< Previous Chapter | Table of Contents | Next Chapter >
Two Different Couples
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!
A short separation makes a reunion sweeter. Furthermore, the two of them haven’t seen each other in several months.
Lu Qi Yang was worried about the child in her stomach, so didn’t dare to be too intimate. He could only lightly support her waist as he walked into the residence with her, saying: “Walk slower, be careful.”
Shen Lan Chi although was heavier than before, she didn’t stay idle. Normally, she would walk around to strengthen her body. Seeing Lu Qi Yang being careful, Shen Lan Chi casted him a glance, saying: “I’m not that weak.”
“Yes, yes, wangfei is right.” Lu Qi Yang immediately retracted his hand, his appearance like a servile foot soldier meeting a general.
The two of them entered the room, and the servant girl brought over the pastries and fruits. Because recently the commoners have been fleeing everywhere, the Wu province also lacked sufficient supply of vegetables and fruits. Therefore, there was only pitiful wild plums placed on the ornate tray. When Lu Qi Yang saw, he frowned and said, “With the chaos of war erupting everywhere, the lives of the people have been affected.”
Pausing for a moment, seemingly feeling somewhat guilty and remorseful, he said, “I didn’t originally wish for this, but Lu Zi Xiang has truly pushed me too far.”
Shen Lan Chi said, “What you’re saying, I all understand. As long as you’re here, Lu Zi Xiang won’t let you off. He would rather collude with the Mujin tribe than to let you live. This kind of unfit ruler, it’s better to not have.”
Lu Qi Yang absentmindedly listened to her, saying righteous and upright words like ‘once the world has settled down’ and such, but his eyes fixedly stared at Shen Lan Chi’s bulging stomach, as if there was some treasure hiding inside.
Seeing his expression like this, Shen Lan Chi sighed and pulled over his hand, placing it over her belly, saying, “Just touch it if you want to touch it, don’t be so hesitant. This is your child, surely they won’t be angry.”
Right after she said this, the child in her stomach seemingly stretched its hand and kicked her, making Shen Lan Chi’s shoulder slightly trembled.
The fifth month of pregnancy was precisely when the child frequently moved around. Having gotten kicked for nothing, Shen Lan Chi immediately changed face and removed Lu Qi Yang’s hand, “Don’t touch anymore, they’re unhappy.”
“Ok.” Lu Qi Yang felt somewhat wronged, but still obediently pulled his hand back.
Shen Lan Chi caressed her stomach and looked up to study her own husband. Before coming to see her, Lu Qi Yang clearly had carefully tidied himself up, having his face groomed and cleaned, free from dust and stubble. His clothes were also crisp and polished, not the least bit like a general that had just stepped down from the battlefield.
Thinking of how he’d first fought against the Mujin tribe, and now have to to stand in opposition against Lu Zi Xiang, Shen Lan Chi couldn’t help but a bit bad for him.
“Husband, you currently have no other choice but to ride straight for the capital. But, once you enter the capital and have Lu Zi Xiang kicked from the throne, what will you do then?” Shen Lan Chi looked to Lu Qi Yang, her voice carrying a bit of worry, “I’ve never felt that you’re someone who likes to be the emperor.”
If such treacherous words were to fall into someone else’s ear, it will certainly bring about trouble, but Shen Lan Chi didn’t cover it up in the slightest.
She didn’t feel that this was something taboo———Lu Qi Yang in the past life had also embarked on a similar path. Just, in the past life, he’d rebelled against Lu Zhao Ye. But, in this life, it was Lu Zi Xiang.
TN: All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
Lu Qi Yang pondered for a moment and said, “The matters in the future are hard to say. If unlucky, perhaps I simply won’t be able to reach the capital, instead get defeated by Lu Zi Xiang midway, and end up having my corpse pecked out by wild vultures……”
Before he could finish his words, Shen Lan Chi’s finger pressed against his lips.
“Shh.” The stunningly beautiful woman lowered her brows and whispered, “Don’t say such unlucky words.”
“Already someone who has died once, what’s there that can’t be said?” Lu Qi Yang helplessly laughed, pushing away her finger and saying in seriousness, “Lan Lan, I’m seriously asking, if I get killed, what will you do?”
“You won’t die.” Shen Lan Chi said with certainty.
“I’m saying ‘if’…….”
“You won’t die.” She was increasingly firm, her tone even penetrating with a hint of chilliness, “If you die, I will have King Yama’s palace hall torn down, having the judge’s brush snapped in half, the river of the underworld flattened.”
Seeing her this resolute, Lu Qi Yang went back to smiling, pretending to be relaxed, “It’s all my fault for saying nonsense, making wangfei angry. I’m also just randomly speculating, no need to take seriously.” Pausing for a moment, he changed the subject and said, “At present, the commoners have no safe place to call home. Since I have taken over the Wu province, I will need to think of ways to let the people restore their life back to normal.”
