Demi-God Semi-Devils

[a_tumiwa]

lolz why Duan Yu also entered the study room and WYY let him entered

[Justin13]

As the row of candidates make their way through a long and deep tunnel, the same puzzled thoughts are going through their mind: “From outside, Green Phoenix Court is hardly awe-inspiring but inside, it is like entering another dimension. To think that such an enormous place actually exists. After losing count of the number of steps they took, the gentlemen came before two gigantic stone doors.”

Producing a small piece of metal, the palace maid knocked on the stone doors with a Zeng! Zeng! Zeng! sound. Zha….. The stone doors swung open. Observing the compact stone doors which are about one foot thick, everyone muttered to himself: The minute we enter and the stone doors are closed behind us, wouldn’t we be trapped? Could it be a scheme by Xixia Country? Using the Princess’s wedding as a bait to lure heroes all over the world into meeting their doom?

Under the present circumstances, everyone also acknowledges the fact: No venture, no gain. Therefore, no one is willing to showcase his fear and beat a retreat.

As the crowd passes through the door, the stone doors were promptly closed again. Another long tunnel presents itself and oil lamps lighted both sides of the tunnel. After this tunnel, they came to a second set of stone doors and after these doors; there was a third tunnel and a third set of stone doors. By now, even the most nonchalant candidates are starting to show signs of anxiety. Turning round a few bends in the tunnel, the sound of gushing water Zong… Zong… entered the ears of everyone. Finally, they ended up at the bank of a deep river.

It is truly incomprehensible to find a deep stream within the forbidden palace grounds. As the gentlemen starting glancing at one another, some of the short-tempered ones look as if they are about to throw a tantrum.

The palace maid explained: “To reach the Inner Study, we must cross this Youlan River. Gentlemen, please.” As she spoke, her petite figure moved ahead and she stepped right into the deep river. The riverbank is well illuminated by four flickering fire torches and everyone can see her actions clearly. By stepping beyond the bank, she will surely fall into the river. Some of the youths present cried out in alarm.

Amazingly, the hourglass figure of the palace maid simply sashayed across the river as if she is walking on air. Astounded, everyone immediately deduced the presence of some iron tightrope for her to step on, as there are no martial arts for levitation. Inspecting the path taken by the palace maid, true enough; there is a steel wire that runs horizontally above the river that leads from one bank to the other. This wire is extremely thin and is painted in black. Unless it is directly reflected by the torch flames, the wires are almost invisible. The river itself is deep but even if someone loses his footing and falls into it, there is no danger to his life. At most, he will be haggard and embarrassed.

The people making up the crowd are either asking for marriage in person or are bodyguards escorting their masters. Every person has a good foundation in martial arts and by using <Qing-gong> on the steel wire, it is easy to reach the opposite bank. Duan Yu is not well versed in martial arts but his <Surfing Nimble Steps*> is well practiced. With Ba Tianshi holding his hand, they crossed the river in the blink of an eye.

*(Tall waves micro steps, the Qing-gong Skill of Carefree Sect. Each Sect has its own style. Example: Wudang Sect Qing-gong is Ladder-Cloud Technique. Used mainly for fast travel or jumping. www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf-Gl-Y8tx8 shows DY mastering Surfing Nimble Steps, using BeiMing Divine Skill to absorb Internal energy and again Nimble Steps to run away.)

Once everybody has crossed the river, the palace maid activated a hidden switch on the stone wall. With a Shok! sound, the steel wire reeled into some hidden compartment. The gentlemen are even more unsettled than before, thinking to themselves: This river is deep and wide, impossible to fly across. Could it be that Xixia Country is having some hidden motives? Otherwise, why would there be this secret mechanism operating over a secret river in a secret area of the Princess’s residence?

In his mind, everyone is quietly reminding himself to not let his guard down and to keep a low profile. Some even lamented: I am a fool; I should have brought some weapons for personal protection.

The palace maid remarked: “Gentlemen, please come over here.” Following her, they travelled through a vast bamboo forest before arriving at the doors of a mountain cave. After she knocked on the doors, the cave doors swung open. The palace girl welcomed: “Please!” as she took the lead in entering.

Zhu Danchen covertly checked with Ba Tianshi: “What do you think?” Ba Tianshi cannot make up his mind about getting Duan Yu to stay behind or continue the trip and exposing Duan Yu to more risks. However, they both knew that without entering the mountain cave, Duan Yu would naturally drop out from the selection of Prince Consort. While the two men are still hesitating, shoulder-to-shoulder, Duan Yu and Xiao Feng have stepped inside. Exchanging a firm handshake, the two of them followed from behind.

Upon entering the mountain cave and going through another passage, their eyes were greeted by a flood of lights. The end of the passage leads to a massive hall. This hall is at least three times bigger than Ningxiang Gallery where they had tea earlier. It appears to be a natural cave formed within the mountain and with craftsmen working on it; the walls of the cave are now smooth and polished. Almost every wall is being covered by paintings and calligraphies. In a typical mountain cave, the air would be humid and the walls would be moist. However, in this particular cave, it is quite dry and even the paintings and calligraphies on the walls are not turning moldy due to moisture. On one side of the hall, there is a colossal study table made out of purple sandalwood. On the table are the standard stationery items and inscriptive tablets. There are also a few bookshelves and several pieces of stone tables and stools. The palace maid invited: “This is the Princess’s Inner Study. Gentlemen, please take your time in admiring the paintings and calligraphies.”

Everyone shared the same observations: The layout and décor of the Inner Study is one of a kind. The furniture is sparse and there is hardly anything to indicate that its owner is a female. Everyone is baffled that this place actually belongs to the Princess of Xixia. Nine out of the ten persons present come from a martial arts background; they could barely read and definitely cannot appreciate the paintings and calligraphies. The most they could do is walk around and look at the paintings and calligraphies with an amateur understanding.

Although their martial arts are superb, Xiao Feng and Xu Zhu knew nothing about the arts. Sitting down on the floor next to each other, they paid precise attention to everything that is happening in the hall. Xiao Feng is a hundred times more experienced and streetwise than Xu Zhu. With no interest in the calligraphies and paintings hanging on the wall, his expressionless face is actually fixated on the movements of the palace maid in green gown. He knew that this palace maid is the key to the mystery and if there is any ambush or secret scheme by Xixia Country, this petite and shy palace maid will be the one to activate it. Right now, Xiao Feng is like a leopard predator waiting in the dark and surveying his prey. Although he is completely motionless, his eyes, ears and mind are fully alert and focused. Every muscle is tense and ready. At the first sign of trouble, he would instantly pounce on the palace maid and hold her hostage. He will not give her any opportunity to create mischief.

Duan Yu, Zhu Danchen, Murong Fu, Gongzhi Qian and the others are wandering about and admiring the paintings and calligraphies. Deng Baichuan is going around checking each easel stand and making sure there are no secret pipes where poisonous gas can be released. The martial artistes of Central Plains recognize the toxicity of Xixia’s <Beisu Qingfeng> and precautions must be taken. Pretending to admire the paintings and calligraphies, Ba Tianshi is actually examining the walls and corners, keeping an eye out for potential traps or escape routes.

Only Bao Butong is talking rubbish, freely criticizing the paintings and calligraphies. He would either complain about the scenery in the painting or the weak brush strokes in the calligraphy. Although Xixia is a rural country at the extreme regions and the empire is considered young, the royal palace collection of rare paintings and calligraphies cannot compete with long established kingdoms of Great Song and Great Liao. Nonetheless, being the royal palace collection, there are still several noteworthy artifacts. Within the Princess’s Inner Study, there is some calligraphy written in Bei Wei style by the people of Jing as well as five generations of paintings from the Tang Dynasty. Under Bao Butong’s unique assessment, all these relics are deemed worthless. At that era, the most talented artists are Su Dong Po and Huang Shan Gu* but Bao Butong insisted that their works are mediocre. Even great calligraphers like Zhong Wangzhang are being ridiculed by him.

*( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Su_Shi
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huang_Tingjian )

Listening to his outspoken and outrageous disparagement of the artistic works, the palace maid was completely mystified. Walking over to him, she implored: “Mister Bao, are these calligraphy really as bad as you mentioned? The Princess has always sang praises about these works!”

Bao Butong explained: "Your Highness Princess mainly resides in rural Xixia and has never encountered the famous scholars and talents of Central Plains. In the future, she should visit the Central Plains and improve her knowledge. Little Sister, you should accompany your Princess and come to the Central Plains for a tour. That way, you will not become a frog in the well."

Nodding her head in agreement, the palace maid smiled: "It is not easy to make a trip to the Central Plains."

Bao Butong rebutted: "Not right, not right! If Princess marries a hero from the Central Plains, wouldn't she be moving to the Central Plains?"

Going through several paintings on the walls, Duan Yu suddenly came across a drawing of an ancient female displaying a sword stance and was immediately taken aback. "Yi!" he cried out. The beauty in the picture looks exactly like Wang Yuyan; only her attire is different. To a certain extent, she resembles the Fairy Sister in WuLiang Stone Cave. In the painting, the beauty is holding a sword in her right arm and a sword manual in her left arm. Practicing her swordplay beside a lake and a mountain, her posture is graceful and her features are distinguished. It was a peerless artwork. Duan Yu was instantly mesmerized and felt as if he is back beside Wang Yuyan in this moment and in the next moment, he is back at the stone cave of WuLiang Mountain. After a prolonged state of fantasy, he yelled: "Second Brother, come and have a look."

Acknowledging his call, Xu Zhu strode over for a look and also had a great shock. He thought: Another drawing of Miss Wang has appeared here. Compared to the drawing given to me by Master (Wu Yazi), the person in the painting looks exactly the same. Only her posture is different.

The more Duan Yu looked at the painting, the more confused he became. Unconsciously, he reached out with his hand to touch it and he could feel some unevenness on the wall behind the painting. Gently lifting the painting and looking underneath, he came across some carvings on the wall that resembles the Ying-Yang Meridians. Upon closer inspection, he discovered that the wall is engraved with countless human silhouettes. Some were in meditation position while some were in a prancing position. The poses are peculiar and unique. The silhouettes are mostly carved within a circle and besides the circle, there are some ancient characters as well as numbers.

With one look, Xu Zhu identified them. These engravings are almost similar to those carved in Lingjiu Palace Stone Chamber. After scanning the silhouettes, he thought: Is this the martial arts of Li Qiushui?

Out of the blue, he had an epiphany: Master (Female) Li is the Empress Dowager of Xixia, it is not strange to find these in the palace.

Reminiscing about these stone carvings left behind by the deceased Li Qiushui, Xu Zhu was saddened. He understands that these carvings are actually the top-tier skills of the Carefree Sect and it is meant for martial artistes with deep internal energy. For those with inadequate energy, if they happen to study it, they would be dragged into a trance. The lucky ones will just faint from the experience; the unlucky ones could fire-deviate with serious consequences. Back then, the four sisters Plum Orchid Chrysanthemum and Bamboo were injured when they try to study the drawings of the Stone Chamber. Afraid that Duan Yu would get hurt, he quickly warned: "Third Brother, you should ignore these engravings." Duan Yu asked: "Why?" Xu Zhu whispered: "These are highly advanced martial arts. If you practice them wrongly, there will be huge losses and zero gains."

Duan Yu originally had no interest in martial arts. Even if he does, right now, he would rather admire the painting of the lady that resembles Wang Yuyan than the martial arts carvings. At once, he replaces the picture and scrutinized this <Lakeside Swordplay> painting. He is exceptionally familiar with the figure and facial features of Wang Yuyan; even the fine details cannot escape his eyes and are fully memorized in his mind. Gazing at the painting again, he manage to spot the difference between the lady in the painting and Wang Yuyan. The lady in the painting is slightly plumper and her eyebrows are shaped with a heroic air, unlike Wang Yuyan's completely feminine eyebrows. In terms of age, the lady in the painting appears to be older than Wang Yuyan by a few years. But if compared to Fairy Sister in Mount WuLiang's stone cave, the resemblance is almost exact.

[Justin13]

Getting a bit irritated with the captcha thing... have to reload so many times to be able to post.... and also can't edit one of my posts. Anyone has any idea? Thanks.

[Kmtwong]

Justin, you are unbelievably talented. Thanks for making my day this last week. Truly appreciate you and your efforts!

[a_tumiwa]

i think the captcha thing and can't edit post related to "link" , maybe u should just remove them
if the edit post is blank, u need to copy paste your whole text

[9Dragons]

Try clearing your cache if problem persists. For Duan Lang 郎, is "dear" a better fit, as I feel "Mate" sounds too masculine? My personal preference is Duan-lang. Awesome job for the daily posts to finally conclude the translation for a genuine wuxia classic.

[Justin13]

Still blabbering nonsense, Bao Butong happened to chance upon Duan Yu and Xu Zhu’s activities. Overhearing Xu Zhu’s comments that the wall is engraved with highly advanced martial arts, he scolded in a snobbish voice: “What kind of highly advanced martial arts are you talking about? Little Monk is trying to deceive us again.” Lifting the painting sideways, he examined the carvings. Tipping his toes, Duan Yu leaned to one side and tilted his head sideways in order to continue admiring the beauty in the painting.

The palace maid interrupted: “Mister Bao, these engravings are not meant for viewing. Your Highness Princess has indicated that huge losses and zero gains will come to those who study them but their internal energy level is inadequate.”

Bao Butong argued: “What if there is adequate internal energy? It will be huge gains and zero losses, right? My internal energy level is sufficiently adequate.” He (BBT) is merely an unscrupulous debater who likes to distort facts and win arguments. He does not have any intention to steal the martial arts of others. However, the second he laid his eyes on the encircled silhouettes in different poses, he instantly felt his own body undergoing an uncontrollable transformation. Unconsciously, his hand reached out to grab his ankle and he began mirroring the stances engraved on the wall.

Within a minute, everybody standing close to him has already noticed his odd behavior. Checking him out, they, too, discovered the engravings on the walls. On the other side of the hall, someone suddenly shouted: “Yi! There are some carvings here as well.” Another man exclaimed: “There are some here as well.” Everyone started lifting up the paintings and calligraphies in order to study the human silhouettes engraved on the walls. The moment they started looking at the carvings, they began to dance around.

Xu Zhu was secretly horrified and quickly rushed to Xiao Feng, explaining: “Big Brother, these wall engravings are not meant to be viewed by ordinary people. If they continue studying the martial arts, I am afraid everyone will become seriously injured and some of them may even turn mad. By then, it will be chaos.”

In his heart, Xiao Feng was shaken. He roared: “Everyone! Stop looking at the wall carvings. We are in a dangerous situation. Quickly gather around me for a discussion.”

After his loud command, some people turned back and gathered at his side. However, the engravings on the wall are too irresistible. As long as anyone has seen any of the silhouettes, he would be instantly drawn to it, feeling as if the awkward pose of the silhouette is able to provide an answer to all the challenges he face when practicing martial arts. Though the solution is not precise and the stance is unorthodox, he cannot help but focus all his attentions onto it. By now, Xiao Feng has realised many of the people present are now moving in odd sequences beyond their will, as if they are being possessed. He himself was flabbergasted at this development.

