TDLC Chapter 48

Terms used in Chapter 48

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.
gongzi (公子) – a noble’s son.
zajia (咱家) – I; me [often used in vernacular fiction]
Shizi (世子) – heir apparent of an aristocratic family.
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.
meimei (妹妹) – younger sister.
xiao’ye (小爷) — refers to, or is the self-address of a young master of an aristocratic household.
zaixia (在下) – myself (humble).

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While Bó Ruò Yōu was curious about why she couldn’t listen, she issued a light hiss. Huò Wēi Lóu released her with narrowed brows, before rolling her sleeve upwards to immediately expose the scalded area.

His irises darkened, “You burned yourself as well?”

Bó Ruò Yōu retracted her hand. “It is of no consequence,” she said before leaning forward, “Is there someone inside the room?”

Just as her words landed, she also heard noise coming from the room. It was a woman’s groan, soft sounding and gentle, and she could not tell what she was doing. Her brows knitted together slightly as she said in a low voice: “Someone is speaking, perhaps min’nü should knock on the door and ask, that child might be inside.”

Huò Wēi Lóu stopped her by holding somewhere else and two steps back, “If it’s a child, then it can’t be this room.”

Bó Ruò Yōu was sceptical, “Why?”

Huò Wēi Lóu looked at her exasperatedly, as if he was dissatisfied with the doubt she was harbouring. Bó Ruò Yōu lost all her courage to continue speaking immediately, and she turned towards the door at the side. “Then it should be this room.”

Huò Wēi Lóu walked up to the front of that room, not bothering to listen in again before he knocked on the door. A succession of light sounds rose behind the door, and not long after, someone came over to open the door, except it was only by a small seam. A face that was similarly immature appeared, and when she saw Huò Wēi Lóu and Bó Ruò Yōu standing outside, the person inside the room was slightly surprised.

“Who are the both of you?  What’s the matter?”

Huò Wēi Lóu gave Bó Ruò Yōu a look. Bó Ruò Yōu took a step forward to peer behind the girl’s back, “Are you the only person in this room?”

The person behind the door hesitated for a second, “Are you looking for Yuè Niáng? Having said that, she turned her head back and called: “Yuè Niáng, someone is looking for you—”

That girl looked towards Huò Wēi Lóu and Bó Ruò Yōu again. Upon realising that the pair’s spirit was out of the ordinary, she did not dare to irreverent, and she opened the door wider. At this moment, another person walked out of the darkness, it was the girl that Bó Ruò Yōu collided with just now.

After seeing Bó Ruò Yōu, the girl scrunched her brows slightly. Since there was an additional Huò Wēi Lóu this time around, she merely pursed her lips wordlessly as if she did not dare to flare up. Bó Ruò Yōu offered her the small case that was containing the ointment, “[You] must have been scalded just now, this is an ointment that can treat the burn wound.  Apply this for two days, it will definitely recover in two days.”

Yuè Niáng scowled without moving. On the other hand, the girl by her side was more perceptive, and she immediately pushed her, “Guiren is giving something to you, why aren’t you receiving it yet—”

• 贵人 (pinyin) – it can either mean nobility/person of high rank or person of eminence. For the girls, they are using the former definition because of their lower status. However, Bó Ruò Yōu also calls Huò Wēi Lóu her guiren (refer to her past conversation with Chéng Yùn Zhī), but she means it as ‘person of eminence’, which has the additional connotation of earned respect.

It was only then that Yuè Niáng shifted her feet and accepted the ointment before she gave a low murmur of thanks, but her voice was akin to a fly as if she was extremely unwilling.

Not minding it in the slightest, Bó Ruò Yōu merely curved her lips and said: “Apply it twice daily, once in the morning and once at night, do not forget.”

