Translated by Cyrrene and edited by Uhei.
The family feast of the Yunguan Commander’s1 estate could not compare to those of the Senior Chancellor’s estate regarding the quality of dishes, although these were all personally cooked by Ye Xiu. They were all home-cooked stir-fried dishes, laid out upon the table, filling it to the brim.
Luo Qi could not wait for Luo Wei to arrive, had grabbed a portion with his chopsticks and was about to take a bite.
“His little uncle2 has not arrived yet,” Ye Xiu snatched the chopsticks from Luo Qi’s hand. “Just wait a little longer.”
“I haven’t eaten your cooking in ages,” Luo Qi said, “I can’t even have a bite first?”
“It looks like you are not that fond of his little uncle,” Ye Xiu poured a cup of wine for Luo Qi. “Just now you even loudly stated that his little uncle is such an astute person, and even want you to teach him?”
“I said that for his own benefit,” Luo Qi took a sip of wine, “Luo Wei may appear to have a good temperament, but when he was a child,” Luo Qi stopped talking at this point, and immersed himself in drinking wine.
“What about when his little uncle was a child?” Ye Xiu asked.
“Not that different from most children in general, just naughtier.” Luo Qi would naturally not tell Ye Xiu about how much of a wastrel Luo Wei was in his childhood. Luo Wei was unlovable in his childhood years, however, he had now become the Luo family’s darling3.
“Big brother, sister-in-law,4” Luo Wei had entered while Luo Qi and Ye Xiu were talking, looked around both sides, and said, “Where’s my little nephew?”
“How old do you think he’ll need to be to eat with you?” Luo Qi patted the empty seat next to him, “Hurry and sit down.”
“Big brother is drinking wine alone, ah.” Luo Wei said after sitting down.
“How can you drink with your body like this?” Luo Qi gave Luo Wei a piece from a dish with his chopsticks. “Imperial Physician Wei told me that you need to eat more meat, eat up.”
Luo Wei glanced at the slice of meat that Luo Qi had placed in a small plate in front of him. He didn’t want to eat it, but still put it into his mouth.
“You eat like a lady,” Luo Qi gave several more pieces of meat in succession to Luo Wei, “Mother and father are both too lax with you, letting you do as you please when you refuse to eat. If possible, I should really have you stay in Yunguan for a while.”
“What can I do if I stay here with Big brother?” Luo Wei would not eat anymore, and said to Luo Qi, “Big brother, among the candidates for Black Frost City’s protectorate general, do you have a candidate in mind?”
Luo Qi said, “This ought to be up to his Majesty to decide.”
“In the future, Black Frost City will be under Yunguan’s jurisdiction,” Luo Wei said, “His Majesty will definitely seek Big brother’s opinion.”
“I haven’t thought about it yet,” Luo Qi said, “Black Frost City’s protectorate general must be an appropriate person.”
“It is best if he is both courageous and intelligent.” Luo Wei said.
“I’ll go to the kitchen to see if the soup is done steeping,” Ye Xiu noticed the brothers were about to begin discussing official business, and took the initiative to clear away.
“Ning Fei would not be a bad choice,” Luo Qi thought for a bit, and thought of Ning Fei.
Luo Wei said, “Ning Fei’s qualifications are still incipient. Even if Big brother were to mention his name, it will not pass in the imperial court.”
“Then forget it,” Luo Qi said, “I’ll obey his Majesty.”
“In the future, Big brother will manage the military provisions for this person’s horses and troops. If this person does not get along well with Big brother, how will the two of you cooperate?” Luo Wei said to Luo Qi, “This time because there was civil unrest in Northern Yan, we were able to seize back Black Frost City. If there was a mishap at Black Frost City, perhaps we would have had to wait several hundred years more. So for this selection of the protectorate general, you must have a definite idea yourself.”
At this moment, Luo Qi finally lost his appetite for the cooked dishes laid out across the table, set down the chopsticks, and said, “In this short while, I cannot think of a candidate. I mentioned Ning Fei, but you said it was not possible.”
“What does Big brother think of Chang-dage5?” Luo Wei asked Luo Qi in a hushed voice.
“You’re saying Chang Ling?” Luo Qi was stunned. “Why would you think of him? He is the vice-commander of Yunguan. You’ll have him go to Black Frost City?”
“You are like brothers, Chang-dage’s ability I am also aware of, it would be very appropriate to have him go to Black Frost City,” Luo Wei said, “With Chang-dage in Black Frost City, Big brother can worry a little less.”
“But regarding him going to Black Frost City, it seems there’s no benefit for him.” Luo Qi considered Chang Ling’s interest on his behalf.
“Benefit?” Luo Wei said, “Throughout the year, Big brother leaves the residence for the frontier outpost; was this also for your own benefit? The commander in chief of Yunguan, only looking at this scenery6–what’s so great about Yunguan? As far as the eye can see, there’s only yellow sand, not even a speck of green. Big brother can guard such a frigid, barren7 land, yet somehow Chang-dage cannot?”
“Three hundred thousand iron cavalrymen of Yunguan,” Luo Qi said, “How can you say my station here has no benefit?”
“After going to Black Frost City, Chang-dage can also have his own troops and horses. Wouldn’t this be his own benefit?” Luo Wei said, “Over in Black Frost, the sky is high and the emperor is far away8. He will only need to accept restrictions from Big brother. The two of you are like good brothers and can consult each other for anything.”
