RATMOFANF: Chapter 5

 Character Glossary

· Li Ling (李陵): The Heir of the Zhenguo Duke Manor. A heroic but cold and stern general.

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

· Xu Wanning (徐婉宁): The wife of Li Ling's cousin, who helps manage household affairs.

· Li Xiang (李翔): Li Ling's younger brother.

· Zhao Yuan'er (赵媛儿): The daughter of the Jian Jun Prince, whom Jingxiu dislikes.

· Zhou Yi (周毅): A general who is remarrying.

· Wang Po (王婆子): A stewardess in the manor.

· Li Po (李婆子): A servant from Li Xiang's courtyard.

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Chapter 5: Husband and Wife Dispute

By the seventh month, the weather grew hotter day by day. After dinner, Danzhu and Bilü brought up a watermelon that had been cooling in the well, removed the rind, cut it into small pieces, and served it to Jingxiu and Li Ling.

As they sat together eating the watermelon, Li Ling said, "On the second, General Zhou is holding the betrothal ceremony for his remarriage. You will accompany me to the General's Manor to attend."

This General Zhou was the same Zhou Yi who had been defeated by the Xiongnu in her previous life. Now over forty, his first wife had passed away from illness, and by imperial decree, he was remarrying. His new fiancée was none other than that Zhao Yuan'er from the Jian Jun Prince's family, the one who had tried to publicly humiliate her during the Old Madam's birthday banquet.

Jingxiu found her utterly detestable.

"This wife has matters to attend to on the second and cannot accompany you."

Li Ling hadn't expected his wife to refuse. "What matters do you have that day?"

"This wife has already made plans with Sister-in-law to attend Princess Lanling's flower appreciation party that day." She did indeed have a prior arrangement with Xu Wanning.

It was a coincidence that they fell on the same day.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

"Tell Sister-in-law tomorrow and cancel it," Li Ling stated, having already decided for his wife. His tone was not one of further discussion.

"This wife has already made a commitment with Sister-in-law. How can I break my promise?"

Li Ling hadn't anticipated his wife would contradict him. He set down the piece of watermelon he was eating and looked at Jingxiu. "It's just a flower appreciation party. What does it matter if you don't go?"

The implication was that she should be obedient to him.

Seeing Li Ling's face turn cold, Jingxiu also felt displeased. She replied, "This wife made plans with Sister-in-law the day before yesterday. You are only informing me today. Shouldn't matters generally follow the order of first come, first served? Furthermore, this wife has been acquainted with Princess Lanling since my maiden days. She has a cheerful and straightforward disposition, and I enjoy her company. I don't even know that General Zhou, and as for his newly betrothed, this wife dislikes her even more. Why must you force me to go?"

His little wife's stern face and this rapid-fire retort truly stunned Li Ling.

In recent days, he had noticed an increasing streak of defiance in her words and actions. He had been making allowances for her youth and new status as a bride, choosing to turn a blind eye. He hadn't expected that his indulgence would make her bolder, her courage growing by the day.

She didn't seem to hold her husband in the slightest regard!

"Cancel the flower party. Come with me to General Zhou's manor," Li Ling stared at her, his tone turning colder.

His face was naturally stern, usually inspiring respect and distance. Now, angry, he looked even more intimidating.

Just as the two were locked in this unpleasantness, a maid announced from the doorway that stewards had come to report.

Jingxiu, unsure how to handle Li Ling, quickly replied, "Bring them in."

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Moments later, the manor stewardess, Wang Po, entered with Li Po from the Third Master's courtyard. They shuffled in quickly and bowed respectfully to Li Ling and Jingxiu. "This servant pays her respects to the Heir and the Lady."

Seeing their troubled expressions, Jingxiu asked, "What matter do you need to report?"

Although she was the mistress, having just married in, she hadn't officially taken over household management. However, after successfully handling the birthday banquet, she had gained the Old Madam's favor, and the household staff naturally began treating her as the acting matriarch.

The two women exchanged glances, their faces showing reluctance. Finally, Wang Po spoke up, "Replying to the Lady, it's a matter from the Third Master's courtyard."

Third Master Li Xiang was Li Ling's younger brother. With the Duke in poor health and the Grand Princess rarely in the manor, the responsibility for educating the younger brother naturally fell upon Li Ling, the elder brother.

Hearing it concerned his brother, Li Ling asked, "What about Third Brother?"

Wang Po subtly nudged Li Po. Li Po stammered, "Replying to the Heir, it's about a young maid named Xing'er in the Third Master's courtyard. Today, when this servant went to clean the Third Master's room, I accidentally came upon her... she and the Third Master... were..."

