赤 血 長 殷

Written by Kana (she/her/25+) The purpose of this blog is to serve as my parking space for lyric translations from mandarin to english, with inclusion of Pīnyīn and other notes.

[chiyanjun]

Brilliant Heart like Jade | 锦心似玉 jǐn xīn sì yù

The Sword and The Brocade | 锦心似玉 jǐn xīn sì yù (original posted on my rp blog)

Listen here: Yisa Yu | Youtube MV

桃花妆 炉火煮茶香 táohuā zhuāng lú huǒ zhǔ chá xiāng [put on] Peach blossom rouge. Stove is boiling the tea to fragrance 素心织锦绣时光 sù xīn zhī jǐnxiù shíguāng A pure heart weaves a most brilliant Age 月色静静淌 纸短情意长 yuè sè jìng jìng tǎng zhǐ duǎn qíngyì zhǎng Moonlight ebbs soundlessly ; The letter is brief but the emotions are deeply felt 只盼人一双 zhǐ pàn rén yīshuāng [I] Only long for us to be a pair

v2 秋风凉 登高凭栏望 qiūfēng liáng dēnggāo pínglán wàng [the] Autumn’s breeze is cool, [I] scale the heights to look out from the parapet 青山日暮雁成行 qīngshān rìmù yàn chéngháng Lush mountains, the sunset, the geese forming a line 白马千关闯 是谁的念想 báimǎ qiān guān chuǎng shì shéi de niàn xiǎng The white horse charges through a thousand ordeals ; Whose thoughts are 入梦归故乡 rùmèng guī gùxiāng To go back to the old home of [my] dreams

c1 终难忘 用你温暖手掌 zhōng nánwàng yòng nǐ wēnnuǎn shǒu zhǎng In the end, I still cannot forget using your warm and gentle hands 握紧我 去长风破浪 wò jǐn wǒ qù cháng fēng pòlàng Holding me tightly onwards to ambition and difficult trials 未曾想 前路漫长 青丝成霜 wèicéng xiǎng qián lù màncháng qīngsī chéng shuāng I never thought of how long our journey was, or my hair turning to frost like snow 我仍在你身旁 wǒ réng zài nǐ shēn páng I am still by your side

c2 心滚烫 似这般俩相望 xīn gǔntàng shì zhè bān liǎng xiāng wàng The heart is aflame with the way we look at each other 情深处 再无需隐藏 qíng shēn chù zài wúxū yǐncáng We no longer need to hide our love 任世间 多少聚散 多少无常 rèn shìjiān duōshǎo jù sàn duō shào wúcháng Let the world play in its separations and uncertainties 携手到天荒 xiéshǒu dào tiān huāng We will be together until the heavens become desolate

v2 c1 c2

c1 c2

任世间 多少聚散 多少无常 rèn shìjiān duōshǎo jù sàn duō shào wúcháng Let the world play in its separations and uncertainties 携手到天荒 xiéshǒu dào tiān huāng We will be together until the heavens become desolate

[chalabrun]

TW: GASLIGHTING, MANIPULATIVE BEHAVIOR, ABLEISM, BIGOTRY/RACISM, THREATS, DOXXING, STALKING, SUICIDE, ETC.

It’s with a rather heavy heart that I (Calis, aka asaraltu) have to write this callout in the first place against Elie (aka oh-my-hashirama), someone I thought a friend before all this. As some mutuals on some of my other blogs might have been aware, in the past two years that I’ve been active in the Naruto RPC, I’ve never felt the need to write a callout before. I come from a background where I was forced to write callouts for the same reasons I’m writing this one: because of toxic, abusive individuals who drove innocent, sometimes susceptible people over the brink because of their damaging words and/or behavior. I was one of those people years ago, as I dealt with far too many toxic, abusive people in my past. People I initially thought of as close friends and RP partners, until problematic patterns revealed themselves and I was either forced to cut ties or write callouts as I am now.

Most of my callouts were written as a last resort, because of several people involved with a problematic individual and not myself alone. Like those callouts of years ago, this one is written because of how negatively Elie has affected me and the people mentioned here, as well as those who weren’t added or may just be aware that they’re not alone.

If you have experiences to contribute, feel free to reblog this post with them, on two conditions:

Please respect Elie’s pronouns, as the latest we’ve been informed is that they use they/them pronouns. While text receipts have been altered to change this, screenshots cannot be altered and you may see she/her used due to how old some are, but there isn’t an excuse to misgender anyone or heckle them over changes.

Do not send anon hate, harassment, doxx, or otherwise encourage witch-hunts towards Elie or anyone they know. This callout is between us and Elie and we don’t condone anyone who does this.

Otherwise, let’s continue on towards the callout itself. 

