CHAPTER 558: CHAPTER 540: FALLING OUT

Su Yuejiao hurried over and happened to hear Lady Feng say that Fengyu was cold-hearted. Filled with anger and urgency, she couldn’t bear to hear anyone say a single negative word about Fengyu.

"Sister-in-law, if you want to save Prince Duan and Wanwan, then go plead with Xie Xun yourself. Don’t come to trouble my Ayu, and certainly don’t use your status as an elder to pressure her. Ayu has no obligation to petition on your behalf. You, an elder, act less sensibly than a junior. Everyone is watching Xie Xun’s every move now—you want him to release Prince Duan, but doing so would mean bending the law and weakening his position. In times of political upheaval and regime change, surviving is already a struggle. Instead of supporting his stability, which would benefit the family in the future, you now insist that Ayu add to his troubles. Why? If Ayu oversteps and persuades Xie Xun to release Prince Duan, only to be abandoned and have her engagement annulled, you’ll be thrilled, won’t you?" Su Yuejiao, thoroughly enraged, spoke in an extremely harsh tone.

"Su Yuejiao, don’t make baseless accusations! When have I ever thought such things? You and your husband have been fighting wars for over a decade. I’ve never mistreated Shu’er or Ayu. I’m only heartbroken for my daughter! If you don’t want to help, then fine, but why speculate about me with such malice?" Lady Feng defended herself passionately.

"We’ve been sister-in-laws for over twenty years. I know your ways. Your life is comfortable, so of course you’d never mistreat them. As an elder, with young girls in the house and full control of the household, you’ve always been generous and magnanimous. But when it comes to your own interests, you’re utterly narrow-eyed. When Shu’er and Xie Zhang were engaged, you were unhappy because you felt Wanwan, as the eldest daughter, should’ve been chosen—if a Feng Family girl were to be engaged, it should be Wanwan, not Shu’er. Yet you never considered that what Marquis Zhenbei’s mansion wanted was the daughter of the Su Family’s eldest daughter, not just any Feng Family girl. You were obsessed with outdoing me, and your daughter wanted to marry someone better than mine, which is why you hesitated to arrange Wanwan’s engagement. Wanwan marrying Yuwen Family’s prince and becoming a Princess made you smug, boasting several times before me. I never cared, only you kept fixating on petty grievances. All I want is for my daughters to marry for love and live happily ever after, whether to the heir of a marquis or a common peddler—it makes no difference to me. These last three years, you’ve blamed Ayu for escaping from the Capital with Xie Xun, claiming she brought ruin to the Feng Family. But did you ever consider that if Ayu had stayed in the Capital, she would’ve long been killed by Yuwen Jing? You even blamed my Shu’er for refusing to become Yuwen Jing’s favored concubine all these years, despite Xie Zhang being dead. In your eyes, my Shu’er should’ve sacrificed herself for the Feng Family’s future—sharing a bed as husband and wife with the man who murdered her first husband, hand in hand for a lifetime. You’ve blamed both my children incessantly. But what exactly have you lost? Your husband still holds office in the court; your son serves as an official in Liling. Your marriage is harmonious; you’re blessed with children. Your eldest daughter has even had children of her own, continuing the family line. What have you lost? What do you have to be dissatisfied about? My Shu’er leapt off the city wall, her body destroyed, leaving no remains. Are you secretly pleased she finally died, relieved she won’t bring a cataclysm to the Feng Family? What gives you the right to dictate to Ayu? Have some shame! Whether Wanwan and her children live or die, none of it concerns my Ayu. Get out! Stop bothering her!"

This was the first time Su Yuejiao openly clashed with Lady Feng.

Having an easy-going personality, Su Yuejiao had been wandering from a young age, unwilling to quibble over gains and losses with someone like Lady Feng, a woman primarily concerned with household affairs. When she married Feng Changqing, it was without parental approval, causing her reputation to always remain inferior. Being a merchant’s daughter also left her standing lower among the sisters-in-law in the Capital. Thus, Su Yuejiao had repeatedly compromised, ignoring Lady Feng’s petty intrigues.

The Su Family managed immense wealth—if money could solve a problem, Su Yuejiao simply didn’t care. Even when her family supported the Feng Mansion financially, she didn’t mind. But what she couldn’t tolerate was Lady Feng’s sarcasm and cold remarks toward Feng Shu and Fengyu over the past three years. Since Lady Feng had also suggested dividing the family, Su Yuejiao wholeheartedly agreed, and even the Old Madam knew the divisions were irreparable, ultimately supporting their separation.

