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Chapter 363 – A foolish woman (2)
writer:bai.lu      update:2022-06-30 20:59
  However, Ning Yuxuan didn’t stay once the pleasurable act was done. Instead, he left to go see Haohao. 

  When Wen Wan woke up in the middle of the night and looked at the moonlight that was spilling into her room through windows, she thought; he really did love children the most. 

  She had to figure out a way to get pregnant. 

  — 

  The next day, Wen Wan left the estate to look for a doctor. Once the doctor finished examining her, he said there was nothing wrong with her and that it was possible for her to get pregnant. Wen Wan found it odd. It had already been over a year. If there was nothing wrong with her, why hadn’t she gotten pregnant by now? 

  “Miss Wen.” 

  Right after she left the doctor’s office, she met Kangyuan Junzhu. Wen Wan hurriedly saluted her. Kangyuan Junzhu and Wen Wan had a somewhat close relationship, so she pulled her to a nearby teahouse to chat. 

  “Junzhu, now that the general has returned to the capital, we can go out on fun boating trips again.” Wen Wan was smiling very happily. This junzhu had a rather high status, and she was also Ning Mingjie’s main wife. Wen Wan had frequently given her advice and shared with her things that she knew about Ning Mingjie. After several of these types of conversations, Kangyuan Junzhu regarded Wen Wan as a close friend. 

  “I’m bored of going to lakes. How about I pay a visit to your home today?” Kangyuan Junzhu smiled and said, “While I’m there, I can also greet the marquis.” 

  Wen Wan very happily agreed and led the junzhu to the marquis’s estate. 

  When Liu Hanyun saw the junzhu, she would have to salute to her too. Wen Wan felt a joyfulness that came from accompanying someone that was high above in status. 

  However, Wen Wan could tell that Kangyuan Junzhu seemed a bit sad from her expression. She couldn’t resist asking, “Junzhu, is there something that’s troubling you?”


  Kangyuan Junzhu nodded and bitterly smiled. “Do you know someone named Sangyu?” 

  Wen Wan was shocked and rattled. “Junzhu, why are you mentioning that name out of the blue?” 

  Kangyuan wryly laughed. “On our way back from Jin Province, the general met a strange woman on the roadside. After their encounter, his mood hasn’t been good. I frequently hear him mumbling Nie Clan and someone named Sangyu in his sleep.” 

  Sangyu sounded like a woman’s name, and Kangyuan Junzhu found it difficult to dispel her suspicions. She had originally lived far away from here before her wedding and naturally didn’t know what had happened between Ning Mingjie and this woman named Sangyu for him to miss her so much. 

  “Sangyu is the name of a dead person.” Wen Wan’s expression wasn’t good as she said, “Junzhu, you don’t need to worry about her. The general definitely isn’t mumbling her name in his sleep because he likes her. The marquis had divorced that woman, and she died from falling off a cliff.” 

  Kangyuan Junzhu was stunned to hear this answer. She pursed her lips and said, “Do you have a painting of her? I want to see what she looked like.” 

  How could Wen Wan have a painting of Nie Sangyu? Still, if there was a way that she could assist the junzhu, Wen Wan would at least try her best to think of a way. She tapped her forehead and said, “I do have a painting of her. Come with me.” 

  Wen Wan had left that painting of a family of three in her place. She hadn’t had time to return it yet. Since Kangyuan Junzhu wanted to see it, she would show it to her. 

  However, when Kangyuan Junzhu saw that painting, her expression suddenly turned very ugly. 

  “This woman is Nie Sangyu?” 

  “En.” Wen Wan nodded and said, “I used to hate her so much when she was alive, but she’s already dead and can’t compete with me anymore. So, I’ve let go of those feelings.” 

  The artist for this painting was very skillful, and three people in this painting looked remarkably true to life with distinct facial features. Kangyuan Junzhu looked at inscription on the painting, and her heart sunk. She rolled up the painting and said, “I really like this painting. Could I have it?” 

  “This…… this isn’t mine.” Wen Wan felt that she was put into an awkward position. 

