Yao shi’s Crisis
“The Empress’ imperial instructions?” The matriarch was a little confused, “What imperial instructions does her Highness the Empress want to give?”
Granny Zhao anxiously said from the side: “Regardless of what it is, the person who has come to present it is already on their way. Elder madam, you must prepare yourself!”
“Yes, yes.” The matriarch stood with the help of granny Zhao. After a month of rest, her back was much better, and she could basically walk again.
Seeing the matriarch get out of her seat, everyone else also stood up. Fen Dai glared at Chen Yu then coldly snorted, saying: “This matter is not over! Don’t assume that you can brush over it.”
Chen Yu maintained that puzzled expression, “I don’t understand what fourth sister is saying.”
The matriarch angrily scolded: “Everyone shut up! What sort of time is it? You still have the heart to talk about this?”
Just as these words were spoken, a person reported from the outside: “The Empress’ decree has arrived!” At the same time, a female administrator walked in.
The matriarch quickly went forward to salute then say: “This decree came suddenly, and the people of the manor still have not gotten up. This old one will send people for them.”
The female official glanced inside the hall, her eyes lingering on Feng Chen Yu for a while then said: “There’s no need. If eldest young miss Feng is present, that is enough. This decree is for her.”
The matriarch was stunned then immediately retreated. Leading the way, she knelt down and waited for the decree to be announced.
Fen Dai glanced sideways at Chen Yu. As she saw it, Chen Yu was absolutely about to suffer again. This could be considered what everyone in the Feng manor thought because every time that an imperial decree came from the palace for Chen Yu, it was never anything good.
Chen Yu was also nervous. She knew that she had not offended any people with noble backgrounds, nor had she participated in any banquets, so how come the Empress had come again to find fault with her?
The female administrator saw that everyone had already knelt, thus she cleared her throat and loudly said: “Announcing her Highness the Empress’ imperial instructions, the Feng family’s eldest young miss, Feng Chen Yu, has been excused from the punishment of needing to apply black blush whenever going outdoors. Feng Chen Yu has been excused from the punishment of being forbidden from entering the palace for five years. We hope that eldest young miss Feng will remember this imperial grace and take care of herself.”
It was a good thing?
Chen Yu’s eyes immediately became wide, as the feelings of joy filled her voice.
The female official was very satisfied with her reactions and said: “Eldest young miss Feng, you still do not give your thanks for this grace?”
Only then did Feng Chen Yu react and quickly bow deeply, saying: “Chen Yu thanks her Highness the Empress for her grace.”
The imperial decree was officially handed down.
The people of the Feng manor all stood up. This pleasant surprise had come too quickly, and nobody was able to recover their wits for a while. It was Feng yu Heng who was most calm and asked that official: “How come her Highness the Empress suddenly changed her mind?”
The female official recognized Feng Yu Heng. Seeing her speak, she expressed even more courtesy than when speaking to the matriarch. Bowing deeply to Feng Yu Heng, she politely replied: “Responding to county princess, it was his Highness Prince Jing who went to ask for her Highness the Empress to forgive eldest young miss Feng.”
“Oh.” Feng Yu Heng nodded and said to Chen Yu: “His Highness the eldest prince is truly serious.”
Chen Yu’s heart filled with emotion. Previously, she liked Xuan Tian Hua, but Xuan Tian Hua saw her as nothing. Her father wanted to marry her to Xuan Tian Ye, but Xuan Tian Ye did not take her seriously, and he had even ruined her stage at the previous banquet. Not only had he cost her a pair of earrings, that had also hurt Xuan Tian Qi’s heart.
Now that she looked at it, the eldest prince, Xuan Tian Qi, was indeed the most serious. With these two decrees coming at the same time, Feng Chen Yu had truly made a come back within the capital.
“This official’s daughter thanks her Highness the Empress and thanks his Highness Prince Jing.” She once again bowed to give thanks, as a hard-to-hide smile surfaced on her face.
Only after that female official left did the matriarch turn around. She looked at Chen Yu and did not know how she should face this granddaughter.
