When Xin Mei came out of Chongling Valley, it was already noon the next day. The good wine given by the Fox Clan seemed to be very strong. Zhen Hongsheng had drunk two jars of wine by himself last night. As a result, he had not yet risen up because he was in n extreme intoxication. Xin Mei had to notify Zhang Dahu about it and then rode on Lie Yun Hua to take her to leave.
Baitou (ever white) / Paekdu Mountain. In Korean, it is known as Baekdu Mountain. The lake on top of the mountain, as you can see in the picture, is called
Image Source | Laika ac via Wiki
Image Source | Laika ac via Wiki
“Little Yun, what do you think Lu Qianqao is doing right now?"
The journey there was a bit boring, so Xin Mei held on to Lie Yun Hua’s neck and chatted with it. If only Qiu Yue was there. At least Qiu Yue would react to whatever she said despite not knowing how to speak. Unlike this horse, that only knew to stare ahead and run forward.
“You are more foolish than Qiu Yue. You’ve been ignoring me when I talk."
This is slander! Lie Yun Hua blew its nose hard. It was a horse, not a human being. For a horse to be able to talk, that was n absurd matter!
“Oh? You’re saying that Lu Qianqiao is definitely thinking about me? He’s thinking till he can’t eat or sleep?“ Her eyes lit up.
I didn’t say that! Lie Yun Hua gave a long neigh.
“You mean, he’s currently reflecting on his mistakes and is going to apologise to me?"
I really didn’t say that! Lie Yun Hua shed its tears.
“You mean, he will cry when he begs me to come back?"
…Brother Qiu Yue, you are great. Lie Yun Hua looked at the distant clouds and mists with feelings of disappointment and frustration. Because of this a donkey's lips do not match a horse's mouth kind of dialogue, it had supreme respect for Qiu Yue appeared in its heart. This noob translation was translated by a noob translator きつね. Please read this chapter at xin-shou.blogspot.com.
The clouds and mist in front of them suddenly broke open, as several huge birds of paradise that were singing melodious tunes, flew against the wind. Behind them, there was a long vehicle with gold and jade in glorious splendour. The bright golden light on it turned into ancient writings and fluttered away. It was truly magnificent.
Lie Yun Hua cleverly moved aside and bowed its head respectfully while in the air, waiting for the long vehicle to pass by.
This spirit beast had an instinctive obedient response to those who had a pure and noble smell.
The long vehicle came slowly and stopped beside Xin Mei. Then, the white bamboo curtain rolled up by a slender hand as the young man in the black coat inside poked out his head and gave her a friendly smile.
This person…seemed to be some great monk of the Fox Clan? Xin Mei looked at him curiously, and he also looked at her curiously. They looked at each other for a long time before he gave out a smile again in the end.
“Hey, beautiful girl." He opened his mouth with a gentle voice and frivolous tone. “I’m hungry, can you give me a box of mooncakes?"
…an extraordinary long vehicle and a group of extraordinary birds of paradise had stopped, just to ask her for a box of mooncakes.
Fruit kernels mooncakes. To see the recipe, just click on the name mentioned below.
Image Source | 家有悦味1 via Sina
Image Source | 家有悦味1 via Sina
…what kind of monk is this? He even eats meat!
She then changed it to a box of mooncakes filled with meat and gave it to him. The bamboo curtain was lowered again. The young man’s voice came out from inside the vehicle, “Thank you. You are so beautiful and kind."
The birds of paradise began to sing again and the vehicle continued its way against the wind. Xin Mei scratched her head and then patted Lie Yun Hua’s neck. “Okay, let’s go too. Let’s hurry up to the Imperial Mausoleum."
*
Since Lu Qianqiao woke up, the Mist Formation had been put around the Imperial Mausoleum once more. Big and small monsters withdrew from the underground palace and returned to the green hills and clear waters ground. The Imperial Mausoleum had changed from its old days of decline and resumed its former red peach blossoms and green willows, with birdsongs and fragrant flowers.
Silan was absent, Yinglian was taking a nap in the pond, while Tao Guoguo and his brother were playing hide-and-seek in the haunted apricot blossom forest—it seemed like Lu Qianqiao wasn’t here yet.
