< Previous Chapter | Table of Contents | Next Chapter >
Drizzling Rain in the Capital (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!
She sat on the ground, her face still in a daze. It was a rainy day to begin with, the ground outside wet and muddy, the dirty mud immediately stained the corner of her clothes. Her two palms propped against the ground, her fingertips that were like white jade also got covered with mud.
The fuzzy mist before her eyes was entirely drizzle. By her ear, there was just whispering sounds of the commoners’ joining in on the gossip.
“This Shen family truly is out of luck. This Miss Shen most likely angered Master Shen, thus got thrown out!”
“Say, do you think this Shen family will be able to rise up again?”
“If I have to say, unless the person on the throne changes again! Otherwise, won’t do.”
“Che, his Majesty is still healthy, what nonsense are you saying, be careful of getting arrested!”
Shen Lan Chi listened to the fragmented conversations by her ear. Her head was lowered, not saying a word. A long while later, she slowly kowtowed before the Shen manor gate, and then finally staggeringly started to get up.
The rain was slippery. When getting up, she accidentally stepped on a corner of her dress, nearly falling on the ground again.
Precisely at this time, someone extended a hand towards her.
Afterwards, a bright red paper umbrella appeared over her head, blocking the sunlight and rain.
She lifted her head for a look and saw Lu Qi Yang carrying a shallow smile on his face, holding an umbrella, and standing in the rain.
Although having fought a bloody battle last night, there wasn’t the slightest trace of blood on him today. His frost white gown was spotless without a speck of dust, his hand holding the umbrella was like a piece of flawless white jade.
Shen Lan Chi took his hand, lowering her eyes and saying, “You’re passing by? To have let you see something embarrassing, seeing me in this sorry state.”
Lu Qi Yang said: “Not passing by. Your mother told me to come.”
Shen Lan Chi fell silent, the tears slightly hanging from the bottom of her eyes, “Now that I’ve gotten expelled from my home, I actually don’t know where I should go.”
Lu Qi Yang said, “Then I’ll just have to take you in.”
Shen Lan Chi softly chuckled, “Taking in a girl that’s waiting to marry, are you not afraid of getting laughed at? The rumors and gossips are harmful, weren’t you the most clear of this in the past?”
However Lu Qi Yang was very carefree, “Waiting to marry? If I let you become Zhennan Wang Manor’s young madam, then no one will dare to say anything.”
TN: All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
He had the umbrella leaned even more towards Shen Lan Chi’s side. Then, taking her hand, they headed towards the Zhennan Wang Manor.
• • •
Shortly after noon, a horse carriage quietly arrived at the Shen manor. The carriage curtain got lifted, and the Second Prince Lu Zi Xiang soundlessly entered the Shen manor through the side door.
When Shen Xin Gu heard that Lu Zi Xiang came, his feelings were complicated. But, this Lu Zi Xiang had ultimately saved him before, so he deferentially went to meet him. At present, he was already a commoner. When meeting an imperial prince, he needed to perform a kowtow. The feelings within were complicated and hard to describe.
Seeing Shen Xin Gu, Lu Zi Xiang didn’t say much, directly getting to the point, “At present, your Shen family has nothing left, just left with a bunch of old enemies waiting to take revenge. Miss Lan Chi is currently in the prime of her life, so perhaps will also get dragged down. How about having Miss Lan Chi sent to my place? That way, I can also protect her, letting her smoothly live out her life in peace.”
As he spoke, there was a sense of eagerness in his voice.
When Shen Xin Gu heard, he said, “Your Highness came a step too late. Lan Chi, this unfilial daughter, a while ago, already got cut off and expelled out of the house by me.”
“Expelled out of the house?” Lu Zi Xiang was greatly shocked, hurriedly asking, “Where did she go?”
“This, I don’t know, asking your Highness to please forgive.” Shen Xin Gu indifferently said, “In any case, she’s already not a daughter of the Shen family, so where she will go, all have nothing to do with me.”
When Lu Zi Xiang heard, he furrowed his brows, immediately leaving the Shen manor in a hurry. After sending his servants out to ask around, he found out that she’d gotten taken away by someone of the Zhennan Wang Manor.
When he learned of this matter, Lu Zi Xiang rather regretted coming a step too late.
• • •
Zhennan Wang Manor.
The Shen manor that was separated by just a wall has already fallen. At the moment, they were currently busy sorting out the family finances, dismissing the servants, and waiting to move to another residence. Presumably, in a few days, this former An Duke Manor will have a new owner.
However, the Zhennan Wang Manor was peaceful and prosperous, unaffected by the palace coup.
Shen Lan Chi entered the manor in a disheveled state. The wangfei, Xie Ying Luan, immediately revealed a look of heartache, saying: “Such a perfectly fine young lady, yet got implicated to this degree!” After saying this, she ordered the servant girl to prepare clothes and hot water, sending Shen Lan Chi to go bathe.
A while later, wangfei turned around to lecture Lu Qi Yang, saying: “Yesterday, without saying a word to your father, you just ran off and got yourself involved int that matter, nearly scaring your father to death. Now, he’s sulking outside. You better first think about how you’re going to coax him.”
This Zhennan Wang Manor was still the same as when she visited in the past, not having changed, making Shen Lan Chi feel slightly at ease.
She followed the wangfei’s servant girl into the side room and washed her hair. There was already a large tub of hot water prepared in the room. She had her body submerged in the water, instantly feeling the fatigue on her getting washed away.
A few tender flower petals floated atop the water surface. The clothes half-hanging over the four-panel folding screen was the color she liked the most in the past, apricot red. The rising steam made her cheeks slightly red, her entire body loosening up.
