Chapter 283: To Entrust
Author: White Pear Flower
Raws: https://book.qidian.com/info/2386994/
Translated by Gumihou
Proofread by Pill Bug
Gumihou: There’s a reminder in the footnotes as to what happened in the first 10 chapters of this story. Lest we all forget, just like JFJ and AR Qiuning
“How is the Second Young Miss?” [1] asked Fu Qiuning.
It was quite late in the evening when Jin Fengju returned to Elegant Mansion. Fu Qiuning was in the middle of removing her makeup and accessories when he entered the room. She started up the small talk to avoid awkwardness.
“En, it was just a small cold. The Imperial Physician Liu prescribed some medicine, saying that she will recover in a few days.”
Fu Qiuning thought: Calling for the imperial physician for a small cold? How luxurious.
Jin Fengju was already approaching her, a comb in hand, ready to start combing through her long hair.
“It’s already late. Why did you not stay at Clear Soft Pavilion? You’re already there to check up on Second Young Miss. Not to mention, it would set Second Madam Wan’s mind at ease.” [1]
“I have already set her mind at ease. If I were to stay overnight, she would just become more suspicious. As you know, it is best to be more cautious now and avoid any slip-ups,” Jin Fengju said as he took one of his wife’s hands and began kneading it gently.
[2] Fu Qiuning stood, casually removing her hand as she said, “What do you mean by making her suspicious if you stay over? You already called the imperial physician over. Isn’t it more suspicious for you to not stay at this late hour?”
Jin Fengju also stood, “Well that is…”
“Speaking of which, what are your plans for Concubine Huo?”
“Naturally, I shall have to cut her off quickly,” was his immediate answer.
Fu Qiuning looked at him steadily, “Even though she was pressured by her father to commit those sins?”
Jin Fengju was about to answer ‘Of course!’ when he caught himself and went pale. That’s right, back then, Fu Qiuning had been forced into a marriage with him through the machination of her father and the now Crown Prince. How had he treated her back then? Instead of trying to make the situation better, he immediately married in more women, flaunted them before her as revenge against people he could not afford to retaliate against, and then ignored her existence for six years. If Fu Qiuning had not been so resourceful, it was doubtful whether she or the twins would still be alive now…
Fu Qiuning remained standing as various emotions scrolled through Jin Fengju’s face. She had no intention of helping him get out of this awkward situation.
Finally, after a while, Jin Fengju said, “As mentioned, I shall send her back to her family…”
“What for?” asked Fu Qiuning curiously. “Regardless of her family’s intention when she was sent to be your concubine, she had already bore you a daughter. To send her back without a valid reason, what do you think will happen to her?”
“This…”
More conflicting emotions crossed Jin Fengju’s face as, for the first time in his life, he properly thought about the fate of women being stuffed here and there by their parents, grandparents and spouses.
Fu Qiuning sat on the far side of the bed, leaving him to his thoughts. She had no intention of coddling him or comforting him by telling him how it was all going to be alright or other such nonsense.
“Qiuning, ah…”
“You may do as you like,” she said dismissively. “They are your women.”
Jin Fengju flinched as though she had physically struck him and gave her a pathetic look. Perhaps he was pleading for understanding?
Finally, he said, “Qiuning, this is just a thought, but… are you keeping secrets from me?”
Fu Qiuning gave him an exasperated look, “Is that all you can think of? Goodness, it looks like the great Young Marquis of the Jin family’s great intellect is merely an exaggeration. If you cannot think beyond your nose, there is really nothing I can do. In the end, I am but a helpless woman in your harem. What can I do but follow the dog or rooster that I married to.”
Jin Fengju’s brow furrowed. “Qiuning, ah. Isn’t that a little harsh?”
“Goodness, is it now? Do you want me to comfort you? As the head of the family and one who decides all of our fates, I suppose it is only natural for the rest of us to prioritize your feelings.”
[3] “That isn’t…” Jin Fengju had a frustrated look on his face, but it was difficult for him to say anything to Fu Qiuning. It was not like she was actively refuting or denying him, but for some reason, agreeing with her felt wrong too. Finally, he sighed and said softly, “Perhaps I deserve that, after all, I have done you wrong all those years ago…”
[3] This time, it was Fu Qiuning’s turn to feel awkward. While it was easy to dismiss the man when he was acting like an entitled young master, it was less comfortable when he honestly said things like that. Especially when he acted sincerely…
The silence remained for a long while before Jin Fengju frowned, sighed again and said, “It’s fine, just let it be. After all, I have a daughter with her. A thousand miles outside of the Capital is our Jin Clan’s ancestral shrine, where we have a few descendents looking after the ancestral tomb. It is also considered a safe place.”
[1a] Fu Qiuning paused for a long while, watching as Jin Fengju fidgeted. After a while, she said, “I thank you on her behalf.” Just as Jin Fengju breathed a sigh of relief, she added, “I suppose the reason why I was not sent there was that it was considered a safe place?”
[3] Jin Fengju choked midway and spluttered, “Qiuning, ah~!”
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Through the small window in the woodshed, a faint light shone through. It must be dusk now. The sky just before sunset must be beautiful. Sadly, she had never taken the time to properly appreciate it.
The door creaked open, and steady footsteps approached. Concubine Huo, no, she is just plain Huo Xiangmian now, turned [4] in a panic. For a brief moment, she thought that an assassin had been sent to silence her forever. However, the person was Jin Fengju, her once husband.
[4] “Are you here to send me on my way?” She asked, wondering whether he was here to do the deed personally.
“Yes, but not now.”
