Chapter 183: Two Parties Have Arrived
Chapter 183: Two Parties Have Arrived
Li Hong Yuan brushed his sleeves and entered the gates, the gates shutting with a bang. Afterwards, the horse carriage that belonged to him was also pulled away.
Ruan Old Madam hurriedly went forward, helping Ruan Fang Fei up. However, someone was cold and ungrateful, directly having her mother’s hand slapped away, crawling up on her own. Perhaps someone felt that she was hurt to the depths, but someone nevertheless saw the coldness and heartlessness in her eyes, as well as dense, undissolvable hatred——–not just towards Li Hong Yuan, but also towards her parents, resenting their incompetence for being unable to protect her, let alone taking revenge for her.
Ruan Rui Zhong, who was slower in getting up, was breathing sluggishly. Having gotten humiliated like this, for her to hate, it was also expected. But to see her take her anger out on her mother, how did it not make one bitterly disappointed. Just, recalling what she has suffered, he endlessly heartached again. But, once he saw the people in the surrounding pointing fingers and blaming, as well as his other children and grandchildren’s complaint on the surface and in secret, it caused the whole family to be restless. For instance, a granddaughter that had just gotten engaged had her engagement cancelled, and the other few that were currently discussing marriage, the candidates all disappeared without a trace. Their faces bathed in tears all day. His daughter-in-laws heartached for their daughters, and were also full of sorrow all day. Originally, he was thinking to use this opportunity to go out and drive away the worries, temporarily keeping away for a period of time. After all, the people that were able to come along to the imperial summer residence were a few among a minority. As a result, quite a few people from the Ruan family came along, but who knew……………
Ever since that night, the haze shrouding their home, even he, this head of the family, was also beginning to lose the ability to suppress. Prior to coming out, his daughter-in-laws and granddaughter-in-laws, headed by his eldest daughter-in-law, even disregarded their position, requesting to divide the family. Just because their husband’s family produced such a Ruan Fang Fei, as the Ruan family’s daughter-in-laws and granddaughter-in-laws, they were even disdained by their maiden family, that meaning very clear, don’t bring the children back, so as to avoid having the people in the maiden family led astray. Shedding tears as they clearly declare to him, either divide the family, or they will collectively hang themselves to death on the Ruan family gates.
In the past, the Ruan family was the harmonious family that everyone all praised. But now? He hasn’t even died, yet already wanting to split up into pieces? Facing their ‘threat’, he was also angry, but he was unable to get angry at them.
When the atmosphere was at a deadlock, the servant came to report that Ruan Fang Fei has gone out for more than two hours already, and because she has still yet to return, they were truly worried that something will happen to her, thus had no choice but to harden their heads and come report. What were they saying just now, her body still unwell, yet still recklessly running around all over the place. The disasters were all drawn out like this again and again. For outsiders to say she was just one that didn’t ‘peacefully stay in her room’, how were they wrong? Already at this time, yet still going to look for men, as expected……………..
What the following words were, Ruan Rui Zhong naturally also knew. For the first time, he let out a terrifying look, and that daughter-in-law had the words swallowed back. But meeting his gaze, she wasn’t fearful at all, in fact, revealing a mocking smile, even carrying resentment. Slightly paying attention, one will noticed, the ones with this kind of expression wasn’t just one.
He realized for the first time, in this family, perhaps it really wasn’t that happy and harmonious as he’d imagined, and the whole family, from young to old, also really weren’t, as he’d thought, respectful of his second wife, and adoring his youngest di daughter. That hatred in their eyes wasn’t something formed overnight. If they genuinely all had her cupped in the palm, then after seeing her meet with mishap, they wouldn’t be this cold, just having all the fault summed up on her. Even if they just envied the doting Fang Fei has received, at this time, it also wouldn’t just be hate. Ruan Rui Zhong wasn’t stupid. The seed of resentment, afraid, has long been buried, and precisely because of the matters this time, it exploded out. Could it be that the Ruan family rear court was also the same as other families’, just he has always never noticed?
