Chapter 123.1: The Chessboard Changing Again

Once Jing Wan and Sun Yi Lin's engagement was set, the Luo family will be considered to have thoroughly leaned towards the Kang Qinwang faction, letting many people both sigh and wring their hands. Naturally, there were also those that resentfully gritted their teeth. If they had lost after many rounds of battle, perhaps they would still feel unresigned, but unlikely to feel this suffocating. Thus, never mind Li Hong Yuan wanting to know Sun Old Madam and Le Cheng Emperor's relationship, the others also wanted to know as well, that was all sides setting out together, determined to get to the bottom of it.

Li Hong Ming's fist cracked as he tightly clenched it. From the Luo family, aside from that shu-born third master, before this, the others all never came in contact with that good elder brother of his before. Wanting to integrate into a faction wasn't that easy. Those people originally in the faction shunned him, because he would thin out their gains, and Luo Pei Shan wasn't one that leaned over on his own either, so he wasn't necessarily willing to get involved.

In that case, it wasn't necessarily impossible for him to reverse the situation. Everything else aside, since that Luo third master dared to come looking for him, then at this time, don't think of withdrawing out. This discord sowing scheme, once used properly, will certainly be a great weapon. Perhaps, without wasting a single soldier or pawn, one will be able to make the enemy fall into pieces.

Luo Jing Ying was still bitter about Jing Wan's good fortune. Someone who has gotten their engagement canceled once was still able to have a good marriage fate that the young ladies of capital all admired and envied. However, she couldn't show it on the outside in the slightest. It was also at this time that she received something sent in from the outside, a set of priceless head ornaments. Luo Jing Ying although didn't know the specific value, but, it should at least be equally on par with a single set of Sun Yi Jia's twelve set head ornaments. Moreover, there was a total of eighteen pieces. Luo Jing Ying caressed them one by one, awfully liking them. Afterwards, she found her most beautiful set of clothes and had the entire set of ornaments put on one by one.

But the result made her very unsatisfied. In her eyes, this outfit was truly too lacking, not worthy of this set of head ornaments in the slightest. Among Sun Yi Jia's dowry, there were quite a few good materials. Moonlight silk, peacock silk, mermaid scale muslin, it was all there. Furthermore, it wasn't just one bolt. But that once renowned throughout the capital Miss Sun was the same as Luo Jing Wan, that little slut, extremely stingy and petty.

"This set of head ornament of miss's is very beautiful."

Luo Jing Ying was firmly startled, turning back to see her caretaker mama. She frantically wanted to have the things taken down, feeling both terrified and angry, "Didn't I say no one was allowed to come in?"

Privately accepting things in secret[1], this kind of thing, if found out about, even if she doesn't die, she would still shed a layer of skin.

"Miss doesn't need to panic. This matter, this servant definitely won't tell anyone, including madam. This servant serves miss and is one with miss to begin with." The caretaker mama neither quickly nor slowly approached. "En, really is very beautiful, it can't be more fitting than for miss to wear. Just, it's missing a set of clothes, that's all. However, since you already have such a beautiful set of head ornaments, why worry about not having the clothes to match? However, such a precious thing, shouldn't miss thank that infatuated person?"

Luo Jing Ying went from panicking to feeling bashful, "But, mama, I don't have anything, how should I thank him?"

"How could miss not have anything? You have the most valuable treasure in the world, that is, yourself." The caretaker mama said, seemingly with deeper meaning, "Miss at least needs to go meet him and thank him in person, no?"

Speaking of this, Luo Jing Ying was a bit dejected, "But grandmother won't let me go out."

"If miss really wants to go out, this servant has a way, just seeing if miss dares to or not."

Luo Jing Ying's eyes instantly lit up, "What's there to be afraid of, mama quickly speak."

"Actually, it's very simple, nothing more than just changing one's clothes and going out from the back gate. This servant is very familiar with the old servant woman guarding the back gate."

"Mama, I want to go out, I want to go out right now."

"Miss be patient, first need to wait until tomorrow morning. Today, this servant will first send out the news, so as to avoid miss from wasting effort tomorrow."

"But mama, how do we send news, he's..........." A qinwang manor, Luo Jing Ying also knew, wasn't that easy to approach. Last time, she was also muddled over her head, which was why she didn't ask him how to pass on news to him.

The caretaker mama, however, very unconcernedly smiled, "According to that infatuated person's attitude towards miss, he will definitely leave a person outside the manor, constantly watching miss's movements. That's why, this servant just needs to go out and find the other party."

"Is what mama said true?" Luo Jing Ying somewhat excitedly asked, feeling very much sweet inside.

The caretaker mama confidently nodded her head.

"Then one will be troubling mama." Luo Jing Ying smiled exceptionally sweetly.

"All what this servant should do." After bowing, she withdrew out.

Heh, a simpleminded, ignorant, and also stupid girl, blindly immersing in one's own delusion of love, unable to see clearly the current state of affairs. The Luo family have already been kidnapped onto Kang Qinwang's ship. As long as one had a bit of brains, one will know, continuing to get involved with Rui Qinwang definitely won't end well. Don't think it won't happen. With Rui Qinwang's aim being that obvious, once he succeeds, why would he hide it and conceal it. And even now, Luo Jing Ying still believed that she'd everything hidden very well. Even if there were one or two people by her side that were in the know, they still didn't know who the other party was.

