Chapter 60: Crown Pressures The Capital
T/N : I'm suspecting the chapter title refers and alludes to JR winning over JSS as the champion, like having a crown of sorts for the winner, and being renowned over the capital with the news.
Jiang Ruan's posture was elegant and after saying those skillful words, she stood up and repeated them once more with a smile, "Since ermei truly wishes to see, then I will dance for ermei, it's no bother either."
Hearing this, all the noblewomen around them began to whisper, "Perhaps this person has been possessed. After all, how could she possibly, of her own accord, try to make a fool of herself?"
"Surely, she must have stayed too long in that countryside village and does not know the severity at hand here, she truly believes that one dance of hers could ruin cities." A sense of mockery could really be felt in these words of the audience.
For Lian Qiao and Bai Zhi, who stood behind her, their hearts were in a fluster; they had been living with Jiang Ruan ever since she was little. Whether Jiang Ruan really knew how to dance, both of them were extremely clear. Although, in the eyes of servants under their command, a master's every word and action were all wonderful. Yet, as maidservants, Lian Qiao and Bai Zhi were extremely clear about the rules in the aristocratic circle. They were deadly afraid that Jiang Ruan had fallen for Jiang Su Su's trap and would commit a breach of etiquette in front of all these famous and prestigious families in the capital.
On the Qing Song Boat, the Fifth Prince narrowed his eyes, "Born with good looks, yet, what a pity, she seems to be a fool."
"Where do these words stem from, Fifth Brother?" Xuan Li lightly chuckled.
"The talent of Second Young Miss of the Jiang family is already peerless, yet, the Eldest Young Miss is trying to seize her limelight away. How can that even be possible, but after all, she is a woman that was raised in the countryside, so how could she know any better?" In between those words of his was the faintest trace of scorn.
Momentarily, everyone on the two boats had their tongues wagging and without exception, everyone remarked that Jiang Ruan was short-sighted and delusional to be pulled into a comparison between Jiang Su Su and herself. Jiang Su Su flashed a trace of ecstasy in her eyes, but on her face was a gentle smile as she said, “Then Su niang is blessed, and I request Da Jiejie to perform a dance for everyone.”
To perform a dance for everyone. Lin Zi Xiang furrowed her eyebrows and yet these seemingly innocent words of Jiang Su Su had made Jiang Ruan out to be regarded as one of those dancing entertainers that one would call for at will. For a moment, this had made some people around them cover their mouths in an insulting sneer.
Without batting an eyelid, it almost appeared as though Jiang Ruan had not clearly heard what Jiang Su Su had just said. In her past life, Jiang Quan and Xuan Li had her do such things for the purpose of having her gain divine favor and surviving in the oppressive environment of the palace. This sort of comment 'to perform a dance for everyone', all of the imperial consorts around her had always requested as such. Therefore, just like a dancing clown, she had racked her brains to perform a dance. However, in the end, it had merely given her a nickname of an idiotic beauty.
Nodding her head in assent and without anyone's leave, Jiang Ruan had walked to the bow of the ship. The set up of the Ling Long Boat was very unique; for the convenience of being able to freely admire the moon during the Lantern Festival, the bow of the boat had been designed to be extremely spacious and smooth. As a matter of fact, this design had also made it a suitable area for dancing. Extending her hand out, she had effortlessly pulled out the hairpin behind her head that had been pinned into her coiled hair. Immediately, like a flowing waterfall, her head of fine black hair hung down to her waist, emitting an enchanting luster. Nipping on to the two-noded hairpin that she held in her hands in between her lips, her charming eyes, that held much passion, had swept a glance over everyone on the two large vessels. Then, softly, her lips moved.
Unexpectedly, that two noded hairpin was actually an elaborate tube-shaped whistle. Under the reflective contrast between the beautiful landscape and herself, the first note that overflowed from those red lips was clear and melodious.
