Hello readers,
I present you chapter 9 which is the most difficult chapter I have ever translated (I may exaggerate it a bit cause there's more chapters ahead). There's a lot of geographic description that can be tedious at most. There will be some errors and this chapter is heavy with pictures.
And, I realize that Liu Jue's name in oncoming drama is spelled as Liu Yu. But, I will not change the name in the future chapters, because Liu Jue is a pretty name than Liu Yu and it fits the character more imo. So, if you, in any chance, are going to watch the drama, keep in mind about this *wink.
Happy reading, guys!!
Man Man Qing Luo
Chapter 09
A three-story building in the northeast corner of An Qing Wangfu [1] was brightly lit and quiet all around the place. It is said that there was a curious little girl in the Wangfu. After seeing a little rabbit in road to the forest near Song Feng (Pine Wind) Hall, she chased the rabbit. Afterwards, people had never seen her again. Everyone in the house detoured and regarded it as a forbidden place.
[1] Wang fu (王府) : Prince's Palace
A Young Princes was once recruited a popular young miss Hong Yu in Feng City to sing a song in Song Feng Hall. Then that young miss Hong Yu returned back and said to common folks that the Young Prince’s residence was too quiet and elegant. The red jade girl returned to say that the little Wang’s residence was quiet and elegant, the hospitality toward guest was polite. Thus Song Feng Hall was portrayed as a place that was ideal for most girls to have a family for the rest of her life. Most girls looked forward to be the loved one and life with Young Prince.
At this moment, Liu Jue was in the middle of painting. A servant girl beside him was carefully grinding the ink stone for painting. Her eyes only focused on the ink stick and the movement of her hands so as the force was even, not too fast nor slow. By doing so, she carefully ground the ink to not let the ink spilled and made no rustling sound.
Liu Jue carefully sketched out a girl's appearance on the paper. Skirt’s gauze seemed to be fluttering by the wind and was pressed by jade on the waistline She saw her slender body and small shoulders. Her hair was drawn as if knotted like fog cloud and was inserted with orchid jade hairpin. Her graceful bearing was quite outstanding, exactly like Young Miss of Gu’s family, Gu Tian Lin.
Liu Jue had satisfied looks and his gaze carried a mirth with rapt attention as he was going to draw the eyes outline on beauty’s face. People always said that to paint a dragon needs a dot in the eyes [2], Liu Jue stroked those Chinese character downward. Gu Tian Lin’s self as if come out alive from the painting. In Liu Jue’s mind quickly flashed a pair of crystal clear eyes, as he closed his eyes, he imagined Gu Tian Lin’s eyes. When he opened his eyes, he quickly stroked the brush to paint to deal with the finishing line. At another minute, he hold pen in and looked distracted.
[2] idiom : to add the vital finishing touch, the crucial point that brings the subjects to life.
He took a glance to the overall painting. In the center of paper, there’s a beautiful woman but why does those eyes carried a wild nature and agile passion. It didn’t look the same as that person whom was a dignified and virtuous young miss.
From peripheral of Liu Jue’s eyes, he swept to look at the expression on the face on painting, he carefully examined the painting and unexpectedly found that those two eyes ruins the painting. He reached out the painting, hold the painting and was going to touched those eyes but stopped halfway. I reached out and tried to smash the painting. I touched the eyes and stopped. He looked for quite some time while assessed the painting fair and square before instructed : "Frame the painting properly."
He thought the painting should be hang on top next time.
Liu Jue’s finger gently knocked on the painting for some period, and said: “How many household/family can go to the peach banquet with a servant girl? Hmm ?”
Liu Ying had been kneeling outside for an hour. At this time, he heard Young Prince’s question and whispered: "The princess had invited seven households in Ning Country, the Imperial cabinet minister has 14 households and brought along in total 57 servant girls. We also had asked twenty-three people of Feng City’s noble son, but they didn’t bring along any servant girl to the banquet. Fifty-seven subordinate has been verified one by one and that there is no such little girl. The princess only brought the eight women. Furthermore, throughout the inner palace, there’s forty-six employed woman, but none fit the description."
