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Thread: Flower Moon, Heartbroken Sabre - Murong Mei

  1. #21
    Senior Member whiteskwirl's Avatar
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    Default Chapter 8: The Blade Flashes Like a Snake Shadow From Behind

    Chapter 8: The Blade Flashes Like a Snake Shadow From Behind


    And now to continue with the story——

    That sabre-wielding man was quick and graceful, his blade flashed brightly, lashing out like the wind, if the opponent’s retreat were sealed off by other weapons, it would really be difficult to avoid this strike.

    But, for a sabre expert like Ding Yi, although this strike was uncommon, as a matter of fact it was full of flaws.

    If Ding Yi had had a sabre in his hand at the time, he could have used at least seven different ways to knock his opponent’s blade away.

    But Ding Yi didn’t have a sabre at this time.

    He needed a sabre.

    The man with the sabre stabbed with his blade, it was as if he were presenting him with just the present he needed.

    Ding Yi leaned to the side and shot his wrist down, and the sabre was now in his hand.

    As he took the sabre, his left palm shot out lightly, and the man stumbled as if drunk toward the axe-wielding man behind Ding Yi.

    The axe man was not ready for this turn of events and tried to pull back, but it was too late.

    Chop!

    The axe fell and red and white burst out and the sabre-wielding man and his head parted company!

    Blade in hand, Ding Yi like a butterfly fluttering in and out of flowers dashed and weaved, his blade flashing like a fleeing snake, and between flashes of his blade the corpses fell one by one, like a melon basket had been turned over in the hall, everywhere rolling around was these roundish “melons”.

    These hairy “melons” that oozed juice!

    Black Tyrant Sky was wide-eyed and tongue-tied, his face like berry jam, until Ding Yi stood in the middle of the hall smiling and holding his sabre. But he kept his mind and maintained his composure. “Brother Ding, are you from Chang’an?”

    “Yes.”

    “Quick Sabre Ding Yi?”

    “That’s right.”

    “Brother Ding, do you really have a mind to take over Myriad Flower Tower?”

    “Not necessarily.”

    “Can we talk terms?”

    “Yes.”

    “These terms, can you tell me what they are?”

    “I want someone.”

    “My concubine, Jin Ling?”

    “No.”

    “Who?”

    “Blind Zhang!”

    Black Tyrant Sky was taken aback, as if he wasn’t sure if he’d heard correctly. He stared dumbly for a moment, then blinked and said, “Blind——Zhang?”

    Ding Yi said, “Yes, Blind Zhang, the blacksmith from Huji Street!”

    Black Tyrant Sky said, “You want to find him so he can make you a weapon?”

    Ding Yi said, “Yes.”

    Black Tyrant Sky said, “You came too late.”

    Ding Yi said, “Why?”

    Black Tyrant Sky said, “When you arrived, did you go through to Huji Street?”

    Ding Yi said, “I did, I heard there was a big fire there several months ago; afterward no one ever saw Blind Zhang again.”

    Black Tyrant Sky was a bit astonished. “Right! You know it all clearly, so why mention this person to me?”

    Ding Yi said, “Because I know that fire was man-made, not a natural disaster.”

    Black Tyrant Sky’s face changed slightly. “What do you mean?”

    “I’ll said every sentence clearly, you ought to know what I mean.” Ding Yi said, “Tong Pass is the strategic passage point through the Pass-Luoyang road, Huji Street then is the city’s golden area, and Blind Zhang is a stubborn thorn in your side. If someone took a fancy to his storefront and wanted to take it, they best method is clear.”

    “Arson?”

    “Exactly! Raze the old, erect the new. Blind Zhang was a loner, if he died he had no other family, so it’s a clean, easy method.”

    “You think I’m that kind of person?”

    “It’s simple to prove whether you are that kind of person or not.” Ding Yi said, “You just have to examine the storefronts erected after the fire. See what kinds of businesses they are and what relation they have to you, and everything comes to light.”

    “And you’ve already investigated all this?”

    “I feel there’s no need to waste energy on that.” Ding Yi said, “Because I’m not with the local authorities. We have our own way to settle the rights and wrongs among the rivers and lakes, you must be more clear on this point than I am.”

    Black Tyrant Sky eyes darted back and forth, then his tone changed. “Even if you’re right in what you say, things have come to such a pass, aren’t you forcing me to do something I am unable to do in getting this person?”

    “How are you unable to do it?”

    “If I had forcibly seized Blind Zhang’s land, do you think I would leave him alive?”

    “You would!”

    “I would?!”

    “Yes!”