Keep reading

[chiyanjun]

The Sky is Dark | 天黑黑 tiān hēi hēi

Listen here: Stefanie Sun 

我的小時候 吵鬧任性的時候 wǒ de xiǎoshíhòu chǎonào rènxìng de shíhòu When I was young, when I was willful and whined 我的外婆 總會唱歌哄我 wǒ de wàipó zǒng huì chànggē hōng wǒ My grandma always sang to me to comfort me 夏天的午後 老老的歌安慰我 xiàtiān de wǔhòu lǎolǎo de gē ānwèi wǒ On a summer afternoon, my granny’s song consoled me 那首歌 好像這樣唱的 nà shǒu gē hǎoxiàng zhèyàng chàng de I think the song went like this: 天黑黑 欲落雨 天黑黑 黑黑 ti oh oh, bei lok ho, ti oh oh, oh oh The sky is dark, rain comes soon ; The sky is dark, dark

離開小時候 有了自己的生活 líkāi xiǎoshíhòu yǒule zìjǐ de shēnghuó As childhood went by, I had my own life 新鮮的歌 新鮮的念頭 xīnxiān de gē xīnxiān de niàntou New songs, new ideas 任性和衝動 無法控制的時候 rènxìng hé chōngdòng wúfǎ kòngzhì de shíhòu When I could not curb my willful heart and impulses 我忘記 還有這樣的歌 wǒ wàngjì hái yǒu zhèyàng de gē I had forgotten about that song 天黑黑 欲落雨 天黑黑 黑黑 ti oh oh, bei lok ho, ti oh oh, oh oh The sky is dark, rain comes soon ; The sky is dark, dark

我愛上讓我奮不顧身的一個人 wǒ ài shàng ràng wǒ fènbùgùshēn de yīgèrén I fell in love, risking my everything for one person 我以為這就是我所追求的世界 wǒ yǐwéi zhè jiùshì wǒ suǒ zhuīqiú de shìjiè I thought that this was the kind of world I could strive for 然而橫衝直撞 被誤解被騙 rán'ér héngchōngzhízhuàng bèi wùjiě bèi piàn But I dashed ahead without heed ; I was misunderstood and cheated 是否成人的世界背後 總有殘缺 shìfǒu chéngrén de shìjiè bèihòu zǒng yǒu cánquē Behind the vibrancy of adulthood, is there always such brokenness?

我走在每天必須面對的分岔路 wǒ zǒu zài měitiān bìxū miàn duì de fēn chàlù Everyday, I must walk ahead and choose each of my paths wisely 我懷念過去單純美好的小幸福 wǒ huáiniàn guòqù dānchún měihǎo de xiǎo xìngfú I miss the past where it was much simpler and there was joy in every little thing 愛總是讓人哭 讓人覺得不滿足 ài zǒng shì ràng rén kū ràng rén juédé bù mǎnzú Love kept making me cry, making me feel unsatisfied and small 天空很大卻看不清楚 好孤獨 tiānkōng hěn dà què kàn bù qīngchǔ hǎo gūdú The sky is so vast but I can’t see all of it properly ; I feel so lonely

天黑的時候 我又想起那首歌 tiān hēi de shíhòu wǒ yòu xiǎngqǐ nà shǒu gē Whenever it gets dark, I remember that song again 突然期待 下起安靜的雨 túrán qídài xià qǐ ānjìng de yǔ Suddenly, I yearn for the quiet drizzling of rain 原來外婆的道理 早就唱給我聽 yuánlái wàipó de dàolǐ zǎo jiù chàng gěi wǒ tīng Actually, in that song, grandma taught me a principal quite early on 下起雨 也要勇敢前進 xià qǐ yǔ yě yào yǒnggǎn qiánjìn I must advance bravely even if the rain falls 我相信 一切都會平息 wǒ xiāngxìn yīqiè doūhuì píngxí I believe that everything will be peaceful again 我現在 好想回家去 wǒ xiànzài hǎo xiǎng huí jiā qù I really wish to go back [to a] home now

[chiyanjun]

Do You Know | 知否知否 zhī fǒu zhī fǒu

The Story of Ming Lan | 知否知否应是绿肥红瘦 zhī fǒu zhī fǒu yīng shì lǜ féi hóng shòu

Listen here: Hu Xia & Yu Kewei

一朝花開傍柳 yī zhāo huā kāi bàng liǔ On morning, flowers bloomed beside the willow tree 尋香誤覓亭侯 xún xiāng wù mì tíng hóu Naturally seeking out the fragrance, yet mistakenly found the marquis’ pavilion 縱飲朝霞半日暉 zòng yǐn zhāo xiá bàn rì huī Drinking to my heart’s content as clouds bath red in the sun’s shine, and half a day has gone by  風雨著不透 fēng yǔzhe bù tòu Yet even wind and rain cannot see through (us?)

一任宮長驍瘦 yī rèn gōng zhǎng xiāo shòu Once appointment has been received, everything becomes bleak and desolate 台高冰淚難流 tái gāo bīng lèi nán liú The higher I rise, tears and emotions start to freeze up 錦書送罷驀回首 jǐn shū sòng bà mò huí shǒu Our vows remain yet we must part, but when we meet again 無餘歲可偷 wú yú suì kě tōu No more shall our remaining years be stolen away

昨夜雨疏風驟 zuó yè yǔ shū fēng zhòu Last night, the rain was light but the winds came suddenly 濃睡不消殘酒 nóng shuì bù xiāo cán jiǔ Immersed in deep sleep, but the bitter wine still did not dissipate 試問卷簾人卻道海棠依舊 shì wèn juàn lián rén què dào hǎi táng yī jiù I would like to question the people who were involved, but old habits die hard

知否 知否 zhī fǒu zhī fǒu Do you know? Do you know? 應是綠肥紅瘦 yīng shì lǜ féi hóng shòu If it should be green, fat, red, or thin?

