Big Sister Li Zhang Le
A slender and elegant figure of a beauty slowly appeared. She had a pair of exquisite eyes with long lashes, wearing a pale green dress with Begonia flowers embroidered on the skirt, shimmering like the afternoon sunshine. A translucent sash was tied around her waist which emphasized her petite figure, slender as the willows yet graceful as the canaries in the breeze. Her hairstyle was simple, accessorized only by a gold bodkin with a peach-shaped pearl. The pearl dangled low and helped to highlight her soft and attractive features, making her look naturally youthful and elegant.
Under the blue skies, she walked forward slowly with a smile. It made everyone feel as if a thousand flowers were blooming in the spring, like the moon in mid-Autumn. A genteel music seemed to have sounded from all directions as cranes flew around, causing everyone to have lost some of their souls.
This is Da xiaojie Li Zhang Le’s charismatic appeal. No one could escape from it.
Li Wei Yang stared at her. In her gaze was the subtle hint of sorrow. No wonder she had lost to Zhang Le. Such beauty, such soothing and mellow voice, any man who saw her would be softened.
Li Wei Yang was a traditional woman. Once she has fallen in love with someone, she was going to love with everything she has. Eight years of being husband and wife with Tuo Ba Zhen, she could say that she has given him everything—heart and soul. Even when everyone in this world was against him, she would be the one to defend him, love him to the point of disregarding her own life.
They have lived together for eight years. For the entire eight years, to be kind to a person you didn’t love—even if it was eight days, it was already exhausting, let alone eight years! As a result, she had to give Tuo Ba Zhen a round of applause. He was able to put on an act for so long, enduring it until the moment he became the Emperor. It was only then did she realize the person he wanted from the start had been Li Zhang Le.
Though thinking about it, it seemed right. Compared to the Li estate’s Da xiaojie, the difference was like heaven and earth. Li Wei Yang realized that, despite having already lived for half a person’s lifetime, she was just the supporting character in the story. How laughable and yet pitiful.
“Chang Xi, how can you speak like that to San mei?” Li Zhang Le furrowed her brows, looking at Li Chang Xi. Her expression was filled with disapproval.
Li Chang Xi, who was in the middle of putting on an intimidating presence, immediately changed her attitude. She walked up to Li Zhang Le and grabbed her arm, swinging it back and forth like a child. “Da jie, I was just kidding with San jie. Don’t tell mother about it, otherwise I will definitely be scolded!”
Those pretty eyes of Li Zhang Le steered over to Li Wei Yang’s face. She smiled and said, “That will depend on whether or not your San jie will forgive you. If San mei agrees, then I will also let it go but if San mei don’t want to, then there’s nothing I can do.”
Li Chang Xi stared at Li Wei Yang resentfully.
Li Wei Yang laughed coldly on the inside but on her face was a smile. “Da jie don’t need to worry. It’s true that Wu mei was only kidding with me.”
Li Zhang Le nodded. “That’s good then. Chang Xi, go and apologize to your San jie.”
Li Zhang Le was still Li Zhang Le. She was always playing the role of the middleman, always appearing demure and fair, compassionate and approachable. In the past lifetime, this act had deceived her into trusting Zhang Le, yet in the end she was the one being backstabbed. And the one to stab her in the back was this very compassionate and approachable sister. Compared to Li Chang Xi, Li Zhang Le was a lot more arrogant with a sense of heightened ego. The way she used her status to intimidate others was a lot more disdainful than Chang Xi by tenfolds.
In Li Wei Yang’s eyes, there was a flicker of coldness. It had gone as fast as it had appeared so that no one was able to pick up on it.
Standing on the side, Li Chang Xi stated icily, “Sorry, San jie!” When she said the two words ‘san jie’, she emphasized it in a way that made it seem as if she was clenching her teeth.
With a gentle expression, Li Wei Yang smiled. “It’s okay, Wu meimei.”
Li Chang Xi didn’t say anything but glared at Li Wei Yang viciously.
