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The Heir Returns to 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!
This turn of event came too suddenly. Shen Lan Chi momentarily fell silent.
A while later, she extended her hand to help the heir up, saying with a heartfelt earnest tone, “Although we haven’t seen one another in a long time, there’s still no need for young master to perform such a big rite, Lan Chi isn’t unable to bear it.”
Lu Qi Yang: ……..
Lu Qi Yang swiftly stood up, using the cloak to cover the hem of his clothes that got soaked by the snow. Acting as if nothing happened, he calmly said, “Doesn’t hurt, you don’t need to worry.
“Really didn’t get hurt?” Shen Lan Chi tentatively asked.
“Didn’t get hurt, my muscles and bones are naturally in very good condition.” Lu Qi Yang said.
“That’s good.” She softly chuckled, opening her arms and flying into Lu Qi Yang’s arms, hanging on his neck while saying, “You’re still able to carry me, right?”
Lu Qi Yang got knocked back a step by the force. He immediately steadied his body and embraced her waist, saying, “I only went to the northern pass for half a year, not like I’d turned into an elderly old man!”
Although his tone was angry, there was nevertheless a smile on his face. He couldn’t help but spin in a circle while holding her.
Even though the two of them had long gotten engaged, and there was just a single palace maid in the surrounding, such behavior was still a bit too shocking. That palace maid who was leading the way and holding the umbrella turned pale from shock, hurriedly lowering her head and pretending to have not seen anything.
“I heard that your father got re-employed.” Lu Qi Yang had her placed down, saying, “This originally is a good thing, but do you know what those commoners are saying?”
“What are they saying?” Shen Lan Chi asked.
Lu Qi Yang finally brought up what he’d heard on his way back.
Lu Qi Yang rushed back to the capital from the northern pass. At the first rest stop, he just heard two merchants with the capital’s accent talking about the gossip in the capital, “Do you know? That Miss Shen of the capital is as beautiful as a flower, but that heir was unwilling to marry such a beauty, running off to the borders to join the army. Could it be that the heir…….doesn’t function down there?”
Lu Qi Yang immediately shot up in anger on the spot, slamming the table and loudly shouting, “You’re bullshitting!”
The merchants were startled, also angrily slamming the table, “What nonsense are you saying?!”
Lu Qi Yang was unwilling to concede, wanting to yell ‘keep f*cking bullshitting!’, but he got pressed down by the attendants by his side. Lu Qi Yang finally recalled that he was traveling incognito, so as to avoid alerting the barbarian spies, who will take the opportunity to cause trouble. He could only pitifully shut up and return to his room to sleep.
Arriving at the second rest stop, he once again heard two inspectors talking about the gossip in the capital: “Do you know? Heard that the An Duke Manor’s young lady just likes looking at beauties, always going to the Dengyun Pavilion all year round to see that lead actor! As for that Zhennan Wang heir, he has the face of a demon, purple skin and blue teeth, but only five feet tall! The Shen family young lady disdains that heir for being ugly, thus unwilling to marry!”
TN: All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
The eight feet tall Lu Qi Yang slammed the table again in anger: “You bul…..wuuuwuuu……”
Before the words could come out, Lu Qi Yang just got his mouth covered by his accompanying subordinates.
Arriving at the rest stop outside of the capital, Lu Qi Yang heard a few guards of the capital happily chatting while roasting by the fire, “Heard that the heir will be coming back? In the past, he was a playboy wastrel, so for him to be unwilling to be marry now, it’s also understandable. Just a pity for that Miss Shen, already eighteen now, yet still at home waiting to marry. In this fleeting world, there’s nothing more heartless than a fickle man. Miss Shen is also unable to escape from this.”
Lu Qi Yang slammed the table: “You……..”
As soon as he said ‘you’, the guards just looked over at him. This place was different from the borders. These people recognized Lu Qi Yang and immediately quivered, “Heir! Heir, this humble one didn’t say anything!” After saying this, he smacked his own mouth.
