Joy of Life

Diaoyu Tai, 10 years without a visit, even the wild gulls guess where I went. White clouds float across the green mountains, facing the lovely wine, I drink deeply. Although I lack Yizhou’s talent in governance, my interest in alcohol supersedes that of Liu and Ruan, and my love of poetry is also not below that of Li and Du. Suan Zhai laughs at me, I admire Suan Zhai.

The night comes and the wild monkeys of West Lake cry out. How many extraordinary people have been there in 20 years, rising and falling with the blossoming and withering of the flowers. Gazing at the skies, worshipping the military parade stage. With stars in sleeve and peace in heart, break the spell of smoke. Suan Zhai laughs at me, I ridicule Suan Zhai.

...

...

The weather in Wuzhou was at its height. Perhaps the little flowers in the corners of the streets knew they did not have many more days, so used all their strength to indignantly bloom for the last time. The yellow color contrasted sharply against the grey city wall and appeared to be particularly eye-piercing.

To the right of the neighboring lake was Wuzhou’s recently built restaurant. It was the place to go for quiet and liveliness. The so-called quiet liveliness was not actually in conflict. The peace referred to the environment, while the liveliness referred to the people.

It was just past noon and the sun emanated eye-piercing rays of brilliance. The baking heat drifted along the city and chased the leisurely people into the restaurant. Behind the restaurant was a recently excavated little lake. The lake wind took this opportunity to pour itself over the people just like the big fans the palace treasury produced, except it did not need manpower and was able to bring the people a sense of coolness.

Duckweed flourished on the surface of the lake. It covered the surface thickly and hid the sunlight, using its shadows to protect the fish in the water.

Ever since the Baoyue Brothel was added to Jingdou, all the restaurants in the world seemed to have gone crazy in a night. They began to copy that kind of arrangement with a lake behind the restaurant and a courtyard on the banks of the lake.

However, the building, lake, and courtyard in Wuzhou actually all belonged to one person.

This person, in the minds of the Wuzhou people, was like the peacefulness of the building, duckweed on the lake, and cool breeze winding through the people. He was everywhere, protecting everything in Wuzhou.

Wuzhou did not have major merchants, large families, or military, they only had him.

Ever since this man, born into poverty, began to serve as an official over 20 years ago, his name had become a symbol of Wuzhou. As long as he was present, the lives of the Wuzhou people were good.

Everyone had feelings for their hometown. Although everyone in the world believed that this man was the first evil Prime Minister since ancient times, for Wuzhou, he...was Wuzhou. In officialdom, people often relinquished his tabooed name and directly referred to him as Sir Lin Wuzhou.

He also was known as the last Prime Minister of Qing Kingdom, Lin Ruofu, who now was retired in Wuzhou.

Ever since Lin Ruofu had quit his post and returned to his hometown, given his identity, he rarely came out to meet the people of Wuzhou. Even the Zhizhou, who was as respectful as a grandson, and the governor, who demonstrated the respect of a disciple, did not have many opportunities to see his face. However, his influence in Wuzhou was still something no one could compare to. Putting aside influence, at least half the property in Wuzhou was surnamed Lin.

Because he sought the wealth of the world, Wuzhou flourished. So, no matter what, the people of Wuzhou would never say a negative word against Lin Ruofu, even the most hot-headed of scholars.

But, it might not be the case for other people.

“I will protest the unfairness on behalf of the Ming family.” In the restaurant, a man around 30 years old was speaking indignantly with anger between his brows. It was unknown what his profession was ,but the vitriol in his tone could not be hidden. “Is the court only going to fine his salary after he forced someone to die?”

The effect of the Jiangnan matter was too big. Its influence had reached the Wuzhou territory in Jiangbei. The world had a lot of say about the Jiangnan matter. After all, Qing Kingdom was not a sealed country with tightly sealed roads, and the Eighth Bureau of the Overwatch Council did not have the power to keep an eye on all the places outside of Jingdou, so when the people discussed this, they were quite daring.

