TDLC Chapter 47

Terms used in TDLC Chapter 47

Hou’ye (侯爷) – Marquis.
benhou (本侯) – a self-address used by a Marquis.
min’nü (民女) – commoner girl.
gonggong (公公) – an old and/or high-ranking eunuch.
Shizi (世子) – heir apparent of an aristocratic family.
gongzi (公子) – a noble’s son.
xiaguan (下官) – a self-address that an official uses before his superior.
laonu (老奴) – old slave.
zajia (咱家) – I; me [often used in vernacular fiction]
Yifu (义父) – foster father.
shao dongjia (少东家) – the son of a landlord/employer/boss/business owner.
lao’ye (老爷) – master of an household.
dajia (大家) – in this context, it refers to an expert of a certain art.
jiejie (姐姐) – older sister.

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As that exquisite and supple tactile sensation placed pressure on the hegu acupoint (between the first and second metacarpal bones), the young lady might feel like she was exerting enough force, but to him, it did not count for much, except those measured, gentle caresses pressing down on him were gradually inciting the fire at the bottom of his heart.

Was Huò Wēi Lóu truly incapable of appraising beauty?

Of course not.

On the contrary, the beauties he had seen in this world, when compared to how many Huò Qīng Hóng had seen as he lingered around the places with lovely spring scenes, was far greater by an unknown amount. Whether it was the charming and brightly dressed, or spotlessly clean whilst exuding quiet elegance; newly hatched little birds whose scrap of tactics barely extended beyond relying on pity and harmlessness to seduce men, or those that were properly educated, devastatingly amorous to the point where they could entice men into obsessive infatuation with their every smile and frown. And ordinary men were either attracted to the pure type or they preferred those with experience and appeal; they could never escape from falling for the two types.

• 烟花 (pinyin: yan hua) – Prostitution. It is a dated euphemism for prostitution.

However, he was not an ordinary person.

The men in this world who were tempted by their sexual desires, only to fall and descend, would find it difficult to accomplish great things in the end; and women who used their beauty to entice others, would similarly find it difficult to make it last.

Huò Wēi Lóu gazed at Bó Ruò Yōu through half-lidded phoenix eyes.

Focused, she was incredibly focused even when she was massaging the Hegu acupoint for him.

Huò Wēi Lóu had never met a woman who did everything with single-hearted devotion like her. The manners and morals of this time was difficult and dangerous for women, to say nothing of how she chose the path of the coroner. If her temperament was slightly weaker, she would not be able to achieve this much.

But her heart seemed to be completely devoid of distracting thoughts, genuinely more devout and persevering than the people in Buddhism and Taoism. As Huò Wēi Lóu stared at her seemingly painted countenance, the fire at the bottom of his heart was starting to show the slight tendency of burning higher.

The numbness originated from his right hand, gradually spreading through his four limbs and hundred bones. The area that she touched ignited a spark that burst into flames, but she remained oblivious. Huò Wēi Lóu peered at her, feeling that he was quite dangerous in one moment, but found it amusing in the next. She looked clever, but she was naïve too. No matter how insensitive he was, the city was here and under enormous threat that it could not fend against, wanting to coax her was basically as easy as blowing off dust.

Bó Ruò Yōu kneaded it for a long while, only to see that Huò Wēi Lóu’s hegu acupoint had been kneaded until it was completely red. Subconsciously, she shifted her gaze to look at Huò Wēi Lóu, and once she turned her eyes, she promptly realised that Huò Wēi Lóu was staring at her, though it was unknown when it started. Their eyes collided. Huò Wēi Lóu’s meaningful gaze was obscured and dark, its usual coerciveness retained, but if you observe carefully, it seemed to be different from the past.

Bó Ruò Yōu blinked owlishly, “Is Hou’ye feeling better?”

Huò Wēi Lóu looked into her cool pupils, which was akin to a shallow brook that was so clear the bottom could be seen. She trusted him, Huò Wēi Lóu could clearly perceive that point, which improved his mood greatly, but his eyebrows were still lightly creased. Instead of quitting while he was ahead, he chose to change hands.

