Everything had happened in a flash. Boss Mu was the first to regain his senses and shouted : “You’re still not coming in? Hurry up!” As his words were uttered, a group of people in black broke through the doorway, and the dancers in red also reacted, turning away and drawing soft swords from the qin at their side, approaching Chu Mingyun’s side.
Su Shiyu took a few staggered steps to keep some distance, raised his hand and threw the tea cup in his hand.
Hot tea sprayed out towards the leading man in black’s face, and subconsciously wanting to avoid it he ducked sideways. But with a flash of the silhouettes in front of him, the man in blue had already stepped to his side. That man felt a pain in his wrist, and the long sword was snatched by him (Chu Mingyun) directly. This was followed by a strong strike to his knees with the porcelain cup, forcing him to kneel down, throwing the footwork of those behind him into disarray.
Chu Ming Yun swung the sword in his hand, slashing the droplets of water in the air, and went directly for Boss Mu’s throat.
But Boss Mu reacted quickly, he picked up the table and threw it over, forced to retreat a few steps. Chu Mingyun didn’t duck either, not withdrawing the ferocious momentum of the long sword in his hand, and he directly split the heavy table. With a dull and explosive sound, the round table burst into pieces, and the sawdust flew everywhere, forcing the surrounding men to retreat again.
Most of the people in black rushed towards Chu Mingyun, and on the other side Su Shiyu flexibly staggered the blades that intertwined surrounding him. He pulled a person within reach and pushed them away, and the white blade behind that man stabbed through his chest, the collision causing chaos behind him. With that short reprieve, Su Shiyu turned his head to look at Chu Mingyun’s side, and was slightly taken aback.
However, Boss Mu showed a disadvantage in a few moves, and only had room to breathe by relying on his surrounding subordinates attacking Chu Mingyun. Chu Mingyun didn’t get too distracted by the others’ attacks, only occasionally sweeping away the obstacles. He had already pulled off the ribbon and stared at Boss Mu, in close and intimidating pursuit.
Su Shiyu had never before clearly realized that this person in front of him was a general, and it seemed that he could have imagined this man’s posture on the Mongolian battlefield; his horse would have galloped astride thousands of people, broke the formation and killed the enemy, then he beheaded the commander.
From the start Chu Mingyun’s eyebrows were always gorgeous, and he often seeming-yet-not smile, always showing some coquettish intent. Therefore, the hard-hearted senior officials of the court has always held contempt for him. But at this moment, there was no trace of a smile on his face, his eyes were sharp, and even the slightly pursed line of his lips seemed stiff and cold. His whole body radiated hostility no longer being concealed.
This world really has the so-called beauty in slaughter, and though every gesture is so bloody, it carries such a thrill.
——”The four generations of the Su family, is not lacking for you as a general.”
Su Shiyu’s heart froze for a moment, and he suddenly returned to his senses. In this trance, a knife happened to sneak over from the side. He quickly tilted his head by leaning backward slightly, and the sharp blade just grazed the tip of his nose. He stretched out his hand to grab his opponent’s wrist, straightened up and backhanded the knife back viciously, and blood sprayed all over.
Boss Mu was finally out of strength on the other side, and his weapon had dropped a few feet away. Chu Mingyun’s long sword pursued him in that instant, in a trajectory to stab his face. He inhaled desperately, and in that fraught position he raised his arms to block the blow, groaning in pain as it met his bare flesh and bone.
Chu Mingyun simply let go of the sword, striking out towards Boss Mu’s heart with his hand as quick as lightning. The men in black fell one after another. Chu Mingyun ducked away for a second, which threw off the position of his hand slightly. The force of his strike caused Boss Mu’s body to shake, and broke an untold number of ribs. Boss Mu coughed out a mouthful of blood and drew back to the window in a wretched manner. He glanced outside, then looked back at Chu Mingyun who was already approaching him. He gritted his teeth and quickly leaped over the window.
Chu Mingyun quickly stopped him by grabbing his collar but Boss Mu violently struggled out of his grip. In the struggle, something seemed to be drop out of Boss Mu’s breastpocket1. Before a closer look could be taken, the other party had already dropped below, and within the next blink his figure disappeared into the wild forest outside the building.
Chu Mingyun turned around, his eyes sweeping behind him with a sharp gaze. More than half the men in black and the dancer maidens were incapacitated, and the master had already extricated himself. They couldn’t help taking a step back and staring at him vigilantly, not knowing what to do.
Suddenly the galloping sounds of horseshoes treading leaves was heard from a distance, outside the window. Chu Mingyun glanced back and saw a flame-coloured river rushing through the mountains and forests, approaching from afar. His eyebrows finally loosened slightly with some humour, and he said to Su Shiyu: “Aiy, Baobei’er–” Having finished ‘cleaning up’ the aggressors on his end, in a spotless white robe lacking even trace of blood, Su Shiyu gave him a heavy glance.
”Cough-Master Su,” Chu Mingyun quickly corrected, “People from the Ministry of Justice are here, but it’s quite the time.”
The officers and soldiers who were riding their horses with torches approached, and everyone in the room could see them from the window. To see. Su Shiyu retracted his gaze and smiled slightly at the people still standing in the room: “It’s useless to resist, you have no chance of winning.”
They looked at each other, hesitating, and finally put down their weapons.
In a short time, the officers and soldiers tightly surrounded Eternal Joy Casino and searched it floor-by-floor, and escorted everyone in the building to the Ministry of Justice for trial. Chu Mingyun observed this for a while, and thinking there was nothing wrong, he held up the object in his hand to the lantern and studied it.
It was a bronze seal with detailed outline, cast in the figure of a beast. Chu Mingyun fiddled with it in his hands for a long time, and couldn’t guess what it was used for.
There were footsteps approaching behind him, and Su Shiyu’s voice sounded out: “The forest has been searched.
There are several blood stains, but we couldn’t find Boss Mu.”
Chu Mingyun put the bronze seal in his breastpocket1, turned around and said casually: “It’s alright if you can’t find him. He was seriously injured by me, even if he’s not dead yet he soon will be. Let’s interrogate those subordinates first.”
Su Shiyu nodded, “I’ve really troubled Master Chu tonight. I thank you on behalf of Secretary Lu. “
Chu Mingyun waved his hand at will, and said: ” I’ll do without the thanks. Just don’t let him stare at me as if he wants to skin me alive all the time.”
Su Shiyu smiled faintly and didn’t answer.
”That’s right,” Chu Mingyun said suddenly: “Didn’t you already recognize who that Boss Mu is?”
Su Shiyu shook his head lightly and smiled: “If I really recognized who he is, I wouldn’t have to go on acting with you, let alone needing to send people into the forest to look for him.”
”Oh?” Chu Mingyun said, “So, what you said was a bluff?”
”Not entirely,” Su Shiyu said, “He was indeed vaguely familiar. But I can’t think of who it was. What I said later was just to swindle him, to see if he would get confused and expose something himself.”
”Then how is Master Su sure that he should be one who calls you an elder brother?”
Su Shiyu gave him a strange look, “Couldn’t Master Chu tell that he is younger than you and me?”
”…I did observe that.”
A bird chirp suddenly sounded in the night sky starting to break with the color of dawn, and the black-feathered bird swooped down from mid-air, landing on Chu Mingyun’s raised arm, giving him a timely rescue from this embarrassment.
Chu Mingyun removed the letterhead, his lips upturning with a smile, and turned his head to Su Shiyu: “It seems, this night is not over yet.”
”Someone sneaked out of Chang’an City, appearing to be headed here. Master Su, if we both walk back now, maybe you can just meet them.”
The skies were colored with dawn, and the mountains wrapped in thin fog. A carriage galloped speedily out of Chang’an, turned away from the official road and went straight into the forest.
