Chapter 291: First Look at the Mood, Then Look at the Bargaining Chips
“Good idea!”
Hearing Li Hong Yuan saying these two words with full of interest, Jing Wan’s little heart shook. What the h.e.l.l was ‘showing off our love’, she definitely definitely didn’t mean this. She probably was just standing from her own point of view, so didn’t use her brain all that much when she opened her mouth. For her to show off, that was at most just vaguely expressing, but letting this b.a.s.t.a.r.d show off, that image, Jing Wan practically didn’t dare imagine how ‘offense to public morals’ it will be. It definitely can be pulled over by the secular doctrine to be used as reserve teaching material. And if seen by those old pedants, they won’t care about your status when unscrupulously criticizing.
Alright, this bit of propriety, this b.a.s.t.a.r.d still had a bit of. This kind of private matter, how can he let others see, but if they really encounter Sun Yi Lin………..
Truthfully speaking, it was just a one-sided love to begin with. For the person that one was in love with to even be intimate with someone else in front of oneself, how painful would one’s heart be? If the attachment was light, after suffering this kind of provocation, perhaps will just put those feelings to rest, but what if bitterly attached? Then that definitely would be like using a blunt knife to slash the heart cut by cut, fully experiencing torment, undoubtedly a kind of unprecedented torture. Towards someone that silently endured and restrained their feelings towards oneself, doing their best to not cause complications for others, and also didn’t possess any malicious intent, this kind of conduct, wasn’t it a bit cruel?
Jing Wan didn’t know exactly how deep Sun Yi Lin’s feelings towards her were, but judging from his att.i.tude, afraid it wasn’t shallow. Jing Wan herself already didn’t like bearing this kind of one-sided feelings, if to then deliberately hurt the other party, she won’t feel well inside, and this absolutely wasn’t what she wanted either.
Jing Wan practically wished to cry but had no tears. While clearly knowing what kind of personality this b.a.s.t.a.r.d has, why didn’t she properly think before speaking? As expected, it was still because of trust, the things that she can and can’t say, all just got blurted out. This without a doubt was s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g over Sun Yi Lin, and nine times out of ten, also included Chen Zheng Min, and how was this not also digging a hole for oneself?
Moreover, for people, if provoked too much, they might just do something irrational, commonly known as ‘corrupting’. That kind of situation, who was willing to see?
“Ah Yuan, how about we negotiate? Can we……..”
“Wan Wan being affectionate with me, but not willing to let others know, could it be that our loving affection is something shameful and can’t be seen by others?” Li Hong Yuan gloomily said as he lightly rubbed Jing Wan’s lower back.
Jing Wan’s scalp went numb. Whether or not Sun Yi Lin will corrupt she didn’t know. She just knew that this one before her can turn into a snake demon in seconds. If by surrendering this time, this matter can just be over with, she rather didn’t mind going all out, but it was obvious, it won’t be over with this easily. If she really were to ‘divide the land and make reparations’ with him for ‘Sun Yi Lin’s sake’, this anger not only won’t be able to extinguish, it will even burn even more intensely, practically just a vicious cycle. She never once thought that she would one day court disaster too.
Jing Wan melted on his shoulder, pretending to be dead, “I didn’t say anything at all.” In any case, they were practically together day and night. She’ll just keep an eye on him and just avoid meeting with Sun Yi Lin.
Towards herself admitting defeat once again, Jing Wan was also helpless. On everything else, she perhaps can all climb on his head and reign in tyranny, but only on this kind of matter, if she were to be unyielding, the outcome would definitely be dreadful. And the ones to be affected definitely won’t just be one or two people. By taking a step back, one can just resolve the crisis and even save lives, and moreover, won’t suffer any damages either, what reason is there to not do this? This b.a.s.t.a.r.d was also certain of this bit thus would be this unbridled. Clearly knowing so, yet one was unable to change, entirely just a death knot.
Actually, this matter’s only breakthrough point was still on Sun Yi Lin, and that was just him finding true love, and having all the feelings thrown onto her entirely taken back. Then, all things would all be well. Just, this kind of thing, to say it was easy, it was indeed easy, but to say it was difficult, it was also difficult. Easy to the point where at the right time, the right person appearing was enough, but difficult if this person were to never appear in this lifetime.
Otherwise, who has love-forgetting water, bring her a bowl and have it all poured down Sun Yi Lin’s throat.
Li Hong Yuan also didn’t say anything anymore, quietly holding Jing Wan, letting her eat some more things. As for what he was thinking inside, probably only he himself knew.
When it was almost time to head out, Li Hong Yuan finally told Jing Wan that their route was changing, not directly going to Chongzhou Fu, but rather heading to the water bandits’ water fort. He explained the cause and effect of this matter.
Originally, according to the plan, the people on the waterway would get ambushed, abandoning the boat and killing back. The people for the most part won’t have any problems, and afterwards, just head to the place Li Hong Yuan appointed to wait, waiting for the party traveling by land to arrive. This way, the matter of Li Hong Yuan having a ‘double’ can just be cleanly erased, and some things can just continue to be concealed, continuing to maintain a relatively low guard towards Li Hong Yuan. But now, that party of people has entered someone else’s territory. If he were to directly appear in Chongzhou Fu, then some things will have been done for nothing, and moreover, nine out of ten will be summoned back by an imperial order from Le Cheng Emperor. And Le Cheng Emperor, from then on, will have all the love towards him retracted, and will even maintain a high level guard towards him, even having the things in the past all flipped out, having Li Hong Yuan directly struck into the abyss.
