Update Sept 2018: PLEASE DO NOT link any chapters on this site to anywhere on Novel Updates, whether it’s the page for Siege in Fog or on reading lists.
😬 It’s been a while! Sorry about the unintendedly long hiatus 💦 — I didn’t expect it to be so hard to get back to translating. It also didn’t help that this chapter’s translation just wouldn’t flow well.
Our first look at Second Mistress…
Partially new translation published in Sept 2018 following the new chaptering.
© 12 and
theresanother.wordpress.com 2017 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the translation without express and written permission from 12 is strictly prohibited.
Ch. 10.4
To Qin Sang, that period of fighting felt no different from ordinary days. It was probably because they were confined to the residence and could only hear the cannons going off outside, starting and stopping, stopping and starting. Other than the fact that Yi Lianshen had no time for their usual tête-à-tête, everything else remained the same. The days were like a river frozen in deep winter. The surface of the river had long been frozen solid and the water deeply sealed under the ice was slowly and noiselessly flowing onward. And not one of them knew what the future would be like.
The only thing that surprised her was finally meeting with Second Mistress who had not been seen since the recent upheaval in the family. After Qin Sang was brought to see her, she realised that the latter was not much better off than the rest of the womenfolk. The only difference was that she was still staying in her own quarters and had more of Yi Lianshen’s men around her providing protection, which was really surveillance by another name.
Having seen this, Qin Sang knew it would be impossible to say much to her. Second Mistress was already about five to six months with child, her movements hampered by her growing belly. She had many dishes prepared, saying that she had yet to have a welcome meal for Qin Sang, despite the latter having returned for so long.
Second Mistress enquired, ‘Is Da Sao well?’
Qin Sang answered, ‘Tolerably well.’ She then added, ‘So are the aunts. Si Meimei was ill for a while but I hear she’s recovering these days.’
‘That’s good then,’ said Second Mistress.
These few pleasantries having been dispensed with, they only sat in silence as they ate, a silence in which even the delicate click of their silver chopsticks could be heard. Both of them picked at the food, although there were delicacies from land and sea. Halfway through lunch, there was an abrupt burst of cannon fire which was near enough to make the house shake slightly and cause some dust to slowly drift down from the ceiling beams. Second Mistress appeared to be badly startled by this cannon fire. Blankly pressing a hand to her chest, she did not even notice that the chopsticks had slipped from her grasp. Observing her reaction, Qin Sang felt strangely conflicted.
Second Mistress raised her head and suddenly smiled at Qin Sang, saying, ‘I’m really tired. Could I trouble you to help me upstairs to rest?’
Since the guards could not follow them up to the bedroom, several servant girls accompanied them upstairs instead. Second Mistress did not say a word on the way back. Only after they had entered the bedroom and Qin Sang had closed the door did she let out her breath before nodding slightly at Qin Sang.
Qin Sang and Second Mistress were not close because their husbands did not get along; moreover, they lived apart and did not see each other except a few times a year. Her sister-in-law obviously wished to speak with her but the servant girls were still hovering about, evidently on Yi Lianshen’s orders. Struck by a sudden inspiration, Qin Sang softly asked her in English, ‘Er Sao, do you have something to tell me?’
Second Mistress, a thoroughly modern woman, was the complete opposite of Eldest Mistress. A classmate of Yi Lianshen’s, she was a wealthy young lady who had been educated abroad in the latest fashion of the time. She was as adept at riding as she was dancing and was fluent in both English and French.
As soon as she heard what Qin Sang said, her eyes lit up and she instantly replied in English, ‘Help me persuade Peter. He’s refused to see me ever since that incident, but I hear that he’s met with you.’
‘Peter’ was Yi Lianshen’s English name. Qin Sang said quietly, ‘Er Sao, you understand Er Ge better than I do. Since he has already decided on this course of action, why would he listen to anything I have to say?’
The light in Second Mistress’s eyes slowly died out and after a pause she asked, ‘Then, can you persuade him to come and see me for a while?’
Wondering why an outsider like herself was being asked to pass a message to her sister-in-law’s own husband, Qin Sang stared a little before eventually saying, ‘I haven’t seen Er Ge these past few days but if I do, I’ll do my best.’
Second Mistress clasped her hand with her own slightly cool fingers and said to Qin Sang, ‘Thank you.’