Li Po glanced at Li Ling's increasingly cold face, grew too frightened to continue, and faltered.

The Zhenguo Duke Manor had strict family rules. Men were not permitted to take concubines or intimate maids before taking a principal wife, fearing that young descendants would become obsessed with women and hinder their progress. Of course, after marriage, it was permitted, as the principal wife could then keep any seductive women in check and prevent them from clinging to the master.

Therefore, before she married Li Ling, his quarters had been very clean. Even in her previous life, after five years with him, he had not taken any concubines. This was also why, later, although she was furious at Li Ling's outrageous actions for Qingluan's sake, she still held onto a sliver of hope for him.

"Outrageous!" Li Ling, who valued rules above all, was thoroughly enraged.

Li Po trembled with fear, too terrified to say another word.

Wang Po, as a stewardess, was more resourceful than Li Po. Seeing the Heir's anger, she quickly tried to mitigate the situation. "The Third Master has always been proper. It must have been that little hussy who seduced him. Please don't be angry, Heir. This servant will have that wretch driven out of the manor tomorrow."

After the Grand Princess and the Duke had their falling out, she had essentially abandoned her two younger children, Li Xiang and the Third Young Lady, and returned to her Princess Manor.

The Third Master, being the legitimate youngest grandson, was raised single-handedly by the Old Madam and was her treasured darling. If the Third Master broke the family rules, the Old Madam would be angry, but she could never bring herself to punish him severely. Coincidentally, the Old Madam had been ill these past few days, and who would dare bring up something to upset her? However, the servants didn't dare conceal such a matter, which is why they came to report to the Heir and the Lady.

The Heir was always strict. Stewardess Li, worried her young master would be punished, naturally tried to shift all the blame onto the unruly young maid.

"Go and summon Third Brother here," Li Ling replied with a cold face.

Shortly after, Third Master Li Xiang entered, head hanging low and spiritless. Seeing his elder brother was furious, he simply stood to the side with his head bowed, too intimidated to even breathe heavily.

"You are becoming more and more 'accomplished'," Li Ling began with a stern rebuke.

"The tutor has told me many times that you shirk your duties, make no progress in your studies, and your martial skills are mediocre. At your age, accomplished in neither literary nor martial arts, you've started adopting the ways of those dissolute noble youths."

Third Master Li Xiang kept his head down, not daring to look at his brother, and mumbled in reply, "I was wrong."

Seeing him admit his mistake, and in front of his wife, Li Ling felt it inappropriate to scold him further. He glared at him and said, "Go to the ancestral hall later and receive thirty strokes."

"Alright," Li Xiang agreed readily enough.

Li Ling continued, "Next month, you will come with me to the army."

It was not a tone that invited discussion.

Li Xiang started in surprise, looking up at his brother in confusion.

Li Ling explained, "You're not a child anymore. Since your studies are poor, it's better to go to the army and gain some experience."

The strokes would be painful, but he could endure them. But the army? And his brother's army? That meant endless hardship.

Li Ling governed his troops with extreme strictness. Although Li Xiang was his biological brother, he knew perfectly well that his brother wouldn't give him any special treatment. On the contrary, given his brother's nature, he would undoubtedly assign him to the most arduous and exhausting posts.

This was no joke!

He didn't want to suffer like that.

"Second Brother, I'm not like you, a born commander. I'd better focus on my studies. I truly know I was wrong this time. I promise I won't mess around anymore and will work hard to improve. In the future, you can follow the military path, and I'll follow the civil path. Together, we brothers can bring glory to our family." Li Xiang was genuinely scared now. He looked up at his brother, eagerly expressing his determination to improve.

Li Ling picked up his teacup, took a sip, and replied, "Once you're in the army, your studies naturally cannot be neglected. After daily drills, report to my tent. I will personally instruct you."

What?!?!

Li Xiang felt like crying.

"Second Brother, you're so busy. I couldn't possibly trouble you. I can continue studying with the tutor here in the manor—"

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

"This matter is settled. Go now. After you receive your strokes and have recovered, you will accompany me to the army." Li Ling had no patience to listen to his brother's excuses and closed the matter definitively.

Li Xiang actually began to cry, but glancing at his brother's expression, he didn't dare say another word.

(End of Chapter)

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Li Ling: Is it so difficult for you to accompany me just once?

Jingxiu: My apologies, I have prior commitments. I cannot oblige.

Li Ling: If I can't show off such a beautiful wife, it truly vexes me.

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