[1] 绿帽 - Literally translates to "green hat"; A man is said to wear a green hat when his wife is unfaithful to him

  [2] 杀鸡儆猴 - Literally translates to "kill the chicken to alert the monkey"; This means setting an example for others

  In front of the stage on the lake, Li Wei Yang and Sun Yan Jun were listening to the play leisurely . The small tea table in front of them was full of fruit trays, filled with preserved plums, rose crisps, hibiscus cakes, soybean candy, fresh seeds, and dried fruits from the Capital’s most famous dessert shop, which were all rare flavors .

  Sun Yan Jun loved eating them so much, and couldn’t help but praise, laughing: "Wei Yang, you are enjoying your days here so much but outside is a total mess . You are so well-fed here that even the royalties in the palace are not as carefree as you are . "

  Li Wei Yang listened and smiled and leaned on the cushion gently, saying, "Aren’t you tired when you’re tired and happy when you’re happy? Why should you follow so many rules and regulations to make yourself uncomfortable . " In fact, she didn’t like to listen to plays since they leave a bitter aftertaste but Sun Yan Jun liked it . Especially, as the newly-wed wife, she was always called by Second Furen to set rules . Her life was so miserable now and since Li Wei Yang had asked her to come, she naturally wanted to make her happy .

  "Jiang Yue Lan is still kneeling in the ancestral hall, do you really not care?" Sun Yan Jun glanced at the opera singer on the stage with a smile and asked softly .

  Holding the warmer in her hands, Li Wei Yang smiled slightly and said, "My father told her to kneel . He refused to forgive her so what can I do, we can only let her feel wronged and let her continue to kneel . "

  Sun Yan Jun shook her head and sighed with emotion: "She kneeled on the cold floor for three days and three nights after her miscarriage but still managed to survive . It’s not easy at all . "

  Li Wei Yang’s smile looked very gentle: "Well, my father in the end is still reluctant to kill her . "

  Sun Yan Jun wasn’t as meticulous as Li Wei Yang and couldn’t help say: “Reluctant? Is Eldest Uncle really crazy? An unfaithful woman seems to have kept her reputation on the surface but who doesn’t know the details?” Although Sun Yan Jun didn’t know what happened, she heard bits and pieces and added her own takes so she outlined another version, a version that Li Wei Yang had been inducing everyone to believe .

  When Li Wei Yang heard this, she just smiled and said, "Naturally, it doesn’t mean that, you misunderstood . " Li Xiao Ran didn’t want to execute Jiang Yue Lan because he just didn’t want another of his wife to die . Additionally, Li Chang Xiao and others’ marriage plans were about to be put on the agenda so if Jiang Yue Lan dies at this time, their marriage plans would have to wait another three years . After three years, all of them would become old misses and the Li family wouldn’t be able to pass their days easily anymore . He must be complacent but he will never forgive Jiang Yue Lan’s "betrayal", so he said nothing on the surface and ordered Jiang Yue Lan to kneel in the ancestral hall for ten days and ten nights, neither letting her die nor letting her live merrily . Kneeling for ten days, for a woman who has just experience a miscarriage, it is equal to taking half of her life . Of course, he also ordered people to take turns guarding there . If Jiang Yue Lan couldn’t hold on, they would use ginseng soup to help her hang on to her life . Anyway, he wouldn’t let her die .

  At this point, Li Wei Yang admired Li Xiao Ran very much . His ability to torture people was even more vicious than himself . More importantly, he kills without blood and even his reputation wouldn’t be affected . On the surface, Jiang Yue Lan was punished for scheming to frame others but in fact, he was punishing her infidelity in disguise .

  "But will Uncle regret it? In case Jiang Yuelan use her words to sway——"

  Li Wei Yang just smiled and said, "Naturally, if I were a man and my wife gave me a green hat [1], I would never forgive her . " Although this green hat was forced by Li Wei Yang, she knew the Jiang family tampered the snuff bottle but she had always been optimistic about her plans . Li Xiao Ran’s infertility is a great thing for Li Min Zhi since no one will ever threaten her brother’s status . Human nature is selfish, and Li Wei Yang only cared about herself and her loved ones . As for Li Xiao Ran, her father has never taken care of her, why should she care about him? Not being able to have children means that he must protect Li Min Zhi well, and he has to put in all his strength, which is laughable thinking about it .

