Chapter 413.3: Jing Wan’s Threat
Jing Wan inwardly sighed. Sure enough, regardless of how she appeared on the surface, on the inside, it was ultimately difficult to feel balanced.
Aside from power, Jin Qinw.a.n.g, compared to his old man, definitely was leagues better. If not harboring special motives, under the premise of not knowing the two of them too well, out of ten women, all ten would definitely choose Li Hong Yuan. Unfortunately, on this bit, Jing Wan absolutely won’t yield, no matter who.
“Jin w.a.n.gfei seems to be in a good mood.”
“From the looks of it Xian Consort is also in an elegant mood.” Jing Wan’s smile didn’t change, both gentle and dignified, yet also easygoing and imposing.
Xian Consort Wei’s face somewhat stiffened. Towards Jing Wan, she actually didn’t have any feelings. Even if fancying Jin Qinw.a.n.g, she never cared about Jin Qinw.a.n.g’s main consort before. Rather, it was when she’d set up a banquet, Jing Wan not only didn’t go, she didn’t even give a single excuse for declining. Even though Xian Consort Wei at the time had used this as an excuse to make a fuss, but getting her face swept like that, it truly was a first. To say she wasn’t resentful definitely was impossible, so naturally just bore a grudge. But aside from this, there was also nothing else. It was still far from escalating to the height of needing to coexist in one home, and afterwards, fighting to the death.
However, the plans couldn’t keep up with the changes. Through an unusual combination of factors, she ended up becoming an elder. They never even once had the chance to speak alone, yet her dream had already shattered, so how can she be satisfied? But now, she can no longer go look for Jin Qinw.a.n.g, else she will die very miserably. Afterwards, she just ended up looking for Jing Wan. In reality, she didn’t know what use there was looking for her, and she also didn’t know what to say. However, after meeting Jing Wan close up, she realized that she’d underestimated this Jin w.a.n.gfei. If she’d really entered Jin Qinw.a.n.g Manor as she wished, her life also won’t be as relaxing as she’d imagined.
Getting stared at by her, Jing Wan felt puzzled, but on the surface, she didn’t show it in the slightest, carrying a bit of nonchalant.
“For this Former Wei princess to have become Xian Consort, Jin w.a.n.gfei should be very happy, right?” A certain young madam to the side said with a laugh.
Because Xian Consort Wei looked for Jing Wan, and because Jin Qinw.a.n.g wasn’t present, more and more people gathered in the surrounding. Moreover, these people weren’t like Li Hong Yuan and Jing Wan. They more or less all had misgivings. As such, the men and women were for the most part separate. The ones here were for the most part all beautiful madams, each and every one smiling reservedly, yet on the inside, the flaming soul of a gossiper was burning. The bottom of their eyes clearly reflected excitement, all waiting to watch a good play.
“Indeed, after all, Jin w.a.n.gfei is the capital’s number one……….” jealous wife.
Even if certain matters in the end changed in direction somewhat, some people still stubbornly insist on having the t.i.tle of ‘jealous wife’ pressed on Jing Wan’s head. The more they were angered by the concubines in their own rear court, the more they were like so. When speaking, there wasn’t a single harsh word, yet every word all carried deep malice, like hiding a needle in brocade, every word carrying thorns.
Since they were not well, then they didn’t want others to be well either. Even if they weren’t able to do anything, they still wanted to splash a basin of dirty water, pinning on a bad reputation.
Jing Wan, in the end, was just a woman, and moreover, appeared polite and amiable, having a good temper. Thus, the people in the surrounding grew more and more unrestrained with their words, laughing in amus.e.m.e.nt, seemingly not saying anything, yet only making it more conspicuous by trying to hide it, letting the people who weren’t in the know think that there were many unspeakable secrets hidden in this matter.
Just like for instance, Xian Consort Wei, her thoughts had actually gone a bit astray, but for her look into this matter now, there was completely no point.
Jing Wan’s gaze s.h.i.+ft from Xian Consort Wei, sweeping towards the people in the surrounding, the smile on her face retracting little by little, and the warmth in her eyes disappearing bit by bit.
Those that were joking and laughing gradually stopped, the expression on their face also a bit stiff, subconsciously retreating two steps, accidentally stepping on the people behind them.
A moment later, the corner of Jing Wan’s mouth shallowly hooked into a smile once more, as if spring returning to the land, the cold ice thawing, appearing gentle and beautiful like before. However, “This w.a.n.gfei, towards women, have always taken pity on. Hurting others with the mouth, or hitting someone, this kind of thing, easily won’t do. Just, occasionally might tattle a little, just don’t know, when time comes, whether or not w.a.n.gye will go look for your husbands?”