As Liu Jue listened to the information, his face became uglier by minute. He recalled back that little girl who had twice smuggled him in a day, but actually couldn’t find her? Furthermore, Young Prince of An Qing Wangfu had beaten by her, tied to a tree and robbed his silvers and golds. It was better to jump into the river of Ning Capital and die.
Liu Ying saw that Young Prince’s veins on his hands were twitching, and he knew that it was extremely shameful and humiliation to him. He was hesitant to think about it. He thought of the main body and gave a little girl a dizzy, but he didn’t Find people. Liu Ying was slightly hesitated but boldly said: "Lord, will it possible a daughter from a household of nearby village come in to hunt?"
Liu Jue’s eyes glared: “Check!”
Liu Ying made a courtesy and left in a hurry.
♣♣♣♣♣
Every each month, Seventh Madam and Qing Luo’s allowance, when combined together was three or two silver taels, and it was barely cover the garden maintenance’s cost. Since Li Xiang learned that Qing Luo was not without a skill, the allowance had increased to twelve silver taels. The silver banknotes that Seventh Madam got it from Liu Jue was carefully examined to see some particular traces/marks, then she told Zhang Ma to secretly find someone to go to Qianzhuang [3] to exchange money currency. and both banknotes were valued more than four hundred taels. This person personality was worse than dead person, but Liu Jue had casually pocketed two banknotes of a few hundreds taels in his pocket, that was enough to feed four people in the Crabapple garden for a few years. Ah Luo firmly believes that having wealth was the most persuasive argument. Going there, money [4] was the best diplomat.
[3] money farm, dealing in illegal foreign currency of money laundering.
[4] Kong fang xiong (孔方兄) : ancient China's money
Seventh Madam looked at Ah Luo anxiously : "You are only 13 years old next month and you usually don't leave home, how can mother feel rest assured?"
Ah Luo : "In my spare time, I have heard a lot of local conditions and customs of Feng City, and I have secretly read to many books. At least, not as bad as one who know nothing about Ning Country. Besides that, is Ah Luo's intelligence really like a thirteen-year-old child?"
Seventh Madam was still not at ease. Ah Luo was at loss so she drew Seventh Madam to the bamboo forest then she split a thick bamboo with a knife in her hand. She also launched some punches and kicks (quan jiao [5]) everywhere while doing so some bamboo leaves were fluttering down, afterwards there was somewhat imposing manner/energetic looks on Ah Luo. Seventh Madam was shocked. Ah Luo smiled and pulled her: "When I was a child, I couldn't sleep and ran into the garden. I met an uncle who can do quan jiao. He taught me to learn the methods. I haven’t mentioned this to anyone, mother, in this inner residence only mother who know this matter. Last time, I struck Young Prince of the An Qing Palace until he lost his consciousness."
[5] quan jiao (拳脚) : Chinese boxing, punches and kicks
(t.n. : Ah Luo can do Kung Fu. But for convenience, she introduce it as quan jiao to her mother. Shaolin and Kung fu is basically similar)
Seventh Madam covered her mouth with hand and looked at Ah Luo's proud appearance. There’s some mixed feeling, at one moment she felt happy, then felt funny and was surprised as well: "Ah Luo, this is good but not enough. You can escape alone if you want to leave Xiang residence."
Ah Luo sat on her: "I want to go together, I won't leave you alone here."
At the moment, the two mothers and daughters negotiated and found an opportunity to find a place from the wall behind the bamboo forest to get out of the house. In advance, Ah Luo went to the city to stroll around.
Xiao Yu was already sixteen years old. Seventh Madam took out fifty-two silvers and asked her to go abroad to find someone to marry. But Xiao Yu refused, cried and said: "Xiao Yu has no relatives in this world. That year, Xiao Yu had relied on Madam for some taels to let Xiao Yu bury my mother, but now to where I have to go?"
Seventh Madam said: "If you stay in Xiang residence, you will lose your life"
Xiao Yu just shook her head: "Madam, young miss has treated Xiao Yu like an ordinary person. Please, keep me along, Young Miss is still small."
