Chapter 6: The Third Prince Wants to Divorce Me? (2)

“Very well, I shall leave this matter to Er-niang. Qingcheng is tired. Farewell.” Feng Qingcheng offered the Second Madam a way out, and as she did so, she pulled a list from her sleeve.

“This is my menu for lunch. Er-niang, just instruct the kitchen to prepare it accordingly. I am not very picky, but since you treat me so well, I certainly cannot let others say that you mistreat your legitimate daughter, can I?”

With that, she shoved the list into the Second Madam’s hand and walked away with Xin’er, leaving the Second Madam behind—unable to vent her anger or her hatred. Her face cycled between shades of green and white, and it took a long time for her to calm down.

“Miss, you were truly amazing,” Xin’er said to Feng Qingcheng with admiration. Having been by her mistress’s side for so many years, this was the first time she had experienced the feeling of holding her head high.

“Xin’er, remember, no matter what happens, we must never let others bully us.” Feng Qingcheng said earnestly. This was only the beginning; there were still many things she had to face.

The efficiency of the Feng household was truly impressive. By noon, the meal Feng Qingcheng had ordered was delivered to her right on time: four dishes and one soup, a mix of meat and vegetables, and fragrant rice.

Xin’er happily served the food for Feng Qingcheng. Feng Qingcheng pulled Xin’er’s hand and made her sit down. “Xin’er, eat with me. From now on, in front of me, you are not a maid, but my sister. I will not allow you to feel even the slightest bit inferior.”

Xin’er nodded heavily, her eyes brimming with tears.

For the next few days, the small courtyard remained peaceful. The Second Madam did not appear, Feng Qingqing was confined to her chambers and forbidden from leaving, and the Third Madam and Feng Qingyao never showed their faces before Feng Qingcheng.

Feng Qingcheng enjoyed the leisure of these few days. She took Xin’er to a pharmacy and used the banknotes she had scavenged from Xiao Ruoli to buy a large pile of medicinal herbs. She spent her days locked in her room tinkering with them, and when she had nothing else to do, she taught Xin’er a few self-defense moves. She would not allow anyone around her to be weak or easily bullied.

The entire Feng household looked no different than before, but the gloomy atmosphere permeating the estate was palpable, like the heavy stillness before a mountain storm.

On this day, that brief tranquility was finally broken.

At midday, Feng Qingcheng was resting with her eyes closed in a rattan chair. Lunch had not yet been delivered. Xin’er had volunteered to go and urge the kitchen; for the past few days, the meals had always arrived on time, and the daily menu was always written by Feng Qingcheng and handed to the kitchen in advance.

Thanks to the nourishment of better food, the complexions of both Feng Qingcheng and Xin’er had become rosier by the day. However, this time, the meal hour had passed, yet no food had arrived. Xin’er had been gone for an hour and had not returned.

Feng Qingcheng stood up, her eyes cold as ice. If her intuition was correct, Xin’er had likely been detained by someone who found her eyesore. However, anyone who wanted to touch her, Feng Qingcheng, would first have to see how much weight they actually carried.

The kitchen was already cold and empty. Only a servant responsible for the fire was squatting there, listlessly poking at the rice grains in his bowl. In front of him sat several plates of exquisite side dishes, including fish and meat. Feng Qingcheng stood before him, the coldness in her eyes intensifying. “Where is Xin’er?”

“Oh, the Eldest Miss. Miss Xin’er is not here.”

The servant didn’t even look at Feng Qingcheng, continuing to poke at his rice. In his eyes, Feng Qingcheng was still the same cowardly, bullied, foolish girl as before. The fact that she had been eating so well these past few days was entirely due to the Second Madam’s sudden benevolence. Now that the Second Madam had spoken, he saw no reason to take this unloved mistress seriously.

“I will ask you one last time: have you seen Xin’er?” Feng Qingcheng asked in a low, cold voice, a dagger suddenly pressed against his throat.

The servant looked up, trembling, and saw the icy, cold eyes of Feng Qingcheng. His heart skipped a beat. Such a swift strike, such a chilling tone—it was something he had never imagined possible.

“E-Eldest Miss, spare me! Miss Xin’er was… was taken away by the Second Madam. The Second Madam caught a cold, and all the kitchen staff were reassigned to brew medicinal meals for her today.”

Feng Qingcheng’s eyes narrowed. She released the servant and turned to leave. “That was close,” the servant patted his chest and let out a long breath. Before he could even finish exhaling, a sharp glint grazed his cheek and buried itself into the pillar behind him with a thud.

His cheek felt an instant sting. In a panic, he hurriedly covered his face; fortunately, it was only a superficial wound. If the Eldest Miss had truly wanted his life, wouldn’t it have been as easy as turning over her hand? Immediately, he dared not show the slightest bit of contempt or negligence. He knelt on the ground, kowtowing incessantly. “Miss, spare me! Miss, spare me!”

“Remember who the master of this house is.” Feng Qingcheng’s words were branded into his heart, but she had already walked far away.