ZiLi’s decision to set the time of escape at three days actually had a reason, for he had already gotten an important piece of information from the gossip of the palace attendants. The information he had obtained was that Emperor Hong Xu would be leaving the Imperial Palace on that day to go to the state temple to undergo a Purification Ceremony 1 . He learned that this was a highly esteemed event instituted by the founding Emperor, namely Hong Xu’s father’s, father’s father and probably several more fathers before that, with the metaphorical intention of sharing the suffering of all people and hoping that Heaven would feel their sincerity and spread their blessings.
When ZiLi heard this, he despised these sanctimonious emperors even more. This Purification Ceremony was explained as something dignified, but in fact, to put it bluntly, it was nothing more than the Emperor, who had eaten too much meat, wanting to chew on green vegetables for two days to get rid of some fat!
But despite his despise, ZiLi was still very glad to have come across such a good opportunity. As soon as that perverted tyrant left the Imperial Palace, he could take advantage of that opportunity to escape! However, when everything was already prepared, ZiLi never expected to receive such a bolt from the blue 2 .
Please read His Majesty's Hostage Chapter 35 on Project Bezemwagen :-)
“What?” As soon as he heard the message from the palace attendant, ZiLi immediately jumped up from his seat, causing the lid of the handleless teacup 3 on the table, shift a few times, “Why do I have to go? For what reason do I have to go?”
Being forbidden from leaving the palace was already enough to upset him, but now he still had to accompany him ? Damn, he was not his son, nor was he his subject. He was a Hostage Prince, but that man still wanted him to go to the Purification Ceremony with him to pray for the blessing of the Empire of Chu Jing? Although he was not An JinYu himself, but as the current owner of this body, he was obliged to object on behalf of An JinYu! But what was even worse was that if he came along with that man, how could he still escape under those eyes of that pervert?
ZiLi grabbed the two pendants of his hair crown 4 and walked frantically across the room. Suddenly he stopped and stared at the palace attendant, who had been standing at the side the whole time with his head bowed, and asked, “Can I not go?”
The palace attendant seemed to be stupefied by ZiLi’s question for a moment, and then calmly and unhurriedly replied with his head lowered, “Your Highness, this servant is only helping His Majesty to pass on his message. His Majesty said that if you have any objections you should go to His Majesty and tell him directly.”
The color immediately drained from ZiLi’s face when he heard that. Wanting him to go to that pervert if he had any objections, he might as well just kill that pervert!
Please read His Majesty's Hostage Chapter 35 on Project Bezemwagen :-)
“Your Highness, since it is His Majesty’s decree, you should do as you are told! You absolutely must not squabble with His Majesty again, or you will be punished again,” Ming Yue, who was standing at the side, also said softly.
Ming Yue had mixed feelings about ZiLi’s current situation. It was not that she was unaware of the Emperor’s relationship with ZiLi, nor was it that she was unaware of ZiLi’s resistance to this relationship between them. Even though she knew that ZiLi was not happy in his heart, she could not help but tremble when she thought of the Emperor’s unyielding methods and icy gaze. If His Highness disobeyed his will again, would that not just invite disaster by overreaching 5 and making things difficult for himself? Moreover, in this dark palace, it was very difficult for a powerless duckweed 6 to cling to a powerful person and find refuge. Especially when that powerful person was not just one of ordinary Imperial descent or the Prime Minister, but the foremost person, who possessed the highest and ultimate power. Clinging to the Emperor, even though it will cause envy, it would also make it possible to find a safe place in this pit full of snakes and nest full of ants!
In the current situation, ZiLi was indeed ten thousand percent not happy, but he also understood very well that what Ming Yue said was not wrong. If he angered that perverted Emperor once more, by touching his reverse scale 7 , he certainly would not have any good fruit to eat 8 . A wise man does not fight against impossible odds!
Please read His Majesty's Hostage Chapter 35 on Project Bezemwagen :-)
ZiLi could only sit back gloomily in his chair and glare angrily with glowering eyes at the palace attendant who had delivered the message. Then he waved his hand at him in exasperation and said, “All right, all right, get the hell out of here when you’re done delivering the message.”
“Ye― yes, this servant will excuse himself.”
Two days passed quickly, and on the day of the Purification Ceremony, Emperor Hong Xu took the Imperial concubines, who were residing in Liu Gong 9 , the Civil and Military Officials, a few Lords of the Imperial household, and a large number of guards, and rushed to ChangKun Temple, a majestic state temple on the outskirts of the capital.
ZiLi sat dejectedly in a small palanquin that had fallen at the end of this long procession and cursed 10 , “This is clearly status discrimination, actually dragging me along just to serve as a background in order to bring out the Emperor’s power with greater brilliance.” He lifted the curtains and roared, “You guys out there, do you think you’re carrying a shoulder pole 11 ? Haven’t you shaken me enough yet?” But his shouts were soon drowned out by the crowds standing on both sides of the road chanting, “Long Live the Emperor.”
ZiLi dropped the curtain while holding back his anger, and continued to curse, “That damn palanquin, those damn palanquin bearers, that damn Emperor――”
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Translation Notes
淸戒 - Qīng jiè – Abstaining from eating meat and drinking alcohol.
晴天霹雳 – Qíng tiānpī lì. - Thunder from a clear sky. – Something unexpected. 茶盅盖 - Chá zhōng gài – Something like this, I think:
Something like this, I think:
以卵击石 – Yǐluǎn jī shían. - To strike a stone with egg. - Court defeat by fighting against overwhelming odds. 浮萍 – Fúpíng - Description for young people who have just entered society and have not yet been ‘deep’ into the world, so do not yet have much experience, just like a leaf of duckweed floating on the water. 逆鳞 - Nì Lín - It’s said that the dragon will kill anyone who touches its reverse scale. Now it is used to refer to someone’s weakness, sore spot, or most cherished and important thing. Will not have good consequences. 六宫 – LiùGōng – Literally in English: Six Palaces – The buildings of the palace complex where the empress and all of the female consorts lived. 骂骂咧咧 – Mà ma liēliē. - To swear while talking. 扁担 – BiǎnDan – Something like this, I think: