I translate the opening chapter(s) of Chinese webnovels I like. You decide if you like it enough to persuade someone else with more stamina to translate the rest!
ć˘čą/tanhua: the prettiest twink who also made it into the top three scholars in all the realm
Iâm not very familiar with tgcf fandom so ignore me if itâs often mentioned! But I wanted to elaborate on the âseeking flowerâ in huahuaâs title, tanhua/ć˘čą
The normal interpretation when you see those two words is generally the title of the third place scholar in the civil exams, which ran from the Tang dynasty to the Qing dynasty. After the Song it gets a lot more regulated, but during the Tang, it wasnât so much an official title, but rather a celebrated epithet given to two of the âyoungest, most handsome*â scholars - čżĺŁŤćĺĺ厴č°äšć˘čąĺŽ´,塎ĺ°äżäşäşşä¸şć˘čąä˝ż,é游ĺĺ,čĽĺŽäşşĺ ćčą,äşä˝żçč˘Ťç˝ in ç§Śä¸ĺ˛ćśčް byďźĺďźććˇ
They rode through the bedecked streets and gardens during the parade for celebrating the top scholars, plucking flowers along the way, and later at the celebratory banquet following the exams, these two tanhua would then bestow blossoms upon each scholar (and many Dramatique fics have been written about this, donât worry)
*(during the preceding era, there was a similar precept as the greeks and many other ancient cultures where beauty was a significant boost to your stats)
Where this intersects with best hua hua is the motion of taking the time to caress a delicate bloom, of course, but also when I first read the novel this title immediately brought to mind the connotations of youth and comeliness! aka someone who could be a good LI \o/
tldr: Hua Cheng: so hot that itâs more important in his title than being the fiercest most devastating ghost in all of creation.
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The Emperor Plans, The Minister Executes: Chapter 3
He may have been titled Retainer of the Crown Prince, but he didnât in fact stay by the Crown Princeâs side all the time. Rather, he spent somewhat more time taking care of various and sundry matters in the East Palace. Before he knew it, it had been nearly two months since Gu Bing had last seen Xuanyuan outside of the morning meetings every few days, let alone talked to him. The other new officials whoâd entered the East Palace with him couldnât help but feel their passion for their master cool. In private they remarked on how the Crown Princeâs idleness and weakness did not indicate a future as a wise ruler. He would at most be a mediocre lord.
Gu Bing gave most of this private chitchat no more attention than a laugh. He only kept his head down amid the documents on his desk, day after day, taking care of his own little patch of turf.
Without his realizing, it was months since heâd entered officialdom through the spring examinations. When he next looked the lotus flowers upon Taiye Pond had faded away.
Suddenly news spread through the court that Crown Prince Xuanyuan Zhaomin had recommended to the emperor that the Third Prince be made Prince of Lingzi, guarding the northeastern region of Qingzhou and Beihai Commandery, with the same powers as the Prince of Jingxi guarding the northwest borderlands. Thus there would be two princes, one west and one east, flanking the armies of the capital from a distance, dimly forming a check on each otherâs powers. Ministers discussed this considerably amongst themselves: some said that the Crown Prince was splitting too much power off from himself, raising a tiger in his own backyard; some said that the Crown Prince was godlike in his wisdom, a master of the rulerâs arts of manipulation; yet others praised the purity of the Crown Princeâs fraternal affections. Gu Bing, listening, only smiled close-lipped and continued copying official documents with his head down.
Today was the fifth day of the sixth month, well into the dog days of summer, exceedingly hot and dry. Even Gu Bing, frail and prone to chills since childhood, managed a sheen of sweat.
After dinner, Gu Bing remained at the Crown Princeâs Academe to help make spare copies of tomorrowâs petitions for several august personages of advanced age. In the dim candlelight, flying insects and spotted moths sporadically flitted under the lampshade, struggled briefly, and fell powerlessly onto the desk.
Gu Bing was copying Grand Tutor Suâs rebuttal of Censor Zhangâs accusations of misconduct, when he heard rushing footsteps approach.
âStill here as expected, Minister Gu,â said An Yi, the eunuch who attended to the Crown Prince.
Gu Bing immediately stood and gave the bow of a junior to elder. âGreetings, Eunuch An.â
An Yiâs elderly face creased with a smile. âIâve already told you that youâre a minister of the courtâs will, a proud scion of Heaven. Such an honor is too much for an old servant like me. Youâll take years off my lifespan like this.â
âHardly, Eunuch An, youâve served at His Highnessâs side diligently and honorably for many years, while Iâm only a minor scribe. Of course I should bow to you as your junior.â
Eunuch Anâs smile grew warmer. âHis Highness requests your presence, Minister Gu.â
Gu Bing was surprised for a moment, but straightened his attire and followed Eunuch An through a corridor into a deeper area of courtyards. It was the first time Gu Bing had come to the rear gardens, the first time seeing the splendor of the imperial household, the residences like that of deities, and for a time intimidation overtook him.
A pavilion lay beside the vast Daming Lake. He could dimly discern someone sitting alone there, behind a hanging screen. Gu Bingâs eyes were sharp; he immediately knelt. âYour Highness.â
A good-humored voice came out. âIs that you, Gu Bing? Come in.â
A handmaiden lifted the screen, and Gu Bing followed her inside. He saw a low table at the center of the pavilion, a weiqi board atop it. Xuanyuan Zhaomin was toying with a weiqi piece, gaze fixed on him with something not quite a smile. Ambergris burned in a small gold filigree censor in the corner. No candles were lit, and the only light came from night-glowing pearls, but it didnât feel dim. In the dusk glow, the young princeâs features were indistinct, but his eyes like obsidian outshone the seven-colored bead strands of his headdress.
Gu Bing stood in attendance to one side with arms at his sides, noting that Xuanyuanâs weiqi pieces were polished jade. The white pieces would be Hetian jade, while the black pieces would be finest jadeite.
âItâs been almost three months since you entered court, I believe. Iâve been too busy to sit down with you and have a proper conversation. It was my lapse.â The Crown Prince smiled benevolently.
âI thank Your Highness for the trouble of remembering me. Your minister is incomparably grateful.â
Xuanyuan looked at him, the corner of his mouth quirking. âI have the general idea of what youâve been thinking to yourself, Minister Gu. Of course, I know what your compatriots have been thinking even more clearly.â
Gu Bing kept his head lowered. âI would not dare attempt to divine Your Highnessâs thoughts.â
âYou are ever too cautious, although I suppose itâs a good trait in a subordinate. Wu Yong and Cai Tongâenâs group in the Academe have probably complained that I recruited all these people only to assign them no meaningful work. I havenât so much as checked in on them, the height of rudeness and neglect. What do you think of their viewpoint?â
Gu Bing considered this, and answered, âThe Path of the Minister states, âFor one who serves a ruler, it does not matter if a mission is hard or easy-- he will not fear it. It does not matter whether a task is exhausting or leisurely-- he will not avoid it. If he finds himself bestowed with duties, he will not presume upon the favor, but heighten his respect. If he finds himself forgotten, he will not dare to bear a grudge, but heighten his diligence.ââ
Xuanyuan didnât answer, taking up a round jadeite black piece and appreciating its luster with narrowed eyes.
âIâll ask you one more time, Gu Bing. Why do you suppose Iâm employing you? In terms of knowledge, family, and appearance, youâre no more than average. And yet, instead of the names at the head of the rankings, I chose you. Iâll preemptively pardon youâ go ahead and attempt to divine my thoughts.â
Gu Bing raised his head and looked at Xuanyuan. His brow creased a little as he thought. âI believe that my strength is none other than my weakness. I have no great talent, and am therefore diligent. My birth is low, so I am humble. My appearance is ordinary, so⌠I canât see any advantage in my appearance being ordinary.â
Heâd made Xuanyuan laugh. âThe first few things you said are reasonable, but they arenât the most important. Even if you guessed at it, you wouldnât want to say it to me, no? Thereâs a very good line in The Path of the Minister that you quoted earlier: âIf he finds himself forgotten, he will not dare to bear a grudge, but heighten his diligence.âYou mustâve realized that I gave you all the cold shoulder in order observe and appraise your reactions.â
Gu Bing startled, again crouching low in his kneel. âThis humble minister would not dare.â
âDonât hurry to deny it. Not only was I testing you all, were you not appraising me?â Xuanyuan seemed to lack the patience to listen to Gu Bing explain, and continued, âThat day at the banquet in the Apricot Garden, I was observing everyone the whole time. Wu Yong is an uninhibited thinker, skilled at currying favor. Cai Tongâen is stubborn and honorableâ heâll be a straight-talking minister in the future. Zhong Hengchen is a talented libertine, I suppose a fine young gentleman given our troubled times.â
Gu Bing pressed his lips together, feeling even his palms turning ice cold.
