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 1: The Qilin Pendant
Chapter 10 Night anchor at Qinhuai River
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There was no one in the courtyard. There had been several major incidents tonight, and the Jinyiwei had all been sent out on duty. Facing the completely empty courtyard, Yunqi finally regained his composure and gathered his thoughts. Read this on SassyStrawberryDOTcom.
Yunqi placed Tuoba Feng behind the Wutong tree and turned to run.
He held the cicada wing knife in his hand, as he sprinted past almost half of the Imperial Palace, returning to the Imperial Prison. He looked around for a while, before picking up the talismanic paper that he’d left on the ground, and stuffing it back into his clothes. He retrieved the fallen porcelain cup with the residual wine and smashed it in one blow.
He then dragged the prison warden’s corpse, set the corpse against the prison bars, and used the broken porcelain to cut his neck. He employed his neili [1] to hurl the shards of the shattered porcelain outwards, embedding the pieces very firmly into the wall. Therefore fabricating the illusion that Tuoba Feng had discovered the poison in the wine, and consequently killed the guard with the broken shards as if they were concealed weapons.
However, the prison guard had already been dead for some time, and his corpse was icy cold. Even after cutting his neck, only a little congealed blood flowed from the wound. Yunqi gritted his teeth before scoring his own arm with the cicada wing knife. Fresh blood gushed out and splashed onto the ground. He ripped the inner layer of his robes and wrapped his arm properly, before turning to leave.
By the time he’d run back to the great courtyard, it was already the second watch [2], and the palace was brightly lit.
Yunqi had been running constantly after losing blood, so felt his vision go dark as he rested against the Courtyard wall and gasped for breath. Once his strength returned, he ignored Tuoba Feng who was slumped against the Wutong tree, pushed open the door, and entered his room. Yunqi opened the cabinet and collected all the valuables inside.
He muttered to himself for a moment, before retrieving his spring embroidered knife. He weighed it for a moment.
On the front of the handle was inscribed a single character: 云 [3]. “Not allowed to cry.” ☐☐
On the reverse of the handle, the side facing the palm, was a crookedly carved character: 锋 [4]. Reposters suck.
Translator: 🍓SassyStrawberry | http://www.sassystrawberry.com
“Yunqi, you received your spring embroidered knife already?”
Fifteen-year Yunqi smiled and nodded, saying, “Let’s go, let’s ask Shi-niang to engrave it.”
Tuoba Feng and Yunqi both walked shoulder to shoulder to the lakeside of Xuanwu lake. Yunqi toyed with his newly-acquired spring embroidered knife. Tuoba Feng smiled and said, “From now on, you are Jinyiwei.”
Yunqi muttered to himself as he smiled gently. He casually waved his knife, sending a gust of wind outwards from his knife, creating ripples across the water’s surface. Yunqi reached out to pull out the knife at Tuoba Feng’s waist, carrying one in each hand, tossing them upwards, then switched the knives from right to left, and asked, “Why is it heavier than mine?”
Tuoba Feng was sprawled lazily on the grass, as he answered, “ The spring embroidered knife is made in accordance to a person’s physical ability, wrist strength, and arm length, as well as the length of your fingers. You’ll need to keep it carefully since you will only ever have one spring embroidered knife. The man exists with his blade, the man will perish with his blade [5].”
Yunqi flipped the knife handle over and examined it in the sunlight. Tuoba Feng had a name carved on the knife handle. Tuoba Feng abruptly sat up, and said, “Give it here.” Translator @SassyStrawberry
Yunqi passed him the knife. Tuoba Feng spoke again, “Pass Shi-ge the other one too.”
“What for.” Yunqi narrowed his eyes and asked alertly. ☐Read on original site sassystrawberry/com
Tuoba Feng smiled, “Shixiong will keep it safe for you, in case you drop it into the lake.”
The corners of Yunqi’s mouth twitched. Tuoba Feng reached out and grabbed Yunqi’s knife. He then used his fingertips to hold the knife blade, and turning it over, he carved something on the handle of his own knife.
“Hey, hey! Don’t scratch randomly!” Yunqi hastily prevented his actions.
The corners of Tuoba Feng’s mouth carried a slight smile, as he seriously etched the “云” character on the other side of the knife handle.