After saying that, she turned around and left. Huò Wēi Lóu glanced at Yuè Niáng and that girl with obvious displeasure, which directly scared them into taking half a step back. The girl waited for the pair to walk further away before she pinched Yuè Niáng, “You are courting death. There are noble persons on this boat, Mèi Niáng and Huì Niáng have yet to perform on stage, while you don’t have a single bit of awareness. Could it be that you have become ignorant to the height of Heaven and the depths of earth after Lao’ye started attaching more importance to you?”

• 不知天高地厚 – to have an exaggerated opinion of one’s abilities; to think that one knows everything.

Yuè Niáng covered her arm and glared at the girl. Then, she whipped around and ran inside, climbing on the bed before she pulled up the brocade blanket to cover her head completely.

……

Having heard that the girl was called Yuè Niáng, Huò Wēi Lóu knew that she was part of the Jade Spring Troupe. Once they reached the third-floor landing, Huò Wēi Lóu proceeded to remark, “She is but an opera actress, is it even worthwhile for you to personally deliver the medicine, that yatou doesn’t feel grateful at all.”

Huò Wēi Lóu’s tone of voice was deep and severe, and he was not speaking in jest.

Bó Ruò Yōu was following behind him, and when she heard that, she said lightly, “She is tender of age, and she was raised in the theatrical troupe ever since she was young. It is reckoned that she has eaten numerous hardships, which is why she is rather defensive against strangers. Furthermore, she was scalded by the hot water I was holding, [I] owe it to her to make the trip.”

Huò Wēi Lóu shook his head, “Since she has eaten numerous hardships, she wouldn’t care about a small injury or wound like this. Moreover, given that she is of lowly status, she should learn the ways of the world. Judging from her appearance, she will probably be eating more hardships in the future. “

Although Bó Ruò Yōu did not agree with his words, she could not contradict him on the surface, so she replied in a lowered voice: “It is only after eating some hardships that she becomes aware being shrewd is never wrong, except no matter how lowly a person is, she will still want people to treat her better. Regardless of whether she appreciates the kindness or not, other people treating her kindly means that she will suffer less grievances too. It is not as though people learn the meaning of gratitude for no apparent reason; if everyone mistreats her, what if it also gives rise to malicious thoughts in her heart?”

In the past, Bó Ruò Yōu did not have the audacity to speak too much in front of Huò Wēi Lóu, but over the course of a month of interaction, she was gradually becoming a little impudent. After uttering those words, she looked at Huò Wēi Lóu with much caution.

Consequently, she saw Huò Wēi Lóu using unfathomably dark phoenix eyes to give her a sidelong glance, which made it quite evident that he disapproved of her words, “Even the Buddha possesses a temper, whilst you are more good-tempered than the Buddha.”

It wasn’t really Bó Ruò Yōu’s fault that she scalded someone, and she had gone out of her way to deliver the ointment out of goodwill and charitable intentions, and yet the other person didn’t appreciate her kindness. Being as aloof and removed from the masses as he was, Huò Wēi Lóu had grown accustomed to disregarding ordinary affairs; this was the first time he had followed her to show care for these common people, and yet he ran into a cold-faced person who was unable to tell good from bad. He was not a good-natured person by any measure, so when he saw Bó Ruò Yōu without the slightest bit of temper, neither complaining nor blaming, the displeasure at the bottom of his heart was practically breaking out for her sake.

Bó Ruò Yōu was frowning, though she did not dare to argue again. Seeing that they were about to reach their rooms, Huò Wēi Lóu halted in his footsteps to look down at her condescendingly, “The ointment has been given to someone else, what about yourself?”

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Bó Ruò Yōu faltered momentarily, and before she could speak, Huò Wēi Lóu stepped through his door and said: “Come inside.”

Bó Ruò Yōu wanted to protest but she stopped herself. Seeing that Huò Wēi Lóu did not even turn his head back, she could only follow him inside and close the door, which blocked out the howling cold wind. She covered her cheeks, the chill surrounding her body dissipating by two parts.

