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An Understanding Beauty (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!
After repeatedly mulling over the line ‘wangfei truly is the flower in my heart’, Xia Yin’er practically wanted to die from embarrassment. However, her pride got the better of her, still wishing to argue, saying: “What does it mean to ‘understand wangye the most’? Yin’er truly doesn’t understand that well……..”
“For instance,” Lu Qi Yang used his sleeve to cover his nose, saying with a frown, “know that I don’t like the smell of chenluo incense, thus never use this scent on her clothes.”
Xia Yin’er recalled that she precisely used chenluo incense on her clothes today, her footing instantly becoming unsteady.
She doesn’t even know wangye’s likes and dislikes, so what face does she have to be his ‘understanding flower’? When lifting her head again to look at the wangfei, she saw that woman carrying a wry look from beginning to end, randomly fiddling with the jade bracelet on her wrist, seemingly watching a play. Xia Yin’er felt even more humiliated and furious.
Madam Xia also knew that this matter afraid won’t work out, so could only lower her head and say, “Since wangye has already said it like this, then Yin’er and I won’t continue to bother………just, Yin’er’s marriage, hope that wangye can mention in front of his Majesty………”
One doesn’t hit a smiling face, let alone a woman. Lu Qi Yang pretended as if nothing happened, calmly saying, “Where one can help, I’m naturally willing to help. Just, this old marriage arrangement, hope that Madam Xia can forget.”
Even wangye has spoken as such, how could Madam Xia dare to say more? She could only take her daughter and quickly leave the Zhennan Wang Manor as if fleeing, completely ignoring Xia Yin’er who was soaking her sleeves with tears the whole way.
• • •
After the Xia family mother and daughter pair left, Lu Qi Yang’s complexion was just somewhat not good.
“His Majesty truly is unable to sit still, instigating the Xia family’s women to come to my place to cause trouble. Could it be that he wants to divide away wangfei’s love?” The more he thought about it, the more bewildered he felt, saying, “These women are also impressive. In the past, each and every one all had their sights above their head, feeling that I was idle and useless, worse than my two tang brothers in every way, so how come now, they’re this enthusiastic?”
Lu Zi Xiang continuously trying to insert a foot inevitably made him feel annoyed.
Shen Lan Chi was just about to say something when the servant woman from the gatehouse came to report, saying that an old acquaintance of wangfei’s has come to visit.
Hearing this, Lu Qi Yang was immediately on guard, “It can’t be that Lan Lan, you, also have some bullshit marriage agreement?”
“It’s a woman.” The servant woman kindly answered, “Don’t be angry, wangye.”
“Even more worrying if it’s a woman!” Lu Qi Yang said.
Shen Lan Chi: ………
No, wait, isn’t your point of focus a bit weird?
TN: All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
“That miss said, she is wangfei’s younger tang sister……..” The servant woman continued.
Younger tang sister……..
“Sh-shen Ran?” Shen Lan Chi was shocked. She approached the servant woman and asked, “Is it Shen Ran?”
The servant woman said, “This old servant has never seen Miss Ran before, so I’m also unsure…….”
“Invite her in for a sit.” Shen Lan Chi said.
After the Shen family fell, Shen Ran got sent to the jiaofang, no longer having any news. Suddenly hearing Shen Ran’s news, Shen Lan Chi was somewhat melancholic.
In the past, the two of them were both young ladies of the Shen family. Even if Xiao-shi was cruel, it was still considered a good period of time. But now, the scene remains, but the people have changed. She, Shen Lan Chi, was lucky, having Lu Qi Yang to take care of her, but Shen Ran must have ended up homeless, suffering all kinds of hardships.
Very soon, Shen Ran followed the servant woman in.
Shen Ran was dressed very plainly, not having a single accessory on her. There was even a few fine cuts that still haven’t healed on the back of her hand. In the past, in front of Xiao-shi, she always had a timid and submissive look, yet now, she was like as if having changed into another person, becoming a bit more refined.
Perhaps because of her days in the jiaofang, it forced her to become stronger.
“Younger sister Ran, it really is you!” Shen Lan Chi was greatly shocked, supporting her to sit down, saying, “You……”
“Older sister Lan, I’m now of the slave class, our status worlds apart.” Shen Ran composed herself, lowering her eyes and saying, “I was originally thinking that I won’t trouble you again in this lifetime, but I’m truly backed into a corner, thus shamelessly came to ask for help…….”
