TL: Finally, she appears.
While the gears of history continued to turn in Shouchun, Jiangdong, a small but momentuous act was about to take place in the Longzhong countryside of Jing state hundreds of miles away.
Since spring started, the bamboo in Longzhong hasbeen growing strong. Before anyone knew it, it had already reached a height where it looked like they could pierce the heavens. And in the midst of this bamboo forest, 2 people were in a hatched cottage, having a discussion that was far greater than their surroundings suggested.
Inside the thatched cottage were the 2 people, 1 was tall while the other was short; 1 was agitated while the other was level-headed; 1 was cheerful while the other was morose.
The short girl was more quiet. Her smooth, black hair and a mushroom cut made her look delicate and childish. Her eyes were filled with vigor and her brows were raised. Her mouth was shut tight and she didn’t speak at all, and seemed so calm and composed that it was as if she was completely unperturbed by anything at all. As for her attire, she wore a felt cap and a set of loose, thin, blue robes. The 2 Taiji symbols on the front and back of her skirt was exceptionally eye-catching. She didn’t move except for a hand which held a fan that she used to fan herself while she waited for the other person to reply her.
The girl on the other side was taller and wasn’t the sort that could sit quietly and had been shaking left and right ever since she sat down out of distress. From time to time, she would lower her head and look at her hands, and then raise her head to look at the short girl; her tall ponytail bobbing up and down like a horse’s tail as she did so. She was so flustered that she pulled down the scarf on her head which almost covered her eyes.
“Kong Ming… Can it really work like this?”
“My words have always come to fruition! What does thee have to worry about?” The short girl frowned and seemed irritated.
(TL: She is the only one so far to use archaic forms of address.)
“B, but, I can’t do anything…”
Hai… The short girl felt helpless and sighed and waved her fan in a semi-circle before pointing at the other girl resolutely.
The girl was shocked by this sudden action and gave an ‘uee’ cry and withdrew as though she were being berated by an elder.
“In any case, thou won’t go wrong if thee listens to my words.”
These forceful words lost some of their power to convince after the short girl’s deft movements.
“Moreover,” She continued, “Thou has both swordsmanship and a bagua array so what is there to fear?”
Wu… The girl sank into silence. Based on seniority, it was clear that she was older than the short girl but for some inexplicable reason, the short girl seemed a lot more mature and experienced.
Un un. After a while, the girl seemed to have come to a decision and nodded, “Alright, Kong Ming. I’ll do as you say.”
“Un, that’s the way.” The short girl nodded vigorously, and her brows loosened up as she began to fan herself relaxedly.
“So I just need to sing from time to time in Xinye and I’ll meet Bo Yue?”
The short girl nodded.
“… Alright.” The girl didn’t seem convinced, but she was a lot calmer than before, “I’ll just take it that I got tricked by Kong Ming.”
“Why would I ever trick thee? It might be unbelievable but thou just needs to do as I have instructed and it will work.”
“I understand.” The girl got up as she said so, “I’ll be leaving first then. I still have my fields to attend to.”
“Un, alright. Thou need not be too anxious and act too soon.” As she said so, the short girl seemed to recall something and pointed the fan at the girl, “Right, when the time comes, don’t tell that Bo Yue I recommended thee. But should he ask thee if you know of any talents, thou may recommend me.”
The girl tilted her head, puzzled at what the short girl said, but she still nodded in agreement.
“Good luck then, Yuan Zhi.”
The girl called Yuan Zhi nodded and pulled up her scarf, revealing bright, cler eyes s she smiled before she left the thatched cottage.
As Yuan Zhi left, only the short girl called Kong Ming was left in the thatched cottage. She closed her eyes and continued waving the fan as she sank into thought, frowning as she did so.
Then, she opened her mouth and slowly spat out what had been troubling her the most, “Liu Bei Liu Xuan De, quickly leave Jiangdong and stop getting entangled in unnecessary troubles…”
Beside Kong Ming was a bamboo scroll titled [The Essential Art of Great Peace].
