Your Dress is not Even Worth as Much as my Bowl
Feng Yu Heng looked in the direction Wu Yang pointed and found that there were three girls standing in front of a steamed bun shop. One of them wore a pale yellow dress and happened to be receiving a steamed bun from the shop attendant. Without worrying about appearances, she took a bite out of the bun in front of everyone.
Looking at this, the corner of her mouth raised. So these were Xuan Tian Ge’s friends. As expected, they are all very different!
As Xuan Tian Ge pulled Feng Yu Heng over to the other three, a young servant immediately ran over and began complaining: “Sovereign, you run too fast! You disappeared in the blink of an eye, so this servant could not keep up!”
“Why do you not say that you are stupid and slow?” Xuan Tian Ge teased that young servant and pulled Feng Yu Heng over to the three girls, saying: “This is my aunt Rou’s daughter, Feng Yu Heng. She will be my future ninth sister-in-law!”
Feng Yu Heng frowned deeply.
“Wow!” The girl who was eating the steamed bun was still chewing a mouthful when she hurriedly said: “You’re the Feng Yu Heng who secured the ninth prince?” As she spoke, she extended an oily hand: “Hello, my name is…” As she spoke, she realized that this hand was much too unsightly. Quickly pulling her hand back, she wiped it on her dress then extended her hand once more. “My name is Feng Tian Yu1. My father is also a prime minister in the court, and is an enemy of your father’s.”
A bunch of black lines appeared on Feng Yu Heng’s forehead once more, what sort of connections did Xuan Tian Ge’s friends have? She also quickly reached out and shook her hand, “So that’s how it is. Hello enemy’s daughter.”
“Oh ho.” Feng Tian Yu giggled and said, “How interesting! Two prime ministers, one surnamed Feng and the other is surnamed Feng.”1
Feng Yu Heng nodded, “I sincerely hope that the strong wind of your family can blow away my family’s phoenix. The further it gets blown away, the better.”2
Feng Tian Yu blinked a few times, “If the phoenix were blown away, wouldn’t you need to follow it?”
“Hardly.” Feng Yu Heng raised the corners of her lips, “I am Prince Yu’s princess. What happens to the phoenix has nothing to do with me.”
“That’s right.” Another girl wearing a pink dress nodded, whole-heartedly agreeing with what Feng Yu Heng had said, “Being able to share happiness is fate. Being able to share bitterness will depend on mutual affection. Who doesn’t know how the Feng family treats A-Heng. When they run in to hard times, for what reason should they force A-Heng to suffer with them?” As she spoke, she waved to Feng Yu Heng: “My name is Ren Xi Feng. I am the daughter of General Ping Nan.”
Feng Yu Heng also smiled and greeted her: “I heard his Highness mention it before. His Highness said that great General Ren’s application of the art of war is truly exquisite. He made use of him quite often during his previous expedition to the Northwest.”
Ren Xi Feng giggled and waved her hand, “His Highness the ninth prince is too kind. My father is the one who praises him as a young hero.” Ren Xi Feng looked at Feng Yu Heng. No matter how she looked, she felt that she was quite cordial, “In truth, when we met when we were young, but you do not remember it, and I do not remember it either.”
Feng Yu Heng pondered a little, “But the people of our family should have met during out infancy?”
Ren Xi Feng nodded, “But of course. Yesterday, when Tian Ge came to see me at the manor, she mentioned you, and my father spoke of how imperial physician Yao had come to the general’s manor as a guest. He had coming carrying you. At that time, you were only eight months old, and I was only ninth months old.”
Feng Yu Heng wanted to say that they really were childhood sweethearts! Before she could tell this joke, Xuan Tian Ge said: “You two chatty people wait for a moment. Let Fu Rong introduce herself to A-Heng!” As she spoke, she pushed forward a slightly timid girl, “Fu Rong, speak.”
The girl called Fu Rong looked at Feng Yu Heng with an extremely shy smile, “Greetings, young miss Feng. My name is Bai Fu Rong.”
