Author: Yue Xia Die Ying
NOTES:
- Bó Yé – Count (Count is a nobleman 1 rank beneath a Marquis)
- Fǔ – household; official residence; mansion
- Yòu xiāng – Right Prime Minister
- Xiangjun (Country Lord) – Title given to wives or daughters of high ranking noblemen
- Gōngzhǔ- Royal Princess; 5 ranks above Xiangjun
- Xiàn zhǔ – County Master; 3 ranks above Xiangjun
- Jùn zhǔ – title given to royal women in the feudal society of ancient China; Literal translation is County Chief
- Jiě jie – Older sister
- Gōng zǐ – title used for sons of officials or nobility (I’ve translated this as Lord)
- Pan An – First among the four most beautiful men of China in ancient times
- Snow Lotus on Mount Tianshan – Snow Lotus is a rare herb used in Chinese medicine. It is a beautiful flower that blooms once in a decade on top of a barren, alpine region.
- Pò guàn pò shuāi (a cracked pot might as well be destroyed) – Going crazy with despair in the face of a setback
Chapter 4 (Part 1) – Shameless
“Rong Xia?” Ban Hua had previously heard of the illustrious name of Count Rong, who was matchless in Beijing. Lord Rong Xia was said to be a master of both painting and calligraphy with an appearance surpassing Pan An. This kind of man must be chased by women every time he leaves the house.
“Why? Are you not interested in him?” Princess Anle looked at her with a smile.
“He’s a handsome gentleman who is unparalleled in his lifetime that even a talented lady like Shi Feixian has praised personally. As far as I’m concerned, it would be strange if he were to be interested in me.” Ban Hua thought very well. “Such a person, by nature, should prefer someone like an immortal fairy. I don’t want to join in this party. ”
In her memory, she has seen Rong Xia multiple times. But every time she saw that person, she felt that he didn’t seem human. Rather, he was like a snow lotus on Tianshan Mountain or the bright moon in the night sky. So, the two of them didn’t have any intersection at all.
Seeing that Ban Hua had no affection for Count Cheng An, Princess Anle was relieved: “Fortunately, you are not like some women who act crazy for Rong Xia’s sake. I am actually relieved.”
Ban Hua had no mood to think about men at this time. As long as she remembered that she would no longer be a Xiangjun after five years, she felt that the whole world was bleak.
At noon, a crab feast was served. Ban Hua sat on the right side of Princess An Le and on the left, sat Kangning Junzhu, the daughter of the Emperor’s younger brother. The relationship between her and Ban Hua could only be considered somewhat forced and usually, they were not very intimate. Ban Hua knew that she had a cold temperament and didn’t want to interact with her. So she bent her head to eat the fat crab diligently.
“Ban Xiangjun recently looks like she’s lost some weight. You must pay attention to your health.” one of the noble ladies looked at Ban Hua and said in a peculiar tone, “Do not hold anything in your heart and hurt your body.”
“Clothes look better when worn on a thinner body. I never restrain the emotions in my heart and usually retaliate on the spot. ”Ban Hua put down her chopsticks, wiped the corners of her mouth and looked up at the noble lady who had spoken. “Which family are you from? Why haven’t I seen you before? “
“Hua Hua, she is Master Li’s daughter, Li Xiaoru, and she usually spends time with us,” Kangning Junzhu who heard her words, smiled and explained softly, “How come you haven’t seen her before?”
Ban Hua raised her eyebrows and lazily said, “I’ve never even noticed her before.” Seeing someone wanting to jeer at her broken engagement with Shen Yu while still acting pretentious, Ban Hua had no respect for this kind of person. ” Miss Li is dressed so inconspicuously and I only notice lively people. I don’t remember those who are not very eye-catching. “
” You … ” Li Xiaoru’s eye rims turned red and tears gathered in her eyes seeming about to fall, making her seem like a flower bud caught in a wild gale, very pitiful and pathetic, inducing others to protect her.
“Ban Xiangjun,” Seeing this, Shi Feixian knit her brows fleetingly and then smiled towards Ban Hua, “Why should you say such things?”
The table was silent.
Ban Hua bowed her head and seemed to concentrate on tapping on a crab claw. Leaning her head towards Princess Anle, she said, “This crab is quite good. Its meat is fresh and tender.”
Princess Anle knew that she was deliberately ignoring Shi Feixian and smiled helplessly. “If you like it, take a basket back home with you later.”
The whole table knew that Ban Hua was deliberately pretending not to hear Shi Feixian’s words and felt even more disgusted with Ban Hua. Wasn’t it just depending on her grandmother being the Eldest Princess that she could put on airs and act so arrogant? Shi Feixian was the granddaughter of the Right Prime Minister who was much more powerful than Ban Hua’s father who had only a title but no real power.
In front of so many people, she didn’t give Shi Feixian any respect. This was practically treading the Prime Minister Household’s face on the ground. Was she crazy?
They didn’t know if Ban Hua was crazy or not, but now no one dared to provoke her. Who knew how she would react? People with normal brains had a predictable way of doing things while this kind of brainless person would act unpredictably, completely based on their emotions. For a refined person to quarrel with her is humiliating. So it is best not to provoke her and aggrieve oneself.
Both Xie Wanyu and Shi Feixian had lost their faces in front of her. Why should they bother asking for embarrassment again?
They didn’t know if it were just their illusion but it seemed like, formerly, although Ban Hua had been somewhat unrestrained, she still wasn’t likely to go as far as today’s actions in disrespecting people. What was wrong with her today? Could it be that the broken engagement with Shen Yu has really upset her so much that she’s decided that “a cracked pot might as well be smashed to pieces” and gone crazy with despair at the setback?
Many people present thought so and some began to sympathize with her softly while others began to gloat secretly.
With the examples of Shi Feixian and Xie Wanyu in front of them, no one went to provoke Ban Hua. Soon, the chrysanthemum feast ended and no one said more than a few words to Ban Hua.
You can click the author’s name at the top of the chapter to see a list of her works in the original Chinese. If you’ve found this translation interesting, please do support the author if you can.
TL’s Meanderings:
One thing which I’ve taken away from C-Novels is that the story changes depending on who is the narrator. Even in real life, I now try to remember that I only see parts of someone else’s story and I shouldn’t draw conclusions based on that.
Later in the story, the author shows us a little bit about other characters’ perspectives. It’s interesting to see how each step they made seemed right to them but in the larger scheme it was interpreted differently based on how the narrator feels about that character at that point in the story.
I wonder how this story would look fromm SFX’s or XWY’s perspectives.
Why Not Smile Translations 
I don’t like that SFX that much. Like I don’t think there’s anything wrong w/ her putting on that immortal fairy act or whatever, but her acting like BH retaliating is something bad….blegh.
I also think BH is in her right to defend herself. Yeah, maybe she shouldn’t be so brash, but meh, who asked them to bring up her engagement just because their jealous of her beauty and status lol.
Thanks for the update!!
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Also, this Rong Xia…..interesting 👀
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You know, while I was translating that bit at the banquet, I kept running through different ways of face slapping SFX in my head and BH’s way was best. Nothing could infuriate her more than being completely ignored.
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