Chapter 350: Brothel tactics are also quite useful

The lone moon hung in the sky, its clear light spreading over the land.

Du Shanü, still without anyone accompanying her as before, walked alone through the corridor and returned to her own courtyard.

Because the child in her womb was already far along, she had to rest after just a few steps, making the whole way extremely difficult.

But she was genuinely concerned about the situation in the back courtyard, so she couldn't avoid going—

To be honest, Afang had said earlier that Chinu and Yu Baobao staying together to catch up were very harmonious.

But with her mind, she truly couldn't figure out what the two could do when together.

Just not fighting each other is already good for these two.

No, it's already good if Yu Baobao isn't beaten to death by Chinu.

How could they be 'very harmonious' and 'constantly catching up'?

Du Shanü couldn't understand, and she showed great anxiety.

She laboriously stepped into the courtyard, but it was not as brightly lit as she had imagined; someone was waiting for her.

Inside the house it was silent, with only a lone lamp shining from within, and they carefully closed the door.

Du Shanü, borrowing the moonlight filling the courtyard, looked several times before recognizing who that figure was, and called out:

"Good slave slave? What are you...?"

The candlelight flickered for a moment, illuminating the ghostly figure.

Chinu's face, like a demon and like the moon, emerged from behind the candlelight, his crow-feather-like eyelashes lightly trembling, then he spoke solemnly:

"Wife Master, you have returned."

"You weren't here today, I, as the servant, ordered the attendants to bathe the Young Emperor, then prepared a meal of six dishes and two soups, waited for the Young Emperor to finish eating, then ordered the manor physician to take his pulse......"

"The manor physician said the Young Emperor has been overly fatigued these days, gave some calming incense, which has now been burned; he just rested, everything is fine."

Du Shanü was startled by this rarely seen Chinu, walked around him in surprise several times, then laughed and said:

"My dear good good—"

"Today, good slave slave, how come you have such an empress's aura!"

It's fortunate that when she returned, she was still worrying all the way whether the two would argue.

I never expected that not only did they not argue, but Chinu also settled Yu Baobao clearly and properly!

With such bearing, handling affairs is also so capable......

From now on, whoever says Chinu is not good, is not fit for that position; she will be the first to object!

Du Shanü laughed as she walked several circles; the scent drifting from her steps pulled the candlelight to flicker, like fireflies.

Can't catch, can't hold.

Even life and death are only in a single thought of his.

As Du Shanü expected, Chinu tonight is indeed somewhat unusual.

He didn't joke with Du Shanü, just lowered his eyes to stare at the candlelight about to die, remained silent for a long time, then said:

"Wife Master, don't torment me so......"

"I, the servant, being able to serve you and your husband properly is already my fortune; I dare not hope for more."

Du Shanü was happily teasing Chinu, but upon hearing this, the smile at the corner of her lips vanished in an instant——

She forgot.

She actually forgot.

If speaking of Chen Weifang's true nature, it is opportunistic, vain, malicious, must repay grudges, unscrupulous.

As for Chinu's true nature......

From beginning to end, he is simply a man with the mindset of a concubine.

When others criticize Afang, they often say Afang is gold and jade on the outside but rotten cotton inside, but Chinu doesn't even have the outward appearance of gold and jade.

He has a face as cold and beautiful as a deep courtyard sea‑crabapple, disliked by those who claim to be high‑born aristocratic purists.

Beneath his bewitching beauty lies only a petty heart filled with jealousy, inferiority, and fawning.

Afraid other men will steal Du Shanü's gaze, afraid his own looks aren't beautiful enough to attract Du Shanü, afraid......

Afraid Du Shanü will not dote on him.

Thus, when love reaches its deepest, he even dares not verify what he stands for in Du Shanü's heart, nor how much place he occupies, and unconsciously makes himself smaller......

That's right.

That's right.

He today, surprisingly, is not 【caring for】 the residual love, but 【serving】 the residual love.

