The Devil in the World

It was just dawn and the streets were already crowded with people.

Zhuo Yunmeng endured the discomfort of her body, got up, cleaned up the house and went to the store. She knew that she urgently needed this job to supplement the family income.

When Fuyao and Qiu'er arrived at the store, she had already tidied up the front and back of the store.

Seeing her hardworking, Fuyao was very happy but also worried that she was too tired.

"Mrs. Zhuo, you don't have to come so early every day. You should pay more attention to rest."

Zhuo Yunmeng just smiled and lowered her head to continue her embroidery.

At lunch time, Fuyao went to the restaurant across the street and ordered a few delicious dishes and asked the waiter to prepare them and send them over.

"Mrs. Zhuo, please don't be busy for now. Let's eat."

Seeing the waiter bringing lunch, Fuyao greeted him.

Because it was cold, she even asked for some wine, as drinking a little could warm her body.

Seeing that Zhuo Yunmeng was still so reserved while eating, Fuyao took a pair of clean chopsticks to help her pick up many dishes.

Zhuo Yunmeng said embarrassedly,

"Thank you, ma'am."

When she first learned that the store owner had a complicated background, she originally thought he would be a high-ranking official.

But she didn't expect that after getting to know her, Fuyao was not only humble, but also very nice to her, so she worked very hard for her.

"You should eat more. You're too thin. You need to eat more."

Fuyao looked up and smiled, then turned to look at Qiu'er.

"The same to you."

"Thank you, Madam."

Qiu'er replied mischievously.

Although no one had treated her badly in the Liu Mansion before, since she followed Fu Yao, this was the first time she met a master who respected his servants so much, so she has always been grateful.

After the meal, Mrs. Zhuo rushed to clean up the dishes with Qiu'er, and Fuyao said hurriedly,

"Madam Zhuo, let Qiu'er clean up."

She stepped forward and grabbed her arm. Although she didn't use much force, she could clearly see a trace of pain on Zhuo Yunmeng's face.

"What’s wrong with you?"

Fuyao pulled up her sleeves and saw that her arms were covered with bruises.

Zhuo Yunmeng pulled back his arm uncomfortably and lowered his head.

"I'm fine."

The moment she lowered her head, Fuyao saw what seemed to be a purple scar on the back of her neck.

She then reached out and unzipped her collar, only to see the back of her neck covered in shocking wounds. She couldn't help but gasp.

Fuyao took her into the back room, took out the medicine box and helped her clean the wound.

Ever since Feng Chenyu was injured, she specially purchased some medicines and placed them in the store.

After applying the medicine, Fuyao packed up the medicine and looked back at Zhuo Yunmeng.

"Can you tell me why you were injured?"

Zhuo Yunmeng turned her head away uncomfortably.

"I bumped into it accidentally."

Fuyao knew clearly that the wounds on his body were obviously man-made.

Seeing that she was trying to hide the truth, Fuyao didn't want to ask any more questions.

After closing the shop, she and Qiu'er got on the carriage.

"Madam, what's wrong with you?"

Qiu'er saw that she was absent-minded.

Fuyao came back to his senses,

"Do you know where Madam Zhuo's home is?"

"Yes, I went there with her once before."

Qiu'er replied.

When she got home, Zhuo Yun dreamed that her daughter was sitting at the table, clumsily embroidering with her embroidery needle. She couldn't help but frown.

"Xi'er also likes embroidery!"

As soon as she finished speaking, she heard the door being pushed open. She knew without hesitation that it was her drunk husband who had returned.

Hearing the voice, Xier quickly put down the needle and thread in her hand and crawled into A Niang's arms.

"No."

Zhuo Yunmeng lowered her head and comforted her daughter with a loving look.

"Who are you afraid of?"

As soon as Zhang Buren opened his mouth, the smell of alcohol hit him.

"Afraid of me!"

He leaned over and looked at his daughter with disgust.

Then he looked at Zhuo Yunmeng unhappily and said viciously,

"It's all your fault. You didn't teach her well. She didn't know how to respect me as her father since she was little. You're all a bunch of money-losing bastards."

As he said that, he picked up a stool beside him and threw it at Zhuo Yunmeng.