A good thing had occurred, but the thorn in her heart could not be removed. Fen Dai was right. Things seemed to be going exceptionally well for Feng Chen Yu, but there would always be a day where her body would be exposed. When that time came, the entire Feng family would become implicated!
Fen Dai nearly fainted from the anger caused by the imperial decree. The more she looked at Chen Yu’s face, the angrier she became. She was preparing to make a few more cutting remarks, but she suddenly saw Chen Yu turn to the matriarch and drop to the ground, “Grandmother, in order to prove Chen Yu’s purity, would grandmother please invite a granny into the manor! Chen Yu’s must not have a bad reputation!”
These words caused the matriarch and Feng Fen Dai to stare dumbfounded.
Find a granny to examine her body! Had Feng Chen Yu lost her mind?
The matriarch asked with a shaky voice: “Do you know what you are saying?”
Chen Yu nodded, “Granddaughter knows what she is saying. I also know what fourth sister is saying, but granddaughter really is not as fourth sister describes. Granddaughter has a pure body and can be examined at any time.”
She specially emphasized the “pure body” part. At the same time, her personal servant, Yi Lin, collaborated very well and nodded to the matriarch. She then walked over and whispered something into granny Zhao’s ear. Granny Zhao was extremely shocked after hearing it, as she subconsciously turned her gaze to Feng Yu Heng. She then leaned close to the matriarch’s ear and said: “It was second young miss who took action.”
Just hearing this, the matriarch suddenly let out a “haha” and began laughing. That laugh was very crisp and clear, as something that had been oppressed for too long was finally given clarity. How could she not be happy.
“Good! Good! Good!” Repeating the word good three times, she stopped laughing. When she looked again at Chen Yu, her gaze regained the former love it once had. “My Feng family’s eldest daughter has always been pure!” Saying this, she glared at Fen Dai, her gaze carrying a warning, “Nobody is permitted to sully her name, otherwise I will not recognize them as my Feng family’s daughter!”
The matriarch’s words put Fen Dai in a daze. What sort of situation was this? How come the matriarch suddenly changed her mind? How did Feng Chen Yu convince her to firmly believe that she was pure? Could it be that the happenings at Feng Tong county had all been something she had imagined?
She wanted to argue a little more, but she was stopped by Pei’er, who quietly said: “Young miss, you must not.”
Fen Dai was not too stupid, as she was still able to take the matriarch’s words into consideration. Even if she was dissatisfied, she still did not dare speak up.
The matriarch’s heart was carefree, as she returned to her seat with a smile, “Everyone may sit! Grandmother knows that you are all good children. The Feng family will be relying on you from this day onward. Whether it is the palm or the back of the hand, it is all flesh. Grandmother does not favor anyone.” Saying this, she looked again at Feng Yu Heng, as her feelings became a little warmer, “A-Heng assisting his Highness with training the soldiers has truly suffered hardships. At a later time, grandmother will have someone prepare donkey-hide gelatin and hasma for you. As a girl, your skin is very important.”
Feng Yu Heng smiled but did not say too much, only saying: “Many thanks grandmother for the concern.”
The matriarch nodded then continued: “Your father has already sent a letter back, and he will be back in the capital in five days. We must prepare a welcoming dinner. I figure your father has worked hard, so for the first feast after returning, how about A-Heng prepares a table of food cooked with medicine?” In truth, she had been looking forward to the food cooked in medicine when Chen shi returned from the nunnery, but that vile woman caused trouble, so she was unable to eat very much. Afterwards, Feng Yu Heng would prepare a bit for her, but it was mostly congee. How could it be compared to the fragrance of meat.
Her idea was good, but she saw Feng Yu Heng actually shake her head, “At that time, the food cooked in medicine was all researched with sir Mo from the palace, and the food was cooked by the imperial chefs from the palace. Now…” She was a little troubled, “I fear that granddaughter is unable to invite those people.”
“This…” The matriarch’s face revealed some disappointment, “Can they really not be invited?”
