Feng Jin's voice was icy, her eyes filled with disgust. "When you forced my mother to her death, cast me aside to fend for myself on the estate, and let Madam Sun bully and humiliate me, did you ever think you were my father? Now, seeing Feng Ruoyan useless and finding me of some use, you come calling on familial ties. It's a pity I am no longer the Feng Jin you could mold at will."
Feng Yuanping's face gradually darkened, the veins on his temples bulging. He never imagined that his long-neglected, once timid daughter could stand before him in a courtroom.
Her few words struck his vital point, rendering him speechless.
"You are utterly unfilial!" Feng Yuanping pointed at Feng Jin, roaring his accusation.
Feng Jin met his gaze unflinchingly, her presence radiating power. "Unfilial applies to those who treat elders with disrespect. As for you and I, our father-daughter relationship was severed long ago."
She produced a document from her怀中 and flung it onto the table. "On the day I was married off, Madam Sun, to force me into the Ling family, wrote this letter of severance in your name. Prime Minister Feng, are you truly unaware of this?"
Feng Yuanping froze, his eyes filled with confusion. He snatched the paper, and upon seeing the words, his face turned ashen. His tightly furrowed brow struggled to contain a폭发ing rage. With a slight clench of his hand, the paper became mottled and torn.
"Guards, bring Madam Sun to me at once," Feng Yuanping spat out through gritted teeth.
"Yes, Master."
The servant hurried to obey. In moments, Madam Sun was brought to the hall.
"Kneel!" Feng Yuanping commanded angrily. Madam Sun trembled all over, her legs weakening as she immediately sank to her knees.
Madam Sun looked up at Feng Yuanping with a timid expression, her voice quivering. "Master, what is the matter now?"
"You wicked woman! You know full well the good deeds you've done! You have misused my name to sever ties with Feng Jin and written this letter of severance. You are trying to cut off our blood relation!"
Feng Yuanping hurled the paper forcefully into Madam Sun's face, his hands trembling slightly from his fury.
Feng Jin, meanwhile, sat serenely to the side, observing the spectacle as if uninvolved, occasionally sipping her tea.
"Master..." Madam Sun panicked, her lips paling, her voice trembling. "Master... this... this is..."
Her eyes darted about, Madam Sun's mind racing to devise a countermeasure. After a pause, she finally said, "It was... Second Miss..."
Before Feng Jin's name left her lips, Madam Sun hastily corrected herself. "It was... it was the Second Miss. She insisted... insisted I write this letter of severance in Master's name before she... before she would agree to be married."
"Master, you know, it was the Elder Master Ling himself who proposed. You had agreed to this marriage. You were not at home, and the Ling family's bridal sedan had already arrived. For the sake of the Feng family's reputation, I could only agree to the Second Miss's terms at the time. I thought the Second Miss was merely unhappy about marrying the young general and was throwing a tantrum out of spite. I never imagined she would resent it to this day and now... now use this letter of severance to extort..."
As she reached the emotional climax, Madam Sun squeezed out two tears with a wronged expression, almost breaking into sobs.
After all, there was a history of shared childhood affection. Seeing Madam Sun's feigned distress, Feng Yuanping felt a flicker of pity.
He instinctively reached out to help Madam Sun up, but his reason reasserted itself. If he helped Madam Sun now, any hope of repairing his relationship with Feng Jin would be lost.
For his future, his prosperity, and the entire Feng family's future, he had to sacrifice Madam Sun.
"Even so, you should not have signed this letter of severance. Madam Sun, for your mismanagement of the household, you are confined to your chambers from today onwards. If there is a next time, I will certainly divorce you!"
Feng Yuanping said fiercely, his gaze flicking between Feng Jin and Madam Sun.
"Yes, Master," Madam Sun replied with a couple of choked sobs.
Feng Jin watched the exchange with cold eyes. These two truly shared a deep affection, their performance as synchronized as their acting.
Feng Yuanping cleared his throat. "Feng Jin, I have already dealt with your mother..."
Receiving a sharp glare from Feng Jin, Feng Yuanping hastily corrected himself. "Your aunt. The misunderstanding has been resolved, so there's no need for you to harbor resentment. We are, after all, blood relatives. This bond cannot be broken or severed."
Feng Yuanping spoke at length, but seeing Feng Jin remain unmoved, he began to play the emotional card. "If your mother saw you being so extreme now, wanting to sever ties with your own father, how heartbroken would she be?"
With a 'bang,' the white porcelain teacup fell to the ground, shattering into countless pieces.
Feng Jin's eyes darkened, her stern gaze fixed on Feng Yuanping. Her red lips parted, and the words she uttered were like ice. "My mother. You are not worthy to even mention my mother. If not for my mother and my maternal grandfather's help, would you have achieved your official career, your current position as Prime Minister?"
"Instead of showing gratitude, after my maternal grandfather's death, you eagerly brought Madam Sun into the household and had Feng Ruoyan with her early on. At that time, my mother was still pregnant. You actually had Madam Sun attend to my mother, letting her witness your intimacy with Madam Sun, causing my mother to weep daily and ultimately leading to the loss of both mother and child."
"Furthermore, less than half a year after my mother's passing, you couldn't wait to establish Madam Sun as your official wife, discarding me on the estate, letting those lowly servants abuse and beat me. At that time, you must have been enjoying family bliss with Madam Sun and her daughter. Did you ever think of my mother then!"
Feng Jin's voice was extremely passionate, leaving Feng Yuanping utterly shamed. However, with Ling Mohan present, he dared not show his anger and could only endure Feng Jin's accusations.
As Feng Jin finished speaking, her heart suddenly ached, and two tears trickled down her cheeks. Only Feng Jin knew these tears were not hers, but the emotions of the original host fluctuating.
It was precisely because of Feng Yuanping's neglect that Madam Sun's arrogance grew, leading to Feng Jin being bullied by servants and ultimately meeting a tragic end.
"Feng Jin..."
This was the first time Ling Mohan had seen Feng Jin so emotionally distraught. He protectively shielded her.
"Don't be afraid. I'm here," Ling Mohan whispered in Feng Jin's ear.
Feng Jin's agitated and frantic emotions gradually subsided. She took a deep breath, calming herself.
"Master, someone has arrived from the palace," the servant's words broke the awkward atmosphere.
Feng Yuanping, the first to regain his composure, said urgently, "Quickly, quickly invite them in."
"Let's go and see as well. The real show is about to begin."
Feng Jin smiled and held Ling Mohan's hand as they walked forward.
"Your subject, with his family, respectfully receives the imperial decree."
"By order of the Empress Dowager, Feng Yuanping's principal wife, Lady He Miaoging, possessed both virtue and talent, was diligent and yielding, her character gentle and wise, dignified and virtuous. She is hereby posthumously honored as a first-rank夫人 of Gao, with the bestowed title Lady Siyi."
"Your subject accepts the decree and expresses gratitude."