Chapter 29: Pushed into the Lake

“You imbecile! My family’s Master won’t let you off! Ah—” Just as Zi Shuang returned to her senses and started yelling venomously, Ting Yue charged over–like a thunderbolt which struck so suddenly there wasn’t time to cover one’s ears–and fiercely shoved Zi Shuang down. It was evident that Zi Shuang was much heavier than Huan Caier; the water from the splash she made reached high enough to soak Yao Mowan’s flowery skirt.

“Ting Yue, what are you doing?” Yao Mowan abruptly turned back and looked with astonishment at Ting Yue who was currently dusting her hands off as she walked towards her.

“She actually dared to insult you, of course Ting Yue had to give her some color to look at(make her suffer)!” Ting Yue’s expression was fiercely loyal and protective.

“Ben gong knew that Huan Caier knows how to swim so ben gong wasn’t worried. But are you sure Zi Shuang won’t drown?” Yao Mowan acted awed as she looked towards Ting Yue. Hearing this, Ting Yue’s face immediately turned deathly white as paper. Just as she was about to run back to the pavilion Yao Mowan pulled her back.

“Let’s return to the palace!” Yao Mowan said mildly.

“But…”

“The patrol guards have already run over. As long as they don’t die it’s fine.” Yao Mowan lightly lifted her cherry lips as the smiling expression in her eyes gradually grew stronger. Seeing Master slowly walk out of the pavilion without a care, Ting Yue subconsciously turned back to take one last glance before quickly following Yao Mowan out.

After returning to Guan Osprey Palace, Yao Mowan reclined languidly on the gui fei seat. Fluffy, who was in her arms, was even more languid than her. Right now it was actually arching its back out and stretching on Yao Mowan’s leg.

“How come Liu Xing still hasn’t returned yet?” Yao Mowan concentrated on stroking the kitty in her arms as she spoke indifferently. After waiting for quite a while and still not receiving a reply, she lifted her eyes just in time to see Ting Yue fidgeting with an embroidered handkerchief in her hand as she paced around nonstop at the Guan Osprey Palace entrance.

“Ting Yue?” Yao Mowan slightly raised her voice. Hearing the call, Ting Yue immediately turned and walked back to Yao Mowan’s side with an expression of great bitterness and deep hatred.^E/N

“Niang niang, say, how come chen fei and the rest still haven’t come yet ah? It’s almost six o’clock yet there’s still not even a shadow of them?” Ting Yue anxiously questioned.

“What would they come for?” Yao Mowan didn’t understand where this question came from.

“Of course to violently criticize ah!” Ting Yue replied as if it was a matter of course.

“Haa, even if they want to violently criticize they wouldn’t come to Guan Osprey Palace to do it. So you can relax.” Yao Mowan’s cherry lips smoothed into a smile as her jade fingers streaked across Fluffy’s white fur. Soft and fluffy, the cat felt extremely nice to touch..

“They won’t come to Guan Osprey Palace? Then where would they go? This servant doesn’t understand.” Ting Yue looked with confusion towards her Master, her brows creased to form 川 (a river).^E/C

“Pure Flowers Palace. Even though Huan Caier’s temperament is a bit explosive and not as shrewd as other imperial concubines, she’s not dumb. If she came directly to Guan Osprey Palace, how could she be sure that ben gong wouldn’t shove her face into a water basin to let her choke? And if the matter about arguing with a fool got out, it also wouldn’t be good for her. If she desires to get justice, she will naturally find someone sensible!” Yao Mowan’s beautiful pupils were keen as the point of a spear and sharp as a blade. It was as if every step every person took were all within her calculations.

“Niang niang is wise!” Ting Yue has never worshiped Yao Mowan as much as she did now. It seemed like the heavens had granted her own family’s Master unlimited wisdom, allowing her to see through all the chaos of the world clearly.

“It’s nothing more than ‘eating one fall, growing one wise’*… Where’s Liu Xing? He’s still not back?” Yao Mowan had just voiced the question when she saw Liu Xing run in through the doors.

Comes from when the metaphors of rocks. (吃一堑长一智 chi1yi1qian3, zhang3yi1zhi4) When stonemasons make stone molds, they would drill into it. So the stones would eat on drill (吃一钎chi1yi1qian1)and the rock would grow one tooth(长一齿 zhang3yi1chi3). They sound similar, but the meaning of the saying is that after facing struggles, you grow from the experiences.

“Liu Xing kowtows in salute to niang niang!” After staying in the palace a couple days, Liu Xing had also adapted and picked up some of the palace rules.

“Rise, how did your inquiries go?” When Yao Mowan looked at Liu Xing, faint heartache would always spill out of her eyes. This man was too strongly attached. Even though he knew there would be no result, he still continued forward without second thoughts. To have Liu Xing’s wholehearted love and protection, meimei‘s previous half a lifetime was blessed.

“Replying niang niang, this servant just heard from Steward Yao that Third Madam and Little Young Master have already moved into Yao fu. It’s just that their days are not peaceful. Big Madam often uses the whip to beat Third Madam and also doesn’t treat Little Young Master well. However, due to the fact that Master is obstructing her, she hasn’t made any moves in the dark yet. But this is something that will happen sooner or later.” Liu Xing reported everything he heard from Yao Tu to Yao Mowan.

