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Like Getting Struck by Lightning
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!
The saying, like getting struck by lightning, probably was precisely this meaning.
Yu Lingxin’s fair and beautiful face instantly just turned red completely, even the back of her ears were all burning. For a moment, her entire body froze on the chair, not knowing whether she should stand up or cover her face.
Ming Jinrou let out a pfft and burst into laughter, first looking at Yu Lingxin and laughing for a good while before finally covering her mouth, stifling her laugh as she went out to welcome.
In the courtyard, the gold and silver osmanthus trees in this ninth month season were still fragrant and splendid, and impressively standing under the trees were Xun Che and Ming Jincheng who’d just returned from the palace.
“Brother, second cousin, since you’re back, how come you didn’t let someone come inform?” Ming Jinrou held back her laugh, perfunctorily asking.
Ming Jincheng had a disdaining look, “What do you think?” He raised his chin, pointing towards Xun Che, “Ask him.”
On Xun Che’s face, it was actually still that composed look, forcibly putting on a ‘nothing had happened’ stance, just once again lightly coughing, “Where’s Huijun?”
Through this breather, Yu Lingxin already managed to adjust her breathing a little in the study. Although feeling both nervous and embarrassed, like as if her entire body was about to shake, but considering that this was Ming Jinrou’s study after all, and Ming Jincheng and them were still outside, she still forced herself to calm down. Then, hearing the voices outside, she also just walked out in response.
Seeing Xun Che at a glance, her heart suddenly slightly stopped for a moment.
He was standing five feet from the door. The magnificent formal court gown, under the afternoon sunlight, faintly glistened. His handsome and elegant face carried a faint smile, his easy-going attitude the same as usual. Just, in his gaze towards her, it was full of joy.
But, Yu Lingxin similarly had a kind of hard to describe feeling, instinctively feeling that the space between his long brows seemingly carried creases that weren’t able to completely smooth out. Even if he was happy, he nevertheless also had something on his mind.
This kind of feeling was very light and very blurry, but it still crawled up her heart. Yu Lingxin practically blurted out, “Were the matters in the palace still smooth?”
The Ming family siblings immediately looked towards her. Even Ming Jinrou’s stifled laugh also froze on her face, because the misgivings and concern in this simple question of hers can be considered very sincere, like as if predicting that something had happened in the palace.
Xun Che, however, didn’t appear to be surprised, neither nodding nor shaking his head, just turning towards Ming Jincheng, “It’s better to go to your study to discuss this.”
Ming Jincheng clearly already had a shared understanding with Xun Che, “Let’s go, just don’t nitpick my tea leaves again.”
Ming Jinrou, at this time, also sensed that something was wrong, immediately thinking of Qin Wang. That bit of teasing mindset was also gone, turning around and coiling around Yu Lingxin arm, heading together towards Ming Jincheng’s study.
Yu Lingxin’s feelings, however, were even more complicated than Ming Jinrou. In the past life, Ming Jincheng had a lot of dealings with the Xun family, so she naturally have also been to the Jin Duke Manor many times. Just, she has never entered Ming Jincheng’s study before. After all, the flower pavilion and courtyard gardens were where the guests were received. Like Ming Jinrou’s, this kind of study of boudoir, it was still fine, but for Ming Jincheng and Xun Che, who were heir to a noble title, the study was normally for discussing important matters. It wasn’t necessary to receive ordinary relatives in the study.
TN: All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
At this time, Xun Che directly letting the two of them also come to Ming Jincheng’s study, it certainly won’t just be to just drink tea and chat. Perhaps this visit to the palace had some unforeseen change, needing to discuss with them as well. The fact that this matter already wasn’t suitable to talk about in Qinghong Pavilion, it can be seen just how important it was.
Sure enough, after entering and respectively taking their seats, Xun Che just directly stated three matters.
The first matter was that Empress Wen has already summoned her older brother, Yiyang Marquis and his madam, to enter the capital at the end of the month, wanting to formally discuss Ming Jincheng and Wen Ruoqiong’s marriage with the Jin Duke Manor. At present, Yiyang Marquis just has a noble title but no actual post. The movement and transfers of actual posts in the imperial court wasn’t something the empress can directly interfere in, but entering the capital to discuss marriage arrangements was just family matters, so completely not having any inappropriate areas. Just, this marriage was increasingly imperative.
“Do you really have to marry Wen Ruoqiong?” Ming Jinrou was practically about to roll her eyes in anger. She already didn’t like Wen Ruoqiong that kind of overly weak and delicate young lady to begin with, and during the two poetry gatherings, what Wen Ruoqiong embodied, having literary talent but no brain, just further made her unable to accept, “Brother, you will be inheriting the noble title in the future. If Wen Ruoqiong were to be in charge of the household, then what will this house end up like?”
Ming Jincheng also had a heavy look, “The empress just said that she will be summoning the Yiyang Marquis couple into the palace today, what can we say? At present, father seemingly is still in the Zhang province, so for now, can just continue stalling.”
Xun Che also shook his head, following up with the second matter, which was just his Highness Qin Wang got punished again yesterday.
This time, Ming Jinrou thoroughly couldn’t sit still anymore, “What? He got beat again? Does the empress have——–”
“Jinrou!” Yu Lingxin was originally just sitting next to her, and at this time, she immediately lightly shouted, “Be mindful of your words.”
Ming Jinrou finally had the word ‘issues’ forced back down, but her eyes still reddened from worry, “Why beat him again? Didn’t his Highness just recover a little? What did he do wrong this time? Exactly what does the empress want to do?! How is he now?”
