Chapter86: Constant Vigilance

Da Furen laughed coldly. “If I hadknown this day would come, I should have let Laoye drown you from the verystart, rather than allow you to play tricks like this!”

Lao Furen’s reply was not anywarmer. “You have the time to criticize others, but forget about teaching yourown daughter and son. One could add poison into her Fuqin’s soup, and anotherdares to harm his own Fuqin; they should die a thousand times over for these sins!

Da Furen gritted her teeth andhardened her resolve; she must save her children, even if it meant sacrificingDu Mama! She raised her voice: “Du Mama, do you know what you have donewrong?!”

Du Mama was shocked to the core, a.s.she did not understand why Da Furen suddenly said this.

Da Furen replied: “Du Mama, Imerely wanted to betroth your youngest daughter to Housekeeper Zeng’s son, thisis would benefit both parties. Housekeeper Zeng has done much for us; his sonhad his leg broken when he was younger while trying to protect Da Shaoye. Ionly wanted to find a good match for him, and I thought that your daughter hasa good character and was therefore suitable. Who knew that you’d hate me forthis, and try to poison me!”

Du Mama looked at her own master inalarm, for she did not think that the first thing that Da Furen would do uponwaking up would be to push all the blame onto her! She gasped like a fish,unable to speak as if her tongue was tangled.

Li Weiyang was unsurprised, at thismoment, it was expected of Da Furen to protect her own children. However, shedefinitely wouldn’t let her escape that easily. She calmly spoke: “Muqin, Ithink you must be confused, if Du Mama had wanted to harm you, why would shetry to stop you just now? If you had drank the soup, wouldn’t she have had herrevenge?”

Da Furen tried her best, but shecould not smother her heavy coughs, and she felt devastating pain in her chest.She tried to suppress it, forcefully saying: “That was because she found herconscience, or perhaps she regretted her moment of folly now, or maybe.. coughcough.. she feared that her punishment would be greater if she got discovered! Sinceshe had already added the poison, she would definitely accuse you, Weiyang!”

Du Mama cried out. “Furen, pleaseremember all my best efforts, for I have served you for twenty over years!” Eversince Furen married into the Li Residence, she had followed her over, doingeverything she had been asked without complaint. And this time, she even helpedher set the trap to frame San Xiaojie. Who knew that Da Furen would sacrificeher the moment something went wrong!

“Du Mama, since Muqin has said so,you had better admit your guilt.” Li Weiyang said slowly, and gave a sad sigh.This sigh seemed to be the last straw that broke Du Mama’s back. She gave asudden wail: “Lao Furen, Lao Furen! Nubi will say everything, Nubi will admiteverything!”

Da Furen fixed her gaze on her:“Confess! If you do not, spare a thought for your children!”

This was obviously an unveiledthreat!

Li Weiyang spoke calmly: “Du Mama,if you were really guilty of harming your masters, not only you would die, butyour whole family would not be able to escape the punishment as well. Thinkclearly!”

Lao Furen nodded in agreement. “Ifyou, this Nubi, would dare to harm Furen, I will not let you off!”

Du Mama trembled, she knew that LaoFuren was not just trying to frighten her. She gritted her teeth and startedrecounting everything that had happened. From today’s events, she did not leaveout a single detail, describing everything she did, who she wanted to harm,very clearly.

Du Mama reported: “Everything wasarrange by Da Furen.” She gritted her teeth in hatred; after all that she haddone for Da Furen, sometimes even risking her life, she was actually betrayedby her in the end. No one could escape this now! “Not just this time, whathappened to Jiu Yiniang previously, the fire in the temple hall, it was allordered by Furen, and her purpose was to ----”

“Shut up!” Da Furen was furious.

“The one who should keep her mouthshut is you!” Lao Furen’s face was like frost.

“You continue, if there is half ashred of untruth, I’ll have you dragged out and beaten to death!” Li Xiaoranglared at her angrily.

Li Weiyang stated slowly. “Du Mama,if you tell the truth, I can ask for mercy from Lao Furen to spare yourfamily’s lives.”

