The Slender Waist-Chapter 76 - 62: Raised by a Bitch

Ao Qi had just sent Ao Zheng off to Andu and returned when he heard about the situation on the land and saw Feng Yun.

Seeing her face all flushed, he assumed she had been angered.

"Wait here."

The young man, ever so impatient and impulsive, grabbed his ring-headed saber and was ready to head over to Wei Zheng’s encampment.

"Guard Ao!" Feng Yun called out to him, sounding quite helpless.

"The situation has already been resolved."

Ao Qi was startled, "That fast? How did the lady resolve it?"

Feng Yun lowered her eyelids, "General Wei is a man from the Empress Dowager’s entourage, what else could be done? I had Doctor Yao go to the Sun Family to tend to the injuries, and the medical expenses will be covered by our Changmen Estate. As for the rest, if we can tolerate it, then we’ll tolerate."

In reality, she wasn’t feeling too aggrieved—it was mostly a show.

But Ao Qi was infuriated.

That bastard Wei Zheng, how dare he bully the lady?

He wished he could tear Wei Zheng into eight pieces, but he understood Feng Yun’s temperament well. Without her permission, trying to help in secret would not only fail to gain her favor, it might even cause her to despise him.

"You’re really sure you don’t need my help?" Ao Qi asked with raised eyebrows.

Feng Yun looked at him, the sun shining down on the young man’s sweaty cheeks. He asked earnestly and with seriousness, his hand gripping the saber showing raised blue veins. If she merely nodded, Ao Qi would likely go and risk his life against Wei Zheng.

"There’s no need." Feng Yun gave him a bow and turned to walk back.

Ao Qi followed behind, feeling a burning sensation on his back.

That damned Wei Zheng!

"Does the lady think I can’t beat him?"

Feng Yun couldn’t help but smile at his question, "Of course not. That Wei doesn’t deserve to be compared with you."

Ao Qi’s mind had become quite sensitive lately. Flattered, his forehead sweat became denser, his legs felt as light as air, and with the sun beating down on his head, he felt slightly dizzy...

—

It was a little past noon, and the weather was hot.

When Feng Yun returned home, several concubines had finished their chores and gathered under the cool canopy, fanning themselves and chatting.

Since Lin E and Huan Jiao had passed away, Feng Yun no longer restricted them as before.

Sometimes, they let their servants do the work, and Feng Yun would turn a blind eye.

After all, they were beauties. If she could treat them kindly, she was happy to do so.

The concubines’ lives got easier, and with the lesson of past examples, whether they feared Feng Yun or were sincerely loyal, they were all compliant on the surface.

Currently, with Wen Hui and Ying Rong managing Yutangchun in Andu City, and Chai Ying with Nan Kui keeping house at the General Residence and responsible for the daily distribution of porridge, there were twelve concubines left in Changmen Village.

Among them, Shao Xueqing, Luo Yue, and Gu Zhu were the ones who had been closest to Lin E and were especially cautious these days.

Feng Yun watched from under the eaves for a moment then quickly returned to the main house.

"Xiaoman."

Xiaoman was carrying two fresh lotus flowers to be placed in a vase when she turned and saw the lady’s pale face, which startled her.

"My lady, did you call for me?"

Feng Yun hummed in affirmation and suddenly gestured for her to come over.

Xiaoman placed the lotuses on the table and obediently approached, her hands in front of her, looking down anxiously.

"My lady, did I do something wrong?"

Feng Yun shook her head, "I have a question I’d like to test you with."

Xiaoman’s eyes widened, "Please ask, my lady."

Feng Yun said, "If you encountered a difficult problem and had to choose someone from that group of concubines under the canopy to do something for you, who would you pick?"

Xiaoman didn’t understand what the lady was getting at.

But since the lady had asked, it meant she trusted her and considered her capable.

So, she started counting on her fingers and analyzing, "Sister Tu Lan is the most gentle, with a pleasant voice. Sister Tian Yi has the sweetest mouth, knows how to flatter. Sister Jia Ru is straightforward, speaks her mind without scheming too much, and Sister Jiang Yin..."

She suddenly opened her eyes wide and looked at Feng Yun.

"Apart from my lady, I think Sister Jiang Yin is the most beautiful. She is also very adept, and I often see how diligent she is in her duties. From beginning to end, she doesn’t complain, nor does she babble on and on..."

Feng Yun asked, "Then who do you dislike the most?"

Xiaoman’s face suddenly fell.

"I dislike Shao Xueqing the most."

Feng Yun asked, "Why’s that?"

Xiaoman snorted, "She always acts like a proper lady, saying how her father was the Andu County Magistrate, how wealthy her family was, and how noble she once was, all the while looking down on servants. Hmph, I’ve heard it many times. She deliberately speaks ill of the lady in front of Lin Ji, she’s a hypocrite..."

"Why didn’t you say so before?"

Xiaoman pouted slightly, "Shao Xueqing doesn’t gossip like Huan Jiao did. She just says things in a roundabout way that don’t seem important at first but make one feel uncomfortable. Even Steward Alou said you couldn’t really fault her for anything, so I didn’t know how to express it..."

Sometimes, women are more sensitive and attentive than men.

Alou, a mere boy of seventeen or eighteen, could not discern so many subtleties.

But someone who couldn’t be faulted was definitely shrewder than those who spoke nonsense.

Feng Yun smiled lightly, "Anything else?"

Xiaoman thought for a moment, then added, "I heard it from Luo Yue, she’s close with Shao Xueqing. Luo Yue said that Shao Xueqing’s heart is as big as a sieve, always hoping the General would take her in one day, or that she’d be gifted to some other General as a favor."

