Feng Ye Heng leaned against the window and wondered, “The second young miss of the prime minister’s family?” Why did she feel as though people were speaking about her? “Hah!” She reached out and prodded Xuan Tian Ming, “The court has a new left prime minister?”
Xuan Tian Ming nodded, “The former imperial secretariat was promoted from first rank to Feng Jin Yuan’s former position.”
“Oh.” She looked out once more. The maidservant’s arrogant appearance caused her to remember Feng Fen Dai. “Let’s go.” She sat back down and did not look any longer. Allowing for the maidservant to continue cursing, she could faintly hear even more cursing directed at Xiang Rong.
Xuan Tian Ming asked her: “You’re not going to handle it? Don’t you treat your third sister quite well?”
Feng Yu Heng said: “Xiang Rong did not suffer a loss. On a nice piece of Sichuan brocade, she embroidered a pair of common ducks. If Xiang Rong truly did this, I truly would have given her a standing ovation. It’s just that I feel that she could not do this sort of thing based on her personality. Right now, going into the palace to report to father Emperor is most important. Either way, we’ve returned to the capital. The matters at home can be taken care of slowly.”
On this side, the carriage carrying the two went straight toward the imperial palace. The other carriages returned to the imperial daughter’s manor and the Yu Palace after entering the capital.
At this very moment in the Feng residence, there was a servant anxiously telling Xiang Rong about what had happened at the embroidery shop. Xiang Rong was shocked: “What did you say? It ended up looking like a pair of common ducks?”
The servant nodded, “Not only did they end up looking like common ducks, but the stitching was also awkward and exceedingly ugly. The bride’s maidservant went crazy with anger. Standing in front of the shop, she just continues cursing without leaving. Not only did she want us to pay for the loss, but she also wants third young miss to kneel in front of the prime minister’s manor to apologize to her family’s young miss.”
Xiang Rong angrily went around in circles, “If I knew that he could cause this sort of trouble beforehand, I would never have given him the cloth. He really is unable to do anything right.” She waved her hand and dismissed the servant. She then said to her personal servant, Shan Cha: “Quickly, tidy things up. We’re going to the Ping Palace to settle this debt with him!”
Not long later, the two hastily left the courtyard. Xiang Rong had never been this angry before. That damn Xuan Tian Yi embroidered common ducks onto a wedding dress. It’s a loss that he could think of something like this. Was this not just trying to make her look bad? “As I see it, his Majesty should not have been lenient and allowed him to move back into the Ping Palace for house arrest. This sort of thing should… should be sent into the mountains to become a Buddhist monk.”
Shan Cha advised her: “Young miss, don’t get too angry. As this servant sees it, his Highness the fourth prince acted correctly! That young miss from the new prime minister’s manor is too much of a bully. That shop was indeed opened by us, but to have something embroidered, there is a professional seamstress. Why did she insist on having you embroider it? This was clearly just to embarrass you! Young miss, you shouldn’t be settling a debt with his Highness. You should be thanking him!”
“Nonsense!” Xiang Rong glared at Shan Cha, “What do you understand? Although he has been demoted to a commoner and is still in custody, he is still a prince. He is someone that does not fear anything. What am I? Right now, the Feng residence cannot be compared to its former glory. Even if this was in the past, I am nothing more than a daughter of a concubine. The difference in status is too great. One extra problem cannot compare to having one less problem. Not causing trouble is best.”
The two spoke while walking toward the palace. Upon arriving at the entrance, Fen Dai happened to be walking in. The two ran into each other. Fen Dai saw Xiang Rong’s expression and immediately laughed, “Oh, third sister, where are you going? I heard that a situation was started at the embroidery store. You ruined their Sichuan brocade with an embroidery, and they have demanded that you apologize!”
Xiang Rong did not want to argue with Fen Dai. Moving to the side, she wanted to go around her; however, Fen Dai was a person that had a troublemaking personality. Seeing that Xiang Rong was trying to get around her, she immediately took half a step to the side to block Xiang Rong’s path.
“Fourth sister.” Xiang Rong asked her, “Do you need something?”
“What is it? Can I not speak with third sister if I don’t need something? As a younger sister, I am just being kind. Third sister should think about why they dared to name you to embroider it. Is it not because you don’t have a good backing. Right now, our family cannot be relied upon. But in the end, girls should be relying on their husband’s family. I recall that third sister was once quite close with his Highness the seventh prince. His Highness even sent you clothes… Oh no, that was a misunderstanding. He sent them to give face to Feng Yu Heng.” She covered up a faint smile and looked at Xiang Rong with a belittling look.
Xiang Rong did not want to argue with her too much. She understood her fourth sister too well. It was as though she had been born for the sake of causing trouble. None could avoid her nor force her away. Back when their second sister was still in the residence, she would act a bit more restrained; however, there was nobody to hold her back now.
Xiang Rong took another two steps to the side, wanting to get out of the residence. This time, Fen Dai did not stop her. She just shouted at the servants by the entrance: “Move quickly. Those are clothes sent by the fifth prince. Be careful not to ruin them.”
Xuan Tian Yan treated Fen Dai extremely well. Xiang Rong simply could not understand what the fifth prince saw in Fen Dai, but there were many things in the world that could not be understood especially feelings.
“Hah!” Fen Dai sighed in an exaggerated manner and said something even more sarcastic: “People really do need to know their place. You don’t even look at your own personality, yet you still yearned for the seventh prince.”
Xiang Rong’s hurt as though it had been poked with a needle; however, her expression became cold, as she reminded Fen Dai: “Fourth sister should go back quickly. I heard your younger brother crying earlier.”
