Chapter 149: Delivered to the Door

Author: White Pear Flower

Raws: https://book.qidian.com/info/2386994/

Translated by Pill Bug

Gumihou: Tell me how many times you cringed, lol

Jin Yanqiu nodded her permission.

However, when Fu Qiuning reached the bottom of the pavilion steps, she suddenly said, “Were you at Fengju’s study last night? Otherwise, you would not be making your way back to Night Breeze Pavilion at this time. He… what did he say?”

Fu Qiuning thought: Oh ho, someone’s feeling guilty? Isn’t it a little too late?

Still, she dutifully said, “The Young Marquis implied that the matter had not been handled well. We suffered absolute defeat. Prince Lie was particularly efficient and left no stone unturned. His Majesty values virtue a lot and was incredibly disappointed in Prince Rong’s lack of moral character and self-control.” She paused for a moment, debating whether to continue before hammering the final nail in, “The Young Marquis stayed awake till late last night thinking up ways to handle the matter.”

Jin Yanqiu trembled for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure as she asked gravely, “Then, my younger brother, has he… thought of a way?”

Fu Qiuning sighed dramatically and said, “There is no good strategy to deal with it as yet. Only stopgap measures. Lord Husband said that he could only try his best to minimise the damage.”

There was no reason for her to help Jin Fengju, but there was no reason not to help him either. If she could make this bratty girl-woman feel bad, she had no qualms about doing so. People should really learn to consider the consequences of their actions before recklessly throwing their temper around. That went for Jin Fengju too, naturally. What was her former exile to Night Breeze Pavilion and the abandonment of two children but a giant temper tantrum of a man-child?

Jin Yanqiu’s body went slack. She slumped back against a pillar and whispered to herself, “Is this all, truly my fault?” However, when she spotted Fu Qiuning still standing at the bottom of the steps, she straightened up and wave a dismissive hand at Fu Qiuning, “You may leave.”

“Yes, this humble woman will excuse herself.” Fu Qiuning saluted, turned around and left. A dozen steps later, she paused to look back and saw Jin Yanqiu still seated like a wooden sculpture on the bench. Fu Qiuning considered the matter for a moment before shrugging: Eh, none of my business. Who cares about the scandals of the palace or fights for a shiny chair? I am a weak woman, lol. Nothing to see here! If things go south, let’s just run away with the twins and some money.

With her thoughts free of worry, Fu Qiuning cheerfully returned to Night Breeze Pavilion. The place was nice and quiet. No one dared to even breathe too noisily, knowing that the Duke of Jing’s palace was facing some sort of ambiguous danger.

Fu Qiuning collected her basket of embroidery and continued to embroider peony flowers on a silk handkerchief. Who knows, she might end up having to sell these for money again one day.

While she was busy thinking up ways to run off safely with the twins, Yu Jie suddenly appeared to say, “Madam, the Zhenjiang palace has sent someone to meet with Madam. They are waiting outside the door at this moment.”

Fu Qiuning blinked slowly. “Is that so? It is neither New Year nor a festival season, why did they send someone? Just tell them I’m sick and can’t see them.”

She was about to return to her embroidery when an ingratiating voice said, “Young Miss, don’t be angry, the Heir has been thinking of you since last year. He thought to send people to come to seek you out a few times but the Zhenjiang King has not been well. The Zhenjiang Heir had been seeking out doctors and various medicines for the King and serving by his bedside. Things had been so hectic that it slipped his mind. The old king’s health has since shown some little improvement. If not for this, the Heir and the Madam would not have dispatched this lowly one to quickly come.”

Fu Qiuning finally lowered her embroidery with an exaggerated gasp, “What was that? Grandfather has fallen ill? What sickness is this? How is he now? Why did no one inform me of such a major event?” She turned a slightly warmer look at Yu Jie, “Serve tea for Sister Zhou.”

Matron Zhou appeared more relaxed after that. When Fu Qiuning told her to sit, she perched her buttocks on the edge of the chair, still wearing that ingratiating smile, and said, “Not to worry, not to worry, it is merely a chill. The physician had prescribed two doses of medicine. After taking them, the King received some relief. Even so, the Heir wishes for the Young Miss to return.

Ah, but it must be said, the King’s illness is not terribly serious, so there is no urgency at all. Ever since the Young Miss’ last visit before the New Year, so many things have happened. However, the Heir refused to let us disturb Young Miss. It is only after the King was safe that I am sent to report matters from the house to you. That is to say, my presence here is to report matters from the house to Young Miss and secondly, to assist the Young Miss in any way possible.

