Higher Level Wife

by Usui Takumii

not mine, Kitchennovel. Waiting for the translater to update.

16. 141 to 145

A few moments later, the curtain was lifted. A beautiful young woman and three girls filed in, followed by several children and two or three married women.

The women all looked a little wary and reserved. All of them, except for the beautiful woman leading the entourage. The moment she saw Old Madam Jin, she broke formation and ran forward, throwing herself before the couch and crying, "Old Ancestor, Old Ancestor… This granddaughter thought that this granddaughter would never again meet Old Ancestor in this lifetime, but the Heavens have shown mercy, allowing this granddaughter to meet Old Ancestor again. Were I to die now, I shall rest in peace …"

Old Madam Jin also could not hold back her tears. She embraced the beautiful woman and cried, "Foolish child, what foolishness are you spouting? It is Heaven and Buddha's will that we manage to snatch this life back. Go and see your mother, she hasn't been able to eat or sleep well since your accident. Now that you are back safely, you can finally put her mind at ease."

Only then did Jin Yanfang stand up with tears in her eyes, throwing herself into her mother's embrace and crying bitterly. Having survived a disaster, she could finally allow herself to cry from the pressures of life. After all, aside from the safety of one's home, where else could she allow herself to properly express these sorrowful feelings?

Madam Jiang, Jiang Wanying, He'shi and the others were all wiping their tears as they came forward to offer comfort. Fu Qiuning [a1] awkwardly patted the crying Elder Madam who still hadn't stopped crying. She had to lower her head to reduce the second-hand embarrassment she was feeling at all the dramatic wailing. When the maids laid down several mats in front of the Old Madam so that the other women could come and kowtow to Old Madam without hurting their knees too much, [a1] she had to cover her face so that none of the kneeling people could see her fascinated expression. This was truly similar to the scene where Lady Daiyu first entered the estate [1]. Except, instead of one beautiful lady in poor circumstances, several flowers were being offered this time.

As she studied these beautiful ladies, her eyes focussed on the three young girls behind Jin Yanfang. Two were particularly beautiful, [a2] no wonder Jin Fengju specifically mentioned them to her. Did he want more women in his harem? Was that a hint? Or was he just hinting that he could get more women to make her jealous or something?

[a2] Frankly, she had no idea what he was thinking except that he must be scheming something behind her back. Considering his current obsession with her (that fellow was still trying to stuff her into that so-called Elegant Mansion place), it was unlikely that he was actually interested in any of these girls, pretty as they were. At a glance, if they could not be said to be considered diving fishes, plunging geese, veiled moons, or shy flowers [2], it would not be too much to consider them Jade Lake Fairies visiting the mundane world [3].

[b] Fu Qiuning was not alone in studying the three girls. Everyone was pretty astonished by the sudden influx of shockingly beautiful relatives. The girls understandably shrank back at the many eyes looking at them.

Jin Yanfang pulled a middle-aged woman over and said, "This is Concubine Mei." Then, pulling the three girls over, she introduced them one by one, "This is my eldest sister Feng Mingzhu, this is my second sister Feng Zhenzhu, and this is cousin Han Qixue." Then she pulled a pair of children who were hiding behind her and sobbed, "Come, come quickly and pay respects to your maternal great-grandmother. These two children are just too pitiful. From the moment of their birth, father-in-law was sent to a post outside and they have never even seen Old Ancestor's face."

The two children hurried forward to pay their respects, saying, "Greetings to Great-grandmother." Clearly, they had been carefully coached by their mother to speak so well. Old Madam Jin hastily ordered people to help the children up. Jin Luanfeng also entered to give his greetings. However, as a man, he could not be around a place with so many women and left before saying much.

Maids came in with chairs and Concubine Mei, Jin Yanfang and the rest of the ladies were invited to sit down. Once seated, no one dared to bring up the day of the robbery for fear of causing the ladies to feel depressed. Instead, questions were asked about what happened afterwards.

In a choked-up voice, Jin Yanfang said, "That day, Father-in-law and Husband met with disaster. All the brothers and men of the family, including the servants, were killed, leaving only the women behind. Fortunately, the bandits had no intention of humiliating the women, only selling us for money. The heavens must have pitied us for they did not sell us to a shameful place. Even so, we did not know where the others were sold.

Concubine Mei and the rest of us were lucky to be bought together by the wealthy merchant who treated us well. The merchant did not appear to covet Mingzhu, Zhenzhu and Qixue's beauty, nor did he separate us mother and children. Who would have thought that our luck went beyond this and Eldest Brother would appear at our doorstep? It was only then that we realised that the estate had caused a heaven-flipping and earth-churning commotion looking for us.

It's just… it's just this granddaughter really did not have the face to meet with Old Ancestor again. Especially now that father and elder brothers are all court officials, if this granddaughter were to bring shame upon the family reputation, even 10,000 deaths would be insufficient to atone for this granddaughter's sin!

This granddaughter has received courtly education since childhood. If this granddaughter's two children were not still so young, this granddaughter would have atoned for her sin with death. However, this granddaughter still had too many worries left in this world…" She closed [a3] her long narrative by covering her face and sobbing so hard that her shoulders heaved. Behind her, Concubine Mei and the other ladies also cried, [a3] providing background support for the main character.

Soon, the room was filled with sobs again.

[c1] Fu Qiuning had a hard time forcing the corners of her lips not to curl up at the excessive dramatics within the room. So, it looks like Jin Fengju was not the only one who likes to perform solo dramas. She could only bite her lip and wondered if she should even try and diffuse the situation or just let them enjoy themselves because seriously, she didn't know what's the etiquette, ah!

Jin Yanfang finally noticed her. Fu Qiuning found herself being stared at and wondered if they realised her true feelings. She was starting to get nervous when Jiang Wanying laughed and said, "Does Little Sister not know your sister-in-law? That's right, back when Elder Sister was wedded in, I'm afraid Little Sister has never seen her. Did you forget? She is your Elder Brother Fengju's wife, the shu-born daughter of Prince Zhenjiang."

This statement not only surprised Jin Yanfang, but Concubine Mei and the three cousin sisters as well. They faintly remembered that the young marquis of the Jinxiang Marquisate had indeed married an official wife with a poor background. Not only that, but, didn't they hear that it was a forced marriage? That from the moment she was wedded in, she lived like an abandoned wife in the marquisate? So… why was she here now?

Jin Yanfang was the most surprised. After all, she was there when the entire Jinxiang Marquisate suffered this deeply insulting situation. On the day she married out, she had more or less forgotten about the existence of this sister-in-law of hers. How was it that she would suddenly reappear here? Seated next to Jiang Wanying with such a tranquil expression and so gorgeously dressed too?

Though her heart was wary, nothing but sweet remarks crossed her lips. Jin Yanfang and the rest of the girls came over to give their greetings to Fu Qiuning, who hastily moved to return them. It was at this moment that the maids outside suddenly called out, "Second Master has returned."

The curtains parted and in walked Jin Fengju in elegant steps. He was dressed in a water-green outfit, a jade belt wrapped around his waist. Instead of a cap with a jade, his hair was half pinned up with a single jade hairpin, leaving the rest to float gently in the winds, striking a suave and jade-like affluent figure.

"Second Elder Brother," as soon as Jin Yanfang saw him, her eyes reddened and she flung herself to him excitedly. Jin Fengju quickly caught her and said with a smile, "It's good that you're back, so long as you're safe."

Jin Yanfang nodded. She wiped her tears and introduced the Feng side of the family to Jin Fengju. The three girls had never seen the young marquis who was said to be famous in the capital, and now that they have met in person, they could not help but have their maidenly hearts fluttering wildly, all of them quickly saluting with a faint hint of shyness on their cheeks, making themselves look especially pitiful and sweet.

Jin Fengju spared them a single glance. He thought: Well, looks like the rumours were true. What a bunch of beauties.

He smiled faintly and said, "Do sit down. Think of this place as your own home, there is no need to be reserved." Then, he stepped before Old Madam Jin and said with a smile, "This grandson greets Old Ancestor. Where is Elder Brother?"

Old Madam Jin smiled and said, "He left soon after escorting your younger sister here. I believe he should be at the study right now. Is there no business at court today?"

Jin Fengju laughed and said, "Today is the fortuitous day of Younger Sister's return. No matter what business there is, I must delay it." Then, he turned to his mother and asked, "Any letters from Elder Sister? When I saw Prince Rong today, he kept stammering and swallowing his words. I'm not sure what is going on with them. He asked me to visit him, but with so many things going on, where would I find the time to do so?"

Madam Jiang frowned, "No letters, ah. Surely there's nothing wrong?"

Jin Fengju nodded and said, "No news is good news. It must be some small matter between husband and wife." He turned to Jin Yanfang, refraining from asking about the murders. He kept the conversation light, focusing on her stay at Yangzhou these past few days as well as her journey to the Capital. Jin Yanfang answered each of his questions one by one.

Jin Fengju then got up and said, "Old ancestor, since all is fine here, this grandson will retire. I shall go to the study and see Elder Brother and ask after the Yangzhou matters."