Xuanyuan seemed to recall something, and laughed. âThat compatriot of yours, Zhou Qi. He may look uninhibited and dissolute, but in truth his personality is exceedingly cold and proud. I donât know why the Zhou family sent him to the northlands, but that ironclad Imperial Uncle of mine is in for a rough time.â Seeing Gu Bingâs lack of expression, he shook his head and continued. âAnd you. The first time I saw you, I thought that you could endure anything. And your heart is ruthless. When I saw you I thought of the words, âthe countenance of a watchful wolf, looking to and fro.ââ
Cold sweat soaked Gu Bingâs back. He instantly kowtowed. âThis minister is wronged! Your Highness, please judge--â but his next words stuck in his throat. Not a sentence made it out. What could he say? That he was low of birth, subject to bullying and contempt since childhood and therefore fully calculating of every step he took? That he was cautious and methodical because heâd experienced his fill of the opportunism of human affection? That he was distant and wary because heâd entered officialdom only to keep his belly full? That for the kindness of patronage and understanding he would gladly die to repay the favor?
Xuanyuan paid attention to his expression, watching smoke swirl from the incense burner with narrowed eyes. âSo what if you have such a countenance? Perhaps I put it to you the wrong way. But I canât help but feel that, if you can endure what others cannot, youâll achieve what others cannot. There may be many who are spectacular, but they fail in their fundamental nature, their gaze obscured by passing clouds or dazzled by myriad flowers. Their hearts are not steady enough. But these few months, Iâve seen that aside from what youâre supposed to do and supposed to listen to, you havenât paid mind to anything else. You might look like a dull, uninspired official, but the documents you copy everyday never have a character out of place, and I discovered⌠during the first of our meetings, I purposefully had people talk about the faction struggles in court. You looked like you didnât care, but whether knowingly or not, the files you organize are sorted by peopleâs factions. Can you tell me your intent there?â
âThis minister didnât wish Your Highness to be misled by a single partyâs views,â Gu Bing stammered. âThus I alternated petitions by faction, so as to allow Your Highness to take in all sides of the story and see more clearly.â
Xuanyuan lifted the jade cup and took a sip of tea. âAnd, do you know, last meeting when I asked you all how to deal with the matter of the Third Princeâ aside from my few oldest, closest ministers, only you thought the way I did. So⌠you must have realized that Iâm in a bad position?â
Gu Bing pressed his lips together. âIt was only an intuition,â he managed hesitantly. âIf Your Highness could actually turn events at your leisure, you wouldnât be quietly building your strength and recruiting talents. Having entered the Crown Princeâs palace, this minister should naturally take share his masterâs burden.â
Xuanyuan laughed. âYouâre a smart one indeed. I was right about you.â Then he raised his head to look at the sky alight with stars, his phoenix eyes seeming to reflect the entire Milky Way.
âYour not the only one of your kind Iâve seen. There was even a senior of mine whom I once admired very much. The difference between you and him is that, despite your coolness and aloofness, you still have the goodness that you were born with. Iâm going to start utilizing people soon; perhaps youâll become my confidante. So I donât want you to walk the same path as he did. I want you to live a little easier. It hurts to live with too burdened a heart, and youâll more easily be led astray.â
Gu Bing was dazed. Heâd lost his parents at a young age; never had anyone placed such importance on him, or expended so much effort on guiding and advising him. He could only rest his forehead against the icy grey brick for a long time, even as his eyes burned at the rims. His heart too alternated hot and cold, utterly conflicted.
Someone patted his shoulder through his clothes. He heard the Crown Princeâs voice, sunny yet full of gravitas.
âIf you want to survive in this world, if you want to protect yourself, it can be difficult or easy. For you, you donât have a clique, or a family. You only have your deliberation and your deligence. And the only one you can rely on, is me!â
âLook up!â Xuanyuanâs voice bewitched him. Gu Bing looked up and saw that his eyes were like the poles of Heaven in legend, ice and fire intersecting, the calm of ice, the fierceness of fire.
âTell me, will you give me your loyalty?â
Gu Bing looked at that pair of eyes and slowly nodded.
The Emperor Plans, The Minister Executes: Chapter 2
Gu Bing knelt there, soaked through all over with cold sweat. In that moment, it felt as if he were back in the drawing room in his maternal uncleâs house.
Several days a year, his younger self would go kneel there, receive a few scraps of silver from his maternal aunt, endure a round of everyoneâs mockery, then silently leave, alone. After that was a crude dwelling, a single lamp, and classics, essays, and poetry.
That sensationâ of being pitied and held in contempt, of having no more power over his own fate than a floating bit of algae.
He was long used to it, and thus able to endure it.
âDo you know why I picked you alone, out of the several hundred examinees ranked within the three tiers?â the man on the dais asked idly.
âThis commoner does not know, Your Highness.â
âYouâre a Retainer of the Crown Prince now. Donât call yourself a commoner anymore.â
Gu Bingâs brows knitted. Retainer of the Crown Prince was a sixth-rank second-class position, better than what even many scions of good families could hope for. This good fortune had arrived so quickly that it left him fearful.
âShould you not express your gratitude?â The man on the dais chose a forbidding wording, but his tone of voice was so gentle as to seem a touch careless.â
âThis minister thanks Your Highness for your generosity.â
A fine-featured handmaid went back and forth, topping up teacups and waving a fan. âYou still havenât answered my question.â
Gu Bing sighed inwardly. âMost likely the show of myself I made at the banquet at the Apricot Garden amused Your Highness--â
The other man startled. âYou remembered my voice all this time?â
Gu Bing shook his head. âYour Highnessâs voice is akin to the cry of the dragon and the call of the phoenix, but I didnât recognize you by voice.â
The man on the dais stood and ambled his leisurely way down. Gu Bing saw the train of his robes trailing on the ground, embroidered with cloud patterns, like the lavish ripples of light atop Daming Lake.
âTell me more.â
âIn fact, I realized during the banquet itself. There were three main points of notice.â
âWhat three points?â
Gu Bing hesitated for a moment before replying deferentially. âFirst, Your Highness was youthful and magnificent, and of handsome bearing. No one less than a scion of the great families couldâve obtained the clothes you wore. Second, Your Highness had keen knowledge of the affairs at court. You even knew that Zhou Qi was going to the Prince of Jingxi as an aide. I doubt an ordinary princeling wouldâve had the ability and interest. Third, no ordinary ministerial family could have employed the servants who blocked my way and asked after my name that day.â
The Crown Prince mulled over this for a moment, then clapped and laughed. âYou really are a meticulous thinker, Gu Bing. Iâd forgotten that several of my servants are the kinfolk of fallen ministers, tattooed as punishment and sent into the palace to serve the emperorâs family. Looks like I really was right to keep you.â The Crown Prince half-turned and eyed Gu Bing, then sighed. âBut I really didnât choose you because I found you amusing. Rather, I⌠never mind, you probably wouldnât believe me if I told you. I didnât expect you to be like this either.â
His words left Gu Bing bewildered. All he could do was obediently answer in the affirmative. âThis minister fears he presents an incommodious sight to your imperial eyes.â
But the man didnât spare him another glance. He only said, âAfter this youâll be at my side attending upon me. Naturally youâll be moving into the Crown Princeâs residence, the East Palace. You must be tired todayâ go retire and rest. Come to the inner court tomorrow at quarter past the fifth hour to await me.â
Gu Bing arrived at the courtyard neatly dressed before five the next day, neatly dressed, only to find that the tutors of the Crown Princeâs Academe, the Secretary of the Crown Prince, and even the Grand Guardian and Grand Tutor, were already lined up there, all present and accounted for. Even though everyone wore new court robes, they more resembled rows of wilted, sickly trees.
