Title: The Dreamer in the Spring Boudoir
Chapter: 050 out of 513 – Can the world have two people that look exactly the same? (1)
Ji Man wanted to cry, but she didn’t have tears. Being watched over by Ning Yuxuan, she didn’t dare to go to sleep. She could only drink tea and long-windedly tell stories. By the time it was dawn, her voice had already become hoarse.
Ning Yuxuan didn’t sleep the entire night. He watched this woman the entire night to see how long she could talk. But, she actually didn’t stop until dawn arrived. His face continued to show a slight smile, but he had almost fallen asleep several times.
“My lord, did you enjoy listening?” Ji Man hoarsely asked.
Marquis Moyu curved his lips. “It was good. Good to the point that I don’t even want to sleep. But, there are still things I have to do at the Ministry of Justice today. When I come back tonight, you can continue telling me these stories.”
Continue telling? Ji Man tried her best to smile, but her face had turned a different color. Damn, did he think she was an audio book for One thousand one nights?
With her face as stiff as a corpse, she helped him change his clothes and walked him to the entrance. But, Ji Man still properly saluted at the entrance, “My lord, take care.”
The person in front of her turned around after only walking a few steps. In the red glow of sunrise, his face was as gentle and warm as jade, “You didn’t use to dislike me like this. It seems like I did something wrong somewhere. I’ll treat you well in the future, Sangyu.”
Ji Man raised her head to look at him and froze in surprise. His outline was still illuminated by the rising sun. She didn’t know why, perhaps it was radiant sunshine, or perhaps it was some other reason. This person looked like a solemn and serious Buddha that was finally showing a smile of pity.
After a long time pause, Ji Man lowered her head again and Ning Yuxuan resumed walking away.
He had actually noticed her dislike. Moreover, he hadn’t gotten mad and had actually said he would treat her well. Was this a naturally deep-rooted problem in men – despicably cheap?
When Nie Sangyu had liked him that much, she didn’t move him and he even gave her the cold shoulder for six years. Now that she, an innocent person, had replaced Nie Sangyu, was he feeling a sense of novelty?
—
Ning Yuxuan was sitting in the Ministry of Department’s office. His head was supporting his chin as he quietly fell asleep.
The crown prince had been discussing with the crowd of advisors and important ministers for a long time. When he turned his head, he saw Marquis Moyu peacefully sleeping. His long eyelashes were quietly lowered and his thin lips were lightly pressed together. Compared to when he was awake, he looked a few degrees gentler.
Ning Yuxuan rarely fell asleep when he was outside. Finding the sight laughable, the crown prince, Zhao Zhe waved his hand to dismiss everyone. He sat down next to Ning Yuxuan and called out, “Yuxuan?”
Marquis Moyu woke up. His eyes showed that he was utterly exhausted, “What happened?”
“Did you not sleep well last night?” Zhao Zhe said with a smile, “I heard that there’s been hostility between you and your wife. The princess consort has a slight friendship with Wen-shi. Do you want her to go over and help you?”
To say that they were friends wasn’t very accurate. The princess consort had only helped Wen Wan with arranging her dowry because of the crown prince. To say that the two of them were close, Ning Yuxuan didn’t dare to have such complimentary thoughts. However, for the crown prince to even know that he and Wen Wan were having a disagreement lately… Ning Yuxuan slanted his head and said to the crown prince, “No need to bother the princess consort. I stayed at another place and listened to stories the entire night yesterday, so I wasn’t able to sleep well.”
“Listening to stories?” The crown prince was baffled. “How could you listen to stories to the point that you didn’t sleep? Look at your bloodshot eyes. What stories could be that interesting?”
Thinking of Nie Sangyu, who had kept her eyes opened with all of her energy and pretended that she wasn’t sleepy as she told him stories, Ning Yuxuan curved his lips into a smile. “The stories were interesting. The person telling the stories was also very interesting. Your Highness, do you believe that there could be two people that look exactly the same in this world, but have completely different personalities?”
Zhao Zhe’s face showed that he was a complete loss. “How could there be such a thing? No matter how similar they are, there must be a difference between them.
Ning Yuxuan was silent for a while, then he laughed. “Yes, no matter what, there should be a difference.”
Zhao Zhe completely didn’t understand his words and his mind felt somewhat uncertain. Although Marquis Moyu was a leisurely marquis that had been personally bestowed his title by the emperor, he didn’t have Marquis Pingnan’s* military power. The emperor had feared the consequence of allowing Ning Clan to be unrestrained. However, the officials in the six ministries still consisted of either members of Ning Clan or people that had relationships with the Ning Clan.
* T/N: Just in case it was too long ago, Marquis Pingnan was Marquis Moyu’s father’s title.
When Ning Yuxuan was eighteen years old, he started to gain control of the six ministries and had access to the information above his rank. Surprisingly, the emperor had actually allowed Marquis Moyu to have this power. Fortunately, Ning Yuxuan wasn’t a person with wild ambitions. As long as he properly enticed him over to his side, he would be free of worries. However, the person that he was most afraid of was Marquis Moyu’s household’s Nie Sangyu.
More than anyone else, he didn’t want Nie Sangyu to be favored.
“The matter with the Ministry of Justice is complete. How about we go walk around in your residence?” Zhao Zhe said, “I haven’t gone there in a long time. I don’t even know if the plum blossoms in your home have bloomed yet.”
Ning Yuxuan rubbed his eyes, stood up, yawned, and said, “Let’s go. But winter just started, so the plum blossoms naturally haven’t blossomed yet. It’ll still be good to walk around. Chu Feng was truly becoming too boring.”
The crown prince laughed loudly. “Of course, you would feel bored. If you were to randomly take out one of the beauties in your residence, she would be more beautiful than any of the women in Chu Feng. Let’s go. The emperor won’t be asking me about my assignments today, so I’ll take a break.”
At the mention of beauties, Nie Sangyu’s face emerged in Ning Yuxuan’s mind for an inexplicable reason. She clearly hadn’t been wearing any rouge and looked very bland, but after looking at her the entire night, he actually felt she looked somewhat beautiful.
He must have become muddle-headed from being too sleepy.
Translator Ramblings: Just wanted to point out that dialogue between the crown prince and Ning Yuxuan is very informal. Compare it to when Ning Yuxuan was talking with Nie Sangyu’s older brother in chapter 30, they were always addressing each other by their title.
Also, I wonder how accurate the crown prince’s assessment of Ning Yuxuan’s power is. No one in this story is 100% right about the other characters.
