RATMOFANF: Chapter 84

 Glossary

·Qingluan (青鸾): The Ninth Princess.

·Li Ling (李陵): The male protagonist, Shen Jingxiu's husband.

·Shen Jingxiu (沈静姝): The female protagonist, wife of Li Ling.

·Zhaolu (朝露): Qingluan's personal maid.

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

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Chapter 84: Have Grandmother Decide to Divorce the Shen Woman

The bright candles were extinguished, plunging the room into darkness. The two lay in bed in heavy silence. After a while, Li Ling's voice drifted through the quiet. "This Qingluan... she really has been secluded in the palace for too long. Her thoughts are becoming more and more peculiar."

Jingxiu lay on her pillow, hearing this but offering no reply.

Li Ling sighed, speaking as if to himself. "It's normal for her to have some extreme thoughts, having had little contact with people for so long in the palace. It might not be as you said. She's been timid since childhood; she probably wouldn't have such thoughts."

What does a woman's admiration for a man have to do with bravery?

Jingxiu truly couldn't comprehend Li Ling's logic.

Perhaps, he simply didn't want to accept the fact that Qingluan adored him.

Jingxiu turned over, letting the person beside her continue his soliloquy.

Seeing her prolonged silence, Li Ling turned onto his side to face her. "In a couple of days, tell Grandmother to have Qingluan return to the palace. The child is grown now; it's not good for her to stay here long."

When his wife still didn't respond, Li Ling patted her. "Why aren't you speaking?"

Jingxiu turned her face to look at him and snorted coldly. "How dare I speak carelessly?"

"Hmph! If I say the wrong thing, won't I be subjected to family discipline?"

Hearing this, Li Ling pulled her directly into his arms, whispering close to her ear, "I didn't know the full story earlier, did I?"

Jingxiu broke free from him. "Just because you didn't know the full story, you could randomly threaten me with family discipline?"

"Thankfully, I know my place and wisely shut my mouth immediately. Otherwise, I'd probably be receiving your 'family discipline' right now."

Li Ling pulled her back into his embrace. "How could I bear to? I was just trying to scare you."

Jingxiu turned away again. "I can't be bothered with you."

Li Ling explained, "Wasn't I just shocked and angered hearing you say such a thing so suddenly?"

"Alright, don't be angry. I was wrong, okay?" As he spoke, he reached for her again.

"Get away." Jingxiu coldly brushed off his hand, her tone unyielding.

Li Ling grabbed her and pulled her close, saying through gritted teeth, "It seems I really have spoiled you rotten. Now you feel free to give me attitude whenever you like."

With that, he leaned over her. "You think I can't handle you, is that it?"

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

---

Although they had been intimate just that evening, it seemed not to have affected Li Ling's current enthusiasm in the slightest. He made love to his little wife with passionate abandon until midnight before he was finally satisfied.

Once again, Jingxiu was carried by him to the bathing chamber.

After washing, before they even left the bath, she was so exhausted she fell asleep nestled against Li Ling's chest.

The winter night was utterly silent. The charcoal in the fireplace burned vigorously. In the warm, cozy bedding, the young couple slept sweetly in each other's arms.

Yet, not far from them, in Zizhu Ge, someone spent another sleepless night.

Qingluan had cried until her slender eyes swelled like walnuts. Zhaolu, trying to console her, had talked herself hoarse. "Your Highness, please, you must stop crying. How could the Heir not have you in his heart? You're overthinking it."

Qingluan sobbed intermittently. "How am I overthinking? Didn't you see how Cousin barely acknowledged me at the banquet?"

"And how attentive he was to that Shen woman..." As she spoke, she couldn't help but recall the scene at the banquet: her usually stern and solemn cousin personally cutting food for that woman with attentive care, and the adoring look in his eyes when he gazed at her.

Seeing him treat that woman like that, her heart had shattered. Even though she knew she had to control herself in such a setting, she couldn't help but break down and cry on the spot.

Qingluan asked Zhaolu through her tears, "Tell me, does Cousin no longer have me in his heart at all?"

Although Zhaolu had only been in Zhenguo Duke Manor with her princess for two days, she saw the situation clearly: the Li family heir was deeply devoted to Lady Shen. He had no place for their princess in his heart—or rather, he held not a shred of romantic feeling for her. The care he had always shown the princess was merely that of an elder brother treating a younger sister.

Yet their princess remained hopelessly devoted to the Li heir. She was stubborn by nature, and her health was weak; she couldn't endure this endless, sleepless grief.

Zhaolu had no choice but to scrounge for whatever comforting words she could to persuade her. "In this servant's opinion, that Shen woman must have used seductive tricks to ensnare the Heir. No matter how indifferent the Heir is to women, he is still a vigorous man. It's only human nature for him to be momentarily bewitched by her."

