The Slender Waist

Feng Yun squinted her eyes.

The sun was intense, and she faced the light directly. It took her a moment to see clearly who stepped down from the carriage, it was Feng Residence’s steward, Jin Zhitong.

Xiaoman also saw and called out in surprise,

"Father..."

Her voice trailed off, dropping in tone at the end.

"Why have you come?"

Jin Zhitong did not come alone.

He ignored Xiaoman, bowed to Feng Yun, and after greeting her, turned his head to pull back the carriage curtain, carrying out two small children.

Feng Zhen, Feng Liang.

At the side of the carriage, there was also a child who was Xiaoman’s younger brother, the twelve-year-old Jin Yansheng.

Daman had returned to the Feng surname and Xiaoman had been following Feng Yun all year round. With both of her sons already starting their own families, Jin Zhitong had only Yansheng as his child under his care.

Bringing his son over now, what was he intending to do?

Feng Yun looked on expressionlessly, not saying a word.

Xiaoman watched as her father approached with the three children, bowing and scraping in a manner that was both awkward and embarrassed, as if she wished she could disappear into a crack in the ground.

"Father, why did you bring them here?"

Jin Zhitong glared at her,

"What them, ’them’? These are the young lady and young masters of the main house, show some respect!"

He scolded his daughter as if it was the most natural thing to do, not even pausing to consider that this was Feng Yun’s place. Scolding someone else’s servant girl, was it really proper...

Xiaoman’s eyes reddened with the injustice.

Originally, her father had ruthlessly offered her in filial service to Feng Jingteng, claiming it was to protect Feng Twelve. As for what he truly thought, who knew?

Since leaving that home, Xiaoman had lived a better life than before, free and at ease. Although at times in the dead of night she would suddenly remember her parents’ heartlessness, her simple and honest nature allowed her to forget these thoughts upon waking.

But she couldn’t restrain the feelings that arose when her father scolded her to her face.

Habits instilled by Changmen made her retort without thinking,

"They are not from my main house. My only master is the lady..."

Jin Zhitong looked at her incredulously, "What nonsense are you spouting, you ungrateful creature?"

Xiaoman, glared at by her father, trembled slightly in the shoulders and dared not make another sound.

Grandma Han became so angry her face changed colors as she pointed at Jin Zhitong and scolded him,

"Shameless old thing, you bully others relying on your power, even daring to bully Shi’er Niang..."

Jin Zhitong, however, did not dare to bully anyone and said in a low voice, his hands clasped together in a gesture of submission,

"I dare not, I dare not, this servant simply follows orders, please, lady, calm your anger."

With a smile and an arched eyebrow, Feng Yun said, "Steward Jin, did you not understand? Let me repeat it for Xiaoman. She’s no longer a servant of the Feng Family. Who gave you the audacity to point fingers and give orders to my people in front of me?"

Jin Zhitong was completely stunned.

He was a loyal servant to Feng Jingteng.

He was highly respected in the Feng Household.

Not to speak of Xiaoman, even the former Feng Twelve had to behave properly in front of him.

However, Shi’er Niang of today was no longer the person she had been before.

In his heart, Jin Zhitong mentally cursed and bent over continuously, pleading for mercy,

"This servant misspoke, please forgive me, my lady, please forgive me."

Seeing Xiaoman’s face on the verge of tears, Feng Yun decided not to make it hard on her father anymore. She glanced at Feng Zhen and Feng Liang and asked lazily,

"Steward Jin wouldn’t visit without cause. What’s the matter, speak up."

With a smile returning to his face, Jin Zhitong presented a letter to Feng Yun.

"This is a letter from the master to the lady."

Feng Yun took it, placed it on the desk, and didn’t look at it.

A muscle twitched on Jin Zhitong’s cheek, and he forced a smile, "The master has heard that Huaxi Village School is enrolling students, he sent me to bring the young lady and the young masters to visit their elder sister and to learn arithmetic with her..."

At this point, he also pulled his own son closer and pushed him towards Feng Yun without any pretense,

"The boy is to accompany the young master as his attendant."

It must be said, Jin Zhitong was truly loyal.

Willingly offering his own children like animals to serve the Feng family, without a single word of complaint.

Feng Yun smiled slightly,

"Have you inquired, Steward Jin, how much Shuxiu I charge for enrolling students from outside the village?"

Jin Zhitong’s expression changed,

"That... "

Pay Shuxiu for his own siblings?

Where was the sense in that?

He did not dare to voice his thoughts, but smiled awkwardly,

"That... The master didn’t mention this when I left, I truly do not know."

"Well then," Feng Yun said, "that’s an easy matter to resolve."

Feng Yun let out a soft smile and said unexpectedly:

"Leave the person here, and go back to tell my father. The rules of Changmen must not be compromised. It’s fine to keep Feng Zhen and Feng Liang here for study, but whatever Shuxiu others pay, for these two, it must be doubled."

