Princess Wei Yang - C8
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 8
Benevolent Mother, Filial Daugher
The previous Prime Minister, Li Chang Sheng, had passed away in his middle years. His wife, Meng Shi, was so distressed by his loss that she left the main court and moved into a lesser courtyard to recuperate. She feared that staying in the main court would remind her of her late husband, so she chose to relocate to He Xiang Yuan, which was the furthest possible from the main court. He Xiang Yuan was very isolated, so she rarely inquired about the estate's internal affairs.
Lao Furen, Meng Shi[1], the paternal grandmother, was quite discreet and spoke very few words. She rarely socialized with others. However, she was fair and just in handling matters, and she never wrongfully accused or mistreated anyone. For this reason, Li Wei Yang had always held a fondness for her. Unfortunately, in the previous lifetime, Lao Furen’s health had deteriorated, and she passed away long before Li Wei Yang became the Empress.
In the chamber, Meng Shi sat in the centre, dressed in a turquoise silk tunic embroidered with a five blessings pattern. She wore a mink fur headpiece with a jade piece stitched in the middle. As Li Wei Yang moved gracefully, Meng Shi gently nodded her head and said, “It’s good that you’re back.”
For some reason, upon hearing those words, Li Wei Yang’s eyes filled with tears. Everyone present was stunned by her words.
A woman, dressed in a honey-coloured Xiangzhou silk dress with a round neck and a gold phoenix brooch in her hair, chuckled and approached Li Wei Yang. She helped Wei Yang stand up and examined her from head to toe. Then she smiled and said, “Lao Furen, take a look. She is truly well-behaved!” She then turned to Da Furen, who was sitting on the other side. “Congratulations to you, sister-in-law. You have welcomed another beautiful gem of a child.”
Da Furen, Jiang Shi, chuckled lightly, though there was no humor in her eyes. She studied Li Wei Yang carefully and said, “She really is a well-behaved child. Come here, let me take a closer look.”
Li Wei Yang glanced up from the corner of her eye but maintained a bright smile on her face. Her expression remained respectful and obedient as she gently walked past the second daughter-in-law, Wen shi—the one who had helped her stand earlier. She then demurely approached Jiang Shi, slightly bowing. “Mother.”
Jiang Shi looked back at her. “They say Ping Cheng’s feng shui[2] is very good, to the point that it can help nurture someone into an exceptional and talented person. When you were born, you were as small as a kitten, and your health wasn’t very good either. But now, you seem much healthier. This is a good outcome from a setback!”
Good feng shui? Nurtured into an exceptional and talented person? Li Wei Yang scoffed internally. She had nearly been nurtured to death, yet that person dared to claim it was a good outcome from a setback. This kind of thick skin was anything but normal.
She smiled gently. “What Mother said is correct. It’s because, over the past few years, Wei Yang has received your care and concern.”
When she spoke these words, others perceived Li Wei Yang as a person with good manners. If she were to complain to Lao Furen at that moment about her mistreatment, Lao Furen would scold Da Furen with just a few words. Da Furen, in turn, could shift the blame onto the carelessness of the maids and servants. Ultimately, this would not affect Da Furen at all; instead, Li Wei Yang would appear ignorant.
So when Li Wei Yang said those words, Da Furen was impressed and broke into a grin. She reached out for Wei Yang’s hand and said, “It’s good that you understand my well-intentions. Now that you’re back, you should spend more time with your sisters. If you lack anything, just come and talk to me.”
The third sister-in-law, Zhou Shi, quietly watched this scene without a word of opinion. On the other hand, Wen Shi, the second sister-in-law, was smiling with ridicule. From the beginning to the end, Lao Furen had no expression as she fiddled with the Buddhist mala beads in her hand.
"Wei Yang will definitely listen to Mother’s words. I will spend more time with my sisters." To the eyes of others, Li Wei Yang’s face had turned pink, and she appeared very compliant.
