Rejected Beauty Practices the Villain Play
Chapter 49: Bad Sleeping Position

Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Bad Sleeping Position

The incident between Fengyu and Lin Yu Yan caused an uproar throughout the Capital City. Despite everyone’s efforts to hide it from the Old Madam, the truth eventually reached her. Upon hearing that Fengyu’s life hung by a thread, the Old Madam nearly fainted. Only after Mrs. Rong helped her over to see Fengyu and confirmed her safety did the Old Madam’s heart stop pounding with fear, though she still felt deeply shaken. After thoroughly inquiring about the events surrounding Fengyu and Fang Lingjun at the archery banquet, the Old Madam made a decisive move. On the third day after Fengyu fell into unconsciousness, she publicly announced that Fengyu had awakened and was lucky to have survived.

This matter could not be delayed; the longer it dragged on, the more likely something would go wrong.

Now that Fengyu had awakened, the responsibility fell squarely on Minister Lin’s Mansion. The entire Capital City watched closely to see how the situation would be resolved. Acting on the Old Madam’s instructions, Feng Changlin stayed home on leave, and the Feng Mansion shut its doors to all visitors.

After Fengyu regained consciousness, Mrs. Lin came bearing lavish gifts to visit her but was turned away. The Lady of the House explained that Fengyu was still recovering from her injuries and needed rest, declining all guests. Meanwhile, the Old Madam came to Plum Garden every day to check on Fengyu. Even knowing Fengyu was unharmed, the Old Madam played her part to perfection. Behind closed doors, she considered punishing Fengyu, who knelt and admitted her mistakes.

The Old Madam, disappointed yet piteous, looked at her beloved granddaughter with reddened eyes.

Fang Lingjun, however, couldn’t bear to see Fengyu suffer. She recounted how Lin Yu Yan had bullied Fengyu at the Imperial College and even tried to kill her at the archery banquet. Fang Lingjun said, "Old Madam, Ayu had no choice but to fight back. Had she not, the banquet truly would have ended in bloodshed. Lin Yu Yan brought this upon herself and has no one to blame but herself."

"Grandmother is not angry at you for retaliating against Lin Yu Yan," the Old Madam responded. "She is ruthless and despicable, but her life is not worth risking yours over. Yu’er, vengeance is not about killing a thousand enemies while harming yourself by eight hundred. That is the way of reckless men. You’ve just come of age, with a bright future ahead of you. Your life has barely started. If your revenge had gone awry, it would have cost you everything. You would have ruined yourself." The Old Madam held Fengyu’s shoulders, her aged eyes filled with heartache. "You will encounter people far more vicious than Lin Yu Yan in your life and face greater despair than at the archery banquet. What will you do then? Will you seek revenge at every turn, draining yourself completely? Are they worth more than you?"

Fengyu’s eyes brimmed with tears. Her shoulders ached under the Old Madam’s grip, but her heart hurt even more. "Grandmother, then what should your granddaughter do? Endure humiliation silently and return home to pour out grievances, only to make everyone worry and feel sorrow?"

"My dearest Yu’er," the Old Madam embraced her tightly, tears streaming down her face, "your grandmother is well, your parents are alive—you are not an orphan. You are still a fledgling with unformed wings. When wronged outside, you must come to us, not endure it in silence, let alone fight evil with evil. We are not yet at the point where you must wager your entire life."

Fengyu, her vision blurred by tears, clung to the Old Madam. The two wept bitterly, their grief shared. Fang Lingjun, too, wiped her eyes, secretly shedding tears. She had thought the Old Madam truly intended to punish Ayu.

After their crying subsided, the Old Madam finally calmed down. Qiuxiang and Chunlu brought water for the two to wash their faces. The Old Madam repeatedly questioned Fang Lingjun about whether there were any overlooked details regarding the archery banquet.

Fang Lingjun admitted their original plan had not included Fengyu stabbing herself, but she had reacted quickly to clean up the scene. "The only thing left behind was the dagger, which Xie Xun took. Ayu used pig’s blood, not human blood, but if anyone uncovers the truth, it could be problematic. However, since the dagger is with Xie Xun, I can’t retrieve it carelessly."

