Severing Ties
Her voice was ice-cold and did not carry a trace of feeling. Her eyes were also empty and indifferent. She looked at Yao shi but it was as if she was not looking at anything. The current Yao shi was nothing more than a stranger to Feng Yu Heng. There was no intimacy. There were not even any feelings. There was nothing but loathing and regret.
“Let go with your hands.” Feng Yu Heng’s voice was like a devil’s curse and was said in a commanding tone. It caused Yao shi to subconsciously obey, as she lowered her hands. She only managed to react when her hands had reached her sides. Why did she listen to Feng Yu Heng? However, Feng Yu Heng continued to speak: “Just now, you grabbed my neck in a dangerous spot, and I have all the reason in the world to report you for attempted murder.” She spoke calmly and reasonably as if stating the situation.
But Yao shi could not understand. Earlier, she had been frightened by Feng Yu Heng giving Fu Ya a beating. Now, she was given a fright by Feng Yu Heng’s words. Attempted murder? What was considered attempted murder? She had just grabbed Feng Yu Heng’s neck. How could this be considered attempted murder?
At this time, Xuan Tian Hua added to what Feng Yu Heng had said: “Lady Yao, if it was not for imperial daughter stopping it in time, you would have choked her to death. This would be considered attempted murder.”
“I did not!” Yao shi took a step back, saying in shock: “How could I possibly have the ability to strangle her to death? She is Imperial Daughter Ji An, and I am just a powerless woman. How could I possibly choke her to death?” Yao shi’s gaze gradually became fiercer, “I really want to choke her to death. Only with her death can darling daughter be with me without any barriers. If she does not die, all of this will continue forever, and my daughter will never return.”
Yao shi was on the verge of mental collapse. At her feet, Fu Ya partially stood up and held Yao shi’s calf. She quietly called out: “Mother, mother, you must not get angry. It’s all daughter’s fault for not being able to protect mother.”
The word mother softened Yao shi’s heart once more. She sat on the ground and held Fu Ya. The two cried while comforting each other. In an instant, it caused Feng Yu Heng to recall the time that they had spent in the mountain village in the Northwest. Yao shi did not know how to make food, and for the sake of making food for the two children, she ended up burning the kitchen in an accident. At that time, she had also held her while crying like this, while they comforted each other. In just a few years time, it had ended up like this.
“Yao shi.” Feng Yu Heng’s voice was filled with anger, “In truth, I don’t understand why you refuse to acknowledge me. If you insist that I am not your daughter, if it was just this one thought, and you only wanted your former daughter that you could survive with, the Feng Yu Heng that was like you in having no ability to protect herself, you should be investigating the truth of the situation? You should investigate why your daughter suddenly changed and was suddenly no longer your daughter. I know medicine, and my abilities are even better than grandfather’s. My medical ability could not possibly have been taught elsewhere. I also know martial arts. It would be impossible to have learned such amazing martial arts in just three years. Even if you suspected these things, why did you not investigate? You never even investigated me before refusing to acknowledge me, so why did you acknowledge her so easily?” She pointed at Fu Ya with a trembling hand, “If I am not your daughter, will she definitely be? Do you not have the slightest bit of suspicion toward her?”
Faced with Feng Yu heng’s questioning, Yao shi replied very naturally: “That’s right, I don’t have the slightest doubts about her. She is my daughter and is definitely authentic! And you are not.”
Feng Yu Heng nodded. This time, it no longer had a trace of pain. With things becoming what they were, she did not have any feelings toward Yao shi, aside from toward her face. It was just that face that looked exactly like her mother’s from her previous life that began to blur. In her mind, it began to crumble. Feng Yu Heng knew that from this day on, she would no longer be bound by this so-called blood relation. She was herself, not Yao shi’s daughter. She was no longer the Feng family’s daughter.
“Alright, I am not.” She told Yao shi, “Indeed, I am not your daughter. That’s why, from this day forward, I will no longer acknowledge you. I am just Da Shun’s Imperial Daughter Ji An and the ninth prince’s future official princess. Oh, of course, you can have your daughter try for the position of official princess Yu, but I will remind you that there have also been people that coveted that position in the past. The result was that the ninth prince burned their houses down. If you don’t want this residence to be burned down, it would be best to avoid having such thoughts. Yao shi, I am letting you know officially that we are no longer related as mother and daughter. That’s why I will no longer provide you with a single cent of money because I do not have any intention of raising a stranger. Of course, I will not interfere with the supplemented money provided by the Yao family. You don’t need to worry about that.”
Yao shi heard this but did not react much. She just nodded and said: “Alright, I accept it. Don’t believe that without your support, we will live in fear. Even if the Yao family’s support is stopped, that would not be a problem. Don’t forget that even if you are Da Shun’s imperial daughter, I am also a standard first rank noble lady of Da Shun. I also have a salary from the court. I receive it every month. I can survive on my own. I can raise my Heng, and I don’t need anyone’s pity.” Yao shi spoke very arrogantly. She picked up Fu Ya and gently felt her wounds while saying to Fu Ya: “Don’t be scared. Mother will properly take care of you and your wounds. Mother will ask for the best doctors to take a look at you. Heng, be good. Don’t be scared.”
