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 58

Translated by: Oinkoink

Proofread by: SilkScreen

Chapter 58 – Return

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In a blink of an eye, they have been living in Liuyue City for more than half a month. After being together day and night, their affection was getting stronger with each passing day. They are veritable indulgence in the land of warmth and tenderness, but none has forgotten that they eventually have to return to the treacherous land of Wangdu.

Chu Zhenghe came to see them off on their departure day. When no one was paying attention, he quietly whispered to Ye Huaiyang asking her to take good care of Chu Jinglan. Ye Huaiyang responded with a smile and teased him a few words in passing where he smiled without demur. The sorrow of separation faded in such a relaxed atmosphere.

The carriages and horses embarked on the return journey.

On the day they arrived at Wangdu, the weather was surprisingly good. The snow had just begun to melt all around Yinchuan while red lanterns hung along the streets and alleys, waiting for the coming of New Year.

Just like before, there was someone gracefully anticipating their return.

“Cousin and Cousin-in-Law, you’ve had a hard journey. Hurry in and take a rest.”

Dressed in an emerald-green misty-cloud silk skirt, Meng Chen stood in front of the chilly entrance. With jade-like feather brows and red vermillion lips, this was evidently a meticulous dress up. There wasn’t even the slightest change when those smiling eyes swept over Ye Huaiyang’s face, seemingly not surprised at all to find her there. 

Come to speak of it, it has already been more than three months, so any great surprises or anger should have been flushed out. Moreover, she will definitely not launch an attack at her (YHY) while facing Chu Jinglan at this moment. 

Thinking of this, Ye Huaiyang revealed a profound smile before facing Chu Jinglan and spoke, “Husband, I will go back to the clan home first, so I won’t go in.”

Turning to the side, Chu Jinglan gripped her arm and exhorted in a low voice, “Come home early.”

“I know.” Brimming over with happiness, Ye Huaiyang immediately returned to the carriage.

The intimate interaction between these two fell into Meng Chen’s eyes and almost caused her to gnash her silver teeth to pieces — those six years in Northern Land, had she ever seen Chu Jinglan speak so tenderly to any women? Ye Huaiyang’s reaction further made her heart drop to the lowest ebb. A little coquettishness in her softness, seemingly complaining about Chu Jinglan’s strict control. Where was the appearance before they left? It’s not even an exaggeration to call them an old married couple!

The most important thing is that she is also a woman. Any gestures of Ye Huaiyang brings out the charm of being a wife while the corners of her eyes and the tips of her brows even suffused with stirrings of love, which she (Meng Chen) could perfectly see. That is by no means the look of unrequited love. The two of them … probably have been together for a long time.

Three months, just briefly three short months, could so easily offset those six years of their mutual dependency and familiarity.

Meng Chen felt a sharp stab in her heart and almost wept on the spot. With great difficulty, she held back the sourness that came up her eyes and was no longer able to bring up her smiling expression. She could only stare fixedly at that distant carriage with hands clenched firmly. As the red nails stabbed her palms, the anguish and hatred by unbridled jealousy engulfed her like the river water out of a broken dyke.

Who would have known that someone on the other side was upset too?

“Young Miss, are you so confident to let Wangye be left alone with that woman?”

Raising her eyebrows, Ye Huaiyang asked coldly, “Could you possibly deal with the things that have accumulated in the clan home for me?”

“That’s not what Nubi meant,” Yue’ya pouted, seemingly sulking at someone when she finally couldn’t stomach it and poured everything out, “You just don’t know, when we passed through Yunzhou, while you were shopping for Ninth Young Miss on this side, Wangye on the other side also had Imperial Guard Tang bought the same thing for that woman. She is perhaps so happy now…”

“They are cousins and have deep affection for each other, so it’s only right.”

Seeing that she was so unconcerned, Yue’ya immediately became even more irritable, “In that case, she shouldn’t be allowed to stand in front all the time?”

Ye Huaiyang fiddled with the tassels of the hand-warmer, her expression was not very clear but her voice resounded clearly in the carriage, “It will be good if this domesticated peacock can easily be driven away like a wild fox.”

Yue’ya had nothing to say after hearing that. Pondering to herself, her family Young Miss has never been troubled with anything since she was a child and saying that it’s not easy now meant it is indeed difficult to handle. Besides, her relationship with Wangye has just become clear, thus if something is truly done to Meng Chen and it was not handled properly, it might cause conflicts between the husband and wife. She herself better not add more fuel to the flames. Forbearance is still the best policy.

It was silent inside the carriage as they slowly crossed along the long street and arch bridge with rhythmic hoofbeats. The wind passed through the curtain when red bricks and black tiles came into view, followed by the bustling noises of peddlers with fluent Wangdu dialect who cried out their wares and women beating clothes by the blue water hummed a melodious little song that sounded very familiar.

They are home after all…

After several turns, they almost arrived at the clan home but not knowing what had happened, Ci Yuan stopped the horses in advance before lifting a corner of the curtain and spoke in a low voice, “Young Miss, there is someone in front.”

Having taken a catnap, the eyelashes of Ye Huaiyang quivered before her phoenix eyes opened and her soft hand lifted the square curtain slightly. An unmarked carriage appeared in front of her eyes while the person sitting inside also revealed half of her face just like herself and smiled at her with the same gentle and tender impression from the distance.

Xie Yun? What is she doing here?

Gathering her sleeves, Ye Huaiyang got out of the carriage and stood quietly by the side. Xie Yun walked over slowly with her lips curled and spoke in a soft voice, “Younger sister, long time no see.”

“It’s been a long time and I didn’t expect to run into Sister Yun just as I returned.” Ye Huaiyang said meaningfully.

