Chapter 107: Wishful Calculations
Note: If you find any photos appropriate to describe this chapter or past chapters, feel free to send them to me with links and credit.
“Xianzhu, please stay behind!” Lu Gong’s voice was heard behind.
Li Wei Yang stopped in her path, turned around as Lu Gong paced towards her.
“Xianzhu, show some mercy ……” Lu Gong seeing Li Wei Yang’s indifference, he took the opportunity to continue on. He was the wastrel in the Jiang family and has never participated in the Jiang political matters. But Li Chang Le is, after all, his cousin. Even though they were not close when they were young but he couldn’t deny the fact that each time he sees Li Chang Le’s beautiful appearance, his heart would uncontrollably beat faster. Not a single men could reject such a face, as for now, this face was actually ruined right in front of his eyes. As a spectator, he couldn’t even withstand this, moreover, how could Li Chang Le? It was a miracle that Li Chang Le didn't immediately turn insane. Li Wei Yang’s behavior probably instigated Li Chang Le to turn insane.
“Lu Gong seems to be very concern about Eldest Sister……” Li Wei Yang’s voice was slightly low, she arched her brows and coldness flowed from her eyes, “What, you and my Eldest Sister are old acquaintances?”Li Wei Yang was a very skeptical person; Jiang Fifth Brother couldn’t help but feel intimidated and felt chills flowing through his back. The Jiangs have always sided with their own kin so it would be difficult for them to withstand this insignificant ant which had destroyed this delicate flower that they’ve been shielding. He wondered if his grandmother hears about Li Chang Le’s appearance being ruined, what would her reaction be? Jiang Fifth Brother couldn’t help but feel unease; recalling what Jiang Fourth instructed him to do, he felt goosebumps on his scalps.“I …… it’s only because I see Eldest Miss has turned into this, I can’t bear it.”Li Wei Yang’s eyes stared straight at his face with her expression carrying a trace of scrutiny. Jiang Fifth felt perturbed and uncertain whether she saw through his disguise.
“Since she can’t bear this, then you should focus on treating Eldest Sister.” Li Wei Yang slightly raised her brows and coldly said: “Other matters, I advise you to mind your own business.”
Jiang Fifth forced himself to calm down and then earnestly spoke: “Xianzhu, is this how you treat your brother’s savior?
Li Wei Yang smilingly said: “In regard to saving my brother’s life, Wei Yang will never forget. If I have the opportunity in the future, I will repay you myself. But I have an unanswered question on my mind that I hope can be answered, Lu Gong originally worked in the capital and has always been low-key. So why is it that when it comes to my family matter, why are you this concerned. My Eldest Sister has just been injured and you immediately arrived right after?”
Jiang Fifth felt suffocated by her interrogation, anger appeared on his expression: “What are those words! I am only acting out of kindness and can’t bear watch my patients suffer!”
A mouthful of rubbish; if he really couldn’t stand watching his patients suffer, Lu Gong would have traveled everywhere to cure patients and not be here gossiping nonsense with her. Li Wei Yang let out a cold smile and showed a furious expression: “I hope so!” After she finished, she and her young maid swaggeringly left.
Jiang Fifth was infuriated but didn’t dare to ask more. The maid behind him whispered: “Physician Lu, our Eldest Miss asks that you come inside.”
Jiang Fifth grinded his teeth; with Li Chang Le’s ghostlike appearance now, she most likely would turn the world upside down. Jiang Fourth escaped but left him behind to endure this pain, such hell of life. No matter how enraged he was, Jiang Fifth had to return inside the room and face Li Chang Le’s explosive temper and her terrifying appearance. Moreover, he must keep his mouth shut; no matter how much Li Chang Le questions him about when her face will heal, he must benignly tell her it will heal after some time, or else Li Chang Le will turn completely insane.
Lao Furen was original worried that words would spread regarding Li Chang Le’s incident. But after Jiang Fourth returned, the Jiangs still haven’t make a move yet and it was this inactivity that made Lao Furen felt that something was abnormal. Perhaps, the Jiangs were secretly plotting and because of this weird quietness that days passed by.
