The Rebirth of an Ill-Fated Consort (Chapters 1- 203)

Chapter 142 : Shielding Xiao Shao

Translated by : Shl

Edited by : Anks & Ely

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When the rooster's crowing signalled daybreak, the young man on the bed tidied his clothes and stood up. After a night's rest, when coupled with Xiao Shao's natural speed of recovery which was faster than most, he looked as if nothing was amiss.

Jin San jumped into the room through the window. Still slightly concerned about Xiao Shao's injury, she asked, hesitatingly, "Master . . ."

Xiao Shao waved his hand and Jin San immediately shut up. Then after a moment's thought, she said, "Miss Jiang has already woken up and is outside."

After Jin San left the room, Xiao Shao took a good look at his surroundings. The previous night, everything had unfolded with such haste that he had not been able to take in anything. Today, upon waking, he discovered that a faint scent seemed to linger throughout the entire room. It was then that he realised that this was indeed a young lady's chamber.

From the time that Xiao Shao took over the Jinyi Guard, he had received all kinds of assignments, thus it was not as if he had never seen a young lady's inner chamber. However, before, it had just been a place, like any other, no different from a garden or a lake. Yet today was the first time that he realised that not all places were the same, so Xiao Shao, this arrogant man who never wasted his time on inconsequential things, looked carefully and seriously around a lady's inner chamber for the very first time.

Although it was an inner chamber, it didn't seem much like one. It was different from that of other ladies' – there were no flowers or plants, bright and gaily-coloured drapes, or exquisitely beautiful ornaments. For a young lady who had recently reached marriageable age, it was all too austere. Even a man like Mo Cong paid more attention to his residence than Jiang Ruan did.

Xiao Shao had heard something about the bleakly miserable circumstances which Jiang Quan had sent Jiang Ruan into at the rural residence. Therefore, it could be surmised that the practice of thrift which she had cultivated then still remained, and so she was unwilling to have resplendent decorations around. But, these dark, gloomy colours were really rather unusual.

The Jiang family's eldest di daughter loved to wear red, and she was naturally lovely. When looking at her, she should burn with passion as fiercely as a red fox, but actually she was like a green snake- cold and detached. Deep black was the dominant colour all around the room – what ordinary female would like the colour black? Xiao Shao himself liked black, but this was because he was both cold by nature, and had also matured earlier than his peers. However, Jiang Ruan was just a young lady. Xiao Shao was slightly surprised; it was almost as if he could delve into the secrets of Jiang Ruan's soul through these gloomy colours.

There was a stack of books on the table. Xiao Shao casually flipped through them; they were mainly books on the Great Jin's laws and the art of war. These dry and boring topics were mostly read by old men, but the manual on war had been thumbed through so often that the pages were starting to yellow, clearly demonstrating that its owner read it frequently. Xiao Shao also discovered that none of the books on law were current. They were at least a few years' old, with some stretching as far back as more than ten years. He honestly could not fathom what Jiang Ruan was doing reading such books.

He silently stood where he was with his head lowered in thought. After a while, he averted his gaze and walked slowly out of the door.

In the outer hall, Jiang Ruan was sitting in front of the window, but the book on the table was unopened. One hand propped up her chin as she stared out in contemplation. It was impossible to tell what she was thinking of, but her expression was a little cold.