“Eldest aunt naturally is good.”
Luo Pei Shan didn’t comment. It’s not like Jing Wan was her own daughter, so to be able to put in a fraction of thought was already not bad, and to be able to find a mama excelling in various aspects, that was succeeding by a lucky stroke and also third girl’s own good luck. She ought to have such a person at her side.
“War broke out at the borders, but shouldn’t be too serious. Grandfather isn’t of any use in this aspect, so voluntarily proposed to his Majesty to withdraw early. His Majesty actually had Min boy stay behind.” Luo Pei Shan suddenly opened his mouth.
For Luo Pei Shan to tell her this, Jing Wan rather wasn’t all that surprised, “That is older cousin Min’s own good fortune.”
“Do you have regrets?”
“Regrets? No, I won’t, there’s nothing to regret and nothing worth regretting over, even if in the future older cousin Min attain great glory and soar high, and I, just impoverished and in hardship. ‘What one should have in one’s fate, one will ultimately obtain in the end, and what one shouldn’t have in one’s fate, one mustn’t insist.’ Insisting on what shouldn’t be yours, that is just looking for hardship for oneself.”
“If one has to say one thing that is not good about you, then it’s that you’re too rational, thinking too transparently. Some things, if you don’t try seeking, how would you know whether or not that is something that belongs in your fate?”
“Grandfather’s words are also correct, but, this granddaughter’s natural disposition is a lazy one. The things that have slipped from one’s hand, I no longer want to seek after. Grandfather, you should think of it like this, by losing it this time, perhaps an even better one will automatically fall into one’s hands.”
“These words are reasonable. If in the future, you really become impoverished and in hardship, then it truly is the heavens being unjust.”
(T/N: The irony of this line when I look back on her tragic fate in LHY’s first lifetime, or even just Grandmaster Liao Chen’s reading of her fate, kinda sad that she’s destined to suffer, if not for LHY changing her fate.)
“Grandfather, don’t say it like that. The heavens can’t manage that many people. Moreover, perhaps human fate was never in the hands of the heavens to begin with, yet each and everyone all blame the heavens when one’s fate isn’t good, how wronged must the heavens be?”
Luo Pei Shan directly laughed out loud, “You with your pile after pile of arguments, grandfather isn’t able to win you.”
“I’m just saying the truth.”
“Fine, fine, fine, grandfather won’t argue with you. That’s right, third girl, during those years when grandfather was still at Qi’an Fu, weren’t you frequently by your grandmother’s side, but how come grandfather didn’t see you more than a few times?”
Jing Wan stared at him with a ‘you actually don’t know the reason’ look, making Luo Pei Shan think whether or not he’d turned stupid. He somewhat angrily lifted his finger and knocked on Jing Wan’s head.
Jing Wan covered her head and pursed her lips, looking to Luo Pei Shan with a pitiful look.
Luo Pei Shan thought that he’d injured her, feeling somewhat regretful, “Third girl ah, dear granddaughter, did it really hurt? Let grandfather have a look?”
Jing Wan smilingly dodged aside, “Not really, just playing with you. However, grandfather can’t hit me next time.”
“Alright, won’t hit, won’t hit. ———-Grandfather isn’t as clever as our family’s Wan Wan, so why don’t Wan Wan tell grandfather the reason then.”
“This granddaughter was just thinking, grandmother probably further wants to spend time with grandfather, so when you’re present, everyone else naturally should all disappear, right?” Jing Wan batted her eyes.
“At that time, how big were you to even be able to think of these?” Luo Pei Shan had a look of disbelief.
“This granddaughter indeed wasn’t able to think of it, but didn’t our second branch have a ready-made pair? My mother just wished she could stick to my father all day. If my father were to not go out on certain days, she would definitely have me long sent away.” Jing Wan had the ‘blame’ pushed onto her own mother’s head without batting an eye. Besides, she wasn’t lying either. Her old mother had indeed done this kind of thing before, and it wasn’t just once or twice. “That’s why, this granddaughter just thought, grandmother surely must also be the same.”
Luo Pei Shan’s old face was both red and black. Red, because something even his dear granddaughter was able to think of at such an young age, he instead didn’t realize at all, and black, because——-“Those two disgraceful good-for-nothings, neglecting you when you were still that young, only knowing to be lovey-dovey all day. Good thing you’re a sensible one, else you would’ve long been corrupted by them.”
