Chapter 9: 9

Chapter 9 Life hangs by a thread

In the dim prison, Yunqi and Tuoba Feng sat with their backs against the damp wall.

The Jinyiwei Commander and Deputy Commander had been separated into two adjacent prison cells. A moss-covered brick wall stood between their backs. Tuoba Feng extended his hand from the iron bars, as he probed around behind him, fumbling blindly for a bit. Yunqi reached out too, taking hold of Tuoba Yan’s hand.

Tuoba Feng spoke quietly, “You are really too bold, you actually considered throwing the cicada wing knife at the Emperor earlier?”

Yunqi laughed, and replied, “He who is unafraid of death by a thousand cuts, dares to drag the Emperor off his horse [1]” 

Tuoba Feng’s fingers flexed before he awkwardly interlocked his fingers with Yunqi’s, and asked, “ Aren’t you afraid that your nine clans will be exterminated?” Yunqi could feel the warmth of Tuoba Feng’s hand, and answered, “ He wouldn’t dare exterminate my nine clans…they’re all nobility and relatives of the imperial family. According to reason, he’ll only put one person to death.”

Tuoba Feng said unhappily, “Therefore you…” Yunqi replied with an “En”, “Anyway, whatever the case, since the Emperor is going to kill me anyway, why don’t I just brazenly commit the crime of regicide in the court itself, and you can strike me down then…” 

“In this manner, after my death, your position will be secured. The minister who defends his master will receive an iron voucher [2] – Yunwen wouldn’t dare do anything to you in the future.”

Tuoba Feng’s grip on his hands tightened painfully. Yunqi laughed again, “Shi-ge, the Emperor will only imprison you for a few days. Once I’m dead, you’ll be able to get out. The one hundred and twenty taels of silver in that chest in my room, will all belong to you.”

Tuoba Feng remained silent. Yunqi spoke again, “The last time I went into your room, I found two…”

Before he’d finished speaking, hasty footsteps sounded from outside the prison. The keys at the prison guard’s waist jingled loudly, Tuoba Feng turned abruptly, holding Yunqi’s hand in a death grip, he yanked him against the iron bars, howling, “No! No!”

Yunqi’s shoulder was half-pressed against the iron bars, the side of his face plastered against the damp and icy cold stone wall, he shut his eyes, and spoke in a shaky voice, “Shi-ge, Yunqi will leave now…” At that moment, Tuoba Feng was like a maddened beast as he rammed himself against the prison door, screaming himself hoarse, “Don’t kill him! I want to meet the Emperor! Let me die!”

“What’s going on?” Zhu Di suddenly appeared in their line of sight, and was utterly baffled as he stared at Yunqi and Tuoba Feng, “Shixiong-di [3] practicing their martial arts?”

Both men were speechless with astonishment. Read this on SassyStrawberryDotCom

Zhu Di instructed, “ Open the door, open the door. Xiao-jiu-zi, how’d you get locked up in here?” Yunqi was at a loss, and asked, “What’s the situation now?”

The jailer couldn’t stop rummaging through his prison keys. Zhu Di smacked the back of his skull, and bit out angrily, “Scram!” He abruptly snatched away the keys and opened the cell doors. He put his hand on Yunqi’s shoulder and bade him to come out. He then left orders, “Feng-er, stay in the prison for a few more days.”

Yunqi let out a sigh of relief, as he was enveloped by an indescribable sensation of fatigue. Since Zhu Di spoke like this, things were likely to be alright. Yunqi angled his body as he exited the prison cell. Zhu Di set his hand on Yunqi’s shoulder, picking off the straw and brushing off the dust. Yunqi spoke to Tuoba Feng through the prison bars, “ Then I…will go have a look first.”

Tuoba Feng’s eyes revealed an unreadable expression as he stared fixedly at Zhu Di.

Zhu Di said, “Just now, Yunwen fainted after holding vigil before the coffin. I don’t know what happened, it’s like he’s trapped in a nightmare. The Emperor bade me bring you to have a look at him.”

Yunqi glanced at Tuoba Feng and asked, “What’s going on with you?”

Tuoba Feng said, “ Prince of Yan, you must guarantee that nothing will happen to Yunqi.”  09nue[b0r8uaw[brny0[qr

Zhu Di met Tuoba Feng’s gaze for a moment, before nodding.

Tuoba Feng spoke again, “Say it.”Aggregators and reposters suck.

Zhu Di said, “Feng-er, don’t worry. Nothing will happen to Yunqi.” 

