Rejected Beauty Practices the Villain Play
Chapter 71 Open Strategy

Chapter 71: Chapter 71 Open Strategy

Peasant, merchant, artisan, and scholar—they’re all easy to manipulate. Making such a grand display, almost ready to set off firecrackers, this is truly excessive. The young lady has always acted discreetly, yet her style has suddenly changed drastically, leaving everyone puzzled.

"The merchants on the entire street band together. Even if the authorities want to interfere, what charge can they bring against us? In commerce, we talk business—we’re doing a discount promotion and care only about profits. Who cares when Imperial Uncle Lv dies? He’s not that significant." Fengyu said indifferently, "No need to worry. Just proceed with business as usual. As for that bad debt with Baofeng Bank... Go to the managers of all major banks. Imperial Uncle Lv borrowed money from them all. Now that he’s dead, this money must still be repaid. If the Ministry of Justice comes to investigate, just hand over the records."

"Understood!"

The two Feng Family daughters are poles apart in temperament and character. Feng Shu is down-to-earth in her actions, receptive to advice, and quick to change direction when heading down the wrong path. Miss Fengyu, however, is different—soft-faced but ruthless in heart, and extremely difficult to sway once she has made up her mind. Shopkeeper Wen and Lady Thirteen are firmly devoted to following Fengyu’s lead, so Fengyu does as she pleases with absolute authority.

This time, the discount promotion was audaciously blatant. And yet Shopkeeper Wen somehow convinced all the stores on the street to unite in this campaign. Duke Ning’s Mansion is furious, but what can they do—arrest all the managers on the street? This street is one of the most bustling and prosperous in the Capital City, and those who operate here naturally have connections.

After a meeting that lasted three hours, with a half-hour break in between, the session concluded in the afternoon. Several managers left first, while Fengyu only kept Lady Thirteen behind.

Lady Thirteen came from a brothel and was originally a "skinny horse" from Yangzhou. Now twenty-five, she possesses a seductive figure and is brimming with charm. Skilled in the eight refined arts—music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, wine, flowers, and tea—she is adept in every area. Renowned for her singing and dancing talents, most of the girls at Mudan Building are groomed by her. King Qi is a frequent guest at Lady Thirteen’s gatherings, and she is well-acquainted with the prominent officials and nobility of the capital. The women at Mudan Building perform arts rather than sell their bodies, standing out among the city’s pleasure establishments and earning favor from influential elites and gifted scholars alike.

Lady Thirteen understood why Fengyu kept her behind. She leaned close to Fengyu, sat beside her, her natural charm shining through, and chuckled softly, "Rest assured, young lady. Even if the coroners perform an autopsy, they won’t uncover anything. Taking a life silently and without trace—this is my expertise."

"Will the Ministry of Justice send people to investigate?" Fengyu asked.

"They summoned Lan Hua for questioning, which lasted half an incense stick. Imperial Uncle Lv had been clamoring to redeem Lan Hua, but Lan Hua rejected him outright in court, and several young sons of the nobility can attest to this. Marquis Xie Xun is one of Lan Hua’s patrons, so the Ministry of Justice wouldn’t dare trouble her. After we closed the building, we spent the entire time at the manor. We didn’t return until after Imperial Uncle Lv was dead, and the Ministry couldn’t find anything. Moreover, Lan Hua truly knows nothing." Lady Thirteen pinched Fengyu’s cheek. "Even my own sister doesn’t know about it. Who could figure out how he died?"

Furthermore, Mudan Building and Wangjiang Restaurant are not openly associated with the Feng Family. Only the managers in the capital know this; outsiders are seldom aware.

"Well done." Fengyu playfully winked.

Lady Thirteen covered her mouth as she laughed, then cupped Fengyu’s face and asked, "He’s dead. Does that make you happy, young lady?"

"Happy!" Fengyu smiled softly, finally venting her pent-up frustration. The Empress and Crown Prince live deep within the palace, protected by guards, so she can do nothing against them.

Since a single individual’s rise catapults everyone around him, if she cannot harm the heavens, she’ll ensure all those chickens and dogs basking in his glory meet their end.

Lady Thirteen said, "I’ll make you even happier."

