< Previous Chapter | Table of Contents | Next Chapter >
Love at First Sight
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!
Yongjia year 2, fourth month, early summer.
Inside Cien Palace where Empress Shen resided, the cicadas softly cried, the flower petals sparsely scattering. A few palace maids sat upon the steps, the light color palace muslin windingly extending to another step. Placed on their knees was decorated paper that has been folded halfway. Gazing out the window was the picturesque scenery of clustered buildings and willows covering the pavilion.
On the couch behind the curtains was a half asleep girl.
Unknown as to what she dreamed of, her pretty brows slightly knitted, and then, she slowly opened her eyes.
Hearing the movement sounds of the girl getting up, the palace maids placed down the decorated paper in hand, getting up to stand by in attendance.
“Does Miss Shen want to get up?”
“The time is still early. Napping a little longer is also fine.”
The girl leaning upon the couch was precisely An Duke family’s young miss, Shen Lan Chi, currently sixteen years of age this year, in the prime of her youth.
The palace maids gazed towards her, all somewhat reserved.
This Shen family young miss’s father, second uncle, and older brother were all important ministers of the court. Her grandfather was the An Duke, while her paternal aunt was the empress that oversaw the six palaces. Never mind to having such an illustrious background, her beauty was further crowned throughout the capital, more than enough to make all the girls feel ashamed to compare. This Shen young miss, whose name was quite well-known outside, was a genuine noble young lady of a prestigious household in the capital.
Just, these palace maids were also aware that such good fate can’t be envied. In front of her, they only have room to be careful and cautious.
“Has paternal aunt returned?” Shen Lan Chi got up halfway, her slender and fair hand pushed aside the pearl curtains, half-revealing her face. At a glance, one just saw a pair of eyes like a spring pond, while also like congealed with delicate peach blossoms, making one can’t help but want to take another glance.
“Her Highness the Empress has already returned. Just, seeing that you were still napping, she thus ordered us servants to not disturb you. Miss Lu Zhu and Miss Bi Yu by your side are both drinking tea with her Highness.” One of the palace maids answered.
Shen Lan Chi naturally knew what her empress paternal aunt had her servant girls called over for.
Isn’t it just for the sake of secretly inquiring her maiden thoughts, so as to avoid her changing her mind and be unwilling to marry Lu Zhao Ye.
As for why she was this clear towards this———–
Speaking of which, if others were to be told, they certainly won’t believe, but she believed that it was real. She really had died once, dying on the night she married Lu Zhao Ye. She drank that cup of poisoned wine and then died in Lu Zhao Ye’s arms.
TN: All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
Afterwards, she came back to life again, returning to the fourth month of Yongjia year 2, before she got engaged to Lu Zhao Ye.
She slightly tidied her hair and clothes, then led the palace maids to go pay her respects to Empress Shen.
Empress Shen’s name was Shen Xin Yi, thirty-some this year, but because of having properly maintained herself, she looked no different from the twenty-some year old palace consorts. As someone of the Shen family, her appearance naturally was extremely beautiful. Matched with that elegant gown and jeweled crown, she increasingly appeared dignified and proper.
Seeing Shen Lan Chi come, the empress revealed a smile, waving her hand at her and saying, “Lan’er, come sit by paternal aunt’s side.”
The Shen family has been prominent for generations, receiving a multitude of glory and honor. Empress Shen back then had also relied on this illustrious family background to become the empress. Just, her luck wasn’t good, having not gotten pregnant for many years. In the end, she could only take De Consort’s prince to raise under her, and that was precisely the crown prince, Lu Zhao Ye.
Because of not having her own child by her side, the empress thus extremely adored Shen Lan Chi, this niece.
Shen Lan Chi sat down by the empress’s side. Turning her eyes, she saw that phoenix hairpin in the empress’s hair. The flying phoenix had its wings spread, the northern pearl glowing, truly very dazzling.
Seeing Shen Lan Chi fixedly staring at this phoenix hairpin, the empress softly laughed, scraping Shen Lan Chi’s nose and saying, “Really a greedy little one. When you marry your Brother Zhao Ye in the future, paternal aunt will have this hairpin given to you.”
The empress knew, this little niece of hers has always loved pretty things. When seeing a beauty in the palace, she will just be unable to walk, and towards this phoenix hairpin, she further loved to death.
