ATLAS TRANSLATES

Under the scorching sun, a middle-aged man kept cursing as he watched the ox carts and horses pass by their hiding spot in the bushes.

His crude language and envious tone toward the noble families revealed his low birth.

After the Lu family’s convoy passed, the middle-aged man and young boy resumed their journey, continuing to pose as refugees begging for food.

The man felt bitter, both admiring Luo Lingyu’s beauty and envying the refined demeanor of the young noble who spoke with her…

Speaking of refinement – how many young men in this world could truly be called “refined”?

Middle-aged man: “Bah! I’ll have that beauty in my bed sooner or later.”

The youth beside him seemed tired of his endless talk about the noble lady and said, “Remember our mission in Jianye. The master didn’t send you here to ogle beautiful women.”

The middle-aged man flew into a rage and slapped the boy’s face. The youth looked only fourteen or fifteen, though the dark look in his eyes made him seem more mature. The man’s slap knocked him to the ground, where his forehead hit a rock and started bleeding. When he got up silently, the man kicked him again.

The middle-aged man continued muttering: “Heh, what would a brat like you know! Once Jianye falls, beauties like that will be everywhere for the taking. Then I’ll live like those nobles too, with multiple wives and concubines…”

He giggled at the thought, eyes narrowing lecherously with drool nearly dripping. The youth fell silent again, making the middle-aged man lose interest. He stretched lazily and hastily ended the topic: “What’s the point of talking to a little brat like you? After this job is done and I get paid, I’ll hide in the mountains for a few years. Let the southern and northern kingdoms fight whatever wars they want.”

“They’re all bringing this on themselves!”

This chance encounter with the middle-aged man and youth on the road was merely a minor incident to Luo Lingyu. Now sitting in the swaying ox cart, she was studying Lu Yun up and down. She hadn’t seen Lu Yun in over ten days, and now he suddenly appeared looking travel-worn…

“Where are you headed, Sister Lingyu?”

“To Danyang. Will you join me?”

“Mm,” Lu Yun sat casually and smirked at the beauty in the cart, then seemed to suddenly remember something, “Your betrothed left Jianye today, did you know?”

Fan Qingchen?

Luo Lingyu lit up: “Really? He’s finally gone? That’s wonderful!”

Though she hadn’t managed to break off the engagement, that was something she could work on gradually. As long as Fan Qingchen wasn’t watching her every day, making her worry he might suddenly have an episode, things would be better. It seemed Fan Young Master still had his wits about him – during his time in Jianye, he hadn’t caused any major disturbances. Now he had left without warning, making Luo Lingyu want to set off firecrackers in celebration…

Lu Yun spoke coolly: “You’re that happy? The reason he had to leave without even seeing you is because war broke out in Nanyang. Your Luo family’s ancestral home is in Nanyang – don’t you care about that?”

Luo Lingyu: “Whether I care or not, what difference would it make? Would it change anything? Surely Brother Xuechen doesn’t expect me to pray to the gods day and night like Second Cousin? Do you believe in gods and buddhas? I don’t. I spend my days helping refugees – regardless of what’s in my heart, at least I’m doing good deeds, right? What does it matter if I’m kind-hearted or just seeking fame?”

Speaking of Lu Xian, he had become quite strange.

Lu Xian used to be reserved and steady, spending his days reading books and traveling – a perfectly normal noble young man. But since disappearing and returning last month, this Lu Xian had become peculiar. He filled his courtyard with shrines to various deities, worshipping all manner of gods and buddhas from Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. No one knew what he was thinking.

It worried Madam Lu so much she feared her son was gravely ill.

Not mentioning his brother, Lu Yun gave a soft laugh: “Then I was narrow-minded, and I apologize to Sister Lingyu. But I’ve heard that while everyone is helping refugees, Lady Chen provides them with green rice balls, glutinous rice balls, and zongzi daily, feeding them until they’re plump and healthy. They call her the ‘Female Bodhisattva’. The other ladies all show their abilities too. How is it that you only offer plain buns and porridge, with hardly any refined dishes?”

Luo Lingyu’s face turned red.