Huò Wēi Lóu found a bottle of ointment very quickly and pointed at the sitting couch, “Sit down.”

Bó Ruò Yōu did not understand what the point of that was, so she stiffened momentarily before she walked over and sat down. Soon after, Huò Wēi Lóu strode up to her front, not allowing any protests as he grabbed her wrist and pulled up her robe sleeve, then poured out some ointment to smear it on the wound without regulating the strength he was using.

Bó Ruò Yōu was in so much pain that her gums were trembling, but she had been reduced into submission by Huò Wēi Lóu’s action, and she did not know what to say in the moment.  Huò Wēi Lóu lifted his eyes to gaze at her, “It hurts? Benhou wants you to remember, requiting ingratitude with kindness is not at all recommendable.”

The rims of Bó Ruò Yōu’s eyes misted from the pain. She wanted to dispute that her temperament was not as soft as what he was assuming, but she also felt that arguing back would only serve to aggravate him as well, so she could only grit her and nod. Huò Wēi Lóu glanced at her again, his hands finally becoming gentler by a degree. However, owing to his coarse palms, and the fact that he scarcely ever bothered with such trifles, Bó Ruò Yōu was genuinely incapable of sitting still through the entire ointment application process.

Fortunately, the medicine was truly miraculous. After it was applied, Bó Ruò Yōu felt a slightly chilly layer on her wrist, which immediately caused the burning pain on her wrist to dull by a fair bit. She stood up to thank him, and then Huò Wēi Lóu handed the ointment to her, “Morning and night, apply it twice, do not forget.”

That sentence was the same as what she told Yuè Niáng and she was unsure if he was mocking her. Bó Ruò Yōu agreed and accepted the ointment, before bowing with bent knees and overlapping hands on her right hip, and finally walking out. She returned to her own room at a brisk pace, washing her face and rinsing her mouth first before she laid down in bed.

Just as she laid down, she unexpectedly heard intermittent verses that were being sung amidst the howling wind.

“All over the green hills… The cuckoo weeps aloud red…”

“Those white flower millets outside… wisps of smoke… intoxicatingly soft…” [1]

The intermittent singing became clearer and more melodious in its rise and falls, all suave and emotionally stirring. Despite the accompaniment of the fierce and cold wind blowing across the river surface, the crisp and clear night seemed to become thinner by three parts instead.

However, before this portion of the verse settled fully, another voice chimed in.

“Though that peony is good… But blooms late in spring’s end…”

“Listen to the swallows’ chirping cleaves through the air, listen to the orioles’ trill ring…” [2]

The first voice already sounded clean and pleasant to Bó Ruò Yōu when she heard it, but once the second voice reverberated, she instantaneously felt that compared to the first voice, the same verse was lined with uninterrupted affection. Moreover, it was in the middle of a clear and chilly night, and anyone would feel languid just from listening to it; as they were submerged in the aria, it was as if they could genuinely visualise the brilliant spring scenery, mixed with the swallows’ chirps and the orioles’ warble, and they could hear the distinctive style in each drawn-note, the rests interspacing the lines, which sufficiently proved that this person had marvellous vocal control.

The first person had been singing to amuse themselves from the very start, whilst the second person had the intention to measure themselves, but as if they felt that they could not compete, the first person did not make another sound after the second person was done singing those two lines. Bó Ruò Yōu knew that it was the two dajia in the Jade Spring Troupe competing with each other without needing to think too much. She issued a helpless sigh in the bottom of the heart before she flipped her body and sank into deep slumber.

On the morning of the second day, Bó Ruò Yōu woke up at the same time she habitually would. Although the boat travelled slowly at night, it still managed to sail dozens of miles. The scenery outside the window was already largely different from last night, and with the emergence of sunlight, the ferocity of the wind going across the river surface died down a little. Above the shroud of the hazy white mist, the towered boat travelled in its midst, giving the slight sensation that they were soaring through the clouds and harnessing the mist.

