Chapter 2

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Chapter 2: Kan Shougui

Ji Wan’s sleep this time wasn’t at all peaceful, she kept on changing dreams without ever leaving that crimson scenery and fishy smell of the fresh blood, as if she was still inside that group of ruthless people wielding blooded scimitars that were all brandished against her.

“Ah!”

She roused suddenly from her restless sleep, her heart palpitated with fear for a long time, her gaze swept all around, until finally she returned to her consciousness.

She’s not inside the middle of that hot and dry desert already, instead, she was inside a big room, much like those ancient palace, but without the usual classic Chinese style. Rather, it was packed with foreign styles; Persian rug, white jade table, agate cups, each one of them was very extravagant and wasteful.

Brushing away the white fox fur blanket covering her body, Ji Wan felt that her feet and hands were without strength as she climbed down the bed. She didn’t realized when, but her own clothing has already changed into a moon white-coloured silk skirt, the embroidered peony undergarment was hanging down low, barely covering her plump and white peaches.

Her naked feet stepped on the vermilion brocade long carpet, at this time, she finally realized that there were several huge night-luminescent pearls on top of giant jade clams, illuminating the room with their warm radiance, so beautiful, just like moonlight in the night sky.

Lifting the ruby and agate jewel curtain, her eyes were dazzled with the magnificence of this room. It wasn’t easy for her to walk through this big and luxurious hall, but then she discovered that the outside was even bigger. It’s a pity that at this moment she was in no mood to appreciate her surroundings as her steps quickened in anxiousness until she arrived at the gate, wishing to push it open.

Before she even exerted her power, the paulownia wooden gate was opened by the guards outside, an imposing silhouette emerged suddenly, frightening Ji Wan until she went a few steps backwards.

The man was wearing a black fitted brocade robe, his inky black long hair was half tied up with a pure gold royal crown inlaid with precious stones, his deep and profound facial features was the standard of foreign beauty, but from those pair of green eyes, Ji Wan already knew who he was.

“Woke up?”

The face that was revealed after he took off his mask was extremely handsome, but it was even more filled with dangerous and grave feeling, just like that pair of sombre eyes, causing people to not dare to look at him straight.

Seeing him walking towards herself step by step, Ji Wan instinctively moved back in a flurry, she was severely afraid of this man who almost killed her.

She didn’t expected that the man just passed her, walking towards the high seat behind. Waiting until she turned around, that person already leaned on the red rose gold and jade big seat [T/N: I gave up 玫瑰红蹙金玟花大引囊], indolently drinking grape wine from an agate small cup.

It was as if he didn’t plan on talking to her, or perhaps he was waiting for her to speak first? In any case, Ji Wan took the lead in her defeat.

“That… may I ask where this place is?” Her voice belonged to the pure and fine type of voice. As she talked inside this deathly stillness, her voice cracked with a slight helpless tremble, making it even more pitiful.

“Gaochang Emperor’s Hall.”

The man put down the wine cup inside his hand and looked at her direction with a cold and indifferent gaze. Her delicate and attractive body was firmly stared at with an indescribable danger.

Ji Wan was stupefied, Gaochang? That Xin Jiang western region’s ancient country of Gaochang? So I’m more or less inside the Tang Dynasty? It was lamentable that her historical knowledge wasn’t that much. She knew about the country of Gaochang, it was because she was interested in Loulan, so she also read those many historical data of this ancient country of Gaochang in a passing. [T/N: I’m not sure that I translated this correctly]

“Then… who are you?”

“Kan Shougui.”

Like receiving an electric shock, Ji Wan unexpectedly recalled this name inside her memory, the Northern Wei Dynasty’s third King of Gaochang! This person had outstanding political ability, slaughtering his brothers and seizing the throne, and in just a short few years, he single-handedly made this borderland ancient country to become a big and powerful one, it was a pity that at the end…

Transmigrating was surely an intriguing matter, the person that existed inside the historical record was actually still alive and sitting down in front of her own eyes.

Ji Wan curiously peeped at the man in front, this Kan Shougui was very young, it should still be his father’s reign at this time.

Because her probing gaze was too scorching, the man coldly lifted his eyes towards her, the green jade colour was like a quiet winter, frightening Ji Wan with a chill.

“What’s your name?”

“M-my name is Ji Wan.”

[Author’s note: There’s a real historical model for male lead, but there would be things that are different.]

Ji Wan was put under house arrest for three days straight inside this magnificent palace, at this period, Kan Shougui didn’t reappear, so her nervousness gradually slackened a lot.

Gaochang Emperor’s Hall could be said like a jewel in the middle of this bleak and boundless desert, an unavoidable important place in the ancient Silk Road, right next to Loulan Kingdom, the lush and prosperous land could be clearly seen. The women who were combing their long braided hair adorned with brightly-coloured head-kerchief were also singing Hu Qu [T/N: a folk song], so Ji Wan occasionally plucked a pipa [T/N: Chinese string instrument] for their accompaniment, looking at them dancing lightly and gracefully inside the courtyard, she found it pleasing to both her eyes and mind.

“Miss’ pipa’s playing is really pleasant to hear.”

The maidservant who was wearing a red apparel that revealed her navel put down a jade plate full of fresh fruits and sat down beside Ji Wan, she also assisted Ji Wan and pulled open the flower canopy that was fluttering gently against the wind, Ji Wan heard a clear twinkling sound from the maid’s naked arms that was wearing quite a number of pure gold bangles.

