Jinyi Spring

Chapter 126 The Little Princess is Still Alive
"Snapped!"

The crisp sound of a slap echoed throughout the room.

Kong Xiyan screamed, staggering and falling into a chair. She covered her burning face and burst into tears, looking at Ming Shanyue with disbelief.

Xia screamed in shock, ran over and hugged her daughter, trembling with anger and unable to speak coherently.

"You, you, why did you hit her? You're her cousin!"

Everyone in the room was stunned by this scene and stared blankly.

Ming Shanyue said coldly, "I only slapped her once, which was too lenient. That girl who paid for a hit was hung on an iron stake and whipped until there wasn't a single patch of good skin on her body."

"Hmph, our Ming family has painstakingly built its reputation over three generations for decades, only to have it ruined by her. Lord Xie and Lord Xue pointed their fingers at me and cursed us, saying that the Ming family is hypocritical and that the girl they raised is vicious and of despicable character!"

These words stunned everyone, and even Kong Xiyan's crying subsided.

The Duke of Mingguo valued his family's reputation above all else, and said in a deep voice, "Explain what happened."

Ming Shanyue bowed to his elders before sitting down and said, "It has been confirmed that the three beggars were indeed street thugs who only wanted money and had no deeper intentions."

His gaze, as cold as ice, swept over Kong Xiyan, who was still weeping.

"Everyone confessed that it was Cousin Yan's idea to hire someone to ruin Miss Feng's reputation. Because she didn't dare to come forward, Miss Xue stood up for her and sent her maid to do it..."

As soon as he finished speaking, the old Duke and the others glared angrily at Kong Yanxi.

Just now, Kong Yanxi said that Xue Yan'er had her maid bribe beggars to ruin Feng Chuchen's reputation, and she only encouraged her a couple of times.

The old lady sighed heavily, her sigh filled with sorrow and disappointment.

"Yan girl, I've always thought of you as a well-behaved and sensible person. I never expected you to come up with such a wicked, despicable, and shameless idea, especially when it comes to dealing with a kind-hearted girl like Feng."

Madam Ming frowned and reproached, "Doctor Feng's medical skills are superb, and his heart is pure. He cured my mother-in-law and my chronic illnesses, and we are both very grateful. What did she do to offend you so much that you hate her to the point of wanting to ruin her life? Fortunately, Shan Yue is also at Zixia Nunnery today. If a disaster had really occurred, how could we have peace of mind?"

The old Duke's eyes widened in fury. He slammed his hand on the kang table, his voice booming like a bell, "Let alone Feng Xiaoya, you should never do such a vicious thing to anyone. Destroying someone's reputation is no different from murder. Yan Ya, how could you do such a wicked thing?"

The Duke of Ming said angrily, "Our Ming family has been living in fear and trembling for decades, and the good reputation accumulated by generations is about to be destroyed by you in an instant..."

The hats were getting bigger and bigger.

Kong Xiyan felt as if she had been pricked by a needle, and her cries grew louder.

She shrieked, "I was just saying it casually, I didn't actually have anyone do it. It was Xue Yan'er, she admires Cousin Shangguan, and after hearing Cousin Shangguan praise Feng Chuchen's handsomeness, she was filled with jealousy and resentment, and insisted on doing that..."

This means they're acknowledging that she came up with the idea.

Xia was so angry that she trembled all over and slapped her daughter's back several times. "You wretched child, you wretched child! At such a young age, you have no sense of shame at all. How could you do such a thing!"

Overwhelmed with grief and indignation, she rose and knelt before the elderly couple, covering her face with a handkerchief and sobbing uncontrollably.

"Father, Mother, I'm sorry. It's my fault for not teaching my daughter well. I've let down the Ming family's teachings and brought shame to you, my parents, my brother, and my sister-in-law."

The old woman looked at her adopted daughter, her eyes filled with complex emotions.

"It can't all be your fault. Over the years, you've had to serve us two old folks and manage this whole family. Fortunately, the eldest daughter-in-law is better now, and Yan'er is still young, so we'll have to focus all our attention on her from now on."

"The old woman will also send another strict old woman to properly teach her."

There was a nanny who came from the palace who was Xia Xiyan's tutor. Last year, she fell seriously ill and went back to her hometown.

Madam Ming stepped forward and helped Xia Shi, who had been crying uncontrollably, to her feet, and then helped her sit down on a chair.

Ming Shanyue bluntly stated, "Commander Xie is clearly biased towards Miss Xue, and Xue Jicheng has repeatedly claimed that Cousin Yan has corrupted the Xue family's daughters. In order to clear Miss Xue's name as much as possible, the Xue family will definitely spread rumors that are detrimental to Cousin Yan..."

He pretended to be angry and slammed his fist on the coffee table next to him.

He and the Duke of Ming exchanged a glance. Because of the "Red Hare baby swap," the Ming and Xue families were bound to clash sooner or later. This incident provided them with a convenient opportunity to publicly expose the conflict between the two families without arousing suspicion from the Xue family…

These words frightened Xia Shi and Kong Xiyan even more, and their cries became even more shrill.

