Chapter 25

Note: The names are retained in traditional Chinese characters as the RAWs I’m translating from are in traditional Chinese and it also makes it easier for me when I’m translating. The new vocabulary terms on the other hand are in simplified Chinese.Characters Shown / Mentioned in this Chapter:

葉璃璃兒 – Ye LiLi er – Main Female Protagonist – first di daughter of the Ye family, but the third child in the family.

定王定國王墨修堯 – Ding w.a.n.gDing guow.a.n.g Mo Xiu Yao – Imperial Prince Ding of the highest rank

黎王 墨景黎 – Li w.a.n.g  Mo Jing Li – Imperial Prince Li

Ye Family Members:

葉文華 葉尚書尚書大人 葉老爺 – Ye Wen Hua Ye Shangshu Shangshu daren Ye laoye – Ye Li‘s father who has the t.i.tle or position of official in charge of presenting memorials to the emperor and official correspondence / Minister of Revenue

徐氏 – Xu shi – Ye Li‘s mother

王氏 – w.a.n.g shi – the current main wife of Ye Shangshu and current zhumu of the household

(葉夫人 – Ye furen – can refer to either Xu shi or w.a.n.g shi)

葉瑩瑩兒 – Ye Ying Ying er – 4th daughter in the family

Imperial Family Members + Subjects:Da Chu

昭陽長公主 / 長公主 – Zhao Yang Chang gongzhu Chang gongzhu – Imperial Princess Zhao Yang Changelder sister of the emperor

Subjects

蘇哲 – Su Zhe – the administrator official of the Imperial College of Supreme Learningthe current emperor's teacher

Nanzhao

棲霞公主 – Xi Xia gongzhu – Zhao Yang Chang gongzhu‘s fuma‘s niece

Others:

鳳之遙 – Feng Zhi Yao – A friend of Ding w.a.n.g‘s

秦箏 – Qin Zheng – second daughter of Qin Yushi

慕容婷 – Murong Ting – General Yang Wei‘s daughter

華天香 – Hua Tian Xiang – young miss of the Hua Guo Gong fu

瑤姬 – Yao Ji – famous dancer from Qing Cheng Fang / friends with Feng Zhi Yao and Muyang

Bold - Names of people, placesItalic - Chinese terms in pinyinUnderline - Unknown

Fu Imperial Capital

Chapter 25: To Be Treated As A Shield

Having gone through nearly two shichen[1] (shichen = 2 hours) of contesting, the winners for each skill were finally determined. Ye Ying‘s achievements were somewhat inferior compared to last year; even though she had later put in utmost effort in displaying a flying celestial fairy dance, it was barely enough to fight to a standstill with Xi Xia gongzhu[2] to stand side by side for first place.

However with Feng third gongzi[3] known in the capital for his unparalleled zither skill overruling, she lost to the Liu family’s daughter Liu Ru Yun and felt reluctant as she got second place. Afterwards, she also acquired third place in composing poetry, nevertheless also finding it difficult to cover up Ye Ying‘s aggrieved expression of being defeated. It was actually Xi Xia gongzhu who as a foreigner had managed to shine in the later compet.i.tions; she acquired the good achievements of getting third place with her zither skill, first in calligraphy, and second place for chess. So like this, Xi Xia gongzhu with her two first place victories, one second place win, and one for getting third place became this time’s Hundred Flowers Event‘s overall first place winner.

Zhao Yang Chang gongzhu was obviously completely satisfied towards these results; the several judges on the viewing platform were also more appreciative towards this foreign gongzhu. At the time when Su Zhe laodaren[4] was about to announce the outcome of the Hundred Flowers Event, Xi Xia gongzhu stooped to whisper a couple of words at Zhao Yang gongzhu‘s ear and stood up to give a slight bow to Su laodaren in apology, then she turned around to look towards the sad-looking Ye Ying off the stage, a trace of a sneer streaking across her eyebrows.

“Forgive me everyone, Xi Xia requests for a new dancing compet.i.tion with Ye fourth xiaojie[5] .” Xi Xia gongzhu‘s clear voice said, immediately the venue became noisy.

Feng Zhi Yao lazily leaned on the chair, looking at Xi Xia gongzhu as he laughed and spoke, “Being able to once again see gongzhu and the capital’s number one beauty’s dancing skill, I believe that everyone present would be utterly delighted. It’s just….don’t know why one has to start another new compet.i.tion?”

Xi Xia gongzhu raised her head and proudly said, “Isn’t it that you people of the Central Plains say that there is no number one in writing and no number two in martial arts[a]? Although this dance can’t compare to martial arts, however this gongzhu isn’t used to being tied together with other people.” As she spoke, she even disdainfully swept a glance over Ye Ying; the only thing lacking was that she didn’t directly say that Ye Ying didn’t deserve to be tied together with her. Ye Ying in the audience immediately turned pale, her slim figure on the verge of collapse. Everyone who was present took this all in and couldn’t help but feel that Xi Xia gongzhu bullied intolerably. Xi Xia gongzhu nevertheless didn’t at all mind how others looked at her, only staring fixedly at Ye Ying.

