If she were to say anymore, Zhong Qinwang perhaps really will strangle her to death in anger. Thus, Ruan Fang Fei could only shut up.
When there was nothing to dispute, and showing weakness didn’t work either, Ruan Fang Fei just put away her pitiful appearance, “Wangye, for better or worse, my father is still the Head Cabinet Minister………..”
Zhong Qinwang sneered, “If this prince were to have your matters all exposed to the world, will that old thing still be able to continue being the Head Cabinet Minister? Having such a terrible family reputation, and the daughter he raised also this hypocritical, undermining morality and conduct, what right would he still have to assist the ruler in governing the world? Even if nothing is done, getting angered by you, this unfilial daughter, again and again, how much longer would he still be able to hold up? Did you really think that under the heavens, you’re just the smartest? However, little do you know, in other people’s eyes, you’re nothing more than just a dancing clown.”
Hearing this, Ruan Fang Fei first thought of Li Hong Yuan. Aside from him, there wouldn’t be anyone else. But, even if in her heart, she was certain that it was him, she unfortunately didn’t have any evidence. Recalling what Li Hong Yuan said, how he won’t easily ask for her life and that everything was just beginning, she finally produced a sense of fear towards that man, and at the same time, she also produced a boundless hatred out of jealousy towards Jing Wan. Clearly she was the one that saw that man first…………
“Don’t have that bit of reliance of yours taken that seriously. Truthfully speaking, this prince, a no power, no influence qinwang, under normal circumstances, really wouldn’t dare go against the Head Cabinet Minister, but unfortunately, your Ruan family is declining a little too fast, and all of this is all because of you. If you don’t want the Ruan family to thoroughly collapse, remember to come when called upon at all times. If this prince is content, perhaps will even spare you some face as the side consort. When you come next time, have your face washed clean. Clearly, incomparably hideous, yet still drawing the makeup this alluring, who are you intending to seduce? As expected, just a restless slut.”
After venting his anger, his heart was more or less content. Zhong Qinwang called for someone to have her tidied up, and applied some medicine on her face, even attentively putting on the veil for her.
Ruan Fang Fei got sent onto the horse carriage. Her servant girls were trembling with fear, all having their heads lowered, not daring to look at her. Although it wasn’t obvious, but as the people closely serving by her side, how could they not detect at all.
Ruan Fang Fei’s face was like a pool of dead water. Everything was all different from her plans. Having repeatedly suffered setbacks, it also made her wake up a little. In the face of absolute power, no matter how much she schemes, it was all useless. Regardless whether you go stupid, go mad, or go crazy, that power was all able to make you be unable to move a single step. Precisely because the other party was a qinwang, born from the imperial family, and aside from this, even if he has nothing else, he would still be able to have her suppressed until she was unable to breath. She once looked down on those princesses of the imperial family, not having them taken seriously, but now, if she was a princess, even if she wasn’t favored, she still wouldn’t be this humiliated, the imperial family, imperial power…………….
However, at present, it wasn’t the time to think about these. Exactly what should she do to struggle free from this dilemma before her? Thinking back and forth, the only way out she could find was seemingly with her mother. Li Hong Yuan very obviously wasn’t as simple as he appeared on the surface. Then, was it possible to use this as blackmail, letting him become ‘fearful of shooting the rat to avoid breaking the vase’? But her mother simply didn’t have this kind of thinking. The one that was actually fearful was seemingly her! Really useless! Having operated for this many years, yet in the end, still tied at the hands and feet.
Ruan Fang Fei returned to the Ruan family residence. Right now, she didn’t want to meet anyone from the Ruan family. However, things always turn out contrary to the way one wishes. When passing through the little flower garden, she encountered Ruan Rui Zhong who was drinking tea and playing qi with himself. ———-Useless trash that can’t even protect his wife and daughter, even having the leisure mood to relax here. As expected, men were all trash.
She however never once noticed that his appearance was countless times older than a month ago. In the past, because he appropriately maintained his health, he appeared much younger than his actual age. And now, he completely matched his age already. She also never once noticed that this man, who usually would have high standards towards his everyday, was becoming more dispirited with each passing day. In the past, he never had a single hair out of place, yet now his hair was somewhat disheveled. And she further never noticed that he hasn’t touched his beloved flowers in a very long time. Also, before his eyes, manifesting on the board, wasn’t some idle carefreeness, but rather worry and powerlessness. He was a grown man, having his own self-esteem and pride. A month ago, he could even be said to be calling the wind and rain, but now he was isolated without help, experiencing the hypocrisy of the world that he had never once experienced in the past several decades.
But because he was the head of the family, the pillar and backbone, while everyone all have a place to recount their sorrow and misery, he didn’t, and he couldn’t voice it either. From a certain perspective, the pain in his heart, compared to others, would only be even worse. What he shouldered was the decline of the entire clan. Right now, for him to have not collapsed, it was already considered a miracle.
“Greetings to father.” Ruan Fang Fei words didn’t reflect her heart, but regardless of how she thought on the inside, right now, she still needed his protection.
Ruan Rui Zhong nodded his head, “Heard your mother say, Zhong Qinwang’s side consorts invited you for tea. How was this trip?”
Aside from the undissolvable dead waters in her eyes, she was still considered rather gentle, “Don’t worry father, the two side consorts were both quite amiable.”
“That’s good, after entering the qinwang manor, it won’t be like at home, so………..never mind, these things, your mother will naturally explain to you. Why don’t you go back and rest.” Ruan Rui Zhong’s feelings towards Ruan Fang Fei was also becoming increasingly complicated, no longer that pure kind of fondness. Aside from unknowingly drifting apart, perhaps there was also the resentment that even he himself has yet to detect mixed in.
