Father, Where Did Your Swindling Ability Go?
How could Lu Yao dare to visit the Ping Palace. She could not even handle an imperial daughter that had been conferred her title, much less a proper and genuine prince. She raised her head and looked at Feng Yu Heng with a pleading look: “Can you let me go? This matter was my fault. I admit it. I will be marrying into the Yao family very soon. I… don’t want to lose face for Yao Shu.”
She smartened up at a critical juncture and brought up a useful person. If this had been a person from the Feng family, Feng Yu Heng would not give them any face, but since it was the Yao family, she had no choice but to consider Yao Shu’s appearance.
“Forget it.” She waved her hand, “Just go home. Do not do anything similar again. This will not serve as a precedent.” After a bit of thought, she added: “Later on, this imperial daughter will send the reparation Sichuan brocade to the Lu manor. Since you know that you are about to marry into the Yao manor, it would be best if you thought about how to act as a person. I am someone with a different surname and have no right to control the people of the Yao family; however, I definitely will not allow anyone to harm the Yao family’s situation. Take care of yourself.”
After she finished speaking, she did not continue to look at Lu Yao. Pulling Xiang Rong along, she went into the Feng residence.
With a smile plastered on his face, He Zhong accompanied the two and said to Feng Yu Heng: “It has been a long time since the Feng family has had any face. Second young miss, you’ve finally come back. Only with you here can the family have some confidence in their tone!”
Feng Yu Heng laughed, “What is it, without me here, have your lives really been that awkward? In any case, there is still a future Princess Li here in the residence. How could things have become so gloomy?”
“Hah!” He Zhong quickly said: “Second young miss, you might not know this. Although his Highness Prince Li is also a prince and indeed treats the people of the residence quite well, he had truly been too ridiculous in the previous years. It’s to the point that people believe that he is not too serious about the fourth young miss.” The group entered the main yard while chatting, and He Zhong lowered his voice, “But the fourth young miss continues to say what she means. Second young miss, we’ve arrived. Master said this morning that the second young miss would definitely be coming and is currently waiting in the main hall.”
“Un.” Feng Yu Heng nodded and did not continue to speak, entering the hall.
Who knew that just as she entered the hall and before she could salute to pay respects to Feng Jin Yuan, she suddenly heard Fen Dai let out a yelp from the side, “Feng Xiang Rong, why do you not kneel!”
The two were given a shock. An shi, who was sitting on the other side, frowned and wanted to say something, but given Fen Dai’s recent position of power, she did not say anything. She was nothing more than a concubine. If she chose to go against a young miss of the family at a time like this, it would cause even more trouble for her daughter. Fortunately, with the second young miss coming back, Xiang Rong would not suffer too much of a loss.
Fen Dai’s shout caused Xiang Rong to freeze with fear. Freezing in place, she did not move at all. Feng Yu Heng stopped in her tracks and looked at her, saying in confusion: “Third sister, why aren’t you moving?”
Xiang Rong looked at Fen Dai timidly. She wanted to continue moving but did not dare to. She was very tangled.
Feng Yu Heng simply tugged at her and said: “You are the elder sister. I’ve never heard of any rule saying that an elder sister should be kneeling to a younger sister.”
Xiang Rong was pulled a couple steps forward, and Fen Dai’s face remained contorted with anger. Slapping the table with a “bang,” she flipped a teacup that was placed there. “Feng Yu Heng, what is your intention? Feng Xiang Rong caused such a big problem for the family and caused father to become so angry. Should she not kneel?”
Feng Yu Heng did not say anything and went forward to slap Fen Dai twice across the face, “As the fourth daughter of the family, who taught you to directly call your elder sisters by their names? Although father is no longer the left prime minister, the Feng residence is still famed for its intelligence. Don’t bring your birth mother’s attitude out here. It will leave people saying that my Feng family’s children are lacking in education!” After she said this, she did not forget to look at Feng Jin Yuan and ask: “Father, don’t you think so?”
The words lacking education left Feng Jin Yuan not knowing how to reply. At first, he was furious. The court had a new left prime minister, which was already a huge attack to his spirit. He was already filled with anger; however, who knew that his own third daughter would offend the second young miss of the new prime minister’s manor. After he heard that they had come to visit, he truly felt that he had no place to put his face.
When Fen Dai had called for Xiang Rong to kneel, it was as he had hoped. He had been preparing to vent all of his anger of Xiang Rong; however, who knew that Feng Yu Heng would suddenly appear.
Seeing Feng Jin Yuan frozen in place without saying a word, He Zhong, who had not yet left, summoned some courage to say: “Master, this matter cannot be blamed on third young miss. It was the young miss of the prime minister’s manor that wished to harm her. She came to our entrance to cause trouble but was sent packing by the second young miss. Even the servant that was causing trouble was sent to the government office.”
It would have been better if he did not speak. Since he did, Feng Jin Yuan’s anger finally had a place to be vented. Picking up a teacup from his table, he threw it at He Zhong! He Zhong did not dare to dodge and was hit on the forehead.
“Scram!” Feng Jin Yuan was furious, his face pale white.
Seeing that Feng Jin Yuan was so angry, Xiang Rong wanted to kneel and admit her mistake to gloss over the matter; however, she was stopped by Feng Yu Heng. She very helplessly said to Feng Jin Yuan: “At first, I thought that after going out to battle for a year, I would give the Feng family some fruit and some banknotes. Who knew that father would show so little growth.” She was breathing a little heavily from the anger, as she pulled Xiang Rong to the front and said to Feng Jin Yuan: “Take a look, this is your daughter and our Feng family’s third young miss. Regardless of whether she is the daughter of a concubine or the first wife, she is still from a noble family. As a result, she was ordered around by some shoddy prime minister’s manor’s young miss as though she was an embroiderer. They even threatened to close down concubine mother An’s embroidery shop if she did not accept the job. Father, you just watched on as your daughter was bullied to such a degree?”
