Chapter 19: Official Song, a Rogue
Xiao Qi returned to the room fuming, with one pull she lifted up the leg of her trouser to expose her entire calf, then lifted her leg to stamp onto the high stool. However, the stool was too high, Xiao Qi’s foot reached empty air and she had to move her leg to raise higher. She waited until she stood steadily before giving a humph and slapping the table: “Humph, great, Official Song, to actually incite bad people to snatch my, Qian Xiao Qi’s hairpins.”
好你个宋知县- “great” this is a really hard phrase to translate. The closest to literal and straightforward way to translate it is when you tell someone “yeah, you’re really awesome” in a sarcastic way but there are other connotations like ‘alright, since you’ve done this watch how I’m going to get revenge’.
“Woof woof!” Ha Pi who had been locked outside the door for an entire night happily entered again and echoed in agreement.
The corners of Xiao Qi’s lips pulled downwards as she continued to feel sorry for herself, with a bitter expression, she said: “Devoid of conscience, law breaker criminal, black official greedy official licentious official, pervert official stinky official petty official, rotten official lousy official dumb official!” As an official to not stand up for the commoners, you should just go home and sell sweet potatoes instead. Humph! Infuriating to death!”
Lol, she starts with idioms like “devoid of conscience” which means heartless, “law breaker criminal” which is evildoer then starts cursing him with all the names that people call corrupt officials all in one breath. Chinese cursing requires advanced mastery of language.
Xiao Qi could not find the words to appropriately convey her wrath at first. With one hand pointed forward, copying the storytelling mister, for half a day, she suddenly felt she understood the deficiencies and finally one after another in one stroke conveyed her unbounded aggravation.
Lu Liu who was walking in carrying swallow nest soup was startled by this chained outburst and her foot slipped, almost dropping the tray. Lu Liu saw Xiao Qi facing the side gnashing her teeth, her entire face full of anger and said after a brief smile: “Why did Miss wake up so early this time? Have you slept to satisfaction? You better sleep a while longer, if you’re not completely awake your head will still feel dizzy!”
Exactly! Xiao Qi felt herself starting to get dizzy and weakly put down her leg and sat next to the table. She nudged Ha Pi who was crouched at the side with her foot and said with a pout: “Lu Liu, wuuuwuuu, my babies, my hairpins, my little darlings. Gone la, wuuwuuu, gone!”
“Ah? What’s gone?”
“Hairpins!” Xiao Qi pointed at her own messy luxuriant hair.
Lu Liu sucked in a breath and hurriedly opened the corner of the chest and rummaged through it, worriedly asking: “How is it gone? Was there a thief? Ah, we have to hurry and report to the government, every single one is extremely valuable!”
Xiao Qi gave a few fake bawls and angrily said: “Wen Ruo Shui, Wen Ruo Shui she, she-she-she carried all of them away!”
“Huh?” Lu Liu froze shocked, then rapidly pressed again: “Why? Did she go through Miss’s chest?”
“Wuuwuuu, I let her choose a couple she liked to take as souvenirs and she just, like this,” Xiao Qi gestured sweeping everything towards her with both hands and cried: “and just like that carried it all off.”
Lu Liu sighed: “Don’t be angry anymore, Miss didn’t specify how many either. If she liked every single one, of course she would carry them all off!”
“But what’s even more hateful is, Official Song that guy……mMph!” Xiao Qi had only angrily spoken halfway when her mouth was covered by Lu LIu.
Ha Pi got up. Seeing that Lu LIu and Xiao Qi’s eyes were full of disagreement, he didn’t know whether to help Xiao Qi or to help Lu Liu.
“Miss cannot dare to call guye this way, if guye heard he’ll be angry. When Lu Liu hears Lu Liu will also be angry.”
Xiao Qi calls SLZ ‘that guy’ in a derogatory way. It’s like calling your mom ‘that woman’.
Xiao Qi rubbed her mouth which had been covered by Lu Liu with all her strength and gave a few coughs: “He let Wen Ruo Shui take all of my treasures, and, and even drove me back!”
Lu Liu looked at Xiao Qi, then shook her head: “Going out like this is seriously not proper. In the past, in the fu, our courtyard was filled with maids and old women so Miss could freely run around with bared legs. But here, guye has manservants and uncles, and you might even encounter guests so it’s truly not proper.”
Xiao Qi opened her eyes wide to glare at Lu Liu and angrily scratched her neck: “Your elbow is turning outwards!”
Elbows are supposed to turn inwards, turning outwards is unnatural. The meaning is that Lu Liu is helping others rather than being on Xiao Qi’s side.
“Shush, Lu Liu is working for Miss’s best interests.” Lu Liu lifted up the swallow nest soup and carried it over, saying softly: “Miss should hurry and drink, I’ve added Miss’s favorite chinese white olive.”
Xiao Qi shot a glance over. After giving a humph she reached out, her ferociously clenched fists slowly released. She clenched her teeth as she shouted: “Official Song. You will pay a disastrous price for bullying this Qian Xiao Qi!”
