The Crown Prince trying to be a countryside boy…. On the other note, this is quite a cliffhanger chapter.
Chapter 44 – The Life at the Countryside Translated by HaruOngy at Geniusly Plain (If you can see this line, you must have read this in the aggregator site which illegally steal various works. Be shameful of yourself for not appreciating the translator"s hard work. Don"t think only you want to have it the easy way. Support the fanbase and translator!)
That was because Old Master Mei"s current heart was excited. He rubbed his hands together, he bounced his legs and he yearned.
His daughter had returned and even brought home the Crown Prince together.
That clearly explained, the relations.h.i.+p between his daughter and the Crown Prince was not too bad, no unpleasant things happened between them. He never thought his own daughter was quite competent. Previously when the news about Mei Qian Deng saved the Crown Prince spread crazily over the whole jianghu, Old Master Mei felt it was by a fluke. He felt it was because Mei Qian Deng had good martial arts and handily saved the Crown Prince. Today, the Crown Prince personally accompanied her to return here to celebrate Mid-autumn Festival, this was a matter that had never occur both in the government court and jianghu. The Crown Prince seriously valued Mei Qian Deng.
A rare honour, a rare honour indeed!
Mei Qian Deng helped Chu Xun got out of the raft. Old Master Mei immediately scurried from faraway, anxious to welcome them.
The Sixth Mei underrated with the Fifth Mei behind their mother, "Brother, our family at this jetty, had welcomed (fetched[1]) Eldest Sister-in-Law, Second Sister-in-Law, Third Sister-in-Law, Fourth Sister-in-Law and Fifth Sister-in-Law. That fiancé of mine had yet to come here but Seventh Brother had already welcomed (fetched) Crown Prince. It"s still our Seventh Brother awesome, I concede defeat."
Madam Mei turned her head around and glared at Sixth Mei. Don"t speak nonsense!
At the head of the jetty, Mei Qian Deng saw Old Master Mei ran wildly over. He had almost surpa.s.sed Chu Xun. She wanted to stop her father. Sadly, Mei Qian Deng"s martial arts were inferior to Old Master Mei. Mei Qian Deng only saw a black wind blew through before her eyes and the human figure had disappeared. She turned around. Old Master Mei had already caught Chu Xun"s small hands. He said with a smile, "Your Highness Crown Prince is really charming."
Chu Xun"s eyes twitched. He never thought Mei Qian Deng"s father had this temper. He glanced at Mei Qian Deng. Are you really related?
"Father, let go your hands." Mei Qian Deng coldly ordered.
"Sorry, it"s me being too excited, letting Your Highness see a joke." Old Master Mei resentfully let go his hands. Before he let go, he even rubbed the back of Chu Xun"s hands. He was quite unwilling to part with them.
Mei Qian Deng introduced personally all the members of Mei family to Chu Xun. Eldest Young Master Mei and Xie Yun stayed in the capital city to help the Grand Princess treat Nan Bai Cheng"s illness so they didn"t return. Now that he calculated, other than Mei Qian Deng, there were eleven pairs of twinkling eyes staring at Chu Xun, staring until His Highness Crown Prince felt his face had turned a bit hot. He was someone who used to the big scenes. Why did he suddenly get nervous for?
"Mei Qian Deng, this Crown Prince is a little tired. Prepare a quiet courtyard first for me to rest half a day." He pulled Mei Qian Deng"s sleeve and whispered at her ears.
When everyone saw the Crown Prince and Little Seventh Mei was this close, they were very happy and their eyes when looking at His Highness Crown Prince became more ardent.
Chu Xun: ……
Taking advantage the Crown Prince was resting, Old Master Mei dragged Mei Qian Deng to a corner.
"Daughter, is it well being a manservant in the palace?"
"It"s not that bad."
Old Master Mei grinned, "This father see the relations.h.i.+p between you and Crown Prince is not bad. At that time, I must be worrying too much."
"Not really. A few days ago, Crown Prince had even drove me out of the palace."
Old Master Mei was someone with carefree personality. He too had heard this matter but he didn"t put it in his heart at all. Waving his hand, he consoled Mei Qian Deng, "It"s nothing. You all children at this age will be full of vigour and vitality, small fights and vents are normal things. When father was around your age, I don"t even remember how many times I had fought with my uncles. Take a look at now, aren"t our relations.h.i.+p still this good?"
Patriarch, you are really an optimistic and carefree uncle.
For this point, Mei Qian Deng had inherited a very good trait. She nodded her head in agreement. She completely accepted the situation and moved on. Why make a ruckus out of small problem? It"s not like the sky will collapse, isn"t it? Why are you so anxious about? Furthermore, for some matters it"s useless even if you"re anxious, for instance, to attack and seize the Crown Prince.
