Chapter 1111 The Returning Xiangrong
Feng Xiangrong returned, she was at this entrance, no one found her and brought her back, she came back on her own. It was just that she looked rather worn out, and because of the autumn rain outside, she was soaked from head to toe, her wet hair stuck to her cheek. Only some resemblance could be seen, how were they still able to see that pretty appearance from before?
The gatekeeper quickly let her in and even held an umbrella over her head. Xiangrong was weak and she was swaying unsteadily as she walked. The housekeeper felt that it was not good and quickly summoned two grannies to support her on each side, and just like this, they supported her back to the courtyard she had lived in. When Xiangrong sat on the chair, the maid Shan Cha lunged forward, slumping on the ground, hugging Xiangrong’s leg and crying loudly, saying as she cried: “Young Miss! Young Miss, you have finally returned, Shan Cha was scared to death, Shan Cha thought that Young Miss will never be seen again! Young Miss, where have you been the past few days? What kind of people abducted you?”
Xiangrong looked at Shan Cha for a while, only speaking half a beat later: “Do not speak nonsense, what do you mean by abducted by someone? Speaking like this, aren’t you just ruining my reputation? What am I supposed to do about that in the future?” Her expression was cold when she spoke and her gaze was sharp, scaring Shan Cha until she did not dare to say any more. Perhaps Shan Cha’s reaction gave her a reminder, Xiangrong said again: “Shan Cha, do not blame me for saying such words, I am not directing this to you, it is just that if such a matter spreads outside, I, your Young Miss…… would really have no way to live.” As she spoke, she even reached out to pat Shan Cha’s head, patting her twice in consolation.
Shan Cha enjoyed it very much, her heart growing warm and she nodded vigorously: “Do not worry, Young Miss, This Servant will not say anything about it. It’s just that…… Young Miss, where did you go these past few days?”
Xiangrong sighed lightly and was about to say something, but the other maids serving in the house have already brought clean clothes over. Shan Cha quickly accepted the clothes: “Young Miss, let’s change those clothes first, else you will catch a cold.”
As she spoke, she naturally wanted to help Xiangrong change her clothes, but Xiangrong did not allow Shan Cha to serve her like in the past, telling her: “I will change my own clothes, quickly inform His Highness the Seventh Prince, telling him I have returned, so he would not worry.”
Shan Cha felt this was reasonable, even though the people of the palace would definitely report it, but as the maid from Xiangrong’s residence, it would be better if she went there personally. After all, in order to search for Xiangrong these days, His Highness the Seventh Prince really put in a lot of effort.
Seeing Shan Cha leave quickly, Xiangrong quickly dismissed the people serving in the house and when only herself was left, she raised her corner of her lips in a cold smile, only saying: “Her name is Shan Cha! Such a stupid servant, proclaiming her own name like this. It’s good, this saves me all the extra effort.” She looked around the house as she changed and lightly pushed open a window to scrutinise the outside, but hatred welled up in her heart: “Such a refined and elegant small courtyard, when I was there in the past, why did he not bear to give such a nice courtyard for me to live in? Feng Xiangrong, you do not have any abilities, your identity and status is just a low ranking girl, you’re living in Chun Palace, based on what exactly? What exactly do you have to obtain him?
As she spoke, she reached towards her own face and touched it, frowning lightly. They rushed too much when making this mask, she started making it the night when she let Feng Fendai go based on her memories of Xiangrong’s appearance, and when they captured Xiangrong, they improved it based on her current appearance. But it was only around 20 days, even if the production was rushed day and night, there were still many faults, but it was more than enough to trick the servants in Chun Palace. She just did not know if she could trick Xuan Tianhua, especially that older sister Feng Yuheng.
The rain was heavy today, hitting her face and wetting her hair, her appearance could be partially blocked and the resemblance increased. She still had to further improve this face overnight so she could face more people.
Shan Cha could not find Xuan Tianhua, she heard that he was still working outside and had not returned yet. “Xiangrong” knew what he was doing, he was definitely searching for people. Too many people were lost in the capital recently, but no one knew where those people were hiding. As for her, deep in the tiger’s den, she had some idea to get closer to Xuan Tianhua with Xiangrong’s identity. If those two people really had feelings for each other, being able to replace Xiangrong was rather good, if there was no feelings, then she could throw more cold water on this, then it would be best if they broke up soon.
Xuan Tianhua returned before Zhi hour that night. Once he entered the palace, he heard the news that Xiangrong had returned, feeling surprised and happy, he quickly went to the courtyard to visit.
(Translator’s note: Zhi hour is between 11pm to 1am in GMT+8)
When he arrived, the person inside was already in deep sleep, the deity like person only stood at the door and looked inside, and when she saw a young girl sleeping on the mattress, his heart which had been raised up for a few days finally settled into his stomach. He was not planning to stay long, only asking Shan Cha: “Is your Young Miss hurt?”
Shan Cha shook her head, “She did not seem to be injured.”
“What do you mean by ‘seem’?” Xuan Tianhua frowned, “You did not attend to her closely?”
Shan Cha said: “Young Miss did not allow This Servant to serve, she changed and bathed on her own, so This Servant can only say did not seem to be injured.”
