Chapter 142.1
Ninth Princess’s breath was packed with the fragrance of alcohol and her face was flushed with a drunken blush. Tears suddenly filled up her eyes like they were on the verge of spilling.
Li Wei Yang, recovering from a momentary shock upon hearing her words, turned to a servant girl beside them and ordered, “Please go to your family’s princess and say...just say that the Ninth Princess is a light drinker and needs a place to rest.”
The servant girl took in the circumstances and immediately sped off.
However, Ninth Princess shakily stood up. Li Wei Yang was afraid she was going to do something extreme during the banquet and quickly stood up to support her, but she merely stood there silently, tears suddenly rolling down her face.
A Xiaojie nearby cried in alarm, “Ninth Princess, why are you crying?”
Li Wei Yang’s expression was tranquil as she replied, “The Princess heard that the victims of the calamity lost their homes and were wandering, homeless, while also enduring starvation. She felt miserable and simply couldn’t bear it.”
The others looked helplessly at the Ninth Princess, not really believing that she would shed tears for such a reason. However, in front of Li Wei Yang’s ice-cold countenance, they could only look at each other helplessly, not daring to say a word. Rumour had it that the Emperor was arranging a marriage for the Princess with the Duke Luo’s boy Zhang.
At this time, someone was heard whispering, “I heard that the Ninth Princess isn’t willing to marry and knelt in front of Consort Rou’s doorway for quite a long time!”
“Ah? Weren’t they childhood sweethearts? Why isn’t she willing to marry him?”
“Shh! Who knows? Consort Rou, who loves to dote on her, actually grounded her inside the palace for three days and three nights!”
Li Wei Yang heard the gossip but ignored it, merely calmly watching her cry. In her heart, she could understand her plight. The man she loved and admired never once felt anything for her, how could she be ok? But Li Wei Yang also felt that it was okay to not be loved. You just needed to love yourself. If you don’t love yourself, how could you ask others to love you? So, no matter how much sympathy she felt for the Ninth Princess, she really didn’t have that frame of mind.
At this moment, Princess Yongning’s female official Tao personally came and said with a smile, “Nubi will bring Princess to a room.”
But Ninth Princess grabbed a hold of Li Wei Yang and wouldn’t let go. Female official Tao awkwardly looked at her. Li Wei Yang said, “I’ll go with you.” Grabbing and pulling like this at a banquet really wasn’t wise.
Female official Tao nodded and called a passing servant girl to support the Ninth Princess. She herself lifted a red gauze lantern cage to light their way and solemnly said, “Please watch where you step.”
The backyard of Princess Yongning’s residence was quiet at night. Li Wei Yang delivered the Ninth Princess all the way to the side room before stopping. “I should be returning to the banquet.”
Zhao Yue had been constantly guarding her from a distance, obviously not relaxing for even a moment.
Female officer Tao nodded and said, “Thank you Anping Xianzhu.” She was about to order people to bring the Ninth Princess inside when all of a sudden, the Ninth Princess stood up and fixedly gazed at Li Wei Yang without speaking. After a long while, she stepped forward two steps and raised her hand to dismiss the others. “You all can leave. I have things I want to say to Xianzhu.”
So, the Ninth Princess was pretending to be drunk. Li Wei Yang confirmed her suspicions and somewhat lifted her lips, asking her, “Princess, have you sobered up?”
Ninth Princess’s face took on a bit of an imploring expression. Female official Tao read the circumstances and instructed all the servant girls to leave. She said, “Nubi will be keeping watch outside. The two of you please feel free to talk.”
After female official Tao closed the door, the Ninth Princess glanced at Li Wei Yang, her gaze complicated. She suddenly said, “Wei Yang Jiejie, I have something to beg of you.”
Li Wei Yang raised her brows, thinking to herself, why does that line feel so familiar? Does Ninth Princess think that everything can be solved by begging people?
The Ninth Princess’s eyes were wet as she said, “Wei Yang Jiejie, can you go to my mother and tell her not to marry me to that man? Mother has a lot of faith in you right now, she’s even told me to be more like you. I’m begging you, begging you, ok?
Indeed, Li Wei Yang and Consort Rou have been close recently, but it wasn’t because they got along well like the Ninth Princess thought, but because they could help each other. Li Wei Yang looked at her, looked at this young princess and slowly said, “This isn’t Consort Rou’s idea, but His Majesty’s idea. I cannot argue against His Majesty.”
