Who Will Handle the Wages?
Once Xuan Tian Ming said this, some people immediately rushed over to Chen Yu and picked her up off the ground. Without worrying if she was conscious or unconscious, they dragged her along the ground and walked toward the palace’s main gates. There were still some people that could not bear to watch this. After all, Chen Yu’s face was too beautiful. It was so beautiful that it caused a large number of people to both forget and forgive all of the things that she had done.
Feng Chen Yu woke up while being dragged along. After glancing around the crowd, she immediately noticed their solemn expressions. She had always known how to make use of her own appearance. Even though she was in a terrible state, she was still able to cast a wink at the people that had pitied her because of her looks. This caused three people to immediately say in unison: “Wait, wait a moment!” Then, one of them spoke toward the hall and pleaded on her behalf, saying: “Perhaps eldest young miss Feng has been plotted against by someone. Please forgive her! She…”
Before he could even finish speaking, a figure suddenly rushed from inside the hall. Nobody could get a clear look, but they only saw that figure flick a whip right at the person that had pleaded for her forgiveness. In the blink of an eye, the person that had been speaking suddenly stopped. His mouth was opened, and a bloody tongue was ripped out immediately after by the whip.
That person passed away after losing his tongue. When he fell, the last thing he saw was a face covered by a gold mask.
“Is there anyone else who wishes to plead for Feng Chen Yu?” Xuan Tian Ming stood in the middle of the yard and looked around the crowd. The whip in his hand was still curled around that person’s tongue.
The other two that had also been pleading had lowered their heads long ago. They no longer dared to say another word. Just a simple plea caused that person to lose his life. Someone recognized the person that had been whipped to death. It was actually a secondary-class second rank official. Everyone knew how much time and effort was required to climb to such a position. In the end, dying like this, was it not regrettable?
Feng Chen Yu was already dragged away, and the heartbreaking cries suddenly stopped. All that remained was the celebratory atmosphere that had cooled off. Princess Xiang took the initiative to stand in the yard and raise her voice, saying: “Today’s matter is a great humiliation for my Xiang Palace. For the secondary princess being brought in to not have been inspected beforehand was my mistake as the official princess. I will naturally go into the imperial palace to beg for forgiveness from father Emperor. Would everyone please go back.”
With an order for the guests to leave, nobody had any reason to remain. The third prince had already become furious, and the ninth prince had already begun killing people. If they continued to remain, they feared that there would be a bad outcome.
Everyone left, including the princes, who had returned to their own palaces. Yu Qian Yin tugged on Xuan Tian Hua’s sleeve and said: “Seventh brother, let’s go back too.”
Xuan Tian Hua glanced at her but did not say anything; however, he began walking out. When passing by Xuan Tian Ming, he only said: “We will be going back first.” Thus he left the Xiang Palace with Yu Qian Yin.
This was the first time that Feng Yu Heng had paid attention to Yu Qian Yin’s parting figure. She always felt that it was a bit familiar; however, she was unable to understand where this familiarity came from.
At this time, the palace’s granny also bid farewell and left. Princess Xiang glanced at Feng Yu Heng then turned to Feng Jin Yuan and said: “Having tarnished the imperial family’s reputation, I will be going into the palace to beg for forgiveness. Lord Feng shouldn’t be thinking of fleeing the battle, right?”
Feng Jin Yuan spoke with a solemn expression: “This prime minister will naturally be going into the palace along with princess.” Although he said this, he had absolutely no grasp of this situation. He subconsciously turned his gaze to the Cheng shi sisters; however, those two did not look at him in the slightest. Instead, both were talking with Feng Yu Heng. There was nothing that Feng Jin Yuan could do aside from sigh and follow Princess Xiang out.
Xuan Tian Ming pulled on Feng Yu Heng’s hand, “Let’s return. The fengshui in this place is bad.”
These words nearly caused the third prince’s lungs to explode from anger, as he then heard Feng Yu Heng say: “I originally thought that since this was my own sister getting married, and she would be marrying third brother. I thought that I would return the jade mine. Who knew that this sort of thing would happen. It seems that the heavens do not want me to go bankrupt!” After saying this, she slyly laughed then followed Xuan Tian Ming and swaggered off. The Cheng shi sisters followed behind them and returned to the Feng manor.
Inside the Xiang Palace, the red silk banners were still hanging, and the word fortune was also hung up. The third prince’s wedding robe was still on his body, but it was no longer lively. The entire area was filled with a deathly silence. In fact, not a single person spoke. Even Duan Mu Qing was completely silent.
Not long later, one of the musicians summoned some courage and went forward, carefully asking: “May I ask, who should I speak to in order to settle the troupe’s wages?”
When Feng Yu Heng and the Cheng shi sisters returned to the Feng manor, the matriarch led everyone to wait at the manor’s entrance. Seeing the three return, she immediately went forward to ask. Cheng Jun Man pulled the matriarch back to Peony courtyard’s main hall. At the same time, she recited everything that had happened at the Xiang Palace.
There was nothing for her to avoid speaking about. This matter would most likely spread around the entire capital.
When the matriarch entered the hall, she did not even have a chance to sit down before she fell from hearing this news. Cheng Jun Man did not have a good grasp on her, and the matriarch dropped to the ground. Following this, she endlessly screamed: “What sort of sin was committed! Exactly what sort of sin was committed!”
Fen Dai listened to this and felt that the situation was not quite right. Based on Feng Chen Yu’s personality, if she was not certain that her body had already recovered completely, she would not dare to marry into the Xiang Palace with that much confidence. Could it be that someone had done something?