Lady Feng never anticipated such an outburst from Su Yuejiao, who uttered remarks both sharp and humiliating in their gravity. Trembling with anger, she was rendered speechless. Feng Ling intervened, saying, "Second Aunt, we were truly grieved over Second Sister’s passing. Neither Mother nor I harbor any feelings of schadenfreude. We would never wish for Second Sister’s untimely demise. My mother..."

"Enough! Leave now, and stop disturbing Ayu!" Su Yuejiao was completely uninterested in hearing more and directly issued an order for them to leave.

Lady Feng stormed off in a fury, her sleeves brushing the air. Feng Ling, caught in the middle, hesitated briefly, exchanged hurried goodbyes with Su Yuejiao and Fengyu, and then chased after her mother. Su Yuejiao instructed Dongxue and Xia Zhu, "From now on, if anyone from the main branch comes, report directly to me. Don’t bother the young lady."

"Understood!"

Fengyu quietly observed her mother’s venting without emotion, her heart calm and composed. She saw things clearly and thus did not grow upset. Since she never held much hope, she couldn’t feel bitter.

"Mother, rest for a moment, don’t let yourself fall ill with anger." Fengyu supported her to sit down and handed her a cup of chilled tea.

Su Yuejiao, still fuming, her face flushed, downed the tea but couldn’t quell her anger. "With your aunt’s personality, she’ll keep stirring up trouble. Don’t involve yourself. You’re a junior, and it wouldn’t be proper to clash with her. Leave it to me!"

"I understand," Fengyu replied softly.

The Feng Family currently held a prestigious position as a quasi-imperial clan. With Feng Changqing reinstated into office, anyone with foresight could see the Feng Family’s unprecedented elevation in status. Establishing connections with them would guarantee advancement, even for Feng Ling, who had seen her prospects for marriage improve significantly in recent years.

The Cai Family’s direct descendants had approached Lady Feng and Feng Changlin about marrying Feng Ling as a primary wife.

Despite the enmity between Lady Feng and Su Yuejiao, only a few close confidantes, like Duchess Marquis An Yuan and others, were privy to the disputes—outsiders remained unaware. Some individuals even sought to leverage connections, hoping to have their own eligible daughters build a rapport with Fengyu to gain favor during the selection process.

As Fengyu remained a young lady awaiting marriage, these matters did not reach her. Su Yuejiao handled them on her behalf, knowing Fengyu’s recent mood had been low and thus choosing not to inform her.

Lady Feng’s relentless behavior ultimately forced Su Yuejiao to confront her head-on.

"Ayu, although both you and Xie Xun share a bond forged through shared hardship and unwavering loyalty, he loves you deeply. However, some matters must never be crossed. The issue with Prince Duan—don’t even mention it, understand? Bringing it up would place him in a very difficult position... It could affect your relationship. Don’t let anything come between your bond." If her daughter had married the young heir of Marquis Zhenbei’s mansion, Feng Changqing and Su Yuejiao could have offered protection.

But since her marriage was to a ruler of a nation, should discord arise between Xie Xun and Fengyu, they, as her parents, would have no recourse.

"Mother, I understand." Fengyu’s heart softened with an ache. A parent’s love for their child runs deep, as does their meticulous consideration. She could feel Su Yuejiao’s care and concern for her.

Indeed, Su Yuejiao had always sought to compensate her.

It was Fengyu herself who had always distanced and estranged herself from her parents due to her childhood experiences. Now, with her elder sister gone, and after spending years managing affairs in the West State while frequently separated from Xie Xun, she had seen the anguish in his reluctance to part from her despite being forced to, and she understood her parents’ choices.

Her blood relatives were few, her grandmother was advanced in years, and Fengyu felt heavy-hearted, dreading future separations.

The next day in the palace, the Imperial Kitchen prepared bird’s nest porridge. Xie Xun, seemingly well-versed in her state of mind, knew she had no appetite and was feeling down. He deliberately accompanied her during the meal and later took her for a stroll in the imperial garden, chiefly to display the renovations of the garden under his orders amidst his busy schedule.

Yang Mingzhong, efficient and reliable, despite being a newly promoted eunuch holding a Death Exemption Token, proved quite adept in carrying out tasks. While Changshou Palace was undergoing renovations, he had flattened the nearby imperial garden and re-planted it entirely with pomegranate flowers.

When Xie Xun brought Fengyu to visit, the garden was filled with pomegranate trees. As the flowering season had recently ended, small green fruits now hung on the branches. Fengyu could well imagine the orchard brimming with ripe fruit come autumn.

"When autumn arrives, I’ll bring Ayu here to pluck the first ripe pomegranate from the garden."

"Alright!"

Xie Xun had a knack for comforting Fengyu. Although Fengyu wasn’t easily consoled, he always managed to strike a chord with her. "There’s been much chaos in your residence lately. Perhaps... it’s better for you to stay in the palace for now."