Jingshu’s face was scrunched, leaning against the carriage wall in a daze; it was unknown what she was thinking. Chen Siheng sat in the car next to her, sneakily opened the curtain to glance at the deep forest flashing past, and then retracted his gaze. After a while, he couldn’t help pulling the sleeve of the person next to him, calling out in a very thin voice: “…Sister Jingshu.” Chen Siheng called out several times, before Jingshu returned to herself slowly, and asked with a forced smile: “What’s the matter?”
Chen Siheng looked at her worriedly, “Why do we need to leave the city overnight, is it because something happened?”
”Yes,” Jingshu thought for a while, and coaxed: “But it’s not a big deal, it may just be a small incident. Do you remember the brother who used to see me often before, we are going to check on him.”
Chen Siheng lowered his head, clenched his sleeves unconsciously, and whispered: “But I…feel very scared…”
Jingshu was surprised, but listened to Chen Siheng slowly continuing: “That night…it also seemed to be like this. Everyone told me nothing was wrong, and then it was gone…everything was gone…” He choked slightly, but then buried his head so that no one could see it. It was as just that his body was really scrawny and thin, seeming to be unable to hold up any more weight.
This child relied on her so much, and no matter how hardened Jingshu’s heart was, she couldn’t help but feel moved at this moment. She pondered in silence for a moment, stuffed the dagger hidden in her sleeve into his arms, and said gently: “Don’t be afraid.”
Chen Siheng slowly raised his head and looked at her, and indeed his eyes were reddened.
Jingshu smiled sharply, stroked his head, and said: “You have a knife, so you have power. When you next feel afraid, you can protect yourself.”
Chen Siheng opened his mouth, still wanting to say something. There was a sharp neighing noise outside, and the car stopped abruptly. Jingshu quickly grabbed Chen Siheng so he did not fall out. After he was stabilized, she let go of him and pulled up the curtain to ask, “What happened?”
The coachman actually fled, and the night was getting brighter. She saw the two people who were dismounted not far away. The young man in white saw her as soon as he turned his head, and smiled saying, “We meet again, Miss Jingshu.”
Jingshu was shocked for a moment, but with a smile on her face, she pulled Chen Siheng to dismount the carriage, “It really is a coincidence, why are the two young masters here?”
”We just solved a case and are about to return to the city.” Su Shiyu said, “And why is Miss here at this hour?”
”I…”
”Don’t you two get tired of talking in circles?” Chu Mingyun interjected coolly, and took a step closer to directly flash the bronze seal at Jingshu. He asked: “Do you know what this is?”
Jingshu’s expression suddenly changed, “Why is it… in your hands?”
Chu Mingyun retracted his hand and glanced at the thing, then smiled at her, “Why do you think?”
”You…”
”Naturally its master died, so I took it off him.”
Jingshu’s body trembled as she muttered: “Died?…Died?”
Her mind had immediately blanked, and she looked around in a disoriented manner, before her gaze finally fell back to Chu Mingyun with some difficulty. The look in her eyes suddenly turned resentful, and she pushed Chen Siheng away from her side, rushing lightning-swift towards Chu Mingyun.
”I’ll kill you–!” The voice was sharp and stern, no longer gentle.
”Yo,” Chu Mingyun raised his eyebrows and smiled, leaning slightly to her side, raising his hand to cut off her move, and clasping her wrist in a deathly grip, “(Your) skill is good, but it’s a pity-it’s a little slow.” He countered and threw Jingshu off, and she fell straight into an old tree a few feet away.
Jingshu struggled to prop up her body and coughed, feeling a pain as if all her bones were falling apart, and she couldn’t stand up for a while.
Chu Mingyun said slowly: “If you can’t stand up, just obediently lie there and answer my questions.” He raised the bronze seal in his hand, “What is this for?”
Jingshu stared at him, snorted softly, and suddenly took out something and stuffed it into her mouth. The moment she raised her hand, Su Shiyu stepped forward to stop her, and pulled her arm down, but it was still a step too late, Jingshu met Su Shiyu’s gaze with a challenging look, as her white throat moved slightly and swallowed the thing.
