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A Deal (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!
Shen Lan Chi exited the palace and sat onto the An Duke Manor’s horse carriage.
When she was in Ganfu Palace, she’d kept a close eye on Lu Zi Xiang the whole time, picking the right moment and saving Lu Zi Xiang’s life from the jaws of the beast, exhausting a lot of energy. Once everything returned to peace, she was like a snapped cord, her entire body falling limp.
Leaning against Shen first madam’s shoulder, she finally discovered that she was already covered in cold sweat, drenching her inner garment thoroughly.
Shen first madam who was beside her had a slightly pale complexion, a look of having survived a calamity. She tightly held Shen Lan Chi’s hand, ramblingly saying, “How can you be this reckless? That second prince naturally has guards by his side. You, a mere girl, even if sitting close by, still shouldn’t rush over……….if unlucky, and end up like that Tong girl, what will we do?”
As she spoke, she nearly started crying.
Recalling how that Shen Tong Ying became disfigured, currently still staying in Cien Palace to receive the imperial physician’s treatment, Shen first madam was both frightened and scared. A while later, she said, “Fortunately the heir saved you again……..definitely need to properly go over to thank him another day. Don’t know how many lifetimes of bad luck you’ve accumulated in order for you to be saved by the heir like this in exchange………..”
As soon as Shen first madam finish saying this, she just heard Shen Lan Chi interrupt with: “Two lifetimes of bad luck.”
Shen first madam was afraid that she’d heard wrong, thus asked, “How many lifetimes?”
“Two lifetimes.” Shen Lan Chi solemnly said.
“…….You!” Shen first madam slightly composed herself and said, “You’d just returned to your senses, yet already being flippant!”
Shen Lan Chi closed her eyes and didn’t speak, inwardly muttering to herself.
It was indeed two lifetimes.
While half-resting, she suddenly recalled when that sacred beast pounced towards Shen Tong Ying, it first ripped out a hairpin. Just so coincidentally, that hairpin was precisely the one she gave to Shen Ran previously.
Thinking to here, she suddenly sat up in shock, everything becoming bright before her eyes all of sudden.
“Hairpin…hairpin……” She muttered, suddenly pulling Shen first madam’s sleeve, directly stating, “Mother, someone wants to harm me.”
Upon hearing this, Shen first master who was sitting in the front also looked over, asking, “What’s wrong?”
“That sacred beast moved according to scent, first injuring eldest tang sister, then hunted down the second prince. When it pounced towards eldest tang sister, it just bit the hairpin hidden on eldest tang sister. But, that hairpin was originally placed on this daughter’s dressing table, waiting for this daughter to wear. Just, little sister Ran just happened to ask for it, so this daughter gave it to her. Don’t know how it ended up on eldest tang sister……” The cold sweat on Shen Lan Chi’s forehead faintly slid down. Her hand that was tugging Shen first madam was also extremely rigid.
In the past life, this kind of thing had never happened before！
TN: All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
Upon hearing this, Shen first master and Shen first madam both drastically changed in complexion.
The sacred beast just bit the hairpin. This meant that there was definitely something wrong with the hairpin. Perhaps, it had gotten infused with some scent, inducing the sacred beast to go mad. If not for Shen Ran coming and asking for the hairpin, afraid the fate of becoming disfigured originally would’ve fallen on Shen Lan Chi’s head!
Recalling Shen Tong Ying’s tragic state, Shen first madam’s complexion turned deathly pale. She had her daughter tightly held in her arms, gritting her teeth as she said, “Investigate! This matter absolutely needs to be investigated! Which lowly servant is this audacious, daring to have that hairpin secretly placed in your dressing case?! What is Lü Zhu doing?!”
Even if Shen Lan Chi was as close as sisters with Lü Zhu, she was still unable to make excuses for Lü Zhu. This dressing case was looked after by Lü Zhu. To actually let someone else secretly slip in something, that was just Lü Zhu’s negligence.
Shen first master had a heavy expression, slowly saying, “Madam, no need to investigate. This husband knows who did it.”
Shen first madam blanked, hesitantly asking: “Mas–master….?”
“……This family, has no choice but to divide.” Shen first master closed his eyes and let out a long sigh, saying, “Forget it, it’s all fate.”
Shen first madam still wanted to ask, but Shen Lan Chi who was next to her felt her head weigh down, passing out as she muttered, “Mother, my head hurts.” With this, Shen first madam no longer had the energy to ask her husband what he meant, instead just focusing on taking care of her daughter.
• • •
Shen Lan Chi had gotten frightened, her mind muddled. Once she returned home, she just started having a fever, dizzily lying in bed. Shen first madam hurriedly looked for a doctor, also ordering the servant girls to watch over her day and night, while she herself anxiously sat by the beside. Whenever Shen Lan Chi needed to change clothes or wipe her body, Shen first madam will personally set to the task.
Her illness this time came like a torrent, burning for a whole day and night, actually not showing signs of improving. Her mind was also blurry and muddled.
Shen first madam panicked, inviting several doctors in a row, who respectively prescribed a few varying medications. But, that medicine although got fed to her, and she was also taken care of meticulously, her fever didn’t go down in the slightest. Lying in bed, her cheeks were thoroughly red, occasionally opening her watery eyes, like having cried, looking to the person by her side and saying “uncomfortable”, before falling silent again.
