The Wife is First

Ch24 - Ruo Yi

Their stroll ended in advance, as they had run into Mu Lingbao and the others. On the way back, Mu Hanzhang sat on horseback thinking about how those three people had clearly been hit yet still had to put on apologetic smiles, and couldn’t help but want to laugh. 

Lowering his head, seeing that the person in his embrace was pursing his lips trying to not laugh, Jing Shao decided that in the future he would find more opportunities to beat those three up well. During that year when Mu Lingbao had pushed his younger brother into the water, those two cousins were also at the scene, he would wait until the twenty-seventh day after the Winter Solstice, and also have people throw them into river water to steep for a while.

The Cheng Wang’s alternate residence was in the east part of the city and the piece of desolate forest the North Marquis’ residence had given to him was also in the Eastern part of the city. Riding Xiao Hei there was not far, before one’s eyes appeared a scene of disorderly rocks and wildly growing trees. Mu Hanzhang turned his head to look at the contemplating Jing Shao, was he still thinking about that pink clothed girl? Thinking of his reaction at that time, the corner of his mouth that had been turned up slowly became a straight line. “Xiao Shao…” 

“En?” Jing Shao snapped out of it, lowered his head to look at him.

Who is that girl? The words that he wanted to ask reached his mouth yet were swallowed down again, Mu Hanzhang smoothed his lips, turning his head to look towards that piece of wild forest: “What should be planted in these wild forests so that it can earn money?”

“The wild forest?” Jing Shao lifted his head to look at the piece of forest, and sneered, “this kind of forest with lots of rocks but little soil, you can’t even ride a horse here or go hunting….” Speaking up to now, Jing Shao suddenly pulled on the reins, stopping to look at the piece of wild forest in front of them and pondered.

This piece of forest was at least three hundred mu, all of it was rubble and wild-growing trees, there were also densely packed bushes, weeds, and it was impossible to see the situation inside. It was precisely a great place to station troops! Moreover, this place was only 20 li away from the capital! Alas,  it was a pity that all the land in the suburbs already had owners. During that time when □□ was conquering what would become this country, he divided the land around the capital to a few Dukes and Marquises who helped found the country. If he openly bought this piece of useless wild forest, it would definitely cause people to harbor suspicions. 

“Jun Qing, do you know who this forest belongs to?” If he obtained this piece of forest, then many things would be easier to accomplish, in the future if there was even a just chance, then there would still be a guarantee, even if he had to spend some effort, Jing Shao still wanted to get ahold of this piece of land.

Mu Hanzhang lowered his head, lightly sighed saying: “This piece of forest, right now it is a large part of the family property portioned for me.”  

Jing Shao stared blankly for a moment, then laughed heartily and gave the person in his arms a kiss on the cheek: “Jun Qing, you really are my lucky star!”

“En?” This time, it was Mu Hanzhang’s turn to stare blankly.  

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

“I take the hundred mu of fertile land in Shanxi and exchange it with you for this piece of desolate forest, all right?” Jing Shao lightly kicked the horse’s abdomen, letting Xiao Hei let loose and happily begin to gallop.　

“Po sbe kjca ab erf la atfc ub jtfjv jcv erf la.” Ze Ljchtjcu ofia Alcu Vtjb kjr agslcu ab tfiq tlw gfrbinf atf lrref bo tjnlcu atlr qlfmf bo erfifrr ijcv, “Pa’r pera atja j tecvgfv we bo ofgalif ijcv fzmtjcufv obg atlr xlcv bo atlcu lr jyrbieafis cba kbgat la.” 

“It’s worth it. This uncultivated forest to me, is worth more than a thousand mu of fertile lands!” Jing Shao lightly laughed and used one hand to tightly hug the person in his arms, he had Xiao Hei run even faster. 

In the evening, the two imperial guards sent by Jing Shao to find that person had returned. 

“These subordinates are incompetent.” The two imperial guards kneeled down to beg forgiveness.

