Chapter 485.2: Pulling Out the Fire From Under the Kettle

A moment ago still enjoying all the glory and honor, and will soon be buried in the Bai family ancestral tomb, enjoying the Bai family’s incense fire, yet in a blink of an eye, everything was lost, even soon to not have any remains left, getting devoured completely by the wild dogs.

Bai Old Madam didn’t think of stopping them, just repeatedly wanting to explain, but this also made people once again confirm that her son, sure enough, wasn’t the Bai family’s offspring. If he was, and she was innocent, then how could she not think of protecting him?

Speaking of which, back then, when Bai Old Madam’s mother-in-law was still alive, without a son, her position in the Bai family was in imminent danger, getting suppressed by the yiniangs that were promoted up one after another, unable to even lift her head. However, unexpectedly, at forty some years old, the old oyster actually produced a pearl, even giving birth to a son. Things immediately just turned around completely, raising her brows and filling with confidence, even disregarding past animosity, having the shu daughters as well as those concubines all taken care of well. All say her fate was good, and moreover, she was virtuous and kind, able to be called a model to women, yet in reality, she had an affair and gave birth to a bastard child. To do this kind of thing at forty, truly was an embarrassment to all women.

Thinking back to it now, how was she virtuous and magnanimous, clearly it was having a guilty conscience.

The people that once envied her and praised her, especially the ones that were pretty close with her in private, just felt similarly embarrassed now, ashamed and unable to show their face, and also disgusted to death.

“At the time when that bastard child was born, he appeared strong and sturdy, fair and plump, no matter how one looked, it all wasn’t like a seven month premature birth. Thinking of it now, what premature birth, afraid it was full term.”

“When that bastard child was still in the stomach, as well as after he was born, the Bai Manor had gotten rid of quite a few people with all kinds of excuses. At the time, even thought that it was because of treasuring the son, thus didn’t allow for the slightest carelessness, but afraid it was just using it as an excuse to have all the people that knew taken care of. Although it was said as getting sold off, afraid they’ve long become a pile of dirt.”

“Even thought she was a good one, but never thought that she was this kind of person, dirty on the inside, thoroughly rotten. The methods of deception on the surface also first class…………”

“Scholar Bai got cuckold by the person that shares his bed, not even detecting in the slightest, having that bastard child cupped in the palm like a treasure for more than a decade. He appears to be that astute of a person, yet turns out he was also a stupid one.”

“Hey, perhaps he did somewhat detect, but just got muddled by the son he finally obtained after great difficulty, to the extent that even if having some suspicious points, it all got overlooked by him. It’s purely having gone mad from wanting a son.”

……..

Words as such were ‘whispered’ by the people in the surrounding. The people of the Bai family wished that they could find a crack to squeeze into. It was truly too embarrassing.

Bai Old Madam desperately wanted to explain, while also saying that they were saying nonsense, her speech incoherent. Finally she couldn’t withstand it anymore, her two eyes rolling, directly passing out. This while, it was indeed better to be unconscious than awake.

Jing Wan coldly watched from the sides. She never thought that the problem really was on that young master Bai. It really was pulling out the fire from under the kettle. Since that young master Bai wasn’t the Bai family’s offspring, then what reason would the Bai family still have to force his Majesty to punish her husband. Even if that young master Bai’s birth father had a bit of status, he was still an illegitimate child born from adultery, so it didn’t matter if he died. Furthermore, based on a certain someone’s words just now, nine times out of ten, he was born from an affair between Bai Old Madam and a servant. Then in that case, he was just of the slave class, so there was further nothing to say.

(T/N: Children by default follow their birth father’s status, so since his birth father was a slave, he’s also a slave by default, even if his mother is of the upper class. The only exception for an illegitimate child born like that, between a married woman and another man, that is more accepted is if the father is the Emperor.)

After all, even if the living Enma had slaves fed to the tigers, at most it would just be said as cruel, getting lectured a few words by Le Cheng Emperor, and punishing as a gesture, but it simply won’t be anything substantial.

This was just the cruel reality brought about by the difference in status.

However, in this way, finding the true culprit behind the scenes didn’t have any meaning anymore. Even if it was inherently targeted at Jin Qinwang, but wasn’t Jin Qinwang still perfectly fine? And exactly who did it, everyone actually all had an understanding inside. It was nothing more than just those few. Even Le Cheng Emperor also pretended to be deaf and mute, not wanting to face the reality. Didn’t one see how the capital’s Magistrate Office, Judicial Court, and Ministry of Justice combined all weren’t able to find out anything, yet Le Cheng Emperor didn’t say anything either. No outcome was precisely the outcome he wanted.

Towards Bai Old Madam, Jing Wan also didn’t have much sympathy. Under the great societal backdrop that was exceptionally harsh and cruel to married women, since she chose to do that kind of thing, then she will need to have the resolution to face the heavy consequences after getting exposed.

Just, towards young master Bai, the Bai family was also a little too heartless. After all, they’d cupped him in the palm for more than ten years, and he himself was also completely unaware, so what wrong did he have? Moreover, the person was already dead, so why still be this brutal? Speaking from this bit, for young master Bai to have died, perhaps it was still fortunate. If he was alive, don’t know what he will face.

However, if alive, this matter perhaps wouldn’t have gotten exposed either.

That’s why, some things, it really was hard to say.

“Shut up!” The former Cabinet Minister Bai finally couldn’t bear it anymore, angrily shouting.

Everyone first got startled, then soon after, unconcernedly slanted their mouth. Things were already like this now, so what are you still acting mighty for? Coercing his Majesty, getting hated by his Majesty, don’t even think about having his Majesty punish Jin Qinwang now. With the living Enma not falling, having him offended like that previously, the Bai family in the future will have their share of troubles. Who would still care about the Bai family, and who would still dare to help the Bai family?

