Darkholm Translation

CHAPTER 040 Afterward, Xiao Yuan brought the prepared porridge. This time, before Lu Yun'er could say anything, Su Qingwan got up and went to the table to eat. Su Qingwan sat quietly and obediently at the table, his head slightly lowered as he drank the porridge. Though he remained silent, the slight tremor of his eyelashes betrayed his nervousness. He felt as if he were dreaming, the situation seeming too unreal. To assure himself that this wasn’t just an illusion, he stole glances at Lu Yun'er from time to time. At that moment, Lu Yun'er played the role of a tool, quietly accompanying him during the meal. Noticing his gaze, she calmly met his eyes and asked, "What's wrong?" "N-nothing." Caught, Su Qingwan shyly lowered his head, a faint blush creeping up his ears and cheeks. His hand, holding the spoon, trembled slightly. But Su Qingwan knew deep down that Yun'er didn't like him. She would never come to see him voluntarily. Her presence her...

CHAPTER 039 Back then, Qin Jin was quite talented but only held a lowly position as a Sixth Rank official in the Ministry of Rites. She was often suppressed by her superiors, and any hope of promotion was out of the question. When the new emperor had just ascended the throne, he was once attacked by remnants of the previous dynasty during a garden party. Qin Jin was injured while protecting him, earning her merit. Later, her literary talent caught the emperor’s eye, and coupled with her ability to disguise herself and read people’s expressions, she gained the emperor’s favor and was promoted to her current position as Minister of Rites. After that, Qin Jin, who had long endured in silence, devised a cunning plan to imprison all those who had previously humiliated her, condemning them to suffer in prison with no hope of redemption. Because of her deceitful, suspicious, and ruthless nature, Hu Lanzhen and Du Hongying were pale as paper, their limbs weak, and cold sweat streaming down the...

CHAPTER 038 After dealing with the matter concerning Juzi, Lu Yun'er had been slightly delayed. She gently pushed open the door and entered, smiling apologetically, "Greetings, sisters! Sorry to keep you waiting." Liu Lan waved her over with a smile, "You’re here, come and sit down. Try this new tea that Ranzhi brought back from Langzhou." "Alright." Lu Yun'er sat down at the table. As soon as she entered the room, she caught a faint whiff of the tea’s fragrance. From the aroma alone, she could tell it was an excellent tea. Han Ranzhi poured a cup of tea for Lu Yun'er and handed it to her, her expression doting. "Give it a try, how is it?" Lu Yun'er accepted the cup and took a slow sip. After savoring it, she raised her eyebrows slightly, complimenting, "The taste is smooth, with a sweet aftertaste that lingers like a spring bubbling up beneath the tongue. It's truly a fine tea." She set down the cup and, thinking th...

CHAPTER 037 All things have a spirit. Juzi must have been reminded of someone dear, and is feeling a deep mix of emotions. From observing its usual activities, it’s clear that Juzi is very familiar with the terrain of the Imperial Academy, as it moves around without being noticed by others. Initially, I thought it was just a stray dog, wandering aimlessly, without a fixed home, belonging everywhere and nowhere. But thinking about it now, it’s unlikely that Juzi would have appeared at the Imperial Academy for no reason. Could its owner have once held a position at the Academy? Now, only Juzi remains. The reason could either be that its owner abandoned it or has already passed away. As Lu Yun'er lowered her gaze and pondered this, she realized that, regardless of the reason Juzi was left alone, what it needed most at this moment was care and affection. She didn’t intend to satisfy her curiosity by asking Juzi to bring out the box; instead, she gently comforted it. A wave of sadness a...

CHAPTER 036 Lu Residence. After a long journey, Mu Yang slept soundly until the sun was high in the sky. For someone who strictly followed family rules, this was a rare luxury. Back home, if he ever dared to sleep in even a little, his father would nag him endlessly. But here, at his sister Yun'er’s place, he could be free and unrestrained, without worrying about rules and rituals. When Mu Yang first entered the residence, he noticed a dog. The steward Qiu explained that it was Yun'er’s dog, named Juzi. However, the dog was currently injured. At this moment, Mu Yang was in the courtyard, playing with Juzi to cheer it up. He had learned from Qiu that Juzi had a collection of its own toys stored in the storeroom. So, Mu Yang fetched some of Juzi’s favorite toys from the storeroom to play with it. Mu Yang was crouching beside a cloth bag, rummaging through it, when he suddenly touched something cool. He picked it up and found a wooden box, covered in brown soil, shaped somewhat li...