A Mistaken Marriage Match - The Pirate's Daughter

Volume 1 Chapter 25  Where Is the Mistake?

 “What a pungent smell?”

 The gate opened and they were welcomed by pungent aroma.

Several people unconsciously fallback few steps, particularly Yi Hu, who made an exaggerated sneeze. He sneezed several times then covered his nose with his sleeves and complained, " Yi Wu this brat, he did not have any skills but also wanted to study these writers to pose as a cultured person. His martial arts was not very good,  most love to do these "hideous mess of sixes and sevens"* of sweet smelling incense!"

 *luàn qī bā zāo   (idiom meaning everything in disorder; hazardous or very high risk)

 Su Su doesn"t want to exert too much physical effort, as always laziness was seeping in but after sniffing the pungent smell, she suddenly got inspired, that aroma probably….  “sandalwood?” Su family does not fumigate with incense, but two big aunts were awfully fond of fragrances, as well as Elder Sister Ning. They would go to Shu Shan Bei Courtyard frequently to increase their perception power by smelling all kinds of fragrances and sweet smelling aroma, if she remembered correctly this fragrance seemed like the sandalwood, same very mushy aroma,  only that it was extremely rich  and Elder Sister Ning was not  really comfortable of that smell.

Shu - day break/dawn     Shan -mountain      Bei– distinguish or cla.s.sify

After feeling her nose already adapted and little numb of the smell, Su Su took the lead to enter the house, to provide some contingencies, she was careful to breathe so she would inhale less of the scent.      

 She entered the room, Su Su found that the cabin was not large and all doors and windows were shut, no wonder the smell was so thick, she carefully check the window lattice, nothing unusual. When she opened the window, the thick smell was finally blown off.   

  “It’s choking me to death.” Even if she had opened the window, the house was still full of fragrance and it did not completely dispersed yet. Yi Hu sneezed several times and finally Ye Lie fished out a white towel and pa.s.sed it to him to cover himself, only then he stopped sneezing.

She was unable to tell by appearance that Yi Wu ordinarily was crafty fellow, unexpectedly elegant works hung in the room, lot of calligraphies and paintings , on the desk  also had ink and paper ink-stone, a fine Wutong tree incense burner was placed in the hall  at the most conspicuous the position.

 Su Su casually opened the incense burner lid , inside was a thick layer of  grey froth that the thick fragrance burned through,  she fiddle a little bit and  had not discovered other any impurities. Wherever she goes, Ye Lie also followed, always staying beside her, stared also at the incense burner, look curiously that asked in a whisper, ""Is there anything special?"

Su Su shook her head, “Looks like it was just an ordinary  sandalwood, it was thick.” Exactly, too strong, in such a closed room, the point of such strong incense, people could really fall sleep?

Yi Hu closely covered his nose with the white towel, with the m.u.f.fled sound, he look towards the incense burner and asks, "Hey, what do you see."

“Nothing.” Su Su put the lid back of the incense burner and began looking in all directions of the room.

 After sneezing continually several times, Yi Hu could not finally bear it. ” Well, you slowly find it, I will walk out before I suffocate myself.”The words have not finished he was already rushing outside the door.

 Su Su went to the desk, sitting on the table  was  rice paper, the paper reads two verses, looks like someone was copying a calligraphy, it appeared somebody had aspirations to become something. The upper right corner of the rice paper was  strange  because there was more than a touch of black blot, not ink , Su Su lowered her head to examine carefully, likely a smear, above the table had cleaned some traces for there were wipe marks, she came closer, Su Su only smelled the scent of a burnt paper that fell on the rice paper, this thing should be the ashes .

 Why would the paper ashes fell on rice paper? It looks like this tracing work of  Yi Wu also quite likable, what was it that he doesn"t want and have to burn it, you can go  elsewhere to burn, why burn it on the desk? Generally speed of paper combustion was insufficient for the paper ash to directly to fall on the rice paper on.

 Su Su picked up the rice paper, smell it again very carefully, under burnt smell of paper burnt by fire normally, there was a light unusual smell, this is …. …phosphorus powder scent?

