《王妃渴望復仇 Wangfei's Desire for Revenge》


 Chapter 1: Blossoms in the Wind

    Su Jing Feiawoke to a throbbing pain in her head and winced as she moved to sit upright from the ground where she laid. Her mind was hazy, and her vision blurred from the noise of chatter and a constant ringing in her ears. The last thing she remembered was a shaking of the earth, then the lights of her room went out and everything had been engulfed in darkness. She was sure it had been an earthquake, but¡­ as she glanced around, shock and fear struck her heart. She was no longer in her room back in the present, but she seemed to be sitting in the ground of a courtyard bearing an ancient style. It was similar to the courtyards styled in the large inn she managed for the corporate company, but this one looked highly authentic. Not to mention, the people surrounding her wore robes and dresses of the ancient style as if she had just suddenly landed in the past! For a moment, she thought she had maybe just dozed off and awoken at work, but this place was unfamiliar. However, someone seemed to know who she was as they shouted her name.


    ¡°Su Jing Fei! You vile woman!¡± An angry voice shouted, catching her attention. It was an exceptionally handsome young man looking to be in his late teens. His handsome face was twisted in anger and through clenched teeth, he shouted more at her. ¡°Know your place! It¡¯s not enough that you have to brag everyday about our engagement, but to attack and injure an innocent girl is too much! I won¡¯t stand for your evil ways any longer!¡±


    The people on the side clamored in agreement, shouting ¡°You should have just died!¡± ¡°Shameless!¡± ¡°Bully!¡± ¡°Serves you right!¡± Their shouts seemed to grow louder, andSu Jing Feiwinced from the growing headache and pain radiating from her head. She reached up and carefully touched the back of her skull to find blood wetting her hair and clumping it together. She was dumbfounded at the situation she found herself in. She didn¡¯t know where she was, who she was, but even just looking at the pale white hands before her, she knew she wasn¡¯t in her same body. Could this be the rumored transmigration she¡¯d heard about?


    ¡°Da xiaojie*(eldest daughter) please be careful,¡± cried a small girl at her side. The girl looked to be around 14 or 15. ¡°Your head is bleeding!¡± The young girl kneeled besideSu Jing Feiand rested a small trembling hand onSu Jing Feito help her sit upright.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Shouted an angry voice. An older woman broke through the crowd and glared at the people at the center. When her eyes landed on the angry man, she automatically kneeled in greeting, speaking the words ¡°Greetings, your Highness, third prince Chen Hui Zhe. My name is Fu Bao Zhai, and I am the manager for Oak Tree Courtyard. I apologize that we have to meet under such circumstances, but may I inquire what is happening here to cause a ruckus in our Oak Tree Courtyard?¡± Although the Oak Tree Courtyard was usually a place of scholarly discussions and occasional entertainment, this particular place allowed for men and women to mingle casually. Men would naturally seek to impress young women by outdoing each other, and young women would sometimes argue and fight for the attention of the young men. Fortunately, Fu Bao Zhai was used to such disruptions, and she even had the backing of the Emperor to discipline as needed. Though, this was the first time a prince had caused such a scene in her Oak Tree Courtyard.


    ¡°You may rise,¡± spoke third prince Chen Hui Zhe in a restrained voice, as though he couldn¡¯t contain his anger at the next words. ¡°The peace of this courtyard has been ruined by this vile woman Su Jing Fei!¡± His finger rudely pointed in her direction.


    Su Jing Feilooked up to face him and finally noticed that there was a small girl in his embrace. She looked young and had an innocent and pitiful appearance, trembling in his big arms. However,Su Jing Feidefinitely caught a look of satisfaction and pleasure on the girl¡¯s face asChen Hui Zhecontinued to berate her. This girl definitely wasn¡¯t as innocent or pitiful as she seemed.


    ¡°She attacked an innocent girl, harming her. Using her power, she bullied and attacked this girl, and she has no conscience to even apologize!¡±Chen Hui Zheplaced full blame on her, butSu Jing Feisaw that the other girl was unharmed at all. It was she who was injured. However, memories seemed to flow intoSu Jing Fei¡¯s mind. She remembered the original body¡¯s owner seeking out the young girl, indeed berating her with words and bullying her. When the original body¡¯s owner was just about to pour hot tea over the girl, the young girl had screamed loudly and the prince had come to save her. In his anger, he had thrown the cup of tea at her which hit her on her head as she could not dodge it. This scene¡­ looked familiar. Felt familiar. And beforeSu Jing Feicould figure out why, she found herself being dragged to her feet by two women. They must beyatou*(servant girl(s)) of the courtyard.


    ¡°Your Highness,¡± spoke a soft trembling voice. The young girl with the pitiful experience somehow had mustered up tears in her eyes and flashed a look of fear and sadness. IfSu Jing Feihadn¡¯t seen that look earlier on the girl¡¯s face, she would have indeed also pitied the girl. But she knew that the young girl was no more innocent than the original body¡¯s owner.Chen Hui Zheturned to the young girl and stopped his shouting to speak softly to the girl.


    With the momentary silence, Fu Bao Zhai took in the scene before her. She saw the young prince fawning over an young unknown girl in his arms, and although Chen Hui Zhe had spoke of the young girl being harmed, there were no such wounds on the body that could be seen. However, the woman had noticed that Su Jing Fei was the harmed party, with blood still dripping from the wound on her head. Everybody knew the situation. Chen Hui Zhe never wanted to marry Su Jing Fei who had been his betrothed since young. Su Jing Fei, however, was madly in love with the third prince and would be arrogant and brag about it so much that her arrogance and love was known throughout the capital. Fu Bao Zhai didn¡¯t know what to do. On one hand, it was clear that Chen Hui Zhe was a prince and she could not offend him; however, Su Jing Fei was also his future wife and future wangfei.*(wife of a wangye/prince) On top of that, her father was the Right Prime Minister Su Xuan Mo and her maternal family were the esteemed military Qu family. Her background wasn¡¯t light here either. Fu Bao Zhai¡¯s eyes suspiciously narrowed onto the young girl in Chen Hui Zhe¡¯s arms. What kind of girl would cause such a ruckus in her Oak Tree Courtyard?


    Suddenly,Su Jing Feihad a terrifying realization. All of this looked really familiar because she recognized the scene from a movie she¡¯d seen before! The movie was called Blossoms in the Wind, and the only reason she had watched it was because a friend had recommended it to her due to the fact thatSu Jing Feimanaged a prestigious old-style inn and also because the villain of the story had the same name as her! She can¡¯t believe she actually fell into the world of Blossoms in the Wind! Or wait¡­ had she died from the earthquake in the real world?Su Jing Fei¡¯s thoughts were interrupted by a sudden dizziness that washed over her, causing her legs to tremble in weakness.


    Fu Bao ZhainoticedSu Jing Fei¡¯s condition and immediately spoke. ¡°Your Highness, if I may suggest, it would be best to invite a doctor to come tend to the injuries. Although there has been a disturbance at Oak Tree Courtyard today, it is important to tend to wounds immediately. We need to take care of leaving no injuries to scar for the future of theseguniang*(young unmarried girls).¡± Her words spoke of concern and were reasonable, but there was also a hint of warning in her tone at the ¡®guniang.¡¯ Everyone heard it, and their eyes locked ontoChen Hui Zhewho was quite closely embracing one of thoseguniangin his arms rather shamelessly. But he was a prince, and no one could really reprimand him. Buttheyknew that the Emperor had strict rules for the Oak Tree Courtyard about propriety and manners in regards to male and female interactions, andFu Bao Zhai¡¯s strictness was also a reason why she had been hired as the manager of Oak Tree Courtyard where such interactions took place.


    Chen Hui Zheswallowed his anger, glaring once more atSu Jing Fei. Although he hated her, he couldn¡¯t afford to let her die or else his father would be angry with him. Little did he know that the realSu Jing Feihad already died and been replaced with another person. ¡°Call the imperial doctor to come quickly! After the imperial doctor has come, I¡¯ll be bringingSu Jing Feito the Imperial Palace to discuss this matter with the Emperor!¡±


    Now thatSu Jing Feirecognized the scene, she knew what was going to happen. In the movie as well,Chen Hui Zhehad brought the originalSu Jing Feito the palace in order to break off the engagement. This was good for her though, because now that she had been forcibly transmigrated into the body of this villainousSu Jing Fei, she wanted to avoid trouble so breaking off the engagement would be best than fighting for it when she didn¡¯t even want it herself!


    ¡°Fu Bao Zhaithanks the third prince for his kindness and will be escorting these twoguniangto rooms where their injuries can be attended to.¡± With a flick of her wrist, the twoyatousupportedSu Jing Feias they move away from the courtyard and into a room. The young girl atSu Jing Fei¡¯s side followed. They helped her lay down into a bed and left.


    ¡°Da xiaojie,¡± cried the young girl at her side. The young girl was kneeling and sniffling, holding back tears. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for that horrible girlJiang Li Ling, you wouldn¡¯t be suffering like this!¡±


    Now that she was lying down, Su Jing Fei found it easier to think and she recalled the face of the young girl in Chen Hui Zhe¡¯s arms. From her memories, she only remembered a little bit about the plot of the movie Blossoms in the Wind. That young girl¡­ was the protagonist Jiang Li Ling! In the movie, Jiang Li Ling was the daughter of a concubine, and although she was of low birth, Jiang Li Ling was known for her kindness among the common people and nobility. She happened to meet the third prince Chen Hui Zhe and they fell in love. He fell in love with her kind and quirky demeanor, and she fell in love with his heroic nature and handsome face. However, Chen Hui Zhe was engaged to Su Jing Fei who was the eldest daughter of the Su family. Her father was the Right Prime Minister and her maternal family was the military Qu family that were stationed at the border of their Chu country. The details were hazy, but she remembered that the fate of Su Jing Fei was for the engagement to be cancelled and for her to be sent to the countryside. Beyond that, she didn''t really remember much about the original Su Jing Fei in the movie. If that was her fate, then so be it. It would be easier for her to live in the countryside where she wasn¡¯t around people who knew the original Su Jing Fei, and it would also help her avoid all the troubles of the capital city where officials and families were always fighting. As Su Jing Fei closed her eyes, she quietly spoke some words of prayer in her mind for the original Su Jing Fei who had already passed. However, she didn¡¯t know if she wanted to thank or curse whoever gave her this second lease of life because it seemed to be an ill-fated one.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    Meanwhile,Fu Bao Zhaigreeted an imperial doctor at the entrance to Oak Tree Courtyard and guided him to the adjacent rooms where the two girls were resting. Because it was improper for a man and a woman to be alone in a room together, she had originally advisedChen Hui Zheto wait in the courtyard but he demanded to be at the young girl¡¯s side and so she had amama*(old female servant), a eunuch, and twoyatouwatching the room under strict orders. Just was they reached the rooms,Fu Bao Zhaihesitated between entering either the room withChen Hui ZheorSu Jing Fei. She knewSu Jing Feihad a more serious wound, butChen Hui Zhewas a prince and she couldn¡¯t afford to offend him since he had the Emperor¡¯s favor. With a sigh, she pushed open the door toChen Hui Zhe¡¯s room and entered with the imperial doctor.


    ¡°It hurts, wu.¡± Sniffled the young girl on the bed. Her arm was being tenderly held byChen Hui Zhe.Fu Bao Zhai¡¯s face stiffened, and she announced in a sharp tone, ¡°The imperial doctor has arrived!¡±


    Chen Hui Zhejolted in surprise, but recovered quickly with a smile. He didn¡¯t seem ashamed of holding the young girl¡¯s hand and instead, gently laid it on the bed before turning to greet the imperial doctor.


    ¡°This imperial doctor greets his Highness,Chen Hui Zhe.¡± The doctor kneeled before the prince.


    ¡°Rise, and I thank the kind doctor for coming so quick!¡± He helped the doctor up and led him to the bed. ¡°This is a friend,Jiang Li Ling. Her father is the Minister of Justice,Jiang Wen Chang.¡±


    Fu Bao Zhaigave a momentary look of surprise. Who knew that the young girl was actually theer xiaojie*(second daughter) of the Minister of Justice¡¯s Jiang family. However, her eyes narrowed in slight annoyance. She knew theer xiaojieof the Jiang family wasshu born*(born of a concubine), and at 14 years old, she wouldn''t even reach marriageable age yet for another three years. Although presently, the rules weren¡¯t as strict about male and female interactions before marriage, it still adhered to much of it. The rules were mostly lightened in terms of allowing men and women to meet to further allow compatible marriages; however, many still looked down upon unsupervised prior meetings between an unmarried man and unmarried woman. Judging by the familiarity between the third prince and Jiang Li Ling, they had met up before; and it seemed to be even intimately at times. Her dislike for theer xiaojie, and even a bit for the third prince, grew even more sinceFu Bao Zhaihad a strict attitude to adherence of propriety and rules. But she kept her mouth shut, and let the imperial doctor examineJiang Li Lingin silence.


    It didn¡¯t take long before the imperial doctor sighed. When he had first been called out of the imperial palace and invited by the third prince, he thought it would be for a more important matter but the girl he was tending to was barely injured. A waste of time, honestly; but he had to give face to the prince and spoke in a calm and decisive manner. ¡°Miss Jiang, your injuries are minimal. There is only a small bruise on your wrist that should heal in time. There is no need for medication since the injury is so small and should heal in a day.¡±


    Jiang Li Ling¡¯s face turned red as she lay in the bed. She had been complaining about her wrist becauseSu Jing Feihad grabbed it to take the tea from her, and she had indeed felt pain so she had cried about her wrist feeling weak and unable to move. She had wanted her injuries to illicite more pity from people, but it was also so thatChen Hui Zhewould hold her hand. Who knew that it was only a bruise¡­ and that her tolerance for pain was so low¡­


    Chen Hui Zhefurrowed his brows. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s not broken?¡±


    ¡°This imperial doctor is sure. The bones are uninjured, and there are no external wounds. Only a small bruise. Perhaps Miss Jiang had been frightened, but there is no need to worry. It should heal within a day.¡± The imperial doctor confirmed.


    Fu Bao Zhaigave a look of disapproval atJiang Li Lingbecause she had also seen the young girl making a big deal of her wrist, but the imperial doctor had just confirmed that it was only a small bruise. However,Chen Hui Zhebreathed a sigh of relief and smiled atJiang Li Lingwho gave a small pitiful and shy smile back.Fu Bao Zhaiand the imperial doctor both sighed. They knew that the third prince was already engaged toSu Jing Fei, but for him to be here smiling like this at a young girl¡­ it really was too improper. But they couldn¡¯t reprimand a prince so they could only watch in disapproval.


    ¡°Is there anything else this imperial doctor can do for his Highness?¡± asked the imperial doctor with a bow.


    A look of anger flashed throughChen Hui Zhe¡¯s face and he turned away with a cold look. ¡°Go tend toSu Jing Feiin the next room. Make sure she doesn¡¯t die.¡±


    The imperial doctor gave a surprised look and glanced atFu Bao Zhaiwho only shook her head in response. Why was the third prince here in this room with the young miss Jiang when his betrothed was in the next room? He knew there was a story here, but he didn¡¯t dare ask what had happened.Fu Bao Zhaiand the imperial doctor respectfully left the room and entered the adjacent room. Seeing the blood soaking the bed coverings nearSu Jing Fei¡¯s head, they rushed forward. The doctor took ahold ofSu Jing Fei¡¯s wrist and checked her pulse. It was only a little abnormal, but that was probably due to the blood loss affecting it. Luckily, there was nothing worrying about it. He sighed and turned to speak to theyatou. ¡°How long has the young miss been unconscious?¡±


    The young girl was still kneeling at her master¡¯s side and cried. ¡°For a few minutes now. She fell asleep after closing her eyes, but I¡¯m afraid to move her or try to wake her in case her wound worsens.¡±


    Fu Bao Zhaifurrowed her brows and glanced worriedly atSu Jing Fei¡¯s weak figure on the bed. ¡°Is it fatal?¡±


    The imperial doctor shook his head. ¡°No, but the blood loss most likely caused miss Su to fall asleep. The body is able to repair itself faster without the worry or the pain endured in consciousness. She will be fine after I clean and bandage the wound.¡± With those words, he set about helping to clean up and bandage the wound onSu Jing Fei¡¯s head. Luckily, it was only a small cut. It had only bled a lot due to its location on the head, where wounds tend to bleed more profusely. ¡°Make sure the young miss Su takes one of these pills when she awakes to help with the pain and once the wound scabs, apply this cream to increase healing and also avoid scarring.¡±


    The youngyatoutook the medication into her hands and handled it with extreme care. She thanked the imperial doctor profusely and kowtowed three times on the floor.Fu Bao Zhaibreathed a sigh of relief and also thanked the imperial doctor for his help before guiding him out of the room and away.


    OnceSu Jing Feiawoke again, she found that her wound had been tended to and got the whole story from the youngyatou.Su Jing Feiwanted to thank the young girl but didn¡¯t remember her name; however, a word popped into her head like a memory. ¡°Yi...ze?¡±


    The youngyatou¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Yes,da xiaojie! It¡¯s me,Yize!¡± The yatou quickly got the pill from the table gave it toSu Jing Fei. ¡°The imperial doctor also said for you to take this pill. He said it should help with the pain.¡±


    Su Jing Feigave a small smile, thankingYizebefore taking the pill. The pain in her head became a dull ache, and she sighed in relief. With this, at least her headache will be less and she could think more clearly. She found that although the originalSu Jing Feiwas no longer, the memories had still remained within the body and occasionally she¡¯d get a flash of a memory. Similar to how currently,Su Jing Fei¡¯s mind showed a memory of a young beggar child on the street. It seemed that the originalSu Jing Feihad picked upYizefrom the street to become her playmate at home because she had thought the girl was cute and the selfish youngSu Jing Feihad wanted someone to boss around secretly. Luckily, the Su family had indulged her becauseYizewas brought home and played with her. But it was only for a couple of years beforeYizehad to leave to train to become a properyatou.Yizehad only returned just recently to serve the originalSu Jing Fei, butSu Jing Feicould tell that this body and the originalSu Jing FeitrustedYizea lot. And it also seemed likeYizetreasuredSu Jing Feiquite a lot because the young girl had saved her from a life of begging. Hopefully, the loyalty was real becauseSu Jing Feineeded all the help she could get to survive through the next couple of days.


    There was a knock on the door beforeFu Bao Zhaientered, greetingSu Jing Feirespectfully. ¡°Young missSu Jing Fei, the third princeChen Hui Zhehas left for the imperial palace, and instructed us to help prepare a carriage to take you to the imperial palace as well.¡±


    Su Jing Feinodded her head, careful of the movement of the bandages to avoid reopening her wound. She knew what was going to happen next, so she had to be very careful about the words she spoke to the Emperor.Fu Bao Zhailed them out of the room and to the entrance of the courtyard and into a small carriage. Before they were about to leave,Su Jing Feiturned and bowed respectfully toFu Bao Zhai. ¡°I thank madameFu Bao Zhaifor having the doctor take care of my wounds. When I get home, I will send the necessary money for the cost of the doctor to this courtyard.¡±


    Fu Bao Zhai shook her head and respectfully declined. ¡°No need. The third prince has already taken care of the payment, but I thank young miss Su for her generosity.¡± Fu Bao Zhai had been surprised at Su Jing Fei¡¯s offer. The rumors of the capital spoke of a haughty and bragging manner that Su Jing Fei usually conducted herself in, but the girl before her was neither haughty or a braggart. Instead, she carried herself respectfully with a polite manner that was neither overbearing or too familiar. Her appearance was a little disheveled from the injury, but she stood upright with grace and her dark ink eyes reflected pools of calm and coldness. It was an appearance uncommon for any young miss from a noble family, much less one of only 16 years of age. But she shook her head with a sigh and watched to make sure the carriage carried on down the path safely before returning into the Oak Tree Courtyard.

 Chapter 2: Ruined Engagement

    Su Jing Fei sat in the carriage with Yize and occasionally caught a glance of the world outside from behind the curtains. This was indeed no longer the modern world that she remembered. People bustled around outside walking and viewing vendor stalls filled with goods and foods. She let out a long sigh, partly relieved and partly troubled by the era she found herself in. In the modern world, she had been a manager of an old inn that was styled of ancient Chinese historical manors similar to this world. In her training, she¡¯d held strict standards for matters of conduct, propriety, and manners that any woman of a noble family should receive; as well as learning the arts for entertainment, such as dance, music, poetry, and painting. She could carefully blend in, but she knew that she still had to gather much information about this world from Yize and others. However, Su Jing Fei remembered some aspects of the movie that would help her avoid trouble as well. For example, she knew that the result of her ruined engagement would be a forced move to the countryside manor by her father. This was honestly the best result for her to acclimate to this world while being removed from everyone¡¯s prying eyes.


    It wasn¡¯t long before they reached the imperial palace. Luckily, the guards had anticipated her arrival, and so she was let in without too much trouble. A eunuch greeted her upon exiting the carriage and guided them into the imperial palace. Su Jing Fei kept a calm appearance and gracefully walked behind the eunuch, keeping up to his quick steps effortlessly. The eunuch was surprised at this young miss¡¯ graceful appearance, but he had been even further surprised to see the bandage wrapping around her head. He hadn¡¯t heard much and only knew that the Su Jing Fei was the da xiaojie of the Right Minister Su¡¯s family and also the third prince¡¯s betrothed, and he had been instructed to bring her in to meet with the third prince and the emperor. He had also heard the rumors about this young miss having an arrogant and haughty attitude, but he saw neither from her. He could only see a graceful bearing with elegant movements. Her figure wasn¡¯t too tall or petite and her face wasn¡¯t especially beautiful, but the refined elegance of her upright posture and undisturbed calmness of her face betrayed the youth of her appearance. This young miss definitely exuded a unique beauty in contrast with the shy and gentle demeanor of most young female nobility. The eunuch was impressed, but didn¡¯t speak a word as he led them into the palace.


    ¡°Long live the Emperor and Empress!¡± The eunuch kneeled upon entering the hall and stopping before the two figures seated on a raised floor.


    Yize stopped a while back and kneeled, but Su Jing Fei continued forward to the eunuch¡¯s side and kneeled as well, repeating the same words. ¡°Long live the Emperor and Empress!¡± She was well aware of the eyes bearing down at her, and there was also the glare of the third prince from her side but she ignored him.


    Her calm and elegant demeanor surprised the Emperor and Empress, and it took them a moment to see that it was Su Jing Fei who stood before them. They had only met Su Jing Fei a few times prior, however what they remembered was a slightly clumsy girl who only had eyes for the third prince. But when she had entered, Su Jing Fei hadn''t even spared a glance in the third prince¡¯s direction. The Emperor furrowed his brows because the third prince had already told him what had happened at the Oak Tree Courtyard, and he had been originally angry with Su Jing Fei¡¯s shameful behavior. However, seeing her now, her pitiful appearance with the bandage wrapped around her head caused his anger to calm a bit, and he sighed as he began to speak. ¡°You may rise. We heard from Chen Hui Zhe the matters that took place at the Oak Tree Courtyard, but we would like to hear your side of the story as well. Do you have anything you want to say before we continue?¡±


    Su Jing Fei stood up. Her expression was undisturbed at the mention of Oak Tree Courtyard, and those dark ink eyes were calm and unyielding, reflecting a calmness as deep and unfamiliar as the ocean. The Empress furrowed her brows and could not see through Su Jing Fei¡¯s emotions and neither could the Emperor. However, the third prince misinterpreted Su Jing Fei¡¯s calmness with fear and thought the girl was trying to illicit pity from the Emperor and Empress. Just as Chen Hui Zhe was about to speak up, Su Jing Fei respectfully bowed and addressed the Emperor and Empress. ¡°The happenings at Oak Tree Courtyard were as the third prince has said, and this lowly one will readily accept any punishment that your Majesties deem appropriate.¡± With this, she kneeled once more and kowtowed before them.


    The Empress sighed, watching the young girl pitifully kowtow before them. She didn¡¯t have the heart to be angry because she knew the selfish and stubborn attitude of the third prince was the same as his concubine mother, and though she had originally wanted Su Jing Fei to speak up, it didn¡¯t look like this would be the case. ¡°Please rise. You have to remember to also take care of yourself. A young girl like you receiving such an injury has to make sure it does not leave a scar.¡±


    ¡°This lowly one thanks your Majesty the Empress for her concern.¡± Su Jing Fei stood up and kept her head bowed in respect.


    The Emperor watched the scene before him with furrowed eyes. From the testimonies he had gathered, Su Jing Fei had indeed instigated the matter and he had originally intended to punish her for her shameful behavior, but Su Jing Fei¡¯s calm demeanor and pitiful appearance was making it harder for him to think of a proper punishment. He sighed, well aware of the common youthful arrogance of the young nobility, but it seemed that Su Jing Fei had properly reflected and even maintained proper courtesy and manners. A slight irritation struck in the Emperor and his glare landed on his son, the third prince Chen Hui Zhe. ¡°We were told that the wound on your head was a result of the third prince Chen Hui Zhe¡¯s actions. The imperial doctor has informed us of the injuries at Oak Tree Courtyard. How do you explain yourself, Chen Hui Zhe?¡± Though Chen Hui Zhe was his favored son, the Emperor was a fair and just man who would not tolerate a man injuring a young woman in broad daylight, especially a young man¡¯s own betrothed. This would make them lose face and have the commoners saying that the young prince beats his own betrothed. If there were no reparations for the prince¡¯s actions, the Emperor would face backlash saying that he was bias and unjust. That was something that he could not tolerate as well.


    Chen Hui Zhe stepped forward, giving a glare in Su Jing Fei¡¯s direction. When he saw that she didn¡¯t even spare him a glance, his face stiffened as his anger rose. ¡°This lowly prince acted in protection of another. He hopes the Emperor can see his actions were justified in retaliation to Su Jing Fei¡¯s shameful actions.¡±


    The Emperor frowned at the answer, and Chen Hui Zhe felt himself growing a little fearful. His father had never given him this look of disapproval before. ¡°Your actions resulted in the injury to your betrothed. Do you not worry about how the situation would be seen in the eyes of others?¡±


    Chen Hui Zhe froze as he took a moment to process the Emperor¡¯s words. Indeed, it would look bad, but he had truly done it so that Su Jing Fei did not harm any others in his name. ¡°I am aware of my actions, and this lowly one accepts any punishments that father Emperor hands out. However, I could not accept Su Jing Feiharming others in my name, and I cannot accept it any longer! I respectfully ask for father Emperor to please cancel the engagement between this prince and Su Jing Fei!¡± At these words, the prince kneeled and kowtowed before them.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    The Empress took in a breath of surprise. She knew that Chen Hui Zhe had no feelings for Su Jing Fei, but for him to request the cancellation of the engagement, that was truly a decision that she had not expected. Their marriage was one that was requested by the Empress Dowager herself. However, reflecting on the actions and results of the Oak Tree Courtyard incident, she knew that there indeed were no positive feelings between the two. Su Jing Fei hadn¡¯t even looked in Chen Hui Zhe¡¯s direction the entire time while Chen Hui Zhe couldn¡¯t even mask the hate and resentment from his face that was directed at Su Jing Fei. If they forced the marriage, it would surely doom to fail. The Emperor had also noticed and understood these things as well, and he sighed. Even though he was angry at the third prince, the third prince was still his favored son, and he could not bring himself to force any marriage upon him, especially since the situation had reached such an unfavorable condition. ¡°The marriage between you and Su Jing Fei had been one arranged from the Empress Dowager herself. Are you going against her well wishes for your future?¡±


    ¡°The Empress Dowager has treated this prince kindly and has his well wishes in mind. However, the betrothal was decided since youth and neither had a say in the decision. This lowly prince will go beg the Empress Dowager for forgiveness because I truly cannot bring myself to marry Su Jing Fei. This lowly prince requests for father Emperor to cancel the engagement and will accept any punishment for his unfilial actions!¡± Chen Hui Zhe kowtowed two more times to show his determination.


    The Emperor could only shake his head in response before turning to Su Jing Fei. ¡°And what do you have to say about this matter? Does miss Su Jing Fei agree in the cancellation of the marriage?¡±


    ¡°This lowly one will accept any decision the Emperor makes on her behalf!¡± Su Jing Fei managed to respectfully answer, allowing the Emperor to make the decision for her. Therefore, any conflict of the decision would not be from her.


    The Emperor was truly surprised because he had known about Su Jing Fei¡¯s intense adoration for the third prince. He had expected to hear at least some words of denial from her, but there was none. It seemed this young girl had fully accepted the course of this conversation as well as the end result. He knew of the third prince¡¯s stubbornness, and that the prince would not back down from wanting to cancel the engagement. With another long sigh, he fixed a hard stare at the two young people before him. ¡°We will present the punishment for disturbing the Oak Tree Courtyard to the third prince Chen Hui Zhe and the da xiaojie of the Su Family Su Jing Fei! In regards to both of their shameful actions, their engagement will be canceled henceforth! Their respective punishments will be to kowtow in front of the Empress Dowager¡¯s palace ten times. In regards to Chen Hui Zhe, he will have to go to the Empress Dowager and kowtow another ten times!¡± Everyone knew the latter punishment of Chen Hui Zhe was truly because the Emperor needed to teach the third prince in joining a fight between women and even injuring one; these shameful actions were truly distasteful for the Emperor.


    Both Chen Hui Zhe and Su Jing Fei kneeled before the Emperor as he spoke his royal decree. ¡°We thank the Emperor for his kindness and just actions and accept the punishment!¡±


    The Emperor dismissed them both with a wave of his arm, and the two of them were immediately dismissed from the hall. Chen Hui Zhe stormed ahead, not bothering to wait for Su Jing Fei, but luckily the eunuch anticipated this and led her to the Empress Dowager¡¯s palace. The Empress Dowager¡¯s palace was not too far from the imperial palace, so they did not have to walk far. Upon reaching the front entrance, both Chen Hui Zhe and Su Jing Fei kneeled and kowtowed ten times in silence. As Su Jing Fei got up, Chen Hui Zhe stood before her with an angry expression. The eunuch looked on nervously. He knew the third prince was usually an amicable person, but the third prince was also equally hot-headed and quick to anger. The eunuch was afraid of more conflict, but as a person of lower rank, he could only watch on fearfully.


    Finally, Su Jing Fei rested her eyes on the third prince Chen Hui Zhe. He had a strong appearance with handsome features, but they were twisted in anger. Whatever feelings the original Su Jing Fei had for the third prince had been doused in cold water upon her death, and the current Su Jing Fei looked at the third prince as if watching a child throwing a temper tantrum. In the movie, Blossoms of the Wind, Chen Hui Zhe had seemed righteously upset about his evil betrothed hurting the one he actually loved. However, without the movie bias, his actions were honestly shameful to physically injure his own betrothed for a woman who did not even know her place and had acted so familiar with a betrothed man and prince. Honestly, Su Jing Fei had never liked the movie anyway; her original opinion had been that Chen Hui Zhe and Jiang Li Ling¡¯s relationship was superficial and she never liked both of them. Now, standing here in this position, she liked them even less. Her black ink eyes grew colder as Chen Hui Zhe glared at her. When their eyes met, Chen Hui Zhe was slightly taken aback; he was unfamiliar with the coldness of her eyes and the imposing aura she bore before him. He had only known the one where she looked at him with love and adoration.


    He shook his head though, thinking that she was merely putting on airs because she was angry that the betrothal had been cancelled. ¡°Your actions today were truly shameful, Su Jing Fei. This prince will no longer tolerate you doing such things in his name! Never appear before me again, and leave Jiang Li Ling alone!¡±


    Su Jing Fei wanted to laugh. This stubborn and hateful man indeed acted the part of a protective male movie lead, but she knew the truth that he had actually killed his own betrothed for a woman who shamelessly threw herself at him. His blind eyes couldn''t even see that much. He was truly the shameful one! Though her heart was full of hate and disdain, Su Jing Fei¡¯s appearance remained calm and relaxed. She would not be fighting like a child with a boy who was barely twenty years of age. The only indication that she had heard his words were the slight movement in which Su Jing Fei gave a respectful bow. ¡°This lowly one will honor the third prince¡¯s wishes. I¡¯ll be taking my leave first.¡±


    Chen Hui Zhe felt truly speechless watching Su Jing Fei showing no emotion at all at his words and even responding respectfully. There was a small part of him that even doubted his earlier actions, but he shook his head to clear his thoughts and turned to depart without another word.


    The eunuch looked upon Su Jing Fei in awe. The third prince had been harsh with his words, and he had expected Su Jing Fei to be mad or even cry, but he had never expected such a young girl to have such a cold and imposing aura as well as an emotionless expression in which one could not tell the emotions behind those clear dark eyes.


    Su Jing Fei didn¡¯t waste another moment and left the palace without another glance. She had carefully conducted herself to avoid trouble, and she¡¯d hoped to make her actions seem as though her love for the third prince had died upon his request for the cancellation of their marriage. Luckily, the Emperor and Empress had few chances to interact with Su Jing Fei, according to her memories. Thus, this would not seem a far-fetched idea. However, the real battle was only beginning as she boarded her carriage. Next stop, the Su residence!

 Chapter 3: Unfavored

    The carriage arrived at the front entrance to the Su family manor. Su Jing Fei exited the carriage just as a man came scurrying out of the front gates. A flicker of memory told Su Jing Fei that this man was the Su manor¡¯s head attendant, Li Chen. He was an older man appointed to the position by Su Jing Fei¡¯s grandmother Su Lao Furen(*means old head madam/wife).


    ¡°Welcome home, da xiaojie. This lowly one apologizes in being late to accompany you inside.¡± Li Chen bowed in respect.


    There was a moment of silence in which Su Jing Fei contemplated if the old attendant had been purposefully disrespectful or if there was another reason. But she remained undecided and could only respectfully accept his apology in return. As he led them inside the manor, there was a distinct feeling of familiarity from the courtyards they passed, and before long, Su Jing Fei recognized the way they were headed.


    ¡°Master has gathered everyone in the familial meeting hall. He instructed me to bring da xiaojie there upon returning home,¡± spoke Li Chen as they arrived, stepping forward into the hall to announce Su Jing Fei''s presence. ¡°Da xiaojie has returned from the palace!¡±


    Su Jing Fei stepped further into the hall, carefully taking note of her surroundings. Luckily, the original body had retained most memories, and Su Jing Fei could recognize the faces staring back at her. Her father, Su Xuan Mo, stood at the head of the room alongside a seated Su Lao Furen. There was clear disdain and anger on Su Xuan Mo¡¯s face, but the expression on Su Lao Furen was a little less clear. It seemed to be disappointment mixed with subtle signs of relief.


    Su Xuan Mo stormed forward, shouting ¡°Unfilial daughter!¡± before slapping her across the face. Su Jing Fei¡¯s cheek burned with pain, but she kept her head lowered; she knew she had to be careful with her actions or else there¡¯d be more trouble. In the original Su Jing Fei¡¯s memories, she was rather distant with her father. It seemed like Su Xuan Mo didn¡¯t really care for Su Jing Fei, and he only treated her well due to the fact that she was betrothed to the third prince Chen Hui Zhe. ¡°You¡¯ve disgraced our family with your shameful actions! And now, the engagement is ruined! Who will marry you now?¡± Su Xuan Mo said angrily. And by that, Su Jing Fei knew that Su Xuan Mo actually meant that she was no longer a chess piece he could use to gain more power.


    There was a small snort of laughter, and Su Jing Fei¡¯s eyes glanced over to the side where a young girl stood beside an older couple. Su Yuan Mei¡¯s eyes were filled with delight at Su Jing Fei¡¯s suffering. The young girl looked no older than fourteen, but she already bore such a cruel heart. This ancient world was truly terrifying. Beside Su Yuan Mei was her parents, Su Xuan Li and Yun shi(*clan name - women, upon marriage, are often referred to by their maternal clan name) who were Su Jing Fei¡¯s bobo(*paternal uncle) and bomu(*paternal aunt-in-law).


    ¡°What¡¯s done is done,¡± spoke a quiet yet strong voice. Su Jing Fei¡¯s memories recognized it as Su Lao Furen¡¯s voice. ¡°The royal decree cannot be defied. However, Su Jing Fei is still the da xiaojie of the Su family. Time will pass, and when she is of marrying age, opportunities will still present themselves.¡± The words were said without much emotion, but their intent was clear. She still has a use.


    ¡°How can I recover from this humiliation, Mother? The court officials will laugh at me tomorrow!¡± Su Xuan Mospoke through gritted teeth. Su Jing Fei could feel his glare directed at her.


    ¡°Laoye(*husband/lord/master), I beg you to forgive Su Jing Fei.¡± A gentle woman¡¯s voice said. ¡°Look at her pitiful appearance! The third prince was even punished for harming her.¡± The words seemed to be speaking on Su Jing Fei¡¯s behalf, but the underlying message reminded Su Xuan Mo of Su Jing Fei¡¯s incompetent care for her already ordinary appearance and also the third prince¡¯s hatred for her. Su Jing Fei recognized the voice as belonging to Liu shi, her stepmother and the Su family¡¯s Er Furen(*second official wife).


    ¡°Father, jie jie(*older sister) is truly pitiful. One has heard that the third prince Chen Hui Zhe was protecting another woman in front of her. It cannot be helped that jie jie got mad!¡± Su Mei Rong was quick to follow her mother¡¯s words, and the pair truly did not waste any effort in stirring trouble for Su Jing Fei as Su Xuan Mo¡¯s anger flared at the reminder of Su Jing Fei¡¯s shameful situation.


    Su Jing Fei gave a small sigh. This family was definitely a pack of wolves in sheep¡¯s clothing. Su Mei Rong had the act of an innocent and gentle sister down, as well as Liu shi acting as the benevolent and loving mother. It was no wonder that the original Su Jing Fei grew up to be so spoiled and hated by others. In such an environment, Su Jing Fei happily anticipated Su Xuan Mo¡¯s next words.


    ¡°Silence! I have made my decision!¡± Su Xuan Mo¡¯s loud shout silenced any others from speaking. His glare landed on the still bowing Su Jing Fei, irritated at her unmoving actions. If she had shouted or cried, he would¡¯ve been justified in beating her some more, but she merely stood in silence with her eyes glued to the floor. He didn¡¯t love nor favor her in any bit, but he also could also not allow for her to be humiliated any further. The only way to prevent this was to remove her from the capital city. ¡°Su Jing Fei, tonight you will kneel for three hours before your ancestors at the ancestral hall because of your unfilial actions! Tomorrow, you will be sent away to countryside residence where you¡¯ll remain until you¡¯ve repented and changed your shameful ways!¡±


    No one was surprised at Su Xuan Mo¡¯s actions. In fact, it seemed that Liu shi and Su Mei Rong were disappointed at the lack of action against Su Jing Fei. But Su Jing Fei could still detect the happiness in the shining eyes of Liu shi. With Su Jing Fei being banished to the countryside, her daughter Su Mei Rong would be in the spotlight instead. This was still a favorable outcome for them.


    ¡°Nu¡¯er(*this official''s daughter - referring to oneself) thanks father for his wisdom and mercy.¡± Su Jing Fei¡¯s voice was clear and steady in response.


    Liu shi and Su Mei Rong were taken aback by Su Jing Fei¡¯s calmness. Usually, Su Jing Fei would throw a tantrum when things didn¡¯t go her way, but they suspected that the third prince breaking of the engagement really did break Su Jing Fei¡¯s heart. They thought she was merely acting peaceful to conceal the anger and despair, and so they did not say anything in regards to her change in behavior. Everyone seemed to think similarly.


    ¡°Everyone, leave! I have things to discuss with Mother.¡± Su Xuan Mo dismissed everyone with a wave of his hands. When they had all left, Su Xuan Mo returned to Su Lao Furen''s side. His face was flushed from anger. ¡°All these years of raising such an ungrateful daughter!¡±


    Su Lao Furen looked at her son with slightly narrowed eyes. She knew of her son¡¯s ambitions for a higher position in society, and she supported this. However, she was also well aware of his faults. Previously, when the Da Furen(*first official wife) had fallen ill, she had watched as he threw the woman, Qu shi, away to the countryside to die. Then she allowed him to marry another wife afterwards. His new wife was actually his first love, and that was when she knew that he had only married the first women for her ability to raise their common background into a family of power. She was well aware of her son¡¯s cruel actions, and now she had to watch again as he sent his only daughter with Qu shi away to the countryside as well. Although Su Jing Fei had been shameful, she was still her granddaughter of flesh and blood. With a sigh, Su Lao Furen asked, ¡°Do you really intend to leave Su Jing Fei in the countryside forever, just like Qu shi?¡±


    Su Xuan Mo gave a look of surprise at Su Lao Furen¡¯s words. There was a flash of embarrassment on his face, but it quickly dispelled to reveal more disdain for his daughter. ¡°Su Jing Fei truly takes after her stubborn mother. If their fates are the same, then so be it. However, if she can survive until she comes of marriageable age, only then will I consider bringing her back.¡± He held no regret for sending Qu shi to the countryside. The woman had been ill, but also, she had disliked his desire to bring more women into the household as yiniang(*concubine(s)). Although the act of bringing yiniang into homes were become less common, many noble officials still liked to have at least one or two. But Qu shi¡¯s inability to yield was intolerable to him. He was a man with power, ambition, and desires! Plus, Qu shi had only given birth to a daughter before she died! She was nothing in his eyes.


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Su Lao Furen shook her head with a sigh. The stubborn one wasn¡¯t Qu shi but Su Xuan Mo. However, she saw no need to speak any further and kept silent as Su Xuan Mo continued to rant.


    Back in their own respective courtyards, Su Jing Fei rested in her room. Yize kneeled at Su Jing Fei¡¯s side to carefully inspect the wound on her head. It had already began to scab a bit, and so Yize applied a small amount of the medicine from the imperial doctor. ¡°Laoye is truly too cruel! You were already injured, and yet he hit you still!¡±


    Su Jing Fei sat up, resting a gentle hand on Yize¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You should be careful when speaking such words. If someone hears you, I cannot protect you well with the small power I have.¡±


    Yize nodded in understanding, but she bit her lips out of frustration at the injustice her master had to endure. Suddenly, there was loud knock from the door, and Yize stood to answer it. A mama(*older servant woman) and two yatou greeted them.


    ¡°Laoye has instructed us to come take you to the ancestral hall.¡± Spoke Xi mama. Su Jing Fei recognized her as Liu shi¡¯s personal mama. If it was a servant of Liu shi, Su Jing Fei couldn¡¯t help but be wary of their actions. The mother and daughter pair would want nothing but trouble for her, yet Liu shi had sent over her own personal servant to escort her. What were they planning?


    Su Jing Fei kept her face neutral. Her clear black eyes studied the three servant before her. Her actions caused the two lower yatou to tremble slightly in fear. They had never seen such an imposing demeanor from the da xiaojie. Even Xi mama was slightly taken aback at the coldness in Su Jing Fei¡¯s gaze, but since she had the backing of Liu shi on her side, she found the confidence to speak once more with a rather haughty expression. ¡°We have come to personally escort da xiaojie to the ancestral hall, but it seems that da xiaojie is unwilling. Is da xiaojie unhappy with laoye''s orders?¡± Xi mama waited to see Su Jing Fei¡¯s angry or crying face; she knew the young girl had a temper. But what she hadn¡¯t expected was for a beautiful smile to bloom on the young girl¡¯s face.


    Su Jing Fei was not an especially beautiful girl. Her features were pleasant, but that was it. However, those pale pink lips stretched into a small smile, and her round black eyes were half-lid under long feathered eyelashes. It was a truly unfamiliar look from Su Jing Fei. But it was only for a moment before Su Jing Fei¡¯s expression fell back into careful neutrality. Her body eased into a refined calmness. Xi mama was truly unprepared to witness such a change in Su Jing Fei; it was like the common duck had been replaced by a phoenix! Truly unsettling!


    ¡°I apologize for keeping Xi mama waiting. Unfortunately, I am still recovering from my injury earlier today and am a bit slower than normal. If it is my father¡¯s wishes for you to take me to the ancestral hall, I will happily oblige.¡± Su Jing Fei stood up gracefully, gesturing for Xi mama to take the lead in exiting her room.


    ¡°Hmph!¡± Xi mama didn¡¯t waste another moment as she turned tail out of the room. Su Jing Fei left shortly after with Yize and the other two yatou following behind. Su Jing Fei could feel Yize¡¯s nervousness as they tread along the path to the ancestral hall in silence. Coupled with the darkness of night, it made for a truly unsettling journey. After awhile, they finally passed by the small pond beside the ancestral hall. However, as they passed, bodies shuffled around, and there was a small scream as a loud splash sounded from the pond. Someone had fallen in!


    ¡°Da xiaojie!¡± Cried Yize, running to the water¡¯s edge. Just as she was about to step forward into the pond, a hand reached out to grab the young girl¡¯s arm.


    ¡°It is a cold night, Yize.¡± Su Jing Fei spoke in a calm voice. ¡°The water will be freezing. However, the pond is not deep. Whoever fell in will be able to bring themselves out.¡±


    ¡°Da xiaojie, I¡¯m so glad you are okay!¡± Yize said with relief. She remained at Su Jing Fei¡¯s side but looked questioningly at the dark figure in the pond.


    Su Jing Fei concealed a small smile with a respectful nod of her head. ¡°Xi mama, I will be going on ahead. Please take care to not catch a cold.¡± The figure in the pond seemed to splash around in anger as the sopping wet appearance of Xi mama came into view. Su Jing Fei turned and left without another word as Yize followed closely behind, leaving the two yatou and Xi mama by the pondside.


    ¡°Da xiaojie, what happened back there?¡± Yize asked curiously. She had also suspected that the appearance of Xi mama and the two yatou were not entirely of pure intentions in accompanying Su Jing Fei to the ancestral hall. However, the path had been so dark and the others were walking so fast that she hadn¡¯t been able to fully see what had happened.


    ¡°It appears that Xi mama and Liu shi wanted me to go for a late night swim in the pond.¡± Su Jing Fei laughed softly.


    Yize was honestly surprised at Su Jing Fei¡¯s calm attitude. The young miss used to be more volatile with her emotions, but the coldness in her actions were truly unfamiliar. However, a broken heart can definitely change one¡¯s ways and Yize believed this to be the cause of change in her master¡¯s demeanor. Seeing Su Jing Fei¡¯s mistreatment, it further confirmed Yize¡¯s belief that the coldness in Su Jing Fei¡¯s attitude came from the injustice at the hands of the Su family and the third prince. There was nothing else she could do but quietly support the young miss at her side.


    Su Jing Fei arrived at the ancestral hall, kneeling before the large etched tablets of stone. Yize lit a lantern, and a dim glow illuminated the room. Su Jing Fei''s eyes closed, and from others¡¯ perspective, she looked to be praying diligently. However, Su Jing Fei only said a brief prayer for the deceased owner of this body before reflecting internally on the prior events that had just taken place. Su Jing Fei had known something was up when the three servants had arrived without a lantern, yet they had claimed to be there to escort her to the ancestral hall. From her memories, she remembered that the path was long and would be dark in the night. When they were on the path, she felt the presence of the yatou behind her grow closer as they neared the pond. Luckily, Su Jing Fei had widened her steps to catch up with Xi mama in the darkness, surpassing her quietly. Xi mama had been caught off guard and when they were next to the pond, one of the yatou had pushed Xi mama into the pond in Su Jing Fei¡¯s stead. Such silly underhanded tricks were meaningless to Su Jing Fei. It was the intent that mattered. Now that Su Jing Fei had fallen out of favor with a ruined engagement, Liu shi was choosing this moment to strike while the iron was hot. Liu shi really couldn¡¯t resist humiliating Su Jing Fei further! Su Jing Fei knew that she had to be careful to avoid trouble now that she no longer had the protection of being betrothed to a prince. That was probably the only reason why anyone had tolerated the original Su Jing Fei anyway, and she sighed at the young girl¡¯s wasted life. While she couldn¡¯t do anything to prevent the movie¡¯s major events, the least she could do was live out the rest of her life peacefully. However, in the darkness of the night, it seemed like tomorrow would not come any faster.

 Chapter 4: Road to Fuo Lan

    In the early morning, without so much as a farewell from her family, Su Jing Fei took off in a small carriage for the countryside. Yize sat quietly at her side, but the young girl¡¯s eyes glistened with unshed tears. Su Jing Fei had a weakness for children, and coupled with the fact that Su Jing Fei knew Yize¡¯s loyalty would result in Yize also being mistreated, she reached out and wrapped her arms around the small girl in a comforting embrace.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, da xiaojie! I¡¯ll be fine. I must become stronger so that I can properly support you.¡± Yize sniffled quietly but quickly wiped away the tears at her eyes.


    ¡°Thank you, Yize.¡± Su Jing Fei smiled warmly, letting the girl go. They settled into a comfortable silence as the carriage rocked slightly, moving slow and steadily towards their destination. As their journey continued, the sun rose and fell, resting on the horizon when they reached the inn of a small town they¡¯d be staying in for the night. Yize had told Su Jing Fei that the countryside manor would be a three day journey, so they¡¯d have to rest for two nights at towns along the way. Luckily, sitting and waiting was not an issue for Su Jing Fei. She was used to it; her previous job involved quite a bit of sitting and waiting for customers so she¡¯d grown accustomed to it.


    The carriage driver helped Su Jing Fei down from the carriage before moving away to help take care of other matters. Yize had informed her that the carriage driver¡¯s name was Si Qiang, and he was also a guard of the Su family. Su Jing Fei was unsure if she could trust the man or not, but he seemed to hold no ill intent so she did not worry too much. As they entered the bustling inn, an older woman greeted them at the entrance. ¡°Welcome to our inn, young miss. Will you be staying the night?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll need two rooms for the night. Are there any available?¡± Su Jing Fei asked. One room would be for her and Yize, but she also had to take into consideration the carriage driver, Si Qiang. She had originally worried about money, but this morning, she¡¯d received a few banknotes and a small bag of silver taels(*currency). A gift from Su Lao Furen; it seemed the old lady still regarded Su Jing Fei as her granddaughter and wouldn¡¯t let her go hungry. Either that or the fact that they didn¡¯t want any further humiliation for the Su family by having Su Jing Fei kick up a fuss somewhere they couldn¡¯t see when she realized she had no money.


    ¡°We have two rooms available for you. We also have private dining rooms available if you want any food or refreshments before being brought up to your room.¡± The older lady politely suggested.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯d be great.¡± Su Jing Fei thanked the older lady, following her further into the dining area. It seemed the first floor served as a dining area, and the second floor was where the rented rooms were. In the back of the first floor, the older lady guided Su Jing Fei and Yize into a private room where they were seated at a table. Su Jing Fei glanced at the menu, ordering a few things before the older lady retreated and left the two of them alone. Removing a few silver taels from her pouch, Su Jing Fei handed them to Yize. ¡°Give these to Si Qiang so he can eat at his leisure. Also inform Si Qiang that a room has been prepared for him.¡± Yize nodded and left quietly.


    Finally alone, Su Jing Fei let out a sigh. The movie Blossoms in the Wind had prepared her for her banishment to the countryside, but beyond that, she was in the dark about what the actual future had in store for her. She knew the plot of the movie, but those facts were only helpful in regards to the third prince, Jiang Li Ling, or the capital. From this moment on, she could only tread onwards carefully.


    Suddenly, the door to private room opened slightly. Peeking inside, a small child curiously glanced around, settling his big round eyes on Su Jing Fei. He ducked his head shyly behind the door, but continued to stand in its entrance. Su Jing Fei smiled gently at the curious child. ¡°Little one, are you lost?¡±


    The small child was quiet, regarding her suspiciously for a second. But he seemed to deem her harmless as he nodded his head, giving her a wide-toothed grin. He stepped inside, happily settling at her side as he tugged at her sleeve. ¡°Jie jie, jie jie!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember having such a mischievous di di(*younger brother),¡± Su Jing Fei laughed softly, tapping gently on the child¡¯s forehead. The small child looked to be around three years old. She knew that whoever was missing this child would be sick with worry by now, so she stood up gently, taking ahold of the child¡¯s hand. ¡°What¡¯s your name, little one?¡±


    The chubby hand pointed to himself, and he gave a toothy smile. ¡°Me, Ming Ming.¡± He stuck out his chubby hand and pointed at her. ¡°Jie jie?¡±


    ¡°My name is Su Jing Fei.¡± She enunciated the words slowly so that he could hear it clearly.


    He tugged at her arm excitedly, pointing to himself and then to her. ¡°Ming Ming! Jing Jing!¡±


    Su Jing Fei chuckled at Ming Ming¡¯s excitement. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go. Someone must be looking for you, Ming Ming.¡± She took careful small steps as they left the private room, returning into the public dining hall. The place was a little crowded, so Su Jing Fei reached down to lift Ming Ming up into her arms. He was a slightly chubby boy, but she managed to carry him without too much trouble. As they walked around some more, Ming Ming suddenly began to cry out. ¡°Mama! Mama!¡±


    ¡°Mingyu!¡± Cried a young woman, running over to them.


    Ming Ming wriggled out of Su Jing Fei¡¯s arms and ran into the open arms of the other woman. ¡°Oh, my little Mingyu, where did you go?¡± Sighed the young woman, wrapping the young boy tightly in her embrace. ¡°You made me so worried!¡±


    ¡°Mama, Ming Ming lost. Jie jie help me!¡±


    The other woman finally noticed Su Jing Fei standing quietly. The young woman took note of the young girl¡¯s clothes; they looked to be made of fine materials. The two intricate ornate pins in the young girl¡¯s hair were also an indication that she was possibly from a noble family. The young woman¡¯s face flushed in embarrassment and shame, and she set Mingyu down to kowtow before the young girl. ¡°This lowly one thanks young miss for helping to find my son!¡±


    ¡°No need, you may rise. My name is Su Jing Fei, and I¡¯m merely a traveller on her way to the town of Fuo Lan. Your son only happened to come into my private dining room by chance,¡± Su Jing Fei spoke gently, stepping forward to help the woman up. ¡°Such a cute and lovable young boy. I knew he would have a mother missing him.¡± There was a hint of sadness at her words. In Su Jing Fei¡¯s previous life, her parents had died from an accident, and so she lived much of her childhood being shuffled around from relative to relative. And in this world, Su Jing Fei¡¯s mother had been mostly ill and then died when she was young. It seemed that the love of a mother was something she was fated to yearn for but never to receive.


