Chapter 347 – The one that loved more would lose (2)
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bai.lu update:2022-06-30 20:59
Was this simply evil that he had brought onto himself? He had once taken for granted Nie Sangyu’s love for him. No matter how he treated her, he felt that she would always continue to love him. But now, he couldn’t stop himself from surrendering. He had automatically put down all of his defenses and trustingly put himself up for slaughter.
Was this just karma?
Sure enough, when it came to love, the one that loved more would lose.
He resisted for a while, but eventually succumbed to the woozy feeling. Ning Yuxuan closed his eyes as he leaned against Ji Man’s shoulder and fell into a deep slumber.
Ji Man grabbed his slumping body. It took a bit of effort to carry him to the bed. Then, she sighed in relief and started rummaging around the room for that item.
It was one thing for the study to not have a secret space, but even after Ji Man searched the entire room, she couldn’t find one in Ning Yuxuan’s bedroom either. Sure enough, she shouldn’t have believed in stuff that was shown on TV shows. She had even wasted time by knocking on every single floor tile. As she was feeling a bit discouraged, she turned her head and saw a redwood nightstand.
Jade ornaments and other like items had been placed on it. When she opened a brocade box that was on the nightstand, the lustrous sight of several exquisite bluish-green gems and green jade greeted her. Surprisingly, there was also a very ordinary concentric knot waist accessory as well as a cheap ring.
Ji Man quickly averted her gaze and resumed looking around the room. She also patted Ning Yuxaun down in her search and opened the brocaded bag that he had on him. She should have guessed this spot earlier. The signature seal was inside the bag.
After arranging Ning Yuxuan so that he was lying comfortably on the bed and covering him with a quilt, Ji Man stuffed the signature seal into her sleeve and put the veiled hat back on. When she exited the room, she told Guibao, who had been standing guard outside, “The marquis said to send Mistress Wan over to serve him. It wouldn’t be appropriate for this one to remain, so this one will be leaving first.”
Guibai glanced at her before nodding. “This servant will have to bother Teacher Ji to stay here for a bit longer.”
“En,” Ji Man agreed and blankly stood by the doorway for a while. Fortunately, Wen Wan quickly arrived, so she was able to quickly get away herself. That very night, she left the estate and delivered the item to Zhangjun Prince’s dwelling place. After that, she went back to her room to sleep and pretended that nothing had happened.
—
When Ning Yuxuan woke up the next morning and saw the woman lying next to him, there were dark, billowing clouds in his eyes. Wen Wan was almost scared to death.
“My lord?”
Ning Yuxuan slowly sat up and blankly remained in that position for a while. He suddenly coldly laughed and asked, “Wan-er, am I really stupid?”
Tugging the quilt to cover her body as she sat up, she somewhat shyly looked at him. “My lord, what’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing.” Ning Yuxuan turned his head and saw the pile of discarded clothes. His personal brocade bag had obviously been emptied.
Who had lied to whom? Who had taken advantage of whom?
—
For the next three days, Ji Man didn’t see Marquis Moyu, but Zhangjun Prince had given her a lot of rewards. Zhao Zhe also looked at her with an obviously much more trusting gaze.
—
Qian Yingchen felt as if Zhu Yurun was driving him insane. She had insistently convinced Miss Peng to go on a spring outing and was now doggedly inviting Ji Man.
Qian Yingchen still had a good impression of Ji Man. After all, Teacher Ji was a person that Ning Yuxuan thought highly of, so he couldn’t be an ordinary person. And so, Qian Yingchen didn’t reject Ji Man’s presence. On the contrary, he was very welcoming. Seeing this sight, Zhu Yurun practically draped herself on Ji Man and exclaimed, “Teacher Ji, the success of my major life event will be depending on you!”
Ji Man could only agree to her request. Anyways, the rest of her day was free after giving Haohao lessons in the morning.
—
They had discussed where to meet beforehand and settled on meeting up by Tian Lake. Ji Man arrived a bit earlier and saw a carriage slowly driving over here from a distance. A chubby person was following after that carriage and jogging to keep up.
