Sorry for the delay again, a longer chapter this time!
EIJIW will also be up soon.
T/N: there's another phrase that's only boxes, so I replaced it with xx for now. Will be checking the books later to see what is the actual word!
[Chapter 15 - Huan Tian Zhai] (1) What to do if the fictitious becomes the truth
Translated by pucari (.) dreamwidth (.) org
Antidote?
Duan Bai Yue frowned slightly; before this, he didn't know there's still such an issue.
Upon seeing that he did not talk for a long time, the man waved a hand impatiently: "I won't talk with you, kid, go and bring your father here."
Duan Bai Yue cleared his throat, saying: "My father has already passed away for many years."
Silence descended on all four corners.
The man's face had a look of shock, only opening his mouth, but didn't make any sound even after half a day.
Duan Bai Yue asked: "Was this elder poisoned?"
Just as his voice landed, he saw that the person's body crumple, fainting instantly.
Without any other ideas, Duan Bai Yue could only bring him out of the forbidden area, placing him in a guestroom of Xi Nan manor, and wait for a physician to come treat him.
Duan Yao leaned on the entrance, revealing half his head as he looked in.
"Come in." Duan Bai Yue said.
Duan Yao felt exceptionally guilty: "Did I really harm him?" That shouldn't be it, it was only one hit from a palm, isn't this person's martial arts supposed to be very dangerous?
"Everything was fine, why did you run there for?" Duan Bai Yue has a headache.
"I didn't go there purely just to barge in." Duan Yao said earnestly, "In the back of the mountains I saw a Qi Pu Qing (2), so I chased after it, and didn't notice that I had already reached the forbidden area. Then he suddenly rushed out, and wanted to start fighting without knowing if it's friend or foe, In my panic I hit him with my palm, then ran away." After he finish saying, he added, "I didn't use much strength to hit him."
"Never mind, be more careful next time." Duan Bai Yue said, "Go back and rest."
"Is he alright?" Duan Yao glanced into the bedroom.
Duan Bai Yue said: "The physician said he got a huge blow from unpleasant news."
"Just because I hit him with my palm?" Duan Yao doubts this.
Duan Bai Yue shook his head; truthfully, even he can't make sense of this incident.
"Then why?" Duan Yao wants to get to the bottom of this.
Duan Bai Yue told him the conversation that happened in the forest just now.
"He can even just faint like this." Duan Yao's imagination ran wild, "Could it be that he secretly liked father?"
Duan Bai Yue hit him on the head harshly.
"Lord!" Coincidentally Auntie Jin had just came in with a bowl of soup, and upon seeing this complained, "How many times have I said, don't hit the young master, if you really want to hit him, don't hit his head."
Duan Bai Yue quietly took back his hand.
"Auntie, do you recognize this person?" Duan Yao reached out his hand and pointed into the room.
"I don't recognize him, but I know him." Auntie Jin said, "He was a highly skilled martial artist from the central plains, his name is Tu Bu Jie, originally he didn't have any link with Xi Nan manor, but one day he fought and burst in, saying he wants to bring the third consort away, and even shouting that he wanted to duel with the lord."
At that time the third consort was pregnant; Duan Jing didn't even have enough time to dote on her, and yet at that time met such a lunatic; naturally he didn't act nicely, after beating and chasing him out of the manor, he even thought it wasn't enough, and fed him a bunch of xx, there were even bugs inside.
Tu Be Jie was utterly insulted, and the hatred between the two of them solidified. Afterwards, every three years, he will come and provoke once; although he was beaten away every time, he didn't give up at all. Even if the third consort, carrying the young master Duan Yu, came out to advise him, he wasn't persuaded one bit. Afterwards Duan Jing contracted a great illness, and knew he was not long for this world; and so when he came to challenge for the last time, he hit him unconscious and placed him in the forbidden area at the back of the mountain; and so Tu Bu Jie has been imprisoned for more than then years.
"Although it's weird." Auntie Jin said, "The back of mountain has no prison cages or metal chains, in theory even a child can leave easily, and yet he stayed for a few thousand days, but who knows what's the reason."
