Chapter 679 - 457: Rage Meter Maxed Out

Chapter 679: Chapter 457: Rage Meter Maxed Out

Song Yunzhao resealed the letter and looked at Feng Yunjin. "Put the letter back and make sure it reaches Qin Wan Yi’s hands safely."

Feng Yunjin understood Lady Ming’s intention to keep fishing. She took the letter and asked softly, "Lady Shufei is a bit hesitant. One batch of palace attendants from Jincui Garden has already been sent away. If we send away the rest, I’m afraid there won’t be enough staff, especially with His Majesty staying at the garden to escape the summer heat."

Song Yunzhao smiled. "That’s simple. Just add the next batch of palace attendants to the register of those leaving the palace. We can release them after His Majesty returns to the palace." She paused, a glint in her eyes. "Relay a message to Lady Shufei. If she finds any more of Qin Wan Yi’s people, tell her not to alert them. Just add their names to the list and then leak it."

Feng Yunjin grew pensive. The last batch of attendants had been sent out of the palace directly. Even if Qin Wan Yi had wanted to interfere, she was afraid of alerting Consort Shu and Lady Ming, so she had to be extremely careful. It was truly difficult for them to get any leverage on her. Even when they secretly interrogated people and passed the information along, Qin Wan Yi remained completely unshaken.

It just went to show how formidable Qin Wan Yi’s self-control was. Feng Yunjin, who considered herself a very patient person, couldn’t help but admire her in that moment.

However, now Lady Ming was adding names to the list but delaying their dismissal until after His Majesty’s return, which left an opening.

If Qin Wan Yi didn’t want to lose this final opportunity, she would have to make a move before her last few agents were sent away.

That way, the moment she acted, she would fall right into Lady Ming’s trap.

Feng Yunjin was filled with admiration. "Your Highness, this plan is brilliant," she said to Lady Ming. "Lady Shufei will finally be able to rest easy for a few days."

The thought of Consort Shu’s face made Song Yunzhao chuckle. "Don’t tell Han Jinyi or the others about this for now," she said to Feng Yunjin. "The more people who know, the more likely it is to leak. It’s not that I don’t trust them, but walls have ears."

Feng Yunjin nodded. "Your Highness is right. The fewer who know, the safer we are." She paused for a moment before adding, "I think this letter should reach Qin Wan Yi on the same day the list is leaked. That will make her feel even more desperate."

Desperation leads to missteps.

"We’ll do as you suggest," Song Yunzhao said with a smile. "Thank you for your trouble, running back and forth like this."

Feng Yunjin smiled. "Your Highness has shown me immeasurable kindness. I could never hope to repay even a fraction of it."

Song Yunzhao looked at Feng Yunjin. "If you’re going to talk like that, then you might as well go rest. I’ll have Wang Zhaorong handle this difficult trip for me."

Feng Yunjin tucked the letter into her sleeve. "I will take my leave now."

Feng Yunjin left with a smile, and Song Yunzhao smiled as well.

A day later, Song Yunzhao was having lunch with Feng Yi and their son when a note from the Madam was suddenly delivered to Jincui Garden.

Feng Yi watched Yun Zhao open the note and asked casually, "Delivered with such urgency... Is there a problem at the Marquis Wenxin’s Mansion?"

Song Yunzhao shook her head. "I’m not sure. My aunt hasn’t sent a note to the palace in a long time. Let me take a look."

Feng Yi saw that Feng Ze had finished eating and was growing restless. He called Meng Jiuchang in and told him to take Feng Ze to play with his companions, instructing the guards to follow.

Feng Ze was overjoyed. He bowed to his father the Emperor and his mother, then bolted outside, with Meng Jiuchang hurrying to keep up with the Eldest Prince.

Feng Yi picked up his bowl and slowly sipped his soup. Noticing Yun Zhao’s expression had soured, he asked, "What’s happened?"

Song Yunzhao’s expression was grim. "The Cai Family has been using the Marquis Mansion’s name to lend out money, and now it’s led to a death."

Feng Yi’s brow furrowed. Thanks to Yun Zhao, he was familiar enough with the Song Family that a moment’s thought was all it took to recall that Marchioness Wenxin’s father was the Minister of the Ministry of War. The man was a mediocre official who had been stuck in his position for many years; for him, further advancement was as difficult as ascending to heaven.

’To think he’s so incompetent at managing his own household too. Naturally, the daughter he raised is no better.’

"What do you intend to do?" Feng Yi asked. Seeing the dark look on Yun Zhao’s face, he knew she must already have a plan.

Yun Zhao said huffily, "The Cai Family was already using my name to conduct their affairs two years ago! I had my aunt pass a message to the Marchioness, and things quieted down for a while. I can’t believe that now that they don’t dare use my name, they’re using the Marquis Mansion’s to aid their villainy. They simply refuse to learn their lesson! What choice do I have? It has to be handled by the book!"

Feng Yi: ...

’Very impartial.’

"If you handle this by the book, I’m afraid outsiders will inevitably call you heartless."

"Let them talk! It’s not like their opinions put food on my table!" Song Yunzhao grew angrier the more she thought about it. "If they don’t learn a harsh lesson now, I’m afraid they’ll cause even greater trouble later. You just wait and see. I’m sure some Imperial Censor will be moving to impeach my father and me by tomorrow."

’She’s probably right about that,’ Feng Yi thought. ’The court is certainly going to be lively tomorrow.’

Just as he was thinking this, he heard Yun Zhao say, "In my heart, Your Majesty’s honor is more important than my own life. How could I allow you to be disgraced because of me? Your Majesty, please rest assured. I will give you a full account of this matter!"

Feng Yi was stunned. ’Shouldn’t those words be the other way around?’

Song Yunzhao immediately called for Zhang Maoquan and ordered, "Go to the Ning’an Bo Mansion at once. Request that Madam Ning Anbo bring Marchioness Wenxin here to Jincui Garden."

Zhang Maoquan glanced at the Emperor. Seeing His Majesty give a slight nod, he acknowledged the order and departed.

Feng Yi took Yun Zhao’s hand. "Don’t let these worthless people anger you to the point of ruining your health. Just handle this however you see fit."

A good part of Song Yunzhao’s reaction was for Feng Yi’s benefit, but her anger was also genuine.

She had thought that after the incident with Song Qinghan, Mrs. Cai had finally learned her lesson, and she herself could finally relax a little without worrying about what new trouble she might cause. Well, it seemed Mrs. Cai had indeed quieted down, but now the entire Cai Family had surfaced.

She truly felt not an ounce of affection for her mother’s family.

"I just don’t understand how the Cai Family has the nerve to do something like this. Ever since I was a child, they favored Song Qinghan and pretended I didn’t exist. Whenever Marchioness Wenxin went north to visit her family, she never took me, and the Cai Family never once sent even a small gift back for me with her. Since they never gave me a second thought, why are they resorting to such shameless tactics now?"

They ignore you when they don’t need you and come fawning when they do.

There’s a saying about clutching the Buddha’s feet at the last moment, but the Cai Family is so shameless they didn’t even bother with that pretense. They just went right ahead and took what they wanted.

Seeing Yun Zhao so furious, Feng Yi said, "The Cai Family acts with such foolishness. It must be that Steward Cai is incapable of managing his own house. We shall have him return home to properly sort out his domestic affairs."

Song Yunzhao hugged Feng Yi’s arm, her eyes welling up. She pressed her lips together, not saying a word.

Seeing her like this made his heart ache. What had been a flicker of irritation instantly erupted into a full-blown rage.

He couldn’t bear to see even a hint of sadness in Yun Zhao.