    “And run the risk of later misfortune?”

    “That’s how people would generally look at it.”

    “Oh?”

    “Blind Zhang lacks strength and courage, he just has some metalworking ability; if you wanted to keep an eye on him, you’d need only to send two people to control him, how can something bad come up?”

    “What reason would I have to retain this blind man?”

    “To force him to forge weapons, to wring every last drop of blood from him!”

    “Brother, you’ve really gone too far!” Black Tyrant Sky suddenly lowered his face. “Today you came to Myriad Flower Tower, injured two of my guards, killed four of my subordinates, yet I have remained soft-spoken and conciliatory, but you are insatiable, overbearing, don’t tell me you think I’m some pushover?”

    “I never said anything like that.” Ding Yi said indifferently, “This is Black Tyrant Sky Peng Wei’s territory, if you don’t feel comfortable, no matter what you want to do, no one can stop you.”

    Black Tyrant Sky almost exploded, “I admit that I, Black Tyrant Sky am no match for Quick Sabre Ding Yi, but I’ve already used up all my nice words. If you really want to get me, there’s no need to beat around the bush, let’s be frank and come at this forthrightly. Cutting off my head will just leave me with a scar no bigger than a bowl, I accept my fate!”

    “One sentence, I want someone!”

    “I don’t have him. I only have this life!”

    “Don’t pretend to be a hero Boss Peng.” Ding Yi sneered, “If Quick Sabre Ding Yi wants your Black Tyrant Sky life, then I could have sent ten Black Tyrant Skys down to report to King Yama already.”

    “I also have a word to say: If you want a debt I fear I really don’t have it. I don’t have this person here!”

    “All right!” Ding Yi nodded. “You say you don’t, then you don’t. I admire your fortitude!”

    He studied Black Tyrant Sky, slowly said, “Honest people don’t do shady things. Now, I have some final words I need to make clear. Once I’m finished, I’ll leave immediately.”

    “I’m listening respectfully.”

    “You have a lot of establishments in this area, that I’m clear on. If today I don’t find Blind Zhang, I guarantee you that within a month there will be a big fire here, just like the one a few months ago that flared up on Huji Street. If I don’t honor my promise, I’ll send you the memorial tablets of my ancestors for you to throw in the manure pit!”

    Ding Yi then, with large strides, made toward the hall exit.

    Black Tyrant Sky’s face changed in a flash, and he called after him in a loud voice, “Brother, wait!”

    Ding Yi turned his head. “Want to talk it over?”

    Black Tyrant Sky came close to him, and said in a low voice, “There’s just one thing, you’ll have to forgive me.”

    Ding Yi said, “What?”

    Black Tyrant Sky glanced around, and said even lower, “Although this matter was originally my doing, it was not at all my idea. That Blind Zhang also really is not here.”

    Ding Yi said, “Where is Blind Zhang now?”

    Black Tyrant Sky said, “At Flower Moon Mansion in Chang’an.”

    Ding Yi was stunned. “Flower Moon Mansion?”

    “Yes, Flower Moon Mansion in Jingren Ward, Perpetual Happiness Street.” Black Tyrant Sky didn’t notice Ding Yi’s expression, and said in a low voice, “Although I enjoy some notoriety around here, I’m actually just a puppet; have mercy on me, unless absolutely necessary, I strongly ask you not to mention you learned of this secret from me.”

    “What position do you have in the Flower Moon Palace?”

    “Upholder of the Dharma.”

    “Have you seen the leader of the Flower Moon Palace?”

    “No.”

    “All right!” Ding Yi nodded. “If what you said is true, I promise I won’t let you get dragged into this.”

    ***

    Ding Yi returned to Chang’an.

    He believed what Peng Wei had said.

    He believed that Black Tyrant Sky’s position in the Pass-Luoyang area really could be like he had said, that he was a puppet controlled by another.

    Because the gambling house that was smashed up by the Seven Friends of Chang’an had also been under the control of the Flower Moon Palace, so why not let Black Tyrant Sky establish his own position there?

    So, he believed, Blind Zhang really could be a prisoner within Flower Moon Mansion!

    ***

    He went to to Tong Pass and just made a big circle, his plan coming to naught.

    What’s worse, not only did his trip not bear any fruit, but he also came back with a burden to shoulder that was almost too much to bear.

    Blind Zhang in the twilight of his years, had his home destroyed and was taken captive by the Flower Moon Palace, no matter that it had nothing to do with him, since he knew about it, he couldn’t see him in mortal danger without trying to help!

