Actually Dare to Hide Private Savings
Feng Yu Heng’s words “upright official” could be considered as an affirmation of the governor’s decision.
The governor finally let go of his worries and ordered his men: “Bring the criminal in to the prison!”
“Let’s see who dares!” Chen shi wailed loudly, “You’re just a standard third rank governor. I am the current prime minister’s family’s head wife. You clearly know that is my cousin, yet you still dare to imprison him? Lord Li, do you have a brain?”
The governor was unhappy. He didn’t think that the lord dignified prime minister’s family’s head wife would be like this? Thinking back to the matter regarding the prime minister’s manor’s son to his first wife. He sighed with emotion in his heart.
What use is there in being a high-ranking official when the son of the first wife is useless, madam… is also a little too useless.
He flicked he sleeve and returned behind the table, sitting down, “Lady Feng, this is a government office. It is not your Feng manor’s backyard!” His words were said with temper, as he brought out the imposing manner he used in court. This truly caused Chen shi to tremble with fear.
“Husband.” Chen shi wiped her tears and turned to beg Feng Jin Yuan, “These years cousin has helped take care of the shop and it has not been easy. This type of thing if carefully investigated, which shop wouldn’t be found guilty? Why must he be locked up for three years?”
Why would Feng Jin Yuan give here any face at all, Chen shi’s cousin was already someone he disliked. That type of relative dragged the Feng manor down.
“Lord Li!” He cupped his hand toward the governor, “This minister feels that three years truly feels too little. As my family’s madam has said, this sort of thing happens in every shop. Since this is the case, then my prime minister’s house should serve as an example, placing righteousness above loyalty to family. I request Lord Li increase the sentence to ten years in prison to serve as a warning to others.”
Chen shi immediately collapsed to the ground. It truly felt like she was looking at a stranger when looking at Feng Jin Yuan. For the first time, she found that she might have married a wolf. It was even a wolf with an insatiable appetite.
How much had her Chen family spent on the Feng family? The year that Feng Jin Yuan went to write the imperial exam, the Chen family merely lived slightly lives in that village. Because she liked Feng Jin Yuan, she forced her father to spend the family fortune to fund his imperial exam. But when he passed with flying colors, he married the Yao family’s daughter Yao Qian Rou.
The more Chen shi thought about it, the more she hated it. The more she thought about it, the more she felt her grievances were not worth it. That Feng Yu Heng, who was to the side covering her head, entered her gaze. Just like a thorn, she vowed that she would absolutely pull that thorn out!
“Good!” Suddenly the governor exclaimed, surprising everyone in the room. “Minister Feng is placing righteousness before loyalty to relatives. You are truly a model for the capital! Then this lowly official will sentence the criminal to ten years imprisonment!” Thinking a little, he added: “No visitations and no commutations!”
Chen shi closed both her eyes. She no longer had the heart to listen to the ruling, but she did not think that the Feng Yu Heng who had been crying in pain would suddenly open her mouth and faintly say: “One small shopkeeper dares to sell ginseng and glossy ganoderma as fakes. I truly do not know if it was him being too brave or if he was receiving instructions from someone.”
“A-Heng.” The one speaking was Feng Jin Yuan. He frowned, clearly slightly impatient, but he did not dare go too far. He could only say: “Problems in the family should not be taken outside. How about stopping before going too far.”
She nodded and gave some face to Feng Jin Yuan.
The doctor very quickly arrived. Feng Yu Heng actually was not at all injured. When Chen shi pulled on her hair, she had already acted and clamped a vein in Chen shi’s wrist. The opposition couldn’t at all use any strength.
But that doctor was clearly a smart one. On his way over, he heard a lower official say a few things about the current situation. Now, he solemnly warned Feng Yu Heng: “Young miss, you must be extremely careful about people tearing at your hair with such great force. It could very easily cause a small area to become unable to grow hair!”
Feng Jin Yuan’s face darkened slightly, his glare towards Chen shi became sharper.
After the three left the government office and return to Feng manor, it was already evening time.
The matriarch, together with her three granddaughters and the three concubines, had remained waiting at Peony courtyard’s main hall. Hearing that the three had returned, they quickly invited them over.
Chen shi had repressed a belly full of frustration. Once she saw Feng Chen Yu, she immediately lost control. Hugging her daughter, she burst in to tears “Chen Yu! You have to help mother! Your maternal uncle has been thrown in prison by Feng Yu Heng for ten years!”
Chen Yu was very surprised.
When the government offices had come to invite Feng Jin Yuan and Chen shi over to their office, they had given a simple explanation. She knew that something had happened to her maternal uncle. But she thought that in the end, it was a family matter. At most he would be sent home and severely cursed. It definitely wouldn’t become too serious. But she never thought that he would be sentenced to ten years.
The matriarch was also stunned and asked: “The shopkeeper of Hundred Herb Hall really is your relative?”
For a while, Chen shi could only cry without responding, so she asked Chen Yu: “You speak.”
Chen Yu was helpless and could only nod: “He is my maternal uncle.”
“Stupid!” The matriarch prodded Chen shi with her cane: “This type of relative and you still dare to have him work at a shop? Chen shi, oh Chen shi, how long does your maternal family wish to take advantage our Feng manor?”
Once these words were spoken, everyone’s mouths parted. Although the people Chen shi uses daily are not a disgrace, but when it comes to taking advantage, wasn’t it clear that it was the Feng family that took advantage of the Chen family? Feng manor being able to grow to this degree in under twenty or so years could not be separated from the wealth of the Chen family.
