RATMOFANF: Chapter 43

 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.

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

· Xu Wanning (徐婉宁): Li Xian's wife.

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

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Chapter 43: That Little Bit of Guilt Also Vanished Without a Trace

Li Ling was busy in his study until very late before returning. The main room was still lit by a bright candle, and the slender figure of his young wife under the lamplight fell right into his view as he stood under the corridor.

No need to guess; she was staying up late again, looking over those accounts.

Li Ling took a few quick strides up the steps of the corridor and pushed the door open.

Seeing Li Ling enter, Jingxiu finally looked up, again fixing her "rabbit"-like eyes on him. "The Heir has returned."

Li Ling shot her a reproachful look, his face cold. "Go to sleep."

It was truly a case of "the magistrates are free to burn down houses, while the common people are forbidden even to light lamps." 

You can stay up late working, but I'm not allowed to?

Although Jingxiu felt unconvinced n her heart, she still reluctantly put down the account book, extinguished the candle, and followed him into the inner room.

Better to be sensible herself than to be carried and tossed onto the bed like a rabbit.

Seeing her obedience this time, Li Ling's expression softened. He took off his outer robe by himself and went to the bathing area. Jingxiu had already bathed when she returned earlier. She simply removed the hairpins holding her hair and got into bed.

After washing up, Li Ling came to the bedside and saw his young wife had already burrowed under the covers, her beautiful hair spread over her rounded shoulders, a glimpse of snowy white skin.

He casually put out the lamp, got into bed, and pulled her into his embrace.

Before Jingxiu could even react, he was already pressing down upon her.

"It's so late already, you—"

Before she could finish her sentence, a wave of his intense aura washed over her. His cool lips sealed hers, cutting off her words.

"You even dared to kick me this evening. Did you think I'd just let it slide?" he murmured in a low voice against her ear as he moved, "Tell me, shouldn't I teach you a proper lesson tonight?"

Her heart even thought: Maybe she should let him take a concubine after all; at least someone could share the burden.

The moment this thought emerged, Jingxiu even suspected this guy might have mind-reading abilities...

She knew he liked it when she called him that.

If it could stir his pity, she couldn't care about anything else anymore.

"Husband..."

——

Starlight twinkled,the moonlight was bright and clear. Inside Chénxī Gé in the West Courtyard.

The thick strings whistled like splattering rain, the thin strings hummed like lovers' whisper. The candlelight flickered. Under the lamp, a beauty, as if holding a pipa, half hid her face, her melodious singing voice pouring out her heartfelt feelings.

Li Xian reclined in his chair, a look of utter satisfaction on his face, watching, intoxicated and enchanted.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

When the song ended, the palace courtesan Meiniang put down the pipa and slowly walked over to Li Xian. Her voice was as melodious as an oriole's song: "Husband, how was this piece played by your humble wife?"

Li Xian reached out, pulled her into his embrace in one motion, held her, and replied, "'Such music can be heard but in celestial spheres, How many times on earth has it been played?' My Meiniang is not only beautiful, but your music is also heavenly, moving one's very soul."

Meiniang raised her slender arms to wrap around Li Xian's neck and said coquettishly, "Your humble wife knows the gentleman is a man of refinement and taste. It's just that the Madam dislikes me playing the qin and singing every day. She says I will distract the gentleman's heart, and you won't be able to perform your duties properly."

When Li Xian heard her mention Xu Wanning, the smile on his face stiffened.

Xu Wanning was, after all, his official wife. Remembering her tears during their argument this morning, he felt somewhat uncomfortable.

He looked at Meiniang and said, "Lady Xu is my principal wife. From now on, you must treat her with respect. Do you understand?"

Seeing his changed expression and the sternness in his tone, her eyes darkened. She slipped out of Li Xian's embrace.

Seeing her displeasure, Li Xian patted her back to soothe her. "I don't mean to blame you. It's just that Lady Xu is, after all, my official wife. If the two of you are at odds, it puts me in a difficult position in the middle."

Hearing Li Xian's words, Meiniang raised her head. Her shimmering, tearful gaze looked at Li Xian as she said softly, "I know the gentleman truly cares for me. Causing discord between you and the Madam today because of me, your humble wife feels terribly sorry in her heart. When all is said and done, it's all Meiniang's fault."

As she spoke, she began to weep softly.

Li Xian, looking at the beauty's娇弱 (delicate and vulnerable) appearance, like a pear blossom bathed in rain, pulled her back into his embrace, his heart aching for her. "Don't cry! I truly don't blame you. Besides, this morning's incident wasn't your fault. It was Lady Xu who mistreated you first."

Hearing Li Xian say this, Meiniang cried even more bitterly. She slipped down from his embrace again, knelt at his feet, and said between sobs, "Husband, perhaps you should send me away. I can see that with the Madam's temperament, she will absolutely never tolerate my presence."

"How dare she!" Li Xian helped the delicate beauty, who had collapsed on the floor, to her feet. Anger surfaced on his face. "It is only out of regard for the long-standing relationship between the Zhenguo Duke Manor and the Yongyi侯 (Marquis) household, and for bearing me children, that I have been so tolerant of her. If she dares not tolerate you, then don't blame me for not tolerating such a jealous woman."

Meiniang lifted her tear-filled eyes and quickly covered Li Xian's mouth. "Husband, you must not entertain such thoughts! If you were to divorce the Madam because of me, your humble wife would be unable to atone for it even with ten thousand deaths."

With that, she buried herself in Li Xian's chest and began weeping mournfully and miserably.

 

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Ah, this sincere heart of a scholar in Li Xian! It was utterly shattered by the little beauty's crying and fussing!

He held the delicate beauty tightly and said,"Rest assured. Since I have taken you in, I will protect you for a lifetime. I will never allow anyone to bully you."

Only then did Meiniang gradually stop crying. Wiping her tears with a silk handkerchief, she choked up and said, "Is the gentleman's word true?"

Li Xian took her hand and said solemnly, "A word spoken by a gentleman cannot be overtaken even by a team of four horses."

Meiniang finally smiled through her tears, softening against Li Xian's chest, rubbing her forehead against his chest, and said enderly and sweetly, "Then your humble wife entrusts this life to the gentleman."

Under the mandarin duck quilt, red waves tossed. The seductive, sidelong glances of the young woman beneath him truly made Li Xian unable to help himself.

He thought to himself that all these years, he had really lived his life as a man in vain.

As for his wife, she had long been cast to the back of his mind. That little bit of guilty conscience he had felt this morning for causing his wife distress over his beloved concubine had also vanished without a trace amidst his present pleasure.

(End of Chapter)

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