Chapter 36: And This Is Her Mental Strength!
Editor: Atlas Studios
Shen Mingjiao asked him how he was going to test it out, but Feng Lisheng refused to tell her.
When it was almost noon, she was pruning the flowers in Mrs. Zhao's courtyard out of boredom when Xiao Die ran over excitedly and tugged at her.
"I heard that a big shot came to the residence and there's a crowd. Sister Jiao, let's go and take a look!"
Shen Mingjiao asked in confusion, "What big shot?"
Xiao Die lowered her voice and said mysteriously, "I heard that it's His Highness, the Prince, the God of War who defeated the Northern Barbarians on his own. You know, he…"
Shen Mingjiao couldn't help but sigh when she heard the maidservant's endless praise for Feng Lisheng. That fella really had a lot of fangirls!
However… as she listened to this slightly exaggerated praise, a strange sense of pride arose in her heart.
At this moment, Mrs. Zhao walked out. When she heard their conversation, she was a little interested. "Let's go together…"
After saying that, she covered her mouth with her handkerchief and coughed lightly.
Shen Mingjiao looked at her thin and haggard face and said hesitantly, "Madam, why don't you visit a better doctor?"
She heard from Xiao Die that Mrs. Zhao had a mental illness and she had also recently contracted a cold. This was why she looked so weak. However, Shen Mingjiao felt that she was really weak.
Mrs. Zhao shook her head. "I'm fine. I just caught a cold recently. I'll be fine after a while."
…
In the front yard, the intermediate door was wide open. Feng Lisheng, who was dressed in black, led Feng Wu and the rest in with large strides.
Zhao Ke led his servants and family to kneel and welcome them.
Feng Wu glanced at Madam Lian, who was kneeling beside Zhao Ke, and thought to himself. Official Zhao really dotes on his concubine to the extreme such that he even dares to let his concubine appear in such a situation.
Feng Lisheng raised his hand calmly. "Official Zhao, please rise."
Zhao Ke stood up and asked nervously. "Your Highness, I didn't expect you to come. I'm sorry for not welcoming you better."
Feng Lisheng waved his hand and said lightly, "I heard that Official Zhao's chess skills are outstanding. I am just feeling free and I want to have a friendly battle."
"Your Highness, you're too kind. It's all nonsense spread by people in the streets. I only know a little about chess."
Zhao Ke was even more confused. He had never heard that the Prince liked to play chess. Why did he suddenly want to have a friendly battle with him?
Madam Lian, on the other hand, was staring at the prince's cold and handsome face in a daze. She was unable to regain her senses.
She had originally thought that Zhao Ke was already one of the few outstanding men in the world, but compared to the Prince in front of her, Zhao Ke, who used to make her extremely proud, was only so-so. The Prince was the real god-like character.
She could not help but gather her thoughts and stare straight into Feng Lisheng's blue eyes.
Feng Lisheng frowned and looked over coldly.
That gaze was bone-chilling, and it caused Madam Lian's pupils to constrict. In the next moment, she felt a sweetness in her throat.
She swayed and clutched her chest. She knew that this was someone she couldn't afford to offend.
Shen Mingjiao and the other two stood behind the crowd. Xiao Die stared at Feng Lisheng's face and she was infatuated.
"Wow! Gosh! I think I see a celestial being."
The corners of Shen Mingjiao's mouth twitched. She did not have to be so dramatic.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Zhao stared at Zhao Ke, who was chatting with Feng Lisheng, as if she could not get enough of him.
Shen Mingjiao accidentally noticed it and couldn't help but sigh. No matter what, Mrs. Zhao was the most innocent in this entire matter.
…
Zhao Ke led Feng Lisheng into the study. The wide bookshelf was filled with books.
Feng Lisheng glanced at it casually and realized that many of them were books about the Official Elections and Criminal Law. He did not care about them and thought that they were just Zhao Ke's personal preference. He thought to himself that although Zhao Ke's family matters were a little messy, he was still a practical person.
The two of them sat down and the manservant took the chessboard over.