  "Then —— what about Rong Mama?" Sun Yan Jun said curiously, "I heard that the uncle gave Rong Mama to you for disposal that day . When she dragged away, she kept swearing!"

  "She can no longer speak . " Li Wei Yang smiled lightly .

  A surprised look appeared on Sun Yan Jun’s face: "Is she dead?"

  Li Wei Yang glanced at the naive face of Sun Yan Jun and felt that it was necessary for her to receive a cruel education once .

  Zhao Yue said with a blank expression: "Xiaojie thinks the old woman is too noisy so she ordered people to cut off her tongue . "

  Sun Yan Jun was shocked . She did not expect Li Wei Yang to be this formidable . If it was her, she would just have her beaten and then kicked out of the household . Cutting her tongue off seemed too cruel . Thinking of this, she said softly: "She is just loyal to her master . Strictly speaking, she did nothing wrong—"

  "Yeah, but to ask for the painting from Liu Mama, let Physician He prescribe medicine for the Seventh Yiniang, and even help Jiang Yue Lan set up her scheme, nothing was possible without her . I never said that she was wrong, but we just have different opinions .

  Since she is the loser, one who gambles must accept loss and the result of life and death without complaint, what is the point of swearing at me? If I was in her position, I would have and slit my neck with a pair of scissors, why would I fall into the enemy’s hand and be tortured? All of this is hers to blame and has nothing to do with others . " Li Wei Yang plucked a piece of candy and gently put it in her mouth .

  Bai Zhi smiled and said: "Second Young Furen, this is a good opportunity for Xiaojie to kill the chickens to alert the monkeys [2] . "

  Li Wei Yang saw Sun Yan Jun’s eyes were still unbearable, and couldn’t help but say slowly: "If someone else treats me well, I will naturally return a hundredfold . If others take the initiative to provoke, then they can’t blame me . . . . " She glanced at the courtyard not far away . She coldly said: "Not only Rong Mama, but also Liu Mama who betrayed me, I can’t tolerate her! This time, I gave them a lesson and also gave everyone a warning, so that they wouldn’t be mistaken, thinking that my heart was soft and tolerant . "

  After all, Sun Yan Jun was young . After hearing this, she could not help but lower her head and thought for a long time . Finally, she had to admit that Li Wei Yang was right . If anyone could plot against her, her life would be really hard . Everyone was like this, bullying the good and fearing the evil . Li Wei Yang was acting fiercely to protect herself and her family . After the play was finished, Sun Yan Jun followed Li Wei Yang to sit in her courtyard, but found that outside the open door, many yatous were gathering together and whispering .

  Sun Yan Jun looked curious: "What happened? What were you doing in your yard just now?"

  Li Wei Yang smiled gently, and there was no trace on her clear face, she just said lightly: “I just ordered my people to kick Liu Mama out after fifty strikes . As for Rong Mama, I ordered her to be thrown into a bag full of poisonous snakes and then let someone hit the sack with a wooden board—"

  The courtyard was as quiet as if no one was around, a few timid girls had already been scared to the ground, shivering nonstop . As soon as they saw Li Wei Yang coming back, their faces suddenly showed fear . Li Wei Yang did not speak, strolling past them gently . Some of these people were bribed by Jiang Yue Lan or other masters to monitor her and now she wanted to let them know how a traitor will end up, which was precisely Li Wei Yang’s motive behind this .

  "Did you hear that just now, Rong Mama’s pitiful screams!"

  "What’s more, my ears were deafening from her screams . It was really scary! I’ve never seen Third Xiaojie this enraged . Someone who is usually so kind to become this vicious can be very poisonous!"

  "That’s right, I didn’t see the figure anymore when it was dragged out!"

  "She is to blame herself; she could have plotted against anymore but she plotted against Third Xiaojie, she is not someone to provoke? Didn’t you see that even Furen is being punished now, kneeling in the ancestral hall!" The yatou in the courtyard whispered privately .

  Bai Zhi followed Li Wei Yang to the steps, and suddenly turned back, staring at the crowd all with different expressions in the yard, and said, "You have all seen it . There will never be any good end to evil behaviors . Don’t count on the mastermind behind everything to save you . Once you are caught, you will die without a burial! Everyone be alerted, don’t make any mistakes again!"