Because of the old Ming matriarch’s unusual death, the reputation of imperial envoy Fan Xian took a great hit. After a series of actions, the Ming family was rocked by the wind and rain and further proved Fan Xian’s ruthlessness. In this world, people often sympathized with the weak, so in their discussions, they often despised the side of the government.

However, after Fan Xian took to the stage, he had been too brilliant and eye-catching that even the darkness of the Overwatch Council could not dampen his brilliance. So, not everyone was protesting injustice for the Ming family. Those young scholars, who knew where they had received the information, once again edged their butts closer to the side of Sir Fan junior, leader of all scholars under heaven.

When all was said and done, not many people believed that the poetic Sir Fan junior would actually be after the Ming family’s silver.

“The Ming family? What injustice?” A young man in his early 20s laughed mockingly. “They’re nothing more than bandits who colluded with pirates and killed to steal goods. It is the court’s good fortune and our blessing that Sir Fan junior defeated them. Only stupid people like you would make such a dumb announcement.”

That middle-aged man became furious. He slapped the table and said, “What pirates? Don’t attack maliciously. I am a Suzhou man. The old Ming matriarch was unbelievably benevolent...she’s already dead, she is not to be recklessly framed by an ignorant child like you!”

The young man arguing with him earlier was a scholar of Wuzhou Hearing the middle-aged person announcing his origin, only then did he know that the other person was a traveler from Suzhou. He couldn’t help laughing coldly and waving his fan. He said, “This matter has already spread throughout the scholars. Do you really think the Ming family is that innocent?”

“It’s actually Sir Fan junior...dare I ask, do you know of anything Sir Fan junior has done that was not honorable?”

The Suzhou merchant paused. Thinking carefully, he realized that Sir Fan junior had been working for the court in Jingdou for the last few years and there was actually no evidence to say he had done anything despicable.

The Wuzhou scholar smiled slightly and said, “Can’t think of anything, right? Sir Fan junior is a heaven-born genius who holds himself very properly. He exposed the spring examination scandal and tossed Northern Qi’s national prestige outside the city. Such a figure, how could he fight for powerful with you bronze-stinking merchants? The Ming family...if they had not done so many things in secret that angered both humans and spirits, how could they force Sir Fan junior to act?”

These words were actually a bit unreasonable, but still the Suzhou merchant was unable to counter it for the time being. He could only viciously say, “The Ming family colluded with pirates? Even the Jiangnan people didn’t know, yet you Wuzhou people knew...where are the pirates? How come the court didn’t capture them? If there really was a problem with the Ming family, the court should publicly try the case. How could they use power to threaten people?”

The two parties’ argument became more and more violent, and their voices and anger gradually rose. Although the merchant was not speechless, his face was red. He stood up and rolled up his sleeves, gearing up for a fight.

Fortunately, someone came up from the side to hold him back so that the weak scholar did not get the worst of it.

No one noticed that in the process of stopping the fight there seemed to be a few feet that kicked at the merchant, making the merchant repeatedly howl with pain.

...

...

Seeing this sight, the people in the restaurant were startled, particularly travelers passing through Wuzhou. They were thinking and discussing the matter of Sir Fan junior. Why did it seem like the Suzhou merchant had offended everyone in Wuzhou? As they watched for a bit longer, the travelers felt a chill in their hearts. Even the shop boy had gone up to land a kick.

Finally, someone could not keep watching. A frail cry came from a table in the corner, “Everyone, stop!”

The owner of the voice was a girl. She wore a skintight, light yellow shirt that enveloped her curvy figure. At her waist was tied a long sword. It looked like she was a jianghu figure. Her appearance was also very delicate.

Hearing this cry, the people at the same table as her all quietly cursed, thinking, their little sister disciple was going to make trouble again. With some fear, they looked at their master sitting at the back and wanted to call the girl back, however, the girl had moved quickly and was already walking to the center of the room.

The master of everyone at that table appeared calm. His age was near middle-aged. The atmosphere around his body was reserved, and it was impossible to see his depths. He only shook his head with pain. It seemed like there was little he could do about the girl.

