C9 Second Room

She could feel the coldness in Feng Qing's eyes. If it weren't for her father's silence over the years, the old lady and the entire South Suppressing Marquis Mansion wouldn't have been so rampant. She felt indignant for Silver Mask but wouldn't overly blame Feng Qing. After all, there were reasons, and Feng Qing was one of the few generals in the court not bought by Beiming Yuan. She cared about what Silver Mask cared about, but only if it was worth it.

"Don't speak nonsense!" Feng Qing snapped angrily.

"Yes, the city search was ordered by the Crown Prince. Big sister shouldn't speak carelessly," Feng Xueyao chimed in, pretending to be helpful.

Feng Tiange sneered, "Then the Crown Prince really doesn't take Uncle seriously. Among the four great Marquis Mansions of the capital, Dugu Jin bypassed the Martial Peace, Huaiyin, and the other Marquis Mansions, yet thoroughly searched our South Suppressing Marquis Mansion. It's tough for Uncle, still working under the Crown Prince."

"The Crown Prince values Father!" Feng Xueyao retorted, slightly taken aback.

"Perhaps..." Feng Tiange dismissed Feng Xueyao, turning to face Feng Qing as she continued, "I didn't let the guards search the Silk Garden to protect the dignity of our South Suppressing Marquis Mansion. As for injuring Lord Dugu, it was because he suspected me of being Silver Mask the moment he entered the Silk Garden. Such a grave accusation would implicate Father. Losing the Marquis title is one thing, but if the Crown Prince truly valued Uncle, he wouldn't let the title fall to another family. My main concern is Father's safety."

The room was filled with sharp minds. If the Crown Prince truly favored the second branch of the family, then supporting them to rise to prominence wasn't out of the question. Otherwise, how could anyone explain why Dugu Jin suspected Feng Tiange of being the Silver Mask? They were two people who seemingly had nothing to do with each other!

Feng Xueyao's face flushed with frustration. She never imagined she'd be rendered speechless by this ugly situation. Claiming the Crown Prince favored her father might raise suspicions with her uncle, but denying it would be a contradiction.

"Alright, alright! At the end of the day, you were wrong to injure Lord Dugu, and you're still being stubborn!" The old lady spoke up, clearly trying to give her second granddaughter a way out. The matriarch of the South Suppressing Marquis Mansion was known for her bias toward her second son and doted on his children as if they were her own.

"Don't worry, Grandmother. If my sister admits her mistake, I'm willing to speak on her behalf to Lord Dugu and try to keep the matter from reaching the Crown Prince," Feng Xueyao said, picking up a teacup from the nearby table and offering it to her grandmother with a dutiful smile. "Have some tea, Grandmother, and calm down."

Calm down? What exactly did she do wrong? Feng Tiange thought, unconcerned.

"That's settled then. Yao, you're so sensible. As for you, go apologize to Lord Dugu tomorrow..."

Even though they're both granddaughters, the old lady couldn't even be bothered to call her by name! Such family ties, yet she stubbornly protects them—it's truly not worth it.

Nearby, Feng Qing was about to speak, but the old lady's glare silenced her. It wasn't fear that held her tongue, but respect for her elders. Throughout her life, Feng Qing had never defied the old lady of the house, except for marrying Chu Yue.

"No need for an apology. My granddaughter just returned from the palace. When the Empress Dowager heard about this, she summoned both the Crown Prince and Dugu Jin. The Crown Prince realized it was Dugu Jin's oversight and punished him with fifty lashes. Let's consider this matter settled," Feng Tiange said, clearly disappointed in Feng Qing, and turned to the old lady with a calm demeanor.

"You went to the palace to see... the Empress Dowager?" The old lady was astonished, and Feng Xueyao was equally incredulous, even Feng Qing glanced over in surprise.

Feng Tiange lifted her head confidently. "It's been a while since I last saw my Royal Grandma. Naturally, after returning from Puning Temple, I went to the palace to pay my respects. What's wrong with that?"

Her question, "What's wrong with that?" left everyone speechless. Feng Tiange was indeed close to the Empress Dowager, so there was nothing inappropriate about it. Yet, this girl had never flaunted this connection before. Despite her mother's awkward status in the kingdom and Feng Tiange's own appearance being a disgrace to the royal family, even the old lady felt ashamed to have such a granddaughter.

Tiange knew her grandmother feared the cold in winter, so she made a special trip to the market to get two sets of herbal foot warmers. She had already handed them to the nanny in the outer hall. There was also a knee warmer for her father, which might come in handy as he trained his troops with the winter solstice approaching.

Feng Qing heard this and paused slightly but didn't speak.

"If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave," Tiange said, turning to go but then stopped as if remembering something. "Oh, and about Crescent, she was sent by the Empress Dowager years ago and is considered part of my Silk Garden household. If she makes any mistakes, there's no need for anyone else to correct her."

"Big Sister often visits Puning Temple, and there's no one in charge at the Silk Garden..."

Tiange turned her gaze to Feng Xueyao, her eyes calm yet carrying a hint of cold authority. "From now on, I won't be leaving the Silk Garden. Not ever again."