Chapter 287: Collision
Author: White Pear Flower
Raws: https://book.qidian.com/info/2386994/
Translated by Gumihou
Proofread by Pill Bug
Gumihou: Heaven preserve us, I’m embarrassed on behalf of the author. White Pear Flower, you, ah…
“Qiuning, I will be very busy in the coming days. So, the household will depend on you. Please make sure to keep an eye on Wanying. See if she shows any unusual behaviour; it would be best if you can come up with a reason to drive her out of the house.”
[1] Jin Fengju made this announcement out of the blue after having hurried into her room and right after sending a furtive-looking Jian Feng to guard the door.
[1] Fu Qiuning set her comb down and said, “Why this sudden decision? Is it because you can no longer wait to get rid of Second Madam Wan-”
[1] Instead of looking chastised by his callous behaviour, Jin Fengju’s response was indignant, “The longer she stays in the residence, the more danger she brings into the family. The loss outweighs the benefits now.”
“I see…” [2a]
Jin Fengju suddenly beamed and hugged Fu Qiuning, saying, “I knew that my Qiuning would see it! After all, my Qiuning is clever and sharp, but I’m a bit curious. Just how did you manage to figure it out when no one else did?”
[3] Fu Qiuning thought: No, I didn’t actually figure anything out. I was just randomly saying things… However, since Jin Fengju was still looking at her with sparkling eyes, she said, “It’s a secret.” [2b]
Jin Fengju nodded, “I see. Well, in any case, you must pay extra attention to her. I know there is no need for me to say much because you must have your own thoughts about the matter and understand what to do. Moreover, since this is a matter of great importance, we must ensure that nothing goes wrong. With Old Madam getting on in years, I fear that she would not be able to control her temper. With neither Father or Second Uncle at home, I can only rely on you.”
[3] “I see…” said Fu Qiuning for the second time. Not really seeing, but it would be best to just placate him for the time being. After this, she would just put Jian Feng on the case.
“Oh, you may also call Yanfang to assist you. She is a trustworthy close relative after all. You shouldn’t trust any of the others too much. Speaking of which, your father and grandfather appear to have grown some smarts. Right now, they are staying at their residence and not doing anything.”
[3] “I… see…” Fu Qiuning was now staring at him with incredulous eyes. She thought: Did he just call his own blood relative ‘trustworthy’ and insult her side of the family at the same time?! Granted, the entire household was made up of idiots. How could she ever forget the ridiculous performance she had done on that first visit?!
[3] Even so!!
Jin Fengju must have sensed the negative feelings coming off of her, because the next thing he said was, “Don’t worry, once everything settles down, I will make sure that no great repercussion will come down on your father or grandfather. Though they were accomplices in the past and have committed many wrongdoings, I will make sure that they will at least keep their lives. However, if they still cling to their position, it will make the common people think the heavens have no eyes. They might end up going back to their hometowns to live a simple life.”
[3] Fu Qiuning nodded, “Indeed, if evil acts go unpunished, the heavens really have no eyes.”
[4] Jin Fengju smiled a wide smile at Fu Qiuning. A sinking feeling in his heart told him that he had given the wrong choice of words. Unfortunately, he was not entirely sure what it was that he had spoken that was so ‘wrong’, nor could he openly take back the words without looking like an incompetent.
Not long after that, the conversation stalled and the couple went to bed without bringing up the matter again.
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The next day, Fu Qiuning made her way to Health & Longevity Court to pay her respects. When she arrived, Jiang Wanying and Madam Jiang were already there.
After sitting around and making small talk for a while, Madam Jiang said to her two daughters-in-law, “You go on and do your own thing. I have a slight headache today and will be resting in my room for a while.”
Fu Qiuning and Jiang Wanying got up and gave their farewells before making their way back to the inner court. Because Fu Qiuning did not have many ‘estate matters’ to handle, she did not usually meet with Jiang Wanying.
[5] However, since Jin Fengju wanted her to ‘keep an eye’ on Jiang Wanying, she decided to walk with the woman for a while, if only to assuage her own curiosity about what the woman was thinking. That way, she could at least form some of her own plans, if she had to.
[5] As expected, not long into the walk, Jiang Wanying’s cold voice said, “Dear Elder Sister, to think that you would actually walk with me today.”