    The young woman noticed the young girl¡¯s sad smile. Although she was hesitant to ask more, she could tell that her love for her son Mingyu had caused it, so she wondered at what sort of unfavorable family situation must this young girl be in to elicit such a heartbreaking expression. ¡°I am Han shi, wife of Guo Li Wei. The Guo family are merchants from Fuo Lan. Please let me express our gratitude by paying for your meal tonight.¡±Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Su Jing Fei was just about to refuse when Mingyu tugged at her sleeve, looking up with bright adoring eyes. ¡°Jie jie, yes! Yes, jie jie!¡± He said excitedly. Su Jing Fei sighed, but the corners of her lips couldn¡¯t resist tugging into a smile.


    ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll graciously accept.¡± Su Jing Fei gave a bow of gratitude. They parted ways after a few more words, and then Su Jing Fei returned to the private dining room. Yize arrived at the same time, looking surprised at seeing Su Jing Fei walking around. Su Jing Fei explained the situation, and Yize smiled happily at the thought of Su Jing Fei¡¯s kindness. She had long known of Su Jing Fei¡¯s kindness, even if others around them only spoke ill of Su Jing Fei¡¯s demeanor.


    Soon enough, the sun set beneath the horizon as dinner passed quietly. The rest of the night remained uneventful, and when the next morning came, Su Jing Fei¡¯s carriage had already began its journey back on the road to the countryside. In their free time, Su Jing Fei had managed to gain quite a bit of information from Yize. The town of Fuo Lan sat at the outskirts of eastern Chu country; however, because Fuo Lan was a merchant town, there was a well-traveled path from Fuo Lan to the imperial city. Su Jing Fei tried her best to learn more about the country of Chu itself, but luckily, Yize also knew the rumors and barebones of geography to give Su Jing Fei an idea of its surrounding counterparts. The country of Chu was a wealthy place with access to rivers for trade and the ability to cultivate foods with fertile lands. They experienced the four seasons, unlike the cold of a northern country called Bingxue. To the southeast of Chu was a country called Xinyi that flourished from trade due to its location near the sea. Bordering southwest Chu was another country called Shanzhe that was known for its mountains. Overall, it seemed like the country of Chu was in a pretty precarious situation to be surrounded on all sides by other countries. Just as Su Jing Fei was going to ask more, the carriage came to an abrupt halt as the horses made loud neighing noises and seemed to kick up a fuss outside.


    ¡°Why has the carriage stopped?¡± Su Jing Fei spoke loudly as a question to Si Qiang.


    He responded promptly and calmly, but there was a hint of concern in his voice. ¡°There¡¯s a merchant wagon carriage in front of us, but it¡¯s been stopped. The scene looks dangerous, da xiaojie, so for your safety, this lowly one recommends we turn around and head back to the nearest town to report.¡±


    A merchant wagon carriage? Su Jing Fei was curious to look, but she also did not want to encounter any unnecessary danger due to reckless behavior. She was about to give the order to turn around when suddenly, a realization caused a ripple of fear to run through her body. Merchants? Heading to Fuo Lan? The coincidence was too noticeable to be ignored. ¡°Si Qiang, are you skilled in any martial arts?¡±


    ¡°This lowly one knows a bit,¡± He replied from outside.


    This was understandable. Si Qiang should at least know the basics because from her understanding of ancient nobility, the guards of noble families usually learn sword art and basic martial arts. ¡°Are you able to tell if there¡¯s anyone in the close vicinity of the wagon carriage?¡± Su Jing Fei understood the basics of martial arts, though it seemed almost like magic. Through training, most martial artists gained a skill of perceptibility in which they can detect others¡¯ strong auras for defensive combat purposes.


    ¡°No, but if I get closer, then I possibly can.¡± Si Qiang sounded confident in his answer.


    Su Jing Fei glanced once at the slightly frightened Yize as her thoughts became heavy with endless possibilities. She could send Si Qiang to check the wagon carriage, but that would leave her and Yize alone at a distance. If anyone was watching them from the shadows of the trees along the forest path, she wouldn¡¯t even see it coming, and they¡¯d be killed like sitting ducks. If they somehow were not killed on the spot, Su Jing Fei could manage to pull the carriage out of danger due to the distance, but that¡¯d mean abandoning Si Qiang. There was another possibility of moving the carriage forward towards the stopped wagon carriage. However, if they were surrounded by attackers, they¡¯d be cornered at such a close distance. She honestly was frustrated at the uncertainty and danger of either possibility, but she knew that guilt would be a heavy burden in the future if she did not go. With a calm voice, Su Jing Fei ordered, ¡°Keep the carriage moving forward until we reach the stopped wagon carriage.¡±


    ¡°Yes, da xiaojie,¡± came Si Qiang¡¯s immediate reply.


    ¡°Da xiaojie, it¡¯s dangerous!¡± Yize spoke as the carriage jolted and began moving steadily again.


    ¡°I know, just trust your da xiaojie, okay?¡± Su Jing Fei replied softly, giving Yize a comforting smile. The young yatou seemed to settle down a bit after seeing Su Jing Fei¡¯s own calm demeanor, but there was still a flicker of uncertainty in her eyes.


    After a few minutes, Si Qiang¡¯s voice rang out again. ¡°There seems to be no one nearby, da xiaojie.¡± The carriage stopped once more at those words.


    Su Jing Fei understood that they had arrived. ¡°Go, search the wagon carriage quickly!¡±


    ¡°Yes, da xiaojie!¡± Si Qiang¡¯s footsteps were heavy but quick on the path. Su Jing Fei could hear the noise of him ruffling through the wagon carriage, and she resisted the urge to step out and look as well. However, soon enough, Si Qiang returned. He didn¡¯t stop at the front of the carriage though, and he continued to the side where her window was. ¡°Da xiaojie, I found this identification plate in the wagon carriage.¡±


    A small piece of metal peeked in from outside the carriage. Su Jing Fei took ahold of it, reading the imprinted letters. As she suspected, the words indicated ¡®Guo¡¯! This identification plate belonged to the Guo family! Yize also saw the letters and her face gave an expression of horror.


    Su Jing Fei closed her eyes for a moment, forcing evil thoughts out of her mind. How did the Guo family¡¯s merchant wagon carriage end up abandoned on the road? And most importantly, what had happened to them? After a moment of silence, Su Jing Fei opened her eyes again and looked at Yize with a serious expression. ¡°Yize, we¡¯re going out of the carriage. Stay close, and if I tell you to do something, don¡¯t question it. Just do it, alright?¡±


    Yize gave a frightened expression but nodded her head with pursed lips. Su Jing Fei opened the carriage door to the surprise of Si Qiang, but he didn¡¯t object and helped her down. Turning, Su Jing Fei took in the sight of the abandoned wagon carriage. The contents of the wagon were scattered along the path, and the carriage doors were opened. Su Jing Fei tucked the identification plate into her sleeve and walked forward, observing as she went. Her eyes were quick to survey the area to determine a possible reason for the Guo family to abandon their carriage. From the cases of goods strewn across the path, there was only one conclusion to the evidence. Bandits!


    ¡°Da xiaojie¡­¡± Yize¡¯s voice was small and quiet, as though she was afraid of speaking loud in case the villains would return. ¡°This is dangerous!¡±


    ¡°Si Qiang, stay out here and keep watch. Yize, help keep an eye out as well. Don¡¯t follow me.¡± Su Jing Fei commanded, stepping further into the back of the wagon carriage. She pushed aside a pile of fallen boxes, catching the glint of something reflecting the sun. Stepping carefully, she reached down and lightly ran a finger across the wooden frame of an arrow lodged into the side of one of the wooden boxes. From the front, she could see the holes in the carriage where the arrow had pierced through. It was strange¡­ This was the only arrow to be seen. A warning shot? But when did bandits ever warn their victims before attacking?


    Suddenly, a small noise caught Su Jing Fei¡¯s attention from the back of the carriage where it connected to the wagon front. It sounded like wood creaking¡­ like something had moved. Her steps were light as she made her way towards the wooden part separating the carriage from the wagon. There was a bit of wood connecting the the wagon to the back part of the carriage, but otherwise, there was nothing else. However, Su Jing Fei felt like something was off. Kneeling beside the small wooden wall, her fingers traced along its edge until¡­ there! Part of the wood was slightly misaligned, sticking just a little bit out further than the rest of the wall. A secret compartment! Her fingers weren¡¯t able to grasp at the small edge enough to pry it open though. She glanced around, looking for anything to help, and she quickly found a few thin silver darts. Grabbing one, she carefully inserted its thin edge into the small separation where the wood was misaligned, and the secret compartment door was forced open.


    ¡°Mingyu!¡± Su Jing Fei recognized the young child laying in the small compartment. Mingyu¡¯s eyes were closed however, and he didn¡¯t respond to the sound of his name. Su Jing Fei quickly reached into the compartment, pulling out the small child that had been hidden away. As he lay in her lap, Su Jing Fei found his chest rising and falling steadily, and she gave a sigh of relief. He was still breathing, which was good; it seemed he was just unconscious. Carefully, she tucked him into her arms and carried him out of the back of the wagon.

 Chapter 5: Su Jing Feis Trust

    ¡°Da xiaojie!¡± Both Si Qiang and Yize exclaimed as Su Jing Fei exited the wagon. They both noticed the child in her arms and gave a look of surprise.


    ¡°Is that the child of the Guo family you met yesterday?¡± Yize asked frantically, a worried look on her face. ¡°Is he alright?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s fine. He¡¯s just unconscious,¡± Su Jing Fei replied, moving back towards their carriage. She struggled carrying Mingyu a little bit because the young boy was heavy and her body was still the weak body of a young girl, but luckily, Si Qiang noticed this and gladly offered to carry him. Carefully, Si Qiang moved into the carriage to lay Mingyu on the cushioned seats. Yize stood by the carriage door, looking worriedly inside.


    Su Jing Fei stood aside, feeling like something was off. The skin on the back of her neck tingled slightly as it caught a cold breeze, and the trees rustled quietly. Ominously. Though Su Jing Fei was no martial arts expert, she was very perceptive and had quite a keen eye as well; this had helped her with her job in her previous life, and her intuition had also saved her a few times from trouble. From the corner of her eye, she caught a small movement from the trees. Her gaze flew to its direction, staring at the edge of the forest. Was it just the movement of the rustling leaves in the wind? Or possibly a small animal scurrying up a tree? The brief moment of fear she had felt caused her senses to heighten, but her figure remained relaxed, calm.


    Si Qiang stepped out of the carriage and helped Su Jing Fei onto it. As the carriage door closed behind them, Su Jing Fei gave a clear order. ¡°We must quickly get to Fuo Lan!¡± The carriage jolted forward again. The path was slightly rocky at first because they had to go around the wagon carriage blocking the path, but they quickly moved past and headed towards Fuo Lan without another moment wasted. Sitting in the carriage, Su Jing Fei had Mingyu¡¯s head resting on her lap, and she felt a sense of guilt looking down at his innocent face. They still didn¡¯t know where his parents were, but she knew they couldn¡¯t linger there either. Whoever had attacked them were probably still searching for Mingyu. They hadn¡¯t been attacked by any ordinary bandits¡­ The troubles that lied ahead caused Su Jing Fei to furrow her brows in thought. There were too many unknowns, too many variables, too many questions, and not enough answers. She could only wait and see what the best course for action would be after reaching Fuo Lan.


    Unfortunately, even though they had moved faster than usual, Fuo Lan was still too far away, and they had to make a detour to a small town due to Mingyu developing a fever. They entered the small town, settling into the only inn available. It was a small town with rarely any travelers, so they were able to secure rooms with no trouble.


    ¡°Si Qiang, come with me to take Mingyu up to the room. Yize, take this and ask the innkeeper to call for the nearest doctor available!¡± Su Jing Fei handed over some silver taels and a small silver plate bearing the identification of the Su family to the young yatou; it had also come with the gifts from Su Lao Furen.


    Yize nodded and left quickly. Si Qiang followed Su Jing Fei up to the rooms and entered a small bedroom, placing the child carefully on top. ¡°Get the innkeeper to prepare two towels and a bowl of cold water!¡± She ordered Si Qiang with a wave of her hand. He obliged and left quickly, returning with the aforementioned items within a few minutes. Soaking the towels in cold water, Su Jing Fei wrung out one of them before placing it on Mingyu¡¯s feverish forehead. Her thoughts were racing a mile a minute, trying to find the best course of action. Travelling while Mingyu was this ill¡­ would be dangerous and detrimental. They would have to stay here at least for the night. ¡°Si Qiang, how far is Fuo Lan from here?¡±


    ¡°About two hours, da xiaojie,¡± Si Qiang answered promptly.


    They had travelled a considerable amount, but there was still so much distance! But time couldn¡¯t be wasted. ¡°Si Qiang, take the healthiest horse and ride to Fuo Lan as fast as you can. The Guo family needs to be informed about Mingyu being in our care as well as the situation we found him in. Take the Guo family identification plate with you as well and get the Su family¡¯s plate from Yize on your way out!¡±


    ¡°Yes, da xiaojie!¡± Si Qiang bowed respectfully before leaving quickly.


    She was glad for Si Qiang¡¯s obedience but also made a mental note to keep an eye on him. After all, he was still a servant of Su Lao Furen. She didn¡¯t have time to worry about it now though, as her mind became occupied with taking care of the sick and feverish child on the bed.


    ¡°Da xiaojie, I¡¯ve come with the town doctor!¡± Yize¡¯s voice rang out, pulling Su Jing Fei¡¯s attention back to reality.


    Su Jing Fei didn¡¯t waste another moment, greeting and thanking the doctor for coming at such short notice before immediately guiding him to Mingyu¡¯s bedside. She watched as he took a pulse, furrowed his eyes, and examined a bit more of the child¡¯s physical appearance. After a few minutes, the doctor turned to Su Jing Fei and spoke to her respectfully. ¡°There is nothing wrong with this child. He is physically fine. However, when the mind is troubled, the body can react to the ill thoughts. This is merely a fever of the mind, and he should be better by tomorrow. However, to increase his mental strength and cleanse his internal energy, use these herbs to cook a simple soup for his meal after he awakens.¡± The doctor placed a bottle of herbs on the bedside table.


    Su Jing Fei thanked the doctor for his service, and with a touch of gratefulness, she even personally saw him on his way out. However, when she returned to the room, Su Jing Fei picked up the bottle of herbs, staring at it intently. ¡°Yize, do you know anything of medicine?¡±


    Yize blinked, surprised at her master¡¯s odd question. ¡°Unfortunately no, da xiaojie. This lowly one was not taught in the ways of medicine.¡±


    Su Jing Fei guessed as much, but continued to ask another question. ¡°Do you recognize these herbs?¡±


    Yize squinted her eyes, staring at the bottle. ¡°No, this lowly one doesn¡¯t recognize the herbs, but also this lowly one has little experience with herbs.¡± The young yatou was feeling suspicious at her master¡¯s questioning. However, Su Jing Fei didn¡¯t give her a chance to speak before a command followed shortly after.


    ¡°Take these to the innkeeper and ask him to prepare a simple soup with half of each of these herbs.¡± Su Jing Fei handed a few silver taels to Yize along with the bottle of herbs from the doctor.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°But aren¡¯t these herbs for young master Mingyu?¡± Yize asked questioningly, confused at her master¡¯s command. The young yatou knew her master cared for the Guo family¡¯s young child, so why would she use these herbs herself?


    Su Jing Fei sighed, settling down at Mingyu¡¯s bedside again to change the towel on his forehead. ¡°We don¡¯t know this doctor, and I don¡¯t want to take any chances. The Guo family has just been attacked, and his parents are still missing. Who is to say that these people aren¡¯t our enemies? We must stay vigilant. Although I also cannot guarantee this innkeeper¡¯s innocence, so that is why you will personally stay with the cook to watch them prepare the soup.¡± She was being overly suspicious of course, but it was better to be alive and suspicious than dead and ignorant.


    Yize¡¯s eyes widened at her master¡¯s deep thinking as though she had just been awoken to reality. Her master was really sharp! Those thoughts hadn¡¯t even crossed her mind, and so the young yatou could only gain more respect for her master. However, she had also realized that her master had intended to take the danger for herself! If the herbs were poison, wouldn¡¯t her master be poisoning herself by eating the soup?


    As the young yatou was just about to say something, Su Jing Fei held up a hand to silence her. ¡°Do as I say, Yize. Remember what I told you earlier? You must trust in me as I trust in you.¡±


    With those words, Yize could not refute them. The young yatou bit back her argument and bowed respectfully before quickly leaving the room.


    Su Jing Fei let out a small sigh, feeling a small headache jumble her thoughts. She¡¯d been on guard for the entire day, and it was exhausting to always be thinking ahead, trying to see the moves of enemies before they took place. It also didn¡¯t help that she had a small inkling, deep in her gut, that they had been followed by someone. And that someone had followed them from the forest all the way to the town with no trouble¡­ they had to be skilled in martial arts! Could it be the famed flying leap, where martial artists can traverse many miles on foot with a few leaps? She couldn¡¯t know for sure. The rules and science of martial arts were always a mystery to her. What she did know was that that someone had no ill intent for now or else they would¡¯ve been dead long before they reached the small town. But now, it was late, and the sky had long ago turned dark. She returned her attention to caring for Mingyu and didn¡¯t give it another thought. The leaves of the trees from outside the room¡¯s window rustled slightly in the wind.


    It was a while before Yize returned with a few servants carrying dishes. They carefully set the array of dishes onto the table and then respectfully bowed before Su Jing Fei. She dismissed them with a wave of her hand and a quick thanks before they left the room. Yize stood at the table explaining the dishes to Su Jing Fei. ¡°This lowly one was permitted to accompany the cook after expressing to the innkeeper about master¡¯s... picky eating habits.¡± The young yatou¡¯s cheeks reddened a bit after explaining her lie to get into the kitchen. Su Jing Fei smiled but didn¡¯t interrupt as Yize continued explaining. ¡°With the herbs, a simple vegetable chicken soup was made. The innkeeper included a few side dishes to help complement the soup as well as cleanse the palate.¡±


    Su Jing Fei nodded, looking at the dishes approvingly. Everything truly looked delicious, and Su Jing Fei¡¯s stomach protested a bit from hunger at the sight of the meal. With self-restraint, Su Jing Fei sat at the table but didn¡¯t begin eating. Instead, she took out one of four small silver darts she had taken from the Guo family¡¯s carriage wagon. Carefully, Su Jing Fei dipped it¡¯s thin bladed edge into the soup and held it there for a few seconds. Then she lifted it out and examined its tip. It still retained its sharp silver edge. Not a trace of the black.


    ¡°Da xiaojie, is there something wrong with the soup?¡± Yize asked nervously, unsure of what her master was doing but knowing that it had to do with testing for poison.


    ¡°No. For now, it seems to be safe.¡± Su Jing Fei responded truthfully. She knew that the trick of using silver to test for poison was merely a misunderstood concept in ancient medicine, but it couldn¡¯t hurt to try. In her previous life, she had been quite intrigued by ancient medicine and poisons after learning a bit of history for her job, so she had done a bit of reading. The herbs themselves could become poisonous after being grown in soil containing high amounts of arsenic. It just so happened that the soil containing arsenic most likely contained sulfide as well. It was the sulfide that could turn silver into black. At least, with this test, she had ruled out something, but she could not protect herself against other poisons with the limited knowledge she knew.


    Carefully, she picked up her plate and placed a small portion of everything onto it. With long strides, she made her way to the window and opened it, placing the food out onto the windowsill. She stepped away, settling back into the chair and faced the window to watch. When they had arrived, she¡¯d noticed something odd about the inn, and while she hoped that she was right, there was still a bit of uneasiness settling in her heart.


    ¡°Da xiaojie, what are we waiting for?¡± Whispered Yize anxiously at Su Jing Fei¡¯s side.


    ¡°Be patient, Yize.¡± Su Jing Fei spoke softly.


    They sat there for a few minutes. Yize was unsure of what thoughts were running through her master¡¯s mind, but Su Jing Fei was as calm and undisturbed as ever. It wasn¡¯t long before a small rustling from the trees caught Yize¡¯s attention. ¡°Da xiaojie!¡± The young yatou exclaimed, grabbing her master¡¯s arm before the danger could present itself.


    Su Jing Fei quickly shushed the girl, taking ahold of the young yatou¡¯s hand. ¡°Watch.¡±


    With those words, Yize pursed her lips and kept silent. From the tree outside the room, a small shadow emerged. It had light steps, gracefully traversing across the branch and pouncing onto the windowsill. The stray cat had its eyes glued to the plate, but for a brief moment, it seemed to consider Su Jing Fei and Yize¡¯s presence with a glance. They kept still, afraid to scare it with their movements. Yize held her breath as they watched the cat carefully begin eating from the plate. Su Jing Fei hoped she¡¯d been wrong about the food.


    The stray cat was oblivious to their worries though as it happily and quickly finished the plate of food. For now, there didn¡¯t seem to be any problems. Su Jing Fei breathed a sigh of relief. With no more food, the stray cat mewed loudly, as if in thanks, before jumping away and back into the darkness of the trees. ¡°Cat,¡± Yize spoke the word with a bit of relief and confusion. ¡°How did master know there was a cat in the tree?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± replied Su Jing Fei truthfully. ¡°When we had arrived, I had noticed the small dishes placed outside. Someone here has a heart for stray animals and must¡¯ve been feeding them.¡± Thus, she knew that as long as she placed a dish out, a stray animal would soon appear. They would be conditioned to taking food from the plates left out from them.


    The moment of danger had passed, and Su Jing Fei turned back to the table of food before her. ¡°Come, let us eat, Yize. It¡¯s been a long day.¡± Yize refused at first, since it was improper to eat at the same table as one¡¯s master, but Su Jing Fei insisted. They compromised by having Yize eat at a smaller table near the other bed with a few of the side dishes. Once their evening meal finished, the servants were called to clear away the dishes. As the night continued on, Si Qiang still did not return, so the only thing they could do was wait. Yize prepared the other bed for Su Jing Fei and also remembered to apply the medicine to Su Jing Fei¡¯s head wound before she settled down. Luckily, it was on the back of her head, so it could be covered up by her hair without people needing to know of her injury. And Su Jing Fei was already accustomed to sleeping on her side anyway. As Yize doused the candlelight, Su Jing Fei let herself fall into a comfortable sleep.

 Chapter 6: Poisoned

    In the early morning, when Su Jing Fei had already been awake for an hour or so, Si Qiang finally returned. However, he didn¡¯t return alone.


    ¡°Da xiaojie, forgive this lowly one for his lateness.¡± Si Qiang kneeled before Su Jing Fei in a respectful greeting. ¡°This lowly one has returned with the second master of the Guo family!¡±


    A tall strong-looking older man took a step forward, respectfully greeting her. ¡°My name is Guo Li Wang. Guo Li Wei is my younger brother, and Mingyu is my nephew.¡± He stated his relation clearly. Su Jing Fei caught the sharpness in his eyes. He seemed suspicious of her.


    She nodded, returning his respectful greeting with a bow of her own. ¡°My name is Su Jing Fei. I am travelling from the capital to Fuo Lan. My father is the Right Prime Minister Su Xuan Mo.¡± With a small gesture of her hand, she stepped aside and allowed him to go to Mingyu¡¯s bedside. ¡°I apologize for having to meet under such circumstances. While travelling, I became acquainted with Han shi after meeting Mingyu by chance.¡±


    ¡°The Guo family thanks Su xiaojie for saving Mingyu.¡± There was a momentary pause, as if Guo Li Wang was contemplating saying something else. But he didn¡¯t say anything and merely stepped forward. Another older man stood to the side and followed behind Guo Li Wang. ¡°I¡¯ve brought our family doctor to come take at look at Mingyu.¡± Meaning they didn¡¯t exactly trust her yet.


    Su Jing Fei nodded, stepping aside to allow for the doctor to examine the young boy on the bed. ¡°He had a fever last night, but it was gone once morning came. Though he still hasn¡¯t awoken yet.¡± She spoke as the doctor continued his examination.


    Once finished, the doctor turned to all of them and spoke clearly. ¡°Young master Mingyu is unharmed and physically fine. His pulse is slow but strong, and the only remaining symptom of the fever is a slightly higher body temperature. He is merely sleeping now. His body needs rest.¡±


    There was a collective sigh of relief in the room. No one wanted to see a child injured or dying, so to hear that everything was okay, it was a major relief. Su Jing Fei took out the bottle of herbs, setting it down at the table beside Mingyu¡¯s bed. ¡°The other doctor prescribed these herbs for Mingyu. I don¡¯t possess much knowledge about medicine, but the other doctor said to cook these into a soup for Mingyu once he awakens.¡±


    The doctor carefully examined the herbs. ¡°These are regular herbs for recovering strength and vitality. They would indeed help young master Mingyu recover faster upon consumption.¡±


    Su Jing Fei nodded and settled down at the chair near the other bed. She felt a little silly to be so overly suspicious of everyone, but it looked like she had nothing to worry about. With a faint smile, Su Jing Fei spoke calmly. ¡°I apologize for worrying the Guo family. Seeing as how you all are here so early, you must be hungry. I¡¯ll send for some food.¡± Su Jing Fei gave the family a moment as she commanded Yize and Si Qiang to follow her out of the room. She stopped at the front of the inn, speaking briefly to the innkeeper about sending food up to the room. After a few matters were arranged and taken care of, Su Jing Fei stepped outside into the courtyard behind the inn. The crisp clean air was a nice change, and the warm light on her skin made Su Jing Fei feel more refreshed. She took a seat at one of the benches overlooking the small pond in the courtyard.


    Si Qiang stepped forward, kneeling once again. ¡°This lowly one was unable to return right away due to matters concerning the Guo family. Therefore, this lowly one will accept any punishment that da xiaojie deems appropriate!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s unnecessary,¡± spoke Su Jing Fei calmly. ¡°You have done well, Si Qiang. You may rise.¡±


    ¡°This lowly one thanks da xiaojie for her kindness!¡± He kowtowed once before standing again.


    Despite the tranquil scenery of the courtyard, Su Jing Fei¡¯s mind was occupied on rather troubling matters. ¡°The second master of the Guo family seems suspicious of us. Did something happen in Fuo Lan?¡±


    Si Qiang nodded, quickly speaking about the matters of the previous night. ¡°When this lowly one had arrived in Fuo Lan, the Guo family residence was heavily guarded. It was difficult to seek an audience with the Guo family. When presenting the identification plates, this lowly one was detained by Fuo Lan¡¯s city lord and his men. Apparently, a ransom letter had been sent to the Guo family just a few hours prior. After a night of questioning, the Guo family allowed for their second master to accompany me to return here for young master Mingyu.¡±


    Su Jing Fei furrowed her brows. So it wasn¡¯t bandits but kidnappers. The Guo family were not only victims but actually targets for ransom! It was strange because they were only commoners. However, they were also a wealthy merchant family in Fuo Lan which was the city of trade between Chu and the rich Xinyi. To target such a wealthy family, the kidnappers were either bravely foolish men or¡­ they were being ordered by someone of higher power. After being followed yesterday by a mysterious presence, Su Jing Fei guessed it was the latter. She sighed deeply, feeling a headache coming on. Her breaths were slow and steady; however, suddenly, she found her stomach began to constrict painfully as though she was being stabbed from the inside out.


    ¡°Da xiaojie!¡± Came a worried cry from Yize as the young yatou rushed to her master¡¯s side.


    Su Jing Fei felt pain ripping her apart as she struggled to remain upright. Her breaths became heavier, and a million things raced through her mind. The herbs were confirmed to be fine, and the food hadn¡¯t affected the cat from last night¡­ unless! It wasn¡¯t the herbs nor the actual food, but the water! She remembered reading something about poison dilution where the poison wouldn¡¯t affect the person until enough of it had accumulated into the stomach where it could take effect. But the only one who could have access to do such a thing was--¡°The cook!¡± Su Jing Fei gasped, struggling to stay upright with Yize and Si Qiang at her side. ¡°Check the water! Quickly! Don¡¯t let them eat the food!¡± She pushed Si Qiang away and towards the inn. ¡°Go!¡±


    The last thing she saw was Yize¡¯s tear-stricken face looking down upon her before the shadows consumed her sight and her consciousness faded into nothing.


    Su Jing Fei felt like she was drowning, engulfed in a sea of darkness as a heavy pressure pulled her down deeper into its cold embrace. There were moments of light where she awoke, but she found herself being forced fed something. The pain was too excruciating, ripping her open from the inside out. But whatever she had been forced to consume caused her to throw up continuously until she passed out from exhaustion. Gradually, the pain subsided. In this long darkness, Su Jing Fei had visions of her past life leading up to her death. Her whole life played out before her ironically like a movie as she watched the entirety of her twenty eight years in the modern world fade to black. She almost laughed at the ridiculousness of it all. She was sure that she had died, but it seemed that fate still had some sort of use for her. Su Jing Fei¡¯s eyes fluttered open from the darkness to reveal a blinding light. It took awhile for her consciousness to catch up, but she finally realized that she was still alive. ¡°Yize¡­¡± Her voice was hoarse.


    ¡°Da xiaojie!¡± Yize¡¯s voice broke into sobs at Su Jing Fei¡¯s side as the young yatou¡¯s face came into view. Her tear-stricken face was red, and her eyes were puffy from crying. ¡°This lowly one was so scared!¡± Her shaking hands clutched onto Su Jing Fei¡¯s arm, and when Su Jing Fei tried to sit upright, Yize sniffled back cries and helped her da xiaojie sit upright carefully.


    ¡°Water¡­¡± Su Jing Fei gasped slightly, feeling a sudden thirst overcome her.


    After Su Jing Fei was sitting successfully upright, leaning against the backboard of the bed, Yize grabbed a cup of water from the bedside and helped Su Jing Fei take small sips. Once her throat was wetted, Su Jing Fei found a little more strength to take the cup herself and drink the entirety of it. It felt like she had just emerged from a desert, quenching an insatiable thirst!The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°Please be careful, da xiaojie. The doctor said that it wouldn¡¯t be too good if you drank too much water right away.¡± Yize said cautiously, carefully holding the end of the cup to moderate Su Jing Fei¡¯s drinking.


    Su Jing Fei heeded her warning, being more conservative in her sips until the cup was emptied. She felt immensely better, but still very lethargic and slightly light-headed. ¡°What happened, Yize?¡± Su Jing Fei recalled brief moments of consciousness, but most of it had been a blur. The pain had overshadowed everything else.


    Yize recounted the events to Su Jing Fei in a small trembling voice as though fighting back tears. ¡°Da xiaojie collapsed in the courtyard. Si Qiang went to warn the Guo family, and luckily, he caught them right before they were about to eat. Upon hearing da xiaojie¡¯s warning, they went to confront the cook, but¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s dead?¡± Su Jing Fei guessed, furrowing her brows in thought.


    Yize nodded. ¡°This lowly one doesn¡¯t know much more because I¡¯ve been taking care of da xiaojie, but Si Qiang and the Guo family¡¯s second master went to investigate more.¡±


    ¡°Get me Si Qiang,¡± Su Jing Fei ordered, wanting to hear more. Yize bowed quickly and left. Su Jing Fei had truly underestimated the opponent this time. The ancient era people were really proficient in their poison use; she¡¯d definitely have to find more readings on the subject to better protect herself in the future!


    After a few minutes, Yize returned with Si Qiang. To her surprise, a small figure suddenly came barrelling towards her bed. ¡°Jie jie!¡± Mingyu¡¯s cheerful voice was accompanied with a bright happy expression from the little boy shaped like a dumpling that she remembered fondly.


    ¡°Ming¡¯er<sup class="modern-footnotes-footnote "></sup>,¡± Su Jing Fei called his name affectionately, feeling relieved at seeing his healthy complexion and enthusiastic happiness. ¡°You¡¯re feeling better!¡±


    ¡°Because jie jie help me!¡± Mingyu¡¯s smile was wide at first, but it suddenly turned into a sad expression as his small fingers held onto the edge of the bed, looking quietly at Su Jing Fei who was bedridden. ¡°Jie jie hurt because of me¡­¡±


    Su Jing Fei shook her head slightly, giving Mingyu a warm smile. She reached out, grasping those small hands in hers as she assured him, ¡°I was not hurt because of you, Ming¡¯er. There are bad people out there that hurt me, but it wasn¡¯t your fault. It¡¯s because they are bad people, and they do bad things, okay? You¡¯re a good boy, Ming¡¯er.¡±


    Mingyu¡¯s eyes welled up with tears, as though he had been holding them back. The room slowly became filled with his cries, and Su Jing Fei moved to the edge of the bed, taking him into her arms as she held him gently. With a careful hand, she rubbed his back in a soothing motion. He reminded her so much of the children she¡¯d taken care of growing up; first it was her little cousins and then when there were no more relatives, she¡¯d been shuffled off to an orphanage for the last couple of years until she¡¯d reached adulthood. The children there were like her little brothers and sisters, and at the thought of them, she missed them even more terribly so she held Mingyu just a little closer.


    There was a clearing of the throat from the doorway to the room. Guo Li Wang stood there quietly, accompanied by the doctor, while Si Qiang and Yize stood to the side of the room waiting for Su Jing Fei to take notice. They had been afraid to upset the touching reunion, and with Guo Li Wang¡¯s unexpected arrival, they had missed the opportunity to announce his presence. There was a bit of an awkward atmosphere, but Su Jing Fei was the first to break the silence.


    ¡°I apologize for being unable to properly greet the Guo family second master,¡± Su Jing Fei started, attempting to set the now asleep Mingyu down on the bed.


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t trouble yourself over formalities,¡± Guo Li Wang spoke. ¡°I apologize for having Mingyu disturb your rest and recovery, but I¡¯m truly glad he finds comfort with you. Unfortunately, a strict and older uncle like me was unable to be what he needed right now.¡± The older man¡¯s usual cold voice sounded soft and his stern expression was gone at the sight of Mingyu. He looked a lot more like a gentle doting uncle than when Su Jing Fei had first saw him. She was glad to know that Mingyu was so loved because that meant that his family truly cared for him. She wouldn¡¯t have to worry about him going home with Guo Li Wang.


    ¡°I thank the second master for his kind words,¡± Su Jing Fei said softly. She moved to the side, and Yize rushed forward to help her. Moving carefully, Su Jing Fei laid Mingyu down to rest in her own bed as she sat in a chair that Yize moved over for her. ¡°Now that the second master is present, do you mind if I ask you a few questions about what had happened?¡±


    Guo Li Wang gave a nod of agreement, taking a seat at a chair as well as he prepared to recall what had happened while Su Jing Fei had been unconscious. ¡°After receiving your warning from Si Qiang, we immediately rushed to the kitchen to confront the cook. However, we found that he had ingested a fast-acting poison that had killed him within seconds. Upon investigation, we found that the cook had hidden poison under his fingernails. That must¡¯ve been how he mixed it into the food and water without your yatou noticing.¡±


    Su Jing Fei nodded her head in understanding. ¡°And the innkeeper?¡±


    Guo Li Wang was slightly surprised at the young girl¡¯s simple yet sharp question. He had also suspected the innkeeper to be involved. ¡°We questioned her immediately after. She was genuinely shocked at the death of the cook, but it seemed that their relation was only temporary. Her cook had been ill since yesterday, so this one was borrowed from a temporary employment house.¡±


    ¡°How convenient that it just so happened that the cook fell ill and there was one readily available to fill in.¡± Su Jing Fei mused.


    Guo Li Wang took a good look at the young girl in front of him. She was young, probably half his age, and yet from the whole ordeal, he hadn¡¯t seen her cry once. He¡¯d briefly seen her in pain, suffering from the poisoning, but there were no tears then and there were no tears even now. If it had been any other xiaojie from a noble family, he was sure they¡¯d be crying and frightened, but this one seemed eerily calm and quite perceptive. Having spoken to her yatou briefly, Guo Li Wang knew this young girl was more than she seemed to be. He was genuinely glad that she seemed to also have a kind heart too because if it had been anyone other than her, Mingyu would be the one poisoned and suffering.


    Su Jing Fei was unaware of Guo Li Wang¡¯s assessment of her as she was lost in her own deep thoughts, trying to figure out a few things. Had the poisoning been for Mingyu or for her? Was there someone targeting her or had she just accidentally stumbled into the pathway of danger that was intended for Mingyu? Either way, she had not regretted her actions and was glad that the young boy was safe and sound. A child should not have to suffer so terribly. But little did she realize that she was also a child in Guo Li Wang¡¯s eyes, and he had begun to feel terribly indebted to her for Mingyu¡¯s safety.


    ¡°This lowly one thanks Su xiaojie for keeping Mingyu safe!¡± Guo Li Wang suddenly got onto the floor, kowtowing three times. Although it was a strange sight to see an older man bowing so respectfully to such a young girl, Guo Li Wang truly wished to express his gratitude for Su Jing Fei¡¯s protection of Mingyu.


    Su Jing Fei was a little flustered at his show of gratitude, but she didn¡¯t want to be impolite at denying his graciousness. ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all! Please, like you said, don¡¯t trouble yourself over things like this. Anyone would have done the same thing.¡±


    Guo Li Wang finished his bows before settling back into the chair with a stern expression. ¡°If Su xiaojie does not object, please accompany us back to the Guo manor in Fuo Lan where you can stay until you¡¯ve fully recovered.¡±


    Su Jing Fei was suddenly reminded of the dangerous situation she had just escaped. ¡°I don¡¯t want to impose on the Guo family¡¯s kindness, and I¡¯m feeling a lot better now. It should be no trouble to return to my own manor.¡±


    ¡°Forgive this lowly one for speaking out of turn,¡± The doctor suddenly stepped forward, speaking with a serious expression. ¡°Su xiaojie has just been poisoned. Although we were able to get most of the poison out of your stomach through a vomit-inducing pill, there may be residual side effects from the bit of poison that had already been absorbed by your body. Although we respect Su xiaojie¡¯s wishes, from this doctor¡¯s standpoint, it would be best if Su xiaojie recovered at the Guo manor where this lowly one can continue your care until full recovery.¡±


    Su Jing Fei gave it a bit of thought. Indeed, it would be convenient to have the same doctor care for her instead of finding another doctor. Plus, she wouldn¡¯t know if she could trust any other doctor either, especially since the identity of Mingyu¡¯s attacker and the one behind her poisoning were still unknown. And it also looked like Guo Li Wang wouldn¡¯t take no for an answer, so she could only reply with a brief nod of agreement. ¡°If it¡¯s not too much trouble for the Guo family, I will accept your kind offer to rest and receive care in the Guo manor until I¡¯ve fully recovered.¡±


    ¡°This lowly one will make the necessary preparations to receive Su xiaojie at the Guo manor. For now, I will take Mingyu back to his room to rest, and we shall set out tomorrow morning.¡± Guo Li Wang said.


    ¡°This one thanks the second master for his kindness.¡± Su Jing Fei replied kindly, feeling quite tired herself now. Her body was still quite fatigued from the previous ordeal, so resting sounded like a wonderful thing to do at the moment. Tomorrow, she thought. Tomorrow she¡¯ll finally enter Fuo Lan as intended. From there, she shall see if it is the peaceful country life she¡¯d hoped for or a den of wolves she¡¯d be walking into.

 Chapter 7: The Guo Family

    It was mid-morning when they arrived at Fuo Lan¡¯s city gates. Although less formidable than the imperial city¡¯s, Fuo Lan¡¯s gates still remained a sight to behold. Intricate portraits depicting beautiful landscapes and oceans were carved into the red wood walls. This trade city flaunted its wealth upon first impression, but Su Jing Fei appreciated the ability to undertake such a ambitious task. Fuo Lan definitely lived up to its name as the heart of trade in Chu country.


    After showing identification plates to the city guards, they were let in without too much trouble. Su Jing Fei briefly observed the city outside by watching the scene outside her window. ¡°If this is what the Su family considers a ¡®countryside,¡¯ this one wonders what they would call the small town we just left.¡± She mused, letting the curtains fall back after satiating her curiosity.


    It wasn¡¯t long before the carriages rolled to a stop. They had apparently arrived at the Guo residence. From outside, a loud shout could be heard. ¡°This lowly one welcomes second master Guo Li Wang home!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Zhuhao,¡± Guo Li Wang¡¯s reply could be heard clearly.


    The door to Su Jing Fei¡¯s carriage opened as Si Qiang helped her down with Yize following after. Although her body was slightly weaker than normal from the poisoning, Su Jing Fei still carried herself in a calm and composed manner befitting any noble lady. With a demure expression and carefully folded hands placed in front of her, she stood aside waiting as Guo Li Wang spoke to the Guo family¡¯s head attendant.


    The servants were all curious about this young girl who had saved their beloved young master Guo Mingyu. They knew she was a da xiaojie of a noble family from the imperial city and were very curious at the appearance of this traveling lotus flower. Who was she exactly? Most importantly, the young women were curious at the young lady¡¯s appearance. Was she a beauty? However, upon seeing the young lady¡¯s rather ordinary appearance, they were rather disappointed. Even the guards had been a little curious, but such a normal appearance was not enough to stir their interest.


    ¡°Jie jie!¡± came a cheerful cry as a small dumpling came trotting over from the Guo carriage.


    ¡°Ming¡¯er, be careful,¡± Su Jing Fei gave a warm smile as the young boy came to her side.


    The servants almost gasped simultaneously at the sudden attractive appearance the young lady displayed. While her resting appearance was quite ordinary, her smiling expression definitely changed her facial features in an truly attractive way! Su Jing Fei was completely ignorant to the stares of the servants, but Si Qiang was not. Although the use of veils was a thing of the past, a young lady being stared upon so openly was still frowned upon. He took a step forward in front of his xiaojie, blocking their rude stares.


    ¡°Jie jie follow Ming Ming!¡± Mingyu¡¯s small chubby hands gripped onto Su Jing Fei¡¯s sleeve, tugging her towards the Guo manor¡¯s entrance.


    ¡°This lowly one apologizes for Mingyu¡¯s rudeness,¡± Guo Li Wang spoke with a small smile. ¡°Please, follow me inside where accommodations have been made for Su xiaojie.¡±


    ¡°This one thanks second master Guo Li Wang for his kindness and hospitality,¡± Su Jing Fei responded politely. ¡°To avoid imposing too much, I have ordered Si Qiang to send the majority of my things to the Mudan-yu manor.¡± Mudan-yu was the name of the countryside manor owned by the Su family, and as her original destination, she intended to keep most of her things there and only carry the necessary items to stay in the Guo residence for a few days.


    Guo Li Wang gave a nod in understanding. Si Qiang left with the carriage as everyone else entered the Guo family¡¯s residence. The Guo manor had a simple and humble design to their courtyards and houses, but although she wasn¡¯t too well-versed in the appraisal of homes, Su Jing Fei was still able to recognize the subtle hints of wealth in the high quality of the materials used to make the structures. Passing by a tall and beautiful tree with wispy branches, they finally entered a large house that seemed to be the family gathering hall. A crowd of individuals were seated at the back of the hall, and when they had entered, everyone stood up.


    ¡°Ming¡¯er!¡± cried an older woman with tears in her eyes.


    ¡°Bomu!¡± Mingyu said excitedly as he let go of Su Jing Fei¡¯s sleeve, running into the arms of the older woman.


    ¡°Ming¡¯er,¡± cried another young girl standing beside them. They kneeled before the child and embraced the young boy affectionately. ¡°We¡¯re so thankful you¡¯ve returned home safe!¡±


    As the touching reunion continued, a man at the head of the room spoke up. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯ve returned home well, Li Wang.¡± He was an older man with a wise and stern appearance, but contrary to his looks, the old man¡¯s voice was warm and gentle.


    ¡°Thank you, older brother,¡± Guo Li Wang respectfully gestured in greeting his eldest brother before stepping aside to introduce the young lady behind him. ¡°This lowly one would not have returned home as safe and well if not for the brave efforts of the da xiaojie of the Right Prime Minister¡¯s family, Su Jing Fei. It was due to her cautiousness and quick thinking that saved Mingyu and even myself.¡±


    Su Jing Fei calmly took a step forward to introduce herself, bowing as respectfully as one could before an elder. ¡°Su Jing Fei greets the Guo family and thanks them for their hospitality!¡±


    ¡°I am the Guo family¡¯s first master and head of household, Guo Li Xiang. On behalf of the Guo family, I sincerely thank Su xiaojie for saving my brother and my nephew.¡± Guo Li Xiang replied with a deep bow.


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t trouble yourself! This one only did what anyone else would¡¯ve done in such a situation,¡± Su Jing Fei replied quickly, hoping that Guo Li Xiang would not prostrate himself further. It made her feel quite strange to have such an older man bow down to her, especially since she was only an unranked di<sup class="modern-footnotes-footnote "></sup> daughter. It was her father who held the noble ranking, not her.


    ¡°Su xiaojie is kind,¡± Guo Li Xiang spoke as he returned to an upright stance. His stern face relaxed into a gentle expression. ¡°My brother Li Wang has informed us that you will be staying in our residence for awhile?¡± It was an unspoken understanding that Su Jing Fei was still recovering from the poisoning. She was sure that Guo Li Xiang had already been informed about their previous circumstances.


    ¡°Yes, this one will be troubling the Guo family for awhile. I thank the Guo family for their kindness.¡± Su Jing Fei replied with a respectful gesture.


    ¡°Su xiaojie must be tired,¡± spoke a woman¡¯s soft and gentle voice. It was the older woman from earlier. ¡°I am Xie shi, Guo Li Xiang¡¯s wife.¡± She introduced herself with a warm smile. ¡°Please let me take you to the courtyard we¡¯ve prepared for you to rest in. Travelling all day can be taxing on the body.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure Su xiaojie must be tired from all the travelling! Please help her settle down comfortably while I catch up with Li Wang and speak with him about a few matters,¡± Guo Li Xiang commanded a few servants nearby. They moved quickly to help Yize carry some items. ¡°Please don¡¯t hesitate to ask if you need anything, Su xiaojie.¡± He said with a respectful nod before turning away with Li Wang following behind him.


    The two men walked out of the gathering hall, heading towards Guo Li Xiang¡¯s office. Once settled in the room, Guo Li Xiang commanded all the servants out so that he could speak to his younger brother in private. As the door shut behind the last servant, the atmosphere inside the room became tense.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Do you trust Su Jing Fei?¡± Guo Li Xiang said calmly, breaking the strained silence.


    Guo Li Wang nodded his head in response. ¡°Yes, I trust her. If it wasn¡¯t for her, Mingyu and I would have been poisoned by the cook.¡±


    Guo Li Xiang¡¯s eyebrows furrowed in thought. ¡°Do you not suspect she could be working with the kidnappers to gain our trust?¡±


    The younger man had indeed thought of such things. It was oddly coincidental that Su Jing Fei met Han shi and Mingyu the night before they were attacked. Plus, she had somehow saved Mingyu too. And then there was the matter about the poisoning¡­ Was this young girl truly so perceptive and clever or were there other darker motives behind her kindness?


    ¡°Although the coincidences seem unnatural,¡± Guo Li Wang started, having made his decision. ¡°I trust Su Jing Fei. No one would subject themselves to such horrible torture as ingesting such strong poison. She truly suffered that night, and even the family doctor had difficulties extracting the poison. She could have died.¡±


    Guo Li Xiang nodded, sighing deeply. ¡°I trust you, Li Wang. Therefore, I shall trust her. You¡¯ve always been a better judgement of character. If a cautious military man such as yourself chooses to believe this young girl, there¡¯s nothing else I can say.¡±


    Guo Li Wang thought back to his military days. To survive in such a harsh environment, one had to be able to read other people and determine the ones that were trustworthy or not. However, Guo Li Wang was still unaccustomed to this civilian life. It¡¯d only been half a year since he¡¯d returned home from the military. Honorably released by the commander, he¡¯d been sent back home to accompany his family in mourning when his father died from a heart attack. Then his mother passed away a few days after from a broken heart, or so the doctor said. She hadn¡¯t taken too well to their father¡¯s sudden death. And now¡­ his younger brother and sister-in-law were missing. These string of events could not just be mere coincidences! ¡°Someone is targeting our family!¡± Guo Li Wang said through gritted teeth, banging his fist against Guo Li Xiang¡¯s desk.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve suspected that maybe father and mother hadn¡¯t died from such natural causes after all.¡± Guo Li Xiang clasped his hands together, a quiet burning anger lighting the old man¡¯s eyes. ¡°Whoever is responsible for all this will pay for their crimes. Blood for blood.¡± Cold, cruel words were spoken as both brothers seemed to let the reality of the situation sink in.


    ¡°Who do you suspect?¡± Guo Li Wang asked his elder brother who was more familiar with their family¡¯s enemies. Since he had been away for so long due to his military activities, he had only a basic understanding that a family of wealth would also earn a sea of jealous individuals.


    ¡°There¡¯s too many people who want our family to suffer,¡± Guo Li Xiang shook his head. ¡°Until we¡¯ve uncovered more information, there¡¯s really no way to know who is involved and who is not.¡± The older man stood, bringing his hands behind him as he took a step towards the window to gaze outside thoughtfully. ¡°Have our men recovered the carriage?¡±


    Guo Li Wang gave a deep sigh. ¡°No. Everything had been burned to the ground. Someone must''ve been trying to get rid of the evidence. There was nothing left for us to even begin looking for answers.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not entirely correct,¡± Guo Li Xiang remarked, turning to look at his younger brother. ¡°There¡¯s another person who encountered the carriage before we had.¡±


    Guo Li Wang¡¯s eyes widened in understanding. Yes, there had been¡­ Su Jing Fei!


    In another part of the Guo residence, Su Jing Fei was being led to a pleasant-looking courtyard by Xie shi. Accompanying them were Mingyu and the other young lady who Su Jing Fei guessed to be Xie shi¡¯s daughter. ¡°Forgive me for not introducing myself yet,¡± the young lady spoke as they continued walking. ¡°My name is Guo Su Yin, and I am the first family¡¯s second child and only daughter.¡± She gave a respectful curtsey.


    ¡°Suyi and jie jie talk! Ming ming too!¡± Mingyu interrupted as he sneaked in between the two young women, grabbing ahold of both of their hands. He gave a wide innocent smile, looking just a bit cheeky.


    Guo Su Yin laughed, ruffling the young boy¡¯s hair affectionately. ¡°Ming¡¯er is a happy and kind child, so we all tend to spoil him.¡± She took ahold of his hand before turning to address Su Jing Fei. ¡°Please forgive this lowly one¡¯s rudeness. I¡¯ll be taking Mingyu to our courtyard to rest.¡± The young woman managed to pull Mingyu away with a promise of treats, leaving Xie shi alone to accompany Su Jing Fei the rest of the way.


    Xie shi led Su Jing Fei into a nice looking room, commanding the servants swiftly and efficiently. ¡°Please make yourself at home, Su xiaojie.¡± She turned to smile at the young girl as the both of them settled down into chairs. ¡°We had planned to prepare a feast for your arrival, but the doctor has informed us that while you are recovering, simple meals and lots of bedrest would be ideal. Therefore we went ahead to prepare a meal in the seating room next door where Su xiaojie can dine and rest.¡±


    ¡°This one thanks Xie shi for her thoughtfulness,¡± Su Jing Fei replied with a thankful gesture. ¡°I hope to not impose on the Guo family too much, so please do not trouble yourself.¡±


    ¡°It is no trouble,¡± Xie shi smiled, but her expression seemed a little sad and conflicted. ¡°Especially since Su xiaojie has risked her life to save both Mingyu and Guo Li Wang. Our family is in your debt.¡±


    Su Jing Fei shook her head, calmly replying, ¡°It is I who is in your debt. If not for the Guo family¡¯s doctor, this one would have suffered and most likely died. Fortunately, I was saved by medicine given by the doctor and now I¡¯m even receiving care in your home. I am truly thankful for the Guo family¡¯s kindness.¡±


    It was a rather complicated issue, so Xie shi didn¡¯t wish to dwell on the matter and merely gave a small smile before excusing herself. ¡°Su xiaojie is truly kind. This lowly one shall not disturb your rest any longer. A few servants shall remain if you need anything. Rest well.¡±


    After Xie shi left, Su Jing Fei was brought to the food where she began to eat in earnest. The journey to Fuo Lan had tired her, and her recovering body was eager for nutrients and sustenance to replace everything she had expelled from the poisoning. However, she ate slowly and carefully. As she was finishing up her meal, a knock came from the door. ¡°You may enter.¡± Su Jing Fei commanded, setting aside her finished food.


    Si Qiang appeared before her, kneeling in greeting. ¡°This lowly one greets da xiaojie.¡±


    ¡°You may rise,¡± spoke Su Jing Fei as she turned to face him. ¡°How was the state of Mudan-yu?¡± Since the countryside manor was an unused residence, Su Jing Fei had guessed that it could possibly be in pretty terrible condition.


    ¡°There are a few servants,¡± Si Qiang began explaining what he had observed. ¡°The courtyards are a decent size but unkempt. This lowly one has chosen the courtyard in best condition and ordered the servants to clean it in preparation for da xiaojie¡¯s return.¡± There was a moment of pause as Si Qiang contemplated something. Then he spoke once more, surprising Su Jing Fei with his words. ¡°Upon this lowly one¡¯s arrival to Mudan-yu, there was a disturbance at the entrance to the manor. Three women were prostrating themselves in front of the entrance, begging for an audience with da xiaojie. This lowly one recognized them as previous servants of the Su residence. They were the yatou of the previous Furen, Qu shi. Your mother.¡±


    Su Jing Fei kept her face carefully neutral, but confused thoughts swirled in her mind. Why were her mother¡¯s yatou looking for her? For the moment, she had no intention to return to Mudan-yu, so she could only give a simple order. ¡°Leave them. If what they need to speak to me about is truly worth the trouble, then we¡¯ll see them in a few days once I¡¯ve recovered and returned to Mudan-yu.¡± Su Jing Fei had no time to be worrying over new strangers and the potential dangers they posed to her.


