They… Came From Persia
In regards to the problem of “the chain falling off,” Feng Yu Heng felt that this could not be explained very clearly, thus she could only ambiguously say: “It basically means that a mistake must not be made at a critical moment.”
Xuan Tian Ge nodded, expressing that she accepted it. As for the young miss of Grand Scholar Li’s family, she did not have any sympathy: “This sort of young miss should be shown some ferocity. Don’t let them believe that any sort of person can be offended lightly. Imperial Uncle was right. There is a problem with the traditions of Da Shun. The daughter of an official’s family even dares to offend the daughter-in-law of the Emperor? And the one offended is also an imperial daughter. Just who exactly gave them the courage?”
At this time, Ren Xi Feng and Fung Tian Yu came over to chat, as Fung Tian Yu said: “A-Heng, you really scored a lucky hit. That grand scholar is part of His Highness the eighth prince’s support, but I fear that he really did not intend to oppose you.”
“What does that mean?” Feng Yu Heng took a sip of tea while saying: “I have never even seen that young miss before, and I have never interacted with that grand scholar. Why did she run over here to cause trouble as if she had gone crazy?”
Fung Tian Yu said: “Their daughter’s health was not to good in the past. Over the years, she has been recovering in the South and only just returned before the end of the year. As for why should cause you trouble, this cannot be determined clearly for now. Or perhaps it’s as you said, and she went crazy!”
“How could someone go crazy for no reason?” Ren Xi Feng helplessly shook her head: “But it is indeed quite weird. Normally speaking, looking to cause a fuss only has a few reasons. One is for profit, and the second is an emotional response. But if it’s profit, the grand scholar might be closer with His Highness the eighth prince; however, it should not be to the point of sending his daughter to cause trouble so openly. Based on his daughter’s bit of ability and his lowly position as a standard fourth ranked official, destroying them would be as easy as squishing some ants. But as an emotional response, the engagement between you and His Highness the ninth prince is something that everyone in Da Shun knows about. Over the two years, even the girls in the capital that had feelings for His Highness had no choice but to fall silent in the face of your power. How could she have the courage? Moreover, I heard that the person that she favors is His Highness the sixth prince.”
“Right.” Speaking of this, Xuan Tian Ge also remembered something, “I heard yesterday that grand scholar even wanted to try and send some things to the Xian Palace, but they apparently stopped outside, and sixth brother did not accept them. It’s likely that they were sent by that young miss.”
“What is it, a lowly fourth ranked official’s family still wants to try and curry favor with His Highness the sixth prince’s Xian Palace?” Fung Tian Yu truly could not understand. For a while, she spoke with indignation that stemmed from injustice: “I just don’t understand what everyone is thinking now. They don’t even take a look at their own status and dare to become interested in anyone? Thinking back to when my father was just a fifth rank official, I did not even dare to think about the princes that were high above the masses! Who doesn’t know that wanting to marry a prince requires the family to at least be of standard second rank or higher or be a high-ranking official. Why is it that anyone that is brought out will have serious feelings for a prince? They really are shameless!”
The more she spoke, the angrier she became. Feng Yu Heng watched this and felt that if it continued, she would most likely run out of the hall and tear the grand scholar’s daughter apart. Thus she quickly began to suppress Fung Tian Yu’s anger, saying to her: “That’s why it’s said that people who don’t know the scale of the world will only have one outcome. Let’s not get angry with them.” As she spoke, however, she began to ponder why the grand scholar’s daughter would do all of this to her. In truth, she should have waited a bit longer to see what would have been said before acting. Unfortunately, she had interacted a bit with the eighth prince earlier and was in a bad mood. Nothing could be blamed. If there was blame, it would be that young miss being unlucky! As for the reason that young miss had come looking for trouble, Feng Yu Heng ended up thinking about the gift that the young miss had sent the sixth prince.
At this time, singing and dancing had filled the fall, and the people had become lively. The princes’ wives were very quick to act according to circumstances. The table had Xuan Tian Ge and Feng Yu Heng, and the two had a few good friends come over. Those friends were not girls from normal families, as they came from the right prime minister’s manor and General Ping Nan’s manor. These young misses were able to stand steadily in Da Shun on their own, thus none of them returned and simply remained at the imperial concubines’ side, leaving that table open to the girls.
The group chatted and laughed while enjoying some refreshments. Not long later, palace servants brought food and drink to the table. These people that had not yet eaten dinner began to move their chopsticks.
Feng Yu Heng had only taken a couple bites of sixi wanzi* when she saw a palace maid walking over. Arriving at her side, she stopped and whispered into her ear: “Imperial daughter, this servant is from Winter Moon Palace. News came from our palace. When His Highness the eighth prince entered the capital a few days ago, he had brought back 20 carriages with Persians sitting inside. There are men and women, and they look like dancers. At this time, they are coming into the palace, and they have already entered the gates.”
Hearing this, Feng Yu Heng’s heart went “thunk.” Even the hand that held the jade cup subconsciously trembled, and the wine in the cup splashed onto the back of her hand. The palace maid that brought this information did not stay for long, as she quietly left after speaking. Without leaving a mark, she very quickly mixed into the crowd.
