This chapter was translated by Sian for only and edited by Din2.
By Qian Lu
Chapter 45
Princess
Murong Shu Qing and Song Ling Qiu were chatting about random things for the whole afternoon, the two people were pleasantly surprised that they were talking nonstop. Murong Shu Qing did not antic.i.p.ate that Song Ling Qiu, who was the official government"s Miss (her father was an official), and then the General"s Madam, was unexpectedly traveling to many famous mountains and great rivers within Dong Yu. Song Ling Qiu did not dare to believe either, that this woman who was only 20 years, she had her own unique views whether it was concerning her opinions or dealing with some affairs. The two people were very happy chatting with each other, when she looked at the sky, the sun was unexpectedly setting already. Song Ling Qiu asked Dong Xue who was outside the door: "Dong Xue, did Princess leave?"
Dong Xue entered the inner room, added more tea for Song Ling Qiu and Murong Shu Qing, and with a soft voice, she answered: "Not yet, after Princess was sitting in the front hall for a while, she said that she wanted to wait in Master"s Yun (cloud) Jian (between) Feng (wind) Xu (chat). In the end, Mu Hai has to block her, so she is still in the reception room and was very angry."
Chu Qing, this girl, knew full well that Yi-er did not like other people to casually go into his Yun Jian Feng Xu, but every time she came, she always wanted to go there, the matter about this child, really made people unable to be worry-free for a little bit. Sighing, Song Ling Qiu asked: "Did Yi-er return yet?"
"Not yet."
Putting down the tea that was on her hand, Song Ling Qiu got up, and impatiently said: "Not waiting anymore, serve the meal." This smelly youngster, she asked him to come home earlier to eat dinner, but he unexpectedly did not return until now.
"Yes." Dong Xue was leading them to walk to the front hall.
Murong Shu Qing followed Song Ling Qiu to the front hall, and just saw a young lady with a gorgeous dress who was pouting her mouth, she was walking back and forth with anger and boredom. The woman appeared to be very young, but her fine and exquisite facial features showed that after she grew up, she would surely be a gorgeous and beautiful woman. Her fiery red skirt was swaying back and forth at the front hall, as if it was a ball of raging flames, its brightness could attack people.
Paying attention when they arrived, Chu Qing promptly welcomed up. Song Ling Qiu slightly stooped to salute: "Greetings to the Princess, this old body could not welcome you. Princess, please forgive me."
Murong Shu Qing did not say anything, but only followed Song Ling Qiu to salute. This Imperial family"s custom was really annoying.
Imperial mother had already made it clear earlier that she could not act willfully at Xuanyuan"s manor, and could not be angry in front of Aunt Qiu either. She understood this, that Xuanyuan gege was her suitable and ideal husband for a long time, then Aunt Qiu was her future mother"s in law, she would certainly show a proper behavior.
Chu Qing supported Song Ling Qiu, and pulled her hand, with enchanting and charming smile, she smilingly said: "Aiyo, Aunt Qiu, hearing what you have said, to me, why are you still saying whether or not you will welcome me. Imperial mother really misses you, she wants you to come to the palace when you have time."
Song Ling Qiu got up, she slightly struggled free from Chu Qing"s hand without any trace, and took advantage to help pulling Murong Shu Qing up who was beside her, then she politely and humbly responded: "Many thanks to the Empress Dowager"s concern."
Chu Qing looked at Song Ling Qiu who was personally pulling up the woman with a green dress, she was somewhat curious, and asked: "This person is?"
Song Ling Qiu did not try to cover it up, so she introduced: "This old body"s future daughter in law, Murong Shu Qing." After chatting freely with Shu Qing for the whole afternoon, she was certain that Shu Qing would not have any problem dealing with this little Princess.
Chu Qing heard Song Ling Qiu"s introduction, so she unexpectedly forgot her own manner and shouted: "Murong Shu Qing? You are Murong Shu Qing?" Finished speaking, her bright and big eyes were tenaciously staring at Murong Shu Qing.
Murong Shu Qing laughed, how could she was so famous? Or all of the women who adored Xuanyuan Yi, also knew her name? She had occupied the fiancée"s appellation for many years after all. Slightly raising her head, Murong Shu Qing with a light smile, nodded her head and answered: "Yes."
