ATLAS TRANSLATES

In the bridal chamber, the newlyweds spent an intimate night together.

At first, the bride’s voice was soft and delicate, showing some discomfort. The groom would occasionally joke with her. Later, their voices intertwined like silk threads, alternating between suppression and passion, like the strings of an ancient zither. Anyone listening outside would have blushed deeply.

Such was the way of men and women since ancient times.

As they grew accustomed to each other, they discovered the joy in their intimacy. Their bodies entwined, covered in sweat, becoming one.

…

After his marriage, Lu Yun was in high spirits. The next day when meeting others, his face bore a constant smile, much more approachable than his usual aloof demeanor. Throughout the day, people sighed either enviously or sourly: Lady Luo truly had ability, making such a noble and proud gentleman bow to her.

Oh, she wasn’t Lady Luo anymore, but rather the Third Young Madam Lu.

Lu Yun’s joy lasted barely a day before his second brother Lu Xian visited in the evening, full of worry and sighs. When Lu Xian saw his cousin in his third brother’s residence, watching her gracefully directing servants, he felt quite uncomfortable seeing such a beautiful woman in his brother’s domain. Yet he was also pleased: it was thanks to his help that his brother and cousin could achieve their marriage. Since he could help them to this point, perhaps he could also resolve the miscarriage concern?

Luo Lingyu was skilled at reading people. Seeing Lu Xian come to discuss matters with her husband, she didn’t wait for her second cousin’s hints and found an excuse to leave, giving the space to him.

The new lady of the house gracefully left, taking all the servants with her and thoughtfully closing the door. Lu Xian stared in amazement, then turned to Lu Yun who sat properly and said, “…Cousin is so considerate, Third Brother must be very pleased?”

Lu Yun sat at his small table, touched his chin upon hearing this, and smiled faintly: “…Mm.”

He had guessed what kind of wife Luo Lingyu would be. She would definitely take excellent care of her husband. Earlier, he had envied whoever would marry Luo Lingyu, never imagining that a year later, he would be the one to win her hand. Their relationship from first meeting had been quite legendary, going from rivalry to love…

But unlike Luo Lingyu who liked to show off everything, Lu Yun preferred not to share his personal feelings with others. He smiled briefly, then moved past the topic of his new wife, reaching to pour tea for his brother: “What dream did Second Brother have this time? You’ve kept it hidden for so long, it must have been difficult.”

Lu Xian was speechless: …He had just arrived, yet his third brother already guessed he had been hiding a dream for so long?

Lu Xian’s expression was steady as he glared unhappily at his casual brother. Lu Yun remained unconcerned, so Lu Xian sighed and lowered his voice: “…I didn’t want to tell you about this dream because it was only partial, without beginning or end, not knowing what would happen after. In past years when interpreting dreams, I often made mistakes due to such incomplete knowledge. I also feared you might misinterpret the dream’s true meaning.”

Lu Xian paused before continuing—

“…I dreamed it was summer, and chaos erupted in Jianye. Various forces were fighting. The warfare spread to Danyang City. At that time, all of the Lu family was in Danyang City, and the fighting reached the women of the family. Cousin Luo rushed back and forth, rescuing people from the fires and enemies… It was chaos everywhere, blood and enemies breaking in. Though the Lu family guards were strict, the women were only panicked at first, later following Cousin Luo’s arrangements. But she was frightened, and miscarried that night.”

Lu Xian’s heart pounded as the dream scenes vividly played before him, as if he could see the lady crouching down in that deep alley, clutching her belly. Cold sweat covered her, blood seeping beneath her skirts. Though she had remained calm while running about and dealing with enemies, even helping her husband protect his family, when the blood kept spreading, Luo Lingyu became scared too.

She trembled fearfully with tears, clutching her maid’s arm: “What should I do, what should I do… I didn’t mean to…”

She cried: “Xuechen brother… Xuechen brother, quickly find him! Wuwuwu, find him—”

Her heart was confused and afraid as she held her aching belly. This was the first child of the Lu family’s direct line in this generation, receiving attention from the whole family. This was also Lu Yun’s first child, however… The dark alley in the dream, warfare everywhere, the cousin sobbing alone before fainting in her maid’s arms – these scenes kept appearing before Lu Xian’s eyes after waking. When Lu Xian told this part of the dream to Lu Yun, he felt quite sad.