Tuoba Feng spoke up suddenly in the spacious and empty corridor, “Yunqi, goodbye [4].”

Yunqi stood at the exit of the Imperial Prison, his heart was suddenly battered by these words. Yunqi glanced back and frowned slightly, “What do you mean?” Just as he turned around, he was held back by Zhu Di. Zhu Di reminded him repeatedly, “Don’t be so long-winded. Hurry up and leave, the Emperor is waiting!”

Tuoba Feng watched dully as Yunqi and Zhu Di left.Read on https://sassystrawberry.com/

After Yunqi had gone, in less than ten minutes, a man wearing the uniform of the Prince of Yan’s bodyguards entered the prison, bearing a wooden tray in his hands.

On that wooden tray was a flask of wine and a single cup.

Zhu Di brought Yunqi along as they hurried into Yanhe Palace [5]. The darkness of night had fallen completely, and the palace was ablaze with lights. Outside the palace stood a whole crowd of people. Zhu Yunwen lay on the bed, his limbs convulsing, foaming from his mouth as he mumbled unintelligibly.

“ When did he get bewitched by an evil spirit [6]?”  Yunqi shouted, “Everyone give way a little, let me have a look!”

The young eunuch on the ground stuttered as he responded, “Just now… the Imperial Grandson… went to hold vigil for the end of the 7-week ritual, and had…had… us slaves [7] go away. He was in the hall burning…burning…paper money…burning and burning… then suddenly his soul flew straight out of the Imperial Garden…and stood firmly on the wall over there…then ascended to Heaven…”

Yunqi was burning up with anxiety. He had assumed that Yunwen had devised this method to aid him and Tuoba Feng in extricating themselves, but unexpectedly he’d really run into evil spirits!  Zhu Di replied, “The Emperor already had the Imperial Physicians over, and they’ve left. The Imperial Physicians couldn’t find anything wrong with him, and said it’s supernatural…” Yunqi pulled Huang Zicheng away and came to the front. He peeled open one of Zhu Yunwen’s eyelids to have a look. Zhu Yunwen’s body had a particular fragrance.

“Imperial Grandson? I’m Yun-ge’er, do you recognize me?” Yunqi asked anxiously and reached out to take Zhu Yunwen’s pulse. Zhu Yunwen said “Huh~Huh” several times, and clutched at Yunqi’s sleeve. Yunqi had never seen anyone who’d encountered evil spirits before and didn’t really believe in the existence of ghosts who would demand one’s life. Anyway, if one took ten thousand steps back to look at the situation objectively; Zhu Biao was Zhu Yunwen’s own father – even if he had become a ghost, how would he harm his own son?”

Yunqi lowered his head and sniffed at Zhu Yunwen’s breath, moving in extremely close. Zhu Yunwen’s extremely labored breaths bore a sweet fragrance. Yunqi immediately understood.

He’d been poisoned!

Yunqi didn’t have time to consider the matter carefully,  and yelled, “It’s not evil spirits! Go send for the Imperial Physicians, and bring me a silver needle and fire bottle!” As he spoke, Yunqi pulled out his handkerchief and hurriedly wiped away the dirty mess in Yunwen’s mouth. He exhaled deeply, getting the air out of his lungs. His fingers clamped down on Yunwen’s nose as he abruptly stooped down to use his mouth to seal Yunwen’s lips. Yunqi inhaled deeply with all his strength. Yunwen’s face turned a deathly white, as the crowd of eunuchs cried out in fear.

Yunqi separated from Yunwen; Yunwen lay on the bed, as Yunqi knelt on the floor, both coughing violently.

Yunqi gasped for breath as he coughed out a mouthful of bloody foam. He again lunged onto the couch and pressed down the constantly spasming Yunwen. Having repeated this several times, Yunwen’s ashen complexion had faded somewhat, and his face regained some vitality.

Zhu Di brought with back a large group of Imperial Physicians as they rushed back to the palace. Upon seeing Yunqi’s lips pressed against Yunwen’s, his complexion immediately turned pale. Yunqi turned his head, and from the corner of his lips still had flecks of blood from when he’d coughed earlier. He said, “Hurry bring the silver needle over!”

Zhu Yuanzhang’s complexion was livid, as he stood nearby quietly watching Yunqi.

Yunqi took the silver needle, and seared it in the fire bottle for a moment, before grabbing Yunwen’s hand, ”Yunwen!” After which he inserted the silver needle under Yunwen’s nail. Zhu Yunwen opened his eyes, his gaze glassy as he gasped once for air, coughing out a mouthful of blood.  “Yunwen!” Yunqi inserted the second silver needle in, this time Yunwen cried out loudly, “Ah!”  As he started to respire desperately.

