Princess Wei Yang - C15
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 15
Da Furen
When Da Furen returned to her Fu An Yuan courtyard, she silently sat down and unhappily sipped her tea.
“Wei Yang, that insolent girl! She has become so much bolder! How dare she go against Mother?!” Chang Xi exclaimed impatiently, filled with resentment.
Da Furen lifted her eyes to Chang Xi, her mouth slightly turning down, but she remained silent.
“Wu Meimei[1], how could you speak so disrespectfully about San Mei[2]? It’s not right,” Zhang Le frowned. Though she felt Wei Yang deserved a lesson or two, she still wanted to maintain her kind-hearted and compassionate image in front of others.
Chang Xi scoffed rudely and said, “Da Jie, didn’t Mother tell you to investigate her background? They said she was talentless and a coward, but look at her now! Not only is she witty, but she doesn’t seem cowardly at all. It’s nothing like what the investigation reported.”
Da Furen glared at Chang Xi angrily and asked, “Chang Xi, what are you saying?”
Chang Xi looked at Da Furen and calmly replied, “Mother, from my perspective, it’s time for the maid we sent over to show her capabilities finally.”
Da Furen paused for a moment before bursting into laughter. “You’re right.”
The expression in Chang Xi's eyes became cold. “Right now, she has Lao Furen's protection, but what if the person she angers is Father? Everyone will remember she’s a misfortune born in the Ghost Month, and then…” She trailed off vaguely, staring intently at Da Furen, a broad grin on her face.
“You are indeed clever,” Da Furen said, her smile widening. “This is definitely not a bad idea.”
Chang Xi's happiness was evident as she rushed to flatter Da Furen, whining, “Mother, today you gave her a bracelet!”
Da Furen smiled and instructed Lin Mumu to bring over a pair of jadeite phoenix brooches. She handed them to Chang Xi. “One is for you, and the other is for your Si Jie[3].”
What did Si Jie do? Nothing! Chang Xi had always been annoyed by this blood-related sister of hers. She decided to keep both brooches for herself but still thanked Da Furen.
Chang Xi was neither extremely stupid nor particularly smart. However, Da Furen appreciated this quality in her. She needed a hot-headed Chang Xi who would obey her orders and execute underhanded tricks, allowing Da Furen and Zhang Le to remain in the background with clean hands. After drinking a cup of tea, Chang Xi left.
“Mother, you are very tolerant towards her,” Zhang Le remarked, observing Chang Xi’s silhouette. “If you continue like this, I’m afraid she will become unruly and overconfident.”
“Silly child, that’s exactly what I want,” Da Furen replied with a cold laugh. “On one side, there's Erfang sister-in-law, Zhou Shi[4], who is narrow-minded; then there's the scheming Lao Furen[5]; and last but not least, the simple-minded Si Yiniang[6]. I've discarded the stupid and useless Sanfang sister-in-law, Wen Shi. The first three are the ones that need attention. By allowing her to behave this way, they will be of some help to you.”
Zhang Le understood the implication behind her mother’s words and smiled gently as she sat down beside Da Furen. “Mother, isn’t there also the clever San Mei to consider now?”
Da Furen lifted a corner of her mouth in a smirk. “Li Wei Yang is definitely not as foolish as I thought, but she will soon make a mistake.”
“Wei Yang, that insolent girl! She has become so much bolder! How dare she go against Mother?!” Chang Xi exclaimed impatiently, filled with resentment.
Da Furen lifted her eyes to Chang Xi, her mouth slightly turning down, but she remained silent.
“Wu Meimei[1], how could you speak so disrespectfully about San Mei[2]? It’s not right,” Zhang Le frowned. Though she felt Wei Yang deserved a lesson or two, she still wanted to maintain her kind-hearted and compassionate image in front of others.
Chang Xi scoffed rudely and said, “Da Jie, didn’t Mother tell you to investigate her background? They said she was talentless and a coward, but look at her now! Not only is she witty, but she doesn’t seem cowardly at all. It’s nothing like what the investigation reported.”
Da Furen glared at Chang Xi angrily and asked, “Chang Xi, what are you saying?”
Chang Xi looked at Da Furen and calmly replied, “Mother, from my perspective, it’s time for the maid we sent over to show her capabilities finally.”
Da Furen paused for a moment before bursting into laughter. “You’re right.”