The character that Tuoba Feng engraved was very lopsided and extremely shoddy looking. After he’d finished inscribing, he blew away the shavings and said, “Alright, from now on, I’ll hold you in the center of my palm.”
Yunqi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. ☐Read on original site sassystrawberry/com
Tuoba Feng then said, “I’ll also engrave one for you.”
Yunqi freaked out and said, “This is a new knife! It’s not even seen blood yet, and you’re already messing around with it…”
Tuoba Feng got to his feet and ran, Yunqi hastily pursued him all the way. The two of them sprinted madly around Xuanwu Lake. Tuoba Feng’s legs were long, and as he dashed about with long-legged strides, he continued intermittently engraving the words on the knife handle.
With great difficulty, Yunqi managed to catch up with Tuoba Feng and pushed him down onto the grass. With a mournful expression, he said, “If you hold a knife like that, you’ll cut the skin of your palm!” Read on https://sassystrawberry.com/
Tuoba Feng smiled, and said, “It’s not done yet, just one stroke more…”
Yunqi cried out hysterically, “The “锋“ character is also carved crookedly! You idiot!” Yunqi proceeded to smack the back of Tuoba Feng’s head, snatched back his knife, and returned it to its sheath before resolutely getting up to leave.
Translator: 🍓SassyStrawberry | http://www.sassystrawberry.com
Yunqi couldn’t hold back his smile as he added the last stroke, completing the character “锋” on his knife handle, before switching scabbards with Tuoba Feng’s knife and hurrying out of the room.
Yunqi secured the embroidered spring knife to Tuoba Feng’s belt and carried Tuoba Feng on his back.
Yunqi plastered his ears against the high walls of the courtyard, he listened intently for a moment, before leaving the great courtyard.
“Red Arsenic [6]… Tuoba Feng asked in a feeble voice. Don’t rep0st.
Yunqi whispered,” I gave you a life-saving medicine, you’re fine now.” Tuoba Feng gently rubbed Yunqi’s neck with the bridge of his nose.
Yunqi said, “ When I was born, my father encountered a Taoist on Mount Kongtong, who gave me two treasures…three treasures – a Kurong Zaohua Pill [7] which can detoxify a hundred different types of poison and save people from the brink of death. And the cicada wing knife, do you remember? Last time you actually asked me where that knife came from.”
Tuoba Feng nodded. Yunqi continued, “My Jie [8] said, after one takes the Kurong Pill, for the next 12 shichen, he will gradually lose his five senses. Loss of sight, deafness…is the withering phase; after the effects of the medicine fade, the five senses will also return gradually. Your body will recover, and this is the prosperity phase. It is in the period that one has withered, and then prospered, can one’s marrow be cleansed…Later, if you feel that anything is amiss, you must not panic.”
Tuoba Feng whispered, “I can’t see anything anymore.”
Yunqi nodded, “Wait a bit. Don’t be flustered.” 956784w4,m7w43qN@Q4
“The Imperial Prisoner has escaped!” From the distance, a guard shouted.
Rong Qing scolded him from the other side of the wall, “What are you saying! That is our Jinyiwei Commander! What Imperial Prisoner! Are you courting death?!”
The Imperial Palace Cavalry had always been greatly suppressed by the Jinyiwei, so with Rong Qing’s yell, the guards all kept quiet.
Rong Qing issued orders, “Split up into two teams. Search along the Western Gate, don’t attack randomly !” Tuoba Feng’s voice was hoarse as he asked, “They’re searching for us?” n5-97b
Yunqi said, “Don’t speak. Rongqing isn’t my match… I don’t want to fight him, wait for him to leave…”
The journey was difficult as they selected the more remote parts of the inner palace to circle around. In terms of familiarity with the palace layout and terrain, none were the Jinyiwei’s equal, and among the Jinyiwei, Yunqi and Tuoba Feng were the best.
They’d both grown up in the palace; Yunqi and Tuoba Feng had often run around everywhere to play and were intimately familiar with, and extremely clear on which of the hidden passages would allow them to pass through. They avoided all the patrolling guards and left the palace through the Western Gate.
