Chapter 87: Jealousy Part 2
苍松cāng sōng - known as the Armand pine or Chinese white pine tree
百蠹之虫死而不僵bǎi zú zhī chóng, sǐ érbù jiāng - insect with hundreds of legs, dead but not stiff, saying that evenwhen powerful people or groups fall, their power and influence still exist
After the New Year was hunting season.
Every year, during this time, the Emperor gave thedecree permitting members of the Imperial family and civil and militaryofficials to participate. Li Wei Yang had become Xianzhu, and with Li XiaoRan’s intervention, her name was among those invited. A glorious honor, it wasthe first time two nu haizi of the Li family were invited. Such a great honor,making others curious and enthusiastic. However, Li Wei Yang seemed concernedand unhappy.
Li Min De curiously asked: “San jie, why do you lookunhappy?”
Li Wei Yang said: “What is there to be interested it?”After all, it was an opportunity for nobles to kill each other. It wasmeaningless and a waste of time, and she would also have to be in the presenceof undesired company like Tuoba Zhen or Wei Guo Furen.
Li Min De blinked and said: “Think of it as going outto relieve your frustrations then. Since you will be going to the north thistime, there are great plains set aside for the Imperial family to hunt. It issaid to be wild grasslands, cao yuan (mountainous regions), and an endlessexpanse, the scenery will be a refreshing change from the Capital.”
Li Wei Yang nodded, looking at the cang song tree inthe garden: “I don’t know why I always feel a bit uneasy.”
“Why? Da Bofu is taking you along, so you should takeyour mind off of things!”
“Take my mind off of things?” Li Wei Yang suspected LiXiao Ran had only begun to involve her in his schemes. Li Wei Yang shook herhead, then turned to Zhao Yue and asked: “Has your Dage returned?”
Zhao Yue frowned: “Dage has been gone for over half amonth this time but still no news from him.”
Zhao Nan’s martial arts abilities were exceptional. LiWei Yang let him take care of Li Min Feng in the middle of the road. Find achance to fabricate an accident and eliminate him, this was not a difficulttask, so there was no need to worry, but - if he had taken precautions, then itwill not be easy. Da Furen, Li Chang Le, Li Min Feng, between the three, Li WeiYang had chosen to eliminate Li Min Feng first. Acting outside the residencewas much more convenient and will not be easily discovered by others.
“San jie worries that something happened to Zhao Nan?”A cold gleam flashed across Li Min De’s eyes, too quickly for anyone else tonotice.
Li Wei Yang nodded: “Although Li Min Feng has beenabandoned by Fuqin, I still feel Da Furen has something up her sleeve.”
Li Min De flatly said: “An old woman frightened toinsanity still has means of doing so? Besides, she cannot even leave the Li residence-- ”
Li Wei Yang laughed: “Bai du zhi chong si er bu jiang,you think she hasn’t made preparations beforehand? Dage studied abroad for manyyears, if Da Furen had not arranged enough forces around him, how could she lethim go like that? We have only seen her struggle and underestimated hercautious nature. I’m afraid Zhao Nan is in danger.”
Zhao Yue had strong confidence: “Rest assured,Xiaojie, even if Dage is not successful, he will not be reduced to alife-threatening state.”
Li Wei Yang turned back to look at her, seeing theconfidence on her face, she smiled and said: “I hope that is the case.”
The day they were to embark from the Capital to thehunting grounds, the main road was to be sealed off to commoners, shops andstalls along the roads had to be closed. A great brocade was stretched above,from one side of the road of the Imperial capital to the other, vivid colors ofclothing signifying rank and region, the procession organized according torank, banners flying everywhere.
This time, the Emperor brought many concubines withhim. The Empress stayed back at the palace because of her health while Mei GuiFei, Wu Xian Fei, Zhang De Fei, Rou Fei, and some other favored pin fei came.Among the Huangzi, aside from Taizi who stayed behind to manage court affairs,everyone else came.
The Imperial edict allowed some officials to bringtheir families, but he had personally selected who would be able to attend, forexample, Li Wei Yang, someone who had caught the Emperor’s, a few officials forpolitical reasons, and families chosen with careful consideration. Li Wei Yangnoticed the Xiaojies that came along were the most outstanding of each family.There were also three thousand Imperial guards, five hundred regular guards,and physicians, palace servants, totaling to almost a thousand people.
Li Wei Yang sat in a horse-drawn carriage towards theend of the procession. Bored, she lifted the curtain to look outside. She saw ayoung man with a long cloak, the hood over his head hiding his face, the goldembroidery on the hem of his clothes signifying his noble status. He had beenpressing ahead, but then he pulled the reins and stopped in front of Li WeiYang’s carriage and looked back, revealing a handsome face. Li Wei Yangrecognized it was Tuoba Yu. She felt generous and smiled at him, he politelyraised the riding crop and waved before pulling the reins and leading theguards behind him away, racing ahead.
Soon, the landscape around the Capital transformedinto fields. Rolling hills appeared beyond the window, both sides of the roadframed with farmlands. Li Wei Yang gazed out for a while. Feeling even morebored, she opened up a book to read. She had lost track of time until Zhao Yuesaid: “Xiaojie, we have arrived at the campgrounds.”
