5 5. A plan to get Rice

After another two months of exercises, all of their bodies has improved. Feng Mei and Feng Ning cultivation also improved a little bit. Feng Mei and Feng Lan seemed to have similar strength and sparring between them has become more intense as one cannot win the other at all. So, Feng Mei took her hunting to improve her skills. Since Feng Lan was good at stealth and sharpshooting already, her only drawback was using an antique bow. After she got used to it, she now easily hunts animals for their meals. Especially lots of rabbits.

"Lan sister, why bring so much rabbits? Why not some wild chickens?", said Feng Ning cooking the rabbit meat. Feng Lan rolled her eyes and mischievously said, "since they all look cute like you, I just want to bully them." Feng Ning gave an aggrieved look and tossed some more spices into the rabbit.

Since Feng Ning's affinity is fire, her alchemy talent helps her at cooking. Whatever she makes, turns out to be good. Lan always tell her future brother-in-law is very blessed and Ning Ning will start blushing until her whole face turns red. What to do, except for training, Lan's pastime is teasing Ning Ning! Poor Ning Ning!

Once Lan tried to tease Mei and Mei just gave her a cold look and walked away. Feng Lan thought, the episode was over but the next training session, Feng Mei attacked her with so much qi, even Feng Lan felt scared at one point. Random small lightnings were flying everywhere and Feng Mei's whole body seemed to have electric current flowing through her. Feng Lan escaped narrowly from getting injured on that day. Feng Lan understood she should never provoke someone!

After Ning Ning finished cooking, all three sisters sat down and ate the rabbits and potatoes. Since they are exercising a lot, they finished the food easily. Ning Ning sighed, "I miss rice". Ning Ning's cheeks were thinning visibly.

She had round cheeks before and was the most pampered in the household by servants. Feng Mei was cold, Feng Lan anti-social, Feng Weiya and Yiyi arrogant. And so, the servants of the household liked Ning Ning the best for being friendly and cute and she got special attention from the servants. Their stepmother didn't mistreat them explicitly maybe to have a good name for herself. Feng Lan suspected maybe Cheng Zhizhi is fattening the sheep to slaughter it later. She suspected whether the recent assassination was planned by her stepmother or father. Both of them are equally shameless!

Feng Ning enquired, "Is there a village nearby? If there is, i can go there and trade the animals for some rice."

Feng Mei remembered and said, "while we came, I noticed there was a village at the foot of the hills. But can we go down there? I don't think so the priests will allow us."

Feng Lan sneered, "Why do we bother with the priests? They don't care about us. I can just slip outside without anyone knowing and come back. I will get us some rice tomorrow". She pinched Feng Ningning's cheek, "We have to make Ningning's cheek chubby again or future brother-in-law will be upset." Feng Lan laughed at her own joke while Feng Ning Ning shed silent tears.

After throwing them in this faraway courtyard, none of the priests came at all except once. One day Feng Ning was doing some alchemy while Feng Lan and Feng Mei went hunting. Suddenly something unexpected happened.

"Boom"

The furnace has exploded, blackening Feng Ning's face and making her sad on her experimental failure.

While Two apprentice priests hurried in and scolded her,"What happened here? Don't you know you can't make a mess"

Feng Ning was still in a daze," it's all wrong. It's gone."

The priests gave a meaningful look,"Are your sisters gone?"

" Yes, they are in the forest. They will not come back." She forgot to say the word " now".

They asked again," are you sad?"

Feng Ning was still thinking about her experiment, " yes, once it's gone, it's really hard. Why didn't no one come here before? Otherwise this wouldn't have happened."

The priests just sneered, " You are just an abandoned daughter. Why should we take care of you? If you can, just live here silently otherwise we will throw you into the forest also." And went away.

They promptly reported to the Elder Cheng, that two of the sisters are dead in the forest and one is mad and may die at any time. What a happy misunderstanding for everyone!