    ¡°Yes, da xiaojie.¡± Si Qiang bowed low before leaving the room to allow for Su Jing Fei to rest.


    Su Jing Fei became lost in thought, trying to recall what little memories she had of her mother. What she remembered were a few flashes of a kind woman¡¯s smile, a warm hand, gentle embrace, and soft voice. Qu shi always appeared to be a little sad in her memories, and she was always bedridden. Su Jing Fei recalled that the original body¡¯s owner had often opted to play outside rather than stay inside her sickly mother¡¯s room, but her kind mother wouldn¡¯t mind. She¡¯d merely watch from the window and take her out on good days. Qu shi was a kind, doting, and gentle woman in Su Jing Fei¡¯s memories. Her heart hurt a little bit at the memory of her mother¡¯s funeral when Su Jing Fei had only been three years of age. Qu shi had died in the countryside, and her body had been brought back to the imperial city to be buried in Su family¡¯s ancestral grounds. These were the only memories she had about her own mother. The original Su Jing Fei was truly a pitiful young girl.


    ¡°Da xiaojie, are you feeling well?¡± Yize¡¯s voice broke through her thoughts, reeling Su Jing Fei back into reality.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine. Thank you, Yize.¡± Su Jing Fei replied softly. ¡°I¡¯m feeling a bit tired now, so I¡¯ll be getting ready to lie down for the night.¡±


    ¡°Yes, da xiaojie. This lowly one will prepare to help xiaojie rest for the night.¡± Yize said with a respectful bow as the servants began removing the empty dishes from the table. The servants bustled about and began to leave the room with Yize following after them. The door was shut quietly.


    Su Jing Fei was finally alone for a little while. She stood and moved over to the windowsill, glancing up at the darkening night sky. A sudden nostalgia washed over Su Jing Fei as she remembered her old world and compared it to this new one. Although Su Jing Fei had been cast to the countryside, she hoped the original Su Jing Fei¡¯s soul was resting peacefully somewhere out there with Qu shi.

 Chapter 8: The Truth of Mudan-Yu

    Over the next few days, Su Jing Fei received care from the Guo family¡¯s doctor in the Guo residence. The poisoning was slowly working its way out of her system, so her vitality and strength returned with the help of herbal medicines and a healthy diet. During one of those days, Su Jing Fei had received an invitation to speak with Guo Li Xiang in his office; with Yize and Si Qiang at her side, she had accepted the invitation. It seemed they had a few questions for her about what she had found upon initially encountering the merchant carriage.


    ¡°There was an arrow embedded into a box in the wagon. It had been fired from the front of the carriage and pierced through.¡± Su Jing Fei told them honestly.


    ¡°Was there¡­¡± Guo Li Wang furrowed his brows, afraid to think of the worst case scenario.


    ¡°There was no blood,¡± Su Jing Fei revealed calmly. She gave her honest opinion, which surprised the two men. ¡°It seemed to be a non-malicious arrow. As if someone had been trying to warn them of danger.¡±


    ¡°So someone had witnessed their kidnapping but was unwilling to help?¡± Guo Li Wang looked angry at the injustice of it.


    ¡°The kidnappers would have been highly armed and skilled men. What could one person do? We were lucky that they had even received as much in warning,¡± the older Guo Li Xiang said thoughtfully. ¡°Because if they had not received warning, Mingyu might not have been hidden in time to spare him from the kidnappers.¡±


    That was a sobering thought for them all. However, many questions remained. Who had fired the arrow to warn Guo Li Wei and his family of the impending danger? Where were the kidnapped Guo Li Wei and Han shi being held? Who had them? What did they want? And what were they going to do now?


    "If this one may ask, Si Qiang had mentioned a ransom letter." Su Jing Fei knew that she was being a bit rude, especially since this was a matter involving the Guo family and not the Su family. However, she was now involved, whether she liked it or not.


    "Yes, we had received a ransom letter for 50 million gold taels in exchange for Guo Li Wei and Han shi''s merciful release." Guo Li Xiang said in a strained tone.


    What a ridiculous request, Su Jing Fei thought. Even if the Guo family sold all their possessions, 50 million gold taels was still only just a dream! The kidnappers clearly wanted to destroy the Guo family''s wealth or take it for their own!


    After inquiring a bit more about the carriage, Guo Li Xiang and Guo Li Wang thanked Su Jing Fei for her help as she excused herself. Xie shi had invited Su Jing Fei over to their courtyard for some afternoon company, so she headed there immediately after dismissing Si Qiang to return to their courtyard.


    ¡°Su xiaojie has arrived!¡± announced the yatou as Su Jing Fei entered Xie shi¡¯s residence. The older woman was seated at a table with Mingyu on her lap. The little boy was kicking his little feet happily as the older woman gave him some snacks from the table. Upon seeing Su Jing Fei, the young boy jumped off her lap and came barreling towards the young lady with an unrestrained grin. ¡°Jie jie!¡±


    ¡°Ming¡¯er, you¡¯re going to get Su xiaojie¡¯s pretty dress dirty!¡± scolded Xie shi, but there was no real sharpness to her voice. The Guo family did truly dote on the young boy.


    Su Jing Fei didn¡¯t mind however, and she bent down to give the young boy a hug. ¡°Ming¡¯er, you¡¯re getting bigger in the few days that I haven¡¯t seen you. Have you been eating more sweets?¡±


    Mingyu nodded happily, stretching out his stubby arms to show her the sugar powder on his hands. ¡°Bomu let Ming Ming eat snacks!¡±


    Guo Su Yin held back laughter as everyone chuckled a little at Mingyu¡¯s adorable antics. ¡°Ming¡¯er, come here! Suyi will take Ming¡¯er to get some juice for his snacks.¡± Guo Su Yin said smiling as she stepped forward to wipe off Mingyu¡¯s hands. Then she helped guide him out of the room as a few servants followed suit before the door closed gently behind them.


    Xie shi had a servant pour a cup of tea for Su Jing Fei as they settled into a comfortable silence. Su Jing Fei was curious about Xie shi¡¯s motive for inviting her over today, but she kept quiet, merely sipping calmly at the warm tea. It was Xie shi who broke the silence first as she set down her cup. ¡°Has Su xiaojie been feeling better these days?¡±


    ¡°Yes, this one thanks Xie shi for her concern.¡± Su Jing Fei replied with an even tone. Her sitting posture was calm and relaxed as her eyes flickered up once to meet Xie shi¡¯s. The older woman was giving her a curious look.


    ¡°Su xiaojie just returned from speaking with my husband and Guo Li Wang in his office, correct?¡±


    ¡°Yes, this one has just finished speaking with the first and second Guo family masters.¡±


    ¡°So Su xiaojie is aware of the precarious situation the Guo family is in?¡± Xie shi asked simply, returning to sipping from her cup of tea.


    While Su Jing Fei had briefly spoken with Guo Li Xiang and Guo Li Wang, they hadn¡¯t divulged too much information to her. She was still an outsider to the family afterall. However, Su Jing Fei had made her own observations upon entering the Guo residence, such as the lack of color and simplicity in decorations. On top of that, the Guo family wore simple light and muted colors, avoiding the extravagant colors usually worn in spring. No one could miss the fact that the Guo family were obviously mourning. However, who were they mourning for? Surely it couldn¡¯t be the Guo family¡¯s youngest son Guo Li Wei and his wife who had just been missing for a few days. So someone else in the family had died quite recently, probably within the past year or so. And now, combined with the kidnapping, the Guo family must surely recognize that they were being targeted by someone, and that the previous deaths of their family members weren¡¯t as simple as they had seemed. ¡°Does Xie shi have something she wishes to ask of me? This one will answer as honestly as I can.¡±


    Xie shi seemed hesitant, as though she was afraid to ask. ¡°What did you see when you happened upon the carriage in the road?¡±


    Su Jing Fei set down her cup of tea, folding her hands respectfully onto her lap as she gave Xie shi a small smile. ¡°There¡¯s no need for Xie shi to worry. There was no blood or anything of the sort. However, the carriage had been rummaged through, as though the attackers had been looking for something.¡± Su Jing Fei kept a carefully neutral expression as she curiously asked, ¡°Does Xie shi possibly know what the kidnappers were looking for?¡±


    Xie shi looked taken aback at the young lady¡¯s sharp question. She was truly as perceptive and clever as Li Wang had said! ¡°T-This lowly one is unsure.¡± The older woman looked hesitant about whether or not she should continue speaking on the matter. However, after a few moments of quietness, Xie shi gave a long sigh. ¡°Since Su xiaojie seems to have the trust of my husband and brother-in-law, I will also choose to trust Su xiaojie with this matter.¡± Su Jing Fei gave a small perceptible nod in response, listening intently as Xie shi continued speaking. ¡°Guo Li Wei had obtained a list of new clients interested in a special product the Guo family has developed recently.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Su Jing Fei replied evenly; however her interest was truly piqued. ¡°When did Xie shi receive this information?¡±


    ¡°I had gotten a letter about it from Han shi when they were still travelling.¡±


    ¡°Did Guo Li Xiang ever receive a letter from Guo Li Wei on the matter?¡±


    ¡°Now that I think about it, Han shi had mentioned that Guo Li Wei had wanted it to be a secret gift to Li Xiang because my husband¡¯s birthday is coming up¡­¡±


    Su Jing Fei¡¯s interest was piqued; however, she didn¡¯t want to seem rude and inquire more about the matter. There was something else though that she found intriguing. ¡°This one hopes Xie shi does not mind me speaking out of turn. If I may give my honest opinion?¡±


    Xie shi gave a look of surprise. Su Jing Fei was definitely a girl of nobility with her proper manners and gentle demeanor. However, there was also something about Su Jing Fei that was very different from the other young noble girls; it really threw Xie shi off guard, so all she managed was a polite nod of her head at Su Jing Fei¡¯s request.


    ¡°This one wonders about the motive behind the kidnapping. It surely cannot be coincidence that Guo Li Wei and Han shi were attacked just after Xie shi received a letter with such good news.¡± Su Jing Fei spoke frankly with a calm expression. Her refined posture held an air of respect, and Xie shi felt a little intimidated at the young girl¡¯s imposing nature. ¡°Additionally, from this one¡¯s humble observations, the Guo family is still in a period of mourning. Although I am not familiar with what has transpired in Fuo Lan within the past year, one has the suspicion that the death in the Guo family and the kidnappings of Guo Li Wei and Han shi are not isolated incidents as one would think.¡± From what Su Jing Fei was saying, it definitely meant to imply that there was a traitor within the household. It wouldn¡¯t make sense that the Guo family members would want to ruin their own family, so it could only be said that the servant was selling out the master!If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    With a stunned expression, Xie shi found herself seeing this young lady in a new light. Su Jing Fei had touched upon every suspicion that Xie shi had, and this young girl still had come to the clearest conclusion in such a short period of time. It had even taken Xie shi a bit of time to come to the same realization; this young girl was truly peculiar.


    Seeing Xie shi¡¯s expression, Su Jing Fei gave a demure expression and spoke in a soft voice. ¡°This one hopes she did not offend Xie shi.¡±


    ¡°No, not at all,¡± Xie shi finally managed to say after collecting herself. She readjusted herself in the chair, placing her hands carefully back into her lap. ¡°This lowly one hopes she did not scare Su xiaojie with her serious question.¡±


    ¡°Not at all,¡± Su Jing Fei replied in kind, bearing a smile in her calm expression. ¡°This one hopes that Xie shi stays well and healthy for many years to come.¡± Meaning she hoped that Xie shi would be cautious until they found the traitor within the Guo residence.


    Xie shi thanked Su Jing Fei and quickly excused herself as needing to speak to her husband. Su Jing Fei thanked Xie shi for her hospitality and returned to her own rooms. Since a few days had passed, the doctor had notified Su Jing Fei that she had fully recovered from the poison and should be back to full health. Thus, it would not be strange that Su Jing Fei planned to return to Mudan-yu the following day. The Guo family bid Su Jing Fei farewell the next morning with Mingyu looking a little tearful and Su Jing Fei promising to visit often.


    Back in the carriage as Si Qiang led them to Mudan-yu, Su Jing Fei found herself recalling the matter that Si Qiang spoke of a few days ago. It seemed like Mudan-yu was far from the peaceful countryside manor she had wanted. Once they reached the entrance to Mudan-yu, the carriage rolled to a stop.


    ¡°Da xiaojie, they¡¯re here again.¡± Si Qiang remarked quietly to Su Jing Fei.


    The window curtains to the carriage parted slightly as Su Jing Fei observed the three women outside. The particular range of their age differences made for an interesting sight. One woman was young, looking to be only a few years older than Su Jing Fei herself. Another woman looked to be middle-aged, possibly in her thirties, and the last woman had greying hair with skin darkened from age. The three of them stood aside as the carriage rolled past, and Su Jing Fei let the curtain fall back into place. After entering Mudan-yu, the carriage door was opened and Si Qiang helped guide Su Jing Fei down.


    A row of five servants bowed before Su Jing Fei as she observed the inside of Mudan-yu. It certainly was as unkempt as Si Qiang had said. The trees and flowers were poorly maintained with sickly appearances; the buildings had splintered and broken roofs with yellowed screens. A sudden conflicted feeling appeared in Su Jing Fei¡¯s heart. This place was where her mother Qu shi had taken her last breath¡­


    ¡°These lowly ones greet da xiaojie and humbly welcome her to Mudan-yu!¡± cried the five servants in unison. Si Qiang introduced them all to Su Jing Fei respectively. An older man was the head attendant, and his name was Zihuan. Then there was the cook, gardener, and two cleaning ladies. There was a clear lack of servants in Mudan-yu, and Su Jing Fei took a mental note to hire more in the future. However, there was another matter that needed to be taken care of.


    ¡°Zihuan, how long have those three women been coming to the manor?¡± Su Jing Fei asked.


    The older man stepped forward quickly, brightening up at the mention of his name. He gave a haughty look as he spoke, clearly proud that Su Jing Fei had spoken to him first. ¡°Those three women have been disrupting the peace of this fine manor for the past couple of days since it was announced that da xiaojie had entered Fuo Lan! If da xiaojie wishes, this lowly one will chase them away as to not disturb your peace and rest!¡± The old attendant was sure that this was what his xiaojie wanted!


    Su Jing Fei considered Zihuan¡¯s attitude for a moment. Upon noticing his xiaojie was quiet, Zihuan began to nervously fiddle with his hands. He¡¯d never met anyone from the Su family before, even though he had been the attendant of Mudan-yu for many years now. It was a point of pride that he could call himself a servant of the Right Prime Minister Su Xuan Mo, and he usually carried a proud and haughty attitude amongst others. However, in front of Su Jing Fei, Zihuan could not endure under the imposing look from this young noble lady. She had a refined appearance, and although her face was ordinary in beauty standards, the sharp posture and elegant gestures showed her dignified bearing as the di daughter of a noble official. Luckily, Zihuan was spared from Su Jing Fei¡¯s cold stare as she turned away without a second glance.


    ¡°Si Qiang, receive those three women in one of the nicer courtyards.¡± Su Jing Fei commanded with a wave of her sleeve. She deftly ordered the gardener and two cleaning ladies to clean up one of the courtyards. The cook heeded her request for a light afternoon meal, and all left quickly to attend to their xiaojie¡¯s orders.


    ¡°Da xiaojie, is there anything this lowly one can help with?¡± Zihuan inquired nervously. He felt as though he had somehow angered Su Jing Fei, especially since she was now inviting those three women into Mudan-yu. His need to please clearly showed on his greedy expression.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Su Jing Fei replied with a smile. Zihuan¡¯s ears perked up in anticipation. ¡°Since Zihuan is willing to help, I shall have to kindly ask for you to help me take my things into the courtyard where I shall be staying.¡±


    ¡°Most definitely! This lowly one would be happy to help da xiaojie carry her things!¡± Zihuan spoke excitedly, feeling that his xiaojie wasn¡¯t so angry at him after all. He moved forward to take care of the items at the back of the carriage.


    Su Jing Fei took a step back as Yize quietly came to her side. ¡°Da xiaojie, is it okay to trust this man? This lowly one thinks he seems rather¡­unlikable.¡± Her whisper was quiet and trailed off at the end. When Su Jing Fei didn¡¯t say anything, Yize knew her da xiaojie had a reason for everything so she didn¡¯t further question her xiaojie. As the three of them made their way through the courtyards, Zihuan began to speak about many things. He spoke about Fuo Lan and its inhabitants, proudly recalling all the names and statuses of the noble families residing in Fuo Lan. Then he delved into the gossip and rumors; all the while, Su Jing Fei listened intently without interrupting. Yize felt like her ears hurt once they finally reached the courtyard. After helping to arrange Su Jing Fei¡¯s luggage to their rightful places, she thanked Zihuan and dismissed the talkative man before settling down into a chair to rest for a moment.


    It wasn¡¯t long before Si Qiang appeared, reporting to Su Jing Fei that he had received the three women in a southern courtyard. She stood up gracefully, gesturing for Si Qiang to lead the way. After a few minutes, they arrived at an unimpressive-looking courtyard that seemed to fare only slightly better than its neighbors.


    ¡°Da xiaojie has arrived!¡± announced Si Qiang as they entered the room. Immediately, all three women prostrated themselves before her. Their respectful bows did not bother Su Jing Fei as she gracefully stepped forward and placed herself in a seat. With a calm voice, Su Jing Fei commanded them. ¡°Please rise.¡±


    The three of them immediately stood up before Su Jing Fei. Their expressions seemed to be a mixture of complicated emotions as their eyes fell on the young lady and her refined appearance. As yatou of Qu shi, they all knew of their master¡¯s beloved daughter Su Jing Fei. To see the young child grown as a delicate young lady, they were truly happy! However, the three of them knew that with the crimes they had committed, forgiveness was something they could not ask for. They could only present to her the honest truth of the knowledge they held and hoped that this young xiaojie granted them merciful deaths!


    ¡°Are you truly da xiaojie, Su Jing Fei?¡± The middle-aged woman asked quietly, her eyes bright with unshed tears.


    Su Jing Fei stiffened for just a moment before turning in her chair to face the three women. What a dangerous question to ask upon first meeting¡­ Su Jing Fei had to be careful! While she couldn¡¯t recall any memories of these three women in the original Su Jing Fei¡¯s mind, there could be older memories that a young Su Jing Fei could not remember. ¡°Is it common courtesy in Fuo Lan where one shall ask the identity of another without even providing their own name?¡±


    The three women once again fell to their knees, kowtowing before Su Jing Fei. ¡°Please forgive our rudeness!¡±


    The youngest woman raised her head. ¡°I am Xiao Chen, a yatou of da xiaojie¡¯s mother Qu shi. This lowly¡¯s grandmother was Qu shi¡¯s mama who had taken care of her when she resided in Mudan-yu.¡±


    Next, the middle-age woman spoke with a firm voice and sad expression. ¡°I am Mu Tan, a lowly commoner that Qu shi saved once. This lowly one owes a life debt to Qu shi and has vowed an eternal loyalty to Qu shi and her family! This lowly one wishes to continue to serve the Su family under da xiaojie!¡±


    Su Jing Fei observed the middle-aged woman carefully, for her appearance was peculiar. Her skin was a shade darker than most women her age, and a small sprinkling of freckles decorated her face. The woman¡¯s black hair showed a hint of brown at the roots. This appearance¡­ Su Jing Fei suddenly recalled the familiar face! In the movie, Blossoms in the Wind, there was a part in the movie where an unknown skilled martial artist had tried to kill Jiang Li Ling which caused Chen Hui Zhe to immediately ask for a marriage between the two so he could protect his beloved! This woman was the female martial artist! For her to appear before Su Jing Fei, it was no coincidence that this woman had attacked Jiang Li Ling. The original Su Jing Fei from the movie must¡¯ve ordered Mu Tan to assassinate Jiang Li Ling in retaliation to the events leading to Su Jing Fei¡¯s banishment to the countryside! However, both couldn¡¯t have known that this action would result in Mu Tan¡¯s cruel death sentence of being beheaded.


    Before Su Jing Fei could contemplate any further, the final woman spoke up. Her elderly appearance was also peculiar. This was no young yatou of her mother¡¯s. ¡°I am Dongfan, a mama that the Da Furen had hired before she passed.¡±


    Su Jing Fei furrowed her brows in thought. ¡°Why would my mother hire a mama before passing?¡±


    The old woman Dongfan¡¯s eyes began to shed tears; her face was distraught with sadness and conflict. ¡°This lowly one deserves death!¡± She kowtowed once more, shoulders shaking with sobs. ¡°This old woman could not protect da xiaojie¡¯s di di and mei mei from a cruel fate!¡±


    Su Jing Fei froze in her seat, feeling a coldness wash over her. Di di and mei mei¡­ Dongfan couldn¡¯t possible mean!


    Seeing Su Jing Fei¡¯s shocked expression, Mu Tan spoke up with a trembling voice. ¡°The Da Furen had indeed been pregnant when she had been banished to Mudan-yu, and she¡¯d given birth to twins before passing. A young boy and a young girl, da xiaojie¡¯s younger brother and sister!¡±

 Chapter 9: A Sudden Appearance

    Mu Tan and the others began kowtowing, their shoulders heavy with guilt. Su Jing Fei¡¯s closed her eyes, taking a few deep breaths. Many thoughts pressed heavily on her mind, but she steeled herself against the emotion simmering underneath her calm facade. To others, Su Jing Fei maintained a relaxed sitting posture, and her face was carefully neutral. However, her clasped fingers dug into the palm of her hands with restraint. There were two possibilities here. One was that they weren¡¯t telling the truth. They could be lying about the whole thing; however, that raised many questions. Why would they go to the trouble of lying to her about a pair of siblings she never knew she had? What would be the purpose? She couldn¡¯t see anyone with the motive for elaborating such a scheme. So if they weren¡¯t lying, then¡­ they could be telling the truth. However, if they had known such a thing, why had they kept quiet all these years? Why do they only speak up now?


    ¡°Da xiaojie¡­¡± whispered Yize in a quiet trembling voice wrought with concern.


    Su Jing Fei opened her eyes, unable to keep the coldness out of her voice as she spoke. ¡°What evidence do you have to prove such a thing is true?¡±


    It was Mu Tan who spoke up amongst the sobbing figures. ¡°This lowly one¡­¡± The middle-aged woman choked back tears. ¡°This lowly one can only explain from the beginning. On the night the Da Furen gave birth, this lowly one was ordered by Da Furen to escape with other servants. City guards had forced entry into Mudan-yu under pretense of capturing a thief who had entered our courtyards, but they were clearly here to disturb the Da Furen¡¯s labor! They captured all the servants on suspect and charge of attempting to hide a criminal. If it wasn¡¯t for Da Furen¡¯s quick thinking, this lowly one could not have escaped with her life¡­¡±


    Xiao Chen rested a comforting hand on Mu Tan who couldn¡¯t hold back tears anymore. The young woman then continued the story. ¡°This lowly one was attending to Da Furen that night. My grandmother and Dongfan had also assisted in the birthing of da xiaojie¡¯s younger siblings. It was supposed to be a joyous night, but¡­ once the city guards entered, there was little time to escape. This lowly one was ordered to guard this with her life!¡± Xiao Chen held up a small intricate box.


    This box¡­ A memory flashed through Su Jing Fei¡¯s mind. It was from a young Su Jing Fei¡¯s point-of-view; this wooden box decorated with a jade handle was the same box that the original Su Jing Fei had accidentally dropped once in her mother¡¯s room back in the Su manor! Su Jing Fei reached out, running a hand over the dented right corner of the wooden box as a wave of nostalgia washed over her. Carefully, she took the box from Xiao Chen¡¯s hands and placed it on her own lap. Gently, the lid of the jewelry box was opened. Su Jing Fei had not expected to see papers hidden inside. However, as she took out the papers, a jade pendant fell between the sheets and landed onto her lap. She picked it up, holding it to the light observingly. Two dragons encircled each other, intertwining in a gentle embrace; these were obviously twin dragons! Su Jing Fei glanced down to look at the first piece of paper. Her eyes widened as she recognized it to be a letter. The words read:


    Dear my beloved children,


    As the months grow longer, I also grow happier with each passing day at the thought of your arrival into this world. From the first feeling of your life steadily beat stronger inside my stomach, I eagerly awaited for the day we can finally meet. However, your mother must ask for forgiveness. When the doctor had declared that I was pregnant with two children, I knew that the rest of my love in this lifetime was meant for the both of you. Forgive your selfish mother for choosing a difficult path for all of us, and forgive your foolish mother for being unable to be strong enough to stay with you forever and always. However, when I have gone, you two shall not be alone, for you have a beautiful and kind older sister. She lives far away for now, but one day you all shall be reunited. I hope that day is filled with laughter, joy, and love. Never forget that your mother has always loved you from the moment she knew of your existence.


    Please live happily.


    With all the love in my heart,


    Your mother


    Su Jing Fei could not find the words to express the emotions bursting in her chest. Was this a mother¡¯s love? So full of pain and sadness¡­ but also happiness and the inexplicable feeling of being filled with warmth? Su Jing Fei did not know if it was her or some remnant of the original Su Jing Fei that remained in this body, but her eyes became filled with uncontrollable tears. Quietly, they fell from her wet lashes, blurring her vision for a moment.


    ¡°Da xiaojie!¡± Yize spoke in a frightened voice as the young yatou fell to her knees, placing a comforting hand on Su Jing Fei¡¯s forearm.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Su Jing Fei spoke, but her voice trembled slightly with emotion. She gently wiped away the tears from her face, returning her attention back to the papers in her lap. Her eyes widened slightly upon reading them. The rest of these papers were clearly business contracts! Her mother¡¯s name was on all of them, but she also noticed that the name listed as secondary owner was hers! Su Jing Fei returned her gaze back to the three kneeling women whose cries had quieted but still had wet eyes full of tears. ¡°The box is definitely my mother¡¯s. However, can you explain the items inside?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Xiao Chen replied quickly. ¡°The Da Furen had written a letter intended for the children she was soon to birth. Inside, there are also a few contracts for businesses that the Da Furen bought secretly. Ever since moving to Mudan-yu, the money sent from the Su Manor was small and not enough for the Da Furen to provide for two small children. She hoped to secure financial support for her children through these businesses in secret! And lastly¡­ the Da Furen had two jade pendants made for each of her unborn children.¡±


    Su Jing Fei furrowed her brows. ¡°There¡¯s only one jade pendant in the box.¡±


    Dongfan spoke up next, having wiped away the tears from her face with the sleeve of her dress. ¡°This lowly one can explain. As one did not have the luck to be able to escape with Xiao Chen and Mu Tan in time, this lowly one was able to witness the cruelty of the city guards.¡± Mu Tan and Xiao Chen cried heavily, shuffling over to the old woman¡¯s side and clinging onto the back of her robe like children. Dongfan closed her eyes to fight back tears, taking a deep breath before continuing. ¡°When the city guards entered the Da Furen¡¯s courtyard, everyone was captured and detained. The only ones remaining at Da Furen¡¯s side was myself and Xiao Chen¡¯s grandmother. The one who entered the Furen¡¯s room was a man proclaiming to be the leader of the city guards. He ignored our pleas and cries for mercy and merely watched as the Furen¡­¡± Dongfan squeezed her eyes tightly as though fighting back the horrible memories playing in her mind. ¡°The Furen laid dying in the bed. The despicable man ignored her cries for mercy and killed her son right in front of her! He then ordered the other child, a daughter, to be taken away to a brothel house despite your mother¡¯s begging. This lowly one will never forget his face and name. The coldness in his eyes, and the cruelty in his smiling face¡­ Feng Ruo Qiang, the city lord¡¯s eldest son!¡±


    The son of Fuo Lan¡¯s city lord? A family that was supposed to uphold honor and justice¡­ How despicable! ¡°Feng Ruo Qiang.¡± Su Jing Fei uttered his name, burning it into her mind and heart. That was the name of the man who had killed her brother and sent her sister away to a brothel house! ¡°My sister, where is she?¡±


    ¡°This lowly one has been unable to locate her even after all these years,¡± Mu Tan remarked with a frustrated expression. ¡°However, this one knows that the child has a birthmark on her left shoulder in the shape of a flower.¡±


    Dongfan spoke up next. ¡°Da xiaojie had also inquired about the jade pendants. This lowly one will answer now. This lowly one managed to slip the pendant into the child¡¯s blanket before she was taken away. However, because of one¡¯s actions, this lowly one was punished.¡± The elderly woman held up her arms. The long sleeves slipped away to reveal two stubs of flesh, brown and scarred with old and dead tissue. ¡°They cut away these old hands as punishment¡­¡±


    Su Jing Fei stood up, making her way to Dongfan and kneeling before the old woman. She gently held the old woman¡¯s handless arms, observing every scar and line crossing the old wounds. ¡°You have suffered greatly,¡± Su Jing Fei spoke in a soft and gentle voice tinged with sadness. ¡°I cannot repay you for the loyalty you have shown. The only thing I can promise you is that I will not let your efforts go to waste. I will find my sister and make Feng Ruo Qiang pay for his crimes!¡±


    Su Jing Fei helped the three woman to their feet, gesturing for Yize to assist as well. ¡°Please, rest here for the night. This one will have the servants prepare the beds. The cook has already prepared a meal, and I¡¯ll send it in shortly. We¡¯ll speak more in the morning.¡±


    The three women were shocked at their xiaojie¡¯s kindness, especially Mu Tan. Mu Tan had kept an eye over Su Jing Fei over the years and knew of the young lady¡¯s childish temper. She had watched sadly as her innocent xiaojie had been manipulated and corrupted by the horrible Su family, becoming a twisted and evil young woman. But the woman who stood before them was an entirely different xiaojie than she had ever seen. Perhaps, the banishment to Mudan-yu had opened her xiaojie¡¯s eyes, and Mu Tan was thankful for it!


    ¡°We¡¯re only servants and do not wish to impose on da xiaojie¡¯s kindness!¡± Xiao Chen chimed, bowing in a respectful manner. ¡°Receiving da xiaojie¡¯s mercy is enough!¡±The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Please, this is the least I can do for now,¡± Su Jing Fei remarked in a firm tone, obstinate on the matter. With a small smile, she added, ¡°I¡¯d also like to hear a little bit more about my mother¡¯s last days in Mudan-yu if that¡¯s okay.¡±


    Mu Tan¡¯s eyes glistened, and all three quickly nodded in succession. ¡°Yes, these lowly ones will definitely tell da xiaojie everything they know!¡±


    Su Jing Fei smiled warmly, and the three women were stunned at the sight. Their xiaojie truly resembled her beautiful mother when smiling! After a few more words, Su Jing Fei excused herself for the night and left. Her attention was consumed by the many thoughts circulating in her mind, and she felt a conflict of emotions as they made their way back to her courtyard. Su Jing Fei needed to settle her thoughts, so after ordering the servants to receive the three women for the night, she immediately went to bed.


    The next day would be busier than she could imagine. Early in the morning, Su Jing Fei had prepared to speak further with the women after a morning meal but Zihuan came by with a letter of invitation from Xie shi. Unable to decline it, Su Jing Fei sent word to the three woman that she had matters to attend to in the morning but shall return in the evening to continue their conversation. With Si Qiang and Yize in tow, Su Jing Fei set off for the Guo manor. Upon arriving, she was kindly received by the head attendant Zhuhao and brought to Xie shi¡¯s courtyard.


    Surprisingly, Su Jing Fei was brought to a small pavilion overlooking a pond where Xie shi was seated and sipping tea calmly. ¡°This one thanks Xie shi for her invitation and hopes Xie shi has not been waiting too long.¡± Su Jing Fei settled into a seat across from the older woman. A servant set down a cup of tea in front of her.


    ¡°This lowly one thanks Su xiaojie for coming to keep this old woman company.¡± Xie shi smiled. With a wave of her hand, the servants were dismissed, leaving the two women alone. The sound of leaves rustling in the wind filled the quiet air, and Su Jing Fei took a sip of the tea as they sat in a comfortable silence. It was Xie shi who spoke up first. ¡°This lowly one must thank Su xiaojie for her kind words of warning. If not, this lowly one would have stayed ignorant about such matters.¡±


    ¡°It was no trouble at all,¡± Su Jing Fei replied with a small smile. ¡°This one must thank Xie shi for not minding this one¡¯s rude words.¡±


    ¡°No, no, not at all.¡± Xie shi responded in kind. ¡°This lowly one actually hopes to ask Su xiaojie for her opinion on similar matters.¡±


    Su Jing Fei set down her cup of tea, folding her hands neatly into her lap. ¡°Of course, this one wishes to help the Guo family in whichever way she can. Please do not hesitate to ask anything from me.¡±


    Xie shi nodded, also setting down her cup of tea as they began to speak on more serious matters. ¡°This morning, we received another ransom letter. It came from the hands of a street child who had been paid to deliver the letter to the Guo manor, and unfortunately, we were unable to find out from where it had originated from. The letter demands us to pay a price that will ruin the Guo family more than just 50 million gold taels.¡±


    Su Jing Fei raised an eyebrow, curious as to what exactly is worth more than 50 million gold taels to wealthy merchants such as the Guo family.


    ¡°This lowly one had originally thought that it was a list of all of our clients, new and old, that the ransom letter would demand.¡± Xie shi continued. ¡°But that wasn¡¯t exactly it.¡±


    Su Jing Fei agreed as much. A list of clients could be traced back to whoever began utilizing such a thing. The kidnappers wouldn¡¯t be dumb enough to take that. It was the other aspect of such a list that would matter to the kidnappers. The merchandise. She recalled Xie shi¡¯s words from the other night. What exactly was the Guo family¡¯s newly developed secret product?


    ¡°The kidnappers had demanded the secret metal-making technique that we had developed after so many years.¡± Xie shi admitted, sighing. ¡°It is a family secret that has helped the Guo name become well-known amongst traders and merchants. Just recently, we managed to refine the technique to create a light and suitable metal for weaponry.¡±


    Su Jing Fei was surprised at Xie shi¡¯s words. However, she could understand from a business perspective that losing such an important secret would result in the Guo family being unable to maintain their prestige. Even though Su Jing Fei had not known that they were infamous for their weaponry development, she was not surprised that the Guo family had such secrets. Any business had its secrets for success; this was true even in the modern times. A sudden realization came to Su Jing Fei, and she quickly removed her small purse from her side and set it on the table. Xie shi watched as the young woman suddenly displayed the contents of her small purse. These were¡­!


    ¡°This one has forgotten that upon rescuing Mingyu, she had taken a few silver darts from the carriage.¡± Su Jing Fei explained as she began to recall the tale of rescuing Mingyu from the wagon carriage. As Su Jing Fei was about to return the items, Xie shi shook her head and placed the items back into Su Jing Fei¡¯s cloth purse.


    ¡°Please, take them as a sign of goodwill and trust between the two of us.¡± Xie shi said, giving the cloth purse back to Su Jing Fei. ¡°At most, they shall be able to hopefully help Su xiaojie protect herself. And at the very least, it shall serve as a token of gratitude from the Guo family to Su xiaojie.¡±


    Su Jing Fei thanked Xie shi kindly before returning the small cloth purse to her side. ¡°This one will take care of such a precious gift.¡±


    ¡°This lowly one hopes Su xiaojie takes care of herself and is careful,¡± Xie shi spoke in a soft voice. ¡°The Guo family has not been able to find the traitor within our residence yet, and the ransom letter had been delivered to our very doorsteps. We fear the enemy also resides in Fuo Lan.¡±


    Su Jing Fei had guessed as much. It wasn¡¯t like she could do anything more about it though, for her resources were limited in Mudan-yu. There were also other pressing matters to take care of too, such as finding her sister. For now, she could only proceed with caution as the Guo family continued to search for the missing Guo Li Wei and Han shi while appeasing the kidnappers. Just as Su Jing Fei was about to take her leave, a loud voice interrupted their conversation.


    ¡°The Guo family¡¯s first master requests for Xie shi and Su xiaojie¡¯s presence in the family gathering hall!¡±


    The two women looked at each other curiously, unsure at what urgent matters required the both of them to appear in the gathering hall. It made sense if Xie shi had been summoned, but Guo Li Xiang had requested Su Jing Fei to come as well. It could not be a small matter, so they quickly got up and followed the servant to the gathering hall.


    ¡°The first wife Xie shi and the Su family¡¯s da xiaojie Su Jing Fei have arrived!¡± announced the servant as the two women entered the gathering hall.


    A group of men were seated at tables, speaking casually. Upon seeing his wife enter, Guo Li Xiang stood up. The other two men followed suit. Guo Li Xiang stepped forward, gesturing to Xie shi as he introduced her to an unknown man. ¡°This is my wife, Xie shi.¡± Then he turned to give Su Jing Fei a respectful greeting. ¡°This is the da xiaojie from the family of the Right Prime Minister Su Xuan Mo, Su Jing Fei. She was the one who had saved my nephew, Mingyu.¡±


    Su Jing Fei stepped to the side, keeping a respectful distance away from the men as she gave a respectful bow. However, when she finally looked up and got a good view of the unknown man before her, Su Jing Fei¡¯s heart fell with a thud into her chest. It couldn¡¯t be¡­! Luckily, Su Jing Fei¡¯s carefully neutral expression hid the fear in her heart as it began to beat wildly. In the eyes of others, Su Jing Fei had a calm and refined appearance. With elegant movements, the young woman suddenly kneeled, falling into a respectful kowtow position. ¡°This lowly one greets the imperial prince, Li Wei Sheng!¡± How could she not recognize the face of this important wangye? In the movie Blossoms in the Wind, Li Wei Sheng was the Emperor¡¯s Left Prime Minister! His family had been important supporters to the current Emperor¡¯s rise to the throne, and Li Wei Sheng¡¯s father had been granted the title of wangye in respect to his importance as a brother and friend to the current Emperor. Once Li Wei Sheng¡¯s father had passed, the young man had inherited his father¡¯s title, but even without the title, his many military accomplishments at such a young age had earned him respect from many noblemen and their families. However, in this current generation¡¯s fight for the throne, Li Wei Sheng was best friends with Chen Hui Zhe¡¯s biggest rival and enemy, the sixth prince, Chen Hui Zhong! To have such an incredibly important character in the movie to suddenly appear was truly a terrifying experience!


    ¡°Please, rise,¡± A strong and low voice spoke. ¡°This imperial prince hopes that Su xiaojie will not trouble herself further.¡±


    Su Jing Fei kept a neutral expression as she carefully positioned herself back into a respectful stance. She noticed that Xie shi had also prostrated herself once hearing Su Jing Fei¡¯s words, and once the two women were both standing again, the air became a little more relaxed once more.


    ¡°You must¡¯ve suffered such a fright! This one did not think that Su xiaojie would recognize me since I¡¯ve been away from the imperial city for so long.¡± Li Wei Sheng spoke with an apologetic tone, but Su Jing Fei recognized the dangerous words. How do you know what I look like when we haven¡¯t ever met?


    ¡°A few years ago, the Emperor had thrown a parade to celebrate the imperial prince¡¯s return from the warring southlands. This lowly one caught a glimpse of the imperial prince¡¯s appearance during the celebrations. Many young noblewomen were speaking about the imperial prince''s handsome appearance for days." Su Jing Fei answered calmly, even managing a demure expression as a young unmarried lady should have when in the presence of a handsome unmarried imperial prince. From the original Su Jing Fei¡¯s memories, she had recalled such an event. Although she hadn¡¯t truly been able to see the prince, she knew the prince could not refute her words because so many people had seen him that day.


    ¡°Su xiaojie has sharp eyes and such an impressive memory.¡± Li Wei Sheng remarked with a smile. His gaze bore into Su Jing Fei but was unable to see past the calm facade. The young man was unable to discern the true nature of this young woman. Her clear ink-colored eyes were as deep and mysterious as the ocean; the coldness in them was just as such.


    ¡°This lowly one thanks the imperial prince for his kind words.¡± Su Jing Fei spoke, raising a sleeve to feign the motion of shyly covering her face. However, she was truly observing something that had caught her interest. The hairs prickled on the back of her neck, and a familiar gut feeling told her that there was someone watching her. Her eyes flickered to nearby trees. This familiar feeling couldn¡¯t be coincidental¡­ She watched the trees¡¯ leaves rustle in the wind. Suddenly, Su Jing Fei gave a respectful bow as she took a step back. ¡°Please forgive this lowly one for I must take my leave.¡±


    ¡°No trouble at all,¡± replied Guo Li Xiang hurriedly. He had sensed the strange air between the two, and while they were his superiors in ranking, he was still the eldest amongst them and could not allow any inappropriate conduct to happen between the two unmarried individuals. ¡°This lowly one knows that Su xiaojie has just recently recovered from an illness and must rest often!¡±


    ¡°This lowly one will see Su xiaojie to the front entrance,¡± spoke Xie shi respectfully before the two women excused themselves and left the gathering hall. While exchanging small talk, Xie shi accompanied Su Jing Fei to the front entrance where she promised to invite the young lady over for company soon. With a light laugh, Xie shi confessed of Mingyu¡¯s demand to play and eat snacks with Su Jing Fei. Su Jing Fei smiled, promising to come by often before heading out the door where Si Qiang had the carriage already prepared for their return to Mudan-yu.

 Chapter 10: Taking Back From the Feng Family

    Once the two women left, the men settled back into their chairs. Guo Li Xiang gestured for the servants to pour them new cups of tea. ¡°This lowly one hopes the imperial prince forgives him for his inability to properly receive his Highness.¡±


    ¡°Please rest easy! It was I who rudely stopped by unannounced,¡± Li Wei Sheng replied, politely raising his cup to them before he took a sip. ¡°You were gracious enough to receive me. Since I¡¯m returning to the imperial city after a long time, I thought I¡¯d stop by an old friend¡¯s place.¡±


    ¡°This lowly one thanks the imperial prince for his kind words! It was I who had the pleasure of being a subordinate to the brave and skilled imperial prince.¡± Guo Li Wei spoke up, raising his cup to Li Wei Sheng respectfully. ¡°If it was not for the commander¡¯s graciousness, this lowly one would not have been able to return home to help his family through these hard times.¡±


    Li Wei Sheng gave a light laugh. The bright expression lit up his young and handsome face, and the yatou who happened to see it all gave a swooning sigh. ¡°This one can no longer be called commander! It¡¯s been awhile since I¡¯ve left the military for a court official position.¡± Although Li Wei Sheng was a great deal younger than either Guo Li Xiang or Guo Li Wei, his ranking as an imperial prince had caused him to have to be skilled in many things from a young age. Thus, he had entered the military at only fourteen and been in numerous battles before retiring in his nineteenth year. Now two years later, he was skillfully learning about the official courts and drama of court politics while being set to return to the imperial city this year.


    ¡°This lowly one has heard about the imperial prince¡¯s journey travelling around Chu country. Helping to deal with conflict in the eastern provinces, the Emperor must trust the imperial prince greatly! This lowly one guesses that the Emperor shall bestow a great position to the imperial prince upon his return to the imperial city.¡± Guo Li Xiang said observingly. Although Fuo Lan was a great ways away from the imperial city, Guo Li Xiang often heard many things in his line of work because merchants travelled quite a bit for their trade.


    ¡°This one thanks Guo Li Xiang for his kind words,¡± Li Wei Sheng said with a nod of appreciation. ¡°It is unfortunate that while hoping to visit an old friend, I encountered the Guo family to be under such a precarious situation. Having heard about the kidnapping of one¡¯s younger brother and sister-in-law, this imperial prince hopes to help in any way that he can.¡±


    Guo Li Wei¡¯s eyes shined with emotion. The older man dropped to his knees, giving Li Wei Sheng a bow of the utmost respect. ¡°This lowly one thanks the imperial prince for his kindness!¡±


    The three men spoke some more as Guo Li Xiang and Guo Li Wei recounted most of what they knew to Li Wei Sheng. They had showed him the ransom letters as well. After a long while of discussing, Li Wei Sheng decided it was time to excuse himself for the day. He was seen out of the Guo manor by both men as he stepped into his carriage and set off for a manor he had rented while staying in Fuo Lan. As Li Wei Sheng entered the residence, he shed his amicable appearance. His dark eyes sharpened, and the smile fell from his face as he strolled through the courtyard, stopping at a pavilion overlooking the residence. A black clothed guard quietly made his appearance, slinking out of a tree¡¯s shadow. ¡°Tell me what you¡¯re thinking about, Shan Yu.¡± Li Wei Sheng¡¯s low voice was quiet.


    The hidden guard crossed an arm over his chest while kneeling, bowing his head in respect before his master. ¡°This lowly one suggests master to be careful around Su Jing Fei.¡±


    Li Wei Sheng raised an eyebrow, giving his hidden guard a curious glance. ¡°Oh? This imperial prince should be afraid of a xiaojie who hasn¡¯t even reached marriageable age yet?¡±


    The hidden guard, Shan Yu, lowered his head. ¡°There is something strange about Su Jing Fei. She has no martial arts skills, yet she possesses the ability to perceive my presence. Her eyes were pinned right to my location, both when she had saved the young Guo family master and just now when she had met master.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re thinking too much of it, Shan Yu.¡± Li Wei Sheng replied, contemplating the young xiaojie for a moment. She hadn¡¯t acted any different than any other xiaojie in his presence, but hearing Shan Yu¡¯s observations and the Guo family¡¯s praises for her, Li Wei Sheng was curious if she was as sharp and intelligent as they said. However, his mind soon became occupied with more important matters, such as the kidnapping of Guo Li Wei and his wife. Li Wei Sheng felt a bit guilty for lying to Guo Li Wei and Guo Li Xiang, but his true motive for entering Fuo Lan was not to visit an old friend; instead, it was for a secret mission entrusted to him by the Emperor. For the past year, he¡¯d been visiting the outer cities in Chu country, digging up all the corruption of those lower ranked officials residing there. This time, his motive for entering Fuo Lan was the same. There had been rumors of a slave trading black market business hidden in Fuo Lan, and the same rumors named a few ranking officials as the head of it. Thus, he originally had a few of his hidden guard keep an eye on the comings and goings of suspicious individuals in Fuo Lan. Little did he know that he¡¯d stumble upon a kidnapping! ¡°Are you sure you saw where the kidnappers had taken Guo Li Wei and his wife?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Shan Yu confidently replied. ¡°This lowly one definitely saw the kidnappers take Guo Li Wei and his wife back to Fuo Lan. However, one was unable to follow them as one was unfamiliar with the layout of Fuo Lan. Thus, they had escaped. Please forgive this lowly one for his incompetence!¡±


    ¡°At ease,¡± Li Wei Sheng said with a wave of his hand. ¡°We¡¯ll find them and also lure out the corruption in Fuo Lan at the same time.¡± A devilish grin appeared on the handsome face, turning the usually kind-looking man into a roguish character.


    Back in Mudan-yu, Su Jing Fei was seated in a small garden while the three yatou kept her company. The three older women had decided to stay and serve as Su Jing Fei¡¯s yatou. Yize kept a close distance to Su Jing Fei, hoping to be a comforting presence as her master learned about the Da Furen¡¯s last days at Mudan-yu. However, after telling everything, Su Jing Fei continued to ask about Mudan-yu after her mother¡¯s death which surprised everyone. ¡°Who took care of Mudan-yu after my mother passed?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t really know,¡± confessed Dongfan with a small sigh. ¡°After the Furen passed away, all the servants were either sold off or killed. Luckily, Mu Tan came back to save this lowly one along with Xiao Chen¡¯s grandmother. But returning to Mudan-yu now, this lowly one does not recognize any of the new servants.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s alright,¡± Su Jing Fei replied with a comforting smile. ¡°The important thing is to find my sister. Everything else can be dealt with later.¡± Su Jing Fei was pretty sure she knew who had a hand in cleaning up Mudan-yu. The only one who had the authority to do it was her father, Right Prime Minister Su Xuan Mo. Whether he knew or not about her mother¡¯s situation, her father was certainly a guilty party.


    The three yatou felt the imposing aura of their da xiaojie and saw the icy coldness in her faraway gaze. The young woman¡¯s expression was eerily calm while her posture was refined with a tall straight back and carefully folded hands. They sat in silence while their xiaojie seemed in deep contemplation. However, suddenly, Su Jing Fei spoke in a clear voice. ¡°Today, we¡¯ll go out. Yize and Xiao Chen will accompany me to view the businesses my mother had purchased before her passing. Mu Tan and Dongfan, please stay in Mudan-yu and see if you can find some reliable help for the residence.¡±


    ¡°Yes, these lowly ones will do as da xiaojie commands!¡± The yatou bowed respectfully.


    Su Jing Fei wasted no more time and left the manor with Yize and Xiao Chen in tow. Si Qiang came along as a countermeasure to trouble, for the streets of Fuo Lan were quite busy and hectic. Their first stop was one of three stores her mother had business contracts for. It was a small clothing shop situated in a busy downtown street. Si Qiang had to park the carriage a bit away, so Su Jing Fei did a bit of walking before reaching the shop. Once she reached the front doors, a woman hurriedly rushed over to greet them.


    ¡°Welcome to Lanhua! We have anything you¡¯ll ever need in terms of clothing. Can I help the beautiful young xiaojie with finding something?¡± The shopkeeper lathered on the praise, her eyes shining with the ability to profit off of Su Jing Fei. From a moment¡¯s glance, the woman had been able to tell the young woman was of noble status with the quality of the clothing and accessories she wore.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m looking for very specific types of clothing.¡± Su Jing Fei said with a pleasant smile, walking further into the store as she glanced at its contents. The store was on the smaller end, and the materials looked to be cheap, lacking the luster of more high quality cloths. ¡°I¡¯m looking for a gift for my cousin. His birthday is coming soon, and I hope to get him something he likes.¡± Yize and Xiao Chen were surprised at their xiaojie¡¯s words, but impressed at the way the lies left her lips without even a flicker of hesitation.


    ¡°Ah, yes, well¡­¡± The shopkeeper looked happy at the prospect of Su Jing Fei purchasing something, but kept glancing nervously at the back of the store. Suddenly, the shopkeeper moved closer to Su Jing Fei as though to whisper something secretly to her. ¡°If xiaojie does not mind, this lowly one shall bring xiaojie to the back of the store where our most high quality products are kept.¡±


    Su Jing Fei quirked an eyebrow, as though genuinely interested at the shopkeeper¡¯s words. ¡°Oh? Then wait no further, this xiaojie will go see them then.¡±


    ¡°Yes, however unfortunately, there is a small fee to view such products¡­¡±


    ¡°A fee? Of how much?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only a small fee of fifty silver taels! However, this lowly one definitely promises that xiaojie will not regret it as the items are high quality materials from Xinyi!¡± The shopkeeper spoke quickly and eagerly.


    Su Jing Fei almost laughed. Fifty silver taels to merely see something! This shopkeeper was almost as bad as the swindlers of gambling houses. However, Su Jing Fei didn¡¯t hesitate, gesturing for Yize to pay the shopkeeper. The young yatou reluctantly paid the shopkeeper, unsure of why her xiaojie was falling for such schemes. Xiao Chen almost spoke up, but she caught her xiaojie¡¯s look and saw the calm in her eyes; thus, she knew her xiaojie was well aware of what was happening, so she remained quiet and played along.


    ¡°This lowly one thanks xiaojie for her patronage!¡± The shopkeeper remarked happily, tucking the taels into her purse as she led them towards the back of the store.


    Once at the back of the store, there was a small private viewing room where materials were hung to showcase their beautiful patterns and lustrous look. Su Jing Fei had expected a lot more; however, there seemed to be only a few high quality materials in the back. She furrowed her brows. ¡°This is it?¡±


    The shopkeeper huffed her chest, looking offended by Su Jing Fei¡¯s question. ¡°This is high quality material from Xinyi! You can¡¯t get it anywhere else in Fuo Lan! Our owner has great ties with traders from Xinyi and are a very big and powerful family in Fuo Lan, so xiaojie should be careful about what she says!¡±


    Su Jing Fei raised an eyebrow at the shopkeeper¡¯s sudden haughtiness. ¡°Oh, and who, may I ask, might be the owners of this establishment?¡±


    ¡°Why, the Feng family of course! The city lord himself supports this establishment!¡± The shopkeeper spoke proudly, but was caught off guard at the look from Su Jing Fei at the mention of the Feng family. The young lady¡¯s soft features sharpened into a dark gaze, her eyes staring coldly in the shopkeeper¡¯s direction. However, the imposing expression was only for a brief moment before Su Jing Fei turned away. The shopkeeper breathed a sigh of relief at the reprieve.


    ¡°Funny you should say so,¡± Su Jing Fei¡¯s calm voice spoke. There was no humor in her tone however. ¡°It seems that the shopkeeper is mistaken, for it is not the Feng family who owns this business, but the Su family.¡±


    Upon hearing the surname ¡®Su,¡¯ the shopkeeper froze in fear. She hadn¡¯t heard that name in years! Not since the original shop owners had been replaced by her who had originally worked for one of the Feng family¡¯s shops. It couldn¡¯t possibly be¡­!


