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 19 Removing tiles from the roof
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He held Yunqi’s hand. Yunqi then casually knelt down in the midst of the darkness. Tuoba Feng stroked Yunqi’s face, kissed him, then began to earnestly dress him.
Once he’d helped dress Yunqi properly, Tuoba Feng put on his own Prince’s residence guard clothes. He gazed at Yunqi’s face with a black cloth covering his eyes and brows, his delicate and beautiful face, his fair-skinned nose bridge, and his moist, red lips.
Tuoba Feng said absent-mindedly, “You look good, let’s go.” He held Yunqi’s hand as they exited the flower hall, going downstairs slowly.
Just like when they were young when these Shi-xiongdi lived in the same room and slept in the same bed.
Translator: 🍓SassyStrawberry | http://www.sassystrawberry.com
Each morning, the sunbeams would spool around the tiny dust motes as they shone in through the window, illuminating the next of blankets where the two lay curled up together.
Little Tuoba Feng was invariably the one who’d open his eyes first. He would shake awake the little Yunqi sleeping on his shoulder and have him drowsily get out of bed.
He would squat down beside the bed, and help little Yunqi put on his clothes and shoes properly. After which he’d stroke little Yunqi’s face, and say, “You look good today. Don’t sleep anymore, let’s go.”
And they’d hold hands as they went to Jiang Huan’s to learn martial arts, and to Su Wanrong’s to recite their lessons.
Translator: 🍓SassyStrawberry | http://www.sassystrawberry.com
In spite of the years of separation that had gone by, it was like nothing had ever changed. readtheTLbyoriginalTLER.
Time is fleeting and moves torrentially, much like the water that flows out of the Qinhuai river, it surges forward turbulently.
Yet by the shoreside is a grand and prosperous scene, the fireworks [6] and gaily painted pleasure boats [7] just like in those of the past.
Translator: 🍓SassyStrawberry | http://www.sassystrawberry.com
Tuoba Feng and Yunqi stood in the dark lane. It was almost zi-shi [8] at night, and the streets of Beiping were empty. Occasionally there’d be some noodle shops that’d sent off the last wave of supper customers as they shuttered their doors and closed shop for the night.
“Let’s go home?” Yunqi whispered.
Yunqi removed the black cloth obscuring his vision, his eyes bore a smile as he gazed at Tuoba Feng and said, “Take me along to intercept that courier, I want to have a look at that letter.”
“No can do, you can’t go.”
“No, I want to go.”you can read this on the og site sassy strawberry dot com
Tuoba Feng turned to leave. Yunqi pounced on him and hugged Tuoba Feng’s waist.
“Let…let go…”“Let…let go…”“Let…let go…”“Let…let go…”
Yunqi laughed, “Take me there…” As he spoke, he squeezed Tuoba Feng’s ear with his other hand.
Tuoba Feng stood there for a moment, his face slightly red. He squatted down with his back to Yunqi.
“My legs are weak…”
“Oh.” “My legs are weak…”
When Yunqi gazed at Tuoba Feng, he suddenly felt inexpressibly happy.When Yunqi gazed at Tuoba Feng, he suddenly felt inexpressibly happy.
As they swept past the buildings, Tuoba Feng whispered, “Does it still hurt?”
Yunqi answered with a vague “En,” then answered, “A little…where are we intercepting him?”
Tuoba Feng shushed him and had Yunqi get down. The two men took cover and concealed themselves along the official road outside Beiping city.
Tuoba Feng bowed his head to search around in the grass, his form resembling a dog digging for bones. Yunqi laughed until he cried, and teased, “What’re you doing? Imitating a dog?”
Before he’d finished speaking, the sounds of a dog barking in the middle of the night came from the farmhouse behind them, startling the house full of people. There was a family of three living there; the dog’s barking had startled the young child awake, and the cries of the small child also sounded faintly.
Tuoba Feng hastily signaled for him to remain silent, and only then did Yunqi shamefacedly shut his mouth. He watched as Tuoba Feng rummaged out a longbow from the field, before leaping up onto the eaves. He then gestured towards Yunqi, “Come up.”
