Tag: cyrrene

Translated by Cyrrene and edited by Uhei.

Although Fu Hua was angered by Luo Wei for a while, she was not a brainless unmarried woman. She knew that Luo Wei’s words were not wrong, and still did what Luo Wei said.

After Luo Zhiqiu placated his wife, he went to find Luo Wei again. When he arrived at the door to the study room, he heard Luo Wei complaining to Luo Ze within. “What is mother thinking, wanting to compete with the Chang family? Does she suspect our Luo family is still not conspicuous enough? Isn’t it fine as long as we can live well with what we have? Should our lives have to be made for public scrutiny?”

“Xiao Wei,” Luo Ze said, “I can’t understand you at all right now, why are you that cautious? Is there anyone else wanting to harm our family? Who is it? (Who) made you so fidgety?”

“Second Brother!” Luo Wei felt anxious, yet didn’t know how to explain it to his older brother.

“No need to shout,” Luo Ze said, “If you have something to say, just say it. Xiao Wei, to tell you the truth, I still don’t understand most court matters. You tell me about it.”

Luo Wei thought for quite some time before finally saying to Luo Ze, “This is similar to going to battle for you guys, Second Brother. Isn’t there this saying ‘an arrogant army is bound to lose’? It is the same with conducting one’s behaviour; an arrogant, extravagant person will ultimately not have a good outcome.”

Luo Zhiqiu pushed the door and entered the room. Not waiting for his two seated sons to stand up, he said to Luo Wei, “What you said was correct, but you cannot speak that way to your mother. I know you disapprove of this marriage, but this is what his Third Highness requested. His Majesty has agreed, so father has no way to oppose.”

“Why disapprove?” Luo Ze felt even more puzzled, “The grand wedding is in three more days. You all disapprove?”

“I was just overthinking it,” Luo Wei gazed at Luo Ze with a smile, “Second Brother need not worry. How could our Luo family be harmed by anybody? However, Second Brother needs to keep in mind that occurence in the Western Mountains hunting grounds. Don’t be outplayed again someday.”

“You said that Su Jing was the Second Highness’s cohort,” Luo Ze said, “If you hadn’t said to keep him, I would have driven him out of the Capital army long ago.”

“Wasn’t this Su Jing the one who led you to the mountain pass—otherwise how would Second Brother have encountered Consort¹ Xu?” Luo Wei spoke, “Do I even need to say whose follower he is?”

“Then why must I keep him?” Luo Ze said, “When I see him now, I feel uneasy all over.”

“If you drive him out, his Second Highness will pull someone unknown to us to fill his place. Then we might as well just let Su Jing stay in the capital’s army.” Luo Wei said, “This way, we will know who we are guarding against. Moreover, Second Brother had just been penalised. If you turned around and punished the subordinate who led the way, if word gets out, what will others say about Second Brother?”

“It’s as if (you) were born to be a worrywart,” Luo Ze snarked.

Luo Zhiqiu took a look at these two sons, and thought of the eldest son who was still on his way to the capital. Two of his sons thought too little, while one son thought too much—if these three sons redistributed their temperaments more uniformly among them, it would be better. “Your mother will do according to what you said,” Luo Zhiqiu said to Luo Wei, “She regards (Luo Wan) as her own daughter, it would be difficult to not want the best for her. You should try to understand her a bit.”

The young page from Luo Ze’s courtyard came to find him at this time. Generals from the army came to visit Luo Ze.

“I’ll go to receive the guests,” Luo Ze had to leave first. After he left Luo Wei’s study room, Luo Ze finally recalled that he had followed Luo Wei there for the purpose of ameliorating Luo Wei’s relationship with Fu Hua. Luo Wei’s relationship with his mother had always been fluctuating without warning. When Luo Wei went to Northern Yan, Fu Hua worried everyday, and could not help kneeling daily in front of the Bodhisattva in prayer. Now that Luo Wei was here in person, he became an opponent again. Luo Ze had not anticipated that before he could get a few words in, he would get lectured for another round by Luo Wei.

