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 65

Translated by: Oinkoink

Proofread by: SilkScreen

Chapter 65 – New Year’s Eve

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

New Year’s Eve, the night is bright with the deafening sound of firecrackers while there is a lot of laughter both inside and outside of King Lan mansion.

Just like previous years, those who should go home for New Year have gone home, such as Meng Chen, Lu Heng and Tang Qingfeng but the King mansion is several times livelier than last year, with Ye Huailing and Pei Yuanshu setting off fireworks in the front yard, Chu Jinglan and Ye Huaixin sat in the main hall discussing political affairs while Ye Huaiyang took up the responsibility of the mistress as she ordered the servants methodically.

The candlelights were brightly illuminated and the feast was in full swing at the beginning of xushi (7pm-9pm). 

“It’s still Brother-in-law who is generous in coming up with this ten-year ruilu wine. The flavor is indeed exceptional. Younger Brother will drink first as a toast!”

Raising his head, Ye Huaixin emptied the cup in one gulp while Chu Jinglan raised his cup too. Before placing his cup down, he caught sight of a red sleeve quietly dodging away from his side. Raising his dashing eyebrows, he immediately yanked that restless hand back.

“Not behaving again?”

Originally wanting to take advantage of the frenziness, the small face of Ye Huaiyang crumpled at once as she spoke pitifully, “I want to eat the black bean peppered chicken slices…”

Ignoring her, Chu Jinglan turned to look at Yue’ya and said, “Put those spicy dishes farther away.”

Readily accepting what’s right, Yue’ya pulled her sleeve back then stepped forward to move the poached sliced ​​beef in hot chili oil, chopped pepper fish head, fermented bean curd with winter bamboo shoots and other dishes on the other side of the round table one after another. This time Ye Huaiyang was unable to reach even if she leaned her body over and could only look on helplessly as others feasted with great relish while her drool nearly dribbled to the ground.

“Xin’er…”

She turned her target in good time, believing her own younger brother would bestow special treatment or help her by saying some words of persuasion but who knew Ye Huaixin just glanced at her coolly without any intention of extending a helping hand and even said, “Elder Sister, your throat is still unwell. It’s better to abstain your mouth, don’t be so inane.”

Covering her mouth, Ye Huailing chortled.

“You are all rebelling against me!” Ye Huaiyang flared up from embarrassment.

“I think you are the one who is rebelling.” Turning her body around, Chu Jinglan conveniently ladled a spoonful of almond chuanbei lean meat soup to her lips, “Be obedient, drink the soup first.”

The person who was still immensely angry just now immediately stopped complaining. Glancing at the teasing gaze of the few people around the table, her face gradually blushed.

How could he feed her in the presence of so many people? This really leaves her too embarrassed to even show her face!

Chu Jinglan had no qualms as his dark eyes looked at her firmly like the bright stars on the horizon that forcibly bedazzled and coddled her as she unwittingly finished drinking the soup.

Smiling slyly, Ye Huailing commented, “This is not just any relieving cough and lung nourishing soup. From what I see, it’s evidently the bewitching soup. Just look at Seventh Sister, her pupils are not even likely to shift being mesmerized by Brother-in-law. Haha.”

“A table of dishes can’t even stop your mouth.” Ye Huaiyang glanced annoyingly at her then turned to look at Pei Yuanshu and blurted, “I’ll add twenty boxes of betrothal gifts and also provide the big sedan chair carried by eight. When will you marry this little annoying sprite?”

Originally, Pei Yuanshu was happily listening to their family’s conversation but who would have thought such a blatant subject would unexpectedly be pushed on himself. His face immediately turned red as he mumbled, “I~ I have yet~ yet to go to Ye residence to propose a marriage..…”

Come to speak of it, Pei Yuanshu has been enlightened since returning from Jingzhou while the affection between the two have grown at rapid paces recently, as they were seen deeply stuck together like glue whenever Ye Huaixin went to pick Huailing up after her lessons that he almost could not stand them anymore. Under such circumstances and according to Pei Yuanshu’s nature, he would definitely not allow Ye Huailing to be vilified by any gossip and should have long gone to propose a marriage but all those who were present knew the reason why it was delayed.