After dinner, Second Mistress personally walked Qin Sang out to the main door.
When Qin Sang went back, she only told Eldest Mistress that she had seen Second Mistress but not the details of their conversation.
Eldest Mistress only sighed and said, ‘What a pity. Who would have thought it would turn out like this? She doesn’t even know what Er Di is doing, much less manage him. Now we can only hope for that foolish brother to quickly come to his senses and for the Coalition Army to quickly withdraw.’
The Coalition Army did not withdraw however; instead, the fighting continued for almost half a month. It would have been a stalemate¹ but the Coalition Army then received some outside help. Yi Liankai had somehow managed to persuade the Japanese forces to intervene. This intervention involved the Japanese naval fleet entering west of the river and sailing right up to Fuyuan’s most important granary, Ji’an. Having been cut off from its most important supply route, Fuyuan held out for slightly over a month before entering into negotiations at home and abroad.
¹ 僵持不下 jiāngchíbuxià. If you’re not reading this chapter at hiding in plain sight, it has been stolen and reproduced by novelscraping sites.
The terms of the negotiations were extremely harsh. When Qin Sang, secretly listening to the English broadcasts on the radio, heard of the ten conditions demanded by the Coalition Army, she knew Yi Lianshen would never accept them.
As expected, Yi Lianshen did not accept such terms and the fighting resumed, but this battle was over very quickly and the bombardment stopped after half a day. Shortly after that, he sent for Qin Sang.
Qin Sang did not know what was happening outside of Fuyuan because other than the daily sound of cannon fire, the residence was as peaceful as of old.
The weather had turned cold and with time on her hands, Eldest Mistress began working on a silk cotton-padded robe for her father-in-law. This eldest daughter-in-law was extremely filial and made Yi Jipei a new cotton-padded robe every year. Even though his present fate was unclear², she still went ahead and started sewing one.
Qin Sang did not know sewing but watched her and started learning how to shape the cotton wadding. While they were busy with this, the door was unlocked and the guard told Qin Sang that Yi Lianshen wanted to see her.
Although she did not know what he intended, she could not disobey his summons. She had not seen him in over half a month. With the military being kept busy after the cessation of hostilities, she assumed that he had no mood for idle talk. Now he wanted to see her again, who knew whether for good or for ill. Clearly, the fighting had reached a certain state, even if it was not known whether the Coalition Army had prevailed or if the Fu Army had defended successfully.
² 生死未卜 shēngsǐwèibǔ: not know whether someone is dead or alive. Translation belongs to theresanother(DOT)wordpress(DOT)com.
Yi Lianshen was not in uniform. He was wearing a changpao — a traditional long robe — and was waiting in the early winter wind. He had lost some weight and looked like some genteel Confucian scholar. They dined again at the waterside pavilion, but by this time the osmanthus had long wilted and the day lilies were yellow and withered; while the sky was grey with heavy clouds that hung low, somewhat darkening the pavilions in the garden. The long windows had been closed against the cold and looked out upon the pond full of withered lotus flowers. Although it was a fine day, an occasional sighing wind from the west could be heard. Qin Sang saw that the table was laden with food and could not help looking questioningly at Yi Lianshen who explained, ‘It was a welcome feast last time. Today, it’s a farewell feast.’
Qin Sang remained silent and Yi Lianshen continued in that same unruffled tone, ‘That third brother of mine is certainly interesting. During negotiations, he wanted me to send Father out of the city but never mentioned you at all. At this rate, even I’m starting to worry for him. How long does he want to carry on with his tantrum?’
Qin Sang said, ‘Er Ge exaggerates. As I said, I’m a nonentity whom he couldn’t care less about. “What care a man if he hath no wife?”³ What is a woman compared to achieving great things?’
Yi Lianshen laughed heartily and remarked, ‘So, that third brother of mine can actually be said to have achieved great things. Well, never mind…’ As usual, he picked up the jar and poured a cup of wine for Qin Sang, saying, ‘Last time you refused to drink. This time you’ll oblige me.’
Qin Sang said, ‘Er Ge, I don’t drink. Please don’t force me.’
Yi Lianshen stated, ‘You’ll drink this, whether you can or not, want to or not.’ His tone was casual, as if the matter were of no importance. ‘Because this wine has poison — cyanide actually — a favourite of Russian spies. Death will be instantaneous and virtually painless.’