The procession had stopped, a chorus of neighinghorses rang out. Noblewomen stepped down from the carriages and stood off toone side. People began to set up tents and collect branches for a fire. Li WeiYang saw everyone bustling around and noticed that one tent had been set up.There were gold markings at the center, along with an emblem of a golden dragonwith its claw bared, the Emperor’s tent.
The noblewomen had gathered to socialize, clamoring inexcitement, especially when discussing which tents each Huangzi will be in. LiWei Yang had been to hunting grounds before, so there was nothing new to see.She left Bai Zhi to arrange their belongings and brought Zhao Yue with her asshe walked around. She wore cotton riding clothes and leather boots, walkingacross fresh grass, exuding a different air to her.
A piece of mud suddenly flew towards them, Zhao Yuedeflected it with her sword. The mud flew back from where it came from and axiao guniang jumped out of the bushes, her face splattered with mud: “Li WeiYang!”
Li Wei Yang looked up, wasn’t this Jiu Gongzhu?Although she looked furious, she was still adorable. Beside her, a young boystood, blinking as he curiously looked at Li Wei Yang, she could immediatelyguess who he was: “Greeting Ba Huangzi, Jiu Gonzhu.”
Ba Huangzi cheerfully smiled and said: “You are theXianzhu that infuriated Huang mei? Huang mei mentions you seven or eight timesa day ever since she returned to the palace!” Every time she had, it was withclenched teeth and fury.
Li Wei Yang walked over and pinched Jiu Gongzhu’scheek: “Gongzhu, it has been a while, had I known Gongzhu had missed me, Iwould have come to the palace to visit.”
Jiu Gongzhu suddenly leapt up, putting distancebetween them: “Li Wei Yang, you are too much, don’t think I won’t do anythingto you, I will go and tell Fu Huang—”
Li Wei Yang gently reminded her: “Indeed, Jiu Gongzhucan tell Fu Huang that I had bullied Jiu Gongzhu, so you ran to him to cry.”
Jiu Gongzhu wrinkled her little nose. She originallycame to find Li Min De, but when she saw Li Wei Yang, Li Min De was forgotten,replaced by her anger. Ba Huangzi’s manner of speaking was still childish:“Huang mei, do not tell the world you were scolded by a noble lady two yearsolder than you, wouldn’t saying this implicate Mufei and make others laugh?”
Li Wei Yang noticed he had the mind of an old sage:“Ba Dianxia is right.”
Jiu Gongzhu scoffed, turned and walked away. BaHuangzi ran after her, not sparing Li Wei Yang a second glance. A sudden laughrang out behind a tree beside her. Li Wei Yang turned around and saw Tuoba Yuemerge from behind the tree, brightly smiling: “An adult picking on a child,you truly have no shame.”
Li Wei Yang arched her eyebrows: “Qi Dianxia is olderthan me too, isn’t Qi Dianxia also picking on the little ones because ofseniority? Not to mention, I am only fourteen years old, not considered anadult yet.” Not old enough for romance, she wanted to convey.
She could pretend to be a xiao haizi, but a woman, nomatter how old she was, still paid close attention to her age. Like manyothers, she did not want others to say she was old. Li Wei Yang had sufferedquite a bit before being reborn and was particularly concerned with her age.Considering her age in the past life, she had lived to be thirty six, and nowshe was fourteen years old, almost half a lifetime of difference. In any case,she was still an old woman, the thought was enough to make her shudder...
Hearing this, Tuoba Yu laughed, although he wasn’tsure why he was laughing. He came closer, eying the tents in the distance andsaid: “Why are you not with the others?”
From a logical perspective, she should be with theother prestigious, noble ladies.
Li Wei Yang indifferently said: “I am not interestedin discussing what Qi Dianxia is wearing today, neither am I interested inlistening to them talk about a Xiaojie from some house that Wu Dianxia helpedthe other day.”
Tuoba Yu smiled. He discovered that around Li WeiYang, he would always be amused by the slightest things she said, while thiswas not her intention, she was quite an interesting person.
“Let’s go and walk around then.” Tuoba Yu tentativelyproposed.
Li Wei Yang frowned: “Right now?”
Tuoba Yu nodded, “Yes, right now. Can you?”
Li Wei Yang laughed: “I think you should be displayingyour hospitality to the Emperor.”
Tuoba Yu smiled: “Hospitality and well wishes can beoffered any day, but having the opportunity to see Xianzhu are not many.”
He immediately went ahead, softly saying: “There’s abeautiful stream behind the forest. I used to fish there in the past, it’sreally interesting.”
Li Wei Yang was somewhat intrigued hearing him saythis and took Zhao Yue with her and followed him. As it turned out, Tuoba Yuwas not exaggerating. Half a shichen later, a jade-like stream, shimmeringunder the sunlight, appeared before her eyes, gently trickling. In everydirection were native plants, even if some had no name, the bright dew drops onthe leaves and flowers made them even more captivating than precious gemstones.
