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Good Start, Good End
T/N: Translated by Jen on Broken Jinsei! Please do not repost my translations! All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
“You—you, what do you mean by this!” Qi Pei was immediately embarrassed and vexed, her entire face heating up.
Xun old madam and Chang’de Countess also slightly changed in complexion. Everyone’s gaze practically all casted towards Yu Lingxin and Qi Pei.
Yu Lingxin originally wasn’t the type that liked arguing with people, also not liking to speak loudly. If not truly angered or irritated, then the great majority of the times, she was unwilling to quarrel. The last time she was like this was when Xun Che beat Xun Cong.
And today’s situation, although completely different, Yu Lingxin was still genuinely angered. Ming Huayue and the Chang’de Countess, as sister-in-laws, although having a bit of argument, it was still the elders talking after all. Qi Pei suddenly interrupting like this, clearly it was just believing that with her status as the future Wu Wangfei, she didn’t need to have Ming Huayue taken seriously anymore.
Actually, if Qi Pei looked down on her, Yu Lingxin would instead not mind that much. She already knew that this older cousin was somewhat proud and arrogant. But, now, to use this arrogance to ask onto Ming Huayue’s face, that ball of anger inside practically just shot up. Yu Lingxin directly looked at Qi Pei, her bright and graceful eyes also full of sharpness, “Precisely this meaning, right now, you’re still not Wu Wangfei yet. When speaking, you can just completely disregard the seniority? My mother speaking with your mother, it’s between them as sister-in-laws. Whether it’s speaking quickly or slowly, it’s all just matters between the elders. Where is it your place to question my mother’s motives and intentions? Never mind that right now, you’re still not Wu Wangfei, even if after the wedding, becoming a daughter-in-law of the imperial family, it’s still best for you to not forget how this marriage decree came about! Exactly what happened at the imperial selection banquet that day, who didn’t see?”
Hearing the first half, Qi Pei still wanted to retort, but as soon as the imperial selection banquet was mentioned, her entire face immediately turned pale, and shortly after, rapidly turned red. Her lips trembled, yet didn’t know what to say, her tears instantly just spilling out. In the end, she used the handkerchief to cover her face, getting up and running out.
Chang’de Countess although wasn’t present at the banquet, she still knew of what happened, so upon hearing, was also both embarrassed and angry, but she wasn’t Xun old madam. Even though she had the tendency to see the wind and set the helm, she still didn’t have the ability to directly distort the truth. Especially given that if they really were to argue the source of that series of chaos at the banquet, then the primary person that was responsible for it was still Empress Wen.
And then, to retreat another step, there was also Ming Jinrou. If Ming Jinrou hadn’t gotten picked, then perhaps, at this time, Chang’de Countess would’ve directly gone to the Ming family to question, at the time, why did Ming Jinrou push Qi Pei away and not help her put out the fire, and so on. But, Ming Jinrou also got picked, and moreover, she was going to be the eldest imperial prince’s main consort, in other words, Qi Pei’s future older sister-in-law.
Even if the Qi family wants to stand out now, it still wasn’t to the level where they can directly offend the empress and Qin Wang. That’s why, the Chang’de Countess in this moment, even if angered to the point where her face was both red and white, still just stamped her feet and said, “Sister-in-law and niece-in-law sure are sharp with the mouth, really know how to jab at someone’s wound! How…….how is this anything like how families should be!” After saying this, she also got up and went out to chase after Qi Pei.
This scene made the Xun family second branch and Xun old madam all dumbstruck. They naturally knew that at the imperial selection banquet, Qi Pei had also fallen into the water, but all this time, from Xun old madam and the Qi family’s mouth, they all didn’t have this matter treated as a dishonor.
On one hand, it was because the young ladies for the most part weren’t responsible for the chaos at the banquet, and on the other hand, it was because among the thirteen young ladies that fell into the water, Qi Pei was the only one that got directly bestowed a marriage decree as a legitimate main consort.
Although among the three main consorts, Ming Jinrou and Wen Ruoqiong both perfectly stayed ashore, so Qi Pei perhaps had that bit of embarrassment from ‘being picked because of having fallen into the water’, but even if unable to compare with the top, she was still much better off than the bottom. Compared with the other twelve young ladies that were similarly of pretty good birth, having talent and beauty, yet now, can only enter to serve as a fourth rank liangyuan of a junwang, Qi Pei can already be considered surpassing the mass.
That’s why, when Yu Lingxin mentioned the imperial selection banquet, Xun old madam and the second branch in fact all didn’t even react, yet just saw Qi Pei and her mother run off like this.
Ming Huayue, as well as Xun Che and Xun Cong, instead gazed towards Yu Lingxin, and while surprised, there was also a bit of amusement. Seeing aside the various interactions before the marriage, it has also been two months since Yu Lingxin officially married into the Wen’an Marquis Manor. While interacting day and night, never mind Ming Huayue and Xun Cong, even the servants of Qingyu Pavilion and Yuli Hall all have never seen Yu Lingxin get angry like this with a cold face.
Especially Xun Che, seeing Yu Lingxin’s two cheeks also have faint tint of red due to anger when speaking just now, the smile on his lips just grew deeper, even somewhat wanting to tease her more, seeing her become even meaner.
Ming Huayue also swept a glance at Xun Che, uncontrollably rolling her eyes. This brat sure enough just thinks of his wife now. Just now, Qi Pei was that rude, yet this brat didn’t know to stand up for her. It was still her daughter-in-law that got angry first and spoke for her.
“Eldest one’s wife, you all——–” After a few breaths of awkwardness, Xun old madam finally came to realization, “Are you all bullying Pei’er in front of my face?!”
