Chapter 166.1: For Better or Worse, Punishing, Leaving the Capital

Heavens, who is this sweet naive idiot? Please bring back the cold flower of the high peaks!

All say once pregnant, foolish for three years. This child had just appeared in her stomach for not long, yet she was already beginning to become foolish? “Quickly wake up, stop dreaming.”

Sun Yi Jia pursed her lips. She also knew she was being too optimistic. The villa full of beauties Jin Qinwang raised, weren’t they all perfectly fine? For Jin Qinwang to curse wives to that extent, it was already very strange. If he really were to curse all women that came near him, then there really won’t be anyone that dare to approach him. Suppose by then, even his Majesty would all suspect whether or not this son of his had problems.

“Let’s not talk about these anymore, quite boring.” Sun Yi Jia continued eating, “The weather is getting increasingly hot. According to custom practice, starting from next month, his Majesty will be heading to Chengde Imperial Residence[1] to escape from the summer heat. Grandfather will definitely be called by his Majesty to accompany along, and grandmother most likely will also follow, so you won’t be able to escape either. Just, I don’t know if I’ll be going or not.”

“Of course, you’ll be going. Heard pregnancy is very exhausting, so naturally it’s to go wherever it’s comfortable.”

“The imperial summer residence is just that big, and is entirely prepared for his Majesty, the imperial consorts and concubines, as well as the princes, to reside in. The villas for the court officials are all built leaning along the imperial summer residence, so the area is naturally much smaller than the manor residences in the capital. If too many people go, there most likely won’t be enough room. Moreover, each family’s villa are all very close together, able to be seen as soon as one exits the gates, so there’ll certainly be a lot of annoying matters and annoying people.” This was Sun Yi Jia speaking from experience. In past years, when she hadn’t married, she was already too impatient to deal with them, and now that she’s married, the ones that she’ll come in contact with more will certainly be those similarly married young madams. She had quite a few ‘old acquaintances’ that were the same age as her, as well as a few years older than her. It’ll definitely be noisy.

Jing Wan thought for a moment, it was indeed this way. The closer people lived, the more ‘lively’ it’ll certainly be. The women of the upper class wealthy families’ rear court were already extremely bored to begin with, even if there’s nothing, it can all be stirred into trouble by them. The same matter, with that mouth of theirs opening and closing, the good and bad were all able to come out.

“You’ll have me accompanying you. Right now, I’m the same as Jin Qinwang, belonging to ‘Gui Jian Chou[2]

‘ type, no one can afford to offend.”

Gong Qinwang, these last two days, was unable to obtain a good face from his father-in-law, becoming quite miserable and pitiful looking. Because there were other matters pressing down on top, this matter didn’t become the headliner. However, Luo Pei Shan had it told to Luo Old Madam for fun, and Luo Old Madam had it told to Jing Wan. That’s why Jing Wan was able to know that clearly.

In the end, the reason was Gong Wangfei, but the root was still Jing Wan.

When Jin Qinwang looked for Gong Qinwang, he didn’t obediently drink the wine, and even said something he shouldn’t have said, so naturally it was just the people of Gong Wangfei’s maiden family, his in-law family, that had to come out to take the fall. The Left Commander-in-Chief’s three sons got injured, and he himself kneeled outside Jin Qinwang Manor’s gates for two hours. This kind of thing has never even happened on Le Cheng Emperor’s side before, and he can be considered to have lost all face. But the main culprit was his own biological daughter, the Left Commander-in-Chief at most just let his madam say a few words to her. And as for Gong Qinwang, who didn’t have this matter taken care of properly, he naturally just became the target of the Left Commander-in-Chief’s wrath. But that person was a prince, rank of a qinwang, the Left Commander-in-Chief no matter what was still just a subject. Since he can’t do anything substantial, then it was just giving a cold face, a cold war. Gong Qinwang, due to his status, when speaking and conducting himself, definitely won’t really lower himself to please others, and thus, the Left Commander-in-Chief increasingly ‘abided strictly’ by the role of a subject, pulling further and further apart. But he was Gong Qinwang’s most relied on person, making him vomit to death, and hate to death.

The so called mud man all still had three part earthly qualities[3]. On normal days, Gong Qinwang has always nicely pampered Gong Wangfei, yet now got his face dropped like this by her old man, so naturally just vented his anger out on her, practically loitering in other beauties’ nest everyday. Gong Wangfei, as usual, ‘made an unreasonable scene’, acting out towards those beauties, yet for the first time, met with Gong Qinwang’s scolding———-a shrew, easily jealous, and making him lose all face. In that instant, Gong Wangfei felt it was inconceivable, and shouted and screamed at Gong Qinwang. As a result, one slap made her thoroughly settle down. The heavens collapsing and the earth crumbling was probably nothing more than this.

