Of the officials in the current court, which family did not have extra income from other sources? Even Feng Jin Yuan had some small businesses that he operated. Of course, the Feng family mostly relied on the Chen family for support, but the current left prime minister, Lu Song, was completely reliant on his businesses to operate and support the entire Lu family’s expenses, as well as for his career.
From the very beginning, the Lu family did not intend to place all of their hopes in the eighth prince. With three daughters, they had already set their sights on the Yao family and the Ren family. It was just a pity that their only salvation remaining was the eighth prince. Lu Song was someone that could not be considered foolish. He knew that his position as the left prime minister was not stable. In truth, the position of left prime minister had never been stable, thus he had to prepare for the Lu family’s future while he still had power. With all kinds of situations occurring, he had to grab a hold of that final lifeline, no matter what happened.
After Lu Song and Ge shi finished speaking, they decided to gather all of the Lu family’s businesses from all corners of the world in the South. Their Lu family would thoroughly express their standpoint and fully support the eighth prince. They would place all of their chips on the eighth prince in hopes of having the clan prosper on the back of Lu shi*. At the same time, they used their connections with Imperial Concubine Yuan Shu to invite a granny from the palace to teach Lu Yan about the rules of the palace, in hopes of grooming Lu Yan into someone worthy of being a prince’s official princess. In regards to all of this, Lu Yan was very cooperative.
The Lu family reclassifying their family businesses was done very secretively. Even Lu Yan did not know about the details. Even the people that were responsible for those businesses kept their mouths shut, as they quietly executed Lu Song’s orders in quickly moving the Lu family’s businesses. And this so-called quickly really was quite quick. A large number of businesses actually finished their moves within a month. Starting from the capital and going South, they extended all the way to the southernmost Lan Zhou. They even began to expand into the desert.
However, just as the Lu family was rejoicing, just as Lu Song believed that everything had developed in the most wondrous manner imaginable, the Lu family’s steady businesses suddenly began to suffer massive losses! Also, these heavy losses began from the South and progressed toward the North, and this caught the Lu family unprepared.
It was as though the other side was opposing the Lu family and was like a destructive rolling stone. Taking down a shop each day, it was a battle every single day. In three days, a city was taken down. From the southern border, it gradually approached the capital. It became more and more proficient and faster. Finally, not one month later, all of the Lu family’s businesses were destroyed! All of their capital had become nothing! Even the people responsible for taking care of the businesses left the Lu family, either voluntarily or having been arrested by the government for all kinds of charges. The information network that Lu Song had spent many years to construct was completely destroyed. Even if he wanted to obtain some information, he could not do it. As long as his people left the capital, they would immediately lose contact. Not a single one of his people could take up this matter. Lu Song tried no fewer than ten times, but he could not get the slightest bit of information back.
He finally realized that there was something off about the situation. He began to feel afraid and began to feel dread. He also began to ponder precisely what was happening. Ge shi’s words reminded him: “Quickly go and ask Imperial Concubine Yuan Shu for help. Our Lu family is in the dark, but Imperial Concubine Yuan Shu and the eighth prince’s side can’t possibly have also been cut off. Have Imperial Concubine Yuan Shu help inquire.”
Thus Lu Song went into the palace and but ended up meeting with a furious Imperial Concubine Yuan Shu: “Lu Song! With the situation as it is, you still have the nerve to seek out this One? Your Lu family’s daughter made such a grave mistake and offended someone that must not be offended. Now, you are getting your retribution, yet you still have the face to beg this One? You must know that through the pressure of the other side, His Highness the eight prince has also lost 30 percent of his businesses!”
Lu Song could no longer remain kneeling, as he fell to the ground. He looked blankly at Imperial Concubine Yuan Shu and only managed to ask after a long time: “Imperial concubine means to say that the ones harming us are… the Yao family?” Lu Song did not think in this direction at first, and he did not think that the Yao family had such great ability. But now that Imperial Concubine Yuan Shu brought up the Lu family’s daughter’s mistake, even if he did not believe it, he should understand. The one that she was pointing at was the Yao family. But… “The Yao family and Imperial Daughter Ji An had falling out. Without Imperial Daughter Ji An’s help, how could they have done so much in such a short period of time?”
Seeing that Lu Song had a look of disbelief, Imperial Concubine Yuan Shu snorted coldly, “Not to speak of whether or not the Yao family and Imperial Daughter Ji An truly had a falling out, even if they did, Lord Prime Minister Lu, could it be that you have been underestimating the Yao family? When you married your daughter into the Yao family, was it just because of their relation to Imperial Daughter Ji An?” Imperial Concubine Yuan Shu had an incredulous look on her face, “This One thought that the court’s new left prime minister would be a smart one. Who knew that you aren’t any better than Feng Jin Yuan.” She derided Lu Song without holding back. In the end, she flicked her sleeve and went to the inner room, no longer wanting to say another word.
Lu Song just remained on the floor, partially kneeling and partially sitting. His mind continued to work. Every word that Imperial Concubine Yuan Shu had said went through his mind once more, but what would that do? Although he did not know whether or not the Yao family did this, when he thought back to when Lu Yao’s case had been resolved, the Yao family had indeed said that the Lu family would need to pay for Lu Yao deliberately dragging Xu shi into the water to try and harm her. He did not think much of this at the start; however, he never thought that the always-tranquil Yao family would actually be so fierce when getting revenge.
