Speaking of
the Zhao Princess, the influential families of Dayan did not know whether to
cry or laugh, not because of others, only because she had a nickname `Golden
snub-nosed monkey`.
Before she
married, she was considered to be the best of the numerous honourable daughters,
a lively temper, cleverly eccentric, entering the prince’s mansion through
marriage, that was like a monkey entering deep into the mountains, becoming a strange
spirit, more and more of her fantastic oddities at every description were
thrown at people, but still you couldn’t find a fault, you could only long
after the house of gold that Zhao Prince had built, restricting her within so
she couldn’t go out and harm the ordinary people.
Speaking of
that it was also strange, why did it have to be such a woman be doted on deeply
by the Zhao Prince, giving all he has through his lifetime to her, no taking a
concubine or have close female friends.
It seems as
if there was simply nothing else but for it to be this way, and she had to have
a younger sister who was the Imperial Consort, a respectable position, even the
current emperor avoided her to some degree, afraid the golden snub-nosed monkey
would get angry, together with the cold-hearted Imperial Consort they cooked up
a dragon claw stew to drink.
Such women,
were envied and hated by the beautiful women of the land.
From
childhood and growing up Xia Ling Mei, using her status as older female cousin
could supress one or two people, until the other person became the Zhao
Princess, Ling Mei’s status dropped a lot, involuntarily she was shunned and
distanced from her, that w.a.n.g Yun Feng back then had wanted to marry no one but
Xia Ling Wo, and joked on the night of his new marriage he wanted the folly of
eloping, making Xia Ling Mei hate him to the bones and broke out in anger.
In a short
time, Xia Ling Mei eyes vaguely saw the pair of red celebratory words during
the wedding night from many years ago, illuminated by a flickering candle, the
light veil hanging still on her head, everything was clearly so enthusiastic but
she couldn’t stop worrying, she waited, and waited, for the elderly nurse who
accompanied her to arrive and whisper in her ear. Carrying a bundle, the man
who had taken off his marriage garments under the moonlight seemed lonely and
resolute, he was also waiting.
The wedding
night, the bride waited for the groom, and who was the groom waiting for?
The doors
to the main hall were pushed open, light glaring, she blinked, she only saw
everyone crowded together as a pregnant woman dressed in splendour slowly walk
over.
Xia Ling
Mei lightly breathed out: “Fortunate.” She said. Where was the fortune, who was
it good for, no one asked, she would not have answered.
Zhao
Princess with a l.u.s.trous smile, reached out her hand: “Older sister.”
Xia Ling
Mei bowed down low, softly saying: “Welcome Princess.”
Zhao
Princess hardly stopped to rest, easily grasping her hand to stop the formalities:
“We’re sisters, no need for such formalities.”
Xia Ling
Mei made an effort to focus, meticulously examining this thriving and pampered
flower of a younger cousin.
Compared to
the hards.h.i.+ps she had suffered from drifting about for seven years, Zhao
Princess’ cheeks were rosy, eyes clear and bright, her whole body bursting with
life, apart from being somewhat more calm and bright than she was before she
married, she had a heavenly beauty, charming and graceful.
Even though
the princess wasn’t an outsider, in the end she had to follow the rules of
conduct to the imperial family, there were other strict rules on words and
manners.
w.a.n.g Yun
Feng had left before to the vestibule to welcome Liu Ling Mo, Zhao Princess was
a woman, she was directly taken to the rear court, and Xia Ling Mei stayed inside.
Xiu Yu and
Ying s.h.i.+ were born in the Xia family, they were extremely aware of the matter
between their own lady and Zhao Princess, right now inside the w.a.n.g residence, it
was difficult for a few not to know, everyone in the w.a.n.g residence rushed
about with a mind to attend to guests.
“I’m only
temporarily staying here for three days, everything doesn’t need to be
meticulous.” Zhao Princess said, and sat with Xia Ling Mei, she also
attentively looked this older cousin who she only saw once a year up and down
for a while, before lightly exclaiming: “I heard from Zhao Prince that w.a.n.g Yun
Feng had already found you, I only thought you would already be ready, right
now there appears to be still a few problems.”
Xia Ling
Mei was startled. She had not socialised with women from a wealthy family in a
long time, usually when travelling around the Jianghu she would only meet crude
men and women haggling over every ounce, suddenly seeing Zhao Princess she
still couldn’t think of how she should confront it, she didn’t expect the other
person to be so much more magnanimous, saying whatever she wanted bluntly,
compared to her she was still somewhat more straightforward. Ridiculing her own
humble mind secretly in the bottom of her heart, with somewhat reservation, she
only smiled: “Did you actually come to see him, or did you come to find me?”
