The Princess Wei Yang Chapter 93 Part2
Chapter 93: A Dishonor to Her Mother's Funeral
八宝酥 bā bǎo sū - crisp bun made of eight ingredients, in this case, each has significant medicinal properties
Li Xiao Ran said: “San Dianxia, you must have waited
for a while now.”
A strange groan reached their ears.
Li Xiao Ran stood, frozen in place as his mind drew a
blank. He could not believe what he had witnessed! On the chaise, a young woman
had her arm wrapped around Tuoba Zhen’s neck. The two were in a particularly
intimate position, apparently about to do something immoral…
“Insolent, unfilial child!” Li Xiao Ran’s anger
exploded, nearly reaching the sky. He recognized the beautiful face near Tuoba
Zhen’s as the chang nu he always took pride in! Li Chang Le laid in Tuoba
Zhen’s arms with her clothes disheveled!
He rushed over and pried the two off one another, his
face pale: “Look at yourself! See what good deed you have done!”
Li Chang Le slowly turned to him with a blank stare as
if she did not see him. Not a hint of remorse, her clothes were half undone and
prominent red marks covered her skin. Beside her, Tuoba Zhen’s crown was
tilted, his face full of lipstick stains. His hands still remained on her body.
With the sight before him, there was no need to ask what the two had been up
to.
Li Xiao Ran realized something and turned around,
about to order the servants to close the doors when he heard Li Wei Yang laugh
and say: “Wu Dianxia, please go in.”
Tuoba Rui had stepped foot into the room and
immediately saw the situation inside. As if struck by lightning, he froze,
unable to react.
Li Wei Yang came in and saw, she seemed stunned: “How
can this be?!”
“Close the doors!” Li Xiao Ran furiously shouted. The
servants hastily closed the doors to prevent anyone else from seeing inside.
The entire room was engulfed in silence.
Li Wei Yang inwardly sneered but continued to
fearfully say: “Dajie! What are you doing! You were already promised to marry
Wu Dianxia, how could you and San Dianxia do something so immoral and
senseless! If outsiders hear of this, what will we do then?!”
As if waking up from her murky trance, Li Chang Le
looked down and saw her exposed body. She sat up straight and quickly covered
herself, crying out: “Fuqin! Fuqin! I don’t know what happened—” Something
occurred to her, and she abruptly turned to Li Wei Yang, “It was you! It was
you, you little! You set me up!”
Li Wei Yang calmly looked at her: “Set up how? Dajie,
I just came in. I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
Li Xiao Ran’s face was pale and livid. If he could, he
would have beaten that insolent, unfilial child to death on the spot: “Chang
Le, you dare to blame your meimei for your own deeds, shut your mouth already!”
Li Chang Le panicked and lamented: “Fuqin! Li Wei Yang
set me up, she deliberately led me here and drugged me! That’s right, she must
have drugged me!”
Li Xiao Ran glanced back at Li Wei Yang. Li Wei Yang’s
expressions seemed to be of utmost disbelief and innocence: “Fuqin, I truly do
not know what Dajie is saying. I have been busy with the guests all morning. I
ran into Wu Huangzi earlier, Dianxia was worried Dajie had yet to recover and
came to visit. Then, I heard the servants say San Dianxia also came, so I
brought Wu Dianxia to the guest room to greet—”
Of course, Li Xiao Ran did not think Li Wei Yang was
capable of doing such a thing. This kind of thing could not be deliberately
arranged!
Li Chang Le was hysterical, protesting: “You clearly
had me taken here!”
Li Wei Yang sighed: “Dajie, I thought you had
repented. I did not think you would say something like this. If I really did
set up a trap, then how could I make you go to San Huangzi? Could it be that I
tied you up and brought you here? There are many Yatous and mamas outside, why
not ask them and see if I brought Dajie here or you came yourself?!”
Li Chang Le’s hair was disheveled, face flushed. Her
voice quivered as she resentfully spat out: “You little! You intentionally—”
She sent Tan Xiang to watch over Li Wei Yang. Tan Xiang returned and reported
that Li Wei Yang had secretly gone to the guest room in the West Wing, as if
about to meet someone, so she did not hesitate to run over there, hoping to
grasp Li Wei Yang’s weakness. She had just arrived at the door when she noticed
a strange smell and lost control of herself...
