Volume II, Big Summer Dynasty Chapter 8: Blood Spilling Chamber
by Xiao Xiang Dong'Er Translated and Arranged by Angel Chua
Edited by Angel Chua 01 June 2019
Violent screams echoed from the courtyard on the right, terrifying the woman as she cried while being beaten, her body moving up and down with the blows. The sight of flesh and blood was horrifying. The entire Zhuge household stood by, watching with indifference as they waited to see who would enjoy the reward for their cruelty.
As the crowd gathered, Chu Qiao stood in front of the house. Just one step away from this place, yet escape from this cannibalistic environment seemed impossible. The relentless screams echoed in her ears, causing her brow to furrow. After hesitating for a moment, she quickly turned to the right and ran.
Fate often presents people with choices, and one step in either direction can change everything.
Zhuge Yue, wearing a light green JinYinhua robe embroidered with blooming green lotus flowers, lounged with loose, ink-black hair draping his shoulders. His jade-like face, dark eyes, and red lips gave him an oddly sinister appearance. Despite being only thirteen, he exuded a malicious and indulgent air. Reclining on a red sandalwood chair, flanked by male servants who occasionally served him fresh lychees, Zhuge Yue seemed utterly at ease.
About twenty steps away, a child dressed as a servant lay injured. A six-year-old, who had slapped the injured child, now knelt, kowtowing and begging for mercy. The child's forehead was broken and bleeding, tears mixing with the blood that flowed freely.
Though it was winter, the sun beat down fiercely over the Hong Chuan plateau. Zhuge Yue lazily glanced upward, his brows slightly furrowed, as the maids hurried to shade him with an umbrella. Bored, Zhuge Yue straightened and waved his attendants away.
Two powerful attendants approached, respectfully lifting his chair and carrying him toward the courtyard.
As they moved, a girl ran toward Zhuge Yue, crying in panic. "Fourth young master, please! If you don't stop, he'll die!"
Zhuge Yue raised an eyebrow, glancing down at the girl's stained hands and black dress. Coldness swept through the child as she noticed the five bloody fingerprints smeared across Zhuge Yue's white boots. Panic-stricken, she wiped at the stains, sobbing, "I'm sorry, fourth young master. I'll clean it right away."
With a kick, Zhuge Yue sent the girl sprawling to the ground. His maids rushed forward, removing his dirty boots. "Cut off one of her hands," he ordered indifferently.
The girl stopped crying, staring in shock as the guards swiftly approached. In a heartbeat, a knife slashed through the air, severing her hand. The girl's piercing scream filled the sky, scaring the vultures overhead.
Chu Qiao stood frozen, her wide eyes staring at the scene in horror. Her body trembled, unable to move or react as the child's hand fell to the ground.
"Fourth young master, the child is enraged," someone said.
Zhuge Yue casually brushed the child's hand aside, his slender fingers rubbing his temple. "Throw her into the lake to feed the fish," he said calmly.
"Yes," came the reply as the servants carried Zhuge Yue's chair forward. Those present hurriedly knelt, none daring to raise their heads.
As they passed in front of the Zhuge household mansion, Zhuge Yue paused and turned, his cold eyes locking onto Chu Qiao. "You, slave of the yard. Did you not see me? Kneel."
Chu Qiao inhaled deeply, trying to stay calm. Her lips trembled, and she struggled to swallow her fear. Dropping to her knees, she kept her eyes fixed on the floor, hiding the panic in her voice as she said, "The children are in the backyard doing chores, fourth young master. Forgive me. I didn't know you would pass by. This is the first time I've seen the fourth young master." But in the back of her mind, she felt as though she had just met a god.
Zhuge Yue smiled faintly, observing the frightened girl. "A clever little girl. How old are you, and what is your name?"
"Fourth young master, I am eight years old, from the Jing family."
"From now on, you will be called Xing'er," Zhuge Yue declared.
Chu Qiao bowed deeply, her forehead touching the ground. "Xing'er? Thank you, fourth young master, for your kindness."
