Translator: 🍓SassyStrawberry | http://www.sassystrawberry.com
Project: Phoenix Totem (凤凰图腾） | Author: Huaishang (淮上) | Rating: Mature
Trigger Warnings: Non-con, rape, underage, grooming, age gap, abuse of authority, problematic gong, harem politics, depression, suicide, murder, death.
Tags: Abusive obsessive love, Imperial Court and aristocracy, Strong x Strong characters, Jianghu grievances
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Chapter 12 Who can distinguish between a fish and a dragon
The banquet lasted until the wee hours of the morning. Shangguan-shilang was unusually thrilled and had drunk himself into a stupor. Zhang-shi and her daughter Shangguan Han may have been disappointed, but they had no choice but to bolster their spirits and attend to them by their side.
Mingde had long wanted to leave, unfortunately, he’d been plied with so much wine that he couldn’t walk. Then he was forced to down several more cups by the Prince of Dongyang. As they say, to gaze at a beauty illuminated under a lantern, the more you look at them, the more you appreciate their special style and demeanour. Mingde’s features were originally gorgeous and lush, and now that he’s tipsy, the ends of his brows to the corners of his eyes are □□. The Prince of Dongyang, Jin Yuan, himself was also somewhat drunk. He tugged at Mingde’s hand and asked,” Mingde, do you have a younger sister? If you do, then let me have her. This Prince may have two imperial concubines, but would definitely not treat your sister poorly……”
Shangguan Han’s eyes brightened up at this. Unexpectedly, Mingde took his hand back, and said,” This subject is the youngest in the family.”
She immediately froze at this and gradually felt her discontent and indignation rise within her, to almost unbearable levels. Zhang-shi saw this and became anxious, hence hurriedly signalled to the laoye with her eyes.
Shangguan-shilang came forward and hunched over as he said,:” Wangye, this lowly official’s family does still have the eldest daughter……”
Shangguan Han at this time ignored the restraint and poise befitting the young miss of an official’s family, and hurriedly rushed over while clutching at her skirt to bow for blessings. Jin Yuan in a drunken haze swept his eyes over her form, then laughed loudly,” Mingde, is this your elder sister?”
Mingde replied,” Yes.”
“Then why is it that there isn’t the slightest resemblance?”
Mingde raised his eyes to look at that woman. The originally arrogant and high-spirited, pampered, and willful eldest miss. Her beautiful face wore an undisguisable look of greed and desire; her mother stood a short distance behind her, anxiously overseeing the proceedings. Her habitually harsh mouth opened and closed as if she were constantly giving the servants instructions on what to do.
Mingde lowered his long lashes, and smiled slightly as he spoke in a low voice,” If this subject’s elder sister can wait upon Wangye, would it not be the same as this subject serving.”
His words were said so quietly that only two of the people around him heard them. One was the Prince of Dongyang, Jin Yuan, who was suddenly somewhat roused from his drunken lethargy; the other was Zhang Kuo. This trusted eunuch who often accompanied the Emperor, at this time knelt down without a sound, then heavily kowtowed once.
“Aiyah, Zhang-gonggong,” Mingde hurriedly personally supported him to his feet,” Whatever are you [1] doing this for?”
Zhang Kuo said,” This slave wishes to beg Wangye for something on Mingde-gongzi’s behalf.”
Jin Yuan was rather stunned at this time, but in his bewilderment, there was a trace of a man’s intrinsic pride whilst patting himself on the back. It’s like when a beauty takes the initiative to strike up a conversation with you, although you know that this beauty already belongs to someone else, there’s still an irrepressible pride and satisfaction derived from it. Mingde is so good-looking, and it’s something that the Prince of Dongyang had seen from the entrance of the Emperor’s sleeping chambers a long time ago; If such an attractive person spoke some ambiguous words to you, even if it wasn’t with any good intent, it would be sufficient to cause one to feel intoxicated by it for a time.
The Prince of Dongyang was currently steeping in this sense of enchantment and was also extremely pleased with himself. Upon hearing Zhang Kuo’s words, his expression froze over,” What would Zhang-gonggong request of this Prince?”
Zhang Kuo bent his body deeply,:” This slave pleads with Wangye: It is extremely late in the night, and Mingde-gongzi’s body is frail and prone to chills, please send him back to get some rest!”
The Prince of Dongyang had wanted to say something, but Zhang Kuo added another sentence in a calm and collected manner,” If the Emperor summons the gongzi in the middle of the night, what if gongzi was unable to answer the summons and could not enter the palace for whatever reason? Who would be at fault then?”
The Prince of Dongyang, Jin Yuan was abruptly jolted by this, a chill running up his spine.
He was aware that his imperial brother doted ardently upon Shangguan Mingde, favouring him to the extent that he had considered constructing a nine-layered forbidden palace several times, to imprison this beauty. No monarch would be able to tolerate his imprisoned beauty shining their gaze upon any man outside of the forbidden palace, even if it were merely a trivial and quick glance – it would still be unacceptable.
