Chapter 294.1: He’s Good, Everyone’s Good
On the contrary, those subordinates behind him that belonged to Li Hong Yuan, previously still slightly giving face, quietly residing on the small boat in the rear, at this time, increased their speed, swiftly and orderly gathering before Li Hong Yuan, kneeling down on one knee, “We subordinates greet the two masters.”
“You all may rise.” Li Hong Yuan indifferently spoke.
After getting up, they rowed the small boats to the two sides, residing on the two sides, waiting to take orders at any time.
Jing Wan’s attention at first was on that elderly man, but hearing these people’s address, she slightly raised her brow, revealing a light smile, gladly accepting.
She originally wanted to look at what her and Li Hong Yuan’s body double were like, but very regretfully, the disguise on their face was already gone, so could only tell which ones were them from their clothing.
Just looking at their figure, they were indeed ninety percent similar, but what further attracted her attention wasn’t Li Hong Yuan’s body double, but rather her own.
She and Li Hong Yuan have only been married for two months. In such a short time frame, was one able to mold out an extremely resembling body double? Or perhaps, prior to this, he’d already been preparing, but was this possible? After all, this body double wasn’t the same as the ones in the dramas of her past life, just needing a figure or rear view, but rather needing to possess both spirit and form. On some small details and small habits, all can’t reveal any mistakes in order for it to be considered perfect. Prior to marrying, they’d only met a few times, so to what degree can the understanding towards her be? That’s why, towards this body double’s level of perfection, Jing Wan expressed her doubts, but perhaps she was thinking too much, as there may not be the need to be that perfect, just needing to fool the people that were unfamiliar with her.
If there’s the opportunity, she’ll just check again. Right now wasn’t the time to talk about this.
Yu Zhong Qing went forward again, “Greeting w.a.n.gye, w.a.n.gfei.” Although he didn’t approve of Li Hong Yuan appearing here, but things have already become a set conclusion, in addition to the current circ.u.mstances not allowing it, he thus didn’t say too much.
“You’re excused. To have tired Sir Yu these last few days.” Li Hong Yuan was rather amiable.
Even Jing Wan slightly casted a side glance. When did he become a normal, or perhaps should say, ordinary w.a.n.gye character?
“w.a.n.gye is too serious, it was not at all tiring.” In reality, it was indeed not that tiring. Although his duties for this trip was acting under imperial order in protecting and monitoring Jin Qinw.a.n.g, but in reality, he just needed to act according to Jin Qinw.a.n.g’s orders. And as the saying goes, ‘each have what one specializes in’, so he for the most part won’t have any problems, being even more leisure and comfortable than in the palace.
“Why don’t you withdraw for now.”
“Yes.”
Afterwards, Li Hong Yuan finally gave face and looked towards the elderly man, two pairs of eyes intersecting. The atmosphere strangely just became a bit heavy. Quite a few people didn’t dare to breath too loudly.
In Jing Wan’s eyes, it was seemingly a bit like competing in loftiness, just seeing who’s the first to get impatient.
“w.a.n.gye has already grown this big, having gotten married. Presumably should also have a few children.” The elderly man had a face full of sentiment, his tone not strong, even warm, but clearly considering himself as an elder. In his eyes, Li Hong Yuan was just that child he hadn’t seen in a long time, feeling gratified, yet also feeling guilty.
In this instant, Jing Wan’s good feelings towards this person plummeted. Truthfully speaking, she’d gotten disgusted.
Twenty some years, neither caring nor questioning, yet now, meeting for the first time, it was just this revolting behavior? Who do you think you are, actually having yourself taken seriously, treating yourself as someone important, huh? Never mind that Li Hong Yuan’s birth mother had gotten expelled from the clan by your Pei family, and so between you two, there’s simply no relations, even if forcibly wanting to claim relations, don’t forget, he’s a prince, holding the honors of a qinw.a.n.g. And you, in essence just a ‘commoner’. When meeting, that is also needing to perform a formal bow.
Additionally, if truly having the aspirations to return to the imperial court, once again wielding power, letting the Pei clan, this ill.u.s.trious clan’s name match in reality, and with this outer grandson that holds blood relations with the Pei clan even being viewed as the crucial link, then would have a hundred percent paid attention to his situation. Yet right now, it was like knowing nothing at all. And this children and whatnot, specially said to disgust her, right?
However, just thinking about it, for a family clan, what they emphasized on the most was precisely having many branches and lush leaves, practically just a place to specifically breed stallions. And the old and young masters having a pile of wives and concubines, that was the norm.
Moreover, their demands towards their wives afraid was needing to be even more gentle and virtuous than the Empress. After all, the Li imperial clan was less than a hundred years old, coming from a peasant background. In terms of rules and etiquette, afraid they were still being looked down on by these large influential families. And a large influential family’s matriarch naturally was the paragon of rules and etiquette, else that position absolutely won’t be stable.
