Ghost in White
Early in the morning the next day, the females of the Feng manor gathered in Shu Ya courtyard to pay respects to the matriarch.
Chen Yu also had the two servants, Yi Lin and Yi Yue, sitting to the side. The tea was placed on the table, but she had a swollen hand and was scared to pick it up.
Feng Yu Heng was seated comfortably on a soft cushion at the matriarch’s feet. Reaching out her hand, she felt the matriarch’s pulse.
Whenever this happened, the matriarch felt that Feng Yu Heng was the most useful. Having a daughter that understood medicine was always better than bringing in a doctor. This way, she could avoid the thing that happened to Zi Rui.
“Grandmother’s body has not been seriously affected.” After feeling her pulse for a while, Feng Yu Heng put down her hand and comforted the matriarch, “Although it is now Autumn, grandmother’s waist and legs have been well protected and have not been hit by serious illness. Your pulse is also stable.”
After hearing this, the matriarch felt very at comfortable and devoted her energy solely towards praising her: “It really is our A-Heng who is best.”
Feng Yu Heng, however, warned the matriarch: “But you must pay attention to your gallbladder! Grandmother has been getting angry too often recently, which is not good for the gallbladder.”
The matriarch helplessly sighed. Getting angry too often? It would be strange if did not happen this often.
Seated to the side, Han shi rolled her eyes and said in an odd manner: “Things keep happening in the manor one after another. It would be odd to not get angry.” As she spoke, she glanced at Chen Yu: “Eldest young miss, what do you say?”
Chen Yu had her head down, not wanting to pay any attention to her.
Han shi, however, did not let her off easy, continuing: “Especially the eldest young miss’ hand. That will cause mother-in-law to be even more angry! Ah, I must say, people should not be so quick to faint. If things do not go well, in the end, the one to suffer will be yourself.”
Ever since Han shi began speaking, everyone in the felt uncomfortable. Previously, Han shi was extremely charming. Now, she had a somewhat mysterious way of speaking similar to Feng Yu Heng.
Chen Yu felt her anger flare up from her words, but she could only do her best to keep it in. She only strongly disagreed with what Han shi said: “I truly fell ill. Concubine mother Han, please do not spread false rumors.”
“Oh?” Han shi raised her voice, “When did I mention any rumors? When did I ever say eldest young miss faked her illness?”
“You…” Chen Yu felt that the current Han shi was just a shrew. She did not want to waste words with a shrew. Thus, she lowered her head once more and shut her mouth.
Han shi watched Chen Yu and sneered, “With a hand in that condition, I do not know if it will ever recover. Eldest young miss has been proficient with the zither ever since a young age. Now that your hand has been wasted, will you still be able to play the zither?”
Chen Yu’s heart dropped, as she suddenly raised her head and asked: “What do you mean by this?” She then looked at Feng Yu Heng, “My hand won’t heal?”
Feng Yu Heng rolled her eyes, “If concubine mother Han is also a doctor, then eldest sister, just believe her.”
“Enough.” The matriarch could no longer endure listening to Han shi’s odd manner of speaking, “If this Shu Ya courtyard can not accommodate you, then scram back to your own courtyard. To even forget your own standing and have forgotten to refer to yourself as this concubine. It seems that you have some other objective.”
No matter how bold Han shi was, she did not dare act against the matriarch, as she awkwardly lowered her head and stopped talking.
The matriarch looked at Chen Yu’s hand and began to worry. SHe could not help but ask Feng Yu Heng: “Your eldest sister’s hand…”
“Grandmother, do not worry.” She gave a comforting smile, “After half a month to a month, eldest sister’s hand will be fine.”
The matriarch let out a sigh, and Chen Yu also felt relieved upon hearing this.
“Oh, Chen Yu!” The matriarch said: “This time, you suddenly fell ill. This time, you really need to thank A-Heng. If she were not here, perhaps you would still not have woken up even now. You must properly thank your second sister.”
Feng Chen Yu hatefully gritted her teeth. She even had the heart to want to kill Feng Yu Heng, so how could she thank her? “Grandmother, please think a little more about the people of the family. Second sister is still only twelve years old after all. Always saying that she has learned from old divine doctor Yao, but that only happened for a few years. As for the so-called Persian eccentric that she mentioned, it would be best not to believe outsiders. Do not be too reliant on it, so you do not trouble someone else.”
When she these things, it was because of Feng Yu Heng, so there was not a very good tone. The matriarch heard these complaints “Are you lecturing me? That day, you were fainted and did not wake. Your father and I stayed with you for an entire night and called for many doctors. None of them could wake you up. I had no other choice but to call your second sister. You indeed woke up thanks to her treatment. I can ignore you not being grateful, but how can you say such things? You truly do not know how to tell good from bad! You really do not know how to tell!”
Chen Yu was shocked and immediately realized that she had gone overboard. She indeed hated Feng Yu Heng, but her words were spoken to the matriarch. How could she get angry with the grandmother that even her father had to yield to?
Realizing this point, Chen Yu quickly stood up then knelt before the matriarch: “Grandmother, please forgive me! Chen Yu has only woken up a few days ago. My mind is still not very clear. The things I just said were nonsense!” When she raised her head again, there were two tear streaks on her face. This appearance caused people to feel for her. How could the matriarch continue to hold it against her?
“Quickly get up.” She sighed, “I know you just recovered. I do not blame you. It’s just that your second sister did it out of the goodness of her heart. You must know to thank her.”
Feng Chen Yu cursed the matriarch internally for a while, thinking this old woman had lived for too long. She has gone senile to have been so easily coaxed by a child that came out of the mountains. She even defended her to this degree.
