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Chapter 68: Little Young Master Isn’t the Prime Minister’s Son
“Is he?” Yao Mowan didn’t seem to think so as she gazed thoughtfully in the direction Ye Junqing had left in.
“It’s clear as day!” Ting Yue nodded firmly.
“Let’s go take a look at Fluffy.” A day has come for Ye Junqing when he was scared of someone? This was something that she had never witnessed before. Upon hearing this, Ting Yue walked to Fluffy and discovered that Fluffy was sleeping very heavily. No matter how she called, Fluffy showed no indication of stirring.
“What’s going on? Niang niang, hurry, something seems to be off with Fluffy!” said Ting Yue worriedly. When Yao Mowan heard, she walked over and examined Fluffy. It seemed Fluffy had been given some sort of anesthesia. Had it been Ye Junqing? That’s impossible! Ye Junqing would never use lowly and despicable methods like this.
“Yin Xue!” Yao Mowan immediately called out Yin Xue. A black figure instantly appeared beside Yao Mowan with only a slight stirring of wind.
“Where did the Esteemed Prince go earlier?” asked Yao Mowan with a serious expression.
“Replying Master, the Esteemed Prince saw Ming Yu carry Fluffy away and followed after her. When he saw that Yao Suluan was about to cut Fluffy’s stomach open in Pure Flowers Palace, he rushed in and stopped her just in time, then brought Fluffy back.” Yin Xue had been following Yao Mowan’s instructions, which were, regardless of whether it was day or night, to protect Ye Junqing from the shadows whenever he left Guan Osprey Palace. This was also Yan Nansheng’s original intentions in giving Yin Xue to Yao Mowan.
“Cut open her stomach? Consort Li is so cruel!” exclaimed Ting Yue as she looked at Fluffy with sympathetic heartache.
“Yao Suluan… Yin Xue, think of some way to investigate Ming Yu’s background. This consort wants to know why exactly she decided to serve An Bingshan!” Yao Mowan lowered her gaze to look towards Fluffy, then a chill appeared in her eyes. Usually, when a cat caught a mouse it wouldn’t kill it with one bite but keep playing with the mouse until it was at its last breath before delivering the final attack. Yao Suluan was clearly still very lively and far from being at her last breath!
“Understood!” Yin Xue indicated that she had received the order and withdrew. Right at this moment, Liu Xing ran in.
“Niang niang, this servant has found out that little Young Master is the illegitimate child of Third Madam and Zhou Chengwu. He isn’t the lord’s son!” Liu Xing reported between pants.
“The evidence is conclusive?” That day when Yao Yu mentioned the uncle that gave them snow honey, Yao Mowan had noticed unnatural nervousness on Su Muzi’s face. Her suspicions had been further raised when Su Muzi reflexively yanked at Yao Yu.
“Replying niang niang, the evidence is conclusive. Little Young Master is actually three months older than the lord was told. This servant has found the midwife that helped deliver little Young Master and she said that the little Young Master was not the result of a premature birth and was a full-term infant. Not only that, this servant secretly took a bit of little Young Master and Zhou Chengwu’s blood to perform a blood drop test and the blood merged!” reported Liu Xing.
The practice of dripping blood to identify relatives, or 滴血认亲. One from the father, and one from the son in a bowl of water, and see if they conglomerated in the center. Not reliable.
“Why would that midterm deceive Father?” asked Yao Mowan.
“Because that midwife was Zhou Chengwu’s distant relative and had received a lot of benefits from Zhou Chengwu. She had only been willing to tell this servant after this servant gave her more benefits than he had,” replied Liu Xing.
“Hah, Su Muzi sure has a lot of guts to dare to have an affair under a prime minister’s nose. If it weren’t for the fact that Father was blinded due to his desire for a son, he probably would have already noticed the clues. That’s why it’s said that everyone has a weak point, don’t you agree?” Yao Mowan smiled lightly as her gaze landed on Liu Xing.
“Niang niang, should we tell the lord about this?” Liu Xing nervously looked towards Yao Mowan with a hopeful gaze.
“Of course I must let Father know. He cares so much about having a male heir, so how could I keep such an important matter from him!?” Yao Mowan responded as if this was a matter of course. However, the deep mirth in her eyes made it impossible for people to figure out what exactly she was thinking.
“But if the lord finds out… Third Madam and little Young Master will definitely meet terrible ends. And… The lord would be disappointed…” Liu Xing lowered his eyes. This was the first time he questioned a decision Yao Mowan made.