The afternoon spring sunlight was radiating through the trees onto the ice white window curtains， which carried a layer of golden shimmer. Bai Zhi and Mo Zhu were both sitting down along the corridor as they spoke and did their embroideries. An old-aged woman followed by two maidservants was seen walking in from the distant northern corner. Once they got close enough, the lead mama smilingly said: “Is Third Miss here?” Bai Zhi rose and then busily apologized: “Luo Mama what brought you here? Third Miss is still taking a nap.”
Luo Mama smiled, the servants in Li Wei Yang’s quarter were supervised under rigorous standards. When an ordinary miss takes a nap, the maids would follow along and take a nap. But each time she comes over, even if Li Wei Yang was not there, the maids of this courtyard would always be guarding the door and have never neglected their duties.
The movement outside had awaken the person in the room. Bai Zhi gave a signal to Mo Zhu and then curtsied, turned around to open the beaded curtains. The water chestnut flower curtains were already lifted up. After awakening from an afternoon nap, Li Wei Yang’s eyes were like a deep well, which lacked the usual cold air and her expression seemed much more harmonious that it revealed an inexplicable presence of charm. She blinked and smiled: “Who is out there?”
Bai Zhi immediately grabbed her jacket and then hurried over: “Miss, Luo Mama has arrived, Mo Zhu is currently greeting her.”
Li Wei Yang gently smiled, let Bai Zhi helped her dress, and then watched as Zhao Yue carried a pan of lukewarm water in.
“Miss can never have a deep slumber, you’re easily awakened.” Zhao Yue smilingly remarked.
Li Wei Yang shook her head and said: “It’s just a light nap, not that tired.”
Bai Zhi’s gestures were smooth and in no time, she have helped Li Wei Yang washed and dressed up.
“Luo Mama is still waiting outside?” Li Wei Yang softly asked, “Let her come in.”
Bai Zhi puckered and lowered her head to answer: “Yes.”
Luo Mama fast-paced over and then curtsied to Li Wei Yang: “Third Miss, Lao Furen instructed me to hurry over to summon you.”
“Now?” Li Wei Yang glanced at Luo Mama and said: “What is it?”
Luo Mama smiled: “General Sun's furen has come over to visit along with Miss Sun; we heard you and her have met before so Lao Furen specifically invited Third Miss over to accompany the guests.”
General Sun? Li Wei Yang immediately thought of the rigid appearance of this general. As a matter of fact, General Sun’s oldest brother and Jiang Yue Lan’s father are quite close. They were once comrades on the battlefield but sadly, the eldest General Sun passed away early. The Emperor showed solicitude and allow the younger General Sun to inherit the military rank and the latter and Jiang Yue Lan’s father were still as close as they were in the past. As for Miss Sun, Li Wei Yang had met her before, she was this valiant and heroic looking Miss of the general. For the past two months, countless noble furens had visited the Li family, seemingly to visit Lao Furen, but in actuality, they were here to take a look at Jiang Yue Lan, the new furen. Jiang Yue Lan knew all the furens part of this social circle were testing her so she enthusiastically received them and generously befriended them, which garnered her many praises. So the arrival of Sun Furen and her daughter today wasn’t an oddity.Miss Sun had bright eyes and white teeth, generous and graceful. Once she saw Li Wei Yang, she smilingly welcomed her: “Honorary Princess!”
“Just call me Wei Yang!” Li Wei Yang really liked this valiant and brave girl and didn’t regard her as an outsider.Miss Sun’s smile curved deeper; Sun Furen, who was standing on the side, was very similar to Miss Sun in appearance but with a taller physique and wrinkles deep within her brows. Li Wei Yang went forth to greet Sun Furen and the latter quickly waved and smilingly said: “I can’t accept this.” She was only a third-rank shuren, no matter what she couldn’t outrank Li Wei Yang’s second-rank honored princess so it wasn’t appropriate for Li Wei Yang to salute her. But Li Wei Yang was after all her junior and decided to greet her, showing her great modesty. So watching Li Wei Yang, she felt an inclination to like her.
