《一世真》中英翻译 CH.18
飞流小美人上线啦！（大虐还会远么 xD)
---------------------------
After sending Nihuang off on the seventh of January, Lin Shu goes to the emperor with a request to return to his base. The emperor, however, has his own agenda of keeping Lin Shu in the capital. His main incentive of sending him away to the East Sea all those years ago was to delay his marriage with Nihuang, and now with her in mourning, they wouldn't be talking about marriage for at least another three years. So there is no pressing reason for sending Lin Shu away. Rather, with him in the capital, it would be great if he could mold Lin Shu to be his loyal servant, otherwise, he'd even be content if Lin Shu could join either Prince Yu or Prince Xian's faction.
“The Grand Empress and your Mother have both asked me not to send you away this time. With your Father also stationed far away, don't you think you should bare the responsibility of taking care of your Mother and your household? Or perhaps you'd like to move into your own place?” proposes the emperor kindly, knowing that given Lin Shu's status, he needs to be married in order to move out, and he certainly cannot marry Nihuang anytime soon. In his eyes, Lin Shu is a guileless child who is easily tempted by the slightest reward.
Lin Shu has yet to speak when Prince Yu chimes in, “That would be great, please allow me to choose a good place for your new residence, Xiaoshu!”
The emperor waves a dismissive hand at his son, “Don't you worry about this, the Grand Empress would want to personally arrange for it. Lin Shu, would you prefer to be closer to Prince Qi's place, or Jingyan's?”
Lin Shu takes a step forward and kneels, “Your Majesty, I would still like to hone my skills outside the capital.”
The emperor raises a bewildered eyebrow, yet there is no surprise in his voice, “Why?”
“Many of our troops suffer from lax discipline, and we are constantly threatened by formidable enemies from all around the borders. I do not believe this is a good time to be idle in the capital,”with that Lin Shu hands a report to the emperor, “This is the newest weapon developed by the Northern Yu, they've been waiting for the perfect chance to strike.”
The emperor looks at the sketch on the paper with apprehension-- even the walls of the capital may not be able to withstand this kind of destructive weapon. He asks Lin Shu where the intelligence comes from and seems satisfied with his detailed reply.
“If that's the case, instead of going back to Bianzhou, you will go to the Northern borders. I shall have the Ministry of Revenue arrange for appropriate funds to strengthen the defenses there,”he orders.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“I'll just have to bear the blame again for you from the Grand Empress and Your Mother, they would not be happy that I let you go,” chuckles the emperor, shaking his head at Lin Shu,“I will have your new residence arranged as a reward when you come back.”
--------------------------------------------
Stepping out of the hall, Lin Shu hears Prince Yu calling his name from behind. Commander Meng Zhi happens to walk towards them and notices Lin Shu's annoyed frown with his back to the Prince.
Lin Shu has a possessive streak a mile long; he does not like others touching his things, nor does he allow people to call him‘Xiaoshu’lightly. Not including his pals in the army, Prince Jing is the only one of their age who has that privilege.
Prince Yu jogs a few steps to catch up to Lin Shu, he laughs, “As expected of someone from the army, you certainly walk fast.”
Lin Shu pauses and pretends to just have noticed the other man's presence, he gives a bow and asks, “Anything I can do for you, Your Highness?”
“Can't I just be friendly?” the prince pats him on the shoulder in a good-natured way, “It's been a long time since I've last seen you. You are not leaving before the fifteenth right? How about come to my place for tea, and we can catch up?”
Before Lin Shu even formulates a reply, he continues, “I've just gotten my hands on a few treatises written by Master Li Chong a year ago, you weren't in the capital then so you've probably not read them. I'll show them to you when you come.”
“Really? What is it?”at the mention of Li Chong's work, Lin Shu's interest is immediately piqued.
“There are two full volumes! Master Li is the most erudite scholar in the capital, it has to be more than a mere booklet!” Prince Yu's smile widens,“I think His Majesty intends for you to remain here, and with your Father absent, we need competent military generals in the capital.”
