Chapter 16

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<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="333" data-orig-width="499"></figure>This is their first public outing and Murong Feng is definitely starting to develop feelings for Jing Wan. This was a rather difficult chapter to translate, mostly because I had to do some research to understand the opera scene. There is quite a bit of foreshadowing in that scene and it makes me wonder how stupid Murong Feng would have to be to be in betraying Jing Wan later. She basically told him what she would do if she were ever betrayed… oh, my heart is already aching just thinking about the angst to come.

It’s no fun to translate without further discussions, so I would really appreciate any comments on the chapters so far. Are you liking the book or the drama better? What’s your favorite scene so far?

Quick notes: ‘Wu Jia Po’ is a very famous Peking Opera and is also called 'The Wujia Slope’; the translation of 'Cuo Dao Di’ is 'Wronged Until the End’ but I couldn’t actually find a film by that name; Murong Feng calls Fourth Madam 'Aunt’ instead of 'Mother’ because although she was one of his father’s other wives, 'Mother’ is usually reserved for the woman who actually gave birth to him.

Encountering Love: Chapter 16

When the young woman saw him, she called out: “Sixth Brother!” Jing Wan was astonished, as she had not known that he had a younger sister. Murong Feng introduced the two and as it turned out, that young woman was actually Murong Feng’s cousin, Zhao Shu Ning. Murong Feng’s uncle had passed away very early, so Madam Murong brought her niece to foster within the Murong family. After Madam Murong passed away, because Murong Feng was grateful to his mother and he regarded this cousin as his own sibling, this cousin grew up within the Murong Estate.

At that moment, Murong Feng asked: “Shu Ning, I invited Miss Yin to the opera tonight, do you want to go?” Shu Ning replied with a smile: “It seems that Sixth Brother wants treat everyone out. I made plans with some friends to go watch a film, so I cannot attend.” At this time, she couldn’t help but look in Jing Wan’s direction and sized her up, while Murong Feng asked: “Which film is so good that you would even pass up a chance to listen to Wei Shang He’s ‘Wu Jia Po’ to watch it?” Shu Ning replied: “It’s foreign romance film, called ‘Cuo Dao Di’. I heard that it is a wonderful production.” Murong Feng could not help but laugh: “The name is very strange, but I think I’ve heard about it before.”

Since she wasn’t going to the opera, it ended up just being Murong Feng and Yin Jing Wan getting in the car to go to Guo Guang. That Guo Guang Theatre was the most luxurious theatre in the north and was certainly not inferior to Qian Ping’s Qian Zhong Theatre. Because today was the first time the Wei Shuang He would be performing in Cheng Zhou, all the theatre lovers, amateur performers and the important officials who enjoy listening to operas went very early to hold their seats. It seemed that both the upper and lower boxes did not have any open seats, as both levels were densely packed with people.

Murong Feng had his own box at the Guo Guang Theatre, which had already been secured by the guards. When he led Jing Wan upstairs by her hand, the guards immediately saluted him with their rifles, the sound they made was crisp and uniform, giving off a rumble like that of muffled thunder; it even caused the floor vibrated for a few second. Many of the Cheng army’s military officers sat in the two boxes on either side of them, and when they saw him enter, everyone called out his name and rose to their feet, each giving him a salute. Jing Wan’s only thought was that everyone upstairs and downstairs, a total of several hundred pairs of eyes, were staring at her. Even though she was naturally straightforward, she also felt very awkward and slightly regretted coming there, as she didn’t know that so many military officers of the Cheng army would be at the theatre.

They calmly sat down in the box and a few important people of the Cheng army specially came over to greet Murong Feng. Although they were in normal clothes, they still greeted him with a military salute. Murong Feng said with a smile: “That’s enough, everyone should return to listen to the opera. I rarely come to the theatre and everyone is standing on such formalities today. Do you still want to hear Boss Wei sing?” The gongs and drums on the stage sounded with a loud clang. Even though Jing Wan was listening to Wei Shuang He’s famous ‘Wu Jia Po’, she was also full of worries, so how could she possibly keep her mind on listening? Her eyes were focused on the stage but her heart was far away.

