Chapter 286.2: Coincidence?
The Dragon Boat Festival traditions, Kaiming Fu’s hardly differed with the capital’s, merely partitioning the canal to conduct the dragon boat race. Comparatively speaking, this one’s grandeur actually far surpassed the capital’s.
Although there was one every year, it still made one very excited.
This year, the seating was also slightly different. Although also divided into male and female seats, it was with Jin Qinwang and Jin Wangfei residing in the middle in a two-person seat, and behind them were their own people. Jing Wan resided on the left, and on the left side were the other womenfolk. Li Hong Yuan resided on the right, and on the right side were Kaiming Fu’s numerous officials.
Li Hong Yuan wasn’t in the mood to idly chat with the officials. As such, there wasn’t even an opening speech. Thus, the dragon boat race can just begin.
Good luck bets and whatnot, don’t bother counting on Li Hong Yuan, but Jing Wan wasn’t stingy, perhaps having long prepared. A set of southern pearl head ornaments, a dagger that cut metal like mud, a recommendation letter to the Head Minister of Appointments in her name, and also an even bigger hand, five hundred taels of silver in banknotes. These things, once brought out, the others all couldn’t help but choke. If she were to lose the bet, it was still okay, but if she wins, who can afford to compensate? Even if they didn’t know the phrase ‘hating the rich’, at this time, there were still many people that had this kind of mentality.
(T/N: The term 仇富 meaning ‘hating the rich’ is a very modern word so ancient people won’t know it.)
Just, once Jing Wan expressed, these weren’t used as bets, but rather as the reward for the final winner.
Very good, this was doable.
But, Jin Wangfei, you being this wasteful with money, Jin Qinwang really doesn’t have any complaints?
Afterwards, as the drummer on the various dragon boats, they received a death command from their own family’s sisters, as well as their already married sisters, must win.
Each family’s young master personally participating, this was considered Kaiming Fu’s tradition. Just, in past years, although eager to win, they still needed to give certain families face. As such, the final winner was always one of those families. ‘Accompanying the Crown Prince in studying[1]‘ became a habit, and thus didn’t have much eagerness to win either. This year, suddenly receiving this kind of order, while having an enormous pressure, each and every one also started getting excited along with. Still haven’t even started, yet the sparks have already ignited.
“Finally having a bit of how the atmosphere should be like.” Jing Wan said with a smile.
This strangely gave others a kind of ‘spending big money to look for amusement’ feeling that made one want to beat up. However, regardless of how the others thought, Jin Qinwang didn’t have any complaints, greatly having a kind of ‘I precisely spoiled her, what about it?’ feeling, making one further want to beat up. The person lacking a beating further made one want to beat, but those that wanted to beat him up further didn’t dare to beat. The former was increasingly nonchalant, and the latter could only grit their teeth and choke on a mouthful of old blood.
The dragon boat race very quickly began. Perhaps because this year’s enthusiasm was especially ample, each and every one all exerted their full power. It can be said to be like the fierce battle between tigers and dragons. You overtake, I catch up, unlike in past years where normally for the most part, not long after starting, the final outcome was already determined.
Li Hong Yuan and Jing Wan would occasionally lean closer and intimately whisper a few words, full of smiles, giving others a kind of ‘difficult for outsiders to insert a foot’ intimacy, making them both admire and envy.
Jin Qinwang, this kind of high and noble person, how come just had such a malicious woman cupped in the palm?
Precisely the so-called, ‘to know a person on the surface, but don’t know the heart’. Using to describe Jin Wangfei truly couldn’t be more appropriate.
Probably because of exerting too much strength in the beginning, towards the end, it was just being too powerless to continue. This final outcome was quite unexpected. However, the people in the race were gasping for breath from exhaustion, unable to cheer in time, just seeing movement coming from the terrace first. That was an extremely excited girl. Although attracting many looks, somewhat awkward and helpless, it was still hard to conceal her excitement.
Jing Wan turned her head and glanced over, confirming with someone that it was indeed her family———-Kaiming Fu’s Magistrate Manor’s dragon boat won the race. Jing Wan expressed on the spot, her mood was good today, so this reward will increase by another three hundred thousand taels. The mama behind her just that causally drew out another three hundred thousand taels, and under numerous eyes, let someone have the things sent over.
That girl disregarded her bearing, passing her elders and going forward, just wanting to have the things received. Her target naturally wasn’t the money, just there was someone even faster than her, “Little sis, for better or worse, these are painstakingly won back by your older brother, so should let him have a look first, otherwise, there’s still mother. You’re an unmarried young lady, so should be more reserved.”
That girl’s face was nearly about to drip blood, feeling vexed, and further feeling resentful.
“Alright, stop making a fool of yourselves.” A madam to the side took the things, placing it by her own side. Don’t even think about touching.
It’s not that no one saw that young madam exerting strength when her mother-in-law took the things, the reluctance in her eyes not at all concealed. And also, that young girl’s reddened eyes, wishing to cry.