However, she was indeed just a servant, and was just listening to her master Luo Jing Ying's orders, that's all. But, clearly Rui Qinwang was the better choice, yet the Luo family was forced into the Kang Qinwang faction. However, that didn't matter, Rui Qinwang still hadn't given up either. If worse comes to worst in the end, just preserve the third branch, letting the third branch become the Luo clan's pillar of support.

Meanwhile, Luo third master, Luo Rong Ping, also secretly received a gift from Rui Qinwang, a hundred thousand taels of silver, in addition to a beautiful dagger inlayed with countless gems. A threat and a bait, precisely this simple and crude.

Luo Rong Ping was very clear, in this family, there were many things that his father would only tell his eldest brother. Right now, the Luo family has sunken into the battle for the throne. Logically speaking, as a member of the Luo family, he ought to unhesitantly follow the family's steps. But for him to want to free himself from Rui Qinwang, afraid will only be very difficult. Not only that, his father simply didn't care about him. With or without him seemingly was all the same. Moreover, previously when he'd put in that much effort on the people from Kang Qinwang's faction, for the most part, he didn't yield any results. But now, judging from Rui Qinwang's intentions, this was clearly wanting to 'place importance' on him. Was it to choose following the clan, continuing to not be liked, and even if the Luo family, in the end, have the accomplishment of 'following the dragon'[2], his life would possibly still be mediocre and empty? Or choose separating from the Luo family, receiving an important position, gambling for a 'below one but above tens of thousands' glorious future?

Luo Rong Ping calmly looked at the things on the table. He didn't contemplate for too long, having the things stored away. It was clear, he chose his selfish desire, deviating from the clan.

Aside from a few people who were in the know, the Luo family as well as many people outside all believed Luo Pei Shan was forced onto Kang Qinwang's ship. But Luo Rong Yan still faintly suspected that this matter's source, perhaps, was still on his father. Having his daughter's situation considered in the mix, it was he that chose Sun Yi Lin. This notion didn't just float into his mind, but rather took root. After all, his father had just mentioned this problem, and two days later, this matter for the most part had a conclusion. Isn't this too coincidental?

And in the imperial court, it similarly wasn't peaceful. The main reason being that the elderly Head Minister of Appointments, as the others had predicted, after the metropolitan exam this time, prepared to retire from his post. And just as expected, when this one formally submitted his memorandum for retirement, Le Cheng Emperor rejected it twice. On the third time the memorandum was submitted, Le Cheng Emperor finally granted it.

The Ministry of Appointments was the head of the six ministries, and the Head Minister of Appointments was the head of the Ministry of Appointments. That was truly a high position with heavy power, don't know how many were eyeing this fatty piece of meat. Li Hong Ming originally had planned on having Luo Pei Shan received into his ranks and have him pushed onto this position, but now unforeseen changes had occur. Although he still hadn't given up, but whether to push or not in the end made him very hesitant. One has to know, Luo third miss currently was just engaged to Sun Yi Lin after all. The Luo family haven't substantially gotten involved yet. There was still a year until Luo third miss's coming-of-age ceremony, and moreover, the Luo family may not necessarily have her marry as soon as she reach marriageable age. With this much time in between, an unforeseen changes was all possible. The people of Kang Qinwang's faction, for the sake of winning Luo Pei Shan over, were currently going all out. If Rui Qinwang were to also give a push, then for the most part, it would be sure of success. As for Gong Qinwang's faction, they could only just watch on helplessly. Moreover, Luo Pei Shan still had the possibility of becoming his. Then, this bet, should he stake or not?

Li Hong Ming gathered all the aids and advisors under him, having the various aspects all carefully laid out. Noble Consort Su, although wasn't like the Empress, possessing the ambition to wield power herself, one still can't overlook her wisdom. Thus, her opinion, Li Hong Ming also inquired. Pushing Luo Pei Shan up was very risky, but if Li Hong Ming's plan succeeds, it can bring an enormous benefit. And more importantly, Li Hong Ming didn't have a more suitable candidate at hand. Those that were qualified to sit onto that position also held other relatively vital positions. One can't, for the sake that position that one has yet to possess, have the benefits in one's hand that have been operating for several years yielded out for nothing. The final decision——-push!

[1] This phrase is kinda difficult to translate fully but it's synonymous with like bribes or under the table dealings in a way, basically any giving and accepting that's not disclosed or made public.

[2] Basically supporting the next emperor onto the throne

T/N: I'm still a bit bothered by the translation of the title, I actually changed it twice, but in the end still feel it's not fitting, so I can only ramble in the TNs. [格局] I originally translated it as 'framework', but then felt the term was too vague. It means more along the lines of 'the state of a structured framework or situation'. The best way to describe the title's meaning is to imagine in the middle of a chess match with all the pieces laid out, and you are able to predict or see a pattern in the structure, but then suddenly something unexpected happens that disrupts that pattern.