TL: Finally, she appears.
While the gears of history continued to turn in Shouchun, Jiangdong, a small but momentuous act was about to take place in the Longzhong countryside of Jing state hundreds of miles away.
Since spring started, the bamboo in Longzhong hasbeen growing strong. Before anyone knew it, it had already reached a height where it looked like they could pierce the heavens. And in the midst of this bamboo forest, 2 people were in a hatched cottage, having a discussion that was far greater than their surroundings suggested.
Inside the thatched cottage were the 2 people, 1 was tall while the other was short; 1 was agitated while the other was level-headed; 1 was cheerful while the other was morose.
The short girl was more quiet. Her smooth, black hair and a mushroom cut made her look delicate and childish. Her eyes were filled with vigor and her brows were raised. Her mouth was shut tight and she didn’t speak at all, and seemed so calm and composed that it was as if she was completely unperturbed by anything at all. As for her attire, she wore a felt cap and a set of loose, thin, blue robes. The 2 Taiji symbols on the front and back of her skirt was exceptionally eye-catching. She didn’t move except for a hand which held a fan that she used to fan herself while she waited for the other person to reply her.
The girl on the other side was taller and wasn’t the sort that could sit quietly and had been shaking left and right ever since she sat down out of distress. From time to time, she would lower her head and look at her hands, and then raise her head to look at the short girl; her tall ponytail bobbing up and down like a horse’s tail as she did so. She was so flustered that she pulled down the scarf on her head which almost covered her eyes.
“Kong Ming… Can it really work like this?”
“My words have always come to fruition! What does thee have to worry about?” The short girl frowned and seemed irritated.
(TL: She is the only one so far to use archaic forms of address.)
“B, but, I can’t do anything…”
Hai… The short girl felt helpless and sighed and waved her fan in a semi-circle before pointing at the other girl resolutely.
The girl was shocked by this sudden action and gave an ‘uee’ cry and withdrew as though she were being berated by an elder.
“In any case, thou won’t go wrong if thee listens to my words.”
These forceful words lost some of their power to convince after the short girl’s deft movements.
“Moreover,” She continued, “Thou has both swordsmanship and a bagua array so what is there to fear?”
Wu… The girl sank into silence. Based on seniority, it was clear that she was older than the short girl but for some inexplicable reason, the short girl seemed a lot more mature and experienced.
Un un. After a while, the girl seemed to have come to a decision and nodded, “Alright, Kong Ming. I’ll do as you say.”
“Un, that’s the way.” The short girl nodded vigorously, and her brows loosened up as she began to fan herself relaxedly.
“So I just need to sing from time to time in Xinye and I’ll meet Bo Yue?”
The short girl nodded.
“… Alright.” The girl didn’t seem convinced, but she was a lot calmer than before, “I’ll just take it that I got tricked by Kong Ming.”
“Why would I ever trick thee? It might be unbelievable but thou just needs to do as I have instructed and it will work.”
“I understand.” The girl got up as she said so, “I’ll be leaving first then. I still have my fields to attend to.”
“Un, alright. Thou need not be too anxious and act too soon.” As she said so, the short girl seemed to recall something and pointed the fan at the girl, “Right, when the time comes, don’t tell that Bo Yue I recommended thee. But should he ask thee if you know of any talents, thou may recommend me.”
The girl tilted her head, puzzled at what the short girl said, but she still nodded in agreement.
“Good luck then, Yuan Zhi.”
The girl called Yuan Zhi nodded and pulled up her scarf, revealing bright, cler eyes s she smiled before she left the thatched cottage.
As Yuan Zhi left, only the short girl called Kong Ming was left in the thatched cottage. She closed her eyes and continued waving the fan as she sank into thought, frowning as she did so.
Then, she opened her mouth and slowly spat out what had been troubling her the most, “Liu Bei Liu Xuan De, quickly leave Jiangdong and stop getting entangled in unnecessary troubles…”
Beside Kong Ming was a bamboo scroll titled [The Essential Art of Great Peace].
