Nothing terrified Yan Ge more than Emperor Yuan’s hand on her head.
There was an urge to chop it off...
Of course, the hair did not need to be washed. The palace servanats swarmed up to set up the chessboard and helped Yan Ge lie down in a more comfortable position.
Emperor Yuan saw that Yan Ge was still in a daze, and asked: "What's the matter?"
Yan Ge quickly shook her head: "Nothing."
She didn’t think there was anything wrong with her. To be honest, she thought there was something strange about Emperor Yuan today.
Although her chest injury was not good, she was able to get out of bed and walk. However, Emperor Yuan took care of her like a porcelain doll, and she was pampered for many days.
This time, the chess game didn't have the vigor of swords drawn and bows bent1 with storm clouds approaching2. The two were not as tense as they were last night. Emperor Yuan placed a piece and chatted as if discussing domestic matters: "You’ve been here for so many days, won’t your family worry? Do you need Zhen[me]to dispatch someone to your household to say something?”
Yan Ge placed a piece down: "I am my home; where I am is where my home is."
Emperor Yuan laughed when he heard her response. What he admired most was Yan Ge's unrestrained nature.
It was such a pity she was a woman.
"Who taught you martial arts?"
"My master." Yan Ge replied: "I didn’t see my father for years on end when I was a child. I secretly ran out to be a beggar for a while and met my master. He didn't know that I was a girl and accepted me as a disciple. He imparted martial arts on me and taught me how to write. "
"Did your master learn of your female identity later on?”
"He did." Yan Ge said, "The first time my menses arrived, I didn’t understand myself and thought I was going to die. My master thought I had eaten something harmful that caused rectal bleeding. He never expected me to be a girl. After that, he threw me down the mountain and never saw me again. He said that that only men could enter the master’s school, so I was expelled. "
Emperor Yuan expected this outcome, but as he listened to Yan Ge, his heart felt a little unpleasant and couldn't help but say: "Your master is unreasonable."
"My master was most fond of wine and meat. Since then, he never had them again. He said he broke the rule and had to receive punishment. He didn’t drink wine or eat meat for the rest of his life.”
Emperor Yuan suddenly had nothing to say.
Yan Ge continued: "My master has already passed away. How good it would be if he was still alive. I always hoped he could see what I became today. I believe I have the most prospects out of all his apprentices. He ought to regret driving me out of his school. "
This was the regret of being unable to return to one’s hometown in brocade clothes3. When listening to Yan Ge’s proud tone, Emperor Yuan couldn't help but laugh: "What prospects?"
Yan Ge cast a sidelong glance at him: "I'm quite formidable. If I tell, Your Majesty will surely be astonished."
Emperor Yuan looked at her prideful appearance and his heart was inexplicably delighted. He teased her with a smile: "Oh, speak up then. Zhen[I]would like to see if Zhen[I]can be astonished."
Emperor Yuan reckoned that with Yan Ge’s temperament, the most extraordinary achievement she had was to rob the rich and help the poor.
Yan Ge shook her head: "It’s better not to say, lest Your Majesty orders someone to arrest me."
Emperor Yuan burst into laughter. He guessed that Song Ge may be a Jianghu4 figure on the officials’ wanted list.
Although he didn't ask anymore, he made up his mind to have someone investigate those notices to see whether a person like Yan Ge was on the notice.
Yan Ge failed to win this time. Not only did she lose, she even lost by two pieces.
She pushed the pieces in dissatisfaction and spoke indignantly: "How could I lose? Come on, the game is just warming up. Let’s see who wins or loses in the next one.".
1 Swords drawn and bows bent (剑拔弩张—Jiàn bá nǔ zhāng): a state of mutual hostility
2 Storm clouds approaching (风雨欲来—Fēngyǔ yù lái): idiom meaning ‘troubles lie ahead’.
3 Return to one’s hometown in broken clothes(锦衣归乡—Jǐn yī guī xiāng): idiom that means ‘going back home in glory’, or ‘returning with high honors’.
4 Jiānghú (江湖): literally means ‘rivers and lakes’ that either refers to a nation/country or a community of outlaws in the martial arts world; it’s a bit like the ‘wild west’, but swordsman edition?