Bó Ruò Yōu promptly knew that it wasn’t very effective, and her refined brows knitted together, “Hou’ye usually runs around on the land route, and scarcely travels by the water route?”

The Capital was in the north, for those who never went to the southern parts, perhaps they would live their entire lives without ever taking the water route. Even for those who have sailed on the boat could have severe seasickness, to say nothing of Huò Qīng Hóng. But Huò Wēi Lóu was outside all year round, Bó Ruò Yōu had assumed that he was used to boat shaking.

After changing hands, Bó Ruò Yōu accurately found the pressure point and pressed down forcefully. Huò Wēi Lóu’s palm was really coarse; since his hands gripped onto swords throughout the year, the calluses on his palms were like a layer of solid wax. Moreover, his fingers were long and slender, his palms thick and broad, above his carpus (sole cluster of bones inside the wrist) that was outside his sleeve, the knotted texture hidden underneath his skin could be vaguely discerned, and it genuinely resembled a body that was casted in copper and iron.

Bó Ruò Yōu remembered the two instances where Huò Wēi Lóu saved her, and the time he brought her along on his horse. The curve of his arms was enduringly robust, which truly gave people the sense of safety, and later he kept his word and agreed to her request. Chéng Yùn Zhī was right, Huò Wēi Lóu was her person of eminence.

Bó Ruò Yōu worked even harder.

“The water route is too slow.”

Huò Wēi Lóu’s reply was terse, but it was the truth. The water route was slow; unless there was a need, he rarely chose the water route.

Bó Ruò Yōu raised her eyes to peer at him, wanting to ask why he chose the water route this time around, but then she remembered that Huò Qīng Hóng and Míng Guī Lán were following along, so she swallowed the question instead, “Hou’ye uses the water route infrequently, and has over-exhausted himself. When the body is weaker, it becomes more susceptible to seasickness.”

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Bó Ruò Yōu murmured that sentence without even lifting her head. Huò Wēi Lóu became increasingly amused the more he listened; slowly but surely, the depths of his eyes were stained with a thin layer of mirth. It was also at this moment where the half-closed cabin door was pushed open, and Fu gonggong walked in from outside.

When he caught a glimpse of the situation in the room, however, Fu gonggong immediately froze, “This… What’s going on?”

Wearing a bitter expression, Bó Ruò Yōu sighed and said: “Gonggong, Hou’ye is seasick as well.”

Fu gonggong’s expression became inexplicably complicated in an instant. His brows furrowed together, before it tightened even more. He looked at Bó Ruò Yōu, then looked Huò Wēi Lóu, unable to shake off the feeling that this entire scene was absurdly strange, “Hou’ye… is seasick?”

Huò Wēi Lóu hummed with a normal expression. Fu gonggong gaped at him, first surprised and bewildered, then it was unknown what was going through his head, because he abruptly revealed an expression that was split between shock or excitement.

Bó Ruò Yōu watched as his expression flit through a myriad of changes unpredictably, before she became worried again, “Gonggong, what’s wrong? You aren’t seasick as well, are you?”

Fu gonggong certainly felt like his body was wobbling slightly, so he braced himself against the door to stand properly, “No… Zajia isn’t seasick, zajia merely feels his heart palpitating…”

Bó Ruò Yōu was startled, “Is it difficult to level those palpitations, does [your] chest feel stuffy? If that’s the case, it might be a symptom of seasickness as well.”

Fu gonggong waved his hand, as if he felt like he could not face the truth behind Huò Wēi Lóu’s current actions. He closed the door and left, returning to Huò Qīng Hóng’s room very quickly. Needles were sticking out of his hands’ hegu points and his calves’ zhu san li points as he was sprawled out on his back on the bed couch. Mutters were spilling out of his mouth, and his visage seemed to convey the sentiment that there was nothing more wretched than apathy.