“Commander Meng Zhi is highly skilled, too,” Lin Shu says, causing the man mentioned to stutter out humbled thank-yous.
“Of course he is,” Prince Yu hurries to agree, “However, I remember that two years ago there was a chance for Commander Meng to be transferred into the Imperial Guards, but for some reason Jingyan kept delaying his transfer request, causing him to serve in various other corps for more than a year. If Jingyan had not opposed, Mr. Meng would have been the Commander long ago, and perhaps the murder on New Year's Eve would not have happened either.”
Meng Zhi glances at Lin Shu's rapidly darkening expression and rushes to explain, “I was not sufficiently experienced nor respected at the time, perhaps that was Prince Jing's consideration too.”
“You are being too humble, Commander. This brother of mine is truly quite fastidious sometimes, even when it came to Xiaoshu,” Prince Yu turns to face the other man, “For instance, when you asked to join the battles in the South against the Chu, he was probably thinking that there would be no one else to train and manage the troops in the capital so he opposed your request with all his might, and His Majesty conceded. Then, whenever someone even mentions to transfer you back to the capital, he was also the one voicing dissent……”
Meng Zhi feels his ire bubble to the surface as he listens to Prince Yu's disparaging comments towards Jingyan. Lin Shu, on the other hand, seems utterly absorbed in the narrative, nodding at all the appropriate points, and before they part ways, has even made arrangements to visit Prince Yu the next day.
------------------------------------------------
As soon as he returns home, Prince Yu summons his men to make accommodations for Lin Shu's upcoming visit.
“Why does Your Highness bother to treat Lin Shu with such consideration?” asks one of his advisors, “After all, he is close with both Prince Qi and Prince Jing…….”
“Actually, the one closer to Prince Qi is Lin Xie, Lin Shu has always been friends with Jingyan when they were young.”
“Then if he is in Prince Jing's camp, why does Your Highness wish to keep him in the capital?” the advisor is baffled.
“Oh, he is not in Jingyan's camp,” the Prince replies with certainty. According to his sources, Lin Shu has not once visited Jingyan since he came back for New Year's. All he's done is to take Princess Nihuang shopping at some tailor shops that only opened at his behest. He has a large friend circle in the capital, most of whom wealthy nobility, so it only took them a couple of days to buy enough clothing to last Nihuang the next few years. Lin Shu's mother, along with the Grand Empress, have also prepared several carriages full of clothes and food for the young Mu Qing.
“Although he is smart, Lin Shu is still just an unsophisticated kid. He cares the most about loyalty and friendship, and loathes the most those scheming men of the court. After hearing my much embellished version of Jingyan's‘impressive' accomplishments in the past few years, he'd never want to befriend him again, never mind supporting him politically,” Prince Yu pauses, “As for Prince Qi, he's not changed that blunt mouth of his one bit in the past few years; it's only a matter of time when His Majesty stops tolerating him. At that point, Lin Shu would be ripe for the taking, and I want him to choose me.”
“Then I shall go search for more of Master Li Chong's manuscripts,” bows the advisor.
The prince nods, “It would be a shame if we cannot recruit someone like him, who knows the way of the military and also controls his own troops. But we must convince him with our sincerity, not with financial incentives. Those manuscripts are a gift of goodwill, and with time I will make him see my genuine intentions,” he sighs with mocking disappointment, “Oh Jingyan, you've preserved the capital at the cost of Lin Shu and the Chiyan army, what a colossal mistake that was!”
---------------------------------------------
Outside the palace gates, once Prince Yu is out of earshot, an agitated Meng Zhi drags Lin Shu to a corner and whispers urgently, “Don't listen to what Prince Yu was saying, Prince Jing definitely didn't do anything to hinder my interests. On the matter of Nie Feng, he's also been---”
“I trust Jingyan,” Lin Shu cuts him off, “But there are so many things I don't know about, and he won't tell me.”
“You trust him?” Meng Zhi wipes away the nervous sweat from his forehead, “Then why did you ask Prince Yu about him? What good could have come out of that mouth?”