Li Zhang Le walked forward, patting on Li Wei Yang’s arm. “From now on, we are good sisters. Let’s not be too antagonistic but more open-minded. Wu meimei, we should go. Xiansheng is waiting for us. San meimei, you should also hurry along and go greet father. You shouldn’t delay it anymore.”
Li Wei Yang noticed that she was vaguely defending Li Chang Xi but feigned ignorance.
Li Chang Xi became even more resentful. As she walked by Li Wei Yang, she purposely stretched out her foot to trip Wei Yang. Li Wei Yang saw it but acted like she didn’t and continued on with a straight posture. Li Chang Xi smirked with arrogance as she waited for Wei Yang to humiliate herself in front of everyone. She heard Li Wei Yang softly cried out but for some reason, Li Zhang Le suddenly tripped over as well. The both of them had fallen over into the pond.
Li Chang Xi was horrified.
“Da jie! Da Jie!” Li Chang Xiao, who was abandoned behind, quickly rushed over.
Li Wei Yang was covered in muddy water, looking like a wild duck crawling out from the pond. When she stood up, she immediately extended her hand to pull Li Zhang Le up as well. The pondwater only reached their waist. Nothing would happen as long as they stood up. Unfortunately, Li Zhang Le’s beautiful skirt and dress was dirtied and her hair was all over the place. She was scared into a daze, having no clue as to what had just transpired.
Li Chang Xi did not expect for Li Zhang Le to have fallen over as well. Her sole intention was to embarrass Li Wei Yang. Everyone present was scared into silence.
Li Chang Xiao quickly instructed the dumbfounded servants standing by, “Stop looking! Quickly help Da xiaojie and San xiaojie up!”
One by one, Li Zhang Le and Li Wei Yang stepped out of the pond, drenched in muddy water from head to toe.
As Li Wei Yang got out, she said with grievance, “Wu meimei, I know that you don’t like me but how could you possibly push Da jie into the pond too? You are too much!”
Suddenly, everyone’s gaze turned on Li Chang Xi.
Due to the fact that she had grown up under Da furen’s wings and had a close relationship with Li Zhang Le, she would often use that as an excuse to overlook and step on everyone, but at this moment, even she couldn’t believe this situation.
She stuttered, “No . . . Da jie, I didn’t . . . I just wanted to push her over . . . I didn’t know it would turn out like this!” She looked over to her biological sister, Li Chang Xiao. “Si jie, you saw it right? Help me say something. I didn’t push Da jie! It’s Li Wei Yang! It’s definitely her! She dragged Da jie down!”
In truth, Li Chang Xiao had witnessed Li Chang Xi’s attempt to trip Li Wei Yang. However, she wasn’t able to capture any suspicious gestures from Li Wei Yang, particularly as to why Da jie had tripped as well. Da jie was Da furen’s heart. Even if it was a small mistake, they could be skinned for bringing harm to Zhang Le.
Li Chang Xiao realized the magnitude of the situation. Her face paled as she quickly defended, “Da jie, Chang Xi definitely did not mean to –”
Li Wei Yang lowered her head, appearing very pitiful. “Da jie, everything’s my fault. If I hadn’t angered Wu meimei, this wouldn’t have happened to you.” As she finished speaking, she took the initiative to use her own clothes to wipe off a footprint on Li Zhang Le’s skirt. Earlier when Li Chang Xi attempted to trip her, she had used the opportunity to step onto Li Zhang Le’s skirt and drag her down, causing Zhang Le to fall into the pond with her.
Li Zhang Le’s gaze hesitated between Li Chang Xi and Li Wei Yang. During the confusion and chaos, she could only vaguely remember someone had grabbed her but she did not know who it was exactly.
Li Chang Xi’s embarrassment turned into anger. She pointed at Li Wei Yang and shouted, “Why are you pretending to be pitiful?! It was your fault!” She wanted to rush over and grab Li Wei Yang’s arms.
The servants had never witnessed the xiaojies being so imprudent so they did not know what to do.
Right then, everyone heard an authoritative voice. “What kind of troubles are you causing here?!”
Everyone turned around.
Not far from there was Prime Minister Li.
Everyone was stupefied.