TL note*(phosphorus during the ancient time was called as "devil"s element" because it was being used as explosive, poison and nerve agent)

 So that’s how it is, it seems like that person had a slip of paper and pa.s.sed it to Yi Wu . Yi Wu returned to the room, the light was dim  for the night was deep approached the candlestick to be able to clearly read the note, dipped the paper  to phosphorus powder, -ignite it then get up, the note of that message did not have any trace, perfectly disappeared.

She put down the rice paper, Su Su keep turned around the cabin but did not find any useful clues.     

  “Come on.” Su Su went outside the cabin, Ye Lie and  Xiang Erye followed, because locked was broken by Yi Hu, Ye Lie can only cover the door gently and left it unlock .

 “Where else do you want to go and see?” Xiang Erye  who had not spoken before have opened his mouth suddenly,  Yi Dang Jiade and Mo Yuan was not on the scene, his tone was obviously not very polite.

 Su Su did not care though, pondered a bit and replied, " Temporarily I don"t have anywhere else".     

“You should better remember that you only have three days.” Left behind those few words of reminder, then Xiang Erye turned away and left.

 Su Su wa.s.s not clear, Xiang Erye"s  hostility with was stemming from where, but truly the three days period was real, three days, only three days.     

 Late autumn sun, the mornings doesn"t have the might of the summer, Su Su looked up to see the weather and  surprised to see that that it was already  weishi (1-3pm.) On the distant beach were crews who carried logs,  at the moment forty or fifty people gathered together, gnawing the steamed bread.     

Su Su eyes squints  and shortly got up with an appearance looking pensive, Ye Lie was still following behind her and said,  ” In the morning they were brought to work on the seash.o.r.e, we watched every action and every movement the people were doing, after the sunset, they will be back to be locked up in the cave .  Xiang Erye was right, with all the people that were s.n.a.t.c.hed to the island, truly only she and Ye Lie can walk around freely."

Su Su turned to look at the body standing beside him, with footsteps full of leisure and carefree, thoughts especially bright, as if only at glance can guess correctly your mind, can make right explanation each time, like the present, he says truly what she wants to know.

Just making a maritime activity now undertakes the pirate"s life activities, does not have any conflict with Wu Mu and Yi Wu, no reason for him to kill people suddenly, watchman of the other people who were  kidnapped, it is impossible to kill  unless there was really someone who sneak in to the Huan Lang Island and just waiting for the opportunity to act, otherwise in the island the people those  who have an opportunity to murder were Yi Dang Jia, Yi Hu , Xiang Erye ,Sang Leng, Sang Nuan, Mo Yuan and Ye Lie.

Su Su stopped her paces dark pupils were  staring at Ye Lie and asked ,”Last evening, where were you?”     

 ” As if he had expected her that she will asked, Ye Lie humbly, scratching his eyebrows, frankly said, ” Yesterday all day, I was in the beach to direct them to transport logs, and yesterday evening Yi Hu also came to examine the work, we were together continuously until dusk, then went back with him for dinner,  we were eating when we heard the news that Wu Mu died, rushed over. ”     

Last evening, Ye Lie leaf unexpectedly with Yi Hu in the same place?

Su Su felt this tangled "ma.s.s of ball" seemed to becoming tremendously more tangled, yesterday afternoon, she has run into two masters with the Mo Yuan in the cave, judging at his appearance, he will not leave from the cave for a short time, later she run into Sang Leng and Sang Nuan in the beach, if last evening Yi Hu and Ye Lie in the same place, then may begin, left unaccounted was only then Yi Dang Jaide?!

 Why would they want to kill Wu Mu?

This too does not go well with logic, where did I made a mistake?

 No, she also missed two people,  kept in Sang Nuan"s medical shed, the Qin brothers and sisters!

*****

TL: What did Yi Wu burn? Can our Miss Su uncover the mystery of the island?

Can be they be? Wu Mu killed Yu Si, severely injured Qin Yan, inconsiderate of Qin Qian, they really had the motive of murder, but do they have the ability to murder? Even if they killed Wu Mu, how about Yi Wu, they don"t have enmity with Yi Wu? They should not lay their hands on him, or could be the person who killed Wu Mu and murderer in Yi Wu"s case, aren"t the same person?

 No, that bizarre murder technique cannot be imitated in just few hours, the murderer must be the same person.

Su Su suddenly turned, the footsteps quickly went back,  Ye Lie quickly kept up and asked, ” Where are you going?” 

