Chu Wang Fei-Chapter 4: Exercise authority on getting off the horse

Pai – sort of like a medallion showing that you are part of a particular family. The ‘jin pai’ (i.e. gold pai) is something possessed by all important members of the Imperial Family and represents the imperial power itself. So for example, if Yun Qian Meng present the ‘jin pai’, it’s like the Dowager Empress is present at the scene herself.

Shu Nv – the ‘illegitimate daughter’; her mother isn’t the legal wife of the husband

Shu born – born ‘illegitimately’

The Emperor sighs as he looks at Chen Wang and the nonchalant Yun Qian Meng who stands beside him before agreeing to their request.

He then dismisses the Dowager Empress and Yun Qian Meng from the hall in order to continue with official business. Whilst the Dowager Empress is dissatisfied with her niece breaking off the engagement without consulting her first, she is unable to protest or say anything else since the Emperor had already given out his edict and leaves as he has asked.

However, right before they exist the Jin Luan Dian, the Dowager Empress pauses in front of Chu Fei Yang where she glares at him for a few moments. Chu Fei Yang simply smiles at her, disregarding her threatening aura and instead turns his attention towards Yun Qian Meng who blatantly ignores him.

“Dowager Empress, chen still has some business and must leave first,” right after leaving the hall, Chen Wang excuses himself, but not before staring at Yun Qian Meng and trying to see through her façade.

Just as the Dowager Empress is about to lecture Yun Qian Meng about the events which had occurred within the hall, Yun Qian Meng speaks out and asks, “Dowager Empress, could you please give me face and let Qiu Lian go?”

With that simple request, the Dowager Empress has no choice but to redirect her anger at Yun Xuan Zhi as she believes that Yun Qian Meng is asking for the maidservant’s forgiveness because she’s afraid of her father. Worried about her niece’s welfare, she hands her gold pai to Bing’Er, telling her to use it in case Yun Qian Meng ever finds herself in a tight situation.

At this point, Su Qin and her daughter, Yun Ruo Xue, are waiting gleefully at home. Both of them believe that after being rejected within the Imperial Palace, Yun Qian Meng will become the butt of everybody’s jokes. Although they aren’t quite sure whether or not Yun Qian Meng is still alive, they know that it won’t matter since ther’s no way Yun Qian Meng will ever be able to marry a decent man again.

Instead of seeing their home sedan, they see the Dowager Empress’ sedan pull up outside of the front door instead. Yun Ruo Xue rushes towards to door as she sees her elder sister being helped out.

“Jie Jie,” she calls out loudly, “what happened to you? Perhaps you did not go to the palace to eat and drink and have fun? After all, how could you end up like this if you did go for those purposes?”

A crowd forms outside of the estate and Yun Qian Meng slowly turns around to face Yun Ruo Xue with a smile, “and since when did Xiang Fu’s Shu Nv have the right to directly talk to me without greeting me first? Perhaps this is what concubine Su has been teaching her daughter all this time? My sister dares make a scene right outside our front door, does she not care for Father’s political appearance?”

Su Qin is stunned for a moment by Yun Qian Meng’s comeback and listens as the crowd points at both her and her daughter.

Yun Ruo Xue wants to retaliate but gets scared when she sees the dark look Yun Qian Meng has in her eyes; but when her eyes fall on the Dowager Empress’ sedan she can’t help but rebut, “did Jie Jie damage her head when she hit the pillar? Or maybe it is because Jie Jie suddenly has the Dowager Empress’ support that you believe you can treat all those who are shu born like this? Ruo Xue completely understands, Jie Jie looks down upon us but Jie Jie, everybody has already heard of today’s events. How can Jie Jie still have the face to return home? Are you not afraid of ruining Xiang Fu’s appearance?”

Su Qin also walks forward to help her daughter, “yes, why is the eldest Miss angry? It was Chen Wang who broke off the engagement; it has nothing to do with us so there’s no need for you to get angry at those who have done nothing wrong. Perhaps you see us as weak? People who are easy to bully?”

“Shut your mouth!” Yun Xuan Zhi, who had just arrived outside the door, gets angry at the mother and daughter when he hears the things they are calling out in broad daylight in front of the common people who had all gathered to watch the show.

Seeing Yun Xuan Zhi approach, Yun Qian Meng starts tearing up and begins to cry.

“Father, Meng’Er understands, Meng’Er does not have a mother to protect her and within the vast Xiang Fu, the concubine does not take Meng’Er seriously and looks down upon me. They all want to kick me out of Xiang Fu! Father, if this mansion has no place for Meng’Er then Meng’Er will go to the Dowager Empress’ palace, at least the Dowager Empress still has room for Meng’Er.”

Su Qin and Yun Ruo Xue are startled by the things that come out of Yun Qian Meng’s mouth and upon hearing Yun Qian Meng bring out the Dowager Empress name, Yun Xuan Zhi gets angry at Su Qin and says before his concubine can defend himself, “Concubine Su, you, as a woman of the family, have exited the house without my permission. Thus, you are to be confined for ten days. As for Yun Ruo Xue who has disrespected her elder sister, you are to be confined for half a month!”