Furthermore, he tries to use such conduct to display his magnanimity, thereby seeking Du Shanü's favor.

Just an instant, just that instant, Du Shanü understood why Chen Weifang, when earlier mentioning Chinu and the residual love, gave that kind of deeply meaningful look.

What Afang said is not wrong at all.

Chinu appears arrogant, but often those who appear arrogant are actually inferior to the extreme.

In Chinu's relationship with Du Shanü, he has never taken a leading role; instead he is like a perpetually nervous, jumpy, petty and resentful concubine.

When the residual love is absent, Chinu can still be at ease.

But once the residual love arrives, those former beautiful dreams scatter.

He will go mad, will stop at nothing, will try every means to torment himself, just to become that male ghost most able to win pity.

Sigh, admirable to behold.

Du Shanü...... truly, sigh, admirable to behold.

She lowered her brows, originally intending to complain a few sentences about Chinu's foolishness, but when the words reached her lips she ended up holding back:

"...... From now on, no need to do these things."

Chinu lowered her eyes, not knowing whether she had heard it or not.

Chinu lowered her eyes, not knowing whether she had heard it or not.

We must not add extra words. Use "Chinu lowered her eyes, not knowing whether she had heard it or not." That's fine.

Du Shanü could only say helplessly:

Du Shanü could only say helplessly:

You always say I don't dote on you, but looking at dynasties throughout history, if Yu Baobao were empress, you would be the favored consort of the six palaces, holding the phoenix seal as Imperial Noble Consort, and you even bore a son before the empress...... Yet you still refuse?

Let's translate: "You always say I don't dote on you, but looking at dynasties throughout history, if Yu Baobao were empress, you would be the favored consort of the six palaces, holding the phoenix seal as Imperial Noble Consort, and you even bore a son before the empress...... Yet you still refuse?" Need to keep the ellipsis as "......". Use three dots? The source has six dots? Actually "......" is six dots? In Chinese they often use six dots. We'll replicate same number? Probably keep as "......". We'll output same.

You always say I don't dote on you, but looking at dynasties throughout history, if Yu Baobao were empress, you would be the favored consort of the six palaces, holding the phoenix seal as Imperial Noble Consort, and you even bore a son before the empress...... Yet you still refuse?

We need to keep the Chinese quotation marks? The source uses 「」. Should we keep them? Probably we should keep them as part of translation? The instruction: translate faithfully, not add or omit. The quotation marks are part of the text. So we should keep them. So output: 「You always say I don't dote on you, but looking at dynasties throughout history, if Yu Baobao were empress, you would be the favored consort of the six palaces, holding the phoenix seal as Imperial Noble Consort, and you even bore a son before the empress...... Yet you still refuse? 」 But note the English inside quotes; we keep the Chinese quotes.

She is not a clueless person either.

She is not a clueless person either.

If she didn't truly love Chinu to the extreme, she wouldn't have let the situation develop into what it is now......

Interpretation: "If she did not truly love Chinu deeply, she would not have let the situation develop into what it is now......" Keep ellipsis.

Thus: "If she did not truly love Chinu deeply, she would not have let the situation develop into what it is now......"

Yet Chinu's jealousy and resentment could never be erased.

Translation: "Yet Chinu's jealousy and resentment could never be erased." Keep nuance: "Yet Chinu's jealousy and resentment could never be dispelled." We'll use "could never be erased."

Yu Baobao never mistreated Chinu; instead, Chinu mistreated herself.

Translation: "Yu Baobao never mistreated Chinu, yet Chinu ended up mistreating herself." Keep.

All along she had been worried they would argue, but now it seems they'd be better off arguing!

Interpretation: "All along she had been worried they would quarrel, but now it seems they are even worse than quarreling!" Let's translate: "All along she had been worried they would quarrel, but now it seems they are even worse than quarreling!" Keep exclamation.