Da Furen glanced briefly at Zi Yan and Bai Zhi behind Wei Yang. She nodded and said, “It doesn’t look good to have only two maidservants with you. Hua Mei, from now on, you will follow San Xiaojie and take care of her.” A petite maid with delicate phoenix-like eyes stepped forward, greeting Li Wei Yang with respect.
"You’ve grown up now, so it’s not enough to have only two first-rank servants by your side. For now, you will be assigned another one. After the New Year, another will be assigned to you. I have already prepared all the second-rank servants for you. As for the third-rank servants, the selection process is still ongoing and should be ready soon." While saying this, Da Furen appeared genuinely benevolent.
Li Wei Yang smiled with gratitude. She knew that it wasn’t just Da Furen assessing her at that moment; Meng shi, Wen shi, and Zhou Shi were also observing and judging her. In this entire family, her father was the Prime Minister, and Da Furen was officially in charge of managing the estate's internal affairs. However, in the past few years, Erfang[3] and Dafang[4] had been caught in a cold war, and there was also Sanfang. All in all, their scheming and psychological warfare were inevitable.
For a person who had just returned like her, the most important thing was to have a strong support system. Da Furen looked at her, furrowing her brows. “Child, why are you dressed so lightly?” She then waved her hand. “Bring over the cloak I’ve prepared.” In front of everyone, she smiled and personally wrapped the cloak around Li Wei Yang.
The cloak was light yet warm. Made of light pink silk, it had a dotted pattern of peony flowers in gold thread, with cloud patterns in black thread. The interior was lined with white mink fur, making it look very warm and soft. However, when Li Wei Yang touched it, she immediately realized it was old and had been used before. Clearly, Da Furen wanted to emphasize her dignity and magnanimity in front of everyone, so she had dug through her wardrobe to find the cloak, presenting a second-hand item to appear benevolent and thoughtful.
“Thank you, Mother,” Wei Yang said. Just then, someone came in to relay a message to Da Furen. “Da Furen, Yu Shi Furen has gifted five rolls of Liu Yun Ge silk from Ning Zhou. You should take a look.”
Da Furen nodded and smiled happily. “Lao Furen, I shall take my leave. There are a few things I need to attend to. Wei Yang, when I’m done, I will bring you to your father.”
Li Wei Yang hurriedly replied, “Yes, Mother. Please take your time.”
The mala beads in Lao Furen’s hands subtly shifted as she nodded her head. Da Furen quickly took her leave. The moment she left, Erfang and Sanfang also stood up. Erfang Wen shi glanced at Li Wei Yang with disappointment, believing she would get to see the concubine’s daughter incriminate Jiang shi. However, it turned out that Li Wei Yang was merely a coward. Despite having suffered through much hardship and abuse, she lacked the courage to speak up.
Once the three furens left, the room fell silent.
Meng Shi glanced at Wei Yang, her delicate features betraying a sudden sigh. She turned to Luo Mama, who stood beside her, and said, “Please take this child away.”
Li Wei Yang knelt on the ground and earnestly kowtowed before Meng Shi. After that, she followed Luo Mama out.
As Luo Mama led Li Wei Yang toward the canopy, she suddenly heard a loud yelp from Li Wei Yang. Stopping in her tracks, she asked, “San xiaojie, what’s the matter?”
Li Wei Yang shook her head, though a strange expression crossed her face. Almost instinctively, she touched the back of her neck. Luo Mama chose not to press further and resumed her steps, intentionally
slowing down to steal a glance at the back of Li Wei Yang’s neck. She noticed red spots resembling needle marks, with blood slowly oozing out. Luo Mama froze.
Li Wei Yang appeared to be enduring pain as best she could, but tears were beginning to form in her eyes.
Unable to bear it any longer, Luo Mama forced a smile and said, “San xiaojie, this embroidered cloak is beautiful. Recently, Lao Furen has been wanting something similar. Could you possibly lend me the cloak for two days so I can study the embroidery?”
The type of garments that Lao Taitai wore would undoubtedly have different colors and patterns from those Wei Yang would typically wear. Understanding the implied request but choosing to feign ignorance, Wei Yang obediently removed the cloak and handed it to Luo Mama.
