Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Gu Zhen wanted to make the Meng’s pay the price for the humiliation she had suffered, for the recurring nightmares, for the agony of losing a child, and for her sister.
They must have done something to Gu Min, or else how would she, living with all the privileges a lady deserved with a caring husband, pass away even earlier than her inflicted, tormented sibling?
“Gu Zhen...” Liu She sighed, unable to console his beloved wife’s sister.
“You don’t have to punish Meng Zhan for me. It’s not that I have given up. I just don’t want to bother you with that bastard.” Hatred was burning in her eyes. “He’s unworthy of your attention.”
“But this is a golden chance to shake the Meng’s from the root. We mustn’t miss it.”
The lady made a “Humph!” and then side-eyed her brother-in-law. “Don’t pretend to be innocent and harmless. We all know what you’re capable of.”
“...” He could tell that was not a compliment. She spoke just like her sister, always praising with irony.
“Chances are few but we can wait. It will be worse if we can’t kill the Meng’s with one attack, as they will take revenge and ruin what you’ve achieved in Xu these years. We need to wait until we can stab them in their heart.” Gu Zhen laughed coldly. She had already withstood years in hell; she could wait a few years longer.
Liu She observed her for a moment before he sighed with relief. “I’m glad you think so.”
She glanced at him and chided, “Do you think I’m still an impulsive young girl?”
“I’m just worried,” he murmured.
He had offered her a shelter, but the stubborn lady insisted in defying everything the physicians said just to protect him from further rage of the Meng’s. How would he be happy with her self-torture?
He was truly glad that Gu Zhen had changed her mind, for he knew he could not help her in that regard.
“Good. From now on, listen to the physicians. All the expensive seafood is waiting for the healthy lady.”
“I don’t doubt that. You’re always so generous to me.” She then asked, “By the way, have you thought about how to deal with that Meng Liang? I can’t bear that creature with inferior birth living with my son’s title and name.”
After a moment of thought, Liu She mentioned Jiang Pengji’s intentions.
“We can handle our own business.” Gu Zhen was upset at first, yet soon understood the merits of Jiang Pengji’s plan.
Gu Zhen was clever, like her sister. That was what had attracted Meng Zhan at first sight and what made him decide to take the illegitimate lady as his wife––the supposedly most privileged woman in the Meng house. Even after her maiden family changed her title to legitimate, however, her background was looked down by the Meng’s.
Her wit allowed her to realize what Liu She meant in his oblique suggestion.
As a well-known scholar and official in Dongqing, Liu She would harm his reputation by designing a feeble youngster; allowing his “son” to do it would appear much better.
Still, since the Meng’s spread its influence in most corners of the kingdom, they must avoid hurting Meng Liang in the name of the Liu’s, or else the cost would be too high.
Their conversation was placing Meng Liang nearer and nearer to death. Yet, their subject remained ignorant about the danger surrounding him.
“Mother was right: the Liu’s are all cowards. I can see how Liu Zhongqing’s anger was burning in his eyes, but he doesn’t dare touch even a strand of my hair. What a useless man! I don’t know why my father is so alert to him.”
The adorable “girl” was sprawled on the comfortable bed. He then turned his head and saw a set of tidily folded clothes, and he felt it with two fingers.
“Tst!” He looked at it as if it was a piece of trash. “These people are so poor! We only give these kinds of clothes to our servants. What does Liu Zhongqing mean by giving me this?”
The male servant, who pretended to be his female attendant, rushed to stop him from flinging the garments away. He persuaded him, “My good Langjun, we all know our house is the best. This textile is cheap and was only fashionable three years ago, but that’s all they have in a destitute place like Hejian! Even important families here struggle to afford basic clothing. Langjun, we must tolerate all of this until the incident in Meng is over, and Master and Lady will come to bring you home.”
Admitting what he said, Meng Liang clenched his teeth. He must accept what he was provided with in Hejian.
“It’s all Meng Hun’s fault!” Meng Liang thought that man was the only one to blame. “He was but a servant of our house! How dare he throw his tantrum and irk my father!”
The servant tried his best to please his langjun. “That’s right! Meng Hun is a silly man. Langjun must not be annoyed by him. As soon as our army eliminates his force, you could punish him however you like.”
Meng Hun was the guy who burned down the county chief’s place. He used to be a guard in the family, and was later promoted to the position of military chief because of his hard work and remarkable capabilities.
“If this was the beginning of Xia Dynasty, he couldn’t complain even if we ordered all females in his family to serve us. Now, he’s rebelling simply for his wife! Who does he think he is?” The servant managed to calm Meng Liang down, yet his discontent persisted.
The day before, he had snuck to the streets with his servant for some ladies and accidentally spotted Meng Hun. Not expecting him to be admitted to Hejian, the two returned in a panic.
Meng Liang regretted calling his friends to join his game, which would leave traces in Hejian. He did not suppose Meng Hun would be so determined to chase after him.
How angry the boy was at that moment! He almost got another girl!
The two, who had just arrived at the Liu’s, decided to contact their guards as soon as they were settled. By then, they needed not to fear that man. The bunch of blazes alone would scare him away.
Meng Liang was soothed by his thoughts, and found the clothing in his hands less ugly than before.