Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Who is the Real Master Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Who is the Real Master Without further thought, Feng Bailing was about to leave when two nannies, round at the waist and thick in the arms, stepped forward and blocked her path.
Although Princess Yong’an was the official master of the Princess’ Mansion, ever since giving birth to the Miss, her health had declined. The Princess, sympathetic towards the Prince Consort who as a man could not manage the inner chambers, promoted Miss’s wet nurse, Ms. Xue, to be the Lord’s concubine.
During the Miss’s years abroad, the Princess fell ill with an unidentified serious ailment, and all the significant affairs of the household fell into the hands of Aunt Xue and the second Miss.
The servants in the mansion were all opportunists, siding with whoever held power—none had much regard for Feng Bailing, this Miss who had just returned.
“Sister Ling, it’s windy and snowy outside, the person is already dead, why trouble yourself? Yizhuang is a place of bad luck; going there might bring misfortune upon yourself.”
Feng Xiangxue’s soft and gentle voice reached out to pull Feng Bailing.
She thought to herself that Feng Bailing actually insisted on going to Yizhuang; she must still be foolishly clinging to the hope—it must be her and the Seventh Prince’s “child.”
Feng Xiangxue deliberately emphasized the word “dead” to provoke Feng Bailing into making a fuss. The father would soon return to the mansion; only with a disturbance could she escalate the matter.
Feng Xiangxue’s fingers hadn’t yet touched Feng Bailing when the person before her disappeared.
Feng Bailing took a step forward, and the powerful nannies only saw a blur before their eyes; a light touch brushed their shoulders, their legs lost strength, and all knelt by the door with a thud.
The cold wind whirled in, and the scene before her made Feng Xiangxue’s hair stand on end.
“This is the Princess’ Mansion, open your dog eyes and see who is your true master.”
Despite the intense wind and snow, Feng Bailing’s bright red brocade robes billowed, her back as taut as a bow fully drawn. Her voice was colder than the chilling wind. Despite the howling storm, it clearly reached everyone’s ears.
While Feng Bailing’s voice still echoed in the room, she had already disappeared.
The nannies, paralyzed in the legs and stunned by her words, had almost forgotten that the Miss was the Princess’s own blood.
Feng Xiangxue’s face turned a pale greenish-white, and the handkerchief in her hand was almost twisted apart. She stared venomously at Feng Bailing as her figure receded.
“Feng Bailing, after today, all you have will be mine!”
Feng Bailing left the mansion.
The person had already been sent to Yizhuang; without timely treatment, there could be irreversible damage due to lack of oxygen to the brain.
Outside the mansion’s gate, a mule carriage stood waiting.
“Miss, how… you’ve come out. I’ve been looking for you. I deserve to die for failing to take proper care of little Miss.”
Atop the carriage, a maid dressed in emerald clothes anxiously pulled back the carriage curtain, revealing a beautiful face.
Xia Zhu, Feng Bailing narrowed her eyes slightly.
Xia Zhu and Chun Liu were two maids that had served by her side for a long time, both having been with her since they were little. Xia Zhu was pretty and had a sweet mouth, gaining Feng Bailing’s favor.
Xia Zhu said she saw the body of Feng Xiaoli being taken away and hurriedly found a mule carriage, intending to look for Feng Bailing, but failed to find her.
Feng Bailing waved her hand, and Xia Zhu hastily urged the coachman to drive.
The carriage jolted along the way, and soon Yizhuang was in sight, its old white lanterns swaying in the cold wind.
Amid the freezing cold, Yizhuang housed only a few bodies, a straw mat wrapped around a tiny form, revealing a red jacket adorned with a golden fat carp.
In her memory, Feng Xiaoli’s red and chubby face resembled an apple, and when she smiled, two little dimples appeared at the corners of her mouth, her large, slick eyes gleaming.
Feng Xiaoli calling out “mother” for the first time.
The first time she turned over.
The first time she learned to crawl.
The first time she walked.
Night after night had passed. Born and raised among the dead, facing decaying bodies crawling with maggots, Feng Bailing never flinched.
But at this moment, her hands trembled slightly.
“Miss, the dead cannot be brought back to life.”
Xia Zhu followed behind Feng Bailing, seeing her trembling hands, thinking that she was scared.
From a young age she followed Feng Bailing, knowing that Feng Bailing was famously timid, even a mouse could scare her to death. In Yizhuang, there were decaying corpses everywhere. She couldn’t stay for even a short while without fainting from fear.
Xia Zhu had just finished speaking when she stared with wide eyes.
Feng Bailing picked up Feng Xiaoli and checked her pupils, finding them not yet dilated. Then she pried open her mouth and cleared out the dirt, checking while she asked.
“How long after falling into the water was she rescued?”
“A tenth of an incense stick’s time.”
Xia Zhu bit her lip and looked down while wiping her tears.
The time was not long, her lungs hadn’t taken in water, it was a mild dry drowning, and with the cold weather, she had simply held her breath. The rescue didn’t require an emergency kit or anything of the sort.
Feng Bailing leaned over Xiaoli and listened, then undid her daughter’s wet and cold jacket and took off her own clothes to wrap her up.
The child was young; external chest compressions followed by artificial respiration were the only options.
Sweat soon soaked Feng Bailing’s forehead.
“Miss, you’re scaring me. Have you gone mad?”
Xia Zhu saw Feng Bailing making bizarre, inexplicable actions and her eyes widened in shock.
As soon as she finished speaking, a rise and fall appeared on the small body’s chest, and Feng Xiaoli spat out a mouthful of cold water.
She opened her large, shiny eyes and when she saw Feng Bailing clearly, a sparkle returned to the little one’s eyes. She flailed her small hands, asking for a hug.
Xia Zhu felt like she was struck by lightning, stepping back.
The little Miss, alive again!
“Xiaoli, dear, mom is here.”
Feng Bailing held her regained daughter close, and in that moment, her empty heart was suddenly filled.
Holding her child, her eyes grew cold, her gaze sharp as daggers, directed towards Xia Zhu.
“Tell me, who told you to push Xiaoli into the water?”
Xia Zhu’s face panicked and she stammered.
“Miss, it’s a misunderstanding. The little Miss fell in by herself.”
“The well in the Princess’ Mansion isn’t deep enough to reach someone’s chest. Xiaoli is too short and dislikes water. She would never climb around recklessly. The only possibility for her to fall into the well is if someone pushed her.”
Feng Bailing stared coldly at Xia Zhu, realizing how foolish she had been to let these demons and snakes around her blind her.
“Miss, I stepped away at that time… I’ve been by your side since I was little, even if you suspect anyone, it should not be me.”
Faced with Feng Bailing’s attitude, so starkly different from usual, Xia Zhu pleaded her case desperately, crying as she knelt.
Feng Bailing sneered and spread open the right fist that Xiaoli had been clenching tightly.
Inside the fist was only a piece of fabric, the color of which matched Xia Zhu’s own clothes exactly.
Xia Zhu quickly looked at her sleeve cuff only to find that a corner was missing.
She gasped in shock; she hadn’t expected this little wild brat, so young yet so cunning, had tricked her!
Feng Bailing kissed Feng Xiaoli.
Feng Xiaoli’s face was flushed, her little chest puffed proudly, looking as pleased as a little quail.
Xia Zhu’s face changed, wiping away the tears on her face, where not a trace of respect remained.
“Seize them and take them to the master.”
The coachman, face fierce, burst in, carrying a stick as thick as an arm and swung it towards Feng Bailing.