Chapter 321: The Matter Still Not Over With
Min Yu Han knew this old fox wasn’t easy to deal with, but the other party wasn’t in a hurry, and he further wasn’t in a hurry. Today, he just wanted to thoroughly tear this old thing’s face, and see exactly how thick this face of his was to be able to still be the same even after tearing down a layer, continuing to carry out his original plan.
“The large influential families have the pride of large influential families, having an extremely deep notion of family status. These all don’t need for me to come remind uncle. Deep down, uncle probably understands better than anyone.”
Understands more than anyone, and looks down on these people more than anyone, yet be the one to break the rules himself, such hypocrisy.
“Has uncle ever once thought about the consequences of having Xiu Ying sent to Jin Qinw.a.n.g as a concubine? Even the main family’s most outstanding di born young lady can all be given away as a concubine, then do the other young ladies even need to be mentioned? Naturally even more lowly. Even if wanting to marry back as a di wife, all would feel it’s an insult to one’s status. As such, it’ll really be any random stray cat or dog, people of all status, scaling the Pei clan gates. And the men of the Pei clan naturally won’t be able to marry any good women either. Even if it’s as you’ve desired, standing onto the highest place, can it make up for these? However, presumably uncle won’t mind. After all, this kind of development has long existed. Who let the Pei clan’s reputation as an influential family only exist in name and not in reality. The Pei clan, with many branches and luxuriant leaves, rely on marriage connections the survive. If those in-law families were to find out, won’t they immediately divorce the wife (Pei clan daughters) to sever all ties? Of course, in the end, the Pei clan still has quite a few renowned great scholars holding up, their disciples all over the world. If having a high post and generous salary, then they also won’t forget these teachers, but if these people were to know about your actions as the clan leader, probably without needing external force, the interior of the Pei clan will just collapse first.”
While appearing to be weighing the pros and cons, but how was it not Min Yu Han mercilessly continuing to stab, not leaving the Pei clan daughters the slightest bit of face, having that ‘everything is well’ pretense exposed layer by layer, even not lacking the intent of threatening.
These issues, did the Pei clan leader not consider before? Of course not. That’s why, in the early stages, this matter must be kept a secret, both towards the inside and the outside. Even if indirectly a.s.sisting Jin Qinw.a.n.g, it’s still best to cover up Pei Xiu Ying’s matter. Once all the dust has settled, it won’t be too late to expose it then. The ‘stubborn old-fas.h.i.+oned men’ of the Pei clan although weren’t in the minority, but the ones that were genuinely engrossed with learning, only immersing one’s heart in the mountains and rivers, were just one or two. Knowing the Pei clan’s glorious history, who doesn’t want to recover the former glory? That’s why, even if when time comes, they find out what he’d done, they will probably still remain silent, the merits and demerits balancing, focusing on the future.
However, human schemes cannot surpa.s.s the heaven’s design. Haven’t even done anything at all, yet already getting seen through. The usually conceited Pei clan leader was actually quite vexed inside.
Min Yu Han, as if having the Pei clan leader’s thoughts inside perceived very clearly, inwardly sneered. Your arrangements, how was it just him seeing through them. The one getting schemed against by you was further clear about them. Min Yu Han although wasn’t that clear towards Li Hong Yuan’s actual power, but in this nearly a year’s time, while wandering through Jiangnan, seamlessly carrying out tasks, in the crucial moments, there would always be someone stepping in at the right time to help out, then without attracting any attention, achieve their goal. Min Yu Han, in the past, had done this kind of thing before, and in the beginning, situations where one needed them to help clean up were more, but afterwards, they gradually lessened. But, he never once doubted Li Hong Yuan’s abilities.
He rather want to see, whether it’s you using Jin Qinw.a.n.g to achieve your goal, or getting used by Jin Qinw.a.n.g until there’s nothing left.
Although he only had the fate of meeting Jin Qinw.a.n.g twice, but that kind of strong presence was very obvious. If he were to ascend the throne as the emperor, he absolutely won’t put up with the outer relatives growing in power. Ones like the Pei clan having a resounding abacus, and can be used, he definitely won’t be lenient towards. After using, if perceptive, perhaps he can still leave you a bit of leeway, else it’s just ruthlessly destroying the bridge after crossing it.
