Author: Vanilla Muse

Posted in Didn’t Love You Enough

Didn’t Love You Enough 101

Posted on by Vanilla Muse

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Chapter 101 – Looking For Prospective Ladies (33.1)

One day, Lin Jia Bao went to pay his respects to the empress. After the empress and Jia Bao ate lunch together, the empress said to Jia Bao: “Jia Bao, don’t leave yet, in a moment there will be some titled madams coming with the womenfolk in their family to pay respects to bengong. Let’s meet them together.”

“Understood.”

The eunuchs outside of Yong Shou Palace came in to report: “The wife of the governor of Bei Guang and her daughter, the wife of the Assistant Minister of Rites and her daughter, and the wife of Xi Jing Bo and her daughter are asking for an audience.”

“Call them in.”

The empress has been very happy these days. Both of her biological sons were so remarkable. After Prince Li’s family and the Xue family were taken care of at the beginning of the year, she no longer had any worries. And in the following year the crown prince’s health should be nearly back to one hundred percent [and ready to make babies], so now she could rest assure and start looking for prospective women for her two sons. Although there would be a talent selection* in the coming year, the madams of many aristocratic families were already beginning to gear up and take action.

[*T/N: talent selection – an event where women are selected to become concubines for the emperor or princes. The chosen women are given the rank “talented lady.” They get a new title only after they sleep with the emperor or prince.]

The three daughters who came this time were all candidates that the empress liked very much, so the empress wanted to let Jia Bao meet them first, to get acquainted with their personalities.

The wife of the governor of Bei Guang, the wife of the Assistant Minister of Rites, and the wife of Xi Jing Bo each brought their daughters to meet the empress.

Translations are by vmnovels [dot] com, if you’re reading this anywhere else, then it was stolen.

“Paying respects to the empress! Wishing good health for the empress!”

“Rise.” The empress looked at the three beautiful girls in front of her. “Ah, the age where one is tender and lovely like flowers… Looking at the three of them makes bengong feel old. Alas.”

“Empress, you are graceful, regal, and beautiful. You are not old in the least bit.” The wife of Xi Jing Bo praised the empress.

The empress looked at Wen Wen Qian, the daughter of Xi Jing Bo. “Qian Er has grown so big in the blink of an eye. I still remember how you looked when you were a baby… you’ve grown so beautifully!”

[T/N: The characters for Wen Wen Qian’s name is 温文倩, so despite the pinyin looking the same in English, the first two characters of her name are actually different.]

“Wen Wen Qian greets the empress. The empress praise is too excessive.” Wen Wen Qian stepped forward to salute the empress.

Xi Jing Bo’s daughter, Wen Wen Qian, was sixteen years old this year. The Wen family was large and influential, and one of their ancestors was even conferred the title of a princess. The Wen family has experienced ups and downs, but it has always occupied a place in the Xuan Yuan Dynasty, which was a display of the family’s profound heritage.

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Wen Wen Qian’s every move could be regarded as a model for the di daughter* of an aristocratic family. Her appearance was not the best, but people could not help admiring her tranquil and gentle temperament.

[T/N: 嫡女 di daughter – a daughter of the main wife]

Whether it was her family background, temperament, or looks, this Wen Wen Qian was the empress’s number one candidate for crown princess and the future mother of the country. The empress looked at Wen Wen Qian and nodded with satisfaction.

Sitting beside the wife of Xi Jing Bo was Zhang-shi, the wife of the Assistant Minister of Rites, and her daughter Zhang Chun Wei.

The empress looked at her and said, “Your name is Chun Wei, right? Bengong has never seen you before… such a lovely child.”

Translations by Vanilla Muse. Read on vmnovels [dot] com

The Assistant Minister of Rites, Zhang Ting Hui, started out as a scholar in the Imperial Academy. He has taught many students and he was quite prestigious amongst the civil servants. Now that the Minister of Rites was getting on in years, Zhang Ting Hui was the optimum candidate to succeed the position.

Amongst the three girls present, Zhang Chun Wei was the most beautiful one. She was truly like a flower and it made people want to treat her carefully… it was a pity that there was a fly in the ointment. Zhang Chun Wei’s body was weak. She was born a premature baby with congenital deficiency, and has been weak and sick since she was a child.

Zhang Chun Wei was fourteen years old this year. She had a slender figure, fair skin, and a morbid sense of beauty, which could arouse a man’s desire to protect…

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Posted in Let Me Shoulder this Blame!

Let Me Shoulder this Blame! 157

Posted on by Vanilla Muse

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Chapter 157

The study room was full of smashed china and books were thrown all over the floor. The Prime Minister’s Mansion had already been searched and raided by the government. Right now it was not fit for living in. That’s why when Su Shi woke up as Lu Li, he was sitting out in the main hall.

Su Shi was in a hurry to shake off that acting regent who seemed to carry bad intentions towards Su Shi’s pot. He made a majestic exit from the main hall only to realize that there was nowhere for him to stay inside.

He stood at the door in silence for a moment, still carrying the imperial edict in his hands. Then he rolled up his sleeves and started tidying up the study without complaint.

With some difficulty, Su Shi managed to gather the shattered porcelain into one corner. Then he bent down to pick up all the books on the floor one by one. He gathered all the books in the crook of his arm, preparing to put them back on the unbroken bookshelf all at once.

Translations are by vmnovels [dot] com, if you’re reading this anywhere else, then it was stolen.

Carrying a food box in hand, Song Rong walked to the door of the study, but his footsteps suddenly came to a stop. He stared at the prime minster’s back.

Lu Li had taken off his heavy and luxurious prime minister court outfit. Beneath it, he only wore an ivory white changshan*. Delicate patterns were embroidered on the collar and cuffs with golden thread. This appearance gave him a clear and melodious aura.

[*T/N: 长衫 changshan – translates to long gown. It is a traditional Asian dress for men.]

Such a person was born to stand above the clouds, but now he had no choice but to do servant’s work with his own hands and he couldn’t even eat a bite of food.

Song Rong wanted to go in and help, but he worried that Lu Li would think he was humiliating him. He could only stand there, feeling great pity for the other man.

Support the translator. Read this on: vmnovels.com

While Song Rong was hesitating by the door, the person in the room stood up with a stack of books in his arms. Out of the corner of his eye, Lu Li saw a figure at the door and he turned around cautiously. His eyes flashed with fierce murderous intent: “Who [is it]?!”

Song Rong met his gaze and walked over. He put the food box down on the table and took the stack of books in Lu Li’s arms. “These things shouldn’t be done by the Prime Minister of the Right himself.”

“I’m already no longer the Prime Minister of the Right.”

Su Shi did not expect this person to chase him into the study. He couldn’t help but frown. When he saw the food box that the other person had brought with him, his heart could not help but waver.