    Su Jing Fei calmly presented the business contract in her hands. ¡°Under this contract, it clearly states that this business belongs to my mother, the Da Furen of the Su family. However, upon her passing, ownership rights fall to me, Su Jing Fei, the da xiaojie of the Right Prime Minister Su Xuan Mo¡¯s family.¡± With a smile, Su Jing Fei held up another piece of paper. ¡°I believe these are also the land rights for this property.¡±


    The property deed! The shopkeeper knew that Su Jing Fei was telling the truth, but how could she accept it? After the store had been granted to her by the Feng family, they couldn¡¯t find the business contract or the property deed and had resorted to forging the papers. The Feng family were the city lord¡¯s family, so there hadn¡¯t been much trouble. However, if the original papers were to appear and a challenge was made about the authenticity of the contract and property deed, Su Jing Fei had the winning hand! No matter what, the shopkeeper knew she could not allow for Su Jing Fei to go to the city justice¡¯s office or else she¡¯d be in trouble! The Feng family would definitely not save her, and she¡¯d most definitely be hanged for her crimes if the Feng family placed all the blame on her! Suddenly, the shopkeeper rushed forward, attempting to steal the documents from Su Jing Fei¡¯s hands. But it was a foolish action, and Su Jing Fei grabbed the woman¡¯s wrist with one of her hands and twisted under their arms to put the shopkeeper in a incapacitating hold. Su Jing Fei did not know martial arts, but she had learned a bit of self-defense back in the modern world. For a young and relatively weak body, this move would help subdue a stronger opponent by utilizing the enemy¡¯s movement against themselves. With the barest pressure of Su Jing Fei¡¯s weight against the shopkeeper¡¯s twisted arm behind her back, the older woman cried out in pain and fell to her knees. In the brief moment of attack, Yize and Xiao Chen had been to slow to react, but they moved quickly to their xiaojie¡¯s side to help her subdue the woman after getting over the initial shock.


    ¡°You dare to attack the da xiaojie of the Su family? Do you have a death wish?¡± Su Jing Fei asked coldly.


    ¡°This lowly one is dead either way! I only followed the Feng family¡¯s orders so that my family could be provided for!¡± The shopkeeper cried fearfully. ¡°Please spare this lowly one with xiaojie¡¯s mercy!¡± The older woman was surprised as Su Jing Fei let go of her grip, allowing for her to scramble away and press her back against the wall, watching the xiaojie with fearful eyes. What a frightening young lady! The shopkeeper had never encountered someone so young yet so imposing!


    ¡°I have no need for your life,¡± spoke Su Jing Fei, no longer faking the naivety from earlier. The shopkeeper could see how sharp those dark eyes really were, and she shivered fearfully. ¡°Where are the forged deeds from the Feng family?¡±


    ¡°In their residence! They don¡¯t keep it here!¡± The shopkeeper answered quickly, afraid that Su Jing Fei would think she was lying. ¡°They have never given a copy to keep at the store, but there is a copy at the city justice¡¯s office!¡±


    Su Jing Fei nodded; she figured as much. If the Feng family had the means to easily enter and do as they pleased at Mudan-yu, they must¡¯ve been keeping watch over her mother for awhile. Thus, they would have seen her mother purchase these properties and would hope to seize them for their own. She didn''t know how far the extent of the Feng family''s influence reached, but it seemed like not all the nobles of Fuo Lan were in the Feng family''s hands; judging by how fearful the shopkeeper was at Su Jing Fei going to the city justice''s office, she would certainly have to pay a visit to the city justice official one of these days.


    After observing the shop clearly, it seemed the Feng family really didn¡¯t care for the maintenance of the shops they had seized from her mother because the shopkeeper very clearly lined her own pockets with extra money. What was one small business to them when they were the wealthy city lord¡¯s family? But these businesses were important to Su Jing Fei. Firstly, it was because her mother had left them to her for safekeeping in means of providing for her younger siblings. Secondly, Su Jing Fei knew she could not count on the small allowance provided by the Su family to be able to help her live comfortably in the countryside; thus, owning businesses would help her make some extra income to supplement the allowance.


    ¡°Take the fifty taels I gave you as severance pay,¡± Su Jing Fei said as she turned to place the deeds back into the box in Xiao Chen¡¯s hands. ¡°This one also recommends that you leave Fuo Lan unless you wish to be implicated with the Feng family when their time to repay their debts is due.¡±


    The shopkeeper was shocked at this xiaojie¡¯s great words. How was this young unranked xiaojie going to cause the fall of a great family such as the Feng family? However, she remembered that this was the da xiaojie of the Right Prime Minister Su Xuan Mo¡¯s family, and even though the city lord had extensive power in Fuo Lan, the Right Prime Minister was a presence that held vastly more power and rank. With such a backing, Su Jing Fei surely couldn¡¯t lose! Thus, the shopkeeper heeded Su Jing Fei¡¯s words and was already planning on getting out of Fuo Lan sooner rather than later! However, Su Jing Fei was not done with her and asked her a few more questions about the previous owners of the business.


    ¡°They were threatened with death, and being unable to go against the city lord¡¯s power, the previous owners could only submit to losing their businesses as opposed to having their entire families killed off.¡± The shopkeeper responded truthfully. ¡°All have left Fuo Lan since.¡±


    Su Jing Fei sighed. She knew it would not be an easy path to take back the businesses, but now she also had to find new managers for all of them. Luckily there were only three; this clothing shop, a jewelry store, and a small medicine shop. Su Jing Fei had her work cut out for her. By the end of the day, she¡¯d fired the current managers of all three businesses, keeping the regular working staff who had no real connections with the Feng family. By the time she¡¯d finished what she¡¯d set out to do, the sun was already setting below the horizon, and it was time to return to Mudan-yu.


    Su Jing Fei knew that going against a city lord would be troublesome, especially since she was a mere unranked di daughter. However, she was still the da xiaojie of a high-ranking noble, and so she knew she could wave around some of her power without worrying about backlash from the Feng family. These businesses in particular were one of the things she could take back immediately, but there were other things she would have to plan for. Her days were looking busier and busier, and Su Jing Fei just hoped that in this big city of Fuo Lan, she¡¯d be able to find her younger sister soon. Only then would she be able to continue her plan to destroy the entire Feng family, including the hateful Feng Ruo Qiang!

 Chapter 11: Su Jing Feis Fall

    Over the next few days, Su Jing Fei worked hard on managing the three businesses and learned a bit about each of them to help supplement her own knowledge about the current world¡¯s economy and development. Luckily, Dongfan was a very capable old woman and used to manage a shop in her younger days before becoming a mama; thus, Su Jing Fei found it easier to have Dongfan along while she visited each store. In the long run, she knew she couldn¡¯t manage all three by herself, so having someone with basic managerial skills was very helpful as Su Jing Fei could depend on Dongfan to run the businesses in her absence.


    With previous experience working customer service and managerial jobs, Su Jing Fei was able to work out feasible methods of business tactics to implement in all three stores. For the clothing store, she worked with some of the more experienced tailors to find affordable prices for durable and medium-quality materials. Some of the older and unused materials would be used for repairing clothes brought in by customer or be made into clothing to be donated to the local monastery and orphanages. This was a good tactic because in the few days Su Jing Fei had studied the market and laws of Chu, she had come across the policy in which donations for the public good would result in tax deductions for the next fiscal year. Thus, Su Jing Fei made sure the new manager of the clothing store as well as Dongfan were familiar with bookkeeping on inventory and sales. The same business tactics were applied to the other two businesses. Whatever old jewelry that didn¡¯t sell and collected dust would be burned down back to the basic metals and either repurposed for a new item or was made into utensils that could be donated. For the medicine shop, Su Jing Fei wanted to implement a community health approach to their tax deduction in which the leading herbalist named Yaozu would perform a public service by helping to make medicine to treat illnesses in local monasteries, shelters, and orphanages. Everything had to be carefully documented. Luckily, as a few weeks passed, the small changes in their approach to business garnered respect among the commoners and nobles alike, and the three stores bustled with new customers.


    ¡°You have excellent business sense,¡± praised Xie shi to Su Jing Fei when the latter dropped by for a visit. ¡°If only our little Ming¡¯er could learn from Su xiaojie! He¡¯d become a great businessman someday.¡±


    Currently, Mingyu was sitting on Su Jing Fei¡¯s lap and kicking his legs back and forth excitedly at the sight of a box of treats Su Jing Fei had bought from a popular confectionary store in Fuo Lan. The businesses had been doing well so Su Jing Fei had stopped by with treats bought with a bit of her extra income. ¡°This one only knows a bit here and there,¡± Su Jing Fei replied humbly with a smile at Xie shi¡¯s kind praise. ¡°However, Ming¡¯er already knows the best bit of business sense.¡± The young woman looked at the little boy as he made a small pouty face at being unable to reach the sweets on the table. She laughed at the sight of it. ¡°Make it so that your customers are unable to say no! Who could say no to such a cute face like Ming¡¯er¡¯s.¡±


    Guo Su Yin looked at the two women fawning over Ming¡¯er and laughed as well. While she expected her mother to dote on the young child, she hadn¡¯t expected Su xiaojie to act and speak words so much like a doting bomu as well. It was a strange yet heartwarming sight.


    After playing with Mingyu for a little bit, Su Jing Fei was ready to speak to Xie shi about her true purpose for visiting. Guo Su Yin quickly took Mingyu out to play in the garden, leaving Su Jing Fei and Xie shi alone in the older woman¡¯s tearoom. The servants poured tea for the two women before closing the door shut quietly behind themselves.


    ¡°Although I am happy to visit and see Mingyu and everyone, this one has another purpose in visiting the Guo family today,¡± Su Jing Fei said calmly, looking relaxed and refined as always. Xie shi sipped her tea quietly. ¡°This one hopes to purchase a carriage from the Guo family.¡±


    Xie shi set down her cup, raising an eyebrow inquisitively. ¡°This lowly one is unsure she understands Su xiaojie.¡±


    ¡°This one hopes to purchase a special wagon carriage that this one has seen before.¡± Su Jing Fei hinted, giving a small smile. ¡°This is something only the Guo family has, and it is something I can only ask from the Guo family.¡±


    Xie shi caught the hint, knowing exactly what Su Jing Fei was speaking about. Su Jing Fei meant to buy one of the wagon carriages with the hidden compartment in the back! ¡°It is something that can be done,¡± Xie shi replied with a warm smile. ¡°Su xiaojie does not need to worry about paying for it. As an elder and old resident of Fuo Lan, take it as a welcoming gift from the Guo family.¡±


    Su Jing Fei bowed respectfully. ¡°This one thanks Xie shi for her kindness; however, the gift is too grand to accept without some payment. Therefore, I will show Xie shi something new that I have recently created. Does Xie shi remember those silver darts she gifted to me awhile ago?¡±


    The older woman nodded her head, curious to see what Su Jing Fei was going to show her. What she hadn¡¯t expected was for the young woman to start taking off her beautiful hair ornaments and accessories. However, on closer inspection¡­ she realized that the beautiful hair ornaments were the silver darts! ¡°May I?¡± Xie shi asked excitedly, wanting to look closer at the intricately disguised weapons.


    ¡°Of course. It pleases me greatly that Xie shi has such interest in them.¡± Su Jing Fei said with a smile.


    Xie shi picked up one of the hair pins, observing it with eager interest. While the overall shape of the small dart hadn¡¯t changed, the ends have been reconfigured to resembles the style of beautiful floral hair pins. The small darts could be conspicuously concealed in a woman¡¯s hair without much suspicion! Xie shi was quite intrigued; in this day and age, most weapons such as swords, knives, and the like never took into consideration a woman¡¯s ability to carry and conceal them. But Su Jing Fei had managed to create a perfect small weapon for self defense that could be concealed in a woman¡¯s every day attire! However, Xie shi also had to give Su Jing Fei credit because each small dart was slightly weighted and with all of them combined on her head, it must be quite heavy to keep in all day. ¡°This is truly a magnificent idea!¡± Xie shi remarked truthfully. ¡°Su xiaojie definitely has great business sense. In a market as lucrative as weaponry, the Guo family would definitely be interested in investing into similar ventures.¡±


    Su Jing Fei thanked Xie shi for her kind words as Yize and Xiao Chen began placing the hair pins back into their xiaojie¡¯s hair. ¡°This one would be pleased to be able to work together with the Guo family in the future.¡± Su Jing Fei knew her managerial skills and business sense were her greatest assets in the current world. In this patriarchal society, women usually were regarded as property, but it seemed that the current Chu wasn¡¯t as strict because it wasn¡¯t rare for women to be the owners of their own property in Fuo Lan. Thus, combined with her modern knowledge, Su Jing Fei could utilize a fountain of knowledge yet unknown to this world; hopefully, this ¡®innovation¡¯ would help her make enough money to live a comfortable life in Fuo Lan!


    Once they finished speaking a bit more about future possible collaborations, Su Jing Fei set out to head back to home. Xie shi sent a servant to send the special carriage to accompany them back to Mudan-yu. Upon returning to Mudan-yu, Su Jing Fei tipped the Guo family¡¯s servant before sending them back on their way home.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°This lowly one welcomes da xiaojie back home!¡± Zihuan bowed respectfully as the doors to Mudan-yu closed behind them.


    ¡°How are the new servants, Zihuan? Are they acclimating to their jobs well?¡± Su Jing Fei asked, walking slowly as she observed the courtyards of Mudan-yu. The residence had accumulated a handful of new servants in the past weeks thanks to Mu Tan and Dongfan. Zihuan seemed to be quite unhappy at that, but didn¡¯t say anything since they acted on behalf of Su Jing Fei¡¯s orders. With the extra income from the businesses, the new servants could be paid well and so had worked happily over the weeks to clean up Mudan-yu. Su Jing Fei was pleased to see the progress, walking past the garden that was now filled with budding flowers.


    ¡°The servants are doing well and working hard.¡± Zihuan replied with a happy tone. Although Zihuan did not like that Mu Tan and Dongfan were doing the week that he as a head attendant should be doing, he was still glad to be able to have reliable help around Mudan-yu; most likely also because his workload decreased, and he could wave around more power over the newer servants.


    Su Jing Fei nodded her head in approval. ¡°Good. Mudan-yu looks a lot better nowadays and is more lively.¡± The young woman strolled through the courtyards, keeping a keen eye on the servants to remember their faces. While she knew that Mudan-yu prospered with more servants, Su Jing Fei was also wary of too many unfamiliar individuals entering Mudan-yu. Her poisoners were still unknown. She trusted Mu Tan and Dongfan, but these new people could be anybody.


    As they passed by the small pond in the center of Mudan-yu, Su Jing Fei slowed her steps as the hairs on the back of her neck suddenly stood up. Someone was watching them! But from where? And how did they get inside Mudan-yu? She could only recall her previous experiences and guess at who was responsible. It was no coincidence that she¡¯d experienced a similar feeling back when meeting Li Wei Sheng; it had to be his doing. Had he sent hidden guards to watch her? And if so, why?


    The two yatou watched as their da xiaojie¡¯s pleased expression shifted into a neutral calm; they wondered at the change in her sudden demeanor as Su Jing Fei seemed to be lost in thought. However, suddenly a big splash caused the two yatou to freeze in fear! Zihuan¡¯s eyes looked in horror at the sight before him. He didn¡¯t know how it happened. One moment his xiaojie was walking in front of him, and in the next moment, she had somehow fallen into the pond!


    ¡°Da xiaojie!¡± The three servants exclaimed, rushing the edge of the pond. Luckily, it wasn¡¯t too deep, and Su Jing Fei was only submerged through her waist. However, her initial fall had caused her to splash the entirety of herself from head to toe in pond water, causing the young women¡¯s appearance to become a rather pitiful one. Su Jing Fei¡¯s hair hung in wet clumps as the robes she wore soaked through, causing her to shiver in the cold water until she was able to trudge her way through the pond and out of it on her own.


    Luckily, they were close to Su Jing Fei¡¯s own courtyard, so Mu Tan and Dongfan had come rushing out to help them. With a wave of her hand, Su Jing Fei dismissed Zihuan, letting Mu Tan wrap a warm cloth around her as they made their way into her room. The wet clothes clung onto Su Jing Fei¡¯s slightly trembling body; although it was spring, the water from the pond seemed to still retain a bit of its icy chill from the thawed winter snow of the previous season.


    ¡°What happened out there?¡± Mu Tan asked Yize and Xiao Chen demandingly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Yize cried, looking frightfully at her xiaojie¡¯s worrisome appearance. ¡°We were following behind da xiaojie, but suddenly, she fell into the pond. Everything happened so fast!¡±


    ¡°Da xiaojie, we must change your clothes or else you¡¯ll catch a terrible cold!¡± Xiao Chen spoke hurriedly as she rushed to the clothing chest to pick out some fresh warm clothes for her xiaojie.


    Su Jing Fei began peeling herself out of the wet clothes with the help of the four yatou and got dressed into fresh warm robes. Before putting on the outer robes, Su Jing Fei held up a hand to stop Xiao Chen dressing her. ¡°Stop.¡± Her command was firm, and the four yatou halted in their movements. Su Jing Fei relaxed into the warm clothes for a moment, breathing a large sigh of relief. Falling into the water wasn¡¯t as bad as she had thought it to be. ¡°From here on out, this xiaojie has fallen ill with a terrible cold and will no longer see any visitors. The only ones who will be able to enter this courtyard are you four.¡±


    Mu Tan furrowed her brows in confusion for a moment, but suddenly, it clicked in her mind. Her xiaojie had fallen into the pond on purpose! Thus, for everyone who had seen her fall into the pond, there would be no questioning the fact that her xiaojie had contracted such a terrible cold from an unfortunate event. But why did she need to elaborate such a ruse to avoid seeing people?


    Su Jing Fei moved to the bed and pulled out a smaller chest from underneath. ¡°For the next few days, Mu Tan will be accompanying me out. We¡¯ll be staying outside Mudan-yu for a few days. In the meantime, Dongfan will be taking care of the businesses. You may take Xiao Chen with you on the occasion that you need help. However, it is important to have Yize remain in Mudan-yu in this courtyard. We must maintain the illusion that I am sick in bed with a terrible cold.¡±


    ¡°But why do we need to go to through such an elaborate scheme for da xiaojie to stay out a few days? This lowly one is worried that da xiaojie could truly catch a terrible cold from such a fright earlier!¡± Xiao Chen said worriedly while noticing the paleness of her xiaojie¡¯s complexion. She was glad at least that the shivering had stopped, but it still had caused her such a terrible scare to see her xiaojie fall into the pond unexpectedly!


    Su Jing Fei¡¯s eyes sharpened, and her voice was slightly cold as she spoke. ¡°Because I do not have the patience to wait any longer. Everything I need has arrived, and now it is time to go out there and find my sister once and for all.¡± Her pitiful younger sister was still out there somewhere, having been sold off to a brothel by Feng Ruo Qiang! She couldn¡¯t just sit and wait! Everything she¡¯d done up until now was to give her the best chances of finding her sister, and she¡¯d stop at nothing to achieve that goal!


    After a few days, two people in Fuo Lan also discussed Su Jing Fei''s unfortunate accident and sudden illness. ¡°You said Su Jing Fei fell into the pond and is bedridden in Mudan-yu with a cold?¡± Li Wei Sheng asked Shan Yu, sipping his tea calmly while resting in his room. Those dark black eyes flickered to the hidden guard bowing in front of him, and the young master set his cup down with an unimpressed expression.


    ¡°Yes, young master.¡± Shan Yu said in a quiet voice. ¡°After returning to Mudan-yu with a new carriage gifted by the Guo family, Su Jing Fei became bedridden after falling into her courtyard pond. It seemed she became lost in thought and tripped over something. However, this lowly one finds it suspicious that in the few days following after her accident, the servant Mu Tan has gone missing.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the female martial artist that Su Jing Fei has kept at her side since arriving in Fuo Lan?¡± Li Wei Sheng said observingly, his interest piqued.


    ¡°Young master is correct.¡± Shan Yu replied.


    Li Wei Sheng leaned back in his chair, thinking about Su Jing Fei¡¯s curious personality. While initially he hadn¡¯t thought much of her, from Shan Yu¡¯s observations and speaking with the Guo family, Li Wei Sheng became intrigued about the da xiaojie of the Su family. He¡¯d already known about the circumstances in which brought her to Fuo Lan; Chen Hui Zhong had informed Li Wei Sheng about Chen Hui Zhe¡¯s broken engagement afterall. Apparently, the capital was buzzing with rumors about Chen Hui Zhe¡¯s supposed affair with the Minister of Justice¡¯s er xiaojie Jiang Li Ling. While Su Jing Fei had indeed suffered a wrong, it seemed the xiaojie wasn¡¯t so innocent herself because she had bullied Jiang Li Ling terribly. Seeing as how the xiaojie wasn¡¯t so haughty and proud as the rumors made her to be, Li Wei Sheng was curious as to what was the true nature of Su Jing Fei. Suddenly, a thought crossed Li Wei Sheng¡¯s mind. ¡°Did Su Jing Fei ever call for a doctor?¡±


    ¡°No, a doctor was never called for by Su Jing Fei or anyone else from Mudan-yu.¡± answered Shan Yu.


    Li Wei Sheng¡¯s lips rose into a grin, making his handsome appearance even more attractive with the mischievous expression. ¡°How truly strange for servants to forgo a doctor when their da xiaojie is so deathly ill that she cannot even get out of bed. One almost thinks that this Su Jing Fei fell into the pond purpose¡­¡± What a clever girl, Li Wei Sheng thought amused. Such a formidable ruse could only come from an intelligent and willful mind. Maybe he¡¯d have to pay Su Jing Fei a visit after she recovers from her ¡®cold.¡¯

 Chapter 12: Xia-Wu

    ¡°Welcome back, young master Ye Meng Yao!¡± Greeted the innkeeper as a young man and an older man entered the inn. Crowds bustled in the dining area as the night began to flourish with life. The inn was situated in the heart of Fuo Lan¡¯s most notable and busy districts; thus, there was always a steady flow of people in and out of the inn.


    The young man greeted the innkeeper amicably before heading up to his room with his guard following quietly after. The young man looked to be quite a handsome youth, still retaining his innocent looking face. However, the innkeeper shook his head with a sigh; it was a shame that the young man was ruining his innocence by visiting so many different brothels every night since checking into the inn. However, doing such a thing was not unheard of nor uncommon, so the innkeeper didn¡¯t dwell too much on it.


    At the same time, Ye Meng Yao¡¯s guard closed the door as the young man settled into the chair and began pulling out new clothes they¡¯d gotten earlier that day. Night was settling in, and today would be another evening of investigation.


    ¡°Da xia- I mean, young master¡­¡± started the guard, avoiding the itch on his chin as to prevent rubbing off the dark powder. A dark shadow created the illusion of a masculine jaw, and the hair was pulled back in a long ponytail; however, underneath the disguise, Mu Tan was the most uncomfortable with the cloth binding her chest together. She had been impressed by her xiaojie¡¯s dedication to the disguise and also her ability to change her face, but the disguise was quite taxing at times. Mu Tan was not used to imitating a man; although she had a naturally lower voice and muscular build, to emulate a man¡¯s mannerisms was something too unfamiliar.


    ¡°Be careful, Zian. One might catch the words you were just about to speak.¡± Su Jing Fei spoke in a low and soft voice. She had an easier time due to her appearance being able to pass as the youthful appearance of a young master; it was at this age that most men were androgynous with their beauty. With a little bit of powder to contour her face to be just a bit sharper and wider, she was able to pull it off. However, Su Jing Fei still had to be careful that she didn¡¯t attract the wrong kind of attention from others who mistook her as a rich young master.


    As the evening grew darker, the streets of the red light district would bustle with male vigor, and Su Jing Fei did not want to miss any opportunity to investigate the brothel houses of Fuo Lan in search of her sister. Carefully, Mu Tan helped Su Jing Fei put on the new clothes. Earlier that day, they had also bought a small sword in which Su Jing Fei could keep hidden in her inner robes for protection. Once properly equipped for the night, the two of them set out for the brothels of Fuo Lan. Mu Tan had informed Su Jing Fei of all the places she had searched previously, but they were mostly poorer and cheaper brothels. Luckily, they were able to rule out some places and had settled in looking at some higher class courtesan houses. While they were still unable to find her sister, Su Jing Fei rested easier with the thought that maybe her sister had ended up at a courtesan house as opposed to a regular brothel. With regular brothels, the prostitutes were basically forced to entertain many different men at all times. In courtesan houses, the courtesans were at least given some kind of respect in propriety and manners; most courtesans houses had women skilled in the arts, such as poetry, music, or painting. Some of them were even from noble families that had fallen on hard times. Thus, while the situation was not ideal, at least her sister would be better off in a courtesan house rather than a regular brothel. Tonight, Su Jing Fei and Mu Tan were headed to a courtesan house called Xia-Wu in the heart of the red light district. Upon entering, they were greeted kindly by a woman at the entrance.


    ¡°Welcome to Xia-Wu! How can I assist the two masters?¡± The older woman spoke with a chipper voice, bowing respectfully before them.


    ¡°My name is Ye Meng Yao, and I have just arrived in Fuo Lan,¡± Su Jing Fei spoke in a low tone as the lies rolled off her tongue effortlessly. ¡°I am looking for pleasant entertainment and company tonight.¡± The shameless words had caused Mu Tan¡¯s face to heat up terribly when she first heard them, but now, after a few nights of investigation, the sentence wasn¡¯t so shocking to hear from the mouth of her innocent xiaojie.


    ¡°This lowly one thanks young master Ye Meng Yao for choosing to come to Xia-Wu tonight. However, this lowly one must also inform young master that there is a fee for entering Xia-Wu. It is forty silver taels to enter the common area where one can chat and mingle with many beautiful young women! Entertainment includes song and dance performed by our most talented courtesans!¡±


    ¡°And for a private room?¡± Su Jing Fei asked calmly, not even showing the faintest bit of embarrassment at the implication. The older woman was impressed at the young man¡¯s forwardness that contrasted greatly with his handsome youthful face; his words had also been polite and gentle, and she could see the noble bearing he had.


    ¡°Of course, the private rooms are available if young master finds someone he likes. He must first inquire with the young woman of his liking, and if she accepts, a room shall be prepared for your private affairs,¡± The older woman spoke with a wide smile, her eyes glittering with the prospect of snagging another young rich nobleman. ¡°The private rooms are fifty silver taels for the night. However, the services rendered within these rooms are an additional fee.¡±


    Su Jing Fei nodded in understanding. ¡°Money is no issue.¡± This was true, especially since they wouldn¡¯t be using any of the ¡®special¡¯ services. With a bright smile, the older woman led them deeper into the building. Finally, the sounds of cheerful voices and laughter could be heard as they entered a large hall that opened up to reveal an open second floor. There were many men, young and old, in attendance, but the only kind of women she could see were the beautiful and young. Their bright faces showed a multitude of expressions; some were shy, and some were seductive. All were laughing, and it seemed like the most joyous celebration was taking place in this hall. Incredibly beautiful women danced and sang on stage; their warm colored robes fluttered loosely against their bodies, revealing seductive slender necks and pale unblemished skin. If Su Jing Fei had the inclination for females, she¡¯d find herself thoroughly entranced at the sight. However, while she could appreciate a beautiful body, her purpose tonight was different than all the men looking for warm bodies to spend the night with; she was still desperately searching for her sister in the blissful chaos of the Fuo Lan red light district after all.


    ¡°We¡¯ve arrived, young master Ye. If there¡¯s anything you need, there are servants standing to the side who will be able to assist you.¡± The older woman gestured towards the lines of old women standing on the outskirts of the crowd with backs facing the walls.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Su Jing Fei said, waving her arm to signal Mu Tan to pay the woman the fifty taels. Without wasting any time, she confidently stepped into the crowd. She walked slowly, observingly, before seating herself at an empty table in the middle of the room. Su Jing Fei settled into her chair comfortably with her legs splayed slightly and a strong straight back; she emulated the masculine seated posture of noblemen she had observed. Mu Tan followed suit, sitting close to her xiaojie and managing to keep a look of disgust off her face from seeing the men who openly leered and provocatively touched the beautiful women before them.


    It wasn¡¯t long before a woman plopped down on the seat next to Su Jing Fei, molding her soft and lithe body against Su Jing Fei¡¯s side. ¡°Hello there, young master,¡± purred the young woman as she laid a cheek gently on Su Jing Fei¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you around here before.¡±


    ¡°Chanhua, no fair! I saw him first!¡± cried a young voice as another woman rushed over, plopping down on Su Jing Fei¡¯s other side and tucking herself inside the crook of Su Jing Fei¡¯s arm. ¡°Young master seems to be very new to these kind of parts. This lowly one is willing to show young master a good time if he¡¯d like.¡±


    The young women fought a bit over Su Jing Fei, seeing him as a beautiful young nobleman who possibly wanted to learn the ropes of his newfound sexual inclinations. They rarely saw such a beautiful young man and wished to have a piece of that innocence for themselves. However, Su Jing Fei didn¡¯t say anything and let the two women at her side bicker casually, remaining in her seat comfortably. Mu Tan watched on in slight amusement and horror; how was her xiaojie able to keep so calm?


    Su Jing Fei was unfazed by the beautiful women, having seen plenty in her lifetime in the modern world. Her focus was instead aimed at the crowd around her while each face flickered past her watchful gaze. She didn¡¯t even know what her sister looked like, so the search had been particularly harrowing. However, what she did know was that her sister should be around twelve years of age. From a modern mind, Su Jing Fei was terribly disgusted at the pedophilic inclinations of ancient society, but she also knew that for this time and age, one was considered already an adult at even her own tender age of sixteen. With a sigh, she knew her efforts would be fruitless unless she was actually able to somehow see the bare left shoulder of every courtesan in Xia-Wu. However, as she kept observing, an interesting thing caught her eye. A few men began disappearing into a side door connected to the large hall. While watching, she¡¯d seen man after man approach the servant guarding the door; then they¡¯d flash some sort of metal token and be allowed to enter. Was there some secret special service being held back there that was not being advertised to the public? Su Jing Fei had to find out.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    ¡°Forgive me, beautiful young misses,¡± spoke Su Jing Fei in a low and gentle voice. She smiled kindly as she untangled herself from the two women. ¡°I see an acquaintance and must greet him. Please excuse this lowly one." She didn¡¯t look back as she started walking towards a drunken man teetering on the edge of falling off his seat. While observing earlier, Su Jing Fei had saw that the man had been speaking and drinking with a group of men before the group left and entered the back door. But this man was clearly too drunk and occupied with the beautiful women at his side to leave.


    ¡°Please forgive this lowly one for interrupting,¡± Su Jing Fei bowed respectfully before the older man who playfully batted at the behind of one of the giggling young women on his lap. ¡°I have just arrived in Fuo Lan and am unfamiliar with the customs of a courtesan house. This lowly one has seen that you seem familiar with Xia-Wu and wishes to ask for advice.¡±


    ¡°Ah, what a young lad! Still so young and handsome unlike an old man such as myself,¡± laughed the drunken older man as he continued to playfully tease the women on his lap. He looked up at Su Jing Fei with a hazy expression, but his smile was wide as his laughter loudly filled the air. ¡°Where¡¯d ya say ya were from, lad?¡±


    Su Jing Fei took a seat across from the older man, smiling kindly at the drunken man. ¡°From out of town.¡±


    The older man leaned forward, squinting slightly at Su Jing Fei. Mu Tan moved forward protectively, quick to react in case any danger befell her xiaojie. The older man saw this and observed Mu Tan from head to toe, looking curiously intrigued. Then a wide smile crossed his face. ¡°Ya must be from Xinyi! Ya got yaself a nice Shanzhe slave there!¡±


    Su Jing Fei¡¯s eyes sharpened, and she felt Mu Tan stiffen at her side. However, the smile on Su Jing Fei¡¯s face didn¡¯t diminish, and she let the lies roll off her tongue. ¡°Elder master has sharp eyes! Yes, this lowly one is from Xinyi.¡± It seemed like the older man was quite amicable towards Xinyi, so she didn¡¯t see any reason not to play along. ¡°This lowly one came to Fuo Lan in search of a good time while helping my father do business in Chu.¡±


    ¡°Ahh, so yar an innocent young noble master lookin¡¯ to learn da art of pleasure,¡± chuckled the drunken man as he grabbed a giggling girl onto his lap. She fluttered her long eyelashes shyly but proceeded to snuggle her behind against the front of his robes. ¡°Young master has come to da right place!¡±


    ¡°Yes, this lowly one is glad to have found a nice place like Xia-Wu and has paid good money to seek out such pleasures. However, one is curious of something that this one has noticed.¡± Su Jing Fei started, lowering her voice a bit as she spoke and deliberately looked in the direction of the entrance where men had been disappearing behind. ¡°It seems like Xia-Wu seems to have a private service. Is this a hospitality exclusively for Chu countrymen?¡±


    ¡°Pah!¡± The older man said with a wave of his head. ¡°No such thing!¡± He gave a sly grin, leaning forward as if to whisper a dirty secret to Su Jing Fei. ¡°Since young master is from Xinyi, it should be okay if I let you know what is behind that secret door!¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Su Jing Fei said, showing that her interest was piqued.


    The drunken older man scooted closer, holding up a hand to whisper at Su Jing Fei. ¡°It is a secret auction for rich and noble families for¡­¡± His toothy grin looked especially disgusting and vulgar as he spoke the next words. ¡°A special service if one can afford.¡±


    Su Jing Fei quirked an eyebrow. ¡°This lowly one is intrigued. But how does one gain entry to such an event?¡±


    Surprisingly, the older man pulled out a metal token, tossing it to Su Jing Fei who caught it. ¡°Take this! This old one has no use for it and would much prefer to be out here with the beautiful young women who know how to pleasure a man. I have no such inclinations for the young and inexperienced.¡±


    Su Jing Fei¡¯s eyes darkened. The young and inexperienced¡­ They couldn¡¯t be auctioning off what she thought they were, could they? Mu Tan had also heard the words, and the older women¡¯s body trembled in fear and disgust. ¡°This lowly one thanks elder master! Please let me buy you another round of drinks!¡± Su Jing Fei said respectfully.


    The drunken older man waved his hand dismissively, returning his attention to the young girl who was wriggling seductively in his lap. Su Jing Fei got up without another word, making her way to the line of servants at the outskirts of the crowd. ¡°Please get another round of drinks for my friend there.¡± Su Jing Fei said with a smile, gesturing to where the drunken man was seated. She handed the servant a bit of money before making her way to the secret door where a servant stood quietly. He eyed her as she approached, and she gave a warm smile in response. Carefully, Su Jing Fei presented the metal token to the servant, and he stepped aside to let her in wordlessly. Su Jing Fei thanked the servant, stepping forwards to enter the door. However, the servant stopped Su Jing Fei just before she could enter. ¡°Apologies young master, but your servant is not allowed to enter. Only token holders are permitted to go further.¡±


    Mu Tan gave her xiaojie a worried expression, but Su Jing Fei shook her head. ¡°Wait for me until I return. I¡¯ll be back once my business is done.¡± Then she entered through the door, becoming suddenly engulfed in darkness. The loud chatter of the gathering hall was left behind as Su Jing Fei entered a long hallway; however, there was the low hum of voices that grew as she continued walking.


    At the end of the hallway, a male servant greeted her. ¡°Please follow me this way, young master. The auctions are beginning.¡± She was then led through another hallway before reaching the center of all the quiet chatter, a large hall resembling a theater with rows of seats encircling an elevated stage. ¡°Please present your token so that you may be seated accordingly.¡± The servant said with a respectful bow of his head. Su Jing Fei handed over her metal token, and the servant observed it accordingly before handing it back to her. Then he lead her through the rows of seats; surprising her as he took her to the middle rows with a rather good view of the stage. Then he seated her in an empty spot before quietly excusing himself.


    Su Jing Fei observed the crowd, taking note of the faces and seating arrangements. Judging by the servant¡¯s earlier actions, it seemed one might be seated according to one¡¯s metal token which could possibly correspond to noble rank and wealth. It seemed she lucked out and had gotten a fairly good token. The auction began with three loud knocks at the front of the stage. There wasn¡¯t much fanfare, and the auctioneer seemed to be a plump old man. His booming voice was strong, clear and concise however; and Su Jing Fei settled quietly into her seat to take a look at what this auction was really about.


    The first couple of items seemed uncommon but not exactly rare; a few mysterious herbs, materials, jewelry, and paintings. There were a few bidders here and there. However, as the auction continued, the items became better and of higher quality. It wasn¡¯t long before the auctioneer announced the end of the item auctions. Next was the real auction, the one that Su Jing Fei had specifically come to see.


    A line of young girls filed in one after the other. They looked to be anywhere between ten to thirteen years of age. Su Jing Fei¡¯s expression remained carefully neutral as she eyed the young girls, fighting back the bile building in the back of her throat. She wanted to throw up. The disgust settled deeply into the pit of her stomach, and she took a long breath to calm herself. She had an objective, and she had to make sure that she kept a clear mind to find her sister. Having calmed herself down, Su Jing Fei observed the girls on stage with sharp eyes. One by one, she took a good look at all of them. She didn¡¯t know what she was looking for exactly. However, due to her previous job managing such a large inn, she had honed a skill that allowed her to remember a face once she¡¯d seen it. It had made her job easier, and she used to be able to put names to faces of important individuals without having to struggle through the identities of every new person she met with. In this regard, there was a bit of hope in Su Jing Fei that she would be able to recognize similar features of her mother¡¯s face in her sister¡­ However, the lighting was a bit too dim, and she was too far from the stage to see the faces precisely. The young girls on the stage began to dance to music. Their synchronized movements were careful and disciplined, and their pale pink robes flowed loosely in motion with their swaying gestures. Su Jing Fei furrowed her brows, watching closely. The dancing ended after a few minutes, and the hall became abuzz with quiet whispers.


    The bidding soon began, with many men fighting to bid over the young girls. Su Jing Fei knew that no matter how much her businesses thrived, she wouldn¡¯t be able to amass the money necessary to purchase any one of the girls on stage. Luckily, however, she had another plan. Not waiting to see the bid to its ending, she got up as it neared the end, as some of the other men did as well who clearly knew they had no chances of purchasing any of the young girls on stage. Su Jing Fei returned to the initial large gathering hall along with a steady flow of men who left the auction. Mu Tan quickly came to her xiaojie¡¯s side upon seeing her return. ¡°Did you find what you were looking for, young master?¡± whispered Mu Tan carefully.


    ¡°Not exactly,¡± Su Jing Fei replied, moving to a less crowded part of the hall as she spoke calmly to Mu Tan. ¡°I have a plan however. And it requires your help.¡±


    Mu Tan nodded her head in understanding. Su Jing Fei made her way through the crowd, looking for a familiar face. It wasn¡¯t long before she found it, and she made her way over to the young woman who sat laughing with a few other girls and a happy-looking man. She stepped forward quietly, speaking with a low and gentle voice. ¡°Chanhua, was it?¡±


    The young woman perked up at the sound of her name, turning to look at Su Jing Fei. Her bright eyes shined as she broke into a wide smile at the sight of Su Jing Fei. ¡°Young master! You¡¯ve returned!¡±


    ¡°Yes, I apologize for my rudeness earlier. If I may?¡± Su Jing Fei bowed her head slightly, extending a hand towards Chanhua.


    The young woman blushed red, looking suddenly shy. But she took Su Jing Fei¡¯s outstretched hand and stood up to follow her. Su Jing Fei smiled kindly, acting the part of a gentleman. Together, they made their way to a servant. ¡°I¡¯d like to request a private room.¡±


    Mu Tan stared at her xiaojie in disbelief. What was her xiaojie thinking? Requesting a private room was obviously for the act of sexual pleasure, and they certainly weren¡¯t here for that! However, the yatou could only follow quietly as the servant led the three of them up a flight of stairs and into the quieter halls of the second floor.

 Chapter 13: A Courtesans Virtue

    The servant led them to a quiet and simple room. There was bed at the far wall, and near the middle of the room was a small seating area. The servant excused himself, closing the door behind her as Su Jing Fei led Chanhua over to a table with seats. Mu Tan stood stiffly near the door, unsure of what her xiaojie was up to.


    ¡°Come, let us drink a bit.¡± Su Jing Fei said, pouring some wine that was already set on the table. She handed Chanhua a cup as they sat down at the table, and Chanhua shyly thanked Su Jing Fei, sipping lightly at the wine. Su Jing Fei rested an elbow on the table, leaning a bit as she watched Chanhua with a slightly amused expression. Her portrayal of a young nobleman was quite accurate in the eyes of Mu Tan who watched quietly.


    ¡°What would young master have me do first?¡± Chanhua said with a demure expression.


    Su Jing Fei reached out a hand, tucking a loose strand of Chanhua¡¯s hair behind her ear. The young woman¡¯s cheeks blushed pink, and Mu Tan wondered at where her xiaojie had learned the skillful techniques to elicit such responses from young women. Either way, her xiaojie was truly frightening! If Mu Tan didn¡¯t know any better, she¡¯d believe that her xiaojie was actually a young nobleman! Su Jing Fei flickered a glance in Mu Tan¡¯s direction before turning her full attention to Chanhua who finished the wine rather quickly.


    ¡°Young master¡­¡± whispered Chanhua in a soft seductive tone. She cozied up to Su Jing Fei¡¯s side, pressing her soft and supple chest against Su Jing Fei¡¯s arms. She laid a head down on Su Jing Fei¡¯s shoulder as her eyes became half-lid in a provocative expression.


    Mu Tan became flustered, unsure of what to do to protect her xiaojie in the event that something happened or if Chanhua managed to find out their true identity. However, Su Jing Fei remained calm as she began to slowly caress the other woman''s hair in an affectionate gesture, and Chanhua sighed softly at the gentle touch. The air was quiet for a few moments until a soft and gentle snoring could be heard.


    ¡°Come help me take her to the bed.¡± Su Jing Fei beckoned to Mu Tan, carefully supporting the sleeping Chanhua. Mu Tan¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, but she quickly rushed forward, helping to carry the young woman to the bed where she was laid down.


    ¡°How did young master do that?¡± Mu Tan whispered in a low hushed tone.


    Su Jing Fei gave a small smile in response. ¡°Through a method that was used against me once.¡± She lifted her hand up, showing Mu Tan the small white powder hidden under her fingernails. Luckily, the sleeping powder had little to no odor and was pretty undetectable; she¡¯d gotten it from the herbalist from her store when she had mentioned having trouble sleeping deeply. Mu Tan was impressed by her xiaojie¡¯s ability, but her expression darkened when the true meaning of those words sunk in. She didn¡¯t know why or how her xiaojie gained such knowledge, but it seemed like her xiaojie¡¯s life before Fuo Lan wasn¡¯t as easy as she had thought it to be.


    ¡°Young master¡­¡± Mu Tan said in a worried tone.


    Su Jing Fei shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t dwell on the past. There¡¯s nothing you could have done that would have changed things.¡± Those words were true, but Su Jing Fei often found herself thinking about what would have been different if Qu shi had never been banished to Fuo Lan. If the original Su Jing Fei had fought just a little harder to keep her mother at her side¡­ But she also came to soon realize that there was nothing that could¡¯ve been done. The past is the past, and the present is now. She could only move forward and hopefully find her younger sister quickly.


    ¡°Help me change.¡± Su Jing Fei said to Mu Tan as she began undoing her own robes. Mu Tan was confused but helped her xiaojie nonetheless. To her surprise, her xiaojie began exchanging her clothes with Chanhua who was sleeping soundly on the bed!


    Quickly, Su Jing Fei became redressed in the clothes of a Xia-Wu courtesan. However, her disguise was not complete; she took out a small silver hairpin dart that she¡¯d hidden in her shoes. Then she proceeded to cut a piece of the curtain to create a makeshift veil from the flowing fabric. Mu Tan watched as her xiaojie cleverly covered her face to avoid recognition. Finishing the last bit of her disguise, Su Jing Fei had Mu Tan help her do a simple hairstyle before pinning it in place with the hairpin to conceal its true identity as a weapon.


    ¡°Stay here and make sure no one comes into the room,¡± Su Jing Fei commanded as she made sure the veil was tightly secured around her face. ¡°I¡¯ll be back as soon as I can.¡±


    Mu Tan wanted to argue, but she knew that they were pressed for time as the night grew on. ¡°Please take care of yourself, young master.¡± She had to trust her xiaojie¡¯s capabilities.


    ¡°En.¡± Su Jing Fei replied with a nod before departing quickly and quietly. The hallway she entered was quiet, but if one listened closely, the sounds of moaning and grunting could be heard. Passing through the second floor main hallway, she entered a smaller one where she had observed servants and courtesans coming and going with drinks and snacks. An older lady seemed to be in charge as she directed servants back and forth in the small kitchen. She slipped into the small crowd of courtesans, listening carefully to the chatter around her.


    ¡°¡­auction¡­¡±


    Su Jing Fei''s gaze darted to the direction of the speaker. She observed two young women conversing, looking bored and tired. Slowly, Su Jing Fei maneuvered through the crowd and ended up right behind the two women as they continued to chatter away.


    ¡°I can''t believe we have to serve and wait on them the whole night!¡± One of the young women complained, looking disgusted.


    ¡°Hey, at least maybe we can catch the eye of some noblemen. If we could win their favor, we¡¯d have no worries about money for the rest of our lives!¡± The other woman said cheerfully.


    Her companion was less optimistic however, as she merely shook her head with a sigh. ¡°If they were truly interested in us, we¡¯d be the ones being served to, not the ones doing the serving. You¡¯re naive as always. Let¡¯s just go quickly and get this over with.¡± The young woman had a frowning expression and seemed to be quite pessimistic.


    ¡°Excuse me, this one was ordered to serve the men of the auction as well,¡± Su Jing Fei spoke in a gentle and quiet voice. The two women turned around to look at her. ¡°However, I am new and I cannot recall where to go¡­¡± She feigned an embarrassed expression, tilting her head slightly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t recognize you,¡± remarked the frowning woman. ¡°And why are you wearing that veil?¡±


    ¡°I suffered an injury as a child, so now my face bears a horrible scar. Therefore, I was made to wear this veil when my parents sold me to this courtesan house.¡± Su Jing Fei lied, feigning a shamed expression while she raised her one of her hands to cover her face even more.


    The more optimistic woman gave a small smile, patting Su Jing Fei¡¯s shoulder comfortingly. ¡°How terrible! Most of the women here have come under such circumstances, but for your face to be injured and still be accepted here, the rest of your face must truly be beautiful!¡± She gave a curious glance as though she wanted to see what was behind Su Jing Fei¡¯s veil. The young woman didn¡¯t even seem to realize her rude words, but the other woman had.


    ¡°Forget this idiot,¡± the frowning woman said to Su Jing Fei, swatting the smiling woman¡¯s hands away from Su Jing Fei. ¡°We¡¯re all here under the same circumstances and must serve as we were ordered to. Let us depart quickly to avoid getting in trouble!¡± Then she and the other woman proceeded to grab trays of food and drinks. Su Jing Fei followed suit, grabbing a tray of drinks as she slyly slipped through the crowd and followed the two women. They exited to the hallway, and Su Jing Fei followed them down another hallway, up a flight of stairs, and onto a third floor where she guessed the private rooms for auction bidders were. She stayed a bit behind, letting the two women move to their destinations first. As they entered their rooms, Su Jing Fei was left alone in the hallway where laughter and cheerful voices echoed out from the rooms.


    Suddenly, an old servant woman exited one of the rooms in a rush. Catching sight of Su Jing Fei, the old servant woman quickly moved towards her, saying ¡°Aiya, you¡¯re late! The masters are waiting! Come here, come here.¡± She beckoned Su Jing Fei to follow her. Together, they returned to the door in which the old woman had just come from; she pushed Su Jing Fei inside first, giving a loud laugh as they entered. ¡°My, my, sorry for the wait, masters! This lowly one has returned with drinks and snacks.¡± She nudged Su Jing Fei forward.


    The room they entered was a rather large one with a high ceiling and brilliantly decorated walls of gold and red. Beautifully colored screens separated the different areas of the room. However, upon closer inspection, their images depicted numerous women and men intertwined and locked in intimate embraces. Su Jing Fei stepped lightly into the center of the room where two men were seated at a table. Their guards stood protectively behind them.  The two men watched as a young girl danced while an older courtesan played an erhu as the accompanying instrument.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°About time!¡± said one of the men in an irritated tone. However, upon seeing Su Jing Fei, his expression quickly changed from anger to interest. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re a new one. I haven¡¯t seen you before.¡±


    The old servant woman bowed low, glancing at Su Jing Fei also curiously but she continued speaking, afraid to keep the demanding master waiting. ¡°She¡¯s a new one,¡± The old servant lied swiftly, a smile on her face. ¡°If master Feng likes her, then this lowly one will make sure to have her serve your room exclusively for the night.¡±


    Did she just say ¡®Feng¡¯? As in the Feng family? Su Jing Fei¡¯s eyes darkened for just a split moment. However, her expression was kept carefully neutral as she stepped in front of the two men, kneeling respectfully while her hands swiftly set the trays onto the table. From a brief glance, she¡¯d discerned that the master ¡®Feng¡¯ was an older man, presumably in his late thirties to early forties. The other man however¡­ it couldn¡¯t be! Those sharp eyes were hidden under unfamiliar bangs and his usual slender handsome face had changed to become square-jawed; however, underneath it all, there was no doubt that those sharp black eyes belonged to Li Wei Sheng! Despite the fearful beating of her heart, Su Jing Fei kept a calm exterior, proceeding to pour wine for the two men without missing a beat. She hoped that the man wouldn¡¯t be able to recognize her with the veil; they had only met once after all. But to avoid further detection, she tried as politely as she could to keep her face turned away from Li Wei Sheng¡¯s direction while continuing to serve them.


    ¡°Let the girl stay here for the night,¡± the older master Feng spoke, eyeing Su Jing Fei with unconcealed interest. ¡°This one is curious to see the beautiful face behind the veil. Don¡¯t worry, this one is a kind master.¡± He spoke the words most likely meant to be comfort, but they sounded sleazy and provocative in Su Jing Fei¡¯s ears. Su Jing Fei avoided speaking, merely tilting her head to the side in a submissive gesture of acknowledgement.


    It was Li Wei Sheng who spoke next, his low voice unmistakable. ¡°It seems master Feng has many plans for the night.¡± His voice was neutral in tone, so one could not tell if it was meant to be a positive or negative comment. However, the implications for the night¡¯s events caused master Feng to throw his head back in laughter.


    ¡°This lowly one merely wants to show young master Shao the most beautiful and entertaining sights that Fuo Lan has to offer!¡± Master Feng said, patting the other man on the shoulder.


    Master ¡®Shao,¡¯ was it? Su Jing Fei had been surprised by Li Wei Sheng¡¯s appearance, but now with the addition of an unfamiliar name, there was no doubt that Li Wei Sheng was disguising himself for some unknown purpose. Despite his sudden appearance making things more difficult for Su Jing Fei however, she knew they were both in a similar precarious position, and so she refocused her attention to her task at hand, finding a way to search for her sister among all the courtesans in Xia-Wu.


    As the song ended ended, Su Jing Fei was ushered away by the older servant woman to a back room separated by a folded screen. The young girl followed Su Jing Fei and the old servant woman while the other courtesan stayed behind to entertain the two masters with conversation. ¡°Come, help me get this girl changed!¡± The older servant woman commanded in a hushed tone, moving them to an open area with a bed. However, her directions were abruptly cut off by a loud voice.


    ¡°Old servant! Go get us some more wine!¡± laughed master Feng from the other side of the folded screen.


    The older servant woman clicked her tongue, pushing them towards the bed. ¡°She better be changed and ready by the time I get back!¡± And then she returned back to the other area in quick hurried steps.


    As Su Jing Fei and the young girl moved towards the bed, they could see the beautiful light robes displayed on the bed. There was a thin milky white robe with a pink translucent top robe; the combination of the two created the illusion of an innocent ethereal beauty. Carefully, Su Jing Fei moved to the younger girl¡¯s side as they both took a seat on the edge of the bed.


    ¡°Jie jie must be new at Xia-Wu,¡± the young girl said quietly. ¡°This one has not seen you before.¡±


    ¡°Yes, this jie jie has just recently come to Xia-Wu.¡± replied Su Jing Fei as she began to work on the young girl''s hair. Her hands deftly undid all the pins and clasps, setting them aside as the young girl¡¯s long black hair tumbled down. Taking a brush from the bed, Su Jing Fei began to run it through the hair gently.


    ¡°So jie jie has not yet experienced her first time?¡± asked the young girl, her voice sounding curious.


    Su Jing Fei furrowed her brows at the girl¡¯s frank question. Young girls her age should be thinking about their favorite snacks and playing outside, not sitting in this terribly decorated cage while worrying about the acts between a man and woman in bed. Su Jing Fei didn¡¯t know what else to say, merely replying honestly. ¡°No, this one has not yet.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± the young girl mumbled. ¡°It is going to be my first time today.¡± Her voice trembled just a little bit from obvious nervousness. ¡°But the madam said that it¡¯s better for us to start young because it makes it easier for us if we get a master to support us.¡±


    Su Jing Fei felt herself wanting to argue the latter, but she couldn¡¯t find the words to change the mindset of such ancient outdated thinking without confusing the young girl. Sadly, the young girl''s words were true to a certain extent. Men of this era enjoyed untouched and innocent women, and to devote themselves entirely to a master at a younger age would help them achieve more stability than catering to the many men who frequented courtesan houses. That was a cruel truth of this world. Honestly, Su Jing Fei felt herself at a loss for words, so she opted to not say anything at all.


    Seeing that Su Jing Fei hadn¡¯t spoken, the young girl fell quiet as well. Laughter and low voices conversed from the other side of the screen as they sat in a strange silence. Su Jing Fei worked the young girl¡¯s hair into a simple style, keeping the hair decorations light. She only knew a little bit about the hairstyles of this era, but at least it looked presentable for now. ¡°Turn around.¡± Su Jing Fei commanded gently. The young girl quickly turned in her seat, now facing in Su Jing Fei¡¯s direction. There was an obvious nervous expression on the young girl¡¯s face, and one could see the slightly dented part of the girl''s lower lip where she¡¯d been biting away at in a nervous habit. Her round chestnut eyes were light golden brown, and her face was small and pear-shaped; it was still the face of a child. However, Su Jing Fei had to admit that the young girl would definitely turn into a beauty someday.


