Chapter 29: New Year's Gift - Rebirth of the Noble Daughter
Chapter 29: New Year's Gift
Madam Wen came from a respectable family, her father was the governor of Shuzhou. When she married Feng Jinyao's elder brother, Feng Jinxu, they once had a period of mutual respect and harmony.
However, things took a turn for the worse later on. They had some conflicts, and Linlang took advantage of the situation to intervene, even getting pregnant. Over time, their relationship faded.
After hearing Yunhe's explanation, Madam Wen understood the situation even though she might not be the brightest person.
She suspected that her maids had been bribed. They constantly reminded her of the attention Aunt Linlang's illegitimate son received, hoping to provoke her into action for their own gain.
She also heard that Feng Jinyao had taken over the stewardship, so she decided to visit.
"Why did you come here, Sister-in-law? The weather outside is harsh, can you handle it?"
"Don't worry, I've been sick for a long time, I'm well aware of my condition. I came here today to thank my sister for helping resolve Linlang's issue yesterday, to thank you for resolving the suspicions between me and my son over the years, and also... I'm not afraid to admit, I think someone has been manipulating me. Over these years, I've heard so many nonsensical things, and it has caused more conflict between me and my husband, which in turn has affected my son."
She shed tears as she spoke, her motherly love deeply touching.
Feng Jinyao patted her hand, wanting to comfort her but not knowing where to start.
Zhu Jin handed her a handkerchief, and Madam Wen wiped away her tears, apologizing for her emotional outburst.
"I'm sorry for losing my composure."
"It's okay, Sister-in-law. It's good to let out your feelings."
"Alright, let's not dwell on the past. I came here today to ask my sister to help me deal with those scheming individuals around me. Their status is not under my control, so it's difficult to get rid of them. That's why I'm here."
Madam Wen was straightforward in stating her purpose.
"Do you have someone in mind, Sister-in-law?"
With a bitter smile, Madam Wen nodded gently.
This surprised Feng Jinyao. It was impressive that Madam Wen could identify those with ulterior motives in such a short time.
"In that case, Yunxu, bring all the contracts and status documents of everyone in my brother's courtyard for Sister-in-law to take back. It's almost New Year's, so it's normal to deal with some lazy maids and servants."
Dealing with smart people was simple; she even had reasons prepared for selling them off.
Madam Wen was increasingly impressed by her sister-in-law's calm demeanor despite her ruthless actions.
Soon, there were significant changes in the Feng family.
With the New Year approaching, Feng Jinyao's first order as the head of the household was to clean house.
Under the pretext of spring cleaning, she thoroughly investigated and punished several servants who abused their authority in the Feng household.
After a severe beating, they were immediately sold off.
The servants of the Feng family became more afraid of Feng Jinyao than ever before.
Meanwhile, Feng Jinyao enjoyed her newfound freedom, pampering herself with expensive skincare products after her nap to maintain her delicate skin.
"I've carefully inspected everything, and it's clear that someone has tampered with the courtyard. The food for Madam was the first target. For the past six months, her diet has been constantly changing, with sesame seeds, peanuts, beans, and other snacks. A few days ago, they even sent a basket of winter peaches, which fortunately Madam didn't eat due to her cough. Otherwise, the peach fuzz could have triggered her asthma."
Feng Jinyao angrily threw the handkerchief into the copper basin, causing water to splash everywhere.
Yunxu, knowing that her mistress was angry, obediently served her.
"Is there more?"
"The florists were also involved. They couldn't plant winter jasmine in Madam's courtyard, so they bribed someone to plant it in several spots where Madam used to visit. It wasn't obvious, but Bai Mama noticed the roots of the flowers when she inspected them closely."
Such extreme measures were taken to harm her mother. What was the motive behind this?
"What about the florists?"
"Bai Mama said the Second Household sent better florists, so they won't be needed for now. She sent them to work on the estate. The head of the estate is Bai Mama's eldest son. After receiving the order, he immediately tied them up and interrogated them, and that's when they confessed."
"Who provided the bribe?"
"They don't know. They only heard a man's voice, but they couldn't identify him."
It seemed like there was collusion both inside and outside the household. They not only arranged things around her mother but also had accomplices outside, leaving her mother with no escape route.
Thinking about this, Feng Jinyao's eyes turned cold.
"I remember Bai Mama has two sons, one manages the estate, and the other is in charge of the second gate."
"You're right, Miss. I've seen the latter a few times. He seems clever."
"Good. Tell Bai Mama to instruct him to keep an eye on the servants outside the courtyard. If there's anything suspicious, they should report it immediately without alerting anyone."
"Yes."
Since their heart-to-heart conversation, Yunxu had become more reliable and mature, gaining Feng Jinyao's trust.
However, relying on just one capable person was somewhat inadequate.
Xiuqiu was talented, but she was impatient. She needed more experience. Feng Jinyao considered asking Bai Mama to find another suitable person for her.
As she was thinking, a melodious voice came from outside.
"Greetings to Third Miss."
Xiuqiu entered with a servant behind her, both unfamiliar faces but pleasing to the eye.
"Who are you?"
"I'm Huanhuan, a maid from Madam's residence. I just entered the mansion a few days ago. Madam asked me to bring some snacks to Third Miss and Young Master. They are pastries from Shuzhou, not easy to find elsewhere."
Pastries?
Ever since the incident last time, her sister-in-law had been sending gifts from time to time—pastries today, a cover for the stove yesterday, and a few volumes of books the day before.
The gifts weren't extravagant, but they were practical making Feng Jinyao quite happy.
Huanhuan, what an interesting name.
"Thank you, I was just about to go to the study. Please bring the pastries with me."
"Yes."
Huanhuan was composed and graceful, despite only recently entering the household. She wasn't overly respectful, which Feng Jinyao appreciated.
Her sister-in-law indeed had a good eye for selecting maids.
In the study, Feng Yunhe was diligently practicing calligraphy with a copybook. Since his father criticized his 'Li Ting Copybook' last time, he made sure to practice more to improve.
"Yunhe, take a break. Your mother had someone send some pastries, and I also had the kitchen prepare lotus leaf soup. Try them."
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