Lady Kelpi Translations

Chapter one Hundred and Forty-One:
Together and Apart

Shaoshang returned home, exhausted, as the first rays of dawn peeked through. She concealed the details about the Empress’s deposition, but she laid out the whole story of what had happened to her family, including the twists and turns of Huo Buyi’s past, and the cruelty, ruthlessness, and cunning of Ling Yi. The five members of the Cheng family were stunned, unable to speak for a long time. Especially Cheng Shi and his wife. Even though they were worldly and experienced, they were still shocked by the tragic and complex story of Huo Buyi’s past and the depravity of Ling Yi.

Shaoshang had no interest in asking her family’s opinion. She simply instructed them, “The Emperor will announce this matter to the world soon. At that time, the court will also issue a decree regarding the Ling family and Huo Buyi. Just remember what needs to be done. Don’t spread the word prematurely, especially about Huo Buyi secretly mobilizing troops. You can just say he was reinforcing the army besieging the Ling family. The Third Prince has nothing to do with it. If anyone outside tries to connect it to His Highness, just confront them directly.”

Cheng Song was a little confused. “Is this the Emperor’s intention?”

“If we, as courtiers, have to wait for the Emperor to tell us everything, we won’t last long,” Shaoshang said.

Cheng Shi, straightforward as ever, began to praise his daughter and then rebuked his second son. “You’re going to be the pillar of support for your Uncle Wan’s family. You need to learn to be more composed. Think before you speak.”

Cheng Song scratched his head, “Niao Niao is always smarter than me!”

“It’s not about being smart,” Shaoshang said calmly. “You just have to learn to be composed after spending so long in the palace.”

Cheng Shi looked at his daughter. His heart ached at her weary and detached expression.

Cheng Yong quickly changed the subject. “No wonder why Uncle Wan wants to take A’Song to Xu County to take up post. Second Brother needs to gain some experience too. Hey, Shaogong, why aren’t you saying anything?”

Cheng Shaogong, usually so talkative, had been silent up until then. “Niao Niao,” he finally broke his silence, “I’ll go back with you to rest.”

Shaoshang offered a weak smile. “Thank you, Third Brother, but I’ll go back by myself.” As she stood up to leave, she turned around and said, “I’ve broken off my engagement with Huo Buyi. I hope Father and Mother can forgive my recklessness and stubbornness.”

Father Cheng was stunned, and Cheng Song immediately opened his mouth to ask about it. Madam Xiao pressed them all down, speaking before they could, “Good. We understand. Go back and rest. Your Third Aunt will arrive at noon today so you can have a good chat then.”

Shaoshang gave a wry smile.

Today was supposed to be her wedding day. Her third uncle, Cheng Zhi, couldn’t leave his post, but her third aunt had come specifically for the wedding. When Madam Sang arrived and learned about everything, who knew what her expression would be?

She didn’t say anything more. She bowed respectfully and then took her leave.

As soon as Shaoshang lay down, the pain and exhaustion she had suppressed for days surged back with a vengeance. At first, it was just weakness and a sore throat, but before Madam Sang arrived, she developed a fever.

This illness was different from the one she had the night before. It seemed she didn’t even have the strength to cry out in pain. Whether her wounds were opening or her bones were aching, she was like a newborn lamb, and she could only helplessly bleat softly while waiting to be slaughtered.

In her haze, Shaoshang heard her father’s cries, Madam Xiao’s weeping (but she suspected she was mishearing that), and her Third Aunt’s calls. She had missed her Third Aunt so much. She had so many things she wanted to tell her, but now, it seemed she had nothing to say.

Even Old Madam Cheng, who usually looked down on Shaoshang, came twice. The first time, she said something. The second, she mentioned ‘preparing the funeral rites,’ enraging Father Cheng. They had a terrible screaming match, like wild animals, before Madam Xiao kicked them both out.

Shaoshang’s high fever persisted for days, leaving the whole Cheng household frantic. Though it was early spring, if her sweat infected the wounds, it could easily turn into life-threatening inflammation. Cheng Shi and Madam Xiao, battle-hardened veterans, knew the dangers all too well and grew increasingly worried.

After sleepless nights tending to her, Shaoshang’s fever finally broke. Seeing everyone exhausted and pale, Cheng Shi refused to let them keep vigil. He ordered them to resume their routines.

Besides Madam Xiao and Madam Sang, the one who stayed longest was surprisingly Cheng Shaogong. His reasoning was sound – unlike his elder brother Cheng Yong facing an imminent posting, or second brother Cheng Song having to meet numerous Wan relatives.