Lu Yun’s eyes contracted sharply as he lowered his gaze in silence.

Seeing him like this, Lu Xian hesitated before comforting him: “Actually this dream is very easy to prevent, much easier than your previous deadly situation. Since Cousin Luo miscarried, to break this dream, Third Brother just needs to not touch her for now. This way, she won’t become pregnant, and naturally won’t have an accident during the warfare.”

Lu Yun startled.

He raised his eyes to look at his well-meaning brother. Lu Yun couldn’t help saying: “My newly wedded wife, you’re telling me not to touch her? Second Brother, are you crazy or am I?”

Lu Xian was displeased: “At a critical moment between life and death, is desire that important?”

Lu Yun: “…”

He covered his face with his sleeve and sighed, saying no more. His second brother was a leisurely scholar who wrote poetry – definitely not one who understood desire. He naturally didn’t know how when desire clouds one’s mind, even if the heart wants to resist, the body cannot. To die beneath peonies… Lu Xian hadn’t yet met his peony flower, so he didn’t understand that once a man marries, he develops a taste for it and can’t help thinking of that matter, unable to resist.

Lu Yun only said hoarsely and softly: “This matter… must have been an accident. Thank you for the warning, Second Brother. Lingyu and I will be careful. What happened in the dream… I absolutely won’t let it happen.”

Lu Xian nodded, looking at his third brother’s gentle face, but hesitated: “Xuechen, since you last reminded me that I am a fortunate person, blessed by heaven, I’ve had a feeling — I suspect that my dreams, from beginning to end, were never about you and Cousin Luo’s love. I only focused on your love story… probably because among the people in the dream, I’m only familiar with you, and in the dream you were so important. It seemed every move you made could change the future’s direction. But actually the key to the dreams was never your feelings – what I dreamed about was always the future situation of the Southern Kingdom.”

Lu Yun raised an eyebrow, looking at him in surprise.

Lu Xian’s heart pounded heavily, knowing this look from Lu Yun meant he might have guessed correctly. He had finally guessed right once! Lu Xian was excited as he grabbed his brother’s hand on the table: “Does that mean the Southern Kingdom’s situation is for me to change? Am I really that important? What can I do… Oh right Third Brother, why in the dream when Danyang City was burning and cousin was taking care of people, were neither of us in Danyang City? If you had been by cousin’s side then, she wouldn’t have…”

Lu Yun’s expression remained calm.

Lu Xian might not be able to interpret his own dreams, but he understood his third brother. His brow jumped violently as he leaned forward, trembling as he lowered his voice: “…You know what the fighting in Jianye City is about, don’t you? It’s related to you?”

Lu Yun was quiet for a moment before giving Lu Xian a shocking revelation: “To be honest, Second Brother’s dream did surprise me. I didn’t know Lingyu might miscarry… Now that I know, I’ll naturally avoid it. But besides that, even without Second Brother telling me, I could guess what will happen next. I can even guess what you’ll dream about after Lingyu’s miscarriage.”

Lu Xian: “…!”

Seeing his brother’s deep gaze with sparks burning in his eyes, he spoke slowly and quietly: “Second Brother, why do you have dreams? To guard against upcoming disasters? Always being on guard, carefully dancing with shackles along the edges of major events – isn’t it exhausting? I’ve experimented multiple times and had suspicions before. Now Second Brother has just confirmed my guess… Every word and action, every changed decision – your prophetic dreams are, in some way, being led by me.”

“Prophecies are meant to change things, to guide events toward the best outcome. Major events develop according to their own logic – as long as one glimpses this logic… wanting to completely change the direction of your dreams isn’t impossible. Second Brother, you should skillfully use external things, rather than being led by them.”

“I can guess what Second Brother will dream about after dreaming of Lingyu’s miscarriage… but I can’t tell you. You would get startled and ruin my plans. You just need to know that I don’t need dreams to teach me what to do – rather, I will guide this future in which direction to go.”

“Second Brother has worked hard for a long time. From now on, unless there’s a disaster, Second Brother should just watch steadily. The stories in your dreams are already useless to me, can’t guide anything, so Second Brother needn’t tell me anymore. Oh, naturally, if Second Brother dreams about Sister Yuyi, you can still tell me.”

Lu Xian stared open-mouthed, gritting his teeth: “Fine, I won’t ask more… but you admit the fighting in Jianye will be caused by you, right? What are you going to do?”

