TTPC Ch. 11: Hallucinations

After Shao-shi and Lin Ying were sent away, and no one else was in the room, Lin Yi deflated in his seat. Earning the tonic was very difficult, and now he’d lost it thanks to Shao-shi and Lin Ying, that vicious mother-daughter pair. It was really damn unlucky.

After cursing in resentment for a moment, Lin Yi began to contemplate again. Lin Ying hated him so much that she wanted to strangle him to death. First, she released her pair of blood swallows to try and deal with him, and now she wanted to poison him into muteness. Could the one who pushed him into the pond be her?

To be honest, taking into account his current situation, anyone in the Lin Family with a bit of brain wouldn’t consider it worthwhile to make things difficult for him. He had never offended or formed any feuds with anyone, so it was only Lin Ying, who was infatuated with Pei Xuanqing, who would try to deal with him again and again.

Lin Yi felt 80% sure that the person who pushed him into the pond was Lin Ying.

“Ai, then Pei Xuanqing really is going to cause me trouble.” Lin Yi muttered.

“Ai…”

A short sigh followed Lin Yi’s, dueting the sound, soft and immature, like a little baby pretending to be an adult.

Lin Yi: …

He immediately looked around but didn’t see a figure in sight.

There was no one here. Was he hallucinating again?

Lin Yi remained motionless for a long time, listening attentively to his surroundings, but everything around remained quiet. He didn’t even know where the servant might have run off to. Only the guards outside were still there, their densely packed figures visible through the wall.

If it weren’t for the many he couldn’t see objects surrounding him, Lin Yi often had the illusion that he was in the center of an empty and dark place and that the shadows of human figures scattered dozens of meters around him were like a circle confining him. So much so that with these figures around, he might even be under the illusion that it wasn’t that he couldn’t see but that his surroundings were simply too dark.

No more suspicious sounds were heard, and no questionable figures were found. Lin Yi felt that he might really be having hallucinations. Perhaps it was because his nerves were stretched too taut during this time.

After Lin Yi relaxed, his train of thought immediately shifted to other matters. He didn’t notice that the cover of the Pharmacopoeia in his mind quietly and lightly fluttered, trembling slightly as if it had secretly let out a sigh of relief.

……

Unable to successfully poison Lin Yi, Lin Ying lost her temper when they returned. If it weren’t for Shao-shi stopping her, a maidservant who wasn’t careful was scolded by Ling Ying and almost had a hole drilled into her by Ling Ying’s blood swallows.

The maidservant was so frightened that she knelt on the ground trembling.

“Keep your attitude up, and I’ll tell your father that there isn’t a need to protect you anymore,” Shao-shi said with a headache.

“Mother, let’s come up with another way! We can’t let him be so arrogant!” Lin Ying reached out and hugged Shao-shi’s arm, pleading.

“Didn’t you hear that servant say that Lin Yi can’t even bear the medicinal power of tonic soup? When he enters the Pei Family and many medicinal ingredients enter his body, will he be able to bear it? It’s hard to say whether or not he can survive more than a year. What is there to be angry about? Just bear with it, okay?” Shao-shi said.

“Really?” Lin Ying immediately lit up with joy after listening.

“Would Mother deceive you? Lin Yi is just an ordinary person, and the medicines that will be used to treat Pei Xuanqing are all spiritual. He will certainly be unable to bear such great powerful spiritual medicines. Don’t worry, okay? Just wait until you can see his corpse being carried out  from the Pei Family.” Shao-shi stated with confidence.

……

……

All the people of the Pei Residence were already bustling here and there, arranging festive and lively decorations, red silk ribbons, bright red ‘囍’1 characters, spirit fruits, and spirit wine.

Red silk was hung on the gate of the Heavens Query Courtyard, and a big red flower was neatly hung at the center of the courtyard’s plaque. The red silk climbed up either side, suspended on both sides of the plaque, making it look jubilant.

