Peerless [倾国 ENG] Ch4
上一次更文时是八个月前的事了吧_(:3 」∠)_
真的不好意思脱了这么久才把倾国第四章的翻译发上来。觉得辜负了 @寂寞屠城 太太的期待。实在是没办法，因为IRL的事耽误了这么久。我也不能保证翻译会从此快一些所以在这里向大家道歉了(シ_ _)シ
合作翻译： @of.seven.seas
Peerless [倾国 ENG] (11671 words) by ofsevenseas, Leilyue
Chapters: 4/49
Fandom: 琅琊榜 | Nirvana in Fire (TV)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Lin Shu | Mei Changsu | Su Zhe/Xiao Jingyan, 靖苏
Characters: Lin Shu | Mei Changsu | Su Zhe, Xiao Jingyan
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Post-Canon, It's basically NiF 2, Translation
Summary: This is the story of how Jingyan, now Emperor, visits Langya moutain three times to find out if Mei Changsu is alive, and manages to keep him, against all odds.
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Chapter 4
Unexpectedly, the first person to visit the manor in search of Mei Changsu was not Meng Zhi, nor was it even Xiao Jingyan. Rather, it was Prince Qi, Xiao Tingsheng.
When the new emperor had ascended to the throne, he had acted with his customary lightning speed, and all matters regarding promotions, demotions, and the conferring of titles were completed within one month. He had promoted his mother to Empress Dowager, crowned his Empress, reorganized the palace staff, and granted a general amnesty in celebration, swift and decisive like thunder, leaving no time for so much as a twitch from onlookers. When, in the second month, all government matters were already back on track, the first order of business in Xiao Jingyan's new court was to pass an edict conferring the title of Prince Qi upon his adopted son, Xiao Tingsheng.
Even leaving aside the fact that an imperial title was inappropriate for his youth, the title itself raised considerable disapproval. Prince Qi and Prince Qi, though written differently, were still the same sound.[1] Despite the repeal and exoneration of those involved in the Chiyan case, Prince Qi's death still impaired the previous emperor's reputation, and was not easily spoken of. This new title would always remind the court and the people of the bloodsoaked history of Chiyan, and of imperial filicide. The imperial officials and the censorate felt that first, the title was inauspicious, and that second, it verged on violating the naming taboo. But Xiao Jingyan, legendary in his stubbornness, replied instead: "One who bears the name Qi, whether taken to mean 'together', or 'similar', is of the same essence.[2] Though Tingsheng is our adopted son in name, he is the eldest son of our heart. This title will serve to remind both ourself and the court to remember the injustice of Chiyan. It is also our hope that Tingsheng will follow the footsteps of our eldest imperial brother and be a prince of renowned virtue."
Despite the opposition, after Prince Qi received his title, he exceeded all expectations and, even in extreme youth, was truly comparable to the late Prince Qi in bearing. One after another, the rumors among the populace spread: that though Prince Qi was adopted by the Emperor and had the imperial surname of Xiao bestowed upon him, he was born of low status; or even that he was an ordinary palace slave conveniently taken by the strategist Su Zhe from the servant's prison to challenge the warrior Baili Qi, and thus named Tingsheng.[3] But there were also rumors claiming Tingsheng had shown extraordinary aptitude and thus caught General Meng's attention, and from there was recommended to Su Zhe. After the fight that defeated the warrior Baili Qi, Su Zhe gained great fame, but Tingsheng's contribution could not be denied. Thus both Su Zhe and Prince Jing took a liking to this child, one taking him as disciple and the other as adopted son, leading to Tingsheng's rapid progress in recent years. His success was as the saying went, 'the sun rose past bamboo poles, leaping a thousand miles in an instant'.[4] Of course, a lot of this was all hearsay, as neither His Majesty nor General Meng had ever personally confirmed the rumours. Su Zhe, the only other person in this matter, had also long vanished without a trace.Slowly, people lost interest in the new Prince Qi's origins, their attention instead taken by his brilliant talents and exceptional virtues.[5]
After bestowing the title, the Emperor did not really dote on Prince Qi. In fact, the manner of his education more closely resembled the way the previous Emperor had treated Prince Jing: studies before morning court, again late at night after returning to his manor, handling government affairs in the morning and practicing martial arts in the afternoon; if the assigned workload was not finished on time, punishments followed. Even so, there were many other tasks given to Prince Qi in the course of a normal day. He had already been sent out to patrol the borders several times within the same year, at his tender age; he had also been heaped with many thankless cases to judge, all of them sure to offend the involved parties. At a later date, the Emperor would not allow Prince Qi any complaints of hardship, and chose only to listen to the outcome of the cases.
