Chapter 106.2: Attention
T/N: We get into the more politics side of this whole scandal in this chapter.
Cheng Junw.a.n.g, who’d returned home, only knew that his daughter had been beaten by someone. How can that be good? As soon as he entered, he just started shouting who bullied his daughter, and how he was going to go seek justice for his daughter. Cheng Junw.a.n.g was also someone with a violent temper, constantly shouting things like ‘beat’ and ‘kill’. Li Ru Yu’s whip was even given to her by him, and Li Ru Yu’s personality, more than half, Cheng Junw.a.n.g was responsible for. He seemingly appears as if he cares about Li Ru Yu very much, but actually, this wasn’t the case. He was just using this method to maintain the Cheng Junw.a.n.g Manor’s prestige, yet he didn’t know, the more he was like this, the more others disliked him. Such a vicious cycle made the Cheng Junw.a.n.g Manor’s position increasingly unstable.
Cheng Jun-w.a.n.gfei headached endlessly. The people of Cheng Junw.a.n.g Manor were actually rather simple, but encountering such a headache, one wasn’t necessarily able to live in satisfaction. “Just little girls’ quarreling, junw.a.n.gye best calm down a little.” Right now, this kind of scandalous matter, she couldn’t wait to have it covered up immediately, let alone to dare go fight someone, this was wanting to make it all known to everyone?
Cheng Junw.a.n.g could only angrily wave his hand. But when Luo Pei Shan came looking for him, he instantly exploded.
Luo Pei Shan naturally was also angry. Since he didn’t want face when given, then don’t blame him for being impolite. He coldly snorted, “Hit her? If such a shameless ‘thing’ came from this old one’s family, would’ve directly beaten her to death.”
“Old b.a.s.t.a.r.d, what are you saying?”
“That good daughter of yours schemed against my granddaughter’s fiancee, offering herself up for him to sleep with. The girls at the brothels even ask for money, this one from your family, heh…………” Luo Pei Shan’s mouth, should say, Jing Wan really was from the same mold as her grandfather.
Cheng Junw.a.n.g first blanked, and then shortly after, couldn’t restrain his anger anymore, “Old b.a.s.t.a.r.d, you old fart, old fool, already at such an old age yet don’t know shame, to actually dare slander my daughter. Today, I’ll beat you to death.”
Luo Pei Shan clearly knew Cheng Junw.a.n.g had such a temper, so naturally he didn’t go alone. Moreover, there were still irrelevant people present, thus at this time, they naturally needed to come out to block, what if Sir Luo gets hurt?
The result of this matter getting big naturally was to directly go before Le Cheng Emperor.
After Le Cheng Emperor finished listening to the cause and effect of this entire matter, he too blanked. However, he also understood the seriousness of this matter, bearing upon the imperial family’s reputation. With that many princesses, junzhus, and even xianzhus[1] in the imperial family, one mishap, and these girls will all have to suffer. He immediately issued a ‘mouth sealing’ command first thing. But even so, the ones that should know, still knew.
Because the matter concerned a junzhu, they still needed for the Empress to step in. Thus, Le Cheng Emperor directly brought them to Kunyi Palace.
After the Empress finished listening, her head throbbed immensely. If this Li Ru Yu had nothing to do with her, it would still be fine, but that just had to be her full-blooded di younger sister’s daughter. One misstep, and it won’t just be the various daughters of the imperial family that are affected. It might even affect the Ding Duke Manor, or even the daughters of the entire Sun clan. Perhaps, might even have her throw in her own reputation. If nothing else, n.o.ble Consort Su’s faction would definitely use this opportunity in an attempt to skin a layer off of her. Fortunately, Li Ru Yu has always had a bad reputation on the outside, and not that many people would interact with her.
The Empress immediately issued a decree, letting Cheng Jun-w.a.n.gfei bring Li Ru Yu into the palace. Additionally, there was also Chen Zheng Min, and as for the Luo family………..
