Chapter 176.1: Selfishness
The road after the leaving the village had deployed a portion of the villagers to help out, so have long been smoothed out already. Thus, the following journey afterwards was actually similar to the normal advancing speed. After going around full circle, they finally returned onto the main road again. Then afterwards, in after about a few hours, Le Cheng Emperor ordered to pick up the speed. Even for the afternoon meal, it was also quickly rushed through. If even the esteemed son of the heavens was all able to deal with it, then the others, even if they want to complain, can only just keep it in their hearts. No one would be so stupid as to blurt it out at this time.
Jing Wan even had somewhat of a ‘finding joy in one’s suffering’ kind of thought. Could it be that Le Cheng Emperor has already been scared by the incidences that has happened along the way, that’s why he was in a hurry to arrive at the destination as soon as possible?
As such, even if they’d wasted some time, in the end, they actually didn’t arrive that much later than the time that was initially antic.i.p.ated.
Never mind the others, even Jing Wan also relaxed a breath.
To be able to be chosen as the site to build the imperial summer residence, in many aspects, it certainly occupied an advantage blessed by the heavens. Everything else aside, just after entering the area, one can clearly sense the temperature declining a little. And when they finally stopped, Jing Wan estimated that the temperature dropped by at least five to six degrees. Don’t look at how this number wasn’t prominent, but, to put it specifically, that was just the difference between thirty-eight degrees and thirty-two degrees. The latter definitely can let one feel much more comfortable.
Sometimes, one can only feel something by personally experiencing. After coming down from the horse carriage, Sun Yi Jia also couldn’t help but relax a breath, “Thank goodness I came with you all, this place is indeed much more comfortable than in the capital.”
Once her feet touched the ground, Jing Wan took in two huge breaths, before finally smiling at Sun Yi Jia, “Elder sister-in-law quickly go rest.”
“Don’t just tell off your sister-in-law, you also need to quickly go rest too.” Luo Old Madam sternly said.
Jing Wan coiled around Luo Old Madam’s arm, coquettishly shaking it, “Understood, grandmother, just leave all the arrangements to third brother, let’s all go rest.” Jing Wan just unhesitantly threw the task to her own older brother.
Luo Jing Bo rather didn’t mind at all, “Little sis is right. Grandmother, why don’t you all go rest. Not that big of a matter, I’ll be done taking care of it in a short while.”
This was true to begin with. Because they’d long sent people over to tidy up the place, these things that they brought along, he just needed to casually say a few words, and the steward will naturally take care of the arrangements, while the other servants take care of putting them in place.
Another benefit of arranging beforehand was just that everything was all in order, and after entering the gates, can just first take a comfortable bath, relaxing oneself. Afterwards, take a nap, no need for too long, even if just an hour, then later, eat a bit of something, and one will be able to be fully restored again. Just, unfortunately, the heavens weren’t cooperating. Just as they were about to step through the entrance, someone came to report that the Ding d.u.c.h.ess came.
Never mind Jing Wan, the entire Luo family, more than half, all had an equal sign placed between the Ding d.u.c.h.ess and trouble.
In the end, they were still in-laws, so even if they didn’t like her, the surface relation they still needed to maintain. Sir Luo entered, but Luo Old Madam had to turn back instead. Jing Wan was of the younger generation, while Sun Yi Jia and Luo Jing Bo were the daughter and son-in-law, so they further couldn’t leave.
The Ding d.u.c.h.ess was directly lifted over in a sedan chair. Seeing the person coming down from the sedan chair, Jing Wan was quite shocked inside. Compared to that graceful, elegant, and dignified in bearing Ding d.u.c.h.ess, the her right now was appeared old and withered, not just aging by ten years. In fact, even her back was all somewhat hunched, and when standing, she was somewhat shaking, needing someone to support her, just like an ordinary old lady. If not for knowing her ident.i.ty, suddenly meeting her, perhaps one was all unable to recognize. Unknown as to whether or not she was deliberately showing off something, she actually wore the formal gown of a Ding d.u.c.h.ess, but she was unaware that this outfit, she no longer was able to uphold, appearing somewhat hallow and empty, just like a clown that stole someone else’s clothes to wear. Jing Wan inwardly sighed, her malice towards her subconsciously weakening.
