Chapter 288: The Wen Family - Rebirth of the Noble Daughter

 Chapter 288: The Wen Family

Doctor Zhang looked helplessly amused, clearly frustrated. It was Xiao Tingyi’s fault for being unsatisfactory, but somehow it had become his problem.

In the carriage, Feng Jinlin kept chattering about various things, while Feng Jinyao remained silent.

She wondered where she had revealed her thoughts that had led Prince Ding to discover them.

Even the people close to her at home were unaware of her grudge against the Wen family, believing instead that it was the Wen family’s own misdeeds that had led to their downfall. Little did they know that much of it had been secretly orchestrated by her.

Indeed, Prince Ding had extraordinary methods. Realizing this made her even more determined to avoid him.

Seeing that his sister had been silent despite his long-winded talking, Feng Jinlin pretended to be angry and raised his voice.

“Ah Yao, are you even listening to me?”

“Second Brother, did you know General Yang, who is by Prince Ding’s side, before? And was your relationship close?”

Upon hearing this, Feng Jinlin instantly fell silent.

He couldn’t reveal the secret of his connection with Prince Ding’s residence, or it would cause trouble.

He had to come up with an excuse to brush it off. “It’s not like that. It’s just that Su Cheng keeps boasting about his connections with officials in the capital. Once, he got drunk and almost fought with General Yang. So, we only met because we fought.”

This explanation was full of holes, and Feng Jinyao immediately recognized it as false.

She scrutinized Feng Jinlin for a while, making him uncomfortable, before withdrawing her doubtful gaze.

“Forget it. If Second Brother doesn’t want to say, then don’t.”

Feng Jinyao had originally planned to visit the prison to see the condition of Wen Mengsheng. However, after being unsettled by Prince Ding’s words, she decided to return home with the carriage.

Upon getting off the carriage, she was greeted excitedly by a servant at the door, who informed her that the Wen family had arrived.

“Eldest Sister’s family should have arrived a few days ago according to the schedule. I don’t know what delayed them until today. But it’s good they’re here. Eldest Sister’s belly is getting bigger, and it’s reassuring to have her family here for support during childbirth.”

Feng Jinyao set aside her earlier thoughts and went with Feng Jinxiu to the Yunhai Courtyard.

Before they even entered, they heard their mother’s cheerful laughter. As they lifted the curtain and entered, the room was already filled with people.

Today, Eldest Brother was not home, so only Eldest Sister was sitting to their mother’s right, exuding a gentle, serene demeanor, her happiness evident to all.

To the left was Eldest Sister’s mother, accompanied by a man and a woman who appeared to be her younger siblings. They all resembled each other quite a bit.

“Mother.”

“Ah, just as we were talking about you both, here you are. Come and greet your Aunt Wen.”

“Jinlin greets Aunt Wen.”

“Ah Yao greets Aunt Wen.”

Both of them performed their greetings respectfully, displaying the demeanor of well-bred individuals.

Aunt Wen was a somewhat plump woman. Although she was already a grandmother, she looked surprisingly youthful.

Her slightly rounded face had gentle features, and her appearance suggested a gentle disposition.

Wearing a smoky-green Yangzhou dress, she looked even more refined, complementing her fair complexion.

Beside her were her two children, appearing to be in their teens. Her son was composed, while her daughter looked lively and energetic.

Coming from Shuzhou, they had fair skin, and their appearance was elegant.

“Good, good. They are all good children. Please, get up.”

Before Aunt Wen arrived, she had felt a bit anxious. Despite years of marriage, the interaction between their families had not been frequent. She worried that the high-ranking people in the Feng family might be difficult to get along with. It didn’t matter if she was inconvenienced, but she was concerned about her daughter’s well-being as a daughter-in-law.

Now that she saw her daughter looking rosy and her demeanor much brighter than before, her worries were eased.

Additionally, Madam Feng was a straightforward person. Though they had not interacted much, she handled matters with great consideration, so Aunt Wen’s impression of the Feng family improved significantly.

Introducing her children, Aunt Wen said, “This is my son Huige’er and my daughter Mengjie. They are about the same age as Third Miss. They insisted on coming to see their sister, so they’re here to visit. Sorry for the disturbance.”

“What is Aunt Wen saying? Such good children should naturally be brought out more often. I see Mengjie is lively and spirited. My niece from the Bai family is the same. I’ll have Ah Yao take her to meet her another day.”

Madam Feng’s niece was a young lady from the Bai family, with an esteemed status.

Though the Wen family was wealthy in Shuzhou, they still fell short compared to the prominent families in the Eastern Capital.

So, they were frequently reminded on their journey to be observant and respectful.

Feng Jinyao hadn’t had much interaction with the Wen family in her past life.

Since Eldest Sister and Yunhe had both passed away, their connection with the Wen family had ceased.

Thus, she didn’t know much about their character, but she understood the Wen family’s reputation from Eldest Sister’s behavior and demeanor.

As expected, Wen Huige’er and Wen Mengjie greeted Feng Jinlin and Feng Jinyao.

“Greetings, Second Brother. Greetings, Sister Ah Yao.”

“Greetings, Second Brother. Greetings, Sister Ah Yao.”

Huige’er’s demeanor was somewhat similar to Feng Jinxiu’s, though not as stern.

Mengjie, on the other hand, had been smiling since she entered, and her dimples added to her charm, making her endearing.

“You arrived just in time. I have prepared gifts for you in the courtyard. I will have someone send them to the Yanle Courtyard later. Please enjoy the festivities.”

Feng Jinyao smiled gracefully and said fittingly.

Yanle Courtyard was a small courtyard the Feng family had prepared in advance.

It was very close to the main house, connected by a small path.

The arrangement was to make it easier for the Wen family to be together, given that they had not met for seven or eight years and would likely have much to talk about.

Aunt Wen was delighted to hear Feng Jinyao’s words.

The Feng family was approachable and polite, so she presented the gifts she had prepared earlier.

“These are our Shuzhou’s special embroidered satin, finely stitched and breathable, perfect for summer wear. I hope Second Master and Third Miss will not dislike it.”

“Aunt Wen is too kind. You can call me Xiao Er just like Mother does, and also Ah Yao.”

“Is that so?”

“Of course. You are Eldest Sister’s mother and our elder, so it’s fine to address you more familiarly.”

Feng Jinlin did his best to show kindness, hoping that Aunt Wen would understand that not all members of the Feng family were as stern and unapproachable as Eldest Brother.