The Noble Woman’s Guide On How to Tease One’s Husband

The Noble Woman’s Guide On How to Tease One’s Husband – Chapter 18

Translated by: Oinkoink

This novel is only hosted on Foxaholic, copies found elsewhere are either stolen or plagiarised.

Chapter 18 – Plan

As Ye Huaiyang’s injury had not healed, it was not convenient for her to move about thus she moved back to Ye manor next door. Everyone in the entire family was in low spirits with the occurrence of this situation at the end of the year. The only worthwhile thing to be happy about was the return of Ye Huaixin and Ci Yuan from Lingnan.

In the previous years this time, Ye Huaiyang would usually make arrangements for Spring Festival celebration in the clan family. Once both entered the city, they rushed back to the clan family. Their faces changed when they heard of her assassination attempt. They left their baggage behind and charged non-stop to Ye manor. 

“Knock, knock, knock……”

The pepper-figured brass ring was resounding violently that the force seemed to almost smash it apart. The old steward muttered rudely as he opened the front door to see whose family loafer was making this ruckus instead caught sight of his own Young Master that he hastily bowed in salutation.

“Eighth Young Master, Bodyguard Ci, you are back!”

Ye Huaixin reached out to lift him and immediately charged towards Ye Huaiyang’s bedroom without demur, only Ci Yuan asked when he walked passed, “How’s Young Miss’ injuries?”

“Recovering well, all thanks to Physician Lu…”

The steward ceased his words abruptly when he saw them disappear around the corner like the lightning flint. He couldn’t help but halted and sighed, the youngsters nowadays were really impatient…

But how could he understand? Since childhood, Ye Huaiyang had been cherished in the palms of both brothers, Huaili and Huaixin. Not mentioning about getting shot, even when she was playing around, she had never gotten even a bump. So, how could he not feel anxious when she got injured after he had departed to Lingnan for only a month?

With extreme anxiety, Ye Huaixin rushed to the south courtyard and pushed open the bedroom’s door without being announced. Ye Huaiyang was taking her medicine on the rocking chair at this moment and immediately revealed a dimpled smile when she saw his arrival.

“Xin’er, when did you came back? Why didn’t you send someone to ….”

Before she could complete the sentence, Ye Huaixin had strode over and grabbed her shoulders. With the cold air assaulting the face mingling with the windblown dust of his traveling, her face felt slightly ticklish.

“Elder sister, where were you hurt? Quick, let me see!”

Ye Huaiyang knitted her brows slightly and was silent for a moment. Looking at his over anxious expression, she turned and pouted her lips to hint her shoulder. Ye Huaixin followed her movement and instantly retracted both his hands as if they were on fire which caused Ye Huaiyang to laugh nonstop.

“You are still laughing…. Yue’ya, go check on her quickly! Did I touch her wound just now?”

“I’m fine. Look at you making a mountain out of a molehill. Am I that weak?” Ye Huaiyang annoyingly retorted.

Ye Huaixin had no idea what to do with her, but the fury within him was getting more intense. He waved his sleeves heavily and his cold voice was like a sharp blade streaking through the ears, “I have really underestimated that Bai Shi. Their ancestors were born from wilderness that they could only use forces instead of brains to handle matters? They dared to touch you the moment Elder Brother left, did they truly think there is no one else in our Ye family?”

“Blame me for letting my guard down.” Ye Huaiyang sighed. She propped her body up slightly and said, “It’s because of the ruthless and viciousness of the Bai family which attracted that person to give them the task of assassinating Wangye. When they knew the tide viewing incident was my plan, they directly charged at me. This is expected but what is worthy to be rejoiced was Bai Zhixuan believes I’m purely taking the opportunity to deal with the Bai family and didn’t suspect my somewhat connections with Wangye.”

“What is worthy of rejoicing is you are safe and sound!”

Ye Huaixin glared at her as his anger surged up again. He was rather upset that her mind only filled with Chu Jinglan yet never thought about herself. Seeing this, Yue’ya who was standing by the side hastily offered him a cup of hot tea, “Eighth Young Master have a sip of tea to calm down. You have been running around for the whole day, do take a seat to discuss any matters.”

She conveniently handed Ci Yuan a cup of tea too after she finished her words to keep him warm, but he didn’t take it, instead he knelt on one knee towards Ye Huaiyang and orated, “The guards of Tianqi House didn’t do their best to protect Young Miss. This subordinate will go back and mete out their punishments.”

Ye Huaiyang waved her hand and said, “Don’t blame them. Originally, there were too many enemies and they had already strived their best. You should go back and get a good rest. It had been an arduous trip to Lingnan.”