Yunqi was covered in sweat, and his footsteps were unsteady. He sighed. Tuoba Feng’s voice was sluggish, as he spoke with some difficulty, “You should have had me…”
Yunqi’s footsteps stilled, as he rested against the wall. He couldn’t resist saying, “Had you delivered to the Emperor? So that you, Prince of Yan – we can all die together? Both of you have the bravery to the point of ruthlessness.”
Tuoba Feng scoffed, “So it was because you’re concerned with your own life. Don’t worry, if you deliver me to him, the Emperor will definitely not…kill you, you and the Imperial Grandson…”
Yunqi rested for a little while, before proceeding to stagger out from the Imperial Palace.
Yunqi spoke as he walked, “Lao-Ba, you have the guts to plot against the Imperial Grandson’s life but I would never be able to bring myself to take action. After my father died and was post-humously conferred as the Prince of Zhongshan [9], my eldest brother died early, and the Xu family followed my second brother to Yangzhou…”
“Why weren’t you made a Prince?” Tuoba Feng mocked, “What riches and honor did Zhu Yunwen promise you?”
“I’m the fucking son of a concubine [10]!” Yunqi scolded him, “ Can you let me finish speaking? Shut up!”
Tuoba Feng quieted down. R☐e ad on Sassy strawberry D0Tcom
Yunqi continued, “My Da-Jie [8] and I have the same mother. In all seriousness, I should send to you Beiping, but since Jiefu [11] tried to silence you, I’m afraid that you can’t go there, so you’ll have to go to Yangzhou.
Tuoba Feng was silent and didn’t reply.
Yunqi continued, “My Er-ge [12], Xu Zengshou is in Yangzhou. Although we don’t have much sentiment between us, we’re both still members of the Xu Family. You bring my embroidered spring knife over. Once he’s seen it, he’ll know what’s going on, let him take you in. Once the matters have blown over, I’ll go visit you.
Tuoba Feng still remained silent. Tuoba Feng nodded.Tuoba Feng nodded.Tuoba Feng nodded.
Yunqi cried out angrily, “Gone mute?” Tuoba Feng then said, “I’ll also engrave one for you.”
Tuoba Feng made several “Ah, ah” sounds, and shook his head. Yunqi suddenly recalled something, and asked, “You can’t talk anymore?”
Tuoba Feng nodded. Yunqi inhaled deeply.Yunqi inhaled deeply.
Yunqi walked along the pitch-dark alley to its end, and said, “We’re here.” That place was the lane behind the House of Dancing Smoke. Yunqi whistled softly, and the dogs that were raised on the lower floor started barking in unison. A light on the second floor came on, and the door opened.
Chun Lan wore a small dudou [13], as she reclined against the door. She carried an embroidered floral handkerchief and waved it about. Her gaze rolled back and forth, as she made a “Yo” sound, appearing as if she wanted to say something.
Yunqi was completely exhausted, placing Tuoba Feng heavily onto the bed, before tumbling down as well, unmoving.
He glanced towards the bed curtains, and muttered, “Woman, go and ask the Gui-gong [14] downstairs to hire a boat. It needs to be ready by dawn.”
Chun Lan frowned slightly as she assessed the two men for a moment, before saying, “Wouldn’t this be the person in your Jinyiwei… that Tujue…”
Yunqi inhaled deeply.
Chun Lan came forward and was startled, “Aiyo, my mother ah. Finally, I get to see him once. This Tujue Commander… is the person that our girls yearn for and think about every day…”
Yunqi barked, “Hurry up and go!” Don’t repost on make epubs.
Chun Lan was taken unawares and startled by this shout. She hurriedly turned and went downstairs.
The rapid staccato of horses’ hooves could be heard from the street, indicating that the search team sent by the Imperial Palace had already crossed the street, and was currently heading towards the city gate.
“The girls yearn for and think about every day…” Yunqi lay down nonchalantly beside Tuoba Feng, dragged his arm over, and used it as a pillow for his neck. “Lao-Ba, if you wanted to find a wife, it should be pretty easy.”
Tuoba Feng couldn’t speak, and neither could he make any sounds. He closed his eyes, one arm looped around Yunqi’s shoulders as he pulled Yunqi into his embrace.