“Then I will have to discuss it with your Chang-dage.”
“En, Big brother, go find the opportunity to tell him,” Luo Wei poured wine for Luo Qi. “He will sincerely thank Big brother.”
“Eat some greens, today you must finish eating a bowl of rice,” Luo Qi passed some greens into the small plate in front of Luo Wei, “I’ve been watching you, from the beginning (of the meal) until now, you’ve only eaten one piece of meat!”
“Alright, let’s eat,” Luo Wei scooped a mouthful of rice into his mouth.
“What about Lan?” Luo Qi asked about Wei Lan again.
“He said he was going to stroll and look around Yun Gun,” Luo Wei said, “so I let him go.”
Wei Lan walked into a back alley outside the Commander’s estate. “Lan-dage,” a bodyguard from the Chancellor’s estate happened to be waiting there.
“The young master had everyone withdraw and return,” Wei Lan said.
“Yes,” the bodyguard ran out of the back alley.
Long Xuan temporarily stayed at an official’s manor.
An assortment of fine wines and delicacies were also laid out on the table before Chang Ling, except that he lacked Luo Qi’s kind of mood.
“Is dining together with me intolerable for you?” Long Xuan asked.
“This humble general9 does not dare,” Chang Ling hurriedly said.
Long Xuan poured his own wine10, “I have already received the familial correspondence from my imperial father. Your Chang family’s young miss will become my principal wife.”
Chang Ling stood up, saluted at Long Xuan, and said, “This humble general thanks your Highness for your love and care, on my younger sister’s11 behalf.”
Long Xuan waved his hand in dismissal to let Chang Ling take a seat. “I have yet to meet your younger sister12; we cannot even begin to discuss love and care.”
“Your Highness,” Chang Ling both sat and stood on edge13.
“I also know that this time your Chang clan wanted to send the young lady to my third brother Long Xing’s side,” Long Xuan watched Chang Ling kneeling down in front of him, also remaining unmoved. “However, my imperial father has given her to me instead. They all say the Chang family’s daughter’s appearance is extremely beautiful and elegant, but then again which woman in the palace would be an ugly woman?”
Chang Ling knelt on the ground with his head lowered, unspeaking.
“Do you not understand what my imperial father did?” Long Xuan asked Chang Ling.
“That my younger sister can become husband and wife with your Highness is his Majesty’s favour, as well as her good fortune,” Chang Ling said.
“My imperial father has always been fond of the crown prince, but he would not give the crown prince an opportunity to surpass him,” Long Xuan said, “It is already sufficient for the crown prince to have the Luo clan behind him, (would he) allow your Chang clan to be dead set upon him as well?” Long Xuan waved his hand at Chang Ling, “My imperial father would not let this come to pass. Additionally, you want to curry favour with Long Xing; this consideration is even more foolish. Your Chang clan has displeased my imperial father, and even provoked the Luo clan.”
“This humble general does not understand your Highness’s words.”
“Long Xing’s wife can only come from the Luo clan—has your Chang clan not yet grasped this point? The crown prince only needs to rely on the Luo clan; you only need to read the Luo clan’s facial expression to know. If you want to topple this mountain14, the Luo clan, how could you easily topple it?”
Chang Ling said, “This humble general never had these thoughts.”
“You might not, but your clan does.” Long Xuan said, “Could Vice-Commander Chang afford to neglect considerations for your Lingnan Chang clan?”
Chang Ling clasped his fists. Every word and phrase of Long Xuan’s made him uneasy.
“I am now someone who has lost power and influence,” at this time, Long Xuan stood up and pulled Chang Ling to his feet. “My imperial father has ushered your Lingnan Chang clan to my side, the crown prince will not believe you15 anymore. In future days to come, you can only rely on my luck turning for the better, otherwise, your Lingnan Chang clan will never have its heyday.”
E/N: See, if it were me I wouldn’t even bother with the footnotes for “Dage” and “Dasao”. Have a great Monday you guys.
1. 帅: a very high military rank. Previous translators used Commander, so I’ve continued to use this term.
2.小叔: can refer to a either a father’s or husband’s younger brother. Ye Xiu is referring to Luo Wei here.
3.宝贝: can also mean treasure when referring to an object.
4. 大嫂: wife of the eldest brother.
5.大哥: Not literally his elder brother, but used as a polite form of address for an older man of the same generation.
6. 风光: double meaning here; aside from referring to scenery, it also means grand or impressive. So you can think of Luo Qi’s position as looking “impressive” but not much else.
7. 苦寒: can also mean impoverished.
8. 天高皇帝远: meaning that remote places are beyond the reach of administration.
9. 末将: a humble way for a military officer to refer to themselves when speaking to someone of higher status.
10.自斟自饮: chengyu that can also mean to enjoy solitary pleasures.
11. 舍妹: a humble way to refer to one’s younger sister.
12. 令妹: in ancient times, a respectful way to address another person’s younger sister.
13. 坐立不安: chengyu meaning fidgety, or restless.
14. 罗家这座山: he actually refers to the Luo clan using “mountain” but it’s likely figurative and a closer approximation to meaning in English might be “behemoth.”
15. 你们: plural you, referring to not only Chang Ling, but his clansmen.
