CHAPTER 409: CHAPTER 411: WHO DARES SPEAK ILL OF HIS DAUGHTER!

Near the Yunshui Temple, Feng Bailing alighted from the horse carriage.

The desolate scene before her eyes left her stunned.

"This place is even poorer than the old Xinqi Village."

What Feng Bailing saw was that the bark of the surrounding trees had all been stripped away.

Starving stray dogs revealed their skeletal frames, and the fields that should have been bountiful in autumn were barren.

Although she knew long ago that the Empress used the Wooden Holy Seal to absorb the Spiritual Energy from the crops here, seeing it with her own eyes was still terrifying.

The Wooden Holy Seal within Feng Bailing remained quiet and still.

Feng Bailing understood that even if she used the Wooden Holy Seal, she could not restore the vitality of this place.

The village still had a few hundred people, mostly elderly, women, children, and nowhere else to go. The able-bodied had gone to seek work, but the money they brought back was not enough to support a family.

"Please have pity on us, give us something to eat."

"I beg you, take my child away, give her a full meal."

A woman, weak and gasping for breath with hunger, held her child and looked eagerly at Feng Bailing. She struggled to lift her tiny child, as small as a kitten, from her embrace and handed her to Feng Bailing.

With a glance from Dugu Wu, the woman’s face turned pale with fear.

"Feng Wan, take the villagers away."

Dugu Wu commanded in a cold voice.

Before Feng Wan could act.

"Don’t touch them; children are a parent’s only hope. If it weren’t for desperate circumstances, how could she be willing to give her child away? You don’t understand at all!"

Feng Bailing’s nose felt slightly sour; she scolded Dugu Wu.

She thought of her missing son; at this moment, was he also hungry and cold somewhere?

Child, mother has failed you.

Dugu Wu’s brow furrowed, he did not expect this woman to dare to berate him?

He was accustomed to the battlefield year-round, having seen scenes far more pitiful than the current one, and had long since forged a heart of steel. Although these villagers were pitiable, they could not be pitied. Misguided sympathy would only address the symptoms, not the root of the problem.

The court had also provided some relief grain, but it wasn’t enough to cover the food shortages of several villages.

Originally, Feng Bailing was undecided about participating in the Competition Among Ten Countries, but seeing the situation before her, she made up her mind to compete.

Only by obtaining the Earth Holy Seal could she help these people.

On the way back to the Manor, Feng Bailing was silent throughout.

"Starting tomorrow, you can use the library in Wu Courtyard. For the literacy examination, you must thoroughly understand these books."

Dugu Wu spoke with a cold face, seemingly casual.

His words broke the deadlock.

The Competition Among Ten Countries also involved both martial and literary exams. Feng Bailing had made progress from before, but Dugu Wu had never seen her read; if she was to participate, then she would inevitably have to cram in order to avoid losing face for him.

As he spoke, he tossed a sheet of paper to Feng Bailing, with a long list of books on it.

Feng Bailing glanced over it, huh, she had actually read many of these books before.

In her previous life, Feng Bailing was famously incompetent, having hardly read any books or articles.

After her return, she possessed a mind filled with modern knowledge. Fortunately, she studied under the dean. In the past few months, while the other female students from Yuxiu Academy were busy with instruments, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and song, only Feng Bailing and Ouyang Chenchen ran the Drunken Immortal Inn, learned cooking, and spent the rest of their time acquiring various types of knowledge, including humanities, politics, geography, and military matters from the Ten Countries.

"The martial examination will depend on Xiaojin. We will also recruit some people from the civilians."

Dugu Wu thought that although Feng Bailing’s self-defense kung fu was passable, competing in the martial exam was a real stretch. Still, her poetry and dance, as well as the Suona, were quite commendably played.

"Isn’t Xiaojin too young?"

Feng Bailing was somewhat worried.

The child would only be four years old after the New Year, and the Competition Among Ten Countries was already in the winter.

"The specific situation will be decided when it’s time to register for the Competition."

Dugu Wu sincerely thanked Feng Bailing, not for his leg, but for Xiaojin’s illness.