The Secretary of the Crown Prince was a rather forbidding man. âMinister Gu.â
Gu Bing immediately bowed, afraid to even raise his head. Secretary was a fifth-rank first-class official position, a full three grades higher than his own.
âHaving just entered officialdom, I fear you possess little understanding of the court, let alone the East Palace. His Highness the Crown Prince is benevolent and kind in character, and treats his subordinates with great generosity. But this does not mean we ministers can grow careless. The East Palace morning meeting is at the fifth hour, after which His Highness must attend court at Liangyi Palace at quarter to six, so ministers should arrive here by three. Youâve newly passed the exams, Minister Gu. Do not make the mistake of sinking into idleness in your youthful prime!â
Spittle flew as Secretary Huang spoke; Gu Bingâs head sank lower and lower, almost burying itself into the dust too deep to pull back out.
Now he heard a series of rustles. The palace handmaids walked out in a line, with Crown Prince Xuanyuan Zhaomin standing in their midst. In an instant, everyone in the inner court was kneeling on the ground.
Gu Bing hurriedly knelt too, feeling sore of back and dizzy of head.
Xuanyuan looked at his gathered subordinates and smiled a little. âYou have a voice like a great bell, Minister Huang Yong. You must be in fine health, if I could hear you a mile away.â Secretary Huang hurriedly begged his pardon, but Xuanyuan waved him aside. âXiao-Gu only just arrived, and heâs had to work a good deal lately with the examinations. I was the one who told him to come at a later hour. With the chilly weather lately, I want to push the time of the meeting back fifteen minutes from now on, and everyone can get more sleep. What do you think, Grand Tutor?â
Gu Bing couldnât resist raising his head. Xuanyuan looked cheerful, his phoenix eyes half-shut with his smile, like an enlightened old fox. Where was the slightest shadow of his wild, willful self from the banks of the winding river a few days ago?
As he woolgathered, he spotted Xuanyuanâs gaze suddenly turn toward him. His lacquer-black eyes could suck in souls. Hurriedly, Gu Bing lowered his head.
The corner of Xuanyuanâs mouth curved. He directed everyone indoors.
After the meeting, Gu Bingâs head spun with the multitudinous official position names and relationshipsâ something something Attendant Liu  was Chancellor Wangâs brother-in-law, something something Senior Minister Shiâs protege Zhao Zixi was the cousin of His Majestyâs current favorite Consort Zhao, something something Grand Tutor Suâs son was serving as Inspector in Huizhou, but due to an unhappy relationship with his father had gone over to Senior Minister ShiâŚâ
How fortunate that he sat next to another Retainer named Wu Yong, who dragged Gu Bing into his incessant chatter. The buzz of his secret-sharing made Gu Bingâs head hurt. His face was turning pale.
Xuanyuan banged on his table somewhat impatiently. âSo, after all that talk, how are we going to arrange for Third Brother to depart the capital as a regional prince? We still havenât settled on how to respond to my Emperor Father. Canât everyone give me one unified answer?â
âThe Third Princeâs mother occupies a lowly position in the harem. The title of Prince of Lingnan should be good enough for him.â
âYou donât understand, his mother is cousin to Senior Minister Shiâs daughter-in-law!â
âAnd what do you know? Senior Minister Shiâs son favors Lady Ru.â
Xuanyuan laughed. âI know, you all write a petition and give it to me, right now. Iâll bring it to court afterward.â
Immediately, a clerk distributed sheets of paper. Gu Bing hesitated for a moment, then began to write. Wu Yong beside him snuck a glance, then frantically tugged at him. He was easy to lip-read: Are you crazy?
Gu Bing shook his head, and had the clerk bring up his response.
Xuanyuanâs gaze swept down the page. He gave a cryptic little smile and rose to attend court.
The more specific category tags deserved their own post, because some of them are amazingly specific subgenres/premises! Again, please let me know if I got anything wrong!
ć¸ çŠż = transmigration to the Qing dynasty
ĺźşĺźş = two equally strong protagonists, generally see applied to romantic pairings
çĺ = involves childbirth, indicates mpreg when applied to BL
ĺš´ä¸ = younger partner is dominant/seme
çľéč˝Źć˘ = protag's soul enters a new body
ć§ĺŤč˝Źć˘ = genderbend
ĺšťćłçŠşé´ = extremely "imaginative"
çľĺźçĽćŞ = supernatural elements like spirits, sages, demons
ĺĽĺšťéĺšť = fantasy, magic
ç§ĺšť = science fiction
ćć = horror
é˝ĺ¸ć çź = urban romance
čąĺŁé¨ĺŁ = youthful love
ĺŽŤĺťˇäžŻçľ = court drama involving nobles/royalty/ministers/generals etc.
蹪é¨ä¸ĺŽś = rich/powerful families
ćąćšćŠć¨ = passionate personal loyalty/justice/feud dynamics, like in wuxia or gangster works
ä¸ćäšćľ = protag is outsider to a field (then gets better at it than everyone else)
éŞĺŁŤä¸ĺ = set in Western medieval-esque settings with knights, dragons, etc.
娹äšĺ = entertainment industry setting
ĺ¤çŠżäť = protag from ancient times winds up in the modern day
ç§ç°ć = typically non-modern-day setting with a plot focused on the MCâs gradual base-building, financial development, day-to-day life, relationships, characterization, etc. rather than scheming or geopolitics.
ć´Şč =set in primordial times with the creation gods
äťäž 俎ç = cultivation
čĄć = vampires
çŤć = competition, usually sports competitions
ĺźč˝ = supernatural ability
ĺŽ ć = family/clan internal feuding
厍ć = harem feuding
éç = do-over, protag reborn as a past version of themselves while retaining their knowledge of the future
ĺŠć = marriage
ä¸ĺš´äšç = seven years' itch
ĺŠĺŞł = mother-in-law conflict
ćŤä¸ = apocalyptic setting
弳基 = strong independent female MC
ć éćľ = protag trains and continually levels up in power in fictional setting, usually that of a preexisting work
ç˝é = stories set in online voice actor circles
ĺśćć çź = romance with people in uniforms
äź ĺĽ = essay of extraordinary events/experiences for original fic, stories with mythological background for non-original fic
游ćç˝ć¸¸ = gaming
弳é = female side character is reborn, or MC transmigrates into a female side character, and works to supplant the female lead
ćşç˛ = mecha
čĺş = focus on career
çžéŁ = romance with delicious food
ä¸çç˛žčą = top-tier in their field
ç¸çąç¸ć = love-hate relationship
ćé = IN SPAAAACE!
ćč¸ = protag shows up their detractors
ĺąĺżäşşç = inspirational, shows the protag improving their circumstances through hard workÂ
çłťçť = system/cheats, i.e. the protag gets stuff like quests/skills/exp/stat points but in his âreal lifeâ.
ĺć = corporate warfare
çć = sweet and fluffy story
忍犿 = protag transmigrates to a series of different settings
ç°äťŁćśçŠş = set in a vague unspecific "present day" without identifiable real-world city names/locations/etc.
ćŞćĽćśçŠş = set in an imagined future
ćŹçć¨ç = mystery/suspenseÂ
犿䚌 = protag transmigrates into a character in a book
弳ćŽçˇčŁ = crossdressing girl
ç˝ć = feel-good, stress-free plot without setbacks
ĺçş§ćľ = protag levels from ordinary person to highest of the high
ç˝çş˘ = story about internet famous people
ç´ć = stories about livestreamers
輿嚝 = western fantasy
ä¸ćšçĺšť = Eastern fantasy (something in the vein of Twelve Kingdoms?)
