16 Ye Cheng Fu

FlamingoBees

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

Ye Cheng Fu

Chapter 16:

“Is the Shu Cheng I know really the true Shu Cheng?” he said, his voice filled with emotion. “Miss, if you count it broadly, this is only our third meeting, with the first being more than a decade ago.”

When I returned from the Su residence, the moon was already high in the sky.

The streets of Chu Capital were deserted, and when the driver asked where I wanted to go, I instinctively answered Phoenix Tower.

Phoenix Tower was always noisy at night, and even at this hour, it was bustling with people. I got out of the carriage and headed inside as usual. Just as I reached the entrance, I was stopped by someone who shouted, “Young Lord Shu, our master has given orders. From now on, you have no connection with him. Don’t come here anymore.”

The person was a guard from Phoenix Tower named Bao Shi, who was burly with particularly thick leg hair. He was strong and skilled but had a fondness for wearing pink robes. It was he who delivered the decisive kick when I was caught by Shen Ye as a scout.

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With him present, I dared not act rashly. Despite his thunderous voice, I felt very embarrassed and didn’t have the courage to confront him or call for someone to drag him away. I was worried that doing so would result in being carried out of Phoenix Tower. So, under the concerned gazes of the onlookers, I took a deep breath and said gently, “Why is he throwing another tantrum? Didn’t we agree that if I brought him a South Sea pearl, he wouldn’t cause any more trouble? Bao Shi, let me in first; don’t let him cause a scene.”

“Master said he is very serious about cutting ties with you. With Su Rongqing, he is no longer needed. I hope you can get along well with Young Master Su in the future and not come looking for him. If you’re not seeking a partner, he still needs to find one.”

“I…”

“The master said,” as soon as I spoke, Bao Shi suddenly lifted me up and said sternly, “If you say a third word, I’ll throw you out.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than I felt a sense of foreboding. As expected, he tossed me out with a powerful heave. I had no strength to resist and was flung directly into the wall. The stone wall was dented by the impact, causing everyone to gasp in shock. I fell to the ground, curled up, and took a deep breath, wincing in pain.

In that moment, I felt an overwhelming sense of desolation and tragedy. I had just been rejected by Su Rongqing, and now Shen Ye had humiliated me. How had I, a noble young lord and once a sought-after lady, fallen to such a state?

I adjusted my clothes, stood up abruptly, and gritted my teeth. “To Xunfang Tower!”

As soon as the words left my mouth, Bao Shi slapped me across the face with such force that my head rang. He sneered, “Hmph! The master was right after all! You were indeed planning to go to Xunfang Tower! Fortunately, I was prepared and stationed here. The master said, either go back to find Su Rongqing or sever ties with him. If you go to Xunfang Tower, you’ll be thrown out each time!”

“You’re going too far!” I covered my face, almost in tears, and said, “If he continues to be so arrogant, I’ll bring the governor here to deal with you tomorrow!”

Bao Shi’s disdain only grew. He brushed off his sleeves and turned back to Phoenix Tower. The bystanders went about their business, “casually” glancing at me. A servant approached cautiously, looking uneasy, and asked, “Master, should we still go to Xunfang Tower?”

“Are you going?” I covered my face and shouted angrily, “If you dare, then go!”

After yelling, I returned to the carriage, which creaked as it carried me back to Shu Manor. That night, I tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep.

I suddenly realized how much I missed Shen Ye. When he was around, it seemed as though the moonlight was much softer.

That night, I couldn't sleep at all, and the next morning I went to court with dark circles under my eyes. People cast curious glances at me repeatedly. I straightened my back and faced their gazes with a face as thick as a city wall.

By the end of court, even the Empress couldn't stand it anymore and gently reminded everyone, “My ministers, everyone is busy with official duties. Don’t be distracted by too many matters; just focus on your tasks.”

With the Empress’s reminder, everyone immediately withdrew their gazes and hurried off after court. Only Shangguan Liulan and Shangguan Wanqing, these two cousins, swam against the current and approached me.

