Wait for a Little Father, Daughter Will Sharpen a Blade
The next day before noon, Feng Yu Heng and Feng Zi Rui had just finished paying respects at Shu Ya courtyard. Before they could leave the courtyard, the Feng family received news that young master Chen Qing had become drunk and harassed two women. After being caught, he was locked up by the governor.
This news very quickly made its way to the Feng manor. When Chen Yu heard about it, she was extremely shocked. She had clearly advised Chen Qing not to go out and to even avoid leaving his room, so how come he had gone out to drink?
Feng Jin Yuan was also furious. He knew Chen Qing’s personality very well. He would believe word of anyone harassing women, but he definitely did not believe Chen Qing was able to do this sort of thing. He immediately sent someone to the governor’s office to ask around, and the servant returned to report: “Young master studied bitterly for many days and suddenly said he wanted to eat some duck, so he brought his page boy and went out. He then drank some wine and ended up…”
“That is to say that he really did harass those women?”
“Responding to master, it’s true.”
Feng Jin Yuan’s nose nearly became crooked from the anger. It was about to be the new year, and the Spring imperial exams would follow immediately after that. Wasn’t something happening to Chen Qing at this sort of time going to affect his imperial exam? Intuition told him that there was definitely some sort of interference in this matter, but he was unable to figure it out.
“Did you mention Chen Qing’s relations with the Feng family to the governor?” He asked the servant that brought the news. Although this governor had just been brought in, he should still be easy to handle. He was still the court’s prime minister, and this was just a young man getting drunk and causing trouble. So long as he spoke up, the governor should give him face.
That servant nodded but told him: “The newly appointed governor, Lord Tong, said that even if a prince were to commit a crime, they would be treated like a commoner, moreover this is just a nephew of an official. He also said that even though master is the prime minister, if this matter became known by the Emperor, perhaps even we would be unable to see any benefits.”
Feng Jin Yuan was speechless. This was clearly just arguing for the sake of arguing. He waved his hand and dismissed the servant, deciding to think a little more carefully.
But before he could think about it too much, the following day, he heard word that a nephew of the Chen family who had been in charge of three state businesses accidentally fell from his horse on his way home and died.
On the third day, an official in the ministry of justice offended his superior and was removed from the position. In a depressed state, he became very drunk and set fire to his own residence. Fortunately, everyone was able to escape, but the large manor was burned to the ground by the large fire. It was not enough for that to be all. The large fire spread to the neighbor’s yard, and that neighbor was a fourth rank official. He was not a friendly person and immediately filed a report, thus the official who had been removed from office was caught by the governor and thrown in jail. And this official’s ninth concubine was the Chen family’s eldest master’s daughter by a concubine. She was also one of Chen Qing’s younger sisters.
On the fourth day, an official from the ministry of rites was reported for corruption. He too was captured by the governor and thrown in jail. His seventh concubine was the Chen family’s second master’s daughter by a concubine.
From a standard fifth rank official to a standard third rank assistant director, Feng Jin Yuan suddenly realized that this was most likely the result of the ninth prince, who had been at the military camp, returning to the capital. Only he was capable of acting so quickly, as everyone who had been taken care of was caught unprepared.
The standard third rank assistant director was the highest ranking official that the Chen family was able to seek connections with, aside from himself of course. Feng Jin Yuan felt that he suddenly seemed to realize something.
Someone who had similar thoughts as Feng Jin Yuan was Chen Yu. Over the previous few days, the news arrived one after another. It was already too late for her to even cry. Was this not completely disrupting the Chen family’s rhythm? The Chen family had done business in the capital for so many years and managed to have Chen Qing pursue a career as an official with great difficulty, but now he was mysteriously ruined by getting drunk. The officials that they had sent daughters to were also met with ruin one after another. She suddenly recalled what Feng Yu Heng had said. For each day that Wang Chuan did not return, another person from the opposition would be sent in.
This was revenge!
On the fourth night, someone suddenly knocked on the front gate of Tong Sheng pavilion. The one keeping watch drowsily went to open it but found that there was not a single person there. Instead, when they looked down, they found that there was a large burlap sack.
He quickly waved to have someone open up the burlap sack and found that Wang Chuan had been stuffed inside with her hands and feet tied and her mouth gagged. They quickly reported to Feng Yu Heng then helped support Wang Chuan in.
Wang Chuan was severely injured, and her body was covered in blood. If the wounds were not from swords then they were from whips. Her face had been covered in bloody wounds. Huang Quan felt distressed from seeing it, as tears fell endlessly. Even Feng Yu Heng’s entire body trembled with anger.
Fortunately, Wang Chuan was still conscious. Seeing that she had finally been sent back, she could not help but let out a sigh of relief and say: “Young miss, this servant is fine. Being able to return alive is extraordinarily lucky. Thinking about it, young miss must have worried a considerable amount about this servant.”
Feng Yu Heng placed her hand on her wrist and checked her pulse while saying: “The worries I endured are nothing compared to your injuries. You traded your own life for Zi Rui’s safety. I must thank you.”
“Young miss absolutely must not say such a thing.” Wang Chuan’s eyes turned red, “This servant’s life mission is to protect young miss. Since it was a mission given by young miss, I must do my utmost to accomplish it. That’s right, is the young master all right?”
“You protected him and Qing Yu very well.” Feng Yu Heng let go of her wrist and secretly let out a sigh of relief. Fortunately, Wang Chuan only suffered external injuries and did not suffer any internal injuries. “Don’t worry. With me here, your external injuries will be healed very quickly.”
Of course, Wang Chuan trusted Feng Yu Heng’s medical ability. After repeatedly thanking her, her mind began to feel exhausted, as she awkwardly said: “This servant has not closed her eyes over these past few days. Can I go sleep…” Before she could even finish speaking, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.
