The Slender Waist-Chapter 26 - 22 The Wicked Woman King of Hell

Today, Luliu Academy was bustling with activity.

Before the meal started, Lin E was taken out of the dining hall and locked up.

She caused a commotion inside, banging the wooden door loudly.

"Open the door! Open the door!"

"Feng Shi Er Niang, how can you treat me like this?"

"I came here to serve the General on the Empress Dowager’s orders, not to be your servant."

"Open the door! I am the Great General’s concubine, I want to see the General for justice, and the Empress Dowager for justice..."

In the courtyard, a group of servants and menials gathered for the spectacle, pointing and whispering amongst themselves.

Shao Xueqing, Huan Jiao, and the other concubines were also placed in this courtyard, and they watched with wide eyes as Lin E was locked away by two strong men, a cold fear creeping up their spines.

Alou, assuming the role of head steward, cleared his throat loudly and declared:

"Lin Ji has led the troublemaking and disobeyed the household rules of General Residence, rightfully she should be starved for three days and confined for three days. However, the young mistress, considering it her first offense, has granted her a special leniency; she is ordered to stay in confinement for self-reflection for one day."

After finishing, he turned to offer a salute to Feng Yun.

"Shi’er Niang, are there any other orders?"

It was a hot day, and Feng Yun wore a thin, wide-sleeved blouse as she sat under the willow tree, accompanied by Huanhuan and Peipei, who were fanning her vigorously with palm fans. The fluttering of her clothes resembled that of a fairy—beautifully ethereal.

Her voice, amidst the sweltering heat, also carried a hint of languor.

"Anyone else who violates the rules will be dealt with severely, without any leniency."

Alou nodded his head and cast a worried glance at the closed courtyard.

Originally, the young mistress wished to punish all the concubines together, but luckily, he had advised her on the consequences, and she agreed to only confine the ringleader, Lin E.

Still, Alou was very uneasy, "Last time at the General Residence’s prison, Shi’er Niang already offended the Empress Dowager. If this matter reaches the Empress Dowager’s ears again, I fear..."

Feng Yun replied indifferently, "I have my own judgment."

She took the palm fan from Peipei’s hand impatiently and fanned herself vigorously for a few moments before looking up at the sunlight filtering through the tree canopy, "The sweat has all but evaporated; go on and do your work."

In Andu City, there were already plenty of people who denounced Feng Yun as a traitor to the Qi Dynasty, and now with rumors spreading that she cruelly abused her concubines, her bad reputation only worsened. Some accused her of excessive jealousy in vying for favor, others of madness and arrogance, but for Feng Shi Er Niang to do such things was not at all surprising.

She was already rumored to be mad.

Were it not for her biological mother who perished in fire on her behalf, she might have been burned to death long ago...

"Such a woman should have been strangled at birth."

"Heaven is blind, for Feng Twelve to catch the eye of General Pei!"

"Wicked woman matched with the King of Hell, a curse upon both their houses."

"There will be retribution!"

Those who were starving cursed her.

Those who were not starving also cursed her.

Those who knew her cursed her, and those who did not know her were also cursing her.

The concubines regarded her as if mice upon seeing a cat, and even the servants and menials in the household grew more in awe of her.

Feng Yun was very pleased.

Evil people are not easily provoked; it is the good ones who are. This was a lesson she learned through death in her previous life.

In the most painful days before her death, when she lived a degraded life like an animal in captivity, not a single relative came to visit her. She had endured such agony, so what was a little gossip?

She immediately wrote a letter to Pei Jue.

"I have been very efficient in managing the household affairs for the General."

In front of Pei Jue, Feng Yun wasn’t as commanding as Alou presumed.

She treated Pei Jue as her patron, reporting to him every action she took, no matter how small—including starving his concubines and teasing his soldiers. She also gave him suggestions in her capacity as a strategist.

In particular, she wrote at length, spanning over ten thousand words, about restoring agriculture and the well-being of the people in Andu County.

"Andu County governs six provinces, with abundant land and a significant population. It was once a prosperous and fertile region, well-known for its silk weaving and porcelain making, enjoying fame across Nanqi... What a pity that now the towns lie empty, the people are starved and weary, no longer showing the prosperity of the past..."

"During these chaotic times, the whole world is exhausted. The people yearn for peace and are tired of war. Those in the army dream of returning to their farms, while those fleeing dream of their hometowns. Yet in those days, only the nobles and scholars were indulging in luxury, with the land in the countryside laid waste and agriculture in decline, which is greatly detrimental to the country..."

"To avoid the long-distance transportation of grain in the future, which exhausts the troops, the General should also broaden the fields and store grains, preparing the supplies necessary for a prolonged and bitter battle with the Qi Army..."

"Food is the foundation of governance. Whoever lets the people eat their fill, wear warm clothes, and live a comfortable and industrious life, will be able to firmly hold onto the nation."

"The General might as well use Andu County as a pilot area, allocate vacant land to farming households, restore the planting of grains, fruits, and vegetables, settle down the refugees, recultivate the wasteland, level the land, and focus on breeding and improving crops..."

"When fields are abundant and granaries are full, from then on, the people of Andu County will no longer yearn for Nanqi but will only recognize Dajin..."

Feng Yun was conscientious and responsible, her plea wholehearted in repairing the tattered Andu County.

However, Pei Jue did not reply to her letter.