Chapter 353.2: Dying Struggle

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When self-willing, even if sacrificing countless things, it was definitely no matter and worth it, but if getting deceived, then losing the slightest all would make one burn in fury, wishing to have the deceiver chopped into a thousand pieces!

The people that wrote letters of plea grew fewer and fewer, and the people that were secretly working to have their esteemed teacher fished out from the prisons also decreased more and more.

And those in-law families that got threatened by the Pei clan naturally realized the reason why the Pei clan leader suddenly ‘went crazy’, threatening them. They’ve long been eyeing the Pei clan covetously, so the Pei clan suffering a calamity, they would practically clap their hands and celebrate, because they can divide the Pei clan. Just, unexpectedly, that Pei old thing grasped such damaging information in hand. At first, they had no choice but to help, but now, they went silent in succession.

All the way until the news of Jin Qinwang’s maternal clan broke out, everything all turned strangely quiet.

The matter twenty-eight years ago was once again ruthlessly embellished, and all the dirty water splashed onto the Pei clan, especially the Pei clan’s clan leader, disregarding the affections towards his own flesh and blood, forcing his daughter, yet even acting dignified…………….

In this matter, Le Cheng Emperor’s role turned into an infatuated person that had his beloved woman saved from the sea of flames, having that human scum ruthlessly whitewashed.

All of this happened all in this short period of time, especially the portion regarding Li Hong Yuan, probably occurring during the time when Jing Wan and them were scaling the mountain. Jing Wan was ‘too busy’, so Li Hong Yuan also didn’t specially tell her. Right now, learning on the way to Pei County, Jing Wan’s expression was a bit interesting. Everything else was still okay, just the part regarding Le Cheng Emperor……………..

“This version, regardless of how others view it, and how others think, a certain someone will be very happy.” Li Hong Yuan nonchalantly said.

“Indeed, clearly a shameless one that took by force, but now, perhaps will be praised by many people. Perhaps, someone might even use this as a source material and write an inspiring and tragic love story. What his Majesty is most willing to see is probably still having mutual and deep feelings with Imperial Noble Consort, right? In fact, the more on listens and the more one thinks, might even have this treated as the reality of the past.”

“This idea of Wan Wan’s is not bad. Find someone to write a few story books and think of ways to send into his hands.”

Jing Wan casted his a glance. This really is not willing to miss out on the slightest opportunity. This kind of story book reaching Le Cheng Emperor’s hand, who would benefit? Without out a doubt, it would be this bastard. The fruit of Le Cheng Emperor and his most beloved woman’s love, how can he not favor more.

How could Li Hong Yuan not know what Jing Wan was thinking. He lightly smiled, “This way, certain matters that made him suspicious during this trip through Jiangnan, for the most part, can be smoothed out, and in his heart, he will feel even more guilty. His most favored son was this capable, yet unable to inherit the throne, so this compensation afraid will rise like the tide. In fact, even the matter of me coming in contact with the Pei clan all don’t need to be kept from him. In any case, the Pei clan has collapsed, unable to become my support, so he won’t need to worry. And whenever he’s occasionally ‘reminiscing’ about my birth mother, I can even tell him about what it was like prior to my birth mother marrying…………”

Jing Wan reached out and pinched his cheek, “This skin of yours really is thicker than the city walls.”

Li Hong Yuan grasped Jing Wan’s hand, “Nonsense, at most, it’s just half as thick as the city walls.” The corner of his mouth lightly hooked, his eyes filled with smiles.

Jing Wan was speechless.

Regarding the matter of Li Hong Yuan visiting the Pei clan’s ancestral residence, they’d already passed on a visitation card in advance. Of course, it was the kind that didn’t need a reply, just telling you, when this prince will arrive, and to be prepared to welcome.

In reality, the latest matters towards the Pei clan were too fatal. Many of the clansmen all rushed back. One of the reasons was wanting to hide for a bit, and the other was wanting to find out what exactly happened. That’s why, the Pei clan members in the Pei clan ancestral residence were more than double the usual number. And the ones that returned at the same time were also quite a few married off Pei clan daughters, all carrying divorce letters.

Towards the majority of the people, the Pei clan leader can respond with ‘unable to inform’, but towards certain people, for instance, the clan elders, or that sole ‘lucky survivor’ among the great scholars, who because of certain reasons, found a poor village out in the middle of nowhere to build his residence. These people the Pei clan leader nevertheless was unable to easily brush off. Especially those matter that made people infuriated, he further needed to explain clearly.

The Pei clan leader didn’t make up lies either, having the matters explained, but this art of speaking all will have a partial direction. He had everything he’s done all summed up as ‘all for the sake of the Pei clan’, having neither sorrow nor joy on his face, yet nevertheless recounted the Pei clan’s current situation, what kind of challenges the Pei clan is facing, and what kind of heavy responsibility he shouldered, for the sake of maintaining the family clan, and for the sake of letting the clansmen live comfortably and carefreely. All the way until ‘unable to let the family clan walk towards glory once more, instead heading towards decline, having let down the ancestors’, did his old tears finally stream down. He wasn’t complaining, but every line was a complaint; he wasn’t escaping the blame, but every line was trying to escape from the blame.

Although they very much disapproved of the Pei clan leader’s certain conducts, but as people who similarly wished for the family clan to walk towards glory, can they criticize him? They can’t! Moreover, at this time right now, the most important matter was still thinking of way to remedy the situation. Don’t count on not having any damage at all, Li Hong Yuan controlled the public opinion way too well. The Pei clan’s reputation plummeted into the abyss. To have been able to maintain the current state and not develop towards an even worse direction was already not bad, But it was very obvious, this difficulty was very high.

Learning that Li Hong Yuan will be visiting, the Pei clan leader righteously stood out, expressing that everything was all his fault, and that he was willing to shoulder all the blame. And if he alone won’t do, then just have everyone in this branch of his come shoulder it. He absolutely won’t let the clansmen be implicated again, and for those that have already been implicated, he also was powerless to help. He’s willing to go under the nine springs[1] to atone for his sins.

As such, no one was able to criticize him even more, just helplessly sighing one after another. However, what was funny was that no one stood out to come shoulder the blame with him. Don’t know in that moment, what thoughts he had inside.

Thus, by the time Li Hong Yuan’s carriage reached the Pei County’s county seat gates, there was a dense mass of Pei clan members, and from the looks of it, nearly over a thousand people.

The horse carriage stopped, and Li Hong Yuan came out from inside. That section in the middle, two to three hundred people, young and old, women and children, all uniformly knelt down. The one in the lead was precisely the Pei clan leader, and these people all were wearing mourning clothes. ———–The Pei clan leader madam, a few days ago, ultimately didn’t make it. Because such a big incident had happened, they didn’t hold a funeral. In fact, aside from their main family, they didn’t even inform the clansmen outside to come back.

“Wangye, all the wrongs and mistakes was all this commoner’s fault, asking you to please have mercy. Don’t take your anger out on the clansmen of the Pei clan.” With this thud, he kowtowed onto the ground.

Aside from the people of the Pei clan, the commoners watching the commotion weren’t in the minority either.

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.

[1] Another way to refer to the Yellow Springs, aka the underworld in chinese mythology.