5 Ye Cheng Fu

FlamingoBees

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

Ye Cheng Fu

Chapter 5:

I’ve been slow to understand romantic matters from a young age. While people like Shangguan Wan’er were already exploring relationships, I was just starting to grasp what men and women mean to each other. And now, while others my age are getting married and starting families, I’m only beginning to understand the nuances of love and relationships. As I lay awake staring at the ceiling, I often wonder if my late awakening to romance means that my adolescence started too late.

I was plagued by insomnia until dawn, and by the time I went to court, my dark circles were evident. My teacher noticed immediately and shook her head in disapproval. Although I felt embarrassed, I couldn’t help but feel a bit relieved.

The empress, seeing my condition, kept us behind after the court session and advised seriously, “Court officials should avoid frequenting brothels and taverns.”

I looked at the empress and, after a moment’s thought, nodded, saying, “Thank you for your guidance. I will go and marry Shen Ye tomorrow.”

“But young people still need appropriate outlets!” The empress and my teacher immediately stopped me, their expressions gentle. “It’s fine to have some leisure time outside.”

© 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.

—After all, there are still enemies outside.

I nodded, not arguing, and bowed before leaving.

As soon as I stepped outside, Shangguan Wan’er grabbed me and said, “Look at your condition, so haggard… Are you losing sleep over the marriage? Don’t worry, I’ve arranged everything for you!”

“Arranged what?”

“An arranged meeting!”

Upon hearing this, my respect for Shangguan Wan’er deepened significantly. I stammered, “Just… just like this, who would dare to come…”

“Many people,” Shangguan Wan’er said, poking my head with her fan, clearly frustrated, “You’re the heir to the most prestigious family in Chu capital. You should have some confidence in yourself!”

“I do have confidence,” I sighed, “But I also have confidence in the empress’s authority. I don’t think many in Chu capital would dare challenge her.”

“Fools are everywhere,” Shangguan Wan’er counted on her fingers, “There are those from noble families who are illegitimate and hope to make a name for themselves by marrying into your family; those from lesser families who don’t understand anything except that your family has power and wealth; those from the underworld who fear nothing and are driven by impulse; and those from merchant families who are shrewd and know that as long as you protect them, they’ll be fine. You’ve got plenty of suitors now; I’ve filled your schedule for this month. Look...” She pulled out a notebook filled with names, times, and some basic information about each potential suitor, showing it to me with the seriousness of a brothel keeper. “I’ve lined up the best candidates based on your preferences—family background, appearance, and character.”

“Wan’er…” I hesitated, then asked, “By the way, how old were you when you had your first love?”

“First love?” Shangguan Wan’er looked confused and turned back to me. “I don’t know. I was in love from the moment I can remember. I’m not sure if I had any feelings before that.”

Her answer made me feel a bit down, reminding me of how late I was to mature. After thinking for a moment, I decided to seek her advice. As Wan’er continued her chatter, I shyly asked, “Can you tell me, if I like someone, should I marry them?”

“Of course! If you like them, go for it!” Shangguan Wan’er said without hesitation, but then suddenly realized, “Who do you like?”

I blushed and mumbled Su Rongqing’s name. When Wan’er didn’t hear it clearly, I repeated it carefully, “Su Rongqing.”

“Su Rongqing…” Shangguan Wan’er repeated the name, then, after a moment, she grabbed me and said seriously, “Sister will take you to a matchmaking session; it’s at least more reliable.”

Shangguan Wan’er hurriedly dragged me out of the palace and took me to her home to get me dressed and prepared.

“Shu Cheng,” Shangguan Wan’er said with a worried expression, “Listen to me. Any man in this world can be liked, but if it’s someone appointed by the empress, you must reject them at all costs!”

“Why?” I asked, puzzled.

“Because the empress can’t tolerate any noble family that she sees as too arrogant. She’ll deal with you first, and then she’ll move on to us. So you must hold firm! We’re all your solid support!” Shangguan Wan’er’s face was full of concern.

“But…” I hesitated, “What’s the point of rejecting someone the empress sends to be my official spouse?”

