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 17 The Joy of Family
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The main door was decorated lavishly with a black wooden plaque in the center. The Yuan dynasty’s Grand Chancellor, famed calligrapher Toktoghan [1] (who had been captured and forced to write this) had personally written the characters “
[2] ”, on a gold-inlaid plaque.
Two large white jade guardian lions squatted at the entrance, and the door columns were two zhang in height. An impressively grand solid gold knocker was embedded in the door. At glance, one would presume that it had been essentially expropriated from the common folks’ hard-won possessions [3]. There were six manservants guarding the door, even if no one was coming to visit, the porters would still have to stand outside and wait. Truly in the style of the nouveau riche!
The porters questioned them alertly, “Who goes there?!” At this time, several people appeared distrustful as they gazed assessingly at Zhang Bing. Zhang Bing felt troubled by this and retreated by a step.
Yunqi lazily patted his shoulder, the shine from his golden feiyufu dazzling the porters’ dog eyes.
Yunqi asked, “Can’t recognize me?”
“…”
“Xiao-jiu-ye is here!” Read this on the original site. Do not support aggregat0rs
“Xiao-jiu-ye!” TranslatedbySassyStrawberryDOTcom
The porters were immediately startled and frightened out of their wits [4]. The foremost two flung themselves on the floor to kowtow. Yunqi said, “Get up, get up. We’re family here, what are you kneeling for.”
Immediately, there were others who dashed off to report his arrival, as they yelled anxiously, “Wang-fei [5] niangniang [6]! Xiao-jiu-ye has come!”
Yunqi laughed, “I’ll go in on my own, don’t shout anymore!”
Yunqi stepped into the main entrance, and suddenly caught sight of a bright white thing as it streaked past.
“??”
That thing resembled a person. Yunqi turned his head to glance at it suspiciously; it was a person who’d sprinted out from the side. The image seen from out of the corner of his eyes wasn’t distinct, merely a white flash as it raced out of the main entrance, sprinting as it quickly disappeared without a trace.
And it appeared that…it wasn’t wearing any clothes?
Yunqi found it all very baffling. He must have been mistaken.
Zhang Bing seemed like he’d glimpsed a ghost, his entire body quivered. He clutched at Yunqi and spoke in a trembling voice, “Xu…Commander Xu, just now that man…just now…”
“My darling [7]!” Read on the original site for the footnotes.
An extremely loud, ear-piercing scream almost made Yunqi spit up fresh blood. It was immediately followed by a scarlet brocade gowned Xu Wen who rushed out towards Yunqi.
At that moment, countless elephants seemed to stampede through Yunqi and Zhang Bing’s minds.
🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘
Xu Wen shrieked, “You’ve finally come!” After which she sent Zhang Bing, who’d been clutching at Yunqi without letting go, flying with a kick. She grabbed at Yunqi’s chest and dragged her younger brother into the secondary door as she lamented excessively and wailed loudly to Heaven and Earth.
“Jiefu…wait, wait…Jie…”
“Don’t-bother-with-him!” As Xu Wen ran, hot tears filled her eyes, “He just heard that you’d arrived…took…took his clothes off, and ran into the city!”
Yet another herd of elephants stampeded through Yunqi’s mind.
Translator: 🍓SassyStrawberry | http://www.sassystrawberry.com
Yunqi also felt hot tears fill his eyes.
“So it’s…like that.”
Xu Wen whimpered mournfully as she continued personally serving the tea, and placing it before Zhang Bing. With a handful of snot and a mess of tears, she said, “Zhang-lao, just now I offended you, I’m sorry…”
Yunqi said, “Jie, you…”
Xu Wen burst out into loud lamentations, “I only beg the Emperor to make the decision on my behalf. I don’t want to live anymore!”
“…” Translation by SassyStrawberry.com
Zhang Bing wanted to wail even more than Xu Wen did, and instantly tears coursed down his old features as he said, “Wang-fei, don’t take it too hard [8]…”
Xu Wen chucked Yunqi to one side, as she replied sorrowfully, “Zhang-lao, my entire Xu family is full of loyal martyrs. My father was also a Meritorious Founding Minister, but now I’ve been paired up with a lunatic! I’m not resigned to this! I’m unwilling to resign myself to this!”
Hearing this made Yunqi feel a layer of gooseflesh rise as if he’d seen his second brother, Xu Zengshou become a ghost and beckon toward him. Xu Wen wept so hard it appeared that the sky was murky over a dark and gloomy earth. Yunqi observed for a moment, and couldn’t help but cry as well. He tugged at Xu Wen’s hand, saying, “Jie, don’t cry anymore.”
Xu Wen flung Yunqi away, then she slammed her head on the table with a “thud”, before passing out.
“Jie!”
