The Young Lady of the General’s House

Chu Xiuming was in the study with military advisers. Chu Xiuyuan sat on the side without speaking until his brother said, “I will accompany Furen to the Capital.”

“Brother, you know Emperor’s plan….” Chu Xiuyuan couldn’t help saying it.

Chu Xiuming looked at him, “I know, that’s why I am going.”

Steward Wang frowned, “This move is too dangerous.”

Chu Xiuyuan nodded vigorously, “Brother, both you and Sister-in-Law shouldn’t go.”

Chu Xiuming waved the others out so only the two brothers left in the room. He didn’t speak right away, walked to the window and opened it wide, “I have to go, there is no choice.”

“But…..” Chu Xiuyuan gritted his teeth, his fist clenched, “Then let me go.”

“What are you going for?” Chu Xiuming raised his eyebrows and smiled, “You are just the youngest son of Chu family, just my Chu Xiuming’s little brother.”

Chu Xiuyuan’s mouth opened but under Chu Xiuming’s stare he didn’t speak.

“Don’t worry.” Chu Xiuming didn’t look at Chu Xiuyuan anymore, “Three months at most, even if I don’t ask, the Emperor will want me leave.”

“Brother, you will definitely come back right?” Chu Xiuming’s fist clenched hard.

Chu Xiuming’s eyes showed some smiles, a confident and proud look, but didn’t say anything. Chu Xiuyuan was pacified, he obediently went out to call everyone back in. He also apologised to Steward Wang and others for letting them out. They saw the brothers had reconciled so no one minded, it must had been just Chu Xiuming comforting Chu Xiuyuan a little.

When everyone had sat down, Chu Xiuming broached the plans one by one, after listening everyone became relieved. Chu Xiuyuan laughed, “Brother, how did you get to know so much from just these few merchants?”

“Didn’t I let you come to listen together that time? Think carefully.” Chu Xiuming didn’t tell him directly, “Your homework today.”

Chu Xiuyuan’s eyes twitched, his excitement just now disappeared without a trace, he responded and started trying to remember.

One person’s plan is short, three people’s plan is long. Chu Xiuming had raised the general idea, the others quickly followed with particular schemes to improve it. This continued until night time, they took a rest only when the attendants brought dinner in.

T/N – ‘One person’s plan is short, three people’s plan is long.’一人计短三人计长 = one person’s view or opinion is limited, more people working together makes better planning.

The dinner was ordered by Shen Jin. Everyone got meat and vegetables and the taste was quite good. After dinner they continued under the candle light until chou shi (1-3 AM) when the arrangement could be said completed. Anything further could be given to others to implement.

Chu Xiuyuan thought he had got away, but before leaving Chu Xiuming said to him, “It’s late now, quickly get some rest, tomorrow wei shi (1-3 PM) come to the study.”

“Yes.” Chu Xiuyuan knew Chu Xiuming was doing it for his own good, he accepted in dispirited voice.

Chu Xiuming didn’t mind Chu Xiuyuan anymore, he had an attendant carried a lantern to lead him to the main courtyard. Shen Jin was already sleeping, her sleeping face was pink and tender. After lightly pinched Shen Jin’s nose, Chu Xiuming smilingly went out to wash. He didn’t need anyone helping, after washing he took off clothes and got on the bed.

Shen Jin’s lower lip squirmed as she felt someone besides her, she readily let go of the big soft pillow she was holding then rolled into Chu Xiuming’s embrace. Chu Xiuming wrapped his arms around the little wife, slowly released a breath. For the sake of this home of his, he would go.

This time they had to go, the previous connections they had had to be rebuild. How many of them were still reliable, how many were left still unknown, the most important was …. Chu Xiuming’s eyes narrowed slowly to closing down, his fingers rubbed the bridge of his nose, he was very tired.

It’s not like there was really no other options, but powerful enemies were glaring at them like a tiger watching it’s prey, if chaos happened the victims would be the innocent people. Chu family had been guarding the border since the beginning of the dynasty, how many years had it been. It’s unknown how many of Chu’s ancestral graves were empty monuments.

T/N – Cenotaph 衣冠冢 = monument for a deceased person whose body is buried elsewhere. Meaning many of Chu ancestors died in battleground and the corpses couldn’t be retrieved so their tombs were empty.

Shen Jin’s body was soft and warm, holding her was very comfortable. Chu Xiuming released his breath. This spoiled wife of his, without him in the Capital, someone might bully her. Thinking of this, the stress slowly disappeared, replaced by a pampering and helpless mood. Shen Jin had milk everyday, the faint milk smell comforted his nose, Chu Xiuming unknowingly fell asleep.

Chu Xiuming’s daily routine was strict, even when staying up late he still got up early morning to practise martial-art. On the other hand Shen Jin wouldn’t get up without anyone calling, only when hungry that she would wake up by herself.

Zhao-momo was used to serving them, Chu Xiuming would wash with well-water after practising, so she prepared warm water just for Shen Jin. Shen Jin hmph-ed in comfort when the warm blanket rubbed her face. When Xiaobudian’s voice was heard calling from outside, Shen Jin started to open her eyes in a daze.

T/N – The dog’s name was Tiny Bit in previous chapters, changed it to Xiaobudian to stay with pinyin names. Still don’t know if it’s a female or male dog.

Shen Jin covered her mouth and let out a small yawn, she wriggled on the soft pillow. Since the wedding a lot of items in Chu Xiuming’s room had been changed, the jade pillow had been changed to a soft one, it’s very comfortable to nuzzle her face on it.

