Chapter 328: Extra: Fierce Neighbor Chapter 29

Extra: Fierce Neighbor Chapter 29

Of course, after half a month of recuperation, the lackey Lin Quan was fully revived. He hadn't been short of running around and handling things. This state lasted until he saw Jin Jingwen enter the door...

Because he had been beaten before, Jin Jingwen had already left a strong psychological shadow on Lin Quan. So when he saw this great figure arrive, Lin Quan's legs went weak, and he fled, rolling and crawling away!

Fortunately, after Jin Jingwen's earlier chastising, the servants of Gong Wangfu were no longer as lazy and idle as before, shirking duties. Especially after seeing Jin Jingwen enter together with the Empress, the servants dared not be reckless, fearing they'd be wiped out on the spot by her!

Thus, in this "peaceful" atmosphere, Yin Fengxuan's birthday banquet proceeded very smoothly. Earlier they had invited a troupe of singers and performers, each showing off their skills, eating and drinking, and the guests were delighted!

Even Jin Jingwen, who originally didn't want to come, softened her expression considerably!

Of course, Jin Jingwen's better mood wasn't because of Yin Fengxuan's merit.

After all, lately Jin Jingwen has been very busy. She had previously made a round of Gong Wangfu, essentially keeping the neighboring shabby nest in check, but now the Jin family is led by Jin Jingwen; although the household is small, there are indeed many matters.

Moreover, earlier Zhang Guifei mentioned wanting to place her nephew Jin Liangyu into the palace as a study companion for the little fellow Yin Junting, so lately Jin Jingwen has been preparing for her nephew's affairs! After all, although her nephew is three years older than Yin Junting, he grew up in a temple outside the city and received little education. If he were thrust into the palace like this, he'd be utterly clueless and would bring shame!

Jin Jingwen may be young, but she thinks a lot! Therefore, to ensure her nephew makes a good impression on the palace crowd and to lay groundwork for his future, Jin Jingwen has been very worried lately. Fortunately, Jin Liangyu is obedient, a little rice‑dough ball, soft and pliant, yet his spirit is strong; without protest he mastered all the lessons arranged by his aunt.

And precisely because she had been busy with her nephew, Jin Jingwen hasn't moved much lately. So at today's Yin Fengxuan birthday banquet, Princess Consort Chen Yan'er, Qiu Pingting, and Nie Jinxuan arrived, giving Jin Jingwen a rare moment of relaxation; the women chattered happily together.

But just as everyone was happily chatting, Princess Consort Chen Yan'er turned her big eyes, glanced left and right, then smiled and said to the group,

"Hey, hey, hey, listen to me, don't you think today's Gong Wangfu feels different from before?"

Chen Yan'er has always been free‑spirited and can't play the demure lady. Moreover, the female guests and male guests are separated, so she didn't lower her voice on purpose. When she spoke, it immediately drew the attention of the ladies, and Qiu Pingting, blinking her cute big eyes, replied,

"Huh? What's different? I think it's fine!"

Qiu Pingting wasn't being dumb; she truly didn't know what was going on! Of course, Chen Yan'er knew her well, so she didn't hold back and said directly,

"It's quite good! But that's exactly what's odd~! You see, I heard that Gong Wangfu was a mess! Everyone knows about Old Six's temperament, just like the Fifth Uncle back then! And recently there were rumors that someone died in the back courtyard of Gong Wangfu… *tsk tsk*, a rumor is one thing, but when everyone says it, it must be true!"

"But today, look, the servants are all swift, and none of the concubines are causing trouble… So, don't you all find it strange?"

Chen Yan'er is a big mouth! But regarding recent events at Gong Wangfu, she only knows a little more than Qiu Pingting, not really asking on purpose.

After all, concerning her own actions in cleaning up Gong Wangfu, Jin Jingwen truly doesn't want to flaunt it, even from the bottom of her heart wants to bury it.