If switched with the past Shen Lan Chi, she would reveal a smile at this time. But, this time, she just lowered her head, saying, “Who Lan Chi will marry, it’s still hard to say right now. Moreover, this phoenix hairpin should be for the empress. Lan Chi shouldn’t unreasonably request.”
Empress Shen’s eyes slightly changed.
She carefully studied her own niece. Seeing her complexion like usual, her lethargic eyes half-open, she slightly felt a bit strange inside.
Shen Lan Chi in the past has always eagerly looked forward to marrying Lu Zhao Ye, yet now, she has changed her words, don’t know what’s wrong?
Perhaps, because she’d just woken up, so still somewhat confused and unclear?
Precisely at this time, a palace maid hurriedly stepped in from outside the hall, lowering her body for a bow and saying, “Your Highness, his Highness the Crown Prince said that he’s occupied with various tasks, so afraid unable to accompany your Highness for the evening meal today.”
When the empress heard this, her smiling face didn’t change, still magnanimous and dignified, “No harm, then just let him nicely be busy.”
When Shen Lan Chi heard this, she somewhat wanted to laugh inside. Fortunately, she contained her own smile, so as to avoid letting her empress aunt make out something.
The empress having her summoned into the palace was precisely for the sake of letting her meet more with Lu Zhao Ye, so as to avoid not knowing anything at all about each other after becoming husband and wife in the future. Just, Lu Zhao Ye has a cold personality, and towards Shen Lan Chi, he has always been cold and distant, a look of remaining at a respectful distance.
Shen Lan Chi accompanied the empress in using the evening meal, and then waited until the lanterns were lit in the palace, before finally retreating out of Cien Hall.
The servants of the Shen Manor had long parked the horse carriage outside the palace gates. Once Shen Lan Chi sat into the carriage, they pulled the reins and headed for the Shen Manor.
Shen Lan Chi sat inside the horse carriage, her body rocking. Lifting the carriage curtains, she saw the bustling nightscape in the streets. This was the most common scene of the Chu capital, but for her, it was like as if separated by a lifetime. Even if having already been more than half a month since her rebirth, she still would frequently be startled awake from her dreams, always feeling that this was merely another dream too.
The sensation of the poisoned wine burning her organs made her unable to forget for a very long time, like carving into her bones. Even if having been reborn, she could still recall the disgust and indignation at the time.
Since the heavens gave her the opportunity to start over, then she won’t let the affairs of the world be like the past life’s again and let the Shen family go down a road of destruction.
Calling to mind the Shen family’s conceitedness after reaching the highest position, Shen Lan Chi faintly sighed inside.
If really want to turn around the Shen family’s path in front, afraid need to let the noble personages of the Shen clan all change their bad habits. Otherwise, even if there isn’t Lu Zhao Ye, there will still be others overthrowing the tottering Shen family.
In this life, she doesn’t want her paternal aunt’s phoenix crown of the empress anymore, also not wanting to marry Lu Zhao Ye again. She just hope that everything can still be turned around.
Just as she was lost in thought, the horse suddenly neighed, and afterwards, unknown as to why, started galloping madly, violently charging around, stirring up screams of fear. Shen Lan Chi got jolted by the force, directly bumping against the carriage walls, immediately becoming dizzy.
“What’s going……..” She couldn’t even finish her words before ramming into the other corner.
“The horse suddenly won’t listen!” The coachman was covered in sweat from worry, “This little one doesn’t know why it’s like this either………”
Shen Lan Chi held onto the carriage wall and stuck her head out, yet just saw the speeding horse about to crash into a residence. Seeing the tall gate getting closer and closer, Shen Lan Chi could only tightly close her eyes, inwardly thinking to herself: ‘At worst, it’s just dying again.’
Right at this time, her body lightened. Turns out, someone had her picked up horizontally.
“Could it be that your vicious aura is too strong, even the horse all got scared by you?”
Before even landing on the ground, Shen Lan Chi’s ears just heard these words, nonchalant like the fluttering willow branches in spring. Clearly an extremely clear voice, yet carried a trace of frivolousness that made one angry.
Shen Lan Chi was truly too familiar with this voice. Without needing to open her eyes, she just said, “If my vicious aura is that strong, then afraid you, this heir of the Zhennan Wang Manor, wouldn’t have been able to live to grow up to this big.”
