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Sandalwood Red Maple
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!
Lu Zhao Ye’s marriage was just settled like this, having no more objections. Shen Tong Ying, who had the fortune of becoming the crown princess, was no longer like before, smug and ostentatious, instead locking herself up in her room for a long time, which was rather unlike her, unknown as to what it was for.
Shen Lan Chi was also unlucky. Shen first madam was worried that the crown prince’s engagement will bring about rumors and gossip for her. As such, she had her restrained at home, not letting her go out, so as to avoid those madams and young ladies at the poetry gatherings and flower banquets saying mean things and taking the opportunity to throw rocks down the well.
As the autumn gradually deepened, the girls of the Chu capital all added a shawl outside their light silk dress to defend against the autumn wind. There were also girls that valued beauty who were unwilling to add another layer of clothes, and because of this, they would catch a cold at night. In fact, she even heard that the empress dowager in the palace also, because of reciting buddhist sutras through the night that was getting colder and colder, fell ill.
Shen Lan Chi got rid of the marriage arrangement with Lu Zhao Ye, but she still couldn’t relax.
The Shen family’s downfall in the past life was still vivid in her mind. She absolutely didn’t want the same mistakes to repeat in this life. In the winter of next year, Lu Zhao Ye will be welcoming Shen Tong Ying through the door. Prior to that, she must do something——for the time being, it was impossible to thoroughly get rid of the Shen family second branch, this big tumor. But, she must at least let the second branch that was full of corruption get taught a lesson and start restraining themselves.
Thinking to here, she sent someone to go gather information.
The days just went by like this. In a blink of an eye, it was the time of the An Duke Manor’s autumn maple viewing.
Although both in the An Duke Manor, Shen Tong Ying refused to set foot out the door, like as if avoiding Shen Lan Chi’s sharp edge. When Shen Lan Chi saw her again, the red maples outside the Chu capital were already in full color.
Sandalwood Temple was a treasured buddhist land, the incense fire burning all year round. Because there was purple willow catkins in spring, lotus in summer, red maple in autumn, and snow in winter, there were an endless stream of tourists in all four seasons. Shen first madam was familiar with the scripture lecturer of Sandalwood Temple, so already had someone sort out a square courtyard in the morning first, for the people of the Shen family to rest in.
On the day of the maple viewing, the Shen family second branch arrived much later than the first branch. When the first branch arrived, the maple mountain outside Sandalwood Temple was still tranquil and quiet, the entire mountain covered in red. But, when the second branch came, the little path before the mountain was parked full of all kinds of horse carriages and sedan chairs, crowding together, having that mountain path covered to the point where it was difficult to set down one’s foot. Among an entire mountain of bright red, there were endless sounds of laughter, further having corners of luxurious silk dresses fluttering like clouds.
Xiao-shi was still very chatty, her attire extremely expensive, stylish from head to toe. Although her daughter nearly got rejected by the crown prince, Shen Tong Ying still became the crown princess in the end. Therefore, Xiao-shi constantly carried around a proud look. Even the time for the maple viewing she was unwilling to abide by, insisting on arriving late, so as to show off her unique prestige.
When the people of the second branch arrived in the courtyard, they didn’t sit down first, instead ordering around that little monk who was sweeping in the courtyard, disdaining that the tea they’ve always drank in past years was too crude, also saying that the stones paved on the ground hurt their feet. Shen Tong Ying was actually a bit quieter, directly entering the side wing.
When Shen Tong Ying entered from the outside, Shen Lan Chi almost didn’t recognize her.
In just a month, she actually lost a circle of weight. Someone who used to be plump and spirited in the past was actually a bit thin and feeble now. Seeing Shen Lan Chi, Shen Tong Ying didn’t provoke this younger tang sister like how she loved to in the past, just very briefly glancing at Shen Lan Chi, before she sat down leaning against the blue and white porcelain beauty pillow[1].
Outside the window of the side wing was a small maple forest, the red leaves clustered together, like dyed by the sunset, extremely magnificent. Shen first madam sampled a cup of tea, and then called everyone out of the courtyard to go offer incense.
Just as Shen Lan Chi was about to head out, Shen Tong Ying called out to her, “Younger sister Lan, please wait.”
The two etiquette mamas that Xiao-shi hired seemingly were very capable. Shen Tong Ying was a little more steadier now, actually a bit more like the wife of the heir apparent.
“What’s the matter older sister Tong?” Shen Lan Chi saw that her older brother and parents have already gone far, so slowly stopped before the doorsteps and asked.
TN: All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
“Younger sister Lan, you long knew that the Shen family will have me promised to his Highness the Crown Prince, right?” Shen Tong Ying got up, her eyes fixedly staring at her. A hint of suspicion penetrated through her eyes, “That’s why, you said that you have feelings for the Zhennan Wang heir, so as to save face in front of me.”
Shen Lan Chi pondered for a moment and said, “Truthfully speaking, previously, I also didn’t know.”
