I Came To Have A Meal
Feng Yuheng left the manor on her own, Wang Chuan and Huang Quan were busy carrying out their tasks at Yao manor. Madam Zhou was worried and wanted to follow, but she rejected it. Even the guards secretly sent by Madam Zhou to secretly follow her were discovered by her and made to return to the palace. Going to meet Feng Fendai now, if that original owner was really around, she had to face this on her own, more people must not know the truth about this.
Feng Fendai was not living at Crystal Courtyard now, after she used an almost ruthless method to break up with the Fifth Prince, she moved out, taking along Xiao Bao and Dong Ying and a few other people to rent a small two layer courtyard to live in , living rather peacefully.
(Translator’s note: A two layer courtyard is a house structure where there will be a small area after entering the first main door with a smaller door leading further inside to the actual living area.)
Of course, she did not feel think it was strange how Feng Yuheng knew this address, with her eyes on the whole capital, the network of the Yu Palace was one of widest ones, it was really too easy for Feng Yuheng to find her. But for a Second Sister who had such a high status, why did she come here? Were there still any feelings between the two of them?
The manor door was opened by Feng Fendai personally, she had very few staff here, Dong Ying was also sent out to buy things, so she would always sit that the front courtyard, handling things personally if anything happened. When Feng Yuheng arrived, she was teaching Xiao Bao how to read, and it was only during times like this did she feel grateful about how she was lucky to be born in Feng manor. Feng Jinyuan was prime minister, so for the children in the house, whether they were born from the first wife the concubines, they would be given teachers to teach them, so it was not like she could not read anything at all. And in this era, the girls in many houses were not allowed to buy books, it was good for the girls to not know anything, the most important thing was to learn needlework and other feminine skills.
“Princess Yu, why did you come? Such a rare visitor.” Feng Fendai was holding Xiao Bao’s hand with one hand and holding a book with her other hand. After moving out from Crystal Courtyard, she did not meet the Fifth Prince again, no longer interacting with Feng Yuheng and the others. After gradually leaving the centre of authority, her frame of mind had turned much milder. It was now very rare for her to think of those unrealistic imaginations now. But seeing Feng Yuheng now, the dreams she had put down because she was helpless started to squirm around in her heart, that arrogance and frustration started to grow crazily without control like weeds, but she still forcefully suppressed them. Fendai pushed Xiao Bao forward, “Greet Princess Yu.”
Xiao Bao obediently took two steps forward, bowing towards Feng Yuheng, saying: “Hello, big sister Princess.” After the child finished his greeting, he looked up at Feng Yuheng, there was an impression of this big sister Princess in his memories, but the Feng Yuheng was much gentler than currently, why was it when he saw this older sister today, he felt that she was a little scary? Xiao Bao backed up and hid next to Fendai, reaching out to grab Fendai’s clothes, saying softly: “Xiao Bao is scared.”
Fendai looked at Feng Yuheng, saying unhappily: “Why did Princess Yu come here with a stony expression? I brought my younger brother to live a decent life, we did not offend you, who are you trying to find trouble with today?”
As she spoke, Feng Yuheng walked inside directly, a two layer house was very small, and she was able to walk around once quickly. When she returned again, she stood in the middle of the main courtyard, and that was when she looked at Fendai directly.
Fendai started to laugh in anger, “What are you doing? You came to my courtyard to catch a thief, right? You also saw it, the place I am staying now is only this large, what can I hide?”
Feng Yuheng looked at her coolly, not speaking for a long time. It was not that she did not want to speak, but a hard to control feeling of irritation was starting to cause trouble in her heart. She could only try her best to suppress it, else it was very easy for her to fly into a rage and while in a rage, it was possible for her to injure Fendai.
Fendai saw that she was not speaking and became more puzzled. She did even have time to close the courtyard door, she walked over and looked outside. Feng Yuhen really came over by herself, not bringing any servants along. Even those two shadows Wang Chuan and Huang Quan could not be seen anywhere. She was confused and could not help but turn around again to ask that person in the middle of the courtyard: “Feng Yuheng! Say something, why did you come? Standing in my courtyard without any rhyme or reason is not doing anything. Taking a look now, it is noon, could you have come here to have a meal?”
Unexpectedly, Feng Yuheng really nodded, finally opening her mouth and speaking the first sentence after entering the courtyard: “That’s right, I came to eat. I happened to get hungry when I passed by this place, thinking that this was where Fourth Sister stayed, I came in to ask for food.”
Feng Fendai’s nose almost became crooked out of anger, eat? In this life, the number of times she ate together with Feng Yuheng could be counted with her ten fingers, the interactions between the two of them were only speaking no more than half a sentence. During the Feng family banquets in the past, when it finally gathered at the same table after much effort, they would always end up dispersing unhappily because of this matter or that. What, did the sun rise from the west today?
She felt suspicious, but she was also curious about what Feng Yuheng was planning to do. Coincidentally, Dong Ying returned from shopping outside, so she instructed: “Go to the kitchen and notify them, cook one more bowl for the noon noodles, Princess Yu will stay here to have lunch.” After saying this, she even told Feng Yuheng: “Princess, do not dislike it, currently my days cannot be spent like before, a small house would not place much emphasis on this, being as simple as possible, we will eat noodles this afternoon!”
Feng Yuheng did not dislike it, suddenly find a stone bench in the courtyard to sit down, resting both her hands on the table in front, nodding, “Alright.” Then she stood up again to start a new round of searching. And this time, she was not just searching the front and back courtyards, but also every single room in this manor.