Tuoba Zhen quickly recovered from the confusion. When
he saw Li Wei Yang, an ominous light crossed his eyes. Then he bowed his head
and readjusted his clothes, taking down his crown and tied his hair up again.
He had recomposed his appearance and thoughts, brushing off his clothes before
speaking up: “During Li Furen’s funeral, if I had illicit relations with Da
Xiaojie, I would not choose this as the time and place. This must be someone’s
trap. Prime Minister Li, please send someone to thoroughly investigate this
room.”
Li Xiao Ran glanced at Tuoba Rui and his unpleasant
expressions and realized something: “In that case, it is necessary to
investigate and clear things up!” He looked to Li Chang Le: “Quickly recompose
yourself!”
Li Chang Le salvaged a glimmer of hope from these
words. Indeed, as long aphrodisiacs were found in the room, she could prove
that she had been set up by someone! After hearing Li Xiao Ran say this, she
lowered her head and quickly readjusted her clothes. Then, she looked up, her
beautiful face was like a flower in the rain as she cried: “Fuqin, Wu Dianxia,
you must believe me.”
Tuoba Rui’s lips quivered. Having witnessed this, his
blood was not only boiling but about to flow the other direction. He did not
know what to say, so he only averted his eyes and bitterly eyed Tuoba Zhen. He
had not thought that San ge, someone who was not of many words, ran here to do
such immoral things with Da Xiaojie of the Li family. Their actions greatly
humiliated him! Heavens, how could he encounter such misfortune!
Soon, Li Xiao Ran ordered the entire room to be
searched. It was a pity that half a shichen later, nothing had yet to be found.
Tuoba Zhen blankly stared at Li Wei Yang, then
abruptly pointed to the potted begonias over there: “Search those potted
flowers!”
Li Xiao Ran frowned. Li Wei Yang had given him those
begonias and even placed them there. Had Li Wei Yang done something to it? His
gaze fell on the potted begonias in full bloom. Li Wei Yang’s eyes were
downcast, not saying anything. Tuoba Zhen took her silence as a sign of a guilty
conscience.
However, the potted begonias were thoroughly searched
a couple times. The conclusion that followed was nothing had been found.
“Laoye, there is nothing unusual with these potted
begonias.”
“Impossible!” Tuoba Zhen quickly strode over and
seized a begonia. He placed it directly under his nose, but he did not smell
anything at all, “This isn’t right! I clearly smelled the fragrance of these
begonias!” He had thought that these were rare begonias that had been carefully
cultivated to have a gentle fragrance.
Li Wei Yang lightly said: “San Dianxia, these begonias
are not the kind to give off fragrance unfortunately. If someone had done
something to them, the scent would still linger, right? But there is nothing
wrong with these begonias, is there a need to check again?”
Tuoba Zhen’s murderous stare towards Li Wei Yang was
complex, harboring disgust and hatred but also a vague trace of love and
despair, truly terrifying.
Li Wei Yang’s eyes were br.i.m.m.i.n.g with mirthlessness.
Tuoba Zhen was someone who practiced martial arts and was always cautious.
Typical incenses could not make him lose control, not to mention there were
many hidden guards by his side. The plan had almost no chance of succeeding, but
Li Wei Yang had lived alongside him for eight years and was all too familiar
with his personality. Of course, she would not try anything she was not certain
of.
There many aphrodisiac fragrances out there, such as
lilies, ylang-ylang, patchouli, rosemary, and so on. With the appropriate
amounts, it could induce hallucinations and evoke emotional reactions. Since
Tuoba Zhen grew up in the palace, he was naturally cautious towards these
things. He usually burnt sandalwood incense, musk incense, and the like,
sometimes together with other incense, so even if those incenses had been used,
he would quickly discover them. Moreover, they would leave behind a trace.
