At the same time, Li Chang Le was also lying in bed, tossing and turning. She suddenly sat up and called out: “Tan Xiang, bring me tea!”
Tan Xiang came immediately, saw Xiaojie’s dark expressions and carefully returned with hot tea: “Xiaojie, please drink the tea.”
Li Chang Le took a sip then hurled the beautiful porcelain cup to the ground, raising her voice: “You want to burn me to death?!” She was in Li Wei Yang’s hands, helpless and being toyed with. Waizumu would not help her get her revenge, how could she swallow her anger, so she was letting it all out on this Yatou.
The hot tea had spilled onto Tan Xiang, leaving the back of her hand red and scalded, but she did not dare to cry and held back her tears. Li Chang Le coldly scoffed: “I will never let that little wretch get what she wants!”
Tan Xiang tried to persuade her: “Xiaojie… Nubi thinks it’s best to forget about it, did Xiaojie not see Lao Furen and Laoye’s faces today, how could we do something like that?”
Li Chang Le bitterly said: “I made too many mistakes before. These things should not be said in front of them. That Li Wei Yang is cunning. I must find a way to dispose of her, no need to go through Fuqin.”
Tan Xiang was even more afraid: “Xiaojie, Xiaojie said - but didn’t Guogong Furen tell Xiaojie to be patient and that she will think of a way for everything?”
Li Chang Le sneered: “Her? She is already old and no longer the strong, vigorous Waizumu of the past. Everything must be carefully considered, and the two jiumu by her side don’t have any blood relations with me. Why would they help me? I must take things into my own hands! But you’re right, I can’t act rashly. I must change Fuqin and Lao Furen’s opinions of me, then I can deal with Li Wei Yang. Not alone though, I need someone’s help!”
Thinking about it, it seemed as if victory was already in hand. She smiled, content.
Tan Xiang saw her smile and could not help but feel uneasy. Li Wei Yang did not seem weak, how could she let Xiaojie scheme against her? So she whispered: “But…”
“But nothing, just do as I say!” Li Chang Le coldly cut her off.
The next day, Li Wei Yang sent off a group of guests who came to offer condolences and was about to report to Lao Furen when a clamor broke out outside.
Luo mama ran outside to ask: “What happened? Why is it so noisy out here?”
A Yatou frantically ran in: “Lao Furen, Tan Xiang from Da Xiaojie’s courtyard reported that Da Xiaojie… Xiaojie… committed suicide by hanging herself.”
“What?” Lao Furen immediately stood up.
Committed suicide by hanging herself? Li Wei Yang’s lips curved up, Li Chang Le was someone who valued her life very much. To commit suicide, could it be that the sun rose in the West today?
Lao Furen hurriedly asked: “How is she now?”
The Yatou responded: “She was just saved, someone also went to inform Laoye.”
Lao Furen’s face turned dark: “What is she trying to accomplish with this?!”
Li Wei Yang gently began: “Lao Furen, yesterday you scolded Dajie and said after ten days, she will be sent back to the temple, Dajie may have grown desperate and did not think this through. It is understandable.”
Lao Furen sneered: “Let’s go and see what she ultimately wants!”
At the entrance of the courtyard, Li Wei Yang saw Li Xiao Ran quickly approaching. What surprised her was a worried Wu Huangzi behind Li Xiao Ran.
Seeing Wu Huangzi Tuoba Rui, Lao Furen had to bow and greet him, Wu Huangzi waved it off: “No need, I must see how Da Xiaojie is first.”
He did not turn back and immediately followed Li Xiao Ran into the courtyard.
Er Furen rushed over with a helpless expression: “Lao Furen, Wu Dianxia came to Da bo’s study and exchanged a few words when he heard the servants say something happened to Da Xiaojie. Wu Dianxia said he wanted to see, I should have stopped him, but Da bo also agreed, I could not say anything else…”
This was to avoid taking responsibility. In any case, allowing a man to run into an unmarried Xiaojie’s courtyard was inappropriate. However, Lao Furen was not in the mood to be concerned with such things. She only nodded: “Go in and see.”
Surprised, Er Furen glanced at Li Wei Yang and thought: Da Xiaojie could hang herself at any time, why wait until Wu Dianxia came? Wasn’t this to bring an outsider into this?
When they entered, they saw Li Chang Le lying on a chaise, her makeup carefully applied with delicate, long eyelashes and a pale complexion, her long hair without a single strand out of place. Her eyes were closed, still damp with tears, making her seem weak and pitiful.
Li Wei Yang almost laughed aloud, this was truly a heart-wrenching sight. She was a woman yet she thought so too, how must it be for men? Naturally, Wu Huangzi seemed heartbroken, unable to help himself, said: “Da Xiaojie, what happened?!”
