Chapter 270: The Wine-Lover’s Intention Not on the Cat
Chapter 270: The Wine-Lover’s Intention Not on the Cat
Jing Wan looked to the small kitten in her hand, appearing to be just an ordinary field cat, its fur rather clean. But even so, she still didn’t hold it in her bosom.
In cases where one is uncertain whether or not the situation is the same as the one anticipated, this cat may also contain some unknown dangers. When part of the imperial household, one needed to guard against all things. This was also quite a helpless matter. Alright, this wasn’t just the problem of the imperial family, even in ordinary commoner families, it was all possible for troubles to appear. In some upper class large families’ inner manor, that was also acting out a great play comparable to harem battle dramas every day. If slightly not paying attention, one just might meet with mishap. Small cases would be getting injured and falling ill, and big cases would be the reputation suffering damage, or even dying.
“Mama, what’s the situation outside?” Jing Wan softly asked.
Gong mama briefly and concisely had the situation narrated.
Jing Wan let someone have the curtains hung up, sitting upright on the cushioned seat, looking to the guards standing in tight formation, the blade at the waist half drawn, and the big and small figure on the ground. Perhaps having been influenced by the adult, the child also wasn’t as fearless as before. “Mama, have this cat taken down and returned to that little girl. It’s nothing major either, so just let it pass.”
“Wangfei is benevolent.” Gong mama said.
Jing Wan smiled. She merely just felt it wasn’t anything serious, but in this kind of era, the upper class doing a bit of ‘good’, that was called benevolence, for the middle class that was called kindness, and for the lower class, it was very possible to just be harboring evil intentions and having ulterior motives. This was just the enormous disparity brought about by status, absolutely different from her past life.
Gong mama took the kitten and walked before those two, handing it over, “In the future, by all means need to be more careful. Today, it’s also fortunate that you ran into our wangfei, if switched with another noble personage, don’t know what will happen. Even if not a noble personage, running all over the place like this, one would also easily run into people. It’s not good for oneself to get injured either.”
“Yes, yes, yes, mama is right, many thanks mama, many thanks your Highness wangfei.”
“Enough, why don’t you all leave first.” Gong mama waved her hand.
“Mama, please wait a moment. It’s this one’s niece that ran into wangfei’s carriage. Her Highness is benevolent, not bickering with us, but we can’t be mannerless. This commoner’s home doesn’t have anything else, but does have a few kittens. One of them is a Persian cat, exceptionally lovable and pretty. Your Highness perhaps doesn’t lack such a small thing, but just treat is as an apology for your Highness, asking for your Highness to please accept.” That woman’s voice slightly raised a little, clearly saying for Jing Wan to hear.
What kind of person was Gong mama? Having a pair of sharp eyes, she naturally saw the subtle change in this woman’s expression, her two eyes slightly narrowing.
“Hoping wangfei can accept, else this commoner will be uneasy inside.”
“Mama, since that’s the case, just let her have the cat sent to the manor later.” Jing Wan’s voice aptly sounded.
“Many thanks your Highness wangfei, many thanks your Highness wangfei.” That woman gave thousands of thanks and gratitude.
“Return to the manor.”
The people of Jin Qinwang Manor, nowadays, even if wangye is present, would still have Jing Wan’s words taken as the first priority. Of course, if wangye were to specially give out an order, that was an exception, but without even thinking, one would just know, based on wangye’s care towards the wangfei, this kind of situation was very very rare, probably just when the two of them are disputing.
As such, right now, it was naturally doing whatever Jing Wan said, just after going back, they might face punishment. After all, it was their failure in duty that led to the cat jumping onto the horse carriage. It was very fortunate that nothing happened. If someone had been harboring evil intentions, they practically cannot escape the blame even in death. They can’t because grave consequences weren’t brought about, just say that they didn’t have any fault.
By the time Jing Wan’s carriage left, quite a few of the onlookers started discussing fervently. All couldn’t help but recall the bets placed on Jing Wan. At the time, quite a few people all carried a kind of ‘watching a play’ mentality. After all, it didn’t have anything to do with themselves personally. But looking at it now, “………….Jin Wangfei is a good person, good people ought to be repaid in kindness.”
The others echoed in agreement. Just, marrying Jin Qinwang, such a person, ultimately was marrying the wrong husband.
That woman took the little girl and hurriedly left. While no one was looking, turning left and right, very quickly leaving this district.
The woman appeared careful and cautious, glancing left and right as she walked. It was okay when not paying attention, but once noticed, definitely will make one feel suspicious.
In reality, someone indeed noticed, or more precisely, they were being followed, starting from when they left the scene.
Since someone’s manner was suspicious, they naturally won’t ignore.
After turning down several streets, the vicinity became increasingly quiet. The surrounding clearly was a place where ordinary people resided. The two turned into a secluded alley, entering one of the homes. A man extended his head out for a look, quickly turning around and closing the door.
At the alley entrance, the two men wearing ordinary clothes walked in casually chatting. Regardless whether it was their clothes or their speech and manner, all unable to make out the slightest peculiarity. Just like that, they passed by that small courtyard entrance.
The woman that was previously still considered calm entered the room, facing the others inside, and immediately turning pale, her legs limping.
A kind old lady hurriedly reached out to support her, “What’s wrong? Could it be that the matter wasn’t successful?”
The others also had a nervous look. If the matter wasn’t successful, they all didn’t dare imagine what kind of aftermath it will be.
They hurriedly let the little girl just now get taken out by her own mother.
The woman panted a few breaths, “The matter was very successful, just, just, this little brute ran onto Jin Wangfei’s carriage.”
