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Dividing the Family (1)
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 woke up.
She opened her heavy eyelids and lifted her eyes. The thin canopy draped down, the jade hooks hanging down by the pillow. Sitting by her beside was Lu Qi Yang, his slender fingers tightly interlocked with hers under the blanket, squeezing until her palms were sweaty.
Shen Lan Chi’s eyeballs slightly moved, her line of sight sweeping over his face.
Lu Qi Yang’s lips were tightly pressed together, his eyes that were as dark as ink were half-closed, as if hiding in the veil of darkness. Seeing her finally open her eyes, he faintly revealed a look of surprise. Shortly after, he put his finger to his lip, making a ‘shh’ gesture, signaling Shen Lan Chi to not talk.
Noisy sounds were coming from a distance outside of her room. There was the furious voice was man, and also the sobbing sounds of a woman, don’t know what the fuss was about. However, inside her room, it was nevertheless extremely quiet, with only the fine rustling sounds of the wind outside blowing the pages of a book.
This glance of hers was like having the past life and this life all looked through again. Unconsciously, the man before her overlapped with that person in her dreams———–That body that got abandoned out in the wilderness, draped in frost and snow, bathed by the wind and dew, with the starved wild vultures keeping him company. Under the armor, his half-rotten flesh got ripped out inch by inch.
Recalling the scene in her dream, she felt hollow inside, like something getting ripped apart, but her heart didn’t ache that much, as if already numb. Perhaps, because of that dream, her eyes were hot, and without any warning, a stream of tears rolled down from the corner of her eyes, wetting her pillow.
Lu Qi Yang was startled, leaning his body and quietly whispering, “Why are you crying? Didn’t I just kiss you, is there a need to feel this wronged……”
“You……” Shen Lan Chi’s eyelids trembled, the tears overflowing between her dark eyelashes. In her voice, there was a bit of an inaudible sob, “Lu Qi Yang, you’re still alive……….still in front of me, how nice.”
He was still alive.
He was still in front of her.
How nice.
Seeing her tears, the young heir instantly panicked. He was completely troubled, frantically using his fingers to wipe her tears. But, the more he helped her wipe her tears, the more violently her tears flowed. In a blink of an eye, her chest already got drenched by tears.
Lu Qi Yang was helpless, continuing to wipe as he softly sighed, saying in an extremely low voice, “What dying and living? Just killing a wild beast can even make you think of this much random nonsense? I merely got a bit of insignificant minor injuries. As for you, on the other hand, how come your body is this weak? Passing out for that long……..”
Hearing him saying ‘got a bit of insignificant minor injuries’, Shen Lan Chi immediately supported herself up. Just, she still hasn’t fully recovered, her arms also not having any strength. As soon as she lifted her head, she heavily fell back down again, only able to glare with her eyes wide open, using her hoarse voice to ask back, “You got injured?! Where did you get injured?”
As she said this, her eyes continued to drip with large droplets of tears, her voice also choking up.
“Merely a minor injury, a scratch from a house cat is even worth making a big deal out of?” Lu Qi Yang used his sleeve to wipe away the remaining tears in the corner of her eyes, softly saying, “Don’t be too loud, I secretly slipped in. If your family were to find out, perhaps they will go complain to my parents.”
After wiping dry her eyes, his thumb landed on her cheek, quietly pressing.
TN: All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
“You lost weight, and also became stupid.” He said as his lips blossomed with a smile.
Shen Lan Chi gazed upon the smile on his face, the uneasiness lingering in her heart gradually dispersing. She deeply inhaled a breath, muttering, “Stupid it is then…….as long as you’re still alive, that is enough.”
“Where are all these foolish talk coming from?” Lu Qi Yang asked.
“…..Do you know? Lu Qi Yang……” She lifted her eyes, staring at a bamboo embroidered with silver threads at the top of the canopy, her voice like muttering in her dreams, “…….I had a dream. In the dream, the two of us both died, each more tragic than the last.”
“Nightmares are common, you can’t take them seriously.” Lu Qi Yang said, “I even once dreamed of my father wanting me to become the top scorer in the imperial military exam, but on the day of the exam, I directly overslept. I was so frantic that I banged my head on the ground in my dream.”
Shen Lan Chi’s expression didn’t change, still using that soft voice of hers to slowly speak, “In that dream, I often ponder, I never once committed any major sins, merely a bit vain, so why should I, because of my family’s mistakes, end up as such? I also thought about how you also didn’t commit any major sins, merely just loving a person to death, yet how come…..how come also ended up like that too?”
Lu Qi Yang earnestly listened, replying, “And afterwards?”
“Afterwards, in my dream, I came to realization.” Shen Lan Chi answered, “It’s all fate, unable to escape.”