Su Shiyu sighed lightly, let go of her and stood up, “Why did Miss have to act so severely, we don’t actually intend to kill you.”
Jingshu put her hands on the ground and suddenly let out a slow laugh, her laughter gradually growing louder, as if that action made her feel carefree. “Young Master…” She looked into the distance, “Jingshu is incompetent, you… you wait for me.”
Her body suddenly trembled uncontrollably, and a trace of blood came from her lips. Her pupils already seemed unfocused, and she muttered dully.
Su Shiyu frowned slightly and leaned downward. He could only hear her saying discontinually:
”…The silent maiden so wondrous, waiting for me… . at the city corner… love and…love and… not see… scratch my head in anxiety…”2
”What’s your name?”
”Replying to the Young Master3, this subordinate’s background is humble, not worthy of a name, but only because of age order, I am called Shiqi (seventeen).”
”How can a lady be called that. Let me think–the lovely quiet girl5, since you are sent by my father to assist me, then listen to me. How about changing your name to Jingshu?”
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
” The quiet lady…qi…2” Jingshu suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood, lost strength and slumped back, and no longer let out breath nor sound.
The red blood surged in the air within Chen Siheng’s dumbfounded field of vision, dragging him back to that night of fire and blood. He was shocked, as if finally waking up from a long dream.
Su Shiyu straightened up, “It looks like, she came with the resolve to die.” Chu Mingyun chuckled with unknown meaning, and kept away the bronze seal.
Su Shiyu sighed again, turned back to look at him, and his expression suddenly had a slight change, “Watch out behind you!”
Chen Siheng, who had been standing in a stupor on the side, suddenly rushed to Chu Mingyun desperately, holding a dagger in his hand. All the cowardice faded from his expression, he looked as fierce as a little wolf.
T/N: Good grief, I hate translating action scenes since the way they’re written is rather metaphorical in historical pieces, and it seems like there’s quite a lot of it in this book. Now we have Chinese poetry too, I hope someone is reading the footnotes.
The text in blue have hover text to tell you what the word is referring to when the original text vaguely writes several ‘he’s in the same sentence, but it takes a while to pop up and I’m not sure how it appears on mobile so I might put it in brackets in plain text like “his (Chu Mingyun)” instead. Which do you think works better? Please leave a comment! The scene in the beginning with teamwork between the two is so cool, the poor man in black who tried to dodge Shiyu’s tea only to get his sword smacked out of his hand by Chuchu and then getting conked in the knees by Shiyu with his teacup. And he’s supposed to be the gentle one. Edit 09/06/21: changed all the ‘Jing Shu’ to ‘Jingshu’ to be consistent with the chapters already translated by Dust Bunny. Tried to make it clearer that the Jingshu naming scene is a flashback.
1.“怀中” can either refer to something dropping from within his arms (if he was hugging something) or from his bosom; so since he was fighting I’ll assume it was within the chest area of his robes the way the account book was hidden within Shiyu’s robes a few chapters ago.
2. This is quoting the first line from “The Quiet Lady” which is a poem in the State of Bei (邶风·静女) Bèi fēng·jìng nǚ section of the Shijing《诗经》,the Classic of Poetry aka the Book of Songs or otherwise known as the Book of Odes. This is the oldest existing collection of written poetry, written the four-character stanza style of the Western Zhou period. The line goes, “静女其姝，俟我于城隅。爱而不见，搔首踟蹰”, and it’s a man writing about his gentle and quiet lover arranging to meet him in the city corner, yet deliberately hiding such that he becomes so anxious he grabs his ears and scratches his cheeks.
3. The type of ‘Young Master’ used here is 少主 which is a informal title as the owner of a small garrison of guards, which is also what the manager called Boss Mu in the previous chapter. This is different from the ‘young master’ 公子 that you generally call a young man of assumedly noble birth. I will try as much as possible to use small caps for the latter. Also, whenever Su Shiyu and Chu Mingyun address each other as ‘Master Su’ it is ‘大人’ daren which is the general respectful address for an official.