The Princess Wei Yang Chapter 94 Part2
Chapter 94: Climb the Dragon, Follow the Phoenix
Nǚ guān - An attendant that serves an
Empress Dowager, Empress, Imperial concubine or princess
Private Study, San Huangzi’s Manor
Tuoba Zhen’s study took up most of the s.p.a.ce in his
courtyard with valuable books, calligraphy, and paintings inside. Outside his
study was an area to receive guests. In the past, the door of his study was
always quiet and peaceful, but now, the place was full of guards. Under the
eaves of the courtyard, a tall, formidable man stood in the main hall. Every
guard had their hands placed on the hilt of their blades, their faces stern and
vigilant, not allowing anyone to come near the study.
“Dianxia, Xian Fei niang niang sent someone to bring a
jade token as proof and even promised the position of Ce fei.”
“Silence!” Tuoba Zhen smashed a cup of tea, and the
person reporting immediately fell silent.
That person was He Jing, San Huangzi’s closest
adviser, but at this time, he did not dare to face Tuoba Zhen’s fury.
Knowing Li Wei Yang had set him up, Tuoba Zhen felt
his blood boil. He only needed to close his eyes to see Li Wei Yang’s
disdainful and goading expression, and even the contempt beneath it, he
practically lost his mind over it! That girl, she actually dared to do such a
thing!
Over the years, Tuoba Zhen buried away his resentment.
He resented the Emperor, why did he favor Tuoba Yu like that! He resented his
birth mother for her low birth and status! He even resented himself for having
to endure the humiliation all these years, only to fall into this trap! He was
even brought down by someone like Li Chang Le. Why did Li Wei Yang help Tuoba
Yu, failing to understand ambitions and even his feelings towards her!
If the evidence had not been taken care of by Tian
Jing, one of Tuoba Rui’s close confidants bribed by three thousand liang of
gold, this scandal would have spread all over Da Li. He would have helpless and
even more troubled. As if being favored by the Emperor was not enough, Tuoba Yu
even had a clever, capable girl by his side, helping him scheme! Thousands of
words in his heart acc.u.mulated into a monstrous hatred, aggressively twisting
his face.
Seeing San Huangzi’s normally refined and reserved face
like this, He Jing inhaled sharply and subconsciously bowed lower.
Enraged, Tuoba Zhen overturned the table, sending
papers, brushes, and the inkstone to the floor, scattering everywhere.
Seeing the mess in front of him, Tuoba Zhen realized
his mistake. He turned around and took a deep breath as if wanting to force out
the anger from within. A while later, he turned back, his face calm and cold as
jade, faintly smiling as usual. He Jing began to feel that the fuming, enraged
face he just saw was a trick of the light.
Tuoba Zhen slowly began: “I was a bit overwhelmed.
Scholar, please stand up.” He even personally helped He Jing up. He Jing stood
and quietly said: “Shu xia knows San Dianxia is displeased, but the current
situation is more than a crisis, it is an opportunity.”
Tuoba Zhen frowned: “How so?”
He Jing smiled: “Everything Xian Fei niang niang has
done was for your sake. Marrying Li Chang Le is not necessarily a bad thing.”
Tuoba Zhen was aware of this, but Li Chang Le was not
of much use to him. However, he could not stand having to marry a woman in
these circ.u.mstances. It was humiliating! Even so - “Tian Jing was bribed to be
used for more important purposes! Now, three years of preparation have been
wasted over such a small matter, how can I not be furious!”
He Jing agreed it was an unfortunate loss, but if he
expressed his regrets, it would like fueling a raging fire with oil, so he only
advised: “If Dianxia can gain the Jiang family’s support, then it could be said
this good fortune is born from misfortune.”
The Jiang family did not have a nu er from the main
wife, only a shu nu that had been married to Taizi, who was not favored in the
family either. However, the Jiang family deeply cherished Li Chang Le. If they
wanted to gain the Jiang family’s support, that would be the case, except this
was accidental, and this move was made too prematurely. If he married Li Chang
Le, the Emperor and his xiong di would be wary of him! There was still
something else in Tuoba Zhen’s heart that could not be expressed; if he married
Li Chang Le, then it would be even more unlikely for Li Wei Yang to marry him…
He clenched his fist!
“What good fortune is born from misfortune! More like
the tall tree is swayed by the wind!” Li Wei Yang, you are ruthless! He took a
deep breath and angrily slammed his fist on the back of a chair.