Seeing him no longer saying nonsense, Shen Lan Chi nodded and started coming up with ideas, “I’ve lived in the Wu province for a while now, so know this place better. Currently, the people are fleeing away, one because of fearing the chaos of war, and two because of not having enough food. How about letting me step in, open the granaries, and distribute porridge?
Zhennan Wangfei personally distributing porridge was indeed a good way to increase Zhennan Wang Manor’s popularity among the people.
“But……” Lu Qi Yang looked towards her stomach and immediately denied it, “You’re pregnant right now, so it isn’t suitable for you to tire yourself out. It’s better for you to nicely rest at home. I’ll let someone else handle it.”
Shen Lan Chi couldn’t change his mind, so could only give in.
However, on the day of the porridge distribution, she still showed up. She was Zhennan Wangfei, her status unmatched by others, having even more power to rally people. As soon as they heard that the wife of the War God of the Northern Pass was here, even distributing porridge while pregnant, the commoners were confident that Zhennan Wang has the intention of taking over the Wu province, so successively returned to the city.
After half a month like this, the Wu province gradually regained its liveliness. Although unable to compare with the past, it ultimately wasn’t that deserted anymore with desolate streets and locked-up homes.
After this, Lu Qi Yang bid his wife farewell and continued attacking south. In less than a month, he captured another four cities. Among them was the city where Empress Ji’s older brother, Ji Ling Kang, was at.
Because his younger sister Ji Fei Xia was the empress, Ji Ling Kang got appointed as the Fuguo General. He didn’t have any talent to begin with, only waiting to serve as an empty-title general for two years before getting granted a noble title. However, recently, the war has become more intense. His Majesty had all those that can fight in battle all sent out, including him.
Compared with others, Ji Ling Kang for better or worse had actually studied military tactics before, the tallest among the shortest, so at least somewhat stood out. When he first engaged in battle with Zhennan Wang’s men, he actually even won a few small victories, momentarily filling him with confidence and vigor. Lu Zi Xiang also has rather high expectations towards him, promoting Ji Ling Kang as the High Commander.
However, Ji Ling Kang’s luck wasn’t able to last long before coming to an end. During the first rain of early autumn, he ended up losing a city due to carelessness.
When Lu Zi Xiang heard, his anger was beyond words.
He originally had already put down big words, saying that if those generals were to lose in battle, then ‘there will be no need to keep them’. Ji Ling Kang, having carelessly lost a city, just ran straight into his blade. In a fit of anger, Lu Zi Xiang stripped Ji Ling King from this position, having Ji Ling Kang and the others who had hastily fled back to the capital all arrested and thrown into prison.
Ji Ling Kang and the others general had just escaped from death, abandoning all their soldiers and horses in order to finally return to the capital. Who knew that before they could even catch their breath, they just got thrown into prison by his Majesty, instantly losing their minds. The Ji family was also extremely distressed, immediately sending someone to the palace to look for Empress Ji.
When Ji Fei Xia learned of this matter, she immediately panicked.
His Majesty has always very much doted on her, so how can he be this ruthless towards her older brother? Hearing Madam Ji sobbingly cry in front of her, begging her to save Ji Ling Kang’s life, Ji Fei Xia was distressed and confused.
“Mother, don’t, don’t say such nonsense!” Ji Fei Xia clutched her sleeves, her complexion deathly pale, nervously saying, “Could it be that you’ve gotten bewitched by someone else’s words? His Majesty treats our Ji family with immense favor, so how could he do that kind of thing!”
When Madam Ji, Liang-shi, saw her daughter siding with Lu Zi Xiang, her heart immediately turned cold.
Lu Zi Xiang truly was cunning, having Fei Xia completely wrapped around his finger. Fei Xia resided in the inner palace, cut off from information, not even aware of how tense the battle was outside, still thinking that this was a peaceful and prosperous era, simply not knowing that the flames of war were raging outside.
Ji Fei Xia was filled with panic, saying: “If this is true, I will certainly go beg his Majesty, won’t let older brother lose his life for nothing.”
She has never seen Lu Zi Xiang angry before. Such disparity inevitably made one feel uneasy.
After sending away Madam Ji, Ji Fei Xia fixed herself up a little and led the palace maids to Qianfu Palace, only to see Lu Zi Xiang trying on an armor. That armor shone with a lacquered gleam, dark and glossy, as if dyed by the night.
Lu Zi Xiang didn’t hear the announcement of the empress’s arrival, still testing the sword at his waist. With a ringing sound, he pulled the sword from its sheath, swinging the shining blade a few times in the air, his movements like lightning.
