The God of Plague Has Come
At night, Feng Yu Heng brought Xiang Rong and Zi Rui over to the Feng manor’s side to stand vigil. Right before leaving, they went to Yao shi’s courtyard and casually asked the servant what Yao shi was doing, and the servant told her: “Madam is praying in the temple. She said that she is sending elder madam Feng off.”
Feng Yu Heng stopped and looked into the courtyard before placing Zi Rui’s hand in Xiang Rong’s hand: “Bring Zi Rui over first. I will go and see mother before going.” After saying this, she brought Huang Quan and Wang Chuan over to the temple.
The maidservant said that Yao shi had been praying whenever she had time. Divine doctor Yao spoke a few times without any results, thus he did not say anything else. Whenever Yao shi went to pray, divine doctor Yao would go to Zi Rui’s study. The two did not interact much.
Feng Yu Heng knew that Yao Xian was not too close with Yao shi, thus she did not have too many requests. When she entered the temple, Yao shi had just finished a prayer and turned around to look at her.
She kept her servants outside and walked in on her own then helped Yao shi up. She clearly advised her: “Mother, your health is not too good. In the future, you should spend a little less time praying! As a person, the most important things are to have good intentions and a clear conscience. Only like that can one avoid falling into the 18 levels of hell. It does not rely on the daily prayers of the living.”
Yao shi sighed. Holding Feng Yu Heng’s hand, she said: “In any case, we were once mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. She was just a little bit greedy. Aside from chasing us to the Northwest, she did not do anything to harm us. A-Heng, the things of the past are already in the past. She is already no longer alive. You should not fuss over her.”
Feng Yu Heng looked at Yao shi, and a faint smile continued to linger on her face; however, she let out a faint sigh on the inside. She knew that Yao shi really enjoyed the current life, especially with Yao Xian returning, she felt even more at ease. She had indeed hated that Feng manor, but Yao shi was different from her after all. She did not hate them like an enemy. When she was able to receive an imperial decree allowing her to divorce Feng Jin Yuan, she had already exerted the most courage that she could. Now that things had changed, she felt that life had improved, and she no longer hated them.
But Yao shi did not know that during those three years, her real daughter’s life had been lost. The real Feng Yu Heng would never return.
But there was no way for her to say this to Yao shi, and she was even more powerless to have her continue to hate the Feng manor. Since Yao shi chose to forgive and forget, she would allow her to. Although Feng Yu Heng never agreed with “forgiveness is the greatest virtue” she did not want to force her thoughts on Yao shi. She could only say a few words of advice before leaving the temple and hastily head toward the Feng manor.
Today, everyone from the younger generation was present in the mourning hall, as even Fen Dai had come. Although her injuries had not yet healed completely, and she still required a servant to help her walk, and she could not even remain kneeling in front of the matriarch’s coffin for very long, but she still kowtowed three times to the matriarch. She then had a maidservant support her while she lit three sticks of incense.
Feng Jin Yuan was also present tonight. He currently stood to the side and nodded while watching Fen Dai. When Fen Dai finished lighting her incense, he finally spoke up and said: “Your grandmother died from being beaten by the troublemakers. In the last moments, you used your body to protect her. The injuries that you had suffered were to protect your grandmother from being hurt. The Feng family will always remember this.”
Once these words were said, aside from Fen Dai, nearly everyone else vomited from what he had said. Not to mention the young master and young misses, even the servants that were standing vigil looked up. They all looked at their master with a look of disbelief. In their eyes, only one word could be seen: Shameless.
But Feng Jin Yuan very quickly continued, which allowed them to experience another level of “shamelessness” very shameless. They heard Feng Jin Yuan say: “To be able to use your own body to protect your grandmother, this is something that a grandchild should be willing to do. The Feng family is proud of you. Father is also proud of you.”
Fen Dai’s entire body trembled upon hearing Feng Jin Yuan say this. Of course, she was trembling because she felt moved. As the daughter of a concubine, as the youngest daughter, and the one with the birth mother of the lowest rank, Feng Jin Yuan had never looked at her aside from when he beat or cursed at her. But today, he had heaped such a large amount of affirmation on her in front of the entire Feng family, in front of all of the children and in front of the matriarch’s coffin. This caused her to feel as though she could not bear it all.
She was clear that this affirmation definitely a result of her engagement to the fifth prince, but regardless of the reason, it was Feng Jin Yuan that had expressed his feelings. This all made it clear that from this moment forward, her position in the Feng manor had already been raised. In fact, it was so high that it had a proper place in her always arrogant father’s eyes.
Fen Dai kneeled with the support of a maidservant in front of Feng Jin Yuan and forcefully suppressed the emotions in her heart, saying: “Many thanks to father for the praise. This… this was all something that daughter should have done. When she was alive, grandmother doted on all of us sisters. Daughter could not just watch on as those troublemakers beat grandmother. It’s unfortunate that daughter’s body was too small and was truly unable to block all of the kicks and punches that were thrown at grandmother’s body. This is the pain in daughter’s heart!” While she said this, she wiped away a tear.
At this time, Xiang Rong, who was kneeling at the incense burner, asked in confusion: “Wasn’t it said that grandmother was killed by a poison? Right now, the governor, lord Xu, is investigating this matter. Why has grandmother been deemed to have died from being beaten?”
These words reminded everyone, and Feng Jin Yuan also realized. That’s right, the matriarch’s death was odd. He had to find the result of this.
Upon thinking of this, Feng Jin Yuan’s anger surged forth. Turning his head, he glanced at Feng Yu Heng and asked: “Was there any news from the governor’s side?”