Zhuge Yue smiled again, a trace of innocence in his expression. His servants lifted his chair, and he disappeared down the corridor, leaving Chu Qiao behind.
As the crowd dispersed, the lifeless body of the little servant was dragged away in a sack, leaving a trail of blood on the ground. Kneeling on the cold stone floor, Chu Qiao clenched her fists, her body trembling as she watched the child's body being dragged away. Silent tears welled in her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away.
"Don't be afraid. Your fifth brother will come soon," a voice echoed in her mind.
Ling Xi repeated what he said before, as if she knew what was in Chu Qiao's mind, and said:
"Do not forget what I told you. One day, your fifth brother will let you eat warm dishes and give you all the good things in this world. You'll have it all—ginseng, abalone, bird's nest, shark's fin, not just pork. When that time comes, who would dare to bully us? Do you believe in your fifth brother?"
"I will stay with you. Don't be afraid."
Filled with grief and hatred surging like the tides of the sea, Chu Qiao knew she couldn't cry or show any sign of resentment. She wiped her face with her bare hands and quickly stood up. In the empty courtyard, Xiao Qi lay unconscious, her broken wrist bleeding profusely, but everyone ignored her.
Chu Qiao swiftly tore a piece of her clothing and applied pressure to the acupuncture points, as though she knew the methods by heart. She did her best to stop the bleeding, while Xiao Qi stared blankly, still in shock.
Chu Qiao bandaged the wound to stop the blood flow. Consoling Xiao Qi, she told her to bite her other hand to cope with the pain as she carried her toward the backyard.
Just as they exited the courtyard, a cold voice rang out: "Stop! Who are you, and why are you taking her away?"
Chu Qiao looked up and saw the man who had whipped their cage three days ago—Zhu Shun. She frowned but replied calmly: "The fourth young master did not order her death."
"Zhu Shun did not give you permission to carry her away!" His cold eyes locked on Chu Qiao. He couldn't understand why the child's presence haunted him, as if her name and face were always in his mind. It made him uneasy—he feared this slave girl and believed he needed to eliminate her.
Arrogantly speculating on his master's intentions, he didn't understand life and death and came after these two little girls. "If I don't get rid of this child soon, she'll confuse me," he thought to himself.
Two firm and resolute (Jian Ding) servants approached to grab Chu Qiao's arm, but she dodged them, pulling Xiao Qi close. Blood began gushing from the wound again, despite the pressure she'd applied to stop it. If the bleeding continued, Xiao Qi would lose too much blood and die.
"Don't come any closer!" Chu Qiao tried to frighten the servants. "The fourth young master is just around the corner. Do you want to lose your life?"
Zhu Shun sneered, "You think the fourth young master will remember what you said by tomorrow morning? Do you really believe you can scare me?"
Chu Qiao raised her brow and held Xiao Qi tightly. Suddenly, her sharp eyes fixed on Zhu Shun, and like a small leopard, she leaped quickly, running away with Xiao Qi.
At that moment, a voice boomed from behind Zhu Shun. A young man, tall and elegant, wearing a dark green python robe, stood at the back of the crowd. He was followed by four soldiers. The 13-year-old leader looked uncomfortable as he said, "Zhu Shun, the housekeeper, are you talking to the wind? Are you really so free that you're chasing people around like this?"
Zhu Shun quickly bent over, nodding as he stammered, "Your Highness, Yan Shi Zi, it was just a matter of discipline."
Yan Shi Zi laughed at him. "Is your discipline more important than my family? Zhu Shun, I see you've become faint-hearted. You've been swallowed by the sun and the moon."
Shocked, Zhu Shun immediately retreated. A soldier from Zhuge Huai's household knocked him on the head. "Do you know it's wrong?" the soldier asked harshly.
Zhu Shun stumbled to his feet and, bowing deeply, fled the scene. The Zhuge household servants retreated to the side, one of them carefully ushering Yan Shi Zi into the Flower Hall.
