ATLAS TRANSLATES

— Who is Chen Xue?

This question had been bothering Luo Lingyu for many days.

Though Luo Lingyu was clever and scheming, even while furious, she wouldn’t rush to confront Lu Yun right after finding that handkerchief. What if she had misunderstood? What if Lu Yun was cunning and denied everything?

She found it hard to describe her feelings. If it were any other young nobleman, she likely wouldn’t have dwelled on it or asked many questions. Born into an upper-class family, Luo Lingyu knew well the private conduct of noble young men. Few noblemen didn’t stray, and clever young ladies pretended not to know, handling such matters privately. But when it came to Lu Yun, she couldn’t swallow this anger.

She and Lu Yun were at the stage of discussing marriage, and he was about to marry her. If he was being intimate with another woman at this time, given her petty nature, it would be like a fishbone stuck in her throat. Just thinking about it made her uncomfortable. There was no way she could marry him. If she couldn’t marry him, wouldn’t all her effort spent on him be wasted? Wouldn’t all the bad habits she’d helped him correct just benefit the next woman?

Only a fool would investigate whether Lu Yun was being unfaithful behind her back.

But holding that handkerchief made Luo Lingyu feel sick and unbearable. She waited a few days, still visiting Lu Yun daily as before. She noticed that Lu Yun hadn’t even realized he was missing a handkerchief from his clothes. Seeing his normal expression, she became more suspicious, wondering if he truly didn’t know, or if he was actually worried but putting on an act to deceive her.

To say Lu Yun would never deceive her – she didn’t believe that, given how clever he was. To say she could see through his lies with one glance – Luo Lingyu doubted even more that she had such ability.

So she investigated privately.

The first possibility of Lu Yun having an affair was during the period before she came to Nanyang. During that time, the war situation in Nanyang wasn’t urgent, and he had time for such things. Later he became too busy, with unfinished official duties piling up. Lu Yun was far too proud to be so desperate for romance that he would have an affair right under her nose. For this reason, Luo Lingyu specifically went to General Wei Cong to gather information.

The young lady was incredibly charming, with alluring eyes and a dazzling presence. When she smiled sweetly, Wei Cong became foolish, answering whatever the young lady asked.

General Wei held his nose high and criticized Lu Yun from head to toe: “…The Military Advisor Lu has such noble family airs and looks down on everyone. Young lady, you don’t know, when he first came to Nanyang, if anyone got a bit of mud on him, he would sulk all day. You know how he looks when he sulks, right? And once during a conversation, when I said one word wrong, you should have seen how cutting his glance was! He doesn’t see others as people… Every time I see him looking down on everyone, I want to beat him up. Damn, is he the only human? Aren’t we human too? Not worthy of his glance?”

General Wei complained endlessly. Although his relationship with Lu Yun had improved significantly now, he still had endless complaints about Lu Yun’s flaws – “Other young nobles who come to train in the military gradually get used to the rough life. But Lu Yun is different, he makes us adapt to him! Half a year has passed, and look, whenever possible, the Military Advisor still doesn’t stay in the military camp, always choosing comfort…”

Luo Lingyu understood General Wei’s feelings very well.

Because Lu Yun was exactly that kind of person — when she first met him, she couldn’t count how many times he had looked at her with disdain. That kind of half-smiling, watching-for-entertainment, mocking, embarrassing gaze.

But now wasn’t the time to sit with General Wei and criticize Lu Yun. Luo Lingyu seized the moment when General Wei’s throat was dry to interject: “So there weren’t any young ladies by his side?”

General Wei immediately remembered how Lu Yun had returned his gift of beauties unopened, and became even more angry: “He even looks down on women! Who could serve him? Lady Luo, how do you tolerate him…”

Luo Lingyu pursed her lips and smiled, not daring to say that she and Lu Yun were actually quite similar.

Having gotten the answer she wanted from General Wei, Luo Lingyu gracefully departed. Her beautiful retreating figure left Wei Cong stunned for a while, thinking that just in terms of appearance, Lu Yun and Lady Luo were indeed a perfect match like a golden boy and jade girl. After Luo Lingyu left, she verified through multiple sources and confirmed that Lu Yun had no women by his side before she came to Nanyang. She then focused her target on the period when Lu Yun went to Luoyang.

What happened in Luoyang and how Lu Yun rescued those scholars were military secrets that Luo Lingyu couldn’t inquire about. But “Chen Xue” – how could that be considered a military secret? Luo Lingyu obtained the list of soldiers who went to Luoyang with Lu Yun, and planned to ask about it one by one.