Xin Mei tied Lie Yun Hua outside to graze and sneaked into Zhao Guanren’s cave. He wore a white headscarf as he wielded his brush furiously and cried as he wrote. His tears dripped down to his beard.
“Oh, Miss, you’re here!" He blew his nose, looked up at Xin Mei and his tearful eyes suddenly lit up, “Come on, come on! I was just writing the scene when you first met the General, where sparks went out of control!“
Uh, when she first met Lu Qianqiao? It seemed that…it was on a quiet night when she knocked out Tao Guoguo, and then Liu Qianqao knocked her back with his palm...uh-huh, it did look like sparks went out of control.
When she picked up the play book handed by Zhao Guanren, she saw that it was written like dragons flying and phoenixes dancing, which wrote, [With just that one glance, it felt like I was sailing through the waves, scouring the sand for you; with that one glance, even when Ruo River was three thousand long, I would take a ladle just for you; with that one glance, it felt like the destiny of you and me had been written on the Sansheng stone… ][T/N]
She put the play book back silently, looked at Zhao Guanren eager eyes in embarrassment, and thought for a long time before she said, “With a glance, I actually couldn’t see anything clearly…"
At that time, she knew it was a man. This man even beat her and robbed her spirit animal. Back then, she was merely thinking of whipping at him back.
Zhao Guanren repeatedly bemoaned, “How could it happen this way! Only when you have a feeling of affection would you notice about the little things of the opposite sex."
“…in any case, I didn’t care about him very much, anyway. He always treated me like a child, right? I’m not his daughter."
She said this with great bitterness, which was completely different from her in the past where she would skip vibrantly when talking about Lu Qianqao. Zhao Guanren carefully weighed her words and closely watch her expression, and then, he immediately showed the appearance of an intimate uncle to her. Sitting opposite her, he asked softly, “Miss Xin, are you having a fall out with the General?" This noob translation was translated by a noob translator きつね. Please read this chapter at xin-shou.blogspot.com.
Xin Mei put the mooncakes on the table, “No. I’m here just to send you mooncakes."
“If you feel uncomfortable in your heart, you have to say it out loud. Otherwise, trivial things will become big things, and the more you make trouble because of it, the more unmanageable it will be."
She thought for a moment and pouted, “We are not like a real couple at all. Every time I touch him, he ties me with his bewitching rope. Moreover, we are already married, but he refused to admit it and asked to do it once more. He’s only wasting time, deliberately avoiding himself from this marriage.“
…General ah, it’s true that the war demons are very awkward in men and women relationship, but you can’t be acting so stupid like this!
Zhao Guanren wished that iron could turn straight into steel and he could only shake his head.
“Miss Xin, although the General has the title of a general, he, himself is a person from the War Demon Clan, which has not even an ounce of loyalty toward the Emperor of the Qiong Country. That’s why, when the Emperor sanctioned marriage for him, he treated it as nonsense. He refused to admit the sanction and insisted on marrying you again. In fact, this just proves that he has you in his heart and regards you as a woman who needs to be respected.“
Xin Mei was silent for a moment and whispered, “I know."
“You don’t know that. Since ancient times, the War Demon Clan has served the Gods, so the people in the clan are conservative and old-fashioned. Without marriage, they won’t do the married couple thing, which they regard as having illicit sexual relations to them. When he doesn’t touch you, he actually respects you. He really doesn’t despise you."
She remained silent.
Zhao Guanren cleared his throat, “Just look at the General’s appearance which seems very intimate and very meticulous. In fact, he is very boorish. Since he was little, his father hadn’t shown any affection towards his mother, so no one has taught him how to get along with a girl. On ordinary days, he will either give out a cold face or just walk away. If he ties you up with his bewitching rope, he didn’t think of the outcome and nothing more. If you take a chance to talk to him, he will understand. People are given mouths for them to talk, so, what misunderstandings can’t be explained clearly between two persons? If you don’t open your mouth, won’t it only make you feel wrong if you let it stuck in your heart?"
Xin Mei silently broke a piece of lotus seed filling mooncake and drank the tea, but she never said a word.
As soon as Zhao Guanren saw her actions, he took up his writing brush and went on writing. He smeared all the writing in front of him and asked her, “Miss, what was it like when you first met the General? Can you tell me again?"
