by La Mi Tu
“Fei Cui, what happened to you?”
When she saw Fei Cui’s swollen cheeks and the face full of bloodstains, Murong Xin Lian almost didn’t recognize her. If it wasn’t because she saw Fei Cui’s clothes, Murong Xin Lian wouldn’t have thought that this person with the pig face was actually Fei Cui!
“Woo woo woo, second miss, you must seek justice for this slave, ah! This slave came with second miss’s invitation to invite third miss, but third miss didn’t even say something and let them beat this slave. This slave came with good intentions but has been beaten like this. Third miss also said that she wants to kill me. Second miss must save me, ah!”
Fei Cui was a person who was good at reversing the black and the white. Today, she had suffered at Murong Qi Qi’s, no matter what, she couldn’t swallow this anger. Fortunately, Murong Xin Lian was here now, she might as well make the matter big. After all, Murong Qi Qi’s reputation was already very bad, a bit more wouldn’t do it much harm.
Hearing Fei Cui’s words, Murong Xin Lian was full of doubts. Hadn’t Murong Qi Qi always been weak and incompetent? When had her gut turned so big?
But it didn’t look as though Fei Cui was lying and the wound on her face was truly there. It really existed. It seemed that something must have happened.
“Third little sister, is what Fei Cui said the truth? Was it really you who hit her? It was I who had told her to come invite you to admire the moon tonight. Even if you didn’t want to go, there’s no need to vent on a maid, ah! What did Fei Cui do so wrong that you had used such a ruthless hand?”
Murong Xin Lian’s reputation in Murong household had always been very good. She was beautiful and more approachable than Murong Qing Lian. She didn’t had the arrogance of a miss, so everyone in the residence really liked this second miss.
At this time, hearing Murong Xin Lian say that Murong Qi Qi had hit Fei Cui without any reason, everyone began to whisper. The things they whispered about were all about how bad third miss was.
She was indeed the goddess of pretending, ah! Murong Qi Qi couldn’t help but clap in her heart. It seemed that Murong Xin Lian was really popular in the residence. Everyone was speaking up for Murong Xin Lian.
“Second big sister, the matter is not like that……”
Murong Qi Qi opened her mouth and said softly.
“It’s Fei Cui who said that I am a rubbish and that I didn’t even deserve to admire the moon with second big sister. She also said that I’m an ugly duckling, second big sister is the white swan. I don’t even deserve to clean second big sister’s shoes!”
The moment Murong Qi Qi’s words left her mouth, Murong Xin Lian froze. She knew very well what kind of person Fei Cui was. These words being said by Fei Cui was somewhat believable. After all, she usually said the same in front of Fei Cui.
“She also forced me to give the position of Jing wangfei1 to second big sister. She said that only a beauty like second big sister is worthy to be standing by Jing wang’s2 side. She also said that you are a match made from heaven, a perfect match. And I am just a rubbish who can’t practice martial arts. I should just disappear early to not hinder your road”
Murong Qi Qi sobbed. Her small shoulders shrugged. Coupled with that pair of watery eyes, she seemed particularly delicate and pitiful. The people who’d just now denounced Murong Qi Qi, after hearing that, the way they looked at Murong Xin Lian and Fei cui began to change.
“I was thinking that second big sister is usually such a good person, how can such this slave have been taught by you? This is simply a discredit to second big sister reputation. So I couldn’t take it anymore and said a few words to her. But then she slapped herself two times and also slammed her head against the stone. Later, it’s what you’ve seen……”
“You’re talking nonsense! The one who hit me is obviously her! Don’t believe her!”
Seeing Murong Qi Qi’s ability to turn the truth around was even better than hers, Fei Cui became anxious.
“If the slap on my face was done by me, how could the fingerprints be like this?! Don’t listen to this rubbish’s nonsense!”
* * *
Wangfei: main wife/consort of the prince of first rank
Wang: the prince of first rank
Chapter 10: Appointment
* * *
Because of Fei Cui’s words, everyone’s eyes were now directed at her face. Seeing that everyone was believing her now, Fei Cui deliberately raised her head to show everyone the fingerprints on her face.