“It’s crucial!” Shangguan Wan’er nearly jabbed my head with the hairpin she was holding. “He can poison you, deliver information to the empress, ensure you have children and then indoctrinate them to be loyal to the empress. Worst case, as your official spouse, he could even prevent you from having children, and the empress wouldn’t have to lift a finger. Your family could be ruined without her direct involvement. Without a legitimate heir, the side branches would cause chaos and, believe me, it can destroy a great family in no time. Remember the Shen family? They were a prominent family once, and look what happened to them…”

“What you’re saying… actually makes a lot of sense.”

I was hesitant, but Shangguan Wan’er inserted the last hairpin into my hairstyle and pulled me up with a determined look. “If not for yourself, then think of your family. Is marrying someone appointed by the empress worth such a risk?”

I stayed silent, and Shangguan Wan’er dragged me out of the room, saying as we went, “I’ve arranged the suitor for you. He’s at the top floor of Zui Xian Lou. I’ve booked the whole place under your name. Go meet him today. There are countless types of people in the world; you’re still too young.”

With that, she pushed me into a carriage, threw a portrait inside, and shoved me in. As I sat in the carriage, I opened the portrait to find a man in a dark green robe holding a long sword. He looked handsome and charming, making my heart flutter.

Shangguan Wan’er really understood me; this kind of person is exactly my type!

Suddenly feeling more confident, I thought to myself, “Why search for poisonous flowers when there are so many other options out there?” I put down the portrait, adjusted my hairpin with determination, brushed off my clothes, and carefully considered my approach. After thinking it through all the way, I arrived at Zui Xian Lou and headed straight to the top floor.

When I arrived, there was already someone in the room. I knocked politely on the door and heard a clear and familiar voice from inside, “Come in.”

I had a slight uneasy feeling but told myself it was just my imagination and pushed open the door. However, as soon as I opened it, I froze.

The man in the dark green robe with his hair tied up high and holding a black sword looked just like the person in the portrait. Yet, the heavily powdered face was completely different from the one in the painting!

I was stunned for a second, then quickly tried to close the door, but the person hurried forward, grabbing the door with one hand and pulling me inside with the other before closing it. Shen Ye pressed me against the wall, his sword hand braced next to me, while he confidently swept back the hair falling by his face and said with a hint of self-satisfaction, “Cheng Cheng, so you like this type. A chivalrous hero with youthful spirit, I can feel it!”

As soon as he spoke, the powder he used came up into my nose, and I couldn’t help but sneeze immediately. Shen Ye spun around, one hand pointing his sword at me and the other hand rubbing his forehead with a look of disappointment, sighing, “It seems you prefer the old me. At least, back then, you never sneezed when I was around.”

With that, he tossed the sword aside and lunged at me, clinging to me and playfully saying, “Third Young Master is so happy!”

“Let go of me…” I pushed his head away, desperately trying to free my hands from his embrace, and said in agony, “Get away, where’s that young hero?”

“‘Young hero’?” He looked up, somewhat puzzled, and said, “You mean that ‘cut sleeve’[1] character? I’ve already sent him to the Phoenix Tower.”

“Cut… cut sleeve?” The information was overwhelming, and I couldn’t process it immediately. Shen Ye nodded sincerely, “If you don’t believe me, I can take you to see.”

With that, he took me to Phoenix Tower. When we opened the door, I saw in the center of the hall a young man in a dark green robe, surrounded by several young men, enjoying himself and occasionally kissing them. I was momentarily speechless and only later managed to think, “Well, at least I still have my next suitor.”

With this thought, I made it through to the next day. Without any need for further urging from Shangguan Wanqing, I had already dressed up early and went to Zui Xian Lou.

However, upon opening the door, I was greeted by a familiar scent. Shen Ye was seated in a chair, fanning himself with a gilt-edged fan and looking at me with a shy smile, saying, “Cheng Cheng, you’re thinking of me again…”

“How come it’s you…” I was so shocked that I forgot to close the door. He came over, gently took my hand, and pulled me into the room, then seated me and poured tea for me, casually saying, “Yes, your suitor today is me.”