Two days later, it was the seventh day after Imperial Uncle Lv’s death. Duke Ning, an old man burying his younger kin, was furiously grief-stricken and fell from his horse, breaking his leg. At his age, such an injury couldn’t be underestimated. His broken leg became infected with cold, leading to a high fever that nearly claimed his life. The Empress and Crown Prince left the palace to visit him. Everyone commented on Duke Ning Mansion’s recent streak of misfortune. The Empress wept bitterly with tearful concern for her younger brother and sympathy for her elderly father. Coming into the year-end festivities, it was certain that Duke Ning Mansion and the Empress wouldn’t have a joyful celebration.

By mid-December, snow fell over the Capital City.

Snowflakes cascaded, coating red walls and dark tiles with an ethereal brightness, shrouding the entire capital in silver. After the snowfall, the temperature dropped sharply. Fragrant winter plums blossomed in courtyards, and Fengyu rarely left her residence. When managers in the city had urgent matters to discuss, they came to Feng Mansion to meet her. Fengyu led a tranquil daily life. Feng Wan and Feng Ling continued their socializing, and the Feng Family hosted a banquet where Fengyu did not attend, staying home to recuperate. Feng Wan and Feng Ling frequently visited her courtyard, where the three sisters occasionally shared amusing tales, played chess, sipped tea, and arranged flowers. The New Year’s gifts sent by the Su Family arrived, and Fengyu kept the medicinal ingredients, while sending the rest to Lady Feng.

Lady Feng looked at the several boxes of presents with mixed emotions. In previous years, she would have undoubtedly accepted them as a matter of course and without gratitude. But now, having been reprimanded by the matriarch, her feelings were far more complex upon seeing the Su Family’s offerings. Feng Shu was not home; the fabrics sent were mostly simple and elegant—not in line with Fengyu’s taste. The Su Family had evidently prepared them specifically for the daughters of the main branch. Those fabrics, plain yet exquisite, were hard to come by even in the Capital City.

Beyond this, there were teas favored by Feng Changming and fragrances preferred by Lady Feng. Her face burned with embarrassment. All these years, blinded by jealousy, she had never known gratitude.

"New Year’s Eve is approaching. Shu’er won’t be home. After the banquet that evening, you two should accompany Yu’er and see the year out in her room—just play inside; don’t let her catch cold." Lady Feng instructed Feng Wan and Feng Ling.

Feng Wan smiled softly, saying, "Don’t worry, mother. I understand."

Lady Feng had been fretting about Feng Wan’s marriage prospects recently. After being reprimanded, she followed Feng Changlin’s advice and considered marrying Feng Wan to Liu An, the top scorer in the recent imperial examination. Though Liu An’s family was poor, with a disabled father and a strong-minded mother, it was a reasonable household. Lady Feng took great care to investigate and found no dirt on Liu An. Now in Hanlin Academy, his future was bright.

Despite her intentions, Liu An quickly became betrothed to Zhang Jingmiao of the Zhang Family. This was a major disappointment for Lady Feng. Zhang Boxin’s mother, however, hoped to take Feng Wan as her daughter-in-law. The families had barely begun discussions when Zhang Boxin was imprisoned at the Ministry of Justice for his involvement in Imperial Uncle Lv’s death. After more than ten days of investigation with no conclusion, the marriage talks came to a halt.

Lady Feng was deeply troubled, attributing Feng Wan’s misfortune in marriage to her own overly ambitious standards, leaving her heart heavy with frustration. Fengyu, hearing bits and pieces of Lady Feng’s concerns, found the prolonged investigation into Imperial Uncle Lv’s death surprising. She initially thought Li Pengfei and Zhang Boxin would be detained for only four or five days before being released. Were they really about to stay locked up through New Year’s Eve? Would the major influential families allow this? These individuals were promising sons from prominent households, and she couldn’t believe they’d remain in custody.

Whether it was killing Imperial Uncle Lv or breaking Duke Ning’s leg, Lady Thirteen executed it flawlessly and left no trace. There was little chance of exposure. From beginning to end, the only connection to Fengyu was Baofeng Bank. Imperial Uncle Lv had exploited his power to leverage loans across all the city’s banks, but there was no evidence left behind for anyone to uncover.

Why had the Ministry of Justice failed to close the case?