After hearing this, Madam Xu said hatefully: “That old hypocrite deserved to die. Like mother, like son indeed!”

The old woman Wang’s son? Feng Miaojun immediately understood: “He came to make trouble?”

Madam Xu served her more food: “These aren’t matters you should worry about. Don’t ask anymore.”

“I want to know since it concerns me.” Feng Miaojun tugged at her sleeve and shook it. “Tell me, please. Otherwise, I might encounter him outside without being prepared.”

Madam Xu let out a cold snort: “He wouldn’t dare!” However, since Feng Miaojun had come to the Feng family, she had never behaved in such a childish manner before Madam Xu. The foster mother was momentarily dazed. Looking down at her determined eyes, she somehow found herself speaking:

“Old Wang went home, and by the next day, she had disappeared. People went searching and finally found her downstream from the river behind her house.” Madam Xu paused. “Her son, Zhao Dazhao, called for a coroner to examine the body and discovered that Wang’s palm was scraped, her knees were bruised purple, and her elbow joint was dislocated and swollen.”

These all sounded like injuries from a fall. Feng Miaojun pouted: “I only pushed her. I didn’t kill her.”

“Yes, that’s why Zhao Dazhao insists that you pushed and cursed at Wang, causing her to feel such shame and resentment that she drowned herself.” Madam Xu said with irritation. “During your disappearance, he came three times, each time sitting at the estate gate wailing loudly. The last time, he even splattered filth on our door!”

“He wanted money?” Feng Miaojun looked up at her foster mother. “Did you give him any?”

Madam Xu sighed: “He came making a scene day after day, which wasn’t good for the Feng family’s reputation. Besides…” Besides, her foster daughter had indeed pushed old Wang, so they were at fault to begin with, but she didn’t say this aloud. “We gave him fifty taels of silver to send him away.” After all, the Feng family was a local gentry who needed to maintain their business reputation. Being disturbed by Zhao Dazhao like this would spread unsavory rumors.

Feng Miaojun frowned delicately: “It sounds like Zhao Dazhao isn’t an honest man.”

“He’s a notorious ruffian in the village.” Madam Xu laughed coldly. “It’s said that the day after he received the money, he went straight to the gambling house.”

Feng Miaojun’s eyes flickered. With people like this, simply giving money didn’t seem like a good solution. However, as an eleven-year-old girl, she shouldn’t criticize her foster mother’s decisions, so she remained silent. Madam Xu’s anger subsided, and she pushed a plate of tea oil-fried fish in front of her. “I remember An’an loved fish the most. Why aren’t you eating? This is freshly caught rice-field fish. It’s especially delicious.” These fish were raised in the paddy fields, feeding on fallen rice flowers. Not only was the meat tender without any fishy smell, but it also carried a slight aroma of grain, making it considerably more expensive than ordinary fish.

“…” The original owner might have loved it, but she had no appetite for it, especially after subsisting on raw fish for the past few days. Even the smell of fish made her nauseous now. The fish on the plate was indeed very fresh; its eyes were bulging, staring straight at her. Feng Miaojun looked up and stared back.

“I don’t like it anymore,” she said sulkily. “I prefer meat now!”

Madam Xu was startled. Her chopsticks, which had been moving toward the fish plate, immediately turned to the braised beef, serving several large pieces to her foster daughter. “Eating meat is good. It helps you grow faster.”

Feng Miaojun couldn’t help but smile, genuinely.

The feeling of being cared for was quite nice.

Peng Bai had tactfully withdrawn when the lady of the house had started crying earlier. While eating, Feng Miaojun carefully observed Madam Xu. Although her eyes were still swollen from crying, she had a lotus face and willow-leaf eyebrows—she possessed all the features of beauty, though she appeared thinner compared to what the original owner remembered.

The Feng family had an extremely distant relation to the An Xia King and Queen, with no one having served as an official. They were a moderately wealthy merchant family dealing in grain and cloth. After Old Master Feng’s death, the heavy burden had fallen on Madam Xu, a mere woman. This past year must have been difficult for her.

In truth, her foster mother had a generous and straightforward character, was virtuous, and knew how to manage the household—sufficient qualities for a head matron, but inadequate for handling business matters that required a man’s capabilities.

A beautiful widow conducting business with her daughter would inevitably face disadvantages.

After dinner, Feng Miaojun soaked in a large wooden tub, comfortably enjoying her first hot bath since arriving in this world, her mind full of calculations.

With her hair barely dried, despite the late hour, she summoned Peng Bai: “When I pushed old woman Wang, was the kitchen maid closest to me your person?”

“Yes…” Peng Bai found the question strange. “She was assigned to you by the Queen and is temporarily under my command until you come of age.”

“Good. Summon her so we can verify our stories.”

“Are you concerned?” Peng Bai understood.

“One must never let down their guard.” Feng Miaojun felt uneasy, as if something awaited her, preventing her from enjoying peace. “Tell me in detail how you dealt with old woman Wang. Don’t omit anything.” Killing wasn’t her intention, but since Wang had been killed by her subordinate, she needed to resolve this trouble as much as possible.

Handling this matter well would compensate for the troubles faced by the real Feng Miaojun, making them even. After all, she had taken over someone else’s nest, though not by her own will. A second chance at life was precious, and the original owner had ultimately yielded it to her.

She didn’t seek justice, but she was clear about debts and grudges.

In the past, Peng Bai would never have dared to discuss such dark, filthy matters with her. But now, he no longer treated her as an eleven-year-old child and found himself recounting everything without much psychological burden.

After listening, Feng Miaojun’s brows furrowed slightly, thinking to herself that this matter hadn’t been handled particularly well. Peng Bai remarkably understood her expression and explained: “At that time, I was anxious to search for you, so I left the matter to my subordinates. It was too rushed, and they didn’t handle it meticulously enough.”

Considering the loyal guard’s state of mind at the time, Feng Miaojun didn’t pursue the matter further and asked him: “Peng Bai, how strong are your martial skills?” This was the guard specifically assigned to her by the An Xia King and Queen. Beyond being loyal and capable, his combat prowess should be substantial, right?

Peng Bai thought for a moment: “Among well-trained soldiers, I could fight twelve at once.”

“You have the strength of twelve men.” She pondered. “Is that considered formidable among humans?”

Her eyes were full of curiosity. Peng Bai felt that the princess finally showed the adorable naivety of a child again and smiled: “It’s comparable to the imperial guards.”

The imperial guards were the King’s close attendants, with martial prowess far exceeding ordinary warriors. She tilted her head, her eyes revealing a thirst for knowledge: “Then, how about compared to demons?”

“Demons come in many varieties. The weakest are no more formidable than tigers or wolves.”

“And the strongest?”

“The strongest once could overturn mountains and seas.” Peng Bai smiled. “As the Princess knows, there have been many great demons in this world who could reach heaven and penetrate the earth. Only a few strong humans could contend with them. It wasn’t until humans formed Kingdoms and used the collective fortune of an entire country to suppress them that we prevailed over demons. They were either killed or forced to retreat deep into mountains and marshes, rarely showing themselves.”

“What about dragons, or—” she gradually approached her ultimate query, “or dragonkin?”

“That’s beyond what an individual’s strength can contend with.” Peng Bai quickly shook his head. “That would require at least the power of an entire prefecture.”