Li Wei Yang looked for a large rock to sit down on,“The scenery here certainly makes one want to reminisce.”
Tuoba Yu was startled by her observation: “Isn’t thisthe first time you have been here?”
Li Wei Yang smiled, a wary light flashing across hereyes: “I have seen a painting of this stream here, did Qi Dianxia think youwere the only one to have come here?”
Tuoba Yu did not mind it: “Whether this is your firsttime here or not, you must be careful, it seems calm and peaceful, but thereare many wild animals out here, you should let the Yatou by your side protectyou.”
Li Wei Yang looked at the little fish swimming in thestream, becoming more comfortable and open: “Of course I know this.”
Then, she suddenly remembered: “Has Tuoba Zhen takenaction recently?”
Tuoba Yu laughed aloud: “Despite the fact that I’veeliminated more than half of his people, he suspects it’s Wu ge’s doing. Now,he’s always encouraging Taizi to put pressure on Wu ge. Wu ge asked Fu Huangfor permission to make your Dajie his Zheng fei. The result was the Empress hadsecretly intervened, emphasizing Li Chang Le’s wrongdoings. It was even moreserious than the Empress Dowager, who called Wu ge over to scold him, saying hecould not marry a woman like that and would only bring havoc upon himself.However, I see Wu ge still has not given up that idea, he was searchingeverywhere for your Dajie earlier.”
Looking for Li Chang Le? She was still in themountains, abstaining from eating meat and praying to Buddha, Li Wei Yangsolemnly said: “Wu Dianxia is genuinely lovesick, I hope he and Dajie, being inlove, will belong to one another.”
Tuoba Yu broke out into laughter: “No need to pretend,why act as if I didn’t know you despised Li Chang Le? But I can understand whyyou do, anyone who has a Dajie like that certainly would not be in goodspirits.”
Li Wei Yang realized that he had misunderstood herreason for despising Li Chang Le, but she only smiled. The young man beforeher, how could he understand her sentiments? Perhaps no one in this world couldpossibly understand.
Not far away, the sound of footsteps registered,causing the two to look up. Tuoba Zhen was walking over to them, leading twoguards behind him.
His face was calm and reserved, a frosty look in hiseyes and a vague smile on his lips. Li Wei Yang recognized this expression andknew he was not in a good mood.
“San Dianxia.” Li Wei Yang knelt and ceremoniallygreeted him.
Tuoba Zhen nodded as he would for formalities, thensaid: “You two seem rather at ease, especially Qi di. Aren’t you supposed to beby Fu Huang’s side, protecting him, why did you run to this place?”
Tuoba Yu naturally responded: “San ge is worried overnothing. There are more than three thousand guards around Fu Huang, how couldhe be in danger?”
Li Wei Yang subconsciously broke into a cold smile.
Tuoba Zhen saw this and slightly narrowed his eyes.
Tuoba Yu laughed and said: “Besides, Xianzhu and Ihappened to run into each other, but San ge, did San ge know about this place?”
Tuoba Zhen heard the four words ‘run into each other’and uneasy crept up in his mind, but he did not reveal any of his discomfort,faintly smiling: “I only heard there is a stream here with beautiful scenery,so I came to see for myself.”
From the moment Tuoba Zhen appeared, Li Wei Yang hadgrown impatient. She coldly said: “Qi Dianxia, my belongings have not beenunpacked, forgive me for being the first to retire.”
Tuoba Yu chuckled and said: “Xianzhu go ahead.”
He had just arrived, but she wanted to leave. TuobaZhen noticed this and his face quickly became grim.
However, Li Wei Yang had not left the forest yet whensomeone stopped in her way.
Gao Min stood, blocking Li Wei Yang’s path, angrilyglaring at her.
Li Wei Yang looked to her with raised eyebrows,feeling something was odd. Why did Gao Min look like she wanted to devour heralive?
Seeing Li Wei Yang made Gao Min even more furious,quivering as her eyes widened, you little, what is it exactly, what gives youthe right to do this!
Zhao Yue vigilantly stood by Li Wei Yang’s side, shesaw that Gao Min’s face was particularly unnatural.
It seemed like half a day had passed before Gao Minwould say anything, Li Wei Yang ignored her, turned and walked off.
Gao Min saw this and was reminded of when Tuoba Zhenwas amiably talking to her, but then he saw Li Wei Yang walk by and immediatelyleft her. The flames of fury rushed up to her head, she could not stand itanymore and blurted: “Li Wei Yang, why are you turning away?”
Li Wei Yang scoffed, paused and turned around to lookat her: “What Biaojie is saying is really strange, why would I have to feelguilty?”v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}Normal0falsefalsefalseEN-USX-NONEX-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; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; 11.0pt; "Arial",sans-serif; color:black; mso-ansi-language:EN;}
Normally, Gao Min prided herself in her status, andalthough she despised Li Wei Yang, she only threw a few scathing words, but atnow Gao Min looked as if she wanted to devour her, clearly provoked.
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Translator: Chau
Editor: Jaslynn
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