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By now, it was almost noon, and most of the villagers had already had their meals. However, due to the excitement of watching the drama between the Wang and Wu families today, many households were just starting to cook. Seeing Wang Cheng and his son coming to invite them, the men happily headed to the Wang household.
There were five tables set up in the courtyard, where Wang Cheng and his son entertained the guests outside. Chen Feng, Mrs. Wu, and the other women tidied up inside after their meal. The Wang family was extremely poor, and apart from a few old clothes for changing, there was nothing of value to take. Mrs. Wu gazed at the embroidery frame for a while but decided not to bring it, she never wanted to touch it again in her life.
After the meal, Wang Cheng offered the remaining food to the guests and mentioned that anything they fancied could be taken once they left.
Chen Feng and the others walked out of the courtyard, bidding farewell to the Wang family home where they had lived for nine years. Wang Cheng and Mrs. Wu also said their goodbyes, wiped away tears, and boarded the carriage.
Chen Feng rode in one carriage with Wang Xiaomei and Autumn, while the other three members of the Wang family rode in a separate carriage. As the convoy was about to leave the village, cries could be heard from outside.
Pulling back the curtain, Chen Feng saw old lady Wu, an elderly man, and three men wailing alongside the carriages, lamenting, “Daughter, how heartless you are! You learned the Wu family’s craft but don’t care about your parents’ well-being…”
This family was truly extraordinary, not just in their behavior but also in their thoughts.
Wang Xiaomei nestled closer to Chen Feng, timidly saying, “I’m scared!”
Comforting her, Chen Feng replied, “Don’t be afraid, Xiaomei. Once we reach our new home, you won’t see them again.”
Upon hearing this, Wang Xiaomei’s eyes sparkled with glee, her small mouth forming a joyful smile.
Chen Feng gently pinched the little girl’s thin face with a smile. Being a modern person, she refused to treat life as insignificant. The guards quietly inquired whether they should take care of the troublesome old individuals. Chen Feng declined, preferring that her uncle’s family remain forever free from their exploitation.
As the carriage arrived at the city gate during dusk, it was already dark upon reaching the Marquis’s residence. They first ate at the bamboo pavilion and then instructed the staff to tidy up the yard. Additionally, they took out ten taels of silver to have the needlework room in the mansion make several sets of clothes for the Wang family.
As the Wang family bid farewell, it was already late into the night. Chu Lingxuan had still not returned, and since Wang Cheng’s incident, the men in the Chu family had been busier than usual.
The next day, Chu Lingxuan still hadn’t returned, but he sent a soldier to inform Chen Feng to continue preparing for their journey back, scheduled to depart promptly on the afternoon of the 26th.
Despite her eagerness to return home, Chen Feng had no choice but to patiently wait.
That day, Chen Feng steamed dozens of cakes, distributing them not only to the Chu family and the Wang family but also to the Empress Dowager (20 cakes) and the Prince Rui’s residence (10 cakes), even giving a cake to a few respectable servants, but not to Second Madam Li.
Upon hearing this, Second Madam Li was furious and went to the Second Master to complain, stating that Chen Feng didn’t respect her as an elder, treating her worse than servants. She accused Chen Feng of bringing poor relatives into the mansion to eat and drink, even having the needlework room make clothes for them, which she deemed improper…
The Second Master had lost his patience with Second Madam Li long ago, retorting, “If you want others to respect you as an elder, you should act like one. If you don’t even respect yourself, why should others treat you as an elder? As for the relatives staying in the mansion, it is appropriate, as this mansion will belong to Lingxuan and his family in the future…”
His words cut deep, especially the last sentence, leaving Second Madam Li feeling distressed, and she burst into tears. Enraged, she then instructed her maids to hint to the kitchen and needlework rooms not to treat the Wang family members as guests.
However, the kitchen and needlework supervisors explained that Young Madam Chu specifically instructed that the Wang family members must be treated well, with meals matching the master’s, and even the ten taels given by the Young Madam for clothes were to be returned…
These incidents were relayed to Chen Feng through Xiaomo. Xiaomo’s mother was in charge of the kitchen, making it the hub of gossip in the mansion. Any news related to Chen Feng was always reported to her accurately.
Impressed by Xiaomo’s reliability, Chen Feng praised her and gave her some instructions, even sharing two dessert recipes with her mother.
Concerned that Second Madam Li might try to hinder the Wang family, Chen Feng sent her own housekeeper to serve in the Wang residence.
As anticipated by Chen Feng, two servants from the Second branch often made rude remarks in front of the Wang family. Once, they even intentionally caused Wang Xiaomei to stumble, and Wang Cheng faced difficulties when returning home from an errand.
Enraged, Chen Feng decided to tolerate Second Madam Li but was unwilling to allow any mistreatment towards her uncle’s family.
Chu Lingxuan was the heir of the title of the Yongning Marquis, and she was the wife, making them the rightful heads of the Marquis’s residence. Anyone with a clear mind understood this. With Chu Lingxuan absent from the mansion for an extended period, these individuals were truly acting out of line.
She didn’t seek out the Second Madam but instead had the Chu’s steward, the Internal Affairs Manager Cai Mama, and the Second Madam’s senior maid, Yu Zhu, summoned to the Bamboo Pavilion.
Without offering them seats, she coldly stated, “As the heir has been away for so long and I am a newcomer from the countryside, it’s natural for others not to respect me. I can endure being mistreated, but my uncle’s family is only here for a few days. If they are subjected to such humiliation by the servants, how can I face my mother? Please go and plead with the steward, Cai Mama, and Miss Yu Zhuo to show mercy and stop the mistreatment of my uncle’s family.”
Terrified by her words, the Chu’s steward and the others knelt down, apologizing profusely and promising to investigate and provide justice for her uncle’s family.
Two hours later, six servants were apprehended in the mansion, including two trusted maids of the Second Madam. They were each given twenty lashes and promptly sold out of the mansion. These servants protested their innocence, claiming they were following orders from the Second Madam.
Second Madam Li cried and caused a scene, receiving a slap from the Second Master who had been summoned.
Following this incident, the Second Madam personally visited the Bamboo Pavilion to check on Chen Feng. The old Marquis, along with the Third and Second Masters, sent word to reassure her that the mansion was her home and she shouldn’t worry.
Despite the reassurances, Chen Feng fell ill.
During these days, rumors spread among the mansion’s staff, alleging that the Second Madam was behind the decision to prevent the heir and the heir’s wife from returning to the mansion, leading to the upheaval…
While it was true that Second Madam Li had conceived this plan, and many were aware of it, the rumors spread widely, causing embarrassment to the Second Master’s family who felt reluctant to leave their compound. Despite Second Madam Li’s denial, she sought out the Third Madam, claiming she was being framed and urging for a thorough investigation to identify and punish those spreading rumors.