Making a cake was a simple matter since all the raw ingredients were readily available; it would just be a lot of work for Lu Shile.
The full moon celebration for the two children finally concluded amidst enthusiastic festivities.
After seeing off the guests, Feng Jin hurried back to her room to tend to the two little ones.
“Young Madam, where should the congratulatory gifts be placed?”
“Let me see.” Feng Jin handed the children over to the wet nurse and, with Cai Qing, went outside.
“Young Madam, they are all here.” Cai Qing had already given them a cursory look and was awaiting Feng Jin’s instructions.
Feng Jin gave them a brief scan; most of them were common items, with only a few rare treasures.
“Has the Five Poisons bellyband made by Ling Wan been put on the children?”
“It was put on the two young masters long ago.”
As soon as the banquet ended, Cai Qing had dressed the two darlings in the Five Poisons bellybands.
“Young Madam, the Second Miss and the concubine have such skilled hands. That Five Poisons bellyband is embroidered so exquisitely. It looks wonderful on the two young masters and will surely protect them from illness and ward off disaster.”
“Ling Wan’s needlework is indeed excellent. Even the embroiderers in the palace might not be as good.”
Feng Jin’s eyes immediately fell upon the Five Poisons bellyband. Such fine craftsmanship would have been priceless in her previous life.
“And this neckband gifted by Princess Jing is also very exquisite. Should it be stored away or kept out?”
“Keep it out. We can have the children wear it for their hundredth-day celebration.”
Feng Jin then went through the rest of the items. Once she was sure nothing was missed, she instructed for everything to be put into the storeroom.
However, a pouch on the table caught Feng Jin’s attention. This pouch was a gift from Liu Meng Han, which immediately put Feng Jin on alert.
“Young Madam, shall I take this pouch and discard it?”
“No, leave it for now. I want to see what tricks they are up to. Go fetch a pair of scissors.”
“Yes, Young Madam.”
Cai Qing found a pair of scissors and handed them to Feng Jin.
Feng Jin cut open the pouch directly. Inside were herbs meant to calm the mind and spirit. After checking each one, she found nothing amiss. In the pouch’s lining, a good luck charm was sewn.
“Young Madam, I’ve checked everything, and there is nothing else.”
Unbeknownst to them, the more this was the case, the more uneasy Feng Jin felt. What game was Liu Meng Han playing?
“Tidy everything up and burn it all.”
Feng Jin dropped the words and turned to leave.
Back in her room, Feng Jin remained troubled, sitting on a chair and lost in thought, trying to decipher Liu Meng Han’s intentions. She didn’t even hear the children crying.
“What’s wrong with you today? The children are crying so loudly, and you don’t react at all.”
Ling Mo Han had to coax the children for a long time before they stopped crying.
Feng Jin, jolted back to reality, looked at the children with self-reproach. She hurried over to check on them and saw their slightly red eyes and the tear streaks on their faces, which only deepened her guilt.
“What’s the matter? You seem preoccupied. Are you tired from taking care of them these past few days?”
Ling Mo Han gently pulled Feng Jin into his embrace, asking about her well-being with great concern.
“No, it’s just today…”
Feng Jin recounted the entire incident to Ling Mo Han.
“I always feel that Liu Meng Han is too cunning and has ill intentions. That’s why I’m so concerned about what she gifted…”
But after checking everything inside and out repeatedly, she found nothing amiss. Could it be that she was being overly cautious?
“It’s best to be careful. If you truly dislike her, then don’t allow her into the manor anymore,” Ling Mo Han said directly. If she didn’t like her, then there was no need to let her into the manor. Out of sight, out of mind. Why worry about such a trivial matter?
“We haven’t officially fallen out with Chu Yanxi yet. Some superficial courtesies still need to be observed. If we are too aggressive, it will arouse Chu Yanxi’s suspicion. Why ruin your important plans over such a small matter? Wouldn’t that be a loss greater than the gain?”
“I just don’t want you to feel wronged.”
The man’s voice was very soft, but it weighed heavily on Feng Jin’s heart. Feng Jin nestled against his chest, the sound of his strong heartbeat echoing in her ears. She felt inexplicably at ease.
“Don’t worry, I’m not a pushover who can be easily manipulated. Liu Meng Han’s little white lotus tricks are no match for me.”
“What is… a ‘white lotus’?” Ling Mo Han asked earnestly, his brow furrowed in confusion.
“Uh… it’s…”
Feng Jin was suddenly stumped. How could she explain it to Ling Mo Han? “It’s… it’s someone who is very hypocritical. They do all sorts of bad things but pretend to be innocent. This tactic is especially effective on men.”
As she said the last sentence, Feng Jin’s gaze involuntarily swept over Ling Mo Han.
Fortunately, Ling Mo Han was very perceptive and understood Feng Jin’s subtle thoughts. He quickly responded, “I can definitely distinguish a white lotus.”
“Pfft…”
Feng Jin was amused by Ling Mo Han’s serious expression. She was discovering a surprisingly adorable side to him.
“What are you laughing at? Be serious. What I’m saying is true.”
“I know you’re telling the truth.” Feng Jin replied somewhat perfunctorily.
“Why are you answering so perfunctorily? Don’t you believe me?” Ling Mo Han immediately became agitated, pestering Feng Jin endlessly.
“Of course, I believe you. But keep your voice down. Your son is about to sleep. If you have nothing else to do, go for a walk. You’ll fall asleep faster when you’re tired.”
Feng Jin was exhausted after a long day. She might as well get some good sleep while the two children were asleep.
“You haven’t…”
“Be quiet. If you say one more word, I’ll throw you out!”
Feng Jin’s sharp reprimand made Ling Mo Han dare not make another sound. He sat dejectedly by the bedside, wondering how he could get his wife to believe him. He needed help.
…
The next morning, the housekeeper rushed to the East Courtyard. He loitered by the door for a long time before finally spotting Feng Jin.
“Greetings, Young Madam.”
Feng Jin, still groggy, couldn’t hide her tiredness. Why had the housekeeper been coming to the East Courtyard so frequently these past two days? And always in the early morning, just as dawn was breaking. For several days now, she hadn’t managed to get a good night’s sleep.
“Young Madam, the Old Master has asked me to invite you to breakfast. The Old Master also said that you must bring the young masters with you.”
“I understand. I’ll be there shortly.”
Feng Jin casually agreed, stretched lazily, and returned to her room.