He Jing saw Tuoba Zhen’s murderous face and reluctant
words through clenched teeth. He felt his legs were still trembling. He
reminded him to be careful with his words and secretly sighed, this was
disadvantageous to San Huangzi indeed!
“Dianxia, do not worry, let us reexamine this and
stabilize this volatile situation!”
On the other end, Li Wei Yang came back from He Xiang
Courtyard, slightly perturbed. If Li Xiao Ran had not acted so quickly, Li
Chang Le would be a corpse now.
Cutting the gra.s.s does not remove the roots, and when
spring comes, it will grow back. If Li Chang Le is given an opportunity, she
will continue to cause trouble.
Li Wei Yang spontaneously plucked a peony and held it
up. Suddenly, a blinding flash appeared overhead, followed by rolling thunder.
It was not just her, Bai Zhi and Mo Zhu were also taken by surprise. Shortly
after, heavy rain fell down.
Li Wei Yang looked out the window to see the downpour,
blurring the world into a single color. She idly walked towards the window,
fixated on the splashes of rain.
“Why is it suddenly raining so heavily!” Mo Zhu
muttered, rushing to close the windows.
Thunder rumbled, frightening the young Yatous, who
tightly held onto each other. A youth with a wide hat suddenly appeared in the
courtyard and came running. Li Wei Yang had been in a bad mood, but seeing
this, she smiled, turned and said: “Go prepare clean cloths.”
Bai Zhi stuck her head outside and immediately
laughed: “Yes.”
Li Min De went inside, drenched from the rain. Bai Zhi
and Mo Zhu rushed to prepare clean cloths for him to dry off with. His hair was
also soaked, letting water continue to drip onto the floor. Li Wei Yang softly
chuckled: “What are you doing here?”
Li Min De frowned: “In the middle of the night—”
Li Wei Yang waved her hand, gesturing for the Yatous
by her side to withdraw. “Zhao Nan tells you everything.” Xiong mei Zhao Nan
and Zhao Yue were Li Min De’s subordinates. Reporting back to him was to be
expected, but Li Min De felt a bit embarra.s.sed, his face reddening. It must
have seemed like he was closely monitoring her actions. Afraid Li Wei Yang
would misunderstand, he was prepared to explain when Li Wei Yang shook her
head, letting him know she did not mind: “I did not want to hide this from you
either.”
Relieved, Li Min De continued: “But Da Bofu did not
dispose of Li Chang Le and even sent her back up the mountain, indirectly
protecting her.”
Li Wei Yang gazed out at the pouring rain and smiled
dryly: “He is wary of the Jiang family. Otherwise, because of her actions
during the funeral ceremony, she would have been long gone.”
Li Min De grimaced: “It was Wu Huangzi, now it’s San
Huangzi. Either way, Li Chang Le is not at a disadvantage.”
Li Wei Yang suddenly laughed aloud: “Silly. Of course
she is faced with a disadvantage, if anything, it is a great disadvantage.”
Li Min De thought for a moment then understood:
“Right! Wu Huangzi genuinely liked her and even promised for her to be Zheng
fei, but she ignored his sentiments. Tuoba Rui will never forgive her and Tuoba
Zhen! Having offended Tuoba Rui, he now has to deal with Wu Huangzi and Qi
Huangzi, leaving Tuoba Zhen with a lot on his hands!”
Li Wei Yang smiled thinly: “That is just one of the
reasons. Tuoba Zhen will also resent Li Chang Le’s foolishness and for having
to marry her like this. Based on his personality, he will repay her with this
grudge hundreds of thousands of times over. I wonder how entertaining this
couple will turn out.”
When she said this, undisguised satisfaction and
relish appeared in her eyes. Li Min De didn’t notice, even if he did, he
pretended as if he had not seen it. He would always unconditionally support her
and trust her, but - “A lot of things can change in three years. I also heard
that Jiang Xu is returning to the Capital.”
“Oh—so, Da jiujiu is coming back.” Li Wei Yang smiled,
no wonder Li Xiao Ran quickly changed his mind and spared Li Chang Le’s life.
“He must be hurrying back for the funeral.” Losing two meimei, one after the
other, could he no longer sit still? She thought and asked: “Who else is coming
back with him?”
“It is still not clear yet. The people I sent only
found out that Jiang Xu will arrive in the Capital in less than three days.”
Li Wei Yang nodded, looking out the window at the
heavy rain and scoffed. The storm that would have come sooner or later finally
came.
The next morning, an invitation came from the palace.