Yunqi was so frightened that his soul almost left his body, he’d previously not been able to figure out the situation, but now he was quite convinced. It appeared that a disaster was truly imminent for Zhu Di, the prince’s residence was also in a state of great confusion.
“The Wang-fei has fainted!”
Yunqi hurriedly picked Xu Wen up and roared, “Quickly summon the physician!”
Witnessing this situation, Zhang Bing also didn’t dare sit down anymore, and hastily said, “This…this old fellow…”
Yunqi’s heart was burning with anxiety, as he cried, “Attendants, quickly bring Zhang-lao to go have a rest!”
Having spoken, Yunqi hastily carried Xu Wen into the interior room. In a moment the physician arrived, and the room was filled with people pressing acupressure points, performing acupuncture, and applying compresses, as Xu Wen quietly awakened.
“Jie.” When Yunqi perceived Xu Wen’s appearance, the brother and sister were of one accord. Immediately as if a knife had been twisted within his heart, he gritted his teeth and shouted, “All withdraw!”
After the servants had all retreated, Yunqi hugged Xu Wen and had her lean on him as he also burst into loud sobs. As he wept, he asked, “What exactly is going on! I actually thought that Jiefu was faking it!”
With tears in her beautiful eyes, Xu Wen was like a pear blossom covered in raindrops [9] as she replied, “He is faking it…”
“…” awra9-eutme[0a
Yunqi almost couldn’t breathe at this, and his eyes rolled up as he fainted.
Translator: 🍓SassyStrawberry | http://www.sassystrawberry.com
“Then why are you still crying?!” Yunqi roared loudly at Xu Wen after he came to his senses.
Xu Wen sobbed mournfully, “I cried too much just now, now…I can’t catch my breath, Wa-ah! You callous, short-lived little scumbag [18]! Do you know how worried Jie was for you!”
Yunqi had a complete meltdown.
Translator: 🍓SassyStrawberry | http://www.sassystrawberry.com
One shichen later.
Yunqi’s face was ashen. Xu Wen hid her mouth and laughed “Hehehe”, as she sniffled again. She held out the chopsticks and picked up some food, extended out her hand, and fed it into Yunqi’s mouth.
“This Guifei chicken was cooked personally by Jiejie, made especially for you. It was just killed yesterday…”
Yunqi chewed as he leveled a fierce look toward Xu Wen.
“Wu, forget it. Let me drink some of that hot Hua Diao wine.”
Xu Wen replied solemnly, “Small children cannot drink wine.”
Yunqi replied defiantly, “I’m already over twenty years old!”
Xu Wen placed her hands on her hips, and said, “No matter how old you are, in Jie’s presence you’re still a small child, not allowed to drink!”
Yunqi had no alternative but to give up, and mumbled, “Just to drink a little, it’s not as if I would go out and spout nonsense.”
Xu Wen burst into laughter, “It’s good that you are aware. Speaking indiscreetly after drinking – it’s better not to drink.”
I’ve already instructed the servants to prepare the hot water. Take a proper bath after you’ve eaten. When you go to sleep at night be sure to cover yourself with two blankets, Autumn in Beiping is cold…”
Yunqi poured out his endless grievances as he answered, “Got it.”
Xu Wen continued, “Stay until the 15th of the first month of the lunar year before going back since there’s nothing to do anyway. Consider it as visiting your relatives… Your Jiefu should have already run one around Beiping’s Directorate of Governance… Whether he’s truly insane or pretending to be insane, there will be people who will report it to the Emperor. You can just casually keep your mouth shut…”
Yunqi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as he answered, “Got it.”
Xu Wen spoke again, “Tomorrow don’t get up too early. You are used to waiting upon the Emperor, but now that you’re at home, let others wait upon you for once…”
Yunqi gnashed his teeth and said, “I – got – it!”
Xu Wen hid her mouth as she laughed “hehe”. She peeled a large prawn and smiled, “Ah.”
Yunqi opened his mouth. Catching sight of Yunqi’s right hand holding onto the right side of the table, she was abruptly struck by a bolt from the blue. She was stunned as she asked, “Who gave you that thing?”
Yunqi wiggled his thumb and replied absently, “Oh, it’s Jiefu’s.”
Xu Wen said, “Not that one, I know it’s your Jiefu’s. What about the other?” She pursed her lips and tilted her face towards it, saying, “There’s a girl on close terms with you? Why didn’t you tell Jie?”
Yunqi replied embarrassedly, “The Emperor rewarded me with it.” As he spoke he lifted his pinky and waved it in front of Xu Wen’s face.
Xu Wen nodded, and fed him the prawn, saying, “Ah.” Yunqi opened his mouth to receive the prawn.
Xu Wen abruptly asked, “What’s your Jiefu’s thumb ring doing on your hand.”
Yunqi replied, “Jiefu borrowed some spending money from me, and left me the thumb ring as a security.”
