Tag: danmei

T/N: Translated by Uhei and edited by Cyrrene

“Vice-Commander,” Chang Ling’s personal attendant walked out of the hall, and loudly reported: “Commander Luo is inviting you to go over.”

Chang Ling looked at Long Xuan.

Long Xuan allowed Chang Ling to reply.

“What does Commander Luo want to talk about?” Chang Ling asked.

“Commander Luo didn’t say what he wanted to talk about, he only said that he and Third Young Master Luo are in the Commander’s residence waiting for the Vice-Commander to go over.”

“I got it, you leave first,” Hearing that Luo Wei was also waiting for him, Chang Ling became flustered.

Long Xuan let out a laugh, “Seems like Luo Wei is the first among the Luo Family who will not let you off.”

Chang Ling said with embarrassment: “It’s Luo Shiyi who’s looking for me, not Luo Wei.”

“Luo Qi just gained a son, and it’s his long-awaited reunion with his wife; would he think of you instead of accompanying his wife and son?” Long Xuan left the dining table, and sat down leaning against the window, saying to Chang Ling: “This is Luo Wei who’s looking for you, he’s already set his sights on you.”

“Luo Wei wants to get rid of me?”

“Previously during the Battle of Yunguan Pass, he was already on guard against you,” Long Xuan said: “Him leaving you in Yejia City, is for the sake of isolating you, can’t you tell?”

“I haven’t done anything to harm his Luo family,” Chang Ling said.

“Back then you Changs had already sought me out,” Long Xuan said amusedly, “You still say you haven’t done anything harmful to his Luo Family?”

“How would Luo Wei know about this?” Chang Ling had long wanted to ask this question.

“That’s not important,” Long Xuan said: “You need to get it clear, Luo Wei has already started making moves against you, you should think of how you can survive after this, how to avoid the Lingnan Chang Clan from following in the Qiyuan Liu Clan’s footsteps, or the Shanghang Xu Clan’s path of ruin. Those hands of Luo Wei’s,” Long Xuan lowered his head to look at his own two hands, “Just like mine, they owe too many lives.”

“I’ll explain it to him,” Chang Ling said, it’s just that even speaking this aloud, he did not believe it himself.

“Luo Wei won’t listen to your explanations, he only trusts himself,” Long Xuan let Chang Ling sit down opposite him, and said: “The advantage you have over Liu Shuangshi and Xu Huoqiang is, you have a brotherly relationship with Luo Qi, and Luo Qi is a sentimental person, so in consideration of his eldest brother Luo Wei won’t take your life.”

“He wants to kill me?”

“Of course he wants to kill you, just that Luo Qi is here, and on account of his eldest brother’s face he won’t touch you while you’re at Yunguan Pass.”

Chang Ling sat in a daze, during the events at Yejia City, he’d already known of how impressive Luo Wei was.

“You should prepare to go to Black Frost City,” Long Xuan had already started studying Chang Ling since he walked into this hall. Thinking of it now, it seems like this eldest young master of the Lingnan Chang Clan is a person who has been scared silly by Luo Wei. He can’t use this person quite yet.

“Go to Black Frost City?” Ling Chang said: “What would I go to Black Frost City for?”

“If I were Luo Wei, I would put you far aside, letting you be as far as possible from the capital. Black Frost City is sufficiently distant, and also allows you to be under his eldest brother’s control, and most coincidentally, Black Frost City is currently in need of a protectorate general.”

Chang Ling’s brain was in complete disarray, “Your Highness isn’t Luo Wei ah.”

“I think that if Luo Wei treats you like this, you should be content with it.”

“Because he won’t kill me now?”

“To let Luo Wei have mercy on you, you’re already sufficiently fortunate.”

Chang Ling jumped up from the seat, he’d really had enough of Long Xuan today, and he shouted loudly at Long Xuan: “Your Highness isn’t Luo Wei, how would you know what he intends to do?”

“Luo Wei’s waiting to see you, why don’t you go see him,” Long Xuan didn’t rebuke Chang Ling for being discourteous, and said to Chang Ling: “See what he has to say to you.”