Bó Ruò Yōu sat up and looked outside, only finding it novel. Then, she moved and stretched. The pain on her arm was mostly gone. Unable to help herself, she rolled up her sleeve to take a look, and this one look, subconsciously reminded her that it was Huò Wēi Lóu who applied the ointment for her. She blinked her eyes, currently feeling like it was as illusory as a dream.

Thinking back to her first encounter with Huò Wēi Lóu, this Marquis Wuzhao – who was as highly valued and respected as gold and jade – had made her kneel on the snowy ground for the bigger part of the double-hour – and later given her the cold shoulder, which was quite frightening, but as of now, Huò Wēi Lóu actually smeared the ointment for her with his own hands, which was absolutely outrageous in retrospect. From this, it could be seen that Huò Wēi Lóu did manage his subordinates differently; towards those who were capable and efficient in their duties, he was rather generous and kind.

This thought made Bó Ruò Yōu’s heart loosen slightly. When she was deliberating Huò Wēi Lóu, she could not avoid feeling that even his countenance had become milder by a few degrees.

On the second day of the journey, the entire group felt some boredom, to say nothing of Huò Wēi Lóu. Since they were sailing on the river, they could receive any other information apart from those that came from the message hawks they raised, and for someone who needed to read folded booklets and think about official business every day, this could be regarded as a form of torture. Huò Qīng Hóng could still occupy himself with thinking what kind of opera programme the theatrical troupe will perform, but he would never think about these.

Once his mind became idle, Huò Wēi Lóu would constantly drift back to that jade wrist that was lying sideways before his eyes. Certainly, he was a little different now. He did not allow women close to his body in the past, now one has come close; he would never do such insignificant and trivial action, but now he has done them too; he wanted to etch a warning in her, but the method he used was a bit too gentle and mild.

Huò Wēi Lóu knitted his brows together, unable to make sense of his own inclinations despite pondering for a long time.

The insider sees less objectively.

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By the time they were partaking their breakfast, the mist on the river surface had already dissipated. The warm sun climbed up to the middle of the sky, splashing glittering bright lights all over the towered boat. While Míng Guī Lán did not move around yesterday, he also ordered his servants to lift him to the second-floor balcony to view the river scenery. Bó Ruò Yōu had the heart to ask Chéng Yùn Zhī to come out and move around, but he seemed to have his own refrains, and would only stand at the corridor.

Fu gonggong ordered someone to send Chéng Yùn Zhī some tea and pastries, then he stood at the door entrance with a wide smile and said: “Perhaps Sir Chéng should come out and have a short walk as well. Staying in the room for the entire day is really quite stifling.”

Chéng Yùn Zhī covered his mouth and coughed, “Gonggong has taken a lot of trouble. Zaixia’s body is frail from illness, and it cannot be exposed to the wind.”

Fu gonggong observed Chéng Yùn Zhī briefly before he smiled in response and left.

There were two sides on the second floor, with both east and west having an empty balcony. For one, the vessel could not be too heavy on the top, and secondly, it opened up a place where the scenery could be admired which provided a small pastime for the guests. Since this towered ship was owned by the immensely wealthy Shěn Family, it was natural that it had to be refined in all respects.

The east side balcony had the broadest view. When Míng Guī Lán and Huò Qīng Hóng arrived, they saw the men and women of Jade Spring Troupe training their figures, and their group withdrew in succession once they saw them arrived, except the singing of vocal exercises would sporadically travel out from the cabin in the distance.

Huò Qīng Hóng commented, “Someone was singing opera last night, did you hear it?”

Míng Guī Lán nodded, to which Huò Qīng Hóng said: “One wonders who the second person was, their singing was more wonderful than the first person by a tad.”

Just as his voice landed, someone walked out from the cabin corridor, “Is gongzi talking about min’nü?”

The person who walked out was precisely Liǔ Huì Niáng.

