CH 121

Chapter 121: The Scent of Conspiracy

Author: White Pear Flower

Raws: https://book.qidian.com/info/2386994/

Translated Pill Bug

Edited by Gumihou

Gumihou: Kitchennovel has been turning cute love pushing scenes into packets of depression since 2022! [a]

Fu Qiuning [a] “Yes, I lost my way. Not only that, but I have also lost my way of life. Aih…”

Jin Fengju, “… …”

“Mother,” Jin Changfeng came forward to tug at Fu Qiuning’s coat and said solemnly, “In the future, if you wish to take a stroll somewhere, do have me or my sister accompany you. It is dangerous on your own.”

“[a] You are right, the world is a dangerous place. This place is as dangerous as a primaeval forest,” Fu Qiuning agreed with a sigh. [a] “In fact, you two should also stay close to Night Breeze Pavilion and be extra careful in this place. Danger could lurk anywhere, even inside the marquisate…”

[a] Jin Fengju coughed. However, instead of addressing the ‘danger lurking inside the marquisate’, he said instead, “Primaeval forest? What is a primaeval forest?”

[a] Fu Qiuning gave him a hollow look, thinking: So this is what you want to focus on? Fine, I don’t care anymore. Let’s just use my golden finger excuse again.

“I heard this word back at the village. A large forest of over a hundred or even a thousand mu where people often got lost and never came out of is called a primaeval forest,” there, that should do it. She thought for a moment and added, “I supposed that garden is not quite as bad as a primaeval forest, but the paths are quite difficult to navigate. Speaking of which, have others been informed that I have been found? [b]”

“Goodness, look at me!” Jin Fengju suddenly slapped his forehead and even stomped his foot. “I actually forgot about this. Goodness, there must still be quite a few servants left searching in the garden.” He turned to Jin Ming and scolded, “Why did you not remind me of this?”

Jin Ming beamed ingratiatingly and said, “This servant was so happy that it slipped this servant’s mind too. Even so, once those little brats could not find anyone, they would naturally return to their rooms. Even if some were loyal to a fault, they could spend the night in one of the many rest areas within the garden. So long as the Master awarded them a little money for their hard work, who would not be satisfied?”

Jin Fengju replied: “Even if that is true, you should also give a shout at the garden. If they could hear it, they could at least go home safely.” After speaking with Fu Qiuning a little more, he hastily fled.

Once Jin Fengju left, Fu Qiuning asked after Jin Changfeng and Jin Changjiao’s homework. Seeing Aunt Yu and Yu Jie’s [c] still anxious looks, she put some effort into pulling herself out [a] of the mire of depression to tell the story of how she got lost at Yong Cui garden. The details of the story were so absurd and ridiculous that neither Aunt Yu nor Yu Jie knew whether to laugh or to cry as they listened. That evening, they had dinner together and darkness soon fell, turning the area outside of their warm rooms completely dark.

Fu Qiuning personally lit the candles and found Aunt Yu embroidering by a lone candlelight. She said, “You should take care of your eyes. There is no need to be embroidering things as though our very lives depend on them. [d] Moreover, you have your marriage to look forward to. Speaking of which, Second Madam Wan told me that the matter had already been decided by the Young Marquis and that there should be no more obstacles to your marriage. Tomorrow, I shall send Yu Jie over to Mother Zhang and have her pick a good date for the wedding.”

Aunt Yu blushed. She quickly tossed her needle and thread to the side with a shy smile and said, “I only intended to finish this one flower and could not bear to sleep until it’s done. Why is Madam telling me this?”

She then tried to flee, but Qiuning managed to snag her arm and pull her back down.

Jin Changfeng and Jin Changjiao were in the study with Jin Zhuan and Lu Hua. While the four children were studying, Fu Qiuning took the opportunity to [e] say, “Not so fast. If I remember correctly, you mentioned that you are still a virgin?”

[e] Aunt Yu flushed red and lowered her eyes.

