RATMOFANF: Chapter 39

 Character Glossary

· Shen Jingxiu (沈静姝): The female protagonist, Li Ling's wife. The new matriarch of the Zhenguo Duke Manor.

· Li Ling (李陵): The Heir of Zhenguo Duke Manor. Shen Jingxiu's husband, a cold and stern general.

· Xu Wanning (徐婉宁): Li Xian's wife. Brisk, capable, straightforward, and currently furious.

· Li Xian (李显): Li Ling's cousin, the eldest grandson. A high-ranking official.

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

· Danzhu (丹朱): Another of Jingxiu's maids.

· Qiu Momo (秋嬷嬷): Xu Wanning's wet nurse.

· Meiniang (媚娘): The palace courtesan bestowed upon Li Xian by the Emperor.

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Chapter 39: Obsessed with a Woman's Feigned Weakness

Having stayed up too late last night, Jingxiu slept until the sky was bright before waking. She quickly got up and called Ziyun in, unable to resist complaining, "It's this late already. Why didn't you wake me earlier?"

Ziyun, making the bed, replied, "It's neither the first nor the fifteenth today; there's no need to pay respects to the Old Madam. What's the hurry?"

Jingxiu paused in her actions and looked at Ziyun. Ziyun then realized: her young lady was now the matriarch of the household. There was much more to be busy with; how could she be as leisurely as before?

She suddenly remembered Li Ling's instructions before leaving in the morning and said to Jingxiu, "The Heir specifically told me before leaving to let you sleep more."

Jingxiu asked, "Did he go to the camp?"

Ziyun replied, "The Heir left before dawn. He said he would return early today to accompany you to the Princess's residence."

She had indeed planned to visit the Princess's residence to see her mother-in-law today but hadn't expected Li Ling to want to go as well.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Jingxiu instructed, "Hurry and have them serve the meal. After I finish, I need to quickly sort out the accounts."

Ziyun assented and went out. Jingxiu washed up by herself, simply tying her hair into a Ruyi bun secured with a dark jade hairpin.

By the time Ziyun and Danzhu brought in the breakfast, Jingxiu had already tidied up efficiently. Ziyun placed a bowl of steaming hot bird's nest porridge in front of Jingxiu and said with a smile, "The Heir specifically instructed me before leaving to have the small kitchen prepare this for you."

Jingxiu didn't say anything, but Danzhu, standing nearby, couldn't help covering her mouth and giggling.

Jingxiu shot her a reproachful look. "What are you laughing at?"

Danzhu said with a smile, "I just think the Heir is becoming more and more attentive to our young lady."

Jingxiu remained silent, eating her breakfast.

Ziyun knew she was still angry with Li Ling over the incident in the garden a few days ago. Although she didn't know exactly what unpleasantness had occurred between them that day, seeing her young lady in such a disheveled state, she couldn't help but resent Li Ling too.

As Ziyun served dishes to Jingxiu, she responded to Danzhu, "Our young lady is excellent in every way. No matter who she married, who wouldn't treat her well?"

Danzhu nodded in agreement and said sincerely, "Sister is right. Among all the noble young ladies in the capital, in terms of talent, appearance, and temperament, truly none can compare to our young lady."

"Exactly," Ziyun chimed in.

Jingxiu put down her chopsticks, glanced at the two of them, and said, "You two, stop it. If you keep praising me like this, I'll be full before I even finish eating."

While the three were talking, the messenger matron from outside came in and said to Jingxiu, "Reporting to the Madam, Stewardess Qiu from the Eldest Madam's household in the West Courtyard is here urgently requesting to see you."

Qiu Momo was Xu Wanning's wet nurse. Hearing that Qiu Momo needed to see her urgently, Jingxiu hurriedly had her brought in.

Qiu Momo entered the main hall and, forgetting even to greet Jingxiu properly, panted heavily and said urgently, "Second Madam, please, you must go quickly and persuade our Madam."

Seeing the sweat on her forehead, Jingxiu replied, "Don't rush, Momo. What exactly has happened?"

As she spoke, Ziyun brought over a bowl of hot tea and urged, "Don't fret, Momo. Have some tea to moisten your throat."

Qiu Momo had run all the way here and was parched. She took the bowl, drank two large mouthfuls, caught her breath, and then said, "The Eldest Madam wants to kill someone!"

Kill someone?

Jingxiu and Ziyun exchanged glances.She quickly asked, "What on earth happened?"

Qiu Momo calmed her nerves a little and replied, "It's all because of that palace courtesan named Meiniang, the one the Emperor bestowed upon the Eldest Master. She was late to pay her respects to the Eldest Madam today. The Madam merely scolded her a few times, but she actually fainted right there in Bì Táng Jū."

Danzhu, standing to the side, made a sound of disdain. "What a little vixen."

Jingxiu shot Danzhu a reproving look, then turned to Qiu Momo. "Is Eldest Sister-in-law angry just because of this?"

Qiu Momo continued, "When the Eldest Master found out about this, he came over without a word and started arguing with the Madam. They've been quarreling all morning."

Favoring a concubine over the wife! No wonder Xu Wanning was angry.

