Regardless how lively their conversation was, there wasn’t the slightest ripple in Li Hong Yuan’s heart. He still haven’t found an appropriate opportunity to get rid of Ruan Fang Fei, else the one to suffer at this time would be her. Li Hong Yuan rather won’t have her easily put to death. The things she’s done to Jing Wan needed to be returned to her tenfold, or even hundredfold. If one doesn’t let her have a taste of suffering and despair, and let her properly wake up, she’ll keep believing herself to be infallible. So how could one just let her easily die? Need to let her crumble in remorse, and regret ever coming to this world. Just, don’t know if it’s because Ruan Fang Fei has done too many shameful things, but at her side at all times, there were always several people following. Today, there were too many people and too many eyes, with the Imperial Guards patrolling around constantly, and also the Black Clad Guards coming and going from time to time. Thus Ruan Fang Fei was temporarily able to escape this calamity. That servant girl was just a warning to her. This was also not bad, settling the score by starting with the people by her side, counting one by one, and letting them open up a path for her on the way to the netherworld.
Speaking of the people closest to her side, afraid not a single one was innocent. After all, they accompanied her day and night, so how could they not know Ruan Fang Fei’s true personality. Moreover, no matter how capable and meticulous she was, she was still just a young lady of the boudoir. If no one worked for her, then how was she able to scheme against others again and again. That’s why, for these people, even death can’t cleanse them of their sins. Even if there were ones that were really innocent, following such a master, one can only consider them to have bad luck. In the next lifetime, when reincarnating, better clean one’s eyes properly.
Have to say, even if one didn’t know the Ruan family rear court’s specific circumstances, as long as one sent someone to scout out, of course, needing to be extremely cautious, one will discover that it truly wasn’t simple, because the security was very tight. If not having something to hide, where was the need for the existence of people that were like shadow guards, or even death soldiers[1]. Even an ordinary wang’s manor all can’t compare. Just a subject of the imperial court, raising shadow guards and death soldiers, what did one want to do?
Alright, Li Hong Yuan knew, Ruan Rui Zhong really didn’t know that such people existed in his home.
Precisely because of this, for Li Hong Yuan to want to insert people into the Ruan family, it was very difficult. And the ones that were inserted, he also couldn’t casually utilize. After all, the risk of getting exposed was too great.
In comparison, the Luo family was just like a sieve. That’s why Li Hong Yuan was able to easily grasp the big and small matters of the Luo family. However, it was obvious, situations like the Luo family’s were actually considered normal. Even the rear courts of those officials that like to form factions, for the most part, were all this sort of situation.
Reasonably speaking, Ruan Fang Fei wasn’t capable of having the Ruan family rear court transformed into this way. Furthermore, this wasn’t something that can be accomplished overnight. Then, the greatest possibility was just the person in control of the Ruan family rear court, Ruan Fang Fei’s mother, Ruan Rui Zhong’s madam.
Li Hong Yuan had his line of sight absentmindedly casted towards the outside, the Head Cabinet Minister’s succeeding madam[2]…………….
After Ruan Fang Fei listened to her mama inform her of the situation, her complexion turned somewhat pale. Afterwards, disregarding everyone’s obstruction, she insisted on personally going to have a look. The bailiff[3] of the yamen guarding the dead body saw that her hands were trembling incessantly, her face further not having a trace of blood, appearing quite pitiful. He wanted to dissuade her, but Ruan Fang Fei firmly shook her head, her hands slowly reaching towards the cloth covering the corpse. Because her hands were trembling, she seemingly had to use up all her strength before finally managing to pinch a corner of the cloth, slowly lifting opening…………..
“Ah……” Ruan Fang Fei screamed out, her legs going limp and falling backwards.
Fortunately her servants supported her in time and immediately covered her eyes.
The bailiff hurriedly had the cloth put back, already told her not to look. Even they, who were accustomed to seeing dead people, were all frightened by that death appearance in the first moments. The face was completely cut up with only that pair of eyes staring wide like copper bells, manifesting the immense suffering one endured before death, as well as that deep fear. Those that were timid would probably be directly scared senseless by that appearance.
Ruan Fang Fei has done a multitude of evil deeds, vicious and merciless, even having killed with her own hands before, but she was still terribly frightened by that appearance, especially that pair of eyes, fixedly staring at her, just like a malicious spirit. And this wasn’t even the most crucial point. The most crucial point was that these eyes made her suddenly recall someone, someone that she’d personally strangled to death. She didn’t know why she would suddenly recall this, but right now, her breathing was heavy, like she was about to choke, and folding her eyelids, she immediately fainted.
“Miss………..” The people following by her side all revealed both a concerned and alarmed expression.
This matter, Jing Wan and the others naturally learned of very quickly too. Those that weren’t in the know, nine out of ten, all pitied Ruan Fang Fei. As for the rest, they for the most part, all suspected whether or not the filth in the water washed up too easily today.
Afterwards, there were even some that strangely had Li Hong Yuan’s wife cursing fate brought out. After all, the ones that met with mishap today were his soon-to-be wangfei and soon-to-be side consort. The more they gossiped, the more this felt like the case. Even if Ruan Fang Fei’s incident was an indirect factor, one still can’t deny this reality. This matter even spread to Le Cheng Emperor’s ears. As the father, and as the Emperor, Le Cheng Emperor didn’t really intend to suppress this rumor. Aside from finding it truly unnecessary, Le Cheng Emperor also felt it was related to him(LHY).