Lu Liu rolled her eyes, placing the porcelain bowl into Xiao Qi’s hands. Xiao Qi scooped up a spoonful and swallowed it, giving a humph: “I’ll eat you Send Two Tables out of house and home!”
“send two tables” probably implies to send two tables of food. It’s a play on Song Liang Zhuo’s name because the words are homophones of SLZ’s name.
Lu Liu wrinkled her nose, and agreed: “Indeed disastrous. Miss, work hard!”
Xiao Qi shot a glare at Lu Liu and gulped down the swallow nest soup, then ran back to the chest to closely examine it again, repeating several mumbles of ‘don’t think about it, don’t think about. Wen Ruo Shui will eat until she’s fat and become an old single lady ah. An old single lady’, waiting until her heart didn’t ache with pain before getting up and allowing Lu Liu to help her freshen up.
Xiao Qi wore a white gauze hat and sat next to the water tank fishing. She thought through the events that occurred this morning and came to two conclusions. One, Xiao Qi was way too kindhearted, in the first place she shouldn’t have carried the things out. Two, Xiao Qi’s things were too good, causing people to become greedy with one look.
With a plop, the tank rippled with splashes. Xiao Qi leaned over the water think, looking at the little shrimp that was more energetic than the other several koi and wiggled her forefinger, saying: “You can’t just bully the bigger ones just because you’re smaller, you understand? Little shrimp has to be good and live in harmony with your neighbors.”
Xiao Qi blew a bubble towards her own reflection, frowning: “Little shrimp, say, why do I have to be scared of Official Song? His “uh-huh?”, as soon as his tone rises my back legs start to feel weak.”
Xiao Qi smacked her lips, then shook her head: “Simply, it’s simply no way to live anymore. It’s not like I owe him anything, it’s him that owes things!”
Xiao Qi blew bubbles towards the little shrimp for a while, then slapped her forehead in sudden realization: “Ah, the debtor is grandpa! No wonder!”
From the saying “The debtor is the grandpa, the creditor is the grandson”. It’s from a play and basically implying that even though he owes you stuff, you can’t really force him to pay up because of your relation to him.
Ha Pi saw that Xiao Qi would rather talk to a broken tank than hug him and gave two whines before running to the kitchen. Ha Pi was gaining more and more potential in being a wild dog. He would bore into every nook and cranny available in the courtyard, and the place he slept also changed to a lot of different places but Ha Pi was still very happy; he had plenty of things to play and even the kitchen staff like petting him and giving him meat to eat. Ha Pi suddenly felt that to wear pants, it was not better than not wearing pants and ran around naked, so the people that liked him became more and more. At the start, when he was nice and clean, in the courtyard, beside Xiao Qi and Lu Liu, no one else was willing to touch him.
Ha Pi found a way to integrate into the masses so he didn’t stick to Xiao Qi as much anymore. Xiao Qi worried about a lot of things and didn’t remember to give him a bath every day either. As long as she knew he ate well and slept well it was fine, and occasionally her motherly nature would flare up and she would give him a bubble bath, then stroke him for half a day.
Although Xiao Qi thought it through, she still aggressively waited for Song Liang Zhuo to return to launch a crusade. This mighty imposing manner of Xiao Qi was maintained continuously until the sun setted, her waist was supported until it even started aching and she still didn’t see Song Liang Zhuo’s shadow.
Xiao Qi unhappily ate supper, then Lu Liu helped her tidy up, waiting for her to climb into bed before leaving the light and heading to the partitioned-off area.
Perhaps because she slept well last night and also woke up late, Xiao Qi, sitting at the bedhead, couldn’t quite fall asleep. From the street came the sound of the night watchman sounding the night watches. Xiao Qi stretched her waist and got off the bed, going to the outer room to sit on the small couch that Song Liang Zhuo slept on and watch the door.
“The first night watch period has already past, Song Liang Zhuo, did you elope with Ruo Shui jiejie?” Xiao Qi blinked her eyes, her heart feeling a bit stifled.
“first night watch period” is 19:00-21:00
“It’s just that you can’t afford to pay me back for my hairpins, you don’t need to leave him. And there’s also no one to look for you, what if you get ‘kacha’ed?”
“Kacha” is the sound of the knife hitting the cutting board or something snapping.
“Aaaah pei, stinky mouth, stinky mouth!” Xiao Qi lightly slapped her own mouth, and muttered: “You better not die, I’m still waiting for you to stamp my divorce papers!”
“pei” is the sound of spitting. Chinese superstition says you shouldn’t speak of unlucky things out loud. If you wonder what if he dies, is the same as cursing him to die, even if the intention is not the same.
Xiao Qi took a cushion and opened the door, sitting down next to the door frame she mumbled to herself: “If you still don’t come back then I’m going home. If you really did elope with someone I’ll just go to the government myself to find a stamp.”
Xiao Qi stared at the pitch black courtyard, for some reason her heart felt a bit empty. Really not a good prospect, Xiao Qi secretly wrinkled her nose. Does that mean that she has to be constantly suppressed by him to feel at ease? That’s really a Miss in body but a servant girl at heart!
There were quite a bit of mosquito at the door. Xiao Qi went inside to grab the palm fan and knitted her brows as she leaned against the door, swaying the fan left and right to swat the mosquitoes.
