Chapter 14: Stepmother Bleeds
Da furen regained her calm composure and coldly scolded Lin mumu, “I had especially assigned you the task because strangers would make me restless. I have told you so many times to quickly bring her the new clothes. How come you haven’t gotten it done? Wei Yang is our Li jia’s San xiaojie, the Prime Minister’s daughter. How can she tolerate your slowness? It’s unreasonable to make our San xiaojie wear old clothes out in public. Is it because you guys want to create misunderstandings between us mother and daughter? To make others think that I am treating San xiaojie badly?”
Listening to Da furen’s words, Li Wei Yang remained respectful but was coldly laughing on the inside. Da furen was Da furen for a reason. She did not waste a single breath beating around the bush. Every word she spoke was spot-on. Wei Yang could bring up the same reasoning, but if she did then Da furen would not have any face left. On the other hand, when Da furen said these words, she was practically pushing the blame onto Lin mumu.
Lin mumu was quick to react as she immediately kneeled on the floor and admitted her faults in between sobs. Lin mumu said it was all her fault, that it was her irresponsibility and incompetence that brought about this matter. Even though Da furen had verbally given her the task, Lin mumu knew it was not Da furen’s real intentions to make new clothes for Wei Yang. It was all due to the incident regarding Li Zhang Le that had caused Da furen to be upset, which was why these past two days, Da furen was in fact waiting for Wei Yang to come and beg for forgiveness. But who would’ve known that Wei Yang would directly seek out Lao furen instead?
San xiaojie looked weak and fragile, but she was actually very smart. If she had been any bit more foolish she would’ve gone to Da furen and asked for justice and lose her face value in the process. However, she had purposely waited for this moment where Lao furen and Wen shi was both present to bring up this case and put Da furen into a difficult position. There was nothing Da furen could do but to swallow down her anger.
“Hurry up and apologize to San xiaojie!” Li Zhang Le yelled out loud.
Due to Zhang Le’s beauty, even the way she spoke was filled with elegance and sophistication, but when it came into Wei Yang’s ears, for some reason, all she heard was a two-faced person talking. It filled Wei Yang with disgust and resentment. Wei Yang was not like Li Chang Xi and the others, who only wanted to gain Da furen’s favours with sweet-talk and praises, so that in the future, they could secure a good marriage. Wei Yang knew Da furen was more than willing to use them as a stepping stone for Li Zhang Le’s future.
Continuing with the act, Lin mumu kneeled down in front of Wei Yang to apologize. “San xiaojie, it’s all my fault. Nubi will immediately tell them to bring over all of the new clothings to you. I guarantee you will like them too.”
Looking horrified and panicky, Wei Yang immediately backed away and looked at Da furen. “Mother, this, this is really. . .” She spoke extra slowly, stumbling on her words, as if she wanted to beg mercy for Lin mumu’s sake.
Da furen gently replied, “Wei Yang, don’t you worry. Just leave everything in my care. Should you feel any injustice in the future, I will help you teach these irresponsible servants a lesson!”
Wei Yang bowed down with gratitude. “Thank you, Mother. I shall leave everything in your care.” After today, Wei Yang was sure nobody was going to easily look down on her.
Meng shi examined Wei Yang then waved her over. “Come here, child.” Wei Yang walked over as Meng shi signaled Luo mumu. “It’s been a month since you’ve been here. I have a present for you.”
Luo mama understood immediately as she returned a few moments later with a small box in floral designs. Inside the box, it was filled with jewelry and accessories.
Li Chang Xi peeked inside and noticed an expensive yet exquisite brooch with Begonia flowers on it. It was the brooch she been vying for for a long time from Meng shi. She had spent so much time and effort by Meng shi’s side but was never given the brooch and yet today, Lao furen was giving it to Wei Yang. Her eyes were filled with jealousy and resentment as she glared at Wei Yang.
Li Wei Yang was surprised as well. She had never expected Lao furen to gift her with these things. A warm sensation ran through her body. Obviously this was Meng shi’s way of telling everyone that she had Wei Yang on her mind.