This time, Lu Qi Yang could finally coldly sneer and say, “Keep f*cking bullshitting!”
When Shen Lan Chi heard, she sighed and said, “To be able to hold back the word ‘bullshit’ this whole way, it really must have been hard for heir.”
Lu Qi Yang was somewhat embarrassed, immediately bringing up the important matters, diverting her attention, “Returning to the capital this time, I still need to go report to his Majesty first.”
When he went to the borders, it just happened to be when the Mujin tribe was causing trouble beyond the pass. In the past, the Mujin tribe frequently entered the pass to loot, burn, and kill. Afterwards, Zhennan Wang took up post at the northern pass. The Mujin tribe no longer dared to frequently cause trouble, becoming much more restrained. Lu Qi Yang took up his father’s mantle, actually forcing the Mujin tribe out of the pass in three months, ending the threat within the pass, making the people of the northern pass greatly praise him.
At present, he was no longer a wastrel with an empty heir title, but the newly rising General of the Left Guard, who held military power in hand.
Lu Qi Yang needed to go see Lu Zi Xiang, and this current emperor had quite the elegant hobby. When snowing, he didn’t curl up in the palace shivering, instead admiring the snow in a pavilion outside. When meeting with Lu Qi Yang, it was also in this pavilion.
Shen Lan Chi just happened to come by. When bowing, she lifted her eyes for a glance and saw Liu Yu standing behind Lu Zi Xiang. In such freezing weather, although Liu Yu was wearing a large fur coat, he still appeared somewhat…….pitiful.
Liu Yu’s body was this weak, yet Lu Zi Xiang still dragged him along to admire the snow, isn’t this just asking for his life?
But, Shen Lan Chi only dared to take a glance, not daring to look at Liu Yu more.
After all, she felt a bit guilty.
Her older brother had eloped with their delicately raised third miss. The entire capital all talked about this matter with great relish. Although the Shen and Liu family both got harshly criticized by scholars for not blessing the couple, the Liu family seemingly because of ‘using the shu to substitute the di’ got scolded even more severely.
Truthfully speaking, Shen Lan Chi doesn’t believe that Liu Yu will do something like ‘using the shu to substitute the di’. Rather, she feels that Liu Yu seems like someone who doesn’t understand these marriage affairs. This kind of thing must have been Madam Liu’s handiwork.
“Zhennan Wang heir has returned to the capital?” Lu Zi Xiang was in high spirits, warming a pot of tea on the little furnace. “This emperor also just happened to have something to discuss with heir. You’re this emperor’s tang brother to begin with, so take a seat. Miss Shen can also come take a rest.”
After Lu Zi Xiang ascended the throne, he started growing a bread, appearing much older. At this time, he graciously stooped down to personally brewed tea, saying with a smile, “Heir came at the right time. This pot of tea is almost ready. Later, heir and Minister Liu can each have a cup.” Pausing for a moment, Lu Zi Xiang said with worry, “Minister Liu’s body is weak. After drinking the tea, why don’t you go back. What this emperor talked to you about, remember to carefully ponder over when you go back.”
Liu Yu responded with a yes.
Once the tea was finished, Liu Yu got up and left. Shen Lan Chi swept him a glance and saw that his expression never once changed. When seeing Shen Lan Chi, he never displayed any suppressed anger, greatly different from the rest of the Liu family. This made Shen Lan Chi somewhat surprised.
“Heard that heir is engaged with Miss Shen?” Lu Zi Xiang said, “This is supposed to be a happy matter, but this emperor has no choice but to interfere.”
“What does your Majesty mean by this?” Lu Qi Yang said.
“This…..” Lu Zi Xiang lightly furrowed his brow, having a troubled look on his face, his voice gradually lowering, “Truth be told, heir, when my imperial father was still alive, he once drafted an imperial decree, wanting to bestow a marriage for heir and the Xia family’s young miss. Heard that the Xia family had long learned of this matter from my imperial father, just waiting to have their daughter married to the Zhennan Wang Manor. This emperor only recently discovered this imperial decree…….”