Prince Qi was young; he lacked the dextrous handling required by many involved cases, and did not have the connections he needed in the bigger cases, and therefore many of the aggrieved parties would stonewall Prince Qi in front of the emperor. The Emperor did not show any favoritism, and as long as the accusations were proven to be Prince Qi's fault, he would be punished without exception. There were also cases that only peripherally involved Prince Qi, and yet he would be punished just the same. Despite the circumstances, Prince Qi, from beginning to end, had never uttered a single word complaining of suffering or injustice. He gained the ability to handle court affairs and patrol the borders, full of with life and dignity, never blaming himself or holding a grudge, never splitting hairs or becoming vindictive. Over time, even the officials who had previously found him objectionable would raise their thumbs up in approval.
It was this Prince Qi, who, when paying a visit to the Su residence, did it privately and dressed in commoner robes. Moreover, he paid his calls in the dusky twilight, and always by jumping over the manor walls.
Tingsheng was already seventeen. The imperial blood flowing within his veins gave him a bone-deep regality in his bearing, as he stood with a jade hairpin fastening his hair and a jade belt on his waist; his eyes conveyed intelligence and refinement with every glance, and he cut a dashing and elegant figure as he approached. When he walked into the gallery, his strides confident with the disposition of heavenly-ordained royalty. He cleverly dodged Fei Liu's attempt to capture him, and even Li Gang and Zhen Ping were caught unprepared. Mei Changsu stood up, halting Fei Liu.
"You came," he said with a smile, as if their meeting were a reunion after a long separation.
Tingsheng took a few steps forward and went down on one knee.
"Tingsheng pays his respects to Teacher," he said, excitement colouring his voice.
"Prince Qi, please rise," Mei Changsu said, his voice wavering a little as he attempted to lift Tingsheng with both hands.
"In front of Teacher, I do not dare to be called Prince Qi,"Tingsheng said, trembling the slightest bit as he bowed again.
"Nonsense, this title was granted personally by the Emperor. How could Prince Qi refuse that just because of one person?"Mei Changsu smiled, eyes teary.
"Then when Teacher meets my Lord Father tomorrow, please listen carefully to see if he would dare use the imperial we[6] in front of Teacher," Tingsheng replied.
Mei Changsu smiled. Tingsheng did not resist this time when Mei Changsu pulled him up. All the lingering unfamiliarity from two years of separation, the differences in status, all of these were washed away with that quip. Mei Changsu carefully observed Tingsheng's appearance, taking measure of him. It was as if the years of sorrow did not leave a single mark on this child. He was graceful and charming, with an imposing presence, just like his birth father.
If it were not for Zhen Ping and Li Gang bringing tea and then leaving, Mei Changsu was afraid he might have forgotten himself. He blinked away the tears in his eyes and sat down across from Tingsheng. He said slowly, "Your martial arts has improved a lot. Your character... has also improved immensely."
As if not noticing Mei Changsu's loss of composure, Tingsheng instead smiled. "My Lord Father personally appointed the Grand Tutor for my studies, Minister Shen Zhui for court politics, General Lie Zhanying for military affairs, Minister Cai Quan for all legal investigations, and little Prince Mu and General Nie Duo[7] as supervisors for general patrols. As for my martial arts, I was - obviously - taught by General Meng. With such support, how could I have not grown speedily as a strong sapling?"
Mei Changsu smiled gently at him. Indeed, he had grown. His wisdom had surpassed even Mei Changsu's expectations. Though Tingsheng appeared not to pay attention to Mei Changsu's mood, his every word, every tone was carefully controlled, and calculated to bring the right emotions to the surface. Through his expression, manner of speaking, and choice of phrase, he was telling Mei Changsu: "Everything is fine. Please be at ease."
Mei Changsu thought to himself that Prince Qi truly had a successor now, and even Jingyan had support with the ruling of his empire.[8] Unhurriedly, as if they were chatting about the weather, Mei Changsu filled Tingsheng's tea cup to the brim and smiled at him.
