Ta-da! Bonus Release! And the special occasion being lovley Ely’s b’day. Wishing you a very happy b’day from all of us and hope you have a fun filled day. ❤
Also, readers kindly welcome one of our new translators irisu-san! Since our little rebirth team has expanded, we are delighted to bring regular updates to you. Lots of love and enjoy the chapter. (That ominous title though….)
irisiu : I wonder why everyone doesn’t feel that Jiang Ruan seems to be as crafty as a spider laying a web of traps…
Note – If you are into light romance trope, check out this fluffy new novel which has recently debuted on meraki and translated by irisu san.
Join us on to fangirl about this novel and many others in the meraki world.
Chapter 20: Imprisoned (Part I)
A picturesque beauty, yet in the light of the day, she was like a bewitching black
widow[1],speaking gentle phrases with an eerie aura. In the heat of broad daylight, Chen Zhao unwittingly reeled back, his back breaking out in a cold sweat.
[1] hóng fěn kū lóu 红粉骷髅 – 'hong fen' means rouge and powder, figuratively, it refers to women. 'Ku lou' means human skeleton/skull. This is an ancient Chinese phrase with two meanings: 1. A woman with a beautiful appearance and a terrifyingly venomous heart, 2. A woman who uses her beauty to charm men and feeds off all their physical, mental and material means until he dies. In this context, 'black widow' spider refers to the second meaning.
In response to this, Zhang Lan chuckled, "This fool doesn't know how to speak. Miss Jiang, don't worry. If anything happens, there is still Master to rely on, Miss just needs to stay put."
She spoke such malicious words, as if it was certain that Jiang Ruan was the mastermind behind this murder. In a few words, she was convicted of the crime, and so eliminated any chance for one to retort back. Jiang Ruan faintly smiled, "Lan mama, to speak like this and declare with such confidence, is it possible that Lan mama also coincidentally saw me killing someone?"
Startled, Zhang Lan gave a dry laugh, "This… old servant actually did not.
"That is true," Jiang Ruan said softly, "Lan mama, please take heed as to how you speak. For those who aren't aware of this matter, it would seem like Lan mama is deliberately putting the blame on me."
Zhang Lan's heart tensed as she lifted her gaze towards Jiang Ruan. Jiang Ruan was looking right at her with a smile, yet it did not reach her eyes. Her pupils resembled a dark abyss, bearing a sense of mocking indifference.
At that moment, they heard a few officers dash over to the brooding head bailiff, exclaiming, "Leader[2], a female corpse was found in the well."
[2] Tóu er 头儿 – Leader ; Chief
With such shocking words, all the servants immediately retreated from Jiang Ruan's side, looking at their Miss and her two servants with alarm and contempt.
Lian Qiao and Bai Zhi were utterly shocked and could not stop themselves from glancing at Jiang Ruan. However, seeing her steady countenance with its unchanging faint smile, as well as her delicate yet unyielding frame, calmed one's anxieties.
The head bailiff could not help but admire the trio of this young Miss and her maids. During such a misfortune, it was rare for someone to not show their emotions and remain unperturbed.
Sweeping his gaze across the courtyard, he noticed that besides the trio, everyone else had formed a faction. This seemed a little unreasonable. These servants addressed Jiang Ruan as Miss, yet their attitudes were disrespectful. Moreover, this dilapidated courtyard did not seem like the home of an influential family's young lady. The head bailiff was slightly more aware of the situation. Any young miss that made a mistake would be sent off to live in a county estate to reflect on their past errors. However, this family's young lady seemed to be quite unlucky- not only was her life an abyss of suffering, but she was even being framed by someone.
The subordinate officers enquired, "Leader?"
The head bailiff recovered and looked towards Jiang Ruan, "Miss Jiang, please pardon me. As the female corpse was found in your courtyard, we need you to follow us and stay in prison for a period of time." After this statement, he tried to read Jiang Ruan's expression.
She calmly accepted his stare and even gave a respectful bow, "One shall comply and obey."
With no fuss or tears, it did not seem like she was being dragged off to be imprisoned, but rather being escorted to attend a banquet. With no crack in her unfailing poise, the head bailiff could not help but admire her, and declared, "Don't worry, Miss Jiang. I, Li Mi, will definitely ensure that the truth comes to light and will not let the villain slip away."
After hearing this profound statement, Jiang Ruan faintly smiled, "Thank you, Daren[3]."
[3] Dàren 大人 – a title of respect toward superiors; sir
All the surrounding officers were somewhat surprised. This leader of theirs, Li Mi, had always been impassive. Being inflexible and harsh by nature, he had never shown any solicitude, much less kindness towards criminals. It made one feel disconcerted to see his hospitality today toward this silly little girl.
Translated by : irisu
Edited by : Anks & Ely