RATMOFANF: Chapter 54

Glossary

· Shen Jingxiu: The female protagonist, Li Ling's wife.

· Li Ling: The Heir of Zhenguo Duke Manor, Shen Jingxiu's husband.

· Ziyun: Shen Jingxiu's maidservant.

· Danzhu: Shen Jingxiu's maidservant.

· Bilü: Shen Jingxiu's maidservant.

· Zhou Jin: A deputy general, son of Marquis Zhongshun and Princess Lanling.

· Li Huaien: A deputy general.

· Hu Dahai: A deputy general.

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Chapter 54: I Just Need to Be a Good Mistress of This Noble House

By the time they returned to the Zhenguo Duke Manor, the sky was growing dark, and scattered snowflakes had begun to fall.

Li Ling had arranged to meet several of his deputy generals in his study, while Jingxiu headed towards the administrative office in the front courtyard.

Before they parted, Li Ling instructed her, "Don't work too late. Go back and rest early."

Li Ling had accompanied her back to her parental home today and had also agreed to send her brother to the official academy. The more Jingxiu saw of him today, the more pleasing she found him. She gave Li Ling a soft smile and said gently, "I know. Once you finish your work, come back early too." After a pause, she added, "I'll go back and make you some midnight snacks after I finish checking the accounts."

Seeing his wife being so virtuous filled Li Ling with joy. A smile on his face, he replied, "You must be tired today too. Don't trouble yourself with making snacks for me."

Jingxiu reached out and gently brushed the snowflakes from his shoulder, saying tenderly, "I noticed you were busy drinking with Father today and didn't eat much. I'll go back later and make you a few small snacks to fill your stomach."

His little wife was being so tender and attentive that Li Ling felt his bones might melt from delight. He took her hand and said, "Let's go. I'll see you to the front courtyard first."

In the snowy twilight, he held her hand tightly, accompanying her all the way to the front courtyard. Only when she had entered the administrative office and disappeared from view did he turn away, satisfied, and stride briskly towards his study.

By the time Li Ling arrived at the north study, his deputy generals had already assembled. With the Emperor's military review scheduled for the end of the year, Li Ling took his seat, and the group began discussing the relevant matters.

Just as the matters were settled and everyone was about to disperse, they heard Lingxiao speak from under the eaves outside: "Miss, the Young Master and the others are about to finish. You can deliver it in a moment."

Li Ling called out, "Who is it?"

Lingxiao entered and reported, "Young Master, it is Ziyun, from the Madame's household. She has been sent by the Madame to bring you a midnight snack."

Li Ling stopped the departing generals and said, "Since you're here, you might as well stay and sample my wife's cooking."

Naturally, no one was unwilling. They sat back down, and Lingxiao ushered Ziyun into the study. Li Ling addressed the group, "It seems you all have a treat in store today."

Ziyun stole a glance at the eagerly awaiting generals and felt a pang of guilt. She quickly opened the food box and served the pastries to each of them one by one.

Deputy General Zhou Jin was the only son of Marquis Zhongshun and Princess Lanling. Coming from a family of scholars, he was a cultured general. He picked up a piece, took a bite, and though he didn't find the pastry particularly extraordinary, seeing Li Ling's intense gaze fixed on him, he looked at Li Ling and praised with a smile, "Elder Sister-in-law's skills are truly remarkable! Excellent! Excellent!"

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Although Li Ling's expression remained stern, a faint trace of pride was hidden in his eyes.

Li Huaien, seated next to Zhou Jin, followed suit upon hearing the praise: "The Madame is truly clever and skilled. These pastries are not only exquisitely made but also taste wonderful!"

The lines around Li Ling's eyes relaxed. He picked up his teacup and took two large gulps, though it was unclear whether he was truly thirsty or merely trying to hide something.

Hu Dahai sat below Li Huaien. He was a rough man, not as eloquent as the others. After swallowing the pastry, he scratched his head awkwardly, grinned widely, and said, "This snack is pretty to look at, but it's just too small. It disappears in my mouth before I can taste anything, leaving me, Old Hu, without a clue about its flavor."

The other officers laughed and teased, "That's because your mouth is too big!" "Haha, Old Hu, with a mouth that can fit half a pig in one go, the Madame would probably need to make a whole basket of pastries for you to taste anything!"

They were used to joking around privately. Hu Dahai didn't mind the teasing and chuckled along. "General, if the Madame ever treats us to snacks again, please ask her to make me one as big as a steamed bun. That would be satisfying to eat. These little things, you can't even taste them in my mouth. They really don't suit Old Hu's taste."

Lingxiao, who was serving nearby, said with a smile, "The Madame didn't know all of you would be here today. These are midnight snacks she specially made with her own hands for our Young Master."

Hu Dahai chuckled twice, unsure how to respond. Zhou Jin smiled at Li Ling and said, "Cousin, you are truly fortunate to have such a virtuous wife."