“The second young master is going back?” Xiao Xiao, who stood in the yard, saw Luo Ze had just come outside, and quietly asked Luo Ze, “What happened to our young master this time? Why does (your) complexion seem so unpleasant again?”

“Go!” Luo Ze gave the back of Xiao Xiao’s head a push, “Go ask your young master yourself! Where did you learn to gossip behind people’s backs, you little brat?”

Xiao Xiao was someone who did not fear a beating. When he was shoved back a few steps by Luo Ze, he drew close in front of Luo Ze again, “I heard that my young master had been told off by the madam.”

“No such thing happened,” Luo Ze while uttering those words, in his mind he was thinking, it would have been better if mother did indeed admonish that son! He took a few steps forward, noticed that Wei Lan’s bedroom door was open, he stopped again and asked Xiao Xiao, “Your Wei-dage is inside the room?”

“He is,” Xiao Xiao said, “He’s practising writing.”

“What is he doing?” Luo Ze feared he had misheard.

“He’s practising writing,” Xiao Xiao said, “Wei-dage’s characters were all personally taught by the young master. His writing is quite good, they look just like the young master’s.”

“There was even such a thing?” Luo Ze inquisitively strode into Wei Lan’s room. He heard that nobody in the Qilin Villa shadow guards was literate, yet this Wei Lan was educated?

“Second young master?” Wei Lan heard the sound of Luo Ze’s footsteps entering the room, put down the brush in his hand, and was about to salute Luo Ze.

“You’re still standing on ceremony with me?” While talking, Luo Ze arrived in front of Wei Lan’s desk where he was practising writing; it did indeed seem almost a perfect resemblance of Luo Wei’s handwriting. “My younger brother,” Luo Ze held Wei Lan’s writing in his hands, and said to Wei Lan, “I let him teach You’er to write when he had time, and he told me he wasn’t free. Did he not teach you how to write?”

Wei Lan quickly replied, “I have always accompanied the young master, so I was able to learn to write.”

“I’m not blaming you,” Le Ze could discern Wei Lan’s defensive justification for Luo Wei, and laughed, “It seems like here in this courtyard, I am not allowed to criticise our little Marquis Luo. A few of my friends from the military have come to visit. Lan, you can come with me too.”

“I should also go?” Wei Lan did not understand why Luo Ze wanted him to go meet with Luo Ze’s friends.

“Let’s go,” Luo Ze placed the fine paper filled with writing he had been holding back onto the desk, and said, “Are you thinking of scoring to become the next Zhuangyuan²? Lan, ah, since Xiao Wei is that fond of you, he won’t have you simply be a bodyguard for the rest of your life. This is to let you be acquainted with more generals in the army; it’s for your own benefit. Come with me.”

“I-” Wei Lan stood there without moving. It was already serendipity that he could be Luo Wei’s bodyguard for the rest of his life. What else could he hope for?

“Let’s go,” Luo Ze did not wait any longer. Walking outside the room, he said to Wei Lan, “You won’t listen to what I said?”

Luo Ze was also a master. Wei Lan couldn’t disobey his words, and could only go with Luo Ze.

“I just cannot comprehend Xiao Wei’s affairs with those literary officials,” Luo Ze said while walking with Wei Lan, “However in the army, it’s not as simple as a bowl of plain water³. You also need friends so that there will be more doors of opportunity, perhaps even Xiao Wei doesn’t know that.”

When Wei Lan heard Luo Ze say this, his interest was piqued, and asked Luo Ze, “There are even things that the young master doesn’t know?”

“Of course,” Luo Ze said, “I’ll ask you: who should you never offend in the army?”

Wei Lan said, “The Grand Commandant?”

“Wrong,” Luo Ze shook his head.

“Isn’t the Grand Commandant of the three armies the highest official in the army? Is there anyone with a higher position than the Grand Commandant?”

“The official in charge of transporting grains and provisions, the quartermaster, and the medical officer–these three officials are the ones you must never offend.” Luo Ze frankly explained to Wei Lan.

“Don’t these people also have to listen to the Grand Commandant?” Wei Lan asked. While he was in Luo Qi’s army, he had not witnessed what Luo Ze said of these three types of officers having such awe-inspiring authority.

