swear not to be concubine

Chapter 136

When Li Yi hurried to Ya'anju, before he entered the gate of the courtyard, what he heard was deafening and mournful crying.

He hurriedly stepped into the courtyard.But seeing that there is no maid in the normally orderly courtyard at this time, it is deserted.And that extremely miserable cry came from Dongci Room.

He naturally knew that it was Nie Qingniang's bedroom.

Originally, he had just rushed all the way here, but at this moment, he was a little timid because of his closeness to his hometown, and he didn't dare to take another half step forward.

The crying in the ear became more and more sad, and Li Xin could be heard calling his mother heart-piercingly in a trance.

Li Yi felt his heart slowly sinking.

And every step that followed, he walked so slowly and falteringly.

After he finally entered the Dongci room, the maids who were kneeling on the ground saw him, hurriedly walked aside, and made a way for him to pass.

Jian Yan and Li Xin were kneeling on the floor of the Babu bed surrounded by nanmu and begonia flowers.

Li Xin had been crying for a long time, lying in Jian Yan's arms and sobbing unceasingly.Then he suddenly saw Li Yi standing behind him, and rushed over on his knees, hugged his leg, raised his head, his face was full of tears, and asked him in a hoarse voice: "Father, mother, why did she die?" The maid here said that my mother had a fight with you today, what did you quarrel with my mother? Why did she seek death, huh? Daddy, tell me."

Li Yi was stunned, allowing Li Xin to shake him desperately, but his eyes passed everything, and only fell on Nie Qingniang.

A double-breasted cloak with a garnet-red pattern of goldenseal, a moon-white horse-face skirt with flowers, and an orange gauze cloak on both arms.This was her makeup when he saw her for the first time that spring.

Later, he mentioned it to her many times, that day when he saw her wearing such a dress, standing pretty by the water, pursing her lips and chuckling, her eyes were so beautiful and charming, at that moment It only taught him to think that he saw the God of Luoshui, and he couldn't look away anymore.

At that time when she heard what he said, she lowered her head, her cheeks were dizzy, she pursed her lips and smiled lightly, her beauty like a crabapple flower was hard to describe.

And the emerald emerald phoenix with big pearls inlaid with red gold silk hairpin on her temples, and the brow pendants with various gemstones on her forehead were all given to her when they were just married and when they were in love. her.

He still remembered that she was doing her makeup in front of the mirror at that time, and he took out this emerald emerald phoenix from his sleeve, and put it on her temples with his own hands, and then praised her for being as beautiful as a fairy in the sky, her eyes were shy , looking very happy.

All that seems to be still in front of her eyes, but now she is wearing the dress when they first met, wearing the phoenix hairpin and eyebrow pendant he gave her, lying there with her eyes closed and never getting up again up.

Still the same beautiful face as when we first met.Even because she closed her eyes, she looked so gentle and elegant.

Li Xin was still shaking him desperately, and hoarsely questioned what he said to his mother today, and it turned out that his mother wanted to die like this.

But Li Yi couldn't answer him.

He could only feel his heart trembling, and tears poured out, blurring everything in front of him.

"How did Qing Niang die?"

He could hear his own voice hoarse, like rough sandpaper scraping through trees.

In fact, since Li Yi came in, Jian Yan has been looking at him coldly.

She knew Li Yi's temperament.To put it bluntly, he is machismo, he says what he says, and he doesn't like others to contradict him.To put it harshly, it is self-willed.

Therefore, Aunt Wan has grasped his temperament and is extraordinarily docile and obedient in front of him, which is why she has been loved by him for 20 years.

Just now, Jian Yan had already formulated two plans in her mind.

If after Li Yi came in, everything in front of him did not touch him, but instead he blamed Nie Qingniang angrily for why her life and death were so untimely. Impossible—then Jian Yan decided to just say that Nie Qingniang died of a sudden illness.

Otherwise, if it is said that Nie Qingniang died by swallowing gold, such a resolute and fierce way of seeking death will undoubtedly only make Li Yi feel even more disgusted.If it gets out, what will others think of him?

Doting on concubines and destroying wives?His wife resisted his decision by swallowing gold and committing suicide?In this way, he naturally loses face at all.I'm afraid that this will even lower the status of himself and Li Xin in his heart, and their life will only become more and more sad in the future.

