After sending away that bunch like sending away the plague, Luo Pei Shan’s gaze fell onto Sun Yi Lin, and his extremely angry heart gradually settled down. After looking to him momentarily, Luo Pei Shan couldn’t help sighing inside. Recalling Jin Qinwang, who appeared before him last night, and after learning that side of him that’s not known to anyone, and further after learning that all his bad reputations were all just for the sake of being able to smoothly marry Wan Wan, when looking again to others, even if Jin Qinwang’s ability to anger people was the same as usual, from various angles, never mind a bunch of youngsters and young masters, even they, this crowd of seasoned old foxes, all may not necessarily be able to compare to him. And the number one gentleman of the capital Sun Yi Lin can only, after excluding that person, be considered outstanding.
Thinking about those things that he previously brought over, he truly has third girl at the tip of his heart. Unfortunately, there was Jin Qinwang, that living Enma, meticulously planning at every step. No matter what, he was all unable to have his desire fulfilled. At the same time, he also couldn’t help but feel pity a second time. Just, Luo Pei Shan couldn’t show it too obviously. Some things, if detected by others, the severe consequences brought about by it won’t be small at all. “You have heart.” Even so, Luo Pei Shan still wasn’t able to display his initial nasty attitude towards Sun Yi Lin.
Sun Yi Lin still remembered prior to the engagement, Luo Pei Shan’s attitude when he came looking for him, his nose wasn’t a nose, his eyes weren’t eyes, and even if he wanted him to shoulder the others’ hostility, he was still bold and forceful. But now, seeing him this amicable, especially when during the day, he even had that kind of conflict with Kang Qinwang, Sun Yi Lin didn’t know whether he should be overwhelmed by the favor, or restless in fear.
After Luo Pei Shan sat down, he also let Sun Yi Lin sit down.
Because he knew that Sun Yi Lin won’t become his grandson-in-law, Luo Pei Shan out of guilt, and also out of his love for talent, actually said quite a few words to Sun Yi Lin. At least in this moment, that was genuinely having Sun Yi Lin treated as his own grandson as he imparted his teachings. In fact, because he’d already entered officialdom, Luo Pei Shan even imparted him quite a few teachings on the path of officialdom.
Luo Pei Shan similarly passed the imperial exam brilliantly as the flower snatcher (3rd place) when he was less than twenty, but didn’t choose to enter the Hanlin Academy, instead directly choosing a post outside of the capital. His experiences, to a certain degree, was more than enough to be known as a legend. Listening to his stories really would give one the feeling of surpassing ten years of studying. His history, as well as his understanding of officialdom, for Sun Yi Lin, can be considered to be of great help. After all, no matter how smart Sun Yi Lin was, he still didn’t have a vast knowledge, as well as wisdom that was accumulated over time.
The Ding Duke’s mind have always been on the eldest son. Moreover, even if the Ding Duke served in the imperial court, what he learned and what he thought about were all built upon benefits, having the Ding Duke Manor, having the Sun clan placed at the forefront. He was completely different from people like Luo Pei Shan. And what he’s able to teach Sun Yi Lin just so happens to be what Sun Yi Lin hated the most all these years. That’s why even if the Ding Duke wants to put his heart and soul into teaching him now, Sun Yi Lin didn’t have the interest to learn. And now, Luo Pei Shan was undoubtedly helping him fill in where he lacked.
In Sun Yi Lin’s eyes, Luo Pei Shan was just instructing his future grandson-in-law. Regardless whether it was because of this reason, or because he himself was lacking, he all listened very diligently, his manners also very deferential. And when encountering places he didn’t understand, he would promptly bring it up, and Luo Pei Shan also exceptionally patiently answered his doubts for him.
Seeing that it was getting increasingly late, Luo Pei Shan didn’t have the intention of sending away the guest, and Sun Yi Lin also didn’t have the intention of excusing himself.
“There’s no harm in just staying the night at the Luo family tonight, what do you think Lin boy?” Luo Pei Shan suggested.
Sun Yi Lin naturally was very much delighted, “It would be impolite for this student to refuse.”
Luo Pei Shan nodded, sending someone to inform the Ding Duke Manor.
Sun Yi Lin perhaps would believe that this was Luo Pei Shan acknowledging him, but for Luo Pei Shan, it was because he didn’t know when Jin Qinwang will break apart this marriage. Perhaps, it’ll be tomorrow. That’s why, since the opportunity was hard to come by, and since he had the time, it was best to teach him more. After all, once the engagement is cancelled, Sun Yi Lin will no longer have a reason to come visit.
When the Ding Duchess heard that her son wanted to stay the night at the Luo family, in that instant, her expression was somewhat distorted. One has to know, from birth until now, unless he was out of the capital, going to the villa for a short stay, or going to someplace like the White Dragon Temple, as long as he was within the city walls, even if he was visiting close friends, he has never once stayed the night at someone else’s home. He would always say, other people’s home weren’t comfortable, yet now, he was making an exception! Just because that was the maiden home of the girl he liked?! The Ding Duchess was very clear, if replaced with any other girl that Sun Yi Lin didn’t like, even after marrying, afraid he still wouldn’t stay the night at his wife’s parental home.