Feng Yu Heng shook her head once more.
The smile on the matriarch’s face disappeared, as Fen Dai suddenly spoke up. Raising her chin, she spoke with a haughty manner: “Grandmother, there is no need to worry too much. Second sister not being able to invite them does not mean other people will be incapable. Granddaughter will send someone to speak with his Highness the fifth prince. We will have his Highness the fifth prince invite Mo Bu Fan and the imperial chefs. We must give father a good meal cooked with medicine.”
Fen Dai voluntarily took the initiative, so the matriarch was naturally happy with it. With that, the smile returned to her face, as she could not stop herself from saying: “You really are a good child!”
Finally being able to leave Shu Ya courtyard, Huang Quan was nearly unable to continue holding back her laughter, “Fourth young miss really is hilarious, could it be that she really believes his Highness the fifth prince will be able to invite sir Mo? That his Majesty will give him face and release the imperial chefs? What is she thinking!”
She also laughed, saying: “Let that girl go mess around. Maybe his Highness the fifth prince really will be able to invite him!”
“That’s impossible!” Huang Quan did not believe it at all, “Although his Majesty has treated his Highness the fifth prince well over the year, he still does not like him at heart. What sort of weight does his Highness the fifth prince’s words have. It can be known just thinking about it. Fourth young miss will be losing face this time.”
The two chatted all the way back to Tong Sheng pavilion. They had not returned for over a month, so when the servants of Tong Sheng pavilion saw Feng Yu Heng, it was as though they had seen a relative. One after another, they welcomed her with tears.
Feng Yu Heng also felt a little moved. Having received a welcome from the servants, she gave each of them five taels, causing them to happily thank her for her grace.
She then rushed into Yao shi’s courtyard. When she arrived, Yao shi was waiting for her in the middle of the yard. Feng Yu Heng looked with wide eyes and felt that Yao shi’s complexion was not too good. It was a little pale, but it did not look like she was very ill.
She quickly walked forward and was about to kneel to pay respects, but Yao shi stopped her, “There is no need for such courtesy between mother and daughter. Quickly tell mother, was everything well at the military camp?”
Feng Yu Heng gently patted the back of her hand and comforted her, saying: “With his Highness the ninth prince there, everything is well with daughter.”
Only then did Yao shi let out a sigh of relief, “Then I can relax. His Highness being able to protect is good enough. A-Heng, mother does not hope for you to ascend to the peak. As I see it, it would be better if his Highness the ninth prince was not the crown prince. As just a prince, his days would be better than in the palace.”
She laughed, “Those are a man’s matters, so I don’t mind them. Either way, regardless of whether he lives in the palace or outside the palace, I just need to follow him.”
Yao shi knew that her daughter had grand plans, so she did not say too much about this. She only held her hand and happily said: “A letter came from Zi Rui a few days ago. He said that he will return with Wang Chuan before the new year. He can remain until after the new year is passed.”
“That’s great!” Feng Yu Heng held Yao shi’s hand and walked towards the room, “I don’t know if Zi Rui has grown any taller, if he has gotten used to living at the academy, if he is properly learning the things taught by his teacher…”
Hearing Feng Yu Heng talk endlessly, Yao shi finally recovered some of that feeling she had back in the mountain village in the Northwest. At that time, her daughter only doted on her younger brother. She spent her entire time worrying about her younger brother. Even if Zi Rui was careless and fell, she was still able to hug him while crying. Now, this feeling returned to her, which made the mother and daughter feel a little closer.
The two talked for a while, and Feng Yu Heng accompanied Yao shi for dinner before returning to her own courtyard.
Upon entering her courtyard, she rushed straight for her medicine storage room. When she came out, she held some paper packets in her hands and handed them to Huang Quan: “Have the servants prepare this as tea for mother to drink. I saw that her vitality was not too good, so this will be used to help her recover.”
Huang Quan nodded. Receiving the item, she went to give the orders. Feng Yu Heng, however, sat on a stone chair in the yard and began thinking.
Something was not quite right about Yao shi’s body…