Chapter 20: A Fallen Gentleman – Part 9
Translated and Edited by: Ritpoppy
(Note: This chapter starts off with a flashback)
The window was knocked three times, a nightingale chirped three times, suddenly, a bedroom window was pushed open from the outside.
A pair of a young maiden"s hands, which were as pale as jade, emerged from the darkness. The chirps of the nightingale that was perched by a big laurel tree got louder, she listened for a while, and hesitantly shouted, "Brother?"
All of a sudden, from atop a tree hanged a young man dressed in black, he was pale and grave, with his hands crossed, wearing a smiling expression.
This person, was precisely Ming ChangYan. He said, "Yi Yue, are you hungry?"
"Brother!" Yi Yue"s red-ish brown eyes lit up, extending her arms, wanting to give him a hug. Ming ChangYan was afraid that she was going to fall from her room, promptly turning over and jumped down from the laurel tree.
He entered the room from the window, Yi Yue ignited a lamp, in a split second the room was brightly lit.
Ming ChangYan hadn"t seen her in a year, thus he took a few steps back, trying to get a good look at her. Yi Yue was wearing a muslin dress distinct to Tokhara, her long black hair was rolled up into a bun, she had the picturesque of a delicate maiden; she was beautiful in appearance, like a fairy, charming and romantic.
Yi Yue sat in front of the table, and poured a bowl of sheep"s milk, "Is brother thirsty?"
Ming ChangYan sat down, smiling, "You"ve gotten a bit fatter."
Yi Yue said, "Wait till I grow even fatter, then brother will be able to see what he"d look like if he was fat."
Ming ChangYan drained the goat milk down in one gulp, flipping over the bundle and dropping a large amount of rouge and cosmetic powders that he had bought in the Central Plains. These little things could be found everywhere in Lin"an, and couldn"t be counted as anything rare, but Yi Yue has never taken a single step outside of Tokhara, no matter what Ming ChangYan would bring her, she would always regard it as something precious.
Yi Yue unscrewed the lid, scooped up some of the rouge, and wiped it on her lips, "The ones that brother brought me last year have all been used up. Do you apply it like this? What about this black paint, is it used on the lips?"
Ming ChangYan said, "This is used on the eyebrows. Come over here, I"ll teach you how to apply it."
Yi Yue said, "You know how to apply them? These are stuff used by young women from the Central Plains."
Ming ChangYan c.o.c.ked his eyebrow, "Don"t underestimate your brother, is there anything that he can"t do!"
The two changed positions, Yi Yue sat in front of the mirror, while Ming ChangYan held the black dye that was in a sh.e.l.l, and began to lightly apply it on her eyebrow. Within the mirror, the two"s appearance was identical, both naturally beautiful, they were a pair of twins that were so close that it was difficult to tell the two apart.
When he was finished with the makeup, Yi Yue said, "Brother draws the ugliest eyebrows."
Ming ChangYan flicked her forehead, "So picky, next time you demand me to draw them for you, I"m not doing it."
Yi Yue stood up and twirled in front of the mirror, the four bells around her hands and feet jingled.
"Brother, when are you going to bring me to the Central Plains? You said it last year, and the year before that, you always lie to me."
Ming ChangYan felt injustice, "You"ve wronged me." He said, "Just wait one more year and I"ll be able to bring you to the Central Plains. If I recall, the Moon-Chasing Festival is about to begin, have you mastered the dance yet? If by any chance you dance like when we were little, forgetting the steps halfway through, Ba* will tie you up and beat you."
(TN: Ba means father but in a dialect. Similarly, Niang will mean mother)
This was translated by , any repost of this is stolen and if you steal my work I will slap you with my miniature fan.
Yi Yue giggled, "The one being tied up and beat by Ba is brother, you"re confusing right and wrong."
Ming ChangYan smiled as well, "Wasn"t me getting hit all because I wanted to help you, you little ingrate. If it weren"t for you coming to me crying that you couldn"t dance well, why would I go up there and dance pretending to be you?"
Yi Yue said, "You and I look exactly the same, who would be able to tell us apart." She thought for a moment, and said, "Only Niang could tell us apart."
Ming ChangYan ate two pastries, "Niang has already been gone for years, there is no purpose for us to remain at Tokhara. When this year"s Moon-Chasing Festival is over, I"ll bring you to the Central Plains."
Yi Yue looked towards the jade pendant hanging by his waist, and asked, "What is this, it"s quite pretty."
