Jinyi Spring

Chapter 106 Looking for fun

Just before noon, a young maid ran in and said with a smile, "Reporting to Madam, an imperial edict and a royal decree have arrived in the front courtyard. All the masters and distinguished guests must go to the front courtyard to receive the edicts. The Duke invites Madam to come over."

Lady Ming was overjoyed to hear this, for it was a great honor.

The servants helped her put on a phoenix coronet and wedding robes, and then draped a thick hooded cloak over them.

It was truly a scene of great prosperity and flourishing.

Two quarters of an hour later, Madam Ming returned, walking unsteadily.

I left in such a hurry that I had to kneel on the cold ground to receive the imperial decree.

He's not feeling well again.

She lay down, and Feng Chuchen administered acupuncture to her.

As Granny Li recounted the grand scene of receiving the imperial decree, her eyes were filled with pride.

"Oh my, the Emperor's grace is boundless! The Emperor and the Empress Dowager not only issued an edict to commend Princess Changning, but also bestowed many gifts upon her."

Madam Ming was also proud, her pale cheeks flushing slightly. "Even the Emperor addresses my mother-in-law as 'Imperial Aunt.' He's never treated those proper Grand Princesses with such courtesy..."

At noon, a feast was delivered from the main kitchen.

Madam Ming invited the Feng siblings to a feast in the side room.

After the meal, Madam Ming dared not rest, so she dressed up in her finest clothes and leaned against the couch.

She smiled and said, "The opera troupe is performing in the flower hall. There are famous actors like Gai Hetian and Xiao Yushuang. Miss Feng and Young Master Feng can go and listen to the opera if they like."

Feng Chuchen said, "My younger brother is still too young, I don't like listening to opera..."

I'm here to offer my birthday wishes; otherwise, I would have left by now.

Madam Ming then said, "Doctor Feng, please stay here and keep me company while I entertain our guests."

Before long, Princess Yanghe, along with Madam Shangguan, Madam Shangguan the Second, and Madam Shangguan the First, arrived.

They were Madam Ming's family members, her closest relatives, and they knew the root cause of Madam Ming's illness.

Everyone was very happy to see that Madam Ming's health had improved significantly.

Princess Yanghe had heard some inside stories about the Ming family from her son, but she didn't dare to tell the old lady much.

The old lady was sixty-three years old; she was a very kind old lady.

Feng Chuchen kowtowed to her.

The old lady smiled and said, "Good child, get up! You are so young but have such excellent medical skills. Her Highness the Princess has praised you a lot."

After Feng Chuchen got up, the old lady took a gold and kingfisher feather chrysanthemum hairpin from her hair and gave it to her.

Madam Shangguan also rewarded Feng Chuchen with a jade hairpin, and said with a smile, "The little girl is really pretty."

Madam Ming then had Feng Buji summoned to kowtow to them.

Several people rewarded him, and Princess Yanghe and the old lady pulled him aside and praised him a few more times.

Feng Chuchen took the old lady's pulse and said with a smile, "The old lady is fine except for a slight case of excessive yang."

At the request of Yingyang and the Princess, the old man's head was massaged.

Ming Shanyue and his brother, Shangguan Ruyu, came specifically to pay their respects to Madam Shangguan, who was their maternal and paternal grandmothers.

Upon seeing Feng Chuchen, Shangguan Ruyu forcibly suppressed the words, "You look beautiful today, this dress suits you perfectly," and didn't dare to look at her for even a second. Her gaze only swept over the striking red mole between Feng Chuchen's eyebrows before quickly looking away.

Ming Shanyue glanced imperceptibly at Feng Chuchen and coughed softly.

Feng Chuchen understood and went to the hall, pretending to tidy up the medicine box on the table.

Ming Shanyue then strolled out, slowing her pace as she passed by her, and whispered, "Don't leave the main courtyard without my permission."

Feng Chuchen looked up; he was already gone.

Feng Chuchen's heart sank. Was someone in the Ming family trying to harm her again?

