Chapter 99
Chapter 99
Chapter Ninety Nine Decay
The four candidates who had been bestowed by the Emperor were all taken in. Only after they had become
yiniang
did the people of the
wang fu
find out the shocking reality –
wang ye
had been demoted. Since he wasn't a
qin wang
anymore, the allowances in the
fu
and the number of servants had to decrease. The size of the
wang fu
had to shrink so some people were going to be thrown out.
Just as the servants were worried for their future, they heard another piece of news.
Wang ye
had been banned from court, and his salary was to be docked for five years. Additionally, he had to admit his crimes in writing to the public.
The servants who had been reluctant to leave the palace weren't reluctant anymore. They waited for the notice to come so they could find a new employer. As for the
taijian
and palace maids who had came out of the Department of Household Affairs, they wanted to go back to the department to be assigned again. They would rather find another master than to serve one who had no future. At the very least, anything would be better than now.
Qin Bai Lu hadn't thought that such an event would happen. She listened to Ru Hua recite the happenings, and choked for a long time before stammering: "Didn't he want to divorce me? Now that he's like this, how can he divorce me?!"
Ru Hua sighed in helplessness. Not speaking of the ego that
wang ye
had, even if a normal person heard what
wang fei
had said, they would have been angry. In the beginning when
wang fei
just entered the
wang fu
, she rashly sorted out the concubines in the
fu
. When
wang ye
said a word, the two started to fight there and then, a subject of much mockery by the servants in the
fu
.
Now that it was like this,
wang ye
and
wang fei
had nothing to say to each other, and
wang ye
had lost power.
Wang fei
should be thinking of how to comfort
wang ye
or secure the people of the
houyuan
. But she was rejoicing in the misfortune. To keep going like this, would there be any feelings left?
Seeing Ru Hua wanting to speak but kept restraining herself, Qin Bai Lu uttered coldly: "Since
wang ye
doesn't want me to manage anything in the
wang fu
, then whatever happens in the
fu
, I don't need to spend the effort for nothing. If anyone begs to see me, just say that I'm ill."
"Yes,
wang fei
." Having served
wang fei
for almost a decade, Ru Hua was clear about
wang fei
's personality. She wouldn’t have appreciated any more conversation. She bowed and silently stood to one side.
But Qin Bai Lu couldn't remain calm for too long. Because the Qin Family had passed on the news that her cousin had been reproached by the Emperor in front of all the noblewomen. Earlier, she had called in sick to avoid attending Qu Qing Ju's chrysanthemum banquet, so she hadn't thought such a thing would happen.
Listening to the cause of the matter, Qin Bai Lu was irritated. No wonder
wang ye
would speak of her Qin Family's daughters that way. So it had been because of this. It was also no wonder that her paternal family hadn't sent in their cards to her. So they had wanted to climb on the high branch that was the Emperor. She was only a failed
wang fei
, what use did she have?
After managing to clearly figure out the matter, Qin Bai Lu felt her heart becoming cold. Both her family and her husband were like this. She had no hope left in her life. Thinking about the pregnant Qu Qing Ju, she lowered her head to touch her own empty belly. She didn't understand why all the good things of the world happened to Qu Qing Ju. A good
popo
, a good husband, a good birth, even more, she would soon have a child.
Who said that the heavens had eyes? Some people lived well and others didn't.
"Ru Hua, pass my orders, Qu
shi
is seriously ill. To prevent her from infecting others, she will not live in Xi Ce Yuan. Today, she will move to the Xi Ping Zhai in the western corner to recuperate." She didn't believe all the women of the Qu Family would be lucky.
Ru Hua heard
wang fei
's sinister order, and shook slightly, "
Nubi
will send it down right now."
Coming out of the
zhengyuan,
she looked at the large building and for some reason, felt a gust of cold enter from her back into her heart.
Qu Yue Su, who had been sick on the bed, watched as the servants of the
fu
roughly pack up her things and piled them in the middle of the room. She hated Qin Bai Lu for being cruel and hated herself because she couldn't do anything to the loathsome servants.
After the things in the room were packed up, one of the
mama
s came up and jerked off the blanket on her, coldly announcing; "Qu
ce fei
, you should get up.
Wang fei
has ordered for you to move to Xi Ping Zhai before midnight.
Nubi
will have to offend you here." She easily pulled Qu Yue Su from the bed, who was dressed in her undergarments.
Qu Yue Su was seriously ill and couldn't tolerate her handling. Her body froze and she started to cough. As she covered her mouth, she looked hatefully at the
mama,
wanting to eat her flesh and break her bones.
"
Ce fei
, don't look like that at
nubi
.
Nubi
isn't the one at fault," The
mama
waved her hand saying to the other
yahuan
behind her, "What are you doing standing there? Help
ce fei
change."
When Yao Xi carried a bowl of hot medicine to enter the Ce Yuan, she coincidentally saw Qu Yue Su being pulled out of the room by two
mamas
, wearing a repulsive colored dress, her hair falling messily behind her back, cutting an extremely sorry figure, "What are you doing to
ce fei
?!" She put the bowl onto the ground and tried to rush forward to push aside the
mamas
dragging
ce fei
.
"Yao Xi
guniang
, this is
wang fei
's order, you shouldn't interfere," The
mama
who was in command sneered, "If you make a fuss, I can only assume you are angry at
wang fei
and deliberately opposing
wang fei
's command."
Yao Xi stilled. She was panicked and angry as she went forward to support Qu Yue Su, coldly asking: "What do you mean
mama
, that it is
wang fei
's intention for
ce fei
not to be properly attired?"
The
mama
twisted her mouth and then responded: "Yao Xi
guniang
should say less. I'm old and can't hear anything." She waved her hand for the servants to drag Qu Yue Su away. Yao Xi could only follow.
