The Zhou family's carriage slowly drove away from Shenshu Village.
Feng Zhiheng opened the curtain and looked outside.
In the countryside at dusk, smoke rises from cooking stoves, and on the road are village women and farmers returning home late at night.
"Heng'er, please put down the curtain. When you leave Shenshu Village, you must remember that you are the daughter of the Zhongjing Hou Mansion and the granddaughter of the Zhou family, a great scholar in Huaicheng."
Mrs. Zhou, the eldest aunt, gently pulled Feng Zhiheng into the carriage.
Nanny Li immediately fastened the curtain.
Feng Zhiheng felt aggrieved.
She understood what her aunt meant.
This means that she must return to the status of a lady from a famous family, and her actions, sitting and lying must be in line with the behavior of a lady from a famous family.
I feel so tired just thinking about it!
Little Yuanbao is still at home, no one asks her to learn the rules, and no one restrains her.
What we eat is not delicacies from the mountains and seas, and what we wear is not silk and satin.
But free and easy.
"Heng'er, do you like the Bai family?" Mrs. Zhou asked Feng Zhiheng.
"I like it." Feng Zhiheng's eyes were red and his voice was rustling when he spoke.
"Why do you like it?" Mrs. Zhou asked gently.
"Because I can do whatever I want freely. Even though I was at Bai's house for just one day, I was happier than I was in the past. I learned to climb trees, pick vegetables in the vegetable field barefoot, and go down to the river to catch small fish... "
This is an experience Feng Zhiheng has never had before.
"What? Climbing trees?" Mrs. Zhou looked incredulous. She couldn't imagine the girl climbing trees.
Feng Zhiheng was a little worried about his aunt.
My eldest aunt is from a wealthy family. She has a typical ladylike demeanor and is well-organized in her actions and manners. She can sit like this without any pleats in her dress.
"Just crawled a bit." Feng Zhiheng said softly.
"Heng'er, your mother sent you to the Zhou family because she wanted you to learn the rules. You have to remember what you can and can't do."
Mrs. Zhou said.
"The Bai family girl is different from you."
Mrs. Zhou added another sentence. Children from small families don't have to learn the rules and can follow their own tempers because they don't have to bear family responsibilities.
But people like them are different.
Although she also liked the child from the Bai family very much, and her appearance and temperament did not look like a farm girl at all, but the child was restricted by her identity.
Mrs. Zhou glanced at her daughter-in-law and said: "Climbing a tree is not a big deal. I have always disapproved of girls being detained. Back then, I indulged Heng'er's mother and did not raise her crookedly. If Heng'er hadn't gone... …”
Mrs. Zhou was silent.
After touching Feng Zhiheng's hair, his eye circles were red.
Mrs. Zhou couldn't bear it.
They all knew in their hearts that Feng Zhiheng would enter the palace in the future.
When you enter there, you can't just follow your temper.
It is not so much that the Zhou family is training their granddaughter to become a famous lady, but rather that they are training her to be a daughter-in-law qualified for the royal family.
Mrs. Zhou hugged Feng Zhiheng, not knowing whether the Feng family's decision was right or wrong.
But there was nothing she could do, and it was not easy to disobey the Queen Mother's wishes.
Nowadays, there is a turmoil over the establishment of a crown prince. The eldest prince who lost his position as crown prince was ignored by the emperor and was said to have been forced out of the palace.
The Queen Mother protected him.
Not long after the scandal over the establishment of the crown prince, the Queen Mother summoned the old prince of the Zhongjing House to the palace, forcing the Zhongjing House to side with the eldest prince and agree to give Feng Zhiheng to the eldest prince.
It's just that the decree hasn't been issued yet.
This girl Heng'er doesn't know yet, and she has never met the prince.
When Mrs. Zhou thought of this, she was full of pity for Feng Zhiheng.
"Heng'er, when you arrive in Huaicheng, you enter the Zhou family's door. It's the girl beside you who is missing. Remember that." Madam Zhou suddenly warned Feng Zhiheng.
Feng Zhiheng said in shock: "Why?"
Mrs. Zhou sighed inwardly, this niece is really... real-minded.
So he said: "There is no reason. I am afraid that your grandfather will worry about you."
Rich families value reputation.
A girl was kidnapped, and I don’t know what will happen.
It would not only affect her, but also the reputation of the girls in Feng Zhou's family.
Especially those who will enter the palace of Feng Zhiheng in the future, they must not let out anything that may harm their reputation.
The family is already angry with the Yangfeng County Magistrate.
As for the Bai family in Shenshu Village, there is no need to worry about any gossip spreading.
