There’s a Dragon Girl in the Desolate Sea

The First Dragon Scale (6)

What else could it mean?

　　

In this world, people were always unreasonable when they had a change of heart.

　　

Chu Zhi seemed to have suffered a major blow, staring at the Yong An Marquis sadly, as if she didn’t even recognize who this person in front of her was anymore. They too, used to be in courtship 1, having each other in their hearts, but this love came quickly, and left quickly too, now she had nothing left. But laughably, in Yong An Marquis’ mind, it seemed natural to change his mind, there was no room for her to intervene.

　　

“You–“

　　

Yong An Marquis was just about to say something, when Ling Long’s voice came: “What is Marquis still dawdling for, how much longer will this concubine be made to wait?”

　　

He felt happy when he heard her voice. How Chu Zhi was faring was no longer important, he walked quickly towards the inner room, leaving Chu Zhi alone on her knees on the ground. The room was warm like spring, but she was as cold as an ice cellar, cold to the bone. After a while, Chu Shuang and Chu Xue walked out from inside, stopped in front of her, looked at Chu Zhi with tears on her face, yet they did not pity her, but said coldly: “Madam asked you to serve outside. Without permission, you are not allowed to get close to her.”

　　

Yes, Ling Long wanted her to stay and serve, but don’t even think about being a lady’s maid as a head maid, at best, she would stay in the corridors as a housemaid. Was Chu Zhi resentful? Bitter? Unwilling? It was all useless, because her slave certificate was still in Ling Long’s hands. If Ling Long lived for a day, Chu Zhi would be a slave for a lifetime. The gods say that all beings were equal, but Ling Long didn’t think so. She acted unscrupulously. What she liked was noble and good, and what she disliked was lowly and bad. The former could be carefully cherished, the latter could be slaughtered and destroyed.

　　

Whoever made her unhappy, she would return it a thousand times.

　　

This kind of vengeful, fickle and cruel personality didn’t have any of the good qualities deemed by humans — she didn’t care about right or wrong, no laws and morals could restrain her, so, it was useless to try to change her, influence her, because she was a dragon.

　　

She and “humans” had this fundamental difference.

　　

The Yong An Marquis was fascinated by her because of her unique temperament. He had never seen such a woman before and would never see her again. To Ling Long, he was nothing but a tool for pleasure, just like how humans loved to tease cats and dogs. Occasionally, it wouldn’t hurt to be clawed or scratched once or twice, but Ling Long would pull out the teeth and claws of cats and dogs. She didn’t allow anyone to rebel against her.

　　

Such a domineering yet ruthless person, without the shackles of hunger, would destroy everything.

　　

Ling Long picked up Yong An Marquis’ palm and looked at it, and laughed out: “Marquis’ hands haven’t been cleaned yet, do you want to take it with you on business? Let other colleagues also have a look. How beautiful Marquis’ dyed nails are.”

　　

Yong An Marquis didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, and kissed her jade-like face: “As long as my wife is happy, this husband will leave on business with such nails, willing from the bottom of my heart.”

　　

“Yes.” Ling Long raised her eyebrows. “Then don’t wash it off.” She let go of Yong An Marquis’ hand, hid in the quilt, and hooked her finger at Yong An Marquis. “It’s freezing cold, how much longer will the Marquis be outside? This concubine is going to rest. “

　　

She ceaselessly seduced Yong An Marquis even in broad daylight, but she just liked it so. How could the Yong An Marquis bear her teasing, he immediately took off his robe and clothes, and embraced her tightly. When he got excited, he even whispered that he loved her in her ear.

　　

Not enough.

　　

Such love could not satisfy her.

　　

Love was not noble or cheap, only delicious or not. Pure and single-minded love was hard to come by. After being hungry many times, Ling Long finally learned to slowly change, turning love that was originally not very delicious so that it was easier to swallow. It’s a pity that this was like the difference between organic and artificial cultivation. She had encountered that kind of beautiful, fulfilling love that could make Ling Long full too few times. In her endless life, love was harder than death.

　　

Chu Zhi could only wait outside now. Although she was serving in name, she didn’t actually do anything. At most, she asked someone to run errands. Ling Long usually lived a luxurious life inside, and only saw her a few times. On the contrary, it was the Yong An Marquis who could see her everyday when he returned. It’s a pity that after Yong An Marquis has said that she shouldn’t mention it again, when he saw Chu Zhi again, it was the same as when he first met her, as if she was really just an ordinary maidservant.

　　

Madam was getting more beautiful day by day. Chu Zhi’s speed at which she aged and grew haggard compared to that2 was simply shocking. Whenever she saw the moisturised Madam with a clear complexion, she felt as if she had been poked with countless knives in her heart, hurting and piercing her heart.

　　

She originally thought that the Madam would let her go, but she didn’t expect that this was just the beginning.

　　

After the Chinese New Year, the festive mood was getting stronger, and the Marquis residence bought a new batch of new servants to train. Chu Shuang and Chu Xue were not young anymore, so Ling Long asked them about their intentions, Chu Xue wanted to marry, Chu Shuang didn’t want to. If Chu Xue married someone, Ling Long would have fewer maids next to her, so she planned to buy some people. Before that though, although Ling Long had never said, when the original owner was still there, there were many in the Marquis Residence who only obeyed Chu Zhi. She would also have to take this opportunity to do a proper purge, leaving only those who knew one’s place and were good-looking.

　　

Of course the latter was entirely her own preference.