The people who were trying to make peace saw a meddlesome person approaching and dispersed, leaving the pitiful Suzhou merchant in the center. After all, the woman was carrying a sword beside her, which common person would want to provoke her?

The Wuzhou people in the building laughed and didn’t even bother to acknowledge her. It was the scholar from earlier who smiled coldly and said, “To insult a court official in a public place in front of all these people, even if the officials are benevolent, can people such as us not strike out?”

“Insulting a court officials?” That young woman furrowed her brows with loathing and said, “What is great about that Fan Xian?”

The building erupted into a clamor. Even the Suzhou merchant who had spoken so disrespectfully of Fan Xian couldn’t help but be shocked at hearing this girl so boastfully looking down on Fan Xian.

Who was Fan Xian? In today’s world, which other young person was more in the limelight than him? How could the girl dare to say such things?

The Wuzhou scholar smiled coldly and said, “Sir Fan junior is indeed nothing special, except it is difficult to find someone else who is more exceptional[JW1] than him.”

That pretty girl furrowed her brows as if she felt that it wasn’t much of a skill to bully these people. She asked, “But what does that have to do with you?”

The Wuzhou scholar smiled slightly mockingly and said, “You don’t understand? Sir Fan junior is Wuzhou’s uncle[JW2] , yet this man dared to speak ill of him in a restaurant in Wuzhou. Don’t you think he deserves a beating?”

Fan Xian had married Lin Ruofu’s daughter, and so naturally he had built a close and exceptional relationship with Wuzhou, a place he had never visited. After Prime Minister left his post, Wuzhou no longer had someone to speak for them in Jingdou. The people couldn’t help but be somewhat angry, but Fan Xian, this uncle, had done so well for himself that naturally, the Wuzhou people also felt some honor. How could they tolerate a foreign traveler discussing Fan Xian so presumptuously?

The Suzhou merchant’s beating was an unexpected calamity. He should have remembered Sir Fan junior’s relation to Wuzhou.

...

...

The beautiful girl seemed to dislike hearing Fan Xian’s name. The corners of her mouth twitched and she revealed the glimmer of a ridiculing expression. “So what? I don’t see him daring to be presumptuous in our Northern Qi? So he is only relying on his father-in-law’s might and hiding in Wuzhou like a turtle...”

So, the people from that table were from Northern Qi.

It was said that the South Kingdom had long renewed diplomatic relations with Northern Qi, and they were currently in the honeymoon period with the marriage between the two countries in addition to Ku He accepting a disciple. However, after all, they were enemies of many decades. The hatred between the people of the two countries had not reduced much. Hearing the girl exposing her identity, fear and cautiousness appeared on everyone’s face.

Even the Suzhou merchant that had been beaten felt like he was unlucky and spat onto the floor. He didn’t thank his savior at all, instead he turned and went downstairs.

The beautiful girl was noble born, and her master was also second to none. Ever since her youth, she had never received so many eye-rolls, immediately her mood became terrible.

It just happened that at this moment, the Wuzhou scholar cursed in great anger, “If Sir Fan junior is a turtle...then what does that make your Northern Qi’s Sage girl?”

...

...

The restaurant immediately became silent. It was so silent that it seemed like the movement of the girl’s hair beside her angry expression could be heard.

The Northern Qi girl’s face became cold, and a chill flashed through her eyes. It seemed that she had been provoked to real anger by these words. Her fingers slowly pressed down on the sword hilt beside her. A gust of sword will came out and immediately it was as if the cool breeze in the building had been frozen in place.

Such an incredible realm, how could a normal person stand against it? The Wuzhou scholar only felt his leg soften. He knelt to the ground with a face full of shock.

At the table, the Northern Qi girl’s teacher shook his head with a solemn expression full of disapproval and said, “Don’t hurt them.”

The Northern Qi girl viciously released the hilt of her sword, but her expression flickered rapidly and she slapped out with a palm.

At this moment, a grey shadow flashed and blocked in front of the Wuzhou scholar.

...

...

At the table, the middle-aged man’s brow furrowed.