Shen first madam was extremely worried, but unable to do anything.
What she didn’t know was that during this time while Shen Lan Chi was unconscious, she had a long dream.
In the dream, she returned to the past life. Just, at the time, she was already dead, only able to see the imperial city with the winged eaves and vermillion watchtowers below her as she floated in the air.
Lu Zhao Ye ascended the throne as emperor, finally having the world taken into his hands. However, he never established an empress. Back and forth, he took in several imperial concubines, but he didn’t seem to like any of them. That Cien Palace that originally should’ve housed the empress was empty and desolate.
Finally, one day, like as if finally coming around, he conferred a noble consort, and towards this noble consort, he very much adored. This noble consort’s appearance was blurry, like separated by the clouds. Shen Lan Chi was unable to see clearly, only able to hear the others gossiping in a low voice, calling her ‘Noble Consort Shen’.
“That Noble Consort Shen really is capable…….”
“Everyone in her family is already gone, yet Noble Consort Shen is still able to climb up again.”
“Isn’t it still relying on that one’s glory? If not for that one who’s currently lying in the imperial tombs, where would it be this Noble Consort Shen’s place…….”
“Her back-view is similar, resembling even more when smiling. No wonder his Majesty adores Noble Consort Shen……”
Lu Zhao Ye wasn’t considered some wise and brilliant ruler. He was very paranoid, gloomy, and cold by nature. Seven years into his reign, he had the world thrown into turmoil, the people’s resentment increasing by the day. Eventually, the feudal lords and ministers all rebelled, causing chaos everywhere.
In the spring of Yuanqing year 7, Zhennan Wang Lu Qi Yang raised an army in revolt, the army marching straight for the Chu capital, an irresistible force like splitting bamboo.
The scenery flickered. In the next moment, it was the winter of Yuanqing year 7. The one sitting on the throne was still Lu Zhao Ye.
Where did Zhennan Wang go?
He was lying in the ice-cold snowfield, his corpse exposed out in the wilderness. In fact, no one even dared to cover him in a straw mat. A few starved wild vultures stopped by his body, having the rotting flesh under the armor pecked away and torn up little by little.
In the spring of Yuanqing year 8, someone seemingly secretly erected a gravestone for him. On the tablet, there was no inscription, only a wave-like carving, left as a mark. A valiant-looking man came to sweep the grave, placing steamed buns and incense for him, his face full of guilt.
Shen Lan Chi recognized the valiant-looking man. He was Lu Zi Xiang’s study companion, the Song family’s young master, called Song Yan Li.
“……After his second Highness passed away, Yan Li had the honor of encountering wangye, receiving a place to stay. However, Yan Li betrayed wangye’s kindness, opening the gates and casting oneself to the enemy. Yan Li is aware that one is sorry to wangye, as well as the brothers under wangye’s banner, also having no face to come here. But, Lu Zhao Ye had used one’s wife and child’s life to threaten…..Yan Li had no choice……..” Pausing for a moment, his two eyes turned red, saying, “Since ancient times, traitors have all died horrible deaths. Once the child in Fei Xia’s stomach is born, Yan Li will end one’s life, using death to apologize. In the next lifetime, Yan Li is willing to be a horse or cow for wangye in order to wash away the sins.”
After Song Yan Li left, that grave became cold and desolate again, just having a few thin white flowers left endlessly swaying in the wind.
This dream was too real, to the extent that Shen Lan Chi had a kind of misconception———afraid she will stay in this dream forever. Faintly, she heard her family’s incomparably anxious voices. There was the sound of her mother crying, the sound of her grandfather’s sighs, the sound of her older brother calling to her, as well as her father’s voice that was full of worry and self-blame.
“It’s all this father’s fault. If only I’d made up my mind earlier, it wouldn’t have……..”
Amidst the blurry dreamscape, Shen Lan Chi suddenly thought, this father of hers, perhaps loved her a lot in the bottom of his heart. Just, he never had these words said out loud. Moreover, he also carried the An Duke Manor’s glory and honor on his back, needing to prioritize the entire Shen family over everything, thus becoming like this now.
Her family came and went, yet they were unable to see her condition improve.
Finally, one night, she heard a familiar voice.
“You finally got to see me again, so better not unknowingly go back again.”
Lu Qi Yang’s voice was seemingly distant, yet seemingly close, as if far away in the horizon, but also brushing over by the ear.
Afterwards, she felt a warm sensation on her lips, as if a feather lightly landing down. There was something licking and biting her lips, gentle and light. Very soon, a warm and soft object pried open her teeth, slipping in and sweeping around.
Finally, Shen Lan Chi woke up.
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Maybe the hairpin was meant for Shen Lan Chi….but I feel like it wasn’t meant more for Shen Tong Ying and it’s Shen Ran that was behind it. She knew how Shen Tong Ying would react when she saw her wearing that hairpin so that’s why she ask for it from Shen Lan Chi 🤔🤔
IIRC Shen Tong Ying recognized the hairpin because she saw it in her dad’s study.
My guess is Shen Ran saw it too and figured out what it was for.
Then at the banquet she stained her own dress to give herself an excuse to ask MC for clothes, banking on MC being generous and Shen Tong Ying being petty.