Out of a sudden, with an ‘Ah!’ cry, someone has fallen flat on his face after spinning around. Another man is making a hoarse sound with his throat while clawing and scratching at the stone wall, as if he is trying to dig the silhouettes out from the wall. With a quick racking of his brains, Xiao Feng came up with a plan. Using his hand, he grabbed the backrest of a chair and with a ‘Kok!’ noise, he broke a part off the chair. Using both palms, he rubbed the broken fragment of the chair into dozens of small shards and flung these pieces out with his hands. The air is filled with sounds of ‘Chu! Chu! Chu!’ Within the hall, for every sound that rang out, a lamp or a candle would be extinguished. When the sounds finally stop, all the illumination has been smothered and the Inner Study is now completely pitch black.

In the dark, heavy panting can be heard all over the place. Some would whisper: “What a close shave, what a close shave!” Some actually loudly demanded: “Light some candles, I haven’t taken a look yet!”

Xiao Feng’s voice rang out: “Gentlemen, wherever you are, please sit down and halt all your movements. We do not want to activate any hidden traps by accident. The engravings on the wall are bewitching. Please do not even touch them and end up injuring yourselves.” Before he said these words, there are some people who are about to reach out with their hands and feel the wall carvings. Hearing his command, they recomposed themselves by force.

Xiao Feng whispered: “Forgive my intrusion! Please quickly open the stone doors and let everybody out.” It turns out that before he started extinguishing the lights, like an arrow being released from a bow, he swiftly shot forward and has restrained the palace maid by her right wrist. Traumatized by this unexpected intrusion, the palace maid used her left free hand to launch a backwards palm attack. Xiao Feng took this opportunity to secure her left hand as well. Petrified and embarrassed, the palace maid remained motionless.

Now that Xiao Feng has spoken, she begged: “… Please release my hands.” Xiao Feng released her wrists. Although it is dark, but by listening to her movements and reacting accordingly, Xiao Feng is not afraid of her pulling any tricks.

The palace girl reminded: “I told Mister Bao before; these engravings should be ignored. For those who are not strong enough in their internal energy cultivation, looking at the engravings will cause huge losses and zero gains. Yet, he insisted on exploring them!”

Seated on the floor, Bao Butong can feel his head throbbing in great pain and his body extremely tense for no reason. Moreover, his chest area is very uncomfortable and he felt like vomiting. Forcefully steadying his nerves, he scoffed: “If you invite me to take a look, I will ignore them. If you ask me to ignore them, I will look at them no matter what you say.”

Xiao Feng pondered: This palace maid did advise everyone to ignore the wall carvings. In this aspect, she meant no harm. Still, what is the agenda of the Princess of Xixia when she wanted us to gather in her study?

Abruptly, a nice and light fragrance was detected by his senses. Stunned, Xiao Feng hastily used his hand to cover up his nose as he was reminded of the time when Xixia’s Elite Guild used <Beisu Qingfeng> and poisoned a large number of beggars from Beggar’s Sect. He tried activating his internal energy and was delighted to know that there is no issue with it.

What he proceeded to hear was a new palace maid announcing in a sweet and crisp voice: “Welcome your Highness Princess.” Hearing that the Princess has arrived, everyone was excited and ecstatic. Unfortunately, due to the darkness, they cannot admire her features.

The young girl (new palace maid) proclaimed in a coquettish voice: “The Princess has decreed: The walls of the study have been engraved with martial arts drawings. Outsiders are forbidden from viewing them. Paintings and other works have been hung on the walls in order to conceal them. Nevertheless, someone eventually discovered them. The Princess strictly prohibits anyone from lighting a torch or making a fire. Otherwise, he will bear the severe consequences. She hopes this information is made clear to everyone. No doubt there will be some inconveniences due to the darkness and we seek everyone’s understanding.”

Zha! Zha! The stone doors have been opened. The young girl added: “If there is anyone who is unwilling to remain here, he may take his leave first and return back to Ningxiang Gallery for a rest and more tea. Along the way, there will be someone guiding your path and no one will get lost.”

Knowing that the Princess is here, no one in his right mind will want to take his leave. In addition, hearing the calm voice of the palace maid and unable to detect any malicious intentions in her words, coupled with the fact that the doors are open and anyone can freely leave, the anxiety level of everyone decreased significantly. Naturally, there were no departures.

A brief moment later, the young girl announced: “Your Highness Princess expresses her gratitude to esteemed guests who have travelled from far places in order to be here today. If there is any hospitality lacking, your understanding is appreciated. In a gesture of goodwill, Princess will hereby give away her beloved collection of calligraphy and paintings. The works in her collection are genuine pieces and she looks forward to gentlemen’s gracious acceptance. Before leaving the Court, kindly retrieve any piece that your heart desires.”

Hearing that the Princess is giving away these pieces of artwork as gifts, the various martial artistes and uneducated folks cannot help but feel perplexed. For some savvy individuals, they recognize the value of these paintings and knew that they would fetch a considerable price back in Central Plains. These people are secretly delighted with their windfall. The happiest of them all is Duan Yu. He has decided to choose the painting <Lakeside Swordplay> and admire the painting together with Wang Yuyan.

No matter what he heard, it is always the palace maid speaking on behalf of the Princess. Exasperated, Prince Zongzan bellowed: “Your Highness Princess, since this location is not ideal to light a fire, shall we adjourn elsewhere to continue our meeting? It is completely dark here. You cannot see me and I cannot see you.”

The palace maid replied: “It is not difficult at all if gentlemen wishes to see the Princess.”

In the darkness, more than a hundred voices began crying out in unison: “We want to see the Princess! We want to see the Princess!” Several people interrupted with their own shoutings: “Please put on some lights, we promise not to look at the wall carvings.” “Just light some lamps around the Princess. That is good enough. We wish to see the Princess and not the engravings.” “Yes! Yes! Princess, please show yourself!” The rowdiness carried on for some time before eventually dying out.

The palace maid slowly state: “By inviting gentlemen to Xixia, Your Highness Princess naturally wishes to meet with esteemed guests. Presently, Princess has three questions and respectfully asks each of you to take turns in answering. If the answer pleases Princess, he will be invited for a meeting.”

The crowd immediately went wild. Some exclaimed: “Oh, it is a verbal test.” Some cried: “I am only good with spears and sabres; if you ask me some academic question, I will surely fail! Can I answer questions related to martial arts?”

The palace maid invited: “The Princess has informed maid (me) what questions to ask. Which Mister is willing to start by giving me your answer?”

Everyone rushed forward and began shoving one another. They demanded: “Let me go first! I am first! I am ready to answer!” With a chortle, the palace maid giggled: “Gentlemen, there is no need to fight among yourselves. The first to answer may be at a disadvantage.” Everyone thought: That makes sense. The later I answer, the more I can learn from other people’s answers. I can find out what are the dos and don’ts of interacting with Princess. Along the way, I can improve my answers.

With this thought, nobody is fighting to be the first candidate anymore.

Out of a sudden, a man declared: “When everyone is rushing to be the first, I aim to be the last; now that everyone is afraid of being the first to be sacrificed, I am willing to be the first guinea pig. Gentleman (I) is named Bao Butong, married with a kid. All I desired is a glance at Princess’s fair face. No other intentions.”

The palace maid acknowledged: “Mister Bao is straightforward and easy going. Your Highness Princess has three questions and seeks your advice. The first question: In Mister Bao’s life, where did you have your best and happiest experience?”