A/N: I definitely struggled with this translation somewhat in these lines:

縱飲朝霞半日暉 zòng yǐn zhāo xiá bàn rì huī Drinking to my heart’s content as clouds bath red in the sun’s shine, and half a day has gone past 風雨著不透 fēng yǔzhe bù tòu Yet even wind and rain cannot see through (us?) 

So I welcome inputs!  

[chiyanjun]

The Monkey King, Sun Wukong | 就是孙悟空 jiù shì sūn wù kōng

Journey To The West; Sun Wukong Three Trials against the White Bone Spirit | 西游记之孙悟空三打白骨精 xī yóu jì zhī sūn wù kōng sān dǎ bái gǔ jīng

Aaron Kwok 郭富城 guō fù chéng | Listen | Movie MV

来无声去也像一阵风 lái wú shēng qù yě xiàng yī zhèn fēng Comes without sound, goes like a gust of wind 翻筋斗翻过千里洞 fān gēn dǒu fān guò qiān lǐ dòng One somersault over the Thousand-Mile Cave 来无影去无踪的狂风 lái wú yǐng qù wú zōng de kuáng fēng The gale that comes without a shadow, goes without a trace  我就是我就是孙悟空 wǒ jiù shì wǒ jiù shì sūn wù kōng I am who I am; Sun Wukong

五百年我在仰望长空 wǔ bǎi nián wǒ zài yǎng wàng cháng kōng I have gazed at the immense skies with hope for five hundred years 翻天覆地把天宫震动 fān tiān fù dì bǎ tiān gōng zhèn dòng I turned the skies and earth on their heels, shaking the heavenly court 不妥协不解释的悟空 bù tuǒ xié bù jiě shì de wù kōng Wukong, who neither compromises nor explains himself 踏着命运上路不怕没人懂 tà zhe mìng yùn shàng lù bù pà méi rén dǒng The world will know that he is fated for this journey

孙悟空　法力变化无穷 sūn wù kōng fǎ lì biàn huà wú qióng Sun Wukong, power infinite and endlessly changing  孙悟空　反转整个的天空 sūn wù kōng fǎn zhuǎn zhěng gè de tiān kōng Sun Wukong, inverting the whole firmament 天变地　地变海　山摇地动 tiān biàn dì dì biàn hǎi shān yáo dì dòng Sky becomes the land;  Lands become the seas; Mountains shake and the earth trembles 孙悟空　火眼金睛转动 sūn wù kōng huǒ yǎn jīn jīng zhuǎn dòng Sun Wukong, fiery eyes lit with gold are swirling 孙悟空　看透真假的面容 sūn wù kōng kàn tòu zhēn jiǎ de miàn róng Sun Wukong sees beyond the facade, revealing truth and falsity 黑与白　魔与道　真与伪 hēi yǔ bái mó yǔ dào zhēn yǔ wěi Black or white; Evil or moral; Real or fake 无所遁形中　伏妖的英雄 wú suǒ dùn xíng zhōng fú yāo de yīng xióng Nothing can hide its trace (from him); Demon-subduing hero

Hey Ho　孙悟空　花果山有个水帘洞 sūn wù kōng huā guǒ shān yǒu gè shuǐ lián dòng Sun Wukong; the Mountain of Flower and Fruit has a waterfall cave Hey Ho　孙悟空　飞奔天庭闹了天宫 sūn wù kōng fēi bēn tiān tíng nào le tiāngōng Sun Wukong; dashing to the skies to wreck havoc in the heavenly court 两眼发光　看透四方 liǎng yǎn fā guāng kàn tòu sì fāng Both eyes glow with light see through all corners of the world 我行我素　孙悟空 wǒ xíng wǒ sù sūn wù kōng I walk my own path without reservations: Sun Wukong Bow to the Monkey King

孙悟空　金箍棒在舞动 sūn wù kōng jīn gū bàng zài wǔdòng Sun Wukong; Golden cudgel is dancing 孙悟空　降魔除妖的英雄 sūn wù kōng jiàng mó chú yāo de yīng xióng Sun Wukong; A hero who subdues evil and wipes out demons 惊天地　呼风雨　动人心 jīng tiān dì hū fēng yǔ dòng rén xīn Shock the world; Directing the wind and rain; Touching the hearts of mankind 尽在不言中　就是孙悟空 jǐn zài bù yán zhōng jiù shì sūn wù kōng No more words are needed; It is Sun Wukong

A/N: This is a dance song, so the lyrics won’t tell the story in a chronological order. It’s Wukong’s biographical recount that focuses more on R&B than anything else, because it doesn’t actually have any of the movie content in the lyrics.

The only dilemma I have regarding the lyrics is 翻筋斗 fān jīn dǒu (somersault) but Aaron sang it as fān gēn dǒu (similar meaning, 跟 gēn = heel or follow) so did Aaron sing it wrong and everyone just closed an eye? Or were the lyrics wrong? Who knows.

