Chapter 41: The Pillar of the Feng Estate

At the Feng estate, the Old Matriarch, unable to sit for long, lay back down upon her bed.

"Mother, why have you summoned me?" Although Master Feng was a man of short-sighted vision, he was nonetheless very filial toward the Matriarch.

"What of Xu Feng? What exactly happened? Their ancestors did us a great kindness; how did it come to this?" The Matriarch only knew that Xu Feng had been driven from the house, but she was ignorant of the events that had transpired.

"Mother, please stop harping on the kindness of our ancestors. The Xu family has long since fallen, and we have already done more than enough for Xu Feng."

These words nearly caused the Matriarch to leap from her bed in fury. "You rebellious son! Have all these years of studying the classics been for nothing? Did the sages never teach you that a drop of kindness should be repaid with a gushing spring?" She continued, "Do you honestly believe that if your words today were to spread, you would not become a target for every scholar in the land?"

The Matriarch saw things clearly; the older one grew, the more transparent life became. However, Master Feng was like mud that could not be plastered onto a wall. He had relied entirely on the shade of the Feng family’s ancestors to reach his current position, and with not a single reliable soul among his own children, he had pinned all his hopes on Zuo Jincheng. Master Feng believed Zuo Jincheng was the future of the Feng family, unaware that he had just personally driven away a nugget of gold.

After settling the Matriarch, Master Feng held nothing back, laying out his true intentions and plans. Upon learning that they intended to steal the credit for Xu Feng’s achievements, the Matriarch’s eyes widened in indignation.

"Rebellious son! How could you do such a thing? You are truly short-sighted. The decline of the Feng family is merely a matter of time." She sighed, "I see the child Xu Feng very clearly; he is by no means an object of the pond—he is destined to soar. It is a pity that you are too blind to see it, and that Yuzhi failed to keep him by her side."

Master Feng scoffed at her words. He knew exactly what kind of person Xu Feng was: a complete and utter waste of space. He did not believe for a moment that Xu Feng would ever amount to anything. Once cast out of the Feng house, he doubted if the man could even survive.

"Mother, you hold him in too high regard. Do you truly believe the current Xu family is the same as the one from the past? If it were, I would never oppose a marriage between our families." Master Feng continued, "But look at how far they have fallen. There is only one solitary shoot left in that family. How could such a house be worthy of the Fengs?"

From beginning to end, Master Feng never considered maintaining the family's standing through his own efforts. How could such a clan endure? The Matriarch, seemingly unwilling to look at him any longer, closed her eyes. In truth, she had done all she could; if that were not enough to reverse the decline, then she was powerless to stop it.

"Mother, rest well. Leave the affairs of the Feng family to me; I will not let you down." Master Feng was full of confidence, but the Matriarch knew his true character. If he were capable of shouldering such a burden, she would not have spent her days worrying until she could no longer bear to close her eyes.

"Is there any way to mend the relationship with Xu Feng? At the very least, we must not become enemies." The Matriarch still held onto a shred of hope.

"Mother, do you really think Xu Feng’s future achievements will surpass those of Zuo Jincheng?" Master Feng could not fathom it. He saw no spark in Xu Feng, unlike Zuo Jincheng, who was already a renowned hero at such a young age.

"You are short-sighted and cannot even manage your own daughter. Since this cannot be undone, you will do as I say: have Yuzhi and Xu Feng legally separate. The family shall compensate him with a residence and five thousand taels of gold. Let us not make the situation look too unsightly."

Master Feng was loath to make such a concession; it was more painful than death to him. Yet, the thought of being rid of Xu Feng once and for all brought him some comfort. Furthermore, the separation would allow Feng Yuzhi to be with Zuo Jincheng openly, free from gossip. It was a trade-off. He began to scheme on how to deceive Xu Feng—five thousand taels was far too much to pay, and as for the house, he would simply buy some dilapidated ruin to toss his way.

The Matriarch’s assessment of him was spot on: short-sighted and lacking in character. A man who only thinks of relying on others will never achieve greatness.

"Did you hear me? If you did, go and arrange it immediately. I do not wish to go to my grave knowing the Feng family bears the name of the ungrateful." Seeing that Master Feng remained motionless, the Matriarch scolded him once more.

Her plan was the best of both worlds; at the very least, it would ensure Xu Feng left with a sense of gratitude. Should they face trouble in the future, he might still offer a helping hand. The Matriarch had exhausted herself for the sake of these unfilial descendants, yet not a single one gave her peace of mind.

"Mother, rest assured, I will arrange it as quickly as possible. I will not let you down." Receiving this promise, the Matriarch felt a sliver of relief. However, still wary, she added a final warning: "Do not attempt to fob him off with some decrepit shack. There is an empty courtyard on Qilin Street; give that to him. And the five thousand taels of gold must be delivered in full. I shall have people watching both matters."

"Very well, Mother. Rest now, don't overexert yourself. Leave everything to me; there will be no issues."

How could the Matriarch be at ease? Master Feng could barely manage the daily operations of the household; he had even bungled the transport of grain for the imperial court—how could he handle anything else?

Just then, a servant rushed in to report, "Old Matriarch, Master, Young Master Xu has just left the estate with his maid and has boarded a carriage at the gate."

Upon hearing this, the Matriarch and Master Feng exchanged a look, both falling into a heavy silence. The Matriarch’s eyes were filled with disappointment, while the Master’s face betrayed a sense of relief—why should he waste such a large sum of money on that ingrate? He remained silent, making no move to see him off or offer a word of retention. Seeing this, the Matriarch sighed in anguish, knowing all too well what he was thinking.

"The two families were old friends for generations. How did it come to this? How did it come to this?"

The Feng family did possess one person of wisdom, but the Matriarch saw the situation clearly only to realize she was but a flickering candle in the wind. Once she was gone, she knew not how the Feng family would survive.