Yan Jin Qiu had never seen Hua Xi Wan being so cruel to another female. In his impression, she was usually very lazy, elegant, or indifferent. But no matter the time, she was always beautiful, as though the shortcomings of her personality had nothing to do with her.
But suddenly, when this woman showed her shrewish side, and was fighting viciously against someone else, he had a feeling that he was being protected by this woman.
It really was… a strange feeling.
There was near and far in relationships between people. He also had his close and distant relationships. After the times in the past when this elder sister of his had damaged the reputation and power of Xian Wang Fu for a man again and again, this jiejie was just a stranger to him. Now his wang fei was fighting with this sister who ranked lower than a stranger, so he naturally helped his wang fei. What more was there to say about that?
"The people say that Xian Wang Fei is a female calamity. I had thought that you would not be bewitched by beauty, but it seems that I had too high an opinion of you. You are just the same as other men." Yan Jin Ling was extremely furious and she did not consider her words before speaking them. The reason why she dared to speak like this was because she and Yan Jin Qiu were born of the same mother. In the past, she had done so many things, but Yan Jin Qiu was able to tolerate her. Now, he would do the same.
"For a woman like this who only has beauty, who is jealous and unvirtuous, you do not consider any fraternal affection. When it is the anniversary of Mother's death, with what face will you go to see her?" Yan Jin Ling also held anger. When Mother had been sick, the cefei in the wang fu had risen against her due to the favor she held. In order to protect her younger brother, her mother had begged the Empress Dowager to raise him in the palace. However, she, the daughter, had been left in the wang fu to see that favored cefei show off.
Then Mother passed due to sickness. Didi became the shizi of the wang fu, and the cefei and the son she had birthed lost favor with her father. However, her good father and brother did not care for her happiness and wanted to marry her to a young master of a prestigious family. She rebelled and she succeeded. However, people said that her father died due to his anger towards her.
Presently, her husband had been assassinated and no one would defend her. They accused her as the culprit of her husband's murder, and even her sister-in-law dared to bully her! Hua shi was just the daughter of a prestigious family, but she dared to bully a female of the Imperial Family. This was taking advantage of one's status to bully others!
Hua Xi Wan laughed rather than get angry about Yan Jin Ling calling her a female calamity. "Jiejie, you schemed against your didi at every turn for a man, you even stubbornly had your marriage when your father-wang was sick—do you have the face to see Mother?"
"Shut your mouth, you whore!" Yan Jin Ling pointed at Hua Xi Wan's nose and scolded. "He favored a concubine and neglected Mother then. What is there about a man like that for me to feel guilty about?"
"Of course a man like that is not worth it, but is your didi not worth it?" Hua Xi Wan gripped Yan Jin Ling's wrist. "Even if you have the right to pursue your own happiness, and there is no obligation for you to sacrifice yourself for you didi, you cannot damage your own brother in order to pursue your own happiness. Or is it that it is not permitted for you to sacrifice for your didi but it is right for your didi to sacrifice for you?"
She pushed aside Yan Jin Ling's hand. Hua Xi Wan watched as the other stumbled back before she steadied herself and said in a cold voice, "How can there be such a good matter in the world, for others to sacrifice when you need it, and for you to question it when other people have needs? You think you are a goddess, and everyone in the world should let you have your way?!"
The other wanted to fight with her; had Hua Xi Wan stayed for so many years in the entertainment circles for nothing?
"Shut up, shut up!" Yan Jin Ling did not know what to say to Hua Xi Wan. Angrily, she rushed forward and wanted to slap Hua Xi Wan.
The entire room was silent. In the corner, Mu Tong, Bai Xia and the other personal servants shuddered.
Waving her slightly pained hand, Hua Xi Wan looked expressionlessly at Yan Jin Ling. "Do not assume that I do not hit women. When you leave today, you can announce that I, Hua Xi Wan, bully others using my status, step on people when they are down, and you can even go to the palace to complain about me, but I want you to remember this. This is Xian Wang Fu, this is not Lin Ping Junzhu Fu where you can do as you will!"
Yan Jin Ling was stunned by this slap and did not react for a moment. When she finally reacted and wanted to retaliate, she was stopped by Bai Xia and Hong Ying. The two servants who accompanied her today wanted to go forward and help but were stopped by a smiling Mu Tong.
"Two misses, as servants, it is better for us not to meddle in the affairs of our superiors. Otherwise, it will be very hard for me."
The two servant girls had urgent expressions as they looked at Mu Tong. They looked at their mistress who was being held back and then they knelt with a bang.
"Tsk." Mu Tong looked at the two young servant girls and snorted lightly. At least, they were perceptive. At least, they had more brains than this junzhu. Right now, many in Jing knew that Lin Ping Junzhu was a pawn about to be sacrificed. Wang Ye had asked for mercy on her behalf in front of the entire court in the morning session today. But the result was that not long after he returned to the fu, Lin Ping Junzhu had come to make a fuss. Adding on what Lin Ping Junzhu had done in the previous years, anyone would say that Wang Ye was a generous person and Lin Ping Junzhu was extreme.
Wang Ye was a man and it naturally was not good for him to descend into an argument with Lin Ping Junzhu. Fortunately, there was the valiant wang fei present. Otherwise, the matter would not be so satisfactorily resolved today. Mu Tong looked at the formidable wang fei and sighed inside. As expected of a miss whose maternal family were martial officers—she was valiant in every aspect.
