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Siege in Fog - Chapter 9.3

Published at 14th of May 2017 07:51:35 AM


Chapter 9.3

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Ch. 9.3

The guard jogged towards the copse of plum blossoms. Shortly after that they heard a pā, like the sound of a firecracker going off. The tranquility of the hill was shattered as countless startled birds flapped wildly towards the back of the hill. Qin Sang, herself quite shaken, saw that Murong Feng’s bodyguards had all reached towards their waists as they surrounded him on all sides, their expressions alert and cautious. She suddenly realised that the sound had not come from a firecracker — it had been a gunshot.

The guards dispersed among the trees also unslung their guns. Qin Sang was secretly anxious and was about to despatch someone to find out about the gunshot when Chen Pei himself came back and told her, ‘One of the guards unintentionally fired his gun. Please don’t worry about it.’ He then said to Murong Feng, ‘My deepest apologies for having disturbed your sightseeing.’

After saying this, Chen Pei excused himself again and Qin Sang continued to walk with Murong Feng towards the back of the hill. When they had walked about ten paces, he hesitated. Seeing that Chen Pei had not followed them, he said in an undertone to Qin Sang: ‘Madam, something was extremely odd about that gunshot just now.’

Qin Sang was secretly worried but she said reassuringly, ‘Don’t worry, Director Chen said just now that it was an accidental discharge.’ Chapter originally published at MerakiTranslations.
Murong Feng shook his head. ‘The guards are all carrying rifles but that shot just now came from a type of Mauser pistol which is hardly used by Fuyuan’s soldiers. It can’t have been an accidental discharge.’

Qin Sang never expected that he would be able to tell the make of the gun from the sound of a gunshot alone and could not help staring a little.

Murong Feng added in a low voice, ‘I should not be saying this but isn’t that Director Chen one of General Li’s confidants?’ Chapter originally published at MerakiTranslations.
Qin Sang had never considered matters from such an angle before and after some reflection realised that she was indeed ignorant of Chen Pei’s background. She could only smile and admit, ‘I’m not too clear about personnel matters.’

Murong Feng stopped underneath a plum blossom tree, seemed as though he wanted to say something but then hesitated. Qin Sang thus stretched out her hand and pulled a branch towards her, as though to better admire the shape and fragrance of the blossoms and said in an undertone, ‘Please speak freely, Master Murong.’

Gazing at the flowers, Murong Feng said: ‘I shall speak plainly then, Madam. Father’s true purpose in sending me down south is not to negotiate a truce. But even if one is to be negotiated, it should be with the real leader of Jiangzuo. Jiangzuo province has always been the power base of the Yi family and Father deeply regrets what happened to Marshal Yi. I expected as much that Yi San Ge* would avoid meeting with me. After all, General Li is suspicious by nature. But Yi San Ge is still every inch his father’s son.¹ How can he tolerate such a usurpation of his authority?’²

 

Qin Sang could not help looking up at Murong Feng. He was composed and whilst holding a branch of plum blossoms between his fingers went on to say: ‘Li Zhongnian is a sly one who, on the pretext of helping San Ge, has usurped his authority instead. My father and Marshal Yi are sworn brothers³ and Father is furious that the Marshal was harmed by a villain. Father and I are very willing to lend Master Yi a helping hand.⁴ I must beg Madam to convey to San Ge Father’s and Peilin’s★sincerity.’

³八拜之交 bā bài zhī jiāo sworn brotherhood
⁴一臂之力 yī bì zhī lì: (lend) a helping hand
★ Murong Feng’s given name. Please consider reading from MerakiTranslations rather than at bootleg websites.

Qin Sang was unprepared for such a speech from him so she only smiled and said, ‘I don’t know anything about such weighty matters but I will certainly convey your message in full to Lan Po.’

Murong Feng smiled a little and said, ‘San Ge is full of lofty ambitions and you are a heroine5 yourself so there is no need to be so modest.’

5巾幗英雄 jīnguó yīngxióng: a heroic woman; heroine. If you’re not reading this translation at tranzgeek(DOT)wordpress(DOT)com, it has been stolen and reproduced by bootleg websites.

They continued their walk in smiling conversation so it appeared to the guards that they had merely been discussing the merits of the plum blossoms. Having toured the valley of plum blossoms, the abbot of Xiajing Temple invited them to a vegetarian meal so that by the time they reached the city, it was already twilight.

Qin Sang had been deep in thought on the way home and once she saw Yi Liankai, conveyed to him Murong Feng’s message verbatim.6 Chapter originally published at MerakiTranslations.
6原封不動 yuánfēng bù dòng: sticking unmoving to the original (idiom); not an iota changed. Please consider reading from tranzgeek(DOT)wordpress(DOT)com rather than at bootleg websites.

But Yi Liankai seemed to be indifferent. ‘Trust this Murong Chen to send his son to try and sow discord between Li Zhongnian and me. Wants me to rebel when I haven’t any soldiers under my command. How does he expect me to fight Li Zhongnian?’

Qin Sang was removing her make-up and as she brushed her hair, she said peaceably, ‘Whatever it is, I’ve passed his message on to you. It’s up to you to listen and decide what to do with it. I’ve never interfered with your affairs outside nor do I hope that you’ll ever consider me in your decisions. After all, someone like Er Ge abandoned Er Sao in the end.’ When she thought of Second Mistress who had committed suicide, she could not help feeling depressed and sighed unconsciously.

Unexpectedly, Yi Liankai hugged her from behind and said laughingly, ‘Well then, I’ll just promise not to be like Er Ge and abandon you. That should do it.’

Qin Sang merely scoffed and said, ‘If push comes to shove someday and you have to choose between military power and me, you’ll definitely choose the former over me.’

Yi Liankai shook his head and flicked the tip of her nose with a finger, saying, ‘Well, you only know how to imagine the worst.’ Chapter originally published at MerakiTranslations.
Yi Liankai was out very early the next morning. After Qin Sang got up, she noticed that there were no newspapers and asked, ‘Where are today’s papers?’

Zhu Ma answered: ‘When Master read the news this morning, he flew into a rage and sent everyone out to buy back all the newspapers. Nobody dared to leave any at home and gave them all to Adjutant Pan.’

Qin Sang’s heart sank and she asked, ‘What did the papers say?’ Zhu Ma, being illiterate, only looked a little blank before saying, ‘That I don’t know.’

Qin Sang could not get any clue from her so she sent for Adjutant Pan but he had also followed Yi Liankai out. Unable to do anything else, Qin Sang sent for the other guards. Only after questioning a few of them did she find out that the morning headlines had reported that one of Yi Liankai’s men had accidentally discharged his gun in the midst of innocent passersby touring Xiajing Temple. As a student from Fuyuan Normal University had been killed, the matter was now being blown up.

Qin Sang thought of the gunshot she had heard the day before and could not help feeling a sudden chill. She hastily asked the guard, ‘Where is the Master now?’

‘He’s gone to a meeting at the Education Hall. It seems the students are going to hold a protest.’ Chapter originally published at MerakiTranslations.
Qin Sang thought for a moment before saying, ‘Send someone to tell Master that he must come home or at least, call home. Say that I have something important to tell him.’

The guard obeyed and not long after that, Yi Liankai called home and said impatiently, ‘I’m busy right now.’

‘That shot wasn’t fired by the guard.’ Qin Sang was about to tell him everything when she recalled that the telephones were all using military wire lines and the switchboard might well be listening in. She hesitated then said, ‘Come home for a bit. I have something to tell you.’

Yi Liankai paused for a startled minute before he answered, ‘All right, I’ll be back shortly.’





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