Chapter 118: Feast Without a Feast
1 In large families, younger generation are often referred to by their birth order e.g Jiang Tian is the fifth son of the Jiang family hence he is referred to as number five.
Guo Gong Furen was dizzy all the way home, Jiang Tian quickly press a hand on her pulse, carefully diagnosing. “Number five, what happened to Lao Furen, still not awaken for so long?” Jiang Xu asked anxiously.
Jiang Tian touched Guo Gong Furen’s pulse, a face full of dilemma, “Grandmother’s age is already high, her temper has always been violent, this time with the stagnation of the five organs, a moment of indignation and helpless rage caused her to faint.”
Guo Gong Furen opened her eyes, her mouth opening and closing but not saying a word, as if she wants to die.
Jiang Tian said comfortingly: “Grandmother, as long as you have woke up, there is no serious problem with your body. I will write a prescription, take it for a few days and you will recover.”
Da Furen held a handkerchief to wipe her tears, covering her skeptical look.
Jiang Tian measured out a prescription, left instructions regarding the patient’s diet for everyone to know. After instructing, Jiang Xu called him to the study alone and asked bluntly “Exactly what is it?”
Jiang Tian shook his head, “Originally without what happened today, grandmother can still hold on for a year, year and a half, now, at most a month.”
Jiang Xu sat down in a chair, muttering: “Such a cruel girl!”
He already understood why Li Wei Yang was so aggressive in the temple today, not only does she want Jiang Nan’s life, she also want Lao Furen’s life! This clearly shows that she long guessed that Lao Furen doesn’t have long to live, thus coming up immediately with a death warrant!
Jiang Hai frowned deeply: “Father, I’m afraid that that girl is not so simple as to only want to drive grandmother to death with anger, her real motive is ----”
Jiang Xu nodded, his voice imposing: “She want Er Di and your brothers to all come back for mourning.”
Jiang Hai gritted his teeth: “This girl! This move is really malicious!” After a thought, he said again: “I’m afraid she wouldn’t succeed that easily, as long as his majesty issue a decree---” Exempting a general who is stationed outside from keeping vigil beside the coffin, it’s not as if it is unprecedented in the past!
Jiang Xu sighed a long sigh: “In the past, his majesty would still believed us, with just a decree can exempt one from keeping vigil, but now, it is not possible. His majesty is currently watching us, otherwise he would not have wanted to execute your fourth brother due to this incident.”
Jiang Hai didn’t care about the matter of keeping vigil, said hurriedly: “Let’s not talk about this now, Father, you need to save fourth brother! He was just impulsive!”
Jiang Xu shook his head heavily and said: “I still feel that this girl still have a hidden move, we cannot act rashly.”
Jiang Hai really can’t take it anymore: “But that is your biological son, are you going to just watch him sit in prison for a month for his execution?”
Jiang Xu waved his hand and said: “Leave, let me think about it for a while.”
Jiang Hai still want to say something, but Jiang Tian pulled at his sleeve, hinting at him to not speak anymore, the two brothers walked out of the study dejectedly, Jiang Hai said: “If only San Di was here, he would definitely have a way!”
The third son of the Jiangs is widely known for being wise and resourceful, although his usual dazzleness cannot be compared to that of the impressive Jiang Nan, in reality amongst the five brothers, he is the one who received the most favour from their grandfather, even being raised by his side. If he was here, he would definitely have not fall for Li Wei Yang’s trap! Jiang Hai can’t help but worries.
Jiang Tian didn’t dare to say anything, he accidentally became Li Wei Yang’s stepping stone and was used cruelly by the other person, now he doesn’t even dare to return to the Li’s house for the fear of being caught by the other person, but while at home, he is incomparably guilty, not a person no matter how you look from the inside and out.
“Grandmother… really cannot be saved?” Jiang Hai can’t help but ask again.
Jiang Tian shook his head: “I can only try my best to extend her life, but that is only for her to linger on.” He said, while thinking in his heart, Lei Wei Yang this scary woman, she is nothing short of a descending evil star, who dare to provoke her! That fourth brother also, it’s just a loss of his position, could it be that without his position, he can’t live anymore? Other people live well, only you can’t take it and have to go look for trouble! Causing...causing the entire family to get scared along with you.
