< Previous Chapter | Table of Contents | Next Chapter >
Under the Collar (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!
Yu Lingxin at this time was originally drinking tea. Hearing this, her heart violently jolted. Just, her hands were still considered steady, and in addition to having her eyes lowered, Xun Ying and Ming Jinrou didn’t detect anything wrong.
But Xun Ying still slightly shifted her gaze towards Yu Lingxin, seemingly a bit hesitant.
Actually, several thoughts have already flashed through Yu Lingxin’s mind, but she also knew what Xun Ying’s hesitation meant, immediately getting up, “Since the two of you have family matters to talk about, I will just go sit over there.”
Seeing Yu Lingxin like this, Xun Ying felt a bit bad. After all, it was Yu Lingxin sitting here drinking tea first, while the two of them came over to chat. With Ming Jinrou suddenly mentioning Xun Che out of nowhere, how can they let Yu Lingxin, who was here first, get up to change places to avoid overhearing, that would be too rude.
Besides, she also didn’t feel this matter was that inappropriate to talk about, thus hurriedly waved her hand, “Yu family older sister doesn’t need to mind too much. Just now, Jinrou was asking me about my older brother’s condition. It’s nothing really.”
Ming Jinrou similarly was unconcerned, “Right, I was just randomly asking.” As she spoke, she turned towards Xun Ying again, “So how did he get sick? Could it be because of the heat?”
Xun Ying just shook her head, her brows faintly having a bit of worry, “Actually, I didn’t see either, just knowing that the imperial physician came, saying that he needs to quietly recuperate for a few days.”
“Scholars are just delicate.” Ming Jinrou’s sigh carried a bit of disdain, “My older brother entered the palace together with him, yet didn’t have any problem at all. If I have to say, the two of you should exercise more. Look at uncle-in-law, leading troops all these years, how valiant. You two should learn from him.”
Xun Ying didn’t get angry either, just laughing, “Alright, I’ll go learn later. Say, what should I learn first?”
Hearing Xun Ying and Ming Jinrou starting to joke around, Yu Lingxin’s thoughts still weren’t able to settle down. Thinking of Xun Che having fallen ill, she just had a bit of a hard to describe fear, because in the past life, she’d once seen Xun Che’s medical records several times before, also having seen the detailed records of how he got injured, and how he got poisoned.
She remembered that Xun Che actually had once gotten poisoned in the autumn of Tianxu year 13. The main focus of that record was the specific antidote formula Xun Che used at the time, as well as some of the reactions during his recovery. But, as for exactly how he got poisoned, it didn’t say. In fact, it didn’t even say where he got poisoned.
She just knew that the poison that time appeared to be just a fright, because after drinking the antidote prescription and applying the acupuncture needles, Xun Che very quickly just recovered, but in the end, the imperial physicians instead suspect that the poisoning that time in Tianxu year 13 still left behind some remnants that didn’t get thoroughly removed. Just, because Xun Che was still young, having a good body, it temporarily didn’t show.
By Tianxu year 16, when he got poisoned once again, the poison activated back to back, thus resulting in that serious of an aftermath.
The illness that Xun Ying didn’t mention in detail, could it be……….
Carrying this kind of thought, in the latter half of this poetry gathering, it was very hard for Yu Lingxin to calm down again. Regardless of what kind of exquisite poems were composed, or during the judging process, which families appeared to not get along, or which family’s interior had conflict between sisters, and so on, Yu Lingxin all didn’t pay attention.
Right now, she just wants to rush home, and then call Bai Guo over to ask.
Fortunately, the poetry judging ended. The prize was given to a young lady from Yu Duke Manor. The first meeting of this poetry club can be considered to have smoothly concluded. Some of those that weren’t that familiar with Wen’an Marquis Manor and Jin Duke Manor first asked to take their leave.
TN: All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
Yu Lingxin actually already couldn’t sit still. Especially when clearly knowing that Xun Che, who was recuperating at home, might be in the nearby Qingyu Pavilion[1], yet unable to go over to visit him, she just worried even more. She could only rely on that bit of appearance skill that was accumulated in the ten plus years as Wen’an Marquis’s widow in the past life, forcibly letting herself appear like she was just an ordinary guest taking her leave.
Xun Ying and Ming Jinrou were already very tired, so didn’t really pay attention. Yu Yunxin was still young, and it was also her first time coming to Wen’an Marquis Manor, first time seeing this many high status noble daughters, while also getting to discuss poetry together with them, her entire heart filled with excitement, so she further didn’t notice.
Additionally, when going out, Yu Lingxin had her own personal horse carriage. As such, when they reached Wen’an Marquis Manor’s second gate, and Yu Yunxin’s horse carriage came over first, she just climbed onto the carriage first.
Yet, at this time, Yu Lingxin’s own horse carriage was late to arrive. Yu Lingxin was both anxious and angry, hurriedly sending Ganlu over to look for Zhao Liang.
However, Wen’an Marquis Manor’s servants were still very nimble. Seeing that the situation was somewhat unusual, they immediately went in to report. Not long after, Wen’an Maruqis Manor’s servants just sent over a horse carriage, “Miss Yu, your manor’s horse carriage has a bit of a problem. Our miss directly allocated a carriage for you, sending you back to your manor first. Once your horse carriage is fixed, our manor will send it back for you, what do you say?”