What other reason can it be.
Duan Bai Yue and Duan Yao thought the same thing.
He must have been tricked.
"Men!" Tu Bu Jie hollered in the room.
Duan Bai Yue rose and walked in.
"Your father has really passed away?" Tu Bu Jie has already gotten off the bed.
Duan Bai Yue nodded..
There certainly isn't anyone who would joke about this kind of thing, and so Tu Bu Jie cupped his fists: "Many thanks to this Xian Zhi (3) for helping me to remove the poison."
Duan Bai Yue smiled sedately: "........Elder, there's no need for thanks."
"Since this is the case, then I shall leave." Tu Bu Jie said, "Where's the person Xiao Xiao? I want to bid her farewell."
Zhao Xiao Xiao is Duan Jing's third consort, she was originally a singer and actress in Xi Nan, so Tu Bu Jie must have thought of her as a close female friend.
Duan Bai Yue said: "A few years ago, the third consort has already passed away from illness."
Tu Bu Jie was shocked, sorrow evident in his eyes: "Then what about Xiao Yu?"
"He said he wants to go into Jiang hu, he should be in Shu Zhong now." Duan Bai Yue said, "It's also my fault, being his older brother and yet didn't manage to take care of him properly."
Tu Bu Jie sighed, raising his leg wanting to leave, but stopped: "What's the mystical poison that I was afflicted with, why must I stay under that Red Tear Tree in order to stay alive?"
Duan Bai Yue said calmly: "Seven Leaf Begonia."
Tu Bu Jie nodded, then left the manor without turning his head back once.
Until his back disappeared, then did Duan Yao asked: "Was he really poisoned?"
Duan Bai Yue said: " Of course not." But this lie, if he didn't haphazardly make one, it's afraid that that man will run off to destroy the Duan family grave. After all, he is a person from Jiang Hu, it's not shameful to be imprisoned for more than ten years after losing a fight, what's shameful was, he was unknowingly tricked for more than ten years.
"The late master was also really..." Auntie Jin is also at a loss; before his death he only said to send meals regularly to the back of the mountain, if there's nothing the rest are not to disturb him, and didn't leave any other orders. If not for young master who accidentally bumped into him while catching snakes, it's not known how long more this unlucky martial artist would have been stuck there.
"To think that I thought that the forbidden place was very mysterious." Duan Yao rubbed his nose, but it's actually due to this reason.
Duan Bai Yue is not surprised at all by this.
According to his father's personality, this situation is already considered a mercy; it's probably because of the third consort, that that man is still alive.
But no one kept this issue in their minds; no one knows this Tu Bu Jie after all, if he leaves then he has left and they can even save three meals a day.
"Lord! Lord!" On this afternoon, a servant ran in, shouting, "Master Nan has dug himself out of the grave! This time he's very clean!"
In the study Duan Bai Yue rubbed his temples, he has returned from Qiong Hua Valley?
"Teacher!" Duan Yao jumped down from the rooftop.
Nan Mo Ya caught him in his embrace: "The jar of fat insects in front, those are raised by you?"
"Yes." Duan Yao is proud.
"Not bad." Nan Mo Ya patted his head.
"Teacher." Duan Bai Yue stood at the door to the study, "Why didn't you send a letter back before returning?" Then I could have left earlier.
"Teacher has something to talk with you." Nan Mo Ya went into the study.
Duan Yao also wanted to go in, but was blocked outside.
Duan Bai Yue patted his head, and turned to go in.
Duan Yao, angry, squatted in the yard digging insects to play.
How dare they!
"What does teacher want to talk about?" Duan Bai Yue poured him a cup of tea.
"After some time, it will be the time that the Gu Chong in your body wakes up." Nan Mo Ya said, "Since Tian Chen Sha still hasn't been found, if you want to peacefully endure through this, it's best that you go into seclusion with teacher."
"Teacher's words are too severe." Duan Bai Yue shook his head, "It's only just a few Gu Chong."
"The insects are raised by me, what consequences there are, I naturally know more than you!" Nan Mo Ya said, "This has no room for discussion."