She was so poor! Just trying to build a good reputation with Zhou Young Master was enough – was Lu Yun expecting her to be a female bodhisattva like Chen Xiu? Why was he so prejudiced against her?

Lu Yun’s consistently high expectations of her made her indignant, though she was also annoyed at herself for always falling short in his eyes. Luo Lingyu asked angrily: “What do you think is the reason?”

Lu Yun: “I think it’s because Sister Lingyu has experienced hardship herself, and knows that refugees need filling food more than refined dishes. At the same time, people shouldn’t be pampered long-term – Sister Lingyu understands the principle that excessive care breeds trouble.”

Luo Lingyu paused.

Meeting Lu Yun’s dark eyes under his slightly raised lashes — this time, he really wasn’t criticizing her for not being kind enough.

He was subtly warning her to be careful. While refugees deserved pity and aid was appropriate, too much wasn’t necessary – moderation was key. Who knew what kind of people they were helping? Lu Yun himself was a scholar working with Prince Chen on war efforts, relief, and reserves – his position was clear. While everyone praised the noble ladies’ charitable acts and was grateful they had solved a problem, Lu Yun’s attitude was…

Completely different from the tolerance the court wanted to display.

A glint of craftiness appeared in Luo Lingyu’s eyes as she tilted her head and smiled sweetly, biting her lip: “Brother Xuechen, you’re not really a good person.”

But he matched her views perfectly.

In that moment, their eyes met with the rare delight of finding a kindred spirit. They were both somewhat selfish at heart – while doing great good, their first thought was always self-preservation. Lu Yun just managed to hide it better, while Luo Lingyu wasn’t quite as skilled at pretending.

Another thought struck Luo Lingyu.

Lu Yun used to constantly criticize her for not being kind enough, but now he worried she was too kind… Either his views had suddenly changed, or he had started seeing her as one of his own to look after?

The lady’s bright eyes sparkled with contained emotion, making Lu Yun smile. Her flirtatious, hesitant glances always pleased him. As long as she didn’t look at other men that way… but he was usually too busy to know if Luo Lingyu flirted with other men.

Lu Yun casually changed the subject: “Did sister meet any interesting people at the mountain temple?”

Luo Lingyu didn’t know what he meant and naturally shook her head.

Lu Yun: “But you must have burned incense and prayed to Buddha and the bodhisattvas?”

Luo Lingyu pouted: “How could one enter a temple and not pray? Of course I did.”

Lu Yun watched her with interest: “What did you pray for?”

Luo Lingyu answered calmly: “Naturally for peace and prosperity in the realm, and for the northern war to end soon.”

Lu Yun’s smile deepened as his eyebrow raised slightly. That arched brow was particularly alluring, often making Luo Lingyu stare at his brow bone, wanting to trace it. Lu Yun said nothing, but his gaze was intense.

Under his stare, Luo Lingyu held out for a while before stammering the truth: “…And I may have prayed to marry a good husband. That’s all!”

Lu Yun: “…You’re still praying to gods and buddhas for a good husband? Didn’t I say if you want to marry well, you should pray to me instead?”

He paused, then said, “Why are you in such a rush to marry?”

Luo Lingyu thought: What use is praying to you! You won’t marry me yourself, but won’t let others marry me either.

She countered: “What’s wrong with wanting to marry? I’m of marriageable age, and with no elders to arrange it, can’t I decide for myself? If some don’t wish to marry me, surely there are plenty of others who do.”

Lu Yun frowned.

The past trauma of losing his parents early had left its mark, making Lu Yun skeptical of love and marriage, feeling they were meaningless. If love was so deep it made one neglect duty, what was the point? If there was no love, only duty, what was the point of marriage?

Years of psychological shadows made Lu Yun dislike discussing marriage so early. He seemed determined to prove something, though perhaps even he couldn’t say exactly what. Moreover, he felt Luo Lingyu’s feelings for him weren’t deep enough, making marriage seem rash. But Luo Lingyu was always hinting and urging him…

Lu Yun: “Marriage without love will only end in separation, so why bother?”

Luo Lingyu retorted: “Love without marriage – where’s the security?”

Both their faces turned ashen as they fell silent.

