RATMOFANF: Chapter 18

 Character Glossary

· Li Ling (李陵): The Heir of the Zhenguo Duke Manor.

· Shen Jingxiu / Lady Shen (沈静姝/沈氏): The female protagonist, Li Ling's wife.

· Ziyun (紫云): Shen Jingxiu's personal maidservant.

· Chang Gongzhu (长公主): The Princess, Li Ling's mother.

· Xu Momo (徐嬷嬷): The personal maid of the Princess.

· San Guniang (三姑娘): The Third Young Lady, Li Ling's younger sister.

Chapter 18: Could It Be That She Had Moved Her Heart for Him Again?

The pattering rain lasted until dusk finally settled. The rain-laden air drove away the summer heat, and the roaring sound of the white ribbon-like waterfall behind the house pouring down added a refreshing coolness to the night.

It was only when she got into bed that Jingxiu believed Li Ling's words from the daytime were not meant to scare her.

He remained relentless, not letting her go until well past sì gēng (1:00-3:00 AM).

Jingxiu was exhausted, her body drenched in fragrant sweat as if she had been fished out of water.

Once again, Li Ling carried her to the bathing room.

After washing and returning to bed, he held her in his arms, stroking the fine, soft hairs at her forehead and whispering in her ear, "Did you bring the ointment from the imperial physician?"

How could she have known he would follow her here? Why would she carry such a thing with her?

Jingxiu lifted her head, her bewitching, dazed eyes looking at him as she feigned anger. "What do you think?"

"Does it hurt?" he asked in a low voice.

So now he remembered to be gentle with her.

Perhaps because some time had passed and she had experienced it more, the soreness and swelling after these recent times weren't as bad as before. But Jingxiu still muttered, "It hurts quite a bit."

Li Ling, his low and deep voice through her sleeping gown, said, "Let me rub it for you."

Jingxiu's face flushed pink with embarrassment. She quickly turned on her side. "That won't be necessary."

Li Ling chuckled, taking the opportunity to hold her tighter. "It's a long way from the camp. I have to leave early tomorrow morning to go back."

Jingxiu was so tired she only wanted to sleep. She gave a muffled "Mmm" in response.

"After I finish the important matters, I'll come back early," Li Ling continued.

Jingxiu opened her eyes and asked, "You're coming back again tomorrow?"

Li Ling looked down at her. "What? Am I not welcome?"

Jingxiu smiled. "It's not that. It's just that running back and forth like this must be terribly hard on you."

It was rare to hear his new bride speak such genuinely considerate words to him. Li Ling felt so pleased that he couldn't help but press down upon her again.

Jingxiu gasped softly in alarm. "How can you start again?"

Li Ling looked at his delicate, soft wife beneath him, the corners of his mouth curving upwards. "If my wife feels for me, why not serve me properly once more."

Jingxiu: "..."

By the time Li Ling was finally satisfied, Jingxiu was truly so tired she couldn't even move a finger. Listening to the even breathing of the person beside her, she found herself unable to sleep, her heart unable to calm down for a long time.

In this life, she had changed.

Li Ling had changed too.

Thinking of the things he had done for her and the words he had said to her during this time made her feel as if she were in a dream.

She turned on her side and, by the hazy moonlight, carefully studied this husband of hers from two lifetimes.

He was exceedingly handsome, possessing not only the striking masculine beauty that stood out among men, but his brow and eyes also brimmed with the proud nobility of a scion of an aristocratic family.

He truly had a appearance rarely seen in this world.

Perhaps a large part of the reason she had been so infatuated with him in her previous life was also because of this good looks.

Such a beautiful man, enough to capture the heart of any young woman in the world.

She was no exception.

As she looked, Jingxiu actually leaned down and imprinted a light kiss on his lips.

This action surprised even herself.

When Jingxiu opened her sleepy eyes the next day, the space beside her was already empty. Li Ling had left at some unknown time, and she suddenly felt an emptiness in her heart.

The sky was still early, but she could no longer sleep. She got up and summoned Ziyun.

Ziyun, throwing on her clothes, entered and, seeing Jingxiu already up, hurried forward to attend to her. "It's still early, Miss. Why not sleep a little longer?"

She had been on night duty in the outer room last night and had heard the movements inside hardly ceasing. The young master, vigorous and mighty, was fine, but her own delicate young lady should rest more.

"I'm not sleepy anymore," Jingxiu said as she got out of bed, gathering her hair and asking, "When did the Young Master leave?"

"He left before yín shí (3-5 AM)."

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

"So early," Jingxiu murmured to herself.

"That's right! He left before the sky even began to lighten."

It had rained all day yesterday. The mountain road must be wet and slippery, probably very difficult to traverse.

A pang of heartache for him stirred within Jingxiu.

After finishing her morning meal, Jingxiu left the room and stood alone in front of the waterfall for a long time. The gurgling stream poured down from the mountain, crashing against the rocks below with a roaring sound.

Her mind was filled with images of Li Ling.

It wasn't until Ziyun came looking for her, saying that she had heard from people at Yàsòng Jū (Elegant Ode Residence) that the Princess had already finished her morning meal, that Jingxiu snapped out of her reverie. She brought Ziyun and headed towards the Princess's residence.

Her mother-in-law was often away from the estate. She didn't usually have the opportunity to fulfill her duties as a daughter-in-law. Taking advantage of this time living together, she always thought about showing more heartfelt consideration.

