RATMOFANF: Chapter 22

 Character Glossary

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

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

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Chapter 22: We Complement Each Other Perfectly

Li Ling led Jingxiu away from Yǎsòng Jū and towards the lake shore.

The steward in charge of the lake had already received the order and had someone row the boat from the lake to the shore.

Li Ling helped Jingxiu onto the boat.

He sat down by the edge of the boat, cast the fishing line into the lake, and began fishing with genuine concentration.

Jingxiu brought over a stool and sat down beside him. Gazing at the sparkling, rippling surface of the lake, she asked, "Husband, do you often go fishing?"

Li Ling shook his head. "I often went to the river to catch fish as a child. But now that I have official duties, when do I ever have such leisure time?"

Jingxiu looked at the man beside her.

Compared to his peers, he shouldered much greater and heavier responsibilities.

His parents were estranged, his father was bedridden year-round, his mother remained aloof from worldly affairs, his grandmother was aged, and his younger siblings were still young.

Above him lay the responsibility of bringing glory to the Marquis household; below him rested the duty of caring for and educating his young siblings.

He was just a little over twenty years old, yet he had been relentlessly tempered into a steadiness and resilience far beyond his years.

This relaxed and carefree demeanor he now showed in front of her was something Jingxiu was witnessing for the first time in both her lifetimes.

She wanted to treat him well.

To share his burdens.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

"In the future, whenever you have free time, I will often accompany you to go fishing," Jingxiu murmured, resting her head on his shoulder.

Li Ling put his arm around her shoulder and said with a smile, "It's a promise."

Just as they were speaking, the fishing rod dipped sharply. Li Ling quickly reeled in the line, exclaiming, "Look, it's taken the bait! Ha, it's a big fish!"

With that, a large, lively fish was hauled up. Li Ling deftly gripped it by the gills and removed it from the hook. Unexpectedly, the fish thrashed its tail and struggled free from his grasp, landing squarely on the deck.

Unwilling to be captured, even out of water, the large fish twisted and flopped wildly on the deck, frightening. Jingxiu into shrieking repeatedly and hiding behind Li Ling.

Li Ling bent down, subdued it in a few moves, lifted the big fish, and said to his panicked little wife, "Don't be afraid. I'll clean it right now. Just wait, my wife, to taste its freshness."

Saying this, Li Ling pressed the fish against the gunwale, drew the dagger from his waist, and with a few swift movements, killed, scaled, and cleaned the fish.

Seeing his deft actions, Jingxiu teased, "I never imagined my husband knew how to prepare fish."

As he worked on the fish, Li Ling replied, "During military campaigns, there are times when provisions run out. The soldiers have to find their own sustenance in the wilds. Tasks like cleaning fish or butchering game are naturally familiar to us."

In the time it took to speak, Li Ling had sliced the fish meat into pieces as thin as a cicada's wings. He said to Jingxiu, "Go to the kitchen and fetch a pot."

Jingxiu assented and went into the cabin.

The cabin was fully equipped with a bedroom, study, bathing room, and more, totaling seven or eight rooms. Jingxiu found the kitchen, located a pot, and brought it out to the deck.

Just then, Li Ling had finished slicing all the fish. He rinsed the fish slices with water, placed the meat into the pot, then went back to the kitchen to carry out some dry firewood. Right there on the deck, he set up a stand, lit the fire, and started cooking the fish.

"Wait for it, it will be ready soon," Li Ling said, looking up at Jingxiu as he busied himself.

As if she were particularly greedy! Jingxiu felt a bit embarrassed and said, "I'll go get the bowls first. We'll need them for serving the fish later."

Jingxiu turned back towards the kitchen. Li Ling followed her in, saying, "Let me see if there's any wine here."

"Are we having wine too?"

Li Ling said, "With good fish, of course you need wine to accompany it."

Jingxiu teased, "Who knows if that fish you cooked will even be edible."

Li Ling smiled. "Whether it's edible or not, my wife will find out shortly." As he spoke, he rummaged through the cupboards for a while and indeed found a jar of wine. He removed the seal and smelled it. "This wine isn't bad."

"Bring two wine cups as well."

Jingxiu assented, gathered the bowls, chopsticks, and cups, and followed Li Ling out of the cabin.

By now, wisps of white steam were already rising from the pot, and a delicious fragrance gradually filled the air.

