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Wang Manor’s Servant Girl (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!
Once they left the An Duke Manor, Shen Lan Chi who was dressed as a servant girl relaxed her shoulders, letting out a big breath, saying, “Finally out! Everyday getting forced to practice dancing, my toes can’t even touch the ground, really tiring.”
She was wearing a jade colored bijia[1], with a simple pleated skirt below, dressed no differently from an ordinary servant girl of the Zhennan Wang Manor. Even so, she was still very conspicuous, unlike a servant girl.
Lu Qi Yang glanced at her and suddenly said with a smile, “This servant girl is rather pretty, have you been promised to someone? If not, this young master taking you in is also not a bad idea.”
Shen Lan Chi blanked for a moment.
This guy, how come even got addicted to the part?
Although inwardly complaining about Lu Qi Yang’s behavior, she still pulled out her handkerchief, pretending to be shy, bashfully saying, “This servant hasn’t gotten engaged yet, but this servant is unwilling to be a concubine in this lifetime. If heir wants to take in this servant, than can only use the heir’s madam title to treat this servant.”
Lu Qi Yang got shocked by her extremely soft and charming voice. He hardened his head and said, “If you serve well, becoming the heir’s madam isn’t impossible.”
Shen Lan Chi was just about to answer when Lu Qi Yang’s horse carriage came. Lu Qi Yang lifted the carriage curtain, set one foot onto the carriage, and said, “How can the servant girl sit together in the carriage with the master? It’s naturally the master sitting in the carriage, while the servant girl follow along outside.”
Shen Lan Chi blanked again. She looked at the rest of Lu Qi Yang’s servant boys, all obediently guarding outside, not budging at all.
“Master, ca-can you bear having me following along outside?” Shen Lan Chi used the tip of her toe to grind the ground, revealing a smile that was as bright as a peach blossom, “Won’t I still be serving you in the future? What if I break my legs from running?”
Lu Qi Yang thought for a moment and said, “Your words are reasonable, come up.”
Shen Lan Chi was a bit delighted and went to squeeze into the horse carriage. But, once she got inside the carriage, she discovered that this carriage truly was small, simply unable to allow two people to sit separately. She could only sit onto Lu Qi Yang’s lap.
Thinking for a moment, Shen Lan Chi sat down without any hesitation.
“Heir, bear with it a little!” She said.
“You…..you….” Lu Qi Yang stuffily grunted for a moment and said, “What a daring servant girl!”
The horse carriage slowly traveled for a while, passing through the lively capital city, reaching the west district’s Dengyun Pavilion. Lu Qi Yang was an old regular here. As soon as the waiter saw the Zhennan Wang Manor’s horse carriage, he immediately came up to lift the curtains and lead the way.
Lu Zi Xiang had brought along Song Yan Li, already quietly waiting in the private room on the second floor for a while.
Seeing Lu Qi Yang come, Lu Zi Xiang calmly asked, “Heir, what business do you have today?”
TN: All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
“It’s not me that wants to see you today, but someone else.” Lu Qi Yang slightly sighed, pretending to be dejected as he said, “She said she wanted to see you, I….could only think of a way to have you invited over, asking your Highness to not blame.”
Lu Zi Xiang was a bit confused. He turned his head for a look, discovering that the servant girl standing behind Lu Qi Yang was precisely Shen Lan Chi.
“Shen, Shen second miss?” Lu Zi Xiang who was still sitting just now suddenly stood up. He studied Shen Lan Chi’s servant girl attire, asking in confusion, “Why is second miss dressed like this? Quickly have a seat, no need to be too courteous.”
The pretty servant girl still bowed before slowly sitting down.
Seeing Shen Lan Chi, Lu Zi Xiang understood why Lu Qi Yang would reveal such a dejected look——-He knew Lu Qi Yang also has feelings for Shen Lan Chi. Unfortunately, the girl he liked for once came to him for help, yet it was for the sake of seeing another man. No matter who, all would feel dejected.
Thinking to here, Lu Zi Xiang’s fingers tightly clutched his sleeve, feeling a bit elated inside.
He dismissed Song Yan Li and Lu Qi Yang, and ordered someone to put down the curtains.
“For what reason is Shen second miss looking for me?” Lu Zi Xiang helped pour tea for Shen Lan Chi, saying with a smile, “It can’t be that you came to look for me for no reason?”