Yunqi’s heart was swayed [15] by this. He caressed Tuoba Feng’s handsome and spirited profile, and Tuoba Feng appeared to respond and echo his sentiments. He turned his head as his dry and chapped lips moved.
Just as the two were about to kiss, Chun Lan climbed noisily back upstairs, and cried out angrily, “You didn’t even take off your shoes before lying on Laoniang’s bed!”
Yunqi hurriedly got up, hauled Tuoba Feng’s long legs half off the bed, and said, “ In a while, I’ll need to send him off. We won’t take it off first, just leave it like this.”
Chun Lan pushed back her hair, and turned to pour some tea, “ The boat will leave at the fourth watch, where do you want to go? What mistake did you all commit? Looking so much like a dog that’s lost its home.”
Yunqi took the cup of tea and hugged Tuoba Feng as he fed him a few mouthfuls.
Chun Lan tsked a few times. Tuoba Feng drank down all the cold tea in the cup and lay down again with a sigh. Yunqi replied,” A major crime that warrants extermination of the nine clans.”
Chun Lan said, “Oh”, as if the crime of harboring criminals wanted by the Emperor himself meant nothing to her. Yunqi found a handkerchief and blindfolded Tuoba Feng, tying it off behind his ears.
The sounds of the night watchman’s gong tolled from the street. Third watch [16]. Tran slat edbySass yStrawberr ydotco m
Chun Lan extinguished the oil lamps, as the three people sat in this utter darkness.
“Shi-ge.” Yunqi spoke amidst the silence. Tuoba Feng held Yunqi’s hand firmly. Yunqi inhaled deeply.
Chun Lan got up and walked to the balcony. She arranged her misty gauze [17] skirt as she sat down daintily. She plucked off the silk cloth covering of the seven-stringed qin, and caressed it with her fingers.
“Yangzhou is a good place. After my father passed away, my elder sister sent me to the capital when I was four years old…”
Chun Lan opened her mouth to sing,
I stretched out that ~yiya~ hand, touched that ~yiya~ sister…
“…” TLSassyStrawberryDOTCOM
Yunqi puffed up his fur in anger, “Who asked you to sing The Eighteen Touches [18] !”
Chun Lan went quiet.Yunqi inhaled deeply.
As if speaking to himself, Yunqi said, “My Er-ge is good in every way, except that he’s extremely stingy with money. Don’t hold any hopes that you’ll get an official salary or anything. I took all the silver…”
Chun Lan sang out again,
A single peony blossom, the flower blooming splendidly…
Yunqi endured a bellyful of fire, as he raged, ”You’re also not allowed to sing Blossoms and Prosperity [19] !! Don’t sing anything! Shut up!”
Chun Lan shut her mouth awkwardly.Chun Lan shut her mouth awkwardly.
Yunqi said, “Shi-ge, in the future, you’ll be all alone at the vast ends of the world. You must be more careful; don’t be impulsive or get into fights easily. Yangzhou isn’t a place where the Imperial authority holds sway, it definitely can’t compare to the glory of the Jinyiwei…”
Chun Lan thumped a few times before playing a few notes as she sang,
There are few willow catkins left on the branches as the wind blows, there will always be fragrant grass even at the ends of the world. [20]…
“…” Chun Lan shut her mouth awkwardly.
Yunqi’s melancholia at having to part from Tuoba Feng had been cast beyond the highest heavens by the wacky antics of this popular Ah-gu [21]. He wanted to cry but had no tears, and could only hold Tuoba Feng’s hand, not speaking any further.
Only to hear Chun Lan’s graceful as a swallow voice, the cheerful twittering as she sang emotively,
… The laughter gradually faded away into silence, the sentimental ones are affected by the heartless. [22]
It was the end of summer, the beginning of autumn, and the bright moon hung high above the sky. The refreshing breeze shifted the gauze curtains, allowing the silver brilliance of the half-moon to spill inside, in harmony with Chun Lan’s quiet song. “The sentimental ones are affected by the heartless…”
With great difficulty, Tuoba Feng made a swallowing motion in his throat. The hand that was holding Yunqi’s quietly loosened, and the silk handkerchief over his eyes was wet.
As the sounds of singing gradually ceased, from the distance came the sound of a watchman’s clapper rapping three times on the bow of a boat.
