Chapter 322: I’m Sorry

Late at night, in the mountains of Guangyuan Temple.

Yang Xiangdong brought his wife here to offer incense and enjoy the scenery.

After they got married, they would come here several times a year. The Sutra Repository and some of the buildings here were even sponsored by Madam Yang’s family. The former abbot, Wuchen, was a close friend of the family. But he was old and passed away a few years ago.

The current abbot, Kongjing, is Wuchen’s disciple. He is particularly respectful to Eldest Madam Li and sends the first batch of mountain fruits to her residence every year.

Upon arriving at the temple, they heard that Kongjing had fallen on the mountain and was now recuperating at a clinic at the foot of the mountain.

However, Yang Xiangdong met an old friend here, Xiong Qian, a gentle and refined young man, who also came here with his wife for a visit. The two friends were delighted to reunite and chatted over tea.

Madam Yang sat with Mrs. Xiong, constantly observing her: “You are so beautiful!” she praised generously, “Beautiful features, well-dressed, and a unique temperament.”

The woman across from her said: “Your straightforward personality is also likable.” But she thought to herself, look at her looks and demeanor…

“Do you have children?” Madam Yang asked.

The woman’s eyes flashed with a peculiar brilliance, “Soon.” She gently caressed her abdomen.

“Oh! Congratulations! But why come to a mountain temple? It’s cold here, and the road isn’t easy to walk. I heard the abbot even fell!”

!”

“I’ve been bored at home for months. My husband said the scenery here is unique, so we came to stay for a few days.”

“The scenery here is indeed good. Master Yang and I come here several times every year. In mid-April, there are mountain flowers blooming here! In summer, when it’s hottest in the city, you still need a thin quilt at night here!”

“I have a son and a daughter, and they also love it here… This time, I said I would bring them, but Master was afraid it would delay their studies. It’s only a few days… I should have talked to Elder Sister; she and Brother-in-law would have sided with Master. Elder Sister is very strict with my children. Sigh, they are all ambitious. Only I…” She complained, yet she sounded content.

“I envy you so much! I actually really want another baby, but Elder Sister said I had a difficult delivery last time and was afraid there would be trouble again next time. She also said that since I already have both a son and a daughter… If I like, I can let my husband take a concubine to have children…” She finished and laughed heartily.

She even kindly reminded, “You should eat more vegetables, more walnuts… They’re good for the brain! The baby will be smart! Don’t over-nourish… Don’t gain too much weight…”

She chattered endlessly.

Wei Xiangyu… Yes, this Mrs. Xiong Qian is Wei Xiangyu.

She endured the constant chatter, casting a sympathetic glance at Yang Xiangdong: This vulgar and boring woman, it’s hard for him to have endured her for so many years!

How can such a woman compare to me?

That night, Yang Xiangdong suggested that he and Brother Xiong have an all-night conversation in one room. Let Mrs. Xiong and Madam stay in a suite to look after each other.

Everyone agreed happily.

Madam Yang was indeed a warm-hearted person. She even helped Wei Xiangyu take care of the candles, water, and quilts before returning to her own bedroom next door.

The night passed peacefully.

The next day, Mrs. Xiong couldn’t climb the mountain because she was pregnant.

Yang Xiangdong and Xiong Qian went climbing. Madam Yang only walked a short distance and returned when she couldn’t keep up with their pace.

Another day of vegetarian meals, drinking tea, playing chess, and chatting.

Yang Xiangdong and Xiong Qian, perhaps because they were tired from climbing during the day, slept very soundly. A fire broke out outside. They didn’t get up and run out until the patrol came to call them…

“Ah, their room is on fire!” Yang Xiangdong shouted.

Xiong Qian rushed into the burning room.

Yang Xiangdong looked around. Only two patrols were running around. The older female servants were at the foot of the mountain, and the maids hadn’t heard any commotion. He wondered why he had woken up a little late.

Suddenly, he seemed to see Xiong Qian pulling a woman out. Although he couldn’t see her face clearly, he was certain it was Wei Xiangyu. “Where’s my wife? Cuihua? Cuihua?”

He rushed inside, but Mr. Xiong stopped him: “The fire is too big!”

“My wife is inside!”

“Then… let’s go together!”

Just as they reached the door, a beam falling from the roof seemed to hit Yang Xiangdong on the head. In the moment before he blacked out, he thought, This is bad, I’m finished!

…He didn’t know how long it had been before Yang Xiangdong woke up.

He was lying alone in a clean and simple room.

He broke out in a cold sweat, quickly got up, and checked himself, touching his face and then his whole body. Except for a slight pain in the back of his head, he was fine.

It’s alright, it’s alright.

If he had been burned, all his plans would have been for nothing!

“Someone?”

A young monk came in, “Master, you’re awake?”

“Where’s my wife? Where’s Brother Xiong?”

“Please wait a moment…” The young monk went out, and after a while, a woman walked in!

Yang Xiangdong’s hair stood on end when he saw her, “Elder Sister?! Why are you here?”

Eldest Madam Li smiled and sat down on the only stool in the room: “If I hadn’t come, wouldn’t something terrible have happened?”

Yang Xiangdong came back to his senses and stared at Eldest Madam Li: “Cuihua, she… how is she?”

Eldest Madam Li looked at him expressionlessly: “What do you think?”

Yang Xiangdong’s mind raced. Something was wrong!

If something had happened to his wife, this elder sister, who treasured her like a jewel, wouldn’t be so calm.

Something had gone wrong, where did it go wrong?

“Elder Sister… Is Cuihua alright?”

“She’s fine.” Eldest Madam Li answered concisely.

“Then… where’s my good friend? Brother Xiong and…” He choked.

✿✿✿

“And who? Wei Xiangyu?” Eldest Madam Li smiled.

