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Outside the Chu Capital
T/N: Translated by Jen on Broken Jinsei! Please do not repost my translations! All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
When Shen Lan Chi woke up, it was already morning, the faint light penetrating in.
A bit of light leaked in between the window lattice, separated by the window paper. Not too far away came a few brisk chirping sounds from the birds. On the light-colored muslin above her head, an auspicious crane spread its wings and flitted across the heavens.
She used her fingers to tightly clutch the thin quilt, her other hand subconsciously landing on her own forehead, slowly caressing.
The scene in her dream last night resurfaced before her eyes again. Clearly, that was just a dream, yet she felt her forehead burning extremely hot, as if still able to sense the breath when Lu Qi Yang landed the kiss.
“Merely just a dream……….” She used the back of hand to sweep across her forehead as she mumbled to herself.
Why trouble herself over nothing?
The time already wasn’t early. She called over the servant girls to help her wash up and change. After taking the morning meal in her own room, Shen Lan Chi’s older brother, Shen Ting Yuan, came to her room.
Shen Ting Yuan just happened to be in his early twenties, like a tall bamboo, slender and tall, covered in a scholarly air. He has been studying calligraphy and the books with his grandfather Shen Rui since childhood, his personality somewhat frail. Unlike those ambitious tang brothers of the second branch, Shen Ting Yuan normally just likes playing with ink, not having any great aspirations in officialdom. Just, he was a male of the Shen family first branch, so inevitably will have to shoulder the heavy responsibilities. As such, Sir Shen specially flexed his wrist, arranging an Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Rites’ position for Shen Ting Yuan in court.
“Younger sister, this older brother heard mother say……….”
When Shen Ting Yuan saw Shen Lan Chi, his voice would just somewhat start stuttering. He had a slow personality, always needing others to push him before he would move. Because of this, in front of Shen Lan Chi who has always had her own ideas, he just would appear somewhat weak.
“This older brother heard that, towards the heir, you……….”
Hearing Shen Ting Yuan unable to finish a sentence for half a day, Shen Lan Chi continued for him: “Yes, Lan Chi feels the heir is an ideal husband.”
Shen Lan Chi knew, her older brother certainly must have been entrusted by their mother to specially come urge her.
“Younger sister, it’s better for you to stop messing around.” Shen Ting Yuan sighed, sitting down in front of Shen Lan Chi, softly urging, “This older brother knows, you have always disliked the heir. But, his surname is Lu after all. In the future, when you marry into the Eastern Palace, you will also see him frequently. You should restrain yourself a little and stop messing with the heir.”
Hearing her older brother’s words, Shen Lan Chi didn’t feel surprised.
Three feet of ice didn’t form in a day. To want to change her family’s opinion in a few days, that was impossible. To want to not marry Lu Zhao Ye, she still needs to slowly plan.
Shen Lan Chi batted her eyes, saying to her older brother, “What if Lan Chi really has fallen in love with Lu Qi Yang? Will big brother still urge me to obediently marry his Highness the Crown Prince?”
TN: All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
Shen Ting Yuan stammered for a while before saying, “If you really like the heir, then naturally, it’s your own happiness that’s more important. Just, the heir normally likes playing around, so afraid not a good husband for you.”
“With big brother’s words here, Lan Chi feels reassured.” She nodded her head, smilingly replying, “Lan Chi is aware inside and won’t go too far.”
The more she said it like this, the more uncertain Shen Ting Yuan felt inside.
This younger sister of his has always disregarded the rules, having been secretly spoiled to death, like a lawless and out of control mischievous kid. She has done many things that’s simply not like what a noble young lady would do, for instance, crossdressing in men’s clothes to flirt with the servant girls, and also for instance, secretly drinking their father’s hidden good wine. On the surface, she was a proper and dignified beauty, but in private, she was the lively type that made people headache. Usually, whenever Lan Chi lets him be at ease, that was precisely the time he can’t relax his guard the most.
“The second prince is already on his way back to the capital. When he returns, his Majesty certainly will prepare a reception for him. If something were to happen to younger sister during this period, that won’t be good.” Shen Ting Yuan was deeply worried, urging again, “Remember, you mustn’t play around too much.”
Hearing Shen Ting Yuan’s words, Shen Lan Chi was suddenly a bit alarmed.
She was too busy thinking about her entanglement with Lu Zhao Ye that she actually forgot about this matter————In the early summer of the fourth month, the second prince, Lu Zi Xiang, who’d been touring the south on behalf of the emperor, has finally returned to the capital.
“When will the second prince return?” Shen Lan Chi asked.
“Counting by the schedule, it should be in these three to four days.” Shen Ting Yuan replied, “Don’t make mother angry, else when time comes, she’ll have you locked up at home again. Even if you cry and scream, this older brother won’t come to let you out.”
