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Chapter 3 - My Wife, Wen Lingzhao
After her excitement passed, Wen Lingxue suddenly seemed to realize something, and her bright eyes looked Su Yi up and down once more. “Brother-in-law, you haven’t set a foot outside since you married into the Wen Family. Moreover, you’ve been dejected, world-weary, and down in the dumps. I’ve been worried about you; I was really scared you’d take things to heart and do something bad.”
She examined Su Yi intently, then said in confusion, “But now, even though only a month has passed since we last saw each other, you seem like a completely different person.”
Su Yi was inwardly stunned. Her intuition’s quite sharp!
Disciples of Pinecloud Sword Manor got two days off a month, and it had been a month since Su Yi last saw Wen Lingxue.
He wouldn’t have guessed that she’d pick up on his change so quickly.
“I thought some things through recently,” said Su Yi with a laugh. “I won’t act like I did earlier anymore.”
“So that’s it!” Wen Lingxue lit up, and a radiant smile spread across her beautiful face. “That’s wonderful! I prefer you like this, Brother-in-law. You have a certain…. Hmm, it’s hard to describe, but it’s like they say in books: ‘the air of a treasure in the making, a youth with glorious prospects, whose smile is as radiant as if he were carrying the moon, as aloof and transcendent as a solitary tree!’”
She walked with her hands behind her back. Her dress was like jade, her smile like a flower. Her joy came straight from the heart, and she seemed like an entirely different person than Pinecloud Sword Manor’s Ice Queen.
If those classmates of hers saw her now, they’d be too stunned to function. The emotional damage would devastate them.
Su Yi laughed out loud.
When someone changed, it often happened overnight.
Especially in his case. With the knowledge and breadth of experience of his past life, his temperament wasn’t even remotely comparable to what it had been before!
The Wen Family.
They were one of the Three Great Clans of Guangling City. Their estate was located in the northwest district, and it occupied a full hundred acres. Courtyards were scattered throughout, and the mansions were as numerous as trees in the forest.
Night was falling.
As soon as Su Yi and Wen Lingxue returned home, they saw someone waiting for them by the door, and she was obviously frantic.
She was Qin Qing, Su Yi’s mother-in-law. Despite her age, she looked bright and dignified, and she had a distinctive, mature charm. She’d undoubtedly been a peerless beauty in her youth.
“You worthless waste of food! All I asked was that you bring Wenxue back from school. What took you so long?” Qin Qing shot Su Yi a vicious glare. She looked completely fed up.
Just looking at him made her temper flare up. Who knew how much mocking laughter and idle chatter she’d heard lately on account of this son-in-law of hers?
Su Yi’s expression was calm. He wasn’t the least bit concerned.
It had been a year since his marriage into the Wen Family. He was well aware of how fiery and unreasonable his mother-in-law’s temper was.
But then, he also knew that Qin Qing had opposed his marriage to Wen Lingzhao right from the start, and she’d been vocal about expressing her rejection and dissatisfaction.
But when the family matriarch personally decreed that the marriage was to proceed, Qin Qing dared not disobey. She could only hold her nose and endure.
Wen Lingxue stuck out her neck for Su Yi. “Mom, it was me. After getting out of class, I dilly-dallied a bit….”
“Fine. Off to dinner with you, girl.” Qin Qing waved her away irritably, then turned her cold gaze on Su Yi. “Come with me. Everyone’s waiting for you in the clan hall, you know!”
When she heard that, Wen Lingxue couldn't help but ask, “The clan hall? They’re waiting for Brother-in-law? What for?”
“How is that any of your concern? You sit tight and stay in the family estate. Don’t go anywhere! You hear me?”
Qin Qing’s words were harsh. Wen Lingxue simply said “Oh” and shot Su Yi a surreptitious glance. Her clear, bright eyes carried a hint of concern.
Su Yi laughed. “Do as you’re told. Off to dinner with you!”
Only then did Wen Lingxue turn and enter the courtyard.
Qin Qing witnessed this entire reaction, and she was instantly on guard. She glowered at Su Yi. “Lingxue is still young. If you dare have any deviant thoughts about her, I’ll cripple you even if it kills me!”
The corners of Su Yi’s lips twitched. Am I, Su Xuanjun, really that type of person?
“Come with me.” Qin Qing didn’t waste anymore words, nor did she spare Su Yi a second glance. She was afraid that if she did, she’d lose her temper and curse him out again.
The clan hall.
Resplendent lanterns illuminated the entire lavishly decorated space. The Head of the Wen Family, Wen Changjing, was present, as were the rest of the family higher-ups. They sat on both sides of the hall in order of rank, chatting amongst themselves. The atmosphere was both relaxed and lively.
However, the instant Su Yi followed Qin Qing inside, all conversation died off as everyone turned to look at him.
Their expressions all went a bit strange. There was cruel laughter, disdain, pity, and mockery.
The lively, relaxed atmosphere sank considerably, too.
Although these gazes were targeted at Su Yi, they made Qin Qing thoroughly uncomfortable. She muttered coldly, “You wait here.”
Then, she dashed off to sit beside her husband, Wen Changtai.
Su Yi still acted like this had nothing to do with him. He just stood in the center of the hall, and his gaze swept across the gathering of Wen Family higher-ups.
Hm? Su Yi paused. He’d just noticed a familiar, graceful figure.
Her eyebrows were thin and faint, her teeth were pearly white, and her eyes shone. She wore a pale blue dress, and sat with her long, slender legs together. She was entirely unadorned, with all the natural beauty of a hibiscus rising from clear waters—an innate, unsurpassed charm.
Hers was a transcendent beauty. She was the real thing.
However, her gaze was icy, proud, and aloof, as if she were thousands of miles away.
Wen Lingzhao!