Yunqi quietly clambered up to Tuoba Feng’s side. The local dog not far away continued yapping furiously. With a flick of his sleeves, the cicada wing blade curved as it shot outwards, drawing an exquisitely graceful arc in the moonlight, and the dog was silent.
Tuoba Feng said, “Wang-ye’s instructions were: Should the letter expose his feigning insanity, kill the courier…”
Yunqi contemplated this matter for a moment, and considered Zhu Di’s methods, “Should the letter state that he’s truly gone insane, then allow Zhang Bing’s courier to return?”
“You didn’t see it with your own eyes, how do you know that the letter indeed states that?” Yunqi questioned him in return, “In the event that the hidden stake who peeked at the letter has betrayed you both – matters would become very troublesome.”
Tuoba Feng stared towards the main road reticently, not answering.
“…” Read this on the OG TL site, sassystrawberry.com
Tuoba Feng’s eagle-like eyes locked upon the farmhouse opposite the main road. Yunqi self-consciously squatted beside Tuoba Feng, and let him cover his hand with his own. In this moment of tranquility, they half-knelt on the roof sprinkled with moonlight, and jointly they drew that longbow that was half as tall as a person.
“Kill?” Tuoba Feng asked in a low voice.
Yunqi frowned slightly but didn’t respond. Zhu Yunwen was definitely not so easily deceived. Huang Zicheng was also determined to find trouble with Zhu Di. Even if this letter safely arrived in Nanjing, it was likely that Huang Zicheng would stealthily substitute it for something else, and by then they would be in an even more passive situation. However, if the letter was indefinitely delayed, the Imperial Court wouldn’t dare act rashly; at most, it might serve to deflect their aim [9], for them to single out the other vassal princes to attack first.
Therefore, regardless of the content of the letter, they must intercept it tonight, and incidentally instill fear and suspicion into Zhang Bing and the rest.
Besides, Yunqi was almost certain that this letter would have nothing good to say.
The Prince of Yan was his relative. Had Zhang Bing determined that he was truly insane, he should still have informed Yunqi first, and taken the opportunity to consciously display this favor as a means of gaining Yunqi’s appreciation. Given that he kept quiet about it, and secretly sent someone to take the letter out of the city; there was bound to be something in the contents that couldn’t be disclosed.
The horse hoofbeats sounded as a fine horse galloped out from the city center. a fine horse galloped out from the city center.
This was the courier that Zhang Bing had sent to Nanjing to deliver the news. The courier galloped swiftly the entire way, as he passed by the farmhouse.
Yunqi no longer hesitated as he slightly adjusted the angle; In the direction of the rapidly galloping horse’s image moving at a high speed, with superb skills, he sighted down at the target accurately.
Yunqi and Tuoba Feng maintained a tacit understanding within their hearts, and simultaneously released the bowstring. With a “twang”, the arrow flew to the ground like a meteor!
The official’s horse raised its head to whinny. Before the courier could react, his shoulder had been pierced through by a sharp arrow, and he was flung off his warhorse!
The courier howled in pain, “Who is it!” He endured the pain as he raced wildly, leaving a trail of blood behind him.
A grey shadow like a snow hawk darted past; Tuoba Feng somersaulted and landed lightly on the ground as he intercepted the courier. He drew the embroidered spring knife hanging at his waist, and swung his hand, casting it outwards.
The knife edge of the embroidered spring blade refracted the dazzling silver light as it soared from between Tuoba Feng’s thumb and forefinger. It spun rapidly in mid-air as it flashed toward the courier like a silver disc before skewering the courier’s calf and pinning him to the ground.
The courier bawled out in pain. Yunqi hid behind the tree, only to see Tuoba Feng curve down and search out a letter from the courier’s body, as he returned his knife to its sheath. He strode toward Yunqi and presented the letter to him, as he whispered, “You look, I won’t be reading it.”
Yunqi unfolded the letter in the moonlight and glanced at it, his fingers gently stroking the paper as he breathed a sigh of relief.
