Chapter 68.2: Everyone Come Put on a Play

“Look at what fourth brother is saying. Fourth brother’s abilities, even imperial father praises endlessly. If one has to say impressed, then it should be third brother that’s impressed with you. —–your third sister-in-law recently has been mentioning how she doesn’t have the time to get close with fourth sister-in-law. Third brother heard that before they married, the two of them were close like twins. Tonight, third brother will let your third sister-in-law prepare some light wine. You bring fourth sister-in-law to third brother’s residence for a visit. Third brother still has some matters to take care of so will be leaving first.” Rui Qinwang patted Gong Qinwang’s shoulder, then nodded to Kang Qinwang, before turning to leave, seemingly completely not worried about Kang Qinwang using this opportunity to drag Gong Qinwang to his side.

Gong Qinwang’s greatest reliance was precisely his wife’s family. Thus towards his own wangfei, he was naturally especially attentive. Gong Wangfei can be said to live the most carefree among the various qin-wangfeis and jun-wangfeis. Her husband doted and pampered her, and even if there were side consorts and concubines in the residence, compared the other princes’ residence, it was also the least. Moreover, they completely can’t become a threat to her. She also had her father shielding her, Shu Consort Qin in the palace was her closely related paternal aunt, and her actual mother-in-law loved her like her own daughter. She truly didn’t have the slightest dissatisfaction.

Even if there were sister-in-laws(specifically wives of her husband’s brothers) that mocked her, saying that her days were nothing more than flowers in the mirror and moon in the water^[1], she would just treated it as them being jealous of her.

Gong Qinwang’s look was somewhat unsightly. Other ways of invitation he could still refuse, only this alone, he couldn’t. Not waiting for Kang Qinwang to speak, “Eldest brother, this younger brother will also be leaving ahead.”

The other princes avoided Kang Qinwang as they left, fearing that they would get dragged in, and become the target of his anger.

Taking his current circumstances into consideration, Kang Qinwang forcibly restrained his anger. If it was at any other time, he could completely use the exact same method to invite old four. And if the other party doesn’t agree, he can pin on an ‘agreed to third brother, but not to eldest brother, is it that you look down on this eldest brother’ label. Unfortunately, his wangfei had just passed, so right now wasn’t the time for banquets. Then, he could only look for another opportunity. Moreover, he had to be fast, if it’s delayed till nighttime, then it’ll be troublesome.

That person, Li Hong Ming, even if he can’t make fourth brother join hands with him, he’d still incite fourth brother’s hatred towards himself(Kang Wang). The Left Commander-in-Chief is fourth brother’s father-in-law after all. Even if he doesn’t care for him, Left Commander-in-Chief would still take his own daughter into consideration. If fourth brother really does rise in revolt against himself, then it would also cause quite a bit of problem.

After contemplating, Kang Qinwang still decided to go find his imperial mother. If Li Hong Ming is able to make his move starting from Gong Wangfei, then if his imperial mother wants to summon her, isn’t that also equally appropriate?

Not long after Gong Qinwang left, he ran into his own father-in-law, Qin Tian Ming.

“Greetings Wangye.”

“Quickly get up, we’re all one family. Father-in-law doesn’t need to be so formal like this.”

“Etiquette can not be abandoned. Moreover, right now, we still haven’t left the palace, naturally can’t incur gossip for Wangye.”

Towards Qin Tian Ming’s attitude, Gong Qinwang very much enjoyed. Even if he himself relied on him, he was a prince, a qinwang. As a subject, he naturally should be deferential to him. This way, in the future when he ascends the throne, even if he doesn’t let him wield power, he’ll at least let the Qin family enjoy a lifetime of glory and wealth. And his own Wangfei, even if she doesn’t hold the phoenix seal^[2], he will still let her sit on the Empress position.

Have to say, Gong Qinwang in Qin Tian Ming’s eyes was still too tender (inexperienced). What kind of attitude he held, Qin Tian Ming was actually very clear about. And he himself not being one with the Guan Jun Marquis Manor, aside from the reason at home, the fourth prince not being worthy of his support also occupied a very large factor. With Jin Qinwang, this pearl, in front, who would take fancy to the other fish eyes. Of course, those with enormous ambitions, attempting to take grasp of that power, hope for a weak master and powerful subjects, and at worst can’t let the one on the throne be unyielding. Naturally, what they don’t want the most is a powerful ruler like Jin Qinwang, who has valiant abilities, tough methods, and never allowed to be refuted.

Qin Tian Ming was very clear. Unless there was really the need, this son-in-law of his won’t look for him to discuss something. He has secretly raised his own tacticians and aids. And this time, he’s probably rushing back to look for them. Qin Tian Ming said a few seemingly very boring, yet in actually very profound words. And as long as this son-in-law of his wasn’t stupid, he should understand his intention.

Gong Qinwang watched his own father-in-law’s departing figure, with his eyes slightly squinted. To be halfhearted towards both sides, reaping the benefits of both sides, it really was....a very agreeable idea.

historical

“Wangye, something happened over at the imperial gardens.” A eunuch hurriedly rushed to Gong Qinwang’s side. It was obvious that was Gong Qinwang’s person in the palace.

“What could possibly happen at the imperial gardens?” Gong Qinwang skeptically asked.