Zhao
Princess giggled: “Why would I visit him? If my black bear found out I came to
see another man, wouldn’t he have run out here from w.a.n.gyan city, tying up my
hands and feet locking me up in the house not letting me out.”
Zhao
Princess and Zhao Prince were a quarrelsome but loving couple, from childhood
the two found each other disagreeable, Zhao Prince used to love to tease Xia Ling
Wo calling her `monkey`, Xia Ling Wo always looked down on Zhao Prince as `black
bear`.
These two
people never avoided using the nicknames in Xia residence, no less they were
discussed about by the elders, sweetly and grumbly also, but never actually corrected
them.
“I was
scared he’d bully you again, pa.s.sing through Chenzhou, especially for this
reason to see.”
Xia Ling
Mei smiled, brows raised, rather somewhat proudly: “Us Xia women, who can bully
us.”
Zhao
Princess only laughed, her laugh making Xia Ling Mei embarra.s.sed, suddenly she
closed her lower jaw, a flicker of coldness in her eyes, she crooned: “Before I
used too much emotions, exhausting all my sincerity on him. Now, he walks his
difficult path, I walk my bright path, no one dares to block the other’s way.
If he really provokes me, I will whip him until he’s barely alive.”
Zhao
Princess suddenly realised, sighing: “Poor Lord w.a.n.g.”
Apparently
she had already imagined the indescribable suffering spectacle of Lord w.a.n.g
under the long whip.
Xia Ling
Mei could not help push her: “Which way does your elbow bend?”
Zhao
Princess giggled: “Of course towards our family’s lioness.”
“Aiya,
you’re laughing at me.”
Xia Ling
Mei was stingy, poncing on her to kneed her into a dumpling, like they had
returned an unconstrained time when they were younger. The two were laughing
and noisy, a little girl who didn’t look older than ten came over rubbing her
eyes, calling: “Mother.”
Xia Ling
Mei looked, smiling: “Oh, our little monkey has also arrived, quickly come let
your aunt look at you.” As she spoke, she herself stepped forward pulling the
little princess left and right looking at her, after the other person gave her
greetings, before grasping the princess’ chubby hands to examine: “She’s still
practicing martial arts?”
Zhao
Princess nodded: “Zhao Prince will always be afraid his daughter will be
bullied, she hasn’t adopted well to martial arts. She can’t even grasp a long
sword well in both hands, she also can’t learn the feminine arts no matter how
she’s taught.”
Xia Ling
Mei couldn’t help smother a smile: “Learn martial arts well. Afterwards if your
husband bullies you, with a sword make him into a honeycomb, let your father
find you another new husband.”
The little
princess blinked, nodding seriously: “I’ll listen to auntie”
This
serious mood actually shocked the Zhao Princess, the two women again argued
without giving way to the other, for a moment it was actually unusually lively.
Liu Ling Mo
was a feeble headed youngster, because of the responsibilities on his
shoulders, his usual baby face cheek fat had already slimmed down, his great
spirit had become meek, somewhat resembling the cultured and refined w.a.n.g Yun
Feng when he was younger.
Right now,
the jaded child had already grown up, w.a.n.g Yun Feng had already met with
misfortune repeatedly, no longer gentle, the jealousy of the imperial censor
reflected vividly on his body, his cold expression virtually gave people a lot
of pressure: “This time I’m merely here to escort the princess back to Zhao
Prince’s territory, on our way we heard Lord w.a.n.g was here, so we took a detour
to visit, there’s no other reason.”
w.a.n.g Yun
Feng drank his tea, Liu Ling Mo muttered to himself irresolutely, from his
chest he took out a letter: “Before we left, the emperor told me to personally
hand this to you Lord w.a.n.g”
w.a.n.g Yun
Feng took the letter, but did not look at it, continuing to taste his tea.
Liu Ling Mo
adam’s apple moved up and down a few times, taking a deep breath: “The
Imperial
Consort also has an order for me to convey. The consort said `congratulations
to
Lord w.a.n.g for his instant success`.”
w.a.n.g Yun
Feng glanced at him, looking at the tea leaves sinking and floating in his tea
cup, not saying a word, Liu Ling Mo dully scratched his head, doing his job: “Okay,
actually the Imperial Consort also said something else `if Lord w.a.n.g cannot
even persuade his wife to return himself, then you don’t have to return ever
again either`.”
w.a.n.g Yun
Feng held his breath, kneading his tea cup.