The body that he was in has been starved for two days. He could smell the aroma of the food coming from within the food box. His stomach, which has been numbed by hunger, started to ache again.

He was already a criminal in the eyes of everyone else. It shouldn’t hurt anything if he sat down and ate something.

Maybe Song Rong had come to poison him to death. Su Shi comforted himself by thinking like so and decided not to refuse anymore. He arranged his clothes and sat down at the table. Then he lifted the lid of the food box.

Translations are by vmnovels [dot] com, if you’re reading this anywhere else, then it was stolen.

The food was already cold. Song Rong had most likely gathered the food from elsewhere [and not from the prime minister’s mansion] and brought it here. The food was not the slightest bit refined.

Su Shi was already beyond hungry, so he didn’t pay attention to whether the food was refined or not. He simply picked up the chopsticks and ate calmly.

Song Rong helped him put the books on the bookshelf, and deliberately turned sideways to pretend to organize the bookshelf, but his eyes couldn’t help but fall on the other man.

Lu Li must have been really hungry. His eating speed was on the fast side, but his movements were still as meticulous as always, not losing a bit of his usual elegance.

Song Rong’s imperial father was hale and hearty despite his many years of age, so there was a difference of twenty years between Song Rong and the late emperor. When the late emperor seized the throne, he feared Song Rong for his outstanding military achievements. When the late emperor got on in years, he feared Song Rong for his youth and strength. So he assigned Song Rong to lead the soldiers on a military campaign before the boy even reached adulthood.

Song Rong spent over ten years living at the barracks and hardly ever returned to the capital. He was used to seeing the sight of burly big men at the barracks, so it was even harder for him to take his eyes off of that elegant like bamboo figure.

Song Rong’s peeping was way too obvious. Su Shi placed a piece of cabbage in his mouth and then finally put down the chopsticks. He lifted his head and looked over at the acting regent.

“If you’re still hoping for me to confess something, then just ask. For the sake of this meal, I can provide a few more minions of the “Lu Party.””

Song Rong hurriedly looked away. He wanted to ask if the other man had anything he wanted to justify, but he instinctively knew that he would not be able to get anything out of this man.

Seeing Song Rong bowing his head silently, Su Shi lost his patience. He took out a handkerchief and wiped the corner of his mouth. Then he pushed away the food box and got up.

“Wangye is a man who fights on the battlefield. Since you don’t understand court politics, then there’s no need to force yourself to get involved. Since I dare to do something, why would I not dare to admit it? I have nothing to explain. It’s getting late. Wangye, if there is nothing else then please go back.”

The words of rejection were so obvious that there was no arguing it. Song Rong’s gaze dimmed. He picked up the food box, turned, and left without a word.

Seeing that the acting regent has finally left, Su Shi was relieved. He touched the imperial edict again. Then he picked up a book at random, sat down at the table, and leisurely flipped through it.

Translations by Vanilla Muse. Read on vmnovels [dot] com

In order to humiliate Lu Li, the new emperor even ordered people to destroy all the bedrooms in the prime minister’s mansion. The original Lu Li lived like a prince since childhood and has a noble temperament. Moreover, he’s been occupying a high position all these years. So he actually sat in the main hall for two days without eating or sleeping, and he never let out a word of apology.

He came in from the main hall, so it would be weird to go back out just to sit there. After eating a full meal, the body could not extricate itself from heavy sleepiness. After flipping through a few pages in the book, Su Shi felt his eyelids sinking. He brushed the book aside, pillowed his head on his arms, and fell asleep.

After two whole days, this body was really exhausted. Upon falling asleep, he did not wake up until the sky was bright the next day.

A burst of hurried footsteps woke him. Su Shi straightened up his clothes, stood up calmly, and greeted the black-robed official who walked in arrogantly.

“Did the Prime Minister of the Right sleep well last night?”

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Posted in The Big Landlord

The Big Landlord 143.3

Posted on by Vanilla Muse

As selected by VIP Choice, today’s bonus update goes to TBL. This one is for you Lamentz!

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Chapter 143.3 – Pregnant

If any other concubine in the harem had gotten pregnant, there wouldn’t be such uproar in the harem. By now, several princes have grown up and their abilities were outstanding. Even if one of the concubines got pregnant, the child wouldn’t be able to grow up fast enough.

But Consort Yan was different. The emperor favored her very much, and it was hard to guarantee that he would not be muddleheaded and suddenly issue an edict to let her child succeed the throne.

Although it would not affect the results, things would become difficult. Not to mention there was that Wei Shun Qing, the state preceptor, helping Consort Yan. All the princes’ road to becoming the heir apparent would become even more difficult.

Translations are by vmnovels [dot] com, if you’re reading this anywhere else, then it was stolen.

It looked like they could not allow Consort Yan to give birth to this child.

On the contrary, all the palaces in the harem became quiet for a time.

An Zi Ran was surprised when he heard the news. Consort Yan was pregnant?

“Is this news accurate?”

Fu Wu Tian walked over to him and sat down. “The women in the harem are the most bored. News from them is usually not wrong. She should really be pregnant.”

An Zi Ran poured Fu Wu Tian a cup of tea. Indeed, the women in the palace were not only bored, but they also had scheming hearts. Since this news has spread, then nine times out of then it must be true. Since Emperor Chong Ming favored her so much, the probability of An Zi Ran being able to approach her in the future was unlikely.

Fu Wu Tian picked up the cup of tea An Zi Ran poured for him and took a sip.

“But even if she is pregnant with a royal heir, she might not be able to give birth to it. Those women won’t let her have an easy time. Coming up, there will be foul wind and bloody rain in the harem.”

Support the translator. Read this on: vmnovels.com

“Looks like I thought wrong.” An Zi Ran suddenly lowered his head and smiled softly. It didn’t matter whether Consort Yan was An Qiao E or not. It made no difference to him. Although she has a great influence on Emperor Chong Ming, she still could not reach Fu wangfu. Why should he be distressed over a woman?

“The empress and the other consorts are not easy people to deal with.”

An Zi Ran nodded. He could tell.

Although Consort Yan was favored by Emperor Chong Ming, it could only be regarded as an honorable favor. Compared with the empress, imperial noble consort, and others who had real family backing and actual power, it was not worth mentioning at all. Emperor Chong Ming would definitely not offend several families for her alone.

Thinking of it like this, An Zi Ran suddenly felt like he didn’t have to over think the matter with Consort Yan, even if she was An Qiao E.

But there was one thing that bothered him.

Up until now he still has not found the person who harmed the original host.

An Ke Xin and her mother could be ruled out.

Wang Qing Lan was already under his surveillance.

Only An Qiao E and her mother were left. Because the two of them suddenly ran away, he did not have a chance to investigate them.

