Chapter 1 Scarlet Heart

 FlamingoBees 

Translating Chinese Historical Dramas for your enjoyment... and mine! :)

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Scarlet Heart 

 Chapter 1: 

It is midsummer, unlike the fresh greenery of early spring when you know the good days are just beginning, so everything is bright and cheerful. The greenery before my eyes now is heavy, perhaps because it knows the brilliance has reached its peak, and from now on, things will only get worse. Just like my current mood. It has already been ten days in ancient times, but I still feel like this is a dream, just waiting for me to wake up and find a pile of financial reports waiting for me, rather than being in the 43rd year of Emperor Kangxi's reign; still a 25-year-old single white-collar worker, rather than this not-yet-fourteen-year-old Manchu girl.

Ten days ago, I fell off a ladder while changing a light bulb, and when I woke up, I was already in the former owner's body. According to the maid, I fell down the stairs from the pavilion and then was unconscious for a day and a night. As for my "illness" of forgetting everything after waking up, the doctor said it was due to excessive fright and that with good care, I would gradually recover.

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"Second Miss, let's go back. Although it's already past noon, the ground heat is most intense at this time, and your body hasn't fully recovered yet!" my *Jie Jie's dowry maid, Qiaohui, advised me from the side. "Alright! Jie Jie should have finished reciting her scriptures," I replied, turning around.

*Jie Jie is a Chinese term for Elder/Older Sister. Our Ruoxi will be using 'my sister' or 'elder sister' a lot when speaking to or about her sister Ruolan. So I will stick with the Chinese usage because I feel like it flows better!*

My current name is Maertai Ruoxi. And this Jie Jie I gained is called Maertai Ruolan. She is a secondary consort of Yinsi, the Eighth Prince, who was quite famous in Qing Dynasty history. However, at this time, the Eighth Prince has not yet been conferred the title of prince and is only a Dorobeile. Additionally, he has not yet had to avoid using the Yongzheng Emperor's name and thus should be called Yinsi.

Jie Jie's character could be described nicely as gentle and virtuous or harshly as weak and unassertive. She spends half of her day reciting Buddhist scriptures. I suspect she is not favored, at least in the ten days I’ve been here, I have never heard of the eighth prince visiting. But from what I have observed in these ten days, she treats this younger sister very well, from food to clothing, attending to every detail, fearing I might be uncomfortable. I sighed inwardly; if I cannot return, she is the only one I can rely on in this time. However, knowing the future fate of the eighth prince, I also realize that this reliance is far from dependable. But that is a matter for many years later, and I cannot worry about it now.

When I returned to the room, my new Jie Jie was indeed already there. She was sitting at the table eating snacks. Seeing me enter, she said with a hint of reproach, "Aren't you afraid the heat will give you a headache?" 

I sat beside her and smiled, "How could it be that delicate? Besides, after walking around a bit, I feel my body is not as heavy as it was a few days ago." 

She looked at my complexion and said, "You do look a bit better, but the weather is still very hot. Don't go out again at this time." 

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I responded casually, "Got it."

Dongyun came over holding a basin and half-kneeled to help me wash my hands. I secretly laughed to myself, thinking, 'I know, I know, but whether I'll do it or not next time is another matter.' Qiaohui dried my hands with a towel and then picked out some amber-colored cream to apply to my hands. It smelled sweet, though I didn't know what it was made of.

After finishing, I was about to pick out a few pieces of dessert to eat when I suddenly felt something strange. I looked up and saw that Jie Jie had been staring at me the whole time. My heart skipped a beat, and I returned her gaze with a questioning look. 

She suddenly laughed and said, "You used to be such a mischievous character, never taking Father's words to heart. Falling down has actually made you better, now you're gentle and well-mannered!" 

I breathed a sigh of relief and looked back down at the desserts, smiling as I asked, "Could it be that Jie Jie actually wishes I remained a rascal?" Maertai Ruolan picked out a piece of hibiscus cake that I loved and handed it to me. 

"In another six months, you'll have to participate in the selection for palace maidens. You should have some proper manners by then. How can you always be so carefree and mischievous?"