“Your Highness, this subject’s granddaughter is very much innocent. For Ru Yu Junzhu to have shamed her in such a way, let’s not have her face this matter again. You don’t know, that granddaughter of mine is clever, obedient, and filial, and also very kind-hearted, many people all like her. With that personality of hers, how could she have gone to offend Ru Yu Junzhu. Perhaps, it was just Ru Yu Junzhu finding her unpleasant to the eyes somewhere, and actually thought of such a malicious way to disgrace her. How is she going to face people in the future?” Luo Pei Shan said it in such a sincere and compa.s.sionate manner, his eye sockets reddening, even having a bit of old tears pooling.
This made both the Empress and Le Cheng Emperor look to one another in dismay. Particularly Le Cheng Emperor, what Luo Pei Shan was like normally, that was scholarly and upright, and as the Head Minister of Rites, he really can be said to be the model of ‘etiquette’. Le Cheng Emperor has never seen him this forgetful of his manners before.
“Empress, this emperor feels beloved Minister Luo’s words are also right. This matter mainly still lies on Ru Yu, just have her called over and have the matters asked clearly. Afterwards, just handle it however it should be handled.”
“Emperor is right. Just, Sir Luo, that soon-to-be grandson-in-law of yours, is which family’s son? Even if he was schemed against by Ru Yu, if he and Ru Yu really………no matter what, he still needs to personally appear.”
“Your Highness, you may not know……….”
The furious Cheng Junw.a.n.g, after extinguis.h.i.+ng his fury, and learning the truth of the matter, was also entirely dumbstruck. This while, his head finally sobered up a little, and abruptly interrupted Luo Pei Shan’s words, “Your Majesty, your Highness, Sir Luo repeatedly say that it was Ru Yu who schemed against his soon-to-be grandson-in-law, but how was it not that brat l.u.s.ting to disgrace my family’s Ru Yu?”
Luo Pei Shan coldly snorted, “Is Ru Yu Junzhu some divine beauty and national grace, worth him going out on the day before the metropolitan exam specifically to do something bad to her? Or is it that your Cheng Junw.a.n.g Manor’s influence overflowed the heavens, worth him willingly risking his future prospects in order to cling on? Emperor, you may not know, that child is also quite pitiful. He originally was this subject’s wife’s younger brother’s eldest grandson. Three generations of hope all put onto him alone. Yesterday, by just a little bit, he would’ve missed the metropolitan exam. Heard, when he’d hastily rushed to the Gong Courtyard, he was in a sorry state. That appearance, even the regional poor candidates were all better than him. That child’s learning, this subject knows. In the metropolitan exam this time, he’s sure to steadily succeed. If this matter were to affect his performance, and he doesn’t pa.s.s, what should one do? Wouldn’t this subject’s younger brother-in-law’s entire family all cry to death?”
Le Cheng Emperor lightly coughed, “Beloved minister, for men, one night isn’t that serious.”
“But that child, previously in order to concentrate on studying, didn’t even have a tongfang at his side, and has simply never experienced the matters between men and women before. Suddenly encountering Li Ru Yu’s scheme, what if it scared him?”
Hearing this, it was just like saying Li Ru Yu schemed against him first, then forced herself onto him afterwards. Le Cheng Emperor really wanted to curse. However, you can’t say that there wasn’t this possibility either. Speaking of which, in the past, this kind of thing did happen to one of his brothers, and very much got laughed at for a period of time. But this made him very much resistant on this matter, even nearly withering. These were all indisputable facts, and only a year later, did he finally improve.
Cheng Junw.a.n.g angrily stomped his foot, “Complete nonsense.”
“Whether or not it’s nonsense, one will know once investigated.”