A Luo helped Xiao Yu rose : "Then you will be my older sister, we all are a family now. We will not leave you alone wherever we go."
From that day on, Mrs. Seven also taught Xiao Yu to play the flute. Just in case Ah Luo left the house one day and she would let Xiao Yu to take the place as Ah Luo’s counterpart by playing the flute in bamboo forest.
Ah Luo went to the bamboo forest behind the house and practiced playing the flute. The morning air in the bamboo forest was crisp and fresh, the birds were chirping, importantly no one would come to thwart her. After blowing the flute for a while, she heard another xiao flute’s [6] sound wafting from outside. Together, they’re playing in harmony as the sound of their flutes create melodious music. Ah Luo’s spirit was resonating again. Slowly she blew the whole tune till the last note where she put down the flute. By that time, the flute’s sound from outside was gradually fading and disappear.
[6] Xiao flute (箫)
The xiao flute’s sound appeared one month after Ah Luo came to the bamboo forest. Every morning, Qing Luo came to the bamboo forest, as soon as she played the flute, the other xiao flute’s sound would come along. At the beginning, Ah Luo’s skills were still not proficient enough, but by playing along with xiao flute’s sound slowly, she was getting better day by day. Seventh Madam were pleased and said: "San er, guqin (zither) and xiao flute are from the same family (in music). Your skill in zither have surpassed more than mother’s skill, and now you also quickly excelled in flute, it’s enough for you to report back to your father."
Afterwards, Ah Luo was no longer interested in playing the flute meticulously, she wanted to go out and took a look outside. She wanted to get familiar with Feng City as soon as possible and arrange a way to retreat.
Xiao Yu guarded outside the bamboo forest, and both of them would exchange cryptic messages about the situation around them with flute’s sound. Subsequently, Ah Luo slowly walked to the wall next to the bamboo forest.
The walls of the Xiang residence were eight feet high, the green bricks were surrounded the residence without any gap visible. Ah Luo inwardly cursed, why hasn’t it built on soybean dregs! Frustrated, she walked carefully along the wall edge but soon found out that it’s entirely locked up without any gap existed. When she was almost lose hope and disappointed, she suddenly saw several large pieces of exquisite decoration stone [7] piled up beside the wall. It is estimated that it is the rest of the garden, it was supposed to be leftover decorations that used for garden. It had been piled up for a long time, some moss and weeds had grown on top of them.
[7] Ling long shi (玲珑石) : exquisite decoration stone
Ah Luo rolled up her sleeves to move that stone which seemingly light. But she was afraid that due to the other stone’s large size, they would weight more than hundred kilogram. So, Ah Luo exerted all her strength to push that decoration stone and the stone was lightly moved. Her heart was rejoices. After surveying the location, she walked out from the bamboo forest and smiled at Xiao Yu.
The next day, Seventh Madam personally stayed outside of bamboo forest. Ah Luo and Xiao Yu carried two long and thick rods to the place where Ah Luo’s pointed yesterday. Xiao Yu looked at decoration stones and was at a loss: "Young Miss, this is usually need several men that has some capacity to move them, can we really do it?"
Ah Luo smiled and said: "We’ll use leverage, with this we don’t need to exert too much energy. Archimedes said, ‘give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world’."
Xiao Yu who listened her was confused: "What ball? What is chicken’s virtue? What do you mean?" [8]
[8] Earth = 地球 (dì qiú), ball = 球 (qiú), Archimedes = 阿基米德 (Ā jī mĭ dé), chicken’s virtue = (jī dé)
Ah Luo laughed: "You don’t need to understand it, you just follow my instructions." Afterwards, she instructed Xiao Yu to put the stick between the narrow slit under the stone, then she searched a hard rock, Ah Luo exerted all her strength to push down the stone and raised that decorative stone, Xiao Yu hurriedly pushed so that that decorative stone would rolled to the nearby wall a little by little.