ĺ¤äťč渣 = revenge plot complicated by feelings
ĺ¸äşçć´ť = everyday urban life
ç§ä¸ž = imperial examinations
嚴䝣ć = set between Republican China and the '90s with a strong sense of era
ĺ°é¨ĺ°ćˇ = life of ordinary people
ćĺ äšä¸ = imperial court politics
çťĺ = business world
é˝ĺ¸ĺźéť = urban fantasyÂ
ćśĺ°ćľčĄ = lives of glamorous people/trendsetters/designers/etc.
ćéż = bildungsroman
éč˘ = protag turns the tables and goes from zero to hero
ć Ąĺ = school stories
ĺ§ĺźć = older woman with younger man
ĺ¤äťŁĺšťćł = "extremely imaginative", but set in historical or fictionalized historical times
ĺźćłĺ¤Šĺź = AU fics?
éćłĺšťć = creative fantasy with a lot of magic (not sure of the exact difference between some of these âfantasyâ labels)
亥çľĺźć = secondary world with souls of the dead, sorcerers, fantasy races, and the like.
ç§ćŻ/ĺźćŻ = secret technique (not sure of the exact difference between these terms)
čś č˝ = superpowersÂ
ĺźéťäź 说 = "mysteries, plot twists, new and different things, suspense, and deduction that contain rather shocking events." (conspiracy theories??? I feel like itâs an euphemism for something.)
JJWXC, or ććą, is by far the largest webnovel site for female audiences in China. This is their system for labeling stories--authors are supposed to choose one tag from each category for their creation. The explanations are based on the annotations provided to author accounts.
If Iâve made any mistakes, please let me know!
Format Tags
ĺ°čŻ´ = prose fiction
čŻčŽş = review
éçŹ = essay
čŻć = poetry and verse
ĺ§ćŹ = screenplay
Originality Tags
ĺĺ = original
čĄç = fanfic
Orientation Tags
č¨ć = BG(boy/girl), het
çşŻçą = (very euphemistic way to refer to) BL, yaoi
çžĺ = GL, yuri
ĺĽłĺ° = GB(girl/boy), het where the female partner is dominant. In practice this involves a lot of stories where the social/biological roles are reversed and men live in harems and/or bear womenâs children and so on.
ć CP = no central romantic relationship
POV Tags
Because Chinese writing doesnât have rules against âhead-hoppingâ, thereâs no real line drawn between POV and main character.
For BG, GB, and ć CP the options are:
çˇä¸ť = Male MC/POV
弳丝 = Female MC/POV
ä¸ć = Unclear
For BL and GL the options are:
ćť = Seme
ĺ = Uke
äşćť = Characters switch
ä¸ć = Story doesnât mention position
Setting Tags
čżäťŁç°äťŁ = set in recent/modern eras starting around the Republican era in CHina
ĺ¤č˛ĺ¤éŚ = set in history during existing dynasties
ćśçŠşĺĺ˛ = set in an invented dynasty (think the equivalent of the generic medieval setting in Western stories)
ĺšťćłćŞćĽ = set in future
Primary Genre Tags
çąć = predominantly romance
ćŚäž = predominantly wuxia adventures
ĺĽĺšť = non-xianxia fantasy, such as Western fantasy or paranormal fantasy
äťäž = cultivation or Eastern mythology based fantasy
游ć = online MMO setting
äź ĺĽ = MCâs dramatic life story
ç§ĺšť = science fiction
çŤĽčŻ = cute, innocent stories that inspire feelings of childhood again
ćć = horror
ćŹç = mystery/suspense
轝ĺ°čŻ´ = light novels, shallow and fun with engaging characters
ĺ¤ĺ ¸čĄç = fanfic of ancient/classical works
ä¸ćščĄç = fanfic of Eastern works, mythology, folktales, history, etc.
輿ćščĄç = fanfic of Eastern works, mythology, folktales, history, etc.
ĺ śäťčĄç = other fanfic
Tone Tags
ć˛ĺ§ = tragedy
ćŁĺ§ = between comedy and tragedy; ânormalâ, reasonable progression of events
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The Bearer of Pleasure (ćżćŹ˘) by çŤćľŽ: Chapter 1
7th year of King HelĂź of Wuâs reign. Early spring. Gusu.
The weather extremely cold.
The chill had come hard and sudden, nothing like the genteel briskness that was proper for spring south-of-the-River. Pedestrians inside and outside the new-constructed Great City of HelĂź were forced to wrap themselves tightly against the unseasonable cold winds. Merely exposing oneâs hands left an opening, for the spring chill to invade from the fingertips, and pierce keenly into the body in a blink.
But faces still gathered onshore, men and women, old and young, laughing and making noise in threes and fives as if going to a fair. They craned their necks toward the inner city in avid anticipation.
The crowd suddenly erupted into waves of cheers.
On the water appeared black shadows of ships.
King HelĂź of Wuâs flotilla swayed toward to the newly constructed Pan Gate amid unflagging cheers from either shore. The river water had just recovered a touch of life after the winter, carrying peachblossom petals in its shimmering ripples, and the melon peels and nut shells thrown in carelessly by the crowd on either side, as it tapped softly at the shipsâ prows. HelĂź felt somewhat drowsy.
His black eyes, narrow and seductive, gazed left and right. Too much blood had precipitated down into the abyss of those eyes, leaving only languor to drift at the surface.
The crowds of commoners cheering and hailing him from either shore, the interchangeable praise and acclamation in endless waves, had grown more and more tiresome to HelĂź.
Boredom plumed up like wine from his bodyâs depths. Before he knew it, it had engulfed his flesh, so that every nerve sprawled out languidly to welcome even the tiniest prickle of aggravation.
âXu.â HelĂź suddenly called out idly to the tall, slender figure standing behind him in the shadows. âWhyâs the water so filthy?â
The figure stepped forward, leaning a little into the unruly sunlight of early spring, lending it too his elegance.
Long, colorless hair, tied with an azure ribbon and a black clasp engraved with gold, cascading down to drape upon an azure sleeveâ surprisingly clean and sober in appearance, but giving no sign of rank or title.
âKing, the Great City of HelĂź is notable for its canals, eightfold horizontal and vertical for a total of sixty-four. The commoners of Gusu draw water from them for their daily washing. Some fouling is unavoidable.â The voice was so quiet it was difficult to distinguish any emotion, and yet it seemed to be repressing deep feeling with all its might.
âHow could I let the city you built for me be dirtied like that?â HelĂź laughed lightly, and then the humor disappeared swiftly from his face. Hard, murderous intent flashed from the corner of his beguilingly slender black eye. âDesignate the sixteen canals emerging from the inner city for royal use. Execute any who draw water from them!â
The white-haired man started, lifting his gaze. It was in fact a very young, very clean-cut face, even though for some reason the hair had turned white.
But HelĂźâs gaze had already tilted elsewhere.
âIâm only here to see the newly completed Pan Gate. Why are there so many people?â
âThe people of Gusu are accustomed to simple and humble things. Pan Gate is the last to be completed in the construction of the Great City of HelĂź, and the common people sincerely hail Your Majesty, from the bottoms of their hearts, for the opportunity to witness the creation of a city unprecedented in history,â the white-haired young man answered deferentially.
HelĂź seemed to at last be satisfied, slouching down once more. A moment later, he suddenly began to laugh shrilly. âWu Zixu, oh, Wu Zixu. You nearly fooled me again.â
His gaze flicked slantwise out of the slender corner of his eye, no longer hard, yet possessed of an odd feyness, toward the white-haired man.
âAll that talk of grand deeds unprecedented in history. You built the city. You manage the people. And in the end it all goes under my name. What are you trying to do? Invite future generations to mock me for stealing my subordinateâs deeds?â
âYou overthink, Your Majesty. Since your ascendancy, youâve slain King Liao and broken the Chu armies, all great deeds to be remembered by history.â
The answering man was none other than the legendary figure of their era, Wu Zixu.
He was originally from Chu.
The King of Chu, seeking to depose his crown prince on the basis of slander, had first disposed of the Wu clan serving the crown prince. Wu Zixuâs father and older brother were murdered, while he alone escaped and, after various travails, arrived to Wu. Heâd raised HelĂź to ascendancy, and mustered an army to invade Chu. Avenging his family, heâd dug up the King of Chuâs corpse and whipped it three hundred times.