Liǔ Huì Niáng was still in a light-green skirt and jacket today, and in the middle of the first month, she sashayed over with a confident and graceful gait, like a smear of spring colours that could brighten the vision before them. She was singing as she walked, and it was still those two lines from last night. Even though Huò Qīng Hóng’s gaze lit up briefly, delight could scarcely be perceived on his visage. In front of the people he deemed his own, he displayed all kinds of emotions and was rather childish, but in front of outsiders, he still had to put on some airs that was befitting of Duke Huò’s heir apparent.

“It was really you.” Huò Qīng Hóng lifted his chin and asked, “What is your name and patronymic?”

Liǔ Huì Niáng bowed with womanly obeisance, “Min’nü is surnamed Liǔ, her name is called Huì Niáng.”

Huò Qīng Hóng arched his eyebrows, not showing the mountain or revealing the rivers, “You do sing decently. Since you have come forward, are you intending to sing us a piece?”

Liǔ Huì Niáng’s lips corners curved slightly, “What would Gongzi like to hear?”

Huò Qīng Hóng’s appearance was teeming with arrogance, “Sing your best.”

Liǔ Huì Niáng smirked slightly, “Min’nü is expert in many—” her pupils shifted— “Min’nü supposes that she should sing the piece Mundane Thoughts for Gongzi.”

Huò Qīng Hóng was fine with anything, so he raised his chin to gesture for her to start singing. Liǔ Huì Niáng’s hands and eyes shifted, her body immediately assuming a posture. Once she opened her mouth, Huò Qīng Hóng’s straight brows arched up again. A woman that could be called “dajia” was naturally a force to be reckoned with; her opening notes were light and rounded, its ends pure and delicate, the precise movement of her hands and eyes were graceful and lithe, and she was truly pleasing to both the eye and mind.

Although she was singing with a Jiangnan soft dialect, it was not hard to distinguish the words, and her drawn-out syllables were suave and filled with distinctive spirit, like she was made to be beautiful, elegant, and charming by the heavens, which honestly evoked a bit of sentiment from the hearts of others. Huò Qīng Hóng’s eyes were half-lidded the entire time, and once Liǔ Huì Niáng finished singing the piece, he could not help but applause, “Marvellous, truly marvellous, it’s no wonder that your theatrical troupe has some reputation. Men come hither, reward—”

A guard that was standing at the side immediately presented the reward money, which made Liǔ Huì Niáng stiffen slightly as a hint of awkwardness tinged her face, “Gongzi does not have to bestow a reward, min’nü…”

Huò Qīng Hóng raised an eyebrow, “Since it was well-sung, a reward is a matter of course. It just so happens that Xiao’ye feel bored, whilst you have added two items to Xiao’ye’s interests.” 

• 小爷 (pinyin: xiao ye) – typically refers to, or is a self-address of a young male noble/young master of an aristocratic household.

The guard was still presenting the reward money, so Liǔ Huì Niáng could only accept it. Seeing that Huò Qīng Hóng’s gaze had shifted away from her completely, she knew that it was time for her to withdraw. Although she appeared slightly begrudging, she did not dare to be hasty, thus she pivoted on her heels and went back into the corridor.

Barely a few steps in, a door opened wide, with Sòng Mèi Niáng standing at the door whilst wearing a mocking expression. Her red lips parted slightly, “Cheap.”

She was wearing an incredibly bewitching smile on her countenance, but what came out of her mouth was a tight slap to her face. Liǔ Huì Niáng’s complexion changed, but she did not give into her anger, merely raising her chin and twirling the dark hair beside her ear instead, “Did Jiejie hear it? Mundane Thoughts [3] should be sung like how meimei did it, can Jiejie still sing it at the same standards?”

• 姐姐 (pinyin: jie jie) – older sister.
  妹妹 (pinyin: mei mei) – younger sister.

Liǔ Huì Niáng laughed coldly after she said that, and then she lifted her foot to return to her own room.