"Due to teacher secretly spreading rumors, all the central plains martial artists are saying, that Yao-er knows the Bodhi Heart Sutra." Duan Bai Yue callously reminded, "Just this month alone, more than ten people have come to Xi Nan manor to propose marriage with him. If you and I go into seclusion at this time, it's afraid that when we come out, Yao-er is not only snatched away, he may even have a son already."
Nan Mo Ya: "....."
"Disciple knows his limits, there's no need for teacher's concern." Duan Bai Yue said.
But Nan Mo Ya didn't intend to compromise, and went out of the manor in the night.
Although Duan Bai Yue doesn't know what he wants to do, but he has an ominous feeling in his heart.
As expected, on the morning of the second day, Nan Mo Ya came back again, and brought a person along with him — the capital's entertainment parlor Ran Yue Lou's owner, Gu Yun Chuan.
"Brother Gu?" Duan Bai Yue is curious, "Why did you come here?"
"I'm going back to Jiang Nan, so I dropped by Xi Nan to buy some herbs, originally I was intending to only visit King Duan the day after. Gu Yun Chuan said, "Who knew that I met Master Nan on the streets this morning, and he insisted on pulling me over here."
"Yao-er." Nan Mo Ya reached his hand and called out.
"Teacher." Duan Yao hopped and jumped on the way, running over with a fat worm in his hand, "Do you want me to buy some breakfast back from the streets?"
Nan mo Ya raised his hand and his palm landed, and caused Duan Yao to faint cleanly with a palm
Gu Yun Chuan: "..........."
Duan Bai Yue: "............."
Such jovialness and innocence, and he can still bear to do this?
"Have to trouble this warrior." Nan Mo Ya took Duan Yao into Gu Yun Chun's hands, "Recently there's some people who's looking for trouble with Duan Yao, please bring him back to the capital to take care for a while; three, five months later there will be someone to fetch him."
Gu Yun Chuan really wants to take back his hand: "I mentioned just now, I'm going back to Jiang Nan."
"Then you can bring him to Hibiscus court." Nan Mo Ya is not picky, "It's all good, all good."
Gu Yun Chuan looked at Duan Bai Yue with pleading eyes.
Duan Bai Yue rubbed his temples, sighing: "I have to trouble Brother Gu."
Gu Yun Chuan felt he suffered a great loss.
Who doesn't know that the young master of Xi Nan Manor is fierce, good at martial arts and loves to poison people and scatter Gu all over.
Originally he only wanted to buy some spices back, and didn't expect to get into this trouble.
But as things are, he doesn't even have the time to regret, and could only sigh deeply, and brought the unconscious Duan Yao on the road with him, towards Qian Yue city. He only pleads for a chance to throw Duan Yao to Ri Yue sect, cleaning his hands off of this.
Once Duan Yao left, Xi Nan manor became very quiet. Every morning Duan Bai Yue will go to the stone room to meditate; until the Gu Chong in his body wakes up, then he will go into seclusion in the grave.
Another half a month passed, in the mountains of Xi Nan, the fiery red tree peonies bloomed; plucking the petals down to make wine, even the liquor is colored red. After drinking it, the aftertaste stays for long, and it looks to be festive, and so the cost is very high.
Ten horses rushed all the way through the nights, pulling a big carriage towards the capital; inside are tributes.
Chu Yuan is used to diligence and self discipline, he doesn't touch almost a drop of wine usually, thus these ten plus jars of Fei Xia (4), a large part was offered to the officials, leaving only one jar in the palace.
This is wine given by Xi Nan King.....the officials are all uneasy, no matter how they think about it, all felt that it must be poisoned and has Gu planted inside. Yet Chu Yuan wasn't mindful of this, and drink a cup happily himself; his cheeks warming.
"Your Majesty likes this wine?" Eunuch Si Xi helped him to fill another cup of wine.
"It's a little bland." Chu Yuan said, "However the aftertaste is sweet, it's not the same as the Fei Xia that was given last year."
