Our Daughter-in-Law Must be the Daughter to the First Wife
Xuan Tian Ge’s words left Feng Jin Yuan feeling waves of shock. He already had doubts about this county princess that had made a sudden appearance. Now that he had heard these words, he instantly felt the rise of a bad feeling.
Could it be..
Feng Jin Yuan suddenly shook his head. That’s impossible!
While he was pondering, the Emperor had already reached the front. Everyone on the island faced the Emperor and knelt, loudly shouting: “Long live the Emperor! Long live the Empress.”
The Emperor swept his gaze, and the people down below felt a cold breeze blow past the tops of their heads. Especially Feng Jin Yuan. He felt that the Emperor’s gaze stopped at his head, the pressure causing him to feel as though it was difficult to breathe.
Finally, the Emperor had seen enough and waved his hand: “You may rise.”
The eunuch at his side, Zhang Yuan, immediately let out a loud shout: “You may rise!”
Only then did everyone stand back up. Following the Emperor and Empress sitting down, they returned to their own seats.
Just as they sat down, they heard the Emperor speak once more. His face was filled with concern, as he asked Feng Jin Yuan: “Minister Feng left the capital for many days. How did making offerings go?”
Feng Jin Yuan quickly stood up and respectfully replied: “Thank you your Majesty for your concern. Everything is well at home.”
The Emperor nodded with his eyes closed, “Un, that is good. Recently, the court has been busy. We could not ask you about it during court, so We took this opportunity to ask you. Knowing that everything is well, We can be at ease.” After he finished speaking, he looked around the scene. After looking around, his gaze returned to Feng Jin Yuan and curiously asked: “Where is Our daughter-in-law?”
Feng Jin Yuan felt his head swell upon hearing this and thought to himself, your Majesty, aren’t you doing this deliberately. Could it be that you do not know about Feng Yu Heng’s death?
He sneaked a glance at the princes nearest the Emperor and immediately saw the face hidden by the golden mask.
After so many days, how had it been that there were no movements from the ninth prince? Imperial daughter Wu Yang had caused trouble many times, but he seemed like it was none of his business. It was truly odd.
“Your Majesty.” He did not want to bring it up, but he had to speak. This was something the Emperor had asked, and Feng Jin Yuan understood that perhaps the Emperor would use this banquet to sort some debts with him. “When this official returned to the ancestral home, the clan residence unfortunately caught fire. This official’s son to the first wife and second daughter both… lost their lives in that fire.”
He spoke and raised a hand to wipe his face. He looked to be very saddened, but it attracted a very impolite snort from Xuan Tian Ming.
The Emperor shook his head, directly saying: “Minister Feng seems to just like telling jokes to Us. Our daughter-in-law is proficient both mentally and physically. How could it be that she could not escape from a fire? That’s not possible, that’s not possible!”
Feng Jin Yuan dropped to his knees and knelt, his face appearing pained: “Your Majesty, this official wishes this were a joke, but… it is indeed true!”
The Emperor still did not believe him: “If this is true, then why did you not perform a funeral for your deceased son to the first wife and second daughter? Minister Feng, it would be best not to tell such a joke!”
“Responding to your Majesty, the funeral was held over at the clan residence. After returning to the capital, we did not perform another one. No matter how it is said, they are only from the younger generation, so this official did not take action.”
“Lord Feng.” Someone from the group of princes spoke up. It was not Xuan Tian Ming or Xuan Tian Hua, instead it was the second prince, Prince Yuan, Xuan Tian Ling. “Even if this prince’s younger sister was obedient and gentle, you as a father can not just arrange to do such a thing?”
Upon hearing these words, Feng Jin Yuan immediately recalled how Feng Yu Heng had saved the Emperor’s grandson at the Mid-Autumn banquet. He also realized that in this group of princes, the ones with relations to Feng Yu Heng were not just the seventh prince and the ninth prince.
Sweat began to appear on his brow, but at this time, the Emperor acted contrary to expectation and began mediating: “Moving on from this, minister Feng has always been old-fashioned. It was with great difficulty that he told a joke, so we should applaud him. Today, this banquet is for the newly conferred county princess Ji An. County princess suffered a shock a few days ago. Dear ministers, should soothe her as much as possible.”
