RATMOFANF: Chapter 57

 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.

· Lingxiao: Li Ling's attendant.

· Liang Jin: One of Li Ling's subordinates.

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Chapter 57: Was Her Goal Merely the Position of a High-Ranking Mistress?

The night was deep and heavy, interspersed with scattered snowflakes. The wind carried a bone-piercing cold.

Ziyun, holding the glass lantern, supported Jingxiu as they walked back. Li Ling still followed, neither too close nor too far.

Seeing that Li Ling had returned, Ziyun felt reassured. The Young Master had hurried back right after she, under false pretenses of her mistress's order, sent him the bedding. This showed he still cared for her mistress in his heart.

Furthermore, his earlier act of making an example of those troublesome servants was clearly meant to back her mistress up. This thought comforted Ziyun even more.

Even though her mistress had hurt the Young Master's feelings, from Ziyun's impartial observation, the Young Master was quite magnanimous and still held his wife in his heart.

Although the Young Master was somewhat stern and cold, he was truly an excellent man!

While pondering this, Ziyun glanced at Jingxiu beside her. Jingxiu reached up to adjust the shawl on her shoulders, but her expression remained faint, showing no discernible emotion.

Ziyun couldn't help but turn her head to look at Li Ling again.

Seeing her turn, Li Ling reached out, untied his mink fur cloak, and with a 'whoosh', threw it towards Ziyun.

Because of the distance, Ziyun caught it squarely in her arms.

Ziyun gave Li Ling a satisfied smile, quickly unfolded the cloak, and draped it over Jingxiu.

The thick mink fur cloak wrapped around her all the way to her ankles. It was heavy, but very warm.

Jingxiu did not refuse. She subconsciously pulled the cloak tighter around herself and continued walking back woodenly, not looking sideways.

The three of them, each with their own thoughts, walked the entire way in silence.

Once inside, Ziyun tactfully withdrew. With only the two of them left in the room, the atmosphere grew even more awkward.

Jingxiu took off the heavy mink cloak, hung it on the clothes rack, and turned into the bathing chamber. When she came out, Li Ling was already in bed. Seeing her emerge, he bent his long leg to make space for her. Jingxiu also got into bed. Once she was settled, Li Ling extinguished the lamp with a casual gesture.

The room was instantly filled with darkness. Unable to see each other's cold expressions actually spared them the awkwardness of facing one another.

Jingxiu lay on her side, facing away from Li Ling. Li Ling still habitually lay on his back. A pillow's width of distance lay between them as they each fell asleep peacefully.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Ziyun, keeping watch in the outer room, had a sleepless night. Usually, hot water was prepared in the inner bathing chamber, but today she hadn't expected the Young Master to return, so she hadn't prepared it in advance. She thought that once the young couple closed the door and reconciled, they would naturally need hot water during the night.

Ziyun waited all night, but the bell from inside never rang.

When Jingxiu woke up, the space beside her was empty. When Ziyun came in to help her wash and dress, she couldn't resist advising again, "The Young Master has already returned. Could you at least give him a warmer reception, Miss?"

Jingxiu snorted coldly. "He didn't give me a warm reception either. Why should I be the one to give him a good face?"

This young couple was locking horns again. Ziyun wanted to persuade further, but seeing that Li Ling had already returned from his martial practice, she silently withdrew.

After Li Ling entered the room, he went directly to the bathing chamber to wash up. Jingxiu, already ready, sat down at the table first and began eating breakfast.

When Li Ling came out of the bathing chamber, he lifted his eyes and gave her a heavy look but said nothing. He sat down at the table and began eating by himself.

Neither of them spoke, finishing the meal in sullen silence.

After breakfast, Li Ling left the room. Standing at the doorway with his back to the room, he said, "I won't be back for dinner tonight."

Jingxiu acted as if she hadn't heard, continuing to sit at the table, burying herself in her meal. Ziyun, watching the stubborn pair, said, "Then this servant will inform the small kitchen later not to prepare the Young Master's portion for dinner."

Li Ling left the room and strode towards the front courtyard.

Lingxiao had already prepared the horse. Just as Li Ling was about to mount, Ziyun came running from the inner courtyard, calling out, "Young Master, please wait!"

Li Ling stopped. When Ziyun reached him, he asked, "Did the Madame send you with a message?"

Ziyun shook her head. "This servant has something to say to the Young Master."

A trace of disappointment flashed across Li Ling's face. He said gloomily, "What is it?"

Ziyun hesitated. Li Ling signaled for Lingxiao to withdraw. With no one else around, Ziyun said, "The words the Madame said that day were not what she truly meant. Young Master, you must not let this create a rift between you and the Madame."

