Translator: 🍓SassyStrawberry | http://www.sassystrawberry.com
Project: 🐟 Jinyiwei (锦衣卫) | Author: Fei Tian Ye Xiang (非天夜翔) | Rating: Mature
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Arc 2: The Tortoiseshell Ring
Chapter 20 And what’s more, they became a pair (continued)
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Read Chapter 20 first.
New Year’s Eve arrived in a twinkling of an eye. The doors to the Prince’s residence were shut and declined visitors, but the rear courtyard was busy slaughtering pigs and sheep and steaming Niangao [40] in preparation for the new year.
This was the first time that he’d been disdained, thus he felt displeased and went to find Xu Wen to lament tearfully.
However, Xu Wen had such a melancholic expression on her face that it made his balls hurt. She pushed up her long water sleeves, as she stood in the rear courtyard facing a collection of scattered boxes, trunks, etc, there were also bamboo and other wooden baskets bestrewn randomly all over the ground – evidently, these were the annual tributes offered by the vassals that had just been unloaded from the carriages.
After Yunqi simmered in his emotions for a moment, he exclaimed “Wow,” before pouncing on Xu Wen, crying, “Jie! That old Taoist bullied me !”
Xu Wen didn’t know whether to laugh or cry and said, “Don’t fuss. Come and help Jie itemize the annual gifts. There’s a list, just tick them off.”
Yunqi was in the midst of complaining about the venerable master, as he received the gift list. He said, “ 10 catties of Dongshan wild ginseng, 1 case of abalone, 10 pairs of live deer, 4 boxes of Five flavors of mountain treasures – deer tongues, tails, antlers, bear paws, tiger, etc. 1 carriage full of dried wild mushrooms, 3 pairs of zhuo [41], 2 tiger skins…”
Yunqi said resentfully, “Just looking at all this makes my mouth water. Er-ge sends you things every year…he’s never sent anything to me.”
Xu Wen replied frankly, “This courtyard may be filled with items, but not a single one was sent by Zengshou. They are all gifts from the Northeast peasant tenants and the Tujue hunters. You feel happier at hearing this, right.”
Yunqi bent down to inspect the wooden trunk, and without even looking up, he asked, “Er-ge’s gifts arrived so late?”
Xu Wen ridiculed, “Arrived late? I fear that’s not the case. This year, Zengshou didn’t even write a letter, don’t you think it’s strange?”
Yunqi straightened up and glanced apprehensively at Xu Wen’s expression. Xu Wen continued, “News from the outside say that the Imperial Court is going to reduce the feudatories; every single one of them is hastily drawing boundaries and cutting off relationships while they wait to see which way the wind blows; We can save on the New Year’s gifts to the seven Prince residences, the sixteen provincial residences this year.
Yunqi replied awkwardly, “He wouldn’t. Er-ge, he…”Read on SassyStrawberryD0tC0m
Xu Wen sneered, “In the past, it was always Jie who sent gifts over to Yangzhou before Zengshou would send gifts back in return. Jie would divide up a portion for you and have someone deliver it over. This year when I sent people out, they arrived at General Xu’s residence in Yangzhou but the door was closed.”
“The Imperial Court is about to reduce the feudatories, and their target is Beiping. Even Er-jiu’s family is aware and knows to avoid us. Xiao-di, you also should quickly withdraw, and not get implicated.”
Yunqi knew that Xu Wen was feeling highly displeased and uncomfortable at this time, and could only brace himself to bear the brunt of it, as he smiled apologetically, “Jie, you’re thinking too much.”
“The Wang-fei worries too much. In my opinion, this may actually be a good thing.” A gentle male voice sounded from behind the sister and brother.
Yunqi turned around and saw a refined and beautiful, tall and slender man standing in the winter sunlight. He was dressed in gorgeous indigo clothes with a gathered waist. Water and cloud patterns were embroidered in gold thread on his robes, accentuating his ramrod-straight, firm, and flat, seductive figure. That pair of eyes were as clear as the waters of a stream and contained a smile as he met Yunqi’s eyes before he shifted his gaze toward Xu Wen.
Yunqi had never met this person before, but felt an indescribable sense of familiarity – who could he be?
