Defeat as a Human, is Victory Possible as a Ghost?
The reason Feng Yu Heng had come to Jin Yu courtyard was to watch the Chen family deliver the medicine at night. How could she allow for people to enter through the window without taking note of it.
She could be seen spinning around rapidly. She circled around the five remaining people then let slip the needles between her fingers. A few silver needles left her hand and another two people in black dropped to the ground.
These assassins were confused and could not figure out what sort of hidden weapon Feng Yu Heng was throwing. Not being able to see what it was, they fell upon coming into contact with them.
For a while, nobody dared to get near her.
Yet at this time, Ban Zou could no longer bear to continue watching from the shadows. Like a ghost, he floated over. A pair of needles came forth, and the remaining three had their lives reaped in an instant.
Feng Yu Heng patted Ban Zou’s shoulder, “Let’s go take a look inside the room. When fighting, take care and steal back the medicine for me. I can sell it again tomorrow for 2500 taels.”
Ban Zou’s lips curled into a smile. That day, his master had cheated Chen Wan Liang out of roughly 2000 taels! Those medical pills were indeed expensive, but he knew what price they usually sold for at Hundred Herb Hall. It sold for merely two taels per pill. Now in her hands, she increased the price hundreds of times. After they bought it, she would not even let them deliver it to the patient. She would actually steal it back then sell it again to them…1
While criticizing her mentally, the two entered Chen shi’s bedroom. Chen shi’s heart had been injured severely by Feng Jin Yuan’s hidden guard. She was like a fat ghost lying in bed on the verge of death. Feng Yu Heng looked at her and determined that she had at most two or three more days remaining. With such serious injuries, how could a few medical pills save her completely. Thinking about it, the Chen family had about run out of options too. The illness was serious and they were throwing money around wildly.
The people inside the room never thought that six assassins could not take care of the people outside. Furthermore, they had tracked his whereabouts. He could not help but begin to panic. Trying to get close to Chen shi a few times, he found that could not. One time, he had reached the side of the bed and had the pill in hand. Just as he was about to place it in Chen shi’s mouth, Ban Zou stopped him and pulled his arm back.
Ban Zou did not strike at him. After pulling him back, he let go and waited for the person to go again. This cycle repeated itself ten times.
Chen shi had already begun to despair on her bed. In the beginning, she still had hope and opened her mouth in anticipation. The latter few attempts, she had completely given up hope. After the final time Ban Zou stopped him, Chen shi struggled to hoarsely say: “Don’t worry about me. Quickly leave!”
That person had his face covered and only left a pair of eyes uncovered. Hearing these words, the area around his eyes became red. He wanted to turn around and fight with all his might against Ban Zou and Feng Yu Heng, but he knew that he could not defeat the two alone.
Helpless, he glanced at Chen shi, who lay on the bed. Gritting his teeth, he ran away through the window.
Feng Yu Heng did not care about Chen shi and remembered to ask Ban Zou: “Did you retrieve all of the medical pills?”
Ban Zou handed a small porcelain bottle to Feng Yu Heng: “It’s this, right. That person is still holding one in his hand. It must be very gross, so it probably is not desirable.”
Feng Yu Heng nodded, “Then I will note that as a loss of 500 taels.”
Ban Zou suddenly left.
Only then did she turn her attention towards Chen shi. She saw the person on the bed had been beaten to an unsightly appearance. She did not know how Feng Jin Yuan hit her, but it seemed that he had made her thinner through beating her. Even her cheekbones had been collapsed. Her eye sockets had caved in and looked like someone from the 21st century who had surgery to look like a European.
Chen shi also tilted her head and looked towards Feng Yu Heng. Her gaze was like a poisonous dagger, wanting to ruthlessly carve up her body and scrape the flesh from her bones.
“You!” Chen shi struggled to sit up and did her best to put a curse on Feng Yu Heng: “There will come a day where you will see retribution. Feng Yu Heng, even if I become a ghost, I will not forgive you!”
However, she smiled. This smile was like a flower that blossomed in hell. It was extremely beautiful, but it also made it clear that death had come.
“You lost this battle as a human, so on what grounds do you think you can win as a ghost?”
With just one sentence, Chen shi seemed to have suddenly become enlightened. All of her energy seemed to suddenly vanish.
That’s right. She had lost this battle while still human. Why should she assume that she could win after becoming a ghost?
When she left the room, the assassins in the yard had already been completely disposed of. Aside from the thick smell of blood in the air, there were no signs of a battle here.
Feng Yu Heng smiled and raised her head. She spoke into the air: “Father’s servants are really good at taking care of cleaning. Very good.”
In the shadows, Feng Jin Yuan’s hidden guards were furious. They thought to themselves, you went and had yourself a good time. When you wanted to enter the room, you entered, leaving behind a bunch of corpses and some half-dead, unconscious people. We cleaned them up in goodwill, yet you didn’t even say a word of thanks.
Feng Yu Heng did not care what they thought. With Ban Zou in tow, she returned to Tong Sheng pavilion.
Today, she had made it clear before Feng Jin Yuan’s hidden guards how much martial arts she knew. It was for no other reason than to remind her father that he had to think things over a little more whenever he said or did anything. It was to remind him not to assume her Tong Sheng pavilion’s people were easily taken advantage of. Having spent three years in the Northwest, Feng Yu Heng was no longer the previous Feng Yu Heng.
Just after Feng Yu Heng left Jin Yu courtyard, one of the hidden guards that witnessed the matter with the assassins stood before Feng Jin Yuan and explained everything that happened.
Feng Jin Yuan was silent for a while and did not ask about Chen shi or the Chen family. Instead, he asked the hidden guard: “As you see it, how is the second young miss’ martial arts?”