Ji Man furrowed her brow.
When the carriage reached the lake, Qian Yingchen disembarked from the carriage and smiled at Ji Man. “Teacher Ji.”
Ji Man returned his greeting with a two handed salute. She raised her eyes and saw a dignified young lady coming out of the carriage too. This young woman was probably Grand Tutor Peng’s granddaughter. As for Zhu Yurun, she had caught up to them and was getting her breath back.
“Sir Qian.” Looking at Zhu Yurun’s belly, Ji Man frowned again. “No matter what, Miss Zhu is pregnant. Why did you have her follow you by walking?”
Zhu Yurun wiped the sweat from her forehead and waved her hand. “It’s okay, it’s okay. My belly is too big, so I couldn’t fit inside the carriage. I’m okay with walking here too. Teacher Ji, you don’t need to worry. I’m very healthy and much more sturdy than other pregnant women. Besides, Qian Residence isn’t far from here.”
Miss Peng looked very uncomfortable with the situation. Her mood didn’t seem good. She slightly bobbed in greeting to Ji Man, then she boarded a nearby boat by herself.
Qian Yingchen said with a smile, “Teacher Ji, please.”
Ji Man turned her head to look at that chubby girl. Seeing that the other two people were completely ignoring Miss Zhu, she understood why Miss Zhu had insistently invited her along now.
“Sir Qian, you can go on ahead first.” Ji Man stretched her hand out to support Zhu Yurun. “We’ll catch up to you soon.”
Qian Yingchen’s smile dimmed. He glanced at Zhu Yurun before turning around and boarding the boat.
The space in the boat wasn’t big, and the four of them were sitting across from each other. Fortunately, Ji Man was good at livening the atmosphere. She kept up a conversation with Miss Peng and Qian Yingchen that went from chatting about poetry and songs to life philosophy. The mood could be considered harmonious enough.
But, since they were talking about these types of subjects, Zhu Yurun wasn’t able to participate. She could only sit and stare at Qian Yingchen.
“Since this one has the fortunate of going on this outing with Teacher Ji today, there’s a question that this one has been wanting to ask,” Qing Yingchen said. “This one heard that Teacher Ji is planning on marrying Miss Zhu. Is this still valid?”
Translator Ramblings: I don’t know what to think of Zhu Yurun and Qian Yingchen’s relationship, but wouldn’t it be boring to marry someone that you don’t have anything in common with? I have a hard time understanding Zhu Yurun’s infatuation with Yingchen, especially when she’s been given the opportunity to spent time with him.
Chapter 348 – Don’t wear rose-colored glasses because of love (1)
Zhu Yurun tensed up. Underneath the table, she yanked Ji Man’s clothes.
Ji Man looked at Qian Yingchen with a completely calm expression and asked, “Sir Qian, are you still not planning on marrying Miss Zhu?”
Qian Yingchen shook his head. “Yingchen doesn’t like being forced into marrying someone. Besides, Grand Tutor Peng had personally asked this one to care for Miss Peng. It wouldn’t be fair to wrong her like this before she’s even married into my household.”
As the chubby girl next to Ji Man was uneasily fidgeting, the bluish-green gems dangling from her hair swung back and forth. It was obvious that she was very perturbed by these words. Ji Man looked at Miss Peng next. Although the boat was swaying, she was still able to maintain a proper sitting position, and the dangling ornaments in her hair weren’t moving much either.
Comparing Zhu Yurun to Miss Peng was like comparing an unpresentable duck to a graceful swan. No one would be able to like her.
“Our wedding date was originally set for ten days later,” Ji Man said, “If Sir Qian hasn’t changed his mind by then, this one is naturally willing to welcome Miss Zhu into my family.”
Qian Yingchen looked at Ji Man with a slightly astonished look. “Teacher Ji, you have a upright appearance, so why……”
Why do you have such bad taste?