Feng Yu Heng shook her head, “No.” She then added, “I thought that father had forgotten about this matter.”
“Hmph!” Feng Jin Yuan became angry whenever he spoke with her, and the forehead that had been hit by Yao Xian also began to ache. He simply looked away from Feng Yu Heng and took a step forward to personally help Fen Dai get up from the ground. He had chosen to forget about how he had once kicked this daughter, as he held Fen Dai’s hand and sincerely said: “There are many matters in the family. Although you are still young, his Highness the fifth prince promised you the position of official princess. Once you have gotten married over there, you will need to take care of the palace’s matters. This is not something that can be learned in a day or two. That’s why, Fen Dai, you will need to learn how to take care of the home and family from this day forward.”
Fen Dai nodded, “Father has worked hard. Daughter understands. Daughter…” She originally wanted to say that the family currently had two mothers taking care of it, and there was a daughter of the first wife that could help out, but how was there any room for her. In fact, she was hoping to use this opportunity to see if Feng Jin Yuan would give her the position of daughter of the first wife, but the servant that had accompanied her, whose name was Dong Ying, understood her thoughts. Being given a fright, she quickly went and gently pinched her arm to remind her. Fen Dai also regained her sensibilities very quickly and cast aside her earlier thoughts. Instead, she said: “Daughter will definitely learn from my two mothers on how to take care of the family, and I will learn from second sister about how to be a qualified princess.”
Zi Rui was puzzled and asked: “Could it be that fourth sister also knows how to produce steel? And also understands military strategy?”
Fen Dai was stunned and did not react for a while then said: “I don’t!”
Zi Rui then said: “If you don’t know how to do these, how can you also be a qualified princess like second sister!”
Fen Dai felt embarrassed.
Feng Jin Yuan could not bear to continue watching and scolded Zi Rui: “What does a young child understand? Quickly shut your mouth!” He then said to Fen Dai: “There is no need for you to learn from her. She herself has not yet gotten married. How could she know how to be a princess. Moreover, the important matter for a girl is to take care of the family. To be running around outside all the time, how could that live up the standard of the word princess!”
Zi Rui did not have the heart to argue with him, only saying: “But senior disciple once said that my elder sister is the girl that is most worthy of his Highness the ninth prince.” He then shut his mouth.
But with just these words, Feng Jin Yuan was rendered completely speechless. What he feared most was for his second daughter to say father Emperor, and what he feared, even more, was for his only son to say senior disciple because every time that his happened, no matter how angry he felt, he had no choice but to swallow his anger.
Right now, the elder sister did not speak, but the younger brother had inherited all of her abilities and rendered him speechless. Feng Jin Yuan felt that he had less and less standing in front of this brother and sister pair.
He did not want to continue discussing this matter and simply acted as though he had not heard it. He then turned and said to Feng Fen Dai: “Learning a bit more from your mother is correct. They understand the rules and manners of the palace. You must learn from them. As the official princess of a prince, you will have plenty of opportunities to go into the palace. You must not make the slightest mistake.” Seeing that Fen Dai was being obedient and nodding, Feng Jin Yuan finally regained some self-confidence. He gently cleared his throat a couple times then continued: “You must not wait until later to learn how to take care of the family. You will begin right now. Your grandmother was poisoned to death by someone, and you will take the lead on this matter for the Feng family. Go find his Highness the fifth prince and ask to see if the governor has found any clues. Also, have his Highness try to hurry them a little. They must give us an explanation.”
Fen Dai was extremely moved. These emotions were from finally being able to represent the Feng family to do something. It had to be known that these sorts of things would always be taken care of by the head wife or the daughter of the first wife. When would the daughter of a concubine ever get a chance. But now taht Feng Jin Yuan had handed this responsibility to her, it meant that Feng Jin Yuan viewed her as the daughter of the first wife. In fact, he viewed her as the hope of the Feng family. The family of a lowly fifth-ranked official was able to produce the official princess of a prince. Feng Fen Dai was practically able to see a few years into the future. Even her father would need to kneel when greeting her.
And the second reason that she felt so moved was that she could finally go and see the fifth prince openly. That was the person that had changed her life. She had to capture that person’s heart. She definitely could not give it up.
Fen Dai forcefully suppressed the joy in her heart and said to Feng Jin Yuan: “Father, do not worry. Daughter will go to the Li Palace in the morning to see his Highness. Daughter definitely will not allow for grandmother’s death to remain unsolved.”
Feng Jin Yuan nodded then looked at Fen Dai and said: “You also need to take care of resting your body. Your grandmother will be carried out on the day after tomorrow. You will also need to be there to carry the hearse.”
Fen Dai was stunned, “Carry the hearse?” She then saw her father nod, and she felt that she was a little unable to hold back her emotions. It was fortunate that her servant Dong Ying forcefully pinched her and allowed Fen Dai to regain control, preventing her from laughing.
Carrying the hearse, this was also a right that only the daughter and son of the first wife had1
She looked at Feng Yu Heng and found that Feng Yu Heng was looking at Feng Jin Yuan with a puzzled expression. She also asked: “Father, are you sure that you want fourth sister to carry the hearse?”
Feng Jin Yuan snorted, “Of course, I am certain.”
But at this time, the sound of someone’s running footsteps come from the outside. Everyone turned their heads to look and found housekeeper He Zhong running over with an anxious look. Arriving in front of Feng Jin Yuan, he did not even have time to salute before saying: “Master, it’s not good. The palace’s eunuch Zhang came again!”