Fen Dai’s Idea
Using Xiang Rong and the seventh prince as bait, Feng Fen Dai succeeded in inviting Feng Zhao Lian into the Feng residence before bringing him to her own courtyard.
At this time, the child left behind by Han shi was crying and causing a fuss. Feng Zhao Lian had always been someone that spoke without a filter, asking Fen Dai: “Oh! Fourth young miss already gave birth to a child?” This question left Fen Dai fuming with rage.
Fortunately, Dong Ying was sharp and quickly explained: “It’s the child of a relative, and they have come to live for a while.”
“Oh.” Feng Zhao Lian nodded and did not continue to speak on this topic.
Fen Dai forcefully endured the anger in her chest. The smile continued to linger on her face, as she invited them inside. While walking, she endlessly criticized him internally. This woman looked very beautiful, but why did she feel that she was lacking in thoughtfulness? This was the first time that they had met. Was this any way to speak? Even asking if she had given birth to a child, how could a daughter that had not yet gotten married give birth to a child? Thinking like this, she could not help but feel even more hatred for the young child.
Speaking of, that child was now one year old, and he was taken care of by a wet nurse and maidservants; however, in the end, he was a taboo to the members of the Feng family. Nobody wished to ask about him. Only the wet nurse and the maidservant took care of him with all their heart because they were being paid by the imperial daughter’s manor. Fortunately, Feng Yu Heng had always kept a hidden guard on this side to protect him. After suffering a loss, Feng Fen Dai did not dare take action against this child any further.
Unfortunately, Han shi had been on edge when pregnant with him, and she had given birth to him prematurely. The child had a congenital weakness. The doctors from Hundred Herb Hall shook their heads after coming for an examination. They said that he was not expected to live past three years of age. Since that was the case, Fen Dai gave up on the idea of killing him.
Feng Zhao Lian was the first to visit the Feng residence; however, he did not have any intention of admiring Feng Yu Heng’s family. Upon entering the room, he grabbed Fen Dai and asked: “Quickly speak, what exactly is the situation between your residence’s third young miss and the seventh prince?”
Fen Dai was no longer in a rush. While sending a servant to fetch tea, she advised another to fetch some pastries. After everything was laid out properly, she asked in confusion: “What is it, did my second sister not tell miss?”
Feng Zhao Lian shook his head, “I never heard about it!”
“That’s true.” Fen Dai spoke as if she had expected it: “If miss really has been moved by his Highness the seventh prince, you would be third sister’s enemy. How could second sister help an outsider steal a man from her own sister.”
“That’s not the important part!” Fen Dai had deliberately tried to provoke him, but Feng Zhao Lian did not think anything of it, “Who Heng helps and doesn’t help is up to her own desires. Either way, it does not matter to us. I’ll just ask you, what exactly is going on with the residence’s third young miss and the seventh prince?”
“About that! The story will be long if we talk about that!” Fen Dai deliberately spoke in an affected tone. When Feng Zhao Lian expressed that it did not matter if it took a bit longer. There was no need to summarize, and she could take her time to speak in detail. Only then did Fen Dai settle herself and begin to recount the small bit of a relationship between Xiang Rong and the seventh prince while adding and embellishing greatly.
When she reached the part about the seventh prince having sent Xiang Rong a dress, Feng Zhao Lian stomped his foot in anger: “Hah! It’s my fault for coming to the capital so late.”
Fen Dai smiled to herself internally and continued to speak about trivial matters. As she spoke, she managed to convey a bit of love in the relationship between Xiang Rong and the seventh prince. She even emphasized that Xiang Rong had gone to the Chun Palace on her own.
Feng Zhao Lian was extremely envious from hearing this. By the end, he frankly made a request of Fen Dai: “Can you introduce me to this third young miss?”
Fen Dai shook her head, “Unfortunately, she is not in today.”
“Did she go to the Chun Palace?” Feng Zhao Lian’s expression revealed a bit of envy at this point, “To be able to go to the Chun Palace at any time, the third young miss really is a deity.”