Not wanting to flaunt is one thing, that was only when no one asked. Now, with Chen Yan'er and the others present, the topic has been raised, and pretending not to hear would be awkward…

She empathizes, Jin Jingwen knows this. But then she thinks, what can she do by speaking it out? Anyway, this move was also because Zhang Guifei repeatedly begged, so it wasn't really her meddling… So she calmed down, and just as she was thinking how to phrase it, Nie Jinxuan cheerfully responded,

"You're talking about this? I know the matter… When the Grand Empress Dowager came recently, she unintentionally mentioned it to me, saying she wanted Jin Jingwen to help. Otherwise this Gong Wangfu would be hopeless!"

Whatever Zhang Guifei's motives are, only Nie Jinxuan among those present knows the most!

And why Zhang Guifei told Nie Jinxuan and not others is a story in itself. After all, among the crowd, Jin Jingwen and Nie Jinxuan have the best relationship. Jin Jingwen even saved Nie Jinxuan's life; otherwise Nie Jinxuan would have died from Zhen Xiao Lian's hidden attack, a double death. Nie Jinxuan is loyal, so she protects Jin Jingwen more.

Thus, the Jin Jingwen that Zhang Guifei has in mind must first be cleared with Nie Jinxuan; otherwise, when Nie Jinxuan finds out, she may not hold a grudge but will feel uneasy. And what kind of person is Zhang Guifei? She is meticulous, so she naturally needs to bring it up with Nie Jinxuan.

A perceptive person gets the point in one go; Zhang Guifei mentioned it casually as if chatting, but Nie Jinxuan already understood her meaning.

At this moment, Nie Jinxuan's words also aimed to help Jin Jingwen out of the bind. But if she said it herself, it would feel odd. So she added,

"After all, in our circle, if we have to pick someone, it's Jin Jingwen who can do it!"

What abilities Jin Jingwen has, others may not know, but those present understood. Upon hearing this, everyone was first stunned, then quickly recovered.

Indeed, the chaos at Gong Wangfu hasn't been just a day or two. Although Zhang Guifei is capable, she's also an elder, so she can't intervene directly. If you look for someone, a low‑status person won't do; you need someone of status, with means, decisive… So only Jin Jingwen fits.

Everyone suddenly understood. After Nie Jinxuan said that, Jin Jingwen swallowed the words she had prepared, but realized Nie Jinxuan was teasing her, so she pursed her lips and called out coquettishly. Of course, while shouting, she didn't forget to smear Yin Fengxuan's reputation, recounting the previous chaos in Gong Wangfu, leaving the women dumbfounded!

The bustle rose again, the women chattered, and just as everyone was at their happiest, a maid bringing tea and snacks walked over…

The maid was from Gong Wangfu; being naturally timid, she usually did more work and didn't dare to be sly. So when Jin Jingwen conducted a big purge earlier, this maid was fortunate to stay.

Probably because Jin Jingwen's initial impression of her was so intimidating, and with the table full of the Empress and Princess Consort, the maid was trembling, and the more she tried to do well, the more nervous she became… As she placed the snacks on the table, Jin Jingwen, hearing Chen Yan'er's sudden raised voice, startled the maid, causing her hand to shake, dropping the plate onto Jin Jingwen's body!

The sudden incident made the chatter stop! The maid, pale as death, "plop" knelt on the ground, trembling uncontrollably, unable to even plead.

The maid thought she was doomed. Unfortunately she didn't understand Jin Jingwen; although Jin Jingwen is ruthless, she's not unkind.

So after a brief daze, Jin Jingwen realized she had just let out a sudden shout that scared the maid. She then looked down, said,

"Alright, look how you got scared; I'm not blaming you, get up!"

As she spoke, Jin Jingwen looked up, saw the steward Lao Hu passing by, and called him over. Lao Hu, startled, quickly ordered the other frightened maidservants to tidy up, and to prepare an empty room and hot water so Jin Jingwen could go wash and change.

As steward, Lao Hu was competent. Hearing his arrangement, Jin Jingwen agreed she needed a change of clothes, then without further words greeted Nie Jinxuan, and turned to the empty room Lao Hu prepared to wash and change.

Jin Jingwen's minor incident wasn't a big deal. Though Nie Jinxuan and others have high status, they aren't petty, so after Jin Jingwen left, the chatter resumed.

