Chapter 29: Guilt, Fulfillment
T/N: Thank you so much to my Patreon supporters my first goal has been met! Releases for February will increase to 3 chapters a week! I really appreciate the all the support for this novel, and thank you everyone for sticking with me through this project so far. Also I'm really sorry if posts have been late on update. My internet has been really slow to completely giving up on me in last few days.
Guilt, Fulfillment
These words made Kang Qinwang directly shot up and kicked his foot over. Those who didn't know, would think that after suddenly hearing his wangfei pass away, he didn't dare to believe it, and thus kicked the person out of anger. But in actuality, it was merely because Li Hong Yuan had just ruined certain matters, and now the person was gone. It was as if his face was viciously slapped by someone. Everything was like as if it was predicted by Li Hong Yuan, making one unable to take it in. "Return to the manor!"
That steward had fallen to the ground and couldn't get up. It was also his own bad luck, not knowing the entire process. Else, he wouldn't have directly said it out.
Kang Qinwang hurriedly left. Not long after, almost everyone all heard the news that Kang Wangfei passed away. Then they looked to Sun Yi Jia, further carrying a strange look in their eyes. 'This one finally only needs to wait for another year before marrying.'
It's not that Sun Yi Jia didn't know, yet she still maintained an aloof stance. Just, no one knew that the hands in her sleeves were firmly clenched, her fingernails practically sinking into her skin. After all, she was just a teenage girl. She hasn't experienced any winds or waves before, how could she really not care?
She was already born noble in the first place, brocade garments, jade meals, high position and great wealth since youth. She'd simply never thought about becoming even more nobler, not to mention, it was even as a second wife. Despite not just one telling her she will be the Empress in the future, the most noblest woman in the world, but so what? Those all weren't what she wanted. Then again, the most noblest woman, in the end, wasn't the most noblest person. Her paternal aunt sitting in that position, when has she ever slept peacefully? When does she not have worrisome matters? What her husband gave her, aside from that superficial honor, was nothing. There wasn't the least bit of lament or love.
Moreover, in other people's eyes, she probably was just a husband stealing woman. In the past, her older cousin-in-law clearly quite liked her, but ever since a year ago, older cousin-in-law's gaze began to have poison in them. Then, she understood, older cousin-in-law knew, while everyone else all thought that older cousin-in-law never knew. At that time, she'd also just found out paternal aunt and her family's decision. She was unwilling in her heart. She felt as if she was about to sink into mud, and further felt deep guilt towards her older cousin-in-law.
Before she was able to voice out her own thoughts, her mother had sharply interrupted her, again and again, telling her it doesn't matter being the second wife, the results were what mattered. She will be the Empress, her son will be the Emperor, she will be the Empress Dowager.......
How laughable. Whether or not her older cousin, Kang Qinwang, can become the Emperor was still unknown. She was still unmarried, yet needed to think about the things that will happen decades later? Before the results come out, those were all empty hopes. They themselves all say, the ones that laugh till the end were the winners. Then, based on what, did they think that Kang Qinwang can laugh till the very end? Based on what can the Ding Duke Manor laugh till the end? Even if she married Kang Qinwang, and Kang Qinwang ascended the throne, based on what did they think she can laugh till the end? Of the matters of the world, nothing was constant. How could it just be, what you think is what it will be....
Sun Yi Jia thought of her cousin-in-law who died in hatred in the end. Ever since that time, she didn't dared to go see her again. Not because she feared her resentful glares, but because she worried her cousin-in-law would become even more heartbroken and angry after seeing her, causing her illness to become even more severe. After all, her own existence would only make her cousin-in-law feel incomparably uncomfortable, like as if deliberately trying to remind her of certain things. Other than older cousin-in-law herself, probably no one else knew how painful this year or so was for her(Kang Wangfei).
Li Hong Yuan nonchalantly stood up and dusted off his gown, seemingly preparing to leave.
"Sixth brother, this is...."
"Eldest sister-in-law has died. As the younger brother, naturally we need to go console eldest brother. Third brother, aren't you usually the best at surface level efforts, what are you still wasting your time here for?" When Li Hong Yuan tore off someone's mask, he did it so effortlessly.
Rui Qinwang wanted to whip him to death. As expected, it was too early to be happy, never hope for this bastard to stand on his side wholeheartedly helping him. "Naturally we have to go. Just, it doesn't seem to be good for sixth brother to leave matters unfinished here." Rui Qinwang forcibly restrained his anger and tacitly pointed out his intentions.
"It's not like this prince is Yue Lao[1]." It was enough for him to go great lengths to draw the red-strings just for Wan Wan and him. As for others, what do they count as? Whether their marriage fortune was good or not, what did it have to do with him? Even if it's Sun Yi Jia, he sooner or later will compensate it back from Sun Yi Lin too. Every bit of effort he put out, others need to pay back ten times, a hundred times more. You, Li Hong Ming, want to make him do work? On the surface, I already let you get the cheap advantage of having things go your way, so behind your back, I will let you suffer even more losses.
'You were just having fun teasing a bunch of people, right?' Rui Qinwang gave him a glare and stormed off. Consort-mother always made him have an appearance of an elder brother, but this bastard's ability to piss people off indiscriminately made him unable to even keep pretending.
Whether those three really left or not, for today to have come to this point, there was really no need for this banquet to continue on. Someone proposed to take their leave, and the others all successively followed suit. The Sun family naturally wouldn't insist for them to stay. They forced themselves to cheer up and sent off the guests.