Shangguan Ruyu, who came out last, saw that Ming Shanyue seemed to be talking to Feng Chuchen. She smiled at Feng Chuchen first, then ran out of the main courtyard to chase after Ming Shanyue.

"What were you talking about just now, all sneaky and furtive?"

Ming Shanyue snorted coldly, "Of course it's because you, Lord Shangguan, are so charming that people are jealous of you."

Shangguan Ruyu looked completely bewildered. "Who?"

Ming Shanyue didn't answer the question directly, and lowered her voice even further, "If you think Miss Feng is beautiful and has good medical skills, just keep it to yourself. There's no need to say it out loud and cause her trouble. She can't bear being targeted by the eldest princess."

Then he strode forward.

His heart grew colder. Kong Xiyan, so young, was already behaving badly, daring to incite the eldest princess against Feng Chuchen within their own household. Was it just a jealous little girl, or was someone else stirring things up…?

After thinking for a moment, Shangguan Ruyu knew who was gossiping.

He had expressed his feelings to his parents, but no one else knew. He had even praised Feng Chuchen twice at the Ming family's house, but that was because the old Duke had praised Feng Chuchen first, and he had only echoed him with a few words.

He never even mentioned it to his maternal grandmother or paternal grandmother.

The parents wouldn't say those things to others, and the two elders of the Ming family are not gossipy people.

Who else but Kong Xiyan could eavesdrop and whisper the words to the eldest princess?
At such a young age, she's already showing bad behavior, daring to provoke the eldest princess, and at a banquet like this...

Him and the eldest princess? Not to mention his own parents wouldn't agree, even the Empress Dowager wouldn't agree.

He was a thousand times, ten thousand times unwilling...

Guests kept coming to the main courtyard; the ladies and grandmothers who were on good terms with Madam Ming all came to visit her.

All they knew was that Madam Ming was suffering from severe bleeding. Not daring to disturb her further, they would say a few words, sit for a while, and then leave.

One of them was a Mrs. Jin, with a youthful and slightly plump face, around twenty years old.

When she saw Feng Chuchen, she smiled and said, "I'm sorry, my husband was too eager that time."

She was Ma, the young wife of Commander Jin.

Princess Yanghe also knew about that case and recounted the events with a smile.

Lady Ming then recounted how the old Duke and his wife had defeated Commander Jin.

Everyone was overjoyed, especially Old Madam Shangguan, who laughed until tears streamed down her face.

At Madam Jin's request, the peony in the side room was brought over to kowtow to the nobles.

Everyone said she was a loyal servant and rewarded her with silver ingots, which made Peony feel flattered.

When no one else was around, Feng Chuchen knew that the Shangguan family members wanted to have a private talk with Madam Ming, so she went to the side room.

A familiar-looking young maid came over and smiled at Feng Chuchen, "My young lady invited Miss Feng to the plum grove to admire the plum blossoms. Several young ladies are composing poems there, and there's also roasted venison. It's quite lively."

Behind Fu Rong Tang, there are more than a dozen wintersweet trees, whose fragrance can be smelled even in Fu Rong Tang.

Feng Chuchen remembered that this girl was Kong Xiyan's eldest daughter.

Feng Chuchen shook his head and said, "Thank you for your kind offer, young lady. However, Madam Ming is tired today and instructed me to stay here and check her pulse and administer acupuncture at any time."

She brought out Madam Ming.

The young maid's smile froze; naturally, she didn't dare insist that Madam Ming's doctor leave. But remembering her mistress's temper, she dared not return empty-handed.

She forced herself to say, "The eldest princess is also in Meilin. She has heard that Miss Feng is skilled in medicine and has literary talent, and she would like to meet you. Miss Feng only needs to go and meet you once; it won't take long."

Feng Chuchen's lips curled into a cold smile. "The eldest princess wants to see me? Fine. I'll trouble you to explain the situation to Madam Ming. As long as Madam Ming says that she is currently unharmed and does not need me to guard her, I will go with you immediately."

