50 Ye Cheng Fu

FlamingoBees

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

Ye Cheng Fu

Chapter 50:

The entire dance was very serene, his movements minimal. Compared to Bai Shaotang's dance, Shen Ye's was more ancient and solemn, reflecting the strict rituals and music of the Spring and Autumn period. However, the sound of the wooden clogs on the floor and his flowing steps added a touch of the casual elegance of the Jin and Wei dynasties.

There were no flashy movements, no particularly advanced techniques. It was as if a nobleman was strolling through a bamboo grove under the moonlight, plain and gentle.

Yet, it was this understated and composed dance that held everyone's gaze. Every subtle expression, every graceful gesture, was near perfect, captivating, and breathtaking.

Since the founding of Great Chu, men were often valued for their seductive and delicate beauty. However, at this moment, Shen Ye stood tall and dignified, free of any effeminate allure, embodying the grace of a true gentleman, making it impossible for anyone to look away.

The term "national beauty" seemed inadequate; all other beauties paled in comparison.

“Kuan xi chuo xi, yi chong jiao xi. Shan xi xue xi, bu wei nue xi.”

He spun and flicked his sleeves, facing the audience. The guqin music became particularly rhythmic. He tapped his feet and clapped his hands, lowering his head to listen, and finally, a slow smile spread across his once calm face. This smile could topple cities, and gasps filled the hall.

Unperturbed, he continued his dance, stepping to the beat. The sound of the wooden clogs striking the marble floor echoed, producing a "ta ta" sound.

“Zhan bi Qi Ao, lv zhu yi yi. You fei jun zi, ru qie ru cuo, ru zhuo ru mo.”

He walked to the front of the stage, bent over, but then suddenly paused. The guqin music stopped at just the right moment, and the entire hall fell silent.

Under the moonlight, he slowly straightened up, his back to me, turning his face slightly.

The guqin music abruptly resumed, stirring emotions intensely, as if the elegant and spirited demeanor of the gentleman swept through, and the audience, standing among the bamboo grove, heard the wind whistling high.

"You fei jun zi—" He prolonged his voice, shouting loudly.

© 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.

Without waiting for his response, everyone instinctively chorused, "Zhong bu ke xuan xi!"

The sound surged like a tide, echoing in the hall.

The guqin music softened again, and under the moonlight, he quietly looked at me, sighing softly, "Zhong bu ke xuan xi..."

The lingering notes, unforgettable. Zhong bu ke xuan xi.

How could one ever forget such a beauty?

The hall fell silent, and everyone came back to their senses. I stared at the man under the moonlight, opening my mouth, wanting to speak, but unable to utter a word.

The lights gradually brightened, and Shen Cong was nowhere to be seen on the stage. Shen Ye calmly turned, bowing to thank the Empress. It wasn't until he walked leisurely along the corridor and disappeared into the back hall that everyone finally snapped out of it.

Thunderous applause and endless praise filled the air.

"This is what it means to be breathtakingly beautiful."

"Such elegance and grace, if I could marry him, I'd be willing to do anything!"

The hall was abuzz with excitement. I sat quietly, and after a while, Shen Ye returned to my side, kneeling properly behind me.

I dared not look at him.

I had always known Shen Ye was beautiful, but it was the first time I realized he had been holding back his beauty.

If he wished, he could radiate this beauty to its fullest extent.

Beauty is like a blade, capable of captivating and wounding hearts. I couldn't face him because I feared that I wouldn't be able to resist such beauty, that I would bend my spine, discard my dignity, and submit to him regardless of the consequences.

He probably knew about this inherent advantage and likely saw through my unworthy heart. After kneeling by my side, he remained silent. It was only after a long while that the hall quieted down, and the Empress seemed to gradually come to her senses, sighing, "Young Lord Shu's two husbands are both rare beauties."

As soon as the Empress spoke, everyone immediately echoed her words. I nodded, thinking, yes, I know my husbands are beautiful.

"Su Rongqing's dance, with such simple movements, is so moving. I'm afraid only Su Rongqing in the world could perform this gentleman's dance," the Empress remarked softly. "Others' dances are beautiful in form, but Su Rongqing's dance is beautiful in its spirit."