Everyone immediately stood up and complied: “That is natural. That is natural.”
The Emperor nodded in satisfaction and said to Zhang Yuan: “Go invite county princess out!”
Zhang Yuan immediately trotted out to pass along this message. Not long later, they saw a small boat appear on the lake they had come from. On that small boat, there was a small canopy made of smokey silk gauze on the cabin. Inside, they saw a girl in splendid attire looking straight at everyone before her.
For a while, a portion of the people were absorbed in the smokey silk gauze canopy on the cabin, causing them to ignore the girl, who was supposed to be the main guest.
But there were even more people who stared at the splendidly dressed girl. She wore a large pink floral dress and a jade forehead pendant. This was the impressive appearance of a county princess. In her lap, she held a grey cat with a large head and a round face, but it had a pair of eyes that seemed as though they could peer into a person’s soul.
Feng Jin Yuan’s legs had become a little soft. It was not just him. Chen Yu and Fen Dai’s legs also began to tremble, especially Fen Dai. Just as though she had seen a ghost, she firmly covered her own mouth, fearing that she would let out any sound.
It was Xiang Rong who took a couple steps forward in amazement. She did not feel that she had walked into the middle of the crowd, as she only watched that boat and happiness filled her heart.
Her second sister, so the new county princess conferred by the Emperor was her second sister!
Xiang Rong finally understood what Xuan Tian Hua had said earlier. So her second sister really did not die!
Finally, the boat reached the shore, and two palace maids immediately went forward to welcome her. They saw the beautifully dressed girl steadily get off the boat and walk forward, step by step.
Only then did they recognize her. The newly conferred county princess Ji An was actually the daughter-in-law the Emperor was just talking about! The lord prime minister’s second daughter!
The people who had just mourned for Feng Jin Yuan turned their sights on him. The one first to react even asked: “Prime minister Feng, did you not say your second daughter died in a fire?”
“That’s right! I even cried for nothing. You actually were joking with us!”
Feng Jin Yuan suffered. He had searched for Feng Yu Heng in Feng Tong county for that long yet not found her. Who would have thought this girl had actually returned to the capital and even entered the palace. She had even received the title of county princess?
Seeing that Feng Yu Heng was about to pass by him, Feng Jin Yuan lowered his head and even turned his body slightly.
He truly did not know how he should face this daughter. Although he had truly searched for her after the fire, whether or not he had put in any effort into the search was something others did not know; however, Feng Jin Yuan knew very well. Moreover, she had only gone missing, yet he had resolutely said that she was dead. The Emperor was still here. If he tried to investigate him for duping the Emperor, how could that go well?
Feng Jin Yuan’s mind was immediately filled with too many things. Every matter was because of Feng Yu Heng’s “rebirth.” He gritted his teeth and sighed. Sure enough, the old saying said it best. The more you hoped someone was dead, the more likely they would live. The more you hoped someone would live happily, it was possible that something would happen and they would die.
He had hoped from the bottom of his heart that this daughter had died. Unfortunately, the things that happened to Feng Yu Heng could never be judged using common sense.
“Daughter-in-law greets father Emperor and your Highness. Love live father Emperor. Long live your Highness.” With these words, Feng Yu Heng had already knelt in the middle of the scene. Facing the Emperor, who was seated in his throne, she kowtowed three times. That cat sat in her lap and did not move.
The Emperor looked at Feng Jin Yuan: “You said Our daughter-in-law died. What is it, minister Feng, do you not even know if your own daughter is alive or dead?”
Feng Jin Yuan quickly knelt, “This official does not dare!”
“Do not dare?” The Emperor became furious, “Feng Jin Yuan! We do not blame you for the clan residence catching fire, but you did not even check whether or not your daughter burned to death in the fire before performing the funeral. What exactly are you wanting to do? Are you able to remember that this daughter is Our daughter-in-law!”
