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Dark Undercurrents (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!
Liu Yu stood behind the tree, his eyes sweeping over the two of them, seemingly containing a deeper meaning.
With Noble Consort Liu getting stripped of her consort position, Liu Yu was a bit anxious inside, thus strolled around to lift his mood.
Thinking back and forth, he actually felt that Noble Consort Liu getting demoted wasn’t necessarily all bad. First of all, Liu Ru Hua has already entered the palace, receiving exceptional imperial favor, taking Noble Consort Liu’s place. Second of all, that Noble Consort Liu had been favored for a long time already, always selfishly acting against the rules on her own, every time needing to trouble Liu Yu to clean up after her. Now that the noble consort has moved to the north palace, he can finally have a bit of peace.
Unconsciously, Liu Yu walked to this place, first seeing Shen Lan Chi dancing, then seeing the two of them intimately talking. Seeing that the two of them appeared to be very familiar, which was somewhat different from the second prince’s account of it being just ‘the heir’s one-sided affection’, Liu Yu couldn’t help but have some doubts.
Compared to Noble Consort Liu, Liu Yu felt that this heir of Zhennan Wang, Lu Qi Yang, was more worth discussing about.
Ever since his Highness roped in the Zhennan Wang Manor, he has been endlessly praising Lu Qi Yang, directly stating that he has saved his life many times, possessing incredible means. But, Liu Yu was very wary of Lu Qi Yang——–If he can really pretend to be a wastrel for over ten years, how could he be an ordinary person?
Afraid, Lu Qi Yang has other ambitions, just having his Highness treated as a stepping stone.
In this moment, seeing him being this intimate with Shen Lan Chi, Liu Yu opened his mouth and said, “Zhennan Wang heir, you being this close with the An Duke Manor, are you not afraid of incurring his Majesty’s suspicion towards the Zhennan Wang Manor?”
Lu Qi Yang responded with a smile, “What do you mean? I’m merely a wastrel, how could I be capable of incurring his Majesty’s suspicion?”
Liu Yu said, “Heir naturally knows what I mean.”
Lu Qi Yang said, “Liu eldest young master’s words, I don’t really understand. I’m genuinely a wastrel, even more so than your second younger brother. If Liu eldest young master doesn’t believe, I can prove it to you.”
Liu Yu asked in doubt: “Prove?”
“Precisely.” Lu Qi Yang dusted his sleeves and stood up, pointing at the mud at the hem of his clothes and saying to Liu Yu with a smile, “Liu eldest young master, see the mud on this young master’s clothes? This is your handiwork. This young master’s clothes, naturally hard to find a second set of in the capital, how will Liu eldest young master compensate me?”
Liu Yu: …..
Liu Yu naturally remember that this was the trick his second younger brother Liu Wen played on Lu Qi Yang.
Shen Lan Chi added, “If Liu eldest young master feels this isn’t enough, this golden feathered robe of mine can also get stained with mud. Don’t look at how this outfit of mine appear very thin. In reality, every inch is worth a thousand gold, made by the imperial weaver. Even if asking you to compensate, you can’t afford to compensate. How about it, is this enough of a wastrel?”
Liu Yu: ……
He wanted to rebuke with ‘why mess around with the Zhennan Wang heir’, but thinking again, he didn’t seem to have any position or any reason to say this. Thus, he took his leave, swinging his sleeve and gracefully leaving.
TN: All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
Before he could walk far, he could still hear the two of them behind him shouting ‘pay up, pay up’. Liu Yu was speechless.
Really absurd.
• • •
The Chu Emperor temporarily rested in the temple, unable to stop his worry. At this time, the two princes came from the waist of the mountain. The Chu Emperor ordered the two of them to respectively come before him.
Even if before the Chu Emperor, Lu Zhao Ye still had a cold look, not showing any signs of submission or reverence. Looking at his expression, the Chu Emperor thought of the rumors in the palace back then of this child causing his birth mother’s death, feeling increasingly displeased.