On her pale skin, the red fingerprints could be clearly seen. It was just that the two thumbs on the fingerprints were pointing down. With one look, you could tell that she had done it herself. At this point, the servants began to believe Murong Qi Qi.
“It seems that what third miss had said is the truth! Didn’t think that Fei cui is actually such a person! Third miss is already miserable enough, Fei Cui still framed her like this!”
“That’s right, ah! Could it be that second miss is teaching Fei Cui like this in private? She really wants to be Jing wangfei1? The big sister wants to steal the little sister’s husband, really shameless, ah!”
“Even in the presence of third miss, she was saying things like that, really too daring!”
How could Fei Cui know that when Su Mei slapped her, she already used a trick? And at this moment, seeing everyone talk bad about her, Fei Cui could only look at Murong Xin Lian for help.
“Miss, it’s really her who beat me!”
“Fei Cui, kneel!”
Everyone’s words also went into Murong Xin Lian’s ears. She didn’t think that Fei Cui was so stupid and nearly ruined her plan.
No matter what, just now everyone had heard Fei Cui say ‘rubbish’. At this time, if she didn’t punish Fei Cui, everyone would think that it was her who was behind all of this and made Fei Cui act so arrogant. For her reputation, she could now only throw away the soldier (pawn) and defend the carriage.
“Second miss…….”
Fei Cui didn’t know what had happened. Why was there such terrible coldness in Murong Xin Lian’s eyes?
“Second miss, I’m innocent!”
“Kneel down! Apologize to third miss!”
Murong Xin Lian’s clenched fists were hidden in her sleeves. The nails had pierced her delicate arms. This Fei Cui was really unable to accomplish anything but able to spoil everything.
No matter what had happened today, the image that she’d used so much effort to maintain was now damaged. It seemed that if she wanted to block everyone’s mouth, she must heavily punish Fei Cui.
“Third miss, Fei Cui was wrong…….”
Knowing that Murong Xin Lian was angry, Fei Cui stiffly knelt in front of Murong Qi Qi. Although she was dissatisfied, but she had to admit that now she’s in Murong Qi Qi’s hands.
“Asking third miss to forgive this slave!”
“Fei Cui, knowing that she was wrong, still did that. Punish her with twenty wooden slaps and deprive her of half-year salary. Third little sister, what do you think?”
In ancient china, while being punished, the guilty one will need to lie down and receive beatings with a thick wooden stick.
Not waiting for Murong Qi Qi to speak, Murong Xin Lian directly said Fei Cui’s punishment.
Murong Qi Qi looked at this pair of master and servant acting, but she didn’t point it out. Instead she pleaded: “Second big sister, isn’t such a punishment too heavy? On Fei Cui’s body, there are still wounds. Her head is still bleeding. She needs to see a doctor. Moreover, after all, she has followed you for so long. Even if she didn’t make any contributions but she still worked hard……I think, punish with ten wooden slaps. The remaining ten wooden slaps, remembering it is enough. As for the salary, one month is enough. Second big sister , what do you think?”
Murong Qi Qi’s ‘plea’ was to everyone’s surprise. They originally thought that third miss would not be lenient and would punish Fei Cui heavily. How would they know that she would open her mouth to
plea for Fei Cui?
At this time, the image of third miss immediately rose in everyone’s heart. Twenty wooden slaps on a weak girl, even if she was strong enough to accept it, but she would need to lie down for quite a while. And although half a year salary was not much, but to servants it’s a big part of their income.
“Third miss really has a good heart!”
“Right ah. Fei Cui framed third miss. Third miss didn’t hold grudges. She really has a good heart!”
Murong Qi Qi’s good brought out Murong Xin Lian’s ‘viciousness’. The maid who’d followed her so long, with just one word would be beaten. A comparison between the two misses, who is good and who is bad, the servants of the mansion now made a new assessment.
“Good, do it according to what little sister has said! When she is back, big sister will surely teach her well!”
Now Murong Xin Lian hated Murong Qi Qi to death. The truth was what she said. Now the one who opened her mouth to plead was also her. Murong Xin Lian struggled for so long, in the end, just because of some sentences from Murong Qi Qi, everyone had changed their views and even felt that she, this second miss was harsh.
