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Directly Getting to the Point
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!
“Did Miss Ming send a visiting card over, or has she already arrived?” Yu Lingxin called Bai Guo in and openly asked.
Bai Guo seemingly completely didn’t notice how stiff the others’ complexion were at this time, just steadily bowing, “Miss Ming’s gift list, visiting card, horse carriage, and gifts all arrived together. Sister Shuangye is asking miss for instructions, whether it’s leading Miss Ming to Dongli Residence to meet the old madam, or directly take to Lianyi Residence.” As she said this, she offered up the visiting card and gift list with both hands.
When Yu Lingxin received it, the smile on the corner of her mouth just congealed————-This was practically half an inch thick. Was it really a gift list? Although it was the thick and stiff jade print paper, and also narrowly folded, thus appearing even thicker, but when really completely unfolding, afraid it will still be two to three feet long.
At this time, Bai Guo also added, “The gifts Miss Ming brought, there’s two whole carriages. Sister Shuangye asks madam to send more people over to help. The little servant girls in Lianyi Residence afraid won’t be enough.”
Su-shi was completely unable to come to her senses, just feeling that what she saw and heard these days were just like a dream. First, it was the marquis manor and duke manor’s poetry gathering invitation suddenly coming to the Yu family out of nowhere. Yu Yunxin seemingly just have the sudden opportunity to rise up the social ladder.
Afterwards, before even seriously beginning to enjoy this beautiful dream for a moment, she just heard that the eldest miss ruthlessly offended the current empress’s niece. In an instant, never mind her daughter’s future prospects, afraid the whole family’s future will all be at risk.
After being scared and lost for an entire night, her maiden family’s sister-in-law finally came, and just as she finally understood a little, suddenly, the empress’s bestowments, the duke manor’s gifts, an entire two carriages full just got sent to their home? Jin Duke Manor’s di miss also personally came to visit the eldest miss?
After significant ups and downs, she really didn’t know how to deal with all this. Practically after getting repeatedly called on by Yu Lingxin, did she finally blankly nod her head, sending people to the second gate to help out.
And on the other side, Madam Su’s face naturally was flashing between red and white. The smile that was forcibly hung on her face was even more unsightly than a crying face.
Yu Lingxin just smiled, instructing Bai Guo, “Since it’s just someone of the same generation visiting, no need to disturb the old madam for now. Go let Shuangye prepare white tea, pastries and fresh fruits. Remember, the pastries can’t be too sweet, and also can’t be too hot. I’ll go to the second gate to welcome Ming Miss.”
She paused for a moment, getting up and turning towards Su-shi and Madam Su, saying with a nod, “Su aunt-in-law and madam slowly chat. I’ll take my leave first.” With that said, she just directly left with Ganlu and Bai Guo. As for how Madam Su will resolve the awkwardness with Su-shi next, she wasn’t interested in knowing.
At the second gate, Ming Jinrou sure enough had already arrived, and moreover, had already climbed down from the carriage. She was dressed in a red brocade long dress, enthusiastic and eye-catching, just as bright as her personality and smile.
Although appearing a bit friendly, Yu Lingxin also suspected that this matter had Xun Che’s schemes. Just, it naturally wasn’t good to say anything in front of others, so she just politely exchanged a few greetings, and then personally led Ming Jinrou to Lianyi Residence for tea.
As soon as the servant girls got sent out and closed the door, the courteous air between the two of them practically shedded off at the same time. That kind of ‘seemingly not too familiar, but in reality also know each others’ secret, so should be very familiar’ feeling truly was very peculiar. The two of them mutually looked at one another, both laughing out at the same time.
In terms of personality, it was naturally still Ming Jinrou that was more candid, getting straight to the main point, “Second cousin let me come. On one hand, it’s having the empress’s bestowments and our two families’ gifts sent over, giving you support, so as to avoid you getting troubled at home. On the other hand, it’s just wanting to ask you about going boating in a few days.”
Yu Lingxin had just lifted the teacup for a sip. Hearing the last bit, she nearly choked on the tea. Ming Jinrou’s frank and straightforward personality really was very frank and straightforward, to even be able to openly say something like this.
