R:DSAT Chapter 216 – An Actor

Translated by Cyrrene and edited by Uhei.

After Chang Ling had left, Long Xuan saw that the table of dishes was only missing a bit of wine, and ordered a subordinate, “Throw them all away.”

After the servants had withdrawn from the banquet and the central room had been tidied up, a middle-aged man walked into the central room.

“Forego the formalities,” Long Xuan did not allow the middle-aged man to salute, nor did he even raise his eyes to glance at the middle-aged man.

“Your Highness,” the middle-aged man was dressed in the fashion of a person from the Jianghu². Although Long Xuan had said to forego formalities, this person still knelt down right there on one knee, calling out to Long Xuan.

“How fares the Ning Villa?” Long Xuan asked.

“My Villa Master is safe and sound,” the courier from Mingjian Villa responded to Long Xuan’s query.

“Report to him that I will tell him everything after I return to the capital,” Long Xuan said, “There is no need to worry about Qilin Villa for now.”

After the courier heard Long Xuan’s message, it was as if a weight had fallen off his chest³. He said to Long Xuan with delight, “This lowly one will return to report to my Villa master.”

“Go then,” Long Xuan threw a few ingots of silver at the courier, and said to the courier, “This place is Yunguan. You’d best be careful.”

The courier held Long Xuan’s reward, and after kowtowing to Long Xuan, his figure left quickly in a flash.

After this courier had left, Long Xuan finally showed an exhausted appearance, his hand holding his forehead, leaning on the small tea table⁴ nearby.

“Your Highness,” Fu Yun, who hurried here from the capital to give Long Xuan Emperor Xingwu’s familial correspondence, carried over some hot tea and several platters of light refreshments for Long Xuan.

“That person has left?” Long Xuan asked.

“He left,” Fu Yun poured tea for Long Xuan. “This slave saw that person leave the residence with his own eyes.”

Long Xuan took a sip of hot tea, and suddenly let out a sigh.

“If your Highness is tired, please rest.” Fu Yun hurriedly said. This sigh from Long Xuan was reminiscent of one belonging to a person who had long been unable to rise from a lower position—not at all easy, venturing to the fullest extent with all his might—heaving out this one sigh made those who heard it think that this sigh was let out with great difficulty.

“Dispatch an additional messenger to Mingjian Villa,” Long Xuan held the teacup in his hand, treating it as a hand warmer.

“Didn’t the courier from Mingjian Villa just leave?” Fu Yun asked.

“That person cannot live,” Long Xuan said, “Dispatch someone to tell Luo Tingchao: Mingjian Villa cannot be secured; have him make preparations as soon as possible.”

“Mingjian Villa will meet with a mishap?” Fu Yun simply⁵ could not believe Long Xuan’s words; with nothing happening to the Mingjian Villa even after how the Qilin Villa contended with the Mingjian Villa, could it really fail to be secured just like that?

“This time the authorities have appeared,” Long Xuan shook his head while saying, “It’s no longer the petty skirmishes among the people of the Jianghu.”

“This slave will order someone to handle it.” Fu Yun hurriedly replied.

“As soon as possible, that way maybe Ning Shuying can flee in time,” Long Xuan got up and left the central room.

Outside the room, the wind was sweeping up the yellow sand, making it almost impossible for people to keep their eyes open.

Long Xuan handed the tea cup in his hand over to Fu Yun, who was following behind him. “Luo Wei is right here. When all of you walk around outside, be careful, don’t provoke him.”

Fu Yun carefully took the teacup that Long Xuan had only taken a sip from and said, “Your Highness, this time is the third young master angry with you again?”

“All because of Wei Lan, he can hardly wait for me to die,” Long Xuan used his hand to shield his eyes and said to Fu Yun, “I’ll go rest. If there is any news, report to me anytime.”

“Yes,” Fu Yun said and bowed.

Long Xuan walked towards the rear garden.

Fu Yun hesitated for a moment, but still chased after Long Xuan and said, “Your Highness, today this slave brought a theatrical troupe into the residence, would your Highness not want to take a look?”

“You’ll have me watch a play?” Long Xuan turned his head and fixed Fu Yun with a cold glare.

Fu Yun shrunk his neck in slightly, gathered his courage, and smiling apologetically⁶ at Long Xuan he said, “The kids in that troupe are pretty good, the performance is also good. This slave is thinking, your Highness has toiled much in the expedition this time. This slave wants for your Highness…” before Fu Yun finished talking, he saw Long Xuan walking forward. “Your Highness,” Fu Yun took another two steps.

“Shut up,” Long Xuan uttered a remark.

“This slave will then arrange for someone to deliver the letter.” Fu Yun dared not speak more.