After a short consideration, Bao Butong responded: “It is in a pottery shop. In my youth, I was an apprentice there. The owner is a bully and I was subjected to daily admonishments and ill treatment. One day, I went berserk and smashed everything in the shop. Regardless of bowls or plates, teapots, vases or figurines, Ping! Ping! Piang! Piang! they all ended up as smithereens. That was the happiest moment of my life. Palace Lady, is my answer appropriate?”

The palace maid replied: “Your Highness Princess will decide whether your answer is appropriate or not. Maid (I) has no idea. The second question: The person whom Mister Bao loves the most, what is his or her name?” Without any hesitation, Bao Butong answered: “Bao Bujing.”

The palace maid continued: “The third question: This person that Mister Bao mentioned, what is her appearance?”

Bao Butong articulated: “This person is six years old, with one eye bigger than the other. Her nostrils are protruding upwards and her ears face the front. Regardless of my instructions, she will certainly disobey. Asking her to cry, she will laugh; asking her to laugh, she will cry. And when she cries, it is a four-hour crying session. That is my precious daughter Bao Bujing.”

The palace maid burst out in giggles while the entire crowd burst out laughing. The palace maid concluded: “Mister Bao, please take a break. May I have the next gentleman please?”

Eager to get out and reunite with Wang Yuyan, Duan Yu cannot be bothered if he gets to meet the Princess of not. Stepping forward in the dark, he nevertheless bowed deeply and proclaimed: “Gentleman is Duan Yu of DaLi. I hope Your Highness Princess is doing well. I reside in the rural southern regions. Today, I am able to visit your venerated country and enjoy the wonderful sights. Many thanks for your excellent hospitality. I am deeply appreciative of your kind gestures.”

The palace maid noted: “So it is the son of DaLi Country Lord Zhennan. Prince (DY) has given us too much credit. After a long journey (from DaLi), all we can offer is basic furnishings and limited spaces, which is insufficient to host our valued visitors. We seek your forgiveness and understanding.” (humble talk)

Duan Yu politely rejoined: “Sister, you are too modest. If Princess is not available today, I can always seek an audience at another time. It is a small matter.”

The palace maid questioned: “Since Prince is already here, please answer the three questions too. The first question: In Prince’s life, where did you have your best and happiest experience?”

Without thinking, Duan Yu responded: “In an abandoned well among the muddy debris.” The crowd could not help but laughed uncontrollably. Except for Murong Fu, nobody understood why Duan Yu spent the best moments of his life in an abandoned well among the muddy debris. Someone even ridicule in a low voice: “Someone who loves being in muddy debris; is he a tortoise?”

The palace maid covered her mouth to stifle a chuckle. She continued her questioning: “The person whom Prince loves the most, what is his or her name?”

Duan Yu was about to reply but he suddenly felt two persons tugging at his left and right sleeves respectively. From his left ear, Ba Tianshi whispered: “Say it is Lord Zhennan.” From his right ear, Zhu Danchen whispered: “Say it is Zhennan Princess Consort.” Upon hearing Duan Yu's first answer, they felt it is highly inappropriate and are concerned that his second answer will become another bad joke. Right now, he is proposing marriage to a Princess. If he says his greatest love is Wang Yuyan or Mu Wanqing or anybody else for that matter, wouldn't it mean the Princess is his secondary love and is going to marry down and become a concubine? Ba Tianshi reminded: "Of course your Father is your greatest love. <Loyalty to the Crown and Filial Piety to the Father> This is the directive by the Imperial Court." Zhu Danchen reminded: "In terms of love, there is no stronger love between a mother and her child. That is the mindset of a learned man."

When the palace maid is asking Duan Yu about the name of the person he loves the most, he wanted to answer Wang Yuyan’s name. The answer is at the tip of his tongue but after being reminded by Ba Tianshi and Zhu Danchen, Duan Yu thought: He is after all, the son of DaLi Country Lord Zhennan. Now that he is in Xixia, his words and actions will reflect back on his country. It is fine if he wants to embarrass himself but he cannot forsake the prestige of his own country.

Thus, he replied: “The people I love the most are naturally my father and my mother.” When he mentions ‘Father’ and ‘Mother’, his chest naturally swells up with a feeling of love and respect for his parents. He knows the love for his parents and the love for Wang Yuyan are innately different. Still, he cannot decide which love is greater than the other. He is definitely telling the truth when he says his parents are the people he loves the most.

The palace maid questioned again: “Your esteemed father and mother, how would you describe their appearances? Do they resemble Prince?”

Duan Yu responded: “My father has a squarish face, thick eyebrows and large eyes. He has an awe-inspiring demeanor but actually, his character is extremely friendly……” At this juncture, Duan Yu was secretly alarmed. He analyzed: My appearance only resembles my mother and not my father. This is something I have never thought about before.

Hearing Duan Yu stopping mid sentence and not continuing, the palace maid assumed that Duan Yu does not wish to share details of his mother’s appearance with a group of strangers. After all, his mother is a Princess Consort*. Therefore, she concluded: “Many thanks Prince. Prince, please take a break.”

(Princess Consort here means she, as a commoner, is married to the royal brother of the King/Emperor of DaLi. She is not the child of the Emperor nor is she the assigned wife to the son of the Emperor)

Noting the extremely friendly exchange between the palace maid and Duan Yu, as if they are intimate buddies, Zongzan’s heart is filled with jealousy. He secretly thought: You are a Prince; I am a Prince too. TuBo country is much stronger than your DaLi. Are you planning to win the competition due to your good looks?

Unwilling to wait any longer, he stepped forward and hollered: “TuBo Country Prince Zongzan hereby requests an audience with Princess.”

The palace maid acknowledged: “Prince’s glorious arrival is a privilege bestowed on our country. Our Princess has three questions for your attention.”

With an easy-going air, Zongzan laughed: “I have paid attention to the three questions of Princess. You need not ask the questions one at a time. Let me answer them in one shot. In my life, my best and happiest experience is becoming the Prince Consort, marrying the Princess and spending the night with Princess as husband and wife. In my life, the person I love the most is Princess Yinchuan. Her surname is Li and I am unaware of her first name. In the future, when we become husband and wife, she would naturally tell me. Regarding the appearance of Princess, she is surely like a Fairy with rare and incomparable beauty. Ha ha, are my answers correct or not?”

Among the crowd, the majority of them shared the same train of thought as Prince Zongzan and are planning to answer the three questions in this particular manner. Hearing his speech, they are secretly expressing regrets: I should have grabbed the first opportunity to make such an excellent reply. Now, if I kept to the same template, I may be accused of copying his answer.

Xiao Feng waited and listened as the palace maid quizzed the gentlemen one by one. Some of them are trying too hard to please the Princess while others are exaggerating their abilities and making false statements. The more he heard, the more uninterested he felt. If not for his curiosity for the ‘correct’ answers, he would have left a long time ago.

In the midst of his restlessness, he suddenly heard Murong Fu’s voice ringing out: “Gentleman is Gusu <Swallow Fort> Murong Fu. I have long admired Princess’s fame. Today, I came specially to pay my respects.”

The palace maid acknowledged: “So it is <Using Opponent’s Attack Against Himself> Mister Gusu Murong. Although maid (I) is confined to the palace, I have heard of Mister’s (your) famous name.”

His heart filled with joy, Murong Fu thought: Since this palace maid knows my name, the Princess should naturally know about me too. Perhaps the two of them even held a discussion about me.

He quickly replied: “It is nothing. My name is probably a waste of your hearing.” (humble talk)

The palace maid added: “Although we, Xixia, are at the rural borderlands, we are too, aware of the heroic title: North Qiao Feng; South Murong. It is rumoured that North Qiao Feng, Great Hero Qiao has changed his surname to Xiao, and is currently a high-ranking official in Great Liao. I wonder if this rumour is true?”