"Of course, I heard from the people who came to offer them, that this year these ten plus jars of wine were brewed by Xi Nan King himself." Eunuch Si Xi said, "Of course it's not the same as the ones bought outside."
Chu Yuan: "...."
Eh?
And so half an hour later, a huge group of imperial guards was sent out of the palace, once again taking back the wine jars that was previously sent to various official's manors.
Luckily they haven't drank it....all the officials felt fortunate, as expected, they're poisoned.
Probably because he drank wine, this night, Chu Yuan had a rare night of peaceful sleep; during the morning court on the second day, his mood is also a lot better.
Lord Liu Da Jiong, standing in front, thought, usually the emperor has majestic look on, when he smiles like this sometimes, he truly does look handsome.
Really wants to help to matchmake.
Time passed by day by day, when time's said to be passing by slow it's slow, but when it's said to be passing by fast it's also fast; in a blink of an eye summer turned to fall, and in another blink of an eye, the mountains have already been dye scarlet by red maples.
"It's almost winter." In the Xi Nan manor, Duan Bai Yue said, "The time has already passed by, this year the Gu Chong will not wake again, there's also no need for teacher to spend his efforts, to help me clear my internal energy." "There's still four months." Nan Mo Ya shook his head, "Before the year closes, we cannot be careless, and must not take half a step out of the house."
"But if Yao-er is not fetched back here, Brother Gu's house would probably be destroyed by him." Duan Bai Yue reminded him.
"You are a king, and are still afraid of not being able to compensate a brothel?" Nan Mo Ya stared at him.
Duan Bai Yue is speechless.
Luckily at this time a guard come in to report, that a letter from the palace has been received.
Nan Mo Ya's eyes became more meaningful.
Duan Bai Yue turned to leave, only begging that he won't be stopped again, getting imparted via some expressive faces.....methods of love making between men.
This teacher, he truly wants to re-bury him back into the grave.
The secret missive only has a few strokes of brush, but after Duan Bai Yue finished reading it, his forehead is slightly creased.
"Lord." Duan Nian came in with a bowl of medicinal soup, "Auntie Jin just finished brewing it, and to inform the lord that before drinking the medicine, to eat some pastries to protect the stomach first."
"Many thanks." Duan Bai Yue took a piece of pastry, "Get Lu Feng to come in."
Duan Nian tried asking: "General Lu?"
"Who else?" Duan Bai Yue smiled, "Why, must even this be asked?"
"Subordinate doesn't dare." Duan Nian said, "Just that Master Nan and Auntie Jin has both said before, the remaining few months, it's best that lord does not do anything." To sleep after eating, eat after sleeping, it will be the best.
"Go." Duan Bai Yue shook his head, "In ten minutes' time, I want to see him."
"Yes!!" Duan Nian cupped his fists, and hastily retreated from the study.
Duan Bai Yue leaned back on thee chair, looking outside while seemingly deep in thought, but there's a hint of a smile in his eyes.
At the same time, on the road, a carriage is currently going forward, bathed in starlight. Eunuch Si Xi poured a cup of tea and offered up with his both hands: "Your Majesty."
"How many more days in this journey?" Chu Yuan came back to the present.
"Replying to Your Majesty, there should be around thirty more days, before we arrive at Hua Tian Zhai." Eunuch Si Xi said, "That lady of the Li family's marriage duel is at the 28th of next month, the time is just right."
Chu Yuan nodded, and continued to rest with his eyes closed.
In this secret trip out of the capital, by appearances it's said that the dragon body is owed some peace, and they're going to Cheng An villa to rest for some time, temporarily letting Tai Fu handle the issues of the court; but the final destination is Xi Nan, or should it be said, Mo Bei.
Honestly speaking, the plan suggested by Duan Bai Yue previously can certainly work. Let the Chu troops and Xi Nan troops seemingly be conflict first, and wait till the northern desert tribes have thought that those two sides have started battle, and can't bear but to take the opportunity to invade the south and get a piece of the cake, thrn unexpectedly catch them in one fell swoop, in order to openly and justly execute and expel them, forever removing this illness.