Shangguan Liulan spoke first, angering me with her words: “Didn’t you send someone to ask me to propose to Su Rongqing on your behalf? I risked my life to help you this time, but how come you haven’t cleared things up with Su Rongqing yet?”

I was so furious I almost spat out blood. Gritting my teeth, I said, “If it can’t be cleared up, I’ll marry Su Rongqing myself. You’re not in good health; take care of yourself and don’t worry too much.”

Hearing this, Shangguan Liulan smiled meaningfully, her smile carrying the unique chill of her Department of Punishment, sending a shiver down my spine.

Shangguan Wanqing patted my shoulder and said the second thing that made me want to vomit blood.

“I heard that last night you were thrown out of Phoenix Tower by Shen Ye. I recently noticed that Shen Ye isn’t any less handsome than the young master from General Zuo’s family. How about I marry him for you and settle things between you and him?”

Perhaps because I was already rattled by Shangguan Liulan’s attempt to help me not marry Su Rongqing, when Shangguan Wanqing suggested marrying Shen Ye on my behalf, I completely lost my rationality. As soon as she finished speaking, my mind went blank, and I instinctively reached for my sword. Then I remembered, this was the main hall, and I didn’t have a sword with me.

All I could do was grab my ivory tablet and swing it at her. Fortunately, Shangguan Liulan was quick to react, pulling Shangguan Wanqing away and raising an eyebrow, “So you can’t marry Su Rongqing, and you also can’t marry Shen Ye?”

"Does everyone in the Shangguan family just enjoy finding people to marry off?"

"Isn’t this to help you solve your problems?" Shangguan Wanqing suddenly popped her head out from behind Shangguan Liulan, looking shocked. "Aren’t you the one who dislikes Shen Ye the most?"

"Just because I dislike him doesn’t mean you can marry him off!" I was so agitated I almost stuttered. "You’re ruining someone’s life! It’s simply insane!"

Seeing my reaction, Shangguan Liulan suddenly laughed. She patted Shangguan Wanqing on the shoulder, waved her broad sleeves, and said with a smile, "Wanqing, let’s go. Let’s not meddle in this any further."

With that, she led Shangguan Wanqing out of the hall. Halfway through, she suddenly stopped.

"Shu Cheng, have you ever genuinely liked someone before?"

I was taken aback by her question. She looked at me, and for a moment, a trace of warmth flickered in her usually gloomy eyes. She said, "I once liked someone. It was probably something like this."

With that, she turned and left with the smirking Shangguan Liulan. Feeling unsettled by her words, I hurried to send a message to the Su residence and then headed over there.

I felt a bit anxious, though I wasn’t sure what I was afraid of. I just had an urgent need to see Su Rongqing, hoping it would bring me some peace of mind.

By the time I arrived at the Su residence, Su Rongqing was drinking tea. After receiving the message, he had already set up a screen and was waiting for me.

When I knelt before him, I finally felt a sense of inner clarity and calm. He remained silent, and from behind the screen, I could hear the sounds of him preparing tea—the water boiling, the clinking of cups, the rustle of his sleeves, accompanied by the chirping of birds and the rustling of the wind. Gradually, I began to calm down.

The aroma of tea filled the room. A servant emerged from behind the screen with a cup of fragrant tea, presenting it to me with respect. I took the small purple clay cup, gazing at the green tea inside, and contemplated what it would be like to spend a lifetime with someone like him.

A man so calm and noble as he would likely never engage in any indiscreet actions. As long as he wished, he could comfortably sit in the position of the head of the Shu family. With his talents, he could effortlessly resolve internal disputes, manage family affairs, and even stabilize the rear while I was on the battlefield.

He is truly the epitome of a perfect scion of the aristocracy and an ideal head of the Shu family.

So, marrying him would not only fulfill the Emperor's wishes but would also not be considered unreasonable or sacrificial. In fact, I am not unaware of this, nor do I fail to understand it. I simply always thought that there might be a better choice—one that would not defy the Emperor’s will, put the Shu family at risk, and still bring me peace.

In the following days, I went to the Su residence every day.

Su Rongqing no longer rejected my invitations, but he always kept the screen up. I was afraid of being intrusive and thus dared not do much.

