Chapter 476 – Why did you have to change? (1)
Pengxin didn’t know the difference between an ordinary concubine’s meals and the main wife’s. She only knew that the meals delivered to her were becoming increasingly plain. She had asked about this. The head servant in the kitchen had said the harvest from Jiangxi was poor this year, so the available food had decreased.
But, when she told the this reason to Zhu Yurun, a person that Ji Man had always considered as adorably stupid, Miss Zhu looked at her as if she was the idiot. “Is there a connection between Jiangxi’s poor harvest and the meals of a general’s wife that lives in the capital?”
Jiangxi was at least 500 kilometers from here.
Pengxin was at a loss. She didn’t know what to say.
“You’re being bullied!” The chubby young woman felt righteous indignation. “No matter how much the people in my estate bully me, they would never dare to reduce my meals. You’re a dignified princess, how can you let people shortchange you on meals?!”
Being shortchanged on food, there was nothing more serious!
Pengxin blankly looked at Zhu Yurun. Not fully understanding her point, she just nodded. Zhu Yurun pulled her up and said, “Let’s go find the person in charge. We have a bone to pick with her!”
Naturally, Luoqi was the one in charge. Everything that was used in the general’s inner court was entirely in her control. Pengxin had never got involved.
However, Luoqi had been managing the inner court for several years. Even with Zhu Yurun’s help Pengxin, it wasn’t enough.
“The recent harvest in Jiangxi has been poor. For the sake of the general’s reputation, this servant has reduced all of the household’s expenditures. The saved money is being donated towards the disaster relief under the general’s name. It can be considered accumulating good karma points for the general,” Luoqi explained.
Pengxin thought these words were very reasonable. She repeatedly nodded. “Your actions are right.”
Zhu Yurun thought that vixen in front of her was at a level that she couldn’t handle. She had go seek Mister Ji for assistance.
—
“Disaster relief?” Ji Man laughed when she heard this excuse. “It’s the imperial court’s responsibility to manage the disaster relief. Why would General Ning’s household have to cut back on expenses? These words could only be used to fool the two of you.”
“What should we do then?” Zhu Yurun very anxiously said, “Pengxin is too stupid. She even thinks that Luoqi’s actions are right.”
Ji Man deeply looked at Zhu Yurun and quietly said, “This matter is easy enough to resolve. The next time Pengxin sees General Ning, have her praise Luoqi. Praise her for being so considerate of the general. For knowing to cut back on the inner court’s expenditures to improve the general’s reputation. How do you think General Ning will react after he finds out?”
Zhu Yurun didn’t quite understand Ji Man’s words, but she still went back and told Pengxin to say these words.
—
Pengxin said she would follow Ji Man’s instructions. By chance, Ning Mingjie came to her courtyard when he returned home that evening. Pengxin softly asked him, “Has the situation in Jiangxi been difficult lately?”
“En, there’s been a locust plague.” Ning Mingjie raised his eyebrows and glanced at her. “How did you know?”
Pengxin nodded. “I heard it from Luoqi. She’s truly a wonderfully considerate person. She saved a lot of money by reducing the inner court’s expenditures because of Jiangxi’s disaster. She’s going to send the saved money to Jiangxi for the disaster relief under the general’s name. It’s to help the general gain good karma.”
Ning Mingjie’s expression changed. “She told you that?”
“Yup.” Pengxin nodded.
Flinging his sleeve, Ning Mingjie got up and walked out. Pengxin was enlightened. As it turned out, it was only by using this method to tell to truth, that she would get the result that she wanted. If she had complained that Luoqi was curtailing her meals, she might have been the one scolded instead.
Ji-shi was truly a high-level expert.
Patting her head, she quickly followed after Ning Mingjie.
Ning Mingjie pushed opened the doors to Luoqi’s courtyard, and they stepped inside. Luoqi was preparing to go to sleep. Seeing Ning Mingjie, her eyes brightened. “General!”
Soon after, she saw that Pengxin was behind him, and her forehead wrinkled.
“You cut back on the inner court’s expenses in order to send money to Jiangxi for disaster relief?” Ning Mingjie directly asked.
Luoqi was startled. She hadn’t expected Pengxin to tell on her. Hadn’t she thought that her actions were right? How two-faced.
However, she thought that she could talk her way out of the trouble. So what if the general knew?
“Yes, that’s what this servant was thinking. The inner court’s expenses are too high. Why not save some money…”
“Outrageous!” Ning Mingjie’s expression sunk. “The disaster relief is under the imperial court’s jurisdiction. If you donate money under my name, not only would it not help me, it would cause people to misunderstand and gossip. There are only three people in the inner court. The cost for three people couldn’t possibly be that high. Rather than thinking of yourself as clever and doing these pointless things, treat the people in the inner court better.”
Luoqi froze in shock.
“Not all women are suitable for assisting in the imperial court’s matters. It’ll be enough for you to focus on raising your son and managing the inner court.”
After Ning Mingjie finished speaking, he turned and brought Pengxin with him as he left.
Pengxin couldn’t resist turning her back to look. Ning Mingjie’s last words sound a bit harsh, and she wasn’t quite sure what he meant. She didn’t know why Luoqi’s face had turned so pale. It was as if someone had heavily struck her. She didn’t seem to be able to stand stably.
Luoqi really did become more well-behaved for a period of time. However, each day, Ning Jingxin grew older, and he increasingly needed more time with his father. Pengxin waited and waited in her courtyard for Ning Mingjie, but he didn’t come to see her.
“His heart has been divided into so many pieces. There’s a portion that he gives to each of those women, and the portion that he gives to his son. I only get the last piece of his heart.” Pengxin gestured at Zhu Yurun. “I wish that he could only belonged to me, but I tell myself that I can’t be that selfish.”
Translator Ramblings: I have a hard time feeling sympathetic towards Pengxin’s troubles since she insisted on marrying Mingjie after he told her he had a son, especially given her family history and her country’s culture. And, her reason for liking him is so superficial. She’s had a whole country’s worth of men that she could have chosen from and would respect monogamy at least for her, their princess, but she picked Ning Mingjie just because he’s very attractive. Is a handsome guy really worth throwing away your cultural morals? Even though she doesn’t actively scheme against Luoqi and her child, Pengxin’s mere existence is taking Ning Mingje’s attention for his existing relationships and harming them. I think Luoqi is acting really unwise in how she bullies Pengxin, but I can understand why she would want to bully her. I wish the author had written from Luoqi’s point of view, and how she triumph against Pengxin.
What do you guys think? How do you feel about Pengxin?