Zhuo Yunmeng was only concerned with protecting her daughter, allowing him to hit her back with the stool again and again.

"Stop hitting my mother!"

Xier, who was being protected, cried out in horror when she saw him beating her mother.

"Ha, you dare to yell at your father!"

Zhang Buren reached out and grabbed her hair, pulling her out of Zhuo Yunmeng's arms.

Then a slap hit the small face, and a bright red handprint immediately appeared on the face.

Seeing him hitting his daughter again, Zhuo Yunmeng stepped forward and used all her strength to push him to the ground.

Zhang Buren was so angry that he stood up and picked up the stool on the ground again without caring about anything.

Seeing this, Zhuo Yunmeng once again protected her daughter under her body, closed her eyes, and waited resignedly for the extremely hard stool to fall again.

But this time it did not fall, but was kicked to the ground by Fu Yao and Zhang Buren who came over.

"Madam!"

Zhuo Yunmeng shouted in surprise.

“Who are you?

How dare you come to my house and act wildly!"

Zhang Buren, who was kicked to the ground, was half sober. He immediately stood up and tried to pick up the stool to deal with Fuyao.

But before his hand touched the wooden bench, he was kicked to the ground again by Fuyao.

"As a husband and a father, you actually beat your wife and daughter. Do you have any sense of shame?"

"This is my family affair, it's none of your business!"

Seeing Fuyao's extraordinary skills, Zhang Buren stood up but his momentum was already half weakened.

"If I beat my wife, even the government can't do anything about it."

"Even if the government doesn't care, I will definitely take care of your family's affairs!"

Seeing him so arrogant, Fuyao wanted to kick him again.

So Fuyao took Zhuo Yunmeng and Xier to the store because there was a vacant bedroom there.

She also asked Qiu'er to go to the street to buy bedding and daily necessities.

"If you don't mind, you can live here with your daughter first."

Fuyao said gently,

"I'm tired today, you guys should rest first, we can talk about it tomorrow if there's anything else."

Zhuo Yunmeng looked at her gratefully, not knowing what to say for a moment, and just shed tears silently.

"Okay, go and rest, we'll be back first."

Fuyao turned and left the room.

Fuyao felt uncomfortable along the way. She wondered how a good woman like Zhuo Yunmeng could meet such a terrible man.

What's more, he even beat his own daughter. Even a tiger won't eat its own cubs!

She got off the carriage thoughtfully and walked into the yard with her head down, not noticing Feng Chenyu coming in from behind.

"What are you thinking about?"

He whispered.

Fuyao didn't hear it and continued walking forward with her head down.

"Madam." Qiu'er behind her pulled her sleeve and pointed at the person following her.

She stopped and looked back.

"What is it?"

"Tomorrow is the winter solstice, don't forget to make arrangements."

Feng Chenyu reminded.

"oh."

Fuyao then remembered.

Fuyao got up early because she was going to the palace to pay a visit to Concubine Feng.

As soon as she opened the bedroom door, she saw the floor covered with pure white snow, which made her eyes bright and her mood became brighter.

Because it rarely snows in Ganzhou, she was so excited that she ran to the yard and started playing without caring about her thin clothes.

Feng Chenyu happened to come to find her, and saw her squatting on the ground in the yard like a child, kneading the snow into white snowballs.

Seeing that she was only wearing a single layer of clothing, he quickly took off his cloak and draped it behind her.

"Don't be afraid of the cold!"

There was a subtle hint of worry in the deep voice.

Fu Yao turned around and saw him putting clothes on her, so she picked up a snowball and threw it at him.

Feng Chenyu was not to be outdone. He turned his head to avoid the seemingly hard snowball, then quickly leaned over, grabbed a handful of snow from the ground and threw it at Fuyao.

In this way, the two adults played snowball fights in the snow.

Their laughter filled the entire yard.

At the gate of the courtyard, Ma Sui watched the two of them playing quietly. This was the first time he saw his young master so happy since the incident in the Feng family.

After a while, Qiu'er came to the courtyard and saw the situation and said,

"Deputy, my lady, breakfast is ready."