The young prince, dressed in a golden robe, nodded and slowly turned, his dark eyes meeting Chu Qiao's. He squinted slightly, as if he were determined to approach her.
Chu Qiao remained quiet, cautiously stepping backward. Yan Xun observed her for a moment, then reached into his tailored clothes and pulled out a white porcelain bottle engraved with a delicate bluegrass pattern. He bent down, placing it on the ground, and offered it to Chu Qiao with a faint smile.
However, Chu Qiao, still cautious after their first encounter, hesitated. Her past experiences had left her shaken, and though she appreciated the gesture, she didn't move forward.
Yan Xun, surprised, gave a faint smile before turning away and walking back to the Flower Hall with his followers.
"Uh…" A slight groan sounded behind her. Xiao Qi stumbled, her face pale as she looked at Chu Qiao, her voice barely louder than a whisper. Trembling with unspeakable fear, she cried, "Chu Qiao… Xiao Qi… Xiao Qi is going to bleed to death."
Chu Qiao, still in a squatting position, gripped the porcelain bottle tightly in her hand. Her small body was tense, her eyes fixed on the Zhuge household mansion. Slowly but with determination, she said, "Seven-year-old child, your seven-year-old sister is telling you: today, you will not die, no matter what happens."
AC's Afterthoughts
This is the first time Zhuge Yue is introduced. His character comes across as cold and distant, shielded by multiple layers of servants and protocols that make him almost unreachable. His calm and serious demeanor underlines the fact that the fourth young master of the Zhuge household values honor and respect above all else. Any slight against him, no matter how small, can lead to severe punishment—even the loss of a hand. According to the novel, Xiao Qi made the mistake of approaching Zhuge Yue without the proper respect, resulting in the cruel punishment of having her hand cut off. Zhuge Yue's presence is one where no mistakes are tolerated.
Before the child's hand was severed, Zhuge Yue showed a brief moment of mercy by touching the child's temple, signaling his decision not to take her life but instead to leave a permanent reminder of her error. Though there may have been a trace of compassion in his eyes, he felt compelled to maintain his firm, cold persona. By doing this, he revealed that, even though he might have a softer side, his public image as a firm and decisive figure was paramount.
In this chapter, Zhuge Yue encounters Chu Qiao for the first time. For noble lords and royals, it's rare, if not entirely forbidden, to even acknowledge slaves, let alone interact with them. Yet, when Zhuge Yue's eyes locked with Chu Qiao's, something unusual happened. Despite her lowly status, Zhuge Yue bestowed upon her a new name, "Xing'er," meaning Star Child.
In Chinese culture, giving someone a new name is highly symbolic. It often represents affection, favor, or a deep bond. For Zhuge Yue to give Chu Qiao the name "Xing'er" indicates a growing attachment or at least a recognition that sets her apart from the other servants. Although he didn't explicitly express affection for her, the act of naming her "Xing'er" reveals his subconscious regard for her. This could be the beginning of a transformation in Zhuge Yue's cold heart toward Chu Qiao.
Meanwhile, Chu Qiao continued to protect and console Xiao Qi amidst the dangers of Greenhills courtyard. It was during this tumultuous moment that Prince Yan Xun visited Zhuge Yue's residence and saw Zhu Shun pursuing Chu Qiao. The prince's timely intervention saved Chu Qiao and Xiao Qi.
Prince Yan Xun is portrayed as kind and consistent, especially toward the child Jing Yu'er, though Chu Qiao struggles with her own conflicting emotions when looking at Yan Xun. Her traumatic past, particularly Yan Xun's role in her life, makes her unstable in her presence. While her younger self, Jing Yu'er, may feel comfort in Yan Xun's kindness, the adult Chu Qiao is more cautious, unable to forget the past.
Yan Xun, fully aware of Jing Yu'er's mental and emotional turmoil, chooses to overlook her outbursts. When he offered Chu Qiao a porcelain bottle, it was a significant moment. It marked the first act of kindness and help from the Crown Prince of Yanbei toward her.