This chapter is sponsored by Ornella M.
A cliffhanger towards the end of this chapter - does Wei Yang already know what to do?
1瞎猫碰上死耗子: literally means a blind cat encounters a dead monkey; it is a phrase used to describe something happened simply because of pure luck
Chapter 52: Winds rising inside the house
In the evening, Li Wei Yang was about to tell her servants to prepare her bath when she heard cries in her yard, she frowned and asked: “What is with the noise outside?”
Mo Zhu immediately answered: “Nubi will take a look.”
Li Wei Yang thought it over and said: “Bring the person inside.”
“Yes.”
“Da Xiaojie’s servants were bullying me ……” Mo Zhu bought in a little yatou who was crying and had the red mark of a handprint on her cheek.
“What is going on?”
“Xiaojie, hmm, hmm, hmm, it was almost time for Xiaojie’s bath, so Nubi went to fetch some water. When I finished fetching hot water, someone pushed me and made me drop the kettle. Nubi saw that it was Da Xiaojie’s servant so I held back my frustration and refilled the kettle. But who would have known that she would forcefully take it from me and gave me two slaps; Nubi couldn’t hold back any longer so I argued with her. Then, she held me on the ground and beat me, exclaiming San Xiaojie is a nobody, Da Xiaojie needs to bath, who dares fight with her!”
“Oh, really?” Li Wei Yang saw the injuries on the little yatou’s body, it didn’t seem like it was a lie.
The little yatou cried loudly: “Da Xiaojie has always used milk to bath, she never uses hot water, as a matter of fact, they simply wanted to bully us -----“
Li Wei Yang stared at her, she sighed and told Bai Zhi: “Give her some snacks and silvers.”
Bai Zhi quickly followed her instructions. Once the little yatou received consolations, she wiped her eyes and then fumbled off; as she left, her shoulders were jerking.
Li Wei Yang calmly shook her head, she said: “From this day on, without my instructions, no one in here is permitted to leave.”
“Xiaojie! How can you forbear anything!” Bai Zhi returned, her face still had on unappeased anger.
Li Wei Yang sat by the window with her cheek resting on her right hand, she swung her head as she looked towards the other yuanzi where performers were singing. Li Chang Le loved watching performances, originally Da Furen restrained her but now she complied with her every wish. Apparently, this mother-daughter pair was too joyous. Li Wei Yang’s pair of righteous eyes had on a layer of shadow under the candlelight, her tone lightly said: “Bai Zhi, let’s quietly watch.”
The progress of the development was contrary to everyone’s expectations.
Words had spread that the Empress Dowager might summoned Li Chang Le, Da Furen and her daughter thought it was time for them to be rewarded so they immediately tailored new clothing. They seek the top tailor of the best fabric shop to personally bring them fabric of superior quality and they hurriedly made the clothes for the day they get summoned into the palace. Everyone thought they would be rewarded next but who would have thought within half a month, things had suddenly changed for the worse.
The Li Family didn’t receive any rewards, on the other hand, Prime Minister Li was summoned into the palace by the emperor; the prime minister had his head down while he was scolded by the emperor. He returned in a bad mood, the first thing he did was rush into Li Wei Yang’s yuanzi, he exasperatedly said: “Wei Yang, come out!”
Li Wei Yang heard his voice in the room yet she was not flustered at all, she pleasingly smiled as she walked out and said: “Father, what has happened?”
Li Xiao Ran forcefully held back his anger: “What idea did you come up with! Do you know something serious happened at the disaster regions!’
Li Wei Yang blinked her eyes and innocently said: “Father, what idea did Wei Yang come up with?”
Li Xiao Ran was astonished, he said after: “This Five-Steps Disaster Policy -----“
Li Wei Yang’s eyes sparkled, her face still had on an innocent expression: “Father, you must have remembered wrong, this plan was concocted by Da jie.”