A shudder ran through Du Mama’sbody, and she continued after lowering her head. “Not only Jiu Yiniang, DaYiniang, Er Yiniang, San Yiniang, and Ba Yiniang, all their deaths are linkedto Da Furen. She also added medicine into Qi Yiniang’s food, causing her togive birth to San Xiaojie half a month early, if not she would have been bornin March.. Furen has committed countless evil deeds after so many years, andNubi has kept all the evidence. Since I will not be able to escape death today,I might as well reveal it all!” She was someone who knew too much, and since DaFuren has decided to betray her, she would not care for her life either. Shemight as well spill all of her secrets, as long as her family would escape theblame.

“Jiang Min!” Li Xiaoran couldbarely form the words through his gritted teeth. He never would have thoughtthe numerous deaths of his concubines would be due to all these!

But Du Mama wasn’t done yet. Herface was as grim as death. “That year.. Wu Yiniang was pregnant with a boy, andafter Furen heard about it, she immediately got someone to incite trouble withWu

Yiniang’sformer betrothed’s, causing her and her unborn child’s death..”

Da Furen’s face was corpse pale,but she had not a single sentence to rebut Du Mama, because these crimes wereindeed committed by her. However, even at this moment of her exposure, she hadto protect her own children; since Li Xiaoran knew that the poison was to frameLi Weiyang, it would at least prove that it had nothing to do with Li Changle!

Li Xiaoran’s face was filled with uncontrollablerage. In the past few years, he had many women by his side, but Da Yiniang, Er Yiniangand San Yiniang were either Lao Furen’s or Da Furen’s ladies, and meant to helphim expand his family tree. Wu Yiniang was the only one whom he shared mutuallove with. He could never forget Wu Yiniang, as he was but an ordinary manwithout power or wealth when they first met; it was purely love at first sight.She did not care much about his background either, eloping with him without amoment’s hesitation. He would have granted her the t.i.tle of legal wife*, but ashe had not ascended in status to prime minister yet, Li Xiaoran could notfulfill his promise. Not only she had to make do with her status as a Yiniang,she would unexpectedly die of complications from childbirth. All the women hedesired for afterwards would have a certain degree of similarity with Wu Yiniang…However, Du Mama has now revealed that Wu Yiniang’s death was caused byDa Furen, and he could have had another sonif not for her as well! He had his suspicions in the past, but had a lack ofevidence to prove it. n.o.body would have guessed that the beans would be spilledby a Nubi after all these years.

Li Weiyang sn.i.g.g.e.red coolly, thiswas the effect she intended. She purposely drove everyone into a corner today;be it pinning the blame onto Li Changle, or dragging Li Min Feng in, her maintarget was to force Da Furen to make Du Mama the scapegoat, then with Du Mamaas the mouthpiece, announce all of the secrets she wanted Li Xiaoran to know!

She sighed softly, “I pity thetragic loss of Wu Yiniang and Er Di.” By saying the words ‘Er Di’, she accordeda rank of seniority for Wu Yiniang’s unborn son, knowing clearly that LiXiaoran would hate Da Furen to the core upon hearing it.

Indeed, Li Xiaoran was shaking withfury. Compared to framing Li Weiyang, he cared more about Wu Yiniang’s death;he never would have thought that his official wife, who appeared gracious and magnanimous,would commit such a deed! He was sleeping next to such a devious woman for sucha long period of time!

Lao Furen was speechless; thoseconcubines were meant to expand his family, and some of them married in withthe permission of Da Furen. She wanted to live up to her reputation as arespectable wife, but it was just a tactic for her to be able to control herhusband. She even caused their deaths one by one, resulting in Li Xiaoranhaving only one living son now!

Adding fuel to the fire, Li Weiyangcommented: “Aye, no matter how you say it, Wu Yiniang died due to a difficultbirth, Muqin did not directly harm her…”

A flash of emotion darted across DuMama’s eyes, and she gritted her teeth. “No, Wu Yiniang did not die due tocomplications. She could have given birth to Er Shaoye, and she was willing tolay down her life to do so. However, Furen spiked the medicine which the midwifebrought. The medicine was supposed to help with the childbirth, but it became aconflicting brew which would be fatal…”

Upon hearing it, Li Changle brokeout in cold sweat. Li Min Feng was similarly nervous, as he had never thoughtthat this would force Muqin to betray Du Mama, and for Du Mama to reveal allthe dirty work she had done for Muqin.

“Where’s the evidence?”