    But the crux of the problem was this: he had gone looking for Blind Zhang because he had no way to get into Flower Moon Mansion, so he had wanted him to make a sister Seven Star Sabre, to make up the deficiency in his strength since he hadn’t fully recovered.

    Now, he still lacked the weapon, his energy was still weak as before, so how could he break into Flower Moon Mansion to save someone?

    ***

    The charcoal stove cracked and sparked without end, the heat at its extreme.

    A man covered with sweat and red-faced, stripped to the waist, worked hard at the bellows.

    Doing that kind of work, water was more important than anything. There was a vat of water in the room, they worked in four shifts, changing in turns, they used water to drink and douse their bodies, every day water must be added to the vat at least three times.

    His chest heaved, panting continuously, his body itself was like a bellows.

    These two “bellows”, one was for “raising the temperature”, the other was for “dissipating heat”, their uses just happened to be the opposite.

    The weather during the Ninth Month had already cooled.

    But the temperature inside the room was still really high.

    It wasn’t the normal kind of forge normally used in a blacksmith shop, but was a special design, one day, twenty four hours, charcoal constantly had to be added to increase the temperature in order to maintain a constant intense heat.

    The man who had just changed shifts, held the water gourd ladle and drank.

    ***

    Blind Zhang was also drinking water, a tall money squatting on the stone block, drinking.

    His body was shriveled and small, his back humped terribly, like a big shrimp, working hard for half a year, he now appeared drier, more withered, thinner, smaller, simply not like a shrimp at all.

    If he still looked like a shrimp, it was an old rotten one.

    Any shrimp cook who saw this kind of shrimp would certainly pick it up and toss it out far away!

    That’s also why he needed the stone block, his health was not suitable for this kind of work.

    Even so, he had no choice.

    Even if a person had but one breath left, he still had to try to carry on.

    Although he was stubborn by nature, he was no hero. Maybe he could give no thought to life or death, but an old bones like him could not endure these torments of the flesh!

    So, he could only submit.

    Until he used up his last drop of blood, and gasped out his last breath of air.

    ***

    A sabre was now being smelted in the forge.

    The last of seven sabres.

    In the past he made sabres more than any other weapon.

    Seven sabres, seven styles, that was his complete knowledge of the sabre.

    He could only make sabres, he could not wield one.

    So, he had no way to know which of these sabres, seven different styles, was the best and which was the worst. All he could do was make them according to the seven styles he knew and hand them over for the manager Master Feng to inspect.

    ***

    The seventh sabre would be finished in three days.

    AS per the agreement, once the seventh sabre was finished, his work would be done.

    Blind Zhang knew what that meant: when the work was over, his life was over!

    On this point, Blind Zhang was rather calm.

    Because he was no ordinary blacksmith.

    ***

    When he was still an apprentice he was like any other kid, he just knew it was a trade; when he finished his apprenticeship he would be able to open his own shop and support his family.

    But as his skill gradually refined, and he had acquired a bit of renown, he regarded this kind of business as a kind of fantasy.

    Like a painter who wanted to paint a masterpiece, or a poet who wanted to compose a great poem, he suddenly formed his own ambition: from that day forward, he would never do a slipshod job!

    He wanted every person among the rivers and lakes who used a weapon to know one thing.

    “Every weapon forged by Blind Zhang must be a treasure!”

    (He naturally didn’t think that many years later some crafty businessmen would use alter the words a bit and use this slogan to advertise.)

    ***

    Blind Zhang had this idea, and so refused to receive customers.

    He didn’t stop his work, but was focused on refining his casting and forging, and wait for a connoisseur who knew how to evaluate!

    Because of this, Blind Zhang’s income not only did not decrease, instead the money came pouring in, and he became a minor aristocrat. At the same time his fame spread, and he became a famed person among the rivers and laked who didn’t use martial arts.

    Blind Zhang’s attainments had limits.

    So, when he was so engrossed in his work that he forgot to eat and sleep making his weapons, he never thought of the consequences of what would happen when a sharp weapon used for killing people entered the rivers and lakes.



    END CHAPTER 8

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    Thank you whiteskwirl. Hopefully Dingyi will find a fortune before he find another next bad news.

    7 sabre? I'm suspecting the 7 heroes were the big bad wolf.

    I know I know way too off.

  3. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by theSwordoftheWest View Post
    Thank you whiteskwirl. Hopefully Dingyi will find a fortune before he find another next bad news.

    7 sabre? I'm suspecting the 7 heroes were the big bad wolf.

    I know I know way too off.
    That's an interesting idea. I hadn't thought of that. I haven't started chapter 9 yet because of that other translation so I don't know what happens next. You might be right.