It's not that Jian Yan is still planning for herself, thinking about living a good life in Zheng Guogong's mansion.She just thought that Nie Qingniang couldn't die in vain.

Naturally, she would make all those who forced Nie Qingniang to die pay their due price, but the premise was that she had to protect herself and Li Xin well.

Especially Li Xin.Nie Qingniang is dead, but Aunt Wan has a concubine's eldest son. It is impossible for her not to covet the position of the prince of the country. I am afraid that Aunt Wan will definitely take action against Li Xin in the future.

So she is bound to put an end to all this happening.She must make Li Yi feel guilty, feel sorry for Nie Qingniang, sorry for their siblings, and then she will think of a way to slowly concoct Aunt Wan and the others.

And now seeing Li Yi's tearful and distraught appearance, Jian Yan knew that Li Yi still had some feelings for Nie Qingniang in his heart.In this case, the second set of plans will be implemented.

When she should show weakness, she will naturally show weakness.

So Jian Yan also walked over on her knees, took out a letter from her sleeve, put it in her hands, lowered her head, and said in a low voice: "Father, this is the last letter left by mother."

Naturally, this letter could not really be written by Nie Qingniang.

To this day, what kind of feelings does Nie Qingniang have for Li Yi?No matter how many feelings, they were slowly worn away in these years, not to mention that Li Yi also listened to the words of Aunt Wan and Li Nianyi, and wanted to sacrifice Jian Yan's life to fulfill Li Nianyi and the future of Zheng Guogong's mansion.

The Li Yi she loves is the black-browed and black-eyed boy she saw when she was hiding behind the screen, who would firmly tell her father that he would take good care of Qingniang in his life, and the boy who was the one two years before they got married. In the first year, he would hold her hand and talk to her husband about all kinds of interesting things.

But such a young man and her husband have long been quietly annihilated in the long river of time.Even when she was dying, she didn't have a word to say to the current Li Yi.

And this letter was actually written by Jian Yan imitating Nie Qingniang's handwriting.

Since she returned to Zheng Guogong's mansion, she has been with Nie Qingniang every day. Once she saw that Nie Qingniang's hairpin lowercase was well written, she wanted to learn it. Naturally, Nie Qingniang was willing to teach her, and Jian Yan is a smart person. , so she was able to imitate Nie Qingniang's handwriting to seven or eight parts.

Only seven or eight like this is enough.Li Yi is no longer the same Li Yi from back then, everything about Nie Qingniang is very clear.

So Jian Yan took advantage of the similar handwriting, and in the name of Nie Qingniang, wrote a letter to Li Yi with a deep affection, and guaranteed that after reading it, he would definitely touch his heart and feel guilty about Nie Qingniang. .

Some time ago, Li Yi's relationship with Nie Qingniang also eased for a while.At that time Li Yi ate here every day, Jian Yan and Li Xin naturally also stayed with him.At that time, Jian Yan heard that Li Yi had occasionally mentioned the past between him and Nie Qingniang, and combined with Wei Weimao sometimes talking about the past between Nie Qingniang and Li Yi, Jian Yan was able to roughly piece together the past between Li Yi and Nie Qingniang. Nie Qingniang's first acquaintance, courtship, and how they got along afterwards.

Naturally, Li Yi and Nie Qingniang separated, and Jian Yan would not mention anything in the letter about what happened after they drifted apart.In her letter, the whole article was just in the name of Nie Qingniang, sadly talking about how she was tempted when she saw Li Yi hiding behind the screen, and then begged her parents to agree to the marriage.When she got married, she was full of red makeup, and she was so happy when she was sitting in the wedding sedan chair.How happy she was when the two got married for the first time.It's just that she always thought that they would be a couple for life, and she never thought that he would take a concubine.And how sad she was after he took the concubine's room, and all the conflicts in words afterwards were because she cared about him and only wanted her to be the only one in his life.Even this time she committed suicide by swallowing gold, because he believed Aunt Wan's words and abandoned her.

Such a sad tone of letter, but the person who wrote this letter is wearing the dress when they first met, and the jewelry he gave him when they were newly married, not to mention the sad crying around them, Another pair of sons and daughters were crying in front of him like a weeping man, asking him why his mother died, but anyone with a little bit of conscience would definitely feel extremely sad.

