Chapter 165.1: Pig Leader, Rumors Filling the Skies

How Huan Yiniang will be in the future, it practically can be foreseen. She probably never would’ve imagined that things would end up like this, right? She stroked her already fourth month pregnant stomach. This perhaps was her last hope. But, in this moment, her heart still couldn’t help but produce to a burst of panic. The old madam had her given to Liu-shi to fully take care of. She didn’t have power, nor influence, nor backing, and in the future, will probably be completely trapped inside. And only this way, can they best guarantee that she keeps her mouth shut. Whether or not this child can be born, that all depended on Liu-shi’s one word. She’d long heard that the old madam didn’t like yiniangs all that much, and each branch’s yiniangs, for the most part, all didn’t have the chance to appear before her. This time, she truly deeply experienced it firsthand. Further unlike certain families’ yiniangs, where they can curry favor with the old madam, and then suppress the main wife. In the Luo family rear court, this was practically just a pipe dream. Even if the old madam doesn’t like her daughter-in-law, she still wouldn’t let them, these concubines, come step on the main wife.

Just based on this bit, Luo Old Madam was definitely the best mother-in-law.

Liu-shi seemingly could tell what she was thinking, “Don’t worry, I won’t do anything to you. After all, without you, what will master do? Whether or not he thinks this, I don’t know, but you definitely thought this previously, so I naturally need to help fulfill your wish. That piece of flesh in your stomach, I also won’t touch. However, I suppose master won’t like other people serving him, so you’ll have to take care of him, and also take care of your child.” Liu-shi sighed like she was taking pity on her, “That’s why, you must properly take care of yourself.”

Huan Yiniang’s heart froze even more. This was Liu-shi’s true goal!

In this moment, Huan Yiniang even produced the thought of letting Luo Rong Ping quickly go die. But this won’t do, if he dies, she’ll probably really be dragged off to be buried with him.

Although her birth severed her possibility of becoming the main wife, she believed that based on her talent and beauty, as well as means, to want to firmly monopolize a man’s heart was very easy. Even if not the main wife, she would still be able to call the wind and rain, with no one daring to look down on her. Prior to today, she also thought that she was living this kind of life, yet turns out, it simply wasn’t the case. No matter how fierce she fought with Liu-shi, the Luo family all didn’t take her seriously. If they really wanted to sort her out, the man she relied on definitely wouldn’t be able to block. Before, it was nothing more than Liu-shi making the old madam annoyed, thus the old madam didn’t want to help her.

Did she hate? Of course she hated, but who should she hate? The old madam? Liu-shi? Her man? Or should she hate the heavens for being unjust?

Liu-shi glanced at the ‘forcibly pretending to be calm on the surface, but in reality was still nearing despair on the inside’ Huan Yiniang one last time. Liu-shi also felt she was really stupid in the past. She clearly had a mother-in-law that in this aspect, stood on the daughter-in-law’s side, yet she just had to insist on courting disaster, causing her to be displeased with her. Otherwise, no matter how frivolous Luo Rong Ping was, there still wouldn’t be this many vixens in this rear court. She then glanced towards the bedroom in the back, as if looking at that unconscious man on the bed through the wall. Even if he doesn’t die, he won’t be able to crawl up again either. This root of disaster can be considered to be thoroughly severed. In the future, she won’t need to live that tiredly. After the initial pleased feeling, her heart became peaceful again……………

Luo Pei Shan and Luo Old Madam, as well as their sons, each returned to their respective places to rest. Whether it was a night of good sleep, or tossing and turning in bed, unable to sleep, all set aside for now.

Qin Tian Ming, after leaving the yamen, already went before the Jin Qinwang Manor’s gates to ask for forgiveness. In the end, he was still a first-ranked Commander-in-Chief, so Li Hong Yuan didn’t really do anything to him, just letting him kneel for two hours. The people coming and going before a qinwang manor’s gates were few, but it’s not like there were none. That’s why, Qin Tian Ming’s matter will most likely become known to all. Just, Qin Tian Ming was a miserable potato. This begging for forgiveness was just done for outsiders to see, the true punishment was at night. Li Hong Yuan also didn’t say anything excessive, just having him dragged to the training grounds, the two of them exchanging moves.

