Hello and sorry for an almost a week MIA (no New Year extras, sorry). In case some of you don’t know, I had RSI (repetitive strain injury) problem with both my wrists. This story hooks me up and so for the several previous chapters as I read, I translated… until the pain came back. I had to recuperate for a long time before they are good enough to face the laptop again and continue translating. By the way, the editor is busy with her projects so no edit yet. Happy reading~
Translated by HaruOngy
Editted by
Chapter 6 – The Principle of Ruler and SubjectMei Qian Deng followed Di Mu Yang back to the generalissimo mansion to get the medicine.
On the way, the little general's heart had thousands of knots. One moment, he would raise his head to look at the road. One moment later, he would lower his head and looked at the indifferent Mei Qian Deng. Then, he looked at the road again. Enma! He nearly stepped on a dog shit on the road! Di Mu Yang's heart howled once as he forced his way at Mei Qian Deng's direction. Conveniently, he caught Mei Qian Deng's arm.
This little young master although did not pull back her arm, her cold eyes had clearly implied all of it.
Mei Qian Deng said, "A normal man's forward steps are a bit larger and able to stride over a dog shit."
Di Mu Yang deeply thought that what she meant was he was not normal. Only females would walk while swaying left and right!
"Little Young Master, I don’t know how should I say about this matter. It's about the Crown Prince's matter……" He lowered his voice for he was afraid of letting people beside them heard it.
Mei Qian Deng had a good habit. When a person wanted to speak or when a person had yet to finish speaking, she would not stop that person nor interrupt. She would silently wait. On the outside, she would appear to be very obedient.
Di Mu Yang moved even closer. He swallowed his saliva. He had kinkily said like this. With Mei Qian Deng's blunt personality, it was not possible she couldn't understand an indirect talking.
Ai, never mind. Why don’t he just speak directly and let Mei Qian Deng knows about propriety between master and servant and don’t make the Crown Prince unhappy?
"That is the Crown Prince is the ruler and we are the subjects. Does Little Young Master knows what the principle of ruler and subject is?" Di Mu Yang barely bit his own tongue. He was vexed. He obviously wanted to talk directly yet why his rebuking tongue made a detour?
The pedestrians on the street casted an unusual expression at them.
Two men were tugging each other in broad daylight and they even were officials who came out from the palace.
Mei Qian Deng blinked her eyes. Ignoring the other person's gaze, she spoke bluntly, "The principle of ruler and subject, considers righteousness as reciprocate. If the ruler regards the subject as his hands and feet, the subject by norm regards the ruler as his vital part. If the ruler regards the subject as his dog or horse, the subject regards the ruler as his compatriot. If the ruler regards his subject as a trifle, the subject regards his ruler as his mortal enemy. These were said by Mencius."
Di Mu Yang suddenly had no word to retaliate!
Previously, the Crown Prince despised the fact that his own Crown Prince's study partner was a jianghu wild grass who was illiterate and only knew how to fight. Presently, Little Young Master Mei not only knew how to fight, was very eloquent and was very knowledgeable even! This made Di Mu Yang even more at loss. How should he persuade a person who was well versed in letters and martial arts not to fight with the Crown Prince and not to quarrel with the Crown Prince?
This was the most troubling problem in this Little General Di's fifteen years life.
"General Di."
"Ah! Ah?"
"Can you let go of my hand?"
Only then Di Mu Yang noticed, numerous people on the street were staring at him. He instantly blushed. He had already regretted. Why did he pull Mei Qian Deng outside? It was better that he was left behind to annoy the Crown Prince instead.
By the time Mei Qian Deng reached the generalissimo mansion, coincidently, there was a little soldier came seeking for Di Mu Yang. It was said that Old Generalissimo was looking for him for a discussion on a pressing matter. Di Mu Yang then sent that little soldier to the dispensary to get that powder and explained to Mei Qian Deng, "Today is not timely. I could only trouble Little Young Master to personally bring back this medicine to the Crown Prince. It is to be applied externally and orally in the morning and evening. Additionally, in place of this humble one please console the Crown Prince a few words."
Mei Qian Deng nimbly kept away the items and nodded. "Then I will excuse myself."