Yunqi understood that the boat was now in place, and used one hand to hug Tuoba Feng and have him stand up properly. He told Chun Lan, “Don’t go down.”
The Gui-nu [14] carried a lantern in one hand, as he led Yunqi to the river bank. It was almost the fourth watch, and in the distance, the lights of the beautifully decorated painted boats had been dimmed, with only a few yellow lights lit, scattered sparsely like stars.
A single small boat was parked quietly beside the dock. The boatman asked drowsily, “Where’s Guan-ye [23] going?” -95nu[275u395u[-qb35
Yunqi answered, “I’ll give you two taels of silver, take good care of this Da-ye [24]. He’s got some injuries, and can’t speak. Take him to Yangzhou.”
The boatman received the silver and was immediately invigorated, repeatedly crying out in agreement.
Yunqi had Tuoba Feng enter the boat cabin, and put down the curtains, saying, “Shi-ge, I took all the silvers out. This is everything that we’ve saved from our work for the last few years. You take it, and after you reach Yangzhou, get a wife and live peacefully.”
“Also these two jade pendants…I took them from your room last time, I thought…to tease you a little, so I hid them.” Yunqi’s eyes reddened as he said, “I thought that you..had fallen for some family’s girl. En, my heart felt a little uncomfortable.”
Yunqi put both jade pendants into a small cloth pouch and put it in Tuoba Feng’s hands.
At that moment, the times spent training under the same teacher; each precious moment of time, the laughter and the smiles they’d shared since childhood, the emotions of the bamboo horses [25] rushed over him. Yunqi could only feel an indescribable sense of grief flood his heart, as tears welled up in his eyes. “Shi-ge, you’re leaving now…”
Yunqi’s speech was fragmented as he sobbed, “You don’t know how to live on your own…money…give it all to your wife, in the future, let her manage it for you… I…am going back now.”
Tuoba Feng kept one of the jade pendants, and slowly tugged at Yunqi’s hand. He placed the pouch of silver and the other jade pendant into Yunqi’s hand.
Tuoba Feng pinched at his own ears and shook his head. He curved his warm and slender fingers and covered the back of Yunqi’s hand which had the pendant in it, before very reluctantly and lingeringly taking his hand back.
By this time, an endless stream of tears rolled down Yunqi’s face, and he gasped hurriedly for breath. In the end, he wept loudly several times before hugging Tuoba Feng’s neck.
Yunqi cried so hard that he quivered, as he stuffed the items into Tuoba Feng’s arms. He finally gritted his teeth, turned around, and got off the boat.
The boatman appeared to have been moved by this, and sighed, “Guan-ye, won’t you two spend a little more time together?”
Yunqi resolutely wiped away his tears and replied, “You can sail the boat now. He’s deaf and can’t hear.”
The boatman set a pole against the side of the bank before pushing off, drawing his words out, “Setting sail~~ ”
The bow of the boat stirred up innumerable glistening ripples, as it left the dock under the chilly splendor of the moon. It entered the Qinhuai river and slowly made its way toward the East.
Yunqi’s gaze followed the boat as it left, his hands still clutching the Qilin pendant tightly. Chun Lan shut her mouth awkwardly.
From the distance, atop the House of Dancing Smoke, Chun Lan’s gentle and lovely singing wafted over,
Don’t pluck the strings of the pipa, it is difficult to express my resentment; Heaven is Ageless, Love is Endless. My passionate heart is like a pair of silk screens…with thousands of knots…[26]
Yunqi’s face was drenched in tears as he shouted loudly, “Shi-ge!”
Tuoba Feng’s hand was on the small window of the boat, as he lifted the curtains and waved aimlessly [27] towards the outside.
The knife went right into my heart. The memories of Yunqi sounded so sweet. Ok for Feng-ge’s survival, I hope, but what happens to Yunqi? What will happen to Zhi Du?
My heart hurts for these two… T.T
It’s like the first time they’ve ever been separated and Yunqi is sure to be punished. Halp!
Ooh I figured they’d be in serious trouble, but not that soon! 🙁
I only hope they won’t only be able to reunite once Zhu Di succeeds as it must be years from the current moment
Thanks for the chapter!