According to the circ.u.mstances Jing Wan learned from Li Hong Yuan, at the time, his mother had been abandoned quite thoroughly, penniless and alone. Just think, as long as having a bit of feelings, no matter what, all would carefully consider for her. Giving some money to depend on, then arranging a few people to take care of her, that should be the proper rationale. Le Cheng Emperor liked her, so could it be that he would even refuse these? Even if following Le Cheng Emperor, who at the time still wasn’t the emperor yet, she didn’t need to worry about food and clothing, but this wasn’t the crucial point of the problem. The crucial point was the intention. To be that cold and fickle, how heartbreaking was that?
Now that there was the need, to just approach again, even a look of nothing ever happening before, being shameless to this degree, was also genuinely incredible.
Li Hong Yuan perhaps was also shameless, having no need for face, but he played openly and honorably, even boldly and self-confidently, never once denying it. But this person, while clearly doing the most disgusting thing, yet insist on standing at the highest peak of morality and virtue, having oneself flaunted as a saint. Compared with the most underhanded degenerate, he made one even more disgusted.
Li Hong Yuan hooked the corner of his mouth, coldly sneering, “In the entirety of Qi Yuan, there’s no one that dares to use this kind of tone with this prince. Where the h.e.l.l did you come from, to dare rely on old age to flaunt before this prince.”
The old man choked, probably never expecting that he would be this blunt. However, his expression didn’t change, just lightly sighing, carrying a bit of indulgence and helplessness, “w.a.n.gye, I’m your maternal grandfather, Jiangnan Pei clan’s clan leader. Your birth mother was my only di daughter. This, don’t know if his Majesty has mentioned to you before?”
“Maternal grandfather? Jiangnan Pei clan? This prince just knows that one’s birth mother was a nameless orphan girl, and being deeply favored by the emperor, thus obtained the t.i.tle of Imperial n.o.ble Consort, so what is this so-called maiden family.”
The Pei clan leader aptly displayed a resentful look, clearly not directed towards Li Hong Yuan, instead looking to him quite affectionately, “The Pei clan, in the beginning of Qi Yuan’s founding, withdrew from the imperial court, vowing to not have relations with the Li imperial clan. His Majesty at the time had yet to ascend the throne. When on an a.s.signment in Jiangnan, he incidentally saw your mother, fancying her beauty, disregarding your mother’s waiting to be married status, forcibly seizing………..” As he spoke, he just filled with grief, “It’s us that’s sorry to your mother, sorry to you.”
Li Hong Yuan’s face was full of mockery. If switched with someone else, perhaps more or less would all be moved a little, but unfortunately, Li Hong Yuan not only was aware of all the cause and effect, he was even a first cla.s.s cold-hearted person. Towards this so called maternal grandfather of his, in his past life, he’d already experienced before, but by that time, he’d already ascended the throne as emperor, so this person’s att.i.tude was set relatively low. Moreover, his temper at the time was also quite bad, the kind where one word out of line and you’ll just get executed, so this person naturally didn’t dare to put on airs.
When learning that the one previously ‘invited’ was nothing more than a body double, he’d already predicted that ’emotionally moving’ this outer grandson was going to be much harder than antic.i.p.ated. And originally, he also didn’t believe that with just a few words, he would be able to succeed. If he really were to succeed like this, then he ought to be disappointed. As such, he also just displayed a ‘getting treated like this by one’s own outer grandson’ kind of sorrow.
At the same time the difficulty of the matter upgraded, the Pei clan leader was actually quite happy inside. This just means, this outer grandson really wasn’t that ‘ambition-less’ as appeared on the surface. Only by having ambition would he and the Pei clan have a chance. He believed, the benefits brought about by the Pei clan, for any prince that was eyeing the throne, all won’t refuse.
Jing Wan has seen plenty of Oscar-level actors before, but truthfully speaking, this Pei clan leader that she was meeting for the first time strangely made her feel the most disgusted.
“w.a.n.gye’s journey has been laborious, so how about resting a little. The rest, we can slowly discuss later, how about it?” Seeing Li Hong Yuan seemingly unmoved, the Pei clan leader smiled, “w.a.n.gye coming personally, even able to directly find this place, presumably won’t just be for wanting to have your people taken back.” That’s why, that bit of thought of yours, I all know, so don’t be unreasonable. “Regardless of whether or not your mother is a Pei clan daughter on the surface, that blood relation ultimately can’t be severed, right w.a.n.gye?”
“w.a.n.gye, this wife is also a bit tired, so how about we just rest our feet. This wife heard that Imperial n.o.ble Consort is a heavenly beauty, just don’t know how peerless and magnificent, so also want to learn a thing or two. w.a.n.gye also wants to know, right?” Jing Wan softly spoke with a smile.