Jing Wan just thought, not being sensible won’t do. At the time, it’s not like she was a real child. She didn’t want to go blind from her parent’s flirting, and further wasn’t able to do something like throw a tantrum, refusing to leave, and be a light bulb. Even if she was their daughter, that was still unpleasant.
Jing Wan hurriedly calmed her angry grandfather, diverting Luo Pei Shan’s attention. However, judging from her grandfather’s appearance, afraid he’s already made a mark on her old man’s head. But that won’t have anything to do with her, no? Jing Wan was even somewhat ‘taking pleasure at another’s misfortune’.
She at the time also suffered quite a bit of trauma, no? Those two were amidst the flowers under the moonlight all day being lovey-dovey, while she at her young age was all lonesome without anyone to accompany her. Luo Jing You had actually been born too, but even if Jing Wan was able to forcibly suppress her dislike towards shu sisters, this kind of creature, she still didn’t want to constantly play with a real child. Occasionally playing together can be considered amusing, but frequently playing together will make her break down. That’s why now that her old man was going to be sorted out by her grandfather, one can’t blame her for being mean, no?
They chatted and laughed the entire way, and aside from that bit of annoyance, Luo Pei Shan felt exceptionally refreshed. As expected, his dear granddaughter was an incomparably considerate little cotton-padded jacket[1].
Even in the horse carriage behind them, Luo Old Madam was able to hear Luo Pei Shan’s laughter, and unconsciously smiled too. But, recalling the Empress’s intentions, the smile on her face slowly faded, and her eyes covered with haze. If not for Le Cheng Emperor sending someone over, afraid she still wouldn’t know how to respond to the Empress. Why can’t those people just settle down a little? Why must they grasp anyone who is beneficial to them in their palms as chess pieces? Can’t they have a bit of human warmth?
Thinking to here, Luo Old Madam laughed to herself in self-ridicule. Expecting those people to have human warmth? She really was getting muddled in the head!
When they returned to the Luo Manor, Jing Wan returned to her own little courtyard. Luo Pei Shan didn’t head to the front study, but instead followed Luo Old Madam back to the inner courtyard. It was obvious he had something to speak with Luo Old Madam about, and Luo Old Madam also thought of the same thing. Thus, what they were going to discuss was actually already very clear.
Quickly find another one similar to Chen Zheng Min to settle down on? Obviously, this was unrealistic. Perhaps they might end up angering those women of the imperial harem and those wangyes. After all, there was a difference between Chen Zheng Min’s situation and them hastily wanting to settle on someone right now. For the former, the matter was already decided in advance and won’t anger anyone, just making them feel regretful. But the latter was obviously for the sake of blocking them, purposefully doing something like that. Disdaining them in a such an obvious way, is that looking for death, or looking for death? One can’t say for sure that they won’t do anything unreasonable, so regardless whether it was for Jing Wan, for the Luo family, or for the sake of not involving the innocent, Jing Wan’s marriage all can’t be easily decided on again, and further can’t be decided on casually.
But, letting Jing Wan’s marriage become another tug-of-war for those people, with whichever side winning calling the shots, Luo Old Madam felt extremely furious, while Luo Pei Shan similarly wasn’t any better. However, they had the heart but not the power. Those slender little arms can’t win against the those thick legs.
They were also fortunate that it was Jing Wan, who just continued doing whatever she’s supposed to be doing. If it was anyone else, don’t know how many times they’ll cry.
While in high spirits, Jing Wan prepared the things she’s going to take to the Rouge Pavilion. There were still some that she’d previously made, and also quite a few half finished ones, so at the moment, she didn’t need to spend too much time on it. She’ll be able to head to the Rouge Pavilion tomorrow.
When Jing Wan finished working, her wet nurse brought two servant girls to see her, saying they were bought not too long ago to add to Jing Wan’s place. Right now, they were brought over for Jing Wan to see. If she’s unsatisfied, they’ll be sent somewhere else, and then replaced with others.
The two servant girls were a pair of twin sisters, appearing very much alike, but one was rather fair, and the other rather dark, darker than a great majority of people. Moreover, it was obvious that it wasn’t tanned, but rather natural born, because regardless whether it was the neck or the hands, the color was all very even. As for the face, naturally no need to mention.
Such a pair should be fraternal twins, right?
Actually when Jing Wan’s wet nurse was called out to pick the servants, she just picked the relatively fair one. The darker one, she originally didn’t want. It was the two sisters that begged her, thus Jing Wan’s wet nurse brought them back for her own miss to see first.
[1] Cotton-padded jackets are often used to describe daughters, because cotton-padded jackets are warming and daughters warms the heart.