After it was done, Xiao Yu clapped her hand happily but was hushed by Ah Luo. The two of them began lifted the smaller stones and arranging them.
A few days later, when Seventh Madam came to the target wall, she only saw a few nests of withered bamboo and vines but there wasn’t any way to escape from the residence. She was puzzled, by then Ah Luo had pulled her to the back. A pile of decoration stones arranged disorderly to a certain height, and it was easy to go up the wall by walking up to those stones.
Seventh Madam and Qing Luo stealthily popped out their heads from above the wall. There was a small street outside, and a small river next to it. No one was around on that street. Both of them snickered in their sleeve and came down from the wall. Seventh Madam walked around in front of that stones, then praised: "You can’t discern anything from the front"
Ah Luo smiled smugly: "I spent a lot of effort with Xiao Yu to move the vines to cover it."
Back to the house, Seventh Madam carefully recalled and plotted the location of the Xiang Residence. It was speculated that the river outside of the wall was flowing from the Yuxiang Mountain, Imperial City. The brook exited to the East Gate and then merged into the Duin River. All of these were based on the memories, thus the outline of the Feng City from her impression was drawn.
Ah Luo combined Seventh Madam’s paintings into a book, hence by doing this, she had an understanding of the panoramic view of the Feng City.
The South of Feng City faced the Du Ning River. The west was the plain, and it will go straight to the border of the country. To the east was Yucui Mountain, and Hu Guo Princess' Shecui Manor was built in the foothills, moreover the royal garden was also there. Turning over Yucui Mountain was the boundless primitive forest of Heishan [9] County and limitless of thick weeds field. Beside that, there was a common border resided between Ning Country and An Country, and then exactly straight towards the east was a sea .
[9] Actually, I’m not sure what’s the exact translation for 黑山 (Hei shan). It’s either a name place (Heishan county in Jinzhou) or a really thick forest in mountain
The north of Feng City was Yuxiang Mountain. The imperial city was built on the mountain, and the mountain peak of Yuxiang Mountain was towering into the sky, there was permanent snow that accumulated all the year round. The melted snow would formed a jade spring [10] and would never dry up in four seasons. The water from this spring would flowed through the imperial city and were distributed to the cities as a water source. Behind the Yuxiang Mountain, there was Heishan forest that would converge with the border of An Country.
[10] Yuquan (玉泉) : jade spring
After passing through the Du Ning River in the south and passed through 30 towns, it would reached Han River, across from it was Chen Country.
There were only three gates in Feng City, and based on the (favored) position of the mountain, the city was well fortified. There was no need to worry with An Country attack because these two country were separated by enormous forest. It was the last line of defense in Ning Country, and the country had been flourishing and peaceful for hundreds of years.
In Feng City, there was a straight avenue leading to the South Gate from the Imperial City’s location, and in the middle of it, there was an intersection avenue to east and west gates. The city was naturally divided into four parts. The northwest was the official residence and office area. The northeast was the residence area of the emperor's family, the embassy residence, wealthy people area. The southwest was for lower middle class area and common people resided here. Finally, the southeast was a commercial area.
Within various districts, the tea stalls and liquor/wine store and restaurant were heavily packed. In the business district, there would be red-light district, merchant guest would frequently come here (客商行馆). The most upscale restaurant inn and the most upscale brothel was actually a must go (最高档的酒楼客栈，最高档的青楼去所). The most high-end foreign trade shop. There were countless pleasure ships on Du Ning River in the East Gate. In general, this was a cosmopolitan city with a functionally prosperous hot market and famous metropolitan.
[t.n : Not sure with this paragraph. My brain’s wrinkle has increased by this time]
Ah Luo’s priority was to go to the business district. She need to make money, surveying the outside situation with eyes and ears. Eventually, she need to understand this strange land, where the undeveloped place was always hides the paradise. Ah Luo firmly believed she could find it.
t.n. : I put some pictures here and tidying my blogger. It was a mess, like some really small font, different font etc. Hope you can imagine and read them more easily. Truthfully, I was at loss too what they were before I searched some pictures.