“Wangye, where do you think Fang Jun Ping is?”

[T/N: Reminder, Fang Jun Ping is An Qiao E’s mother.]

Fu Wu Tian didn’t answer him immediately, but placed a cup of tea in front of him, “Drink tea to moisten throat.”

An Zi Ran had no doubts about him. Just as he was about to take a sip from the cup, he realized that the teacup in front of Fu Wu Tian was missing, but there were no teacups missing from the table…

He raised his eyes and looked at Fu Wu Tian, who was staring at him, and suddenly there was a hint of warmth in his heart. This man was so good to him, although occasionally he would think of ways to take advantage of him sexually, in actuality, this man was his biggest gain since coming to this world.

Translations by Vanilla Muse. Read on vmnovels [dot] com

A faint smile appeared on An Zi Ran lips. Then he drank the tea from the cup.

Fu Wu Tian saw An Zi Ran’s each and every reaction. This was wangfei without any hesitation or struggle. Although indirect kissing was a bit childish and boring because of their current relationship, it was also a sentiment, wasn’t it?

Fu Wu Tian much preferred seeing the vivid expressions of his wangfei.

“Those two don’t have anyone that they know in the capital, so they’re not afraid of people recognizing them. Therefore, Fan Jun Ping should still be in Jun Zi City.”

“Can you find her?”

“It’s a bit difficult, but not impossible.”

The capital was very big. Unless you dug really deep, it was impossible for Fu Wu Tian to find someone who was deliberately hiding.

An Zi Ran raised his eyebrows, “Do you have a way?”

Fu Wu Tian’s expression suddenly looked profoundly mysterious, “It’s not just us who want to find her.”

An Zi Ran immediately understood.

If one could borrow someone else’s knife to kill*, then they could also borrow someone else’s hand to search [for Fan Jun Ping].

[*T/N: borrow someone else’s knife to kill – incite someone else to kill the target you want to kill without dirtying your own hands]

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Posted in The Big Landlord

The Big Landlord 143.2

Posted on by Vanilla Muse

As selected by VIP Choice, today’s bonus update goes to TBL. This one is for you Encore101! Enjoy ^-^

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Chapter 143.2 – Pregnant

After returning to Zhaozi Palace, Consort Yan’s anger still lingered.

The palace maids and eunuchs did not dare to speak out, for fear of drawing her anger onto themselves.

In the past, the servants knew that Consort Yan had to lower her lofty head in front of the state preceptor, and because of that they did not really treat her as a master and serve her with all their hearts. But after what happened last night, they no longer dared to underestimate Consort Yan.

Translations are by vmnovels [dot] com, if you’re reading this anywhere else, then it was stolen.

This Consort Yan was able to make the state preceptor break his rule of never resolving his carnal desires within the palace, and she was also Emperor Chong Ming’s favorite concubine. This Consort Yan might have skills that they could never imagine.

Speak of the devil and the devil shall come.

The state preceptors arrived at Zhaozi Palace.

“All of you go outside and stand guard. If someone comes, report to me at once.” Wei Shun Qing instructed and then he walked into Zhaozi Palace.

The four servants looked at each other in dismay. This was the first time that the state preceptor had commanded them so seriously. Before, they tacitly understood such orders without being told. It seemed like Consort Yan’s status was beginning to change in the state preceptor’s heart. The four of them were now more determined that they could no longer treat Consort Yan with their previous attitude.

Consort Yan, who didn’t hear Wei Shun Qing’s footsteps, was tearing at a pillow to vent her anger. A pair of hands suddenly came from behind and covered her bosom. It gave her a great fright. She turned her head and saw that it was Wei Shun Qing. She couldn’t help but pound his chest once. Her punch did not hurt or itch.

“You scared me to death.”

Just now, she thought it was the emperor who had come.

Wei Shun Qing did not answer her words. He rubbed her breasts with both hands. His breathing began to quicken and his eyes filled with the color of lust.

Consort Yan’s body went soft. She leaned against his chest and moaned. The rising tide of passion almost wiped out her rationality, so she quickly pushed him away, “No, we can’t. It’s broad daylight right now. What if the emperor suddenly comes over?”

Support the translator. Read this on: vmnovels.com

It’s not that she has never done it in the daytime, but her partner was the emperor, so she felt at ease doing it. But now her partner was replaced with Wei Shun Qing. She was not brave enough to have sex with another person in broad daylight. Not to mention, they just did it last night. Even if that forbidden taste was so splendid that she could not forget it, she still did not dare.

Wei Shun Qing actually didn’t plan to do it. He came here just to tell her what happened last night, but as soon as he saw her delicate body, he remembered the scene of the two of them entangled together and rolling around last night. Then heat flowed to his lower abdomen and his junior stood straight up.

“He won’t come over today. What happened last night made him lose all face. He is in a rage now. If you go to him at this time, he will take his anger out on you. After two days, he will come to you in person.”

Wei Shun Qing pushed her down on the big bed. He covered her with his body and eagerly peeled off her clothes. Two white rabbits* jumped out immediately. He was so seduced that he immediately sucked on them with his mouth.

[*T/N: Her naked breasts.]

“Ah…”

Consort Yan could not hold back a moan. She was already in the throes of passion. She spread her legs and clamped them around Wei Shun Qing’s waist. She never imagined that she would be so bold, but it was so easy for people to succumb to their own desires.

Not only could they satisfy their desires, but they could also conceive a child as soon as possible. It was a matter of killing two birds with one stone. The sound of promiscuous mating sounded again in the palace hall.

After that, whenever they had the opportunity, the two would entangle together on the bed.

Translations by Vanilla Muse. Read on vmnovels [dot] com

The rights that Emperor Chong Ming bestowed upon Wei Shun Qing became the perfect justification for Wei Shun Qing to come and go from Zhaozi Palace as he pleased. A month later, Consort Yan finally became pregnant.

As soon as the news of the pregnancy came out, the harem was almost overturned, especially the empress and the other consorts. They didn’t expect that Consort Yan would actually become pregnant with a royal heir.

Although they were mentally prepared, it was still a surprise when they heard the news. With the emperor’s current body, Consort Yan was still capable of becoming pregnant?!

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Posted in After Rebirth the Tragic Omega Wins

After Rebirth the Tragic Omega Wins 33

Posted on by Vanilla Muse

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Chapter 33 – Princess Carry

The optical computer gently unfolded. The image of a handsome and elegant middle-aged man appeared in midair. Li Hetao was wearing the imperial family’s iconic platinum costume and holding a glass of wine in his hand. He looked over with a smile: “They think our level of openness with the Republic is too high and want to shut down a few kaifang* planets.”