Qin Sang picked up the cup readily and downed the wine in one swallow, which faintly surprised Yi Lianshen. She was not used to drinking and choked a little from having drunk too fast. After she got her breath back, she noted, ‘It didn’t taste funny at all. I wonder when it’ll take effect.’
Yi Lianshen clapped his hands and exclaimed, ‘Qin Sang! Qin Sang! How did such a fine woman like you come to be married to someone like Yi Liankai? What merit does the son of a mere concubine have to deserve a wife like you?’
Qin Sang replied flatly, ‘Er Ge is drunk. Like two instruments in perfect harmony⁴, you and Er Sao make a perfect couple. It’s Er Sao who is worthy of being called a virtuous wife. Er Ge, you must not let her down.’
Yi Lianshen still wore a faint smile but his tone had turned serious. ‘I have something to tell you which you must remember. Yi Liankai does love you but you’re right: he will not place your safety above his own and that of this family’s5 at all. In the future when you’re with him, you must be on your guard. He’s inconstant, unprincipled and enigmatic. You must be careful, you really must be careful.’
5 身家性命 shēnjiā-xìngmìng: one’s personal safety and that of one’s family. Please consider reading from hiding in plain sight rather than from novelscraping sites.
Qin Sang replied, ‘Thank you for the advice, Er Ge. I’m indebted to you for looking after me these past two months. It’s a favour I can’t return.’
Surprisingly, Yi Lianshen laughed. ‘I didn’t do it out of the goodness of my heart and as for repayment… that won’t be necessary.’
Striking a small dish with his chopsticks, he began reciting with drawn-out cadences:
I lift my drink and sing a song, for who knows if one’s life is short or long.
Man’s life is like the morning dew, past days many future days few…
The moon outshines the sparse stars; the crows fly to the south.
Circling the tree three times; on what branch can they find rest?
Mountains do not despise height; Seas do not despise depth.
The sage pauses when guests call, so at his feet the empire does fall! 6
While reciting ‘the crows fly to the south / Circling the tree three times; on what branch can they find rest?’, he sighed several times.
After the last line ‘so at his feet the empire does fall!’, a slow smile unexpectedly spread across his face.
‘“So at his feet the empire does fall!… so at his feet the empire does fall!”…’ Looking up, he sighed deeply. ‘Actually, what use is there in striving for an empire? The autumns of this illusory life are nothing but a dream!’ 7
He then swept all the bowls and chopsticks off the table, sending them crashing to the floor. The guards outside came running in with their guns raised after hearing this commotion. Seeing only bowls and chopsticks lying on the floor while Yi Lianshen and Qin Sang sat there otherwise unharmed, they then went back outside.
Yi Lianshen said, ‘Sanmei, there’s a matter I want to entrust to you. You must oblige me.’
Qin Sang replied, ‘Please go ahead, Er Ge. As long as it’s within my abilities, I’ll do everything in my power to help.’
Yi Lianshen explained, ‘Your second sister-in-law isn’t aware of what I’ve done. She’s actually to be pitied. I’m accused of being cruel and unjust, disloyal and unfilial, but she should not be implicated. I ask that you take care of her in the days to come.’
Qin Sang was greatly taken aback. At first, she had merely assumed that the fighting had not gone too well, but after hearing what he said, she realised that it was not just that: he was already staring at complete defeat.
She said, ‘Rest assured, Er Ge, I’ll do my best.’
Yi Lianshen smiled slightly before saying, ‘How nice it would be to have a sister like you.’
(Approx. 2244 words)
12’s notes:
³ ｢大丈夫何患無妻｣: “What care a man if he hath no wife?” A remark made by Zhao Yun (courtesy name Zilong) who lived during the early Three Kingdoms period. The second half of the quote says that to a man, ambition and making something of himself are more important than marriage.
⁴ 琴瑟 qínsè: qin and se, two string instruments that play in perfect harmony (fig. marital harmony)
6 Thankfully, a translation of this poem already exists on Wiki. There’s also another (partial) translation.
7 My attempted rendering of 浮世秋涼，大夢一場. Although I’m not very sure, it seems to be from this Song dynasty poem.
Edited after post was published.
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