Fortunately, Ruan Fang Fei was one that was favored. If switched with one that wasn’t favored, having this kind of thing happening, afraid would’ve long been silently dealt with. Even if not put to death, they would still very quickly fade from everyone’s line of sight. Speaking from this perspective, Ruan Fang Fei was very fortunate. However, she herself has never realized this, having everyone’s good towards her all taken for granted, and when something is slightly unsatisfactory, she will naturally feel it’s other people’s fault. It wasn’t just Ruan Fang Fei that was like this, but rather, many people all have this kind of mindset.
“Then this daughter will withdraw first.” Ruan Fang Fei left, just after a few steps, she stopped again, hesitating for a moment, “Asking father to please take care of one’s body. Everything is all this daughter’s fault, if…………” Ruan Fang Fei stammered, “This daughter doesn’t have anything that one’s unwilling to do.”
Ruan Rui Zhong had a look of disappointment and frustration, “Don’t think too much, just go back and rest.”
He perhaps believed himself to have understood Ruan Fang Fei’s unspoken meaning, but in reality, Ruan Fang Fei actually didn’t say or do anything at all. It was nothing more than understanding the the most fundamental aspects of human nature, slightly advancing by retreating. By expressing one’s willingness to sacrifice at the appropriate time, one will be able to obtain even more pity. Even if it’s having her abandoned, they would still hesitate, and would still feel guilty. This guilt was precisely her opportunity. Regardless whether this opportunity was useful or not, there ultimately weren’t any harm in storing in advance.
Knowing that the newly assigned servant girl was highly favored by Ruan Fang Fei, seeing her return, the others didn’t rush forward either.
Just, different from what they’d expected, as soon as that beauty touched Ruan Fang Fei, her heart suddenly gave rise to a wave of disgust, a chilling sensation, starting from the point of contact, slowly spreading throughout her entire body. Ruan Fang Fei turned her hand and just fanned a slap over. No matter how feminine his appearance was, and no matter how beautiful when dressed as a woman, it still can’t changed the fact that he was a man. Especially last night, she even saw that ‘evil rod’ that was completely incompatible with his outer appearance.
The ‘servant girl’, unsure as to why she was this angry, hurriedly knelt down to ask for forgiveness.
Ruan Fang Fei looked down from above, with malice carved in her eyes. All the men in the world should all go die. “Have the whip fetched over.”
Ruan Fang Fei whipping people long wasn’t the first or second time. That whip of hers was even specially made. On the surface, it appeared just like having a layer of fur, but in actuality, that ‘fur’ was very hard, and getting whipped will definitely tatter the flesh. Moreover, the scars left behind, for the most part, will never disappear.
When she wanted to whip someone, the people by her side, not a single one dared to obstruct. Taking the whip, she shook it loose, and with a swish, the whip lashed out. The ‘servant girl’ stuffily groaned, forcibly taking the hit, not daring to move.
She had everything she’s suffered previously, in this moment, all vented out, lashing out maliciously and ruthlessly. Just, after a few lashes, she felt somewhat weakened. What she’d met with previously made her use up too much energy, and her stomach was also empty. However, letting her eat something now, she definitely won’t have an appetite. She had the whip thrown to a servant girl to the side, “You do it. If a whip is not deep enough, not seeing blood, I will just whip you ten times each.”
That servant girl just so happened to have once suffered from the whip before, so she didn’t dare not use all her strength.
Ruan Fang Fei sat down to one side, and a servant girl brought her tea. Just, as soon as she saw that slightly yellow tea water, she immediately recalled the filthy thing she previously vomited. Her stomach tumbled again, suddenly smashing the cup, “Wretched lowly slave!”
No one knew what she’d experienced, so naturally they didn’t know how they’d angered her either, and could only hastily kneel down to ask for forgiveness.
Ruan Fang Fei pulled down her veil, throwing it aside. The scar on her face fully exposed, appearing increasingly like a genuine evil spirit. “No need to rush, you all all have a share, taking care of you all one by one.”
And she precisely did as she said she would, genuinely taking turns one by one. After you finish whipping me, I whip you, everyone in the entire courtyard, more than half weren’t able to escape. Moreover, they weren’t allowed to make a sound. Whoever dares to utter a sound will get ten more whippings added. The clothes ripped, and the flesh under the clothes tattered. The air filled with a faint bloody smell. Seeing their painful expressions, silently enduring, even having those that couldn’t withstand already passing out near death, Ruan Fang Fei smiled very happily. In this moment, she actually discovered, there was nothing more beautiful in the world than the color red, especially that blood-like red, even reaching out to touch the blood and putting into her mouth to taste, “Oh, it’s actually this tasty?”
“Fang Fei, what are you doing?” Ruan Old Madam had learned that Ruan Fang Fei was punishing the servants. However, she was unconcerned. Presumably she must have suffered a loss, so venting a little wasn’t that big of a deal, but this persisted for a bit too long, and moreover, if she doesn’t stop her, afraid she will kill someone. Thus, she decided to take this trip. But what she saw made her tightly furrow her brows. On this daughter, even the most basic human nature was all withering away little by little. This kind of person, once one loses control of, she will just immediately devour everything.
Ruan Old Madam clenched her fist behind her back.
T/N: I’m running out of my usual allergy meds and I can’t find that brand anywhere now. I swear I’m going to get killed by pollen before this virus gets to me.
