuan laughed and said: “This child is calling Tian Ge elder sister, yet why does she call me princess.”
Yao shi also said: “A-Heng called her aunt Lan.”
She repeated her greeting: “A-Heng greets aunt Lan.”
Feng Zi Rui copied her actions and also paid his respects. He cupped his hands properly like a small lord. This coaxing made princess Wen Xuan both cry and laugh.
Finally watering down the many years of longing, she coldly looked at everyone in the Feng family, her expression sinking. Raising her haughty manner as a princess: “That year, my father had a sudden emergency illness, and it was imperial physician Yao that saved his life. He had stolen him back from the gates of hell. Our Ye family, from that moment onward, saw the Yao family as our benefactors. Prime minister Feng, did you know this matter?”
Feng Jin Yuan’s nerves trembles, Ye family? Yun Lu Academy’s head teacher, imperial tutor Ye Rong?
A cold sweat immediately covered his entire body.
1: Wew, the author’s mixing up Chen shi and Yao shi now.