Chu Qing was carefully sizing up and down this thin person who was in front of her, and whose appearance was so ordinary, the woman"s clothing was ordinary. She had heard earlier that Xuanyuan gege already had a fiancée before she was born, and the rumor said that she could not let go of Xuanyuan gege. As it turned out, the woman was ordinary like this, no wonder that Xuanyuan gege did not look at her. She (MSQ) was simply not her opponent, and she (bratty princess) would not even need to pay any attention to this Shu Qing. Chu Qing clearly did not intent to let go, so she spoke without thinking: "So, no wonder."
Clearly showing her disdain, this made Song Ling Qiu knit her eyebrows, but Murong Shu Qing was still calm with an indifferent smile. Her appearance was indeed ordinary, comparing it to Dong Xue"s delicate feature and Chu Qing"s prettiness. Moreover, it was not worth getting angry with this young lady anyway.
Song Ling Qiu was afraid that this girl, Chu Qing"s mouth could not be covered up, and she did not know what kind of unpleasant things she would say, so she changed the subject and said: "Alright, Princess, please take a set."
Knowing for sure that Murong Shu Qing did not have any qualification to compete with her, Chu Qing did not look at her any longer, she smilingly helped Song Ling Qiu to go to the master seat, and said: "Aunt Qiu, you do not need to be polite with me, you take a seat."
Song Ling Qiu was not polite either, so she sat on the master"s seat, and waved to Murong Shu Qing who was beside her, smilingly said: "Shu Qing, Come here next to me."
Chu Qing was slightly annoyed, but she did not show it either, it seemed that Aunt Qiu really liked this Murong Shu Qing, but it did not matter anyway, as long as Xuanyuan gege liked her, that would be good.
Chu Qing was somewhat anxious as she kept looking at the outside door, so she asked: "Aunt Qiu, are we not waiting for Xuanyuan gege?" She had been waiting for the whole afternoon, so she wanted to wait for Xuanyuan gege.
Song Ling Qiu gave Murong Shu Qing some of the side dishes, and answered: "n.o.body knows when he will return. We are eating first."
Unable to wait for Xuanyuan Yi, Chu Qing was somewhat disappointed, but she could not be beneath her own ident.i.ty, so she delicately and gracefully tasted the side dishes in front of her, and satisfyingly nodded her head. Chu Qing pretended to be cordial and greeted: "Miss Murong, eat some more, do not be polite." Humph, this Xuanyuan"s proper wife position was sure to be hers.
Murong Shu Qing lightly smiled and answered: "Many thanks, Princess."
The Princess" manner was really graceful, but unfortunately, this young lady was fully spoiled from childhood, so she did not understand the ways of the world. She appeared just like the Master of the household, in order for her to see, but she forgot that the real Master was still sitting there.
The unpleasant atmosphere could not be maintained for a long time, Xuanyuan Yi"s tall figure walked into the front hall, Chu Qing was the first who saw him, and happily shouted: "Xuanyuan gege!" She finally waited until he returned. She wanted to get up and welcome him, but remembered her ident.i.ty, also there was a rule that a girl should be modest, so she was obliged to tender-heartedly gaze at him.
Sweeping one glance at everyone in front of the table, Xuanyuan Yi did not even look at Chu Qing who showed her unbounded modesty, and whole-hearted happiness. But he was rather staring at the only silhouette who could still eat and enjoy herself to the fullest, and coldly said: "Why are you here?"
After he saw her at Qing Feng Lou last night, she made him worry for a whole day, he was thinking deeply whether or not he should look for her at the Qi"s family. But she was peacefully and leisurely drinking tea and eating at his home, how could this not make him gloomy.
Murong Shu Qing slowly raised her head to face Xuanyuan Yi"s grave and stern eyes, she thought deeply for a moment, it did not appeared that she had committed any offense towards him.
Murong Shu Qing did not say anything, but Song Ling Qiu could not just watch, and said: "Yi-er, what were you asking, why could Shu Qing not come here."
Xuanyuan Yi did not speak any longer, he only kept staring at Murong Shu Qing all along, Murong Shu Qing felt strange being stared at, she should definitely not offend this big young master. This kind of "tender-hearted" expression should not be used on her, right?!
