shen yi di nu 556+

559

The Ones That Should Come Have Already Come

The snowfall in Song Zhou finally stopped on the night before Duan Mu An Guo’s birthday celebration. Feng Yu Heng sat alone in the room while looking out from the window, but she found that every house was decorated with lights. The leader’s birthday was very close to the new year. For the people of the North, this was the equivalent of having two holidays. It was natural for things to be lively. Even the pedestrians appeared to be a in good mood.

Feng Yu Heng knew that for the people, it did not really matter whether the North belonged to Da Shun or Qian Zhou. In fact, they hoped that it would fall into Qian Zhou’s control. After all, the three northernmost provinces were forcefully taken from Qian Zhou back then. In the end, the blood that flowed in these people came from Qian Zhou. No matter how well Da Shun treated them, these roots could not be cut.

The Lu family couple finally managed to sort something out with the guards and were led by someone to see the leader. Feng Yu Heng slightly closed her eyes and lay next to the window. She was like a lazy cat. But at this moment, if someone could see her eyes, they would find that there was a sharp look in her eyes.

She knew that if the Lu family couple could successfully meet with Duan Mu An Guo, all of their schemes should be able to succeed. Although she still did not know what sort of gift they had brought for Duan Mu An Guo’s birthday, based on the looks that magistrate Lu would occasionally cast at her, the matter of sending her into the leader’s palace was most likely determined.

There was no dinner on this night. The Lu family couple had gone out, and only she remained inside the room. The people of the inn would not specially send food for just a servant. This was the degree of human rights under the feudal system. Feng Yu Heng was always thinking that if there came a day, if she had that power, she hoped that, even if this era was imperial, she would still be able to improve the basic human rights of all. For the slaves, this would be the greatest change.

Feng Yu Heng believed that all people should be equal. Although origin and personal ability determined the quality of one’s life, there should be no toll on one’s body and mind. It was just that this way of thinking was truly too unprecedented for the people of this era. Even if she wanted to do it, it was impossible to do such a sweeping reform. Feng Yu Heng thought that once the matter with Qian Zhou was resolved, she would think of a way to go and take a look at the lands conferred with her title of imperial daughter Ji An. Perhaps that place could be used to perform some small-scale tests.

For the time being, she tossed those abstract ideas to the back of her head. Standing up, she closed the window then dove into her space to eat. When she came out after enjoying a hot bowl of noodle soup, the Lu family couple still had not returned, but it seemed that there were some movements in the inn.

Feng Yu Heng went to the door and went to listen. Amidst the disorderly footsteps, the sound of strong footsteps came. Starting from downstairs it moved upstairs. Not long later, it reached the second floor. After getting upstairs, it stopped around the stairwell and did not move. After a while, the shopkeeper of the inn said: “My lord, there is someone in every room. Aside from the distant relative of the great leader, everyone else is still in their rooms.”

The official let out an “un” sound then sighed twice and raised his voice to say: “Everyone inside the rooms, tomorrow is the birthday of the leader of our three northern provinces. The great leader has said that he is thankful that my lords have come to the North from so far away. The gifts that everyone has prepared will be taken away first. You will be able to travel light tomorrow!”

Once this was said, the people inside the rooms were no longer able to sit still. They all opened their doors, wanting to go out and ask some questions, but the guards that had been keeping watch outside immediately brought out their weapons and said in unison: “Get back!”