Princess Wei Yang - C4
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 4
First revenge
Zhou Qing was a man who could see the bigger picture better than Mrs. Liu. He had never treated Li Wei Yang too harshly because his principle was to always leave himself a way to retreat in any situation. As a result, every time he returned home, Li Wei Yang would enjoy several days of peace and calm.
Having finished her cooking, she extinguished the fire and opened her eyes, which were blurry from the steam. After a moment of contemplation, she gradually stood up. Just as she was about to massage her tired limbs, a voice called out from the doorway.
“You lazy girl! Hurry up and clean the kitchen! I’ll come back later to see if it is done, and beware if it's not spotless!”
Li Wei Yang slowly turned her gaze to the young girl standing at the door, arms on her hips, glaring at her. This girl was only a year older than Li Wei Yang, but was much taller and fatter. Her face was pretty, but her mean attitude ruined her natural beauty.
Zhou Lan Xiu stared jealously at Li Wei Yang's delicate features. With an inward scoff, she turned and walked away, shouting over her shoulder, “Remember to thoroughly clean the pots! Also, make sure the floor is free of puddles, and organize the miscellaneous items on the stove!”
Li Wei Yang stood in the tiny kitchen, watching the girl’s back before breaking into a grin. Half an hour later, she finally finished cleaning the pots, hunched over, and began to clean the floor.
At that moment, Zhou Lan Xiu poked her head through the window and said, “That’s not how you clean! You have to kneel down! How can you not know? Oh, and the water tank is empty. After you finish, fill it up! Did you hear me?”
Li Wei Yang wiped the perspiration from her forehead and chin, then continued with her chores.
This had always been the routine. As the daughter of a farming family, Zhou Lan Xiu had her own chores to complete but constantly found ways to shift as many responsibilities as possible onto Li Wei Yang. Afterwards, she would take credit for the housework, proclaiming to everyone how busy and tired she was, as if she were taking care of a spoiled xiaojie who didn't know how to do anything. To make matters worse, when it was time for Li Wei Yang to eat, all that was left for her were two cold buns and a little bit of soup. In the past, this would make her cry while she worked, but now, she didn’t let anything bother her. Despite the exhausting chores, she learned to endure them.
That night, Zhou Qing didn’t stay home for dinner. He had been invited to dine at the village head's home. In Ping Cheng, a groundskeeper like him was valuable, but in this small village, he was highly regarded.
Li Wei Yang knew that Zhou Qing had a high tolerance for alcohol. Each time, he would drink until midnight before returning home, giving her a good opportunity. She calculated the time, waiting until everything was peaceful around midnight. Quietly, she picked up the red fabric she had hidden while doing laundry earlier in the day. Standing up, she opened the doors and walked over to the fence. Hooking the red fabric onto the fence, she stared at it for a long time, chuckled softly, then quickly returned to her room.
Having finished her cooking, she extinguished the fire and opened her eyes, which were blurry from the steam. After a moment of contemplation, she gradually stood up. Just as she was about to massage her tired limbs, a voice called out from the doorway.
“You lazy girl! Hurry up and clean the kitchen! I’ll come back later to see if it is done, and beware if it's not spotless!”
Li Wei Yang slowly turned her gaze to the young girl standing at the door, arms on her hips, glaring at her. This girl was only a year older than Li Wei Yang, but was much taller and fatter. Her face was pretty, but her mean attitude ruined her natural beauty.
Zhou Lan Xiu stared jealously at Li Wei Yang's delicate features. With an inward scoff, she turned and walked away, shouting over her shoulder, “Remember to thoroughly clean the pots! Also, make sure the floor is free of puddles, and organize the miscellaneous items on the stove!”
Li Wei Yang stood in the tiny kitchen, watching the girl’s back before breaking into a grin. Half an hour later, she finally finished cleaning the pots, hunched over, and began to clean the floor.
At that moment, Zhou Lan Xiu poked her head through the window and said, “That’s not how you clean! You have to kneel down! How can you not know? Oh, and the water tank is empty. After you finish, fill it up! Did you hear me?”