Jiang Hai didn’t have any spirit, Jiang Tian’s face is not good either, really not knowing what to say, between the two for exactly half of a sichen, no one said a word.
Li Wei Yang returned to He Xiang Yuan, Lao Furen saw her and asked hurriedly, “How was it?”
Li Wei Yang curtsied, Lao Furen waved her hand for her to sit and also ordered a Yatou to bring some fruits and snacks for her to eat, Li Wei Yang smiled and said: “Lao Furen, His Majesty has betrothed Chang Xi to the Capital Magistrate, Yao Daren.”
Lao Furen was stunned for a moment, then asked anxiously, “That jinxed widower?” Thinking about it, this is a good marriage. Aside from this man whose life is a bit rough, his family background is suitable, besides, to go and be the main wife, it can’t be considered to have wronged Li Chang Xi. Lao Furen looked and asked again: “What about the Jiangs?”
Li Wei Yang said regrettably: “Lao Furen, Jiang Nan was sentenced to immediate execution.”
“My goodness, both families are relative too, seeing him like this is a bit uncomfortable,” Lao Furen seems sad on the surface but is actually glad in her heart, “ This is committing a sin mistakenly. I’m afraid Guo Gong Furen can’t take it at this age!”
Li Wei Yang took a sip of tea, glanced at Jiang Yue Lan beside her who haven’t said a word and said slowly: “Isn’t this because of his family who did those shameful things, they wouldn’t reflect and instead hated on us, staging a formation to frame us, luckily his majesty is wise, not letting the traitors succeed and giving justice for our family.”
Lao Furen smiled and said, “Exactly so, getting caught with kidnapping an official’s daughter, it’s already a crime, it is natural to be judged as such.” In fact she feels a bit weird, for the emperor to change the judgement to banishment and exile, it can be considered to be giving the Jiangs a generous ending, why does this judgement feel so satisfactory?
“Good and evil will always be rewarded.” Li Wei Yang said without turning a hair.
The cup in Jiang Yue Lan’s hand accidentally made a sound, Lao Furen glanced at her, her heart immediately jumped and said with a partially forced smile on face: “Exactly as San Xiaojie said!”
Lao Furen smile scarscatiscally and didn’t say a word. Originally she didn’t want to get into a deadlock row with the Jiang family, but Guo Gong Furen’s actions has always been domineering, she has bear with that old woman for many years, now it can be considered that she has let off some steam, even though she is worried about Jiang’s family retaliation, but now she can be at ease that even her complexion has become better.
After Li Wei Yang left, Jiang Yue Lan also can’t sit still, taking her leave shamefaced. Luo Mama said: “Lao Furen, this San Xiaojie is incredible!”
Lao Furen said quietly, “Just how old is she, that if as you say all of this was planned by her, is that not a monster. What kind of background is the Jiangs, that she can plot so easily? It’s probably a coincidence.”
“As expected Lao Furen is wise, Nubi thought so as well. Although San Xiaojie is quite smart, it can’t be to this level.” Luo Mama thought that this incident definitely has something to do with San Xiao Jie, she is just going along with Lao Furen’s words.
“Jiang Xu is an official for a long time, this time he fell at the hand of a girl, all because of his children’s debt!” Lao Furen sighed.
Li Wei Yang returned from Lao Furen’s place, Li Min De was waiting for her at her courtyard: “Did Lao Furen blame you?”
Li Wei Yang shook her head, “She has bear with Guo Gong Furen for many years, such a rare comeback, how can she blame me, not to mention this incident is originally a trap set by the Jiangs, the one in the wrong is not me.”
Li Min De said quietly: “What do you think, would the Jiangs have a chance to turn the table around?”
Li Wei Yang smiled and said: “ Hard to say.”
Li Min De smiled smirked and said: “This family has a lot of intelligence, perhaps they are thinking of some bad intentions.”
Li Wei Yang seems as though she didn’t hear this, she smiled slightly and said: “No need to worry about this, it doesn’t matter what ideas they come up with, after all we do have irrefutable evidences, enough for the Jiangs to drink a pot. Right now they have to worry about how to handle Guo Gong Furen’s funeral.”
Li Min De glanced at the maids in the house and didn’t say anything, instead he just smiled and waved his hand for someone to bring a basket of scarlet lychees, Li Wei Yang can’t help but laughed and said: “Where did this fresh thing come from?”