As Jing Wan was leaving, she ran into Sun Yi Jia face to face and was very startled. Previously she was still a tender flower in full bloom, but now was like a withered tree, even carrying a trace of hopelessness. Jing Wan instantly understood, she had no intentions towards Kang Qinwang. "You....."
TN: All
Jing Wan originally wanted to say something at first, but right now wasn't the time to talk. Sun Yi Jia seemed to have heard her open her mouth. She glanced to Jing Wan and nodded her head, not having anything excess to say. However, she saw the worry in Jing Wan's eyes. Sun Yi Jia's heart slightly warmed. At this time, no one in her family noticed her condition, yet a stranger gave out their concern. Although not much, and also may carry the intent of deliberately trying to get close to her, it still was able to let her heart feel better some.
By the time it was only the Sun family's own people left, because the Ding Duke, as well as the eldest son, still haven't returned from the government office, the few key people all gathered in Sun Old Madam's courtyard.
Kang Qinwang left behind a close bodyguard to tell them that Sun Yi Jia will have to marry another. Everyone present all had their own thoughts. Sun Yi Lin originally wanted to comfort his younger sister. But after seeing a short flash of joy come across Sun Yi Jia's face, he finally knew his own younger sister's true thoughts. He didn't want Kang Qinwang to become his brother-in-law either. Although Kang Qinwang's rear court didn't have side consorts, he had quite a few concubines and also several children too. He was definitely not a good match. In his heart, he expressed his gratitude towards Jin Qinwang once.
The most angered was naturally the Ding Duchess. First it was making things difficult for her son, and now he also messed up her daughter's good matters. She even cursed out a few words, completely disregarding her identity.
"Enough." Sun Old Madam rubbed her forehead, feeling somewhat head-ached. She also carried a bit of exhaustion.
The Ding Duchess immediately shut her mouth. Although she was in control of the Ding Duke Manor, she still didn't dare to be rash in front of her mother-in-law either. Not only because Sun Old Madam was her husband's blood-related mother that she needed to carefully attend to, but further because she knew how powerful Sun Old Madam's abilities were. Don't think because she wasn't in charge of anything right now, eating vegetables and praying to buddha all day, that you can underestimate her.
"I know you're worried about the two children, but your actions and conduct today were indeed inappropriate. What kind of identity is Jin Qinwang? His Majesty's son, is it your place to say his faults? Moreover, I'm further convinced that Jin Qinwang didn't appoint a candidate for Lin boy. Right now, don't say those nonsense. Wait until after Kang Wangfei's funeral finishes, and quickly take care of their marriage. Don't be that picky anymore, it's fine if they're good enough. Don't wait until Jia'er really does become an old maid will you finally know to regret."
"Grandmother, younger sister's marriage, her Highness the Empress and Kang Qinwang will probably have other arrangements, right?" Sun Yi Lin spoke, feeling uncomfortable in his heart.
The Ding Duchess didn't even have the time to be happy about her son's matter, before she heard these words. Truthfully speaking, she wasn't able to interfere in her own daughter's marriage. In the past, it was fine, but now it was still like this. No matter what, it was still upsetting.
"I will enter the palace and tell the Empress. Presumably, this bit of face her Highness will still give me." That was her own daughter. Because she forcibly wanted to betrothed Jia girl to Kang Qinwang, at that time, Sun Old Madam, as the mother, yielded. This time, the Empress didn't have any reason to refute her mother. Just between this mother and daughter pair, afraid the misunderstandings will increase some more again.
"Grandmother...." Sun Yi Jia was moved, but also felt guilty.
"Alright, you all go back. I'm tired and want to rest a bit." Sun Old Madam waved her hand.
They had no choice but to withdraw.
"Lin boy wait."
Sun Yi Lin turned back, "What other instructions does grandmother have?"
Sun Old Madam waved her hand at the other people at the door, letting them quickly leave. After a while, she finally spoke, "Does Lin boy have a girl you like? If you do, just tell grandmother, grandmother can at least fulfill your wish once."
Author Note:
(T/N: The author included some clarifications for plot on this chapter in the footnotes. Tbh this is practically a can of worms to me now, but these are her words not mine.)
Already have a lot of people asking about in the ML's two lifetime, if MC is the same person or not. The answer is absolutely.
ML is a 'she jing bing' (蛇精病). His obsession towards the MC started from the previous lifetime. If the person changed, he would definitely be the first to know.
(*T/N: This is a pun and internet slang off the word 'shen jing bing' (神经病) which means 'to be mentally ill'; this version is a more lighthearted way calling someone crazy. 'She jing bing' (蛇精病) literally means 'snake essences disease'; it's only used because it sounds very close to the original word.)
MC is a 'fetus transmigrator*', ML rebirth back to his 10yo self. At the start of the story, MC is 14 and ML is 22. In other words, when ML rebirthed, MC was already 2yo. Of course, 6 years after ML's rebirth, when he left the palace to open his own residence at 16, he finally sent people to MC's side. Regarding the timeline there's no problem.
(*T/N: Basically another word for reincarnation, but you know, modern person to a fetus in the womb; same thing. Actually the original word would literally translate to 'time-traveling fetus'. Any modern person going back to ancient times are labelled as 'time-traveling' genre in Chinese, whether it be reincarnation or transmigration. While the word used for ML 'chong sheng' means 'to come back to life again', SEE TIMELINE BELOW.)
As for when ML started becoming obsessed with MC in the previous lifetime, it was around when MC was 17.
These are going to be mentioned in the later chapters anyways, just treat it as getting spoiled in advance.
[1] Yue Lao - Means 'old moon'; the name is short for 'old man under the moon'. The Chinese deity of matchmaking, love and marriage.