[*T/N: 开放 kāifàng can mean “to be open to the public,” “to open up to the outside (as in other countries, or planets in this interstellar setting),” “to be open-minded,” “unrestrained by convention,” or even “unconstrained in one’s sexuality.” I thought of translating this word as simply “open” in an attempt to encompass all the possible meanings, but at this point in time I’m really not sure what kind of “open” the author means, and “open planet” sounds weird and non-sensical. So I’m leaving it in pinyin for now.]

Contrary to the iron-blooded family tradition of the Li family, Li Hetao had a gentle personality and loved peace. He was a rare dove faction* ruler. During his reign, the relationship between the Empire and the Republic made rapid progress, and the opening of the kaifang planets was a typical example.

[*T/N: dove faction a.k.a. peace party; the faction seeking peace]

“The number of planets that border the Empire and the Republic do not exceed one hundred. We have opened less than a tenth of that number and they’re saying it’s too high?” Liao Yunyan sneered, “I say they have too much free time on their hands, fussing over their little acres of land every day…”

“You called me for something?” Li Hetao interrupted her with a smile.

Translations are by vmnovels [dot] com, if you’re reading this anywhere else, then it was stolen.

Liao Yunyan said, “Li Rong was poisoned at tonight’s banquet!”

Li Hetao was stunned for a moment. A cracking sound came through the optical computer and the glass in his hand shattered into pieces.

The bustling banquet hall suddenly became quiet, as if even the air was freezing.

Why did the emperor get angry all of a sudden?

The congressman who was just proposing that they should restrict opening up broke into a cold sweat.

After a while, the amiable emperor took the handkerchief handed to him by the secretary, wiped his hands nonchalantly, and said calmly: “I have something else to do, let’s talk about it later.”

The congressman had prepared a long script of dialogue in his head, but he did not dare to make any more mistakes at this moment. He could only swallow his words and step aside, as if he had a raw egg stuffed in his throat. ​

It was not until Li Hetao left that the congressman breathed a sigh of relief.

Someone whispered: “Isn’t it just a matter of closing a few kaifang planets? Why so angry all of a sudden?”

Imperial Household Hospital

“It wasn’t poison. It was an accident. It was really just an accident!” Li Rong had already explained it a hundred times, and his mouth was about to dry up. “Why are you not willing to believe me?”

Support the translator. Read this on: vmnovels.com

Liao Yunyan said ruthlessly: “First you have to tell me why did you get a nosebleed and fainted?”

Li Rong looked at the sky speechlessly. ​

“What did the doctor say?” The ward door opened and Li Hetao strode in.

Liao Yunyan recounted the test results just now and said disapprovingly, “He even fainted due to a nosebleed, but he still refused to fess up and just said that no one harmed him.”

Li Rong was still making his final struggle: “There is really no one, when did I ever lie to you…”

“Son,” Li Hetao sat down on the bedside, and said in a serious tone as he used to do when the House of Representatives was in a meeting, “On a micro level, we are a family, so as parents we are naturally worried about your safety. However, on a macro level, you are this empire’s only heir. If someone coerced or potentially threatened you, it will cause immeasurable harm to the entire empire.”

Li Rong: “…I just got overly excited.”

Liao Yunyan: “Then why were you so excited?”

Li Hetao said kindly: “Believe me, we can’t let you be threatened, tell us…”

“Because An Ji kissed me!” Li Rong couldn’t bear it anymore and roared. ​

As if the pause button had been pressed, the air in the ward froze. ​

After a long silence, Liao Yunyan finally regained her precarious consciousness and said stiffly: “What did you just say?”

Translations by Vanilla Muse. Read on vmnovels [dot] com

“An Ji took the initiative to hold my hand and kissed me.” Since the cat was already out of the bag, Li Rong decided to spill all the beans. In order to maintain his dignity as an SSS-level alpha, he specifically emphasized the word ‘initiative.’ “So I was a little excited and accidentally fainted.”

Liao Yunyan trembled and looked over in disbelief. ​

Li Rong raised his eyebrows: “Do you understand now?”

“You… how much medicine have you been fed?” Liao Yunyan’s face was full of despair, and her voice was trembling, “Otherwise, why would you be hallucinating?”

“If you don’t believe me, you can ask the doctor. It was An Ji who sent me here.” The young prince raised his chin.

Liao Yunyan said suspiciously: “Is this really true?”

The doctor nodded. “It was that omega who brought His Highness here.”

The surveillance camera footage was quickly found, and Li Rong came over excitedly. At the same time, he was also a little curious. How did An Ji, who was as fragile as a rose, bring a tall and strong adult like him here?

He must have suffered a lot in the process, but An Ji was willing to do this for him… Li Rong blushed, raised his head and looked at the surveillance video, trying to find some proof of love.

When he saw the surveillance video clearly, his eyes widened suddenly, and his face morphed into an expression of astonishment as if struck by lightning. ​

Translations are by vmnovels [dot] com, if you’re reading this anywhere else, then it was stolen.

“This…” Liao Yunyan was not much better than him. After a long silence, she finally came to her senses and said in disbelief, “So this is the type of interaction you two have…?”

“No!” Li Rong blurted out, his fair face turning red instantly.

“It’s okay, we understand.” Liao Yunyan’s thoughts were running a hundred miles a minute. She softened her tone, “We are not such unenlightened parents. It doesn’t matter even if you like to be on the weak side*. I saw too many such scenes when I was in the Republic. No one said that the alpha has to be strong and the omega has to be weak.”

[*T/N: Pretty sure “weak” here is an euphemism for being the one on the bottom. Lol.]

“I’m not weak!” Li Rong denied, as angry as a young male lion whose authority was challenged. ​

Liao Yunyan: “Then why were you brought here in a princess carry?”

Li Rong: “…”

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Posted in Male Lead 2 and Male Lead 3 Happy Ending!

ML 2 and ML 3 Happy Ending! 98

Posted on by Vanilla Muse

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Chapter 98 – Mutual Understanding (37.1)

The high-speed rail station was crowded with people. There were people coming and going every which way. Duan Shu Tong cupped his cell phone in his hands and sat on the chair contemplating.

No matter how slow he was [in the mental or emotional department], even he could tell that there was something off about Xi Duan’s current actions.

The grand president of the Xi family… exactly what happened to him to cause him to become so broken?

After pondering for a moment, Duan Shu Tong couldn’t help but ask, “Have you taken the high-speed train before?”

A stranger came over to occupy the empty seat by Xi Duan’s other side. It was a tall and beefy man. The stranger took up quite a bit of space. So Xi Duan surreptitiously shifted more towards Duan Shu Tong’s side. Then he replied, “No, I haven’t.”

Duan Shu Tong: “…Then stay close to me.”

Although Duan Shu Tong was very confident in Xi Duan’s IQ, he was still subconsciously worried about the other man getting lost. What a strange fatherly mentality!