A bite of hibiscus cake got stuck in my throat, and I started coughing loudly. Jie Jie hurriedly handed me some water, and Qiaohui helped pat my back. I drank a few gulps of water in a row before I felt better. Jie Jie, half laughing in exasperation, said, "I just mentioned having manners, and here you are behaving like this. No one is going to snatch your food!" I wiped my mouth while pondering what to do.

Tell her I'm not her sister Ruoxi? Definitely not! My mind was racing, but I couldn't come up with a single idea. I could only comfort myself that I still had six months. Finally, I asked Jie Jie casually, "Last time I heard you say that Father is stationed in the Northwest. I only arrived here three months ago. Is it because of the selection for palace maidens that Father sent me here?" 

"Yes! Father said that our mother passed away early, and you wouldn't listen to our stepmother. The more she tried to discipline you, the worse it got. He thought you might at least listen to me a bit, so he sent you here for me to teach you some manners."

・・・

These days, I've been taking walks after meals in the morning and evening. It's the only exercise method I can think of right now. Though it's simple, the effect is quite good. I'm starting to feel more and more like this body belongs to me, unlike the first few days after waking up, when I always felt weak.

I once tried to persuade Qiaohui to lead me to the pavilion where the real Ruoxi fell. Standing there, I felt the urge to jump down several times, perhaps hoping to wake up back in modern times with just one blink. But I feared not returning to the present, ending up disabled or brain-damaged instead. Deep down, I vaguely understood that the latter possibility might be even greater. After all, how could such a thing happen so easily, again and again? Wouldn't history have been thrown into chaos long ago? Letting things take their course seemed like the best option!

After accompanying me on a long walk, both of us were a bit tired. Behind the artificial hill, there was a slightly flat rock, and Qiaohui laid out a cloth for me to sit on. I pulled her to sit beside me. The sun had just set, and the rock was still warm. A gentle breeze brushed against our faces, bringing a refreshing coolness.

© translations belonging to  flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com. If you read this somewhere else instead of flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com then the translations has been posted WITHOUT permission of translator.

I reclined slightly, gazing at the sky above. As the sky darkened, the blue hue deepened, yet remained clear and translucent, appearing so close that I felt I could reach out and touch it. I thought to myself that this was indeed the sky of ancient times. The only other time I saw a similar sky was when I was studying in Beijing, atop Ling Mountain.

Lost in my thoughts, I heard Qiaohui say, "Second Miss, you have indeed changed!" 

She had been saying this for the past few days, and I had gradually shifted from being nervous at first to not caring much now. Still gazing at the sky, I asked, "How have I changed?" 

"You used to be so restless, always talking and moving. Madam used to call you a 'wild colt'! Before you fell, you often advised the Madam to recite fewer scriptures. We were relieved to finally have someone advising her, but now you don't mention it anymore." I turned my head to look at Qiaohui, but she immediately lowered her gaze as soon as our eyes met.

I thought for a moment, "Jie Jie is doing well now." 

Qiaohui lowered her head, her voice trembling slightly as she said, "Doing well? It's been five years, and others who came after are already..." 

I didn't know how to explain to her. Should I tell her about the bleak future of the eighth prince, how the closer we get now, the more we'll suffer later? With a sigh, I said, "Being away from those matters might not be a bad thing for Jie Jie. She is calm and content now. I don't see anything wrong." 

Qiaohui glanced up at me, seeming to want to know if I was being sincere. Finally, she turned her head aside and said, "But those people in the mansion..." 

I interrupted her, saying, "Look up at the sky, at how beautiful it is. You'll forget all those unhappy things." She seemed a bit slow to react, lifting her head to look at the sky and then at me. She wanted to say something more, but I remained motionless, gazing at the sky. Eventually, she swallowed her words and joined me in staring at the sky in a daze.

Suddenly, laughter erupted from the side of the artificial hill, and two people emerged. The one leading was shorter and slightly chubby, laughing as he said to the person behind him, "This little girl is interesting! Thirteen or fourteen years old, yet she speaks like someone who has experienced a lifetime, unusually mature for her age!" 

