Chapter Five: A Nation May Change, but Nature Is Hard to Alter

Dong'er rolled her eyes in frustration, feeling that her master was truly bold. Everyone in the household was doing their best to steer clear of the situation, yet he alone dared to approach it.

Xu Feng was generally treated as a non-entity in the manor. Moreover, with everyone currently busy beyond measure, no one would have noticed his arrival.

"Eldest Miss, the wounds on the Second Miss are too complex. Please forgive my incompetence; I lack the experience for such injuries. It is a pity my master is away on his travels. If he were here, he would certainly be able to resolve this."

"Master Song, I have no way to seek out other physicians now. The others only treat common ailments; how could they handle matters of the pugilistic world? I implore you to try once more."

Having just stepped over the threshold, Xu Feng heard this conversation from within. Feng Yuzhi’s tone was filled with anxiety.

Hearing that Feng Yuzhi might die, Xu Feng’s brows knitted together. The only reason he hadn't killed everyone and had spared her life was to avoid unnecessary complications. If she were to die in his home, wouldn't all his efforts have been in vain?

Thinking this, he quickly devised a plan. Instead of lingering outside the hall, he strode straight in. His footsteps immediately startled Feng Yujin. Upon seeing who it was, Feng Yujin’s expression turned to one of immediate disgust.

"What are you doing here? Who let you in? Get out!"

"I heard that Xiaojin was injured, so I came to check on her."

Xu Feng was long accustomed to Feng Yujin’s attitude. If she had spoken to him gently, he would have suspected she was plotting something against him.

"You are only capable of spouting such hypocritical nonsense. Standing here only serves to annoy people for no reason."

"I heard you and the physician discussing the Second Miss's wounds just now. To tell you the truth, my ancestors passed down a golden sore medicine that is quite effective for such injuries. If there is truly no other way, would you like to try it?"

Xu Feng spoke cautiously. In reality, this medicine was the secret, non-transferable golden sore salve of the Sword Wind Mountain. He had only just inherited this knowledge from the memories of Zuo Jincheng’s younger brother.

"Eldest Miss, since there is no other way, why not let the Master-in-law try?" The physician, not acting out of kindness but rather wanting to shift the blame onto Xu Feng, suggested.

"Get out!"

Xu Feng turned and left, appearing defeated. However, once he turned his back, his expression changed. If he weren't so reluctant to lose this perfect place of refuge, he wouldn't tolerate such treatment.

Soon, he delivered the brewed medicine to Feng Yujin’s bedchamber.

"Apply the medicine yourself to ensure there are no mistakes," Feng Yuzhi said, her tone as blunt and disagreeable as before.

Feng Yujin was still unconscious, lying flat on the bed. All her previous arrogance was gone; it seemed this incident would teach her a lasting lesson.

Looking at the ugly tattoo on Feng Yujin’s back, Xu Feng felt a sense of peculiarity while applying the salve. Thinking that this tattoo was his own handiwork, he wondered how the sisters would react if they ever learned the truth. Would they still have the gall to berate him as they usually did?

Just as Xu Feng prepared to apply the medicine, an discordant voice rang out.

"Eldest Miss, let me apply the medicine for the Second Miss. Men and women must keep their distance. Besides, everyone in the manor knows the Master-in-law is good for nothing. Who knows if he truly has the skill or just wants to take advantage of the Second Miss?"

The speaker was a maid by Feng Yuzhi’s side. It was truly a case of "a person being worth less than a dog," but this was the status Xu Feng held in the manor; even the maids looked down on him.

"What? The masked man could touch your Second Miss’s back, but I cannot?"

"You..." The maid seemed caught off guard by Xu Feng’s retort, unable to find a response.

"Enough. Let him apply the medicine; no more words," Feng Yuzhi said, breaking the awkward silence.

Xu Feng layered the black ointment onto Feng Yujin’s back. The medicine’s efficacy should not disappoint, being a secret of Sword Wind Mountain.

"It is done. Do not disturb her now. Let her rest, and she should be able to walk by tomorrow."

"Is it really that simple? Is your salve some kind of divine object?" the maid scoffed again.

"That is enough. Do not disturb Yujin’s rest. You may leave as well," Feng Yuzhi said. Her mind was entirely on her sister; she treated Xu Feng as someone to be summoned at will and dismissed at a whim. Xu Feng did not care for her attitude and walked away without looking back.

At dinner that evening, Dong'er pouted. "Master, I heard the maids in the laundry room saying that you only offered the medicine to take advantage of the Second Miss. But you spent the whole afternoon working for her! They don't see your hard work at all."

Dong'er was standing up for him. Xu Feng smiled and patted her head. "If the world deceives me, insults me, or slanders me, I shall simply smile and let it pass. There is no need to care for the opinions of others."

In truth, what Xu Feng really thought was that he hadn't done this for Feng Yujin. If it weren't to maintain his current peace, he would never have returned evil with good to save her.

Feng Yujin’s condition improved by the next day. Not only did her fever break, but she also regained consciousness. Having previously been unable to even eat rice porridge, she was now demanding meat.

"She is truly better. Is his medicine really that miraculous? But I recall his family served as officials for generations; perhaps they do have an ancestral golden sore medicine." Though Feng Yuzhi had her doubts, she did not ask Xu Feng directly. She arranged for others to look after her sister while she attended to a pile of business matters.

Upon waking, Feng Yujin heard from her maids about what had happened. Learning that her brother-in-law had touched her back, she was so furious she wanted to go and cause trouble for him immediately.

"What are you all good for? You actually allowed that useless man to touch me!"

"Second Miss, please calm down. There was no other way; even Master Song could not heal you."

Old habits die hard. Feng Yujin was a classic example of someone who forgets the pain once the wound begins to heal—even though her wound hadn't fully closed yet.

"Hmph, this matter will not end here. Once I finish eating, I am going to find him."

The effect of the medicine was indeed remarkable; the wound on Feng Yujin’s back had already scabbed over. After a quick meal, she led a group of maids and servants to kick open the gate of Xu Feng’s courtyard.

"Xu Feng, get out here! Who gave you permission to touch me?"

"Second Miss, greetings!" Seeing that the group had come to cause trouble, Dong'er hurriedly stepped forward to bow. She did this to warn her master to go and hide. In the vast Feng manor, only Dong'er protected Xu Feng.

"Move aside! A mere maid dares to block my path?"

Dong'er was anxious, not knowing how to handle the situation. Just as it seemed this crisis would be hard to overcome, a familiar voice rang out from outside.

"Jin'er, stop."

It was Feng Yuzhi’s voice. It was rare for both sisters to visit this desolate courtyard one after the other.