Speaking of which, ever since her and Sun Yi Lin’s marriage engagement broke off, Jing Wan never saw the Ding d.u.c.h.ess again. Even if she was ill, it wasn’t Jing Wan’s place to go visit. Aside from her older brother and sister-in-law having gone to visit a few times, it was also just her mother that had gone once. But that one time, afraid wasn’t anything good either, because her mother didn’t go for long, and after returning, her complexion wasn’t all that good. When Sun Yi Jia asked, her mother also just forcibly smiled, “It’s nothing, Yi Jia doesn’t need to mind, that’s your mother after all.”
Everyone all knew, Zhang-s.h.i.+ definitely must have gotten bullied, but with that personality of hers, it was better to not mention. And after Sun Yi Jia married over, she also can be considered to have understood somewhat. Jing Wan also told her before, aside from the necessary respect, all don’t need to have her viewed as a mother-in-law. Moreover, she even needed someone to protect her. However, right now in the Luo family’s rear court, it should be considered peaceful, so she can just live out her own days.
Sun Yi Jia just directly told her, “Mother, in the future, you all don’t need to go anymore.”
And Zhang-s.h.i.+ also just carried a bit of delight as she agreed.
Even if Jing Wan was long used to it, she still was left speechless once more. Fortunately, Sun Yi Jia wasn’t just saying it on the surface, else just based on this expression of yours, most likely would have offended the other party. Many people’s mentality were all the same. Even if their own family had problems, and even if they say it out loud, they still don’t want others to agree with them. These words needed to be listened to in reverse, and one’s surface skills needed to be good. Of course, doing this to someone who one was genuinely close to, that will just hurt feelings.
Sun Yi Jia was rather unconcerned. On the contrary, she actually quite liked Zhang-s.h.i.+, this kind of person. Compared to those who always needed to speak in a roundabout manner, her mother-in-law, Zhang-s.h.i.+, was practically too cute. In the future, when little sister Wan marries, for her to come protect Zhang-s.h.i.+ for a lifetime, where’s the harm in that.
Along this trip, it’s not that Sun Yi Jia has never gone to visit the Ding d.u.c.h.ess, just the Ding d.u.c.h.ess’s temper was becoming increasingly strange, especially after Sun Yi Lin was sent out for an a.s.signment. This was his first time going far away from the capital. Before he left, she just violently threw a tantrum, deathly refusing to let him go, seemingly as if he were to leave the capital, he will never return. But, Sun Yi Lin wasn’t an obedient baby. Even if Sun Yi Bin brought out the unfilial t.i.tle to pin on him, he still just coldly sneered. He understood this eldest brother of his too well. It was nothing more than just him still being unable to sit onto the position of the Ding Duke heir, and the people that originally supported him becoming increasingly discontent towards him. Meanwhile, Sun Yi Lin was becoming even better, and right now, was also leaving the capital on an a.s.signment. Sun Yi Bin has been in officialdom as a court official for many years. Unfortunately, it was also just mindlessly mingling. His position appears to be rather high, but he didn’t have any actual power. To be able to climb onto his current position, it was nothing more than relying on the Ding Duke Manor’s name. As such, he naturally also wanted to obstruct Sun Yi Lin. However, in the end, Sun Yi Lin left, leaving very resolutely, seemingly as if he completely didn’t mind having an unfilial label.
When Sun Yi Jia went to visit her, out of ten lines, eight were all reminiscing that son of hers. Since she wanted to reminisce, Sun Yi Jia also just treated it as the wind by her ear, and didn’t interrupt her. Once she fulfilled her obligations, she also just left. Right now, at this time, after they’d just arrived, instead of going to rest, she came to the Luo family’s courtyard in the imperial summer residence wearing the formal Ding d.u.c.h.ess gown. What kind of trouble did she want to stir up this time?