Chapter 354: Pei Xiu Ying s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g Over Her Great-Grandfather
Li Hong Yuan stood with his hands behind his back, looking down at the Pei clan leader from above. Tsk, already at this time, yet still not forgetting to scheme, the living Enma expressed he was very unhappy.
“……………..This commoner is aware that one has committed a great blunder, angering w.a.n.gye, but it’s all this commoner…………” The Pei clan leader’s face flashed with pain, “…………all the main family’s doing. The other clansmen were all unaware. As the saying goes, the one who is ignorant is not at fault, asking w.a.n.gye to please give them a way out.” These words sounded very genuine and sincere.
As long as his voice ended, the people beside him also humbly began begging forgiveness, asking Li Hong Yuan to have mercy. However, these people didn’t plea for themselves. In that case, was it that the Pei clan leader’s prestige was too high, or prior to coming out, it was already planned? As the saying goes, the ma.s.s do not get punished. The Pei clan leader believed that although he schemed against Li Hong Yuan, he didn’t really bring about the slightest harm towards him. He has already made the Pei clan fall to this degree, so wouldn’t really go as far as to kill them, especially now that his relations.h.i.+p with the Pei clan has been revealed. If he is too ruthless, he will certainly be denounced by others. Being this ruthless and heartless, even exterminating one’s blood relatives, his Majesty certainly won’t like.
The Pei clan leader was precisely certain of this bit thus would have Li Hong Yuan being the true mastermind that ‘persecuted’ the Pei clan exposed publicly under numerous eyes, then threatening with the public opinion, forcing Li Hong Yuan to be unable to do anything further to the Pei clan. Even if the Pei clan were to suddenly shrink, or even withdraw from the ranks of influential families, as long as the Pei clan’s foundation is still there, and moreover, now that it has already been revealed, the Pei clan also no longer need to have misgivings towards the ultimatum of not entering the imperial court and not having relation with the imperial clan, based on the Pei clan’s background, and numerous outstanding descendants, for the Pei clan to stand up again, it was nothing more than a matter of time.
Because of various visions, even at this stage now, the Pei clan leader was still burning with pa.s.sion inside, not at all dispirited.
That’s why, the Pei clan leader had clearly already suffered a big loss due to ‘believing himself to be infallible’, yet his conduct now was still the same as usual. The Pei clan perhaps still has a day when they will rise again, but it absolutely won’t have anything to do with him. Li Hong Yuan’s inherent nature absolutely won’t accept being threatened.
Perhaps because of not receiving a response from Li Hong Yuan for a long time, someone carefully lifted their head. And when a certain few clearly saw Li Hong Yuan’s appearance, they immediately froze, especially the ones by the Pei clan leader’s side that just appeared younger than him, yet were still elderly. Clearly they were all the Pei clan leader’s sons, further staring at him in a daze……………
“Alike, really just too alike. These facial features practically were just like having been carved from the same mold as younger sister. No wonder after mother saw him, fell ill…………….” Soon after, he finally realized the inappropriateness, “w.a.n.gye, please forgive me, this commoner didn’t have that intention. Mother, due to thinking of younger sister for years on end, the acc.u.mulated grief becoming a disease, after seeing w.a.n.gye, suffered shock thus…………….”
Li Hong Yuan hooked his lips and coldly smiled. This don’t know which number blood related maternal uncle of his no longer dared to continue.
In the entire Pei County who didn’t know that the Pei clan’s clan leader madam had already pa.s.sed away. Reasonably speaking, after meeting one’s outer grandson, it was possible for one’s body to be unable to withstand the intense emotions, but unless already at one’s end to begin with, and after seeing someone one missed, no longer having regrets, shortly fading to the nine springs with a smile, otherwise, as long as that period pa.s.sed, as the saying goes, ‘people encountering happy occasions the spirit becomes refreshed’, afterwards, one should be even more healthy. Yet, the outcome was falling severely ill and never recovering, from then on, breathing one’s last breath. The Pei clan leader madam had succ.u.mbed to illness, but didn’t just pa.s.s away in a day or two. That’s why, it made some people suspect, this shock perhaps wasn’t necessarily ‘happy’. Perhaps, it was just Jin Qinw.a.n.g being too heartless, saying something or perhaps doing something that made the old madam truly suffer a blow.
And under the stirring of people with ulterior motives, the people of Pei County can be said to know very much about Li Hong Yuan.
Li Hong Yuan finally came down from the horse carriage, walking before the Pei clan leader, “Pei clan leader has put in painstaking efforts, so why not personally act out a good play of ‘blood splattering on the spot’? Wouldn’t the effect be even more wonderful?”
These words were neither light nor heavy. The people watching in the surroundings were unable to hear, but the people near him heard very clearly.
The Pei clan leader’s entire body froze, faintly feeling that he might’ve…………
“w.a.n.gye must be joking. This commoner is wholeheartedly begging forgiveness, having no other intentions.”
“Great-grandfather truly don’t have other intentions? Wasn’t it that great-grandmother’s condition had greatly improved, but you deliberately stopped her medicine precisely, for the sake of scheming against her di-related outer grandson, so that you can achieve certain unspeakable goals, causing great-grandmother to have anger attack the heart and die vomiting blood?” Not far behind him, Pei Xiu Ying who was dressed in mourning clothes suddenly stood up, her voice crisp, voicing the ‘inside story’. And in her voice, there was even a faint trace of extremely repressed grief and sorrow.
