Chapter 24 (1/2)
Chapter 24: The Fallen Gentleman – Part 12
Translated by: Ritpoppy
Edited by: Ritpoppy
”When you are unable to bear the karma that you have created, you will run into retribution.”
It was completely silent.
The youngsters that were all huddled around him to hear the story stared at him, expressionless. They were motionless like they themselves just experienced the ma.s.sacre.
”This person definitely won't have a good death.” Zhao SuTong suddenly said.
Zhao XiaoLan turned around to glance at him.
After a long time, Zi Gui was the first to come back to his senses. He let out a tragic sounding wail, waking everyone who was in a daze.
”That scared me to death!!!!” Zi Gui hugged himself, violently rubbing his arms as he closed his eyes and yelled, ”Why are there so many bad people in this world!!!”
Zhao XiaoLan couldn't endure the ear-shattering shout, promptly saying, ”What are you squawking for? Stop yelling, my ears hurt.”
Ming ChangYan said, ”What did that Sect Leader do to attract such an awful person?”
This black-clothed man that BaiLi mentioned in his story, was truly vicious beyond redemption. They were clearly toying with the other's life like it was merely a game. Besides ordering disciples from the same sect to slaughter one another, furthermore even going as far as to boast to the man to tell him to come take revenge? Wouldn't he be afraid that his actions might have consequences?
One of the youngsters said, ”He must've committed an offense towards him before, so the other came back for retaliation.”
Zhao XiaoLan said, ”Then does that mean that everyone else in the same sect offended them as well?”
”This…..we can't say for sure!”
Another person tolerated the noise and asked, ”Then what about that young boy, did he live? If he survived, then where did he go?”
BaiLi shook his head, ”I don't know. This story is just something I heard.”
Ming ChangYan stared blankly for a while. He had memory loss when he first came here, but hearing BaiLi Deng's description and how similar it was to the murders in the palace – don't tell me that it really was all done by him? After thinking about it, this story was explained in an extremely descriptive way; like the narrator was personally there when it occurred. But it still doesn't rule out the possibility that this story was something spread among the people. It's because of the possibility that it's something that's been spread around by the people, that some parts of it might've been fabricated, and it just so happened to fall into BaiLi's ears. Then he may have tweaked it a little and then linked it together with the strange occurrences in the palace, and then just so happened to run into these little children to give them a scare.
When he raised his head, he noticed that BaiLi Deng had been staring at him with a smile on his face. Ming ChangYan unintentionally s.h.i.+vered, thinking: What are you doing looking at me for? Don't tell me that this story was deliberately told for me?
Ming ChangYan remained calm as he lifted his teacup, and thought that his acting was extremely profound. Thinking that his disguise as a woman was imitated to perfection, so there was no way anyone found out.
BaiLi Deng asked, ”Mistress, what happened to your hand?”
Ming ChangYan came back to reality, ”Huh? Hand? Oh, my hand – was wounded.”
BaiLi Deng said, ”I know. Mistresses body is important, so it's best if you take value to your health more. I heard that last night you were supposed to attend-”
”Shaos.h.i.+!”
Fu Ling came rus.h.i.+ng over, interrupting what BaiLi Deng was about to say.
Ming ChangYan stood up and cupped his hands together, ”I'll shall take my leave first.”
Zi Gui hugged his arms and curiously said, ”XiaoLan, where did you find such a concubine, she's quite interesting.”
Zhao XiaoLan smiled, ”I think she's quite interesting as well. She's nothing like a concubine, more like…..more like a man!”
The people around them laughed and continued on to the next story.
”Shaos.h.i.+, Peony and I waited for in the Small Lotus Terrace, but you didn't come back for the entire night. Where did you stay for the night?”
Ming ChangYan said, ”Ah this, it's not like I slept in the palace corridors, no need to ask further.”
Fu Ling's complexion changed, she was unaware just how far she had considered this, but in short, she had the appearance of someone who held deep animosity and hard to dispel melancholy.
Along the way, many palace maids and eunuchs casted sidelong glances at them. Ming ChangYan touched his chest, consoling himself: Could it be that I forgot to stuff the steamed bun in today.
Peony stomped her foot, cursing, ”What are you guys looking at??!”
The palace eunuchs quickly bowed their heads and rushed away. In moments, no one was looking.
Ming ChangYan said, ”Don't worry, don't worry, although my get-up today is a little ragged, I'm still handsome, it doesn't matter if they take a glance or two.”
Peony said, ”Shaos.h.i.+, you really are stupid, they're mocking you!”
Ming ChangYan was surprised, ”You can get mocked at for being handsome? What kind of world is this? Ai, public integrity isn't what it used to be.” He said, ”Do you guys have food, all I did back there in the pavilion was talk, so I didn't get to eat my fill.”
Fu Ling said, ”I knew that you wouldn't have eaten breakfast yet, so I brought you some jujube cakes. You can eat these for now.”
Ming ChangYan took a piece and placed it in his mouth. He happily giggled, praising, ”So sweet! The person's sweet, so things that they bring are also sweet.”