Since Xuanyuan gege came until now, his whole attention was placed on that Murong Shu Qing, he did not even look one glance at her. Chu Qing could not be modest anymore, so she got up to pull Xuanyuan Yi"s sleeve, and made him sit next to her, then she acted like a spoiled child to say: "Xuanyuan gege, you have not eaten yet, quickly sit down and eat together with us."
Xuanyuan Yi slightly raised his hand, and pulled back his own sleeve, Dong Xue had already prepared a bowl and pair of chopsticks for him. Serving a bowl of warm soup, she put it in front of him, and said in soft voice: "Young Master, drink this bowl of soup first."
A moment ago, it was Murong Shu Qing, now, there was another beautiful servant, Chu Qing knitted her eyebrows gracefully, she took a chicken that was wrapped in a lotus leaf in front of her and put it inside of Xuanyuan Yi"s bowl, then said: "Xuanyuan gege, eat this, this is delicious." She only wanted Xuanyuan gege to look at her alone.
They were just serving these side dishes and soup, how very lively, Murong Shu Qing secretly laughed and looked one glance at Xuanyuan Yi whose complexion slowly turned black. It looked like a volcano almost exploded, but the two beautiful women did not appear to feel it, and still tried their hearts out to serve him to eat.
Dong Xue took the dish that Chu Qing put in his bowl, she carefully peeled the lotus leaf, dug out the chicken bone, and placed it in front of Xuanyuan Yi again.
Chu Qing looked at how she was solicitously and diligently taking care of the food, she muttered in her heart, so she took a piece of steamed fish, and put it inside Xuanyuan Yi"s bowl again, then sweetly said: "Xuanyuan gege, this is also delicious." I wanted to see how you would peel it!
"I have my own hands." Dong Xue was just about to dig out the bone, a m.u.f.fled voice that chided her and made the two people"s busy little hands to stop what they were doing.
"Cough, cough, cough!" Looking at the two people who were trying to outdo one another, and rushing to serve Xuanyuan Yi to eat, Murong Shu Qing only felt that it was so funny, as it turned out, "the most disaster was to bear a beauty"s favor", this sentence could be understood like this. But looking at Xuanyuan Yi"s ashen complexion, made Murong Shu Qing unable to hold her smiling expression, so she changed it into several light coughs. But when she raised her head with her knitted eyebrows, the corner of her mouth still showed a smiling face, so she still attracted Xuanyuan Yi"s grave, stern and angry look. Murong Shu Qing pretended that she did not know it, and just ignored his threatening gaze, then continued to lower her head to eat the culinary delicacy.
Xuanyuan Yi"s light shout, made Dong Xue to secretly retreat behind him, and she did not speak any longer. Even Chu Qing did not dare to say anything when she looked at his gloomy and intimidating face. Within this kind of atmosphere, only Murong Shu Qing and Song Ling Qiu did not suffer any influence completely. They were just eating joyfully, still chatting and laughing from time to time, they completely acted like Xuanyuan Yi did not exist at all
After eating her filled, and watching the show more or less, Murong Shu Qing did not look at Xuanyuan Yi"s complexion, she just got up and smilingly said to Song Ling Qiu: "The time is not early anymore, Shu Qing takes my leave first."
Not waiting until Song Ling Qiu"s reply, and not letting Murong Shu Qing to have any reaction, Xuanyuan Yi already pulled her arm and walked outside the door, leaving behind the three people in the front hall, whose complexions looked at each other in dismay.
Sian"s notes:
Ok, the Aunt that I use when MSQ calls Song Liu Qiu, is from Bomu word that means father"s younger sister, but the Aunt that the Princess uses to call Song Ling Qiu is from Yi (A Yi) word that means mother"s sister. But I can only use Aunt for both appellations.
Shu Qing vs Chu Qing&h.e.l.lip; I"d like to note that the Qing from Shu Qing (清-first tone) is actually different from the Qing from Chu Qing (晴-second tone). Chu Qing, the Qing is actually the same character as Zhuo Qing in the mistaken book series, which means clear or fine (more like clear weather). While Qing in Shu Qing means the same as Qing in Qing dynasty (last dynasty in china). Actually Qing in Shu Qing can also means clear, distinct, quiet, pure.
Ok, ok&h.e.l.lip; Here"s the author had to write all those ordinary appearances of MSQ again in this chapter. Don"t shoot the translator ok&h.e.l.lip;