Jiang Yue Lan smilingly spoke with Sun Furen while Sun Yan Jun impatiently pulled Li Wei Yang over to the side and whispered: “I’ve wanted to seek you out to play but my mother said your mother has passed away so it wasn’t appropriate to bother you.”
Li Wei Yang smiled and whispered in the same manner: “Next time you want to come, you can just directly send me an invite.”
Sun Yan Jun was very excited, liking a person was a mutual feeling. Li Wei Yang acted fervently towards her, most importantly it was genuine enthusiasm. She noticed and couldn’t help but feel close to her, she whispered: “Your new mother, she seems great, knows how to speak and very intelligent. Wherever I go, everyone is praising her!”
Li Wei Yang gave the smiling Jiang Yue Lan a glimpse and smiled: “Yes, Mother is certainly a smart person, Old Furen also likes her a lot.”
Sun Yan Jun was someone who speaks her mind, she voiced lowly and said: “But you have to be cautious, I’ve heard from others that stepmothers are troubles! Last time when Official Liu wedded a new wife, she had already married off all four of Liu’s daughters within the span of two years and all of them were married faraway per her desire. The youngest one cried and pleaded but she was eventually tied up and forced into the sedan! This made Official Liu the laughingstock of the capital yet he was still extremely intimidated by this new wife and didn’t dare to speak up against her! Luckily she are not afraid, you are the Honored Princess, she wouldn’t dare to play games.”
Li Wei Yang didn’t know how to react since she was so used to be circuitous towards others that she wasn’t used to hearing someone being genuine towards her. Especially when the Sun and Jiang were close to one another yet Sun Yan Jun didn’t express biased liking towards Jiang Yue Lan and instead expressed an obvious disliking. Sun Yan Jun continued: “My mother decided to come today but I originally didn’t prepare to come. If it wasn’t for you, I would have stayed home! I really hate watching these fake smiles.”
Li Wei Yang agreed yet spoke otherwise: “Sun Furen only has you one daughter so she truly dotes on you. It’s fine that you have a frank personality but don’t let outsiders hear these words.”
Sun Yan Jun only smiled: “I am not foolish, of course, I know these words can’t be heard by others, especially those that enjoy fake smiling.” As she spoke, her expression turned worrisome, “But, sometimes I hate myself for not being a man and can’t fight for my mother. Let me tell you, I had three brothers but all of them died. It’s not that my mother don’t want to have a son. However, my grandmother forced my father to take mistresses. This old hag, how unreasonable!”
Sun Yan Jun’s eyes turned red as she spoke.
Li Wei Yang surprisingly watched her: “Did General Sun not have any mistresses before that?” This was rare.
Sun Yan Jun nodded and said: “In the past, grandmother favored her eldest son and moreover, Father was the child of a mistress. She gave Father some money and sent him out. At that time, he has just married Mother; he was proud and unwilling to accept aid from my maternal family so we past days frugally. Back then even when they had one fish, Mother would leave the best abdominal parts for him. They lived frugally and didn’t even want to hire a maid. They also had to pretend to live well in front of my maternal family. If it wasn’t due to adverse circumstances, my three brothers wouldn’t have died. As a result, Father promised Mother that even if they live in riches and honor in the future, he will not have any mistresses.”
Li Wei Yang was taken aback and looked at the smiling and harmoniously Sun Furen. She couldn’t help but think about the advantages of being a poor couple. At the very least, they are able to establish a deep relationship with genuine feelings, however, promises are untrustworthy……
Sun Yan Jun noticed that Li Wei Yang didn’t reacted like others so she continued: “But when we returned, everything changed. Father inherited a military rank and my grandmother began to pick and choose. She said my mother is barren and useless and even specially chose two mistresses to gift him. Initially, Father still respected the promise he made to Mother but who would have known, a month later, the two mistresses became pregnant …… my mother had an argument with him, she was upset, so I urged her to go out ……”
On the other side, Jiang Yue Lan was also consoling Sun Furen. But the topic was she should take good care of the mistresses’ sons so that they would be her pride in the future. Those words landed in Sun Yan Jun’s ears, making her feel even more uneasy. She couldn’t help but voiced: “What pride! Who wants this form of pride!”
