I Am Immortal in Great Yu

Chapter 216: Chapter 89: Pure Land 3

Qing Yun, ever the straightforward one, had already started explaining, ”This is what happened. This afternoon...”

The story was simple enough: the girls’ academy was out for the day, so Fang Ling and Nannan were supposed to come home for lunch. However, they got caught up saying goodbye to their classmates and came back late. By then, the steaming hot food had turned lukewarm. When a portion was sent to Liu Pan’Er, she threw a tantrum and smashed it...

Apparently, Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family had been furious. She only calmed down after Third Sister talked her down. She then had a young maid heat up another meal and send it to Liu Pan’Er, which finally put an end to the matter.

Qing Yun recounted the events just as they had happened. Her telling was straightforward, without a hint of embellishment or personal bias—a purely objective narration.

Fang Rui, however, frowned. He immediately realized the gravity of the situation.

This wasn’t about the food being cold. It was about Liu Pan’Er seeing herself as half a mistress of the house. She was trying to use this incident as a pretext to vie for power and challenge Third Sister’s position as the household manager.

As Fang Rui thought of this, his expression turned cold. ’This Liu Pan’Er... Honestly... Who gave her the nerve?!’

Just then, Qing Yun finished her story. Her large eyes darted about as she complained, ”Master, wasn’t it because you promoted Miss Liu to a concubine the other day? Otherwise, she would never dare...”

She hadn’t embellished the story earlier because she knew what was appropriate. But speaking her mind to Fang Rui now was simply part of her forthright nature.

’So after all that, this is my fault?’

Fang Rui thought for a moment and realized... she was probably right.

He wasn’t a heartless man. After sleeping with Liu Pan’Er, and after her repeated hints, he had given her official status. Of course, making her his primary wife was out of the question, so he made her a concubine.

But that had given her ideas she shouldn’t have.

’Liu Pan’Er has been in the mansion for a month or two. She’s gotten familiar with the place, seen that I’m easygoing, that Mother and Third Sister are gentle, and that the position of mistress is vacant. So, she’s started to get restless, looking for a mistake from Third Sister so she can start her power grab...’

In just a moment, Fang Rui had more or less figured out what Liu Pan’Er was thinking.

Of course, Liu Pan’Er wasn’t stupid. She wouldn’t have picked a fight she was guaranteed to lose. She must have acted because she thought she had a high chance of winning.

’Over the past month or two, I haven’t gone out of my way to spend more time with Third Sister, and I’ve slept at Liu Pan’Er’s place more often. That must have given her the wrong idea—that if she was in the right, I’d probably take her side.’

But in reality, she was dead wrong.

Fang Rui’s bond with Third Sister was incredibly deep. They had traveled such a long way together, from Changshan County to Yunshan County, from the Three Southern States to Wuzhong in Huaiyin Prefecture. Their love was gradually transforming into the affection of family.

Right or wrong didn’t even matter. Even if Third Sister were truly in the wrong, he would still take her side.

’But Liu Pan’Er wasn’t in the right this time, either. She just used it as an excuse to throw a tantrum. But by getting Mother, Ling’Er, and Nannan involved, she really crossed a line.’

’If I let this continue, the next time she actually finds a mistake Third Sister has made, I’m afraid she’ll turn the whole household upside down. That makes her a huge destabilizing factor!’

Having thought of this, Fang Rui made an immediate decision. ”Get two young maids and send Liu Pan’Er away. To a separate residence!”

”Master...” Bai Shao, the soft-hearted head maid, felt a pang of sympathy for Liu Pan’Er and wanted to try and persuade him.

”Just go!” Fang Rui, however, had already made up his mind.

Bai Shao sighed softly and went to carry out his orders.

Only then did Fang Rui sigh. ”How did it come to this?”

He remembered when Liu Pan’Er first arrived at the Fang Mansion. She had been so careful and cautious, always greeting everyone with a smile, never daring to overstep her bounds in the slightest.