Lu Zi Xiang had just learned that his birth mother got stripped of her noble consort position without any warning, so inevitably felt a bit alarmed. Seeing his expression a bit off, the Chu Emperor said with a sigh, “Xiang’er, there was no other choice but to depose of your consort mother. She possesses a bad omen, so might inevitably bring harm to you. In the future…….this emperor certainly will compensate you.”
Lu Zi Xiang responded with ‘yes’, thinking to himself: It was merely someone scheming against consort mother! Else, how could it have come to this?
Seeing Lu Zi Xiang still with an uneasy look, the Chu Emperor thought to himself: This compensation of his certainly will be using the mountains and rivers to compensate. Just, Zi Xiang is kind-hearted and filial. Learning that his birth mother got deposed, he certainly will be down for a while, but can only let him bear this grievance.
To receive signs of disaster at the Lingshan sacrifical ceremony, after returning to the capital, the Chu Emperor wasn’t able to sleep peacefully for several nights in a row, mulling over whether or not he should have the throne passed on to Lu Zi Xiang sooner, so as to renew the dragon energy in the celestial veins and avert disaster in this way.
Yet, at this time, terrible news of an epidemic outbreak suddenly came from the north.
There were already signs of this plague prior to the new year, just at the time, the scale was still small, with only a divison or two of the army in the county getting infected by the plague. The local officials feared getting blamed by the higher-ups, so hastily buried the infected, then used the excuse of the barbarians causing trouble and quacks making false claims to suppress the news, concealing the matter and not reporting. With a delay like this, the epidemic abruptly worsened, and in the blink of an eye, it spread throughout several counties.
When the people of the capital learned of this, everyone was immediately alarmed.
The An Duke Manor didn’t have any relatives in the north, so they weren’t that worried.
Shen first madam was the most worried, always muttering about ‘going to ask for the god of fortune’s protection’ and such, fearing that the plague will spread to the capital.
Shen Lan Chi had the intention of consoling, but didn’t know what to say.
This plague also existed in the past life, just raging in the north. The capital although had a dozen or so cases, those people all came from the north, dying not long after entering the city. And because their corpses were buried well, the capital was spared from disaster.
In the past life, she was just a young lady of the boudoir, knowing very little about plagues, only knowing that the plague raged for more than two months before finally subsiding. To encounter this matter again in this life, she didn’t have any way of dealing with it.
When the Chu Emperor heard this report in the palace, he became even more worried.
That Hong Wu’s prophecy sure enough came true. In this way, Noble Consort Liu was indeed inauspicious. But, if he were to eliminate the Liu family, that will be like plucking Zi Xiang’s wings. How will he be able to fight against the crown prince then?
Looks like, before eliminating the Liu family, he still needs to let Lu Zhao Ye surrender the crown prince position.
The Chu Emperor has plotted this matter for a long time already, having long thought of several excuses to depose of the crown prince. Once the plague broke out, Chu Emperor immediately gathered his confidants, carefully discussing with several high ministers about changing the crown prince.
This matter involved a wide range of people, so Lu Zhao Ye also caught wind of it.
He’d long predicted that there would be such a day. Unwilling to sit still and wait for death, he also immediately summoned his own advisors and retainers, including Shen Xin Shu and Shen Xin Gu, to discuss countermeasures.
Those with connections in court were all uneasy, fearing that this changing of the crown prince will bring disaster upon them. Fortunately, everything was carried out in the dark. Although the wind was swirling in private, with endless dark undercurrents, everything was still harmonious on the surface.
As spring came, thousands of branches sprouted new leaves. Princess Yong Chun set off from the Vermillion Bird gate, marrying off to the Banjaro Kingdom. After Princess Yong Chun left, there were news stating that the crown prince will formally marry the Shen family young lady soon.
Hearing this matter, Shen Lan Chi was bit surprised.
