Princess Wei Yang - C11
1- The Deposed Empress
2- The Unwanted Daughter
3- Slave no more
4- First revenge
5- The Pigs Have Escaped!
6- Seventh Prince, Tuo Ba Yu
7- Returning to the Li’s Estate
8- Benevolent Mother, Filial Daughter
9- Surrendered by Xiaojies
10- Li Zhang Le
11- Prime Minister, Li Xiao Ran
12- Tea Brewing Skills
13- Tit for Tat
14- Battle of Wits
15- Da Furen
Chapter 11
Prime Minister, Li Xiao Ran
Li Xiao Ran was in his mid-forties. His hair was jet black and tied up high, crowned by a yellow official’s hat. He had a wide forehead, bushy, long brows, and a pair of stern-looking eyes. His mouth was pressed together, giving him an extremely serious expression. Wei Yang rarely saw him smile or at ease; at least, she had never seen him smile and laugh in her presence.
Slowly, Wei Yang lowered her head, hiding the emotions in her eyes. How many years had it been since she last heard Li Xiao Ran’s voice?
At that moment, an anxious voice belonging to Da furen Jiang Shi interrupted her thoughts. “Zhang Le, what’s wrong with you?” she asked, pulling Zhang Le closer and examining her from head to toe, clearly worried that something was wrong with her daughter. Her eyes revealed her restlessness and concern.
Zhang Le's eyes were red, looking pitiful while still trying to refrain from crying. She tugged at Jiang Shi’s clothes and said, “Mother, it’s so cold.”
Jiang Shi quickly removed her coat and wrapped it around Zhang Le, holding her hands and exclaiming, “Aiya, your hands are so cold! What happened?” She then turned to glare at Wei Yang.
Li Xiao Ran furrowed his brows. His eyes were cold, and his voice was firm, revealing an astuteness that seemed to grasp the entire situation. “You’re Wei Yang? Why did you cause trouble as soon as you returned to the estate?”
Everyone’s expressions changed as they turned to look at Wei Yang. No longer did they see her as San xiaojie, but rather as an alien presence. She had just returned to the estate and was already unfavored by the laoye. How could she possibly live peacefully from now on?
Initially, Chang Xi looked pale, but when she realized that Da furen was directing her attention toward Wei Yang, she felt a sense of comfort. On the other hand, Chang Xiao, who had a gentle and kind personality, was about to speak up when Chang Xi abruptly pinched her. With delight in her eyes at the misfortune of others, she glanced in Wei Yang’s direction before looking at Zhang Le’s dirtied dress. Winking at Chang Xiao, she gestured for her to remain quiet. All she needed to do was watch the scene unfold, confident that Da Furen would surely punish Wei Yang.
Wei Yang couldn’t help but laugh inwardly. It had always been like this. In their eyes, she was beneath them, hardly worth considering. It was pitiful how she had once blindly rushed into their arms, thinking they were truly her family. Now, facing these same people, she no longer felt the pain or suffering. All that remained was her determination to succeed. Let the conflict begin! She wasn’t afraid of anyone. Looking at these people who thought themselves so special, they were about to meet her – the impenetrable boulder. Let’s see who would crash and burn!
Wei Yang looked at Li Xiao Ran, a gentle smile forming on her face as she slowly bowed her head. "Father, it's the first day I've returned, and yet I've caused such trouble for Da Jie. I am truly sorry. Not to mention, Da Jie has even helped me—" Her gaze fell on Zhang Le's face, her eyes brimming with gratitude. "Everyone says Da Jie is like a fairy. I have just returned and have already experienced her kindness and concern. Compared to what others have said, she is a hundred times kinder and more compassionate. But..." She abruptly changed the subject, her innocent eyes turning to Chang Xi. "Wu Mei, you were truly careless. If you hadn’t bumped into me, Da Jie wouldn't have fallen into the pond trying to help me. Why didn’t you watch where you were going?"
Chang Xi was horrified. She had thought that, in front of Father and Da Furen, no one would dare say anything. To her surprise, Wei Yang had a quick and sly tongue, brazen enough to defend herself. Immediately, Chang Xi's face reddened as she jumped to her defence. "Father, Mother, Chang Xi would never do such a thing! Wei Yang obviously—no, San Jie Jie fell down by herself. For some reason, she dragged Da Jie down with her! Everyone saw it with their own eyes!"