Míng Guī Lán only found the entire affair hilarious. When he turned his head back, he promptly noticed Fu gonggong walking inside with a bizarre expression, which made him raise his eyebrows involuntarily, “Gonggong, what’s the matter?”

Fu gonggong heaved a loud sigh, “Public morality is not what it used to be ah, public morals are declining by the day ah.”

• 人心不古 (pinyin: ren xin bu gu) – it can also mean ‘the men of today are sadly degenerated’. (I love this man.)

Míng Guī Lán was uncomprehending, whereas Huò Qīng Hóng gritted his teeth and agreed, “That’s right! That’s how it is, those lines are referring to you and Older Brother, I will remember this debt…”

Míng Guī Lán chuckled and shook his head. Since he was interrupted in such a manner, he dropped the topic instead.

Inside the room next door, Bó Ruò Yōu’s brows were tightly knitted, “Gonggong is getting old. If he’s feeling discomfort, one fears that it will worsen later on.”

However, Huò Wēi Lóu said: “You don’t need to worry about him. He isn’t seasick, he’s in shock.”

A few more creases were added to the space between Bó Ruò Yōu’s brows, “He was shocked by Hou’ye’s seasickness?”

Huò Wēi Lóu smiled thinly, as if he was tacitly agreeing with his noncommittal appearance. For a moment, Bó Ruò Yōu did not know what kind of riddle they were playing at, so she did not pursue it any further. Fortunately, Huò Wēi Lóu was starting to look better, and he told her stop not long after.

Although Bó Ruò Yōu’s hands were sore from the massage, she could only set her heart at ease when she saw that the treatment had been effective at least. Seeing that Huò Wēi Lóu was feeling better, she asked for her leave. Huò Wēi Lóu thought about it, since there was nothing to instruct, he certainly had no reason to make her stay, so he nodded and allowed it.

Bó Ruò Yōu had just departed when Fu gonggong rushed inside with a shocked complexion. He was clearly very excited, but he had to suppress his voice, lest someone else heard it, “Hou’ye, ȳou are seasick? Ȳou are seasick? Ȳou might as well let laonu die of laughter! In laonu’s remaining years, he never thought that he would see ȳou being seasick—”

Huò Wēi Lóu’s visage did not change in the slightest. “Be steadier. As [your] age increases, [your] ability to remain calm has decreased instead.”

Fu gonggong gritted his teeth, saying: “How is laonu supposed to remain calm ah, laonu has never witnessed a single woman being able to get close to ȳour body all these years! The last time in the Library Pavilion was an accident, but today ȳou pretended to be seasick, and allowed Yōu Yōu to care for and stay by ȳour side. What are ȳou trying to do? Have ȳou really fallen for Yōu Yōu’s beauty?!”

Huò Wēi Lóu was doubtful, “How have I fallen for her beauty?”

Fu gonggong pursed his lips as he said: “Yōu Yōu looks beautiful, and she has a good temper. Everyone has a heart that admires beauty; ȳou are a normal man too. Maybe [you] didn’t feel anything at the start, but [you] could have gradually recognised that Yōu Yōu is indeed out of the ordinary, and proceeded to fall in love with her, what’s so strange about that?”

Fu gonggong sighed helplessly, “There’s nothing to be embarrassed about this. That would explain why laonu keeps getting the sense that something was off. In the past, laonu didn’t dare to think about it, but he didn’t expect that ȳou wouldn’t be able to avoid it either. Besides, what exactly are ȳou thinking? Yōu Yōu’s life experience has been rather rough, and if [we] were to talk about social identities, there is a slight disparity. Of course, that doesn’t count for much, but have ȳou thought this through? Yōu know that laonu has always felt that you should be marrying a wife, and even His Majesty has asked numerous times. Yōu have never taken it to heart prior, but now that there is finally a bit of suggestion, are there any serious considerations?”

Honestly speaking, Huò Wēi Lóu did not expect that Fu gonggong could think of so much in a short moment’s work. He pinched his glabella, “Since when was it as complicated as you think it is?”