Ming ChangYan replied, "Ah, something that my younger disciples gave me. What, do you like it? Then I"ll give it to you."
Immediately, he went to untie it. Yi Yue shook her head, "I don"t want it, when I go to the Central Plains, brother can buy me a new one."
Ming ChangYan said, "Of course, I"ll buy as much as you want. Right, there"s also this." Ming ChangYan took out two small wooden combs, beautiful and exquisitely crafted, "Give this to Little Bell, and this to Little Dice. I promised last year that I"d bring something for them, give it to them when they attend to you tomorrow morning. Don"t tell them that I came."
Yi Yue pushed one of the combs back at Ming ChangYan, "One is enough. Little Dice was killed by Ba."
Ming ChangYan froze.
"I don"t like Ba. His temper is getting worse and worse, he keeps on killing people. Please bring me with you, Brother, can we leave this year? And bring Little Bell together with us, when Ba killed Little Dice, she was really frightened."
Ming Changyan was brought back to reality, rubbing his hands through her hair, and exclaimed, "Not this year. My foundation in the Central Plains isn"t stable yet, I still need one more year to have the ability to quietly take you away. If I bring you this year, I wouldn"t be able to guarantee your safety. Wait one more year, next year I"ll be able to contend against Ba."
Although Ming ChangYan said this, he knew in his heart, it was because TianQing"s situation in the Central Plains was more serious than he"d explained. His intuition is telling him right now isn"t the best time to bring Yi Yue to the Central Plains.
Yi Yue leaned on the table, using her hand to fiddle with the teacup, "I don"t like the moon, it"s too big, too boring."
Ming ChangYan saw that her spirits were low, so he changed the topic, and said, "Guess who I met when I came back from the Wu"an Tribe today? The warriors from Wu"an were hunting in the forest, the one that had the most kills…."
He was deliberately mystifying his words, and sure enough, when Yi Yue heard the 3 words Wu"an Tribe, she impatiently looked towards his direction."
Ming ChangYan continued, "Do you wanna guess who it was?"
Yi Yue said, "Was it Bu Feng?"
Ming ChangYan teased, "It was my brother-in-law."
Yi Yue"s face was red, muttering, "You"re making fun of me."
Ming ChangYan said, "I wouldn"t dare, I wouldn"t dare. I really did run into Bu Feng, he had hunted a small deer, and said that he wanted to make the antlers into jewelry and gift them to you. Ah, there"s also this."
He took out a quill pen from his bosom, "Bu Feng trusted me to give this to you. Your pen broke, right? He said that you haven"t written him a letter in a while."
Yi Yue put the pen away, and said, "Brother always teases me. But you"ve stayed in the Central Plains for so long, why haven"t you found me a sister-in-law yet?"
Ming ChangYan raised his foot and placed it on the table, laughing, "I didn"t find you a sister-in-law, but I do have a bunch of little children."
Yi Yue"s voice had traces of yearning in them, "When I finally arrive at TianQing sect, I also want to study martial arts. Dancing is boring, it"s always the same dance. Dancing year after year, after dancing for so long, my legs are going to break."
Ming ChangYan said, "The Moon-Chasing Festival happens once a year, it cannot be helped that you have to dance. However, when you come to the Central Plains in the future, I"ll teach you martial arts."
Yi Yue picked up an ancient book from her bed, on it read《The G.o.ddess"s Big Book of Songs》, in it were tunes that were to be sung at the Moon-Chasing Festival. When Ming ChangYan saw this book, he felt exceptionally familiar to it. He studied this book together with Yi Yue when they were younger, because he was a man, the shamans only required him to recite every page of the book from memory, but Yi Yue had to learn the dances as well.
Ming ChangYan still wanted to tell Yi Yue some of his incidents from the Central Plains, but the tip of his nose twitched, and he smelled a m.u.f.fled fragrance.
"Yi Yue, what did you light in your room, why is there an aroma?"
Yi Yue didn"t reply, Ming ChangYan raised his head, but all he saw were blurs. He yelled, "Yi Yue?"
Ming ChangYan rubbed his eyes and woke up.
Fu Ling was twisting a handkerchief and was flabbergasted, "ShaoShi woke up!"
Ming ChangYan sat up, his hair was leisurely scattered down his back. The fragrance was even stronger, he asked, "Was Huai Yu here?"
Fu Ling handed him the handkerchief, "The Young Prime Minister just left."
Ming ChangYan let out a sigh, "No wonder."
Fu Ling observed his facial expression, "ShaoShi, do you feel any sorts of uncomfort in your heart?"