Zhu Yurun was a woman that was rarely seen in this world. When he had happened to meet her by chance half a year ago, she was an attractive young woman instead of the plump figure she was now. However, although half a year had passed, her personality hadn’t changed at all. As soon as she saw a man, she would throw herself at him. Qian Yingchen recollected his memories of their first encounter and couldn’t help slightly frowning.
His first impression of this young woman hadn’t been bad when they had seen each other in the passing in the inn. However, he woke up in her bed the next morning, and this young woman had said with a grin, “You’re mine.”
Any man would feel that this woman had no sense of shame. She had even dared to boldly proclaim that she had like how he looked, so she had drugged him to become his person.
At that time, he was returning to the capital after receiving a notice that he had been promoted and couldn’t afford to ruin his reputation. When he saw her looking for him in inn that morning, he didn’t say anything and simply left the inn.
He had wondered if his encounter with this insane woman had anything to do with the shameless people in Xu Province that would want to deliberately harm him. Fortunately, nothing bad had happened in the end. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have let her off.
Taking a deep breath, Qian Yingchen swallowed down the rest of the words he had wanted to say. He placed one hand in front of the other to salute Ji Man and said, “This one will offer my congratulations to Teacher Ji then.”
Ji Man smiled. Next to Qian Yingchen, Miss Peng seemed to have not heard anything. She was indifferently looking out at the lake.
After they disembarked from the boat, the four of them strolled around the lake. Zhu Yurun seemed to have accepted reality. Her head was drooping, and she wasn’t skipping around like her usual self. She just closely walked behind Qian Yingchen and Miss Peng.
Ji Man was walking by her side, so she didn’t look that obviously pitiful. The two of them seemed to be walking slower and slower, and the distance between them and the two people in the front were increasing.
Ji Man couldn’t resist quietly asking, “Why won’t you give up on him?”
She had seen too much of cold logic and too little of sincere feelings in this place. And so, she absolutely couldn’t understand a young woman like Zhu Yurun.
Zhu Yurun grinned from ear to ear. “From the time I met him, I keep having the same dream.”
“I dream that I’m quietly waiting in a pavilion. There’s no one else around. Rain is pouring from the sky, and I feel as if no one is going to come. But, when I’ve waited until the moment, he comes. He’s holding an oilpaper umbrella with one hand and urging his horse to go faster with the other hand. He says that he’s going to marry me. And, the rain from the sky suddenly stops. His smile looks so beautiful as he’s standing there.” As she says this, her eyes start to brighten with little stars.
The corners of Ji Man’s lips twitch, and she interrupted her by saying, “If you try holding onto an oilpaper umbrella while riding a horse, the wind will end up tearing the umbrella apart. It definitely wouldn’t be as perfect as your imagination.”
Why did foolish girls always have a pre-installed beautification function? Their love would embellish a plain rice paddy that was strong with the scent of fertilizer into a fragrant lavender field that stretched out as far as the eyes could see. And then, they would do their absolute best to chase after this false dream. If they saw the reality a bit more clearly, wouldn’t that be better?
Zhu Yurun paused. She lowered her head and looked at her shoes as she said, “I’ve been staying by his side for the past several days, and I tried my best to get him to like me, but the end result was the opposite of what I wanted. Perhaps, what everyone else is saying is right. I’m always making my choices based on the reality I see, and my views are unrealistically optimistic.”
“But, still, I don’t know why. I just really like him.” Zhu Yurun shook her head and stopped walking. She smiled at Ji Man and said, “I’m not willing to give up.”
Ji Man was stunned.
Qian Yingchen and Miss Peng had already walked far enough that their figures weren’t visible anymore. Seeing this, Zhu Yurun stamped her feet and said, “Aiya, look. They forgot about us again. It’s getting late and about time to end our stroll and go back. Yingchen hasn’t fully healed from his injuries yet either. Teacher Ji, you can leave first. Let’s meet again tomorrow.”
Once again, her smile was as splendidly radiant as spring. She jogged forward like a ball of rolling cotton candy and even turned around to say, “Let me keep trying. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll just marry you. I don’t want to have any regrets.”
