Hello, this is my first time translating a Chinese novel, but I am a long-time reader. I decided to start translating 白发皇妃 because I love this novel and thought that the drama didn’t do it enough justice, although I still like the drama. I also noticed that it’s been quite a long time since the last update by Forchen Translation. Forchen Translation did such a good job translating that I felt I had such a big shoe to fill. Feel free to leave a comment. Constructive criticism is always welcome.
I decided to use the title “The White-Haired Imperial Consort” because in my understanding, “妃 Fei” translates to consort, which is a spouse of a king or prince (not necessarily the main one). Whereas concubine means a woman who lives with a man but not his wife.
The chapter numbering in the raw I use differs a bit from the raw used by Forchen Translations. But they have same contents. This chapter is shorter because I didn’t translate the beginning part which has already been translated by Forchen.
The meaning/explanation for words in italic can be found in the Glossary page. Terms are organized alphabetically. More will be added to the page as needed. Feel free to leave a comment below if you feel that a term need to be added to the Glossary page.
Anyway, enjoy!
Chapter 40: Divorce Paper
Scene from Episode 15
With his reflex a step ahead of his logic, Zongzheng Wuyou unconsciously grabbed her hand. His grip was so tight as if he wanted to crush her bones. Twisting his eyebrows, he stared at this extremely proud woman who always held her head high. His heart felt like there are countless sharp needles running over it. They left bloody holes that would not kill, but would bring long term pain that, in time, would penetrate into the organs, limbs and bones.
She said he was a beast?! Heartless? He also always thought that he could be heartless to anyone. However, at this moment, he was extremely disappointed in himself! In front of this woman, his efforts over the past thirteen years were unexpectedly no match for that dozen or so days of companionship. If he was betrayed by someone else, without a need to say any nonsense, he would have thousands brutal punishments to make that person feel worse than dead.
Man Yao looked back at him coldly and asked: “Your Highness Prince Li, what on earth do you want?” She raised her other hand to forcefully pry open his fingers one by one, almost exhausting her whole strength. Her expression was unyielding and firm.
Zongzheng Wuyou suddenly felt powerless. Facing this woman, he actually did not even know what he wanted. He never felt like this before. It felt so unfamiliar.
“Seventh Brother —- “. The Ninth Prince rushed in like a whirlwind with the attitude of “nobody blocks my way”. He immediately sensed the unusual situation when entering the hall, so he hastily slowed down the footsteps while craning his neck inside probingly. He was startled when he saw Man Yao. Then, taking a big stride forward, he clapped excitedly with his Fractured Jade Bone fan that never left his side all year round, and exclaimed: “Li Yue?! is it you? You made me look for you everywhere. You don’t know that in order to find you these few days, I have not rested well at all, not even for a day. I am dead tired. Ah, it is so great to be able to see you. I can finally have a peaceful sleep!” He talked to himself, uncaring of others’ reaction. He reached out and patted Zongzheng Wuyou on the shoulder while yawning lazily, saying: “Seventh Brother, nothing is my business now. I am going home to sleep.”
He turned his body and walked out. In the hall, aside from his voice, it is still quiet. So quiet that it felt a little strange. After taking a few steps, he stood still. As if recalling something, his eyes suddenly wide opened, as big as a bronze bell. He abruptly turned his head. Widening his previous steps, he ran back. Pulling on the red wedding dress that Man Yao currently wore, he stared at her, then stared at Fu Chou with the matching wedding robe and deep expression, then stared at the entangled and complex emotion in Seventh Brother’s perennial icy cold eyes. He opened his mouth wide in surprise. After quite a while had past, upon finding his own voice, he cried: “Li Yue? You, you…… Why are you dressed up like this? Don’t tell me, you, you, are you the Eldest Princess Rong Le of Qiyun Kingdom?” In fact, there was no need to ask. It was self-evident.