This type of paper was specially made to be thicker, the Jinyiwei couldn’t be more familiar with this kind of thing. Yunqi smiled and stated, “I guessed correctly, let’s go, time to return home.”
Tuoba Feng only had a hazy understanding as he nodded. He spared the courier’s life and departed along with Yunqi.
“You deliver this letter to Jiefu, but you mustn’t under any circumstances say that I did it.” Yunqi bounded up the wall as he whispered toward Tuoba Feng.
Tuoba Feng’s belief in Yunqi was absolute and unreserved, so he replied with an “En,” as he lifted Yunqi onto his shoulders and helped him leap into the rear courtyard.
Yunqi grinned as he clambered up the wall, but the smile immediately froze on his face.
Sanbao knelt in the courtyard, his head hung down without speaking. Xu Wen stood with both hands on her small, pretty waist, as she roared like a Hedong lioness [10] – the shockwave causing all the bricks and tiles of the residence to rattle.
“Xu Yun Qi! If I don’t beat you for three days! You climb the roof to remove the tiles [11]!”
When Tuoba Feng heard Xu Wen’s voice ring out from inside the walls of the courtyard, he was immediately so terrified that his soul almost left his body; He couldn’t decide what to do. He quivered as his inner conflict raged like a battle between heaven and mankind, but ultimately, Xu Wen’s deterrence completely triumphed over his love.
Tuoba Feng made an about-face and raced off. Yunqi was caught unawares and lost his footing, falling downwards.
“Hey, you…” Yunqi scampered to his feet in a panicked manner. Tuoba Feng had already fled along the outer wall of the Prince’s residence, disappearing without a trace.
Yunqi pulled himself together and was also about to follow in his wake to flee, as a vise-like grip suddenly squeezed his ear firmly. Yunqi immediately yelped in pain, “Aiya!”, before being towed by Xu Wen back to his courtyard.
Xu Wen couldn’t decide whether it was funny or infuriating, as she angrily rebuked him, “It’s in the middle of the night, where’d you run off to!”
Yunqi hurriedly pleaded for mercy, and said, “Let Sanbao go first, he really didn’t know where I went… Da-jie, why did you come here…”
Xu Wen kicked Yunqi back into the room, and reprimanded him, “The entire Beiping is watching our family closely. If you run about wildly again, mind your skin.”
Yunqi lamented bitterly to the Heavens as Xu Wen considered for a moment before asking, “Where’s my two books, one was <<Three Kingdoms>>, and the other was the <<Book of Rites>>. Did you take them?”
Yunqi responded blankly, “I didn’t.” Yunqi responded blankly, “I didn’t.” Yunqi responded blankly, “I didn’t.”
Xu Wen sternly reprimanded him again. From inside his room, Yunqi swore a solemn oath that he wouldn’t run about wildly again. Xu Wen lifted Ma Sanbao’s collar and flung him in through the window before dusting off her hands and turning to depart.
Translator: 🍓SassyStrawberry | http://www.sassystrawberry.com
Zhu Di had stripped off his outer garment, and the bright red taotie Prince’s clothes were draped around his waist. He was on the ground doing push-ups; the tightly knotted muscles of his back were covered with a fine layer of sweat.
Zhu Di saw Xu Wen return to their room and close the door, so he got up from the floor and asked, “Where did neidi [12] go?”
Xu Wen lazily shot a glance over at him, as she answered, “Busybody.”“Busybody.”“Busybody.”“Busybody.”“Busybody.”
Zhu Di smiled, “Furen shouted so loudly. Is your mouth dry, there’s some tea over there…”
Xu Wen sat down by the couch, as she picked up a celadon tea cup, and drank a few mouthfuls, “A twenty-plus-year-old young fellow. Had we been in Zhongli, he’d have already married a wife. Another day I’ll need to arrange a marriage to a girl for him, otherwise, he’ll keep climbing the walls in the middle of the night to steal fish [13].
Zhu Di sat beside Xu Wen, and spoke with a smile, “Yunqi’s already so old. About marrying a wife and such, he’d already know what to do. Don’t bother about it, ah.”