Nothing terrified Yan Ge more than Emperor Yuan’s hand on her head.
There was an urge to chop it off...
Of course, the hair did not need to be washed. The palace servanats swarmed up to set up the chessboard and helped Yan Ge lie down in a more comfortable position.
Emperor Yuan saw that Yan Ge was still in a daze, and asked: "What's the matter?"
Yan Ge quickly shook her head: "Nothing."
She didn’t think there was anything wrong with her. To be honest, she thought there was something strange about Emperor Yuan today.
Although her chest injury was not good, she was able to get out of bed and walk. However, Emperor Yuan took care of her like a porcelain doll, and she was pampered for many days.
This time, the chess game didn't have the vigor of swords drawn and bows bent1 with storm clouds approaching2. The two were not as tense as they were last night. Emperor Yuan placed a piece and chatted as if discussing domestic matters: "You’ve been here for so many days, won’t your family worry? Do you need Zhen[me]to dispatch someone to your household to say something?”
Yan Ge placed a piece down: "I am my home; where I am is where my home is."
Emperor Yuan laughed when he heard her response. What he admired most was Yan Ge's unrestrained nature.
It was such a pity she was a woman.
"Who taught you martial arts?"
"My master." Yan Ge replied: "I didn’t see my father for years on end when I was a child. I secretly ran out to be a beggar for a while and met my master. He didn't know that I was a girl and accepted me as a disciple. He imparted martial arts on me and taught me how to write. "
"Did your master learn of your female identity later on?”
"He did." Yan Ge said, "The first time my menses arrived, I didn’t understand myself and thought I was going to die. My master thought I had eaten something harmful that caused rectal bleeding. He never expected me to be a girl. After that, he threw me down the mountain and never saw me again. He said that that only men could enter the master’s school, so I was expelled. "
Emperor Yuan expected this outcome, but as he listened to Yan Ge, his heart felt a little unpleasant and couldn't help but say: "Your master is unreasonable."
"My master was most fond of wine and meat. Since then, he never had them again. He said he broke the rule and had to receive punishment. He didn’t drink wine or eat meat for the rest of his life.”
Emperor Yuan suddenly had nothing to say.
Yan Ge continued: "My master has already passed away. How good it would be if he was still alive. I always hoped he could see what I became today. I believe I have the most prospects out of all his apprentices. He ought to regret driving me out of his school. "
This was the regret of being unable to return to one’s hometown in brocade clothes3. When listening to Yan Ge’s proud tone, Emperor Yuan couldn't help but laugh: "What prospects?"
Yan Ge cast a sidelong glance at him: "I'm quite formidable. If I tell, Your Majesty will surely be astonished."
Emperor Yuan looked at her prideful appearance and his heart was inexplicably delighted. He teased her with a smile: "Oh, speak up then. Zhen[I]would like to see if Zhen[I]can be astonished."
Emperor Yuan reckoned that with Yan Ge’s temperament, the most extraordinary achievement she had was to rob the rich and help the poor.
Yan Ge shook her head: "It’s better not to say, lest Your Majesty orders someone to arrest me."
Emperor Yuan burst into laughter. He guessed that Song Ge may be a Jianghu4 figure on the officials’ wanted list.
Although he didn't ask anymore, he made up his mind to have someone investigate those notices to see whether a person like Yan Ge was on the notice.
Yan Ge failed to win this time. Not only did she lose, she even lost by two pieces.
She pushed the pieces in dissatisfaction and spoke indignantly: "How could I lose? Come on, the game is just warming up. Let’s see who wins or loses in the next one.".
1 Swords drawn and bows bent (剑拔弩张—Jiàn bá nǔ zhāng): a state of mutual hostility
2 Storm clouds approaching (风雨欲来—Fēngyǔ yù lái): idiom meaning ‘troubles lie ahead’.
3 Return to one’s hometown in broken clothes(锦衣归乡—Jǐn yī guī xiāng): idiom that means ‘going back home in glory’, or ‘returning with high honors’.
4 Jiānghú (江湖): literally means ‘rivers and lakes’ that either refers to a nation/country or a community of outlaws in the martial arts world; it’s a bit like the ‘wild west’, but swordsman edition?