"It seems His Majesty must really dote upon you," he said.
"Dote? I'm good as long as my Lord Father doesn't chastise me."Tingsheng replied while laughing.
"His Majesty is perhaps a little too strict, but those on the inside know how his Majesty truly treats Prince Qi."
Hearing this, Tingsheng put down his cup and saluted with fists clasped, a resolute look on his face, and said, "Tingsheng owes Lord Father and Teacher a great favor, and Tingsheng would never forget for as long as Tingsheng lives!"
Mei Changsu smiled again, waving away his gestures. After all, he was not trying to test Prince Qi's loyalty.
They sat together, drinking their tea, talking about the events of the past few years. Most of the time Tingsheng spoke and Mei Changsu listened, as Tingsheng explained the affairs in the capital, and farther, to the whole of Da Liang and beyond. There were some things that Mei Changsu did not say, and some that Tingsheng did not ask. Many times during their conversation, Mei Changsu thought that perhaps it was Jingyang who more or less influenced Tingsheng to come visit. Otherwise, why would Tingsheng have been the first visitor - if it had not been Jingyan then it ought to have been Meng Zhi. However, if Jingyan did not lead Tingsheng to him, how could Tingsheng have known that Mei Changsu was back in the Capital, or to jump over the manor walls where there were the least guards around. And so, with every sentence of his chat with Tingsheng, Mei Changsu considered first what should and should not have been said, and also whether such a matter should have been passed to Jingyan's ears or not.
In all respects, Tingsheng's conversation fell well within the bounds of propriety. Mei Changshu found both joy and worry in this proof of Tingsheng's maturity. This was a child who once stole books and insisted on self-reliance even within the palace slave quarters, who now observed all the protocols, almost excessively. This measure of control was utterly unexpected in someone his age. It was as if he knew exactly which topics to avoid whilst conversing with Mei Changsu. Every time unsuitable topics were brought up, he always skillfully diverted the conversation to another topic. Moreover, every issue he brought up happened to be a matter Mei Changsu was concerned about. Gradually, Mei Changsu felt the different gaps line themselves up, revealing clues to a vital problem.
He heated the teapot on the fire for a few moments and warmed his hands, and took advantage of the lull in the conversation to ask bluntly, "Are things in Xianzhou becoming troublesome?"
Tingsheng very clearly gave himself time to pause and think before answering, a small smile on his face. "As expected, nothing gets past Teacher."
Mei Changsu also smiled slightly. "Why didn't you tell me directly?"
"Father said that Teacher is still recovering, and should not worry." Tingsheng replied.
For a moment, Mei Changsu was silent as he considered - even if he tried not to worry, he would still do so. He had already chosen to return to Jinling; how could he avoid worrying? Jingyan had always prioritised affairs of state, so why would he start fussing over trivialities now?
He continued in thought, and said slowly, "Report back to His Majesty, and tell him to cut off all official and mercantile trade Xianzhou has with foreign powers."
When his words sunk in, even Tingsheng experienced a moment of shock.
"Teacher?"
Mei Changsu nodded slightly, and said nothing else. After not too long, Tingsheng gradually became more and more serious.
"What Teacher said was very correct. Xianzhou is a very barren area; if they want to have an army, they must first raise one. But if they want to sustain an army, Prince Xian would need money and grain. It would not be possible to get the money and grain from inside Xianzhou, so they most likely originate from foreign sources. As long as outgoing connections are severed, even if messages could be sent out, the money and grain would not be able to appear of their own volition."
Mei Changsu maintained a tranquil silence. Tingsheng saluted him with clasped fists. "Teacher is truly a great talent, to strike straight to the heart of the matter."
"My suggestion will treat the symptoms but not the root of the disease," Mei Changsu said.
While thinking, Tingsheng said, "I understand what Teacher is worried about. Da Liang has already faced invasions from all four sides at once, but they failed, so they will seek to attack us by creating internal strife. Though the empire may rise or fall, responsibility falls on everyone.[9] I am untalented, but I wish to bear some of these burdens for Father's sake."
Mei Changsu fell into contemplation once more. Then, suddenly, he asked, "Has your Lord Father been stalled by this matter in court?"
Jingyan had been willing to exchange the pearl, back then, to compel him to emerge, but now a month had gone by without his making any appearances. Mei Changsu was forced to conclude that Jingyan must be facing a crucial problem.