Three days ago, Shen Qian Fan has already received a missive, and rode from the north west, all the way towards Huan Tian Zhai in Xi Nan.
For....a marriage duel.
"Marriage duel?" Nan Mo ya snatched the missive from Duan Bai Yue's hands, hastily looked over it once, and then said, "No!"
"Why not?" Duan Bai Yue said.
"Why must you go?" Nan Mo Ya stared with wide eyes, "This campaign, what trivial good does it even offer you?"
Duan Bai Yue said: "There is."
Nan Mo Ya was so angry till his nose scrunched up, "What good does it do you?"
Duan Bai Yue said: "My mood will be good."
Nan Mo Ya: "........"
Duan Bai Yue continued to say: "After this campaign, Emperor Chu will present me with the entire Xi Nan."
Nan Mo Ya really wants to take off his shoe and hit his head.
"In short, this trip to Huan Tian Zhai, I must go." Duan Bai Yue said, "Teacher can try your best to hinder; I'm afraid it'll be of no use."
Nan Mo Ya paced around the room with his hands behind his back, and stopped and said: "Are you not afraid that the Gu poison will act up?"
Duan Bai Yue answered: "With teacher around, of course I'm not afraid."
Nan Mo Ya sat on the ground: "I'm not going, I'm not leaving Xi Nan manor even if I'm dead!"
Duan Bai Yue said sorrowfully: "Then this king will have to die in a foreign place."
Nan Mo Ya's eyes darkened.
Duan Bai Yue said: "Teacher, please do take care of Yao-er properly."
Nan Mo Ya felt that if he dies again this time, it won't be because of the Bodhi Heart Sutra, but because he was angered to death by him.
King of the Xi Nan prefecture, running off to have a marriage duel?
Even if it's just an excuse, it's embarrassing if it spreads out; the late king will probably come out from his grave in anger.
However Duan Bai Yue is not mindful of this, a month later, he brought five trusted aides, and went to Huan Tian Zhai.
Fires raged in Nan Mo Ya's heart; he packed a small bag and catching up at the back.
If placed in the pugilistic world of central plains, Huan Tian Zhai is naturally not a huge sect. But if in Xi Nan, it can be considered to have some sense of scale; moreover Li Tie Shou has always been generous, and so a lot of Jiang Hu people came to participate; it's a lively time.
The lady in the center of the marriage duel is named Du Zheng, she was ransomed many years ago by Huan Tian Zhai from the banks of Qin Huai river; her looks are said to be elegant and refined. Usually a rich family pays for the ransom to take the lady as the mistress, but Li Tie Shou brought her back home and adopted her as his daughter; it spread as a feel-good story.
Since she is a beautiful woman, of course the number ofpeople who like her are not few. Before the start of this marriage duel, there's already various kinds of rumors spreading, from the warriors in Jiang Hu to the rich families of Jiang Zhe, almost everyone was involved with Du Zheng, and above all, it was said that the great General Shen Qian Fan and Xi Nan King Duan Bai Yue both adore Du Zheng a lot, and they are even coming for the marriage duel.
After the rest heard this, each and every one was shocked. Although it's not rare for the pugilistic world to hold marriage duels, but only people from Jiang Hu join those; this time, why are even a king from the borders and a great general from the imperial court are also coming?
"So I say that lady from the Li family is not ordinary!" In an old tree on a street, the villagers have on expressive faces, spittle flying everywhere, "The most beautiful person in Qin Zhui, how can a lady from a normal family compare? Tsk."
Commoners are also gathered on the two sides of the street, chattering; if Xi Nan King and General Shen are coming, then it's afraid that Du Zheng won't land in other people's hands; it can only be seen which of these two people has the luck, to be able to carry home a beautiful women in the end.
There's a house not far away from Huai Tian Zhai, the owner's surname is Zhou, by appearance they're in the rice and grains business, but under the covers they are spies sent by the imperial court to this area.
For this trip, Chu Yuan is staying in Zhou manor.