On the pages of history, sprawling as seas, this dramatic tale of love and vengeance filled only a few scant lines of text. All the blood and fire had precipitated to the deepest reaches of history, obliterated without a sound. There only remained the hair that had turned white in the span of a single night, never to return to its crow-black luster, to stand as the best commentary for the heart-wrenching events of his past.
âYou always make it sound so nice.â HelĂź seemed at once laughing and mocking. âYou killed King Liao of Wu with your schemes, my condolences to the assassin Zhuanzhu. You helped me onto the throne, and your strategies ravaged Chu. And me? All I have to do is sit comfortably atop your plans and find ways to amuse myself. Isnât it so, myâdearâminister?â
His last words lilted upwards insidiously. The corner of Wu Zixuâs eye faintly twitched.
HelĂź was still watching him. âI only want one thing,â he continued. âAnd thatâs to outlive you.â
âEven with me around, you can still do anything you want,â Wu Zixu said mildly. âOr, you could kill me right now, as a blood sacrifice for the city.â
HelĂźâs hand shot out, directly above his own head, and gripped the white-haired man by the chin.
âWhere is your mind wandering.â Suddenly a strange combination of anxiety and mockery appeared in the long, thin corner of his eye, an expression that made this black-clad king at last look a little like a mortal. âI only mean that, while I trust you so dearly, my successor may not be able to make room for you.â
âSo itâs best if you die before me.â HelĂźâs voice faded, as if from drowsiness. âBut, once you die, Iâll be terribly bored.â
In Wu Zixuâs clear gaze, some sediment seemed to be rapidly collecting.
Suddenly a shadow rose in front of them. Tall and majestic, the emblem of the Great City of HelĂźâs completion, Pan Gate was already within sight.
Situated south-of-the-River, Gusu, alongside nearby Wuxi, had long been the heartland of Wu.
In the chaotic Spring and Autumn Era, the lands south-of-the-River, guarded by the mighty Yangtze, blessed with abundance in fish and rice, nourished an easy existence on the periphery. Among the south-of-the-River states, Wu was mightiest. A Prince Guang had offered shelter to the exiled Chu noble Wu Zixu, plotted King Liao of Wuâs assassination, and ascended the throne under the king name HelĂź. With the state growing increasingly prosperous and powerful, the city of Gusu was rebuilt, eight gates constructed atop the sixty-four intersecting canals, and renamed the Great City of HelĂź.
Pan Gate guarded the city by both land and water, embodying the collective genius of the artisans of Wu. The land gate and the water gate were set at angles against the crisscrossing approaches, and the threefold city wall did not only forbid assault, but concealed barbicans that would kill without a trace. The slate-colored gate towers of alternating heights were elegant in their simplicity. None knew that amid this grandeur and elegance, under walls the color of bronze patina, in prayer that the fate of the state might run long, that the city gate would never fall, they had slain ninety-nine convicts and buried them deep under the earth.
The completion ceremony for Pan Gate would mark the completion of the entire Great City of HelĂź. HelĂź had wanted to simply ride his fine new northland horse along the land road for a turn, but Wu Zixu had thought this would provide overmuch opportunity for assassins, and insisted on the water route. And so HelĂź, nearly drifting off amid the sway and splash of water, came closer and closer to the shadow of the city gate upon the waves.
One could already see the hundred-foot-tall sluice gate overhead. Gazing ahead, beneath the massive arch, only a few rays of sunlight could be seen slanting upon the waves in front of the boat. Away from the sunâs brilliance, the water grew increasingly dark in color. HelĂź was faintly displeased.Â
Massive, heavy iron chains hauled upward with reluctant creaks, raising the monumentally heavy sluice gate. Clinging water poured from the surface of the gate, the impact faintly rocking the boats. The distinctly aquatic smell of faint decay assaulted the nose.
HelĂź raised a hand to cover his nose. His hands were long and slender, seemingly unable to bear the weight of all their heavily bejeweled rings. The neurotic joints of his fingers were as thin as a womanâs.
âI smell blood.â HelĂźâs gaze wandered backward with some excitement. âWhatâs this?â
With the raising of the sluice gate, the body of the boat had traversed the city gateway, sunlight gradually falling upon its prow. Amid the dappled light and shadow under the gateway, HelĂź discovered that the brick surface to one side of the gateway was interrupted by a recessed stone chamber, half-submerged. A locked metal grille spanned the side of the chamber facing the waterway.
Now pale, frail, dirty hands stretched from between the metal bars. âLong live the King! Mercy, Your Majesty!â they wept shrilly.
âWhatâs going on?â HelĂź eyed the man behind him, finding this all quite interesting.
âDuring the construction of the gate, I reasoned that the space underneath the gateway might as well be put to some use, so I had a chamber built here. In times of war, it can hide soldiers for an ambush. For now, itâll temporarily serve as a water prison.â There was nothing that could be called pity in the white-haired manâs expression. âThese are criminals awaiting execution from Your Majestyâs cells. After the ceremony, theyâll be sacrificed in offering to the city.â
âWhat a murderous nature you have.â Laughing, HelĂź pinched between his fingertips a strand of white hair that had drifted before his eyes. âInteresting. I canât help but want to see what youâd look like, thrown in there with all the filth, you with your obsession with cleanliness.â
âYour Highness could order me thrown in right now.â
HelĂź chuckled coldly. âYou know perfectly well I wouldnât.â His fingers tightened. âYou really are a cunning fellow.â
His gaze aimlessly swept across the piteous, pleading figures in the water prison, when it suddenly seized upon something. He focused, observing more closely.
Behind some prisoners whoâd desperately squeezed their way in front of the metal grille, their arms extended in supplication, sat a youth. His clothes were ragged like the othersâ; filth and bruises covered his body like the othersâ. The disheveled bangs in front of his forehead covered his eyes, hiding his face.
What had drawn HelĂźâs attention was the way that he, in his silence, had somehow a stronger sense of presence than the shrieking, begging prisoners in front. Rest. A vaguely familiar sense of rest.
His hands, carelessly set atop his knees, were extraordinarily graceful. A few peach petals that had come in with the water stuck to his unruly hair, giving an unexpected impression of cool feyness.
âWhoâs that youth there?â
Wu Zixu raised a brow. Why was his king suddenly interested in a prisoner? He turned his gaze and searched through his memory for a moment.
âHe should be⌠the younger brother of Consort Miao, a lady Your Majesty had favored once.â
âConsort Miao?â HelĂźâs narrow black brows conflicted for a moment. Many were the beauties south-of-the-River, and it must be admitted too many of them had gone into his harem. He truly couldnât remember which one was Consort Miao.
âThe one who went mad, three years ago,â Wu Zixu clarified methodically. âOriginally a daughter of the Shen clan of Gusu.â
âOhâŚâ HelĂź sighed regretfully. âThat was a real beauty. Then she died?â
âHas Your Majesty forgotten? Consort Miao became jealous in the harem, and soon went mad. She burned down Qing Tower, which youâd bequeathed her, and you had her executed. Your Majesty flew into quite a rage at the time.â
âI suppose I recall something like that.â HelĂź gazed at the youth, deep in thought. âThen I ordered the full clan executed, yes?â
âYes.â
HelĂź tried to recall what Consort Miao had looked like, but couldnât remember at all. When heâd first obtained her, he believed heâd quite adored her, but as with all the other times, heâd soon grown tired of her, and used her to entertain guests. So sheâd gone mad.
Afterward?
In the moment, he couldnât remember.
If heâd forgotten, it was either something extremely unhappy, or something of no consequence. Therefore he quit his remembrances and inclined his head to ask, âThen why is this one still here?â
âAt the time he was still a minor, and by law could not be executed.â
âOh? So heâs been locked up in prison for three years?â HelĂź suddenly laughed. âTo be executed once he came of age? Youâre a cruel man.â
Because you like the taste of fresh blood, Wu Zixu very much wanted to say. The words were almost past his lips before he forced them down.
After all, it was better to maintain some distance, no?
The boat had now proceeded out of the gateway, the cheers from either shore immediately growing clearer. HelĂź narrowed his eyes against the brightening sunlight.