Standing in the same spot, Ji Man watched as that little chubby figure ran farther and farther away. She finally let out a long sigh when Zhu Yurun’s figure had disappeared from her sight too.
Why were there so many fools in the world?
And yet, if there were only smart, rational people around, the world would be too boring.
Chapter 349 – Don’t wear rose-colored glasses because of love (2)
Zhu Yurun continued to rascally stay in Qian Residence, and Assistant Minister Zhu didn’t say anything about it. It was probably because her reputation was already in tatters, so he wasn’t concern about that aspect. Besides, she might even be able to gain a proper father for her child by doing this.
But, since Assistant Minister Zhu wasn’t aware of the Ji Man’s secret, he felt extremely guilty towards Ji Man. Not only did he settle the matter of using Ji Man’s rice as the tribute rice for the year, he had also commanded his subordinates to treat Ji Man well. As a result, Ji Man’s value abruptly bounded up. Ji Man was seen as a shining star in the rice merchant association.
Regarding the matter of choosing a head for the rice merchant association, the largest rice merchant families had all sufficiently prepared for the occasion. From top to bottom, the fiercest competition was between the Liu family and the Rong family. When the time for the election came, the two sides almost came to blows. In the end, Director Tang was invited over for tea to act as the tiebreaker.
Shopkeeper Liu had been full of confidence, so he was shocked when he heard Director Tang say, “It’s always been the same people that get elected in the past years. It’s time to give way to the younger generations.”
When these words were said, he was looking at Ji Man. Neither Shopkeeper Liu nor Shopkeeper Rong had pleasant expressions. However, these two families had a long history with each other. It was still an easy matter as long as the other party wasn’t the winner of this election. And so, in order to ingrate themselves with Director Tang, the title of head of the rice merchant association landed on Ji Man.
For this reason, Ji Man sent over a considerable amount of gifts to Director Tang and those two rice merchant families. She was very attentive in observing the proper customs. For example, she would always remember to send over some trinkets when it was a rice merchant family’s legitimate son’s birthday. Gradually, no one was dissatisfied that Ji Man had gotten the position.
Ji Man’s mood was still pretty good after settled that issue. She happily spent her days inside the estate with Haohao and did activities with him like picking flowers.
As a result, she unexpectedly encountered Ning Yuxuan, who hadn’t appeared in her sight for a while.
Ji Man felt a bit guilty.
It was naturally impossible for him to not know that his signature seal had been taken. But, Ning Yuxuan had surprisingly not said anything about that night or the missing signature seal. He had acted as if nothing had happened and didn’t keep her from seeing Haohao either.
“Marquis.” She properly saluted, but Marquis Moyu acted as if he hadn’t seen her. He picked Haohao up and sat down by a nearby stone table. Wiping the mud from Haohao’s hand, he said in an indifferent tone, “I heard that your rice business is done well. Congratulations.”
Ji Man awkwardly laughed. “It’s all thanks to the marquis’s favor.”
“It’s all thanks your intelligence. It has nothing to do with me,” Ning Yuxuan said, “Zhangjun Prince will be returning to his fiefdom tomorrow. How about going with me to send him off?”
Her body stiffened. She shook her head and said, “There’s no need for this one to send him off. This one has resigned from my position as Zhangjun Prince’s subordinate after coming to the marquis’s estate. There’s no connection between the two of us.”
“Really?” Marquis Moyu’s tone showed that he obviously didn’t believe her.
“Right now, this one only wholeheartedly wants to teach the heir,” Ji Man sincerely said, “Marquis, please believe this one.”
“En, I believe you, that’s why you should come with me tomorrow,” Ning Yuxuan said, “Guibai will come to remind you when the time comes.”
She kept thinking that he hadn’t come here with good intentions. Right now, she was just a teacher. Why did she have to accompany him in sending off Zhangjun Prince? Ning Yuxuan shouldn’t know that she was still in contact with Zhangjun Prince, right?