Given how calm Huò Wēi Lóu’s expression was, not a single inkling could be perceived, “I was merely being more affable towards her by two degrees because I see how she advances and retreats without overstepping boundaries, and handles her duties with due diligence and conscientiousness, am I the kind of person who would conceive designs upon seeing beauty?”

Fu gonggong was initially shocked and flustered, but after seeing how calm Huò Wēi Lóu was, he was consequently brought under control, “What ȳou said… seriously?” Then, his eyebrows raised, “But how did ȳou become seasick?”

Huò Wēi Lóu pinched the space between his brows again, “Too tired.”

Fu gonggong did not know what he should do in the moment. Well-aware that Huò Wēi Lóu had never really rested ever since he left the Capital, he felt rather distressed for him in his heart. He remained silent for a moment, the shock he previously felt subsiding before he mumbled: “After tossing for half a day, it turns out it was just laonu thinking too much. Hou’ye, ȳou are too stoic as well, laonu sees that Míng gongzi and Shizi are both quite fond of Yōu Yōu.”

Huò Wēi Lóu was slightly speechless, “And you seem very disappointed?”

Fu gonggong was frowning like he was rather conflicted in his heart, “This… What Hou’ye is thinking, laonu can’t fully comprehend it either way. If it was a noble daughter from another prominent old family, laonu only needs to examine their family status, behaviour, and appearance to get the picture. When Hou’ye marries that person back in the future, whether she is treated as a decoration, or valued highly for her excellent progeny, it doesn’t matter. Laonu is cognizant of what Prince and Marquis Residences are like, it’s fine even if she’s only there to make Hou’ye happy. But towards Yōu Yōu? Although laonu leans towards Hou’ye, he harbours a bit of selfishness as well. What if Hou’ye is only acting on a momentary impulse and neglects Yōu Yōu later? Or, what if Hou’ye possesses heartfelt intentions, but Yōu Yōu isn’t interested in Hou’ye?”

Huò Wēi Lóu arched his brows, “Isn’t interested in who?”

Fu gonggong coughed lightly. His following words were sincere and earnest, “Although Hou’ye has passed the age of double-ten, he has either been on the battlefield, or wholeheartedly devoted to government affairs during all these years, and he has yet to learn about the love between a man and woman. It is not as simple as Hou’ye assumes it to be. Hou’ye has a high position and heavy authority, he can have whatever he wants, but the human heart isn’t something that can be measured with power, influence, wealth, or treasures.”

Huò Wēi Lóu couldn’t be bothered to continue listening. With dark eyes, he said: “If I fancied anyone, do I need your preaching?” Then, he asked, “How is Hóng’er now?” 

Fu gonggong quickly replied, “Much better, he has some strength now. If he manages to keep his food down tonight, he will be past this ordeal.”

The boat could travel almost a hundred miles in a day, but they were still within the boundaries of Luozhou, and it would require ten days to reach the Capital. Fortunately, the Langcang River was sedate, and the waters were vast, so the sailing experience was much steadier. By the time the night curtain descended, Huò Qīng Hóng was mostly recovered.

Apart from Míng Guī Lán and Chéng Yùn Zhī who were handicapped, the others headed to the first-floor cabin to partake in their dinner. Shěn Yá, who had disappeared for the entire day, re-appeared at this moment, personally delivering the dinner over. Although it was on a boat, the ingredients were all fresh and delicious, which was sufficient in showing that he had expended a great deal of care and thought. Just as Huò Wēi Lóu’s group sat down, even more passengers came out from the first-floor wineshop in quick succession, and they were also here to have their meals.

Among them was the Jade Spring Troupe whom they saw just now.

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“Hey, Liǔ dajia—”

• 大家 (pinyin: da jia) – in this context, it means great master/great expert (of a certain art).

Huò Wēi Lóu’s group was seated inside a private room that was overlooking the left window. After Shěn Yá was done exchanging amenities, he retreated out of the door, and immediately saw a woman in light green robes sauntering towards him directly. 