"I understand." Feng Zhiheng said, "Have my wet nurse and Ying'er arrived home?"
She was worried that Ying'er would be punished. After all, it was Ying'er who opened the door for her when she ran out to watch the lanterns.
"Ying'er is ill and is recuperating in Zhuangzi. I can no longer serve you." Mrs. Zhou said.
"Ah, is it because of me? Grandma." Feng Zhiheng felt guilty. Ying'er had served her for five years and was her eldest maid.
He was actually sent to Zhuangzi due to her involvement.
Mrs. Zhou sighed slightly.
How can you protect yourself after entering the palace without any scheming?
Originally she didn't want her to know the truth, but now she doesn't have to hide it.
Mrs. Zhou is cruel and must make Feng Zhiheng understand that people's hearts are sinister from now on.
"Heng'er, let me ask you. You just arrived in Yangfeng, how did you know there were lanterns and monkey tricks outside?"
Feng Zhiheng opened his mouth.
She lowered her head and thought for a moment, then said: "That day when Ying'er was combing my hair, she said there were lanterns and monkeys playing outside. She said it was very lively. She often went to see it at home when she was a child. I was very curious after hearing this. I had never seen it before. ……At once……"
Suddenly, Feng Zhiheng seemed to understand something and exclaimed: "Ying'er did it on purpose? It's impossible...she has been with me for five years."
Mrs. Zhou looked at her with relief. Fortunately, it was not a solid piece of wood.
It’s just that I haven’t experienced anything yet and still need experience.
"Wealth moves people's hearts." Mrs. Zhou said calmly, "It's not an exaggeration to kill a slave like her who betrays her master just for some money."
The Zhou family thought about it for a long time, but they didn't understand why Ying'er colluded with the kidnapper.
She was picked up by Feng Zhiheng's mother on her way to visit relatives in Huaicheng five years ago. Ying'er's village suffered a disaster, so she sold herself into slavery to save her brother who was seriously ill at home.
Feng Zhiheng's mother was soft-hearted and took her in.
She only relented after being pressed this morning and admitted that her brother was one of the kidnappers.
Because he owed money from gambling and was desperate, he learned that she was returning home with her master. He threatened her, and she was forced to collude inside and outside to blackmail Feng Zhiheng.
Raise an unfamiliar white-eyed wolf.
Feng Zhiheng's face turned pale and he murmured: "Ying'er, how could...she take care of me like that..."
This was the first time in her life that someone around her stabbed her in the back.
I feel sad and incredible.
"Heng'er, don't be sad. Remember, people's hearts are fickle. You must not have the intention of harming others, and you must have the intention of being on guard against others. Don't get close to anyone easily." Mrs. Zhou took the opportunity to teach her the truth.
Feng Zhiheng nodded confusedly.
It seems that I still don’t quite understand it, so I’ll teach you slowly.
Mrs. Zhou thought to herself.
"Grandma, can I have a heart-to-heart relationship with Xiao Yuanbao? I like her so much, and she is really good to me." Feng Zhiheng looked at Mrs. Zhou seriously.
Mrs. Zhou thought for a while and said: "Xiao Yuanbao is very good. But remember, you can't be easy to talk to when interacting with people. But if you really meet someone you are willing to talk to, you can't force the other person if you give sincerely. Give it the same sincerity as you do.”
Feng Zhiheng nodded, listening to the rumble of the carriage, and asked: "Grandma, can I still come here to play with little Yuanbao in the future?"
Mrs. Zhou was silent.
Mrs. Zhou coaxed her and said, "Heng'er really likes sister Xiao Yuanbao. I will pick her up next time."
But I don't dare to let her come. If the same thing happens again, my sister-in-law will probably have to come from the capital to kill him and argue with him.
The topic returned to Xiao Fuyuan and the Bai family.
"Old lady, I look at the Bai family with a cold eye. They are a kind family and they don't ask for any favors in return." Mrs. Zhou praised her and continued, "After all, they are kind to us. Will they be our disciples in the coming New Years?"
Mrs. Zhou said: "When I go out during the New Year, I just give some gifts. That's not what Lao Bai's family lacks."
Mrs. Zhou suddenly appeared in front of the half-grown man who was sitting at the door of the pot, reading a book seriously. She sighed in her heart that it was a pity for his legs.
It is no longer possible to take part in the imperial examination, but...
Then he moved in his heart and said to Aunt Li: "I heard that the fourth child in his family is a child student in this spring examination. Please ask someone to inquire about his qualifications. There are also children who are reading at the door of the pot today. Didn't Heng'er say that he would send books to I'll choose him myself."
"Yes, ancestor." Grandma Li wrote it down.
(End of chapter)
