Chapter 102

The description of when ML first met FL is so beautiful. He saw her during the lantern festival in chapters 22-23. She didn't see his face. He saw hers and remembered:

 She looked like a doll with her hair tied up on two sides. Her big dark eyes were so bright that they lit up the sky: innocent and curious, they appeared to look directly at his heart; the lantern lights were bright and lit up the city, but they are not as beautiful as her eyes!

Chapter 104:  FL's attitude about concubines:

When the First Prince's wife (she's one of the "bad" people in the book - the other is the 5th princess) gave her a talk about how she should select extra ladies to help give ML children, she said:

"I already let the king and queen know that I will not let ML marry other women. If he dares to do it, I will kill off each one."

Even if she cannot have children and is forced to select a woman to give children to carry on the name, she will select the "strong" and unattractive ones from her family's side so that they will not cause problems. 

A lot of exciting things are starting to happen  ... I am on Chapter 153. The FL actually got engaged for the 3rd time (the third fiance and FL are the same in terms of personality- they are practical except that he fell in love with her and threw caution to the wind.). Of course, right after she got engaged, the ML returned. Things are so interesting when the ML's past was revealed. I can understand if they make Leo the main character. The conflicts in the ML's life provided a more compelling story. 

This is a description of when ML met FL after 5 years:

He tilts his head to look at her, time seems to stop. Although he hasn't met her in  5 years, she still has soft skin,  (black blue indicating young) eyebrows, red lips ... her appearance like the spring: soft and gentle.  She is like a little girl with no worry, spreading her soft wings to leave her warm nest to look outside.


Her impression of him (so sad!)

He is only wearing a black outfit, a little worn, with no embroidery. His face is weathered (exact translation: face shows it has gone through wind and fog).  His hair is slightly gray (he is now 26-28 and she is 19-20). Because he is handsome but cold, it makes people who look at him feel painful.

So heartbreaking, I have to prepare lots of tissues :(

I hope someone will translate the book for you. I told my DH that this writer is so expressive. She can describe feelings of looking at someone so well.

I’m actually good, just waiting for the drama. Im also in awe how you express your excerpts! You are awesome!

New development: no surprise, ML wants to take back his fiance and publicly declared it. To him, she is the only woman that he wants to marry. If not, he would remain single.

How is he different from other men? The discussion between the 3rd fiancee and FL shows the ML's personality.

3rd fiance: 

So what did he say to you? Did he claim that he would respect you, support you, and your family would be well off? Or did he say he would give you all his property so that you could feel proud  ...  so that no one can bully you anymore? Or did he ...

FL:

"He did not say that to me.  He never said that to me! ... He only said 2 words:   感情  "love + feelings" - Chinese likes to put words together to form a phrase that is so much more profound ("the sum is better is its parts") ...  感情   ... the first word is used in many other two-word phrases to mean feeling, emotion, senses, awareness, etc ... ) When used together they imply a moving feeling of relationship and sentiment. Sometimes the emotion associated with Chinese phrases is often lost in English translation. Only the people who use or read them in context can feel the emotions of these words.

"I am not going to lie to you. Now when I meet him, I am afraid. He is different from us. He is a person who is eager to shoot arrows in the hot sun (a passionate person who doesn't mind hardship). Even if he sacrifices himself, he will pursue the sun hopelessly even though he might lose his strength and die. He would try to move the mountain for months and years ... 

"Everyone says that he matures early, his heart is unfathomable. But sometimes, he is more innocent and simple than people like us. For him, love and hatred are both strong and enduring ."

I love your translation of the ML’s personality. It is so descriptive and I am so immersed in his character already. 

Just finished the book ... 

In this story, the FL is faced with a dilemma: how to select the right man for marriage. She has 3 choices: #1 a man who can be controlled because he is inexperienced and insecure, #2 a predictable man because he is a male version of herself, and #3 a mysterious and unpredictable man who asks her to take a leap of faith to trust him.

