Vol 8 Chapter 81 (2/2)

Well, she didn’t exactly tell me but I could tell what it was.

“More or less.” I gave an ambiguous reply, “What happened next?”

“Un… We went there multiple times and I once brought mother along as well.”

“Eh? You brought your mother?” I asked, to which Liu Cong nodded.

Ah, she brought Lady Cai huh? I don’t know why but I can more or less guess what happened afterwards…

“Back when mother saw the secret garden, she too was amazed.” Liu Cong continued, “Thereafter, I told father about this as well…”

“… Eh?” I sank into silence for a moment before continuing, “So you told elder brother about it?”

“… Un.” Liu Cong lightly nodded.

“And Liu Qi was berated afterwards?”

“… Un.” Another light nod from Liu Cong.

This, this is too–

I was at a loss as to what to say and was very suspicious as I asked Liu Cong, “But did you ever think that if you told your father about this, Liu Qi would be seen as someone who only engages in frivolous play?”

“… I never thought about it, because–” Liu Cong seemed a little displeased at what I said and continued in a defensive tone, “Because father too is hated by flowers! I was hoping to make father happy!”

… Eh? What did she just say?

“Liu– Elder brother too?”

He’s allergic to pollen as well?

“… Un.” Liu Cong nodded once more.

No wonder. So this allergy is something that’s pa.s.sed down the family huh?

(TL: Pollen allergy is inheritable.)

“Umm, so let me see if I got this right. You told your father that Liu Qi has a garden somewhere and before you could say anything else, elder brother sent men over to deal with it?”

“That’s what happened,” Liu Cong couldn’t resist anymore and placed the wooden box on her knees as she covered her face with both hands, “It’s all my fault! If only I’d said everything clearly then!”

“… B, but, doesn’t your father know that Liu Qi has an allergy– a weird reaction to flowers? If you mentioned that Liu Qi has a garden, wouldn’t that have aroused some suspicions?”

“… Back then, I didn’t say that Liu Qi had a garden. I said–”

Father, father! Liu Qi has a very secret wonderland, father will definitely like it!

… Eh? B, but…

“Then why didn’t you explain yourself further?”

“Father didn’t have any scary expression back then,” Liu Cong continued in a tearful voice, “I just left the house back then happily and only when I came home… *s.h.i.+ku*… Did I find out that father had sent men to destroy the garden.”

Ah… So that’s what happened.

Now everything makes sense. Liu Biao didn’t fly into a rage back then because he was concerned about proprieties and face and didn’t want to show his anger in front of Liu Cong.

But there are still things that aren’t clear.

“B, but…”

But then why didn’t you tell your father the truth afterwards? Or so I wanted to ask, but decided against it when I saw how tearful Liu Cong was.

Back then, Liu Cong was just a few years old. No kid would have had the courage to speak out after what had transpired.

Much less the second daughter of a feudal lord.

Everything. Everything happened because of coincidences and accidents of various sorts.

If Liu Cong hadn’t said anything or had been clearer, or if Liu Biao was willing to listen further, then none of all this would have happened. Or perhaps, it might have happened later instead.

Hai… I sighed, as I thought about how fate had toyed with their fates.

“And thereafter, elder sister no longer spoke to me. No matter how much I tried to explain myself to her, she wouldn’t forgive me.” Liu Cong continued in her crestfallen state with her tearful voice, “Elder sister then joined the army and suffered much there. I, on the other hand, engaged in studies in Court. Though it was difficult, it was much easier than what elder sister had to go through. Thereafter, we spoke even less.”

“Un… So you both haven’t spoken to each other for almost 10 years now?”

Liu Cong nodded and held down her skirt with one hand as she slowly got up. She then dabbed her eyes with her handkerchief which she used to blow her nose afterwards before sighing.

“But I can’t blame elder sister for what she did as everything was indeed a result of my actions.” Liu Cong said as she patted the soil off her clothing and smoothened the creases, “Though mother has told me not to interact with elder sister as we are approaching the turning point in the inheritance struggle, I still wish to do something for elder sister.”

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