Smell of Conspiracy
Feng Yu Heng thought that Chen Yu would go look for her, but she did not think she would be so quick.
Feng Chen Yu was not polite, sending Yi Lin out, as she saw Feng Yu Heng send Wang Chuan and Huang Quan out. She then immediately said: “You have that sort of medicine, right?”
She nodded, “I do have a method, but it is not medicine.”
“I don’t care what method you use. So long as you can make it happen, the price…. can be decided by you.” Feng Chen Yu also hated this situation. She was willing to accept paying one million for the abortion, so she did not mind paying even more to restore her body to its original state. So long as this matter could be completed, she would not need to fear anyone after this day. She would once again be the former Feng Chen Yu. The position of the Feng family’s daughter to the first wife would be one that she would reclaim someday.
She stared at Feng Yu Heng, a viciousness appearing in her eyes.
Feng Yu Heng suddenly smiled. Looking at Chen Yu, she shook her head, “Eldest sister, your fate is in my hands. When looking at people, can you be a little more restrained? What if I get angry and refuse to do it for you?”
Only then did Feng Chen Yu realize that she had carelessly revealed her mood for Feng Yu Heng to discover. She quickly adjusted her expression and said: “What are you saying second sister. I have only been thinking about that matter is all. After all, it is related to this entire manor. It is not just something that concerns me.”
“Whether or not it involves the Feng manor is not something I care about. Eldest sister, I only care about how much money you can pay. The method I will use is definitely not something that can be found in this world. It’s not some something heretical like tricking your future husband. Instead, it will truly restore your body to its original state.”
She had already spoken very clearly, and Feng Chen Yu could not help but be moved upon hearing it. Although her relationship with this second sister had already reached the point where they could not coexist, she had to admit that Feng Yu Heng’s medical ability truly was miraculous. If she really could be returned to her original state, it would truly be worth any amount of money.
“Second sister, please provide a price.” She did her best to keep her mood steady, and her voice even sounded friendly, “Sister just hopes you will not be too greedy.”
Feng Yu Heng raised an eyebrow, not too greedy? How could that be possible?
She faced Chen Yu and stretched out five fingers.
Chen Yu blinked a few times, “Five hundred thousand?” She originally wanted to say 50 thousand, but thinking back to the one million taels, she felt that it was not possible for Feng Yu Heng to give such a price. Thus, she changed from guessing 50 thousand to five hundred thousand.
Who knew that Feng Yu Heng would actually shake her head and once again extend her five fingers.
Chen Yu’s mind was filled with sounds of explosions, “You want five million?”
Only then did Feng Yu Heng nod in satisfaction, “You guessed correctly.”
Feng Yu Heng, have you gone crazy?” Chen Yu immediately stood up, her face full of disbelief, as she looked at this second sister, “Do you know how much money five million is? Do you know how much can be done with five million? Let me tell you, right now, even if the entire Feng manor is sold, it is possible it would not sell for five million. You have gone too far overboard!”
Was it too much? Feng Yu Heng truthfully did not have much of a concept of five million taels. But when she thought about it, if it were exchanged for money from the 21st century, five million dollars was already quite a lot. One tael from this era was worth much more than one dollar. She had previously done some quick calculation, based on the things that could be purchased with one tael, it was roughly worth 500 dollars. Based on this, five million was indeed a vast amount of wealth.
Seeing her expression change, Chen Yu felt that this should mean there was room for negotiation, thus she asked once more: “Second sister, please reconsider. Five million is too unreasonable. I truly can not acquire that much money.”
Who knew that Feng Yu Heng would not reduce the cost despite getting a better grasp on the value of five million taels. Instead, she became even more resolute: “It is five million. If eldest sister agrees, then pay the deposit first. After your next menstruation cycle is complete, I can perform the operation on you.”
“You need that long?” Chen Yu’s attention was immediately diverted away, “Can it not be done now?”
“No.” Feng Yu Heng shook her head, “This truly can not be done. You just had an abortion, so your physical condition will not permit it. You don’t want for the operation to be a failure, right?”
Chen Yu did not understand what an operation was. She discovered that there were plenty of times where she had to guess at what Feng Yu Heng was saying. But she could, at the very least, understand what failure meant. She shook her head nervously, “No, it definitely can not fail.”
“Then just obediently pay the deposit and wait.” She spoke calmly and with an innocent smile. The way she looked at Feng Chen Yu caused her to want to rip her apart. Unfortunately, she did not have that ability.
“It truly can not be any lower?”
“Not a penny can be missing.” Feng Yu Heng was especially resolute. In fact, she even began considering how that money should be spent.
“Then how much is the deposit.” There was nothing Chen Yu could do. Although she knew that Feng Jin Yuan was looking for medicine for her, there was still no movement after such a long time. It seemed that things were not going well. There was also movement from the Chen family’s side. Based on news that she had received, the situation looked very difficult. That type of medicine had either already disappeared or it never existed. It was never more than a rumor that spread from a brothel. Feng Yu Heng, however, had truly given her hope. Her future would depend entirely on this.
“Half.” Feng Yu Heng immediately regretted it the moment she said it. 250, this was not a good number.1 “Forget it, forget it. Two million! Pay two million as a deposit first. When your next menstruation cycle is complete, complete the payment, and I can perform the operation at any time.”