“The
consort also said `a man who is able to support both heaven and earth would
stop at nothing, if you know you’re wrong you can make it right. You need to
get back your wife, determination is not enough, you need to be aware, you must
strictly implement and abide by the Confucian moral injunctions for women. You
must follow your wife when she leaves, you must obey your wife’s orders, if
your wife is wrong you must follow her blindly; you must wait for your wife to
get ready, you must be willing for your wife to spend money, you must endure
your wife’s beating and scolding, you must remember your wife’s birthday…`”
Liu Ling Mo
disregarded w.a.n.g Yun Feng’s pale face, continuing: “The emperor also said `as
his subject, you must nimbly put the Thirty-Six Stratagems to use, handsome man
plot, empty city stratagem, stratagem of sowing dissension, trick of injuring
oneself to gain the enemy’s confidence, interlocked stratagems, so long as it’s
useful then use it. Oh, by the way, act first, report later this is the most
profound understanding, execute thoroughly, raise one and infer three. If it
truly won’t work then arrange a marriage following a pregnancy, although this
trick is underhanded, but it has been well-tested on the daughters of the
influential families, after using it you’ll still want to use it`.”
`Hiccup`,
with this, w.a.n.g Yun Feng’s complexion had changed from white to red before
turning black.
Liu Ling Mo
touched his nose, looking at the sky, looking at the ground, looking at the
door, just not looking at the husband of his older cousin.
“Right, the
second uncle of the Xia family also had something he wanted me to say to you.”
w.a.n.g Yun
Feng gritted his teeth: “Say it.”
“Second
uncle said `if the daughter of the Xia family is childless, Lord w.a.n.g can have
another marriage`.”
w.a.n.g Yun
Feng suddenly stood up, the already ice cold tea spilling over the back of his
hand, a glistening cold puddle, the two words `childless` weighed heavily on
his heart. Married for ten years without children, to the influential families
this was the most important of the seven ground, based on this ground alone
people could urge w.a.n.g Yun Feng to take marry another woman.
Xia Ling
Mei’s father’s words were undoubtedly reminding him, this was the last chance,
if he can’t obtain Xia Ling Mei’s heart, the Xia family will urge them to part.
It doesn’t
matter if the divorce doc.u.ment is fake, childless is true; it doesn’t matter if
you
w.a.n.g Yun Feng love Xia Ling Mei, it’s possible for Xia Ling Mei to not love
you; even more it doesn’t matter if you don’t marry another woman, Xia Ling Mei
must absolutely remarry. Can it be matters have already reached to the point of
no return? Can it be everyone is forcing him to leave Xia Ling Mei? Can it be,
he’s destined to be alone for the rest of his life?
The Xia
family was thinking of their own daughters, regardless if it’s Zhao Princess,
or the Imperial Consort or Xia Linng Mei’s own father, right now, even the
emperor was compelled to teach him to demeaning tricks, they’ve all decided Xia
Ling Mei won’t return, all understand he is unable to let go of his dignity, moreover
they knew seven years ago they had already headed down the end of the road.
Every word had an earnest urging behind it, it was their tranquil faces.
All
appearing to say `you’ve wasted so many years, how can you still be obstinately
persisting in going about things the wrong way?` Or maybe laughing `You Lord
w.a.n.g am a man of honour, how can you face your father in your next life,
putting aside your dignity for a mere woman!` even more it was urging him `let
go, Xia Ling Mei isn’t fit for you, let go of her, you will be free`.
“No!” w.a.n.g
Yun Feng spat out this word from deep in his heart.
No matter
who he fell in love with, eh would not easily give up. He didn’t have parents,
no relative, if he didn’t even have Xia Ling Mei, he didn’t know what he would
do. These years, when he faced the large w.a.n.g residence by himself, he had a
type of illusion, as if he could see Xia Ling Mei’s lively shadow in the
official residence. Every blink, every smile, every stillness, every movement,
her hair flying around, her splendid skirt, clear and bright laughter, in the
silence all rushed into his eyes and ears into his brain, keeping him company
as he pa.s.sed the endless night.
He, won’t
let go, absolutely not! Even if, he really had to do as the emperor says, using
those crafty machinations, he absolutely will have Xia Ling Mei in his arms
again.
Suddenly,
again remembering something, he abruptly turned his head to stare at Liu Ling
Mo, pointedly asking: “Zhao Princess truly is simply pa.s.sing through?” She also
was not optimistic Ling Mei would return to his side, is that right? She always
thought he was too weak, incapable of protecting any women of the Xia family.
She…also came to break up him and Ling Mei, is that right?
w.a.n.g Yun
Feng could no longer remain silent, almost aggressively tearing the youngster
in front of him open, charging into the rear courtyard.
Xia Ling
Mei is his, even if the Xia family s.n.a.t.c.hes her away from his side.