Chapter 81.2: The Cause, Li Hong Yuan’s Dark History
Even those that knew Li Hong Yuan’s actual circ.u.mstances also believed that he wouldn’t have easily met with mishap. However, they all didn’t point out anything to Le Cheng Emperor. Although your praises for your son were a lucky bullseye, not one word was wrong, and him being indefinitely moody and violently ruthless can still reluctantly be accepted, even in addition to another wife cursing t.i.tle, they would still be willing to have their daughters sent into Jin w.a.n.g Manor to serve him. He only cursed wives, as long as it wasn’t becoming the di wife, wouldn’t it be fine. Yet……ai, sending one’s own daughter to him would only be just getting trampled for nothing, and no benefits would come of it. It’d be better not to think of using this method to climb up. It simply wouldn’t work on Jin Qinw.a.n.g.
Ding Duke kneeled upon the great hall. Never mind his calculations amounting to nothing, Le Cheng Emperor even bluntly pointed out for him to provide a generous dowry to compensate his son.
“Beloved official Sun……”
Ding Duke quivered, “This subject, thanks your Majesty for the magnanimous honor. For this one’s daughter to be able to marry Jin Qinw.a.n.g as a consort is her blessing of three lifetimes.”
“As long as beloved official knows.” Le Cheng Emperor was satisfied.
If the people at Li Hong Yuan’s side saw Le Cheng Emperor right now, they probably will be able to find the cause of their own master’s shamelessness. This was practically just father and son ‘coming from the same mold’.
This sudden imperial decree from Le Cheng Emperor, before the court session even ended outside, everyone in the entire inner palace all learned of it. After the momentary shock, some people thoroughly dumbed, while some people clapped their hands and happily burst into laughter. The Emperor was practically just like a G.o.dly stroke of brush, not only destroying the Empress and the eldest prince’s plans, he even made Ding Duke Manor literally ‘give away the bride and lose one’s army on top of it[1]‘.
Jin Qinw.a.n.g was n.o.ble Consort Su’s foster son. The mother and child have ‘deep’ feelings, so it was definitely impossible for him to stand on the Empress’s side. Moreover, Sun Yi Jia’s beauty was ruined. Even if she can smoothly marry into Jin Qinw.a.n.g Manor, afraid guarding an empty bed was already a light sentence. Who knows how much Jin Qinw.a.n.g who only loves beauties will hate her. This was the same as tying a death knot. If Ding Duke Manor switch sides to n.o.ble Consort Su’s side, the situation might still be able to alleviate some and let Sun Yi Jia have some good days. Unfortunately, Ding Duke Manor was the Empress and eldest prince’s iron club. In the end, the final result was just Sun Yi Jia thoroughly being reduced to an abandoned p.a.w.n, no longer having the least bit of use.
Also that one, who although couldn’t stand in the front court, yet was also in the palace, the inner court scribe, Sun Yi Lin, also found out in the first moment and almost snapped the brush in hand in half. He originally still thought he could still strive for a shred of opportunity for his younger sister, but unfortunately, because of that good father of his thoroughly angering his Majesty, now it was too late, everything was all too late. He although had some of the Emperor’s favor and trust, it was still far from the point of being able to let the revered son of heaven retract his decree. He hated, he really hated……
Sun Yi Lin has never regretted like this before either. If he from the start never conceded, if he from the start just climbed upwards, then right now, how could he not have the least bit of power to speak out. Blue veins violently bulged from his tightly clenched fist, the grinding sound of his clenched teeth echoed, and ink dark gloominess seemingly dripped from his eyes. His whole body emitted a malicious air, making the little eunuch serving in the inner court can’t help but tremble, only wondering why this normally elegant and gentle like the wind fine gentleman was this terrifying.
A good while later, Sun Yi Lin finally gradually curb his mood. He slightly lowered his head, as he looked to his own palm, softly muttering, “Good younger sister, just you wait, even if you marry into Jin Qinw.a.n.g Manor, I will still have Jin Qinw.a.n.g not dare to slight you in the least.”
When Ding d.u.c.h.ess learned of this news, everything before her eyes went black, and she nearly fainted, scaring everyone that was serving her. After finally returning to her sense with great difficulty, her tears uncontrollably fell. Her poor daughter, her poor daughter! In these last few days, she had been attempting to stop the Ding Duke. Her daughter was already that pitiful, don’t force her down a despairing path, but, no use. So she could only hope that her future son-in-law, even if he doesn’t like her daughter, still let her daughter live her own days in the inner courtyard. As long as he doesn’t treat her harshly……but now, it was all over, all over. Jin Qinw.a.n.g that living Enma, who knows if her daughter might some day die in his hands!