Ji Fei Xia was just a girl from the boudoir. When has she ever seen real blades before? Suddenly getting startled, the food box she was carrying in her hand fell onto the floor.
Lu Zi Xiang moved according to the sound, having the blade directly pointed towards the woman behind him. Once he saw the trembling and deathly pale Ji Fei Xia, Lu Zi Xiang slowly lowered his sword, saying with a smile, “So the empress has come. This emperor was pondering over personally leading the expedition, so somewhat lost in thought.”
Ji Fei Xia’s entire heart was fixed on that sword. Hearing the words ‘personally leading the expedition’, she was somewhat bewildered, just feeling that what was happening outside was beyond her imagination. She forced herself to calm down, saying with a trembling voice, “Your Majesty, heard that you’re going to execute this wife’s elder brother…..”
Hearing this line, Lu Zi Xiang’s complexion turned cold, penetrating with a chilling oppressive aura.
There was no one that can be used in the country, the war was suffering from setback after setback, and Zhennan Wang was coming down. These things were like a few tangled knots, making Lu Zi Xiang extremely annoyed. Ji Ling Kang losing the city made him extremely furious. For the sake of killing the chicken to warn the monkey, Ji Ling Kang must die.
“He’d carelessly lost a city. This in itself is a death sentence.” Lu Zi Xiang had the blade placed back in its sheath and started walking out of the hall, calmly saying, “Not implicating the Ji family is already this emperor showing mercy.”
“Yo-your Majesty!” Ji Fei Xia’s complexion was deathly pale, stumblingly walking outward, saying, “You promised this wife back then that you won’t let him really go to the frontlines to fight in battle, and that in the future, you will even confer him into a marquis…..”
Hearing this, Lu Zi Xiang stopped.
He turned sideways, giving Ji Fei Xia an ambiguous smile. His handsome brows and eyes carried a trace of chilling mockery that penetrated the bone, “Fei Xia, the words of nobility, you also believe?” After saying this, he slightly lifted his face, his entire body exuding a sense of lofty arrogance, saying, “There’s no such thing in this world as profit without risk. Since Ji Ling Kang wants to be a noble, than he shouldn’t have ran for his life. This principle, this emperor thought that you understood.”
Ji Fei Xia stood in place in shock.
A while later, she was shaking all over, practically about to pass out.
She has never since this side of Lu Zi Xiang before!
Was this still the emperor she knew? Where was that emperor who was gentle and understanding? Where was that good husband that kneeled on the ground to help her put on her shoe and hold up the umbrella for her on rainy nights?
Ji Fei Xia’s eyes suddenly turned red, her tears streaming down. She had been pampered her whole life, never having suffered any major grievances. Seeing Lu Zi Xiang about to walk farther away, she actually knelt down without any hesitation.
The heavy sound of her knees hitting the ground startled the servants in the surrounding, who hurriedly cried out, “Your Highness!”
Ji Fei Xia walked forward on her knees, pulling the cut of clothes sticking out under Lu Zi Xiang’s armor, tearfully sobbing, “Your Majesty, seeing how this wife’s older brother once established military achievements before, please spare his life! He’s this wife’s older brother!”
Lu Zi Xiang stopped in his steps, not speaking for a long time.
After a while, he regained his gentle smile, taking the bright yellow cloak from the eunuch’s hand and gently placed it over Ji Fei Xia’s shoulders. He wiped away the tears on his wife’s face and softly said, “Fei Xia, the dew is heavy in autumn, the weather cold, the winds strong, why don’t you rest early.”
Admittedly, it was already autumn, with countless leaves falling outside, creating a desolate scene. The wind outside the hall cut the face with a biting chill.
After personally tying on the cloak, Lu Zi Xiang turned around without any hesitation and stepped out of the hall.
Ji Fei Xia touched her cloak that didn’t have any warmth, her line of sight getting blurred more and more by her tears. Once the emperor’s figure thoroughly disappeared upon the long stairs, she collapsed onto the ground and loudly started crying.
The palace maids and eunuchs by her side hurriedly went up to support her, yet she just cried like a naive child. Suddenly, she seemingly could even hear the former envious voices of the women of the Chu capital.
“The Ji family’s Fei Xia has been pampered and raised in luxury since childhood, even marrying the most distinguished man in the world…….”
“The peppered hall gaining all the imperial favor, loved and adored by thousands, really makes one envious……”
“Smooth sailing all her life, never once experiencing hardship, she must have done some enormous good deed in the past life…..”
“The saying ‘the shoe fitting in the hand’ is referring to the loving emperor and empress, their affections deep……….”
< Previous Chapter | Table of Contents | Next Chapter >