That woman was barely twenty and in her blossoming years: her inky hair was akin to a waterfall, her complexion snowy and countenance flourishing, especially her red phoenix eyes, of which outer corners were slightly slanted upwards. She was tender, amorous, and bewitchingly charming; her figure delicate and soft, her slender waist sashayed as she walked; she was lithe and graceful in multifarious ways, as if her flesh and boats were made out water. All in all, the sight of her warms the heart and delights the mind, and even Bó Ruò Yōu had to do a double take.

Among the people that were seated, only Wú Yú had some knowledge of southern dramas, and he proceeded to say: “This is Jade Spring Troupe’s current star performer, Liǔ Huì Niáng, their theatrical troupe entered the Capital once last year, and xiaguan had the fortune of hearing them once.”

Liǔ Huì Niáng was being supported by a maidservant as she walked at the very front, with men and women following behind her. They were all young and good-looking, but they seemed to be keeping her company. Meanwhile, Shěn Yá offered a few solicitous lines before he ushered them inside another private room.

Huò Qīng Hóng wrinkled his brows as he remarked: “The northern operas that we frequently listen to have very few women going up on stage, while these southern drama troupes exalt them greatly.”

Wú Yú replied: “Southern dramas are gentle, beautiful, and elegant; most of them inhabit the roles out of passion, and out of ten songs, nine of them speak of yearning. Those that perform their female roles well and are consequently called ‘dajia’ are not few, and they are rather popular too. Shizi will understand once he has a listen.”

Wú Yú shot a look at Huò Wēi Lóu, not daring to say more since he was genuinely afraid that Huò Wēi Lóu would feel that his trifling would destroy his will.

Huò Qīng Hóng took a light sniff of the jade bottle that Bó Ruò Yōu had given him, “She has a good figure, though the others can’t be perceived.”

Just as his voice landed, another group of people entered from the wineshop. The frontmost person was a man in luxurious clothes past the age of half-hundred. His physique was starting to put on weight, but his mind was hale and hearty, and he seemed to be humming an aria as he strolled along.  

Behind him, followed another woman in luxurious clothing. Compared to Liǔ Huì Niáng, this woman’s beautiful figure and carriage was even more lithe and graceful, like she was a willow branch drifting in the wind as she walked. Her vibrant and amorously red skirts made her brighter and more colourful than the Asiatic apple flower, and she possessed an incredibly pretty pair of red phoenix eyes, except in comparison to Liǔ Huì Niáng, the cosmetics on her face was slightly thicker, and she appeared slightly older than Liǔ Huì Niáng when she was being expressionless.

“Boss Yu, Sòng dajia!” Shěn Yá welcomed them with a grin.

It was boring whilst travelling on a boat, and much of Huò Qīng Hóng’s interest had been grinded down into nothing in just half a day. Now that there was a theatrical troupe, it naturally attracted his attention. He was seated close to Wú Yú, so he immediately raised his lower jaw, “Who are those two people?”

Wú Yú replied smilingly, “The Jade Spring Troupe is a family troupe, and that individual, Boss Yu, is the owner of the Jade Spring Troupe. He came from a prominent old family in Jiangnan, initially was an advanced scholar after passing the imperial metropolitan civil service examinations during the First Year of Jianhe, but after being a county magistrate for two years, he decided to go home and inherit the family business. His only bias is southern drama, and he started to raise actors and musicians in his own family’s garden from then on, and it has been thirty years since. After the Jade Spring Troupe fully matured, he relied on his family business to open a stage for the Jade Spring Troupe and has been thriving in the neighbouring areas of Jiangnan. That Sòng dajia, is called Sòng Mèi Niáng, she used to be the best actress within the Jade Spring Troupe, though it appears that she will be superseded by Liǔ Huì Niáng soon.”

