Chapter 267.2: Endless Good Plays
The marriage arrangements were finalized, and afterwards, the two very happily chatted.
As such, the necessary formal procedures can just begin.
Speaking of which, Luo Jing Ming was already eighteen, even Luo Jing Bo, who’s younger than him, was already a father now, and since the bride’s side has also already reached marriageable age, there was rather no need to drag out for a year or two. Thus, the wedding date was set on the ninth month of this year.
Compared with the time when Luo Jing Bo married Sun Yi Jia, on the various rites, it also wasn’t lacking in any way. The Luo family put out enough sincerity.
Just, heard that on the day the engagement gifts were sent, the Zhao family was ‘very lively’. That shu daughter nearly charged to the front to make noise, saying her di younger sister and di mother were pair of s.l.u.ts, scheming against her, stealing her marriage fate, and even if she becomes a ghost, she all won’t let them get away.
One can well imagine, what the complexion was like for the ones shouldering the insults, even very much rejoicing that the Luo family gave face, still continuing with the marriage.
And as the ones in the know from the Luo family, the two heads of the family were actually very calm, but the three brothers were just having that bit of a guilty conscience.
“That Miss Zhao being in love with someone else inside was indeed true. Jing Ming, facing this kind of wife, can you feel happy inside? Besides, Jin Qinw.a.n.g saying to switch the person, are you even capable of stopping him from switching? Since that’s the case, just continuing doing what you should be doing, and the rest, why the need to care and bother over?”
Luo Old Madam’s words dispelled the three brothers’ excessive thoughts. People like them, how can they be clean and pure for a lifetime and not do anything against their heart?
Luo Jing Ming’s marriage, just as expected, already became set in stone.
Meanwhile, someone was secretly preparing to dig Kang Qinw.a.n.g’s wall[1]. He wanted to marry the Head Minister of Works’s di daughter, yet someone was unwilling to let him take hold of this advantage. Thus, matters regarding his rear court in chaos, pampering and trusting a dancer, and this lowly concubine harming his di son, causing his di son to fall severely ill, was exposed. Moreover, Kang Qinw.a.n.g still stood on his woman’s side. As Kang Qinw.a.n.g’s side consort————–the former Kang w.a.n.gfei’s younger sister, having entered Kang Qinw.a.n.g Manor during the mourning period for her older sister in order to take care of her older sister’s child, entered the palace in anger, nearly committing suicide in the Empress’s Kunyi Palace. As a result, this alarmed Le Cheng Emperor, and thus, Kang Qinw.a.n.g who was just having a turn for the better, met with Le Cheng Emperor’s berating again.
The Head Minister of Works also stood out, tactfully expressing his love and fondness towards his daughter, indirectly rejecting the marriage with Kang Qinw.a.n.g.
After all, it wasn’t an imperial decree, and for the Head Minister of Works to refuse, it was also understandable. The Empress rather can issue an imperial decree to facilitate the marriage, but because of Qi Yuan’s restrictions towards the inner palace, the Empress’s imperial decree, as long as there’s a reasonable justification, the subject can choose to not accept. Since the Head Minister of Works has already had his words said like so, and in the end, it was precisely Kang Qinw.a.n.g himself having problems, the blame can’t be placed on him. And if the Empress were to still insist on issuing a decree, when time comes, not only will she probably get her face swept, she will even establish an enemy for Kang Qinw.a.n.g.
As such, this marriage could only be dropped.
Kang Qinw.a.n.g exploded from anger, smas.h.i.+ng quite a few things, and towards the ‘originator of evil’, Yao Rao, he naturally didn’t have a good face either. In the end, for these men, no matter how much a woman helps them, don’t even bother counting on them to feel grateful. Especially Yao Rao’s kind, in essence just a plaything, nothing more than just having a little more worth. And once this worth was gone, they were even less than actual playthings.
Yao Rao inwardly cursed. She indeed came in contact with Kang Qinw.a.n.g’s di son before, but she didn’t do anything at all, and didn’t stir up wind and rain in Kang Qinw.a.n.g’s rear court either. After all, this wasn’t her goal. She truly wasn’t interested in fighting with those women. She never thought that she would have such a moment of carelessness. If not for her still having use, with Kang Qinw.a.n.g pus.h.i.+ng someone else out to take the blame, just based on her, a dancer that doesn’t even have the t.i.tle of a concubine, secretly plotting against the imperial grandson, ten lives all wouldn’t be enough to compensate. With her current ident.i.ty, dying would also just be dying in vain.