Old Master Mei turned taciturn in a moment, he only measured up his own daughter silently. Mei Qian Deng got goose b.u.mps slightly from his stare. She frowned lightly and gave her dear father a vigilant look, warning her pig dad.
"Daughter, Crown Prince and those people in the palace, none of them know you"re female right?"
"I guess none."
"Then, it is fine……" Old Master Mei clapped Mei Qian Deng"s shoulders, revealing a bit of melancholy and two bits of worry. Qian Deng as a girl disguising as a boy to be the Crown Prince"s study partner in the end was not a long term plan. Even though they managed to hide it well now, there was no wall that didn"t leak wind in this world. What if one day the matter was exposed? At that time, what should be done?
In the Mei family, there was only this one daughter in the hundred year. Old Master Mei was very distressed. Why can"t my daughter just peacefully be the little treasure in the mountain village?
After two days, it would be the Mid-autumn Festival. Because of the Crown Prince"s arrival, Mei Zi River Islet was more bustling than usual.
At daytime, Mei Qian Deng in charge of bringing Chu Xun explore around to spend time. Chu Xun had been treated as if a monkey by most of the people but it wasn"t nice to be angry. After all, it was their first time seeing such a high rank personage. Chu Xun pulled Mei Qian Deng to hide at the empty village fields and picked a dog"s tail to play in his hands.
Chu Xun asked Mei Qian Deng, "In the past, other than practising martial arts in the house, you must had played around. What"s fun to play around here?"
"Sometimes, I will go to the mountain to hunt."
"Is there anything else?"
Mei Qian Deng pondered. She had started practise martial arts since three years old and had been very focused in it. It was very rare for her to go out and play around and she never felt there would be anything more interesting than practising martial arts. However, those several elder brothers of hers usually would skip practices and sneaked out to play. When she was still small, she always heard the clamouring sounds of her father scolding them little b.a.s.t.a.r.ds while removing his shoes to hit them. Now that she thought of it, what did they play before?
"Most of them are common ones, climbing trees to take bird eggs, catching fish while swimming at the bank, or stealing aunt[2]"s sweet potatoes to bake them before eating, holding cricket fights, fighting…… there"s nothing special."
Chu Xun pouted. The dignified His Highness Crown Prince actually had never try these normal things like taking eggs that commoner cla.s.s children had done before. In any case, he was very bored. Chu Xun had the urge to try them once, "Why don"t we go to your aunt"s house to dig some sweet potatoes then?"
"Crown Prince, sweet potatoes are only around during winter."
His Highness Crown Prince who didn"t have common sense instantly blushed.
However, before he flipped out, female warrior Mei had learnt to prop him up, "Why don"t I take some bird eggs for you? They taste nice too when baking them by burying under the bonfire."
Chu Xun was quite surprised by Mei Qian Deng"s awareness. This boor actually knew to give His Highness Crown Prince a way out. It couldn"t be because she had returned to her house and so wanted to show it for her parents to see? What a scheming young man! However, on account of how rare he was given a way out, Chu Xun happily nodded his head and followed female warrior Mei to find a bird nest.
They found a tree. With Mei Qian Deng"s martial arts, reaching the nest to take eggs was just a simple jumping from the tip of her toes. However, today His Highness Crown Prince was adamant to experience a countryside youngsters" daily life. He folded his sleeves, wilful to personally climb the tree to take eggs. Xiao Jing Zi who had been following them tried to stop him, "Crown Prince is a person of eminence, it"s absolutely must not be done!"
"Huh!" Chu Xun exhaled long. To be free in the sky, this feeling was very nice.
"Your Highness, Your Highness please be careful!"
Chu Xun ignored Xiao Jing Zi. His leg stepped on a branch while his hand caught the other branch above his head. He flung his head at Mei Qian Deng, "Step aside, you"re blocking the route." Female warrior Mei in a flash used qinggong to return to the ground, leaving Chu Xun alone on the tree.
This tree had a large canopy, there were several bird nests. The nest nearest to Chu Xun had only a few bird feathers in it. Chu Xun lost the first battle, he violently blew away those feathers. Then, he took aim at the other nest at the end of the branch. He changed to creeping as he slowly moved towards there. Due to his weight, the branch bent downwards. After Chu Xun reached a certain distance, he didn"t dare to move forward anymore. He was scared the branch would snap off.
En, actually he had only moved a half step distance.
He was quite in dilemma. He stretched his hand forward. Just a bit more, it was just a bit more. Finally, he reached it. Inside it, there were three bird eggs. Chu Xun gritted his teeth as he took two of them, leaving only one for the mother bird. Holding them in his hand, he waved his hand around at the people under the tree, "I have took them!"