“To tell you the truth, I deliberately waited for Younger Sister here today, “ With a calm expression, Xie Yun smiled faintly, “I wonder if it would be convenient to catch up?”

By all accounts, Xie Yun’s move was highly inappropriate. She came when Ye Huaiyang had just rushed back from a long weary journey and had yet to even set foot in the house. Not only did she appear rude but also revealed her knowledge of Ye Huaiyang’s whereabouts, which would be considered scrupulous to outsiders. However, Ye Huaiyang is not any ordinary person. She noticed there was no family emblem nor other attendants in Xie Yun’s carriage, which meant she had deliberately concealed her identity in order to meet with her. Thus, there must be a profound meaning to it, otherwise according to Xie Yun’s temperament, how could she have done such an unusual and rude thing?

 
Let’s just listen to what she has to say.

Curling her lips faintly, Ye Huaiyang spoke raptly, “If Sister Yun doesn’t mind, come to the manor for a cup of hot tea.”

Ye family clan home.

A pot of tea and a half-burner with drifting purple smoke vaguely filled the entire side hall. Ye Huaiyang and Xie Yun were both holding a porcelain teacup as they seated around the sea-bluestone table. All the doors and windows were securely closed. Without listening attentively, no one would even notice the sound of them chatting.

“I wouldn’t have stopped you in the middle of the road if it was not urgent. Do you know there have already been rising winds and scudding clouds* inside the royal court within this half a month?”

[T/N: 风起云涌 (Fēngqǐyúnyǒng) – political movement / violent movement]

After Ye Huaiyang dismissed the group of maidservants, Xie Yun had no misgiving of what she brought up and also didn’t care how frightening her words sounded. Ye Huaiyang, nevertheless, remained unmoved. She slowly took a sip of tea then placed the teacup down with a profound look. Nobody could see what was on her mind.

How could she not know what was going on in the royal court? Ever since Chu Jinglan eradicated the treacherous Deng Tinguan without an army or a soldier, the whole royal court has been in an uproar about it. Without a doubt, there are two factions among them. The party headed by Wang Ying and Xie Yuan was naturally more scrupulous than surprised, while some officials who altered their previous rejection stood up to speak for Chu Jinglan and asked for his return to the royal court, especially senior official of the Imperial Censor, Gu Yong, who already presented three folded booklets (petitions).

While the Emperor allegedly has not had any good expressions lately.

Under such sensitive matters, he could not blatantly dismiss those opposing officials yet he was absolutely unwilling to let Chu Jinglan return to political governing, so the situation has turned stagnantly deadlocked. But now that Chu Jinglan has returned to Wangdu and the imperial troops have also begun cleaning up the mess in Jingzhou, this matter probably could not be evaded any longer.

Yet it was strange for Xie Yun to come and tell these facts to her. Ye Huaiyang was reticent for a long time before she raised her head and said, “The urgent matter that you mentioned, what exactly is it?”

Xie Yung lowered her brows and with no intention of being defensive, she clearly set forth each and every word, “When Bai Zhixuan was imprisoned in the Cold Palace, Bai Xizhi came to my uncle and told him that it was all conspired by you. The purpose was to take revenge on the Bai family for King Lan. My uncle did not believe him at that time; hence, he did not give a helping hand nor did he meddle. But King Lan’s series of vigorous and speedy actions made him suspect that perhaps what Bai Xizhi said was true, so he already started to investigate the Ye family secretly. If he finds any evidence, he will immediately present it to the Emperor, so you have to be more careful.”

Ye Huaiyang’s heart suddenly shuddered but her face was as calm as before while she spoke coldly, “Sister Yun, I don’t understand what you are talking about.”

Seemingly having expected her to say that, a wisp of bitter smile appeared on Xie Yun’s beautiful face, “I know you don’t trust me. It doesn’t matter as I am in the game anyway. Sooner or later, we’ll be on the same path.”

“In the game?”

“My uncle asked me to get close to you and watch for a chance to probe for the actual situation.” Taking a sip of tea, Xie Yun still felt the lingering fear when she recalled the previous scene of Xie Yuan seeking her for a talk, “After I go back, I will convince your innocence to let him lower his wariness then I’ll send someone to inform you of any changes. You don’t have to say anything but I’ll tell you everything that I do.”

Ye Huaiyang raised her lips and smiled contemptuously, “Why? Just because you love Lu Heng?”

Such direct words were like needles piercing the heart of Xie Yun. The usual gentle and elegant expressions split, spilling out traces of desolation yet the words she said were incomparably firm.

“Yes, because I love him; hence, his standpoint is my standpoint.”

“His standpoint is to have Xie family repay the debt of blood of his family.” Ye Huaiyang ‘s voice became even more chilling, like a swift snow blade that cut open Xie Yun’s old scars inch by inch.

“I have forsaken my uncle and Xie family precisely to pay his debt.” Lowering her eyes, the rims of Xie Yun’s eyes reddened slightly, “I don’t want to wait another six years. When he last left home, I was unable to accompany him. If I can’t live this time, I’ll die with him.”

After saying that, she took out an emerald jade pendant and gently placed it on the round table then pushed it before Ye Huaiyang.

“This is the jade pendant that I exchanged with him during our betrothal back then. I’ve been carrying it with me all this while. With this being the proof, I will suffer the hardship of love for generations if I make half a sentence of falsehood.”  

Xie Yun smiled sadly. Blinking away the watery luster in her eyes, she immediately got up to bid farewell to Ye Huaiyang. Her steps were somewhat staggered, her usual elegance and self-restrained were all gone, as if she had changed into another person. Ye Huaiyang stared at the jade pendant and fell into contemplation.
  

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy 2021 New Year!

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