The Empress Dowager summoned Li Wei Yang to the palace. The news left everyone
stunned and surprised.
After applying her makeup, Li Wei Yang followed the
eunuchs back to the palace. They arrived at the doors of the Empress Dowager’s
palace. She placed a silk bag that had been prepared beforehand into the hands
of a nu guan. The nu guan weighed the bag in her hand, then smiled: “Xianzhu,
please go ahead.” When Li Wei Yang walked past, the nu guan whispered: “De Fei
niang niang came here last night.”
Startled, Li Wei Yang frowned.
Zhang De Fei, what did she want! This woman was always
causing trouble for her!
Nu guan saw Li Wei Yang had understood, smiled and led
her inside. Li Wei Yang walked into the hall, but this time, her mind was not
at ease. The Empress Dowager waited, seated in a high position that was
separated by an expanse of sandalwood incense, her face stern.
Li Wei Yang solemnly ceremonially greeted her: “Wei
Yang greets the Empress Dowager.”
The last time they met, the Empress Dowager was polite
and cordial, but now, she did not seem to even let Li Wei Yang stand up. She
quietly sat there, eying Li Wei Yang from head to toe.
Even her own granddaughters lacked such a refined
disposition. The Empress Dowager recalled what Zhang De Fei had said and
sighed: “I heard your Muqin just pa.s.sed away.”
“Responding to the Empress Dowager, yes.” The Empress
Dowager had yet to permit her to sit, so Li Wei Yang could only stand there and
respond.
The Empress Dowager’s voice became stern: “Muqin
pa.s.sed away, a nu er must uphold filial piety for three years. In these three
years, you must watch your words and actions.”
“Yes, Wei Yang understands.” Li Wei Yang remembered
the Empress Dowager’s favorite grandson was Qi Huangzi Tuoba Yu. Her face did
not change as she politely answered, not revealing her frustration. She was
actually rather unhappy. Last time, Zhang De Fei did not gain the upper hand,
so she turned to the Empress Dowager and wanted the Empress Dowager to stop her
from seeing Tuoba Yu? This Zhang De Fei thought too highly of her son, as for
what De Fei treasured and sought to protect, Li Wei Yang did not want any of
it! Whether it was Ce fei of a Huangzi, Zheng fei, or even to be Empress if
Tuoba Yu became Emperor one day, she would not want it either!
The Empress Dowager’s face was formal and stiff:
“Good, you are a sensible child. You know what you should do and not do.” She
stopped there, but her intentions were clear. Although Li Wei Yang was clever
and sensible, she was not worthy of Tuoba Yu and could never be chosen as Zheng
fei because she was the nu er of a servant girl. Even if she was clever and the
Empress Dowager rewarded her, she could not let her become Qi Huangzi fei.
Li Wei Yang understood what the Empress Dowager had
said. She knew the Empress Dowager well enough. That year, the Empress Dowager
was distant with her because of her concubine-born status. She spent a lot of
time and effort to make the Empress Dowager like her and accept her because
Tuoba Zhen was not favored, unlike the Empress Dowager’s precious Tuoba Yu.
Of course, Li Wei Yang understood her sentiments. The
Empress Dowager was at the top of the hierarchy in Da Li, she could not
directly oppose her, not to mention, it would be irrational and foolish. Li Wei
Yang would not do something she was unsure of.
The Empress Dowager began: “Since you came to the
palace, then help Aijia copy Buddhist scriptures.”
Li Wei Yang bowed down: “Yes.”
The Empress Dowager’s place of worship was just behind
the main hall. The Empress Dowager stood up. A nu guan held her arm and led her
out. Li Wei Yang immediately followed. When she arrived at the Buddhist temple,
the Empress Dowager began to recite sutras from the Buddhist scriptures. The nu
guan gestured to Li Wei Yang, and she went over to the red, engraved table. The
young palace maids had prepared paper, ink, and three thick volumes of Buddhist
scriptures on the table.
“Xianzhu, please copy these three volumes, then you
can go.” Nu guan quietly relayed the Empress Dowager’s orders.
Separated by a heavy, beaded curtain, Li Wei Yang
glanced at the Empress Dowager and smiled: “Yes.”
After four shichen, Li Wei Yang continued to
diligently copy the scriptures. The words in the volumes were small, so looking
at them for a long time will make others dizzy. If it were someone else, they
would have complained about the back pain and lose determination, but Li Wei
Yang still stood and copied the scriptures, not lamenting that she was tired,
nor did she ask for a chair. She solemnly stood there and carefully copied the
texts.