After Wú Yú finished his introduction, they promptly saw Boss Yu and Sòng Mèi Niáng walking up to the side of Liǔ Huì Niáng’s table. Liǔ Huì Niáng rose her feet and gestured to Boss Yu in greeting while completely disregarding Sòng Mèi Niáng. Boss Yu was chatting idly with Shěn Yá as he naturally sat beside Liǔ Huì Niáng, who proceeded to steep the tea and pour the wine with a wide smile, before she invited Shěn Yá to take a seat. Each and every one of her smiles and frowns could rouse a person’s heart, and Shěn Yá played along with her by settling in the seat as well. Sòng Mèi Niáng was reticent from start till end, and the sparse smile on her face was rather rigid.

Since Bó Ruò Yōu had resided in Qingzhou for so many years, she was naturally aware of southern dramas. Likewise, she had heard of the Jade Spring Troupe’s reputation numerous times, but she did not expect that she would encounter them here. After hearing a few lines from Wú Yú, she got the sense that this small theatrical troupe had quite a few stories inside. 

As Huò Qīng Hóng gazed outside, his pupils turned, “Older Brother, shall we ask the Jade Spring Troupe to sing a few operas on the boat?”

Huò Wēi Lóu stared at him coldly for two seconds, “You are merely afraid that other people don’t know you are the heir apparent of Duke Huò.”

Huò Qīng Hóng’s mouth deflated as he turned to look at Wú Yú. In response, Wú Yú immediately lowered his head, lifted his bowl and pushed the food into his mouth with his chopsticks, since he did not have the guts to say a single word edgewise. Fu gonggong was seated at the outermost position, and he listened for a while before he said smilingly, “Shizi, there’s no need for you to say it, Shěn shao-dongjia has already told them to put up a performance.”

Huò Qīng Hóng’s ears perked up to listen closer. Sure enough, he heard the phrases ‘build a stage’ and ‘Record of the Southern Bough’, as if they were already deciding what opera pieces that they would be performing. He was all smiles and jumping for joy instantaneously.

Huò Wēi Lóu shook his head, as if he was about to chide him for being ignorant and incompetent again.

After the meal was over, Huò Wēi Lóu’s entourage started towards the corridor after leaving the private room. Initially, the actors of the Jade Spring Troupe were the most eye-catching people, but in that moment, all eyes landed on Huò Wēi Lóu’s group. Upon noticing their lavish clothes and personal adornments, each carrying a self-important and distinctive style, and not once sparing an additional glance towards the Jade Spring Troupe like the ordinary passengers were, it was immediately apparent that their identities were out of the common run.

Boss Yu waited for their group to leave before he pointed in their direction, “Shao Dongjia, may one be so bold to ask, the sons of nobility that just left are…”

Shěn Yá made a silencing gesture, “Boss Yu, do not ask, for even I do not know the answer. However, the reason why you were asked to put up an entertainment function, is for those noble guests to see. All of you have to sing well, and perhaps you might even be able to do business transactions with other Residences once you reach the Capital.”

Once Boss Yu heard that, he understood that Huò Wēi Lóu’s group must be part of the influential official families within the Capital, so he did not dare to be careless. He looked towards Liǔ Huì Niáng and Sòng Mèi Niáng again, “Heard that? The opera highlights that were previously discussed, both of you have to hold the stage well.”

The corner of Sòng Mèi Niáng’s lips quirked slightly upon hearing those words, “Lao’ye can set his heart at ease, I will still be performing the Jade Terrace Sword Dance [1] which I am best at.”

• 老爷 (pinyin: lao ye) – typically refers to a master of a household.

Liǔ Huì Niáng pursed her lips into a smile, “Can Jiejie even dance still? Lao’ye, I want to dance with a sword too…”

After hesitating for a moment, Boss Yu peered at Sòng Mèi Niáng and advised: “Mèi Niáng ah, why don’t you sing Mundane Thoughts [2] instead?”