As Luo Mama received it, her fingers unintentionally brushed against the mink fur lining of the cloak, causing her expression to shift.
“Luo Mama, what’s wrong?” Li Wei Yang asked innocently.
Luo Mama glanced briefly at the group of servants surrounding them but maintained her smile. “Nothing’s wrong. San Xiaojie, you should go and familiarize yourself with your new residence. I need to return to Lao Furen's side.”
Li Wei Yang looked at the cloak that Luo Mama held tightly in her hands, offering a gentle smile as she replied, “Yes, Luo Mama should hurry back.”
Lao Furen, Meng Shi[1], the paternal grandmother, was quite discreet and spoke very few words. She rarely socialized with others. However, she was fair and just in handling matters, and she never wrongfully accused or mistreated anyone. For this reason, Li Wei Yang had always held a fondness for her. Unfortunately, in the previous lifetime, Lao Furen’s health had deteriorated, and she passed away long before Li Wei Yang became the Empress.
In the chamber, Meng Shi sat in the centre, dressed in a turquoise silk tunic embroidered with a five blessings pattern. She wore a mink fur headpiece with a jade piece stitched in the middle. As Li Wei Yang moved gracefully, Meng Shi gently nodded her head and said, “It’s good that you’re back.”
For some reason, upon hearing those words, Li Wei Yang’s eyes filled with tears. Everyone present was stunned by her words.
A woman, dressed in a honey-coloured Xiangzhou silk dress with a round neck and a gold phoenix brooch in her hair, chuckled and approached Li Wei Yang. She helped Wei Yang stand up and examined her from head to toe. Then she smiled and said, “Lao Furen, take a look. She is truly well-behaved!” She then turned to Da Furen, who was sitting on the other side. “Congratulations to you, sister-in-law. You have welcomed another beautiful gem of a child.”
Da Furen, Jiang Shi, chuckled lightly, though there was no humor in her eyes. She studied Li Wei Yang carefully and said, “She really is a well-behaved child. Come here, let me take a closer look.”
Li Wei Yang glanced up from the corner of her eye but maintained a bright smile on her face. Her expression remained respectful and obedient as she gently walked past the second daughter-in-law, Wen shi—the one who had helped her stand earlier. She then demurely approached Jiang Shi, slightly bowing. “Mother.”
Jiang Shi looked back at her. “They say Ping Cheng’s feng shui[2] is very good, to the point that it can help nurture someone into an exceptional and talented person. When you were born, you were as small as a kitten, and your health wasn’t very good either. But now, you seem much healthier. This is a good outcome from a setback!”
Good feng shui? Nurtured into an exceptional and talented person? Li Wei Yang scoffed internally. She had nearly been nurtured to death, yet that person dared to claim it was a good outcome from a setback. This kind of thick skin was anything but normal.
She smiled gently. “What Mother said is correct. It’s because, over the past few years, Wei Yang has received your care and concern.”
When she spoke these words, others perceived Li Wei Yang as a person with good manners. If she were to complain to Lao Furen at that moment about her mistreatment, Lao Furen would scold Da Furen with just a few words. Da Furen, in turn, could shift the blame onto the carelessness of the maids and servants. Ultimately, this would not affect Da Furen at all; instead, Li Wei Yang would appear ignorant.
So when Li Wei Yang said those words, Da Furen was impressed and broke into a grin. She reached out for Wei Yang’s hand and said, “It’s good that you understand my well-intentions. Now that you’re back, you should spend more time with your sisters. If you lack anything, just come and talk to me.”
The third sister-in-law, Zhou Shi, quietly watched this scene without a word of opinion. On the other hand, Wen Shi, the second sister-in-law, was smiling with ridicule. From the beginning to the end, Lao Furen had no expression as she fiddled with the Buddhist mala beads in her hand.
"Wei Yang will definitely listen to Mother’s words. I will spend more time with my sisters." To the eyes of others, Li Wei Yang’s face had turned pink, and she appeared very compliant.