The Bearer of Pleasure (ćżćŹ˘) by çŤćľŽ: Side Story 1
He gazed at the scenery as if heâd known it well a long, long time ago. But this was in fact the first time heâd come here.
The state of Chu.
The capital in sight.
Ji Guang gathered his long cloak, unfastened his sword, and leaned on the railing of vermilion at the boatâs prow, observing.
In the current were ripple after ripple of peach blossoms.
A smear of sensual spring color.
As Wu Zixu descended the stairs, the rustle of silk on silk flanked him. The sound brought him a touch of displeasure.
The Wu clan produced lovely girls. Now these lovely female clan-sisters and clan sister-in-laws and clan-nieces were charging downstairs with their skirts lifted in their hands, their chatter full of high spirits.
âThe boat from Wu is here!â
And what did it matter, that the boat from Wu was here?
They merely brought foreign spices and silk.
What use were they, other than decorating the girlsâ clothing?
He only felt powerless.
This latest skirmish between Wu and Chu had ended in casualties on both sides. But if he had been there, he believed he couldâve taken half the state of Wu.
Right, it seemed that the King of Wu, Zhufan, had died in battle.
He tilted his head and asked his older brother beside him, âThe arriving envoy. Who is he?â
His brotherâs brow wrinkled a little, then relaxed.
âZhufanâs son, Ji Guang.â
The two brothers were silent for a while.
âHeâs the crown prince. Why send someone so important as envoy?â
âHeâs not the crown prince.â
âOh?â
âShoumeng, who was king of Wu, ordered his sons Zhufan, Yuji, and Yimei to pass the throne from older brother to younger brother, so that the throne would come to Shoumengâs youngest son Jizha.
âOhâŚâ
Wu Zixu only sighed.
He thought, for many years to come, Chu wonât have to worry about the state of Wu.
Wuâs method of succession was sure to incite internal turmoil.
Power intoxicated; approach it, and one would fall.
He did not believe the four brothers in Wu would pass the throne over as they would a dish at the dining table.
It also occurred to him that this Wu prince Ji Guang was now utterly expendable.
That was why he could be sent as envoy.
He could be seized, imprisoned, executed, and Wu would not mind terribly.
As for he himself?
Did he mind?
His older brother was watching him again.
A trace of concern in his gaze.
He was used to being looked at in this way. He didnât know when it started, but his esteemed, beloved father and brother would often look at him so.
They often said this to him, too:
The harder the iron, the easier it snaps. The soft and yielding endures.
You must do your duty to the country, but not exert yourself fully.
You must hide the sharpness of your edge, to preserve the Wu clan.
Too much talent in you, too much ambition, is not necessarily a good thing.
So on, so forth.
He was sick of hearing it.
This battle between Wu and Chu was only a skirmish, but by chance theyâd slain the enemy king. If heâd commanded the Chu forces, there were many strategies he couldâve executed.
The poor: victory on the battlefield. Announce the news of King Zhufan of Wuâs death to strike at enemy morale, and smoothly take the city.
The middling: victory in diplomacy. Use Chuâs position to force down Wu. Strengthen the lords of Wu and incite them into civil war.
The best: one could even install a puppet king, such asâŚ
Such as Zhufanâs son, Ji Guang, now disembarking the boat. His bloodline was pure, his birth high, yet he would have nothing to do with the throne. If he were anything more than mediocre, he must be burning inside with a fire that could burn Wuâs citadels to ruins. And if he were truly mediocre, that was even better. Puppets didnât need to speak.
But the Chu commander had done nothing!
He had concluded the battle and smugly brought the heads of a few dozen enemy generals to show off at court.
And then both sides had sent envoys. Peace under heaven.
If it were him on campaign, if he were the commanderâŚ
Wu Zixu felt powerless, because all this strategy could only churn about in his head.
Every time he closed his eyes, he felt like heaven and earth were only a vast, empty void, with only his mind in between. Like a banner whipped about every which way by the wind, it struggled without rest.
Ji Guang slowly strode into this city.
Ancient, but not, in fact, imposing.
This city had too long a history.
One could even trace it to the time of the Shang.
Chu was too romantic a country.
The vines on the city walls were so green they enthralled the eye, decorated everywhere with bits of silk embroidered with the countless gods, a vision of spring.
Truly beautiful.
But give him three thousand soldiers, and he could conquer this city.
He thought. No more, no less. Three thousand was enough.
The walls were too low. Easy to prop up siege ladders.
The river entered the city without any obstacles in its way. A vanguard diving underneath the water could infiltrate the city before the defenders even realized!
And this capitalâs streets were overly broad. Once the enemy entered the city, they could easily charge through without becoming embroiled in arduous street-to-street fighting!
But he didnât have three thousand soldiers.
He only had himself. Heâd even left his sword on the boat.
If Chu with all its might wanted to obliterate one person, what difference would having a sword in his hand make?
Maybe the difference was only whether he could choose an honorable death.
Ji Guang smiled faintly.
He was making a bet.
He bet that Chu wouldnât do anything to him.
He bet that he had no value.
The throne wasnât his, though Zhufan the dead king of Wu was his father.
Heâd lost his value, and so heâd become safe. The thought made him feel a deep pain.
It tore at his chest.
If he had an army, everything would be different.
In that moment Ji Guang approached the tower.
And Wu Zixu looked down.
Neither of them knew how fate would turn.
Ji Guang didnât know that one day, he really would trample this city under his feet, tormenting it at his whims.
And Wu Zixu didnât know that one day, he really would lead a mighty army, plotting the fate of the land from his campaign tent. But it would not be to preserve Chu.
Demon, One Silver A Pound(ä¸éśĺ¸ä¸çŁ çćśé) by ć河čć: Chapter 1
Synopsis:
A priest on his way home is offered a mixed-blood demon, very cheap. So he buys it.
Chapter 1
On payday, you go to the market after work, planning to buy some inexpensive food. By now your salary can be termed impressive, but likewise your expenses are considerable. You need to save some money in preparation for next monthâs Mass. With your gaze fixed forward, you enter West District, but just as youâre about to arrive at your destination a salesman blocks your way.
Thatâs the problem with West District. It has the cheapest discount and secondhand goods, but also the most annoying shopkeepers. Even in your priestâs robes, you canât always avoid getting accosted for a sales pitch. You stand there wordlessly, listening to the salesman market his product with no end in sight. âPractically good as new!â he says. You know every secondhand seller says this, but the smile stays on your face.
Only the oblivious could call the product heâs pushing âgood as new.â Itâs missing a horn and covered in injuries. Thereâs an obvious wound on one nipple; probably a nipple ring used to be there, then got yanked out. Thereâs an unclean air about him, unclean in every sense. Dried filth crusts its bare skin; the stench of blood and photinia clings. And, of course, itâs a demon, an inexpensive mixed-blood. A pureblood demon wouldnât have so many fresh injuries, couldnât be bound by a few enchanted silver chains, and certainly wouldnât be found here.
Your expression is making the shopkeeper a little uncomfortable. âJust delivered this morning! No curses, diseases, or pollution, I swear! Its current condition just goes to show how strong its life force is!â he hurriedly says, hoping to salvage the situation, slapping the demonâs back like he would a healthy horse. âAnd itâs very cheap! One silver a pound!â
It really is very cheap, but as an additional expenditure, the total cost is still too high. The demon kneels hunched over on the ground, but you can still make out its tall, powerful buildâ a racial trait. Even if you starved one to death, a mixed blood demon would still look strong and healthy up to the second before it died. You look its body over, mentally calculating the total price, then shake your head.
âThatâs pretty much the price I bought it at, I canât lower it anymore, Father!â the shopkeeper says unhappily. âIt can do work, and itâs a great educational tool. Whether you want to give the disciples some practice or test out some weapons, itâll make an excellent target. Else why would I be recommending it to you, Father?â
But aside from you, thereâd be few others in this area willing to buy a whole demon at this price. The shopkeeper didnât mention its innate powers, probably because it doesnât have any. Itâs male in appearance, not friendly-looking enough for the ladies, not tasty-looking enough for those with unusual preferences. If this were a man, youâd say you quite like his looks, but itâs only a mixed-blood demon.