Yang Xiangdong felt as if he had been hit on the back of his head again. As clever as he was, he didn’t know how to respond for a moment.

So she knew, the plan had been exposed. “Elder Sister, what do you know?” he asked in a deep voice.

Eldest Madam Li was both angry and amused. After all, he was the one she had chosen. Even in this situation, he could remain so calm.

“Everything! You had an affair with Wei Xiangyu, and she’s pregnant with your child. You bribed that Xiong Qian, who was injured and couldn’t have children, to pretend to marry Wei Shi. Then, you planned to burn him and my younger sister to death here. Xiong Qian is the benefactor who saved my younger sister and you. He would die, his pregnant wife would become a widow. Then, you would take pity on their orphaned child and widowed mother and marry the widow out of gratitude. It would be a beautiful story, right?”

Yang Xiangdong lowered his eyelids. Yes, she knew everything!

“Then… where’s Wei Xiangyu?” he asked softly.

“Burned to death! Both mother and child!” Eldest Madam Li said with a faint smile.

Yang Xiangdong looked outside. The plan had failed, Xiangyu was dead… Everything was over.

“Then what about me? Why didn’t you kill me?”

“Because… I don’t want my sister to be sad, I don’t want her to be a widow! Your children can’t live without their father! I lost my mother when I was young, and life was so difficult… Without a father, it wouldn’t be any better.” Eldest Madam Li looked a little sad.

“You…” Yang Xiangdong looked at Eldest Madam Li.

Eldest Madam Li said, “Yang Xiangdong, do you know how surprised I was when I heard this news? I carefully chose you. You are smart, calm, know your limits, and have good character…”

“When we discussed your marriage, I analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of your union with my younger sister thoroughly. I was afraid that you might regret it one day. Although I valued your talent and potential future, I hoped even more that my younger sister would have a happy life… I didn’t force you, induce you, or deceive you. Right?”

Yang Xiangdong was speechless: “Right.”

“Then how did you come to this?” Eldest Madam Li’s eyes were filled with disappointment, not sadness.

In fact, these words made him feel worse than being called a devil or a poisonous snake, worse than being beaten or scolded.

He had no words to answer. “Elder Sister, things have come to this, what do you say we should do?”

“What to do… I’ll give you another chance to choose.”

Eldest Madam Li took out a few pieces of paper, “This is what Wei Xiangyu wrote before she died…”

Yang Xiangdong’s heart skipped a beat.

“She wrote down what happened and signed it. There are several copies, and I will keep them separately. If you can change your ways and keep your original promise, I will pretend that nothing happened. I can even arrange for you to take some beautiful concubines.”

“These letters will serve as a restraint on you. No matter how high you climb, if you have any second thoughts, one letter will bring you back down.”

“The second choice is: You are unwilling… Then, I have no choice but to kill you. Although it will make my younger sister sad… But she’ll only be sad for a few years. When it’s time for our daughter to get married and our son to take the imperial exams, she will be too busy to remember the past.” Think carefully!”

“Elder Sister, what I did was to harm her life. You are letting me off so easily? I have to admit, if I were in your position, I couldn’t do it.”

“When I chose you, I didn’t choose you for your noble character! I never believed in perfect people. My preferences, values, and forgiveness all come with a price! If you are worth it, the Li family will continue to support you. If you are not…”

“Since you said so, I don’t need to think about it anymore. From now on, I will live a good life with Cuihua and raise our son to be successful. Elder Sister, thank you for giving me another chance.”

“Hmm! Come with me!”

Yang Xiangdong followed Eldest Madam Li like a wooden puppet to a small room.

There were several people lying on the wooden boards inside, all covered with cloth. It seemed that there had been a fierce fight without his knowledge.

Eldest Madam Li unveiled one of them, and it could be vaguely seen that it was Wei Xiangyu…

In Yang Xiangdong’s mind was that beautiful and unique woman, every time he saw her, she was so beautiful…

But the one before him was blackened and deformed, her hair scorched.

“I’m letting you see her to make you understand: No matter how beautiful or ordinary a person’s appearance is, after being burned like this, they will all look like evil spirits. Yang Xiangdong, you disappointed me. Not because you wanted to harm my younger sister, but because you were painstakingly planning something that would never succeed.”

“If my younger sister had really died, would I have agreed to let you marry the so-called benefactor’s wife?”

“Wrong! Even if I didn’t know that you two conspired to harm my younger sister, I would have taken care of Wei Xiangyu and made sure she didn’t suffer at all, making it impossible for you to even mention marriage. Then, I would choose a suitable girl from my family to marry you!”

Yang Xiangdong gently covered the sheet and nodded, “Now I know.”

“You might think that if the Li family were to fall, no one could stop you from doing what you want…”

“Elder Sister, I never thought that!” Yang Xiangdong exclaimed, this was something he would never admit, even in death.

“You might think about it, but I’m telling you, you can’t do it!” Eldest Madam Li smiled, “You are closely tied to the Li family. If the Li family falls, you will definitely not escape!”

“When lust clouds the mind, people become foolish… You didn’t even think about it: What was Wei Xiangyu after? You were just her last resort.”

“If you had really married her, you would have to become a corrupt official. Otherwise, with your meager family fortune, how could you afford to support her? How much of any beautiful love can survive the trials of daily life?”

Suddenly, a cry came from outside, “Elder Sister! Husband! Are you in there?”

“Coming, coming!” Eldest Madam Li hurriedly left.

Yang Xiangdong looked at Wei Xiangyu: “I can’t die with you, I’m sorry.”

Here it is, six thousand words today. I basically wrote it all in one go this morning. My brain is numb…

I’ll fix any errors later, I only proofread it once before posting.