Fu Qiuning raised her eyebrows, “[f] Is that old landlord impotent? Is that why he refused to divorce you? Is it because he has yet to enjoy your favour after paying your parents so much money? Well, looks like Third Brother Zhang got lucky. Not that a woman’s worth should be placed on their virginity. Still, many happiness and felicitations to you.”

Aunt Yu, perhaps stimulated to try and take some sort of revenge against Fu Qiuning, retorted in a hushed voice, “Then… what about Madam and the Young Marquis? That is, you usually sleep in separate rooms, but… there are times when the maids are not present… did you and… that is…”

Fu Qiuning rolled her eyes, “Of course not. [e] What’s with you and Second Madam? Is there some sort of event I am not aware of? Should I check the calendar?”

[e] Aunt Yu muttered, “Madam is the one who brought it up first…”

Yu Jie piped up, “Wait, Second Madam asked Madam about, about…” [e] she suddenly flushed red and hissed, “It’s not like she is close with you. She hates you. So, why would she bring such a private thing up?”

Fu Qiuning frowned and said, “So, you think it’s strange too? I believe she was probing for something. Even so, what could she do if she knows one way or another?” [g]

Aunt Yu opened her mouth, but closed it again. Then, she darted another look at Fu Qiuning, before looking down again.

Fu Qiuning rolled her eyes, “If you have something to say. Say it. How long have we known each other?”

“Well, this maid is worried whether this maid is overthinking…”

“Just say it first,” Yu Jie said impatiently. “Come now, don’t leave us like this.” [g]

Fu Qiuning gently poked her in the forehead, “Look at you, all impatient. [g1] When are you going to grow into a refined lady?”

“This maid is a servant, there’s no need to grow into a refined lady,” Yu Jie replied with a giggle.

[e] Finally, after a little more urging, Aunt Yu said, “In fact, the reason why the old landlord did not… you know, was because of an old Taoist’s words. That is why I am still a virgin even after six months of marriage. My mother lamented over my bad fate, as it is easy for them to drive me back home for still being a virgin. Had my virginity been taken, even my mother-in-law would not dare drive me back so blatantly.

Naturally, it was merely a farce to drive me away. The landlord fears his mother as mice fear cats. He married me secretly at a Buddhist temple, hoping that once rice had been cooked, his mother would not be able to do anything. Who would have thought he would receive a warning from that Taoist priest… Anyway, the result of this farce was that I was driven home on the excuse that it was part of noble large house rules…”

“Ah,” said Fu Qiuning. [i] She had some inkling it might be something like that. Luckily, she had trusted her instincts back at Clear Soft Pavilion to not disclose any more information than necessary to Jiang Wanying.

“Wait, are you saying that Second Madam Wan wanted to know if Madam is still… so that she could… she could… but she doesn’t have the authority to… to…”

“She might not have the authority, but there’s another Jiang’shi with the authority to drive me away,” said Fu Qiuning lazily. [i] “There is no need to think too hard about their motivations.”

“Madam then… then what do we do?” At the mention of Madam Jiang, Yu Jie became dumbfounded. She was so anxious that she actually stamped her feet.

Fu Qiuning [i] could only laugh, “What are you panicking about? [g] Now that we know her motives, all that’s left is to decide what to do next.”

Aunt Yu nodded and said, “Indeed, I do not believe they would act hastily. No matter what [g] they find out, they still have to prove it. If word got to the Young Marquis that Madam had been subjected to humiliating tests, [i] what do you think he would do?”

[g] “Then… then… would they really test Madam’s body?” said Yu Jie hesitantly. “Madam, this maid will be impertinent and say this. The Young Marquis clearly treats Madam very well now. H-however, if Madam keeps dragging the matter on and not… take the plunge. Then… the test…”

[j] “I’m actually interested to know what kind of test they would perform,” Fu Qiuning mused. Aside from prodding for the hymen, there should be no other way to check for a woman’s virginity, this social construct. Not that she knew of any even in the modern world. After all, she had dedicated her life to her motherland’s opera and was considered a leftover nerdy girl by society. She was fine with this label and had ambled along nicely in life under this sign.

