RATMOFANF: Chapter 96

 Glossary

·Li Ling (李陵): The Male Lead, Shen Jingxiu's husband.

·Qingluan (青鸾): The Ninth Princess.

·Shen Jingxiu (沈静姝): The Female Lead.

·Ziyun (紫云): Shen Jingxiu's maidservant.

·Li Xiang (李翔): Li Ling's younger brother, the Third Master.

·Jiao Xing (娇杏): A former maid, now sent to a manor estate.

·The Seventh Princess (七公主): A princess confined to a detached palace as punishment.

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Chapter 96: Li Ling Rejects Qingluan (2)

Li Ling looked at her and said, "We all know life in the palace hasn't been easy for you. But you cannot hold resentment against the Zhenguo Duke Manor or your late mother because of it. Look around the capital—which daughter of a noble family can choose her own marriage freely?"

Before Li Ling could finish his sentence, Qingluan interrupted him. "Then why could that Shen woman decide for herself? How could she marry the man she liked?"

Li Ling ignored her stubborn fixation, patiently trying to reason with her. "Since you are honored as a princess, you must maintain a princess's dignity. You've grown up now. You can't simply follow your own whims, understand?"

Li Ling sighed and continued, "I know what's on your mind."

Hearing this, Qingluan abruptly raised her head, looking at Li Ling with eager expectation. "Cousin, you know I—"

Li Ling quickly waved his hand, signaling her to stop. He spoke with earnest persuasion, "You should understand the severity of this matter. The Seventh Princess, locked away in the detached palace for damaging the imperial family's reputation, serves as a warning. Back then, the guard she was involved with in that scandal was also from a scholar-official family. Because of this, he lost his head, and his entire household, hundreds of people, were exiled. Even the Seventh Princess herself suffered greatly. Though the Emperor, considering her maternal family's standing, didn't issue an edict for her death, she can only spend her life locked away in that obscure detached palace."

"What future or happiness can she have now?"

Qingluan's teary eyes gazed at Li Ling. "Cousin, I just want to know, what do you even like about that Shen woman? Is it just because she's beautiful?"

Li Ling had never felt so mentally exhausted. This cousin was so utterly unreceptive, impossible to reason with. Li Ling truly began to wonder how his aunt, renowned in her time for her exceptional intelligence, could have given birth to such a foolish daughter.

He was by nature a man of few words, not skilled at explaining things. Even when his own younger siblings made mistakes, he would only reprimand them sternly. The fact that he was speaking to his cousin with such earnest persuasion today was because he understood in his heart that apart from him, no one else would care about her future enough to clarify the stakes so thoroughly for her.

But Qingluan couldn't comprehend Li Ling's current internal frustration with her. She kept looking at him expectantly, relentlessly pressing the question, "Cousin, tell me? What exactly do you like about her?"

Li Ling forced himself to maintain patience and replied, "I like everything about her."

Hearing this, Qingluan couldn't help but start crying sorrowfully again. She choked out between sobs, "Cousin, don't you see you've been bewitched by that Shen woman? She deliberately fell into the water back then, clearly planning to entangle herself with you after you rescued her. How can you be so foolish, completely deceived by her—"

Before Qingluan could finish, Li Ling responded, "She did not fall in deliberately, and I did not rescue her by accident. While I am not a wicked man, I am also not the kind to jump in and save just any young lady who falls into the water."

"Cousin—" Qingluan looked at Li Ling in shock.

"Alright, it's late. I'll have Lingxiao escort you back."

Qingluan, still unwilling to give up, cried to Li Ling, "Even if you fancy that Shen woman, do you really plan to disregard me entirely?"

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Li Ling replied, "She is my wife, and you are my cousin. My affection for her and my protection of you are not contradictory. You are my aunt's flesh and blood. This Zhenguo Duke Manor is your support. Rest assured, no matter what, before you are married, I will not abandon you to your fate. I genuinely hope you will marry a good man in the future and live a smooth, happy life."