The old lady shook her head and said in a deep voice, "Tomorrow I will go to the palace to see the Empress Dowager and clarify this matter. Yan girl is wrong, but her mistake lies in her bad intentions; she is four out of ten wrongdoings."

"As for that third daughter of the Xue family, she is wicked and particularly vicious, and she is responsible for six out of ten of the wrongdoings. How could it be that Yan girl led her astray? Our Ming family's daughter is not someone to be trifled with. Even if she has made mistakes, it is not up to outsiders to bully her at will."

Her gaze was piercing, fixed on the trembling Kong Xiyan, her anger at his lack of self-control.

The fact that they could come up with such despicable methods shows that they were fundamentally corrupt.

For Achan's sake, we must also give this girl a good talking-to and guide her onto the right path.

The old lady continued, "See? A moment of evil will ultimately harm both yourself and others. Go back now, and from today onwards, stay at home and reflect on your mistakes for a year. Copy the 'Admonitions for Women' two hundred times. Remember, since you grew up in the Ming family, you must abide by the rules of the Ming family."

"The Ming family is a family that accumulates virtue and does good deeds. They are loyal and brave in serving their country, upright and honest, and they do not bully others or use underhanded means to harm others..."

Her voice suddenly rose, "Remember this again, both the old Duke and I cherish Feng Xiaoya, and we will not allow anyone to lay a finger on her. This time it was fortunate that no major disaster occurred, but if something had really happened, you would only be able to spend the rest of your life in seclusion with a Buddhist lamp burning."

The old Duke stroked his beard and nodded, his voice booming, "Absolutely. If the girl is a boy, she should be punished according to family rules and beaten so badly she can't get out of bed for a month."

Kong Xiyan turned pale and kowtowed while crying. She was then half-supported and half-carried away by two old women.

Old Madam Ming then said to Madam Ming, "Send a capable person to the Feng residence to apologize to the little girl and comfort her properly. Poor thing, such a good child, suffering this undeserved calamity for no reason."

Madam Ming said, "Yes, my daughter-in-law and mother-in-law are on the same page."

Xia pressed a handkerchief tightly to her lips, suppressing her piercing sobs. With this incident, the long-planned marriage was likely doomed.

My daughter is at the age where she should be getting married. If she can't see outsiders for a year, how many good opportunities will she miss?

If I were a member of the Ming family by blood, would I still treat him this way?
The old couple treated Yan Yatou worse than a stranger. And all she did was serve them wholeheartedly for so many years…

After the food was laid out, everyone got up and went to the west wing.

Ming Shanyue was in a bad mood and left under the pretext of having something to do.

The rain intensified, and he slowly walked towards the outer courtyard with his oil-paper umbrella in hand, a maid carrying a sheep horn lantern walking ahead of him.

At this moment, he desperately wanted to see Feng Chuchen, even if it was just to catch a glimpse of her from afar.

But she was at her home in the countryside at that moment...

Xia barely ate two bites before hastily leaving the table, citing feeling unwell. She went straight to Kong Xiyan's place.

Kong Xiyan was still lying on the couch, sobbing bitterly.

Xia shouted at the servants, "All of you, get out!"

She was completely weak, and her voice was as soft as a wisp of smoke.

Seeing her daughter's swollen right cheek, Xia was both angry at her daughter's lack of self-respect and angry at Mingshan for his cruelty under the moonlight.

The mother and daughter embraced and wept bitterly.

Kong Xiyan sobbed, her voice filled with fear, "I just wanted to teach that country girl a lesson, I never expected it to turn out like this. Mother, what should I do, what should I do?"

Madam Xia, exasperated, lowered her voice and said, "How many times have I told you not to cause trouble, not to provoke problems? You can't do what Xue Yan'er can do. You can't shoulder what Xue Yan'er can shoulder. But you just wouldn't listen, and now you've caused a disaster."

Kong Xiyan trembled and suddenly grabbed Xia Shi's sleeve, "Mother, will the Xue family hold a grudge against me because of this? My... my marriage..."

Xia pinched her hard on the back in anger, "You're still thinking about that marriage! Didn't you hear me? The Xue family hates you to the core now. It's a miracle they're not kicking you when you're down. How could they possibly help you anymore?"

Kong Xiyan said in a trembling voice, "Mother, I can't lose that marriage. Only if I marry that person can our lives truly be better."

Xia sighed softly, "Don't even think about that marriage. It's already difficult enough to find someone from a well-off family..."

Kong Xiyan cried, "Mother, I will not marry a poor scholar who has passed the imperial examination, nor will I marry a vulgar warrior."

Xia was so angry that tears welled up in her eyes again. She was also afraid that her daughter would marry into a bad family, just like she had done.

She said softly, "The Empress Dowager has been good to my mother. If we can persuade her to grant us a marriage, we might be able to find a good match."