Qiaohui immediately stood up and greeted them, "Ninth Prince, Tenth Prince, may you be blessed!" 

I was momentarily stunned, having not seen anyone from outside since arriving here. It was only after Qiaohui finished her greetings that I suddenly realized and hurriedly bowed in return. But my mind was drumming from what he had just said. I had forgotten that my current age was 13, not 25!

The person who was smiling and not speaking, just examining me with their hand on their chin, I thought must be the Tenth Prince, and the one standing straight to the side should be the Ninth Prince. The Ninth Prince said calmly, "You may rise!" 

© translations belonging to  flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com. If you read this somewhere else instead of flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com then the translations has been posted WITHOUT permission of translator.

Both Qiaohui and I straightened up. In my mind, I realized that the first people I met were the legendary "rough package" and "poisonous snake." I pondered which of my words might have been inappropriate just now, but I hadn't said anything disrespectful. Even if they overheard, it shouldn't be a big deal, right?

The Tenth Prince smiled and asked, "Are you from the Maertai family?" 

I replied, "Yes!" 

It seemed like he wanted to say something more, but the Ninth Prince urged, "Let's go, the Eighth Prince is waiting!" 

The Tenth Prince then slapped his head and hurriedly walked past us, loudly saying, "That's right, I got distracted by the excitement and forgot about the main business! Let's go, let's go, let's go." After they passed by, I lifted my head to watch their backs, thinking about the demeanor of the Tenth Prince just now. I couldn't help but laugh, thinking, "The ancients didn't deceive me." He really resembled a "rough package," but my smile froze as I suddenly met the gaze of the Tenth Prince turning back.

As we walked back, Qiaohui remained silent the whole time. I didn't know if it was because she was a bit frightened just now or if she was upset with me. I kept thinking about what had just happened. If my poor knowledge of history was accurate, the Tenth Prince didn't have many curves in his gut[1]. I was afraid he would definitely tell the Eighth Prince about what happened just now. As for the Eighth Prince's reaction, I had no idea. I decided I should inform my sister first. Although it might not be a big deal, it's always good to be prepared. 

With a firm decision in my mind, and as we approached, I slowed my pace and said, "I always hope Jie Jie is doing well, don't worry!" After saying that, without waiting for Qiaohui's reaction, I quickly stepped into the house.

Jie Jie was lying sideways on the couch, with a little maid kneeling on the footstool to massage her legs. I gestured for her to keep quiet and sat down on a chair facing Jie Jie. If we were in modern times, there would probably be a long line of suitors chasing after Jie Jie. With her pointed chin and delicate complexion, she was truly beautiful, especially under the lamplight, where she appeared even more radiant.

As Jie Jie opened her eyes and saw me appraising her, she motioned for the maid to help her sit up against some cushions. With a smile, she asked, "You've become even quieter now. You came back but haven't said a word. Is there something interesting about me?" 

I chuckled and replied, "If Jie Jie weren't beautiful, there wouldn't be many beautiful people left in the world." The maid brought water for Jie Jie, and after she took a few sips, she handed the cup back to the maid and half-closed her eyes. 

I casually mentioned, "I ran into the Ninth and Tenth Princes in the garden just now." 

Jie Jie waited for a moment, then glanced at me when I didn't continue, instructing the maids nearby, "You all can go and prepare bathing supplies for the young lady." 

The maids all left. I stood up, walked over to her, and sat down beside her, recounting the events of the evening. Jie Jie listened without saying a word, just staring blankly at the beautiful screen beside her. After a while, she sighed and said, "Little sister, you've really grown up!" She tidied the stray strands of hair around my ear and looked at me tenderly, saying, "You don't seem like a thirteen-year-old girl now. You seem like you've matured ten years from falling down." In my heart, I thought, indeed, I've matured a lot from that fall!

© translations belonging to  flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com. If you read this somewhere else instead of flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com then the translations has been posted WITHOUT permission of translator.

•••

[1] Didn't have many curves in his gut: meaning the prince was a straightforward person or doesn't seem like he is deceitful.

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