Chapter 1.2 - Fang Fei (2/2)
This was indeed “those who harm and kill others get rich, while those who work hard die without proper burial”.
Princess Yong Ning had spoken for quite some time and was starting to get impatient. She put the pot of cherry-apple flower down on the table and gestured for the two sturdy old servants to step forward.
When Xue Fang Fei finally regained her focus, she shouted: “What are you trying to do?”
With a proud and carefree smile on her lips, Princess Yong Ning said: “Xue Fang Fei, you have a noble and virtuous moral character, with incomparable looks and talents, naturally you couldn’t stand the crime of having an illicit affair with another man. These past few months have been a painful struggle. Although my dear Shen has treated you just like he did before, you couldn’t forgive yourself. Taking advantage of the time when my dear Shen wasn’t home, you hung yourself.” After saying this, she lightly stood up, “How is it? Won’t this version return some of your face4?” Then Princess Yong Ning’s facial expression changed and she ruthlessly said: “If it weren’t for my dear Shen’s reputation, this princess wouldn’t be so lenient on you.”
“How dare you? How dare you!” Xue Fang Fei burst out in anger. Seeing her movements, the two servants quickly suppressed her firmly.
“This princess has an affinity with darling Shen. It’s a pity that you are in the way. Naturally this princess cannot tolerate you. If you had belonged to a noble family, maybe this princess would have needed to exert more effort. However, your father is just a minor county deputy. How many counties and provinces are there? You people of the Xue family, are nothing more than a strand of grass. In your next life, before you reincarnate, think carefully and remember to pick being born in a distinguished family.”
Desperation grew in Xue Fang Fei. She refused to accept the current situation and struggled while looking at death’s door, grasping for any opportunity to turn her situation around. Yet, she absolutely had no way out of this, not against the power and the disparity of social hierarchies!
Through a gap in the window, Xue Fang Fei glimpsed the shadow of a familiar person. She clearly recognized it as her husband, the person she had shared a bed with.
Once again, a glimmer of hope rose in Xue Fang Fei’s heart and she called loudly: “Shen Yurong! Shen Yurong, you treating me like this, heaven won’t tolerate it! Shen Yurong!”
That shadow outside the window disappeared in an instant, as if fleeing to hide. Princess Yong Ning cursed: “What are you waiting for? Do it now!”
The two servants bent forward and bound the snow-white silk around Xue Fang Fei’s neck. The fabric used to wrap around the beauty’s neck was Songjian’s Madam Zhao’s yearly tribute to the palace – a bolt was worth a thousand gold. During her struggle, Xue Fang Fei wistfully thought that even the chosen murder weapon was so ridiculously precious.
Princess Yong Ning stood a meter away, her eyes cold and indifferent, looking at her struggle just like a fish nearing its death. She mockingly said: “Remember, you may have an unparalleled appearance and talents, but in the end you are merely a small official’s daughter. For this princess to crush you, it’s as simple as crushing an ant!”
The pot of cherry-apple tree was knocked during her struggle. When it fell on the ground, the pot broke and an astringent fragrance floated out. The withered branches fell out from inside, showing a hard-to-bear portrayal of a shattered beauty.
In the fourth month of the lunar year, Fang Fei’s life reached its end.
How I hate to have to edit/read these initial chapters again, where so much injustice is done to her ???????? my blood is boiling! At least it’s not as horrible as in Ill-fated consort shivers. Fang Fei, may you rest in peace, your tragic and short live that only lasted a chapter will surely be avenged!
If I’m not wrong, the Prince Consort (aka Princess’s husband) cannot be given an official post in order to mantain the balance of political power (and prolly to not become a threat to the Emperor’s heirs)… so Shen Yu Rong and Princess Yong Ning getting together it’s actually not that good of an idea for him (well, at least marrying each other, which is not exactly the same) >.< but well I’m not sure if that might have changed in different dynasties or… maybe it’s different here just for the plot’s convinience… or maybe…
1: Here I’m guessing this ‘something sweet’ actually refers to blood. In China, if someone is told something outrageous or victim of venomous slander, they would spit blood (血口喷人), and they often refer to it as a warm, sweet feeling in their mouth. Here, XFF wants to vomit blood after hearing the princess call her own husband ‘my dear’ but she is able to hold it back.:leftwards_arrow_with_hook:
2:本宫 (bengong), lit. this palace (aka this one from the palace), used by an imperial princess or the empress to refer to herself in 3rd person, showing their arrogance and superior standing.:leftwards_arrow_with_hook:
3: 淡泊名利, lit. to be indifferent to worldly rewards.:leftwards_arrow_with_hook:
4: In Chinese, face (脸面) represents sth like your dignity, reputation, prestige or the respect others ought to have towards you. In this case, committing suicide (which equals to herself admitting her wrongdoings) would atone a bit for her misdeeds (having an affair) so that would return her a bit of her face (reputation/dignity).:leftwards_arrow_with_hook: