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The Empress’s Scheme (2)
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!
His eyes slightly darkened as he gazed towards the bed behind the canopy. There was a raised lump of quilt behind the muslin curtains, seemingly struggling non-stop. He could tell, the person on the bed must have gotten tied up, waiting to be slaughtered.
Lu Zhao Ye scrunched his long brows, inwardly cursing, “What a great Empress Shen, is she not even going to spare her own kin?
After saying this, Shen Lan Chi’s face just surfaced before his eyes. Whenever that girl faced him, she was always impatient, just like as if he wasn’t the heir apparent of the country, but rather a plaything that can be discarded at anytime.
In front of Shen Lan Chi, Lu Zhao Ye has only ever received indignation and resentment.
Now that Shen Lan Chi was tied up here, it was the perfect opportunity to wash away his past humiliations. If he were to follow Empress Shen’s wish, taking Shen Lan Chi, then re-discuss with the Shen family, marrying her as the crown princess instead——
Although thinking this inside, Lu Zhao Ye nevertheless tightly clenched his sleeve, his back glued to that locked door as he sat down.
As the crown prince of the country, he actually sat down on the ground in the dark, turning a blind eye to etiquette.
In the dark, he slightly lowered his eyes, faintly saying, “Shen Lan Chi, don’t worry, this prince won’t touch you.”
The night wind outside was somewhat strong, bulging the window paper as it blew against it. The shadows of the dried branches in the courtyard casted upon the window paper, shaking and swaying, like a bunch of ghosts and spirits that have lost their way.
“…….This prince knows that you’re a prideful person. Even if this prince takes your body, it will only bring about your loathing. Rather than this, it’s better to not do anything at all.” Lu Zhao Ye hung his head, his voice increasingly faint, “The door has been locked, this prince is unable to leave, so will sit here for the night.”
——-As for going up to untie the person, he didn’t dare to.
Staying at the door, not moving at all, already wasn’t easy. If he were to go before the bed, seeing the person in his heart like a fish on a cutting board, how will he be able to endure? Afraid, he will really make her hate him for life.
After saying this, Lu Zhao Ye no longer spoke.
The person on the bed seemingly calmed down a little, no longer like before, struggling violently.
Shen Lan Chi and Lu Qi Yang hid in the underground passageway, sighing at what they heard. Lu Qi Yang whispered in a low voice by her ear, “Aiyoo, this appearance of a proper gentleman has actually made this young master somewhat moved.”
“Truth be told,” Shen Lan Chi said, “I’ve changed my view towards big brother Zhao Ye, feeling that he’s still considered a man.”
“……’big brother Zhao Ye’?” When Lu Qi Yang suddenly heard this address that he hasn’t heard in a long time, his voice deepened.
He stuck a bit closer, his two hands wrapping around the girl’s slender waist, tightly holding, even intimately whispering by her ear, “Big brother Zhao Ye is which big brother of yours? Is he as good as me?”
TN: All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
He was sticking a bit too close, with one hand tickling her soft side through her clothes. Shen Lan Chi just felt her waist going limp, and shortly after, she leaned against the stone wall in front of her, softly saying, “Lu Zhao Ye…….is my older cousin, it’s not wrong.”
Lu Qi Yang pretended to not hear.
He loosened the knot on the girl’s waist, his fingers lightly reaching into her collar. As soon as tip of his finger touched her collarbone, it caused that soft body of hers to silently tremble.
Shen Lan Chi’s upper body leaned against the wall, her lips softly saying something, seemingly like muttering in her sleep. Lu Qi Yang leaned closer to listen, thinking that she was probably saying something like ‘stop’, ‘don’t, and such, but who knew that what she was actually saying was something completely different.
“Do you dare to be even more daring?”
Shen Lan Chi said.
Such provoking words made the heir slightly close his eyes.
“Why wouldn’t I dare?” He said as his slender long fingers slid down. When his fingers brushed over the soft lump before her chest, his palm slowly gathered, silent and soundless.
It was merely lightly touching through the clothes, yet it made Shen Lan Chi’s body go soft, leaning into Lu Qi Yang’s arms. Although there was no light, unable to see her face, Lu Qi Yang was still able to imagine her blushing appearance.
He lowered his head, kissing the girl’s earlobe. His two arms held her body, wanting her to face him. But, the underground passageway ultimately was too narrow, unable to allow movement like this. He could only let her turn her upper body. Even if like this, he still impatiently searched for her soft lips, like a starved puppy, greedily licking.
Rapid breathing landed on Shen Lan Chi’s lips, her lips and tongue entirely monopolized by the other party. Yet, at such a time, there was even a hand restlessly moving around her body, having her collar tugged looser and looser, about to slip off her shoulder.
Outside, Lu Zhao Ye started talking to himself again.
“This prince knows, a girl like you won’t be willing to be a concubine. Under the heavens, perhaps only that empress position is worthy of you. If in the future, you were to regret, wanting to be the empress again, this prince…….perhaps won’t be able to help.”
After saying this, he slightly sighed, softly saying, “Fate is not in one’s hand.”
However, Shen Lan Chi didn’t hear his sighs, just leaning in the heir’s arms, exhausting all her tenderness and affection.
The color of the night deepened. Sun Fu Lin, who was tied up on the bed, started a new round of struggling. This time, he rolled around with all his might, finally rolling off the bed, and together with the curtain rope all over his body and the sock stuffed in his mouth, he started rolling towards Lu Zhao Ye.
Lu Zhao Ye detected someone rolling towards him and was instantly startled. He felt around in the dark and lit the lantern, yet what he saw was a tearful little eunuch, pitifully looking at him, his body wiggling around, oh so very comical.
Lu Zhao Ye was a bit shocked, immediately untying him and removing the sock in his mouth, asking, “What’s going on?”
Sun Fu Lin was full of grievance, but unable to express his difficulties.
He can’t tell the crown prince that the empress suddenly had an idea, wanting to have him and that Shen family young miss pushed together, thus specially set up this situation, right? If he were to tell the truth, then afraid this cold and prideful crown prince can have him skinned on the spot.
Sun Fu Lin’s thoughts turned, pitifully crying out, “Your Highness, this one doesn’t know! That Zhennan Wang heir suddenly broke into Xiwu Pavilion, having Miss Lan Chi who was resting here taken away, even having this humble one tied up and shoved onto the bed. This sock is precisely that ruthless Zhennan Wang heir’s!”
When Lu Zhao Ye heard, he slightly blanked, his mind full of confusion.
He and Sun Fu Lin looked at one another for a while, before asking, “Lu Qi Yang had Shen Lan Chi taken away? Taken to where?”
“This…..” Sun Fu Lin blanked, not knowing how to answer. If he were to say that this Xiwu Pavilion has an underground passageway, then the crown prince will just quietly leave. Carefully pondering for a moment, he could only start spouting nonsense, “This humble one isn’t clear either! He just took Miss Lan Chi and headed outside, but unknown as to where…….”
He originally thought that only the trusted confidants of the empress in Cien Palace were aware of this secret tunnel, who knew that……..
The matters of the world were ever-changing!
When Lu Zhao Ye heard, his face tensed up, immediately turning around to push the door. Although using all his strength, the lock outside the door was extremely tight, unable to be pushed open in the moment. His brows slightly furrowed, then backed away several steps and lifted his foot, ruthlessly kicking that door.
The door was sturdy, unable to be kicked open no matter what.
After a few kicks, Lu Zhao Ye heard a weak voice coming from behind him, “Your, your Highness, the two of us………are still in Xiwu Pavilion, so no need to go out to look for me……”
Lu Zhao Ye turned back, seeing Shen Lan Chi sticking her head out, showing her face from behind a bookshelf, carrying a guilty look. The other head sticking out belonged to Lu Qi Yang.
“You two…..” Lu Zhao Ye was slightly angered, feeling like having gotten played with.
“I just want to see what empress auntie wants to do tonight, thus had Sun Fu Lin tied up. I also didn’t expect that your Highness would come here.” Shen Lan Chi had an innocent look.
Seeing her face, Lu Zhao Ye was unable to get angry again.
Admittedly, she was innocent. She didn’t want to marry him at all, so naturally won’t participate in this scheme. Shen Lan Chi was the same as him, both getting schemed against by Empress Shen.
“Forget it.” Lu Zhao Ye returned to his usual cold look, saying, “This prince won’t argue with you.” After saying this, his eyes swept towards Lu Qi Yang, saying, “On the contrary, Zhennan Wang heir, to stay in a lady’s boudoir in the middle of the night, it’s quite improper.”
Lu Qi Yang twitched the corner of his lip, but didn’t answer.
• • •
An hour later, outside Xiwu Pavilion, a group of people walked over.
Empress Shen was draped in silk, her long dress trailing along the ground as she slowly approached. Seeing the locked doors, a smile appeared on her face.
“How can the palace servants watching over Xiwu Pavilion be this careless? Tonight, Lan Chi came here to rest, so how can the doors be locked this early!” Empress Shen’s willow brows lightly relaxed, calmly saying, “Lan Chi probably hasn’t gone to sleep yet? This empress has some words to say to her, quickly open the doors.”
The palace servants responded and immediately went up to open the door.
As soon as the doors opened, the light spilled out from the brightly lit room. Empress Shen fixed her eyes upon the room and saw in the bright reception hall, a large table. Sun Fu Lin, Lu Qi Yang, Shen Lan Chi, and Lu Zhao Ye sat around the table. On the table was a stack of scattered yezi cards[1].
Shen Lan Chi was in high spirits, having a tall pile of silver fragments in front of her. She drew out a ten-string[1] card, saying with a smile, “Aiyaa, big brother Zhao Ye, why the long face? Isn’t it just losing money all night! Cheer up!”
Lu Zhao Ye sat upon the stool, his face as cold as frost. His eyes stared straight ahead, lofty and motionless. His two hands were placed upon his knees, not moving in the slightest. This cold and murderous appearance was more than enough to make anyone who saw feel chills.
Seeing Lu Zhao Ye not answering, Shen Lan Chi helplessly shook her head and said, “Forget it, Lan Chi will just let big brother Zhao Ye win a round, take it, take it.” After saying this, her long sleeves swept over the table, having a few pieces of silver pushed before Lu Zhao Ye.
“I’ll surrender too, I’ll surrender too.” Lu Qi Yang cupped his hand, having the silver pieces in front of him pushed before Lu Zhao Ye too, saying, “Your Highness, quell your anger. It was the two of us that were ignorant.”
Sun Fu Lin squeezed out a pitiful look, appearing as if having been wronged as he gazed towards Empress Shen from afar.
Shen Lan Chi seemingly detected something, lifting her head for a look and seeing Empress Shen. She got up and revealed a sweet smile, saying, “Auntie came! The palace servants of Xiwu Pavilion are really thoughtless, actually having the heir and the crown prince who had gone the wrong way locked in here as well, even putting up a lock. As such, the four of us set up a table of yezi cards. Does auntie want to play a few rounds?”
Empress Shen trembled in her steps, nearly falling onto Liu mama by her side.
[1] An old card game that originated around the Han dynasty, believed to be ancestor of poker and mahjong.
[2] The card represents monetary value, so string is string of copper coins. The chinese number system commonly use ten-thousand (wan) as a counter, so this is 10 ten-thousand, so this card is actually 100,000 copper coins. It’s similar to how the character tiles in mahjong work.
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