Who knew the mother bird coincidentally returned, she fiercely pecked at Chu Xun"s soft hand.
"Aiyo! I got pecked by the bird!"
"Chirp! Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!" the bird called.
"Aaaahhhhh!" One of Chu Xun"s hands was hugging the tree trunk while the other hand was holding the eggs, he had no way to retaliate.
Only heaven knew why the bird at the Mei Zi River Islet so fierce and tough, just like Mei Qian Deng unafraid of human. When he saw the mother bird going to fly over to peck Chu Xun"s small face, Chu Xun removed the hand hugging the trunk and desperately waved his hand while wailing, "Mei Qian Deng! Why are you standing there dumbfounded for? Come and save me immediately!"
In the next moment, female warrior Mei single-handedly picked up Chu Xun"s collar and calmly brought the person down. It was nothing big, just that because he was trying to chase the bird away, Chu Xun"s hand was still waving around in the air. When Mei Qian Deng went to save the beauty in trouble, that waving hand landed just right at Mei Qian Deng"s chest.
Chu Xun"s palm landed on the female warrior"s chest. Although female warrior Mei had her chest bound inside, it was still more elastic than normal young men. Chu Xun felt his hand feeling was not bad, he even rubbed around it, yet he didn"t find anything unusual. He only silently thought: Mei Qian Deng"s chest becomes better the more he practise. It"s even much thicker than last time I touched. No way, I too need to practise more!
"Your Highness, Your Highness, do you have any injury?"
"No. Look, my eggs are still here."
When Mei Qian Deng brought the muddy His Highness Crown Prince back to the house, everyone was shocked silly.
Old Master Mei thought it was because Chu Xun fell into the ravine and so got this muddy. He turned his slightly reproaching eyes at Mei Qian Deng.
It was good that Chu Xun played very happily today, he helped Mei Qian Deng out of the predicament, "It"s because this Crown Prince wanted to experience a commoner"s daily life and accidentally became like this. Tasting this earth"s fragrance, only then in the future this Crown Prince can be a commoner-friendly monarch." This reason was pompous, covering up the truth of him going wild for a day outside.
The Crown Prince today at most was just ten years old. After baking the bird eggs, he still wanted to catch fish. But he only caught two thumb-size fish. He insisted Mei Qian Deng to put them inside the bird nest he took eggs previously, saying it was a compensation. Then, he went for a trip at the Jing Yang Mountain, to see the legendary son-praying divine water, the Chun Yang Spring.
Chu Xun didn"t have any good feeling towards that Chun Yang Spring, sprinkling the water several times, he had even tasted it once. It didn"t have any difference from a normal spring water. Why was it rumoured to be so G.o.dly that even his Imperial Mother believed it?
Just as he about to leave, when he turned around he saw a giant dog beside Mei Qian Deng. It was exactly that big black mastiff raised by Old Master Mei at the foot of the mountains to stop people aiming for the spring water from secretly climb up the mountain. It drooled all over the ground and excitedly waved its tail at Chu Xun. Inside the fiend, an unsightly cuteness thoroughly revealed.
Chu Xun retreated a step. He completely disliked this giant dog. That big dog"s hind legs treaded on, the whole jet-black dumpling had pounced at Chu Xun. Chu Xun didn"t manage to shout, "No" when he already got pressed under it. That muddy body of his, more than half of it was caused by this thing.
"Mei Qian Deng! Mei Qian Deng! Remove this stinky thing away, remove it away! Hahaha, hahaha, it"s ticklish, don"t lick this Crown Prince"s face, ah! Ah!"
"Little Fu[3], don"t stir up trouble."
"Awoo! Woof, woof, woof!"
Originally, he thought this Mid-autumn Festival would pa.s.s peacefully in this joyful atmosphere.
Yet, there would be some matters that no one could predict and control.
During the night of Mid-autumn Festival, a banquet was held at the main hall. It was filled with Mei family people, all hoping to see the Crown Prince"s pretty face. Old Master Mei and his several sons sat at another table in the back courtyard, accompanying the Crown Prince to enjoy the moon while drinking. Mei Qian Deng sat at the Crown Prince"s right side. She didn"t talk much, only silently ate the dishes and drank wine.
Qian Deng, pour osmanthus flower wine for His Highness Crown Prince!"
Mei Qian Deng unhurriedly poured a cup full for Chu Xun and conveniently poured another cup for herself.
Old Master Mei shouted again, "Qian Deng, how can you let His Highness Crown Prince drink wine alone? Quick, toast with him!"
Hence, female warrior Mei obediently toasted to Chu Xun. Today, Zhao Mo Ran that irksome person was not around, Chu Xun didn"t restrain Mei Qian Deng from drinking wine. Anyway, if she got drunk, it was still in her own house, there would be people to take care of. So, he toasted to Mei Qian Deng and emptied his cup in one gulp, "Finish this cup!"