So Jian Yan saw Li Yi's tall body swaying, and then knelt down too.

"Qingniang," he said in a low voice, looking at Nie Qingniang with tears in his eyes, "I'm sorry. I didn't know you were thinking like this. It's just why you didn't tell me clearly all these years? To even do such a stupid thing, it’s not like killing me.”

Jian Yan just looked at him coldly, without saying a word.

What had he been doing all those years ago?This meeting is for confession and guilt, and mother will not hear it.Even if they heard it, I'm afraid they would just smile lightly and would not believe it at all.

It's just that Li Yi's current confession and guilt, but Jian Yan needs it.

At this time, Aunt Wan had already walked in with Mrs. Liu.

As soon as she came in, she rushed towards the bed, and tears rolled out immediately, calling her sister, why did you go away like this.

At this time, Li Xin already knew the reason for the dispute between Li Xin and Nie Qingniang today.Everything started because of Aunt Wan, Li Nianyi and others.Thinking about what Aunt Wan, Li Nianyi, Li Nianlan and others have done in these years, Li Xin only hated for a moment that his eyes were red, and he wanted to rush over and slap Aunt Wan.

But Jian Yan held him back.

Enemies met each other and were extremely jealous. Although she wanted to stab Aunt Wan right now, she couldn't do it.

With great difficulty, she made Li Yi feel guilty towards Nie Qingniang and their siblings, and it couldn't be destroyed by beating Aunt Wan.

Aunt Wan, she can say pitifully that she never thought that the madam would do such a stupid thing because of that incident, and she is also wholeheartedly thinking about the future of the Duke's mansion, it is the madam who doesn't want the third girl Married far away, that's why she did such a decisive and drastic thing.

Based on Jian Yan's understanding of Aunt Wan these days, maybe relying on her sharp tongue will make Li Yi hate Nie Qingniang and their siblings.

He hated Nie Qingniang's actions for ruining Li Nianyi, ruining the future of the entire Duke's mansion, and giving him a reputation of favoring concubines and destroying wives.

Furthermore, just slapping Aunt Wan would be too cheap for her.

So Jian Yan just pressed Li Xin firmly, and kept whispering in his ear: "Calm down. Xin'er, calm down."

She expected that Aunt Wan would definitely bring up the matter of being in charge of the family later.

The most urgent thing for her is to hold the right to head the house in her own hands.Only then can she deal with Aunt Wan and the others well in the future.

And sure enough, Aunt Wan patted the edge of the bed and cried for a while, then turned around and came to Li Yi, holding his arm, with tears in her eyes, while persuading: "Master Guo, My sister actually went like this, it really hurt my heart and my lungs. I really wish I could go instead of my sister, so that my sister can stay by the Duke's side."

After finishing speaking, she cried out to her sister twice, then took a handkerchief, wiped the tears off her face, and said: "Since my sister has gone, we living people still have to live well. Father-in-law, please be patient. Don't worry, my concubine will definitely handle things well for my sister, and let her go on the road in a dignified way."

Her current intention is to regain the right to head the house.

Without the right to head the family, how would she manage the funeral?

Li Yi naturally had no disagreement with this.

Not to mention that it was Aunt Wan who had been in charge of the Duke's mansion for more than ten years, only that Qingniang is dead now, Jian Yan and Li Xin are young, and the other aunts in the mansion are even more unreliable, Qingniang The affairs behind her can only be handled by Aunt Wan.

He was about to ask Aunt Wan to take back the right to head the house, but at this moment, Jian Yan got up and walked in front of him, then knelt down, kowtowed, and said with a crying voice: "Daughter Ask your father one thing."

Li Yiyuan didn't have any father-daughter affection towards Jian Yan.

No matter if they are related by blood, in the final analysis, they were not raised by his side since childhood, but they were recognized halfway and have not been together for a few months. How much father-daughter affection can there be?So that's why Li Nianyi didn't get very angry when he mentioned such a thing.And if Li Nianlan was to marry Wen'an County Lord and go to the northwest, then he would naturally not want to.

But now because of Nie Qingniang's death, Jian Yan has tears on her face again, kneeling in front of her like this, he can't help but feel his heart soften.

