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 29

Translated by: Oinkoink

 

Chapter 29 – Scheme (2)

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

An hour ago.

Chu Jinglan was seated in the palace savoring tea with the Queen Mother when a dark silhouette shadowed the window screens who merely bowed and stood silently. Xu Momo who was beside the Queen Mother immediately walked out quietly and listened to the whisper of the person. Frowning, she turned back to the inner palace and reported to the Queen Mother which instantly set off her thunderously anger.

“Impudence!”

In daze, the Empress asked, “Queen Mother, What had happened?”

The Queen Mother didn’t speak, but stood up with the support of the armrest. Looking at her stance, she was about to walk out of the palace. When she walked past Chu Jinglan, she suddenly halted and gave him a profound look, “You come along with Aijia[1] to watch a great show.”

The group just left Hanzhang Palace this way. Standing among the shades under the eaves, the Momo who came to report just now slowly tore off the mask on her face, shockingly it was Qu Fang who was met earlier.

When the grandiose group arrived at this secluded courtyard, this was the sight in front of them.

Chu Jinglan stretched out his arms to catch Ye Huaiyang. When his palms touched her exposed skin, it was scalding hot. She persistently drilled into his bosom while calling out deliriously, “Elder Brother… help me…”

Everyone believed she must have regarded him as Ye Huaili.

Such a tremendous astir had attracted the attention of numerous imperial concubines. Although they didn’t know what had happened, it was indeed a fact that the disheveled Ye Huaiyang fell into Chu Jinglan’s arms, which was somewhat controversial.

There was a profound darkness in Chu Jinglan’s eyes, yet he didn’t move, merely looked at the Queen Mother.

Such a scandal happened right before her eyes and was seen by the younger members. With a face filled with anger, the Queen Mother bellowed deeply, “Bring everyone back to Hanzhang Palace!”

Several sturdy and strong Momo propped the limpless Bai Zhixuan up without forgetting to take Xing’er and the murder weapon from the ground. By the time they arrived at Ye Huaiyang’s side, Chu Jinglan still didn’t loosen his grip for a long while that the Momo mutually looked at each other before saying, “Wangye, hand her over to Laonu[2].”

The Queen Mother’s gaze immediately shot towards this side, piercing his back like thorns.

Standing up slowly, Chu Jinglan no longer looked at Ye Huaiyang who was in his arms. When he was about to shove her over, his movement perhaps was too strong which startled Ye Huaiyang that caused her to struggle. Her slender arms tenaciously wound around Chu Jinglan and simultaneously cried out loudly, “Elder Brother, don’t leave me. Noble Lady Bai is going to kill me! I didn’t say anything but she still wouldn’t let me go….”

The hair on her temples were slightly disordered. Sweat and tears blended on her cheeks and stained Chu Jinglan’s body. As soon as a Momo touched her, she would shrank and unceasingly shriek which attracted more people halting their steps to watch. Seeing this, the Queen Mother frowned and waved her hand, “Let it be. It’s not advisable to stay here. Just have to trouble Wangye then.”

Chu Jinglan nodded and once again carried Ye Huaiyang into his bosom.

Once arriving at Hanzhang Palace, the Queen Mother and the Empress first took Bai Zhixuan away as Ye Huaiyang’s consciousness was still fuzzy due to being drugged. They even asked Chu Jinglan to send Ye Huaiyang to a courtyard not far away. Chu Jinglan knew they deemed him an ally with Bai Zhixuan hence deliberately separated them but in actual fact, they hit the mark by a fluke which gave him a chance to be alone with Ye Huaiyang.

Pushing the door open, Chu Jinglan strode in and walked straight to the innermost of the room. Just when he wanted to put Ye Huaiyang onto the bed, she made a fuss again and wouldn’t let go. The court ladies gazed helplessly at each other, not knowing what to do. Chu Jinglan sounded at the right moment, “Go and hasten the imperial physician. This King will only leave once he arrives.”

The court ladies were worried about stalling him without a reason hence they were secretly overjoyed when he took the initiative to speak out. They hastily went out and each guarded on each side of the doorway with their ears stretched out, constantly listening to the movement inside.

