Feng Jin took a bite, and the sweet taste spread in her mouth. It was so sweet, and the apple was juicy. It was truly delicious.
“We are about to enter the capital. After a short rest, we will continue our journey,” Ling Mohan commanded in a deep voice. The closer they got to the capital, the more cautious they had to be. Only upon entering the capital would they be truly safe.
After a brief rest, the group hurried to leave.
As the carriage was about to reach the outskirts of the capital, it stopped midway due to a sudden commotion.
“Hurry up, get out of the capital!” Several yamen guards, armed with sticks, were driving away a woman.
When Feng Jin saw this scene upon lifting the carriage curtain, her anger flared up instantly. “Lu Shi, see what’s happening and bring that woman back.”
Even if there were hidden circumstances, it was still too much for several grown men to bully a woman like this.
“Yes, young madam.”
In just a moment, Lu Shi brought the woman before Feng Jin.
“Thank you, young madam, for saving my life!” the woman said, kneeling before Feng Jin and kowtowing repeatedly.
“No need for thanks. It’s not safe for a woman like you. You should go home quickly.”
Feng Jin didn’t want to get involved in more trouble, fearing she might cause Ling Mohan further complications. It was best to return to the capital as soon as possible.
Just as she was about to get back into the carriage, the woman threw herself in front of Feng Jin, blocking her path. “This humble woman is already homeless. I beg you, madam, to seek justice for me!”
Feng Jin was slightly stunned. She reached out to help the woman up. It seemed she had gotten into trouble again. Just as she was at a loss, Ling Mohan rode his horse over, clad in black armor, and looked down at the kneeling woman.
“If you have a grievance, go to the yamen and report it. Crying here will not help,” Ling Mohan clearly did not want to interfere. He had to reach the capital quickly to inform the Emperor about the matter in Yingzhong County. Every moment’s delay meant a greater danger.
Furthermore, this woman appearing as they were returning to the capital, blocking their path, was suspicious. He couldn’t help but doubt her intentions.
Feng Jin lowered her eyes. She understood Ling Mohan’s intentions. After a pause, she said, “Miss, I am not a magistrate who decides cases. If you truly have a grievance, it is best to go to the yamen.”
Feng Jin took out some silver and handed it to the woman. “Here is some money. Take it first.”
She couldn’t bear to stand by and watch someone in distress, so after some thought, Feng Jin gave her the money and asked her to leave.
“My lord, madam, I don’t want money. I only ask that you help me seek justice. My entire family, old and young, were all murdered by villains. The yamen dare not accept my case. I walked all the way from home to the capital, only to be driven out by people from Dali Temple. If I hadn’t met you, madam, this humble woman would have lost her life long ago.”
Feng Jin’s eyes tightened sharply, and she looked at Ling Mohan for help. She didn’t know what to do about this matter.
“Bring her back with us first,” Ling Mohan said in a low voice. He couldn’t arrange for her lodging at the moment, so he could only take her along.
“Then you can come into the carriage with me.”
“Thank you, madam.”
Upon arriving in the capital, Ling Mohan first escorted Feng Jin back to their residence and then rushed to the palace to report.
“Eldest sister-in-law, you’re finally back.” Ling Wan had already received the news of their return to the capital. She had been busy tidying up and arranging things in the East Courtyard for the past two days, waiting for several days before finally welcoming Feng Jin back.
“Brother sent a letter back long ago, saying he would arrive in the capital soon. So, I prepared this courtyard early. I didn’t expect it to take so many revisions before I could welcome eldest sister-in-law back.”
Ling Wan helped Feng Jin sit on a chair and handed her a cup of hot tea. “Eldest sister-in-law must have had a difficult journey. Eldest sister-in-law, you don’t know, but your treatment of the plague in Yingzhong County has spread throughout the entire capital. And the matter of you curing Prince Jing’s legs is also being widely discussed. Those scholars and poets praise you as a divine doctor, a miracle worker, a heroine among women…”
Ling Wan seemed to have endless things to say, pulling Feng Jin and chattering about this and that, eager to tell her everything that had happened during her absence from the capital.
“Alright, you should rest a bit and drink some tea to moisten your throat.”
After hearing so much at once, Feng Jin’s brain was overloaded and couldn’t process any more information.
“Eldest sister-in-law, is Ling Muzhu really staying in Yingzhong County?”
Feng Jin nodded in confirmation. “He requested to stay of his own accord.”
“Eldest sister-in-law, you don’t know, but Uncle and Aunt were furious when they learned Ling Muzhu was staying in Yingzhong County. They made a fuss at Grandfather’s place, begging him to order Ling Muzhu’s return to the capital. Brother, Uncle, even wanted to go to Yingzhong County in place of Ling Muzhu. Aunt even fainted several times. As soon as she woke up, she cried and screamed that she wanted to go to Yingzhong County.”
“Grandfather was so angry that he scolded Uncle severely, almost forcing him to divorce his wife. Hearing about the divorce, Aunt didn’t dare to make a scene anymore and scurried back to her room to reflect in seclusion.”
Feng Jin chuckled lightly, shook her head, and sighed. “A doting mother spoils her child.”
No wonder Ling Yan and Ling Muzhu turned out the way they did. It seemed to be a case of the upper beam being crooked, causing the lower beam to be crooked as well.
“Let’s not talk about this anymore. Eldest sister-in-law, how is the baby in your belly?” Ling Wan carefully reached out to touch Feng Jin’s slightly bulging abdomen, then frowned slightly. “Eldest sister-in-law, why isn’t he moving?”
Feng Jin chuckled. “It’s only five months. He’ll start moving in a while.”
As soon as she finished speaking, a commotion began to be heard from the doorway, becoming clearer and clearer.
Feng Jin found the voice very familiar but couldn’t recall who it was. Before Feng Jin could get up to open the door, the tightly shut door was suddenly pushed open from the outside. The loud noise made Feng Jin tremble involuntarily.
Immediately after, she saw Madam Zhao storming in, hands on her hips, looking furious. The moment she saw Feng Jin, she began to curse. “You little slut, what love potion did you give my son to make him defy his parents and go to Yingzhong County to find you? You tricked him into staying in that wretched place in Yingzhong. You harmed my daughter, and now you want to continue harming my son!”
Overcome with emotion, Madam Zhao cried even more miserably, squatting on the ground and refusing to get up, wailing like a shrew. “My poor son, you’ve been harmed by this wicked person! You can’t go home, you can’t see your mother!”
“Second aunt, Muzhu himself wanted to stay in Yingzhong County. What does this have to do with eldest sister-in-law? Why are you blaming all of this on eldest sister-in-law and insisting on dragging her into this!”
Ling Wan was truly infuriated and stepped forward to argue with Madam Zhao, unable to understand such a unreasonable and belligerent person.
“Bah! You little hussy, you’re just a bastard born from a lowly maid, and you dare to lecture me? Guards, seize this little slut and slap her hard!”
Madam Zhao suddenly jumped up, and the old women behind her moved to grab Ling Wan.