Li Wei Yang wiped the perspiration from her forehead and chin, then continued with her chores.
This had always been the routine. As the daughter of a farming family, Zhou Lan Xiu had her own chores to complete but constantly found ways to shift as many responsibilities as possible onto Li Wei Yang. Afterwards, she would take credit for the housework, proclaiming to everyone how busy and tired she was, as if she were taking care of a spoiled xiaojie who didn't know how to do anything. To make matters worse, when it was time for Li Wei Yang to eat, all that was left for her were two cold buns and a little bit of soup. In the past, this would make her cry while she worked, but now, she didn’t let anything bother her. Despite the exhausting chores, she learned to endure them.
That night, Zhou Qing didn’t stay home for dinner. He had been invited to dine at the village head's home. In Ping Cheng, a groundskeeper like him was valuable, but in this small village, he was highly regarded.
Li Wei Yang knew that Zhou Qing had a high tolerance for alcohol. Each time, he would drink until midnight before returning home, giving her a good opportunity. She calculated the time, waiting until everything was peaceful around midnight. Quietly, she picked up the red fabric she had hidden while doing laundry earlier in the day. Standing up, she opened the doors and walked over to the fence. Hooking the red fabric onto the fence, she stared at it for a long time, chuckled softly, then quickly returned to her room.
๑‿︵‿୨🌸୧‿︵‿๑
In the middle of the night, the sudden sound of the front gates being opened broke the stillness. Li Wei Yang strained her ears, listening attentively to the commotion outside, but did not make a move and remained in her bed.
At that moment, a drunken Zhou Qing returned home and noticed a tall, broad silhouette in his chamber. His expression turned grim, and he awakened from his stupor. He went to retrieve a knife and, with a forceful kick, opened the door.
The loud noise startled everyone in the house except Li Wei Yang, who kept her eyes closed but listened carefully to what was happening outside, smirking.
Suddenly, a sharp smacking sound echoed through the air, as if someone had just been slapped harshly. Zhou Qing's angry shouts followed this.
"You slut! You waited until I was not home to invite another man! You have no shame! What? You don’t know? I clearly saw a man running out of your room! How dare you say you don’t know anything? If someone kills me one day, I’m afraid you’ll claim you don’t know anything about that, too!"
Once he said this, two more slaps followed, indicating that Mrs. Liu was the one being chastised. ithout allowing her to defend herself, Zhou Qing yelled, “Kneel down! I want you to clearly explain who that man was! If you keep silent, tonight will be your last!”
Amid her sobs and pleas, Mrs. Liu replied, “I’m innocent! How could I do something like that?”
Inside the room, Zhou Qing spat onto Mrs. Liu’s face, responding, “Innocent? Who is trying to frame you? No one here resents you enough to do that!” He continued to beat her.
Mrs. Liu refused to give up, clinging to Zhou Qing's sleeves as she fought back. In his rage, Zhou Qing pulled her hair, dragging her across the floor while hitting and berating her simultaneously. “You have tarnished the Zhou family’s honor!”
In reality, Mrs. Liu did have a lover, but they only met when her husband and son were away. Hooking a red fabric onto the fence was their secret signal. Tonight, she had not hung the red fabric, yet for some reason, her lover came by. She was in the middle of opening the back door to let him out when her husband unexpectedly returned. Now, she felt as though her heart were being pierced by a thousand arrows, unable to escape as Zhou Qing continued his assault. Summoning all her strength, she tried to break free.
Zhou Qing roared, “You bitch, come back here!”
He chased her into the courtyard and managed to grab hold of her hair again. Mrs. Liu moaned and fell to the ground. Zhou Qing was about to strike her again when Zhou Jiang rushed out, shouting, “Father, father! Stop it! Mother wouldn’t do something like that! Let’s go back into the room and talk it out!”
Mrs. Liu, hearing her son, immediately understood his meaning. She erupted into sobs, hoping to create a bigger scene so that Zhou Qing would reconsider. “You came home drunk and are seeing things! You want to accuse me wrongfully!”