The eunuch approached him and whispered a few words into his ear. Gong Qinwang’s expression changed somewhat subtly. “Is this for real?”

“How could this servant dare to deceive Wangye. The matter has gotten very big. The other wangyes and princes, as well as various imperial concubines, and all the princesses, for the most part all went over.”

Gong Qinwang meaningfully smiled, “Should say as expected of sixth brother? There really isn’t anything he didn’t dared to do.” Although he said it like such, there was much sarcasm within. “Come, let’s also go see the fun, sure want to see whether or not imperial father will still shield him this time.” Their complaint towards their father’s indulgence of old six was very big.

“Wangye, won’t it be not good? After all, it concerns his Majesty’s face.” Gong Qinwang’s personal bodyguard spoke.

“What’s there to be afraid of? That many people have all went, this precisely the so called ‘the law does not reproach the mass’. Could imperial father punish all of us at once?”

By the time Gong Qinwang arrived, the imperial gardens really were full of people. However, aside from the center focus, the rest were all very quiet. But although they were quiet, each all had different expressions. Some were disdainful, some taking pleasure at another’s misfortune, and some watching with a cold eye. Of course, there were also those few that seemed exceptionally worried, seemingly somewhat disappointed towards him, yet couldn’t just ignore him.

Li Hong Yuan faced a furious Le Cheng Emperor, even more indifferent than when he’d angered Le Cheng Emperor in the past. He had his head slightly lowered, playing with a piece of warm jade in his hands. His old man’s angry howling wasn’t even comparable to the wind passing by the ear, because he’d already let his mind wander, reminiscing about the matter from last night.

There were also a bunch of people kneeling to the side. The woman in the lead was wearing a palace gown, movingly beautiful and alluring, yet at the moment she was pitifully crying like raindrops on a flower.

“Bastard, are you listening to this Emperor’s words?” Le Cheng Emperor angered, kicked a leg over.

Who was Li Hong Yuan? Even if he was absentminded, with just a subconscious reaction, he easily dodged.

“You even dared to dodge?!” Le Cheng Emperor went forward two steps, and continued to kick again, but unfortunately the results were still the same. After a repeated few kicks, Le Cheng Emperor was instead gasping for breath, yet he didn’t even get to touch a corner of Li Hong Yuan’s clothes.

“Sixth brother, how can you be like this, quickly stop.” Perhaps because he finally couldn’t keep watching, Kang Wang shouted out, even quickly rushing forward in an attempt to stop Li Hong Yuan. With him in the lead, quite a few people all rushed forth too. Just whether they wanted to stop them and pacify Le Cheng Emperor, or wanted to take the chance to maliciously retaliate against Li Hong Yuan, only they themselves would know.

Li Hong Yuan coldly laughed. Regardless of how many people went forward, and regardless of just what the wanted to do, he didn’t retaliate, only perfectly and ‘narrowly’ dodging them. Intentionally or otherwise, including Le Cheng Emperor, all inadvertently got hit. For a moment, the scene was unusually chaotic. Yet because every single one all had a noble status, the guards didn’t dare to go forward. Injuring any one, and they’ll all lose their heads.

The unluckiest was still that bunch kneeling to the side. Because majority were women, they all screamed as they hastily moved out of the way, messing up their hair and clothes, looking very much battered.

In the end it was the Empress that came out to take control of the situation, “What are you all waiting around for, quickly pull your masters apart, are you all dead?”

Each and every personal servant finally went forward, bearing the danger of getting hit, and grabbed onto their respective masters, using all their strength to pull them apart. The Empress used this opportunity to walk before Le Cheng Emperor and softly said, “Emperor, calm your temper first. Even if old six has some faults, you are his imperial father, just focus on lecturing him. How can you even personally set about discipling him, there’s no need for others to see this joke.”

Noble Consort Su to the side shook in anger. What did she mean ‘just focus on lecturing’? A father teaching his son a lesson is naturally right and proper, let alone this father was even the Emperor. But the Empress’s intention was clearly to let the guards do it. The Emperor was currently in a fit of anger. If he ordered the guards to do it, they naturally wouldn’t dare to hold back. The aftermath, one simply didn’t dare to imagine. Noble Consort Su went forward and properly knelt in front of Le Cheng Emperor. “Emperor, Yuan’er’s conduct on normal days, although occasionally a bit out of line, he still wouldn’t go as far as to do something this disgraceful. Perhaps there’s some misunderstanding amongst this. Asking for your Majesty to investigate.” As she said this, she even turned her head to glare at Li Hong Yuan, “Still not kneeling down to explain clearly to your imperial father?”

Li Hong Yuan saw the obvious worry in her eyes and shifted his previous indifferent expression, frowning as he went forward. “Consort-mother, you get up first.”

“Yuan’er....”

“Get up first.” Li Hong Yuan was very adamant.

Noble Consort Su was helpless and glanced to Le Cheng Emperor. Seeing the other party not having any indications, she could only get up.

[1] Idiom that means unrealistically ideal, an illusion or fantasy; I like to call it the shoujo manga lens, where roses appear everywhere and the pink backdrops

[2] The Phoenix Seal is the official seal of the Empress, any official documents would require the seal. Essentially without the seal she’s just Empress in name without any actual power. Guess says a lot about his relationship with her.