Xu Wen voiced angrily, “How can I not bother, we were born of the same mother. If I don’t bother who will?”
Zhu Di replied distractedly, “Just leave it to me.” Having spoken, he narrowed his eyes and asked, “Did he ask about Feng’er?”
Xu Wen said, “He didn’t. Ai, I say. Why do the both of you always talk about that Zhu Feng [14], what kind of person is he that…”
Zhu Di hastily smiled, “No, no, no, Aifei [15]…” He reached out a hand to tug at Xu Wen’s shoulder.
Xu Wen shrieked, “I’m not done talking…” She was still kicking wildly as Zhu Di pressed her down on the bed.kicking wildly as Zhu Di pressed her down on the bed.
Translator: 🍓SassyStrawberry | http://www.sassystrawberry.com
Yunqi lay on his bed, slightly smiling at the corner of his mouth. He tossed and turned. The room was divided into an inner and outer set of rooms, Yunqi slept in the inner room, complete with a footwarmer and brocade quilt. Sanbao slept in the outer area.
“Sanbao, are you cold?” Yunqi asked.Sanbao sat up, and asked uneasily, “Is Jiu-ye cold? I can stoke up the fire in the brazier.”
Sanbao sat up, and asked uneasily, “Is Jiu-ye cold? I can stoke up the fire in the brazier.”
“No, no.” Yunqi replied quickly, “You sleep. I saw you only had a few blankets, so I asked casually.”
Sanbao lay back down and laughed, “Waiting upon Jiu-ye is better than the other duties in the Prince’s residence- there’s really a world of difference. Besides, this lowly one…”
“It’s fine if you just use ‘I’.” Yunqi said, “Thank you for today.
Sanbao sniggered and replied, “I really didn’t know where Jiu-ye went; I wouldn’t be able to say even if you beat me to death.”
Yunqi smiled at this and turned to face the top of the bed curtain. He shut his eyes and reached out to stroke the Qilin jade pendant resting over his heart.
At this time, a very soft ‘click’ was heard from outside the courtyard. Sanbao immediately discovered it and reached beneath his pillow. The sound of a knife leaving its sheath was heard.
Yunqi’s eyes were still closed as he said, “Don’t panic, it’s my…En, someone I know. Sanbao, you also can use a knife?”
Sanbao whispered, “I am of the Hui people.”Sanbao saLet him come in.”t up, and asked uneasily, “Is Jiu-ye cold? I can stoke up the fire in the brazier.”
Yunqi asked, “You look, is it a tall fellow?”
Sanbao hid his short scimitar in his sleeves, as he raised his head to glance out of the window, and stated, “It’s the residence’s Zhu Feng, Jiu-ye knows him?”
Yunqi was slightly surprised by this, and asked, “You also know him?”
Sanbao answered, “He just arrived in the residence this year, and handles affairs for Wang-ye.Let him come in.”
Yunqi replied with an “En,” and said, “Sanbao, you…go out first for a while, alright? Let him come in.”
Sanbao agreed and put his scimitar away. His movements and footsteps were light as he opened the door and went out of the courtyard.
Half of Tuoba Feng’s body was dressed in snowy white, but his left side had been stained a purple-black by the courier’s fresh blood. He curved his body to draw water from the well. Seeing Sanbao walk out of the courtyard, he silently glanced over at him but didn’t speak.
Sanbao watched Tuoba Feng alertly and walked to one side. Finding a spot for himself, he sat down.
Tuoba Feng drew a bucket of water, stripped off his martial robe and pants, and soaked them in the bucket, before pouring the water out into the garden.
Yunqi heard the sounds of water splashing outside the house and frowned slightly.
Tuoba Feng raised another bucket of water and splashed it against his chest, repeating this action several times until he’d cleansed away all the bloodstains from his body. He turned to sniff at his shoulder, before walking over completely nude as he pushed open the door to enter the room.
Tuoba Feng clumsily tugged the quilt aside as he reached in to feel around.