She couldn’t help but feel a bit helpless, “What boating trip? No, first set that aside, first talk about what happened to the Wen family young ladies afterwards? And what does the empress mean by all of this?”
TN: All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
Ming Jinrou slanted her mouth, “At the time, the two of them ran out and just went to look for my brother, saying this and that while crying. What can my brother say? Just letting someone send them back to their rooms. Afterwards, before the evening meal, the palace just sent a female official[1] over, passing on the empress’s words, directly reprimanding Wen Ruoyao, even having two of the servant girls by her side changed, and then bestowed down a bunch of things, saying it was to compensate me and Ying’er. I talked with Ying’er, and felt that it was still you that was wronged, so just divided out half for you.” Speaking to here, she suddenly smiled, “Of course, there’s also the things that a certain someone added in.”
Yu Lingxin dryly coughed, not answering the last line, just following along the words in front and contemplating, immediately just understanding Empress Wen’s attitude. It wasn’t really considered surprising. Never mind that at present, because of Qin Wang getting reproached by the emperor, the empress’s situation was clearly weaker than before, so further won’t offend the Ming family and Xun family. Even if it was at this time in the past life, the autumn of Tianxu year 13, where Qin Wang was still well-off, the empress still displayed an amiable and dignified mannerism at all times, so won’t back the Wen family young ladies’ stupidity.
“Second cousin-in-law.” Ming Jinrou called out, and immediately after, got shot a glare by Yu Lingxin, quickly changing the address, “No, I mean, older sister Huijun, there’s nothing to worry about in this matter. Let’s talk about the boating trip? Originally, it was Ying’er wanting to go see the mountains and rivers in the capital’s south to paint. As such, my brother just went and prepared a pleasure boat[2]. So, this matter can be considered Ying’er and I inviting you to come along. There won’t be others. While the weather is good these days, let’s go play, what do you say?”
Yu Lingxin was slightly stifled. She just knew that Xun Che’s way in doing things was always one move containing at least seven to eight different meanings, while also earning back ten to a hundred times the benefits, else it will be considered a loss. What ‘based on their close relationship, he should tell the Ming family siblings no matter what’, it was just wanting to drag them into helping him build the bridge and pave the road for their ‘private dates’.
But this was just too frequent. Yesterday, they’d just met twice at the Ming Manor. To then also go boating in two days, even if Great Sheng’s culture was far more open than the previous dynasty, not having any overly strict etiquette practice, but counting the times, it was still meeting too much.
“Is there anything important to discuss?” Yu Lingxin suddenly asked, her expression also very solemn.
Ming Jinrou blanked, “Discuss what?” Shortly after, she immediately came to realization, “Ah, this, there might be.”
Yu Lingxin couldn’t help but laugh, the first response after blanking was the real answer. She shook her head, “This time, I won’t go. I still have account books in hand that I haven’t finished organizing. If something really comes up, we can still meet at the next poetry gathering.”
“Not going?” Ming Jinrou was quite surprised, “But, the next poetry club meeting will just be after the Yang Festival[3]. There’s still over ten days.”
“Since there’s nothing important, what’s wrong with waiting ten some days?” Yu Lingxin unconcernedly responded, lowering her head again to take a sip of the tea.
Ming Jinrou was a bit worried, feeling that she seemingly said something wrong, “Sister Huijun, perhaps there is something, why don’t you go. It also wasn’t easy for my brother to prepare this pleasure boat. Right now, it’s already the end of the eighth month. If we don’t go now, in a few days, the weather will turn cold.”
Yu Lingxin just shook her head, “I’m a bit afraid of boats, so it’s better to not go. You all can go nicely play.”
These words were actually the truth. In the last lifetime, when she got kidnapped out of the capital by her own mother Qi-shi, they precisely took the waterways. At the time, because she’d gotten drugged, her body was even more frail than usual. Along the way, she was both ill from the drug, while also seasick, continuously throwing up for five to six days, and when they reached Jiang province, she fell severely ill again.
Recalling it now, she still had some impressions.
