A Match Made in Heaven Chapter 25

That night, Xin Mei was wrapped in a quilt by Lu Qianqiao, so she could only rolled in bed all night. When they woke up the next day, they both looked pale and weak.

When Silan came in to deliver hot water, his face turned from red to green. His expression seemed to say that he was planning to pick out his own eyes.

“General, General Bai rushed back to the capital last night. He is going to face the Holy One (Emperor), requesting to retire and return home (fig. retire from public life).”

They were extremely noisy for a whole day yesterday and didn't pay attention to the reaction of others in Jiaping Mountain Pa.s.s, which honestly, they should have not. Think about it, first, the Emperor forced a living dead General to take the credit, and then some were torn to death by the General who suddenly went mad. It didn’t stop there. The General’s mother forced her way through Jiaping Mountain Pa.s.s again, who then fought with her own son like no one was there, which resulted to less than half of the tents inside the mountain pa.s.s were blown to cinders.

Old General Bai’s fragile heart couldn’t afford such heavy pressure. That night, with tears streaming down his face, he unloaded his armour and went back to the capital to face the Holy One. He wanted to ask to return home, which was absolutely a normal human nature.

“I see.” Lu Qianqiao understood this.

Silan looked at the paled face Lu Qianqao as he got up. His thin robe slipped down from his shoulder. There were a little ambiguous red marks on his bare chest. There were also equally ambiguous wounds on his nose and chin. Furthermore, there was broken skin on the corners of his mouth. He could not help shoot a ferocious glance at Xin Mei, who was still wrapped in a quilt like a meat worm. She only showed her head while her eyes were looking at him innocently.

d.a.m.n it! He knew this girl was not a good person! On General’s first wedding night, she even acted like a wolf girl! Moreover... moreover, the General just woke up during the day, and then he had a fight with Li Chaoyang. How could she have the nerve to force herself upon the General that night?!

“... I’ll change a bucket of hot water for you. Please feel free to take a bath.”

With tears in his eyes, Silan took out the basin of hot water that he just brought in.

Lu Qianqiao shook his head, “No need. Silan, go back to the Imperial Mausoleum and do something for me.”

“General, please give me your command.”

Lu Qianqiao’s expression was a bit unnatural. With a hint of blush, he coughed and slowly said, “You go back... erm, to prepare for the wedding. Red paper sedan chairs and the like... and others essential things.“

Silan looked up in shock, unable to understand. Preparing for marriage? Whose marriage?

Phoenix Crown/Coronets
Source  Top China Travel

Lu Qianqiao handed over a piece of paper. “This is Xin Mei’s and my body measurements. Go and order our clothes and the Phoenix crown.”

Silan’s eyes widened. Was the General going to marry the little devil star again?! Weren’t they already married by the Emperor’s decree?! It couldn’t be... Was it because of what happened last night, so the General felt guilty for the girl, so he just...

“Go.” Liu Qianqiao did not want to say more. He got up and put on his coat.

Silan left while looking pale.

Liu Qianqiao drew back his fine looking hair and looked back at Xin Mei. She never spoke. She only looked at him with twinkles in her eyes.

He thought for a moment and then he opened his mouth with meaningful and heartfelt words (Chinese idiom : sincere and earnest wishes), “No matter what... wait until after marriage.” This noob translation was translated by a noob translator きつね at xin-shou.blogspot.com. 

A pout appeared on Xin Mei’s face, “But we’re already married.”

“That doesn’t count.”

“Stop talking nonsense. You just don’t want to.”

“... Xin Mei, I am a man, and I don’t want you to feel wronged.”

“I feel very wronged now!”

Lu Qianqiao sighed and sat on the bedside. He stretched out his hand and touched her tender soft cheek, “Xin Mei, stop it.”

She bared her white teeth and looked at him grimly, “You’re the one who tied me up, so you should stop it!”

Last night, she only nibbled him twice. Before she could stir any evil thoughts, he couldn’t wait to bind her with his bewitching rope. He tied her firmly from head to toe, and rolled her up inside the quilt, causing her to roll all night, as if she were the big bad wolf who was going to attack the delicate and charming little white rabbit! Weren’t there anything wrong with this scene?! Why were their positions always so disordered?! (T/N : Lol.... Xin Mei was like an innocent big bad wolf. She nibbled at him but didn’t understand what her actions actually mean.)

Lu Qianqiao was completely unmoved, “If you don’t make a scene, I’ll let you go.”

“Hump, I don’t want to bow to heaven and earth with you! You'll never have bridal chamber and ornamented candles (Chinese idiom : wedding night) all your life!”

She was clearly a small white rabbit, but always liked to imitate big bad wolf baring its teeth, revealing a lovely ferocious look. Liu Qianqiao patted her full forehead and untie the bewitching rope. Xin Mei wriggled her way out from inside the quilt with her clothes and hair in a mess. She jumped out of bed and was about to put on her shoes.