“?”Let him come in.”Let him come in.”Let him come in.”Let him come in.”
There was another layer of blankets under the first one.
“…”“Why are you so frightened.”“Why are you so frightened.”
“Delivered the letter to Jiefu already?” Yunqi’s eyes were closed as he smiled.
Tuoba Feng was startled. Yunqi opened his eyes, and asked, “Why are you so frightened.”
Tuoba Feng asked, “Can you still smell it? Your words earlier…with the Wang-fei – it seemed…” As he spoke, he lifted the quilts off Yunqi and asked, “Why’d you cover yourself with so many layers?”
Yunqi replied helplessly, “Jie told me to.”
“…”“Why are you so frightened.”
Tuoba Feng was stark naked as he wormed into the nest of blankets. He sighed and embraced Yunqi. He suddenly said, “That guqin fingering technique that we learned as children – you actually still remember it.”
Yunqi smiled and said, “Of course.”
Su Wanrong had once taught Yunqi to play the guqin. Yunqi had been very young at the time, and his arm span hadn’t been sufficient to play and press the strings. Little Tuoba Feng had volunteered to press the strings beside him; one pressed down the strings as the other one played – they had fun together, and the outcome was actually rather presentable. Su Wanrong merely found her disciples extremely amusing and taught them the zither for several months. After the initial enthusiasm waned, it got tossed aside.
Yunqi and Tuoba Feng nonetheless vaguely remembered their respective fingering techniques, and their joint performance at the Lanlü Forest tonight had won them the entire audience’s unanimous applause.
Tuoba Feng also expressed interestingly, “Now Shi-ge has learned how to play the flute, I’ll play it for you another day.”
Yunqi yawned wearily as drowsiness assailed him. Tuoba Feng spoke again, “There are many fun things to do in Beiping, tomorrow Shi-ge will take you out to play.”
“En…” Yunqi responded in a daze.
Yet, Tuoba Feng appeared to be extremely excited, as he babbled on and on like a buzzing mosquito beside Yunqi.
Yunqi replied to him intermittently. Tuoba Feng spoke for a long time, and finally, he nervously held Yunqi’s hand and rubbed gently at the tortoiseshell ring on Yunqi’s pinky. His voice shook a little as he whispered, “Throw this plaything way. Shi-ge will buy you a good one in the future.”
Yunqi replied with an “En.” Tuoba Feng pulled the ring off, making Yunqi’s finger throb slightly.
Once the tortoiseshell ring had been removed, Tuoba Feng felt as if a heavy weight had come off his shoulders.
Tuoba Feng dangled the ring from his fingertip, then flicked outwards. The ring immediately shot through the paper of the window, flying outwards with a whistling sound, then it was gone.
“Do it again? Tuoba Feng whispered, “Do you want it?” Yunqi replied helplessly, “Jie told me to.”
Yunqi was exhausted to death, he gritted his teeth and cried, “Don’t be noisy…”
Tuoba Feng pinched his own ears, before peacefully embracing Yunqi and contentedly going to sleep.
Translator: 🍓SassyStrawberry | http://www.sassystrawberry.com
The tortoiseshell ring smacked against the courtyard wall and fell to the ground, emitting a very slight sound.
Sanbao was curled up beside the wall as he drowsily caught sight of the ring. He clambered over to retrieve it, examining it carefully before putting it away.
Translator: 🍓SassyStrawberry | http://www.sassystrawberry.com
Ever since Yunqi had returned home to visit his relatives, the Beiping Prince’s residence was destined to have no peace.
Late in the morning when the sun was high in the sky, several people yelled loudly.
Xu Wen freaked out in her room as she cried, “Where are my books!”“Do you want it?” Yun
Yunqi freaked out in the courtyard as he cried, “Where is my ring!”“Do you want it?” Yun
Zhang Bing freaked out at the entrance of the Prince’s residence, as he cried, “The courier was assassinated yesterday night! Let me see the Wang-fei!”
Translator: 🍓SassyStrawberry | http://www.sassystrawberry.com
Yunqi’s face was dark as he raged, “You have a lot of nerve – where’d you throw it, speak!”