“No! You knew!” Shen Tong Ying suddenly overturned the tea cup in front of her, her voice sharpening, her eyes showing hatred, “You clearly knew that the crown prince was going to marry me, but you still got tangled with the crown prince. Else, why would his Highness who has always hated you in the past request to marry you in front of his Majesty?!”
—–In the past, the crown prince clearly was that annoyed with Shen Lan Chi. If not for Shen Lan Chi clinging to him on her own, how could Lu Zhao Ye drastically change in attitude, actually wanting to turn down the marriage with her on the spot and ask to marry Shen Lan Chi instead?
“Older sister Tong has thought too much.” Shen Lan Chi’s expression didn’t change, her voice suddenly turning cold, “You have the crown prince viewed as an immortal deity in the mortal world, feeling that all the girls of the Chu capital are in love with him, but afraid you are wrong. I’ve already repeatedly said, I don’t want to marry the crown prince.”
Shen Tong Ying came up in a few steps, her eye sockets actually dyed red. Her finger was shaking as she pointed at Shen Lan Chi, saying in a towering voice, “I nearly got my engagement broken, and it was all thanks to you! This humiliation, I will eventually return to you with interest one day!”
Shen Lan Chi was slightly shocked by her expression.
In the past, Shen Tong Ying although also loved causing trouble, she has never been as resentful as she is today. Presumably, the crown prince turning down the marriage in front of her had really upset her, thus causing her to speak without restraint.
Clearly, the one that caused her to nearly suffer the humiliation of getting her engagement broken was Lu Zhao Ye, but she felt that Lu Zhao Ye was a treasure she’d finally obtained with great difficulty, so even if fully aware that hidden under that bright and shiny skin might be a pile of dirt, Shen Tong Ying will still had Lu Zhao Ye treated as a treasure. Shen Tong Ying couldn’t bear to and also didn’t dare to blame Lu Zhao Ye, so she could only have her resentment vented out on Shen Lan Chi.
Bullying the weak and fearing the strong has always been human nature.
“Older sister Tong, I’m just going to warn you once.” Shen Lan Chi played with her nail cover and said, “Lu Zhao Ye isn’t a good man. That Eastern Palace will only be a fire pit. You better think carefully, do you still want to jump in this fire pit?”
She wasn’t lying. That Lu Zhao Ye at present listened to and indulged the Shen family, and in the future, perhaps he will still be like the past life, cleaning up after the Shen family and helping cover up the various crimes the Shen family committed. But, she knew, what Lu Zhao Ye was really thinking inside has always been having the Shen family eliminated in one swoop, eradicating from the roots.
In this life, Shen Lan Chi has the intention of changing the Shen family’s fate, but she at most can only save her own brother and parents, unable to save the second branch who have committed many evils deeds. If her parents and older brothers are all gone, then what’s the point of Shen Tong Ying being this crown princess?”
Shen Tong Ying slightly blanked, but then coldly sneered, “You couldn’t become the crown princess, so came before me to deceive yourself? Don’t be naive! Shen Lan Chi, I will be a hundred, a thousand times better off than you. In the future, there will only be room for you to envy me, and no room for you to be high and mighty!”
After saying this, she very pridefully raised her head and stepped out of the side wing, turning and disappearing into a patch of maple forest.
Seeing her this arrogant and stubborn, Shen Lan Chi could only shake her head.
She has already tried to urge, but Shen Tong Ying was unwilling to listen.
Really a pity for such a pretty face.
• • •
The Great Hall of Sandalwood Temple swirled with incense clouds, the smoke winding around the incense furnace[2]. The giant Buddha that was originally made of clay was covered in a layer of gold and inlaid with the seven treasures of Buddha, thus having a solemn appearance, showing compassion to all living beings.
Lu Zi Xiang has already stood before the Buddha statue for half an incense stick, but the buddhist beads between his fingers haven’t moved in the slightest.
Standing by his side was an elderly man draped in a kasaya[3], sprouting a half-white beard. This was Sandalwood Temple’s abbot, Grandmaster Yuanwu.
Seeing Lu Zi Xiang frozen like a sculpture, Grandmaster Yuanwu chuckled and slowly said, “For your Highness to be this pious, the empress dowager certainly will be very happy.”
The second prince before him was dressed in a diluted ink-colored thin robe, wearing brocade shoes on his feet. His tall and slender figure was like jade and also like bamboo, truly a noble gentleman. No wonder he was that favored by his Majesty.
The temple bell rang from afar, wandering over the green hills. When the drawn out ending sound dropped, Lu Zi Xiang who had his eyes closed in silence before Buddha finally opened his eyes.
“I just wish for Buddha to be able to bless my grandmother to be healthy, free from illness and pain.” Lu Zi Xiang put away the buddhist beads and said with a smile. Turning his eyes, he caught at a glance his study companion, Song Yan Li, coming from behind the green bamboo grove, thus said to Yuanwu, “I frequently hear grandmother say that the maple leaves of Grandmaster Yuanwu’s place are extremely pretty. Since coming all this way to Sandalwood Temple for a visit, I should go look around myself.”
Yuanwu stroked his long beard, hurriedly saying, “Going around alone, won’t it be boring? How about letting Yuanwu lead the way, and explain to your Highness about the eight wonders among the maple in detail.”
