江湖路弯弯: Jianghu Road is Curved! Chapter 17

_{(translated by xia0xiao1mei)}

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Kneel Down

The sun setting west, the moon rising above the trees, Pang Wan has already been standing in the courtyard for an entire hour.

After Gu Xi Ju took her out of the black bamboo forest, he directly discards her here, entering his room with a toss of his wide sleeves. Her heart and mind is troubled, in the end, she doesn’t dare to act upon her own will and return to her room for a rest, only remaining on the spot as she awaits for her pending sentence.

She knows, Gu Xi Ju is really angry this time, completely stripped clean from his usual ‘pleasantly warm like spring breeze’ Supreme Chief grace, on the road back, he did not even utter a single word, just that his eyes were lit with raging fire, the veins on his forehead twitching.

Who knows how he will punish her this time? Beating with the paddle? Ban from eating? As thousands of thoughts circulates, deep down, she is secretly hoping, Gu Xi Ju is able to show some lenience out of personal consideration for how much he usually dotes on her. _{(Beating with the paddle or dǎ bǎn zi / 打板子is the punishment most often seen in ancient dramas, where a long handled paddle or wooden staff is used to beat the butt, back or thighs)}

Having waiting for approximately another half an hour, Bai Xiao Sheng walks out from the building.

“You insanely audacious rascal!” He extends his finger and strongly jabs her forehead, his handsome face filled with anger, “Who allowed you to go? Who allow you to go along? You actually dare to ruin Supreme Chief’s happy moment?!”

Pang Wan is pained by the jab, but because she is in the wrong, she dares be angry but dares not voice out her anger, and could only tearfully bear with it.

“You shall suffer your share tonight!” Bai Xiao Sheng casts her a glare, pulling at her sleeve as he heads inside.

The hall is brightly lit, Gu Xi Ju sits high up at his seat, ashen face showing no expression.

Maid A and B serves on both sides of him respectively, although they too are keeping a straight face, upon a closer look, the corners of their lips a clearly hanging thirty percent sign of taking pleasure in another’s misfortune.

“Supreme Chief, I was wrong!”

Pang Wan has always been nimble-minded, seeing that the atmosphere doesn’t seem right, she immediately cries out for mercy, “I have already reflected, I no longer dare to disturb Supreme Chief next time……”

“There’s still a next time?” Those deep eyes glances at her, dark clouds looming all around.

“No no!” Pang Wan frantically waves her hands, looking very wronged as she raises her head, “I really didn’t have any malicious intent, only wanted to see what Fairy Sister looks like……”

“Who do you think you are?! To think you’re worthy of seeing Fairy’s real appearance?” A shrill sneer sounds, it’s Maid B.

Pang Wan purses her lips, strongly suppressing the rising of unpleasant feelings within her chest, and helplessly looks towards Gu Xi Ju.

However this time, Gu Xi Ju disregards her request for help.

“Kneel down.”

He looks at her, and icily says this.

That pitiful expression instantly freezes, Pang Wan somewhat doesn’t dare to believe her own ears.

“Supreme Chief told you to kneel down!” Maid B repeats with her piercing voice.

“Why do I have to kneel?” Pang Wan stares at Gu Xi Ju stunned, the rosiness in her pretty face fading, “I already admitted wrong ah!”

“You dare to disobey Supreme Chief’s order?” Maid B sounds a cold laugh, the sword in hand already removed from its sheath, cha!

Pang Wan blankly turns to look towards Bai Xiao Sheng, but sees him silently avert his eyes, solemnly nodding his head —— he also wants her to kneel.

“You can punish me, blame me, but, I cannot kneel.”

Pang Wan works up her courage and looks towards Gu Xi Ju again, taking a serious stance, one word by word she speaks.

In this moment, on her stubborn little face, there reveals a type of very complex expression: hope, trust, and little bits of never before seen beseeching —— she has her own dignity, she cannot kneel.

The dignified Bai Yue Sheng Gu, has only ever bowed down to the heaven, earth and ancestors, even Sect Leader Uncle never bear to have her kneel down, on what grounds, should she kneel down because of one woman?

