Chapter 23 -Chu Residence"s invitation
Too late…….
After Ji Xiaoli struggled to climb up to the top of the tree, she closed her eyes and straightened her body in a vertical position.
The wind whistled fiercely past her ears and in her heart, she was calling out loudly "Shifu!.……."
As expected! She had only called out twice in her heart and her body that was falling downwards suddenly felt light. She was hugged by the waist and when she opened her eyes, she shouted with happiness. "Shifu!"
Her Shifu"s face had turned as black as the robe he was wearing and as soon as they landed, she was thrown off.
Ji Xiaoli twisted her waist in mid-air and performed a double flip before she lightly and skillfully landed on the ground……it was what her Shifu taught her just a few days ago.
The unscathed person got up proudly and raised her small face to say smugly. "What Shifu taught me is really true!"
Standing under the tree, Chen Yubai felt a dull pain in his chest. Half of the pain came from being angry with her and the other half of the pain was due to his hasty execution of internal energy circulation in his body.
"Ji Xiaoli! Are you not afraid of falling to your death?!" Gnashing his teeth, he asked.
She looked at him strangely and her tone was steady and confident just like the sun that will rise every day.
"How could I fall to my death? Shifu will certainly catch me!"
I know that climbing so high is very dangerous and I feel very scared!
But……there is you, ah……..
Isn"t that right?
The sunlight shone through the s.p.a.ces between the leaves of the tree and formed speckled shades on the handsome face that was admired by the women of the upper capital city. It showed a complicated expression that was difficult to describe.
His depressed look made Ji Xiaoli unable to bear it and she took the initiative to say. "Shifu, don"t be angry anymore and I also don"t feel angry anymore."
He looked at her and asked her quietly. "You are not angry anymore?"
"Um……" She nodded and smiled.
"What if I hit you again the next time?" He asked.
She showed an awkward expression. "That…..then I will surely get angry again…… it was extremely painful……."
Chen Yubai"s frosty eyes locked tightly on her and his voice was light and cold. "And then? If you don"t feel the pain anymore, you won"t be angry and you will completely forget about this matter. Is that right?"
The little girl did not feel anything wrong with the question and nodded her head. Chen Yubai"s lips curved into a cold smile.
"I should have understood this earlier. From the time you came to me, you only came to learn divine cultivation and whoever your Shifu is……it is of no importance at all."
Those words……in fact, Ji Xiaoli can see he feels unhappy but those words are absolutely true!
"So you will always forget in a blink of an eye and feel happy. No matter how you are being treated, whether good or bad, you actually don"t care." Chen Yubai smiled very coldly with irony. "You don"t care about anyone."
To her, this world is only a temporary place for her to stay therefore she does not need to spend so much effort. To her, Chen Yubai is not any different from the momos in Princess Niang Niang"s courtyard. In the future, she would not be able to remember therefore she does not need to remember hate.
In this world, everyone knows that Lord Guoshi is someone cold-blooded and devoid of feelings. But these days why is the person that is cold-blooded and devoid of feelings regretted beating her even in his dreams? And why is the person who was beaten and cried so loudly at that time, now no longer feels angry?
The heart that is known to be made of iron-hard stone by the whole Great Ye Kingdom felt bad day and night…… and her heart……what exactly is it made of?
"You can go home……I will let you rest for ten days." Chen Yubai was silent for a long time. His eyes turned gloomy and he said. "After 10 days, if you still want to return…..you can return. Send someone to inform me and I will send people to pick you up. If you don"t come back….. since we once had the relationship of a Shifu and a disciple……we will part ways."
She stared blankly and did not understand what was wrong with her Shifu.
How can it be that she does not care? She always remembers whoever is good to her……her Father and Mother took care of her and nurtured her from a young age…….Ji Dong, Ji Nan, Ji Xi, and Ji Bei always played with her……the snacks that could not be finished in Princess Niang Niang"s courtyard……Elder Sister Qin Sang"s monthly visits……the old Housekeeper and Xiao Tian…….and also her Shifu. Although he always has a gloomy face and always feels unhappy, Shifu taught her qinggong and divine cultivation. Even though she jumped from such a tall tree, she still did not fall to her death!