Translations are by vmnovels [dot] com, if you’re reading this anywhere else, then it was stolen.

Duan Shu Tong complained about himself in his heart, and listened to Xi Duan obediently answering: “Okay.”

He then asked: “Which carriage and which seat did you get?”

Xi Duan took out his cell phone and looked through it for the information. He replied: “Car 6, seat 6C.”

Duan Shu Tong was stunned for a moment. Such a coincidence? He was also in car 6, except their seats were not beside each other.

At this time, there came an announcement over the speakers and the ticket gate opened.

Just as Duan Shu Tong was about to pick up his suitcase, Xi Duan grabbed on to the handle of his suitcase. Then in a very down-to-earth manner, the great President Xi said, “Let’s queue together.”

Many people liked to get in line ahead of time, so when the two of them arrived at the gate they saw that there was already a long line of people. Thus, they could only go to the end of the line. On their way there, they attracted a lot of attention, causing people to turn their heads around to look at them.

After they got into line, Duan Shu Tong reminded Xi Duan: “Get your ID card ready.”

Xi Duan nodded obediently, and somewhat awkwardly took out his ID card and held it in his hand. It was his first time lining up for the high-speed rail, so it was understandable that his actions were not as proficient.

At the very least Duan Shu Tong thought it was cute.

After they got their tickets checked, they waited for the train. At long last, the two got onto the high-speed train. Duan Shu Tong’s seat was 17F, which meant that the two of them were a bit far away from each other.

Support the translator. Read this on: vmnovels.com

After Xi Duan helped Duan Shu Tong put away his suitcase away in the overhead compartment, he stood beside seat 17F and did not move.

Duan Shu Tong asked: “…You’re not going to go sit in your seat?”

Xi Duan lowered his head to look at Duan Shu Tong. He put his hand on the back of the seat and said, “Wait a bit.” Cen Ning had told him that it was possible to exchange seats with others, so he wanted to see if he could do that.

Duan Shu Tong was not a fool. It was so obvious, how could he not guess what Xi Duan was going to do?

Coincidentally at that time a pretty and lovely young lady was heading towards them with a bulky suitcase. She followed the numbers on the seat over to them. She was bewildered and stunned when she saw Xi Duan standing there and Duan Shu Tong sitting down.

In her surprise, she did not speak. As for Xi Duan, it was his first time trying to ask someone to exchange seats with him, so he was slow to open his mouth.

On the other hand, Duan Shu Tong got up and said with a smile: “I’m sorry beauty, I’m friends with him, but we couldn’t get seats together. Can we exchange seats with you?”

[T/N: Duan Shu Tong called the girl a beauty, but it’s not meant to be flirtatious. In Chinese culture, calling a stranger beautiful or handsome can be used to butter them up for a favor. Salespeople would often do this to try to make a sale.]

The girl suddenly felt embarrassed, and quickly waved her hand, “I understand, I understand!” Then she dragged her suitcase behind her and left.

After a few steps, she turned around and laughed awkwardly, “Excuse me, where is his seat?”

Translations by Vanilla Muse. Read on vmnovels [dot] com

Duan Shu Tong led her over to seat 6C. He helped her put her heavy suitcase in the overhead compartment. Then he meticulously asked her which stop she was getting off at. When she answered Yan City, he was secretly relieved.

This way, he wouldn’t have to worry about changing seats again for the rest of the journey.

[T/N: If the girl got off at a station before Yan City, it’s very possible that someone else could get on and have her seat number. In which case, Xi Duan would have to exchange seats again with the newcomer. So Duan Shu Tong is glad that is not the case.]

“Thank you.” Duan Shu Tong’s sincere smile made the young lady’s face turn red.

“No problem, no problem. Thank you for helping me with my suitcase.”

After returning to his seat, Duan Shu Tong looked at Xi Duan’s somewhat remorseful expression, and he couldn’t help laughing. He patted Xi Duan on the shoulder and said, “Come on, let’s sit down.”

After all, both his height and attractiveness index was too high. Standing there like that made him way too eye-catching. It was better to sit down first.

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Posted in This Alpha's Pheromones Are Exploding

This Alpha’s Pheromones 119

Posted on by Vanilla Muse

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Chapter 119 – Fairy Idol

While Qiu Jin was getting his makeup removed, he took that time to read through all the comment on the Internet. He was much calmer now. Now that he was in this position, he was ready to accept both flowers and eggs.

[T/N: flowers are positive comments and eggs are negative comments]

Then at that moment, Liu Wei came in from outside with a face full of excitement: “Bro, there are Qiu fans downstairs!”

“They came?” Qiu Jin sat up, feeling a little excited.

“I even took a picture,” Liu Wei took out his phone to show Qiu Jin. “The one in the middle is the president of the fan club.”

“It’s such a hot day.” Qiu Jin was a little moved, but also a little worried. “Go buy some drinks for them and have them go home early.”

Qiu Jin thought of the girls waiting outside the door with sparkling eyes.

Translations are by vmnovels [dot] com, if you’re reading this anywhere else, then it was stolen.

In his most difficult times, it was the people who cheered for him that gave him the strength to move forward.

In his original world, Qiu Jin had no background to support him, so his journey to stardom was extremely difficult. He went from a group performer to a supporting role, and then from a D-list actor to the Film Emperor. He has experienced too many ups and downs.

He was not a person who gave up easily, but it was inevitable to be down on one’s luck at times. And it was his fans that gave him the motivation to move forward.

Every message, every cheer, cast a star in his gloomy world. One day, those tiny stars would build up and be enough to illuminate the entire sky.

Even though he’s living in a different world now, there were still people willing to support him…

Qiu Jin stood up suddenly: “Forget it, I’ll go.”

The media was not invited to the launch dinner, so one after another people started to leave the hotel. The fans thought that their idols would also appear soon, so they stretched out their necks and waited at the entrance.

Until someone from the media with good intentions told them that was going to be a launch dinner after the press conference, which would end very late.

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The fans were disappointed, but they quickly adjusted their moods. They’ve already been waiting for a few hours, so what were a few more hours? And it wasn’t as hot now as it was when it was at noon. As long as their idols were still there, they would always be there.

Just when everyone was giving up hope, a slender and tall figure suddenly appeared at the entrance of the hotel.

“Qiu Jin?!”

There weren’t that many Qiu fans present. There were only about seven or eight of them waiting beneath the shade of a tree. They had wilted under the baking sun, but when they saw him come out, they immediately cheered up and let out a scream.

“Ahhhhhhhhh, it’s Qiu Jin!!”

“Oh my god, is he here in person? Pinch me. I must be dreaming!!”

“Ahhh, it’s him in the flesh! I’m going to go crazy!!”

“He’s already change into his dinner clothes. He’s so good looking!!”