When Song Liang Zhuo’s two muddy legs entered, he immediately saw the figure of someone sitting and waving a fan.
两脚泥 “two muddy legs” because of the particular way the author words it, it seems to be subtly pointing to the saying of 出水才见两脚泥 “only after you exit the water do you see that the two legs are muddy” which means that only after certain circumstances can you see the previously hidden truth. QXQ and SLZ’s feelings, maybe? XD
Song Liang Zhuo’s mouth quirked up. He took the lantern from the manservant and gestured for him to leave. Xiao Qi saw the lantern at the courtyard entrance and her heart suddenly felt relieved. It was just that she was seriously too lazy to move so she just continued to sit askew like that at the door and swat mosquitoes.
Song Liang Zhuo’s face was full of weariness, but that trace of a smile at the corner of his mouth revealed his good mood. Song Liang Zhuo walked to the door, extinguished the lantern and placed it near the entrance, then sat down next to Xiao Qi and raised his head to look at the night sky.
Xiao Qi shot a glance at his trouser leg which seems extremely black in the dim light of the night and frowned: “Why did your white clothes become black?”
“Went to Concave Village.”
Seems to be a real place in what is now Hong Kong.
What a strange name! Xiao Qi curled her lips.
Song Liang Zhuo turned his head to glance at Xiao Qi and sighed: “The water level is rising. As expected it’s happening ahead of schedule.”
“You went to dam the water?”
“That’s not something I can dam on my own, but,” Song Liang Zhuo looked at Xiao Qi as he spoke warmly: “In the future, I’m afraid I won’t have time to bring you out to pay. If you’re extremely bored than just go home to stay for a while. Don’t go out on the streets by yourself again.”
Smiling tiger, big tailed wolf! I haven’t seen you take me out to play before either! Xiao Qi humphed in her heart and uncomfortably got up and jump back into the house.
“Smiling tiger” refers to a man with a big smile and evil intentions. Not sure what “big tailed wolf” means because one of the character the author writes is a homophone of the character in the actual saying. But the author has made mistakes before, so… according to baike, it’s a saying to mock someone that pretends to know what they’re talking about and acts generous when they are really clueless.
Song Liang Zhuo directly threw his shoes to the door and walked in barefoot. Lu Liu came over just in time from the partitioned-off area and helped bring water for Song Liang Zhuo to wash his face, then carried hot water in.
Song Liang Zhuo had Lu Liu retreat and sat on the small couch as he washed his legs then change into clean clothes. Seeing the dramatic increase of bugs around the candle on the table, after a thought, he went into the inner room.
Xiao Qi had already laid down, facing the wall. Song Liang Zhuo stood in front of the bed for a moment, then lifted the mosquito net and sat inside.
“What are you doing?” Xiao Qi hugged her chest and sat up.
Song Liang Zhuo glanced over, leaning against the outer side laid down and reached out to tuck the mosquito net in again.
“I’m asking you!” Xiao Qi’s leg moved with flying speed and swept Song Liang Zhuo.
Song Liang Zhuo exhaustedly pressed his eyes and knitted his brows: “You’ve let in so many mosquitoes, how else could I sleep?”
“I don’t care!” Xiao Qi used her leg to push Song Liang Zhuo towards the outside and angrily said: “Why do you insist on fighting with me, insisting even on snatching a lousy bed!”
Song Liang Zhuo’s entire body ached. For the later half of this day he had helped carry sandbags and was tired to the point that his shoulders, even now, were twitching. Seeing Xiao Qi didn’t empathize, he moodily seized Xiao Qi into his arms and said in a deep voice: “Stop being noisy, what time do you think it is!”
Xiao Qi gave a shriek. All Song Liang Zhuo did was knitted his brows and she already became a bit dazed. Xiao Qi lifted her hand to push him but saw his knitted brows and fatigue on his face. The hand that pushed his chest tried several times but didn’t dare to use strength.
Xiao Qi told herself, we don’t have the same type of view as he, we’re the gentle and respectable Qian Xiao Qi; Xiao Qi also told herself, it’s not that I don’t want to push, I’m just afraid tomorrow morning Official Song will in a fit of anger hit me again; Xiao Qi even told herself, everyone said Official Song is Tongxu county’s good official, so just let him this time. If I pushed him down off the bed and he got injured what should I do, won’t I be stomped flat by the common citizens of Tongxu county!?
Xiao Qi thought and thought, thought to to the point that her own eyelids had started fighting and still couldn’t find a reason to push Song Liang Zhuo down in time. Xiao Qi gave a yawn, then just like that, half lying on her stomach, raised her hand to pat Song Liang Zhuo’s face and muttered incomprehensibly: “I’m not taking advantage of you, en, and……book ne!”
When a guy takes advantage of a girl… and a girl taking advantage of a guy… That’s what she’s referring to. Chinese divorce papers are directly translated to “parting book” so that probably what she’s trying to say.
The corners of Song Liang Zhuo’s mouth hooked, then he pulled up the bedsheet to cover both of them and also went to sleep.
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