Old Madam Jin laughed and said, "Go quickly, ba. It is only right for you and your brother to focus on proper business."

He smiled faintly at this before stepping back and making his way out. On the way, he noticed Qiuning sitting next to Jiang Wanying. Beaming with delight, he leaned forward to whisper a few words into her ear. His action was immediately noted by everyone, [d1] Jin Yanfang being especially surprised by this.

Jin Fengju was actually whispering for Fu Qiuning to quickly move to Elegant Mansion, saying that if she did not move, it would be occupied by other people. [c2] Fu Qiuning froze in place. She thought: Why is he saying this to me now? Is this some kind of joke? Is he provoking Jiang Wanying who is sitting right next to me and deliberately hurting her? Did he think it would make me happy to see him hurt my 'rival'?

[c2] Fu Qiuning turned calm eyes at Jin Fengju. There was really nothing she could say. No action she could do would make whatever he was whispering to her ear be something other than a teasing spat between lovers. Her grip tightened on the handkerchief. How disgusting. The people of these so-called noble houses are just too disgusting. She had just witnessed a roomful of women sobbing and wailing as though they were about to raise the dead for people they barely know, and now…

[c2] Now this so-called brilliant man is putting on a show of being intimate with her in the entire room for the benefit of the old vixen, his other wives and concubines and… what? The other beauties? Was she supposed to feel touched by this?

[c2] Thoughts such as these roiled in her head and she pressed the handkerchief to her mouth, trying not to throw up. Jin Fengju was now saying something that sounded soothing, but she merely shook her head, moved the handkerchief over her nose and sniffed.

[c2] The smile on Jin Fengju's face stiffened for a moment, but the wattage increased as he beamed around the room before finally leaving.

Feng Mingzhu, Feng Zhenzhu and others had been secretly observing this action. All of them were thinking: Her looks are nothing special, so how did she grab the Young Marquis' gaze with more to spare? Even those few concubines had better birthrights than her, not to mention the Duke's granddaughter, whether it is status or appearance, was so much better than her.

While the roomful of ladies was thinking thus, Old Madam Jin asked, "The two Miss Feng and Miss Han, do you have any family members or relatives in the Capital?"

The hearts of the Feng sisters and Han Qixue seized for a moment, and all three girls lowered their heads. Jin Yanfang sighed and said, "The Feng clan has always been thin in numbers. Father-in-law was a son of a branch family in remote lands. After moving to the Capital, there was not much contact with the clan. Now that he is gone, I am afraid that the clan may not be willing to take in my two sisters, not to mention Sister Han."

Old Madam Jin said, "If that is the case, then from now on, you can stay here. We have prepared the Yong Cui Garden residences for you. The journey was long, have the servants escort you to rest. Once you've rested for a while, take the ladies for a tour around the estate. It is good to familiarise yourself with the place."

Jin Yanfang, Feng Mingzhu and the others quickly rose and said, "Many thanks for your care, Old Ancestor." After that, Old Madam Jin nodded and had people escort them out.

Madam Jiang, Madam Fang, Jiang Wanying, Fu Qiuning and the others were also busy bidding their farewells, but Old Madam Jin suddenly said, "Qiuning, stay for a while. I have something to say to you. The rest of you may leave."

Jiang Wanying's expression did not change when she turned to face Fu Qiuning. Although jealousy and hatred were burning in her heart, there was nothing she could do about it but leave after making a sound of agreement. Once the room had emptied out, leaving only a few trusted maidservants, Old Madam Jin smiled benevolently at Fu Qiuning, "Ning girl, ah. Do not make things difficult for Fengju. Won't moving early into Elegant Mansion save all of us a lot of worries?"

Fu Qiuning had long known that this [a4] old vixen was just dying to assist her sleazy grandson in harassing her. Therefore, she had her answer prepared. It was not much of a preparation, actually. [a4] Like Jin Fengju, Old Madam's strategy was mostly guilt-tripping and wrapping her true intention under an act of benevolence. The application of simple logic and a bit of drama was good enough to counter their tricks.

[a4] Thus, she sighed theatrically and said, "Old Ancestor, it is not that this granddaughter-in-law lacks understanding. It's just… after six years, this granddaughter-in-law has gotten used to living at Night Breeze Pavilion. Old Madam was there when Elder Madam and Little Sister Wan came storming into my place. Though Night Breeze Pavilion is far away and secluded, I still attract jealousy and hatred. Were I to move into the inner court, who knows what kind of disputes or battles would happen? How many schemes and plots would I, and the poor children, be subjected to?

Moreover, with so many guests settling into the estate, are we to entertain them with jealous and spiteful battles all day long? Old Ancestor, do forgive this granddaughter-in-law for being crude with her words but, this granddaughter-in-law is unwilling to become entertainment for others."

The Old Madam sighed. She thought of trying to persuade Fu Qiuning again, but seeing Fu Qiuning's [c3] distraught expression, the Old Madam grudgingly thought back to the time when she was younger. She had been stubborn back then too. Once she had made up her mind, it was difficult for anyone to change it.

Finally, she could only nod and say, "Enough, since you have said so, this old lady have will not rebuke you. Do as you wish."

Fu Qiuning got up and bid her farewell, returning to Night Breeze Pavilion with Yu Jie and Jian Feng.

Gumihou: In your opinion, what kind of person is Yanfang? She kind of feels like an NPC to me, just there to make FQN and JFJ (and Old Madam) look good.

For anyone interested to know why I can be so certain about JFJ and FQN's character, well, I talk to them. Or, they talk to each other while I listen in. Anyway, here's one of the excerpts that happened purely inside Gumi's mind:

AR Qiuning: *sobbing, screaming, throwing up* Sister Yanfaaaang~~ *sob!*

Jin Yanfang: Who is that?

Fu Qiuning: A pest

Jin Yanfang: Do you know me?

Fu Qiuning: No?

Gumi rushing in with talismans stuck to the end of a stick like a feather duster: Coming through, coming through~ Sorry, we've been trying to get rid of this nuisance for a while. Apologies~

Jin Yanfang: Why is my character so bland? Look at this line: Jin Yanfang answered each of his questions one by one. It's literally just that.

Gumihou: Sorry, you're just here to make others look good. But don't worry, you're covered under USMiC (Union in Support of Minor Characters). We will do our best to flesh out your character once we have received more information.

Pill Bug TL Notes:

[1] Referencing 红楼梦 Dream of the Red Chamber, part 3, 林黛玉进贾府 Lin Daiyu Enters the Jia Estate

[2] Chinese idiom. "闭月、羞花、沉鱼、落雁" "Veiled Moon, Shy Flowers, Diving Fishes, Plunging Geese" is a historical allusion composed of wonderful stories: "Diving Fishes" tells the story of Xi Shi when she washed the yarn; "Plunging Geese" refers to the story of Zhaojun going out of the fortress; "Veiled Moon" tells the story of Diao Chan worshipping the moon; "Shy Flowers" tells the story of Yang Guifei watching flowers.

[3] Another Chinese idiom. 瑶池 is the Jade Lake on Mount Kunlun (where deities cultivate)

Gumi's Notes:

[a] Added details

[a1] Add awkwardness to FQN's actions, because seriously…

Fu Qiuning: I don't know this female from Eve!

[a2] Add reasons why she thinks JFJ brought these girls up

[a3] Add ridicule. Because the loooong sob story is really ridiculous.

[a4] Add details to show Old Madam's sleaziness. Because she is a sleazy old vixen.

[b] Adjust the text to make it more Fu Qiuning-ish (the real one)

[c] Replacement:

[c1] Replaced sympathetic AR Qiuning with cynical Fu Qiuning.

Deleted a half-hearted: It was hard to pacify them. In order to clear the air, Fu Qiuning asked a few questions about the situation in the capital.

The line was mostly there to put AR Qiuning into the situation to make it look like she had anything to do with these absolute complete strangers

[c2] In view of [d1] switch POV from JFJ to FQN. Delete the 'humph~ pui~!' reaction from AR Qiuning and maintain a more realistic FQN reaction AND point of view.

Clearly delete this line as well, mostly because it's disgusting: The result was that Qiuning rolled her eyes and spat gently. Only after that did he leave with a smile.

Fu Qiuning: …

Gumihou: … there, there, Gumi's been taking off JFJ's whitewashing since 2022, not planning to stop anytime soon

[c3] Switch out 'firm expression' for 'distraught expression'. Because we are totally sick and tired of all your BS. A 'firm expression' only denotes wilful stubbornness and did not carry as much weight. Also, it just makes Old Madam delude herself into thinking 'oh my~~ this lady is the same as me when I was young~~'

[d] Deleted:

[d1] Deleted 'the volume was very low and others could not hear' because dude, you're already whispering?! Also, deleted 'everyone was used to seeing them like this except…' because when? Haahhhh?! When?! This never happened! Don't invent situations that did not exist! For all the teehee teehee scenes, this 'whispering intimately' scene NEVER appeared in writing!

This scene was clearly taken out of someone's ass for the Beauties' benefits and for readers to see just how much JFJ lurrrve FQN. Absolute NOPE.