“Still not letting go?”

Chu Jinglan’s voice was extremely low but seemingly pounded like a heavy hammer. A few seconds later, the supposedly delirium Ye Huaiyang raised her head from his bosom with a smile on her pink lips!

“I truly can’t hide anything from you.”

Chu Jinglan immediately tossed her on the bed with severe rage between his brows, “Ye Huaiyang, don’t even challenge this King’s patience time and again!”

She then sluggishly got up and said with a flushed face, “Wangye, this is the last time. The evidence is conclusive and Bai Zhixuan will not be able to escape.”

“This King doesn’t care if it’s the last time. From today onward, this King will not cooperate with you again.”

Once the words fell, Chu Jinglan flicked his sleeves as he turned and walked out. It was unusually quiet behind him. Sensing something amiss, he looked back and saw Ye Huaiyang laid motionlessly prone on the bed as if she had fallen asleep.

Damn, was she really drugged?

With a cold face, Chu Jinglan walked back to the bed, grabbed and felt her wrist. Her pulse was drumming frighteningly fast. Hence, he lifted her body again and asked, “What drug has she given you?”

Dazedly, Ye Huaiyang leaned on the hollow part of his shoulder. After being patted several times by him, she became somewhat sober and barely mumbled out some words, “…. don’t be angry once I said it.”

Suppressing his anger, he answered, “You say.”

“I took the Xiaoyao pill myself.”

These words were somewhat vague, yet Chu Jinglan instantly understood Ye Huaiyang’s goal. He pulled away and stood up abruptly. He gazed at her from top to bottom with fury and coldness that seemingly could surged up a mighty wave and drowned her frail body.

She had the audacity to scheme him too!

Ye Huaiyang lowered her eyes. She didn’t hear the anticipated presumptuous word but instead was replaced by the sound of the door closing heavily.

He just left like this.

Hugging her knees, Ye Huaiyang sat on the head of the bed, seemingly a little upset. She had secretly predicted Chu Jinglan’s reaction should he learnt the truth, but it didn’t match any of the outcomes and she had no idea what he would do next. The effects of the drug were still onset and she was unable to focus her judgement, feeling agitated, she simply laid down on the bed motionlessly.

What’s done is done. Could he hack her up?

Meanwhile, the Queen Mother had just interrogated Bai Zhixuan in Hanzhang Palace.

These succession of unexpected incidents that happened within this month had mentally and physically exhausted the Queen Mother. So, when she heard Bai Zhixuan crying out her grievances again, she immediately ordered the Momo to drag Bai Zhixuan out of the palace.

“Send her to the Emperor. Report the entire incident to the Emperor and let him deal with it.”

“Nubi complies to your command.”

Several people pulled and dragged Bai Zhixuan out. Her shrieks still reverberated in the palace. The Queen Mother kneaded her temples seemingly having a headache. Seeing that, the Empress immediately walked to her back and gently massaged her.

“Queen Mother, this Bai Zhixuan is audacious to the extreme. She actually dares to ruthlessly kill in the Imperial Palace. Fortunately, they are watching closely. Otherwise, we will not have a living witness if Ye Huaiyang is killed by her and with a few words from the Emperor, Bai Zhixuan will be rid of the crime then Yaru would certainly have died unjustly.”

The Queen Mother exhaled a long sigh in exhaustion. The scowl on her wrinkled face had yet to fade, “Silly child, you are just too kind-hearted hence had been roughshod by her all these while. Don’t you know what her Bai family does, killing witnesses to silence them is a common matter, what’s so surprising.”

The Empress’ hands tightened before she immediately moved to continue massaging the shoulders instead, “Then what’s Queen Mother worried about. Now there is eye-witness and evidence while waiting for that Xing’er to open her mouth before sending all to the Emperor. He will personally deal with Bai Zhixuan.”

“You have neglected another matter.” The Queen Mother spoke slowly. Her eyes were as dark as an abyss with the visible vague black mist. The Empress understood instantly and her movement stopped.