"Little Young Master……"
"Little Young Master comes from the jianghu and so is a chivalrous person. From now on, can you according to the jianghu way consider treating the Crown Prince as jianghu brothers?"
Mei Qian Deng was quietly standing among the breeze. In a moment, amidst the wind, she left behind two words, "Can't do."
She was a normal person. The Crown Prince and she in this lifetime could never be jianghu brothers.
At most, they could be sister and brother.
Mei Qian Deng carried a medicine package and walked back. The capital was lively and prosperous yet there was nowhere that could attract her. She always lived alone in her own world, quietly and peacefully, unchanged for years.
But her steps suddenly stopped in front of a certain store. After hesitating for a short while, in the end she entered it. Not long later, she came out. There was no change in her appearance. It was only that the medicine package she was holding had turned into two packages. She then continued as if nothing happened returned to the palace.
According to a general rule, how a person exited a place was how a person should similarly go back inside.
Mei Qian Deng based this general rule, went to the palace gate. Just as she wanted to enter, she was unlucky that the previous imperial guards had changed shifts. Those few before her did not recognise her and fiercely stopped her.
"The imperial palace is an important place, what are you trying to do?"
"Enter."
That imperial guard looked at the unfamiliar Mei Qian Deng. He didn’t even wear an official clothes. He sneered as he asked, "Do you have the conferred waist pendant as proof?"
"None."
"Since you don’t have it, you're trespassing the imperial palace and will be punished with death."
Mei Qian Deng stopped her steps. Although her martial art was good, the imperial palace had martial masters as many as clouds. The imperial guards were densely packed and numerous. If she really fought them, she could not keep it up longer than a burning joss stick time. Then, how should she enter then? Her line of sight passed over the imperial guard and saw the neatly brick built palace gate. Passing over the palace gate, she could see the half revealed sky and wide, levelled pavement laid with flagstones.
"Then can you go and tell the Crown Prince that Mei Qian Deng is at the entrance?"
She tried the most common method.
However, that imperial guard in charge of the gate might had met too many of this type of commoners for he didn’t help her. Instead he laughed at her. "Look at that line of people at the side. All of them wanted us to notify as they are prepared to meet the Emperor. This kind of person like you maybe has not high pursue or has far vision since you want to meet the Crown Prince. If you want to meet the Crown Prince, let the Crown Prince to personally come and meet you, otherwise don’t even think of entering!"
"Go, go, go. Go to the side."
Mei Qian Deng then stood at the end of that line of commoners at the side wall.
The capital has a pleasant climate. It was much better than the Mei Islet Top. Mei Qian Deng firstly crossed her arms as she waited for a while but then she got a little lazy. She felt this was not good. Father had said that practice makes perfect. Therefore, her figure suddenly moved and pulled out the flexible sword inside her sleeve and dexterously made a move. First move was gathering wild goose to level the sand. Second move was dragon flying in wind dance. Third move was stamping horse, soaring swallow…… Anyway, rather than waiting yet unable to enter, why don’t she practice her skills instead?! Mei Qian Deng valiantly and heroically cut up a spring breeze.
The Emperor inside the palace was currently in the court. When he received the news, there were already various people gathered into a crowd around the palace outside. When Mei Qian Deng displayed a move, everyone would clap their hands and cheered, "Excellent." It just lacked the moment of people fishing out copper coins and throw them to her when Mei Qian Deng stopped.
The head eunuch stepped with small quick steps towards the side of the Dragon Throne and whispered a few words to the Emperor's ear. The Emperor's eyes turned around a few times. He calculated with his fingers for a moment before ordering that eunuch, "Let the Crown Prince to meet him."
"Yes."
Chu Xun at that time was still laying on the study table in the Shengxian Pavilion. When he received his old dad's verbal instruction, his inner heart crumbled.
He removed the jade pendant on his waist. He was not in the mood of pretending as he spoke bluntly, "Xiao Jing Zi, quickly go and bring back that boorish fellow."
The head eunuch smiled conspicuously as he stopped them. "Crown Prince, the Emperor had said, you must personally meet him."
