From Scholar Wei’s residence to Commander Qiu’s residence—a mere distance of several dozen steps.
Feng Zhiwei measured those dozen or so steps with her own feet, neither hurried nor slow, walking as if clouds were light and wind gentle, as though this distance of several yards had truly been crossed so easily.
As if there had been no expulsion from the residence, no drifting about on a snowy night, no taking shelter in a brothel, no false accusation in the street, no pursuit and assassination at Qingming, no undercurrents of wind and clouds, no climbing upward with the momentum of the imperial dynasty’s treason case to gain a firm foothold.
Following behind her were Yan Huaishi and Chunyu Meng. Yan Huaishi looked even more spirited and triumphant than she did. The matter of introducing English wool had been almost completely settled with the Ministry of Finance. The day before yesterday, he had sent a letter home to Nanhai, and immediately several high-ranking elders from the Yan family had rushed to the capital. They must have praised him highly. Young Master Yan’s brows and eyes practically wanted to write the four characters “proud of life” all over them.
Chunyu Meng had recently been appointed to the position of Military Advisor in the Cavalry Division of the Strategy Guard of the Changying Guard. Among the Changying Guard’s three divisions—Merit, Feather, and Strategy—the Strategy Guard was most trusted and closest to the inner palace, able to lodge in the inner court. Originally he couldn’t have entered the Strategy Guard, but after the upheaval, the Changying Guard had been purged, leaving many vacant positions. With his father now appointed Vice Commander Zhengbei, it was naturally no trouble for Master Chunyu to secure a cushy post.
After this upheaval, Chunyu Meng—who had been held back by Feng Zhiwei from reporting to the Changying Guard and thus escaped a great deal of trouble—admired Feng Zhiwei with complete devotion, willing to serve before the saddle and behind the horse, preferring to act as a servant.
Gu Nanyi stood three feet to her side—not close, but at a distance where one arm’s reach could touch her.
The group, including their attendants, had just taken their positions when hurried footsteps sounded. The gates of the Qiu mansion burst open, and two teams of household servants quickly rushed out, taking position at the entrance. The Qiu mansion’s head steward stood at the entrance with a face full of smiles, bowing deeply to Feng Zhiwei. “Minister Wei, my family’s mistress requests your presence.”
Feng Zhiwei glanced at him sideways. That day when she had been expelled from the residence, though nominally the mistress had said it was to “avoid trouble outside,” everyone had intentionally or unintentionally “forgotten” to arrange lodging or travel funds and provisions for her, leaving her to exit empty-handed. At that time, this head steward had sat in the gatehouse with his feet up, picking his teeth, intentionally or unintentionally spitting an overnight meat fiber from between his teeth onto her feet.
“Steward Zhang, is it?” Feng Zhiwei smiled and patted his shoulder. “I’ve heard that the head steward of Commander Qiu’s residence is the foremost capable person in the capital, managing the Qiu mansion in perfect order by the strength of one man alone. Seeing you today, you truly are extraordinary.”
Zhang Cheng was overwhelmed by this unexpected favor. He hadn’t expected that this nationally renowned young scholar would actually know of him. His sallow face flushed bright red as he bowed repeatedly. “I dare not accept Minister Wei’s praise… dare not… dare not…”
Feng Zhiwei looked at him with a smile, her gaze gentle—you’d better listen while you can, because very soon, perhaps you won’t be able to hear it anymore.
She paid no more attention to the still-bowing Zhang Cheng and strode directly in, saying as she walked, “The mistress invited me, correct? Please serve these two young masters tea in the front hall. I’ll go to the rear courtyard myself. The Qiu mansion is Uncle Qiu’s home and can also be considered my home—everyone need not stand on ceremony.”
Zhang Cheng hesitated, instinctively feeling this was improper and trying to block her, but Gu Nanyi had already walked straight past him.
His gaze was lowered, looking at no one, yet Zhang Cheng suddenly felt as if a wall had been erected before him. He stumbled backward several steps, nearly toppling against the spirit screen before the gate.