That man wore an extremely valuable and rare sable hat and was wrapped up in a magnificent robe. He smiled, “The vicissitudes of life are pre-destined; The Heavens want you to be able to distinguish between bosom friends, grass on the top of the wall that sways with the wind, and those who are your real family – due to Zengshou’s actions, you’re venting your frustrations on Yunqi – what’s the point?”
Yunqi hurriedly smiled, “No such thing. That’s how Da-jie and I usually speak to one another. Right, Jie?”
Xu Wen raised an eyebrow and said, “Why are you interrupting when brother and sister are speaking? I took great pains to bring Yunqi up, one poop and one piss at a time, what’s scolding him a little…”
Yunqi, “…”Don’t support aggregators and reposters.
That man smiled, “Yunqi was brought up by you? How did I not know of this? Wasn’t he sent into the Imperial palace to earn a salary from the Imperial Court since he was young?”
Xu Wen was momentarily speechless before she waved her hand and said, “Go, go. Don’t join in the fun here. Your Si-ge is lying down in the room, go have a look at him yourself.”
That man nodded. He took off his marten tail fur hat and spun it carelessly and unconcernedly around his finger. He turned and expressed, “I didn’t actually come here to interrupt, but just wanted to inform you that the box of Cordyceps Sinensis that I brought as a tonic for Si-ge should be carefully kept in a well-ventilated location.”
Xu Wen was annoyed, “It’s as if Sao-zi [42] has never eaten Cordyceps Sinensis before, that I’d need you to teach me this.”
That man smiled casually, and said, “I know that Sao-zi has eaten it before. It’s merely a reminder.” Having spoken, he turned and walked towards the rear courtyard.”
Yunqi noticed that that person couldn’t be more familiar with the Prince of Yan’s residence, as if he were in his own home, and Xu Wen wasn’t behaving courteously [43] with him at all. He asked doubtfully, “Who is that person? I’ve clearly never seen him before, but why does he look so familiar?”
Xu Wen tore off the seal on the bright red box, and answered in an unconcerned manner, “Ning Wang-ye [44].”
Yunqi immediately sucked in a breath. He finally understood why the Prince of Ning, Zhu Quan looked rather familiar, it was because he somewhat resembled Zhu Yunwen – His cultured, scholarly look was practically cut from the same cloth as the Prince of Ning, Zhu Quan.
Xu Wen asked with some interest, “Looking at him, doesn’t he resemble a scholar?”
Yunqi pondered and nodded his head.
Xu Wen spoke again, “Don’t underestimate him. That fellow is exceedingly formidable at fighting wars; even your Jiefu isn’t his match.”
Yunqi was surprised, and asked, “That formidable? Doesn’t the Imperial Court all say that the Prince of Ning relies on the strength of the Duoyan Sanwei [45] to stabilize Huizhou?”
Xu Wen said, “Of course not. The Prince of Ning once worshipped our father as his Shifu. He was still very young then and had been sent to Nanjing as a little Jinyiwei. To be a child bride [46] Jinyiwei is really quite disgusting and shameful…”
“That’s enough! Jie!”Go to SassyStrawberry dot com
Xu Wen’s mood had improved significantly, she smiled and said, “Come to mention it, our family and he are on very familiar terms. If you have the time you might as well learn more from him. Now that he’s come, I expect that he’s probably heard the news of the reduction of feudatories, and needs to consult with your Jiefu for a few days.”
Yunqi replied with an “En’, as he finished itemizing the gifts. He extended his arm for Xu Wen to hold, as they both casually flung aside the gift list, and walked toward the front hall.
Unexpectedly, Zhu Di poked his head into the hall. Yunqi and Xu Wen’s expressions abruptly became particularly strange. Xu Wen lowered her voice as she scolded him angrily, “You’re not accompanying our guest – why are you looking around from outside the hall?”
Zhu Di gesticulated with his hand and hissed, “Come over! You come over!”
“…” don’t be noisy.” don’t be noisy.”
Yunqi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry and asked, “Is he often like this?”
Xu Wen answered, Don’t bother with him, he’s messing around again.”
Zhu Di gnashed his teeth as he cried, “It’s important! Come quickly! Furen, go back, it has nothing to do with you!”