These words didn’t really have any problem, but Yu Lingxin glanced at the person that drove the carriage over. To one’s surprise, it was actually Chen Qiao. Yu Lingxin couldn’t help but lift her brow, “Where’s my servant girl Ganlu?”
Chen Qiao bowed to her, “The little cart that your noble manor prepared for the servant girl didn’t have any problems. Your servant girl can follow behind the carriage.”
Yu Lingxin slowly exhaled a breath, sweeping another glance at this seemingly very normal and plain horse carriage. That sharp blade that was suspended over her heart finally got slowly placed down.
At this time, Ganlu also returned, “Miss, our horse carriage’s axle is seemingly crooked. Zhao Liang is already crying……..”
“It’s fine.” Yu Lingxin silently swept another glance at Chen Qiao and the horse carriage before her, “I’ll just borrow the Xun Manor’s horse carriage for now. You go sit in the little cart in the back. Since ‘Miss Xun’ has everything arranged appropriately, then there’s nothing to worry about.”
Ganlu could tell that Yu Lingxin was a bit angry, but considering how the carriage broke every time she went out, no matter who, all would be angry. At this time, it wasn’t good to say too much in someone else’s home. She could only comply and go to the back.
Yu Lingxin angrily lifted the curtains on her own and climbed onto the carriage.
Sure enough, there was someone in the carriage.
“Angry?” Xun Che was leaning against the cushion dressed in a wide sleeve moon white gown. His handsome face and tidy hair were all no different from usual. Just, at this time, he was actually half-leaning, half-reclining, very much appearing unrestrained.
Yu Lingxin although climbed onto the carriage, she nevertheless carried a heavy expression, sitting tightly against the wall on the other side, doing her best to maintain the farthest distance with Xun Che. Just, this was ultimately a normal sized horse carriage. Between the two walls, there was just a total of six feet. No matter how she maintained, at most, there was just four to five feet between her and Xun Che.
For a moment, she didn’t speak. After listening to the horse carriage move along for a while, she finally gradually adjusted her emotions, “What is up with you today? In one moment, letting someone mention near me that you’re discussing marriage, while in another moment, say that you’re sick. Now, even my horse carriage got broken. Exactly what do you want to do?”
“Who am I discussing marriage with?” Xun Che was a bit surprised, but after slightly pondering, he just understood, “Someone feels that Jinrou appears like a master in our manor, so just assumed that we are discussing marriage?”
Jinrou.
Yu Lingxin silently turned her head, “Who you’re discussing marriage with, it’s all your esteemed manor’s business, nothing to do with me, so why the need to let someone discuss it in front of me.”
Xun Che couldn’t help but laugh, for a moment not saying anything, just laughing.
In the end, it was still Yu Lingxin that spoke first, “What are you laughing for?”
Xun Che restrained his laughter a little, pursing his lips, “I never knew that in your heart, I am actually this omnipotent.” He paused for a moment, directly extending his hand towards her, “Huijun, come a little closer.”
Yu Lingxin practically widened her eyes, isn’t this person a little too shameless?
Just as she was about to slap away his hand, she just saw at a glance on his arm under his sleeve, a bit of heavy bruising.
“This is………..”
Xun Che slightly changed his posture, and at this time, the horse carriage just happened to take a turn. The semi-transparent muslin curtains on the carriage windows swayed a few times following the carriage’s movements, letting in even more sunlight. Yu Lingxin also finally saw that his forehead was also faintly shining.
This kind of Xun Che was instead what she was the most familiar with.
In this moment, she just tossed aside those distracting thoughts previously, directly shifting towards Xun Che’s direction, using the handkerchief to press against his forehead. Sure enough, it was full of dense sweat.
“It’s nothing serious.” Xun Che curved his lips, still lifting his eyes to go look at Yu Lingxin, who at this moment, was finally within reach of him, “Merely performed a play yesterday.”
Yu Lingxin however ignored what he said, directly just having Xun Che’s sleeve lightly rolled up a few inches. Sure enough, on his arm, the purple and red bruises overlapped, all whip scars from not long ago.
“Just a scratch, it’s nothing.” Xun Che smilingly shook his head, “No need to worry.”
Yu Lingxin suddenly reached out to touch the back of his neck, similarly drenched in sweat.
This time, it was finally Xun Che’s turn to be speechless.
He was originally using his left elbow to support his body as he sat half-leaning against the carriage, while Yu Lingxin was sitting across from him, but that movement just now, when Yu Lingxin got up and reached over, it was reaching over from his right shoulder.
In other words, precisely in that moment, if the horse carriage were to violently shake, Yu Lingxin would have entirely fallen face first into his arms.
But even if not bumping and not falling, in that moment, Xun Che’s entire face was still completely facing her………collar. Even she herself was probably unaware that the light muslin hanging from her collar was already lightly sweeping over his nose.
[1] The name of Xun Che’s courtyard.
< Previous Chapter | Table of Contents | Next Chapter >
