Beaten to a Pulp
Jin Zhen bowed towards the two concubine mothers. Although it could be said that they were of equal status, she maintained a proper attitude. “The two concubine mothers may not know, but that night, the eldest young master knocked the servant girl who was on watch. Only after he lay down next to the eldest young miss, did she wake up and begin screaming. He remained on the bed and firmly sealed her lips. If it weren’t for the head madam getting up at night, who knows…”
“Enough!” Feng Jin Yuan cut off Jin Zhen’s words, but felt that this situation truly was too strange. He thus asked: “Everything you said was true?”
Jin Zhen replied: “At that time, this concubine was serving the head madam. These are things that are known.” She then glanced at Feng Chen Yu and said: “Eldest young miss could not possibly have forgotten! But… If it were as eldest young miss says, perhaps it is as eldest young miss says and the eldest young master really was just joking around. In which case, this concubine has said too much.”
“Chen Yu.” Feng Jin Yuan asked with a frosty expression: “Is what Jin Zhen said true?”
Feng Chen Yu’s face became bright red. For the past year or so, that matter had been a thorn in her heart. The more she thought about it, the more she felt disgusted.
But Feng Zi Hao was still her brother. In these circumstances, how could she kick him when he was down. But what Jin Zhen had said was truly the truth. The happenings of that night were known by all the maidservants of the courtyard. Although Chen shi gave a gag order, if father investigated, then it would be hard to keep concealed.
Feng Chen Yu was frustrated and found Feng Zi Hao an excuse: “Brother had drank too much that night.”
Feng Jin Yuan looked at the Feng Zi Hao, who lay on the ground. He became angry and clenched his fists at his sides, his breathing becoming ragged.
Before he could say anything, a voice called out from the small path leading to the courtyard: “Zi Hao!” Then Chen shi’s fat body waddled over: “Oh Zi Hao! My Zi Hao!”
The way Chen shi cried reminded Feng Yu Heng of the word: keening.
People that shared her way of thinking appeared to not be few. An shi and Han shi frowned, while the matriarch prodded her with her cane: “What are you wailing for! My grandson hasn’t died!”
Chen shi did not quibble with the matriarch. Instead, she let go of Feng Zi Hao and turned to rush toward Feng Yu Heng.
Wang Chuan could not stop her in time, and Chen shi’s two hands reached forward to choke Feng Yu Heng’s neck.
How could Feng Yu Heng allow her succeed. When her hands reached her neck, she reached out but did not push Chen shi away, allowing her to place both hands around her neck. But Chen shi could not bring forth any strength. Feng Yu Heng appeared small and weak, but she seemed to be exceedingly strong. It was like two pairs of steel vices clamping down on her hands.
The more Chen shi struggled to use her strength, the more she wanted to use her strength. In the eyes of the spectators, Chen shi was using all her strength to try and choke Feng Yu Heng’s neck, and Feng Yu Heng was trying to resist. But it was clear that Feng Yu Heng did not have as much power as Chen shi, and she did not have legs as long as Chen shi. In just a few moments, she was overpowered by Chen shi.
“Mother! Mother, what are you doing? Sa…save me!” Feng Yu Heng pretended to be forced back and coughed a few times.
An shi grew angry: “Husband! If this continues, she will die!”
Wang Chuan and Huang Quan were very good at acting. They did not go to help Feng Yu Heng, instead they knelt on the ground “Would the honorable Feng spare our Princess Yu! Would the honorable Feng please spare our Princess Yu!” As they spoke, they kowtowed.
Feng Jin Yuan waved his hand, and two servants rushed forward and quickly pulled Chen shi away.
Chen shi loudly cried: “Let me go! I want to kill her! I want to kill her! What Princess Yu, Feng Yu Heng is the one plotting to harm the future emperor’s younger brother-in-law!”