Posture can be learned, but spirit is hard to master.

Bai Shaotang, through diligent practice, had managed to capture some of the essence, but Shen Ye's gentleman's dance—I'm afraid only he could perform it in this lifetime.

I knelt and watched as others took their turns to perform. After a long while, I finally calmed down and turned to look at him.

"Shen Ye."

"Hmm?" He was holding a wine cup, watching the stage. When he heard my voice, he turned to look at me.

Under the lights, his gaze was faint, carrying a hint of intoxication.

At that moment, I suddenly felt an urge to kiss him.

That night, when we returned, I suspected that most people, like me, couldn't forget Shen Ye's grace.

Shen Ye was very busy that evening. Shen Cong seemed to have brought a lot of news, and the people from Phoenix Tower went with him to a side hall to discuss matters behind closed doors. This gave me the perfect opportunity. While he was away, I took out the note Bai Shaotang had given me.

The note I had given Bai Shaotang detailed all the information I had recently acquired. Bai Shaotang's note was simple but contained a lot of crucial information.

They had prepared evidence of Shangguan Yun and Shangguan Lin's collusion and their plot to detain Shangguan Wanqing. They had also gathered proof that during the Yuande period, my aunt had "allocated" rather than "embezzled" military funds. Most importantly, my mother had received a letter from Shangguan Liuqing, stating that she would arrive in the capital with the escaped guard from Shangguan Liulan's side on the nineteenth.

According to their plan, they would soon spread the news that my aunt allocated military funds to protect the rights of ordinary soldiers rather than solely supplying the nobility. This would help establish a good image of my aunt and me among the common people. Then, on the morning of the 18th, my mother would have Minister Liu first impeach Shangguan Yun and Shangguan Lin for detaining Shangguan Wanqing, using this as an opportunity to reveal that there were hidden reasons behind my killing of Shangguan Liulan. Following that, they would organize people to kneel at the palace gates and petition for a lighter sentence for me.

This was the public plan. On the night of the 18th, I had to escape from the palace, where Bai Shaotang would be waiting to hide me. Meanwhile, my mother would bring five thousand cavalrymen into the city. As long as I could hide, my mother would insist that I was dead to the empress, leaving her with no leverage. On one hand, they would apply public pressure, and on the other, Shangguan Liuqing would return and join forces with my mother to take over the Shangguan family, clear my name, and then have my aunt, Shuhuang, take the blame. Using my aunt's reputation and the pressure from the common people, my mother would then use the five thousand cavalrymen to press the empress, who would not dare to resist.

The key to all of this was that I had to leave the palace and not be in the emperor's grasp. Otherwise, my mother would have no way to incriminate the emperor, and I would become a hostage, making my mother vulnerable to the emperor.

On the 18th, Bai Shaotang would be waiting for me at the west gate of the palace. I had only two tasks.

The first was to reach the west gate at the agreed time. The second...

I looked at the last sentence in the letter and then at the small pill in my hand, my face turning pale.

—Use "Xiangsi" to eliminate Shen Ye.

I understood what Bai Shaotang meant. Shen Ye's martial arts were incredibly strong, and trying to take someone from him would be next to impossible.

Moreover, Shen Ye was the empress' primary support. His allegiance to the empress provided an incalculable advantage. A person like him would not be missed if poisoned to death.

‘Xiangsi’ is a one-of-a-kind poison, the likes of which the world has never seen. It's completely odorless and tasteless, leaving no evidence of its existence. Whoever ingests it feels nothing until they come into contact with red bean powder, at which point they'll immediately succumb to its deadly effects. By using ‘Xiangsi,’ I can dictate exactly when Shen Ye meets his end. I'll have him escort me out of the west gate, and as soon as Bai Shaotang arrives to help me, I'll simply dust him with red bean powder.

Shen Ye will die on the spot. Once Shen Ye is dead, Bai Shaotang can lead people to storm the west gate and take me away.

My hands trembled as I held the pill.

For a long, long time, I couldn't snap out of it. Not until I had burned the note to ashes did I return to normal.

