Dandere General and his Lord

33. Military Drill

Old Lady Ji looked at the darling pair standing hand in hand in front of her with her heart filled with joy.

She thought of her first son-in-law who had been an old fogey who was around the same age as her as she looked at this new son-in-law in front of her who was as refined as jade, gentle and handsome. The more she looked at him, the more she liked him.

She tugged Cheng Qianye over and said, “You are my son-in-law now. In my heart, you’re no different from my own child. Recently, we have sped up the renovation of her older brother’s residence and the surrounding hills and gardens from when he was a crown prince. Once the renovation has been completed, the two of you can move there and live in peace. If anything is lacking, just tell me.”

Yao Tianxiang twisted her mother’s sleeve and said, “Mother, would I still be lacking anything after you’ve made the arrangements? There is only one thing I am worried about. My Husband is such a refined and elegant man, I’m just afraid that those burly ruffians from Elder Brother’s army might frighten him.”

Old Lady Ji poked her head. “They all say that a woman is born to leave her family,1 you’ve immediately turned to your husband as soon as you got married.”

She patted Cheng Qianye’s hand and said, “My son, don’t be afraid, if your brother-in-law stirs up any trouble for you, you just come and tell me, see if I don’t deal with him!”

Cheng Qianye’s expression didn’t change as she beamed as she carefully attended to her mother-in-law.

However, her heart was filled with dejection. This mother-in-law spoke beautifully, but she didn’t mean to let her go. She didn’t care about Yao Hong keeping her under house arrest, at most, it was just to make life easier for her on the surface.

Should she try to flee from the State of Wei, or should she try to convince Princess Tianxiang to come to her side and work together to escape from the control of her older brother, Yao Hong.

A few days later, Cheng Qianye and Yao Tianxiang moved into the newly renovated Princess’ Mansion.

The spacious mansion was majestic and imposing with carved beams and painted rafters and rare flowers and stones everywhere. Every thing and every place was exquisite. 

There were numerous servants and women in the courtyard and the mansion was filled with merry songs and dance every night.

Cheng Qianye and Yao Tianxiang spent all day boating at the waterside pavilion or watching Huangmei operas in the garden. They enjoyed their newlywed lives unabashedly without Cheng Qianye mentioning wanting to go back even once, playing happily as if she didn’t even think of Jin Nation.

Duke Wei Heng invited them to banquets from time to time and sent them rare treasures, handsome slaves and beautiful women, one after the other.

Cheng Qianye and Princess Tianxiang were sitting at the edge of the pavilion and watching the gleaming sunlight reflecting off the surface of the crystalline waters as they enjoyed the gentle breeze while listening to the opera play from the pavilion.

They were acting out a passage from “Shuang Jiuzhu.”2

The opera actress was dressed in red with a willow waist, her face powdered white as she waved an imperial fan with her slender jade fingers and babbled, “Everyone praises me for my appearance like Pan An’s, it turns out that beneath the gauze cap is a beautiful woman.”3

Cheng Qianye and Yao Tianxiang drank together and the servants off the stage rewarded them.

The two flower-like beauties came down from the stage to express their gratitude and the women’s figure slowly bent in front of Cheng Qianye, lifting up the corner of their eyes and casting an amorous glance at her.

Yao Tianxiang took a sip of the tea. “What is it?”

The lady in charge beside her saluted and replied, “Responding to the Princess, this one has heard that Fuma4 Ye5 enjoys watching Huangmei opera the most. These two are famous actresses that My Lord personally assigned someone to bring to the mansion a few days ago to provide entertainment for the Princess and Fuma Ye. One is called Liu Yue, and the other is Chun Xin.”

“Brother truly loves me.” Yao Tianxiang smiled sweetly and rose to her feet. Since that is the case, My Husband, you can accept this Liu Yue and Chun Xin.”

Cheng Qianye rolled her eyes mentally, but laughed heartily on the surface. “I’m grateful for brother-in-law’s kindness.”

Yao Tianxiang put down her teacup and commanded a servant, “Go, wash the people clean and send them to Fuma’s room in the evening.”

Cheng Qianye secretly pinched Yao Tianxiang’s arm.

Yao Tianxiang was indignant and pinched her back adeptly. After exchanging three or four moves, due to the presence of the servants, Cheng Qianye reluctantly waved her hand.

The lady in charge nodded inwardly and secretly sent someone to report back to Yao Hong. 

A few days passed by and Duke Wei Heng sent a few people to invite Cheng Qianye to watch the naval army’s practice.

They sat at the viewing platform near the riverbank and looked at the armoured soldiers standing in great numbers with the army banner flying clearly.

