The carriage made its way back, Feng Jinyao's expression growing increasingly grim.
It was Feng Jinlin who finally broke the silence, "How could Mother be poisoned? Didn't she just have a coughing fit?"
He had noticed his sister's unusual demeanor while at the Zhang family's, sensing she was hiding something. Thus, he pressed for the truth.
Feng Jinyao had no intention of keeping it a secret. She gathered her thoughts and began to recount the events.
"I accidentally discovered that medicine was being added to Mother's decoctions to worsen her condition. So, I secretly replaced her cough medicine and, along with Mama Bai, kept the matter under wraps while searching for the culprit. Before the New Year, during the house cleaning, we found some flowers that could easily trigger Mother's asthma. That's why I used the excuse of the gardeners sent by Uncle's family to replace all of them and detain them at the estate under the supervision of Mama Bai's eldest son. I never expected..."
This series of events was truly unexpected. To attack Mother repeatedly, what was their ultimate goal?
The more Feng Jinlin heard, the more his face darkened. Did they think the Feng family was easily bullied? They were pushing their luck.
"Have you found out who was behind the incidents in the back courtyard?"
"We have some leads, but Yunhe's illness interrupted things. I'm not sure how Mother and Mama Bai handled it."
"Good, leave those gardeners to me. I'll break their bones!"
They were mere servants under his control, and no one would say a word even if he killed them.
The ferocity in his eyes made him appear somewhat cold. Feng Jinyao was worried, but she also knew that he was the most suitable person to handle this matter. Their elder brother was currently too preoccupied with too many people to care for and involve.
The sound of hooves trotting headed north of the city. At the same time, another Feng family carriage was heading towards the estate on the outskirts of the city, carrying Feng Jinxu, who was resting with his eyes closed.
At the estate, Concubine Linlang, whose freedom was restricted, was eating her meal. It wasn't a feast, but it was by no means meager.
Feng Jinxu walked in just as he saw this scene. She seemed to be living quite comfortably and leisurely, eating seven or eight dishes by herself. He wondered if she was being wasteful or deliberately extravagant.
"Master?"
Linlang hadn't seen Feng Jinxu in a long time, and his sudden appearance flustered her. She immediately put down her chopsticks and tidied her appearance.
However, these coarse linen clothes couldn't accentuate her charm, so she could only feign a pitiable expression.
"Master, you've finally come. If you hadn't, I would have died here without anyone noticing."
As she spoke, she began to cry, much to the disgust of Fu Yi, who stood beside her.
Feng Jinxu, however, paid her no mind. He walked over, glanced down at her, but did not help her up. He then looked at the food on the table.
"You're eating quite well."
Linlang felt a little awkward and could only force a smile, saying, "The steward took pity on me and made extra because it's the festive season. Normally, it's just steamed buns and cabbage. Life is very difficult."
He let out a faint smile. This time, Feng Jinxu finally saw through the person before him.
She was adept at acting subservient and was very good at reading people's expressions. How had he not noticed this before?
"I've come today to tell you two things."
His tone was flat, giving away nothing. Linlang secretly suppressed her surging joy and excitement, knowing it was likely that Feng Yunhe was gone, and now Yunli would be adopted by Lady Wen as her legitimate son.
"Master, please speak. This servant is listening."
"On the first day of the new year, Yunli has already been formally registered under Lady Wen's name by my decision, with the approval of our parents and the clan. He is now Lady Wen's son, and my legitimate second son."
Linlang's guess was indeed correct. As she looked up at Feng Jinxu, she forgot to hide her greed. "Really? But will the First Mistress..."
"Don't worry. Yunli has a good future and prospects, isn't that what you've always hoped for?"
Although he said that, she wished even more to be elevated to the status of a concubine. Only then would Yunli's status as a legitimate son be more justifiable, and she could hold her head high!
But now, Lady Wen was probably not dead yet. When she returned to the Feng family and constantly spoke to her about Feng Yunhe's matters, they would eventually reunite. There was no rush for now, so she buried her thoughts and pretended to be timid.
"If the First Mistress could treat Yunli as her own, this servant would be a hundred times willing. I'm just afraid... alas, Master, please protect Yunli more. You know, the First Mistress has never looked directly at Yunli because of this servant. How innocent he is, to be born to me and be looked down upon from birth."
In the past, Feng Jinxu would always feel a bit biased when he heard her words, thinking Lady Wen was indeed rather cold. But now, looking at her, she seemed more like a joke. He was too lazy to say more to her. "The second matter is that your name has been struck from the family register. I've come this time to have Fu Yi escort you to Ying Tian Prefecture."
The words "Ying Tian Prefecture" were spoken, and Linlang's tear stains had not yet dried when she froze in place.
"Master, what nonsense are you talking about? This servant is Yunli's mother. How can you send me to Ying Tian Prefecture? What about Yunli's future?"
"I've already told you, Yunli is Lady Wen's child. You are merely a meddling maid in this household."
With one sentence, Linlang was sent to the eighteenth level of hell.
So, paving the way for Yunli was actually a plan to cut ties with her!
No! Don't! Absolutely not!
She suddenly lunged at Feng Jinxu, abandoning all pretense of decorum, and began to throw a tantrum.
"How can Master be so heartless? He is flesh and blood from this servant's body! After four years of day and night care, how can you just sever ties like this, Master..."
This time, her tears had a hint of genuine emotion, but unfortunately, Feng Jinxu's heart was already hard. His previous indulgence towards her was merely out of guilt. Now that those matters had been investigated, she was nothing more than a joke in his eyes.
"Care? Since Yunli was born, he has been mostly accompanied by a wet nurse and young servants. You say you took care of him? Day and night? Don't you find yourself disgusting when you say such things?"
Feng Jinxu mercilessly exposed her intentions. "If it weren't for using Yunli to put on a show in front of me, if Yunli weren't a son, if holding him could bring more benefits, when would you have ever treated him as your own son?"
"I..."
Concubine Linlang wanted to argue, but the words were stuck in her throat.
She did have some intentions, but she was also planning for his future.
"Yunli should have been a good child, but you've raised him to be unruly. Fortunately, he's only four years old, and he can be corrected by following Lady Wen. But you should never have gambled with his life. How cold was the water in that pond? You even delayed the household physician from treating him for your own selfish gain. Do you know that if he had been any later, he would have become mentally disabled due to a persistent high fever? Would you still consider him your son then?"