Chapter 148.2: All Given To Her
One was the main consort, and one was the side consort; ‘inequality’ within the reasonable range, that was just how it should be.
As such, even the usually very popular Ruan Fang Fei, who had very good relationships with people, attracted idle gossip at this time. It can’t be helped. After all, gold and silver were all liked by everyone, so she, Ruan Fang Fei, naturally wasn’t an exception. If nothing were to happen, then it didn’t matter, but once something happens, she will certainly meet with ‘stones thrown at her feet’. Someone even began to suspect, for Ruan Fang Fei to still not enter Jin Qinwang Manor, was it because she was disliked by Jin Qinwang? After all, she was bestowed the marriage not long after Sun Yi Jia, yet Sun Yi Jia has already married someone else on the day the original wedding was set for. Reasonably speaking, she should’ve enter through the gates shortly after this. But now, Jin Qinwang has already gotten another fiancee, yet on her side, there still weren’t any movements. This was waiting until after the main consort enters before it’s finally her turn? That Luo third miss still haven’t reached marriageable age yet. By next year, Ruan Fang Fei will already be seventeen, and moreover, this was under the premise being that Luo third miss won’t be cursed. So what if her reputation resonated throughout the capital, so what if her talent suppressed all beauties, she was still nothing more than an old girl that’s unable to marry.
At the moment, Ruan Fang Fei was already awake. If it was someone else, they probably would have had this matter concealed from her, but before she even caught any wind of it, her mother already voluntarily told her.
Ruan Fang Fei looked to her indescribably beautiful and alluring mother. She was almost forty, yet still appear to be less than thirty. In other people’s eyes, she was an exemplary virtuous wife and good mother. Towards the children left by the first wife, she regarded them like her own, even though Ruan Rui Zhong’s eldest son was even older than her by several years, and at present, even already had grandchildren, already becoming a convenient great-grandmother. The descendants all respected her, and Ruan Rui Zhong heavily trusted her. In the Ruan family’s rear court, there wasn’t a single place outside of her control.
Serving a man that one would even disdain being too old to be one’s father, did she really not have any complaints?
Ruan Fang Fei lowered her eyes, “Nothing more than some materialistic things. Mother, would I still care about that bit of things?”
“It’s good that my child understands.” The madam tenderly stroked Ruan Fang Fei’s head.
However, Ruan Fang Fei won’t know, today was just the start of all her suffering. Merely realizing that Jin Qinwang’s care towards someone else far surpassed her, this blow, was nothing more than ‘a single hair from nine oxen’[1].
When Jing Wan received the things, she didn’t know what to say. This was Jin Qinwang wanting to have her propped up to roast, or what? However, since it was already sent over, she naturally can’t return them. She first reached for the thing she betted, “Eh, there must be a mistake, this isn’t mine.” A very rare piece of blood jade, the color and luster well-distributed, the transparency very ample, and moreover the transparency also appear to be very smooth and beautiful. That bracelet of hers, when it comes to price, even ten can’t compare with it, and as for degree of rarity, there was further nothing to say.
(T/N: I had to watch a 5min vid on distinguishing jade quality for this, well mostly because in the jade profession, in chinese, the transparency is referred to as water-level and I had no idea what that word meant, but basically the more transparent, the more expensive; left: price cheap; right: very expensive yo~)
That servant girl pursed her lips and smiled, “Third miss, it’s precisely this, wangye used this piece of jade to exchange with your bracelet.”
Jing Wan was once again speechless. To say he didn’t behave according to common convention, he really was able to constantly astonish people. Since he did it this boldly and openly, then if she were to refuse, she would instead appear small-minded, falling at a disadvantage. Thus, she just stored it away.
This mentality of hers rather made the people delivering the things can’t help but exclaim in admiration inside.
Soon after, Rui Qinwang’s close attendant reverently and respectfully explained his purpose for coming.
Jing Wan naturally wouldn’t not consent, “It’s that one, why don’t you take it back.” Because the ones placed in a brocade handkerchief were just those few, so it was very obvious. “The other ones, troubling this eunuch to take back to the other few wangfeis as well.”
“Third miss is too polite, not troubling at all.”