Li Wei Yang chose to sprinkle Doukou (cardamom) water
on the begonias, making Li Chang Le lose her senses. Doukou also served as as
an aphrodisiac, except there was not enough of it to have an effect on the
strong-willed Tuoba Zhen. Li Wei Yang recalled that Tuoba Zhen’s favorite food
was ba bao su, which was made of lingzhi mushrooms, hericium, tremella fungi,
ginkgo, wood ear fungi, song mushrooms, shiitake, and poria, all of which had
medicinal properties. They
were good for the joints, restoring energy, enhancing performance, and good for
one’s health in general, but ginkgo and Doukou together will amplify the
aphrodisiac effect of Doukou, even creating a powerful psychedelic. Most
importantly, Doukou’s fragrance is intense and invaded the senses, but in a
bit, its fragrance will dissipate, leaving no traces behind. Li Wei Yang
calculated the time needed and had Zhao Nan sprinkle it onto the begonias then,
by now, how could anything be found.
Li Wei Yang originally wanted to Li Chang Le had been
seen in such an exposed state. Only one out of the two of them needed to take
the bait, and the rest of the story could be added on in the process. Who would
have thought even Tuoba Zhen would lose control, producing a result that
surpa.s.sed her own expectations.
“San Dianxia, do not look at me like that. You’re
scaring me.” Li Wei Yang’s expressions were innocent. She blinked then averted
her eyes, but at the moment, those eyes only harbored a chilling hostility.
Tuoba Zhen stared at her, if there were not so many people here, he would have
torn out her heart to see if it was full of black, poisonous blood!
Li Chang Le cried: “Fuqin, you have to believe me, Li
Wei Yang must have had something to do with this!”
Li Wei Yang sighed: “Dajie, I know you and San Dianxia
could not control your affections, but you should never do such a thing during
Muqin’s funeral, especially because of Wu Dianxia’s sincerity towards you. This
is no different than trampling on his heart and humiliating him, our Li family
is a refined family, Fuqin is a righteous official and renown throughout. If
others find out that he has a such a shameless nu er, how can Fuqin remain a
righteous official? How could he face Bixia? And San Dianxia, you intend to
marry him through these means!”
Such a scandal broke out during the funeral ceremony.
Once this was publicized, not only would Li Chang Le have to die, but even
Tuoba Zhen would encounter misfortune. It will be difficult for him to keep his
position of Huangzi, much less hope to claim the Imperial throne. Li Wei Yang
knew this and set a trap like this for that very reason.
Li Chang Le resented not being able to tear apart Li
Wei Yang’s face, but she was aware that if she panicked, it would be easier for
her opponent to grasp her weaknesses, so she forced herself to calm down: “Li
Wei Yang, do not say such nonsense, I did not do any of these things at all,
you have wronged me in every way! You are jealous of me for being more
beautiful than you and being favored by Fuqin, so you are always opposing me!
You clearly led me here today and schemed to make me lose my senses. You think
it will make Fuqin like you more, and I will lose everything, is that right?
I’m letting you know, I will never let you succeed! Fuqin! Fuqin, you must
believe me, I would never do something like this! Wu Dianxia, help me, Dianxia,
help me, I was set up!”
Li Chang Le lamented and wept, acting weak and pitiful
in front of Tuoba Rui.
Tuoba Rui was about to help her up when Li Wei Yang
calmly said: “Dajie, why do you always say someone has wronged you, these
affairs cannot be forced. If you like San Dianxia, you should have said so, no
need to involve the innocent Wu Dianxia!”
Tuoba Rui stopped dead. He saw red, rage flashing
across his eyes. He suddenly realized he was being used, but the person using
him was none other than the extraordinarily beautiful, weak and pitiful girl in
front of him. He had genuinely sympathized with her, but now, he only felt
cheated. Compared to the anger clouding his mind earlier, this feeling was even
more unbearable and drew out his cruel nature! He retracted his outstretched
hands and turned away, resentfully vowing that the humiliation he faced today
will be repaid at a later time a thousand times over! After that, he did not
look back at Li Chang Le and left.