“Since Yu Han has already said it to this extent, this old man also won’t hide anymore. This is the Pei clan’s matter, nothing to do with an outsider, so Yu Han doesn’t need to worry about.”
“Uncle’s meaning is insisting on continuing like this?” Min Yu Han never believed that he would be able to influence this old thing’s decision. If able to be influenced that easily, then he wouldn’t have walked to this step today. And his original intention also wasn’t to stop the other party.
“Yu Han has already pointed out the Pei clan’s situation. The Pei clan cannot fall. That’s why, some things must be done.” Although in the past, he for a time deceived himself and others, not wanting to admit to this, but when actually pointed out by someone, for someone like him, it’s not something that he’s unable to bear. At least, on the surface, one was unable to make out any abnormalities.
———-Falling into Jin Qinw.a.n.g’s hands, afraid, one would only wither even faster. Perhaps it was having no choice but to do this, but one can completely use a different method. You scheming like this, full of ambition, no one would be happy. If wholeheartedly sincere, just burying one’s head in work, using the Pei clan’s true strength to take a gamble, perhaps one would even obtain unexpected results. Yet, you insist on trying to take a shortcut, relying on ‘skirt relations[1]‘, using this kind of dishonest practice.
“In that case, why don’t uncle change the candidate to at least someone of the same generation as Jin Qinw.a.n.g. In terms of reputation, it would be a little better, no? Your granddaughters, individually picking out, perhaps won’t have any more outstanding than Xiu Ying, but if one won’t work, then just use two. I remember uncle still has a pair of twin sister granddaughters that still haven’t married. This is also a big distinguis.h.i.+ng characteristic, no? Perhaps possessing even more attractiveness. And if two won’t work, then just use three, and if not, just four. In any case this branch of yours doesn’t lack people.”
This pretty much just matched with Jing Wan’s ‘when quality not enough, just make up with quant.i.ty’.
Just, the mockery practically reached an extraordinary degree that even saints can produce anger. “Yu Han, all things should stop before going too far.”
Min Yu Han just laughed, declining to comment. After crossing swords with this old thing, he was practically determined to have the two families shed all pretense of cordiality. However, his position in the Min clan although wasn’t considered low, it still wasn’t easy for him to decide on the matters for the whole clan. Right now, the clan leader of the Min clan was his older brother, and moreover, unlike the Pei clan, the Min clan had quite a few people serving as officials, just there weren’t anyone standing in a very high position, instead a bit like uniformly leveled farm crops. Even so, the clan leader still wasn’t able to one-sidedly make decisions. As a member of the Min clan, although he didn’t have that deep of feelings towards this family clan, some things still needed to be said. When time comes, the difference was probably just him alone tearing face with the Pei clan, or the Min clan tearing face with the Pei clan.
“Since that’s the case, this nephew will take one’s leave first.” Min Yu Han had the stone between his fingers thrown back into the bowl, slowly getting up, brus.h.i.+ng his sleeves. When about to leave, seemingly as if thinking of something again, he looked towards Pei Xiu Ying, “Why don’t Xiu Ying think over my suggestion for a moment.”
Pei Xiu Ying’s face was a bit stiff, “Thanking Min family great-uncle for such favor.”
Min Yu Han softly laughed, “Nowadays, it’s sure interesting. Influential family’s daughters all would rather be a concubine than a wife. Speaking of which, if my family background was poor, just an ordinary commoner, you rejecting is rather understandable. However, I personally believe that I don’t lack anything either. If one has to say where Jin Qinw.a.n.g has an advantage over me, it’s probably just that the other party is young and has power. But don’t you know, youngsters can easily like the new and disdain the old, and don’t know to care for people? In the past, I was able to be faithful to your great-aunt, so in the future, I naturally can be faithful for you too. Isn’t that much happier than you fighting for favor and eating vinegar, scheming against one another everyday? Really not going to consider?”