Murong Fu replied: “It is true!” He already noticed Xiao Feng when he is on his way to Green Phoenix Court, but did not choose to expose him.

The palace maid enquired: “Mister and Great Hero Xiao share the same namesake status; the two of you must be acquainted. I wonder how is his (XF) character like? In terms of martial arts, compared with Mister, who has the upper hand?”

[Justin13]

I spent nearly 40 minutes loading and reloading because of the captcha rubbish. Time to write in a complaint. No wonder there are so little people postings in the forums

[Justin13]

Try clearing your cache if problem persists. For Duan Lang 郎, is "dear" a better fit, as I feel "Mate" sounds too masculine? My personal preference is Duan-lang. Awesome job for the daily posts to finally conclude the translation for a genuine wuxia classic.

Will use Duan-Lang in future. Open to other suggestions from anyone. Welcome kmtwong and thanks to a_tumiwa

[ninjasam17]

Thanks so much Justin13, even though there aren't as many people posting due to site issues (wasnt able to log in for months due to facebook), there are still many lurkers here without an account.
I've been waiting years for someone to pick this up and complete the novel lol

[LuDongBin]

Thks Justin.

[a_tumiwa]

I spent nearly 40 minutes loading and reloading because of the captcha rubbish. Time to write in a complaint. No wonder there are so little people postings in the forums

dont know where is the best place to write a complaint, PM doesnt work, email... i dont know where to email at , maybe this :
http://www.spcnet.tv/forums/showthre...t#.WpYlnINuZ0w

[Justin13]

The minute he heard the questions, Murong Fu’s complexion turned completely red, even up to his ears. At Shaolin Monastery, in his duel with Xiao Feng, he was restrained by him and was even eventually thrashed heavily onto the floor. In front of numerous onlookers, it clearly exhibited his inferior skills. Presently, in front of another large crowd, he would be further ridiculed if he chose not to reveal this fact. Nevertheless, he is extremely unwilling to admit his defeat at the hands of Xiao Feng. Unable to provide a proper account, he flared up: “These questions that Miss (you) is asking; are they the three questions from the Princess?”

The palace maid hurried redeemed: “No. I beg Mister’s pardon. For the past few years, Maid (I) has heard of many heroic stories about Great Hero Xiao and as a result, I am an admirer (fan) of him. I could not help but wanted to ask more questions relating to him.”

Murong Fu disclosed: “At this moment, Khan Xiao is standing right beside Miss. If Miss is interested, you can ask him directly.” The second these words leave his mouth, the peace of the entire hall was interrupted by loud commotions. The prestige of Xiao Feng is known all over the world; within the martial arts community, there is no one who is not shaken by his name.

The palace maid is apparently as emotional as everyone else and her voice is starting to quiver. She welcomed: “To think that Great Hero Xiao has lowered his status and paid a visit to our country. We were in the dark and our hospitality must be severely lacking. Great Hero Xiao must accommodate us and overlook this lapse.”

Xiao Feng let out a ‘Humph’ but did not give a reply.

From the tone of the palace maid, Murong Fu can easily tell that her respect for Xiao Feng is much more than her respect for himself. He was secretly alarmed and thought: Xiao Feng that fellow is a bachelor as well and he holds the official post of Great Liao Southern Khan. He even has an army at his disposal; as a commoner, how can I hold a candle to that? His martial arts are incredible too; there is no way I can surpass his credentials. What… What… What should I do?

The palace maid apologized: “Maid (I) will pose the questions to Mister Murong first. Great Hero Xiao, please be patient. Apologies. Apologies.” After making more polite and apologetic statements, she asked Murong Fu: “ Question for Mister! In Mister’s life, where did you have your best and happiest experience?”

Although Murong Fu has heard this question being repeated on fifty odd people before him, now that he is in the hot seat, he suddenly became tongue-tied and could not come up with an answer. All his life, he has been slogging away, incessantly trying to revive the Yan Empire. In fact, he never encountered a joyous occasion before. From the perspective of an outsider, Murong Fu is young and handsome, highly-skilled in martial arts and his fame has spread all over the world. He still commands respect in the martial arts world and logically, he should be satisfied and proud of his achievements. Nonetheless, in his heart, he has never experienced true happiness. After a short daze, he answered: “My true happiness lies in the future and not the past.”

The palace maid assumed Murong Fu is using the same template as Prince Zongzan and the others, saying their true happiness will occur after becoming the Prince Consort and getting married to the Princess. Unknown to her, Murong Fu’s definition of happiness is becoming the Emperor of Yan and the owner of the prosperous Yan Empire. Giggling once, she questioned again: “The person whom Mister loves the most, what is his or her name?”

Momentarily stunned and after a brief contemplation, Murong Fu let out a sigh and replied: “There is nobody that I love the most.”

The palace maid concluded: “Since this is the case, we can skip the third question.”

Murong Fu added: “I hope to meet the Princess and thereby, give a reply to Sister’s second and third question.”

The palace maid remarked: “Mister Murong, please take a break. Great Hero Xiao, since you have made your way here to our country, we have to follow the same procedure. Maid (I) will be asking you the three questions as well. If there is any offense, we ask for your forgiveness and understanding. Maid hereby gives her thanks in advance.” She proceeded to ask and repeat the first question but there was no response at all.

Xu Zhu interrupted: “My Big Brother has already left. Miss, please excuse him.” The palace maid was taken back: “Great Hero Xiao has left?” Xu Zhu acknowledged: “Yes, he had.”

When Xiao Feng witness the Princess of Xixia instructing her palace maid to quiz the gentlemen one at a time, he deduced some special meaning behind the three questions. Nevertheless, the questions are harmless. He then went on to ask himself the same three questions and the answers he would provide. Reminiscing about Ah Zhu, he felt some pain at his chest and was tremendously grieved. Extremely unwilling to divulge his personal emotions to a group of strangers, he turned around and left the stone hall. Since the stone doors are opened and his footsteps are exceptionally light, only a few individuals sensed his departure.

The palace maid inquired: “Where did Great Hero Xiao retreat to? Is he upset with our questioning?”

Xu Zhu explained: “My Big Brother is not a petty person and would certainly not take any offence. Hmm, he must be craving for some wine and has left in order to quench his cravings.”

The palace maid giggled: “It must be so. Great Hero Xiao is famed for his drinking habits and his ability to hold liquor is second to none. The Inner Study does not store any wine and we are unable to host this honoured guest appropriately. We are truly incompetent hosts. Mister (XZ), the next time you see Great Hero Xiao, please convey the deepest apologies from our country’s Princess.” This singular palace maid is particularly eloquent, polite and sensitive in her speech. Compared to the shy palace maid from the Gallery, she is a hundred times more articulate.

Xu Zhu affirmed: “When I see Big Brother, I will pass the message.”

The palace maid probed: “How do I address Mister?”

Xu Zhu stammered: “My… My… My Buddhist name is Xu Zhu Zi. I… came… came… that… not here for the marriage, I am merely accompanying my Third Brother.”

The palace maid questioned: “In Mister’s life, where did you have your best and happiest experience?”

Xu Zhu let out a soft sigh and replied: “In a dark ice chamber.”


(will finish the chapter and put up another post later in the day, Singapore time)

[shirak]

MY MENG LANG, YOU'RE HERE!!!!!!

[Justin13]

He abruptly heard a female voice exclaiming ‘Ah!’ in a soft voice. Following that was another noise ‘Qiang Lang!’ It appears that somewhere in the darkness, a porcelain cup has been dropped onto the floor and was shattered into pieces.