Feng Zhi Yao‘s languid phoenix eyes swept over Mo Jing Li who was sitting on one side with a gloomy expression and laughed as he said, “Your Highness Li w.a.n.g[6], what do you think? After all…Ye fourth xiaojie is your fiancée.”

Mo Jing Li glanced at Ye Ying in the audience, his cold eyes with an added trace of wavering and indifferently said, “Xi Xia gongzhu, is this due to being dissatisfied with Yao Ji’s evaluation?”

Yao Ji smiled sweetly and suddenly with a charming and gorgeous att.i.tude, said “If Xi Xia gongzhu still has an even more beautiful dance, Yao Ji is naturally willing to enjoy it. It’s just that I don’t know if I could have this honour.”

Mo Jing Li stayed silent. Although he didn’t have much understanding about dancing, Mo Jing Li naturally knew that from the results given by Yao Ji, Ye Ying and Xi Xia gongzhu’s dancing skills ought to be equally matched. However, dancing was originally a kind of skill where one uses their eyes to watch with pleasure. Even though there was little discrepancy between the two people’s basic training, Xi Xia gongzhu‘s pa.s.sionate and moving style compared to Ye Ying‘s graceful and otherworldly style was clearly even more capable of moving people. One could also perhaps call this kind of situation as difficult songs finding few singers (means highbrow). If Ye Ying were to once again lose to Xi Xia gongzhu…..Mo Jing Li‘s handsome sword-like eyebrows creased.

Seeing him not speaking, Zhao Yang Chang gongzhu seated at the head was somewhat displeased as she wrinkled her refined eyebrows, “Jing Li.”

“Aiya…..”

There was a low sound of a cry in the audience and then came the sharp and clear sound of chinaware falling on the ground. Everyone’s gaze followed the sound; the yatou[7] at Ye Ying‘s side was currently prostrated on the ground begging for forgiveness. Ye Ying with a deathly pale complexion covered her left arm. A part of the left arm was already wet. It was clear that a moment ago when that yatou had been carrying the tea, she had inattentively spilled the tea on Ye Ying.

“Ying er[8] ……” Mo Jing Li got up and leaped from the viewing platform and took Ye Ying into his arms, one foot kicking aside the yatou who had been kneeling on the ground, “Get lost!”

((This translation is originally found on: h t t p : / / g u q i n t r a n s l a t i o n s . w o r d p r e s s . c o m))

On the stage, Chang gongzhu‘s complexion immediately turned ashen; the person Mo Jing Li kicked was her, Chang gongzhu fu‘s[9] yatou. “Someone come, invite the imperial physician to come diagnose and treat Ye xiaojie.”

The well-bred young ladies present who were watching this sudden turnabout were all somewhat unable to recompose themselves. Although everyone was striving their hardest to maintain their bearing as unmarried daughters of n.o.ble houses, they weren’t hindered from privately using all kinds of ways to exchange their opinions.

“Tsk, Ah Li, you’ll have to be a bit careful, this younger sister of yours is really relentless.” After several hours of sitting idly without doing anything, Murong Ting‘s appellation for Ye Li had already evolved from Ye xiaojie, Ye Li into the intimate Ah Li. As for whether that yatou really accidentally spilled the tea on Ye Ying, even if Murong Ting were to gamble on her own brain that wasn’t particularly fond of studying, she also wouldn’t believe it. How was it such a coincidence that Xi Xia gongzhu had just raised the challenge and Ye Ying on this side got scalded?

Hua Tian Xiang’s eyebrows knitted, “I don’t know why, but I have a bad feeling about this.”

Ye Li’s eyebrows raised and didn’t make it in time to say something when she heard the weak and regretful voice of Ye Ying who was being supported by Mo Jing Li‘s embrace say to Xi Xia gongzhu, “Gongzhu, I am truly sorry. Ye Ying is only afraid that I will be unable to have a compet.i.tion with gongzhu. Since gongzhu refuses to accept it…it would be better to ask elder sister to take Ye Ying‘s place this time. Elder sister is the Shangshu[10] fu‘s di[11] daughter, in all likelihood she wouldn’t bring disgrace to gongzhu. Elder sister, wouldn’t you agree?”

Hearing this, Ye Li‘s usually calm and collected complexion sank. How could Ye Ying not know that she didn’t dance? If she were to lose, naturally it would mean that she, Ye Li, was useless and would cause the Shangshu fu to lose face, and that it wasn’t her, Ye Ying, who wasn’t as good as Xi Xia gongzhu. Since it avoided the possibility of her probably losing to Xi Xia gongzhu as well as succeed in causing Ye Li to lose face in the first gathering she partic.i.p.ated in, it was indeed a good scheme.

