Chapter 95 - Lu Chen Admitted It
Henyee Translations
Henyee Translations
With that, Qiao Ruoshui went straight to Prince Mediocre who had just come back from the imperial palace.
Seeing Prince Mediocre, Qiao Ruoshui blushed and said, “Your Highness, this is my aunt. She had a dispute with the concubine of Earl Cheng‘en’s eldest son over mooncake yesterday.
“That concubine was really rude, and she is just a mere concubine! ”
Prince Mediocre frowned and asked, “Are you talking about Concubine Li?”
Qiao Ruoshui nodded. “Exactly, Your Highness, Mrs. Zheng is my aunt but was bullied by a concubine…”
Prince Mediocre said coldly, “Concubine Li’s father is very important to the Empress Dowager.
“The Empress Dowager is very picky about food, and only the food made by Chef Li is to her taste.
“Murs. Zheng? How can she compare with the Empress Dowager’s favorite chef?”
Qiao Ruoshui no longer dared to say anything about that concubine and began to complain about Qiao Jinniang.
“Even so, my aunt just said a few words about Qiao Jinniang’s adoptive father, but Qiao Jinniang ordered her servants to torture my aunt. Please uphold justice for my aunt, Your Highness!”
Prince Mediocre snapped, “Stay away from the Zheng family from now on!
“My father has already granted Qiao Jinniang’s adoptive father the posthumous title of Earl Lin’an, which is already greater than the title of Earl Zheng.
“You have to be careful with your words and deeds in the future. As for your uncle and aunt, don’t have any more dealings with them.”
Zheng Bo was disliked by his father because he was involved in the illicit salt dealings, so his father punished him without regard for his great-grandfather’s face.
Thus, the Zheng family was useless for his great cause, and such relatives would only become his burden.
Qiao Ruoshui returned to her courtyard alone.
Seeing her back, Mrs. Zheng asked Qiao Ruoshui happily, “Has the prince promised to punish that little bitch Qiao Jinniang?”
Qiao Ruoshui said, “Mrs. Zheng, let’s not meet again in the future.”
When Mrs. Zheng heard Qiao Ruoshui’s words, her heart shivered. “What do you mean?”
Qiao Ruoshui said arrogantly, “My mother has been helping your Zheng family for all these years, and I don’t think it’s right.
“Now that the prince doesn’t like you, I don’t think you should come here anymore!”
Mrs. Zheng was annoyed by her words. “Ruoshui, I am your… your aunt. I’ve been very kind to you since you were a child!”
Qiao Ruoshui sneered. “So what? You’re just my aunt.”
‘The imperial decree that granted Qiao Yu a posthumous title was issued in two copies.
One copy was sent to Lin’an, and the other was given to Qiao Jinniang and Qiao Ruoyun.
Lu Chen brought the officials of the Ministry of Rites to the Duke Mansion to issue the imperial decree to Qiao Jinniang and Qiao Ruoyun.
‘When Qiao Jinniang heard the title, she was shocked, especially by the title of Earl Lin’an.
Although Lin‘an was a place name, His Majesty’s era name was Huilin.
How could the word “Lin” be randomly used in a title? Even the nobles would avoid using this word ‘Lin’.
Although the title of Earl was not high in Chang’an, the word Lin’an was extremely distinguished.
After thanking the Emperor, Qiao Ruoyun held Qiao Jinniang’s hand and said, “Thank you, Sister.”
Qiao Jinniang said, “This is what I should do as a daughter. With this imperial decree, you don’t have to feel inferior anymore.”
After Qiao Ruoyun left, Lu Chen entered Jinniang’s room.
When he came last time, he didn’t look at her room carefully, but now he found that it looked exactly the same as their room in the South.
Since it was already autumn, the curtain made of the precious yarn had been replaced by autumn leaf-colored satin.
Lu Chen sat at the table and motioned for Nuomi to close the door.
Nuomi glanced at Qiao Jinniang, and went out to close the door after Qiao Jinniang nodded.
Lu Chen looked at Qiao Jinniang who was holding the imperial decree and said, “Now that you’ve already gotten the title of nobility you wanted, how will you thank me?”
Qiao Jinniang carefully placed the imperial decree on whatnot.
She planned to place the imperial decree in front of her adoptive parents’ spirit tablets when she sent their spirit tablets to a temple for enshrinement.
Hearing Lu Chen’s words, Qiao Jinniang walked up to him and said, “Then how do you want me to thank you?”
Lu Chen put his arm around Qiao Jinniang’s waist, let her sit on his lap, and touched her red rouged lips. “Guess.”
In the afternoon of an autumn day, the sun shone through the window, filling the room full of an ambiguous aura.
Qiao Jinniang approached Lu Chen’s lips and called softly, “Honey.”
How could Lu Chen bear this? He had completely forgotten that it was in the daytime and that he was in the Duke Mansion. After all, she was his own wife. He didn’t want to suppress his desire anymore!
Lu Chen picked up Jinniang, strode over to the wooden couch, and put down the bed curtain, which blocked the dazzling autumn sun outside
Lu Chen hadn’t had sex in more than half year, and today Qiao Jinniang was even more captivating than when she was in the South
“Jin’er.”
However, Qiao Jinniang had just shown her shoulders when she said, “Honey, I’m in my period.”
Seeing her smile, Lu Chen said with a dark face. “Then why did you seduce me?”
‘There was a tacit understanding between the two. She only called him “Honey’ in bed.
Qiao Jinniang snorted. “Although you got my father a title of nobility and I should thank you, you fooled me. Are you secretly laughing how stupid I am?”
“Why did you say that?” Lu Chen put his hand on her lower abdomen.
Qiao Jinniang said, “You don’t know why? Okay, let me ask you, do you have anything to do with the matter of Ruyu?”
Lu Chen said, “No.”
“But the two maids you gave to Li Yun instigated Ruyu to come to me!”
Lu Chen was just gently warming her belly and said, “I didn’t tell them to do that. They wanted to do it themselves.”
Qiao Jinniang: “Would they have done it if you hadn’t hinted at it?
“Regardless of the matter of Ruyu, who said that I wasn’t that stunningly beautiful enough to make you manipulate the Imperial Examination? But Li Yun said that he could only rank tenth at best, so why did you make him first place?”
Lu Chen: “I just liked his article.
“The gap between the top ten is small in the first place. Was it a mistake for me to give him the first position?”
Qiao Jinniang said, “Do you dare to swear that you didn’t trick me? You know that I will definitely misunderstand you, so you had already planned everything in advance, didn’t you?”
Lu Chen admitted it, “Yes, I did it.”
Qiao Jinniang glared at Lu Chen. “You actually admitted it?”
Lu Chen clenched Qiao Jinniang’s hand and said, “Yes, I admit it. It was also a show for the Duke that I was mad at you that day.
“But you refused to listen to my explanation and refused to give me time to get you the position of crown princess and insisted on marrying another man!”
Qiao Jinniang sensed a trace of grievance in Lu Chen’s words, but she was even more aggrieved.
“Tm more aggrieved than you, okay? I will never ever be a concubine. I had been separated from my biological parents for 18 years because of a concubine!
“You could take concubines, and I could marry a man who won’t take any concubines. Was I wrong?”
Lu Chen tried to pacify her. “Alright, alright, since this matter is already over, neither of us shall mention it again. Let’s forget about the matter about Li Yun, okay?”
Qiao Jinniang said, “You have to promise that you won’t trick me again.”
Lu Chen readily promised and asked, “Can I accompany you to take a nap?”
Qiao Jinniang hummed and lay down.
Seeing that she was about to fall asleep, Lu Chen suddenly remembered something and said,
“Tremember your period is normally at the end of the month, right? Now it’s in the middle of the month. Shall I have an imperial doctor examine you?”
Sleepy, Qiao Jinniang said with the last hint of sobriety, “You tricked me. Why can’t I trick you? I won’t sleep with you this year. Just endure it, humph……”