Feng Yue wanted to say that even without Yi Zhangzhu there, someone as oblivious as Yin Gezhi wouldn’t have noticed if she hadn’t followed anyway.
However, looking at the three animated young ladies gesturing dramatically before her, she found it rather amusing and didn’t want to spoil their fun in trying to intimidate someone. So, she played along by widening her eyes, covering her mouth with both hands and trembling as she said, “May this servant be excused from going?”
“Not!” Song Ruoci declared with a fierce expression. “Once you’re all settled in, you must go immediately!”
Blinking her eyes, Feng Yue drooped her eyebrows, appearing scared with tears welling up in her eyes.
Seeing her like this, the three young ladies were quite satisfied, exchanging knowing smiles before turning around in unison and continuing forward with elegant, small steps.
Ahead of them, Yin Gezhi’s lips curved slightly.
“Brother Yin?” Yi Zhangzhu asked happily, “Do you also agree with Zhuer’s plan?”
Hmm? Coming back to his senses, Yin Gezhi looked at her somewhat bewildered, “What plan?”
Her face fell as Yi Zhangzhu said, “Weren’t you listening? Zhuer thinks that since it’s so hot in summer, the beggars and poor people outside don’t have thin clothes to wear. So I want to raise money to make a hundred or so thin garments to distribute to them.”
“Having you here is truly a blessing for Bu Yin City’s poor,” Yin Gezhi said. “Grain in spring, clothes in summer, tea in autumn, and coal in winter – the poor’s life isn’t much different from ordinary citizens.”
With a gentle smile, Yi Zhangzhu lowered her head, “Zhuer doesn’t seek any recognition, I just find joy in doing these things.”
“But haven’t you noticed that there are more and more poor people in Bu Yin City?” Yin Gezhi asked.
“I have,” Yi Zhangzhu frowned. “That’s what’s giving me a headache. Father doesn’t understand me and wants me to stop doing these things, but just because there are more refugees, does that mean I can’t do good deeds anymore?”
Giving her a deep look, Yin Gezhi nodded, “You can, but kindness with measure is the right path.”
What did that mean? Yi Zhangzhu was stunned, and then her face paled, “Is Brother Yin blaming Zhuer?”
“No.”
If this wasn’t the blame, then what was it? Saying her kindness was without measure and not the right path? She hadn’t done anything wrong, just doing what made her happy – why should she be lectured?
Somewhat annoyed, Yi Zhangzhu said, “If Brother Yin doesn’t want to help, Zhuer won’t force you, but you needn’t speak like this. How cold-hearted!”
Slightly frowning, Yin Gezhi rubbed his brow, finding himself at a loss for how to explain to her. He simply stopped walking and turned around, “Feng Yue.”
The trembling Feng Yue immediately jumped to his side with a conditioned response: “This servant is here!”
“If it were you, how would you help the poor?”
Help the poor? Feng Yue raised an eyebrow and pointed at herself, “Your Highness, I am poor – why would I need to help other poor people?”
What nonsense! With such a large Meng Hui Tower, how could she be considered poor?
Taking a deep breath, Yin Gezhi said, “Then suppose you had money and wanted to help the poor live better lives, how would you assist them?”
“That’s simple,” Feng Yue said. “Meng Hui Tower needs people. If they want to eat, they can come to work as maids or servants or even register as courtesans. If not that, they can go to the docks to carry cargo – I’m quite familiar with the porters there, they can provide plenty of work.”
Staring at her with wide eyes, Yi Zhangzhu said in complete incomprehension, “Your idea of helping others is to make them work for you? And even have perfectly decent girls become courtesans?!”
“What else?” Feng Yue smiled. “We’re all human beings with hands and feet. If I can support myself by being a courtesan, why should they eat for free? If we directly give aid to the poor, letting them eat and dress well, who would still be willing to work hard to support their families? Wouldn’t everyone just wait for you to support them?”
“You’re twisting logic!” Yi Zhangzhu said angrily. “This is unheard of! People not having money for food is one thing, but at least they’re still clean. And here you are, under the banner of charity, pushing girls into degradation?”
