GuLong has a lot more novels that nobody has translated. I am going to start with a new one, and hope others will continue it (if they have time). This one is titled: 风铃中的刀声 (Blade Sounds within Wind Chimes)
Book - 1 Chapter 1 – White woman inside small white hut
By the time DingDing sees the small white hut, he was already exhausted. The hut is built with white stone, looks ordinary and simple. But outside the hut, is a front porch, which is unusual and does not match the quiet and tasteful nature of the hut. Under the front porch’s eaves, hanging on a string, is a wind chime; which can only be found in a leisurely and carefree person’s home.
DingDing is about to break down, his horse is also in a similar state. Both he and the horse are tough creatures, do not break down easily. They, both, went through a long arduous journey (thru mountains and rivers), innumerable difficulties and hardships, in order to get here. As he sees this white hut and hanging wind chime, he feels like he is almost back in JiangNan (south of Yangtze River).
Beneath the Liu Yin flower tree, leaves wave back and forth like spring water, under the hut’s front porch eaves, tinkles brightly, the wind chimes. He feels as if the wind chimes’ sound brings him back to the sounds of early spring breeze on far off mountains. Then he saw the white woman. White as snow, unmoving as a mountain crag, elegant as the wind, beautiful as a spirit.
“I know that you have traveled a long way. I can also tell you are now thirsty and hungry.” She gives him a desolate and kind look: “Are you here, thinking you might have a bite to eat?” DingDing nods and hangs his head: “After eating my fill, I would also like to sleep a bit.” He smiles shyly: “But till now, I don’t know if I can find these.”
She looks at him directly, for a long time, then softly replies: “Perhaps you already have.” After finishing 3 large bowls of hot soup, made of salted vegetable and meat, she brought him and his horse, foaming at the mouth, to her stable. In this kind of place, a stable is a luxury. She lets him, his horse, and her white horse share the same space – pointing to a pile of straws, asks him: “Are you able to sleep here?”
He certainly can: “On a pile of horse dung, I am able to fall asleep.” She laughs. This laugh which appears on her pale face, seems like a plum blossom in the snow, suddenly splitting open. Looking at her laugh, he feels that she seem to be quite lonely. On his saddle, besides the water bag, are 2 items wrapped in yellow cloth. While the water bag is big, these 2 yellow wrapped items are small, long and narrow.
DingDing removes these 2 items from the saddle, puts them under a deep haystack, and lies down in his clothes atop this haystack. With the smell of far off mountains and straw, he quickly drifts off into slumber. He even dreams of a sheep, a beautiful shepherdess hitting this sheep with a long whip, upon which are filled with thorns. He suddenly feels as if he is this sheep. He wakes up in a cold sweat, wet clothes from his body saturating it.
YinMeng does not dream that night, because she has not fallen asleep. The next thing she knows, the sun is shining. The howling sounds of the wilderness gradually fades away. Outside the hut, a rhythmic sound of chopping firewood can be heard. DingDing is chopping the firewood, in a very unusual but graceful manner.
She gets up, puts on a cotton-padded gown to walk outside, relying on nearby wind chimes sounds. His movement is not quick, he uses the axe clumsily, but splitting under his axe, seems to be a succession of firecracker's spark. She looks at him, looked is as if a little crazy. Waits when he stops down wipes the perspiration, only then sees her.
At this time, you can see neither thirst nor hunger on his face. Due the efforts expended, healthy beads of sweat is flowing down his face: “If it is acceptable to you, can this count towards my board and lodging fees?”
“This is acceptable.” Smilingly: “This is quite a lot already.”
“I can see you have a lot of logs that need to be chopped. The stable’s parapet is also problematic. Your horse that has put in blood and sweat to raise the mixed crops needs a shoe replacement, and your roof needs some work.” DingDing said: “Now that winter is coming, you need to fix the small cave that holds your salted meat and salted chicken. Otherwise, come next spring, your gain will turn foul like tepid water.”
YinMeng looks at him: “You wish to stay and do all these for me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
DingDing sighs: “Because before the ice melts in spring, I have no place I can possibly get to.”
She stares for a full minute, before slowly enunciating each word clearly: “At the very least, you should tell me what you are called.”
“My surname is Ding, first name Warning (Ding). But my friends call me DingDing.”
When she saw him, riding a decent horse, fatigued by travel, even the pupil and eyebrows were colored yellow by the sand and dust. Near his yellow saddle are 2 wrapped items in yellow. His boots are decent cow leather, with brass horse pedal. The strange thing is that since she first saw him, it is only now that she realizes he is a completely dark skinned man.