Prologue (1/2)
Before Reading:
Hi, this is Rochin.
I really like the following novel and want to share it with you.
I’m not a native English speaker, and just being in US for half a year. But I want to give it a try to translate this wonderful work. The story is set in Ming Dynasty, but all the characters are imaginary.
If there is any mistake please just point out in the comments or via e-mails.:)
I already acquired the right to translate it from the author. But all copyrights still belong to the original author, Tong Zi, 童子. 【Sina Weibo: @折一枚针】
Thanks for watching. Hope you enjoy it.
大珰*
Da Dang
Powerful Eunuchs
Written by Tong Zi
Prologue
Beneath the eaves neatly stood a row of men, all in scarlet yisan* embroidered of spun gold, a mile away, yelled respectfully,” The forefather* is back.”
Out of the snow came forwards a sixty or seventy-year-old man, with a pair of young understrappers* holding him up. As he walked near, people under the eave were about to kneel down, the old reached out a brown-stained hand, which had thick knuckles and a wide palm, slightly wiggled and said,”Nah,” in a dumb and old voice, trembling,” It’s quite cold now.”
”Did the Majesty* slumber?” The leader of the red yisans took him from the young understrappers, gingerly supported him and led him into the room. ”Yea.” As he was to have stepped forward, suddenly, he stopped, in front of the threshold, winked his dim-sighted eyes, then looked straightly through the crowd, ”That is…..”
All turned their heads along with his sight. That's a boy holding a silk umbrella in both hands, eleven or twelve years old, in thin clothes, s.h.i.+vering in cold.
”New in the palace?” The old asked.
”Forefather really have a sharp eye! Kids were just led inside this afternoon, I picked the bests.”
The old beckoned to the kid, ”From Goryeo*?”
”Yes, yes. He was tributed by Goryeo. Forefather, your clear eyes do rejuvenate!”
The Reds were vying for flattery, one said,” You are still so vigorous!” while another said, ”Even more energetic with age!”
The kid approached, seeming uneducated. He raised up his head which there was a pair of watery slanted eyes embedded in. The old looked at him for long, just like sinking into it. Unexpectedly he brushed the kid's immature cheek with his sere hand and ask,” Surname?”
The kid could speak Chinese, he responded in a slight and soft voice,” It’s Kim.”
The old shook his head,” Zhang is better.”
The kid was stupefied, but Reds answered quickly,” Surname Zhang, we're going to change the roster now.”
The old man turned to the room, immediately following the kid was pushed in. That was a really huge room, but just with several candles lighting. There hung a coa.r.s.e bow and a timeworn backsword on the wall. The child turned to look around, feeling that it was not what a room belonged to a high-ranking eunuch served in Sili Jian* should look like. The only thing that fairly showed brilliant momentum was the fan ornamented with golden calligraphy. The fan was made of red lacquered bone and green faces, with gold decorated on both sides and a few Mencius' words on it.