  Bai Zhi is the most trusted main yatou by Li Wei Yang’s side . She usually didn’t say much so everyone was so scared that they knelt down immediately, their expressions worsen: “Nubis don’t dare to betray Xiaojie, Xiaojie please be rest assured, Bai Zhi Jiejie please be rest assured . ”


  Bai Zhi coldly said: "That’s good . Otherwise, today’s Rong Mama will be you in the future . "

  Sun Yan Jun couldn’t help but look at her eyes . When did even the yatous beside Li Wei Yang become so formidable? Looking at the stunned expressions under the stairs, she had a hunch that there would be no one in this courtyard in the future who would dare betray Li Wei Yang . Because of today, they have experienced all the shocks they would have experienced in this lifetime, and no one will take the initiative to send themselves to death .

  Coincidentally, Jiang Yue Lan had a miscarriage here, but there was good news in the palace from Consort Lian . Nowadays, the most beautiful concubine in the palace is Consort Lian and she is also the most favored by the Emperor . As soon as he heard that she was pregnant, the Emperor was very happy that he ordered a feast to be held and invited all his subjects and noble wives to enter the palace to celebrate . As a Xianzhu of second rank, Li Wei Yang was also invited .

  In her lotus yard, Lao Furen leaned on the peony flower butterfly rich pillow sitting on the big brick bed, with a smile on her face, she said: "For this banquet, the palace has released news that His Majesty will choose a wife for the Third Prince and the Seventh Prince . " As she spoke, she looked at Li Wei Yang and said, "Wei Yang, what do you think?"

  Li Wei Yang pretended not to know, and smiled: "It is presumed that His Majesty will choose someone from a well-established family with matching looks and talents for both princes . It seems that the tailor shop in the Capital will be busy again these two days . "

  Seeing how she was acting ignorant, Li Lao Furen could not help sighing: "You don’t have to feign confusion, I know your thoughts, and I also have the intentions to fulfill your wish . But unfortunately when I went into the palace last time, I mentioned this marriage to Virtuous Consort Zhang and she actually refused and said she will help you find a suitable match in the future . How insulting is it for her to think my child can’t be married off? He’s merely the Seventh Prince and even if he is the future emperor, our family is quite reputable . It might be a good idea to not marry into the royal family and be embroiled in troubles . ” Lao Furen has always been cautious and has never said such things . Today, it is obvious that Virtuous Consort Zhang made her feel belittled .

  Li Wei Yang knew in her heart that Lao Furen was always proud . She took the initiative to mention this matter to Virtuous Consort Zhang and was thinking about her wholeheartedly but she didn’t know that this wasn’t her intention . She said softly, "Thank you for Lao Furen’s compassion, they look down upon us, there’s no need for us to climb to them, let’s just pretend this never happened and everything will be fine . "

  Li Lao Furen looked at her seriously, seeing that there was neither worry nor regret on her face, she was relieved and said: "It is great you’ve thought it through, otherwise you will be upset if you see something you don’t want to see at the banquet . I would feel grievances for you to watch you feel that way . I know Virtuous Consort Zhang’s thoughts, she looks down at your concubine-bred status . We don’t have to pay too much attention to her . After a while, I will find you a good match . "

  Li Wei Yang smiled and said: "Wei Yang understands the importance, thank you Lao Furen for your care . "

  Lao Furen nodded, but at this moment, she saw Luo Mama walk in quickly from the outside and kneeled with her head down, saying: "Lao Furen, Da Furen, she—she hanged herself . . . and was just saved . "

  Lao Furen stood up at once, then—but slowly sat down . In the past ten days, although the truth of the matter was not revealed, there were more gossips than snakes, worms, and ants rushing around in dark corners . Although the yatous were told to vacate at that time, they didn’t know the truth and they were banned from talking about it afterwards . Yet they still gathered in groups of three and five in a corner and when no one was around, they would secretly gossip about it and add their own versions to the truth . Although Li Xiao Ran had made great efforts to rectify and he specifically disposed of a few of the leaders, the gossip was not cut off for a day . It was like endless spring grass that breeds endlessly .

