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Beginning of New Year (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!
After welcoming the new year, Shen first madam napped for a while before getting up to get dressed, preparing to take Shen Lan Chi out to visit the relatives.
The An Duke Manor didn’t have many relatives. The great majority already scattered out during Shen Rui’s generation, the relationship already taking a turn, not considered close. The first place Shen first madam needed to visit was the Ji family, not only because the Ji family was Shen first madam’s maiden family, but further because the Ji family had just betrothed a daughter to the second prince. Shen first madam was in a hurry to go back and sound them out, see which side the Ji family will stand.
Arriving before the Ji family gate, Shen Lan Chi followed her mother down the carriage. The bright red vermillion gate was swept clean of snow with two stone lions guarding in front, appearing extremely majestic and imposing. On the gilded horizontal board hanging high above, the two words ‘Ji Manor’ were written fancily like flying dragons and dancing phoenixes, very awe-inspiring.
Seeing Shen first madam come, the servants came out to welcome, saying: “The Shen family’s madam has come!” Those servant women and servant girls all had their eyes lowered, appearing obedient and diligent, more than enough to show the Ji family’s family style.
The current head of the Ji family was Shen first madam’s eldest brother, Ji Heng. Ji Heng’s wife had the surname Liang, having birthed two daughters and two sons. The youngest young miss was Ji Fei Xia who had just gotten engaged to Lu Zi Xiang.
Seeing her younger sister-in-law come visit, Liang-shi revealed a smile. She first exchanged pleasantries with the Shen family mother and daughter pair, then gifted Shen Lan Chi some bracelets and pearls, politely praising Shen Lan Chi with “you’ve become more and more charming”.
Shen first madam naturally accepted it all.
After briefly chatting a little, Shen first madam just wanted to talk with Liang-shi about the second prince, so had Shen Lan Chi quickly shooed away.
“Why don’t you go accompany your little sister Fei Xia. In the future, when she marries, you won’t have the opportunity to look for her anymore.” Shen first madam said.
Shen Lan Chi agreed in response, and then followed the servant girl to look for Ji Fei Xia.
Ji Fei Xia wasn’t in her room, but in a patch of plum forest in the Ji manor’s backyard playing with the servant girls. When Shen Lan Chi arrived, she saw the sparse plum blossoms in the forest, like the remnants of a candle. The entire garden was filled with a faint fragrance, boundlessly pure and beautiful. Ji Fei Xia wore a light green long flowing dress with twin lotus patterns, in addition to a little coat lined with fine fur on the outside, currently sitting on the swing lightly swaying.
Hearing footsteps, Ji Fei Xia turned her head for a look. When she saw that it was Shen Lan Chi, she waved her hand with a smile, “Older sister Lan Chi, come push me!”
As she turned her head for a glance, her smiling face was even more dazzling than the speckles of red plum blossoms behind her, both adorable and also penetrating with innocence.
Shen Lan Chi smiled and agreed with a ‘ok’. She exited the corridor and walked behind Ji Fei Xia. Grabbing the ropes of the swing, she slowly started pushing the swing. Ji Fei Xia swung her two feet, raising her head and saying with a smile, “After the new year, we’ll be a year older. Unknowingly, another year has passed.”
Perhaps because she’d just gotten engaged, the corner of her eyes and the tip of her brows all radiated with sweetness.
“Yes, this year after year sure passed quickly. Can’t believe you’ll be marrying too.” Shen Lan Chi pressed her lips into a smile.
Although Shen Lan Chi was smiling, she was nevertheless sighing inside. In her view, that second prince truly wasn’t considered a good person, nor worthy of Ji Fei Xia. But, the Ji family’s views were different from hers——For the Ji family, for Ji Fei Xia to be able to marry the second prince, it was already an enormous matter. As for whether or not Lu Zi Xiang genuinely likes Ji Fei Xia, and whether or not he will take in concubines or have a change of heart, these all weren’t things that need to be considered.
In front of power, who can easily let go?
