Ye Feishuang rushed into the courtyard and immediately spotted Madam Jin peering anxiously by the doorway.
Her eyes grew hot as she softly called out, "Mother!"
Madam Jin's tears instantly streamed down her face.
A few coughs sounded from inside the room, followed by Zheng Lian's hoarse voice asking, "Has my daughter returned?"
Ye Feishuang gently pulled away from Madam Jin's embrace and hurried into the room, kneeling beside Zheng Lian's bed as tears fell. "Father!"
Her father had little capability and had always been suppressed by the other branches of the family and Mrs. Qin. His health had never been good, yet he had never failed her. In her previous life, despite his illness, he had fought for justice on her behalf, only to be subjected to family discipline. He passed away not long after.
In this life, she was determined to protect her father and mother.
The courtyard where Zheng Lian and Madam Jin lived was remote and small, with no valuable furnishings inside—a pitifully shabby sight.
In contrast, Mrs. Qin's courtyard was as splendid as a celestial palace.
Thinking of the suffering her parents had endured over the years, Ye Feishuang wished she could tear Mrs. Qin to pieces.
Her mother had originally been her father's lawfully wedded wife.
Although her father was a concubine-born son in the household and not highly regarded, the clan had still allotted him some shops and land. Her parents' life, while not extravagant, had been comfortable.
However, Madam Jin had been unable to conceive for many years. When she finally gave birth, it was to a daughter. Using the excuse of continuing the family line, Old Madame Zheng forced her own niece, Mrs. Qin, into the household.
After Mrs. Qin gave birth to twins, Old Madame Zheng demoted Madam Jin to concubine status and installed Mrs. Qin as the fourth branch's official wife.
In truth, Mrs. Qin was nothing but trash.
Even before marrying into the family, she had engaged in promiscuous affairs and become pregnant. It was only then that her parents sent her far away to Xingyang.
Unable to bear seeing her niece suffer, Old Madame Zheng schemed to marry her off to Zheng Lian. Zheng Lian, timid and honest, dared not resist.
Thus, Mrs. Qin took control of Zheng Lian's assets and lived a lavish, comfortable life. Not only did she feel no guilt for usurping another's place, but she also openly bullied and humiliated Zheng Lian and Madam Jin.
In her previous life, Ye Feishuang only learned of this later from Chen Yan.
Now that she knew, she was determined to expose this truth to the world.
Everything Mrs. Qin and Old Madame Zheng owed her parents, she would take back.
Ye Feishuang spent the evening chatting with her parents until nightfall.
A maid brought over their dinner.
One plate of greens, one plate of bean sprouts, three bowls of plain rice porridge, and three tough, unleavened buns.
Even the servants in the Zheng household ate better than this.
Every courtyard in the Zheng residence had its own small kitchen. If the masters disliked the meals prepared in the main kitchen, they could cook separately.
But Zheng Lian and Madam Jin had no money for that.
All their monthly allowances and income had been spent searching for Ye Feishuang.
She had been missing for ten years, and her parents had searched for her for ten years, spending money like flowing water.
With no funds to run a small kitchen or bribe the main kitchen staff, their meals were poor.
Yet, according to the household's regulations, they shouldn't have been this bad.
This was the result of deductions by those below.
It had been the same in her previous life, but Ye Feishuang had listened to her parents and endured it.
In this life, Ye Feishuang had no intention of enduring. She went straight to the servants' quarters.
Inside, an old woman, a maid, and a young servant were also having dinner.
Four dishes, three of which were meat, along with a pot of wine.
The three were eating with greasy mouths and, upon seeing Ye Feishuang, made no move to stand up or show respect.
Ye Feishuang stated bluntly, "According to the regulations, the masters of the household should have six dishes for dinner, and the concubines should have three. Why are my father and his concubine not receiving enough food?"
The maid who had just delivered the food took a bite of her steamed bun and said, "That's all there is, no more. Such a large household requires silver to manage everywhere. Since Fourth Master and the concubine don't contribute a single copper coin, it's already good enough that they aren't starving to death!"
"What bold servants," Ye Feishuang sneered. "Daring to starve your masters to death?"
"Masters? The only master in our fourth branch is Fourth Mistress! Fourth Master and your concubine, what kind of masters are they?" The maid seemed to have heard something laughable. "And you, don't put on airs as a young lady in front of us either, understand?"
The matron added, "Fifth Young Lady, since you've returned, you should understand the rules of the Zheng household. Behave yourself, serve your legal mother and Sixth Young Lady and Ninth Young Master properly, and your days might still be bearable."
The servant boy leered, "Has Fifth Young Lady not eaten enough? Since you've come to us, why not have a few bites? And have a drink too?"
As he spoke, he brought the wine cup in his hand toward Ye Feishuang's mouth.
The matron and the maid only laughed, not a single one of them stopping his actions.
These three servants truly lived up to being Mrs. Qin's people, behaving just like Mrs. Qin herself.
Ye Feishuang directly overturned the kang table.
Soups and dishes spilled all over the three of them.
Ye Feishuang sneered, "What fine servants, setting rules for me? Then I'll go ask Third Aunt right now what the rules of the Zheng household truly are!"