The moon hung full on the branches, the clouds thin and the wind gentle, sounds that were incredibly loud in the quiet night.
Only half a moment of peace passed before a great noise sounded again. Feng Yinwan could clearly distinguish—someone outside was kicking the door!
The next instant, Madam Yu's voice, bordering on furious, mingled with the sound of the kicking door.
"Feng Yinwan, get out here!"
"You damned slut, may you die a horrible death!"
Even after spending more than ten years in the General's manor, Yubing had never seen Madam Yu in such a frenzied state. She assumed the woman was simply driven mad by Feng Yiyi's return to the manor and frowned.
"Miss, has Madam Yu gone mad to come and smash the door in the middle of the night!"
Grabbing a broom from behind the door, she was about to head out.
"Miss, rest assured, your servant will drive her away."
Before her steps could carry her forward, Feng Yinwan grabbed her sleeve. Yubing was confused.
"Miss?"
Why was she stopping her?
Feng Yinwan raised her eyes, her beautiful gaze now holding a hint of coldness.
"You wait in the room, I'll go myself."
Madam Yu's reckless door-smashing likely meant she knew about Feng Yiyi contracting malaria.
Having witnessed Madam Yu's madness before after sending Feng Yiyi to prison, she naturally didn't want Yubing to be in danger again.
"Miss, how can that be!"
Yubing clutched the broom, her face resolute. "Your servant must protect Miss!"
Her words, however, suddenly halted.
Miss had already learned martial arts; why would she need protection?
Without waiting for further protest, Feng Yinwan relented, "Fine, then you follow behind, but do not step forward."
Turning, she went to draw her sword. It wasn't the one chosen from the storeroom, but the guard's sword she had demanded from Cheng Yi when she ordered the manor sealed a few days prior.
With the long sword in hand, her three thousand strands of black hair falling behind her, Feng Yinwan, clad in a plain white inner garment, possessed a sharpness and power previously unseen as she broke through the door.
Yubing stared in a daze. By the time she reacted, the courtyard gate had already been split open by Feng Yinwan's sword.
Suddenly losing her balance, Madam Yu outside was caught completely off guard and fell face-first onto the ground.
Before she could get up, a flash of cold light appeared before her eyes, and the icy edge of the sword was pressed against her throat.
"Madam!"
Before they could even question her, she was already under control. The servants following behind were all startled.
Not stupid, she still knew to bring help.
A cold chuckle escaped Feng Yinwan's lips. She raised her eyes and swept across the crowd, her gaze icy.
"In the middle of the night, Madam Yu, instead of resting peacefully in Feng Hua Courtyard, you bring people to smash my embroidery building's door. What is the meaning of this?"
The cold blade at her neck clearly pressed down further with these words, a faint scent of blood emerging, forcefully suppressing Madam Yu's overwhelming rage.
"Feng Yinwan, don't play coy! How did Yiyi contract malaria out of the blue, it must be your doing!"
The Fourth Prince had already said he would pull strings and find a way to save Yiyi, but then this happened. It must have been this slut plotting in secret!
Gritting her teeth fiercely, she continued harshly, "We had an agreement beforehand, and you broke it. Not only that, but you are so malicious. I think you clearly intend to kill Yiyi!"
"How can the General's manor have such a wicked eldest daughter! That Prince Mo must have been blind to have chosen a princess consort like you!"
She had brought people with her, and those behind her immediately joined in the condemnation.
"Eldest Miss, it was already unforgivable that you disregarded propriety and the General's honor to send the second young lady to prison. But how could you still refuse to let her go while she was imprisoned? Malaria is a fatal illness, such actions are truly wicked!"
"Exactly! Second young lady is a young lady of our General's manor after all. It's pitiful that the eldest young lady, relying on her status as princess consort, has bullied her to this extent!"
"What princess consort! Such a sinister and malicious person, she is unworthy of being a princess consort!"
The voices of condemnation rose one after another, endless. Feng Yinwan, however, merely curled her lips indifferently, her expression unchanged.
"Sinister and malicious? If this princess consort were truly sinister and malicious, would Feng Yiyi still be alive?"
"What, when Madam Yu visited her second sister, didn't she ask who saved her wretched life?"
If she hadn't acted, Feng Yiyi would have died today without a doubt.
"Who are you calling a wretched life!"
Madam Yu seemed to be provoked and was about to lash out again. However, the weight on her neck increased slightly, and a burning pain instantly erupted.
The sword in Feng Yinwan's hand felt like it carried immense pressure, preventing her from daring to move rashly.
"This princess consort saved her life, and you should be thankful. Yet you dare to bring people to smash my door. Madam Yu, who gave you the audacity?!"
She couldn't even be bothered to feign politeness anymore, directly addressing her as "Madam Yu."
Madam Yu trembled at the words, averting her gaze.
"You say it so nicely. Malaria has always been incurable. Who knows if you didn't set a trap and do it deliberately!"
Feng Yinwan was utterly speechless.
Unwilling to waste more words, she waved her hand and retrieved her sword, then kicked Madam Yu to the ground.
"If I had malaria, the first person I'd kill is you!"
"Before this princess consort changes her mind, get out."
Her gaze was too sharp; one could feel the chilling coldness from afar.
The crowd was frightened into silence, daring not to speak further.
Madam Yu, seeing this, fiercely clenched her fingernails on the ground. As Feng Yinwan lowered her gaze, she suddenly lunged.
"Bitch, I'll kill you!"
She lunged with open hands to grab Feng Yinwan's neck, but before she could touch her, she was blocked by a forceful shove.
From behind, Yubing swiftly moved forward with her broom and brought it down heavily on Madam Yu's face.
The sudden impact on her face, a fine, needle-like dull pain, immediately erupted. Madam Yu let out a scream and fell straight back.
Yubing, still holding a grudge, glared and delivered another heavy blow to her face.
"Serves you right for bullying Miss, serves you right for bullying Miss!"
After being struck many times, Madam Yu's screams gradually faded, her face becoming swollen like a pig's head.
"Don't... don't hit anymore..."
Yubing, still not appeased, wanted to strike again but was stopped by Feng Yinwan.
"Enough."
This girl was usually stubborn and did rough work herself, her strength was already considerable. Madam Yu had taken so many blows; any more and she might faint.
Yubing looked at her, pouted, and withdrew her hand.
The force finally ceased. Madam Yu's eyes rolled back, and she slumped down as if all strength had left her.
Seeing this, everyone gasped, wanting to help but not daring to. For a moment, they stood frozen, no one willing to step forward.
Feng Yinwan glared at the crowd with her beautiful, cold eyes and spoke in a chilling voice.
"Madam Yu accidentally fell and injured her face. Carry her back to Feng Hua Courtyard first. Tomorrow morning, send someone to invite a physician to examine and treat her."
Seeing that she brazenly attributed Madam Yu's facial injuries to a fall, everyone gasped again.
Daring not to make a sound, they then heard Feng Yinwan speak coldly.
"You, carry her, and all of you, get out."
Almost the instant the words fell, the broom in Yubing's hand also dropped. The crowd trembled and immediately scrambled to leave.