Initially, she didn't understand that settling for #1 and #2 was actually a sacrifice of herself and an ultimate loss of independence because she couldn't make a choice without fear! She thought that settling for a safe and predictable life would make her happy and independent. However, true independence is not about controlling others or confronting predictable situations. It's about having the confidence, courage, and ability to live a life that is fulfilling by reaching for your dreams. It's about what she has in herself, independent of her partner.

When she met #3 again, it wasn't a leap of faith to accept his love. He hasn't changed. She has! I do think that the author overdramatized his devotion to her to show that his absolute loyalty has lessened her insecurity and made her forgive him. Although there are men like that in real life, I feel it's more meaningful to emphasize the fact she has become an independent and less fearful woman. During his absence (5 years), she worked in the palace and did her own things. She grew up and became a person who didn't need to be rescued all the time. She developed her hobbies and followed her dreams. She became a mature intelligent woman who can empathize with his needs.  She is finally ready to accept his love as an equal partner. 

This character development from a fearful teen to an independent woman is what makes her journey believable and more interesting to read than just a romantic story. 

amazing character development. Does ML also have development? If u don’t mind just a yes or no answer. thank you for sharing ❤️

Thank you! Such a pleasure to read your translations.

Thank you! I enjoy translating it because I haven't read any non-English for a long time. And this book is so well written.

If the screenwriters don't mess it up, you will enjoy both character development: more 3-dimensional ... In WRTW, the screenwriters simplified/romanticized the characters too much, making them almost like comic characters.

CHAPTER 22 (going back to re-read the chapter when they first met at the Lantern Festival, also called Shangyuan Festival, which is a Chinese traditional festival celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first month in the lunisolar Chinese calendar, during the full moon.

Tomorrow is the 10th day of the first month, the Shangyuan Festival. Because the country is experiencing a rare period of peace, the emperor reduced the curfew by two hours and opened the main road so that normal citizens can enjoy the lantern festival.

When the night fell, the whole  Cheng family went out to enjoy the festival. 

Cheng Shui was afraid that the festive street would be crowded today, so he first drove the female relatives to the side of the road in large carriages, then sent the family guards to gather around the females before leaving.

Cheng Shao Shang (CSS) was extremely excited; as soon as she got off the carriage, she exhaled a long "awww".  She was breathless. Her red lips and white teeth were highlighted. Her beautiful face was like a flower blooming early in the morning on a cold winter day.

The mom saw Cheng Yang wearing a deep red robe wrapped three times by a crimson brocade, the hem of her gown was embroidered in gold brocade, so pretty.


Clearly, she had prepared similar outfits and accessories for the girls today, but unexpectedly, her fussy daughter pretended to be dumb: she wore a green over a white petticoat instead.

While her family was all a little disappointed for various reasons, CSS was not. She has been abused all her life so if she was sensitive, she wouldn't have survived the ordeal.

Hanging the most upstairs on both sides of the street were regular and rotating lanterns.

Lanterns are brightly lit in a circular lampstand about the size of two arms:  the sturdy frame of the lantern is wrapped in multi-colored sheepskins. Tonight, many restaurant owners hung dangling giant lanterns in the front in order to attract the attention of passersby.

CSS looked with unblinking wide-opened eyes. Her black eyes opened so big to look at each lantern: there was a picture of a returned soldier greeted by his wife, there was a scene of children playing and chasing, there was a picture of a martial artist arching a bow to shoot beasts, even with a head-to-head fish.

Cheng Shui saw his innocent daughter and thought she was very cute so he generously told the servants to buy a few lamps to take home to play with. He didn't expect CSS to shake her head and said she  just needed one lamp, "When I come back, I will do it myself, making it even more beautiful."

She is a physics student. She can draw a straight square without a ruler. Although she is not as good as an engineer,  such a simple lantern construction should be easy for her. 

CSS was engrossed in looking at the lanterns again, slowly walking behind the Cheng family, with two servants following beside her, she didn't worry about safety issues, leisurely walked. Suddenly, a bamboo ball rolled to her feet.

Thanks for the snippets from the novel. Realistically speaking this novel is so long I don’t expect anyone to translate it, even the LBY n CSS scenes together are quite a lot. But these bits help us glimpse into the era and environment where they both lived in.