A few steps into Yong Cui Garden, Jian Feng said, "Madam, is that the Elegant Mansion mentioned by Old Madam? Why don't we go in and have a look around?"

Fu Qiuning smiled, "What is there to see? Isn't it just another courtyard?"

Hearing this, Yu Jie chimed in, "It's not like we are moving in, so what if we go and have a look? We have been exploring the garden these past two days, but have not visited this place yet because it is too far away from Night Breeze Pavilion." Knowing how proud her mistress was, she quickly grabbed Fu Qiuning by the hand and ran into the courtyard.

"The Young Marquis is right, this Elegant Mansion is indeed not inferior to Night Breeze Pavilion," said Fu Qiuning as she studied the exquisite courtyard with its rich row of plantains and strategic clumps of peach and apricot trees. One side of the courtyard was a rockery made up of several large Taihu stones [1] dotted with seasonal flowers. Unlike Night Breeze Pavilion's wide garden filled with spices and flowers, the flowers there were mostly climbing vines of roses, honeysuckle and some small yellow flowers which Fu Qiuning did not recognise. The layered petals of the little flowers gave them a very beautiful appearance.

A sudden breeze carried a burst of fragrance in the air, surprising Fu Qiuning as she turned around and looked for the source of the fragrance. She spotted a cluster of pink and purple flowers at the northeast corner of the courtyard. They were Thorny Roses, the source of the strong fragrance.

Fu Qiuning was at once surprised and delighted to see her favourite flowers from her previous life. Back then, Thorny Roses [2] were planted everywhere in her neighbourhood and at the Chinese Opera Academy and Opera Troupe where she had worked for a short while. The strong and pleasant fragrance [3a] brought her back to her past life where she had once studied, worked and even performed briefly to a small audience.

[3a] A wave of nostalgia washed over her as the fragrance seemed to wrap around her and transport her back to the mornings of hard work, children's off-key singing and the music of modern Chinese Opera.

Fu Qiuning [4a] touched the petals of the Thorny Rose. The scent had once been so gorgeous that she, in a fit of romantic mood, had even collected the petals to make soap with them. However, after transmigrating into this ancient pseudo-China, she had never seen them. Thinking that it might be because these roses didn't exist yet, she had not thought much about them. Who would have thought that she would find these flowers in the corner of Elegant Mansion? How could she not be happy?

Jian Feng and Yu Jie walked over to smile and say, "This flower is the least valuable one in the garden, almost worthless. Who would have thought that we would see it here? I really can't see what the gardeners were thinking when they brought it in."

Fu Qiuning said, "What do you mean worthless? Is it their bad fragrance or the bad-looking flowers? I happen to like them. Only, I have never seen them here before."

Yu Jie and Jian Feng tittered, "These flowers are common among ordinary folk. As a daughter born into an aristocratic family, it's natural that you've never seen them. Though, I believe it is not uncommon to find them in the countryside. These flowers are very easy to grow. If Madam likes them, we can collect a few cuttings and plant them in the courtyard. It would be lovely to smell this fragrance whenever a breeze passes by, isn't it so?"

Fu Qiuning said nothing. She stared at the flowers for a moment before sighing a long sigh and said, "Come, let's have a look at the rest of the place."

They followed the path down a corridor and discovered that Elegant Mansion had no fewer rooms than Night Breeze Pavilion. It was, after all, one of the largest courtyards in the Garden. Though the rear garden could not be compared to Night Breeze Pavilion's, it was not small either. There were several pear and peach trees planted there, along with other flowering trees. More flowers climbed the fence that surrounded the property, giving the place a little more character.

After exploring the Elegant Mansion, the group of ladies were just stepping through the gates when they heard the faint sound of laughter. A few more steps brought them face to face with maids placed to serve Jin Yanfang, the Feng Sisters and Cousin Han [5]. The young maids were chasing each other in the garden, looking like delicate fluttery butterflies themselves as they laughed and darted between the flowering bushes. When they saw Qiuning, none of them recognised her as the Second Young Madam of the estate. However, a few older, more experienced matrons recognised her and quickly rushed forward to greet her. The young maids hurriedly followed their seniors and gave their salutations as well.

Fu Qiuning waved a hand at them. After exchanging some meaningless conversations with Jin Yanfang about her well-being and whether she was used to being in the estate again, she left with Yu Jie and Jian Feng. Unexpectedly, the Feng Sisters [5] and Cousin Han were standing a little way away, just behind a flowering tree. After Fu Qiuning left, they approached Jin Yanfang to say, "Sister-in-law, why did Second Madam Ning come to the garden, but did not come and see us? Is she truly here for a stroll?"

Jin Yanfang smiled and said, "Surely you also know about the matter that happened a few years ago? My sister-in-law's status is a burden to her. Thus, when she married in, she was arranged to stay at Night Breeze Pavilion the moment she entered the estate. By the time I married out, the people in the estate had more or less forgotten anyone was living here. Who would have thought that in the four years I married out, my sister-in-law would begin speaking with my Second Brother, ah? Fate is tricky and fortune fickle, and even I never imagine that Second Brother would ever speak to her in this lifetime."

Feng Zhenzhu smiled and said, "That must have been six or seven years ago, right? When we heard that Zhenjiang's Heir forced a marriage between the Young Marquis and his shu-born daughter, we all felt very indignant for the Young Marquis. However, we heard that Lady Fu is a talented person and a graceful beauty, and as a talented woman, she clearly matches the brilliant Young Marquis. This must be why she could regain the Young Marquis' favour. However, I am curious, how is it that her children are so old? Did she not enter the estate at the same time as Second Madam Wan? But, her children are clearly two or three years older than Madam Wan's."

"This is our family secret," Jin Yanfang sighed. She then narrated the story of Jin Changfeng and Jin Changjiao. After all, these younger sisters-in-law would be living there soon. Even if she did not tell them that day, they would learn of it sooner or later. What's more, she was close to these sisters and trusted them to be discreet, which was why she revealed the truth to them.

"So that's how it is," the two sisters and cousin were finally enlightened.

Seeing that Fu Qiuning had already disappeared, Jin Yanfang said, "Let us also return. You have already seen two courtyards. I was initially afraid that the place would need a lot of cleaning and renovations, and never thought it would all be so well taken care of. From now on, please treat this place as your own home. I, your sister-in-law, have no ability of my own and could only beg Second Brother to introduce [5] good sons from strong families to marry you. Once you are married, then all my worries shall settle."

Feng Zhenzhu's cheeks reddened and she lowered her head. Feng Mingzhu opened her mouth and softly said, "Many thanks to Sister-in-law. We must have troubled you. In fact, the Duke of Jing's estate has shown great benevolence in taking Sister-in-law in. There was absolutely no reason to support us. It is all Sister-in-law's kindness that we now have a place to live. Please accept this little sister's thanks…"

With that Feng Mingzhu, along with Feng Zhenzhu and Han Qixue, knelt down.

Jin Yanfang hurried over to pull them up. She sighed and said, "Aren't we a family? Why say such things? It is one thing if I am helpless, but if I could be of help, I will naturally do my best. Let us leave it at that."

After sending them away, she returned to Pillow Moon Pavilion. She found Madam Fang waiting for her and hurried over to say, "When did Mother arrive? Just now, this daughter sent off the other ladies. Thank you, Mother, for making the arrangements and caring so much for this daughter…" as she spoke, tears filled her eyes again.

Madam Fang quickly pulled her hands, sat her down and reached out to wipe the tears. With a smile, she said, "It has nothing to do with Mother. You must thank your Second Brother properly. That day, when he found that you were in trouble, he reassured your mother, saying that so long as you are alive, no matter what, no one within the Duke of Jing's estate would look down on you. Aih, your Second Brother is just too wonderful a person. As the most favoured person by the emperor's side, who in this estate would dare to ignore his words?

If not for his words, who knows how many days Mother would worry? All is well now. Moreover, your Second Sister-in-law Wan was the one who had arranged for the clean-up and renovations. She had put in a lot of effort to not make your sisters-in-law feel like outside dependents."

"No matter how well the care is, it is still not home. How could they not feel like outsiders?" Jin Yanfang's eyes reddened. She shook her head and sighed, "Mother, I am the same. I am merely here to raise Zhan'er and Yu'er. I have nowhere else to go. My elder brothers are all affectionate and reasonable people while my sisters-in-law are all fair and sensible, and would likely not take offence to my presence.

However, I believe it is best to quickly find some good families for the three young ladies to marry into. You have seen them too. They are all talented and gorgeous beauties still not yet in their twenties. Surely it is best to marry them out soon?"

Madam Fang laughed and said, "This is a good suggestion. Just beg your Second Brother to pay a little attention at court. Surely this is no great matter to him?"

Mother and daughter chatted for a long while before Madam Fang finally left to let her daughter rest as she left Pillow Moon Pavilion and return to her own residence.

Please read this at kitchennovel dot com ~

Let us speak of matters on Jin Fengju's side.