Subconsciously glancing in Feng Yu Heng’s direction, she found that her second sister was sitting there and drinking tea, as though nothing had happened. Fen Dai thought about it in her mind, and the desire to ridicule Feng Chen Yu disappeared. She just sat at Han shi’s side while listening to the matriarch endlessly cry.
The matriarch cried for a while then felt that there was no longer any point. After thinking, who knew how she was thinking, but she suddenly pointed at Feng Yu Heng and loudly asked: “You were also there at that time. Why did you not help speak up for your eldest sister? She was clearly harmed by someone, she…” As she spoke, the matriarch suddenly recalled how Feng Jin Yuan had previously told her that Chen Yu had clearly told him that she had recovered completely, and the person that had helped her was Feng Yu Heng. At that time, they were very at ease and very assured. Now, this sort of thing happened. Could it be that it was Feng Yu Heng that had done this? Once this thought surfaced, no matter how she thought, she felt that this was the case. The matriarch suddenly became infuriated and let out a yelp before screaming: “It was you! Right? It was you that wanted to kill your eldest sister!”
Feng Yu Heng suddenly slammed her cup of tea on the table. This large and sudden movement caused everyone to leap in fear.
The matriarch trembled. At first, she wanted to say a few more words, but the words that had reached her lips were forcefully swallowed back down, nearly causing her to bite her own tongue. She began to feel regret. Chen Yu was already worthless, yet she had questioned Feng Yu Heng for the sake of a worthless person. Had she gone crazy?
While thinking, Feng Yu Heng stood up and walked over toward her. Her gaze was a sharp as a knife, scaring the matriarch into wanting to retreat, but Chen Jun Mei was supporting her from behind, leaving her no place to run.
Finally, Feng Yu Heng arrived in front of her. Squatting down, she partially kneeled on one knee. Looking forward, a cold air surged forth, causing the matriarch’s teeth to endlessly chatter.
Feng Yu Heng gently used her hand to support the matriarch’s hand and said: “Don’t be scared.”
She said not to be scared, but the matriarch became even more scared.
Feng Yu Heng laughed, “Could it be that you feel that you have misspoken? Otherwise, why would you become so scared like this? A-Heng is not a man-eating monster. The reason you are afraid of me is that you have a guilty conscience. What do you mean I want to harm my eldest sister? Grandmother, you could have learned from anyone, yet you had to learn from father. With blinded eyes and a biased heart, even when you have gone to hell, King Yama will not forgive you!”
The matriarch’s entire body trembled. She moved her arm a few times to try and get out of Feng Yu Heng’s grasp; however, this was a wasted effort. It did not look like Feng Yu Heng put in much strength, but it was as though her hand was held in a vice. After being clamped, it would not be released. She turned to request help from the Cheng shi sisters, but the two shook their heads in unison, expressing that they were powerless.
Presently, in the Feng manor, under Feng Yu Heng’s oppression, there was nobody that could help the matriarch. Moreover, the matriarch’s earlier words were not very well received. It was exactly as Feng Yu Heng had asked, what did she mean by trying to harm Feng Chen Yu? Feng Chen Yu was the one that sought death by doing such a shameless thing. If it was seen through, the blame would be tossed on someone else?
An shi coldly said: “If it really is like this, second young miss is the one that has been harmed the entire time. For her to be able to live until today, that was truly not easy.”
Feng Yu Heng curled her lips up into a sneer, beginning to provide examples for the matriarch. She started with the driver that was to bring her back to the manor, all the way to Feng Chen Yu collaborating with the Chen family to kill Zi Rui. One by one, she listed out the attempts clearly. In fact, she was even able to provide the day, time, the mastermind and accomplices of each event, as well as who was favored afterward. It was as though there was not a single thing in this world that could escape her eyes.
Everyone in the Feng family sat there, listening in shock. By the end, even Fen Dai began to agree with what An shi had said. Along the way, the one that had been harmed the most was Feng Yu Heng!
“To be able to live until today is thanks to my ability.” Feng Yu Heng let go of the matriarch’s hand then stood up straight. Raising her body, she looked down, “That’s why you should not hope that I feel any gratitude in my heart. Me not taking revenge is already enough of a grace. Feng Chen Yu deserved her punishment. Treat it as a warning. If the Feng family is sensible, I will keep our familial relations in mind and allow you to live peacefully. But if you do not know how to do this, you should not fear me standing off to the side and not caring. In fact, I may add oil to the fire.”
Paralyzed by fear, the matriarch was feeling unreconciled and asked: “You are the daughter of the Feng family. What is the benefit for you if the Feng family falls?”
“Haha!” Feng Yu Heng let out a loud laugh, “If the Feng family falls? Even if the Feng family does not fall, what sort of benefit is there for me? There is no need for you to worry. Even if there is a day when everyone within nine relations of the Feng family is exterminated, I will not be exterminated. That too is my ability.”
Feng Yu Heng’s warning made it very clear to everyone in the Feng family. Kang Yi had a crisis, Feng Chen Yu was to be executed, and Feng Jin Yuan was currently in the palace pleading for forgiveness… An shi was also a little panicked, reminding the matriarch: “We should worry a bit more about husband. Who knows if the Emperor will add in the previous debts and settle them all now.”
These words caused the matriarch’s heart to sink to the bottom.
At this time, in the capital’s prison for condemned prisoners, an exceedingly limp voice spoke up: “Elder brother, the button on my shirt has come undone. Can you help me button it up?”