Qingluan wept, "Cousin, you know I don't want to marry anyone else at all. Apart from you, I can't bear the sight of anyone."

As she spoke, she stepped forward and pleaded tearfully with Li Ling, "Cousin, even if you truly fancy that Shen woman, I don't mind. I just beg you not to cast me aside. After I come of age, go and seek Father Emperor's grace, let me marry you. I won't force you to divorce her. I can share your side with her, following the example of Ehuang and Nüying. Wouldn't that be alright?"

The fists under Li Ling's wide sleeves clenched so tightly they made a faint cracking sound. Thankfully, this was only his cousin, after all—there was still a degree of separation. If his own younger sister had spoken such shameless words, he truly might have wanted to beat her to death on the spot.

Li Ling forcibly restrained himself. It took him a good while to suppress the surging anger in his chest before he looked at Qingluan.

That icy gaze frightened Qingluan, making her instinctively take two steps back.

"Apologies. I promised Jingxiu I would never take another woman in this lifetime."

After coldly delivering this final statement to Qingluan, Li Ling strode out of the study.

Back in Qingfeng Yuan, Jingxiu, whom Li Ling held in his thoughts, was currently buried in accounting work. Since she and Li Ling were about to embark on a long journey, she needed to arrange all important household matters properly before leaving.

While she was busy, Ziyun came in and reported, "Mistress, the Third Master is here asking to see you."

Jingxiu looked up and hurriedly replied, "Please invite him in quickly."

A moment later, Li Xiang entered. Jingxiu greeted him, "Please have a seat, Third Brother."

Li Xiang remained standing at the doorway. "I intended to come during the day, but I went to the Princess Manor to visit Mother, had a meal there, and returned late. I had no choice but to visit you this evening, Second Sister-in-law. I hope you don't mind."

Jingxiu smiled. "You're too formal, Third Brother. I heard from your Second Brother that you are returning to the military camp tomorrow morning. Is there something you haven't settled yet that you need to see me about?"

Li Xiang smiled and nodded. "Nothing escapes you, Second Sister-in-law." As he spoke, he took a letter from his sleeve pocket, handed it to Ziyun standing nearby, and said, "This is a letter I wrote for Jiao Xing. May I trouble you, Second Sister-in-law, to pass it on to her?"

Ziyun handed the letter to Jingxiu. Holding it, Jingxiu asked in surprise, "She knows how to read?"

Li Xiang's face flushed with embarrassment. He stammered, "She... she does know her characters. I taught her when she worked in my courtyard before."

To think Li Xiang is so genuinely devoted to that little maid, Jingxiu thought. She set the letter down and nodded quietly. "I will find an opportunity to send her this letter. Since you're leaving for the camp tomorrow morning, you should go back and rest now."

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Li Xiang bowed deeply to Jingxiu. "In that case, I must trouble you, Second Sister-in-law."

Jingxiu replied, "You're welcome, Third Brother." Seeing Li Xiang's hesitant and uneasy expression, Jingxiu added, "Don't worry. I will have people look after that girl properly. Just focus on doing well and advancing in the army with peace of mind."

Hearing this, Li Xiang finally felt reassured. He gave Jingxiu a grateful smile. "Thank you, Second Sister-in-law."

After Li Xiang left, Jingxiu looked at the letter and couldn't help but feel troubled.

Initially, she had taken pity on the girl, thinking that if she were driven out of the manor, it would be a dead end. That's why she had pleaded with Li Ling to send her to the manor estate. Her original thought was to wait until Li Xiang had turned that page of his life, then find a suitable match for the girl to marry. That would be better than her wandering outside with an uncertain and dangerous future.

She never expected Li Xiang to be so deeply attached and unwilling to let go of this maid. Her heart couldn't bear to forcibly separate these two young people who cared for each other, but once Li Xiang married in the future, this would likely become a troublesome matter.

(End of Chapter)

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