Wei Yang was not intimidated by Chang Xi’s presence. The bright afternoon sun reflected off her eyes, which expressed surprise. "Wu Mei, how could you say something like that? Father, if you don’t trust Wei Yang's words, just ask Da Jie. She is the fairest person here and won’t be biased just because she’s close to Wu Mei, while I'm new to this estate, right?"
Zhang Le was startled. She did not expect Wei Yang to shower her with so many compliments. If she sided with Chang Xi, it would look like she was unfairly favoring Wu Mei. Even if Father trusted her, some lingering suspicions would still remain.
After a moment of contemplation, a faint hint of chagrin appeared on her face as she replied to Chang Xi, "That's right, Wu Me Meii. You’ve been careless. How could you let Wei Yang fall over the railings? If I hadn’t been there to pull San Mei back, Wei Yang's forehead could have hit the rocks. San Mei's beauty would have been ruined!"
Not surprisingly, that was how the situation turned out. Wei Yang hid a cold smile, tugging at the corners of her eyes. She understood Zhang Le's character perfectly. Zhang Le would always choose to maintain her image as a kind and compassionate person. If she said Wei Yang had pulled her down, wouldn’t that make her look foolish? Conversely, if she claimed to have rescued Wei Yang, that would tell a different story. In an instant, despite having grown up with Chang Xi, Chang Xi had become merely a stepping stone for her own good reputation.
After hearing the explanation, Li Xiao Ran stared intently at Zhang Le. "Is that true?"
Zhang Le hesitated for a moment before quickly nodding her head. Turning to Wei Yang, she said, "San Mei had just returned, yet something like this was allowed to happen. As the older sister, how could I simply stand by and watch while San Mei got implicated?"
The moment she opened her mouth to speak, Li Xiao Ran immediately believed her. Where this child was concerned, he still very much doted on her.
Seeing the bright smile on his face, Wei Yang lowered her head, shielding the look in her eyes. A cold smile subtly tugged at the corners of her mouth. "Father, very soon you will discover the kind of mishaps this angelic daughter of yours will bring! She will have to pay for her hypocrisy!"
Da Furen glanced coldly at Chang Xi. “Chang Xi, how have I taught you? What happened to your etiquette? Not only did you almost injure your San Jie, but you also drenched Da Jie from head to toe. From now on, you are to kneel in the ancestral hall for three days! You are not allowed to stand up without my permission!”
The smile on Zhang Le’s face was as warm as a spring breeze. “Mother, Mei Mei’s stubbornness is simply because she is still young. San Mei will feel uneasy if the punishment is too heavy.” She then turned towards Wei Yang with a grin. The sun shone on her face, illuminating her ethereal beauty. “Isn’t that right, San Mei?”
Wei Yang’s smile was faint, yet in her eyes, there seemed to be a raging fire. “Da Jie is right. It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t returned today, Wu Mei Mei wouldn’t be so upset with me, and your dress wouldn’t be soaked. Wu Mei Mei, please don’t be upset with me!” It appeared as if she wanted to come to a peaceful resolution, reaching out to hold Chang Xi’s hand.
Chang Xi, outraged, flung Wei Yang's hands off of her. Looking terrified, Wei Yang took two steps back.
Zhang Le’s beautiful eyes instantly darkened. How pitiful that the iron could not be refined into steel. Chang Xi had not lived up to her expectations. Her mother would have listened to her words and let the situation go, but that didn’t seem to be the case now.
Chang Xi had been rash in her anger, only realizing afterwards in horror that she had made a mistake.
As expected, Li Xiao Ran was infuriated. “You have no sense of propriety! Look at yourself! Three days? You are grounded for one month, and you are to copy the woman's text a hundred times before you can be released!” He then turned around and walked off without looking back.
Da Furen was horrified as she quickly chased after him. “Laoye, don’t be angry—”
After the two of them left, Chang Xi turned red with anger. “Wei Yang, you are a despicable person!”
Despicable? If you hadn’t started it, none of this would have happened. Wei Yang remained in her spot.
Meanwhile, Chang Xi was pulled back by Chang Xiao. “That’s enough. Haven’t you already caused enough trouble?”
Wei Yang grinned; her eyes were clouded with murk, causing Chang Xi to feel as if a sharp and cold knife was stabbing her. However, this feeling only lasted a few seconds. In a flash, Wei Yang’s eyes became clear and innocent again. Nothing else could be detected.
“Enough! Wu Mei Mei, stop with the tantrum!” Zhang Le chided as she slowly walked forward.