For the sake of that Luo family third miss, how many ‘first times’ was this? The Ding Duchess believed it was too many to count.
At the same time, not only did her impression towards Jing Wan worsen, even the entire Luo family was all beaten to death by her. In her eyes, that was just the Luo family not knowing shame, to actually use an unmarried young miss to keep her son for the night. Else, according to her son’s personality, how could he stay the night? What scholarly family with a clean reputation, clearly just a brothel. The daughters raised by this kind of family, appear to be dignified on the surface, but deep down who knows how lowly they are.
Right now, her son has her held to such high regards. In the future, when he marries her back, is he bringing her a daughter-in-law, or bringing her a living ancestor? If she doesn’t kill her, who knows whether or not she’ll do something even more shameless.
“Someone come………”
A mama by the Ding Duchess’s side came in, “Madam.”
“Go reply to that side, I agree to meeting, it’ll be tomorrow.”
“Yes, madam.”
That’s why, once a person’s heart has birthed prejudice, at certain times, they were practically impervious to reason. For what reason did she have to believe that her son was a fragrant piece of cake that others will do anything to have him pulled into their hands?
And Sun Yi Lin staying the night at the Luo Manor, those that cared about this matter, and those that let their imaginations roam, how was it just the Ding Duchess alone.
Of course, no one’s thoughts were like the Ding Duchess’s, carrying filthy and vulgar thoughts.
It was nothing more than certain people believing that the people of the Kang Qinwang faction want to rope in Luo Pei Shan through Sun Yi Lin. And for the people in Kang Qinwang’s faction, they believed that this was Luo Pei Shan expressing his goodwill towards the Empress and Kang Qinwang through Sun Yi Lin. Just was it out of sincerity or deception? Rui Qinwang pushing him onto the position of the Head Minister of Appointments, was it purposefully trying to sow discord, or were they already working together in secret?
Because Luo Pei Shan right now was at the heart of the struggle, there were people paying attention to him at all times, so wanting to know his situation wasn’t very difficult at all. However, the palace gates at this time were already locked, yet the Empress still learned of the news first thing. Though it wasn’t saying that her control over the palace has reached a point where ordinary people can’t surpass, but rather her care towards the news outside of the palace, from another perspective, also proved her ambition. She didn’t believe her son. For all matters, she needed to have it all controlled in her own palm to be able to feel at ease.
Towards Luo Pei Shan’s saying of ‘the nephew resembling the maternal uncle’s wife’ during the day, for someone like the Empress, she naturally thought of various possible hidden meanings first thing. To say the Empress was completely unconcerned was false. But this matter, there simply was no reason to not let go. If she really were to continue clinging to this matter, it would instead make others think she has a guilty conscience, and that her son really was of suspicious origins. Perhaps when time comes, it’ll just be like that yellow mud falling into the trousers[1], even if false, it would still become true. Besides, the Empress has always been good at enduring, so when she heard these words, she even added: ‘My son really is becoming increasingly unreasonable.’
And at this very moment, the Empress’s complexion was heavy, sitting in her own bedchambers, unable to make out her mood in the slightest.
Have to say, a stupid son was easy to control, but sometimes being too stupid would easily mess up her plans. Unfortunately, sitting in this position of hers, she couldn’t openly interfere too much. If she did, never mind the people under her son being displeased, even Le Cheng Emperor would all come out to punish her. That’s why, sometimes, for the Empress, even if she had power in hand, she would still feel less powerful than desired.
But regardless of why Sun Yi Lin was staying the night at the Luo Manor, for her, it was all a good thing.
‘The grandfather and grandson’ pair, although didn’t go as far as to chat by the candlelight through the night, they still went to sleep very late.
In the morning, when Luo Pei Shan was preparing to attend morning court, if not for his servants reminding him that today was the day second miss will be marrying, he wouldn’t have known.
However, even if he knew now, Luo Pei Shan still didn’t have much of a reaction. In his memory, even Luo Jing Qiang’s face was all a blur. In the end, he just let someone randomly pick two calligraphy paintings to send over to add to the dowry. Speaking of which, the dowry had already been sent over to the groom’s side yesterday afternoon, so these things added to the dowry from one’s family naturally will all follow over with Luo Jing Qiang today.
[1] This expression should be pretty self-explanatory, just imagine dirt and poop, similar yet different.
T/N: Grandpa Luo so popular everybody fighting over him like a shoujo love polygon. Plot twist, Grandpa Luo is actually the true female lead of this novel, Jing Wan is just a front.
Lol tbh Grandpa Luo to some degree is only likable because we see him mostly through Jing Wan’s perspective. If he was told through any of his other grandchildren’s perspective, he wouldn’t be this likable, and would probably be judged harshly as a neglectful and bad grandfather, the same can be said for Grandma Luo too. Framing is very important in storytelling, and so is perspective.