More importantly, the one who would fall to misfortune would not be Shangguan Mingde. This person was so slippery and evasive, how would he place himself in a risky situation?
Jin Yuan quickly sobered up, and immediately pushed out a faceful of smiles,” Since this is the case, then Mingde, you’d better hurry up and get some rest. This Prince is also somewhat weary, it’s time to return to my residence.”
Mingde pressed his lips together in a smile. That delicate smile illuminated in the splendour and warmth of the lanterns seemed to have been dyed with a sense of □□. It was truly a breath of colour, and a sharp-edged knife scraping to the bone:” – Since this is the case, then this subject will take his leave.”
In Jin Yuan’s gaze, this smile actually bore a trace of regret.
The Prince of Dongyang, Jin Yuan did not immediately take his leave because of Shangguan-shilang’s enthusiastic persuasion for him to stay. Hence the evening banquet was extended for another while.
Mingde lay on his bed in his small side courtyard. The winter weather was bitterly cold, and the thin cotton batting was unable to retain warmth. Hence he wasn’t able to fall asleep immediately. Somewhere within his heart, there was a vague sense of unease, as if he had forgotten something very important.
The Prince of Dongyang, Jin Yuan……had originally been someone who might have ascended to the supreme throne, but it had been the Crown Prince, Li Ji who had taken the lead……
To spill blood while forming alliances [2], to raise troops and found a country…… It turns out that after so many years, he still has designs on the imperial throne?
– Mingde, you would rather be below others and use sexual favours to climb upwards, but are unwilling to follow the example of the Duke of Zheng, Wei Zheng [3], and be that meritorious minister who has given outstanding service in founding a country?”
Mingde sneered silently at this. The Qianwan Emperor’s cruelty and brutality is no trivial matter, but at least he can be considered to be a wise and talented monarch[4]. And what of you, Jin Yuan? You’re nothing more than an opportunistic profiteer!
[4] shèng jūn (圣君) lit.”holy/sage monarch”. A ruler who will leave a far-reaching and positive influence on future generations. It is an honorific title for a ruler with high moral character and talent.
He flipped himself over as he got ready to fall asleep, suddenly a flash of light seemingly went through his mind – the Prince of Dongyang, Jin Yuan’s deliberately roughened and cautious voice, resembled the one of that night……
He was among those three Xiwan assassins that night who intended to kill the Crown prince – the one who verbally exposed his identity, that third person who later escaped!
Mingde swiftly got out of bed and rushed out of the room only dressed in his underclothes. Unexpectedly, after the banquet, Zhang-shi showed up at his door filled with indignant fury, ready to settle scores with him. Once the door opened, they immediately collided with one another.
The boy servant accompanying Zhang-shi rushed over at this time,” Taitai!” “Hurry and call a physician?” “What is this state of anarchy!”
Zhang-shi unreasonably burst out into a loud wailing, grabbing Mingde,” Heavens’ damned scoundrel, just like your slut mother who disrespects her superiors. Do you even dare commit murder! What are you all just watching for? Hurry and drag him down to lock him up, call Laoye!”
Shangguan-shilang at this time was bowing respectfully at the main gate whilst sending off the Prince of Dongyang. Upon hearing the boy servant’s report, he nodded his head and agreed in a low voice,” Lock him up first and we’ll see. The boy servant retreated swiftly. Jin Yuan probably could guess what was going on but did not reveal a trace of this on his face. He merely got into his carriage with his chest puffed out and his head raised proudly. His attendant steward accompanied him, served some tea, and just as he was about to retreat, he heard Jin Yuan ask, ” What has Shangguan Mingde done, that he is to be disciplined by family law [5]?
The steward nodded his head and replied,” This slave made inquiries and it is said that it was due to colliding [6] with the furen, Zhang-shi.
Jin Yuan nodded his head at this, and after a moment replied,” Say, my Imperial Brother dotes on him so ardently, how would he tolerate others taking advantage and bullying him?”
The steward smiled placatingly,” How would this slave know. To speak boldly above one’s station, perhaps it is that the Emperor wants to train Mingde-gongzi’s temperament.”
Jin Yuan closed his eyes for a moment to rest, it was unknown what he was thinking about. In the hazy tea mist, he seemed to sneer bitterly at something.
“……Train his temperament?” Jin Yuan found this extremely amusing,” –It’s not that. The Emperor, he probably…probably hadn’t thought of this at all…… As long as the flower blooms beautifully when it is being appreciated, who cares how it blooms when no one is looking?”
The Prince of Dongyang, Jin Yuan had drunk too much wine. In the middle of the night, he had just fallen asleep with his concubine in his arms. Suddenly, his palace broke out into a clamour with the arrival of an Imperial edict, aggressively ‘inviting’ the wangye to enter the palace to meet the emperor.