Qingluan, utterly infatuated with Li Ling, was more than willing to deceive herself into believing Zhaolu's words. She twisted her handkerchief, gritting her teeth hatefully. "That daughter of the Shen family is so despicable!"

Qingluan stopped her bitter weeping and looked at Zhaolu, asking, "What do you think if I find an opportunity to tell Grandmother about my feelings for Cousin and have her decide to divorce that Shen woman?"

Not to mention a prestigious family like Zhenguo Duke Manor with its spotless reputation, even in ordinary households, a wife who had been properly married couldn't be divorced without cause.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Furthermore, Li Ling was deeply attached to his wife, and the Old Madam also valued this Shen woman highly.

Zhaolu hurriedly advised, "This matter requires careful planning. Your Highness must not act in haste."

Qingluan interrupted her impatiently. "How can I not hurry? If I wait until that Shen woman conceives Cousin's flesh and blood..."

As she spoke, she couldn't help but start weeping again. "Then... then I'll have no chance at all."

Zhaolu believed that even if the Old Madam doted on her granddaughter, she wouldn't divorce Lady Shen without reason. She persuaded her: "Your Highness, it's best not to broach this with the Old Madam first. Divorcing a wife is a major affair. Even if the Old Madam, out of love for you, were to agree, if the Heir himself is unwilling to part with her, it won't succeed."

Qingluan replied, "I don't believe Cousin doesn't like me. If he had no feelings for me, why would he have protected me since we were children?"

She sobbed. "Besides, the imperial family has intermarried with the Zhenguo Duke Manor for generations. Cousin and I are a match made in heaven."

"It's all that Shen woman's fault. If she hadn't shamelessly latched onto Cousin, even at the cost of her own reputation, how could Cousin have married her? Cousin and Grandmother would definitely have waited until I came of age to seek Father Emperor's grace, allowing me to marry Cousin."

Seeing her complexion grow pale and distressed, Zhaolu worried she would harm her health and quickly agreed: "Yes, yes, Your Highness is right. It's all that Shen woman's fault."

"No, I must go find Cousin tomorrow. I must make things clear with him."

Qingluan gritted her silver teeth. "We can't let this Shen woman occupy the magpie's nest any longer."

---

The winter sun rose in the sky, heralding another clear day.

After washing up, Jingxiu sat before the bronze mirror as Ziyun attended to her hair and makeup. Li Ling, dressed in a practical black martial arts outfit, returned from his morning practice with his sword, Qinggang. He hung the sword on the wall in the outer chamber and strode into the inner room.

Catching sight of his little wife's lotus-blossom-like beautiful face in the mirror from afar, the corners of his mouth curved into a graceful arc.

Ziyun inserted the final hairpin into Jingxiu's cloud-like coiffure and then discreetly bowed and withdrew.

Jingxiu turned her head and responded to Li Ling with a gentle smile.

Nearly a year into their marriage, he still felt he could never get enough of looking at this little wife.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Unconsciously, Li Ling walked over to her. His eyes crinkled into smiles as he gazed at her for a long while. He pulled her close and murmured near her ear, "Last night, I attended to you in the bath. Would Madam be willing to attend to me now?"

"How could I dare defy an order from the Heir?"

Jingxiu shot Li Ling a reproachful look and added pointedly, "Otherwise, wouldn't I be facing family discipline again?"

With that, the young woman turned and went into the bathing chamber.

Li Ling smiled and followed her in. He casually removed his martial arts outfit, which was half-damp with sweat from his practice, stood bare-chested before his little wife, and waited for her to attend to him.

Jingxiu soaked a towel, wrung it out, and lowered her eyes to wipe his robust physique.

Seeing the lingering, sleep-softened allure between his little wife's brows and recalling her enchanting, seductive appearance beneath him the previous night, Li Ling couldn't resist reaching out to stroke her smooth, fair cheek.

His hands were rough from years of martial practice. Jingxiu turned her head away, shot him a reproachful glance, and raised her hand to swat his away.

Looking at his little wife's spoiled and willful demeanor, Li Ling's eyes held a doting smile, but his words were spoken with feigned sternness. "When we first married, you were all meek obedience day in and day out. Now, in less than a year, your courage has grown tremendously. You feel free to give me attitude whenever you like."

He tapped her nose lightly with his finger. "Be careful, or one day you'll truly anger me, and I'll really have to discipline you."

Jingxiu smiled back at him with a teasing look and retorted, "The Heir's methods are as formidable as thunder. If I ever truly provoke you, who knows, you might cast me out in a fit of anger."

Li Ling chuckled and teased back, "That wouldn't happen. If I divorced you, where else could I find someone so beautiful to be my wife?"

They were still in the midst of this playful banter when Ziyun's soft call came from outside. "Heir, Madam, the Ninth Princess is here."

(End of Chapter)

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