Each time I returned, I was always tempted to visit Phoenix Tower, but at the last moment, I inexplicably lost my courage and fled back home, tossing and turning in bed, unable to sleep. Sometimes, as I drifted off, I would feel as if someone was quietly watching me, their gaze gentle yet sorrowful.

Then rumors began to circulate throughout Chu capital. When Shangguan Liulan and Shangguan Wanqing invited me out to discuss these rumors, Shangguan Wanqing described them in such vivid detail that I couldn't help but marvel at the rich imagination of the people of Chu capital.

Due to the recent abduction by the Moza tribe, both Shen Ye and I had been missing from Chu capital for a long time. Witnesses from Phoenix Tower and other brothels claimed that we were kidnapped by bandits. As a result, everyone believed that some daring bandits, greedy for my wealth and Shen Ye's beauty, had taken us to a distant mountain hideout.

Up to this point, the story was not entirely off the mark, but it took a bizarre turn after this.

According to the rumors, the bandits, unable to resist Shen Ye's beauty, mistreated him, and he was subjected to one night of abuse after another. I, deeply in love with Shen Ye, could only watch helplessly and eventually chose to give up on him in my pain.

After we were rescued, Shen Ye, feeling disgraced, refused to see me. Although I sought him out out of guilt, there was always a lingering resentment between us, and thus the two people who once loved each other went their separate ways.

At this point, Qin Yang, who had long harbored secret feelings for Shen Ye and was a prominent figure in the court, saw her beloved in such distress. Unable to restrain her feelings any longer, she confessed her love to Shen Ye. In the Guoguo Temple, under the flowers and the moonlight, the song "Phoenix Seeks Phoenix" echoed throughout Chu City. Hearing this, Shen Ye was moved to tears and finally accepted Qin Yang. The two of them began to spend their nights singing, boating, and enjoying lantern festivals together...

“Wait a minute,” I interrupted Shangguan Wanqing, finally noticing an unfamiliar twist in the story and unable to maintain my passive listening attitude, “You’re saying... Qin Yang? Is that the Qin Yang from the court?”

“Which other Qin Yang do you know?” Shangguan Liulan, gazing at her wine cup, said indifferently,“Only Qin Yang, who makes it a point to criticize you three times a day and is hailed as the pillar of integrity, would do something like stealing your former lover.”

“She, she, she... isn't she supposed to be very noble?” I was shocked. “How could someone who is a pillar of integrity pursue someone from a brothel?!”

“I think you’re wrong,” Shangguan Wanqing protested. “Love has no boundaries. You can't judge someone’s high moral standards and assume that such standards are always reasonable.”

“So... so... so Shen Ye agreed to be with her?”

When I asked this, I felt a suffocating tightness in my chest, almost as if I could hardly breathe. Shangguan Liulan took a sip of her drink and nodded.

I didn’t know why, but my eyes instantly welled up with tears, and I almost cried. Shangguan Liulan swallowed her wine and said, “I don’t know.”

I drew my sword on the spot, and Shangguan Wanqing stopped me, saying, “Calm down and talk things through. Don’t get so worked up...”

“Whether you know or not, just say it. What’s the point of hesitating about whether you know or not?”

I yelled in frustration. Shangguan Wanqing held my hand and hurriedly said, “I know, I know. A friend of Qin Yang said that Qin Yang is preparing for the wedding.”

I was stunned.

I suddenly remembered that on the night of the beggar tribe’s ritual, under the moonlight, he stood by his horse in a white robe, quietly watching me.

I felt unable to breathe, gasping for air, my hand gripping the sword trembling uncontrollably, my words stuttering. After a long pause, I finally managed to say, “Get the governor... and bring people...”

“What are you going to do?” Shangguan Liulan frowned. “If you’re planning to break the law and bully others, I’ll have to follow up and investigate. Don’t make trouble for me.”

“I’m going to seal off the Phoenix Tower!” I suddenly turned around and shouted. “If you want to investigate me, go ahead—no, wait! Why should you investigate me? Only the Court of Judicial Review has the authority to do that!”