“It is Nubi’s fault. Yesterday, Da Xiaojie returned and learned that Furen passed away and could not bear it. With everyone’s criticism, she felt she was an unfilial child, she could not be by Muqin’s side when she died. Nubi should have known and should not have left Xiaojie alone…” Tan Xiang wept as if it were tearing her apart from within.
Li Wei Yang looked back at Li Chang Le and the deep welt on her pale neck. It seems she had used a rope to tie her neck. She calmly looked on in silence.
Tan Xiang cried pitifully: “Da Xiaojie said she had been wrong, even Laoye and Lao Furen would not believe her. Da Furen had passed on, Xiaojie was left to live on without…” Then, she glanced at Li Wei Yang, adding: “And San Xiaojie refused to forgive her…”
Tuoba Rui saw the person he admired and cherished in such a pitiful state and felt pained: “Prime Minister Li, Da Xiaojie is a refined, virtuous, beautiful and dignified person. I thought she was even more precious than jade to you, who would have thought she would be reduced to this state! How could a Prime Minister fail to protect someone like this?”
Li Xiao Ran made a face but remained silent.
Tan Xiang continued while crying: “Laoye, Da Xiaojie knows she is wrong, when Xiaojie was at the temple, she did not eat meat and only prayed, copied Buddhist scriptures, and did not go anywhere. Every night, she missed home and cried at the thought. Xiaojie rejoiced when she heard she could return and told Nubi she would fulfill filial piety to Laoye and Lao Furen. She returned to find out that Furen had died and Laoye would only send her back. Da Xiaojie said Laoye was not right, but as a girl, she could not look after Furen and only wanted to be filial. She was desperate! Please consider Da Xiaojie’s filial piety and forgive her!”
Li Wei Yang slowly said: “Tan Xiang, Fuqin will decide the rest, stand up first.”
Tuoba Rui whipped around, his words harsh as he glared at Li Wei Yang: “No need for your hypocrisy! I know all about your malicious schemes against Da Xiaojie! Your actions infuriate others and only make them look down on you! I cannot believe there is such a poisonous woman in this world or that Prime Minister has such a daughter, and nor did I think she would be the kind-hearted Da Xiaojie’s meimei, the Heavens must be blind!”
Li Wei Yang feigned surprise, but Wu Huangzi’s words almost made her want to laugh. Wu Huangzi was truly unbelievable. She had nothing left to say.
Lao Furen’s face turned white, her voice was harsh: “Wu Dianxia!” Li Wei Yang was a nu er of the Li family, even if he was a Huangzi, what right did he have to run into someone’s home and discipline their children for them?! Even using a tone like that!
Li Xiao Ran furrowed his eyebrows: “Wu Dianxia, Li Wei Yang is not as you say, there has been a misunderstanding!”
“Prime Minister Li, given your status and position, you are well-respected, and I respect you very much! But how could you be so careless with family affairs, raising a frog to the sky and knocking a swan to the ground!”
Li Wei Yang coldly interrupted: “Wu Dianxia, a funeral is currently held for Muqin, please do not shout here, it is not appropriate. If this reaches Bixia, Bixia will not agree with your actions here either!”
“Silence!” Tuoba Rui’s face had darkened with fury, almost every word was clear but fierce: “Da Xiaojie is a kind, gentle and generous woman, she should not be treated like this at all! But you refused to forgive her and found every way to create difficulties for her. You forced her into a corner because you were jealous that she was better than you in every way!” He stood before her, staring straight into her eyes: “I am warning you, if something happens to Da Xiaojie, the first person I will not forgive is you!”
Li Wei Yang pretended to be saddened and frightened by these words, moving closer to Li Xiao Ran, her face full of grievances.
Li Xiao Ran’s eyebrows were tightly drawn, almost into a line: “Wu Dianxia, your intentions are understood! But there is a funeral in our home, do not cause more trouble!”
Tuoba Rui vehemently glared at Li Wei Yang, who seemed terrified, but her eyes were apathetic. She was not as innocent as she seemed! It could be said that she was a venomous snake, a truly terrifying woman!
He would not allow her to keep harming Li Chang Le!
He could not help but clench his fists: “There is something I had not intended to say before, but I know if I do not say it, Da Xiaojie cannot continue to accept this cruel world, so I will officially announce that three years later, I will marry Da Xiaojie as Zheng fei!”
At first, Tuoba Rui was only mesmerized by Li Chang Le’s beauty, but seeing her suffering and pitiful state today, “living no better than the dead,” he decided to save her. Even if Fu Huang would not allow it, Muqin was against it, everyone under the skies opposed it, he would marry her as his Zheng fei!