She didn’t hear a response from Lu Qi Yang for a long time. When lifting her head again, she instead saw the heir laughing so hard to the side that his shoulders shook. A while later, Lu Qi Yang said, “How come your head is filled with these strange things? No wonder your brother often say that you’re hard to grasp, the demon lord among women.”
Shen Lan Chi was a bit helpless.
She was clearly talking seriously, yet he just treated it as a joke.
“Don’t think of those pointless things. This young master is perfectly fine, right in front of you, don’t worry.” After saying this, he used the hooks to put up the canopy, going out to fetch a bowl of medicine, bringing it before her and saying, “This medicine has already been placed aside for a while, just the right temperature, quickly drink it.”
The brown concoction swayed in the bowl. Before even putting it to her mouth, the overflowing bitterness just hit her face. Shen Lan Chi frowned, softly grumbling, “I’m already awake, so what’s the point of drinking this medicine? Too bitter, take it away.”
She used her hand to push away the medicine bowl as she stared at Lu Qi Yang’s body, asking, “Where did you get injured? Let me see.”
“Drink your medicine first.” Lu Qi Yang was very firm.
“Let me see your wound first.”
“Drink medicine.”
“Let me see your wound.”
“Drink medicine.”
“Wound.”
“……..Medicine!”
“……..Wound!”
“……..”
The two of them mutually glared at one another for a while before Lu Qi Yang finally surrendered, saying, “If you obediently drink the medicine, I will let you see the wound. Else, in this lifetime, don’t even think about finding out where that wound of mine is hidden.”
When Shen Lan Chi heard, her face immediately changed. She slapped her thigh and resolutely said, “Bring it here, I’ll down it in one go.” This appearance of hers was like a hero of Luling[1] eating steak and drinking mouthfuls of Shao wine[2] in the tavern.
Once Lu Qi Yang handed her the medicine bowl, she raised her head and gulped it down in one go without a second word. When she finished, she wiped the corner of her mouth, her fine brows frowning at the bitterness, saying with difficulty, “Quick, let me see where you got hurt.”
Lu Qi Yang was helpless and could only rolled up his sleeve, revealing his elbow, “Look, just on the arm. When slaughtering that bastard, accidentally let it claw me. It’s not that serious.”
There was a new injury on the heir’s arm. The flesh had turned inside out, appearing rather malevolent. Landing on his arm, it criss-crossed with the old wounds, appearing increasingly unpleasant to the eyes.
Shen Lan Chi lightly bit her lip, feeling quite upset inside.
“I originally didn’t want to burden you to come save me……” She lightly caressed the intact skin around that wound, very carefully, so as to avoid touching it. She said, “But, in the end, still burdened you.”
“Can’t be considered a burden.” Lu Qi Yang put down his sleeve, covering that wound and saying with a smile, “But, you have to remember, this life of yours belongs to this young master now. To put it simply, you, Shen Lan Chi, from hereon, belong to me, Lu Qi Yang.
“…….You!” She widened her eyes. Pausing for a moment, she suddenly changed her tone, saying with a laugh, “I’m long yours. I already became yours in the last lifetime.”
Right at this time, a knocking sound suddenly came from the door. Bi Yu asked, “Is miss awake? This servant will go invite madam right away.” After saying this, a commotion sounded outside. The mamas and servant girls were all very happy.
Seeing that people will come soon, Lu Qi Yang had no other choice and could only say, “Forget it, forget it, I’ll go first. It’s good that you’re awake, save me from worrying.” After saying this, he nimbly left through the window.
Very soon, Shen first madam hurriedly rushed over.
Shen first madam looked haggard, wearing simple clothes and a single hairpin, seemingly extremely exhausted. She entered the room and carefully cupped Shen Lan Chi’s face, studying for a while, before choking up with emotions, “It’s good that you’re awake, it’s good that you’re awake. In a few days, mother will go before the bodhisattva to repay the blessing.”
Shen Lan Chi squeezed out a smile, saying, “Mother, this daughter was unfilial, causing you to worry.”
“You also know that you’re a worrisome girl.” Shen first madam had tears in the corner of her eye, softly saying, “When you were asleep, you kept saying inauspicious nonsense all day, directly shouting that you’ve already gone to King Yama’s[3] place. Mother made a wish before the bodhisattva. If you can come back safe and sound, mother is willing to give up the An Duke Manor’s splendor and wealth. Even if impoverished for a lifetime, it’s also fine.”
She wiped her tears as she had her following words forced back down———Her precious daughter not only said nonsense, she even continuously shouted the full name of that heir next door in her dream. Don’t know how deeply rooted her feelings were.
…………..So be it, so be it. That heir had saved Lan Chi several times, and also a child they knew well. Most importantly, he was the person in Lan’er’s heart. In this way, wasn’t it much better than that crown prince?