The hidden guard pondered for a while then responded with one word: “Strange.”
“Hm?” Feng Jin Yuan was confused, “What about it is strange?”
The hidden guard continued: “Her movements are odd, but appear natural. There is not much internal force, but it is another hidden force that is flawless. This servant has practiced martial arts for twenty years, but this servant has never seen this method of fighting before. Also, it is not just just one sect or one faction.”
Feng Jin Yuan pondered for a while then said: “She always says that she had met a Persian eccentric in the mountains of the Northwest. That eccentric had taught her better methods for creating medicine, and he had improved her medical techniques. If you describe her martial arts techniques as strange, then thinking about it, the only explanation is that it was learned from that eccentric.”
The hidden guard did not participate in this discussion. To him, Feng Yu Heng’s martial arts were a mystery waiting to be solved.
The next day, Feng Yu Heng took the initiative and went over to Ru Yi courtyard, bringing two small bags of medical pills and twenty or so bags of powders. All of them Chinese medicines used for postpartum care to restore the body.
When she arrived, Jin Zhen was lying on the bed resting. It was unknown what she was thinking. With one hand holding her belly, her eyes were unfocused. Even after she had walked into the room, Jin Zhen had not reacted to someone coming into her room.
It was a servant that reminded her: “Second young miss has come.”
Only then did Jin Zhen turn around and look at Feng Yu Heng, her entire body relaxing.
Feng Yu Heng waved her hand, having the servant who took care of Jin Zhen leave. She brought Wang Chuan to the bedside and held Jin Zhen’s wrist without a word.
“It’s alright.” Feng Yu Heng lowered Jin Zhen’s wrist, “Your body’s recovery is progressing along well, but medicine-induced abortions can very easily leave behind some remains. These sorts of remains will cause a lifelong illness.”
Jin Zhen nodded, “Yes, I always see blood.”
“That’s right.” Feng Yu Heng placed the medicines in her hand next to the pillow, “I brought some medicine for you. I have written how to eat them on a piece of paper. Take a look for yourself later on. After eating the powder medicine, for about three days, the amount of blood that comes out will be similar to when you have your period. After three days, the amount will gradually decrease. After roughly seven days, it should be completely clean. When you have finished eating these medicines, I will come take a look at you again. If nothing goes wrong, you should be fine.”
“Then in the future, will I be able to get pregnant again?” Jin Zhen was most worried about this matter.
Feng Yu Heng did not scare her and obediently said: “You will. I said it before. After half a year, you can get pregnant again, and this is not just to comfort.”
Jin Zhen was finally completely at ease. She rose and wanted to kowtow to Feng Yu Heng, but was stopped by Feng Yu Heng. Jin Zhen was not stubborn and sincerely said: “The good days I am living now are thanks to second young miss. Now, second young miss has not just helped me out a big matter, you have given me such a huge favor. Jin Zhen kowtowing to second young miss is a must.”
Feng Yu Heng was helpless: “What good will kowtowing do.”
Jin Zhen replied: “Then what does second young miss want me to do? So long as second young miss says it, I will definitely do it.”
Feng Yu Heng pondered for a while. There really was a matter to discuss with her, so she said: “This matter is related to concubine mother Yao and my father.”
Jin Zhen was stunned then immediately understood and quickly made herself clear: “Second young miss, do not worry. If husband goes anywhere else, I will always stop him. But I will definitely not stop him from going to Tong Sheng pavilion. I will make sure to give concubine mother Yao some more opportunities and have husband go over more often.”
Feng Yu Heng facepalmed, “You have understood it backwards.”
“Backwards?” Jin Zhen was confused.
Feng Yu Heng then added: “Not only do I not want you to push father towards concubine mother Yao, I want you to help watch him a bit. If father ever goes towards Tong Sheng pavilion, do whatever it takes to bring him back to Ru Yi courtyard.”
“This… why?” Jin Zhen absolutely could not understand. Regardless of if it was a concubine or the official wife, receiving the husband’s favor was the most important matter!
“Because my mother does not want to take care of him.” She simply stated it clearly, “She has stayed in the Northwest for too long. She does not want to participate in the manor’s competition between concubines and wife. Moreover, she has a son and a daughter, competing any further is pointless. Either way, remember the words I said today. After a while, I will help arrange for a capable servant to stay at your side. If anything ever happens, there is someone to consult.”
Jin Zhen nodded in compliance. She may not be able to do other things well, but the matter of tying up Feng Jin Yuan was something she felt she was quite adept at. She shouldn’t disappoint Feng Yu Heng. She then thought about how Feng Yu Heng said that she would give her a capable servant and became even happier, “To tell second young miss the truth, I truly was lacking a capable servant. Normally whenever something comes up, I do not know who to rely on.” She said this then remembered the servant who had taken care of Chen shi, Man Xi, and could not help but ask: “Is Man Xi one of second young miss’ people?”
Feng Yu Heng nodded. That day, it was her that told Man Xi to cooperate with Jin Zhen. Now that Jin Zhen had asked, she did not feel it strange at all.
“Chen shi is about to die. Apparently, husband’s hidden guard beat her until her five internal organs shifted. I estimate that it will be a matter of one or two days. When that time comes, Man Xi will be free. Second young miss, how about having Man Xi come to my side! We grew up together, so we are closer than other people.”
Hearing her say this reminded Feng Yu Heng, that’s right. Once Chen shi died, Man Xi will be arranged to go somewhere else. Sending her here to Jin Zhen’s side was the most appropriate.
Thus, she nodded and agreed. As she prepared to say a few more words then depart, the servant called out from outside: “Concubine mother Jin Zhen, fourth young miss came to see you!”
1: The author had written “increased thousands of times” but it’s only a 250 time increase in price.