The expression in Chang Xi's eyes became cold. “Right now, she has Lao Furen's protection, but what if the person she angers is Father? Everyone will remember she’s a misfortune born in the Ghost Month, and then…” She trailed off vaguely, staring intently at Da Furen, a broad grin on her face.
“You are indeed clever,” Da Furen said, her smile widening. “This is definitely not a bad idea.”
Chang Xi's happiness was evident as she rushed to flatter Da Furen, whining, “Mother, today you gave her a bracelet!”
Da Furen smiled and instructed Lin Mumu to bring over a pair of jadeite phoenix brooches. She handed them to Chang Xi. “One is for you, and the other is for your Si Jie[3].”
What did Si Jie do? Nothing! Chang Xi had always been annoyed by this blood-related sister of hers. She decided to keep both brooches for herself but still thanked Da Furen.
Chang Xi was neither extremely stupid nor particularly smart. However, Da Furen appreciated this quality in her. She needed a hot-headed Chang Xi who would obey her orders and execute underhanded tricks, allowing Da Furen and Zhang Le to remain in the background with clean hands. After drinking a cup of tea, Chang Xi left.
“Mother, you are very tolerant towards her,” Zhang Le remarked, observing Chang Xi’s silhouette. “If you continue like this, I’m afraid she will become unruly and overconfident.”
“Silly child, that’s exactly what I want,” Da Furen replied with a cold laugh. “On one side, there's Erfang sister-in-law, Zhou Shi[4], who is narrow-minded; then there's the scheming Lao Furen[5]; and last but not least, the simple-minded Si Yiniang[6]. I've discarded the stupid and useless Sanfang sister-in-law, Wen Shi. The first three are the ones that need attention. By allowing her to behave this way, they will be of some help to you.”
Zhang Le understood the implication behind her mother’s words and smiled gently as she sat down beside Da Furen. “Mother, isn’t there also the clever San Mei to consider now?”
Da Furen lifted a corner of her mouth in a smirk. “Li Wei Yang is definitely not as foolish as I thought, but she will soon make a mistake.”
๑‿︵‿୨🌸୧‿︵‿๑
Ever since the incident involving Wei Yang and Lao Furen, the clothes had been delivered without delay. Within a day, there was a pair of clothes for each season.
Wei Yang chose a light, soft outfit in dark pink and silver with floral motifs. Inside, it was lined with a thick layer of cotton, making it very warm and suitable for the middle of winter. All of this indicated that her plan was succeeding.
Wei Yang was in her bedchamber, sipping tea and contemplating what to do with the silver gifted by Lao Furen.
Hua Mei[7] rushed in from outside, holding a pair of beautifully sewn shoes. “San Xiaojie, I noticed your shoes were worn out, and I saw that Da Xiaojie had a pair delicately embroidered with a phoenix pattern, so I made these for you too! San Xiaojie, do you like them?”
Wei Yang glanced at the shoes. They were made from crimson brocade, featuring intricate golden phoenix designs, indicating that a lot of effort and time had gone into them.
Hua Mei carefully observed Li Wei Yang and repeated, “San Xiaojie, do you like them?”
Wei Yang tried on the shoes right in front of Hua Mei. A smile spread across her face as she nodded, looking like an innocent girl delighted by her favorite gift.
Hua Mei silently sighed in relief and knelt to adjust Wei Yang’s shoes. As if casually, she said, “Everyone has been saying how elegant and beautiful San Xiaojie is. Compared to Si Xiaojie[8] and Di Xiaojie[9], you are so much prettier!”
Deliberately omitting any mention of Da Xiaojie, whose beauty was akin to that of a fairy, Wei Yang pretended not to hear Hua Mei’s comment and focused instead on inspecting her new shoes.
“Nubi is new to the estate but has heard the maids talk about how San Xiaojie was born to Qi Yiniang, who was also very beautiful in her youth!” Hua Mei exclaimed, unable to contain her excitement.
Suddenly, Wei Yang lifted her gaze to Hua Mei. Under Wei Yang’s scrutiny, Hua Mei felt nervous and immediately lowered her head. She slapped her own face and exclaimed, “Nubi is wrong! Nubi has spoken too much!”
Unexpectedly, Wei Yang giggled and said, “Hua Mei, this pair of shoes is indeed very beautiful!”