“Ay, what are you talking about? Hasn’t Lan’er always been the most obedient?” Shen Lan chi smiled, completely unconcerned.
In the past, she was too playful, frequently getting confined at home by her mother, Shen first madam. In her tiny little boudoir, she was completely bored to death. Every time getting locked up would all make her nearly grow mushrooms. She could only think of ways to beg her older brother to take her out to secretly play for a while.
Just, afterwards, she found an even more interesting way to relieve her boredom, so no longer looked for Shen Ting Yuan that much.
Shen Ting Yuan sluggishly passed on a few more words, nearly making Shen Lan Chi become impatient, before he finally slowly got up and left. When it was just her left in the room, Shen Lan Chi started fiddling with the brush and ink, scratching her head, wanting to write something.
The second prince Lu Zi Xiang’s return to the capital………..
She remembered in the past life, it was precisely on Lu Zi Xiang’s way back to the capital when the horse carriage carrying the second prince accidentally fell off the cliff, causing Lu Zi Xiang to end up with half a body of injuries, frequently acting up in the future, having many inconveniences when doing things. This also let Lu Zhao Ye gain the advantage for nothing.
In this life, she doesn’t want Lu Zhao Ye, that white-eyed wolf[1], to live that smoothly again.
The current emperor has two princes under him, the imperial crown prince, Lu Zhao Ye, and the second prince, Lu Zi Xiang. The two princes each have their own style, making people be attracted to them. Lu Zhao Ye’s birth mother was De Consort Ying-shi. De Consort had a weak body. Not long after giving birth to Lu Zhao Ye, she just passed away. At the same time, it just so happens that Empress Shen, who had entered the palace for several years, hadn’t been able to get pregnant, so his Majesty made the decision to have Lu Zhao Ye recorded under Empress Shen’s name, having him raised as the eldest di son.
Lu Zhao Ye had a handsome appearance, but his personality was extremely cold. And because of this coldness, he didn’t receive that much favor from his Majesty. In comparison, the second prince Lu Zi Xiang was much more favored.
Lu Zi Xiang came from Noble Consort Liu-shi. The prestigiousness of his maternal family didn’t lose to the An Duke Manor Shen family. Noble Consort Liu was favored. His Majesty loved the house and its crow, very much doting on the second prince since he was born.
Several years later, Lu Zi Xiang sure enough didn’t failed to live up to expectations, growing into an elegant gentleman that was neither arrogant nor rash, skilled in both literature and martial arts, causing the court officials to praise very much. People often say in private that if not for the rule, ‘the eldest di cannot be deposed’, in addition to Lu Zhao Ye having the Shen family’s full support behind him, afraid his Majesty would’ve long changed to establish Lu Zi Xiang, who he was closer to, as the crown prince.
While pondering on one side, Shen Lan Chi landed the brush. She originally wanted to write ‘Lu Zi Xiang’, but when the brush strokes finished, she instead discovered that she’d written ‘Lu Qi Yang’, immediately feeling somewhat annoyed. Thus, she crumpled the paper, casually shoving aside.
In a few days, it will be the day that the second prince Lu Zi Xiang returns to the capital.
Shen Lan Chi made up her mind, wanting Lu Zi Xiang to safely return to the capital fully intact. As such, she started calculating many things inside. The sky had just faintly lit up when she changed into her riding clothes and secretly slipped out the door.
When nearing the doorway, Shen Lan Chi heard a delicate female voice, “Second younger sister, where are you going? Girls of the Shen family should be gentle and refined. Being like you, this lively and restless, isn’t good.”
Hearing this voice, Shen Lan Chi just knew who it was——–Her older tang sister, the second branch’s Shen Tong Ying.
Sure enough, under the nearby corridor stood a girl in a light yellow dress. In her brows, you can even find a bit of resemblance with Shen Lan Chi. It was precisely Shen Tong Ying.
This Shen Tong Ying normally just finds Shen Lan Chi unpleasant to the eyes, always liking to stifle with her words, giving Shen Lan Chi trouble. But, Shen Lan Chi was a shallow person. When looking at people, she first looks at the face. As long as the other party is pretty, she would already forgive them a little inside. Shen Tong Ying was very good-looking. As such, when looking at her, Shen Lan Chi felt pleased, so didn’t really bother too much about Shen Tong Ying always giving her trouble.
“Yes, yes, yes, eldest sis is right to lecture.” Shen Lan Chi yawned, narrowing her eyes, tightly staring at Shen Tong Ying’s beautiful face for a while, staring to the point where Shen Tong Ying felt chills.
Seeing Shen Tong Ying feel uncomfortable all over, Shen Lan Chi softly chuckled and rode the horse out of the manor. She galloped the whole way, and by noon, on the mountain road outside the capital city, she ran into Lu Zi Xiang’s carriage.
