Chapter 246 Abandoned. The Yu Family Falls
In the Princess Royal’s Manor, stood a beautiful red jade screen on a luxurious platform that separated the room into two. There was a large table near the window of the inner room. A yellow jade hindustan scalloped vase sat on the table with two red plum blossoms in it. There was a painting of a man listening to the stream hung on the wall. There were three sticks of incense in a jade incense pot with heron patterns on it beside the painting. Incense smoke wafted in the air.
On the other side was a fake daffodil plant with jade adornment. It looked very realistic and even the crystal-like petals shone brilliantly. It was obvious that it was a precious object.
There were two lamps hanging on the lamp holders by two sides. The lamps were inlaid with gold and diamond with floral patterns made by precious stones. There were also amber tassels hanging from the lamp holders.
Everything in the room was extremely expensive and belonged to the Princess Royal, whom Emperor Zongwen doted on. However, the Princess Royal who was seated in the room was unlike her usual gracious self. She pinched the jade beads in her hands and threw it on the table.
“How could the Fu General Manor find her a husband like that? They’re too terrible.” The Princess Royal said angrily.
“Your Highness, the Fu General Manor does not know about this either. Who would have thought that the man would marry such a vicious woman who would hurt Miss Luo?” said an old woman in her 50s in a wizened voice.
There was no one else in the room. It was evident that the Princess trusted the old woman.
“Princess, don’t say that. Everyone knows that the Old Madam likes Miss Luo. She must not have considered things carefully and it had to be a careless mistake. Didn’t you use to say that Mo Huawen was very elegant, noble and talented, and would make a good husband?” The Old Madam comforted her.
“But wet nurse, Luo Xia…” The Princess Royal wanted to continue but suddenly stopped. She stood up and said hatefully, “I won’t just let this rest. The Yu family has to pay the price since they dared to touch her. Consort Yu has just entered the palace and I fear she thinks she has managed to soar up the social ladder to become a phoenix.”
Then, she ignored the wet nurse who called for her from behind and left the inner chambers with an angry expression. She was about to think of a way to enter the palace and make things difficult for Consort Yu.
Inside the Palace, Consort Yu did not imagine that she had infuriated the gracious and elegant Princess Royal for no reason.
She was having a hard time as well.
First, the Emperor had sent an edict rebuking her. The eunuch who worked for Emperor Zongwen had treated her coldly when she received the edict. He did not even take her silver pin before leaving after he read out the edict!
That had never happened before. Consort Yu was a favored concubine right now and everyone in the palace who saw her greeted her politely. Even the lead eunuch by Emperor Zongwen’s side, Liu Xi, greeted her politely every time he saw her. When had she ever been treated so coldly?
The Empress sent an edict just as Consort Yu was trembling in anger. She had sent a pair of jade rulers as a sign that Consort Yu should be punished.
“Your Highness, Consort Yu, the Empress wants you to remember your place. The things that happen outside the palace has nothing to do with a consort. Officials will take charge of what happens in court. If you reach too far, your hands will be chopped off.” The lead palace maid who worked for the Empress smiled coldly and put down the jade rulers before leaving.
If one were to say that Emperor Zongwen had only displayed his displeasure slightly, then the Empress’ words were a direct slap to her face.
When everyone left, Consort Yu unclenched her tightly wound fist. When had she ever been shamed as much?
However, she knew that she did not have the power to fight.
In the days since she entered the palace, she had been doted on by the Emperor who favored her. That was why she contacted the Yu family. However, she did not expect the Yu family to be so useless and to get into such trouble, implicating her. The Empress had already reached out to give her a stern warning.
However, the two edicts had also reminded her that without the protection of Emperor Zongwen, she was nothing. What she had to do now, was to gain the forgiveness of the Emperor. She did not have any children and if she lost favor, there would be many other imperial consorts who will come to shame her. As for working with the officials outside, she had to wait for when she had children before she could do anything.
“Your Highness, the Yu family sent someone here. Do you want to meet the person?” A palace maid entered and helped her up, whispering in her ear.
“Tell the person that I am busy and do not have time for them. We are only distantly related and are not really family. They do not have to come if I do not call for them.” Said Consort Yu coldly. She had already found a good backing but did not expect that the backing was a trap.
Consort Yu who had finally come to her senses would cut them off immediately.
“Yes!” The palace maid did not dare to say anything else. She moved to the side hall where Mdm Chen had been waiting for long anxiously. When she saw the palace maid, she hurried up to her and asked, “What did Her Highness say?”
“Her Highness said that you do not need to come to the palace again. She cannot help with what’s happening with your family. Please leave!” The palace maid said coldly.
Mdm Chen was startled. She did not expect Consort Yu to completely ignore her. Consort Yu was trying to break things off completely with the Yu family. Mdm Chen felt extremely anxious and spoke carelessly, “Please, Miss, please report to Her Highness again and say that I have a way to deal with the Mo Manor.”
Deal with the Mo Manor? Why would the consort need to deal with the Mo Manor? The consort’s final goal is to bring Sir Mo into her camp. They were about to become enemies in this situation, why would she still need to deal with them? The lead palace maid looked at Mdm Chen with a disdainful expression.
“Madam, Her Highness will not care about what is going on between your manor and the Mo Manor. Please leave.” The palace maid did not wish to speak with Mdm Chen any longer. She waved her hand and ordered two eunuchs to come forth. She continued, “Mdm Chen, please return to your manor. Our Caiwei Palace is too small for the Yu Manor.”
“Yes.”
Two eunuchs came forth and they each took one of Mdm Chen’s arm and dragged her out without hesitation.
