Chapter 412.2: Consequences
“The difficulty of investigating the latter is higher, while the feasibility of the former is smaller, but it’s not entirely impossible. In this prince’s view, the former’s possibility is instead greater. Regardless of whether not Shu Consort was the actual target, since she got poisoned, then she certainly must have came in contact with the other half of the poison. After all, the things Shu Consort consumed, the palace maids all tasted first. For her to have met with mishap, yet the palace maids were fine, then either the other half of the poison didn’t come from the food, or it’s just the palace maids having problems. Additionally, just for the sake of causing a disturbance, towards imperial father, towards the imperial consorts, as well as the various princes, for the most part, it was all useless. Judging from Shu Consort’s reaction, that should’ve been a strong poison, immediately seeing the effect after consuming. As such, it should be the court officials and foreign emissaries that are more likely to fall for it. However, what is the purpose of causing a disturbance? The foreign emissaries didn’t have their family clan’s interest involved within, so who would take this big of a risk? Unless there’s an imperial spy hidden in the palace……And to meticulously plot against a court official during a palace banquet, that further doesn’t make any sense. Operating outside the palace, no matter what, would all be easier than in the palace.” Li Hong Yuan although said this much, appearing to have many different possibilities, but in reality, some possibilities had prerequisites. As long as one figures out one of the segments, then several of the other possibilities can be eliminated.
“Her highness Shu Consort’s taste testing palace maid has already been interrogated under torture, originally sent into the palace by the Guan Jun Marquis Manor, first entering the palace at eleven years old, their family members all still at the Guan Jun Marquis Manor, and have already entered the palace for five six years. For the most part, impossible to be someone that has received special training, just an ordinary girl. Under strict interrogation via torture, the possibility of them lying is very low. As such, should be innocent.” Yu Zhong Qing stated.
“Regardless of whether or not they have problems, the ones that should be detained, need to be detained. Also, directly investigate the things Shu Consort has come in contact with tonight, everything two hours prior to the poisoning. If the source of the other half of the poison is found, then no need to do other pointless things.” Li Hong Yuan’s face already carried obvious annoyance.
Originally, after the evening banquet, there were still other activities, continuing all the way until midnight. Additionally, there also won’t be a court session tomorrow, and the court officials just need to report to their respective offices in the afternoon. The level of liveliness after the evening banquet can be comparable to the major festivals in a year. It should be cheers and laughter under the dazzling lights. For such an incident to occur, the good mood was gone and the interest was lacking, thus even more irritated.
Le Cheng Emperor also knew that for this son of his to have endured until now and not lash out, he was already at this limit. And in reality, towards tonight’s matter, Le Cheng Emperor was also incredibly disgusted with. More importantly, it was that sense of fear in which one’s life was invisibly threatened. Although he didn’t show it on the surface, in reality, he feared death more than anyone.
Since it was like this, he might as well take it to the extreme, letting the Black Clad Guards also intervene in this matter. The Black Clad Guards getting involved in the inside of the palace wasn’t anything good.
By the time the court officials learned of this, Li Su Yan had already led people to intervene. As such, the court officials also just shut their mouths.
Even the Empress was still in Qian Chen Hall, so Jing Wan and Li Hong Yuan naturally went back as well. Even now, it was still unclear exactly why Le Cheng Emperor let them take a trip to Ganlu Palace. Was it merely to let them go rest for a moment?
And as for Gong Qinw.a.n.g that followed over under the banner of ‘being worried about Shu Consort Qin’, that was truly having the role of the background board played out from beginning to end. At first, because of worrying about getting punished by Le Cheng Emperor, his heart was endlessly restless, yet in the end, Le Cheng Emperor didn’t even spare him a glance. Between the two, don’t know which situation left a greater physiological shadow.
Compared to the others’ uneasiness, or worry, or fear, Li Hong Yuan just appeared exceptionally offensive to the eyes, continuing to drink, continuing to eat, seemingly not the least bit worried that he might follow Shu Consort Qin’s footsteps. In Jing Wan’s eyes, he just felt a bit cold-hearted. Even if he didn’t have any feelings towards Shu Consort Qin, for better or worse, she was still someone that stood on his side, so being like this, was it really okay?
Jing Wan, of course, won’t because of this bit of trivial matter just have a complaint towards him. “If it had been me that got poisoned, what would w.a.n.gye do?”
The wine cup had just reached Li Hong Yuan’s lips. Upon hearing this, his hand stopped, looking to Jing Wan and hooking a shallow smile, “Wan Wan don’t say this kind of thing, people will die.”
The smile was still that familiar smile, but what Jing Wan sensed was an unprecedented coldness, the kind of coldness that was able to freeze one’s flesh and soul. That kind of dreadful feeling made Jing Wan seemingly see a mountain of corpses and sea of blood construct behind him. This seemingly was the true Living Enma!
“Wan Wan is scared of me?” Li Hong Yuan was still smiling, but that smile nevertheless was even more terrifying.
Jing Wan came to her senses, meeting with Li Hong Yuan’s serene and bottomless eyes, reaching out to grasp his hand, “Not scared of you, just don’t like the feeling Ah Yuan is giving off.”
Li Hong Yuan’s smile didn’t reduce, just that terrifying feeling disappeared, and his eyes also dyed with tangible warmth, “Regardless of what, this husband will never harm you. However, in the future, some words, Wan Wan shouldn’t thoughtlessly say. This husband doesn’t like hearing, and will be unhappy. Once unhappy, don’t know what one will do, understand?”
“Will you kill someone?” Jing Wan strangely didn’t want to avoid this question.
“Heh, indeed, and moreover, it definitely won’t be just one or two. That scene, Wan Wan definitely won’t be willing to see.”