However, it wasn’t the time to contemplate this question, because the person Ruan Fang Fei went to look for wasn’t anyone else, but precisely Jin Qinwang, Jin Qinwang! Why at this time, she was still unwilling to give up? If not for her having her entire heart from beginning to end tied on Jin Qinwang, how would it have become like this today? Although, for some things, it seemingly wasn’t able to connect to this, but Ruan Rui Zhong, from beginning to end, felt the source was here.
Moreover, even now, he still doesn’t know what exactly happened that night. Every time he mentions it, his daughter would immediately cry like raindrops on a pear blossom, and his wife would also cry with her, saying their daughter has suffered such a big grievance already, so don’t make her remember those things again. After a few times, he could only choose to give up. And because he felt the matter was strange, it wasn’t good for him to go look for Zhong Qinwang to argue either. This kind of thing, if they continue to make noise, the one to suffer in the end will only be their family.
For Ruan Rui Zhong, even when he first entered officialdom, he still never felt this tired before. But in the end, she was still the pearl of his palm that he’s cupped in hand for over ten years, so how could he bear to just abandon her like that? “Let’s go back first.”
Should he be glad that he was still the head of the cabinet ministers, still residing in the neutral position, not having any big enemies? Else, his situation, as well as the others at home, afraid, will hardly be any better.
“Fang Fei, let’s go home first, alright?” Ruan Old Madam urged.
Ruan Fang Fei still avoided her hand. Her gaze towards her parents were just like as if looking at her enemies, “What are you caring about me for? Wouldn’t it be better to just let me die?”
Ruan Rui Zhong, however, suddenly burned in anger, directly fanning a slap over, “Since you want to die, then just go die.”
By the time the person was hit, and the ruthless words were said, then seeing the other party covering their face and looking to him in disbelief, he seemingly finally realized afterwards what he’d done, his hands shaking, and his lips trembling. The scene fell silent momentarily, and then he suddenly stormed off in a huff.
———Ruan Rui Zhong was a qualified scholar official. He can dote on his wife and daughter, but the premise being that the family was harmonious, and the Ruan clan prosperous. But now…………To say he didn’t have the slightest blame towards his daughter that had the Ruan family turned into its current state, that was practically just an enormous joke. Just, before, his tender feelings towards her have always occupied the upper hand, but he never noticed, that’s all. Once it broke out, in addition to the mess at home, Ruan Fang Fei’s fault will even endlessly magnify, and her place in his heart will also fall more and more.
Ruan Old Madam probably also never thought that it would be like this, but this slap made her heart tremble even more. What this man was like, she was very clear. Ruan Rui Zhong has always been very good to her, to the point that it made her overlook some things. Right now, it was practically just like getting splashed a face full of iced water. Even if it was the sixth month’s weather, it still made one cold inside. Then, looking again to that ‘hating she can’t eat them’ glare of Ruan Fang Fei’s, she suddenly covered her eyes, softly whispering by her ear, “Fang Fei, that is your father, without him, you’re nothing. Without his protection, never mind Jin Qinwang being able to humiliate you, any random stray cat or dog will all be able to trample you. It’s true that you’re his beloved daughter, but compared to the entire Ruan family, you’re nothing.”
Ruan Fang Fei pulled away her mother’s hand, and in her eyes, that viciousness also disappeared cleanly, just leaving behind brimming tears, as well as the grievance of getting hit. “Mother…………..”
“Good daughter, don’t cry, don’t cry, your father just……..don’t cry……..”
Ruan Old Madam pulled her along as they chased after Ruan Rui Zhong, obviously wanting to ride in the same horse carriage.