[chiyanjun]

Let Go | 放下 fàng xià

The Four 2 |  四大名捕 II sì dà míng bǔ 2

胡夏 hú xià | Listen | Video

风吹凉 一杯茶 fēng chuī liáng ; yī bēi chá The winds cool a cup of tea 夕阳跑赢了老马 xī yáng pǎo yíng le lǎo mǎ The setting sun prevails in the race against an old horse 回头看 雪染白长头发 huí tóu kàn ; xuě rǎn bái zhǎng tóu fǎ Looking back, the falling snow dyed long tresses white

少年被 风催大 shào nián bèi ; fēng cuī dà A young soul is hastened by the winds to grow up 容颜未改心有疤 róng yán wèi gǎi xīn yǒu bā Facial features remain the same, yet the heart bears scars 我爱你 爱让我放下 wǒ ài nǐ ; ài ràng wǒ fàng xià I love you ; Love allows me to let you go

一只手 握不住流沙 yī zhī shǒu ; wò bù zhù liú shā One palm cannot contain the quicksand 两双眼 留不住落花 liǎng shuāng yǎn ; liú bù zhù luò huā Two eyes cannot stay the falling petals 风吹草 云落下 你心如野马 fēng chuī cǎo ; yún luò xià ; nǐ xīn rú yě mǎ Wind blows over the grass as clouds settle ; your heart like a wild stallion 等下 时光请等一下 děng xià ; shí guāng qǐng děng yī xià Wait, Time, please wait a moment

千只雀 追不上流霞 qiān zhī què ; zhuī bù shàng liú xiá A thousand sparrows cannot catch up to the drifting, rosy clouds 万只蝶 抵不过霜打 wàn zhī dié ; dǐ bù guò shuāng dǎ Ten thousand butterflies cannot resist the biting frost 水滴石 风在刮 我声音沙哑 shuǐ dī shí ; fēng zài guā ; wǒ shēng yīn shā yǎ Water drips upon the stone, the wind is rushing ; my voice is losing 放下 容我将你放下 fàng xià ; róng wǒ jiāng nǐ fàng xià Let go, allow me to let you go

天地江湖日月 tiān dì jiāng hú rì yuè Heaven and Earth, lands and rivers, sun and moon 不留不念 不说话 bù liú bù niàn ; bù shuō huà They do not halt, do not miss, do not speak 繁华世界弱水 fán huá shì jiè ruò shuǐ The feeble waters of this flourishing world 三千一瓢 怎盛下 sān qiān yī piáo ; zěn chéng xià How can one ladle contain three thousand

一个人 走不到天涯 yī gè rén ; zǒu bù dào tiān yá One person cannot walk to the ends of the Earth 两场雪 封不住嫩芽 liǎng chǎng xuě ; fēng bù zhù nèn yá Two rounds of snowstorm cannot bar the young seedlings 月升起 云落下 你笑颜如花 yuè shēng qǐ ; yún luò xià ; nǐ xiào yán rú huā Moon rise as clouds settle ; Your smiling face like flower petals 等下 时光请等一下 děng xià ; shí guāng qǐng děng yī xià Wait, Time, please wait a moment

千个字 说不出情话 qiān gè zì ; shuō bù chū qíng huà A thousand words cannot speak my heartfelt confessions 万封信 写不完牵挂 wàn fēng xìn ; xiě bù wán qiān guà Ten thousand letters cannot pen my yearning 山走远 风在刮 我心乱如麻 shān zǒu yuǎn ; fēng zài guā ; wǒ xīn luàn rú má Mountains grow faint in the distance, the winds are still rushing ; My heart is a mess 放下 容我将你放下 fàng xià ; róng wǒ jiāng nǐ fàng xià Let go, allow me to let you go

忘了你 爱让我放下 wàng le nǐ ; ài ràng wǒ fàng xià Forgetting you, allow me to let this love go

A/N: I’ve been wanting to translate this song for awhile now. When this song is put in context of the way I see Madara, it speaks to me on a different level. Specifically, his loss of his last brother, Uchiha Izuna.

For example, this phrase 一只手 yī zhī shǒu One palm / One hand reminds me of the idiom 一手遮天 which means One hand to cover Heaven. Hence, no matter how formidable and godlike Madara becomes, he will never be able to get back what he had lost-- what time has taken from him. And Madara has lost many things.

[chiyanjun]

Nirvana in Fire | 琅琊榜 Chapter Eleven | 第十一章 Xiao Jingning | 萧景宁

1st Edition: An English translation brought to you by the princeõreo team. Full credits at the end of the translated novel. No part(s) of this translation may be published on other websites without the explicit written approval of @chiyanjun

- Access other chapters via the Content Page

Leader’s note: This translation is independent and separate from other translations. Certain terms and pinyin “romanisation” will differ from commonly seen usage.  Any comments or grievances to be sent to @chiyanjun via IM, thank you and enjoy.

When Xiao Jingning walked into Meng Bai restaurant, she wore an elegant scholar’s robe the shade of the morning skies, belted with an elaborate silk waistband, and on her feet she wore a pair of boots embroidered with gold thread and precious jewels. She held a folding fan in her hands and occasionally partially obscured her face with it. At a glance, it seemed she was a dashing, unrestrained young scholar. However, everyone else could tell she was a girl dressed as a boy.