Ming ChangYan waved his hands, "No. I just had a dream, and dreamed about some previous affairs back at home."
Fu Ling draped his clothes over him, "So it turns out it was homesickness. Many imperial concubines in the palace feel homesick, after ShaoShi serves the emperor, and climb the ranks, you"d be able to invite the Lord and Madam to the palace to stay for a few days."
Ming ChangYan didn"t listen to her nonsense, and was still immersed in his dreamland. It wasn"t long after he came back to the Central Plains that TianQing had an accident. He was purged by the 6 major sects, then fell into the YanBo River. Luckily he escaped the calamity, yet in his dizziness two years had pa.s.sed. When he woke up, he suffered from traumatic amnesia, a portion of his past affairs was already gone from his memory.
Thinking about this, Ming ChangYan sighed.
Next time? When will there be a next time? He hasn"t visited Tokhara in two years, and doesn"t know whether or not Yi Yue will blame him. He"s already become a handicapped person these days, don"t even mention taking Yi Yue to the Central Plains and protecting her, he was like a clay Bodhisattva crossing a river, it would be hard to say if he could even protect himself. It"s because of this, that Ming ChangYan was so desperate to get a hold of the Immortal Gra.s.s. He must quickly find out the truth behind the events that occurred two years ago. Who framed him? Who killed Wan QianQiu?"
While he was deep in his thoughts, suddenly, he felt a pain from his nape. Ming ChangYan inhaled a breath of cold air, promptly resting his hands on the back of his neck, a bulging lump was wriggling up and down. His ten fingers ache and swelling, like something was about to break open his flesh and come out.
"Fu Ling! Give me a knife! Any knife will do!"
Fu Ling was startled by his loud voice, and said in a panic, "ShaoShi, there are no knives in the palace."
Ming ChangYan, "Any sharp object will do as well, give me the hairpin in your hair, then go grab a basin for me!"
Fu Ling saw that he was dripping in cold sweat, his complexion deathly pale, and his lips completely lacking in color, she didn"t dare delay a second longer and took off her hairpin. She carried the basin and sat right beside Ming ChangYan.
Ming ChangYan lied on top of the bed, grasping onto the hairpin, he didn"t hesitate before he dug into his fingertips. He exerted a large amount of force, so fiercely that it ripped the flesh open causing the blood to drip out in streams. He p.r.i.c.ked all ten of his fingers at once; when the Fu Ling who was sitting on the sidelines saw this scene, her hair stood up on one end and screeched. She retreated back a step and fell on the floor, covering her mouth with her hand while trembling with fear. Ming ChangYan"s complexion changed like he was accustomed to his matter, treating the matter like it was a complete walk in the park as he skillfully jabbed all ten of his fingers.
After a while, a blood clot fell into the basin: It was thick, black, and filthy. Just like poisonous blood.
After Ming ChangYan finished all this, he raised his head to look towards Fu Ling, "Only you and I can know of the events of today. You must not mention this to anyone, not even Peony."
Fu Ling swallowed her saliva as she slowly crawled up from the ground, "ShaoShi, why is ShaoShi…."
Ming ChangYan said, "Oh, it"s nothing serious, just some chronic problem. I was accidentally seen by you today, remember to keep it a secret for me."
Fu Ling nodded her head, then suddenly said, "ShaoShi, I"m going to get you some medicine!"
She hurriedly went out to grab some gauze and medical powder. After Ming ChangYan received the items and declined Fu Ling"s help. He tore the cloth and smeared medicine on it and dexterously wrapped a few unsightly bandages over the lump.
The wound was too big, even after Ming ChangYan wrapped it 3 to 4 times, the blood from the wound soaked through the gauze. Fu Ling suggested, "ShaoShi, how about we call the Young Prime Minister over."
Ming ChangYan bit the end of the gauze, tearing it at one end and wrapping it in the other. He ambiguously said, "Why should we call him over?"
Fu Ling said, "The past few days when ShaoShi was unconscious, it was always the Young Prime Minister that came to take care of you. The two of you seem to have a good relationship with one another, why not call him over one more time."
Ming ChangYan sighed and smiled, "Fu Ling, I"ve already told him early on that we have no business with each other. Him coming to take care of me, this ShaoXi this ShaoShi will engrave it into her heart and return the kindness one day. But asking me to take the initiative to look for him, impossible! You saw it for yourself, I"ve already said all the words I need to say a few days ago. If I go and find him, wouldn"t that make me lose face?"