Lin Shu smiles, a forlorn expression settling onto his usually bright face, “I asked him because Jingyan wouldn't tell me what exactly he's done in those past years. My Father does not know more than I do, and Mother does not care about those things, so in the entire city no one can answer my questions as well as Prince Yu, why wouldn't I ask him?”
“But you are not thinking of joining Prince Yu, right?” Meng Zhi asks a bit nervously.
“Nope. I find him disgusting,” Lin Shu winks at him mischievously, “That's why I can't leave my Master Li's manuscripts in his hands, I have to get them back.”
“Xiaoshu...I heard from Prince Yu just now that you might be moving out.......”
“That's His Majesty's idea. He merely wants to diffuse our power and influence,” he casually points out the emperor's true intentions, “I told him I wanted to go back to the military.”
“You are not staying in the capital?”
“To do what?”
“To help Prince Jing, of course!” Meng Zhi answers without a pause, convinced that it would be the only solution. To his surprise, Lin Shu shakes his head.
“It is my intention to leave the capital. Jingyan has also told me that if I stay here in the middle of all the power struggles, one misstep could endanger my entire family,” he continues in a lower voice, “Plus, right now Jingyan doesn't need my help, and I wouldn't......”
His determined tone has changed into a mere whisper in the end, and after a long pause, he still hasn't finished that sentence.
------------------------------------
Lin Shu has left the capital just after the fifteenth. Meng Zhi, Xia Dong and Nie Feng, plus the younger Jingrui and Yujin have all gone to send him off. He did not invite anyone else, so Jingyan did not go.
When the snow begins to melt, Jingyan is summoned by the emperor again, this time regarding the murder case of the envoys on New Year's Eve.
“I know you've been working hard lately, but Xia Jiang has taken ill, Xia Chun and Xia Qiu have been injured by some unknown pugilist fighters, and Meng Zhi has always been in the military, I cannot expect him to conduct an investigation. So only you can take on the duty to find the culprits.”
Jingyan knows that Tianquan Manor was behind the case. Last time they only attacked one team of envoys to test the waters; this time around, Xie Yu was probably determined to seize the position as Commander of the Imperial Guards, so they tried to kill everyone. He must have been furious to find out that Meng Zhi escaped his assassins and then went on to become the Commander. Before Xie Yu accomplishes his goal, he would utilize every mean possible to thwart the investigation efforts. And this time, without the pugilist support and protection from the Jiangzuo Alliance, Jingyan's involvement in the case would surely come with danger.
The emperor, however, does not seem to have detected anything amiss with his order, as he continues to flip through the reports in front of them. After a long pause, he asks casually, “One more thing, I heard that you went out of the city with a group of men a few days ago?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I received information that someone had escaped from a Hua group, so I chased after them.”
“Did you catch them? Who was it?” the emperor leans forward on his desk, his voice barely a whisper.
“.......It was the concubine of a merchant who escaped with the help of her servants.”
“Are you sure?” presses the emperor.
“I brought two Hua to identify her and they said they didn't know who she was, so we are sure that she wasn't royalty.”
The emperor nods absently; as long as the knife is still hanging above his head, he would never find peace. He asks again, “Then what happened to her?”
“Dead,” replies Jingyan emotionlessly.
“Dead...I see. You've done well,” he then adds with a milder tone, “Bring more people with you on the investigation. Be careful.”
-----------------------------------------
The reality is often different from what one expects. A mere fortnight into the investigation, Jingyan and his men have been ambushed twice. Tonight he's been attacked on his way home. When he is busy engaging the assassins, a masked figure jumps into the fight from a tree. Everyone seems to freeze, not because of his sudden appearance, but because of his small stature. His face masked, he looks no more than eight or nine.
For such a small body, his skills are astonishing. One by one the assassins are cut down within the blink of an eye.
“Your Highness! Are you alright?” Meng Zhi rushes towards them, having been alerted by the commotion. He catches sight of the boy and exclaims in disbelief, “Fei Liu?!”