[5] “Since it was directly ordered by Elder Madam, don’t you think we should at least keep up the appearance?”
[5] “Hmph.”
[5] “Speaking of which, how is Second Young Miss and Brother Xuan? It’s been a while since I have seen them.”
[5] Jiang Wanying rolled her eyes, “Those two little miscreants have grown up enough to think they know better than their elders. They have been studying and practising their arts. I did tell them to go and get along with their brothers and sisters but they insisted that time waits for no one and wanted to study instead. Have you ever heard of anything so absurd?”
[5] “It is good that they want to put their studies first,” said Fu Qiuning.
[5] “Hah, if only that were the case…” There was a strange light in Jiang Wanying’s eyes as she said that, as though she was not seeing Fu Qiuning at all, even though she was looking directly at her.
[5] “Sister…”
[5] “Enough about those little brats. What about yourself? Have you come up with another opera yet? I do so love them. Just how do you come up with all that music… Like all other noble girls, I too have extensive knowledge in music and poetry, but the way you put them together…”
[5] The questioning was getting too close to Fu Qiuning’s closely guarded secret, therefore she was the first to back away. “Little Sister, you look tired, why don’t you return to your courtyard first? I’m sure Second Young Miss and Brother Xuan would love to see you.”
[5] “Would they? Would they really?” she murmured.
[5] “You are their mother, after all.”
[5] “Yes, indeed, I am their mother and as such, their fates are tied to mine… well, perhaps not so much, depending on who their father favours…”
[5] The look on Jiang Wanying’s face was too resolute to be called desperate, but Fu Qiuning could still sense a trace of hysteria behind the words.
[5] “They are also the Young Marquis’s blood,” said Fu Qiuning cautiously. “As such, they belong to the Jin Clan no matter what.”
[5] Jiang Wanying’s face brightened unnaturally as she said, “Well, that is also true. Still, I wish you luck. Who knows how long you can hold Cousin’s fickle favour after all. Sadly, a woman’s fate is tied to a man’s whims. Well, goodbye now~!”
[5] With a laugh that was like a chime of silver bells, Jiang Wanying left.
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After that meeting, Fu Qiuning kept a closer eye on Jiang Wanying. [6] She had a sneaking feeling that the woman was planning to do something drastic. Jin Yanfang noticed her paying extra attention to Jiang Wanying and immediately cornered her to say.
[6] “I always hated that woman for being so mean to everyone. How could anyone be mean to Sister-in-law? She must be up to no good. Listen, I have bribed a maid at Clear Soft Pavilion to keep an eye on that woman. Don’t worry, Second Brother already told me everything! I will help you vent this anger. By the way, did you know that maid accepted my bribe really easily? Tsk, now that she has fallen out of Second Brother’s favour, even the maids in her courtyard are deserting her like rats from a sinking ship.”
[7] A couple of days later, after a routine visit to Health & Longevity Court, Jiang Wanying loudly declared that she had a headache and would be returning to Clear Soft Pavilion to rest. Fu Qiuning looked at her quizzically. The woman looked as hale and healthy as ever, which made her remark really-
[7] “Suspicious! Don’t you think that woman is suspicious too, Sister-in-law?” Jin Yanfang hissed at her as they made their way back to Elegant Mansion.
[7] “I, too, believe that Second Madam Ying is behaving suspiciously,” Jian Feng eagerly interjected.
[7] “You too? Well, actually-”
[7] While the two bored women started whispering at each other over Jiang Wanying’s suspicious attitude, Fu Qiuning had to admire that woman’s ability to manipulate the situation. She was sowing suspicion as needed, with one strategic line only. Compared to her, these sleuth wannabes were…
A couple of hours later, Jin Yanfang hurried to Elegant Mansion, [7] looking very twitchy with an equally twitchy Jian Feng on her heels. She pulled Fu Qiuning into the empty receiving room before scooting close to Fu Qiuning to loudly whisper, “Sister-in-law! Your sister, that is, the woman harboured by the Crown Prince’s mansion, has visited again and she headed straight for Second Madam Wan’s room again! How strange, ah. Why does she always go there whenever she visits? Surely, since you are a sister and the main wife of this house, she ought to visit you first?”
[7] Jian Feng nodded eagerly, “I had long been suspicious of this odd behaviour. How could she not visit her own sister first?”
Fu Qiuning looked at [7] their eager face, smiled and said, “It’s fine, she probably just gets on better with Second Madam Wan.” At their frustrated faces, she added, “She has always visited Second Madam Wan first before stopping by my place.”
[7] The way their faces went livid at the same time was fascinating.
However, before Fu Qiuning could tease them further, there was an announcement at the door. Fu Qiulan had arrived. The way their eyes lit up in eager anticipation was almost funny. [2c] The moment Fu Qiulan stepped through the door, Fu Qiuning stood up to greet her. Under the eager eyes of Jin Yanfang and Jian Feng, she spoke her line, “Sister, now that you are the spouse of the Crown Prince, how can you come and visit me? How can I live up to your status?”
Fu Qiulan smiled and said, “What does status matter between sisters? Besides, I am merely a concubine and not some imperial consort, so don’t speak like that or it will make things awkward. Well now, where are Feng’er and Jiao’er, how are the rest of your children?”
Fu Qiuning welcomed her into the room and introduced Jin Yanfang. After that, the ladies started talking with each other. Perhaps thinking that her trick of ‘Injuring oneself to ingratiate others’ had worked and that Fu Qiuning’s heart had been moved to put aside old resentment, Fu Qiulan was especially charming and chatty. Little did she know, the women in the room were already suspicious of her and were especially friendly because they wanted to probe her for information.
[7] On her side, Fu Qiuning settled herself down to watch the drama.
Eventually, the conversation moved towards the war in Northern Xinjiang and Fu Qiulan lamented, “How can this be explained? To think that a small group of barbarians have entangled the main army for so long, just what is the Emperor thinking? You know, with each day, with tens of thousands of troops stationed at the border, the amount of provisions needed is unimaginable. Fortunately, the weather has been favourable this year, otherwise, where would we get the supplies?”
Fu Qiuning was mildly curious when Fu Qiulan suddenly mentioned the war in Northern Xinjiang. Fu Qiulan did look distressed, but that was about it.
Suddenly, Jin Yanfang laughed and said, “Who can say for sure about such matters? The Emperor must have his own plans. In my opinion, this time the Emperor is determined to give those barbarians an unforgettable lesson. If they are not severely defeated, they won’t understand the might of our great empire.”
[Gumihou: Author White Pear Flower can’t write palace intrigue… her characters kept explaining to everyone and their dog what they were thinking and planning to do]
[1] The first line is scummy through and through. Thoroughly canon by the way, but Gumi won’t let you get away with a ‘Yea well, she a bitch, so?’
Anyway, make sure Fu Qiuning’s responses are in line with a legit ‘dafuq’ reaction.
[2a] Deleted 100 words of nonsense that’s just the author author-splaining dumb things through AR Qiuning to force the plot along.
Here’s the deleted bit if you really want to see it.
Fu Qiuning’s heart skipped a beat, feeling a chill run through her body. As soon as Jinfeng said those words, she knew that her previous speculations about the Emperor’s arrival were probably true, otherwise he would not speak with such certainty. Only when everything was settled, at least when the Emperor’s intentions were clear, would Jinfeng unhesitatingly abandon Jiang Wanying as a chess piece, because in that case, the piece would be equivalent to being discarded. If the Emperor truly was in the mansion, then this chess piece could even turn against them at any moment, which is why her husband would suggest driving her out like this.
[2b] Deleted 135 words of AR Qiuning explaining her intelligence, which was basically a repeat of [2a]
[2c] Deleted 30 more words of ‘I think kleber thoughts’
[3] Realistic reactions to JFJ’s canon words.
[4] Actual character development words rather than ‘kyaa~~~’
[5] The ‘knife behind a smile’ dialogues were so badly done that I could only cringe. Patched.
Make it less ‘bitchhypocritabuseridiot vs goddessangelshinyunicorndarling’ bitch screaming
Probably deleted 500 words of petty ‘I is better than yous’ diss off
[6] Things happening outside of Fu Qiuning’s control rather than ‘uwaahhh let’s watch that bish!!’ thing
[7] Since the ‘Intrigue’ is so badly done, Gumi will just… make it into something like a circus performance
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