Xiangrong had so little time.
Finding a place to train is easy. The Mansion next to Feng Mansion is empty and can be used by her in secret. There are no guards or shadow guards stationed there.
Her main activity mostly consisted of utilizing the extra herbs sent by Yao Xian to make the medical creams, paste, and balms. However, Yao Xian has not came to pick them up, Xiangrong can only cultivate and rise her Cultivation through long period of meditation to create Space Pouches. Her Cultivation is still a bit low so her Space Pouch is only 10 squares. It's… a little embarrassing.
"This is far cry from my own Soul Space, a Whole World. To be honest creating a Space Pouch at my level of cultivation is already amazing enough but I felt the awkwardness of poverty."
Xiangrong sighed and touched her chest, "Although my Cultivation is intact and I can access it and assimilate it little by little. My soul Space cannot be accessed by me at least until I properly formed and stabilized my Foundation. That won't happen in a year or two, maybe even three." Xiangrong grimaced and said bitterly, "Haste makes waste, I can only endure."
Xiangrong began to put the porcelain contains, bottles, and wooden boxes to organized in the Space Pouches and the items she put inside. She had made two.
Yao Xian did not tell her how he would evade the Banishment of the Yao Family but he did warn her that she must be prepared.
The two had been preparing in the shadows, Yao Xian had raised secret Shadow Guards, Xiangrong owned them despite the Shadow Guards being Yao Xian's in the surface.
Yao Xian had found out from Xiangrong about the three Dowry Shops of Yao Shi, it was seized from Family Feng, the commotion had hit the Feng Family Face and the Dowry Shops was managed by someone Yao Xian hired, that being, secretly Xiangrong. In this life, the three Dowry Shops will not crumble.
Feng Xiangrong had a feeling, specially when Yao Xian has been looking more into the Northwest Mountain Village and the Southwest Region. From what Feng Xiangrong observed, Yao Xian had also secretly planted his own people around those area for preparation.
Like that, two years had passed and Xiangrong had gotten uneasy.
She is nearing break through her Foundation Stage. It's absurd for a 7 years old to be at Foundation Stage, too young but even so, Feng Xiangrong felt her progress is very slow, if not for Yao Xian's reminder of her to slow down given when Xiangrong is anxious, her blood flow would reversed. There was even a negative effect of being disturbed during her meditation. Fendai is young hit she's abut insensitive.
Being disturbed and disrupted had caused Feng Xiangrong to vomit blood on the spot, effectively scaring people, specially Feng Yu Heng who was with them.
Xiangrong drank the bitter medicine and got tucked in the bed by An Shi. Only by leaving, did Xiangrong left the bed and hurriedly dressed in what a shadow guard will wear and left her room, snuck out of Feng Mansion altogether.
"This body is too small, traveling, even with lightness technique is inconvenient." Xiangrong whispered to herself as she arrived in the Yao Mansion, sneaking passed the shadow guards and the guards.
Sliding the window open, she slipped in, "Paternal Grandfather, I'm here."
"That's good, Xiao Lu (Little Green)." Yao Xian nodded, "Was there any accidents on the way?"
"No, however, something that happened this afternoon." Feng Xiangrong spoke, she sat down on the offered seat and lowered her black cloth mask.
"What is it?"
"I investigate as much as I could with little resources however, I did got the result." Feng Xiangrong said, "A charlatan that claims himself as a Wandering Daoist with the name Zi Yang claimed to have sensed something in the Feng Mansion. He had declared loudly that Second Sister is a Star of Disaster, it was absurd but the rumors had run amok so suddenly, it's obvious it's manipulated in the shadows."
"What did you found out?" Yao Xian asked.
"Three things. First, Chen Family hired him. Second, he wasn't really a Wandering Daoist, rather, just a servant form the temple in Xiang County that was kicked out because he was stealing offering. Third he has been scamming people a lot with cheap tricks, Chen Family had a hold on his tail, he has no choice but to sing nonsense." Feng Xiangrong said
"Can you get a hold of the blackmail?" Yao Xian asked
"Which one are you referring, there are so many." Feng Xiangrong said,
"What will Paternal Grandfather do?"
"The enemy we have is Prince Xiang."
"The Third Prince?" Feng Xiangrong really wants to be surprised but isn't much. However, she felt rage and anger in which she can only oppress it for now, after all, she can't loose her cool as of yet. Perhaps later when alone.
"The Banishment is unavoidable." Yao Xian spoke.
"Can we really not foil it?" Xiangrong asked
"There is too much at hand. There are even squeamish in the border. Perhaps maybe even in a year, War will break." Yao Xian said
"Then you are needed more than ever! Specially, you knew, the legs of the Ninth Prince…" Feng Xiangrong bit her lip.
"Don't worry." Yao Xian breathed out a sigh, "You can travel outside when you solidify your foundation, correct?"
"Yes, I plan to form my Core outside the capital, it would summon a few Lightning Punishment so it's safe to do it outside." Feng Xiangrong grimaced, she was lucky that when she had fully formed her Foundation, there was a thunderstorm, will she be lucky next time?