“Hmph!” Fen Dai’s expression immediately sank. Glaring at Xiang Rong, she then walked into the residence. While walking, she said to the servant at her side, Dong Ying: “Why is that child still not dead? It just cries and cries all day long. I’m on the verge of losing my mind because of him.”
Dong Ying quietly said: “There’s nothing that can be done. The people left behind by the second young miss are keeping a close eye on him. We tried a few times and were unsuccessful. I fear that if we continue to make any attempts, it will anger those people and bring nothing of benefit to fourth young miss.”
Fen Dai angrily gritted her teeth, “Feng Yu Heng, why didn’t she die on the battlefield in Qian Zhou?”
Xiang Rong stood outside the residence, waiting for Shan Cha to call for the driver; however, her gaze happened to drift in a certain direction. Fen Dai’s sarcastic words could still be heard, but she had not gone to the Chun Palace in a long time. She did not go out often, and she would at most go to the embroidery shop to take a look or go to the Ping Palace whenever Xuan Tian Yi caused a disturbance, but both of these places were in the opposite direction of the Chun Palace. It was such that she did not even have the chance to pass by the Chun Palace.
“Young miss, get in the carriage!” Shan Cha ran over with the driver bringing the carriage behind her. The carriage had been called over. The Feng residence now had two carriages. One was for Fen Dai’s personal use and one was for Feng Jin Yuan and the Cheng shi sisters’ personal use. The movements of the other people were no longer restricted as they had been when the matriarch was alive. After all, they were no longer a noble family; however, this meant that they had to spend their own money to hire a carriage.
When Xiang Rong climbed into the carriage, she was thinking that the young miss of the new prime minister’s manor could not be blamed for ordering her around like an embroiderer. Right now, she was nothing more than the daughter of a common civilian. If it was not for her having a maidservant at her side, she would not even be called young miss.
Xuan Tian Ming and Feng Yu Heng returning to the capital caused an extremely large ripple. In fact, when the carriage arrived at the entrance of the imperial palace, the imperial guards were given a shock. They never thought that Prince Yu and imperial daughter Ji An would have already returned.
For a moment, there was a bustle of excitement in the palace. News of Xuan Tian Ming and Feng Yu Heng entering the palace traveled quickly. From the front hall to the inner palace, it became the hottest topic of discussion.
When the two met the Emperor, it was Heavenly Hall. Zhang Yuan stood in the entrance to welcome them. Upon seeing them come over, he quickly saluted and kowtowed. Shedding tears of gratitude, he said: “Your Highness, imperial daughter, you’ve finally returned.”
Xuan Tian Ming frowned and asked him: “Why do you look like can’t continue living?”
Zhang Yuan wiped away the tears on his face and said: “Your Highness, if you didn’t come back, this servant really would not be able to continue living. The Emperor, he… is too hard to take care of.”
“Hmph.” Xuan Tian Ming snorted, “What sort of trouble is that old guy causing now?”
Zhang Yuan let out a long sigh, “It would be fine if it was just him causing trouble.” He then received an inquisitive look from Xuan Tian Ming; however, he did not continue speaking. He just gestured for the two to enter, “Your Highness, please enter quickly. His Majesty is waiting.”
Feng Yu Heng was able to gain a bit of an understanding. Although she was curious, she also knew that this was not the time to ask, thus she obediently followed Xuan Tian Ming into the hall. After arriving in the middle of the hall, she looked up and saw the Emperor holding a cushion while sitting on the throne. With a depressed look that was even closer to the brink of death than the one Zhang Yuan had, he stared at them with dead fish eyes.
At first, the two wanted to salute, with Xuan Tian Ming even partially kneeling. As a result, he stood back up from being glared at by those dead eyes. “The North has been calmed, and Qian Zhou has been defeated. What sort of attitude is this?” He was extremely puzzled, “Shouldn’t you be happy?”
The Emperor rolled his eyes, “The victory is for your wife. What is there for Us to be happy about?”
Feng Yu Heng heard this. Was the old man unhappy? She quickly said: “If father Emperor is feeling regretful over that piece of land, daughter-in-law will return it to you.” Either way, it was a ruined land. Taking care of it would be too exhausting.
Who knew that the Emperor would wave his hand: “I don’t want it!” He then raised his voice to ask the two: “After coming into the palace, did you come straight to see Us?”
Was this not a waste of words? Xuan Tian Ming stared straight at him, “Where else could we have gone?”
“Winter Moon Palace!” The Emperor became furious, “As a son, and as your imperial concubine mother’s only biological son, after going out to fight a war for a year, what is it? You don’t go to visit your imperial concubine mother to report your safety first? Do you have your mother in your heart at all? You’re without conscience. We’ll beat you to death!”
Saying this, he actually threw the cushion and hit Xuan Tian Ming on the head.
Zhang Yuan grimaced and quickly said: “Your Majesty, don’t get angry. You absolutely must not get angry. His Highness and imperial daughter also expressing their loyalty. After returning to the court, a general naturally must report the situation. This is a rule passed down over a thousand years!”
The Emperor also understood this reasoning but awkwardly refused to admit his mistake; however, he also stopped persisting with the matter. He just sat there very unhappily without speaking.
Xuan Tian Ming did not continue to argue with him. Standing in the hall, he seriously recounted the journey from start to finish. Like an official reporting on his duties in a grandiose fashion, he told it as though he was telling a story. Bit by bit, he spoke in a vivid manner, causing the Emperor, who initially did not want to listen, to listen with great interest.
When he began recounting the battle with Qian Zhou’s ruler, they saw him lean forward and rest his elbows on the table. He then asked a question that caught Xuan Tian Ming and Feng Yu Heng by surprise.