The Xi Ping Zhai's name was better than the room. Yao Xi knelt by the bed with red eyes, looking at her mistress who was unnaturally flushed, kowtowing as she said: "
Zhuzi
,
nubi
will ask for
wang ye
to come,
wang ye
will save you."
"There's no need to go,
wang ye
won't come," She looked at Yao Xi who was crying in hurt, smiling, "Don't cry, everyone has to make the journey." She had been ill originally, and after suffering such an ordeal, she wouldn't survive.
"
Zhuzi
, don't say that, you will get better," Yao Xi went forward to grasp Qu Yue Su's hand, "
Nubi
will go make medicine for you, you'll get better after eating it."
Qu Yue Su shook her head. In a daze, she seemed to have seen the beautiful lanterns at the riverside at the Lantern Festival, the bustling and tight crowds, and Qu Qing Ju and the Emperor holding hands. She muttered: "That originally belonged to me, it's mine … … Qu … … Qing Ju, why … …"
Her voice gradually grew smaller and finally faded in the silence of the room. Yao Xi looked at the motionless person on the bed and cried out loud.
"
Wang fei
, Qu
ce fei
of Xi Ping Zhai has passed." Ru Hua entered the room and saw
wang fei
was reading a book by the window. She went forward to report in a small voice, "Yao Xi, the servant of Qu
ce fei
, hopes to see
wang ye
."
Qin Bai Lu flipped a page, her head not lifting as she rejected: "Let her go beg He Fu Er, I can't make the decision."
Ru Hua saw that
wang fei
didn't want to speak and could only retreat. Looking at Yao Xi waiting at the door, wearing plain clothing and her bright red and swollen eyes, she revealed a conflicted expression, not knowing how to tell her.
"
Wang fei
said that she hasn't been in charge of the household recently. If you want to see
wang ye
, then go find Chief Steward He," Ru Hua furtively looked at the surroundings and quickly stuffed a pouch filled with silver into Yao Xi's hands before acting normal as she returned to the
zhengyuan
.
Yao Xi slowly stood up. Looking at the pouch in her hand, she walked blankly towards the main building. No matter what,
zhuzi
had served
wang ye
for a length of time. Would he not even let the person be properly buried after death?
He Yuan had a beautiful woman in his arms as she served him wine. As he became drunk, he let another beauty play the zither to raise his spirits. He drank until he was almost senseless, and couldn't even see clearly.
"
Wang ye
, Qu
ce fei
has passed away." He Fu Er reported at his side, "Yao Xi, who served
ce fei,
asks for an audience."
"Who is Qu
ce fei
?" He Yuan placed a kiss on the face of the beauty in his arms. As the woman laughed, he frowned, "Gone is gone, why tell
ben wang
?"
"
Wang ye
, Qu
ce fei
is Empress' half-sister," he Fu Er saw that
wang ye
was drunk and could only pour tea as he added, "Many people are looking from the outside." No matter how it really was, they should make it appear better.
"The
meimei
of the Empress," He Yuan pushed away the beauty in his arms, rubbing his forehead to clear his mind. He took a long draw of the tea He Fu Er handed over, "If that's the case, then make sure the servants won't slight her, and bury according to protocol."
Not slighting yet according to protocol. That would be difficult. He Fu Er thought but didn't show any of it. Thinking about whom to appoint to carry out the affair, he praised, "
Wang ye
can take care of her, it's her good fortune. This one will get someone to do so."
He Yuan sneered: "If she wasn't Empress'
meimei
,
ben wang
wouldn't have spent the thought."
He Fu Er changed: "The fact that Qu
ce fei
had a
jiejie
who is the Empress, it is her good fortune."
"Alright," He Yuan gave a yawn, "According to you, then isn't it the Empress' misfortune to have a sister like her?"
He Fu Er laughed dryly. He knew that
wang ye
was drunk and didn't dare to reply.
"Leave," He Yuan once again gathered the beauty beside him into his arms, "don't disturb
ben wang
."
There were many women in Rui Wang Fu. It wasn't a major matter for a
ce shi
to die but this
ce shi
was the Empress'
meimei
. So they had to find someone to report it into the palace. The news first passed to the Department of Household affairs, then the department would report to the Empress. But, according to emotional reasoning, this matter should have been reported to the Empress directly. Yet, according to protocol, Qu Yue Su was only a
ce shi
. Such an unlucky minor matter shouldn't ever have passed to the Empress. In the end, He Fu Er pondered for a long time before finding a circular way.
Qu Qing Ju had been perplexed upon hearing that the junior supervisor of the Department of Household affairs had asked for an audience. At the moment, she wasn't in charge of palace affairs so why was the supervisor running to her?
When she finished reading the announcement of death that the supervisor had presented, she felt conflicted inside. She held the letter, but didn't know what to say. In her impressions, Qu Yue Su was a talented and beautiful woman. She could have married into a good family, but she had to run with her ambitions and picked a wrong path, ruining her life.
If she hadn't become a concubine of Rui Wang Fu in the beginning, and instead married a son of a noble family, then she wouldn't have lost her life.
Weakness could harm one's life, that was the original Qu Qing Ju. Greed could ruin a woman, that had been Qu Yue Su. The former was pitiful, the latter was lamentable.
"Empress," the junior supervisor of the Department of Household Affair saw the Empress' expression wasn't well and his heart jumped. He didn't know what the Empress was thinking.
"You are excused," Qu Qing Ju put down the letter in her hand, waving her hand, "Huang Yang, take some people with you to Rui Wang Fu, and burn some incense for
ben gong
to Qu
ce fei
, and add some paper money and candles."
It was lamentable as a concubine, but as a wife, how many women were happy?
In this era of one wife and many concubines, women were fated to sacrifice themselves in history.
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