"Hua Xi Wan, you have given me such humiliation today. Let's look at the future; you will not be better off than I am." Yan Jin Ling was held back and could not go near Hua Xi Wan. She was so angry she said vicious words. "No matter how beautiful you are, there will be a day when you become old. When it is that time, do you think the man beside you will tolerate you being so horrid as you have been today?"
Yan Jin Qiu's expression darkened and he put down the teacup in his hand. He raised his eyes to look at Yan Jin Ling. "There is no need for you to worry about the affairs between my wife and I. Xi Wan is not just good in appearance. See the guest out!"
"Do not send me off, I will naturally go." Yan Jin Ling smiled coldly as she pushed aside Bai Xia and Hong Ying. She said scornfully, "Hua shi, you really think the man beside you is truly as you see him?" After saying these words that would cause suspicions, Yan Jin Ling turned and left.
Yan Jin Qiu looked at Hua Xi Wan and did not speak.
Hua Xi Wan rubbed her hand. After she sat back down in her chair, she said, "You are really siblings with her?"
Yan Jin Qiu could only respond by grimacing at Hua Xi Wan's action of "pouring salt onto the wound." He said, "Yes, full-blooded siblings."
"All right, do not think too much. There are all kinds of wonders in the world, and all kinds of people." Hua Xi Wan reached to pat his shoulder. "I'm going to nap for a while. When the hotpot is prepared, then wake me up." Waving her hand, she left with her four beautiful servant girls and moved towards the main yard from the main hall.
The main hall instantly quieted. Yan Jin Qiu looked at the light slippling from the door and sat motionlessly on the chair.
"Wang Ye…" Mu Tong looked worriedly at the person sitting on the chair and called lightly.
"What is it?" Yan Jin Qiu looked with slightly upturned corners of his mouth at Mu Tong. He seemed to be in a very good mood.
Mu Tong lowered his head and then said, "The person who had been doing things to the food in the fu committed suicide in the prison a few days ago. Her roommate was taken by Wang Fei to the main yard to serve."
"Since Wang Fei kept her, then there should not be a problem." Yan Jin Qiu stood. When he walked to the doorway, he put his hands behind his back. "She is not someone who does not know the measure of her actions. If she dares to do this, then it naturally is because she made certain the other has a clean background before she made the decision."
"This small one understands." Mu Tong buried his head deeper. It was fortunate that the matter of the kitchen had been discovered early on and had not disturbed Wang Fei. Otherwise, the matter would not be smoothed over so easily. Even though Wang Ye had never said anything, in his view, Wang Fei held a high position in Wang Ye's mind.
"Do not pay any more attention to Lin Ping Junzhu." Yan Jin Qiu tilted his face down and looked at the fine snow swirling outside. "Ben wang has already treated her well enough."
"Yes." Mu Tong responded in a light voice.
In the main yard, Hua Xi Wan spread her arms to let Chen Qiu and Hong Ying help her change her clothing. Bai Xia and Zi Shan were cleaning up the bed. After everything was cleaned and sorted, Bai Xia helped Hua Xi Wan lie down. "Wang Fei, you did not give Lin Ping Junzhu much face today. In the future…"
"What do I care about her future?" Hua Xi Wan pulled the blanket on her body and said with a yawn, "Someone like her is just asking to be hit and scolded. She already called me a demoness, so why should I act virtuous for her?" Also, while she felt that Yan Jin Qiu was full of flaws, it was her own business how much she scorned her man. It wasn't any other person's business. Did Yan Jin Ling think the whole world was her mother?
Seeing Hua Xi Wan close her eyes, Bai Xia did not dare to ask more. With Zi Shan, they put down the coverlet and then lightly left. In reality, what she was more worried about was that Wang Ye will have a low opinion of Wang Fei after seeing her like that.
The men of the world like gentle and elegant women. Wang Fei had been so valiant just now, and she was afraid that Wang Ye would be shocked and scared.
What Bai Xia did not know was that, for Yan Jin Qiu, this was not a shock but a surprise. He was not a lusty person to start with. Seeing Hua Xi Wan even put aside the image of a refined and noble woman for him, he even felt that Hua Xi Wan's slap had another kind of style.
This was the pot having a fitting pot lid. Even the coldest and most calculating man understood love, and even the laziest woman was treasured by someone.
Maybe, these two together could also be called a heavenly match.
In the night, the snow increased. Hua Xi Wan and Yan Jin Qiu consumed delicious hotpot, drank a light fruit wine, and were very happy.
Seeing the two in close intimacy, Bai Xia put down her worries. No matter what, as long as her superiors were happy, she would be reassured.
Because she had drunk a bit of wine, Hua Xi Wan was tipsy as she leaned back against the bed after washing. Looking at Yan Jin Qiu who was sitting at the table, she curled a finger and smiled seductively. "Little Beauty, come over and kiss Jiejie."
Little Beauty-His Highness-Xian Wang laughed and then walked over. Then he pressed a kiss to the cheek of the true beauty.
In the white snowy winter night, twisting among the brocade red blankets was something to be envied.
In the morning, Hua Xi Wan lay on the bed and allowed Yan Jin Qiu to massage her waist for her. No matter how he urged, she was not willing to get up.
"Press gently up a bit. That's right, a little lighter."
"To the left a little, the left."
"Get up and eat."
"Don't want to move, waist is sore."
"I will have someone bring the wooden table to put on the bed."
"Don't want to eat, waist is sore."
"It really is sore…"
"Sore…"
Mu Tong heard rustling sounds come from the room again. Silently, he took the other servants and retreated outside.