  “It’s rare to see such a good painting. I want to have the same domestic happiness with Mingjie as the people in this painting.” Kangyuan Junzhu looked at Wen Wan with very sincere eyes. “Give this to me, okay?” 

  Wen Wan thought it over. This painting had been stolen from Teacher Ji’s room, and no one would find out who had stolen this painting. She might as well give it to the junzhu to get further in her good graces. Besides, other than making her feel a bit bad when she looked at it, this painting didn’t have any other purpose. 

  “Alright then, junzhu, you can take it.” 

  Kangyuan Junzhu was very happy. She slipped off the jade bracelet that she was wearing and put it on Wen Wan’s wrist. “Thank you, you’re a good friend.” 

  Wen Wan very happily smiled and didn’t seem to realize what she was giving away. She was immeasurably self-satisfied as she held the bracelet that Kangyuan Junzhu had given her. 

  After Kangyuan Junzhu left the marquis’s estate, she went straight to the palace. 

  Wearing the bracelet, Wen Wan strolled around the estate in a very good mood. When she encountered Ji Man, she very smugly stroked the bracelet and said, “Teacher Ji, it’s so late in the day. Did you just finish giving the heir his lessons?” 

  Ji Man glanced at her. She didn’t understand why Wen Wan was strutting around like a peacock that was displaying its feathers. 

  “En, I’m going back to my room to rest.” 

  Wen Wan smiled and walked a few steps closer to Ji Man before saying, “I acted immaturely last night and asked the marquis who was more important to him, me or you. Guess what his answer was.” 

  The corners of Ji Man’s lips twitched before she bowed and said, “Of course it’s Mistress Wan that’s more important. This one has to continue giving lessons to heir tomorrow. It’s getting late, so this one won’t continue to chat with Mistress Wan.” 

  Seeing how calm Ji Man looked, Wen Wan felt as if she was futilely trying to punch cotton. In a bad mood, Wen Wan angrily stamped her feet. “Hey!” 

  However, Wen Wan calmed down after she looked at the bracelet on her wrist. Hadn’t the marquis thought Nie Sangyu was very capable because she frequently drew people to her side? She could show the marquis that she was now capable of doing the same.

  Chapter 364 – Dear subject, do you not trust this emperor? (1) 

  Fan Tianxing was kneeling below and saying, “Your Majesty, this official thinks that Marquis Moyu’s influence has grown to big, and he’s a threat to imperial authority. It would be for the best if his power was reduced. Zhangjun Prince has also shown that he has ambitious desires during his visit. The dowager empress will inevitably be influence by her parent-child relationship. Your Majesty, you would be put into an extremely disadvantage position if Marquis Moyu had traitorous intentions in the future.” 

  The new emperor was currently sitting in his wheelchair inside Qinzhen Hall. His expression looked rather impatient as he said, “Marquis Moyu has displayed his absolutely loyalty to this country, and you want this emperor to abandon him?” 

  “It’s not as serious as having to abandon him.” Fan Tianxing sighed and said, “It’s fine as long as Your Majesty can have absolute grasp of his loyalty.” 

  If this wasn’t possible, then that knife could turn around at anytime and be directed at him. That wouldn’t be good. 

  Zhao Li made a light sound of agreement. Since Ning Yuxuan had been responsible for the success of the ancestor veneration ceremony, he had originally been thinking about bestowing a reward. However, Fan Tianxing and the other trusted officials had all put forth the suggestion that he should be more guarded against Ning Yuxuan. 

  Ning Yuxuan hadn’t even shown any signs of being upset when the entire Nie Clan had been executed in front of him. On the contrary, he had been assisting him with managing the country so that everything was going smoothly. Consequently, Zhao Li had already gradually lowered his vigilance towards him. As for his oldest imperial brother, by the time that Zhao Zhe could raise a powerful army, his hold on the throne would already be too strong to break. What was there to worry about? 

  These were his initial thoughts, but his personal servant suddenly announced, “Your Majesty, Kangyuan Junzhu is requesting an audience.” 

  Kangyuan Junzhu was his most beloved younger maternal cousin. She was also the person that had always been silently supporting him. This was the reason why he had given her hand in marriage to Ning Mingjie. As the current Zhenyuan General that had control over the military, Ning Mingjie was naturally someone that he needed to win over to his side. 

  “Junzhu, please come in.” 

  Kangyuan Junzhu had brought the painting with her. She didn’t bother saying anything and just handed over the painting to the new emperor. 

  It was a painting of familial domestic bliss. Based on how little the ink had faded and the coloring on the paper, this was painted recently. 

  “This painting was unexpectedly acquired in Marquis Moyu’s estate,” Kangyuan Junzhu said, “Kangyuan met the woman in this painting in Jing Province.” 

  Zhao Li slightly straightened his posture. 

  Since Marquis Moyu had divorced Qi Siling, Zhao Li hadn’t tried interfering in the marquis’s household again, so he was bit absent-minded when he first glanced at the people in the painting. 

  “Nie Sangyu?” 

  Kangyuan looked at Zhao Li as she said, “Zhenyuan General has been frequently murmuring this name in his sleep recently. This woman had been in Jing Province, and there were many interactions between her and the general. If I hadn’t impeded them back then, he probably would have brought her back to the capital as an honored concubine.” 

  Zhao Li seriously looked at that painting for a long time. “Are you sure that you’re not mistaking her for someone else?” 

  “Yes.” Kangyuan earnestly shook her head. 

  Zhao Li touched the child in the painting and lightly said, “Go home first.” 

  “Understood.” When Kangyuan Junzhu looked at Zhao Li one more time, there was a hint of unwillingness to part from him in her gaze. But, there was a court official in the hall, so she could only withdraw. 

  Zhao Li looked at Fan Tianxing and asked, “What happened to the child that Qian Lianxue took?” 

  Fan Tianxing respectfully placed one hand in front of the other and said, “It was originally going to be sent to the first prince, but something happened in the middle and the child was lost. The first prince’s side doesn’t have any further news of this matter either.” 

  Marquis Moyu shouldn’t have had children. People that have children will inevitably be pinned down by their enemy. Zhao Li sighed. It was unfortunate that Qian Lianxue had lost to Nie Sangyu, and he had to give up his most useful chess piece. Otherwise, there would have never been a child in the marquis’s household in the first place. 

  Zhao Li looked at Fan Tianxing and ordered, “Investigate this matter. That child has to be found.” 

  “Understood,” Fan Tianxing assented. 

  As Zhao Li looked at that painting again, he slightly pursed his lips. He hoped that he was just overthinking things. Otherwise, Ning Yuxuan was really too horrifying. 

  — 

  Ji Man felt a bit ill-at-ease today. She was teaching Haohao idioms today, and Haohao was being very studious, but she had gotten distracted herself. 

  Haohao was moving his head back and forth as he recited, “A promise must be kept. A promise is worthy of a thousand gold.” He was wearing a hat today that the embroideress had recently finished embroidering with symbols of happiness and longevity. The hat really brought out his liveliness. 

  After he finished reciting the idiom, he turned his head to see that his teacher was lost in thought. Unhappy, Haohao stuck his little butt out and started to climb up Ji Man’s leg. “Teacher, teacher!” 

  “Hmm?” When Ji Man returned to her senses, she saw a small child on her lap. 

  With a utmost earnest expression, Haohao asked, “Teacher, are you having daytime thoughts?” 

  Ji Man chuckled. “That’s not how you use that idiom. Teacher was just thinking about how cute you are and what I should reward you with later.” 

  * (T/N: Haohao only remembered part of the idiom. The full idiom’s figurative meaning is that you dream at night about your daytime thoughts.) 

  Haohao happily and excitedly shook her leg and said, “I want to hear a story told by you.” 

  “Alright, teacher will tell you a story called The Emperor’s New Clothes.” Ji Man stroked his head. 

  Just as Ji Man was about to pick him up so that she could stand up to get a drink of water, she heard a servant girl call out, “Teacher Ji, Madam has asked for you to go over to her courtyard.” 

  Liu Hanyun? What did she want now? Ji Man slightly furrowed her brow. She really want to respond with, “I’m busy teaching right now.” Still, remembering that Marquis Moyu had been called into the palace today and even the mightiest of dragons couldn’t crush a snake in its own territory, she decided to obediently hand Haohao to a servant girl to watch over and go to Linghan Courtyard by herself. 

  — 

  When she got there, Liu Hanyun had put out tea. Without much expression on her face, she asked Ji Man to sit down. 

  “Xi-er is about the age when he should start taking classes too,” Liu Hanyun said, “The reason that I asked Teacher Ji to come over today was to ask if you could teach Xi-er along with the heir.” 

  Xi-er was hiding behind a wall partition and silently looking at the outer part of the room. 

  Ji Man smiled and said, “If Young Master Xi is going to attend classes, the matter will have to be discussed with the marquis. This one can’t make that decision.” 

  “Isn’t the marquis absent today? That’s why I want to discuss the matter with you.” Liu Hanyun unhurriedly asked, “Teacher Ji, do you not want to teach him?”


  Chapter 365 – Dear subject, do you not trust this emperor? (2) 

  “This one wouldn’t dare.” Ji Man respectfully saluted even though it was true that she didn’t want to teach another student. Right now, she had free time to go out and do her own stuff because she was only teaching Haohao. It would also be too tiring to teach two students. Besides, the marquis could afford to hire two teachers. 

  Who could have thought that Liu Hanyun would want to have a long chat and didn’t have any intentions of letting her leave? Ji Man tried to find excuses to leave several times, but Liu Hanyun stopped her every time. 

  Why was she keeping her here? Ji Man gradually couldn’t stand it any longer. Liu Hanyun didn’t have anything to say to her, so why was she refusing to let her leave? 

  “I have to go back to look after the heir.” Ji Man stood up for the fifth time. 

  Liu Hanyun continued to say something to stop her, but Ji Man didn’t bother listening to her and rushed out of the room. 

  “Stop him!” Liu Hanyun’s expression changed. “How dare you treat me so disrespectfully by leaving before I finish talking?” 

  It was only now that Ji Man started to panic for real. Marquis Moyu wasn’t here, and Liu Hanyun had trapped her here. There could only be one reason why she was doing this. 

  Haohao. 

  Original translation is from fuyuneko dot org. If you’re reading this elsewhere, this chapter has been stolen. Please stop supporting theft. 

  “Out of my way!” Ji Man didn’t know where she found the strength, but she actually pushed away the two male servants that were blocking her and recklessly dashed towards the western courtyard. 

  The male servants would soon catch up to her. Ji Man continued to blunder forward as fast as possible. 

  She hoped that she was just overthinking things. Unless all of these people no longer wanted their lives, how could something bad happen to Haohao? Haohao was Marquis Moyu’s beloved son. 

  Ji Man ran all the way back to the garden with her jaw clenched. 

  When she reached the garden, Haohao was already gone, and only the servant girl from before was still there and looking rather helpless. 

  Seeing him coming over, the servant girl said, “Teacher Ji, the heir was taken away by people from the palace.” 

  People from the palace? Ji Man was dumbfounded. It couldn’t be that Marquis Moyu started to miss Haohao while he was in the palace, so he had him brought to him? 

  Ji Man couldn’t think of a better idea. Other than the emperor, no one would have the power to suddenly take the marquis’s heir into the palace. 

  The male servants rushed over here. Seeing that the matter had already been resolved, one of them apologetically smiled and said, “Teacher Ji, why did you run so quickly? We just wanted Teacher Ji to stay over a bit longer.” 

  Ji Man sneered and turned around to go look for Steward Qian to get a horse. 

  — 

  The new emperor had summoned Ning Yuxuan here, and they ware leisurely playing chess. 

