Chen shi’s Death
When Fen Dai entered, the servant behind her held a tray with a bowl of soup.
When they entered, Feng Yu Heng sniffed the air. A thick scent of musk assailed her nose with a bit of safflower scent mixed in. The toxicity was staggeringly high.
She could not help but glance at Fen Dai. Had this girl gone insane?
Fen Dai naturally did not think that Feng Yu Heng would be present. She came to a sudden stop, nearly causing the servant behind her to bump into her.
Feng Yu Heng smiled: “What happened fourth sister? If you stopped any more suddenly, the bowl of soup would have been a wasted effort.”
Fen Dai felt that there was a hidden meaning in those words. Her already weak mind was disturbed by this.
But the smell from the soup that Feng Yu Heng had caught, Jin Zhen did not understand what it was. She actually felt that it smelled very good and could not help but ask Fen Dai: “Did fourth young miss bring soup for me?” She was a little flattered: “This concubine thanks fourth young miss for the concern.”
Fen Dai knew that with Feng Yu Heng present, this bowl of soup definitely could not be successfully delivered. In the worst case scenario, the plot would be unraveled. She could not help but fiercely glare at Jin Zhen then say to Feng Yu Heng: “I did not know second sister was here. I did not come for any particular reason. I just came here to see you. You two go back to chatting.”
Fen Dai turned around but turned too suddenly, bumping into the servant behind her and spilling the bowl of the soup on the ground.
Smack!
Fen Dai raised her uninjured arm and slapped the servant: “Worthless thing, can’t even hold a bowl of soup steady.”
The servant cried while cleaning up the broken shards from the ground. Jin Zhen watched this scene then suddenly turned her attention towards the spilled soup.
Feng Yu Heng smiled, “How can fourth sister be so careless. But regardless of the case, fourth sister being able to be have these filial feelings is a good thing. Concubine mother Jin Zhen, do not forget to praise fourth sister in front of father some more. Fourth sister specially came to deliver some soup to you, but she herself spilled it.”
Jin Zhen nodded, “Second young miss is right. This concubine will definitely speak well of fourth young miss and will definitely tell husband about it.”
Fen Dai angrily stomped out of the room. The thing she could not stand the most was Feng Yu Heng’s deliberately ambiguous tone, but when the ninth prince spoke in the same deliberately ambiguous tone, she absolutely loved it. It truly was odd.
Feng Yu Heng then explained some things to take note of for postpartum care to Jin Zhen. When she got up to leave, Jin Zhen chased after her and asked: “Was there something wrong with fourth young miss’ bowl of soup?”
Feng Yu Heng nodded, “There was a problem. There were large amounts of musk and safflower in the soup. That amount could be smelled from far away. It seems that she is all too anxious to take over Chen shi’s position in getting rid of all unborn children in the manor.”
Jin Zhen was a little worried, “This time, I really must thank second young miss for being present. Otherwise, I fear that there would have been no escape from misfortune!”
Feng Yu Heng pondered a little then said to her: “I will do my best to hurry in arranging for Man Xi to be sent here. In the future, be more wary of Han shi’s courtyard. The things they send absolutely must not be consumed. The other people will not harm you. The matriarch and father both sincerely want a child, so they will not harm you. An shi is someone who never competes, so there is no need to worry about her.”
Jin Zhen noted all of this in her heart and thanked Feng Yu Heng once more.
On her way back to Tong Sheng pavilion, Feng Yu Heng ran into Man Xi. That girl stood anxiously at a small intersection while looking around. Upon seeing Feng Yu Heng coming over, she quickly and quietly called out: “Second young miss! Wang Chuan girl!”
Feng Yu Heng followed the voice and look over. Seeing Man Xi waving towards the two, she brought Wang Chuan and went over.
Seeing the two approaching, Man Xi also advanced two steps. She then knelt before Feng Yu Heng and kowtowed three times.