Jin Fengju looked at the woman in front of him. Once, she was as beautiful as a flower. To think that she would become so haggard and unrecognizable in just three days. He still remembered visiting her room on the third day after his marriage. Although he had now given his entire heart to Qiuning, to think that in just a few years, his concubine would turn out to be a spy and become his enemy…
“You set your mind at ease and leave, I will take good care of Xiuru.”
There was really nothing much to say after that. Jin Fengju came to see Huo Xiangmian to put an end to their relationship, not because of some lingering feelings.
After tossing out that final line, he turned to leave. That was when Huo Xiangmian lost control and threw herself to the floor to sob, “Master, this humble woman realized that I had done wrong. I know that it is too late to say anything, but I beg you, for the sake of Fourth Young Miss, to take good care of her. Please, don’t send her to Clear Soft Pavilion. If Master could send her to Elegant Mansion, this humble woman could die in peace.”
Jin Fengju stopped in his tracks. Suddenly, he sneered and said, “It is your mistakes that harmed your child. Yet, you expect Qiuning to bear the burden for you? If you had known it would come to this, why were you so obstinate in the first place? If you had confessed earlier, for the child’s sake, I wouldn’t have made things difficult for you. But you insisted on going your own way, leading to today’s outcome. You say you won’t rest in peace unless Fourth Young Miss is sent to Elegant Mansion because you know Qiuning is kind-hearted and merciful. Yet, when you dare to harm her! Did you ever stay your hand because she was kind? Now you want to entrust your child to her? How can you have the face to say such things?”
[5] Huo Xiangmian stared at Jin Fengju with tears dripping from her eyes. For a moment, it looked like she would collapse to the floor in tears but then her eyes suddenly hardened and she said, “Isn’t Master the same?”
“What- you dare-!”
[5] “It’s all true! It is my mistake that harmed my child! I am at fault! I am a stupid woman who knew nothing but obedience to her parents and no will in her body to do anything but raise children and charm my husband. It’s all true! Now that my folly had been shown, I now expect Second Madam Ning to bear the burden of raising my pitiful child. But, Master… aren’t you the same? You’re the same as me! You cursed her existence back then, married us for revenge and now you are forcing Second Madam Ning to bear the burden of your mistakes-”
“Enough!!!”
Indeed, it was enough. Enough to send Huo Xiangmian to the ground as she wept tearfully at his feet.
As for Jin Fengju, he had been thoroughly shaken by the accusation and stormed out of the woodshed, nearly fleeing the woman he had decided to abandon. [5]
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Fu Qiuning had just ordered Jian Feng to serve dinner when hasty footsteps were heard. She sighed to herself and said, “Lord Husband, you’re back?”
As usual, Jian Feng quickly made herself scarce the moment the master arrived. She had learnt well at Yu Jie’s hands and was more than happy to help foster loving moments for their master and mistress.
Fu Qiuning stood and was about to turn around when she was suddenly pulled into an embrace. The odd thing was, instead of starting up one of his grand speeches of love, he remained silent for a long time. Fu Qiuning stood uncomfortably for a while before saying, “What happened?”
Did his mother or grandmother die?
“…Xiangmian asked to have Fourth Young Miss placed within Elegant Mansion so that she may die in peace.”
“Is that so?” Fu Qiuning had more or less expected this. It was practically tradition at this point for Jin Fengju to dump his children on her.
“Qiuning, are you angry?”
“At what? It’s to be expected by this point,” was her matter-of-fact reply.
Suddenly, Jin Fengju said, “Qiuning, why are you so kind? Don’t you feel this is unfair to you? Why should you bear the responsibility for their mistakes? Qiuning, don’t you harbour any resentment?” Jin Fengju held Fu Qiuning’s hand. Indeed, he felt at ease only when his children were with her. But he also deeply felt this was unfair to his wife, making him both angry at Huo Xiangmian and even resentful of himself.
[6]
[Gumihou: The ending was canon. Adjusted parts of this chapter (and the chapters before this) fit the ending quite well. Earlier in this chapter, JFJ appeared to have -ve IQ points while AR Qiuning was busy telling everyone and their dog just how clever she was. Removed these elements and replaced them with reasonable people per the situation.]
[1] Remove excessive lovey dovey thingies on Fu Qiuning’s side
[1a] Seriously, the condescension in this paragraph
“Then I’ll thank you on her behalf.” Fu Qiuning finally breathed a sigh of relief. Leaning gently against Jin Fengju, she closed her eyes and thought to herself: If this were a novel, who knows how many people would criticize me for being overly kind. But I only know that women should not make things difficult for other women. Since it poses no harm to me or the Jin family, why shouldn’t I lend a helping hand when I can? After all, she can never be with Jin Fengju again; this little act of kindness is enough to satisfy my own heart.
[2] Logical Fu Qiuning, in place of iyann~ Qiuning
[3] Realistic character development that did not involve a forced character change
[4] The encounter between JFJ and Concubine Huo was all over the place; the author wanted to do some face slapping, but didn’t want to make JFJ look bad. Smoothed out all the kinks and went with the most likely scenario per the characteristics they have already shown. There were also a lot of unnecessary inner monologues from Concubine Huo, which were basically just there to make her more sympathetic? Why, author?! Also, JFJ kept using the word ‘haggard’ to describe her
[5] I cannot stand JFJ’s hypocritical speech, Xiangmian! Use [Retaliate!] None of this ‘As he finished speaking, he heard Huo Xiangmian weeping pitifully at his feet, unable to utter a word.’ Speak your piece, Xiangmian! Gumi shall give you voice!
[6]Deleted 280 words of ‘Omaigawd~~ you’re so adorbs~ keyaaa~~n’ between JFJ and Alternate Reality Qiuning
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