Jin Fengju found Jin Luanfeng in his study and the two talked about Jiangnan's matters. When he found that his elder brother was doing well, Jin Fengju was relieved. Jin Luanfeng smiled and said, "You have killed off so many officials in Yangzhou City and Jiangnan that the atmosphere there had taken on a reinvigorated perspective. The common folk likened you to Qing Tian [6]. When they heard that I am your elder brother, the support was overwhelming.

I often hear praises being sung on your behalf. Even I, your brother, am being looked up to just by being your brother. What's more, stories about how you travelled down the South of the Yangtze River to punish corrupt officials were being told at restaurants. I have seen with my own eyes how the people cheered. Elder Brother Peng told me that this season's salt tax would be sent to the palace soon. According to the preliminary calculations, the amount would be more than what was paid in the whole of last year.

Those salt merchants were the most ridiculous people I have ever met. According to the commoners, those merchants had always been insufferably arrogant. Those [7] side-walking crabs had lorded over Yangzhou City for a long time. However, they now must restrain themselves and none of them dares to act out."

Jin Fengju nodded, "It's good to see improvement. How is Yangzhou City now? When I first entered the city in disguise, the streets were dirty and filled with miserable people. However, when the Imperial Envoy officially arrived, the beggars on the streets inexplicably disappeared and everyone was brightly dressed. It was clear that those people were too used to falsifying situations."

Jin Luanfeng smiled and said, "Should you come and visit Yangzhou City in the future, you will find that it is now completely different from before. Though there are still beggars in the streets, they are people who refused to work. When asked, they said something about the cheerful life of a beggar and enjoyed loafing around, waiting for people to hand them alms. In short, Jiangnan is becoming more prosperous."

Jin Fengju nodded and sighed, "It is Jiangnan after all. A paradise-like place. I'm sure it would recover most of its original vitality in a few months."

And so, he asked a few more questions about Jin Yanfang and the others. Knowing that Jin Luanfang would need to pack up and leave for business once more, he left.

Gumihou: This Elegant Mansion visit appeared to be a badly disguised gush that roughly interprets as 'aww~~ JFJ is sooo sweeett~~~! Kyaa~~!' In fact, the entire chapter appeared to be dedicated to one thing and one thing only. Try and guess what that thing is.

Jin Yanfang: … am I a joke to you people?

Feng Sisters: … why are we here?

Gumihou: …yeah, um, to polish someone's ass. Chop, chop, out with the flattery.

Jin Luanfeng: … my little bro is so awesome, so kick ass, so-

Gumihou: Let's not go overboard, yeah?

Madam Fang: Aih, there is no brillianter man, no awesomer guy, no magnificenter-

Fu Qiuning: Just shut up

[1] Taihu Stones – large porous stones produced at the foot of Dongting Mountain, close to Lake Tai. Hence 'Tai hu' or 'Lake Tai' stones.

[2] Thorny Roses – it's unclear whether these are actual species or just some made-up flowers. Especially since most roses have thorns, albeit these are probably the climbing type. Here is a list of possible candidates.

[3] Add Details:

[3a] Go beyond just 'I like~ tee hee~~' to connect the scent to her past life. I guess the author had no wish to make FQN miss the modern world beyond surface-level nostalgia to make her more susceptible to a certain someone's advances.

This scene was originally quite superficial, meant for JFJ to score points with FQN. Naturally, Gumi hijacked the scene and make FQN homesick instead.

[4] Adjusted Details:

[4a] Move the 'touching petal' scene up.

The 'common' Thorny Rose might be something like a touching metaphor for Fu Qiuning, however, the author accidentally allowed Gumi to make FQN homesick for modern China instead of letting it be a cheap 'sigh, I has hots for hot man~~' scene.

[5] Author seemed to have forgotten about the cousin until later, Gumi stuffed her in early.

Han Qixue: … am I invisible?

[6] Qing Tian – probably Pao Qing Tian or Justice Pao. Also known as Bao Zheng or Bao Gong. He was known as Justice Pao (Pao Qing Tian) due to his ability to defend peasants and commoners against corruption or injustice.

Qing Tian – 青天 – carries the meaning of 'clear skies' or 'upright and honourable' thus 'Justice'

[7] Side Walking Crabs – alludes to the idiom of 横行霸道 (hénɡ xínɡ bà dào)

Literally: Side Walking Despot

Meaning – to oppress or rule over someone else

So, why crabs? The side walking or 'heng xing' alludes to crabs. The 'ba dao' happens to have the word 'ba' which is a homophone for eight, and crabs have eight legs. The idiom actually runs deeper than that, naturally, but you could also imagine it as someone with ego so big they had to move sideways to enter a doorway, lol

After stepping out of the courtyard, Jin Fengju thought for a moment before making his way towards Night Breeze Pavilion. On the way, he passed through Yong Cui Garden and heard gentle sparkling laughter in the distance. He could not help but smile, thinking: Now that the garden is once more occupied, it is as though life has returned to it. From now on, Qiuning need not worry about getting lost. Too bad she has steeled her heart and is unwilling to move. Otherwise, won't she find Elegant Mansion much better than Night Breeze Pavilion? I can also be closer to her and allow her to take charge of some matters in the estate, finally letting her feel less aggrieved.

All sorts of thoughts occupied his mind as he slowly made his way towards Night Breeze Pavilion. He found several maids and servants busy trimming and cleaning up the lush herb and flower gardens. When they noticed him, they all stopped their work to salute him. Jin Fengju nodded at them. [a] He was about to continue on his way when Yu Jie came trotting over with a rather mysterious smile on her face. When she finally reached his side, the smile widened and she said, "Today, this maid successfully pulled Madam for a little stroll at Elegant Mansion. Madam likes the place very much. How will Master thank me?"

Jin Fengju was pleasantly surprised. He quickly replied, "What? Your Madam has agreed to move there?"

[a] The words have barely left his mouth when he saw the maid's expression fall as she muttered, "How can matters be so easy? Master is too impatient. Just dragging Madam into Elegant Mansion for a look is already a great feat on its own. Master sure is greedy, wishing to grow fat with just one mouthful."

Laughter spilt out of Jin Fengju as he untied the coin purse from his waist. He took out two pieces of gold leaves and handed them to her, praising, "Yu Jie has done well. Continue to work this way, this Master promises great rewards in your future."

"When all is said and done, Master is most generous, casually rewarding people with gold leaves," Yu Jie was beaming so widely that she could not close her mouth. She quickly stuffed the gold leaves into her own purse. After a quick look to make sure Fu Qiuning was not around, she stepped closer to say, "Master should have more Thorny Roses planted at Elegant Mansion. Though the courtyard is resplendent with many kinds of flowers and trees, Madam only has eyes for those roses alone. She stood before the patch of Thorny Roses for a long time and even said that she likes the fragrance."

Jin Fengju was surprised, "She likes those? [a] I see. I shall have people fill both the front and rear gardens with Thorny Roses. Any other information?"

"None for now," Yu Jie shook her head. Then, she grinned cheekily and said, "Even so, Master should not be discouraged. [a1] Master treats Madam so well, that this maid is sure that one day, things will go as Master wishes~"

"Then, I'll accept your good advice," Jin Fengju smiled. "Is your Madam within the house?"

"Yes, she is, Master, please enter." Now that she was done speaking, Yu Jie skittered away.

Jin Fengju entered Fu Qiuning's room and saw her concentrating on her embroidery. With her head down, he found himself staring at the exposed nape showing just above her collar. The jade-white skin with a hint of blush made his fingers itch and he could not resist stroking the soft neck.

Fu Qiuning appeared to know that he was there. She did not look up, only moving slightly away before saying, "Don't touch me, it itches. I heard you and Yu Jie talking just now. For how much did that hussy sell me out for?"

Jin Fengju laughed out loud and said, "Sure enough, the master knows their servants best. You want to know what she told me?" then, he went on to recount the information he received from Yu Jie.

Fu Qiuning could not help but laugh and say, "You are too generous. Two gold leaves for this bit of information? Why don't you give me a hundred leaves and I'll tell you more."

"If you are willing to move over now, how about a box of gold ingots?" Jin Fengju said, [a] then added with a winning smile, "I just came from the garden. With Little Sister Fang and the girls now living there, the garden has become very lively. If you move in now, it would not be miserable and lonely…"

[b1] Fu Qiuning waited until he ran out of breath before saying with a polite smile, "You are certainly persistent. How long do you intend to nag me about this matter?"

Jin Fengju huffed and said righteously, "I will only stop once you've moved in. Until then, you shall be subjected to this husband's flowery tongue."

[b2] "Ha ha ha, I still recall the evening when the children first arrived. It was your first visit a year after our wedding. The Young Marquis was very cold, so noble that he seemed inviolable. What happened to that person?"

Jin Fengju held his forehead and muttered, "You still remember that time? It's been more than a year, surely you cannot still be holding a grudge, right? If I had known back then that I would end up in this situation, I would never be so cold-hearted. I would have flattered and fawned over you~"

Fu Qiuning [c1] paused over her embroidery, "It had been more than six years actually. I remembered because it was a rather… unforgettable day."