As for the people who treat her badly, for example, the momos in Princess Niang Niang"s courtyard who would sometimes beat her, she just refrained from playing with them and that would be it.
How then does one cla.s.sify "don"t care"? Does throwing thunderbolt pellets at their faces be considered so?
Ji Xiaoli attempted to express her "care" for him and suggested. "Then let"s do it this way…… The next time Shifu beats me again, I will throw thunderbolt pellets at Shifu!"
That should be showing enough care for him, right?!
Lord Guoshi who was originally looking at her with a complicated expression turned away with a black face and left.
"Shifu!" With bouncing steps, she chased after him.
"Cut down that tree!" Pa.s.sing by the old Housekeeper who had come rushing forward, Lord Guoshi coldly instructed him. Behind him, the little girl was calling him "Shifu" repeatedly and his heart sank. He halted his footsteps and without turning around, he coldly told the person who was chasing behind him. "Ji Xiaoli, if you dare climb up trees and jump down again, I will certainly not appear and you will fall to your death!"
After speaking he should have walked away but a long time had pa.s.sed, he still did not get to hear the little girl"s reply. Gnashing his teeth, he turned around and his gaze seemed to be shooting electric current. "Did you hear me?! This fairy technique lesson is withdrawn! In the future, you are not allowed to climb trees! Do you understand?!"
"Un……Understand!" She was so scared of him that she did not dare to walk forward anymore and stuttering, she hastily agreed.
In a flash, the Lord Shifu had disappeared. The old Housekeeper shook his head and instructed the servants to cut down the unlucky tree.
Feeling a sense of loss, she was thinking…..she is no longer able to climb the tree again….. What a pity……to climb a wall, she needs a ladder…….which is very troublesome!
**8**8**8**8**
When Xiaoli suddenly returned home and said that she would be staying for ten days, everyone in the family was delighted except for the courtyard of Princess Yanyang.
Initially, Zhennan w.a.n.gfei was worried that the girl came home because she had caused trouble. However, Lord Guoshi had dispatched the old Housekeeper of the Guoshi Residence to personally send her home and at the same time, he also brought a carriage full of precious flowering plants as gifts to Zhennan w.a.n.g Residence. The Guoshi Residence has always been a place that is difficult to establish any connections with and this had never happened before. Zhennan w.a.n.gfei was unable to contain her happiness.
"It seems that Lord Guoshi is very fond of our Xiaoli, ah!" w.a.n.gfei hugged her adopted daughter and felt gratified.
Xiaoli lowered her head in guilt and did not say anything while wiggling her toes under her skirt.
It was only until mealtime that the w.a.n.gfei finally felt something amiss as Xiaoli was still feeling unhappy and she asked softly. "What is the matter? Is the food not to your liking? What do you want to eat?"
"That"s not it……." Xiaoli put down her bowl and chopsticks and let out a sigh.
w.a.n.gfei ordered the servants to clear the table and led her daughter by her hand to the side pavilion. Then she carefully probed for the reason why Xiaoli was unhappy.
"Our Xiaoli has grown up and now even if something is troubling her, she is not willing to tell Mother anymore."
Ji Xiaoli shook her head sadly. "It"s not I who is unhappy……..it is Shifu. My Shifu is feeling unhappy."
She told w.a.n.gfei all about the conditions of the ten-day break that Chen Yubai gave her and said sadly. "Shifu had also withdrawn the fairy technique lesson. In future, if I want to see him, I will have to carry a ladder to climb the wall and jump down."
She used weird words and also narrated in intermittent sentences while explaining to w.a.n.gfei, so how could w.a.n.gfei be able to understand the true situation?