After all, she is Qing Niang and her own child.

So he said softly: "What's the matter? You just say it's okay."

Jian Yan raised her head, her almond eyes were filled with tears, and with a slight blink, the tears rolled down like beads.

"Father," she choked with sobs and her voice was hoarse, "I beg you to save my mother the last bit of decency."

Li Yi sighed, and there was a bit of choking in his voice: "Silly boy, your mother, your mother is my first wife, even if she does such a stupid thing now, I will naturally give it to you." She kept a decent one. I will definitely make things happen for her after her death, and I will never say to the outside world that she committed suicide by swallowing money, only that she died of an illness."

Jian Yan smiled coldly in her heart.

Of course, if it is announced that Nie Qingniang committed suicide by swallowing gold, then Nie Qingniang will lose face, but for Li Yi, it will only be even more shameless.

At this moment, a low exclamation suddenly came from the side.

It's Aunt Wan.

She opened her eyes wide, and held her mouth with a handkerchief, her face full of shock: "Sister, sister, she actually committed suicide?"

At first, she always thought that Nie Qingniang died of illness, but she didn't expect that she committed suicide by swallowing gold.

Nie Qingniang actually dared to do such a thing?What is she doing?What the hell is going on here?

Jian Yan turned her head and glanced over coldly.

It was clear that she was just a young girl, but when she glanced over, Aunt Wan felt that a layer of cold sweat broke out on her back immediately, and her heart trembled uncontrollably.

She unconsciously took two steps back.

At this time, Jian Yan had already turned her head away, looked at Li Yi with a sad face, and then bent down again, her head resting on the ground.

"Father, are you planning to let Aunt Wan take care of your mother's affairs? Let my daughter say something disrespectful. Your mother is the mistress of Zheng Guogong's mansion, and Aunt Wan is just a concubine after all. If you teach outsiders to know a mistress What is the face of the mother? What is the face of yours? What is the face of the entire Zheng Guogong's mansion? Not to mention that Xin'er and I will be pointed out by the nobles of various families when we go out. It's my father, I'm afraid I will be pointed out behind my back. Please think again, father."

Li Yi hesitated when he heard this.

These few words that Jian Yan said are really reasonable.It's just that if Aunt Wan is not asked to handle the funeral, who can be asked to handle it?Right now, his Li family only has a single descendant of his lineage, and there is no one in the family...

"It's just that if you don't ask Aunt Wan to handle the funeral, who else can you ask?"

Jian Yan raised her head, and said calmly: "Father, let my daughter send mother off for the last time."

"You?" Li Yi looked at her in surprise.

After all, Jian Yan is just a girl who has not left the court, and funerals are not trivial matters. Let her take care of them, will she?

Aunt Wan first heard what Jian Yan said to Li Yi, and kept saying that she only used her status as a concubine to talk about things. Naturally, she felt very uncomfortable in her heart, but after hearing Jian Yan's words, she felt very uncomfortable for a while. I can't care less about being uncomfortable.

The most important thing is to hold the power of the master tightly in the palm of your hand.

"My lord," she said hastily, "after all, Sister Yan is just a girl who hasn't left the cabinet. Man said that she has never presided over Zhongfu before. If something goes wrong in such a big event as a funeral, she will be laughed at by her relatives and friends." .Also, I have never heard of such a thing as a girl who has not left the cabinet to organize the funeral for her mother."

"But I've never heard of letting a concubine's room handle the funeral for the mistress." Jian Yan stopped her in a sentence, then fell down in front of Li Yi, kowtowed her head, and spoke with Choking with sobs, he said, "I beg my father to save the last bit of decency for my mother, and also for me, Xin'er, yourself, and the entire Duke's Mansion."

If the concubine's room is in charge of the funeral of the mistress, then the guests who come to express their condolences will know that the entire Duke Zheng's mansion will become the laughing stock of everyone.

Aunt Wan was still waiting to say something at this time, but Li Yi let out a long sigh, shed tears, and said in a low voice: "Okay. Yan'er, then you will send your mother off for the last time."

Upon hearing this, Jian Yan kowtowed on the ground again, and said in a low voice, "Thank you, father."

Once the right to head the house is in her hands, she will never let it go.

(End of this chapter)