He was incomparably handsome to begin with, so smiling like this naturally was elegant like the clear moon, shining radiantly.
“Lan Chi just wants to ask your Highness one thing.” Shen Lan Chi raised her head, her eyes and brows filled with sadness, “Your Highness sharing mutual affection with Miss Ji, is this true?”
When Lu Zi Xiang heard, his hand holding the teacup tightened.
The line ‘it’s false’ practically was about to fly out of his throat, but he still pressed down his feelings inside and turned away, faintly saying, “Now that the marriage is already set, for Shen second miss to come ask this, what use is there?”
He saw the clamorous stream of horses and carriages in the street, his heart producing a sense of loneliness for no reason. He could only slowly sigh.
“There is indeed no use.” Shen Lan Chi’s voice seemingly choked with emotions, her eyes faintly filling with tears, “I just wanted to ask your Highness to personally tell me.”
Lu Zi Xiang caught a glimpse of the tears in her eyes and already began to panic inside.
Shen Lan Chi has always been aloof and prideful. Even afterwards, when her temper improved a little, she was still carrying thorns all over. When has she ever revealed such an expression before?
He then recalled previously during the banquet for the Banjaro delegation, she’d risked her to save him, nearly getting her appearance ruined by that qilin like her older sister, becoming increasingly moved inside. In the next moment, Lu Zi Xiang clenched his teeth, his feelings complicated as he said, “Lan Chi, I completely don’t have any feelings for Ji second miss. I’m an imperial prince, when it comes to marriage, I’m unable to make my own decisions. I know I’m sorry to you, in the future, when Ji second miss marries in…….”
Before he could finish, the curtains of the private room suddenly got lifted by someone.
Lu Zi Xiang blanked and lifted his head, seeing Ji Fei Xia standing outside, her face filled with tears.
“Fei, Fei Xia?” Lu Zi Xiang was stunned.
Ji Fei Xia didn’t speak, just fixedly staring at Lu Zi Xiang, her tears violently streaming down. A while later, she turned around and quickly charged down the stairs.
Lu Zi Xiang anxiously stood up, but Shen Lan Chi pulled his sleeve, also swirling with tears, saying, “Your Highness is going to go chase her, right? Your Highness still likes Ji second miss inside, yes?”
Lu Zi Xiang’s one head was bigger than two.
He indeed likes Shen Lan Chi, but how can Shen Lan Chi compare with the power behind the Ji family and the imperial throne! Now that Ji Fei Xia saw this scene, if she were to regret, wanting her family to cancel this engagement, then won’t he become enemies with the Ji family?! This absolutely cannot happen!
“Your Highness, I-I’ll go chase after her.” Song Yan Li had an anxious look, already halfway down the stairs, “Can’t let Ji second miss be too upset.”
“Quickly go.” Lu Zi Xiang said, also somewhat anxious.
Shen Lan Chi wiped her tears, softly saying, “I’m not an irrational person, why don’t your Highness go chase her. The Ji family is that important to your Highness, how can I not know? Just, once your Highness goes this time, don’t turn back anymore. If you go look for Ji second miss, then in this lifetime, not allowed to look at me anymore. Otherwise, I will look down on you for life.”
When Lu Zi Xiang heard, he clenched his fist, his heart swaying endlessly.
Compared to Shen Lan Chi purely hating him, he was more afraid of becoming a despicable person that should be spurned in Shen Lan Chi’s eyes.
A while later, Lu Zi Xiang said with great difficulty, “Although it was by mistake, but that Miss Ji ultimately will be my future wife. I cannot let her down. You and I, afraid aren’t fated in this life.”
After saying this , he turned and went to chase after Ji Fei Xia.
Once Lu Zi Xiang left, Shen Lan Chi immediately retracted her tears, her face expressionless.
Who wants to have fate with Lu Zi Xiang in this life!
Don’t want the slightest bit of fate!
She was a bit hungry, so started eating the side dishes on the table.
Lu Qi Yang stuck his head out from the side, saying: “Finished acting?”
“Finished.” Shen Lan Chi nodded and continued eating.