Lu Song did not continue to remain in the palace and quickly left. He prepared to investigate. Back in Cun Shan Palace, Imperial Concubine Yuan Shu asked palace maid Yue Xiu: “That image should have arrived in the South by now, right?”
Yue Xiu counted the days and nodded: “It’s been two months. It must have already reached His Highness the eighth prince. Imperial concubine, just patiently wait for a little longer. After His Highness the eighth prince has seen it, he will very quickly send a letter back.”
Imperial Concubine Yuan Shu smiled, “This One is in no rush, but the relationship between Imperial Daughter Ji An and the Yao family needs to observed closely. Don’t get fooled by her.”
In truth, it was not just Imperial Concubine Yuan Shu that kept an eye on Feng Yu Heng. Ever since the matter between Feng Yu Heng and Yao shi, the Yao family and the Feng family both made declarations of separation. The court also retrieved Yao shi’s first-rank noble lady title. Who knew how many sets of eyes were watching from the shadows. They kept watching from the middle of Autumn until the beginning of Winter. They did not tire, but Feng Yu Heng felt tired for them. But she was not worried in the slightest, as she continued to move between the imperial daughter’s manor and Hundred Herb Hall each day. In a short two months, she and ghost doctor Song Kang had taught ambitious doctors about new medical treatments. She then sent them to the Hundred Herb Halls scattered around the country to work.
Of course, Yao Xian did not appear at the Hundred Herb Hall during this time. In fact, some of the people that had been taught by Yao Xian simply chose to leave and go directly to the Yao manor to ask for Yao Xian’s instruction. In regards to this, Feng Yu Heng’s reaction was to curse these people out in front of Hundred Herb Hall then turn them away without giving them a single cent. Those people would then announce to people that Hundred Herb Hall had refused to pay them one month’s salary and spoke very poorly of Feng Yu Heng.
But it was because of these things that caused those that were skeptical of Feng Yu Heng and the Yao family’s separation to believe it a bit more. Thus a portion of the people watching from the shadows departed. All that remained were some of the more persistent, stubborn or insistent ones. It was just that they only knew that they were observing Feng Yu Heng; however, they were unaware of the oriole watching from behind, as Feng Yu Heng’s own hidden guards kept an eye on them.
“Do you want me to head South and intercept the eighth prince’s letter?” Inside the imperial daughter’s manor, Ban Zou stood in front of Feng Yu Heng and asked her with an expressionless face, “When that girl’s image was sent out the first time, it should have been stopped and should not have been allowed to head South.” Ban Zou very impolitely said to Feng Yu Heng: “Once that image falls into the eighth prince’s hands, a person that looks exactly like you will definitely cause the eighth prince to use her. The South is far. Once he uses Fu Ya to do something and uses your name, what will you do?”
Feng Yu Heng held the little white tiger and only listened half-heartedly. She was not worried in the slightest. Even Huang Quan was worried by her current appearance, and she could not help but also say: “Young Miss, Ban Zou is right. If they use Fu Ya to act as you and do some things that should not be done, we will know that it’s fake, and the people of the capital will know it’s fake, but the people in the South are different. How could they know what’s real and what’s fake? They’ll be deceived.”
Feng Yu Heng continued to smile, and her eyes… “Why are you looking at us like we’re fools?” Ban Zou could not hold back: “Do you think that it’s impossible for such things to become reality? But in truth, Imperial Concubine Yuan Shu had a painting of Fu Ya made. Before this painting, she had her wear a very beautiful dress. Like that, she looked exactly like you. You had me stay in the other courtyard to keep an eye on her. In the past two months, the most important news that I’ve obtained is that Fu Ya has sought the support of Imperial Concubine Yuan Shu, and Imperial Concubine Yuan Shu intends to introduce Fu Ya to the eighth prince. The problem with this is easy to see.”
“What of it?” Feng Yu Heng smiled and looked at the two, “It’s true that I should take this matter to heart as you two have said. If Fu Ya is used by the eighth prince as a substitute for me, it would have some very bad influence. But have you forgotten that Xuan Tian Ming is currently in the South! I don’t believe that with him there, Imperial Concubine Yuan Shu’s message could be sent to the eighth prince. What do you two say?”
Ban Zou and Huang Quan were both frozen. Very quickly, Ban Zou slapped his own forehead and insulted himself: “So stupid.” He then spat out: “It’s fine.” In a blur, he disappeared.
The remaining Huang Quan felt extremely awkward and very helplessly looked as Wang Chuan and Feng Yu Heng laugh at her. She could not hold it in but did not dare say anything to Feng Yu Heng, thus she could only glare at Wang Chuan and say: “You didn’t remind me.”
Wang Chuan smiled bitterly and said: “Didn’t I just think of it now?” She then looked at Feng Yu Heng, “Young Miss really is smart, but we don’t know what His Highness the Ninth Prince has prepared, whether that painting was intercepted or a different painting was used.”
Feng Yu Heng patted Xiao Bai and said to them: “Don’t worry. He will definitely go with the best arrangements. You two should pay a little more attention. He will most likely send a letter over.”
Just as they were speaking, Qing Yu returned from the outside with someone dressed as a palace maid…
*T/N: I was torn when translating this part because I wasn’t sure if they meant the Lu family’s businesses or Lu Yan after she got married…