Gong Wangfei cried all the way back to Guan Jun Marquis Manor. Although it was actually her grandfather that was the Guan Jun Marquis, her father was the one that held the number one authority. Her mother did feel rather sorry for her, but Qin Tian Ming was just a military general through and through, and wasn’t moved by her tantrum. So what if she was a qin-wangfei, standing on his territory, she was just his daughter. Even if she becomes a dragon, still need to curl up. To dare scream at him, looking for a beating?

Thus, Gong Wangfei, who has been insolent for many years, on the same day, suffered heavy losses twice, and instantly, just like that fully blooming tender flower losing water, withered. In the end, she was still a qin-wangfei, and was different from ordinary daughter-in-laws, so she can’t possibly stay at her maiden home for too long. Even if she were to stay for one night, the next day, afraid she’ll be issued an imperial decree from the Empress to reprimand her. Thus, the qin-wangfei procession, however they came was however they returned. Regardless whether it was deferentially welcoming or respectfully sending off, the Guan Jun Marquis Manor’s etiquette was all very ample.

However, in the carriage, Gong Wangfei didn’t have the slightest sense of superiority, because she has already personally learned through experience that all her honor and glory really all came from her father. She once continuously denied this bit, believing that others were just jealous of her ability to obtain all of her husband’s pampering, and even without her father, her husband would still be the same towards her. This time, she truly woke from her sweet dreams. That feeling of falling from the high clouds into the dust will forever be extremely painful. Did she hated? Certainly, but she didn’t dare retaliate against Jing Wan, purely because of what Qin Tian Ming told her————–If one angers the living Enma, he really is capable of doing anything. If he were to kill her old man in anger, and even if killing a first-ranked high official without reason is a serious crime, would his Majesty really kill his own son for the sake of a subject? At most it would just be reducing his nobility rank. Based on his Majesty’s doting towards Jin Qinwang, perhaps it’ll just be a light punishment and heavy warning, yet her old man’s life will truly be gone for real. The Guan Jun Marquis Manor, without the Left Commander-in-Chief, can only just wait to be divided up by others. And her losing her father means that she can only wait to be neglected, or even get divorced.

That’s why, she, a dignified qin-wangfei, couldn’t do anything to a ‘subject’s daughter’, feeling both vexed and sullen.

Not only that, but no matter how Gong Wangfei forcibly pretended, she still wasn’t as radiant as in the past, so naturally, she’ll get taunted and ridiculed on the surface and in the dark by her zhoulis. And there was nothing more vexing than this.

Luo Jing Wan was just a plague god. Since one can’t afford to offend, then can only avoid.

Things that Jing Wan knew of, Sun Yi Jia naturally also knew, smiling yet not smiling as she looked to her, “Judging from little sister Wan’s meaning, it seems you’re even quite honored?”

“Of course.” Jing Wan nodded, deeply believing this to be correct.

“This skin of yours is getting thicker and thicker.”

“If having thick skin can make one impervious to harm, then having even thicker skin is also okay.”

Just like Jin Qinwang, Li Hong Yuan, if his skin isn’t thick, would he be able to hold his fiancee and begin eating? Definitely not.

Fine, Sun Yi Jia got defeated by Jing Wan’s reasoning, but please, that was towards the outside alright?! “But, Gui Jian Chou, are you able to accompany me at all times? In the past, you’ve always been grandmother’s intimate little cotton-padded jacket. If you waste all your time on me, grandmother will definitely get jealous. That way, wouldn’t my offense be enormous?”

“That’s even easy, without me, isn’t there still my third brother?”

“Your third brother, a grown man, further can’t revolve around me all day, what will that be like.”

“No need to accompany you everyday, just need to appear at appropriate times. That way the ‘dog abuse[4]‘ effect will be better.”

Sun Yi Jia was a bit stupefied. Every single word little sister Wan said, she was all able to understand, but how come when combined together, she didn’t understand too well? Dog abuse? What did this have anything to do with dogs?

[1] 行宫 – Literally just translates to temporary imperial residence; it’s what palaces/residences outside of the capital are called, since this one is specifically used as a getaway for the summer, I renamed it to imperial summer residence

[2] Gui Jian Chou – 鬼(ghost)见(sees)愁(worry), basically so scary that even a ghost would worry if seen. This is actually the common name for a type of scented plant/tree’s fruit (part of the sapindales family). In ancient times, these were picked for young children to wear, or hang above the door to ward off demons.

[3] This saying is basically, no matter how much like a man a mud man appears to be, they are still made from mud, meaning that it’s difficult to change a person’s inherent qualities.

[4] 虐狗 – Literally ‘abuse dog’; an internet/modern slang short for 虐单身狗, so abuse single people (aka the dogs). Basically making single people suffer by flirting in front of them and other public displays of affection.

T/N: If you want refresher on Qin Tian Ming’s background and family situation, and why he casted himself under Jin Qinwang, reread chapter 63. His family situation is also quite complicated.