CFB Chapter 101

Translator – Xiao He Lian

This is a translation hosted on KnoxT, copies found elsewhere are either stolen or plagiarized. Please support the translator by reading it at KnoxT.

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Chapter 101

 

Governor of Jingzhao, Lu Yan rescued the Shen Family Third young lady who fell into the water. Overnight, everyone in Chang’an knew about it.

Almost everyone was waiting to see how the Duke of Zhenguo’s Mansion would react.

If Shen Wenqi had not been released from prison, with Shen Zhen’s criminal status, she would probably only be a concubine in the Duke’s Mansion. But now, the daughter of a fourth-rank official, even if she has a bad reputation, would never be allowed to be someone’s concubine.

Regarding this matter, many people have placed bets privately.

Some people bet that the Grand Princess would looked down upon Shen Zhen’s status and the matter would end in nothing; others bet that Lu Yan was attracted by the face of the Shen family girl, just as a hero cannot resist the temptation of a beautiful woman.

On sixteenth of the eight month, at maoshi[mfn](the period of the day from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m)[/mfn], the morning light broke through the clouds and many men, women, old and young, craned their necks to look around the Baoning lane.

There was no other reason.

The 24-year-old heir apparent of Duke Zhenguo Mansion, who had yet to marry, was standing in front of the gate of the Shen Mansion in Baoning lane.

The red door was wide open and Lu Yan asked people to move two boxes of medicinal herbs for dispelling the cold. According to the rules, the things were brought in, while his people stayed outside the door. After some pleasantries, he turned to leave.

Some people shook their heads and sighed, saying that Lu Yan’s move was just a show of  Zhenguo Mansion meant to appease the people.

However, no one expected that, once that proud and arrogant person started to act, he would be so jaw-dropping. As if he had broken from his shackles and he would naturally have an air of “I will love whoever I want” written all over his body..

Early the next morning, Lu Yan appeared at the gate of Shen’s residence again. This time, he brought an imperial physician with him.

At the same time, in the inner courtyard of the Shen Mansion, Shen Shu was holding a bowl and feeding medicine to Shen Zhen.

The little girl was weak and fell into the water in the autumn, which made her seriously ill. She had a fever all night yesterday.

After taking Shen Zhen’s pulse, Doctor Wen said to her, “Madam Li, don’t worry. The Third Miss was rescued by Lord Lu right after she fell into the water. She does not have any other disease. It’s just that she has a cold, which is a bit serious. I’ll prescribe two prescriptions. Just take them on time and she will be fine.”

“I understand. Thank you, Doctor Wen.”

Doctor Wen narrowed his eyes and smiled, “Of course, of course. The Grand Princess’s token was placed in the Imperial Medical Office yesterday.”

Shen Zhen covered her chest and coughed twice.

Shen Shu was stunned for a moment, then smiled, “Thank you, Doctor Wen, for telling me this.”

“You’re welcome, madam.”

After hearing the doctor’s departure, Shen Shu looked at Shen Zhen’s pale face and couldn’t help but sigh. If Shen Zhen hadn’t explained what happened honestly, she would never have thought that Shen Zhen was pushed into the water by Lu Yan himself.

She had never heard of such a thing.

“Sister, I need more water.” The little girl was covered with a quilt, her face was pale, and there was not even a trace of blood on her lips. Anyone who saw her like this would feel heartbroken.

Shen Shu scooped a spoonful of water and put it next to her mouth, “What else do you want to eat? Tell me and I will buy it for you later.”

Shen Zhen moistened her throat and then suddenly hugged Shen Yu’s waist.

Shen Shu raised her hand holding the cup quickly and frowned, saying, “Shen Zhen,the water will get spilled!”

“Will sister get a divorce?” Shen Zhen asked softly.

As soon as these words came out, Shen Shu’s body froze. This was the third time Shen Zhen mentioned this to her.

Shen Shu looked at the top of her head and said softly, “Don’t worry about my affairs. Your brother-in-law treats me very well…”

Shen Zhen sat up straight, her eyes reddened and she said in a hoarse voice: “Sister has no children, but he took two concubines in succession…”

Shen Shu was startled by what she said, then frowned and said, “Is this something you should say?”

Shen Zhen bit her lip.

“I know Lu Yan loves you, and it’s not easy for him to do this.” Shen Shu paused, looked into her eyes and said, “But if you really marry him and marry into the Duke of Zhenguo’s Mansion, you are not allowed to talk about what you just said in the future.”

“What did your grandmother teach you when she was alive?”

On the eve of Shen Shu’s wedding, the old lady called her three granddaughters into the house and spoke to them earnestly.

If you get married in the future, you must remember,

Don’t be jealous.

Do not make things difficult for the illegitimate children.

Do not compete with or be jealous of the concubines in the courtyard.

The girls of our Yunyang Marquis’ Mansion cannot do those petty things. They must be hardworking, virtuous and reasonable.

Assist one’s husband and educate the children, a good wife makes a good husband.

Grand principles have always been so high-sounding.

She remembered that after the old lady finished her lecture, Shen Yao came out and bumped into Shen Shu’s arm with a smile, “Our old lady likes to talk about these big principles. If Li Di really dares to let you suffer, I guarantee that the old lady will be the first one to not let him go.”