Who knew that Fen Dai would smirk and coldly snort: “What Chun Palace! She went to the Ping Palace.”
“The Ping Palace? What palace is that? What is this Prince Ping?” Feng Zhao Lian was not very familiar with the princes of Da Shun. He only knew of Prince Yu, Xuan Tian Ming and Prince Chun, Xuan Tian Hua. He could not recognize any of the others by name.
Once this question was asked, Fen Dai was once again certain that her earlier judgment of Miss Lian was accurate. She was lacking in thoughtfulness! This was clearly lacking in thoughtfulness. It seemed that the heavens were still fair! They had given her an extremely beautiful face; however, they did not give her a brain. This really was worth celebrating!
She told Feng Zhao Lian: “Prince Ping is the fourth prince of Da Shun. In the past, he had done some bad things and was placed under house arrest in his own palace. He and third sister get along well. When third sister was bullied by the Lu family’s young miss, it was Prince Ping that vented for her.”
“Hm?” Feng Zhao Lian became confused, “Didn’t you just say that the third young miss and the seventh prince had feelings for each other? Why is it that it ended up on the fourth prince? Oh, you mean to say that the fourth prince took an interest in the third young miss, but the third young miss is only interested in the seventh prince. Is that right?”
Fen Dai shook her head, “Not necessarily, one slap was not loud enough. If third sister was not interested, why would she head over to the Ping Palace time and time again? It must be said that she also has feelings for his Highness the seventh prince, but his Highness the seventh prince is different from normal people. I think… that third sister most likely saw no results from her efforts with his Highness the seventh prince, thus she is grabbing onto his Highness the fourth prince and refusing to let go! Hah, that’s just her ability. She’s different from us. Second sister only protects his Highness the ninth prince, and I only keep an eye on his Highness the fifth prince. Speaking of, it’s third sister that is lucky in our family.”
Fen Dai’s words caused Feng Zhao Lian to become extremely angry. It had to be said that he had indeed been a bit unreliable and arrogant at times in Qian Zhou, but he was not a fool. He was still able to see things from a logical standpoint. When he had faced off against Duan Mu An Guo, both sides were of equal power. But people, regardless of what they ran into, they must not run into matters relating to their emotions. Feng Zhao Lian had never taken an interest in other people in his life, regardless of whether they were men or women. Even Feng Yu Heng at that time, he had just been hoping to get closer in order to have his goal of being treated realized. But the calculations of man cannot compare to the calculations of the heavens. After arriving in Da Shun and meeting Xuan Tian Hua, all of his reasoning went out the window. In regards to what Feng Fen Dai said, he did not even think about it. He had already begun thinking of Xiang Rong as a “fickle and lascivious” girl, and he was very indignant.
Fen Dai looked at the expression of the person in front of her, and she could not help but smile internally. She just thought that her calculations had been correct! This Miss Lian really was interested in the seventh prince. Thus she gave another push: “Miss, there’s no need to take it to heart. Just wait and see what other movements she makes and how it should be taken care of. Either way, she can’t control both princes. In the end, she will need to choose one.”
“Choose? She’ll be left to choose? On what basis?” Feng Zhao Lian was truly feeling wronged on Xuan Tian Hua’s behalf, “His Highness the seventh prince is such a good person, yet he must allow someone to choose between himself and another person? My ass!” In his emotional state, all kinds of words were thrown out. Grabbing Fen Dai’s hands, he said: “Good younger sister, you must help me keep an eye on Feng Xiang Rong. You must not allow her to harm his Highness the seventh prince.”
Fen Dai quickly nodded, “Don’t worry. Since we get along, I will definitely help you keep an eye out. Although she is my elder sister, the relations between sisters in a large family are things that elder sister understands. She and I have never been close, thus it can’t get any better. For us to be able to get together to eat and drink together must be fate. Since we live so close to each other, just come to my place every day. I will tell you about the movements on that side at any time.” With just a few words, the two began to refer to each other as sisters.