That night, I went to bed very early. In my dream, I seemed to come to a bamboo grove. Moonlight poured down, and Shen Ye, dressed in white robes and wooden clogs, was clapping his hands and dancing. It was breathtaking, as if he were a celestial being.

"By the banks of Qi, the bamboos grow so green. There is a noble man, polished like jade, refined and keen." His face was cold and he walked slowly towards me. My heart pounded with fear, and I reached out to grab him.

"Shen Ye!"

He spun around, deftly avoiding me, and gazed at me with tenderness in his eyes.

"Though noble and fair, I cannot forget him." His lips parted slightly, his voice as soft as a feather, gently drifting away on the wind. I chased after him, trying to grab his sleeve, but each time I was just a little too late. He always managed to dodge me easily.

In the bamboo forest, the wind howled softly, and the bamboo leaves rustled. I tried desperately to catch him, to chase him. I always felt like he was going to leave, and I always felt that if I couldn't catch him this time, I would never see him again.

"Shen Ye! Shen Ye!" I breathed quickly, trying desperately to catch up to him. But he floated forward, farther and farther away.

“There is a noble gentleman who can never be forgotten…” His singing echoed in my dream. I shouted for him desperately, running and chasing.

He walked into a beam of white light, softly sighing, “Never to be forgotten…”

“Shen Ye… Shen Ye…” I screamed, crying out loud, “Don’t go… Don’t go!”

I watched him stand in the white light, his back to me, turning his head slightly. He gazed at me with such seriousness and tenderness, as if to drown someone in his gaze.

I remember that look.

At that time, when I was on horseback, and he lifted my mask and gently placed the eternal flower in my hair, he looked at me just like that.

In the dream, I choked up and couldn’t say anything more. In the haze, someone called my name: “Shu Cheng, Shu Cheng.”

I recognized Shen Ye’s voice and jolted awake, grabbing him tightly.

I clung to him with all my strength. He held me in his arms, patting my back like he would a child, gently saying, “It’s okay, I’m here, it’s alright.”

I gasped for breath, unable to gather my thoughts. He bent down and kissed my forehead and cheek, repeatedly saying, “I’m here, Shu Cheng, don’t be afraid, I’m here.”

His embrace was warm and reassuring. My wildly beating heart gradually calmed down. After a long time, I finally managed to slowly lift my head, and then I saw Shen Ye’s eyes, so bright and gentle.

“Don’t be afraid.” He looked at me, but his gaze was filled with sorrow. I raised my hand to touch his brows and eyes, wanting to ask him, Shen Ye, what’s wrong?

If you’re unhappy, tell me, and I will help you.

Shen Ye…

I looked at him quietly.

If you are destined to die, then let me treat you a little better in this last stretch of your life.

But I didn’t say those words out loud. I only touched his brows and eyes repeatedly, finally hoarsely saying, “Shen Ye, you’re truly beautiful.”

He stiffened slightly, then lowered his eyelids and said, “The Empress sent someone to your home, secretly.”

“Hmm.”

“Your aunt, Shu Ran, has three daughters. The youngest daughter travels with her, the eldest daughter, Shu Jing, was raised by your mother, and one of her attendants is a person of the Empress.”

Hearing this secret, I couldn’t help but stiffen. Shen Ye continued, “The second daughter, Shu Su, was raised by Shu Huang. She has a covert guard squad, and among them are the Empress’ people. Moreover, she harbors hatred towards Shu Jing and you.”

“Stop… Stop talking.” I interrupted him, “I know. There are always outsiders around our Shu family. What are you trying to say by telling me all this?”

“If you were no longer the heir,” he chuckled softly, “Shu Cheng, what do you think would happen to your family?”

I’ve thought about this question before. I know the answer; I understand the consequences even better than he does.

I quietly watched him as he reached out and gently touched my hair.

“Shu Cheng, you should consider these consequences. One must always be thoroughly prepared. I…” He gazed at me, his eyes filled with bitterness. After a long pause, he slowly closed his eyes. “I can’t be Shen Ye anymore.”

“Then who will you become?”

“The Empress has given me orders,” he said in pain, “I have to return to being my former self, the Dark Emperor.”

