Tag: how is the gentleman feeling

The faint fragrance of sandalwood loomed in the room.

Chu Mingyun knocked on the desk, looking at Du Yue who was shoving cakes into his mouth across from him, “I called you because I have things (to discuss), not to treat you to (a meal).”

Du Yue didn’t even look up, and responded with a muffled sound, “I know, you definitely didn’t find me for anything good, that’s why right now I’ll eat a few more liang of your silver (eat more off your tab) to soothe my feelings.”

Chu Mingyun could not be bothered to deal with him. He took out a jade pendant and lay it on the table in front of him, “Help me check whether there are any hidden mechanisms in this? How come the people of the Su residence each have livelier expressions than the next once they see it.”

In that instant, Du Yue’s couldn’t exhale his next breath and choked on it. As he coughed, he pointed to it in shock, “I, that, th-that that……”

Chu Mingyun leisurely propped up his jaw and studied his expression, “Exactly, (they had) just this reaction.”

“Surnamed Chu, where did you steal this from?”

Chu Mingyun looked at him expressionlessly, “Su Shiyu gave it to me himself.”

“This is given to you by Su Shiyu?! Which Su Shiyu?!” Du Yue started to recover his breath.

“Shouldn’t you be clearer than me how many cousins you have?”

“……Has my cousin gone silly ah?” Du Yue’s face was filled with disbelief.

“Get to the point.”

“……Woh.” (T/N: Affirmative noise, pronounced “or”) Du Yue held his head to soothe over his feelings for a bit, “Actually I’m also not too sure exactly what this is meant to be used for, I just remember this jade pendant was left to him by my aunt (T/N: Jiumu, mother’s brother’s wife so Shiyu’s mother), my cousin always carries it on his person.”

“You’re certain?” Chu Mingyun lightly raised his brows, “Su Shiyu even took this jade pendant to use in place of stake money for gambling, if it really is that important, would he bear to do such a thing?”

“You probably don’t understand this,” Du Yue said smugly, “I’ve seen Su Bai take this jade pendant along with him several times when conducting his business, basically you can say that as long as (the beholder) is a member of the Su family, once they see this jade pendant they’ll know it’s my brother. Even if it got lost no one would dare to keep it, in the end it would definitely return to his possession.”

“Woh——?” Chu Mingyun smiled, “Seeing the jade is like seeing the person¹?”
It seems to be that Su Shiyu was planning to switch strategy to using the jade pendant handed over to the casino as a lead for the investigation once he’d lost the wager that day.

“It should roughly mean seeing the jade is the same as seeing the person, but since my cousin dared to give it to you, you’d best not think you can use the jade pendant to mobilise the Su family’s forces anymore.” Du Yue said bluntly.

Chu Mingyun glanced at Du Yue who was having a rare moment with his brain present. The other party’s eyes only stared at the jade pendant, and bit fiercely into a Rongfu cake, “But why did my cousin give it to you and not to me ah!“

“I cannot make sense of it either.” Chu Mingyun held the jade pendant in his hand and fiddled with it, and said uncertainly, “Probably at that time he had nothing else on his person, or perhaps he intends to make use of this jade pendant to…”

“Chu Mingyun.” Du Yue suddenly cut him off in an extremely serious tone, “I don’t know how it is when you officials fight back and forth all day, but setting that aside, my cousin isn’t as treacherous as you imagine him to be, and that jade pendant is really important to him!”

“Yes yes yes, you’ve always been on his side, and only wish Su Shiyu was your blood brother.” Chu Mingyun tossed back a reply callously, and lifted the jade pendant in hand to his line of sight, looking at it. White jade carved with an ornamental pattern, glistening as if it generated light. His lips suddenly curved with a hint of cold humor, and barely an warning he loosened the hand holding the jade pendant. “So what if it’s important or not, I certainly don’t care about it.”