Li Wei Yang nodded lightly and said: “But it seems like Sun Furen has already accepted.”
Sun Yan Jun glanced at Sun Furen and then raged: “Yes, my mother looks strong on the outside but on the inside, she is weak. She also feels apologetic towards Father that she wasn’t able to provide him with any sons, but how could she be blamed for this? It’s not because she couldn’t give him sons, she lost three sons so why can’t they think about who was this to blame?!”
Li Wei Yang smiled and then patted Sun Yan Jun’s hand, she said: “If she can’t accept this, then we should persuade Sun Furen to seek a divorce.”
After those words were spoken, Sun Yan Jun unexpectedly stared at Li Wei Yang with an expression similar to her staring at a freak.
Li Wei Yang’s heart twisted into knots and knew she wasn’t going to accept this alternative. So she sighed and smilingly said: “I was just kidding.”
Sun Yan Jun looked down and earnestly pondered upon this suggestion, she said: “Actually this can be a good way out. Now, those two mistresses have been looking down upon Mother due to their bellies. Father seemed to respect Mother but in actuality, his thoughts are all about his unborn sons. Instead of being bullied in the residence, why not have Mother ask for a separation. Wei Yang, you are much more clever than I am, and also decisive. Originally, I thought about taking Mother along with me once I get married but Mother actually said I was being foolish since what Miss would bring along her own mother as a dowry?!” Perhaps, Sun Yan Jun had lived in impoverished conditions so she didn’t carry the attitude of a spoiled Miss and her words carried a trace of manly dexterity. Li Wei Yang smilingly shook her head: “Separation is never easy. Your mother has a stubborn personality. If she decides to continue this argument with General Sun, you don’t even have to say a word and she will leave. But look at her now, she still takes on her duties as Sun Furen and engage in social activities.”
Sun Yan Jun knew Li Wei Yang was right. Sun Furen still had a trace of hope in General Sun, she couldn’t help but asked: “What should my mother do in the future?”
Li Wei Yang’s smile carried a hint of sigh: “One way is what they spoke about, adopt the son of the mistress and raise him as her own, hoping he will bring honor to the family name and take care of her aging self. The only issue is whether the son and your mother will be of one mind, which is difficult to say now. As long as those mistresses are still here, there will always be a wall in your mother’s heart. The second way is what I suggested: separation. Of course, this would make her feel at ease on a short term and end up all by herself. Based on your mother’s personality, she wouldn’t remarry and based on your father’s status, he wouldn’t let her remarry. There are no perfect solutions, Yan Jun, discuss with your mother, as long as she is willing to let it go, it will be the same whichever path she chooses.” There was actually a third way and it was what Da Furen did in the past, ensure those two children won’t be born or get rid of the mother and keep the son, this way, Sun Furen’s position would be secure.
But Li Wei Yang believed Sun Furen must be an open-hearted and upright person to raise such a fine daughter like Sun Yan Jun. She would never do these things so she simply didn’t mention it. In the end, there weren’t absolute rights or wrongs in the world, there were only losses and wins. She was forced to have her hands drenched with blood so she didn’t hope Sun Furen and the innocent Sun Yan Jun to become this frightening.
Sun Yan Jun still had a pondering expression throughout as if she was seriously thinking about the possibilities of those two paths. It wasn’t until Li Wei Yang reminded her: “The tea is getting cool!” That she lifted the tea, sipped it, suddenly placed it down and looked at Li Wei Yang: “Oh, how come I haven’t seen your Eldest Sister recently?”
-----------------------*****------------------------Translator: ErieEditor: ErieNext: Chapter 107 Part 2-----------------------*****------------------------