Li Ling put on an expression of impatience and waved his hand. "Womenfolk, they're just meddlesome. There are plenty of cooks in the manor, yet she insists on going to the kitchen herself. I really don't know why she enjoys fussing so much."

As he spoke, he picked up his teacup again. Perhaps he was genuinely thirsty, for he drained it completely.

Zhou Jin replied, "That is surely because Cousin's wife holds you in high esteem."

Hearing this, Hu Dahai finally caught on a little and exclaimed, "I'd heard long ago that the wife the General married was the most beautiful young lady in all of Chang'an, and she's so skilled at making food too! Our General is truly blessed!"

Li Ling unconsciously relaxed his brow, the corners of his mouth curving upwards.

The generals, accustomed to his usual stern and cold face, found his current expression rather unfamiliar and strange.

Ziyun, standing to the side, watched the Young Master's smug, wife-praising display and felt a sourness in her heart.

She returned to the Qingfeng Yuan in low spirits. Jingxiu was sitting on the daybed, organizing the accounts. She looked up, saw Ziyun's subdued expression, and asked, "What's wrong? Did the snacks you made today not suit his taste?"

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Ziyun lowered her eyes. "This servant did exactly as you instructed and told the Young Master that you made them for him with your own hands. Even if they didn't suit his taste, how could the Young Master possibly complain?"

Hearing the implied meaning in her words, Jingxiu lowered her head to her accounts and said mildly, "You're my person; why are you taking his side?"

Ziyun reached out and took the account book from Jingxiu's hands. "Miss, this servant knows you still haven't let go of what happened in the garden last time. But from what I've observed impartially, the Young Master truly treats you very well. You 敷衍 (fūyǎn) go through the motions with him like this; it's really too hurtful."

Although Jingxiu hadn't told Ziyun exactly what happened that day in the garden, Ziyun was aware that Qingluan had been framed. Connecting that with how Jingxiu had returned alone that day, she had guessed that Li Ling had abandoned her mistress for Qingluan's sake.

No matter how urgent the matter, he should have ensured her mistress's safety first, or at least sent her back with a reliable person. Seeing her mistress's bedraggled state when she returned, it was clear she had managed to pole the boat back herself.

Ziyun also resented Li Ling's lack of discernment: Could a cousin be closer than one's own wife?

She also knew that ever since returning from the garden,her mistress's heart had changed towards the Young Master. Her behavior towards him was now merely a superficial performance. But seeing her mistress go through the motions with him so consistently, the Young Master's disappointed demeanor, and today, in the study, seeing how he proudly showed off to his generals how well his wife treated him—Ziyun began to feel upset.

She thought the Young Master was quite pitiful!

Danzhu,standing to the side, also pouted and said, "Yes, Miss. That day you made so many pastries, sending some to the Old Madam, the Elder Princess, and the Third Young Lady, but you wouldn't even let the Young Master taste one. You didn't see how disappointed and dejected the Young Master looked when you snatched the pastry right out of his hand."

Bilü, only half-understanding, tugged at Danzhu's sleeve and asked, "Sister, what does that mean?"

Danzhu shot her a look that said, "Children shouldn't interrupt."

Bilü closed her mouth, crestfallen.

Ziyun continued to persuade, "Yes, Miss. The Young Master treats you with his whole heart. The way you treat him is indeed a bit excessive."

Seeing Jingxiu remain silent, Ziyun added, "If you truly care about the Young Master, make the midnight snacks yourself tomorrow and deliver them personally. Please don't make this servant do such things anymore. I really don't want to help you go through the motions with the Young Master any longer."

So, one by one, the people around her were sympathizing with Li Ling.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Well, of course. They didn't know about the humiliation she suffered in the garden because he left her. They didn't know about the grievances she endured in her past life either. Seeing that Li Ling treated her well, they had all softened and were now complaining that she wasn't sincere with him. Little did they know that his true heart wasn't with her at all.

Jingxiu turned a page of the account book, her eyes still fixed intently on the dense rows of numbers. She said lightly, "I just need to be a good mistress of this noble house and live a life of 尊贵自在 (zūnguì zìzài) dignity and freedom."

She paused, then added leisurely, with a hint of disdain, "Whether his heart is truly with me or not... what does it matter?"

Just as Ziyun was about to speak again to persuade her, Danzhu gasped, covering her mouth with her hand, and exclaimed, "Young Master!"

Everyone turned to look. Li Ling was standing behind the screen, his face was dark and cold enough to freeze ice.

(End of Chapter)

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Translator's Note: check out my other work— My Younger Sister Insisted On A Marriage Exchange Wanting To Make Me The Wife Of A Marquis (⁠*⁠＾⁠3⁠＾⁠)⁠/⁠～⁠♡

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