Ch2.01- TGIUAL

CH2:

Note: (Link to Google doc-same translation- if the format of the post is bad.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eW_m-JOwWiTsUga0Ql1gNscMQzgQbqIREhgPErP7Azs/edit?usp=sharing)

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Jiang Ye quietly inquired about the army enlistment.
As expected, he heard about Elder Jiang’s plan to spend money to nip the problem in its bud, and avoid their mandatory conscription.
Jiang Ye knew that XiangCheng’s prefecture official was close to their family, if his father mentioned his plan and handed over handfuls of pure golds and silvers along with some rare treasures, the prefecture official would definitely resolve the issue happily. 

If he was any other family’s young master, he’d probably be so happy that he’d ascend on the spot. Sadly, if this favor was bestowed on Jiang Ye, he’d only scrunch his eyebrows together until they were twisted into a knot. 

He had also thought through it carefully, he could go to the prefecture official first, and strike first by sending some gifts to gain the upper hand. But Jiang Ye only has that little bit of money, compared with his dad, he probably wouldn’t be able to gain any advantage.

A few days later, both the front of the government’s office and the market’s notice boards were posted with conscription notices. 

Xuan country and Sui Country had always wanted to conquer the other to become a single large nation. 

Even if those big and small tribes can’t be considered nations, but it can still be considered as unifying the world. As such, war is bound to occur every three to five years, and when both sides became tired, they’d negotiate a treaty. 

In recent years, Xuan country and Sui country had been at war over a crucial city located at the junction of the two nations. It was known as HanZhou. HanZhou was not large, but it is close to Xuan country, and its terrain was deep in Sui country. If Xuan country wants to completely conquer Sui country, the occupation of HanZhou must be the top priority.

The donations to the army this time, was used to support the war in HanZhou.

Jiang Ye pondered about it, he had never been out of the capital. He’d seen all the scenery in XiangCheng since young and was already bored with them.

If he could enlist in the army and fight at HanZhou, he could appreciate numerous novel sceneries. At least, that’s better than being nagged at by Elder Jiang in XiangCheng.

Although Jiang Ye was the son of an affluent family, he would also spend time dedicated to martial arts, not for any other reason than to have a fit and healthy body. Towards matters of lie and death, he didn’t have much sense of danger. 

Wei Lin, that beggar was still at his house working as a servant. Every day after he had finished with his daily tasks, he would come over and annoy him. For unknown reasons, Jiang Ye who was always cold to others and had a bad temper but was not easy to infuriate, whenever he hears Wei Lin’s voice, coupled with that damned beggar’s smile, he would immediately get extremely pissed off. 

“What’s eldest young master troubled about ne? Give me a smile bei.”

As he was thinking, Wei Lin brought in a bowl of ginseng soup and entered his house. 

“Go out, go out.”

“This small one has brought a bowl of ginseng soup for the young master!”

“Understood, you can leave now.”

“No ah, it’s cold outside, let’s talk about some two liangs of silver?”

“Go out, go out, go out!!!”

“Aren’t I just worried that the young master is bored ma?”

“*You’re the most boring.”

Jiang Ye had a cold expression, Wei Lin’s ginseng soup was placed in front of him, and when the lid was removed, steam fluttered upwards. As he stared at the soup, his mind was full of troubles but had no outlet to release them. Even his little brother, Jiang Mian would tend to stay outside and who knows what he’s up to or who he’s with, at least he’s at home during the day. As he thought this, Jiang Ye suddenly reach towards Wei Lin.

Wei Lin didn’t understand what he meant:

“What the hell?”

“Silvers.”

“Eldest young master is still concerned about the two liangs of silver? Is it possible to make it a loan?” 

“Scram if you don’t have the money.”

“I’ll owe you first, I’ll owe you first.” Wei Lin laughed as he said so. Jiang Ye glanced at him, only to see those eyes squint and bend like a crescent moon when he smiled.

With nowhere to lose his temper, Jiang Ye picked up the bowl and tasted the ginseng soup. Drinking a warm bowl of soup on a cold winter day, made his whole body ease up in comfort.

“Once winter is over, will you continue to go out and beg for food?”

“If I don’t beg for food, do you think I’d rather beg for a beating?” Wei Lin didn’t treat himself as an outsider, he grabbed the chair in the hall and carried it to the dining table and sat down.

“I can fulfill your request if you begged for a beating.”

“I’ll really thank *you then!”