Pei Yuanshu performed poorly last time and Chu Sanghuai intended to kill him. Nevertheless, Yue Ting took responsibility for that and as there was no obvious defection towards Chu Jinglan, Chu Sanghuai let him go. As such, he is now practically being regarded as a marginal person in the Ministry of Civil Personnel who can’t intervene in political matters nor handle internal affairs and was completely reduced to being a school teacher. Hence, being in such an embarrassing plight, how could he have the nerve to propose marriage to one of the four prominent families, the Ye family?

Being empathetic all along, Ye Huaiyang reassured him, “Even though our Ye family is a noble family, we don’t have a sense of distinction and treat everyone equally. This you can be assured of. As long as you are genuinely and sincerely good to Ling’er, my uncle and aunt would be glad to see it happen, only…”

Listening by the side, Ye Huailing was intermittently happy and anxious that her complexion had practically alternated several rounds but seeing her suspend half of her sentence without further explanation, she became all the more impatient.

“Only what? Seventh Sister, quickly say it !”

Ignoring her, Ye Huaiyang merely stared profoundly at Pei Yuanshu when her voice became slightly heavy, “You know my standpoint and Ye family is bound to be the same in days to come. You’ll have to be mentally prepared if you want to marry Huailing.”

The words said were utterly forthright. Pei Yuanshu’s expression turned gloomy and he momentarily didn’t make a sound.

As a matter of fact, he has been pondering a lot during this period of time. From the tyranny of Chu Sanghuai to the pandemonium in the royal court, all these facts had once made him extremely frustrated. He studied hard to be among the list of successful candidates in the imperial examinations not for the sake of wealth or glory, rather for the perseverance of justice and righteousness in his heart so that the common people could live a better life and to make the Great Chu thrive more prosperously yet his loyalty now only allows him to go on the misguided road of no return. This is not what he wanted. So before coming to King Lan mansion, he actually made a decision.

The atmosphere was stagnant in the warm hall when all of a sudden, Pei Yuanshu lifted the lower hem of his robe and knelt on the ground as he kowtowed and solemnly proclaimed, “This humble official is willing to be at Wangye’s beck and call to overthrow the present tyranny, as well as returning the times of peace and prosperity to the common people!”

Turning his head to look at him, Chu Jinglan was calm as usual and the ripples in his eyes were profoundly clear yet exceptionally unfathomable while the acute radiance that heavily weighed on Pei Yuanshu’s shoulders felt more massive than Mount Tai. It was not until a long while before a very simple reply was heard.

“Get up. It’s a family feast tonight, do not talk about political affairs.”

What does this mean? Rejecting him?

Pei Yuanshu was still dazed in place when Ye Huaixin got up to pull him with a gleaming smile on his face, “Future Brother-in-law, aren’t you getting up yet?”

He was forcibly pulled up and pressed back to his seat. It was after a long time before the wheel of his mind rotated – family feast! Chu Jinglan had used the two words ‘family feast’! As such, he is no longer treated as an outsider?

When he looked over, Ye Huaiyang was looking at him with a smile. As if he had swallowed the stabilizing pillar, his heart all of a sudden felt settled.

“Okay, let’s eat. The dishes are getting cold soon.”

Everyone moved their chopsticks again. Under the fragrant and warm bright veil, the various delicacies caused unceasing movements of the fingers, everybody was elated with relaxing laughter and chatting that after three rounds of drinks, they couldn’t refrain from becoming tipsy.

Ye Huaixin was the first to make the congratulatory speech in Ye manor during the New Year’s Eve feast of the previous year yet all remained the same this year, though the location had changed to King Lan mansion. Seeing him carrying the wine flagon over and personally poured the jade-like good wine for Chu Jinglan, he smilingly spoke after performing a grand salute, “With the arrival of a new year, Huaixin hereby wishes Brother-in-law would smile proudly like the mountains and rivers as well as have a propitious outlook for the coming years!”

Glancing at him, a wisp of shallow smile streaked across the corner of his mouth, “Is it possible you still want to imbue me with wine using various pretexts like my wedding day?”  
   

Ye Huaixin laughed heartily, “How would I still dare? My Elder Sister is as fierce as the tiger who would have chewed me up!”

Hearing this, Ye Huaiyang would usually deride him with a few words but not knowing what had happened today, she did not utter a single word for a long time. Sensing something amiss, Chu Jinglan immediately turned his head and noticed she was still eating silently, so he tried to call out, “Yang’er?”

“Hmm?”