“I’ll slowly explain it to you then,” Luo Ze was not someone who liked to lecture others, but at this moment he patiently started to instruct Wei Lan on the Way of the military. He saw how Luo Wei treated Wei Lan, and certainly thought that Wei Lan could become the next Ning Fei.

In the study room after Luo Ze had left, Luo Zhiqiu finally began to properly discuss the issue with Luo Wei.

“Wan’er is one who doesn’t cause trouble,” After Luo Zhiqiu told Luo Wei about some important personnel transfers and promotions within the imperial court, he spoke to Luo Wei again about Luo Wan, “You don’t need to worry about her engendering anything inappropriate.”

“Then what is his Third Highness’s intention?” Luo Wei said, “Previously, I have not perceived him as being at all close with our family. Now he took the initiative to marry a daughter of the Luo family. How did he have this change of heart?”

Luo Zhiqiu admonishingly gestured at Luo Wei. Some matters were fine just understanding it within one’s mind; there was no benefit to everyone in saying it aloud.

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Sorry it’s a day late.

1. 徐氏侧妃: more specifically, (Long Xuan’s) side-consort from the Xu family. Recall the hunting grounds incident of Ch. 138. A side-consort is a wife that is lower in rank than a principal wife and ranked above a concubine. A side-consort, unlike a concubine, has the potential to become a principal wife. [Return]

2. 状元: top scorer in the imperial examinations. [Return]

3. 一碗白开水: something that can be clearly seen through. [Return]

Translated by Cyrrene and edited by Uhei.

The emperor, the princes, and the civil and military officers all left the city to welcome the great army upon their victorious return. The Imperial palace guards, the Feathered Forest¹ Imperial army, and the Six battalions of the East and West were all mobilised; the spectacle was so large that it rendered people speechless. Outside the northern city wall, Luo Wei, who had been conferred Brocade Marquis on the spot, was doubtlessly the one in the limelight² that day. The third young master Luo, still in his teens, had been bestowed the rank of marquis while also possessing outstanding beauty. That day as he walked past on the streets that had been rinsed clean, it was not known how many young girls’ hearts he captivated, or in how many young men’s hearts he invoked envy.

Soon after Emperor Xingwu, without reservations, awarded each of the subjects who returned from Black Frost City with accomplishments. The Luo family’s eldest son Luo Qi and second son Luo Ze, after Luo Wei, were also granted the title of marquis. Luo Qi was the Grand Commandant of the three armies this time, so to be conferred a marquis title for his military exploits was beyond question. Luo Ze’s marquis title conferment drew many remarks, however, Emperor Xingwu clarified in the edict that bestowed Luo Ze as the Dingwu Marquis, his conferral was because of his many years of service guarding the capital. This reason made everyone only able to whisper secretly behind their backs, not daring to speak openly in public.

Luo Zhiqiu’s three sons were all conferred marquis titles. The Senior Chancellor’s Luo estate was for a while unparalleled in their fame; the numerous visitors that came to offer congratulations and well-wishes nearly trampled down the Chancellor estate’s doorway threshold.

Luo Wei was not in the mood to pay attention to the liveliness at home. With the excuse that his body needed to recuperate, he did not go to greet the guests who came to add flowers to the brocade³, except for Zhao Henian—the Zhao clan brothers who were old family friends of the Luo family. Only then did Luo Wei come out to meet them for a bit; during the rest of the time he just stayed within his own courtyard.

Of course, Luo Wei could not have possibly slept the whole time he stayed in his own courtyard; he spent the whole day with Wei Lan so close they might as well be rubbing their fringes together⁴. Luo Wei did not go outside for several days after returning to the capital, and invited Ning Fei over to consult for a couple of days. Soon after, Great Zhou’s Jianghu gave rise to stormy waves, and Mingjian Villa was shut down by the authorities. The villa master Ning Shuying, from being the leader among the righteous martial arts community, became a criminal declared for arrest by the imperial court overnight. The Yu Zhou mine case, which had already been closed, was once again unearthed by local authorities. After (the investigations of) Yu Zhou’s officials, Mingjian Villa became the first aristocratic martial family implicated in the Yu Zhou mine case.