At first, one felt that the sounds from the whistle were dull and ordinary, as if one had used plain water to boil porridge that would have made one feel that its taste was dry as dust and tedious. Yet, her figure did not move and quietly stood on the same spot without the slightest movement. Then, some people on the vessels began to show evident expressions of ridicule and merely remarked that this Eldest Young Lady of the Jiang family who had just returned to the capital was trying to exhaust her limited abilities and even went so far as to boast shamelessly and propose to dance for everyone.
Xuan Li's expression had slightly stiffened, he knew that the piece that this young girl had played was 'Guangling Verse'[1]. In this very piece of 'Guangling Verse', the contents were about Nie Zheng's revenge for his father during the Warring States period and his historical deed of assassinating the Han Wang. This was exactly a story about revenge, so why would the Eldest Young Miss of the Jiang family chose such a musical composition filled with such a murderous and combative mood at this moment when there are lovely flowers and a round moon, wherein everything is wonderful and everyone is feeling cheerful.
[1] Guangling Verse – Video link. Here is some background about this piece, it is a grand Guqin piece of ancient China, originated from the piece "Nie Zheng's Assassin of Lord Han". The whole piece is divided into 45 paragraphs, and the music is bold and exciting, full of rebelliousness as it pictures the exciting scene of one of the most famous assassins on Chinese history. Therefore, it is very difficult for Jiang Ruan to use a flute/whistle to play this alone instead of using a zither.
Although these one or two sections appeared to be ordinary and made everyone remark on her mediocre skills, yet, Xuan Li knew that in these two sections, there was turbulent undercurrents and if one were not genuinely in that deliberate state of mind (where one feels such emotions), then that person would be unable to play the piece out. As for him, from this piece of hers, he could hear the forbearance and loneliness that seemed to span for several centuries.
Apart from Xuan Li alone, there were others who had felt this way as well. When the music note had barely just echoed, Xiao Shao who had been sitting alone before the window had then slightly raised an eyebrow as his gaze fell upon the young lady who was performing a tune all by herself.
After those few sections, Jiang Ruan then unhurriedly began to move. As those red clothes moved in the spry and lively dancing, it was like an alluring phantom that had fallen to the mortal realm, extremely evil yet, extremely beautiful. Spins, standing on tiptoes, lifted arms and kicks, as for what she had executed; never was one movement more graceful, more moving and was just so glamorously stirring that it had made one unable to take their eyes off her. Gradually, everyone began to take back their gazes of scorn and could barely cover up the wisps of amazement in their eyes.
That was the span of countless decades of her quiet endurance and grief; of the premature departure of her mother and her elder brother that had left her on her own in the world. It was the portrait of how her father had impatiently exchanged her for the imperial edict and had her sent into unfathomable depths of the palace. It was for the man who had become the reigning monarch, her loved one whom she had thought was warm and considerate to her; and yet, was the one to proclaim herself as a calamitous beautiful woman who would ruin a nation. It was for her di mei[2] who had caused her to become a human swine and had made her watch with despair as her young son had been intimately trifled with until he died.
[2] Dí mèi (嫡妹) – This refers to the younger legitimate sister, or here, Jiang Su Su who has the privilege of being part of the legal family and therefore, the perks of noble peerage and access too.
Her dance was sorrowful as if in the very next second she would ride the winds and return, and without knowing why, it had caused others to call to mind a mournful scene in their hearts. Gradually, for some people who had been watching, their eyes had welled up in grief and sorrow.
Once the slow-moving dance had passed, the whistling sound in her mouth had begun to hasten expediently as if a powerful army had tread forth and brought forward a fierce, blood-thirsty and imposing manner. Abruptly, her movements sped up, so swiftly so that some of the audience could not see her movements clearly and could only feel that that robe of red clothes seemed like blood; under the moonlight, it seemed astonishingly beautiful. Yet, the sounds of music were impassioned and every tone seemed like a sob. Naturally, that was the sorrow of hers that had reached the pinnacle of pain she had to endure. It had transformed into an unforgettable hatred that had been carved into her bones and engraved into her heart; it was a demand of a spirit filled with vengeance that had crawled out of the depths of hell for the people who owed her a life's debt. It was simply a demand for their lives, a hidden ruthlessness and viciousness that could not allow them to get away with it. It was an indifference that demanded one to stand upon the peak to overlook every living being.