The beautiful girl’s strike had gone out, and it was impossible to pull it back. She slammed it against a hard object.

The girl gave a muffled groan and felt a great power coming from the other person’s body. She was no match for them. Her chest thumped, and she was shocked back a number of steps.

The newcomer wore a grey outfit. One hand was blocked steadily in front of him with a long sword held in their grip. The tip of the sword was resting on the floor. He had used this sword to block the girl’s faintly discernible and indefinite strike.

The girl looked at the strange sword in the grey-clothed man’s hand. She looked at his expressionless face and huffed coldly. She knew she wasn’t a match for him, but she did not feel scared. Her master and her brother disciples were all sitting on the table behind her. In the entire Qing Kingdom, as long as Ye Liuyun did not come, who could do anything to her?

However, she was not willing to get the worse of that strike. She gritted her teeth. Flipping her wrist, she pulled out the thin sword beside her. The pattern on the sword gleamed as she prepared to attack.

“Come back.”

At the table behind her, the middle-aged man spoke slowly. Although his voice was quiet, it had a severity that would not tolerate disobedience.

The girl stomped her foot angrily and retreated to the table. Unwillingly, she said, “Master, let me fight once more. I believe I can beat him.”

The middle-aged man smiled slightly and said, “Last year, in Shangjing, even your elder brother disciple Chen, Chen Puzhu, lost at this man’s hands, how could you be his match?”

The girl was startled and turned her head to look at the man only to see the master that had appeared from nowhere bow to her teacher, “Sir Lang Tiao, long time no see.”

“Brother Gao, long time no see. What a coincidence today.”

The middle-aged man at the table was the first disciple for Northern Qi’s Imperial Advisor Ku He, the top master in the Palace, and Haitang Duoduo’s brother disciple, Lang Tiao. The grey-clothed man wielding the long knife who rescued the Wuzhou scholar earlier was Fan Xian’s close personal guard, Gao Da.

Coincidental? For the people from two sides to suddenly meet in Wuzhou was not something “coincidence” could explain.

...

...

Lang Tiao gazed at Gao Da’s slight smile and said, “He still won’t see me?”

Gao Da’s expression did not change. He respectfully replied, “The journey was tiring. The Mistress is quietly recovering and the young master has no time.”

The girl watched curiously as her teacher talked to this person. Only now did she know that her teacher knew this person. She had long been cultivating in the mountain and did not know what had happened in Northern Qi, so she did not guess Gao Da’s identity. Even on this trip to Jiangnan, which was of her initiative, she had no idea of her teacher’s true plan.

Lang Tian slowly lowered his head. Holding his wine cup gently with two fingers, he quietly said, “I trouble you to take back a line for me, this matter cannot keep being dragged on...we Northern Qi people have our own pride.”

Finishing these words, Lang Tiao rose and prepared to take his disciples and leave the building.

The bamboo curtain to the side suddenly moved slightly and a young handsome man slowly walked out from behind the curtain. His appearance was very delicate. His lips were pressed together, and there was an innocent smile on his face. There was also a heart chilling coldness within it.

Lang Tiao stopped his steps and gazed deeply at this newcomer.

The young man only slightly inclined his head in greeting and turned his face. With a not-quite-there smile, he looked at the girl making a fuss and said, “This is Qing territory. You committed a violent act right on the street. Do you think you can just leave like this?”

Lang Tiao was slightly startled. He did not know why someone of the other person’s status would make things difficult for his female disciple. He prepared to say something but saw the other party determinedly waved his hands to stop him. Lang Tiao shook his head helplessly. The Northern Qi court depended on this young man in too many ways, so he could only let him do as he pleased.

The Northern Qi girl did not know who the other party was and only thought it was another pedantic scholar who only knew how to argue and incite others. She smiled coldly, and said, “I am who I am, my surname is Wei and my name is Yingning. Do you have anything to say?”

“Wei Yingning?” The young mane looked at this beautiful girl and his eyes lit up. He thought about the current news as well as Lang Tiao’s purpose in coming to Jiangnan, immediately he understood why this girl was so angry earlier.