It was the end of July. The girls have been standing outside in the open for such a long time that their cheeks were wet with sweat and their makeup was a bit smudged. But there was a light in their eyes, exuding pure and sincere loveliness.

Qiu Jin went over to them and asked with a smile, “How long have you all been waiting here?”

The timing varied for each person, but basically they have been waiting since noon.

“The sun is so bright today. It must have been very hot. You’ve all went through a lot of trouble. Thank you.”

With stars in their eyes, the Qiu fans shook their heads: “It was no trouble.”

Qiu Jin distributed drinks to them one by one, and said: “Go back early, don’t wait like this in the future, it’s a waste of time. The weather is so hot, it’s not good if you get sick.”

“It’s not a waste of time! As long as it for gege, we’re willing to wait as long as it takes!” A girl with long black hair and bangs replied. The girls beside her also nodded in unison.

“Thank you for your support,” Qiu Jin smiled, “But you don’t have to specifically come here for me. I will read all the comments on the Internet. It’s fine if you just leave a message to support me.”

Immediately, some fans changed their tune and said: “We just came to Beijing to play, and we happened to come by to see you.”

Qiu Jin laughed. His eyes shone in the setting sun, and he recommended a few famous local attractions to them. Then he told them to pay attention to safety during their travels. Only then did he feel relieved.

Translations by Vanilla Muse. Read on vmnovels [dot] com

There were still a few bottles of water left, so Qiu Jin and Liu Wei handed them out to some other actors’ fans. The people standing next to the Qiu fans were fans of Zhang Qiongzi. They did not have any misgivings about him, so they thanked him good-naturedly after receiving the drinks.

As he left, he exhorted once again: “Don’t wait until the dinner party is over. You guys go home, and be careful.”

“Okay, we know!”

“Gege, do your best!!”

After saying goodbye to Qiu Jin, the Qiu fans couldn’t hold back anymore. They were all extremely excited, and some even jumped up and down in excitement.

Wu wu wu, their hearts felt warmed by that encounter. Did they become fans of some fairy idol?!

Their gege gave them a drink! They needed to bring it home and enshrine it for life!

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The translator has something to say:

That fan meeting was so wholesome and cute. ^-^

Posted in The Big Landlord

The Big Landlord 143.1

Posted on by Vanilla Muse

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Chapter 143.1 – Pregnant

“If someone wants to court death, then no one can stop them.”

Imperial Noble Consort Yu gently stroked her cardamom nails. She abruptly raised her head to look at Consort Yan, who was sitting quietly across from her, but with a charming face. A mocking smile appeared on her delicate face.

The harem was not a place where secrets could be kept. No matter how secretive something was other people would still be able to find out about it. Moreover, the matter with the laowangye blew up so much yesterday. No matter how the emperor tried to cover it up, the imperial concubines were still able to use mysterious means to find out what was said.

Therefore, the news that the laowangye reprimanded Consort Yan was also spread out. No matter how much the emperor investigated, he still could not find out who spread the news.

Translations are by vmnovels [dot] com, if you’re reading this anywhere else, then it was stolen.

The fact that Emperor Chong Ming did not like Fu wangfu was an unspoken secret in the harem and even in the imperial court. But everyone also knew that no matter how much Emperor Chong Ming hated Fu wangfu there was nothing he could do about it. Sometimes, even Emperor Chong Ming had to abide by the laowangye’s words, let alone a mere concubine of the imperial harem.

Consort Yan’s expression was somewhat unsightly.

The reason that she could stand out amongst so many beauties in the harem was all due to the state preceptor. With her level of skills, if it weren’t for Wei Shun Qing, she would have long been swallowed up by this vicious and greedy harem. There wouldn’t even be dregs of her left.

She had also heard about what happened last night. When the emperor did not come to her palace after the banquet, she had sent a eunuch out to check on the situation. Coincidentally, he saw the scene of the laowangye reprimanding Emperor Chong Ming, and even she was also implicated. When the eunuch returned, he reported everything back to her word for word.

Consort Yan knew about the laowangye from the state preceptor, but she never took it to heart, because the lethality of the laowangye has dropped by ninety percent after he fell ill, and he rarely entered the palace after his illness, so she has never had the chance to see him.

“Jiejie is correct. Some people really should grow a brain. They shouldn’t think that they are some big shot just because the emperor is favoring them. How can a mere consort be in charge of the harem?”

[*T/N: 姐姐 jie jie – older sister. The concubines of the harem are technically considered a family since they’re all the emperor’s women. They can refer to each other as ‘older sister’ or ‘younger sister’ to establish close relations or to put on a show for others. Since these terms denote seniority, some concubines who have been in the harem longer may call a newer concubine ‘younger sister’ to remind her of her place.]

Mei-zhaoyi* never liked Consort Yan’s arrogant posturing. Now that Consort Yan has courted disaster with the laowangye, it was the best time to hit her while she was down. Seeing the ugly expression on Consort Yan’s face, Mei-zhaoyi felt exceptionally invigorated. This woman dared to steal her position. This was retribution!

[*T/N: 昭仪 zhaoyi – I’m not sure which exact model of the imperial harem the author is going by, since the ranking system changes depending on the dynasty. Zhaoyi is either a level below an imperial concubine, or it falls within the imperial concubine category, which is just a level lower than that of a consort. The title zhaoyi translates to ‘Lady of Bright Deportment.’

Also a reminder, Mei-zhaoyi is a remarkable beauty in the harem, and was once able to easily calm the emperor from his hissy fit. She thinks that Consort Yan stole away her opportunity for a promotion.]

The empress did not stop them. Consort Yan really did need a verbal beating. After the emperor started favoring her, she kept gaining power and authority. Very few of the concubines in the harem could seize any information that could be used against Consort Yan. Now was indeed a good opportunity to put her in her place.

Moreover, she knew that Consort Yan did not respect her as the empress.

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Ever since Consort Yan was conferred a title by the emperor, this was the first time that she came to Fengming Palace to greet her. Usually, she would find some excuse to not come greet the empress, and later the emperor even permitted her to stop greeting the empress by saying that her health wasn’t great.

The concubines covertly ridiculed Consort Yan from beginning to end. However, amongst the six palaces*, only Imperial Noble Consort Yu said a sarcastic sentence at the beginning. The rest did not say a single word.

[*T/N: I believe the ‘six palaces’ refers to the highest ranked women in the imperial harem, so the empress and the consorts.]

Consort Shi had no backing, so she was afraid of causing trouble for her son, therefore she has always been a dutiful consort, and almost no one could find fault with her. As for Consort Yun, her son ran to support Consort Shi’s son. She despised her son’s lack of ambition and very rarely participated in any harem battles.

As for Consort Lan, her position was more susceptible. Her only son was not interested in the throne, so she never participated in the battle among the concubines. Everyone knew that she was not a threat, so they did not pay much mind to her.