The palace maid continued her questioning: “The person whom Mister loves the most, what is he or her name?”

Xu Zhu lamented: “Ai! I… I do not know the name of that lady.”

The crowd burst out into laughter, thinking that this man is a fool. Without knowing the name of that particular lady, how could she be the person he loves the most?

The palace maid defended: “It is not strange to love someone without knowing the identity. Back then, the filial son Dong Yong happened to meet a Heavenly Fairy on Earth. Without knowing her name or background, he fell in love with her. Mister Xu Zhu, this lady must have been a beauty without equal, am I right?”

Xu Zhu answered: “I have never laid my eyes on her before.”

In a split second, the stone hall is blanketed with thunderous laughter. Everyone was laughing their guts out and felt that this story is truly unheard of. Some even thought that Xu Zhu is intentionally telling a joke.

Amidst all the laughter, Xu Zhu suddenly heard a female whispering to him: “You… Are you Meng-Lang? (Dream mate/groom/hubby)”

Xu Zhu was shocked out of his wits. In a trembling voice, he asked: “You… You… Are you Meng-Gu? (Dream lady/aunt/bride) I missed you so much.”

Unconsciously, he took a few steps forward, inhaling a breath of fragrance. A pair of warm, gentle and smooth hands is now holding onto his hands. A familiar voice is now tenderly whispering besides his ear: “Meng-Lang, I was trying to find you but I failed. Finally, I managed to get Imperial Father to issue a decree and hopefully, you will get invited.”

Xu Zhu was even more astonished than before. He stammered: “You… So you are…”

The young lady suggested: “Let’s talk inside. Meng-Lang, every day and every night, all I pray for is this exact moment…” Speaking in a hushed voice and holding his hand, she quietly led him past a curtain. Stepping onto a layer of thick carpet, the two of them entered the inner chamber.

Within the stone hall, the crowd is still laughing non-stop.

As usual, the palace maid repeated the three questions to everybody. When the list has been exhausted, she announced: “Gentlemen, please adjourn to the previous Ningxiang Gallery for a rest and more tea. The wall-mounted artworks will be prepared as gifts for everyone. If Your Highness Princess wishes to meet up with any one of you, our attendant will summon you accordingly.”

Right now, there are many frustrated men who started rioting: “We want to see the Princess!” “We want to see her now!” “Shoving us from one place to another, are you making fools out of us?”

The palace maid reasoned: “It is better for everyone to take a break outside, why bother risking the wrath of the Princess?”

The last sentence worked like magic. Everybody came to Lingzhou for the sake of becoming the Prince Consort. By disobeying the Princess, she would not grant an audience. Without seeing her, the chances of becoming the Prince Consort is zero. The crowd instantly turned silent and one by one, they left the stone hall. Outside, the return path is well lighted by bright torches. By retracing their steps, the crowd ended up back in Ningxiang Gallery where they had tea a few hours ago.

Reunited with Wang Yuyan, Duan Yu updated her about the Princess’s three questions. When Wang Yuyan heard him saying that his best and happiest experience is in an abandoned well among the muddy debris, she cannot help but break out into uncontrollable giggles. Both her cheeks turning red, she cooed: “I feel the same too.”

Having tea and engaging in idle chatter, the gentlemen eventually started discussing and comparing their answers to the three questions. They wondered who has the answer that best satisfies the Princess. A short while later, palace eunuchs appeared, holding bundles of paintings and calligraphies in their arms, inviting those present to pick one. These men are deep in thought, wondering if the Princess would grant them an audience or not. Obviously, they cannot be bothered with the artwork. As no one is competing with him, Duan Yu easily retrieved the painting <Lakeside Swordplay>.

Admiring the painting with Wang Yuyan at his side, Wang Yuyan sighed: “The person in the painting resembles my mother more than myself.” Recalling the prolonged separation between she and her mother, she could feel some longing in her heart.

Remembering that Xu Zhu has a similar painting as well, Duan Yu wanted to borrow his copy for a comparison. However, despite all his efforts in searching, Xu Zhu seems to have disappeared from the Gallery. He even called out: “Second Brother! Second Brother!” But there was no response. Duan Yu thought: Both Big Brother and Second Brother are gone! Is there some hidden danger?

Just as he started worrying, unexpectedly, a palace maid accosted him and informed: “Mister Xu Zhu has a letter for Prince Duan.” As she spoke, with two hands, she presented a folded letter made out of gold foil.

Accepting the letter, Duan Yu could smell a light fragrance coming from it. He opened it and on the letter are the following words: I am all good. I have never been better. I am happy beyond words. I am so sorry you made a wasted trip and I have failed Uncle Duan too. But I have no choice. Addressed to Third Brother.

At the bottom, it was signed with two words: Second Brother

Duan Yu is aware that his Monk Second Brother received little education and is terrible at expressing himself through written letters. Still, this letter is totally incomprehensible. Not knowing what to do next, a dazed Duan Yu held the letter in his hand as he racked his brains.

From afar, Prince Zongzan saw the palace maid handing a letter to Duan Yu and immediately assumed the Princess is granting him an audience. Filled with jealousy, he cursed to himself: Great, true enough, you gained an advantage because of your good looks. However, I am not willing to give up that easily.

He hollered: "I will not tolerate you!" With a swift pounce, he leapt towards Duan Yu. Using his left hand, he snatched at the letter and using his right fist, he threw a punch at Duan Yu's chest.

A preoccupied Duan Yu is still trying to decipher the meaning behind Xu Zhu's letter and when Prince Zongzan attacked him, he did not think about avoiding the attack. Furthermore, based on Zongzan's martial arts, his punch is as fast as lightning and Duan Yu could not avoid it even if he wanted to. 'PONG!' The blow landed squarely on his chest. Inside Duan Yu's body, his abundant internal energy instantaneously reflected the blow and with another 'PONG!' sound, followed by 'Pi Pai! Qiang Lang! Ai Yo!' Prince Zongzan flew several steps away and crashed onto a tea table. The teapot and tea cup on the table were smashed to bits.

In pain, Zongzan cannot help but cry out 'Ai Yo!' Before he got on his feet, he examined the letter and read it out loud: "I am all good. I have never been better. I am happy beyond words."

It is evident to everyone that Zongzan was rebounded by Duan Yu's internal energy and just suffered a heavy fall. Yet, he exclaimed: I am all good. I have never been better. I am happy beyond words.

While everyone is scratching their heads in bewilderment, Wang Yuyan hurried to Duan Yu's side and asked: "Did he injure you?" Duan Yu guffawed: "Nothing worth mentioning. Second Brother has written a note to me. That Prince must have gotten the wrong impression, thinking that the Princess is granting me an audience."

Witnessing their own master being knocked over, some of the TuBo warriors ran over to assist him while the others approached Duan Yu in a fierce and intimidating manner, as if they are challenging him to a fight.

Duan Yu signaled: "This place is ill-suited for us and I don't see why we should stay any longer. Let's take our leave." Ba Tianshi hastily dissuaded: "Since Prince is here, there is no urgency to leave." Zhu Danchen added: "This is the Inner Palace of Xixia's Royal Palace, I doubt the TuBo fellows have the guts to use violence. In addition, the Princess may summon you soon. If we leave now, wouldn't that be discourteous?" The two men continued to take turns to persuade Duan Yu from leaving.

True enough, some warriors from the Elite Guild appeared and demanded the TuBo warriors to behave themselves. Prince Zongzan has gotten back on his feet. Recognising that the letter is not the Princess granting an audience to Duan Yu, the anger in his heart subsided.