Chang Xi was still unhappy as she stared at Wei Yang with resentment. Nonetheless, she didn’t dare to make another sound.
“From now on, we—as sisters—shouldn’t argue with each other. Instead, we should live together in peace and harmony.” Zhang Le’s face radiated grace and elegance, sparkling like clear crystals.
“Yes, Da Jie,” Wei Yang replied softly, as if she were whispering.
Looking at Wei Yang's pure and calm smile, a dark shadow clouded over Zhang Le.
Slowly, Wei Yang lowered her head, hiding the emotions in her eyes. How many years had it been since she last heard Li Xiao Ran’s voice?
At that moment, an anxious voice belonging to Da furen Jiang Shi interrupted her thoughts. “Zhang Le, what’s wrong with you?” she asked, pulling Zhang Le closer and examining her from head to toe, clearly worried that something was wrong with her daughter. Her eyes revealed her restlessness and concern.
Zhang Le's eyes were red, looking pitiful while still trying to refrain from crying. She tugged at Jiang Shi’s clothes and said, “Mother, it’s so cold.”
Jiang Shi quickly removed her coat and wrapped it around Zhang Le, holding her hands and exclaiming, “Aiya, your hands are so cold! What happened?” She then turned to glare at Wei Yang.
Li Xiao Ran furrowed his brows. His eyes were cold, and his voice was firm, revealing an astuteness that seemed to grasp the entire situation. “You’re Wei Yang? Why did you cause trouble as soon as you returned to the estate?”
Everyone’s expressions changed as they turned to look at Wei Yang. No longer did they see her as San xiaojie, but rather as an alien presence. She had just returned to the estate and was already unfavored by the laoye. How could she possibly live peacefully from now on?
Initially, Chang Xi looked pale, but when she realized that Da furen was directing her attention toward Wei Yang, she felt a sense of comfort. On the other hand, Chang Xiao, who had a gentle and kind personality, was about to speak up when Chang Xi abruptly pinched her. With delight in her eyes at the misfortune of others, she glanced in Wei Yang’s direction before looking at Zhang Le’s dirtied dress. Winking at Chang Xiao, she gestured for her to remain quiet. All she needed to do was watch the scene unfold, confident that Da Furen would surely punish Wei Yang.
Wei Yang couldn’t help but laugh inwardly. It had always been like this. In their eyes, she was beneath them, hardly worth considering. It was pitiful how she had once blindly rushed into their arms, thinking they were truly her family. Now, facing these same people, she no longer felt the pain or suffering. All that remained was her determination to succeed. Let the conflict begin! She wasn’t afraid of anyone. Looking at these people who thought themselves so special, they were about to meet her – the impenetrable boulder. Let’s see who would crash and burn!
Wei Yang looked at Li Xiao Ran, a gentle smile forming on her face as she slowly bowed her head. "Father, it's the first day I've returned, and yet I've caused such trouble for Da Jie. I am truly sorry. Not to mention, Da Jie has even helped me—" Her gaze fell on Zhang Le's face, her eyes brimming with gratitude. "Everyone says Da Jie is like a fairy. I have just returned and have already experienced her kindness and concern. Compared to what others have said, she is a hundred times kinder and more compassionate. But..." She abruptly changed the subject, her innocent eyes turning to Chang Xi. "Wu Mei, you were truly careless. If you hadn’t bumped into me, Da Jie wouldn't have fallen into the pond trying to help me. Why didn’t you watch where you were going?"
Chang Xi was horrified. She had thought that, in front of Father and Da Furen, no one would dare say anything. To her surprise, Wei Yang had a quick and sly tongue, brazen enough to defend herself. Immediately, Chang Xi's face reddened as she jumped to her defence. "Father, Mother, Chang Xi would never do such a thing! Wei Yang obviously—no, San Jie Jie fell down by herself. For some reason, she dragged Da Jie down with her! Everyone saw it with their own eyes!"
Wei Yang was not intimidated by Chang Xi’s presence. The bright afternoon sun reflected off her eyes, which expressed surprise. "Wu Mei, how could you say something like that? Father, if you don’t trust Wei Yang's words, just ask Da Jie. She is the fairest person here and won’t be biased just because she’s close to Wu Mei, while I'm new to this estate, right?"
Zhang Le was startled. She did not expect Wei Yang to shower her with so many compliments. If she sided with Chang Xi, it would look like she was unfairly favoring Wu Mei. Even if Father trusted her, some lingering suspicions would still remain.