“This consort still recalls the time when this consort ran back to Bright Virtuous Pavilion from Fragrant Harmony Courtyard. At that time, Mother had already died and Father was scolding Dou Xianglan. He said, ‘Did you think I wasn’t aware of how you usually tormented Mo Li? You even went so far as to add slow-acting poison in her food that weakened her health. All of this I could tolerate, but you actually poisoned her to death! Although you are the legal wife, you are petty, vicious, and narrow-minded! This husband can no longer tolerate you!” Yao Mowan didn’t respond to Liu Xing’s question and quietly started talking about what happened that day.
Yao Mowan actually memorize what he said that day word for word, but my translation now is different because I looked back, and realized that my translation from back then was really… urgh. Will aim to fix them… one day.
Liu Xing didn’t interrupt Yao Mowan’s reminiscence and knelt there silently. Then, Yao Mowan continued, “If back then Father had truly punished Dou Xianglan according to law, then he would have remained the father that Yao Mowan respected the most. However, once he found out that Eldest Sister had passed away, he had very warmly helped Dou Xianglan up from the ground. To curry favor with her, he even ordered someone to throw Mother’s corpse in +the Disorder Burial Mound! His action in that instant had severed all ties between us! Liu Xing, you’re a servant of the Yao Residence so it’s understandable for you to be loyal towards Yao Zhenting. However, you must make a choice between Yao Zhenting and this consort. Ting Yue must do so as well. From now on, Yao Mowan has nothing to do with the Yao Residence. If you cannot agree with this, you can leave at any time.” Yao Mowan’s expression was serious and her deep pupils seemed to contain vast dark skies that glittered with light.
“Liu Xing is not a servant of Yao Residence. Liu Xing is Master’s servant and will follow Master until his death!” vowed Liu Xing resolutely, his eyes wet with tears.
“Second Madam was the one who had saved this servant’s life, so this servant is loyal only to Second Madam and Miss. This servant is willing to face blades and seas of flames at Miss’s command without a single word of complaint!” Ting Yue knelt down next to Yao Mowan as she declared with conviction.
Yao Mowan sighed softly as she gazed at the two who had given her such definite replies. It was inevitable that they would have to cross this bridge so it was also good to bring it up now in order to prevent them from being distracted later by misgivings.
“Alright, both of you should get up. In regards to Su Muzi and Yao Yu, this consort naturally has ways to protect them so you two don’t need to worry about them.” Yao Mowan walked up and helped Ting Yue and Liu Xing up as she said this gently.
When it was dinnertime, the first thing Ye Junqing did after he got back to Guan Osprey Palace was peek at the chaise lounge. When he saw that Fluffy was lying there lazily, he sighed in relief.
“Prince, the meal has already been prepared and niang niang has been waiting to eat with you.” When Ting Yue saw Ye Junqing hesitating at the palace entrance, she immediately called out to him.
Once Ye Junqing sat down at the table, Ting Yue tactfully withdrew. Yao Mowan, who was standing at the side of the jade table, slowly lifted the wine pot and walked to Ye Junqing’s side, then poured a cup of the exquisite wine for him.
“You… you didn’t poison this wine, right?” Ye Junqing lifted his eyebrows. This was the first time Yao Mowan had acted this friendly since he had arrived in Guan Osprey Palace. There was a phrase that went, there was definitely a catch in abnormal situations, and Yao Mowan’s current behavior was very abnormal!
“Would Mowan be that kind-hearted?” Then, Yao Mowan poured herself a cup.
“Kind-hearted?” Ye Junqing was thrown off balance. Yao Mowan’s line of thought was always quite different from his. If poisoning him was to be regarded as a kind-hearted act, he didn’t dare to imagine what she would do if she wanted to torment him!
“Of course! It would be terrible if Mowan ended up helping Prince reunite with Eldest Sister. Mowan has gotten used to always being mean and can’t do something as nice as fulfilling someone’s wish.” Originally Yao Mowan had a pile of grateful words prepared to thank Ye Junqing for saving Fluffy, but Ye Junqing had destroyed the initially good atmosphere. Hence the two exchanging verbal jabs.
“Can’t you be less harsh when you speak? Don’t you know that people who are sincere will be repaid in kind?” Ye Junqing was extremely speechless but he still lifted the wine cup.
“Sincere? I know not of it! In the past, Mowan only knew to lie to herself and be deceived by others. As of now… well, now Mowan has learned to deceive others as well! So Prince’s request is also too harsh,” said Yao Mowan with a shrug before lifting her wine cup and looking towards Ye Junqing.
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Credits: Translated by Chiyomira
[Chiyomira’s Corner]
Enjoy~
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