The Princess Wei Yang

16

Merciless, Heartless

After coming to a decision, Li Wei Yang displayed an expression filled with hesitation and worries. She intentionally stammered, "Qi yiniang . . . Qi yiniang . . . what's wrong with her?"

Hua Mei recognized Wei Yang's curiosity and hurriedly responded, "San xiaojie, Qi yiniang's illness is going to worsen when winter arrives, afraid she won't be able to endure past the year. . ." As she spoke, she was carefully studying Li Wei Yang, not missing any changes in expression.

The smile on Wei Yang's face gradually disappeared, replaced by a crest-fallen look. "Qi yiniang is my birth mother but all I can do is watch her suffer . . ."

Hua Mei reminded, "San xiaojie, now that you're doing better, shouldn't you help out Qi yiniang? At the very least, you should go and visit her."

Li Wei Yang blinked a few times. "But right now Qi yiniang is heavily ill. I heard father had instructed no one is allowed to visit in case one might be infected by the illness."

Hua Mei smiled and said, "San xiaojie, you can sneak out at night to visit her, isn't that right? I'll help you scope out the area in case someone arrives. If someone does come, I'll immediately notify you. Then nobody will know right?"

Li Wei Yang continued to be reluctant. "If father knew I broke the rule, he's going to be very angry."

"I have no rights to persuade you, but San xiaojie, just think about it. Qi yiniang is your birth mother! Even if laoye knew, there's nothing he can do about it," Hua Mei said.

Hua Mei wanted to encourage her to visit her birth mother in order to infuriate her father? No way, it couldn't be that simple.

Wei Yang laughed, as if she finally understood. "Hua Mei, you're so clever! Let me think about the time and I'll tell you when later." Watching as Hua Mei disappeared, the look in Wei Yang's eyes turned frosty.

Behind the curtains, Bai Zhi slowly appeared. "San xiaojie, you must not listen to her!"

Li Wei Yang glanced at Bai Zhi and asked, "Why not?"

Bai Zhi paused for a second but she truly did not want to see her young miss get into trouble so she said, "Xiaojie, please don't mind me for saying this, but everything that Hua Mei has said, it is too suspicious."

It seems Bai Zhi was not that simple-minded and naïve. Li Wei Yang grinned and said, "Greed has no boundaries. There are some people who can't live without seeing me suffer." Then she tossed the pair of beautifully sewn shoes aside.

Bai Zhi startled. "San xiaojie, you already knew. All the more, you mustn't go!"

Li Wei Yang tapped rhythmically on the table as her smile broadened. "No, we must go!"

That afternoon, Li Wei Yang told Hua Mei that they were going to pay Qi yiniang a visit at around 7pm. However, when the sun had just set at around 5pm, Li Wei Yang had taken Bai Zhi and the two of them silently left their yard from the back doors.

"San xiaojie, didn't you told Hua Mei to meet up at 7pm? Why are we—"

Li Wei Yang grinned. Her eyes were sparkling with wiles. "If we waited until then, we would only be stepping into their traps!" Visiting her birth mother was a must, but the time in which they visited Qi yiniang had to be carefully mapped out. The timing had to be perfect so that Da furen didn't have a way out, thinking that her scheme had been successful, and at the same time, it should give her enough time to find a leeway should anything go wrong.

Li Wei Yang and Bai Zhi made their way towards Nan Yuan carefully and silently, without bumping into anyone on the way. Nan Yuan was extremely peaceful and isolated. There were weeds growing on both sides of the walls and there were only three rooms in the yard. There were barely any servants at Nan Yuan.