Feng Yu Heng signaled to Wang Chuan to help her up. She took note of Man Xi’s fingernails. They had already reached the point where there was no need to continue applying nail polish. They now looked like a normal person’s fingernails.
She nodded and spoke to Man Xi: “I have already sent someone to regularly deliver the medicine to your mother. Her illness is more serious than yours is, so it will need a few more months.”
Man Xi was already extremely moved. She reached out her hand for her to see: “Second young miss really is adept. Now, this servant’s fingernails have been completely cured. This servant’s concerns have also been resolved. This servant thanks second young miss from the bottom of my heart. Thank you second young miss for your great favor.” She saluted Feng Yu Heng again then look around before starting on the official matters: “Recently, Jin Yu courtyard has been like a ghost area. Nobody enters and nobody leaves. Chen shi has not eaten, and she has not even drank a drop of water. But she really does know how to hold on. She usually just stares pointedly, refusing to breathe her last breath. But as this servant sees it, she probably will not survive another two days.”
Feng Yu Heng had an understanding then said to Man Xi: “Ever since Chen shi went to Pu Du Nunnery, you have not suffered an insignificant amount of hardship. I have remembered this.”
Man Xi quickly waved her hand: “This is nothing. This servant was originally Chen shi’s maidservant; moreover, if this servant did not take the initiative in staying at the nunnery, perhaps I too would have been sold along with Yu Luo and Bao Tang.”
Feng Yu Heng asked her: “How was your relationship with Jin Zhen previously?”
“It should be good.” Man Xin told her: “Jin Zhen has always been arrogant, but we have the bond we built growing up together, after all.”
Hearing her say thing, Feng Yu Heng relaxed, “When the matter on Chen shi’s side is resolved, I will think of a method to arrange for you to be at Jin Zhen’s side. You two will be able to take care of each other.”
Man Xi knew that Jin Zhen had been working for Feng Yu Heng recently. She very happily complied, “Many thanks second young miss. If young miss has no other matters, then this servant will be returning.”
Feng Yu Heng nodded, letting her return.
That night, granny Sun, who had been inactive for a while, moved once again. Instead of sleeping, she sneakily began to move towards Liu courtyard in the middle of the night. Thinking about it, she should be wanting to leave Tong Sheng pavilion.
Feng Yu Heng noted that Huang Quan was already quietly following her, so she did not bother with going to deal with it. Having Huang Quan watch one old granny was enough. One old granny was not going to cause a big situation.
She took out her whip and practiced in the yard, causing ripples in the water with just the force of the air. After practicing one set, she stopped and shouted in a direction: “Since you have come, what are you still hiding for!”
The sound of a man’s laugh came from that direction, immediately followed by the slight movement of some trees. In the blink of an eye, a person and a wheelchair landed right before her.
Feng Yu Heng was accustomed to looking straight towards the purple lotus flower between his eyebrows. Upon seeing it, she felt more at ease.
Who said that there was no point in men being beautiful. This was truly seductive!
Neither of the two spoke, as the two faced each other with tacit understanding. Feng Yu Heng was much less familiar with the whip than Xuan Tian Ming and would make mistakes from time to time. But she was not discouraged. If she made a mistake, then she would just go again. Like that, she gradually improved.
Finally, the two stopped. Recently, Feng Yu Heng would no longer randomly manage to nearly strangle herself. Her train of thought was a little odd, but this was very quickly adjusted.
She sat down on the armrest of the wheelchair and put her whip back on her hip. Instead, she began to fiddle around with Xuan Tian Ming’s whip.
Xuan Tian Ming was totally speechless, “I have already given you one, yet you still want to commandeer this one as well?”
“I don’t want this.” She pointed to the barb at the top, “With something like this, there is no way to put it at my hip. That’s right,” She suddenly remembered something, “Is the mid-Autumn banquet going to be on the night of the fifteenth of the eighth month?”1
Xuan Tian Ming nodded: “That’s right. The Empress takes care of it every year. All officials of the standard fourth rank or higher are invited to participate.”
