Beside them, Xunmei, who had been kicked in the chest, clutched her chest and painfully forced herself to get up.
“Y-Young Miss, are you alright?”
Feng Ruyan gritted her teeth, her eyes filled with venomous hatred.
“What did you call me?”
Xunmei spoke cautiously.
“Y-Young Miss? I… ah—pfft…”
Before she could finish speaking, Feng Ruyan slapped her to the ground, accompanied by a painful scream.
“Even a lowly servant like you dares to climb over my head now. From now on, you will call me Eldest Miss. Do you understand?”
Feng Ruyan’s voice carried both threat and anger.
Xunmei felt wronged but could not say anything…
Previously she had always addressed her simply as “Miss.” Only outside or in front of other servants would she use the respectful title.
But now, because of the matter with the Little Miss, she vented her anger on her instead. Xunmei did not dare to offend her superior, yet in her heart she silently placed the blame on Feng Xi.
Covering her swollen cheek, she slowly knelt on the ground.
“Yes, Eldest Miss. This servant understands.”
Feng Ruyan’s eyes turned cold. She simply could not swallow this anger. She glanced toward the tightly closed door.
Her eyes shifted, and she suddenly turned around, covering the tears that had yet to fall, making soft sobbing sounds as she ran out of the courtyard.
“Wuu… wuu…”
Xunmei’s face darkened.
Knowing her mistress was about to start another scheme, she ignored the pain in her body, got up, and chased after her.
“Ah, Eldest Miss, wait for this servant!”
Feng Xi had Qinyan sit on a stool and carefully examined her body.
“Fortunately, they’re only superficial wounds. Your bones and tendons aren’t injured.”
Qinyan looked at Feng Xi, tears glimmering in her eyes.
“Miss, you’ve changed. You’ve become stronger.”
Feng Xi smiled and paid no attention to the commotion outside.
“These past years in Beiling, I learned many things. Qinyan, from now on I won’t let you suffer grievances again. I won’t abandon you anymore.”
Qinyan nodded. While moved, she looked uneasily toward the window.
“Yes, Miss. This servant believes you. But she ran out crying. I’m worried that Madam…”
Feng Xi held her hand, a trace of determination flashing in her eyes as she comforted her softly.
“It’s fine. With me here, you don’t need to worry about anything. I will make those who once bullied us pay the price!”
Upon hearing this, tears streamed from Qinyan’s eyes.
“Wuu… Miss, you are clearly the legitimate daughter of the Feng family. Why does she, an adopted daughter, get to be the eldest, and even make the entire Feng family call you the Little Miss…”
She sobbed and continued.
“These years you must have suffered outside. I really missed you…” Qinyan cried pitifully.
Feng Xi was stunned. She thought Qinyan cried from being bullied, but she hadn’t expected it was because she felt injustice on Feng Xi’s behalf.
Her eyes reddened, though no tears fell. She understood the suffering in Qinyan’s heart.
If she had known Qinyan was still alive all these years, she would have long ago killed her way back and taken her away.
How could she have let her suffer for so many years?
Feng Xi silently pulled her into an embrace and gently patted her back.
“Honestly… you’re already over a hundred years old, yet your temperament is still the same as before. Still such a crybaby.”
What Feng Xi didn’t know was that although Qinyan had been saved by Feng Jingce back then, she had only half a life left. Her spiritual roots were destroyed, making her no different from an ordinary person. The only reason she survived until now was because she had previously cultivated body techniques.
On top of that, when Feng Jingce saved her, he gave her life-extending pills. Even so, her vitality was now depleted. She was growing weaker and aging day by day, with little time left. Only a single obsession kept her going.
Qinyan buried her head in Feng Xi’s arms. In the place Feng Xi could not see, the expression on her face gradually relaxed with relief.
“Young Lord, please calm your anger. Later, I will punish that rebellious daughter in front of you,” Song He comforted.
Cang Mochen looked arrogant and spoke with righteous indignation.
“This Young Lord will make the decision himself. She dared drug me and even did something so absurd. The Feng family’s young lady is truly impressive. Punishment? Hmph—she will certainly be punished.”
“Mother, Xi’er has returned to the side courtyard. She did not leave the Feng family,” Feng Jingce reported as he arrived with several disciples.
“Big Brother, were you angry? You walked so fast.” Feng Xu hurried after him, panting.
Song He looked coldly at Feng Jingce.
“That rebellious girl has truly gone too far. Jingce, why didn’t you capture her and bring her back?” Her tone carried dissatisfaction.
Feng Xu quickly explained.
“Mother, don’t blame Big Brother. Feng Xi said she wouldn’t come to apologize to the Young Lord. Besides, she had some unknown high-grade artifact on her body and even injured several disciples with it. Big Brother was soft-hearted and let her return.”
Feng Jingce said nothing and merely stood silently to the side.
Cang Mochen sneered.
“What a Feng family. What a Feng Xi. This Young Lord wants to see how long she can keep hiding.”
Song He could no longer understand the daughter she hadn’t seen for a hundred years, nor did she know what Cang Mochen truly intended.
Seeing this, she quickly said,
“Young Lord, please calm your anger. That rebellious girl has been spoiled since childhood and doesn’t know the immensity of heaven and earth. Please, for the sake of the Feng family, spare her this once.”
Cang Mochen glanced at Song He.
“Madam Feng, your daughter committed such a grave mistake, yet you still want to shield her?”
Song He’s heart tightened.
“Young Lord, that’s not what I mean. I only…”
“Enough!” Cang Mochen interrupted her.
“This Young Lord doesn’t want to hear your explanations. Feng Xi must pay the price for what she has done.”
Otherwise, would he not have been kicked into the icy pool for nothing?
“Qiao Ju, let’s go. Since the Feng family cannot give an explanation, this Young Lord will go and demand one myself.”
Cang Mochen snorted coldly and stepped away.
The servant Qiao Ju silently followed behind him.
Song He watched Cang Mochen’s back, worry filling her face.
“Mother, what should we do now?” Feng Jingce asked.
Song He pondered for a moment.
“Jingce, follow him. No matter what, you must make her apologize to the Young Lord.”
Feng Jingce nodded. “Yes, Mother.”
Feng Xu added, “Big Brother, I’ll go too.”
Song He watched them leave and expressionlessly returned to the main courtyard. Today’s matter had to be reported to the family head.
Cang Hanyu concealed himself in the darkness, expressionless as he watched the large group of people below.
【Divine Lord, the mortal body you currently inhabit is showing abnormalities. The Book of Fate indicates that this body will not live beyond a hundred years. However, because you defied heaven to undergo the love tribulation, you have already triggered the Heavenly Dao’s restriction. This mortal body does not have much time left.】
The voice transmission jade slip in his hand echoed.
“How much time do I have left?” Cang Hanyu asked.
【Replying to the Divine Lord: if nothing unexpected happens, you have three years remaining. Within these three years, you must make the Daughter of Destiny fall in love with you. Only then can you successfully pass the love tribulation.】
The voice on the other side of the jade slip was gentle and refined.