As she was about to speak, she heard a loud neigh from Lie Yun Hua outside the cave. Then the big leaves that covered the cave entrance were suddenly uncovered, and Lu Qianqiao, whom she hadn’t seen for two days, strode in. He picked her up and walked away.
Zhao Guanren swallowed a piece of mooncake with tears in his eyes. General, that is good!
Xin Mei’s feet did not even touch the ground as he pulled her out like a kite. She felt dizzy as he threw her on the back of Qiu Yue. When she recovered, she realized that they were already in mid-air. Qiu Yue fanned its wings at leisure and deliberately flew slowly. While Lie Yun Hua followed from far behind like it had human intelligence. Unexpectedly, everyone didn’t want to disturb them.
Xin Mei looked up at him. His face was gloomy and he was silent. Then, he turned his head away from her.
“That is…Lu Qianqiao," she opened her mouth first, “Where are we going?"
He still did not look at her. After it seemed like half a day, he honestly said, “I’m sending you back to Xinxie Manor."
Speaking of Xinxie Manor, she just realized that he was still wearing the clothes he had when he came to her home that day. However, now his white clothes were dusty with grass sap smudging the hem of his coat. While his hair seemed a little messy. Even though she could not see any tiredness on his face…but, had he been looking for her for two days without any sleep?
Xin Mei thought for a moment and whispered, “Liu Qianqiao, do you want to sleep for a while?"
He ignored her.
"...don't be angry. I was just giving away mooncakes to everyone."
He finally moved as he raised his hand and rubbed his forehead.
“Lu Qianqiao." Xin Mei leaned over and carefully grabbed a small section of his sleeve. He didn’t fling it off, so she boldly leaned closer and put her head on his shoulder.
“You can speak to me. Just say something."
With her soft voice and her being sentimental, his huge anger finally vanished like smoke and dispersed like clouds.
At first, Lu Qianqiao hesitated to raise his hand, but then he gently took her by the shoulder and whispered, “...sorry, it’s my fault."
She grinned. “We both are at fault, aren’t we?"
His gloomy face finally softened gradually, and he inserted his five fingers into her thick hair to straighten out her pigtails, “Where have you been?"
“I was sending mooncakes to everyone."
“Xin Mei."
“Hmm?"
“In half a month, I will personally escort you to my home, and by then, I will not run away anymore."
“Um."
He pulled his fingers out of her hair and gently stroked her delicate cheek. Suddenly, he lowered his head and printed a kiss on her full forehead. Being close to her, skin to skin, suddenly there was a very unpleasant smell coming from her. He could not help lowering down a little and sniffed at her hair.
“Lu Qianqiao, I’ll give you a kiss, but don’t tie me with your bewitching rope, okay?"
She put her arms around his neck and smiled at him.
His face instantly turned red and he obediently closed his eyes. After waiting for a long time, two soft lips landed on his cheek.
He seemed to be…a little lost.
Xin Mei pushed his messy hair behind his head and solemnly said, “Next time. Wait till next time."
“Naughty."
He flicked her forehead with his finger, then bowed his head and sniffed at her hair twice, frowning.
Her whole body was vaguely infected with an extremely unpleasant smell, which he could only smell if he was being very close with her. Did she meet anyone?
Noob Translator's Notes
1. The editing process for this chapter took a while, that's why this chapter is posted today, not yesterday.
2. The title for this chapter is from an old Chinese poem called Beating The Drum. It was a war poem, but somehow it now becomes a love poem, especially this part
死生契阔，
Meet or part, live or die,
与子成说。
We've made oath, you and I.
执子之手，
Give me your hand I'll hold,
与子偕老。
And live with me till old!
于嗟阔兮，
With my wife I've long parted.
不我活兮。
Can I live broken-hearted?
于嗟洵兮，
Alas! The oath we swore
不我信兮。
Can be fulfilled no more.
For the full poem, you can read it at Hoolong.
3. This part 'when Ruo River was three thousand long, I would take a ladle just for you' was taken from a Buddhist scripture which then used as a metaphor in the novel Dream of the Red Chamber. It's originally written like this '(although) the Ruo River is three thousand li long, one only drinks one ladle worth of water from it.'
Tags:
A Match Made In Heaven