“Quickly take that person away!” When Chen shi said these words, the first to react was Feng Jin Yuan. As the honorable prime minister, his body became drenched in a cold sweat because of this crazy woman. “Take her back to Jin Yu courtyard! None are to permit her to leave! The servant girl that allowed her out tonight will be caned thirty times then chased from the manor!”
Following his orders, Chen shi was immediately dragged away.
Feng Chen Yu’s face was completely pale. Even the matriarch was trembling.
Nobody had expected Chen shi could let slip all of the Feng family’s dark secrets in front of an audience. Moreover… the matriarch stamped her feet! This courtyard had two of Prince Yu’s contingent’s maidservants!
Feng Yu Heng pretended to cough for a while. Wang Chuan and Huang Quan came over to rub her back, finally stopping the coughing. She then glared at Feng Jin Yuan and asked: “So mother held such a thought!” Looking again at Chen Yu, she nodded, “Sister is indeed quite alluring. Why did father not say it earlier. A-Heng would sooner die than offend the future Empress and her brother!”
“What Empress!” Feng Jin Yuan quickly sealed her mouth, “Would you believe a crazy woman’s words?” He wanted to quickly get off this topic, thus he began to talk about the matter with Feng Zi Hao: “Before you beat him, why did you not ask for his identity? In the end, he is your elder brother, if there was a chance…”
“Father!” Feng Yu Heng raised her voice, “I must ask, father. If I had not happened to be awake tonight, what do you think would have happened? Just now, concubine mother Jin Zhen also said it. Elder brother even dares to climb in to eldest sister’s bed, and he had even laid his head on her pillow. If he dares to this to his full sister, then what of a half-sister.” As she spoke, she suddenly covered her mouth, “Oh! I should not continue talking about this. Eldest sister will be the future Empress. What would happen if people knew that the Empress at fourteen, was victim to her elder brother, sixteen, climbing in to her bed?”
Feng Chen Yu felt like she was about to vomit blood. Feng Jin Yuan also wanted to vomit blood. The matriarch was also absolutely livid.
But Feng Yu Heng was not done speaking, so she continued: “From the moment you arrived at Willow courtyard, you have been blaming me; however, have you never considered who was in the wrong tonight?”
The matriarch was reluctant: “Zi Hao is the only heir of Feng family!”
Feng Yu Heng snorted: “My servants did not target his life! Only heir? If I recall correctly, six years ago when Zi Rui was born, you said the same thing. The so-called only is only based on the “first wife.” We have also been the son and daughter of the first wife. Thinking of what has happened recently, it truly makes me disappointed. During the day, Zi Rui was harmed by mother. At night, I am attacked by elder brother. Could it be that the mother and child want to truly kill us, or is it the Feng manor that wishes quickly dispose of us?”
“Impudent!” Feng Jin Yuan could not bear to continue listening, “At such a young age, where do you get these wild ideas?”
She raised her eyebrow: “Father, you’re still blaming me?”
Feng Jin Yuan also felt that he had gone overboard with Feng Yu Heng on this matter, but he could not get used to this attitude of hers. He truly did not understand. When she was young, she was clearly an easily placated little girl. How did she come to have such a sharp gaze?
“I will give you an explanation. Father is merely reminding you of your mannerism when speaking.” His voice calmed down and his posture relaxed.
Feng Yu Heng smiled bitterly, “If I were not impudent, then I would only have a dead-end road. I have long ago died at the hands of the driver sent to retrieve us from the Northwest. Who doesn’t take filial piety in to consideration? It was you that forced me.”
Hearing her mention the driver, Feng Jin Yuan was at a loss again.
The matriarch fell to the ground, crying repeatedly: “Hao’er Hao’er” Chen Yu turned to face Feng Yu Heng and knelt down, “Second sister, all of this is my fault. I will return the title of daughter to the first wife to you. I beg you to forgive mother and brother!”
