Chapter 109.6: Street Parade, This Kind of Jing Wan
“Your Majesty, if this subject says that this subject’s grandmother treats this subject like dirt, but this subject is still wholeheartedly filial to her, would you believe? This subject has always believed, the feelings between people goes both ways. If it is just one side putting in the effort alone, and the other side is indifferent, or even ignore and belittle, then sooner or later the heart will grow cold. This subject believes oneself not to be an unquestioning filial person. Perhaps this subject would still act within one’s duty, but that will all be for outsiders to see. For instance, when grandmother is ill, rather than serving by the bed, I hide far far away, copying some Buddhist scriptures, saying it’s for the sake of praying for grandmother. That way, who can still fault me? Or not asking what medicine she’s taking, and what meals she’s eating, just perfunctorily asking a few words when going to pay one’s respect, others would still have nothing to criticize, right?”
Le Cheng Emperor half narrowed his eyes, staring at Jing Wan for a long while. Jing Wan didn’t think anything of it herself, but it made the onlookers all wipe a handful of cold sweat for her. These words really did go against filial piety, but just like she said, who can say she’s wrong. Le Cheng Emperor suddenly laughed, “You really do dare say.”
“This subject believes, these are all truths, nothing one wouldn’t dare say.”
“These words just aren’t correct. Some truths, not that many dare say.” When Le Cheng Emperor said these words, regardless whether it was tone or att.i.tude, it was all somewhat cold. For some of the people present, cold sweat even started coming out of their backs.
Jing Wan’s certain sayings, weren’t they exactly some of the things they did? ‘Those were all done for outsiders to see.’ This was actually the most damaging. But, if the Emperor falls ill, as the son, prying into the condition of his illness, that was a serious crime, that’s why………..that’s why these were all meaningless words. Whether or not one had heart, and whether or not one was attentive, wasn’t just reflected in this bit.
Le Cheng Emperor, in a blink of an eye, regained his smile again, “Little miss, go sit in the side chamber for a bit first, or go outside for a stroll. Once this emperor takes care of the matters here, you come back and chat with this emperor.”
“Yes, your Majesty.” Jing Wan bowed to the others again one by one, and smiled at Luo Old Madam, before finally withdrawing out.
“Old madam, this emperor heard from Beloved Minister Luo quite a few things regarding that girl. Why don’t you also tell this emperor things some from your time at Qi’an Manor, how about it?”
“If your Majesty does not disdain these trivial little matters, this subject naturally will not hide anything.” Luo Old Madam knew what Le Cheng Emperor wanted to hear. “Our family’s third girl has been a lovable good child since youth. She said, feelings go two-way, this really isn’t the least bit wrong. A few years ago, this subject was plagued with heavy illness, very much unstable. Wan Wan didn’t do anything else, and just accompanied by my side all day long. I let her hide far away, so as to avoid pa.s.sing on my illness, but she would always smilingly say she wasn’t scared. And when you really get angry and have her driven out, she’s sure to come back in less than two hours. Then, she will softly and quietly tell you, in these two hours, what all she did, what all she saw, where had flowers blooming particularly beautifully, where had a small bird fall from a tree, or what stories she had heard from the teacher, and she will tell you everything in great detail. For a person who’s ill and can’t leave the room, there’s nothing more pleasant than hearing these things.
And when you’re really tired, she’ll be quiet again. For people that are bedridden all year round, one would always be unable to sleep well, waking up from time to time. There were even times where one would be afraid that one won’t be able to wake up again, constantly afraid and restless. Don’t know whether or not that girl knew something, but don’t know how many times, when I opened my eyes, I was always able to see her either reading or writing characters. She would always be able to figure out what I needed faster than the servant girls, and never needed to wait for me to open my mouth. She would sweetly call out ‘grandmother’, and that tender voice instantly was able to soothe the fear in one’s heart.” Luo Old Madam sunk into her memories. As she spoke, she couldn’t help wiping her tears. “A few years earlier, I also had quite a few grandchildren at my side, but not one was able to be like this girl. Even if they copied Wan Wan, they still would be absentminded and inattentive, instead making one annoyed.