 “Medical shed.” She must be thinking blindly  because she has no hope and no other leads, she must take a look at the Qing siblings, the elder sister and younger brother  "to spin silk for the coc.o.o.ns"** and push aside the shelter now from the present dense fog.*   

** Idiom   lit to spin silk from coc.o.o.ns; fig. to make a painstaking investigation

*  dense fog was figurative speaking meaning  completely misleading

Su Su was walking really fasy fast and soon arrived at the door of medical shed, the front door was open wide,  Su Su quickly walked into it. 

Just walk in the door, Su Su saw two pirates sitting on a wooden chair closest to the door.On their faces were look of embarra.s.sment. She gave them a second look, before big medicine-chest was a table and  two similarly outstanding person sat opposite  each other with the hand holding a chess piece, playing a chess and the looks were  very relaxed however on the other side of the door close to the courtyard  they were two faces that looked very anxious.

 Su Su was secretly surprised, Yi Dang Jiade unexpectedly send for someone to watch and guard Sang Len  and Sang Nuan, really? But on second thought about it, she wish to believe that it was not Yi Dang Jia who sent the guards because he was now immersed in pain and sorrow of losing a child, this order she"s afraid were from certain people.

"Plop”, a black piece heavily fall on the chessboard, Sang Leng"s  voice with tone of ridicule, "How ? This is to find the evidence and making an arrest?"

Su Su frowned , but did not explain, holding the white piece was Sang Nuan, watching her put the piece gently down, Su Su calmed herself and asked ,” Ah Nuan, where is Qin Jie and younger brother Yan?”     

 “In the hall, I will take you there.”Sang Nuan sets out, the voice was gentle as before and her face had faint smile.

 Su Su surprised for a moment, suspiciously seemed too be to calm and unaffected, “Thank you.” 

 Sang Nuan"s eyes in the woods this morning seems to be covered with profound mystery.  However this was making Su Su feel even more terribly distressed, she was pondering with difficulty. 

Sang Nuan lead her to the small door beside the medicine cabinet, after  Su Su pa.s.sed through that door, she was actually lead to a s.p.a.cious courtyard and the courtyard  have some herbs hanging and being dried out, a touch of medicine scent filled her nose. Behind the yard were small four log cabins, three of which are connected together, the other was relatively independent.  Su Su guessed separate cabin should be Sang Nuan"s room

Sang Nuan pushed open the most left cabin door, the room was small, but very clean and tidy, the house has only a small wooden bed standing with a wooden chair. Qin Yan peacefully lying on the bed, covered with plain quilts, his face though still not very good, but comparing with the ghastly pale look that night his color was already much better.     

 They stood there at the door for a while, the person on the bed  did not even move a little, Su Su whispered, ” Qin Yan has not woke up?”    

 Sang  Nuan was half leaning on the door, look lazy, heard Su Su"s whisper , then casually replied, “Qin Yan has no internal force, Wu Mu"s strength for him was still too heavy, he has internal injuries and heart arteries was affected, he rested these two days, wake up a little.”     

 Su Su nodded, did not say anything and gently closed the door.     

  Sang warm pointed to the next room and said, “Qin Qian on that side.”     

Su Su went to the door, gently knocked twice, the room was quiet, as if no one was living in general, Su Su gently pushed the door,  she walk fast to see the situation in the room,  astonished to see turn her look to Sang Nuan, anxiously, “This, what"s going on?”     

Ye Lie who was following Su Su behind became curious and proceeded two steps, saw the situation in room and frowned. 

 It was similar to Qin Yan the hut, room was not big, the bed was in the middle of the room,  the walls were far from bed, no chair and the female on bed was not to lying down but rather she sat on the sides of the bed, both hands were tied up with ink blue cotton band,  the other end was connected to the bed beam, looking at the length of that cloth band, the place that she can move, was only around that small bed.      

Sang warm still leaning against the door, look faint,  she doesn"t have the slight change of complexion like how Su Su"s expression changed, ” I saw her several times tried to commit suicide, worried that she will try to kill herself again, therefore temporarily tied her up. ”     

Su Su completely did not expect to see a very valiant woman unexpectedly wanted to commit suicide!     

 “When did you tie up Sister Qin?” Su Su  asked carefully, afraid of disturbing the person in bed.