At this time, Fuyao was holding Feng Chenyu's collar with her left hand, and holding a handful of snow in her right hand and throwing it towards his cheek.

The latter did not struggle, but just looked at the large piece of snow flying towards him with doting eyes.

Feng Chenyu raised his hand to wipe the snow water off his face, and shouted to Fuyao,

"Did you enjoy it?"

Fuyao lowered her head and chuckled a few times, then went into the house to change clothes.

In the snow, Feng Chenyu looked at the closed door with a smile, and the corners of his mouth rose again.

Since he and Fuyao reunited, this was the first time he saw her so happy, as if she had returned to the way she was when he first met her.

He had another surprise for her later.

After a simple meal, the two of them took a carriage into the palace.

As soon as she arrived at the gate of Feiwei Palace, Fuyao heard familiar piano sounds coming from inside. She was stunned at first, but then she felt it was unlikely.

Seeing this, Feng Chenyu just lowered his head and smiled.

Then the two of them stepped into the bedroom, and Fuyao saw clearly that the person sitting at the table playing the pipa was her sister Xianning, whom she had not seen for a long time.

However, because of Concubine Feng and Princess Jinru, she quickly withdrew her gaze and followed Feng Chenyu in paying her respects.

"Okay, sit down now."

Concubine Feng waved her hand.

The music continued, and Fuyao was seen suppressing her inner excitement.

"Does my sister like this song?"

Princess Jinru, who was sitting opposite, looked at Fuyao with a smile.

Fuyao nodded upon hearing this.

"Miss Xian Ning, you don't need to play anymore. Please take a seat with us."

Feng Chenyu looked up and spoke softly.

Xian Ning looked at everyone in surprise, and Fu Yao also looked confused.

Concubine Feng just smiled and said nothing, Princess Jinru finally couldn't hide it anymore,

"Okay, I'll tell you the truth.

A few days ago, someone came to me and insisted that I meet His Highness by chance, and asked him for a girl named Xianning who was an excellent performer in folk music.

Let me lie and say that I love piano and let her teach me."

Xian Ning finally understood what was said. She stood up and walked to Feng Chenyu and said gratefully,

"Xian Ning thanks the Deputy Privy Councilor. Please accept my greeting."

"Young lady, please stand up. You and Fuyao are as close as sisters. There is no need to do this."

Feng Chenyu hurriedly stood up.

Fuyao, who was kept in the dark at the moment, was stunned for a moment, then she stood up and walked quickly to Xianning's side, took her hands and said with red eyes,

"Sister, long time no see."

Although she didn't understand how Xian Ning went to the East Palace, she could hear that it was Feng Chenyu who asked Princess Jinru to save Xian Ning.

Everyone knows that a female opera performer who enters the palace will eventually become a plaything of others.

Because they were still in the imperial concubine's bedroom, Fuyao only had a few brief exchanges with Xianning, and Xianning went out with the pipa in her arms.

"Fuyao, I've returned your sister to you."

Princess Jinru said readily.

Feng Chenyu had previously told her about the relationship between Fu Yao and Xian Ning, so she admired Fu Yao's warm-heartedness in standing up for the weak.

"Thank you, Princess."

Fuyao stood up and thanked him.

"My sister, no need to be so polite."

Feng Chenyu lowered his head and said softly.

Seeing him protecting his wife, Princess Jinru curled her lips.

Concubine Feng, who had been silent all this time, looked at Fuyao and said,

"I heard that you opened a store and your business is pretty good."

"Yes."

Fuyao nodded.

"I'm not a stickler for rules, and I won't blame you for opening a shop and showing off, but everything has its priorities.

As the saying goes, there are three kinds of unfilial behavior, and the worst is to have no descendants.

She glanced at Fuyao's belly,

"Is there still no movement now?"

Fuyao didn't expect that the imperial concubine would be so frank in front of everyone. She lowered her head in embarrassment, not knowing how to respond.

"Aunt, we have our own plan for this matter. You don't have to worry."

Feng Chenyu said while holding Fuyao's hand.

"Today is the winter solstice, I have to have a good meal."

Princess Jinru spoke loudly, and then urged Chaoyue and Zhaoxia to quickly order people to serve the dishes.