Yunqi was obliged to go over and swept a glance toward the inside of the hall. He saw the guest, the Prince of Ning, Zhu Quan holding a teacup, as he carefully studied the patterning and texture of the rabbit fur glazed cup [47].”
“What are you planning to do now?”
Zhu Di squatted outside the courtyard, as he anxiously studied the shut door in the hall. He waved toward Tuoba Feng and asked, “Where’s Zhang-zhenren? Call him over, there’s something important that I’ll need to ask for his assistance with.”
Tuoba Feng said, “Shifu is taking his afternoon nap, don’t be noisy.”
Zhu Di licked his lips and suddenly noticed the boy servant waiting to attend to Yunqi at the back of the courtyard. He recalled that this person’s martial arts was not bad either, so he motioned to him, “You’re called Sanbao, right? You come as well.”
Thus Zhu Di, Yunqi, Tuoba Feng, Ma Sanbao; these four thugs squatted in a circle together in the courtyard.
Zhu Di spoke quietly, “Assist Wang-ye with this matter. The four of us can figure it out together. Let’s not get Furen involved with this, it’s dangerous.”
Tuoba Feng was squatting down. The moment he heard ‘dangerous‘, he perked up his ears alertly and dragged the baffled Yunqi behind him, as he stated, “ What is it, let me go.”
Zhu Di said, “You can’t do it alone. This fellow’s kung fu is incredibly formidable. I already put a knockout drug in his tea, but he didn’t drink it… You wait in the courtyard until I smash a cup as a signal! The three of you then rush into the forefront together!”
Zhu Di’s saliva flew everywhere, he spoke as if he were guiding the country’s affairs “Yunqi will grab his arm, Feng-er will encircle his waist. I’ll hug his thigh, and Sanbao will smack him in the back of his head with a chair. I’ve said it already! Don’t mess up! Once this is done, each of you will get 5 silver coins in appreciation for the hard work!”
Yunqi felt like he’d been struck by lightning and split in two, as he asked apprehensively, “ You mean… who is that fellow? You want to harm the Prince of Ning…harm your 17th younger brother?”
Zhu Di replied in all apparent seriousness, “What harm or not harm! A fine bird selects a good tree to roost in [48]! Forget it, even if I say it you all won’t understand. Just listen when I give the signal.”
Yunqi’s eyes swirled around like a coil of mosquito-repellent incense 😵, for a moment, his mind was completely blank. Zhu Di said again, “Lao-Shiqi [49]’s kung fu was learned from your father. What kind of father did you have…the disciples that he taught are all so difficult to subdue… Alright, so it’s like that! I’ll go in now, you all keep your ears peeled.”
As Zhu Di got up, Tuoba Feng tugged at his sleeves, and said, “Two taels.”
Zhu Di gave him a woebegone look, “The money is all managed by Wang-fei, please spare me – I just gave you one tael earlier.”
Tuoba Feng replied coldly, “That’s the market rate.” Read on original translation site.
Yunqi was too jittery and his mood was particularly chaotic and muddled. He didn’t even think at this moment, only desiring to help Tuoba Feng, thus he opened his mouth to state, “ Two taels, otherwise, I’ll yell.”
Zhu Di cried out in a great hurry, “Fine! Don’t yell! If it’s two taels, then it’s two taels.” Only now did Tuoba Feng loosen his grip. Zhu Di wiped at his face, and in an instant, he’d switched to his hospitable and gracious mode as he turned and laughed, “Ai, your Sao-zi this – she hadn’t even instructed them to prepare our meal…” Having spoken, he pushed the door to enter.
Tuoba Feng whispered, “Shi-ge will enter first while you follow behind – we’ll charge inside together!”
Yunqi nodded in a daze. At this time, they heard a ‘clatter’ ring out from the hall, the cup had been smashed.
Tuoba Feng rose to his feet and unleashed his murderous aura. Like a great general, he rushed forward as he charged into the hall.
If you want to know what happened next, it will be explained in the next chapter.
I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. Zhu Di seems “off” without pretending. Tuoba & Yunqi are adorable together – pinky promise! There are so many historical characters. I love how Feitian does so much homework .