Chapter 295

After hearing Feng You Tan's bold statement, Qiu Gugu felt a chill rush to the top of her head.

She was really afraid, thinking she would kneel to death in the noble consort's palace tonight.

Oh heavens!

She really didn't teach the little princess any messy nonsense.

She hadn't even mentioned this before!

Qiu Gugu sucked in a breath of cold air and instinctively wanted to cover Feng You Tan's mouth.

Then came Lu Yin Song's even more violent and angry voice from the courtyard: "Get lost!!!"

Qiu Gugu no longer cared about anything else, she picked up Feng You Tan and ran, while not forgetting to give Xiang Gugu a look.

Xiang Gugu reacted quickly too; before Sui Sui even understood what was happening, she had already been picked up.

The two aunts holding the two young masters made a dash, and the other servants hurriedly followed.

After running a distance, they found a place in the rear courtyard and gave the two children a thorough wash-up.

After crawling out of that dog hole, their image was ruined; they really needed to tidy up.

Ying Zhi felt that after changing her clothes and coming out, her playmates had abandoned her.

After going around in circles several times, she finally found someone; Ying Zhi unhappily pursed her lips: "Where did you guys go? Why didn't you bring me?"

The little girl felt wronged, and Feng You Tan felt wronged too: "Don't mention it, it's so annoying—I went to see Second Brother, but I ran into some auntie who spoke in a weird, sarcastic tone for ages, acting like I couldn't understand. I'm in the Inner Palace every day—what could I not understand? I just want to kill her!"

Ying Zhi, although young, knows something about the affairs of each household.

After hearing Feng You Tan's words, her first concern was Lu Yin Song: "How is Fourth Uncle? Did you speak with Fourth Uncle?"

Upon mentioning this, Feng You Tan felt even more wronged: "Second Brother told me to get lost, and also told Sui Sui to get lost."

Sui Sui:?

Did Second Brother tell her to get lost?

Thinking about what Second Brother said—'everyone get lost'—that should count as him saying it, right?

Sui Sui tilted her head in confusion, her face full of bewilderment.

Ying Zhi found Sui Sui's little expression utterly adorable and couldn't help reaching out to pat her: "Sui Sui, don't be scared—Fourth Uncle's just been in a bad mood and short-tempered since his leg injury, but he's actually a good person."

Hearing that, Sui Sui nodded obediently.

Soon, Sui Sui realized a problem: "How come Second Brother is Fourth Uncle?"

As soon as that question came up, Feng You Tan rolled her eyes directly: "She didn't even look—what are those two sandwiched in the middle? Do they even deserve to be called brothers by this princess?"

Ying Zhi: ……

Although a bit speechless, Ying Zhi still carefully explained to Sui Sui: "Fourth Uncle is fourth in seniority in the residence, with three elder brothers above him, but in Gu Zumu's children he is second, and they call him Second Brother with the nickname YoYo."

YoYo is Feng You Tan's nickname.

As a princess, she is arrogant and her status is somewhat special.

She looks down on everyone beneath the princess equally.

If it weren't for her affection for Lu Yin Song, and if it weren't for his mother being the youngest daughter of the Grand Princess, whose status is noble, Feng You Tan might also look down on him equally.

Call him Second Brother?

In Feng You Tan's view, it depends on whether she is worthy enough.

Sui Sui was tangled up in those relationships for a long while, finally managing to figure it out with difficulty.

Regarding Feng You Tan's angry desire to beat and kill the concubine in someone else's residence, Ying Zhi said helplessly: "Don't worry, Gu Zumu and the others will handle it; the more we interfere, the worse it gets, and it wouldn't sound good if it got out."

Noble Consort He's reputation to the outside was never good.

If Feng You Tan keeps stirring up trouble, her reputation will only become more vicious.

Ying Zhi also feels somewhat reluctant.

For now, Feng You Tan being young is fine, but when she grows up, having a vicious reputation abroad will not be pleasant.

Feng You Tan also knows it's not good to meddle arbitrarily in officials' residences.

Even the Father Emperor wouldn't lightly do such a thing, let alone a little child like her.

Feng You Tan is just annoyed.

Ying Zhi coaxed her for a while, and Sui Sui let her pinch her cheeks, finally managing to calm her down.

When Lù Fūrén heard the news and came over, seeing that the three children were unharmed, she also secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

She smiled, soothed them a bit, and sent the three little children back.

After the children walked away, Lù Fūrén's smile faded: "What's going on?"

The attendant aunt by her side immediately recounted what had happened earlier.

Don't think that just because she's always attended to the lady, she doesn't keep a close watch on household affairs; she guarantees she can respond immediately whenever the lady needs her.

After hearing this, Lù Fūrén frowned slightly, raised her hand lightly, and said: "Let her go kneel in the Buddhist hall first, then arrange someone to go before the elderly lady to bring up this matter about Little Song."

Lù Fūrén is unwilling to use Lu Yin Song as a pawn.

The children are all injured like that, and she merely wants to protect the peace they currently need.

However, having been bullied to this extent, it's impossible not to act.

What could Lù Fūrén possibly not understand about He Shi'an's intentions?

Lu Yin Song's matter is a sore point for the Fǔguó Gōng residence.

Especially Lord Lu's.

Lord Lu himself did not inherit his father's mantle, yet he still values greatly his son Lu Yin Song, who has potential.

Not only him, but the elderly Guó Gōng and the elderly lady also cherish this grandson greatly.

However, four years ago an accident occurred; Lu Yin Song broke his leg, with no possibility of healing.

Lady He, finding nothing to do, stirs up trouble just to make herself unhappy; Lù Fūrén thinks, then she can't blame her for being heartless.

How will the old lady react after learning of this matter?

Who knows?

Madam He wants to use her son Song'er to curry favor with the princess; she'll have to bear the consequences herself.

After Lady Lù finished her instructions, she prepared to turn back, but after taking just two steps she seemed to think of something, turned her head slightly, and softly told Aunt Lin: "Right, the Buddha hall is chilly—remember to add more charcoal basins. After all, she's the birth mother of the Third and Fifth Young Masters; truly letting her freeze would be awful, and I'd easily invite blame instead."

Aunt Lin heard this, her eyebrows flickered slightly, and she replied in a low voice.

These days the weather is getting hotter; even if the Buddha hall is chilly, it won't be cold enough to matter.

Lighting the charcoal is merely for show; it just torments people inside.

Winter has passed, and the precious charcoal stored in the residence has long been put away; now if one wants to use charcoal, they must fetch it from the rear courtyard kitchen.

Though those coals don't produce much smoke, they smell rather unpleasant.

Moreover, once the doors and windows of the Buddha hall are closed, a charcoal brazier is set up inside.

Beneath the knees lies a cold, drafty floor, while around the body light smoke swirls, the heat scorching.

The feeling of ice and fire in two layers...

Only those who have experienced it understand.

Men are coarse; even if they see this situation, they won't think much further, instead sighing that the lady is kind-hearted, and even when punishing someone, they still consider the other's bodily condition.

Only women of the inner quarters understand these secretive tactics.

Aunt Lin thought, the little princess is young; even if she has seen many scheming tactics in the inner palace, what she has learned is still superficial.

Whether in the inner palace or the inner quarters, there are plenty of methods that kill without blood and wear people down without knives.

Second watch