“Miss Yi,” Feng Yue smiled. “This servant isn’t forcing them to do anything, just offering a chance to survive. Whether they take it or not isn’t my concern. Moreover, those who can still worry about their reputation and don’t want to work in brothels, or those who think it’s too tiring and don’t want to be porters at the docks, are people who can still survive. They feel they have choices. Such people probably don’t need assistance.”
“You…” Yi Zhangzhu was truly angry now. “Someone like you who has never done a charitable deed, standing here trying to lecture others? Just from your words, I can tell you don’t have an ounce of sympathy or compassion in you. What right do you have to argue with me?!”
“Kindness with measure, Miss Yi,” Feng Yue shook her head. “Otherwise, it’s false kindness.”
Yin Gezhi looked at her, his eyes gleaming with rare appreciation, as if watching a little lion he had raised finally growing to match his nature.
Yi Zhangzhu’s face paled. She looked between them and, after a long moment of anger, finally spat out: “You’re in league with each other!”
Looking at her innocently, Feng Yue bowed, “Miss Yi flatters me. Compared to His Highness, this servant falls far short.”
With a cold laugh, Yi Zhangzhu said, “I think you’d better go learn proper etiquette soon. How dare you talk back to your masters in my General’s mansion!”
“Don’t be anxious, Zhangzhu. She’s going to see Matron Xun now,” said the three young ladies who had been watching in astonishment, finally coming to their senses. “Let others take her luggage to her room, we’ll take her to see the matron!”
“Go on, go on, stop standing here being annoying.”
After being pushed a few times, Feng Yue handed over her bundle and gave Yin Gezhi a glance before obediently following them.
Yin Gezhi didn’t stop them, his gaze indifferent.
Seeing his expression, Yi Zhangzhu finally caught her breath and stamped her foot in frustration, “Brother Yin, do you also think her ideas are right?”
Learning from previous experience, Yin Gezhi kept quiet and turned to leave.
“Brother Yin!”
What is kindness and what is evil? Yin Gezhi felt he couldn’t explain it clearly to Yi Zhangzhu, and he had never liked playing the role of a benevolent person anyway. The world’s cycles had their ordained patterns, and he had no interest in interfering with heaven’s arrangements. Let people decide for themselves how they would live.
He would appreciate and respect truly kind people, but he would never support foolish kindness.
If she wanted to raise money, she should go ask the Crown Prince instead.
Feng Yue was led toward the back courtyard. Along the way, the three young ladies remained silent, not saying anything to mock her, completely different from how they had been pushing her along earlier.
A bit curious, she asked, “Does Miss Yi often ask you to raise money for charity?”
At these words, all three immediately wore bitter expressions. Song Ruoci glared at her, saying, “Whether we raise money or not is none of your business! Zhangzhu is doing good deeds, every household praises her!”
“So, she gets the praise, while you provide the money?” Feng Yue clicked her tongue. “Not a bad deal.”
Now that this awkward truth was exposed, Song Ruoci’s face turned ashen and she fell silent. However, Feng Huaimeng beside her whispered, “She’s doing good deeds, no one can stop her.”
Or rather, no one dared to refuse. After all, given General Yi’s position, who would dare offend his precious daughter?
The young ladies were quite troubled. Not only did they give all their monthly allowance to Yi Zhangzhu, but they were also pressured into asking their families for charitable donations. Once or twice would have been fine, but it happened every year, year after year, and anyone would find it hard to bear. But once it started, no one dared to say they wouldn’t give anymore.
When Feng Yue was speaking earlier, they had really hoped she could convince Yi Zhangzhu. However… ultimately, the devil proved craftier than the sage.
Ah, doing charity was good, but being bound to do it constantly with her was truly exhausting.
Looking at them sympathetically, Feng Yue said, “If you want to do charity, you can do it yourself. Why follow behind her every time, letting her lead you around?”
Do it themselves? The three young ladies shook their heads in unison. Only Yi Zhangzhu could handle being in the public eye – after all, she didn’t need to worry about marriage, but they couldn’t do the same.
“We’re here.” Looking at the courtyard ahead, Song Ruoci and the others stopped, not daring to continue forward. They just pointed, “That door, go knock on it and say you’re here to learn etiquette!”
Seeing their expressions as if they were at the gates of hell, Feng Yue became truly curious about this Matron Xun. Without hesitation, she went forward and knocked three times on the door: “Matron?”