Ch. 681..685: The Princess of Northern Land Chapter 681-685

Chapter 681: Chapter 681: Coma (6)_1

"Princess, change your clothes. We will go together to the Marquis Residence later," Chu Suifeng said to her.

Lin Ziyin nodded. As it was the day of their return after getting married, both she and Chu Suifeng were dressed in bright clothes. However, it was inappropriate to dress like that on a day with such an unconscious grandmother.

She hurried to her room, had Qiaoqiao pick out a plain, feather-down robe for her to change into.

"Prince." Chu Suifeng followed her in. Qiaoqiao hastily bowed to him.

Chu Suifeng ordered, "You may leave."

Without hesitation, Qiaoqiao left the room at once.

"Prince, is this outfit appropriate?" Lin Ziyin personally picked out a plain gown that matched hers for him.

Both wore strikingly similar outfits, embroidered with a somber pattern made of silver thread. Chu Suifeng quickly took the robe and put it on. He then produced a white fox fur cloak from a cupboard and fastened it onto her. "When we get there, don’t worry about anyone. You are the princess of this Prince; no one can disrespect you."

This was him giving her a heads-up.

Lin Ziyin nodded, "Prince, don’t worry about me. I’m not someone who can be bullied by everyone."

"Nanny Lu." Chu Suifeng abruptly called out.

A response came from outside followed by Nanny Lu, Hong Ying, Lun Luo, and other maids entering the room.

"Stay by her side. If anyone dares to disrespect her, you know what to do." Chu Suifeng’s tone was stern.

"Yes, Prince, you can rely on me. I know what I should do. I will never let the Princess feel wronged," Nanny Lu replied respectfully and sincerely.

"Let’s go." Chu Suifeng put on a large, white fur coat and then led Lin Ziyin out.

It was already evening when they returned to Feng City from Shili Village.

The night arrived quickly in Feng City. By the time Chu Suifeng and Lin Ziyin reached the Marquis Residence, it was completely dark.

The lanterns were lit all over the Marquis Residence. Amid the pitch-black night, the empty Marquis Residence looked somewhat desolate.

Everyone in the Marquis Residence, from the master to the servants, their faces all showed exhaustion and tension. Each person walked quickly, though carefully, as if treading on thin ice.

Surrounded by such a tense atmosphere, Lin Ziyin couldn’t help but feel anxious.

"Don’t be afraid." Chu Suifeng, who had been by her side all along, naturally sensed her nervous mood. In order to relieve her stress, he reached out his hand, not caring about the condemnation from others, and held Lin Ziyin’s hand as they walked inside.

"The honourable official pays his respects to the Prince." Marquis Lee was pacing back and forth in his chamber, extremely agitated. He was the person who least wanted any misfortune to befall the Madam. He knew exactly what the implications for the Marquis Residence would be if something happened to her.

Upon seeing Chu Suifeng, he hastened to pay his respects, secretly hoping that Chu Suifeng could use his influence to invite Master Hui Zhen to their residence to tend to the elderly madam and bring a new hope.

"Dispense with the formalities." Chu Suifeng responded coldly, "The Princess and I are going to visit her. Master Hui Zhen will be here soon."

Before Marquis Lee could even put forward his request, Chu Suifeng had already offered him peace of mind.

"Many thanks to the Prince and Princess," Marquis Lee said delightedly. In his view, although the medicinal monks of Ding’an Temple were all formidable, Master Hui Zhen remained the most powerful. As long as the old monk did not arrive, he still had hope in his heart.

"The humble concubine pays her respects to the Prince and Princess." Only after Marquis Lee and Chu Suifeng had exchanged brief pleasantries, Mrs. Mu and Mrs. You and others dared to speak and pay their respects.

Chapter 682: Chapter 682: Coma (7)_1

"Forget it." Chu Suifeng had no fondness for these people, and his tone was anything but friendly.

In the crowd, Li Yanran’s eyes were practically aflame with hatred when she saw Chu Suifeng’s hand entwined with Lin Ziyin’s. Chu Suifeng’s hand should have been in hers. Lin Ziyin had usurped her place and taken everything that should have been Yanran’s.