“My lord, my lord, how can you be so heartless, not caring for father-daughter affections in the least. Then, from now on, don’t blame me for being merciless!”
Soon after, this matter very quickly spread throughout the capital. Originally, the people that knew about Sun Yi Jia’s disfiguration weren’t many, but because of her father’s ‘wanton proclamation’, putting aside the ordinary commoners, at the very least, those official families all knew. And now, learning that Sun Yi Jia got such an outcome, people that truly were taking pleasure in her misfortune instead lessened. That kind of highly prideful girl, such a dismal ending, a pity, truly a pity.
“What’s a pity? Having her appearance ruined, yet in the end, still can become a w.a.n.gfei, if I have to say, her life is a little too good.” There was no lack of people that said words like these.
“But that reputation of Jin Qinw.a.n.g, and moreover, up until now, still don’t know whether he’s alive or not…….”
“His Majesty clearly was aware of this situation, yet still pa.s.sed such a marriage decree, then that Sun Yi Jia inevitably will have to marry. Now it’s just seeing whether she marries a dead person or a live person. But no matter what, that is still a qinw.a.n.g’s main consort position, still very mighty and majestic.”
“If I have to say, if Jin Qinw.a.n.g really is gone, for that Miss Sun, it would a little better. If he’s still alive, don’t even know if Miss Sun can still safely last until the wedding date. Heard that Jin Qinw.a.n.g’s previous few fiancee, not one ended up well. If not dead, then injured, some even ruined their purity……”
Ding d.u.c.h.ess originally didn’t intend on writing a letter to inform Sun Yi Jia, but she was going to know sooner or later. Then that way, as soon as she returns, she’ll be caught unprepared facing this grievous news. It was better to inform her in advance, and let her be mentally prepared. Hardening her heart, she personally lifted the brush and wrote a letter, letting the servants quickly send it to White Dragon Temple.
Compared to Li Hong Yuan’s side using pigeon mail, and received the news before the morning court even ended, Sun Yi Jia’s side naturally learned of it much later. Originally still feeling happy, but after unsealing the letter and reading it, Sun Yi Jia’s body went limp, nearly collapsing on the ground.
“Big sister Jia…….” Jing Wan hurriedly went up to support her, only seeing her empty eyes, like she had instantly lost her soul, “What’s wrong, did something happen?” She carefully asked, only thinking that something happened in Ding Duke Manor, yet she didn’t get a response from Sun Yi Jia.
Jing Wan frowned and reached out to pick up the fallen letter on the ground. Although reading someone else’s private letter was very improper, but at the moment, she couldn’t concern herself with all that.
After carefully reading it, Jing Wan’s face also became very unsightly. This letter had the cause and effect of the bestowed marriage all clearly written out.
“Jing Wan, what exactly happened?” Yuan Qiao Qiao, seeing their appearance, couldn’t help asking anxiously. After interacting with Sun Yi Jia these days, their relations.h.i.+p naturally shot up, and were already considered close friends. Just from their appearances, she already knew, something big must have happened again. Inside, she was also very worried. Zhou Ying Shuang also had a skeptical look all over her face.
Jing Wan looked to Sun Yi Jia, her heart unbearably stuffy, then opened her mouth with great difficulty, “The Ding Duke, with big sister Jia’s face injury as excuse, feigned being pitiful, in an attempt to let his Majesty pa.s.s a decree to bestow a marriage. This angered his Majesty, thus his Majesty had big sister Jia bestowed to Jin Qinw.a.n.g in marriage.”
“What?” Yuan Qiao Qiao and Zhou Ying Shuang were both so shocked that they nearly sat up. “How can that be? Why Jin Qinw.a.n.g of all people? Even if it’s a poor scholar, that would still be better than Jin Qinw.a.n.g. Wasn’t that just pus.h.i.+ng Yi Jia towards a fire pit?”
[1] Idiom meaning to suffer a double loss in trying to trick the enemy; this idiom comes from the ‘Romance of the Three Kingdoms’ novel by Luo Guan Zhong. In the novel, Zhou Yu, one of the warlord Sun Quan’s generals, advised Sun Quan to fake a marriage interview to catch Liu Bei as a hostage, but this plan was saw through by Zhuge Liang. In the end, Liu Bei actually did get to marry Sun Shang Xiang, sister of Sun Quan, and Sun Quan also lost a decisive battle against him. Thus, they were mocked for having given away a bride, yet also lost their army on top of it.