Lu Yun seemed lost in thought: “Originally it wouldn’t have been caused by me… but now, it will be caused by me. Second Brother just needs to watch quietly. Just trust me, trust that I won’t do anything harmful to the Southern Kingdom.”

Lu Xian talked with his third brother for two hours before leaving Lu Yun’s residence in a daze. Before leaving, Lu Yun saw his brother out and instructed: “Second Brother shouldn’t tell anyone else about any dreams… to avoid affecting my grand plan.”

Lu Xian nodded gloomily as his brother saw him out. At least Lu Xian felt a weight lift from his shoulders, as Lu Yun had clearly told him his dreams were useless now, and he didn’t need to always be nervous and full of questions while praying to gods and buddhas. His doubts and unease were fully taken over by Lu Yun. Lu Xian realized his third brother had some scheme in mind, but unfortunately when his brother didn’t want to say something, he could never get it out of him no matter what.

Lu Xian smiled bitterly: After having dreams for so long… in the end he was told the dreams were useless, and everything should be left to Lu Yun.

He was probably destined to be just a leisurely scholar.

…

Lu Yun couldn’t tell his second brother that the fighting in Jianye would be related to several princes’ power struggle. After experimenting with the direction of Lu Xian’s dreams, he had written to ask Prince Chen Liu Shu who was in Jianye. Liu Shu said the old emperor was already quite old, and recently not only indulged in women but also in alchemy, only listening to magicians and Taoist priests, taking alchemical pills recklessly and ignoring imperial physicians. The old emperor wouldn’t live much longer… and the movements of those princes in Jianye were growing larger.

Prince Zhao Liu Huai was just one example.

But the new provincial governor Han Mingzi sent from Nanyang made Lu Yun discover that Liu Huai was colluding with the Northern Kingdom with great schemes. With help from the Northern Princess’s slander and Jianye officials friendly to Northern envoys, the Southern Kingdom’s provinces were being redrawn. As long as Yingchuan, Nanyang and other places were drawn into Liu Huai’s sphere of influence, Liu Huai would naturally repay the Northern Kingdom. Originally giving Ruyang to the Northern Kingdom was Prince Zhao’s repayment… but it was intercepted by the observant Lu Yun.

The Northern Kingdom hadn’t gotten benefits, so naturally wouldn’t give up. Liu Huai would have to pay some price.

When chaos breaks out in Jianye, it couldn’t be done by just a few young princes without troops. The Northern Kingdom must have played a role… Lu Yun almost instantly judged that Northern Kingdom troops must be mixed into Jianye city now, waiting for a chance to fish in troubled waters.

Lu Yun smiled faintly: Fishing in troubled waters… hadn’t he been waiting for this incentive to cause chaos in Jianye?

The Third Young Master Lu lowered his eyes. He turned around to restrict Lu Xian’s dreams, making grand changes to all directions. He wanted to guide, to make everything go according to his plans, to push his years-long friend Liu Shu step by step down the path he wanted Liu Shu to walk. Now they couldn’t avoid competing… but he also couldn’t tell others about Second Brother’s dreams – even if he did, others wouldn’t believe. Lu Yun simply pushed events forward himself.

…

After talking with his brother for an evening and pacing in contemplation, writing several letters to send to Liu Shu in Jianye, Luo Lingyu still hadn’t returned. Thinking about how she might miscarry, Lu Yun felt depressed. He rubbed his forehead and went out to find Luo Lingyu.

Luo Lingyu was in a side building’s elegant room, washing Go pieces. A basin of water sat before her as her long white fingers stirred the water, working with her maid to pour the Go pieces in. The black and white pieces scattered like smooth pebbles, layers of watery light reflecting on the lady’s face as she bent over, creating a luminous, flowing glow.

Lu Yun’s eyes darkened as he watched quietly for a long time.

Luo Lingyu soon noticed and looked up at him in surprise, asking with her eyes if Second Cousin had left. Luo Lingyu yawned: “What did Brother Xuechen come here for? I’ll go back after I finish washing the Go pieces.”

Lu Yun walked over and gestured for the maid to leave. He stood behind Luo Lingyu and suddenly reached out to caress her jade-like neck. His fingers were cold from coming in from outside, making her shrink her shoulders and complain angrily: “What are you doing?! How can you be so mean, always bullying me!”