As this string of questions came out, Xun Che and Ming Jincheng couldn’t help but look at one another. Yu Lingxin immediately understood why Xun Che would want her and Ming Jinrou to come over too, hurriedly getting up to go pull Ming Jinrou, “Jinrou, sit down first and listen to them explain.” As she said this, she also lightly stroked Ming Jinrou’s back a few times, “Don’t worry.”
Xun Che softly spoke, “This time, it’s not as serious as last time, probably just beating a few times, and then letting him kneel for two hours. The empress doing this, on one hand, it’s once again for his Majesty to see, putting on the appearance of disciplining the son, and secondly, it’s just for us to see.”
“What is there for us to see? Could it be that the empress has produced some suspicions?” Yu Lingxin for a moment also didn’t understand.
Xun Che actually quite liked this ‘us’, just they were finished talking about this matter. He also didn’t get distracted too much, just responding, “No, if the empress had that kind of foresight, then today’s situation wouldn’t be like this. Previously, I had pretended to have a falling out with Qin Wang. For the empress, it’s naturally still wanting to remedy this matter, unwilling to let us cut ties with Jingning Palace. That’s why, punishing Qin Wang is still just making her attitude clear. This originally was within expectations, just, seeing his Highness suffer like this, it’s also……….” Speaking to here, he also let out a sigh, lightly shaking his head.
Ming Jinrou’s eyes at this time have already reddened, but she also understood the situation, and could only lower her head, holding back her tears.
Yu Lingxin couldn’t bear watching, so just stood by Ming Jinrou’s side, lightly stroking her back. Thinking for a moment, she asked Xun Che, “What else? What does the empress plan on doing next?”
“This is just the third matter.” Xun Che looked towards her, his expression also a bit heavy, “On my grandmother’s birthday in the tenth month, the empress said she wanted to bestow some honor. My second uncle’s family might return to the capital early.”
Xun old madam, and also the Xun family second branch!
Yu Lingxin immediately understood, her expression similarly becoming heavy. When meeting eyes with Xun Che, the two of them practically nodded at one another at the same time. The various events of the past life instantly bubbled up in her heart.
“Jinrou, on my grandmother’s birthday, Qin Wang will also come.” Xun Che turned towards Ming Jinrou, “If when time comes, there’s the chance to meet, you must let Huijun accompany you. How you’re feeling on the inside is one thing, but what to do on the outside, you absolutely need to be careful. If there’s a wrong step, the first one to be crushed will just be him.”
Ming Jinrou wiped her face, clenching her teeth and nodding, “I know.”
Once these three matters were said, and seeing that Ming Jincheng, Ming Jinrou, and even Yu Lingxin’s complexion were all not too good, Xun Che at this time instead relaxed, “Alright, now that these miscellaneous matters have been said, what should be done, you all go think it over. I’ll send Huijun back home first.”
Hearing these words, the Ming family siblings and Yu Lingxin, who originally all had something on their mind, practically all rolled their eyes at him at the same time. These were just miscellaneous matters?!
Yet, Xun Che was precisely this number one shameless person. Seeing the three of them having such similar expressions for once, he actually even laughed, “Is there a problem?”
“No problem.” Ming Jincheng coldly snorted, “Take care on your way out, virtuous couple.”
Xun Che reached his hand out to hold Yu Lingxin’s, “Huijun, let’s go.”
How could Yu Lingxin predict that he would just extend his hand in Ming Jincheng’s study. Her face immediately just heated up, tightly holding onto Ming Jinrou and not letting go, “About that, Jinrou, why don’t you lend me a carriage.”
Ming Jinrou was rather open-minded. After wiping her tears and relaxing a breath, her mood also recovered a little, “The two of you don’t need to go around in circles. I’ll accompany older sister to the second gate. Why don’t you two just leave together.”
Yu Lingxin was stifled. Clearly, she’d just came over to keep Ming Jinrou company, yet at this time, she instead got laughed at by the three of them. But, looking at Xun Che, she also didn’t dare to hold up any longer, hurriedly heading outward with Ming Jinrou.
However, Ming Jinrou really just did as she said, sending her to the second gate and then just had her thrown to Xun Che, “Here, second cousin, I can only send to here.”
Bai Guo at this time had long retreated far away. Yu Lingxin although clenched her teeth in anger, but she still knew that the more embarrassed and coy she acted, the more she will get laughed at, so might as well just follow along Xun Che in a relaxed manner. As such, she just climbed onto the carriage with Xun Che’s support. As for Xun Che, he continued instructing Ming Jinrou a few words by the horse carriage, temporarily letting her be at ease and so on, before finally climbing onto the carriage himself.
“Huijun.” The two of them finally had the chance to be alone again. In this soft voice of his, there unexpectedly was a bit faint loneliness.
Yu Lingxin originally thought that he would shamelessly say some nonsense again, so before Xun Che climbed on, she’d already thought of several ways to respond, but who knew that after climbing onto the carriage and placing down the curtains, he would just fall silent, and then shortly after, finally softly call out to her like this.
She quickly thought for a moment, and then softly asked, “Is there still something else? Is it your second uncle’s family?”
Xun Che lowered his eyes, directly sitting shoulder to shoulder with her on one side, naturally going to hold her hand. Just, he didn’t speak. A good while later, he finally sighed, “Huijun, do you really feel I’m that good? Exactly what I have done in the past, others don’t know, but you know.”
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aw no baby, he’s feeling insecure!