RATMOFANF: Chapter 49

 Character Glossary

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

· Shen Jinglan (沈静岚): Shen Jingxiu's younger sister (second小姐), daughter of Concubine Mother Wang.

· Shen Jingxuan (沈静萱): Shen Jingxiu's youngest sister (third小姐), daughter of Concubine Mother Wang.

· Liang Jin (梁进): Li Ling's deputy/officer.

· Lingxiao (凌霄): Li Ling's attendant.

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

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

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Chapter 49: Shen Jinglan

Li Ling left the inner courtyard. His deputy, Liang Jin, and his attendant, Lingxiao, had already been waiting at the gate for a long time. Seeing Li Ling finally emerge, Lingxiao quickly brought over his horse and said with a smile, "Heir, you're finally out. Officer Liang has been waiting for you for an hour."

Li Ling said to Liang Jin, "Sorry to keep you waiting."

Liang Jin cupped his hands in salute towards Li Ling, his face unable to conceal his anxiety. "Heir, let's hurry. Weren't you going to review the cavalry today? Any later and we'll miss the scheduled time."

Li Ling took the reins, nimbly mounted his horse, and the two fine steeds galloped away one after the other, disappearing into the morning haze in moments.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

The household affairs weren't too heavy today. Jingxiu had handled everything properly even before the lunch hour. Just as she was about to return to her courtyard with Ziyun, the messenger matron from the inner gate came in and reported, "Madam, there are two young ladies at the gate who say they are your sisters from your maternal family."

Jingxiu's almond eyes lit up. She and Ziyun looked at each other happily. "Could it be Lan'er and Xuan'er?"

Ziyun said with a smile, "It must be the Second and Third Young Misses."

With that, mistress and maid hurried out the door towards the main gate.

Once outside, Jingxiu indeed saw her family's carriage parked at the main gate. She couldn't wait and called out, "Is it Lan'er and Xuan'er?"

The people inside the carriage, hearing Jingxiu's voice, quickly leaned out. Ziyun hurried forward to help the two young ladies down from the carriage. One slightly older, one younger, the two girls called out, "Eldest Sister!" and walked happily towards Jingxiu.

Although both younger sisters were born from Concubine Mother Wang, Jingxiu, as the eldest sister, had always been very close to them.

Jingxiu took her two sisters' hands, smiled, and chided playfully, "If you were coming, why didn't you send word ahead? I could have prepared."

The Second Young Miss, Shen Jinglan, said with a smile, "We only thought of visiting you last night. We informed Father and Mother this morning and came straight out."

Jingxiu pretended to be upset. "So it wasn't that you missed me, but a spur-of-the-moment decision."

The Third Young Miss, Shen Jingxuan, shook Jingxiu's arm and said coquettishly, "How can you say that, Sister? I miss you every day. Since you married, home is so boring."

Jingxiu patted her head and urged, "Come on, let's go inside and talk."

Jingxiu led her two sisters into the Zhenguo Duke Manor.

Brown bricks, green tiles, towering buildings, pavilions, galleries, small bridges, flowing water—every step revealed a new, exquisitely beautiful scene.

Shen Jingxuan was only twelve or thirteen, still childish at heart. Where would she usually have seen the grandeur of such a noble family? Once inside the manor, her little eyes couldn't take it all in fast enough. As they walked, she chattered incessantly, pestering Jingxiu: "Sister, is that pavilion on the lake called a waterside pavilion? Sister, what is that green tower building for? Sister, sister, what kind of tree is that with the bright red flowers?..."

Jingxiu patiently answered her youngest sister's naive curiosity. Shen Jinglan, standing nearby, felt her sister's behavior was utterly embarrassing. She shot a sidelong glare at her and scolded, "Stop acting like a country bumpkin who's never seen the world. What did I tell you before we came?"

Shen Jingxuan, hearing her second sister's harsh tone, quickly closed her mouth, her eyes welling up with grievance-filled tears as she looked pleadingly at her eldest sister.

Jingxiu advised, "Xuan'er is still young. Why scold her so harshly?"

Shen Jinglan retorted with displeasure, "Eldest Sister, you always spoil her."

Shen Jinglan had a fierce temperament. Shen Jingxuan naturally preferred their gentle eldest sister more. She tightly held Jingxiu's hand and muttered, "Eldest Sister is still the best."