Feng Yu Heng saw that this girl did not act as familiar as the others in calling her A-Heng. Her clothes were not as good as the others. The maidservant at her side was very normal and could not be compared to those of a royal’s manor, a prime minister’s manor, nor a general’s manor. She had a few guesses, with most being that this girl’s father did not hold a very high ranking. He did not have the ability to have live extraordinarily, and could not provide too much for this girl.
But regardless the circumstances, since this girl got along with the others, she should not be from a normal family.
“Just call me A-Heng!” Feng Yu Heng said, extending her hand to pinch that girl’s face. Oh dear, this girl’s puffy face was very round and very interesting.
“Mad man!” Just as she thought this girl was shy, who knew that having her cheeks pinched would immediately reveal her true personality, “Xuan Tian Ge, each of the friends you invite is the same. Each time I meet one, they all pinch my cheeks.”
“Uh….” Feng Yu Heng looked at the others, “What, you have also done this?”
Ren Xi Feng nodded, “If there is anything to blame, blame your cheeks for being so puffy. Tell me, when it looks like that, who wouldn’t want to pinch them!”
Feng Tian Yu also agreed: “At that time, I lightly scratched her face, but this girl actually bit me.”
Feng Yu Heng wiped off some sweat. Sure enough, sure enough, Xuan Tian Ge, your friends really are the same.
Xuan Tian Ge laughed so hard that her belly hurt. Pointing at Fu Rong, she said: “Either keep the act up or just act intrepidly. You always look like a small white sheep, but the truth is you’re a big grey wolf. Don’t you find it tiring?”
Bai Fu Rong did not find it tiring at all, “My mother said that if I don’t act like a little white sheep, I will never get married. If you don’t believe me, look at yourself. Aside from A-Heng, which one of you was wanted for marriage?”
This analysis was one hundred percent accurate. These words completely shut down the other three. Bai Fu Rong then said to Feng Yu Heng: “A-Heng, do not be like them! They are all wolves. Um, that’s right. My family can not compare to theirs. My father is just a jewelry craftsman and does not have any rank. As for me, thanks to these young misses not minding, the days are spent eating and drinking with them.”
Feng Yu Heng was quite satisfied with this Bai Fu Rong! She had no spectacular background, yet she could still speak so freely. This was truly someone who was free.
The girls hit it off and immediately decided to go to Refined Deity Building for a celebration.
Xuan Tian Ge said that she would take care of everything, so Bai Fu Rong fiercely said that she wanted to the most expensive Long Jing shrimp.
After the girls arrived at Refined Deity Building, aside from the dishes that they had ordered, the shopkeeper sent basically every signature dish over, making them confused.
Xuan Tian Ge grabbed the waiter’s ear as he was bringing the dishes and asked: “What are you wanting to do? This sovereign may have money, but I will not be extorted by you, ok?”
But the waiter said: “Sovereign, these dishes were not sent for you. These were offered by the shopkeeper to the princess. The shopkeeper said that it is not often that princess comes here, so the best wine and best foods must be brought up here for the princess to enjoy.”
Only then did they understand. It turned out that these foods were brought for Feng Yu Heng!
Bai Fu Rong immediately displayed an extremely beautiful appearance. She looked at her chopsticks and pointed at Feng Yu Heng, saying: “A-Heng, ask if we can take it back if we can not finish? My mother really likes eating the food from Refined Deity Building, but I normally can not afford it! Quickly ask. If it’s ok, then you guys should eat a little less, so I can bring it home.”
Feng Yu Heng was drinking a cup of water and nearly choked to death. Helplessly, she looked at the waiter and asked: “You heard her, pack up some food based on what was brought and give it to eldest young miss Bai.”
The waiter did not bother thinking it over and immediately said: “This one has received the order!” In the blink of an eye, he disappeared.
Xuan Tian Ge propped up her chin with one hand and pulled at Feng Yu Heng’s hair, “A-Heng, A-Heng, my ninth brother always asks his siblings to pay for their meals. Even when seventh brother comes here to eat, he must pay. This is the first time I have seen Refined Deity Building make an exception!”
Feng Yu Heng picked up some lamb ribs with her hands and began nibbling. As she ate, she asked: “Then you tell me, when Xuan Tian Ming comes to eat, does he need to pay?”
