In the Willow courtyard, all was progressing smoothly. When some people were happy, others would naturally be frustrated. For example, Feng Fen Dai.
Although Feng Yu Heng had just promised her a handkerchief made of the five treasures earlier in the day, this girl had a heart that could never be satisfied. Seeing Feng Yu Heng's life undergo a noticeable improvement after receiving support from Prince Yu's contingent, she felt more and more that she would never live to see happy days.
Above her, aside from Xiang Rong, there were two older sisters. One was the daughter of the first wife and the most beautiful girl in the capital, while the other was to become the princess of Prince Yu. What about her?
The little girl tilted her head as she watched Han shi apply her makeup in her room, while she waited for Feng Jin Yuan to arrive. She really was extremely furious. She rushed over and removed the blush that was in her hands, as she began to scream: "All you know is to spend your entire day applying make up! Why do you not come up with some ideas for me?"
Han shi's hands trembled, and even the fawning look that was on her face receded.
That daughter of hers had always been this way. She would suddenly lose control of her emotions, and fly in to a rage with her. This was not an uncommon thing.
In reality, Han shi understood. Having been triggered by Feng Yu Heng, Fen Dai would definitely not be able to handle it. But even if she couldn't handle it, what could be done?
"Your concubine mother is just a concubine. What ideas do you want me to come up with?"
"Feng Chen Yu's mother originally was also a concubine!" Fen Dai never understood this matter, "Why can they climb from the position of concubine to head wife, but you can't? If you had that sort of competitive nature, then would I still just be a small concubine's daughter in this manor?"
"What of being a concubine's daughter?" Han shi slanted her eyes, "Even a concubine's daughter is the child of the Feng family! Your father is the prime minister. Even if you remain a concubine's daughter, who would dare mistreat you?"
"But there is also nobody that treats me well!" Fen Dai sat in a chair angrily then continued to rage at Han shi, "Could it be that you don't know the matriarch's attitude towards me? Could it be that you don't know the head wife doesn't want to care for me or Xiang Rong at all? Could it be that you don't know Feng Chen Yu only appears to be a Bodhisattva, when her heart is really evil and cruel?"
Han shi quickly moved forward and covered Fen Dai's mouth in fear- "What are you saying? Let me tell you, anyone can be slandered aside from your eldest sister. You really want to defeat her heart!"
"They're all great! Then what should I do? What should I do?" Fen Day began screaming out of control, "I also what the things that Feng Yu Heng has! Can you find me a husband like that?"
Han shi was helpless, "How old are you? You haven't even reached an age where we would discuss marriage plans."
"When I reach the age, there will be one?" Fen Dai's eyes perked up again, "Every day, you only know to make yourself look pretty and hook up with father. What results has hooking up produced? If you have the ability, then birth a son! Originally, there was only the noncompetitive older brother. Now Feng Zi Rui has returned. What hope do we have left!"
Finally, Feng Fen Dai's words silenced Han shi. She brought a hand lightly up to her belly, as her exquisite eye makeup became smeared by tears that streamed out of her eyes.
A son? It's not that she didn't want a son, but in this manor, if Chen shi was still present, then for her or An shi, none could want to have a son.
Last year, when she was pregnant, she drank a bowl of medicine and ended up having a miscarriage. The doctor said it was a male fetus. Afterwards, she secretly found out that the doctor had dealings with Chen shi's Jin Zhen. She spoke about this to Feng Jin Yuan, but nothing ever came of it. After that, when the Empress dowager passed, Feng Jin Yuan offered a jadeite Guanyin. Apparently, it had been specially found by Chen shi's younger brother.
Chen shi always had something that made Feng Jin Yuan restricted, but for Han shi, aside from her already withering beauty, she had nothing.
That night, Feng manor had many restless people. Fen Dai was out of control, but Chen shi was not much better off.
The things brought by Prince Yu's contingent had not landed in her hands, which made her entire body uncomfortable.
Chen Yu helplessly sat by her side coaxing her, but as she spoke, she herself felt unreconciled: "If it were anything else, then it would be fine, but thinking of those five treasures..."
How could Chen shi not understand Chen Yu's meaning. She immediately let out a snort: "My dear Chen Yu is the most beautiful girl in the capital. The five treasures need to be on your person to show their true value."
Chen Yu lightly sighed, "But she is the future princess of Prince Yu, the Emperor's most beloved ninth prince."
"What of the ninth prince?" Chen shi did not rest, "It's not that you don't know. Originally, your father wanted to pass this marriage along to you, but the ninth prince did not live up to expectations and ended up injured. A prince that has no hope of bearing children has absolutely no hope of attaining the throne. No matter how impressive Feng Yu Heng is right now, wouldn't she need to kowtow and pay respects to you in the future?"
Chen Yu's face blushed, as she delicately and softly called: "Mother."
Only then did Chen shi expose a smiling face. She grabbed Chen Yu's hand and said: "When our Chen Yu marries, it wil be to the future Emperor."
"But will they want to marry me? After all, I am just the succeeding daughter of the first wife."
"Who dares say you are the succeeding daughter to the first wife?" Chen shi spat out a coarse breath and spoke through gritted teeth: "Isn't that Feng Yu Heng still reliant on the manor for the marriage? Many things can happen over three years. Don't worry Chen Yu. Those fabrics will be yours sooner or later. And only you are suited to wearing those types of expensive things."
Chen Yu's countenance did not change, but her eyes flashed with glimmers of light.
