The Slender Waist-Chapter 110 - 85: Lord of Pingyuan County

"Andu Army had crossed the Huaishui River and reached Xinzhou City by night; what was Xiao Cheng doing?"

"Upon receiving the news, would it infuriate him to death?"

Feng Yun, with her worries hidden in her heart, drove her little donkey cart slowly and leisurely to Yutangchun, only to find the entrance was blocked by a crowd.

Sharp curses emanated from inside.

"A contract may be drafted, but what’s it worth if it’s not registered at the office? It doesn’t count!"

"You ungrateful hag, thinking you’re someone because I showed you favor?"

"You think just because you manage Yutangchun, you can stand tall? Have you forgotten how lowly you looked in bed..."

The one hurling insults was the eldest son of the You Family, a prominent household in the city who had redeemed Wen Hui. This scoundrel had pawned two of his family’s shops to Yutangchun the day before, intending to abscond with his concubine and flee for his life.

Today, upon hearing that the Andu Army had crossed the Huaishui River and attacked Xinzhou City, Andu seemed safer than any other place. He immediately regretted his decision and wanted to take back his shops...

Of course, Wen Hui would not agree.

But she was unable to utter any harsh words, especially in front of her former master. Tears welled up in her eyes as she was humiliated to her heart’s content.

Most of Yutangchun’s workers were hired after it opened; none dared to stand up and offend the prominent figures of the city.

The onlookers, witnessing the pretty manager’s past exposed, did nothing but enjoy the spectacle. Along with bursts of laughter, there were those who took joy in misfortune, teasing You Dalang about their past affairs.

You Dalang was even more thrilled, exuding smug satisfaction.

"If you don’t return the deed today, your reputation will be dragged through the mud..."

Slap! A sudden sharp pain on his face left You Dalang momentarily stunned. His head instinctively tilted from the blow. As he came to his senses, the burning pain throbbed intensely, his ear ringing in temporary deafness.

"Ah, my dearest mother..." You Dalang clutched his cheek, backing away two steps to stand among his own servants, as he faced the knife-wielding men of the Feng Family.

"Bold scoundrel! Hurry, hit him back..."

Feng Yun walked up to Wen Hui’s side, steadied her slender shoulders, and passed her a handkerchief, her face expressionless. She turned back to her men and said,

"Ge Guang just now slapped that You fellow; he was the first to make a move and did it beautifully—I reward him with five hundred coins."

"Following that, for every punch or kick, there will be a reward, varying from fifty to one hundred coins."

"For onlookers following the same rules, there’s money to be had for hitting You Dalang."

"Leave him breathing, don’t beat him to death; I take responsibility."

"If he is unfortunately beaten to death, that’s also on me."

With a few indifferent words, Feng Yun spoke unhurriedly, giving orders to her men with a chilling lack of humanity.

Who wouldn’t love money and rewards?

Seeing the men getting physical, some hot-blooded youths among the crowd rolled up their sleeves and joined in the beating.

Feng Yun glanced sideways at Wen Hui.

"What are you doing standing there? Get paper and a pen to keep track and settle accounts later."

By the time Wen Hui reacted, You Dalang had already been turned into a battered mess, his face bloody; he was bending over on the ground. Yet, still, people were rushing forward to hit him.

You Dalang’s servants, who came with him, tried to protect their master, but there were too many eager to make some coin. Amidst the crowd, there were only cries of pain...

Wen Hui couldn’t help but smile through her tears.

Feng Yun grinned, "That’s better; you look good when you smile."

Then she said, "You should go and hit him too, beat him hard."

Wen Hui felt a warm comfort inside.

Just a moment ago, she had been so terrified, wishing she could die in a well rather than suffer the humiliation from You Dalang.

But with her mistress’s arrival, she found her backbone. Her mistress protected her and supported her, so if she didn’t stand up for herself, she would be letting her mistress down.

Initially, Wen Hui approached the crowd tentatively, watching until she clenched her teeth and kicked You Dalang with all her might, feeling an immense relief through her entire body. The long-standing grievances and shame dissipated in that moment.

"This kick, I landed myself; no need to pay me, mistress!"

"I’ll beat you, you faithless scoundrel!"

"I’ll beat you to death!"

Feng Yun smiled, her eyes curving into crescents.

"That’s enough."

She signaled Xing Bing to have everyone stop hitting.

"Everyone line up over here to settle up with Manager Wen."

A group rushed ahead of the men, eagerly awaiting their money.

You Dalang was powerless to fight back and was lifted onto his family’s carriage by his servants, his body a blurred mess of blood and flesh.

Some citizens who had long been oppressed by the gentry heaved a deep sigh of relief.

"Is that woman Feng Twelve of the General Residence?"

"Only someone noble would dare to hit such a person; she must be a noble herself."

"With the General’s backing, this beating You Dalang received was for nothing."

The crowd buzzed with excitement as they departed.

The news of the You Family heir being beaten spread quickly, almost turning Andu City upside down.

Soon, the You family patriarch went to the General Residence to complain to He Qia, demanding justice.

If it were only the You Family, He Qia wouldn’t care much—a mere offshoot of the Runan You Family. However, the You Family rallied all the prominent households of Andu County, and together they crafted a "Ten Thousand Word Petition."

