Chapter 94: Tan Xiyin Pays a Visit, Stirring Up a Great Storm

"No, that's impossible. Even if I were to sell you, I would never sell Feng Yixiao. Right, Feng Yixiao? We should sell Auntie to Uncle Tang Li for a single copper coin. Let her go to his house and bear him little ones. Once she has a little one, we'll use it as a toy for you, Feng Yixiao, and then she can have many, many more, so we'll all have toys!"

Hua'er was so embarrassed by Linglong's words that she stomped her feet. "If you keep spouting nonsense, believe it or not, I'll sew your mouth shut with a needle!"

"I don't believe it. You wouldn't be able to bear sewing my mouth shut, and you'll definitely end up bearing many, many little ones for Tang Li anyway!" Linglong teased, fearless of death.

Hua'er grew angry. Holding Feng Yixiao in one arm and placing her other hand on her hip, she snapped, "If you want little ones so badly, I'll go tell the master later to make sure he doesn't leave tonight!"

Hmph!

Linglong snorted coldly. "I don't even know what that jerk has been doing lately; he hasn't shown his face in days!"

Hua'er pretended she hadn't heard. She hugged Feng Yixiao and tilted her head. "My Lady, what did you say?"

"Uh..." Linglong glared at Hua'er, pointing at her with a claw-like hand. "Hua'er, I've discovered that the longer you spend with Tang Li, the more you resemble his wife. Forget it, I might as well just pack you up and send you to him; perhaps I'll get some credit for doing him a favor!"

"If you send me away, how will you live? Who will cook for you? Who will take care of the baby?" Hua'er asked softly.

"Uh..." Linglong muttered, "I go to Yunwai Pavilion in the morning, the Silk and Bamboo Music House in the afternoon, and eat at Old Zhu's place in the evening. Feng Yixiao is already so big; is she really going to let me take care of her? It's more like she takes care of me!"

"Yunwai Pavilion? The Silk and Bamboo Music House? Old Zhu's place? You might as well just have the master hold a bowl and feed you himself!" Hua'er's retort was sharp.

Linglong, stung by the girl's constant jabs, walked ahead with her head down, muttering, "It's as if I couldn't survive without Qin Daofei, right?"

"My Lady, there's one more thing: you're broke right now!" Seeing Linglong depressed, Hua'er showed no sympathy and continued to twist the knife.

"Oh!" Linglong clutched her chest, her expression twisted in agony. "I almost forgot! Qin Daofei hasn't paid me back yet!"

Hua'er chose not to engage. She walked past Linglong, cradling Feng Yixiao with disdain. "Yixiao, Auntie is taking you to buy new clothes. Don't learn from your mother—she's crazy and has no decorum!"

"Hey, Hua'er, how about you raise me too? I'm very well-behaved!" Linglong chased after her, clinging to Hua'er's arm and acting spoiled. Life without money was truly miserable. Once Qin Daofei returned, she would definitely make him pay her back quickly! Hmph!

The two took Feng Yixiao to the fabric shop. Linglong picked and chose, buying plenty of fabric for the child. Seeing how happy she was, Hua'er didn't stop her. However, when it came time to pay, the owner said, "Master Xiaoyao has already sent word. From now on, all expenses for the Madame are to be put on Master Qin’s tab. Just settle the account at Xiaoyao Manor at the end of the month. You don't need to pay, Miss."

"The master is so kind?" Hua'er walked over happily and nudged Linglong with her elbow. "My Lady, everything we bought is on Xiaoyao Manor's account!"

Linglong said haughtily, "I don't want that! Later, the Old Madame Qin and their concubines will say I'm shameless, using their money when I'm no longer part of their family. I am a person who values her reputation very much. We don't want it!"

"My Lady, are you sure you're a person who values her reputation?" Hua'er felt she had just heard something incredibly ridiculous. It was terrifying.

*Pfft!*

Linglong didn't know whether to spit out blood.

"Hua'er, what grudge do you have against me? Why do you keep attacking me? Am I still your lady? Should I call you 'My Lady' instead? How about that?" Linglong stood with her hands on her hips, glaring fiercely.

Hua'er placed Feng Yixiao into Linglong's arms and grinned. "Fine, if you call me 'My Lady,' you have to cook for me, and don't sleep in my bed in the middle of the night, and don't strip my clothes off when the master comes."

*Pfft!*

Linglong was amused by the image Hua'er described. She swayed her slender waist and said with feigned reserve, "I didn't strip your clothes; I was just pretending!"

"The master requested that this bill be charged to his personal account. Do you want it or not?" Hua'er asked.

As soon as Linglong heard it was on Qin Daofei’s personal account, she perked up her ears and approached the owner with a flattering smile. "Owner, may I ask you something?"

"What is it, Madame?" the owner asked nervously.

Linglong smiled. "Since you said it's on Qin Daofei's tab, could you give me twenty taels of silver and put that on the bill as well? Just say I bought fabric. When you settle the account with Master Qin, just add five taels of interest!"

"Oh, my ancestor, what are you doing?" Hua'er hurried to pull her away, seeing that Linglong was about to cause trouble.

The shopkeeper didn't care what Linglong was up to. Hearing that he could earn five taels just like that, he happily agreed and handed Linglong the twenty taels.