“I’m going back to my parent house! Lu Qianqiao, you are not allowed to come to find me!“

She pushed open the window and made a bold attempt to jump out.

“Xin Mei, come back.”

A gentle call with a smile.

She stopped. She stubbornly refused to turn around and looked up at the sky with her arms crossed.

“Be good. Come back here.”

... As expected, she obediently turned around and walked over.

He was reclining on the bed’s head with his eyebrows slightly raised. His expression was gentle and there was a smile on his face which made even his red eyes, which seemed slightly at odds with each other, did not look so terrible. In the past, he was like a rare blade out of its sheath. Now that the blade was properly tucked away, and no longer facing her, he looked much softer and a bit beautiful. This noob translation was translated by a noob translator きつね at xin-shou.blogspot.com. 

Xin Mei felt that his beauty was actually not bad. Although he was not as manly and straightforward as Zhang Dahu (lit big tiger), the first man she took a fancy to, Lu Qianqao was still one in a hundred.

“Sit down.” He pointed to the bed.

She obediently sat down in front of him. Eventually, she was unable to resist the temptation to stretch out her ‘paw’ to pinch and touch his handsome face.

Lu Qianqiao grabbed her wrist and smiled helplessly, “Turn around.”

She could feel that he took a wooden comb to comb her hair, and its wooden teeth lightly grazed her scalp, with some parts felt a bit numb.

His voice was low and soft, “Your hair hasn’t been combed for so long... Does it hurt when I comb through it?”

She carelessly shook her head.

He combed her hair slowly, carefully and awkwardly. When he met a little knotted place, he would hesitate for a long time, as if by putting a little of his strength, her scalp would be pulled off. Xin Mei opened her mouth to spurn his caution, but for some reason she could not say anything.

His fingers were warm and he held them around her neck. Although they did not move, she could feel the unfamiliar and unusual sensation appeared again.

Xin Mei raised her eyelashes blankly, and the small heart in her chest jumped rapidly and disobediently.

She wanted to... hug him, got closer to him, a bit more closer. Not playfully nibbled at him, but ... but ... she couldn’t explain what it was.

He unable to coil her hair into a bun, so he made two long braided pigtails for her. Then he turned her shoulder around, adjusted her yijin (one or two pieces making up the front of a Chinese jacket) and belt and twisted her handkerchief in hot water. After that, he pushed back her thick bangs, and wiped her face clean. This noob translation was translated by a noob translator きつね at xin-shou.blogspot.com. 

“If you go back, take Lie Yun Hua with you. Leave Qiu Yue for me, okay?” he asked in a low voice.

Xin Mei’s unreliable heart kept beating nonstop, and with her red face, she asked rhetorically, “... Okay. This is just like exchanging love tokens, right?”

Lu Qianqiao paused, then nodded while he laughed in spite of himself, “May as well... just consider it as I grant you a love token.”

Bow to heaven and earth
Source  China Culture

... She always felt that they were a very weird couple. They were already married and yet, they had to use spiritual beasts as love tokens. Up till this day, they still hadn’t done bridal chamber and ornamented candles (Chinese idiom : wedding night), while he insisted to bow to heaven and earth again.

This was really nerve-racking.

Xin Mei rode on Lie Yun Horse and returned to House of Xin in a complicated mood – perhaps, using the word ‘guining (a married woman visit her parents)' would be much more accurate?

Xin Xiong was in the stable, selecting a young stallion of the right age. He was going to breed several mares, when suddenly, he heard a loud neigh overhead. His daughter was riding a fiery-red divine steed from the sky. His eyes suddenly brightened - how handsome and strong that horse was!

“Dad, I come for guining (a married woman visit her parents).”

Xin Mei jumped down from Lie Yun Horse and casually gave her father a call.

At that time, Xin Xiong was holding Lie Yun Horse hind legs while smiling from ear to ear, but when he heard her words, the smile on his face suddenly froze.

“Guining (a married woman visit her parents)?” He looked back doubtfully, “Then... what about son-in-law? Shouldn’t you two come back together?“

Xin Mei pouted, “We quarrelled and I went home alone.”

A quarrel... it should be. When she touched her braids, she began to blush and her heart fluttered again.

“Did you get kicked out by son-in-law?!” Xin Xiong was so shocked that he almost fainted, “You two only married for more than a month. You... you...... how can you just rush back?!”

“... Dad, please listen to me. It was me who started the fight, so I went home alone.”

“How did you offend son-in-law?! Or did you offend your in-laws by eating a lot but never works (fig acting like a parasite)? Did you write a letter of divorce?! Is there any room for redemption?!”

“Dad, as I was saying, it’s not like what you’re currently thinking...”

Why was it so difficult to communicate with her father? (T/N : Lol... I believe it suppose to be the other way around.)

