The Slender Waist-Chapter 535 - 382: Hidden Worries Inside_2

"Ayun, don’t worry about mother blaming you. Just order my second brother around as you please; his injury is much better now," said Puyang Yi.

Puyang Zong didn’t bring any servants; not even a single servant by his side.

Puyang Yi dashed to the carriage, which then rolled back towards them, and from inside, she threw out a bundle.

"Lady Yun, farewell. Second Brother, make sure to reform yourself. Mother and I will wait for your good news back at the mansion," she said.

Standing under the blistering sun, Puyang Zong looked at the mud-stained bundle with a desire to weep but no tears to shed, feeling as if he were being sliced by knives all over.

He had always been pampered since childhood, surrounded by people tending to his every need. When had he ever been in such a wretched state?

Feng Yun glanced at him, then at the bundle on the ground.

"The Commandery Prince should rest well today. We’ll resume lessons tomorrow," she said.

With that, she called Alou over.

"Find the Commandery Prince a decent room in the village school for his stay," she instructed.

Alou looked at her with difficulty.

"My lady, all the rooms at the village school are already occupied..."

Feng Yun frowned. "I remember that Master Zhao has a room to himself, doesn’t he? Why not let the Commandery Prince share with Master Zhao?"

Alou was taken aback, at a loss for words.

Puyang Zong’s face was nearly green with anger. His mother had sent him to live at the estate, and now he was in this woman’s hands. Was she really intent on stripping him of his dignity? As if having no servants wasn’t bad enough, was he now to share a room with some destitute scholar?

What was the difference between that and being in jail?

"I need not the Princess’s charity," he retorted.

Huffing with indignation, Puyang Zong scoffed, bent down to grab the bundle, and started walking back the way he had come without looking back.

Alou: "What do we do now, my lady?"

Feng Yun raised her eyebrows lightly. "Let him be."

Before long, Puyang Zong was no longer visible on the main road.

Feng Yun didn’t mind. She turned around and took Xiaoman to gather some wild amaranth from the ground. They took them back home, asked the cook to wash them clean, and she prepared to steam some buns for Yuan Shangyi herself.

The little fellow would be going with her to the village school tomorrow. She had promised him a special meal tonight, something he hadn’t tasted before.

To make the child happy.

She herself was quite delighted.

Feng Yun was more than willing to put in the effort.

As the sky darkened and the buns were just placed in the pot, Alou’s urgent voice emanated from outside.

"My lady, my lady, the Prince of Danyang... the Prince of Danyang he..."

Feng Yun turned to look at him, his forehead dripping with sweat.

"Speak slowly, what’s the rush?"

Alou said, "He has returned and is sitting just outside the estate."

Feng Yun pursed her lips, wiped her hands on her apron, told the cook to keep an eye on the buns, and said nonchalantly, "I’ll go take a look."

The Prince of Danyang must have gone through something, for he was covered in dust, his clothes torn, his shoes dirty, his hair disheveled, and he sat there dispirited, as if he had lost his soul.

Feng Yun approached and bowed. "I had no knowledge of the Commandery Prince’s presence, and I failed to welcome you from afar..."

"What presence? I’ve come to beg," said Puyang Zong, his eyes devoid of light, staring coldly at her.

"I have nowhere else to go, Princess. Please let me stay."

Feng Yun looked at him, fell silent for a moment, and then turned to look at Alou.

"Take the Commandery Prince to wash up, and see that he’s settled comfortably," she instructed.

Alou bowed. "As you command."

-

When the night fell, Puyang Yi learned that her second brother had been taken in by Feng Yun at her estate, and she was overjoyed.

"I will report back to Mother."

Today’s developments were all due to her own instigation and the persuasion of the Eldest Princess.

Puyang Zong had been idle and ambitionless, and if he continued to associate with rascals like Yuan Kang, he would truly be ruined.

While the Eldest Princess was overindulgent with her children, she did not want them to turn into good-for-nothings.

With Puyang Yi constantly whispering in her ear, she gave it further thought and though naive, her daughter’s plan seemed feasible.

By leaving Puyang Zong in Andu, he would inevitably be separated from Yuan Kang and his ilk. Moreover, her relationship with the Prince of Yonghuai was tense, especially after the incident involving Little Jieqiu...

Why not take this opportunity to draw a clear line between her son and those people?

That was how she saw it. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Puyang Yi, of course, had her own ulterior motives.

"Mother, next to our house is General Wen’s property. I heard from Ayun that they are choosing an auspicious day to start construction. I’ve recommended our artisans to her, and I’ll see to it that the price is lowered a bit..."

The Eldest Princess understood her daughter’s intentions. What daughter doesn’t have her desires?

"Rebellious thing!" she chuckled. "Are you pushing your second brother off to Huaxi Village just so you can cozy up to General Wen?"

Puyang Yi’s eyes widened. "Not at all! Isn’t it just for my second brother’s sake, for him to cleanse his heart and start anew?"

The Eldest Princess snorted, poking her on the forehead.

"Do you think I don’t know you?"

Puyang Yi touched her forehead and sighed deeply. "General Wen used to be quite amiable to me, but since my brother’s incident, he doesn’t even care to notice me. What chance do I have now to get close to him?"