Hearing that, Tingsheng's expression turned grave. Though it was only momentary, Mei Changsu caught the change nonetheless. However capable Prince Qi was, he was still young. As for Mei Changsu? Ever since his rebirth at Meiling, he had become shrewd and perspicacious beyond measure.
"If you prefer not to say it, then don't. As Su Zhe is merely a commoner, there's no need for me to know about matters in court," he said calmly.
Though the remark gave the impression that he was backing down, in truth he was pushing forward by appearing to back down. By disparaging himself, he made Tingsheng feel guilty and ashamed. Though seemingly nonchalant, the remark was, in fact, deliberately calculated to provoke.
As expected, Tingsheng could not hold on to his neutrality for long. He rose suddenly and bowed, with his head close to the floor.
"Teacher should not undervalue yourself. Father just wanted to conceal this matter from Teacher. But Teacher is wise and has shown great kindness to me, so I could not bear to say it," he replied.
"What is such an important matter that His Majesty would want to you to come first and put me at ease?" Mei Changsu asked lightly, getting up to pull Tingsheng to his feet.
There it was. If Meng Zhi had come, he would have let the truth slip within a few words. Although Tingsheng was young, he was sufficiently resolute not to slip up. But Jingyan, oh Jingyan, since you have already called me back, how could you claim the right to hide things from me?
Tingsheng said nothing, and refused to get up from the floor.
Weighing his voice down with seriousness, Mei Changsu asked, "You prefer not to say it, but I will find out regardless, or does His Majesty intend to send me back to Langya Manor?"
Tingsheng saw that he could no longer conceal the truth. He had no choice but to bow, still on the floor, and said, "Lord Father's son, who was just one year old, had passed away only two days ago. Lord Father had given a verbal order that this matter must be kept a secret until we could verify the cause of death. Irrefutable evidence has been found in the palace today. It would seem that my little brother's funeral will most likely be held tomorrow."
After that, Tingsheng broke down in tears. Hearing this admission, Mei Changsu stumbled, his poise shattered. He had not even met Jingyan's only son yet, and... he was already dead? Mei Changsu steadied himself and slowly sat down. Holding back the ache in his heart, he asked, "What was the cause?"
Once again, Tingsheng became solemn and grave.
"If I truly wished to investigate, you could not hide it from me," Mei Changsu sighed.
Upon hearing this, Tingsheng sat still for a while. Then, bowing again, he said two words quietly.
"Palace intrigues."[10]
Notes:
[1]齐 and 祁: The former used for Xiao Tingsheng, meaning "identical, level with"; the latter used for Prince Qi, Xiao Jingyu, meaning "vast, abundant". Same pronunciation, same tone.
[2]齐者，同也: Lit. One who is identical is the same. In this case it's also "One who is Qi is the same" because 齐 and 同 means about the same, and Jingyan is emphasizing that fact.
[3]庭生 lit. born in Yeyouting (servant's prison).
[4]竿头日上一瞬千里 lit. the sun rises above bamboo tip (success), passing a thousand miles in an instant. Describes quick academic progress.
[5]怀瑾握瑜 lit. hold gems in one's bosom and jade in one's hand; fig. Be in possession of learning and virtue; Used to describe Tingsheng's virtues.
[6]朕 zhèn - the original generic first-person pronoun, arrogated to the emperors during the reign of Qin Shi Huang. The closest English equivalent would be the royal we.
T/N:
In fact, in many cases in this translation, we've forgone the more literal translation of the honorifics for the sake of clarity but we've lost the nuances in terms of formality in the language. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_honorifics#Emperors.2C_Kings_and_the_imperial_family[7]聂铎 Nie Duo, Nie Feng's younger brother, book-only character. Was the one sent out to help Nihuang with the Southern Chu linked-ship tactics and in that time, fell in love with Nihuang. By the end of the book, they were married.
[8]江山 - lit. rivers and mountains. Fig. kingdom/empire/nation.
[9]国家兴亡匹夫有责 - the rise and fall of the nation concerns everyone; or everyone bears responsibility for the prosperity of society
[10]宫斗 - lit. palace fights, can take place in inner palace (empresses & consorts) or outer palace (court politics), clearly visible to all or in the form of conspiracies.
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