Mentioning that day's events and remembering her words still stuck in Li Ling's craw like a fishbone. He asked, "Did she send you to tell me this?"

It took Ziyun a moment to realize that the 'she' Li Ling referred to was her mistress. She shook her head.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Li Ling turned his face away, his tone carrying grievance. "So, it turns out what she sought by marrying me was merely this position as a high-ranking mistress? She truly has not a shred of genuine feeling for me."

Ziyun said urgently, "Young Master, the Miss also treated you with true sincerity."

Li Ling's face was somber as he gazed into the distance. "I heard it with my own ears; how could it be false? I treated her so well, yet she played me for a fool."

Ziyun stepped forward and said, "Young Master, the Madame also devoted her heart to you. It's just... it's just because..."

Li Ling, sensing there was more to the story, turned his head and looked at Ziyun. "Because of what? Ziyun, tell me, why is she dissatisfied with me?"

Ziyun sighed and then told Li Ling about the incident in the garden where Jingxiu had returned in a bedraggled state early in the morning.

After hearing this, Li Ling looked at Ziyun incredulously. "Impossible. Although I left in a hurry that night, I clearly ordered someone to look after her before I left. How could she have ended up in such a state?"

Ziyun said, "What exactly happened after you left, the Madame did not tell this servant. But this servant is certain she returned alone; I didn't see anyone else. When the Madame returned, her clothes were completely soaked, and she developed a high fever later that afternoon."

Li Ling's sword-like eyebrows furrowed tightly, his face turning livid. He mounted his horse, rode to the gate, and ordered Liang Jin, who was waiting there: "Go to the Lu Yuan immediately and apprehend the boatwoman who took you to find me that day."

Liang Jin, suddenly receiving such an order, was momentarily at a loss. Then he heard Li Ling add, "Bring her to the camp."

Liang Jin ventured to ask, "General, is there a problem with this boatwoman?"

Apprehending a lowly maid from the garden and bringing her to the military camp? Could she be a spy? But then she should be taken to the Zhao Prison and handed over to the Imperial Guards for interrogation.

Regardless of his subordinate's confusion, Li Ling only coldly commanded, "Go yourself. Do it quietly; don't alarm others. Once captured, bring her directly to the interrogation room at the camp."

Seeing Li Ling's icy expression, Liang Jin didn't dare say more. He whipped his horse and sped towards the Lu Yuan.

Before noon, Liang Jin had brought the woman before Li Ling. The boatwoman, gagged, blindfolded, and stuffed into a sack, was thrown onto the ground.

Li Ling signaled for Liang Jin to leave. Only Li Ling remained in the dim interrogation room.

He bent down, pulled the boatwoman out of the sack, removed her blindfold and the cloth stuffed in her mouth, and got straight to the point: "What did you do to the Madame that day in the garden?"

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

The boatwoman was already scared out of her wits upon seeing Li Ling. Since that day, she had lived in constant fear, terrified that the fairy-like young Madame would report the incident to the Elder Princess or Li Ling. After several days of anxiety, seeing that all remained calm, she had convinced herself that the young Madame was ultimately too concerned with face to speak of such a shameful matter.

Li Ling 'swished' drew the dagger from his waist. The gleaming blade pointed directly at the boatwoman's throat. "If you don't talk, you die."

The boatwoman wailed in terror, kowtowing repeatedly to Li Ling for mercy, and confessed every filthy deed she had committed that day.

Li Ling's expression grew increasingly grim, the veins on his forehead throbbing. When the boatwoman finished her tearful, rambling account, he grabbed her by her dry, yellowish hair and with one slash of the knife—

A bloody tongue fell to the ground with a thud.

The boatwoman, writhing in pain on the ground, wailed and cried but could no longer utter a single word.

Li Ling has finally avenged his little wife. In the next chapter, he will go and apologize on his knees. Is everyone finally satisfied?

(End of Chapter)

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Author's Note: In the previous chapters, I received many comments from dear readers. Some suspected Ziyun had ulterior motives, saying she wanted to climb into the master's bed. Dear readers, you've wronged her! Ziyun is a good girl; she wouldn't do such a thing. Her heart is entirely focused on her mistress's well-being. After all, Jingxiu's family background is relatively ordinary. Married into such a prestigious family, without her husband's support, she wouldn't be happy. So it's normal for Ziyun to constantly worry about her losing the Young Master's affection. In short, Ziyun is a good girl, everyone. Please don't wrongfully accuse her.

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 and The Marquis’s Beloved is a Black-Hearted Lotus (⁠*⁠＾⁠3⁠＾⁠)⁠/⁠～⁠♡

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