Seeing that Wei Yang wasn’t angry, Hua Mei felt relieved and continued, “It’s good that San xiaojie likes them. Aiya, Xiaojie must be so lonely without your biological mother by your side, unlike Si Xiaojie and Wu Xiaojie, who have Si Yiniang to take care of them. At least they can live happily every day.”
Li Wei Yang blinked and purposefully replied, “Hua Mei, what are you trying to say?”
Hua Mei, skilled in reading expressions and words, responded, “Nubi has heard from others that Qi Yiniang’s condition has worsened over the past two days.”
Upon hearing Hua Mei mention Qi Yiniang, Wei Yang instinctively touched the pendant she was wearing underneath her clothes. When she was about to leave Ping Cheng, she retrieved this pendant that had been stolen from her, which was the only gift she had from her biological mother.
Qi Yiniang, also known as Tan Shi, was originally a servant beside Da Furen in charge of washing feet. One day, when Li Xiao Ran was drunk, he impregnated Tan Shi, resulting in Wei Yang's birth and ultimately forcing Wei Yang to leave the estate. To show her benevolence, Da Furen allowed Tan Shi to become a Yiniang. In the Li estate, all the other Yiniangs had proper backgrounds, beauty, or respected children that could strengthen their position. Qi Yiniang, although pretty, lacked a background, and her child was born during the Ghost Month, which displeased Li Xiao Ran. In her previous life, Qi Yiniang had passed away due to illness half a year before Wei Yang returned to the estate. However, in this lifetime, Wei Yang had returned one year earlier, so Qi Yiniang was still alive.
Over the past month, Wei Yang had used every means at her disposal to gather information about Qi Yiniang, but all she learned was that Li Xiao Ran did not favour Qi Yiniang. She had no reputation, a weak constitution, and was sent by Da furen to live in the isolated Nan Yuan. Nan Yuan was far from the main courtyard and located right beside the servants’ quarters.
Not only was Qi Yiniang the poorest among everyone, but she was also the one everyone looked down upon. The thought of this caused Wei Yang pain, like a needle pricking her heart. Yet, Hua Mei, being Da Furen's person, was speaking about Qi Yiniang right in front of Wei Yang. There had to be a reason behind this.
Wei Yang chuckled internally, but maintained a calm expression as she stared at Hua Mei. Since they had already made their move, she knew she couldn’t just sit back and do nothing. However, it remained uncertain who would ultimately emerge as the loser in this game of chess.
Wei Yang chose a light, soft outfit in dark pink and silver with floral motifs. Inside, it was lined with a thick layer of cotton, making it very warm and suitable for the middle of winter. All of this indicated that her plan was succeeding.
Wei Yang was in her bedchamber, sipping tea and contemplating what to do with the silver gifted by Lao Furen.
Hua Mei[7] rushed in from outside, holding a pair of beautifully sewn shoes. “San Xiaojie, I noticed your shoes were worn out, and I saw that Da Xiaojie had a pair delicately embroidered with a phoenix pattern, so I made these for you too! San Xiaojie, do you like them?”
Wei Yang glanced at the shoes. They were made from crimson brocade, featuring intricate golden phoenix designs, indicating that a lot of effort and time had gone into them.
Hua Mei carefully observed Li Wei Yang and repeated, “San Xiaojie, do you like them?”
Wei Yang tried on the shoes right in front of Hua Mei. A smile spread across her face as she nodded, looking like an innocent girl delighted by her favorite gift.
Hua Mei silently sighed in relief and knelt to adjust Wei Yang’s shoes. As if casually, she said, “Everyone has been saying how elegant and beautiful San Xiaojie is. Compared to Si Xiaojie[8] and Di Xiaojie[9], you are so much prettier!”
Deliberately omitting any mention of Da Xiaojie, whose beauty was akin to that of a fairy, Wei Yang pretended not to hear Hua Mei’s comment and focused instead on inspecting her new shoes.
“Nubi is new to the estate but has heard the maids talk about how San Xiaojie was born to Qi Yiniang, who was also very beautiful in her youth!” Hua Mei exclaimed, unable to contain her excitement.
Suddenly, Wei Yang lifted her gaze to Hua Mei. Under Wei Yang’s scrutiny, Hua Mei felt nervous and immediately lowered her head. She slapped her own face and exclaimed, “Nubi is wrong! Nubi has spoken too much!”