Zhou Qing replied with a cold laugh. “Wrongfully accuse you? Hardly! I drank less than a sheng[1] of wine tonight. That’s certainly not enough to intoxicate me to the point where I can’t distinguish between a man and a woman! I can’t believe you’re this old and can still act like that. Who knows how many times your lover has visited while I’ve been away these past few years! Why are you still pretending to be prim and proper in front of me?”
“Fine, if you don’t believe me, then I’ll kill myself! Even if I die, it’s because you Zhous forced me to!” Mrs. Liu was shameless. She leaped up, intending to bang her head against the wall.
However, Zhou Qing, with quick reflexes, grabbed both of her arms. “You dare to threaten me with suicide?” He threw her to the ground and pressed his foot into her chest. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He turned, grabbed the door latch, and began to strike Mrs. Liu repeatedly.
Mrs. Liu’s cries echoed in the distance like the sounds of slaughtered pigs.
Li Wei Yang shifted her body, the corners of her lips curving slightly upwards. This is what they call the evil we bring upon ourselves —the hardest to bear.
Hearing the commotion, the neighbors opened their gates and stepped outside. Mrs. Ma and Zhou Lan Xiu, who were in their respective rooms, had long heard the noise, but Mrs. Ma, being the daughter-in-law, did not dare intervene in her in-laws’ affairs. Zhou Lan Xiu wanted to help her mother, but when she saw her father’s murderous expression through the window, she froze.
Zhou Jiang looked around and quickly interrupted Zhou Qing. In a loud voice, he said, “Father, you’ve drunk too much. It’s late; let’s not make a scene and wake the neighbors.” He stepped forward, snatched the door latch, and pulled Zhou Qing aside. He whispered, “Father, let’s talk about this calmly. Even if you want to use your fists, we should do it inside. It’s awkward for the neighbors to see.”
Zhou Qing glared at Mrs. Liu, who was gasping for breath after her beating and bleeding. His anger was still not quelled, and he cruelly kicked Zhou Jiang. “And you! While I’m not home, you can’t even guard the house! What a disgrace! Bring her inside!”
Zhou Qing swallowed his rage and supported Mrs. Liu, who was beaten nearly unconscious but still insisted on her innocence, continuing to cry.
Moments later, Zhou Qing’s voice was heard berating her. “Shut up! It’s late; why are you wailing like it’s someone’s funeral[2]?”
Suddenly, the world fell silent. Hearing that line, Li Wei Yang couldn’t help but burst into silent laughter.
At that moment, a drunken Zhou Qing returned home and noticed a tall, broad silhouette in his chamber. His expression turned grim, and he awakened from his stupor. He went to retrieve a knife and, with a forceful kick, opened the door.
The loud noise startled everyone in the house except Li Wei Yang, who kept her eyes closed but listened carefully to what was happening outside, smirking.
Suddenly, a sharp smacking sound echoed through the air, as if someone had just been slapped harshly. Zhou Qing's angry shouts followed this.
"You slut! You waited until I was not home to invite another man! You have no shame! What? You don’t know? I clearly saw a man running out of your room! How dare you say you don’t know anything? If someone kills me one day, I’m afraid you’ll claim you don’t know anything about that, too!"
Once he said this, two more slaps followed, indicating that Mrs. Liu was the one being chastised. ithout allowing her to defend herself, Zhou Qing yelled, “Kneel down! I want you to clearly explain who that man was! If you keep silent, tonight will be your last!”
Amid her sobs and pleas, Mrs. Liu replied, “I’m innocent! How could I do something like that?”
Inside the room, Zhou Qing spat onto Mrs. Liu’s face, responding, “Innocent? Who is trying to frame you? No one here resents you enough to do that!” He continued to beat her.
Mrs. Liu refused to give up, clinging to Zhou Qing's sleeves as she fought back. In his rage, Zhou Qing pulled her hair, dragging her across the floor while hitting and berating her simultaneously. “You have tarnished the Zhou family’s honor!”