He turned toward Lang Tiao and asked, “Your disciple?”

Lang Tiao contained a smile and nodded.

The young man scratched his head, “She is Wei Hua’s younger sister?”

Lang Tiao once again nodded. He found it slightly funny and waited to see how the young man would deal with this matter.

No one expected that the young man only made an oh sound and did not ask anymore. He turned to face the girl named Wei Yingning and said in a gentle and warm voice, “Seeing that there hasn’t been any negative consequences, leave the sword and I will spare you this time.”

Leave the sword? Wei Yongning was very angry. The Tianyi Dao put a great significance on things imparted from the teacher. This sword by her side was given by her teacher. If the sword is there, so is the person. If the sword dies, so does the person. How could she casually leave it behind?

She smiled coldly and said, “Who are you to speak so arrogantly?”

A glimmer of anger finally appeared between Lang Tiao’s brows. It seemed he had not expected that the young man would care so little for old friendships.

He gazed at Wei Yingning and smiled slightly. “Never mind for now who I am but I know what kind of person you are. You are Wei Hua’s sister...while I call your old father brother at the table, you are considered by junior, so what if I discipline you a little?”

He turned again to gaze at Lang Tiao and smiled coldly, “To use such a shameless method for me to show myself, it is amusing?”

Lang Tiao gave a bitter laugh and sat down again. The disciples with him saw their younger disciple sister being humiliated, yet this teacher of theirs, who had a great reputation in Northern Qi, did not do or ask anything. They couldn’t help but be shocked.

Wei Yingning listened to his words and did not believe them at all. Her father was Marquis Changing, the younger brother of the empress dowager of Northern Qi, how could he be brothers with this young man who was as pretty as a woman? Her lips trembled slightly and pointed her sword forward, crying out, “Don’t speak such nonsense.”

The young man looked at her with disapproval, thinking, Such an explosive temperament is not like Wei Hua, that sneaky thief. Rather, it was very much like Marquis Ning, that drunkard. Never mind his relation to her family, just speaking of the trouble that old Northern Qi whore brought him, he would have to teach her a proper lesson today.

He moved his hand like lightning. The tips of his fingers gently touched the web between the thumb and forefinger in Hei Yingning’s hand and gently and cleverly stole her sword.

This move was as quick as lightning but, more importantly, there had been no sign of it. The movement had been very small...it was a very beautiful little trick.

Wei Yingning’s stared at this scene like she had seen a ghost. She opened her mouth in fright and could not say anything.

The young man slowly stroked the face of the long sword and said with approval, “It is indeed a very good sword. Wei Hua that kid had used all the money his old man had given him on his own manor, and still...he had the face to steal my wife.”

Wei Yingning’s chest tightened and found that she was truly stupid that it had taken until now for her to realize the other person’s identity. Her elder brother was a general of the Brocade Guard, he was someone everyone was afraid of. In this entire world, other than the Emperor, perhaps it was only him who dared to speak so disdainfully.

The young man gently flicked the back of the sword, gazing at her furrowed brows, he said, “My young sister is your aunt disciple, my not-yet married wife is your elder aunt disciple. No matter how you see it, you are my junior. Is there any problem for me to discipline you?”

Tianyi Dao was actually very particular about this. Wei Yingning had nothing to say, she was only thinking, How dare this hateful young man in front her disrespect aunt disciple Duoduo like that? To subject the Wei manor to such humiliation, her face was red with anger.

“Correct, I am Wuzhou’s uncle,” Fan Xian smiled slightly and said. “I am very clear as to why you are here, but give up the thought and have Wei Hua also give up this thought. More accurately, please have your empress dowager give up this thought. After a few more days, you...will eventually have to call me uncle.”

Finishing his words, he twisted the sword in his hand into a piece scrap metal and threw it back.

[JW1] There is a pun here in Chinese.

“没什么了不起” and “了不起” Same characters, different phrasing, so the meanings are opposite.

[JW2]”姑爷”– Literal translation is uncle, but it’s also sometimes used as a title of respect. There is no direct English translation.