TN: All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
Ming Huayue turned around and directly faced Xun old madam, “What did our child say? Qi Pei right now still hasn’t married, so indeed not the official Wu Wangfei yet. The banquet that day, the child and I were both in the palace. The situation at the time, we both saw, should I recount the details again for you, explain how Qi Pei ran towards Jinrou covered in flames, and how she fell onto Wu Wang? These were all witnessed by everyone present, not made up by us.”
Xun old madam although didn’t know of the details, but just thinking about how forty-eight people went in, yet thirteen people fell into the water, the process certainly won’t be anything good. Since she genuinely loved Qi Pei, how could she be willing to hear about Qi Pei’s embarrassing matters, thus immediately just put on a stern look, “What’s the point of talking about those! What kind of fate isn’t fate. In the future, Pei’er will be a legitimate wangfei. Right now, we’re talking about the matter of breaking off Ze’er’s engagement!”
“Old madam, Marshal Yan, at the latest, after the new year, will enter the inner cabinet.” Xun Che suddenly interrupted, “If you don’t understand what it means to enter the cabinet, then I will just give you the simplest explanation, and that is, once Marshal Yan becomes a cabinet minister, the maiden family of that legitimate Wu Wangfei, when seeing the Yan family, also need to be polite and courteous. Great Sheng only has a total of five cabinet ministers, but Wu Wang’s backyard has at least seven beauties. If you have the idle mind to think about how to form grudges with their family, then you might as well worry about whether or not Qi Pei can have a good end in the future.”
“What kind of words are these!” No matter how muddled Xun old madam was, she still understood what ‘good end’ meant, especially considering how Xun Yan had mysteriously died a year ago. For a moment, she practically wanted to slap the table and get up, “You, you, you, could it be that you also won’t let off your younger cousin!?”
Xun Che slightly raised the corner of his mouth, the smile on his face refined and courteous, yet also cold to the point of making one shiver. The people of the second branch below Xun second master and madam practically all couldn’t help but feel their backs stiffen, the past affairs regarding Xun Yan’s death bubbling up in their hearts at the same time. And their gaze towards Xun Che further contained fear.
“Old madam, this ‘also’ of yours is used really well.” Xun Che smiled, every word distinct, “The past matters, if you keep in mind more, then this grandson can be at ease watching you enjoy your later years. If not……….”
He paused for a moment, his eyes slowly turning towards Xun second master and madam, then to Xun Ze, Xun Xiang, and the composed and deferential looking Xun Tan, “Then, will need to ask second uncle’s family to think more and urge more. The weather nowadays is abnormal, so it’s also possible for it to be cold in the summer and warm in the winter, who knows which cloud will have rain, and which lump of soil will have a body buried in it?”
Xun second master couldn’t help but shiver, just feeling that Xun Che’s gaze while looking around in circle with a smile on his face was just like a gentle viper, ten times more scary than his father.
Xun Nanheng although has led troops for many years, and will get angry and unyieldingly refute some words, but Xun Nanheng’s every word and action all filled with direct masculine righteousness. Especially as his brother, Xun second master further knew that under his older brother’s hard exterior, he actually still had a bit of gentleness and tenderness in his heart. As long as one properly talk and beg, lowering one’s stance as much as possible, then his older brother, whether it’s towards the old madam, or his brother and nephews of the second branch, would all have a bit of softheartedness and even faint guilt.
Even if his older brother were to have a fall out with them, at most it will just be something like dividing the family, appointing to a post outside of the capital, and in the future, not have anymore dealings, and such. He even believed that even if dividing the family, the money that will end up in his hands also won’t be few either. And even if getting appointed to a post outside of the capital, his position and region of assignment also won’t be too lacking.
But, this young nephew before him was just completely different.
In the past, he also knew that Xun Che was intelligent and clever, and also very decisive in handling matters, but Xun Che ultimately didn’t practice martial arts much, and his manner of speech usually was also genteel and scholarly. That’s why, even if not having that kind of tenderness and tolerance in his heart like his father, on one hand, there was the generational gap, and on the other hand, he himself also didn’t have any killing aura, so he merely just made the second branch have a bit of misgivings towards him.
But, all of this just changed starting from last year. For the second branch, probably starting from that time when Xun Yan tried to think of every way possible to legitimately return to the capital and return home yet unable to, they just sensed Xun Che’s change.
Again and again having implications in his words, then to afterwards having a startling change appear out of nowhere, regardless whether it was confronting in the marquis manor, or disputing upon the court of law, Xun second master’s fear towards Xun Che just grew deeper and deeper.
And in this moment before his eyes, he further instinctively felt that Xun Che’s gaze seemingly can kill. It wasn’t revealed through anger or unyieldingness, but rather, the young Wen’an Marquis heir was just that gently smiling, slowly looking at them, just like looking at someone that will die at anytime, or like looking at an ant. Seemingly, in the next moment, with a wave of his hand, the people of the second branch can just become a row of memorial tablets at anytime.
Strictly speaking, Xun second master’s senses in this moment were actually very accurate.
In Xun Che’s eyes, he really was pondering over exactly who will become a memorial tablet and when.
As the saying goes, despicable people fear might and not virtue. Probably, on the Xun family second master, this was still a very practical saying. After he clearly sensed this danger of approaching death, he finally made a decision that made him endlessly rejoice for the rest of his life, “Mother, actually, this matter, older sister-in-law is right, just withdraw the engagement!”
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Xun Che is so scary-cool
Thanks for the chapter!!!
ooo…. shots fired, insta-kill!!!!