The Emperor became more angry the more he spoke. By the end, he grabbed a glass cup from the table before him and smashed it towards where Feng Jin Yuan was knelt.
The glass cup did not stray from its target and struck Feng Jin Yuan directly on the forehead. Instantly, a bloody mark appeared.
Nobody present dared to utter a word. They did not even dare breathe loudly. Chen Yu, Fen Dai and Xiang Rong could no longer continue watching, as they all stood up then knelt.
Feng Jin Yuan’s vision became blurred from the blood, but he did not dare say a word. He only knelt there, trembling. His mind wandered and recalled how Lord Bu had died a tragic death at the Mid-Autumn banquet. Even his hair began sweating.
Fortunately, the Emperor did not continue to argue with him. Instead, he turned his head and looked at Feng Yu Heng then said a few words that changed the setup of the Feng family “Today, the title of county princess Ji An will be conferred to the Feng family’s daughter to the first wife, Feng Yu Heng. Ji An county in Ping Zhou will be granted as land. Now, Tong Sheng pavilion will become the county princess’ manor. The main gate will be opened, and county princess Ji An has the right to control entry and exit!”
Feng Jin Yuan’s mind was making noise for a while, and he could not really understand what the Emperor was saying.
Feng Chen Yu, however, suddenly raised her head upon hearing the Emperor’s words and rushed to say: “Your Majesty has made a mistake! Feng Yu Heng is not the daughter of the first wife!”
The Emperor glanced at Chen Yu in annoyance. He did not speak, as he felt it below himself to speak with an irrelevant woman; however, the Empress sitting next to him knew very well when to take over the conversation. Looking at Chen Yu, she said: “Before the Emperor, do you have any right to spout such nonsense?”
Only then did the Emperor ask Chen Yu with interest: “What is it? Do you have some objections with what We said?”
At this moment, Chen Yu reacted and realized that she had been too quick to speak and had actually argued with the Emperor. She hastily kowtowed, bowing all the way to the ground and said: “This humble girl does not dare!”
“Hmph!” The Emperor coldly snorted, “At that time, the Feng family welcomed the Yao family’s only daughter into its gates. Even the Empress dowager gave an award. How could Feng Yu Heng not be the daughter of the first wife? Feng Jin Yuan, We must ask you. Do you want the head wife and daughter of the first wife acknowledged by Us, or do you want to face the dangers of going against the imperial will, by promoting a concubine and recognizing her daughter as the daughter of the first wife?”
Feng Jin Yuan knew that he did not have any room for choice. In regards to the matter with Yao shi, he and the matriarch had already pondered it. Perhaps they had guessed the imperial will incorrectly at the time, or perhaps the Emperor had changed his mind after all these years. Either way, now it was not someone else, it was him.
“Naturally… it is the same as your Majesty’s thinking.” He helplessly replied.
Chen Yu felt her mind explode, as her body swayed. Her body swayed a few times then collapsed to the ground. Because she had already fallen into the water, she had caught a bit of a cold. Her body immediately began shivering, but it did not arouse any sympathy from anyone.
In regards to what happened to the Yao family that year, so long as they resided within the capital, they had a clear understanding. Although they did not say it, they were contemptuous of the Feng family. Their daughter married you, and your Feng family made use of the Yao family’s influence in the capital to build a foundation. What then? Could you only share in delights but not share in suffering?
Feng Yu Heng looked at the kneeling Feng Jin Yuan and Chen Yu. She could not help but sneer internally. Wait for it, this is not the only retribution.
“Daughter-in-law thanks your Majesty for the support! Daughter-in-law thanks your Majesty on behalf of my mother Yao shi for the grace!” Feng Yu Heng kowtowed deeply, truly grateful.
Restoring Yao shi as the head wife was not within her plans. Everything was the Emperor’s idea. But she knew that she had the mutual divorce document in her sleeve. The Emperor doing this was to restore her and Yao shi’s face to the fullest. Even with a mutual divorce, it would be similar to when she just married into the Feng family. She would be leaving the position of the head wife. Only like this, could they be worthy of the Yao family’s proud tradition of “Men do not take in concubines and women do not become concubines.”