Surrounded by Flowers
Luo mama brought the cloak back to He Xiang Yuan and dismissed all of the servants. Then she said to Meng shi, “Lao Furen, there’s something I have to tell you.”
Meng shi noticed the serious expression on Luo mama’s face and nodded her head. “What is it?”
Luo mama carefully retold everything that had happened. “Even though these are the kind of things I shouldn’t concern myself with, but San xiaojie is really pitiful. She had no idea and even thought of the cloak as a treasure. After all, she’s still a child. She doesn’t know how to take precaution against others.”
Listening to Luo mama, Meng shi felt suspicious as she took the cloak. She brushed her hands gently against the cloak two times and discovered a strange feeling. Abruptly she looked down. “Hm, what is this?”
Underneath the layer of the soft and warm mink fur, there was an area that was prickly and poked into the skin. Upon closer inspection, it wasn’t fur but several small needles. The needles were very thin. If a person didn’t look at it carefully they wouldn’t notice the difference.
“Why do the clothes have these things in it?” Meng shi furrowed her eyebrows.
“Sao xiaojie in the end is still a young girl. She wouldn’t know about these things. The needles are so small that it’s not easily seen. Not to mention, the fur helped cover it up. The person wearing it won’t be able to notice, but the moment the person makes any sort of movements, the needles will poke into their skin.”
“Those wicked servants! How dare they do something like this!?” Meng shi roared, infuriated.
Even though she wasn’t there to watch over Li Wei Yang grow up, Wei Yang was still her grand-daughter. Not to mention, she was a delicate and well-mannered child. She had just returned to the estate and yet, who had the nerves to scheme against her already? Meng shi contemplated for a while. Aside from Da Furen Jiang shi, there was no one else who had the nerves to do something like this!
Meng shi’s expression darkened. “This cloak was gifted right in front of me. Is she trying to cause me troubles?”
Luo mama rarely saw Meng shi in an angry state. She hurriedly lowered her head. “Lao Furen, there’s a chance this isn’t Da Furen’s doing. The way Da Furen treated San xiaojie was with kindness—”
“Kindness? That child wasn’t born from her, so what does it matter if there’s kindness or not?! I had thought that she was someone of noble background, who understood what to do and what not to do, and that she won’t stoop low like others but as it turns out, she has become muddle-headed too. Our family cannot let words spread that we are someone who abuses and mistreats the concubine’s daughters. Luo mama, you go and bring Mo Zhu to San xiaojie.”
“Yes,” Luo mama promptly replied.
Even though Lao Furen was someone who rarely questioned the estate’s internal affairs, but she was also a person who was cold on the outside and hot-tempered on the inside. If there were things she couldn’t let pass, she will definitely do something about it. If it was just a bunch of tiny needles, all one had to do was remove it. However, Lao Furen was worried that Da Furen would do something else and words will spread, thus hurting the Li’s generations of reputation. Fortunately for San xiaojie, this time she will have Lao Furen’s people beside her. Da Furen will need to think twice before taking any actions against Wei Yang.
Meng shi contemplated some more and said, “Since you’ve already brought this cloak here, remove all of the needles before returning it, but you must not say a word of it to San xiaojie.”
“Yes, I understand,” Luo mama replied.
At this moment, Li Wei Yang was heading towards the flower garden with a servant leading in the front. Along the way, Li Wei Yang was restless. She was filled with uncertainty regarding the impact of those tiny needles. In truth, the needles weren’t Da Furen’s doing. She wouldn’t take actions without considering the effects of it on herself first. The needles were a part of Li Wei Yang’s plan. She had attached the needles when no one was looking. Using this opportunity, she wanted to let Meng shi know that Da Furen was in fact a two-faced, hypocritical person.
Right then, a voice sounded from the opposite study room. It was the voice of a person reciting poems, a voice that was easy to listen to. It startled Wei Yang.
“San xiaojie, that is Da xiaojie reciting poems with all the other xiaojies!” Hua Mei explained.
Li Wei Yang looked at her speechlessly.