    The young girl looked at Su Jing Fei, staring at her closely and curiously. ¡°Jie jie is pretty.¡±


    ¡°You are prettier.¡± said Su Jing Fei with a small smile, though it was hidden behind the veil still. ¡°Close your eyes.¡±


    The young girl did as she was told, lowering her long dark lashes. ¡°Jie jie is a thousand times more pretty than Da Chun.¡±


    Su Jing Fei froze. She¡¯d avoided most intimate conversations with the young girls in brothels that she had inspected while searching for her sister. Their fates were something that Su Jing Fei could not change, so she had tried very hard to avoid learning any of their names. However, this was the first time she''d been caught off guard. It left a bad taste in Su Jing Fei¡¯s mouth to know this young girl''s name while also knowing that she could do nothing to change the young girl''s fate to become a courtesan at Xia-Wu. Su Jing Fei fell quiet once more, and Da Chun didn''t try to continue the conversation any further.


    Just as Su Jing Fei finished powdering the young girl¡¯s face, a loud slamming sound could be heard. ¡°Master Feng, there¡¯s trouble!¡± A man¡¯s voice shouted as the sound of many footsteps filled the room. ¡°The city justice official¡¯s men has just forced their way through the front entrance of Xia-Wu!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± shouted the voice that clearly belonged to the older master Feng. ¡°On what grounds?¡±


    ¡°Suspicion of crime involving slave trade! They had infiltrators at the auction!¡± The servant replied quickly.


    ¡°Let us go, quickly!¡± Master Feng said in a hurried tone. Then a few figures appeared from behind the screen, making their way towards Su Jing Fei and Da Chun who were still seated on the bed. Master Feng looked angry and thoroughly displeased at his fun being ruined for the night. However, Li Wei Sheng, or master ¡®Shao,¡¯ didn¡¯t seem to have a care in the world as he kept a calm expression throughout. Their guards trailed behind. ¡°You¡¯re coming with me, Da Chun!¡± commanded master Feng as he grabbed the young girl¡¯s arm.


    The young girl let out a cry in fright at being handled so violently, and she struggled away from master Feng¡¯s grasp. Her movements caused the side of her loosened robes to fall down her shoulders, revealing a slender collarbone and pale skin. Su Jing Fei¡¯s eyes widened as she caught sight of something else¡­ A jade pendant with intertwined twin dragons hung from Da Chun¡¯s neck where it had been hidden underneath her robes. There was no doubt that it was identical to the one from her mother¡¯s jewelry box! Su Jing Fei quickly shot out a hand and grabbed ahold of Da Chun¡¯s other arm. The young girl was thoroughly caught between the grips of master Feng and Su Jing Fei, crying out in pain.


    Another hand reached out, grabbing ahold of Su Jing Fei¡¯s wrist. She glared at Li Wei Sheng as he kept a firm hold on her. ¡°A mere servant wishes to disobey a nobleman?¡± The words were a clear warning to her, but she could care less about some spoiled master of the Feng family. She¡¯d deal with them later. Right now, figuring out Da Chun''s true identity was more important!


    ¡°Impudent woman!¡± Master Feng shouted angrily, moving towards Su Jing Fei as his hand raised high in the air with clear intent to strike her. However, it never struck her as a person flew forward, kicking the hand away. Master Feng stumbled backwards in a daze, letting go of Da Chun in the process. In the next moment, Li Wei Sheng dodged a kick, retracting his hand from Su Jing Fei to avoid having his arm broken with a stomp. He side-stepped a frontal punch, ducking slightly as his open palm threw a force of strength against the attacker¡¯s chest, making them fly back and hit the opposite wall with a loud thud.


    Su Jing Fei quickly rushed to Mu Tan¡¯s fallen figure, pulling Da Chun along. The young girl went willingly, still very frightened at the sudden violence. Luckily, the yatou had come to their rescue just in time! However, Mu Tan coughed up a bit of blood, pushing herself back onto her feet to continue the fight in order to protect her xiaojie. But Su Jing Fei pulled on Mu Tan¡¯s sleeve, preventing her from rushing forward into what would be certain death. In the movie Blossoms in the Wind, Mu Tan had died for Su Jing Fei, and in this life, Su Jing Fei wouldn''t allow Mu Tan''s loyalty to be repaid in death!


    In the meantime, the older man had been helped off the ground by his guard and now was red-faced with anger. He pointed a finger accusingly at them. ¡°You dare to defy me, the city lord¡¯s eldest son!?¡±


    Su Jing Fei felt her blood run cold at the implication from those words; the realization that the man before her was none other than Feng Ruo Qian, the murderer who had destroyed her family!

 Chapter 14: Her Promise

    Before Su Jing Fei could properly react, the entire room suddenly erupted in fighting as the city justice official¡¯s men arrived. Su Jing Fei watched as Feng Ruo Qian¡¯s guards dragged him away to escape; no matter how much she wanted to kill Feng Ruo Qian right now, she didn¡¯t have the power or the means to. The more important thing was investigating Da Chun¡¯s true identity and making sure they could escape without having their identities discovered.


    ¡°Da Chun, this one needs to confirm something. Please forgive my rudeness.¡± Su Jing Fei spoke quickly as she turned the young girl around and pulled down the back of her to reveal her back left shoulder. Sure enough, there was a small discolored patch of skin that, upon closer inspection, seemed to resemble petals of a flower. There was no doubt that Da Chun was her sister. And the fact that Feng Ruo Qian almost took her away from Su Jing Fei once again¡­ Her blood boiled with an uncontrollable rage!


    ¡°Xiaojie, we must leave here quickly!¡± Mu Tan said hurriedly before realizing what her xiaojie was looking at. Her voice trembled as she spoke next. ¡°Xiaojie¡­ it can¡¯t be¡­ after all these years!¡±


    ¡°Xiaojie?¡± A low voice broke through Su Jing Fei¡¯s rage as she was pulled back into reality. Li Wei Sheng watched them from nearby as his guards protected him to avoid his identity being discovered. But he couldn¡¯t break his gaze away from Su Jing Fei. Shan Yu kneeled at his master¡¯s side, speaking in a hushed tone that only Li Wei Sheng could hear. ¡°The one who attacked you is none other than the Su xiaojie¡¯s missing yatou Mu Tan.¡± Combining all the information, there was obviously only one conclusion; that mysterious masked courtesan was none other than Su Jing Fei, the da xiaojie of the Right Prime Minister¡¯s family!


    ¡°Mu Tan, take Da Chun away from here quickly. I know you can escape easily because of your martial arts skills, but you are also injured so carrying both of us will only hinder you. I¡¯ll find a way out of here and meet with you at the inn.¡± She ordered swiftly, pulling Da Chun¡¯s robes tight around her shoulders and giving her a gentle nudge towards Mu Tan. She addressed the young girl with a calm voice and a small smile. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll explain everything to you when we are safe.¡± Da Chun must be terribly frightened and confused, thought Su Jing Fei. But the young girl merely nodded, moving towards Mu Tan and keeping close to the yatou¡¯s side.


    Mu Tan was conflicted in staying to protect her xiaojie, but she also knew that her xiaojie was right. They had to do everything possible to take the young girl away from everything; only in this chaos could they successfully rescue the young girl from the fate of a courtesan. Mu Tan knew her xiaojie was clever enough to find some way to escape, but she vowed that as soon as she got Da Chun to safety, she¡¯d come back for her. So Mu Tan wasted no further time and grabbed ahold of Da Chun¡¯s waist as she proceeded to run and jump through a nearby window. The sound of footsteps running across the ceiling could be heard, and Su Jing Fei knew they had escaped successfully.


    Her attention turned to Li Wei Sheng who still kept his gaze trained on her. He and his guard hadn¡¯t acted in any way to stop them from escaping, but from the looks of it, it seemed Li Wei Sheng was now well aware of her identity. ¡°The imperial prince should be careful,¡± Su Jing Fei spoke calmly as she moved from one end of the room to the other. ¡°With such an intense gaze, one might mistake it for something else.¡±


    Hearing those words, Li Wei Sheng knew that the clever xiaojie had probably known of his identity the entire time. He gave a smile in response, impressed by her calm attitude. ¡°And what exactly might Su xiaojie mistake this imperial prince¡¯s gaze for?¡± His words were teasing and light despite the precarious situation they were in. Although Feng Ruo Qian¡¯s men had defeated the city justice official¡¯s men as they had escaped, it would only be a matter of time before more men showed up.


    Li Wei Sheng had a handsome appearance and usually maintained a calm and refined facade; however, Su Jing Fei knew that beneath that amicable exterior was a black-bellied schemer with a stone heart. In the movie Blossoms in the Wind, the only things Li Wei Sheng truly cared for in this world were his younger sister Li Qian Yi and his friendship with Chen Hui Zhong. One was his younger sister and the other was his best friend. Other than those two things, Li Wei Sheng wouldn¡¯t hesitate to sacrifice anything. Su Jing Fei knew that this loyalty would ultimately cause Li Wei Sheng to sacrifice himself in order to save Chen Hui Zhong¡¯s life at the end of the movie when Chen Hui Zhe took the throne. While she didn¡¯t really care for the movie, Su Jing Fei had appreciated Li Wei Sheng¡¯s loyalty. The only question now was if he would sacrifice her to keep his identity a secret.


    ¡°This place is a courtesan house,¡± Su Jing Fei said as she lingered in the open entrance leading to the balcony, feeling the cool breeze on her back. ¡°When a man gazes upon a woman with interest, there is only one thing that happens here.¡± Her expression was mysteriously calm as she turned to have her back facing them.


    Li Wei Sheng was amused by the young woman¡¯s unashamed words; she clearly wasn¡¯t the shy and demure xiaojie that she had pretended to be when they had first met. He thought Su Jing Fei was brave and foolish to be choosing such a time like this to taunt him; wasn¡¯t she afraid that he¡¯d kill her to keep her silent about his identity? However, Li Wei Sheng was thoroughly shocked by Su Jing Fei¡¯s next movements. The young woman proceeded to undress; the top robe slinked off her shoulders to reveal a pale slender neck. ¡°Su xiaojie seems to clearly understand the relationship between a man and woman. Does she wish to understand this imperial prince?¡± Li Wei Sheng smirked at Su Jing Fei¡¯s boldness. He¡¯d encountered women before who tried to throw themselves at his feet, scheming and tricking in attempts to become the wangfei of his household.


    ¡°This lowly one does not have the ability to rise on the wings of a phoenix, but that does not mean this one cannot fly.¡± Su Jing Fei¡¯s words were mysterious, causing Li Wei Sheng to hesitate a moment before responding. However, this opportunity allowed for Su Jing Fei to catch Li Wei Sheng off guard as she suddenly sprinted towards the edge of the balcony. She slung the robe between the bannisters of the balcony and jumped over the edge, gripping onto the cloth ends as she was able to use the momentum to swing herself downwards and over to the second floor balcony directly under the third floor one. She immediately let go and pulled herself into a fetal position to roll onto the ground where her momentum could be stopped safely. However, she¡¯d never done such a risky act before, and her recklessness wasn¡¯t without its share of punishments. Su Jing Fei¡¯s knees and legs were scraped and battered at the impact, and her only robe left was tattered as it caught onto the edge of a corner. However, she couldn¡¯t afford to stop and allow for Li Wei Sheng and his guard to come after her so quickly, so she got to her feet and ran back inside the building¡¯s second floor.


    ¡°Young master, she¡¯s getting away!¡± Shan Yu jumped forward to give chase, but Li Wei Sheng blocked his path with an outstretched hand. Shan Yu was surprised to see his master¡¯s expression was amused and unconcerned.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    ¡°Leave her be,¡± remarked Li Wei Sheng. ¡°We should get going before more of the city justice official¡¯s men arrive.¡± He turned around and began to retreat. Shan Yu wasn¡¯t usually one to question his master; however, he was thoroughly confused at Li Wei Sheng¡¯s tolerance for Su Jing Fei. She was quite a fearful and formidable one indeed. Together, the two men retreated into the shadows and left Xia-Wu as quietly as they had come.


    On the second floor, Su Jing Fei had entered an empty room similar to the one where she¡¯d left Chanhua and Mu Tan earlier that night. She quickly rummaged through the drawers and grabbed a set of clothes and stuffed it into her inner robe; her eyes flickered to the balcony, watching for Li Wei Sheng or his guard to appear, but they did not. Su Jing Fei ran out the front door, entering the large main hallway where a crowd of other courtesans and servants were pushing past each other in chaos. She moved through the crowd, following the flow of people down the stairs and out the front doors. However, the city justice official¡¯s second batch of guards had arrived and began apprehending people. While trying to leave, Su Jing Fei¡¯s own arm was grabbed by a guard as he shouted, ¡°You are all under arrest for suspicion of corroborating in illegal slave trade! Stop trying to escape and remain where you are!¡±


    Su Jing Fei quickly pulled out the tearful act, crying as she pleaded with the guard. ¡°Please sir, this lowly one merely wants to go home. This lowly one doesn¡¯t know anything and was only following orders in order to earn money for this lowly one¡¯s sick mother. Please, this lonely one has suffered such a fright already!¡± She begged in a soft voice, falling to her knees in a show of weakness. ¡°This lowly one just wants to go home!¡±


    The guard seemed hesitant, but a deep voice spoke in his stead. ¡°Let her go. She¡¯s not the ones we¡¯re looking for. Don¡¯t waste anymore time and begin rounding up the men inside as well as the manager of Xia-Wu.¡± A tall skinny man stepped forward, bearing a hard stern face and cold eyes. The guard let go of her immediately. If this man was the one commanding the guards, then it must be none other than the city justice official himself! Su Jing Fei had done a bit of research on the city justice official while searching for information in Fuo Lan; the city justice official¡¯s name was Sun Rong Shu, and he was a highly regarded man for his morals and virtue. The people of Fuo Lan saw him as fair and just man, and although he was a good official, it was hard to keep an eye on all of the crime in Fuo Lan due to its larger population and size. Thus, larger and deeper crimes, such as black market slave trade businesses, were harder to root out. Su Jing Fei guessed however, that this raid of Xia-Wu, a prominent courtesan house in the red light district, must be a show and warning for all other such businesses with shady dealings. However, she didn¡¯t have time to be worrying about the crimes of Fuo Lan when she still had to deal with the crimes committed against her own family. ¡°This lowly one thanks the lord for his kindness and mercy.¡± She bowed respectfully before running away with others who wanted to be as far away from Xia-Wu as possible.


    Running into a nearby alley, Su Jing Fei quickly threw on the other clothes she had taken, fixing her appearance as she stepped out and began to maneuver the dimly lit streets until she reached the inn where her and Mu Tan had been staying at. Entering the inn, the familiar manager came forward to greet her. ¡°How can I help you?¡± He was less formal and polite, having taken notice of her courtesan clothes.


    ¡°This lowly one was summoned by master Ye Meng Yao to attend to him for the night.¡± Su Jing Fei said in a soft and gentle voice, turning her head slightly as a display of shyness.


    ¡°Ah, yes,¡± the older man cleared his throat, a little caught off guard. ¡°Right this way.¡± He led her up to the second floor, knocking on the door. ¡°Excuse me for disturbing your rest, young master Ye Meng Yao. Someone has arrived and said they had come upon your request.¡±


    There was a bit of shuffling heard inside the room, and a few minutes later, Mu Tan reappeared in her male disguise. Her red eyes widened at Su Jing Fei¡¯s appearance; the older woman looked like she had been crying. However, the older woman cleared her throat and spoke. ¡°She may enter, but we are to not be disturbed for the rest of the night.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± The older man bowed respectfully before briskly retreating away. Su Jing Fei entered the room, and Mu Tan closed the door behind them.


    ¡°Xiaojie!¡± cried Mu Tan, falling to her knees as she began to sob. ¡°Xiaojie, please forgive this lowly one. This lonely one was not able to come back for xiaojie! Please punish this lowly one for her inability!¡±


    ¡°Nonsense. You may rise, Mu Tan,¡± spoke Su Jing Fei as she tore away the veil from her face. ¡°I made you prioritize Da Chun¡¯s safety over mine, which you executed without question. Now where is she?¡±


    Mu Tan wiped away the tears on her face, getting up on her feet as she remained respectfully bowed before her xiaojie. ¡°When we escaped, Da Chun began to experience strange symptoms. We were able to return to this inn by masquerading Da Chun as an ill Ye Meng Yao using my outer robes. However, this lowly one was not able to leave Da Chun¡¯s side as she fell into a terrible condition.¡±


    Su Jing Fei quickly turned around and walked further into the room. On one of the beds, a figure was struggling on top of a bed, moaning and turning restlessly. She moved to the bedside, shocked to see the cloth tying down the hands of the young girl to the bed. ¡°What is the meaning of this, Mu Tan?¡± Su Jing Fei asked in a low voice as she watched Da Chun¡¯s pitiful state of struggling and moaning on the bed.


    Mu Tan kept her distance, remaining on the other side of the room. ¡°This lowly one has seen this affliction before. Da Chun must have been fed a slow-acting aphrodisiac at Xia-Wu.¡±


    Su Jing Fei¡¯s eyes darkened at the implication of what could have happened if she hadn¡¯t saved Da Chun in time. However, she took a deep breath to calm her nerves, feeling the adrenaline leave her body with lingering aches and pains. They were all lucky to be alive, she thought. Su Jing Fei stepped forward, catching sight of the jade pendant around Da Chun¡¯s neck. There was no doubt it was the same one as the one in her mother¡¯s jewelry box. With the addition of the birthmark confirmed, everything led to the conclusion that Da Chun was her truly her long lost sister. Especially since Feng Ruo Qian himself had appeared before her at the same time. A sick, twisted man he was! Grooming the young daughter of a woman he murdered so that the daughter could become his personal plaything! The sick implications was enough for Su Jing Fei to want to murder Feng Ruo Qian right this moment! However, an instant death was too merciful for the man; Su Jing Fei had other plans to take care of the Feng family.


    ¡°Da Chun¡­¡± Su Jing Fei murmured the young girl¡¯s name in a soft voice, gently pushing the girl¡¯s hair back away from her sweaty face. It seemed the young girl had been suffering for awhile.


    ¡°It hurts¡­wu¡­¡± sobbed Da Chun in a broken voice, struggling against the restraints.


    Su Jing Fei¡¯s heart broke at the sound of it; her heart torn at the sight of her sister suffering, and there was nothing she could do about it. They would have to wait until the effects of the aphrodisiac wore off. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Da Chun.¡± Su Jing Fei whispered, gently stroking Da Chun¡¯s hair. Her voice trembled with emotion and unshed tears at finally finding her sister; her one and only family. In Su Jing Fei¡¯s previous life, she was an orphan with no parents and no siblings; this time, Su Jing Fei had unwillingly taken over the original Su Jing Fei¡¯s life from the movie Blossoms in the Wind. But somehow, she¡¯d managed to save her sister; her only true family from this lifetime. She was sad that the original Su Jing Fei could not witness this moment, but she was also filled with the happiness of having a sister. Someone she could love and care for unconditionally.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let anyone else hurt you,¡± Su Jing Fei spoke the words aloud as a promise to herself and to the world. ¡°I¡¯ll protect you, and I''ll make the Feng family pay for what they did to us.¡±

 Chapter 15: Questions Asked and Answered

    It took an entire day and a half before Da Chun finally fell into a deep peaceful slumber. In the meantime, Su Jing Fei was preparing a few things for their return to Mudan-Yu. It was another full day before Da Chun awoke, and Su Jing Fei was seated peacefully at her sister¡¯s side while reading a book about medicinal herbs.


    ¡°Um¡­¡± Da Chun¡¯s voice was hoarse and dry.


    Su Jing Fei put down her book, handing Da Chun a cup of water from the bedside. ¡°Drink. I can answer your questions after.¡± She patiently helped the weak young girl sip from the cup. Once it was gone, she helped Da Chun sit upright.


    ¡°Why are you so kind to me?¡± Da Chun whispered, looking curiously at Su Jing Fei. There was no suspicion, no dark harboring thoughts, nothing evil in that innocent gaze. Just pure plain curiosity.


    Su Jing Fei settled back into her chair, calmly placing her hands on her lap as she gave the young girl a small smile. ¡°Because everyone deserves kindness. And I owe it to you.¡±


    Da Chun looked a little confused for a bit, but then she placed a hand on her chest, her fingers wrapping around the jade pendant around her neck. ¡°You changed when you saw this. I¡¯ve had this thing ever since I was a baby. The mama who took care of me was kind enough to let me keep it, but once I¡¯d gotten old enough, she disappeared. Along with all the other nice things I¡¯d ever have.¡± Her eyes dimmed a bit, becoming distant as though she was lost in a memory. ¡°I used to dream about my true family; wondering where they were and if they missed me. Maybe I was a princess or something grand. Because this necklace is beautiful, and I believe that whoever gave this to me truly loved me.¡± Da Chun furrowed her brows a bit, looking conflicted. ¡°But if they truly loved me, why did they not come for me?¡±


    Su Jing Fei felt her emotions wavering between sadness and regret. There was nothing she could¡¯ve changed about Da Chun¡¯s upbringing. She knew the young girl must¡¯ve struggled. Su Jing Fei took out her mother¡¯s jewelry box, taking out the letter and placing it onto Da Chun¡¯s lap. The young girl took the letter, glancing at it briefly before shaking her head. ¡°This lowly one does not know how to read well.¡± Da Chun spoke softly. ¡°Some of the sisters taught me how to read some characters, but not a lot.¡± The young girl quietly gave the letter back to Su Jing Fei, but was surprised when Su Jing Fei began to read the letter.


    Su Jing Fei¡¯s voice was soft and gentle, and the words that fell from her lips trembled just a little. Once she was finished, Da Chun¡¯s voice broke as she spoke next. ¡°So that means¡­ that you¡¯re my jie jie? Truly? This isn¡¯t a dream?¡± The young girl broke into sobs, and Su Jing Fei quickly moved forward, wrapping the young girl in her arms.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. Please forgive this jie jie for not being able to come sooner,¡± murmured Su Jing Fei as she comforted the young girl. Her heart ached terribly, but she knew that they were together now and that was the most important thing. They were finally reunited, and there was nothing that Su Jing Fei wouldn¡¯t do to give Da Chun everything she deserved.


    They settled comfortably together on the bed, sitting beside each other and talking a little about everything. Su Jing Fei learned that Da Chun had been taught the basic arts and a little reading to be able to entertain guests at Xia-Wu. She¡¯d been treated fairly well, but she never knew why until someone had informed her that she had a sponsor who was the city lord¡¯s eldest son Feng Ruo Qian. At first, she had thought he was just a kind older man who had took pity on her, but Su Jing Fei was quick to dispel those thoughts, revealing the truth behind Feng Ruo Qian¡¯s evil actions. They spoke a bit more until the sun began to set.


    It was another day before Su Jing Fei returned to Mudan-Yu, having finally ¡°recovered¡± from her terrible illness. The day after, Mu Tan returned to Mudan-Yu with Da Chun.


    ¡°Da xiaojie, may this lowly one inquire who this young lady is?¡± Zihuan asked quietly as Mu Tan began commanding other servants to take clothes and other things to a courtyard next to Su Jing Fei. The courtyard had been cleaned beforehand on Su Jing Fei¡¯s orders.


    Su Jing Fei wasn¡¯t dumb; since first meeting Zihuan, she figured that he was relaying information about the happenings in Mudan-Yu to someone on the outside. His mysterious disappearances weren¡¯t as mysterious as he clearly wanted them to be. ¡°This is Fang Dai Yu. She is a relative of the Qu family who will be staying with me in Mudan-Yu for the time being.¡± This was the lie that Su Jing Fei had created to allow for Da Chun to stay in Mudan-Yu without too much question. No one would be able to fight her claim unless they were close to the Qu family, and right now, the Qu family were a very reserved and closed off family serving in northern Chu.


    ¡°Ah, this lowly one was terribly unaware we were hosting such an important guest!¡± Zihuan spoke quickly, but he seemed skeptical about Su Jing Fei¡¯s words. ¡°This lowly one was not aware that the Qu family had relatives in Fuo Lan.¡±


    ¡°They do not,¡± Su Jing Fei replied calmly. ¡°Fang Dai Yu was sent to stay with me when the Qu family had heard about my relocation to Fuo Lan.¡± Honestly, Su Jing Fei didn¡¯t know the relationship between Qu shi and her family. However, in her memories, she recalled a kind old man who would take her out for walks sometimes; her mother had told her a bit about her wai gong<sup class="modern-footnotes-footnote "></sup>. He was a gentle yet stern old man who loved his family dearly. She wondered if he would remember the young granddaughter that he used to take on walks.


    ¡°This lowly one didn¡¯t know that da xiaojie was so close with the Qu family.¡± Zihuan¡¯s words were obviously probing for more information.


    However, Su Jing Fei merely replied, ¡°It seems there is much for Zihuan to learn about this xiaojie,¡± before she walked away and left Zihuan to contemplate her words in silence. Su Jing Fei approached Da Chun, smiling as she gentle took the young girl¡¯s arms in her while they strolled to the courtyard. ¡°I hope you like your new place. Although Mudan-Yu is still in the process of being fixed up, everyone has tried their best to be ready for your arrival.¡±


    Da Chun looked terribly nervous, clutching onto to Su Jing Fei¡¯s arms. She wore beautiful pale pink robes that Su Jing Fei had prepared beforehand, looking every bit the part of a young noble lady. ¡°This lowly one does not know how to act¡­and this is such a big place to call home!¡± She said quietly, taking in Mudan-Yu with wide curious eyes.


    Su Jing Fei smiled at Da Chun¡¯s unconcealed enthusiasm. It seemed the young girl was quite the bundle of surprises. Su Jing Fei had expected the girl to have a much more different personality, especially after everything she¡¯d just been through. But it seemed that Da Chun took everything in stride, and Su Jing Fei respected that greatly. The young girl was definitely stronger as a person than she was. Her heart held no hate, unlike Su Jing Fei. ¡°Come, let us eat. Food has been prepared in my room while the servants take care of putting away your new things.¡± Su Jing Fei led Da Chun into her own courtyard. ¡°Also, there are people who are eager to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Meet me?¡± Da Chun asked in a slightly confused voice.


    However, Su Jing Fei didn¡¯t say more as they entered the room where her personal yatou were gathered. Once the two of them were inside, Mu Tan closed the door behind them just as Xiao Chen and Dongfan fell to their knees in front of Da Chun, sobbing at the sight of the young girl.


    ¡°Xiaojie!¡± Both women cried, their voices wracked with emotion. ¡°Please forgive these lowly ones for not being able to save xiaojie earlier!¡±


    Da Chun looked distraught at the sight of the two women sobbing at her feet. ¡°Please rise!¡± She fell to her knees, holding onto the two women in an effort to pull them up. ¡°Please, there is no need for this. Jie jie has told me everything about what you all have suffered in order to save me.¡± Da Chun suddenly caught sight of Dongfan¡¯s stubbed arms, the young girl¡¯s eyes welling up with tears as well. ¡°You¡¯ve already done so much for me, and now this lowly one has been saved.¡±


    After a bit more crying and comforting, the three of them finally settled down as Su Jing Fei and Da Chun were seated at a table filled with food. There would be a lot of time for them to all get caught up while eating of course. Everyone chattered around Su Jing Fei as she quietly ate, taking in the happiness of having her sister finally home. However, their peace was interrupted as a knock came from the front door.


    ¡°Come in,¡± Su Jing Fei commanded, gently patting her lips with a cloth and setting it aside as Mu Tan went to receive the person at the door.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    Zihuan entered the room, bowing respectfully before his xiaojie as he extended a letter towards her. ¡°Da xiaojie, an invitation has just arrived for the spring festival.¡±


    ¡°Spring festival?¡± Su Jing Fei said, taking ahold of the invitation and reading it. Her eyes darkened just for a moment as she read the words. ¡°The Feng family invites us to celebrate the spring festival with them.¡±


    ¡°The Feng family invites all the nobles in Fuo Lan to celebrate the spring festival at their home!¡± Zihuan said in an excited voice. ¡°However, this year, this lowly one has heard that the festivities will be taking place at the lake! They are sure to be twice as grand this year because the city lord¡¯s granddaughter has reached marriageable age as well!¡±


    Su Jing Fei¡¯s eyes flickered across the letter¡¯s words. It looked like Zihuan was informed as usual; as expected of such a gossiping man. The Feng family¡¯s spring festival celebration would take place at their residence next to the lake. ¡°Send a letter of acceptance back.¡± She said, handing the invitation back to Zihuan. He bowed respectfully before leaving.


    ¡°Jie jie is going to go?¡± Da Chun paused her eating, sounding worried. Hesitantly, she added, ¡°Do I have to go?¡±


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to go. It¡¯s better if you do not go since Feng Ruo Qian knows your face,¡± Su Jing Fei remarked as she began eating again. ¡°But as the representative of the Su family in Fuo Lan, I will be going.¡±


    ¡°Da xiaojie, it might be dangerous. If you go, at least take me with you.¡± Mu Tan said worriedly.


    Su Jing Fei thought about it. Although Mu Tan was disguised that night, her face was clearly visible to Feng Ruo Qian. There was a possibility he might recognize her. ¡°No,¡± The young woman decided decisively. ¡°It will be Yize and Si Qiang who will be going with me. Mu Tan, you will stay to protect Da Chun if anyone comes looking for her. Xiao Chen and Dongfan will be here to manage the household and keep an eye on Zihuan for me.¡±


    The yatou all agreed quickly with their xiaojie, although Mu Tan was still a bit hesitant to let her xiaojie go to the Feng residence without protection. But Su Jing Fei knew that the Feng family couldn¡¯t do anything directly to her; or else, they¡¯d risk ruining their spring festival, and she knew that a proud family like the Feng family would not like that at all. If anything, she¡¯d have to keep an eye out for underhanded tricks. The people of this era are notorious schemers after all.


    After finishing their food, Da Chun and Su Jing Fei spent a little time together chatting. The young girl wanted to learn everything she could about her new life, family, and especially her older sister. Meanwhile, Su Jing Fei also learned that Da Chun was quite skilled at sewing. That was something that Su Jing Fei liked to do as a pastime but usually was not creative enough to make pretty looking designs. Da Chun promised to teach her sister a few things before she retired to her room for the night.


    The spring festival was in a few days, giving Su Jing Fei time to get caught up on how the businesses were doing. Apparently, they were doing pretty well. Nothing extraordinary, but the community service she provided to commoners had earned her quite the reputation. Dongfan had also noticed a few strange individuals scoping out the businesses; Su Jing Fei was pretty sure they were Feng family servants, checking out the properties on the Feng family¡¯s behalf. Honestly, she didn¡¯t care if they knew she had retaken the properties back. It wasn¡¯t like she was hiding that. However, she knew she¡¯d have to pay the Guo family a visit to have their help in finding reliable guards to protect Mudan-Yu, especially since Da Chun was residing with her now.


    She paid a visit to the Guo family, bringing along Da Chun and a few treats. ¡°This one apologizes for being unable to visit more often.¡± Su Jing Fei spoke as she was seated with Da Chun beside her.


    ¡°No need for apologies. This lowly one is happy to see Su xiaojie in good health!¡± Xie shi replied, having the servants quickly serve tea to the two young women.


    Su Jing Fei smiled kindly, setting the treats on the table. Once the box was in view, a small chubby boy came running towards them. ¡°Jie jie!¡± came Mingyu¡¯s cheerful voice. He barreled into Su Jing Fei¡¯s open arms, snuggling into her belly. ¡°Jie jie feel better?¡±


    ¡°I feel a lot better, especially now that I can come see Ming¡¯er!¡± Su Jing Fei laughed, crouching down and pushing the boy¡¯s scruffy hair out of his face. He looked at her with big curious eyes.


    ¡°Jie jie snack?¡± He asked, pointing to the box on the table.


    ¡°Yes, I brought snacks especially for Ming¡¯er.¡± Su Jing Fei grabbed ahold of the box, pulling it open to show Mingyu the treats inside. He looked at them with an open mouth, drooling just a little bit. His hunger and desire were clearly displayed on that adorably innocent face. But suddenly, he caught sight of Da Chun, quickly hiding behind Su Jing Fei¡¯s figure as he peeked at Da Chun shyly.


    ¡°New jie jie¡­¡± He muttered, a little wary of Da Chun.


    Da Chun looked a little flustered, but she bent down as well and smiled brightly at Mingyu. ¡°This lowly one greats young master Mingyu! I¡¯ve heard so much about you. This lowly one is named Fang Dai Yu.¡± Da Chun almost stumbled on her name, but covered it up with an awkward smile.


    ¡°Jie jie sister?¡± Mingyu asked, looking between the two of them.


    Da Chun gave a surprised look, but Su Jing Fei merely quirked her eyebrow in amusement. The young boy was quite innocently perceptive; but those words could mean trouble if anyone else had the same thoughts, so she was quick to dispel the idea. ¡°This is Fang Dai Yu, a relative of my mother¡¯s family.¡± Su Jing Fei let the lies flow smoothly as she grabbed a treat and gave it to Mingyu. He took it happily and began chomping away while still holding onto Su Jing Fei¡¯s dress. ¡°Here, go play with the new jie jie. She¡¯s very nice. Why doesn¡¯t Ming¡¯er go show her your swing?¡± Su Jing Fei suggested with a smile.


    Mingyu perked up at the mention of playing, and he happily moved over to Da Chun¡¯s side, tugging on her hand. ¡°Ming ming has big swing! Jie jie come see!¡± He said in a muffled voice while still snacking.


    Da Chun knew her sister wanted a little privacy, so she happily followed Mingyu away. Xie shi commanded for her daughter to go follow them so Mingyu doesn¡¯t make any trouble; Guo Su Yin obliged and bowed quickly before Su Jing Fei as she ran to catch up to them. When it was just the two of them left, Xie shi dismissed the servants quickly, having realized that Su Jing Fei had wanted to speak in peace.


    ¡°This lowly one is truly glad to see Su xiaojie in good health,¡± Xie shi reiterated her words, but there was tinge of concern in her expression. ¡°This one hopes that it was not a similar incident as before?¡±


    Su Jing Fei trusted the Guo family, but she couldn¡¯t exactly tell them everything as well. She didn¡¯t know how far the Feng family¡¯s influence reached afterall. ¡°No need for Xie shi to worry about this one,¡± Su Jing Fei replied honestly with a small smile. ¡°This one merely fell into the pond by accident and became sick with a cold.¡±


    Xie shi nodded, understanding that Su Jing Fei was hiding something but that it wasn¡¯t something they would be speaking further about. The older woman had understood early on that Su Jing Fei was a rather mysterious person. She¡¯d heard things, as many older women are prone to hear gossips; and she had known of Su Jing Fei¡¯s situation before coming to Fuo Lan. However, the Su xiaojie was not as simple as people had made her to be. ¡°Is there anything that the Guo family can help Su xiaojie with?¡±


    ¡°This one merely has a few questions,¡± Su Jing Fei started out, comfortably sipping her tea. ¡°This one was invited to the Feng family¡¯s spring festival celebrations.¡±


    Xie shi was a bit confused at the direction of the conversation, but nodded in understanding. She knew that the city lord official invited all the noble and titled families to their spring festival celebrations. However, since the Guo family are merely merchants with no noble title, they were not invited despite their wealth and prestige within Fuo Lan. ¡°Yes, it is a well known fact that the Feng family like to make close connections with other nobility. If this one is correct, it should also be a celebration for the Feng xiaojie¡¯s coming of age as well.¡±


    ¡°Yes, this one has heard as much,¡± Su Jing Fei replied. ¡°However, this one is new to Fuo Lan and is a bit curious about the city lord official¡¯s Feng family. When this one had met second master Li Guo Wang, my servant Si Qiang had mentioned that the city lord¡¯s men were guarding the Guo manor. This one wonders why the city lord¡¯s guards were present and not the city justice official¡¯s men.¡±


    Xie shi was caught off guard by Su Jing Fei¡¯s question. ¡°When we had initially received the ransom letter at our home, the city lord had received news about the carriage blocking the main road between Fuo Lan and the imperial city. He came to inform us about the matter.¡±


    Su Jing Fei furrowed her brows. ¡°Why would the city lord receive news about the carriage blocking the main road?¡±


    ¡°Su xiaojie may not be aware since this is your first time travelling outside of the imperial city, but the city lord is tasked to keep the main road from Fuo Lan to the imperial city free and running smoothly for trade and travel purposes. This task was delegated by the emperor himself.¡± Xie shi explained.


    Su Jing Fei nodded her head in understanding. That was pretty reasonable considering the importance of Fuo Lan as the main trade city between Chu and Xinyi. However, there was something off about Xie shi''s words. Su Jing Fei had thought about something for awhile, and it had sat at the back of her mind while she had investigated the Feng family and Da Chun¡¯s whereabouts. ¡°This one is curious as to how the city lord knew the carriage belonged to the Guo family.¡±


    Xie shi gave a surprised expression. ¡°Well, it must be the family nameplate. I believe it had been recovered from the carriage.¡±


    ¡°That cannot be, because it was my servant Si Qiang who had taken the Guo family nameplate from the carriage when we had discovered it first. That was the reason why we had investigated the carriage in the first place; it was because this one had met Han shi and Mingyu and knew they were from the Guo family.¡± Su Jing Fei spoke quietly, setting down her teacup and placing her hands carefully onto her lap. The speculation she had about the Feng family was becoming more plausible as she spoke. ¡°My servant Si Qiang had presented it to the city lord¡¯s guards at the door to allow him entry to speak to the Guo family, but it had been taken from him when he was interrogated by the city lord''s men.¡±


    ¡°But that means¡­¡± Xie shi¡¯s words trailed off nervously.


    ¡°It means that the city lord¡¯s men would have no way of knowing that the carriage had belonged to the Guo family since I had taken the nameplate first when rescuing Mingyu.¡± Su Jing Fei said calmly. ¡°So the question then is, how did the city lord exactly know that the carriage belonged to the Guo family?¡±

 Chapter 16: A False Accusation

    ¡°This lowly one cannot remember if there is anything else that might identify the carriage as belong to our Guo family, but I will definitely speak with my husband about this matter,¡± Xie shi said in a low quick voice. ¡°This lowly one thanks Su xiaojie for her insight on the matter!¡±


    Su Jing Fei shook her head lightly. ¡°This one has been thinking about it for awhile and was only able to come by once I recovered.¡± She returned to finishing her tea as they spoke about other matters. ¡°How has Ming¡¯er been since returning home to Fuo Lan?¡±


    Xie shi gave a small smile. ¡°Ming¡¯er has been doing surprisingly well. However, he still cries most nights whenever he awakens to find that his parents are not at his side.¡±


    ¡°I hope we are able to find Li Guo Wei and Han shi soon. It is not good for a young child to be separated from his parents too long.¡± Su Jing Fei said softly, recalling her own memories of a parentless childhood. She wished Mingyu would be spared the harshness of growing up without parents; however, she knew that Mingyu still had a loving family and close relatives to take care of him. That was something to be thankful for at least. ¡°This one also has a question for Xie shi. Mudan-yu has a distinct lack of protection, and with all the current troubles surrounding Fuo Lan, this one hopes to find a reliable source of guards to watch over Mudan-yu.¡±


    ¡°It is definitely not good to lack protection in one¡¯s own home. This lowly one will procure a few reliable guards from the workhouse and send them to Mudan-yu.¡± Xie shi replied, but Su Jing Fei shook her head lightly in response.


    ¡°No need to trouble yourself,¡± Su Jing Fei smiled. ¡°This one will make a stop at a workhouse downtown to procure the guards personally.¡±


    Xie shi nodded in understanding. They continued chatting for a little bit until Ming¡¯er and everyone else returned. Su Jing Fei and Da Chun took their leave, promising to visit again soon. However, instead of returning immediately to Mudan-yu, they stopped at the workhouse to procure a few guards hand-selected by Su Jing Fei herself. Then they stopped by each shop; first the medicine shop, then the accessories shop, and lastly the clothing shop. However, once they arrived at Lanhua, a commotion could be heard from inside the shop. Someone, a female¡¯s voice, was shouting and causing a ruckus inside.


    ¡°Da xiaojie, this lowly one will go take a look,¡± said Si Qiang from outside the carriage.


    ¡°No need,¡± replied Su Jing Fei as the carriage rolled to a stop. ¡°It sounds to be nothing but a customer making a ruckus. I will go take care of it personally.¡± Si Qiang parked the carriage, moving quickly to help his xiaojie off the carriage. Yize stepped out to stay by her xiaojie¡¯s side; however, they were all surprised when Da Chun decided to come with as well. Mu Tan stood behind Da Chun, having been appointed by Su Jing Fei as her younger sister¡¯s personal yatou.


    ¡°I want to come,¡± Da Chun said firmly, giving Su Jing Fei a small smile. ¡°If I don¡¯t learn how to deal with a rude customer, then I won¡¯t be able to help you with the businesses in the future.¡±


    ¡°En,¡± Su Jing Fei replied. ¡°You make a good point. Follow me then.¡±


    Si Qiang stayed with the carriage as the four women made their way inside the Lanhua clothing shop. As they arrived inside, no one was there to greet them; instead, they heard a loud shrill voice shrieking, ¡°Take her outside and whip the truth out of her!¡± They came upon the scene of the shopkeeper being dragged by a man while two young women stood by and watched. The other workers watched helplessly from the sidelines, and Su Jing Fei could tell that it had to be a young noblewoman causing trouble. Who else would dare to be so commanding and authoritative in another person¡¯s store?


    ¡°For the moment, please unhand that woman until the issue has been resolved.¡± Su Jing Fei spoke in a firm voice to the guard who was trying to drag the shopkeeper out. He hesitantly paused, glancing back at the young woman dressed in light pink.


    The young woman was dressed quite well, so she certainly came from a family with money. However, her pretty face was bunched up into a haughty expression, glowering at Su Jing Fei when the latter had spoken. ¡°Who do you think you are to obstruct me?¡± The young girl argued, looking displeased at Su Jing Fei¡¯s calm expression as she continued to block the man¡¯s path. ¡°Push her aside and bring the girl out to be whipped!¡±


    Just as the man was about to forcibly push his way past, Mu Tan stepped forward and stopped him from coming in contact with Su Jing Fei. ¡°You dare try to put your hands on my da xiaojie?¡±


    ¡°Insolent servant! The Feng family will not tolerate this!¡± commanded the young woman in a vicious voice. The other workers looked terrified. ¡°Take her outside and beat her as well!¡±


    At the mention of that family¡¯s name, Su Jing Fei¡¯s calm demeanor shifted, and her skin prickled with suppressed anger. However, she could feel uneasiness and fear coming from Da Chun and Yize, so she dampened her mood and revealed a polite smile. ¡°And what exactly will the Feng family not tolerate?¡±


    ¡°Stupid girl, this is the Feng family¡¯s er xiaojie, Feng Eu Heng!¡± spat the older yatou at the young girl¡¯s side.


    ¡°Jie jie¡­¡± whispered Da Chun worriedly at Su Jing Fei¡¯s side. Her hand tugged nervously at Su Jing Fei¡¯s sleeve.


    Su Jing Fei gave Da Chun a comforting smile. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll take care of it, so just stay by Yize¡¯s side.¡± The young woman stepped forward and laid a hand on Mu Tan¡¯s arm. ¡°Stand down, Mu Tan. If Feng xiaojie has any complaints, this one suggests she give them to me. As the owner of a shop, responsibility naturally falls on my shoulders.¡± Su Jing Fei turned to the guard. ¡°Release the young woman as I have taken responsibility for the matter.¡± The guard looked hesitant, but he let go of the shopkeeper who quickly scrambled to her feet and ran to Su Jing Fei¡¯s side.


    Feng Eu Heng looked a bit surprised, realizing that the calm young woman before her was none other than Su Jing Fei! She¡¯d heard from her family about the trouble this girl had caused, about the threat Su Jing Fei posed by taking back the shops from the Feng family. The girl was supposed to be bedridden with an illness, so Feng Eu Heng had decided to come by to make some trouble. She hadn¡¯t expected to find Su Jing Fei walking around looking as calm and in good health as she did. However, her confidence only wavered for a second before she remembered all the things she¡¯d heard about Su Jing Fei from the imperial city. ¡°Hah, a girl with a horrible reputation such as yours still dares to go against me, the Fuo Lan city lord¡¯s granddaughter?¡±


    Su Jing Fei smiled. ¡°It seems Feng xiaojie forgets. What is Fuo Lan¡¯s city lord compared to the Right Prime Minister of the Emperor?¡±


    Feng Eu Heng glared at Su Jing Fei; however, she didn¡¯t have the words to refute the other young woman. She gritted her teeth as she replied next. ¡°Then would the Right Prime Minister¡¯s daughter like to explain how this happened to clothes I had ordered from your very shop?¡± She threw a piece of clothing in Su Jing Fei¡¯s direction. It landed on the floor in front of them.


    The shopkeeper quickly ran forward, grabbing the cloth and holding it up in front of Su Jing Fei as she remained on her knees and bowed respectfully. ¡°Xiaojie, please take a look! When this item was sold to Feng xiaojie, it was not in this state!¡±


    Su Jing Fei took the clothing into her hands. It appeared to be a pretty floral outer coat. However, upon further inspection, one could see the lining of the collar was ripped out to reveal crude hay hidden underneath. This was clearly made with ill intent since the crude hay would rub against the cloth and irritate the back of the wearer¡¯s neck and likely cause redness and uncontrollable itchiness ; however, there was no reason for Su Jing Fei to abuse her power in this way to offend the Feng family. Therefore, there was only one conclusion; the Feng family was specifically looking for trouble with her. ¡°The shopkeeper says that this piece of clothing was not in such a state when sold to Feng xiaojie. There is no reason for Lanhua to do this to Feng xiaojie¡¯s clothing, so it can only be said that the alterations were made after being brought back to the Feng manor.¡± Su Jing Fei voiced her opinion honestly. ¡°Please take back this clothing and investigate properly at the Feng manor.¡±You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    ¡°Nonsense!¡± argued Feng Eu Heng persistently. ¡°This piece of clothing never left this one¡¯s side, even when returning to the Feng manor. No one would have been able to alter the clothing without my knowledge! Therefore, it must¡¯ve been done here at the shop before one had purchased it!¡±


    Su Jing Fei held back a sigh. It was like trying to reason with a child, and her patience was wearing thin. She knew that it was an unreasonable accusation against her shop; due to its immature nature, this scheme was most likely initiated by Feng Eu Heng herself. However, she wanted to spare the young girl further embarrassment, so she spoke the truth in her next words. ¡°There is no reason why Lanhua would personally alter Feng xiaojie¡¯s clothing with such wicked intentions. Feng xiaojie is mistaken, and this one urges you to return home to resolve the matter peacefully.¡±


    Both Feng Eu Heng and Su Jing Fei knew that Su Jing Fei had taken the shops back from the Feng family, thus causing trouble between the two parties. However, this dispute was a private matter, and Feng Eu Heng¡¯s accusations held no real threat in the public eye due to its nonsensical nature. However, Su Jing Fei was not prepared for Feng Eu Heng¡¯s next words.


    ¡°There is a reason!¡± Feng Eu Heng stubbornly insisted. ¡°Su xiaojie is jealous that I have caught the attention of an imperial prince while your own engagement to one was broken!¡± Feng Eu Heng gave a smug look, knowing just how much Su Jing Fei had coveted her engagement to the third prince Chen Hui Zhe. She had guessed that the broken engagement would be a sore spot to the other young woman, especially since it was quite damaging to one¡¯s ego and reputation when rejected by a prince! However, she wasn¡¯t expecting for Su Jing Fei to break into a smile, and she felt a cold chill run up her spine at the sight of it. Su Jing Fei was nothing like how the rumors had made her out to be! Where was the haughty, prideful, and childish young woman they spoke of?


    Su Jing Fei was unfazed by Feng Eu Heng¡¯s words, keeping a refined manner as she continued to speak. ¡°If Feng xiaojie insists on maintaining the accusations against this one, then there is no other choice than to seek a third party to give an unbiased judgment on the matter. This one thinks that calling for the city justice official shall do.¡±


    Feng Eu Heng was hesitant, but before she could protest, Su Jing Fei had already ordered Yize to take Da Chun outside and have Si Qiang get the city lord official. There was nothing left to do but wait for his arrival as the two young women stood apart from one another, observing each other carefully. Feng Eu Heng had taken notice of Su Jing Fei¡¯s calm and cold demeanor. She knew that her accusations were a bit far-fetched; however, she wouldn¡¯t have come if she wasn¡¯t properly prepared to slander Su Jing Fei¡¯s name. Earlier when they had purchased the clothing, Feng Eu Heng had ordered her personal yatou Shan to carefully remove the collar to add the crude hay. Then they had proceeded to resew the collar into place with new thread that was identical to the previous thread used. Although her accusations were a bit far-fetched, there was no way anyone could deny that the clothing was not from Lanhua. Feng Eu Heng grew happy at the thought of the city justice official coming to arrest Su Jing Fei once the blame fell on Lanhua. That¡¯ll teach the stupid woman what happens to those who mess with the Feng family!


    When the city justice official finally arrived, the older man looked just a bit irritated at having been called out to settle a petty dispute between two noblewomen. He had more important matters to attend to, but he couldn¡¯t deny the request of xiaojie from such prominent families either. He hoped that the matter could be resolved quickly, but when he was briefed on the dispute between the two xiaojie, his brows furrowed further in irritation.


    ¡°Please seek justice for this lowly one, city justice official!¡± spoke Feng Eu Heng in a soft voice that differed greatly from her shrill argumentative one from earlier. The young woman acted like she had truly been wronged, making herself appear weak and soft as compared to Su Jing Fei who kept her calm and refined manner.


    ¡°Get me a similar piece of clothing from the shop,¡± commanded Sun Rong Shu to a nearby servant as he ignored Feng Eu Heng¡¯s attempts to garner his pity. He had no use for emotions in his judgment; there was only truth and lies in the matter that would dictate his fair verdict. While the servant went to fetch another piece of clothing, the city justice official finally addressed the two xiaojie before him. ¡°Since this city justice official has been called for, he will treat this matter seriously. Therefore, this means that whoever is found to be the true culprit will be arrested for their crimes accordingly.¡±


    Feng Eu Heng became a bit nervous at the city justice official¡¯s words, but she tried to keep as calm as Su Jing Fei was. However, her posture was just a little too upright, and her hands were clasped just a bit too tightly in front of her. Su Jing Fei remained standing to the side with Mu Tan at her side; while she was relatively relaxed and calm, one could see the coldness in her expression that was unbefitting for a young woman her age. Her dark black eyes seemed pools of deep water, reflecting everything and nothing at once. Sun Rong Shu was just a little curious about this Su xiaojie he¡¯d heard about before, and he was honestly impressed by her calm demeanor. Most other people would be pleading for his fair judgment, hoping to gain his pity and support through their words, but he saw no such attempt from the young girl. She had quite a refined air about her; Sun Rong Shu wondered if it was the effect of having grown up in the imperial city that caused Su Jing Fei to be so well-mannered. Either way, he wasn¡¯t here to pass judgment on people¡¯s characters; merely on their actions and the consequences stemming from them. In the meantime, he heard both young women tell their side of the stories and the circumstances leading up to his arrival.


    Once the servant returned, Sun Rong Shu was handed a similar piece of clothing; he began to inspect the clothing carefully. There was no doubt that the cloth and thread was the same as those used in Lanhua. Even the stitching was the same. However, as his fingers ran over the threading of the both pieces of clothing, he found something peculiar. ¡°Would Su xiaojie please explain the process of how a piece of clothing like this would be made in Lanhua?¡± Sun Rong Shu asked as he stopped his inspection and turned his attention to Su Jing Fei.


    ¡°Yes, this lowly one can explain,¡± Su Jing Fei said politely. ¡°The fabric is measured and cut to form the shapes of the clothing. For this type of particular clothing, the collar of the robe is important in its shape and ability to define the wearer¡¯s features. However, it is also important to be comfortable and not heavy on the shoulders for long-term wear. Therefore, Lanhua uses light materials to form the collar of the robe and the threading is thin and tight. To avoid the thread from undoing, a small bit of wax is melted and poured onto the ends of the thread and cooled.¡±


    Feng Eu Heng began to tremble fearfully; she had never heard of such a thing being done before! To have overlooked such a peculiar and insignificant method, she was truly afraid at the implications of what might happen if the city justice official found the small difference between the two!


    However, Sun Rong Shu was not a dumb man, and he had indeed already noticed the difference between the two clothing. On the robe obtained from Lanhua, there was a small amount of melted wax at the ends of the threads; it was imperceptible to the eye, but upon touch, he could feel the difference in texture. ¡°This city justice official was called to infer a fair judgment in the dispute between Su xiaojie and Feng xiaojie. After careful observation, this one has discovered that the clothing from Feng xiaojie differs from Su xiaojie. Upon respect for the city lord¡¯s Feng family, this one shall ask Feng xiaojie if she still wishes to accuse Su xiaojie of tampering with the clothing with ill intent to harm.¡±


    ¡°That can¡¯t be possible!¡± Feng Eu Heng said stubbornly, having forgotten her earlier demeanor. ¡°This one has definitely been setup by Su Jing Fei! Why would this lowly one seek to harm herself? That doesn¡¯t make any sense!¡± Just as she was about to argue some more, Su Jing Fei suddenly spoke up. Her calm voice irritated Feng Eu Heng to no end, but Feng Eu Heng was truly shocked to hear the other woman¡¯s words.