Feng Lisheng played white while Zhao Ke played black. After a while, the chessboard showed a tough fight. The two sides were evenly matched.
During the game, the two of them chatted occasionally. Feng Lisheng mentioned it in a casual manner.
"I have some connections with your wife's brother. That time, I heard him mention that your wife was sick. Is she better now?"
Zhao Ke seemed to be stunned for a moment before he realized that Feng Lisheng was talking about Mrs. Zhao.
Zhao Ke's expression turned cold at the mention of Mrs. Zhao but he restrained his emotions and said, "She is slightly better now."
Seeing this, Feng Lisheng went along and asked. "Did you and your wife have a fight?"
Zhao Ke frowned, as if he did not want to talk about this topic. However, Feng Lisheng continued, "Are you still blaming her for breaking off the engagement back then…"
When he heard the words 'breaking off the engagement', Zhao Ke stood up abruptly as if a switch had been pressed..
"Don't mention that woman to me. She betrayed our relationship when I was in trouble. I will never forgive such a selfish and vain woman!"
At this moment, his eyes were bloodshot and his expression was ferocious, as if he had completely lost his mind.
Feng Lisheng frowned. Something was clearly wrong with Zhao Ke.
He tried to change the topic and talk about some things in the court. Zhao Ke's expression slowly softened, as if the hysteria just now was just an illusion.
Now that he had achieved his goal, Feng Lisheng did not stay any longer. He placed a piece down and said, "Thank you for letting me win."
When he was leaving the study, he accidentally saw a painting hanging on the wall and could not help but pause.
Zhao Ke said in embarrassment.
"This is the beautiful River-Mountain Painting drawn by the late Crown Prince back then, but mine is an imitation."
At the mention of the late Crown Prince, Feng Qiyou, his face was filled with reverence.
"Back then, when the late Crown Prince came to the Luo Capital to investigate a case, I had also received him. He's really an impressive person…"
Of course, Feng Lisheng knew that this was an imitation work because the real beautiful River-Mountain Painting was in the Prince's Mansion.
He just felt a little emotional. It has been such a long time and yet there were still people who remembered that talented youth.
…
Meanwhile, Madam Lian led a group of servants back to the courtyard and she coughed from time to time. Her heart still ached terribly after catching the glance from the Prince just now.
When she passed by the garden, a handsome and polite man stopped her and smiled kindly at her. "Madam, let's talk in private."
Madam Lian knew that the person in front of her was the personal attendant of the Prince. When she thought of that man, her heart felt uncontrollably excited. She gathered her thoughts again and looked at the man's smiling eyes.
Feng Wu met her deep eyes. His instincts honed on the battlefield made him feel danger, and he instinctively turned his face to avoid that gaze.
Madam Lian, who had failed again, gritted her teeth in anger. She did not understand what was going on these few days. They were all like this!
Also, she couldn't find any information about the woman from yesterday.
She asked Feng Wu rather impatiently, "What is it?"
Feng Wu didn't waste any more time. He smiled and said, "I heard that you are very good at domesticating thin dogs, Madam. The upper echelons of the Luo Capital were even proud of being able to receive thin dogs who were personally domesticated by you, especially for the three families that were murdered. You gave each of their family more than ten of them."
Although he was smiling, his eyes were sharp as he looked at her expression.
"Madam, I wonder if I'm lucky enough to request a few from you?"
After saying this, Madam Lian's expression changed. She answered in an annoyed tone, "No." Then, she led her people away in a hurry.
Feng Wu looked at her panicked back and stroked her chin.
Tsk. And this is her mental strength!
…
Madam Lian hurriedly returned to the courtyard and dismissed all the servants. She walked to the inner room, pulled open a secret compartment, and carefully pulled out an old book.
That year, she was sent to help Miss carry her dowry and she accidentally brought a box with her. A booklet fell out from it.
She picked it up curiously and flipped through it. She realized that the content was very strange, but she could actually understand it for some reason.
In an unexpected event, she secretly hid the book.
Anyway, the things she moved were the dowry that the late Old Madam had left for Miss.
As expected, no one noticed that the booklet was missing when they were counting the books.
-- Gift
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