She was, at least nominally, Su Yi’s wife!
In Guangling City, she was a peerless beauty, second to none, with the good looks of a fairy. Her talent for martial arts was equally shocking and outstanding. Who knew how many talented youths admired her?
Ah, so that’s where that cold attitude Wenxue has at school came from. She’s obviously imitating her big sister. Su Yi instantly understood.
Wen Lingxue pretended to be cold, but Wen Lingzhao really was cold. Her icy, aloof demeanor had already fused into her very bones.
Meanwhile, Wen Lingzhao noticed Su Yi’s gaze and faintly scrunched up her brow. A moment later, she regained her usual calm, and her cold eyes didn’t so much as glance in Su Yi’s direction. She outright ignored him.
Husband and wife had been apart an entire year, yet they were acting like strangers!
“Su Yi, I called you here to inform you of something.” Sitting in the clan hall’s seat of honor, Family Head Wen Changjing’s tone was casual, but he instantly drew everyone’s attention.
Wen Changjing was clad in purple. He was bearded, and his hair was white. He had a face like carved jade. His hands were on his armrests, and he towered like a dignified mountain.
“Due to Lingzhao’s stunning talent, despite having only cultivated within the Blueriver Sword Manor for a year, she had the good fortune to attract a major power’s attention. They’ve given her a recommendation to continue her cultivation at Heaven’s Origin Academy.
“In other words, Lingzhao is already an official student of Heaven’s Origin Academy.” Wen Changjing glanced indifferently at Su Yi. “You were once the ‘Sword Chief’ of Blueriver Sword Manor’s outer sect. You might be worthless now, but you should still understand what kind of vast and transcendent existence Heaven’s Origin Academy is. To the Wen Family, Lingzhao’s admission is a blessing as grand as the heavens themselves.”
So that’s what was going on. Only now did Su Yi understand why the Wen Family’s higher-ups had called him here.
Heaven’s Origin Academy was the top cultivation spot in all of Gunzhou, the “Gun” or “Imperatorial Province.” Practically everyone capable of gaining admission was a peak-level genius in their state of origin!
It had only been a year since Wen Lingzhao began her cultivation at Blueriver Sword Manor, but she’d already earned a recommendation to continue her studies at Heaven’s Origin Academy. It was immediately obvious just how shocking her talent for the Martial Dao was.
To the Wen Family, this was indeed a blessing.
But to Su Yi, this meant that it would be a long, long time before he next saw his wife.
When he realized this, he glanced at the nearby Wen Lingzhao, but she was as cold and expressionless as ever.
“Family Head, Elders, have you called me here to ask my opinion?” asked Su Yi.
When the group heard this, they were stunned. Their expressions soon turned strange.
A burst of jeering followed. “Su Yi, you’re overthinking this! This isn’t up for discussion. It doesn’t matter whether you agree or not. We won’t let a wretch like you hold back Lingzhao’s glorious future!”
The speaker was Wen Changqing, Wen Lingzhao’s second uncle. He was whiskerless, and he wore brocade robes. His gaze was sharp and sinister.
The hall burst into soft laughter. It seemed Su Yi’s words had amused them.
A mere live-in son-in law wanted to share his opinion on this particular matter?
Surely he realized that in the eyes of the Wen Family, he was nothing but an insignificant waste?
Yet against all expectations—
Su Yi responded with utter calm and complete ease, as if none of this had anything to do with him.
His relaxed composure actually made several of those about to taunt him rather uncomfortable.
“If you’ve already made your decision, might I ask why you’ve called me here?” Su Yi asked casually.
Before reawakening his memories, their taunts and insults would have been hard to bear. He’d surely have been indignant.
But Su Yi was no longer that person. Why should he care about such things?
“It’s because I wanted to take this opportunity to see you, Senior Apprentice Brother Su.” A burst of crisp, hearty laughter echoed throughout the hall, and a handsome, dignified-looking youth in wide-sleeved white robes strode inside.
Instantly, the gathered members of the Wen Family rose from their chairs, warm smiles plastered on their faces.
“Young Master Wei, please take a seat!”
“Young Master Wei, we planned to send Su Yi to greet you. We’re flattered that you’d pay us a visit in person. Please forgive us for failing to greet you properly.”
…..Their flattering words contained blatant fawning and adulation, each more zealous than the next.
Family Head Wen Changjing even went so far as to guide “Young Master Wei” into the hall personally.
Su Yi couldn’t help but inwardly shake his head. Their behavior was really sickening….
But then, the white-robed youth strode right up to Su Yi, his manner overbearing and arrogant. “Senior Apprentice Brother Su, long time no see.”
Seth's Thoughts
The first part of Wen Lingxue’s elaborate, flowery compliment, “the air of a treasure in the making, a youth with glorious prospects, whose smile is as radiant as if he were carrying the moon” comes from the poem “Master White Stone” by Song Dynasty poet Guo Maoqian. I did not find any official or professional translations of it, so I did my best to come up with something appealing and comprehensible while staying as true to the classical Chinese as I could manage.
The second part, as far as I can tell, is not a reference to anything in particular. It has a distinctly literary feel, though, so I tried to evoke that with my translation.
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I don’t think you can even call this a spoiler so much as a terminology adjustment.
Early in the story, the author calls the province Cloudriver Prefecture is located in ““Heaven’s Origin Province”, but he later switches to 衮州, or “Gunzhou.” I decided to just go ahead and make the switch now.
As for the name, 衮 means “imperial robes”, or “inexorable advance” when reduplicated, but it’s usually used alongside other characters, and it wasn’t immediately obvious to me how to translate it. I considered just leaving it as pinyin, but "the Gun Province" is a bit misleading, so here we are. If for whatever reason I decide to adjust my approach, I'll let you know.