On the balcony, Huò Qīng Hóng heard five to six parts of the exchange, which made him splutter out a laugh. He told Míng Guī Lán, “Truly, these professional actors have a lot of ideas. Xiao’ye hasn’t even opened his mouth, and they came over after catching a whiff.”

Míng Guī Lán chuckled, “Wouldn’t that happen to match your intentions?”

Huò Qīng Hóng unfurled the folded fan in his hand, “It becomes boring once it’s deliberate. However, it’s undeniable that she sang wonderfully, and one wonders what they put up during the entertainment function, and which opera is worth listening to.”

Very quickly, even Fu gonggong learned of the movement on the balcony, and he brought it up to Huò Wēi Lóu. Huò Wēi Lóu declined to comment as he picked up the military tactic book that was beside his hand to read it again. Upon realising that he was disinterested, Fu gonggong looked at him doubtfully for another moment before he went outside to search for Bó Ruò Yōu.

“Yōu Yōu ah, Hou’ye is no longer seasick today.”

Bó Ruò Yōu replied: “If a person is over-exhausted, it is extremely easy for them to feel unwell. Maybe it’s because Hou’ye has rested up today.”

Fu gonggong was still doubtful about the scene that he witnessed yesterday, so he asked: “Yesterday, zajia saw that you were rather concerned about Hou’ye as well. Hou’ye was slightly intolerant towards strangers in the past, do you feel like Hou’ye has been more amiable towards you recently?”

Bó Ruò Yōu did not think otherwise, “He has naturally been very amiable.”

Fu gonggong had questions but he did not know he should go about asking them. In the end, he only said: “Hou’ye was akin to a fiend in the past, you don’t blame him, do you?”

Bó Ruò Yōu chuckled, “Why would [I], since Hou’ye is in a high and weighted position, being strict in governance is necessary. It was the first time min’nü and Hou’ye met back then, and it’s impossible for Hou’ye to treat min’nü like how he treats gonggong.”

Bó Ruò Yōu’s expression was normal, and Fu gonggong could not perceive the slightest bit of feminine modesty from her. Additionally, she did not have any intention to probe because she did not have the slightest inclination towards Huò Wēi Lóu. Although Fu gonggong could not see through Huò Wēi Lóu, how could he not understand Bó Ruò Yōu? For a moment, he felt amused: if his family’s Marquis was genuinely starting to feel something, even if it was just an iota, while Bó Ruò Yōu was completely devoid of distracting thoughts, then that would be absolutely hilarious.

“Gonggong, what are ȳou secretly laughing about?”

As Fu gonggong was immersed in his contemplation, a smile was hanging on his face unconsciously. Now that Bó Ruò Yōu was asking, he came back to his senses, quickly coughing once to mask it.

Around midnoon, Shěn Yá ordered his men to build an opera stage on the east balcony, and once the night arrived, he personally went up to the third floor to extend an invitation to Huò Wēi Lóu and his group to listen to an opera tomorrow night. Before Shěn Yá could approach Huò Wēi Lóu with his boundless hospitality, Huò Qīng Hóng already helped him agree to it, which left Huò Wēi Lóu slightly helpless, but upon noticing that he was extremely interested, he did not stop at all.

That night, the balcony was busy for the entire night, with some creaking noises travelling into the second-floor cabin rooms from time to time. On the morning of the next day, the entire group realised that the opera stage on the balcony stage was already fully built once they woke up. The opera stage was not big, but southern operas had never required a huge stage, and it was more than enough for the performance. Since the opera was going to begin at night, there were already people rehearsing underneath the stage shortly after they partook in their lunch. Now that there was some noise, the entire towered boat became livelier by a few parts; by the time the curtains of night descended in all four directions and the sailing speed slowed down, the entertainment function was wholly prepared.