When the Ninth Princess heard her say that begging Consort Rou would be of no help, her eyes immediately reddened again, and choked out, “Then, I really will end up marrying him? But I don’t like him!” Saying this, she picked up her sleeve and gently wiped the corner of her eye. “If it’s like this, then I...I’m better off dead!”
Li Wei Yang watched her cry, the last shred of pity disappearing from her heart.
With the ways of this world, countless people were busy making a living to survive, desperately enduring pain just to earn one more mouthful of food. Yet this princess before her eyes was using suicide as a threat just because her marriage wasn’t what she wanted. She was truly too naive, inexplicably causing people to feel fed up and annoyed. Moreover, the man the Emperor wanted her to marry was her childhood sweetheart, a handsome, bright teenager that she grew up with, not some King of Hell that demanded her life. If she wasn’t willing, she could have gone to the Emperor to desperately fight for what she wanted. Even if she lost, at least it could be said she fought for herself. But the way she lost control of herself at the banquet just now and the way she’s pitifully weeping and wailing now, was all incredibly tactless.
The Ninth Princess suddenly raised her eyes, “Wei Yang Jiejie, there’s another way! If you will help me, everything could be resolved.”
Li Wei Yang stared blankly, her eyebrows slightly raised.
The Ninth Princess’s eyes had a fire lit inside them, and said, “I know that the person Third Gongzi trusts the most is you, you can ask him to take me away! He’ll definitely listen to you!” She appeared like nothing was wrong, but only she knew how difficult it was to make this request. In the end, her voice seemed to fall into the dust on the ground, too low to hear. Because she herself knew how rude this demand was!
Li Wei Yang’s eyes were startled. Only after a long time, she said, “He won’t take you away.”
The Ninth Princess didn’t expect her to refuse so quickly like this and was speechless.
Li Wei Yang carefully said, “If he liked you, he’d naturally want to marry you, and you wouldn’t need me to say anything. But he doesn’t like you and yet you want me to force him. Dignified, respected princess, have you actually fallen to this point?”
In an instant, the Ninth Princess’s face paled. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but froze again. Her face was a criss-cross of red and white as she said, quivering, “I...I thought...I thought you wouldn’t say such things to me...Why are you saying the same thing as Mother!”
Li Wei Yang gently shook her head, “Because you have forgotten your status! You are a princess, the Emperor’s daughter! All these years, His Majesty has not forced you to do a single thing you didn’t want to do! Yet, he wants to marry you, against your wishes, into Duke Luo’s residence, do you understand? What sort of people are in the Duke Luo’s residence, what relationship do they have with the Seventh Gongzi? With both feelings and logic, they have a deep relationship with you and the Seventh Gongzi, but only through marriage can this relationship be secured! Then his Majesty will be able to put his mind at ease and give Duke Luo a lot more military power!”
The Ninth Princess listened carefully, her face becoming even whiter. After a long time, she said, “They’re all treating me like a tool—”
Li Wei Yang smiled, but her smile was cold. “Being a tool means that you have value. People without value are people who don’t have people caring about them. Even the fact that I’m standing here right now talking to you is because of your Ninth Princess status. If you’re not aware of this, you can abandon this status, take off your magnificent clothes, and walk to the streets. See if a pretty young girl without a bodyguard like you can safely walk even three hundred meters! See if, without this life of luxury, you will starve to death on the side of the road just like those victims of the calamity!”
The Ninth Princess didn’t make a sound, her long eyelashes drooping down, quivering. Her heart seemed to be struggling.
“You should be rejoicing that your status is a Princess, otherwise, with your behaviour, would you have been able to peacefully live to this day? Even if you don’t want your own life, do you want to implicate Min De and have him be a vagrant with you?” Li Wei Yang’s voice carried a bit of cruelty. On the surface, she was lecturing her, but there was a voice in her heart that was repeatedly and decisively telling her:
Li Wei Yang, you’re truly despicable.
You don’t like Ninth Princess hanging around Li Min De, so you’re using this to scare her.
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You know that Min De’s status isn’t ordinary. Even if the Ninth Princess were to be with him, her life will still be luxurious with innumerable servants at her bidding.
You know that Ninth Princess is innocent and artless, she’s just a little girl who was taking hold of the last shred of hope she had to beg a favour from you. Yet you’ve stood in her face and scolded her like this.
You’ve indeed helped the Ninth Princess a lot over the years, but she has also always been there to protect you. You’ve clearly done so many terrible things, but which if the noble ladies in the royal court dare to scorn you? For your sake, the Ninth Princess is even willing to knock on people’s doors to argue with them.