“Nubi has always kept it; thespiked recipe for the medicine has been hidden in my home...” Du Mama loweredher head, she had always been prepared for the one day that Da Furen woulddecide to sell her out.

“Drag her out and give her 30strokes of the cane, heavy strokes!” Li Xiaoran was extremely furious, with hisface like thunder.

30 strokes of the cane; that wouldtake almost half of her life! Du Mama was alarmed and cried out: “Nubi hasadmitted to everything I know, Laoye please spare me, Laoye!”

A Yatou stuffed a handkerchief intoher mouth, effectively silencing her before dragging her out.

Li Weiyang observed coolly withoutanother word. Da Furen has chosen to push out Du Mama, which was equivalent tobreaking off all ties with her, so of course she would expose all of thosemisdeeds. Da Furen would definitely have expected this to happen, but made thischoice all the same; she was sacrificing herself to protect her children.

When faced with such a criticaldecision, Li Weiyang bet that Da Furen would still choose to jump into such an.o.bvious trap!

Li Min Feng was still stunned inshock, and unable to respond to the events unfolding before him. How could itbe? How could it be that his Muqin was the perpetrator, and those d.a.m.n Yiniangsand their illegitimate children became the victims; impossible! He fixed LiWeiyang with an evil glare. “Fuqin, this must be all an evil set-up by LiWeiyang, it must be! She must have bribed this old servant to say all these, itmust be! This is a plot to harm Muqin! Fuqin, Lao Furen, you have to see thetruth, do not be tricked by Li Weiyang!”

Li Xiaoran closed his eyes, thisugly incident, this trio of schemers; they should not be allowed to stay in theLi Residence. However, one of them is his official wife, and the other two hislegitimate children, how could and how should he punish them?! At the peak ofhis anger, he felt confused and did not know what to do next.

Lao Furen nodded: Da Furen’sactions were indeed scary, and most importantly, she actually killed a few ofher grandchildren. From an outsider’s point of view, conflicts between wife andconcubines are not major issues, but the use of such sly and evil methods toharm Li Family’s descendants is definitely going overboard. If Da Furen hadcome from a commoner’s family, Lao Furen would advise Li Xiaoran to divorce herimmediately. However, she was Jiang Guo Gong’s eldest daughter; if they were toget rid of her just like that, the Jiang Family definitely wouldn’t let thematter rest.

Her brows knit in frustration: Howshould she be dealt with?

Li Weiyang sighed deeply: “Nomatter what Muqin has done, she is Li Family’s matriarch, and this is anirrevocable fact. Since she is ill, she should rest quietly at home, isn’t it, LaoFuren?” She knew that the Jiangs would never allow Li Xiaoran a divorce.

Lao Furen lowered her head andthought for half a second. In the moment that she made her decision, sheglanced at Da Furen. Seeing the unwillingness and hate on her face, she was nowdoubly sure. “Yes, she indeed requires time to recuperate. From today onwards,everything will be handed over to Er Furen to handle. We should get someone totake care of her too.”

In other words, she would begrounded. Announcing to society that she needed to rest, and keeping her in thegardens, would be effectively imprisoning her like the crazy Wu Xiaojie. Thiswould give the Jiang Residence a good explanation, as well as retain thereputation of the Li Residence. However, to Da Furen, it was a total removal ofher power as the matriarch of the family.

“As for Dajie.” Li Weiyang saidslowly, “She was indeed framed in this incident, but since her emotions are ina whirl, perhaps she needs some peace and quiet for a period of time…”

Lao Furen gave it a thought. “Lether return to the temple hall to reflect!”

Li Changle could not believe thatthese people were letting themselves get controlled by Li Weiyang. Her eyeswidened in shock, and she cried out hoa.r.s.ely, “No, I refuse, I don’t want to goto that d.a.m.nable place! I won’t go!”

Li Weiyang smiled. “Dajie, wouldyou rather accompany Wu Mei Mei?”

Li Changle quickly snapped hermouth shut, staring at Li Weiyang with hatred. She twisted about, pleading:“Muqin, say something!”

Da Furen had to grit her teeth todefend herself before, and she was now currently breathless. She widened hereyes as if to speak, but her vision reddened and her next breath hung as if bya thread; how could she have the strength to berate Li Weiyang?

That’s two down, what about theother?

