Chapter 2 (1/2)
Chapter 2: Fallen Gentleman – Part 1
Translated by: Ritpoppy
Edited by: Ren
The sedan chair b.u.mped up, Ming ChangYan's head met the yellow ceiling and he woke up.
He lifted the curtain up and looked outside just in time to see them arriving at the entrance of Da Ming Hall.
The palace was getting closer.
These recent years, Ming ChangYan's body has suffered great difficulties. The sedan b.u.mped tremendously, and his stomach shook with it, making him nauseous*. He wanted to complain endlessly.
*(TN: ”翻江倒海”; ”overturning seas and rivers” It's an idiom that means overwhelming, but in this case, it was uncomfortable to his stomach)
To the four eunuchs that were lifting the sedan, Kua*! The items in the sedan were missing 100 grams**, resulting in the equilibrium not being great. This caused the four eunuchs to sway the sedan all over the place***. Repeatedly moving from left to right, the four eunuchs were the splitting images of four wooden poles.
*(TN: ”胯”; ”crotch” Sound effect to sound sarcastic.)
**(TN: ”下的东西少了二两” (?) I translated it just like it was said. Does this mean that since the sedan is light, it'll be easier to shake?)
***(TN: ”四仰八叉”; ”sprawled on your back” Ever seen those images of cats sleeping underside up? Here's a picture: /s/tm/tmbgt.jpg Just another idiom about walking crookedly)
Ming ChangYan lifted up the curtain and grudgingly said, ”These four good brothers, could you walk properly and stop with the swaying.”
When he entered the palace, unlike the other palace concubines, he didn't give sufficient silver to the palace eunuchs.
Even though Ming ChangYan's hands were clean of demonic practices, he became penniless. Forget about giving these eunuchs enough silver, being able to feed himself every day is already a problem itself.
If you don't give the eunuchs money, the eunuchs won't treat you well. He got what he deserved as the sedan shook even more furiously. Ming ChangYan sighed, with the way the four obligated* eunuchs were shaking the sedan, taking on the job of head cook for QingHe Lane isn't a problem.
*(TN: ”少二两肉” Literal Meaning: ”Lost 100 grams of meat” It's an idiom that pretty much means if they don't complete something, they won't feel satisfied. In this case, if the four eunuchs don't cause misery upon Ming ChangYan, they won't be happy ^^)
After repeatedly arguing back and forth, Ming ChangYan thought of an idea, lifting up the curtain again, he smiled and said, ”These four brothers, aren't you afraid that I'll come back to settle scores with you guys once I've risen up in the palace?”
The eunuch on the left said, ”Shaos.h.i.+ being able to succeed in the palace will always be a good thing to these eunuchs, but those who want to enter the palace as concubines will range from one thousand to thirty thousand. Shaos.h.i.+ should be more concerned if you'll be able to survive in the palace than to settle scores with us.”
Shaos.h.i.+*, Ming Changyan thought, is what is used to address concubines who have just entered the palace.
*(TN: ”少侍”; ”Young Attendants” Attend to what, you should all know.)
Ming ChangYan states, ”Does brother know that to shake a sedan this way, you could disturb the ghouls and demons below the earth? If that happens, then we all won't be able to live so freely.”
The four eunuchs all seemed to be affected by this statement, one of them said, ”Shaos.h.i.+ should stop talking rubbish. The emperor has already secured the palace grounds. Ghouls and demons wouldn't dare rebel against the emperor.”
The eunuch seemed to have said something by mistake, his hold on the sedan seemed to relax.
Ming ChangYan saw that his trick worked and went back inside his sedan. He thought, ”There's definitely something wrong with the imperial palace. There's so much gossip to about, but just speaking a few words about the ghouls could frighten people to such a great extent.”
The four steadily walking for a while, but once again began to cause trouble.
The eunuchs laid the sedan down in an orderly manner, lifted the curtains, the eunuch on the right side quickly dusted off his clothes, and kneeled in front of the sedan.
Ming ChangYan looked around and found that all the other sedans that were walking with them halted to a stop. A portion of the concubines that wanted to enter the palace had already begun to climb out of the sedan. They stepped on the eunuch's back while servant girls a.s.sisted them out.
When he put his foot on the eunuch, the eunuch grunted.
Even though Ming ChangYan is disguised as a woman, he wasn't at all light. His female confidante had helped him find a magical panacea. The legendary medicine was called ”Turn Old into New Pill”. Just like its name, the pill has the ability to shrink the bones and turn someone into their younger self by seventy percent. One's appearance will also change into a sixteen to seventeen-year-old version of themselves.
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The Turn Old into New Pill must be consumed every 6 months, and the process of shrinking one's bones felt like knives being stabbed into you. It was so painful that you wished you were dead. During these 6 months, the effects of the pill will slowly fade and one's appearance and stature will also begin to rapidly grow. A second pill can be consumed after the 6 months.
After all, the medicine is going against the natural order of the world, thus there will be harmful side effects after consuming it. If he was to write it down all by himself, it would have become a full-fledged book*!
*(TN: ”单独领出来都能成册” Not exactly sure about what this means, it just translates to; ”If he were to do it himself, it could become a book/novel” I'm bad at understanding some Chinese idioms, so if you have any guidance, please do tell me :>)
His female confidante urged him three times to not take the pill, but Ming ChangYan was stubborn and did it anyway. He went through a thousand obstacles to enter the Inner Court after consuming the pill, so he's determined that his plan to get the Immortal Gra.s.s doesn't end in vain.
After being severely stepped on, the eunuch was resentful but didn't dare say it out loud.
The eunuch yanked at Ming ChangYan's sleeves instead, his body stumbled and Ming ChangYan nearly lost his footing.
”This Shaos.h.i.+! You've really got the nerve to not kneel when an Immortal is pa.s.sing through! Ai*! Kneel! Do you want to die?!”
*(TN: ”唉”; It just means to sigh but I thought to put in sigh would ruin the tone. Tell me if I should change it)
Ming ChangYan genuflected and kneeled on the ground, and while everyone was bowing their heads, he lifted his eyes to take a peak. He saw was a line of guards walking towards them, their wide sleeves flowed like skirts, their clothes rippled in in the wind, expressions solemn and attentive, they all had the aura of an immortal.
Behind the immortals, there were troops of soldiers wearing helmets and armor.
Ming ChangYan quietly whispered, ”Who are they?”
The eunuch replied, ”The Immortals of the Ninety-Ninth Temple.”
Ming ChangYan said, ”I was talking about the soldiers behind them.”
The eunuch said, ”The 13 Southern Guardians. Stop asking me questions, just worry about yourself.”
The eunuch didn't want him to continue asking questions, but Ming ChangYan contrarily continued to ask, ”What the heck are the 13 Southern Guardians?”