"Mother!"
Seeing her mother also urging her, Feng Yiyi complained, "Why do you also believe what she says? Your daughter knows nothing about this matter..."
"Father..."
Before Yu shi could finish her defense for her, Feng Laojun had already darkened his face.
"You unfilial daughter! Framing your elder sister and still refusing to admit it, I will see today if I can pry your mouth open. Yuan'er, go fetch the family law!"
"Yes!"
Upon hearing this, Feng Jingyuan immediately turned and withdrew. Yu shi, seeing this, was greatly alarmed and knelt down with a thud.
"Father, you cannot! Yiyi is still injured, you will kill her!"
Feng Laojun looked at her coldly, "When she did these things, didn't she ever think that her elder sister's life is also a life!"
Feng Jingyuan quickly returned with the horsewhip. The Feng family had generations of military commanders, and the so-called family law was whipping.
"Father."
Feng Laojun grunted, took the horsewhip, and was about to step forward.
The core of the whip was made of bull tendon, wrapped in hemp rope on the outside, almost as thick as Feng Yiyi's wrist.
Yu shi gasped at the sight and immediately clung tightly to Feng Laojun's leg, "Father, if this whip falls, Yiyi will lose half her life even if she doesn't die!"
"Scram!"
Feng Laojun kicked her away and raised the whip towards Feng Yiyi on the ground.
Feng Yiyi's eyes rolled back in fear, and she almost fainted, "Father, spare me..."
Before the anticipated whip could fall, it was stopped by a soft, jade-white hand.
"Father, wait a moment."
Feng Yinwan raised her hand and pressed it on Feng Laojun's hand.
"Wan'er, what is this?"
"Daughter thinks that younger sister already knows the severity of the situation. I presume she will explain everything even without receiving the family law."
Yu shi immediately echoed, "Yes, yes! Father, Yinwan is right!"
After speaking, she quickly winked at Feng Yiyi, "My child, what is more important than life? Speak quickly!"
Feng Yiyi really did not want Feng Yinwan to have an easy time, but at this point, she could only bite her lip and tell the truth.
"Before the grand ceremony that day, I overheard someone plotting in the garden, saying they wanted to harm elder sister's reputation. Because Father and elder brother have always favored elder sister, I was angry and deliberately wet elder sister's skirt, and took the opportunity to steal her sachet..."
She glanced at Feng Laojun's expression and continued.
"Originally, I wanted to throw the sachet in the garden to solidify the accusation that they framed elder sister. I didn't expect that the one caught in the act was someone else. The Empress ordered Zhao Si to be beaten to death. To not waste the opportunity, I secretly left the palace while everyone was returning to Ruiqing Hall and stuffed the sachet onto Zhao Si."
As she spoke, she couldn't help but bury her head lower.
"You unfilial daughter!"
Feng Laojun's blood pressure soared upon hearing this, and he was about to whip her again, but was stopped by Feng Yinwan.
"Father, please do not be angry."
After persuading him, she looked at Feng Yiyi, "The ones plotting, it was Qin Rulian and her maid, wasn't it?"
Feng Yiyi nodded.
Feng Yinwan's beautiful eyes deepened, and she smiled again, "Did you see anyone else?"
"No."
Feng Laojun glared at her, "Is there or isn't there!"
"No, there really isn't... They only said they would knock the person out beforehand and put them in the carriage. I truly don't know anything else!"
Feng Yinwan immediately thought of the coachman.
It was indeed strange. She and Yuping drove back to the manor by themselves that day, but they didn't see the coachman's trace. Now that she thought about it carefully, this person seemed to have vanished.
Her eyebrows furrowed slightly, Feng Yinwan nodded, "I have finished asking."
Knowing that Feng Yiyi was inevitable to suffer some physical pain, Yu shi immediately began to plead again upon hearing this.
"Father, Yiyi was possessed by a ghost this time. Please spare her this once, considering she told the truth and was cooperative!"
Feng Laojun looked at her with a stern face and only asked Feng Yinwan's opinion.
"Wan'er, how do you want to deal with this matter?"
Feng Yinwan swept a glance at Feng Yiyi and Yu shi, her expression unreadable.
"I came tonight not for anything important. Stumbling upon the sachet incident was also an accident. However, what younger sister is wearing on her wrist is my mother's heirloom."
"Daughter is tired and will take my leave. This matter will be handled by Father as he sees fit."
After speaking, she bowed and went outside. Feng Jingyuan quickly followed, "I will escort Wan'er back."
Outside Yilan Courtyard, the night breeze felt refreshing.
Feng Yinwan and Feng Jingyuan walked side by side, faintly resembling their younger days.
She had originally said she would help Qin Rulian investigate the culprit, but after hearing what she said, Feng Jingyuan also sensed something unusual. He pursed his lips, unsure how to ask her.
"You admired Prince Mo since you were young and spoke of him every day. Now that you are married, you don't mention him anymore."
Feng Yinwan was slightly taken aback.
She was indeed different from the original host. Regarding that scoundrel Ye Tinglan, it wasn't an understatement to say she hated him to the bone! It was finally good to leave the Prince's Manor and out of her sight, so she naturally couldn't be bothered to mention him.
However, she had overlooked the close relatives of the original host.
While pondering whether she had revealed herself and how to cover it up, she heard Feng Jingyuan tentatively and cautiously ask.
"Wan'er, does Prince Mo treat you well? Is everything in the Prince's Manor going smoothly for you?"
As siblings born of the same mother, Feng Jingyuan was naturally very concerned about her.
Seeing that he was only worried about her, Feng Yinwan pursed her lips and nodded, "Thank you, brother, for your concern. Everything is fine."
Except for two annoying pests.
Feng Jingyuan clearly didn't quite believe her, "If you have any grievances, feel free to tell me. Or if it's inconvenient to speak, send someone to deliver a letter to me. As an elder brother, I naturally cannot let my sister suffer any injustice."
Feng Yinwan's heart warmed, and she agreed.
When the two returned to the embroidery building, Yuping was almost driven to distraction. Seeing Feng Yinwan return safe and sound, she finally felt relieved.
"Miss, I was so worried!"
Seeing that she was indeed on the verge of tears from worry, Feng Jingyuan teased, "Yuping is still the same as when she was little, but her face is rounder now, and she talks more."
Upon hearing this, Yuping furrowed her brows, "Is my lord saying I eat a lot? Or are you blaming me for being sharp-tongued?"
Unexpectedly, Feng Jingyuan nodded in agreement.
"Yes! I saw you eating quite a lot during dinner earlier."
Not expecting her private feeding to be discovered, Yuping blushed, "Not at all, my lord must have seen wrong."
Her face was flushed with embarrassment, and Feng Yinwan quickly intervened to help her out.
"Yes, brother, are you perhaps mistaken? I ate all the food myself."
Seeing the mistress and servant speaking so seriously and nonsensically, Feng Jingyuan raised his eyebrows.
"Then it must be that I saw wrong."
After teasing them for a couple more sentences, he left. Feng Yinwan's beautiful eyes flickered, and she immediately put her arm around Yuping and went into the embroidery building.
As they walked, she instructed, "Tomorrow, you will return to the Prince's Manor..."