All the women of the Marquis Residence had arrived, and as a representative of the women of the Wang Residence, Lin Ziyin naturally had to say a few words of greeting and consolation to Lady Mu and others.

Just as she was about to speak, she noticed a gaze full of hatred directed towards her.

Her sixth sense had always been stronger than most, and following her instinct, she spotted Li Yanran feasting her spiteful gaze upon her without any reservation.

Li Yanran was indeed bold. Even in front of a crowd, and even after being caught by Lin Ziyin, her hateful eyes did not dim.

Observing this, Lin Ziyin’s personal maid Nanny Lu’s expression immediately cooled. When Lin Ziyin subtly moved her hand, Nanny Lu understood to stand quietly without uttering a word.

Madam Yu’s gaze also fell upon Chu Suifeng and Lin Ziyin’s intertwined hands. She had a lukewarm smile on her face with a trace of mockery in her eyes. However, she wasn’t as foolish as Li Yanran; after one look, she modestly lowered her gaze.

Regardless of the situation, it was a rule of thumb to never exhibit insolence in front of Chu Suifeng. This is a rule learned through, often painful, experience. With the Marquis and mother-in-law Lady Mu above her, and Li Yanran, the sister-in-law, below her, it wasn’t her place to act rashly. Hence, Madam Yu decided to feign ignorance.

Lin Ziyin too noticed Madam Yu’s meaningful gaze and only then did she realize that her hand was still encased in Chu Suifeng’s larger hand.

It was absolutely improper in such a setting and it made her seem reckless.

Startled, Lin Ziyin quickly withdrew her hand.

Chu Suifeng, noticing her movement, didn’t hinder her and gently released her hand, "Let’s go inside and see for ourselves."

"Okay." Lin Ziyin obediently complied.

"Madam, Miss." But before entering, Lin Ziyin courteously made conversation, not forgetting courtesy, "How did the old lady suddenly fall unconscious?"

"In response to the princess." Although Lady Mu harbored dislike for Lin Ziyin, she hid it well and replied respectfully, "The old lady was very happy when she came back from the Wang Residence. The next day, she even had an extra bowl of rice. But this morning, we found her unconscious."

"What did the medicinal monks say?"

"Master Hui Zhen prescribed medication and I’ve also administered it to the old lady. However, the Master did mention that if the old lady does not regain consciousness by tomorrow, perhaps..." Lady Mu seemed to choke on her sorrow and couldn’t continue.

In contrast, Madam Xu of the second house was rather impatient to showcase her efforts, "In response to the princess, I’ve also been following Master Hui Zhen’s instructions, constantly speaking to the old lady, but she hasn’t shown any response."

"You all have worked hard." Lin Ziyin comforted diplomatically.

"We should take care of our elder even if it is hard. But having the prince and princess come over so late, I must apologize for the inconvenience."

Madam Xu said this while dabbing at the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief. Her two daughters and daughters-in-law immediately followed suit and started crying.

Compared to the second house’s seemingly heartfelt expressions, Lady Mu, who led the main house, appeared somewhat lacking.

Seeing themselves become a backdrop for the second house to flaunt, Lady Mu and Madam Yu were seething with anger, but could only sulk without uttering a word.

"Let’s go." Chu Suifeng’s words were brief and to the point, unwilling to watch Lin Ziyin and a few insincere people continue their charade.

The patient needed quiet for recuperation, hence only the Marquis could be afforded entry with Chu Suifeng and Lin Ziyin.

Watching Marquis Li staying close to Chu Suifeng, the second house’s members regretfully missed yet another opportunity to get close to King Ling.

Other than a few monks, there were only Nanny Qilan and a maid at the patient’s bedside in the room.

The old lady lying on the bed had a healthy complexion, not at all looking like someone who was in a coma.

"How is she?" Lin Ziyin asked.

Nanny Qilan’s eyes welled up even before she could speak, "My respects to the prince and princess. The old lady, she...". Choking on her words, she couldn’t continue.