Just when people were still startled over Mingjian Villa’s tumultuous collapse, the martial families with close ties with Mingjian Villa were also investigated in succession. Commoners do not fight the government⁵—the people of the Jianghu were also merely commoners, even with many skilled heroic figures among them, yet when faced with this type of suppression from both above and below, there was not much they could do. Either they simply admit defeat at the mercy of others, or they abandon their families and businesses, desperately fleeing to the ends of the earth.

When the influence of one party collapses, there will be another new power to replace it. The people of the past thought it was the Qilin Villa’s turn to unify the Jianghu. No one expected the Qilin Villa to remain silent during this time, close its doors, instead passing their days honestly, maintaining an overall disregard for the Jianghu’s affairs. During these days, the biggest news people heard from Qilin Villa was that Luo Tingchao’s eldest son Luo Haisheng became gravely ill. This illness left him almost permanently in bed⁶, becoming handicapped.

Since the Qilin Villa’s master did not make an appearance, the various clans and factions of the Jianghu began another round of disputes. Anyone could become the martial community’s next Mingjian Villa. Another episode of bloodbath⁷ within Great Zhou’s Jianghu seemed inevitable. The memorial reported to the imperial court from the local officials all mentioned that the carnage among the Jianghu was increasingly intense.

Just when the people of the Jianghu had already gone berserk⁸‘, the feudal reign of Mingjian Villa was already dissolved by the local officials. All the properties of Mingjian Villa were returned to the already second-class ranked general Ningfei, who was granted a position as Xuanwei General, Ning Zizhou. The people of the Jianghu who had been killing to their hearts’ content finally understood that the presumed reinvestigation of the Yu Zhou mine case, which had rendered Ning Shuying—this type of figure in the Jianghu who stirred up trouble⁹—into a criminal by imperial decree, and raised such a ruckus, were all just a pretext for Ning Zizhou, this sixth young master who had already severed all ties with Mingjian Villa, to be able to take control of Mingjian Villa.

After Ning Fei obtained Mingjian Villa, shortly after, he married Xiangdong prefectural governor Fu Jingzong’s daughter¹⁰, and became the Quyu Fu family’s son-in-law. For a dancer’s¹¹ son to rise to such a position like this today, people couldn’t help but sigh emotionally at Ning Fei’s good fortune and excellent future prospects.

Long Xuan watched Fu Yun displaying each piece of clothing he would be wearing on his grand wedding day while listening to the scouts reporting on Ning Fei’s wedding scene.

“Did the third young master Luo also attend?” Long Xuan asked.

“He went,” the scout replied, “except he did not go to the main hall, but only stayed in the rear hall.”

“You may leave,” Long Xuan had the scout retreat. It was as if he wasn’t concerned about Ning Fei’s wedding, but was concerned about whether Luo Wei had attended the occasion. 

“Your Highness,” Fu Yun cautiously and gently asked Long Xuan, “Are you satisfied with the clothes?”

“These were sent by the Hall of the Gracious Phoenix,” Long Xuan said, “In what way could I be dissatisfied?”

Fu Yun didn’t dare speak. This time Luo Zhiyi simultaneously prepared for Long Xuan and Long Xing’s grand weddings. From Fu Yun’s viewpoint as a person who was entirely devoted to Long Xuan, Luo Zhiyi handled this issue flawlessly. Everything regarding Long Xuan’s was rushed here first, that Long Xing on the contrary, couldn’t see how much this empress cared about her own son.

“Go put them all away,” Long Xuan said.

Fu Yun quickly had someone come to put away all the items that were laid out.

Peace had finally been restored for Long Xuan when Long Xiang suddenly came to visit. Long Xiang was delighted about his older brother’s grand wedding. When he entered Long Xuan’s study room, he said to Long Xuan, “Brother, today I saw our mother.”

Long Xuan’s usually indifferent facial expression suddenly revealed astonishment at this. He said, “How did you enter the Hall of Blossoming Beauty?”

Long Xiang said, “I requested from the empress, and she allowed me to go. She also said that if brother wishes to see mother before the grand wedding, you can also go see her.”

“How was mother when you saw her?” 