Xuan Tian Ge said: “Of course he doesn’t.”
“Well there it is.” Feng Yu Heng slightly waved around the lamb rib in her hand, “If he does not pay when eating here, why do I have to pay? All the spending money I have came from him. Even if I paid, it would be him paying. What difference is there?”
Xuan Tian Ge nodded expressing her agreement. Ren Xi Feng and Feng Tian Yu also faced her and gave her a thumbs up. As for Bai Fu Rong, she got up: “I’m going to see what delicious foods the other tables have ordered. Since there is no need to pay, we should eat more.”
As she said this, she started walking out of the room. Just as she left the room, the waiter had come up with food. Another girl from another room also happened to be hurriedly walking out.
By some strange coincidence, these three people bumped in to each other.
The waiter was startled and dropped the bowl of soup, but it still splashed on to the dress of the girl from the room next door.
Feng Yu Heng looked at the white dress that had been stained with oil and also began to feel bad.
Speaking of, the one most responsible for this accident was Bai Fu Rong. It was because she had been preoccupied with chatting with her friends behind her that she neglected the path ahead. As for the girl from next door and the waiter, it was because she had blocked their line of sight that they bumped in to each other.
Bai Fu Rong also recognized that it was her fault, so she quickly apologized: “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. It’s all my fault. Miss, I will definitely pay for your dress. First look to see if you have been scalded.”
This was originally a very sincere apology, but who knew that the girl from next door didn’t even bother listening. She simply raised her hand and slapped Bai Fu Rong and the waiter across the face.
Bai Fu Rong was stunned by being struck, while the waiter knelt on the ground and endlessly begged forgiveness.
On this side, Feng Yu Heng and the four others all stood up. Bai Fu Rong had been hit. It did not matter if who was to be blamed for this situation, but their party had already apologized and acknowledged that they would pay for the damages. Why would the other side still take action and hit others?
Feng Yu Heng looked at the girl who hit them and felt that her back was a little familiar. Getting a little closer, she realized it was not some stranger. It was the Ding An palace’s Qing Le. 3
“Qing Le gir?” Only now did Bai Fu Rong raise her head to clearly look and immediately recognized her.
Qing Le looked at Bai Fu Rong with a face of disgust, “Who did I take it for, a craftsman’s daughter actually dares speak before this royal daughter?”
Although Bai Fu Rong got along well with Xuan Tian Ge and company on a daily basis, she knew that her family was not as good as the others. When going out, she would avoid causing trouble as best she could. Today, it was indeed her fault for dirtying the other’s dress. The other person was a royal’s daughter, so her eating a loss was fine.
Presently, she did not care about having been slapped. She simply lowered her head and continued to apologize: “Royal daughter, Qing Le, I am sorry. It was all my fault. I will definitely pay for your dress.”
“You will pay?” Qing Le laughed contemptuously, “Can you afford to pay for it? Look at the shabby appearance of your clothes. Even ten years of your father’s salary could not pay for this imperial daughter’s dress.”
In fact, Qing Le was speaking the truth. What sort of salary could a craftsman have. It really was the case that ten years of salary would not pay for the dress.
Bai Fu Rong naturally knew this point and quickly said: “Imperial daughter does not need to worry. I can go out and borrow. It does not matter how much, I will pay it all.”
“Is that so?” Qing Le sneered and looked at Bai Fu Rong, “Ten thousand taels, you can go borrow it now.”
“What?” Bai Fu Rong started to get angry from being messed with, “I dare ask imperial daughter, what material is this dress made of? For it to actually cost ten thousand taels?”
Not waiting for Qing Le to reply, Feng Yu Heng came from behind and was actually directed at the kneeling waiter: “Go bring up your shopkeeper. Tell him that the Refined Deity Building’s best bowl has been smashed by imperial daughter Qing Le. Have Ding An palace repay in white silver, thirty thousand.”
1: Her surname is different from Feng Yu Heng’s. Her surname is 风, while Feng Yu Heng’s is 凤.
2: Feng Tian Yu’s surname means wind. Feng Yu Heng’s surname means phoenix.
3: I am fairly certain Ding An is correct, but the author seems to use An Ding for this family as well.