You express your desire to extricate yourself as politely as possible, but the shopkeeper seems like heâs committed to you. âIf the total price is too much, you can buy a piece separately!â He grits his teeth. âWhich part do you want?â
The shopkeeper looks understandably distressed. Mixed-blood demon meat can only sell for less than a silver a pound; the stuff is barely edible. You think for a moment, then say, âLeave the head and torso.â After all, you donât plan to keep the demon to do chores. The limbs arenât important.
It should reduce the cost by half.
The shopkeeper nods. He walks behind the counter, pushes out the table with the knife and cutting board, and pushes the demon on top of it. The creature, which had kept its head down all this time, finally moves. You look at it, suddenly curious what expression it will display.
Its eyes are deep brown, terribly ordinary on a creature of magic. Its face is shoved against the cutting board; its eyes follow the edge of the upraised knife. You thought youâd see fear, rage, or pain in themâ youâre not sure if you do. Its eyes are numb, its expression hollow. Any emotion in there would seem to be in trace quantities. It looks at the knife; you look at it. Its chest heaves once before the knife descendsâ it inhales, a spark of hope flashing in its eyes.
Bam!
The shopkeeper is hollering, because that otherwise docile, obedient mixed-blood had suddenly lurched itself backward, stretching its neck toward where the knife would have landed. The demon makes a single gravelly, mournful cry, perhaps because the shopkeeper kicked it hard in the chest after that, perhaps because youâd grabbed the knife first. The demonâs head should have left its body in the place of its arm. A pureblood demon would have a hard time living with its head severed; a mixed-blood would die for certain. But right now itâs alive, for now alive and whole.
âNever mind,â you say, changing your mind. âSell the whole thing to me.â
The Emperor Plans, The Minister Executes: Chapter 1
Series Info
Length: 160k characters
Original complete: Yes
Rating: T
Brief summary: slow-burn 1v1 plot-heavy ruler/minister romance between a quiet, outwardly detached young official and his wild yet cunning crown prince and patron.
Chapter 1
On the banks of the winding river, the willows were newly green. It was a clear, sunny third day of the third month. The ancient tradition of ritual bathing and purification on Shangsi Day was now coupled with the famous tale of the Lanting gathering and their games by the winding waters*. Sitting by the water, greeted by the breeze, the banquet in the Apricot Garden was the best opportunity for incoming officials to celebrate and socialize, and for high ministers and nobles to show favor to newcomers and pick out future sons-in-law.
Gu Bing sat at the very corner, listening to several well-known young talents compose poems at the scene, practically unable to raise his head. Zhou Qi saw his silence and came over to show him a bit of attention. âMianzhi**, why are you so quiet?â
Gu Bing struggled to smile.âYou know Iâm no good at poetry.â
Zhou Qi raised an eyebrow. âIt canât be! If youâre no good at poetry, how could you have gotten such a high placement?â
Gu Bing, already feeling embarrassed and awkward, hesitantly said, âTo be honest, I canât quite believe I was chosen. My essay and classics sections mustâve chanced across a sympathetic eye, some grader who thought it wasnât all nonsense here and there.â
Zhou Qi came to sit at his side, brushing aside a few bits of willow catkin. He wore water-blue, and sitting amid the misty waters and green willows, with his handsome features and leisurely spirits, his every gesture seemed to take on an ineffable ease and grace. Gu Bingâs features could be called elegant and refined by a kind observer, or flavorless and forgettable by a more direct one. Combined with his silence and plain dress, he looked like a lackey for carrying someone elseâs books next to Zhou Qi, hardly someone extraordinary. Several older ministers watching surreptitiously nearby couldnât help but shake their heads.
âIâm going to the northlands,â Zhou Qi said suddenly, startling Gu Bing.
Thus an awkward silence descended.
Zhou Qi then looked at him teasingly. âI only remember seeing two expressions on your face. One is the lack of all expression, and the other is this one.â He gave Gu Bingâs face a pinch as he spoke, then gave his conclusion. âDumb as a wooden chicken.â
The pinch woke up Gu Bing, who urgently grabbed  Zhou Qiâs sleeve. âYou shouldnât have. Your family is powerful and influential, full of high ministers. Even if they didnât give you special help, you shouldnât have been sent to the northlands.â
A laugh escaped Zhou Qi. âThis is the first time Iâve heard you say something other than polite speak.â
Gu Bing felt urgency for him. âBrother Zhou, you shouldnât give in so quickly. The northlands are a harsh, desolate place, populated by  barbarians and sealed in ice. Youâve lived since birth in a land of warmth and plenty. If you go there, I worry thatâŚâ His next words were too inauspicious to speak.
The Tianqi Dynasty had stood for nearly a century, calling itself the true inheritor of China. But despite several generations of emperorsâ wars, the imperial courtâs hold was weak. Even south of the Great River, Lingnan and Aobei were held by barbarians, while north of the river, the two provinces Longyou and Youyan were controlled by governors from the nomad tribes. Most shamefully, the late emperor Xuanyuan Hongyi had personally left a campaign against the Turkics of Longyou, only for the entire army to be nearly wiped out. The late emperor himself was nearly captured, and ultimately died in despair, earning himself the neutral-leaning-derogatory posthumous name of Min. Meanwhile, the crucial area surrounding the capital, Fengxiang Prefecture, had practically been razed to the ground. The current emperor Xuanyuan Jian took a lesson from his father and governed with a gentle hand, resting and nursing the land back to life. Combined with the fraility of his body, heâd given both internal affairs and external business to trusted officials, until the ministers were stronger than the ruler, and their entangled cliques became a chronic disease.
The northlands Zhou Qi was going to was Longzhou, at the very northwest of Tianqiâs borderlands, allying west with the Uighurs to resist the northern Turkics, a sandstorm-wracked and desolate land. After the great battle, Xuanyuan Hongyi had given Longzhou to his least favorite son to garrison, enfeoffing him and his line as Prince of Longxi. The first Prince of Longxi had taken his family and followers across the mountains, then died not long after he arrived. The court memorial had said that heâd spent all his strength living up to his loyalty toward the nation, but everyone knew inwardly that, provided his death didnât involve anything unsavory behind the scenes, it was probably just unfamiliar climes combined with pent-up unhappiness.
Gu Bing and Zhou Qi didnât really qualify as fire-forged friends, but after all, theyâd tested up from Jiangnan together, and he had a kind, mellow nature. His heart twinging, Gu Bing held onto his sleeve wordlessly.
Zhou Qi was somewhat moved as well. Patting his shoulder, he said, âIâm going to be an aide for the Prince of Longxi, not charging onto the battlefield to slay enemies, Mianzhi. You donât have to be sad for me. Peopleâs bonds are like paper, each sheet thin; the worldâs affairs are like chess, each game new. Neither of us know how these things will turn out. Donât worry about it.â
Gu Bing looked at him, thinking that this business smelled fishy all over, but it was the wrong time to say anything. He could only grimace and pick a cup up from the winding waters. âBrother Zhou, I wish you peace, prosperity, and life, and that everything will go smoothly there.â
Zhou Qi gazed steadily at him, also raising a cup of wine. He raised his head and downed it in one go, and said, âIf Iâm already calling you Mianzhi, you donât have to be so formal. Call me by my courtesy name. Not many people know itâ you might be the only one in the capital.â
Gu Bing nodded, looking attentive.
Zhou Qi cleared his throat, feeling awkward for once. âFengyi.â
The corner of Gu Bingâs mouth twitched, but he spoke, âBrother Feng.â
Zhou Qi stared heavenward. He was about to say something when he heard someone clap behind him. A rather careless voice followed, âSince this brother picked up the cup just now, he should compose a verse for us to appreciate.â
Zhou Qi reacted quickly, looking at Gu Bing. Gu Bing looked down too. The cup in question was baked from fine white porcelain and painted with a small red lotus flower, a lightweight little shallow disc that could float upon the viridian waves. Whoever picked up this cup, by the rules, would have to compose a poem in front of everyone else. Gu Bing felt his heart thumping like a drum, a sheen of sweat forming on his forehead. Even with his head lowered, he could feel gazes either curious or malicious focused on him from every direction.