“Shang Xi from the Hall of the Gracious Phoenix followed, so I wasn’t able to get closer.” Long Xiang shook his head and waved his fist, “Mother was sleeping on a daybed. The curtains weren’t lifted, so I couldn’t see our mother’s appearance.”

“How does this count as seeing her?” Long Xuan said.

“What else could I do?” Long Xiang said to Long Xuan, “You’re the one who told me to respect the empress, otherwise our mother will have to suffer.”

“Then what did you say to our mother?” Long Xuan asked again.

“Mother said she was fine right now. She has always been taking the medicine sent by the Imperial Medical Ward,” Long Xiang repeated the words back like a parrot¹⁰, “She said that with the empress looking after both of us, she can be at ease and focus on her recovery. And also, she said she really missed the Empress Dowager. I also don’t know how the Empress Dowager is, so I had difficulty answering our mother.” When Long Xiang said this, he was slightly vexed again. “Brother, otherwise next time I will go request the empress to have her allow me to see the Empress Dowager.”

“You need Imperial Father’s decree in order to see the Empress Dowager,” Long Xuan said, “What use is there to seek the Empress Dowager?”

Long Xiang sat down in a chair across from Long Xuan and said, “Your place is so cold and cheerless. Long Xing’s place is much more lively. Brother, I saw that Luo clan’s daughter. That saying was so accurate, ‘Youyan’s beautiful girls are aplenty’—she was a great beauty.”

“Aren’t you so bored?”

“Not like I wanted to see. Yesterday, she was over at the empress’s, okay. When I went in, I only saw the profile of her face,” Long Xiang said, “I also asked the empress. This Luo clan’s girl is older than Luo Wei by a few months. She could be considered Luo Wei’s older paternal cousin.”

“So what?” Long Xuan said, “What exactly are you trying to tell me?”

“I’m saying the Luo clan is so impressive right now,” Long Xiang thought about it and felt it was unjustified, “If this time you had brought me along to Northern Yan, I could also establish an outstanding battle record. Even if I couldn’t compare to either you or Luo Wei, I’m at least stronger than Ning Fei? That brat managed to rise to second-class general rank in one go! What kind of reasoning is this?”

Long Xuan said, “Based on the way you currently idle around when attending the Study, you can’t compare to him!”

When Long Xuan mentioned attending the Study, Long Xiang stopped talking, and immersed himself in eating the snacks on the nearby tea table.

For Ning Fei to be able to receive a second-class general rank, Luo Wei must have exerted his resources considerably. On Ning Fei’s behalf, it could be said that Luo Wei exhausted all his tricks and scheming. Long Xuan also couldn’t see any reason for Ning Fei to not wholly dedicate his utmost to the Luo family. (Long Xuan) had originally believed that Luo Wei would destroy the Mingjian Villa, but had not anticipated that with a sleight of hand, Mingjian Villa would be sent to Ning Fei. This move was undoubtedly brilliant.

---

Next update on Tuesday will resume the normal update schedule.

1. 御林军: a division of imperial bodyguards. See more here. [Return]

2.出风头: to stand out. [Return]

 3.锦上添花: figuratively, it means to be amiable when the other party is in a good situation; to lend a helping hand when none is needed. [Return]

4.耳鬓厮磨: sharing close intimacy, especially between men and women. Origin of this phrase is from “Dream of the Red Chamber.” [Return]

 5.民不与官斗: the first part of a common folk proverb 民不与官斗, 贫不与富争后面几句 (commoners do not fight the government, the poor do not fight with the rich). [Return]

6. 都将与床为伴: the more literal translation of this phrase is “practically made him into the bed’s companion” [Return]

7. 腥风血雨: lit. foul wind and blood rain; reign of terror or carnage. [Return]

8. 杀红了眼: entered a state of mind where the eyes have turned red and only thinking of killing. [Return]

9. 呼风唤雨: chengyu, lit. call the wind and summon the rain. [Return]

10. 嫡女: daughter of a principal wife. [Return]

11. 舞妓: a woman who is trained in performing arts in an establishment, similar to maiko. [Return]

12.鹦鹉学舌 [Return]