Seeing his frail sister bedridden, Cheng Shaogong felt guilt for the first time. He thought maybe it should have been him left behind ten years ago. He wouldn’t have troubled men to deal with. And his sister could have found a good match among Father’s colleagues’ sons, like Wan Qiqi.

Remarkably, Madam Xiao allowed Shaogong to take leave from school without much of a fuss. Everyone in the Cheng family knew why – Yuan Shen had come.

Shaoshang had returned home before dawn. Yuan Shen visited that afternoon. At first, he mumbled something about ‘paying respects to Madam Sang,’ but when he learned that Shaoshang was delirious, he didn’t even bother with excuses. He visited the Cheng family four times a day, even more often than mealtimes.

Sometimes, he brought the doctor who was staying at the Yuan family residence. Sometimes, he carried a big bag of medicinal herbs. Sometimes, he had just come from the School of Classics, empty-handed, but he had to see Shaoshang. If he didn’t get to see her, he would sit for two hours at Nine Zhui Hall. If the curfew started, he would end up sleeping at the Cheng Mansion.

“He’s finally realized that acting aloof doesn’t work,” Cheng Shaogong commented. “Now he’s not even pretending anymore. He’s thrown away his pride.”

The Cheng family tried to dissuade him, but they couldn’t lock him out, so they had to let Cheng Shaogong keep him company. What could they do against someone who was shameless? Fortunately, the attention of the court and the public was on the Huo and Ling families, so few people noticed Yuan Shen’s shameless behavior.

The day Shaoshang woke up, the imperial decree had finally arrived. The Ling family received unprecedentedly harsh punishments.

First, the Ling brothers’ treasonous acts were recorded on stone pillars. Then, they were whipped to death and their bones hung as a warning to the world. Furthermore, all Ling children over the age of five were put to death – including married daughters (in case any Ling daughters loved their fathers and brothers and secretly taught their children to take revenge). All the women and children under the age of five were exiled to the north, the Ling family tombs were destroyed, and the family was forced to change their surname. Not only that, but all relatives and friends who had close ties to the Ling family were demoted.

These harsh and decisive measures, with their extensive ramifications, made it clear to anyone with eyes that the Emperor was aiming for a permanent solution.

Madam Chunyu and her son were sentenced to death. They were given poisoned wine to drink in front of Princess Yuchang, who fainted on the spot.

Finally, the good days of Old Prince Ruyang were over. The Emperor no longer demanded that he divorce his wife. He thought that a letter of divorce and house arrest were more suitable for his former aunt. Prince Ruyang’s son wanted to defend his mother, but the Emperor kindly said, “I know you are a filial son, and you can take care of the old princess outside the Capital. However, if you do that, you won’t be able to shoulder your responsibilities as the heir.”

Upon learning the truth, the prince’s wife, without a word, took her children and threatened to kill herself to show her husband what she was capable of. That shut the prince up.

Thinking that the evidence of Ling Yi’s treason was hidden inside that Nüwa, which the old princess carried with her day and night for sixteen years, everyone in Prince Ruyang’s Mansion was terrified. They knew that the old princess wasn’t that cunning, that she could ignore Ling Yi’s actions without a second thought. But they didn’t dare think about how people outside would speculate.

So, when the Emperor found a husband for Princess Yuchang with a flick of his wrist and ordered them to marry within three months, no one in the prince’s mansion objected.

In this storm of punishments, there were only two exceptions.

One was the daughter of the second Ling brother’s former wife. She was ten years old when the city fell. She vaguely remembered that something about her maternal grandfather’s family and her mother’s death was not quite right. Although she didn’t think much of it at the time, she had always resented her father. Later, the second Ling brother remarried the widowed sister of a powerful general. His life became comfortable, and he disliked his eldest daughter even more. After a few years, he married her off to an old and tyrannical widower from a high-ranking family.

Fortunately, this Ling woman was lucky. Not long after her marriage, she was widowed. An elderly aunt in her husband’s family pitied her, knowing that she had lost her mother at a young age and her father and stepmother were cruel and ruthless. She arranged for her to remarry in a middle-ranking official’s family, and the couple lived happily ever after with many children.

When Ling Yi’s crimes were exposed, she was also supposed to commit suicide, but her husband bravely petitioned to spare his wife’s life.

The other exception was the third Ling brother’s illegitimate daughter, born from his drunken encounter with a maidservant. Her mother was quickly sold off by the third Ling brother’s wife, and the daughter herself was ‘accidentally’ crippled at a young age. He had many concubines, and seeing that his daughter could no longer marry into a good family, he simply married her off to a poor household.

The officials were speechless.