In reality, Mrs. Liu did have a lover, but they only met when her husband and son were away. Hooking a red fabric onto the fence was their secret signal. Tonight, she had not hung the red fabric, yet for some reason, her lover came by. She was in the middle of opening the back door to let him out when her husband unexpectedly returned. Now, she felt as though her heart were being pierced by a thousand arrows, unable to escape as Zhou Qing continued his assault. Summoning all her strength, she tried to break free.
Zhou Qing roared, “You bitch, come back here!”
He chased her into the courtyard and managed to grab hold of her hair again. Mrs. Liu moaned and fell to the ground. Zhou Qing was about to strike her again when Zhou Jiang rushed out, shouting, “Father, father! Stop it! Mother wouldn’t do something like that! Let’s go back into the room and talk it out!”
Mrs. Liu, hearing her son, immediately understood his meaning. She erupted into sobs, hoping to create a bigger scene so that Zhou Qing would reconsider. “You came home drunk and are seeing things! You want to accuse me wrongfully!”
Zhou Qing replied with a cold laugh. “Wrongfully accuse you? Hardly! I drank less than a sheng[1] of wine tonight. That’s certainly not enough to intoxicate me to the point where I can’t distinguish between a man and a woman! I can’t believe you’re this old and can still act like that. Who knows how many times your lover has visited while I’ve been away these past few years! Why are you still pretending to be prim and proper in front of me?”
“Fine, if you don’t believe me, then I’ll kill myself! Even if I die, it’s because you Zhous forced me to!” Mrs. Liu was shameless. She leaped up, intending to bang her head against the wall.
However, Zhou Qing, with quick reflexes, grabbed both of her arms. “You dare to threaten me with suicide?” He threw her to the ground and pressed his foot into her chest. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He turned, grabbed the door latch, and began to strike Mrs. Liu repeatedly.
Mrs. Liu’s cries echoed in the distance like the sounds of slaughtered pigs.
Li Wei Yang shifted her body, the corners of her lips curving slightly upwards. This is what they call the evil we bring upon ourselves —the hardest to bear.
Hearing the commotion, the neighbors opened their gates and stepped outside. Mrs. Ma and Zhou Lan Xiu, who were in their respective rooms, had long heard the noise, but Mrs. Ma, being the daughter-in-law, did not dare intervene in her in-laws’ affairs. Zhou Lan Xiu wanted to help her mother, but when she saw her father’s murderous expression through the window, she froze.
Zhou Jiang looked around and quickly interrupted Zhou Qing. In a loud voice, he said, “Father, you’ve drunk too much. It’s late; let’s not make a scene and wake the neighbors.” He stepped forward, snatched the door latch, and pulled Zhou Qing aside. He whispered, “Father, let’s talk about this calmly. Even if you want to use your fists, we should do it inside. It’s awkward for the neighbors to see.”
Zhou Qing glared at Mrs. Liu, who was gasping for breath after her beating and bleeding. His anger was still not quelled, and he cruelly kicked Zhou Jiang. “And you! While I’m not home, you can’t even guard the house! What a disgrace! Bring her inside!”
Zhou Qing swallowed his rage and supported Mrs. Liu, who was beaten nearly unconscious but still insisted on her innocence, continuing to cry.
Moments later, Zhou Qing’s voice was heard berating her. “Shut up! It’s late; why are you wailing like it’s someone’s funeral[2]?”
Suddenly, the world fell silent. Hearing that line, Li Wei Yang couldn’t help but burst into silent laughter.
[1] 1 litre = 1 sheng
[2] Yelling, known as wailing, is a customary and expected part of many Chinese funerals, serving as a powerful expression of sorrow and respect for the deceased. This tradition, sometimes called kusang, involves loud crying, sometimes accompanied by chants or songs, to honour the life of the deceased. In some cases, families even hire professional mourners to ensure the proper level of grief is expressed, particularly if the deceased was wealthy
[2] Yelling, known as wailing, is a customary and expected part of many Chinese funerals, serving as a powerful expression of sorrow and respect for the deceased. This tradition, sometimes called kusang, involves loud crying, sometimes accompanied by chants or songs, to honour the life of the deceased. In some cases, families even hire professional mourners to ensure the proper level of grief is expressed, particularly if the deceased was wealthy
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