They dragged her out of the palace and closed the doors of Caiwei Palace behind them. Mdm Chen could not do anything but leave the palace. She saw many people on her way out and noticed their disdainful glances at her from time to time. Mdm Chen did not expect to be treated like this in the palace and could not even think of a way to deal with it at the moment. She left the palace with her head lowered in shame.
Mdm Chen had not even reached home with the orders from the Ministry of Personnel arrived. Yu Feng had been a fifth-grade government sub-prefect. It was an official position. He intended to stay in the capital after being sent to various places for so many years. The Ministry of Personnel had at first wanted to give him a position as a fifth-grade assistant head in the Office of Imperial Kitchen. Even though it was the same grade position, being an official in the capital was different from being a local official.
It was a promotion in actual fact.
However, the position that Yu Feng now received was to become a sixth-grade overseer in the Office Imperial Kitchen. It was a two-grade demotion and he did not have any power in his official position. These positions were usually for the sons of noble families. All they had to do was to take the roll-call occasionally. Nobody cared if they really went to work or not. All they did was to receive their salary.
It was a reward from the court to the noble families. Who would really allow capable subordinates to take up such a job?
Yu Feng accepted the task. He was so angry he stood up and asked the official who sent the task, “Sir, why is it a post as an overseer in the Office of Imperial Kitchen? Isn’t it supposed to be the position as an assistant head of the Office of Imperial Kitchen?” He had heard about this two days ago. Why had it changed so suddenly?
“Sir Yu, these are orders from above and I do not know. As for the position as assistant-head, my peer has gone to announce it earlier. The edict must have already been given.” The person who had sent the tasks had a good temper. He even managed to rub his hands together and smile in such a situation.
“Who is it?” Yu Feng asked with gritted teeth.
“It is no one special, but Sir Yu would definitely know this person. He is Sir Wen Lin who came with you to the capital to take up a position here. I heard that the two of you are of the same age. You two will definitely be able to get along harmoniously to deal with matters in the future.” The person smiled and explained.
Yu Feng was so angry when he heard that he almost fell backward.
Wen Lin. Of course, he knew of that person. Wen Lin had been in the last place when they took the exams and he was the most incapable among all of them. Whenever their peers met, they would always talk about Wen Lin, smile and shake their heads. They had all come to the capital to take up official positions, and Wen Lin saw Yu Feng, he used to address him politely and butter up to him. However, Wen Lin was now Yu Feng’s superior now.
How could Yu Feng take that lying down?
“Sir Yu, I still have something on and shall not keep you company. Congratulations on your promotion.” The person smiled and left with his servants trailing behind him.
Why did his words sound as if he were mocking Yu Feng?
Promotion? He wanted to congratulate Yu Feng on his promotion? Who was promoted? Yu Feng kicked someone from the family who went up to congratulate him and entered his room angrily.
He had only just sat down when Mdm Chen returned from the palace, her clothes untidy and ruffled. She pulled out a plan from her shirt and pushed it to Yu Feng. It was the plan they had come up with that day. However, Consort Yu had thrown her out before she could even execute it. Consort Yu had not even taken a look at it.
“Old Sir, I heard many people talking about the Mo Manor on my way back. Your younger sister is now known to be evil and vicious. It this goes on, your reputation…” Mdm Chen felt very annoyed. She had been very confident about getting rid of Mo Xuetong when she entered the palace earlier. However, she was only worried about her own matters now.
If this went on, Yu Feng’s future would be ruined. Even if he stayed in the capital, he would just be an insignificant sixth-grade official. There were so many people on the streets and a sixth-grade official was one with no power. He was no better than a servant in an important department.
“Old Sir, should we send your sister to the countryside?” Mdm Chen could not help but ask.
“That, that’s not very good. My mother will not agree. My younger sister suffered a lot since she was a child. We should help and protect her at a time like this.” Yu Feng could not help but sigh. He still felt a brotherly sense of responsibility and love for his sister.
“It was not your fault. It is already very lucky that we found your younger sister. Why do you have to suffer the consequences? Even though Mother dotes on younger sister, how can she not dote on you? When Rong’er got into trouble. Mother had said that we should send her to the family temple in Cloud City to protect your reputation. Why can’t she bear it now that it is your sister who had gotten into trouble?” Mdm Chen complained, unable to hide the anger she felt.
Her daughter had always been filial to the Old Madam, but the Old Madam had not doted on her. Rong’er had been abandoned after she got into trouble. Her daughter was so young. That evil woman was so evil and vicious, and yet, the Old Madam wanted to protect her. Mdm Chen gritted her teeth silently when she thought of how she was treated in the palace.
Yu Feng paused at what she said and was speechless.
“Old Sir, if we keep her in this house, you will bear the brunt of all the gossip in the city. The Fu General Manor has not yet struck yet. You are a sixth-grade official and cannot fight with them. They are a legacy family with hundreds of years of history. Consort Yu said that she would not bother herself with the matters of our family. You went through so much trouble to get her to acknowledge us as her relatives…” Mdm Chen said with a cold smile on the corners of her lips.
Yu Feng felt troubled when he thought of how powerful the Fu General Manor was. He stood up suddenly and said to the servants outside, “Men, take the concubine to our home in the countryside.”
He did not even call her his sister. He pretended to be confused and refused to acknowledge their relationship.
“Don’t give in to her too much when you send her there. She is a concubine and did many chores in the past. You don’t have to worry that she will be too tired from doing chores.” Mdm Chen went to the halls and secretly ordered the maids there. It would be for the best if they could torture Auntie Fang to death. It would stop more trouble from happening.
“Furthermore, who knows what will happen in that sort of place?”
“Yes, Madam.” The maid understood and left. Yu Feng, who was in the main hall, pretended to not have heard anything. He turned around and went into the inner courtyard.