Zhu Yunwen’s lax pupils finally seemed to recover some energy, as he stared blankly at Yunqi, incredibly feeble. He nodded, his hoarse voice extremely dry and coarse.  “Yun…Yun…”

Yunqi breathed a sigh of relief, as he motioned for him not to speak. He hugged Zhu Yunwen to let him sleep soundly. His back was as soaked with cold sweat as if he’d suffered from heat exhaustion. Yunqi got up and withdrew. The Imperial Physicians rushed over like a swarm of bees to check on  Zhu Yunwen’s condition.

Zhu Yuanzhang had come later, and was just about to question him, when Zhu Di asked, “Yunqi, are you alright?”

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Yunqi couldn’t stop coughing, he could feel that the poison smoke from Zhu Yunwen had been extremely potent, and was unable to speak for a while. He could only press against his chest and point towards the palace. Zhu Di hurriedly came forward to support him, and said, “I’ll call the Imperial Physician to have a look at you?”

Zhu Yuanzheng said gravely, “Let him go out for some air. You can ask him about your suspicions later.”

Yunqi nodded and broke away from Zhu Di. He knelt down to bow to Zhu Yuanzhang, before stumbling out of Yanhe Palace towards the Imperial Garden.

Being poisoned by inhalation, the poisonous smoke… Yunqi supported himself on the artificial rockery, as he gulped air for several moments. His mind regained its clarity, and he narrowed his eyes.

At this time, he was the only person who knew that Yunwen was poisoned, and not cursed or possessed. What was this about? Someone wanted to murder the Imperial Grandson?! How did he inhale poisonous smoke in the mourning hall?

Yunqi walked to the mourning hall which was on the other side of the Imperial Gardens. He noticed that everything was in a state of disorder, it appeared that after Zhu Yunwen passed out, none made the effort to man this place.

A eunuch was currently cleaning up the mourning hall, his footsteps unsteady. The autumn winds gusted, sending the ashes in the fire bucket flying upwards towards the jade coffin behind the white gauze curtain.

The moment that Yunqi entered the mourning hall, he smelt the sweet fragrance, which was the same as that of the poisoned smoke clinging to Zhu Yunwen’s body.

A piece of paper money was carried by the wind and flew out into the Imperial Garden.

Yunqi’s hands and feet immediately were chilled by an icy cold sensation.

He went forward to grab at that young eunuch to ask, “Yesterday afternoon when the Imperial Grandson was watching over the coffin, did anyone come by?” That young eunuch was stunned, and after a long while, he trembled with fear as he squeezed out some words, “The Jin…Jinyiwei Commander came to look at the mourning hall.”

The piece of paper money that Zhu Di had left in the corner of the wall… Tuoba Feng clutching a stack of paper that he hid within the room… Zhu Yunwen burning the paper money in an offering to his father… In that instant, the countless details that had been carefully overlooked were now clearly strung together, inextricably linked to form a clue.

At that moment, Yunqi spun around and raced towards the Imperial prison.

 

The iron bars made a deafening noise, as Yunqi roared, “Lao-Ba!” Translator: SassyStrawberry 

Tuoba Feng’s back was to the prison door, as he huddled on the ground. Upon hearing Yunqi’s voice, his shoulder twitched as if he wanted to turn back, but resisted the impulse. “It was you who put the paper money in the mourning hall?!” Yunqi shouted angrily, “Was it my Jiefu who passed it to you?!” “Why did you want to murder Yunwen!” “ Answer me!” Aggregators and reposters suck.

Tuoba Feng spoke intermittently, “The Prince of Yan…showed my clansmen grace…” Yunqi was in a state of disbelief. Tuoba Feng’s tall and broad body seemed to be extremely fearful, curling up in a ball as he constantly convulsed and panted rapidly. Yunqi roared, “I misjudged you!” Translator: SassyStrawberry 

Yunqi yanked out the knife at his waist and slashed wildly at the iron bars as if he’d gone insane. He roared, “Tuoba Feng! Wait for death!”

“Yunqi…Yun…don’t go…” Tuoba Feng implored weakly.

Tears streamed down Yunqi’s face as he sighed plaintively. He tossed aside his knife and muttered, “How can it be like this…my Jiefu…my…Shi-ge…we’re all finished.”

Tuoba Feng coughed violently a few times, a thread of fresh blood ran from the corner of his mouth, and asked, “The Imperial Grandson…is dead?”