The interests of these noble households were consistent.

Both the Han and the scholar clans were two distinctly separate groups, let alone the common people at the very bottom.

Nobles were born as nobles. No other noble has ever stood up for the common people being exploited.

The Northern Yong Army had arrived, and Pei Jue issued new wartime policies that, in essence, stripped the nobles of their rights. Naturally, these people harbored resentment.

What Feng Yun let the common people strike was not just You Dalang’s face, but the century-old authority, the archway erected in the hearts of the people, the barrier between the upper and lower classes.

So, seizing upon this opportunity, the noble households pressed He Qia’s temporary office to demand severe punishment for the culprits.

When He Qia saw the joint petition, his head started to ache.

Hadn’t they said that the Feng girl would be the ruin of the General?

Look, trouble had come.

What to do?

It wasn’t good to blatantly defend Yutangchun. Have the parties come to the Hall of Political Affairs and talk it out.

-

When the government officer from the General Residence arrived at Yutangchun, Feng Yun was having lunch with Wen Hui.

The former head chef of Yutangchun, who had been sent away for offending Lady Chen’s manager, had been brought back by Wen Hui. Today, she showed off her skills in front of Feng Yun with tofu, making five different dishes.

Feng Yun ate to her heart’s content. Upon hearing that Officer He had come to invite her and Wen Hui to the General Residence, she was immediately amused.

"Good timing."

Wen Hui’s heart was pounding as if it might leap out of her throat.

"My lady, the You Family has deep roots in Andu County and extensive connections. Would it not be difficult to settle this matter..."

Unconcealable mirth brimmed in Feng Yun’s eye sockets.

"Let’s go, let’s meet with Officer He."

Fate was truly inexplicable.

In Feng Yun’s previous life, Wen Hui was originally bestowed upon He Qia by Pei Jue. But He Qia, who was henpecked, didn’t dare accept such beauty and, fearing the General’s disapproval, reluctantly took her in and presented her to his own son He Chuandong, claiming it was his father’s wish.

The following year, Wen Hui bore He Qia a chubby grandson.

This past event, which she had almost forgotten, suddenly sprang into her mind. Bringing Wen Hui to meet with He Qia now seemed like some sort of cosmic pull...

-

A carriage waited at the entrance of the General Residence.

Before Feng Yun could alight from the donkey cart, the curtain of that carriage was lifted.

A dark head poked out, first glancing at the General Residence, then at Feng Yun and the others approaching. Her chin promptly rose.

"Is the lintel of the General Residence two inches taller than that of the Grand Princess Residence?" she asked.

As she spoke, her maid helped her down.

A round face with fair and supple skin, a slightly full figure, dressed in soft blue gauzy clothes, her hair coiffed into a high chignon with a bird-and-animal-shaped jade step shake inserted, jingling crisply with every step, accentuating her snow-white bosom as if it were ripe fruit.

The local customs were liberal; there were many boldly dressed ladies among the aristocratic families. Such extravagant and beautiful attire was not outrageous, and at a glance, it was evident she hailed from a great family...

After all, in these times, an ordinary family couldn’t afford their daughters the freedom to eat until they developed such a plentiful figure...

Feng Yun recognized her.

The grandniece of Puyang Jiu, Puyang Yi.

Don’t be fooled by their shared surname. There was quite a gap between their statuses.

Puyang Yi’s birth mother was the Grand Princess, the Young Emperor’s own aunt, a potentate of the Jin royal family, truly a person from the upper echelons...

But Puyang Yi’s marriage wasn’t going well.

Married at sixteen, her husband died drunk in the brothel district less than two years later, causing her substantial humiliation.

In a fit of anger, Puyang Yi smashed her husband’s family house to smithereens, didn’t keep vigil for her husband or manage his funeral, didn’t wear mourning clothes for him, and after venting her frustrations, moved back to the Grand Princess Residence. She and her mother lived as widows, and since then, she became even more domineering...

Not sure what the servant had said, Puyang Yi looked somewhat disappointed as she glanced at the mansion’s entrance.

"Isn’t Uncle Jiu here to serve as a Medical Officer? Does a Medical Officer also need to go to the battlefield? Isn’t that dangerous?" she wondered aloud.

Before she had finished speaking, He Qia came down the steps, his face changing instantly upon seeing the carriage outside.

Having to worry about one Feng Family girl was enough.

Why was the Lord of Pingyuan County here too?

He Qia had yet to speak when Puyang Yi had already noticed Feng Yun stepping out of the donkey cart.

Being slightly plump herself, she felt envy at the sight of a slender woman’s figure, and especially so when faced with a beauty like Feng Yun.

Puyang Yi was momentarily lost in thought before raising her chin to call out to Feng Yun.

"Who is that lady, so beautiful?" she asked.

Feng Yun slightly bowed, performing a courtesy. "I am of the Feng Family of Andu."

The Feng Family? Puyang Yi squinted, seeming to think of something and looking abruptly at the carriage.

"So, you are the favored concubine of General Pei..." she said.

Feng Yun did not respond, but she felt that the curtain of the carriage subtly moved.

It was as if someone was watching her from behind it.