The Slender Waist-Chapter 603 - 435: When the Master Rises to Power, His Followers Prosper

Chapter 603: Chapter 435: When the Master Rises to Power, His Followers Prosper

The eunuch’s voice, slightly high-pitched and hoarse, carried from a distance, carrying a certain majesty and shifting the attention of those gathered.

The village already housed a reclusive, ailing Emperor and the Grand Princess who accompanied her son for medical treatment, so why had an imperial decree from the Empress Dowager arrived now?

Though they had grown accustomed to the presence of illustrious figures, the villagers’ curiosity was still uncontainable.

A collective turning of heads resembled a wave of people, all looking towards the village path—

Feng Yun wasted no time commanding Xing Bing to keep a close watch on Lady Chen and her group, quickly setting down the hand warmer, rising to her feet, straightening her clothes, and stepping down the stairs to receive the visitor.

The sound of horse hooves grew steadily closer.

It wasn’t just one person, but three or four.

Feng Yun’s eyes focused, and even though she was somewhat prepared, she was slightly taken aback to see that the person leading the group was Xu Yong, the Chief Eunuch from the Empress Dowager’s side.

Wei Zheng from the Imperial Cavalry Division had once told her.

The Empress Dowager was of a gentle and weak disposition, possessing no talent for governance. For internal affairs, she would ask the eunuch Xu Yong, for external affairs, she would consult Prime Minister Ao Zheng, and she had no opinions of her own.

At that time, she had her suspicions about this Xu Yong’s background, but separated by the deep seclusion of the palace walls, she had no means to investigate further, and on Pei Jue’s side, it probably wasn’t worth it to offend the Empress Dowager over a mere eunuch...

Xu Yong appeared to be around thirty years of age, with a long, pale, thin face—more youthful than Feng Yun had imagined—but his actions were exceedingly stable. Dismounting his horse, he did not utter a second word before saluting Feng Yun.

"Xuanguang Hall eunuch Xu Yong, greets the Princess of Yonghuai."

Feng Yun returned the courtesy politely, smiling, "Unaware of your arrival, I regret not having greeted you sooner. Please forgive me, Eunuch."

Xu Yong’s gaze swept over that enchanting face, and seeing nothing but goodwill, he too smiled in response, exchanging pleasantries, then bowed again with clasped hands.

"I have been tasked to convey Her Highness the Empress Dowager’s imperial edict. Will the Princess receive the decree?"

Feng Yun quickly composed herself and bowed to receive the order.

Xu Yong shook the silk in his hand and began in a light voice:

"In the first year of TianShou, on the twenty-seventh day of the winter month, by the august decree: The Princess of Yonghuai, of the Feng Family, knowledgeable and rational, virtuous and pure, highly talented, has repeatedly achieved great feats, ensuring peace for the people of Andu and fostering their devotion towards Jin. Her virtue and talent render her a paragon of womanly virtue, her name to be cherished for all eternity. She is hereby bestowed the title of Chief Historian of the Prince of Yonghuai Residence, in recognition of her meritorious services..."

A stir arose from all around.

Feng Yun was Dajin’s first female Village Chief.

Was she now to become the first female Chief Historian as well?

But if she were to serve as Chief Historian, who would succeed her as Village Chief?

Amid the curious stares of the onlookers, Xu Yong paused, slowly pursed his lips, half-closed his eyes, and continued to read at a measured pace.

"By the Empress Dowager’s august decree, since the digging of the Changhe, the population of Huaxi has steeply grown; its old system is now largely inadequate. Henceforth, Huaxi Village is hereby elevated to Huaxi Township, with the Feng Family to assume the position of the first Township Chief, governing Huaxi in recognition of their virtue."

Huaxi Township?

The villagers’ eyes widened suddenly.

Feng Yun’s promotion had little to do with them, and offered no direct benefits; at most, it was a lively spectacle, but the administrative ascension of Huaxi was intrinsically linked to their own fates.

Under Jin’s old system, a hundred households constituted a li, ten li made an ting, and ten ting comprised one township...

My goodness!

From now on, how vast Huaxi Township must become.

The villagers were very excited.

Not only would they ride on the coattails of Feng Shi Er Niang, but the village of Huaxi itself was ascending!

"Do we no longer call her the ’Lady Village Chief,’ but instead..."

"’Lady Township Chief’?"

"This title sounds good, it feels intimate."

"Township Chief, our kin, excellent."

The villagers wore expressions of joy, but they spoke in hushed tones, fearful their chatter might disrupt the reading of the eunuch’s decree, to Xu Yong’s ears sounding like the buzzing of bees...

He frowned slightly, then continued to read out a list of awarded treasures, pausing briefly before looking up at Feng Yun, closing the silk and extending it with both hands.

"Her Highness the Empress Dowager also has a verbal command, hoping Minister Feng will diligently support the Prince of Yonghuai and jointly uphold the majesty of Dajin."

Feng Yun replied with profound respect, her expression unchanged, her smile fitting but revealing none of the excitement of unexpected promotion.

"The Feng woman thanks Her Majesty for her grace." She accepted the silk with both hands, ascended the steps, and placed it upon the altar.

Observing her demeanor made the crowd seem to understand.

The purpose of the altar with offerings at Changmen was to regulate the village rule, as well as to await this very decree.

Even from afar in Huaxi, the villagers had some understanding of the political situation.

The current Empress Dowager was but a puppet. Despite her decree bringing tremendous benefits to Feng Yun and Huaxi Village, she may not have wished it so...

Clearly, these orders came at the behest of the Prince of Yonghuai.

For Feng Yun to have known so early on, was it not usual?

The people speculated wildly in their minds.

But in truth, apart from knowing her rise to Chief Historian of the Royal Residence, Feng Yun had not heard a single word from Pei Jue on the other matters.