“Don’t dare to trouble Grandmaster Yuanwu.” Lu Zi Xiang revealed a modest look, politely saying, “If to let grandmother find out that I disturbed Grandmaster Yuanwu, afraid she will punish me to copy an entire scroll of buddhist scriptures. I will just go alone.”
Lu Zi Xiang repeatedly declined. Yuanwu revealed a regretful look as he nodded in agreement.
Once Yuanwu left, Lu Zi Xiang called over Song Yan Li, calmly asking, “Did you find out?”
Song Yan Li answered, “Replying to your Highness, found out already. Just now, when I came over, the Shen family second miss was in the back courtyard.”
Lu Zi Xiang used the rolled up buddhist scripture to tap against his palm, slowly saying, “This is very good.” Shortly after, he took out a square handkerchief with the character Lan(兰) embroidered in one corner and handed it to Song Yan Li, saying, “Go look for a little novice monk to inform Shen second miss’s servant, letting her come to the saffron red stone steps to meet me. Once she sees this handkerchief, she will know who I am.”
Song Yan Li had a bit of hesitation, saying, “Your Highness, this Shen second miss is someone from the An Duke Manor after all. If to let the Noble Consort find out……..”
“But, doesn’t consort mother not know?” Lu Zi Xiang smiled in an easy-going manner, “Or could it be that you will have this matter told to consort mother?”
“Yan Li doesn’t dare.” Song Yan Li immediately said. Pausing for a moment, he carefully asked, “Then, the Zhennan Wang Manor’s heir……..”
Hearing this name get mentioned, Lu Zi Xiang’s brows faintly furrowed.
A moment later, Lu Zi Xiang said, “Just leave him be. Earlier, I saw him chasing those young ladies from the Shi family, heading straight for the mountains. Presumably, he won’t return any time soon.”
Unknown as to why, when that heir of Zhennan Wang Manor heard that he was going to come to Sandalwood Temple to offer incense for the empress dowager today, he insisted on coming along.
Presumably, it’s because recently, Sandalwood Temple’s maple leaves have turned red, so many womenfolk of the capital linger around here.
For those who are unlearned and unskilled, there’s actually a carefree kind of joy.
After Song Yan Li left, Lu Zi Xiang walked to the saffron red stone steps to wait nearby. A good while later, he heard two sets of footsteps gradually approaching. One of them was light and slow, while the other was somewhat stumbling. He originally thought that it was Shen Lan Chi and her servant girl, but when he lifted his eyes, what he saw wasn’t the case—–
Shen Lan Chi did come, even holding that square handkerchief that he gave to Song Yan Li, but there was also someone else sticking close behind her, carrying a cheeky grin, continuously asking, “Who is this handkerchief for?”
It was precisely Lu Qi Yang who had disappeared to who knows where earlier.
Seeing Lu Qi Yang, Lu Zi Xiang’s heart slightly sunk.
Of all the people he could pester, why did he have to insist on pestering Shen Lan Chi?
She’d finally gotten rid of that marriage arrangement with Lu Zhao Ye……
Lu Zi Xiang swept her a glance, seeing on Shen Lan Chi’s wrist an extremely translucent bracelet, the style very familiar. It was precisely the dowry piece of Zhenshun Empress that he’d personally showed Shen Lan Chi previously upon Taicheng Lake.
At the time, when Shen Lan Chi was looking at this bracelet, her eyes were full of fondness.
Thinking to here, Lu Zi Xiang’s mood suddenly improved, and not too bothered about Lu Qi Yang anymore.
The corner of his lips slightly hooked, gently saying, “Shen second miss sure enough like this bracelet very much. If you really like this much, why turn down my offer back then? I could’ve just given it to you, saving you the trouble of buying it from the heir.”
Shen Lan Chi clenched the handkerchief, slightly blanking, as if not expecting that the person waiting for her here was Lu Zi Xiang. She awkwardly caressed the jade bracelet on her wrist and was just about to open her mouth, when Lu Qi Yang who was next to her spoke first, “Your Highness, this bracelet she didn’t buy it from me.”
Lu Zi Xiang was slightly confused inside.
Could it be that she went through the trouble just to buy an exact same imitation?
Then, that really is putting in quite the effort.
Right as Lu Zi Xiang was thinking this, Lu Qi Yang instead said, “This was a gift I gave to Shen second miss. A treasure pairing with a beauty, isn’t it only natural?”
Pausing for a moment, the smile on Lu Qi Yang’s face became increasingly obvious, “Oh, right, I forgot to thank your Highness for helping me appraise this bracelet. This jade bracelet of Zhenshun Empress, Shen second miss likes a lot, really have troubled your Highness.”
[1] Type of head rest made out of porcelain
[2] 鼎炉 (dinglu) – This refers to incense burner in the shape of a ding, which is a three or four-legged cauldron.
[3] In chinese buddhism, the term jiasha(袈裟) came from kasaya. It’s a commonly red one-piece, patchworked rectangular fabric that’s worn over the shoulder of fully ordained monks and nuns.
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