Chapter 33: To Instigate

 

Translated by Gumihou

Posted at kitchennovel dot com

 

 

Crystal Aris: Sooner or later everyone becomes a foodie, lol

Moto: Oooh, what is this jamba?

Maru: Aah, I want roast duck too. Not Peking duck, too fancy and delicate for me, but an actual duck with bones in it. I want to buy a whole duck and take it apart with my teeth.

Kirindas: When I think about characters from the other novels I’m translating, these women would have trashed the main protagonists and taken over the world.

 

 

Everyone please enjoy the story,

 

 

Gumihou

 

 

 

 

Madam Yang was shocked. When she had seen Hong Lian and Xiang Yun that day, she had felt that something was not right. However, when she did not hear any movements from Mei Yue Lou, and when Duan Tingxuan bring this matter up with her, she had actually forgotten to pursue this matter. It was only when Xue Zi Lan brought this up that she had this sudden realization. She nodded and snorted coldly, “Is that so, and here I was thinking that Xuan’er would never be so careless or neglectful. It seems that this matter is tangled up with that problem.”

 

She had just finished speaking when she heard Xu Ran Yun sneered. “Isn’t little sister too meek? You speak as though she is a female tiger, how could this be? This is the An Ping Mansion, there is no way she could just throw her weight around, right? Also, kicking out the Lord? He-he! If she really dares to do this, how is it different from a rebellion? Not only the elder master or elder madam, even the Lord himself would not let this go.”

 

Madam Yang nodded, and said coolly. “Xu Ran Yun is right, no matter what kind of person she is, this is still a noblemen’s mansion, and all must obey the mansion rules. Remember why was she sent to Mei Yue Lou in the first place? Duan Tingxuan’s attitude is too indulgent, she not only failed to properly reflect her own behaviour and changed for the better, instead had become even more domineering. This is the An Ping Mansion, when did she become the master? Isn’t this just flipping the heavens?”

 

“That’s right, elder madam is correct.” Xu Ran Yun quickly supported her words.

 

Xue Zi Lan gave a bitter smile, “Not only elder madam and elder sister, even I, who had witness the matter with my own eyes, could not believe that her gross arrogance. As for the Lord, who knows what happened to him? As a man who had always disliked being opposed to, in front of first madam he did not even have an ounce of dignity. Did not protest when she beat and scold him, even laughed with her.”

 

“What did you say?”

 

Madam Yang fiercely heaved up from the couch, and asked in a disbelieving voice. “You say your Lord laughed with her? And that… that your Lord is beaten and scolded? By her? This…how could this be? Are there no rules in this palace? When did Xuan’er turned into such a dumpling? How did I not know this? You… you say you saw this with your own eyes?”

 

This last reaction was certainly incredible, even Xue Zi Lan was shocked. She had not expected Madam Yang to have such an extreme reaction. Even her eyes were growing red with wrath. Joy filled her heart, knowing that her words have achieved the desired result. This is a vision of a thoroughly enraged mother-in-law, as long as mother-in-law is furious, that Su Meng Nuan will not have good days to look forward to.

 

One can’t blame Madam Yang for being so angry, what mother could remain calm after hearing that her son had been bullied? Furthermore this was a patriarchal society. At this point, Xu Ran Yun noticed that the fire had more or less stabilized, decided to add more firewood. Pretending to be serious, she asked, “Little sister, this kind of thing cannot be simply said. Are you sure you saw it personally?”

 

“Why would I lie about this?” Xue Zi Lan pretended to feel wronged, and proceeded to detailed everything she had seen yesterday. Only, the more she spoke, the more Madam Yang’s body tremble, she gritted her teeth, “Enough! Very good! This time she really wants to rebel against us, ah. That Duan Tingxuan is really childish, with just a few edible things he had turned into a good for nothing coward! Whatever, whatever, since my son is now a good-for-nothing, it is time for me as a mother to make a decision in his stead.”

 

“That woman should have already been divorced according to the Seven Offences[1], should never have left her in this palace. However, Xuan’er was too compassionate and pitied her father and have left her here to repent, perhaps to one day be a proper husband and wife again. Who would have thought that she not only did not repent, had in fact gotten worse.”