Le Cheng Emperor looked to Li Hong Yuan’s aloof appearance, looking like a ‘dead pig undaunted by scalding water’[4]. While feeling angry all over, he was also very helpless. And when he looked towards Luo Pei Shan and Ruan Rui Zhong, he even carried guilt in his eyes. “Beloved Minister Ruan and Beloved Minister Luo, why don’t you two go back to have a look.”
This ‘gracious decree’ came rather awkwardly. However, the two of them both didn’t refuse.
Luo Pei Shan was also very worried about Jing Wan. Although Luo Old Madam had sent someone to inform him of the situation, it would still be the most reassuring to see for himself.
When Jing Wan saw Luo Pei Shan, she blanked, and was just about to get up to greet him with everyone else.
Rather, it was Luo Pei Shan that waved his hand first, excusing all the formalities, and he conveniently just sat down by Jing Wan’s side, “How are you feeling?”
“To have let grandfather worried, this granddaughter is much better now. Just, how come grandfather has come back at this time?”
Seeing that her complexion was pretty good, and according to his old wife’s temper, if something really did happen, she wouldn’t be just sitting here either, thus he didn’t say much, roughly having his reason for returning explained.
Jing Wan was very speechless. Jin Qinwang was already becoming the ultimate bearer of the pot[5] now. However, for her to have suffered hardship, it was most likely still because of him. That why he actually wasn’t considered wronged? Just, it had nothing to do with the so called ‘wife cursing fate’.
However, the death of Ruan Fang Fei’s servant girl, don’t know if it’s Jin Qinwang’s handiwork? He although said he will take care of the matter, but how did he know it was Ruan Fang Fei’s handiwork? Moreover, that was still his soon-to-be side consort. Ruan Fang Fei’s various conditions were all better than hers, so for what reason would he help her deal with Ruan Fang Fei? This completely doesn’t make sense.
Luo Old Madam had Luo Pei Shan called to the ‘inner room’ to privately talk.
Ruan Fang Fei’s reputation although resonated throughout the capital, for people like them, that bit of fame was practically just mere trifles. Thus, Luo Pei Shan completely didn’t doubt the truth that his old wife told him. Luo Pei Shan didn’t really fly into a rage. In fact, he didn’t even have anger showing on his face. Just his eyes were frozen into a sheet of ice. “I originally thought, sitting onto this position today was good enough, but looking at it now, perhaps I should put in more effort and take a stroll through the inner cabinet.”
Towards the matters of the imperial court, and towards his ‘ambition’, Luo Old Madam has never meddled in, “That Miss Ruan’s servant girl, afraid………..”
Luo Pei Shan and Luo Old Madam glanced to one another, both having a tacit understanding inside. Towards a certain person being the main culprit this time, they at least were seventy percent certain.
Luo Pei Shan thought for a moment. Seeing on behalf of Li Hong Yuan’s willingness to shield his precious granddaughter this much, Luo Pei Shan no longer bickered with Li Hong Yuan about having angered him.
The perpetrator was still being searched for, but the dragon boat race has already delayed for an hour and can’t be postponed any longer.
Thus, today’s main act finally started.
Because of the drapery on both sides, the view was blocked. As the gongs and drums clamored into the skies, the drapery on the two sides were both lifted.
The race course was four hundred zhang[6] in length. According to Jing Wan’s estimation, Qi Yuan’s one foot was probably a little more than thirty centimeters. One zhang was ten feet, so four hundred zhang was more or less a little more than one thousand two hundred some meters. This wasn’t considered short.
The position of the imperial tent was at the two hundred zhang position of the race course, and the Luo family’s was more or less at the one hundred fifty zhang position. Being several hundred meters from the starting point, and was even sitting, one for the most part wasn’t able to see anything.
However, according to the sound of the cheers, one can guess that it has already started. Moreover, as the sound got louder and louder, the dragon boats also got closer and closer. Even if she was sitting, Jing Wan still saw the shape of the dragon boats. The color of the clothes for each boat were all different, so one was able to distinguish each one at a glance. Without even needing to think, Jing Wan was already certain, the pitch black outfits definitely belonged to Jin Qinwang’s boat, temporarily taking first place by a small lead.
[1] Death Soldiers – Specially trained servants or guards that will commit suicide after they complete their task, regardless if they fail or succeed. Obviously, needless to say what the purpose of their existence is for.
[2] This is sorta the literal translation of the term, she’s basically his second wife after his first one died.
[3] An officer of the Jing Zhao Fu
[4] This idiom just means someone who is unaffected by a serious situation
[5] Pot is just a metaphor for blame, so basically implying that Jin Qinwang is getting blamed for everything now.
[6] 丈 – ten chinese feet, about 3.3 meters; in ancient times, different time periods might have different standards for measurement units.
T/N: A tiny bit of inside information on Ruan Fang Fei is revealed finally lol, though this really is just scratching the surface, there’s much more beneath the surface. But now you know why she’s able to have assassins do her dirty work, and why even LHY has hard time eliminating her. Her mother’s true identity and background is also quite special.