Gu Bing sighed and bowed. âApologies, brother, I picked up this cup by accident. Iâm no good at poetry, and if I force myself I fear Iâll give everyone here a laugh. Iâd better not.â
The man only laughed lightly. WIth his head lowered, Gu Bing could see the fan in his hand, the clouds and palace traced on it with gold.
âEveryone here is an incoming official. If I remember correctly, poetry is on the exam, is it not?â
Gu Bing was silent, standing there rigidly, ironic cheers sounding around him already. Unable to take it anymore, Zhou Qi spoke with brows drawn. âMy brother here has been the quiet sort from childhood. He really is clumsy at verse, but he has far-seeing insights, and his essays earned him his spot in the rankings. Do you have a problem with that?â
The man continued to look at Gu Bing but addressed his words to Zhou Qi. âZhou Qi, second son of the Inspector of the Jiangnan Circuit Zhou Duan, maternal grandson of the retired Chancellor of the Central Secretariat Wang Bo. Of the families of the capital and the great houses of Jiangdong, none can surpass yours. And yet youâre going to the prince of Jingxi to serve as an aide. Even a third-tier examinee shouldnât be displaying such self-loathing.â
Zhou Qi felt the talk of self-loathing like a thorn in his ear. His expression darkened in preparation to snipe back, but Gu Bing tugged on his sleeve and shook his head. He looked at the man and said, âNo need, Iâll do it. But my verse is crude, I hope youâll forgive me.â
The man inclined his head minutely, attentive.
Gu Bing looked at him. Like his voice, his appearance was too extravagant, to the point of hurting his eyes a little. He wore luxurious brocade, and each of the jade ornaments hanging from his belt was worth a hundred more times than his life. Gu Bing was no high-born princeling; there wasnât much dignity or face he couldnât bear to part with. Then again, though the man was overly willful in attitude, none of what he said was wrong.
Gu Bingâs voice was a little rusty, but he began, standing stiffly. âFormat: Phoenix on the Hairpinâs Head***. Dawn winds gust, old flowers fall. Weary I cover yellow scrolls and listen to rain. I cannot sleep, the night has passed. How many turns of heat and cold, only the east wind knows. Silent, silent, silent. The clear night is cold, the thin quilt is chill, the youths and boys are made old by the world. The horizon is far, the face is thin. The familiar earth remains, but the oceans are hard to cross. Wrong, wrong, wrong.â
Even before heâd finished, many people were starting to make fun of him, their shushes blending into one. Gu Bing lowered his head, all his feelings hidden behind his wooden expression. He knew that in this situation, as long as he let them laugh without giving any response, theyâd have their fun, get bored, and go away on their own.
It really was very messy and ordinary a poem, using many preexisting lines. After hearing it once, there were barely any lines memorable enough to stick. Hearing âthe horizon is far,â Zhou Qi felt grief in his heart. He eyed the instigator coldly. âYou really have nothing better to do. Come, Mianzhi, weâll find a place to talk.â He went off, pulling Gu Bing behind him.
The pull sent Gu Bing stumbling after him, only for the man to say idly, âWhat family do you hail from, honored brother? What was your ranking?â Even as he spoke, several powerfully built men came to block his path.
Gu Bing sighed, but gave the proper answer. âYours truly is Gu Bing, a scholar of Shengzhou, placed eighth in the second tier.â After his words, he gave a bow, and only then turned to leave.
*The Lanting gathering of famous literati, scholars, and statesmen put their wine cups into the river and took turns taking them out and composing poems.
**Style name
*** Actually the name of the tune the poem is set to, with its syllable and tone requirements.
The Emperor Plans, The Minister Executes: Prologue
Series Info
Length: 160k characters
Original complete: Yes
Rating: T
Brief summary: slow-burn 1v1 plot-heavy ruler/minister romance between a quiet, outwardly detached young official and his wild yet cunning crown prince and patron.
Prologue
Spring in the third year of Yongjia came especially late. Inside Yuejun House, the examination candidates gathered in twos and threes to pry each other for information and compare themselves enviously, delight shining in the eyes of those whoâd passed, dejection drooping the heads of those who hadnât. The sounds of congratulations and condolences, whether sincere or false, were unceasing for a time, turning the originally tranquil teahouse exceptionally clamorous.
Gu Bing wrinkled his brow, reclining against the half-open window, somewhat blankly watching his cup of fragrant tea steam into a haze of anxiety and the feeling of departure. This was already his second time taking the exams. If he didnât pass this time either, he considered that he might have to return to his hometown and look a job as a tutor. Otherwise, in half a year at most and a month at least, he wouldnât be able to cover his food and shelter, let alone returning to the capital for another exam.
Nineteen-year-old Gu Bing meticulously tasted the words âThe eyes clouded with grief, the ears unhearing*,â and couldnât help but laugh painedly.
âBrother Gu!â Gu Bing looked up and found it was Zhou Qi. He was also from Jiangnan Circuit, albeit from Suzhou while he was born and raised in Shengzhou. He managed a smile and returned the greeting. âBrother Zhou.â
Zhou Qiâs smile lit up his peach blossom eyes. âBrother Gu, shouldnât you be packing up?â
Gu Bingâs heart sank, reckoning heâd failed the exam again. Despite his daze he squeezed out another smile. âLooks like your nameâs on the golden list. Your younger brother congratulates you.â Seeing Zhou Qi taken aback, Gu Bing calmed his emotions and said sincerely, âI might not have made it, but fortunately Iâm young enough to take the exam again some other day, not a problem. Youâre the one who should hurry and get your things in order.â
Zhou Qi stared, then suddenly laughed aloud. He pointed at Gu Bing and asked, âBrother Gu, did you even go look at the list?â
Gu Bing shook his head, somewhat embarrassed. After all, he didnât yet wear the cap of an adult, and the exam was deeply complicated and abstruse. Very few made it to the top thirty. He was also somewhat timid and passive by nature, and so he wasnât even brave enough to go to the front to look.
Zhou Qi sat across him, raised his cup, and looked somewhat teasingly at him. âBrother Gu, not only are you on the list, your rankingâs not bad at all, far ahead of your foolish brother here. And at your age! Once youâre grandly successful, donât forget to give a brother a hand.â
Gu Bing felt as if his brain were buzzing. Elation, mourning, daze, and astonishment flooded his heart at once, depriving him of words. But on the surface he was still wooden-faced and unruffled, respectfully raising his cup toward Zhou Qi. âIâve made a spectacle of myself and given you a laugh.â Gu Bing saw that Zhou Qi still didnât look inclined to seriousness, and felt even more flustered. âI donât know what roles the court will give us. Perhaps weâll soon be mountains apart. No matter what, you and I should both take care. As your younger brother, Iâll substitute tea for wine and toast you.â
Zhou Qiâs smile dwindled. âBrother Gu,â he said seriously, âyouâre eight place in the second tier, which is already considered very good. Going by the Ministry of Personnelâs habits, thatâs more than enough to get you assigned to a prosperous area as a county head magistrate, whereas I in the third tier will probably have to rely some provincial governor or prince as an aide. In the future weâll be a long journey apart. Weâll just have to both take care of ourselves.â
Gu Bing was inwardly preoccupied. He nodded knowingly, but he knew that in a few days the ranking examinees would symbolically meet the emperor, then be distributed by the Ministry of Personnel to the various circuits, prefectures, and counties, with only the extraordinarily fortunate allowed to assume a position in the capital. Zhou Qiâs family was powerful and deeply rooted, having served as high court officials for many generation. He with his humble origins couldnât compare. The earlier talk of asking for aid was only politeness. Zhou Qiâs posting must have been arranged long ago, but where would his own future lead?
The route through officialdom was dangerous, the court always in flux. Gu Bing was of only moderate abilities and unimpressive character. He didnât seek fame, only self-preservation.
*ç´ĺ Žćłćł,ĺéĺš˝éť, from a poem by Qu Yuan.
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