Chapter 116: Disposition - Rebirth of the Noble Daughter

 Chapter 116: Disposition

On the way back in the carriage, Feng Jinyao's face grew increasingly grim.

It was Feng Jinlin who couldn't hold back and asked, "How could Mother be poisoned? Didn't she just have a cough relapse?"

At Doctor Zhang's house, he had noticed that his sister's expression was odd, as if she were hiding something from him. He sought the truth.

Feng Jinyao, not intending to keep it from him, organized her thoughts and began to explain.

"I accidentally discovered that the dregs of Mother's medicine contained something that worsened her condition. So, I secretly replaced her cough medicine and, with Bai Mama, kept this matter under wraps, trying to find out who was behind it. During the New Year cleaning, we found some plants that could easily trigger Mother's asthma. We used the excuse that the gardeners were sent by the second uncle's family to replace them all and have them detained at the estate, watched over by Bai Mama's eldest son. But..."

This incident was indeed unexpected. Someone was repeatedly trying to harm their mother. What was their true intention?

The more Feng Jinlin listened, the angrier he became. Did people think their Feng family was easy to bully? Such audacity!

"Have you found out who in the back courtyard is responsible?"

"We have some clues, but Yunhe's illness interrupted our investigation. I'm not sure how Mother and Bai Mama have handled it."

"Fine, leave those gardeners to me. I'll break their bones!"

They were slaves under his control. Even if he beat them to death, no one would care.

His fierce expression made the air around him seem cold. Feng Jinyao was worried but knew it was best to let him handle it. Their elder brother had too many people to care for and couldn't spare the time right now.

The sound of horse hooves echoed as they headed north. At the same time, another Feng family carriage was heading to the suburban estate, with Feng Jinxu sitting inside, eyes closed, resting.

At the estate, Concubine Lin, who had been confined, was eating. The food wasn't luxurious, but it was decent.

Feng Jinxu arrived just as she was eating. She seemed comfortable, eating seven or eight dishes alone, making it unclear whether she was being wasteful or deliberately indulgent.

"Master?"

Concubine Lin hadn't seen Feng Jinxu for a long time. His sudden appearance made her panic. She quickly put down her chopsticks and tidied her appearance.

Unfortunately, her coarse clothes couldn't enhance her beauty, so she put on a pitiful expression instead.

"Master, you've finally come. If you hadn't come, I'd have died here with no one knowing."

She cried and wailed, which made Fu Yi, standing nearby, look disgusted.

Feng Jinxu didn't pay attention to her display. He walked over, looked down at her, and then at the table.

"You're eating quite well."

Concubine Lin felt embarrassed and forced a smile. "The steward took pity on me and made more food because of the New Year. Usually, it's just buns and cabbage. Life is very hard."

With a faint smile, Feng Jinxu finally saw her clearly. She was good at pretending and reading people's expressions. How had he not noticed this before?

"I came today to tell you two things."

His tone was flat, revealing nothing. Concubine Lin suppressed her joy and excitement, assuming Feng Yunhe must have died and Feng Yunli would be adopted under Madam Wen's name as the legitimate son.

"Please speak, Master. I'm listening."

"On the first day of the New Year, I made the decision, with the approval of my parents and the clan, to formally record Yunli under Madam Wen's name. He is now her son and my legitimate second son."

Concubine Lin had guessed correctly. She looked at Feng Jinxu with undisguised greed in her eyes. "Really? But won't the First Lady..."

"Don't worry. Isn't a good future for Yunli what you've always wanted?"

He spoke as if to reassure her, but she hoped to be legitimized herself. This would make Feng Yunli's status even more legitimate, allowing her to stand tall.

For now, Madam Wen wasn't dead. When she returned to the Feng family and occasionally mentioned Feng Yunhe to her, she'd eventually join him in the afterlife. There was no rush, so she suppressed her thoughts and pretended to be humble.

"If the First Lady can treat Yunli as her own, I'd be willing. I'm just worried... Please, Master, protect Yunli. You know that the First Lady has never looked kindly upon Yunli because of me. How innocent he is to be born of me and face such disdain."

Feng Jinxu used to feel sympathy for her words, thinking that Madam Wen was indeed aloof. But now, it seemed laughable. He couldn't be bothered to explain further.

"The second thing is, your name has been removed from the clan registry. I've come today to have Fu Yi escort you to Yingtian Prefecture."

When he mentioned Yingtian Prefecture, Concubine Lin, still tear-stained, froze.

"Master, what are you saying? I'm Yunli's mother. How can you send me to Yingtian Prefecture? What about Yunli's future?"

"I've already told you, Yunli belongs to Madam Wen. You're nothing more than a troublemaking servant in this household."

With these words, Concubine Lin felt as though she had been cast into the depths of hell.

So, paving the way for Yunli was actually a plan to sever ties with her!

No! This can't happen! I won't allow it!

She lunged at Feng Jinxu, abandoning all decorum, and began to protest vehemently.

"How can you be so heartless, Master? He is flesh and blood from my own body! I've cared for him day and night for four years. How can you just cut ties like this, Master..."

Her plea held genuine emotion this time, but Feng Jinxu's heart was already hardened. He had once felt regret for indulging her, but now that everything was clear, she was nothing more than a joke to him.

"Cared for him? Since Yunli was born, he has been mostly cared for by wet nurses and servants. You claim to have cared for him day and night? Do you not feel disgusted saying such things?"

Feng Jinxu mercilessly exposed her intentions. "If it weren't for using Yunli as a pawn in front of me, if Yunli weren't a son, if manipulating him could gain more benefits for you, would you ever have treated him as your own son?"

"I..."

Concubine Lin tried to argue, but her words seemed stuck in her throat.

She had made some calculations, but she had also planned for his future.

"Yunli should have been a good child, but you raised him to be reckless. Fortunately, he's only four years old. Under Madam Wen's guidance, he can still be corrected. But you should never have gambled with his life, delaying the estate physician from diagnosing his illness for your own gain. Do you realize that any longer and he would have become a fool due to the high fever? Would you still treat him as your son then?"