Feng Yun curled her lips, "Having children isnât something that can be accomplished just because I intend to. If the child wonât come, what can I do?"
Lady Taoâs gaze flickered, and her smile grew even more ambiguous.
"Didnât your Great Aunt come to give you a solution?"
Feng Yun looked straight at the couple, smiling faintly.
Feng Jingyao lowered his gaze, sipping tea with an air of composure.
Lady Tao cleared her throat and said, "Your younger sister Fifteenth Miss is now sixteen and still unwed. I can tell she is quite fertile. Your uncle and I think, rather than allowing the Prince of Yonghuai to take another concubine, which would divide your favor, it would be better to have a sister from your own family bear children for you, to solidify your position in the Pei Family..."
Feng Yun began to laugh.
She had finally understood everything clearly.
So, this was the coupleâs idea.
The Fifteenth Miss Lady Tao was referring to was the daughter of Feng Jingyao and his concubine; she ranked fifteenth in the Feng Family and was a full seven years younger than Feng Yun.
Back when she was in Tai City, Fifteenth Miss was just a little girl. In the blink of an eye, she was sixteen and ready to marry.
Lady Tao continued, "Itâs said sheâs reluctant to marry into Xijing. Although sheâs born of a concubine, sheâs still a daughter of the Feng Family, how could she willingly become a concubine? I, as her mother, have persuaded her time and again, and now sheâs finally agreed to come with us..."
Feng Yun said, "So it seems I should thank Great Uncle and Aunt for being so considerate and helping me take in a concubine for my husband."
Lady Tao, detecting the sarcasm in her voice, gave an awkward smile.
"Shiâer Niang, your Great Aunt knows you are unhappy about this. But itâs the way of the world; which great man has only one wife in his home? Such things are only a matter of time. You should be more open-minded. After all, she is your own sister. Once Fifteenth Miss joins the household, she will heed your words. If she gives birth to a son in the future, he must call you mother. Isnât that better than another concubine competing with you in jealousy and spite?"
Feng Yun continued to smile.
Lady Tao tried to read her expression but couldnât fathom the young ladyâs thoughts.
"As the saying goes, âDonât let the rich water flow into someone elseâs field.â Even if your Great Aunt doesnât spell it out for you, you should understand... If you bear no children of your own, once your husbandâs affection wanes, your fate will be grim."
She spoke earnestly, believing there was nothing amiss in her words.
Many noble families maintain marriage alliances and reinforce their status by doing thisâlegitimate daughters become co-wives for their sisters, and illegitimate daughters become concubines. Sisters sharing a husband, acting in concert, to firmly control the manâs inner court and his offspring...
Lady Tao couldnât think of any reason why Feng Yun would object.
"Madam Feng is very kind. Unfortunately..."
After a pause, Feng Yun slowly burst into laughter, her tone laced with scorn.
"Iâm prone to jealousy and petty, and I donât permit my husband to take concubines."
Lady Tao looked as though she heard a huge joke, her eyes widening.
Feng Jingyao also furrowed his brows and turned toward her, reprimanding discontentedly, "Even in your youth and ignorance, you should know your limits. Donât wait until one day you cut your own throat."
Feng Yunâs lips curled up, and her gaze slowly swept over him.
"Iâm alone in the world. Even if I do cut my own throat, so what?"
She added another quip, as if laughing.
"To be honest, since arriving in this world, I never planned to leave alive. Minister Feng, you should worry more about yourself, and not fixate on meddling in othersâ patches of land."
Her voice had barely faded when she stood up.
"Show our guests out!"
Feng Jingyao and Lady Tao left with grim faces.
Before leaving, Lady Tao couldnât contain her resentment and left an angry warning.
"Shiâer Niang, youâll regret this! Once the Prince of Yonghuai tires of you, letâs see where youâll turn for support after offending your own family."
Feng Yun sneered coldly.
She only had one life; what need did she have for support? So long as she could make those she loathed take her place in death, what did she care if she died?
Among those she hated were Feng Jingyao and his wife.
Not because they ignored how the Chen Family harshly treated her back then, but because... of her motherâs death.
It was only after confronting Pei Jue that she turned to re-examine the past events.
The cause and origin of her motherâs death lay in that battle where the Xie Familyâs entire army perished...
It was not a mere coincidence she knew of it, but rather she heard it from her mother, and why her mother knew, Feng Yun couldnât figure out as she was too young at the time and her memories were hazy, even after repeatedly pondering over it.
Now that she thought about it, Pei Jueâs explanation was the most plausible.
Her mother, having learned of Feng Jingyaoâs intentions to trap General Xie Xian, tried to warn General Xie Xian out of kindness. At that time, the then three-year-old Feng Yun, unaware of the gravity of the situation, inadvertently overheard and spoke out...
Thus, her mother did not die from illness.
Feng Yun remembered her mother being in good health, so how could she suddenly become ill and pass away?
Is there a possibility that her mother, knowing the secret of Feng Jingyaoâs scheme against Xie Xian, was killed to silence her?
But Xie Xian was no ordinary person, and at that time the Feng Family simply could not contend with the Xie Family, nor did they have the ability to harm Xie Xian who commanded a powerful military force, right?
The answer was negative.
This involved another personâ
Emperor Xiao Jue of Yanping, who was usurped by Xiao Cheng.
The Feng Familyâs power and status in Qi Country soared after Xiao Jue ascended the throne...
And General Xie Xian at the time supported Crown Prince Xiao Zhuo of Huai Ren.
After General Xie Xian was purged by the Qi Emperor, Crown Prince Xiao Zhuo was implicated due to him and was impeached by Feng Jingyao on eight major charges, accusing him of colluding with the criminal General Xie Xian, forming cliques for personal gain, and usurping the throne. He was subsequently deposed by the Qi Emperor and imprisoned in Yuzhao Hall.
A few months later, the Qi Emperor passed away.
With Emperor Xiao Jue of Yanping on the throne, the Feng Family rose in prominence, lifting their fortunes high...
But perhaps Emperor Xiao Jue himself never imagined that at best he was merely a stepping stone for others.
In success and in failure, it was all because of Xiao He...
In just a few short years, the Feng Family once again colluded with the Prince of Jingling, Xiao Cheng, making a comeback, overthrowing his rule and inflicting upon him the pain once bestowed upon Xiao Zhuo.
Feng Yun sneered coldly, "What goes around comes around; this year itâs our turn."
She was determined to get to the bottom of this matter.
The revenge for her motherâs death was also a must.
If Feng Jingyao was far away in Tai City, there was little she could do about him for a while.
But since he had come to her doorstep...
Then she would show no mercy.