In a mentally disoriented state, Chang Ling left where Long Xuan was and went to the Commander’s residence to see Luo Wei. The result could be imagined; after Chang Ling underwent a discussion with Luo Wei that made him mentally exhausted, he could only return to see Long Xuan again under an even more disoriented mental state.

“Just now you didn’t eat anything, so I ordered someone to re-make a table of good dishes anew for you, and have prepared some good wine,” Long Xuan just knew Chang Ling would surely return to see him, and looked at Chang Ling as he said: “Sit down and let’s talk.”

Chang Ling sat down woodenly as if he were a puppet.

“You’ll be going to Black Frost City?” Long Xuan asked knowingly.

“Those brothers, they were negotiating it with me.”

“I guess Luo Qi was negotiating it with you, Luo Wei would at most inform you.”

Chang Ling said with a drooped head and flagging spirit: “Your Highness understands this third young master of the Luo Family very well.”

“Because we are the same type of person,” Long Xuan poured a cup of wine and pushed it in front of Chang Ling, “You don’t want to be enemies with Luo Wei?”

Chang Ling said: “Your Highness has also said, Luo Wei wouldn’t listen to my explanations, he doesn’t trust me.”

“I have a way of making him trust you, if only you are able to harden your heart enough to do it,” Long Xuan said.

Chang Ling asked immediately: “What way does Your Highness have?”

“If the Chang Clan’s daughter is not my proper wife, there won’t be any problems anymore.”

“What, what do you mean?”

“The will of my Imperial Father’s edict cannot be changed, I am a prince so you cannot kill me, then if there is no bride, this tie of marriage between your Chang Clan and our Long Clan won’t exist anymore.”

Chang Ling still didn’t understand, and looked wide-eyed at Long Xuan.

Long Xuan furrowed his brow at Chang Ling’s dullness, “You’ve always been very smart; you truly can’t understand what I’m saying?”

“This humble general doesn’t understand.”

“If you kill your biological sister, isn’t it settled?”

Chang Ling’s hand shook, knocking over the cup of wine in front of him, yet he didn’t even realise it himself.

Long Xuan pushed another cup of wine in front of Chang Ling, “You have no shortage of sisters, it’s just that you share the same mother with this sister, so the matter is more difficult to handle.”

“How could I, how could I kill my own sister?” Chang Ling stammered.

“Then there’s no other way,” Long Xuan said: “Then you can only stand together with me.”

“Your Highness, then Luo Wei?”

“Luo Wei cares about his eldest brother; you need to follow Luo Qi closely, and wait obediently at Black Frost City, so Luo Wei won’t be cruel towards you.”

“Then Your Highness doesn’t want me to do things?”

Long Xuan only then had the semblance of a smile, “Hearing you ask this, makes me believe you aren’t a stupid person. You have no use to me now, so I won’t seek you to do things for me.”

Chang Ling drank a mouthful of wine to steady his heart, “Then why does Your Highness teach me how to survive?”

“Because perhaps I will have a use for you at a later date,” Long Xuan said: “You, Chang Ling are not useless trash, that’s why I want to preserve your life. But, that family behind you, you shouldn’t hope for too much. Luo Wei won’t let them live their days in ease.”

“He will destroy my Chang Clan?”

“Just watch, if that old man in your Chang Clan knew fear, he would learn to spend his days with his door shut, and not seek matters beyond himself, and perhaps then nothing will happen.”

“Your Highness,” Chang Ling kneeled to Long Xuan for the second time that night, saying: “It can’t be that there is no path of survival left to my Lingnan Chang Clan?”

“You think too much for your clan’s sake,” Long Xuan put his hand on Chang Ling’s shoulder, “Only those who can aid you to succeed are your clansmen, those that hold you back are not your clansmen, they’re burdens! As long as you’re alive, isn’t there a remaining survivor of the Lingnan Chang Clan? You yourself need to think of how to survive, that old man who can’t keep with the times and lived to an old age in vain, how well does he treat you? You want to kneel on his behalf? I think he’s better off dead, only with him dead can you become the head and make decisions for the Chang Family. I tell you, I want him dead too.”