Unexpectedly, Wei Yang giggled and said, “Hua Mei, this pair of shoes is indeed very beautiful!”
Seeing that Wei Yang wasn’t angry, Hua Mei felt relieved and continued, “It’s good that San xiaojie likes them. Aiya, Xiaojie must be so lonely without your biological mother by your side, unlike Si Xiaojie and Wu Xiaojie, who have Si Yiniang to take care of them. At least they can live happily every day.”
Li Wei Yang blinked and purposefully replied, “Hua Mei, what are you trying to say?”
Hua Mei, skilled in reading expressions and words, responded, “Nubi has heard from others that Qi Yiniang’s condition has worsened over the past two days.”
Upon hearing Hua Mei mention Qi Yiniang, Wei Yang instinctively touched the pendant she was wearing underneath her clothes. When she was about to leave Ping Cheng, she retrieved this pendant that had been stolen from her, which was the only gift she had from her biological mother.
Qi Yiniang, also known as Tan Shi, was originally a servant beside Da Furen in charge of washing feet. One day, when Li Xiao Ran was drunk, he impregnated Tan Shi, resulting in Wei Yang's birth and ultimately forcing Wei Yang to leave the estate. To show her benevolence, Da Furen allowed Tan Shi to become a Yiniang. In the Li estate, all the other Yiniangs had proper backgrounds, beauty, or respected children that could strengthen their position. Qi Yiniang, although pretty, lacked a background, and her child was born during the Ghost Month, which displeased Li Xiao Ran. In her previous life, Qi Yiniang had passed away due to illness half a year before Wei Yang returned to the estate. However, in this lifetime, Wei Yang had returned one year earlier, so Qi Yiniang was still alive.
Over the past month, Wei Yang had used every means at her disposal to gather information about Qi Yiniang, but all she learned was that Li Xiao Ran did not favour Qi Yiniang. She had no reputation, a weak constitution, and was sent by Da furen to live in the isolated Nan Yuan. Nan Yuan was far from the main courtyard and located right beside the servants’ quarters.
Not only was Qi Yiniang the poorest among everyone, but she was also the one everyone looked down upon. The thought of this caused Wei Yang pain, like a needle pricking her heart. Yet, Hua Mei, being Da Furen's person, was speaking about Qi Yiniang right in front of Wei Yang. There had to be a reason behind this.
Wei Yang chuckled internally, but maintained a calm expression as she stared at Hua Mei. Since they had already made their move, she knew she couldn’t just sit back and do nothing. However, it remained uncertain who would ultimately emerge as the loser in this game of chess.
[1] Wu Meimei translates to "Fifth Little Sister." Doubling 'Mei' to "Meimei" is a sign of endearment. It means the same as Wu Mei. The nuance is subtle.
[2] The way address terms are used can vary depending on who is naming someone. For example, Wei Yang is "San Mei," which means "Third Sister" (used by characters like Zhang Le and Chang Xi). "San Xiaojie," or "Third Miss," is typically used by servants, nobis/slaves, or strangers.
- 一 (壹) yī
- 二 (贰) èr
- 三 (参) sān
- 四 (肆) sì
- 五 (伍) wǔ
- 六 (:陆) liù
- 七 (柒) qī
- 八 (捌) bā
- 九 (玖) jiǔ
- 十 (拾) shí
[3] Your Si Jie means ‘your sister Si’
[4] I added voluntarily the full address, sister-in-law status, the name, and the position inside the text as I find it easier to remember the characters
[5] Lao Furen is Da Furen’s mother-in-law, who has full authority of the household above herself
[6] Li Xiao Ran’s mistress. Yiniang means Mistress. They are hierarchically under the concubine status and were raised to the Mistress status because they gave birth to children. In this case, she has two daughters, Chang Xi and Chang Xiao. Only daughters are allowed to use the ‘Li’ name, as they are added to the Li family tree.
[7] Hua Mei is a nubi that was planted as a spy by Da Furen
[8] Si Xiaojie means Fourth young lady or Fourth Miss (Chang Xi)
[9] Wu Xiaojie means Fifth young lady or Fifth Miss (Chang Xiao)
- To understand all the honorifics and address forms, go HERE
- To know more about the characters, go to the COMPANION
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