Endure! Endure! Murong Xin Lian restrained the hate in her heart. She revealed a smile: “Little sister, you must come to admiring the moon at the pavilion tonight, ah! See it as big sister’s apology to you. You must give face, ah!”
“Good! Thanks big sister, little sister will certainly be on time!”
A farce ended with Fei Cui suffering ten wooden slaps.
At Ou Xiang yuan2, Fei Cui was lying in bed. She’d just suffered ten wooden slaps. Even moving a bit would be very painful. “Miss, this slave, really didn’t say those words. It’s third miss who has framed this slave!”
“I believe you…”
Murong Xin Lian personally rubbed medicine for Fei Cui.
“Didn’t see her for five years, third little sister had actually improved. Fei Cui, rest assured. This hate of today, I will surely get it back for you! Just wait and see! Tonight, I’ll let her regret everything she has done today!”
Being Murong Xin Lian’s confidante, Fei Cui also knew what she and Zheng Min were planning. Hearing Murong Xin Lian saying that, Fei Cui revealed an ugly smile.
“Miss, what you said is right. Endure for the time being. After tonight, making it so that she can’t even cry!”
“Ah…”
Fei Cui’s words obviously made Murong Xin Lian happy.
Murong Qi Qi, you wait! After tonight, your reputation will be ruined! The status of Jing wangfei that you were relying on would be a thing of the past. Only I, Murong Xin Lian, am the best candidate to be Jing wangfei. You don’t deserve it!
Night. Murong Qi Qi went to the pavilion. The pavilion was located at the west side of the prime minister’s mansion. She didn’t even arrive when she heard a burst of laughter coming from the pavilion. From the noise, Murong Qing Lian’s voice was the loudest: “Big sister Duanmu, is what you said true? Is that demon wang3 really so dreadful?”
“Of course, it’s true. He is cursed and caused the death of his eight wives! I heard that those women had died miserably. They suddenly died on the wedding night and the blood of their bodies had been drained! Everyone said that it’s demon wang who had sucked the blood of the bride. He needs to marry a bride every year to take the fresh blood to maintain his life……”
“Ah, really frightening, ah!”
Hearing this, the young maidens in the pavilion exclaimed.
“Don’t talk about this anymore. Too scary!”
At this time, Murong Xin Lian saw Murong Qi Qi. She immediately greeted her warmly: “Third little sister, you’ve arrived. Why don’t you come here?! Come, everyone is waiting for you!”
“Greetings to second big sister!”
Murong Qi Qi let Murong Xin Lian hold her hands and went into the pavilion.
Aside from Li Yun Qing whom she had already met, the young masters and misses of the four great families were all here. Bai family’s brother and sister, Bai Mu Fei and Bai Yi Yue, Duanmu family’s brother and sister, Duanmu Hong Chen and Duanmu Yi Yi and Shangguan family’s Shangguan Wu Ji. Even Murong household’s only son Murong Jun was here.
It seemed that Murong Xin Lian had a wide range of friends!
During the five years that Murong Qi Qi had been absent, Murong Xin Lian used much effort to befriend the children of the four great families. Who in the capital didn’t know that Murong household’s second miss was an outstanding beauty?
At this time, Murong Xin Lian was entertaining everyone as though she was Murong household’s legitimate miss.
“Why did you call this ugly duckling here?”
Murong Jun strongly disapproved of this little sister. The moment he opened his mouth, ‘ugly duckling’ came out.
* * *
Wangfei: the main wife/consort of the prince of first rank
Yuan: part of a residence
Wang/wangye: the prince of first rank
Chapter 11: Miss Duanmu’s Provocation
* * *
Murong Qi Qi pretended like she didn’t hear Murong Jun’s words. She kept up her innocent appearance and lovingly let Murong Xin Lian hold her hand as they walked into the pavilion.
“Greetings to big brother!”
“Humph!”
Murong Jun opened his fan and faced the other way in response.
“If I had known that we were waiting for her, I might as well have gone to Yi Hong Lou to find my little Tao Hong! What a waste of this young master’s time!”