“You’re playing around again, it seems to me like you really are begging to be beaten.” Jiang Ye glared at him.“You have hands and legs, yet you still want to beg for food, you living is just a waste of food”

“Begging can let me live, and hard labor can let me live.” Wei Lin said. “Then since young master who clearly has money and a joyful lifestyle, yet eagerly wants to fight in a war, aren’t you just **bitchy?

“I’ll give you one chance to change your nouns.”

“...Then does young master really want to enlist?” Seeing that Jiang Ye’s expression wasn’t good, Wei Lin immediately changed the topic. After days of getting along, Wei Lin has long known that this Jiang young master has a bad temper, and loves to beat people, maybe he wants to advocate military force, and coupled with his eagerness to enlist, who knows if he’s the kind of young master that’d murder without blinking.

“Enlisting or not, that’s not my choice to make.”

“Your legs and grown on your body, if it’s not your choice, it can’t be that it’s mine? Or are your long legs just for show? God, “Jiang Household’s eldest young master is actually a cripple! Both his legs are immobile.”, you can even write an article and sell it.  It’ll be so popular…” When Wei LIn words know no bounds, once you’re poor, you can talk nonsense about anything.”

Jiang Ye took a deep breath, suppressing his anger. This person is just like that, just count him unlucky that he’s forced to be angered daily. 

“Can you stop being so naughty?” Jiang Ye lowered his voice as he said, “It’ll only be in a daydream where Elder Jiang would let me enlist in the army.”

“Look at yourself, young man, it’s just too simple.” Wei Lin suddenly put on a posture, “The conscription not only applies to rich young masters, just sneak over to the neighboring YanZhou wearing beggar’s clothes. Hmm, just like mine, don’t say that *LaoGe treats you badly, I’ll lend you mine!” As he said so, he gave an awe-inspiring pat on Jiang Ye’s back, filled with such immense strength that Jiang Ye coughed. “Afterwards, just head towards the government’s office and ask someone to show you the place to enlist and you’re done.”

Runaway?

Not bad. Indeed, the reason the imperial court went door-to-door requesting for people to enlist was that they lacked people, otherwise, which General would be content to bringing along a bunch of weak young masters to fight a war? If he went to YanZhou, no one would recognize him, and enlisting would be an easy matter.

“Who knew that you actually have a brain.”

“You flatter me. It would be better to say that the young master doesn’t have any instead.” 

“Wei Lin, does your *skin itch?”

“No worries, I’ll scratch it myself.”

“Just scram.”

“How can you turn your back on your friend ah? I was the one who gave you the plan.”

“Two liangs of silver can only warrant this much conversation. If you still don’t leave, don’t think about surviving this winter.” Jiang Ye took another sip of the ginseng soup, and looked at Wei Lin calmly. Wei Lin didn’t have any other options, and could only obediently get up and leave the house(Jiang Ye’s private one), as he walked he said: “Public morality is not what it used to be, the world is so fickle ah…”

Before his words fell, Wei Lin felt his back being hit,  he glanced back and saw Jiang Ye’s shoe on the ground, and under his(JY) clothes were a single shoe-wearing foot and a single sock-wearing foot. He sat there drinking his ginseng soup as if nothing happened. Looking at that scene, Wei Lin found it hilarious.

“If you still don’t leave, the soup in my hands is next.”

“If you ever fall into my hands, see if I don’t beat you to death!” As he said this, Wei Lin hurriedly slipped away, not forgetting to close the door. 

Thinking carefully about what Wei Lin said, his plans were really feasible. Things such as disobeying one’s elders, Jiang Ye didn’t shy away from them, he had thought about sneakily enlisting, but how can the officials in charge not recognize him? As such, he hadn’t thought of such a trick, if he went to YanZhou, then no one could tell that he was the Jiang Household’s young master… Thinking of what Wei Lin has said, to let him pretend to be a beggar, Jiang Ye felt nauseous. 

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*liangs- unit of measurement for the weight of money(silver/gold). 1 liang (ancient) is 37.8 grams, 1 shi liang (modern) is 50 grams.

*You’re the most boring- in Mo Dao Zhu Shi (Grand Master of Demonic cultivation) this was translated as ‘Ridiculous’ when Lan WangJi scolds Wei WuXian.

*you = polite you

** bitchy= 犯贱= bitchy/ pathetic/selling oneself cheaply/guilty/demeaning oneself 

*LaoGe=big brother

*skin itch= can’t help but cause trouble