Though her voice was soft, it didn't escape Shen Jinglan's ears. She shot her a fierce glare, turned her head, and muttered, "So spineless."

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Entering Qingfeng Yuan, Jingxiu took her two sisters into the main room. Just inside the door stood a white jade screen inlaid with gold, depicting a hundred flowers. Reflecting the brilliant sunlight from outside, it emitted a radiant, colorful brilliance, immensely impressive.

Going around the screen into the outer room, Jingxiu invited her sisters to sit down. Ziyun busied herself serving tea and bringing out fruit.

Entering this magnificent room, Shen Jingxuan was dazzled. Even the usually aloof Shen Jinglan couldn't help but gaze around avidly.

A redwood stand by the entrance held a large red kiln plate containing dozens of glittering, translucent "Buddha's Hand" citrons. A white jade chime hung on a nearby stand. The wall was adorned with a painting by a famous artist and dozens of calligraphy pieces by renowned masters.

Shen Jinglan sat facing the inner chamber. The antique pearwood dressing table inside happened to fall within her line of sight. On the dressing table were two red lacquer plum-blossom patterned jewelry boxes. On one box lay a large purple-gold hairpin with a nine-tailed phoenix. Even from this distance, she could clearly sense the dazzling radiance emitted by that large hairpin.

It made her eyes sting sourly.

"Second Sister! Second Sister!" Shen Jingxuan called several times before Shen Jinglan snapped out of it.

Shen Jinglan turned her head and saw Ziyun standing beside her holding fragrant tea, smiling at her. "What were you thinking about, Second Young Miss, that you were so lost in thought?"

Shen Jinglan quickly took the tea, smiling awkwardly. "Nothing. I was just momentarily dazzled by how luxurious your room is, Sister."

Jingxiu said, "This is the newly arrived Yuqian Longjing (pre-rain Dragon Well) tea. Try it."

Mentioning tea, Shen Jinglan quickly said, "If you hadn't mentioned it, I almost forgot. Mother asked me to bring you a good amount of the white tea produced in our hometown."

Jingxiu said, "It's rare that Mother still remembers I like this taste."

Shen Jinglan said with a smile, "Mother naturally keeps your preferences in mind." Then, she looked at Ziyun and said, "I left it in the carriage. Have someone fetch it later."

Ziyun replied, "Rest assured, Second Young Miss. This servant will have Danzhu go fetch it now."

After drinking a few sips of tea, Shen Jingxuan couldn't resist getting up and pacing around the room, looking here and there, sighing, "Brother-in-law must treat you very well, Eldest Sister."

Hearing this, Shen Jinglan's hand holding the teacup trembled, spilling tea on her hand. She quickly took out a handkerchief to wipe her hand and, turning her head, looked at Shen Jingxuan and asked, "How do you know Brother-in-law treats Eldest Sister well?"

Shen Jingxuan, playing with the glittering, translucent crystal Buddha's Hand, said offhandedly, "Brother-in-law can provide such a fine room for Sister. One can tell at a glance he treats her well."

Hearing her youngest sister's childish words, Jingxiu smiled faintly.

Ziyun also couldn't help laughing. She said, "Third Young Miss, such silly talk. Our Eldest Young Miss is the proper wife the Heir married with the three letters and six etiquettes (formal wedding procedures). Naturally, she lives in the best residence."

Shen Jingxuan also realized. Although their family background was modest, their eldest sister was the legitimate wife of the renowned Zhenguo Duke Manor, and the wife of the Heir no less. Her food, clothing, and accommodations would naturally be the best.

"Does Brother-in-law have any other concubines?" Shen Jingxuan, young and small, was genuinely curious about what it was really like marrying into such a prominent family. Was it like the stories she heard, where princes, marquises, and high officials had households full of wives and concubines?

Ziyun brought her some fruit to eat and replied with a smile, "The Heir has no concubines."

Shen Jingxuan smiled innocently and said to Jingxiu, "Then it shows Brother-in-law truly treats you very, very well." Then, sounding like a little adult, she added, "Then I am reassured."

Jingxiu pulled her youngest sister closer and smiled, tidying the stray hairs at her temples.

Shen Jinglan, sitting to the side, had a deep look in her eyes.

(End of Chapter)

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