But Fu Ling sighed, ”Shaos.h.i.+, you really are too carefree.”
Ming ChangYan stuffed another jujube cake in his mouth, ”People's worries aren't always necessarily shown on their face.”
Another palace maid pa.s.sed by, upon spotting Ming ChangYan, they showed an expression that was both of pity and curiosity.
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Ming ChangYan said, ”Why are they looking at me like that?”
Peony fumed, ”Of course it's because of what happened last night! Shaos.h.i.+, yesterday was undoubtedly your turn to serve the emperor, yet you ran off to the Ninety-Ninth Temple. The Young Prime Minister stole you on your way, and then went to DaMing Palace Hall to say that your fortune this year can subdue the entire nation. Telling the emperor that you can't serve him for an entire year and it's for the best that he doesn't even see your face, or else it would cause a disaster for the entire country and anger the G.o.ds.”
Ming ChangYan swallowed the jujube cakes too fast, causing him to choke. Upon seeing this, Peony quickly said, ”I won't say any more, Shaos.h.i.+ don't be angry. If you weren't able to do it this time, there's always next time!”
Who would've thought that at this moment, Ming ChangYan would let out a laugh.
Being stolen by the Young Prime Minister in the middle of the night can already be considered a major event, something that the emperor must attach important value to. As a result, this matter has already been widely spread across the imperial palace first thing in the morning. Causing him from being a no-name little concubine to someone who is rumored to have failed to gain the favor of the emperor; turning him into the object of ridicule within the palace. Ming ChangYan thought, no wonder Huai Yu didn't want to tell him last night how he resolved the situation, he was deliberately allowing him to lose face without even being aware of the whole ordeal! Isn't this simply just the mindset of a little child?!
Ming ChangYan thought for a moment, then said, ”What kind of magic did the Young Prime Minister perform, that allowed the emperor to trust his nonsense to such degree?”
Fu Ling was startled, ”Shaos.h.i.+! How could you say such a thing! Long ago, the imperial concubines, princes, and officials of the palace caught a serious illness; even the imperial physician couldn't do anything about it! But as soon as the Young Prime Minister took a visit, purged the evils and set down some spells, their health improved only after a few days. This isn't something that was done to deceive people! How could you call it nonsense?”
When Ming ChangYan heard this, he suddenly came to a realization and began to laugh even louder. Apparently, this little brat had relied on his expertise in the medical field, secretly treated the patients with medicine, then turned around and told everyone nonsense that he just expelled evil that was causing disease by casting spells. Because of this, he gained both privilege and respect from this very superst.i.tious country. This way of handling things was cunning to the highest degree!
He said, ”Alright, alright, alright. You guys better stop feeling sad, or else I'm going to have a headache. I didn't sleep well last night so I'm going to go back to the Small Lotus Terrace to take a nap. Peony, help me heat up some water, I want to drink some when I wake up.”
The three went back to the Small Lotus Terrace together, along the way Ming ChangYan remembered Huai Yu's injunction: Telling him that he should rest for a few days, wait for Teacher to return to the academy, then he would personally bring him there.
After a huge issue in Ming ChangYan's heart was resolved, he lied down and fell asleep. He was roused awake in the middle of the night, rolling around in his bed due to insomnia, he once again got up from his bed, and heavily sighed. He had so many thoughts in his head that it was making him unable to put his mind at ease, so Ming ChangYan grabbed his clothes and was ready to sneak away to the Ninety-Ninth Temple.
The moment he pushed open the door, Fu Ling was already guarding outside the door. She looked as if she had been waiting there for a long time, letting out a faint sigh she said, ”You're going to go look for the Young Prime Minister again aren't you?”
Ming ChangYan curved his lips to form a lovable smile, ”Does it look that way?”
Fu Ling patiently persuaded him, ”Shaos.h.i.+, you're already the emperor's woman. Being with the Young Prime Minister….it's already impossible! If you have an affair with the Young Prime Minister, it will become the biggest scandal ever circulated within the imperial palace. Even though he has an unshakable position in the palace, you're merely but a simple palace concubine. You ought to understand the consequences. Shaos.h.i.+, you must think this over!”
Ming ChangYan was both startled and bewildered: Since when did I have an affair with him!
The more Fu Ling talked, the more sorrowful she became. Trying to persuade Ming ChangYan to repent, telling him that there wasn't anyone in the imperial harem who isn't the emperor's woman, and how since ancient times those who weren't loyal and didn't keep to their own roles all met a horrible end.
Ming ChangYan didn't know whether to laugh or to cry, ”Okay, okay, I won't go, I won't go. Stop crying.”
Fu Ling said, ”I'm not crying for myself, I'm crying for you. If Shaos.h.i.+ doesn't gain the emperor's favor, I'm afraid that your days in the imperial harem will be hard to endure. If your heart truly cannot resist your desire and you want to meet with the Young Prime Minister, then go find him. At least with him taking care of you, your days will be easier. But by all means, you mustn't allow anyone to find out about you two…..”