After Zhao-momo and An Ping helped Shen Jin washing up they brought almond goat milk for her. She used both hands to lift the milk bowl to her face, a circle of milk stain appeared around her mouth.

Chu Xiuming was coming back from outside, he was wearing a full-body dark robe, he laughed at Shen Jin, “Furen, you have to see how Xiaobudian looks like after drinking milk.”

She was not completely awaken yet, she looked at Chu Xiuming in hesitation, but this didn’t stop her from finishing the milk. After the whole bowl gone and Shen Jin started to be aware of things, Zhao-momo had wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, smiling, “Furen, how about the duck-yellow gauze dress today?”

“Okay.” Shen Jin didn’t mind. Apart from food, she was not picky about anything.

Chu Xiuming had changed clothes, “These few days pack things up, I’ll go with you to the Capital for  Father-in-Law’s birthday.”

“Ah?” Shen Jin’s eyes went round, she stared at Chu Xiuming, “Fujun, are you…..”

Are you stupid? The last word wasn’t said, she was afraid of Chu Xiuming’s vigorous retaliation at night.

Chu Xiuming didn’t intend to explain, he touched her cheeks, “Don’t worry, just half a year at most, then Fujun will bring you to play in the Southern before coming back.”

Shen Jin was still looking at Chu Xiuming with a doubtful face. She was not stupid, the way Emperor Cheng treated the border town that time very clearly showed his attitude towards them. She thought she was going to die! The dagger was ready, she even learned where to stab to die quickly with minimal pain.

One should be loyal to the ruler, but Emperor Cheng had no such position in Shen Jin’s heart. She thought herself victimised by the Emperor, she was sent to marry here, her marriage was used as an excuse to plant spies, then in the end he refused to save her?

The border was important, if the border town had been broken, the Capital wouldn’t be safe either, okay?

Emperor Cheng didn’t save them that time, and now he was holding Mother Consort and her birth mother hostage in the Palace. When she was little, Xu-cefei once failed to bully Mother so she kept Shen Jin in her courtyard until Chen-cefei and others came, Xu-cefei then used the moment to boast and humiliate Mother. What the Emperor was doing now was exactly the same with Xu-cefei!

Moreover, Xu-cefei was then suppressed by Rui-wangfei so she didn’t dare to repeat this anymore, she had changed to using different schemes. Emperor Cheng was still using a tactic that had been discarded by Xu-cefei.

Chu Xiuming saw her mind wandering off again, he helplessly sighed and reached out to flick her forehead. What would happen to her if he was not around? She would get swindled as soon as she got to the Capital. He said, “I’ll take you eat fresh seafood and river food in the Southern.”

T/N – We have seafood, but is there riverfood in English? How to say seafood that’s from freshwater?

Shen Jin’s eyeball rolled, “Fujun, half year in the Capital is a bit long. If we go to the Southern earlier, we can stay there longer.”

Chu Xiuming smiled, “Alright.”

Shen Jin was satisfied, she also stopped thinking. Chu Xiuming seemed to have had a plan so it should be fine, she just needed to obediently listen to him.

“But, if that time they still won’t let Mother Consort and Mother leave the Palace, what should we do?”

“I’ll sort it out.” Chu Xiuming spoke.

Shen Jin nodded and she really wasn’t bothered anymore. After changing clothes, she started ordering Zhao-momo to pack things. She also had to prepare gifts for various people, thinking thinking thinking and she got a headache, so she pulled Zhao-momo to ramble about various people’s preferences.

After talking for a long time, she left without a care. The kitchen had some new cooks, lately Shen Jin had been mulling about kitchen matters. But this time she didn’t go to the kitchen, she went to ask Chu Xiuming, “Fujun, what about my rabbits and Xiaobudian? And the horse that you said is giving birth soon?”

Chu Xiuming had planned these, “Xiaobudian could come with us.” He had been training Xiaobudian for some time, it could help protecting Shen Jin. “The rabbits and the foal, no. And we need people, who are you taking?”

“How about An Ping and Zhao-momo?” Shen Jin asked.

Chu Xiuming nodded, it was not a problem. “Second Brother isn’t going, he can take care of the rabbits.”

Shen Jin responded, “He won’t eat my rabbits, will he?” Chu Xiuyuan disliked the rabbits the most.

Chu Xiuming laughed, “He won’t dare.”

The three words made Shen Jin relieved, she went to the yard to play with Xiaobudian.

Zhao-momo had always felt the General’s Furen was too relaxed, so relaxed that nothing she said was useful. She only said Rui-wangfei liked plain colours, Eldest Sister liked red, Mother liked fur. Good thing she still remembered some things from preparing gifts last time. Not sure if it was just her feeling, but since the wedding Furen had been more and more….. unfocused.

“Must be because she was spoiled by the General.” What about later when there was a child, she couldn’t keep being silly, could she. Zhao-momo felt headache, but at this moment she had to collect herself to start preparing things.

An Ping was there, she acted as if she hadn’t heard, “Momo, which of Furen’s clothes to pack?”

“No need to pack too many. Get the Moonlight brocade, Floating-light brocade, Autumn-bright silk…. forget it, I’ll pack. You go pack some rarer fabrics that are dificult to buy, we don’t know the current trend in the Capital so better bring materials and get a seamstress there to make new clothes.”

An Ping responded, then she said, “Momo, I feel it’s not just the General’s fault that Furen becomes like this.” She ran away without waiting for a reply.

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T/N – A jade pillow. Not sure which comes first: (A) Your brain is damaged enough to be willing to sleep on this thing, or (B) Sleeping on this thing damages your brain. Ancient people are weird!