The Empress Dowager looked at her, and her frown began
to ease. She did not have any ill feelings towards Li Wei Yang. On the
contrary, she took a liking to this clever and brave xiao guniang, but her
birth mother’s status was too low. In the past, the Emperor bestowed her a
t.i.tle and raised her to great heights. If one did not make her remember her
place, perhaps later on, she would even climb the dragon and follow the
phoenix.
Tuoba Yu was definitely not someone Li Wei Yang could
touch! The Empress Dowager thought to herself, the Buddhist prayer beads in her
hand continue to rotate.
Another two shichen pa.s.sed. It was now sometime
between lunch and dinner. The Empress Dowager had a light meal, but Li Wei
Yang’s stomach grumbled. The nu guan beside her looked at her, but her hand did
not even shake at the slightest. How strange.
How could any of them know that Li Wei Yang had spent
so many years in the Cold Palace. Patience and endurance came as naturally to
her as it did eating, so she did not mind a small punishment like this.
However, as time went on, she began to write faster, and the words began to
blur. Eventually, the Empress Dowager lowered her prayer bead bracelet and
looked at her as if deep in thought.
Zhou nu guan reminded her: “Empress Dowager niang
niang, you should rest.”
The Empress Dowager stood and slowly walked out to the
door. When she looked back, she saw Li Wei Yang did not look up at all and
continued to carefully copy the Buddhist scriptures as if she had not noticed
the Empress Dowager left. The Empress Dowager had some admiration for the xiao
guniang’s endurance and perseverance. Pity, she did not have a Muqin of n.o.ble
birth and status, so she was not qualified to become Yu er’s Zheng fei. Perhaps
she should be married to a Huangzi of lower birth or to a n.o.ble family, so she
will not suffer. The Empress Dowager resigned to her thoughts and left.
When Li Wei Yang’s brush finally stopped, it was
almost daybreak.
Li Wei Yang looked up: “The Buddhist scriptures have
been copied, does the Empress Dowager have other orders?”
Zhou nu guan immediately went outside to report. A
while later, she came back and said: “The Empress Dowager has ordered that
Xianzhu place the copied Buddhist scriptures in front of the statue of Buddha.
Then, Xianzhu may return.”
There was no resentment on Li Wei Yang’s face. She
carefully brought the Buddhist scriptures over to the statue of Buddha,
kowtowed, then stood up and left.
The young palace maid said: “This Anping Xianzhu is
truly persevering. Last time when Liu Gongzhu was punished by Empress Dowager
niang niang and had to copy Buddhist scriptures, she cried for two shichen
straight! On the other hand, Xianzhu did not frown at the slightest from
beginning to end!”
Zhou nu guan sighed: “This is what is means to have a
refined demeanor and determination. The Empress Dowager niang niang punished
her but also reminded her that a tall tree will be swayed by the wind. De Fei
niang niang stands firm in the palace, not because of luck but because she
obeys and understands this. The Empress Dowager will give her a good future,
but if one does not know one’s place and hopes to climb the dragon and follow
the phoenix, then the consequences—” She did not say anything more and stared
after Li Wei Yang’s retreating figure, then turned around, “In any case, she
does not seem like a fish in the well. Perhaps one day, fortune will
unexpectedly smile on her.”
The palace maid looked at Li Wei Yang’s silhouette,
her eyes widening.
Good fortune? What good fortune! Offending De Fei
niang niang only meant death! How could fortune smile on her in the future
then. Wasn’t this just wishful thinking?
Li Wei Yang was slowly led out by palace maids. They
ran into an eunuch at the palace gates, he sharply said: “Who is this?!”
A palace maid quickly said: “Liu gonggong, this is
Anping Xianzhu.”
Liu gonggong was a little over thirty, his face pale
as a sheet, his eyes cleverly examining Li Wei yang’s face before smiling: “So
it is Anping Xianzhu—Xianzhu truly does have a refined air. Xian Fei niang
niang is having the palace maids collect morning dew in the Imperial Garden.
Since Xianzhu is pa.s.sing through, Xianzhu should naturally stop by to greet
her.”
Xian Fei niang niang? The only person in the palace
who would be called that was Wu Xian Fei. Li Wei Yang stiffened, this Wu Xian
Fei was Tuoba Zhen’s adopted mother! Why did she want to see her?! Because she
happened to be here? No, it was not a coincidence!
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Translator: Chau
Editor: Pending
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