“Father isn’t concerned?” Yao Mowan’s willow brows creased. Towards Su Muzi, not only did Yao Mowan sympathize with her, she also felt a trace of guilt. If it weren’t for the fact that she had need of it, that pair of mother and son wouldn’t have been exposed so soon and they could have suffered fewer grievances. Su Muzi was like her own mother, forced into submission by Father then forced to suffer the legal wife’s bullying and humiliation. Whether it was based on reason or emotion, she couldn’t sit and watch without caring.

“Master is perhaps obstructed because of imperial gui fei. So as long as Big Madam doesn’t harm Little Young Master, he’ll just keep one eye closed in regards to Su Muzi.” Liu Xing sighed.

His words instantly evoked Ting Yue’s fury, “Master is just like this! Back then he clearly knew that Big Madam had ordered Gao momo to poison Madam, yet he didn’t care at all!” These were all things Gao momo had said with her own mouth when Ting Yue was being tortured in the firewood shed.

“Ting Yue!” At the side, Liu Xing instinctively stopped Ting Yue, worried that Yao Mowan would be hurt hearing this.

“It’s fine. Prepare dinner, ben gong is a bit hungry now.” Yao Mowan lightly stroked Fluffy as her red lips curved into a shallow sweet smile. It was just that her frozen heart gained another layer of ice.

“This servant will go right now.” Liu Xin respectfully withdrew from Guan Osprey Palace and headed towards the imperial kitchen.

Right after Liu Xing left, Ye Junqing suddenly appeared in the entrance of Guan Osprey Palace. The setting sun illuminated his face, practically plating it with a layer of splendid gold, causing his already matchless mien to become even more divinely exquisite. Sometimes Yao Mowan would wonder how a person who usually spent their days in battlefield campaigns could have such white skin. It was fair to the point that even she was a little envious.

“This servant kowtows in salute to the Esteemed Prince. Esteemed Prince, this way please.” In the end, Ting Yue was still just a little girl. At this moment, she had already fallen under his charm and moved unconsciously toward the palace entrance. She didn’t even ask if Mowan, this Master of hers, agreed before inviting Ye Junqing in. Of course, she couldn’t blame Ting Yue. Even female prostitutes that have grown accustomed to seeing beautiful sceneries had no way of resisting Ye Junqing’s charm, much less Ting Yue.

But Yao Mowan noticed that Ye Junqing’s expression was nowhere close to being as friendly as Ting Yue’s was. Just as expected, after Ye Junqing entered the main hall, he ordered Ting Yue to leave with a stern voice.

“You withdraw first, ben wang has something to say to your master!” With Ye Junqing’s sentence, Ting Yue was immediately jolted and she looked with a lost expression towards Yao Mowan.

“You guard outside. Without ben gong‘s order, don’t let anyone in. Oh, that’s right, bring Fluffy out too.” Yao Mowan said as she passed the kitten to Ting Yue. She didn’t want to cause a calamity for the fish in the moat due to the fire she set at the city gates(fig. to cause collateral damage). Looking at Ye Junqing’s attitude, it seems he was truly furious.

Only after the palace doors were closed tightly did Yao Mowan lazily get up. Swaying gently with grace, she walked to the table, lifted up the ice crack celadon teapot* and poured two cups. One cup she kept for herself, the other she pushed in Ye Junqing’s direction.

A type of pottery named for the way the seams look like cracked ice.

“Who exactly are you?” Traces of anger penetrated through the clear cold voice. Ye Junqing didn’t show any intention of sampling the tea as his gaze looked straight at Yao Mowan, waiting for her reply.

“Yao fei ah, does wang ye not remember anymore? The imperial concubine His Majesty just conferred a title upon, the Empress’s blood sister, the imperial gui fei‘s half sister, Yao Xiang fu‘s third daughter…En, let Mowan think a little more, who else?” Yao Mowan’s brows were serene and her lovely pupils were without ripples, like the calm lake in an autumn day.

“The Jing Xin of Fragrant Harmony Courtyard, you probably won’t deny this identity, right?” A trace of fury lit up in Ye Junqing’s eyes as he asked, irked.

“Oh, if wang ye didn’t remind Mowan, Mowan really would have forgotten.” Yao Mowan didn’t have any intentions to deny it, because there would be no meaning to it at all.

“I once heard Moxin mention that her little sister only had the intelligence of a child. But you clearly don’t! You couldn’t be some body double Ye Hongyi fished up from somewhere to conduct shameful shady business in the dark, right?” Ye Junqing guessed reasonably. If it weren’t for the fact that it was related to Moxin, he wouldn’t be inclined to care about this woman’s true identity at all.

“Or perhaps it’s Eldest Sister that lied to you?” Yao Mowan concealed the sharpness in her eyes and looked towards Ye Junqing with a completely harmless expression.

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Credits: Translated by Chiyomira, Proofread by Scullyhahn

[Chiyomira’s Corner]E/N – Is she worried or angry? The previous paragraph makes it seem like worry so these words are incongruent.C: Lol, I think she’s annoyed as to the fact that they haven’t arrived yet even though she did all mental preparation for the fight and waited so long.

E/C – hahaha! That makes the picture perfectly!

After the 5-6 pages chapters of PAH and 6-7 pages chapters of Xiao Qi Wait, a 4 pages chapter of Phoenix is like spring break~ Enjoy~