TN: All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
Shen Lan Chi of the previous life, didn’t she also for the sake of that crown princess position throw away everything?
If, at this time, Shen Lan Chi were to rashly jump out and say to the Ji family, “the second prince likes me, if Ji Fei Xia marries him, afraid will be out of luck”, she will most likely get laughed at by the Ji family.
Furthermore……
What position did she have to say these words?
“Older sister Lan Chi, you’re already seventeen, how come you still haven’t decided on a family?” Ji Fei Xia curiously asked, “I heard there are countless young men that admire you in the capital, each with their own elegance. Among these people, older sister Lan Chi actually doesn’t have one that you fancy?”
Shen Lan Chi choked for a moment.
She……
…..naturally had someone she fancied.
However, at present, she was still can’t marry.
“I still want to stay by my mother’s side longer.” Shen Lan Chi said. Shen Lan Chi’s eyes spun, wanting to sound something out, saying, “Furthermore, I’m also scared, scared of marrying the wrong person. I’m someone that’s easily jealous. If my husband has concubines in the future, I absolutely won’t allow it.”
Ji Fei Xia listened and deeply pondered for a moment. A while later, she sighed and said, “Men having many wives and concubines, that in itself is just a common thing. In his Majesty’s imperial harem, there are more than twenty consorts and imperial concubines. Even if angry, what can be done about it? It’s better to think things through early. That way, the days in the future will also be better.”
Between her words, there was a hint of sympathy.
She although still hasn’t married, she has already thought of Lu Zi Xiang taking in concubines in the future. Even if not having romantic love, just for the sake of roping in influential families and noble clans, Lu Zi Xiang will certainly take in side consorts. Aside from accepting, what else can she do?
“If his Highness the Second Prince takes in concubines, you can also tolerate?” Shen Lan Chi pretended to be astonished.
“……Should be…able to tolerate.” Ji Fei Xia bit her lower lip. Recalling Lu Zi Xiang’s warm and gentle appearance, her face turned red again, softly saying, “However, I believe in his Highness. He isn’t that kind of person, so certainly will treat me extremely well. Older sister Lan Chi doesn’t need to worry about me. Why don’t older sister Lan Chi tell me what kind of man you like?”
Shen Lan Chi was just about to say something when she detected someone approaching her from behind. She abruptly turned around, seeing a man who had appeared behind her all of sudden. This man was dressed in a purple robe, with a jade belt tied around his waist. His handsome face was like as if molded by the gods. It was precisely the second prince, Lu Zi Xiang.
Presumably, Lu Zi Xiang came to visit his future wife.
He was the second prince, so naturally can go wherever he wanted.
Seeing Shen Lan Chi discover him, Lu Zi Xiang put a finger to his lips, soundlessly making a ‘shh’ gesture with a warm smile between his brows. Afterwards, he reached out and pushed the swing for Ji Fei Xia.
This originally was something that can win Ji Fei Xia’s favor, but Lu Zi Xiang’s hand directly grasped onto Shen Lan Chi’s hand. He held Shen Lan Chi’s hand and pushed the swing together with her, not the least bit afraid of getting discovered by his future consort in front.
Shen Lan Chi felt extremely uncomfortable, immediately pulling her hand out with all her might. Afterwards, she hurriedly bowed in silence, then left this little space in the plum forest to this future couple.
“Older sister Lan Chi, why don’t you answer my question…….”
Ji Fei Xia’s voice disappeared behind her.
Shen Lan Chi lifted her dress and lightened her steps as she walked towards the corridor. However, after turning the corner, a go board suddenly appeared before her on the ground. She hurriedly stopped in her tracks, but her embroidered shoe still accidentally kicked the go board that was set on the ground for some unknown reason. In an instant, the black and white go pieces scattered all over the ground, the go board also titling.
Shen Lan Chi had a bad feeling, immediately crouching down with Bi Yu to collect the pieces.
She although could distinguish the black and white pieces, she didn’t know the way of go. After placing the pieces back on the board, she was unable to remember what the layout was just now no matter what, so could only hardened her head and continue picking up the remaining pieces.
