The Sisters’ Secret Plan
Feng Yu Heng did not know what was inside those wooden boxes. Curious, she opened them to take a look. Alright, they were all banknotes.
Xuan Tian Ge, Fung Tian Yu and Ren Xi Fang were quite liberal in their spending, as each box had 100 thousand taels of banknotes. Ren Xi Feng took the initiative to say: “We sisters are not outsiders. There are some things that I will not hide from you and will speak openly about. I heard my father sigh quite a bit today about the instability of the situation in the South. On the day before yesterday, father revealed the truth to me and said that there will definitely be a battle in the South after the first month. It will also be a grueling battle. His Highness has received the troops in the South, and it stands to reason that he will be the one to handle it; however, this will leave His Highness the eighth prince in the capital. This is a lurking danger. Even if he is unable to establish a foundation in the capital, his former troops in the South will not listen to His Highness the ninth prince’s orders so easily. He does not dare to openly rebel, but what is to be feared is him taking action in secret. With 300 thousand troops, it’s hard to say how many spies there will be among them. The most important thing is that the eighth prince will definitely do something with the military supplies to cut off His Highness the ninth prince’s retreat path.”
Fung Tian Yu agreed, saying: “My father also did a similar analysis, and he had some secret reports from the South. This battle is most likely something that His Highness the eighth prince has already decided on with Gu Shu and the many small countries of the desert. All of it is for the sake of helping him ascend the throne.”
“Of course, if this battle is able to see ninth brother die, that would be best.” Xuan Tian Ge snorted coldly and said: “Such a grand ambition, I really don’t understand how I could have this sort of elder brother.” She said to Feng Yu Heng: “We talked about it beforehand. You aren’t lacking for anything here, and there isn’t much of an atmosphere to be created from us giving you something that girls would like. It would be better to just provide you with the money that we would personally use. We are clear that if ninth brother sets foot on the battlefield, it’s impossible for you to remain on the sidelines without a single care. It’s inevitable that you will end up taking care of the supply lines from the back. Take these banknotes. There will come a time to make use of them.”
Bai Fu Rong did not make a sound the entire time, nor did she bring out any money. It was only at this moment that she spoke up, as she said to Feng Yu Heng: “A-Heng, my family does not have that much money, but you don’t need to worry. I will definitely give some. My father and I have already come up with an answer, so just wait for the good news. A message will definitely be sent over within two days.”
Feng Yu Heng was puzzled and looked at the group in confusion: “What are you trying to do?” They didn’t learn from her and go out to commit robberies, right?
Xuan Tian Ge put on a smile, “We won’t tell you for the time being. Either way, just wait a couple days. The money to provide supplies for ninth’s brother’s army, we will think of a way to prepare some more. No matter what sort of waves eighth brother causes in the capital, as long as we have money, there is nothing to fear.”
Feng Yu Heng saw that there was nothing that she could do. The group firmly refused to speak, thus she could only helplessly remind them: “No matter what you guys are doing, you must be careful. Don’t do anything that is a threat to your own safety. Do you understand?”
Fung Tian Yu laughed so hard that her belly hurt: “Oh, what is there that’s dangerous about putting on a banquet!”
These words narrowly came out of her mouth, but she fell silent from being glared at by Xuan Tian Ge. She just covered her mouth and laughed. The group chatted and laughed for quite some time, and they even ate lunch at the imperial daughter’s manor. The food made by the chef from Refined Deity Building always caused the group to eat until they could no longer move. Xuan Tian Ge burped while saying: “A-Heng, if you’re going to your fief, you can’t possibly bring all of the manor’s servants, right? How about you give me this chef to be brought back to the palace! I definitely will not treat him poorly.”
Feng Yu Heng rolled her eyes and shook her head: “No good, no good, if you took an interest in any maidservants or grannies, I could give them to you, but I will definitely be taking this chef with me.”
“Stingy!” Xuan Tian Ge angrily pinched her, “100 thousand taels isn’t enough to get a chef? If this palace princess went out to buy a chef, it would cost no more than ten taels of silver.”