But the matriarch insisted, so she had no other choice. She could only grit her teeth and say to Feng Yu Heng: “If that is the case, then thank you second sister.” While she spoke, she did not even look at Feng Yu Heng.
The matriarch felt that Chen Yu’s attitude was not good and was prepared to say a few more things, but at this time, a servant came in from the outside. In her hand was an invitation.
Granny Zhao quickly went up and received it. She then said a few words to the servant before turning around and saying to the matriarch: “It is an invitation from the Bu manor to attend the funeral. It is Lord Bu’s funeral. Our manor should send someone to offer condolences.” While she spoke, she handed the invitation to the matriarch.
The matriarch received it. Looking at it, she said: “It should be attended. At the time of Chen shi’s funeral, the Bu family’s eldest son also came.”
Feng Yu Heng heard this and flipped through her memories. The Bu family’s eldest son was called… Bu Bai Qi? At that time, her maternal grandfather was treating Bu Bai Qi’s injuries when he received news of her birth.
“It must be said that the Bu family’s eldest son is a straightforward and honest person. We…” The matriarch suddenly stopped in her tracks and could not continue. Her hand trembled, as she glanced at Feng Yu Heng subconsciously before looking away again.
Feng Yu Heng found this to be funny, instead taking the initiative and asking: “Did the invitation mention A-Heng?”
The matriarch nodded with a hint of embarrassment, bringing the invitation back a little, “That’s right. A-Heng was invited.”
“Ha.” She failed to hold in her laugh, “The funeral invitation actually named me? Is the Bu family acting as though this is some celebration!” Normally, only invitations to celebratory events would specially name their invitees. Invitations to funerals were usually sent to invite entire families.
The matriarch also felt the Bu family was being excessive, but what she felt was excessive was not the matter of being specially named on the invitation to a funeral. What she found excessive was that the invitation actually clearly said: We invite the Feng family’s daughter to a concubine Feng Yu Heng to the Bu manor to kowtow and beg forgiveness for her sins. But she did not dare say this to Feng Yu Heng. Heavens knew how this second granddaughter would react. Moreover, how was Lord Bu’s death related to their family’s A-Heng?
“The Bu family’s people truly are too deceitful!” The matriarch put down the invitation in her hand, “A-Heng, there is no need to worry about it.”
An shi also nodded, “Lord Bu’s rank was merely at the second rank. Our family’s master is a standard first rank. How could they possibly have the right to name our Feng family’s second young miss to offer condolences.”
Yao shi also spoke up with her words being more professional than An shi’s “There is no such rule in the court.”
Everyone was fully in agreement with what the two said, repeatedly nodding along with them. Only Feng Chen Yu frowned and said: “Although Lord Bu is of a lower rank than father, there is still a head imperial concubine in the palace!”
Hearing these words, the matriarch began to reconsider.
Indeed, a minister could not control a prime minister, but the head imperial concubine in the palace was different. Everyone knew that Lord Bu was smashed to death by head imperial concubine Bu, and imperial concubine Bu had been personally thrown by the Emperor, which was because she had offended imperial concubine Yun. But even if this was the case, there was no news of head imperial concubine being demoted. It seemed that there were no changes being made. With that being the case, this circumstance was a little more subtle.
The matriarch subconsciously looked towards Feng Yu Heng. What she saw was a relaxed face devoid of worry.
Seeing her look over, Feng Yu Heng spoke, saying: “Grandmother, there is no need to worry. A-Heng will take a trip over to Bu manor. Regardless of what is said, A-Heng was personally present. Not going to offer condolences will leave me feeling a little awkward.”
Hearing her say this, the matriarch immediately let out a sigh of relief. She really worried that this granddaughter would become stubborn and refuse to go. When the time came, she would not know what sort of trouble would be stirred.
“A-Heng is really sensible.” She said sincerely: “It would be great if all of the children in the family could learn to be like this.”
Feng Yu Heng had used this excuse, so Xiang Rong, who was sitting next to her, could not avoid going, thus she stood up and said: “Xiang Rong also feels the same as second sister.”
The matriarch repeatedly nodded her head, “Then let’s all go together. Grandmother will personally bring you to Bu manor.” Saying this, she looked towards Chen Yu: “You will also go.”
Leaving Shu Ya courtyard, Yao shi pulled Feng Yu Heng and walked a little faster. Only when they pulled quite a distance between them and everyone else did she say: “The other members of the Bu family, you should know a little bit about. But Lord Bu’s only son, Bu Bai Qi, has been close with your maternal grandfather for many years. Recently, he became a fifth rank official in the Board of Revenue, he…”
Feng Yu Heng saw that Yao shi was a little anxious, so she simply picked up where she left off: “He has a son named Bu Cong. At the time, he had asked his father to come to the Feng manor to ask for my hand in marriage.”
Yao shi nodded: “You still remember?”
She obviously did not remember. She had heard it all from other people, but she did not want to explain. Instead, she just nodded: “Mother’s meaning, I understand. Do not worry, ever since A-Heng became engaged to the ninth prince, I will definitely not develop feelings for anyone else.”
Yao shi let out a sigh of relief, “Either way, be wary of what you say and do while over at the Bu family. I fear that this funeral is not so simple.”
Going to the Bu family to offer condolences was set for early in the morning of the next day. Feng Yu Heng woke up early and put on a set of plain clothing before going over to Shu Ya courtyard. Picking up the matriarch, she accompanied her on the walk to the manor’s gates.
Xiang Rong had also woken up early in the morning and was waiting at the gate. When the three met up, Xiang Rong revealed a frightened expression, as she looked in a certain direction.
They followed her gaze and saw a white shadow in the distance. It was like a ghost, floating in their direction…