The jade dropped straight down, and in that instant the clear and crisp sound of jade-stone striking rang out from the floor.

Du Yue was stunned into stillness, but quickly slapped the table and stood, saying in a fury: “Surnamed Chu are you crazy²?” He walked up and bent over trying to pick it up, yet was blocked by Chu Mingyun lifting his leg and could only withdraw, quickly straightening up again, “What are you doing?!”

Chu Mingyun folded his arms on the table, tilting his head and smiled looking at him, “Something given to me, what are you trying to pick it up for?”

“(If) you don’t want it can’t I want it?” Du Yue glared at him.

“You can’t.”

“Your mother! (F*ck!)” Du Yue flicked his sleeves and walked out, and as he passed (Chu Mingyun) he scolded between gritted teeth: “Don’t know how to appreciate kindness, since you don’t even know how to cherish others’ good intent you just wait to get your retribution!”

Chu Mingyun sent him off with a grin, “Gladly.”

With one leg, Du Yue kicked the door open.

The room returned to silent stillness. Chu Mingyun turned his head round, and as the humor (in his expression) receded, he slowly drank a cup of tea to the last drop, stood and walked out.

Yet for some reason he ceased his steps in front of the door, and was unable to take the next step.

Chu Mingyun stood silently in the house, hand pressed against the red-painted engraved door, not moving an inch. His gaze seemed to fall into the distant void, and was lost in thought by himself.

The sandalwood incense burned out soundlessly, breaking into a burner-ful of trifling dust. The sound of wind passed by the window, circulating the faint scent.

After a good while he suddenly spun around gradually, and without any expression stared at his original position, the light in his eyes fluctuating. He lifted his feet and walked back, crouching to retrieve the thing beside his foot. The jade stone was still whole, just with the addition of several crack marks on it, clearly visible as reflected in the settling sunlight.

Chu Mingyun furrowed his brow tightly and let out a tsk sound, shoving the jade pendant back into his sleeve again, “Troublesome.”

“Cousin——!” Accompanied by a roar, the door to the study was forcefully pushed open.

Su Shiyu lifted his eyes to look at that blue-robed figure that was spitting with anger³, and could not help but laugh, “What is it, is this you looking to seek revenge on me?”

“Looking for you to seek revenge on someone else!” Du Yue reached his desk in a few bounds, “His mother that (That damn) Chu Mingyun actually (dared) throw your item!”

“Item?” The hand Su Shiyu was writing with paused, “What item?”

“It’s that jade pendant you gave ah! He actually (dared) say he doesn’t care about it and then threw it, Laozi⁴ cares about it ah!”

Su Shiyu put down the brush, wrinkling his brow, “Speak properly.” He paused for a blink, then suddenly laughed lowly, “If it’s thrown away then it’s thrown away.”

“You……” Du Yue was having difficulty accepting his calm reaction; and exasperation he said, “Cousin aren’t you going to something?”

“What is the something I should say?”

“Such as, ‘Surnamed Chu is really too much! He literally isn’t anything decent ah he……'”

“Ah-Yue,” Su Shiyu interrupted him, and smiled warmly, “Why slander others like this?”

“How is this considered slander?!” Du Yue blurted, but no matter that fury nestled in his heart, seeing Su Shiyu’s mannerism that seemingly didn’t care about this he felt it slightly embarrassing to continue blathering on, and hence relaxed his tone to ask: “Cousin, wasn’t that jade pendant very important to you, why’d you give it to him for no good reason?”

　　”So what if it’s important, so what if it’s unimportant,” Su Shiyu lowered his eyes and smiled faintly, and said casually, “It was what he was due, so I simply gave it to him.”

“What (do you) mean?” Du Yue didn’t understand.

　　Su Shiyu looked at Du Yue, then let out a light sigh, “Since it’s already been given to him, then that is his item, if he keeps it properly that’s good, if he casually throws it away then that’s that, it all up to his whims.”