There were a lot of people inside the hall. Liǔ Huì Niáng was trying to provoke her to begin with, and with Boss Yu’s utterance, it was equivalent to slapping Sòng Mèi Niáng in the face, but in front of everyone, Sòng Mèi Niáng could only squeeze out a small smile and agree.

    ……

Bó Ruò Yōu delivered some food to Chéng Yùn Zhī, and while he was partaking in his dinner, she mentioned what she saw and heard today. When Chéng Yùn Zhī heard the Jade Spring Troupe’s name, he was rather surprised, “The Jade Spring Troupe has become so far-reaching?”

Bó Ruò Yōu replied: “Yifu knows of the Jade Spring Troupe?”

Chéng Yùn Zhī nodded, “In the Jiangbei area, people usually listen to northern opera, and it was only twenty to thirty years ago where southern operas started to spread towards the north, it wasn’t well-received at the start and it only gradually gain some momentum afterwards. In those years, southern opera performances were exceedingly rare in the Capital. Since your Yimu like it, I listened to it a few times as well, and happened to hear of the Jade Spring Troupe’s name back then. After coming to Qingzhou, the name of the Jade Spring Troupe became all the more prevalent. Nevertheless, [I] did not expect that they are now able to bring the entire troupe to the Capital for a birthday celebration.”

It was obvious that having the ordinary members of the troupe go to the Capital together would be quite expensive. Despite that, Chéng Yùn Zhī furrowed his brows minutely as he said: “However… that Jade Spring Troupe, it is rather chaotic on the inside, ordinary people like us only have to listen to the opera and that will suffice—”

Bó Ruò Yōu asked doubtfully, “It was mentioned that it is a family troupe, how and why is it chaotic?”

Chéng Yùn Zhī wished to say more but he stopped himself, choosing to end the topic there instead, “You don’t need to know, it’s not good in any case.”

Bó Ruò Yōu did not ask further. She originally wanted to add a cup of tea for Chéng Yùn Zhī, only to realise that there was no boiling water inside the room, so she stood up and grabbed the teapot to go downstairs in search for boiling water. Just as she reached the corridor, she saw that the entire row of room doors was closed.

She did not want to disturb Huò Wēi Lóu and the rest, so she lightened her footsteps. There was a windproof lantern illuminating the corridor from above head, which was casting down a dim glow, and while it was not scary, it was currently the end of the first month and the river winds were bone-piercingly cold at night. After walking a short distance, Bó Ruò Yōu promptly felt that her hands were turning cold, so she quickened her footsteps, first going to the first floor to have a boatman fill the teapot with hot water before she climbed up to the second floor at an even quicker pace.

She was walking brisky, and just as she stepped on the second-floor staircase, she suddenly heard footsteps coming around the corner extremely quickly. Her expression changed as she immediately came to a stop, a shout slipping from her mouth: “Be careful—”

Her voice landed but the sound of footsteps did not stop. A human figure turned around the corner and slammed into her heavily, causing the teapot in her hand to sway. The scalding hot water poured down her arm, causing her refined brows to scrunch together from the pain, and the other party who had also been scalded issued a light gasp simultaneously. 

Borrowing the dim and yellowed light, Bó Ruò Yōu could clearly discern that the person who bumped into her was a girl around with ages of ten, whose hair was tied up into a double bun. The girl was born with a beautiful countenance; though it was still tarried with a bit of immaturity, it was already possible to see that she would inevitably become dazzlingly beautiful. She was covering her arms tightly as fury coloured her visage, but she froze when she caught sight of Bó Ruò Yōu, as if she did not anticipate that there would be another beautiful woman on the boat.

Seeing that she was young, Bó Ruò Yōu quickly asked: “Were you scalded?”

The girl took a step back, some defensiveness apparent at the bottom of her eyes. Bó Ruò Yōu said in a gentle voice: “Apologies, I did issue a warning, but the accident still happened. Let me take a look, if it’s serious, I’ll give you some ointment.”

The girl took another step back. In the next second, she abruptly turned around and ran.