Feng Yu Heng supported her chin with her hand: “Who went previously from the Feng family?”
Xuan Tian Ming thought for a while then said: “In the three years you have been away from the capital, of the females in the Feng family, only the matriarch has gone. However, prior to three years ago, your mother, Yao shi went with Feng Jin Yuan.”
Feng Yu Heng searched thoroughly through the body’s original owner’s memories for a while. It seemed that there was something like this. Anything further could not be remembered.
“I can’t remembered too well.” She shook her head, “At that time, I did not pay attention to the matters within the manor at all, much less attend something like a banquet.”
“You can’t escape this year.” Xuan Tian Ming gave a devilish smile, “The future Princess Yu, father Emperor is also waiting to broaden his views.”
She put her face in her hand, “What sort of battles has the Emperor not seen. Is there a need to use me to broaden his views.”
“Un, he just wants to see what sort of girl could catch my eye.”
She felt this person was too shameless! Giggling, she hopped off the wheelchair, “Let’s talk about something interesting. I heard that imperial daughter Qing Le will have her marriage sanctioned at the mid-Autumn banquet?”
Xuan Tian Ming also laughed, “This is indeed interesting. Father Emperor did say something like that. Thinking about it, there was also a bit of a row. Ah, in the blink of an eye, you girls have all reached the age of marriage. Even that self-proclaimed deity of an elder sister, third bro left a position as official princess for her. Tsk tsk.” He shook his head, “The Feng family’s foresight is really bad.”
Hearing him mention this, Feng Yu Heng could not help but think of the gossip Huang Quan had told her: “I heard that the third prince has already selected an official princess.”
“Of course.” Xuan Tian Ming shrugged, “But that official princess is no good. She has already spent two years curled up in her bed. I figure that illness will get worse and worse. He wants to have Chen Yu enter the manor to give himself a certain amount of breathing room. That official princess should pass away very soon.”
“Who do you favor?” She finally asked this question, “Of these princes, which one is it that you favor?”
Xuan Tian Ming leaned against the back of his wheelchair, “It would be normal for me to support anyone. The only exception is third brother.”
“Why?”
He lightly smiled but did not speak.
“Xuan Tian Ming, this expression of yours is the one that is most infuriating!” Feng Yu Heng angrily pulled out her whip and whipped towards him.
That person moved his wheelchair and began retreating. Just like this, the two went around in circles, with one chasing and one running. They would occasionally meet up and fight a little. This continued until day broke.
When Feng Yu Heng ate breakfast, she was still sleepy. Wang Chuan laughed at he: “How about we have his Highness not come tomorrow.”
She glanced sideways at Wang Chuan: “Ever since you started following me, your character has become more and more like Huang Quan’s.”
Hearing her say this, Wang Chuan pondered for a while then said: “Perhaps it is relatively relaxing following young miss, unlike when following around his Highness. The atmosphere is always very repressive.”
Wang Chuan accompanied Feng Yu Heng in eating breakfast. Xiang Rong had to return to her own courtyard everyday to change after running. She would then wait for Feng Yu Heng on her way to Shu Ya courtyard to go pay respects to the matriarch together.
Today, the two sisters entered Shu Ya courtyard together as usual. Han shi and An shi also just arrived. Jin Zhen was still recovering and could not leave the bed. Feng Chen Yu arrived early in the morning and was already seated in the hall, speaking with the matriarch.
Xiang Rong got a little closer to Feng Yu Heng and quietly said: “Second sister, my right eyelid is twitching, and I feel like something is going to happen.”
Just as she said this, the sound of hurried footsteps came from behind them. They turned around and saw that the person approaching was Man Xi. They saw Man Xi lower her gaze towards Feng Yu Heng before rushing into the main hall. She raised her voice and said to the matriarch: “Matriarch, the head madam, she… passed away!”
1: Eighth month and not August, since I do believe they are using a lunar calendar.