Ming Jinrou didn’t expect that Yu Lingxin might be scared of water, instantly at a loss for words, but thinking for a moment, she was still unwilling to give up, “About that, the pleasure boat is a large boat, very steady. Why don’t older sister try it? If really unable to handle, we can just return early.”
Yu Lingxin helplessly placed down the teacup, “You just need to go tell him, these are my original words, ‘Since there’s nothing, then this time, I won’t be going.'”
Seeing that Yu Lingxin directly ordered to pass on these words to Xun Che, Ming Jinrou just knew that she really won’t agree, thus grumblingly sighed, “Why not go? You two can just meet whenever you want to meet, how nice.”
Yu Lingxin looked at Ming Jinrou. That pretty and energetic little face sure enough penetrated with a bit of listlessness. She hesitantly consoled, “Yesterday, wasn’t it said that Qin Wang is fine? You also don’t need to worry too much.”
Ming Jinrou lowered her head even more, not saying a word for a while.
Yu Lingxin waited, before finally softly asking, “What’s wrong? Could it be that last night, there was some unforeseen change?”
Ming Jinrou shook her head, “No, just, whether he has something or not, it also has nothing to do with me. I……..I’m not anyone to him.”
Yu Lingxin suddenly had a kind of bad feeling. Ming Jinrou completely wasn’t the type that would deliberately be melancholic. Suppose that Qin Wang and her really were mutually in love, then even if having misgivings about the state of the court, family clan, and so on, temporarily unable to get married, Ming Jinrou still wouldn’t say it like this.
Could it be that this matter was just Ming Jinrou’s one-sided feelings?
Yu Lingxin quickly recalled Xun Che’s words yesterday, as well as what she knew about Qin Wang’s marriage arrangements in the past life. She indeed doesn’t remember who the first Qin Wangfei was. Mainly, it was because, in the past life, Qin Wang got married in Tianxu year 15. At that time, she was already in the Jiang province, living under someone else’s roof, unable to even protect herself, so where did she still have the mind to pay attention to the matters in the capital.
By Tianxu year 18, when she returned to the capital, Qin Wang had just entered the eastern palace, and his original wife had already passed away due to illness. Starting from that time, all the way until Qin Wang ascended the throne many years later, although he had side consorts and concubines, and also had children, but his main wife’s position was forever empty, just solely focusing on governmental affairs.
That’s why, towards Qin Wang, that is the later Huan Emperor, the outside had many praises. On one hand, it was praising the emperor’s diligence in governmental affairs, while on the other hand, there didn’t lack those that believed that Huan Emperor had deep feelings for his original wife, no longer remarrying.
Seeing Yu Lingxin softly muttering to herself, seemingly very seriously contemplating, Ming Jinrou suddenly let out a bitter laugh, “Older sister probably doesn’t know, his Highness Qin Wang and the Lu family’s marriage arrangement will soon be set.”
Yu Lingxin looked to Ming Jinrou in surprise. This matter, she indeed didn’t know, but she knew that the Lu family was the Zhenguo[4] General Manor, in charge of the garrison troops for the capital and its surrounding areas for many generations, and solely loyal to the emperor.
In terms of political marriage, Empress Wen selecting the Lu family daughter for Qin Wang was indeed suitable.
But what about Qin Wang’s own thoughts?
If Qin Wang really doesn’t have any interest in the slightest towards Ming Jinrou, then would Xun Che not do a bit of something to sever Ming Jinrou’s feelings. How could he even specially come to tell her that ‘Qin Wang was fine’?
[1] 女官 – Overall female officials are just high ranking palace maids, their duties usually involve assisting the empress in handling palace affairs.
[2] Examples of pleasure boats.
[3] 重阳 – Chongyang, also known as the Double Ninth Festival, take place on the ninth of the ninth lunar month. According to the Book of Changes 易经 (an ancient chinese divination text), 9 is a yang number, thus the double ninth is an auspicious date. Traditions involve, climbing mountains and drinking chrysanthemum wine. The festival dates all the way back to the Warring States period. You can read more about it here.
[4] The title Zhenguo means to ‘guard the country’.
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Looks like Qing Wang actually likes Miss Ming