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Truly Fickle (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!
The Chu Emperor has passed, the whole country in mourning. Regardless whether it’s the nobles or commoners, all not allowed to indulge in pleasure for a month, also not allowed to marry and consume meat.
After the emperor and empress’s burial, Lu Zi Xiang ascended the throne, changing to the year of Tianqing. The Crown Princess Ji Fei Xia got conferred as the empress, adorning the crown and rising onto the phoenix stand.
It’s said that on the day of the empress’s conferment, there were officials that spoke, hoping that his Majesty can take in daughters of respectable families, filling the imperial harem, so as to give birth to an imperial heir sooner. However, Lu Zi Xiang directly refused, unwilling to take in more consorts.
Ji Fei Xia being solely favored made others envy. The women of the world all say that Ji Fei Xia was lucky.
When the officials spoke of this, Song Yan Li just happened to be following by Lu Zi Xiang’s side.
Hearing Lu Zi Xiang say that he was unwilling to take in more consorts, for a moment, Song Yan Li felt very complicated inside.
He has liked Ji Fei Xia for a long time already, even having convinced his mother, disregarding the animosity between the two families in the past, and inviting the matchmaker to go propose. However, before the matchmaker had the chance to go to the Ji manor, Ji Fei Xia had already gotten engaged to Lu Zi Xiang.
For Ji Fei Xia to be able to become a prince’s consort, and even the empress, this was originally a good thing. Who doesn’t love wealth and glory? Who doesn’t love fame and power? But, Song Yan Li didn’t wish for Ji Fei Xia to be this empress——-
Song Yan Li knew, his prince wasn’t the least bit like what he portrayed on the surface. That loyal and compassionate face of his has always been a front. While outside, he although appeared very attentive towards his wife, he nevertheless already had that Shen family miss in his heart for a long time.
Even now, where that Shen family miss is already engaged, even marrying the heir of Zhennan Wang soon, his Highness…….no, his Majesty, still hasn’t given up on that thought.
Who knows when he will have that Miss Shen taken into the palace?
When time comes, what will Ji Fei Xia do? She has always been pampered and sheltered by her family, never having once experienced any setbacks or storms. If her husband that appeared loyal and faithful on the outside were to change face, she certainly would be extremely heartbroken, right?
Even if feeling this way in his heart, Song Yan Li was nevertheless unable to do anything.
He was the subject, while Lu Zi Xiang was the ruler. The ruler leads the subjects. He shouldn’t do anything and shouldn’t say anything.
He could only, together with others, praise Empress Ji as blessed, making others envy.
• • •
Entering summer, the sun was scorching, the cicadas gradually getting louder. The one month of national mourning had passed, the capital regaining its liveliness. The young ladies and madams put on the bright and colorful thin silks again, competing in beauty.
In the morning, Shen Lan Chi was awoken by a clanging disturbance. Forcing open her eyes, she half-propped up her body and asked, “Ah Luo, what’s going on outside?”
TN: All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
Ah Luo was the servant girl that the wangfei sent to her side.
Shen Lan Chi had two personal servant girls in the past, respectively called Lü Zhu and Bi Yu. After the Shen family fell, their family could no longer afford having many servants. It just so happens that Lü Zhu and Bi Yu were also old enough, so Shen first madam directly had the two of them married off. The two of them are now respectively a wife of a shopkeeper, and the young madam of a relatively wealthy family in a small town, both marrying quite well.
After coming to the Zhennan Wang Manor, the wangfei saw that she didn’t even have a single person serving by her side, so had Ah Luo sent over to be her maid.
The wangfei has always been strict towards Lu Qi Yang, and in the past, she was unwilling to let young servant girls and servant women near his place. This Ah Luo that has been sent over was also plain-looking, merely thirteen to fourteen years old, an honest and obedient person.
Seeing Shen Lan Chi wake up, Ah Luo brought in the face basin and towel, saying with a smile, “Her Highness said that you’re lacking clothes, so ordered someone to open the storerooms and have these silk and satin all brought out, placing in the outer room and waiting for you to go pick after waking up.
Shen Lan Chi sat up from the bed, rinsing her mouth and heading to the outer room. Sure enough, she saw the outer room crowded with several large trunks, all filled with finely woven clothing materials.
Shen Lan Chi in the past just liked these pretty things very much. Afterwards, because of her family, she changed to wearing plain clothes. Now, suddenly seeing this trunk full of beautiful silk, her eyes couldn’t help but slightly light up.
At present, her family was still alive and well, so even if she dresses a bit prettier, it shouldn’t be a big deal anymore, right?
Thinking like this, she picked up a bolt of fabric, carefully looking it over.
In these trunks that the wangfei sent over, they were all filled with top quality silk and satin. There was the Yueshan muslin that could slightly shine in the moonlight, and the Chanyun satin that was shaped like light clouds and slippery like flowing water. Every bolt made one unable to resist.
As she picked around, worrying about how to match the colors, she heard Ah Luo by her side say, “Miss, the heir seems to be outside.”
“Tell me about it later.” Shen Lan Chi’s entire mind and eyes were all filled with new clothes. Lifting her hand, she picked up another stack of fabric, smilingly showing Ah Luo and asking, “Say, is this sapphire blue too deep? Not suiting me? I still like this apricot red, just unfortunately, it’s not too matching…..”
Ah Luo didn’t dare to answer to her words, saying: “Miss, how about go have a look? There seemingly is indeed someone outside.”