What?

Doubled!

Jin Zhitong had already heard that wealthy families spared no expense to send their children to Huaxi Village to study, simply to learn the extraordinary arithmetic that enabled Feng Yun to overcome Yan Buxi in Mingquan Town and clinch the victory.

At that time, Feng Jingteng and Lady Chen had already discussed this.

If they sent the children to study, could the elder sister not care?

If others paid a high price, wouldn’t they stand to make a profit?

Who would have thought that Feng Yun would demand double as soon as she spoke...

"Madam, this... It’s not right to do this to one’s own family."

Jin Zhitong finally plucked up the courage to haggle, but Feng Yun just smiled brightly, without the slightest hint of anger.

"Steward Jin is right, there’s no need for formality among family. It wasn’t easy to run this village school; it cost a lot of money both inside and out, and I’m short of funds. Family should indeed help out."

"But how can you charge double? Isn’t this unfair treatment?"

"Of course, it’s double. When others come to study, I don’t take care of food and drink, much less their upbringing. But when our own family comes, I have to provide for them, right? And if they do something wrong, as the elder sister, don’t I have to discipline them? Doesn’t all that take effort? And shouldn’t effort be compensated?!"

What kind of reasoning is this?

To send her there to be scolded and punished, and still have to pay her money?

Cold sweat broke out on Jin Zhitong’s forehead.

But Feng Yun just stretched lazily.

"The sun is so jubilant today; it’s nice to receive money in broad daylight. Let’s leave it at that..."

She said this and turned her head to look at Xiaoman.

"Take your brother and the young master and young lady inside, and arrange where they will stay. Make sure not to wrong them; they are still children after all."

Her tone was dead serious, not a hint of a smile to be seen, and certainly, no other emotions were visible either, giving off an entirely unfathomable impression.

Sweat trickled down Jin Zhitong’s back.

But at this point...

He had at least completed half of the master’s task, right?

"Xiaoman!" He raised his hand wanting to call his daughter to say something, but seeing Feng Yun give him an icy side glance, he smiled awkwardly and then kindly said:

"You, remember to take good care of Yansheng and look after the young lady and young master."

Xiaoman responded quietly.

Jin Zhitong then gestured to summon the several maids and menservants standing by.

"Quickly, follow them. Take good care of the two young masters."

The maids and menservants answered in unison.

At this time, Feng Yun’s face slowly turned around.

"Bringing so many people... that’ll cost extra."

All these servants were old retainers of the Feng Family, and they were very familiar with Feng Twelve, but the person before them seemed so strange, as if she wasn’t the same person...

Feng Yun acted as if she didn’t see the scrutinizing gazes, and had Xiang Zhong bring over paper and pen to roughly calculate the Shuxiu and the expenses of the Feng Family members traveling to Changmen, then handed the bill to Jin Zhitong.

"You can go back now. No need for farewells."

Jin Zhitong carefully tucked it into his chest, his heart feeling ice-cold...

Why did it feel like the lord had miscalculated again?

Isn’t this just like pushing one’s own children into a pit of fire as hostages?

Jin Zhitong drove the carriage away.

Xiaoman, in the room, wept bitterly to herself.

After so long, her father had not brought her a single thing, not even asked her how she was doing, nor did he utter a word of apology. Only reprimands and scoldings, without a trace of warmth.

"I’m his daughter, am I born owing him? If I don’t comply with him, am I unfilial?"

"You don’t owe him." Feng Yun walked in and said, "Having you was their need, not yours. Those who only give birth without raising have no right to talk about filial piety..."

Xiaoman was already emotional, and upon hearing Feng Yun’s voice, she sobbed even louder.

Feng Yun embraced her, comforting her for a while until Xiaoman stopped crying. Then she patted her and turned to call Alou.

"Go invite the Crown Prince for a chat."

Alou acknowledged the request and went off with a grin.

Lately, Chunyu Yan was always coming to the estate to "scrounge for food and drink," and everyone got used to him, so they were no longer as intimidated as before.

This was especially true for Alou.

Initially, when he went to Huayuejian, he was severely beaten by Chunyu Yan, nearly to the point of skin and flesh bursting. Before, seeing the fickle Crown Prince of Yunchuan, he would have walked around him, but now he even dared to speak plainly in front of him.

"Crown Prince, our lady has invited you."

Chunyu Yan raised his eyebrows slightly, his haughty demeanor unchanged, "At this hour of the day, what does she want me for?"

The word "again" made Xiang Zhong and Yin You, along with a few other servants, exchange a glance, their eyes filled with indescribable emotions. Then, following the Crown Prince’s instructions, they produced a forced, unsmiling smile. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

"Crown Prince, since the lady has kindly invited you, why not see what she wants?"

Chunyu Yan was pleased and slowly stood up.

"I shall change my clothes."