After a moment of contemplation, a faint hint of chagrin appeared on her face as she replied to Chang Xi, "That's right, Wu Me Meii. You’ve been careless. How could you let Wei Yang fall over the railings? If I hadn’t been there to pull San Mei back, Wei Yang's forehead could have hit the rocks. San Mei's beauty would have been ruined!"
Not surprisingly, that was how the situation turned out. Wei Yang hid a cold smile, tugging at the corners of her eyes. She understood Zhang Le's character perfectly. Zhang Le would always choose to maintain her image as a kind and compassionate person. If she said Wei Yang had pulled her down, wouldn’t that make her look foolish? Conversely, if she claimed to have rescued Wei Yang, that would tell a different story. In an instant, despite having grown up with Chang Xi, Chang Xi had become merely a stepping stone for her own good reputation.
After hearing the explanation, Li Xiao Ran stared intently at Zhang Le. "Is that true?"
Zhang Le hesitated for a moment before quickly nodding her head. Turning to Wei Yang, she said, "San Mei had just returned, yet something like this was allowed to happen. As the older sister, how could I simply stand by and watch while San Mei got implicated?"
The moment she opened her mouth to speak, Li Xiao Ran immediately believed her. Where this child was concerned, he still very much doted on her.
Seeing the bright smile on his face, Wei Yang lowered her head, shielding the look in her eyes. A cold smile subtly tugged at the corners of her mouth. "Father, very soon you will discover the kind of mishaps this angelic daughter of yours will bring! She will have to pay for her hypocrisy!"
Da Furen glanced coldly at Chang Xi. “Chang Xi, how have I taught you? What happened to your etiquette? Not only did you almost injure your San Jie, but you also drenched Da Jie from head to toe. From now on, you are to kneel in the ancestral hall for three days! You are not allowed to stand up without my permission!”
The smile on Zhang Le’s face was as warm as a spring breeze. “Mother, Mei Mei’s stubbornness is simply because she is still young. San Mei will feel uneasy if the punishment is too heavy.” She then turned towards Wei Yang with a grin. The sun shone on her face, illuminating her ethereal beauty. “Isn’t that right, San Mei?”
Wei Yang’s smile was faint, yet in her eyes, there seemed to be a raging fire. “Da Jie is right. It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t returned today, Wu Mei Mei wouldn’t be so upset with me, and your dress wouldn’t be soaked. Wu Mei Mei, please don’t be upset with me!” It appeared as if she wanted to come to a peaceful resolution, reaching out to hold Chang Xi’s hand.
Chang Xi, outraged, flung Wei Yang's hands off of her. Looking terrified, Wei Yang took two steps back.
Zhang Le’s beautiful eyes instantly darkened. How pitiful that the iron could not be refined into steel. Chang Xi had not lived up to her expectations. Her mother would have listened to her words and let the situation go, but that didn’t seem to be the case now.
Chang Xi had been rash in her anger, only realizing afterwards in horror that she had made a mistake.
As expected, Li Xiao Ran was infuriated. “You have no sense of propriety! Look at yourself! Three days? You are grounded for one month, and you are to copy the woman's text a hundred times before you can be released!” He then turned around and walked off without looking back.
Da Furen was horrified as she quickly chased after him. “Laoye, don’t be angry—”
After the two of them left, Chang Xi turned red with anger. “Wei Yang, you are a despicable person!”
Despicable? If you hadn’t started it, none of this would have happened. Wei Yang remained in her spot.
Meanwhile, Chang Xi was pulled back by Chang Xiao. “That’s enough. Haven’t you already caused enough trouble?”
Wei Yang grinned; her eyes were clouded with murk, causing Chang Xi to feel as if a sharp and cold knife was stabbing her. However, this feeling only lasted a few seconds. In a flash, Wei Yang’s eyes became clear and innocent again. Nothing else could be detected.
“Enough! Wu Mei Mei, stop with the tantrum!” Zhang Le chided as she slowly walked forward.
Chang Xi was still unhappy as she stared at Wei Yang with resentment. Nonetheless, she didn’t dare to make another sound.
“From now on, we—as sisters—shouldn’t argue with each other. Instead, we should live together in peace and harmony.” Zhang Le’s face radiated grace and elegance, sparkling like clear crystals.
“Yes, Da Jie,” Wei Yang replied softly, as if she were whispering.
Looking at Wei Yang's pure and calm smile, a dark shadow clouded over Zhang Le.
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