Lu Yun saw the anger in her eyes and actually laughed, seeming to enjoy teasing her.

When Luo Lingyu was about to jump up and fight this scoundrel, he bent down and hugged her shoulders from behind, his lips lightly brushing her temple with deep affection. Luo Lingyu was sensitive: “What’s wrong? Are you unhappy? What did Second Cousin say?”

Lu Yun lowered his eyelids, his gaze passing over her delicate chest to land on her belly. The depression rose again in his heart as Lu Yun probed: “When the peace talks end early next month, we’ll return to Jianye. How would Sister Yuyi feel about… not returning to Jianye, but going to Yicheng with Zhou Lang instead?”

Luo Lingyu: “…!”

She asked: “Why?”

Lu Yun spoke casually: “There may be fighting in Jianye… I worry you’ll get caught up in it and suffer. If you’re in Yicheng, with Zhou Zibo and those scholars watching over you… I’d feel more at ease. Will Sister Yuyi accept?”

He seemed to be discussing it with her, but his meaning was very clear – he had obviously already made up his mind. Luo Lingyu was held from behind but frowned. She didn’t like Lu Yun arranging things for her, and she wasn’t happy about having to leave him. She had finally married him and hadn’t even had two days of intimacy before he wanted to send her away… However, Luo Lingyu glanced at her husband’s face next to hers and saw Lu Yun’s expression was faint, his spirits seemingly not very good.

Her heart softened, unwilling to argue with him right after getting married.

So the lady smiled gently: “I’ll listen to whatever my husband says. I just love having my husband take care of everything.”

Lu Yun managed a smile and praised her understanding. He was distracted and didn’t notice the flowing look in his wife’s eyes. She was clearly up to something.

…

The next day Lu Yun told Zhou Yangting about the arrangements for Luo Lingyu. With the North-South conflict ending, Zhou Yangting’s father was urging her return, so she would need to leave for Yicheng soon. Just as she was feeling melancholy, Luo Lingyu was entrusted to her by Lu Yun. The cross-dressing Zhou Lang was stunned for a moment before her clever mind naturally sensed something. But Zhou Yangting’s virtue was never making things difficult for others, so she immediately agreed.

Zhou Yangting said: “Third Lang need not worry, I’ll definitely treat Sister Luo like my own sister.”

The Third Young Master became more worried: “Don’t treat her too well. My Yuyi is fickle, regarding feelings she finds this one good and that one not bad, most ambiguous and uncertain. If you’re too good to her, she might develop feelings… don’t take care of her so well that you create an unfaithful wife for me.”

Zhou Yangting was stunned, then smiled faintly: “…”

But that afternoon, as Zhou Yangting was packing her belongings to return to Yicheng, Luo Lingyu came running in breathlessly to find her: “Zhou Lang, Zhou Lang… you must help me!”

Zhou Yangting naturally put down what she was doing and asked with concern what had happened to the lady.

The lady caught her breath as Zhou Lang helped her sit down. Luo Lingyu covered her face, crying pitifully with tears streaming down. She was deeply grieved with so much resentment: “My husband is a bastard, we just got married and he wants to abandon me, returning to Jianye alone. He claims it’s for my own good, but who knows what he’s really thinking? Perhaps he thinks I’m not good enough to go back to Jianye with him?”

“He even blamed me before, saying I meddle too much…”

Zhou Yangting: “…”

This couple… this couple… their words were so different from front to back, they were really playing games.

Luo Lingyu lowered her hands from her face, looking up with red eyes, blinking her bright eyes pitifully and charmingly: “I only have Zhou Lang now. Zhou Lang, you must help me. I don’t want to be abandoned…”

Zhou Yangting just couldn’t resist Luo Lingyu’s coquettish pleading and helplessly agreed again.

How could she possibly outplay this newlywed couple?

Zhou Yangting only said: “But Third Lang isn’t easy to deal with. He’s sensitive and suspicious. If I speak to him, he probably won’t believe me.”

Luo Lingyu smiled mysteriously: “Just help me, Zhou Lang. As for my husband… I have ways to make him listen to me.”

…

That night was peaceful. When Lu Yun wanted to make love, Luo Lingyu refused. Since Lu Yun already had the miscarriage matter weighing on his mind, when she refused, he naturally didn’t force her. However, the next day after finishing work and returning home, Lu Yun entered his study, originally just wanting to read for a while. He carried a book scroll into the room but saw Luo Lingyu was also there, lying on the table drawing some flowers.