The ox cart swayed gently. Though they weren’t sitting far apart, when the cart jolted, Luo Lingyu’s body swayed and she nearly fell. Lu Yun, sitting diagonally opposite, grabbed her hand and steadied her back into her seat. When Luo Lingyu tried to pull her hand away, she found she couldn’t.

After a pause, Lu Yun across from her smiled helplessly: “Alright, I misspoke. Don’t be angry.”

Luo Lingyu huffed and turned away, ignoring him, but suddenly felt her fingertips tingling where he held them. She looked down at Lu Yun holding her hand as he lowered his eyelids. He glanced at her, slowly bowed his head, and softly pressed his lips to her fingertips in a kiss.

Light as a feather.

The young lord raised his eyes, sparks dancing in them, light lingering. He smiled and sucked gently on her fingertip again: “Don’t be angry, mm?”

From her finger bones outward, Luo Lingyu felt her entire arm go numb — she was mortified inside, secretly hating that her skill level wasn’t as high as Lu Yun’s. He hadn’t even moved closer, just grabbed her hand and kissed it, but when he raised his eyes to look at her, she felt her soul turn upside down, intoxicated by the expression in his features.

Her bones had all turned to jelly.

Luo Lingyu’s breathing grew uneven as she turned away with a red face, trying hard to pull her hand back again. He held it firmly and she truly couldn’t pull free. Luo Lingyu secretly thought she must practice her skills someday, so she wouldn’t always be overwhelmed by Lu Yun… As they struggled, Lu Yun sighed softly and pulled her over into his lap.

Their breaths mingled as his voice grew hoarse with desire: “Lingyu…”

His lips pressed against her face, creating a tingling sensation that felt both distant and near. Luo Lingyu’s spine stiffened as she secretly gritted her teeth, thinking to resist, but he held her this way, neither restraining nor releasing her. The perfect distance, with undeniable intimacy… his face still pressed against hers.

Desire overcomes wisdom.

Even beauties can be overcome by desire.

Moreover, because they were beautiful themselves, their standards for “beauty” were usually higher than ordinary people. When supreme beauty pressed against her and caressed her, calling “Lingyu” over and over in loving tones, she couldn’t help but be enchanted. Just seeing his thick dark lashes lowered over his eyes in her peripheral vision was enough to bewitch her and shake her resolve.

Lu Yun’s eyes held mischief.

When he kissed her, she instinctively parted her lips, letting his tongue slip in and gently explore.

…They might disagree about marriage. But when it came to kissing and embracing, they seemed to have no disagreements at all.

She had always quite enjoyed Lu Yun’s kisses.

Lu Yun tilted his head to peck her lips, and seeing her token resistance, deepened the kiss.

That kind of kiss where he held her chin, made her look up, then delivered a gentle, soft, passionate kiss… Sometimes perhaps he wasn’t truly moved, but his kisses felt so deep and passionate, tongues entwined, like they were fated to be together for all eternity. Luo Lingyu’s heart clung to this intense feeling – her hands started just resting on his sleeves, but by the time he was holding her waist tightly, her arms had wrapped around his neck like vines.

Their breathing grew ragged.

The narrow carriage became stifling hot.

Summer certainly made one sweat a lot.

Lu Yun’s knee pressed forward between her legs. He looked down for a moment, then suddenly pushed the lady down, his kisses no longer limited to her lips but wandering to below her ear and neck. The skin of her neck was like jade, fragrant to the touch. He stroked it lightly, watching her lost in passion, her chest heaving, clearly not having processed what was happening. Lu Yun’s hand moved to her chest, experimentally squeezing…

Luo Lingyu’s body tensed as a sound escaped her lips: “Mm…”

The sound was like a cat’s mew, swallowed by the young lord.

His eyes changed slightly as his movements suddenly turned fierce.

Luo Lingyu trembled: “Brother… Xuechen… no… no… we can’t…”

Lu Yun grabbed her hand – the lady’s bones were delicate – and he lowered his head to kiss her wrist.

Pushing up her sleeve, he kissed the silver bracelet on her arm.

It was one he had given her, and his eyes crinkled with amusement as his kisses grew more tender. The space was cramped but desire magnified. Sweat beaded on Lu Yun’s forehead as his mouth went dry, feeling she was like a cup of clear water before him.

