Chapter 288: Dandy Young Master
Li Xi’er fed the white rice porridge to her godmother and helped her eat it, then gave her the medicine to drink. Seeing that she was not seriously ill, she left with relief!
Before leaving, she gave her durian pizza and durian pastry to eat as snacks when hungry!
Godmother tasted it and ate two pieces, praising him nonstop for his skillful hands. She wanted to eat another piece, but Li Xi’er stopped her. “Godmother, your body is weak right now. This is hard to digest and causes internal heat if eaten too much. Eat more tomorrow morning!”
“Good!”
After thinking about it, she ran to the street and bought her some easy-to-digest food that could keep well. She might need to go recruit people first thing tomorrow morning, and if she couldn’t come for a while, she could have some to tide her over.
As for how she got this injury exactly, godmother refused to say a word!
She was still thinking of going to the government officials first thing tomorrow morning to file a case. The yamen must be off duty now, so they wouldn’t come bully her again next time!
Granny Dou might want to protect someone, or perhaps seeing that she was all alone with no one to rely on, she didn’t want to cause her trouble!
Godmother refused to say anything no matter what, and even told her not to meddle in others’ business. This only made Li Xi’er more suspicious!
Her leaving didn’t mean she didn’t want to find out the truth.
On the way, she thought about it and tried to learn something from the neighbors.
It was just getting dark now, and she really did inquire about Granny Dou’s matter!
It turned out that the person Granny Dou had offended was no ordinary man. Xie Ajin, the notorious playboy of Fengjing City, the only child of a martial general family from Marquis Zhenbei’s Mansion. Because he had been frail since childhood and accomplished nothing in literature or martial arts, but he had money and power, he became a street bully who bullied others using his influence here. Everyone in Fengjing City knew his name. He didn’t do proper work and held no official position, but he liked leading a gang of thugs to domineer and commit evil in Fengjing City. So, the neighbors felt sorry for her plight but were powerless to help!
As for how she offended Xie Ajin, it started with her nephew Dou Qiang! Although Granny Dou had no children of her own, she had a younger brother. Her younger brother had died of tuberculosis several years ago, but he had a son, who was Granny Dou’s nephew Dou Qiang!
This nephew was like half a son to her, but he had terrible character. As a child, he was spoiled by his sister-in-law at home. When grown up, he didn’t do proper work and picked up a bad habit: gambling!
He ended up with his wife and children scattered and family ruined. Not only that, he even eyed Granny Dou’s property!
From his perspective, since Granny Dou had no children, all that property was his.
Granny Dou had worked hard and endured when young, getting up early and staying up late to sell breakfast and hu bing herself. Although she never married, being independent allowed her to buy this house in the city and save some money for old age.
She had always treated her nephew well, supporting and helping him along the way. Whenever he came before, bringing his wife or children, she would give them things or silver to help!
She even helped him set up a food-selling stall on the street. But he was lazy and learned crooked ways, working inconsistently. Not only did the business lose money, he owed a ton of debt. Even his oldest brother and eldest sister-in-law blamed Granny Dou for choosing an unprofitable livelihood for their son, saying she caused them to lose silver!
Helpless, Granny Dou used her savings to pay off his debts. Her heart grew half cold, and she stopped caring about him, letting him go his way. Who knew he picked up gambling again in Fengjing City, owing debts everywhere, and thugs often came to her for money!
Because these people often caused trouble, she couldn’t do business anymore. Three years ago, they even broke her leg.
As for why they came yesterday, it was heard that the nephew had mortgaged this house. These people came looking for the deed. This was the only property Granny Dou had worked her whole life for. She refused to give it no matter what, so she got beaten. All the valuable things in the house were taken away, and it was heard that the deed was also found. Perhaps Granny Dou got her arm dislocated while trying to protect the deed!
After getting a general idea, she was so angry her face changed. Truly, human greed is like a snake swallowing an elephant. Godmother had helped Dou Qiang so much, yet he even mortgaged her only house!
“Xiao Xi!”
Li Xi’er was startled awake by the sudden call. Looking back, she saw a stunningly handsome man in a purple robe fluttering in the wind, looking very ghostly in the night. He stood waiting for her under a tree not far away, like a warm mountain silently watching her. She didn’t know how long he had been there!
Li Xi’er paused for a moment and walked toward him.
“Why are you here?”
“I heard about today’s matter. Thank you, junior brother, and sorry!”
He must have returned to the mansion to see Consort Li. Judging by his clothes, he was in plain clothes.
“Hehe, did Bu Wei tell you? Prince, why have you suddenly become so humble? Wasn’t it just helping find the cause of the consort dowager’s illness? It was convenient for me. I happened to hear about that pharmacology in Si Kingdom, so I reasoned it out…”
“As for the consort dowager grabbing me, that was because they thought she was poisoned. She had only seen me today, so it was reasonable to think that way. You don’t need to apologize!”
Feng Qingcheng smiled faintly. “This prince knows. Idiot, what were you doing just now?”
“Just now? Just now, I was discussing my godmother’s basic situation with them. I was thinking that although I recognized her as godmother, I actually didn’t know her living conditions!”
“Mm, you should understand clearly!”
Feng Qingcheng agreed.
“Since you’ve understood clearly, shouldn’t you return to Yu Qing Palace with this prince?”
“Mm.”
What Li Xi’er was really thinking was how to get the deed back from Xie Ajin.
On the way, Feng Qingcheng didn’t expect her to agree so readily today, without saying she wanted to wander around the city more.
“Junior brother, I returned to the mansion late today because a few days ago I wrote a memorial, putting all my discoveries about electricity, usage plans, and ideas into it. This morning I submitted the memorial to the emperor.” Feng Qingcheng’s tone was low.
“Oh? What did the emperor say?”
“Mm, the emperor found it unbelievable and thought it was my wild imagination. But today he specially set aside time to discuss it with the ministers!”
This discussion was deliberately arranged by Feng Jingdi to put him on the spot and let the ministers mock his ignorance!
“What did they think?”
“Hehe! They all thought I, Feng Qingcheng, had gone muddleheaded from fighting wars, that there was something wrong here!” He pointed to his forehead.
“They said it’s fundamentally impossible to achieve lighting with what I call electricity. Ridiculous, right? They think it’s about using lightning to strike them dead? Tomorrow I’ll bring the generator out for them to see.”
“Good!”
Li Xi’er saw the disappointment in his eyes and reached out to smooth the furrows on his forehead!
Ordinary people couldn’t accept something they hadn’t seen with their own eyes. Hers was just a blueprint. It was hard on him.
Those people mocked him, telling him to mind his own business. The God of War Prince had endless duties, so he should just fight wars. Research in Feng Lan Kingdom and matters of the Imperial Observatory didn’t need the God of War’s concern!
While her simple “good” was worth a thousand words!
He, Feng Qingcheng, didn’t think he had a choice. Since the blood of the Feng family flowed in his veins, his lifelong wish was to do anything beneficial to the people of Feng Lan Kingdom.