“Enough. It seems, according to beloved Minister Luo’s words, the person is still in Gong Courtyard right now, so in order to settle this matter, still need to wait another two days. Just, Cheng Jun-w.a.n.gfei and Li Ru Yu have already been summoned, Empress, what do you…………”
“Then just ask Ru Yu first then.” However, right now, the Empress was very conflicted. In the end, should she lean towards Li Ru Yu, or lean towards the Luo family? Li Ru Yu’s side concerned her own reputation. If she can have her pulled out from this matter, turning her into the victim, it naturally would be beneficial for herself, but the Luo family right now was also very important. Wait. The Empress suddenly thought of a question, “Sir Luo, that granddaughter of yours, is it the one that shocked the world with one song a few days ago at the Grand Elder Princess Manor?”
Luo Pei Shan inwardly cursed ‘not good’! However, once the matter of third girl and Chen Zheng Min’s engagement getting cancelled becomes known, third girl similarly will be targeted by many people. Just, with the first person being the Empress, it was a little difficult to deal with.
“Replying to your Highness, yes.”
“So it’s like this.” The Empress smilingly nodded, “This empress also heard, that is indeed a good young lady.” Then, she didn’t need to think anymore. Who to lean towards, it was obvious at a glance. Have to say, on the matter of ruining this young lady’s marriage, from this perspective, Li Ru Yu really did do a good job. As long as she completely demotes her, she’ll be able to preserve her own reputation, and moreover, she can even think of a way to completely control that Luo family young miss in her palm. Previously, when she’d learned that Jing Wan was already engaged, she even felt quite regretful, but now, looks like it was all the heaven’s will.
“That young lady that imperial younger sister is very much fond of? Imperial younger sister also told this emperor, that girl gave Yu Yao an eighteenth scholar, but it got monopolized by Jiang-fuma everyday, hating that he can’t stare at it twenty-four hours straight. Yu Yao couldn’t even steal it back from him, and was angered into tears several times.” Le Cheng Emperor said, and also started laughing along.
“That girl doesn’t have any other hobbies, and is just fond of those plants and flowers.”
“Speaking of which, that child, Yi Lin, also likes messing around with those plants and flowers.” The Empress said with a smile.
Luo Pei Shan inwardly cursed. There were plenty of people that liked plants and flowers, who can’t be mentioned, yet you just had to mention Sun Yi Lin that unmarried gentleman. To say that the Empress didn’t have deeper meanings in her words, Luo Pei Shan will have his own name written backwards.
What, since Luo Jing Bo is about to marry Sun Yi Lin’s younger sister, also want to let Sun Yi Lin have Luo Jing Bo’s younger sister married back? This was that ‘marriage swap[2]‘ for poverty-stricken commoners? Absolutely not!
Le Cheng Emperor didn’t care about Jing Wan’s marriage, thus still haven’t thought of this issue. “Imperial younger sister said, that girl also took away a reward. Was it given to that fiancee of hers?”
“That embroidered pouch, third girl directly handed it to this subject. This subject rather wanted to have it given to that boy, just that boy said, someone needs that reward even more than him, thus didn’t accept it.”
Le Cheng Emperor nodded, “He has quite the backbone.”
Two days after the Grand Elder Princess’s birthday, Le Cheng Emperor had announced that he will meet with the ten that received the reward, placing it on the same day as the court exam.
[1] Updated my historical notes page with the different t.i.tles in the imperial family.
[2] This a marriage custom where the man gives his sister to the bride’s brother as a wife in exchange for the bride to become his wife. This is a practice for very poor families because they have no other choice, betrothal gifts and such were very expensive, during feudal times this was very prevalent. However, this is banned in the modern era as it violates marriage laws, and sorta human rights in a way too.
T/N: If this was an rpg, the Empress would have way too many debuffs lol, idiot son debuff, idiot older brother debuff, and now idiot niece debuff. Tbh, if I was the Empress and that was my niece, I’d kick her under the bus too. Comparing the Empress with n.o.ble Consort Su, I’ve always thought of it like this, the Empress has a high IQ, while n.o.ble Consort Su has a high EQ.