　　”But where is there a case for you giving it to him with good intent and not only being suspected but also letting (him) throw it away?” Du Yue felt indignant (for him), “Cousin what the hell’s use in you being so nice to him!”

　　”You don’t need to feel so aggrieved.” Su Shiyu soothed, “I merely granted it willingly, not out of any intent to get something in return, and more so I didn’t ever consider there would be any use in this. Moreover, at the time I’d already thought of the likely outcomes, so now it doesn’t really comes as a surprise, you also don’t need to be so bothered.” He smiled blandly, “If it’s thrown away then it’s thrown away.”

　　Du Yue was pent up with frustration, looking at Su Shiyu for a half-beat, and could only say with a perturbed expression, “Alright alright I get it, it’s fine as long as I don’t scold him yeah.” Yet could not help mumble under his breath, “Such a good jade going to waste for nothing, even my heart hurts at the thought, you may as well give it to me.”

　　”Give (it to) you?” Su Shiyu laughed, “How come I remember that since you were little up till now, all of things I’ve given you would be dropped and broken within three days?”

　　”Back then wasn’t I young and ignorant mah, if you give me things again now I definitely won’t break it.” Just as he’d spoken the words, Du Yue’s eyes suddenly lit up, and went up (to him), “Cousin, you give me one jade pendant too bei, I’ll surely carefully keep it and treasure it!”

　　”There’s no more.” Su Shiyu shook his head and said.

　　”Ah? No more?”

　　”En,” He laughed lowly, and gazed at the reflection of clouds and the skies in water beyond the window, his expression gentle, “Back then Mother only left this one piece for me to give⁴.”

　　Du Yue followed his gaze to the falling flowers of the front courtyard, and hearing those words he fell silent, not speaking even half a word after that.

---

T/N: It was at this point that I went ‘aight Chu Mingyun you’re dead to me’
I’ll be watching for him to chase his wife to the crematorium and regret his actions deeply zhenxiang.jpg

1.见玉如见人 – basically 见__如见人 means that the object is so symbolic of the person that it is equivalent to the person’s authority.

2.有病吧 – although Du Yue asks him “are you sick?” this is a colloquialism for being mentally ill…title drop?

3.怒气冲冲

4.让我赠人 – okay so there’s a few ways this could be interpreted but I think what’s being implied here is that the jade pendant is a keepsake meant for SSY to give to someone, ‘a person’ but not specifying who that person is, (so it’s probably meant for SSY’s someone if you know what I mean 😏)

There was a tea stand near the city gates of Chang’an that was extraordinarily bustling with activity. … most of them would stop for a moment to rest their feet and drink tea, and then talk idly about the major powers of the five lakes and four seas¹.

　　A tall and thin young swordsman found a spot and sat down, casually placing his sword on the table, and calling for the boss to serve tea. The people beside him were all discussing something, their tone rife with discontent and ire. Each of them were agitated. The swordsman was suspicious, and carried his teacup over to listen in.

　　”Truly, each year is worse than the next! Think about the century since the beginning of Daxia’s rule, since when have we needed to put up with this sort of irritation?!”

　　”That’s right! With such a large country as ours, why do we still need to be so courteous/ compensate that kind of small country so much? Isn’t it just one woman who died, and even then, it wasn’t us who killed [her], why should it be us who pays?!”

　　”Didn’t [she] die at the border, [they] said it was a Han person [that did it], but who knows if it was their own people who killed [her] and want to use this set-up to extort us?”

　　”So what if it’s a set-up? What can we do? In my opinion the current court is only left with a bunch of soft-bones², if this happened back then, compensate their mother, we could just conquer them and be done with it!”

　　From the surroundings came a round of echoed concurrence, but someone raised their voice to interrupt: “You make it sound simple, but what conquer³, once we start a war how would those nobility be able to live their days well. Definitely, if it can be settled with compensation then they’d just pay, in any case it’s paid with our hard-earned money⁴.