Jing Wan then directly used those things as reward, letting them each take one thing.
Among these things, there were ones that were very valuable, and there were also ones that were common. The status of the person using them determined their standing. For those that appear to have an illustrious family status, yet the reality of the situation inside didn’t live up to the name, during such an important occasion, they had no choice but to set out in luxurious attire. These things, losing a single one, afraid was more than enough for them to wallow in pain, but it can’t be helped.
These people were also rather perceptive, each person taking something that was relatively average priced, giving their thanks, and afterwards leaving in succession.
Looking again at the remaining things, truthfully speaking, unless belonging to someone close to her, things used before by outsiders, no matter how valuable, and no matter how beautiful, Jing Wan all didn’t have the slightest interest to use on herself. To say it unpleasantly, it made her disgusted. Jing Wan looked to her brothers and sisters, who have for the most part all returned, smiling, “Today, I’m going to ‘present the Buddha with borrowed flowers’[2]. See if there’s anything you all like, just pick a few things yourself.” She paused for a moment, “Mama first see if there’s anything that can’t be used due to taboo, if there is, just pick them out first.”
“Yes.” Gong mama replied, having the things in each tray all inspected once, “Miss, there isn’t any.”
Under normal circumstances, this kind of situation all won’t appear, but there was no harm in being more cautious. If because of her, her family were to get in trouble, then that wasn’t what Jing Wan was willing to see.
“What are you all still standing around for, quickly pick, or is it that these things all aren’t to your liking?”
“Third younger sister, these were all given to you by Jin Qinwang after all, we……….”
Before Luo Jing De could even finish speaking, he just got lightly patted by Luo Jing Bo, “Since they’re given to little sis, then naturally little sis is free to take care of them as she sees fit, just treat it as helping her. Then, I won’t hold back.” With that said, he just reached for a fan accessory on the nearest tray.
(T/N: The thing hanging off the fan; pictured below.)
With him taking the lead, the others were also no longer reserved, beginning to happily pick out what they liked.
“Third older sister, these things seemingly were said to be given to the Luo family, and not you. These things should go to the public funds.”
Once these words came out, everyone all froze, simultaneously looking towards Luo Jing Ying.
Speaking of annoying people, sometimes, they really were especially annoying. Who didn’t know that was just an excuse. It’s not like this was a formal New Year’s gift. To go to the public funds? How big did your face have to be for you to be able to say something like this.
“No one let you extend your hand.” Luo Old Madam coldly said, “Just pick your things, what are you all bothering with her for?”
Luo Jing Ying was already not very liked to begin with, and after learning that she was about to enter Rui Qinwang Manor as a concubine, perhaps because they’d thought of something themselves, or perhaps someone else had said something to them, all in all, not a single person has paid her any attention going out today.
In reality, who knows how she will be in the future, that was a qinwang’s manor after all. With Rui Qinwang as the most likely person to become the next Emperor, having a good relationship with her at this time was far better than having a bad relationship with her. But in reality, not a single person in the Luo family did this. To a certain degree, this displayed the two head of the family’s attitude towards her, and at the same time, also the influence of the Luo family’s family principles.
They happily continued picking their things, and between the young misses, they even began mutually comparing their things. However, things suitable for them to use were in the minority, and the price wasn’t that high either. After all, these things came from other little girls.
Luo Jing Ying bit her lips, shrinking to one side. In the end, she thought for a moment, and walked to Luo Old Madam’s side, “Grandmother, this granddaughter doesn’t feel too well and want to go back first.”
“No one has time to send you back.”
“No need to send me, I can just go back on my own.”
“Even at home, you can disappear for half a day, so when outside, I fear you won’t even be able to find the way back. Just obediently stay here.”
How could Luo Jing Ying not understand the meaning in Luo Old Madam’s words, her face turning deathly pale, loudly cursing in her heart.
The other adults, as soon as they heard Luo Old Madam’s words, thought to themselves, ‘As expected, such a thing really would lead their own children astray, best to stay far away from her.’
[1] Similar to the saying ‘a drop of the ocean’.
[2] Presenting the Buddha with Borrowed Flowers – Been a while since this idiom last appeared; fig. to win favor or influence using someone else’s property.
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