    ¡°This lowly one also agrees with Feng xiaojie. Why would Feng xiaojie seek to harm herself?¡± Su Jing Fei remarked at the surprise of everyone around her. ¡°When wearing such a robe, the weight of clothing will bring the collar down on the back of the neck causing irritations on the skin. It will be quite itchy and uncomfortable, prompting most people to scratch at such an irritation. For a xiaojie to suffer through such a thing, the delicate skin would need to be treated or else the skin will remain red and irritated.¡±


    Sun Rong Shu knew what Su Jing Fei was implying. If Feng Eu Heng had truly worn the robe and suffered such an irritation, she¡¯d suffer redness and marks on the back of her neck from the irritation; since Feng Eu Heng had claimed to return immediately to the store upon uncovering the hay hidden under the collar, that meant that she had no time to get the skin treated. Feng Eu Heng also realized this fact, glaring in Su Jing Fei¡¯s direction. However, a cold gaze returned her anger, and Feng Eu Heng suddenly felt like prey caught in a hunter¡¯s trap. Su Jing Fei kept the smile on her face as she calmly said, ¡°Would Feng xiaojie please forgive our rudeness and let a doctor examine your neck  for the purpose of confirming Feng xiaojie¡¯s accusations?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Feng Eu Heng stuttered, unsure of what to do next. She had merely come by to cause trouble for Su Jing Fei, not to become the victim of her own scheme!


    Sun Rong Shu wasted no further time, gesturing to one of his guards nearby. ¡°Take the Feng xiaojie to the city jail and keep her detained there. A notice will be sent to the Feng family informing them of her imprisonment for false accusations and disruption of the peace in Fuo Lan!¡±

 Chapter 17: The Spring Festival

    ¡°No, this is wrong! I¡¯m innocent!¡± shrieked Feng Eu Heng as Sun Rong Shu¡¯s guard stepped forward to detain her. ¡°Su Jing Fei set me up! You have to believe me!¡±


    ¡°Xiaojie!¡± cried the yatou Shan as her xiaojie was forcibly taken from her grasp. ¡°Our xiaojie is innocent! Please! Er xiaojie!¡± The yatou sobbed, trying to grab ahold of Feng Eu Heng as she was being pulled away by the city justice official¡¯s men.


    ¡°This city justice official will send someone to the city lord¡¯s manor to inform the Feng family of the circumstances that took place today.¡± Sun Rong Shu spoke with a sigh, feeling tired from wasting his time settling such a childish dispute. While he knew of the Feng family¡¯s troublesome nature in throwing around power, Sun Rong Shu was actually surprised by the Right Prime Minister¡¯s da xiaojie Su Jing Fei. He wasn¡¯t one for listening to gossips, but his wife had mentioned to him about the matters within the imperial city that caused Su Jing Fei to come to Fuo Lan. He was initially prepared to deal with a lot more trouble, but Su Jing Fei¡¯s demeanor had really contradicted her infamous reputation. Her calculative words were polite yet cut straight to the point. It was easy to have one¡¯s guard thrown off when facing such an unassuming young woman, and he was just a bit wary of her sharp yet calm nature.


    ¡°This lowly one thanks the city justice official for taking his time to come by to settle this matter.¡± Su Jing Fei bowed respectfully before the older man.


    ¡°This one is merely doing his job,¡± replied Sun Rong Shu stiffly. He honestly didn¡¯t know how to deal with people like Su Jing Fei. ¡°We¡¯ll be taking our leave then.¡± He turned around to command all the servants as they all left as quickly as they had come.


    Su Jing Fei watched the older man leave, stepping forward to take ahold of the altered robe that had been left behind. She was lucky that the Sun Rong Shu was a critical and meticulous man; otherwise, she wasn¡¯t sure if he¡¯d notice the small difference in the clothing like she had. However, she also knew that his honest and upright nature would definitely be wary of her own peculiar nature. She knew she could¡¯ve put up a better facade, but somehow, it seemed like Sun Rong Shu would¡¯ve seen right through her act. So she¡¯d chosen not to act at all. At least, it turned out for the best and Feng Eu Heng was sitting prettily in jail for the time being. Su Jing Fei knew the act of detaining the Feng xiaojie was no real criminal conviction, but it was satisfying to see nonetheless.


    ¡°Da xiaojie, it¡¯s getting late. We should return home soon. Da Chun and the others must be worried.¡± Mu Tan remarked quietly at Su Jing Fei¡¯s side, having noticed her xiaojie¡¯s quiet reflection.


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right.¡± Su Jing Fei agreed, quickly wrapping things up so that they could head home. She gave all the workers the rest of the day off, and she also spoke briefly with the shopkeeper to give her a few days of rest time due to the rather traumatic nature of almost being whipped to death. However, the shopkeeper was extremely grateful for Su Jing Fei¡¯s intervention and wanted to repay her; they eventually settled on having the shopkeeper take the next day off before returning to work.


    They returned to Mudan-yu quickly and were greeted by very worried and nervous expressions. Su Jing Fei took the initiative to explain, hoping to appease her younger sister¡¯s worries. ¡°The city justice official is an upright and honest man, and he was able to see through Feng Eu Heng¡¯s scheme. There¡¯s no need to worry about her causing trouble for us again. She¡¯s most likely learned her lesson by now.¡±


    Da Chun was seated at a table with Su Jing Fei as food was being set out. Her expression still showed concern for her sister. ¡°The Feng family are very powerful here in Fuo Lan¡­ This one hopes jie jie can be careful around them. They are not good people.¡± The young girl fiddled nervously with her fingers, looking just a bit afraid.


    ¡°I will be careful,¡± Su Jing Fei promised with a warm smile. ¡°The Feng family may have power here in Fuo Lan, but they cannot do anything openly without receiving judgment from the city justice official.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but what will jie jie do now that Feng Eu Heng has been sent to jail due to the dispute at Lanhua?¡± Da Chun asked worriedly. ¡°Will you still go to the Feng family¡¯s spring festival celebration?¡±


    ¡°I have already accepted their invitation. It is common courtesy to show one¡¯s face once already committed,¡± Su Jing Fei replied as the servants finally finished setting the table with food. ¡°I am happy for your worry over me, but there is no need. Come, let us eat and then you can show me how to sew a bit before night falls.¡±


    Da Chun sighed, but she knew her sister was a very capable person. After being rescued from Xia-Wu, her sister has been nothing but kind and gentle towards such a simple and naive girl like herself. She couldn¡¯t help but worry about her strong and brave sister, and Da Chun was well aware that the Feng family will not leave them alone no matter what. The least she could do was worry and warn her sister while spending as much time together as they could to make up for lost time. She was genuinely happy with Su Jing Fei in Mudan-yu, and she thanked the ancestors for answering her prayers.


    Su Jing Fei saw Da Chen eating happily, and she couldn¡¯t help smile at the sight of it. Although she had planned to live a peaceful life in Fuo Lan, she knew that she had to show face to the Feng family and let them know that their tyranny will not break apart her family any more. She¡¯d have to be very careful when attending the spring festival celebration; there was no doubt that the Feng family would seek revenge for Feng Eu Heng¡¯s ruined reputation. She just hoped that all her preparations for the spring festival celebration will prove useful.


    Over the next few days, Su Jing Fei showed Da Chun the three businesses, so the two young women took many trips in and out of Mudan-yu; they explored Fuo Lan as well, seeming almost inseparable to everyone. However, on the morning of the spring festival banquet, Su Jing Fei sat alone at her dresser while carefully preparing for her entrance into Fuo Lan noble society. So far, she hadn¡¯t interacted with any noble families despite having been in Fuo Lan for a few months now; no invitations and no boring parties for her, luckily. But this was an event that she couldn¡¯t miss, and she couldn¡¯t avoid interacting with others so she had to be meticulously dressed the part of a young noblewoman.


    The yatou helped their xiaojie into a plain purplish blue spring clothes that had been prepared by Lanhua; it was a surprising choice for their young xiaojie because the colors and design were quite old-fashioned, unlike the bright pinks and yellows that most young xiaojie wore. However, they were pleasantly pleased with their hard work when Su Jing Fei sat before them. Her long black hair was made up and pinned with the unique pin darts that Su Jing Fei were quite fond of. Although Su Jing Fei¡¯s clothes were quite plain, she had quite a pleasant and appealing appearance.


    ¡°Are you sure you want to wear those clothes, da xiaojie?¡± Xiao Chen inquired as she finished touching up Su Jing Fei¡¯s hair.


    ¡°Yes,¡± replied Su Jing Fei with a smile. ¡°This one think these clothes are quite suitable for me.¡±


    The yatou observed their xiaojie closely before agreeing that she was quite right. Su Jing Fei¡¯s old-fashioned clothing only enhanced her calm and refined appearance without being too bright or eye-catching.


    ¡°Have Si Qiang prepare the carriage.¡± Su Jing Fei said as she stood up. She had originally planned to bid Da Chun farewell, but since it was so early in the morning, she had decided to let the young girl sleep in for the day. With Yize at her side, Su Jing Fei quietly left Mudan-yu and headed to the Feng family¡¯s residence near the lake. To her knowledge, the Feng family owned quite a few residences in Fuo Lan. It was a rather wasteful show of wealth and power in Su Jing Fei¡¯s opinion, however. Su Jing Fei closed her eyes to rest a little bit, but it wasn¡¯t long before she was awakened by the sound of Si Qiang¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Da xiaojie, we¡¯ve arrived,¡± Si Qiang said from outside the carriage. ¡°However, there appears to be a long line of carriages leading up to the residence.¡±


    As the carriage slowed down, Su Jing Fei lifted the ends of the window curtains to observe outside as they slowly approached the Feng family residence. There seemed to be quite a lot of noble families in attendance today. Men and women entered the residence in their separate entrances, so Su Jing Fei¡¯s carriage geared towards the left side of the residence where the women gathered. As they finally approached the carriage, Si Qiang stopped the carriage to help his xiaojie. Su Jing Fei carefully stepped down from the carriage with Yize following close behind. Her gaze swept across the crowd of women who seemed curious of the unfamiliar xiaojie who had just arrived.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°Stay close, Yize.¡± Su Jing Fei remarked quietly as Si Qiang left them to move the carriage. The young yatou looked a bundle of nerves, but she managed to relax a little as she stepped behind Su Jing Fei¡¯s figure, away from the prying eyes of the women who watched them closely. They were in unfamiliar territory now, and she knew that as soon as she walked into the residence, the Feng family would no doubt begin their schemes of revenge against her.


    Su Jing Fei walked forward and into the crowd, but a servant suddenly ran up to greet her. ¡°This lowly one greets xiaojie and welcomes her to the Feng family residence. May this lowly one ask which family the xiaojie comes from?¡± All the other women had not been stopped, but that was understandable since the Feng family¡¯s servants most likely did not recognize her.


    ¡°This is the da xiaojie of the Right Prime Minister¡¯s Su family.¡± Yize stepped up to announce her xiaojie.


    The servant gave a look of surprise before quickly bowing low before Su Jing Fei. ¡°This lowly one apologizes for his rudeness!¡± Despite his words, he did not step aside to let her past. ¡°This lowly one was instructed to bring Su xiaojie to meet the Feng furens and da xiaojie.¡±


    It appeared that the women of the Feng family were quite eager to meet her. ¡°This one will follow. Please lead the way.¡± Su Jing Fei replied calmly as the servant began leading them through the crowd of women. They entered a large garden backyard where the women lingered to admire spring flowers; deeper into the garden, a seating area had been setup to receive guests. A grand table and seats were placed on a raised platform next to the general seating area, and there was no doubt that this was where the women of the Feng family seated themselves.


    ¡°The da xiaojie of the Right Prime Minister¡¯s Su family has arrived!¡± announced the servant as he stepped forward and bowed before his masters.


    The women at the table stopped talking, their gazes sizing up Su Jing Fei as she stepped forward to give her proper greetings. ¡°I am Su Jing Fei, da xiaojie of the Su family. This one greets the Feng family furens and xiaojie.¡±


    An older woman looked at Su Jing Fei with unconcealed contempt, but it was the middle-aged woman who spoke first. ¡°This one greets Su xiaojie and thanks her for coming to attend the spring festival celebrations. I am Zhao shi, furen of the first son¡¯s family.¡± The woman smiled and spoke politely.


    Su Jing Fei¡¯s eyes darkened for just a moment. If she was the furen of the first son¡¯s family, then that meant she was Feng Ruo Qian¡¯s wife! Su Jing Fei bowed respectfully, tilting her head down to conceal her emotions. ¡°This one thanks the Feng family for their hospitality.¡±


    ¡°Su xiaojie is too polite,¡± Zhao shi said with a light laugh. ¡°Quite unlike my youngest daughter Feng Eu Heng who only likes to cause trouble. This one hopes Su xiaojie does not take the matters to heart. Feng Eu Heng is only a child after all.¡±


    The woman did not waste any time in throwing out the matter of Feng Eu Heng. If Feng Eu Heng was a child, then wasn¡¯t she as well? If the outcome of Feng Eu Heng¡¯s scheme had implicated Su Jing Fei, they would surely not say the same thing.¡°There is no need for Furen to worry,¡± Su Jing Fei replied with a smile. ¡°It was merely a misunderstanding. This one is happy to know that Furen is so kind and understanding.¡±


    ¡°Pah!¡± The older woman sitting further back made a sound of disgust. Clearly, she wasn¡¯t quite so ready to play nice with Su Jing Fei in front of everyone.


    ¡°Please forgive my mother-in-law,¡± spoke Zhao shi with a small smile. ¡°She dotes on Eu Heng quite often and was very upset about the incident.¡±


    ¡°It is no trouble.¡± Su Jing Fei replied politely. So the older woman was the Feng Lao Furen and the city lord¡¯s wife. She looked to be quite an unreasonable and haughty woman, but Su Jing Fei knew that the real trouble would lie with Zhao shi. A woman who was married to a man like Feng Ruo Qian was no simple woman.


    ¡°Since Su xiaojie is new to Fuo Lan, you must be quite unfamiliar with the noble families. If Su xiaojie does not mind, my eldest daughter can introduce you to a few xiaojie from noble families.¡± Zhao shi suggested just as a young woman stepped forward.


    The young woman had quite a beautiful appearance with her small face and porcelain skin; her delicate features seemed soft and kind, and her gentle voice complemented such an appearance. ¡°I am Feng Eu Mei, da xiaojie of the first son¡¯s family. This one hopes Su xiaojie will allow me to introduce you to some of my friends.¡±


    ¡°This one thanks Feng xiaojie for her kindness.¡± Su Jing Fei responded with a respectful bow.


    Zhao shi urged them to go mingle, and Feng Eu Mei took the initiative to lead Su Jing Fei away from the seating area and back to the large garden. Once they entered the garden, Feng Eu Mei slowed down to walk beside Su Jing Fei, chatting in a friendly manner. They talked about useless things like clothing and jewelry, and Feng Eu Mei inquired a bit about the imperial city since she¡¯d never been there before. However, it wasn¡¯t long before their conversation was interrupted by a group of xiaojie who approached them. They greeted Feng Eu Mei politely and looked at Su Jing Fei curiously.


    ¡°Who is this xiaojie?¡± asked one of the women in a rather rude tone.


    ¡°This is the da xiaojie of the Su family. Her father is the Right Prime Minister.¡± Feng Eu Mei responded quickly.


    The women who were all initially curious turned to look at Su Jing Fei with haughty expressions, some giggled and whispered quietly. ¡°This one heard that Su xiaojie used to be engaged with the third prince Chen Hui Zhe?¡± One of them asked. They suddenly began throwing questions at Su Jing Fei, not caring for her answers as they conversed among themselves.


    ¡°But the third prince didn¡¯t want her and instead protected the shu daughter of the Minister of Justice¡¯s Jiang family!¡±


    ¡°So Su xiaojie is just a castaway and used woman then?¡±


    The women all laughed and continued talking. Su Jing Fei glanced at Feng Eu Mei who still kept her kind expression and smile but said nothing. If this was all the Feng family had in store for her, she had severely overestimated them; as they had underestimated her it seemed. If these xiaojie wanted to gossip in front of her, of course she had not choice but to join in. Su Jing Fei turned to Feng Eu Mei with a smile. ¡°Speaking of imperial princes, this one does recall that the Feng er xiaojie mentioned catching the eye of an imperial prince. Does the Feng da xiaojie know anything of the matter?¡±


    For just a brief moment, Feng Eu Mei¡¯s face turned a bit red, but Su Jing Fei couldn¡¯t tell if it was from embarrassment or anger. ¡°Feng Eu Heng is still just a child and is merely speaking nonsense.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± chimed one of the woman. ¡°Feng Eu Heng is dreaming if she thinks the imperial prince Li Wei Sheng would favor her over Feng Eu Mei. Eu Mei is a thousand times more talented than any other xiaojie in Fuo Lan.¡±


    ¡°Everyone is too kind,¡± Feng Eu Mei blushed, turning away shyly. ¡°This one has only met the imperial prince a few times!¡±


    Su Jing Fei wanted to laugh at Feng Eu Mei¡¯s contradictory words; one moment the women were insulting Su Jing Fei and in the next, they were praising Feng Eu Mei. That was truly a biased kindness. However, Su Jing Fei was quite curious about the latter statement. If Li Wei Sheng had met with Feng Eu Mei, then he¡¯d definitely met with Feng Ruo Qian as himself prior to Xia-Wu. She had wondered a bit about Li Wei Sheng¡¯s true intentions and motivations. In the movie Blossoms in the Wind, Li Wei Sheng had earned his title as the Emperor¡¯s Left Prime Minister after returning from his travels around Chu; this was after the original Su Jing Fei had already been banished to Fuo Lan. She knew from the movie that he had gone on a secret mission for the Emperor, which is why the Emperor trusted him so much; but how was all of that connected to Feng Ruo Qian and Fuo Lan?


    Feng Eu Mei seemed in no hurry to leave as she chatted excitedly with the other women among the flowers. Su Jing Fei stood by with no real purpose and idly admired the flowers at her side. Every once in a while, someone would throw an insult in her direction, but seeing that she didn¡¯t respond, everyone would grow bored. Suddenly, their loud voices quieted into whispers, drawing Su Jing Fei¡¯s attention back from her thoughts.


    From across the bushes of flowers, Su Jing Fei could see the figures of young men strolling through the garden. So that was the reason these young women lingered here. It seemed that the garden was an area of intermingling between the two sexes, which was quite rare at celebrations. No wonder the xiaojie suddenly became soft-spoken with demure expressions. Their changes in attitude were like snakes pretending to be harmless sticks; quite funny to see.


    ¡°Older brother!¡± Feng Eu Mei said happily as a group of young men approached them.


    The young man leading the group had Feng Eu Mei¡¯s same eyes and Zhao shi¡¯s high forehead, and he looked like quite an ambitious young man from first appearance. His clothes were of the best quality, and he wore heroic blues and silvers. Su Jing Fei had done her fair share of research and knew that Feng Ruo Qian had a son named Feng Ru Weng; with the confident way he walked and seemingly talked, this was no doubt Feng Ruo Qian¡¯s son. However, she didn¡¯t quite expect to see a familiar face among his entourage.


    The young man glanced at the group of xiaojie before him until he caught sight of Su Jing Fei. ¡°This one is glad to see that Su xiaojie has recovered from her illness and looking well.¡± Li Wei Sheng said with a smile. He looked quite amused at seeing her.


    ¡°This lowly one thanks the imperial prince for his concern.¡± Su Jing Fei said respectfully. Speak of the devil, she thought. His appearance could only mean more trouble for her.

 Chapter 18: Feng Eu Meis Jealousy

    ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡± asked Feng Ru Weng as he openly sized up Su Jing Fei with an interested gaze.


    ¡°This is the da xiaojie of the Right Prime Minister Su Xuan Mo¡¯s family.¡± Li Wei Sheng introduced her as though they were familiar.


    ¡°This one greets young master Feng Ru Weng,¡± spoke Su Jing Fei with polite bow. ¡°My name is Su Jing Fei.¡±


    Upon realizing who Su Jing Fei was, Feng Ru Weng¡¯s face turned into a look of irritation. It was quite obvious that he did not hold her in high regard, despite her coming from a higher-ranking family than he. But with Li Wei Sheng present, they¡¯d have to stick to the proper manners and pleasantries, so Feng Ru Weng gave her a lackluster greeting back.


    From her peripheral, Su Jing Fei caught a look of anger from Feng Eu Mei. It was quite obvious that the xiaojie had quite a crush on Li Wei Sheng. However, since she was still playing the part of kind and pure xiaojie, Feng Eu Mei could not say anything in regards to Su Jing Fei and Li Wei Sheng¡¯s acquaintance. It wasn¡¯t really all that special anyhow, so she wished he wouldn¡¯t act so familiar.


    Feng Ru Weng was quick to change the topic however, and he began speaking to Feng Eu Mei, completely ignoring Su Jing Fei. She didn¡¯t mind; her true purpose for attending the spring festival celebration was only to show face to the Fuo Lan noble families and gather a bit of information about the Feng family themselves. The young men and women chatted merrily among themselves, and Su Jing Fei observed quietly.


    However, it seemed Feng Eu Mei would not let Su Jing Fei off easy, seemingly holding some kind of grudge at the fact that Li Wei Sheng had greeted Su Jing Fei first over her. ¡°Su xiaojie is about the same age as me, but she has already been engaged once prior. One can say she is quite the experienced, so this one hopes to learn a lot of things from her.¡± Feng Eu Mei gave her warmest smile, reaching over to grab ahold of Su Jing Fei¡¯s hand and patting it gently. ¡°This one hopes Su xiaojie will be able to stay in Fuo Lan for a long time.¡±


    Despite her pretty words of friendship, a considerable amount of insult was contained in those words, and some of the other young men and women snickered quietly because they were well aware of Su Jing Fei¡¯s predicament. However, Feng Eu Mei was truly surprised as Su Jing Fei placed a hand atop of hers and gave a gentle smile in return. ¡°This one has nothing to teach Feng xiaojie because one¡¯s engagement was determined since childhood, so one did not have a say in one¡¯s previous betrothal. However, Feng xiaojie is pretty, kind, and has come of age recently; there must be quite a few men hoping to impress Feng xiaojie in hopes of your hand in marriage. This one hopes Feng xiaojie can choose her husband wisely.¡±


    Feng Eu Mei suddenly felt rather uncomfortable at the affectionate touch, and she quickly pulled her hands away from Su Jing Fei, plastering a smile on her face as she thanked Su Jing Fei for her kind words. From all the information Su Jing Fei had gathered, it seemed the Feng family really regarded Feng Eu Mei highly since she was quite beautiful and talented; with such a daughter like her, there was no doubt the ambitious Feng family would hope to catch the eye of an imperial prince like Li Wei Sheng as a son-in-law. To become a phoenix was every young woman¡¯s dream, and it seemed like Feng Eu Mei was no different.


    Suddenly, servants came through the garden to inform everyone that the spring festival celebrations were beginning, and it was time for the banquet. The young men and women made their way to the large banquet hall and were seated accordingly. Su Jing Fei was separated from everyone else and took her own seat at a quiet corner. At the front of the hall, Su Jing Fei finally spotted Feng Ruo Qian seated at a table with Feng Ru Weng at his side. Zhao shi sat across from them with Feng Eu Mei. At the head of the table sat an older man; he appeared to have gotten quite comfortable in his years as the girth around his weight stretched his robes quite tightly. His mouth was perpetually pursed from the weight of his cheeks, and he appeared to move with slow restrained movements. With the Feng Lao Furen sitting at his side, the man was no doubt the patriarchal leader of the Feng family, the city lord Feng Ruo Zhang. With all of them gathered together, it was quite tempting for Su Jing Fei to exact her revenge at the banquet right then and there. However, she still had to keep Da Chun safe, and striking out was not the best way to protect her younger sister. For now, she had to bide her time before she could possess the means to exact revenge on the Feng family. The first step, however, was to show the Feng family that she was not someone to be easily trifled with.


    The banquet proceeded without much fanfare; however, Feng Ruo Zhang did say a few words of celebration in regards to the spring festival. Cups of plum wine were brought out to everyone, including Su Jing Fei. She observed the wine carefully, glancing at the Feng family sitting at front and catching the eye of Feng Eu Mei who looked away quickly. From the looks of it, the plum wine wasn¡¯t as simple as it seemed.


    Yize watched worriedly as her xiaojie downed the whole cup of plum wine. ¡°Da xiaojie, this lowly one suggests you drink it a little slower. Especially since you aren¡¯t used to drinking wine¡­¡±


    Su Jing Fei gave the young yatou a reassuring smile. ¡°Thank you for worrying about me, Yize. However, you must keep an eye on the Feng xiaojie and gongzi<sup></sup>. They¡¯ll definitely be watching to make sure this one has drank the wine.¡±


    Yize glanced at the front of the banquet hall, and sure enough, Feng Eu Mei and Feng Ru Weng were looking in their direction. She grew worried over the implications of their gazes, but she knew her xiaojie was already well aware of the possibility that they could have put something in the wine. Her master was too clever to not expect something like that from the Feng family; maybe they were hoping to humiliate her master or something. However, Su Jing Fei remained calmly sitting and eating as the food was brought out, so Yize chose to trust her xiaojie and not worry too much over the matter.


    After the banquet finished, Su Jing Fei was expecting to head home, but the Feng family seemed to have other plans. Feng Ruo Zhang suddenly stood up, announcing that the celebrations would continue on the lake where they had prepared a few large boats for everyone to mingle and enjoy the lakeview. As people started getting up and heading out to the boats, Su Jing Fei lingered a bit behind. She had only drank one cup of wine, but her body had begun to warm up a bit. Most likely the result of the drug that had been put in the wine.


    ¡°Su xiaojie does not look so well afterall,¡± came a low voice from beside her. Li Wei Sheng¡¯s polite smile never left his face as he continued speaking. ¡°Perhaps Su xiaojie has not fully recovered from her illness.¡±


    Su Jing Fei bowed respectfully before him. Yize stepped away to give the two a little space. ¡°This lowly one thanks the imperial prince for his concern. However, perhaps his concern is better suited for the Feng xiaojie.¡± She glanced ahead, having noticed Feng Eu Mei watching them with a dark expression.


    Li Wei Sheng didn¡¯t bother to follow Su Jing Fei¡¯s gaze and continued chatting without a care. ¡°Does Su xiaojie dislike this imperial prince?¡± He seemed amused by the thought of it.


    She, however, was not going to play this game nor become his shield against Feng Eu Mei. ¡°The imperial prince jests. This lowly one does not dare.¡± Su Jing Fei replied calmly, but she widened her steps, hoping to deter Li Wei Sheng from following her. However, Li Wei Sheng matched his strides to Su Jing Fei¡¯s pace and kept up effortlessly. His annoying persistence irritated Su Jing Fei.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    ¡°Perhaps Su xiaojie prefers master Shao over this imperial prince,¡± spoke Li Wei Sheng as his lips curved into a rather mischievous smile for just a moment. ¡°Su xiaojie was not as cold to master Shao as she is to this imperial prince.¡±


    Su Jing Fei knew that Li Wei Sheng was clearly teasing her. ¡®Shao¡¯ was the name that Li Wei Sheng had used while disguised in Xia-Wu. A little fed up with keeping a polite facade, she replied with an honest answer.¡°This lowly one definitely can appreciate a man like master Shao. A man knows how to stop his pursuit in the face of opposition is a man who can respect a woman.¡± Meaning she wished Li Wei Sheng would leave her alone.


    Li Wei Sheng¡¯s eyes flashed with amusement, chuckling just a little bit at her veiled insult within a praise. ¡°This one also prefers the courtesan from Xia-Wu. She was quite enticing with her words.¡±


    Su Jing Fei was about to retort something when she noticed Feng Eu Mei and Feng Ru Weng making their way to them. The polite smile returned to her face as she greeted them. Feng Eu Mei suddenly stepped forward, cozying up to Su Jing Fei¡¯s side as she began speaking. ¡°This one couldn¡¯t find Su xiaojie so this one returned quickly to find Su xiaojie in hopes she wasn¡¯t lost!¡± The pretty lies left her smiling lips effortlessly, and she feigned surprise when taking notice of Li Wei Sheng. Her cheeks became tinged with a pinkish hue, making her look quite innocent and cute. ¡°Oh! This lowly one did not notice the imperial prince! Please for this lowly one¡¯s rudeness!¡± She moved quickly to prostrate herself before Li Wei Sheng, dragging along Su Jing Fei whose arm was hooked in her¡¯s.


    Su Jing Fei¡¯s skin seemed to burn a little as her clothes rubbed against her skin where she was being forcibly pulled; however, her face was kept carefully neutral as she stood her ground and didn¡¯t allow for Feng Eu Mei to pull her down as well. This unexpected strength from Su Jing Fei caused Feng Eu Mei to trip over her own feet and fall to the ground.


    ¡°Su Jing Fei! How dare you push my sister!¡± Feng Ru Wang yelled angrily, moving quickly to Feng Eu Mei¡¯s side to help her up.


    Feng Eu Mei¡¯s face reddened as she hadn¡¯t expected to be the one who fell so clumsily. She had hooked her arm into Su Jing Fei¡¯s arm purposefully! With the drug they had given her, Su Jing Fei should be stumbling about like a drunken idiot right now! But the hateful woman was still standing and even conversing happily with the imperial prince! Feng Eu Mei was so angry that she wanted to give Su Jing Fei a hard slap right then and there, but she couldn¡¯t in Li Wei Sheng¡¯s company so she gritted her teeth and bore the humility with a strained smile. ¡°It was an accident, older brother. Su xiaojie surely did not mean to push me.¡±


    Su Jing Fei smiled down at Feng Eu Mei. ¡°This one does not dare to do such a thing. However, Feng xiaojie¡¯s face seems a little flushed. Perhaps you¡¯ve had a bit too much of the plum wine. This one will fetch you some water.¡± Before Feng Eu Mei could object, Su Jing Fei had stopped a nearby servant to ask for a cup of water. Once the servant returned, Su Jing Fei returned to the others; Feng Eu Mei was standing next to her brother tugging at his sleeve. It looked like Feng Eu Mei had tried to get them to leave Su Jing Fei behind, but Li Wei Sheng had waited for Su Jing Fei. Maybe he was a little useful sometimes, thought Su Jing Fei. She smiled at the three of them as she returned. ¡°Here, hopefully this water can help Feng xiaojie feel better.¡±


    ¡°This one already feels better!¡± spoke Feng Eu Mei quickly, refusing the cup as she kept out of Su Jing Fei¡¯s reach.


    Suddenly, Li Wei Sheng spoke up, surprising them all. ¡°If Feng xiaojie is refusing, then this one will help himself. I was feeling quite parched as well.¡± He began reaching for the cup from Su Jing Fei¡¯s hands, but Feng Eu Mei was just a bit quicker as she suddenly grabbed the cup and downed the whole thing quickly.


    ¡°This one suddenly felt thirsty! I thank Su xiaojie for her kindness,¡± Feng Eu Mei said quickly as she finished the cup of water and gave it to a servant to take away. ¡°If the imperial prince is still thirsty, then this one will gladly bring you a new cup!¡±


    Su Jing Fei wanted to laugh at Feng Eu Mei¡¯s eagerness to serve Li Wei Sheng; the young woman wasn¡¯t quite as sly with her actions and words as she probably hoped to be. Feng Ru Weng noticed his sister¡¯s awkward actions and stepped in to hopefully change the situation. ¡°This one hopes the imperial prince does not take offense. My little sister is still quite spoiled after all, but she means no harm.¡±


    ¡°There is no need to worry,¡± Li Wei Sheng replied with a polite smile. ¡°The water was intended for Feng xiaojie originally. It was I who selfishly took advantage of the opportunity.¡±


    ¡°This lowly one thanks the imperial prince for his kindness and understanding,¡± said Feng Ru Weng with a respectful gesture. ¡°Please let this one repay for your kindness by accompanying you to the boats.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Li Wei Sheng replied with a smile as he returned the respectful gesture. ¡°This one has heard many good things about the Feng family¡¯s boats. Fresh air would also be nice.¡±


    Feng Ru Weng wasted no time and began leading them to the boats where everyone had gathered. The boats were much larger than Su Jing Fei had expected; they were similar to the large yachts of modern time rather than the small rowing boats that she had expected them to be. The Feng family¡¯s wealth was quite clearly displayed in the beautiful crafted boats that swayed with the tides of the lake. Feng Ru Wang seemed quite proud as he strolled to the biggest boat and led them aboard, excitedly explaining to Li Wei Sheng the boat¡¯s impressive design and features.


    Feng Eu Mei lingered beside Su Jing Fei, glaring at the latter with intense hatred. Su Jing Fei smiled back at her, and Feng Eu Mei felt her irritation grow. She had kept a gentle and kind demeanor in front of everyone for most of her life, and yet Su Jing Fei seemed to grate on Feng Eu Mei¡¯s nerves like no other. If it wasn¡¯t for Li Wei Sheng, Feng Eu Mei would¡¯ve put Su Jing Fei in her place a long time ago!


    Su Jing Fei could see the anger in Feng Eu Mei¡¯s strained expression, but she kept a calm demeanor, feigning ignorance. ¡°Feng xiaojie¡¯s face seems a little flushed. Perhaps, this one shall go fetch another cup of water.¡±


    Feng Eu Mei¡¯s eyes flashed with anger at remembering the humiliation, but the young woman had seemingly reigned back her emotions as she replied in a soft voice. ¡°This one thanks Su xiaojie for her kindness. Actually, this one hasn¡¯t been feeling well for awhile and hopes Su xiaojie can accompany her to get some fresh air.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Su Jing Fei replied with a smile as Feng Eu Mei led them to a standing area near the edge of the boat.


    Feng Eu Mei seemed a little distracted as the boat began to take off from the lakeside, floating further into the lake. A bit of music could be heard from the livelier part of the boat; curiously, no one approached the two of them. ¡°This one hopes Su xiaojie can forgive me,¡± Feng Eu Mei said in a gentle tone. Her face showed an apologetic expression. ¡°This one has always admired the imperial prince, and so this one acted a little bit irritational earlier. I hope Su xiaojie can accept my apology.¡±


    Su Jing Fei wondered how much of the words did Feng Eu Mei actually mean. Her apology seemed quite strange, but her admission at holding feelings for Li Wei Sheng seemed honest enough. ¡°Feng xiaojie does not need to worry. One does not hold grudges for such simple matters.¡±


    Feng Eu Mei felt a little frightened by Su Jing Fei¡¯s words; the other woman¡¯s smile always gave her an uncomfortable feeling, as though there was something dark concealed behind that polite facade. Feng Eu Mei gave a small smile, but her eyes looked beyond Su Jing Fei¡¯s figure and to the servant who was steadily making their way towards them.


    The servant moved forward in a rush, making brief eye contact with Feng Eu Mei just before she reached them. With a quick shove, the servant pushed Su Jing Fei over the edge of the railing. However, she didn¡¯t expect Su Jing Fei to step closer to Feng Eu Mei who had tried to distance herself; thus, when Su Jing Fei was pushed, Feng Eu Mei had gotten pushed as well, stumbling a bit before also falling over the edge of the boat.


    ¡°Da xiaojie!¡± came the loud cries from Yize and Feng Eu Mei¡¯s personal yatou as they watched their masters fall into the dark waters underneath.


    Su Jing Fei felt her body pierce through the cold surface of the lake as she became submerged underneath. Her body burned at the water rushing across her skin, making her struggle to swim properly to the surface. She knew that the Feng siblings had spiked her drink with an aphrodisiac after the first few minutes of finishing the plum wine; luckily, she had brought along a countering drug that had been able to interfere and dampen the effects of the aphrodisiac to a tolerable level. However, what she hadn¡¯t anticipated was the dehabiliting effect of heightened sensitivity in her skin. She was sure she¡¯d drown if she couldn¡¯t push through the pain to move properly, but just as the air in her lungs ran out, a dark figure broke through the surface of the water, moving quickly towards her.

 Chapter 19: When Jade Is Carved

    The next moment of consciousness for Su Jing Fei was when she felt strong arms pulling her out of the water and onto hard ground. Her skin burned from the touch, but all she could do was cough up the water, gasping for air. The rescuer gently but firmly patted her on the back, but each touch burned so when her strength finally returned, Su Jing Fei pushed away the arm.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me.¡± Su Jing Fei gasped, clearing her hoarse throat.


    ¡°No matter if you hate me or not, this imperial prince cannot let you die,¡± replied Li Wei Sheng in a cold voice, having finally shed his polite facade. His black eyes were dark as they watched Su Jing Fei. ¡°Stop being stubborn and let me help you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll help me if you stop touching me,¡± Su Jing Fei argued, glaring at Li Wei Sheng. ¡°Unless the imperial prince possesses an antidote for aphrodisiacs, you¡¯re of no help to me.¡± She also shed all notion of propriety and manners, a burning anger growing in her chest.


    Li Wei Sheng¡¯s eyes flashed with an unrecognizable emotion, and Su Jing Fei prepared herself for his backlash at disrespecting royalty. But in the next moment, warm robes were wrapped around her shoulders. She hadn¡¯t realized that her body was shivering terribly from the cold, but the immediate warmth soothed her nerves. ¡°Thank you,¡± murmured Su Jing Fei as she clutched the robes around her shoulders. However, despite the gratefulness she felt, the overwhelming emotion that consumed her was anger. The Feng family were really trying their best to either see her humiliated or dead! She¡¯d have to teach them a lesson soon!


    Li Wei Sheng watched Su Jing Fei¡¯s bright round eyes darken into a pool of cold, and the young girl¡¯s shivering stopped as her demeanor changed back into the polite calm facade of prior. Su Jing Fei was truly a mysterious young woman; to have suffered such a traumatic experience yet remain so calm, it required a considerable amount of willpower and strength. After hearing her words, Li Wei Sheng had guessed that the Feng siblings had probably drugged Su Jing Fei; they¡¯d been acting rather hostile towards Su Jing Fei all night. He¡¯d have to be stupid not to have noticed. ¡°Why are the Feng family trying to kill you?¡± He asked in a low voice.


    Su Jing Fei caught the man¡¯s curious gaze and tried to discern whether she could trust him or not. ¡°Why did you not kill me back in Xia-Wu?¡±


    ¡°Why were you in Xia-Wu in the first place?¡± Li Wei Sheng countered, his expression was carefully neutral.


    Su Jing Fei knew he wouldn¡¯t answer her question so easily. ¡°This one could ask the same thing of you.¡± Her dark eyes flashed with a hint of danger and caution, unwilling to yield to Li Wei Sheng for even a moment.


    Their conversation was interrupted as people came running to their side with servants carrying towels and crowding around Su Jing Fei. They all fell to the ground greeting Li Wei Sheng who quickly dismissed their greetings and commanded them to take care of Su Jing Fei. ¡°Has a doctor been called yet?¡± Li Wei Sheng asked a nearby servant.


    ¡°Yes, a doctor has been called. The city lord has ordered us to take Su xiaojie to a room to change into dry clothes.¡± the servant spoke respectfully before Li Wei Sheng.


    Li Wei Sheng nodded his head in acknowledgement, but he didn¡¯t move away as he watched them help Su Jing Fei up and helped her move back to the Feng family residence. He walked back with them, and only left when another servant came to request his presence before the city lord. Without a second glance in Su Jing Fei¡¯s direction, Li Wei Sheng immediately turned and left with the servant.


    In the meantime, Su Jing Fei was brought to a room where dry clothes had been prepared. Yize cried at the sight of her xiaojie, thankful for her xiaojie¡¯s safety. ¡°This lowly one was so scared! This lowly one is glad to see da xiaojie is safe!¡±


    The servants left them, and Su Jing Fei gave the young yatou a small smile as she stepped forward to wipe away the young girl¡¯s tears. ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry now.¡±


    Yize nodded and quickly helped her xiaojie change into dry clothes. The warmth of dry clothes helped soothe Su Jing Fei¡¯s nerves, and she let Yize help her tidy up her hair and dry herself down as well. After everything was done, Su Jing Fei was expecting the servants to return. However, no one came after quite a while, and Su Jing Fei felt that the quiet was rather ominous. Moving quickly to the door, she tried to open it but found it to be locked from the outside. Su Jing Fei furrowed her brows as she suddenly heard noises from the outside. It sounded like¡­ men talking!


    ¡°Da xiaojie, why would they lock us in here?¡± Yize asked worriedly.


    Upon hearing the men¡¯s voices coming closer, she recognized one to be Feng Ru Weng¡¯s voice. The steps of the two men sounded strange as well. One set of footsteps were clear and steady however, the other pair seemed to be irregular in stride, as though the man was fumbling with his steps. With the Feng family¡¯s constant set of schemes and humiliation for Su Jing Fei the entire day, this was no doubt yet another one. ¡°Come quickly and hide yourself here, Yize.¡± Su Jing Fei quickly moved the young yatou to hide in a dresser.


    The young yatou quickly followed her xiaojie¡¯s command and did as she was told. Su Jing Fei closed the dresser behind the young girl before moving to rearrange the bedding to make it seem like someone was under the covers. Then she hid under the bed and watched the door carefully.


    The steps grew louder as the voices became more hushed and urgent. ¡°Your sister says she actually likes me?¡± spoke a naive-sounding voice; his words were clearly slurred as the man tried to speak with difficulty.


    ¡°Yes, she said she is impressed by Hou gongzi and wished to speak to you in private. Now go quickly!¡± The door was opened as someone was forcibly pushed inside the room with the door shutting loudly behind them. Loud footsteps could be heard walking quickly away from the door.


    Su Jing Fei narrowed her eyes, watching the unsteady movements of a man as he stumbled over to the bed. ¡°F-Feng xiaojie?¡± mumbled the young man in a confused voice. ¡°Y-You¡¯re in bed?¡± The man stumbled forward and fell onto the bed with a loud thud, and in the next few minutes, a loud snoring could be heard. Su Jing Fei crawled out from under the bed, dusting off her robes as she took a look at the man who was quite thoroughly passed out on the bed while cradling the blankets. Su Jing Fei moved quickly to the dresser and let Yize out. The young yatou took one look at the man on the bed and gave her xiaojie a look of alarm. ¡°Da xiaojie, what do we do? They¡¯ve locked us in here with a drunk man! That horrible Feng family is surely hoping to ruin your innocence!¡±


    ¡°Yes, they¡¯re quite ruthless bringing in a drunk man to a defenseless xiaojie¡¯s room.¡± Su Jing Fei¡¯s eyes darkened as she observed the young man on the bed. From what she had heard, the young man had clearly thought he was meeting up with Feng Eu Mei for a secret tryst. Su Jing Fei had recognized his surname, ¡®Hou.¡¯ The Hou family were a rich noble family with connections in Xinyi; it was quite well-known that he held a strong torch for Feng Eu Mei. She rather pitied the young man because it was quite obvious that Feng Ru Weng was using him to kill two birds with one stone. They had hoped he¡¯d ruin Su Jing Fei while also getting rid of his proposal to Feng Eu Mei; most likely because they wished Feng Eu Mei to marry a certain imperial prince rather than just some nobody.


    ¡°Yize, what happened after I fell into the water? Was Feng Eu Mei saved?¡± Su Jing Fei inquired.


    ¡°Yes, this lowly one saw that Feng Eu Mei was saved by Feng Ru Weng; however, the Feng xiaojie was severely ill and unconscious so she was taken to a room to rest. Then this lowly one was taken to this room to wait for xiaojie¡¯s arrival.¡± Yize replied quickly, keeping a wary eye on the snoring young man.


    Su Jing Fei nodded; it was good that Feng Eu Mei had been saved, for she had other plans for the young woman. Taking one of her hair pins out, Su Jing Fei stepped towards the door and began sliding the thin pin through the crack of the door in order to push out the lock. After a few minutes of tampering with the pin, the door finally popped open. ¡°Do you know where Feng Eu Mei¡¯s room is?¡±


    ¡°Right next door¡­¡± Yize said in a quiet voice. ¡°Surely, xiaojie cannot be thinking of¡­?¡±


    ¡°This one is merely doing the Feng family a favor.¡± Su Jing Fei replied, giving her young yatou a smile. ¡°If jade is not carved, it doesn¡¯t turn into jewelry; a child needs to be taught.¡±


    On the other side of the Feng family residence, Zhao shi was dealing with quite an irritating headache. Her mother-in-law wouldn¡¯t stop pestering her about taking care of the Su da xiaojie once and for all. ¡°If Zhao shi wants this family to succeed, you must get rid of Su Jing Fei!¡± Feng Lao Furen sputtered angrily, pacing back and forth as they waited for the doctor to arrive.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    Due to the lake incident, the two women had to deal with other families quite quickly in order to appease the disruption of the celebrations. In the meantime, her father-in-law and husband had set out to appease the noblemen, especially the imperial prince. When her son and daughter had come to her with the scheme of drugging Su Jing Fei, she had been very receptive to the idea of getting rid of the girl once and for all; however, upon meeting the Su xiaojie, she found the girl to be quite alarmingly hard to read. She couldn¡¯t tell if Su Jing Fei was truly a quiet and proper xiaojie or whether it was all a facade.


    ¡°Mother, everything has been taken care of.¡± came Feng Ru Weng¡¯s voice from the doorway as he entered the room. His sharp features were quite reminiscent of Zhao shi¡¯s own scholarly appearance, and she rather adored her son so she was quite happy to see him.


    ¡°Thank you, my son,¡± said Zhao shi adoringly as she helped her son to a seat. ¡°Once Su Jing Fei is taken care of, this family will be able to rise with no obstacles. Your gugu<sup></sup> has promised that your gufu<sup></sup> will take you as a disciple and sponsor you when everything has been taken care of.¡±


    Feng Ru Weng¡¯s eyes shined brightly as the future prospects of moving to the imperial city. ¡°This one will work hard to earn gugu and gufu¡¯s favor!¡±


    ¡°The doctor has arrived!¡± announced one of the servants. ¡°The imperial prince and the city lord Feng Ruo Zhang and the first master Feng Ruo Qian also have arrived!¡±


    Everyone moved quickly to greet the men as they arrived and entered the premises. At the head of the group was Li Wei Sheng and Feng Ruo Zhang who walked beside each other while conversing. ¡°This lowly one thanks the imperial prince for getting an imperial doctor to come. My granddaughter Feng Eu Mei is a delicate young woman, and this lowly one is very worried for her health. This lowly one thanks the imperial prince for his concern for her.¡± Feng Ruo Zhang spoke heartily as they entered the room.


    Li Wei Sheng smiled politely. ¡°For such an unfortunate event to occur on such a joyous occasion is rather concerning. This one hopes to help the two xiaojie recover from such a terrifying experience. It is one¡¯s duty as a member of the royal family to take care of one¡¯s loyal subjects.¡± His words expressed neutral concern over Feng Eu Mei and Su Jing Fei, causing Feng Ruo Qian to become a little worried about his initial plan to have Feng Eu Mei win over Li Wei Sheng¡¯s favor.


    Feng Ruo Qian had initially hoped that his eldest daughter Feng Eu Mei could capture the attention of this imperial prince; however, he¡¯d seen Li Wei Sheng take the initiative to converse with Su Jing Fei as though they were well acquainted. On top of that, the Hou family have been pestering to hear his reply to their betrothal request between their eldest son and Feng Eu Mei. There was no way he was letting his most beautiful and talented daughter marry a simple nobleman, even if the Hou family had all the money in the world. It was power that could truly change his family¡¯s fate from a low-ranking city official¡¯s family to one which had birthed a phoenix! His plans would definitely not be foiled by the stupid da xiaojie of the Feng family or the son of the Hou family!


    ¡°How are the two xiaojie doing?¡± Li Wei Sheng asked, looking towards Zhao shi and Feng Ru Weng.


    ¡°They have been settled into rooms,¡± Zhao shi replied with a small smile, but the furen¡¯s expression suddenly became filled with sadness and concern as she continued speaking. ¡°However, my Mei¡¯er has suffered quite a shock and is still bedridden! This lowly one¡¯s heart aches for my poor daughter!¡±


    ¡°Then we shall waste no more time,¡± Li Wei Sheng spoke in a firm tone. ¡°Take us to the resting chambers so that the imperial doctor can examine their injuries."


    Feng Ru Weng eagerly led the group of people to the courtyard where the two women were resting. However, his steps were quick, and he made sure to unlock the front door to Su Jing Fei¡¯s room before anyone else arrived to notice. Once everyone was present, Feng Ru Weng was quick to lead them into Su Jing Fei¡¯s chambers; he couldn¡¯t keep the grin off his face, but the rest of the Feng family managed to keep their happy emotions hidden. Of course, they were all well aware of the scheme to get rid of both Su Jing Fei and the Hou family all at once. They couldn¡¯t wait to see the result of Su Jing Fei¡¯s humiliation! However, upon entering the room, Feng Ru Weng noticed that something was wrong. He didn¡¯t see either Su Jing Fei or the Hou gongzhi anywhere in the room!


    Li Wei Sheng¡¯s eyes darkened as he took notice of the empty room. ¡°Does the Feng family wish to disrespect this imperial prince by wasting his time?¡±


    ¡°No! This lowly one does not dare!¡± spoke Feng Ruo Zhang quickly, hoping to appease the young man. The city lord turned to his eldest grandson and glared at him quite fiercely. ¡°Stop playing your games, boy! Where is the Su xiaojie?¡±


    Feng Ru Weng looked flustered and utterly shocked at Su Jing Fei and the Hou gongzhi¡¯s disappearance. ¡°This lowly one truly does not know! This is the room that the Su xiaojie was brought to rest while waiting for the doctor to arrive!¡±


    Zhao shi suddenly had a very bad feeling in her gut, but before she could say anything, Feng Ru Weng rashly ran out of the room to check on Feng Eu Mei¡¯s room next door. He was genuinely worried that Su Jing Fei had broken out and done something to Feng Eu Mei who was already in an incredibly vulnerable state. The group of people quickly followed Feng Ru Weng to the room next door as he pushed the doors opened and rushed into Feng Eu Mei¡¯s room.


    ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± shouted Feng Ruo Zhang angrily as they came upon the scene.


    ¡°Mei¡¯er!¡± cried Zhao shi as she watched Feng Ru Weng pull a man out of the bed while a young woman fumbled to pull her robes around herself. Feng Eu Mei gave her mother a look of confusion, having finally broken out of her half-unconscious state of mind; the last thing she remembered was falling into the water and then having a very nice dream where her and the imperial prince were¡­


    Feng Ruo Qian angrily marched forward, grabbing the stumbling man by the collar and pulling his face upwards to take a good look at the man who had sullied his daughter. It was none other than the Hou gongzi! ¡°How dare you force yourself upon my daughter, Hou gongzi!¡± Feng Ruo Qian roared angrily, shaking the man fiercely.


    ¡°I-It wasn¡¯t forced!¡± stuttered the man who had slightly sobered up from his previous drunken state. ¡°Feng xiaojie called me down here to meet with me secretly!¡±


    ¡°Impossible!¡± argued Feng Ruo Qian as he threw the boy to the ground, turning his head to glare at Feng Ru Weng. ¡°You were supposed to protect your sister! How are you so inept at such a simple task to have allowed such a humiliation?¡±


    The color drained from Feng Ru Weng¡¯s face, and he lost all of the previous composure he had before. He fell to his knees before his family, shaking his head. ¡°It must be Su Jing Fei! She must have done this!¡±


    Feng Ruo Qian¡¯s face twisted in anger. That stupid Su xiaojie had actually caused his family to lose face like this? She was asking for death! ¡°Go find Su Jing Fei!¡± He ordered the servants who stood idly nearby.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need,¡± replied a calm familiar voice from the doorway. ¡°This one has just returned and wonders what the first master has need of me for.¡± The crowd parted to reveal Su Jing Fei walking in with a graceful demeanor, bowing respectfully before her superiors.


    As Feng Eu Mei became increasingly aware of her own circumstances, a deep hatred for Su Jing Fei burned in her heart. It was supposed to be Su Jing Fei who suffered a terrible humiliation, not her! But somehow, she had been drugged, and now she was in such a terrible state, especially since the imperial prince was now witness to her humiliation! ¡°Su Jing Fei, you wretched woman! You drugged me!¡± shouted Feng Eu Mei in shrill voice filled with anger. She shed the facade of her previous demeanor, wanting to get justice for herself at having her scheme turned against her.


    ¡°Su Jing Fei, explain yourself quickly!¡± yelled Feng Ruo Qian as he pointed his finger at her.


    Su Jing Fei kept a calm composure, politely returning Feng Ruo Qian¡¯s angry words with a gentle and soft tone. ¡°This one is unsure of what the first master means. This one has just returned after fetching a coat from one¡¯s carriage.¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Feng Ruo Qian took a threatening step forward, but Su Jing Fei met his angry glare with a cold and imposing gaze. The man paused briefly, a little surprised at the young woman¡¯s frightening composure. This was no ordinary naive xiaojie!


    ¡°This lowly one begs the imperial prince to seek justice for my daughter!¡± cried Zhao shi as she prostrated herself before Li Wei Sheng. The Feng Lao Furen also fell to her knees beside Zhao shi, begging the imperial prince to seek justice for her granddaughter.


    It was at this moment that Feng Eu Mei realized that Li Wei Sheng was present in the room, having been too preoccupied with her humiliating state to have noticed him in the back of the crowd. Her face reddened, and she clutched the robes tightly around herself. Her gaze flew to Su Jing Fei who was standing calmly to the side, and Feng Eu Mei wanted nothing more than to slap that righteous-looking expression off Su Jing Fei¡¯s face!


    ¡°This imperial prince shall hear your words,¡± spoke Li Wei Sheng, reaching down to help Zhao shi and the Feng Lao Furen off the ground. ¡°Let us first have the imperial doctor examine Feng xiaojie and Su xiaojie for any injuries. Then we will discuss matters.¡±


    ¡°This lowly one thanks the imperial prince for his kindness!¡± cried Zhao shi as the two women stood up, moving to the side as the imperial doctor stepped forward.


    Everyone else left the room, including the Hou gongzi who was dragged out. The imperial doctor was left to examine both Su Jing Fei and Feng Eu Mei in peace while everyone else gathered at a nearby family hall, waiting to hear the imperial doctor¡¯s examination results.