Li Chang Le saw the turn of events and realized her
beauty scheme was no longer effective. She felt cold all over and rushed to
seize Li Xiao Ran’s sleeves: “Fuqin! I am innocent, you must help me!”
Li Xiao Ran looked at her, yet never before was his
stare as cold and detached as if he were looking at a dead person.
Li Chang Le shuddered all over, unable to stop
trembling. Li Xiao Ran had never looked at her like that before...
Tuoba Zhen apathetically looked on. What happened
today was a great blow to him; during the funeral of Prime Minister Li’s Furen,
a Huangzi recklessly and dishonorably acted with a daughter of their family.
The Emperor would be disgusted by him, making all of his efforts over the years
go to waste. Li Wei Yang, ah, Li Wei Yang, you are rather malicious!
Li Wei Yang sensed what he was thinking and turned
around, her face innocent yet her eyes were frozen in a cold stare, not a trace
of warmth in them.
There was not the slightest sign of fear or guilt in
Tuoba Zhen’s eyes. The flames of anger flared, if Li Xiao Ran was not here, he
would seize this girl and demand she explain herself! However, he knew he could
not do that now. He would encounter great troubles if this matter was not
properly dealt with, so he just said: “Prime Minister Li, it is still Li
Furen’s funeral ceremony. Many things cannot be discussed yet. Once the funeral
is over, I will provide a sufficient explanation.”
Li Xiao Ran gave Tuoba Zhen a harsh look. Although he
was a Huangzi, he could not do such a dishonorable thing during a funeral. If
so, his days were numbered. He wanted to report this to the Emperor—no, he
could not do that, Li Chang Le was still a nu er of the Li family. Her reputation
may be lost, but this could not implicate the entire Li family! The thought of
it made Li Xiao Ran glare at Tuoba Zhen: “Alright, I will wait for your
explanation!”
Tuoba Zhen nodded and immediately left. Li Chang Le
saw he was about to leave and grew fearful. She wanted to catch onto his
sleeves, but Tuoba Zhen’s strides were too fast, not giving a chance to do so.
Now, he had to quickly silence Wu Huangzi at any cost! This could not spread to
the outside!
Li Wei Yang looked at his retreating figure and
sneered. She had sent the two siblings Zhao Nan and Zhao Yue to stop Tuoba
Zhen’s hidden guards in order to successfully lead Li Xiao Ran and Wu Huangzi
here, yet the first thing Tuoba Zhen would do once he left was to dispose of
all those guards! Of course, she did not hope to defeat Tuoba Zhen with this
matter alone. In any case, he still had quite a few of Wu Huangzi’s weaknesses
in his grasp and certainly had a way to keep Tuoba Rui silent, but Tuoba Rui
will resent him. The efforts originally concentrated on Taizi and Qi Huangzi
will shift to dealing with him. In the days to come, Tuoba Zhen would not get
what he wanted.
Li Chang Le had never felt more afraid and desperate.
She was not naive and knew precisely what was waiting ahead of her! She begged
Li Xiao Ran without pausing for a breath: “Fuqin, I was framed, you must
believe me!”
Li Wei Yang only said: “Dajie, things have been
reduced to this state. You do not need to say such unnecessary things. Muqin’s
funeral ceremony has not ended. There are other guests waiting outside, so if
you continue to cry like this, there is no guarantee that this matter will not
spread to the outside.”
Li Chang Le’s fury finally boiled over. She leapt to
her feet: “I will not let you get away with this, I have to speak with
Waigong…”
“Dajie, you are surnamed Li, yet why do you always
bring up the Jiang family!” Li Wei Yang’s face remained unchanged, “You should
know that affairs of the Li family are for Fuqin and Lao Furen to decide,
others do not have a right to intervene!”
Li Chang Le’s mind went blank, and she lunged,
intending to slap Li Wei Yang. However, Li Xiao Ran’s hand was faster and sent
her crumpling to the floor. The slap left her face turned to one side. Her eyes
were wide open in disbelief towards Li Xiao Ran.
Li Xiao Ran angrily said: “You are to stay here.
Without my orders, no one is to let her out!” He quickly strode away and left,
not turning back to look at Li Chang Le.