Tuoba Feng remained expressionless, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Yunqi stated coldly, “Why’d you throw the ring away, be honest and tell me everything. When I speak, I never repeat myself a second time.”
Tuoba Feng’s expression shifted slightly, as he asked, “What?”
Yunqi said furiously, “When I speak, I never repeat myself a second time!”
Tuoba Feng nodded, and said, “Oh.” Read on SassyStrawberryD0tc0m
Yunqi burst into laughter, his anger dissipating in a flash. He could only say bitterly, “Forget it.”
Translator: 🍓SassyStrawberry | http://www.sassystrawberry.com
On the other end, Xu Wang-fei overturned the trunks and boxes as she rummaged through them, her investigations resulting in great chaos and confusion like chickens flying and dogs jumping over walls.
Zhu Di was stretching and contracting his body as he imitated the squirming undulations of a caterpillar. Yunqi led Tuoba Feng and Sanbao out of the garden. Seeing the chaotic state that the Prince’s residence was in, he felt like crying but had no tears.
“Jiu-ye!” As soon as he entered the garden, the steward hastily caught up to him as if he’d been granted a great pardon. With a woebegone look, he said, “The book that the Wang-fei had been reading went missing, and she’s currently in a fit of pique… The Provincial Administration Commissioner, Zhang lao-ye is also waiting outside the residence… What does Jiu-ye think we should do to handle this?”Tuoba Feng nodded, and said, “Oh.” Yun
Yunqi extended his foot to boot away the approaching Zhu Di, causing him to change his direction. Zhu Di squirmed towards the pond. Yunqi told Tuoba Feng, “You help my Jie find the book, I’ll go meet with Zhang-lao.”Do you want it?” Yun
Translator: 🍓SassyStrawberry | http://www.sassystrawberry.com
As Yunqi entered the hall, he arched his hands in greeting Zhang Bing. Zhang Bing’s expression was as sour as if he’d swallowed a fly. At this time, he heard someone on the main street outside the residence sing out, “On the east-west street, as I was walking from north to south, I unexpectedly encountered a man biting a dog [16].”
“…”
Yao Guangxiao had arrived. “Croak – – croak – -” Zhu Di hopped away.
Yunqi greeted Yao Guangxiao and had him sit down together with them. He instructed the servants to serve tea. Zhang Bing’s son Zhang Qin had once been his colleague, and thus his seniority was one level above Yunqi’s – he didn’t dare skimp on courtesy. He said, “Zhang-lao, calm your anger. If you have something to say, do say it.”
Zhang Bing said, “Last night, the courier left the city with a letter personally written by this old fellow. However, he was intercepted less than ten li outside of the city and was seriously injured. What exactly is going on here?”
“For the entire Beiping at night, there’s only the Regional Military Commission and the Prince of Yan’s residence who has the official seal. The killer carried a long saber on him! And in the courier’s shoulder was also stuck a…”
Yao Guangxiao’s face was grave as he asked, ‘What was stuck in it?”
Yunqi sucked in a breath and asked, “What was stuck in it?”
Zhang Bing’s rage had accumulated over time and from various sources; he took the item from his sleeve and ruthlessly smashed it onto the ground!
It was a long arrow manufactured by the Prince’s residence.
Yao Guangxiao and Xu Yunqi simultaneously burst out laughing. Zhang Bing’s face switched from white to green, then from green to purple, and he almost ripped his beard out as he roared, “What’s so funny!”
“Hahahaha!” Yao Guangxiao laughed with his head upraised for a long time, before he gradually calmed himself, and said, “ When killing someone you must also leave evidence behind…”
Yunqi continued, “This is truly the first time that I’ve encountered such a foolish and clumsy murderer.”
Zhang Bing’s words immediately stuck in his craw. Tuoba Feng nodded, and said, “Oh.” Yun
Yunqi was quiet for a moment, before he asked, “What was Zhang-lao’s letter about? Both you and I are Imperial Commissioners – why did you not discuss it with me before sending it back to the capital?”