    It seemed quite a long time of waiting before the imperial doctor returned. The two xiaojie followed behind him while servants trailed behind. Feng Eu Mei was redressed properly and had fixed her hair as well; however, her face was deathly pale as she moved to stand beside her mother. Su Jing Fei stood quietly to the side as the imperial doctor stepped forward.


    ¡°This imperial doctor has examined both xiaojie carefully. Su xiaojie has suffered a bit of bruising where the water had made impact with her body. Despite this, however, it is only minor injuries and Su xiaojie will recover with rest and healthy food to flush out the bad blood and cold in the body.¡± The imperial doctor spoke in a calm manner, politely stating the results of his examination for all to hear. ¡°In regards to Feng xiaojie, falling into the water seems to also have caused a bit of superficial bruising on the skin, but this will also heal with rest and healthy foods. However, for the second matter, after an examination of the body, pulse, and external factors, one has also concluded that the Feng xiaojie is no longer a virgin.¡±

 Chapter 20: The Bitter Taste of Revenge

    ¡°No!¡± cried Zhao shi, falling weakly to her knees.


    Su Jing Fei watched as the various members of the Feng family displayed their emotions from hearing the news. There was despair, confusion, and anger. Su Jing Fei felt her own confliction of emotions; this was the result that she had intended but at a cost much greater than she had anticipated. Her conscience was filled with guilt at the thought of a young woman like Feng Eu Mei experiencing her first time in such a public and humiliating display like this. Su Jing Fei had only intended for the two to be found in bed together; this alone was surely enough for them to be married off. But what had gone wrong? Was it the drugs she gave them? The dosage of the sleeping pills was just supposed to be enough to make then sleep hard for a half hour. Then it would be flushed out of the system before the doctor could even examine them. However, could it be the fact that Hou gongzi was intoxicated? Was the effectiveness of the sleeping pills lessened by the alcohol? She didn¡¯t know. She hadn¡¯t anticipated this situation and had only kept a few drugs on her for defensive use against the Feng family¡¯s schemes, but now, she was experiencing the full unintentional result of her revenge; the complete humiliation of a member of the Feng family. But what good was this revenge against a child who knew no better? It was Feng Ruo Qian who had killed her brother and mother, and although the Feng family must surely know of his crimes, should they be also held responsible for them? Su Jing Fei felt her conviction waver. What sacrifices must be made for her to exact her revenge?


    ¡°Your highness, please seek justice for my daughter!¡± Feng Ruo Qian shouted as he kneeled before Li Wei Sheng; his face was red with anger. Feng Ru Weng also dropped to his knees before the imperial prince, a mixture of emotions apparent on his face.


    ¡°This imperial prince shall hear your words,¡± Li Wei Sheng said calmly as he seated himself before then. ¡°What does the Feng family wish to do?¡±


    Feng Ruo Zhang gestured to the servants. ¡°Bring in the Hou gongzi!¡± A few minutes later, the young disheveled man was dragged into the hall, looking quite sobered and scared. ¡°Speak! Explain yourself!¡± commanded Feng Ruo Zhang as the young man was made to stand before them.


    The Hou gongzi¡¯s eyes darted before the people present, landing on Li Wei Sheng¡¯s figure. He quickly prostrated himself before the imperial prince. ¡°This lowly one greets the imperial prince! I am Hou Jian Yu, eldest son of the Hou family in Fuo Alan!¡± He greeted himself properly, but his next words were a plea of innocence. ¡°This lowly one has been forcibly detained and accused of crimes that one is innocent of! Will the imperial prince please seek the truth in the matter?¡±


    ¡°What truth!?¡± spat Feng Ruo Qian as he pointed an accusing finger at Hou Jian Yu. "Your irresponsible behavior resulted in the loss of Feng Eu Mei''s purity!"


    ¡°My feelings for Feng Eu Mei are nothing but love and respect!¡± Hou Jian Yu replied as he remained in a prostrated position. ¡°However, whatever actions this one has done while drunk are another matter, and I will take full responsibility for my actions. This one promises the Feng family and the imperial prince that he shall take good care of Feng Eu Mei for the rest of this one¡¯s life!¡±


    Li Wei Sheng nodded his head approvingly at Hou Jian Yu¡¯s words. ¡°A man must definitely take responsibility for his actions. This one has heard your words and adds to your proposal. For the crime of taking Feng Eu Mei¡¯s purity before the night of marriage, you shall double the dowry and spend an hour each day for fifteen days kneeling before your ancestral hall to atone for your unfilial actions upon impugning the honor of your ancestors.¡± Li Wei Sheng turned to the Feng family, speaking directly to Feng Ruo Qian. ¡°Does the first master accept this proposal?¡±


    Feng Ruo Qian grit his teeth, wanting to argue, but he knew that this was most likely the best result for his daughter now that her purity had been taken. Just as he was about to accept the proposal, a loud shrill voice interrupted him.


    ¡°This lowly one hopes the imperial prince shall seek justice for this one!¡± cried Feng Eu Mei as she stepped forward, her eyes burning with rage in Su Jing Fei¡¯s direction. Her whole life had been dedicated towards becoming the wangfei of an imperial prince¡¯s household, but now her future has been reduced to being the furen of a lowly official¡¯s son! How can she just abandon her hatred and accept this fate quietly?


    ¡°What justice does the Feng xiaojie wish to seek?¡± asked Li Wei Sheng in a low voice; however, his eyes flickered to Su Jing Fei¡¯s quiet and calm presence at the corner of the room.


    ¡°This lowly one accuses Su Jing Fei of drugging me and scheming with Hou Jian Yu to get me to marry him!¡± Feng Eu Mei declared in an angry voice before turning to Su Jing Fei with a dirty look. ¡°You did this to me!¡±


    Su Jing Fei kept her gaze trained on Feng Eu Mei, watching the young girl closely. Yes, it was definitely Su Jing Fei who had caused Feng Eu Mei to lose her virginity, whether she had intended for it or not. Despite this guilt causing her conviction to waver, Su Jing Fei¡¯s responsibility to protect her sister far outweighed anything else. She couldn¡¯t allow for herself to be put in a vulnerable position. Her eyes flickered to Li Wei Sheng.


    ¡°What does the Su xiaojie have to say about this matter?¡± Li Wei Sheng asked calmly, watching the young woman¡¯s piercing cold eyes turn to him.


    ¡°This lowly one has never met nor spoken to Hou Jian Yu,¡± Su Jing Fei replied with a respectful bow. ¡°Feng xiaojie is mistaken in her accusations.¡± She turned to Feng Eu Mei, bowing politely.


    ¡°You drugged my water!¡± Feng Eu Mei argued, shaking an accusing finger at Su Jing Fei. ¡°You did this to me! You and Hou Jian Yu want to see me suffer!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true!¡± interrupted Hou Jian Yu as he stepped forward in Feng Eu Mei¡¯s direction, throwing a pleading look in her direction. ¡°This one only wishes to see Feng xiaojie¡¯s happiness! This one was truly happy to have heard from Feng xiaojie tonight!¡±


    ¡°Lies! Everything!¡± cried Feng Eu Mei as anger, frustration, and despair flickered in her expression. She suddenly ran forward in Su Jing Fei¡¯s direction, anger burning in her eyes.


    Pa! A resounding slap sound echoed in the hall, gathering everyone¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Mei¡¯er!¡± Zhao shi sobbed as she moved quickly to her daughter¡¯s side. Feng Eu Mei was seated on the floor, her face burning from the heat of her cheek. She clutched her face, tears streaming down her face as she gave a look of confusion.


    ¡°Disgraceful,¡± muttered Feng Ruo Zhang, his eyes were dark as he looked down on his granddaughter. ¡°Do you still wish to act like a child forever?¡±


    Feng Eu Mei was speechless. No one had hit her before, not even her father. The Feng family has always doted on her, but she saw now that they only favored her for her potential to rise on the wings of a phoenix. Now that she had lost her purity and her opportunity, she was no longer an asset to the Feng family. Her fate was sealed. There was nothing she could do now.


    Su Jing Fei quietly watched the family displays before her. The Feng family could hide this humiliation by marrying Feng Eu Mei off to Hou Jian Yu. In the end, although she had achieved a form of revenge upon Feng Ruo Qian, Su Jing Fei had also sacrificed Feng Eu Mei in the process. In the modern world, they¡¯d call it ¡®an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.¡¯ This was the only way to protect herself and her sister. It had to be done. However, she furrowed her brows slightly as she watched Feng Eu Mei resign to her fate.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    The matter settled quite quickly after the outburst. Feng Ruo Qian accepted Hou Jian Yu¡¯s proposal along with the imperial prince¡¯s blessing for the two¡¯s marriage. Feng Ru Weng followed his father out the door with Hou Jian Yu as Feng Eu Mei was escorted out by Zhao shi and the Feng Lao Furen. Su Jing Fei caught a glare from the two older women as they passed her. It was left to Feng Ruo Zhang to see Li Wei Sheng and Su Jing Fei out the door. Without even a passing glance, Su Jing Fei entered her carriage with Yize at her side.


    Once the carriage started rolling on its path home, Su Jing Fei stared out the window and watched the passing scenery. Yize knew something was off with her xiaojie, but she didn¡¯t know how to start the conversation; so she sat in their comfortable silence until Su Jing Fei spoke up first. ¡°Have I done a bad thing?¡± murmured the young woman, furrowing her brows slightly. Ever since Su Jing Fei had entered this world, she¡¯d done nothing but try to survive. Now that she was starting to fight back against those who wronged her, the revenge felt differently than she had imagined. It felt more and more like she was destroying the chances for her and her sister to live a peaceful life.


    Yize was surprised at her xiaojie¡¯s question, not sure of how to answer her. After awhile, she still couldn¡¯t seem to find an answer, but it seemed like her xiaojie had taken the silence as an answer itself. The rest of the ride home was quiet and calm as they slowly returned to Mudan-Yu.


    The next few days, Su Jing Fei and Da Chun spent their time quietly in Fuo Lan as the former teached the latter a bit more about the knowledge of running businesses. Su Jing Fei found herself wanting to spend many days with her sister peacefully, and it seemed that Da Chun was quite content with this as well. However, an unexpected visitor interrupted their short-lived peace. A messenger from the Feng family came bearing an invitation to Feng Eu Mei and Hou Jian Yu¡¯s wedding.


    ¡°Send a letter of acceptance back to the Feng family,¡± Su Jing Fei ordered Zihuan. ¡°Also send the wedding gifts to the Feng and Hou residences.¡± Su Jing Fei had known that the Feng family would probably expedite the wedding in case Feng Eu Mei had fallen pregnant by any chance, so she had prepared the gift soon after the spring festival celebrations. Although her businesses were not luxurious by any means, Su Jing Fei had prepared a set of delicately ornate floral hair pins for Feng Eu Mei and also included two cuts of medium-grade cloth for the new couple to make summer clothes from.


    Once Zihuan left with the messenger, Su Jing Fei returned to embroidering handkerchiefs with Da Chun. Da Chun was quite skilled at shaping the thread into beautiful intricate designs while Su Jing Fei found her own creativity to be lacking in comparison.


    ¡°Jie jie is too serious,¡± laughed Da Chun as she watched her older sister concentrating at the needle and cloth in her hands. ¡°Just imagine a pretty image in your head and relax. Your hands already know how to sew; let them do the work for you.¡±


    Su Jing Fei shook her head with a smile. ¡°It is a good thing you¡¯re not a teacher,¡± teased Su Jing Fei with a laugh. ¡°That advice isn¡¯t helpful to someone as uncreative as I am!¡±


    The two young women laughed together, making for a very happy sight for the four yatou who watched them. Yize had never seen her xiaojie look so happy and relaxed. The rest of the afternoon was spent peacefully as Su Jing Fei taught Da Chun some reading and writing Chinese characters. Once night fell, the two bid goodnight and left to their respective courtyards. Yize helped Su Jing Fei settle down for the night, but instead of a bath, Su Jing Fei let Yize help her wash her hands and feet before settling into the bed. On her way out, Yize extinguished the candles in the room. A single candle was left lit at Su Jing Fei¡¯s bedside.


    Shadows were cast upon the walls of the room, moving with every flicker of the candle¡¯s flame. Su Jing Fei listened for Yize¡¯s soft footsteps moving away from the door of her room. As the silence of night filled the air, Su Jing Fei quietly sat up and got out of the bed. Moving to the window, Su Jing Fei pushed open the wooden shutters. A cool breeze drifted into the room, and Su Jing Fei turned to address the darkness in her room. ¡°This lowly one would prefer to not be watched in the comfort of one¡¯s own home,¡± spoke Su Jing Fei in a cold voice. ¡°Please kindly remove yourself from my room.¡±


    There was a moment of silence before a soft chuckle came from the shadows. ¡°This imperial prince is quite amazed at Su xiaojie¡¯s perceptiveness,¡± Li Wei Sheng replied in an amused tone as he stepped into the candlelight. He looked quite comfortable as he strolled through the room, settling into a chair. ¡°It seems that my hidden guards were not lying when they said that you were able to seemingly detect their presence. This one has terribly underestimated Su xiaojie.¡±


    Su Jing Fei remained near the window, watching Li Wei Sheng¡¯s every move closely. ¡°If the imperial prince wishes to have meaningless conversations, one could have come during the day like any other normal person.¡±


    ¡°But what would it mean for an imperial prince to visit the residence of a young unmarried xiaojie in the daytime?¡± Li Wei Sheng¡¯s words were teasing, but his eyes seemed quite sharp as they kept a firm hold on Su Jing Fei. ¡°The news would probably spread to the imperial city in a day by the mouth of gossiping old furens.¡±


    ¡°So visiting a young unmarried xiaojie in the cover of night is better than during the day?¡± Su Jing Fei replied, a bit of annoyance in her tone.


    ¡°Exactly.¡± Li Wei Sheng smiled, clearing enjoying the trouble he made for her. ¡°There¡¯s no one to talk if there¡¯s no one to see or know. But these what ifs are too boring to discuss. Let us talk about more important matters.¡± He gestured for Su Jing Fei to sit at the chair across from him.


    Realizing she couldn¡¯t convince him to leave her anytime soon, Su Jing Fei closed the window to her room and returned to the bed where she sat comfortably at its edge. ¡°And what important matters does the imperial prince wish to speak to me about?¡±


    There was a glint in Li Wei Sheng¡¯s eye as he looked at Su Jing Fei. ¡°Can Su xiaojie enlighten this imperial prince as to why the Feng family wishes to see you either humiliated or dead?¡±


    ¡°If the imperial prince wishes to know the Feng family¡¯s intent, then why not seek the Feng family for answers?¡± Su Jing Fei replied calmly, unperturbed by Li Wei Sheng¡¯s piercing stare.


    He watched her closely, gauging her reactions and trying to find out the truth behind that calm facade. However, it seemed impenetrable. For now, he¡¯d have to concede. ¡°This one will trade answers for answers. How about that?¡±


    Su Jing Fei thought about it for a moment. It seemed that Li Wei Sheng didn¡¯t bear any ill intent towards her for now. If, for whatever reason, she could have some assistance from  Li Wei Sheng¡¯s acquaintance, then it¡¯d be best to learn as much as she can from him as well. ¡°Very well then,¡± Su Jing Fei agreed with a nod of her head. ¡°This one will answer truthfully to a question after receiving an answer first.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡± Li Wei Sheng¡¯s smile lifted into a grin.


    ¡°Why was the imperial prince at Xia-Wu that night?¡± Su Jing Fei asked. She knew it probably had something to do with the Emperor¡¯s task that Li Wei Sheng was carrying out. She was actually quite curious about the matter.


    ¡°To investigate possible illegal activities,¡± Li Wei Sheng answered without a hint of hesitation. ¡°Why was Su xiaojie at Xia-Wu?¡±


    ¡°To find someone,¡± Su Jing Fei replied, leaning comfortably against the head of the bed as she contemplated Li Wei Sheng¡¯s words. If Li Wei Sheng was investigating illegal activities on the Emperor¡¯s behalf, it was no wonder that Li Wei Sheng had made himself scarce in the official court while spending time travelling throughout Chu. However, she hadn¡¯t anticipated Li Wei Sheng giving up this information so easily. ¡°Is the imperial prince also investigating the Feng family in relation to the matter?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Li Wei Sheng said easily as he leaned back into his chair. The candlelight shifted the shadows on his face, highlighting his sharp jaw and handsome appearance. His calm attitude added an air of comfortable mystery to his persona, but Su Jing Fei was more intrigued by the way he carried himself. Such a black-bellied character was quite similar to herself in a sense. She could respect the calm, effortless, and efficient way he handled matters. ¡°Who is Su xiaojie searching for?¡±


    Su Jing Fei hesitated answering. Although she had anticipated the question, it still threw her off. She didn¡¯t quite know if she could trust Li Wei Sheng exactly, but he had been quite forthcoming with his answers. So far, he¡¯d spared her life and also settled the matter of the lake incident. She was quite aware that she was in his debt, so she could only respond to his truthfulness with her own. ¡°My sister,¡± murmured Su Jing Fei in a soft voice. ¡°I was searching for my sister.¡±

 Chapter 21: Her Weakness

    ¡°Sister?¡± The shadows across Li Wei Sheng¡¯s face flickered with the candlelight, highlighting his furrowed brows and deep black eyes.


    ¡°Yes,¡± replied Su Jing Fei in a calm tone. Her eyes were focused on Li Wei Sheng, gauging the latter¡¯s reaction. ¡°My full-blood sister. Not like Su Mei Rong.¡± She took a breath before continuing to speak, contemplating her words carefully. ¡°The Feng family took my family from me. It was only natural that I take her back.¡±


    Li Wei Sheng was quiet as he processed Su Jing Fei¡¯s words. He seemed thoughtful but not surprised. ¡°The Feng family have done many terrible things with their power,¡± Li Wei Sheng spoke in a low voice. ¡°However, they¡¯ve survived this long. It is best not to underestimate them.¡± After investigating the officials of Fuo Lan for awhile, he knew just how deep the corruption ran in this city.


    ¡°This one thanks the imperial prince for his concern, but to protect one¡¯s own family, the imperial prince must be aware of the sacrifices to be made.¡± Su Jing Fei replied coldly. Although her conviction to enact revenge on the Feng family wavered, she never doubted her responsibility to protect her sister, even at the cost of another person¡¯s life.


    Li Wei Sheng stared into Su Jing Fei¡¯s black eyes as the two individuals felt at an impasse in their conversation. They both knew the others¡¯ motivations now, and they both were well aware that the enemy of one¡¯s enemy could be today¡¯s ally. Even if they couldn¡¯t exactly trust one another just yet. ¡°I¡¯ll be taking my leave then,¡± spoke Li Wei Sheng, and Su Jing Fei merely watched as the man left as quietly as he had come. He was definitely a dangerous man; he could kill her anytime he wanted to. She was well aware of this fact. But for now, their motivations aligned against the Feng family, and their careful relationship would have to be mutually maintained towards a common goal. Su Jing Fei just wasn¡¯t sure exactly how she could be a benefit to Li Wei Sheng alive, but it must surely have something to do with bringing out the Feng family¡¯s crimes to light.


    It was a few more days of peace for Su Jing Fei and Da Chun before Feng Eu Mei¡¯s wedding took place. Yize and Si Qiang would accompany Su Jing Fei like last time. Da Chun was quite worried for her sister who seemed to always be walking straight into danger at every moment. ¡°Please promise me you¡¯ll be careful,¡± spoke Da Chun in a quiet voice as she helped her sister get ready for the wedding. ¡°Do you have to go?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I have to,¡± replied Su Jing Fei with a small smile. ¡°If the Feng family thinks they can scare us into submission, then there¡¯ll be no peaceful days for us.¡± She took the young girl¡¯s hands gently into her own. ¡°How about we go somewhere after this? Would you like to take a trip somewhere?¡±


    Da Chun¡¯s eyes sparkled just a bit at the idea of travelling since the young girl had never left Fuo Lan her entire life. She nodded excitedly, smiling widely at Su Jing Fei who laughed at the young girl¡¯s enthusiasm. ¡°It¡¯s a promise then! I¡¯ll take you on a trip somewhere after I come back.¡± Su Jing Fei promised with a smile.


    Su Jing Fei finished getting ready for the wedding, wearing simple robes and a simple hairstyle with a few of the dagger ornaments pinning her hair in place. Yize and Su Jing Fei boarded the carriage as Da Chun and the other three yatou bid them farewell at the gates of Mudan-Yu. Si Qiang started the carriage along its path, heading to the Hou residence where the wedding would take place. The journey was quiet and quick, and once they arrived, a crowd had already begun to form outside. Su Jing Fei exited the carriage near the women¡¯s entrance into the backyard where most of the women would be in attendance until the wedding actually began.


    The crowd bustled around her, talking excitedly about Feng Eu Mei¡¯s sudden marriage to Hou Jian Yu. There were gossips and whispers about premarital relations, but Su Jing Fei turned a deaf ear to those rumors and kept walking into the moving crowd. Everyone was seated while waiting for Feng Eu Mei¡¯s sedan to arrive at the Hou residence. In the meantime, men and women celebrated the joyous occasion separately, and Su Jing Fei quietly sipped her wine as the minutes passed by.


    ¡°Wan¡¯er!¡± shouted a young woman¡¯s voice. Su Jing Fei glanced to the side, taking in the sight of a young woman scolding a young child who looked quite ruffled up. The young boy was covered in mud as though he had been playing in dirt. The young woman gave an exasperated sigh while scolding the young boy. ¡°How did you get this dirty? What will you do when mother sees you?¡± She bent down to wipe away the young boy¡¯s dirty face with her handkerchief.


    ¡°But my toy is missing!¡± argued the young child, though he seemed to resign to sadness as his older sister wiped the grime off his face to reveal tears. ¡°It was my favorite toy¡­¡±


    Su Jing Fei was reminded of Mingyu¡¯s crying face, and she felt just a little bit saddened at not having been able to see the young boy in awhile. Getting up from her seat, Su Jing Fei quietly made her way over to the crying young boy and his flustered older sister. ¡°This one can¡¯t help but overhear. Please pardon my rudeness,¡± spoke Su Jing Fei with a warm smile as she approached the sibling pair. ¡°This one happened to have candies in my handbag.¡± She took off the small purse on her waist, reaching in and taking out three small sugar candies that she¡¯d gotten from the store earlier that day when she and Da Chun had visited the morning market.


    ¡°Oh no, thank your kindness, but¡­¡± The young woman looked surprised at Su Jing Fei¡¯s sudden appearance.


    ¡°Candy!¡± The young boy¡¯s eyes sparkled at the sight of the sugar candies in Su Jing Fei¡¯s hand; the sadness of his lost toy was all but forgotten for the moment.


    Su Jing Fei chuckled lightly at the young boy¡¯s candid enthusiasm for candies, holding them out for the young boy to take. ¡°Would you like some candies?¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡± spoke the young boy excitedly as he wiped away his tears with the sleeve of his robe, reaching out to take the three small candies from Su Jing Fei. He gave her a cheeky smile before popping one into his mouth.


    The sister sighed at her younger brother¡¯s rudeness, turning to Su Jing Fei with a respectful bow. ¡°This lowly one thanks Su xiaojie for her kindness. I am Sun Xue Qin, da xiaojie of the city justice official¡¯s family. This is my younger brother Sun Rong Wan. I believe you¡¯ve met our father before.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Su Jing Fei was surprised at the sudden acquaintance with the children of Sun Rong Shu; she hadn¡¯t expected them to appear at Feng Eu Mei¡¯s wedding. However, it made sense that the Hou residence wouldn¡¯t be able to avoid inviting the city justice official¡¯s family unlike the Feng family; especially since they were of a lower ranking noble family to the Sun family. ¡°This one is happy to help.¡± replied Su Jing Fei with a smile. She invited them to sit with her for awhile, in which Sun Xue Qin accepted while her younger brother happily ate the candies. They chatted a bit about Fuo Lan before a servant came announcing Feng Eu Mei¡¯s arrival at the Hou residence.


    There were the ancient traditions of kicking down the sedan door, and everyone looked very cheerful and excited as Hou Jian Yu led the new bride inside. People trailed after them, congratulating the two. As the proper festivities began, Sun Xue Qin left with Sun Rong Wan to find their mother and take their seats. Su Jing Fei bid them a friendly farewell, but it wasn¡¯t long before another person came to keep her a bit of company.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t Su xiaojie wish to see the happy couple?¡± Came a familiar voice from behind her.


    Su Jing Fei made no effort to follow the crowd when she knew that they were heading to the nuptial chambers, but she did get up and perform a respectful bow before Li Wei Sheng. ¡°This lowly one greets the imperial prince.¡±


    ¡°At ease,¡± replied Li Wei Sheng. The corner of his lip lifted in a small grin. ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my question.¡±


    ¡°This one has no interest in seeing such a performance,¡± Su Jing Fei said honestly. Her eyes followed the red figure who was led further into the household. She knew from the ancient customs that Feng Eu Mei and Hou Jian Yu would perform three bows; one for the heaven and earth, the second was for the parents, and the third was for each other. Then Feng Eu Mei¡¯s red veil would be removed by her new husband. She would proceed to sit in the nuptial chambers as Hou Jian Yu drank merrily. These customs she was familiar with; both from her own knowledge and the original Su Jing Fei¡¯s many memories of preparing for her wedding to the third prince. She didn¡¯t like the latter thought very much. ¡°I¡¯m only here to show face.¡±


    Together, the two quietly watched the crowd bustle away. ¡°It is good that Feng Eu Mei has married into another household,¡± Li Wei Sheng said suddenly. There was a hint of warning in his next words. ¡°The Feng family¡¯s fate does not hold good fortunes.¡±


    ¡°Is it better to marry someone against your will to save yourself or suffer with the rest of your family?¡± Su Jing Fei mused thoughtfully, not really expecting an answer from Li Wei Sheng.


    He looked at the young woman beside him, contemplating her strange questions and thoughts. She was truly brave to speak to him so freely, even going against him at times. However, looking upon her now, her physical appearance was nothing extraordinary. She had plain features, simple and easy to look at. However, it was the way she carried herself that exuded a refined aura; the way she walked and moved with grace lifted her up above the rest. There was no doubt that she was a well-bred young woman, but the unyielding nature of her demeanor was quite fascinating to Li Wei Sheng as well. Perhaps, in the future, she could prove to be quite a useful ally against the third prince Chen Hui Zhe.


    Su Jing Fei felt Li Wei Sheng¡¯s probing eyes give her a head-to-toe onceover; her eyes narrowed in his direction. However, before she could say anything, a yatou appeared before them. ¡°This lowly one greets the imperial prince and Su xiaojie. Please forgive this lowly one¡¯s rudeness. The Furen requests Su xiaojie¡¯s presence.¡±


    ¡°Of course, please excuse me, imperial prince.¡± Su Jing Fei bowed respectfully to Li Wei Sheng before she followed the young yatou away and further into the Hou residence. They walked briskly past the crowd of men who drank merrily, and Su Jing Fei could see Hou Jian Yu blissfully drunk in the middle of it. That young master definitely had a weakness for alcohol.


    However, no one paid them any mind as they slipped past the crowd and went even further into the courtyard. A row of yatou stood guard near one house in particular, but instead of going through the front, Su Jing Fei was led to a side entrance and into a waiting room.


    ¡°Su xiaojie looks well today,¡± spoke a familiar voice. ¡°This one did not think that Su xiaojie would come. Of course, Su xiaojie probably didn¡¯t expect to be summoned by me.¡±


    Su Jing Fei¡¯s eyes followed Feng Eu Mei¡¯s entrance from the doorway to the seat across from her. The young woman wore a beautifully embroidered red dress; her hair was adorned in gold pins of various designs. Her slim face was padded down with white powder, making Feng Eu Mei appear ethereally pale against the red of her wedding clothes. Su Jing Fei had suspected that the ¡®Furen¡¯ requesting her presence was the new Hou Furen and not Hou Jian Yu¡¯s mother. She was actually quite surprised that Feng Eu Mei sought her out. ¡°This one gives her congratulations to Feng xiaojie.¡± Su Jing Fei greeted her politely.


    ¡°This one is no longer a xiaojie,¡± Feng Eu Mei replied with just a hint of anger. But it was carefully concealed behind a small smile. ¡°It¡¯s Hou Furen from now on.¡±


    ¡°Yes, please forgive my rudeness, Hou Furen.¡± Su Jing Fei corrected herself upon Feng Eu Mei¡¯s words.


    Feng Eu Mei sat quietly in her seat as her eyes sharply observed Su Jing Fei¡¯s every move. ¡°This one must thank Su xiaojie. It is due to your expertise that I am to be married today to Hou Jian Yu.¡±


    Su Jing Fei gave a polite smile, relaxing into her chair as her hands carefully folded on top of her lap. ¡°Hou Furen jests. This one does not know of what expertise that Hou Furen speaks of.¡± If Feng Eu Mei wanted to dance around the topic, throwing veiled insults and threats at each other, then Su Jing Fei could do this all day. Feng Eu Mei clearly knew the truth; her scheme had backfired against herself and now she was marrying the Hou gongzi instead of Su Jing Fei in a scandalous quick marriage.


    Feng Eu Mei¡¯s eyes narrowed in Su Jing Fei¡¯s direction, her lips pursing slightly. ¡°Su xiaojie is really ambitious. Just because you were once engaged to Chen Hui Zhe, you believe that you possess the fate of the phoenix. But the imperial prince is not the kind of man who will fall for your facades.¡±


    It seemed that Feng Eu Mei possessed some kind of impression that Su Jing Fei had her eyes on Li Wei Sheng. But her motivations were not that shallow. ¡°Hou Furen is mistaken. This one does not care for phoenixes. They may shine brightly, but that light is like a flicker in the darkness. Quick and fleeting.¡± Su Jing Fei did not desire to marry or become a ¡®phoenix¡¯ of this lifetime; not to Chen Hui Zhe nor to Li Wei Sheng. Her only true desire was to protect her sister.


    ¡°Hmph,¡± Feng Eu Mei looked annoyed at Su Jing Fei¡¯s answer, but she spoke no further on the topic. Instead, she turned in her chair, facing Su Jing Fei head on. ¡°But of course, Su xiaojie has other ambitions, isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    Su Jing Fei¡¯s eyes darkened at Feng Eu Mei¡¯s mysterious words, but she did not respond, merely sitting quietly as they both studied the other with an intense gaze. The sound of cheers and growing voices caused Feng Eu Mei to grow a bit antsy, and she finally broke the silence to speak once again. ¡°Su xiaojie, you may think that you are cunning and invincible as the da xiaojie of the Right Prime Minister¡¯s family. And you may be right.¡± Feng Eu Mei sudden smiled, baring a bit of her teeth as though she was a bit excited. ¡°But that does not mean that the people around you are just as cunning and invincible.¡±

 Chapter 22: Taken

    Su Jing Fei felt her heart tremble at those words. Feng Eu Mei couldn¡¯t possibly mean¡­!? ¡°This one does not seem to understand Hou Furen¡¯s words.¡± Su Jing Fei replied calmly, but her posture stiffened slightly. She looked at Feng Eu Mei with eyes cold and dark.


    Feng Eu Mei felt Su Jing Fei¡¯s imposing aura and the hardness in her words, and the young woman knew she had struck a sore spot. ¡°It seems Su xiaojie is not as clever as one would think.¡±


    There was no doubt about it now. Feng Eu Mei was clearly talking about Da Chun, making threats towards her sister. However, the matters were serious now. If Feng Eu Mei had the bravery to make such threats towards Su Jing Fei, then the Feng family must be planning to use Da Chun in their revenge! ¡°It seems that Hou Furen is quite confident today,¡± Su Jing Fei spoke in a calm tone, rising from her seat. ¡°But one must remember the results of yesterday¡¯s efforts.¡± Meaning Feng Eu Mei should be careful with her words and threats; if she tries to scheme against Su Jing Fei, she might end up in a worse situation. Before Feng Eu Mei could say anything else, Su Jing Fei bowed politely and excused herself.


    ¡°You¡¯ll regret what you did to me, Su Jing Fei!¡± were Feng Eu Mei¡¯s last words as Su Jing Fei left.


    But instead of causing hesitation, the threat urged Su Jing Fei to move even quicker. Her steps were light and fast as she made her way out of the courtyard and headed towards the entrance to the Hou residence. Even though the celebrations were still underway, Su Jing Fei could not stand to stay any longer. Something about Feng Eu Mei¡¯s confidence caused Su Jing Fei¡¯s heart to feel uneasy, and she needed to get home as fast as she could. She had to make sure that Da Chun was safe.


    ¡°Da xiaojie is everything alright?¡± Yize spoke hastily as she scurried alongside Su Jing Fei. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°We must get home,¡± Su Jing Fei spoke in a low voice. Her breathing quickened with her steps. ¡°Quickly!¡±


    Si Qiang came by with the carriage as Su Jing Fei waited impatiently. She didn¡¯t even bother to have Si Qiang help her up into the carriage, and instead, pulled open the door and got in herself. She pulled Yize in without much effort, slamming the door behind them. ¡°We must depart quickly to Mudan-Yu!¡± Si Qiang heard the sharpness and urgent tone in Su Jing Fei¡¯s voice, so he rode forward more quickly than normal.


    ¡°Da xiaojie, what did they say to you?¡± Yize asked worriedly, checking over Su Jing Fei¡¯s body to make sure her xiaojie was physically uninjured. She had never seen her xiaojie so unsettled before. But Su Jing Fei merely shook her head, furrowing her brows as a million scenarios played through her mind. Please, please let Da Chun be alright. Let her be unharmed.


    As soon as Si Qiang pulled up to Mudan-Yu, Su Jing Fei flung open the door and jumped out. No one greeted her at the entrance, but the guards stepped aside as she pushed her way inside the front gates to Mudan-Yu. She headed straight for Da Chun¡¯s courtyard. The servants bowed and greeted her as she passed, but she paid no mind to them. Finally reaching Da Chun¡¯s courtyard, Su Jing Fei flung open the doors and stormed her way into Da Chun¡¯s room. There was no one there. A dark feeling sunk into Su Jing Fei¡¯s stomach.


    ¡°Da xiaojie?¡± came Xiao Chen¡¯s voice from behind her. ¡°This lowly one welcomes you home. However, is xiaojie feeling alright? Yize came running to me because she is worried for you.¡±


    ¡°Where is Da Chun?¡± Su Jing Fei demanded, turning to look at Xiao Chen with an unexpected harshness in her tone and expression.


    Xiao Chen was surprised at her xiaojie¡¯s sudden change in demeanor. ¡°T-They went out shopping.¡± stuttered Xiao Chen, taking an unconscious step back from her xiaojie.


    Before Su Jing Fei could inquire more, there were loud voices coming from outside. One of them sounded like Mu Tan¡¯s voice! Rushing outside, Su Jing Fei ran to take a look at the commotion and found a shocking scene in front of Da Chun¡¯s courtyard. Mu Tan¡¯s heavily injured body was being supported by Yize and Dongfan; blood trickled down a cut on her face, and she was covered in dirt and wounds.


    Su Jing Fei felt her fingers grow cold and numb. ¡°What happened, Mu Tan?¡±


    The older woman looked at Su Jing Fei with a pained expression, pushing forward and away from the support of the other two yatou as she fell to her knees before her da xiaojie. ¡°This lowly one could not protect Da Chun! This lowly one deserves death!¡± Her cries struck Su Jing Fei like cold water. She knew her worst fears had come true.


    ¡°All of you, take Mu Tan to go rest. Call a doctor if you must.¡± Su Jing Fei turned to leave, walking with heavy yet quick steps as she went to find the one person who could give her answers. The servants were shocked to see their xiaojie¡¯s terrible expression; a mask of rage and despair that Su Jing Fei could not keep off her face as she searched through Mudan-Yu. It was finally in a distant courtyard where she finally found him.


    ¡°Da xiaojie, you¡¯ve returned home!¡± spoke Zihuan in a surprised voice as he pulled his clothes back together. An unfamiliar servant girl blushed and composed herself before Su Jing Fei, but the latter had no time to deal with her.


    ¡°Leave us,¡± commanded Su Jing Fei to the servant girl. The young woman scurried away with a fearful expression, only glancing back once at the two before she disappeared from their sight. Su Jing Fei¡¯s eyes narrowed, and she tried to recompose herself but her fists could not unclench. ¡°Where is Da Chun?¡±


    Zihuan gave a look of surprise, as though he was genuinely shocked that Su Jing Fei would question him. ¡°T-This lowly one doesn¡¯t know what da xiaojie is speaking of¡­¡±


    ¡°Wrong answer,¡± Su Jing Fei¡¯s eyes flashed with anger. She pulled out one of the pins in her hair, revealing the small dart knife that had been concealed as a hair ornament. With a flick of her wrist, she threw the dart in Zihuan¡¯s direction, piercing the wood just right beside his head. She had no martial arts skills, but her modern life had taught her a few worthwhile skills. Playing darts and knife throwing were valuable entertainment displays that always impressed the foreigners who visited her inn with the idea of a mystical fantastical Chinese world. In the actual ancient Chinese world, the implications were a little more severe. ¡°If you don¡¯t answer quickly, my hand might slip and the knife will end up somewhere else.¡±Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    ¡°Please have mercy!¡± Zihuan cried as he fell to his knees before Su Jing Fei. ¡°This lowly one was threatened! They have my family in their grasps! If I did not do as they said, they promised to murder my entire family!¡±


    His pleas fell on deaf ears however; Su Jing Fei did not need to hear his excuses. ¡°So the Feng family paid you to spy on me?¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes.¡± Zihuan admitted readily, but his voice trembled in fear.


    Su Jing Fei had guessed as much, but she had not anticipated that Zihuan would be so bold as to keep communications with the Feng family after she had the other yatou watching over him and stealing his secret messages. He had been watching her from the very moment she had entered Mudan-Yu, and it was her fault for not getting rid of him from the very beginning. She had thought that she could use Zihuan to gain information on the Feng family, but she had not anticipated that they would find out about Da Chun and act so quickly. ¡°You¡¯re going to accompany me. We¡¯re going to pay the Feng family a visit.¡±


    Hazy memories played through Su Jing Fei¡¯s mind like a movie. Her modern life seemed so distant now¡­ She saw herself working, living, and surviving in the modern world, but it seemed that happiness always eluded her. All she wanted was someone to care for, someone to love; a family. Flashes of an unhappy childhood appeared, showcasing a younger version of herself being passed from relative to relative until she ended up in the orphanage instead. It was there that she finally developed a small little family with the other children. But eventually, everyone left. And then it was her turn to leave.


    A deep sadness filled Su Jing Fei¡¯s heart, and it was the coldness of her own tears that awoke her. She found herself in a dark windowless room. Her eyes took awhile to adjust to the lack of light, but her ears could detect a bit of noise outside of the room. She tried to move but found herself restricted by ropes, tying her down to the chair she was seated in. There was no doubt about it; she¡¯d been kidnapped. Of course, there was only one family that would want to see her suffer like this; the Feng family!


    The door opened as a single figure walked in, carrying a small candlelight to illuminate her sharp features. Su Jing Fei recognized that face. It was none other than Zhao shi, Feng Ruo Qian¡¯s wife. The woman set the candle down at a table in front of Su Jing Fei, settling into a chair. Her dark eyes were sharp and cold as they looked down upon Su Jing Fei. ¡°When I first met Su xiaojie, it was hard to tell what kind of person you were. But now, I know that you¡¯re nothing but a despicable little girl thinking she can do whatever she wants just because of her family status.¡±


    Su Jing Fei¡¯s eyes had long dried from the earlier tears, and her heart had turned cold at the sight of Zhao shi. ¡°When this one first met Zhao shi, I knew exactly what kind of person you were. A mother who will do anything to use her children to further her own status, ignoring the evil acts committed by her husband. It is surprising that Zhao shi is still able to tolerate going to sleep next to such a man.¡±


    Zhao shi¡¯s eyes flickered slightly with the candlelight. ¡°I love my children, and I would do anything for them.¡±


    ¡°The love of a mother¡­ unfortunately, it is a concept I am unfamiliar with,¡± mused Su Jing Fei. Zhao shi was clearly here to intimidate her, but Su Jing Fei would not be so vulnerable. Although there was fear and worry in her heart, it also burned with anger. ¡°Of course, Zhao shi must be familiar with this, since the Feng family were the ones who killed my mother after all.¡±


    The words didn¡¯t seem to bother Zhao shi too much, but it was Su Jing Fei¡¯s nonchalant attitude that threw the older woman off. How could a young girl be so intimidating, even in a lower position than herself? Her cold attitude and prideful face¡­ Zhao shi was sick of it!


    Pa!


    Zhao shi¡¯s hands struck Su Jing Fei¡¯s face, but the young woman never made a sound. Su Jing Fei tasted blood in her mouth, but she gritted her teeth against the pain that stung her cheek. Her eyes remained on Zhao shi¡¯s twisted expression of anger. The physical pain was nothing compared to the emotions swirling inside Su Jing Fei at the thought of Da Chun being in the hands of the Feng family. Of course, she realized that she had acted irrationally and recklessly, but¡­ the thought of Feng Ruo Qian getting his hands on her little sister made her skin crawl. There must be something she could do to escape and find Da Chun!


    Meanwhile, somewhere else in Fuo Lan, an unexpected person paid the imperial prince a visit. In the dead of night, Li Wei Sheng sat in his study, carefully studying reports that he¡¯d been reviewing for awhile until Shan Yu entered the room.


    ¡°Your highness,¡± greeted Shan Yu as he kneeled respectfully before Li Wei Sheng. ¡°We¡¯ve detained an individual who tried to break into the residence. They demanded an audience with your imperial highness.¡±


    Li Wei Sheng set down his notes carefully. He knew that Shan Yu would not bother him unless it was something that truly needed his attention. ¡°Who is it?¡± The young man asked in a curious voice.


    ¡°It is Mu Tan, the yatou of Su Jing Fei.¡± Shan Yu answered.


    Li Wei Sheng lifted an eyebrow, slightly surprised at Shan Yu¡¯s answer. ¡°And why exactly is Su Jing Fei¡¯s yatou here paying me a visit in the dead of night?¡± He stood up before Shan Yu could answer though, suddenly remembering that Su Jing Fei was absent for the rest of Feng Eu Mei¡¯s wedding. He furrowed his brows. Initially, he had assumed that Su Jing Fei had just left early after showing her face, but¡­ what exactly had transpired in Su Jing Fei¡¯s conversation with the Hou Furen, who Li Wei Sheng had guessed to actually be Feng Eu Mei¡­ ¡°Quickly, take me to Mu Tan.¡±


    Shan Yu bowed his head and nodded. ¡°Yes, your highness!¡±


    From the darkness of her room, Su Jing Fei was unable to discern the passing of time. She wasn¡¯t sure of how many hours or days had passed, but it seemed long and endless. A bittersweet smell lingered in the air from the candles burning in the room. Su Jing Fei guessed that they were some sort of special candles because as long as they burned, Su Jing Fei felt her mind hazy as though constantly intoxicated. She rarely had any visitors, but Zhao shi came by a few times to taunt and ridicule Su Jing Fei. However, an unexpected figure visited Su Jing Fei.


    ¡°This one has heard many things about Su xiaojie,¡± spoke Feng Ruo Zhang as he seated himself comfortably in a chair. ¡°It seems that many of them are true. You are as interesting as they say.¡± The full-bellied man gave her a leering look as a smirk twisted his lips. ¡°However, you¡¯re not half as beautiful as your mother was. It is too bad that Feng Ruo Qian did not have any patience and killed her so quickly.¡±


    Despite the fog that clouded Su Jing Fei¡¯s mind, her eyes flashed with anger at Feng Ruo Zhang¡¯s remark. It was unbearable, hearing the disgusting man speak about her mother so carelessly. She wanted to tear his eyes out and shove them down his throat. ¡°Why¡­¡± Su Jing Fei¡¯s throat was hoarse and dry. ¡°Why is the Feng family doing this? What do you want?¡±


    Feng Ruo Zhang looked amused at Su Jing Fei¡¯s words. ¡°You truly do not know, do you?¡±


    Su Jing Fei had thought long and hard about the Feng family¡¯s antagonism towards her own family, and she could not understand their actions. Did they hate her because of her affiliation to the Right Prime Minister¡¯s family? Or was it because the Feng family hated the Qiu family who were a strong military family in Chu? She had guessed that the Feng family had ties to Xinyi possibly, but she wasn¡¯t sure whether this had ties to anything relevant to her at all. Honestly, she had no clue. There were too many unknowns and too many secrets.


    ¡°You seem like a smart girl,¡± Feng Ruo Zhang mused, looking pleased at Su Jing Fei¡¯s suffering. ¡°Maybe one day, you¡¯ll figure it out eventually. But for now, Su xiaojie must be a good girl and disappear for awhile. We¡¯ll wait a few more days after the wedding and have you die peacefully at Mudan-Yu, just like your mother.¡±


    ¡°My sister¡­¡± Su Jing Fei mustered enough strength to speak the words clearly.


    Feng Ruo Zhang smiled. ¡°Alive, for now. You¡¯ll be reunited with her soon enough.¡± And then he turned and left Su Jing Fei alone once again.

 Chapter 23: The Feng Familys Crimes

    Da Chun was alive! Su Jing Fei felt her heart burst with relief, and the tension in her body relaxed just a bit. She¡¯d been so afraid to think about what could have happened to Da Chun, but knowing that her sister alive gave her a bit more courage to carry on. Through the next few hours, Su Jing Fei worked through the fog in her mind and focused on escaping. Luckily, she¡¯d worn a bracelet that she had specially designed herself. The jade bracelet slipped down her wrist easily, and she grasped it in her right hand as her fingers deftly worked at pushing apart one side of the jade bracelet to reveal a sharpened metal insert. She¡¯d been working the ropes for awhile and had gotten through a bit of the rope enough that she could pull herself out of them easily. But she had to wait for the lights outside the room to dim. This usually happened when the guards outside her room changed because she could usually hear them talking.


    However, unexpectedly, another person paid her a visit. It was another another familiar face. Feng Eu Heng appeared from the doorway, looking pleased as she gazed down at Su Jing Fei¡¯s pitiful state. ¡°Hmph, serves you right.¡± Feng Eu Heng had a haughty smile as she moved to extinguish the candles before taking a seat. ¡°I heard about everything you did to my sister, but honestly, she deserved it too. She always thought she was better than me, but now she¡¯s married to a merchant¡¯s son!¡± Feng Eu Heng laughed heartily, looking genuinely pleased at the thought of her sister¡¯s suffering. ¡°With you two gone, there¡¯ll only be me left. The Feng family only has me to rely on, so a marriage with the imperial prince will be inevitable!¡± Feng Eu Heng clasped her hands together, looking excited at the thought of her own fantasy. ¡°But, of course, I can¡¯t let you go peacefully without letting you suffer just a little bit of humiliation like I did. Come in!¡±


    Su Jing Fei¡¯s hands clutched tightly onto the bracelet in her hand. The rope would come off easily, but should she risk exposing her escape prematurely? However, as minutes passed, no one came. Feng Eu Heng glared at the doorway, shouting once more. Yet still, no one came. Su Jing Fei had an idea of what Feng Eu Heng probably had in mind for her, but it seemed like things were not going according to plan.


    ¡°These idiots!¡± Feng Eu Heng said angrily as she stood up and headed for the door. However, suddenly the door swung open as a few people rushed inside. It was Feng Ruo Zhang and his guards. ¡°Ye ye!¡± Cried Feng Eu Heng in alarm as she clearly had not expected her grandfather to show up.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Shouted Feng Ruo Zhang, surprised by his granddaughter¡¯s appearance. His face twisted in anger and annoyance. ¡°You¡¯re not allowed down here! You know that!¡± However, he seemed in a rush as he quickly disregarded her and turned his attention to Su Jing Fei who was still in the room. ¡°Never mind, get out of here quickly and find your parents! And you, I¡¯ll deal with you personally!¡± He pushes Feng Eu Heng out of his way as he ordered the guards to grab Su Jing Fei.


    ¡°Ye ye, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Feng Eu Heng said worryingly as she tugged at his sleeve.


    Feng Ruo Zhang looked deeply annoyed as he pushed his granddaughter¡¯s hands away. ¡°Stupid child! Your family is in danger! The imperial prince and the city justice official are coming to arrest us! They¡¯ll be searching the entire residence, and we can¡¯t have them finding anyone that shouldn¡¯t be here!¡±


    Just as Feng Ruo Zhang¡¯s men reached Su Jing Fei, she quickly slipped out of their grasp, moving fast in the confusion to grab Feng Eu Heng while her other hand grabbed a dagger pin from her hair to press against the young woman¡¯s throat. ¡°Don¡¯t move or else you wish to leave a deep scar on your neck,¡± threatened Su Jing Fei as Feng Eu Heng struggled to break free. At the sound of her words however, Feng Eu Heng stiffly froze, and Su Jing Fei quickly maneuvered her back against the wall closest to the door. Feng Ruo Zhang and his men watched her carefully as she did so.


    ¡°How did you get out of your ropes?¡± Feng Ruo Zhang growled in frustration. But something seemed to pop into his head as he glared at Feng Eu Heng. ¡°You!¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me, Ye ye! I don¡¯t know how she got out!¡± Cried Feng Eu Heng in a panicked voice, but the pressure of the dagger against her throat scared the young woman back into silence.


    ¡°Where is my sister?¡± Su Jing Fei demanded, keeping an eye on the men before her. The guards looked to Feng Ruo Zhang for orders.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you to her, just put that knife away.¡± Feng Ruo Zhang said in a calm voice, as though he was trying to coax a child. Su Jing Fei almost wanted to laugh at his half-baked attempt to dissuade her from violence. But Su Jing Fei knew that only the threat of violence would allow her to get what she wanted.


    ¡°You can lead the way or being her here. Either way, Feng Eu Heng¡¯s life is still in my hands until I get my sister.¡± Su Jing Fei calmly replied. Her dark eyes were resilient, unwavering under Feng Ruo Zhang¡¯s growing red-faced anger.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have the guts to hurt someone! You¡¯re just a woman! A child! You wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± He threatened angrily, though his reluctance to act showed that he didn¡¯t quite believe his own words.


    ¡°You wish to test my ability to kill someone?¡± Questioned Su Jing Fei in a mocking tone. ¡°Be careful what you wish for.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for games!¡± Shouted Feng Ruo Zhang angrily. ¡°Guards!¡±


    Su Jing Fei knew that time was running out for the Feng family and herself. She¡¯d heard his words loud and clear after all. The city justice official and the imperial prince certainly had uncovered enough evidence to expose and arrest the Feng family, and Su Jing Fei was definitely on the Feng family¡¯s disposal list of evidence in crime. She¡¯d have to find Da Chun quickly and wait for the rescue to come! But in the meantime, she¡¯d have to escape somehow!


    Quickly breaking the bracelet in her hand against the wall, the jade broke into pieces and deposited a red powdery substance into Su Jing Fei¡¯s free hand. Honestly, she hadn¡¯t really known what else to put in the bracelet at the time but it was always good to have some chili powder on hand! She quickly swiped her hand across Feng Eu Heng¡¯s eyes, causing the girl to scream as Su Jing Fei pushed her towards the guards. She didn¡¯t hesitate to make her escape, running out the door as Feng Eu Heng continued wailing and crying in pain behind her.


    Feng Ruo Zhang shouted at his guards to follow Su Jing Fei while he had some others help hold up the crying Feng Eu Heng. The young girl¡¯s eyes were red and puffy with tears streaming down her face in an ugly expression. ¡°Get her out of here and take her to her room,¡± Feng Ruo Zhang commanded the men before him. ¡°Everyone else take care of getting rid of everything!¡±


    ¡°Master, what about the people here?¡± asked one of the head guards.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Take them to the lake residence and drown them at the bottom of the lake. Make sure the bodies won¡¯t be found!¡± He replied urgently as another head guard approached him quickly.


    ¡°Master, the city justice official and the imperial prince are almost here!¡± said the head guard with a frantic expression.


    ¡°Then stop idling and get to work!¡± shouted Feng Ruo Zhang angrily as he kicked one of the men nearby. ¡°Go!¡±


    The men moved in a rush to obey their master¡¯s orders. In the meantime, Feng Ruo Zhang brought Feng Eu Heng back to her room where he was met with a surprised Zhao shi. ¡°Father-in-law, what happened?¡± Zhao shi cried as she approached the wailing Feng Eu Heng who was set in bed. ¡°Why is Heng¡¯er like this?¡±


    ¡°Get her to quiet down!¡± Feng Ruo Zhang said in an irritated tone. He had no time to deal with this annoying granddaughter. He knew Feng Eu Heng was young and stupid which is why he initially supported Feng Eu Mei due to the girl¡¯s intelligence and beauty. She was supposed to be the phoenix that carried the Feng family to higher power, but now that was ruined all because of that brat Su Jing Fei!


    ¡°Heng¡¯er, what happened to you?¡± Zhao shi felt fearful for her daughter who seemed to have gone crazy. The young girl thrashed around on the bed before she suddenly went still, falling quiet as silence filled the air. It seemed she passed out from the pain.


    ¡°Good, she finally shut up,¡± Feng Ruo Zhang said as he moved to leave. He had to deal with a few more things before the city justice official and the imperial prince showed up. ¡°Keep her quiet if she reawakens.¡±


    ¡°Father-in-law, who did this to Heng¡¯er?¡± cried Zhao shi at Feng Eu Heng¡¯s side, holding onto the young girl with trembling hands.