You know that Zhang Feng truly loves the Ninth Princess. Even if she doesn’t love him now, she will definitely feel content in the future. But she is also a person, not a tool without feelings. Because you don’t have feelings, are you jealous of the feelings she possesses?
Li Wei Yang looked at the Ninth Princess and in the end, gently said, “Think about it some more, what you should do.”
She’s already walked halfway down this path, how could she flinch now?
She didn’t want to make any excuses for herself. What’s done is done, her purpose was also clear. She is despicable because she never was a noble sort of person. If she doesn’t like something, she will stop it. Even if it’ll hurt other people’s hearts, even if it’ll trample other people’s feelings. If she had to make sure that everyone else was happy whenever something happened, then she, Li Wei Yang, would be unhappy! Min De doesn’t like the princess at all. Rather than giving her some vague hope, it’s better to be a bit excessive now so she will completely give up! There’s nothing wrong in doing it like this either!
Not making things difficult for the other party means making things difficult for yourself!
Li Wei Yang turned around, planning to leave, when Ninth Princess suddenly said, “Wei Yang Jiejie, I’m sorry. I was too out of line…”
Li Wei Yang didn’t turn around. Ninth Princess’s eyes were moist and glossy, her lips set like she had come to a decision, before saying, “I’m willing to marry him.” Her voice came to a halt and in a low volume said, “Thank you.”
Li Wei Yang didn’t say anything and walked straight out. There was nothing to thank, I didn’t do it for you.
She thought that in her heart, and with an extremely nonchalant expression, walked out and said to female official Tao, “Ninth Princess needs to rest for a while, please don’t go inside and disturb her.”
Female official Tao nodded, saying, “Then Nubi will bring Xianzhu back to the banquet.”
Li Wei Yang nodded and followed female official Tao back to the banquet. A drinking party was underway at this moment. Princess Yongning had already collected a lot of money and goods, and her usually serious face was revealing a rare smile.
Seeing Li Wei Yang approaching from far away, she nodded at her. Li Wei Yang said to female official Tao, “My grandmother’s body is not well. I’ve already donated the treasures that were to be donated and I cannot stay for long. I’ll be leaving now.”
Female official Tao nodded, saying, “Please don’t worry Xianzhu, Nubi will personally report this to the princess. Please also wait a little, Nubi will prepare a carriage for you.”
Li Wei Yang had sat in the Ninth Princess’s carriage to come here, so now she needed to arrange a carriage to return. Li Wei Yang didn’t refuse the other’s good intentions and only said faintly, “Thank you.”
Still feeling a bit of self-doubt, she glanced behind her at the most animated place in the party, and her gaze collided with Princess He Chang’s. He Chang appeared like a bright and lively person. In the center of a group of noble ladies, she perfectly played the role of a passionate, lively, open, and even innocent and honest person. The role of a foreign princess who was curious about everything. On top of that, when it was time to give donations, she gave an unparalleled amount, appearing incredibly generous. This made people feel that she was very admirable and approachable, while she still radiated with a type of pride only royalty could have.
With that single glance, Li Wei Yang was sure that the other person was looking straight at her.
She didn’t have to wait long before female official Tao arranged a carriage for her. Li Wei Yang boarded the carriage and with the Zhao siblings escorting the entire way, the carriage rocked out of Princess Yongning’s residence and onto the street. Usually, the night market would be open at this time, but all was quiet. The evening wind was mixed with a mysterious chilly fragrance, causing her to fall into a bit of a daze.
The carriage crossed a bridge, the water underneath trickling calmly without a sound. Li Wei Yang lifted up the carriage’s screen and caught sight of the moon’s reflection rippling in the water below.
Although it’s been so long, she still feels out of place every time she attends one of these banquets.
Everyone else would be laughing, enjoying the songs and dances, merrily drinking together, all talking about the latest rumour that came from who knows where. She’s used to being alone. Every time she attends these events with lots of people, even though she’s always smiling, she feels even more alone. What’s the point of all this liveliness anyways? Thinking such, she couldn’t help but gently let out a sigh.
As the wind blew against the carriage’s screen, the carriage gave a creak before rolling to a stop.
Zhao Nan said from outside the screen, “Xiaojie, someone has asked for the carriage to stop.”
Zhao Yue lifted the carriage’s screen and Li Wei Yang saw a beautiful young girl holding a whip riding a fine steed outside the carriage looking at her.