She followed the long corridor to head to the east side of the second floor. Bó Ruò Yōu gave chase, albeit only by a few steps, and she vaguely saw her entering one of them room. Bó Ruò Yōu wanted to go forward to ask after her well-being but she was still holding onto the teapot in her hands. She sighed, going back downstairs to refill the water, sending it to Chéng Yùn Zhī’s room first before she returned to her own room.

After entering the door, Bó Ruò Yōu pulled up her sleeve and brought her hand closer to the light. Sure enough, her wrist was completely red, and blisters were already rising from the most serious area. Then, she thought about how that child might have been scalded too, which made feel rather guilty in her heart.

Chéng Yùn Zhī had prepared a lot of ointments for this trip and all of them were with her right now. Bó Ruò Yōu sifted through them to find one that could treat burn wounds, still intent on going downstairs to find that child.

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Upon opening her door, the bone-piercingly cold wind blew into her face. She held her collar together as she walked forward, but before she could take a few steps out, the room door beside her suddenly opened, wherein Huò Wēi Lóu was standing at the door and gazing at her, “Why do you keep pacing back and forth?”

Internally aware that she had disturbed him, Bó Ruò Yōu bowed with womanly obeisance as she smiled sourly, then walked up to Huò Wēi Lóu and recounted the matter of her injuring the girl just now. Huò Wēi Lóu’s brows were creased, “You don’t need to go on your own.”

Bó Ruò Yōu, however, shook her head, “Min’nü does not know her name, and only vaguely saw her running into a room. It’s better if min’nü personally makes a trip, moreover, everyone should be resting right now.”

Huò Wēi Lóu looked at her with a deep glance momentarily before closing his room door, “Benhou will go with you.”

The dim lanterns rocked and swayed, the cold winds above the river howled. With steady-looking Huò Wēi Lóu standing by her side, she only felt peace in her heart. Hence, she did not decline and headed down the stairs first. However, just as she reached the second-floor landing, Bó Ruò Yōu became slightly lost; she did not follow her to the end just now, and the entire stretch of corridor was decked with cabins. She could not determine which room the girl went into.

She followed the corridor and continued to forge ahead. Finally, Bó Ruò Yōu stopped between the two rooms at the end, “It seems to be one of the two rooms. It was hard for min’nü ascertain, since she ran very fast.”

What proved to be even more difficult was that the lights were already extinguished in both rooms. It was unknown if they were already asleep or there was no one at all, and it was not appropriate to randomly knock on the door. 

Bó Ruò Yōu looked at Huò Wēi Lóu as she said hesitantly, “Maybe, min’nü should lean on the door and listen in?”

She stepped forward, standing outside the door to listen carefully. However, only the sound of the wind howling across the river surface was filtering into her ears, so how could she heard for any movements? She was at her wit’s end as she continued to listen, which caused Huò Wēi Lóu to shake his head before he took a step forward as well.

His brows and eyes were slightly lowered. Just as he stood still outside the door, he promptly heard that there was the sound of human breathing behind the door, not only was it human breathing, but the noise was also being created by two people. Not only were there noises coming from two people, but the noises that the pair were making were also rather strenuous and jarring—

Huò Wēi Lóu was puzzled at first, and it was unknown what he heard afterwards because his complexion changed. At this moment, Bó Ruò Yōu noticed the change, and she leaned closer as well, “Is there movement?”

Before she could lean closer, Huò Wēi Lóu grabbed hold of his wrist. His expression was peculiar, but it did not tolerate any doubts as he said: “You’re not allowed to listen.”

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Translation Notes:

[1] 瑶台剑舞 (pinyin: yao tai jian wu) – The sword dance that Sòng Mèi Niáng is referring to is from Scene 29 – Raising the Siege in Records of the Southern Bough, which features a sword dance segment at a jade terrace in between. A link to the performance can be found here.

[2] Mundane Thoughts (思凡) is a song within the opera called Sea of Sins (孽海记), and this is one of the best recorded renditions that can be found on the internet.