Lu Yun’s mind filled with improper thoughts, growing increasingly heated as he kissed her passionately… when suddenly a little girl’s drowsy yawn came from nearby: “Sister… Third Cousin, what are you doing…”

Luo Lingyu and Lu Yun: “…!”

Lu Yun’s face instantly froze. He turned his head to see the little lady Luo Yunhuan crawling out from under a blanket thrown on the floor in the corner of the carriage. Luo Yunhuan’s fine hair was messy and somewhat stuck to her face with sweat. Her small face was pink from sleep as she rubbed her drowsy eyes, looking curiously at the young lord who had her sister pressed against the carriage wall.

The two adults were so close they seemed about to meld into one… Luo Yunhuan grew interested: “Third Cousin, when did you arrive? What game are you playing with my sister?”

Lu Yun’s face was like ice.

He ground out through clenched teeth at the lady beneath him: “Why didn’t you tell me Huan’er was here?”

Luo Lingyu had actually forgotten about her sister while being kissed senseless, but she wouldn’t admit it: “…Such a big person sleeping under a blanket, you didn’t notice yourself but blame me for not reminding you.”

Lu Yun’s face turned black as ink.

As soon as he got in the carriage he had only seen Luo Lingyu. She was so striking that she was like a bright pearl swaying before his eyes in the whole carriage. Yet she blamed him for not looking around? But Lu Yun also didn’t want to admit he had only seen her from start to finish… lest this little woman get smug about it.

The lady and lord separated to sit on opposite sides. Luo Lingyu awkwardly tried to comfort her newly awakened sister, while Luo Yunhuan still looked up with a hurt expression: “What game were you playing with Third Cousin? Why didn’t you tell me? Can’t I play with Third Cousin too?”

Luo Lingyu deflected responsibility: “Go ahead if you want to play with him…”

Lu Yun shot her a cold glance from the side, so she had to change her tune: “Shut up Huan’er! Go back to sleep!”

Luo Yunhuan: “…”

Having just woken up only to have her sister throw a blanket over her face and force her to sleep again, she found it all very strange indeed. She couldn’t sleep, so she poked her little head out from under the blanket to see her sister and Third Cousin sitting so far apart… especially Third Cousin who was even sitting with his back to her and her sister.

Luo Yunhuan’s heart was full of questions, but seeing how awkward the two adults seemed, she could only keep her questions to herself and resolve to investigate on her own.

This awkwardness continued until they reached Danyang County, where Lu Yun hurriedly got off the carriage before the two sisters, leaving without looking back.

That day, Luo Lingyu exchanged greetings with the cousin ladies visiting the Lu family in Danyang, and played together with them in the evening. Even Lu Xian came by for a round, but though the cousin ladies waited eagerly, they never saw Third Cousin appear. The cousin ladies dejectedly said Third Cousin was even worse than before – at least he used to show his face briefly at the start, but now he wouldn’t even do that… Luo Lingyu guiltily drank her tea, guessing Lu Yun was avoiding her and that’s why he was neglecting the family’s cousin ladies.

But of course she wouldn’t say anything.

Sitting among the Lu family’s cousin ladies, Princess Ning Ping Liu Tang seemed rather out of place. Who knew how Liu Tang had ended up at the Lu family… As soon as Luo Lingyu looked over, the little princess nervously knocked over her teacup, frantically blushing as she cleaned up the mess.

She had no idea what the little princess was so embarrassed about.

Liu Tang had actually been invited by Madam Lu. After learning her son had been with Princess Ning Ping during his disappearance, when the cousin ladies came to visit, Madam Lu invited Liu Tang over too. Liu Tang felt very uncomfortable, not knowing why she was sitting among the cousin ladies or why Madam Lu smiled at her so strangely.

The next morning, Liu Tang was woken early by Luo Lingyu. Luo Lingyu explained helplessly: “…Aunt asked me to show you Second Cousin’s courtyard here.”

Liu Tang was confused: “Why?”