Aiya, so many things happened at the palace lately that the Heir especially sent me over to see if Young Miss needs any help at all. This maid is here to be of any use to Young Miss. If necessary, this maid has been ordered to stay and serve the Young Miss to the best of my ability.”

Fu Qiuning was a little taken aback. She thought: Wait, do you think I don’t have enough trouble on my plate that I’d resort to putting a spy in my own home?

Well, two could play the game. Considering the general IQ of the ‘spies’ from Zhenjiang King’s place, some dramatics would be necessary. Let’s see, what message do I want you to bring to dear old dad and grandpa…

Fu Qiuning took a deep breath, got to her feet, and launched herself into the cringiest melodramatic role of her life, “Enough! O, do not mention this matter anymore! Know you not just how suspicious the Young Marquis is of the people within the estate? Lord Husband has sent people to shake the very trees and bushes for spies from Prince Lie’s palace. Were I to keep you here, should you be discovered, your very flesh shall be flayed off your bones!

The Young Marquis has already cast a suspicious eye on my courtyard after credit for taking down Prince Lie had been snatched away by Prince Hong! O, how the Young Marquis trembles with fury! I have sworn on my very life and honour that I have never mentioned such a thing outside of this estate, but my Lord Husband’s fury still fell upon my poor head!

Enough, do not speak such misleading words before honest people. Had my tongue been less flexible and my mind less sharp, I would have been cast out of my Lord Husband’s favour! O, how I had cried and beat my chest to prove my innocence. Surely Father of all people should understand the words I had spoken to the winds by the fake mountains of my maternal home? It must be so, as credit has gone where it should go!”

It was… incredibly horrifying to give such a cringey performance. Fu Qiuning could almost imagine her acting teacher turning white at this horrible act.

Fortunately, Matron Zhou, despite being the dowry maid of the Zhenjiang Heir’s wife, proved to have the same two-digit IQ as the rest of the palace servants. The beam on her face already betrayed her thoughts as she said, “This maid does not know what Young Miss is talking about. Not even a little bit. This maid could only say that the Heir must take some of the blame.

My dear Young Miss, this maid can only say, in this world, there is no greater love than the love of a parent for their children. How could any parent ever bear to hurt their own beloved flesh and blood? How sad is a parent when their beloved child is led astray by lies and falsehood, ah? ‘Tis true that the Young Marquis fawns upon the Young Miss now, but as the days drag on, who is to say that this favour would not fall upon others? When that happens, who would my poor Young Miss rely on? Surely the only person one could depend on is one’s maternal family?”

Fu Qiuning thought: If I am dumb enough to believe a low-IQ spy like you, I deserve to die without a grave. My dear father and grandfather are the ones who kicked me into this godforsaken place, and you still want to talk about relying on one’s flesh and blood? Pei!

Unfortunately, she could not reveal her true thoughts. Instead, she touched the back of her wrist to her forehead and sighed deeply, “Aih, of course, I understand. Life as a noble-born daughter is too, too difficult. A married woman without the backing of an excellent maternal family could only be fated to be trampled upon. Especially so, for a woman of my poor appearance.

The Young Marquis may have blessed me with his favour for raising his two children from obscurity to outstanding talents, and believed me to be virtuous and talented. Perhaps he was tired of looking at his other wives’ and concubines’ faces and found my face a novelty. However, once he gets tired of this face, would he not throw me away as he did his better-looking wives? O, what is virtuousness but the ability to endure hardships? He may favour me now out of guilt, perhaps, but what good is favour that is founded upon guilt?

Perhaps you do not know, but his uncle’s daughter has recently been beset by rogues upon the road home, and the men of her family all killed, leaving her with nowhere to go. This is a pity indeed. A great pity as she brings with her, not only her children, but three sisters from that family. Tell me now, what is the justice of having to raise not only her, but the three sisters-in-law as well?!”

Naturally, Matron Zhou knew all about the Feng Family tragedy. However, the way Fu Qiuning worded the incident… though she may not be a clever spy, her ability to flatter her masters and fan the flames was second to none!

Taking her cue from the Young Miss, she gasped dramatically and declared, “Aiya, what’s this? The three sisters mentioned by Young Miss, could they be the former Minister of Rites, Lord Feng’s daughters and niece? Aiya, those three girls are famous in the Capital for their city-toppling beauty. H-how did they end up living in this estate? Even if Lord Feng and his only son are dead, surely they should still have a few living clan members?”