Jin Yuan was extremely surprised at this. He had merely been hosted to a dinner banquet by the Shangguan family. Had the Emperor gotten wind of it so quickly?
He climbed out of the comfortable, warm nest of bedding in a hurry, as he made haste to enter the palace that night. The Emperor was currently seated in the Lianyi Palace. In front of the inner rooms, there was only a yellow pearwood tea table, and upon it was a nine-turns [7] lotus lantern. A group of gorgeously bedecked [8] beauties in attendance behind the heavy curtain could be seen indistinctly, but there wasn’t the slightest sound of laughter that could be heard.
Jin Yuan upon seeing this situation, hurriedly prostrated himself with great ceremony,” For the Emperor to summon this subject tonight, one does not know for what reason?”
The Qianwan Emperor put down the “The skies are azure after the rain” glazed teacup, and smiled,” Rumors have it that this Imperial younger brother has the intention of marrying Shangguan Mingde’s elder sister, is this the case?”
Jin Yuan hesitated for a moment, and bowed his head as he replied,” This subject……subject already has the Imperial consort and several imperial concubines…and concubines……”
The Qianwan Emperor immediately asked,” –Shangguan Mingde is surpassingly beautiful, his elder sister must also not be bad. Can it be…that she isn’t good enough to interest Imperial younger brother?”
Speaking plainly, his meaning was: Do you not find Zhen’s little Mingde beautiful?
Jin Yuan repeatedly said,” This subject does not dare! Does not dare! Miss Shangguan is bright and beautiful, and her temperament is virtuous. To obtain her is this subject’s great fortune!”
The Qianwan Emperor replied with an ‘Oh’. Even before Jinyuan’s tightly bunched nerves could even relax, he heard the Emperor ask slowly,:” Does Mingde’s elder sister resemble him?”
The Prince of Dongyang’s sweat immediately started pouring down. Zhang Kuo stood in attendance by the Qianwan Emperor. At this time he coughed once, and whispered something to the Qianwan Emperor. It was only after a while that the Qianwan Emperor asked with a smile,” I’ve heard that Imperial younger brother drank a lot, is this the case?”
Was Jin Yuan not an intelligent person? Of course, he immediately latched onto the escape path for survival as pointed out by Zhang Kuo,” – Yes, yes, yes. This subject was greedy in his cups, and has drunk too much – thus I do really do not have a very clear impression of Miss Shangguan.”
In his heart, he thought that later he must properly convey his thanks to Zhang-gonggong. Unexpectedly, the Emperor stood up and smiled as he helped him stand, sonorously declaring,” That is true. It is not the wine that makes one drunk, instead, it is the person who drinks to intoxication [9].
Jin Yuan shook off his Imperial brother’s helping hand, and knelt on the ground with a ‘thump’,:” Your Majesty, please spare this one’s life!”
“What am I to spare you for?”
“This subject understands his error!”
“What mistake has Imperial younger brother committed?”
The sweat rolled down Jin Yuan’s face. The Emperor’s method of ‘drinking vinegar [9]’, was really a little too subtle.
The Qianwan Emperor watched him for a while but did not speak. He smiled as he slowly returned to the seat of honour, and settled himself on the couch in a comfortable and leisurely manner. Jin Yuan lowered his head as he knelt. After a while, he heard the Emperor’s indifferent question,” Since you attended the banquet, then share those interesting and fun matters with Zhen. Zhen spends his entire day cloistered up within the palace, it is really so boring and gloomy.”
Jin Yuan wiped away a handful of sweat, in his heart rapidly deliberating on the meaning of the Emperor’s words and whether there were any underlying implications. He ruminated on the matter, and smiled stiffly before replying,:” This subject only met Shangguan-shilang and his furen, not the rest…… To speak of what is interesting, this subject did not realize that the Shangguan family’s upbringing and familial discipline was so strict.”
He gave a brief account of Mingde’s being confined just as he left the residence. He had thought that it would be something that the emperor would be extremely interested in but the Qianwan Emperor indifferently cut him off,” This is something that Zhen has long been aware of.”
Long been aware of? You already knew about it, yet you still tolerate other people bullying your little darling [10] and trampling all over him?
Jin Yuan found it incomprehensible, hence could only kowtow once,” Your Majesty is truly perspicacious, and sees everything.” [11]
The Qianwan Emperor laughed at this,” Imperial younger brother and Zhen’s relationship is so estranged. If you interact more with Zhen over time, you’d be aware. Zhen has always known a great many things.”
Jin Yuan was secretly extremely astonished by this, his expression revealing feigned fear [12],” Your Majesty’s words are true. This subject has been impulsive and rash [13].”
The Qianwan Emperor waved his hands,” Imperial younger brother has drunk too much, and must be tired. Go back and rest.”