  4. #24
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    Default Chapter 9: A Top Grade Sabre Wants to be Presented to a Hero

    Chapter 9: A Top Grade Sabre Wants to be Presented to a Hero



    Of course he was unable to imagine that this special skill of his would one day lead to the deaths of others.

    Until today he was still that way.

    For Flower Moon Palace he had made seven sabres, and from start to finish he had been pleased with himself, he believed he had used the remaining days of his life to complete seven masterpieces sufficient to please the connoisseur of the world, so even if he died now he would have no regrets!

    ***

    The sabres Blind Zhang had forged were of course not limited to seven kinds.

    But he had not lied.

    He really did know only seven styles of sabre.

    Maybe he had held back one little secret, but as for that, to avoid a subjective assertion, maybe it’s best to say that Blind Zhang did not consider it a secret.

    ***

    More than thirty years ago, when he was vigorous and full of pep, not long after he had established his great ambition, he didn’t care about success or failure, but spent forty-nine days working to forge a precious sabre.

    After the sabre was completed it was brilliant, dazzling to the eye, incomparably sharp, the more he looked at it the more he loved it, to the point that he kept it stored away as a treasure for seven years, he just couldn’t bear to sell it.

    Finally, by some fortuitous chance, he found someone worthy of it, and lowered the price and sold it to a middle-aged xia wearing white.

    There was only one reason he sold that sabre, and that was because he admired this person’s bearing, he looked to be a top quality man, and he felt only this kind of person was worthy of using his precious sabre!

    He didn’t know that man was none other than “White-Clad Soul Chasing Xia” Liu Xufei, famed throughout the rivers and lakes at that time, and he also didn’t know that this person in recent years who had become a household name, this “Quick Sabre” Ding Yi, was the White-Clad Soul Chasing Xia’s successor. The famous Seven Star Sabre that Ding Yi relied on was none other than the very same precious sabre Blind Zhang had forged that time!

    Since he had been captured six months ago by the Flower Moon Palace and held prisoner in this little mansion, he knew he hadn’t long to live, so he began to reflect on past events which welled up in his heart, causing him to recall that white-clad xia and that precious sabre.

    Could he use his remaining days to forge another sabre like that precious sabre of before?

    He wanted to give it a try.

    ***

    Finally, a miracle occurred. He unexpectedly used his weakened frail body to complete this task which from the beginning he had no hope of actually being able to complete.

    Now, the sabre’s form was already complete, and after three days, once it had undergone the process of rough polishing, fine polishing, quenching, final polishing, and adding the handle, the top grade precious sabre emerged!

    He didn’t tell Manager Feng how good of quality the sabre was.

    Because he didn’t want them to know this was a precious sabre.

    Now, with his wish completed, he could die with no regret. If he had any unfulfilled desire, it was that the precious sabre would quickly fall into the hands of someone worthy, someone like that White-Clad Xia!

    ***

    Zhao, Qian, Sun, Li, Zhou, Wu, Zheng, Wang.

    Situ, Sima,

    Dongmen, Ximen.

    Everyone is probably familiar with these surnames.

    But if someone’s surname is Feng (wind 風), would you believe it?

    ***

    Chrysanthemum House.

    New Moon Pavilion.

    The chrysanthemums in full bloom, the thin crescent moon rising.

    Within the stone pavilion, Master Feng sat with wine in one hand, a woman in the other, and quietly waited for his stewards to come report the day’s activities.

    Whatever important person, they all had him handle affairs according to his style and habits.

    When Master Feng ran things, he never left those two things.

    Wine and women.

    He believed wine and women were the easiest way to put a man in a good mood; and only when a man was in a good mood could he appear especially cordial, friendly, and generous.

    He was Flower Moon Palace’s number one spirit.

    He knew his influence.

    He he set up two principles for handling his business: killing must be fast and ruthless! Subordinates must be dealt with magnanimously and fairly!

    So, every day he chose this time to meet with his subordinates.

    His meeting spot changed from time to time.

    During spring it was at the “Hundred Flower Garden”, in summer the “Lotus Companion Pavilion”, in autumn the “New Moon Pavilion”, and in winter the “Snow Embracing Tower”.

    ***

    Behind his back a lot of people said that Master Feng’s personality really fit his surname.

    Because his position, natural disposition, the humor of his conversation, his high-spiritedness after drinking, whatever words used to praise his Master Feng, all used this word, Feng.[1]

    Master Feng was aware of this way people had of referring to him with his surname character.

    He really liked it when they did that.

    Lie in a drunken stupor with a woman on his knee.

