Chapter 33 FCADW? IRTBTMOTMM
FlamingoBees
Translating Chinese Historical Dramas for your enjoyment... and mine! :)
Favoring Concubines and Destroying Wives? I Refuse to be the Mistress of this Marquis' Mansion
Chapter 33:
Choose a Person
"It's getting late. Miss, why are you still standing outside? Go inside and rest!"
Yan Mama walked up to Ge Bao'er, blocking her view of Lu Zhengliu.
Ge Bao'er bit her lip, turned around, and went inside, the veil on her face still fluttering.
Yan Mama then approached Lu Zhengliu, smiling, "The old madam is about to rest. Young Master, you don't need to go in and pay your respects."
Lu Zhengliu nodded slightly, furrowing his brows, and walked away.
© translations belonging to flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com. If you read this somewhere else instead of flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com then the translations has been posted WITHOUT permission of translator.
Ge Bao'er was the one he brought back to the mansion, but... But Lin Yunwan was the mistress of the Wu Ding Marquis Mansion. As long as she remained in charge, he would respect her. There was nothing wrong with what they said to each other.
After realizing this, he didn't feel that he had overstepped any boundaries.
~
That night, Old Madam Lu had Yan Mama go and reprimand Ge Bao'er once again.
Madam Lu still felt it wasn't enough, but she didn't know what else she could do to deal with her. After all, she was Qing Ge'er's biological mother. However, no matter how sticky Lu Zhengliu's attitude was, he still couldn't bear to say he wanted to kick her out.
"Where can a man have lasting affection? Just wait a bit longer. Sooner or later, Zhengliu will come to me and send her away himself."
Nanny Yan, holding a porcelain cup for rinsing her mouth, said, "Old servant thinks so too."
~
Many days later, something that made her happy happened.
Lin Yanwan took the initiative to approach her and said, "The eldest son has been back in the mansion for a long time, and we have consecutively adopted two children. There are inevitably some rumors outside. I was thinking... why not choose two concubines for the eldest son? When the legitimate son is born, the rumors will naturally dissipate. Bringing new people into the mansion will also liven things up a bit."
Old Madam Lu was deeply moved and held Lin Yunwan's hand, asking, "Are you really willing?"
"It's all for the sake of the Lu family. What reason do I have not to be willing?"
Lin Yunwan withdrew her hand.
Old Madam Lu felt a bit guilty, pondered for a moment, and eventually agreed with Lin Yunwan's idea.
"The mansion should indeed have more offspring."
She earnestly advised, "Zhenliu is just tough in words but soft-hearted. Don't only focus on the matters of the newcomers; pay attention to your own affairs as well. Young Madam, let me speak frankly. No child born to another can compare to your own. Don't you agree?"
© translations belonging to flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com. If you read this somewhere else instead of flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com then the translations has been posted WITHOUT permission of translator.
Yan Mama also joined in, "Exactly. The eldest son is unwilling to visit the young madam's courtyard, but the young madam should find a way to invite him more. I know the young madam is thin-skinned, but occasionally, bending the rules a bit in the relationship between husband and wife is not a big deal."
Old Madam Lu nodded along.
Lin Yunwan, with her head lowered, said, "I understand." She seemed a bit shy.
Old Madam Lu looked quite satisfied.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Lin Yunwan added, "Grandmother, about those two concubines, I would like to personally select them from the estate and, in the process, choose some young maidservants to enrich the staff in the mansion."
"Select from the estate?"
Lin Yunwan nodded and mentioned that she already had a suitable candidate in mind.
Though Old Madam Lu found it somewhat unexpected, she agreed. Lin Yunwan continued, "The two young masters have yet to visit the estate of the Marquis's mansion. I thought it might be a good idea to take them to the estate and let them experience the family's business. What do you think, Grandmother?"
This suggestion was quite reasonable. However, Old Madam Lu, considering Qing Ge'er's temperament, feared that the more he knew, the more ambitious he would become.
She said, "Take Chang Gong to the estate, but Qing'er doesn't need to go. Teacher Zhang keeps a close eye on him, and it's not appropriate for him to be taking frequent leaves of absence."
"Understood."
Lin Yunwan returned to the Chui Si Tang, smiling faintly as she instructed the servants to prepare for the trip, set for the day after tomorrow.