Yunqi replied woodenly, “No. I saved him. If the Emperor pursues the matter, everyone will die together.”

“ You’ve all gone mad!” Yunqi grabbed at the iron bars and shook them with all his strength, “All gone mad!”

After a spate of shivering, Tuoba Feng hung his head.Read on https://sassystrawberry.com/  Don’t repost my translation.

Yunqi inhaled deeply and suddenly realized that something was not right.

He’d been in the Imperial Prison for a while, why wasn’t there anyone there? Where had the jailers gone?! Yunqi hurriedly turned to look around. Eyes wide and staring, the jailer’s corpse lay beneath the table In that instant, a chill ran down Yunqi’s spine, as he thought of the worst-case scenario. “Lao-Ba!” Yunqi turned his head to look toward the prison cell.

He couldn’t hear Tuoba Feng’s response.

Yunqi hurriedly rummaged through the keys at the jailer’s waist and opened the door of Tuoba Feng’s cell.

He trembled as he turned Tuoba Feng over, his voice quivering as he said, “Shi-ge…” “Shi-ge?”

Tuoba Feng’s eyes were shut tightly, his breathing as light as a gossamer thread. His lips were already ashen with the signs of severe poisoning. Yunqi picked up the wine cup that had fallen into the hay. He dipped into it with a finger and despaired as he examined it under the dim lights.

 

Seventeen years ago at Mount Kongtong [9]. 

Martially attired in steel armor, Xu Da who was over sixty years old, rejoiced at the birth of his son. The person who played weiqi with him was an old Taoist. His Taoist robes were greasy and slovenly, but his countenance was that of divine poise and sage-like features. The old Taoist’s voice was resonant, “How about naming him “Yunqi”, when you walk to the water’s end, sit down and watch the clouds rise [10]. Your son will accomplish great deeds in the future, in compliance with your Ming Sect’s goal to recover the mountains and rivers of the world. In the shade of the willow trees, he will face the trials of being the flower that glimmers with hope.”

Xu Da smiled with understanding, “Yunqi, a good name;  I’ve never asked for Daozhang’s Immortal title?” The old Taoist smiled but did not speak, as if he were pondering something. He brought out a paper bag and set it on the chessboard, before replying, “This humble Taoist has no Taoist title. My secular surname is Zhang.” “Taoist Zhang, this is…” Xu Da asked in astonishment. St0l3n Translati0n

The old Taoist stroked his beard and smiled, “This is a gift that my late teacher gave me. Inside is one pill of Shaolin [11]’s secret medicine “Kurong Zaohua Pill [12]”, one “Summon the wind and call for Rain” Talisman, and one ancient treasure knife, called “Cicada Wings” – it is two ‘cun’ in circumference. If you blow a piece of hair against it, it will be sheared in half. It can cut through iron as if it were soft mud. These three treasures were left in my hands, but I have no great use for them. It is fate that I gift them all to your young son.”

“Kurong…Zaohua Pill.”

Yunqi half-carried Tuoba Feng, and loosened the red string tied around his own neck, taking out a tiny cloth bag that he’d been wearing all along.

He drew out a yellowed talisman paper from the bag and unfolded it. Wrapped in the talismanic paper was a jet-black medicinal pill. He then fed it to Tuoba Feng. Subconsciously he bent down and hugged Tuoba Feng’s neck, his face just in front of the former’s nose. Tuoba Feng’s breathing was as faint as a gossamer thread. After a long time, warmth gradually returned to that icy body.

Yunqi felt enveloped by a sudden wave of exhaustion. The sounds of distant drums roused him. Yunqi hastily got to his feet, and placed Tuoba Feng on his back, carrying him with great difficulty. He walked out of the Imperial Prison. The Imperial Gardens were empty and silent. Yunqi’s heartbeat was agitated, almost as if it would jump out of his throat. He walked through the dark night, towards the inner palace.

“Shi-ge…?” Yunqi’s voice shook. Don’t read on this aggregator shitty site.

“En.” Tuoba Feng whispered in reply. Yunqi could feel that his breaths had regained their warmth, as his breaths fell faintly by the side of Yunqi’s neck. Yunqi let out a sigh of relief.

He’d been brought back to life, but where would they go next?”

He hadn’t considered it properly, only knowing that if Tuoba Feng remains in the palace, he would definitely die. Once this matter is uncovered, it would be a major case implicating countless people…

He walked ahead blindly, and suddenly realized that whilst carrying Tuoba Feng on his back, he’d returned to the great courtyard where the Jinyiwei resided.  

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