Once these words came out, these women were all frightened, their hearts madly pounding in fear, backing away one after another, hiding towards the back, all attempting to avoid Jing Wan’s line of sight, just fearing getting remembered by her.
“Among the seven justifications for divorce[1], there’s the line of ‘dispute caused by gossip’. If your husband’s family were to incur disaster because of this mouth of yours, don’t know whether or not they will, in the name of having committed the offense of causing dispute with the mouth, have you all………..”
The unspoken words couldn’t be more obvious. The smile on Jing Wan’s face didn’t change, but in these people’s eyes, that was practically just the most sinister smile of a demon.
“Stop retreating, it won’t be good to step on someone. Being so close together, it further won’t be good to fall, perhaps even getting injured.”
Everyone was like as if cast by a spell, freezing in place, their body particularly stiff. A death-like silence, and a moment later, “w.a.n.gfei………….” The person that was in the very front of Jing Wan’s line of sight attempted to alleviate the situation. After all, if Jing Wan really wanted to do a bit of something, she will bear the brunt of the force.
“My temper is actually quite good, but you know, our w.a.n.gye likes for the wife to follow the husband’s example, so I can’t just go against him, no?”
Jing Wan was gentle and easygoing, but these people’s souls were all about to fly away, really hating that they can’t slap their mouths, all this mouth’s fault!
The palace maid that went to look for the Luo family didn’t know what happened here, just deferentially asking these n.o.ble madams to let them through.
With someone coming to the rescue, these people naturally were happily willing, swiftly moving aside. That scene was just like respectfully welcoming some important figure, instead having that palace maid frightened terribly, not daring to go in.
Jing Wan resided in the centermost position, casually glancing over, “Figured everything out?”
The palace maid hurriedly curtsied, “Replying to w.a.n.gfei, already found out, Sir Luo and Luo Old Madam are both at Lin Hui Terrace.”
Jing Wan nodded. She just knew, with n.o.ble Consort Su and Shu Consort Qin arranging together, it was impossible to not consider for the elderly. If really because of Le Cheng Emperor’s birthday celebration, just cause a group of people to fall ill, then that would be very inauspicious, practically just openly cursing Le Cheng Emperor.
Lin Hui Terrace was a building in the imperial gardens. Compared to the various palace halls, its scale was much much smaller, but compared to the buildings in a typical courtyard, it was quite big. The layout and structure was also based off of a garden pavilion. To put it bluntly, it was just a place to rest when tired from walking in the imperial garden, and afterwards, can even enjoy the scenery while resting.
This kind of place, there wasn’t just one, and this kind of building actually didn’t possess any function in keeping warm either. But, by having the layers and layers of drapery in the surrounding all put down, just leaving a certain few in special areas up to ensure the ventilation, then lighting a brazier, it would definitely be much better than staying outside.
Jing Wan pulled on her hood, gathering up the hand furnace, “Won’t continue bothering Xian Consort’s elegant mood, will be taking one’s leave first.” Following along the open path, she neither quickly nor slowly left.
After threatening a bunch of people, she just calmly left. The impression that Jing Wan left on these people this time was more than enough to have her previous image completely overturned.
The people that stayed behind were still trembling. They didn’t dare to be certain whether Jin w.a.n.gfei was just joking, or really will do as said, but there was one thing that was a hundred percent certain. If Jin Qinw.a.n.g really were to come looking, the possibility of them getting divorced was very high. In the entire capital, there really weren’t many that dared to firmly contend against Jin Qinw.a.n.g.
Regardless of what, through this experience, these people at least will restrain their mouths in the future, not daring to rashly offend again.
Lin Hui Terrace was still a bit of a distant from Jing Wan’s current position, following along the winding upward corridor all the way until the ‘waist of the mountain’ on the other side. However, Jing Wan wasn’t in a hurry.
[1] The seven justifications for divorce formally came about during the Tang Dynasty. It’s the seven reasons to divorce a wife in ancient times, as mentioned in the Cla.s.sic of Rites. The seven are the following: (1) not being filial to the parents, (2) having no children, (3) being lewd and obscene (generally refers to having relations with another man other than the husband but not inclusive to), (4) easily jealous (this gets in the way of the husband ‘branching’ out and producing more children), (5) having an unpleasant ailment (the reason being that the wife with a severe disease can not partic.i.p.ate in the rites of offering sacrifices to the ancestors which is an important duty of every member in the family), (6) being too talkative (as mentioned in the text, refers to the wife gossiping too much causing dispute and harm with the mouth), (7) stealing (also means to not follow the rules that one should abide by, but also stealing as in committing a crime).