In the past life, Lu Zhao Ye married her in the winter of Yongjia year 3. Currently, it’d just entered the spring of Yongjia year 3, yet the crown prince was in a hurry to marry. Presumably, something must have happened in the palace.
The reason why Lu Zhao Ye chose to attack the Shen family during the wedding was because at the time, the Shen family believed that their mission was half accomplished, thus relaxing their guard. The guards of the capital also because of the crown prince’s wedding lowered their guard.
But, at present, the crown prince can’t lose the Shen family. For him to hold his wedding at this time, who did he want to make a move against?
Recalling the frequent summons from the Eastern Palace recently, with Empress Shen and the crown prince taking turns summoning the Shen family brothers, her father Shen Xin Gu always in a hurry, his feet never standing still, Shen Lan Chi suddenly had a realization.
Afraid, this time, Lu Zhao Ye will make a move against Lu Zi Xiang!
If this matter succeeds, Lu Zhao Ye will eliminate Lu Zi Xiang and successfully ascend the throne. Afterwards, the Shen family will still get eliminated. If this matter fails, her father will be considered a part of the crown prince’s faction and will also get implicated.
Feeling anxious inside, wanting to find a solution, she went to her mother’s place to sound things out.
Shen first madam although was also feeling uneasy about the situation in the capital, towards her daughter, she still maintained a smile, “Lan’er, as a daughter of the boudoir, don’t worry yourself over these troubling matters. Your older tang sister will be marrying soon. Even if there were unpleasant dealings in the past, you still need to take this time to talk with her more, so as to avoid ending up with a bad reputation of being cold-hearted.”
Shen first madam was considering for Shen Lan Chi. Shen Tong Ying and Shen Lan Chi already haven’t spoken to one another in a very long time. If prior to the wedding, there’s not even a word of congratulation between the tang sisters, that it would inevitably be somewhat inappropriate. Even if pretending for the sake of face, Shen Lan Chi still needs to go add to Shen Tong Ying’s dowry.
Shen Lan Chi was helpless and could only do as her mother said, having the dowry the first branch prepared sent to the second branch.
Hearing that Shen Lan Chi came, Xiao-shi came out to receive her. Xiao-shi was completely ignorant of the storm in the capital, also unaware that the sky will soon change in this capital. Her entire mind was fixed on her own three plot of land, just knowing that her daughter will marry as the crown princess, and in the future, become the empress that will be revered by millions.
Seeing Shen Lan Chi, Xiao-shi was still resentful. Just, at this time, she had a bit more arrogance, using her nostrils to greet others, “My goodness, niece, our Tong’er will be marrying the heir apparent of the country. Your first branch just bringing this bit of things to add to the dowry, isn’t this a joke?” After saying this, she picked through the dowry gifts that Shen first madam prepared, endlessly disdaining.
Shen Lan Chi nearly blurted out ‘who cares if you want or not’. With great difficulty, she finally put on a smile and said, “Once older sister Tong becomes the crown princess in the future, what will she not have?”
Xiao-shi pressed her lips into a smile and said, “You sure know how to talk.”
Seeing Shen Lan Chi’s smile, Xiao-shi thought of her eldest son, Shen Ting Zhu, who even now was still crippled, her heart filling with endless hatred. Then, recalling the head of the family position that got stolen by Shen first master, she was even more gloomy.
In the future, she will be an in-law of the imperial family. Even Shen first madam won’t be able to do anything about her. If she were to take this opportunity to torment Shen Lan Chi, presumably, Ji Xiu Wen won’t dare to say anything either!
She wants this Shen Lan Chi to also lower her head before her and have a taste of Zhu’er’s suffering!
Thinking to here, Xiao-shi said to Shen Lan Chi in a condescending manner, just like when tormenting Shen Ran normally, “Niece, go pour me a cup of tea, don’t let it be too hot. Later, massages my legs for me as well.”
When Shen Lan Chi heard, she slightly frowned.
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