“Saw it accidentally in the market.” Li Min De said in a relaxed tone.
Lychees is not a specialty of the capital, how can it be sold in the market? At this time of the year, even the palace probably doesn’t have it. Li Wei Yang blinked and pretended she didn’t know, Bai Zhi placed the fresh lychees together with two cups of fragrant tea and two plates of snacks and said smilingly: “Lychees are high on internal heat, Xiaojie shouldn’t eat too much, you will be having a meal shortly.”
Li Wei Yang smiled and said, “This is too much for me to eat, take one half to Qi Yiniang, you can have whatever is left.”
“Thank you Xiaojie.” Bai Zhi left happily.
After the maids have left, Li Min De said quietly: “You took too much risk in the main hall today.” Although he was not there personally, Consort Lian has already sent news out, that even he felt uneasy when he heard it outside, Li Wei Yang is too bold! One wrong move would allow the Jiangs to bite back.
“This incident, the people that we need to tidy up have been tidied up, the ones needing to be get rid off has been gotten rid off, the case of Jiang Nan kidnapping Li Chang Xi has been finalized, with no possibility of overturning the verdict.” Li Wei Yang said half closed lids, touching the teacup in her hand.
“If it was not for him wanting to harm me first, I would not use such malicious move. In the court today, if I didn’t say anything, then it would be easy for them to say that Jiang Nan and Li Chang Xi already have feelings for each other, then Jiang Nan would be regarded as playboy, Li Chang Xi will have to be married in as a concubine, then the ruse that I have painstakingly planned would end. For the sake of not wasting efforts, I naturally have to take some risk.” Li Wei Yang said slowly.
Li Min De nodded in agreement and said: “I heard that you dug up Da Furen’s past incidents in the hall?”
“I already knew that Jiang Xu is crafty and cunning, not easy to fool. Therefore first bring up Jiang Rou’s matter, then add disrespect towards her mother-in-law, persecuting harms to concubine-born children. In normal time, these matters don’t mean much, but in the Royal family, aside from the Crown Prince, all are considered concubine-born, if the Empress did this, the Emperor would not have a single son remaining. It is precisely this way that the Emperor would feel worried while Guo Gong Furen would also fly off the handle, definitely worsening her condition, Jiang Xu would also hate me to death because of this. At this time, he would not have his normal rationale, then I can bring up the matters of Jiang Nan’s going against the decree and kidnapping an official’s daughter, say it with sincerity and seriousness that the audience would believe, let alone the victim? Everyone would believe, that it was Jiang Nan who captured the wrong person, and not me purposely setting a trap for them!”
Li Min De smiled slightly, “ I am worried about you. Jiang family is after all a family of merit, you cannot let them regain their rationale, turn the situation around.”
“He will not get this chance, just the things that Jiang Rou did alone, family principles are not just, teaching daughter the wrong way, spurning way of people, Guo Gong Furen shielded it very well, naturally she wouldn’t admit to the faults, but Jiang Xu understood, the sacred heart is lost, Jiang Nan is dead for sure!”
There was no trace of proudness on Li Wei Yang’s face, just straightforwardly explaining this matter.
“Speaking of which, there are many suspicious parts, how did you make it in time and managed to report to the magistrate, this part someone will definitely be suspicious.” Li Min De said quietly.
Who knew that Li Wei Yang would smile slightly, “I want them to take this low loss, so what if they are suspicious, do they have evidence? Besides, my sister go missing, reporting immediately, this matter is of utmost importance, the capital magistrate personally made it in time, what is so unusual about it? It’s not as if there was never such precedent before, the flowery tongues of the Jiangs cannot change this ending.”
Li Min De laughed, holding a peeled lychee to Li Wei Yang’s lips: “Try it, the juice is very sweet.”
Li Wei Yang subconsciously ate it, a trace of juice on the corner of her lips, Li Min De unexpectedly grabbed her chin with one hand while wiping it clean with his other hand, “Don’t be careless and dirty your clothes.” His lips nagging, yet his fingers linger on her face, Li Wei Yang froze, subconsciously pushing him away. However her eyes did not turn from the view, in these years, this youth has slowly grown up, gone were the boyishness of childhood, his handsomeness growing, while also showing the intimacy of his actions, now at the thought of it, seems quite strange, Li Wei Yang thought and couldn’t help being surprised. Her face did not betray any hint of peculiarity, only smiling and said: “I can do it, I am not a child.”