Jingxiu put on her outer garment and said to Qiu Momo, "I'll go see her right now."

Qiu Momo seemed to have found her pillar of support. She muttered, "Please go quickly, Second Madam. After the Eldest Master left, our Madam chased all the maids out and has been shut up in her room alone." As she spoke, she leaned closer to Jingxiu and said in a low voice, "I was worried and peeked through the crack in the door. I saw her sitting there alone... sharpening a knife."

Danzhu gasped in shock, her mouth agape. "Heavens! The Eldest Madam wouldn't do something foolish, would she?"

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Qiu Momo, hearing this, chided Danzhu, "Our Madam would never do anything that foolish." She paused, looked at Jingxiu, and said in a low voice, "I suspect she wants to kill that palace courtesan."

Given Xu Wanning's temperament, she was indeed capable of doing it.

But that Meiniang was bestowed by the palace; she absolutely must not be killed.

Jingxiu didn't say more and stepped out, following Qiu Momo all the way to Bì Táng Jū.

Arriving at Bì Táng Jū, Jingxiu stood outside and knocked on the door. After a long time without a response, Qiu Momo peeked through the crack in the door and said in a hushed voice, "The Eldest Madam is still sitting there, sharpening the knife."

Jingxiu waved her hand at Qiu Momo, signaling her to step back, then pushed the door open and entered by herself.

Xu Wanning was sitting on the reclining couch with her back to the door.

She wasn't sharpening a knife but was carefully wiping a long sword with a cloth.

Jingxiu suddenly remembered the incident in her previous life where the palace courtesan had "died suddenly" within a few months of entering the household. Connecting that with Li Xian's failure to enter the Grand Secretariat in her previous life, she finally pieced together the cause and effect: It must have been that Xu Wanning, infuriated by the courtesan's disrespect, killed her in a fit of anger. That woman was bestowed by the Emperor. For her to "die suddenly" just days after entering the Zhenguo Duke Manor would naturally provoke the Emperor's wrath towards Li Xian. Thus, his seemingly certain entry into the Grand Secretariat fell through.

This palace courtesan must not be killed!

Even if not for Li Xian or the Zhenguo Duke Manor, just for Xu Wanning's own sake, she had to stop her. With Li Xian's temperament, if he truly failed to get promoted because of Xu Wanning, how could he possibly let her off?

In her previous life, not long after that palace courtesan "died suddenly," she vaguely heard that Li Xian was clamoring to divorce his wife. Later, it seemed the Old Madam suppressed the matter.

It was clear that the reason they had such a falling out in her previous life was over this very matter.

She had to find a way to stop Xu Wanning.

Jingxiu walked over and sat down beside Xu Wanning. Seeing her gloomy expression and her refusal to speak, Jingxiu glanced at her face and said, "What's this? Are you really going to kill someone?"

Only then did Xu Wanning raise her eyes. She stood up, swung the sword, and slashed towards a potted flowering tree on the table, instantly shearing off its crown cleanly.

The movement was clean and neat, possessing a certain heroic flair.

Jingxiu said, "I didn't know you had such skills."

Xu Wanning glanced back at her, then sat back down on the couch, carefully examining the sword. She murmured, "My father gave me this sword before I was married."

Looking at the sword in Xu Wanning's hand, Jingxiu said with a smile, "Eldest Sister-in-law comes from a military family. The gifts Father Xu gives his daughter are quite different from those of ordinary families."

Seeing the anger still on Xu Wanning's face, Jingxiu continued, "Does Eldest Sister-in-law plan to use this sword, given by your father, to kill a palace courtesan?"

Xu Wanning came to her senses and spat out fiercely, "She's not worthy!"

"She certainly isn't worthy," Jingxiu said.

Xu Wanning sheathed the sword, looked at Jingxiu, and said angrily, "But I really can't swallow this anger. To think that I, a noble daughter of the Yongyi Marquis household, have to suffer the insolence of a lowly creature today."

Jingxiu said, "That's you choosing to be angry! Since you think she's unworthy, why bother getting so worked up?"

Xu Wanning was silent for a long while. She said to Jingxiu, "It's not just because of that lowly creature. You didn't see how Li Xian stormed in today, furious on her behalf."

As she spoke, Xu Wanning's eyes reddened, and she said choking up, "I've been married to him for so many years, borne him children. I never thought that in his heart, his proper wife would be less important than a lowly concubine."

Jingxiu handed her a handkerchief and advised, "Thinking like that is just you trapping yourself. No matter how favored she is, she's just a concubine, relying on seductive tricks to cling to a man. If you become estranged from Elder Brother over this, wouldn't you be playing right into her hands?"

Xu Wanning wiped her tears and said, "You didn't see that vixen's demeanor in front of Li Xian. I really don't understand. Is Li Xian an idiot? Can he really not see through her schemes?"

Li Xian, who achieved the third highest score in the imperial examinations at eighteen, was a famous talented scholar in the capital. Now, he was also thriving in his official career.

He wasn't an idiot! He was just obsessed—obsessed with a woman's feigned weakness, obsessed with the satisfaction a male feels when protecting the vulnerable.

(End of Chapter)

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