As Shen Lan Chi and Shen first madam chatted, the angry cursing sound of man came through again from a distance outside. Shen Lan Chi was curious, asking, “What’s the fuss outside?”
“Oh, who else other than your second uncle and them making a fuss.” When mentioning the second branch, Shen first madam’s face turned cold, “Your father finally decided to divide the family with the second branch, letting them go live out their days on their own. Your second uncle is unwilling, saying that either we continue living together, or let him inherit your grandfather’s position as duke. So noisy, already having made a fuss all day. You just recovered, so it’s better to not bother with these troublesome matters.”
Upon hearing this, Shen Lan Chi was moved inside.
Father finally——finally is willing to divide the family with the second branch.
Recalling that day when returning from the palace, her father’s various reactions, Shen Lan Chi couldn’t help but secretly guess———That hairpin that had been tampered with was probably a trap set by the second branch. However, unexpectedly, by a strange combination of factors, the one that got injured by the sacred beast in the end was Shen Tong Ying.
This can also be considered evil having its own retribution.
No matter how much her father loves his younger brother, presumably, he is also unable to tolerate this kind of conduct.
“Mother, Lan’er feels, a duke’s title actually isn’t considered anything.” Shen Lan Chi softly said, “If second uncle wants it, then just give it to him. This enormous family fortune, he also has a share.”
“It’s wonderful that you don’t care all that much about this wealth and glory……how can mother not know this? Just, your father is unwilling.” Shen first madam shook her head, saying with a sigh, “He’s scared that when this noble title is handed to your second uncle, it will get squandered until nothing is left. The Shen family has been illustrious for generations. He certainly won’t let this prestige and influence end in the hands of this generation.”
Shen Lan Chi clutched the corner of her quilt, urgently saying, “But, if to let second uncle continue saying in our home, the An Duke Manor’s reputation similarly will get squandered away.” She paused for a moment, anxiously adding, “Speaking of which, it’s also father’s fault. Why is he always partial towards second uncle’s family? If not for father’s indulgence, how could tang brother Ting Zhu have become this arrogant and willful, to the extent of committing such a crime!?”
Shen first madam caressed her forehead, saying with difficulty, “This matter can’t be talked about. You just need to remember, your father owes your second uncle a great debt. If not for your second uncle, back then, your father not only wouldn’t have been able to become the head of the family, even his life, he wouldn’t have been able to preserve.”
“En.” Shen Lan Chi nodded.
“The matters at home, just letting father and mother worry over is enough. You don’t need to get involved. Since that heir had saved you, in two days, mother will prepare some fruits and gifts for you to take over to thank him. To be able to encounter someone as good as the heir, that is your good fortune accumulated over several lifetimes, understand?” Shen first madam tenderly said.
Pausing for a moment, Shen first madam added, “In any case, he’s someone familiar, so no need to strictly abide by the etiquettes between man and woman………carefully grasp this opportunity!” When saying this line, there was even a trace of excitement in her voice, as if looking forward to something.
Shen Lan Chi: …….
????
Really her actual mother!
[1] Refers to the heroes, mostly a band of bandits, that opposed the corrupt authorities and protected the people. They later formed into the Luling Army and revolted against Wang Mang of the Xin dynasty, re-establishing Liu Xuan, who was a descendant of the Western Han imperial family, back on the throne. The Xin dynasty only lasted about 14 years. It was established by Wang Mang who was an imperial in-law following the Western Han dynasty. After he was overthrown and Liu Xuan ascended the throne, the Han dynasty was restored.
[2] Shao wine was a famous Tang dynasty wine.
[3] King of the underworld
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MC attributing what happened in the OG timeline and at the banquet to fate sorta hints at the actual problem.
Which is that she and her dad were both trying to fight way above their weight class strategy and intrigue wise.
Especially MC. Feel like growing up with a cousin who is dumb and overtly hostile made her way too complacent. Like she’s not super vigilant and doesn’t super take other women seriously, which would have been really easy for concubines in an imperial harem to take advantage of.
i think there will be in future chapters a big reveal, that the huge debt the first branch has with the second one, was just a ploy made by second uncle all the way
genuinely curious what the 2nd branch was hoping to happen by making SLC get disfigured in a scheme from an enemy nation. like I don’t see how that would benefit them at all. isn’t their daughter already engaged to become the princess? disfiguring SLC – or killing her – does not seem to bring them any benefit. however that branch seems to be missing a few screws all around so ¯\(ツ)/¯ secondly SLC’s mom is hilarious what is she expecting her daughter to do!!! I know SLC and LQY are quite scandalous but that’s behind closed doors!! it must be a mother’s intuition about her daughter?
Her mom is also best friends with his mom 🤣