C28 Attacking the Heart

Feng Xueyao sat down, lifted the teapot, and poured a cup of warm tea, sliding it across the table. "Who are you planning to frame as the servant?"

"Lame Li from the woodshed!" Sunn Hexiang replied as she settled into her seat, cradling the teacup in her hands. "Don't be fooled by how disheveled Lame Li looks now; he was quite the dashing figure back in the day. Plus, Chu Yue once did him a favor, and there's a hint of something more between them."

"It's all just hearsay anyway, so it doesn't matter who we choose. The key is to make it convincing. The audience has to believe the performance, and that means Lame Li..."

"Don't worry, I've got leverage over Lame Li. He wouldn't dare defy me," Sunn Hexiang assured confidently.

Feng Xueyao nodded. "Whether this succeeds or not depends on Grandmother's stance."

"The old lady wants Tiange gone more than any of us. She'll cooperate, no doubt. It's just a matter of timing now!" Feng Xueyao agreed with Sunn Hexiang's assessment.

Just by the way Grandmother looked at Feng Tiange, it was clear how much she wanted Tiange gone before her.

"Mother thinks we should wait until after Tiange finishes the entrance exam. Then we'll strike, making sure she never recovers!" Sunn Hexiang's eyes gleamed with malice.

Feng Xueyao lowered her gaze, savoring the tea as its warmth spread through her.

"The sequence is off." Xueyao set down her teacup and looked up at her mother. "To truly strike at the heart, we should leak this information before Tiange takes her entrance exams for the Imperial Academy. No matter how prepared she is, she won't be able to get into the Literary Mansion or the Martial Academy. That's when she'll really hit rock bottom, facing an abyss."

Sunn Hexiang suddenly understood and praised her daughter's cleverness. As she did, a thought crossed her mind. "I heard from Ningxiu that Rong Qi visited. What was he here for?"

At the mention of 'Rong Qi,' Xueyao's cheeks flushed a rosy hue, and Sunn Hexiang quickly caught on. "Xueyao, you can't fall for someone like him. Who knows how long Rong Qi will last..."

"Mother!" Xueyao's expression changed abruptly, her cold gaze fixed on Sunn Hexiang. "Rong Qi is a prince, not someone we can casually talk about!"

Seeing her daughter so protective of Rong Qi, Sunn Hexiang spoke earnestly, "You're right, Rong Qi is a prince, but he's not a prince of this country. On the other hand, the Commander of the Palace Guards is quite a catch. If you marry him, you might end up as a lady of high rank someday!"

"Dugu Jin? Just a servant!" Xueyao scoffed, her lips curling in disdain. "My affairs are none of your concern, Mother. You should focus on dealing with Tiange and winning over Grandmother."

Sunn Hexiang knew her daughter appeared obedient on the surface, but she had a stubborn streak, so she decided to say no more.

The room fell silent as Feng Xueyao got up and returned to the couch, her gaze landing on the celadon teacup that Rong Qi had used...

The next day, Feng Tiange, following her usual routine, changed clothes and headed to the Nether Market. As soon as she stepped over the threshold, the shop assistant invited her into the inner hall.

In the past, she would simply pick up her medicine and leave, but today was different.

Inside, Xue Li stood up immediately upon seeing Feng Tiange, clenching his fist in a respectful gesture.

"What's this all about?" Feng Tiange had a hunch but didn't spell it out.

Xue Li, however, addressed her directly as Eldest Miss Feng.

"Sharp eyes, indeed," Feng Tiange replied without pretense. She had been prepared for recognition since she stepped forward the previous day.

"If it weren't for Mr. Chu's hint, I would never have guessed you were the Eldest Miss of the South Suppressing Marquis Mansion. My apologies!" Xue Li respectfully raised his fist, showing no disdain.

Just yesterday, this young lady, seen by the world as useless, had saved him from a dire situation. It goes to show that popular opinion isn't always the truth. Her quick thinking and decisiveness proved she was far from foolish or timid.

"Xue Li always repays kindness. Just say the word, Eldest Miss Feng, and if it's within my power, I'll do everything I can." Xue Li's words were driven by gratitude and instructions from the Four-sea Merchant Alliance.

Feng Tiange returned the greeting and took a seat. "To be honest, I do have a favor to ask of you, Mr. Xue."

Yesterday, when Yue mentioned Mrs. Zhao, Feng Tiange had stopped her from investigating further because it was inconvenient and might alert others. Therefore, she hoped Mr. Xue could discreetly look into Mrs. Zhao for her.

Mr. Xue agreed without hesitation.

"I just saw someone from the Marquis Mansion leaving the hall. Is someone ill?" Feng Tiange asked, shifting the topic after explaining her request.

"Oh, I heard that Miss Qin from the mansion caught a cold and came here to get some medicine."

Feng Tiange nodded thoughtfully. "The one getting the medicine..."

"That's Miss Qin's personal maid. She should be trustworthy," Mr. Xue shared all he knew.

Feng Tiange suspected that Qin Luoyi wasn't just suffering from a cold but was heartbroken. When Dugu Rou mentioned this marriage proposal back then, she hadn't taken it seriously and let Dugu Rou approach Beiming Yuan directly. In hindsight, she realized she had trusted those two heartless scoundrels too much!

"Could I trouble you for some paper and a pen?" Without further thought, Feng Tiange wrote two words on the paper, folded it, and handed it back to Mr. Xue. "Please slip this note into Miss Qin's medicine pouch."

Seeing Mr. Xue's hesitation, Feng Tiange smiled gently. "I assure you, this won't cause any trouble for the Virtue Helping Hall."

Xue Li agreed to the arrangement and promised that the next batch of medicine would be delivered directly to Tiange's place, saving her the trouble of changing outfits.

After leaving the Virtue Helping Hall, Tiange took a stroll around the Nether Market, glancing inside the Four-sea Merchant Alliance as she passed by. The grand architecture, with its golden roof and imposing stone walls, stood out distinctly from the local style. The large characters on the pure gold plaque, written in a special ink, seemed to exude a lingering fragrance even after many years.

Tiange recalled her encounter with the Master of the Four-sea Merchant Alliance and pondered. He had assured her that she could seek his help for any trouble in the Nether Market, but what about the Fish Market? Did Wen Yu truly have the influence to secure her a position there?

In Tiange's view, gaining control required proximity to the court, and the Fish Market was the best avenue for that. Many factions there were backed by influential officials. She didn't want to bother Wen Yu with trivial matters, nor did she want him to think she was taking advantage of his offer. Better to wait a bit longer...

After Tiange left, the window on the second floor of the Merchant Alliance shifted slightly. In a private booth, Rong Qi lazily leaned back in his chair, swirling a golden goblet in his hand. His charming eyes moved away from the window, deep in thought. "Why didn't she come in?" he mused.

"It seems she hasn't made up her mind yet." Nearby, Lei Yi placed the confidential file on the table.

Rong Qi shook his head. "If she hadn't made up her mind, she wouldn't be here. She must have decided... but finds it hard to say. What could be so difficult for her to speak about?"

"Marriage is usually a tough topic for women to bring up," Lei Yi said earnestly, with no hint of joking.

Rong Qi slowly looked up, his eyes narrowing slightly before widening into full moons. "Which eye of yours sees her as a woman?"