[j] Also, didn’t she hear something about how the hymen could also break during vigorous exercise or horse riding? Would this mysterious ancient method deem ladies who had broken their hymen through horse riding as virgins or non-virgins? Would they test the v directly? How curious.

“I say, Madam, you should stop being angry with the Young Marquis. Honestly speaking, even among men, he is considered the very pinnacle of men. You just look at the other noble sons. Which of them could match up to our master? Do any of them shoulder the burden of their family in their twenties? Every single one of them hated that there are not enough hours in a day to fill with their vile debauchery.

Not to mention, apart from those few wives and concubines he took in during that one big wedding, our Master never accepted any new people in all these years, Madam, he really is a role model among men, ah. Madam should let go of the past and not think of it anymore. Moreover, didn’t you give the Jinxiang Marquisate a slap in the face when you married in?

The Young Marquis may have abandoned you, but it was not completely unjustifiable. He had his reasons back then and Madam should really not take it to heart. Right now, Madam should get back together with the Master as soon as possible and save yourself from worrying about your future all day long.”

Gumihou: What the sh*t?

Fu Qiuning: The f*ck?

Pill Bug: …Didn’t Jin Fengju ask her to brew some nerve-calming concoction earlier? Is this how she acts when she has no fear?

Gumihou: You’re saying the maid may have imbibed the nerve-calming concoction instead?

Fu Qiuning: Tsk, make sense. Those maids of mine are generally lovely people, but they have been too brainwashed by pointless ancient values

[a] Deleted: ‘angrily glared at Jin Fengju as she whispered, “Even if you want to say it, you shouldn’t say it in front of the children ah. As their mother, how would I still have the face to teach them in the future after what you did?”

“I want you to teach them to how to be adults, not for you to teach them how to look for the way, what’s so embarrassing?” Jin Fengju grinned faintly’

Ahh, so that’s why AR Qiuning is so hung up about the ‘shame of getting lost’. It’s so that JFJ could ‘grinned faintly’ at her, improve their relationship by teasing her and making FQN go ‘kyaa~~’

Too bad, FQN is now mired with misery from chapter 120 since it’s only 3 months till the day she had to enter the inner court and ‘wait for death’. Want readers to forget about this crucial fact by throwing them a cute scene? I don’t think so.

Deleted more of these nonsenses peppered through the chapter.

[b] Deleted extra words of ‘please soothe the Old Madam on my behalf~~’ which implies good relationships with both JFJ and Foxy Grandma. Author, you’re too sneaky.

[c] Give a proper reason as to how the conversation started

[d] The transition between talking about embroidery and talking about Clear Soft Pavilion was rather unnatural. Was the author trying to dumb down Fu Qiuning via the ‘ehehe, blep, knock head’ gesture? Ah, it was followed by ‘the Young Marquis already decided it’. So, basically ‘ehehe’ + ‘butt polishing’

[e] More awkward transition. Fixed

[f] Deleted “Heaven does not forsake good people in the end. Although that old landlord robbed someone away, he did not have the fortune to enjoy the beauty of Aunt Yu. Zhang San has been smitten and waiting for these years, finally getting what he wants.”

Are you a woman of that era? What does virginity have to do with a woman’s worth?

Note: Author seems to enjoy using ‘laugh boldly’ to smooth over weird transitions

[g] Deleted extra faffing about. There is really no need to get up and sit down, then get up and talk, and then sit down.

[g1] Deleted ‘With your quick temper, who would dare want you in the future?’

Perpetuating the ‘refined lady’ ideology? Not cool.

[i] Deleted ‘ooohhhh, I seeeeee’, replacing it with ‘I knew it’

[j] Since the author wants to talk about the virginity test, word it under ‘hmm, curious’ rather than ‘um…?’ Also, bonus rumination over this social construct called ‘virginity’