“It’s nothing, perhaps Ben Wang saw wrongly,” Jing Shao waved his hand and let them withdraw. He frowned and contemplated. Today, the woman he saw at the temple fair, indeed, looked very similar to Ge Ruoyi. 

The reason why Jing Shao attached so much importance to this, was because this person had a crucial role in pacifying the barbarians in the third battle. 

In the previous life, the first time Jing Shao saw Ge Ruoyi was during a banquet at the Fourth Prince’s palace, this woman had seemed as if she reached perfection when dancing to the song “Butterflies Long for Flowers”, which caused her to remain fresh in his memory. To the extent that several years later, when he saw her in the Southeast King’s mansion, he recognized her with one glance. She held a deep hatred towards the King of the Southeast, as he had ruthlessly killed civilians. When she was coming to the capital to present an imperial petition, she was intercepted by the Fourth Prince, after escaping the Fourth Prince’s residence, she used some unknown method to infiltrate the King of the Southeast’s palace, and furthermore, even became the King of the Southeast’s favored concubine.  

During those years when Jing Shao had led the troops to pacify the barbarians in the third battle, the King of the Southeast, although he was lecherous and greedy for money, was not at all careless when fighting a war. In the eighteenth year of the Hong Zheng era, an arrow almost claimed his life, something one of the Southeast King’s generals had bestowed. When he thought he had suffered a loss to the Southeast King, suddenly news arrived of the King of the Southeast suddenly dying. Moreso, the King of the Southeast, had died to the hands of this woman who looked too weak to even stand up to the wind!

When Mu Hanzhang came to call Jing Shao to go take a bath, he saw him with an expression as if he were immersed in memories, and couldn’t help but secretly grip his sleeve tightly. 

Regarding Ge Ruoyi’s whereabouts, there was no information transmitted to him for a while, so Jing Shao decided to temporarily banish the idea from his thoughts.

Because his Wang Fei helped him with copying the books, Jing Shao could be at ease, exchanging pointers and practicing martial arts with Ren Feng and the others. In the evening, he would soak in the hot springs with Jun Qing and drink some wine, and so the days passed joyfully. He finally realized from experience why Mu Lingbao and those two would always bully Mu Hanzhang, having someone do his homework for him felt too good. 

Originally they had discussed just staying there for a couple of days, but as a result, after living here, he didn’t want to go back anymore.　　

On the ninth day of the fourth month, it was the North Marquis’ birthday, besides the birthday congratulations painting Mu Hanzhang had painted himself, Jing Shao also sent some other generous gifts. The North Marquis Mu Jin was more warmhearted when greeting Jing Shao than last time, but regarding Jing Shao’s hidden meanings in his words attempting to draw him over to his side, he was still as ambiguous as before. Jing Shao did not mind, he knew what kind of mentality the North Marquis, that old fox, held. Therefore, when he was trying to draw him in, he did so in a manner that was quite aloof, not demanding anything. 

Besides the matter of trying to draw people to his side, the Fourth Prince Jing Yu had also come to offer birthday congratulations, although once Jing Yu placed down his present, and after exchanging some greetings with Mu Jin, he had to leave, as he was still forbidden from going out, he had specially had his imperial mother beg grace from his father that allowed him to be able to run out for half a day. The Dukes and Marquises’ households in the capital most seldom had much contact with their marriage connections, and the North Marquis household and the Count of Yongchang Household from which the Empress was from were not an exception. The Fourth Prince requesting for a period of grace to offer birthday congratulations to the North Marquis was acceptable.

Mu Hanzhang seeing his Father being more cordial to the Fourth Prince than Jing Shao, only felt an icy-coldness in his heart, telling his Father to forgive them, Jing Shao was also receiving punishment, and that they also couldn’t stay long, then pulling him to leave.