　　Once the sound of those words landed, there came another round of clamour from the people.

　　The swordsman was completely baffled by what he heard⁵, and pulled over a middle-aged man by his side to ask, “Big brother, what are they saying here?”

　　The middle-aged man turned to look at him, “Little brother still doesn’t know? A few days ago the princess of Loulan died for no rhyme or reason so our country paid a heavy rite to them, it was over a hundred boxes! And it just left the city gates.” He gestured with his chin towards somewhere in the distance, and his words took on a melancholy air⁶, “I heard it’s ten thousand liang of gold and silver vessels, and three thousand bolts of silk and satin ah!”

　　The swordsman nodded, but didn’t pick up the conversation. The middle-aged man still continued as if talking to himself: “These ol’ esteemed officials really have been living the good life for too long, it only took one word for them to send out [the compensation]. Grand Secretary ah Grand Secretary, who knew [he] would also become like this one day, if General Su Jue were still alive he’d still probably be angered to death.”

　　The swordsman didn’t understand: “You speak of Su Shiyu, Master Su? Hasn’t he always received wide acclaim for being talented and virtuous?”

　　”It’s him alright.” The middle-aged man said, “But unfortunately what you said is already in the past. The compensation gifts I just spoke of, it was him who allowed it to be sent out!” He sighed deeply again, “Actually thinking about it, since when is there any virtuous talent, all the crows under the sky are equally black, isn’t the court just filled with people vying for money and their own self-interests. A few days ago I heard people saying he conspired with Master Chu to kill Su Xing. I hadn’t believed it then, and quarreled with that person for a whole afternoon, thinking about it now ah……” He laughed coldly, shaking his head, and didn’t continue.

　　The swordsman gave the disgruntled bunch of people a complicated look, and sighed as well.

　　The gaze of the middle-aged man moved from the sword on the table to the swordsman, and suddenly he said: “Yi, little brother, looking at your get-up, are you a wandering chevalier⁷?”

　　The swordsman hurriedly said, “You’re too polite, how could I be called a wandering chevalier, I’m just someone who runs in the Jianghu.”

　　”Aiy, you’re being humble,” The middle-aged man laughed, patting his shoulder, “Nowadays ah, the high officials and nobility don’t care about whether we live or die. If anything happens from now on, the ones we’ll be relying on are you!’

　　The swordsman nodded and didn’t pick up the conversation. He cast a glance at his sword, looking pensive.

---

　　It was nightfall, and a dark shadow passed in a sudden blur outside the study.

　　Su Shiyu’s expression remained at ease, still lifting up his sleeve to slowly grind the pine-smoke ink. The room’s door suddenly opened wide, the night breeze dimming the candle-flame buoyantly. A path of frost-glare⁸ broke through the gloom of the night, bringing with it a gale that hit one’s face head-on.

　　Su Shiyu indifferently kept his eyelids drooped and didn’t move, quietly pressing the sleeve-dagger in his palm.

　　Yet he still couldn’t make his move.

　　Abruptly, that figure froze woodenly; the silence and that body was penetrated with a sharp blade and a bright ring. The point of the sword peeking through their chest, fresh blood spattering wildly.

　　Su Shiyu stepped back to dodge, and in the field of his vision he could see the dark-red colour of blood dripped into that inkwell, a contrast of red and black. He raised his eyes, and the shadowed figure fell sideways to the ground, revealing the man returning a sword to its sheath behind him. The longsword drew a beam of light, the other party backed against the full glow of the moon. He was familiar with those brows and eyes (that face).

　　”Why have you come?” Su Shiyu was slightly astonished.

　　Chu Mingyun didn’t reply, walking up to lower his head and study the tall and skinny swordsman laying on the ground. He clicked his tongue and sighed with feeling: “Master Su, the compensation rites have just been sent out of Chang’an, and already there’s someone who has come to take your rotten-official’s⁹ life?”