Jing Wan quietly stared at him for a moment, and afterwards, opened her mouth, “Killing one is as a sin, slaughtering thousands is as masculine. Slaughtering nine million considered as man among men, yet as man among men, the thoughts are different, seeing through the hundred years of a benevolent and righteous name, just wanting to inspire awe in this life. Not loving the good name, instead loving the evil name, killing millions, yet the heart does not reprimand. Rather the others grit their teeth in hatred, then to not have one to scold me
[1].”
(T/N: This is a quote from the poem ‘Poem of Men (男儿行)’ written by Qiu Sheng (仇圣) in 1995; see footnotes for explanation. Please bear with my rough translation, I’m literally dying inside.)
Li Hong Yuan was slightly astounded. These words of his wife’s really were quite bold. However, “Wan Wan, this is secretly swapping out the concept. Your husband, I, don’t have that kind of righteousness.” In his past life, perhaps there was a little, but in this life, he truly was narrow-minded to the point where he just wanted to hold up a piece of heaven for the person at the tip of his heart.
“No, I’m just telling Ah Yuan my att.i.tude, that’s all.” Because it’s you, that’s why I can all accept.
Of course, one can’t cross the bottom line. Choosing one’s family or one’s lover, this kind of proposition, unless it’s having problems in the head, otherwise all won’t easily make a decision. And as long as one wants to keep the relations.h.i.+p between one another harmonious and beautiful, growing old together, then one won’t stupidly create this kind of proposition for the other party. Li Hong Yuan naturally won’t do this kind of thing.
In reality, ever since Jing Wan married Li Hong Yuan, certain moral bottom lines of hers have also been renewing day by day, becoming lower and lower. If placed in the past, Li Hong Yuan harming the innocent, Jing Wan certainly won’t approve, but now, perhaps she still won’t approve, but she also won’t carry much negative emotions. And towards those that were harmful towards them, she probably further won’t be lenient and merciful.
Seemingly, between the two, the atmosphere became intimately close, as if there was no one else around, naturally forming into a piece of heaven and earth, the others all getting shut out.
That scene very much p.r.i.c.ked the eyes.
The melancholic air inside Gong Qinw.a.n.g had a hard time dissipating, suddenly standing up, aggressively walking before Li Hong Yuan and them in large strides, “Shu consort mother is currently suffering from poison and still unconscious, her life and death unclear, yet sixth brother is being intimate with one’s w.a.n.gfei, filled with smiles. What is the meaning of this? ————As the daughter-in-law of the imperial family, one should ought to be chaste and dignified, yet sixth sister-in-law openly laughs and giggles with one’s husband in public under numerous eyes, does one not know shame? Afraid even those women of the lowest profession all wouldn’t do this kind of thing.”
Jing Wan’s face was deathly pale. She and her husband perhaps were a little close, but they still maintained propriety, yet got said to be this unsightly by someone for no reason. Even saints would all be angered.
Gong Qinw.a.n.g met with Jing Wan’s angry glare, not the least bit bothered, coldly sneering, “What…………”
Li Hong Yuan threw down the cup and got up, singlehandedly clutching Gong Qinw.a.n.g’s nape and slamming him onto the table. The cups and dishes on the table either got overturned or fell onto the ground, loudly echoing through the hall.
Li Hong Yuan conveniently picked up a plate, directly smas.h.i.+ng it onto Gong Qinw.a.n.g’s head. That remaining piece in his hand, with a flick of his wrist, just sc.r.a.ped past Gong Qinw.a.n.g’s neck and firmly penetrated into the tabletop, leaving behind a trail of blood.
Gong Qinw.a.n.g painfully screamed out, yet as a result, got his neck firmly stepped on by Li Hong Yuan, making him immediately lose his voice.
Once Li Hong Yuan stopped, Gong Qinw.a.n.g slightly returned to his senses, but precisely because of this, he instead became increasingly terrified. Never mind continuing to say something, this series of unforeseen events made him almost lose his soul. And because things had happened too quickly, the people in the surrounding simply didn’t react in time, just subconsciously getting up and going forward, seemingly wanting to stop them. Yet, by the time Li Hong Yuan stopped, each and everyone were like as if frozen in place, hesitating to move.
Li Hong Yuan didn’t have any emotions on his face, having his foot retracted, landing it on Gong Qinw.a.n.g’s back, his movements neither quick nor sluggish, his bearing not damaged in the slightest. Turning his head towards Jing Wan, he raised his chin. Jing Wan got up along his motion and retreated two steps. It was obvious, she didn’t have any intention of stopping Li Hong Yuan.
Li Hong Yuan lifted up the hem of his gown, his other foot also stepping onto the tabletop as he crouched down, pressing the outer edge of that broken shard. The sharp edge pressed against the b.l.o.o.d.y cut on Gong Qinw.a.n.g neck, “Just now, what did you say, this prince didn’t hear clearly, why don’t you say it one more time.”
[1] Whenever Jing Wan starts quoting poetry, I start screaming inside. Fortunately, this poem has an explanation and break down of it on baidu, so I’ll just translate that explanation here. The part Jing Wan quotes comes from the second segment, so I’ll just explain the meaning of that part and not the whole poem, because this poem is really long.
Overall the poem is fairly straightforward in its meaning, if you kill one person, you’re a sinner, but if you kill thousands or even millions, you’re regarded as a hero. However, heroes all say their thoughts are different, not wanting a righteous and good reputation in history, just wanting to be awe-inspiring in this lifetime. They don’t want a good reputation, instead partial towards a bad reputation, having no qualms about killing millions, yet they would rather have thousands of people hate them, then to not have one to scold them.
Do note that this is just a few lines from the whole poem, I’m not sure about the background and context of the actual poem either, so I don’t want to over-explain something I’m unsure about. I really hate interpreting poetry.