Li Hong Yuan himself was one to be indifferent, at worst just having some things s.h.i.+fted ahead of time, just his little darling……………
This time, for them to divide into two groups, how was it not because of Jing Wan. Li Hong Yuan was unwilling to see her come in contact with any danger. If without Jing Wan at his side, he certainly would’ve personally gone into battle, the naked blade entering, and the red blade exiting. Just thinking about it still made one quite excited. Ever since he and Jing Wan married, his entire person has actually calmed down quite a bit.
Moreover, those water bandits’ target clearly was him. Using this kind of method to invite someone, while simultaneously making him a bit interested, it also made him a bit furious.
“What kind of people is the other party? Wasn’t it said to be officials and bandits colluding?” Judging by the current circ.u.mstances, this doesn’t seem to be the case.
“Officials and bandits colluding can be real, and when one side doesn’t want to play anymore, they can also disband. However, just with this current situation, there won’t be that many people that know the actual situation. Besides, if on the surface they can collaborate, then naturally they can also agree overtly, but oppose in secret. As for who it will be, in the entire Jiangnan region, aside from those people in officialdom, who else does Wan Wan think have schemes towards me?”
Getting reminded like this, Jing Wan immediately just thought of a possibility, “The Pei clan?”
“Who knows, perhaps it’s the bandit leader having enormous guts, suddenly producing greedy thoughts, wanting to use this prince to demand money from the imperial court.”
Originally, Jing Wan was still worried that going to the water bandits’ old lair like this wasn’t too good. After all, dangers exist, yet in the end, getting nonchalantly said like this, it was just like as if going to sightsee.
Li Hong Yuan rubbed Jing Wan’s hair, “The last one’s possibility is too small. If truly having this thought, then the closest Chongzhou Fu would’ve already received definite news. That’s why, this matter doesn’t have any dangers. Some things still need for me to personally go take care of, a body double won’t do.”
Jing Wan nodded, “If really the Pei clan, it indeed required you to personally take care of. Just, the Pei clan is known as Jiangnan’s number one ill.u.s.trious clan, and in reality, even in the entirety of Qi Yuan, to say they are number one all wouldn’t be too much. To be colluding with these water bandits, how come they don’t feel they’re losing their dignity?”
“An ill.u.s.trious and influential clan, can they establish themselves just based on being ‘n.o.ble and virtuous’? What is acc.u.mulated a.s.sets, acc.u.mulated cultural a.s.sets are just a small small portion. Curios, antiques, rare and valuable calligraphy and paintings, all kinds of playthings that were known to be elegant, one or two items perhaps can still rely on a person’s prestige to obtain, but what about thousands upon thousands? In the end, one still needed to rely on money as the foundation. Regardless of whether it’s cultivating a renowned great scholar, or a prestigious family’s n.o.ble daughter, all can’t escape from the word ‘money’. Moreover, it was even quite the money-burner. Despite the great majority of the people getting cultivated by these things all viewing money as dirty soil, feeling it smelled of copper, but if really without money, would they still be able to be comfortably n.o.ble and virtuous? Perhaps they would even be less than a beggar.”
Li Hong Yuan’s words, Jing Wan actually deeply understood from experience. However, when it comes to being raised by mountains of gold and silver, in the entirety of Qi Yuan, if this man were to claim second, then no one would dare to claim first. For these words to actually come from his mouth, Jing Wan was really quite surprised. “You……..”
“What does Wan Wan want to say? You can just speak bluntly.” Li Hong Yuan has never worried that Jing Wan would suspect something. In front of her, he also for the most part never hid anything. Discovering one day, or perhaps getting exposed, in his eyes, was all nothing more than ‘where the water flows, a ca.n.a.l is formed’.
“Is Ah Yuan talking about yourself? Sleeping on mountains of gold and silver, yet still disdaining it for being too hard.” Jing Wan leisurely lifted her brow.
“Slightly a bit different. The position I stand in, I’m very clear of, and also recognize. The people of the large influential clans, too many are unable to see clearly, believing that food and clothing all fall from the skies.”
“That’s why, since there are people squandering money this wantonly, then naturally need to have someone managing it. I suddenly sincerely admire this Pei clan’s clan leader.” Indeed, towards bandits, this type of people that can be said to be of the lowest profession, to all be able to lower one’s honor to come in contact with, this kind of person was truly flexible, and also considerably terrifying.
“Speaking from a certain perspective, he’s also your maternal grandfather.”
Jing Wan slightly blanked. Indeed, the Pei clan’s clan leader, speaking from blood lineage, was Li Hong Yuan’s maternal grandfather, and she was his wife, so naturally followed him. Speaking of which, in ordinary families, even for high officials and n.o.ble families, only the main wife’s maiden family was considered all the children’s legitimate maternal family, including the shu children. Recognizing one’s concubine birth mother’s maiden family as one’s maternal family was just unfitting, and also unacceptable. Only the imperial family was an exception. The princes’ maternal family were all in regards to their birth mother or foster mother, and not in regards to the Empress.
“If really him, and the Pei clan also have schemes towards you, even seeking something big, will Ah Yuan agree?”
“The Pei clan’s greatest desire is nothing more than just returning to the imperial court. Qi Yuan although is declining, it still hasn’t reached the point where one can overthrow it. Regardless of how the Pei clan has diligently operated, without great power, what they relied on was just connections on all sides to maintain their position. In a short time frame, they can still occupy the dominant position, but as time lengthens, they will undoubtedly be reduced to a va.s.sal. The Pei clan right now is already unable to maintain their proper place, so for them to be worried is also unavoidable. But to want to use me, first need to see what mood I’m in, then see what their bargaining chips are.”