Li Chang Le despairingly burst into tears.
Li Wei Yang looked at her and faintly smiled: “Dajie,
you should cry a bit louder, it would suit your image of filial piety as a nu
er. Aiya, how could I forget, you are no longer a filial nu er. You were
desperate to be married and acted senselessly, crazy to be exact. As for what
awaits in three years, it seems you have already decided that for yourself, but
you will lose some status.” Her voice was malicious and provocative. Li Chang
Le heard the satisfaction and relish in her voice, gloating over the other
person’s misfortune. Li Chang Le leapt to her feet: “Li Wei Yang, you
deplorable little, why are you always acting against me?”
Li Wei Yang smiled warmly and sweetly began: “Dajie,
perhaps you do not recall what happened in the past.”
Li Chang Le sharply retorted: “It has nothing to do
with me! That was your own misfortune, as for why you were born in February,
how could you blame us!”
Li Wei Yang smiled: “Dajie, one does not want others
to know the things they have done. You know best what deeds you and your mother
have done.”
Li Chang Le could not bear it anymore and rushed
towards her, no matter what she must teach Li Wei Yang a lesson today! She had
yet to touch Li Wei Yang’s clothes when Zhao Yue appeared behind Li Wei Yang,
seemingly out of nowhere, and sent her flying with a kick. Li Chang Le had not
expected Zhao Yue to suddenly appear, nor had she thought the latter would
cruelly kick her. She was a delicate, aristocratic lady, and such a fierce kick
made her clutch her abdomen and cough up blood before her vision tunneled, and
she fainted on the spot.
Li Wei Yang blankly looked down at her: “Dajie, you
should just enjoy the good times while they last.” Having finished, she walked
out of the hall with Zhao Yue.
Not far from the hall, Tuoba Zhen had not left and was
standing under the peach tree with his arms crossed. It was almost spring, so
the days were warm and the peach blossoms were in full bloom. A breeze blew
past, and a flurry of red followed, scattering to the ground and in his hair
and shoulders like droplets of blood. The bitter resentment was reflected in
his eyes, much like his desire to tear Li Wei Yang to shreds. Li Wei Yang saw
him and only smiled, greeting him from afar before turning and leaving.
Li Wei Yang left the courtyard. Behind her, she heard
Zhao Yue let out a small groan. She turned around and found her sleeve had been
sliced open by a sword and bloodied. Li Wei Yang softly said: “It must have
been hard on you.” Tuoba Zhen’s seventeen hidden guards did not sit idle. She
knew the siblings had exhausted their strength holding them off for just half a
shichen, but it was enough for Li Xiao Ran to witness everything.
“Xiaojie had given the order, so Nubi must overcome
any difficulties and do so.” Zhao Yue quietly said.
Li Wei Yang smiled: “You have completed your task, quickly
go and apply medicine for your injuries and your brother as well.”
Zhao Yue could not help but ask: “Xiaojie, as for our
next move, do we find a way to spread the news?”
Li Wei Yang slowly shook her head: “Whether it is San
Huangzi or Fuqin, neither will allow this to spread to the outside, but the
truth is still the truth. No matter how Fuqin tries to hide it, he cannot deny
Li Chang Le’s dishonorable actions during this mourning period.”
Puzzled, Zhao Yue continued to ask: “Then, why didn’t
Xiaojie just let more people witness this—”
Li Wei Yang shook her head: “That hall is reserved for
special guests. How could anyone go in as they please? Of course, Fuqin can go
in and out, and I brought Tuoba Rui in. Others do not have an excuse to go in.
If I put on an elaborate display, it would seem rather suspicious, the risks
outweighing what there is to gain.” She turned to face He Xiang Courtyard,
“Now, I should go and see Lao Furen.”
Startled, Zhao Yue followed Li Wei Yang’s gaze. Having
illicit relations during her mother’s funeral ceremony, if this was brought to
Lao Furen’s attention, Li Chang Le only had death waiting ahead of her!
-------------------------------------------------
Translator: Chau
Editor: Pending
-------------------------------------------------