“How could Erchen[3] forget about Ye Huaiyang, just now she…”

The Empress was too shy to speak, but everyone knew what she couldn’t say. The disheveled Ye Huaiyang had thrown herself into Chu Jinglan’s arms and many imperial concubines had seen them which would soon spread widely inside and outside of the royal court. It would be fine if both the Queen Mother and the Empress weren’t present but since they were at the scene, they must do their best to safeguard the prestige of the imperial family avoiding getting criticized thus the best solution would be….

The word marriage however was a thorn that pierced straight into the Queen Mother’s heart which was unbearable if it was not pulled out and would have caused endless troubles.

Xu Momo put in her words, “Please think carefully, Queen Mother. King Lan is already errant and should Ye family be placed for his use, it will be difficult to suppress in the future. Absolutely must not let them marry!”

“Do you think Aijia doesn’t know these? But they have done such things under the watchful eyes of many, there will be trouble if marriage is not used as a cover up.” The Queen Mother remarked.

Indeed, she could forcefully shoved the daughters from her clan to be Chu Jinglan’s concubine, but to refuse letting them marry after Ye Huaiyang’s reputation had been ruined by Chu Jinglan, others would be able to discern her scheming at a glance and it would be troublesome if some busybodies linked the matters of six years ago.

The Empress understood what the Queen Mother was thinking but she merely smiled inconsequentially.

“Why is it so difficult, Queen Mother? Anyway, what’s done cannot be undone, so it’s better to take advantage of this opportunity by letting Ye Huaiyang marry Chu Jinglan since there’s a need for us to plant an informer in King Lan mansion. Isn’t this just right?”

The Queen Mother unhurriedly said, “Ye family has been staying aloof for so many years. You still want to manipulate a formidable matriarch. Isn’t it rather whimsical.”

“She, Ye Huaiyang was entrapped by Bai Zhixuan and ruined her reputation as Chu Jinglan was the only male on the scene. Under the pressing circumstances, she will have to marry even if she is unwilling and can only blame the Bai family. After she is married, she will certainly be willing to do her best for the Emperor in order to avoid being implicated in the trouble not of her own making. Erchen is merely showing her a way to survive. How can Ye family not dare to accept?”

Pondering for a moment, the Queen Mother still felt something was amiss.

“Ye Huaiyang is agile and not so easily manipulated by you.What if she turns traitor in the future, then you are adding a huge bargaining chip for Chu Jinglan.”

Smilingly, the Empress said, “Erchen will control her well, so don’t worry.”

A moment later, the Empress took her people back to the Eastern Palace. After an afternoon nap, she prepared to make a trip to see Ye Huaiyang. Unable to comprehend, her personal palace maidservant, Qian’er asked, “Niang-niang, why are you so concerned about her affairs? Shouldn’t we deal with Noble Lady Bai first?”

Raising the corners of her lips, a trace of contempt slid over the Empress.

“That cheap hoof Wang Yaru seized the opportunity to seduce the Emperor and was impregnated. Bengong had wanted to settle the score with her but was oppressed by the Queen Mother. Bai Zhixuan however accidentally helped Bengong vented out this revenge, so just let her off for the time being. Anyway, the Bai family can’t make trouble anymore, the mere difference is between early or later death. Why should Bengong intervene? On the contrary, Ye Huaiyang is worthy to be valued. If she can be drawn to serve and aid Bengong in the elimination of the Emperor’s sore spot, Chu Jinglan, wouldn’t Bengong gain the Emperor’s good graces?”

Suddenly seeing the light, Qian’er nodded and immediately waited upon the Empress in dressing up before leaving for the courtyard where Ye Huaiyang was.

[1] Āi jiā (哀家) – rough translation would be ‘the grieving one’. An illeism for Queen Mother/Empress Dowager/widowed empress as she is mourning for her deceased husband.

[2]Lǎo nú (老奴) – old slave/this old servant

[3] Er chén (儿臣) – self-appellation of the child to the Emperor/Empress/Queen Mother