All the people around were stupefied. Li Yue? The Ninth Prince called her Li Yue? Everybody promptly took a closer look with widely opened eyes at the woman’s face. It suddenly dawned on them that the “Mr. Li Yue” who was more beautiful than a woman was actually a woman, and a rumoured incomparably ugly woman at that! No wonder Prince Li came today. However, something was not right. She had already moved into Prince Li’s residence. Why did she still choose to marry General Fu? Also, that day in the main hall, Mr. Li Yue was present. Then, who was that Princess Rong Le?
Man Yao glanced at the Ninth Prince indifferently without a word. It is a silent confirmation.
With a wail, the Ninth Prince held his head and shouted: “Why did you not say it earlier? If I knew it were you, why would I suffer those one-hundred-plank beating?” He stomped his feet hard, feeling so bitter, simply because of the sheer injustice of those one hundred planks!
Zongzheng Wuyou frowned and shot a glance at him. After those two cold lights shot straight at him, the Ninth Prince immediately became quiet. Dragging his stiff scalp, he stood behind Zongzheng Wuyou with his hand at his side obediently.
After Man Yao pried open Zongzheng Wuyou’s hands, she turned her body around, looked at the quiet Fu Chou, and told Ling Er: “Go prepare writing brush, ink, paper and inkstone.”
Nobody knew why she requested the Four Treasures of the Study at this time. Could it be that even after this course of events, she still had a mood to compose poetry and paint? Everybody was puzzled.
Ling Er did not dare to ask any question. She turned around and went out. After a while, the writing brush, ink, paper and inkstone were placed on the table. Man Yao silently went forward to grind the ink personally. Her movement was skilled and unhurried. A drop of ink splashed on her hand. It slowly slipped down the gap between the knuckles and left a dark mark, like an unknown tear shed in the dark night. Up to this point, she still had no choice. Looking back on her life of more than twenty years, it seemed that she had always been under the control of others. She was always pushed forward by fate and went along an established track without a choice.
The Ninth Prince could not bear the curiosity, so he moved closer and asked with a smile: “Li Yue, why are you grinding the ink? Are you going to paint? How about painting me? This prince is brilliant, handsome, spirited, smart and elegant…… Definitely worth to be painted……” He spread out both of his arms and circled around in place to prove that his words were true. However, before he finished turning one circle, his eyes met with Zongzheng Wuyou’s gloomy and sharp eyes. He hastily stopped his action and corrected himself: “It is better for you to draw Seventh Brother. He…… is more handsome than me.” That tone sounded like a bullied young wife.
A corner of Zongzheng Wuyou’s mouth pulled upward. Black lines appeared on his forehead.
Man Yao shook her head speechlessly. The mood was originally serious and dreary. After he disturbed the mood, it was difficult to tell what the feeling was now. She sighed, stopped grinding, picked up the writing brush at the side, and turned around to look at Fu Chou. In front of everyone’s surprised gaze, she said in an abnormally tranquil voice: “General, please.”
Fu Chou slightly stupefied and seemed to understand her intention. He stepped forward and looked at the hand that was holding the shaft of the writing brush. His downcast eyes appeared dejected. He remained still for a long time.
Seeing him motionless, Man Yao moved forward and said a few more points: “The fault of impeding this grand plan of the two kingdom’s marriage alliance lies on me alone. Rong Le will take full responsibility of this offence. General, please do not worry. You do not need to hesitate to write the divorce paper.” She was expressionless. Her voice was calm and apathetic. In this era where husband was the social nexus, it could be said that there would be no happiness for divorced women. They could only grow old alone in loneliness. Therefore, this action of hers was extremely puzzling. Everyone looked at each other in astonishment. If other ordinary women encountered something like this, they would certainly kneel and beg for forgiveness with snot and tears. Who would be so stupid to proactively ask herself to be divorced?
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Footnotes
[1] Gongzi 公子 : (for males) basically means Mister (Mr). So “Li Yue Gongzi” means “Mr. Li Yue”. But Gongzi is usually only used for a young accomplished or learnt gentleman, privileged person, or nobility
Elegant Goddess Translation 
just eant to say lots of thank you.
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Thank you for continuing with this translation. Please keep up with the great work. I really like the protagonist with her forward thinking.
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