Chapter 397.3: Deal, First Time Planning
The Former Wei first prince continued speaking, “As for the matters outside, this is Qi Yuan’s capital city, and not our Great Wei’s capital city. In the entire inn, there’s also Qi Yuan’s people everywhere. Our daily meals all need to depend on them, so some things can’t be controlled. However, think of it in a positive light, for the people of Qi Yuan to push along the waves this much, presumably they are also interested in your idea. The reason why you’re getting stepped on, it’s also nothing more than lowering your worth, so as to seek benefits for their Qi Yuan.”
“Why are they doing this to me?” Princess Yi Ning was both sad and angry, her tears streaming down.
“Really a stupid girl, is there even a need to ask why for this kind of thing? Great Wei and Qi Yuan are enemies. Then, belittling the other party, isn’t that only natural? Moreover, for women, only by upholding their position and waiting to be sought after for marriage can it raise their value. Throwing oneself forward on one’s own, no matter how noble, that’s still lowly like mud.” The Former Wei first prince softly chuckled.
Hearing such blunt mockery, Princess Yi Ning angrily glared at him.
The Former Wei first prince was unconcerned. Right now, they were temporarily on the same boat, but it didn’t mean that he will just a hundred percent indulge her. “To want to achieve one’s goal, one naturally needs to endure. Yi Ning, if you feel you can’t take it anymore, this older brother will go meet with Qi Yuan’s Emperor, letting him have this matter suppressed down. In fact, we can even counterattack and say that Qi Yuan has damaged our Great Wei princess’s reputation, extorting benefits from Qi Yuan’s Emperor from within. Just, in this way, what you want will no longer be possible.”
“No!” Princess Yi Ning immediately voiced her objection. Recalling Qi Yuan Jin Qinwang’s appearance and bearing, it just made her face uncontrollably blush and her heart race. She has never seen such a good looking man before. Since her first awakening of love, this was truly the first time her heart has been moved. In the past, those outstanding noble young masters of Great Wei that she once hazily liked, in the moment she saw Qi Yuan’s Jin Qinwang, just got tossed beyond the clouds.
The Former Wei first prince watched her instantly turn bashful. Without needing to guess, he just knew what she was thinking. Their Great Wei’s most esteemed princess, this willingly lowering herself, no wonder others would step on her. With her like this, even if she gets what she wants, in the end, she won’t have a good end either. Getting muddled by love and romance, not considering the two countries’ situation, thinking that if she throws herself forward, she will just be able to obtain the pampering she wants? Think she some heavenly beauty, or have the skills the control another’s heart? Qi Yuan’s Jin Qinwang, that kind of person, at a glance, one can just tell that he’s gone through countless beauties. An enemy country’s princess, this is specifically offering oneself up to be humiliated and shamed?
That’s why, since Princess Yi Ning was like this herself, then no matter how unpleasant the words were outside, she could only endure.
Although this for the most part can be considered within expectation, the Former Wei first prince still felt that there was something strange. The ruckus was truly a bit overboard. After all, if Yi Ning’s reputation is too unsightly, then even if Qi Yuan accepts her, they would still get denounced by others. After all, for a man, if a woman by their side is too terrible, then generally, would all get sneered at and ridiculed. Unless……….Qi Yuan merely just wants to take the opportunity to belittle Great Wei by stepping on Yi Ning, and simply never thought of wanting this person.
As soon as he thought of this possibility, the Former Wei first prince just slightly narrowed his eyes.
However, doing this didn’t conform with the convention of benefits. No matter what, it was accepting the person that was more beneficial, damaging Great Wei’s face and obtaining a beauty in the process. Additionally, Great Wei, for the sake of not letting the face be even more unsightly, will certainly prepare a very ample dowry. In contrast, Qi Yuan won’t have any betrothal gift. In any case, it was you offering yourself up, so who cares if you want to marry or not. Moreover, it’s not as the main wife, so there weren’t that many rules and etiquette to emphasize on. Besides, for things to have become this messy, if Qi Yuan doesn’t accept the person, then there was just death waiting for Yi Ning. Once the person dies, the matters before will just be wiped clean. Great Wei will certainly turn around and attack Qi Yuan for it. This was obvious and easy to see. It was impossible for Qi Yuan to be unclear of this. Then, where exactly did the problem lie?