There were a dozen tall and sturdy generals with a commanding presence sitting with them. Cheng Qianye was dressed in a loose, light robe with only Mo Qiao Sheng standing behind her in attendance, seeming somewhat incompatible with the rest of them.

The sounds of the battle drums reverberated in the sky with row upon row of warships crisscrossing and systematically forming all kinds of formations on the vast river.

Even Cheng Qianye who was utterly ignorant of military affairs was deeply affected by the momentum, unable to help exclaiming in admiration.

The naval drill concluded. The infantry and the cavalry arrived onto the field one by one started their practice on the drill grounds beneath the viewing platform.

There was a general with curly hair and wearing a silver helmet sitting beside Cheng Qianye named Yuan Wu. He laughed and waved his hand like a fan as he said to Cheng Qianye, “When Marquis Jin Yue first came to our country, what was your impression of our valiant soldiers?”

Cheng Qianye cupped her hands in greeting and said, “Your army is brave and admirable.”

After hearing this answer, Yuan Wu still refused to let her off, “Since long ago, I have heard that northerners are better with horsemanship and southerners are better with infantry. In my heart, I have always been unable to accept this. Since having Marquis Ye here is a rare opportunity, I don’t know whether it would be possible for you to deign to compete with Zaixia6 on riding and shooting? Let us also have a first-hand experience of how good the horsemanship of a northerner is.”

Cheng Qianye’s horsemanship was newly learnt and she was barely able to sit astride a horse without falling off. Comparing herself with these generals who were able to sweep through the battlefield was nothing more than inviting humiliation upon herself.

She had no choice but to decline repeatedly.

Yuan Wu obviously wished to humiliate Marquis Jin Yue. He stretched out his dark hand to seize Cheng Qianye’s wrist. “Marquis Ye is a man of striking appearance and prominent talent, don’t be so modest, haha.”

His hand was stretched out halfway but hadn’t made contact yet when another palm clasped his wrist firmly.

The attendant in dark clothing who was standing behind Cheng Qianye had reached out his arm and clasped him by the wrist with an air of murderousness as he gave him a chilly glare with those pitch-black eyes akin to a wolf’s.

Yuan Wu felt goosebumps rise on half of his body as a chill crept up his back.

This was a natural reaction when one encountered a strong enemy on the battlefield.

He stood up and asked, “Who are you?”

Mo Qiao Sheng shook off his hand and looked straight into his eyes without the slightest hint of retreating and cupped his fists against his chest. “Xiaoren7 is merely a nobody who belongs to the Marquis. If General insists on verifying by comparing, Xiaoren will act on behalf of My Lord to seek advice.”

Clap clap clap.

“Courage deserves praise, loyalty should be encouraged.” Yao Hing slowly clapped his hands three times. “So be it. Yuan Wu, you compete against this Little Brother. You must not mar the harmony.”

Yuan Wu snorted and flung his sleeves.

They both rode horses and carried strong bows and quivers. Two targets were set up a hundred paces for them to compete against shooting.

Yuan Wu took the lead and didn’t try particularly hard to take aim. The arrow shot forward like a shooting star, flying past with a “swoosh” before sinking into the center of the bullseye. The field was filled with cheers.

Mo Qiao Sheng showed no reaction as he picked up his bow and notched the arrow. The arrow sunk into the center of the bullseye, same as the previous one.

Yuan Wu snorted and turned his horse around, setting off into a fast run. As the horse galloped across the field, he pulled the bow and released the arrow. With another “swoosh”, the second arrow also steadily landed in the center of the bullseye.

Mo Qiao Sheng drove his horse forward, running back and forth across the field without using his bow as the onlookers hissed and booed.

Until the horse started galloping fiercely and he fished out three arrows from the quiver before releasing them in one breath. There was only a string of “swoosh” sounds as the three arrows sailed forward in succession. But it didn’t hit the bullseye and hit the outermost ring of the target instead. The end result was arranged in a zigzag pattern.

He continued riding the horse, moving in the opposite direction and twisted his waist, turning around before shooting another arrow. They heard the sound of collision as it hit the tail of the first arrow and splintered through it, cutting it in half before plunging into the center of the target.

The shaft of the broken arrow swayed slowly on the target before falling to the ground with a “clunk”.

The field was enveloped in silence for a moment before there was a loud roar of applause.

Although it wasn’t a soldier from their side, men from the battlefield respected those who were strong and capable and all the soldiers in the audience were impressed and convinced by Mo Qiao Sheng’s skillful show of strength.

Yao Hong applauded and rose to his feet before saying loudly, “There is no need for further comparison, your archery is superb. Please rest and come forward to receive your reward.”