After morning military drills and breakfast, the kind and virtuous Lady Luo came again to help improve everyone’s meals, making the soldiers feel quite embarrassed. The young lady fluttered like a butterfly among the crowd, finding opportunities to chat enthusiastically with several soldiers. Suddenly, Luo Lingyu casually asked: “I heard there was a famous lady in Luoyang city, surnamed Chen and named Xue, have you heard of her?”

“Pfft—” Several people spat out their porridge, choking and coughing violently.

Zhou Yangling heard the commotion and looked over. Luo Lingyu stood up with a red face, hurriedly waving to indicate nothing was wrong. She also quickly went to pat several people’s shoulders, not expecting that the name “Chen Xue” would cause such a big reaction. After the coughing subsided, they raised their heads with strange expressions. The young lady still looked at them with earnest, watery eyes, and one person said in an odd tone: “Who told the young lady about ‘Chen Xue’?”

Luo Lingyu pretended to smile coyly, covering her cheeks with her handkerchief: “Naturally, it was my third cousin.”

Several people: “Ah…”

They exchanged meaningful looks: Lu Yun was truly brave. Not only did he cross-dress himself, but he even dared to tell Lady Luo about it. His face was incredibly thick. Perhaps this was why Lu Yun could marry Lady Luo while they could only watch from afar?

Luo Lingyu scolded them: “Tell me! Why aren’t you speaking? Who exactly is Chen Xue? Why does my third cousin know her?”

The soldiers looked at each other again, and one of them carefully said: “Maybe… just… just an acquaintance?”

Luo Lingyu’s eyes narrowed. Being skilled at reading people’s expressions, she naturally noticed their evasive glances. And the more they evaded, the more it confirmed her suspicions — Lu Yun was their superior officer, and if Lu Yun had an affair, they would keep it secret to please their superior.

Luo Lingyu’s heart ached, but she knew they wouldn’t tell her the truth even if she asked more.

She could only probe indirectly: “…Actually, it’s quite normal for men to have multiple wives and concubines. Third cousin is really silly, not telling me directly. As if I’m someone who doesn’t understand such things. Even if Sister Chen Xue enters the household, I would be very generous about it.”

Several people: “…Ah, Third Young Master probably won’t let, let Chen… enter the household. Lady Luo, please don’t think too much about it.”

Even if Lu Yun wanted to, he couldn’t have that kind of function — how could he take himself as a concubine?

Facing Luo Lingyu, they became even more evasive. Little did they know that the more they evaded, the angrier Luo Lingyu became, and the more her fury toward Lu Yun grew. But Luo Lingyu had one virtue – she could keep her composure. Although she was so angry she wanted to tear apart Lu Yun and that vixen, her face still maintained a smile as she inquired: “My third cousin has always seen many beauties, and few can move his heart. This Lady Chen Xue must be a famous beauty of Luoyang, with quite a reputation?”

Several people thought of the sensation Lu Yun had caused in Luoyang and stammered: “…Her reputation is indeed quite big…”

Luo Lingyu: “What’s that lady’s background? What is she skilled at?”

Several people broke out in cold sweat: “A… a courtesan… but Lady, you’re thinking too much…”

Luo Lingyu interrupted, leaning forward to ask: “Then who is more beautiful, me or Sister Chen Xue?”

The soldiers were at their wit’s end: in their eyes, of course Lady Luo was the most beautiful! But they couldn’t say Lu Yun’s disguise as Chen Xue wasn’t attractive, otherwise how could it have captivated the Luoyang Governor who was used to seeing women? Moreover, Lu Yun was their superior officer, they couldn’t say their superior looked ugly, could they?

They stammered: “This… this question… better ask the Military Advisor directly…”

After they finished speaking, seeing that Luo Lingyu wanted to ask more, they became afraid of this lady. They thought Lady Luo appeared so gentle and beautiful, how could her words contain so many traps? Every question was filled with schemes, making them uncomfortable to answer. The impression Luo Lingyu usually gave differed from what she was showing now, frightening several soldiers away, no longer daring to speak with her.

Zhou Yangling walked over at this time, standing behind Luo Lingyu, seeing her fair profile but with anger and hurt floating in her eyes. Zhou Yangling lowered his head and said softly: “What’s wrong, sister?”

Luo Lingyu’s shoulders stiffened, and she bit her lip. She had an impulse in her heart, but still wanted to save face for Lu Yun and didn’t want to say more about this matter. She just frowned, with many sighs in her heart, starting to worry about her future with Lu Yun — Did she really need to dig out this thorn of “Chen Xue”?

Her heart was barely bigger than a needle’s point, and once this thorn came out, would she and Lu Yun still have a future?

But leaving Lu Yun… she was also reluctant, her heart feeling like it was being cut by a knife.