“Alright, give me two days… no, one day. In one day, I will naturally deliver the deposit to you. I hope second sister will keep her word.”
“Don’t worry. I take people’s money to deal with their crises. Eldest sister, you just need to wait.”
With such an agreement between the two, Feng Chen Yu’s heart finally relaxed. After leaving Tong Sheng pavilion, she walked while giving an order to Yi Lin: “After returning, immediately contact third uncle. Have him prepare two million taels first in bank notes for me. After a month, have him send another three million.”
Yi Lin was startled by her, “Young miss, why do you need this much money?”
“It’s not much.” Chen Yu curved up the corner of her lips into a devious smile, “It sounds like a lot, but compared to the things I do, it is truly worth it!”
That’s right, she indeed did not think it was very much. Five million was able to buy back her purity. This, to Chen Yu, was truly a great thing. She originally believed that her life was over; however, she did not think that Feng Yu Heng would actually have such an ability. What did a few million right now count for, when she would some day sit on the throne of the Empress. No matter how much money there was, she would need to take it all back.
“Just treat it as me storing it with that girl for now. The money that belongs to me will belong to me. Sooner or later, a day will come when she will need to return it to me. Yi Lin, Just tell my third uncle that five million will buy back my purity. When the matter is completed, Chen Yu will definitely not forget uncle’s grand grace, and Chen Yu definitely will not forget the support received from the Chen family over the years.”
Yi Lin’s heart was moved and quietly asked: “You are buying medicine from the second young miss? She even has this sort of medicine?” Thinking a little more, she added: “Last time, when I met with third master, he said that type of medicine was extremely hard to find. How could second young miss have it? We must absolutely not be cheated by her.”
“We won’t be.” Chen Yu had a great deal of faith on this matter, “Feng Yu Heng’s medical knowledge is something nobody could possibly compare to. Aside from the training she received from divine doctor Yao, most of the nice things she has come from a Persian eccentric. She had plenty of things that she did not know about or know where to find. Five million will be able to get rid of my worries. It truly is worth it.”
Yi Lin no longer asked any more questions and only nodded, saying: “This servant has remembered it. After sending young miss back, this servant will immediately contact third master.”
On that day and night, Chen Yu was truly upset from all of the waiting. In reality, she really feared that the Chen family would not give her the five million taels. After all, all she could do was give the Chen family some baseless promises. In the end, her future still depended on whether or not Feng Jin Yuan could plan anything for her. Also, with the relationship between the Chen family and Feng family being as frosty as it was, if her third uncle no longer trusted her, even if she sold all of the possessions in her courtyard, she would not be able to acquire five million taels.
In a disturbed state, she arrived at the next night. Finally, Yi Lin arrived with a hidden guard dressed in black and stood before her.
Chen Yu’s heart was racing, and she could not sit still. She stood up and looked at the person in black, rushing to ask: “Did uncle agree or not?”
The person in black was Chen Wan Liang’s hidden guard. This was not the first time he had come to the Feng manor to pass along some news. Previously, it was to Chen shi, and now it was to Chen Yu.
She saw the person nod and pull out some bank notes from his waist; however, he did not hand it over, instead saying: “Master said that he hopes young miss will be able to remember your promise. When you become successful, do not forget the hidden support you have received from the Chen family. Also do not forget that half your blood comes from the Chen family.”
Chen Yu solemnly nodded, but her gaze never left the bank notes in his hands. Only when she received them from him did she let out a sigh of relief.
“Go back and tell uncle that no matter how the Feng family treats me, I will always remember that I will need to settle all my debts with the people of the Feng family! It is the Chen family that has allowed me to be reborn and has given me the foundation to stand on.”
The person in black nodded, “Hearing young miss say that, master will be able to be at ease. Young miss, take care.” After speaking, he disappeared in a flash.
Chen Yu did not wait any longer, as she grabbed a cloak and waved to Yi Lin: “We’re going to Tong Sheng pavilion.”
When they arrived, Feng Yu Heng had just finished eating dinner and was talking to Wang Chuan about a trip to Xiao Zhou. First was to give Zi Rui some clothes. Secondly, she wanted to see how well the medical training for those girls was progressing.
Wang Chuan listened and nodded: “When the Winter disaster in the capital has been more or less taken care of, this servant will set off for Xiao Zhou. Also, the court has appointed Prime minister Feng as an imperial envoy. In a few days, he will go to the North to personally direct the relief effort. With this trip, he would return at the soonest right before the new year.”2
“Going North?” Feng Yu Heng pondered for a while then asked Wang Chuan: “Did Feng Jin Yuan volunteer himself for this trip?”
Wang Chuan said: “Yes. One of his Highness’ people in the court reported that it was indeed Prime minister Feng that took the initiative to volunteer to go North. He even persuaded the Emperor into accepting.”
Feng Yu Heng waved her hand, to have Wang Chuan stop speaking, as she saw Huang Quan bringing Feng Chen Yu and Yi Lin over.
She did not know why, but when she heard that Feng Jin Yuan volunteered to go North to handle the disaster, she felt that something was not quite right. Her acute nose caught the scent of a conspiracy, but she could not figure out where the problem was…
1: Half of five million is 250 ten thousands in Chinese. Also, 250 can be used as an insult to a person’s intelligence.
2: The new year here is the Lunar new year, not January 1st.