At least when they argue, both sides can be coaxed.

Translation: "At least when they quarrel, she can coax both sides." Keep.

Now she doesn't even know where to begin!

Translation: "Now she doesn't even know where to start!" Keep exclamation.

Chinu remained silent, not knowing whether she hadn't heard or had heard but refused to answer.

Translation: "Chinu remained silent, not knowing whether she hadn't heard or had heard but refused to answer." Keep.

Du Shanü waited patiently for a long time before hearing a faint sob, so weak it was barely audible.

Translation: "Du Shanü waited patiently for a long time before hearing a faint sob barely audible." Keep.

Chinu murmured:

Translation: "Chinu murmured:" Keep colon.

...... I'm afraid, I'm afraid Yu Yilai will come...... I'll be nothing......

Translation: "「...... I'm afraid, I'm afraid that if Yu Yilai comes...... I'll be nothing...... 」" Keep ellipsis and quotes.

I'm also afraid; once he arrives, if you want to sleep with him, I'll have to wrap myself in a blanket and move to another cottage, making room to listen to you two whispering and rubbing cheeks......

I'm also afraid; once he arrives, if you want to sleep with him, I'll have to wrap myself in a blanket and move to another cottage, making room to listen to you two whispering and rubbing cheeks......

Du Shanü had been waiting until her anger flared, but hearing those two sentences, even her towering rage felt like someone had poured a bucket of cold water over her head, leaving her with nowhere to vent.

Translation: "Du Shanü had been waiting until her anger flared, but hearing those two sentences, even her towering wrath seemed to have a bucket of cold water poured over her head, leaving her nowhere to vent." Keep.

She clearly knew Chinu was being unreasonable, but what could she do about it?

Translation: "She clearly knew Chinu was being unreasonable, yet what could she do about it?" Keep question mark.

Who could vie for favor better than Chinu?

Translation: "Who could vie for favor better than Chinu?" Keep question.

I fear that even if all the favored concubines and beloved beauties of the past eight hundred years were combined, none would rival Chinu in vying for favor.

Translation: "I fear that even if all the favored concubines and beloved consorts of the past eight hundred years were combined, none would vie for favor as Chinu does alone." Keep.

Her methods are so extraordinary that a frown or a tear leaves one's heart in turmoil—unable to advance, retreat, or even scold.

Translation: "Her methods are so outstanding that a frown or a tear leaves one's heart in turmoil, unable to advance, retreat, or even scold." Keep.

In her life, she truly succeeds because of Chinu and fails because of Chinu.

Translation: "In this life, she truly succeeds because of Chinu and fails because of Chinu." Keep.

Du Shanü had a splitting headache, unwilling to stalemate here; after thinking it over, she actually exclaimed in astonishment:

Du Shanü had a splitting headache, unwilling to stalemate here; after thinking it over, she actually exclaimed in astonishment:

...... Go wake Yu Baobao.

Translation: "「...... Go wake Yu Baobao. 」" Keep ellipsis and quotes.

Chinu's pretended sobbing paused, and a doubtful expression slowly appeared: "?"

Interpretation: "Chinu's pretended sobbing motion paused, and a look of doubt slowly appeared: "?"" So translation: "Chinu's feigned sobbing paused, and a doubtful expression slowly appeared: "?"" Keep quotes and question mark inside.

Du Shanü gritted her teeth and said:

Translation: "Du Shanü gritted her teeth and said:" Keep colon.

That's right, just wake her.

Translation: "「Exactly, just wake her. 」" Keep quotes.

I'm not going to be happy, and neither should you be.

Translation: "「I won't feel good, and neither should you. 」" Keep quotes.

There's no talk about sleeping with anyone; tonight I'll lie in bed, and you'll watch me sleep.

Translation: "「There's no talk of sleeping with anyone; tonight I'll lie in bed, and you'll watch me sleep. 」" Keep quotes.

?? favoured concubine: a favoured concubine.