Xin Xiong calmed himself down. It was already time for lunch, so finally, he had no longer need to put unceasing torrent (Chinese idiom : talking nonstop) to the wall. He turned to Xin Mei while silently shed his tears as he looked at her with heart-breaking eyes. This noob translation was translated by a noob translator きつね at xin-shou.blogspot.com. 

“My good precious child who has good look, and doesn’t have bad temper, how can her marriage is b.u.mpy all the way...”

He was choked with sobs, as he blew his nose with his handkerchief. Then, he shook his head and sighed.

“Dad, we haven’t had our bridal chamber and ornamented candles yet. Do you think... I’m not very feminine and still very childish?”

Xin Mei struggled with Liu Qianqiao’s att.i.tude last night. She just held his neck and nibbled at his chin for a few times to show affection between husband and wife. However, he pushed her away like he was been stroke by lightning. Unconvinced, she rushed up again, accidentally tore off his thin shirt, revealing a part of his chest. Looking at the skin on the chest which was quite good, so she took another nibble. The clear result was that he couldn’t help it at first and he cling to her tightly. Then, he began to bite her ears, and she immediately obediently bit his nose. The next moment, she was firmly tied with his bewitching rope and being rolled up into a quilt.

It was a real blow to her. She rolled around all night and didn’t sleep well.

Xin Xiong stopped crying and his face had became red. He coughed and said, “This, this matter... dad can’t really say. My precious child, your mother went early, so, no one taught you about these things. Dad also embarra.s.sed to talk about it with you... in short... anyway... to curry favour with your husband, you still need to learn... wait here! Dad will find you something useful. “

He sneaked into his own bedroom like a thief in his own house. Then, he pulled out a bundle wrapped in oilcloth from the bottom of a box, and then furtively handed it to Xin Mei. His face was as red as an apple, “Xiao Mei... take this... try to look at them at night, when you’re alone though.”

What was so mysterious about this thing?

Xin Mei tried to untie the oilcloth, but he panicked and stopped her, "Don't look at them during the day! Don't look when there’s people around! Only you alone can watch them secretly at night!"

She had to put the oilcloth bundle into her arms to appease her father whose feelings she had hurt today.

“By the way, you came back today riding a very fine stallion. Where did you buy it? How old is it? Our family is short of several good spirit horses. Is it all right for dad to use it for breeding?“

Xin Mei dumbfounded for a moment. Uh, Lu Qianqao’s token of love was going to be used for breeding by her father...

“It’s your son-in-law’s mount. We exchange spirit beasts.”

Xin Xiong’s face finally showed a little bit of joy, “Oh? Son-in-law’s? It seems that he still loves you... My good and precious child, remember to take a good look at the books inside that bundle at night. It is rare for my son-in-law to have you in his heart. Don’t be angry with him next time, understand?“ This noob translation was translated by a noob translator きつね at xin-shou.blogspot.com. 

Before she could speak, she heard Lie Yun Horse neighed in grief and indignation outside the window. Behind her came the cries of several senior brothers in horror. The two looked at each other and saw Lie Yun Horse rushed forward, b.u.mping Xin Mei’s hand with his nose. His front hoof was digging hard and he was filled with unwilling looks.

“What’s wrong?” Xin Xiong asked Eldest Senior Brother behind him.

Eldest Senior Brother sighed, “Master had told me to pick the best mare in the farm to match with Lie Yun Horse. We chose a dozen of the most divine steeds, but it turned up its nose at them. We couldn’t do anything about it. So, we tried to lock them together, but somehow it manage to run away...”

Xin Mei looked down at Lie Yun Horse, who wept silently, and thought for a moment, “Could it be more fond of stallion? Have you try to lock it up with a stallion?“

You, this is a slander! Xin Mei’s words. .h.i.t Lie Yun Hua Horse hard. With tears of blood in its eyes, it was dragged by a group of people to be together with a stallion. (T/N : Sorry, Lie Yun Horse, for a moment there, I thought you was a female horse.)

Note: Pìnmǎ (牝马= mare) means mǔmǎ (母马= female horse). A mǔmǎ (牡马=male horse) is a gōngmǎ (公马=stallion).

Aerial view of Xuanwu Lake
Source  China Daily

The author has something to say: I heard that Xuanwu Lake is open free of charge and will not be selling tickets anymore in the future. I originally planned to go sightseeing there when I was free. As a result, I read in the newspaper that on the first day it was opened for free, the number of visitors in Xuanwu Lake reached 120,000. Sweat. I thought this figure was such an exaggeration… But when I looked at the photos again, I don't think it was a joke. It was like a parade there...
 

There are many of us Chinese, ah... wipe sweat.

The Shanghai World Expo was also the largest World's Fair site ever as it covered an area of  5.28 square km. - Wiki
Image Source  China Hush

I guess some legs are going to get soft in the Shanghai World Expo these days. . Let’s wait for the National Day holiday before going to the World Expo.