acfr chapter 14

[edited 2021/04/28]

“We don’t owe each other?” At that moment, He Ziming was furious. He raised his hand high, wanting to hit Gu Chen.

Gu Chen was neither humble nor arrogant, and stared at him without even blinking his eyes. He vowed to not give up, and to never give in.

“The two of us don’t owe each other?” He Ziming paused for a moment, but couldn’t hold himself back, and finally punched him. “We’ve been entangled for so long, and I invested so much in you. Now, you’ve reaped the benefits and want to cast me off. I will let your brother off, so tell me again that we don’t owe each other.”

Gu Chen choked and was unwilling to speak.

He Ziming didn’t want to hurt him, but he suddenly slammed the table and vented his anger. He said cruelly, “You want me to leave your brother alone, don’t you? Gu Ziqing, you are waiting alone — if Gu Wen can’t learn how to be a man, he will have a fate worse than death. Do not take advantage of this Crown Prince!

“He Ziming–” Gu Chen glared at him in anger, and he glared back.

The atmosphere between the two was freezing.

“Elder brother, Ziqing.” Just then, He Zisheng suddenly opened the door. Seeing this standoff, he was startled. “What happened?”

He came at the right time, finally dissolving the conflict between He Ziming and Gu Chen.

He Ziming turned away in anger, unable to look at Gu Chen anymore, and didn’t bother to talk to He Zisheng.

Seeing this, He Zisheng knew that he couldn’t coax him here. He couldn’t ask him why, so he turned to Gu Chen and whispered, “What’s wrong, Ziqing?”

“His Royal Highness, this minister still has something to do. Please forgive me for leaving first.” Gu Chen didn’t want He Ziming to lose face in front of He Zisheng, but he didn’t want to continue to argue with him. He only said this and left without waiting for He Ziming to reply.

He Zisheng looked at Gu Chen anxiously, as if not at ease, and immediately said to He Ziming carefully: “Brother, I’ll go and see Ziqing first.”

With that, he followed Gu Chen’s footsteps and left.

He Zeming stayed alone.

He Zisheng soon caught up with Gu Chen and asked worriedly: “Zi Qing, what’s the matter with you and my elder brother?”

Gu Chen was so angry, he didn’t want to say more in front of He Zisheng. He just clenched his hands tightly.

“You don’t have to hide it from me, I overheard it.” He didn’t say, but that didn’t mean He Zisheng didn’t know. He Zisheng asked anxiously: “Gu Wen-ge*, how is he now?”

*[“哥 (gē)”: meaning “elder brother”, but also used for male elders whom you are close with.]

Gu Chen gave him the cold shoulder and sneered, “Didn’t you hear it? The crown prince wants him to live a fate worse than death.”

“Ziqing, don’t worry. Brother seems vicious, but he is actually softhearted. Gu Wen-ge will certainly be fine.” He Zisheng called to him softly, as if he didn’t know how to comfort him.

Gu Chen smiled bleakly: “Chang’an, you don’t have to say anymore. All the mistakes are mine. If I hadn’t provoked people whom I shouldn’t be associated* with, my brother wouldn’t have been jailed for such a trifling thing… I should have listened to you then. If I hadn’t refused to listen to you and insisted on getting involved with him, my family wouldn’t have been dragged into this. ”

*[沾染: means “to infect/pollute”, mixing with the wrong sort of crowd]

But he was so angry that he couldn’t even listen to half of what He Ziming said… He just felt He Ziming was arrogant and unreasonable …

“Zi Qing.” He Zisheng frowned slightly, not knowing how to persuade him.

Gu Chen looked at He Zisheng but thought; if he hadn’t changed his mind, if had never been moved by He Ziming, if he kept admiring He Zisheng, how good it would have been.

If so, he wouldn’t have these beautiful memories with He Ziming … but his family wouldn’t be implicated in such a situation.

It was all his fault!

Gu Chen could only think of this, and his heart was very bitter. He never wanted to see He Zisheng again.

He Zisheng saw that he was going to leave and quickly stopped him: “Ziqing, where are you going?”

“I’m going to find the third prince. This time, even if I (must) break up with He Ziming, I have to save my brother at all costs. Even if I have to stand by the third prince!” Gu Chen could not think about anything else, his heart set on saving his brother.

Even if you want to break up with He Ziming!

He Zisheng quickly stopped him, “Ziqing, you must not be impulsive. The third prince and my elder brother have always been at odds. If you and the Gu family really stand on the three prince’s side completely, you and elder brother can never go back. ”

“If I don’t, what else can I do? He Ziming is the crown prince. He has always been a man of his word, and his temper is so fierce. No one can change the things he decides. Do you really want to force me to watch my brother die because of me?” Gu Chen felt desperate, only resenting that he was involved with He Ziming.

He Zisheng’s eyes shifted, but he whispered: “In fact, I have another way, but I don’t know if it is feasible?”

“What can I do?” Gu Chen grabbed his hand, as if grasping at a life-saving straw.

He Zisheng said in a deep voice: “Do you still remember Li Jiu, Ziqing?”

Gu Chen looked up at him.

Li Jiu was one of He Ziming’s confidants. He was highly regarded by He Ziming, but he was not a very good person. He couldn’t do anything except flatter others. He Zisheng was bullied by Li Jiu in the past. He often used the crown prince’s prestige to bully others in the capital; he is an outrageous villain.

After Gu Chen and He Ziming got together, Gu Chen once persuaded He Ziming to deal with this person and to not use him again. However, He Ziming said ‘a gentleman is as clear as water, and a villain is as slick as oil.’* Li Jiu had his own uses.