Li Xiao Ran stared intently at Tuoba Rui: “Wu Dianxia, do you know what you’re saying?! Without Bixia bestowing marriage—”
“I will convince Fu Huang, so in the meantime, treat Da Xiaojie as a member of the Imperial family! Everyone must respect her as you would respect me, because in the future, she will be Wu Huangzi fei! If I find that anyone has been disrespectful to her, do not blame me for being cruel!” Tuoba Rui’s fiery stare fell on Li Wei Yang as he said this, his refined, handsome face had become rather frightening.
Li Wei Yang looked down, her lips curving back in a sneer, so this was how it was.
Li Chang Le’s beauty trap scheme seemed to be particularly effective. But she had chosen Tuoba Rui, a surprising choice given Li Chang Le’s affections, Li Wei Yang thought she would have chosen Tuoba Zhen.
Having carefully thought about it, she could easily see why. Tuoba Zhen did not have the same status or background as Tuoba Rui. In everyone’s eyes, he was only San Huangzi, and no one paid him any mind. Li Chang Le needed support to continue to live peacefully at the Li family and had to find the most favorable candidate. That being said, Li Chang Le was no longer as foolish as before.
The physician pinched Li Chang Le’s arm. She let out a small gasp. Her breaths were ragged as her eyelashes fluttered.
Tuoba Rui sighed in relief: “It’s good that she woke up!”
Li Chang Le slowly opened her eyes. The first person she saw was Tuoba Rui, and her tears fell like rain: “Wu Dianxia…”
The pain in her eyes, in addition to her slightly hoarse but pleasant voice, could even soften a steeled heart…
Li Wei Yang looked up at Li Xiao Ran. He seemed a bit reluctant. She was still the nu er he loved the most these past ten years. He had not completely forgotten. This was what Li Chang Le wanted, to win back Li Xiao Ran’s trust while borrowing Wu Huangzi’s influence to frighten Lao Furen and Li Wei Yang. Of course, this was what it seemed on the surface. Li Wei Yang feared her actions was not entirely because of this.
“Da Xiaojie, you can tell everyone here of the injustices you have suffered. I will stand for you, how could you do something so foolish!” Tuoba Rui seemed gentle and concerned, a stark contrast to his furious, threatening words with Li Wei Yang earlier.
Li Wei Yang looked at him the way she looked at Tuoba Zhen that year, unsure if she should laugh or cry. Time and time again, her beauty could still make empires and cities fall, but what if there was a day when Li Chang Le no longer had her beautiful face to use as a weapon, would those men easily take the bait?
“Fuqin… Fuqin…” Li Chang Le’s tears fell as naturally as rain. She turned to face Li Xiao Ran.
Li Xiao Ran subconsciously stepped forward. Li Chang Le tightly held onto his arm: “Fuqin, nu er thought you would never forgive me and no longer wanted to live. Nu er wasn’t thinking at all and did this, nu er did not mean to cause more trouble for Fuqin…”
Her tears kept flowing as she said this.
Li Xiao Ran had not said anything when Tuoba Rui cut in: “Da Xiaojie, you were not wrong, it was all because of your Sanmei—”
Li Chang Le quickly cut him off: “Wu Dianxia, do not say anymore. It was my fault, do not blame Sanmei! I blamed Sanmei until yesterday, but after returning, my heart is full of sorrow. I know I only blamed her out of anger, she is a good meimei and concerned about me, except there are too many misunderstandings between us—”
Cutting Tuoba Rui off seemed to provoke him: “You still want to protect her, look at yourself…” He felt Li Chang Le was kind and forgiving, he turned back: “You are capable, truly capable, Li Wei Yang. Look at your Dajie and reflect on yourself, don’t you feel ashamed?!”
His face was full of anger and resentment. Anyone who did not know would think Li Wei Yang had committed a heinous crime. Tuoba Rui’s reaction surpassed Li Wei Yang’s expectations. She finally understood why Wu Huangzi was the first to be eliminated, with such thoughts, he seemed to have been born to be used by others!
Li Wei Yang lightly said: “Wu Dianxia, Dajie acknowledges that she is wrong and is admitting to everything before, yet Dianxia keeps saying I am evil and cruel. Is Dianxia keeping us jiemei from reconciling?”
Reconciling? Li Chang Le stared at her. She thought that even if Li Wei Yang was beaten to death, she would never reconcile. She thought that if she was insulted, Li Wei Yang would angrily retaliate, allowing her to expose Li Wei Yang in front of so many people!
But Li Wei Yang smiled faintly and went to her side, softly saying: “Dajie admits that she is wrong, I will certainly forgive you, not just me, but everyone in the family will not blame you anymore! Is that right, Fuqin?”
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Translator: Chau
Editor: Pending
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