With a light sound, the man landed on the ground with her in his arms. Shen Lan Chi opened her eyes and saw a noble young master in a brocade gown and jade belt, precisely her childhood friend that grew up together with her, the heir of the Zhennan Wang Manor, Lu Qi Yang.
Lu Qi Yang had the girl in his arms placed down and patted his hands, raising his brow and saying, “Got heavier again.”
The sons of the Lu family all were born with good looks. Lu Qi Yang naturally wasn’t an exception either. Just, that face of his always carried a frivolous smile, sometimes really smiling, sometimes fake smiling, always making people unable to guess what he was thinking. Although handsome, he nevertheless got contaminated with a bit of earthly vulgarness[1], like that beautiful jade covered in dust, more or less making people feel regrettable.
“I’m heavy?” Shen Lan Chi brushed the corners of her clothes. She watched the coachman on the other side control the horse with great difficulty, suddenly saying, “So what if I’m heavy? When I really become plump like Yu Huan[2], then the Chu capital will start popularizing the beauty of plumpness.”
Lu Qi Yang clicked his tongue and said, “All of Great Chu’s city walls put together afraid won’t be as thick as your face, Shen young miss.”
“The heir that cock fights and walks dogs all day, not learning anything useful, also dares to say my face is thick?” Lan Chi replied.
Just as the two were bickering, Shen Lan Chi’s personal servant girls, Lu Zhu and Bi Yu, hurriedly ran over. Seeing their young miss safe and sound, the two girls both relaxed a breath and also expressed their thanks towards Lu Qi Yang.
“Thanking lord heir.”
Seeing her two servant girls lower their head and bend their waist, Shen Lan Chi slanted her eyes, softly saying, “Thank what? He has taken enough advantage of your young miss.”
Such universally shocking words, even if placed in the open-minded Great Chu, was also considered astonishing. Just, because the people in front were Shen Lan Chi and Lu Qi Yang, no one was that surprised anymore.
“Forget it, not going to argue with you. The sky is getting dark. You better quickly go back, so as to avoid your mother lecturing you again.” Lu Qi Yang hooked the corner of his lip, lifting the wine jug set aside on the fence and saying, “This little young master still need to go drink wine.”
After saying this, he just turned and left.
“………..Just know to drink wine.” Shen Lan Chi softly grumbled. But, gazing at his back, a trace of complication couldn’t help but emerge in her eyes.
In her mind, there was a voice that couldn’t be waved away.
——–Leave with me, immediately leave tonight.
——–If you don’t leave now, it’ll be too late.
“Miss? Miss?”
Hearing Lu Zhu’s voice, Shen Lan Chi finally returned to her senses. Contemplating for a moment, a thought suddenly popped into her mind. Previously, she was still thinking about how to turn down marrying Lu Zhao Ye. Now, isn’t there a readily available excuse right at her doorsteps?
After returning to the Shen Manor, Shen Lan Chi looked for her mother, Shen first madam, Ji-shi.
Furrowing her pretty brows, a bashful look emerged on her face, saying to her mother, “Mother…….today, the Zhennan Wang heir saved this daughter. This daughter, fell in love with him at first sight……..”
In an instant, Shen first madam was like as if getting struck by lightning, freezing in place, her jaw dropping in shock.
[1] The original phrase is 尘俗烟火气, lit. earthly customs, air of smoke and fire. It refers to the mundane world, or in certain context, the commoner’s world.
[2] Refers to Yang Yu Huan, also more well known as Noble Consort Yang (Yang Guifei), who was known for being a plump beauty.
T/N: There’s a line I changed in this chapter the original is 纤纤桃风 (slender peach wind) for describing her eyes. I really couldn’t make any sense of it, and nothing came up searching the phrase, so for the sentence to sound less weird I slightly changed it to delicate peach blossoms. It could be a typo on the author’s side, but I’m also not sure what it could’ve been.
I also was just thinking today how I probably don’t need to draw a relationship chart for this novel, because the characters don’t have complicated relationships and connections. The last two projects’ leads had way too many family members.
< Previous Chapter | Table of Contents |Next Chapter >
Discover more from Broken Jinsei
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Thanks for the translation! I’m looking forward to the interactions between the leads.
love this MC. an actress, a planner, very blasé about it all
thanks! hahaha the bickering is quite cute! ready made excuse, huuuh