And every time the doctor came to examine, Wan Wan would always be more worried and anxious than anyone, and would always repeatedly ask the doctor many questions, sometimes even making the doctor annoyed from her questioning. But she would still hold up her little face and chase after the doctor, making the doctors all scared of her.” Speaking till here, Luo Old Madam couldn’t help but laugh, “When encountering this kind of situation again, the doctors would just attentively tell her, and Wan Wan would always be able to remember clearly, what one should do, what one shouldn’t do, what one can eat, and what one can’t eat. She would remember more clearly than anyone else. I would always tell her, these things, the servant girls can take care of, no need for her to remember. Yet, she would say, she was just going to do what she can do, and moreover, how can the servants compare with one’s loved ones. Indeed, how can the servants be comparable to one’s loved ones?
This subject believed, for this subject’s body to be able to take a turn for the better, Wan Wan’s influence was far greater than the medicine. As Wan Wan slowly grew up, this subject was also able to go outside and walk around. She would always just follow by my side, lightly holding my hand. All say, those that are ill can easily become willful. Sometimes, after walking a few steps, one would feel tired and don’t want to walk anymore. The doctor said, this subject needed to walk more, so she would just coax this subject like a coaxing child, incomparably patient, not minding the trouble at all. In actuality, she was the child that truly needed to be coaxed. Seeing her like this, who could bear to refuse, and how could one not have her placed in the bottom of one’s heart to pamper?
Moreover, Wan Wan has been smart since childhood, always able to think of some strange yet also particularly useful things. If this subject is unable to go out for a long time, she would just think of a way, letting the craftsman add wheels to the chair, and nail on a footrest, using this kind of method to have this subject taken outside. Then, worrying that the roads would be uneven and rugged, she would just let someone pave stone slabs on all the paths frequently used inside the manor. It can be said to be painstaking efforts.
Three years ago, at this subject’s side, aside from old four’s whole family, only Wan Wan remained. In reality, everyone in the capital all didn’t know that this subject fell severely ill once more. Moreover, it came very menacingly, and by just that tiny bit, this subject nearly let go of the earthly world. Three days, this subject was asleep for an entire three days. Wan Wan also didn’t close her eyes for an entire three days. She probably didn’t know, but this subject actually was conscious. It was the first time one learned, when she got angry, she was practically ruthless, not even recognizing one’s own family. She had her fourth uncle’s entire family scolded till they were drenched in dog’s blood, purely because they said this subject won’t make it. At that time, this subject already couldn’t swallow the medicine anymore, but she would just think of a way to pour it down, and from beginning to end, she had this subject’s hand grasped tightly, talking nonstop. This subject could feel her tears landing on one’s hand, but you were unable to hear her crying.
This subject just thought, my dear granddaughter was still this young, and her mother was an unreliable one, if this subject leaves just like this, won’t she not have anyone to love her? And with no one to watch over her, won’t she have to shoulder everything herself? How can this subject just let go like this? This subject needed to watch her grow up, watch her get married, watch her have children, and watch her attain happiness in everything. Unfortunately, in the matter of marriage, Wan Wan’s was just unfavorable………….” Luo Old Madam turned her gaze to Chen Zheng Min.
Everyone also all looked towards Chen Zheng Min. He had his head buried very low, so one was unable to see his expression, but everyone could all tell he was repressing himself. He was trying his hardest to endure silently.
“If not for Wan Wan, this subject’s burial mound afraid would’ve long grown gra.s.s, and this isn’t just saying. That’s why, your Majesty, please don’t blame Wan Wan for disrespecting the imperial clan, she wasn’t being intentional. As long as it concerned this subject’s health, she will be like a cat that got its tail stepped on.”
“Old madam, is being too serious, this emperor never blamed her to begin with. Hearing you say these, this emperor further can’t blame her. Now then, Ru Yu, you talk. The matter with you scheming against Chen Zheng Min, just what exactly happened? This emperor doesn’t want to hear you make excuses, and just wants to know the truth. This emperor waited a few days, and didn’t wait for nothing either. What needed to be investigated, this emperor has already investigated clearly. Now, let’s hear your explanation. As a junzhu of the imperial clan, going such shameless things, letting the imperial clan be humiliated, if you still dare to lie, you will be further punished.”
T/N: Gotta love how good grandma Luo is at manipulating the situation. She knew exactly what Le Cheng Emperor wanted to hear and deliberately said it in a way that makes him want to side with Jing Wan. It’s almost too cruel for Li Ru Yu to have to speak after this. It’s like presenting a project after someone who way overachieved.