In the middle of the commotion, Mu Wanqing can be seen beckoning at Duan Yu. In her left hand, she is waving a piece of paper. Duan Yu nodded his head and approached her, taking the paper from her hands.

Seeing another letter in Duan Yu's hands and noticing the expression of uncertainty on his face as he read the letter, Zongzan thought: This letter must be from the Princess, summoning him for a meeting

He roared in a loud voice: "The first time, you managed deceive me, the second time, you won’t be so lucky!" His both legs propelling his body, he pounced on Duan Yu again, grabbing the letter with one hand.

Learning from his mistake, he dared not punch Duan Yu at the chest anymore. After obtaining the letter, he lifted his right foot and kicked Duan Yu’s hip. At the pelvis area is the ‘Danzhong’ point, the seed and reservoir for all internal energy. When Zongzan kicked that same area, Duan Yu’s internal energy instantly reacted without any need for activation. The repel was swift and impactful. With a ‘Hu!’ sound, followed by another 'Pi Pai! Qiang Lang! Ai Yo!', Prince Zongzan again soared through the air and flew over the heads of a few dozen men. Crashing into several tea tables, he finally landed on his back.

The Prince is stocky and his flesh is thick. Moreover, Duan Yu did not intentionally activate his internal energy to harm him. Although Zongzan was embarrassed and haggard looking, he did not suffer any internal injuries. Still on the floor, he lifted the freshly snatched letter and read it out loud: “A formidable foe is planning to murder my father, who also happens to be your father. Save him quickly.”

With these words, the crowd became even more confused. Why did Prince Zongzan say: my father, who also happens to be your father?

Only Duan Yu, Ba Tianshi, Zhu Danchen and the others knew what the message meant. Since the letter is written by Mu Wanqing, the two fathers she mentioned is obviously Duan Zhengchun. Gathering at her side, they interrogated her about the details.

Mu Wanqing explained: “Shortly after you (all) left, the two sisters Plum Sword and Orchid Sword entered the palace, saying they have an urgent report for Mister Xu Zhu. Since Xu Zhu Zi has not shown himself, they passed the message to me. Their network of allies has received word that several formidable foes have laid an ambush in order to entrap Father. The traps have been laid at Shunan area, where Father must go through in order to return to DaLi. Their Lingjiu Palace has already dispatched two factions, Xuantian and Zhutian, to chase after Father and warn him. At the same time, they sent word to us.”

Duan Yu anxiously asked: “Plum Sword and Orchid Sword, where are the two sisters? Why didn’t I see them?” Mu Wanqing remarked: “You only have eyes for Miss Wang; we are all invisible to you. The two sisters Plum Sword and Orchid Sword actually wanted to speak to you directly but no matter how hard they waved at you, there was no response. I don’t know if you really didn’t see them or are you intentionally ignoring them.”

His face turning red, Duan Yu insisted: “I… I really didn’t see them.”

Mu Wanqing coldly state: “They are in a hurry to find Second Brother Xu Zhu and cannot afford to wait for you. I tried to signal you too but you ignored me. I have no choice but to write that letter and pass it to you.”

Feeling apologetic, Duan Yu recognized the truth in her words. Recently, all his undivided attention has been centered on Wang Yuyan. All he saw was her smiles and her frowns; all he heard was her words and her laughter. Even if the sky fell down, it does not matter. It is natural for him to miss Mu Wanqing’s summons. If not for Prince Zongzan’s pouncing on him and delivering a fierce punch, he would not have raised his head and notice Mu Wanqing’s beckoning. To Ba Tianshi and Zhu Danchen, he instructed at once: “Let’s travel through the night and chase after Father.” The two men acknowledged: “Yes, Prince!”

The same thoughts went through their minds: Since Lord Zhennan is in danger, everything else has to take second priority. Whether Duan Yu is able to become the Prince Consort of Xixia or not is no longer important. They departed without wasting another minute.

Except for Ba Tianshi, Duan Yu and the others head back to the inn and reunite with Zhong Ling. Packing their luggage, they set off without any delay. Ba Tianshi paid a visit to Xixia’s Ministry of Rites and bid farewell to the Minister personally. He spun a story, saying Lord Zhennan has fallen ill while travelling. Therefore, his son has to hurry to him and assist in nursing him. He is unable to spare the time to officially bid farewell to the Emperor and expresses his regrets. Since the father is sick, it is the duty of the son to take care of him; no one can disapprove of this noble gesture.

The Minister of Rites is full of praise and polite talk, saying Duan Yu’s filial piety is as high as Heaven and His Lordship Duan will make a speedy recovery. Completing his farewell notice, Ba Tianshi swiftly exited Lingzhou City’s southern gate. Activating his <Qing-Gong>, he went in pursuit of Duan Yu and company. By the time he caught up to them, they are already ten miles away from Lingzhou.

END CHAPTER 46

[徐中銳]

Transliterated names… When it's up to me, I often challenge readers with the original Chinese writing, for they may as well do some studying, learning to recognise it (or look it up again) : ) 段郎

Will use Duan-Lang in future. Open to other suggestions from anyone.

[ninjasam17]

it just gets better and better, 4 more chapters left! Great progress since it was stuck on chapter 44 for a looong time

[jinx81]

Thank you Justin for your fantastic work! I started reading this years ago and I am so happy that you have picked up translating this novel. Thanks to all the other translator's hard work as well!

[bteoh]

it just gets better and better, 4 more chapters left! Great progress since it was stuck on chapter 44 for a looong time

Actually chapter 50 has already been translated. So 3 chapters left, technically speaking

[Justin13]

Chapter 47: Camellias blossoming, but for who?

Duan Yu and his entourage rode without stopping. In a few days, they have travelled south from Lingzhou to Gaolan and Qinzhou. Then heading east towards Hanzhong, cutting through Guangyuan, Jiange and finally arriving at Shubei*. Along their journey, they receive updates from Lingjiu Palace’s Xuantian and Zhutian factions. These two factions are female organizations and all their reports indicated Lord Zhennan is heading south. One of the reports mentioned two female companions travelling with Lord Zhennan and at Zitong County, the two ladies engaged in a ferocious battle with no clear victor.

(Not sure about ancient China geography but Shubei and Shunan could also be Northern Shu and Southern Shu. FYI.)

In his heart, Duan Yu easily predicted that one of the ladies is Mu Wanqing’s mother, Qin Hongmian; while the other lady is the mother of Ah Zhu and Ah Zi, Ruan Xingzhu. In terms of martial arts, Qin Hongmian is superior but in terms of strategy, Ruan Xingzhu has the upper hand. With Father (DZC) mediating between the two ladies, there should not be too much trouble. True enough, in less than two days, a report came, saying that the two ladies are presently on good terms with each other. Together with Lord Zhennan, they are enjoying some nice wine in a restaurant. Xuantian faction has already delivered the warning to Lord Zhennan, telling him there is a strong opponent waiting to ambush him in the later part of his journey.

During their travel, Duan Yu, Ba Tianshi and Zhu Danchen held several discussions. All the three of them agreed that except for Duan Yanqing, the head of the Four Evils, no one else could be the culprit. Duan Yanqing’s martial arts are amazingly good; within DaLi country, except for Emperor Baoding, no one is his match. If he (DYQ) manages to catch up to Lord Zhennan, it will be catastrophic. Presently, all they could do is journey as fast as they can and reunite with Lord Zhennan. With strength in numbers, they will be able to resist Duan Yanqing.

Ba Tianshi state: “If we come across Duan Yanqing, we must drop everything and immediately launch a full out group attack on him. We must overcome him by our superior numbers and never repeat the same mistake of letting him engage in a solo duel with His Lordship.”