After getting on the horse carriage, Ruan Fang Fei just directly knelt before Ruan Rui Zhong, “Father, this daughter was wrong, please don’t be angry, this daughter just, just………….” As she spoke, teardrops tumbled down one by one, “How can he be this heartless. Father, this is the last time, this daughter, in the future, won’t think about him anymore, and will quietly stay at home, not going anywhere. Can you forgive this daughter this time? Even if you don’t forgive, it’s fine too, just asking you to please not be angry anymore, don’t harm the body, father, father………..”
Originally, after that slap landed, he’d already regretted, and now, seeing her like this, he naturally softened up even more, “Fang Fei, father regrets, really regrets…………..”
“Father, sorry, sorry, it’s all this daughter’s fault, all this daughter’s fault……..”
Setting aside the matters on this side for now, after Li Hong Yuan entered the courtyard, Eunuch Mu, who didn’t follow him out this time, hurriedly offered up tea. Once Li Hong Yuan took the tea, “Master, the people have already returned.”
“Bring them over for this prince to see.”
Eunuch Mu paused. Master, such filthy things, can we not see? “Yes.”
Speaking of the people that returned, it naturally was just the people that were left behind at the village to ‘clean up’. And the things they brought back naturally were just a certain few’s severed heads. Have to say, it’s not like it was some important individual’s severed head, Li Hong Yuan wanting to see was purely just out of boredom. For the sake of convenient carrying, each head were all placed in an appropriately sized box.
To the side, Eunuch Mu forcibly endured the nauseating feeling. He although was also master’s lackey, he was a personal attendant, and has never seen these things before in such close proximity. He just took one glance and immediately averted his eyes. But his movements couldn’t be too big, so in his peripheral vision, there was still that bit of a shadow. The more one wanted to ignore, the more one was unable to ignore, practically having a kind of ‘about to crumble’ feeling.
Li Hong Yuan’s expression however didn’t even change once, “Six people, can be considered to have put in quite the effort.”
Although they didn’t insert people in the Ruan family rear court, but the stewards and courtyard guards that were raised into shadow guards, the amount of them, Li Hong Yuan still for the most part had an understanding of. Thirty some, not considered much, but also definitely wasn’t few either, any more, and it will easily attract attention. Coming out this time, they naturally didn’t have all of them brought out. After all, while quite a few people were away from the capital, it was the perfect time to take care of business, so only sixteen were brought out, less than half the amount. During the assassination attempt, they already lost three, and now, lost six more. In other words, only seven remained. En, perhaps can also count Ruan Old Madam herself as one. Moreover, among the servant girls, perhaps there were also trained ones. However, these weren’t worth fearing over.
“Same old rule.” Li Hong Yuan, after hearing roughly what happened, indifferently spoke.
Speaking of which, the village had over a thousand people after all. If one really were to openly attack, no matter how strong of a martial artist, one would still just be chopped into pieces. The simplest and fastest way was just to poison the water supply at an appropriate time, and then under the covers of the night, set the village on fire. That place’s geography was unique enough, so even if, in the middle of the night, half the sky shone red, no one would know.
But unfortunately, before the waters could be poisoned, they were already slaughtered.
Since things have already been set into motion, then he won’t just give up easily. However many she’s brought out will be however many she will lose. And those left in the capital, he naturally won’t let them escape either. Without these people, he rather want to see what all can that woman still accomplish, and without that woman’s backing, Ruan Fang Fei will probably just be like an ant, struggling against death.
Once the people left, “Master, the people from the western borders have also already arrived.”
Li Hong Yuan finally became a bit interested. He rather wanted to see, whether or not it was someone from the Pei family.
T/N: The is sort of a follow-up/continuation of the matters mentioned in chapter 161, particularly the stuff regarding the Pei family. A lot of the questions and mysteries mentioned in 161 are kinda answered here. Tbh, a lot of LHY’s birth mother’s background was actually already explained in chapter 87, but this chapter gives a different perspective to the situation. Personally, I would recommend rereading those two chapters; it will help give a clearer picture of the whole matter.