Therefore, a problem had arose. How to ingeniously cover the pimple on his SMALL FACE under the gaze of the masses?
"Xiao Jing Zi, bring the umbrella."
Chu Xun thought to himself for a moment. He had no choice but to come out. He silently cursed Mei Qian Deng the whole way.
Again, according to the norm, at this time, Imperial Father and the scholar and military officials were in the court. There would be not much people moving around. As long as he quickly go and quickly return, he would still remain forever as the perfect Crown Prince in the eyes of the majority.
However, he would absolutely never think that the Emperor had grasped the Crown Prince's time. When Chu Xun moved out, the Emperor waved his imperial robe sleeve as he smiled beamingly while declaring, "Court dismissed!"
As such, when Chu Xun reached the palace gate, the scholar and military officials had coincidently came out from the court. Like a tidewater hitting directly to the face, all the people asked, "Why is the Crown Prince here?"
Fortunately, the Crown Prince's reaction was promptly. He immediately took out the previous silk veil and covered his mouth and nose, coughing violently nonstop.
The officials enquired, "What's wrong, Crown Prince?"
Chu Xun kicked once Xiao Jing Zi who was holding the umbrella in front of him.
It was fortunate too that Xiao Jing Zi was intelligent for he quickly answered, "Oh, today the Crown Prince suddenly feel unwell, afraid it's a cold."
Chu Xun's originally already hoarse voice added, "Everyone here are the pillars of the nation. There must not be lacking of any of you here for a day. This cold of mine, I'm afraid are contagious and therefore hope everyone will distance yourselves from me."
There were some who wanted to look into. "Since you're in bad health, Crown Prince should stay in the Ming Jue Palace to recuperate. Are you going out?"
Again, Chu Xun kicked Xiao Jing Zi once. Xiao Jing Zi said, "The Crown Prince is here for the Little Young Master Mei who entered the palace yesterday. Earlier, Little Young Master Mei had matters and accompanied Little General Di outside. Now, he did not have the waist pendant to enter the palace and was stopped by the imperial guards outside the palace. The Crown Prince is currently going there to meet Little Young Master Mei."
The officials quickly came to an understanding. They praised the Crown Prince for his honest and sincere manner and an outstanding person who valued others highly. Even when he was sick he still wanted to personally come out and bring back his study partner. It was truly a model of "the principle of ruler and subject, considers righteousness as reciprocate"!
"Crown Prince."
The chief culprit had finally appeared!
Only to see Mei Qian Deng drenched in sweat while holding two packages of medicine. Behind her, there was an old man with a bit of highland type face.
That old man firmly gave two apples to Mei Qian Deng as he said, "As laonu said before, all these are plucked from laonu's orchard. They are really sweet. Little one, take them and eat."
Mei Qian Deng hugged those two apples in her chest as she ran to Chu Xun's front.
The back teeth inside Chu Xun's veil covered mouth grinded against each other heavily. However, under so many people's watch, he could only continue acting.
"Young Master Mei, this is this Crown Prince's personal jade pendant. Keep it. In the future, there will be no one dare to stop you to exit and enter the palace."
At this moment, Mei Qian Deng's both hands were each holding a scarlet red apple. Therefore, she very smoothly put one of the apples into Chu Xun's hand and exchanged it with that Crown Prince personal pendant, the first-class jade pendant.
The veins on the Crown Prince's forehead beat with a pit-pat. He just hated that the apple in his verdant jade hand could not smash into Mei Qian Deng's face. He put down his arm. The long sleeve hid a large half of the apple. No one saw he dug open the apple skin.
"Let's enter then."
"Wait a moment."
She turned around and searched for the old man who continued to squat beside the palace wall. Beside that old man was a basket half filled with apples. Originally it was fully filled but along the way he got hungry and ate some of them. He even came across several children who wanted to eat apples and therefore gave out a few more again.
Mei Qian Deng walked over and carried that basket on her back, scaring that old man. "Little one, what are you doing?"
"I will help you bring it to the Emperor."
"Really?"
"En." Mei Qian Deng always had a calm, fair and clear face. It made others for no reason would believe whatever she said. Believe that all she promised would be fulfilled.