IBTSOME Chapter 40 Part 1: Promising Marriage

I BECAME THE STEPMOTHER OF MY EX-HUSBAND

 

Chapter 40 Part 1: Promising Marriage

 

 ^^

Gao Ran’s chest tighten, for a moment she couldn't tell whether Empress Dowager Qian was mocking her or taunting Lin Wei Xi.

 

It was true that Gao Ran privately agreeing to Qian’s family proposal was wrong, but Yan Wang and the second son of the Qian family have a crush on the same woman at the same time. For men, it was romantic to be furious because of a beauty¹, but for a woman, it was not a good reputation.

 

Gao Ran's heart jumped the moment her name was called, but soon after she slowly relaxed. She glanced at Lin Wei Xi and lowered her head pretending to be fearful: "Empress Dowager niangniang please forgive me. At that time This Servant heard that old madam Qian want to propose marriage for the second son of Qian’s family, Qian second young master is naturally a good man, and This Servant did not think much about it and accepted it, only thought when I return I will talk to the elders. Please don’t think that This Servant is too greedy, I only thought that the Qian family is a good family, and wanted to accept as a good sister, but because I was too impatient instead doing something wrong."

 

Gao Ran's words hinted that she listened to old madam Qian’s suggestion at the front, but Yan Wang decided Lin Wei Xi’s matter at the back. As for why Yan Wang done this and what happened in between, then ask the protagonist herself.

 

Gao Ran wanted to induce Empress Dowager to treat Lin Wei Xi as a femme fatale, and it would be even better if she accused Lin Wei Xi as a seductress. Lin Wei Xi's smile faded when she heard Second Qian’s name. Empress Dowager Qian was the Empress Dowager, so she could say what’s on her mind, but this Gao Ran even dared to play tricks in front of her?

 

Gao Ran still hasn't learned, it seems that the hot water yesterday was not hot enough. Lin Wei Xi had become the Yan Wangfei, the power the mother-in-law had over the daughter-in-law was far from simple as filial piety.

 

After Gao Ran finished speaking, she kept staring at Lin Wei Xi. Unfortunately, she was going to be disappointed. Lin Wei Xi did not show any embarrassment or distress expression. She just smiled and unhurriedly said: "What's the matter with Qian second young master? How do I not aware about it?"

 

Lin Wei Xi’s rhetorical question caused everyone to be silent. Empress Dowager Qian could not speak, no matter how badly she want to, she could not say to Yan Wangfei, previously Gao Ran secretly agreed to marry you to someone, but then Yan Wang passed the news, and this matter was over.

 

Lin Wei Xi was still smiling innocently and naturally, her pupils full of pure curiosity: "What did Shizi Consort say? How did you get involved with Qian second young master? I don't know anything about these things, Empress Dowager niangniang please tell me, I'm really curious."

 

The Empress Dowager reluctantly smiled, and then asked tentatively: "Yan Wangfei didn’t know?"

 

"What should I know?" Lin Wei Xi smiled and turned her head, her dark pupils clearly reflected Gao Ran's figure, "Shizi Consort, you said what should I know?"

 

Gao Ran was speechless, her dispute with Lin Wei Xi was in private, besides their maids, who else would know? As long as Lin Wei Xi swore she didn’t know anything, Gao Ran had no way to prove otherwise, instead could put herself at a disadvantage.

 

The Empress Dowager looked at the interaction between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, Lin Wei Xi asked frankly, but Shizi Consort looked stiff. Empress Dowager Qian pondered it in her heart and ask: "Yan Wangfei, you didn’t know about your marriage’s matter before?"

 

"By parents' orders and matchmaker's words, of course This Servant listens to the Grand Princess." Lin Wei Xi said with a smile, "Matchless fornication² and the woman could only become a concubine. If you cross over the parents and elders to act as the matchmaker, you will be cast aside. No matter how naughty, This Servant dare not do such a thing."