Deeply still eyes locks onto her face, Gu Xi Ju looks at her, within that pair of narrow eyes, there appears to be something faintly twitching.

Pang Wan never manages to catch onto it clearly.

“Kneel down.”

After a long time, those pretty and thin lips lightly spits out two words, voice dull, carrying the danger of a brewing storm.

Maid B smiles, that is a “lady, I, just knew this would happen” type of complacent smile.

Bai Xiao Sheng gently sighs.

Pang Wan stands on the spot all alone, saying nothing.

It was in this very moment, that she suddenly came to understand a principle.

——no matter how much he usually appears to dote on her, that is all not part of Gu Xi Ju’s true nature. His tender love, his tolerance, is nothing more than an act to win over people’s hearts, he is only temporarily putting away his fangs and claws in order to achieve his objective.

Gu Xi Ju is but a ‘sleeping’ dragon that will bite, and Sang Chan is his inverted scale.

_{(An inverted scale or nì lín / 逆鳞 comes from the ancients’ saying – lóng zhī nì lín / 龙之逆鳞 – the inverted scale of a dragon. It is said that on a dragon’s neck area, there is an inverted scale which is the dragon’s sensitive spot, once touched, the dragon will kill the opposition. Nowadays it is an extended metaphor for the weakness of those in power, touching so and so’s inverted scale 逆鳞 is no different to seeking death)}

Cannot be felt, cannot be touched, even secretly catching a glimpse, he cannot bear to allow.

“I will not kneel.” Reaching a clear understanding of this principle, Pang Wan smiles.

The dim light in Gu Xi Ju’s eyes flickers.

“You’re human, Sang Chan is human, I, too am human.” She raises her chin up high, setting her back pen-straight, “Everyone is on equal standing, on what grounds, must I kneel?”

“Supreme Chief is not punishing you because of Fairy Sang Chan, but because you, as a maid, actually did not obey your master’s orders.”

Bai Xiao Sheng sounds a cough from the side, frowning.

“Right, not obeying your master’s orders, as a maid, is indeed not right.”

Pang Wan tugs up the corners of her lips towards the one above the hall, that brilliantly rosy face beaming with vitality.

Gu Xi Ju narrows his eyes —— for some unknown reason, he does not like this smile, really does not like it.

“That’s why, I quit!”

Removing the command token and throwing it onto the ground with a “kuang-dang”, Pang Wan turns around with a toss of her hair as she makes her way out the doors, taking large strides, not even sparing a glance back.

Gu Xi Ju’s knuckles tightens as it clutches onto the armrest, faintly turning white.

“Where you running off to?!”

Maid B flies forward in vigorous strides and leaps, the long sword in hand directly piercing towards Pang Wan’s stomach.

Only hearing a sound of “dang”, and the blade is blocked by a golden whip just three centimetres away from the target.

“Want to land a sneak attack on me?” Under the cool lighting, the girl’s pair of almond eyes burns like lava, but also exudes extremely chilling coldness.

Maid B, despite having fought hundreds of battles, was actually intimidated by the opponent’s fiercely sharp imposing manner.

A sound of pa-da, and a strong force suddenly attacks, causing her to consecutively take two steps back.

“Go back and train another three years first!” The girl lets blossom a touch of contemptuous smile towards her.

Two sounds of shua-shua, and the golden whip returns to her waist side, Pang Wan leaps onto the roof, instantly vanishing out of sight.

“Supreme Chief!” Maid B impatiently wishes to launch into pursuit, but dares not to act on her own will, subconsciously taking a look at Gu Xi Ju’s face.

Gu Xi Ju silently sits on the chair, looking into the direction the girl had disappeared in, saying not a single word.

Right now, whether his expression is showing sorrow or happiness, anger or anger, no one could work it out.

Nor did anyone dare to.

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Oh don’t you just love it when characters stands up for themselves and pull out that “I quit!” line? It’s just always so satisfying to see, although it can be said that Wan Wan really is just too spoilt, but even then, as someone from the modern times, I understand her reasoning of dignity. The girl would rather get beaten, would rather starve, than to kneel down, that says a lot.

Well…I know this chapter is a little shorter than the usual, but I’ll have the next chap up real soon, perhaps tomorrow 🙂