Tilting her small face slightly, the pair of dewy eyes looked directly at him appearing perfectly bright as usual but there were evidently light redness hovering at the corners of her eyes like the staged Lady Yang with peach blossom makeup while her hair reflects the silvery shadow of the midnight moon and blooming roses on her cheeks, revealing three points of tender beauty and seven points of enchantment.

Is she … drunk?

Looking up, her left hand was still holding a small cup while the pale cherry-colored liquor in it had already reached the bottom, unknowing how many cups she drank as amidst the mingle of their breath was the sweet-smelling scent of alcohol when he pulled her slightly over and the center of his palm felt somewhat burning hot. Chu Jinglan could not help but feel surprised – he had clearly changed it to the fruit wine, how did she get drunk like this?

Cupping her face, he asked again, “Yang’er, how many cups did you drink?”

Sluggishly, Ye Huaiyang extended three fingers then feeling something was not right moments later, she added another hand.

Drunk after merely drinking eight cups of fruit wine?

Chu Jinglan was somewhat dumbfounded, but his mind cleared up once he recalled her looking like this too when she came out of the palace last time after Bai Zhixuan imbued her with wine while she was injured, so he pulled her up intending to go back to their room. Standing up wobbly, she seemingly did not understand what Chu Jinglan wanted to do and blurted out in front of everyone.

“King Uncle, where are we going?”

Chu Jinglan’s face instantly turned green.

Not knowing what wicked ideas she has recently, this appellation has been used most frequently especially during their conjugal intimacies. Whenever she loses herself in passions, she would cry out coquettishly and call him ‘King Uncle’. She could always bring him some kind of obscure and compact pleasure whether her body trembles slightly or stretches tautly as she would frenziedly turn over until she goes completely limp in his arms then forget to continue teasing him with words. Yet she would overwhelm his feigned fury with a soft smile and this has since become a secret amusement between the husband and wife.
   

But who would have expected her to call out like this? Any busybodies merely needed to ponder a little deeply to understand that!

Not waiting for Ye Huaiyang to reveal more secrets, Chu Jinglan roped her waist and dragged her out of the hall. Once they left everyone’s line of vision, he simply princess-carried her and sped back to their bedroom.

“Yue’ya, go get a basin of water.”

Letting Ye Huaiyang lean against the bed, Chu Jinglan then loosened her collar so that she could breathe more easily while Yue’ya brought in some hot water at the same time. Chu Jinglan wrung a towel to wipe Ye Huaiyang’s face yet it did not truly sober her up as she just tilted her head to look at him causing him to laugh in spite of himself.

“You have been making fusses for several days wanting me to accompany you for shousui* yet now what’s there to stay up for?”

 
[T/N: Shǒusuì (守岁) – stay up late on New Year’s eve to welcome the New Year.]

Ye Huaiyang was still a little dazed and it didn’t take long before she habitually clamored over and curled up in his arms, without her usual unbridled cheekiness but more like a child.

“Just sleep if you are tired,” he murmured in a low voice.

Ye Huaiyang hummed again but her eyes were still wide open and stared fixedly at the water-patterned of his lapels.

Chu Jinglan sighed and talked to himself, “Don’t know if I should show you that thing now…”

After pondering for a long time, he got up and went to get a flat ebony box inlaid with pierced metal patterns at its four corners from a drawer. Opening it for a look, there were two pieces of sapphire pendants which visibly had been carved twice, one of which is made into a neck-pendant while the other into a waist-ornament.

Picking up the neck-pendant, Chu Jinglan wound the purple silk ribbon around Ye Huaiyang’s neck to tie it and hung the other piece on his waist. Ye Huaiyang stroked the familiar lotus leaf and carp when her muddled face suddenly brightened up.

“This is … my ..”

“It’s the sapphire pendant you gave me last New Year’s Eve.” Chu Jinglan caressed her hair and spoke warmly, “I’ve let them search the best craftsman in Wangdu but it could not be repaired, so I’ve asked him to make two pieces. You will carry half while I the other half, is it alright?”

Holding the jade pendant, Ye Huaiyang muttered, “But it’s separated …”

Lowering his head suddenly, Chu Jinglan seized her lips and gently sucked before releasing her after a long time and spat out a sentence in a low voice.

“Severed jade but never separated. Yang’er, we will never be separated.”

  

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