 

When Xu Ran Yun and Xue Zi Lan heard these words, they nearly burst with happiness. On the surface, they continued to caution restraint. “Elder madam, you can’t do this, on matters of divorce, the Lord should still have a say. How could a mother-in-law divorce a daughter-in-law? Moreover, elder madam said that the Lord had been trapped by a few dishes, but could this be possible? From my point of view, it’s possible that the woman had used some kind of strategy to wrap the lord around her finger. If Madam recklessly drove her away, who knows whether the Lord would be willing?”

 

“He dares to be unwilling? So what if he’s unwilling? Unless he wants to kick out this mother of his? This is the An Ping mansion, and he’s still just an heir, I don’t believe he’ll dare disobey his elders.” Madam Yang slapped the table angrily.

 

Though Xu Ran Yun and Xue Zi Lan continued to hung onto her arms and murmured cautionary words, the happiness in their hearts were incomparable. After urging for a bit, they noticed that though this mother-in-law kept on making threats with her mouth, her feet never moved. At that point, both of them started to worry again, this mother-in-law please don’t be all talk and no action, ah. Let’s go and get rid of this woman now, kick out that woman along with her two maids.

 

As they continued to furiously think, they began to add oil to the fire. Naturally, they were both concerned for Madam Yang, what ‘Keep calm and don’t be impatient, ah’, ‘Don’t embarrass the Lord, ah’ or ‘Don’t let that woman ruin elder madam’s reputation, ah’ type of things were said. Though their psychological attacks were clumsy, but with Madam Yang being in a fit of such extreme temper, both felt that this technique was the most suitable.

 

Who knows, perhaps they had been a little too enthusiastic with their cautionary words, Madam Yang suddenly paused. The angry flush on her face did not recede, but a hint of hesitation rose. After a long while, she sat down. “You’re both right, if I were to get rid of them like this, though Xuan’er did not dare to oppose me he would definitely be unhappy in his heart. No, we can’t do anything without proof.”

 

“Ah?”

 

Xu Ran Yun and Xue Zi Lan both cried out, they almost went crazy. What kind of response is this? We’re already done with our performance and this is your response? Hey, mother-in-law this is not the time to play jokes on us. You’re the elder madam, ah. How could you just say retreat and immediately retreat? If you don’t beat them out of this place, then wouldn’t our song and dance performance be wasted? Our voices are almost gone, ah. With just a ‘we can’t do anything without proof’ and the matter is done? Are you seriously messing with us?

 

These two women had underestimated Madam Yang’s ‘wisdom’. Victory was already before their eyes only to suffer this shortfall in the last minute. This kind of immense hope being  abruptly chopped up by despair just caused people to want to spit up blood. The two of them were extremely angry, but neither dared to show it on their faces. Their eyes met, and saw each other’s ferocious resolve. The way forward is clear, since elder madam is too soft hearted to act, let’s light another fire.

 

And thus, Xu Ran Yun firmly said. “Elder madam is right, we can’t act without proof. The next time when that woman bites back again, it could ruin the relationship between you and the Lord, it would be too late.”

 

Without hesitating, Xue Zi Lan from the side said, “Could the Lord be that confused and be under the control of first madam? If the word got out that our Lord is henpecked by his wife, then his reputation would be difficult to recover.”

 

As expected, these were the very words needed to inspire the uncertain Madam Yang. Xu Ran Yun, seeing her mother-in-law getting flushed in the face once more, quickly fan the flames, “Little sister is correct, we cannot let her spread her evil around, also can’t let her ruin our mansion’s reputation. However, the Lord must have a reason for this, this…is really difficult.”

 

 

 

 

 

[1] Seven Offences – A husband may divorce his wife if she: 1. cannot have children; 2. is obscene; 3. disrespects the older generation ; 4. gossips a lot; 5. steals; 6. is too jealous; 7. has a foul disease

 

Could only find Chinese references, hence the above summary. Oh, and for everyone’s information, the reason why no. 2. obscene, is reason for divorce is, get this, the ancient people believed that kinky sexual acts will result in children with blood disorder. And of course, being sexually wanton with other men also falls under this.

 

  ^_^

Translated by Gumihou at kitchennovel dot com

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