…

Luo Lingyu became somewhat afraid, somewhat unwilling to investigate further. She tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep. In the early morning, she convinced herself to just let it go, not to ask anymore. She didn’t dare to see Lu Yun, afraid she couldn’t help but confront him face to face, get into an argument, and make things irreparable. She listlessly combed her hair, and when her maid asked about today’s schedule, she hesitated for a while, then decided to still go to the military camp to take a look.

Love makes one anxious and insecure.

Making her unable to leave him, yet deeply hating his heartlessness while being romantic with others.

Luo Lingyu no longer wanted to inquire about this person “Chen Xue,” but coincidentally, when she went to the military camp that day, she happened to arrive during the exchange of prisoners of war between the North and South. The unshaven and dejected Governor of Luoyang returned to the Northern envoy camp. As people were leaving through the camp’s fence gate, the Governor of Luoyang saw a lady in wide-sleeved long dress standing by the gate, and his expression subtly changed.

The Governor of Luoyang fell silent for a moment, then walked over and asked the lady outside through the wooden fence: “Are you… Lady Luo? Lu Yun’s fiancée?”

After being captured for several days, the Governor of Luoyang had already figured out who Lu Yun was and his relationship with others.

Luo Lingyu was surprised for a moment, and after the Governor of Luoyang introduced himself with a gloomy expression, the lady bowed: “Yes… When my third cousin was in Luoyang before, did he offend Your Excellency? The two countries were at war, I hope Your Excellency won’t take it to heart.”

The Governor of Luoyang’s face stiffened for a moment.

Luo Lingyu gave him a strange look.

After staring at each other for a while, Luo Lingyu began to wonder why this person came to talk to her, could he be coveting her beauty? Thinking of this, Luo Lingyu discreetly took two steps back. Unexpectedly, this Governor of Luoyang, after struggling with his expression for a while, couldn’t help but ask: “…Is Lu Yun… feeling better? Haven’t seen him.”

Luo Lingyu: “…”

Something felt strange.

She cast a glance at him with her beautiful eyes and carefully said: “It’s still the injury from the avalanche. He’s been recuperating, should be better soon. Since Your Excellency knows my third cousin, and the two countries are about to make peace, does Your Excellency want to visit my third cousin?”

The Governor of Luoyang had an extreme reaction: “No!”

Luo Lingyu was startled by him and took another step back: “…Well, if you don’t want to go, then don’t.”

The Governor of Luoyang saw the lady’s snow-white complexion and realized his reaction was excessive. But he felt stifled in his heart, thinking how could he not overreact? He had fallen for Chen Xue, but Chen Xue turned out to be Lu Yun in disguise, yet he clearly didn’t favor men… Lu Yun was truly a terrifying person.

He both wanted to see him.

Yet didn’t dare to see him.

Luo Lingyu stared at this governor, and as he was turning away with a complicated expression and looking lost, she suddenly asked: “What is Your Excellency’s relationship with Lady Chen Xue?”

The Governor of Luoyang: “…?!”

He slowly looked at this lady once and said: “She… she… was originally going to be my concubine.”

The governor gave a bitter laugh: “I had never liked a woman that much… I loved her deeply in my heart, who knew… who knew… Alas.”

Luo Lingyu: “…!”

The Governor of Luoyang left, but his single “alas” left much to Luo Lingyu’s imagination.

…

Now Luo Lingyu had guessed it.

That vixen called Chen Xue was one of Luoyang’s top beauties. Not only did she have an ambiguous relationship with the Governor of Luoyang, but she also captured the heart of Lu Yun who had just arrived in Luoyang. Lu Yun and the Governor of Luoyang competed for the same woman, and with Lu Yun’s appearance and bearing being so outstanding and elegant, how could he lose to the Governor of Luoyang?

That vixen called Chen Xue then fell into Lu Yun’s embrace.

After sharing spring pleasures with Lu Yun, she even gave him her personal handkerchief. This woman probably had tears in her eyes, reluctant to part with Lu Yun.

This was why the Governor of Luoyang had such a strange attitude toward Lu Yun.

…

While Lu Yun knew nothing, Luo Lingyu had already charged him with many crimes.

Lu Yun was recuperating, in a daze, waking up and sleeping intermittently. His spirit wasn’t as good as before, and every time he woke up, there was still a line of people waiting to see him. When Lu Yun finally had a bit of energy, being naturally sensitive, he suddenly realized that he hadn’t seen Luo Lingyu for ten consecutive days.

Lu Yun frowned with lowered eyes: This wasn’t right.

Given his dear sister Lingyu’s personality, when he was sick, wouldn’t this be a perfect opportunity for her to show her abilities? How could she not come to see him for so long?

Thinking this way, Lu Yun couldn’t sit still anymore and decided if the mountain wouldn’t come to him, he would go to the mountain. He didn’t know yet that his dear sister Lingyu was currently confused about whether she should part ways with him.