Suffering once, one grows in wisdom. Yao Rao naturally won’t make this kind of mistake again, and in the future, she also won’t underestimate the women of the rear court again.
However, regardless of how she thought, this while, she exerted her all to win back Kang Qinw.a.n.g’s favor again.
One great play after another, it can even be said to be spectacular and varied.
And in this muddy pool of water, Gong Qinw.a.n.g actually received praises a few times, his recent handling of a.s.signments also exceptionally beautiful, and his relations.h.i.+p with his father-in-law Qin Tian Ming also gradually warming. He can be said to be in high spirits.
At the same time, the seventh w.a.n.gye that once oversaw the country actually also soundlessly crawled up, having his own faction, and gradually revealing his outstanding talents, virtually displaying his stirring ambitions.
The ones in the lead seemingly were gradually losing power, or perhaps were deliberately going into hibernation?
The of age princes will still continue to increase. The state of the imperial court will inevitably become increasingly grim.
Jing Wan and Li Hong Yuan were rather increasingly carefree at the estate, and because that small scale playground was already completed after working against the clock day and night, the few little ones were increasingly indulging in play, not wanting to return to the capital.
Her own daughter being at Jing Wan, this adopted daughter’s place, the Grand Elder Princess seemingly was particularly at ease. Yu Yao has never left her side for this long before, yet she didn’t send people to go have her received back either. As for the two young misses from the Luo family, the people of the Luo family further weren’t worried.
As for the horse racing tracks on the estate, with one line from the living Enma, even the Ministry of Works all needed to deploy enough artisans for him. And these capable and skilled artisans that have only ever worked for the imperial family and for the country, at this time, also could only obediently bury their heads and work.
Of course, for experienced artisans, they were very willing to accept Jin Qinw.a.n.g’s private work. Working for Jin Qinw.a.n.g, the wages were at least three times the other places. However, this money wasn’t that easy to earn either. Needing to be perfect, and must let Jin Qinw.a.n.g be satisfied. Once satisfied, there was even more bonuses. If not satisfied, but he’s in a good mood, you probably still have another chance. But if he’s not in a good mood, you probably will suffer a calamity.
However, reportedly, the main person in charge this time was w.a.n.gfei. Although they never saw the person, they still clearly sensed that the stewards below were even more amicable. When a mistake occurred, after getting warned, it was just over with after fixing.
Precisely the so called, ‘without a comparison, there was no distinction between good and bad’. With Jin w.a.n.gfei being this amicable, it instead made them even more motivated, and also because Jing Wan put out word that if they have any opinions, they can mention, and if it gets adopted, there will even be a reward. Thus, the speed in which the horse racing tracks was built was even quicker than antic.i.p.ated. And the sections that were modified by the artisan were also even more perfect. Jing Wan was very happy.
Since Jin w.a.n.gfei was happy, Jin Qinw.a.n.g’s mood also improved along with, the wages rising more and more.
The artisans grinned from ear to ear, truly can be said to be ‘you’re happy, I’m happy, everyone’s happy’.
“We should return to the capital.” Li Hong Yuan said.
Jing Wan deeply expressed her regret.
[1] The expression ‘digging the corner of someone’s wall’, although not limited to, but in this context, it means ‘stealing someone’s girl’, I believe a different expression is used for the reverse of stealing someone else’s man. In general, the phrase is used to mean someone is trying to undermine something or someone. The imagery behind it is when you dig a corner of a wall, it’ll collapse the entire wall.
T/N: Kang Qinw.a.n.g’s side consort is also an interesting character, more so pitiful as she was pretty much forced into marrying Kang Qinw.a.n.g with no way out as per her older sister’s dying wish to take care of her child. From a mother’s perspective, you can’t really blame the former Kang w.a.n.gfei for wanting to protect her child and entrusting him to her younger sister who she trusts, but at the same time, she pretty much ruined her younger sister’s life. This was first mentioned back in chapter 31, we’ve come a long way since.