The others all curled their lips. On the surface sneering at their pettiness, but on the inside, how many people weren’t envious?
A fu’s magistrate, originally can be considered the local boss, but unfortunately, when the fu and prefectural capital overlapped, he can only stand to the side. That’s why, Kaiming Fu’s Magistrate can be considered to be residing in a neither high nor low position, rather awkward. Things that originally should be his duties often had others interfering and overtaking, sometimes even needing to bow his head to ‘ask for guidance’, very much sullen.
(T/N: The local magistrate is roughly equivalent to a province’s governor, a low fourth rank position. This is a pretty high position for local level officials.)
In the past, he was not very conspicuous, yet this time, showed his face in a special way. That magistrate, towards the others’ congratulations, accompanied with a smile, yet on the inside, he was unable to be happy in the slightest. This reward was also a hot potato. One mishap, and he’ll end up ruining himself.
And towards Jing Wan’s handiwork, those that didn’t understand the meaning inside weren’t in the minority. Who wasn’t secretly guessing the implications within. After all, eight hundred thousand taels, this amount, truly was somewhat peculiar. That was more or less half of a certain ‘amount’. If one had this sum of money, many things can all be covered up.
Of these new and old foxes that mingled in officialdom, not that many would believe this really came from Jing Wan’s hand. Could it be Jin Qinwang deliberately tossing out? But, how can that be possible? Leaving aside the fact that Jin Qinwang spent all day playing around with Jin Wangfei, the main personnels that followed him here, for the most part, have all been sent away from Kaiming Fu, and the only two left also didn’t have any movements, so how could he possibly know Kaiming Fu’s situation? But, eight hundred thousand taels truly was too coincidental. The more they felt it was impossible, the more they inwardly felt there was a problem.
The Governor-General that has gotten bullied the most miserably by Li Hong Yuan, at this very moment, was all somewhat unable to sit still, his heart drumming. He couldn’t help but gaze towards Inspector General Su, but the other party was still motionless like a mountain. No one was able to figure out what exactly he was thinking. Perhaps sensing the Governor-General’s line of sight, he even gazed back, calmly smiling.
Shortly after, Li Hong Yuan expressed his mood was pretty good, so will start another match of dragon boat racing, and there’s a prize for the winner, eight hundred thousand taels.
Once these words came out, Inspector General Su uncontrollably tightened his grip on the tea cup.
And what was even more interesting was that for the second round, it was still the dragon boat led by the magistrate family’s young master that won.
The magistrate’s back was completely drenched. While sitting, his two legs were both somewhat shaking, and the sweat on his forehead also slid down. In his heart, there were just two words left———–It’s over!
After the dragon boat race ended, with the excuse of ‘the humidity by the water too dense, the weather too hot, worrying that his wangfei will be unable to bear’, Li Hong Yuan moved to another place.
Jing Wan also didn’t refute, just carrying a shallow smile as she stood by Li Hong Yuan’s side. Regardless of how others silently cursed at her, it all had nothing to do with her.
Fortunately, they’d long made preparations, so separately moving to another place also wasn’t that big of a deal.
Just, previously it still wasn’t obvious, but this while Jing Wan’s perception was becoming increasingly clear, seemingly there was something she was unaware of.
Jing Wan called over Gong mama to question. Gong mama didn’t leave for long, and when she returned, reported to Jing Wan in full detail.
“Su Wan Ting died yesterday? A few days ago, went out and suffered from fright, falling ill, unable to get up again, and ultimately didn’t last? At the Immortal Gazing Lookout, I let someone have a girl thrown down, this matter spread everywhere? Reportedly that girl was precisely Su Wan Ting? Heh, this is rather interesting.” Jing Wan smiled. This matter of ‘killing someone’, when placed on a ‘good person’, the repercussions caused was much louder than when placed on a ‘bad person’. “This matter, wangye should have an understanding inside. Then, no need to bother with.”
This Kaiming Fu, sure enough, wasn’t a simple place. However, presumably they will be leaving soon. If even this place was all like this, then what about at the heart of the matter this time?
Jing Wan strangely looked forward to it somewhat.
[1] This isn’t used in the literal sense but rather a saying used to describe someone whose role is just to ‘support’ an important person. The origin of this phrase does come from ancient times, basically for the imperial family, they will start grooming their successor at a young age, so the little crown prince or little princes will start studying at a very young age, but they are still children after all, so it’s unavoidable for them to be naughty and mischievous.
However, this is an insult to refined culture, and according to etiquette they need to be punished, but this little crown prince might be the future emperor, so the teachers can’t scold him or hit him. So in order to educate him, they can only reprimand and scold the people by his side that are accompanying him in studying, using his way to warn the prince.
T/N: I just realized that all this money is probably the ransom money for the young masters. So basically Li Hong Yuan is just using the money he’d gotten from them.
This content is taken from fr(e)ewebn(o)vel.𝓬𝓸𝓶