Ever since Xiaojin had Feng Bailing as a "Queen Mother," he had been very emotionally controlled and was increasingly resembling her brother.

While they were speaking, the horse carriage arrived outside Prince Shun’s Mansion.

Feng Bailing helped Dugu Wu down from the horse carriage. Dugu Wu’s ears twitched slightly, his eyes quickly scanned the surroundings, and he looked towards an alley not far away.

He grabbed Feng Bailing and headed straight for the alley.

On one side of the alley was the yard of Wu Courtyard, where a persimmon tree, at least a decade old, grew along the wall outward.

Its crown was like a cloud, laden with persimmons that were a mix of green and yellow.

Up in the tree, something suspiciously rustled and shook incessantly right then.

"Xiao Li, come down quickly. If the Queen Mother finds out, we’re both going to get a scolding."

The trembling voice of Dongfang Chun came from a midsection of the tree.

Upon closer inspection of the tree, a chubby little meatball was dangling from it.

Feng Xiaoli, hugging the trunk, was straining with her short little arms trying to pluck a particularly round and large persimmon.

The moment her hand barely touched the persimmon, the tree branch snapped with a crack.

Dongfang Chun let out a piercing scream.

Wuuu—

The wail echoed in Feng Xiaoli’s heart.

Her little bottom didn’t hit the hard ground but landed in Dugu Wu’s arms instead.

She opened her eyes, and upon seeing Dugu Wu, her little mouth broke into a grin.

"Feng Xiaoli! You’re leading Chunchun to climb trees again."

Princess Consort Shun, followed by her servants and nannies, rushed over with a face full of anger.

Feng Bailing suddenly felt a headache coming on.

How many times has it been this month?

Such ceaseless energy Feng Xiaoli had!

In Wu Courtyard, Dongfang Chun knelt on the ground while Princess Consort Shun scolded at the top of her lungs.

"I wanted you to learn literature with Mr. Su, but what do you do? Yesterday you practiced crawling through dog holes, today you climbed a tree, what’s next, are you planning to ascend to heaven tomorrow? If something were to happen to you, how could I ever face your father in the netherworld and the ancestors of the Dongfang Family?"

Dongfang Chun studied at the Imperial Academy for two or three years, but due to failing assessments, had to return home. Over the years, many teachers had come and gone, and he still hadn’t learned much.

Princess Consort Shun admired Su Wang’s literary talents and knowing that he was tutoring Feng Xiaoli, shamelessly sent Dongfang Chun over as well.

Little did she know that she’d be stirring up a hornet’s nest.

Feng Xiaoli was like a little demon of chaos!

"Feng Bailing, you better discipline your daughter. My son has been led astray by her!"

Princess Consort Shun glared at Feng Bailing angrily.

It had been difficult for her to warm up to Feng Bailing, but Feng Xiaoli was far too mischievous.

"My daughter, she’s quite good."

Dugu Wu calmly stated, rubbing his daughter’s soft little face, a smile inadvertently appearing on his lips.

"She’s good? A young lady of her age thinks of nothing but running around outside. She sleeps during class and even leads Chunchun astray."

Princess Consort Shun muttered under her breath, one can only fool people with a facade. She must have been blind to find Feng Xiaoli cute in the past!

"Xiao Li, what is the third passage of Chu Ci?"

Feng Xiaoli recited in her milky voice, without missing a single word.

"Xiao Li, what is the sum of one hundred thirty-nine plus three hundred twenty-one plus six hundred and one?"

Feng Xiaoli blinked her eyes and promptly came up with the answer.

"Xiao Li..."

Dongfang Chun, kneeling by the side, looked on with an adoring face. Big sister Xiao Li was truly domineering—a prodigy indeed!

Princess Consort Shun was so furious her face turned green. But what could she do about it? Feng Xiaoli could sleep through her lessons without it affecting her studies—truly infuriating Princess Consort Shun!

"See? All is quite well."

Dugu Wu chuckled, yes, with the perfect look of a doting father on his face.