Where did the problem lie? On Qi Yuan’s side, including people like Le Cheng Emperor, they also wanted to know where the problem lay too.
However, while the Former Wei first prince believed there was a conspiracy, Qi Yuan’s side similarly believed there was a conspiracy. After hearing those rumors, and the people of Former Wei didn’t come look for Le Cheng Emperor first thing to have the matter suppressed, they just knew this matter most likely was true. Just, what was strange was, even if Princess Yi Ning had the thought on her own, the Former Wei first prince, as well as the Former Wei high officials, had no reason to be muddled along with her. To not even hesitate to have the reputation ruined, letting this matter escalate this much, to say there was no plot, who would believe?
But, after racking their brains, they still couldn’t figure out what exactly Former Wei wanted to do.
Actually, certain officials of Qi Yuan probably still had an understanding inside, especially our Head Minister of Appointments. However, no one would say it, that’s all.
Indeed, by looking for the living Enma, the male lead of this scandalous incident, he perhaps will tell you where exactly the problem was.
Speaking of which, the source of this matter was still on Princess Min Xiang. It was her unknowingly having this matter prodded out. Princess Yi Ning hasn’t even done anything yet.
In Jing Wan’s eyes, even if it’s wanting to do a bit of something, still need to wait until Princess Yi Ning comes looking. Afterwards, she once again witnessed her own husband’s methods.
It was merely just passing along an order, practically can’t be too skilled.
Just, this kind of method that was further prevalent in the inner manor, Jing Wan felt, having the living Enma come use, seemingly was a bit out of character. Thus, she unhesitantly asked him directly.
Li Hong Yuan helplessly laughed, hugging Jing Wan and caressing her hair. She was quite smart, yet how come she just got stuck on this kind of problem, “For things such as methods, there is no good or bad. As long as able to perfectly reach one’s goal, then can just use different methods on different people. One can’t, because a man used an inner manor’s method, just feel the other party isn’t like a man. One has to know, for some people, you really can’t use too fancy methods, because it won’t be effective.”
“Black cat, white cat, as long as it’s a cat that can catch mice, then it’s a good cat.”
Li Hong Yuan lifted his brow, “This description, although isn’t completely correct, it’s still more or less accurate.”
“I know, after all, methods are picked according to the person, but one doesn’t need to look at the color of the cat’s fur for catching mice. It was just me thinking in the wrong direction, that’s all. It was probably because of having heard remarks such as ‘a grown man using a woman’s method is particularly petty’, thus momentarily got stuck.”
“Actually, these all aren’t important. This time, it’s still mainly for telling Wan Wan, towards one’s enemy, even if the other party still hasn’t done anything, one still needs to make preparation in advance. Even if not directly putting to death, one still needs to prepare for the rain, letting one be in an invincible position for future plans. In the end, you are still too soft. If others don’t do anything, you won’t take action either. Moreover, for some things, by the time something really happens, perhaps it will be too late to do anything. Guarding against is a good thing, but there’s only ‘those who are thieves for an eternity, and not those who guard against thieves for an eternity[1]‘. The best way is to just have the thief uncovered, and towards this kind of obvious enemy, one should further make the first move to gain the upper hand.”
Jing Wan instantly understood. Although the matter this time, Li Hong Yuan perhaps was somewhat making a big fuss over a minor issue, but what about other matters in the future? What about those enemies that constantly want to take one’s life? Can one even continue to passively wait for the enemy to make a move first? Even if guarding against, one still can’t guarantee that one can be perfectly safe at all times.
Right now wasn’t comparable to her time in the Luo family. No matter how ugly of a matter, back then, it was actually all just small skirmishes, and it further was unable to be compared with her past life………………At present, even the slightest pretext can just end one’s life. Even if not for oneself, one still needs to do something for the people one cares about. If one really were to wait until the moment that something happens to change, then perhaps it really will be too late.
Jing Wan hugged Li Hong Yuan, having her head buried in his neck, “Ah Yuan, I know, I know…………….”
[1] 千日做贼的,没有千日防贼的 – This is an expression meaning that it’s very difficult to guard against thieves forever. An easier explanation would be, a thief can eye you day and night, waiting for you to relax your guard, but for those guarding against thieves, it’s impossible to constantly be on guard. That’s why, it’s better to catch the thief first, than to continuously be on guard.