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 35

Translated by: Oinkoink

Proofread by: Silkscreen

Chapter 35 – Profess Love

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

Lu Heng resides in the remote part of the mansion which is a distance away from Fu Yu Xuan. Fortunately, Chu Jinglan dismissed all the servants; otherwise, what outlandish thing would spread out with both of them going out looking like this. 

When they were outside the bed chamber, the door and windows were unexpectedly tightly shut without any visible gap even in broad daylight. Bending down, Chu Jinglan placed Ye Huaiyang on a bench while he pricked up his ears and listened carefully. There was a man and a woman talking inside the room.

“Miss Xie, there are still guests outside to entertain. Forgive me for not being able to stay any longer. Do speak up if you have something to say.”

Xie Yun could hear the indifference and alienation in his tone. She involuntarily gripped the silk handkerchief in her hand, staring at him for a long time before mustering her courage to speak, “Ah Heng, I…..”

“Miss Xie,” Lu Heng interrupted her without any expression, “I have no affiliation with you since six years ago. Thus, it seems inappropriate to address me this way.”

Xie Yun’s complexion instantly turned pale and the rims of her eyes faintly reddened yet she calmly stood with no intention of leaving as she softly spoke, “Do you have to associate me with them?”

Lu Heng looked at her coldly, without uttering a word.

“I know you resent the Xie family for using our marriage to get your father killed, but I wouldn’t have let that happen if I had even the slightest hint of information. After all these years, you still won’t believe me. Ah Heng, tell me, what should I do?”

“Get out of here and don’t appear before me, would be good.”

Every word was incomparably harsh and cold like a sharp knife that ruthlessly stabbed Xie Yun’s heart. Xie Yun continued to look at him calmly while the corners of her eyes reddened, yet the suspended tears refused to spill over.

Outside, Chu Jinglan frowned indistinctly. When he looked down at Ye Huaiyang, she was fondling the tassels of the jade pendant on his waist out of boredom. Her delicate face was calm like the lake under the autumn moon, without the slightest trace of ripples. Seeing this, his eyebrows creased even tighter.

“Have you known of this earlier?”

“Um, sort of.” She replied languidly.

When Xie Yun visited her previously, her complexion changed when she heard Lu Heng’s voice. If Ye Huaiyang couldn’t discern from her making a point asking that question before boarding the carriage, she could simply quit.

Chu Jinglan pursed his lips tightly. He evidently did not want to meddle in this matter, but Ye Huaiyang is still feverish and urgently needs Lu Heng’s treatment. It would not resolve anything by continuing to wait outside. Just as he hesitated, Lu Heng unexpectedly opened the door. He wanted to ask Xie Yun to leave, instead running into both of them where four pairs of eyes immediately looked unto each other’s expressions.

Seemingly the one with the broadest mind, Ye Huaiyang took the initiative. She raised her small face and greeted Xie Yun without the slightest bit of awkwardness, “Elder Sister Yun, you are also here to attend my wedding feast?”

Xie Yun managed to pull out a smile, then walked out of the door in front of Lu Heng, forgetting all her manners. Lu Heng stiffly stood in place until the waft of fragrance dispersed from the tip of his nose before raising his eyes to look at Chu Jinglan. If it was another time, he would have certainly cracked some jokes but today, he seems reticent and unable to even utter half a word.

Chu Jinglan picked Ye Huaiyang up and walked past him as he said, “Examine her.”

Rolling his sleeves up, Lu Heng took her pulse before saying, “It’s nothing. She will be fine after taking some antipyretic medicine.”

“Then prescribe one. I will bring her back to Fu Yu Xuan first.” After saying that, Chu Jinglan stepped out of the room without any superfluous words. Over his shoulder, Ye Huaiyang gazed quietly at Lu Heng and noticed his imbued wariness towards her.

Hmm, perhaps it’s time for Ci Yuan to find out what good deeds the Xie family did back then.

After returning to the bridal chamber, the decoction was delivered very swiftly. Yue’ya waited for Ye Huaiyang to fall asleep after taking the decoction, while Chu Jinglan went to the front courtyard to entertain the banquet guests. The brief interlude a while ago vanished just like smoke.