　　Su Shiyu gave him a helpless look, and Chu Mingyun raised his eyes, happening to chance on his gaze, “You’re so gutsy, an assassin has already reached right in front of your eyes and you don’t even know to duck away?”

　　”Was planning to make a move, but then you beat me to it.” Su Shiyu kept the documents stained completely with blood to the side, smiling: “I’ve troubled Master Chu to act on my behalf, this counts as me owing you a favour.”

　　Chu Mingyun sat by the tableside, crossing his arms on the desk and leaning in close, stretching out the intonation of his words as he laughed airily, “Owe me a favour? You want to dismiss me with just these words–“

　　The ending syllable and that movement of leaning closer were both halted by a jade pendant pressed against his forehead, it felt fine and smooth to the touch. Su Shiyu looked at that face so close within reach, and shifted to place the jade pendant in his hand, “Then this should be enough in any case.”

　　Dazzling light in vibrant colours rippled over its surface¹⁰, and it was warm to the touch. Chu Mingyun still remembered that this jade pendant was the one Su Shiyu took out for him to use as stakes back then in Yongle Casino, “What are you giving me this for?”

　　”Returning you the favour, you just keep it.” Su Shiyu paused, and added, “In the future if you ever come to the residence you no longer need to act like the assassins. If you bring the jade pendant with you, you can come find me anytime, and there won’t be any one to stop you.”

　　Chu Mingyun stroked over the carved patterns on the white jade, “Including when you’re bathing?”

　　”……” Su Shiyu said, “What do you think?”

　　Chu Mingyun let out a laugh, and kept the jade pendant, “But this time I do have serious matters I’m seeking you for.”

　　Su Shiyu smiled lightly, and served him tea, “I know, you can speak frankly.”

　　”You kept the matter about Ji Heng secret instead of making it public,” Chu Mingyun looked at him, “Is it the King of Huainan who directed this behind the scenes again?”

　　Su Shiyu nodded, “It is written that way in his confession, Ji Heng also handed over a token of proof, it does appear to be that way.”

　　”Appears to be?” Chu Mingyun laughed, “Master Su has also sensed that something’s off?”

　　Su Shiyu returned his gaze, “You know something?”

　　”Do you still remember the incident at the Rite of Offering Sacrifice¹¹,” Chu Mingyun said, ” I sent someone to investigate Jiang Yuan’s birthplace, you can probably already guess right?”

　　”Huainan?”

　　”Correct,” Chu Mingyun’s smile was brimming over with humor, “There aren’t that many coincidences in this world, if back then His Majesty the emperor had chosen to pursue the investigation, then Jiang Yuan’s origins would definitely have been checked, and I’m afraid it would only lead to the King of Huainan again.”

　　Su Shiyu’s eyes darkened and didn’t speak, sinking deep into thought.

　　”Che,” Chu Mingyun stretched out a hand to lift his chin upward in a displeased manner, “Look at me.”

　　Su Shiyu’s figure went slightly stiff, his state of mind thereupon cast into disarray. He pulled away his hand, steadied his mind and looked over at him, “What?”

　　”I haven’t finished speaking so why are you ignoring me again.” Chu Mingyun said, his brows furrowed.

　　He couldn’t help but laugh lightly, “Forgive my impropriety, please continue, Master Chu.”

　　Chu Mingyun took up the teacup, “So isn’t this very strange? The other side’s tactics are getting more and more sloppy, and the evidence are becoming increasingly obvious.”

　　”After we found the King of Huainan’s (link in) Su Xing’s case, you made no moves, and not long after Jiang Yuan whose birthplace is Huainan framed me, His Majesty didn’t look into it. And now, the Princess of Loulan has been killed, the evidence points straight to the King of Huainan, forcing you to pursue this line of investigation.”