    But when sober all under Heaven is in his palm!

    That was the ideal goal every man dreamed of, and you could see these days he wasn’t far from that goal.

    Of course his position and prestige couldn’t compare to the master of the Flower Moon Palace.

    Flower Moon Palace had expanded rapidly in the region between the two capitals, they already had firm control of that area, and profits poured in from all sides as with each passing day it acquired more money and property. Its wealth had accumulated like a lion rolling snowball[2], covering over a a hundred top-rate pugilists between the two capitals[3], with a simple instruction from this master and they would all line up to be put to use.

    For a single person to obtain this much power and influence, what else could he want?

    ***

    Black Dart Little Li also was pleased with his position.

    Strictly speaking, Little Li’s position was not high.

    He was just one of the twenty-four subordinates under the Manager of Flower Moon Palace. This position required the upmost loyalty and hard work, as well as the responsibility to act as hitman. But just like officials, even though the position might be the same as others, the difference between “fat” ones and “skinny” ones was evident.

    Within Chang’an, altogether there were twenty-seven brothels, twelve wine shops, eight gambling dens, they were all money pits.

    Since the Seven Friends of Chang’an had been cleared up, these places of carnal pleasure were all under the control of the Flower Moon Palace, and every day half of their profits must be deposited in the Flower Moon Palace’s private bank.

    Black Dart Little Li’s job was to make the rounds every day, making a record of the amount each establishment deposited each day, and he could check their books whenever he wanted in order to prevent corruption.

    This was a commission dripping with fat.

    It was also a commission everyone coveted.

    Those who held this post in the past rarely lasted more than three months, yet Black Dart Little Li had already been there for eight months. He had proven himself steadfast and reliable.

    Black Dart Little Li was never vexed by this.

    Because he knew clearly why he had managed to get this position, and why there was no need to feel anxious about someone else taking his spot.

    ***

    About a year before in Yangzhou there emerged a stunningly beautiful and popular courtesan named Jin Xingzhi.

    Back then Black Dart Little Li was just a hitman, and he was sent with 3,000 taels of silver to go to Yangzhou to buy some precious silks and jewelry. This hitman didn’t know where he got his courage, and regardless of the danger to himself, used the money to buy the famous prostitute’s freedom and brought her back to Chang’an.

    Manager Feng had five wives and concubines, his most favored of which was Fifth Concubine Chu Yinqiu.

    This Fifth Lady “Chu Yinqiu” was the very same “Jin Xingzhi” that Black Dart Little Li had brought back with him to Chang’an.

    ***

    If you had a powerful and influential superior, and said superior’s favored concubine didn’t address you by name or rank, but repeatedly used such names as “Little Zhang” or “Little Ma” instead, wouldn’t you be afraid of being fried squid?[4]

    ***

    Black Dart Little Li nowadays only worried about one thing.

    He worried about his only physical power.

    Since taking up this commission, within half a year he had already acquired two concubines, but that wasn’t the worst, given his youth.

    The most dangerous thing was, he had set up out of convenience for his work a Happy Red House in Beide Ward for Red Peony.

    Happy Red House was a place he had to go to every day.

    Usually he saved it for last.

    Every time before he stepped through the gates of Happy Red House, he admonished himself that he was too indulgent, he should show some restraint, and reminded himself that he still had two rare beauties at home to deal with.

    But every time he went to see Red Peony, this lascivious woman, he would alter his admonition.

    “Tomorrow won’t be too late, today just deal with this one…”

    ***

    When Black Dart Little Li left Happy Red House, it had already been dark for some time.

    He languidly headed toward Flower Moon Mansion, unable to keep from yawning along the way.

    He couldn’t say what he was feeling at this very moment.

    A little reluctant to let go, a little hollow, a little vexed, and a little bit of an aching sadness because he knew this girl soon would be climbing into another man’s bed.

    But the most obvious feeling was exhaustion.

    If he didn’t have to report to Manager Feng every evening he would have rather found a nice quiet place and slept for a while.

    “I’ve never seen such a loose woman——” He yawned again. “I think tomorrow I’ll have to go see Doctor Lai, get some medicine to recover, that’s best.”

    Lai Dinghun, Dr. Lai, was a famous doctor known to all women and children in Chang’an.

    He was a frequent visitor to Flower Moon Mansion.

    Although Dr. Lai was proficient in Chinese Medicine, he had a strange, strange shortcoming.

    A kind of “cure without medicine” shortcoming.

    He liked dirty women’s underwear!

    Not the rinsed clean kind, but the dirtier the better.