Seeing Lu Zi Xiang’s carriage squad safe and sound, Shen Lan Chi slightly relaxed a breath inside.
A line of guards dressed in light armor slowly traveled along on horseback. The sound of the horse hooves echoed in the mountains. The guard in the lead saw the approaching beauty in riding clothes. Upon careful inspection, and seeing that it’s the An Duke Manor’s young miss, he quickly went to report to the person in the carriage.
Not long after, the carriage squad stopped. The carriage curtains swayed and a young man stuck his body out. That man had a strong and upright appearance, containing a noble air from top to bottom, but there wasn’t an intimidating air of arrogance between his brows, instead appearing amiable and approachable, precisely the second prince, Lu Zi Xiang.
“Miss Shen?” Lu Zi Xiang smiled, his face filled with warmth, saying, “You actually came to receive me this far ahead?”
Shen Lan Chi had long thought of her excuse for coming to see Lu Zi Xiang. She descended the horse, saluting first before pulling out a string of ancient copper coins from her sleeve, weighing in her hand and saying, “I came to run an errand for the Zhennan Wang heir. A few days ago, he’d spent quite a good deal of money, buying a new treasure, eagerly wanting to invite your Highness for a look, checking if it’s real.”
Lu Qi Yang was a well-known wastrel, having some hobbies that he thinks to be elegant, but in reality, not that presentable, for instance, mingling in auctions and marketplaces, buying the so-called ‘uncovered treasures of the past dynasties’, ‘antique coins passed down from the ancestors’, and the glorified ‘collector’s items’. Just, he although liked buying, also having the money to buy, he didn’t have the eyes for it. Seven out of ten times, he would all get treated as an idiot with money, ruthlessly getting slaughtered for a sum. Fortunately, Lu Zi Xiang had some knowledge in this area. As such, Lu Qi Yang frequently had the things he bought handed to Lu Zi Xiang, letting him help appraise.
Shen Lan Chi was a member of the Shen family. No matter what, she shouldn’t have any dealings with Lu Zi Xiang. If she were to say that she ‘personally came to receive the second prince’, ‘feeling concerned about the second prince’s safety’, then it would just somewhat appear as if she had ulterior motives.
In the past life, the day before the second prince’s return to the capital, Lu Qi Yang had angered Zhennan Wang, and after getting beaten up by Zhennan Wang, he was stuck at home recuperating, unable to go out. As such, Shen Lan Chi was extremely confident in this excuse.
As for how to cover up the lie on Lu Qi Yang’s side………..
Own people, easy to deal with.
“Oh? It was Qi Yang that asked Miss Shen to come?” Lu Zi Xiang lifted the carriage curtain behind him, saying in confusion, “But Qi Yang just happened to have come too. You two…….had planned on this?”
In the carriage behind Lu Zi Xiang, another man stuck his head out. At a glance, he was an attractive noble young master, his face handsome and charming, in a jade crown and purple belt, but he was also holding a handful of gingko nuts, the shells of the gingko nut in his collar, appearing somewhat improper.
Upon seeing Lu Qi Yang’s face, Shen Lan Chi just blanked.
What’s Lu Qi Yang doing here?
Could it be that her rebirth changed the trajectory of some things?
She blanked for a moment, her thoughts immediately starting to spin. But, no matter how she thought about it, there was just one thought left inside: ‘Crap.’
Lu Qi Yang was the person that didn’t get along with her the most. He will certainly poke through her lie and then nicely make fun of her.
“Qi Yang, even if you want something appraised, why trouble Miss Shen to take the trip?” Lu Zi Xiang sounded somewhat helpless, saying with a smile, “Or are you messing with Miss Shen again? This isn’t the appropriate conduct of a Lu family son.”
Shen Lan Chi was a bit uneasy.
Lu Qi Yang wasn’t some docile person that will just let others bully him. For the sake of not getting blamed by Lu Zi Xiang, afraid in the next moment, he will start mocking her. She can already think of what Lu Qi Yang will say———-“Shen eldest miss really is such a liar.”
She glanced at Lu Qi Yang, originally wanting to give him an eye signal, letting him help cover for her, but the little heir didn’t even look at her, lazily twirling his slender fingers, picking the gingko nut shells out of his collar. This undisciplined look made Shen Lan Chi anxious just looking at him.
“Oh, if Shen second miss didn’t come, Qi Yang would’ve forgotten about this matter.”
Lu Qi Yang finished picking the gingko nut shells, finally revealing a soundless laugh. That smile was like the spring afternoon sunshine, making one feel lazy inside, “Previously got into a fight with her, so wanted to mess with her, letting her run an errand. Just, didn’t expect that she would pick today to come, coincidentally running into one another here.”
[1] White-eyed wolf – Expression for ingrate
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a couple indeed, so in sync.