Seeing this, he carried a grinning look and directly sat down in Lu Zi Xiang’s seat just now, saying with a smile, “The second prince isn’t a noble person to begin with. On one side, he uses sweet talk and honeyed words with Ji second miss, while on the other side, accepted the three beauties Noble Consort Liu bestowed. If that Ji family young miss comes to her senses, withdrawing from the engagement sooner, then that is also a good thing, so as to avoid getting angered after marrying.”
Hearing Lu Zi Xiang even accepting three beauties, Shen Lan Chi nearly choked.
The two of them ate and drank. After a while, Lu Qi Yang heard a set of clumsy footsteps swayingly walking over. Afterwards, a coarse voice sounded outside, “Yo, heir, came to listen to a play again?”
Shen Lan Chi lifted her head, seeing a man wearing the armor of the Capital Guards standing outside. He had a square face, his fierce eyes intimidating. His tone when talking to Lu Qi Yang was extremely familiar, presumably someone Lu Qi Yang knew.
Seeing Shen Lan Chi confused, Lu Qi Yang hurriedly introduced, “Oh, he’s called Zhang Hai Sheng, nickname Leader Zhang. He and I get along quite well. We used to eat wontons together in the past.”
The name ‘Zhang Hai Sheng’, Shen Lan Chi seemingly heard somewhere before. Previously, when Lu Qi Yang went with her to find that Chun Xi’s mother, Lu Qi Yang seemingly directly swiped two sets of armor from that Zhang Hai Sheng. When going to eat wontons outside the Vermillion Bird gate, that owner even mentioned Lu Qi Yang and Zhang Hai Sheng before.
Zhang Hai Sheng put his hands behind his back and studied Shen Lan Chi, saying: “Heir, what’s with this servant girl, even needing to tell her what I’m called?”
How can an ordinary servant girl sit face-to-face with the master and eat together? They naturally need to obediently serve to the side. To actually have the ability to let the esteemed Zhennan Wang heir personally introduce someone to her, her background truly wasn’t simple.
Looking closely, this servant girl in the jade green bijia although had her head lowered, her outline was extremely charming and beautiful. Perhaps the heir precisely fancied this bit.
Shen Lan Chi used the handkerchief to wipe her palms, nonchalantly saying, “I’m a particularly favored servant girl. The heir naturally needs to take care of me.”
This look of hers was completely unlike a servant girl, more like a spoiled wealthy family young lady. Zhang Hai Sheng was amused, saying with a laugh, “Favored? How favored can you be? Your family’s young master is notoriously pitiful. Wangye and Wangfei are strict with him, not allowed to even let in half a hen in his room, at most allowing an old mama. So, how did you sneak into your young master’s room?”
When Shen Lan Chi heard, she answered, “It’s naturally because I’m particularly beautiful, even the wangfei likes me!”
“Yo, this girl!” Zhang Hai Sheng pointed with his finger and said, “Even starting to retort me? Really a bold claim. Even the wangfei likes you? How come I don’t feel the wangfei is this magnanimous!”
When Lu Qi Yang heard, he laughed out loud.
“Actually, you know what, my mother really does like her.” Lu Qi Yang said, “Having her treated as a half-daughter. Randomly pulling me to chat about how this girl is doing lately.”
When Zhang Hai Sheng heard, he was greatly shocked, saying: “Really unbelievable, could it be that the wangfei has the intention of finding a concubine for the heir?”
“How can it be just that?” Shen Lan Chi nonchalantly said, “I am going to be the future madam of the heir.”
Such a bold statement made Zhang Hai Sheng inhale a breath of cold air.
“You, you……” Zhang Hai Sheng lowered his voice, saying, “You better keep your voice down. Do you know, the one your master is going to marry in the future is that An Duke Manor’s young lady! That An Duke Manor’s young lady is known to be prideful and hard to deal with. It’ll be easier if you leave the Zhennan Wang Manor now and jump out of this fire pit!”
Zhang Hai Sheng had good intentions, but as soon as he finished saying this, this master and servant pair in front of him actually burst into laughter at the same time. Lu Qi Yang even swayed around from laughing so hard.
“Hahahaha……”
“Hahahahahahaha………”
Zhang Hai Sheng was puzzled, instantly feeling like an honest person having gotten bullied.
[1] This sleeveless jacket top with slits. Originally designed by Empress Chabi of the Yuan dynasty. It later became popular for women to wear in the Ming and Qing dynasty.
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