Two Paths Never to Cross Again
This palace banquet had been unpleasant from the very beginning, and now this sort of thing had happened, yet Imperial Concubine Li actually said to have it continue. How should it continue?
Everyone had this doubt in mind. Imperial Concubine Li did not want to conclude this palace banquet.
But they just could not understand. What was the point of continuing such an unpleasant palace banquet? Why did she not want to let it conclude? If this was anyone else, they would probably be all too eager to see it end. Was there something wrong with Imperial Concubine Li’s head?
But complaints were just complaints. Imperial Concubine Li had given this order with her position, thus it was not good for the people to say that they would be leaving immediately. Moreover, they also wanted to wait for a bit to see whether or not those three would survive. If they did end up dying, how would they settle this debt with Feng Yuheng?
Zhu Kongshan walked in the middle of the crowd, and she had many friends gathered around her. They were all asking her what she thought of this. But what could she possibly think of this? The situation was what it was. Even if Noble Lady Yuan herself was here, she could not get the slightest advantage on Feng Yuheng. She was a girl without any rank or title. How much ability could she have to overturn the heavens? Right now, she was thinking that she must not get too entrenched in conflict with Feng Yuheng. Based on Feng Yuheng’s rude and unreasonable style, getting too engaged would not be beneficial in the slightest.
Zhu Kongshan had her thoughts, while Fendai held Xiao Bao’s hand and chased after Feng Yuheng, saying very beautifully: “Second sister, thank you.”
Feng Yuheng glanced at her then shook her head, saying: “No need, I saw that you were truly distressed for this child. Since you are doting on him, you should pay a little more attention to him, rather than leaving him to the side in pursuit of momentary joy. People with their own motives might not dare to oppose you directly; however, they can make moves behind your back. Your actions ended up affecting Xiao Bao.”
Fendai nodded, “Many thanks second sister for the advice. I know how to protect my younger brother.” After saying this, she did not look at Feng Yuheng any longer. Pulling Xiao Bao along, she quickly went ahead and entered the parlor.
Feng Yuheng walked slowly and deliberately told Xuan Tiange and the others that there was no need to wait for her. It was only after the rest of the group slowly entered Zhang Ning Palace that Huang Quan asked in confusion: “Young miss staying behind, is something the matter?”
Feng Yuheng did not speak. She just scratched her chin, and Huang Quan followed her gaze. There, she saw a couple maidservants standing roughly five or six paces to the left of Zhang Ning Palace’s entrance. They were flailing their arms and stomping their feet. They were very cold and looked like they were grumbling. Huang Quan recognized them: “Aren’t those the two servants who entered the capital with the Zhu family’s young miss? Why did they not go in and are standing outside?”
Feng Yuheng said: “I only saw them enter through Rui Gate with Zhu Kongshan. After that, they have been left outside the entire time. Say, if it was you and Wang Chuan, would I leave you two to freeze outside on such a cold day?”
Huang Quan shook her head: “Young miss has treated this servant and Wang Chuan like sisters. No matter what, it would be impossible that you would leave us outside.” After saying this, she laughed, “But this servant and Wang Chuan both have inner strength. Even if we were to stand guard outside for young miss, we would not end up like this.”
“How could they possibly be standing guard.” Feng Yuheng analyzed: “Look at the appearances of the two servants. They look like they’re complaining and unhappy. Oh, they’re saying, just the young miss of a concubine. After entering the capital and finding a pillar of support, she’s becoming more and more full of herself with each day. Sooner or later, when we return to Peng Zhou, we will definitely need to tell the head madam about what happened in the capital. We’ll see how the head madam and the eldest young miss take care of her.” She did not get closer and naturally could not hear what the two were saying; however, she could read their lips.
Huang Quan burst into laughter: “Oh! It turns out that they aren’t together?”
The two did not say anything, as Feng Yuheng increased her pace, quickly arriving in front of A-Huan and A-Ruo. The two servants looked at her and were initially stunned. They then quickly kneeled: “This servant greets Princess Yu.”
Feng Yuheng nodded, “You two recognize me?”
A-Huan was sharp: “There was a portrait of princess in Hundred Herb Hall, and this servant has been to Hundred Herb Hall.”
Feng Yuheng had no intention of speaking too much about this matter with the two. She just raised her hand and said: “You may rise. The ground is cold, and this isn’t any official setting. There’s no need to kneel all the time.” Seeing that the two servants were shuddering while standing up, she could not help but snort coldly. She still recalled when she had seen them outside the embroidery shop with their arrogant expressions! Sure enough, the Sheng Palace was a place that knew how to raise people. In such a short period of time, such arrogant servants had become like this. She asked them: “Aren’t you the Zhu family’s young miss’s maidservants? Why did you not go in and are staying out here?”
A-Huan and A-Ruo exchanged a glance, as A-Huan said: “This servant came with young miss Zhu, but young miss just had us wait outside and did not let us into Zhang Ning Palace.”
“Oh? Why is this?” Feng Yuheng deliberately pretended to be puzzled, “Personal servants should remain close. Where is there any rule of masters leaving servants outside? Let’s go! I will bring you inside. Thinking about it, you must have done something to make young miss Zhu unhappy. This princess will go and speak on your behalf. It was also spare you from standing outside in the cold. It would be bad if you caught a cold.”
A-Huan heard this and quickly said: “No, no, no, many thanks princess for the kind intentions. We servants will be fine standing here. We really won’t go in.” What a joke. How could they dare go in. Zhu Kongshan had one of the Sheng Palace’s maidservants at her side. She had been given by the eighth prince himself. With that maidservant present, if they did anything improper, it would reach the eighth prince’s ears. The Sheng Palace’s methods of dealing with servants was quite famous. They wanted to survive until they made it back to Peng Zhou!