Up until she finally left Fengming Palace, Consort Yan’s expression was darker than a thundercloud.

Translations by Vanilla Muse. Read on vmnovels [dot] com

After the laowangye reprimanded him, the emperor went back to his place that night and smashed a lot of precious things to vent his anger. Word has it that he was still angry during imperial court in the morning.

Consort Yan received Wei Shun Qing’s advice, and right now she did not dare to go to Emperor Chong Ming to complain about her grievances. She could only swallow the grievances in her stomach. This was the first time after becoming the master of Zhaozi Palace that she has been so humiliated but she could not fight back.

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Posted in Didn’t Love You Enough

Didn’t Love You Enough 100

Posted on by Vanilla Muse

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Chapter 100 – Passing the Provincial Level Imperial Examination

Now that Lin Jia Bao had become the crown prince’s cejun, as Lin Jia Bao’s eldest brother and the future pillar of the Lin family, Lin Jia Wen must work harder and harder. He must do so for the sake of Jia Bao, for the sake of his loved ones, for the sake of the Lin family, and for his own sake as well. Lin Jia Wen could feel the heavy weight of responsibility on his shoulders…

Lin Jia Wen shared his decision with his father-in-law, who was also his mentor, and he got the elder’s approval. Lin Da Zhuang’s family also supported the decision of the eldest son.

Lin Jia Bao received a letter from his family. When he found out that his eldest brother passed the imperial provincial examination and even got first place, he was extremely happy for his brother…

Xuan Yuan Han Cheng found out ahead of time and he even specially went to go look at Lin Jia Wen’s exam paper. He could not rule out the possibility that the examiners might be influenced by Lin Jia Bao’s new status [and thus passed Lin Jia Wen to curry favor with Lin Jia Bao], but Lin Jia Wen’s essay was indeed good. The man was very talented.

Translations are by vmnovels [dot] com, if you’re reading this anywhere else, then it was stolen.

In the previous life, Lin Jia Wen passed the imperial provincial examination and gained the title of juren, but he was not ranked amongst the top candidates. And after Lin Jia Bao passed away, Lin Jia Wen gave up on the chance to participate in the imperial civil service examination. He merely opened a private school in Pei County. There, he taught as an instructor for the rest of his life and did not attempt the imperial exams ever again…

Xuan Yuan Han Cheng thought about how Lin Jia Wen worked hard in this lifetime. In the future, Lin Jia Wen would be a capable talent that he could employ…

Lin Jia Bao picked up the brush and began to write a reply letter. Lin Jia Bao’s calligraphy has made great progress compared to before. His calligraphy spread across the paper in neat and small characters.

His letter started by greeting every single person in his family. Then he talked about his daily life in the palace. He spoke of how kind the crown prince and the empress were to him, and how his life in the palace was very happy and fortunate…

After Lin Jia Bao finished writing the letter he showed it to Xuan Yuan Han Cheng. Lin Jia Bao felt that it was a great gift for him to be able to write to his family, so it would be bad if he accidentally mentioned something in the letter that should not be mentioned. That’s why he would let Xuan Yuan Han Cheng inspect the contents of his letter before sending it out.

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With a smile, Xuan Yuan Han Cheng held the letter and read it over. In actuality, he was not too concerned with Lin Jia Bao mentioning any taboos, but seeing how prudent his darling was being, he was more than happy to cooperate. After quickly reading over the letter, Xuan Yuan Han Cheng picked up a brush and corrected one of the characters. That’s right, it was not a waste of effort to correct Lin Jia Bao’s mistakes, because each character he corrected would exchange a kiss from his darling…

Therefore, whenever Lin Jia Wen read Lin Jia Bao’s letter out loud at home, the corners of his lips would always twitch unnaturally. Thanks to the blessing of his younger brother, Lin Jia Wen could often have the honor of seeing the crown prince’s calligraphy…

There would often be corrections in Lin Jia Bao’s letters. It was clear from the writing style that Lin Jia Bao was not the one to make these corrections. Then who could possibly be the other writer? Just by looking at the swift and fierce calligraphy, it was easy to guess that the person who penned these characters was the crown prince himself…

Lin Jia Wen was a little worried. His younger brother wrote these letters under the crown prince’s observation, so naturally he would say that everything was fine and dandy. Even if he were being bullied he would not dare to mention it in the letters…

After correcting the mistakes, Lin Jia Bao put the letter in an envelope and sealed it. Xuan Yuan Han Cheng immediately lifted Lin Jia Bao up onto the writing desk and embraced him. “How many kisses… hm… darling?”

‘Three…” Lin Jia Bao answered honestly. Jia Bao then took the initiative to wrap his arms around Xuan Yuan Han Cheng’s neck and offered up his lips. Correcting mistakes in exchange for kisses have already become a fun little game between them…

Xuan Yuan Han Cheng was intoxicated by his darling actively kissing him and unable to extricate himself…

Too sweet… Xuan Yuan Han Cheng gradually took control and deepened the kiss. His hands also started to gently caress and stroke his darling.

“My darling… my treasure, I really want to eat you up in one bite…” Xuan Yuan Han Cheng’s body was already reacting. He sucked heavily on Jia Bao’s little earlobe…

Translations by Vanilla Muse. Read on vmnovels [dot] com

Lin Jia Bao remembered the empress telling him that she wanted him to give birth to the crown prince’s children, so he summoned up his courage and said to Xuan Yuan Han Cheng, “En… Jia Bao is willing to let Husband eat me…”

Xuan Yuan Han Cheng sucked in a deep breath and said in his darling’s ear, “No… darling, let’s wait some more, baby still has to grow up some more. On the day of your sixteenth birthday next year, your husband will definitely love you dearly…”

Xuan Yuan Han Cheng had made up his mind to wait until his darling turned sixteen before touching him. In his previous life, he took Jia Bao when the boy was fifteen years old. Then Jia Bao became pregnant. Afterwards, that b*tch Xu-shi schemed to have Jia Bao pushed into an icy lake. Jia Bao lost his baby because of that incident and his health took a big hit. He couldn’t get pregnant anymore… In this lifetime, Xu-shi was already dead, but Xuan Yuan Han Cheng was still afraid of history repeating itself. He did not dare to take any risks with Jia Bao in this lifetime…

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Posted in Let Me Shoulder this Blame!

Let Me Shoulder this Blame! 156

Posted on by Vanilla Muse

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Chapter 156

“Impudence! How dare you talk to the regent like-”

The imperial guard off to the side burst out with anger and couldn’t help scolding the prime minister, but Song Rong raised a hand to stop the guard.

“I read the reply you gave to the emperor. If you go on like this, you won’t have any wiggle room left.”