Lu Yun walked past her, unconsciously turning his head to look at her twice. Because the lady was wearing a light gauzy dress today, over ten layers of silk, but when Lu Yun looked, he could still see her water-red undergarments beneath the gauze, snow-white skirts, and that body of ice and jade. The lady’s hair was pinned with just a silver hairpin, her long hair scattered over her shoulders, her profile like bright jade, wearing no makeup.

Lu Yun glanced at her again and again.

Because he almost never saw Luo Lingyu without makeup. She cared too much about her appearance – whenever seeing people, even seeing him, she would definitely have perfect makeup. She made her own rouge and powder that were not only vibrant in color but also non-toxic and edible, so Lu Yun didn’t say anything about it. But he still regretted rarely seeing Luo Lingyu without makeup—

And now, the lady sitting a few zhang away at the desk lowering her head to draw, was without makeup.

When she wasn’t wearing makeup, she looked much smaller, less alluring and more innocent. Finally looking like a girl in her teens…

Luo Lingyu suddenly raised her head to look at the young master reclining on the couch. Her eyes were clear and bright, catching him off guard as she looked over, but Lu Yun didn’t avoid her gaze, meeting it with a smile. Luo Lingyu questioned him: “Why are you looking at me?”

Lu Yun’s gaze dropped slightly as he smiled ambiguously: “Sister has grown up.”

Luo Lingyu was surprised and completely confused. She wasn’t wearing makeup in order to seduce Lu Yun. Giving her husband new experiences was Luo Lingyu’s consistent principle. But when she wasn’t wearing makeup, shouldn’t she look younger? How could Lu Yun say she had “grown up”?

Luo Lingyu followed Lu Yun’s gaze downward, his eyes staring straight at her chest… Luo Lingyu: “…”

With reddening cheeks, the lady jumped up!

She knew it, this man was completely shameless.

Luo Lingyu hurriedly moved away. Lu Yun gave a low laugh but didn’t get up, instead lowering his head to truly read his book. But after a while, those departing footsteps returned. In his peripheral vision, Lu Yun saw the lady’s skirts step before him. He was still lowering his head when the lady leaned over.

Luo Lingyu knelt on the couch, embracing the neck of the young master who was reclining against the pillow, pressing against his lips in a passionate kiss.

Lu Yun was caught off guard by this surprise and leaned back slightly, making a brief “mm” sound.

“Thud.” The book scroll in his hand fell to the ground as the young lady curled into his arms. After a while, Lu Yun moved his lips away, caressing her as he said softly: “…You’ve been drinking?”

Luo Lingyu: “Yes, Brother Xuechen should drink some too?”

Lu Yun felt something was wrong and instinctively wanted to refuse, but heard Luo Lingyu nestled in his arms say coquettishly: “I like you so much, I want to make love with you. Brother doesn’t want to?”

Lu Yun’s grip on her wrist truly tightened as his breathing grew heavy.

The little temptress in his arms was being seductive, complaining: “But you made me so uncomfortable before. I heard drinking can help with passion. Brother, drink a little?”

…

Lu Yun wasn’t good with alcohol and could easily be brought down.

But people rarely saw the Third Young Master Lu drunk because when intoxicated, he was just more unrestrained than usual. On the surface, the young master still appeared his usual self. Luo Lingyu was too sweet – though Lu Yun knew there was a trap, he was still brought down by his newlywed wife.

When they made love, he tormented the lady terribly, much more intense than usual. The more she cried out, the more excited he became, the more he couldn’t control his strength.

But he only did it once before laying down his banner and falling asleep.

Luo Lingyu trembled as she moved past him, crawling out from between the bed curtains, covered in marks, her arms shaking slightly. However, Luo Lingyu fixed her appearance to hide the marks, put on a cloak and went out. She had made Lu Yun drunk for a reason.

…

That night, Lu Xian had already gone to bed when Luo Lingyu woke him by knocking on his door. His cousin demanded he tell her what he had discussed with Lu Yun. When Lu Xian refused, Luo Lingyu threatened him—

“If you don’t tell me, I’ll tell Brother Xuechen that you have a beast’s heart behind your human face, that you have improper thoughts about me and took advantage of me.”

Lu Xian: “…”

He was shocked: “…Cousin!”

How could you be this kind of person?!