“Jun Qing, I’m fine.” Jing Shao sat in the carriage, his heart feeling very warm looking at his cold-faced Wang Fei. The person who would get angry on his behalf when he was wronged, besides his Imperial Mother and elder brother, there was only Jun Qing.

“The Fourth Prince has gotten to the age where he should be selecting an official wife, the North Marquis’ daughter by his first wife just happens to have not yet gotten married, my Father…” Mu Hanzhang smoothed his lips, his Father clearly knew that Jing Shao and the Fourth Prince were not on the same side, yet still made these kind of plans, although doing it like that could completely protect the North Marquis’ Household, but this was favoring one and discriminating against the other, really making other people feel bitterly disappointed.

“Jun Qing,” Jing Shao hugged him into his arms, really loving him dearly, “Being born into an aristocratic family, for some things, there is no need to insist on them.”

Mu Hanzhang sighed, leaning his soft body against Jing Shao’s chest, quietly saying: “I know…”

“Neigh~” The carriage that was rolling along fine suddenly stopped, the two people in the carriage suddenly fell forward. Jing Shao quickly hugged the person in his arms tightly, bracing against the bottom of the carriage with one hand, preventing them from knocking against anything.

“Wang Ye, please forgive, this servant deserves death.” The coachman hurriedly spoke, begging for forgiveness. 

“What happened?” Only after seeing that the person in his embrace was safe and sound, did Jing Shao inquire.

“The Fourth Prince and his imperial guards’ horses suddenly stopped, this servant was unable to stop the carriage in time.” The coachman lifted open half of the hanging curtain to let them see the situation up ahead.

Only to see a woman wearing pink clothing raising a piece of paper with a petition on it, kneeling in front of the horse, the Prince Jing Yu wearing a deep yellow color was sitting on the horse. After hearing the woman say something, he suddenly jumped off his horse and walked towards the horse.

“Damn it!” Jing Shao released the person in his arms, speedily jumped out of the carriage, rushing in front of Jing Yu to get in front of the girl, with one move grabbing onto her shoulder, “Ruo Yi, I finally found you!”

“You…” The girl kneeling on the ground was indeed Ge Ruoyi, originally, hearing that today was the North Marquis’ birthday, she took the indictment, barring the way of a person who looked like they were of the highest status, but why suddenly did a person wearing splendid clothing man rush out in front of her and grab her? And also called out her personal name, frightening her stupid on the spot.

“Elder Brother Third Prince, you recognize this woman?” Jing Yu frowned, “Just then she said she was presenting an imperial petition.”

“She ah, is a female dancer I saw when I was in the desert,” Jing Shao pointed at his own head, “She’s from a foreign land, not very clear-headed.” Not waiting for Ge Ruoyi to dispute, Jing Shao using a flat hand knocked her unconscious, throwing her to an imperial guard on the side.

Jing Yu hearing this looked Ge Ruoyi up and down once, seeing that this woman although appeared rather wan and sallow, yet also had an indisguiseable good-looks, she truly was a hard to obtain beauty. Thus, contrary to what one might expect, he didn’t doubt Jing Shao’s words, because this woman just then had indeed said that she was named Ruo Yi or something.

“Some other day I’ll send brother an even better one.” Jing Shao smiled and patted Jing Yu’s shoulder, the two feigning civility exchanged a couple of pleasantries and each went on their own way. Jing Shao turned around and exhaled a deep breath, having the imperial guards send Ge Ruoyi to the alternate residence first. 

In the afternoon, Mu Hanzhang sat in the study, continuing to help Jing Shao copy the books, but before his eyes, incessantly appeared the image of Jing Shao seeing that girl and his expression then. Yesterday after abandoning him he just chased after her, today it was like that again, and again after eating lunch, he went to go see that girl…

In his heart he felt an ache that felt extremely painful, only after snapping out of it, did he realize that he had copied the line wrong, so he could only tear it out and start copying on a new page. Then putting brush to paper again, unknowingly he actually wrote three “Shao” characters one after the other!