She only thought that this girl had caused a lot of trouble and Lord Guoshi could not stand it any longer so he had sent her back to reflect on herself for a few days. w.a.n.gfei asked her in a low voice. "You must have caused a lot of trouble and made Lord Guoshi annoyed. Let me ask you……when your Brothers went to see you the last time, they said you had destroyed many precious flowers and plants in the Guoshi Residence. Is that true?"
Ji Xiaoli nodded honestly.
"No wonder Lord Guoshi had specially sent over those flowers and plants. It is actually a hint." The w.a.n.gfei sighed. "Mother had reminded you many times, why are you still so naughty when you are outside?"
"Some are not even my fault. There was a green radish vine plant that was playing with me but while we were playing, it suddenly died!"
w.a.n.gfei sighed and stroked Xiaoli"s long black hair. "Fortunately, Lord Guoshi did not expel you from the Guoshi"s School and only sent you home for a few days. Later when you go back, you must apologize properly to Lord Guoshi."
"Is it that if I apologize to Shifu, he won"t be angry anymore?" Xiaoli snuggled into the arms of her Mother and asked doubtfully.
w.a.n.gfei smiled gently and said. "Mother had always taught you……..if you do something wrong then you will have to apologize. If other people still want to remain angry then it is their choice. On your part, you must do the right thing."
While the mother and daughter were talking, Qian Yi came in from outside. "Niang Niang, w.a.n.gye sent someone over to say…….Minister Chu"s Residence sent an invitation to our Miss Xiaoli."
**8**8**8**8**
On that day when Minister Chu returned home from the Guoshi Residence, he had placed his men to keep watch at Zhennan w.a.n.g Residence. Today, as soon as the coach of the Guoshi Residence entered through the city gates, the Chu Family already knew……the mother of the Chu Family"s golden grandson has returned!
When Chu Haoran heard the news, he felt so excited that he turned around to run off. Minister Chu caught hold of his son and asked. "Where are you going? Do you dare to go to Zhennan w.a.n.g Residence just like this?"
He was afraid his son would appear too abrupt to the Young Miss of Zhennan w.a.n.g Residence and Zhennan w.a.n.g and his four military sons were people they could not offend. But it seemed he had thought needlessly as Chu Gongzi was feeling anxious and excited. With a dreamy and bashful expression, he said. "I am a bit confused and don"t know what to say when I see her. I want to go and think over my words!"
"Silly boy! She is the Young Miss of Zhennan w.a.n.g Residence…….can it be so easy for you to see her?"
"I can"t?! That"s excellent!" Chu Haoran"s eyes instantly lit up. "Do I need to climb over the wall? And look for a maid to deliver a message? Is there a stream in Zhennan w.a.n.g Residence that flows to the outside of the Residence? Servants, come! Get someone to look for maples leaves! I want to compose a poem on the leaves! And let them flow along the stream to reach her!"
"That is not necessary." Minister Chu patted his excited son and proudly stroked his beard. "I have instructed your Younger Sister to send her an invitation to come over to our Residence for a visit tomorrow."
In the Ye Kingdom, it was normal for the Young Misses of n.o.ble families to invite each other for gatherings. Ji Ting had a good impression of Minister Chu and thinking that Ji Xiaoli had reached the age to entertain friends so he accepted the invitation from Minister Chu"s Residence. He also instructed his w.a.n.gfei to let Xiaoli bring along a maid as a companion.
This is the first time that Ji Xiaoli received an invitation to visit someone else"s home alone as a guest. w.a.n.gfei did not feel very enthusiastic about the Minister"s Residence which normally did not have any connections with Zhennan w.a.n.g Residence.
The next day, she sent Qian Yi to accompany Xiaoli for the visit as a precaution.
**8**8**8**8**
In the splendid Minister"s Residence, everyone treated Ji Xiaoli with warm hospitality.
The wife of Minister Chu, Madam Chu had a smile on her face that was like the smile of the Maitreya Buddha. From the beginning to the end, her eyes had never left Xiaoli"s belly as if her family"s golden grandson was already there waiting to come out.