[c1] Jin Fengju, "… …"

Jin Fengju was saved from [c1] the awkward situation by running footsteps. Aunt Yu's voice was heard saying, "What's the matter, why such a panic? It is as if you are being chased by dogs."

"Is the Master here?"

Jin Fengju immediately recognised Xi Ming's voice. He was the servant who was usually in charge of looking after the study. He stood up, lifted the curtain, and said, "I'm here, what is it? Catch your breath first before speaking."

"The Princess Consort… the Princess Consort and Prince Rong have arrived. The front and rear courtyards are in disarray. Old Master… Old Master bade Young Marquis to quickly come to Health & Longevity Court." The boy had clearly run all the way there and was now bent over, panting like a dog.

Jin Fengju was stunned, his eyebrows locked together as he turned to Fu Qiuning and said, "Quick, quickly change clothes, come with me to see Brother-in-law and Elder Sister."

Fu Qiuning frowned, "Is it Prince Rong and Princess Consort Rong? Lord Husband, perhaps it is better for this humble woman to not go, it would just provoke anger…"

Before she could finish, Jin Fengju interrupted: "Stop talking about this and that, that is the Prince and Princess Consort. As my official wife, how can you not be present? Quickly and go tidy up."

Qiuning was helpless, she thought: [c2] Just what is he trying to do now? Drag me before royalty so that I can never crawl back into the security of anonymity? Is that it? That must be it.

In the end, she could only sigh, change her clothes and follow Jin Fengju out of the Night Breeze Pavilion. On the way, she muttered, "Can't you just treat me the same as when you were giving me the cold shoulder before? Must I be dragged along to join the merriment? Don't you think there are enough people there already?"

Jin Fengju burst out laughing, "I have already spoken to Elder Sister and Brother-in-law about you and they are eager to see you in person. If you still make excuses and do not see them, isn't it too disrespectful? Etiquette must never be ignored."

As they entered Yong Cui Garden, he continued, "It takes at least seven and a half minutes to get through the entire garden. Well? Now, do you understand the disadvantages of staying at Night Breeze Pavilion? If something urgent comes up, it would all be too late."

Fu Qiuning smiled, "[b1] Indeed, it is as the Master says. Master should definitely avoid my remote Night Breeze Pavilion in the future."

"Good, you still remain stubborn. Very well, look at how we are rushing now. Can you still be so hard-headed when you become tired?" Jin Fengju hatefully poked Qiuning's hair. Just then, a blooming rose caught his eye, and he quickly picked it, sticking the flower into her hair. With another [d1] dramatic sigh, he said, "I have given you so much jewellery, but you refuse to wear any of them. Look, look, look, there is only a single beaded hairpin on this head. As for those phoenix hairpins and buyao hairpins [1], what are you letting them lie inside their boxes for?"

"I am waiting for them to bear offspring, [b1]" Fu Qiuning said as she continued to stride forward. [c3] It was not hard for her to walk quickly, but being pestered all the way here was not fun. Bursts of laughter caught her attention and she saw maids collecting reeds and weaving baskets in one corner. She [1] said, "I supposed Sister Fang and the rest must be there now."

"Naturally. They are much closer than us, they should already be sitting in Health & Longevity Court at this moment." Jin Fengju said and saw Qiuning's face already full of sweat. Feeling some pricks of pain in his heart, he took her hand and said, "Slow down a bit, this is not something very urgent."

Fu Qiuning thought: Then why are you hurrying earlier as though their place was on fire? Aren't you just randomly deciding things on your own?

[d2] She casually patted her face with a handkerchief and accepted the slower pace. She would just throw him under the bus later if they blamed her for being late. When they finally saw the gates leading out from Yong Cui Garden, she sighed with relief, [c3] "Being rushed is too unpleasant. The road feels longer when rushed."

"Then hurry up and move to Elegant Mansion, wouldn't that fix everything?" Jin Fengju immediately saw the crack and threaded the needle.

[d2] Fu Qiuning suddenly stopped, "You know, I don't feel at all well. I do believe I should just go back."

[d2] "What, wait-" Jin Fengju grabbed Fu Qiuning's hand and was about to coax her when he saw Jin Ming waiting at the garden gate. Glad for the distraction, he said, "Have you seen the prince and the princess consort? What's the situation?"

Jin Ming said quietly, "Reporting back to Master, the situation did not look right. The prince and princess consort's expressions looked very cold. Master, you must come quickly. This servant fears that the Old Madam's would turn into a winter scene [2]. Matters would worsen even more."

Jin Fengju turned to Qiuning and begin to [d1] talk quickly, "A while ago, Brother-in-law came looking for me, but with so many things happening, and Sister Fang's incident, I did not have the opportunity to see him. I only knew that he and Elder Sister were fine, but how did such a thing happen? Come, let us go inside."

[d2] Then, without letting Fu Qiuning have an opportunity to protest, he pulled her with him toward Health & Longevity Court. He feared that if he tried to make another joke, Fu Qiuning might actually turn around and leave for real.

[d2] How relieved he was when the maids spotted them and called out joyfully, "Second Master and Second Madam Ning are here."

Jin Fengju entered the house to see his elder sister speaking with Jin Yanfang. Prince Rong was seated on her other side, but only Madam Jiang spoke to him occasionally. At the sight of Jin Fengju, he leapt to his feet, looking very relieved.

Madam Jiang smiled and said, "The prince has been waiting for you, quickly come and greet the prince."

Jin Fengju dragged Qiuning forward to greet Prince Rong and his wife. Without waiting for Prince Rong to speak, Princess Consort Rong pulled Qiuning over and, with a smile that wasn't a smile on her face, said, "My good little brother has finally been tamed. Qiuning is certainly more skilful than I am. Well? Go on, go speak with your brother-in-law. With him here, no one is at ease."

Jin Fengju thought: Elder Sister seems to be warning me, ah. However, I have no idea why…

Even so, he and Prince Rong bid farewell to Madam Jin and the rest and proceeded to leave the room. Once outside, Prince Rong seized Jin Fengju's arm.

Jin Fengju tried to lead them to his father's study, but Prince Rong refused. Therefore, he had no choice but to lead the way to his own study instead. [a2] As soon as they were in the study, he grumbled, "Brother-in-law, you are a prince. How could you carelessly visit a civilian's house as you like? Moreover, there is not even a single ceremonial guard around. If the courtiers find out, you and I could be denounced before the emperor."

Even though he was a prince, Zhao Lun was intimate enough with his brother-in-law that such complaints were seen as just that, complaints and not a cause for rebellion. He sighed gustily and said, "Fengju, ah. Things are a complete mess now. So what if I'm a bit careless? Who cares what they say? I'm just visiting my father-in-law's house. That's nothing, I'll just listen to a few words of reprimand from Imperial Father and that would be it. However, if this other thing were to erupt, I… I am finished."

"Just what is so serious?" Jin Fengju waved for Prince Rong to take a seat. Then, he ordered Cai Lian and Bi Yu to prepare tea. Once the maids retreated, Prince Rong stared at their retreating figure in a daze. [1] He said, "Just now, when I came into the estate, I passed by many beautiful maids. Those two that serve you just now, haven't they been with you for a long time? You do not want to add more?"

"What's the use of adding more when I don't make use of them? It would only make them sad. The way they stare at me every day is… anyway, it would only bring me trouble, so why add unnecessary trouble to my life? Moreover, Cai Lian and Bi Yu are very good. Both are gentle and obedient with a mature temperament. I don't need young maids with delusions of grandeur. I believe it would be difficult for me to find two such understanding maids," Jin Fengju explained with a smile.

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration lit up his mind and he stared at Prince Rong with suspicious eyes, "Brother-in-law, surely you have not provoked some women on the side and made Elder Sister unhappy? Even so, you are a prince so it's no big deal. It is not right for Elder Sister to be annoyed for so long, ah."

[Gumihou: Yeah, she should not be annoyed, ah. As expected, JFJ's set characteristic is the same. Nice to know. Now, if only FQN's set character remains the same without the weird glitches.]

Pill Big TL Notes:

[1] Previously stated in C42, a buyao is this dangly hairpin that is designed to sway around while the wearer moves a step: .

[2] Cold scene, as in *crickets chirping*, everyone not saying anything in awkwardness.

Gumihou: I thought it was closer to a winter scene where everything is cold?

[a] Weird sentence structures: Basically deleted random 'because', 'only', 'suddenly' etc

[a1] Probably reversed 'Master' and 'Madam':

'Madam treats Master so well. One day, things will go as you wish.'

?

Fu Qiuning: Is the author losing interest in her own work? Can I gain more autonomy?

Gumihou: Erm… D-don't worry, ah, ever heard of SPOOCS? It's the Society for Prevention of Out Of Character Shenanigans, you're covered under it.

[a2] Dialogue and action out of whack, fixed.

[b] Mitigating AR Qiuning:

[b1] Reduce the 'tee hee~~' moments. Because the gap between 'lovey-dovey Qiuning' and 'Stubbornly refuse to move Qiuning' is too wide even for a moe gap. It just smacks of OOCness.

