“Paternal aunt’s words for coaxing a three year old child, you also believe? There’s a limit to how much one can deceive oneself.” The Sun Yi Lin at this time really could be considered cold-hearted.

Seeing Li Ru Yu’s miserable state, even Sun Yi Jia found it somewhat unbearable. She wanted to let her older brother say a few words less. Just, after seeing Sun Yi Lin’s expression heavy like water, Sun Yi Jia chose to shut her mouth. That usually modest person, at this very moment, in his eyes contained anger, irritation, and disgust. She equally didn’t like Li Ru Yu, this younger cousin, and furthermore didn’t want her to become her sister-in-law. If after today, it can make her give up, then it was for the best. Otherwise, letting her fix her temper was also good.

“Big brother Lin, how can you treat me like this? You can’t, you can’t……” Li Ru Yu incoherently cried out. Her hair was somewhat of a mess, and her eyes were somewhat distracted. Suddenly, as if she’d thought of something, “It’s that slut right? You were bewitched by her, you must have been bewitched by her. I want to kill her, I want to kill her…..” Li Ru Yu frantically charged over towards Jing Wan.

Sun Yi Lin grabbed her in one hand and pushed her completely without reservation. If it weren’t for the servant girls blocking, she probably would have directly fallen to the ground. “Immediately send your junzhu back to your residence. Later, I will personally pay paternal aunt a visit.”

“Yo, today’s Ding Duke Manor sure is unusually lively.”

Before Li Ru Yu’s people could respond to Sun Yi Lin’s words, another person’s voice interjected. Just, what made Jing Wan somewhat unexpected was that clearly a very pleasant sounding voice, yet almost everyone present, including Yuan Qiao Qiao and Zhou Ying Shuang at her side, all uncontrollably stiffened, as if their natural enemy has descended. And the one that reacted the most obviously was Li Ru Yu. She wasn’t like in the very beginning, haughty and unruly, nor like afterwards, absentminded from receiving a grieving blow. Instead, she was like a baby chick fished out of the water, slightly shivering involuntarily. And what was more strange was that she’d frantically wiped her tears dry.

Jing Wan was astonished inside. Who was this, to actually have such a huge impact?

Sun Yi Lin took in a deep breath before turning around, “Greetings to the three wangyes, may wangye live for thousands and thousands of years.”

With him taking the lead, the others also successively paid their respects to these three imperial family noble personages.

“You’re excused.” The eldest prince, Kang Qinwang, humbly helped up Sun Yi Lin alone.

“Don’t know for what matters have the three wangyes graced us with your presences for?” Sun Yi Lin, as the host, even if his mood wasn’t very good because of Li Ru Yu, still had to liven up and face them.

“What? Your Ding Duke Manor’s gates higher than the imperial palace’s? Can’t come in if there’s nothing?” Li Hong Yuan said, with like a smile yet not a smile. Generally speaking, of the three, he was the youngest, so it shouldn’t have been him that spoke first, but he instead treated his two older brothers as if they were nothing.

Facing this living Enma, Sun Yi Lin also had his share of feeling both mentally and physically exhausted too. “Wangye is joking.” Clearly knowing that he shouldn’t say it like that, but he further didn’t dare to follow along with his intentions. If you dare to say ‘not high’, then Li Hong Yuan will walk in and out of the Ding Duke Manor like it’s his own residence. Even if it’s the inner courtyard[1], don’t count on him avoiding gossip either.

“You think this prince is joking with you?” Li Hong Yuan, neither quickly nor slowly, walked up before Sun Yi Lin.

What does Li Yu Ru count as? This one was the real unreasonable one. Being this insolent, Jing Wan could already guess the other party’s identity. His Majesty’s sixth son, Noble Consort Su’s foster son, Li Hong Yuan. The one that’s rumored to have a very bad reputation, Jin Qinwang. In his youth, he was a well-known little devil. Gradually, as he grew up, he practically turned into a living Enma. Whoever provoked him, whoever was out of luck.

Jing Wan knew, encountering Li Ru Yu, at most, in the days after, it would just be endless troubles, but encountering this one, would bring the entire Luo family disaster. Thus, she lowered her brows and reduced her presence as much as possible. However, she kept feeling that there was a gaze occasionally falling on her, just like she was being targeted by someone.

Regardless of how Li Hong Yuan felt on the inside, on the surface, he definitely wouldn’t let people know that his attention was all on Jing Wan. Completely disregarding the stiffened Sun Yi Lin, who didn’t know how to respond to his words, Li Hong Yuan directly walked up before Li Ru Yu, “Ru Yu, what’s wrong? Did Sun Yi Lin bully you? Tell sixth brother, sixth brother will help you teach him a lesson.”

Forget Sun Yi Lin, even Kang Qinwang’s breathing became sluggish, fearing that Li Hong Yuan will take the opportunity to make things difficult for Sun Yi Lin. Rui Qinwang however was just leisurely watching from the side. If Li Hong Yuan really does cripple Sun Yi Lin, he might just wholeheartedly call him ‘sixth brother’ for once.

“Many thanks for wangye’s concern. Ru Yu doesn’t really have anything wrong.”

“Really?” Li Hong Yuan took the whip from her hands, lifted it up, and lightly rubbed it against her neck. He although wasn’t clear about the specifics of the matter, but just from looking at the current situation, and then recalling what kind of person Li Ru Yu was, it was clearly evident that his beloved person was bullied. Then thinking again to his past life, Jing Wan eventually ending up in that miserable state, this woman also held an important role. New grudges, old hate, Li Hong Yuan’s vicious aura nearly couldn’t be suppressed anymore. He really wanted to snap her neck in half. As expected, just teaching her a lesson was still far from enough.