Chang Ling wanted to kowtow to Long Xuan, but his shoulders were pressed back by Long Xuan, and he couldn’t bow his head forward. He pleaded with Long Xuan: “Your Highness, my Chang Clan will take you as our only leader¹, surely Your Highness won’t watch Luo Wei deal with my Chang Family?”

“That old man has stood in my way once, I won’t save him,” Long Xuan bent down and said to Chang Ling: “I dislike people who are easily swayed².”

“But I too am a clansman of the Chang clan ah.”

“Once I marry your blood sister, we will be a family, if you are useless trash, I won’t be bothered with you, yet you aren’t useless. Give me a bit of time, borrowing Luo Wei’s hand I will let you become the head of the Chang Clan, and you can count this favor on Luo Wei’s person. Vice-Commander Chang, I know you and your sister are on close terms, I daren’t guarantee I will love her, but if you are obedient, and devote yourself wholeheartedly to doing things for me, I will treat her well. If I succeed in days to come, as my proper wife she will be my Empress. At that time, it won’t be too late to deal with Luo Wei then.”

“Your Highness!”

“I have already given you the path to survival,” Long Xuan took back his hands, and loftily looked down at Chang Ling who knelt in front of him, “Whether or not to walk it is your own choice. Go, I still have guests to attend, today I have already spent far too much time on you.”

Chang Ling walked out vacantly from this official’s residence at a loss. Long Xuan, Luo Wei, how could there be people like them in this world? Chang Ling really couldn’t understand it, they were all people, and were all living as humans in this world, why did they have to force others such that they had no way out?

T/N: I’m sorry this came out late! Didn’t schedule the post properly.

1.马首是瞻 : to follow someone’s lead unquestioningly; as a horse is led by its rider.

2. 墙头草: literally, ‘grass on the top of a wall’, swaying with the breeze, it refers to people who are opportunists.

T/N: Translated by Uhei and Cyrrene

At sunrise, the three armies of Great Zhou were standing outside Black Frost City, and the armor was bright and cold with the night wind. The black and white spirit-calling flags were fluttering in the wind, and all about floated paper money in the sky. It should be the victorious return of the living to court after the great victory, but at this moment, this slice of heaven and earth had become a banquet for the souls of the dead.

    Long Xuan stood together with Luo Qi; he raised his head and looked towards the city wall. Luo Wei was standing on the city wall. At this moment, that person (Luo Wei) was just looking at the distance intently; it was unknown what he was thinking.

    When the first ray of sunlight appeared on the distant horizon, the monks’ chanting sounded immediately.

    Grandmaster Fuyi sat cross-legged in the mud under the walls of Black Frost City with his eyes slightly closed and his hands clasped together. Apart from his disciples, no one could understand the Buddhist scriptures he chanted, but no one dared to interrupt his chanting.

    In the process of this Buddhist rite, an old woman sang the song of the Great Zhou funeral to send off spirits, in harmony with the chanting of the scriptures.

    A huge spirit-gathering banner flicked across Luo Wei’s cheek, and the singing voice was quiet and distant, making people a little confused between reality and illusion. Luo Wei was fascinated by it. This song was very similar to the nursery rhyme when his milk-nanny coaxed him to sleep, allowing him to smile knowingly in his sleep. Listening to this singing, standing high up on the city walls, Luo Wei’s heart found temporary peace. Luo Wei believed at this time, that the souls of the countless dead buried under Black Frost City over these hundred years could follow the sounds of singing all the way, and return to their homeland thousands of miles away.

    “Kneel!” A monk shouted.

    Luo Wei knelt down with the people, praying piously for the undead who would still be wandering in this place this morning.

    “Cross over the city in front of you, and go all the way south, it is the homeland,” Long Xuan stood up and said to the wilderness in front of him: “Black Frost City has returned, your souls can rest and return, go back!”

