Inner Residence arc ー Chapter 11 (Part 2): Three Months Fireworks
I used a wet cloth and spread it on his forehead but it was not in the least useful. He was burning up so much that his whole face was very red and he kept on talking in his sleep. The wound which had been bandaged started to have blood oozing again and his four limbs were convulsing faintly. His immune system and the toxins in his body were currently engaged in a counterattack battle which alternated between invading and defending.
I caught Yun Xiang and asked, "Is there white spirit* in the house? Quickly bring it here!"
*T/n: Baijiu
Before my voice had faded, there came a knocking sound on the door.
I nervously asked, "Who is it?"
"It's me," Song Zijing's voice sounded.
I didn’t have the time to think about why he had come here as I jumped up and dashed over to open the door.
As the moonlight outside illuminated my bloodstained clothes, Song Zijing's expression had a little look of fright written over his face.
My voice carried a sobbing tone. "Teacher, my Second Elder Brother……"
Song Zijing hurriedly went to the bed. As soon as he took his pulse, his expression became solemn. A slight somber atmosphere hung in the air.
I said, "I'll go get the white spirit."
Song Zijing pulled me back. "I'll go. You watch over him."
I nodded my head in bewilderment.
Song Zijing stared at me and suddenly cupped my face with his both hands. He enunciated each and every word at a time, "Don’t be scared. It's alright. Calm down a little."
I absently nodded. After he released me, his figure disappeared into the night in a flash.
A few minutes later, Song Zijing carried back two big earthen jars. Each jar had to weigh at least thirty to forty kilograms but he carried them as if he was carrying two fish. With light footsteps and a robust figure, he moved swiftly, entering the room in the blink of an eye.
I stared blankly for a moment before I poured out the alcohol to dilute it. Yun Xiang was still a young girl so I sent her to assist from the side. Song Zijing and I continuously helped to wipe Xie Zhaoying's body.
Song Zijing asked me while wiping, "You know who did this?"
"I don’t know." I said, "When he returned, he was already like this. He collapsed without saying anything. He even got poisoned."
"What?" Song Zijing was so shocked that his face paled.
I pointed at Xie Zhaoying's wound. "It's 'Three Months Fireworks'. 'Qiu Yang's Notes' didn't write the detoxification method. I could only temporarily suppress it with acupuncture."
Dark clouds shrouded Song Zijing's face. "What a great 'Three Months Fireworks'!"
I wanted to ask if it was the work of the Qin family but then felt that it wasn't the time to be discussing this. Thus, I focused on wiping Xie Zhaoying's body while helping to cover him with the quilt properly at any time.
After busying myself while trembling in fear for a long time, Xie Zhaoying's body temperature started to decrease. I was relieved and thought to myself that I no longer had to prick him until he became a hedgehog. I had plenty of methods for physical cooling. When the temperature reaches 40℃, he must be given Chinese sausage in saltwater. Fellow Comrade Second Xie was lucky so I also didn’t need to thoroughly inspect and learn his 'jadelike frame*'".
*T/n: Used more often to describe the naked body of a beautiful woman
Afterwards, I didn’t even know when I had fallen asleep. When I woke up, the sky was already bright. I was sleeping on the bed while wearing bloody clothes while Yun Xiang was dozing off while sitting at the side.
I woke her up and asked, "Where's the person?"
Yun Xiang rubbed her eyes and said, "Teacher Song took Second Young Master away before the the sun had rose. He was saying that your place here wasn't convenient so he had returned to the academy. He even said that Miss can visit after waking up."
I took a bath and instructed Yun Xiang to stealthily burn all the bloody clothes. After that, I went to see Xie Zhaoying.
Song Zijing stayed in the small courtyard behind the academy. It was very simple and plain and really fit with the image of a poor and elegant scholar like him, although I was currently expressing my doubts regarding the fact that he's a nondescript scholar.
Song Zijing had a footboy called Song San who takes care of his daily life. When he saw me, he made a gesture. "Teacher has gone out. He said that when Fourth Miss comes, she can directly enter the room."
I asked, "How's Second Young Master?"
"He's already awake but he ate a little and has went back to sleep again. Teacher wants Fourth Miss to not worry as the others in the Xie Residence don't know yet."
I walked into the room.
The sunlight on a spring day shone inside from an angle. Xie Zhaoying was sitting with his back leaning against the bed frame and appeared wan and exhausted. His handsome face was so pallid that it made others feel sorry for him. His eyes were still bright and the corner of his mouth carried a faint smile as he gently said to me, "Oh you've come."
As I stared at him, my gaze flickered and scene from last night resurfaced before my eyes. An impulsive feeling which overwhelmed me gushed out. I inhaled a deep breath. "Pft, hahahaha!!!!! You wore red underpants!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Xie Zhao Ying's face was like Xuan Tan as he gnashed his teeth. "This year is the year of this father*'s birth sign**!!!!"
*T/n: There's a lot of jargon in this case but I'll try to summarise it simply. Xuan Tan is the abbreviation for Lord Xuan Tan, one of the Four Guardians of Taoism. When someone is described to be like Xuan Tan, it's to say that the person is very solemn and putting on a poker face. He is depicted to have a dark face with dense moustache as well as bushy eyebrows and huge eyes.
**T/n: Can be used in an arrogant fashion or jocularly to refer to oneself
***T/n: According to the 12 Earthly Branches of the Chinese calendar. The 12 Earthly Branches is used with the Heavenly Stems to form the traditional Chinese calendar today. They can be associated with the symbolic twelve zodiac animals.
If you are interested, there are articles available 🙂
There is a custom to wear red underpants during the year of one's birth sign to pursue fortune and avoid misfortune
I still laughed heartily and linked with the actual situation last night. "Red underpants! Red underpants! Bloodstained Glory!"
Xie Zhaoying raged. "Are you done?"
I sang, "If it's to be so, grieve not*…." After that, I was hit by a flying pillow.
*T/n: From a Chinese patriotic song, 'Bloodstained Glory'. The English translation of the lyrics is adapted from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloodstained_Glory
Only when Song San carried tea and desserts over did the two of us sit down to talk properly.
I asked, "You already know about 'Fireworks in March' right?"
Xie Zhaoying nodded and smiled bitterly. "I was too careless."
I said, "In any case, you're not going to die soon. Just take it as if you had earned the extra time. However, do you know where the 'Records of the Memory of Astronomy' is?"
Xie Zhaoying shook his head. "It's probably in the hands of his disciples. He had three direct disciples and all of their whereabouts are uncertain."
Translated and Edited by: HaruOngy and LalaKurouds
Translator Corner:
One more part to go 😀