But no matter how lively, the female guests never outdid the male guests; after a few rounds of wine, the men's side was no longer lively but noisy.

After all, regardless of rank, men are never as steady as women. So after the initial restraint, they gathered in groups of three or five, playing dice, debating, poetry contests, and some drunken generals even moved tables to make space for a duel!

Fortunately, this was Yin Fengxuan's birthday banquet, so the revelry was appropriate. At that moment, the day's protagonist, Yin Fengxuan, was hiding in a corner, whispering with Zuo Wei, Zhou Jin, and Pei Yaoguang!

The whispered conversation was, plainly, about Jin Jingwen's matter.

……

In fact, lately Jin Jingwen has been busy and hasn't gone out, and Yin Fengxuan hasn't gone out either!

The reason is simple: first, this guy needs to recover from injuries; after all, in Dongling, Yin Fengxuan is a notable figure. Going out bruised and battered would invite ridicule. For Yin Fengxuan, he can save face in front of Jin Jingwen, but outside he still needs a reputation, so he won't leave until healed.

Besides that, the second reason is Yin Fengxuan must play the humble man. This idea came from when he entered the palace, Zhang Guifei told him. Of course, Zhang Guifei wouldn't say it outright, but hinted that Jin Jingwen, coming from an official family, scholarly background, is a flamboyant spendthrift, a behavior she can't stand.

Of course, with Yin Fengxuan's limited intellect, he didn't fully grasp Zhang Guifei's words. But Yin Fengxuan has a good point: though he doesn't understand much, he knows to ask. Now, in Gong Wangfu, who can he ask? The lackey and chief strategist Lin Quan has already bowed out, so helplessly, Yin Fengxuan can only ask Lao Hu.

Lao Hu is shrewd; after hearing Yin Fengxuan, he understood immediately! Regarding Zhang Guifei's plan to pair Yin Fengxuan with Jin Jingwen, Lao Hu wholeheartedly agreed. He then voiced his thoughts:

"Prince, I think the Grand Empress Dowager's intention is to have you, while recuperating, cultivate yourself, so that Miss Jin will look at you differently! After all, as the Grand Empress Dowager said, Miss Jin comes from a famous family, and anything unrefined she dislikes. So, taking this chance, if you can change your previous demeanor, Miss Jin will surely be moved."

Although Lao Hu's "unrefined" remark almost made Yin Fengxuan flare up and strike him, overall he agreed with Lao Hu's reasoning. Thinking that he must now recuperate, Yin Fengxuan gritted his teeth and decided to stay honestly at the Prince's residence.

More than half a month of confinement made Yin Fengxuan quite frustrated. The ones who knew his thoughts best were the former chief strategists like Zuo Wei.

These few were old acquaintances; Yin Fengxuan didn't hold back, venting his bitter feelings, recounting his recent hardships, and of course mentioning the earlier blood‑sweeping of Gong Wangfu.

As for Yin Fengxuan's complaints, Zuo Wei and the others weren't keen on listening. But after hearing how Jin Jingwen acted, cleaning up the whole palace, the men became interested, especially one super‑crazy fellow who dug up every detail, then laughed wildly!

Of course, it wasn't only Pei Yaoguang's madness; Zuo Wei and Zhou Jin weren't great either. However, Zhou Jin held himself a bit better, and after a bout of merriment, he straightened his expression and said,

"That Jin lady… I didn't know much before, but now hearing the Prince say so, it seems this Jin lady really does have some tricks!"

People with ability are ultimately praised. But after saying that, Zhou Jin thought the matter was a bit precarious, then slightly frowned and looked at Yin Fengxuan.

"But Prince, it's not that I, the lowly official, am being talkative……That Miss Jin is indeed clever and capable, but Prince, are you really sure you want to take her as your wife?!"

"Zhou Jin just didn't have the nerve to say it directly."

"Big brother, you damn masochist?"

"That Jin family girl is a female tyrant; are you sure you can subdue her?!"

"If you bring her home, your good days will probably be over! You damn, do you even know what you're doing?!"

"Zhou Jin's speech is always polite. But he's polite while someone else isn't. So as soon as Zhou Jin finished speaking, Pei Yaoguang beside him directly spoke up."

