20. Granny Feng is alive and well, and the Crown Princess is safe and sound.
◎Unarmed◎
If you replaced the socially anxious girl with Prime Minister Wu, she would probably kill him with a stone, without even considering trying to curry favor with him.
Xiuer, who was carrying a plate, suddenly dropped the pastries on the ground with a clatter. Fengran saw the pastries rolling to her feet with regret and reached out to pick them up, but Xiuer quickly stopped her.
"Princess Consort, there's still some in the kitchen. I'll go get it right away." Xiu'er quickly tidied up the mess, then ran off with her head down. If she didn't run, she was afraid that the Princess Consort would say something even more shocking that she wouldn't be able to bear.
Xiuer burst out of the room and almost bumped into Xiong Qi.
Xiong Qi grabbed Xiu'er's arm. "Why are you running? Something happened to the Crown Princess."
Xiuer stared blankly at Xiong Qi for a long time without saying a word, which made Xiong Qi very anxious. He was about to rush inside when Xiuer quickly grabbed him, saying, "Princess Consort, it's alright."
"Then why do you look like this?"
"I accidentally spilled the tea and snacks. I'll go prepare some fresh ones for the Crown Princess right away."
Xiong Qi breathed a sigh of relief. "Has the Princess Consort been wronged? That Granny Feng is quite formidable."
Xiuer's expression was hard to discern for a moment. She hesitated for a moment before carefully considering her words before finally saying, "Granny Feng is alive and well, and the Princess Consort is well."
Xiong Qi carefully considered these words, then exchanged a glance with Xiu'er, both of them understanding the meaning in their eyes.
Xiong Qi instructed, "Go back quickly and keep a close watch. If the Princess Consort is wronged, she should speak out. I will guard outside the door."
Xiuer nodded, quickly went into the kitchen and brought back another plate of hot snacks. When she pushed the door open and went in again, she saw Feng Ran leaning against a pillar, with Granny Feng standing in the center. Her face was flushed, she was panting, and her hand holding the handkerchief was trembling.
Xiuer's heart skipped a beat: Granny Feng, how could she be showing signs of a stroke? However, she wisely refrained from voiced her suspicions.
The noise of Xiuer pushing the door open eased the tense atmosphere inside.
Granny Feng had lost count of how many times she had sighed today. Forcing herself not to show a ferocious expression, she said stiffly, "Please, Your Highness, don't play dumb with this old servant. What I mean is that a woman should obey her father's arrangements when she is at home, and her husband's arrangements after marriage. If her husband is no longer here, she should obey her son's arrangements. Please, Your Highness, behave yourself and don't lose your composure."
Feng Ran grabbed the chestnut cake that Xiu'er had prepared and ate it with gusto. She then turned her attention to answering, "Granny Feng, I don't understand what you're saying. Since you say that after marriage I should listen to my husband's arrangements, why is my mother interfering with me? And who are you?"
This time, Xiuer learned her lesson. She kept her eyes down, pretending she hadn't heard anything, and gripped the tray tightly in her hand, not daring to peek.
Even from a distance, you could hear Granny Feng's heavy breathing; her fingernails seemed to be digging deep into her flesh. I wonder if it hurt.
Granny Feng gritted her teeth and said, "That's just the Three Obediences. There are also the Four Virtues. The Four Virtues are what this old servant just mentioned: a woman's appearance, virtue, speech, and work. They refer to a woman's character, speech, demeanor, and needlework. It means that a woman's virtue is the most important thing and the foundation of her life. A woman should be a good wife and mother, and her appearance should be dignified and proper. She should not be frivolous or casual. The Princess Consort should always dress appropriately. She should respect the elderly and care for the young in the household. That is, she should show respect to the Marquis and his wife, and treat her other children with brotherly affection and respect."
Seemingly afraid that Feng Ran might say something, Granny Feng explained the Three Obediences and Four Virtues in one breath.
Feng Ran listened from the side, completely bewildered. This was the first time she had ever heard so much literary language, and she found it utterly incomprehensible. Seeing that Granny Feng's expression was not good, she was too embarrassed to ask any more questions, lest she upset the old woman.
No one knows what Granny Feng went through that day. After returning from Jinghua Courtyard, Granny Feng was sick for three days and did not get out of bed. Then she asked the Lady of the Marquis to give her the job of teaching Feng Ran.
Feng Ran, on the contrary, was quite happy and didn't seem unhappy at all, even though she was confined to her quarters.
However, Feng Ran's joy didn't last long. A huge threat awaited her in the manor: the old Marquis Duan.
These past few days, Duan Jingchuan has gotten used to his daily morning runs. He can gradually increase the intensity without Feng Ran's accompaniment. Feng Ran thought she could finally relax and sleep in without worry, but unexpectedly, she was called aside by the old Marquis Duan.
"Princess Consort, I think it's a waste of your talents that you spend all day training with Jingchuan. You have a good foundation, so why don't you spar with me?"
Lord Duan stood there with a spear as tall as a man, looking imposing and quite intimidating.
Feng Ran frowned in fright, inwardly screaming "No, no!" but outwardly she said obediently, "How can I compare to my father? I don't know martial arts."
Lord Duan said in a rough and gruff voice, "It's alright, the spear is easy to handle, I'll teach you."
Seeing his father showing even more favoritism, not only giving Duan Jingchuan a higher regard but also extending that favor to Feng Ran, Duan Yuze felt even more resentful. He said sourly, "Father is a military commander, how can we trouble him to teach the Crown Princess? I'll do it! I've learned the basics."
Thus, after much persuasion from the father and son, it was finally decided that Duan Yuze would teach Feng Ran to use the spear.
Feng Ran frowned, wondering why the father and son were arguing so fiercely, without any regard for her feelings, when she hadn't asked anyone to teach her.
From afar, the socially anxious girl was still running diligently, completely unaware of the situation. After confirming that no one would come to her rescue, she could only reluctantly accept an ordinary spear and face Duan Yuze head-on.
Duan Yuze cupped his hands to Feng Ran, "Princess Consort, I apologize for offending you again. Swords and spears have no eyes, please be careful."
Feng Ran, dragging her spear, seemed rather listless. "Weren't you supposed to teach me spear fighting? How did it turn into a duel?" she said listlessly.
Duan Yuze's expression changed slightly, then he laughed heartily, "Don't worry, Princess Consort, it's just a slow motion. This spear technique mainly tests eyesight and quick thinking. I think Princess Consort is good at both of these, so I think she will be able to keep up with my pace."
Lord Duan chimed in from the side, "Yu Ze is right. Princess Consort, there's no need to be afraid. He knows his limits and won't hurt you."
Feng Ran nodded casually, then gripped the spear listlessly.
The gun was really too long, almost twice her height. She felt uncomfortable holding it. Before she could adjust her posture, the gun came straight at her. Startled, Feng Ran jumped to the edge, almost tripping over it because she couldn't keep her aim.
"Princess Consort, this spear needs to be parried; dodging is useless." Duan Yuze had barely finished speaking when another spear swept across.
Feng Ran seemed to sense the whistling wind. The spearhead was full of malice and almost tore her clothes. She was a little unhappy. The clothes looked ordinary, but they were actually specially made for her by the socially anxious girl. They were not only comfortable to wear, but also very soft. She only had two of them.
"You must be careful, I won't be able to explain to my husband if my clothes are torn."
Duan Yuze's face turned ashen. His words were far too ambiguous. Anyone unaware of the situation would think he harbored some ulterior motive. He glanced at his father, who was standing guard to the side, and only breathed a sigh of relief after noticing nothing unusual in his eyes. He said irritably, "Princess Consort, you're overthinking it. Take this!"
Seeing Duan Yuze swinging his sword at her, Feng Ran had already dodged skillfully this time. She casually sidestepped and even had the leisure to reply to him, "I'm not green! I'm wearing pink today. You have bad eyesight."
Duan Yuze's spear was originally aimed at a downward trajectory, which Feng Ran managed to dodge by turning her head. However, Duan Yuze was startled by her words and his hand trembled, causing the spear tip to fly straight towards Feng Ran's face. Feng Ran instinctively grabbed the spear in her hand and swept it away, "Crack!"
Duan Yuze's gun slipped from his hand and fell to the ground. He stared at his hands in disbelief, unable to recover for a long time.
"Haha, good!" The layman sees the spectacle, but the expert sees the skill. After just a few dodges, the old Marquis Duan was thrilled. "The Crown Princess's ability to respond to a crisis is outstanding. Yu Ze, you were careless. You actually managed to drop the gun. From now on, practice your basic skills for half an hour every day."
"Yes." Duan Yuze's hands were a little numb. He wasn't sure if it was because his shooting posture was wrong or because he was stunned by Feng Ran's shot. He subconsciously didn't believe the explanation that followed and only thought that he had indeed neglected his basic skills, which was why he had lost his level.
Feng Ran squinted slightly, yawned sleepily, and looked at Old Marquis Duan with teary eyes. Just as she was wondering if she could go back, Old Marquis Duan spoke again.
"It seems the Crown Princess wasn't quite satisfied. The younger generation's skills are rather lacking. Let me have a go with you, Your Majesty." With that, the old Marquis Duan laughed heartily, picked up his usual spear, and stomped it on the ground, creating a dull echo throughout the training ground.
Lord Duan gently stroked the spear that had been with him for many years, recalling the past, "Those of you who have never been on the battlefield do not understand. Learning martial arts requires talent. To survive on the battlefield, you need the instincts of a wild beast. I have seen too much life and death, and too many geniuses who died young. The extraordinary sensitivity that the Crown Princess possesses is extremely rare."
Old Marquis Duan's eyes showed a rare hint of vicissitude, but he quickly regained his composure. "Princess Consort, don't blame your father for forcing you to learn martial arts. The reason why the Marquis of Dingbei's mansion exists is because of its outstanding military achievements. My descendants may not fight on the battlefield, but they cannot be weak and powerless. Jingchuan's situation is special, so I won't ask too much of you. I have already accepted my fate. It doesn't matter if your generation is a little weak. I will teach my descendants well. But I see hope in you."
"This spear is my old companion, it has been with me in battle for twenty years, it has long been ingrained in my bones. I cannot and dare not put it down, but even heroes grow old. In the future, this manor will belong to you. Do you dare to take it over?"
With the silver spear in hand, her spirit unyielding and unwavering, Feng Ran looked at the spear with utmost seriousness for the first time, and it was also the first time she had shown a solemn expression since arriving in this strange world.
She seemed to see the young Marquis of Dingbei, who had become famous at a young age, wielding a silver spear to break through ten thousand troops, moving like a dragon and phoenix to decide life and death, riding his horse past, bringing peace to the world. She did not understand the weight of this, but she could sense the heavy responsibility behind it.
This was the first time that Lord Duan had been so serious with her. Feng Ran's drowsiness vanished instantly, and her somewhat childish face became solemn and respectful. She clasped her hands in a fist and said to Lord Duan with great seriousness, "Father, may I not use the gun?"
Lord Duan was taken aback upon hearing this, "Then what will you use?"
After thinking it over, Feng Ran replied, "Without my hands."
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