　　Su Shiyu froze, and understood in a flash, as Chu Mingyun presented his conclusion, ‘He seems to be incessantly urging you to go kill him, the more inactive you are the more anxious he is.”

　　Su Shiyu’s brows knit tightly, “But the king’s seal is like the imperial jade seal, it can’t be fabricated.”

　　”I didn’t say that those evidence were faked, that’s why I only find it strange.” Chu Mingyun looked at him, “In a few more days Master Su has to be dispatched to the Imperial Hunt, are you still intending to go?”

　　Su Shiyu met his gaze and nodded, “Since we’ve ascertained that this is definitely linked to the King of Huainan, then naturally I have to go.”

　　”I know Master Su has long since had the intent to whittle down the vassal’s power, but don’t tell me this is even worth risking your life for?”

　　Su Shiyu smiled blandly, “Why wouldn’t it be?”

　　”Up to you.” Chu Mingyun moved away his gaze and drank the tea.

　　Su Shiyu also no longer pursued this topic. The wick of the lantern let out a light hiss as the flame’s shadow bobbed. He looked at the corpse gone cold on the ground, let out a sigh and suddenly spoke up: “Although that compensatory rite can spare us a war, but I’m afraid that the King of Loulan will no longer let Loulan have even the slightest dealing with our Daxia for as long as he reigns. I only hope they don’t become allies with the Huns…”

　　Chu Mingyun put down the teacup and let out a laugh, “Loulan is a necessary checkpoint on the road back from the Eastern territories, you guess if they’ll still let those Han merchant troupes pass by?”

　　It went without saying. Su Shiyu asked: “Does Master Chu have a solution?”

　　”I just thought of it.” Chu Mingyun smiled and said, “”All we need to do is just change the general guarding the Western frontier to Zhou Yi.”

　　”And what do you intend to do after changing it to him?”

　　”No need to do anything after, Master Su also doesn’t need to hold the notion that you need to find suitable replacement (for him) after finding a solution.” Chu Mingyun said, “Zhou Yi has followed me the longest, back in those years of battling back the Huns he was my deputy general. If he’s in charge of the Western frontier, it’ll definitely be able to intimidate the Huns and Loulan somewhat.”

　　Calm as unrippled water¹¹, Su Shiyu said: “This matter is not a trivial one, let’s report it to His Majesty to re-discuss in further detail later.”

　　”As long as Master Su gives his assent now, I imagine there won’t be any problems over on His Majesty’s side either,” Chu Mingyun smiled so deeply his eyes and brows curved, “En?“

　　Su Shiyu looked at him silently for a good while. The night breeze blew past the corridor, and outside the window was dotted light from rising fireflies.

　　Chu Mingyun’s words were not untrue. In the court apart from his few trusted subordinates, there was no one else who could shoulder heavy responsibilities.

　　Su Shiyu sighed lightly, “Since Master Chu has spoken as such, I have no reason not to agree.”

　　Chu Mingyun then laughed, “Master Su really is a reasonable person after all.” Pausing, he seemed to think of something suddenly, “Right, What exactly was lost during that [incident] in Tianlu Pavillion?”

　　”Several volumes of registries with no apparent pattern whatsoever, can’t guess at the [perpetrator’s] motives.” Su Shiyu recalled and said, “Some test questions from the imperial examination a few years ago, an imperial edict to construct a canal, some memorials sent from the border, a registry of the vassal kings, and also…”

　　”A registry of the vassal kings?” Chu Mingyun interrupted.

　　Su Shiyu nodded, “I remember on it was written the fiefdoms of the various marquises and vassal kings, their family registries, their system of rites and assigned beast sigils¹², the gift lists from their official audiences (with the Emperor), those sort of things.”

　　Beast sigils.

　　The light in Chu Mingyun’s eyes focused slightly, and the corners of his mouth hooked upward.

　　The decorative motif on that bronze seal.

　　The other side really thought this out more thoroughly than him, in order to avoid being exposed, they struck first to steal the registry of the vassal kings and then there’d be no way to check.