Sang Nuan stood straight body, went behind Su Su, study the other person in the room then sighed, whispered at Su Su, “Yesterday after you left, I came to see her  situation, but  I saw her medicine bowl on the floor, she took a broken piece and tried to slit her wrists, that why I tied her. “

Wrist was wrapped by layers of ink blue band, she could not see the traces of self-mutilation, but the eyes were bleak, Su Su was very sad, Su Su cannot help but cry softly, “Qin sister … …”     

The person on bed simply looked like she cannot see them, cannot hear them and motionless.

Su Su came to the bed, but did not reach out to her, she spoke a little louder,  “Qin sister, this is Xiaoshu.”     

After hearing her name, Qin Qian moved finally,  but she did not look at Su Su, instead hanged lowly, the whole body also moved inward like in a sad and hopeless state.

Looking at her reaction, Su Su was poignant, secretly took a deep breath, Su Su as much as  she could possibly put on, carried a relaxed tone and said, “Qin Yan just had a  slight injury and in a few coming days,  he will be able to see you,  so you do not worry. ”     

 Qin Qian after hearing her words, turned her head directly to the other side and was reluctant to see Su Su"s appearance again.     

This time Su Su frowned, she judged that Qin Qian did not lose consciousness, but why she"s so repelled to herself, Su Su did not understand, even if she wants to ask anything, now she was not comfortable to ask.     

Qin Qian simply lay on the bed with her back against Su Su, there was no way to comfort her and  can only say, “Then I go first and in a few days to see you.”     

Sang  Nuan led Su Su and Ye Lie was led out of a small courtyard back to the medical office, then left them on their own and returned to the  chessboard, Sang Nuan sat opposite the board and only swept a glance, then hold up a white piece, leisurely fall, as if she did not leave and has never been interrupted.     

These two brother and sister siblings act, completely informal or uninhibited manner continued to play chess,  Su Su  felt it was really awkward, said the phrase “excuse me” then left the medical shed.

Without the scent of medicinal herbs, the outside air was fresher, Su Su "s chest feel an incomparably oppressed. The vibrant, gentle and refreshing Qin Jie turned like this at present, this murder case also as if it was falling into a dead end. She knows that she definitely made a mistake, it has fallen into such dense fog, where did she make a mistake; she did not have a clue.

Su Su "s heart was irritated,  the same figure was like sticky candy, tightly following her, she stopped, look with disdain towards the man behind her, “You always follow me, why?”     

 Ye Lie shrugged and smiled like a rascal, unexpectedly said, “We have the same destiny and now connected, if you could not find the murderer, after three days,  I can only go to prison with you, therefore it was natural to  follow  you, maybe I  could also help.  What is it?

 “You have been following me and I cannot concentrate thinking of this matter.” Regardless of what he was thinking about, there was a look of inquisition and exploration showing in his body, this makes Su Su"s whole body uncomfortable.

Ye Lie smiled naturally, backed away a few steps, the tone somewhat flatters, “like this,  I am far away from you,  chief.”     

 Is this also far?  Su Su"s face sank with look of dissaproval, Ye Lie hurriedly run back ten steps more and facing Su Su  he called, " Like this far chief!"

 Between the two of them there was a distance of ten feet, Su Su was  weak , facing one person who’s always catching up now she cannot get away, she also have no alternative.

Su Su was processing the things that happened in her mind over and over again, thinking where she has become negligent, what she missed while her  feet consciously walked towards the seash.o.r.e, when she recovered her sense,  she was in front of the wooden cabin of Mo Yuan, unexpectedly!

 Su Su was mortified and vexed, still hesitant to go,  but looking at the waves on the beach,  she saw the familiar ink black figure, that place  yesterday Sang Leng was training with guns and standing at a chest deep water.  At the moment on the same location,  this man was sitting on a huge reef and on his  shoulder perched the red falcon…     

Su Su thought for a moment then finally went over.

Ye Lie somewhat dreaded the indifferent Mo Yuan and unexpectedly  did not follow her but remained  peg in his place. Looking at them from afar, Mo Yuan, his eyes flashed with a touch of inexplicable light.

  Su Su training under Gu Yun, how well she’ll do? I will try to get us out in there death thing very quickly. Unless you like death but this is a gloomy part.

*****