    In Chang’an this was a well-known secret. A lot of poor women, unable to pay for treatment when sick, had no choice but to walk that road.

    They carried a small bundle and went to see Dr. Lai.

    “What’s that?”

    “A few articles of dirty clothing, I was just going to wash them.”

    “Whose clothing?”

    “My own.”

    “Oh, well I have a lot of domestic servants, your body is not well, why labor so hard, we’ll just have one of the helpers here take these and wash them for you.”

    “Thank you Doctor!”

    “Where are you in pain? Open your mouth, stick out your tongue, and let me take a look!”

    ***

    A famous doctor in Chang’an of course has money and lives a life of luxury.

    Actually, not really.

    Although Dr. Lai still had money, his led a frugal life. He was different from other doctors in that he didn’t indulge in wine and women!

    He was still single, his daily life managed by servants.

    No one knew he had remained single.

    But regarding his abstention from alcohol, he explained it thusly:

    The taste of alcohol is pungent and can most easily damage your internal organs, so he didn’t drink it. Which organs it would damage, Dr. Lai never did say.

    ***

    Before Black Dart Little Li entered Chrysanthemum House, he yawned twice.

    When he entered New Moon Pavilion, Little Li lifted his head and was taken aback.

    Aside from Manager Feng and his beloved Chu Yinqiu, there was also in the pavilion an old man with a mountain goat beard, wearing a long gown. Eh, wasn’t this the guy he was just thinking of, Lai Dinghun, Dr. Lai?

    Why was he here?

    “Little Li, you’re just in time.” Chu Yinqiu’s voice was like a silver bell. “Come drink a few cups with us! Dr. Lai refuses to drink wine, and it’s about to drive us mad.”

    Manager Feng laughed, he was obviously in a good mood.

    Little Li’s mood began to pick up as well.

    Manager Feng said, “How was everything today?”

    Little Li answered respectfully, “Okay.”

    Manager Feng nodded. “Good, have a seat, drink a few cups, eat some crab!”

    Dr. Lai twisted his whiskers, and with a sidelong glance carefully sized up Little Li.



    END CHAPTER 9

    _______
    [1] This paragraph cannot really be appreciated in translation, but all the phrases described him contained the character 風, which is the same as his last name, Feng.

    [2] Yeah, I don’t know what the “lion” part is all about, maybe referring to the ferocity in which the wealth accumulated.

    [3] Meaning they have a lot of skilled fighters under their thumb, controlling them with their vast wealth.

    [4] Becoming “fried squid” is an idion that means to be fired or dismissed from your job.

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    Thank you whiteskwirl.

    The Doc got whisker? as in catfish whisker?

  6. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by theSwordoftheWest View Post
    Thank you whiteskwirl.

    The Doc got whisker? as in catfish whisker?
    Whiskers just means beard or mustache hair, or any hair on you chin or cheeks. He's twisting/playing with his beard.

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    Thanks whiteskwirl, you are really taking on alot, TL 2 stories at the same time, Jia Yu

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    @whiteskwirl

    I know you were busy with Delicate Hands Drive the Dragon by Sima Ling. But I hope you will not forget this book too. I hope once you finished with Delicate Hands Drive the Dragon, you will return to translate this book.

    This is because I'm curious, is his wife really fall for Ding Yi or she is as describe, an assasins. This kind of romance is kinda exited me a little bit.

    So yah, I hope once you finish the other book, you will not abbadon this project.

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    Default Chapter 10: Dissolute Little Li Seeks Help from Dr. Lai

    Halfway done with this novel!

    Chapter 10:
    Dissolute Little Li Seeks Help from Dr. Lai


    “Little Li!” His throat seemed a bit uncomfortable: “*cough* *cough*, Your complexion doesn’t look so great. Young people, *cough* *cough*, have to take care of themselves!”

    Manager Feng again laughed boisterously.

    He chose this time every day to meet his subordinates. Every day at this time he would drink with Fifth Concubine, and everything around him became happy. Even a small joke would make him laugh rapturously.

    Of course he understood Dr. Lai’s implication.

    He was an open-minded boss. He didn’t care about the private lives of his subordinates. He believed it was man’s nature, he himself was an example; if a man didn’t have three wives and four concubines, how could he talk about heroic pursuits?

    He now realized he wasn’t laughing at Little Li, but at that always serious Dr. Lai!

    He was sanctimonious, didn’t get near alcohol, yet secretly he had that strange fetish, isn’t that really amusing?

