Chapter 52 (1/2)
Chen shi glared directly over: “What could possibly be wrong? I’ve already handed them over, so what more do you want now?”
The matriarch slammed her cane: “I’m annoyed with you!” The volume was so loud that it frightened everyone, causing them to shrink back their necks.
Feng Yu Heng aptly reminded her: “Grandmother, do not get angry by any means. Your health is important.”
The matriarch nodded and accepted the teaching. She urged: “Quickly take a look at these things.”
Feng Yu Heng held the three deeds in her hand and walked back to Yao shi’s side, “Concubine mother, please see if it’s just these three?”
Yao shi received them and saw that one of them belonged to Hundred Herb Hall. Another was a jewelry shop, while the other was an antiques shop.
These were all things prepared personally by the imperial physician Yao as a dowry for when she married out of the family. These three businesses were all very profitable businesses. They could help subsidize his daughter’s livelihood. But he never thought that the moment she set foot in the Feng family, these shops would never be seen.
“These are the ones.” Yao shi became filled with emotion.
Feng Yu Heng also took the journals and flipped through them. Although she could not understand the details, the totals were clearly written. The three shops were under heavy debt. Not only were they not turning a profit, they were losing vast amounts of money.
Chen shi saw her raise an eyebrow and snorted and gave a warning: “Look clearly at how much money the Feng family has pumped in to your shops. It is written very clearly. Now that the shops have been returned, these debts need to be properly accounted for.”
As she said these words, everyone in the room felt startled.
They were all elders within the Feng manor. They knew what kind of shop had been given that year by the Yao family. One medical herbs shop, one jewelry shop, one antiques shop, each one was a profitable business. How could it be that they turned a loss?
The matriarch naturally knew what sort of idea Chen shi had, but the shops had been under Chen shi’s control these years. She had no real say in the matter.
Feng Yu Heng, however, did not have any doubts and only said: “Don’t worry mother. I will personally find someone to audit the accounts. If there really was a loss, repaying the losses is something that should be done. But the people who managed the shops these years must also be held responsible. Also,” She coldly looked at Chen shi, “If it is found that the business situation and the actual situation do not reconcile, then I welcome mother provide A-Heng and the Feng family an explanation.”
Chen shi did not understand: “What explanation should I give the Feng family? Isn’t the shop yours?”
A-Heng replied with a question: “Now you recognize the shop as mine? At the time, who was it that said a maternal family’s dowry would belong to the husband’s family?”
Chen shi knew that her own logic was flawed. Rolling her eyes, she did not want to continue on this topic, but with regards to Feng Yu Heng auditing the accounts, she was afraid. She could only speak distractedly, “I am the Feng family’s official wife. You are a mere concubine’s daughter and a junior, yet you dare to doubt me. Where have the rules you’ve learned gone?”
Feng Yu Heng replied: “Deep in the mountains to the northwest. The Feng family really didn’t give A-Heng any person named Rules.”
The matriarch also reminded Chen shi: “You are indeed still the head wife of the Feng family, but you can no longer be part of this family!”
Chen shi became enraged to the point of wheezing. Standing up and pointing at the crowd, she screamed: “You are all colluding! This is all a setup!”
Feng Yu Heng could not be bothered to waste words with her. She faced the matriarch and saluted: “Grandmother, A-Heng will retire first. Having regained these shops, there was a desire to leave the manor to investigate them. I wish to request permission to leave the manor from grandmother.”
The matriarch nodded: “Go! Bring maidservants and return earlier.”
A-Heng bowed and retired along with Yao shi and Zi Rui.
The matriarch glared at Chen shi and coldly warned: “Do not ruin Chen Yu’s future because of your own personality. If you don’t change yourself a little, Feng family will consider sending you to a temple.”
Speaking of Feng Yu Heng, as she left Shu Ya courtyard, she took Huang Quan and Qing Yu and exited the manor. This was the first time she would leave the manor since arriving in the capital. Immediately after leaving the jurisdiction of the Feng family, she began to feel relaxed.
Huang Quan looked back and stared at Feng Yu Heng for a moment, saying truthfully: “Second young miss, bear with it a few more years. Then there will never be a need to return. You are all one family, what sort of person was that!”
Even Qing Yu could not get used to seeing the Feng family’s members, “Isn’t master the prime minister? I truly could not imagine the honorable prime minister having such a head wife back home.”
Feng Yu Heng shrugged: “If you want to enjoy the entertainment, then there will be plenty to see these coming years. In this manor, each person has their own act; furthermore, their acts will definitely be spectacular.”
Huang Quan returned to her giggling appearance and said: “That’s also fine. That will keep it from being boring. Just take it as playing around with them. From time to time, whip them and pressure them.”
Qing Yu mumbled: “Sister Huang Quan, don’t just casually talk about beating someone.”
These people talked and laughed and very quickly found themselves at Hundred Herb Hall.
Feng Yu Heng did not bring them directly in. Instead, they stood near the entrance and pretended to look at items.
The employees of Hundred Herb Hall came and went. There were plenty of people who came for medicine. The partner of the shop was busy until the shift change. A middle-aged man who appeared to be the shopkeeper, stood at the counter. He held something in his hand and was talking non-stop to an old man.