"Find a way to get it back," the Old Madam instructed. "There must be no loose ends with the evidence or witnesses. Let me think it through."

Rubbing her eyes, Fengyu softly said, "Grandmother, please don’t worry. The Young Marquis will help me. At the archery banquet, he teamed up with me and won against the Lin siblings, claiming ten thousand shī of grain. Ningzhou is in dire need of food. If something happens to me, his grain shipment will be disrupted too. Even if he figures out the truth, he won’t expose me."

"Xie Xun has a truly black heart. Ten thousand shī?" Fang Lingjun widened her eyes in disbelief. "For someone as miserly as Ayu, this must have been heart-wrenching. She really was willing to pay any price to eliminate Lin Yu Yan."

"If he keeps it under wraps, then all the better." The Old Madam finally exhaled in relief.

Fengyu lowered her gaze. "Grandmother, Yu’er was wrong. From now on, I will think thrice before acting."

In hindsight, plotting against Lin Yu Yan at the archery banquet was reckless and carried great risks. Moving forward, she vowed to plan meticulously, ensuring success with no escape for her target while ensuring her own safety.

When the Old Madam returned to Songhe Garden, she was utterly exhausted. Mrs. Rong, her lifelong maidservant and closer than a sister, said, "Old Madam, the Third Miss has woken up safely. Why do you not seem relieved but instead full of worry?"

"Among the grandchildren of our family, Wenrong is steady, intelligent, and capable. He will surely uphold the family’s honor in the future. Wanwan is gentle and pure. If she marries into a good family, she will live a happy life as a wife and mother. Ling’er is spoiled and willful, but her nature is not bad. With her elder brother’s protection, she can also lead a peaceful life. But what about Shu’er and Yu’er?" The Old Madam lamented, pounding her chest. "Years ago, in a moment of folly, we agreed to that marriage pact. It not only ruined Shu’er but also harmed Yu’er. It was a lapse in judgment by me and the old master."

"Old Madam, why do you say this? The Second Miss is as intelligent as she is decisive. In my eyes, she’s the one who most resembles you in your youth. She will certainly find a way to lead a good life. The Third Miss, too, has been strong-willed since she was young. Though she looks delicate, she is incredibly shrewd. You should worry less."

The Old Madam shook her head, her face clouded with worry. "Shu’er’s marriage, though seemingly illustrious, has brought so much misfortune and bloodshed. The Eldest Young Master may be exceptional, but he is not a suitable match for her. It is too late for regrets now; there is no way out. But Yu’er... When she was a child, she was lively and cheerful, soft and adorable, diligent and hardworking, never competing with her sisters. Ever since she got separated from Shu’er and was abducted, only to return after two years, her personality changed drastically. She became vengeful, obsessive, and ruthless. I see it with my own eyes and my heart breaks. Over the years, I have tried to gentle her disposition with patient guidance. She understood my intentions and even pretended to be gentle and virtuous, deceiving even me."

"Old Madam, the Third Miss endured two years of torment after her abduction. A change in temperament is only natural," Mrs. Rong consoled her. "But I still believe that, deep down, the Third Miss remains the kind and lovely girl she once was."

"You don’t understand..." The Old Madam clutched her chest. The saying about "killing a thousand enemies while harming yourself by eight hundred"—Fengyu intended to perish together with her foes. This was the act of a desperate soul on the brink of despair. But Yu’er wasn’t like that. After all these years, she still hadn’t let go of the helplessness and abandonment she felt during those two years of suffering. She never spoke of that dark period, but it was evident that she had lost faith in her family. In her most vulnerable moments, no one had been there for her.

The Old Madam was stricken with grief, her heart aching for her little Fengyu.

Had she cried out for her family in despair, only to hear no response? Was that why she no longer confided in her loved ones, choosing instead to seek destruction at any cost?

How much love and tenderness would it take to erase the pain and despair of those two years?

Back in Plum Garden, Fang Lingjun clutched the bedding and resolutely declared, "Ayu, we’re sleeping separately. I’ll sleep on the floor while you take the bed."

"Why?" Fengyu asked, puzzled. "The canopy bed is more than big enough for both of us."

Fang Lingjun hesitated before finally blurting out, "Your sleeping posture is awful."