However, the capital was a place filled to the brim with nobility, and the quirks of the nobility were aplenty. Judging from this girl’s bearing, it could be deduced that she was of high status. Therefore, although everyone had seen through her disguise, they continued to affect ignorance, so as to not provoke her. Even the restaurant’s waiter continued to call in guests in his normal manner, not revealing at all that he had already recognised her as a female customer.

Xiao Jingning didn’t spare the noise and excitement coming from the hall below a glance, immediately requesting the private ‘Rain’ room from the waiter. Therefore, when she was taken to the second level, She happened to find herself suddenly face to face with Yan Yujin and his fellow companions. “Jingning…!” With great effort, he suppressed his cry of startlement, and Xiao Jingrui immediately rushed forward and pull her to his own table. In a low, harsh voice he asked: “How did you manage to sneak out here? This is too inappropriate!”

“How is it inappropriate?” Xiao Jingning glared, but because she was scared to reveal her feminine voice, she dared not raise her voice. “You guys are always outside! This is only my first time out alone!”

“How can you compare yourself to us? You are the Princess! How can you appear in taverns and tea houses?!”

“So what if I’m a Princess? Are Princesses meant to die of boredom in the Palace? Anyway I came out along with Mother.”

Yan Yujin was shocked as he looked around furtively; whispering, “I haven’t seen her? Where is her Majesty?”

Xiao Jingning awarded him with a look of total disdain, “Stupid, how could Mother be here? She accepted an invite from Aunt Liyang and went to Cousin Rui’s house. I begged her forever before she agreed to take me with her. Currently, they’re just chatting and don’t need me to keep them company. I told them I was returning to the Palace first and snuck away on the way back when I found the opportunity. It was so hard!”

“How can this do?” Xiao Jingrui became even more agitated. “You never told her Majesty this! Quick, let's go, I’ll escort you home.”

“I want to play for a while more!” Princess Jingning stubbornly cried, “I took such care to disguise myself and I’ve not caused any trouble. I’ll just wander around a little and I’ll go home by myself. Nihuang-jiejie can go on the battlefields, but I would be breaking the rules just by strolling through the streets?”

“How can you compare yourself with Duchess Nihuang?” Yan Yujin shot back. “Anyway,  as long as you’re not afraid of getting reprimanded by her Majesty, we wouldn’t care about your hardships one bit.”

Xiao Jingning swallowed nervously, it seemed that she was still somewhat unsure of herself. In order to force herself to calm down, she turned her eyes to Mei Changsu and asked, “This is…”

“Our friend, Sir Su. Su Zhe.” Yan Yujin introduced.

“Su Zhe…” Xiao Jingning tilted her head as she thought about that name, then suddenly lept up and shouted with a high pitched voice, “So you are Su Zhe?! I heard you have a bodyguard who lasted more than a hundred moves against Imperial Commander Meng and did not lose. Where is he? Can I meet him?”

Xiao Jingrui and Mei Changsu could not stop her in time and quickly looked around, only to see that the patrons on the second level of the tavern, shocked by the words, were all staring in their direction.

Someone being able to last a hundred moves without losing against Meng Zhi was itself a big news. Moreover, this person was a bodyguard, naturally it made people more curious to know the master behind him.

“Don’t shout like that!” Xiao Jingrui said urgently, “You don’t know anything about martial arts. You have no idea what it means to last a hundred moves against Commander Meng. What nonsense are you going on about?”

“It’s true I don’t know,” Princess Jingning answered challengingly, “but Nihuang-jiejie does. She was at your place, and after hearing this from cousin Bi, she was rather surprised. She even said this bodyguard’s master must be an extraordinary person and that she must meet them.”

At this time, Xiao Jingrui realized his own mistake. He should have immediately taken Jingning from the place instead of attempting to silence her. But now, the more he tried to counter her, the more she talked. While she hadn’t spoken in a loud voice, there were no lack of keen eared and sharp eyed martial artistes in the tavern. People were sure to have heard it. A skillful bodyguard fronted him, and then high praise from the Duchess backed him up, it seemed that after today’s commotion, the name Su Zhe will undoubtedly become famous in the Capital...

Since he had made the mistake once, then he most definitely would not make the same mistake again. So, with Xiao Jingrui dragging Jingning, the four of them quickly left the tavern under the curious gaze of the patrons. Threading through the bustling crowds on the streets, they ducked into a relatively quiet alleyway.

“Why did you drag me out?” Princess Jingning said unhappily, “Even if you are my cousin, you hold no power over me.”

“Your Highness,” Xiao Jingrui’s voice became aggravated, “You and I are ruler and subject, of course I have no authority over you. But since you’ve left the Palace and bumped into me, it’s inappropriate to pretend that we don’t know each other, right? Moreover, regarding the situation just now, how could you publicise it like that infront of everyone. Do you know that it’ll cause trouble for Brother Su?”

“I didn’t even do it on purpose. I was just caught by a moment of surprise, that’s all.” Princess Jingning snorted, “How inconvenient could it even be? My royal self will cover for that Su Zhe. He is just a commoner, do you think that I myself can’t even protect him? He is not even angry at the moment, why are you so provoked?”