Once these words came out, even Bai Fu Rong could not bear to continue listening, “Tian Ge, how could a chef that can be bought for ten taels be compared to the Refined Deity Building? You don’t even ask A-Heng how much the imperial daughter’s manor pays him each month in salary.”
Xuan Tian Ge became spirited and curiously asked Feng Yu Heng: “How much do you pay?”
Feng Yu Heng extended five fingers, “The same as when he was at Refined Deity Building.”
“Five taels?”
“It’s 50 taels.”
Xuan Tian Ge burped once more. Although she had not been shocked by the 50 taels, she was a bit surprised by the amount that a chef could make. Normally speaking, the servants of the manor would generally make two taels of silver. Slightly more important personal servants would make three to five taels, and housekeepers would make eight taels. The kinder families would provide some more awards during the holidays. Of course, those that worked for large families would frequently be rewarded by their masters and other visitors. That was why, although it sounded like they did not make much in salary, people still wanted to be servants in large families. It was because there was quite a bit of grey money to be made!
But people like Feng Yu Heng, who paid a chef 50 taels each month, were truly too rare, but it was Refined Deity Building’s chef! Anyone that had eaten at Refined Deity Building would know that the white rice that they made tasted better than what other restaurants made, much less the other dishes. When he worked in Refined Deity Building, he would receive 50 taels as salary, but he could also receive rewards from the guests. If Feng Yu Heng gave him any less, it would be unreasonable.
Xuan Tian Ge smirked and did not continue to bring up the matter of wanting the chef. After the group had eaten their fill, they began to say their farewells. Right before leaving, they secretively told Feng Yu Heng to wait for the good news, and it would definitely be a pleasant surprise.
Feng Yu Heng could not guess what sort of surprise it would be, and her mind was filled with the word “robbery,” but it was just a thought. These people truly did not have the ability to pull off a heist. Helpless, she could only heed their advice and wait for the good news.
The group had come in their own carriages, and she had kept Xuan Tian Ge a little longer. When the other people had left, she finally entrusted Xuan Tian Ge with a matter, “I am preparing to send two people into the imperial palace’s imperial physician’s group that come from Hundred Herb Hall. Originally, I could have handled this matter myself, but I acted too late. Now, I don’t have the chance. Take a look and see if you can help arrange it for me? I keep feeling that the atmosphere in the palace is a little off. I need to keep someone inside. Moreover, Imperial Concubine Mother Yun needs people to take care of her.”
Xuan Tian Ge had thought that it would be some big matter, as she patted the back of Feng Yu Heng’s hand: “Don’t worry. Just have them head to the palace later on to find me. After the 15th of the first month, I will arrange for the two to enter the imperial palace. I guarantee that they will not startle the enemy. But don’t send them on the 10th! I have a matter to attend to on that day.” After she finished speaking, she waved her hand then climbed into her imperial carriage and left.
Feng Yu Heng felt that the matter Xuan Tian Ge had mentioned about the 10th would definitely be related to herself, but if they did not talk about it, there was nothing that she could do. Helpless, she returned inside the manor, but she was still quite enthusiastic about speculating with Wang Chuan and Huang Quan. This was also just a topic to relieve her boredom.
That night, she brought Zi Rui to the Yao manor to eat dinner. She then spoke about her plans to visit her fief, which caused her aunts and uncles to begin tearing up. Xu shi was still very worried about her wedding, saying to her: “No matter what the situation, you must come back to the capital to celebrate becoming of age. Aunty will take care of the preparations for your wedding. Don’t worry, we will not be lacking anything.”
The second aunt, Qin shi, also said: “On the day before yesterday, we happened to run into Lady Zhou from the Yu Palace out on the streets. She also brought up the matter of your wedding. She said that the Yu Palace is stepping up its preparations.”
The third aunt, Miao shi, was rather worried: “Say, with you leaving, aren’t things a little too rushed? Is it far from the capital to Ji An Prefecture? How many days will it take?”