Luo Lingyu had guessed something. Perhaps Madam Lu had her eye on the princess as a daughter-in-law for her son, but worried that this cousin lady might steal her son’s heart, so Madam Lu simply used Liu Tang to warn Luo Lingyu. It was just a hint for Luo Lingyu to know her place and curry favor with Lu Xian’s future wife, rather than trying to seduce Lu Xian.

Madam Lu was still so wary of Luo Lingyu.

Luo Lingyu didn’t know whether to be proud of her beauty or disappointed that Madam Lu still didn’t trust her character.

Danyang City was some distance from Taichu Palace in Jianye, and when the Lu family came to Danyang to escape the heat, the Lu young lords had to leave earlier in the morning for court. Luo Lingyu calculated the timing, thinking Lu Xian should be heading out, before leading Liu Tang to visit Lu Xian’s courtyard. Unexpectedly, Lu Xian had the day off and didn’t need to go to court.

Luo Lingyu and Liu Tang were bewildered to witness Lu Xian’s early morning ritual of burning incense and worshipping Buddha.

Seeing the two of them, Lu Xian even invited them to burn incense in the Buddha hall. Liu Tang eagerly followed along, while Luo Lingyu stood outside the curtained doorway, giving Lu Xian an odd look: “Didn’t Confucius say not to speak of the strange, forceful, or chaotic? I remember Aunt’s family traditionally follows Confucian teachings. Would Aunt allow you to burn incense and worship Buddha every day, filling the house with smoke?”

“Shh!” Lu Xian coughed, “She absolutely can’t find out about this.”

Second Young Master Lu mysteriously pulled the willowy cousin lady aside to whisper: “Cousin, you don’t know how many things in this world deserve our reverence. I didn’t believe it before either, but after experiencing certain things, I now believe it all. If it weren’t for me, how could you and Third Brother have your current good outcome?”

Luo Lingyu: …What good outcome did she have with Lu Yun? She still couldn’t achieve her dream of marriage!

Luo Lingyu halfheartedly humored Lu Xian.

Lu Xian had countless words on the tip of his tongue that weren’t appropriate to say, leaving him full of worries. How could he tell his cousin that he had experienced prophetic dreams? It was through that dream that he managed to bring his cousin and third brother together. Since June 19th, Lu Xian hadn’t dreamed again. He vaguely felt that day was truly a turning point, that he had really changed the story from his dream.

Because the path of fate had changed, the events from his dream would no longer happen, so he no longer needed to dream.

His heart was full of accomplishment, but with no one to boast to, Second Young Lord Lu felt extremely bitter.

Now everything was developing in a good direction. Originally there had been continuous warfare in the north, but now the losses were halved. Originally the old emperor would have been poisoned by now, but after he seemingly discovered Prince Hengyang’s plot, the prince probably feared Lu Xian would let something slip and lost interest. Even in July, when in the original dream Lu Yun had been heartbroken and wanted to flee to the border to avoid Luo Lingyu’s impending engagement to Prince Hengyang, that hadn’t happened…

Second Young Lord Lu smiled tenderly at Luo Lingyu.

Luo Lingyu: …Aunt’s concerns were right. She also felt Second Cousin seemed to truly like her…

Lu Yun stood at the courtyard entrance, his expression changing slightly as he saw how Lu Xian looked at Luo Lingyu, so… affectionately?

Lu Yun coughed once, and Lu Xian turned to see him. Luo Lingyu was accompanying the princess in worship, so Lu Xian naturally went to welcome his third brother. As the two young lords discussed court matters, while Second Young Lord Lu was still feeling pleased about changing fate, he heard Third Young Lord Lu muse: “With the chaos of war in the north, I’m thinking of going to the border…”

Lu Xian suddenly: “…?!”

He immediately shouted: “I forbid it!”

Lu Yun was startled by his second brother’s suddenly raised voice.

Under the willow trees in the breeze, Luo Lingyu and Liu Tang, who had just come down the steps, were also startled by Lu Xian’s shout and looked over.

Lu Yun was shaken by his second brother’s emotional grip on his shoulders: “Third Brother, you stay obediently in Jianye, you’re not allowed to go anywhere! If you want to go to the border, you’ll have to step over my dead body first!”

Lu Yun was stunned: “…If you don’t want me to go, I won’t go. Why such extremes?”

Had his second brother gone mad?