The Things You Ate Must Be Spat Back Out
Feng Chen Yu’s words caused the matriarch’s mood to go from panic caused by this sudden event to extreme anger, as she let out a loud shout, “Shut your mouth!”
Who knew just how loud this shout was, but it caused everyone to tremble. Even more coincidentally, after this shout happened, a sudden streak of lightning flashed across the sky. Immediately following this, the sound of thunder shook the air, causing the people to shake a little more.
But there was no rain, and the air pressure made it hard to breathe, but the rain refused to fall.
The matriarch struggled to stand up from the ground. Glaring at Chen Yu, she shrieked: “Put aside those words that you just said! No matter how unhappy you are with your second sister, you must swallow those words down!” While saying this, she looked at everyone in the Feng manor then coldly said: “If you want to live, you must listen up! This time, we must understand that Qian Zhou has attempted to assassinate the Emperor, which means that they have completely turned on Da Shun. It won’t be long until Da Shun sends out soldiers to suppress them. Qian Zhou has gone from being a vassal country to an enemy country. If anyone says anything in Kang Yi’s favor, that would mean the extermination of the entire family!”
Everyone nodded slowly. Even Chen Yu, who absolutely hated Feng Yu Heng was scared.
That’s right, how could she not have thought of this. Qian Zhou attempting an assassination was already a reality. Kang Yi had been personally taken away by the second prince and a group of imperial guards. There was no chance of the situation turning around. This was no longer the battle within a small courtyard. It was a proper confrontation between two countries. She could no longer speak up for Kang Yi, even if Kang Yi had treated her well over the past few months. Now, she had to draw a clear line unless she no longer wished to live.
The matriarch saw that there were no objections and nodded. She then said to housekeeper He Zhong: “Immediately go to the government office and invite the governor over. Tell him that the guilty Kang Yi of Qian Zhou has already been caught. Would Lord Xu personally come to confiscate the things in the courtyard that she lived in with the Feng family.”
Once this was said, Feng Chen Yu became unhappy. It was not just her, as Fen Dai also shouted: “No!”
The matriarch glared: “Was everything I said for nothing?”
Chen Yu, in the end, was still a little smart. Seeing Fen Dai speak up, she did not say anything. After all, the two were definitely going to be talking about the same thing. At this sort of time, offending the matriarch was best left to Fen Dai.
Sure enough, she heard Fen Dai go against what the matriarch had said: “Her courtyard has been getting fixed up for half a year. Inside, there are all kinds of nice things that father has gathered for her. At the very least, we must get those things out before calling people to confiscate things.”
The matriarch angrily swung her cane to try and hit her, but Han shi quickly placed Fen Dai behind her, and the cane came to a stop in front of Han shi’s belly.
The matriarch pointed at Han shi and urgently said: “If the next child is born with her personality, it may as well just be drowned!”
Seeing that the atmosphere was terrible, the Cheng shi sisters looked at each other then quickly went forward to stop the matriarch from both sides. At the same time, Cheng Jun Man said: “Elder madam, your body was already not well these past few days. Do not get angry. As for ma… as for that guilty woman’s things, when the governor arrives later, this concubine will naturally talk to him. The things that came from Qian Zhou will be taken away. The things that already belonged to the Feng family, I trust, he will leave those behind.”
Hearing this, the matriarch nodded. Truthfully, she was not willing to give up the things in that courtyard. But now, even if she was unwilling, she had to be willing. After all, life was more important than money. She understood this logic.
Turning her head, she saw that He Zhong was still standing there in a daze, and she could not help but become angry: “What are you still standing here for? Quickly go call him!”
He Zhong was a little troubled. Taking a couple steps forward, he reminded the matriarch of something that was even more troubling: “Elder madam, how should the dowry sent by Qian Zhou be dealt with?”
Mentioning the dowry caused great pain to the matriarch’s heart. She waited for an entire Winter for this Spring. The dowry from Qian Zhou had finally arrived, but before it could warm to her touch, it had to be taken away? How could she be willing to accept it!
She subconsciously turned her gaze to Cheng Jun Man. How could she not understand what this greedy old woman was thinking, but she still shook her head, “No.”
The matriarch’s voice was filled with a begging tone: “Is there really nothing that can be done?”
Cheng Jun Mei took over: “Qian Zhou took the dwarf imperial prince and masqueraded him as a grandson while bringing him to Da Shun. Who knows just how many tricks were there. As for the dowries… elder madam, think about it. This group of people with ulterior motives entered the capital of the country like this. How could their dowry be a normal dowry?”
Granny Zhao’s heart trembled, and she could not help but remind the matriarch: “There are many boxes that we did not even open! It would be best if they did not hide something. Elder madam, think carefully about it. With any misstep, we would be paying with the Feng manor’s life!”
At this time, another bolt of lightning lit up the sky, and thunder boomed once more. Immediately following this, rain began pouring down from the sky.
Everyone was caught off-guard. In the blink of an eye, they were completely soaked. The matriarch turned around and quickly shouted to Fen Dai’s side: “Quickly bring concubine mother back. Absolutely do not allow her to get soaked in the rain.”
Fen Dai also knew that the rain had come suddenly. Han shi was already soaked. If this continued, perhaps she would end up falling ill. She did not care for how much she did not want to leave, as she still supported Han shi and left. The matriarch shouted from behind: “Have someone prepare the brazier! When you get back, quickly help concubine mother change her clothes.”
The rain had come suddenly, and it was a downpour. No matter how loud they spoke, it was covered by the sound of the rain. The matriarch did not know if Fen Dai heard what she had said, but she was not in the mood to worry about Han shi, as she ordered granny Zhao: “Quickly have people go to the treasury and bring out the dowry brought by Qian Zhou. Place it in the front yard. Not a single piece of cloth can remain!”