Before Ci Yuan could respond, Ye Huaixin expressed his unwillingness as he raised his brows and asked, “Elder Sister. You only convey your sympathy to Ci Yuan, why didn’t you ask me if it was arduous for me?”

“How would I dare to ask? Isn’t the Eighth Young Master still angry with me?” Ye Huaiyang glanced at him idly as she spoke.

Ye Huaixin was choked up. He originally wanted to give in but he simply couldn’t let Ye Huaiyang forgo this major issue just like that when it was related to her life, hence he stiffened his face and stopped talking. Seeing this, Ye Huaiyang lifted the thin blanket and tried to get up. Her movement however was noticeably laborious. When Ye Huaixin casted a sideway glance over, he hurriedly dropped the teacup to support her. After she had stood still, he knitted his brows and asked, “What are you planning to do?”

“Going to the study room. I will come back after your anger has dissipated.” 

Ye Huaixin looked green in the face. When he wanted to press her back into the chair, he suddenly remembered her injury and dared not randomly move his hands anymore. He merely took her into his arms as he berated her, “Why do you need to go to the study room when it’s freezing cold outside and you are dressed so little?” Saying that, he unexpectedly turned towards Yue’ya and reprimanded her, “Yue’ya, is this how you usually take care of your Young Miss?”

Yue’ya knew Ye Huaixin was looking for a way out of this predicament, so she suppressed her smile as she bowed to beg for forgiveness, “It’s Nubi’s negligence, asking for Eighth Young Master for punishment.”

“No, this Young Master is in no mood to punish you.” Waving his hand in passing, he turned to look at Ye Huaiyang who was more than half a head shorter than him again. Looking at her from this angle, her skin appeared fair and translucently moist. As she breathed, the fine hairs on her cheeks quivered faintly like the dandelion in the wind. Her face was noticeably thinner which unknowingly provoked the sense of tenderness.

How tenacious her intelligence or how sedate her action was? All along she was merely eighteen and their Ye family’s darling. He would not tolerate whoever that harmed her.

“Sit down. Don’t you want to hear my report on Lingnan and know what I have brought back?”

Ye Huaiyang smiled thinly as she said, “I originally would want to know, but once your incoming letter stopped, I could only think how to explain to Elder Brother every day.” 

Ye Huaixin didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry. On the other hand, he was moved with her worries while on another hand, he was also annoyed that she treated him as a child. In the midst of these emotional pulls, the previous dissonance completely dispersed.

“I only came out a few seconds later than you. Your display of a parent’s bearing is too downright.” Ye Huaixin pulled out a chair and sat next to her. He raised his hand backward, “Ci Yuan, bring the things over.”

Ci Yuan immediately took out several letters from his lapel and handed them over to his hand. He randomly tore open one and showed it to Ye Huaiyang. She roughly skimmed the content through the end. When she caught sight of that bright red squared seal, she was instantly overjoyed.

“This is…..”

“This is a correspondence between Bai Xingzhi and the Prince of Yi tribe. It contains the details of their dealings as well as the bureaucracy involved and the seals impressions of both parties.” Ye Huaixin paused, then somewhat proud of himself, he continued, “In addition, before I leave, I have already secretly dropped hints to the garrison commander of Lingnan, Chang Xin. I believe she will send Bai Xingzhi’s indictment booklet to Wangdu soon. When the time comes, with the converging attacks from both inside and out, Bai Xingzhi will not be able to absolve his crime even with his glib tongue!”

“He had caused Chang Xin’s troop to suffer heavy casualties as well as the censure of the common people. Now that Chang Xin has learned about this, she will definitely fight to the bitter end with him. With this pawn, we would only need to make the final attack at the critical moment.” Ye Huaiyang put the letter down with eyes full of praises, “Xin’er, well done.”

“How could I muck up the thing you asked me to do?” Ye Huaixin squinted at her. The corners of his mouth raised up faintly, displaying pridefulness.

“It is better to send the Buddha to the west. Help me pick Ling’er back from Yong School this afternoon.”

[T/N: Send Buddha to the west ( 送佛送到西 – Sòng fú sòng dào xī) – Metaphor to do good things to the end]

Ye Huaixin was dumbfounded as he asked puzzledly, “What does this have to do with picking Ling’er up?”

Ye Huaiyang folded, then stuffed the letter back into the envelope and placed it back onto his hand before she stated profoundly, “Elder Brother is the chief commander of Guanzhong, elder paternal uncle is the superintendent of military weapons while many male cousins hold idle positions that none are related to admonition. So, who are you going to ask to present these letters?”