After saying this, she twisted her sleeve. The wound on her hand rubbed against it, seemingly getting ripped open again, with faint traces of blood oozing out, making others heart-ache at the sight.
“What happened?” Shen Lan Chi asked.
Once Shen Ran explained in detail, Shen Lan Chi finally learned what happened.
After Shen Ran got sent to the jiaofang, she very soon got redeemed by the Wu family’s shu son, becoming a servant girl in the Wu family. Because Wu Xiu Ding wasn’t favored to begin with, her days weren’t that good either. Through an unexpected turn of events, she ended up offending Jiangxia Junzhu. Now, junzhu wants to take her life. Wu Xiu Ding has no way of protecting her, so having no other choice, she could only come look for Shen Lan Chi for help.
After Shen Ran said this, she lowered her head to look at the wound on her hand.
Unknown as to why, Wu Xiu Ding treated her extremely well, unable to bear ordering her around. He was a shu son, but he used money from don’t know where to purchase a small courtyard outside, letting Shen Ran live there. Shen Ran although was a servant girl, she didn’t need to work and didn’t have the opportunity to get injured.
The cuts on her hand, she’d slit on her own before coming to see her wangfei tang sister.
The cuts made by the scissors were a bit deep, now unbearably painful.
Watching the two sisters chat, Lu Qi Yang suddenly interrupted, “Even if wangfei is your older tang sister, Zhennan Wang Manor won’t help you for nothing. This principle, Miss Shen certainly must understand.”
Shen Ran nodded.
She went quiet for a while, then lifted her head and said, “What if I say, I can do something unique for wangye?”
Lu Qi Yang slightly raised his brow and said, “Let’s hear it.”
“As long as wangye can send me into the palace, then I will certainly be able to gain his Majesty’s favor. In this way, won’t it be easier for wangye to act?”
Shen Ran looked up, her pretty face filled with firm determination. Her eyes were extremely pretty to begin with, like white mountains and black waters, but now, it was as if containing the dark night.
“Such bold claims……” Lu Qi Yang slowly said, “Really is rare.”
A mere slave, yet dared to ask to enter the palace, truly was rare.
But, he didn’t look down on her.
Shen Ran was just a shu daughter in the past, and afterwards got reduced to the slave class. She originally didn’t have the opportunity to come in contact with royalty and nobles, but she was able to have current affairs grasped clearly, really not simple.
Lu Qi Yang and Shen Lan Chi shared a glance, both contemplating.
They both knew, Shen Ran not only entered the palace in the past life, she even became the noble consort that was enjoyed boundless favor. Even if the person on the throne has now changed, as long as Shen Ran still has an exquisite heart and mind……….Lu Zi Xiang was the same as Lu Zhao Ye, having those thoughts towards Shen Lan Chi, so it was extremely possible for Shen Ran to gain favor again.
With her in the palace gathering information, things will indeed be a lot more convenient.
But the only drawback was………..
“Younger sister Ran, the imperial palace is filled with treachery, a place that devours people. The days afraid won’t be easy.” Shen Lan Chi said, “Moreover, if you were to enter the palace for wangye, then you will no longer be able to marry someone you like…….”
“I’m……not scared.” Shen Ran slightly closed her eyes and said, “Ran’er doesn’t have anyone in one’s heart anyways.”
“Truth be told, older sister Lan, Ran’er inadvertently found out about a big secret of Jiangxia Junzhu’s. Junzhu absolutely won’t let me live no matter what. Aside from the imperial palace, Ran’er can’t think of any place that’s safer.” Shen Ran tightly clutched her sleeves and muttered, “Why not let Ran’er try?”
It would’ve been fine if she hadn’t said anything, but as soon as she mentioned ‘big secret’, Shen Lan Chi already believed eighty percent of it.
Lu Zhi Ning having feelings for her own older brother, this was just an unspeakable big secret. If Shen Ran really found out about this ugly scandal, then Lu Zhi Ning indeed will have a reason to deal with her.
Recalling the Xia family mother and daughter that visited during the day, Shen Lan Chi hooked her lips and said, “Although a bit sorry to the empress, I’m still very willing to add a beauty to his Majesty’s harem.”
Flies don’t bite an egg without cracks. If Lu Zi Xiang doesn’t have crooked thoughts, no matter how many women are sent into the imperial palace, all would be in vain. She actually very much want to rip off Lu Zi Xiang’s pretentious mask sooner, letting Ji Fei Xia clearly see exactly what kind of face this perfect husband with a mouth full of sweet words has.
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