    Fifth Concubine Chu Yinqiu also covered her mouth with her embroidered handkerchief.[1]

    Little Li’s face flushed, and he he inwardly cursed the detestable bastard. He thought to talk back, but he had a favor to ask of him, so best hold back.

    Fifth Concubine Chu Yinqiu suddenly smiled, said, “You’re a famous doctor in Chang’an, since you’ve noticed that Little Li looks unwell, why don’t you give him some of our boss’ medicine so he can get better?”

    Dr. Lai shook his head. “Everyone’s body is different, you can’t carelessly prescribe it!”

    Fifth Concubine said, “So then give him something else!”

    Dr. Lai again shook his head. “I’m very busy at the moment, I don’t have any spare time.”

    Manager Feng suddenly coughed, looking at Little Li and saying, “I’ve heard you’ve recently had a fire burning for that Red Peony over at Happy Red House?”

    Little Li blushed. “We haven’t known each other for very long.”

    Manager Feng again coughed, “I heard some women, although they don’t look like much, they have this habit of not liking to bathe. In this weather that’s okay, but if…”

    Dr. Lai’s eyes sparkled and he sat up straight.

    Manager Feng turned his back to Dr. Lai, winked and made a funny face, then as if nothing had happened, continued, “Little Li, shit, you don’t know what’s what, don’t tell me you don’t know, most women are obsessed with cleanliness, supposing a woman doesn’t like to bathe…”

    “That’s no small matter.” Dr. Lai was too impatient to wait, and cut in, “This is a kind of illness, a very serious illness, it indicates…indicates…the woman’s spleen definitely has some problem…”

    “You hear that, Little Li?” Manager Feng looked at Little Li, winked again. “Dr. Lai’s correct. That woman definitely has some illness! The way I see it, shit, tomorrow it’s best to take some time and take her to see Dr. Lai!”

    Little Li shook his head. “That won’t do!”

    Manager Feng said, “Why not?”

    Little Li said, “This woman is very strange, what she detests most are those lustful, groping kind of doctors!”

    Dr. Lai frowned. “Such an idea is intolerable!”

    Manager Feng turned around. “Why? Every doctor that sees a woman has to touch all over her?”

    Dr. Lai said, “I didn’t mean that.”

    Manager Feng said, “Oh?”

    Dr. Lai said, “When a skilled doctor sees an illness, the most important thing is: see, listen, ask, and cut. If you see a patient but don’t touch them, how can you understand their condition, how can you make a diagnosis and write a prescription?”

    Manager Feng nodded. “Ooh, that makes sense.”

    Dr. Lai continued, “So I advise Little Li, best do what your boss said, do your best to take some time off and take her to come see me.”

    Little Li shook his head and at the same time sighed. “It can’t be helped, I suspect it’s absolutely impossible.”

    Dr. Lai’s eyes rolled and he promptly changed tactics.

    “Actually, it doesn’t matter all that much.” He played with his beard. “For a doctor to diagnose an illness, the most important thing is the symptoms, complexion, diet, vigor, etc. So long as, so long as, *cough* *cough*, *cough* cough*…”

    Black Dart Little Li was a clever schemer, from Manager Feng’s first cough he already knew Manager Feng was making fun of Dr. Lai, down to this point, he of course was going to seize the opportunity to wind it up.

    “That’s okay, then.” He said, “Tomorrow I’ll go see you and explain in detail her living conditions, and bring along a few articles of dirty clothing so you can better understand…”

    “Good, good!” Dr. Lai nodded. “Your own situation can also be discussed at that time.”

    ***

    The next person to come to the pavilion to report official business was a hefty swarthy-faced man.

    If you want to talk about the martial fraternity, this man, no matter what aspect, was certainly many times better than Black Dart Little Li.

    But, as anyone could see, Manager Feng clearly didn’t think much of him.

    The swarthy-faced man’s back was straight like a spear, and his voice was loud and clear.

    “Zeng Changfa pays his respects to Manager Feng!”

    “Are you just come from Luoyang?”

    “Yes!”

    “You make the rounds as usual?”

    “Yes!”

    “How are things at the Flower Moon Mountain Villa?”

    “All is peaceful.”

    “I heard Second Manager acquired two new concubines?”

    “Yes!”

    “Where are they from?”

    “Taiyuan Prefecture.”

    “How old are they?”

    “One is seventeen, the other is nineteen.”

    “They sisters?”

    “Yes!”

    “How do they look?”

    “Not bad.”

    “That guy, that mother****er knows how to enjoy himself!”

    “That guy” was a term of affection, and “mother****er” was words of praise.

    Every time Manager Feng cursed someone, the listener was always at ease. Because it showed he was on good terms with them, that he was still qualified to get a cursing out.