That knocking sound seemed to be getting more and more urgent, faintly even able to hear, “the sun is already shining on to the buttocks, yet you’re still sleeping”, such frightening words.
Shen Lan Chi was immersed in beautiful things, still not hearing that knocking sound.
Finally, Lu Qi Yang who was outside the door had the door pushed open, stepping in in large strides, muttering to himself, “The sun is already high in the sky, yet still sleeping……” Before he could finish speaking, he just saw the large mahogany trunks in front. His future wife was currently holding a bolt of silk in the left hand, and a roll of cloth in the right, happily standing in front of the trunks.
“Lan, Lan Lan?” Lu Qi Yang blanked for a moment, saying, “You’ve clearly gotten up, yet how come ignored me? What did I do wrong this time? Sorry, sorry, it’s my fault, don’t be angry.”
He was somewhat nervous and uneasy.
Although he didn’t know how he angered his wife, saying ‘sorry’ first was always right.
“Huh?” Shen Lan Chi blanked for a moment, finally noticing Lu Qi Yang’s existence. She placed down the bolts of fabric in her hand and asked in confusion, “When did heir come in? I was too focused on picking out clothing materials that I didn’t detect at all.”
Lu Qi Yang: ……
Turns out it was because of looking at clothing materials that she forgot about his existence.
Seeing those trunk after trunk of clothing material, Lu Qi Yang felt somewhat unhappy, saying: “Whenever my mother wants to make clothes for me, she never asks my opinion. When it comes to you, it’s just different.”
Zhennan Wangfei only upholds one principle when it comes to raising children: ‘Raise daughters wealthily, needing to be delicate, fair, and plump, and as for sons, forget it, just throw into the mud-field to run around.’
Whenever the wangfei wanted to make a set of clothes for the heir, she would directly let the tailors do it. As for the color and style, it was all randomly picked.
When time comes, the little heir will be wearing goose yellow matched with tender pink, truly very amusing.
“Sorry, to have ignored you.” Shen Lan Chi consoled a few words and said, “Why don’t you sit for a while. Ah Luo, bring the heir a cup of tea. I’ll continue to pick clothing material.”
Lu Qi Yang sat down to the side, holding a cup of tea, his eyes somewhat faint and empty.
He originally came to tell Shen Lan Chi that in a few days, he will think of a way to leave the capital to go to the northern pass. But, after getting ignored by Shen Lan Chi, he now was just like an abandoned consort in the depth of the palace, just filled with grief.
He, the esteemed heir of the Zhennan Wang Manor, in Shen Lan Chi’s eyes, couldn’t even compare with a few bolts of fabric?
Intolerable!
Shen Lan Chi looked over the clothing material as she asked, “Heir, what’s the matter?”
Lu Qi Yang: “……….Nothing, just came to see you!”
Shen Lan Chi was slightly confused, saying, “Looking at this tone of yours, it doesn’t seem to be ‘nothing’. What’s wrong with you this time?”
“I said it’s nothing, so it’s nothing.” Lu Qi Yang sneered and propped up his leg, “This young master is very busy, just came to your place to drink a cup of tea. What? Not even willing to give this young master a cup of tea?”
“Oh.” Shen Lan Chi turned back, “Then, you drink, no need to hold back.”
Lu Qi Yang choked, holding up the tea cup, taking a sip, and calmly saying, “I already said it’s nothing, so it’s really nothing. Don’t think too much about it. I’m not angry at all.”
He paced a few circles around Shen Lan Chi’s place, yet wasn’t able to attract Shen Lan Chi’s attention. Thus, without saying anything at all, he just went out with dark clouds over his head. Ah Luo sent Lu Qi Yang out, and when she came back, she curiously said, “The heir’s look is really strange, although appearing very mean, he nevertheless was like an aggrieved little wife.”
Shen Lan Chi: “Ah?”
Didn’t he come to her place to drink tea? What’s there to be upset about?
Really making one unable to grasp.
At night, Shen Lan Chi tidied up and prepared to sleep.
At this time, Lu Qi Yang came again. Looking through the curtains, he was randomly pacing around in the outer room.
“Heir, what are you doing?” Shen Lan Chi used the handkerchief to wipe away the water droplets on her face, asking in confusion, “During the daytime, I just felt that you seemingly had something to say. How come the entire day has gone by, yet you still haven’t said anything?”
“……Ah, I, I have something to say.” Lu Qi Yang said.
However, recalling ‘how he was less than a bolt of cloth’, Lu Qi Yang was just somewhat indignant. He clenched his teeth and said, “This young master will be going to the Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion tonight, and won’t come back at night, so sleep by yourself!”
Shen Lan Chi frowned, slightly pondering for a moment.
Lu Qu Yang? Go to Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion?
Recalling Lu Qi Yang’s timid appearance in front of the girls of the entertainment establishments, scared to the point of wanting to flee, Shen Lan Chi hesitantly let out an ‘oh’ and calmly said, “Go then, drink a cup of wine to boost your guts, so as to avoid embarrassing yourself in front of the girls again.”
After saying this, she shook the quilt and sat onto the bed.
Seeing Shen Lan Chi’s calm appearance, Lu Qi Yang was a bit shocked, adding, “This young master is going to book the head courtesan of that Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion tonight, drinking and partying all night, not returning without getting drunk!”
Shen Lan Chi nodded, pointing to her own trousseau, considerately asking, “Do you have enough money? I still have some pocket change that the wangfei gave. I haven’t been able to spend it. If you’re tight on hand, take it to use for now.”
Lu Qi Yang: ……
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