“Then we’ll do it according to what Ying er said!” Mo Jing Li was impatient as he commanded directly. He didn’t wait for the imperial physician to arrive as he straightforwardly carried Ye Ying and prepared to leave the venue.

Seeing the back of Mo Jing Li departing without the slightest hesitation, Chang gongzhu‘s eyes sank and after quite a while, only then said in a heavy voice, “Since it’s like this, we’ll leave it to Ye third xiaojie to take Ye fourth xiaojie‘s place then.”

Ye Li was speechless: There was really no one who thought of asking whether she could dance or not?

Almost everyone’s gaze landed on Ye Li; Qin Zheng and the others also nervously looked at her. Although they had previously kicked up a fuss to force Ye Li to go seize a ranking position, they didn’t really have the intention of forcing Ye Li to go. Not mentioning that they were newly made friends, with Qin Zheng and Ye Li‘s future relationship, they also couldn’t harm her.

Due to Mo Jing Li and Ye Ying‘s walkout, Xi Xia gongzhu was burning with rage on the inside; it was just right that the person Mo Jing Li pushed out as replacement, Ye Li, was nevertheless Mo Jing Li‘s former fiancée. As a result, Xi Xia gongzhu who was filled with rage directly raised her exquisitely long and and shapely eyebrows towards Ye Li, “Ye xiaojie, you first please.”

Ye Li helplessly stood up and towards Xi Xia gongzhu‘s gaze that contained hatred, she thought for a bit and only then opened up to say, “I admit defeat.”

Everyone including Xi Xia gongzhu all looked stunned, it was only after awhile that Xi Xia gongzhu recomposed herself and glowered at Ye Li, saying, “Could it be that you’re looking down on this gongzhu? This gongzhu doesn’t need you to yield!”

Ye Li helplessly shook her head, “I wasn’t yielding to gongzhu, I’m sincerely admitting defeat.”

“Haven’t competed yet already admitting defeat; even if I were to win, this gongzhu would also be winning unfairly[b].”

Forcing a person who doesn’t dance to compete is also unfair, right? Ye Li lightly sighed and sincerely looked above at Xi Xia gongzhu whose angry almond-shaped eyes looked angry, “Gongzhu, I don’t dance.” Therefore, you’ve been played with by Ye Ying.

“Hehe, wanting a person who doesn’t dance to act as subst.i.tute, His Highness Li w.a.n.g and the future Li w.a.n.gfei[12] are indeed creative ah.” Feng Zhi Yao‘s voice lazily recalled, his voice filled with the flavour of schadenfreude.

Xi Xia gongzhu was also surprised for a moment, “Why is it you don’t dance!”

“Because dancing isn’t a required course for Da Chu‘s well-bred ladies ah. I believe many of the xiaojie present also don’t dance.” Ye Li answered boldly and confidently with justice on her side. Not being able to dance wasn’t at all a shameful thing. In truth, the unmarried daughters of n.o.ble houses in Da Chu who would specially learn how to dance were very few, unless one was specially fond of it on their own or whose home possibly had the mind to have their daughters sent into the palace.

Since Ye Li already made it clear that she hadn’t learned how to dance, if she were to force her to dance, that would be making trouble without reason. Xi Xia gongzhu also understood that she had been played with by Ye Ying and could only keep the rage she felt inside under control. Staring fixedly at the calm-looking and elegantly smiling young lady dressed in natured-coloured clothing in the audience, her eyes slightly flashed as she said, “Just now, I also didn’t see Ye xiaojie go up on stage to try once. Since Ye fourth xiaojie has such confidence in elder sister, then I invite Ye xiaojie to display what you’re good at in another field. Or is it…” Looking at Ye Li with what looked like a smile yet wasn’t a smile, she briefly paused for a bit and only then raised her voice to say. “Or is it there isn’t anything that Ye xiaojie can do?”

Ye Li lowered her head, silent for a moment and then raised her head to look indifferently at Xi Xia gongzhu as she said, “In this way, Ye Li shall present my incompetence.”

Glossary:Shichen (时辰 – two hours / one of the 12 two-hour periods of the day / time)Gongzhu (公主 – imperial princess)Gongzi (公子 – son of n.o.bility / young man)Laodaren (老 – old大人 –  adult / grownup / t.i.tle of respect toward superiors)Xiaojie (小姐 – Young miss / lady)w.a.n.g (王 – imperial prince)Yatou (丫头 – young maidservant / young girl)Er (儿 – term of endearment for one’s child / child)Fu (府 – official residence / family residence compound / household / term for family and home put together)Shangshu (尚書 – t.i.tle or position of official in charge of presenting memorials to the emperor and official correspondence)Di (嫡 – legitimate / of the official wife)

w.a.n.gfei (王妃 – consort princess / wife of an imperial prince or “王 – w.a.n.g“)

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