“Is that how a personal servant acts?” Xuan Tianhua was angry, and irritation rose up without reason. He did not know if he was angry at this girl for not serving her master well, or if he was angry at Xiangrong rejecting being served by even her personal maid. But he felt that both of these were not it, even though this feeling of irritation stemmed from rejection, he always had a vague bad feeling. “Forget it, keep watch overnight properly! This Prince will come again tomorrow.” He turned around and left, deciding to come and visit again tomorrow.
As he just left, the person who was originally sleeping on the mattress in the house sat up, watching the figure walking further away under the clear moonlight after the rain, there was unspoken frustration in her heart. With the status of a princess of a nation, she let her own blood-related older brother come to Da Shun to propose a marriage, but that was messed up by Feng Yuheng. After that, she thought of everything to end up at Xuan Tianhua’s side but ended up in an even more tragic situation. She had thought that for someone like Xuan Tianhua, it would be impossible for him to get married in his life, she was unable to get him and no one was able to get any ideas as well. But who knew this Feng Xiangrong suddenly came, this kind of nameless girl actually attracted the other party to come and take a look even in the middle of the night, and in that conversation with the maid Shan Cha, the clear emotions of concern were heard, how could she not feel jealous!
In her hatred, she pulled off the mask on her face and Yu Qianyin’s actual face was shown again. At the same time, her twisted expression was shown.
She had thought that she only had feelings of hatred towards Xuan Tianhua, but after seeing the other party, she knew that other than hatred, the feelings of affection she had did not disappear at all. Feng Xiangrong, she must use the identity well this time, she needed to see the depth of the feelings this deity like person had for this girl.
She got up and did not sleep anymore. Walking up to the door and bolting it well, she even told Shan Cha that she did not need to keep watch overnight. Then she lit a candle and adjusted this human skin mask under the candlelight until it was complete and perfect. When the first rays of sunlight shone in the next morning, she put this back on her own face in satisfaction. Then she looked at herself in the mirror, only thinking that each attempt was definitely more perfect compared to the previous attempt. The current face now bore more than 70% resemblance to Feng Xiangrong. It just needed to repair it every night, she could not make it such that it did not need repair at all.
She opened the door of the house, letting in the maid who was waiting inside. She then saw Shan Cha holding a bowl of bird’s nest in her hands and saying to her with a smile: “Young Miss’ complexion is not that good, perhaps it was because you were soaked in the rain yesterday. Madam specially instructed the kitchen to prepare this, it is high grade bird nest, all of this are good things taken out from the imperial palace, Young Miss should eat it while it’s hot!”
Yu Qianyin did not say anything, and as she fiddled with that thing exclusive to the Chun Palace known as a “towel”, she pondered: Who was Madam? She had been in this house the whole time ever since she came back yesterday, and because it was raining heavily, other than Xuan Tianhua coming to visit in the night, no other outsiders had come. She also did not want to ask to much and arouse suspicions, so when she heard the address of “Madam”, it still felt a little strange.
For a while, countless guesses went through her mind: There was a first wife in Chun Palace now? Normally, only the first wife could be addressed as Madam right? Or was it…… Xuan TIanhua’s mother? But he was a prince, his mother should be staying in the imperial palace.
She did not understand, but Shan Cha was quick mouthed and revealed everything again, hearing that maid say: “Madam really treats Young Miss very well! Not only did she decide on the marriage between you and His Highness the Seventh Prince, even though Young Miss was not in the palace the past few days, she prepared all the dowry which should be prepared and even had His Highness the Ninth Prince return to Winter Moon Palace to search and found some good things. We are heading to Ji An Prefecture soon, Madam will personally present the dowry to Madam An, this is such a huge gesture! Even Second Miss did not enjoy the treatment of Her Highness Imperial Concubine Yun coming out of the imperial palace personally to deliver dowry to Feng Manor!”
Shan Cha spoke of this happily and Yu Qianyin finally understood, so Madam referred to Imperial Concubine Yun in the imperial palace. Then this meant, Imperial Concubine Yun was now living in Chun Palace.
Her expression darkened, she finally heard the answer that she did not want to hear the most. Feng Xiangrong was going to be engaged to Xuan Tianhua, and it was a decision made by Imperial Concubine Yun and the dowry was going to be delivered soon. Damn it! What kind of medicine did that girl give Imperial Concubine Yun and Xuan Tianhua?
Half of the morning passed, and finally, what should come still came. Xuan Tianhua brought Feng Yuheng and entered the courtyard was living in, and the people in the house also stood at the doorway of the house to receive them when they received the report from the servant. Once she saw the two enter the courtyard, she quickly approached in tears, lunging directly in Feng Yuheng’s arms, crying loudly with a “Wah”, calling out as she cried: “Second Sister! Xiangrong thought that Xiangrong will never see you again!”
Feng Yuheng was pushed back by this impact and backed up two steps on reflex, it was Xuan Tianhua who supported her from behind which caused her motion of stepping back to stablise.
She frowned and only felt that this “Xiangrong” had a foreign yet familiar smell which drifted to her nose. It was foreign because Xiangrong had never use herbs with this smell. It was familiar because she had smelled this scent before, very long ago, on the body of one woman……