They both returned to the viewing platform and knelt down in front of the commanding general.

Yuan Wu’s face was flushed red as he said, “This Yuan’s skill is inferior to the other’s and I concede defeat. I have damaged My Lord’s honour.”

Yao Hong burst into laughter and personally helped him to his feet before patting him on the shoulder. “No matter. Old Yuan, you should know that there are other people out there as well.”

He helped Mo Qiao Sheng get up and said admiringly, “I wonder what this brave hero’s name is and what your role is in the Jin Army? I presume you must count as one of the best archers in the Jin Army.”

Mo Qiao Sheng bowed and replied, “Responding to the Duke, Xiaoren is merely a slave who serves by My Lord’s side. Xiaoren’s skill in archery is merely average within the army, there are plenty of people who are better than me within the Jin Army.”

Yao Hong raised his eyebrows and said, “Hey, you’re being too modest, I don’t believe they can surpass you at archery.”

“It’s true and there is no falsehood. Zaixia can only shoot three consecutive arrows without missing, but my comrade-in-arms within the army can shoot seven consecutive arrows without missing.”

A buzz of discussion arose at the table as everyone cast Cheng Qianye with respectful gazes, no longer contemptuous of her.

Yao Hong returned to his seat and said to Cheng Qianye, “Xiandi,8 is this man really a slave?”

Cheng Qianye nodded her head.

Yao Hong looked at the extraordinarily valiant Mo Qiao Sheng and felt his heart itching unbearably after hearing that he was a mere slave.

This person, Marquis Jin Yue has a lustful nature, he might not necessarily attach much importance to this slave. I have both gold and beauties, maybe I can try to strike a bargain for him.

Thinking so, he spoke out, “Since this man is a slave, I don’t know if….”

“Elder Brother, you are bullying my husband again. My Husband brought this attendant with him from his country, you can’t rob him.” A sweet, feminine voice interrupted him.

Princess Tianxiang was dressed in martial attire as she stepped onto the platform.

“Tianxiang, you are a woman, why are you here?” Yao Hong was not happy with being interrupted and spoke in annoyance, “Stop making trouble. Go back quickly.”

Yao Tianxiang pulled Cheng Qianye’s arm and sat down beside her.

“Who has the patience to watch you and these uncouth fellows review the troops, I am only here to pick up my dear Husband lest you take advantage of my absence and try to bully him.”

“You!” Yao Hong was left speechless. He was never able to win over this shrewish younger sister of his.

Cheng Qianye fished out her handkerchief and handed it over to Yao Tianxiang. “How can you run around so fast like that, you’re sweating, wipe it quickly.”

Yao Tianxiang tilted her face up and said, “Wipe it for me.”

Originally a strict and dignified martial arts drill, suddenly turned into a charming and gentle scene. The surrounding generals coughed and gazed up into the sky, their hearts filled with embarrassment.

Yao Hong held his forehead and waved, “Go go go, take your husband and leave.”

Yao Tianxiang tugged Cheng Qianye away with her.

After stepping down from the platform, Cheng Qianye sighed and cupped her hands together before saying softly, “Thank you Princess for rescuing me.”

Yao Tianxiang’s face was cold. “I can only help with these trivial matters. If Elder Brother really wants to take your life, he won’t pay any attention to me. If he changes his mind one day, I won’t be able to protect you, it would be my head on the line. He can even cut it off if he wants to be cruel.”

“For him, the feelings between a brother and sister are merely like a thin piece of paper. If you want to escape, you must come up with a plan quickly.”

~

1. (女生外向 – nǚ shēng wài xiàng) Idiom which means that after getting married, a woman cares more about her husband.
2. (双救主) er, some historical play….
3. [人人夸我潘安貌，原来纱帽照呀照婵娟哪] I’m really really not sure whether I translated this correctly, but anyway, they’re lyrics from the aforementioned opera. BTW, “Pan Yue (Chinese: 潘岳; 247–300), courtesy name “Anren” (安仁), was a prominent Chinese fu poet in the Western Jin dynasty. He is popularly referred to as Pan An (潘安) and was well known for his good looks from a young age.” source: wikipedia
4. (驸马 – Fuma) – Princess’ husband
5. (爷 – Yé) A respectful form of addressing a man of higher position [Sir; Master; Lord]/respectful form of addressing an elder man. Literal translation father/grandpa/old gentleman. Basically an honorific such as “sama” in jp.
6. (在下 – Zaixia) I, me (humble)
7. (小人 – Xiaoren) I, me (used by a man of lower social standing when speaking to his betters) / This small man/ordinary man.
8. (贤弟 – Xiandi) – Worthy little brother [Term of respect for younger brother or younger male]