Linglong took the silver and happily placed it in Hua'er's hand. "I've decided: I'll continue being the lady. After all, being the lady means I don't have to cook, and I can still climb into your bed in the middle of the night and strip your clothes off!"

*Heh!*

Hua'er was left speechless.

After leaving the shop, Linglong insisted on dragging Hua'er to Yunwai Pavilion to eat. It was autumn, and the large crabs were in season. As soon as the waiter saw Linglong, he greeted her, "Madame, would you like some drunken crab?"

"Three servings! Drunken crab and drunken shrimp, both!" Linglong pulled Hua'er upstairs.

Before long, the waiter brought the three servings and thoughtfully prepared a bowl of shrimp porridge. "The young Miss Qin is too small; she should drink the porridge. These shrimp and crabs are marinated in alcohol; it's not good for children!"

Linglong bared her teeth. "Call her Miss Feng!"

"Then who are you?" the waiter and Hua'er asked in unison.

Linglong tossed her head arrogantly. "I am the Old Matriarch of the Feng family!"

*Heh!*

"This Old Matriarch of the Madame's... is certainly not very old!" The waiter walked away with his empty tray. If the eldest Miss Feng started acting crazy, it was best to stay away. Cherish your life and keep your distance from the eldest Feng!

Just as Linglong set the bowls, Aifei descended from the rafters and sat down as if it were the most natural thing in the world, starting to peel shrimp and crab for herself.

For once, Aifei's maternal instincts flared, and she wanted to feed some crab roe to Feng Yixiao. Linglong slapped her chopsticks away. "Feng Yixiao doesn't eat crab!"

"Why?" Aifei asked, truly curious.

Linglong said softly, "It's too cold for her!"

*Ha!*

Aifei and Hua'er laughed coldly and retorted in unison, "You know it's too cold for her, so why are you eating it yourself?"

"None of your business!" Linglong was furious. Why did everyone have to pick on her all day long?

After they finished eating, Linglong told Hua'er to settle the bill, which was naturally charged to Qin Daofei's account.

Hua'er took the receipt and said, "The master truly spoils you beyond measure. From now on, you won't have to spend a cent on food, drink, or gambling in the capital!"

Hearing the words "food, drink, and gambling," Linglong's eyes lit up. "How about we use Qin Daofei's money to go find some handsome young men?"

"You're courting death!" Aifei said, and with those two words, she vanished.

Hua'er pulled Linglong outside. "Let's go home; it's time for Feng Yixiao to sleep!"

As they walked down the street, Linglong caught a glimpse of Steward Zhang entering a nearby fabric shop with a bolt of red silk.

"Is that Steward Zhang?" Linglong asked, pointing.

Hua'er nodded gravely. "Yes, it is. What is he doing with that?"

"Could it be that Qin Daofei finally got his wish and married his mother off to someone else?" Linglong said, stunned.

*Uh...*

Hua'er looked helpless, clearly not wanting to talk to Linglong anymore.

Steward Zhang hurried inside and hurried out. As soon as he stepped out, he saw Linglong and Hua'er standing outside the shop with the baby. He was so scared he retreated back inside and told the owner, "If the Madame asks, tell her you didn't see me!"

In fact, Linglong didn't go in. Although she was curious, she didn't bother to ask. After all, she was a person who valued her reputation. She wouldn't take the initiative to pry into Xiaoyao Manor's business!

Linglong didn't ask, but someone else was dying to tell her.

While Linglong and Hua'er were out, Tan Xiyin sat in the Miaoyin Pavilion at Xiaoyao Manor and smiled. "I wonder what Feng Linglong will think when she finds out Brother Daofei is getting married?"

"Since the second Madame wants to know, why not go and see?" a maid said with a cold smile.

"That would be for the best. Help me get ready!" After Tan Xiyin made herself look beautiful, she hurried toward the Qingyun Charity Hall.

Just as Linglong and Hua'er arrived at the hall, they heard the sound of a carriage pulling up behind them. The driver, seeing Linglong, instinctively stepped down to pay his respects. Linglong gave a faint huff, though she wondered whether it was Tan Xiyin or Qin Wang Xiangyu who had arrived.

But Tan Xiyin didn't keep her waiting long. She lifted the curtain and smiled faintly. "Feng Linglong, long time no see!"

"Oh, the second Madame of the Qin family, is your leg still not healed? You didn't play too hard and end up crippled for life, did you?" Linglong bared her teeth in a mindless, cheerful grin.

Tan Xiyin gritted her teeth. "Don't worry, as long as you're still alive, I won't be dying anytime soon!"

"Hey, don't talk in such a lingering, affectionate way. You're not my type!" Linglong retorted with a straight face.

Tan Xiyin was left speechless.

"Then... are you interested in Brother Daofei?" Tan Xiyin composed herself and continued in her sarcastic tone.

Linglong tilted her head forty-five degrees and looked at the sky mournfully. "Qin Daofei is dog dung; only a bitch would like him... Of course, humans might like him too, but not to the point of being so shameless as to cling to him! Only a dog would be that shameless; otherwise, why would they call it a 'clinging dog'?"

After she finished, Linglong was immensely satisfied with herself. She clapped her hands and said to Hua'er, "Hua'er, my statement was very profound, wasn't it? Applause, applause!"