Feng Yuheng helplessly shook her head and sighed: “Thinking about it, your young miss is quite a strict and controlling person. Well, if you won’t go in, don’t go in! Tsk tsk, look at them. They’re both quite beautiful. Being maidservants really is a pity. Speaking of the Zhu family’s young miss, she really is a strange girl! Not only did she do so many good deeds after coming to the capital, but she was also able to do it without bringing any benefits to the Zhu family. She really is selfless and is worthy of admiration.” She casually threw these words out and left with Huang Quan. Just as she was about to step through the door into Zhang Ning Palace, she pretended to chat with Huang Quan: “Say, with two beautiful servants, is the Zhu family’s young miss afraid that they will steal her glory? Otherwise, how could she be willing to leave them to freeze out in the cold?”
These words were said quite loud, and her actions had been quite grand. It was enough for A-Huan and A-Ruo to hear them. The two servants exchanged a glance, and the hatred inside them rose to another level.
Of course, this hatred was directed at Zhu Kongshan. Ever since they had entered the Sheng Palace, who knew what Zhu Kongshan had said to the eighth prince. Through the arrangements made by the eighth prince, the two had been distanced from her. It had even been arranged for one of the Sheng Palace’s servants to take care of Zhu Kongshan. If there was even the slightest disrespect or insubordination toward Zhu Kongshan, that servant would become fierce and warn that she would tell the eighth prince. This took away any temper that the two might have had.
They had been feeling repressed this entire time. They did not even have a single person to ridicule. They wanted to send a letter to the Zhu family, but they could not get one out. The Sheng Palace was like a cage and was very secure. It was only today that A-Huan and A-Ruo heard someone say something fair. The person who had spoken was Feng Yuheng. This was someone who was opposed to the eighth prince. This made the two servants very happy. At the same time, they began to disdain Zhu Kongshan even more.
A-Ruo said: “Princess Yu is completely correct. No matter what is said, she is the Zhu family’s daughter. But the good deeds that were done saw her aunt, Her Highness Imperial Concubine Li, rewarded. What sort of situation is this? Shouldn’t the good deeds done by the Zhu family’s daughter be rewarded to the Zhu family?”
“That’s right!” A-Huan felt that this was extremely unfair, “She never makes any considerations for the Zhu family with her actions, and she is unwilling to say a single extra word for the Zhu family. Master is still just a sixth-ranked official. She is already a daughter of a concubine yet has been able to enter the Imperial Palace. How can there be such an unfilial daughter?”
The two servants privately complained about Zhu Kongshan for a while. The enmity between master and servant had become even more profound.
At this time, Feng Yuheng had already returned to the parlor. Apparently, those three nearly-dead young misses had been carried to a side hall. Imperial Concubine Li had kindly invited an imperial physician. At this time, Zhu Kongshan was busying herself in the side hall. Everyone in the main hall was unable to sit steady and wanted to leave; however, Imperial Concubine Li had the servants prepare more hot tea. After letting everyone warm up their bodies, the banquet continued once more.
Feng Yuheng slightly shook her head and walked over to Xuan Tiange’s side, saying to her friends: “Let’s go! There’s no need for us to stay. We’ve already given the necessary amount of face. As for what Imperial Concubine Li wants to do, that’s her own business.”
Just after she said this, before her friends could bid farewell to Imperial Concubine Li, Feng Fendai raised her voice to say: “Your Highness Imperial Concubine Li has the desire to continue, so let it continue, but I must go back! My younger brother has suffered a shock and is not feeling well. I will be bringing him to the Li Palace to have His Highness the fifth prince invite an imperial physician to take a look at him.” After saying this, she left without looking back.
With her having spoken, the other madams and young misses copied her actions. In an instant, nobody was left in the parlor. It was Feng Yuheng’s group that was last to leave!
Imperial Concubine Li was indifferent to those people leaving. Seeing that Feng Yuhenghad not left, she felt a bit quite comforted. She stood up and personally walked over to Feng Yuheng, saying: “A-Heng is the most considerate and understands my intentions the best. Stay and eat dinner with us! This One heard that you like eating pork shoulder and specifically had the kitchen prepare it. Stay and eat together as mother and daughter.”
Feng Yuheng looked at her and furrowed her brow, saying without any reservation: “No, many thanks for Your Highness’ kind intentions. Also, although you are His Highness the sixth prince’s birth mother, referring to the two of us as mother and daughter is very improper. After all, in this Imperial Palace, my only imperial concubine mother is Imperial Concubine Yun, and Her Highness the Empress can also be considered one. That’s why, please keep your status in mind. Also, Palace Princess Wu Yang and the eldest young misses of the Fung family and the Ren family were invited for today’s visit. Indeed, it was to help support Your Highness. Including the banknotes that I gave, it’s just because His Highness the sixth prince helped me with a matter in Yu Zhou. It’s just a return gift. That’s all. From this day forward, I will not inquire about Your Highness Imperial Concubine Li’s matters, and I will not visit Zhang Ning Palace without a special reason. Your Highness, take care of yourself.”
After she finished speaking, she immediately left. Imperial Concubine Li wanted to stop her but was stopped by Xuan Tiange: “Take care of yourself, do you not understand these words?” Xuan Tiange was even less polite with her words, “A-Heng said it. This is nothing more than repaying a debt to sixth brother. Now, it has been repaid, so there is no need for you to continue clinging to her.”
The crowd left in a noisy fashion. Zhang Ning Palace, which had just been quite lively fell silent. The only ones to remain were the three unconscious people in the side hall and Zhu Kongshan, who had not yet left.
Imperial Concubine Li’s entire body shook with anger. She did not know how to vent it. At this time, Feng Yuheng, who had just stepped out of Zhang Ning Palace received some news from a palace servant who had rushed over…