Li Xiaoran looked at Li Min Feng, amurderous intent in his eyes. If his surname was not Li, he wouldn’t have toworry about how to deal with him; a rebellious son who dared to harm his fathershould be dealt with in the harshest way possible. However, he was a descendantof the Li Family, so he could not be killed.

“You had dared to harm your ownfather, you’re not fit to remain at the Li Residence.” Lao Furen spoke slowly.“We’ll send him to Lao Er, you can send him a letter; he should know what todo.”

As she spoke, Lao Furen did noteven glance at Li Min Feng. The little love she had felt for this grandson hadvanished the moment he directed the blade at her son.

Standing by the side, Li Min Fengwas stunned speechless at these words. He totally did not expect himself to getsent to his second uncle, who was staying in a more run-down countryside.Moreover, Er Shu was old-fas.h.i.+oned and strict. He was fierce to even his ownsons; if he were to find out that he actually pointed a sword at his ownfather, he would be treated like a prisoner! No, he could not go, he definitelycould not! Did Fuqin and Lao Furen go mad, how could they decide on this?!

“Fuqin! Please think clearly, ifnot you’ll regret it in the future! I’m your own son, how could you treat me inthis way for an illegitimate child!”

Li Weiyang smiled coolly, Fuqin didnot make this decision because of her, but Li Min Feng totally could notunderstand his thoughts; no wonder he wound up in such a pathetic state. Whatforced Li Xiaoran to decide was the pain of losing the woman he loved, as wellas the precious son she bore for him.

Li Min Feng was still foolishlyshouting. “Li Weiyang, you will die a horrible death, just you wait! I will seeyou dead before my very eyes!”

Lao Furen frowned. “Get him to shutup!” She waved her hands to get the guards to gag him and throw him out fromthe room.

Da Furen clawed desperately toreach her own son, but returned nothing but air. She cried out pitifully: “Nomatter what has happened, it is my fault, and it has nothing to do with my twochildren! Laoye, Laoye, please let them off, they are innocent!”

Li Xiaoran turned away, not evenglancing at Da Furen. Looking at her made him feel a chill in his heart. Havinglived in a huge mansion when he was young, he of course knew and understoodabout the conflicts between his mother and the concubines. So when it came tohis turn to pick concubines, he usually followed the wishes of his Muqin andwife to satisfy their demands. Da Furen was strong-willed by nature, and heknew that she was no innocent soul; but he never expected such evil deeds byher hands. Today’s events had greatly disappointed him.

Seated at the side, Lao Furen tooka sip of tea. Because Da Furen was from a well-established family, and the LiFamily’s lawfully wedded daughter-in-law, she naturally couldn’t be scolded orbeaten up like the Yatous and Mamas, but it doesn’t mean she had no way ofpunis.h.i.+ng her. Grounding her within the Li Residence was already an act ofgenerosity.

Da Furen suppressed the sharp painin her chest and rushed forward, grabbing Li Xiaoran’s sleeve and trembling a.s.she spoke. “Laoye, Laoye! Min Feng is your only son! You’ve said before thateverything would be handed over to him in the future, how could you allow himto be sent to a place like Gun District?! It’ll be akin to taking my life!”

“Let go!” Li Xiaoran flicked hissleeve, shoving Da Furen away with his wave. He retreated a step, glaring ather chillingly, with not a trace of emotion on his face. With a cold andresolute voice, he chastised Da Furen. “Jiang s.h.i.+, you have done whateveryou’ve liked in the Li Residence, even ordering servants to harm my belovedconcubine… You think that just because you’re from the Jiang Family means thatyou can do whatever you want! However, don’t forget, you have married into theLi Residence and you’re my wife now, and I can punish you according to myfamily rules! From today onwards, you’d better stay in your own courtyard,without my permission, no one is to visit her!”

Li Min Feng had already beendragged out by the servants, and at Lao Furen’s signal earlier on, a Mama hadalready gone to bring Li Changle.

Li Changle took in the situation;if she got sent to the temple hall, she’d probably have to stay there for therest of her life, so how would she give up without a fight? She quickly rushedover, kneeling before Li Xiaoran. “Fuqin, I did not know anything about this,and you know I have done nothing wrong, you shouldn’t blame me for everythingthat Muqin has done… I don’t want to go to the temple, I won’t go, Fuqin, Idon’t want to go…”

Li Xiaoran lifted his head and saidsternly, “Bring her away!” Immediately, four Mamas came forward to carry LiChangle out. Li Changle was crying pitifully, messing up her hair and jewelry.She was indeed unlucky this time, and under very confusing circ.u.mstances.Actually, if not for Du Mama revealing all of Da Furen’s past, she would nothave been dragged into this mess. But right now, Li Xiaoran and Lao Furen hadsuch deep hatred for Da Furen, so how would they let her off?