Mei Changsu’s lips thinned for a slight moment, maintaining his politeness. He knew that it was useless to get worked up over the situation. He only had himself to blame: why didn’t he take his leave sooner? So that he could avoid the hot headed princess? With the commotion from her outburst, and how fast rumours spread in the capital, it would likely take less than two days before this “news” scatter over the four corners of the city; Someone ordered his bodyguard to challenge Meng Zhi, and thereafter obtained Duchess Nihuang’s esteem. It would definitely draw numerous curious eyes.

Changsu pushed that notion to the back of his mind temporarily as there was a more pressing issue at hand.

Just when Princess Jingning’s voice settled down, so did Xiao Jingrui’s disposition sink. Evidently, he was rather enraged by the Princess’ tone. But even so, she was still a Princess. Her manner displayed her birthright prominently. If Changsu let the ticking time bomb that was Jingrui go, a complaint of the Princess’ might just let fly another type of rumour: The good sir Xiao, usually of docile and fair temperament, unexpectedly clashed with the Princess in defense of Su Zhe.

And so before Xiao Jingrui could speak a word, Mei Changsu rushed to pull on Jingrui’s arm and quickly said, “Jingrui, I’m tired, let’s go home first.”

Xiao Jingrui stared blankly, but with one look at Mei Changsu’s eyes immediately understood his intentions and was obliged to restrain himself. He turned to Yan Yujin and said, “Yujin, I am going to accompany brother Su back to the manor. As for the Princess, I’ll have to implore you to send her home--”

His words  broke off midway. Only now did Jingrui suddenly realise that the friend standing next to him had remained silent all this time. From Yujin’s disposition, Jingrui guessed that something was wrong. The face that wore a smile everyday was now pulled tightly with a pout. Piercing eyes bored into Jingrui, an obvious show of displeasure splayed across his features.

But as much as Xiao Jingrui tried to decipher the whys, he still could not understand just when or how exactly did he anger this prestigious noble who has the country’s uncle for a father. And so he could only voice the question, “What’s going on with you?”

Ah, finally, Yujin had been waiting for such a question. His nostrils flared at once and he accused loudly, “None of you are telling me anything!”

“Not telling you what?”

“This business with Fei Liu exchanging blows with Imperial Commander Meng! I’ve been with you all day today and you didn’t tell me about it!”

“Uh, about that…” Xiao Jingrui scratched the back of his head sheepishly. “...Since it is old news, and we have had such a good day, it completely slipped our minds that we should have told you about it.”

“You all simply don’t care a lick about me!” Yan Yujin still did not ease his gritted teeth, stomping his feet with a wounded air. “Heavens, Fei Liu going head to head with Meng Zhi! Such a commotion and I missed seeing it! It is as though--as though my time spent in the capital has been a waste!”

“Say, Yujin,” Jingrui could only force out a smile, “Even if we did tell you the news today, you wouldn’t have been able to see it anyway.”

“That’s why I’m angry!” Yan Yujin cried. “Meng Zhi in combat is already a rare sight! Furthermore, this time it was against Fei Liu…”

“That bodyguard is named Fei Liu?” asked a curious Princess Jingning.

“Why do you want to know?” Jingrui retorted with great displeasure, for his anger against her had not yet cooled.

Princess Jingning ignored him in favour of directing her queries to Mei Changsu. “Hey, er, what’s your name again...? Su Zhe, is your bodyguard around or not? Quickly, summon him here so I can take a look at him!”

“Your Highness,” Mei Changsu said, insipid, “Though Fei Liu calls me Master, we are brothers in heart-- he goes where he wills and I subject him not to my whims. I am afraid we must disappoint the Princess in this regard.”

“Oh?” Princess Jingning lifted a single elegant eyebrow and sneered, “Since your arrogance is remarkable, then his ego must be sizeable as well; Could it be that would dare refuse a summon from my royal person to enter the palace?”

Mei Changsu held back an agitated Xiao Jingrui, and with a low voice he said, “Don’t mind her, I have my way of persuading her to go back.” Then he lifted his head and smiled sweetly at the princess, “Could we walk and speak?” he asked with a gentle voice.

Upon hearing such a request from Mei Changsu, Princess Jingning could not help the spark of alarm that welled up inside her, “What do you want to say? Can’t we just discuss whatever it is right here?”

Mei Changsu merely smiled and walked slowly along her side, wordless. Princess Jingning’s curiousity led her to follow his steps without hesitation.

“Princess, you are of the royal bloodline with such command within palace walls, how can strangers glimpse at your royal person so easily? Even if your Highness wishes to summon him, and Fei Liu is also willing to enter, I am afraid that this royal summon of yours will not  be able to pass the castle gates.” Mei Changsu’s sour note to the Princess was quickly followed by a low whisper, “Worshiping the gods to atone for your wrongdoings is not an excuse with a long shelf life. Please let this one advise your Highness an early return back to the royal carriage before this escapade of yours becomes known, and you punished by her Majesty.”

Princess Jingning paled at his words. With lips trembling, it was a while before she blurted out her next question, “How did you know my excuse to come out was because I wanted to pray?”