Willow courtyard
Feng Yu Heng slept very soundly but suddenly heard a knocking sound. Always remaining vigilant, she immediately awoke. She heard an urgent voice call out: "Young miss, young miss are you awake?"
She furrowed her brows and her heart trembled. She knew something must have happened and quickly replied: "I'm awake. Come in."
Wang Chuan hurried in and began to speak: "Young miss, quickly come take a look. Young master Rui is ill."
"Ill?" Feng Yu Heng was surprised. He was fine before going to bed. He even played around in the yard with Huang Quan before going to bed. How could he suddenly fall ill?
Without time to get changed, she grabbed a shirt and pulled it on, as she followed Wang Chuan to Zi Rui's room.
When they arrived, the little one's face was a pale white. He lay on his side and vomited endlessly. Yao shi was to the side, anxious to the point of tears. Granny Sun continued to rub Zi Rui's back, but there was no signs of improvement.
Seeing her arrive, Huang Quan spoke to Feng Yu Heng while holding the basin, "Young master Rui fell ill after going to bed. Originally, Wang Chuan and I were in the yard when granny Sun came out to call us. She said young master Rui was not sleeping well and brought us inside. At that time, young master began vomiting."
Granny Sun added: "He had some diarrhea before going to bed."
Feng Yu Heng nodded and sat next to the bed. She reached out for his wrist and soon let out a sigh of relief, "It's fine."
Yao shi saw Feng Yu Heng say it's fine and relaxed a little. Then remembered to ask: "Then what illness is this?"
Feng Yu Heng smiled bitterly, "We have lived for a few years in the mountains and never touched oil. Yesterday night, everything was oily, and Zi Rui had never eaten anything like it from small to now. Suddenly eating it caused the intestines to react. This is normal."
Yao shi was puzzled: "Then why do we not have any reactions? When we were in the mountains, we also did not consume any oil?"
Feng Yu Heng supported Zi Rui while explaining to Yao shi: "But we have eaten it before while we were in the Feng manor! When we left the capital, Zi Rui was only three years old. How could he have eaten it as often as we did?"
Yao shi finally understood, "Then do we need to call a doctor?"
Feng Yu Heng shook her hand, "There's no need to cause a fuss tonight. If he's still not well in the morning, calling one then will not be too late."
Yao shi really trusted Feng Yu Heng. She truly believed that Feng Yu Heng had merely heard and seen a great deal when with her maternal grandfather, thus she being able to diagnose illnesses was normal.
"Granny Sun, help mother back to get some rest." She first had to get people out, "Huang Quan continue your watch in the yard. Wang Chuan go boil some water."
Although Yao shi did not want to leave, but looking at Feng Yu Heng's firm gaze, she nodded and left with granny Sun. She knew that her daughter had grown up and would have many things that she would want to handle on her own. Since that was the case, she would help her daughter.
Seeing everyone leave, Feng Yu Heng lightly pressed on her wrist while Zi Rui wasn't paying attention, as she sent her consciousness in to her pharmacy. She searched around and found some child-use antibiotic granules for treating intestinal problems.
Settling the child on the bed, she got up and walked over to the table. Pouring some granules in to a tea cup, she stored the bag back in the pharmacy.
Not long later, Wang Chuan brought back some boiled water. She poured the water in with the medicine and gave it to Zi Rui to drink after the temperature had dropped a little.
Wang Chuan watched the bowl of medicine and sniffled. She found that it did not have a bitter smell and found that it had a bit of a sweet fragrance. She really wanted to ask what sort of medicine it was and when the second young miss had come across it. But she recalled what Prince Yu had personally advised her: "Don't investigate too deeply in to matters regarding Feng family's second young miss. No matter what she does, just observing is enough. It is forbidden to ask too much. Even more so, it is forbidden to speak of the things she does to others." Wang Chuan stowed away her curiosity and helped Feng Yu Heng guard Zi Rui.
The child drank the medicine and shortly thereafter stopped vomiting. He also no longer yelled for the latrine. Not long after, his breathing steadied, as he fell asleep.
Wang Chuan again secretly sighed over that magical medicine.
Feng Yu Heng saw that she did not ask, so she did not explain. After all, in the future, she would need to stick close to her own master. If curiosity required everything be explained crystal clear, she worried that she may drive her insane.
The matters of Willow courtyard kept them up the rest of the night. Early the next day, news that Zi Rui's illness did not worsen made its way to Chen shi's ears.
Feng Yu Heng saw Man Xi secretly shoot a gaze over. She already knew, as it was granny Sun who rose early to spread the word. She did not pursue the matter further. Chen shi had been angered yesterday, and that would eventually need to be vented out. It seemed that an opening had just appeared. She wanted to see what sort of method the other party would use.
When the court doctor arrived, Chen shi was with An shi, Han shi, and granny Zhao, who had been sent by the matriarch.
From the moment Chen shi entered Willow courtyard, her eyes never once left the chests of gifts. Her greed was very apparent. Even if she wanted to cover it up, it was impossible.
Huang Quan snorted lightly then welcomed them loudly: "Madam, please come inside."
Chen shi was annoyed and waved her handkerchief before waddling her fat, round body in to Zi Rui's room, but she symbolically looked forward then decided to hang back slightly.
Han shi had always followed Chen shi's lead, so seeing that she had held back, she too also retreated to the outer room.
It would be An shi and granny Zhao would stayed toward the front and would occasionally ask the doctor a few questions.