    ¡°Who else?¡± shouted Feng Ruo Zhang. ¡°Su Jing Fei! But that vile woman wouldn¡¯t have been able to do anything to Feng Eu Heng if you didn¡¯t tell her where the bitch was being kept! You should¡¯ve kept your mouth shut, stupid woman!¡± Feng Ruo Zhang knew what kind of person his daughter-in-law was. She was intelligent and outwardly kind, but her true nature was one full of hatred and jealousy. She most likely told Feng Eu Heng where Su Jing Fei was being held so that the young girl could enact revenge for her previous imprisonment. But Feng Ruo Zhang didn¡¯t have time to be dealing with the grudges of women; he had far more important matters to attend to!


    ¡°The city justice official and the imperial prince have just arrived!¡± announced a servant just as Feng Ruo Zhang stepped out of the house.


    Feng Ruo Zhang forced himself to remain calm as he approached the entrance to his residence. The doors were held ajar as unfamiliar guards forced entry inside. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± Feng Ruo Zhang said angrily as he approached the entrance. He had expected a more civil entry of his household, not this rude force of entry. His anger exploded at the sight of Sun Rong Shu at the head of the chaos. ¡°Sun Rong Shu, even if you are the city justice official, I am the city lord official! Your intrusion of my house with such violence is completely uncalled for!¡±


    Sun Rong Shu turned at the sound of his name, watching as Feng Ruo Zhang threw a tirade in his direction. ¡°Guards, seize him!¡± He commanded after finally hearing enough of the older man¡¯s angry insults.


    Feng Ruo Zhang looked shocked as the city justice official¡¯s men grabbed him, holding him back as he fought to free himself. ¡°This is crazy! Unhand me unless you wish to go against the Emperor! The Emperor appointed me as the city lord official, and this rude intrusion of my home is completely uncalled for!¡±


    ¡°Go against the Emperor, you say?¡± spoke a calm low voice. Li Wei Sheng made a quiet appearance, but his expression was nothing less than frightening. Although the young man looked respectful in outward appearance, his demeanor and aura felt quite sharp and threatening. His words were even more frightening to hear. ¡°You claim to speak on the behalf of the Emperor?¡±


    Feng Ruo Zhang¡¯s face paled with fear at Li Wei Sheng¡¯s accusation. ¡°N-No, not at all, your Highness! This lowly one is merely saying that this rude intrusion of one¡¯s home is uncalled for! As the city justice official appointed by the Emperor himself, there must be some propriety and respect. But Sun Rong Shu has always been jealous of my position! Please don¡¯t be convinced by his lies!¡±


    Li Wei Sheng stared at Feng Ruo Zhang¡¯s pitiful appearance, watching his show of desperation with unwavering eyes. ¡°Let him go.¡± Li Wei Sheng commanded the guards that were at Feng Ruo Zhang¡¯s side. The men immediately released Feng Ruo Zhang, making him fall to the ground. The older man scrambled quickly into a kowtow position before Li Wei Sheng; sweat covered his face and made dirt stuck to his body from where he had fallen. Feng Ruo Zhang felt anger at suffering such a humiliation, but he believed that he had swayed the imperial prince with his words. All he needed to do was speak some more accusations to convince the young man!


    ¡°This lowly thanks the imperial prince for his mercy!¡± Feng Ruo Zhang shouted as he prostrated himself and looked up at the young man with a pleading expression. ¡°Sun Rong Shu has always been jealous of my position as city lord official, and he seeks to replace me. Thus, he probably conjured up lies to convince you of crimes that I have not committed. Please seek the truth and pass justice, your Highness!¡±


    ¡°Tell me, Feng Ruo Zhang,¡± Li Wei Sheng addressed the older man by full name as his gaze remained fixed on the kowtowing figure. ¡°What crimes do you believe Sun Rong Shu are accusing you of?¡±


    Feng Ruo Zhang pursed his lips, feeling frustrated that he couldn¡¯t speak up. If he said anything, it would only implicate himself, so he was silent and remained prostrated before the imperial prince. He felt a growing anger at the humiliation he had to endure; years of working his way up to city lord official and here he was, still having to kneel at the feet of those above him!


    ¡°So you refuse to acknowledge my question,¡± Li Wei Sheng spoke calmly. ¡°Do you think yourself so highly as to ignore a question from this imperial prince?¡±


    ¡°N-No! Never, your Highness!¡± Feng Ruo Zhang frantically replied. ¡°This lowly one has no knowledge as to the crimes that Sun Rong Shu has accused me of, so this lowly one did not know how to answer!¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± replied Li Wei Sheng as he stared down at the prostrated man. ¡°So you feign ignorance at your own crimes. Tell me, does the name Xia-Wu sound familiar to you?¡±


    Feng Ruo Zhang gulped, feeling sweat slicken his face. That was the name of the courtesan house that Feng Ruo Qian frequented! He knew that the courtesan house had been infiltrated by Sun Rong Shu, but the Feng family had nothing to do with the running of Xia-Wu¡­


    ¡°Did you know that Xia-Wu had ties with the black market of Xinyi?¡± Li Wei Sheng asked calmly. ¡°After Xia-Wu was taken under the city justice official¡¯s care, there were quite a few witnesses who knew of Feng Ruo Qian¡¯s frequent visits to the establishment. Some say he even did quite a bit of business there.¡±


    ¡°My son is a stupid man who doesn¡¯t know what he was doing,¡± pleaded Feng Ruo Zhang, fully knowing that it was Feng Ruo Qian who had someone gotten them caught up in this mess. He had told Feng Ruo Qian to stop visiting such infamous establishments, but the stubborn man wouldn¡¯t listen! ¡°He is an ignorant man who most likely didn¡¯t know he was working with anyone from Xinyi¡¯s black market!¡±


    ¡°Oh really? Stupid enough to forge land titles and sell young girls to Xinyi¡¯s black market traders?¡± Li Wei Sheng was growing impatient with Feng Ruo Zhang¡¯s desperate attempts at ignorance. ¡°Years of forgery, history, and connections tie the Feng family to Xinyi¡¯s black market that could only be built on a foundation long before Feng Ruo Qian had carelessly abused the Feng family¡¯s name and power. This one is tired of playing guessing games. Feng Ruo Zhang, you stand accused of treason against the imperial family and the country of Chu. You are to be arrested along with the entire Feng family where your crimes will receive judgment from the Emperor himself!¡±


    The guards at Feng Ruo Zhang¡¯s sides grabbed ahold of him once more, pulling him to his feet. He was in a daze at the sudden accusation, looking at the imperial prince with a shocked expression. Seeing the young man¡¯s cold eyes and sharp features caused Feng Ruo Zhang to finally realize his mistake. Li Wei Sheng never had any intentions to let him nor his family go! He had been merely watching Feng Ruo Zhang humiliate himself like an idiot, playing the ignorant fool! He gave a despaired shout, knowing that everything was over. The Feng family was ruined and destined for hell!

 Chapter 24: Prayers To Be Answered

    Su Jing Fei ran through the dark corridors as footsteps and shouts chased after her. Turning quick corners, she finally hid in a small crawl space between stairs, holding her breath as footsteps trampled the ground above her.


    ¡°This way!¡± shouted one of the men as the crowd seemed to move further down the hallway.


    Quickly, Su Jing Fei got up and ran back the way she came. The corridors were a collection of dungeon-like rooms, obviously built for holding people or things that had to be hidden away. If Da Chun was anywhere, it had to be down here with her. Moving cautiously, Su Jing Fei gripped a hair pin dagger in her hand as she checked the rooms along the halls. Each one was empty and bore a similar layout to the room she had been held in. But once she turned a corner, the rooms began to give off a stench reeking of human urine and feces. She sincerely hoped she did not find Da Chun here, but there was only one way to find out.


    Every so often there would be footsteps nearby, and she¡¯d have to hide quickly in the shadows. But when she had the opportunity, she searched the rooms. There were obvious signs of previous life in them, but the people who had been held in the rooms were no longer there. Finally reaching the last door, Su Jing Fei pushed open the door.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± cried the hoarse voice of a woman.


    The room was pitch black, and a rotting stench filled the air. Su Jing Fei moved to grab a candle from the hallway before entering, illuminating the space with the single flickering light. A woman yelped at the sudden light, and Su Jing Fei spotted a figure curled up in the corner, hiding away from the light. The candlelight revealed a long glittering chain wrapped around the woman¡¯s ankle, tying her to the bed at the corner. However, as Su Jing Fei¡¯s eyes adjusted to the darkness, she noticed another figure on the bed but it was not moving.


    ¡°I won¡¯t hurt you,¡± Su Jing Fei spoke in a gentle and calm manner, halting a fair distance away from the woman as to not frighten her. Whatever the woman had gone through¡­ Su Jing Fei could only imagine. If Feng Ruo Zhang had not come in with such frantic news and Feng Eu Heng had her way¡­ Su Jing Fei might have found herself in a similar position. ¡°How can I help you?¡± She furrowed her brows, unsure of what to do. She still had to find Da Chun, but she could not just leave the woman tied up here.


    ¡°Y-You¡¯re not the usual men¡­¡± the woman stuttered, turning slightly into the light as she became more accustomed to it. The dark clumped hair was brushed aside to reveal bright round eyes and pale thin lips. Su Jing Fei stared at the woman in shock, just as surely as the woman did in return. ¡°S-Su xiaojie?¡±


    It couldn¡¯t be¡­ ¡°Han shi?¡± Su Jing Fei felt her chest tighten at the realization of her discovery. The woman before her looked nothing like the woman she had first met. The woman in front of her was a changed woman, broken from all the suffering. ¡°How do I help? What do I do?¡± Su Jing Fei whispered quietly, feeling a swell of anger and despair at her discovery. An overwhelming feeling of helplessness washed over her.


    Hearing Su Jing Fei¡¯s words, Han shi let out a strangled cry before wiping away the tears with her hands, streaking dirt across her cheeks. ¡°M-My husband¡­ He needs help¡­¡± She crawled over to the bed, pulling herself weakly up on top of it.


    Su Jing Fei moved carefully not to scare Han shi as she neared the bedside. Observing the bed, she noticed the emaciated figure of a man on the bed. He looked frighteningly close to death, and Su Jing Fei almost thought he was before she noticed the small rise and fall of his chest. ¡°Guo Li Wei¡­¡± Su Jing Fei had never met the man before, but she knew without a doubt that it was him. ¡°What happened?¡± She asked hesitantly.


    Han shi turned to look at Su Jing Fei, and there was noticeable change in her appearance. Her eyes were dark and sunken in, and her face was thin and sharp. Su Jing Fei pulled out a handkerchief at her side and offered it to Han shi. The older woman managed a small smile, thanking Su Jing Fei as she reached out a shaky hand to grab ahold of it. After a few moments of wiping her face, the dirt was removed to reveal a pale face filled with red spots probably from improper hygiene care and bugs bites. Su Jing Fei waited patiently until Han shi was ready to speak.


    ¡°A stray arrow tore through the carriage. At first, we thought they were bandits, but it wasn¡¯t anything like that. The men wore clothes of hidden guards¡­ They took out our guards so quickly that I barely had any time to think, and then I¡­¡± Han shi¡¯s eyes widened as she reached out and grabbed ahold of Su Jing Fei. ¡°Ming¡¯er! I hid my Ming¡¯er away! Is he safe?¡±


    Su Jing Fei nodded her hand, placing a gentle hand against Han shi¡¯s grip. ¡°Yes, Ming¡¯er is safe. He¡¯s with your family in Fuo Lan, waiting for your return.¡±


    Han shi broke into a sob, sucking in air as though a weight had finally been lifted off her shoulders and she could breathe again. ¡°I¡¯m so thankful! So thankful!¡±


    Su Jing Fei hesitantly reached out a hand and gently placed it onto the woman¡¯s shoulder as sobs wracked her thin body. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Han shi. The city justice official and the imperial prince are here to save us. They¡¯ll find you and take you home.¡±


    ¡°Y-You¡¯re not here to save us?¡± asked Han shi in a terrified voice, clutching onto Su Jing Fei¡¯s arm sleeve.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have the power to just yet¡­¡± Su Jing Fei furrowed her brows. ¡°But they¡¯ll find you and save you, alright?¡± Su Jing Fei took ahold of Han shi¡¯s hand, uncurling the trembling fingers to place the hairpin dagger in the older woman¡¯s hands. ¡°This¡¯ll keep you safe for now.¡± She folded the woman¡¯s fingers over the handle to grip it tightly. ¡°If I¡¯m able to, I¡¯ll come back for you. If I see them, I¡¯ll bring them to you. But for now, I must go.¡±


    Han shi stared at Su Jing Fei with sad eyes, yet there seemed to still be a light in them. The older woman had not given up completely, and it seemed that Su Jing Fei¡¯s appearance had stirred the embers of Han shi¡¯s hope once more. ¡°Who did they take from you?¡± The woman asked in a quiet voice.


    ¡°My sister,¡± Su Jing Fei replied in a low voice. ¡°They took my sister from me.¡±


    Han shi was silent for a few moments before nodding her head. ¡°Then go quickly away from here. In case¡­ they come back¡­¡±


    Su Jing Fei gripped the older woman¡¯s hands, giving her a small smile before handing over the candle. As Su Jing Fei moved out of the room, the light behind her was extinguished, leaving the room in darkness once more. She was tempted to stay and help them, but she knew she had to move forward and find Da Chun. Although Su Jing Fei was not a religious person, she prayed harder than she had ever done before. She prayed to the gods, the ancestors, and anyone who was listening. Please, please let Da Chun be safe!


    A heightened sense of danger caused Su Jing Fei to be quicker in her movements. Just where could Da Chun be kept? The corridors seemed neverending! She finally found a small staircase leading to a slightly higher floor. Cautiously, she made her way upstairs while dodging the sounds of voices and watching as shadows passed by her. Su Jing Fei ducked into a room to carefully avoid the capture of guards. However, she was too late to notice the figure at the other side of the room.


    The young yatou stared at Su Jing Fei with a look of horror, but just as she was about to give a shout, Su Jing Fei moved quickly and tackled the young woman to the ground, clamping a hand over her mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t scream and I won¡¯t be forced to hurt you,¡± Su Jing Fei threatened, pulling another hairpin dagger out and holding it up for the young girl to see. ¡°Do you understand?¡±If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The young girl nodded with tears streaming down her face. Su Jing Fei felt bad, but she knew that she had no other choice but to threaten the young girl to keep quiet. ¡°I¡¯ll uncover your mouth, but you must promise to not make a sound.¡± When the young girl nodded her understanding, Su Jing Fei carefully removed her hand and waited a bit to let the young yatou catch her breath.


    The young girl swept away the tears with the sleeves of her dress, coughing slightly as she regained her breath. ¡°Please don¡¯t kill me.¡± The young girl begged quietly, moving into a kowtow position.


    ¡°I won¡¯t kill you,¡± Su Jing Fei said in a calm voice. ¡°But I need your help. Do you remember seeing a young girl brought somewhere here?¡±


    The young yatou nodded her head. ¡°Y-Yes, but the master brings many young girls down here¡­¡± She bit her lips, looking worriedly at Su Jing Fei as though the answer would anger her.


    Su Jing Fei gave a long sigh. ¡°It would be someone recent. She¡¯d be young and wearing well-tailored clothing like a noblewomen.¡± Su Jing Fei began describing a bit of Da Chun¡¯s appearance as the young yatou listened earnestly. ¡°Have you seen anyone like that?¡±


    ¡°I-I think I have¡­¡± mumbled the young girl as she furrowed her brows in thought. ¡°Master brought back a young noblewoman one night¡­ I remember because she had a beautiful jade pendant and clothes that was unlike the usual young courtesan girls¡­¡±


    That was no doubt Da Chun! ¡°Do you know where she was taken?¡± Su Jing Fei said frantically, feeling a bit relieved at finally hearing a bit of news of her whereabouts.


    ¡°Y-Yes, I believe so¡­¡± The young girl looked a bit frightened, but seemed sure in her words.


    ¡°Where is it?¡± Su Jing Fei asked quietly, glancing at the door as she heard a few voices outside. ¡°Is it close by?¡±


    ¡°Down the hall and to the left. It¡¯s the room at the very end of the hall.¡± The young yatou also glanced at the door, but remained quiet. ¡°It¡¯s close¡­¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Su Jing Fei spoke in a determined tone. ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡±


    The young yatou seemed to be aware of her situation and nodded as Su Jing Fei followed closely behind. They waited for the voices in the hall to pass before exiting the room, slipping through the shadows of the corridor before making a left. The hallways were eerily quiet as they approached the room at the end of the hall.


    ¡°H-Here,¡± stuttered the young yatou as she paused before a door. Su Jing Fei pushed open the door and stepped inside, immediately smelling the stench of something strong and pungent in the air. It had a slightly medicinal aromatic scent, and Su Jing Fei turned to the young girl who remained frozen in the doorway.


    ¡°What is this?¡± asked Su Jing Fei as she covered the bottom half of her face with the sleeve of her dress.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry!¡± cried the young yatou as she suddenly moved to run away.


    Su Jing Fei cursed under her breath but knew that she couldn¡¯t catch up to the girl. She had to get Da Chun quickly out of here so that they could escape! But the longer that Su Jing Fei breathed in the air, she felt her body began to burn slightly. It was a similar feeling to the drugs that the Feng siblings had put in her drink, and Su Jing Fei felt a sinking feeling at her stomach at the implications of her assumptions. Running further into the room, Su Jing Fei saw a figure hanging over the edge of a bed. Her heart sank into the pit of stomach at the sight before her. A small pale back was exposed to reveal dark purple bruises and long slashing whip marks. On the left shoulder was a small pink flower-shaped birthmark.


    ¡°Da Chun!¡± Su Jing Fei cried as she rushed to the bedside, pulling the young girl up and into her arms. She pushed the hair away from the young girl¡¯s face, revealing more bruises and cuts on the familiar face. The young girl¡¯s eyes were shut, and her body was unmoving. ¡°No...¡± A cold despair overwhelmed Su Jing Fei as she cried over Da Chun¡¯s small broken body. ¡°Please¡­¡±


    ¡°Jie jie?¡± came a quiet whisper. Da Chun¡¯s voice was weak and hoarse, but she was speaking nonetheless. Su Jing Fei sucked in a huge gulp of air to catch her breath, glancing down at the young girl whose eyelashes fluttered slightly.


    ¡°D-Da Chun?¡± Su Jing Fei¡¯s broke slightly as she spoke her sister¡¯s name, desperate for a reply, hoping that her ears had not deceived her.


    The young girl¡¯s eyes fluttered open slightly, looking red and swollen as though she had been crying. She looked up at Su Jing Fei with an indescribable expression, a mix of awe and happiness. ¡°Y-You¡­found me again¡­¡±


    Su Jing Fei choked back a sob, her trembling hand reaching down to gently rest on the young girl¡¯s cheek. ¡°I came here to save you¡­¡±


    Da Chun¡¯s pale lips lifted into a small smile, tears pooling at those big brown eyes. ¡°Y-You did¡­ You¡¯ve saved me¡­¡±


    Su Jing Fei shook her head, knowing that she had been too late to save Da Chun from Feng Ruo Qian¡¯s cruelty. Her younger sister had suffered at that monster¡¯s hands, and she had been unable to do anything. She had rushed in to save her sister, getting herself caught in her thoughtless attempt to save Da Chun at any cost. She¡¯d been too desperate, too stupid, too ignorant at her own powerlessness. Su Jing Fei felt her sleeves grow wet with the blood from Da Chun¡¯s wounds. She didn¡¯t even know where to start to stop the bleeding. ¡°They¡¯ll be here. We¡¯ll be saved, okay? And then I¡¯ll take you to on that trip I promised you. We¡¯ll go far away from here, from everyone, and it¡¯ll be just us two¡­¡± Su Jing Fei¡¯s voice trembled as she held back sobs.


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Da Chun replied in a soft sigh as her eyes fluttered close.


    ¡°No, no, stay awake, Da Chun,¡± Su Jing Fei said in a frantic voice as she gently patted her sister¡¯s cheek. The young girl¡¯s eyes fluttered open again, but she clearly struggled to keep them open. ¡°You can¡¯t fall asleep, Da Chun. You have to stay awake with me, okay?¡± Su Jing Fei shifted slightly to sit the girl up higher, supporting the young girl¡¯s body with her shoulder. Da Chun groaned slightly at the movement, but Su Jing Fei needed to keep Da Chun awake. She couldn¡¯t fall asleep or else there was the possibility that she¡¯d never wake up again. ¡°Where do you want to go? On our trip?¡± Su Jing Fei asked a trembling voice, gently patting Da Chun¡¯s cheek as the young girl¡¯s eyes struggled to stay open. Those brown eyes looked at Su Jing Fei, tears streaming down the sides of those pale cheeks. Su Jing Fei managed a shaky smile, hoping to coax Da Chun to stay awake with conversation. ¡°I¡¯ll take you anywhere you want to go.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ want to¡­ see the place where¡­ the water touches the sunset¡­¡± Da Chun mumbled in a soft gasping voice.


    ¡°An ocean,¡± Su Jing Fei nodded her head as she gently wiped the tears away from Da Chun¡¯s cheeks. ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the see the ocean. We¡¯ll go on a boat and catch some fish.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ swim¡­¡± The young girl mumbled softly.


    Su Jing Fei gave a small chuckle, sniffling as she smiled down at Da Chun. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I can teach you. It¡¯ll be fun.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ see¡­¡± Da Chun¡¯s voice was a whisper as those brown eyes seemed to stare distantly past Su Jing Fei.


    ¡°Please stay awake for me,¡± begged Su Jing Fei. She prayed to the gods, the ancestors, and to the ones who brought her back and threw her into this life. Somebody had to be listening or watching¡­ Please! Please¡­Save her like you saved me once! Su Jing Fei begged, prayed, and cried. ¡°Please¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Da Chun¡¯s voice was small, filled with sadness as she began to cry with the last bit of her energy. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, jie jie!¡± Her small body shook with the sobs, and Su Jing Fei clutched the young girl in her arms, pressing her face against Da Chun¡¯s hair as she let the despair overwhelm her.


    ¡°It¡¯s all my fault,¡± Su Jing Fei sobbed, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Da Chun.¡± The two sisters held onto each other tightly and cried. They cried until Da Chun¡¯s cries became small gasps, and then Su Jing Fei began to gently stroke the young girl¡¯s hair and whispering in a small voice. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s okay, Da Chun. It¡¯s okay.¡±


    Su Jing Fei held her sister in her arms as the gasps quieted and the small hands fell lifelessly at the young girl¡¯s sides. She continued to hold the young girl, rocking gently back and forth in silence. Her body burned intensely from the incense, and every movement was painful but the pain was a much needed distraction from the despair, the sadness, the anger; all the dark emotions stirring within Su Jing Fei was tightly coiled in the pain that burned her skin.


    ¡°You!¡± A voice shouted from the doorway. ¡°What are you doing here!?¡±


    Su Jing Fei froze at the sound of the familiar voice. Her eyes were fixed on her sister¡¯s lifeless face. Her hand trembled as she gently placed a hand on those pale cheeks. Gone; she was gone.


    ¡°Stupid girl!¡± Feng Ruo Qian retorted angrily, moving into the room as he grabbed ahold of Su Jing Fei¡¯s arm and pulled her. ¡°I¡¯ll take you back myself!¡±


    Suddenly, Feng Ruo Qian found himself pushed to the ground. He tried to speak but a gurgling sound came out instead. He stared at Su Jing Fei with a shocked expression, reaching up with shaking hands to clutch at the dagger in his throat. He coughed out blood, his body began to spasm as he began to drown in blood that pooled at his neck.


    One, two, three more stabs pierced Feng Ruo Qian¡¯s body as he struggled underneath the weight of Su Jing Fei¡¯s body. He looked at Su Jing Fei with a horrified expression, but the young woman¡¯s eyes were cold and black. They were two pools of darkness that frightened Feng Ruo Qian, for he had never expected to see such a young woman showing such a terrifyingly cold expression. Four, five, six, seven, eight¡­Feng Ruo Qian¡¯s throat gave a gurgling sound as he gasped for breath, unable to fight back as the strength left his body.


    Nine, ten, eleven¡­

 Chapter 25: Broken

    Li Wei Sheng watched as the men carried out Guo Li Wei¡¯s emaciated body; the man looked close to death, but somehow, he had lived. The doctors should be able to save his life. Han shi had struggled to fight off the men who had come to rescue her, and judging by her wounds and her appearance, Li Wei Sheng could guess at what terrible things she had to endure. Luckily, he had a few women in his hidden guard who had escorted her out. The only thing left was to find Su Jing Fei and her sister.


    ¡°Young master, we found a servant who has knowledge about Su xiaojie¡¯s possible whereabouts.¡± Shan Yu respectfully kneeled before Li Wei Sheng as he relayed the news.


    ¡°Where is she?¡± Li Wei Sheng asked in a low voice.


    ¡°The girl is detained with some of the other servants near the-¡±


    Li Wei Sheng interrupted Shan Yu with a firm voice. ¡°Not her. Where is Su Jing Fei?¡±


    ¡°On the second lower level of the underground dungeons. Mu Tan has gone ahead, and-¡±


    ¡°Enough, take me there!¡± Li Wei Sheng¡¯s voice was quite demanding.


    Shan Yu was a bit surprised at his young master¡¯s impatience, but he merely shook his head and followed his young master¡¯s orders. He was getting used to his young master acting quite peculiarly in regards to the Su xiaojie now anyway. Moving past the men who continued clearing out rooms, Shan Yu led his young master to the supposed corridor where they spotted Mu Tan standing in the entrance to the room at the very end of the hallway.


    Li Wei Sheng pushed past Shan Yu as he quickly made his way to the end of the hallway. He stopped at Mu Tan¡¯s side, noticing the yatou¡¯s strange expression. He felt his heart beat just a little quicker as he turned to look inside the room. There were two two distinct shapes visible in the slight haze of burning incense. He had recognized the aphrodisiac¡¯s burning scent, and he found feeling strange at the implications of what the room¡¯s conditions meant. Moving past Mu Tan¡¯s frozen figure, Li Wei Sheng entered the room and headed towards the bed. He paused just as he reached the foot of the bed. His eyes gazed down at the mutilated body of Feng Ruo Qian that was on the floor. He moved his gaze back to the silhouette on the bed, recognizing Su Jing Fei¡¯s familiar figure. The young woman was seated carefully at the edge of the bed, and the unmoving body of another familiar face laid in her arms. Li Wei Sheng recognized the girl to be the sister that Su Jing Fei had rescued from Xia-Wu. ¡°Su xiaojie.¡± Li Wei Sheng addressed her quietly, speaking in a low voice as he watched her face for any signs of recognition or any reaction.


    But the young woman¡¯s face was expressionless, and her eyes stared off into the distance. She looked deathly pale against the blood that had splattered on her face. Her black ink eyes seemed clouded in a haze. Li Wei Sheng furrowed his brows at her frightening appearance and demeanor. It had been enough to scare Mu Tan, and Li Wei Sheng found himself feeling strangely upset at her weak and cold appearance. ¡°Su Jing Fei,¡± He addressed her again a second time; speaking in a firmer voice. ¡°It¡¯s over.¡±


    Even at those words, Su Jing Fei was silent and unmoving; it was as though Li Wei Sheng was not even visible in her eyes. As he observed her, he noticed the blood that soaked her dress. He was unsure if she was injured or not under all that blood, but he wouldn¡¯t let her die here if she was. He stretched a hand out to place on Su Jing Fei¡¯s shoulder, hopefully to bring her back from the daze she was in, but Li Wei Sheng suddenly found himself being attacked.


    Su Jing Fei¡¯s arm swung in his direction; her hand clutched tightly to a blade disguised as a hairpin. Luckily, Li Wei Sheng was quite skilled in martial arts and he dodged her attack, grabbing ahold of her arm as he shouted angrily at her. ¡°Su Jing Fei, wake up!¡±


    The young woman blinked once, then twice, and her black eyes flickered in Li Wei Sheng¡¯s direction. ¡°Li Wei Sheng?¡± Su Jing Fei¡¯s voice was as quiet as a whisper, and she still looked quite out of it as she gazed at him. She looked like she had just awoken from a dream.


    ¡°Are you awake now?¡± He said in a low voice, still keeping a grip on her arm as she seemed to be returning to reality.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Su Jing Fei¡¯s voice broke as she turned to look down at Da Chun¡¯s lifeless body resting in her lap. ¡°I was too late. I prayed and I prayed, and I begged, but no one listened. They wouldn¡¯t bring her back to me. They wouldn¡¯t!¡± Su Jing Fei¡¯s grip on the dagger loosened until it fell from her hand and clattered onto the floor as she continued to ramble incoherently between sobs. ¡°Then I cursed them for bringing me here! Making me suffer like this! Why did they bring me here if I couldn¡¯t save her! I just-¡± And it was like everything had exploded inside of Su Jing Fei at once, making her grow tired of it all. Her eyes fluttered slightly as she looked up at Li Wei Sheng one last time before the darkness consumed her. ¡°Why?¡±


    Li Wei Sheng caught Su Jing Fei in his arms as she passed out, probably from exhaustion and the effects of the aphrodisiac. ¡°Get in here and help me!¡± He shouted in a hurried voice as Shan Yu appeared at his side. ¡°Take the younger girl out of here.¡±


    ¡°Young master, she¡¯s already-¡± Shan Yu was a bit confused, but Li Wei Sheng seemed angry at Shan Yu¡¯s hesitance.


    ¡°Just do it!¡±


    But before Shan Yu could do anything, Mu Tan appeared at the bedside, staring down at the young girl. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± Tears ran down her cheeks as she carefully picked up her xiaojie¡¯s lifeless body, cradling it delicately.


    Once the weight was lifted off of Su Jing Fei, Li Wei Sheng picked the young woman up in his arms, carrying her out. The aphrodisiac burned his skin, but his mind was clear as he made his way out of that dark place.


    ---


    After a few weeks of tying up loose ends in Fuo Lan, Li Wei Sheng finally had a bit of free time. He stopped by the Guo family residence, receiving a warm welcome by Guo Li Xiang and Guo Li Wang. They sat comfortably in an open room, looking out at the small garden and pond in the middle of the residence.


    ¡°I apologize for not being able to visit sooner.¡± Li Wei Sheng started, sighing slightly as he thought of all the headaches he had to deal with in the past weeks.


    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all. The imperial prince must be busy taking care of things in Fuo Lan after the Feng family¡¯s arrest, so this lowly one thanks the imperial prince for making time to visit our humble residence.¡± Guo Li Xiang spoke with a smile.


    ¡°This one has indeed been quite busy with matters,¡± Li Wei Sheng confirmed with a nod of his head. ¡°However, one has not been able to drop by to inquire about the third young master¡¯s condition and his wife.¡±


    ¡°My younger brother is doing well,¡± Guo Li Wang spoke up, looking genuinely happy as he relayed the news to Li Wei Sheng. ¡°His strength and vitality has recovered a bit with the help of medicine and food. Han shi has also physically recovered, and she¡¯s been doing very well recently.¡±


    ¡°Has he awoken yet?¡± Li Wei Sheng asked, knowing that the third Guo son had fallen into a coma during his imprisonment in the Feng family¡¯s residence.


    ¡°Unfortunately not yet,¡± Guo Li Xiang said with a small smile. ¡°But his body is recovering well, so we hope he will awaken soon.¡±


    Li Wei Sheng nodded his head in understanding. Once the body recovered, the mind should return; that was the hope anyway. The three men chatted a bit more about a few matters in Fuo Lan before Li Wei Sheng stood up to leave. As they were heading to the entrance, something small came barrelling out of nowhere, knocking into Li Wei Sheng¡¯s legs and falling to the ground at his feet.


    ¡°Ming¡¯er!¡± cried a woman¡¯s voice. A familiar-looking woman came into view, stopping just right before the men. Li Wei Sheng recognized her as Han shi. She looked vastly better than when they had first met; her pale face had gained more color, and the fear in her eyes had disappeared. However, she did look quite a bit frightened as she noticed Li Wei Sheng. ¡°Your Highness, please forgive my son¡¯s rudeness!¡±


    Li Wei Sheng chuckled, leaning down to scoop up the young dazed boy in his arms. ¡°You have to be a bit more careful where you¡¯re running or you might hurt someone.¡± He lightly reprimanded the boy but kept a smile on his face.


    The young boy was quite heavier than Li Wei Sheng had anticipated, and his big round cheeks puffed up in a small pout. But then his shoulders sagged slightly as he seemed to reflect on his actions. ¡°Okay¡­ Ming Ming is sorry.¡±Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    ¡°Good boy.¡± Li Wei Sheng replied with a laugh.


    Mingyu stared at Li Wei Sheng for a bit, squinting his eyes and observing him in an exaggerated fashion that was quite endearing for a young child. ¡°Are you prince?¡±


    Guo Li Xiang and Guo Li Wang were about to speak up to apologize for the young boy¡¯s rudeness, but Li Wei Sheng held up a hand to silence them. He didn¡¯t mind children. They often spoke their minds and were quite easy to please. He preferred their honest chatter to the veiled words of adults.


    ¡°Wow, you are sharp, little one.¡± Li Wei Sheng smiled. ¡°Yes, I am a prince.¡±


    ¡°You saved my mama n¡¯ papa?¡± Mingyu tilted his head slightly, furrowing his brows.


    ¡°I might¡¯ve.¡±


    ¡°Here,¡± Mingyu held out a candy in the palm of his hands, clearly offering it to Li Wei Sheng. ¡°You can have. It is my favorite, but you can have it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s quite generous of you,¡± Li Wei Sheng replied, but he shook his head. ¡°Thank you for the offer, but I can¡¯t take away your favorite candy. This candy is better for you.¡±


    Mingyu seemed to think about it for a moment and then he nodded. ¡°Okay¡­¡± He put the candy back in his pocket. ¡°You can have this.¡± He pulled out another piece of candy and held it out to Li Wei Sheng. ¡°It¡¯s not my favorite, but jie jie like it. Prince save mama n¡¯ papa like jie jie save me so you can have jie jie candy.¡±


    ¡°Jie jie?¡± Li Wei Sheng inquired curiously.


    ¡°Jie jie is jie jie.¡± Mingyu said firmly with a smile.


    ¡°Excuse this lowly one¡¯s rudeness,¡± spoke Han shi as she stepped forward, kneeling before Li Wei Sheng respectfully. ¡°The ¡®jie jie¡¯ that Ming¡¯er is speaking about is Su Jing Fei. She had saved him once before and now he¡¯s quite crazy about her.¡±


    Li Wei Sheng nodded in understanding, smiling down at the boy. ¡°Then I¡¯ll take this candy then. Thank you.¡± Li Wei Sheng plucked the candy from the young boy¡¯s open palm and tucked the candy into his pocket. He set down the young child, but Mingyu did not budge from his side. Instead, the young boy tugged gently at Li Wei Sheng¡¯s pants. ¡°Prince know jie jie?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know Su Jing Fei.¡± Li Wei Sheng replied with a nod of his head.


    ¡°Is jie jie okay?¡± Mingyu asked, looking a little bit sad as he gazed up at Li Wei Sheng. ¡°Ming ming miss jie jie.¡±


    Li Wei Sheng was a little surprised at Mingyu¡¯s question. He felt strange at the thought of Su Jing Fei, recalling the last time he had seen her. He had a few people visit Mudan-Yu to get updates on her, but¡­


    ¡°Ming¡¯er, you promised to wait for jie jie, remember? Just like mama and papa, jie jie will come back and visit you soon.¡± Han shi spoke calmly, coaxing the child to return to her side.


    Mingyu hung his head, running back to his mother and into her arms. She was still kneeling, and Li Wei Sheng quickly motioned for her to stand. As she held tightly to the child in her arms, Han shi gazed at Li Wei Sheng. Her light brown eyes shone bright unlike the woman he remembered. ¡°This lowly one was able to live because of Su xiaojie. She saved my Mingyu, but she was unable to save her sister. This lowly one hopes the imperial prince can relay to Su xiaojie that we¡¯ll be waiting for her whenever she needs us. The Guo family is in her debt.¡±


    Li Wei Sheng felt the hopes of the Guo family around him. He gave a small sigh before replying. ¡°You can tell her yourself when she recovers.¡±


    Han shi smiled. ¡°Of course.¡±


    He bid farewell to the family, getting into his carriage. It seemed like the Guo family held Su Jing Fei in quite the high regard, probably even higher than him. The carriage rolled forward as Li Wei Sheng watched the passing crowd outside. It was a few minutes before they reached his next destination. The carriage came to a stop, and Li Wei Sheng stepped out, staring at the residence. He¡¯d never really taken a good look at it in the light of day before.


    ¡°This lowly one greets his imperial Highness,¡± An older woman bowed respectfully before Li Wei Sheng. He recognized her as the woman named Dongfan.


    ¡°You may rise,¡± He spoke respectfully as the old woman did so. ¡°How is she?¡±


    Dongfan gave a small smile. ¡°She has her good and her bad days, just like anybody else.¡±


    ¡°Today is a good day?¡± Li Wei Sheng asked.


    Dongfan nodded, turning to lead Li Wei Sheng inside Mudan-Yu. ¡°Yes, today is a good day.¡± They made their way through the residence, and Li Wei Sheng noticed the distinct lack of servants. ¡°It is quite quiet in here.¡± He noted observingly.


    Dongfan smiled. ¡°After the incident, we couldn¡¯t trust any of the servants that were hired by the head attendant Zihuan, so naturally, we had to let go a lot of people. There¡¯s only a handful of us now, but the few of us left are enough for now.¡±


    Li Wei Sheng recalled the face of Mudan-Yu¡¯s previous head attendant Zihuan. He had only seen him once before when he had visited Mudan-Yu in the dark of night. But Li Wei Sheng was well aware of the betrayal that the man had committed against Su Jing Fei. ¡°We didn¡¯t find him at the Feng residence.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s probably long gone by now,¡± Dongfan replied simply. ¡°He¡¯s not an intelligent man, but he¡¯s not stupid either.¡± They finally made it to the small courtyard that was Su Jing Fei¡¯s personal place of residence. Upon entering the initial receiving room, Li Wei Sheng noticed a small shrine set up near the entryway.


    ¡°What is this?¡± Li Wei Sheng asked, noticing the peculiar setup of flowers and fruit. A candle burned at the center of the small shrine with a few items placed atop a small table. There were knitting needles, a few hairpins, and a few other items. At the very center of the table was a small delicately designed piece of pottery that Li Wei Sheng surprisingly recognized as an urn. Most noble families were usually buried, but it was not uncommon to see cremated remains in urns nowadays. He was just a bit surprised to find a small shrine at the entrance to Su Jing Fei¡¯s house of residence.


    ¡°There was no place for Da Chun in the familial burial ground, so da xiaojie had her remains cremated,¡± explained Dongfan as she gave a small sad smile. ¡°Da xiaojie then had a peculiar dream and requested us to setup a shrine in the home like so.¡±


    Li Wei Sheng nodded his head in understanding. If this was a way for Su Jing Fei to process her sister¡¯s death, then there was nothing he could say about it. He was quiet as Dongfan led him further inside. The old woman knelt outside a door, announcing his arrival. There were a few seconds of silence before a voice replied.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    Li Wei Sheng recognized it as Mu Tan¡¯s voice. The door was pushed aside, and Li Wei Sheng was brought inside Su Jing Fei¡¯s room. His eyes flickered across the scene before him. The windows were open slightly, letting in fresh air with the cool breeze. Mu Tan was seated at the side of the bed, but she got up and properly greeted Li Wei Sheng. He held up a hand and motioned for her to be at ease, and she returned to her seat. His eyes fixated on the unmoving figure seated upright in the bed. The young woman was dressed in white, a mourning color. Her long black hair was made up in a simple style, framing her delicate features plainly. She looked quite better than the last time he¡¯d seen her, and there was not so much the stench of death as before. Her previously pale skin had regained a bit of its original color, and she looked much healthier. No more dark sunken eyes and pale chapped lips. However, she was still quite thin and frail looking, and he couldn¡¯t fathom how such a figure could¡¯ve overpowered and killed Feng Ruo Qian in such a gruesome manner.


    ¡°This lowly one thanks the imperial prince for stopping by.¡± Mu Tan said with a small smile.


    ¡°I should¡¯ve came by long ago,¡± Li Wei Sheng smiled in return, settling into a chair that was brought for him. ¡°There were quite a few things that needed to be taken care of before I could come.¡± His gaze remained on Su Jing Fei¡¯s figure though; the young woman¡¯s face was turned slightly as she stared out the window, not speaking a word. There was a calm expression on her face, and she was relaxed with her hands placed neatly on her lap. But there was no doubt that Su Jing Fei¡¯s mind seemed a million miles away from the here and now. ¡°Can she hear me?¡± He asked carefully.


    Mu Tan gave a small laugh. ¡°Yes, she can hear you.¡±


    ¡°En, good,¡± Li Wei Sheng nodded. Then he could say what he wanted to say. ¡°Su Jing Fei, you are looking much healthier nowadays.¡± He started out a simple observation, feeling a little bit awkward speaking to her though she seemed so distant at the moment. Li Wei Sheng cleared his throat and began speaking about the matters he had taken care of in the past couple of weeks. ¡°The Feng family were arrested and sent for judgment in the imperial city. For their crimes, the Imperial Emperor deemed them guilty based on the evidence provided. Feng Ruo Zhang and most of the inner family were sentenced to death. The only one left alive is Feng Eu Mei, for she no longer bears the name of Feng; she¡¯s Hou Furen now.¡± Li Wei Sheng watched for any reactions from Su Jing Fei, but the young woman was as still and serene as when he first walked into the room. So he continued speaking, unfazed by her quietness. ¡°The matters of eradicating the Xinyi black market from Fuo Lan was difficult. Most of the noble families involved were also sentenced to death for their crimes and involvement. It took me a long while to settle the matter of the noble families in Fuo Lan. Sun Rong Shu was also granted the position of city lord official. He was originally offered a position in the imperial court, but unsurprisingly, he declined, wishing to serve his family¡¯s city of Fuo Lan well. The Emperor was quite understanding in having a reliable and honorable man in the position. A new city justice official was appointed as well. The family is known for being quite strict, but it will do Fuo Lan good.¡±


    The cool breeze grew colder as the day began to set. The leaves were changing color afterall, and it wouldn¡¯t be long before snow was upon them. The summer had gone and past by so quickly. Li Wei Sheng continued speaking as Mu Tan moved to close the windows and light some candles. ¡°I visited the Guo family before coming here. Guo Li Wei has not yet awaken, but his wife Han shi is doing better. Today, I met Mingyu, and he spoke about missing you. He gave me this,¡± Li Wei Sheng stood up from his seat, taking the small candy from his pocket and stepping forward to place it on the bedside table. Su Jing Fei still was silent and unmoving, causing Li Wei Sheng to grow a bit frustrated. ¡°He wants to see you. Don¡¯t you want to go visit them?¡± Still nothing; not a twitch, look, or any sort of response from the young woman. Li Wei Sheng had never seen the woman seem so defeated; she had always struggled and fought in the worst against adversaries, but that woman seemed to have disappeared. She seemed nowhere to be found, so Li Wei Sheng tried something different. Hopefully something that would wake her up. ¡°Su Jing Fei, do you know why the Feng family were so against you? Do you know why they killed your brother, mother, and now your sister?¡±


    Su Jing Fei¡¯s hands twitched slightly, the fingers curling just a bit. Li Wei Sheng¡¯s eyes flickered from the movement to Su Jing Fei¡¯s face. ¡°It took me awhile to figure it out, but when returning to the imperial city for the Feng family¡¯s trial, it finally came to me. The connection was quite obvious if you think about it. Who in the world would benefit the most from your mother and brother dying years ago?¡± Li Wei Sheng paused slightly, watching as Su Jing Fei¡¯s hands clutched the bed sheets tightly. ¡°You must¡¯ve thought of it before. You must know who I¡¯m talking about.¡±


    ¡°Liu shi.¡± Su Jing Fei whispered the woman¡¯s name.

 Chapter 26: Saying Goodbye

    Li Wei Sheng did not recognize the soft voice spoken like a whisper, but he was grateful that he had at least gotten her to talk a bit. ¡°Yes, Liu shi, the Er Furen and your step-mother.¡±


    ¡°But how?¡± Su Jing Fei turned to finally look at Li Wei Sheng, but her eyes were still dark and cold. He was unable to discern the expression she bore behind that calm facade.


    ¡°The Feng family and Liu shi are roots stemming from the same tree. Feng Ruo Qian¡¯s grandmother and Liu shi¡¯s grandfather are brother and sister, making the two of them second cousins.¡±


    Su Jing Fei was quiet as she processed the information. Li Wei Sheng watched as Su Jing Fei¡¯s hands loosened, and she returned to staring out the window though the shutters had long been closed.


    ¡°Are you going to do something about it or are you going to sit there and waste away?¡± Li Wei Sheng spoke frankly.


    ¡°What else is there to do? Da Chun is still dead whether I do something or not.¡± Su Jing Fei replied quietly.


    ¡°So you¡¯re just going to let Liu shi go? If it was my sister, I¡¯d make sure everyone who had something to do with her death suffered a terrible end. I¡¯d make sure that the people who did this never had the chance to do it to anyone else.¡± Li Wei Sheng argued.


    ¡°With whose power? Mine?¡± Su Jing Fei said, her voice growing noticeably louder. ¡°I never had any power. I was ignorant and stupid about myself and my ability to protect my only sister! How could you understand the struggles I have to face when you have all the power in the world to do whatever you want!?¡± Su Jing Fei¡¯s voice broke as she shouted for the first time in a long time; her throat was hoarse from unuse, and she gasped slightly from exertion and frustration.


    ¡°If you need power, I¡¯ll lend you some,¡± Li Wei Sheng said in a low voice. ¡°If you need weapons, I¡¯ll give you some. All you have to do is ask.¡±


    Su Jing Fei let out a laugh that sounded almost like half of a cry. ¡°Then the power I¡¯d be using is yours, not mine. I¡¯d still be powerless.¡±


    ¡°Then do something about.¡± Li Wei Sheng argued. ¡°Where is the woman who I first met, the sly and cunning woman who refused to be held back? The woman who fought against the Feng family with her own power? Where is she?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s dead.¡± Su Jing Fei replied coldly. ¡°I think you should leave now.¡±


    Li Wei Sheng felt frustrated at the impenetrable wall of solitude and grief surrounding Su Jing Fei, but he knew that if his words couldn¡¯t reach her, then he should not be wasting such effort. ¡°Fine, if that is what you wish.¡± Li Wei Sheng responded in kind, his voice growing hard and cold. He got up and left, not caring to bid her a proper farewell. No more wasted effort. Li Wei Sheng wasn¡¯t even really sure why he had bothered to visit the young woman anyway; perhaps he had seen a certain familiarity in her, something in her that was similar to himself. But that spark of familiarity was gone now, and Li Wei Sheng did not wish to waste his breath on a dead person.


    ¡°This lowly one deeply apologizes for xiaojie¡¯s behavior.¡± Dongfan bowed respectfully before Li Wei Sheng. He looked at the old woman, sighing slightly. He knew that he had gotten a bit frustrated by how much grief had changed Su Jing Fei, but he was not going to regret his words.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Li Wei Sheng replied with a long sigh. ¡°If it¡¯s peace and quiet that she desires, then so be it. I¡¯m leaving for the imperial city tomorrow and will not be returning to Fuo Lan anytime soon.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to relay the message,¡± Dongfan replied with a small smile. ¡°This lowly one thanks the imperial prince.¡±


    Li Wei Sheng gave a brief nod before turning to leave.


    Meanwhile, Mu Tan looked worriedly at her xiaojie, having heard and watched the heated exchange between the two. ¡°Da xiaojie¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Mu Tan. Could you please leave me alone for a bit? I need to think.¡± Su Jing Fei spoke quietly.


    Mu Tan did as her xiaojie asked, moving quietly to leave. But just before she exited the room, Mu Tan paused for a moment and turned to speak to Su Jing Fei. ¡°This lowly one is unable to help da xiaojie, but¡­ this one hopes that da xiaojie will be able to find peace soon.¡± Then she carefully closed the door behind her as she left. For the first few days, the yatou had been afraid to leave Su Jing Fei alone, probably afraid that she¡¯d take her own life. Honestly, Su Jing Fei held the inclination for it, but she was too tired to think about anything too much. Most days, she found comfort in dreamless sleep.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    Carefully, Su Jing Fei reached over and picked up the candy on the tabletop. It was her favorite candy from the store she often frequented. There was no doubt that Li Wei Sheng had been given the candy by Mingyu. Only Mingyu knew what her favorite candy was. She thought about the young boy, remembering his bright smile and big brown eyes that crinkled with mischievousness. Now that she was thinking about him, she found that she missed him quite a bit. But the fleeting emotion was immediately drowned out at the remembrance of Da Chun¡¯s death. The memory plagued her mind quite often; Su Jing Fei had conjured up so many different scenarios in her mind. If she had only done this or that, would Da Chun still be alive right now? It was the ¡®what-ifs¡¯ that haunted Su Jing Fei the most; these questions without answers left Su Jing Fei tired yet restless.


    Su Jing Fei placed the candy back on the bedside table, her gaze lingering at the compartment underneath. Carefully, she pulled open the drawer and took out two objects that she had kept hidden away. One was her mother¡¯s jewelry box and the other was Da Chun¡¯s jade pendant. When they had cremated Da Chun¡¯s body, Su Jing Fei wanted to set a shrine up for her sister; she knew a little bit about the funeral rites of the ancient era, but she disguised her own desires as dreams that came to her. At least this way, the strange practice could be attributed to her grief, and she wouldn¡¯t be questioned too much. But even the thought of Da Chun still pained her. She had promised Da Chun that she¡¯d protect her, that she¡¯d take care of her, and she had failed.


    Opening the jewelry box, Su Jing Fei set the jade pendant down beside the other one. Her fingers ran across the outline of the twin dragons, and her heart tightened. However, she noticed something peculiar about the contents. There seemed to be something else that hadn¡¯t been there before. Carefully, she removed the small embroidered handkerchief that was folded carefully and placed at the bottom of the box. Su Jing Fei recognized the handiwork as belonging to Da Chun, but she didn¡¯t recognize the handkerchief as any of the ones they had worked on together. As she handled the thin cloth, she felt a piece of paper folded inside the handkerchief. Su Jing Fei pulled out the paper, unfolding it to reveal a hidden letter addressed to her. It read:


    Dear jie jie,


    By the time that you¡¯re reading this, I¡¯m probably gone from this world. I¡¯m so sorry I hid this secret from you, and you¡¯re probably going to be very angry with me. I haven¡¯t got much time left. After you saved me from Xia-Wu, there had been times when I felt sick in the mornings and couldn¡¯t get up. But I asked Mu Tan to keep it a secret from you, so please don¡¯t be angry with her. She¡¯s even helping me write this letter because I¡¯m still only able to write a bit of what you have taught me. I¡¯m not as smart and quick as you are, but I hope that you¡¯ll be able to forgive me.


    The doctor said that it was a heart problem. Something to do with being born too early; it is especially common in twins, and it makes sense now that I think back on my life. I¡¯ve dealing with this illness for the majority of my life, but it¡¯s gotten worse recently. I¡¯m afraid my heart will give out before I muster up enough courage to tell you the truth about my sickness. I can only hope that I¡¯ll get better first. If not, I¡¯ll leave this letter in the jewelry box you gave me. I¡¯ve embroidered a handkerchief for you as a gift as well. It was an image of something that reminded me of you.


    I hope you aren¡¯t too upset with me. I¡¯ve been so deeply blessed by being able to meet you. You saved me after all these years, and I hope that even if I die, you¡¯ll be able to know how eternally grateful I am to having been able to call you my sister. Please take care of yourself.


    The bottom of the letter was signed with slightly unsteady-looking characters, and Su Jing Fei recognized it as Da Chun¡¯s handwriting. With a trembling hand, Su Jing Fei unfolded the handkerchief to reveal an intricately embroidered scene of a sun surrounding what looked to be a dragon¡¯s body. The dragon¡¯s blue green body looked similar to the waves of an ocean, and Su Jing Fei recalled her last promise to Da Chun to take her to see the ocean.


    It was as if the tightly coiled emotions in Su Jing Fei had finally been unwound, and everything came bursting out at once. Su Jing Fei felt burning anger become swallowed by the cold waves of grief and sadness; she felt an inexplicable array of emotions wash over her, consuming her, and she finally let her hardened facade drop to reveal a broken woman inside. She cried, wailing as she clutched the handkerchief close to her heart. She let every torrent of emotion overwhelm her. She cried her heart out.


    The four yatou stood outside the room, listening to their xiaojie finally cry for the first time since Da Chun¡¯s death. They heard the despair in her voice and the desperation of her cries. They all sat quietly and cried along with Su Jing Fei. In the residence of Mudan-Yu, their cries broke the quietness that had settled there for the past few weeks. Nearby, the leaves of trees rustled quietly.


    ¡°Good, she¡¯s finally crying,¡± muttered Li Wei Sheng as he leaned against the trees looking down at Su Jing Fei¡¯s courtyard. ¡°Took her long enough.¡±


    Shan Yu looked at his young master, shaking his head slightly. Originally, his young master had made him keep watch over Su Jing Fei, but for some reason, tonight Li Wei Sheng had accompanied Shan Yu in his nightly watch. His young master truly acted strange in any matters involving the Su xiaojie, and Shan Yu could only sigh in response as he observed Li Wei Sheng watching over Mudan-Yu. However, although he had never properly met the Su xiaojie, he did indeed feel a bit relieved. She had seemed like such a lifeless person previously; it was good that she at least was lively enough to cry.


    ¡°Young master, it¡¯s getting late. We have to finish preparing to leave tomorrow.¡± Shan Yu reminded the young man.


    Li Wei Sheng stood up, glancing back at Mudan-Yu one last time. ¡°I¡¯ll wait to see what kind of conviction you¡¯ll have upon returning to the imperial city, Su Jing Fei. Hopefully, it won¡¯t be a disappointment.¡±


    And then the two shadows disappeared into the night as quietly as they had come.