Once these words came out, everyone’s face all changed. One mishap and all of them will have to throw in their lives.
Although the person safely returned, and was right in front of them, but just thinking about it made one fearful inside, the fear lingering incessantly.
“What about the specifics, quickly explain clearly.”
The woman had the entire course of events explained in full detail, “…………It’s also a great fortune that Jin Wangfei is a good-tempered one. If it was encountering someone like Gong Wangfei, even if one doesn’t die, one would still lose half one’s life.”
(T/N: Gong Wangfei must have done something terrible in public for commoners to have this kind of opinion of her.)
Unconsciously, beads of sweat already seeped out from her head, “Indeed, looking at it currently, the matter is developing in a good direction. The rest just depend on whether or not this cat can be truly sent out.”
“Then, who will go deliver this cat?” The woman asked. Clearly, the previous matter already used up all her courage.
“Elder sister-in-law, won’t have you go again. For the previous matter, it was because you were the most suitable, but the matters afterwards, we will take care of.” The man that had previosuly closed the door said.
“That’s good, that’s good.” That woman patted her chest.
“You’ve worked hard today, just go rest, that cat, this old woman will personally go deliver.” The old lady regained her composure, carrying determination and unyielding resolution.
“Mother……….”
“No need to say anything, my Ke Xin died that miserably, I, this mother, at least need to do a bit of something for her.” The old lady uncontrollably started shedding tears, and at the same time, carried an indescribable hatred and ruthlessness on her face, “I only had this one biological child, throwing in more than half my life to give birth to her, that bunch of animals, that bunch of animals………………”
“Mother, it’s all our fault, we didn’t protect little sister, all our fault.” The man next to her was also very remorseful.
“No, nothing to do with you all, it happened abruptly, no one was able to predict……….”
“Just, mother, choosing Jin Qinwang, is it really no problem?” Another man somewhat hesitantly asked.
“Since it’s your second older brother’s choice, then naturally there isn’t anything wrong. Right now, having already come to this step, there isn’t room to shrink back anymore. Jin Qinwang has a terrible reputation on the outside, and regardless how much of this was an act, he certainly won’t be one that’s easy to get along with either. His matter, if we were to divulge a single word of, including old two, we will all meet a tragic end. But choosing Jin Qinwang, this kind of person, isn’t it even better? As long as he agrees to it, in the end, we will certainly be able to get what we desire. There won’t be any mishap.”
Since the matter was already decided, no one will continue to nervously waver.
In the afternoon, the old woman carried that pure white, yet its two eyes appeared purple cat, about to head out……………
“Grandmother, really need to have Zi Tong (purple-eye) given to that wangfei?” The little girl asked, unwilling to part with it.
“It’s us that ran into her Highness, so naturally ought to offer an apology. Good child, don’t you think so?”
The little girl clearly also had a good upbringing, pitifully looking to the cat, yet didn’t go snatch over, nor cried and threw a tantrum.
Sending this cat was just an excuse, and in the end, may not necessarily need to actually give it away, but this matter still didn’t have a final conclusion yet, so it wasn’t good to tell her either.
The guards that went out with Jing Wan, because of Jing Wan’s plea, in the end, each person just endured five whippings as a warning to others.
This was what Jing Wan knew. These five whippings even she wasn’t able to cut down either. On a great majority of things, Li Hong Yuan can indulge her, but for some things, there was absolutely no room for discussion.
“If Wan Wan says anymore, then it’s just each person five hundred whippings.”
What five hundred whippings was really like, Jing Wan didn’t know, but getting whipped into mince meat was certain, and losing their life was also certain. Jing Wan obediently stopped negotiating. “Ah Yuan, you can’t say one thing to my face, and say another thing behind my back either. Right now you say five whippings, but after ordering it down, it’ll just increase.”
Li Hong Yuan coldly snorted. It was clear, he originally had this intention.
“Ah Yuan bears to deceive me?” Right now, Jing Wan was becoming increasingly skilled and increasingly natural at interacting with Li Hong Yuan. When she should appease, she would appease, when she should smooth his fur, she would smooth his fur, and when she should be unyielding, she would be unyielding. Moreover, he probably further liked her having the words pointed out openly. He seemingly had this treated as an amusement. “You also don’t like paying lip service, right?”
“Fine, this prince will do as promised, five whippings it is, such irrelevant people are also worth you exhausting your thoughts.”
Jing Wan easily just had a certain someone that was about to change face suppressed down.
When learning that the cat had been sent over, Jing Wan was reading a book, and Li Hong Yuan was resting on her lap, appearing to just be a quiet male beauty.
Jing Wan didn’t need Gong mama to warn too much, and also knew it wasn’t just simply sending the cat. Perhaps she’s finally awaited the person she needed to wait for.
Jing Wan lightly had his head lifted and moved aside, placing a pillow under his head, then covering him with a blanket, before finally soundlessly leaving.
How would she know, Li Hong Yuan watched her leave. Wan Wan wanted to do everything she can to help him, and he also didn’t want to let Jing Wan become that canary raised in a cage.
When Jing Wan saw the person, she actually wasn’t all that surprised that it wasn’t the one she saw at noon. Looking at the cat presented up, its claws already carefully trimmed away at this time, its feet tender, appearing very harmless and also quite cute. However, Jing Wan still felt it was a bit pitiful.
T/N: The whole backstory of this matter will be explained in the . It’s not really a whole arc on its own because it’s something that will play out long term in the background, there’s actually a bigger incident coming up that will be more important, one of the bigger arcs in the novel. A lot of things happen simultaneously in the novel.