[b2] Add seriousness. Reduce the 'leaking laughter' and 'tee hee~~' because they are talking about serious matters. I think the author wants to get this chapter through quickly so that we don't notice JFJ's previous faux pas

[c1] Replaced 'Fu Qiuning started laughing again at that remark. The couple rarely had such a warm moment and were having a good time' with 'actually, it's been over six years…'

I think the author was trying to force a cheerful atmosphere to maximise the shock of what happened next. It… came out mostly awkward. Will do my best to fix it.

[c2] Replaced 'Things in this world can never be as good as having a cake and eating it too; after obtaining a husband of choice, getting to live a rich life, then of course there would be these many social functions to attend' with something more solemn because it seems kind of juvenile for someone like FQN? Of course, it's in character for AR Qiuning.

[c3] Replaced 'woah~ JFJ must be under a lot of pressure~~ uwu~' with 'ugh'

[d] Add Details:

[d1] Add details to highlight JFJ's unnecessary drama.

[d2] Add detail for an annoyed FQN

Prince Rong's smile was bitter as he said, "Aih, I have truly lost my sense of proportion this time…"

He gave Jin Fengju a meaningful look, which Jin Fengju immediately understood. He turned to Jin Ming and said, "Go out and keep watch.

No one is allowed to approach." Once Jin Ming left, he said, "Well, go on. It should be fine now. Just say it, what's this heaven-shaking thing you've done?"

"I… I was at the brothel last year, in incognito, of course. Well, a courtesan caught my eye so I bought her out and kept her outside the palace. Your sister found out about it recently," Prince Rong's

head drooped.

Jin Fengju frowned, he said indifferently, "Raising a mistress isn't something unusual for you. As for that woman, she can never marry into

royalty due to her low birth, yes? If the emperor finds out, he will surely berate you [a]."

Zhao Lun opened his mouth, then closed it. Then, he opened his mouth again before closing it. The prince repeated this action several times until he finally sighed a long sigh and said, "The problem is… that courtesan she… she is with child."

"What did you say?"

Jin Fengju jerked his head up, and the teacup lid, which he had been in the process of leisurely and elegantly lowering onto his tea bowl, shook and clattered against the expansive porcelain, making a crisp 'ding'.

Prince Rong smiled bitterly and said, "I had just learned about this recently. Fengju, you know how few offspring I have. This… I really cannot give up this child. But, but, if Qiu Ju were to give birth to a child and remain outside the palace… as a lone woman with a child, what would

people say? What would happen to the child? I cannot leave my royal flesh and blood alone to be set adrift and bullied by the common rabble, right?"

Jin Fengju's reply was a flat, "Brother-in-law, she is a whore. So what if she's a high-end courtesan? She cannot escape being a whore. Brother-in-law, surely I do not have to spell out the entire matter for you?

Prince Rong's face was still bitter as he said, "Of course, I know all of this. It's because I know this that I spoke to your sister about it. I wanted to discuss with her about arranging for a 'chance meeting' and having her recognise Qiu Ju as a sister-friend before taking her into the palace. Won't this solve everything? H-however, I never thought that… that your sister would suddenly burst into flames when I broached this subject with her.

She has been maintaining a cold war against me for half a month now. I have been trying to meet with you and have you mediate matters between us, but you never had the time and matters dragged on until today."

Jin Fengju sucked in a breath of cold air, stood up and paced, "No wonder my elder sister is annoyed with you. She is the little princess of this dukedom and yet you dared to ask her to admit a courtesan as a

sister-friend? Can she not be angry at you? What's more, if you had favoured an ordinary woman from a good family, it would still be fine. It is only a matter of handing over a few more taels and bringing her in on a small sedan chair as a lesser concubine. Later, you can bestow her the title of concubine after she gives birth and with no great repercussion.

However, you just had to tease a courtesan and even get her with child. The current emperor is a person who places the most importance on status. Brother-in-law, ah, Brother-in-law, the way you handled things truly lacks consideration."

Prince Rong, Zhao Lun swallowed. He stared at his brother-in-law and muttered, "W-well, she's not just a courtesan, she is… the daughter of a- a fallen minister…"

As his voice faded away, Jin Fengju stiffened so much it was as though he had turned to stone.

Prince Rong sighed tragically and continued, "Aih, I also found out about this later on. Qiu Ju only told me about this after she was with child."

"You… you…" Jin Fengju [b1]. If this was his own brother, he would have started scolding already. The person in front of him might be his brother-in-law, but he was a Prince of the country first. Not only was Jin Fengju unable to scold him, [a2] but he had to find a way to help this Prince wipe his ass. This matter angered Jin Fengju so much that he almost caught fire, in fact, his throat dried up in an instant due to the fire bursting up from his belly.

"You dare guarantee that child is yours?" After pacing back and forth and rounding a few circles, Jin Fengju stood still and looked seriously at Prince Rong, "You should also know that to marry into a wealthy family, especially a wealthy noble family like yours, women are willing to do anything."

"It cannot be anyone else's. I sent two trusted guards to watch that house day and night. The maids and matrons there are all senior people allocated from the village. So, there can be no mistake." Prince Rong waved his hands frantically. "Also, the timeline all fits. There cannot be

such a coincidence."

For a while, Jin Fengju could only feel as though his head was splitting apart. He rubbed his eyebrows for a long time before saying, "Don't tell me that my elder sister's visit this time, though it was to officially visit Younger Sister Fang, she plans to not return to the palace for the time being?"

"Fengju, you are really smart," Zhao Lun laughed guiltily. "That's why I escorted her here personally. How could we let others know that we are not getting along as a royal couple? Otherwise, won't others find out just a short investigation?"

Jin Fengju covered his chest with a hand. He sat down on a chair, desperately trying to hold his temper in. He stared at Prince Rong and said through gritted teeth, "Are you even aware of how bad your situation is? After causing such a fuss, you… you… Brother-in-law, ah, Brother-in-law, what do you want me to say to you?"

Zhao Lun's head drooped further and he said, "I, too, know that it is my own fault. I shall speak honestly, back then I only loved her for her beauty and gentleness and did not think about anything else. Who

would have thought she would be with child? I believe this must be nature's blessing. Fengju, just say it, are you willing to help me or not?"

"Let me think," Jin Fengju sighed. After some thought, he suddenly got up and said, "I shall go and persuade Elder Sister to return with you. Otherwise, if others found out, it would cause quite a bit of trouble."

Zhao Lun smiled bitterly and said, "Surely you know your own sister's temper? She is both fierce and stubborn. Once her mind has been

made up, not even the King of Heaven could force her to change. Once she starts to show her true nature, she would rather fight until the fish dies or the net breaks. Would she care if something troubles us or not? Otherwise, I would not have to come and ask you for your help."

Jin Fengju threw up his hand in annoyance and said, "Brother-in-law really understands Elder Sister, you have described her perfectly, not a single word is lacking."

Zhao Lun said dejectedly, "That is the fate of men with powerful wives. Fengju, you will never understand me, ah. In the palace, were I to give the hens a second look, your sister will sneer a few words at me."

Jin Fengju could not help but laugh out loud at that, shaking his head, "You are also at fault for spoiling my Elder Sister too

much. As you say, she would sneer at you if you give hens a second look, so why on earth would you suddenly tease a courtesan? She ought to hunt you down with a knife."

Jin Fengju said all of this, but in the back of his mind, he thought: Did I not pick up a powerful wife myself? Furthermore, Qiuning's strength is not the same as Elder Sister's. While Sister is a sharp-tongued person who speaks clearly to one's face. Qiuning is a typical case of 'soft on the outside hard on the inside', once she is unhappy about something, she will

just hide in her heart, and her face would be the same as always. The most, most, most hateful thing is that once she has made up her mind, she would also never give up.

Suddenly, Jin Fengju felt some sympathy for this Brother-in-law of his and said in a gentler tone, "Enough. Brother-in-law should go back. Leave Elder Sister to me. The most important thing now is to properly cover up this whole business and not allow Prince Lie or Prince Hong to get a whiff of the matter."

When Zhao Lun saw that he had secured Jin Fengju's promise to help him, he could not help but be overjoyed. He threw himself forward to hug Jin Fengju and cried, "Fengju, ah. Your Brother-in-law can rest assured now that I have heard this. So long as it is your plan, I shall cooperate willingly. Just plan the thing to the best of your ability."

The entire business had drained Jin Fengju of his energy. Without another word, he sent Prince Rong out the door before returning to his study.

Around noon, he sent a boy out to inquire after Jiang Wanying [c]. The boy returned to say, "Reporting to Master, Second Madam has left Health & Longevity Court. Clear Soft Pavilion has already set out the evening meal. When Second Madam saw this one, Second Madam said that she

fears Master has some matter he wishes to speak with her about, and had already made arrangements for Master as well, and asked Master to join them for a meal."