The little girl choked and had no choice but to leave dejectedly.

Feng Chuchen scoffed inwardly. Did the eldest princess know who she was? The person who wanted to harm her was definitely Kong Xiyan, who had dug some kind of trap. She wondered if Kong Xiyan simply wanted to mess with her, or if Xia Shi was acting on her behalf, ultimately pointing the finger at Madam Ming. Well, let Ming Shanyue see that his family was still far from peaceful.

As the time drew to a close in the late afternoon, everyone took their leave.

Feng Chuchen dawdled as she packed her medicine box and changed Feng Buji's clothes.

About two quarters of an hour later, Granny Li came over and whispered, "Master said that the danger has been eliminated, and Miss Feng can leave now."

Feng Chuchen, her face frosty, led Feng Buji and the maid away from the main courtyard.

It was because of her excellent medical skills that she helped the Ming family and Ming Shanyue a lot; otherwise, this little female doctor would have suffered so much.

Most of the guests had left, and only a few sedan chairs and young women were seen walking along the road.

Upon arriving at the East Corner Gate, Feng Chuchen spotted a familiar figure in the distance near the main gate, only to be quickly blocked by Shangguan Ruyu and several others.

After seeing off the last female guest, Madam Xia helped Old Madam Ming into the bedroom and then helped her to bed.

The old lady was exhausted; her feet were even a little swollen.

As soon as they left Fu Rong Tang, Xia's face darkened, becoming so gloomy it seemed like water could be squeezed out of it.

He sternly ordered the maid, "Go and invite the young lady to Baosu Courtyard."

Kong Xiyan, still dressed in her splendid attire for entertaining guests, her face flushed, was leaning against the chaise longue, lost in thought.

I had a great time with the princesses and noble ladies today. The only downside was that I didn't get to take Feng Chuchen to the plum grove to tease her and vent my anger.

My maternal grandfather and cousin Shangguan always said she was a good doctor and beautiful. What was so good about her? She was as thin as a bamboo pole.

Moreover, she had seen the Second Prince today. Although he was somewhat frail, he was truly handsome and talented; everyone said he was the most likely candidate to become the Crown Prince. Thinking of Madam Xue's hints to her mother, and her mother's schemes, her cheeks flushed…

Seeing her mother's maid enter the room, she assumed that the maid was sent to serve the exhausted old lady.

She didn't move, and said lazily, "Tell my mother I'm too tired to go to Fu Rong Tang for dinner tonight."

The maidservant curtsied and said, "Madam requests that you go to Baosu Courtyard, Miss."

Kong Xiyan straightened up. "What is it?"

"This slave doesn't know."

As Kong Xiyan stepped into Baosu Courtyard, her heart sank. Her mother sat in the shadows, her face ashen, and the room was deathly silent.

She stopped in her tracks. "Mother, what happened?"

Xia shouted sternly, "Get out of here!"

The maids and servants had never seen the gentle mistress so angry, and they were so frightened that they quickly retreated.

Kong Xiyan walked over, hugged her arm, and said coquettishly, "Mother, don't be angry..."

Before she could finish speaking, Xia pulled her arm away and slapped her hard across the face.

"You wretched creature, who gave you the audacity to stir up trouble today?"

Kong Xiyan felt a burning pain on her left cheek, and her whole body froze.

She paused for a moment before bursting into tears, "Mother..."

Xia's fingers trembled violently as she cursed, "Your grandmother's sixtieth birthday was a year-long celebration for the whole family, with even your maternal grandfather personally overseeing the banquet menu. And you, you dare to instigate that person to cause trouble today!"

Kong Xiyan stomped her foot and cried, "What did I do?"

"If Doctor Feng were to have an accident in the plum grove today, not only would the entire birthday banquet be ruined, but your aunt's health would also be affected. How could you possibly cover up such a catastrophic disaster?"

Xia grabbed a pink porcelain teacup from the table and smashed it to pieces.