Xu Wen nodded, and again said, “Ah.” Yunqi again opened his mouth for the food.
Xu Wen suddenly asked, “What’s that hanging around your neck!”
Yunqi replied angrily, “Is there no end to this!”
Xu Wen said dissatisfiedly, “Speak quickly.”
Yunqi lifted out the jade pendant around his neck, and said, “It was given by a Jinyiwei brother.”
Xu Wen’s face was filled with suspicion as she questioned, “Only brothers? Ever been a cut-sleeve?”
Yunqi said, “It’s true! It is just a good brother, nothing more.”
As he spoke, he suddenly heard a clatter outside the window pane, the sound extremely faint.
Yunqi’s heart shuddered once, and the large prawn was finally stuffed into his mouth. Yunqi chewed it uneasily. Xu Wen said in an acerbic and sarcastic tone, “Di ah, you have so many tokens of love on your body…”
A blush rose up Yunqi’s face, and he abruptly asked, “Jie, Er-ge had sent you a Tujue as a manservant earlier?”
Xu Wen thought for a moment, and curled her lips as she replied, “Why are you asking about this? Ah! Did you meet that fellow? Last time he accompanied your Jiefu when he returned to the capital, it was Zhu Feng… what about him?”
Yunqi replied awkwardly, “He’s called Zhu Feng? We got along quite well. Where does he stay?”
Xu Wen didn’t bother with him, only replying casually, “In this entire Prince’s residence, there are so many servants. How would I know, I don’t know which nook or cranny he’s hidden in. If you get along well with him, tomorrow call him to your room to serve as your manservant then. In a few days, he can accompany you around Beiping?”
Yunqi patted the table, and said, “That’s fine, I just wanted to say…”
Xu Wen said again, “Open your mouth, Ah.”
“…”
Yunqi said, “I’m…full, and will go back to rest.”
Xu Wen said angrily, “No way! You’re as skinny as a little monkey. What swill do the male attendants in the place eat all day, doesn’t the Emperor know how to look after you all a little…”
Yunqi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at this, wondering when Zhu Yuanzhang had become a nanny. However, Xu Wen refused to let Yunqi leave. Half-feeding and half-forcing him to eat, as she ordered another four bowls of rice, half a chicken, one fish, and a plate of prawns – and there was also a table full of delicacies sourced from both the land and sea. It was only after Yunqi ate until he was stuffed to his eyeballs, that Xu Wen unwillingly declared, “Alright, go back and rest. Tonight, if you’re afraid of the dark when you go to pee, shout loudly for Jie…”
“…” Read it on the og TL site.
Yunqi held the wall as he left the room. Xu Wen was still behind him, harping on and on.
The hall was brightly lit by lamps, and a person came flying over the eaves and running over the walls.
Upon catching sight of that person, Yunqi’s brain was again stampeded by a herd of elephants.
🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘
The newcomer was none other than the Prince of Yan, Zhu Di, with hardly a stitch on him. Zhu Di was completely naked. Like a peerless martial arts expert, he stepped on the wall with one leg, and leaped down, landing safely on the ground. With an “I arch my back and laugh to the Heavens, and when the wind blows it’s [19] extremely cool and refreshing!” heroic spirit!
“Hahahahahaha!”
“Wahahahaha!” Zhu Di threw open his mouth and laughed arrogantly and wildly.
“I…”
Yunqi went completely berserk.
Zhu Di may be over thirty, but he is extremely well-maintained. The perennial horsemanship and archery honed his long and slender arms and legs. His abdominal muscles were well-defined and his figure was as well-proportioned as any of the handsome Jinyiwei.
Although it is a lunatic, it’s a handsome lunatic. Although he’s streaking about naked, it’s a very aesthetically pleasing sort of streaking around naked.
Glimpsing this, Yunqi nearly spat out a mouthful of blood.
Zhu Di arched his waist, and in a state of heightened excitement, he huffed and puffed as he ran two rounds about the garden. Xu Wen’s beautiful willow-leaf eyebrows were raised in anger as she whispered loudly, “There’s just the two of us! Quickly put your clothes back on!”
Zhu Di lunged over, as he chortled, “Hehe. Xiao-jiu-zi! You’re finally here!”
Yunqi’s face reddened as he turned his head away. Zhu Di hugged him without letting go, and chafed his lips continuously against Yunqi’s ears, behaving atrociously, “Jiefu certainly missed you every day… Aiyo! Aiyo!” Even before he’d finished speaking, his ears had been grasped by Xu Wen as she dragged him into the room.
“Are you addicted to acting crazy already…?”
“Isn’t Yunqi also a man…”
The sound of their voices gradually faded, and the door slammed shut. Xu Wen yelled again, “Di, you go back and sleep on your own. Just find anyone to show you to your room.”