Jin Fengju nodded, and he left the study for Clear Soft Pavilion. As expected, Jiang Wanying and the two children were already waiting

for him. Upon seeing him, Jin Zhenxuan and Jin Xiuzhen rushed over and began to shower their father with affection. Jin Fengju's mood improved greatly and he picked up the pair of children, kissing and petting them for a bit while Jiang Wanying ordered people to remove the covers off the food.

She laughed and said, "I had no idea Lord Husband planned to eat here today and did not prepare your favourites. Though I must say, the suckling pig looks very well-roasted. As someone who likes meat, surely

this should fit Lord Husband's appetite. Ah, yes, there is some hot mutton soup in the private kitchen. Qiu Xia, bring a large bowl of soup for Lord Husband."

Jin Fengju and the two children sat down at the table with over two dozen types of dishes. This has always been Jiang Wanying's way. He heard that back when she was still a young girl in the boudoir of the Duke of Lu's estate, her lifestyle was even more lavish. It was only after marrying into the marquisate that she scaled down her spending. This spread could be

considered very frugal for her.

Jin Fengju could not help but be reminded of Fu Qiuning's table which never had more than six dishes on it. If he did not visit, the mother and children would often only have one meat and one vegetable dish with

one soup. It was truly too plain.

However, now was not the time to think about such things.

He looked at Jiang Wanying and said, "Is Elder Sister staying at Old Madam's place? How is she feeling now?"

Jiang Wanying shook her head and said solemnly, "Not good. Although she chatted and laughed with us, I could see that her eyes were not smiling. In fact, they were very cold. She is now staying in Old Madam's

courtyard, but she never said when she would return to the palace. Surely she is not planning to stay in the estate for a few days?"

Jin Fengju's brows drew even more tightly together. When Qiu Xia served the mutton soup, he had a few sips before hesitatingly venturing, "Did you and Elder Sister speak about me? If I were to persuade her, would I be successful?"

Jiang Wanying picked up a piece of chicken with her chopsticks and placed it into his bowl. She shook her head and said, "From what I can tell, Lord Husband had better not approach her, or you could strike a

landmine. Earlier, I made a few playful comments but was answered by sarcasm from Elder Sister. Elder Sister Fu was the smart one. Having noticed the bad atmosphere, she did not open her mouth at all. Sure enough, the one who speaks less makes fewer mistakes.

If Lord Husband were to visit Elder Sister only, it may still be fine. However, if Lord Husband plans to persuade her about something, it is better to save your time and not go and suffer. Just how powerful is Elder Sister's mouth? It is not as though you did not know. Otherwise, how did she take down His Highness?"

Jin Fengju smiled bitterly and said, "It is better not to say such things in the future. He is a prince who may one day sit on the throne. It is taboo to randomly talk about taking him down."

Jiang Wanying asked, "Just what is happening? The prince left just like that. As a Princess Consort, it is not right for Elder Sister to casually return to her maternal home, ah. Although they may claim that it is no different from visiting relatives, it is clear that she quarrelled with His Highness over something. However, I have no idea what. If Lord Husband knows, perhaps you could enlighten me? See if I could snatch an opportunity to persuade Elder Sister."

Jin Fengju thought: That's right, Wanying is a woman. Perhaps she will understand Elder Sister's heart better than I do. If I were to try and persuade her, I fear that Elder Sister will just think that all the crows under heaven are just as black [1], that this younger brother of hers and

Prince of Rong are the same kind of loathsome creature and just refused to listen to me at all.

Thus, he gave Jiang Wanying a general account of what happened. At the end of it, he said, "I shall leave this matter to you. It is best if we could persuade Elder Sister to change her mind as quickly as possible. Otherwise, if Prince Hong or Prince Rong catches Brother-in-law's tail and openly berates him before the emperor… well, all I can say is that this is no joking matter."

[Gumihou: Gotta say, this guy sure knows how to delegate]

Pill Bug TL Notes:

[1] "All the crows under heaven are just as black" -

Chinese idiom, meaning to lump everything together and treat them the same

[a] Gumi's comments:

[a1] If the emperor finds out, he will definitely berate you

Basically, he's implying that Elder Sis should not be angry since Prince Hubby could not marry this mistress and should just suck it up. Class act man. Bravo.

[a2] Not only could Jin Fengju not scold him, he also had to find ways to help him wipe his ass clean.

Yeah, this is definitely the beautiful line that the author put in to make us think that JFJ is a suCh a gReAt MaN~~

[a3] "Let me think," said Jin Fengju.

Is really code for 'let my other wife, whom I ignore unless I want her help, to think for me'

[b] Deleted:

[b1] Deleted: …said two "you" words in a row

Completely unnecessary, I think it was meant to be dramatic, but it's just draggy.

[c] replaced 'the situation' with 'Jiang Wanying's whereabouts'

Because the author is trying her best to avoid openly saying that JFJ was already planning to farm the problem off to his convenient dog within the estate. You know, the dog he was planning to put down once he had achieved everything of note?

Jiang Wanying smiled and said, "I understand. However, I dare not promise anything. I can only endeavour to do my best. After all, I am but a foolish and impulsive person. Last time, due to jealousy, I wished to find fault with Second Madam Ning and was taken advantage of and beaten like a drum. Even so, Lord Husband was generous enough to entrust me with a task, but unfortunately, I have nothing to show for Lord Husband. Until now, Second Madam Ning still refuses to move from Night Breeze Pavilion to Elegant Mansion. To think that Lord Husband would entrust an even more important mission on this humble woman, it truly terrifies this humble woman."

Jin Fengju smiled and said, "You and I are husband and wife. Surely there is no need for such words between us? You only need to do as I instructed. I shall not blame you for whatever happens."

Jiang Wanying's smile finally grew genuine. She nodded and said, "Very well, I shall give it my best attempt." Then, she picked up a piece of roasted suckling pig for Jin Fengju, saying, "Do try this, Lord Husband. The colour of this pork is not bad, but the proof is in the tasting. See if you like it or not."

Naturally, as the matter was related to the Duke of Jing's reputation and safety, it was better to handle it quickly. Therefore, as soon as the meal was done, Jiang Wanying made her way to Health & Longevity Court. From there, she learned that Princess Rong was resting at Jin Yanfang's Pillow Moon Pavilion and rushed over to Yong Cui Garden.

Meanwhile, Jin Fengju was in his study, thinking of the best way to hide this matter from the sky. In the end, he decided that it was best to bribe the brothel pimp and have them announce the death of that courtesan. Later, even if a girl with the exact same appearance appeared in Prince Rong's harem, it would not rouse as much suspicion. They could say that Prince Rong missed the lady so much that when he saw someone with the exact same face, he could not help but fall in love with her.

However, that kind of scheme required a lot of preparation. Otherwise, if Princes Lie or Hong were to investigate, their tail would be caught. Therefore, he could not act rashly. He had to complete this scheme in a way that no one could ever find a crack in his plans. Otherwise, it was better to not do it at all.

That evening, the left his study and went straight for Clear Soft Pavilion to inquire about the matter. When he entered the courtyard, he found Qiu Xia and other maids standing uselessly in the garden. He frowned and said, "Why are you not inside looking after your mistress? What are you doing in the garden? Are you picking flowers?"

The maids were too frightened to make a sound. Finally, Qiu Xia lowered her head and said, "Madam came back to the courtyard looking very bad. She made all of us servants leave the room. This maid tried to listen in and heard Madam sobbing. Nothing else happened. When it grew quiet, this maid peeked in and saw that Madam had fallen asleep. However, we dare not go in and wake the Madam."

When he heard this, Jin Fengju knew that Jiang Wanying must have failed her mission. Not only that, but she was also angered by his elder sister instead. Sure enough, when he entered the room, he found Jiang Wanying lying on the couch, her tear-stained face making her look especially pitiful and charming.

Jin Fengju walked quietly, he picked up a blanket to put over his wife when, unexpectedly, Jiang Wanying woke up from her fitful doze. Seeing him, she forced a smile and said, "Lord Husband is here? I must be a little tired from missing my afternoon nap. After sending Zhenxuan and Xiuzhen to school, I felt a little sleepy when I returned and fell asleep here."

With a smile, Jin Fengju took her in his arms and said tenderly, "Don't push yourself anymore. You must have suffered from Elder Sister's temper, ba? I know just how sharp her tongue could be when angered. She will definitely not let you go. This is all my fault. I should not have pushed you out at this time. Not only did it turn out to be useless, but I have made you suffer needlessly instead."

At this, with a 'shua', tears poured out of Jiang Wanying's eyes and she cried, "So what if I suffered? Not only is she my elder sister-in-law, but with her status as a princess consort, that she would take the time to reprimand me is already giving me face. This humble woman is merely a secondary wife to her brother, however… however, this humble woman fears that if it goes on like this, Elder Sister and Prince Rong's matter would be discovered by others.

Lord Husband, for them to make a sudden unannounced visit like this, what if others discover it? How could they not think of the family before doing this? About the matter from before, Lord Husband ordered me to root out possible spies from Prince Lie's faction, but I still have not discovered them yet. It's fine if such a person did not exist, but what if they did? If this matter is revealed, what should we do?"