    If you did something wrong, this manager would just smile at you, which meant the situation was not encouraging.

    Fifth Concubine Chu Yinqiu gave him a sidelong glance, said indifferently, “What? Your heart itching for something? You thinking of sending Steward Zeng back to Luoyang to get Second Manager to send the two sisters here so you can enjoy yourself?”

    Manager Feng laughed! His answer was to embrace Fifth Concubine’s slender waist, pull down her upper garment, and ferociously kiss her most unable to endure area.

    Until Fifth Concubine, panting, begged for mercy, only then did he let her go.

    Black Dart Little Li laughed along with him.

    This was one of the reasons he was a favorite of his superior’s, because no matter what the boss did, he always patronized him.

    If you pontificate and no one seconds you motion, or claps, or you tell a joke and only you laugh, while the other person looks like it was wiped with rust, if these things happened to you, how would you feel?

    Steward Zeng in the end was not on the same level, so he looked straight at the ground, not daring to laugh, or look at them squarely.

    Dr. Lai’s eyes shined, constantly staring at Fifth Concubine’s slender legs.

    Tonight Fifth Concubine was wearing a hundred-fold pleated muslin skirt.

    But regrettably, tonight there was little wind, that pleated skirt was not lifted by the wind.

    Manager Feng sat upright, downed a cup of wine, grabbed a piece of crab meat, and slowly ate, only then turning to the swarthy-faced man. He said, “As you made your rounds from Luoyang, was everything being managed smoothly?”

    The swarthy-faced man said, “Everything was more or less okay, only Hundred Flower Tower at Tong Pass had some small troublesome matter spring up a few days ago.

    Manager Feng’s smile was gone from his face. “Oh? What trouble?”

    The swarthy-faced man said, “From what Black Tyrant Sky Peng Wei told me, about six or seven days ago, a guy came in to drink and found an excuse to act shamelessly, and by the time word was received to capture him, already six guards had been injured, and that troublemaker had already escaped with ease.”

    “How old was he?”

    “About thirty.”

    “Did you get his name?”

    “Only said his surname was Ding.”

    Manager Feng’s face changed. “Quick Sabre Ding Yi?”

    The swarthy-faced man said, “Peng Wei said he didn’t see the guy face to face, only ran into him, said he didn’t recognize him, because he had never seen Quick Sabre Ding Yi before. Afterward he had his suspicions, thought he might have been Quick Sabre Ding Yi, otherwise those six guards would not have been routed like that.”

    Manager Feng sighed lightly, said, “Out Boss Peng Pei is a lucky dog to escape disaster on that unlucky day!”

    Black Dart Little Li said, “In Chang’an there is already a tight search on for that Ding fellow, I don’t believe he has the guts to return to the city.”

    Manager Feng frowned, apparently not as optimistic as Black Dart Little Li.

    Just then, a flicker from a red lantern from the side of the courtyard gate suddenly flared up, and flew toward New Moon Pavilion.

    The lantern was being carried by a beautiful servant girl.

    This servant was wearing purple. her pretty face covered with fright, after she stopped she continued panting, the lantern still trembling slightly in her hands.

    Manager Feng’s face sank. “What is it?”

    The purple-clad servant girl said haltingly, “Third Princess has ripped off all her clothes again.”

    Manager Feng said, “This time did she smash any furniture or hit anyone?”

    The purple-clad servant girl said, “No, but she keeps on talking, the same stuff as before, go find Mr. Ding, hurry up and go find him, hurry and go find him, I want Mr. Ding…”

    Manager Feng said, “All right, I got it, go on back.”

    The purple-clad servant girl withdrew.

    Steward Zeng also took his leave.


    END CHAPTER 10




    [1] Meaning she was laughing too.

  10. #30
    Senior Member LuDongBin's Avatar
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    A brief pause I hope, whiteskwirl?

  11. #31
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    Thanks whiteskwirl, glad to see you are still going strong on this, jiayu, Is the third princess the one who married to Ding Yi?

  12. #32
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    Thank you very much whiteskwirl.

    Can't wait to find out her true feelings toward Ding Yi.

  13. #33
    Senior Member foxs's Avatar
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    I had just started reading this. The first chapter is very Gulong-ish ... Whiteskwirl, thanks. I hope you will continue.

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    please continue ! there is only one active Wuxia translation now
    Last edited by badri; 10-23-16 at 10:27 PM.

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    Dear Whiteskwirl, between all the xianxia this was quite refreshing and I hope you will continue. Thank you very much.

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