Feng Zhao Lian nodded his head, “Then we’ll settle it like this. That, uh, I do indeed still have a matter to attend to at my residence. I will not be staying any longer. Help me keep an eye out. I’ll be back tomorrow.”
“Younger sister will send off elder sister.” Fen Dai smiled and personally sent Feng Zhao Lian out of the residence.
While the two were speaking, the servants in Fen Dai’s courtyard had already spread the word of Feng Zhao Lian’s arrival in the residence to Feng Jin Yuan’s side. Feng Jin Yuan did not believe it when he heard it, but what the servants said was within reason. They even said that the two were seated in a room, eating pastries and drinking tea. The two had already chatted for two hours.
At this point, Feng Jin Yuan was no longer able to sit still, quickly rushing toward Fen Dai’s courtyard. The place where he resided required that he pass through the front yard to reach Fen Dai’s courtyard. Only when he reached the middle of the front yard did he see Fen Dai help Feng Zhao Lian to the entrance. Fen Dai only returned after sending the person quite far. A smile remained on her face, as she loudly said to the maidservant at her said: “Miss Lian isn’t just beautiful. She also has a good personality. I really never thought that she and I would hit it off so well. Dong Ying, prepare some more of the pastries that elder sister Lian likes to eat. She will be coming again.”
Dong Ying helped out from the side: “Young miss, don’t worry. This servant will go and give the order.”
Feng Jin Yuan did not believe it at first, but he had no choice but to believe it now. Quickly walking forward, he anxiously asked: “Why would you be with Miss Lian?”
A look of success flashed across Fen Dai’s face; however, she said with disdain: “Oh! I was wondering who it was. Isn’t this the grand adult of the Feng family? What is it, father is taking the initiative to speak to me today? I thought that you no longer acknowledged this daughter and were preparing to pack your things to live in the imperial daughter’s manor.”
Recently, Feng Jin Yuan had indeed been in conflict with Fen Dai, and he had indeed thought of currying favor with Feng Yu Heng from this point forward. But comparing the times, Feng Fen Dai did not have Feng Zhao Lian at her side. Now, he had personally heard this daughter refer to Miss Lian as elder sister. The relationship between the two was this good. How could he be willing to let go.
Thus he forced himself to endure the humiliation and said with a smile: “Fen Dai, what sort of thing are you saying. We are father and daughter. We depend on each other for survival. How could father be worthy of the gold and jade at your second sister’s place. Also, even if she invited me, I am still a little more worried about you. You don’t have your birth mother at your side. If father does not dote on you, who will make plans for you?”
Fen Dai sneered to herself upon hearing these things. She just thought that this father really knew how to act smoothly. When dealing with this sort of person, she needed to speak a certain way. It was just a pity that currying favor now was too late. His face was completely seen through by his children. The reason that she tried so hard to form this connection with Feng Zhao Lian was just to put in some effort for herself. It was to let Feng Jin Yuan know she would not be easy to abandon. As for the feelings between father and daughter, she had never cared about them once.
“Father is right. Sharing in difficulties isn’t much. Enduring hardship together is an experience that can never be forgotten. In the end, we are ones who have depended on each other to survive.” She repeated what he had said then returned to her own courtyard without looking back.
Feng Jin Yuan wanted to chase after her to ask a bit more, but he still held back. His relationship with Fen Dai had just been repaired. He could not be too forceful. He needed to move slowly. Either way, he had just heard that Miss Lian would be coming the next day. Thinking things through then would not be too late.
At this moment, when Feng Zhao Lian returned to his residence, his guard immediately appeared. He very helplessly said: “Master, what exactly are you thinking? Do you still remember your goal for having us come to Da Shun? It’s to have imperial daughter Ji An take care of your illness!”
Feng Zhao Lian waved his hand, “I know. While I’m at it, find a wife to bring back would not be bad!” After he finished speaking, he slightly curled up the corner of his lips, saying: “How interesting! I want to see just what color the Feng family’s daughter’s innards are. Feng Fen Dai, right? What a piece of work.”