Yi Hong Lou is probably a brothel
Murong Xin Lian and Murong Qing Lian were already accustomed to Murong Jun saying such words. This young master was known as the ‘loafer of the capital’. An expert in the field of romance. He was well versed in eating, drinking, whoring and gambling. The thing he liked the most was beautiful women. The thing he loved the most was hanging out with women.
Being Murong household’s only incense burner, Murong Tai indulged this treasure son very much. Whether it was forcing commoner girls or having gambling debts, in the end, Murong Tai would help him clean up.
Incense burner means the only one who can continue with the family line
This was the first time that Murong Qi Qi saw Murong Jun after she had returned. Although Murong Jun had inherited Murong Tai’s handsomeness of when he (MT) was young, the white of his eyes was now yellow. His black eyes and thin body betrayed the fact that he indulged too much.
“Yo, third big sister, your speed is really slow, ah!”
Murong Qing Lian skimmed over Murong Qi Qi.
Murong Qing Lian’s ‘third big sister’ drew everyone’s eyes to Murong Qi Qi.
About this Murong household third miss, many had only heard her name through rumors and have not seen her in person. After all, Murong Qi Qi stayed away for five years at Jing Xin An and didn’t appear in the capital. So in this circle of young masters and misses, Murong Qi Qi had never appeared. This was her first appearance after she’d returned.
However, ever since Murong Qi Qi had returned to the capital, there were new rumors everywhere in the capital. Now, after seeing the real person, people couldn’t help but look more carefully. They wanted to see how the woman from the rumors looked like.
Her hair was in a simple braid. She was dressed in a light blue dress. On her head, there’s only one pearl flower. In her hair, a mahogany hairpin. Although her looks couldn’t be compared to Murong Xin Lian and Murong Qing Lian, but her expression was demure and gentle. Looking at it, it had a fresh and natural taste. It made her defeat these young maidens who had too much jewelry on their bodies.
mahogany hairpin
“I say, who is it that has such a big face? So it’s third miss, ah!”
Face is here figuratively.
Just at that moment, a cynical voice was suddenly heard. The speaker was Duanmu family’s eldest miss Duanmu Yi Yi.
“You must be more honorable than the others. That’s w
hy you let everyone wait for you. Could it be that third miss looks down on us?”
Duanmu Yi Yi’s sharp mouth didn’t spare people. Others clearly understood why she was so against Murong Qi Qi.
This miss Duanmu was a faithful follower of Longze Jing Tian. She had threatened that if she had to marry, she would only marry Jing wangye’1. Now, she had met the future Jing wangfei 2 Murong Qi Qi who was lesser than her in everything, of course Duanmu Yi Yi must give her a blow.
“I’m at fault for coming late. What do I need to do to quell miss’s resentment?”
The moment Murong Qi Qi’s words left her mouth, some people who knew the situation laughed out loud.
‘Resentment’, this word described Duanmu Yi Yi’s mood very well. Couldn’t become Jing wangfei, of course her heart had resentment. That was why she was making things difficult for Murong Qi Qi. One word ‘resentment’ described Duanmu Yi Yi’s image of a ‘resenting wife’ very appropriately.
“Murong Qi Qi!”
Being laughed at, Duanmu Yi Yi’s expression immediately turned ashen. From her point of view, Murong Qi Qi deliberately said it like that. She (MQQ) was obviously mocking her (DYY).
She, the dignified Duanmu family’s eldest miss, was now being ridiculed by the rubbish Murong Qi Qi, really too embarrassing.
“Little cousin sister, come sit here……”
Just when Duanmu Yi Yi was about to open her mouth to make things difficult for Murong Qi Qi, Li Yun Qing sitting on a side, raised his cup of wine smilingly at Murong Qi Qi.
“Making me wait so long for you, should you not punish yourself with three cups of wine?!”
Li Yun Qing opening his mouth was to everyone’s surprise. One must know that this Li family’s eldest young master’s eyes were high on his forehead (meaning he looks down on people). Very few people could enter his eyes. At this moment, he was helping Murong Qi Qi. When had their relationship become so good?