Of course, this was joy upon joy.

Having received the Empress Dowager’s decree, she turned and had Alou take Xu Yong inside to rest with some tea.

"I still have some minor matters to attend to; I will pay my respects later, and beg your pardon for any inattention, Eunuch."

Xu Yong had already noticed the unusual gathering in the village.

So many people assembled under the pagoda tree, not busy with serious matters, then what were they doing?

His expression indicated his musings, "Is the Princess holding court here to adjudicate a case?"

Feng Yun was unfazed, the smile on her face fixed just right, neither too broad nor too sparse, perfectly conveying amicability.

"You flatter me, Eunuch Xu," she said with a casual chuckle, "It’s just a matter of dealing with a rule breach in the village..."

Before she could finish, Lady Chen’s cries erupted.

"Eunuch Xu, save me!"

As a lady bestowed with an imperial command and a daughter and wife of the Chen Family, how could she, in front of so many people, be subjected to punishment by lowly servants and be flogged on a bench?

If Feng Yun really did that, where would her dignity be placed?

From now on, how could she ever show her face again?

She looked at Xu Yong with eyes that grasped at straws, filled with earnest hope.

"Eunuch, I come from Bingzhou, the wife of Prefectural Governor Feng Jingteng..."

After a slight pause, she looked venomously at Feng Yun, grinding her teeth and adding, word by word:

"The mother of Feng Shi Er Niang."

Xu Yong made a sound of acknowledgment, showing an expression of wanting to hear more.

Feng Yun’s gaze swept between him and Lady Chen, her lips slightly curved, and she slowly added four words.

"Wicked stepmother."

Xu Yong glanced over, chuckling to himself.

Lady Chen hurriedly said, "Eunuch, please judge for me..."

She repeated her earlier claims in front of Xu Yong.

"This property originally belongs to the Feng Family, isn’t Feng Shi Er Niang simply seizing it?"

Xu Yong’s brows slightly furrowed, and after a long while, he looked back at Lady Chen.

"Madam, I am but a... eunuch."

Feng Yun secretly snorted with laughter, her gaze icy cold.

"As for the property matter, I have already made it clear to the madam; it can be settled in the government office. There is no need to discuss it further here. But village rules must be carried out no matter what. If the village rules are not upright, how can Huaxi Village... no, Huaxi Township be governed, and how should I, as the Township Chief, act?"

She bowed to Xu Yong.

"Please, Eunuch, move to the parlor, and after I have finished the punishment, I will come to serve tea."

Feng Yun spoke politely, but Xu Yong dared not accept the offer of "serving tea" from the Princess of Yonghuai.

"I dare not, I dare not. The Princess may do as she pleases; I respectfully decline."

He bent down, his body lower than Feng Yun’s, before slowly straightening up, his gaze fleetingly passing over Lady Chen’s panicked face with a slight smile, he straightened his back and followed Alou straight to the parlor.

From the crowd, there came a low sigh of relief.

Feng Yun turned her head, meeting Lady Chen’s spiteful eyes.

"What are you waiting for? Carry out the village rules."

All attendants responded in unison, "Yes."

-

That day, the screams and curses in Huaxi Village lasted for a good half an hour.

From Lady Chen to the attendants, each received fifty lashes, none were spared.

Only Lady Chen’s pair of children and the four maidservants by her side escaped this misfortune.

Feng Zhen had already cried her eyes out to the point of becoming a tearful mess.

Feng Liang cried and shouted, several times trying to run to Lady Chen’s side, only to be pulled back by a maidservant, and he shouted loudly at Feng Yun.

He couldn’t understand, what was happening.

It wasn’t like this with his elder sister before...

Not to mention his mother, even he could easily get angry in front of his elder sister, and she never dared to talk back.

So, the young Feng Liang, despite his bewilderment, couldn’t control his childish temperament and attempted to vent his anger and humiliation by questioning and yelling at Feng Yun.

Feng Yun looked at him calmly, coldly saying, "If you have guts, take these fifty lashes for your mother. Then I will spare her. How about that?"

Feng Liang’s face turned pale in an instant.

Ashamed, he bit his lower lip, staring at Feng Yun and shaking his head:

"You’re not my elder sister, you’re a demon, a flesh-eating demon."

Feng Yun scoffed, "Take him away. If I hear another shout, he will be punished along with the others."

Feng Liang clamped his mouth shut as quickly as Feng Yun gave the order.

Even Feng Zhen’s crying stopped abruptly.

Feng Yun allowed herself a small smile.

So this was the filial piety Lady Chen wanted, quite an eye-opener.

That day, Lady Chen was carried and thrown onto the carriage, and to avoid frightening the children in the village, Feng Yun had someone wrap her in a blanket to cover the bloody marks on her buttocks.

As the carriage left Huaxi, Lady Chen was still cursing.

Her voice had gone completely hoarse, grating like a broken gong.

But what was surprising was that the pampered lady of status managed to endure fifty lashes without fainting from the pain...

Feng Yun liked to be firmly in the right before taking action, and this bout felt very gratifying.

It was just slightly lacking—if she had known the Chen Family’s woman could take a beating like that, she should have hit her a few more times.

Regarding her actions of punishing the stepmother, the views among the onlookers were inconsistent; each had his or her own opinion, virtually polar opposites.

But Feng Yun, as if oblivious, watched with a smile as Lady Chen’s carriage left, and then she turned to the crowd, speaking warmly:

"On the sixth and seventh of the twelfth lunar month, to celebrate Huaxi becoming a township, Changmen will sponsor a two-day banquet, to share the joy with the fellow townsfolk."

The crowd was slightly startled at first.

Then came a thunderous chorus of congratulations and cheers.