Feng Yu Heng was frozen in place and finally understood why her heart continued to feel uneasy with her eye continuing to twitch. It turned out that this was what was waiting. She had come to Da Shun for many years. The personality that was completely different caused Yao shi to be pushed away, and the abilities that she suddenly commanded were all pushed onto a Persian master that did not exist. Finally, there was someone that was calling it into question? Of course, she never hoped that there would be no suspicions about it for her entire life; however, she did not expect for it to come so quickly, nor did she think that the first to question it would not be someone close to her. Instead, it was someone that strongly opposed her. Also, the opposition had chosen this sort of open setting to bring the matter out into the open; however, she did not know what sort of crime the opposition would apply on her if things were exposed.
“A-Heng.” Xuan Tian Ge tugged her sleeve from the side and asked: “What’s wrong? Where did that palace maid come from? What did she say to you?”
Feng Yu Heng recovered and shook her head: “It’s fine, she came from Winter Moon Palace. Imperial Concubine Mother said to go over and visit her when I get a chance.”
Hearing that it was from Imperial Concubine Yun’s side, Xuan Tian Ge calmed down and continued chatting with her friends about all sorts of things.
Feng Yu Heng’s heart, however, was a bit out of sorts. This matter had come suddenly. Although she had been worried that this lie would be exposed at some point, it had suddenly appeared before her; however, she had not figured out how she would deal with it. At this time, she recalled the eighth prince asking about the fountain pen, and she finally understood what he meant. She could not help but sigh internally. This person really was not easy to deal with! These methods and this sequence, they really were far better than the previous third prince, Xuan Tian Ye. Others say to quietly celebrate fortune, but as she saw it, the eighth prince quietly plotted bad things. With his unruly appearance, it was clear that he had sinister intentions.
Feng Yu Heng was not someone that would give up without a fight. With the worry in her heart passing, she immediately felt some relief. Either way, this day would have come sooner or later. It was better to meet with this sooner and have it taken care of than spending her days on tenterhooks. After thinking a bit, had she been a little too passive lately? Had she been too modest? Such that there would be people that would believe that she had returned to being the easily handled person from a few years earlier and was still the little girl could easily be sent away by Feng Jin Yuan without uttering a word?
It seemed that people really were the same as flowers. If they were not frequently maintained, they would begin to grow sideways. If she did not frequently come out and attack, there would always be people that would believe that they could walk all over her.
Forget it, it was determined that there would be no peaceful days, thus she could only tear down plots as she saw them. She just could not waste the plots that she had torn down. She had to tear down the plot and send it flying back. This was called repaying kindness with kindness.
After two dances, sure enough, the eighth prince spoke up, saying to the Emperor: “Father Emperor, on this trip back to the capital, son prepared a special gift for Father Emperor.” As he spoke, his gaze slightly shifted toward Feng Yu Heng before he continued: “Imperial Daughter Ji An might also like this gift.”
The Emperor did not seem to be particularly curious about the gift. He was the emperor, and he had seen all kinds of nice things. Put plainly, aside from what Feng Yu Heng had presented, he really looked down on all other things. He just used the eighth prince’s words to express his dissatisfaction: “Old eighth, you just don’t come back to the capital enough. You should not speak so distantly with your brothers. Why is it that it sounds as if you are speaking like an outsider?”
The eighth prince was stunned and was a little unable to understand what the Emperor was speaking about. It was the eldest prince at his side that spoke up: “Eighth brother has not been back to the capital for a long time and is rather unfamiliar with this side and has not interacted with A-Heng much. Eighth brother, Father Emperor means to say, how can you call A-Heng Imperial Daughter Ji An. We brothers are all calling her younger sister.”
The eldest prince was rather accommodating. As someone that does business, he was rather diplomatic. When it came to mediating, he would naturally have a part. But just as he finished speaking, Xuan Tian Ming spoke up, directly saying: “How could she possibly hope to be so close. How noble a person is eighth brother. Also, Heng Heng asked me a few days earlier. When she met eighth brother, should she call you eighth brother or His Highness, and I said just call him eighth brother! She said that was no good, as eighth brother sounds as if she is calling a bird, and it’s truly disrespectful, thus she would call you Your Highness. Look, the girl’s stature is short, so just leave it to her to decide!”
Everyone knew that Xuan Tian Ming was not just cruel and ruthless, but he also had a venomous tongue. Spouting complete nonsense without batting an eye was something he was proficient in. These things were invented on the spot and did not require a script. Even the eighth prince’s expression, which could be changed freely, sank. It was clear that he could not escape this situation; however, it was at this time that the gentle seventh prince, Xuan Tian Hua, added: “Un, with Ming’er bringing it up, it does indeed sound a little bad.”
Xuan Tian Mo nearly coughed up a mouthful of blood. In any case, he remembered that the following arrangement would cause that girl some trouble, thus he forcefully suppressed his anger and finally adjusted his mood. He then said: “Father Emperor has thought about it too much. Son has indeed interacted with Imperial… oh, with younger sister very little, thus I could not adjust properly, but son is thinking about my brothers and sisters-in-law. That’s not all, as the gift that son is presenting is to provide Father Emperor with something fresh and to provide younger sister with something nostalgic.”
The Emperor heard this and became curious, asking: “What exactly is it?”
The eighth prince, Xuan Tian Mo, finally smiled: “Father Emperor, it’s not an item. Instead, it’s a dance. It’s just that the dancers are rather unique. They… came from Persia!”
*TN: Sixi wanzi are meatballs, and their name translates directly as four happy meatballs
https://chefjdnoodlehousecuisine.blogspot.com/2015/04/sixi-wanzi-four-happy-balls.html