“Somebody, help!” Da Furen shouted,leaping forwards in panic and blocking those Mamas. “If you want to bringChangle away, you’d have to take me too!” She was breathless and clutchingtightly to her chest, on the brink of fainting.

“Do you want me embarra.s.s you infront of everyone?” Li Xiaoran stared at her directly, his tone resolute.“Isn’t the mess you’ve created enough? Do you want to force me to divorce youbefore you’re satisfied?”

“No! No! No!” Da Furen cried outheartrendingly, reaching out to grab Li Changle. She turned around to look at LiXiaoran, fear and chills in her eyes. “It is my fault! Please? Don’t send mydaughter away... I won’t let you take my daughter away...”

However, at this point, the Mamasdid not dare to listen to her, prying her fingers away from Li Changle andpulling her out. Da Furen’s soul shattered, as she saw that she couldn’t keep LiChangle. In a fit of panic, she kneeled before Lao Furen, tears pouring like afountain. She clutched tight to Lao Furen’s feet, pleading and wailing: “No!Please don’t! Lao Furen, I beg you, I’ll kowtow to you, please let Changleoff... I’ll kowtow to you!” Peng peng peng… went her forehead as it knockedagainst the floor.

Lao Furen turned away and frowned,but she still had no intention of letting Li Changle off the hook. From herpoint of view, this overly attractive granddaughter of hers would no doubtbring trouble, and even if they kept her, she would definitely hate and blamethem for treating her mother and brother like this… Might as well get her outof the way.

Upon seeing her pleas go to waste, DaFuren actually grabbed onto the hem of Li Weiyang’s skirts. “Weiyang! Weiyang,Muqin is in the wrong, Muqin shouldn’t have tried to harm you, and everything happeneddue to me, it has nothing to do with your Dage and Dajie! Please let them off,help me to beg Lao Furen to forgive them! From today onwards, I will not goagainst you, never again!”

Li Weiyang looked upon her coolly;in her heart, she was supremely satisfied at the outcome, but on the outside,she looked conflicted, reaching out to support Da Furen. “Muqin, Weiyang isunable to accept this, please get up and speak!”

Da Furen refused to budge an inch,hanging on for dear life. Li Weiyang blinked at Zhaoyue, who immediately pulledDa Furen away by the wrist with a clacking sound. A bolt of shock went through DaFuren, and she was lifted up by Zhaoyue like a wooden puppet.

It was completely unacceptable. LaoFuren knitted her brows, “Quickly, bring her away from here!”

n.o.body dared to delay any longer; LiChangle was forcibly dragged away despite her desperate struggles.

Losing her children one afteranother, Da Furen was utterly defeated. She kept muttering under her breath:“Changle, Min Feng, Changle, Min Feng, Muqin is useless…” A few Yatous andMamas carried her out of the hall.

In a few moments, the great hallquietened down.

Li Weiyang glanced towards Lao Furen,sighing deeply. “Lao Furen, about Jiang Guo Gong’s Residence…”

Lao Furen laughed coldly, eyeing LiXiaoran, who was getting his arm wound bandaged. “Since she has married intothe family, she is our daughter in-law, how we punish her is our own business,we won’t need to give them an account of it.”

By this, she meant to keep theentire incident a secret from the Jiang Residence. “Then how should we explainwhy Muqin is staying behind closed doors, and the fact that Dage and Dajie arenot in the mansion?” Li Weiyang fluttered her eyelashes wonderingly.

“This is not difficult, we’ll justsay that your Muqin is resting and recuperating, that your Dajie is at thetemple praying for her health. Your Dage was sent to Gun District to help yoursecond uncle. I’d like to see, what the Jiang family can do to us!” LiXiaoran stated angrily.

Li Weiyang lowered her eyes; shedoubted that the Jiang family would believe any of that.

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Translator: Jaslynn

Editor: Panisa (In Progress)

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