Later, sensing the relaxed atmosphere in the mansion, she had slowly started to let her guard down...

During that time, Fang Rui had noticed what she was thinking and had warned her once. His original words were something like, ’You don’t need to be so formal, but don’t stir up trouble.’

She had seemed to take it to heart and things were calm for a while. He just hadn’t expected her to revert to her old ways so soon.

However, as Fang Rui thought about it more carefully now, he realized the matter was both unexpected and perfectly understandable.

Liu Pan’Er might have resembled a certain celebrity from his memories, but the similarity was only in looks, not in temperament. Even with that celebrity from his past life, all he ever saw was what was presented on social media. He had no way of knowing what she was truly like.

Liu Pan’Er came from a brothel. She had kept herself ”clean” because she wanted to fetch a good price, but the upbringing she had from a young age meant she was destined to be anything but docile.

”Master, forgive me for speaking out of turn, but you should have given the Lady her formal title long ago!” Qing Yun said, sneaking a glance at Fang Rui and once again speaking her mind boldly.

”Is that any of your business?”

Fang Rui glared at Qing Yun. When she recoiled like a startled hamster, he suddenly burst out laughing. ”You, Qing Yun... With that personality of yours, it’s a good thing you’re in my household...”

As he spoke, he gave the head maid a light pat on her rear. As she let out an indignant ”Ouch!”, he gave a wry smile. ”You think I don’t want to? It’s Third Sister who doesn’t want the title!”

It was true. Third Sister didn’t want it.

Previously, Fang Rui had also thought Third Sister didn’t need the official title. Or rather, she didn’t need it as long as there was no one like Liu Pan’Er in the mansion.

From that perspective, it seemed this sort of trouble was inevitable... unless the position of the primary wife remained vacant forever.

Or unless he stopped bringing new women into the household.

’In that case, moving Liu Pan’Er to a separate residence is all the more necessary,’ Fang Rui mused.

”Master!”

Just then, Bai Shao returned from outside. ”Master, Miss Liu refuses to leave. She says she wants to see you.”

”There’s no need for me to see her.”

Fang Rui paused for a moment before continuing, ”Arrange for two young maids to look after her. Don’t be stingy with money, food, or drink. Tell her I’ll go see her in a couple of days.”

She was, after all, a woman he had slept with. He still showed her a sliver of mercy, not wanting to be completely heartless.

”Yes!”

...

A short while later, Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family came over with Fang Ling and Nannan in tow. ”Brother Rui, you already know what happened, so I won’t say much. That Liu Pan’Er truly went too far this time. If she can find fault with Third Sister today, who’s to say she won’t find me intolerable in the future...”

”Brother Rui, we came all this way from Changshan County with Third Sister. We have to be people of conscience.”

Clearly, she was on Third Sister’s side in this matter.

”I know, Mother.”

Fang Rui nodded gravely.

”Brother!”

”Brother Ah Rui!”

Fang Ling and Nannan looked aggrieved.

”What is it? Are you here to complain about that young lady? I’ve already punished her,” Fang Rui said, patting the two little girls on the head.

”No, Brother. It’s because of us...” Fang Ling lowered her little head.

”Brother Ah Rui, please don’t be angry. We won’t dare to come home late again,” Nannan said in a tiny voice.

The two little girls weren’t here to complain after all, but to admit their own mistake.

”You two have really grown up.”

Fang Rui looked at the two little girls, who were a good deal taller than they had been a couple of years ago. He sighed to himself, then smiled and said gently, ”It’s alright. In the future, no more outsiders will be brought into the Fang Mansion. This home will just be for our family...”

That was right. Life was better now, and with it came more temptations, but his original intention had never changed.

He might be momentarily stirred by carnal desires—food and sex are, after all, part of human nature—but in the future, such pursuits must remain outside the Fang Mansion. This place was a sanctuary in his heart, not to be defiled.

”I’m going to see Third Sister,” Fang Rui announced, then turned and left.

...