Thinking back on it, she couldn’t help but sigh at how innocent that smile was. It seemed to be saying, how could the daughter of Marquis Yunyang suffer such an injustice?

But soon after, Shen Yao was named a princess and married to the Uighurs royal family.

One person for one lifetime, who wouldn’t want that? What woman in this world was sincerely willing to share her husband equally with others?

Only today did Shen Shu finally understand why her grandmother, who had always been unreasonable and protected her family, would say such a thing.

Because life is unpredictable, the world is unpredictable. No one can guarantee that the days of luxury will not end.

She hoped more than anyone else that Shen Zhen could live a happy life, but she also knew better than anyone else that the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment.

Betting that a man’s heart will never change was really the stupidest and most worthless thing in the world. But she would not say those words to Shen Zhen.

Shen Shu rubbed Shen Zhen’s long hair, “Zhen’er, if one day I choose to divorce him, it won’t be because he took a concubine.”

“Sister, are you hiding something else from me?” Shen Zhen asked.

“No.” Shen Shu covered her with a blanket, “You just took the medicine and go to sleep for a while.”

 

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First it was the medicinal herbs, then it was the imperial physician. Even a fool could understand what Lu Yan meant by his actions.

In Anhua Hall….

Empress Xu glanced at her sister-in-law, the eldest lady of the Xu family, Zou and then at Xu Yiqing, whose eyes were red, and she felt extremely upset.

“I have seen clearly what the Duke of Zhenguo’s Mansion is trying to do. I also heard that Doctor Wen was invited by Princess Jing’an.” Zou gritted her teeth and said, “I’m afraid that the Lu family will go to propose marriage as soon as Shen Wenqi arrives in the capital.”

Empress Xu closed her eyes and rubbed her temples, “I never thought that Third Young Lady Shen could marry into the Lu family.”

“If Third Young Lady Shen marries into the Lu family, it will not be a good thing for His Royal Highness, Prince Wei.”

“How could I not know what you mean?” Empress Xu rubbed her brows.

As the saying goes, when you loathe someone, that person must also loathe you, and this saying couldn’t be more appropriate when put on Shen Zhen and Xu Yiqing.

How much Shen Zhen disliked Xu Yiqing, was how much Xu Yiqing disliked Shen Zhen.

Xu Yiqing became even more uneasy after learning about Lu Yan’s feelings towards Shen Zhen.

She clenched her fist and said, “If Shen Zhen marries into the Duke of Zhenguo’s Mansion, then my elder brother being injured, isn’t it in vain?”

“Shut up!” Zou’s eyes turned red, and she said slowly, “Qingqing, please go out first. I have something to say to the Empress and you, an unmarried girl, can’t listen to it.”

After Xu Yiqing left, Empress Xu spoke first, “What did the doctor I found for Xu Wei say? How is he doing now?”

“Since Wei’er found out that he was injured in that place, he went crazy. He smashed all the porcelain in the mansion and almost strangled the concubine in the courtyard to death.”

Zou choked up and said, “It was not until the doctor that Your Majesty found came into the mansion that his mood gradually stabilized. The doctor used a lot of stimulating drugs on him.”

“How is he now?”

“He doesn’t feel anything, not even a little bit.” Zou’s tears fell, and she patted her chest and said, “I only have this one son! I haven’t even had a grandson yet!”

Having used so many stimulating medicines without feeling anything, Zou was also clear that it was beyond treatment. 

Empress Xu took a deep breath and said, “There are so many miraculous doctors in the world. I will find another one for Xu Wei. The most important thing right now is to keep him stable. Even if he is injured, he still needs to live on?”

Zou nodded quickly, “Your Highness is right.”

After Zou left, although Empress Xu did not lose her temper, her gaze was like an icy shard in the twelfth lunar month, making people feel cold. The palace maids and eunuchs were all silent, not daring to breathe.

The Anhua Palace was covered with dark clouds, but the sky in Jingzhao Prefecture was clear.

There were three days off for the Mid-Autumn Festival. Inundating the beginning of duty, the sound of gongs and drums were heard outside. The cases handed in by the county government were piled up half a foot high.

Lu Yan lowered his head and flipped through the case files, vaguely feeling that everyone around him was staring at him.

Lu Yan put the case file on the table and frowned, “What’s going on? Why are you all looking at me like that?”

Lieutenant Lu picked up the case file on the table and walked out.

Seeing that things were not going well, Meng Wei lowered his head and said in a panic, “I have to send these cases to Lord Zhou.”

Only Sun Xu raised the corner of his mouth, walked up to Lu Yan, and whispered: “Congratulations, Lord Lu.”

Lu Yan turned his head and glanced at him leisurely.

Sun Xu smiled even more, “I have something I want to ask.”

“Lord Sun, just ask frankly.” Lu Yan said.

“Can Miss Shen draw portraits?”

Sun Xu clearly remembered that last October, Lu Yan brought a female painter who wore a veil throughout the entire visit.

But because she was an excellent painter, had a nice voice, and a thin waist, Sun Xu had remembered her until now. The two figures in his memory gradually overlapped, and even if Lu Yan didn’t say it, Sun Xu had the answer.

Lu Yan frowned slightly and looked at him puzzled.

 

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