She shouted into granny Zhao’s ears, and granny Zhao loudly complied. She then gave a look to the Cheng shi sisters to help support the matriarch, while she rushed over to Shu Ya courtyard.
Cheng Jun Man shouted against the rain: “Let’s go to Peony courtyard’s hall first. Elder madam must not remain in the rain for too long.”
But at this time, Chen Yu seemed to have suddenly recalled something. Her entire body trembled, as she quickly recovered. She grabbed the matriarch’s arm and loudly said: “Grandmother! Qian Zhou’s dowry was not just sent to Shu Ya courtyard!”
The matriarch stomped her feet, “I know! There was also the stuff added to the communal funds. Naturally, they must also be brought out.”
“Not that, there’s more!” Chen Yu glared with her eyes wide. The rain had completely soaked her, and the hair on her forehead was a mess. The scar left behind by that goshawk was exposed, causing a bit of shock.
The matriarch was unable to look at her appearance, so she turned away in annoyance; however, she heard Chen Yu say: “Qian Zhou did not just send stuff to our manor. There is also that large amount of gold that was brought to the county princess’ manor! There was practically an entire street lined with boxes. How could they fail to hide something in there?”
Once this was said, the matriarch understood. That’s right! Feng Yu Heng and the ninth prince had worked together to extort Qian Zhou of ten million taels of gold. It had to be said that there was a large amount of stuff brought to the Feng manor, but this amount could not be compared to the ten million taels of gold!
The matriarch’s heart was immediately eased. She had lost a bit of wealth, but Feng Yu Heng lost actual money. Comparing it like this, she did not feel like she had lost.
She opened her mouth and wanted to say to bring that gold to the front yard, but once these words reached her lips, she swallowed them back down. She nearly forgot that Feng Yu Heng was still her granddaughter. She was the Feng manor’s second young miss, but she was independent. She did not eat the Feng family’s food, nor did she drink the Feng family’s water. That county princess’ manor had even tighter security than a palace. Was she so crazy that she wanted to go over there to carry out that gold? Perhaps, before that gold was carried out, she would end up being carried out in a coffin.
The matriarch waved her hand and ordered He Zhong: “Go get the governor.” Seeing He Zhong leave in the rain, she finally went with the Cheng shi sisters to Peony courtyard. Feng Chen Yu, along with An shi, Xiang Rong and Jin Zhen followed behind them.
Chen Yu did not give up and asked: “Grandmother, how do you plan to take care of that side’s things?”
The matriarch was angry and wanted to curse at her: “You need to ask your second sister! Do we have any say in how the things of that courtyard are handled?”
Chen Yu wanted to say some more, but An shi spoke up: “Eldest young miss, there is no need to worry about it. We do not have any right to touch the things in the county princess’ manor. If something really did happen, our Feng family would not be implicated. This will be satisfactory for both sides.”
Chen Yu fiercely glared at An shi and fell silent.
Xiang Rong was a little flustered. Tugging at An shi’s sleeve, she whispered into her ear: “Nothing should have happened to second sister, right? I am afraid that someone will have done something.”
An shi knew that Xiang Rong had remembered the matter with spirit-altering drug. She also thought carefully for a while then said to Xiang Rong: “Don’t worry! Your second sister definitely has a way to protect herself. Nothing will happen.”
While they spoke, everyone entered Peony courtyard’s main hall. Servants had already brought out braziers, and other servants had prepared clean clothes. Everyone split up into the different rooms to get changed. Immediately, some servants brought up some freshly prepared ginger soup to help rid the masters of the cold.
In the front yard, granny Zhao had already begun directing the servants to bring the boxes out. The treasures that Qian Zhou had brought were loved by the matriarch. With every box that was carried out, the matriarch, who was seated in the main hall, felt her heart drop.
He Zhong very quickly brought the governor back. The rain outside did not appear to have any intention of letting up. Instead, it seemed to be raining harder and harder. Xu Jing Yuan had come to the Feng manor in this rain. With a gloomy expression, without any extra words, he simply waved his hand and said: “Search!” The guards behind him entered and directly spread out inside the Feng manor.
Jin Zhen felt that something was off. Summoning some courage, she asked: “Aren’t they just searching Tian Xiang courtyard?” Her voice was too quiet, and it just so happened that thunder boomed at the same time, completely covering her question.
The matriarch could also see what was happening, but she was a little more intelligent. Pulling He Zhong over, she anxiously asked: “How come you came back so quickly?” Calculating the foot speed, from the Feng manor to the government office, he should not have been able to come back so quickly in this heavy rain!
He Zhong wiped away some rain from his face and replied: “Before this servant arrived at the government office, I ran into Lord Xu on the way. Right now, all of the people from Qian Zhou are being searched. Lord Xu was leading a group of guards to come to search our manor.”
The matriarch was shocked and quickly asked: “Then did you tell Lord Xu that we took the initiative to go look for him?”
“I did, I did.” He Zhong said: “Lord Xu also said that we considered understanding.”
The matriarch finally calmed down, but she then remembered that the guards were not just searching Tian Xiang courtyard. Instead, they were searching the entire Feng manor. She began to make considerations once more. Just as she was thinking about whether or not the governor had received instructions from the Emperor and had the authority to search the family of a standard first rank official, Feng Chen Yu suddenly rushed over to Xu Jing Yuan and loudly said: “Lord Xu is fair and righteous. You must not forget to also search the neighboring county princess’ manor!”