Thinking that Wei yang was listening, Hua Mei continued on, “Our Da xiaojie is like a fairy from heaven. Not only is she kind-hearted and compassionate, her skills are exceptional. She is good at everything. Before, all the other xiaojies didn’t read books and poems but Da xiaojie went up to Da Laoye and said even females should have some form of education. As a result, Da Laoye journeyed to Mount Yuan and personally invited the most famous female teacher back to the estate. This kind of special hospitality is probably the only one here in Da Li!”
Li Wei Yang placed her hand on the banister as she silently tightened her grip on it. A casual grin appeared on her face. “Is that true? Dajie is truly capable.”
Suddenly, the sound of a young girl’s giggling came from the distance. “Who are you? Why haven’t I seen you before?”
Li Wei Yang looked over and saw two beautifully dressed young girls slowly approached from the other side, where the study room was. One of them was pointing at her and asking the question. She didn’t want to run into these people so early on, but it seems they are the one who wanted to walk right up to her door. She grinned. Perhaps history was repeating itself.
“San xiaojie, the one who just spoke is Wu xiaojie. The person standing beside her is Si xiaojie,” Hua Mei whispered the reminder.
In a blink of an eye, Wu xiaojie, Li Chang Xi had already appeared right in front of her face. Chang Xi wore a short-sleeved, pale-blue dress. On her hair was a small pair of beautifully crafted brooch and around her neck was a pure gold necklace encrusted with jewels. She had an elongated, oval-shaped face, eyes were slightly slanted, and in between her brows was a small dot. Her cheeks were rosy pink and when she laughed her mouth was slightly parted, revealing rows of purely white teeth. At first glance, it was hard not to like her.
Beside Wu xiaojie was another similar looking young girl, though she was dressesd in blushed pink. Her features resembled Li Chang Xi, but appeared to be more gentle-looking. She was none other than Si xiaojie, Li Chang Xiao.
“Si mei, Wu mei.” Li Wei Yang smiled, looking innocent and yet bashful. The afternoon sunlight shone on her face causing her beauty to radiate.
Si xiaojie, Li Chang Xiao, nodded and smiled cordially at Wei Yang. On the other hand, Li Chang Xi was chuckling with mockery and looking very arrogant. “You’ve just returned and already calling us meimeis. Who said you can address us like that?”
Li Wei Yang blinked her eyes and said, “I can’t call you meimei? Then should I call you jiejie?”
Li Chang Xi was caught off-guard. Her eyebrows immediately furrowed as she looked at Li Wei Yang from top to bottom. She noticed Wei Yang could actually be considered quite pretty. She had soft, porcelain skin, black hair like ink and perfectly drawn brows. Compared to the image of a foolish country bumpkin that Chang Xi had in mind, it was completely different. She suddenly felt unhappy. “What’s the meaning behind your words? Are you trying to look for troubles?”
The person looking for trouble is you! In Wei Yang’s dark, black eyes, there was a flicker of coldness. However, it came and disappeared so fast that it wasn’t noticeable. On the surface though, she continued to smile. “Si meimei, I have to go give my greetings to father. Don’t block my way.”
Li Chang Xi thought Li Wei Yang was a being coward. She became even angrier. “You wretched misfortune born in February! How dare you talk to me like that?”
Si xiaojie, Wu xiaojie, they were all just like Li Wei Yang—the concubine’s daughters. In the previous lifetime, Li Wei Yang didn’t understand why Li Chang Xi was always trying to pick on her, especially when she hadn’t done anything towards Chang Xi. However, now she finally understood why. In life, there was a certain group of people who simply likes to cause drama. When it was calm and peaceful, those people would try to stir up something for the sake of it. Not to mention, she was the new person who had just returned. If they don’t bully her and try to subdue her now, in the future, how could they do as they please?
There was not an ounce of anger on Li Wei Yang’s face. There was only a calm smile. “That’s right. I was born in February. Wu mei, what kind of opinion do you have on my birthday?”
Seeing that Li Wei Yang wasn’t upset, Li Chang Xi was even more irritable. She was about to say something but suddenly, a genteel voice spoke up. “Chang Xi, San mei had just returned. How can you be so rude to her?”
Upon hearing this voice, Li Wei Yang felt a cold breeze against her back. This voice, even if a hundred years has passed, she will still never forget it.
Li Zhang Le!
She slowly turned around. Her eyes fell on the unequivocal beauty elegantly approaching them. . .