“Perhaps… It is because, like you, I have heard the same story before…” Mei Changsu rolled his eyes slightly, looking as though he wanted to laugh. “I doubt that this is your first time worshiping the gods, Princess, and I assume that you would not want this to be your last either. Xiao Jingrui is an intelligent man. If I recite that old story to him once, he will surely understand the whole situation immediately. Does your Highness wish for me to speak with him?”

Princess Jingning stared at his lazy smile and pleased disposition, cold fear settling into her heart.

“Princess, you went to Meng Bai restaurant to see somebody, isn’t it?” Mei Changsu paid no heed to how her features paled, and continued his words in a relaxed manner, “You spoke so loudly all of a sudden… perhaps you wanted to warn somebody that Jingrui and company were not lechers harassing you, so that he would not hastily come out to rescue you, am I right? If, at the same time, you could make us leave you here alone - as was your motive - then all the more better, isn’t it?”

Princess Jingning sucked in a deep breath, fingers clutching together tightly as her pale face turned blue.

Approximately one year ago, Xiao Jingning chanced upon an elderly attendant within the palace. As fate would have it, the attendant told a story surrounding a Princess from the previous generation.

This is that story: A Princess had fallen in love with an imperial guard, but the Emperor opposed their wish  to marry. This imperial guard dug a secret passage below the temple located outside the palace walls. It led to a remote and secluded place in the city. The Princess sought an excuse to leave the palace and headed for the temple, then quickly claimed that she was struck with an excruciating migraine. Following that she also claimed that a deity had blocked her path, accusing her of clashing against the Heavenly Decrees, and wanted her to set up a barricade immediately. Alone, she must burn incense and pray for two hours in restitution.

Her servants did not dare to  hesitate, quickly erecting a secure and elaborate wall to surround the altar. Once the Princess entered behind the wall, she quickly took advantage of the situation and escaped through the secret passage underneath the altar. Covertly, the Princess fled to the ends of the earth with the imperial guard.

At first, Xiao Jingning did not pay too much mind to the story. But one day she had passed the temple by chance, and was inspired to follow the myth. Who would have thought that there was really a secret passage underneath the altar? It led her to shed away the layers of royalty for the first time in her life, tasting absolute freedom. It was also the time where she met a young bodyguard who chased away some people who were harassing her.

Both of them knew the disparity between their ranks; a union between them was impossible, but they could not control the feelings they had for each other. In order to leave the palace and meet up with him, Xiao Jingning managed to fake a devastating illness with the help of her trusted handmaiden, claiming that the deity had returned in her dreams, telling her that she had to pray at the temple for four hours each time she went out of the palace, and only then would the deity forgive her previous wrongdoing. The Emperor saw that his beloved daughter mysteriously fell ill, yet miraculously healed, so he would rather believe the existence of the deity than allow his suspicions to hurt his daughter.

Henceforth, even though a Princess like her seldom had chances to go out, she was still able to ride on the wave of the excuse and stop her carriage in front of the temple. Under the cover made by her trusted handmaidens, she would go  behind the wall and disappear for four hours. This time, she thought that the process would continue to be as smooth as before, so she let her aide inform the bodyguard to meet her at their usual place. She then sneaked out without her usual entourage and left the Marquis of Ning’s manor. As she used the altar’s secret passageway to escape, she didn’t think that she would knock into Xiao Jingrui as soon as she stepped into Meng Bai tavern. In her panic, she could not help but think of every way to act out and remind her lover who was waiting in the private room. She was afraid that he would be discovered by them.

At first, she thought her plan to be flawless. As long as she could provoke Xiao Jingrui to leave, then get rid of Yan Yujin, she could meet her lover for a while. But even a thousand strategies did not predict that the seemingly normal-looking and mild-mannered gentleman would be the one who revealed her cards. Jingning herself was surprised that she had absolutely no clue as to how Mei Changsu knew so much.

“Have you thought it through now, Princess?” Mei Changsu said softly, “It’s not my place to care about your personal matters and I don’t plan on talking about them with anyone, either. I just hope that you will go home a bit earlier today, so as not to provoke any trouble with your actions.”

Princess Jingning’s mind was racing and her pearly white teeth were biting so tightly on her lower lip that there were already bruises. After a moment in which she was not able to make up her mind, she asked quietly, “You really won’t tell anyone?”

Mei Changsu said comfortingly: “My Princess, you are known to be fair and virtuous, how could I tarnish your reputation without a second thought? If it weren’t for you repeatedly pushing me into provoking young master Xiao, I originally didn’t plan on saying much. If you see me again after today, just act as if you do not know me, and I too won’t make even the slightest move that might be unfavourable to you.”

Suddenly, there was chill in Princess Jingning’s eyes and she said coldly, “You didn’t even bring up any conditions, I’m finding it hard to believe in your words.”

Mei Changsu blinked slowly and seemed to briefly consider it. He then chuckled, “If you don’t believe me, Princess, then I will name a condition. After today, no matter in which situation, no matter what you hear me say, you have to smoothly agree and support it. Is this condition within your abilities?”

“Simply that?”

“Simply that.”

“Humph,” Princess Jingning snorted proudly, “You are but a commoner, when will you ever again get the chance to be in the same room as me, the Princess? Are you not wasting a great opportunity?”

“You’re right,” Mei Changsu admitted easily, “but which condition I raise is my business, your Highness only need to say if you agree to it or not.”