“These, wangye had long planned for, right? For the Bai family to have ended up as such, are you very pleased with yourself? How come your thoughts are just this malicious?” Clearly knowing already, yet why didn’t you inform privately? If you said it, then everything would’ve been resolved, and the Bai family’s ugly scandal wouldn’t have become known to all either, “For better or worse, I’m your great uncle………”

Li Hong Yuan coldly sneered, “Don’t come and claim relations with this prince. This matter originally had nothing to do with this prince. It was you all that insisted on clinging onto this prince and not letting go, wishing to have this prince stomped into the mud. What, you all can take the first step, but don’t allow this prince to take the fifteenth step? In your eyes, when did this prince become someone that would repay grudges with kindness? On the day of the incident, this prince already said, if your Bai family insists on going against this prince, then before this prince gets kicked down, one will certainly let your Bai family fall into chaos first. Just, you all completely didn’t have this prince’s words taken seriously. If your attitude previously had been a bit better, then this matter, certainly would’ve told you in private. After all, with no reason, this prince also isn’t interested in exposing other people’s family scandals. All these years, this prince has also kept one’s mouth shut. For better or worse, you’re this prince’s great uncle, no?”

(T/N: I still think that the thing that angered him the most was still when they tried to drag Jing Wan down.)

The same words returned to the former Cabinet Minister Bai, how mocking.

The air-dried tangerine skin on the former Cabinet Minister Bai’s face directly twitched. He really had nothing to say. The living Enma’s character was known by everyone. Occasionally, even if not directly provoking him, it was all possible for him to cause a bit of trouble. And when directly provoking him, no one has been able to escape unscathed. Probably starting from when his son went to his estate with an ill tone and a bad attitude, today’s matter was already destined to happen. Now, no matter what was said, it was already too late. The Bai family’s reputation had already rotted.

“This old man just wants to know one thing, how did wangye learn of this matter?”

That’s right, this was also what the other wanted to know. No one else knew, yet how come he knew?

“This was purely a coincidence from ten some years ago. This prince had snuck out of the palace, and coincidentally ran into a certain someone that narrowly escaped death. Not wishing to create killing sins, this prince just spared his life. Speaking of which, that person was also a stupid one. In the beginning, he’d already escaped death, yet instead of running far away, he came back again, wanting to see his son. And just that unluckily, he got discovered by the child’s mother that had already taken control of the Bai Manor’s inner court, so wasn’t it precisely nearly dying again. However, he was also lucky, encountering this prince.”

Can one ask in blame why he didn’t have the person killed? Didn’t he already say, he was still small.

And in reality? Li Hong Yuan already knew from his past life. Moreover, he’d learned it from young master Bai’s mouth. At the time, that was also a messy incident, the matters inside unable to be explained with a few words. After Li Hong Yuan came back, he naturally wanted to have the things that he can grasp in hand all tightly clutched in hand. That’s why, when it was about time, utilizing his limited manpower, they squatted outside the Bai Manor for quite some time, saving Bai Old Madam’s ‘illicit lover’. This kind of blackmail material perhaps will be useful one day.

In reality, for some things, sure enough, there was no harm in preparing for.

However, in Li Hong Yuan’s past life, even when he passed away, this Bai family’s ‘sole son’ was still perfectly fine and alive.

“Speaking of which, your Bai family’s way of handling things really is consistent. Towards that bastard child’s death, to not ask the specifics, just basing it on your feelings, you just first gave this prince a hat to wear, and now? For a matter that concerns the Bai Manor’s main wife’s innocence, you similarly won’t investigate, just relying on your own judgment to determine the guilt. However, it’s not like being wrong once, one will just be wrong again.”

Getting said as such by Li Hong Yuan, what else can be said? Going to investigate now also didn’t have any meaning. Something that was already determined, even if explaining to the outside, no one would believe, just feeling that for the sake of face, they will even acknowledge a bastard child.

Moreover, previously, they also didn’t feel it was Jin Qinwang’s fault, merely just taking their anger out on him. And afterwards, deathly clinging on and not letting go, it was for the sake of the Bai family’s future, yet in the end, it was all futile, even thoroughly having the Bai family thrown in. Right now, this matter, based on his judgement, can’t be wrong, so wasn’t able to immediately stop. Thus, for the matters afterwards, there was also no need to put in useless effort.

“This old man wish to request one thing from wangye, can you have that male adulterer given to this old man?” Towards the person that caused the entire Bai family to be humiliated, he absolutely cannot let him live in this world.

Compared to his attitude previously, that was definitely the difference between heaven and earth. Even if right now, on the inside, he still hated Li Hong Yuan to death, between his only grandson, and a bastard child born from an illicit affair between a servant and the main wife, how can they be the same?

For the former, one perhaps can throw in the entire family to seek justice, but for the latter, you perhaps should even thank the other party for ‘killing’ the Bai family’s disgrace. For the sake of seeking justice for the former, one can even coerce the emperor, but to seek justice for the latter, his Majesty can immediately slap you to death.

“Want the person, fine, what will you use to exchange with this prince?”

Use what to exchange? Jin Qinwang can be said to not lack anything. The only thing he lacked was probably just power, but this thing wasn’t something he can give. Then, secretly cast themselves under him? But this also needs to see whether or not the other party agrees.

Li Hong Yuan mockingly laughed, “This prince will take one’s leave.” Turning around, brushing his sleeve, he directly left.

T/N: So last update I actually had forgotten about, because I went to bed after updating patreon, thinking I’ll just update on the main site in the morning, since it was already like 4am and I was sleepy, only to completely forget about it the next day, because I thought I’d updated the night before. I didn’t realize until this time that I never updated the last chapter. Moral of the story, my brain is unreliable and cannot be trusted.