When Qian Yi saw Madam Chu"s actions, she finally understood. There was a feeling of happiness and embarra.s.sment in her heart. A maid ran in with a hand covering her mouth and while smiling, she reported…….Young Maser is here…….
Before the words were finished, the sounds of footsteps were already drifting in from outside, and even before the maid could finish speaking, the young Gongzi had come in.
On his head sat a gold crown inlaid with purple gems and above his eyebrows was a headband encircled with two dragons clutching a gold pearl. His red sleeved robe had two-color gold and white b.u.t.terfly designs complemented with an auspicious ta.s.sel of colorful silk knots. The outer layer of his blue robe was covered with eight groups of flowers and he wore blue satin boots. His face was like the moon of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the color was like a flower in the dawn of spring and his hair was like it was cut by a knife. The eyebrows were like ink paintings and his cheeks were like peach petals while his gaze was like autumn waves. Although he looked fierce, he seemed to smile with affection. Hanging from his neck, there were a gold necklace and a five-color silk ribbon with a piece of jade attached.
(Author"s Note: This paragraph is an extract from the original text of "Dream of the Red Chamber")
(T/N: I tried to translate as close as possible to the original script and some words seemed weird so some adjustments were made but anyway it all boils down to his eccentric dressing to impress Xiaoli.)
His whole outfit was truly unusual and Qian Yi was stunned.
Ji Xiaoli stared at the piece of jade hanging from Chu Haoran"s neck and began to feel restless.
Madam Chu was already accustomed to seeing her son"s various forms of dramatic dressing and did not find it strange. She smiled and only wanted to draw both Ji Xiaoli and her son together so that they could talk and develop their feelings. Chu Haoran spiraled a turn on the spot and then without a word, he turned around and walked out.
"Haoran, where are you going?!" Madam Chu called after him.
Chu Gongzi turned his head around to give his mother a reproaching look before he turned away and left. A short while later he returned. At a glance, it seemed he had changed his crown band and his hair was combed into small braids with the ends tied up with red ribbons and pinned on top of his head. The small braids became one big braid that was as black as paint. Hanging down from the top of his head, there was a string of four large beads weighed down by precious gold ornaments at the end. He wore a coat with slivery red flowers and around his neck he wore precious jades, name locks, amulet, and an a.s.sortment of accessories. The lower half of his trousers were sprinkled with pine flowers and he wore black stockings with big red shoes. His face was covered with powder and his lips were applied with rouge. He was smiling and had a pa.s.sionate expression. He was naturally coquettish and expressed his feelings of love through his brows and eyes.
(Author"s Notes: This paragraph was extracted from the original text of "Dream of the Red Chamber")
(T/N: The original text describes the "grand" appearance of the man and his handsome features but I think the dressing is a bit overboard.)
Chu Gongzi felt dissatisfied with his Mother for not following the script and stringing up the wrong words just now. This time he would do it himself therefore, he walked up to stand in front of Ji Xiaoli and said. "I have seen this young sister before."
He stood so close that Ji Xiaoli was able to study carefully the jade hanging from his neck……. the color of green and white was distinctively separated…… uniform texture……it was a piece of rare and clear white base jade.
"I have seen this young sister before…….." Chu Gongzi repeated with affection.
Ji Xiaoli"s eyes were still glued on the piece of jade as she replied. "That"s right. We"ve met at my Shifu"s place a few days ago."
Again her spoken words were not according to the script but fortunately, Chu Gongzi is an expert and directly skipped over the whole paragraph of …… "Although I"ve never seen you before, you look virtuous. In my heart, I feel we are like old acquaintances"……and went directly to the sentence which was the main point. "Young Sister, do you also have a piece of jade?"
"I had one before and it was bigger than this piece of yours!" Xiaoli said.
Chu Gongzi, who was about to act out the "jade" section, froze when he heard her words.
This change of script………seems good too!