With her exploding like this, Feng Jin Yuan also became spirited, standing up suddenly and shouting: “What do you think is the Feng residence’s current situation? That is the second young miss of the prime minister’s manor. What right does the Feng family have to protect its daughter? With just a stomp of her foot, she can have us all killed!” As he spoke, he glared at Xiang Rong: “You overestimated your abilities! Them using you as an embroiderer means that they think highly of you, but who do you think you are? Do you still think that you are the third young miss of the prime minister’s manor?” These words also carried the resentment that he felt for the new prime minister.
Feng Yu Heng also understood the misery in his heart, but that was the reality of the situation. He committed sins on his own and must not live. Feng Jin Yuan, if you are regretting it now, what were you doing back then?
But that matter was that. In regards to Xiang Rong being bullied, Feng Yu Heng felt that this father was still too incompetent. She was puzzled and asked Feng Jin Yuan: “Are you saying that the Feng family is currently nothing? The young miss of a lowly prime minister’s manor can kill us all with a stomp of her foot? Father, oh father, where has your ability from back then to make use of my name and swindle others gone? Why is it at a time like this that you don’t know how to make use of me, the dignified imperial daughter with all kinds of military merits and the dignified future Princess Yu? Instead, you just watched your daughter suffer bullying on the steps of your own home. You still had the face to remain seated inside? You might not have any status, but don’t go losing face for this imperial daughter! If you can’t protect your own daughter’s life, I will take her away! A shoddy left prime minister’s manor ran over to the Feng residence’s entrance to throw their weight around, and you should have called someone to kick them across the street. Tell everyone that came to investigate that they don’t have this right!”
Once Feng Yu Heng’s words were said, Feng Jin Yuan was truly speechless. Standing there in a daze, he did not even dare to breathe. It was as though he did not recover mentally. He could not understand why this second daughter that had never wanted anything to do with the Feng family suddenly wanted to concern herself with the Feng family’s affairs.
He had not yet recovered, but Fen Dai had something to say. She snorted coldly and said: “That’s right, you only have your third sister in your heart. You have always treated her well, but what about me? Upon coming in, you slapped me twice. Feng Yu Heng, don’t forget that I am also the future Princess Li. When it comes to face, I cannot compare to you, it is not much worse than her left prime minister’s manor. Why do we not care? Isn’t it because that wedding dress belongs to someone that will be marrying into the Yao manor! If it was any other family, this grandaunty would have left her searching for her teeth on the ground!”
Her voice was shrill, and this shout sounded a little bit weird. Feng Yu Heng just could not understand, “Hasn’t she still not married? What kinship could she claim with the Yao family? You didn’t dare before, right? Then I will tell you now that if that left prime minister’s manor comes knocking again, just kick them out. There’s no need to give anyone face! I just don’t believe that in the few months that this imperial daughter left the capital, the entire capital has gone to hell?”
Feng Yu Heng had also become infuriated. Lu Yao bullying Xiang Rong had made her angry, and this sort of woman was actually marrying into the Yao family. She had also clearly captured her eldest cousin’s heart. This was what truly caused her to become infuriated. She also had a belly full of anger and had no place to vent it. It just happened that the Feng family picked up on this matter, thus she frankly told Feng Jin Yuan: “When it comes to borrowing a bit of power, father needs to know how to make a proper judgment. You’re also someone that has been a prime minister. I don’t believe that you don’t even have this bit of judgment ability. If you really can’t protect your family, just tell me. I will come.”
In an unprecedented first, Feng Jin Yuan did not continue to argue with Feng Yu Heng. He was even happy to accept this sort of lecture, nodding and sitting back down in his seat. Letting out a long sigh, he said: “It’s good that you are willing to act for the Feng family without forgetting that the Feng family raised you.”
Feng Yu Heng rolled her eyes. She hated hearing this the most, “Only until the age of nine, but the grace of raising me has already been completely worn out by you.”
The father and daughter had fallen out long ago. At this point, she no longer hesitated to say this sort of thing, causing Feng Jin Yuan’s face to turn bright red.
She pulled Xiang Rong over and sat down at Fen Dai’s side. Fen Dai looked at her and said with dissatisfaction: “You still know to come back? Do you still think of this as your family? I thought that you didn’t know what integrity meant and already moved into the Yu Palace to live with the ninth prince.”
Feng Jin Yuan’s expression sank and was a little unhappy with Fen Dai’s words; however, he did not say anything. Presently, the Feng family was indebted to the fifth prince. Fen Dai was the Feng family’s insurance!
Feng Yu Heng did not want to argue with the girl, thus she turned and said to Wang Chuan: “Remember those words. Head over to the Yu Palace later and tell them to his Highness the ninth prince, word for word. As for the final judgment, I’ll leave it to his Highness to come up with an idea!”
Fen Dai’s face immediately turned pale. Even Feng Jin Yuan became anxious, quickly saying: “A-Heng, for a matter between sisters, how can his Highness the ninth prince be brought in?”
Feng Yu Heng was puzzled, “It was fourth sister that brought it up. Father, ask her.”
Fen Dai was stuffed. With a swollen face, she did not know how to reply…