*[‘君子清如水，小人滑如油’: I could only find the literal meaning, just means that both of them have their own uses]

“Gu Wen-ge’s affairs are only trivial. I think the reason why my elder brother holds onto him is because he is angry with you. It was the fight between the two of you that brought disaster to the fish in the moat,*” He Zisheng reasonably analyzed for him: “Now, you and my elder brother are fighting with each other, and no one wants to retreat. Both of you can’t back down or humble yourself. Naturally my brother would not be willing to let off Gu Wen-ge…”

*[“殃及池鱼了“: figuratively means to get bystanders caught into your trouble, I left the literal trans tho.]

Gu Chen didn’t wait for him to finish, and said, “It’s not that I am refusing to back down, but he bullies others too much!!”

He couldn’t imagine how he could restrain his temper in front of He Ziming. Unlike his yin and yang, he could live with him peacefully.

(OG Text: “他现下已经想不到自己在贺梓鸣面前要怎样才能克制住自己的脾气不同他阴阳怪气，能够和他和平共处了。” If you could help me tl this, it would be much appreciated QAQ!)

“I know that neither of you are willing to give in, which caused Gu Wen-ge to suffer. But if something happened at this time and distracted my elder brother, he would have no time to take care of him, and you guys would have a better chance to save Gu Wen-ge, am I right? ” He Zisheng advised him.

Gu Chen frowned: “But is there anything in the world that would distract the Crown Prince from keeping watch over my brother?”

The crown prince’s position is as solid as gold*, he can’t think of anything that can distract He Ziming from watching him, watching the Gu family.

*[“固若金汤” comes from an idiom meaning: “secure as a city protected by a wall of metal and a moat of boiling water”.]

“This Li Jiu is an opportunity.” He Zisheng said.

Gu Chen looked at him, puzzled.

He Zisheng went on to say: “A few days ago, I found out by chance that Li Jiu was buying and selling officials behind my brother’s back. He was suspected of corruption and the amount of money is huge… I haven’t had time to tell elder brother about this matter, my elder brother doesn’t know. If we disclose this information and directly frame it on elder brother, elder brother wouldn’t be able to protect himself. Wouldn’t he have no time to take care of Gu Wen-ge, and leave a slim chance of survival for him?”

“Chang’an you–” Gu Chen looked at him in astonishment. “Buying and selling officials can make one suspected of corruption, but won’t this be a big case?”

If this is a big incident, and is framed on He Ziming, it is a capital offence that will demolish the crown prince(‘s position.)…

He Ziming treats He Zisheng well. He could not think of reason why He Zisheng would do this.

“I know this is a big case, and I don’t want to use this to hurt my elder brother. I’m just worried about Gu Wen-ge, and I want to solve you and Gu Wen-ge’s temporary anxiety.” He Zisheng said: “I have enough evidence in my hand to prove that Big Brother didn’t participate in it, and never profited from it. Everything was Li Jiu deceiving his master, my elder brother didn’t know about it at all… However, I just want to let my elder brother rush about for a few days, so he would have no time to take care of Gu Wen-ge. At that time, when you rescue Gu Wen, we will take out the evidence and submit it to the emperor.”

Gu Chen hesitated.

He Zisheng said: “My father has always favoured my elder brother, he won’t do anything to him. No matter how angry emperor father is, I think he at most would punish him for the crime of incompetence.”

“Big brother will be fine, but this is a ray of hope for Gu Wen-ge.” He said.

Gu Chen was silent for a long time, but still said, “Chang’an, this matter … you should let me think about this again.”

After all, he felt that this matter didn’t sound reliable or safe… He was afraid that a little carelessness would hurt He Ziming…

This is a matter between lovers. Even if he was angry and resentful, he has never thought of harming He Ziming.

“May as well. I came up with the idea on a spur-of-the-moment, and now thinking about it, it may have been ill-considered.” He Zisheng heard him say that, and immediately changed his story*: “Elder brother’s face is vicious, but he is actually softhearted, he isn’t bad… I think Ziqing, you had better calm down. Go seek elder brother tomorrow and gently serve him. I think as long as you talk to elder brother carefully, he will not make things difficult for Wen-ge after all.”

*[“改了口“: meaning “changed his mouth”, that he changed his mind or changed his story]

Gu Chen calmed down. After hearing this approach, he felt that it was feasible: “Okay, he and I should calm down. I will go to him tomorrow morning.”

He Zisheng chuckled: “OK.”

The two exchanged pleasantries and said goodbye.

He Zisheng watched Gu Chen leave with cold eyes, but turned around and returned to He Ziming’s palace.

He Ziming and Gu Chen had a big quarrel, and (He Ziming) felt unhappy. At that moment, he dismissed everyone and sought the opera singer he often found to sing for him and accompany him.

Right now, he was dead drunk and delirious.

After He Zisheng dismissed everyone, the actor called Slave He immediately drew back and went to He Zisheng in a respectful manner.

The actor was originally He Zisheng’s person.

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TL Note

Sorry for the late updates, I should’ve started this project after midterms TT

I will try my best for weekly, but this is 13 days after the last update? WHOOP. I have two midterms and 4 assignments due this week, and another midterm next week. Irregular updates until December when I can get my schedule back in shape. Anyways, I got to get to work in the next 15 minutes!

This update was really rushed, ill add footnotes later. Comment if u see any typos!

(Added most footnotes! Ill get the next chapter up tomorrow QAQ) (this is me 6 months from now, lying ass)