Everyone’s gaze turned towards Pei Xiu Ying, their expression all different. Among them, it was naturally mostly shock.
The Pei clan leader, rather, didn’t turn back. Just, his two fists were tightly clenched, and his relaxed face seemingly was all about to be stretched flat. Because his head was slightly lowered, the emotions in his eyes, no one saw.
However, Pei Xiu Ying wasn’t finished, “……………..That year, you disregarded the feelings of your own flesh and blood, having great-aunt pushed out, causing great-grandmother to be deeply heartbroken. She has accompanied by your side for several decades. Even if there’s not contributions, she has still given birth to children for you. Others all see that she’s limitlessly grand, but in this rear court of yours where you insist on controlling everything inside and out, what difference is there from that dried up puppet? Have you ever truly given her the least bit of honor and glory before? And now, you also disregard the sentiments between husband and wife, for the sake of achieving your goal, not hesitating to kill your wife. How can your heart bear?”
Some people’s gaze towards the Pei clan leader was a bit peculiar. Truthfully speaking, you, as a grown man, and even the clan leader, to even insist on fully controlling the rear court, heheh………………
“…………In terms of family hierarchy, I should be Jin Qinw.a.n.g’s biao niece, yet you scheme to nearly have me sent onto his bed. Under normal circ.u.mstances, it’s also nothing more than getting criticized a few words by others, but for someone that frequently has the mannerism and rules of an influential family hung by the mouth, doing this kind of thing, such hypocrisy, how can others not hold in contempt? Moreover, you have always told me that I’m the most honorable influential family di daughter. I have my dignity and pride, yet you treat me as such? Is it really as certain rumors say, we are all just your playthings for obtaining benefits, simply not having the slightest affection?”
Pei Xiu Ying’s voice was somewhat choked with emotions, yet her every word and every sentence were exceptionally clear.
The people around her, because were all of the younger generation, in addition to Pei Xiu Ying’s position being high on normal days, no one dared to retort. And now, they were further frightened by her to the point of going limp in the arms and legs. For a moment, no one stopped her, and her parents and grandparents were also frightened to the point of nearly losing their soul. However, just when they wanted to stand up, they just got ‘stopped’ by Li Hong Yuan’s slightly low voice.
“I know that for me to say these, it’s greatly unfilial, but it’s truly that great-grandfather has made one’s heart turn cold, further doing things that will have the Pei clan pushed towards the abyss. Right now, you still want to scheme against Jin Qinw.a.n.g, but have you ever thought of consequences? It’s true that Jin Qinw.a.n.g is the Pei clan’s outer grandson, but he’s an imperial prince first and foremost, and then everything else afterwards. If angering his Majesty, what will happen to the Pei clan? Great-grandfather, don’t continue to stubbornly go the wrong way. Once the Pei clan is truly gone, it’ll be too late to regret.” Speaking to here, Pei Xiu Ying suddenly took out a dagger and just ruthlessly stabbed into her neck. That dagger was exceptionally sharp. In an instant, the blood just flowed out along the dagger……………
Pei Xiu Ying’s face flashed with an exceptionally complicated emotion, and afterwards, her gaze began to dissolve, her body going limp, beginning to fall downward.
All of this happened too suddenly, and the people by her side for the most part all had their heads lowered. All the way until she collapsed, seeing the fresh blood, did each and every one finally scream in fear, scattering in all directions. Thus, the area around Pei Xiu Ying was completely empty, with just her left lying in the middle. The white clothes mixing with the glaring red, such bright contrast strangely made one somewhat alarmed and fearful.
‘Exterminating one’s family in the name of justice’, this kind of thing, some people would praise, but there were also those that felt this kind of person was cruel and unscrupulous, not only unfilial, but further disloyal, heartless, and unjust. In short, if switch with their own family, they would’ve had the person strangled to death. As such, there didn’t lack those that greatly cursed Pei Xiu Ying inside, and naturally, there were also those that suspected the truthfulness of this. After all, the Pei clan leader had a beautiful reputation outside……………….
But now, the person was dead, having committed suicide, without the slightest hesitation, using their own life in sacrifice. She perhaps was unfilial, but she used her life to atone, so regardless of what, it all can be wiped clean.
The Pei clan leader at this time finally stood up, his entire body faintly trembling somewhat, slowly turning around. Seeing Pei Xiu Ying collapsed in the pool of blood, dying with grievance, his eyes penetrated with deep disbelief, as well as unrestrainable rage! He actually got set up by the person he meticulously cultivated, and moreover, because the other party was dead, he doesn’t need to think about was.h.i.+ng clean anymore. Compared with a life that ended under numerous eyes, his words, no one will believe.
He thought that everything was all within his control, yet now, reality gave him a ruthless slap. What he thought was nothing more than a pretty good p.a.w.n, and even if discarded, he can still squeeze dry some more……………
“How does it feel to get bitten in return?” Li Hong Yuan’s voice that slightly carried a laughter sounded from behind him.
T/N: The Jiangnan arc is wrapping up soon, although there will be certain things and characters from this arc that will carry over to the later arcs.