“Ling’er can’t do it too…”

" "

“She can’t but there is someone who can.”

Ye Huaiyang moved closer to Ye Huaixin’s ear and softly spat out a name. He hesitated then nodded his head after it suddenly dawned on him. Considering that the women school would suspend classes tomorrow, he immediately set off as this matter should not be delayed.

When he went out, there was a luxuriously decorated carriage passing by the entrance door and stopped in front of King Lan mansion. He looked at it for a moment before recognizing the insignia on the wheel of the carriage. He immediately squinted his eyes that were overflowing with fierceness.

Came from the palace….. what they are up to now?

He whispered a few words to the attendant, then glanced at the woman who just got out from the carriage before he turned around and left.

As the sun set, the afterglow spread across Sa Zhang street. The government buildings were located on both sides of the street which were solemn and prestigious, but were sparsely populated. Occasionally, a few scholars carrying books would walk past in a rush. When the cold wind breezed over, their Confucian robes and the headgear’s band would leave strings of snake-like shadows behind.

At this moment, the students of Yong school had mostly left. Ye Huailing bent over to pack her things. In a moment of inattentiveness, there was not a soul in sight around her but she was not in a hurry. Carrying her books, she leisurely walked towards the entrance. When she passed through the main hall, she unexpectedly saw someone who was immersed in writing on the tall narrow table from afar.

Her rolling eyes turned around when the clasped arms suddenly loosened that books and papers instantly fell then drifted all over the ground, fanning up countless plum petals like surging waves. Such loud noise would naturally alert the person inside the hall that he looked up and happened to hear her lovely cry, “Aiya!”

Seeing that she squatted down yet didn’t pick anything up, he thought she might have bumped her feet. He immediately put down the pen brush and got up. The blue-green robe bypassed the table and swayed towards her ankle like a stream. She glanced from the corner of her eyes as she quietly drew out a smirk.

“Huailing, are you alright?”

She turned her head slowly. With pursed lips and on the verge of crying, “Teacher Pei, I’ve smashed my foot….”

This was the first time Pei Yuanshu ever heard her courteous appellation that he couldn’t help but be stunned. He only reacted when she gently pulled the bottom of his trousers. Just when he wanted to help her up, his outstretched hands halted halfway.

He was a teacher while she was a student. It would be rather unsightly to walk out of school arms in arms this way….

Ye Huailing could see his struggling expression clearly and secretly condemned him for a fool yet she pitiably mouthed, “Teacher, can you help me pick up the books? I still manage to walk out by myself. My elder brother is waiting for me at the entrance.”

As if awakened by someone, Pei Yuanshu hastily picked the books up and stacked it in his arm then he couldn’t help but said, “Then….then you stand up by yourself. Teacher will carry your books.”

Ye Huailing  stood up  shakingly and almost fell into the hillock of flowers several times. Pei Yuanshu stretched out his arm to shield her, but he would maintain a two-feet distance away, not daring to get closer. Ye Huailing secretly rolled her eyes as she limped along the way out.

The road was not too far. Silence was somewhat inevitably awkward, so Ye Huailing started a thread of conversation, “Teacher, are you going home for the Spring Festival tomorrow?”

“My parents had passed away early and there are no close relatives in my hometown, so…. I will be staying in Wangdu for the Spring Festival alone.”

Ye Huailing blinked her eyes as she gazed into those desolated eyes. There was an instant of unbearing feeling, yet she still asked the words that were well thought earlier, “Where is teacher’s hometown?”

“Lingnan Zhou County.”

“Lingnan? Could it be the place where the official colluded with the Yi tribe to plunder the common people’s money and food that my seventh elder sister mentioned…..”

She whispered, yet the words inadvertently transmitted to Pei Yuanshu’s ear. His complexion slightly changed that he grabbed her arm, neglecting any social etiquette as he asked, “Huailing, what did you just said?”

“I, I didn’t say anything…”

Ye Huailing seemed to realize that she had said something that shouldn’t be said. She flusteredly evaded his eyes. Fortunately, the entrance was just around the corner. She snatched the books and ran without looking back. Pei Yuanshu didn’t move as if lost in a deep thought. His handsome face was full of worries, like a lingering dark cloud.

On the other side, Ye Huailing had slid into the carriage numbly. Ye Huaixin raised his eyebrows as if asking about the situation, but she just silently lifted the corner of the curtain and looked at the lonely figure inexplicably with a little guilty conscience.

“What’s the matter?”

She pursed her lips slightly with rather a gloomy expression, “It’s nothing. Just feel that it is so dreary to celebrate Spring Festival alone.”