"Young Master Gu, the young madam has said you must finish all the work today. If you don't, I can only send the bill for your debt to the Zhennan Royal Manor!"
"You... you win!"
Gu Beichen resentfully dropped the hoe, resigned himself to his fate, picked it up, and started working with all his might.
It was just his bad luck to have fallen into Feng Jin's hands. He accepted his fate.
...
"You're back. I just picked these tangerines; they're very sweet. Try one."
Feng Jin saw Ling Mohan's figure at the entrance and placed a peeled tangerine into his mouth.
"What's wrong with you today? You've been looking glum. Did something happen?"
Sensing Ling Mohan's unusual mood, Feng Jin asked.
"Today we blew open the cave. The waterproofing inside has been a constant problem. During rainy days, moisture seeps in, and the gunpowder gets wet, rendering it useless."
Ling Mohan had spent the day discussing waterproofing and moisture-proofing issues with them. Opinions varied, but no effective solution emerged.
"First, lay down a layer of plastic sheeting on the ground to prevent the ground from becoming damp. Fill in all the uneven dips and hollows around the perimeter..."
Ling Mohan's eyes gradually lit up, a look of pleasant surprise on his face.
Even the renowned engineering experts couldn't compare to his wife, who had resolved a major problem with just a few words.
"My wife is truly intelligent, far superior to those famous but useless dregs."
Feng Jin handed Ling Mohan a cup of tea. "Since the matter is resolved, Young General, don't look so troubled."
"With my wife here, no problem is insurmountable."
Ling Mohan leaned against Feng Jin ingratiatingly, his tone full of flattery.
"Stop fooling around. You were telling me about Chu Yanxi's matter. How did His Majesty deal with it in court?"
The news about Chu Yanxi had been all the rage these past two days, a definite blow to the royal family's reputation.
"His Majesty was furious upon learning of the incident and ordered Chu Yanxi to be confined to his residence for reflection."
"And what about Feng Ruoyan's matter? How did His Majesty handle it?"
"His Majesty merely ordered the Minister of Justice to re-examine the case. However, the Empress, upon hearing this, insisted that Feng Ruoyan had bewitched the Third Prince into committing such a mistake. She knelt in the imperial study, begging His Majesty to retract their marriage contract. But the Third Prince threatened his own life, leaving the Empress with no choice but to agree to the marriage, though Feng Ruoyan could only be a concubine."
"A concubine... Heh..."
Feng Jin couldn't help but let out a cold laugh. Feng Ruoyan and Madam Sun had schemed so hard to marry Chu Yanxi as the official consort, hoping to become empress in the future. After all their machinations, they had not only lost the position of consort but Feng Ruoyan had now been reduced to a mere concubine. It was truly laughable.
Hurting others ultimately hurts oneself. The saying was indeed true. She really wanted to see the expressions on Madam Sun and Feng Ruoyan's faces right now.
"Allowing Feng Ruoyan to be a concubine was already the Empress's greatest concession. Even if the Third Prince was unwilling, he had no choice but to agree."
Ling Mohan relayed everything he had managed to uncover to Feng Jin.
"Being a concubine, Feng Yuanping's reputation is utterly ruined. He must regret giving birth to Feng Ruoyan. Their grand plan has fallen apart. Moreover, Feng Ruoyan is now facing legal charges, and His Majesty has personally ordered an investigation. Minister Wang wouldn't dare to dally. We just have to wait for the final verdict."
Feng Jin could already predict Feng Ruoyan's future fate. The Empress was narrow-minded and always doted on her only son, granting him whatever he desired. The daughter-in-law she favored must also be humble and obsequious. How could she tolerate a woman who instigated her son to oppose her and defy her wishes? Feng Ruoyan's marriage to the Third Prince would only be the beginning of her suffering.
...
After the imperial decree ordering Feng Ruoyan to marry the Third Prince as a concubine reached the Prime Minister's mansion, Feng Yuanping's face turned as black as charcoal, and Madam Sun collapsed on the ground, sobbing bitterly.
Feng Ruoyan, who was recovering from her injuries in bed, heard the news and immediately got up, rushing to Feng Yuanping to plead.
"Father, I cannot be a concubine! That Liu Menghan, born of a lowly maidservant, gets to marry the Third Prince as his consort. I am your legitimate eldest daughter; how can I be a concubine? Father, please beg His Majesty to retract the decree..."
Feng Ruoyan absolutely refused to accept being a concubine. Concubines were the lowest form of secondary wives, no different from mere bedding maids. If she were to marry as a concubine, wouldn't she be bullied to death by that Liu Menghan?
"My lord, please go to the palace and beg for mercy. Let Yan'er be a secondary consort at least."
Feng Yuanping coldly watched the weeping mother and daughter. He slowly stood up, walked towards them, and said, "Yan'er, the imperial edict has been issued. All of this is a result of your own actions. You reap what you sow; you must bear the consequences yourself."
"Guards, pack the young lady's belongings and send her to the Dali Temple."
"Father, I won't go to the Dali Temple! Father... I won't go... I won't go!"
Feng Ruoyan screamed wildly. The Dali Temple was gloomy and terrifying. If she went there, would she have any chance of survival? Once she went, it would prove that she had indeed committed those deeds. How would the entire capital look at her then? She couldn't bear the pointing fingers of so many people.
"Father, I am your legitimate daughter. If I go to the Dali Temple and become a concubine to the Third Prince, where will your face be put!"
Feng Yuanping's expression stiffened. His cruel eyes fell upon Feng Ruoyan. This was the daughter he had doted on and pampered for years, and today she dared to threaten him.
*Slap!* A crisp sound echoed. Feng Ruoyan clutched her still stinging cheek, stunned for a moment, and looked at Madam Sun in shock.
"Mother..."
"You wicked girl, you committed the mistake yourself and dare to trouble your father here? Get out to the Dali Temple at once!"
Madam Sun knew Feng Yuanping's temperament well. Feng Ruoyan's defiance just now meant a dead end for her. She had to deal with Feng Ruoyan before Feng Yuanping did.
"Mother, you... you're also making me go to the Dali Temple..." Feng Ruoyan completely misunderstood Madam Sun's intentions, believing that Madam Sun was also abandoning her.
"Yan'er, what you just said is true. Your going to the Dali Temple as a concubine would indeed disgrace our Feng family. However, if you were a lowly illegitimate daughter of the Feng family, becoming a concubine to the Third Prince would be your greatest honor."
Feng Ruoyan slumped to the ground powerlessly, looking at Feng Yuanping in disbelief. Her lips trembled slightly, and her eyes were filled with terror. Madam Sun also panicked, tightly grasping Feng Yuanping's robe, and tearfully pleaded, "My lord, do you have no regard for our past affections? I was willing to be your outside consort back then, enduring all sorts of disdain. And back then, I lost my child trying to save you – it was a boy!"