　　Chu Mingyun stood up and smoothed out his sleeves, “Alright, I’ve finished saying all that needs to be said, so I’ll be going back for now.”

　　Su Shiyu made a sound of response, and stood up as well to send him off. Chu Mingyun had only walked two steps out before he turned back again, “Almost forgot.”

　　”What is it?”

　　Chu Mingyun tossed a paper bag to him, “Ruo.” (T/N: It’s like a, ‘here you go’ sound)

　　”What is this?” Su Shiyu caught it and looked it over.

　　”The pine nut brittle I said I’d split with you last time ah.” Chu Mingyun casually raised his hand, and turned to walk away, “No need to send me.”

　　In the blink of eye his figure vanished from sight. Su Shiyu lowered his eyes to look at the paper bag in his hand, and slowly the corners of lips curved into a smile. It could not be put clearly into words what sort of feeling this was.

　　The guard watching over the door of the Su residence leaned against the wall drowsily, when he was abruptly startled awake by the sound of footfalls his ears suddenly caught. Turning his head back to see the approaching person, he did not have time to react before he was again shocked by the jade pendant the other person took out, “You……(respectful)”

　　The guard opened his mouth but was tongue-tied, took a glance at the dim lantern light from the distant study, and moved his gaze with difficulty to Chu Mingyun before him. He opened the residence door in a flustered manner, and could not help glancing at that jade pendant again, then bent his body forward, extremely deferential: “You (respectful)…..please take care¹³.”

　　Chu Mingyun cast a sidelong glance at the jade pendant in his hand, and frowned in incomprehension.

---

T/N: Oh…it’s me again…so updates will be more regular from now as promised. Maybe not daily but at least once every 3 days? This chapter took a whole week because it’s written so well that it defies translation…also I’m trying to improve readability of the translation so I will be replacing/ inserting some words not in the original text [like this] so that the grammatical flow is not impeded (as opposed to a direct translation, because sentences in chinese omit words not considered vital for understanding the sentence).

1.五湖四海 – idiomatic expression basically meaning ‘all over the world’.

2.软骨头 – it’s the equivalent of calling someone spineless / lily-livered.

3. The previous ‘conquer’ was translated from ‘打下来’ to which the person replies, ‘打什么打‘ so I wanted to make it obvious it was a direct response to those words.

4.血汗钱 – literally, ‘blood-sweat money’

5. 一头雾水 – literally, a head filled with mist and water. Common expression meaning one is completely confused.

6.添了气郁 – I’m guessing at what this phrase means, because otherwise this says that his meridians were blocked which I don’t think is what the author is referring to.

7.游侠 – martial artists wandering the jianghu who take on the odd security guard detail or mercenary work. It somewhat means ‘wandering hero’, but is the equivalent of ‘knight errant’.

8.一道寒芒 – this refers to light / glare that makes something look cold/ feel cold. It’s a somewhat unique expression to chinese culture I guess.

9.狗官 – literally, ‘dog official’. Many chinese insults compare the object of your scorn to a dog or a pig, but more commonly the former.

10. 流光溢彩 – idiom that means something sparkles with brilliant iridescence, and that the refracted light resembles liquid in its movement.

11. 波澜不惊. An idiom from Pan Zhongyan’s《岳阳楼记》.

12. 纹兽 – So the vassal kings all have this beast (may be mythical or a real animal) assigned to them that henceforth is representative of them. Like how the eagles represented the Prussian kings in German history I guess. It would be embroidered on all their official outfits and engraved on their seals and used as the motif for all the things relevant to their rule. This is pretty important because it also represents their rank at times. No one but the emperor was allowed to have a dragon pattern on their clothing, for example.

13. 您慢走 – literally, “you walk slowly”. It was used as an expression of concern for respected guests, like ‘walk as slowly as you need to, I won’t rush you away’.