Li lifted the lid, looked at the rolling, snow-white broth and meat slices inside, and said, "This fish shouldn't be cooked too long, or the meat will become tough."

Jingxiu came closer, peered into the pot, and said, "It's only been such a short time. Is it even cooked yet?"

"Get a ladle. Let's taste it," Li Ling said.

Jingxiu fetched the ladle and handed it to Li Ling. He scooped up some broth, gently sipped it, and praised, "Mmm, so fresh."

Then, he scooped up a slice of meat, blew on it, and offered it to Jingxiu's lips. "You try it."

Jingxiu tasted it. It was indeed incredibly fresh and delicious.

She nodded and gave him a radiant smile.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

"Does it pass muster for my wife's palate?" Li Ling asked, a look of satisfaction on his face as he gazed at her with a hint of a smile.

Not wanting to let him get too cocky, Jingxiu wiped the smile from her face and deliberately pursed her lips. "It's passable, I suppose."

Li Ling picked up a bowl, filled it with the fish, and handed it to Jingxiu. "If it passes my wife's palate, then all my efforts were not in vain."

Jingxiu set up a small table. The two sat facing each other, savoring the fish and drinking wine.

The boat drifted with the current on the mirror-like lake. Li Ling pointed ahead. "If I remember correctly, there should be a large stretch of lotus flowers up ahead."

Sure enough, after traveling a while longer, an endless expanse of lotus leaves and flowers greeted them. The boat wound its way through the lotus growth, startling the waterfowl resting there into taking flight in twos and threes.

Jingxiu casually plucked a lotus flower and played with it idly. Perhaps because of the wine, and being surrounded by such paradise-like scenery, she was moved by the moment and spontaneously recited:

"Often I remember sunset o'er that arbor,  

Too drunk to know our homeward way. 

Having enjoyed ourselves to the full, 

Our boat turned back late by mistake, 

And strayed deep into the lotus thicket. 

Row, row the boat! 

And startled a shoreful of gulls and herons." 

Having drunk wine, the young woman's powdered face was slightly flushed. She held a lotus flower and lay down casually on the deck. Her delicate figure was wrapped in a light greenish-blue gauze dress, her almond-shaped eyes hazy with intoxication—indescribably enchanting and alluring.

Li Ling had not expected his little wife to be not only beautiful but also possess such literary talent. He couldn't help but praise her, "I had long heard that my wife was renowned for her talent even before marriage. Today, your husband has indeed witnessed it for himself."

Jingxiu felt embarrassed by his praise and said with a smile, "Qiè shēn (this wife) was just improvising nonsense. Please don't laugh at me, Husband."

"For my wife to compose such excellent lines off the cuff is wonderful, truly wonderful!" With that, Li Ling turned and went back into the cabin to fetch ink and brush. Sitting on the deck, he wrote down the poem Jingxiu had just recited.

Li Ling's calligraphy was powerful and vigorous, deeply capturing the essence of the Yan style.

Looking at what Li Ling had written, Jingxiu smiled faintly and said, "The style of my poem is rather frail and delicate. It doesn't quite match the strength and bone of my husband's calligraphy."

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

"How does it not match? We are making up for each other's shortcomings and complementing each other perfectly." As he spoke, Li Ling scooped her up by the waist and carried her towards the cabin.

Li Ling placed his little wife on the bed and was about to lean down over her when Jingxiu pushed him and chided, "You still smell of fish. Go wash up first."

Li Ling pulled his sleeve to his nose and sniffed. "It must be the smell from when I was cleaning the fish earlier."

Jingxiu urged him, "Hurry up and take those clothes off."

Li Ling laughed and replied, "Just a moment ago, my wife enjoyed the fish so eagerly, and now you're disdainful of me."

"Ugh, just take the clothes off, will you? I really dislike strange smells."

Knowing her fastidious nature, Li Ling had no choice but to get up sheepishly. He first took off his outer robe, then turned and went into the bathing room.

After washing up thoroughly, he returned to the bed, slipped under the covers, and embraced Jingxiu. "This should be alright now, right?"

Jingxiu rewarded him with a light kiss on his forehead.

That one kiss was enough to completely ignite the blazing fire within Li Ling.

(End of Chapter)

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Translator's Note: The poem recited is an adaptation of "Dreamlike Song" by Li Qingzhao, a poetess of the Song Dynasty.

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