 

Why couldn’t the original owner see that Chu Zhi didn’t do everything as a head maid, she was ordering the servants around as the new Lady of the House. Now that she had lost her momentum, there were those who flattered those higher than them and bullied those lower than them. Ling Long didn’t want to keep too many of these people, occasionally, they would be useful, but if there were too many, her life wouldn’t be as leisurely and carefree.

　　

The handmaid who succeeded Chu Xue had a new name, Chu Xia3. She was only fifteen years old this year, was clever and diligent and knew how to observe and read between the lines. After a few days, she was not much worse than Chu Shuang. Coupled with her tender baby face, Ling Long really liked to pinch her chubby cheeks, every time she did so, Chu Xia tears welled up in her eyes as she aggrievedly dared not to speak. Yong An Marquis was also invited to see this once, he also hatched a scheme, except he looked down on Chu Xia, and wanted to pinch Ling Long instead.

　　

She was dainty and delicate, her cheeks pink and tender, a slight poke of a finger would leave a mark, her skin was tender and smooth. Yong An Marquis once took a bite of Ling Long’s pink cheek, leaving a tooth mark that didn’t disappear for several days. The consequence of such presumptuousness was that his back was scratched into a chess board, and he was not allowed to apply the medicine even after days of fiery pain. After that, Yong An Marquis always had to consider whether his beloved wife would be angry. He looked at the pinched cheeks enviously, but didn’t dare to do so in front of Ling Long, only when she was confused and dazed, did he dare to sneak in a couple of pinches, using very little force, for fear of leaving a trace.

　　

Ling Long also told Yong An Marquis about Chu Xue’s marriage. Chu Xue married the son of the housekeeper of the Prime Minister’s residence. The two had been close for a long time, but Chu Xue had to take care of Madam until she was twenty years old. The son of the housekeeper also waited idiotically. Ling Long smelled that young man’s love was clean and fragrant, but it was a pity that there was already a master, and she rather liked Chu Xue, she also still had an alternative food. Otherwise, if Ling Long was hungry, regardless of whether it was pleasing to the eye, she would have snatched it already. 

　　

It’s not that she hadn’t robbed others’ love before, she had never failed. It’s just that this stolen love was always a bit worse than its original taste.

　　

How could Yong An Marquis care about whether a handmaid married or not? The only reason he cared about Chu Xue marrying was because she would have to live with her husband. Was there still enough people to serve his wife?

　　

Ling Long covered her mouth and smiled: “Marquis doesn’t have to worry about this concubine, ah, yes, there was something else.”

　　

“Huh?” He played with her small slender hands, and wanted to put them in the mouth and bite them, only he was afraid that she would get angry.

　　

“Chu Shuang and Chu Zhi are both very old, so this concubine was thinking about finding a good home for them. What does Marquis think?”

　　

Yong An Marquis only then remembered Chu Zhi, who was the woman he had originally loved. To marry her off… was somewhat uncomfortable. Even if his things were unwanted, and thrown aside, it still couldn’t be transferred to another. But when his wife looked at him expectantly, her eyes moist and clear, very seductive, Yong An Marquis was mesmerised by the beauty in the moment, so he nodded in a daze.

　　

In actuality, how could Ling Long need him to nod. Chu Zhi was her dowry maid, and the slave certificate was also in her hands. Not to mention marrying Chu Zhi off, even if she sold her directly, Yong An Marquis couldn’t say anything. The reason she asked was just pure bad taste.

　　

Ling Long smiled and said to Chu Zhi, who was standing on the side: “Look at how generous the Marquis is, but you don’t have to worry, even if you’re married, you’ll still be serving in the Marquis residence, I won’t let people bully you.”

　　

Because I want to bully you myself.

　　

Chu Zhi was distraught to the point where she was numb and collapsed. During this time, she had understood her situation, it’s just that though she thought that she had accepted her fate, when the wife wanted to marry her off, all her resentment turned into grievance, and she knelt down with a thump. She kowtowed heavily: “This slave does not want to marry. I beg the wife to keep this slave and let her serve by your side. This slave and maid is willing to become a cow or a horse4, and would not dare to complain! Begging Madam for grace…”

　　

“It’s so pitiful.” Linglong sighed softly. “It’s so sincere, too.”

　　

Her tone was really so convincing that everyone thought that her heart would soften, even Yong An Marquis thought she would be sympathetic, after all, Chu Zhi, who was shaking and kneeling on the ground, was too pitiful, and her posture was so humble. Was there nothing left of the feelings of the past?

　　

But he didn’t know that in Ling Long’s heart, everything in this world should be humbled and crawling before her. How could she feel compassionate towards individuals? She just thought that she hadn’t played enough, and didn’t bully fiercely.

　　

“But I don’t want you to serve by my side.” Ling Long blinked and sighed softly. “It’s only the Master who chooses people, how could you want to influence the master’s thoughts, Marquis, don’t you think so?”

　　

Yong An Marquis was speechless for a while, but thankfully Ling Long didn’t have to hear his answer, she had just asked casually, and looked at the buffoonery of these two people. “I’m asking for your opinion out of kindness, you don’t really think I need you to nod in agreement, do you? The words are right here, how much clearer do you need me to say it? I don’t like you anymore, I don’t want you, so I have to deal with you. It would be better to marry someone and get out of my sight than being sold or beaten to death, it can also be regarded as fulfilling the master and servant affection between you and me.”

　　

She deliberately emphasised the “master and servant” affection, which is tantamount to completely denying the former “sister” affection.

 

I’m really sorry for the late update <(_ _)>
Life gets in the way sometimes orz

 

1

花前月下 = lit. in front of the flowers, under the moonlight

2

of the Madam becoming more beautiful

3

Her name means ‘Beginning of Summer’

4

work really, really hard