Speaking of which, in terms of martial arts, to want to beat Li Hong Yuan one-on-one, afraid, was impossible. Moreover, he has been washed by the blood of the battlefield for several years, so to want to gamble one’s life against him, one would only die even faster. That’s why, the result of this ‘training’ was just Qin Tian Ming repeatedly getting beaten down onto the ground, his entire body, in all the unseen areas, all covered in bruises. Yet, he didn’t suffer serious injuries, so it wasn’t likely to affect his daily affairs. But at this very moment, it was very painful, extremely painful.

By the time Qin Tian Ming curled up on the ground, no longer able to crawl up again, Li Hong Yuan finally stopped, squatting down, “Know your mistake?”

“Master, this subordinate knows wrong.”

“Where were you wrong?”

“Not strict in teaching one’s daughter, not proper in educating one’s sons.”

“Qin Tian Ming, Luo third miss is your future female master, the only one. She and I are one, sharing life and death.”

Li Hong Yuan’s tone wasn’t heavy, but the weight of these words raised an enormous wave in Qin Tian Ming’s heart. Right now, he just felt, his master really was benevolent. That daughter of his committed such an offense, yet unexpectedly, didn’t lose a single strand of hair. And they, who suffered in her place, also just suffered injuries, and didn’t get crippled, and further didn’t die. Wasn’t this precisely great benevolence? “Master, don’t worry, there definitely won’t be a next time, or else, this subordinate will personally end that wretched daughter.”

“What to do over on your son-in-law’s side, no need for this prince to teach you, right?”

“Please rest assured master.”

“Fine, get lost then.” Li Hong Yuan got up, neither quickly nor slowly leaving. His figure very quickly faded into the darkness.

Qin Tian Ming stalled for a moment before slowly crawling up, gritting his teeth to endure his body’s screaming pain.

Li Hong Yuan returned to the study, “How’s Luo Rong Ping?”

“Replying to master, twenty percent chance of death, and eighty percent chance of paralysis.”

Li Hong Yuan didn’t ask anymore, “Starting from tomorrow, send some in season fruits to Wan Wan every day.”

“Master, don’t worry, this servant remembers.”

As for the Luo family, no news of death came from the third branch that night. It can be considered a great fortune among misfortune.

Today, there was no morning court, and the time for the yamen morning roll call can also be slightly delayed a little. Luo Pei Shan went to the third branch to see Luo Rong Ping. From the imperial physician that came to check the situation from time to time throughout the entire night, he learned that this third son of his managed to preserve his life. Luo Pei Shan slightly relaxed a breath. Although this bastard didn’t listen to him, obstinately clinging to his ways, and thinking that even if something bad happens to him, it was still his own fault, appearing incomparably cold on the surface, his heart in the end still softened a little. This way was also good. There won’t be anyone finding him unpleasant to the eyes anymore, wanting to sort him out, or even use him to ‘kill the chicken to warn the monkey’, asking for his life. And the Luo family also won’t get implicated because of him either.

When Jing Wan went to give her morning greetings to Luo Old Madam, she heard the specifics of the matter. Including the others, they actually all more or less had the same view as Luo Pei Shan. Of course, the great majority of the people didn’t really know the specifics, just assuming that Luo Rong Ping had gotten into an accident.

Because Luo Rong Ping lived, this matter could only be treated as an accident. But this didn’t mean that Luo Pei Shan will have a good face.

Whether or not others knew of this matter, one temporarily didn’t know, but the people of the Ministry of Appointments practically knew in clear detail. Seeing Luo Pei Shan’s dark and gloomy complexion, each and every one all didn’t dare to breath too loudly. When they saw him, they would just give him a quick greeting and then hurriedly leave. And those that saw him from far away directly took a detour around him, fearing that they might accidentally step on his landmine. Being ‘professional[1]‘ and ‘iron-blooded’ was what he was known for, so getting caught by the pigtails[2] by him, even if one didn’t die, one would still need to shed a layer of skin.

[1] I couldn’t think of a proper term in english that fits the meaning of [无私] in this context. The term itself translates to ‘selfless’, but in this context, it means more along the lines of someone who won’t judge a matter based on private or personal relations or connections, sort of like being strictly professional on a matter. Different from being fair or bias, because you can still be unfair in matter, just not because of anything personal.

[2] Pigtails in this context is a metaphor for ‘evidence of wrongdoing’ or ‘blackmail material’.