Wei Yang was filled with gratitude towards Lao furen. Despite her actions, Lao furen didn’t yell at her but instead was willing to become her support. She didn’t say another word as she kneeled down and kowtowed in front of Lao furen. “Thank you Lao furen. I will remember your grace.”
Meng shi smiled, knowing that Wei Yang had understood her intentions.
In a blink of an eye, Da furen’s expression had stiffened.
Wen shi quietly laughed to herself. Anything that made Da furen uncomfortable and miserable was something that made her happy. As a result, she reached up and pulled out the gold phoenix brooch in her hair and placed it into Wei Yang’s hands. “Good child, this is my gift to you as well.”
Wei Yang shlyly received the brooch and secretly darted a look in Da furen’s direction. She noticed how green Da furen’s face had become and was glaring at Wen shi instead. Wen shi, on the other hand, disregarded Da furen and laughed cheerfully.
Li Zhang Le quickly regained her composure and quietly coughed. Da furen immediately responded by turning towards Wei Yang and acted as if it was nothing. In a kind voice, she said, “Dear child, come over here! I have prepared a gift for you earlier. I might as well give it to you right now.” Da furen had given Li Wei Yang some decorations that had looked expensive but was rather really useless. However, seeing the gifts Lao furen and Wen shi had given, she had to do something to match them as well. With everyone’s eyes on her, Da furen swallowed down her anger and removed her onyx bracelet. Suppresing a painful look, she put the bracelet on Wei Yang’s wrists. “This piece of jewelry is expensive as it came from the palace. Take it.”
Having once been an Empress, she knew that Jiang shi was telling the truth regarding the origin of this bracelet. Smiling, she said, “Thank you, Mother.”
Da furen’s mouth was slightly crooked from the suppressed anger. Nonetheless, she still kept her smiling pretense. “Silly child, there’s no need for thanks!”
Li Chang Xi was brimming with jealousy as she evilly sneered, “Wei Yang, it looks like you’ve hit the fortune! Mother had actually wanted to save that bracelet for Dajie, but she’s giving it to you instead!”
Upon hearing it, Li Wei Yang made a gesture to remove the bracelet. “If that is the case then Wei Yang cannot accept it!”
Da furen wasn’t going to let Wei Yang return the gift as she glared menacingly at Chang Xi before returning to Wei Yang with a warm smile. “Silly girl, you are also my precious child. There is nothing wrong with giving it to you. You must accept my generosity!”
Seeing Da furen’s two-faced personality, Wei Yang couldn’t be any happier. “Then I shall thank you again, Mother!”
Li Chang Xi’s eyes had widened with resentment. On the other hand, Li Zhang Le casually shifted her gaze elsewhere, towards the silver incense burner inlaid with lotus patterns and gems as she thought to herself how ignorant Chang Xi still was despite the numerous times she had been taught by Da furen. There were no signs of improvements. What was a bracelet? Today Lao furen had shown her support for Wei Yang, so how could Da furen go against it? It would only give Wen shi an opportunity to mock them.
As Wei Yang was leaving, Luo mumu chased after her down the hallway. “San xiaojie! Lao furen asked if you could, from now on, to come by and brew tea for Lao furen every day.”
Li Wei Yang immediately replied, “Luo mumu, how could you put it like that? Being filial to Lao furen is something a granddaughter must do.”
Her obliging attitude made Luo mumu happy. Wei Yang did not waste Lao furen’s good intentions.
Once she returned to her bedchamber, Wei Yang opened the box Lao furen had given her. It was then that she discovered a hidden compartment in the box. Removing the red frabric covering the hidden compartment, she saw ten shiny silvers.
Zi Yan could only cough, unable to say anything else.
Wei Yang froze. All the jewelry and clothing she was given was not practical. She could not sell those presents and neither could she give it to servants in exchange for favours. Except for silvers, everything else was useless in times of need. Lao furen had known that everything that had happened today was an act and yet, she still gave Wei Yang these silvers. Why?