Ji Wan gave a charming smile, she learned how to play ancient musical instruments from when she was still a child right until senior high school, and she studied them wholeheartedly too, only wishing that she could pass the entrance exam for famous school. She studied hard for three years and finally got into her dream university, it’s just, she didn’t expect that an earthquake would brought her to this bizarre ancient country.

“Your smile is very charming, it’s no wonder Eldest Prince wants to lock you up.”

Lai Li daintily laughed as she picked some purple grapes and delivered them to Ji Wan’s mouth, sincerely praising her. Ji Wan slightly opened her mouth, the sweet taste of the grapes overflowed in her mouth, but the smile on the edges of her lips was no longer there anymore.

She still remembered what Kan Shougui said to her three days ago…

‘Let you go? I already said that you are mine, and you want to go? It isn’t an easy matter.’

“Looks like miss isn’t happy? You don’t know, there are many women who want to be married to Eldest Prince, it’s a pity that Eldest Prince doesn’t give them a glance, even the A’yinuo Princess from Wuyi Kingdom was rejected.”

Ji Wan’s train of thoughts was interrupted by Lai Li’s utterance, she looked at the young girl in her early teens talked about Kan Shougui with respect and bashful appearance. She lightly smiled, that man, besides unfeeling and fearful, his outside appearance was indeed dazzling and handsome. She heard that his mother was a Loulan’s people, his mixed gene made him even more handsome like a masterpiece of the gods.

“Kan… em, has Eldest Prince took a wife?” Ji Wan was a bit curious, after all, in her three days confinement here, she hadn’t seen anyone beside some maidservants.

“Of course he hasn’t! That year, the King wanted to appoint someone to be Eldest Prince’s wife, but Eldest Prince instead said that he wanted to wait for the goddess in his heart to come… From what I see, miss might be Eldest Prince’s long-awaited goddess, otherwise, he won’t bring miss back to Emperor’s Hall.”

The pretty young girl’s eyes were shining with radiance, making Ji Wan blushed and uneasy. Thinking back when Kan Shougui pressed his blade that was dripping with blood on her neck with ghastly murderous aura, Ji Wan felt her entire body suddenly turned a bit unwell.

It must not be her!

Putting down the pipa in her hands, Ji Wan walked out from the flower curtain, her barefoot stepped on the long carpet. The spacious room was decorated with Snow Willow flower from Yuanli, the cluster of white flowers filling the room with delicate fragrance under the fierce sunlight. A big pond with jade stones was placed in the middle, with crystal clear water and several white lotus on top.

The desert’s weather was truly hot and dry, Ji Wan chose a shady place and sat down beside the pond, arranging her brocade skirt inlaid with precious gems, jade and pearl, her two fair legs slowly dipped inside the cool and refreshing water, making her beautiful eyes raised up in comfort.

Hearing a huqin [T/N:two-stringed bowed instrument] sounded from a distant place, she slightly swayed her small fair feet, drawing round ripples on the surface of the water, rocking the white lotus playfully.

After she arrived at this dazzling and mysterious Xiyu Kingdom, Ji Wan only felt that she was living inside an illusion.

“You actually know how to enjoy life.”

A deep voice suddenly sounded beside her, Ji Wan’s heart beat and jumped in fright as she turned her face around, she discovered Kan Shougui who vanished three days ago, standing with his hands clasped at his back under the gold arched door, looking at her with a strange look.

When Ji Wan was still feeling restless, Kan Shougui walked over with big strides, his light green eyes were dark and profound, his stern and imposing figure gradually shadowed Ji Wan who was sitting beside the pond, oppressing and intimidating.

Lowering her head, Ji Wan’s back became stiff with a vigilant look, letting Kan Shougui laughed coldly, he stretched his hand and pushed down on her shoulder, making her unable to stand up. His line of sight fell down on the pair of her fair and tender lotus legs that was making ripples on the once tranquil pond.

“I heard that the feet of Han’s women could only be seen by their husband.”

His one sentence made her woke up from her absent-mindedness, Ji Wan wasn’t someone from this era, she’s used to think that revealing her legs was something common, but she feared that inside Kan Shougui’s eyes, this would turn into an undisguised attempt at seducing him, so she hurriedly wanted to put back her naked legs.

But unexpectedly, the man beside her was much quicker than her, with a stretch of his long arm, one of her lotus legs was captured securely before she even lifted them.

“Ah! You, quickly let go!”

Her smooth ankle that was wet from the cool water felt slippery in his hand, dispersing his hot and dry strong palm as he bound it in a tight grip, but he quickly lessened his strength, as if fearing that he would snap those thin and slender bones.

“Your feet are also very good looking.”

Ji Wan was frightened after being stared at by the dim light inside his eyes as her cheeks became red in anxiousness, her hands that were propping up behind her body tried to struggle like it was her first time getting her leg touched by a man.

TL NOTE

Loulan

Gaochang

Yes, Kan Shougui is real, he reigned Gaochang as the 3rd Emperor after killing his brothers.

The Silk Road was a network of trade routes which connected the East and West, and was central to the economic, cultural, political, and religious interactions between these regions from the 2nd century BCE to the 18th century. The Silk Road primarily refers to the land routes connecting East Asia and Southeast Asia with South Asia, Persia, the Arabian Peninsula, East Africa and Southern Europe. – wikipedia

It was said that Loulan’s people are beautiful, here’s one pic:

Sorry I can’t post some translations this week, I’ve been too busy with work and life. Will be posting more once holiday kick in. I hope. (இ﹏இ`｡)

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