Feng Yu Heng shook her head, “I do not desire the title of daughter to the first wife. I also do not have any desire to be the Empress. My husband, the ninth prince, suffered a grave injury on the battlefield. There is no possibility of him becoming the Emperor, so your attempts at embarrassing me have been foolish to the extreme. With this thought, you should be focusing on the other women who hope to become your rivals, instead of on your current little sister and future little brother and sister.”
Feng Chen Yu was stunned, feeling Feng Yu Heng’s words were very logical. She did not wish trouble a sister that had no intentions of troubling her, but she had been raised feeling average. When she saw Feng Yu Heng, she felt that she definitely was not the Feng manor’s proper daughter to the first wife.
In short, Feng Yu Heng was an eyesore to her.
“Eldest sister, please quickly get up.” Feng Yu Heng gestured. Huang Quan and Wang Chuan and firmly supported Chen Yu up. “Father should hurry and call a doctor for brother. The matter of him climbing in to eldest sister’s bed and then coming to climb in to a half-sister’s bed can be judged tomorrow.”
She reminded Feng Jin Yuan that he should not try and cover this up. Even if I must die, I will drag a scapegoat along with me. I will never forget the matter of your family’s daughter to the first wife having been slept with.
Feng Jin Yuan naturally understood Feng Yu Heng’s meaning, but he felt that his office was being used. Indeed, it seemed to be in the palms of these children. There really isn’t a single one that doesn’t cause trouble!
“Go call the guest doctor over to look at the eldest young master.” He tiredly stomped over and sat on a stone bench, “Since it seems that everyone has woken up, allow us to use this small courtyard to have the doctor take a look at his injuries. I worry that carrying him somewhere else would not be good.”
As he spoke, he looked at Feng Yu Heng, hoping that she would at least allow people to carry Feng Zi Hao in to a room.
But Feng Yu Heng did not pick up on this subject and simply said: “That’s fine. My Willow courtyard is truly too far away from anyone else’s courtyard. I worry that there would be danger in carrying brother around.”
The matriarch couldn’t bear to continue listening and reprimanded her: “Yet you do not allow for people to carry brother in to a room?”
Feng Yu Heng responded with a question: “Which room should he be carried in to? There are a total of three proper rooms. Grandmother, which room should he be carried in to? Zi Rui is still ill, is there no worry of infection?”
Based on this, it truly seemed there was no place for Feng Zi Hao.
“If brother does not mind, how about the servant’s room!”
Jin Zhen followed up: “Eldest young master has a precious body. How could he go to a servant’s room.”
Feng Yu Heng raised the corner of her lips in to a smile. She could hear it. Throughout this night, Jin Zhen had been favoring her. Having just climbed in to the position of concubine from servant, Chen shi was not someone she could turn to. An shi was not someone of many words, and Han shi was someone that saw her as an enemy. Jin Zhen instead set her eyes on her instead. Moreover, Jin Zhen was not stupid. If she has a handle in hand, then wouldn’t using it be best?
Feng Jin Yuan did not want to waste words with women, so he turned his eyes to the servants that followed him: “Didn’t I tell you to go call the doctor? Why are you still here?”
The servant responded with difficulty: “Responding to master, during the day, doctor Xu met with an accident. THe manor’s other two guest doctors were frightened and left the manor before it became dark.”
“What? They all left?” The matriarch exclaimed, “How can that be good!”
Feng Yu Heng smiled, her voice softened: “How about letting A-Heng take a look.”
“You?” The matriarch was a bit suspicious. Looking again at Feng Zi Hao’s broken appearance, she refused: “He was beaten by you. If you looked, you would naturally say he’s fine.”
Feng Yu Heng shrugged her shoulders and did not say anything else.
If they did not allow her to take a look, then too bad. Did they think she liked wasting her time with such trivial things?
Feng Jin Yuan felt that having her take a look was fine, “Those in attendance agree. A new doctor will be invited tomorrow, but A-Heng take a look first.”
She faced Feng Jin Yuan and blinked a few times: “Daughter does not dare oppose grandmother.”
“Hmph!” The matriarch hmphed.