  "Wei Yang, go visit your mother for me . " Li Lao Furen’s voice was silent for a while, and she said so at last .

  Li Wei Yang raised her eyes and looked at Lao Furen . She didn’t ask anything, just smiled slightly and said, "Yes . "

  Li Wei Yang bid her farewell and left He Xiang yard without delay . The garden in front of her showed traces of winter, which revealed its sparseness compared to before . The tiles were grey, the leaves were haggard, and the grass was only scattered with gray withered flowers . The courtyard was extremely quiet, and only one or two birds were heard . Such an environment always makes people feel inexplicably cold, but Li Wei Yang obviously did not care . She just walked through the dilapidated scene, looking thoughtfully .

  "Xiaojie, Lao Furen just told you now to go see Da Furen, what does that mean?" Bai Zhi said quietly . Why did Lao Furen talk about asking Xiaojie to visit Jiang Yue Lan after she finished talking about the banquet? This is something that has never happened before . “Is it because of her hanging herself, did she forgive her?"

  Li Wei Yang only smiled and did not answer .

  The two came to the courtyard where Jiang Yue Lan lived . Since the incident, Jiang Yue Lan was sent to the ancestral hall to kneel for ten days before being carried back to the courtyard . She never came out again .

  Seeing Third Xiaojie, the yatous in the yard looked at each other . A Luo came out of the house carrying a basin of water . When she saw Li Wei Yang, she was shocked and her hand was slipping . The basin of hot water was all spilled, and her eyes were full of fright: "Xiaojie . . . Xiaojie, why are you here?" She had on a damned expression full of fear .

  Li Wei Yang laughed: "Lao Furen asked me to visit Mother . "

  A Luo was still stunned and she stood there motionless . Li Wei Yang crossed her and walked straight into the house .

  The door was half-covered, and there was only a slit of sunlight that shone in . It was very quiet, and almost made people think that no one was there . Li Wei Yang walked straight over and saw Jiang Yue Lan sitting on the brick bed at a glance, wearing only a plain white undershirt with plum blossoms . She wasn’t even wearing an outer robe that made her face even more bloodless, except for the deep purple mark on her snow-white neck . It was as if she was telling everyone that she had just crossed over to the underworld and then was dragged back .

  "Mother, how is your health?" Li Wei Yang’s voice was clear and pleasant . In a quiet room, it was like a bell ringing in the wind, but it was soothing . Outsiders who listened in would never think that the two people in there have such great hatred towards each other .

  Jiang Yue Lan was suddenly stunned and then drastically turned around to stare at Li Wei Yang with a venomous look . At that moment in her eyes, Li Wei Yang’s cheeks were carefully carved with white jade, her pair of ancient well-like deep eyes blinked slightly, and the long and slender eyelashes would give people a delicate and pleasant feeling . The aqua blue dress with sapphire butterfly tint was just right showing off her beauty and youth! She is obviously the same age as her but why is she decaying and dying here every day, but she is getting more and more livelier? Why is it so unfair?

  Jiang Yue Lan looked at herself again and wanted to cry angrily . In just ten days, she seemed to have aged decades and her eyes were covered with fine lines when looking at herself in the mirror . Although it was as thin as a silk, she could still see it at a glance——she desperately smeared herself with grease and powder but she still couldn’t hide her haggardness on her face . When she was pregnant before, she needed to nourish her body constantly so her body propped up like a balloon . Now, even though she had a miscarriage, her body shape couldn’t return to its original shape immediately . Her waist was like an over-stretched pocket where she can only tighten it with silk straps . Hugging the loose fat tightly, she had never discovered how many shortcomings she had before, but today she discovered all of them . It was because of this sudden discovery that she felt extremely intolerable .

  Jiang Yue Lan stared at Li Wei Yang with frustration, so desperate she just wanted to cry that her resentment and anger towards the other party became stronger . If there was a chance, she would definitely avenge herself——in fact, she and Li Wei Yang have no deep hatred, but it’s because she likes Li Min De and that she cannot stand how Li Wei Yang lived a better life than her as a concubine-bred offspring . As a result, she and Li Wei Yang formed this so-called hatred . Women are such strange creatures; even a little jealousy will turn into a prairie fire at a critical moment ——

  *****——

  Translator: Erica

  Editor: Erica