Fendai was huffing in anger, it was obvious, Feng Yuheng came to search, but what was she searching for? Fendai did not understand at all, what did she have here which was so valuable for her Second Sister to personally visit and search?
She did not understand and Feng Yuheng did not want to speak. In reality, she also could not explain properly. She could not actually ask Feng Fendai if an unfamiliar woman lived here and declared that she was the real Feng Yuheng, right?
She suspected that the original owner came to Fendai’s place, but in reality, there was nothing in Fendai’s manor, she did not even have many servants.
Seeing Fendai’s suspicious and confused appearance, listening to Fendai’s cold words which came out one after another, Feng Yuheng’s mood suddenly turned good. Two of them sat at the dining table, the servants served the noodles. Three bowls of normal noodles, there were some meat strands and vegetables inside, they did not add oil but it smelled very fragrant. She picked out the meat in her bowl to give to Xiao Bao, reaching out to pat Xiao Bao’s head, saying: “Xiao Bao, be good, eat more meat to grow up well.”
Feng Fendai could not help but laugh, asking while feeling rather helpless: “What are you planning to do? I let you down and I let Xiangrong down, you did not allow me to address you as Second Sister, so I did not do it, I avoided all of you by going far away and living my own life. But you came suddenly again and searched my courtyard from top to bottom…… Feng Yuheng, what exactly do you want to do?”
Feng Yuheng looked at her, suddenly thinking, if that original owner was still around, what kind of feelings would she have when facing this Fourth Sister? If the original owner had been alive the whole time and returned to the capital from the northwest, would she continue to live after the multiple rounds of torment from the Feng family, or would she die in the fire in Fengwu Province many years ago?
Seeing that she was dazed again, Feng Fendai slammed the table in anger such that Xiao Bao almost cried in fright. This was when Feng Yuheng came to her senses, but she only said: “It’s nothing, just eat! After eating, I will go back.”
“You……” Feng Fendai became speechless with anger, a ball of anger stuck in her throat which failed to come out. Alright! She was unable to win this Second Sister in the past, now that she was avoiding worldly affairs now, she could still be this angered by the other party, was this retribution? She committed too many bad deeds in the past, the gods did not even allow her any way to turn back, not even allowing her to live a quiet and bland life?
Fendai did not know what to say and she was also unable to eat, just sitting there angrily. Feng Yuheng ate very well, quickly downing half a bowl of noodles down her stomach. During this time, she did not forget to remind Xiao Bao to eat as well, even taking the meat strands from the bowl of noodles which was untouched by Fendai to give to Xiao Bao. For this scene, it appeared as if Feng Fendai was the guest and Feng Yuheng and Xiao Bao were the blood related siblings.
Gradually, Fendai’s twisted thoughts came up again. She felt irritated seeing Xiao Bao’s face which was getting fairer and it looked so much like Feng Jinyuan no matter how much she looked. Moving her hand, she snatched Xiao Bao’s chopsticks again, saying loudly: “Don’t eat anymore!”
Xiao Bao cried loudly with a “Wah”, but as he cried, Fendai became more irritated: “Why are you crying? Just now you said you were afraid of her, why didn’t you cry then? She is a good person after giving you a few pieces of meat? I raise you every day, why don’t I see you say anything good about me?”
She suddenly became angry, scolding Xiao Bao harshly, but whether it was Feng Yuheng or Xiao Bao, this was nothing new. Feng Fendai did not have normal feelings of happiness and anger, she would lose her temper suddenly, this was very normal. Even though she had become milder in the recent days, the personality in her bones could not change at all.
Xiao Bao recovered after crying for a while, telling Fendai while sniffing: “Xiao Bao knows that Older Sister is good, Xiao Bao always talks about how good Older Sister is!”
Feng Fendai glared at him, not saying anything else, but her eyes were staring at Feng Fendai coldly, feeling the urge to dig out her heart to see what was being contained within. Fendai though, if Feng Yuheng did not explain things clearly today, she might just lose sleep for a few days?
But Feng Yuheng did not say anything, seeing that the bowl of noodles had been emptied, she actually stood up, only telling Fendai: “I have eaten, then I will leave first. Fendai, even though you are not living with this, but we are all children of the Feng family in the end, if there is anything you need my help with, you can look for me at Yu Palace, I will help you with whatever I can. In addition, rein in your temper, treat Xiao Bao well, having a younger brother by your side is also a happy thing. You will become an adult next year, do not fall out with the Fifth Prince too much, if you cannot bring yourself to patch things up with him, I can help you go and talk to him. Either way, do not continue feeling apologetic and conflicting with yourself, living a good life is the proper way.”
After she finished speaking, she did not stay any longer, turning around and leaving. Feng Fendai stared as Feng Yuheng walked out of the houe, then walked to the gate of the courtyard, opening the courtyard door on her own, leaving without looking back. For a while, she did not even know if she should be angry or laugh. Even Xiao Bao spoke while feeling stunned: “Big Sister Princess really only came to eat noodles!”
But Fendai knew that was not it, she did not want to guess why Feng Yuheng came, she only thought about the last few sentences Feng Yuheng said. Asking her to patch things up with the Fifth Prince? What could they reach an understanding on? She heard that the day after she left the Crystal Courtyard, another woman was welcomed into Li Palace, immediately becoming Xuan Tianyan’s secondary wife……