Da Furen glanced briefly at Zi Yan and Bai Zhi behind Wei Yang. She nodded and said, “It doesn’t look good to have only two maidservants with you. Hua Mei, from now on, you will follow San Xiaojie and take care of her.” A petite maid with delicate phoenix-like eyes stepped forward, greeting Li Wei Yang with respect.
"You’ve grown up now, so it’s not enough to have only two first-rank servants by your side. For now, you will be assigned another one. After the New Year, another will be assigned to you. I have already prepared all the second-rank servants for you. As for the third-rank servants, the selection process is still ongoing and should be ready soon." While saying this, Da Furen appeared genuinely benevolent.
Li Wei Yang smiled with gratitude. She knew that it wasn’t just Da Furen assessing her at that moment; Meng shi, Wen shi, and Zhou Shi were also observing and judging her. In this entire family, her father was the Prime Minister, and Da Furen was officially in charge of managing the estate's internal affairs. However, in the past few years, Erfang[3] and Dafang[4] had been caught in a cold war, and there was also Sanfang. All in all, their scheming and psychological warfare were inevitable.
For a person who had just returned like her, the most important thing was to have a strong support system. Da Furen looked at her, furrowing her brows. “Child, why are you dressed so lightly?” She then waved her hand. “Bring over the cloak I’ve prepared.” In front of everyone, she smiled and personally wrapped the cloak around Li Wei Yang.
The cloak was light yet warm. Made of light pink silk, it had a dotted pattern of peony flowers in gold thread, with cloud patterns in black thread. The interior was lined with white mink fur, making it look very warm and soft. However, when Li Wei Yang touched it, she immediately realized it was old and had been used before. Clearly, Da Furen wanted to emphasize her dignity and magnanimity in front of everyone, so she had dug through her wardrobe to find the cloak, presenting a second-hand item to appear benevolent and thoughtful.
“Thank you, Mother,” Wei Yang said. Just then, someone came in to relay a message to Da Furen. “Da Furen, Yu Shi Furen has gifted five rolls of Liu Yun Ge silk from Ning Zhou. You should take a look.”
Da Furen nodded and smiled happily. “Lao Furen, I shall take my leave. There are a few things I need to attend to. Wei Yang, when I’m done, I will bring you to your father.”
Li Wei Yang hurriedly replied, “Yes, Mother. Please take your time.”
The mala beads in Lao Furen’s hands subtly shifted as she nodded her head. Da Furen quickly took her leave. The moment she left, Erfang and Sanfang also stood up. Erfang Wen shi glanced at Li Wei Yang with disappointment, believing she would get to see the concubine’s daughter incriminate Jiang shi. However, it turned out that Li Wei Yang was merely a coward. Despite having suffered through much hardship and abuse, she lacked the courage to speak up.
Once the three furens left, the room fell silent.
Meng Shi glanced at Wei Yang, her delicate features betraying a sudden sigh. She turned to Luo Mama, who stood beside her, and said, “Please take this child away.”
Li Wei Yang knelt on the ground and earnestly kowtowed before Meng Shi. After that, she followed Luo Mama out.
As Luo Mama led Li Wei Yang toward the canopy, she suddenly heard a loud yelp from Li Wei Yang. Stopping in her tracks, she asked, “San xiaojie, what’s the matter?”
Li Wei Yang shook her head, though a strange expression crossed her face. Almost instinctively, she touched the back of her neck. Luo Mama chose not to press further and resumed her steps, intentionally
slowing down to steal a glance at the back of Li Wei Yang’s neck. She noticed red spots resembling needle marks, with blood slowly oozing out. Luo Mama froze.
Li Wei Yang appeared to be enduring pain as best she could, but tears were beginning to form in her eyes.
Unable to bear it any longer, Luo Mama forced a smile and said, “San xiaojie, this embroidered cloak is beautiful. Recently, Lao Furen has been wanting something similar. Could you possibly lend me the cloak for two days so I can study the embroidery?”