While she was lost in thought, Lan Qin had peeled an apple for her and first offered it to Jing Wan, but Jing Wan offered it to Murong Feng instead, who said with a smile: “Miss Yin, please don’t be so polite.” Jing Wan replied: “I’m not being polite. I don’t dare to eat something cold like this at night.” When Murong Feng heard her words, he accepted it and smoothly passed it to Shen Jia Ping, who was standing behind him.

On the stage, Wei Shuang He had just reached the part where she sings “holding golden bows and silver bullets, overcoming half the width of the bloody net. Only opening the net to look again, did he know that third sister was suffering such torture. Rushing back day and night, to reunite with his wife.”

At this time, Murong Feng said: “This Xue Ping Gui still has a bit of a conscience, as, even after eighteen years, he still had not forgotten about Wang Bao Shan.” Jing Wan replied: “With this kind of conscience, perhaps it is better not to have one at all. When he was in the Western Liang, he married another princess to forgo fighting the war, and during the eighteen years of honor, glory, wealth and high rank, he had unconcernedly put his true wife in the back of his mind. When he finally thought of her, he felt that he should return to see her. What does he think the women of the world are?” Murong Feng then said: “Even amongst traditional women, few are like her. She suffered the cold and heat for eighteen years – such virtue is admirable and thus, she is worthy to be crowned as empress.” Jing Wan laughed and said: “Xue Ping Gui, such a unkind and fickle man, abandoned her for land and power, but in the end he hypocritically crowned her as empress. Now that is really unreasonable. Such is the deplorable situation of traditional women, but if a modern woman was in her place, she would have definitely thrown the royal robes and phoenix coronet back at him and swaggered off.”

Murong Feng was about to say something, but the act was ending and the applause from both the upper and lower levels was as loud as thunder. They also clapped with the crowd but that Wei Shuang He checked in with all the boxes, obviously not sparing any extra effort. They continued to listen to the opera and on the railing of the box, there were plates full of sunflower seeds, peanuts, candied fruit, preserves, tea, and other snacks… Murong Feng was extremely polite, personally moving the teapot over, he said: “Miss Yin, please drink some tea.” Jing Wan hastily accepted it and thanked him. At this time, they suddenly heard someone from behind chuckle and say: “These two people are so affectedly polite. The mutual respect and ceremony between husband and wife that the southern operas talk about, and the respect given as if one was a guest must be addressing just this.”

Murong Feng turned around and glanced behind; he laughingly called out “Aunt” and said: “When did Fourth Aunt arrive?” Jing Wan had already risen, seeing that this noble matron was in her thirties, and that her appearance was very beautiful, she understood that this was Murong Chen’s most favored fourth wife, Han Shi. When Murong Chen was still alive, she was the one who had been presiding over all the Murong family’s household matters, so it was almost as if she were the principal wife; in addition, Murong Chen thought very highly of her. At this moment, she grasped Jing Wan’s hand and slowly sized her up before she answered Murong Feng’s question: “When did I arrive? I arrived just as you two were being so respectful and ceremonious with each other, just as husband and wife would treat each other.”

Murong Feng knew that she had misinterpreted their relationship, but for some reason, he wanted her to continue misinterpret it, so he gave a vague laugh and said: “Aunt, please sit down.” Fourth Madam said: “I was on my way home when I passed this place, and Lao Yuan saw sentries posted around the theatre and on the streets. I knew that you would be here so I came in to take a look.” Because she was an elder, Jing Wan was very polite, personally carrying a chair over and said: “Aunt, please be seated.” Fourth Madam gave an ‘aiya’ and her eyes were smiling as brightly as the dazzling moon; she quickly replied: “I don’t dare, I really don’t dare.” At this time, Jing Wan realized that she had spoken without thinking and had addressed the older woman improperly. Jing Wan was so embarrassed that she wished she could flee. Murong Feng saw the situation, and interrupted them to say: “The opera is very good. Aunt should finish watching it before returning with us.” That Fourth Madam was a clever person, so she smoothly replied: “Yes, the opera is very good. You two should continue to watch. I’ve been playing mahjong the entire day and want to go back to rest. I will not remain here to annoy you two.” Jing Wan heard the double meaning in her words but since she had also addressed her improperly, she could only remain silent. Murong Feng saw that her entire face was flushed red, a delicate and attractive sight, but he could not bear for her to be embarrassed, so he smiled and replied: “Aunt is not willing to let us off? Aunt does not want to watch the excellent opera unfolding on the stage, but would rather to tease me instead?”