"Who are you calling a brute?" Bai Nianjin was extremely enraged.
Madam Zhao shouted back, "My Sheng'er was reduced to this state by her. If she's not a brute, what is she? What, can't take being called a brute? I haven't even called her a cheap little bitch, a venomous snake, a bastard..."
"Slap!"
A crisp sound of a slap suddenly rang out.
Madam Zhao suddenly felt the pain. Instinctively, she reached out to cover her face and then stared blankly at her own hand.
There were red marks on it.
It was obvious that the person who had struck her had not held back at all.
Madam Zhao blinked her eyes and stared blankly at the green - clad maid who had suddenly rushed in front of her and slapped her hard. "… You dared to hit me?"
Just as this incident happened, Bai Sheng on the other side remained calm. Not seeing Bai Zheng, the person she was looking for, in the room, she turned around and was about to leave.
Feng Linyuan frowned and merely lifted his chin slightly. The green - clad maid who had just slapped Madam Zhao flashed in front of Bai Sheng.
"Miss Bai, please stay."
Bai Sheng didn't say a word. She just raised her cold and fierce eyes and stared fixedly at the maid blocking her way.
At this time, Madam Zhao, who had been stunned by the slap, finally came to her senses. She rolled up her sleeves, formed her fingers into claws, and reached out to scratch at the maid's face while shouting abuse.
"You dared to hit me? You lowly thing! How dare you hit me? I'm a madam. How could you hit me? Whose dog are you, acting so lawlessly..."
The green - clad maid remained expressionless. She deftly leaned to the side and tapped a few acupoints on Madam Zhao's body. Madam Zhao's claws just stretched straight into the air, but she couldn't move them at all.
"What's wrong with you, Madam Zhao?" Feng Linyuan said calmly, "If I remember correctly, the great madam of the General's Mansion comes from a noble family and behaves gracefully. That's why she has raised two well - behaved daughters.
But seeing you today, why do you look like a shrew, swearing at every turn?"
Madam Zhao was so angry that her face turned red. Hearing this, she immediately roared, "This bitch is yours, isn't she, Feng Linyuan? Even though you're the Marquis of Dingyuan and hold high positions, you can't just hit me!"
"Really?" Feng Linyuan raised his eyebrows.
Madam Zhao was so enraged by his casual rhetorical question that her blood rushed to her head. She even wished she could spit in his face.
"I'm the legitimate daughter of the Grand Tutor's Mansion and the legitimate wife of General Bai Yizhang, a first - rank general. His Majesty bestowed upon me the title of a second - rank imperial - ordered madam. Feng Linyuan, how dare you hit me? That would be an insult to the Grand Tutor's Mansion, the General's Mansion, and His Majesty!"
Hearing this, Feng Linyuan laughed. He lowered his head and said, "I originally knew that the great madam comes from a noble family, but I didn't expect you to be so noble?
But just now, seeing your words and deeds, I thought you were a shrew on the street. Not only did you insult my maid, but you also insulted my wife.
What you said was quite right.
However, my wife is also the granddaughter of General Bai. She's the mistress of the Marquis of Dingyuan's Mansion. When His Majesty bestowed the marriage, he personally said that she 'has a gentle and virtuous nature, is cautious in her conduct, has a gentle and wise virtue, and sets a good example'.
Madam Zhao, by insulting her like that, aren't you implying that the old general is a poor educator and that I and even His Majesty are blind?"
His words were a perfect counter - attack, leaving Madam Zhao blushing with anger. She couldn't even utter a single word.
Bai Sheng beside them clearly had no interest in this verbal battle. She raised her eyes and glanced at the green - clad maid who had blocked her way after tapping Madam Zhao's acupoints.
She frowned slightly and said calmly, "The marquis has hit my mother. Now, are you going to restrict my freedom?"
"Where Miss Bai wants to go, I naturally have no interest in interfering. But if Miss Bai wants to cause trouble for my wife, then I have to step in."
As Feng Linyuan said this, he turned sideways. His eyes, looking at Bai Sheng, were calm and emotionless.
"This is a matter between us sisters. You're a man, why do you have to meddle?" Bai Sheng said coldly.
Feng Linyuan sneered, "If it were an ordinary older sister, it would be fine. But if it's an older sister who wants her younger sister's life, how can I not protect that poor younger sister?"
"What do you mean by 'poor'?"
Madam Zhao was almost fuming with anger.
Thinking of the doctor's diagnosis of Bai Sheng just now, Madam Zhao felt a sharp pain in her heart. She said angrily, "She pushed her own grandmother and cousin into the lake and watched them drown. She's a ruthless woman. How can you call her poor?"
"Really?" Feng Linyuan shook his head as if he was used to this. "These days, people are so unoriginal when it comes to slandering others."
"What do you mean!" Madam Zhao gritted her teeth.
Feng Linyuan raised his eyes. "I've sent people to investigate why the old madam and Miss Bai fell into the lake. Please wait patiently here for a while, Madam Zhao and Miss Bai. The result will be here soon."
"Result? What result?" Bai Sheng frowned.
There was a sneer on Feng Linyuan's lips. "Since someone is slandering my wife, I naturally have to investigate for her and clear her name."
"Clear her name? What name to clear! Sheng'er and the old madam were pushed into the lake by her. They were lucky to survive. Their testimony is iron - clad evidence. What else is there to investigate!" Madam Zhao shouted hoarsely.
Feng Linyuan didn't say a word. He just looked at Bai Sheng with a half - smile, making Bai Sheng feel a chill down her back.
No one paid attention to the scolding Madam Zhao. Bai Sheng and Madam He also stopped talking and were forced to stay where they were, waiting.
Fortunately, Mo Tong was fast and didn't keep them waiting for long.
"My lord."
Before long, Mo Tong knelt in front of Feng Linyuan.
Feng Linyuan nodded slightly, indicating for him to continue.
Mo Tong rummaged in his sleeve and took out an account book. He held it up with both hands in front of Feng Linyuan. "This is the purchase record of the past ten days that I found in Xinglin Pharmacy in the west of the city. It clearly records that yesterday morning, a man came to Xinglin Pharmacy intending to buy one jin of ice - cold powder.
Ice - cold powder is special in nature and not easy to store. Moreover, its medicinal effect is extremely strong. Just half a tael can freeze a mu of pond water.
Normally, even if someone wants to buy it, they only buy one or two qian. It's almost unheard of for someone to buy a whole jin at once.
And because the quantity he wanted to buy was too large, the store's inventory was not enough for one jin at that time. So the man just bought all the ice - cold powder in the store, which was less than one jin.
This incident left a very deep impression on all the clerks in the store."
After hearing this, Madam He and Madam Zhao both changed their expressions greatly.
Only Bai Sheng remained expressionless, but the coldness in her eyes deepened significantly.
Feng Linyuan took the account book, flipped through it briefly, and then handed it to Bai Yinan, who had been craning his neck beside him. Then he asked, "Did you find out who that man is?"