"Alright!" Old Master Mei cheered.
Old Master Mei had gotten drunk slightly, he was too happy and took turn pouring the wine. He didn"t even let Mei Qian Deng escape. After three rounds of drinking, he had already hugged Chu Xun"s shoulders and boasted at His Highness Crown Prince, "Your Highness, later we have the last programme. You know, Qian Deng was born on a full moon night, the moon was exceptionally big and exceptionally round. At that time, when I raised my head and saw such beautiful moon, I felt it was the heaven trying to telling me, letting me to have Qian Deng this child in this lifetime, it was already perfect."
Madam Mei fiercely pulled him, she was afraid Old Master Mei would say things he shouldn"t say when drunk.
"Our Qian Deng, is the world most, most, most best…… good child!"
Madam Mei couldn"t take it further, a slap landed on the back of Old Master Mei"s head. "Are you saying the other sons laoniang[4] gave birth for you are incomplete ones?!"
"No, no, wife. I don"t mean it like that." Old Master Mei sobered up a bit from the hit. Holding the back of his head, he had a face of grievance, "It"s almost time. Let the servants release the lanterns then."
That was the first time Chu Xun saw such a beautiful and unique scene.
Countless sphere sky lanterns were lighted up and flew up the sky. A thousand lanterns suspended on the quiet night, vying to s.h.i.+ne with the full moon.
Old Master Mei was unnaturally calm down, expressing, "When Your Highness looks up and gaze at them, you can see the beauty of a thousand lanterns[5]."
Chu Xun didn"t reply. He stared at this scene while in his mind, numerous sights of his encounters with Mei Qian Deng appeared. When they first met she recited Mencius to rebut him, the sword dance under the moon, stealing his food when they went out, saving him underwater and gifting him the Thousand Autumns Mirror. Mei Qian Deng was forever that calm, unperturbed face but it made him unable to remain calm, his heart beating faster.
He thought, he must had drank too much.
If not, how can I have that idea towards a man for ages?
Putong!
Mei Qian Deng"s head knocked onto the table. She was the one actually drunk.
Old Master Mei said with a smile, "This child has weak alcoholic tolerance since childhood, making Crown Prince see a joke. Someone come, help Seventh Young Master return to the room to rest."
"I"m a little tired too. Let me help him return to the room. Everyone, please enjoy to the fullest."
"Er……" Old Master Mei felt it was not really proper but he couldn"t decline the Crown Prince"s good intention.
It was Madam Mei who stood up, "Qian Deng will be unconscious when drunk. Don"t see she[6] is thin, she has st.u.r.dy muscle and quite heavy. If Your Highness Crown Prince alone, you will definitely unable to move her. It"s better for me to send back both of you together."
Chu Xun had no reason to insist carrying Mei Qian Deng alone back to the room. It would make others felt quite abnormal. So, he didn"t say anything else as he helped Madam Mei carried Mei Qian Deng back to her little courtyard. Chu Xun lived in Mei Qian Deng"s courtyard too. That courtyard was built in a box shape. He lived opposite her room. Madam Mei sent Chu Xun until the main entrance. "I have troubled Crown Prince. I will bring Qian Deng back to her room and clean her up before she continue to sleep. Your Highness Crown Prince please rest early."
When Mei Qian Deng"s arm left from Chu Xun"s shoulder, Chu Xun suddenly felt unwilling to part. Unwilling to part with this person"s warmth, unwilling to part with the fragrant wine smell on this person. He must be crazy. He immediately left the area and returned to his room.
After a burning joss stick time, Chu Xun heard the sounds of the opposite door opening and closing. He quivered. Suddenly he had an urge, to see if Mei Qian Deng was sleeping now. Previously when Mei Qian Deng had just entered the palace and got drunk quite bad, Chu Xun had secretly observed the drunken Mei Qian Deng beside her bed for a period of time. Maybe it was from that time it developed into a strange hobby. Both his legs didn"t listen to his mind as he quietly slipped into Mei Qian Deng"s room.
[1] The two words in Chinese language when joined together means for a groom to fetch his bride
[2] The wife of the father"s younger brother. (Chinese family terms are quite complex, especially the uncle/aunt part. Shudders)
[3] Literally, fortune or blessing or happiness.
[4] Literally, this old woman/lady
[5] Which is also Mei Qian Deng"s name origin (Qian Deng)
[6] Again, it has the same pinyin with the male version.
Translated by HaruOngy at Geniusly Plain (If you can see this line, you must have read this in the aggregator site which illegally steal various works. Be shameful of yourself for not appreciating the translator"s hard work. Don"t think only you want to have it the easy way. Support the fanbase and translator!)