Unaware if it was psychological or the curative effect, Ye Huaiyang slept particularly well. She woke up at dusk to have some food before turning around and falling asleep again. Yue’ya continued to take good care of her; changing her undergarments twice until Ye Huaiyang no longer perspired and her body temperature dropped. Only then everyone finally is at ease.  

Heedlessly, the sky turned dark.

The moonlight entered from the west window filling the room with its silvery brightness. The pleasantly cool night wind breezed in noiselessly, swaying the red candle flame and lifting the bridal canopy, which woke Ye Huaiyang who was alone in bed.

No one should be alone in the bridal chamber on their wedding night.

Holding the brocade quilt, she sat up slowly and glanced at the water clock under the dim candlelight. It is ergeng (9-11 pm) now and she is the only one in the room. She doesn’t know where Yue’ya went. Chu Jinglan also did not come back and there was no movement outside the room.

Ye Huaiyang felt somewhat agitated all of a sudden – did Chu Jinglan go to sleep in the study room?

She immediately got out of bed. Not caring about her flimsy clothing or messy black hair, she hurriedly slipped on her shoes and rushed out. Who would have thought the moment she set a foot at the outer room, a low and tipsy voice came from the corner of the room.

“Where are you going?”

She halted and sharply turned around. Her heart felt as if it had been swept up and down by a raging wave.

It turned out he is here.

The ceiling-to-floor lamp with twelve golden branches in the corner emitted soft lights in the dark. Chu Jinglan was laying on the soft couch beside it. Dressed in a white loungewear and covered casually with a thin quilt, his chest is half exposed while his dark eyes are closed; lying listlessly like a desolate banished celestial.

Heart beating wildly, Ye Huaiyang sat on the side of the couch and smelled the faint scent of wine. Her phoenix eyes turned slightly and saw the bowl of sober soup on the low table. She stroked his face and whispered, “Drank too much?”

Chu Jinglan opened his eyes, which were as bright as usual but an unexpected glimmer of light flashed through when he looked at her.

“You should ask your twin brother about this.”

Ye Huaiyang laughed, “Why? Did Xin’er imbued you with wine? That kid’s courage is really getting big. Watch how I’ll pay him back when I return.”

Chu Jinglan snorted coldly, “Several of your paternal cousins are not easy to deal with too.”

“Fine, fine, fine. I will punish them all, ok?” Ye Huaiyang smiled as she lay prone on his chest then murmured to herself, “I really wish you were drunk.”

He snorted once again, “What would you gain if this King is drunk?”

“There are many, such as forcing myself on Wangye.”

After saying that, Ye Huaiyang abruptly held his arms down then raised her head and kissed him. Seizing this opportunity, her small hand fumbled inside his loungewear and gently caressed his solid chest. Her hand finally stopped on the little protruding bead where her little finger curled into a hook and repeatedly fiddled with it.

Under the influence of alcohol, Chu Jinglan’s body immediately turned scalding hot.

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Seeing him tense up, Ye Huaiyang simply rolled over and sat on top of him then leaned down and gently sucked the red bean, occasionally sticking out her small tongue to draw circles. Each touch brought great pleasure like the unceasing spurt of fireworks which repeatedly made it hard to restrain himself, soon his lower body became hard as iron.

“It’s our wedding night. Husband, just comply with me.”

She raised her head slightly. Her red lips faintly rose while a glitter within her fawning eyes sparkled, unaware how seductive she was. Chu Jinglan stared at her intently. All sorts of complex emotions flashed across his eyes when finally, he raised his arms to brush her to the side of the soft couch.

“It’s late, go to sleep.”

He stood up to walk in the inner room when a pair of slim arms suddenly wrapped around his waist.

“Jinglan,” she whispered from behind, restraining her fawning and getting a little more serious.

He stood motionlessly and said, “What?”

