[Ch 2] My Love Comes to See the Grass on My Grave

Original novel: 心上人来看我的坟头草 by 长烟

English translations by phosphores/tautomerize

DO NOT REPOST. DO NOT RE-TRANSLATE.

Chapter 2 ❧ He’s mad at me

The memory Gu Lang has of Ghost Festival is his mother holding him under the blankets when he was a child and telling him, On Ghost Day, the road to the underworld will open, and the ones who have passed will leave the Realm of the Dead and return to that of the Living. And on this day, their families will light river lanterns to illuminate the paths home for the deceased souls.

For six years, Gu Lang lit river lanterns, but never once did his parents come back to see him.

He thinks, It’s probably because the Gu Manor has long been desolate and deserted. There’s no home for his parents to return to, so no matter how many lanterns he lights, it’s all in vain.

Does the Shanhe Gambling House count as Murong Yan’s home?

Gu Lang doesn’t know. He doesn’t actually know much about Murong Yan, only that he’s the First in Command of Shanhe Gambling House. He’s unfettered and carefree on the surface, but deep down he’s always up to no good. Back when he’d flipped over the palace walls in the dead of night and was caught by Gu Lang who had been on duty, they’d fought from the palace to the streets, frightening the time keeper¹ who had been passing by and had mistaken them for ghosts.

_{^{(1. in ancient times there were people whose job was to walk around town and ring out the times at night, like a manual clock.)}}

❊

Murong Yan wanted to run as soon as he tired out. Gu Lang chased after him the whole time and finally cornered him in the dark alleyway.

Murong Yan laughed as he gasped for breath and said, “When have the palace wall guards been this good at martial arts?”

Gu Lang furrowed his brows and asked, “Who are you?”

Murong Yan said candidly, “A bandit.”

He said that he sneaked into the palace to steal the Luminous Pearl, and that if Gu Lang would let him go, he was willing to give Gu Lang half of the money he makes from the Luminous Pearl.

Gu Lang did not answer. He stepped closer and closer with his sword² in hand, but suddenly heard a clang from behind.

_{^{(2. Gu Lang’s weapon is a dao, which is a single-edged sword/knife.)}}

He turned around and it was the time keeper again.

The night was pitch black and the time keeper had been frightened once already, so when he saw two dark figures out of nowhere, he was struck by fear, so much so that he dropped the stick he was holding and yelled, “Ghost!”

Gu Lang was just about to speak when Murong Yan suddenly said to the time keeper, “Not ghosts. We’re Partners in Crime.”

Gu Lang, “….”

The time keeper was trembling with fear. “Part… Partners in Crime?”

Murong Yan said, “That’s right. But my wife is mad at me and wants to kill me.”

Gu Lang’s expression darkened. He grabbed his sword and slashed at Murong Yan.

“See, mad again.” Murong Yan ducked as he continued to spew nonsense. “You should leave quickly before you get hurt… My Lady, be careful. Don’t jostle the baby….”

Gu Lang’s hand shook and his sword missed the mark. Murong Yan turned and struck with his palm, and as Gu Lang moved out of the way, he turned back and took off.

The time keeper rushed off too, yelling to Murong Yan as he went, “They’ve all got tempers when they’re pregnant. My missus was the same way. She’d come at me if I’d said anything she didn’t like. Was near impossible to please… You gotta be more patient with her….”

Gu Lang struck down the alley wall with one swipe.

❊

On the fifteenth of July, Gu Lang brings a river lantern to Shanhe Gambling House and gives it to Sun Fang without a word.

Sun Fang is confused. “River lantern? But I never light river lanterns.”

Gu Lang is silent for a while before saying, “Today is the fifteenth.”

Sun Fang says, “I know, it’s the Ghost Festival. Gu-huwei, you must remember to sleep early tonight or else you might be taken away by stray ghosts.”

Gu Lang, “….”

In the Ancestral Temple, the crown prince suddenly sneezes³ while paying respects.

_{^{(3. If you sneeze, it’s because someone’s thinking/talking about you.)}}

Chancellor Xu Zhiyan asks with concern, “Is Your Highness alright?”

The crowned prince shakes his head and says, “I’m fine.”

Xu Zhiyan says with deep worry, “Now with the emperor unwell, Your Highness must make sure to take care of your health.”

“Xu-xiang⁴ has no reason to worry. I only have a cold.” The crowned prince grasps Xu Zhiyan’s hands and says, “But Xu-xiang yourself has been so busy with the affairs of the state, you’ve lost much weight. I feel quite apologetic about it.” He extracts a little vial from his sleeve and pours out a pill. “I was up for three days and three nights making this. It is capable of cultivating qi and replenishing blood. Have one, Xu-xiang, as a token of my gratitude.”

_{^{(4. “xiang” is short for “chancellor.”)}}

The chancellor’s eyelid twitches. “I couldn’t…” He doesn’t get to finish before the crown prince slips, falls forward, and stuffs the pill right into his mouth.

“Cough…” The chancellor immediately tries to pry it out, but the pill had dissolved as soon as it entered his mouth and is already in his stomach.

The crowned prince pats his back and says, “I was careless. Please excuse me, Xu-xiang. The pill is highly nourishing; no need to thank me, Xu-xiang.”

The chancellor, “….”

That night, when no other creature is stirring, the chancellor scurries repeatedly to and fro the outhouse, exhausted to the point that his legs turn to jelly, his eyes see stars, and he’s beyond ready to dismember the crowned prince into eight pieces.

When Gu Lang returns to the East Palace, it’s already quite late. Wu Liu was supposed to be on duty tonight, but he couldn’t control his mouth during the day and had a little too much to drink, so he had to switch shifts with Gu Lang.

As Gu Lang passes the crowned prince’s sleeping hall, he suddenly hears a tiny noise from the roof.

His head immediately snaps up.

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Translator’s note: Wasn’t too sure how to manage the tenses in the flashback scene, so I just broken it off into its own past-tense section. Hopefully it doesn’t throw you off.

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