See If You Can Handle the Yao Family’s Retribution
Fu Ya calling her mother caused Yao shi to finally feel that feeling of intimacy between mother and daughter that she had not felt in a long time. In her eyes, this was her daughter. This was the darling child that she had given birth to. Now, she only had this one daughter at her side. Even the son that she doted on greatly recognized that person as his elder sister. What else did she have left? Now, she just hoped that this daughter would be able to act in accordance with her desires. She hoped that she would remain at her side and never become estranged.
At this time, Feng Yu Heng was holding up the clothes that had been tampered with and sat in the main hall of the Yao manor. The Yao family had set up a mourning hall for Lu Yao in a side hall. At this time, there were servants that were keeping watch, while all of the Yao family’s masters were gathered in this hall. They all stared at the clothes in Feng Yu Heng’s hands.
After Xu shi had fallen into the water, she had caught a bit of a cold, but it was fortunate that Feng Yu Heng had given her some Western medicine to suppress it. The cold had come quickly and left quickly. But she just could not understand. How could something happen to the clothes that she had sewn for her own niece?
“A-Heng, give it to me to see.” Xu shi reached out toward Feng Yu Heng and asked for the clothes. Looking carefully, her gaze finally rested on the collar of the clothes. She very quickly could notice that something was off. “This collar is not sewn in the same way that I had sewn it at the start. It seems to have been torn open by someone.”
Feng Yu Heng said: “I tore it open and investigated, but before I did, it had already been tampered with by someone.” After she said this, she told the situation of what had happened before to everyone.
These words quickly caused the Yao family to feel shocked. But this time, the Yao family had already prepared itself slightly when Feng Yu Heng spoke about the clothes. When Lu Yao married into the Yao family, there were already some doubts. In addition to the things that had happened in the palace, the Yao family had already lost any faith that they had in Lu Yao, including Yao Shu. He could not forgive someone that would drag his mother into the water for the sake of harming his younger cousin. Even if that person was his wife, he definitely would not tolerate her.
“Younger Sister Heng.” Yao Shu spoke up, “When you spoke to me in the palace, you should have already noticed the problem with Lu Yao, right?”
Feng Yu Heng nodded, “I noticed that the clothes that Eldest Aunty gave me were a bit off, but I did not believe that Eldest Aunty would do anything. After asking, I found out that these clothes had passed through Lu Yao’s hands, thus I knew what exactly had happened.” After speaking, she looked at Yao Shu and continued: “Not to hide it from eldest brother, but the granny from the palace told me about the situation with Lu Yao’s body. But this matter was between you two. If you could tolerate it, it’s not proper for a cousin like me to say anything. But not only did she continue to press her luck and try to scheme against me, but she also turned around and tried to harm Eldest Aunty. This sort of person must not be kept alive.”
Yao Xian became furious, angrily scolding Yao Shu for not being understanding and not looking at the bigger picture, actually bringing that sort of woman into the family.
Yao Shu was a man and immediately kneeled in front of Yao Xian. He acknowledged his past mistakes and acknowledged that he had implicated the Yao family and his mother. At the same time, he reflected that he should not have ignored Feng Yu Heng’s words, which nearly led to a great disaster.
Yao Xian let out a long sigh. He also knew that continuing to place blame on Yao Shu at this point was pointless. Lu Yao’s mourning hall was placed in a side hall. With the Yao family not making it an extravagant affair, they made it clear what their attitude was. Now, they were just waiting for the Lu family to visit. He wanted to ask that Lu Song just how much courage their Lu family had to send a deflowered girl into the Yao family. Did he really think that the Yao family was weak?
Yao Xian became angry. Feng Yu Heng understood her grandfather too well and could not help but smile to herself. Very good, Lu family, let’s have you see the outcome of my grandfather getting angry. Let’s see if your Lu family is able to handle his anger.
Although the Yao family was conducting a funeral, as the people saw it, it did not have the air of a funeral. Aside from a mourning hall, the manor did not have a single shred of a mourning atmosphere. Even Yao Shu was full of spirit. Even the Yao manor’s servants did not think much of the death of the Yao family’s young madam. They carried on with whatever they needed to do. Moreover, today was the Mid-Autumn Festival. Not to mention the Yao family having no plans of opening its gates for guests to pay respects, even if someone did visit, it would be the next day. How could anyone head to a mourning hall on the 15th of the eighth month? Even the Lu family did not have anyone visit!
Speaking of the Lu family, Lu Yan was presently standing in a study and talking with Lu Song and Ge shi about the day’s matters. After all, Ge shi did not go into the palace. The Lu family only sent in its two daughters. Lu Song was also busy with conducting business with the officials. How could he have the time to pay attention to the matters of the womenfolk. Now, he listened to Lu Yan exaggerate and deliberately twist what had happened. She was even more certain that Lu Yao had been jealous of Lu Ping and attacked. Only out of fear of the Lu family no longer paying attention to her situation did she attack Lu Ping like this.
Ge shi angrily trembled and could not help but curse Lu Yao: “She’s too unreasonable! Just how badly does she want our Lu family to be trapped? Husband, Lu Yao has always been extremely jealous from a young age. When she was young, she was jealous that Yan’er also became a daughter of the first wife, and she did not hold back with squeezing her out. I suppressed this matter, as the former madam had a bitter life, and I did not just tell Yan’er once to endure. She must not offend her elder sister. But who knew that her envious heart was not just focused on Yan’er. She actually would not even let go of a daughter of a concubine.”