"Will you be able to travel back and forth from Northwest and in the Capital?" Yao Xian asked the third girl.
"…. Grandfather means if I could check on Mother Yao, Second Sister and Second Brother? Yes, I can do it. I will be strong enough by that time. My foundation, safely stable."
"Then you shall do that."
"I will also see you in Southwest."
"No."
"Grandfather, you cannot discourage me. Let me help. I'm already feeling useless enough as it is."
Yao Xian sighed, "It's not that I don't want you to help nor do I find you useless, but your Concubine Mother will be suspicious.and you yourself barely rest, Cultivation a nd meditation is obviously not enough. You see me dto forget your body needs rest and sleep."
"I know this, Grandfather. It's just that, how can I rest specially knowing... Beside, I will be fine, I would be able to create an illusion talisman and array. She won't know." Feng Xiangrong insisted.
"That time will come any time soon." Yao Xian said.
Feng Xiangrong nodded solemnly before she took out the Space Pouch, "This is for you, Grandfather. I have made these. Yao Family will be in need of them in the future."
"We won't be able to take all the herbs if we move. Use them."
"Grandfather?"
"Third Girl, use them. Qian Rou, Yu Heng, and Zirui may be in need of them in their life in Northwest." Yao Xian said
Feng Xiangrong bit her lip and nodded, "I will use them."
That was the last time she had a meeting with Yao Xian because the day after, the dreaded day had arrived.
"The Yao family was banished. Demote Yaoshi to Concubine and promise Chen Shi as First Wife." Feng Jinyuan said, Feng Laofuren did not even protest even with how improper this is, "Send Yao Shi and her children to Northwest before dawn."
And Feng Xiangrong fumes in the dark, specially when she witnessed, personally, this time of how heartless and decisive Feng Jin Yuan and Feng Laofuren jumped and abandoned the ship.
Feng Xiangrong glared resentfully at the courtyard of Chen Shi and Chen Yu where she can hear them, with her enhanced hearing, gloating.
Feng Xiangrong sneered and summoned her Water Bomb Talisman, fling it to the courtyard, it disappeared midair.
Feng Xiangrong walked away, edging in Qi Deviation from all the emotions she's feeling, smiling viciously when she heard the screams from the Glittering Courtyard.
"Third Girl, where have you been? I was searching for you!" An Shi exclaimed, worried
"Concubine Mother, grab what little money we have, we're handing it to Mother Yao, Second Sister and Second Brother." Feng Xiangrong hurried t9 grab her pouch.
"What's happening?" An Shi asked,
"Why are you in a hurry, Sanniang?"
"Mother Yao, Er jie, and Er di are going to be banished to Northwest."
Xiangrong ran to the small kitchen in their courtyard and grabbed the prepared oil paper bag in a cloth bag, she had prepared buns, containers of water, and a few more fruits and food they could eat during the way to Northwest.
An Shi was stunned but given how in a hurry her daughter is, she also went to grab things.
Three blankets and strings of coins. All of it was bundled up in a cloth bag, it's a bit big and the Concubine Mother and Concubine Born Daughter hurried to the gate. The carriage is already leaving.
They won't make it, An Shi thought as they ahste their pace.
Xiangrong won't be having none of that, as such she forcefully took the bag from An Shi and sprinted, the reasonable speed of someone her age, Feng Xiangrong hollered, "Mother Yao! Second Sister!"
The curtain was opened by the shocked Feng Yu Heng, "Xiangrong?!"
"Second Sister! Catch!" Xiangrong threw the bag with controlled force, Feng Yu Heng would be able to catch it, with a bit difficulty but can manage it.
Xiangrong grunted and bit her lip, her mind supplied, it's time for her to trip, in which she did.
"Xiangrong!" Feng Yu Heng calls in worry from the window of the moving carriage.
"Second Sister! You must be back with Mother Yao and Second Brother!" Feng Xiangrong shouted, she was sincere, the aspect of Feng Yu Heng being dead this time around terrified Xiangrong, terribly, "You must come back safe!" Feng Xiangrong stood up and ran towards the carriage but she was pulled back by the older female servants. Xiangrong could knock them away with ease but her focus is on the carriage. If she could, Xiangrong could have put the three of them in her soul space but her soul space has yet to open.
"Xiangrong! Don't chase anymore!" Feng Xiangrong shouted, worry laced her tone.
Feng Xiangrong couldn't help it, in public, not caring of her image and reputation, she cried.
For all the bullshit she spouted years ago in wanting to protect them, she seemed to have failed. The helplessness, self directed anger and resentment made her cry harder.
Why am I so pathetic and weak…. I relied too much on my Cultivation and martial arts, I couldn't seem to do anything without it.
Useless!
Useless stupid cry baby!
You can't seemed to do anything right?!
Feng Xiangrong scorned herself as she was dragged back inside the Mansion.