Feng Yu Heng averted her gaze, not wanting to look at Yao shi. She did not want to hear someone else called by her own name. At this time, Xuan Tian Hua faintly said: “Lady Yao, I believe that you might be mistaken. That standard first rank title came entirely on the back of your daughter, as you do not have an honorable husband’s family, nor did you contribute anything to Da Shun. As for the daughter that got you that title, it is the one that has severed ties as mother and daughter, Imperial Daughter Ji An. That’s why your status as standard first rank noble lady will immediately be rescinded by the court. Don’t worry, this prince will quickly inform the court to quickly come and take care of this matter. You will not be kept waiting for too long.”
“You…” Yao shi was a bit lost, “On what basis? On what basis are you taking away my position?”
Xuan Tian Hua told her as if narrating: “On the basis that I am the seventh prince of Da Shun.”
“The seventh prince is unable to be reasonable?”
“Reason?” Xuan Tian Hua shook his head, “Don’t talk to me about reason. I am reason.” After he said this, he did not want to continue to remain in this place. Pulling along Feng Yu Heng, he began to walk out.
Feng Yu Heng was still immersed in those final words that Xuan Tian Hua had said. Even when the two had gotten quite far, she still sighed: “Seventh brother did not see it, but when you are choking people off, you are the exact same as Xuan Tian Ming.”
Xuan Tian Hua was helpless, “I thought that your mood would be quite bad from handling this matter.”
“And after that?”
“Reality provided that it does not appear to be the case.” Xuan Tian Hua laughed and pinched Feng Yu Heng’s face, “But I can be at ease with you like this.”
Feng Yu Heng, however, suddenly recalled a matter, thus she said to Xuan Tian Hua: “Seventh brother, wait for me here.” After saying this, she turned back and headed toward the courtyard. When she came out, she was pulling along the maidservant Tian Qing. “You can go back.” She said to Tian Qing, “Thank aunty Lan for me. Say that I will go to the palace later on to visit her.”
Tian Qing was a bit startled, “But Imperial Daughter, the princess told this servant to keep an on eye Fu Ya.”
“No need.” Feng Yu Heng faintly smiled while shaking her head, “When looking, what matters is the mind, not the eyes. But Yao shi insists on only using her eyes to look at this world, thus there is nothing that I can do. Go back and tell aunty Lan that they want to cause their own demise, and nobody can stop them. Also, what I just said in there was the truth. You can tell aunty Lan about it. I know that aunty Lan grew up with Yao shi, and perhaps aunty Lan will be unhappy with me doing things this way and will blame me, but you also saw it. I didn’t have any other choice. Faced with that sort of mother, if I continued to acknowledge her, it would only cause her more harm.”
Tian Qing also felt helpless and could only nod then bow and depart. Only when she was further away did Xuan Tian Hua gently advise her: “You’re clearly unwilling, right?”
Feng Yu Heng shook her head, “What of it? I am Imperial Daughter Ji An. You’ve seen Imperial Daughter Ji An ride horses and shoot arrows. When have you ever seen Imperial Daughter Ji An get overly emotional?”
“Have you not?” Xuan Tian Hua thought for a bit then shook his head, “There clearly was, but you do not admit it while choosing to forget about it. It clearly is not that easy, yet you deliberately put on airs. With you like this… Ming’er will be sad.” He looked away, as his heart began to hurt for no apparent reason. It was not just Ming’er that would be saddened, he would also be. It was just that he could only keep this feeling in his chest. He could not give voice to it, much less express it.
“You just need to not tell him!” Feng Yu Heng was all smiles, as she used this smile to cover up the pain in her eyes. “I endured these kinds of days in the past, but I won’t in the future. The people here do not have a shred of relation to me. I will not cry for her, nor will I smile. No matter what sort of hardship befalls her, she will no longer be able to find me. Regardless of what happens to her, I will not extend a helping hand to her. Isn’t this very good? In my life, a burden has been lifted. In the future, there will be a day when I will not need to worry about anyone trying to get revenge on her because I offended someone or caused a big problem. Severing the mother-daughter bond with Yao shi, this is something that I must make public to the world.”
She happily walked forward and casually raised her arms above her head. It looked like she was very happy and pleased; however, Xuan Tian Hua knew that cutting off ties with Yao shi was the best way to protect Yao shi, even if Feng Yu Heng made it sound very heartless. The current Da Shun was not stable, and there were many hidden dangers. Feng Yu Heng and Xuan Tian Ming were together, which meant that the days to come would be turbulent. That girl was afraid that Yao shi would be drugged like before. If she wanted to prevent such a thing from happening, what she had done was definitely the best.
“Heng Heng.” He chased after her and thought for a long time but could only say one thing: “It’s good if you can be at ease.”
At this time, Feng Yu Heng had already regained her usual disposition. She no longer smiled foolishly, and she no longer looked as fierce as she did in that courtyard. She also did not speak about trivial things. She had already begun handling official matters. She stopped in her tracks and called into the air: “Ban Zou.”
A person’s figure immediately appeared.
“You stay here and personally keep an eye on Fu Ya.”
Ban Zou nodded and disappeared once more.
Only then did Feng Yu Heng look toward Xuan Tian Hua and seriously say to him: “In the coming days, I fear that Fu Ya will make use of that face. Don’t be curious as to why I did not ruin her face with my whip. To ruin it from the very start, it truly would be too much of a pity. We will keep her around and see just what path she plans to take. We’ll see just who she decides to choose. At the same time, the one that she chooses will be the big fish that we aim to catch!”