"It's fine, he just likes it like that!"

"Pei Yaoguang said that without any pressure. And upon hearing those words, Yin Fengxuan's eyes widened instantly."

"Ah! Won't you give me a bit more encouragement? Do you have to hit me so hard?!"

"Saying that, Yin Fengxuan pursed his lips, then lifted his chin and said:"

"Hmph, but I really do want to take that little girl as my wife—no doubt about it—but first let me be clear, I don't like her. So it's still the same thing: this is all strategy! Get it, strategy! Although that little girl is arrogant now, once she marries into the Wangfu, I am her heaven; I can shape her into a square if I want, or into a round if I want!"

"Yin Fengxuan's words exuded all kinds of domineering aura. But upon hearing them, Zuo Wei and Zhou Jin's eyes widened in shock!"

"Holy shit!"

"Which damn idiot crawled out of some hole! You're so stupid, are you sure you're speaking human words, not nonsense?!"

"Initially, Zuo Wei and Zhou Jin had little contact with Jin Jingwen, so they only thought she was a bit more violent and fierce. But upon hearing Yin Fengxuan's explanation today, although his words were relatively conservative, what kind of people are Zuo Wei and Zhou Jin? Just hearing the outcome, they immediately understood!"

"Damn, this isn't just being violent and fierce, is it? That Jin family girl absolutely has brains and tactics! With such ability, let alone Yin Fengxuan's arrogance—even if he were even more arrogant, in front of her he wouldn't last a single round; he'd be crushed to dust!"

"But still, he's here bragging…"

"Zuo Wei and Zhou Jin were left speechless, stunned. Meanwhile, Pei Yaoguang beside them, with good composure, glanced at the arrogant Yin Fengxuan, after a moment suddenly curled his lips into a smile, and then slowly drawled out a sentence."

"If you try to press that little bean into a square, you'll end up as the pancake she's crushed underneath! If you try to roll her into a ball, you'll become the debris she's rolled over!"

"Awkward!"

"Pei Yaoguang's sharp tongue is beyond ordinary people. As soon as he said that, Yin Fengxuan fainted from anger; as for Zuo Wei and Zhou Jin, they instantly came to their senses and couldn't help bursting into laughter!"

……

"The commotion was just commotion, but afterward Pei Yaoguang and the others also gave Yin Fengxuan some suggestions. As the host of today, Yin Fengxuan couldn't keep hiding in the corner talking with Pei Yaoguang and the others, so after getting a few little tricks, he got up and went out to greet the guests."

"Yin Fengxuan is known as the little tyrant of the capital, often haunting flower-filled taverns; his drinking capacity is indeed formidable! But no matter how good one's drinking capacity, one can't withstand this round of greeting guests. Moreover, Yin Fengxuan is also enthusiastic and doesn't like having others do his work, so he always personally takes charge. Thus after a round of greeting, Yin Fengxuan felt a bit dizzy and saw stars."

"Seeing this, the lackey Lin Quan beside him, who was observant, plus seeing that his master had spilled wine on his robe from drinking, immediately smiled and greeted the nearby guests, then summoned two servants to help Yin Fengxuan go downstairs to sober up a bit, wash up, and, incidentally, change clothes before coming out again!"

"So, although Lin Quan is a lackey, he's not completely incapable. And now that Yin Fengxuan has left, Lin Quan can only stay to greet the guests and direct the servants to refill tea and pour wine, etc."

"Thus, Yin Fengxuan temporarily withdrew honorably to the second line to sober up. But once he left the seating area, being helped to walk toward the back, a breeze blew, and Yin Fengxuan became somewhat clearer-headed; he looked left and right, then flicked his arm."

"Alright, alright, I haven't drunk that much; no need for you to support me!"

"Uh…… but Prince, just now the steward Lin……"

"Tsk! What's with all the nonsense?! Are you going to listen to him or to me?! If I tell you to go, you go; help, help go up front to greet the guests—this Wangfu is mine; I couldn't possibly get lost! Go, go, go, all of you, get out!"

"Saying that, Yin Fengxuan didn't bother with the two servants' responses, and staggered his way to the rear courtyard……"