“I must have made a mistake, goodbye!” Hearing his words, I immediately stood up, but he knelt down, hugging my legs, looking up with tearful eyes and a pitiful expression, “My lord, did Third Young Master do something wrong?”

“Quite a few things…”

"Yes, I know, I shouldn’t have wronged you, my lord!"

"Not just that..."

"Yes, I also know that I shouldn't have deceived you!"

"And also..."

"Yes, I know! I shouldn't have tarnished your reputation!"

"And also..."

"I know! I know! I shouldn't have humiliated you or pressured you. I've done so many things that need an apology! But—" He suddenly clutched his chest with a pained expression and said, "It's all because of love! It is love that makes one so confused and bewildered..."

"Alright, I understand," I said awkwardly, pulling his hand from my leg and helping him back into a chair. I tried to comfort him, "Since you recognize your mistakes, let's leave it at that. I won't hold a grudge. Just be steady and don't cause me any more trouble in the future. Well, I should..."

"My lord! My mistakes are too many. I must apologize to you!" He grabbed my hand, looking as if he was about to kneel again. I was startled and quickly said, "I won’t leave. Just go on, tell me what you need to say."

So, he began to speak.

When he started speaking, I realized just how much this man had to say.

It seemed like he was pouring out every word he had accumulated in his lifetime, detailing how he felt about us meeting, how reality was, how the environment was, what the wind was like that day, what the clouds were like...

He spoke vividly and passionately, leaving me stunned and dazed. After a long while, he concluded with, “Since fate has destined me to meet you, let me be with you forever, never to part! Shu Cheng, don’t hesitate, don’t be afraid. Marry me!”

He spoke with such sincerity and seriousness. Holding my teacup, I took a while to process his words and finally said, “You’re really eloquent...”

“My lord...” He began to speak again. I jolted back to reality and quickly said, “Um... I... I, how about today we...”

“Young Lord Shu! Please don’t reject me!” He suddenly grasped my hand, and I instinctively wanted to pull away.

But I held back. After a moment, I smiled at him, gently withdrawing my hand, and said, “Third Young Master, that’s enough for today. I’m leaving now.”

“Cheng...”

“If you say one more word—” I smiled tightly and said, “I’ll make an exception today and hit a man. I’m serious, I will hit you, beat you, beat you to death!”

Shen Ye’s face showed a pained expression, but he remained silent. I cheerfully stood up, hopping and skipping out of the room. It wasn’t until I was outside that I remembered, Shen Ye was here, but what about my other suitor?

The mystery was soon resolved.

Upon returning home, a servant handed me a letter. The content was straightforward, but it was written in a verbose, ornate style, making it quite difficult for me to decipher.

After struggling for a long while, I finally understood the gist of the letter. The sender berated me harshly, calling me a Chen Shimei[2], a heartless woman, and a villain. He accused me of tarnishing Shen Ye's honor without taking responsibility and declared that no matter how wealthy or powerful I was, he would not have me. He expressed his regret for having come all the way to the capital only to be deceived. He decided to return to his home in the southern region and advised me not to try to find him.

After reading the letter, I couldn’t help but sigh. When the butler asked if there was anything he could help with, I shook my head and said, “This gentleman isn’t suitable for me. Let’s forget about him.”

The butler looked troubled and said, “Young master, it’s fine if you lack education; you don’t need to feel inferior. You can always learn.”

“It’s not just that his education level is too high,” I frowned and replied. “The main issue is that he’s too foolish. If he was deceived by Shen Ye, his intelligence must be on par with my father’s.”

Upon hearing my father’s name, the butler's expression cleared up with understanding. He comforted me, saying, “Don’t worry, young master. Lady Wanqing said she’s arranged someone else for tomorrow.”

“Who?”

“The eldest son of the Yan family, Yan Zhuang. His appearance, character, and abilities are all top-notch!”

Yan Zhuang, the eldest son of the Yan family, is a well-known swordsman in the Jianghu. As the legitimate eldest son of the Yan family, he has traveled extensively and is praised highly by many for his intelligence and competence. He seemed like a good candidate who wouldn’t be deceived by Shen Ye and wouldn’t be unreliable or problematic during the matchmaking.

I nodded solemnly, feeling this was my last hope.

That evening, I busily made arrangements for the next day’s matchmaking. To avoid Shen Ye, I specifically changed the location of the meeting and stationed guards around the area. I also decided to personally go out of the city to welcome the visiting gentleman.

I had taken every possible measure to keep my plans completely secret. Only my most trusted subordinates were involved, and I was confident that even the Empress couldn’t prevent me from going on this matchmaking appointment the next day. That night, while hiding under the covers, I couldn’t help but chuckle to myself at the thought of Shen Ye being left empty-handed the next day.

The next morning, I eagerly went outside the city gate to welcome Yan Zhuang.

After waiting for a while, a group of flamboyantly dressed men suddenly appeared nearby. I couldn’t help but feel a bit wary.

However, these men were different from those I had seen at the Phoenix Tower. Though they were also adorned with makeup and fancy attire, they carried wooden sticks and whips, giving them a very martial and imposing look. Upon closer inspection, they didn’t seem to be from Phoenix Tower, so I felt a bit more at ease.

As time passed, the number of these men increased. The sky began to brighten, and I could see a carriage with the Yan family’s insignia approaching in the distance.

My heart raced with excitement, and I suddenly felt a bit nervous. I asked one of the guards beside me, “Why are there so many men here?”

“I don’t know,” the guard frowned. “These men don’t look like reputable people. Why are they bringing so many weapons so early? I don’t know what they’re planning.”

Just then, the crowd stirred. The flamboyant men parted to reveal a man dressed in gold and silver, wielding a spiked club. He shouted, “Third Master Shen, I’ve brought people here. If you’ve got any guts, show yourself now!”

“Guts or no guts, how vulgar!” A man in a water-red robe to my left sniffed disdainfully. He looked up and down at the intruder and sneered, “These are the kinds of people you’d find in Xunfang Lou. They don’t even know to use decent weapons for a fight. They already look like clubs, and now they’re carrying clubs to match. Are they afraid we won’t get the comparison?”

“Who are you calling a blockhead?” A man to my right immediately shouted back, “Do you think you look any better? Just look at the powder on your face!”

With the verbal exchange starting, both sides began hurling insults at each other. I, acting as a calm buffer, moved carefully between the two groups, inching closer to the carriage carrying Yan Zhuang.

“Excuse me…” I and my guards politely pushed aside the rowdy crowd, trying to make our way through. “Pardon me, just passing through, thank you.”

“Don’t you know about the brawls at Phoenix Tower and Xunfang Lou? You dare to pass through here?”

“Well, now I do. Just passing by, thank you.”

“Is Third Young Master Shen a coward? Still not showing up?”

“Nonsense! Do you think our master is like your family’s old rooster, showing up whenever you want to see him?”

“Sorry…”

“Here comes the master!”

“Third Young Master Shen has arrived!”

“That little harlot is here!”

•••

[1] Cut Sleeve: Emperor Ai of Han (r. 7–1 BCE) was known for his affection towards his male favorite, Dong Xian. According to historical records, one day while the emperor was taking a nap, Dong Xian was sleeping on the emperor's sleeve. To avoid waking Dong Xian, the emperor decided to cut off the sleeve of his robe rather than disturb his beloved.

This story became a famous symbol of male-male affection and is often cited as an example of a deep emotional and romantic bond between men. The phrase "cut sleeve" (断袖) thus came to represent male homosexuality or affection between men.

[2] Chen Shimei: a historical figure and a character in a famous Chinese opera and literature who is notorious for his treachery. The term "Chen Shimei" has become a metaphor in Chinese culture for a man who is disloyal and unfaithful, particularly in the context of marriage.

The story of Chen Shimei has been made into a classic Chinese drama called "The Story of Chen Shimei" (陈世美传). Chen Shimei is portrayed as a scholar who marries a woman of humble origin, but after achieving success and wealth, he abandons her and marries a more influential woman. His betrayal and dishonesty are the main elements of the story.

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5 Ye Cheng Fu

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