Feng Yu Heng patiently said: “The fief is to the Southwest within the borders of Yu Zhou of the Yun Province. Leaving from the capital, it can be reached by horse within five to six days. By carriage, it would be around 15 days.”
“That far?” The three aunts were a bit worried, but Feng Yu Heng was always someone that had her own ideas. Any plans that she had already made would not be changed so easily. The three knew that they could not change her mind. They could only quietly think about the things that they needed to quickly prepare for her, so she could bring them with her when she left. For a fief, countries normally would not invest any money for infrastructure, nor would it be a plentiful land. For their own child to go over there, they would definitely endure a bit of hardship. Fortunately, the Southwest was not like Huang Zhou. The new year had also arrived, and the temperature would gradually improve. It would be better than heading over in the middle of Winter.
Yao Jing Jun reminded Xu shi: “Prepare some money for A-Heng to bring along. There are still many things to do in a fief. Nothing will get done if there isn’t enough money.” Xu shi nodded, and even Qin shi and Miao shi arranged to go over to the treasury to take a look for things that were worth some money for their child to bring along.
Feng Yu Heng smiled wryly, “I am not lacking in money.” She really was not lacking. Not only was she not lacking, but she was actually really rich. Not counting the money that she already had, just the amount that had been stolen from the Sheng Palace was enough to blind people. She had thought of emptying the imperial daughter’s vault into her space. With her leaving, who knew when she would be coming back. Moreover, with her not being in the manor, the defenses would be lowered. She must not let someone with bad intentions make use of this opportunity. She was a money grubber. She had even begun pondering whether or not she should bring along the things in the manor that were valuable.
On this side, the Yao family forcefully rebutted her ideas, as Xu shi said: “What you have belongs to you. What we’re preparing are the family’s intentions.”
Yao Jing Jun nodded: “When you have gotten married, you will be part of the Xuan family. The Yu Palace will naturally take care of things. But right now, you have not yet gotten married. You are my Yao family’s child. If a child is setting out, the family will naturally need to make preparations.”
Feng Yu Heng’s heart was moved. Since coming to this world, aside from Xuan Tian Ming, there was only the Yao family that would make her feel this warm; moreover, this place also had her own grandfather.
She smiled at Yao Xian with her eyes squinted; however, Yao Xian did not say anything. He just silently downed cup after cup of wine. His granddaughter would be leaving the capital. It was because of this that he could not feel at peace. But what could he do about it? He was just a doctor. Was he capable of killing the eighth prince?
After the new year, Feng Yu Heng was only able to enjoy a meal with the Yao family on the eighth night of the first month. There truly was nothing that could be done. Fortunately, the Yao family understood her. Even her cousins treated her as if she was their own younger sister. They chatted and laughed, and it lightened the gloomy mood of her departure.
When leaving the Yao manor, she left Zi Rui on that side. She would be leaving the capital within a few days, and she wanted to use this time to have Zi Rui interact more with the Yao family to cultivate his feelings, such that he would not suddenly feel bad when she left.
Zi Rui was very understanding, and he went wherever she told him to go. When sending Feng Yu Heng back to her manor, he quietly said to her: “Elder sister, no matter where, the person Zi Rui will always be the one most worried about you. Elder sister, don’t worry. Wait until I grow up. When Zi Rui grows up, I will stand at elder sister’s side to protect you and will not go anywhere.”
Feng Yu Heng felt choked up and quickly returned to the imperial daughter’s manor. She did not sleep well for the entire night. She dreamt that something happened to Xuan Tian Ming on the battlefield in the South, and she dreamt of Zi Rui calling her elder sister while crying. It was only when the sky lit up that she was able to sleep properly. When she woke up, it was already late in the morning of the next day.
Wang Chuan took care of helping her get washed up, and Huang Quan ran back from the outside, telling her about some news: “Palace Princess Wu Yang sent an invitation to the madams and young misses of all the officials’ families and only excluded our imperial daughter’s manor.”