Kong Xiyan looked up at Xia Shi with teary eyes, "But tomorrow my maternal grandmother is going to the palace to ask the Empress Dowager for an explanation. Won't the Empress Dowager's impression of me be greatly diminished?"

Xia then realized, "That's right, your maternal grandmother's personality has been stubborn and competitive since she was young, and she can't stand being taken advantage of. If it really escalates to the Empress Dowager, let alone the ladies of the Xue family, she might even dare to contradict Consort Xue to her face, and she would offend a lot of people."

Kong Xiyan hurriedly said, "Mother, we can't let the Empress Dowager dislike me, and we can't offend Consort Xue and the Xue family again. Go and persuade Grandmother."

Xia was both angry and anxious. She poked her forehead with a finger and said, "Now you know fear? What were you doing back then? It's getting late. She should rest soon. I'll try to persuade her tomorrow morning."

In Ming Shanyue's room, just as the wine and dishes were set on the table, Shangguan Ruyu arrived.

Shangguan Ruyu walked into the room with a stern expression and sat down directly opposite.

Ming Shanyue ignored him and continued drinking her wine.

Shangguan Ruyu said angrily, "It's fortunate that Miss Feng is unharmed, otherwise I would definitely beat those two girls to death."

Ming Shanyue said in a deep voice, "If something really happens, what's the use of killing them?"

“I know I was wrong, and I won’t say another word. My mother is also very angry, and she will send a maid to scold the two of them tomorrow.”

After Ming Shanyue explained the punishments for Xue Yan'er and Kong Xiyan, he sneered, "If she were a man, my grandparents would have beaten her half to death, and I would have killed her outright. She's so young, yet so vicious."

Shangguan Ruyu downed her drink in one gulp and cursed, "I never imagined that such a delicate little girl could be more ruthless than a villain when she does evil. She's truly despicable. As for that pockmarked Xue Yan'er, I wouldn't even want her as a concubine, let alone a wife. Humph, I hope she marries a villain in the future so he can beat her every day..."

Thinking of her past engagement with her, Ming Shanyue felt irritated and changed the subject, asking, "How did it go for the Princess's visit to the nun Qingxin today?"

Shangguan Ruyu shook her head and lowered her voice, saying, "My mother said that Qingxin Fagu has become so thin that she looks like withered grass in late autumn, and has lost all her former charm... You would never guess that my mother actually said that Miss Feng's eyebrows and eyes are somewhat similar to those of Qingxin Fagu when she was young."

"However, their auras are completely different; one is gentle and charming, the other is aloof and indifferent. I'm only telling you this, don't tell anyone else, lest it bring any unexpected trouble to Miss Feng... Hey, what's wrong?"

Ming Shanyue's eyes were fixed, his mouth was half open, and he seemed to be lost in thought.

Shangguan Ruyu waved her hand in front of his eyes, "Hey, are you stupid?"

Suddenly, Ming Shanyue slammed the wine cup down on the table, got up abruptly, walked towards the bedroom, slammed the door shut, and bolted it.

Shangguan Ruyu was stunned. She had been the one putting on this whole act all along. And she had only done it because she was furious.

Today he's putting on a show.

I didn't offend him.

Shangguan Ruyu walked to the door and pounded on it several times. "Are you possessed? What's with locking me out?"

A cold voice came from inside the door, "If you don't want to stay, go home."

The flickering candlelight inside cast a dim, indistinct shadow over Ming Shanyue's deep features. He racked his brains, trying to piece together the scattered clues into a clear narrative:

It all started with him.

Master Yuhui once said that only a woman with an extremely Yin destiny can restrain his all-Yang nature.

Feng Chuchen can turn his mole red and make his mind go blank and his body weak. She is the only woman who can completely suppress him so far.

Therefore, it can be inferred that Feng Chuchen's true birth date must have been at an extremely yin time.

The sixth day of the eighth lunar month is not an extremely yin day. It was just the day that Doctor Feng claimed to have found her and asserted that she was born on that day—it was all a deliberate fabrication.

Previously, he hadn't thought much about Feng Chuchen's actual birth date, but now he had to think about it carefully.

Once this point is established, many scattered fragments seem to have a direction.

First, why did Doctor Feng falsify the child's birth date?

The only answer is to protect her. In other words, they feared her true birth date would bring her death.

Secondly, if Dr. Cai truly possessed extraordinary abilities to make an infant appear dead, she could deceive those who instigated her to commit evil.

Thirdly, the reason why Wang Tu had to fake his death was found: he first faked his death, then tried to save the child and send him to Baima Village on the other side of Qingmiao Mountain.

The journey from Baicangjiang to Baima Village is not far.

Doctor Feng lives in Baima Village. Her medical skills are unpredictable, and she may be able to cure the child.

It is now certain that the Jiang Huaizhao mentioned by Wen Kai is Wang Tu.

Fourth, Wang Tu dared not reveal his final trump card to Wen Qian, only saying that the little princess had been thrown into the Bai Cang River. But it turned out the little princess was still alive…