Feng Yun frowned, "Is that so?"

Xiaoman nodded, "Neither of them wants to work, always gossiping about waiting on the young master in private. Especially Luo Yue, she grew up in the tower and knows a lot. The things she talks about... are so shameful it could kill someone with embarrassment, and she even said the General..."

At this point, Xiaoman suddenly stopped talking, her eyes darting down to look at her own feet.

Feng Yun raised an eyebrow, "Said what about the General? The General isn’t here, just say it, what’s there to be afraid of?"

Xiaoman hung her head, her voice finer than a mosquito’s, "They said the General, with his nose like a gall hung high and his Adam’s apple prominent, must be robust and grand, surely brimming with vigor to shower all with his ’sweet dew’. Luo Yue even said, the ladies must be living the high life..."

Feng Yun snorted with laughter.

The rule in Changmen Village was to work for one’s meals, to be self-reliant. Xiaoman accepted this order and couldn’t stand those concubines. But Feng Yun didn’t think that gossiping about such matters in private was any grave sin.

She said, "Men favor the beauty of women, and women love handsome young masters, it’s natural. A bunch of concubines living together all the time, if they don’t chat about these things, what else can they talk about? Moreover, they’re all concubines gifted to the General by the Empress Dowager, so it’s not inappropriate."

Xiaoman’s face had already turned red with embarrassment, "They’re so silly, brainless. The General would never fancy them!"

Feng Yun could not help but chuckle. "Xiaoman is the smartest one. No one in Changmen can compare to you."

Xiaoman immediately brightened up, giggling as she asked, "Then, does the young lady think that the servant girl answered your question correctly?"

Feng Yun chuckled softly, "Of course, correctly."

Then she asked, "Does Xiaoman want to be the General’s person?"

Xiaoman revealed a look of surprise but shook her head firmly, "Xiaoman wants to be the young lady’s person."

Feng Yun touched her forehead and smiled until her eyes curved, "Go and get busy."

"Yes."

Xiaoman, brimming with joy, went in with the lotuses to arrange Feng Yun’s room.

The General had been visiting every night these past few days, so she and Daman were especially careful, fearing anything not tidied up well might cause discomfort to the General and the young lady.

—

Later in the evening, Lun Dashan arrived, reporting to Feng Yun the condition of the young Sun boy.

The child, only twelve, had suffered when his bones were set back in place, and besides that, a patch of skin was scraped off his left face. Doctor Yao said, thankfully he was young, and they tried their best to treat him without leaving a scar...

Lun Dashan also brought back a skinny wild rabbit.

"This is what Sun Brother hunted in Jieqiu Mountain. He asked me to bring it back for the young lady to stew and eat..."

The Sun Family was originally from Huaxi, living off hunting on Jieqiu Mountain. They had just been allotted farmland not long ago but couldn’t bear to leave their homeland.

Having offended the soldiers and bandits from the Central Capital, they were both anxious and fearful, not thinking of revenge at all but dreading retribution from the Wei surname.

The Sun Family couldn’t bear to eat the rabbit, so they earnestly brought it to Feng Yun.

"Accept it."

Feng Yun had Xiaoman take the rabbit to the stove and then sent Lun Dashan to the Sun Family with some rice and flour, saying it was a reciprocal gesture.

Then she took eggs and a consultation fee to Doctor Yao.

Lun Dashan returned and said that Mrs. Wang accepted ten eggs, suggesting she’d try hatching chicks, but the one hundred copper coins were returned, not a penny accepted.

"Doctor Yao said, neighbors should help each other, there’s no need for such formalities..."

Feng Yun could tell that family wasn’t stingy and signaled Xiaoman to put the money back.

"Instruct the kitchen to prepare an extra portion for dinner."

Xiaoman hesitated, then understood, it was for the General.

It seemed the young lady had finally come around.

Xiaoman was very happy, turning around and telling Grandma Han.

Grandma Han smiled so hard the wrinkles on her face deepened, she hurried to the kitchen to keep an eye on the cook.

In fact, Feng Yun did not know if Pei Jue would come tonight, as she had spoken rather impolitely last night, which was a tactful refusal of the awkward co-sleeping.

But with Wei Zheng’s incident today, it would be good if he came, as some matters would be better clarified in advance.

At nightfall, Daman and Xiaoman prepared the bathwater early for Feng Yun to bathe.

Feng Yun took a pleasant bath, lay comfortably on the bed, and even picked up a book to read.

The night was cool as water, the sound of frogs croaking through the window, stirring unrest in her heart.

Not until the sound of Xiaoman calling "General" from the outer chamber did she sit up straight, finally feeling settled...

Feng Yun listened to the man’s footsteps entering the inner chamber.

The curtain hung on a golden hook, and upon entering, Pei Jue could look up and see Feng Yun sitting upright.

"General," she said, rising to offer a salute.

Pei Jue hesitated before removing his cloak, "Haven’t you gone to sleep yet?"

Feng Yun replied, "I was waiting for the General."

Pei Jue didn’t show any surprise on his face. He drained a cup of cool tea, then sat down and looked calmly at Feng Yun’s face.

"About the matter with the Wei surname?"

News surely travels fast.

She had been racking her brains for so long on how to explain.

Feng Yun smiled, "The General already knows?"

Pei Jue replied, "I have come specifically because of this matter."

The room, lit by a single lamp, soaked the two in a gentle light. Their plain conversation carried a tranquil, domestic quality, as if they were a couple discussing household matters in peaceful times. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Such everyday life was very rare in her previous life, with Pei Jue always rushing into the room in a frantic hurry...

Feng Yun asked, "Then, what does the General think should be done?"