Fu Qiuning threw her head back dramatically, nearly causing a whiplash to her neck. Luckily, the unexpected wince caused her to look like she had ‘accidentally’ revealed her ‘true feelings’ as she sneered, “According to them, they did not have much contact with the other branch of the family. Even if they did try to rely on their clansmen, the family would not put them in their eyes.

They refuse to return just to be insulted. Humph, they sounded all pure and high-minded, but who do they think they’re fooling? Could any female still remain pure after falling into the hands of bandits? It is disgusting to keep hearing how they would rather starve to death than lose their modesty, how revolting.”

Matron Zhou nodded along eagerly, beaming at every word that fell out of Fu Qiuning’s mouth. She thought: Look at this sycophant. You want to hear more? Sigh, whatever, let’s keep going.

Fu Qiuning threw her hand out, her voice scornful as she cried, “You tell me, Matron Zhou, is there something wrong with the minds of the people within the Duke of Jing’s estate? Of the girls and women who had just tumbled out of the bandit’s nest, could any of them be considered pure? If they were really virtuous women, they ought to have killed themselves to prove their chastity instead. To dare enter the ducal estate and even live here. If the imperial censors found out about them and reported those vulgar women to the emperor, who could bear it?

That foolish husband of ours has allowed the emperor’s favour to get to his head. I have done my best to hint caution at him, yet was accused of having a heart of stone. To show a dark face at me when all I did was show concern for this family! To hear him tell me that I should sympathise with my sister-in-law’s suffering… just hearing these words makes me clench my teeth in anger.

You tell me, I held only thoughts of this family’s well-being but was judged instead.  What did I work so hard for? I am so angry that I simply don’t care about it anymore. He can do what he likes, so what? Not even a few days later, Prince Rong’s side caused an incident, and yet the Princess Consort is still huddled within the estate. Tell me, why can’t anyone in this family grow any brains between themselves?!”

Matron Zhou nodded along with Fu Qiuning’s long rant, making appropriate noises as needed to show that she was paying earnest attention. Finally, Fu Qiuning closed her performance with a long sigh as she made a show of walking over to pick up her abandoned embroidery. She stared dramatically at the half-finished peony flowers and said sadly, “Lord Husband has hardly eaten these past two days. It breaks my heart to see him suffering. Though I am angry at his self-inflicted problems, he is still my man, my husband.

Sister Zhou, go back and tell Father this. The emperor is someone who values relationships the most. No matter what, he is still Fengju’s father-in-law. If Grandfather were to speak a few words on Prince Rong’s behalf, not only would Fengju be eternally grateful, but surely even the emperor would view the Feudal King’s family with a new light in his heart.”

Matron Zhou smiled and made some agreeable noises. Even so, in the privacy of her heart, she thought: Well, well, no matter what this person is still a helpless woman stuck inside a harem. Her head must be all muddled from panic, ba? Now that the Duke of Jing’s estate is in shambles, for our palace to not add fuel to the fire is already generous enough. Yet, you still expect us to extend a helping hand?

The two women exchanged a bit more gossip. Sharp-eyed Matron Zhou saw that Fu Qiuning looked a little listless and distracted, understood that she must be burdened with all kinds of thoughts, bid her farewell not long after that and left. But not before leaving several entreaties to visit her maternal home.

Fu Qiuning agreed. She also personally escorted the woman to the door. It was only after Matron Zhou had stepped out of the courtyard gate with the two other women she had with her that Fu Qiuning re-entered the house.

She had just picked up her embroidery when Jian Feng’s excited voice called, “Madam, Yan Xi is here. The Young Marquis had returned from morning court and is asking for you to come to the study.”

Fu Qiuning contemplated the hard kang bed, thinking: Could I knock myself out if I flop onto that thing hard enough? Instead of doing something so juvenile, she proceeded to the bedroom to change into a light blue mandarin jacket embroidered with hibiscus flowers, paired with a light green pleated skirt embroidered with dark flowers. When she finally ran out of things to do, she had Jian Feng lead the way to the study.

The first thing she saw at the study was an eagerly waiting Jin Fengju. The first thing he did upon seeing her was to grab her hands and laugh, “Why didn’t you bring me any snacks today? Could it be that you saw how well made they were, so you kept them for yourself and couldn’t bear to bring them to me?”

Pill Bug: Urgh, the walls of texts are high in this chapter!

Gumihou: I think some people can’t differentiate between drama and tedious word vomit. Anyway, there’s no rescuing the ‘drama’ part of the story, so pushed things directly into melodrama

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