Huang Quan felt even more aggravated. The enemy had done so much to cause Wang Chuan to become like this. There would come a day where she would have to personally vent her anger by killing the people of the Chen family.
Feng Yu Heng stood up and personally covered Wang Chuan in blankets. She then called for a servant to come in and keep watch for Wang Chuan overnight. Only then did she leave the room with Huang Quan.
“Head over to the government office and personally pay a visit to the governor” When she spoke, her eyes were practically shooting fire and her fists were clenched tightly. The words were practically squeezed out through the cracks between her teeth, as each word was ruthless like a saw: “Tell the governor to fiercely beat the people that were captured. Beat them until their parents would not even recognize them!”
Huang Quan vigorously nodded then turned and dashed out of the room using qing gong.
Feng Yu Heng raised her head and looked towards the sky. Chen family, you tried to kill me, kill my younger brother, and you injured my servant. I, Feng Yu Heng, refuse to live under the same sky as you! If I do not leave your family broken and its members dead, then I swear that I will not rest!
The next day was new year’s eve, but Feng Jin Yuan personally went to visit on this day.
At that time, Feng Yu Heng was seated in the yard at a stone table, drinking tea and eating steamed buns. It was very cold outside, and the beef and egg congee was steaming hot. She loved this sort of feeling the most.
Seeing that Feng Jin Yuan had come, she did not get up to greet him. Instead, she only focused on eating and did not even look at him.
Feng Jin Yuan lightly sighed a couple times to make his presence known, but he found that his daughter still ignored him. Truly unable to endure, he simply took a few steps forward and called out to her: “A-Heng.”
Only then did Feng Yu Heng acknowledge him: “Un.” She still did not stop eating.
Feng Jin Yuan was confused, un? What did she mean “un”? She definitely said it, but what did she mean?
He became angry, “Feng Yu Heng, I am your father. How can you be so uneducated?”
She also became angry: “I was sent to the mountains in the Northwest before I even turned ten to let my life run its course. How does father expect me to be educated? Who should I learn that from? Also, this place is the county princess’ manor. Although you are a standard first rank official, and I am just a second rank county princess, I have never heard of a first rank official not notifying anyone when entering someone else’s home!” She said this then asked Huang Quan: “Who is in charge of watching over the Liu courtyard entrance? Paddle them 20 times then chase them from the manor!”
Huang Quan nodded: “Yes, this servant will go hand down the order.”
Feng Jin Yuan angrily stomped his feet then pointed at Feng Yu Heng: “Take a look at yourself. What sort of appearance is this? Huh? I am still your father. Is there a need for me to notify anyone when visiting their daughter’s courtyard?”
“The relationship between the Emperor and the princes is that of father and son. Go ask the Emperor, does he goes through the front entrance or the back entrance when visiting a prince’s palace? After going, does he wait in the outer courtyard or does he go straight to his son’s inner courtyard?”
“You’re impudent!” Feng Jin Yuan loudly shouted, “You speak without any restraint, and you are truly unreasonable!”
Feng Yu Heng did not even bother paying attention to what he said. Putting down her spoon, she said: “If we are speaking about father, I have truly never heard of any father be able to remain so calm after someone attempted to assassinate their daughter and son of the first wife. You have also been back for so many days, so why have you not even asked Zi Rui if he was scared from being targeted? How come you did not even ask him how his studies at the academy were? Zi Rui said that headteacher Ye promised him that he could participate in a provincial exam when he turns eight. Did father know about something so large? Also, we have filed a report on this matter, but have you gone to the government office to see how the investigation has gone? You haven’t done anything right? Even like this, you call yourself a father?”
Feng Jin Yuan was rendered completely speechless. When he thought like this, it seemed that he was indeed in the wrong. Not only was he wrong, it was as Feng Yu Heng had said. He was not even worthy of being called a father.
For a while, he was embarrassed and did not know how he should carry on the conversation.
But Feng Yu Heng did not pay any attention to him, as she once again began eating. Feng Jin Yuan wanted to say are you the reincarnation of a starving ghost or something since you cannot put down your food to talk? Whenever he spoke with this daughter, he felt oppressed and panicked. Just based on someone as gentle and steady as Yao shi, how did she give birth to such a daughter?
“Today is new year’s eve.” After holding it in for a long time, he managed to say just that.
“I know.” Feng Yu Heng still did not raise her head. Ever since she saw Wang Chuan yesterday night, her heart was filled with anger. It was as she said. As a father, Feng Jin Yuan was already biased to such a point where he would still protect Chen Yu even after his own daughter and son were targeted for assassination. To not say a word about it, what was the point of keeping such a father? There were times she truly wished that she could be as unrestrained as Xuan Tian Ming and just completely burn down the Feng manor. Unfortunately, she was not Xuan Tian Ming. For such a large family, it was not so easy as just burning it down.
“A-Heng, what exactly do you want?” Feng Jin Yuan was out of ideas and could only soften his attitude, “Chen Qing has already been locked away in prison for many days. Father does not care to speak up for the other two. Even if they die in prison, that’s their problem, but Chen Qing has been following father since he was little. He is truly…”
“Father.” She raised an eyebrow, “The palace has a rule stating that members of the imperial harem may not interfere with government affairs. A-Heng is just a girl. Are you hoping that I will go to the government office to speak for Chen Qing? Or are you hoping that I will lift a blade and break Chen Qing out? If it’s the former, I do not have that capability. If it’s the latter, daughter has learned plenty of skills over the years. Father, just wait a moment. Daughter will go sharpen a blade. I will go cut down the governor and definitely break Chen Qing out.”
After she finished speaking, she stood up and returned to her room, leaving Feng Jin Yuan in place to stare dumbfounded!