He then shouted, "Back when the Kong family was exiled to the border, it was your maternal grandmother who begged the Empress Dowager to allow me to divorce your father and bring you back here. You grew up in luxury and became a cousin of the Duke's family... You ungrateful wretch, how dare you cause trouble today?"

Kong Xiyan screamed, "My maternal grandfather saved them and was kind to them; I must repay him..."

"Snapped!"

Kong Xiyan received an even heavier slap to her right cheek, and the gold-inlaid jade nail guard scratched blood at her temple.

Xia's eyes were bloodshot as she scolded, "If you dare mention that again, I'll cut off your head and send you to a nunnery to become a nun. I'm warning you, you're not allowed to touch Doctor Feng again, and you're not allowed to play with Miss Jiang Wu anymore. You won't learn anything good from her."

“Go back now. You will be confined to your quarters for two months and make sure you copy the ‘Admonitions for Women’ twenty times.”

Kong Xiyan stomped her foot and cried, "They won't kill Feng Chuchen, it's just that the eldest princess, Miss Jiang, and Sister Xue want to have some fun. How could they possibly ruin the birthday banquet and affect Aunt's health..."

"Snapped!"

Then another slap.

Xia's lips trembled as she shrieked, "Listen to me! Doctor Feng can cure your aunt's illness. Not only can you not touch her, you must also treat her with respect. Get out!"

He then shouted sternly into the courtyard, "Guards, all the servants who followed this wretched child today, drag them to the outer courtyard and give them fifty lashes. If they die, so be it; if they don't, they'll be expelled from the manor and never be used again."

Kong Xiyan then realized she was afraid. She leaned against the doorpost, her legs too weak to move, and she kept sobbing.

Two maids helped her out.

The courtyard returned to silence; you could hear a pin drop.

Xia sat down on the couch, still trembling with anger.

That wretched child has made things much more difficult now...

As soon as Kong Xiyan was helped into the courtyard, she saw Ming Shanyue standing in the center of the courtyard with a sullen face.

Ming Shanyue walked up to her, looking down at her with eyes that seemed to spit fire.

Kong Xiyan's heart skipped a beat, and she took a step back, "Big Cousin..."

Ming Shanyue said coldly, "Kong Xiyan, my grandparents have treated you well, yet you dare to cause trouble today. This is all well and good, but if you had ruined my grandmother's birthday banquet, see how I would deal with you."

Kong Xiyan burst into tears, feeling both scared and wronged.

She was the only young lady in the household, and everyone doted on her, including her older cousin.

But today, her older cousin was so mean to her.

She sobbed sadly, "Cousin, it was the eldest princess who wanted to have some fun, so I came up with that idea."

She took two more steps forward, tugged at Ming Shanyue's sleeve and shook it, and said coquettishly, "Besides, it's just for fun, it won't kill anyone, and it certainly won't ruin Grandmother's birthday banquet..."

Ming Shanyue abruptly shook off her hand, her eyes flashing even colder.

"Miss Kong, you're so arrogant. You think it's no big deal if no one dies? I'm warning you again, don't do anything bad that will implicate the Ming family. Otherwise, this family can't keep you here."

After speaking, he walked away.

Kong Xiyan burst into tears, more heartbroken than when her mother slapped her.

Ming Shanyue returned to the outer study.

Song Xian reported, "Sir, Granny Cao requests an audience."

"She let us in."

Granny Cao entered, curtsied, and whispered, "Reporting to Master, I heard from Sister-in-law He that the young lady gave her cousin a good scolding..."

She recounted how her aunt had reprimanded her cousin.

Ming Shanyue nodded, then said to Song Xian, "Give two taels of silver each to Granny Cao and Granny He."

Long, slender fingers lightly tapped the table.

Xia's words seemed perfectly reasonable on the surface, yet Kong Xiyan actually said that it was a matter of tit for tat.

Isn't what we give them enough?
The mule cart rumbled along, and as they approached Beifu Street, Feng Chuchen remembered that the familiar figure was the man she had encountered twice on his way to pay respects to her aunt…