But these words were spoken by the matriarch, so not a single person dared to refute it. Moreover, the one being insulted was Chen shi. Even if she was wrong, nobody wanted to side with Chen shi and speak up for her.
Chen shi was so angered by the matriarch that she could not breathe. Tightly holding Chen Yu’s hand, she continuously trembled.
“Did you hear me!” She did not directly begin to argue with the matriarch, instead she said to Chen Yu: “Dear daughter, remember, remember the words they said today! In the future, make demands a little at a time!”
“What is it that mother wants to demand?” Feng Yu Heng asked while remembering to keep her hair covered.
The matriarch saw that something was off and asked with concern: “Is A-Heng’s head hurting?”
Feng Yu Heng said with grief to the matriarch: “Earlier at the government office, as soon as she saw me, mother jumped on me and began cursing and beating me, violently tearing at my hair. Lord governor sent for a doctor. That doctor said that if it is torn at again, then it’s possible for there to be a patch where hair will not grow.”
Hearing this, the matriarch became enraged: “Chen shi! Although you are the head wife, it does not come with the right to poison a concubine’s daughters!”
An shi spoke with concern: “How can this be good. Second young miss is the future Princess Yu. If such a matter was discovered by his Highness Prince Yu…”
Feng Jin Yuan had also thought of this matter and quickly asked Feng Yu Heng: “Today you met Prince Yu, did he have anything to say?”
Feng Yu Heng snorted to herself. This father, from start to finish, only worried about what disaster Xuan Tian Ming’s temper would bring. Towards his own daughter, there was not a care at all.
“Don’t worry, father. His Highness Prince Yu asked if A-Heng is well or has been bullied in the manor. He did not say anything else.”
Everyone wiped away some sweat. This was still considered didn’t say much? Feng Yu Heng, haven’t you been bullied in the manor?
Feng Jin Yuan was also too embarrassed to ask how she responded. His heart still had anger that needed to be vented. Just then, Chen shi inhaled sharply. He turned around and directly slapped her across the mouth “You vile woman, you aren’t ashamed to cry?”
Chen shi had completely lost her temper upon being struck. She simply clung on to Feng Chen Yu for dear life. Clinging to her only chance at salvation.
Feng Chen Yu, however, did not dare display unhappiness to Feng Jin Yuan. She had to rely on this prime minister of a father. Relatively speaking, her mother was not as important.
But toward Feng Yu Heng, she did not have that worry. She could not help but turn her head and bitterly say to Feng Yu Heng: “Second sister, why did you do it? A close family will prosper! The person is truly our maternal uncle. Even if he did something wrong, he should not be sent to the government office. Doing this will make father look bad before the court.”
Feng Jin Yuan’s heart was moved. It was still Chen Yu that knew to think of him. If he did not take action today, he worried that the governor would make a show of it at court. Now, he could at least use the good name of putting righteousness before family bonds.
Feng Yu Heng, hearing Chen Yu speak at length about thinking for Feng Jin Yuan, naturally would not fall behind. She also followed up and said: “I was also grieved for father. Everyone knows that father is remorseful to mother for the supplements to the Feng family. Only for this, did he give the position of head wife to mother, but who knew that mother’s wealth came about like this.” She settled her gaze on the matriarch as she spoke, “Grandmother, father has truly suffered too many grievances.”
With just these few words, the origins of Chen family’s wealth had changed completely.
In this instant, Chen shi lost it. She no longer had time to cry, as she turned her head and began cursing Feng Yu Heng: “Slut! Just your damn shop would make a mere fifty to sixty thousand taels at most. You take a look at the things this manor eats and uses. Now ask your father how much the nice things that are sent to court each year are worth? Even if I stole all the money from your shops, it wouldn’t be enough to feed this family!”
Feng Chen Yu helplessly furrowed her brow. Having a mother that dragged her down was truly too terrible.
“Wasn’t mother saying that the three shops were all losing money?” Feng Yu Heng asked, puzzled, “Originally, one year would generate fifty to sixty thousand taels! Also, this money actually wasn’t used for the Feng family, so where did this money go?”
Feng Jin Yuan was also dumbfounded. That shop earned so much money? Fifty to sixty thousand taels, his yearly salary was only ten thousand. Chen shi had controlled those shops for so many years. Just as Feng Yu Heng asked, where did all that money go?
For a while, everyone’s gaze fell on Chen shi.
Chen shi also knew that she had been trapped by Feng Yu Heng’s words. But the words that had been spoken and it was too late to retract them.
“Naturally, they have become used by the people of the manor.” She found herself a way out, “They’ve all become used by the people of the manor.”
“Hmph!” How could the matriarch be fooled by her, “The account journal you provided for the manor did not have this entry. Also, there are many vague expenses. I was preparing to reconcile the journal in a few days, when my body was feeling better!”
Feng Fen Dai, who stood next to Han shi, was someone who could not hold back. At this time, hearing that Chen shi had taken this much money, that tiny combative mind of hers began to stir. “Last year, for Fen Dai’s birthday, grandmother said she would give me good clothes made of Sichuan brocade, but the clothing sent by mother was just normal brocade. She even told Fen Dai that the manor’s finances were tight and hoped that Fen Dai would be understanding. I didn’t expect that mother was actually hiding the money.”
For the first time, Feng Fen Dai had stayed on topic, alleging that Chen shi had hidden private savings.
Feng Jin Yuan pointed at Chen shi’s nose and asked: “Each year earning fifty to sixty thousand, and you have controlled those shops for many years. How much money did you hide? Speak!”