Zhu Danchen agreed: “That is right. Here, we have Prince Duan, Miss Mu, Miss Zhong, Miss Wang and the two of us. Adding His Lordship and the two ladies, Minister Hua, Minister Fan, Brother Gu, and not forgetting the Ladies from Lingjiu Palace. With our combined forces, even if we fail to kill Duan Yanqing, we must at least put an end to his bullying.”

Duan Yu nodded: “I share the same idea.”

When their party is about to reach Mianzhou, sounds of horses galloping can be heard. Soon, two riders rode towards them. The two female riders flipped down their horses and called out: “Xuantian Faction of Lingjiu Palace pays their respect to Mister Duan of DaLi.”

Duan Yu hurriedly got off his horse and acknowledged: “The two of you must have suffered. Have you seen my Father?”

On his right, the middle-aged lady replied: “Reporting to Mister, Lord Zhennan has received our warning and accordingly, he is now heading east, planning to make a big detour before returning to DaLi. This is to avoid running into his nemesis.”

When Duan Yu heard the news, he was instantly relieved. Ecstatic, he enquired: “That is a good plan too. Father is an important figure and of royal blood; there is no need for him to personally dirty his hands with common criminals. Poisonous bugs and wild beasts; avoidance is better than engagement. This is wisdom, not fear. Ladies, do you know who is the enemy? Who tipped us off?”

The middle-aged lady explained: “The news originated from a young lady named Ah Bi. She was the person who divulge the information to Miss Chrysanthemum Sword…”

Wang Yuyan was elated: “So it is Ah Bi. I have not seen her in ages.”

Duan Yu added: “Ah, so it is Miss Ah Bi. I have met her before. She used to be Mister Murong’s personal maid.”

The middle-aged lady continued: “That is the same person. According to Miss Chrysanthemum Sword, Miss Ah Bi and her share the same age. With an attractive face, she is adored wherever she goes. The only shortcoming is her Jiangnan accent; sometimes, it is really hard to understand what she is saying. Miss Ah Bi is the protégé of Mister Kang Guangling, the lay disciple of our Owner (XZ). To a certain extent, she is part of our Lingjiu Palace family. Miss Chrysanthemum says Owner (XZ) is accompanying Mister (DY) to the palace for the wedding proposal whereas Miss Ah Bi is going to Xixia in order to meet up with Mister Murong. During her journey, she received word about some formidable foes scheming to harm Lord Zhennan. She says Mister Duan has been kind to her and she wants us pass the warning message.”

Duan Yu reminisced about the circumstances that led him to meet Ah Bi in Gusu. Through her, he got to know Ah Zhu and finally, Wang Yuyan. This time, it was her again who sent him the warning. Filled with gratitude, he inquired: “Miss Ah Bi, where is she now?”

The middle-aged lady replied: “Subordinate (I) has no idea. Mister Duan, according to Miss Plum Sword, the nemesis coming after His Lordship Duan is a dangerous fellow. Therefore, without waiting for approval by Owner, she gave instructions for the two factions, Xuantian and Zhutian to set off immediately. Mister should exercise caution as well.”

Duan Yu thanked: “Many thanks to Elder Sister for your hard work and efforts. How do I address Elder Sister? In the future, when I meet up with Second Brother, I can mention (praise) your name.” The lady was thrilled and she smiled: “We, the two factions, Xuantian and Zhutian, are just doing our job. Mister need not bother with our lowly names. Junior Lady (I) thanks Mister for your kind gesture!” As she spoke, she and the other lady clasped their hands in these sleeves in an expression of respect. Nodding to everyone as a sign of acknowledgment, the two ladies promptly left on their horses.

Duan Yu checked with Ba Tianshi: “Uncle Ba, what do you think?” Ba Tianshi proposed: “Since His Lordship has taken a detour to the east, we can continue heading south on our own. By the time we arrive in Chengdu, we should be just in time to intercept His Lordship.” Duan Yu nodded his head in agreement: “That is right.”

As they rode southwards, they went through Mianzhou City and arrived at Chengdu. Mianguan City is a prosperous and lively metropolis, the most developed city in the southwest region. After spending a few days idling in the city and still not catching any sight of Duan Zhengchun, Duan Yu and company thought: Lord Zhennan is accompanied by two ladies on his travel. Besides wonderful sightseeing, his needs are well attended to. Naturally, he would take his own sweet time. Once he is back in DaLi, all these comforts and carefree ways will come to an end.

Taking up reins, Duan Yu and company decided to head south again. Each step they take brings them one step closer to DaLi, and their spirits are lifted accordingly. Along their route, beautiful scenery can be seen everywhere. To avoid irritating Mu Wanqing and Zhong Ling, Duan Yu and Wang Yuyan rode separately. This way, the two sisters will not feel left out. During their ride, Mu Wanqing revealed the truth to Zhong Ling, telling her that Duan Yu is actually her (MWQ) own elder brother, and that Zhong Ling is actually the daughter of Duan Zhengchun too. The two girls now address each other as sisters. Observing Duan Yu and Wang Yuyan happily interacting and behaving intimately with each other, the two of them can only helplessly watch and sulk to themselves.

This particular evening, near a willow plantation, the weather started changing rapidly. Raindrops as big as yellow beans battered down upon them. Pushing their horses to go faster, they looked around for shelter concurrently. Riding around a row of willow trees, they came across several white-walled, black-tiled houses erected by a small stream. Cheered, everyone slapped their respective horses and rode towards the structures. Nearing the houses, they saw an old fellow standing on a veranda, with both his hands behind his back. He was staring at the thickening rain clouds.

Zhu Danchen flipped down his horse and stepping in front, he clasped his hands, asking: “Old Sir, sorry to disturb. My companions and I are travelling through this area when it starting raining. We hope to take temporary shelter in your treasured property. Would you please grant us this convenience?” (humble talk)

The old fellow welcomed: “Well said. Well said. When travelling, it is impossible to bring your house (shelter) with you. Gentlemen, Ladies, please enter.” Zhu Danchen observed that the old man speaking with an energetic voice and without a local Chuannan accent. Additionally, his eyes are brimming with energy. Secretly alarmed, he clasped his hands and thanked: “Thank you very much.”

After everyone has entered the house, Zhu Danchen pointed to Duan Yu and introduced: “This is Mister Yu, my master, who has just visited some relatives in Chengdu. This is Senior Brother Shi; my surname is Chen. How do I address Elder?”

With a small chuckle, the old fellow invited: “Elder’s surname is Jia. Mister Yu, Big Brother Shi, Big Brother Chen, Ladies, please come into the inner hall for a cup of refreshing tea. Looking at the storm, I think you will be here for some time.” Hearing Zhu Danchen using an alias for everyone, Duan Yu and the others were alerted to some possible danger. The group naturally kept their guard up.

Old Fellow Jia led everyone into a particular room. The walls of the room are decorated with paintings and the room itself is in pristine condition; it is completely unlike a typical room that one might find in a village. Exchanging glances, Zhu Danchen and Ba Tianshi increased their awareness level. Noting the vulgarity of the paintings in the room, Duan Yu kept his eyes away from them. Old Fellow Jia remarked: “I am going to get someone to prepare tea.” Zhu Danchen acquiesced: “Sorry to trouble Elder.” Old Fellow Jia smiled: “I hope I don’t disappoint valued guests.” As he spoke, he turned around and left, closing the door on his way out.

When the door was closed, it revealed a painting behind the door. In the painting, there are a couple of stalks of large Camellias. The first stalk is brilliantly painted in red and silver colour while the second stalk is totally white and half-withered. The contrast is extremely gratifying.