"Is there a way to wake the old lady sooner?" Chu Suifeng asked with a stern countenance. He was directing his question to the medicinal monks.

"Amitabha, my medical skills are unrefined. I am incapable of treating the old lady’s condition." The monk replied with respect and honesty.

Chu Suifeng did not reprimand them as he was already well aware of the old lady’s condition.

The only hope left was Master Hui Zhen.

Chu Suifeng, holding Lin Ziyin’s hand, sat down to wait for Master Hui Zhen’s arrival.

Nanny Lu softly consoled Nanny Qilan to help her calm down. The room was filled with the old lady’s heavy breathing, creating an oppressive atmosphere. Marquis Li tried to break the ice a few times but was promptly discouraged by Chu Suifeng’s cold, displeased gaze.

"Young Lady." The atmosphere in the side room was quite tense as well. Chu Suifeng’s arrival had made everyone hold their breaths. Just then, Madam Yu’s maid barged in.

Chapter 683: Chapter 683: Joint Scheme(1)_1

"Young Mistress, the You Residence has sent someone over to say Grand Madame You is severely ill and is requesting your presence." The maid saw the room was filled with the household’s masters and felt a little anxious, but she finally managed to suppress her fears, calmly delivering her message.

"Oh my, they’ve come to fetch someone at such a late hour, sister-in-law, you’d better go back quickly. So as not to keep the old Madame waiting anxiously." Before Mrs. You could make any comment, the daughter-in-law from the second room chuckled and spoke.

Mrs. Xun, hearing her daughter-in-law’s veiled mockery of Mrs. You, not only didn’t stop her, but added insult to injury, "Niece, how can you still be sitting here? It’s quite late, the road won’t be easy to navigate in a while."

When Mrs. Mu saw the jibes from the mother and daughter-in-law from the second room directed at her daughter-in-law, it angered her. But the old lady was lying unconscious in bed, and if she started an argument with the people from the second room at this moment, Prince Ling would definitely be displeased first. And the Marquis would also rebuke her no matter who’s right or wrong.

Equally, she disapproved of You Residence’s unjustifiable behavior.

Mrs. You didn’t consider whether it was the right time for the people from her maternal home to come, her first reaction was that an accident must have occurred at the You Residence, otherwise, her family wouldn’t have sent for her at this time.

But she really couldn’t figure out what could’ve gone wrong in the You Residence so late. Could her parents have had a fight, or was it true that her grandmother was really sick? Most of the maids in her yard were concubines that came with her dowry from the You Residence, so she didn’t pay any mind to the reactions of others in the room.

"Useless." Li Jiesong had been simmering with anger, and the jeering from the second room felt like a harsh slap in his face. As a man, he couldn’t let his dignity be trampled upon. "With such a big incident in our residence and it being so late, they still have the nerve to send for you, considering every trivial matter as worthy of your attention. Have they forgotten that you are a married daughter, and all their offspring are dead?"

Upon hearing the word ’dead’, Mrs. You immediately erupted, "Even if I am married, am I not my parent’s daughter anymore? My grandmother’s health isn’t well, what’s wrong with me going back to check on her? If it wasn’t serious, would they come to fetch me at this late hour? Don’t forget, the Prince also..."

"Shut up." Before Mrs. You could finish, Mrs. Mu slapped the table and stood up. Everyone in the room reflexively closed their mouths.

Mrs. You had just mentioned Prince Ling.

The Prince and his wife were still in the room, their status was acknowledged as "outsiders," yet Mrs. You was the legitimate daughter of the You Residence, her relationship was closer to the Marquis Residence than Chu Suifeng’s.

Now that they had this comparison, nobody in the room dared to say anything else.

"Go and take a look." Mrs. Mu replied coldly. She didn’t want the people from the second room to belittle her, more importantly, she didn’t want Prince Ling to develop any resentment towards the Marquis Residence in such a critical moment.

Besides, considering how late it was, the You Residence must’ve really been in trouble to send for Mrs. You. If something really happened and Mrs. You missed it, it would be awkward for the families to face each other in the future.

Mrs. You, having obtained the elder’s permission, quickly thanked Mrs. Mu and left with her maid.