“Thanking Min family great-uncle for such favor.” Pei Xiu Ying’s reply was still this line.
“Women, sure enough, are shallow, and you, Pei Xiu Ying, can’t even compare with even a single finger of your great-aunt’s.” The sleeves of his robes fluttered as he left, graceful and elegant, somewhat having the style of an immortal, completely unlike someone that would this relentlessly humiliate an unmarried young lady.
However, things were indeed like so. Didn’t one see Pei Xiu Ying’s face alternatively turning green and pale.
The Pei clan leader stared at his rear view, slightly narrowing his eyes. He discovered this former soon-to-be son-in-law was already completely exceeded his range of expectation. This kind of change was different from before, and absolutely wasn’t something formed overnight. But it’s been almost a year since he’s come back, and the times they’ve met also weren’t considered few, yet he didn’t notice anything. It seems he’d long been guarding against him!
The Pei clan leader right now was practically a hundred percent certain that Min Yu Han had probably discovered something.
“Great-grandfather…………” Pei Xiu Ying softly called out, slightly carrying worry.
The Pei clan leader turned back to look at her, “Xiu Ying had gotten affected by your Min family great-uncle’s words?”
“If one were to completely say no, then that’s certainly impossible.” Having gotten humiliated as such, Pei Xiu Ying, no matter what, was still just a young girl. Even if saying she deeply detested Min Yu Han, it all won’t be too much. However, she knew, what her great-grandfather was asking wasn’t her personal feelings. When comparing the family clan with the individual, the individual was forever in the back. Even if facing one’s greatest enemy, if beneficial to the family clan, one still needed to have one’s personal feelings suppressed. “I’m worrying about whether or not the Min family great-uncle will have this matter spread out. That way, to our Pei clan, it’ll be very unfavorable.”
“Don’t worry, he won’t.” This bit, he was actually very certain. “Regarding Jin Qinw.a.n.g’s matter……………”
“Great-grandfather, you don’t need to say anything. The Pei clan has meticulously raised me all these years, so as a member of the Pei clan, when the Pei clan needs me, I naturally cannot turn back without dishonor. Precisely as the saying goes, under an overturned nest, there are no intact eggs[2]. If something happens to the Pei clan, as a Pei clan daughter, how will I have a good ending?”
The Pei clan leader nodded, rather pleased, “As long as you understand. Why don’t you go back and rest.”
“Yes, Xiu Ying will withdraw.”
After Pei Xiu Ying left, the Pei clan leader looked down at the qi board, black and white stones, placing down in succession, all the way until a victor emerged on the board. Taking a sip of tea, he slowly let out a breath, “Ah Zhong, go have the people taken care of.” Appearing nonchalant, yet this one line determined the fate of several human lives.
Naturally there won’t be no one serving at the side, but the Pei clan leader from the start just didn’t say anything. Although midway, the servants all got waved away by that steward called Ah Zhong, but in reality, after leaving, they just got detained. To have learned something that one shouldn’t have learned, then even if Pei Xiu Ying’s personal servant girls, there was still no possibility of living.
That’s why, when the old servant woman sent Pei Xiu Ying two new servant girls, Pei Xiu Ying also just nodded her head, continuing to read her book.
So the matter was just over with like this? How is that possible!
[1] Meaning favoritism shown because of the relation to the ‘wife’, or favoritism towards a relative. An example would be like in history how the maiden clan of favored consorts or concubines would always end up gaining power in court due to their relation.
[2] 覆巢之下，焉有完卵 – Although the literal meaning of this phrase is pretty obvious, it has two different interpretations. One is when a person meets with disaster the entire family will not be able to escape. And two, when the entire family falls, there are no survivors. This line originated from ‘A New Account of the Tales of the World’ (世说新语), describing the incident of Cao Cao arresting Kong Rong, a poet during the Three Kingdoms period.
T/N: The is pretty much Pei clan leader taking his anger out on the Min clan all because of Min Yu Han. I like how the novel sets up all the different consequences of even the smallest actions.