On the day of departure, there was a flurry of activity in both the front and back courtyards as servants and managers bustled about.
Qing Ge'er noticed Chang Gong packing his belongings and hurried over, asking eagerly, "Where are you going?"
Chang Gong replied coldly, "To the estate."
With that, he instructed a servant to carry his belongings and walked away.
Qing Ge'er looked enviously at Chang Gong. As he turned around, Teacher Zhang was already heading towards the side study. He had no choice but to carry his small book bag and go there for his lessons—Teacher Zhang did not allow servants to attend to him, and tasks like carrying a book bag were things he had to do himself.
"Wu Ding Marquis's residence has two estates. The one we are visiting today is just outside the capital. It will take us half a day to get there."
On the carriage, Lin Yunwan and Chang Gong shared the same space, accompanied by the steward and two maids.
Chang Gong glanced outside, and Yuan Mama quickly reminded him, "Young Master, the madam's face should not be casually exposed."
He hurriedly dropped the curtain, ready to apologize.
Lin Yunwan chuckled and told him, "If you're curious about the outside, when you're a bit older and learn to ride a horse, you can look around as much as you want."
"Ride a horse?"
Chang Gong was a bit hesitant. He said, "Horses are so tall."
Lin Yunwan patted his head and said, "You'll grow even taller than horses in the future."
Chang Gong blinked, "Really?"
© translations belonging to flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com. If you read this somewhere else instead of flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com then the translations has been posted WITHOUT permission of translator.
Finally, a hint of childlike excitement appeared in his eyes.
Lin Yunwan smiled and assured him that it would happen.
~
Upon arriving at the estate's farmland, the people from the mansion settled in a separate courtyard, and the steward from the estate came to pay respects. They even arranged for the women from the farmland to assist in the kitchen.
The two maids, Ping Ye and Tao Ye, were young and couldn't manage the steward and the women from the farmland.
Yuan Mama negotiated with the steward, "No need for your people to serve. Go and bring the young wives and maids from the farmland. The lady wants to choose a few to take back to the mansion. Also, there's a maid named Zhuqing, sent here from the mansion a few years ago. The lady wishes to see her."
The steward remembered Zhuqing and immediately agreed, saying, "I'll go right away."
In less than half an hour, a large group of people stood outside the courtyard. Though they were dressed modestly as peasant women, they appeared clean and spirited. However, one woman standing on the outskirts seemed to have lost all vitality.
Pointing to her, Ping Ye whispered to Lin Yunwan, "Madam, it seems she is Zhuqing."
Lin Yunwan glanced outside and instructed Ping Ye, "Let her come in."
Ping Ye walked out and stood on the steps, looking down at Zhuqing. She said, "Miss Zhuqing, hurry in and greet the lady."
Zhuqing regained her composure, took slow steps up the steps, and knelt at the door from a distance. She didn't dare to enter the room, bowing respectfully, "Greetings to the lady."
Lin Yunwan furrowed her brow, "How did you end up like this?"
As Zhuqing lifted her head, she suddenly choked up, saying, "Lady, I was wrong. I was wrong. Lady, please save me."
"Get up first."
Ping Ye helped Zhuqing up, and Tao Ye brought a chair for her near Lin Yunwan.
"Wipe her face."
Ping Ye fetched a clean cloth, wetted it, and gently wiped Zhuqing's face.
Zhuqing whispered a "thank you" and briefly described her life at the estate over the past few years, "After being relegated here, I've been working hard on the estate. Life has been tough, so I appear a bit... disheveled. I hope the lady can understand."
More than just disheveled, Ping Ye silently remarked, it's like pulling someone out of a pile of corpses.
Lin Yunwan asked her, "Have you married?"
Zhuqing shook her head frantically, "No, no. I don't want to marry!"
Lin Yunwan nodded and said, "Not marrying is good. Are you willing to return to the estate to serve?"
Zhuqing knelt abruptly, knocking her head on the ground, "Young Madam, I'm willing! I'm willing to serve you, I beg you to save me and take me away! I beg you, lady!"
© translations belonging to flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com. If you read this somewhere else instead of flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com then the translations has been posted WITHOUT permission of translator.
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Yunwan laying trap after trap for the Lus... Thank you for your hard work!
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