Chapter 3: The Wen Family - Rebirth of the Noble Daughter
Chapter 3: The Wen Family
Feng Jinyao shook her head. "I suspect everyone in this courtyard except for Bai Mama."
Madam Feng remained silent for a moment, carefully recalling recent events but found nothing suspicious.
She took out three small red porcelain bottles from the hair oil box. Inside were herbal pills. She gave one to her mother to dissolve in water and hid the rest on her person.
Strangely enough, after taking the medicine for her sore throat, she felt a cool sensation spreading, relieving her discomfort.
"This medicine is good. It's not bitter to take and it even feels somewhat refreshing."
"That's great. I heard that one dose of medicine from the Ren family can show improvement and three doses can cure completely. Mother will definitely get better."
"Mm."
She would get better. Everything would be fine.
"What do you plan to do?"
"Mother just needs to focus on recuperating. Leave the rest to your daughter."
Seeing her daughter's determined gaze, Madam Feng felt that she had grown up. She was no longer the spoiled little girl from the past and could now protect her family from hardships.
Feeling relieved, she nodded.
"Arrange things with Bai Mama. She has sharp eyes and will surely discover something fishy if she pays close attention."
"Understood, Mother."
After their conversation, Amber brought hot water, and upon entering the room, she saw Madam Feng drinking the medicine and wiping her mouth with a handkerchief.
"Bring the honeyed snacks from last time. Mother finds the medicine bitter, so something sweet will help."
"Yes."
Mother and daughter pretended as if nothing was amiss and began applying the hair oil. Amber took the empty bowl and left.
Feng Jinyao watched her leave, her eyes filled with suspicion.
Amber was the head maid in her mother's chambers and responsible for brewing medicine. If she was truly involved, it made sense. However, Feng Jinyao had never heard of any conflicts between her mother and Amber. If it wasn't about her, then Amber might have been bribed or threatened.
Investigating from this angle might yield some clues.
After chatting with her mother for a while, she helped her lie down, and soon the medicinal effects helped her drift off to sleep.
Standing by her mother's bed, Feng Jinyao looked outside. Despite the winter sun shining brightly, she felt no warmth.
A storm was brewing, and she needed to be fully prepared. With that in mind, she left the main room.
Not long after leaving her mother's courtyard, she bumped into the maid Xiuqiu.
"Miss, someone from the front yard informed me that Miss Wen is here to see you."
"Why is she here?"
"I heard she's returning the jade pendant you lost."
"The same old excuse."
Miss Wen, named Yuwei, was the daughter of the younger brother of the Minister of Personnel, Wen Jingsong. She arrived in the capital with her brother several years ago, aiming to make advantageous connections.
In her previous life, she was a hypocrite, pretending to be close to her when she was useful. However, when the Feng family fell from power, she showed her true colors, becoming vicious and malicious.
Now, as soon as she arrived, everyone knew about her returning the jade pendant, all in an attempt to force her into a debt of gratitude.
Thinking of the name 'Wen Mengsheng," Feng Jinyao's eyes filled with hatred, and a sense of hostility emanated from her.
Xiuqiu had never seen her mistress with such a fierce expression before and wondered if she was possessed by an evil spirit.
Turning her gaze, she saw Feng Jinyao calm down, returning to her noble demeanor, polite and graceful.
Frowning, she shook her head. Had she been mistaken?
Before she could dispel her doubts, Feng Jinyao whispered to her.
"Please ask Miss Wen to wait in the Moon Pavilion. I will join her shortly."
"The Moon Pavilion?"
Xiuqiu thought she misheard, but after Feng Jinyao issued the order, she headed towards the Quiet Courtyard in the opposite direction.
"Could Miss Wen have offended our young lady? Bringing guests to the Moon Pavilion on such a cold day... Hiss, she's in for it."
Turning, she headed to the front yard to carry out her instructions.
In the front yard, Wen Yuwei stood tall on the veranda, her gaze steady, her posture elegant with a hint of Southern charm in her delicate features. Even her smile was exceptionally graceful and refined.
Anyone who saw her couldn't help but praise her as a true lady.
After arriving in the capital several years ago, she begged her uncle to find her an elderly maid from the palace to teach her manners and etiquette.
Otherwise, arriving in this noble and powerful city at the age of ten, how could she avoid being ridiculed for her inappropriate behavior?
With a year of rigorous training, she achieved her current demeanor. After catching the eye of Miss Wei at a banquet, she had been by her side for years, gradually integrating into the circle of elites.
Now, no one mentioned her past anymore and she always presented herself as the legitimate daughter of the Wen family.
It was as if the Minister of Personnel was her real father.
Unfortunately, these façades might deceive outsiders, but they were not enough to fool Xiuqiu, who had served in the courtly circles since childhood.
Before Madam Feng fell ill, they often hosted banquets attended by the rich and powerful, even princes and princesses.
Seeing Miss Wen's affected demeanor, she couldn't help but think of the phrase 'Dongshi Xiaofen.'
Although she had these thoughts, she remained polite and respectful, bowing to Miss Wen before speaking.
"Miss Wen, I apologize for the wait. My mistress is currently tending to Madam's medicine and cannot be disturbed. She has instructed me to escort you to the Moon Pavilion to rest. Once she's finished attending to Madam, she will come to you."
"We're like sisters, there's no need for such formality. Just tell Miss Feng to take care of Madam first."
As she spoke, she appeared affectionate. If Xiuqiu hadn't witnessed Miss Wen's attitude towards her mistress, she might have believed they were on good terms.
Feng Jinyao's Moon Pavilion was built above a lotus pond, allowing a gentle breeze to flow through. In the scorching summer, it was the coolest place.
However, on this cold winter day, the pond was frozen over, and the lotus flowers lay dormant beneath the surface.
During this chilly December, the servants of the Feng family rarely ventured to this side unless necessary.
Upon entering the Moon Pavilion, Wen Yuwei frowned slightly. She was annoyed. Did the Feng family not know how to treat guests? The servants were also incompetent.
If she hadn't previously interacted with Feng Jinyao and knew she was a kind-hearted person who greeted everyone with a smile, she would have suspected that this arrangement was intentional.
Xiuqiu arranged for a charcoal brazier to be brought in, and the silver filament charcoal inside burned just right, raising the temperature of the Moon Pavilion slightly.
Xia Lu, the maid by Wen Yuwei's side, felt dissatisfied. Wasn't this a deliberate move by the Feng family? Were they trying to show disrespect to the Wen family by inviting guests to a secluded place like this on a cold day.
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