When Shen Lan Chi heard, she inwardly sneered.
As soon as Lu Qi Yang returns to the capital, he just brought out this bestowed marriage, his intentions truly obvious to all.
What previous emperor’s decree? What Xia family young miss? Now that the previous emperor was gone, this kind of imperial decree, wasn’t it whatever Lu Zi Xiang says it is?
He was unwilling to bear the criticism of breaking apart a marriage, so just let his father come shoulder it, truly quite the calculation.
“What does your Majesty want to say?” Lu Qi Yang nodded and asked.
“Although it was drafted by my imperial father, an imperial decree is ultimately an imperial decree.” Lu Zi Xiang said with a sigh, “That Xia family’s young miss is already deeply in love with the heir. The An Duke Manor’s young miss is considered the latecomer.”
——–The one who comes later will be a concubine.
He was just short of directly saying these words.
Based on Shen Lan Chi’s personality, how could she be willing to become a concubine?
After Lu Zi Xiang said this, he studied the two of them.
Lu Qi Yang smiled and said, “Your Majesty, Qi Yang is a dull person, but still understands the principle of being ‘devoted and faithful’. If unable to marry Miss Shen, then I won’t marry anyone else.”
These words were somewhat serious. Lu Zi Xiang blanked for a moment.
To not marry and not take concubines, won’t……won’t the Zhennan Wang Manor’s bloodline be severed?
Such blame, he can’t afford to shoulder.
As Lu Zi Xiang was contemplating, he heard a voice sound outside the pavilion, “Your Majesty, in this humble subject’s view, a decree from the previous dynasty, it’s better to leave in the past. That Miss Xia is still unmarried, and it’s not like she’s unable to marry others. If your Majesty nicely compensates, the Xia family won’t have any complaints.”
It was actually Liu Yu who went and returned.
He had been walking in the snow for a while, his cheeks showing a sickly red, making his skin appear even paler.
Since Liu Yu has spoken, Lu Zi Xiang had no choice but to take it seriously. He pensively nodded, saying to Liu Yu, “Minister Liu is right.” After saying this, he suddenly felt bored, his interest waning, no longer caring about the tea on the furnace, directly getting up, and leaving, “The snow is heavy, the wind strong, why don’t everyone go back to rest.”
After Lu Zi Xiang left, Shen Lan Chi followed behind Lu Qi Yang, passing by Liu Yu.
Liu Yu had his eyes half lowered, saying to her in a low voice, “Your older brother and Yan’er are currently very well. A day ago, a letter came, saying that Yan’er is already pregnant.”
Shen Lan Chi froze.
When she turned back, Liu Yu had already gone far.
Seeing her looking back for a long time, Lu Qi Yang asked, “What? What did he say to you?”
“Said that my brother and Liu third miss are currently living really well.” Shen Lan Chi tightened the cloak on her, softly saying, “Liu third miss is pregnant.”
Lu Qi Yang unexpectedly said, “Impressive.”
“Wh-what’s impressive?” Shen Lan Chi was dumbstruck.
“Your brother, quite impressive.” Lu Qi Yang clicked his tongue.
“……In which aspect?” Shen Lan Chi asked.
“How come don’t see you getting pregnant?” Lu Qi Yang asked back.
“What is wrong with you?” Shen Lan Chi was also annoyed, “I haven’t even married you yet, how can I dare to get pregnant? Even if pregnant, still need to hide it!”
“Don’t be angry, don’t be angry.” Lu Qi Yang said with a laugh, “Didn’t I precisely come back to marry you? Lu Zi Xiang even tried to bestow me a marriage, but I refused. It can be seen how deep and genuine my feelings are, wholeheartedly just waiting to take you as my wife.”
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