Suddenly, a knocking sound came from outside the door, followed by Lu Qi Yang’s voice, “Lan Lan, I’m coming in?”
She although was in the bathtub, she still listlessly answered, “Come in, remember to close the door behind you.”
Lu Qi Yang pushed open the door and entered. He was immediately faced with a person lazily lying in the bathtub, appearing completely weak and lethargic, instantly getting startled, nearly retreating out of the door again. A good while later, he finally dared to directly face this scene before him.
Shen Lan Chi, however, was extremely tired, not even lifting her eyelid, just resting her head on her arm, having her entire body submerged even deeper in the water. Even so, her half-exposed shoulders was more than enough to make one’s imagination run wild.
“My father just learned what I did last night. I’m afraid……afraid, in a while, when my father comes back, he will punish me to stand guard all night, so taking this time now to come look for you.” Lu Qi Yang coughed and said, “Don’t blame your parents, they were doing it for your own good.”
“…….I know.” Shen Lan Chi answered.
In this bit of time, she has already came to realization.
Their family had countless old enemies. In the past, even when the An Duke Manor was at its peak, they were all able to get their di son kidnapped. Now that the An Duke Manor has fallen, if those enemies in jianghu want to do something to her, this weak and powerless young girl, then it’ll only be even easier. Her parents kicking her out, sending to the Zhennan Wang Manor, it was also for the sake of letting those scoundrels give up on this idea.
Seeing her not having any spirit, Lu Qi Yang reached out and stroked her head, saying, “In the future, you will have to spend your days with me. I’ve already discussed with my mother. In these next two days, we’ll first get engaged. Then, once I finish coaxing that stubborn old father of mine, I’ll take you as my wife.”
“This is……..” Shen Lan Chi rubbed her brows and said, “having yearned for me for two lifetimes.”
Lu Qi Yang smiled and admitted, “Yes, I’ve yearned for you for two lifetimes.”
The girl leaning in the bathtub suddenly lifted her eyes and looked straight at him, asking, “Why didn’t you tell me you are also the same as me, having lived an extra lifetime? Every time I tried to sound you out, it all got avoided by you. Were you being deliberate? Lu Qi Yang…”
“I was scared…..if I tell you, it’ll make you even more worried.” Lu Qi Yang said, “It was better to let you not know anything at all and let me handle everything. The day the second prince returned to the capital, the one that saved him was me. The one that let Yue Niang use a blood letter to shock his Majesty was me. The one that sent your tang brother back to your An Duke Manor was also me. Now that you know, afraid you’ll be angry with me.”
Shen Lan Chi’s eyes slightly turned, softly muttering, “I wouldn’t go as far as to be angry. Just, I owe you this much, how do you want me to pay you back in the future?”
“Just use this lifetime of yours to repay.” Lu Qi Yang helplessly laughed and said, “Such a simple principle, I thought you would understand.”
Shen Lan Chi used her finger to make ripples, stirring up a light gurgling sound. The rustling sound of the rain outside continued, still striking the eaves and rooftiles.
Shen Lan Chi suddenly said, “In the future, not allowed to anymore, understand? Now that you’ve exposed yourself, it’ll no longer the same as before, unable to life peaceful days, needing to be careful and plan at every step.” When she spoke, she had a serious and cautious look. Just, towards the end, her voice nevertheless carried an unable to be suppressed tearful tone.
“I naturally know………”
Lu Qi Yang was halfway through his words, when a loud splash of water sounded before him. The girl in the bathtub suddenly got up, discarding that cautious look from earlier, and reaching her arms out to embrace him. She was covered in water droplets to begin with, so at this time, the water had the heir’s sleeve drenched into a darker color.
He was stunned for a moment, but then heard the sobbing sound by his ear, with the line ‘why didn’t you tell me’ occasionally mixed in. Afterwards, he held the waist of the girl in his arms, consoling, “Don’t cry, think about something else instead.”
Usually, when he held her, it was always separated by a layer of clothes. However, this time, he directly came in contact with her delicate and smooth skin. He instantly felt his palm turning hot, his heart beating faster.
“Lan, Lan Lan…….” Lu Qi Yang felt a bit dry in the mouth, saying with difficulty, “Put your clothes on first.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Shen Lan Chi, however, cried even louder, even using his clothes to frantically wipe her tears, “If I’d known that you’d also came back, I would have felt better inside. With the two of us keeping each other company, we won’t be considered lonely wandering ghosts……”
She was crying violently, but Lu Qi Yang was too distracted to console her.
Suddenly, Shen Lan Chi’s line of sight spun around, falling into Lu Qi Yang’s arms. She remembered that she was still naked, so hurriedly pulled over the clothes on the folding screen, somewhat covering her body.
“What…..are you doing all of a sudden?” Shen Lan Chi tightly clutched a corner of the clothes, somewhat suspicious.
“You’re mine in this lifetime.” Lu Qi Yang had her thrown onto the bed and came down over her, his phoenix eyes containing a darker color, “Don’t think about leaving.”
After saying this, he used his finger to sweep aside a lock of hair on Shen Lan Chi’s cheek and sealed a kiss on her lips.
This shallow and brief kiss, he felt wasn’t enough, thus went to lick and kiss her tender neck and collarbone.
The sound of the rain outside the window was soft, slowly tapping the lotus pond.
Shen Lan Chi’s eyelashes trembled, then slowly closed up. She extend her arms and held onto Lu Qi Yang’s shoulders, saying, “……I’m precisely yours right now.”
The heir didn’t respond, just slowly removing the clothes covering her.
The bed curtains quietly closed up, concealing the two tightly embracing silhouettes. The fine rain outside the window was endless, yet the inside of the room filled with the warmth of spring.
< Previous Chapter | Table of Contents | Next Chapter >
