A Hundred of Beautiful Lives - Chapter 018
Finally, the wind died down and the rain stopped. After a while, there was no sound of a woman’s voice. Qing Qing and Zi Jing heard the sound of a bell and pulled back the curtains on both sides. They saw Shen Du carrying Princess Anle in his arms.
At that moment, she casually wore a cloak. Her snow-white legs were exposed from the open part, marked with unmistakable finger imprints. Her jade-like feet were as fair as snow, and her pink nails resembled lotus buds blooming in the snow.
Yet, even in these delicate, pitiable places, faint red marks dotted her skin here and there, causing one to blush involuntarily upon seeing them.
Qing Qing and Zi Jing both quickly lowered their heads. The bedding behind them was in utter disarray, soaked and chaotic. The two of them swiftly changed the sheets and quilts, then bowed their heads and came out to invite the two masters to rest. To their surprise, they saw their lord, the Marquis, still sitting on the couch, holding Princess Anle and feeding her water.
“I want more,” Ji Yang said sweetly, her voice soft and coquettish.
Receiving a sideward sharp glance from Shen Du, Qing Qing hurried to the table to pour a cup of warm water, and moved to feed it to Princess Anle.
But Ji Yang, though her eyes were closed, caught the scent of cosmetics approaching. Without thinking, she lightly shook her leg and pouted, “I don’t want her to feed me.”
Shen Du could have scolded Ji Yang, but seeing her delicate appearance and lazy spirit, her eyes barely open, and her voice hoarse from pleading—no longer sweet—he hesitated. Her exposed skin was covered in red marks, making her look especially pitiful.
“Give it to me,” Shen Du said to Qing Qing.
Qing Qing obediently handed over the cup and stepped back, her heart churning with emotions. They had never seen the marquis show such tender affection toward a concubine before, not even when Lady Yun was alive.
Ji Yang drank half the cup of water contentedly before drifting off into slumber.
But Shen Du, gazing at her sleeping face, could not sleep for a long time. Though his cultivation of the Nine-Turn Blazing Sun Technique required him to engage in physical union with women to harmonise yin and yang, he was not one to indulge in lustful desires.
He always exercised great restraint, but with Ji Yang, it was as if he was glued to her body the moment he touched her. He longed to sleep forever on her chest, to chew her to pieces and swallow her whole to satisfy his desires.
Shen Du suspected that Empress Su must have taught Ji Yang some secret techniques or sorcery to bewitch men, but he had nothing unusual and could only wait and observe.
For the next two days, Shen Du did not return to the inner courtyard, instead staying in the outer courtyard study.
On the third night, as soon as Shen Du stepped through the inner courtyard gate, he was intercepted by Liu Sese’s maid, Juan’er, who said that Lady Liu was unwell and asked him to come to take a look.
Qi Beiyuan heard the news and was overjoyed.
“I thought Liu Sese was smart, but she’s just a fool. Choosing now to irritate Princess Anle at this time isn’t it like an old man going into a latrine holding a lantern? Asking for trouble! Let’s see what the Princess will do.”
Unfortunately, Princess Ji Yang was not very capable in her role, and the maidservants around her, such as Yu Sui’er, were newcomers with no connections to rely on. Thus, the news from the inner courtyard was completely cut off from them.
Therefore, Ji Yang had no idea that Shen Du had visited Liu Sese before entering the Běi Yuàn.
“What’s with this quilt?” Shen Du asked, looking at the enormous bedding after washing up.
Ji Yang replied, “I had them sew two quilts together, so the two of us can share it without feeling cramped.”
She didn’t like having two separate quilts on the bed; it felt too formal.
Seeking praise, Ji Yang approached Shen Du and took his hand to feel the quilt.
“Isn’t it light? I had someone rush to make it in three days. The silk floss inside is relatively light and warm, but it’s not the best quality. There simply wasn’t enough time. I’ve already ordered someone to make a duck-down quilt, which is truly warm. That’s the kind of quilt I used in the palace.”
She’d had several duck-down quilts among her dowry, but they’d been lost by the riverside in Zhang River.
“Silk floss?”
Shen Du furrowed his brows but didn’t say anything else, only saying, “Very well. Just make the arrangements.”
Lying on the bed, Ji Yang couldn’t understand what had displeased Shen Du.
She turned her head and asked him cautiously, “You don’t like silk floss? Once the duck-down quilt is complete, we’ll use that instead, alright?”
It was unreasonable to expect the pampered Princess Anle, who had never experienced the hardships of life, to understand the reason for Shen Du’s displeasure in such a short time.
Shen Du understood this, so he pulled the blanket over Ji Yang and said, “Go to sleep. Tomorrow I’ll take you out for a bit.”
It was like a meat pie falling from the heavens. Ji Yang never expected Shen Du to take the time to accompany her out, and she was so overjoyed that she didn’t know what to do. She tilted her head back and kissed Shen Du on the cheek.
The joy in her eyes was so pure that Shen Du began to regret his decision for the next day, though only slightly.
After breakfast the next morning, Shen Du instructed Ji Yang to pack her luggage.
“This journey may last over a month—perhaps even longer.”
Ji Yang exclaimed, “Wow!”
She jumped up and hugged Shen Du. “That’s great! Finally, we can go out and play!”
Confined to the palace since childhood, her greatest wish was to leave the palace and travel around, but she had never been able to do so. She never expected that just a few days after her marriage, Shen Du would take her on a long journey.