“Court of Judicial Review,” Shangguan Liulan said, pouring more wine, “I’m in charge recently.”

“I don’t care, I want to seal off the Phoenix Tower!”

“Calm down.”

“I can’t calm down!”

“Don’t be unreasonable.”

“I want to be unreasonable!”

“Shu Cheng.”

“I’m not Shu Cheng!”

“You don’t like Shen Ye.”

“I like Shen Ye!”

As soon as the words left my mouth, everyone was stunned. I opened my mouth, wanting to explain that it was a misunderstanding. But before I could say anything, Shangguan Liulan asked knowingly, “So, do you still want to seal off the Phoenix Tower?”

I deflated like a punctured balloon, instantly losing my energy. I sat back down and, after a long pause, said, “I want to see Su Rongqing.”

My mind was in turmoil, but I thought, just like before, seeing Su Rongqing would make things better.

I hurried to Su Manor, where Su Rongqing, as usual, had set up the screen and waited quietly behind it. However, I could no longer calm myself.

Listening to the sound of him making tea, listening to his greetings, could not dispel the shadow of another person.

“You have something on your mind,” Su Rongqing said piercingly from behind the screen. My mind couldn’t respond, and I instinctively asked, “Can you play ‘Phoenix Seeking the Phoenix’?”

“I can’t play it,” Su Rongqing’s voice was flat, “but I’ve heard that Lord Qin plays it very well. A few days ago, the sound of the qin was heard in the back courtyard of the Protector Temple. Haven’t you heard it?”

He was so straightforward that I felt uncomfortable not responding and could only say, “Why bring up Qin Yang for no reason?”

“If it’s for no reason, why mention this piece of music?” The sound of tea making mixed with his voice made me momentarily flustered. “Shu Cheng, you need to think clearly.”

I couldn’t find the words, but after a long time, I finally gathered the courage.

I thought, after so many years, everything that should be said and shouldn’t be said has already been spoken to this person. To him, my thoughts must be transparent; what could I still hide?

“Rongqing,” I called him, “I’ve been confused lately about what it means to truly like someone. I thought I liked you, but I also found that, while I do like you, my feelings are still disturbed by others.”

“Why do you think you like me?”

“I…”

I found myself at a loss for words, and the person behind the screen waited quietly. Suddenly, the outer courtyard became noisy, and I didn’t know who had arrived. Su Rongqing had the tea brought out, and I sipped his fragrant tea while listening to his calm voice: “To like someone means that being with them makes you feel happy. You want to touch them, to be close to them, to be without any gaps between you, to be the most important, most understanding, and most accepting person in each other's hearts. You get nervous seeing them, your heart flutters when you touch them, you miss them when they’re away, and you feel pain when you lose them. You feel fear, anxiety, joy, sadness, bitterness, and confusion…”

As he spoke, for some reason, every word he said brought images of Shen Ye to my mind.

His kisses, his embraces, him holding my hand, recognizing me from the crowd, carrying me from the viewing stand to the horse in front of everyone…

Feeling joy, sadness, bitterness, and confusion… yet accepting it, being close, and…

Perhaps it is important.

I held the tea, lost in thought. The noise grew louder, until I heard a familiar angry shout: “Shu Cheng, get out here! First it was Shen Ye, and now it’s Su Rongqing! Shu Cheng, are you some kind of stud horse or what?”

Upon hearing this, my hand trembled. From behind the screen came Su Rongqing’s soft laughter: “This person is…”

“Don’t change your name or surname,” Bai Shaotang said, sweeping in with a dramatic flourish of his robes, lifting his chin. “I am Bai Shaotang. You must be Su Rongqing, right? Stop pretending to be a big shot, and come out from behind the screen. I want to see how you’ve managed to confuse Shu Cheng. I’ll admit Shen Ye is good-looking, and I can grudgingly accept him as a servant, but you? If you’re not attractive, I’ll tear you apart!”

“Shaotang…” Hearing this, I was confused. “If you want to marry me, why do you keep trying to find good-looking people to be my servants?”

—Are you trying to build your own harem, or mine?

•••

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16 Ye Cheng Fu

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