On the courtyard gate, prominent characters of ‘囍” were posted, and every part of the courtyard was swept clean and spotless. Five-color ribbons were hung on the treetops on both sides of the road leading from the gate to the main hall. A maid carefully wove the ends of the ribbons into thin and long tassels. As long as the wind gently stirred, the tassels would flutter with the breeze, making them look very lively and beautiful.

Behind the main hall was a pavilion where the bedroom was located. The spacious bedroom was decorated and arranged according to the wedding Etiquette of Woyun City as a wedding room, both festive and grand.

However, Pei Xuanqing was away from his own courtyard today. He had gone to the courtyard of the Pei Family’s Patriarch.

“Grandfather, are you feeling better today?”

Pei Xuanqing was talking to an old man with a serious expression and a beard sitting cross-legged on a futon. The old man had a pair of electric-like sharp eyes, but when he looked at Pei Xuanqing, he always seemed kind and gentle. “Much better. The day after tomorrow is your wedding day. How are your preparations?”

“Everything has been prepared.” Pei Xuanqing answered.

When looking at the old man, he inconspicuously scanned him with his eyes. His gaze quietly swept over the old man’s ash-colored temples and noted the wrinkles beginning to climb on his face.

His grandfather had the cultivation base of a Spiritual King, and before being severely injured by an assassination attempt, he looked incredibly young. He had a head full of jet-black hair, a face free of wrinkles, a majestic and mighty appearance, and was always full of vigor. He was the pillar of the Pei Family, but in just one short year, his hair was already graying, wrinkles began to cover his face, and his vigor seemed to falter. Even though his back was still straight, and his appearance was still majestic and mighty, the backlash brought about by the fall of his Realm was evident.

“I heard you still intend to receive the bride in person?” Patriarch Pei asked in a solemn tone.

Pei Xuanqing quietly withdrew his gaze and nodded, “Yes.”

Patriarch Pei’s expression was somewhat disapproving, “You know for what reason that Lin Yi is going to marry you. The Lin Family may not necessarily take it seriously. If you go to receive the bride in person, I’m afraid they may neglect you. You are my grandson; how could I let you suffer a wrong?”

Pei Xuanqing said, “According to regulation, the bridegroom should personally receive the bride. Since this grandson has already decided to marry him, he will not do only half of what should be done. This grandson does not care whether or not he is neglected. Besides, for the sake of giving Grandfather face, the Lin Family will definitely not dare be perfunctory.”

Patriarch Pei still didn’t quite agree, but he seldom refused his grandson’s requests. The grandson, who should have been high-spirited, became what he is today because of one mishap. He felt guilty and regretful for not being able to save his grandson, so long as it made him happy, even if that meant going to escort the bride in person; it didn’t matter. Being his grandson, he didn’t believe the Lin Family would dare neglect him. Hmph.

“Since you want to go, then go. Have Pei Qi follow you and bring more people. No one can underestimate you.”

Pei Xuanqing replied, “As Grandfather says.”

Patriarch Pei let out a hum in satisfaction and then saw an unconcealable concern hidden in the depths of his grandson’s gaze. His heart warmed, but his face remained serious as he said, “Alright, there is no need to be worried about Grandfather. This little setback is nothing. This grandfather won’t really let himself fall from the Spiritual King Realm. You can rest assured and prepare for marriage so that you can recover as soon as possible and so Grandfather can also feel at ease, okay?”

Pei Xuanqing knew that his grandfather had his own pride. If he stayed any longer, it would only make things difficult for his grandfather, so he withdrew obediently. Before leaving, he told Patriarch Pei that he would come to visit him after he brought Lin Yi back.

Patriarch Pei only nodded and said nothing more.

Footnotes

1, 囍, double happiness, a symbol of good luck, esp. in marriage

Translator’s Note

Retroactively changing the unnecessarily long “Whoevers Family Patriarch” to simply “Patriarch Whoever”.