“I know you still don’t trust me, but it doesn’t matter since I can wait,” her voice trailed off, like water pouring into his parched heart again. “Before my father left, I asked him why Imperial Consort Chen didn’t follow his advice and flee Wangdu that year. He told me Niang-niang would rather sacrifice her life than risk dragging you and the Ye family down with her for that slim hope of escape. This is known as making a choice. But I don’t know how to make a choice. I want you and also a way out. Furthermore, I want you to have the Crown of Ninth Heaven* where you can look upon the world. I have become your wife today. From now on, Ye family will be in your hands. I’ll be by your side and will accompany you storming through whatever trials and hardships on your journey ahead.”

[T/N: Ninth Heaven (九天 – Jiǔtiān) – the most exalted heaven in Chinese cosmology]

After saying so many words in one breath, Ye Huaiyang couldn’t help but gasp; so she released her hold and sat back on the soft couch. The reflection on the ground was spurred by the swaying orange light. As soon as she lifted her head, she was confronted with Chu Jinglan’s deep dark eyes, sinking inch by inch into her heart.

“Ye Huaiyang, do you know what you’re saying?”

“I know.” Raising the corners of her mouth slowly, she smiled at him, “I am saying, I love you.”

The pupils of his eyes constricted and dilated instantly, like dragonfly skimming on the surface of water* so fast it was impossible to notice. Staring at her for a long time, he eventually didn’t utter a word as he turned and went back to the inner room alone.

[T/N: dragonfly skimming on the surface of the water (蜻蜓点水 Qīngtíngdiǎnshuǐ) – smthg lightly touched without going into it deeply / just a slight touch on smthg]

For the first time, Ye Huaiyang didn’t follow but lay down on the soft couch. There was still the remaining warmth left by Chu Jinglan. She gathered the thin quilt when a faint scent of sweet pine drifted into her nose; the first sniff was infused with bitterness but an aftertaste of sweetness followed.

It is exactly the same as their feelings.

Ye Huaiyang is clear that Chu Jinglan would not easily open his heart again after those unforeseen events. The more tenacious her chase, the further he would hold her off. Thus, she should take things slow. Looking back, when he was born she wasn’t there yet and when she reached the marriageable age, he was away. They missed each other for many years but now they finally caught up. She has a lifetime to grind with him.

The alliance of marriage is eventually for the sake of conjugal happiness.

Thinking of this, she closed her eyes, sinking into a sweet dream full of confidence and anticipation. 

The red silk canopy was warm while the phoenix candle shed tears. No one would have thought that this night would be so long. After the hour of sigeng (1-3 am), the sound of footsteps can be heard from the courtyard. The two people sleeping soundly were awakened in a second.

“Wangye, something happened in the Imperial Palace.” Tang Qingfeng reported in a low voice outside the door. Chu Jinglan opened the door a short while later. A coat is draped over his body. Though he looked exhausted, his voice is extremely composed and clear.

“What happened?”

Tang Qingfeng was about to narrate cautiously when he remembered Ye Huaiyang is also inside the room; so he hesitated. Subconsciously, he looked in the room and noticed she was actually sleeping on the soft couch in the outer room. He was so stunned he didn’t know what to say.

The two actually slept separately on their grand wedding night?

On second thought, this marriage was originally decided and facilitated by Ye Huaiyang, so it was normal for Wangye to resist and also not surprising for them to sleep separately. While he pondered over this, the snow-white gown swirled in front of his eyes and followed the tall figure as he walked towards the soft couch.

“Go and sleep in the room.”

Chu Jinglan lifted Ye Huaiyang who was rubbing her eyes. The ice-cold touch melted in his palm. He immediately frowned but Ye Huaiyang seemed to have not heard him as she peeked out in a daze.

“What happened?”

Chu Jinglan dragged her back. He exerted some strength and carried her in his arms then walked into the inner room. After a long time, he finally came out again. The original coat was gone and the lapels of his loungewear were slightly disheveled. Tang Qingfeng felt that there was something fishy no matter how he looked at it, and was wondering what exactly was going on between them when a clear and cold gaze looked over. He immediately lowered his head and restrained his eyes as his appearance became extremely serious.

“Wangye, news just came from the Imperial Palace. Noble Lady Bai has proned*.”

[T/N: prone 薨 (Hong) – likely or liable to suffer from, or experience something unpleasant or regrettable]