Her words reminded Jin Fengju of Prince Lie's matter and he nodded, saying, "You are right. It's better to be on guard. I shall speak to Elder Sister again. This is no joking matter." Then, he turned to Jiang Wanying and said, "Qiuning generally doesn't speak much. However, a few lines from her often enlighten a person. If I still cannot persuade Elder Sister, I shall have her try and persuade Elder Sister. I shall not return here at night, I may rest at Night Breeze Pavilion."

"Lord Husband, don't," Jiang Wanying hurried over. "This humble woman has no prejudice against Elder Sister, but, surely my Lord Husband understands her character? With her status now, how could she bear meeting with someone of a lower rank? Otherwise, with how eloquent Sister Huo and Xu are, I would have dragged them over to persuade the Princess Consort together. However, I dare not because of their identities and fear that the first thing out of the Princess's mouth would be 'What are you? Are you even worthy to stand before me?' Instead of bringing them to persuade the Princess with me, they would be shamed by her instead."

Jin Fengju paused at the door. After some thought, he nodded and said, "Indeed, you are more thoughtful than I. Forget it then, I shall not have Qiuning speak to her. I will seek out Elder Sister myself."

And thus, he left.

As Jiang Wanying stared at his fading back, she muttered resentfully to herself, "If you are not planning to seek Fu Qiuning out to persuade your sister, then why still go there? I really have no idea what kind of sorcery Fu Qiuning had cast on you for you to change this much. Why are you so desperate for her?"

Please read this at kitchennovel dot com ~

The sun was setting, but things were still quite lively at Night Breeze Pavilion.

That's because Aunt Yu's wedding dress had just arrived. The servants all gathered to have a look at the dress sent bestowed by the Young Marquis, not only because it was guaranteed to be very beautiful and gorgeous beyond words, but the amount of face one received. How glorious was it to be personally granted a dress by the great young master?

Fu Qiuning and Yu Jie were admiring the phoenix crown [1]. Per Aunt Yu's status, this phoenix crown was a little too ostentatious. The thumb-sized pearls alone numbered at 108 pieces. The phoenix crown was worthy for a marquis' daughter to use when marrying out.

When Aunt Yu saw the crown, she was both frightened and elated. She sidled next to Fu Qiuning and said, "Why did the Master gift such an expensive Phoenix Crown? This… this is… I am but a… Isn't it too out of place?"

[2a] Privately, Fu Qiuning shrieked: Yes ah! This is clearly a second-generation rich young master's way of throwing money around and bribing people left and right for his own goal, ah! Look, look! If Aunt Yu is less level-headed, wouldn't she think herself favoured by the man and make trouble for me?! Wait, is this his true plan all along?! He's already bribing that dumb girl Yu Jie with gold leaves, and now he's bribing Aunt Yu with this ostentatious headdress?!

[2a] However, she could not say any of this to Aunt Yu. Leaving aside the fact that she would frighten this maid of hers even more, she could accidentally encourage Aunt Yu to start thinking weird things again.

[2a] Therefore, after much deliberation, she said, "Perhaps this is a reward for protecting Feng'er and Jiao'er from the moment you entered the estate. If not for your tireless effort, I'm afraid they would have died many times over before even meeting me."

Yu Jie beamed, "In other words, this maid could also be considered Madam's senior maid, right? Although I have not done as much as Aunt Yu, I have been loyal to Madam and the Young Miss and Young Master for over six years and have never complained over the hard work. Surely when this maid gets married, I would get something just as nice? This maid is not greedy and dares not ask for such a precious dress as the one received by Aunt Yu. Surely I could at least get a phoenix crown with at least forty or fifty pearls on it? Life is hard and a single pearl could be exchanged for 10 or 20 silver taels."

Everyone around her laughed at this little half-joke and began to tease her. Yu Jie maintained that she was serious and argued fiercely with them even as Fu Qiuning watched helplessly from the side.

They were chatting happily when a young maid, Bing Ling called out, "Madam, the Master is here."

At that, most of the maids and matrons hurriedly slipped away from the room, leaving only Fu Qiuning with Yu Jie, Aunt Yu and Jian Feng. When Jin Fengju entered, they all saluted him. Fu Qiuning [2] smiled tensely, "Lord Husband has arrived at the most fortuitous time. We have just received Aunt Yu's wedding dress. It is very… [2b]," Fu Qiuning paused, searching for a suitably decent word for 'over-the-top', 'excessive', 'burdensome' and 'ostentatious, "…pretty."

Jin Fengju threw a casual look at the [3a] obviously over-the-top, excessive, burdensome and ostentatious headdress, nodded casually in [3a] typical rich second-generation master's style and said, "Oh, so long as Aunt Yu likes it. You have taken care of Feng'er and Jiao'er these many years even before you entered Night Breeze Pavilion. If not for your efforts, who knows what would have happened to them? It is as you deserved."

[2a] Privately, Fu Qiuning was thankful that Jin Fengju's casually thrown-out excuse matched hers. [2c] She was wondering why this person was still hanging around there when she recalled his elder sister. That woman arrived with an obvious chip on her shoulder and didn't look like she planned to leave without burning someone up with her wrath. Also, Jin Fengju was obviously sighing and making the 'man troubled by many thoughts' pose in front of her.

[2c] Clearly, he wanted her to initiate the conversation and ask him what was wrong.

[2c] Fu Qiuning could only privately roll her eyes at the theatrics and send off maids before putting on a service smile and playing her loving wife #4 role. "What is troubling Lord Husband? It is rare to see you like this. Have you been scolded by the Princess Consort?"

Jin Fengju looked up in surprise, [3a] as though he had not been standing with one foot on the rung of a stool and staring out tragically into the night, just waiting for her to voice this question. He even managed a gasp, "How incredible, how did you know?"

[2d] Fu Qiuning considered and discarded a few answers before settling on, "It is obvious."

[3b] "O-obvious?" Jin Fengju stuttered. How can this be? What if others, such as Prince Lie or Prince Hong could read the troubles on his face? No, that cannot be, he is a great politician in court, it is necessary to have strict control over one's facial emotions. So, how-

[3b] "Obvious, because I can read minds."

[3b] "Wait, Qiuning, surely-"

[3b] "It's a joke."

[3b] "… …"

Jin Fengju gritted his teeth and touched his forehead. "Obvious, if it is so obvious, then could you explain what is obvious?"

[3c] Oh? Is he angry? Fu Qiuning was mildly impressed with herself. However, it would not do to make fun of her patron too much. Her body would suffer for it. Therefore, she could only say, "It must be a 'woman problem'. For the Princess Consort to be so upset and be in disharmony with the Prince, it has to be a woman. Considering how troubled you are, it must be a woman of dubious origin. Well?"

[3c] "You guessed well," was Jin Fengju's grudging reply.

[3c] Fu Qiuning nearly rolled her eyes. Considering Prince Hong's flighty behaviour and how much he depended on this strong brother-in-law to shore his power up, it could only be a personal problem caused by a weak character. She nearly smirked: Good luck shovelling this pile of shit left by your brother-in-law.

[3c] Still, she should not show her disdain too openly. Instead, she demurred and said, "Even so, the Princess Consort showed her emotions too readily. Considering the tense situation at court, surely the enemies of the Prince would not hesitate to cast judgement on the couple's behaviour. Matters could become… very complicated."

"It is as you say!" Jin Fengju slapped his hands together. "Even you understand this point, but my sister just had to push matters to this point. Alas, I could not fault her. She grew up in an aristocratic family and attached great importance to status. How could she allow a prostitute to openly enter the palace? That woman even carries Brother-in-law's seed and could potentially rise in status to a proper concubine.

When Wanying tried to advise her earlier, Elder Sister ridiculed her to the point that she cried in her room. I have also been by to persuade her, but was scolded like a dog. Elder Sister even accused me of being the same type of trash as Brother-in-law, screaming that all crows under the heavens are black. Finally, I can only come to your place in search of healing."

[3c] Fu Qiuning, "… …"

[Gumihou: #SadforJiangWanying.]

[1] Phoenix Crown – Wedding crown and veil

[2] Delete the AR Qiuning:

[2a] Replace a 'smiling and butt polishing AR Qiuning' with an 'ugh, second generation rich boys' Fu Qiuning. Might as well insert this modern term since Fu Qiuning is, you know, from the modern era.

Oh, and completely eliminate 'he would never act so generously just because you are from my Night Breeze Pavilion' because anyone thinking with their knee would see through it.

[2b] In place of 'it's so wow, pretty, gorgeous, come and look~ honey~', put in 'very pretty…'

[2c] Replaced 'aww, my lord husband looks troubled~~ I can tell from his hansom face~~ kyaahah~~!' with actual deductive thought processes

[2d] Deleted 150 words of needless summarising of what had happened to show off Fu Qiuning's intelligence.

Replaced with something deadpan, yet funny and intriguing at the same time.

[2e]

[3] Add detail:

[3a] Add detail to show FQN's disdain for JFJ

[3b] Tailor JFJ's reaction to FQN's clever remark re [2d].

[3c] Add actual Fu Qiuning reaction per the consequence of [3b]