Apart from Huò Wēi Lóu’s group and the Jade Spring Troupe, there were still quite a number of other passengers on the boat. For this instance, Shěn Yá was not overly restrictive, and he allowed any passenger with some status to go to the second floor to watch the opera. Therefore, when Huò Wēi Lóu eventually came downstairs with his entourage, they promptly saw that there were numerous people already seated at the entertainment party. Shěn Yá saved the best seats for Huò Wēi Lóu and his group, even going as far as making extremely comprehensive arrangements for the embroidered emissaries that were following along.

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Once everyone was in their seats, the musicians were the first in the ranks to bring their drums, sixteen- or twenty-five stringed standing harp, and bamboo flutes to climb up to the side of the stage. A peal of clear and melodious sounds from the bamboo flute rang out, thus opening the entire opera performance.

The first to make an appearance on stage was Sòng Mèi Niáng’s Mundane Thoughts. Sòng Mèi Niáng had donned an outfit today: pearl hairpins were added to her coiled hair, red rouge had been applied to her face, she was clad in a moon-white opera costume that was both complicated and exquisite, which featured intricate, beautiful, and colourful embroideries of birds and beasts atop of clouds and flowers, making her entire person all the more purely enchanting and soul-stirring. They watched as she climbed up with small quick steps, her hand and eye movements brimming with grace and agility that drew eyes, but once she opened her mouth, Huò Qīng Hóng – who had previously heard Liǔ Huì Niáng’s aria – proceeded to knit his eyebrows lightly.

Sòng Mèi Niáng did not sing as well as Liǔ Huì Niáng.

Interest dwindling, he started to sip on his tea as he said to Míng Guī Lán in a soft voice: “Sure enough, she is going to be superseded soon.”

Boss Yu was not far from the opera stage, and as he stared at the programme on stage, he observed the reaction below the stage. It was uncertain if he had absorbed Huò Qīng Hóng’s expression into his eyes, but when he looked towards Sòng Mèi Niáng again, his expression was starting to look ugly.

And it was unknown what was going on with Sòng Mèi Niáng, because her singing became more strenuous as time wore on. By the time she was done performing one full scene, her face was sweaty and even her make-up was on the verge of smearing off. She executed a hasty bow before she strode over to the preparation side of the stage which had been concealed with a covering veil. 

Boss Yu was one step behind her. There were quite a few people inside the canopy helping Liǔ Huì Niáng put on her make-up, but Boss Yu lashed out at her regardless: “What were you even singing just now?! Even the expressions of the sons of nobility below changed! Had [I] known earlier, [I] would have left you at the residence for this trip, what a disgrace!”

Sòng Mèi Niáng turned red while Boss Yu switched to another expression to coax Liǔ Huì Niáng, “Huì Niáng, your Jade Terrace sword dance must be flawless, or else the business transaction that we just made is going up in smoke.”

Liǔ Huì Niáng responded in a coquettish voice: “Lao’ye, be at ease, just watch me.”

Her dress up was already complete, so she rose to her feet, shooting Sòng Mèi Niáng a haughty look before she lifted her feet and stepped out of the covering veil.

The music sounded again. Very quickly, Liǔ Huì Niáng sauntered out with deliberate steps, wearing an embroidered cape with pink tassels, her make-up even brighter and more colourful than Sòng Mèi Niáng’s, to say nothing of her figure which was more graceful, softer, and nimbler. She was also wearing a twin feathered headgear that was decorated with pearls and jade, while holding twin swords in her hands, as if a celestial immortal had ridden on the winds and arrived. Before she sang, it was a dazzling sword dance; her body movement was spry and lively like the drifting winds and falling snow, her sword dance dignified and limber like a wandering dragon and graceful swan. With this kind of opening, it made the audience members’ eyes light up collectively – even Huò Wēi Lóu – and everyone directed their gaze to the opera stage.

Likewise, Bó Ruò Yōu was watching with unblinking eyes.