Duan Bai Yue sat on the second level of a wine house in the city, raised his head, drinking a cup of wine, looking at the two big red lanterns hanging at the entrance of Zhou's manor.
"Since you have arrived, yet you don't go and look for him, are you trying to get him to come out just by looking with your eyeballs?" Nan Mo Ya said sourly.
Duan Bai Yue smiled and said: "If he wishes to see me, he will send someone to invite me."
He even wants to get him to invite him? Nan Mo Ya sighed sadly, with this kind of capability, I'm afraid there's no need to think of daughter-in-law, shining a rod is also quite good. (5)
"Let's go." Duan Bai Yue said, "Back to the inn."
Nan Mo Ya thought, this time when he goes back to Xi Nan manor, he must find carpenter Zhang in the city, to create a shining gold plaque with the words "Godly Lover" to hang in the hall.
And in Zhou manor, Chu's mood is not bad these few days, because Ye Jin is also in Huan Tian Zhai, and even came over for a meal — although he is still humph-ing here and there, a face of unfamiliarity, but he knows that his personality is just like this, Chu Yuan also doesn't mind, being happy and harmonious together.
"Your body is weak, and yet you keep staying up at night?" On this afternoon, Ye Jin snatched his wrist over to test his pulse, "Wait, I'm going to the street to get you some medicine to eat."
Chu Yuan nodded, and saw him out of the house with his eyes, and turned to return to his bedroom.
However there was someone waiting by the table.
"I trust you have been in good health since we last met." (6) Duan Bai Yue put down the teacup in his hand.
"If we didn't remember wrongly, the day we agreed to meet on is not today." Chu Yuan's voice has no winds, no waves.
"I'm free and have nothing to do, why can't I come take a look?" Duan Bai Yue smiled, "Moreover if not for Emperor Chu, marriage duels, this kind of thing, it's afraid this king will not have an interest in it for the rest of his life."
"It's only acting out a scene." Chu Yuan sat by the table.
"Although it's only acting a scene, but what if the fictitious becomes the truth, what happens then?" Duan Bai Yue's voice is light, and getting slightly closer.
Chu Yuan hit him away with a hand, and coldly stated: "Then we must congratulate Xi Nan King."
Duan Bai Yue laughed and shook his head: "It's just some nonsensical rambling, why would I go and marry someone else."
"There are many eyes in the city, if there's nothing, then please leave." Chu Yuan avoided his gaze, "The marriage duel in three days, Qian Fan will know to lose to you, but if you truly hurt him heavily, we will not show you mercy!"
The room is silent and somber; after a long while, Duan Bai Yue then smiled: "Yes."
Chu Yuan did not say anything else,
Duan Bai Yue rose up; at the moment when he opened the door, he felt a raw pain in his chest.
It's not like it didn't ache before, but this time....it doesn't seem to be good.
Duan Bai Yue laughed bitterly, and returned to the inn alone.
"How is it?" Nan Mo Ya's eyes are bright, "The medicine that teacher gave you, was it useful?"
"I threw it away." Duan Bai Yue replied.
Nan Mo Ya is distressed. "What did you say?" That was bought at a high price, it's even more expensive than gold by a third.
"Chun Gui Zhui is no use, but other medicine may have uses." Duan Bai Yue leaned and sat down by the table, cold sweat beading on his forehead, "At least before the marriage duel, let these Gu Chong obediently go back to hibernation."
(1) Huan Tian Zhai: 欢天寨 - lit. happy day stronghold. Place/name of a sect.
(2)Qi Pu Qing: 七步青 - lit. seven steps green.
(3) Xian Zhi: 贤侄 - a polite way of addressing a younger person.
(4) Fei Xia: 绯霞 - means tree peonies, the wine is made from the petals of these peonies so it's named after it.
(5) shining a rod is also quite good - 打光棍挺好: replace rod with.....and that's it. Another way is to describe it is to stay a bachelor.
(6) I trust you have been in good health since we last met: 别来无恙 - lit. leave go no illness, used as a greeting when meeting someone you haven't seen in a while. (these chinese idioms are going to be the death of me)
Let me know if there's any mistakes!