When she was about to pick up a black piece, her fingertips collided with someone else’s.
Shen Lan Chi slightly blanked. Lifting her head, she saw a thin and frail young man standing in front draped in a white cloak, his face slightly carrying a sickly complexion. However, his eyes were extremely clear, appearing out of place with those thin cheeks of his that were lacking blood. It was precisely the Liu family’s eldest son, Liu Yu.
Shen Lan Chi retracted her hand, feeling somewhat uncomfortable. She lowered her eyes and said, “Greetings Gentleman….Liu. How come it’s not Song Yan Li, Sir Song, following his Highness the Second Prince today?”
Liu Yu picked up the black piece with two fingers and placed it on the board, his voice indifferently saying, “His body is unwell.”
When Shen Lan Chi heard, she immediately scolded herself with ‘idiot’. That Song Yan Li liked Ji Fei Xia. If Lu Zi Xiang wants to come visit Ji Fei Xia and be intimate with Ji Fei Xia, both showing mutual affections, why should Song Yan Li come to suffer?
Liu Yu had the black and white pieces on the ground all picked up and placed back. After getting up, he walked past Shen Lan Chi. When he passed by, Shen Lan Chi smelled a faint bitter scent of medicine from him, seemingly seeping into every inch of his collar, unable to dissipate no matter what.
Smelling this medicinal scent, Shen Lan Chi suddenly recalled what kind of ending this Liu Yu had in the past life.
This Liu family eldest son was born with overflowing talent, having a stomach full of literature. He can be said to be shockingly brilliant. Just, he brought some cold symptoms with him from his mother’s womb, a complete medicine jar. Every year in late autumn, he will always go recuperate for a while outside of the capital. In the past life, after the second prince got stabbed to death, Liu Yu just vomited blood nonstop that night, and in a few days, he just passed away in depression.
In this lifetime, for Liu Yu to be able to pick up go pieces here, it’s still thanks to her.
Perhaps…….also thanks to Lu Qi Yang.
• • •
Liu Yu went around the corner of the corridor, seeing Lu Zi Xiang and Ji Fei Xia’s figure in the plum forest from afar. The two of them were laughing and joking around, appearing very affectionate.
Liu Yu used his sleeve to cover his mouth, lightly coughing for a while. Afterwards, he suppressed the burning pain in his chest and lungs and said to his attendant, Liu Chang, by his side, “No wonder his Highness suddenly wanted to come to the Ji manor midway. Presumably, it was making out that carriage outside as the An Duke Manor’s.”
Liu Chang replied in a low voice, “Looks like, his Highness’s feelings towards that Shen family’s young miss aren’t ordinary.”
“Indeed.” Liu Yu muttered, “Beauty brings disaster. His Highness surely understands this reasoning, but his Highness still insists on going his way. Could it be that there’s really such a thing as love in this world, able to make one become muddled?”
Liu Chang looked to his own young master, thinking to himself, ‘Of course there is, just his young master doesn’t understand.’
The eldest young master was like a banished immortal[1] that didn’t understand the mortal world, not having the least bit of interest in the romantic love between man and woman, instead viewing beautiful women as a flood beast, fearing that his Highness will get held up from important matters because of this. How can this kind of eldest young master know the benefits of love?
“Young master, if his Highness really does have deeply rooted feelings for the An Duke Manor’s young miss, what will we do?” Liu Chang asked.
“What else can we do?” Liu Yu lowered his eyes, saying in a low voice, “As long as that An Duke Manor’s young miss marries, then his Highness naturally will sever this thought and nicely treat the Ji family young miss. At present, the Ji family is also rapidly advancing, so we must win them over. Why don’t you go figure something out and let this Shen Lan Chi marry as far away as possible.”
[1] It’s believed that when immortals misbehave in heaven, they get banished to the mortal realm to live for some time as punishment, usually through reincarnation, but they still end up standing out from ordinary mortals.
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