  “This emperor had already discussed with my group of dear officials. Yuxuan, you’ve served this nation well and accomplished great meritorious service. Therefore, this emperor will increase your annual salary by one thousand pecks of grain.” Zhao Li slightly smiled and said, “Are you satisfied with this?” 

  (T/N: A feudal governmental official’s salary was measured in grain, but the actual salary was mostly paid out in money.) 

  This was within his expectations. If the new emperor had rewarded him with more power, it would have actually put him in a bad position. Ning Yuxuan was smiling as he respectfully saluted. “This subject thanks Your Majesty’s great benevolence.” 

  Zhao Li waved his hand. “You’re the only person in the imperial court that this emperor can rely on. This emperor can only hope that you won’t fail to live up to my expectations. 

  Ning Yuxuan nodded. “This subject will continue to serve Your Majesty.” 

  The imperial garden was very quiet. As Zhao Li looked at the calm man across from him, he suddenly asked, “Dear subject, do you miss your first wife?” 

  Ning Yuxuan was briefly stunned. “Your Majesty, why are you mentioning this?” 

  Zhao Li smiled and said, “Yuxuan, you never bare your real heart to anyone, so this emperor is guessing that you probably miss your first wife the most.” 

  Marquis Moyu’s brow was furrowed as he cast a glance over the new emperor to check on his expression. Feeling a bit uneasy, he replied, “How could that be? Nie-shi is dead, and this subject has never held much affection for her.” 

  “Really?” 

  Ning Yuxuan’s heart fearfully skipped a beat when he saw that Zhao Li’s expression had abruptly turned chilly. 

  Several women were walking at the other end of the imperial garden. They were probably just palace servant girls. However, there was one that looked very different from the rest of the group. She was glancing around and exclaiming in astonishment, “Such an enormous garden!” The sound of her voice broke the previously silent imperial garden’s tranquility. 

  Ning Yuxuan lost his grip on the chess piece, and it ended up falling out of his hand and rolling across the ground. 

  “This is such a good place. Who lives here?” Xia-shi made a ruckus as she continued to say, “It’s even better than that marquis’s estate.” 

  Ning Yuxuan’s complexion finally paled. 

  Zhao Li chuckled. He rapped a black chess piece against the game board. “Dear subject, you’re so amazing. You actually had everyone fooled.” 

  Marquis Moyu pursed his lips. His expression was stiff as he said, “Your Majesty, there must be some sort of misunderstand.” 

  “That’s alright. This emperor has the time to listen to his dear subject slowly explain himself.” Zhao Li smiled and said, “Oh right, this emperor had your family’s heir brought into the palace too. He’s truly a clever and quick-witted child, and he has a cute appearance too. This emperor has decided to reward him by allowing him to stay in the palace and keeping the empress company. Dear subject, what do you think of this?” 

  “Your Majesty!” Ning Yuxuan’s brow was furrowed. 

  Zhao Li turned his wheelchair and looked at the flowering flowers in the garden. “Dear subject is someone that has to accomplish great things and naturally can’t have any weak spots. The empress will help dear subject take care of his heir. Dear subject, do you not trust this emperor?” 

  It took a long time for Ning Yuxuan to suppress his anger. He finally withdrew his hand from the stone table and said, “This subject would prefer to personally care for his own child.” 

  “That child doesn’t just belong to you. Isn’t his mother still alive?” Zhao Li smiled. “Right now is the time to make use of your talent. This emperor doesn’t want anything to come between us, so don’t put this emperor into a difficult spot, dear subject.” 

  Ning Yuxuan took a deep breath. His fist was clenched very tightly, but he couldn’t find any words to refute Zhao Li. 

  The new emperor was expressing concession as well as drawing him one step closer to his side. But, how had the emperor found out about the connection between Haohao and Ji Man?! 

  Translator Ramblings: Wouldn’t it have been worse for Ji Man if she had been around when the palace people came? She couldn’t have done anything to stop them and would have only gotten herself in trouble. By keeping her out of the way, at least Liu Hanyun will only be blamed for Haohao instead of Haohao and Ji Man.