With that, he stood up, his hands folded in his sleeves. By the moonlight, he quietly studied me, as if he wanted to carve me into his memory with his gaze, imprinting me deeply into his eyes.

I clearly sensed his emotional shift and felt a chill in my heart, wondering what had happened to make him speak to me like this.

“You’ve always said,” I hesitated, uncertain, “that you love me, right?”

He didn’t speak, remaining silent. My anxiety grew as he stood there quietly. After a long pause, he finally said, “Shu Cheng, I don’t have strong feelings for many things or people. My affection for you is merely that—affection.”

“Am I not as important as the Empress?” I suddenly realized.

He sighed softly, “No, it’s not about being compared to the Empress. It’s about power. Shu Cheng,” he bent down to look at me, his eyes filled with sorrow, “I climbed up from hell, treading on countless bodies and stained with countless blood, all for today. Being one person beneath ten thousand, or even beyond anyone’s control. Why can’t you give me this? If it were you instead of the Empress, at least this choice wouldn’t make me so sad. But Shu Cheng, I feel a bit sad now. I once had a cat that I liked when I was at Junzi Gate.” He raised his hand to his chest, his expression gentle. “It often accompanied me on missions. I started raising it when it was just a kitten, and after I had raised it, the leader of Junzi Gate suddenly wanted to taste cat meat and took a liking to that little cat. What do you think I should have done?”

When he spoke of the cat, I knew he was referring to me.

As I listened to his words, I felt a sense of bloodiness in them.

“I killed it, sliced it into pieces, and made it into soup, turned it into a hot pot, and ate it with the leader. Later, when I became the leader of Junzi Gate, I treated those who had eaten it the same way—skinned them, removed their bones, and made them into meat soup. Shu Cheng…” He reached out to touch my face with his hand, white as jade. But at that moment, I seemed to smell blood. Whether it was an illusion or reality, I couldn’t help but take a step back, my body trembling slightly.

He was taken aback for a moment and then smiled. He gently placed his hand on top of my head, stroking my hair as he said, “I will avenge you, don’t be afraid.”

—Just like with that cat, anyone who harms you or kills you will be repaid in kind.

My body trembled as I looked at the sorrow in his eyes, trying to suppress my fear as I asked, “What exactly happened?”

“The Empress won’t tolerate my betrayal.”

“But you’ve never truly betrayed,” I met his gaze, “It’s you who devised the plan for her, setting up this trap using my aunt’s case as bait, right?”

His movements stiffened, and his eyes were filled with pain: “Have you found the evidence? Or is it just what you think?”

“Is evidence necessary?” I sneered, “Isn’t it obvious?”

“Obvious…” He smiled as he withdrew his hand, touching his forehead and shaking his head, “What else do you know?”

“From the day Bai Shaotang injured Shen Cong, you intended to sneak into Shu family’s underground palace with Qin Yang, right?”

“Yes,” he took a deep breath, slowly looking up at me, “You’re correct, but so what?”

“On the way to the Valley of the Medicine King, you already knew about Shangguan Liulan and that if we returned even a day or a few hours earlier, we might have saved her. So you deliberately delayed us, right?”

“Yes.”

“And in the maze of the Valley of the Medicine King, when you opened the underground passage and deliberately closed the door above, it was because you knew that a trap had been set above. By blocking the entrance to the Valley, you ensured they had no way to retreat, correct?”

“Yes, that’s right.” He smiled at me, no longer hiding his arrogance. “You know everything, but so what? I’ve done all this. I’ve harmed your good friend, put you in danger, assisted the Empress in scheming against the Shu family, but so what?! Do you know what is most valuable?” He smiled, pointing to my chest with his fingertip, and said nonchalantly, “True feelings. I’ve done all this, but I’m not afraid at all because I know that even after all I’ve done, you still love me. Will you kill me over something like this?” He laughed heartily, “You couldn’t even scheme against me!”

Listening to his words, I couldn’t help but tremble uncontrollably.

My left hand clutched my right hand tightly, forcing myself to stay calm and not act against him. For the first time, I felt an intense urge to kill him.

But I couldn’t let him see this; I had to endure. So I gasped for breath, struggling to lift my head, and forced a smile at him.

•••

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50 Ye Cheng Fu

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