Song Rong was still standing just outside the door. He watched Lu Li’s departing back. His tone was sincere. “You did not try to dispute at all. I know you have resentment and indignation in your heart-”

“History is written by the victors. That is all. You are over thinking it, regent.”

As soon as he heard the other person’s tone, Su Shi suddenly had a familiar feeling that things were going to be bad, and he quickly interrupted him without hesitation.

The protagonist of this world was the new emperor, and Lu Li’s story was merely the beginning of it all.

All those criminal charges against him were indeed misunderstandings, but none of them were groundless accusations. Lu Li did indeed do those things, he formed a clique, created a dictatorship, acted as the regent, and forced the emperor to abdicate – he did everything that a chaotic courtier could do. In the end, he turned an imperial court that was about to collapse into a strong structure that would not topple over.

Translations are by vmnovels [dot] com, if you’re reading this anywhere else, then it was stolen.

Five years ago, the di daughter of the Prime Minister of the Left entered the imperial harem. From then on, she was the only one favored within the harem, and the rewarding and punishing of courtiers were given out based on just one word from Noble Consort Liu.

[*T/N: di daughter – daughter born from the main wife as opposed to born from a concubine]

The Prime Minister of the Left, Liu Shan, looked modest and upright on the outside, but he took advantage of the momentum in the palace to make a lot of money. He even reached his hands all the way into the funds and provisions for the troops on the front line.

Lu Li knelt outside the palace gate for three days in protest of the emperor’s actions. In the end he vomited blood and lost consciousness. When he woke from his coma, he abruptly threw away his noble, virtuous, and unyielding character. He threw away the hot-blooded passion with which he served the imperial court. He learned how to flatter his superiors and to take unfair advantage of those below him. He bulldozed his way into bureaucracy. From then on, everything went smoothly for him, and in three years time he became the Prime Minister of the Right.

Translations are by vmnovels [dot] com, if you’re reading this anywhere else, then it was stolen.

Everyone tried to curry favor with the Prime Minister of the Right. Just to get through the door to see him cost two ingots of gold. Of the money that he got through these underhanded means, half of it went to procuring military supplies for the front line, and the other half were secretly given to those faithful officials who resisted mingling with the underworld gangster societies despite their dire straits.

He expelled all the loyal scholars and capable ministers from the capital with excuses, and then sent them to some out-of-the-way towns and counties to lay low. His purpose was to help them avoid the precarious state of the imperial court, which could get them killed.

The Prime Minister of the Left gradually started to feel threatened, so he had Noble Consort Liu urge the old emperor to change the crown prince to her young son.

Making use of the emperor’s imperial decree to change the crown prince, Lu Li led the private soldiers from his mansion into the imperial palace. He seized Noble Consort Liu at sword point, and ordered the late emperor to change his imperial decree.

As soon as the jade seal stamped upon the new decree, Lu Li slit Noble Consort Liu’s throat. The old emperor was scared to death.

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It was only after Lu Li’s death that the new emperor gradually found out about the things that he had done. As a result, the emperor pardoned the Lu family’s felony and recalled all the officials that Lu Li had banished from court. The new emperor strived to make the empire strong and prosperous and he did away with redundant officials. From then on the Xuan Dynasty began to recover.

Lu Li’s memorial tablet was brought back into the ancestral shrine and worshiped for many generations.

……

Su Shi looked through the plot from beginning to end three times, and did not find any mention of the regent.

Seeing that Lu Li was not speaking, Song Rong’s tone became more and more gentle: “I’ve been fighting on the borders for years on end. I don’t know anything about imperial court politics. I came to visit you today to ask for guidance about the happenings of court.”

After hearing him say this, Su Shi unconsciously raised his eyebrows slightly. Only then did he realize who this acting regent was.

Song Rong, the imperial uncle, has been leading troops to fight on the battlefield ever since he was of a young age, and he rarely returned to the capital. He was the regent, but he has never rashly intervened in politics. After the crown prince succeeded the throne and established a firm foothold, he politely refused the imperial power and returned to the borders. In the end, he died on the battlefield. When his coffin was sent back to the capital, the emperor personally left the city walls to go welcome him into the ancestral shrine. His offspring enjoyed the title of aristocracy for many generations after.

Song Rong was not a person with a scheming heart. The fact that he became the regent was merely coincidental.

At that time, the old emperor wanted to establish Noble Consort Liu’s young son as the next ruler and abolish the current crown prince, but because Noble Consort Liu’s son was too young, there needed to be an acting regent, so the old emperor chose his younger brother, Song Rong, for the job in order to make the court officials shut up about the topic. Song Rong was young and energetic, but also easy to deceive, making him a good puppet regent.

Translations by Vanilla Muse. Read on vmnovels [dot] com

What ended up happening was that as soon as Lu Li heard about the edict, he took up a sword and forced the emperor to change the edict. Afterwards, he stabbed Noble Consort Liu on the spot.

Lu Li got the emperor to give the crown prince title back to the protagonist, but there wasn’t enough time to get rid of the acting regent title. According to the late emperor’s original posthumous edict, Song Rong was rapidly summoned back to the capital from the front lines.

Su Shi suddenly felt his stomach starting to hurt.

This regent was no doubt the very same general that Lu Li has been secretly and anonymously funding.

Lu Li didn’t want to let anyone know about this at all, so naturally he has already been very careful to conceal his deeds. But as long as an action has been taken, it would definitely leave some traces. Su Shi’s heart started beating rapidly. He’s been traumatized from being whitewashed so many times in the past. But he managed to make his tone even colder.

“I’m not explaining myself, because there is nothing to explain. I love being a powerful and unrestrained courtier. I’m not even afraid of retribution in the next life, so do you think I would be afraid of the executioner’s sword in this life?”

After saying that, Su Shi picked up his foot and got ready to leave, but he suddenly turned back around to grab the imperial decree on the table. Then he walked around the furniture screen and into the back garden.

Song Rong’s eyes followed him from start to finish.

The other person’s actions and demeanor were the same as when he was a teenager, but he was even more decisive than before. On his hurried journey back to the capital, Song Rong has heard countless people tell him how ruthless and domineering the Prime Minister of the Right was, but he just couldn’t connect the man of rumors with the teenager of his memories.

He finally saw Lu Li with his own eyes, but it only cemented his thoughts.

“What did the Prime Minister of the Right eat today?”

He suddenly turned to the side and asked in a low voice. The imperial guard standing by the door was startled and stumped for words. Then he knelt down and answered: “Replying to the regent, the emperor has decreed: The Prime Minister of the Right has been arrogant and extravagant all these years. He has eaten all the delicacies of the mountains and the seas. It’s no big deal even if he doesn’t eat for a day or two…”

The light in Song Rong’s eyes dimmed. He turned and left without saying a word.

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