Towards this mother-in-law, she held a feeling of fond respect and admiration.

When she arrived at Yàsòng Jū, the Princess was sitting upright on the soft couch in the outer room, sipping tea. Jingxiu stepped forward and paid her respects respectfully.

The Princess instructed her to sit. Jingxiu sat down in the seat below her mother-in-law.

"The tea I brewed today is pine needles. I wonder if you are accustomed to drinking it?" the Princess said.

Jingxiu's father's hometown was a land of tea gardens. She usually only liked to drink a certain white tea produced there. But in front of her mother-in-law, she naturally wouldn't be particular about this. She only replied, "I am accustomed to it."

Xu Momo, the personal maid at the Princess's side, stepped forward and poured a cup for Jingxiu.

Jingxiu picked up the teacup, took a small sip, and said to her mother-in-law, "This should have been brewed with dew gathered in the early morning, right?"

A trace of surprise appeared on the Princess's face upon hearing this. "You understand tea?"

Jingxiu nodded and said, "The Shen ancestors were from tea country, so I know a little."

The Princess nodded. "No wonder."

Jingxiu continued, "If this Pre-Rain Longjing were brewed with dew collected from lotus leaves in summer, or the frost gathered from winter plum blossoms, the tea fragrance would be even stronger."

The Princess, who was passionate about the art of tea, was delighted to meet a kindred spirit. She turned to Xu Momo and said, "Tomorrow, have them gather some lotus dew from the lake. I will try it."

Xu Momo, seeing her mistress happy, was also pleased and replied with a smile, "This old servant will instruct them immediately."

Jingxiu also smiled in agreement. "After the lotus dew is collected tomorrow, place it in a jar. Before the sun rises, seal it and let it sit under the sun for a two-hour period. This disperses the sour qi in the dew, making it even better to use."

Xu Momo readily agreed. "This old servant will instruct them to do as you say, Madam."

Jingxiu looked at the Princess. "After the dew has settled, this wife (妾身, a humble self-reference for a married woman) would like to brew tea with Mother."

The Princess said, "That would be excellent."

Just as the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were discussing tea, the Third Young Lady entered. Seeing Jingxiu, she complained, "So Second Sister-in-law is here with Mother. I've been looking all over for you."

The Princess asked, "Why didn't you have them take you to stroll through the gardens?"

The Third Young Lady sat down next to the Princess and replied, "What's the fun in strolling alone? I wanted to go with Second Sister-in-law."

The Princess looked at her daughter's charmingly naive manner and a trace of a smile appeared on her face. "In the past, when you came, weren't you always alone? I never heard you say it was boring. On the contrary, you always chattered about how lovely these gardens are, that you could never stroll through them enough."

The Third Young Lady replied coquettishly, "Times are different now." Saying this, she looked at Jingxiu, then turned to look at her mother, with a playful smile. "Now, I have Second Sister-in-law, don't I?"

Xu Momo, the Princess's wet nurse, was considered half a master. Hearing the Third Young Lady's words, she teased her with a smile. "Your Second Sister-in-law belongs to your Second Brother. How did she become yours now?"

Mentioning her elder brother, the Third Young Lady pouted and complained to her mother. "Mother, Second Brother is so annoying. He's always scolding me."

The Princess smiled helplessly and replied, "Then it must be because you've been mischievous again. Tell me, what trouble have you caused now?"

"What trouble could I have caused? It's all because of that Fourth—" The words on the tip of her tongue were swallowed back.

Her mother was clearly happy that she and Second Sister-in-law had come to the gardens to accompany her.

She didn't want to mention people her mother disliked, making her unhappy.

"It's just because of some minor matters" the Third Young Lady mumbled.

"Mother isn't by your side. You must listen to your Grandmother, your elder brother, and your sister-in-law. Understand?"

No mother in the world could truly disregard her own flesh and blood. Even someone as proud and aloof as the Princess could not let go completely. But for her to forgive her husband's betrayal, like other women might, was something she truly could not do. Given her status, it wasn't impossible to keep the children by her side, but that would only hinder them.

Being the legitimate sons and daughters of the Zhenguo Duke's estate was always better than following her, a half-widowed mother.

The Third Young Lady still bore a grudge against her elder brother and said defiantly, "The elder sister-in-law is like a mother. From now on, I will only listen to Second Sister-in-law. Second Brother can no longer think to control me just by virtue of being my elder brother."

Xu Momo said with a smile, "Such childish words. But being willing to listen to your sister-in-law is also good."

The Princess said with a smile, "It's your Second Sister-in-law's first time here. Go, have them take you both to stroll through the gardens."

The Third Young Lady stood up, pulling Jingxiu, and said joyfully, "Second Sister-in-law, let's go."

Jingxiu said to the Princess with a smile, "The weather is cool today, Mother. Why not come out with us for a stroll?"

The Princess waved her hand, "I don't care for movement."

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

The Third Young Lady hearing Jingxiu say this, followed suit: "Let's go, Mother, come out for a walk with us. It's so boring to always be cooped up inside."

Xu Momo also added her persuasion: "That's right, what the children say is correct. You should go out for a walk too, to relax and clear your mind."

The Princess could not withstand everyone's earnest pleading and agreed, "Alright then, this Princess will go out for a walk with you."

(End of Chapter)

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