Just as the sword dance ceased, they saw Liǔ Huì Niáng open her mouth without needing to gasp for breath, and the melodious and suave voice from last night sounded again. Each step contained her loveliness, her voice full of tenderness. Sometimes it was clear and crisp like ringed ornaments colliding together, sometimes it was gentle and demure like a swallow’s crooning or a parrot’s cry. The refined verses spilled from her lips slowly.  It was a story of yearning and tender affection to begin with, thus it became even more poignant and sentimental, which nearly captivated the entire audience without exception.

The music piece came to an end, but it was not technically over yet. Liǔ Huì Niáng bowed to the audience in thanks, before a section of the scene Love Ended was added, this scene was not performed by a female role, and it was the most tragic scene in Dream Under the Southern Bough [4]. Another handsome xiaosheng acting as the supporting role went up on stage, putting up a huge show of mourning and melancholia, and his singing made everyone present feel endlessly dejected, and the audience were still deeply immersed and unable to come back from their reverie even after the final piece ended.

• 小生 (pinyin: xiao sheng) – is essentially a general category of male roles in traditional opera, which represents young students, scholars, or soldiers. Xiaosheng actors never wear a beard, and they sing in a mixture of high falsetto and tenor.

Bó Ruò Yōu’s eyes were glittering with tears as she was watched, similarly suspended in catharsis, while Huò Wēi Lóu affixed his gaze on her for a long moment, something deep and serene emerging from the depths of his eyes.

Whilst the audience was aroused to passion, only he was awake.

After the opera ended, a group of professional actors stepped on stage for the curtain call, but only Sòng Mèi Niáng was missing. Upon realising that fact, Boss Yu’s complexion distorted slightly, looking as though he was going to fly into a rage at any moment, but he restrained himself in front of the crowd. Once the curtain call was over, he brought Liǔ Huì Niáng to the front to serve some tea. Huò Wēi Lóu drank half a cup, and Huò Qīng Hóng praised them publicly by bestowing them reward money.

As they were standing up and leaving, they witnessed another passenger giving out monetary rewards, and they were rather wealthy too, going as far as telling the Jade Spring Troupe to continue performing tomorrow. Boss Yu saw that everyone was happy listening to the performance today, especially Huò Qīng Hóng whose expression had changed later, so he agreed to it without any hesitation. He thought that if they put up more performances, it would eventually move that particular group of people, and when they arrived at the Capital, a business deal would inevitably come to fruition.

Just as he was about to discuss this matter with Shěn Yá, he suddenly heard a loud splash of something hitting the water at the tail end of the boat. Boss Yu was just finding it strange when an alarmed voice abruptly rang out—

“Help! Mèi Niáng Jiejie has jumped into the river!”

This voice shocked the surrounding crowd into changing colour collectively, and Huò Wēi Lóu’s group, which had just walked to the stairway heading up to the third floor, stopped together to look over to that side. Then, they heard Boss Yu yell out, “Mèi Niáng, why did you jump into the river! Save her! Save her life ah—”

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Notes from a Tired Translator:

[1] and [2]: Kunqun Opera, The Peony Pavilion. Original Work The Peony Pavilion (now translated), the playwright is Tang Xian Zu.

[3]: Mundane Thoughts is taken from the Sea of Sins.

[4]: Jade Terrace and Love Ended, which were both cited in the text, are chosen from Dream Under the Southern Bough. The original work is called Records of the Southern Bough, the playwright is also Tang Xiang Zu.

…

Dying in adjectives and description land.

For full disclaimer, the translator would like to declare that she does not watch opera, is not interested in Opera (she can’t understand the sustained notes that garble up the words and it makes her want to sleep), and all the translated information regarding the topic is the product of impromptu research, although she almost considered buying the actual translation for Record of the Southern Bough.

If by some chance, someone in the comments is knowledgeable, please, tell me if I am wrong.

…

Also parrot??? Why parrot???

Tang Xian Zu is back to haunt me after a university module, dear lord.

Huò Wēi Lóu is confused but his confusion amuses me >:D