Fu Ling mumbled to herself, "Pride may be a small matter, but your health is crucial."
Ming ChangYan said, "That won"t do, that won"t do. In this house, having face is more important! Stop mentioning him."
Between his words he had already finished wrapping all of his fingers. Ming ChangYan took a glance outside and saw that that sky was already dark. He said, "Besides, the sky"s already so dark, going would be a bother for him. It"s not something a gentleman should do."
Fu Ling could only agree, she carried the basin out to dump out the blood. Just as she opened the door, Peony was already waiting in front of the door. Seeing Fu Ling, she smiled, "Fu Ling, look who"s here!"
A palace eunuch was slouching, his brows and eyes had the traces of a smile, "Is Yan ShaoShi here?"
Fu Ling said, "She"s here, what is GongGong doing here?"
The eunuch, "This servant is Li XiShan from the Venerable House of Affairs*."
(TN: "敬事房"; a place in the imperial palace that handles affairs that relate to concubines and eunuchs. Doesn"t deal with death, just personal affairs.)
Fu Ling and Peony exchanged a glance with each other, they smiled, "So it"s Li GongGong! Please come in, my family"s mistress is right inside."
Peony yelled, "ShaoShi! Someone from the Venerable House of Affairs is here!"
Ming ChangYan didn"t pay any attention to them, and was busy blowing on his fingers so that the blood dried faster. Hearing Peony"s cheerful tone, he said, "So what if someone came, what are you so happy for?"
Li XiShan said, "When ShaoShi hears what this servant has to say, you"ll be happy as well." He grinned, "His Majesty flipped over your plaque tonight."
Ming ChangYan said, "His Majesty? His Majesty flipped over my plaque? Fu Ling, what does this mean? What plaque of mine is with the emperor?"
Li XiShan saw Ming ChangYan was very "innocent", he looked at the two women and smiled, "Milady, when the emperor flips over your plaque, it means that you going to attend to the emperor tonight."
Attend to the emperor. Ming ChangYan finally understood the meaning behind these words.
Half a pillar of incense had already burned down before Ming ChangYan slowly said, "I"m attending to the emperor?"
Li XiShan nodded his head, "This servant will come pick up Milady at nine."
Ming ChangYan contemplated for a while, before saying, "Okay, I got it. Let me tidy up a bit before going."
Li XiShan left. Fu Ling smiled, "Good, this is great! ShaoShi, what are you tidying up for, is it to change your clothes?"
Peony laughed, "It doesn"t matter whether or not she changes her clothes. It"s not like the emperor is going to be looking at her clothes!"
Ming ChangYan stood up and climbed off the bed before saying, "I"m going to the Ninety-Ninth Temple."
Fu Ling paused, "What is ShaoShi going to the Ninety-Ninth Temple for?"
Ming ChangYan, "What else could I be going there for? To find Huai Yu!"
Peony said, "But, but ShaoShi is to attend to the emperor tonight. Instead of going to the emperor, what are you doing visiting the Young Prime Minister for…."
Ming ChangYan said, "Because I want to. Get out of the way and don"t follow after me. Remember, is that eunuch comes, stall him for me, I"ll be back as quick as I can."
Fu Ling urgently said, "But didn"t ShaoShi say that you and the Young Prime Minister should mind their own businesses and that taking the initiative to go look for him will cause you to lose your face?"
Ming ChangYan covered his face, "Pride may be a small matter, but health is crucial!"
He wanted to open the door, but felt that this way of strutting out was a bit inappropriate. So he turned around to face the window, pushing it open and look around to see if anyone was near. One of Ming ChangYan"s legs straddled over, Fu Ling yelled, "ShaoShi! You want to jump out of the window!"
Ming ChangYan fluttered down, "Wrong, I"ve already jumped out of the window."
On the ChangPing Palace Corridor, the blur of a white figure could be seen wildly running towards the Ninety-Ninth Temple.
This was translated by , any repost of this is stolen and if you steal my work I will slap you with my miniature fan.
How scandlous~
Chapter 21 will be posted tomorrow! So before then, any thoughts about this chapter?
Personally, great chapter 10/10 would translate again.
Also, if you didn"t notice, I added links to previous and new chapters. Plus a table of contents! It took forever to add links to every single chapter but I did it (after many rage inducing moments)
If you see any grammatical/translation errors, please comment or notify me. I love reading your comments, they"re amazing.
Be charismatic and have a great week (ง ° ͜ ʖ °)ง