Lu Yan also chimed in: “That’s right! Daddy, it’s unfortunate for all of the cultivating that father put into her, but you should think about it. From childhood to now, what sorts of things has she done? Not to speak of other things, but that matter with eldest brother, was it not enough to cause our Lu family to feel shocked on the day she married into the Yao family? After receiving who knows what benefits, the granny from the palace had hidden it, but if this matter had not been hidden, and the Yao family followed up… Father, you said more than once that the Yao family must not be offended, but what now? Not to mention offending them once, Lu Yao, for the sake of harming eldest sister, actually dragged the Yao family’s eldest madam into the water. How should this matter be handled?!”
The mother and daughter spoke in harmony, which left Lu Song sighing repeatedly. He just thought to himself that his wife and daughter were right. Lu Yao was a spirit that brought about calamity. From childhood to now, she had not done a single meritorious thing for the manor. In just a few days since marrying into the Yao family, she actually… He angrily stomped his foot: “The move from back then was a mistake! It’s also my fault for being foolish. How could I send that little beast into the Yao manor? Sending anyone would have been better than her!”
Lu Yan trembled, fearing that with Lu Yao being a waste, her father would then turn his ideas on her, thus she quickly gave Ge shi a look then heard Ge shi say: “No more hope can be placed in the Yao family. Based on Yao Xian’s temper, if it isn’t a life-and-death struggle, that is already quite good. How could they allow another daughter from the Lu family enter their family. But… it really is a pity with Ping’er.”
Lu Song also sighed, “Indeed, it is a pity. I had found a son of a first wife for her; however, who knew that this sort of thing would happen.”
Ge shi struck while the iron was hot. Grabbing Lu Yan’s hand, she said: “Yan’er, you must listen to mother’s advice. In the next few days, avoid going out if you can. In the future, you should also avoid running around outside. At present, the Lu family only has you left. If something were to happen to you, what hopes would father and mother have left!”
Lu Song also nodded, accepting this way of speaking.
Lu Yan’s eyes lit up. She had been waiting for this. Lu Yao and Lu Ping had both been damaged. In the current Lu family, they would need to rely entirely on her!
That night, the Lu family was destined to be unable to remain peaceful. Although the Yao family looked to be without cares, it was impossible that they would not think about Lu Yao’s matter. But Feng Yu Heng really did not have much going on. Exiting the Yao manor, she was preparing to return to the imperial daughter’s manor to eat moon cakes, but just as she exited, she saw Xuan Tian Ming’s imperial carriage waiting outside. Bai Ze sat at the front of the carriage. Raising the horsewhip in his hand, he shouted at her: “Princess! You’ve finally come out. Master’s waited for you for a long time.”
While he spoke, the curtain behind him was lifted. From inside, Xuan Tian Ming was in purple robes and waved to her: “Quickly climb in. This prince will bring you to see the lights of the Mid-Autumn Festival!”
Feng Yu Heng was also quite happy. Lifting her dress, she ran forward; however, she did not climb into the carriage. She just said: “I will go back first and get changed!”
Xuan Tian Ming, however, was in a great rush, “What are you getting changed for? Anything that this prince’s wife wears looks good. Bai Ze, bring your princess up here!”
Bai Ze smiled like a crook and leaped down from the carriage. He then made a gesture for her to enter: “Princess, please get into the carriage!”
Feng Yu Heng shook her head but did not continue to insist. Using Bai Ze’s arm for support, she climbed into the imperial carriage. She then happily sat at Xuan Tian Ming’s side and heard from the outside: “Giddy up!” The imperial carriage slowly began to move forward.
But Xuan Tian Ming was not the only person inside the imperial carriage. After climbing in, Feng Yu Heng noticed that Xuan Tian Hua was also present. The two were sitting across from each other. One was waving a fan, while the other was eating seeds.
She took a few already-peeled seeds from Xuan Tian Ming’s hands. While sending them into her mouth, she asked Xuan Tian Hua: “Seventh brother, how much money did you scam from the prefect of Luo Province?” Just after speaking, the top of her head was tapped by someone. She glared at the shameless person at her side: “Xuan Tian Ming, what are you hitting my head for?”
Xuan Tian Ming corrected her: “What are you calling scammed? That was just the price.”
Xuan Tian Hua nodded along: “That’s right. The pearl of the Eastern Sea does indeed have a price attached to it.”
“Then exactly how much did you get from him?” Feng Yu Heng had a face filled with expectation.
But Xuan Tian Hua clearly did not want her to know an accurate amount and only said: “I don’t let you down. That’s all.”
Feng Yu Heng smirked and did not continue on with this subject. Instead, she began to tease Xuan Tian Hua: “Seventh brother, are you planning to see the lanterns with us?”
Xuan Tian Hua nodded, “Ninth brother invited me. Either way, there’s nothing to do, thus I will go for a stroll with you two.”
“This might… not be too good, right?” The little girl leaned forward and began to reason with Xuan Tian Hua, “Look, Xuan Tian Ming and I will definitely be a pair, but you on your lonesome will look as out of place as can be! Could it be that you have a partner?”
Xuan Tian Hua shook his head, “Bai Ze and Huang Quan also don’t have partners.”
“Who said that those two don’t?” Feng Yu Heng pointed outside the carriage at the man and woman driving the carriage, “Since they are attendants, they will be walking together. That’s why they can be barely be considered a pair. But seventh brother, you can’t just walk along with them, right?”
Xuan Tian Hua smiled bitterly and thought for a bit, saying: “We can go to the Wen Xuan Palace to call up Tian Ge. I will go with Tian Ge.”
Feng Yu Heng waved her hand, “No good, no good. Lord Wen Xuan and the princess are both in the palace. Their family will be happily celebrating the festival and eating a meal as a family. That’s something that we can never even hope of having. Seventh brother, you must not think of disturbing their family happiness.”
There was nothing that Xuan Tian Hua could do: “Then what do you say should be done?”
The little girl thought quickly: “How about.. we find you a partner!”