In the end, Huo Buyi was stripped of all his official positions and banished to a border city in the northwest to guard against the Hu people. Breaking off his engagement with Cheng Shi’s daughter was also part of the punishment.

Less than half an hour after the Emperor’s punishment was announced, Cui You’s memorial arrived, bypassing the proper channels. He first quoted some seemingly copied phrases about the hardships of the people along the border under threat of the Hu people, then, he requested to lead the army to guard the border city.

The Emperor was furious. Alone in the palace, he shouted, “You insolent ape! Since Junhua passed away, you have been whining and crying, wanting to die, complaining of illness every three days. Whenever I ask you to do something, you push back, and if I push you too hard, you cry and threaten to retire. You act like a woman whose husband has died! Now, suddenly, you’re full of life and vigor, wanting to serve the country and plead for the people!”

Even though he was angry, the Emperor knew that entrusting his adopted son to Marquis Cui was the best choice. He rolled his eyes and signed and sealed the appointment document.

Cui You wasn’t a striking figure, nor did he enjoy charging into battle, but when it came to organizing things, he was second to none. He was meticulous yet efficient, and in just five days, he had arranged all the supplies necessary for food, clothing, shelter, and travel along the route.

The spices included roasted, grilled, steamed, and boiled flavors. The bedding had to be appropriate for spring, summer, autumn, and winter. There were multiple physicians specializing in external and internal injuries. Even the mosquito repellent incense came in five different scents. Actually, the Emperor had opened his private treasury and given him free reign.

On the day they left the city, Marquis Cui led a massive procession of supplies and people. Flags fluttered in the wind, and steeds pawed the ground, looking like they were going on a picnic to anyone who didn’t know better.

Huo Buyi lay in the carriage, fully clothed and covered with a thick fur blanket. He kept his eyes fixed on the window. When they reached the Ten-li pavilion outside the city, he ordered the carriage to stop and rest. After a long time, Liang Qiu Fei galloped over and shouted, “Young Master, Marquis Cui asks if we should set out!”

“Wait a little longer,” Huo Buyi said.

Liang Qiu Qi looked at his pale face. “Young Master, don’t look,” he said with compassion. “She won’t come.”

Huo Buyi lowered his long eyelashes. “The journey will be difficult. It’s better if she didn’t come…”

Just then, Cui Da and Cui Er dragged over a young man from the front. Liang Qiu Fei’s eyes lit up. “Hey, isn’t that the Cheng family’s Third Young Master? The young mistress must have a message for him to relay!”

A flicker of hope showed in Huo Buyi’s deep eyes.

Cheng Shaogong shook off Cui Da and Er’s arms. “You brats, taking my horse as soon as you saw me – so rude!”

Cui Da and Er grinned as they kept apologizing.

Huo Buyi’s voice trembled, “Shaogong…did she…did she have something to say?”

Cheng Shaogong said nothing, pulling a small brocade pouch from his robes and tossing it to Liang Qiu Qi.

Liang Qiu Qi felt there seemed to be a small, square hard object inside the brocade pouch. He passed it into the carriage with both hands.

Huo Buyi grabbed the pouch, opened it, and saw it was the personal seal he had gifted to Shaoshang. His face immediately drained of color.

Liang Qiu Fei angrily said to Cheng Shaogong, “Your sister is too heartless. Our young master is in this condition now…”

“The day she left the palace, Shaoshang had a non-stop high fever for three days. Then it came and went for another six or seven days. Even today she still can’t get out of bed. During that time, the physicians told my family twice to prepare her funeral arrangements. Fortunately, she managed to pull through.”

Cheng Shaogong looked at Huo Buyi and said slowly, word by word, “My father and mother secretly worried that after suffering such a serious illness, my sister’s lifespan may be shortened. I heard you were seriously injured, nearly lost your life. Now Shaoshang has nearly lost hers too. She’s done enough for you.”

Huo Buyi clenched the seal tightly, his knuckles turning white. The sharp corners dug into his fingertips but he didn’t feel the pain.

The Liang brothers and Cui brothers looked at each other, bewildered.

Huo Buyi leaned back against the cushions, closing his eyes. “I understand,” he said. “Third Young Master Cheng, you can go back now. A’Fei, please ask Uncle Cui to set out.”

…

Thanks again for everyone liking and commenting (and reading!!)!!! I’ve finished translating and have mostly all the remaining chapters edited and ready to go! There’s also 11 or so extra chapters that I found that I will get around to.

In the meantime, I’m working on Kunning Palace and Minglan. I’m also working on a project that will be revealed later this summer, so look forward to that!

Next Chapter: Sorrow Leads to Old Age