The fine thorns on the whip scrapped against her skin, somewhat painful. Yet, Li Ru Yu didn’t dare to dodge. Even if Li Hong Yuan’s hand became increasingly heavier, she still forcibly endured. She felt that this tang[2] older brother right now was just like a ferocious beast, possibly swallowing her whole in the next moment. He was more terrifying than any other time in the past. Li Ru Yu nearly cried out, but at the same time, she didn’t dare to. He hated women crying. The more pitiful they cried, the more miserable they ended up.

“Ru Yu ah, as a girl, it’s not good to play with whips. You should stay at home and copy some ‘Female Commandments’[3] and ‘Female Principles’[4], learn three commands and four virtues for women[5]. Otherwise, doing embroidery is also good. You are a junzhu, how could you do something as shameful as hitting someone? You can’t be like this in the future, understand? In three months, you will let the world know, you are the most qualified woman of the imperial family, right?” He can’t kill her, but it didn’t stop him from using a dull knife and cutting piece by piece from her soft underbelly.

That pleasant to hear voice was numbing, like the soft whispers next to a lover’s ear, such tenderness. Yet Li Ru Yu nearly couldn’t stand anymore, incessantly trembling all over, and her words even began to stutter, “Wa-wangye is right, Ru Yu, definitely will be, the most, most…..”

“This is, getting cold? Then you should probably go back sooner. A girl can’t get cold. Else, what if the body gets harmed, and it affects having children?” Li Hong Yuan lightly interrupted her words. However, the meaning contained in his words was more than enough to make any girl fearful. Even the most gentle words could become the most fatal poison.

“Wangye is right, Ru Yu will withdraw.” If you don’t do as he says, then nine times out of ten, he will let his own words come true.

“Good girl.” Li Hong Yuan retreated a step back and randomly flung the whip in his hand. The tip slid across Li Ru Yu’s clothes, and with a ‘pah’ sound, landed on a servant girl’s body. Clothes torn, flesh split. The servant girl gaspingly screamed out, then hastily covered her mouth. The pain on her body wasn’t important, the fear in her heart was what was actually stifling.

Regarding these wangye, who were princes, what Jing Wan learned from Gong mama was very vague. After seeing for the first time, merely as a spectator, Jing Wan further had a more direct understanding of them, unstable, callous and ruthless. If possible, it was best to never ever face him directly. If it was someone else, perhaps there was still a bit possibility in achieving this wish. As for Jing Wan, she was already targeted by the demon lord since a few years ago, how could he let her escape from the palm of his hand? Right now she was still unaware. Just temporarily enjoy that ‘freedom’ then. By the time the demon lord makes his move, she will have her fair share of suffering.

After getting rid of Li Ru Yu, Li Hong Yuan’s gaze lazily circled around the various people present, “There’s quite a few beauties.”

Just this one phrase, made quite a few people unconsciously take a step back, feeling vexed and regretful. Why did they have to come join in on the fun? Was it not good to learn from those that didn’t come? Jin Qinwang, aren’t you the iron rod of the Noble Consort Su faction, what are you doing coming to the Ding Duke Manor for no reason?

Seeing the crowd’s reaction, Li Hong Yuan sneered. A bunch of women who were full of themselves. He had already been blind for a very long period of time in his past life. This time, how could he continue to be blind? Even if they really were some divine beauty and national grace, they couldn’t even compare to a fingertip of his Wan Wan. He slightly raised his chin, seemingly as if he was looking disdainfully at the crowd from the corner of his eyes, but in reality, there was only ever just one shadow in his eyes. It was as if he’d buried everyone aside from Wan Wan and himself alive. Then, he’ll be able to hug his Wan Wan, and do whatever he wanted.

That’s why, he, Li Hong Yuan, was just this unreasonable right now, his heart just this dark.

That feeling of being watched became more obvious. This time it definitely wasn’t just her imagination. Jing Wan faintly frowned.

Seeing the scene becoming deadlocked, Kang Qinwang gave his own third brother a meaningful look to let him take care of this bastard thing.

Rui Qinwang indicated that his hands were tied, yet he incessantly sneered on the inside. Forget unable to deal with him, even if he could, why would he help his own enemy? The people of the Empress’s faction, he couldn’t be more eager for his ‘good’ sixth brother to put a few to death.

[1] Because the inner courtyard is mostly where the womenfolk live, so outside men are usually never allowed in there. It’s equivalent to the harem of the imperial palace.

[2] Cousins that share the same surname

[3] Female Commandments – Also known as ‘Lessons for Women’; it’s one of the four books for women. Written by the Han Dynasty female intellect Ban Zhao, and basically outlines the four virtues a woman must abide by, proper virtue, proper speech, proper countenance, and proper conduct.

[4] Female Principles – Written by Emperor Taizong of Tang’s Empress, Zhangsun-shi. The book is a collection of outstanding past achievements of females, used to teach women to follow by these standards.

[5] Three Commands and Four Virtues – Confucian’s moral injunctions for women. Basically the three commands are, to obey in turn three men, father, husband, and son. And then the four virtues of morality, physical charm, propriety in speech, and efficiency in needlework. The last one is too hilarious and out of place imo, at least when compared with the other three.