Luo Wei looked down at Long Xuan below the city wall; this person was representing his (LX’s) family that was revered above all others, expressing gratitude and comfort to these soldiers who died in the war for the country. Long Xuan was also pious at this moment, his eyes were clear. Facing many undead, Long Xuan seemed to hide the desires in his heart one by one, leaving only gratitude and respect.

    “His Highness seems to be different today,” Ning Fei said, standing beside Luo Wei.

    Luo Wei said: “He respects heroes, and among those whose bones have been buried here, who is not a hero?”

    “Including those little soldiers?” Ning Fei asked.

    “They died for the country. What is the difference between a general and a soldier?” Luo Wei reached out and caught a note of paper money that flew to the top of the city. “There are no young and old on the path to the afterlife¹, there probably won’t be any segregation between the low-born and high-born.”

    There is an army coming over there,” Long Shi, who was guarding Luo Wei’s back, yelled while pointing to their true north.

    “It’s the Northern Yan Army,” Ning Fei’s face changed slightly.

    “My eldest brother should already have made arrangements, the Northern Yan Army can’t rush over here,” Luo Wei said as he looked at the Northern Army cavalry coming down from Black Frost City.

    “Sima Qingsha came in person,” Ning Fei said to Luo Wei after seeing the people under the Northern Yan Commander’s banner: “This person is here to seize Black Frost?”

“Just those few soldiers of his?” Luo Wei also saw Sima Qingsha, and mentally counted the cavalry that Sima Qingsha had brought. There were only a thousand people. “This person may have come to ask about Mo Huan Sang and Sima Zhuxie,” Luo Wei guessed.

    Ning Fei didn’t go down to the city. At Luo Qi’s signal, he wanted to keep the tower safe.

    The three armies under the city were in a commotion, but Grandmaster Fuyi, the monks, and the old woman singing the spiritual song were unmoved, as if they hadn’t heard the horseshoes of the Northern Yan army approaching.

    A branch of the Yunguan iron cavalry blocked Sima Qingsha’s path.

    Sima Qingsha also stopped his advance, and quietly watched Great Zhou’s soul-calling ceremony.

    Long Xuan didn’t get on his horse until he had done what he should do. He urged the horse to come to Sima Qingsha, sat down, and held out a wrapped fist in greeting to Sima Qingsha, saying, “What is the purpose of Prince Qingsha coming here?”

    Sima Qingsha said: “Your wish is achieved, should I say congratulations?”

    Long Xuan said: “Black Frost City is the city of my Great Zhou, Prince Qingsha doesn’t have to be happy for my Great Zhou.”

    “You caught Zhu Xie,” Sima Qingsha stopped talking nonsense with Long Xuan, and asked Long Xuan directly: “Where are Zhu Xie and Mo Huan Sang now?”

    “I don’t know about this,” Long Xuan said: “The two may be dead, or maybe they’re still alive, but they’re not here with my Zhou army.”

    “You really don’t know?”

    “I wiped out the Black Frost’s Mo clan,” Long Xuan said: “I also don’t want Mo Huan Sang to live, if this person is still alive, wouldn’t he want to chase after me to avenge the great enmity of genocide?”

    Sima Qingsha smiled, “It seems that I had bad luck this time, and even thought the Second Highness would have a bit of kindness.”

    “Then I will kindly remind Prince Qingsha of one thing,” Long Xuan said: “You have to be careful of Yang Yuansu, this man’s ambition is too great, I’m afraid he will be a disadvantage to your territory of Northern Yan.”

    “Thank you,” Sima Qingsha raised his arms and stopped the generals behind him who were infuriated and wanted to rush over and brawl with Long Xuan, “I will go back now, and I will deal with Eastern Shang’s Yang Yuansu, I won’t trouble your Second Highness to worry on my behalf.”

    “I won’t send you off,” Long Xuan grasped his other fist in a salute again.