Besides, although she had entered the palace with Zhangjun Prince, and everyone by the dowager empress’s side had seen her, no one else would know that she was one of his advisors. If she went with Ning Yuxuan tomorrow to send Zhangjun Prince off, and there happened to be someone with sharp eyes and a loose tongue that spread this information, how was she suppose to keep her low-key status? If the new emperor saw her, it was more likely than not that he would believe she was acting as a messenger between Marquis Moyu and Zhangjun Prince and simply order her death right away.
Was Ning Yuxuan unwilling to tolerate the sight of her and that was why he was insisting for her to come along?
Although Ji Man was feeling upset, she could only acknowledge his command for now and figure out a way to escape from this obligation.
—
After dinner, Liu Hanyun had taken the initiative of coming over and ended up giving her a way out. Liu Hanyun had come over here like a torrential rush, and her intentions didn’t seem benign either.
Liu Hanyun went straight to the point and asked, “Teacher Ji, how long do you plan on staying in the marquis’s household?”
During the past few days, she had sent servants to follow Ji Man. She knew that Ji Man had visited a brothel, given lessons to Haohao, and nothing exceptional had happened when Ji Man went out of the estate the other times. However, when she had gone over to care for the marquis when he had been sick during the past few days, she had heard Teacher Ji’s name from the marquis’s lips.
Ji Man, Ji Man. Wen Wan really hadn’t wrongfully accused him. He really was a sly tempter that had bewitched the marquis to such a low level.
As the main wife, Liu Hanyun wouldn’t just do nothing and allow this travesty to go on. Since Teacher Ji was going to get married, it would better if she sent him away sooner.
Ji Man looked at this woman, who wouldn’t even say extraneous words to soften her message, and sighed. “This one wants to stay in the marquis’s estate for the long-term. It’ll also be more convenient to care for the heir this way.”
“Teacher Ji, aren’t you getting married?” Liu Hanyun frowned. “You’re still not going to move out after your wedding?”
“This one isn’t moving.” Ji Man shook her head. “This one has already discussed this matter with the marquis, and the marquis has agreed to it.”
Liu Hanyun really wanted to slap this person. This person was really too shameless. He took advantage of the marquis’s affections and had decided to permanently stay here!
She had originally planned on properly sending this person off. After all, she had though he was an honest person without much of a background. But, as it turned out, he was planning on doggedly remaining here. Don’t blame her for being harsh.
“Teacher Ji, could you come with me for a bit?” Liu Hanyun stood up. Although she had phrased it as a question, she walked out without looking back.
Ji Man thought for moment before turning around and taking out a bag from a box. She went outside and said to a servant girl that was by the doors, “Please give this the marquis. I’m going out with Madam.”
The servant girl straightforwardly made a sound of agreement and left. After that, Ji Man followed after Liu Hanyun.
Right after she had arrived by the back gate, she saw a carriage waiting outside. Just as she was about to ask where they were going, a few servants came out of the carriage, tied her up, and dragged her into the carriage.
Translator Ramblings: I noticed that Liu Hanyun’s response to Ji Man is the same as Ning Mingjie’s wife’s. Both of these wives took that extra step of asking Ji Man about her plans to see for herself what her intentions were. They didn’t jump to conclusions and immediately plot to harm Ji Man. They were willing to amicably help Ji Man leave, but they would also take harsher actions if Ji Man wasn’t willing to leave their husbands alone.
I though the author was so clever in setting up this situation. In order to do this, she had kill off Ji Man’s identity as Nie Sangyu, Ning Yuxuan’s first wife. It was an interesting turn around that Ji Man judged Wen Wan as the other woman, who she sees as inherently wrong for stepping into someone else’s marriage. But now, she’s doing the same thing herself. Of course, from her perspective, she views her actions as completely justified. (She’s only living in the marquis’s estate and tolerating Ning Yuxuan for Haohao. She’s not fully aware of how much her actions unintentionally harm other people.)
From Liu Hanyun’s perspective, Ji Man is a completely unrelated to her friendly ally, Nie Sangyu, and is a shameless interloper in her marriage while leading on another woman. If she knew that Ji Man and Nie Sangyu were the same person, she wouldn’t harm her like this.
What do you guys think?
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