She returned to her own courtyard and saw a servant from You Residence waiting, drenched in sweat.

Something’s really happened! Mrs. You was startled.

"What happened?" She asked haughtily.

"Miss." The servant’s eyes glanced around anxiously. Clearly, with so many people in the room, he couldn’t deliver the message.

"All of you, leave." Mrs. You waved her hand, and all the maids and old women left the room, leaving only one nanny to attend to her.

"Miss, a serious incident has happened at the residence." Seeing the hush fall over the room, the servant quickly fell to his knees, "The grains sold by our residence have all been returned by Heiye."

Chapter 684: Chapter 684: Joint Calculation (2)_1

"What?" Mrs. You stood up in surprise, her face no longer composed. Instead, it was replaced with shock and worry. She grabbed the collar of the young servant, "Say that again."

"Miss, the grain has truly been returned." The servant reiterated, "The master and the second master are waiting for you to make a decision. The family head is pacing anxiously, waiting for your guidance."

Have her make a decision? Mrs. You couldn’t hold back her anger, how could she have any good ideas to solve the problem.

Though the Prince of Ling was residing in the Wang Residence, he had always been distant from the Marquis Residence. The whole of Feng City was to sell food at fair prices and smuggling was strictly prohibited, all of which were decreed by the Prince of Ling. Would the Prince of Ling change his stance for the sake of a minor Aristocratic Family like the You Residence? Dream on!

Mrs. You was a smart woman, and a smart woman often saw the crux of the problem. She wasn’t as naive as the rest of the You family.

"Miss." Seeing Mrs. You sitting on the chair without any response, the servant was both anxious and scared. When he had left, the family head had specifically instructed him to bring Mrs. You back to the residence.

"Prepare the carriage at once." Mrs. You came to her senses, then sternly instructed.

Although it was just after dark, the weather in Feng City was freezing. There were hardly any pedestrians on the street, except for the fixed places that had lanterns, the rest were pitch black.

Sitting in the carriage, Mrs. You was extremely anxious, wishing she could arrive at the You Residence in a single step.

Inside the You Residence, Mrs. You’s brother, You Shiyong, and the other masters of the You Residence were all sitting in the room, staring blankly at the grain in the courtyard. This grain was returned to them just after nightfall.

Receiving tens of thousands of pounds of grain out of nowhere, no one in the You Residence saw this as a good thing. Instead, everyone’s faces were filled with fear and concern.

"Why hasn’t aunt arrived?" A man, looking about the same age as Mrs. You, asked anxiously.

"What’s the rush, didn’t we just send someone over." You Shiyong coldly scolded his son.

Mrs. You is the late-born daughter of the You Residence. You Shiyong’s son is about the same age as her. Thinking about the potential consequence the You Residence might face, You Shiyong was even more terrified.

The Prince of Ling usually acted swiftly and decisively, how would the You Residence covertly handle this batch of grain?

"Master, Miss is back." Just as he was contemplating, Mrs. You finally arrived.

"Quick, quickly invite aunt over." Fearing the news would leak out, the You Residence had hidden the grain in the most remote rooms.

Before long, Mrs. You appeared before You Shiyong, and likewise, she saw the room full of grain.

"What happened?" Mrs. You asked, holding back her anger.

"It was sent by Lord Black’s men." You Shiyong answered, anger seething.

"Weren’t all of Lord Black’s men eliminated by Si Jinhan?" Mrs. You was incredulous, and her voice inadvertently raised several points.

"My dear aunt, lower your voice." You Shiyong, filled with urgency, wished he could cover her mouth. "If someone hears, it could cost us our heads."

Whether it was the iron-fisted rule of the Prince of Ling or the crazy retaliation of Lord Black, a small Aristocratic Family like the You Residence couldn’t afford to mess with either. "Only the people inside Feng City were sorted out, the real manpower was all left outside the city."

Mrs. You gave him a look, then her gaze fell on You Shiyong.

"There will always be remnants. Over there are desperadoes. I don’t know how they managed to deceive others and return so much grain." You Shiyong explained with a bitter smile, "What do we do now?"