That scene was rife with extreme visual impact. Yunqi had been hugged by Zhu Di in front of Xu Wen, and been wildly kissed and gnawed at – his mouth felt dry and his tongue parched, truly extremely awkward. He shook his head as he found his way out of the garden.
Translator: 🍓SassyStrawberry | http://www.sassystrawberry.com
In the dead of the night, Xu Wen snuffed out the lamp lights in the room. Zhu Di was naked as he crawled into the bed. Xu Wen spoke contemptuously, “Not behaving decently at all in front of Xiao-jiu-zi.”
Zhu Di lay there unmoving, as he wrapped himself up into the blanket like a caterpillar. At this time, he was actually quite obedient, as he smiled, “When did Yunqi arrive? Did he eat dinner?”
Xu Wen replied, “He ate, I personally witnessed it.”
Zhu Di said, “En, have him eat more. Yunqi‘s job in the capital isn’t easy, sometimes he’s scolded and other times he’s beaten. The Jinyiwei guard the Emperor and don’t even have the time for a proper meal…”
Xu Wen was annoyed with him, “Wang-ye, you haven’t eaten your own dinner yet.”
Zhu Di shut his eyes, and replied with an “En.” His handsome and talented face was illuminated by the dim light of the oil lamp. Xu Wen watched him for a while, and asked, “I’ll have someone prepare supper?”
Xu Wen didn’t hear a response, so she walked to the bookshelf, tiptoeing as she flipped through the books. She abruptly frowned slightly as she wondered, “Where’s that book that I was halfway through? Who’s stolen it?”
Zhu Di didn’t answer, and in a moment his breathing evened out. After feigning madness and acting like an idiot as he streaked about naked for one day, he was extremely fatigued and had fallen into a sound sleep.
Translator: 🍓SassyStrawberry | http://www.sassystrawberry.com
Tuoba Feng squatted outside the stables, with a piece of paper spread before him, and a tub of glue by his feet.
Tuoba Feng held a pair of scissors in one hand, and a book in the other. He scrutinized the book under the faint light for a long time, as if he was trying to identify the words on it.
After studying the book for some time, Tuoba Feng snipped out several words from the book with a ‘kacha, kacha”, and arranged them in order before pasting them onto the paper. He kept the book, and kicked the glue with his foot, sending it flying onto the wall.
Tuoba Feng hummed a tune as he entered the rear courtyard. Upon seeing a light reflected against the windows of Yunqi’s room, he halted his steps.
He stared dully at it for a moment and sat down with a sheet of paper in one hand. He crushed it into a ball, and after a while, unfolded it again.
After another while, he crushed it into a ball again.
It was unknown how much time had passed as he sat there before the lamp in Yunqi’s room was extinguished.
Tuoba Feng unfurled the paper again and peeked at it in the moonlight. He folded it properly, and stuffed it under the gap in the door of Yunqi’s room, before turning to leave.
The next morning, from outside of the door, came rustling sounds.
Yunqi woke up to these noises, abruptly opened his eyes, and yelled, “Rong Qing!”
Yunqi pulled on his feiyufu in a dreadful panic and held the embroidered spring knife in his teeth as he hurriedly sprinted out of the room. He cursed loudly, “Why didn’t you yell to wake me up for the morning court! Were you sleeping like the dead? [20]…”
There was a boy servant sweeping the fallen leaves in the courtyard. Yunqi and he stared at one another in consternation.
It was only now that Yunqi realized that he was on vacation, and didn’t know whether to laugh in amusement or cry in embarrassment, “I hope I didn’t frighten you. I’m sorry.”
The boy servant was still in a state of shock as he nodded.
Yunqi yawned and chuckled to himself for being needlessly nervous. He turned to return to his room and continue sleeping, but suddenly saw a neatly folded piece of paper under the door. He bent down to pick it up and unfolded it to read, “Tonight at xu-shi [21]…meet at the Lanlü Forest in the city… 勿 [22] come.”
“Don’t [22] come?” Yunqi was bewildered, as he studied the cut-out and pasted characters in the early morning sunshine, finding it baffling.
“What do you mean by ‘don’t [22] come ’?” SassyStrawb3rry
Yunqi pondered on the matter repeatedly but still found it inexplicable. It was only later that it dawned on him that it was most probably “ 务 [23]” come. Evidencing how incorrectly written characters can be the death of someone.
Actually, it wasn’t that Tuoba Feng pasted the wrong character, it’s just that he’d flipped through the entire book but couldn’t find the correct “务 [23].
Translator: 🍓SassyStrawberry | http://www.sassystrawberry.com
Translator’s Note:
The real Zhu Di really did pretend to be insane for several months before achieving his aim of freeing his sons from captivity to visit him in the north in June 1399.
I’m always amazed by FTYX’s attention to detail and the amount of research he’s clearly put in.
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