Feng Zhiwei didn’t look back, already turning past the spirit screen with Gu Nanyi.
She didn’t go directly to the mistress’s quarters in the rear courtyard, but first removed her mask in an empty cloister corridor. Behind the mask was that face she had worn for fifteen years—the drooping-browed, sallow makeup. Ever since seeing Princess Shaoning’s true appearance, she knew her real face could never be easily revealed.
Then she headed straight for the small courtyard in the northwest corner of the Qiu mansion.
Just as she passed through a corridor, several people emerged from ahead carrying tea cups, pastries, and other items. From the looks of it, they were delivering snacks from the main kitchen to the principal quarters.
Seeing these people, Feng Zhiwei smiled.
What a coincidence—too coincidental to be merely chance. Weren’t these the very matrons who had caused such a commotion in the kitchen those days ago? And wasn’t the one in front none other than the dear Auntie An who had gifted her with a slap?
Auntie An and the others also saw her at that moment. They all froze briefly, then reacted, laughing. “Oh my, who do we have here? Isn’t this our Miss Feng?”
Auntie An was still cautious, her gaze first surveying Feng Zhiwei from head to toe. Feng Zhiwei wore a light blue robe of fine silk and delicate kudzu cloth. Though the style was simple, the tailoring was exquisite. This fine kudzu was a new type of summer fabric just developed by Jianghuai Circuit. Wearing it was breathable and comfortable with a faint watery luster. Because the production was too refined and the cost too high, it was currently made only as tribute items. What Feng Zhiwei wore had been bestowed by the Tiansheng Emperor just two days ago—few people in the capital could wear it yet.
Precisely because it was rare, even a matron from a wealthy household like Auntie An misjudged it, thinking it was ordinary fine kudzu cloth. In her view, though this outfit wasn’t shabby, it wasn’t prestigious either—not like someone returning home in glory. With this thought, her heart settled completely, and she spoke with veiled sarcasm. “It seems Miss Feng has made her fortune somewhere? Looking at this neither-male-nor-female outfit, wasn’t it a gift from some young master at some establishment?”
The group of servant women all covered their mouths and laughed, their eyes contemptuous. Feng Zhiwei tilted her head to look at Auntie An and smiled slightly. “How have you been lately, Auntie? I see your health is getting better and better.”
“Miss doesn’t need to cozy up to this old woman.” Auntie An’s eyelids lifted as she sneered coldly. “This old woman is doing just fine. The mistress promised to provide for my old age, and not long ago even rewarded me with silver to purchase an estate. This old woman will serve the Qiu mansion loyally until death.”
The servant women immediately launched into a chorus of flattery and fawning. Auntie An, like a moon surrounded by stars, looked at Feng Zhiwei with a smug expression spreading across her face. She continued, “Has Miss made something of herself now? Come back to see the mistress? The mistress is about to receive an honored guest. After the guest leaves, should this old woman beg the mistress to see you? But don’t be coming to sponge off us—though the Qiu mansion has great wealth and power, even we can’t afford to support worthless poor relations!”
Feng Zhiwei was still smiling, standing in the corridor with her hands clasped behind her back, staring at Auntie An with great interest. Auntie An was feeling triumphant when she suddenly met her gaze.
That gaze was still and deep. Not only was there no smile in it, there wasn’t even the expected emotions of anger, sadness, hurt, or dissatisfaction. Such a gaze was fixed and deep as an abyss, looking down from on high, like a celestial deity at the edge of the sea of clouds, gazing down on the laughable masses scrambling for profit below.
That feeling made one realize—she wasn’t angry, only because they were no longer worthy of her anger.
Auntie An shivered with a sudden chill, abruptly remembering the look in Feng Zhiwei’s eyes the moment she had slapped her, remembering how she had also smiled gently like this and brushed past her, saying those words in her ear that had given her nightmares for several days.
She shrank back a bit, but seeing no attendants behind Feng Zhiwei and recalling that after Feng Zhiwei left they’d heard nothing of any good fortune befalling her, her courage immediately swelled again. She sneered coldly. “How improper, blocking the way like this! Don’t delay us from delivering snacks to the mistress’s honored guest!”