Li Min De’s eyes darken yet he smiled and said: “Did I do something wrong?”
Li Wei Yang lowered her eyes, not saying anything yet, Li Min De once again spoke: “Forget about it, no need to speak. I know even though you didn’t say it, you do feel that I am very dirty…” unknowingly, hurt appeared in his eyes.
Li Wei Yang was surprised and couldn’t help saying: “What are you talking about… I just…” just think something is off about you but these words, are a bit hard to say.
Li Min De looked at her, his expression brightening: “You don’t dislike me? Really?”
Li Wei Yang felt that if she say dislike, he would kill himself with a sword right there and then, immediately sweared: “Of course not, I grew up with you, our feelings are amicable,” How come these words sound so awkward, she is older than him, but all of a sudden it changed into him being the same age as her? “Our Min De is so handsome, how can there be anyone in this world who dislike you?”
“In this world, no matter who dislike me, I don’t care, instead, there is one person, to me is different from the rest, therefore, I would especially care about what she thinks.” After saying this, he stopped, his lips raising into a slight smile, “you, are the only person I care about.”
Li Wei Yang looked at him quietly, a gleam in her eyes.
Li Min De’s eyes contain a warm light, his expression a rare hint of shyness, obviously more gentle: “Saying it this way, is it too strange?”
“Not strange.” Li Wei Yang was shocked, yet her face did not show any other expression, “You originally was dependent on me.”
Li Min De smiled and said: “Perhaps. Aside from my adoptive mother, there is no one else in the world who really cares about me, if I also lose you, then there is nothing left for me.” His smile dimmed a bit, brows furrowed deeply, in a moment, full of sorrow
Li Wei Yang looked at him, she only felt as though his voice floated from a far away place, a distance of a lifetime. That voice carrying an unclear moodiness, that she couldn’t help but feel sad.
“Min De…”
“I say these words, not for you to pity me, I only hope that, because of me, you would treasure yourself more, especially when facing dangers, do not cut off all of your line of retreats without hesitation.” Li Min De added in his heart, I don’t know what it’s like to like someone but everytime I see you, my heart is warm. When I don’t see you, just thinking of you also make me feel that it’s not that cold. Originally living in the Li family does not have much meaning, thinking of your look, thinking of when you are speaking to me, time, has went by just like that. How magical, why does such miracle appears in a person’s life? Clearly it is the same sunshine, the same weather, the same scenery, but because of the addition of one person, it feels as though everything is not the same…
Li Wei Yang was completely surprised, she suddenly realized, her own dangerous actions have caused the other worries, his voice spin through her head, winding around, repeating. Again and again, each word that was spoken were that clear, while the expression on his face, each frown, each smile, each raised eyebrow, each blink, still vivid. He told her, do not rashly take risk, because he will worry. These words, caused her to hesitate.
“The reason why I have always been successful, is because I don’t have any burdens.” Li Wei Yang said quietly, “Now, I have mother, my younger brother, you, all of you are by my side, this way I would have weakness, I don’t like weakness, especially weakness caught by others, do you understand?” Therefore she played with Min Zhi but did not develop deep feelings for him, protect Qi Yiniang yet observe from a distance, not getting close. Min De always say that he is a unwelcome existence in this world, yet Li Wei Yang felt that she is really the person who shouldn’t exist in this world, rebirth, changing fate, all that is left in her life is taking revenge these two words, but the road of revenge is determined to be a lonely one, she could be weak occasionally but definitely should not be budged.
Facing her merciless words, Li Min De was not a bit surprised, he said calmly: “But a person without weakness, do not have anyone or thing to care or be concern about, even though you can take revenge, then based on what do you continue to live for?”
After hearing that, Li Wei Yang’s expression became peculiar, she looked at him deeply, then mumbled: “Nothing is also good, because once there is something, then there is unwillingness to part.”
After a moment, she repeated: “I do not want weakness.”
A gleam flashed in Li Min De’s eyes, showing a look of enlightenment.
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Translator: Angela
Editor: Erica
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