Yao Guangxiao laughed, “Hehe,” as he rolled up his long sleeves and swiveled around to scrutinize the calligraphy and paintings in the hall.
Zhang Bing shut his eyes and did not respond.
Yunqi asked, “What did the Grand Tutor Huang say to Zhang-lao?”
Zhang Bing abruptly opened his eyes as he asked coldly, “Commander Xu, in your opinion, who is the culprit for this incident?”
Yunqi scoffed, “Of course, it’s someone shifting the blame, what else could be the reason? Zhang-lao should return to the Regional Military Commission to look for the truth.”
Zhang Bing remained silent. Yunqi spoke again, “ This issue hinges on the contents of Zhang-lao’s letter. If Zhang-lao is wise, you’ll understand the key issues easily. How many people in the entire Imperial Court have affixed their gazes on Beiping at this time? Did you reveal any information in the letter that may give rise to unease within the various court factions, or the vassal princes…”
Zhang Bing sighed, and said, “Xu Yunqi, it’s not that my Zhang family doesn’t know…doesn’t know how to be grateful for kindnesses rendered.”
Yunqi’s voice trembled as he asked, “Qin-ge’er sent a letter back home?”
Zhang Bing said, “Thanks to Commander Xu for leaving a descendant for my Zhang family.” Having spoken, he lifted the skirt of his robe and knelt before Yunqi.
Yunqi hurried forward to help him up, but unexpectedly, Zhang Bing said, “ Nevertheless, Loyalty and Righteousness cannot both be satisfied [17]…”
Hearing these words, Yunqi halted his movements, and his gaze toward Zhang Bing bore a measure of contempt.
At this time, Zhu Di had just wriggled to the edge of the pond, falling in with a splash.
“Wang-ye is trying to take his own life!” A serving girl in the garden shrieked.
Yunqi ridiculed him, “Zhang-Lao, Yunqi should have cut off your son’s head at the time for a reward. You can state again that Loyalty and Righteousness cannot both be satisfied [17].” Having spoken, he shouted coldly, “Attendants! See the visitor out!”
Yunqi hastily ran into the garden and threw himself into the water to pull Zhu Di out.
Zhu Di spewed out a mouthful of water and carelessly shoved something into Yunqi’s arms, as he began imitating the cries of a frog very loudly.
“Croak – – croak – -” Zhu Di hopped away. “Croak – – croak – -” Zhu Di hopped away.
Yunqi smoothed the paper that Zhu Di had stuffed at him and unfolded it carefully against the sunlight.
The letter had two sides, the front was blurry and indistinct, but one could vaguely make out the words:
The Prince of Yan suffers from a mental illness and traverses the city naked in broad daylight. He also consumes excrement and drinks urine, there are all sorts of insane actions that are not easily described in detail.
– – Beiping Provincial Administration Commissioner Zhang Bing TLSassyStrawberryd0tc0m
After the letter was soaked, light blue words appeared on the reverse side:
The Prince of Yan feigned insanity and acted like an idiot, and is extremely shrewd; From the 10th day of the 9th month, the Prince’s residence has funded purchases of knives and swords, and the entire city is smelting iron; large quantities of gunpowder, and saltpeter are being secretly smuggled into the city, I fear a great disaster.
The Jinyiwei Commander Xu Yunqi was in collusion and made attempts to cover up for him. I fear he harbors malicious intentions.
“Croak – – croak – -” Zhu Di hopped away
I wonder if Zhu Di will have time & attention span to be our boys’ wingman, they might need some support and I think he already suspects their feelings might be deeper than just shi-xiongdi.
Also, I wonder how Yunqi will navigate this mess of a situation that he’s in … seems the majority of his relationships would point towards him supporting the imperial uncles.
It’s getting complicated. If Yunqi is implicated in Zhu Di’s schemes, that will spell disaster in many ways. But Yuwen favors him (i.e., really likes Yunqi “that way”) so I wonder what will happen. Ah, Tuoba & Yunqi finally did it and they both seem pretty happy.
Thanks for the translation!