Could there be anything more wonderful in the world?
Ji Yang’s eyes sparkled with excitement, but Shen Du gently pried her hands apart from him without sentiment and pushed her away.
“It isn’t a trip for fun. I’m going on a border inspection, and I’ll take you along to see it.”
Ji Yang didn’t feel the slightest bit disappointed. Being able to go on a long journey was already a great joy for her, and besides, Shen Du was willing to take her along even though he had official duties to attend to. That alone spoke volumes, didn’t it?
“But I’m still just as happy.” Ji Yang’s face broke into a wide smile.
She playfully kissed Shen Du on the cheek, then fluttered away like a butterfly.
“I’ll go pack my things. We’re heading north, right? I’ll need to bring some warm clothes.”
It was impossible to get angry at someone like Ji Yang. Her behaviour was indeed that of a princess, lively and willful, but she had none of the grace of a proper young lady. Shen Du couldn’t help but rub his temples, wondering if his plans would work out.
When Madam Xue heard the news, she was furious; she nearly couldn’t breathe.
She said to Shen Du, who had come to bid farewell, “Liu Lang, what are you doing taking the Princess with you on a border patrol? Why didn’t you mention this before? Or did she insist on going?”
“No, I’m taking her to see the hardships of the people,” Shen Du replied.
“Empress Su has raised her in such a way that she knows nothing of the sufferings of the world. She must understand the crimes her father and mother have committed against the common people of this world.”
This was a reasonable argument, but in Madam Xue’s eyes, there was no need to go to such lengths for Princess Anle. It would be better to keep her like a canary in a cage. Once the Empire collapsed, she would be useless—a burden, nothing more.
“Is that really necessary?” Madam Xue asked.
“She is the daughter of Empress Su. How many people would love to tear her apart? It might only serve to unsettle public sentiment.”
In truth, this statement was somewhat self-deceptive.
The Emperor and Empress were far away in the palace, and the common people only heard rumours about them. They had no idea who Princess Anle truly was. What the common people truly hated were the corrupt officials who exploited the people’s labour, even though the Emperor appointed these officials.
Only those in the bureaucracy understood who Empress Su was and hated her for ruining the ancestral legacy.
Shen Du said, “The fortune of the Central Plains has not yet come to an end, and the Li family is still holding it up. No one can say how many more years it will take, but Princess Anle is now the wife of the Duke of Ji. She cannot remain ignorant of the people’s suffering.”
Madam Xue could not argue with Shen Du, but she was worried that Ji Yang would seduce her son.
“I hope you really think that way.”
“What do you mean by that, Mother?” Shen Du asked.
Madam Xue was never one for euphemisms with her son. She said bluntly, “Anle is so beautiful that she could captivate the entire world. I fear you may not be able to control yourself and follow in the Emperor’s footsteps.”
Shen Du chuckled, “Mother, you are overthinking this.”
After bidding farewell to the old madam and Madam Xue, Shen Du led Ji Yang northward along the border of Ji and Bing provinces, passing through the Dàlù Zé toward Julu.
Dàlù Zé is one of the nine great Marshes of the world, where nine rivers converge into a single lake. It spans thousands of acres, its vastness stretching endlessly—a true sight of ‘vastness blending with the void.’
Although the Luoyang Palace had the grand Hongchi and the Ji Zhou had the Heng Shui, their vastness could not compare to the magnificence of Dàlù Zé.
Upon seeing the shimmering, rippling waves, Ji Yang couldn’t help but praise, “It is as vast as the sea!”
She had never seen the sea before, only read about it in books, hence her ‘frog-in-a-well’ comparison.
Shen Du tilted his head and said, “It is far inferior to the sea.”
Ji Yang blinked her eyes, as if to say, ‘Even something this vast is still inferior to the sea?’
She then blushed and admitted shyly, “I have never seen the sea.”
Women rarely went out, so it was only natural that she had never seen the sea.
Shen Du was about to comfort her casually, but then he heard Ji Yang say happily, “Langjun, I heard that Ji Zhou borders the eastern sea. Next time, if you inspect the eastern border, can you take me to see it?”
Now this was truly pushing her luck, but there would be no next time.
In fact, Shen Du already half-regretted this trip. Ji Yang found everything fascinating and beautiful. Her large, watery eyes looked at him pitifully. Even though Shen Du had a heart of iron, with the debauched Emperor and the demonic Empress still in power, Ji Yang was still the Princess Anle.
So Shen Du had to put on a show. He agreed to let Ji Yang go out for a walk after sunset.
And that was a big mistake. Shen Du had no idea how powerful a woman’s purchasing power could be.
When Princess Anle returned to the inn, the maids, servants, and even the guards following her were laden with goods, enough to fill half a carriage.
The food included all kinds of candied fruits, rice cakes, peach slices, and melon seeds…
Among the toys were clay figurines, dough figurines, sugar figurines, and Mo Hou Luo...
Among the accessories were wooden hairpins, silver hair clasps, silk flowers, and embroidered pouches…
She even bought several bolts of cloth, though no one knew what they were for, since none were good enough even to serve as her foot towels.
[T/N: 不是老寿星茅厕里打灯笼么？ – ‘Isn’t it like an old man going into a latrine holding a lantern?’ This is a folk saying used to mock someone who recklessly walks into danger, invites disaster upon themselves, or offends someone powerful at the worst possible time.
Mo Hou Luo (a kind of folk spinning toy)]