Chapter 493: Chapter 363: Diary of the Making of the Feng Residence Mistress
Cong Lv had not expected that Feng Xun had discovered him long ago.
Even though he knew that due to his health, Feng Xun couldn’t practice martial arts, it didn’t mean that he was inferior to himself.
No matter when, he always had a way to be one step ahead.
"You’ve forgotten, this is the Feng Residence. Every blade of grass and every tree here has been arranged by me," Feng Xun said with a faint smile.
Seemingly random blades of grass and trees, yet they concealed far too many deadly traps; Cong Lv almost forgot that although Feng Xun was not versed in martial arts, he was an expert in various mechanical traps and arrays.
He had followed in secret, initially intending to intervene when the two caused a commotion beyond control.
But when he truly saw the situation, he found that the scene he had imagined, simply didn’t occur.
Feng Xun’s reaction was as cold and indifferent as if Xue Pianran were a stranger.
But this was the Feng Xun that Cong Lv knew; he resolutely refused to acknowledge that the person pretending to be sick for sympathy, sweet-talking and expressing affection just now was the Feng San he knew.
"Was it you who told her about the Phoenix Token?" Feng Xun glanced at Cong Lv.
With his understanding of Xue Pianran, unless it was absolutely necessary, she would not directly come to the Feng Residence seeking someone.
"I’m sorry, I originally intended to stop her," sighed Cong Lv.
"You like Xue Pianran, I’ve known this for a long time. But you should never have allowed her to make a scene in front of Ling Yue." Feng Xun’s voice lacked the warmth of the daytime.
Once it involved Ye Lingyue, he was no longer the shrewd Feng Residence master; he was just a protective man.
"Feng San, do you really not like Pian Ran at all? But in the beginning, wasn’t it you who chose to have her serve you?" Cong Lv liked Xue Pianran, and had since childhood.
He, Feng Xun, and Xue Pianran were childhood friends.
He remembered that when Feng Xun had a bout of his Cold Syndrome, he had pointed to Xue Pianran in front of Emperor Qing to serve Feng Xun.
Also because of this, Emperor Beiqing, considering the continuation of the Feng Family lineage, had designated Xue Pianran for Feng Xun.
However, neither Xue Pianran nor Cong Lv would know that at the time, the one who had "served" himself was not actually Feng Xun, but Wu Zhong.
Because of this incident, Feng Xun and Wu Zhong had a falling out for a while.
Wu Zhong’s reasoning was simple: since he had to find someone to serve, it might as well be Xue Pianran, or anyone else for that matter, as they were all the same; after all, just a woman, whether she was the woman his friend liked or not.
In Wu Zhong’s set of values, there was no principle against coveting a friend’s wife.
He only knew that Xue Pianran was of utilitarian value.
Who would have thought that such a misunderstanding would last so many years.
Feng Xun had never felt much about it before; he always thought that with his physique, he wouldn’t live past twenty, and had no intentions of marrying Xue Pianran.
Not until Ye Lingyue appeared did he realize that this misunderstanding had to be cleared.
If it weren’t for meeting Ye Lingyue, he could live a muddled life for a full twenty years, with no desires or demands.
But he had met Ye Lingyue.
He suddenly started to fear death, telling himself he must live well, only then would he be worthy, to care for her.
"Second Brother, tomorrow, I will enter the palace and annul the engagement," declared Feng Xun decisively. He had given the Phoenix Token to Ye Lingyue and would not allow her to suffer the slightest grievance.
"Feng San, if you really care for her well-being, you should still be cautious. You know this is Beiqing, and Dan Palace’s power is not to be underestimated," said Cong Lv with a face full of concern.
"The Feng Residence has never feared the Dan Palace. It has always been so in the past, and it will be even more so in the future." Feng Xun’s voice, amidst the night, was as resolute as iron.
When the next day came, Feng Xun entered the palace.
Not long after he had left, Ye Lingyue had just finished washing up and was preparing to have a meal with Lan Cai’er and the others when Housekeeper Mu came knocking at the door.
"Miss Ye, you’re up. Miss Lan asked me to tell you that she took Little Wuya on an outing to the outskirts of the city today. They might even spend the night outside, so don’t wait for them and find your own amusement."
Ye Lingyue was stunned. Her big sister had slipped away without even a word to her?
She found it quite odd.
Ye Lingyue felt a little embarrassed, thinking of asking Feng Xun where he went, but then remembered the intimacy shared between them last night, and felt too shy to see him.
"His Highness went to the palace early this morning. He ordered breakfast to be prepared for you to eat. After breakfast, if you have time, could you help this old man with something in the accounting room?" Housekeeper Mu had been a housekeeper all his life and had sharp eyes.
He saw Feng Xun this morning looking particularly in good spirits.
Ye Lingyue had already inquired that the opening of Xingxiu Cave would only happen in half a month. Her injuries had also largely healed. During this period, there really wasn’t much to do.
Old Sir Mu had always taken good care of her; she was more than happy to lend a hand where she could.
After having some food, she followed Housekeeper Mu to the accounting room.
The Feng Residence’s accounting room was very similar to the study – spacious and bright. Outside was a fragrant blooming red osmanthus, and the room was filled with the lush scent of flowers.
Before she knew it, deep autumn had arrived.
Old Sir Mu took out several account books and smilingly asked Ye Lingyue for help with reconciling the accounts. Although Ye Lingyue found the task somewhat puzzling, out of respect for the elderly, she complied with each request.
She wasn’t very familiar with account books, but fortunately, she was quick-witted. After Old Sir Mu gave her a few pointers, she was able to reconcile the accounts independently in just one morning.
Housekeeper Mu saw this and smiled till his eyes nearly closed.
At that moment, someone whispered a few words into Housekeeper Mu’s ear.
"Miss Ye, I feel a bit unwell and will go back to my room to rest for a bit. I’ll leave this place in your care." Saying this, Housekeeper Mu began to rub his back as though he had a sore back.
"Housekeeper Mu, please go ahead. I should be able to finish checking these before nightfall," Ye Lingyue said, beaming with a smile.
In her heart, she couldn’t help thinking that Feng Xun was not considerate enough towards the elderly. It was tough for the old man to deal with all the account books by himself.
Ye Lingyue had no idea that these account books were usually handled by Feng Xun.
Moreover, to return to Daxia sooner, Feng Xun had condensed what would normally take a year to reconcile into just three months, hence the mountainous pile of account books.
As Ye Lingyue dove into reviewing the accounts, Housekeeper Mu grew more and more satisfied with what he saw. When he walked out the door, his face bore a sly fox-like grin.
Prince Feng truly had an eye for talent; not only could Miss Ye perform Alchemy, but her abilities to be the Lady of the Feng Residence were also first-tier.
For the Lady of the Feng Residence, managing the accounts and handling operations were essential skills.
The former Princess Consort Feng was adept at such things. When the previous Prince Feng was away at war, all the complex affairs of the residence were managed by the princess alone.
The way she grasped these complex accounts at a glance was reminiscent of when Prince Feng first took over the affairs of the Feng Residence; they were a match made in heaven.
Housekeeper Mu found Miss Ye more and more to his liking.
After leaving the accounting room, Old Sir Mu’s smiling face turned serious as he proceeded to the main hall.
In the main hall, Xue Pianran and her maidservant were sipping tea.