In the shining moonlight, as it was reflected upon her little face that seemed sparkling and translucent like snow, her eyes were astonishingly bright. However, contrary to expectations, not the slightest bit of a smile was reflected in her gaze. What remained was only a deep-rooted indifference and mockery as if she was an Asura[3], but at the same time, she seemed like a goddess; a beautiful woman that was wilfully heedless of all living things.
[3] Asura – A malevolent spirit in Indian mythology.
That vengeful music composition was still resounding and that vengeful dance still continued on. This dance had already made everyone feel fear and trepidation since they had never seen a person dance this beautifully; so beautifully that it made people frightened. As if she was the person in the music piece, a hatred that had been filled and hidden in her chest for her want to avenge; even if she would not hesitate at all to pay any price for it. Even if she needed to enter the abyss of hell once more, then she too would drag someone to be buried with her. Yet, it seemed she was indifferent to squandering her life. This was an enchanting woman that had been born solely for revenge.
Intimately and softly, low and tender, just like a pair of children, our gratitude and grudges are like intimate whispers between us. Suddenly, there comes a majestic and reverberating sound that brings to mind how the brave warriors charge forth into an enemy battlefield. Like floating clouds soaring in the broad and distant world, the willow catkin float as if without root or stem. While a hundred birds gayly chirp away, suddenly above them all, a lone phoenix could be heard. Yet even as the steep precipice of the cliff pressures one downwards that makes it difficult to climb up even an inch, to abruptly lose momentum would be a fall of a thousand zhang (like loose rocks falling into an abyss). Oh but a pity, like everyone else, I have a pair of ears that are inept in appreciating and understanding music. Hearing by mine ears Monk Ying's playing (at times, supple yet at times, firm), thou rouses a highly capable person to experience through the rises and falls of it. In a flurry, mine fingers reach out to shelter from and grasp hold of the qin, alas, these moist tears of mine have long since surged up and welled in mine eyes. Oh Monk Ying, thine's skill is truly exceptional, wouldst thou not torment my bosom with the ice and fire?[4]
[4] This entire poem 'Hearing Monk Ying Play the Qin' was written by the Tang dynasty poet, Han Yu. At that time, Monk Ying was a Buddhist monk that had been extremely adept at playing the qin and had previously requested some poets to listen and create some poems in praise of it; there are numerous poems of various poets with each their own feelings and differing thoughts about his playing. Through the poem, one can tell that Han Yu had experienced happiness, fear, grief and joy while listening to it. The music had made many abrupt changes, with all sorts of feelings welling up in one's heart that remain inexpressible. Thus, this poem aids one in understanding the turbulent emotional highs and lows that everyone present had experienced while sitting through Jiang Ruan's dancing and musical performance.
As the piece lingered at its end, the red clothes that had been fluttering in the wind abruptly became pinched. Yet, as she raised her head with that fine black hair of hers that fell to her waist like a waterfall, it seemed as glamourous and mesmerizing as satin. Her charming complexion seemed as bewitching as a siren and with a raise of those charming eyes of hers that almost seemed to have not swept a glance over Jiang Su Su, she raised her hand towards her own neck and made a beheading gesture. Jiang Su Su's body had stiffened and Jiang Ruan smiled sweetly.
As a beauty smiled, it was as if in just one night, the spring flowers in Great Jin Chao had piled up, layer by layer, and blossomed. It was so beautiful that it made people feel that to take even one more glance would have been sacrilegious.
Xiao Shao's elegant and handsome face remained as cool and frigid as before, while those long lashes of his had covered up the slightest traces of contemplation in his eyes.
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Translated by : Irisu
Edited by : Anks & Ely