“Yes, what’s the meaning of blocking the way?” Feng Zhiwei chuckled softly, tilting her head toward the motionless Gu Nanyi. “Hey, young master, someone just insulted me.”
Gu Nanyi looked over with some confusion—forgive Young Master Gu, he truly had never heard the refined, thorn-laden method of insulting people used in great households. In his understanding, only spraying spittle with murderous intent, pointing at noses and drawing weapons, counted as hostility that needed to be dealt with.
Feng Zhiwei stood on tiptoe, leaning close to his ear. “They slapped me…”
Before she could finish speaking, Young Master Gu suddenly moved. His body floated forward, the color of heavenly water-blue flowing through the purple-black corridor. Auntie An and the others only felt blue light and shadow flash before their eyes, heard a series of slapping sounds in their ears, followed by searing pain on their cheeks.
“Crash!”
Cups, plates, and bowls shattered all over the floor. Rolling along with them were seven bloody teeth—seven people, seven front teeth, not one missing.
Screams rang out in chorus. Feng Zhiwei blinked innocently and only then finished the remaining half of her sentence. “…several months ago.”
Gu Nanyi stood amid the shattered fragments and blood, finding it dirty, so he calmly stepped over the seven fallen women…
Thus Auntie An, who had just struggled halfway up and was shakily pointing her finger to curse at Feng Zhiwei, rolled her eyes back and was trampled down again…
Thus three servant women’s chests were stomped flat…
Feng Zhiwei walked over with a slight smile, her robes fluttering as she passed through the midst of the seven women sprawled in all directions. She wiped the tea water on her boots against Auntie An’s face, her movements meticulous and gentle, wiping with extreme care—wiping the front then the back, wiping the boot surface then the sole. As she wiped, she said kindly, “You see, blocking the way is wrong. Lying down to block the way is even more wrong. Even a good dog wouldn’t block the way like this. Why don’t you get up quickly? The mistress’s honored guest is still waiting for you to deliver snacks.”
“You—” Auntie An’s eyes were blue with hatred. She twisted her head to viciously bite the tip of Feng Zhiwei’s boot, but unfortunately Feng Zhiwei had stuffed cotton in her boot tips—how could she bite through? Feng Zhiwei looked at her with a smile and took the opportunity to kick with her toe. With a “thunk,” Auntie An’s teeth struck her tongue, and blood gushed out again.
But Feng Zhiwei was no longer looking at her. She said lightly, “Auntie, let me give you a word of advice: one reaps what one sows. From now on, take care of yourself.”
Her robes fluttered as she walked past the groaning servant women on the ground. Before the Qiu mansion guards arrived, she had already brought Gu Nanyi directly toward that small courtyard in the northwest corner.
Only after quite some time did the bruised and battered, blood-covered Auntie An get helped up by the Qiu mansion guards. The old woman leaned against the railing, trembling for a long while, spitting a handkerchief’s worth of broken teeth and blood before catching her breath. She glared viciously in the direction Feng Zhiwei had left and hissed, “That woman came to cause trouble! Why aren’t you going to arrest her!”
The Qiu mansion guards hesitated. Auntie An pounded the ground and cursed loudly, “Dead men! Can’t you see what I’ve been beaten into? Go quickly! I’ll report to the mistress immediately! The mistress will certainly have her arrested and sent to the authorities! Go! I’ll take full responsibility!”
This woman was the mistress’s dowry servant and always held a position of favor with the mistress. Now she had indeed been beaten terribly. The guards no longer hesitated and chased toward the small courtyard.
Auntie An smoothed her disheveled hair, panted for a while, and ordered people to clean up the broken pieces.
“Hold these for me and take them to show the mistress. All of you who are injured, follow along!”
Her face was ferociously twisted, a cold light flashing in her eyes.
“I must have the mistress destroy you completely—make it so you dare come in but can’t get out!”