“Make that troupe of actors¹ scram,” Long Xuan added.

“Yes,” Fu Yun’s head had lowered until it nearly reached his chest. “This slave will make them scram.”

Long Xuan walked towards the rear garden, but before he even took a few steps, he saw several people kneeling at the side of the path. From their statures they all looked to be youths.

“Hurry and leave,” Fu Yun took a few urgent steps forward, caught up, and said to these people, “Go to the back with the leader of your troupe and wait, I’ll pay you for your services in a bit. Don’t stay here hindering my master’s eyes.”

Several youths rose from the ground in a flurry. Among them a bold one raised his head and curiously looked towards Long Xuan.

“Go on!” Fu Yun urgently shooed away these few youths.

Long Xuan scanned them with a glance, and happened to make eye contact with the youth who had raised his head. After the youth met Long Xuan’s icy-cold gaze that lacked even a trace of warmth, it was as if he suffered a fright, he quickly⁷ ducked his head back down, and was about to leave with the rest of his fellows.

“Halt,” Long Xuan spoke up again at this moment.

“Stop,” Fu Yun called to these few youths, “Don’t leave just yet.”

Long Xuan walked up to the youth who had raised his head to look at him, stretched out his hand, and lifted up the youth’s chin.

“My Lord⁸,” the youth strenuously revealed a well-trained smile for Long Xuan to see.

Long Xuan looked at this youth; this youth at first glance bore several parts resemblance to Luo Wei, and was also similar in age. “Is this the reason why you had them come over?” Long Xuan asked Fu Yun beside him.

Bending at the waist, Fu Yun furtively stole a glance at Long Xuan’s expression, wanting to see if his attempt at ingratiating himself had pleased Long Xuan this time.

“He does have several parts resemblance,” Long Xuan carefully examined the youth’s features⁹.

The youth’s smile was frozen upon his face; no one could smile under Long Xuan’s type of cool, shady gaze.

“As long as your Highness likes it,” Fu Yun fawned at Long Xuan.

“An actor?” Long Xuan’s hand briefly touched the youth’s lips, stained with bright red rouge; this youth had even applied makeup.

“Yes, yes,” this youth did not know what thoughts Long Xuan had for himself; although he was frightened to death in his heart, he still continued to make himself smile.

“Your Highness,” Fu Yun asked Long Xuan in a hushed voice, “Do you want him to serve?”

Long Xuan withdrew his hand, simultaneously turned around, and ruthlessly gave Fu Yun a slap in the face.

Fu Yun was struck by Long Xuan such that his entire body went flying. He did not dare count how many more teeth he lost this time, and he also did not dare wipe away the bloodstain at the corner of his mouth. He got up, and kneeled upon the ground, not daring to move.

Several youths had long been so frightened they knelt back down again on the ground.

“You dared to compare him to an actor?” Long Xuan’s voice carried a ruthless tone when his temper flared. Fixing his gaze at Fu Yun with his hands clasped behind his back, he said, “What do you even consider yourself to be?!”

“This slave deserves death! This slave deserves death!” Fu Yun kowtowed a few times so hard the skin on his forehead split open, “This slave does not know what possessed him and could not think clearly, begging your Highness to spare this slave’s worthless life! Your Highness, have mercy! This slave will never dare do it again.”

Long Xuan walked until he was right in front of the youth. The youth was backed up against a pillar of the varanda, with nowhere to retreat, and could only continuously implore Long Xuan. Long Xuan stared at the youth; it was not known how many times his thoughts shifted, before he finally uttered a single word, “Scram.”

Several youths scrambled up from their hands and feet all at once, and ran away at lightning speed.

“If you weren’t still of use to me,” Long Xuan glanced at Fu Yun again, “I would definitely take your wretched life!”

A long time after Long Xuan had left, Fu Yun finally relaxed his body, and collapsed on the ground.

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1. 戏子: a derogatory term to refer to an opera singer, or an actor.

2. 江湖: literally “rivers and lakes” usually refers to wuxia martial communities.

3. 心里一块石头落了地: stone in his heart had been dropped behind on the ground.

4. 茶几: a very small side table.

5. 死活: although the words are literally “in life and in death” but used as adverb, it is closer to meaning “simply.”

6.赔着: can also mean to make good on a loss, to pay for.

7. 飞快: is “at lightening speed” but sounds very odd in English when used to describe him lowering his head.

8. 爷: a way to address an official, someone with status, or a master, sometimes appended to the end of a title (like 王爷 “wangye”, or 侯爷 “houye”). It can also mean father or grandfather.

9. 眉眼: literally brows and eyes, but is often used to refer to their overall appearance or facial features.

10.狗命: meaning his life is as worthless as a dog’s.