Li Xiao Ran opened his eyes big, he suppressed his anger and said: “What is the meaning behind your words?”
Li Wei Yang calmly smiled: “Father, you’ve said it, Da jie’s excellent idea is matchless, she is a female Zhuge Liang, if problems arise, shouldn’t you go and ask Da jie?”
Li Xiao Ran raged: “Wei Yang! You came up with this plan, now that problems have arisen, you have to take responsibility for this!”
Li Wei Yang brightly smiled: “And why is that?”
Li Xiao Ran was very angry that he couldn’t utter anymore words.
“It’s because I didn’t grow up by Father’s side, so credits for my merits have to be given to Father’s beloved Da jie, once problems arise, I have to step out and resolve them?” She eloquently spoke each word and each phrase.
“Wei Yang! How can you say such words! I am your father!” Li Xiao Ran irately voiced.
Li Wei Yang looked at him, her expression didn’t show a trace of enmity: “Then, Father, what do you want me to do?”
Li Xiao Ran involuntarily walked one up step: “Of course, it’s to come up with a countermeasure!”
“Father, I am merely a yatou who has grown up in the countryside, what kind of idea would I be able to come up?” Li Wei Yang’s voice was soft and gentle, it seemed as if she was an adorable girl just voicing that she dislikes pearl but likes jade more. However, the words that came from her mouth made Li Xiao Ran even more angry, he told himself to not get frustrated, he needed a favor from her, he stared fixedly into her eyes: “Wei Yang, Father knows you are doing this out of spite, but you can’t do this now, it’s because we used your idea that riots broke out in the regions. Even though soldiers are sent out there, but oppression is not a solution, you must have an idea, is that right!”
Li Wei Yang smiled: “Father, you have too much faith in me, I will say it one more time, I have no solution.”
Li Xiao Ran heavily stomped his foot: “Wei Yang!”
Li Wei Yang gazed at his eyes carefully, she coldly said: “Father! It is because you are my most respected person, that is why I am speaking to you here, even though I came up with that idea, but I am merely a thirteen-year old girl, what kind of idea do you think I can come up with? Instead of relying on me, why not ask the other guests of the residence! Or ask Da ge, a man of great talents! Or even Da jie, a woman of alluring beauty! Father has invested a lot of time on these people, now it’s time for them to repay you!”
Li Xiao Ran was held back by her imposing manner, his mouth opened, his tongue twisted as he stared at his daughter.
How could he be intimidated by a thirteen-years old girl? Why was it that he felt that she had something that made him felt terrified? Why was it that he had a premonition whether he resorted to both mild and stern measures, Li Wei Yang wouldn’t give him an answer? Perhaps, she really didn’t know? In fact, she was only a child, even if she came up with the plan, it was pure luck1. Now that troubles arise, she definitely wouldn’t admit it ----- Li Xiao Ran no longer uttered a sound, every time he faced this daughter of his, he felt somewhat guilty and regretful. Even though those feelings were minimal, he couldn’t not admit that compared to Li Chang Le, the things he gave to this child was too little.
After a while, he said: “You really have no ideas?”
Li Wei Yang eyes lit, her tone cordial: “Father, Wei Yang does not have any solution.”
Li Xiao Ran vented his anger, he looked at Li Wei Yang to see what else he wanted to say, he pondered, he ultimately sighed and then quickly left.
Listening on the side, Bai Zhi was frightened to the point that her back was drenched in sweat. She really didn’t know, when did her Xiaojie become this bold, she dared to speak out against Laoye. She was baffled as she continued to watch Laoye aggressively left, even though he puzzling walked out, it was most definitely -----
Mo Zhu carefully approached and said: “Xiaojie, the winds are starting to blow outside.”96Normal0falsefalsefalseEN-USZH-CNX-NONE /* Style Definitions */table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; 12.0pt; Calibri; mso-ascii-Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
Li Wei Yang smiled: “Yes, the winds are blowing stronger.”