What to do? Damn it! Mrs. You was both irritated and resentful. Despite being the family head, her brother had no sense of responsibility, only knowing how to flatter and grease up to others without choosing the right side. Every time there was a problem, he immediately turned to his little sister.

Chapter 685: Chapter 685: Joint Calculation (3)_1

What could she do as a woman?

"Pingping, your parents, brother and sister-in-law, nieces and nephews all live in the You Residence. Can you bear to see it fall?" The old Master You, now in his seventies, trembled as he spoke. His hope still rested on his daughter.

Great resentment filled Lady You. It was always like this. If it weren’t for these burdens of her family, would she be living such a tired life?

"If eldest brother trusts me, he should donate all of this grain to Prince Ling overnight. Otherwise, a great disaster will befall the You family." However harsh she felt, Lady You could never actually be heartless enough to allow everyone in the You Residence to lose their lives.

"How can we do that?" You Shiyong blurted out. A hundred thousand jin of grain is not a small amount. Add in the transportation expenses and other costs, he couldn’t bear to give it away for free.

"Can’t bear to do it, can you?" Lady You sneered at him. "Then just wait for Prince Ling to come for your lives."

The others in the You Residence all glared unhappily at Lady You upon hearing this. Who did she think she was, suggesting such a solution? A hundred thousand jin of grain was worth quite a lot of silver. Did she think everyone had as much pocket money as her?

If they were to give away the grain, it would take the You Residence two whole years to fill the void.

"Could we perhaps..." You Shiyong asked with a frown.

"No." Before he finished speaking, Lady You straightforwardly rejected him. She knew what her elder brother was about to say - he wanted her to plead with her father-in-law at Prince Ling’s Residence so that they could sell the grain through a regular channel.

What a fancy thought. But how could they know that the Marquis Residence itself was like a clay Bodhisattva crossing the river, barely keeping itself afloat?

"If you disagree, figure it out yourselves." Lady You stood up. "The old lady of the residence has collapsed. I must go back. Everyone is gathered in the residence waiting. If I don’t go back now, people will speak ill of me."

Without waiting to see the discontented expressions on the faces of the others from the You Residence, she took her servants and hastily departed.

"Madam." The old nursemaid looked at Lady You with hesitation. As someone who also came from the You Residence, she naturally did not want any harm to befall it, so in private, she tried to persuade Lady You.

"Enough. I know you’re concerned out of old affection, but don’t forget. If we get involved again, we might get drawn into the mess. If my eldest brother listens to me, it’s fine - Prince Ling would not destroy the You family if he receives the grain. But if he doesn’t listen, I’m afraid not even heaven and earth can save them." As she spoke, Lady You’s voice choked with emotion, "Have someone keep an eye on him, and remind him daily. We must ensure my eldest brother sends the grain to Prince Ling’s Residence as soon as possible. If he’s late, even offering the grain won’t save him."

By the end, Lady You was in tears. However ruthless she appeared, her family was, after all, her family. How could she just stand by and watch them die? But, she also knew the temperament of her elder brother You Shiyong - he was selfish, stingy, and self-righteous. He certainly wouldn’t listen to what she had said tonight.

However, with the old lady having collapsed, and Prince Ling still at the Marquis Residence, he certainly wouldn’t concern himself with such a trivial matter as the You Residence for the moment. That could buy them a bit of time.

These days, she just had to send more people to remind him, then You Shiyong would certainly hearken to what she had said.

By the time she returned to the Marquis Residence, Chu Suifeng had already returned to Wang Residence with Lin Ziyin. As for Prince Ling, he was just an outsider and newly married. There was an old custom in the Northern Land, that a newlywed couple should stay in their bridal chamber for five days at the least; otherwise, it would be bad luck.

Li Yanran wished Chu Suifeng could have stayed behind at the Marquis Residence. After all, it would be better in her book if Lin Ziyin had to guard an empty bridal chamber, which was itself a bad omen. Regrettably, despite his concern for the old lady, Chu Suifeng eventually returned to Wang Residence.