The type of garments that Lao Taitai wore would undoubtedly have different colors and patterns from those Wei Yang would typically wear. Understanding the implied request but choosing to feign ignorance, Wei Yang obediently removed the cloak and handed it to Luo Mama.
As Luo Mama received it, her fingers unintentionally brushed against the mink fur lining of the cloak, causing her expression to shift.
“Luo Mama, what’s wrong?” Li Wei Yang asked innocently.
Luo Mama glanced briefly at the group of servants surrounding them but maintained her smile. “Nothing’s wrong. San Xiaojie, you should go and familiarize yourself with your new residence. I need to return to Lao Furen's side.”
Li Wei Yang looked at the cloak that Luo Mama held tightly in her hands, offering a gentle smile as she replied, “Yes, Luo Mama should hurry back.”
[1] Shi (氏) – suffix that refers to the woman’s maiden surname
*Meng Shi* is her last name and first name. *Lao furen* (老妇人) is a Chinese phrase that translates to "old lady" or "old woman". It can be used as a polite or modest term of address for an elderly woman.
*Meng Shi* is her last name and first name. *Lao furen* (老妇人) is a Chinese phrase that translates to "old lady" or "old woman". It can be used as a polite or modest term of address for an elderly woman.
- Lǎo (老): means "old".
- Fù (妇): means "woman" or "married woman".
- Rén (人): means "person"
[2] "Feng shui" literally translates to "wind-water" in English, which refers to the ancient Chinese practice of arranging objects to achieve harmony with the environment. It is also known as Chinese geomancy, an art that seeks to balance the flow of energy
[3] 二房 (\(èr\) \(fáng\)): This means "second branch" of an extended family and can also refer to the quarters of a concubine
[4] Dafang (大房) – Refers to the Prime Minister’s wife/his branch of the family. "Erfang," "dafang," and "sanfang" likely refer to a person's birth order, translating to "first child" (erfang), "second child" (dafang), and "third child" (sanfang)
Dafang = 1st sister-in-law – Da Furen Jiang Shi
Sanfang = 2nd sister-in-law – Wen Shi
Erfang = 3rd sister-in law – Zhou Shi
[3] 二房 (\(èr\) \(fáng\)): This means "second branch" of an extended family and can also refer to the quarters of a concubine
[4] Dafang (大房) – Refers to the Prime Minister’s wife/his branch of the family. "Erfang," "dafang," and "sanfang" likely refer to a person's birth order, translating to "first child" (erfang), "second child" (dafang), and "third child" (sanfang)
Dafang = 1st sister-in-law – Da Furen Jiang Shi
Sanfang = 2nd sister-in-law – Wen Shi
Erfang = 3rd sister-in law – Zhou Shi
๑‿︵‿୨🌸୧‿︵‿๑
*Characters*
Every character in this novel has different names and titles, which may make it difficult to remember who is who. Here are some of the characters mentioned in this chapter.
- Wei Yang is also called San XianJie (Third Daughter or Third Miss), born to concubine Qi Yiniang (Tan Shi).
- Lao Furen (Old Lady) is the mother of the Prime Minister, her son, Li Xiao Ran. Grandmother has full authority over Da Furen. She is the matriarch of the household.
- Li Xiao Ran is the Prime Minister and the Master of the Li House. he had two older brothers. When they died, their wives and children joined his household
- Da Furen (1st wife) is in charge of the household. She is also Dafang, the 1st daughter-in-law of Lao Furen. Real name is Jiang Shi. She has two children: Zhang Le and Min Feng. All the children of the house born from wives and concubines call her *Mother*
- Zhou Shi or Erfang (3rd daughter-in-law, widow of one of Li Xiao Ran's brothers, also called *Aunt*). She has a daughter Chang Ru.
- Wen Shi or Sanfang (2nd daughter-in-law, widow of one of Li Xiao Ran's brothers, also called *Aunt*). She miscarried a child and became the adoptive mother of Li Min De
- Si Yiniang, Li Xiao Ran’s concubine. She has two daughters, Chang Xi (Si Xianjie) and Chang Xiao (Wu Xianjie)
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