    Sima Qingsha looked at Black Frost City not far away, which was far away from Hefang City. Sima Qingsha had grown to such an age and yet he’d only come to Black Frost City three times. Before this city belonged to the Sima family, he didn’t think it was so good that the bricks of this city were all black, and he had never taken a proper look at this city. Now that Black Frost City was in the hands of the Long clan again, Sima Qingsha realized how precious Black Frost City was, such that he was willing to trade his life for it. But, Sima Qingsha smiled bitterly, even if he threw away his life here, he could not exchange it for Black Frost City’s return.

    “If Your Highness can’t let go of this city,” Long Xuan said from opposite Sima Qingsha: “I can order a painter to draw a picture of Black Frost City for you, to comfort Prince Qingsha’s longing?”

    “Second Highness,” Sima Qing Sha said to Long Xuan: “This incident was because my Northern Yan had internal strife, it was not defeat at your hands.”

    “Then this Black Frost was decided by the fate of heaven,” Long Xuan said.

    “There is still a person, Luo,” Sima Qingsha wanted to say Luo Wei, but his eyes returned to the person he had just seen.

    “Sima Qingsha has spotted you,” Wei Lan said to Luo Wei at the top of the city wall.

    “Really?” Luo Wei, who had been paying attention to Grandmaster Fuyi under the city, looked at Sima Qingsha not far from the city, and said to Wei Lan, “If he has spotted me then so be it. I don’t want others to be mistaken that I’m already dead.”

    Sima Qingsha recognized it at a glance. The young man in brocade clothing standing at the top of the city wall was Luo Wei. The first reaction was a lightness in his heart, and then it became unquellable flames of rage.

    Long Xuan turned around and looked at him, and said, “Did Prince Qingsha see Luo Wei? He returned to camp safely, but he was only a little tired and not injured.”

    Sima Qingsha turned around and left, not wanting to look any more.

    “If Your Highness wants to, I can ask Luo Wei to come down to talk to you,” Long Xuan still did not let Sima Qingsha pass.

    “Long Xuan,” Sima Qingsha stopped again and faced Long Xuan said, “Fengshui² turns around in cycles, you don’t have to be so arrogant and proud. After Luo Wei’s rise to a high position and wealthy recompense, what good will it do for you?”

    “There is no need for Prince Qingsha to care about my matters,” Long Xuan sneered.

    Sima Qingsha glanced at Luo Wei on the top of the tower again. He really did have looks out of a painting, a peerless appearance. Sima Qingsha turned and left, unable to put a name to the sensation in his heart.

    “Your Highness,” Sima Qingsha didn’t go far, there was a man in a white plainclothes³, riding a horse to him, rolling off his saddle, and knelt down in front of Sima Qingsha’s horse.

    Sima Qingsha recognized this person. This person was the personal servant of his father, Emperor Sima Changtian. “Why did you come? Why are you dressed in this clothing?” Sima Qingsha had already realized something in his heart, and pale-facedly asked the new arrival.

    “Your Highness, His Majesty has died!” The person cried loudly.

    Sima Qingsha’s eyes turned black for a while, “When did it happen?”

    “His Majesty’s body was showing improvement, but after hearing the news that Black Frost City was occupied by the Zhou army…” The eunuch who came to report the passing cried so hard he could not form words.

    Sima Qingsha rubbed his hand over his heart, feeling like he couldn’t breathe, thinking that he had to scratch his chest apart before he’d be relieved. Sima Qingsha grasped the thing in his arms, and the Prince of Northern Yan fell off his horse dead to the world, holding a string of beads of black jade and colored glaze in his deathly grip.

(T/N: He’s not actually dead, the phrase ‘dead to the world’ means he’s unconscious.)

T/N: I felt bad for Sima Qingsha here, I’ll admit.

1.黄泉路 – Road to Yomi, also known as Hell or the Afterlife.

2.Fengshui, the concept of karmic fortune or ‘energy forces’ that can be influenced by one’s orientation and the orientation of their possessions. Basically, geomancy.

3. 素缟 – Mourning attire made of rough white silk.