 

People face depends on their mouth, to act was also the same. When Lin Wei Xi said these words, her eyes were clear and her smile was calm, without any guilty conscience. Gao Ran guessed right. It was after she and Gao Ran argued that she was so angry that she went to Gu Hui Yan to recommend herself on impulse. But Gu Hui Yan definitely would not tell this matter, and of course Lin Wei Xi would not. Gao Ran even dared to try to threaten her with this incident. It would be strange if Lin Wei Xi didn't try to fix her.

 

It’s really well-known that Lin Wei Xi recognized Grand Princess Shou Kang as her grandmother. Empress Dowager Qian felt that she understood when she thought about it. Wasn't Princess Shou Kang also acted as a matchmaker for her granddaughter and Gu Cheng Yao? It seems that Princess Shou Kang’s own descendants were not many so she especially love Yan Wang Mansion. Last time it was her own granddaughter, this time even marrying the barely recognize granddaughter to Yan Wang. Her thoughts were too obvious.

 

After Empress Dowager Qian thought about some causes and effects, she thought that she finally seen the truth. In this way it seems that Lin Wei Xi was completely at the mercy of Princess Shou Kang. She definitely didn't know anything about the event before. As for Gao Ran secretly accepting the Qian’s family offer, to think positively she probably didn’t know the negotiation between Yan Wang and Grand Princess Shou Kang, but looked at it more negatively she just didn’t want to have another mother-in-law, so she took advantage of Qian's family.

 

The Empress Dowager's gaze at Gao Ran immediately changed. Gao Ran didn't even realize what happened. In this short period of time, what exactly happened to Empress Dowager, why did she look at her with such expression? Gao Ran felt that something went wrong, and was about to try to mend it, but Lin Wei Xi cut off the conversation: "Empress Dowager niangniang, this picture of a hundred bats wearing flowers on your dress is really cheerful, I have never seen it before."

 

Empress Dowager Qian had become more and more superstitious in recent years and always liked to wear old-fashioned dress. It was difficult for Lin Wei Xi to say complimentary words with a stunning expression on her face. When a young girl with an extremely beautiful appearance praised her clothes, anyone would feel pleased with themselves. Empress Dowager Qian was happy, right away talked to Lin Wei Xi about blessings, bodhisattvas and so on.

 

The benefit of Lin Wei Xi's sweet mouth was indisputable. She deliberately turned away from Gao Ran and teased Empress Dowager Qian to talk. Gao Ran tried several times to explain the matter to Empress Dowager Qian but failed to break through Lin Wei Xi's barrier. After all, she was a junior, could she interrupt her mother-in-law or Empress Dowager? She didn't dare, she tried a few times to break through, but she really couldn't get passed Lin Wei Xi.

 

After Gao Ran failed several times, her heart became angry and she could only grit her teeth and endure. However, she didn't dare to show the look on her face to others, so she had to lower her head immediately.

 

After Lin Wei Xi guided the Empress Dowager Qian to reverse the order of the engagement matters, she kept smiling, half her attention was guarding against Gao Ran, and the other half deliberately flattering the Empress Dowager. After a short while, Empress Dowager Qian was beaming with joy.

 

The thing Empress Dowager Qian most proud of in this life was that she had a blessed life. Empress Dowager Qian was once Emperor Muzong's empress, but because of her mediocre appearance and old-fashioned temperament, she could not be favored by the previous Emperor Muzong, and then later Bu Guifei³ came out of thin air. Fortunately, she survived the turmoil in the last years of Jianzhao. Yan Wang entered the capital to save the country and killed the rebelling eunuch, and Bu Guifei was also hanged herself. Empress Qian could be regarded as dispel the clouds and see the sun and became the Empress Dowager. Isn’t she a lucky person?

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1 冲冠一怒为红颜, it came from the poem “Yuanyuanqu” by Wu Weiyi, a poet in late Ming and early Qing dynasties. I’m not really sure what it means because the explanation is too long, it involves historical fact and I’m too lazy to read it, but I think you got the context hehe..^↩
2 Matchless fornication, in the olden days the get married you need a matchmaker, without it the relationship is legally and morally wrong so the woman could only become a concubine.^↩
3 Guifei, high ranking imperial concubine.^↩

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