Princess Jingning pressed her lips together tightly, and had to almost force out her next few words, “Okay, I agree.”

“You don’t have to be offended, Princess,” Mei Changsu said sympathetically, “You are such a brilliant woman, even the heavens seem to favour you, yet you do not have free reign over your own marriage... though the heart is genuine, it can only lead to sadness in this world. The condition I brought up merely exists in name, whether you abide by it in the future or not, I will still keep my promise and won’t say a word of this matter. I won’t hurt him. But for your and his sake, heed my advice: Don’t meet him again. Apart from adding to the pain, what else could it achieve?”

Jingning, who was nearly brought to tears by his words, blinked heavily. The status of her lover was too low, there was no hope for them to stay together in this life. Even if she were to tearfully plead with the Empress at her own peril, her efforts would be in vain and only bring death to her loved one. Each of Mei Changsu’s words made her heart despair, yet they held an undeniable truth.

Yan Yujin and Xiao Jingrui looked at the pair from afar. Though they were not able to hear anything, it was clear to them that Princess Jingning’s expressions changed like the tides, until she looked very much like she was crying. They couldn’t help but be immensely surprised, and both quickly went over, asking, “What is going on?”

“I’ve told you both before, I’m very good at talking about the great principles,” Mei Changsu told them with a beaming smile, “Just now, I’ve explained to the Princess the principles of filial piety and etiquette, which moved her so much that she is now in this state…“

“You’re talking nonsense again!” Yan Yujin raised his eyebrows, “That can’t be possible!”

“If you don’t believe me, then let’s just forget it.” Mei Changsu then bowed his head to Princess Jingning, looking gently into her eyes and said softly, “Please think carefully about what I just said, Princess. Hurry home now. Don’t worry, neither Yujin nor Jingrui will accompany you. Be careful on your way back.”

“What?” Yan Yujin was shocked, “How can it be all right for her to walk back alone?”

“Since the Princess agreed to go home, she will definitely go home. If you two accompany her, it will look as if we don’t trust her word and need to shepherd her back. If I was the Princess, I wouldn’t like to be treated like that either. Is it possible for you to listen to me just this once for today, let us part ways with the Princess at the end of the alley in front of us and it will be fine.”

Princess Jingning had actually been worried about how to get rid of Yan Yujin and Xiao Jingrui. If she stealthily went back to the exit of the secret path, even if Mei Changsu didn’t say anything, her secret would still be exposed. As she listening to his thorough considerations, she could not help but feel a deep sense of gratitude in her heart. Hurriedly, she spoke, “That’s right. I will go directly back home, the both of you don’t need to worry. Mister Su, thank you for explaining to me the importance of filial piety, I will definitely be more obedient to my royal mother from now onwards. I won’t disappoint her with my stubborn ways again.”

Yan Yujin was completely taken by surprise. “Eh? You really did talk about the ways of filial piety?”

“What need is there to be so surprised?” Mei Changsu side eyed him. “Since time immemorial, the doctrines of the wise are the ones that can better touch and enter the heart. I will also preach to you another day. All right, there’s no need for more words now, let us all leave to go to our own destinations.”

As Xiao Jingrui glanced at Princess Jingning, his brows knit together. Mei Changsu knew that Jingrui was upset with the Princess’ conduct for the day, but because he valued the friendship between them, he was still worried for her safety. So Mei Changsu pulled on his arm and leaned over, whispering, “Don’t worry, I will definitely have Fei Liu follow her.”

Only after hearing these words could Xiao Jingrui finally relaxed and didn’t express any more objections. The four of them followed Mei Changsu’s suggestion and split up at the end of the alley. The Princess disappeared first in a sea of people, Yan Yujin went then back to his father’s manor and Xiao Jingrui, after calling for a comfortable sedan ride, went together with his Brother Su back to his family’s residence.

Once they arrived at the entrance of the manor and halted the carriage, a servant had saw them coming and went inside to announce their arrival. Soon after, Xie Bi came hurriedly to receive them. After one glance, he voiced loudly, “Why are you only back now? There’s someone here to meet you two and you’ve kept them waiting for so long!”

The Translation Team && Credits - unlinked names are Discord IDs

Coordinator && Overall Editor: princeõreo

Team Orange: Eikryona, dearwhimsy, Leilyue, freakmoister [When Xiao Jingning walked into Meng Bai restaurant] to [“Jingrui, I’m tired, let’s go home first.”]

Team Purple: princeõreo, Sharrix3, qwertyuiop678, orangememory [Xiao Jingrui stared blankly] to [no clue as to how Mei Changsu knew so much.]

Team Blue: Merlin, gelierzucker, tomirwinsglasses, katekatharos [“Have you thought it through now, Princess?”] to [and you’ve kept them waiting for so long!”]

Resources used: Google Documents, Forms, and Spreadsheet, Baike Baidu, quanben-xiaoshuo, lang ya hall Discord

[chiyanjun]

The World as Chess | 天下与弈 tiān xià yǔ yì

Nirvana in Fire | 琅琊榜 láng yá bǎng

Listen here: W.K. Walker

琵琶声声错蛮绮 pí pá shēng shēng cuò mán qǐ The sound of the Pipa comes out quite beautifully 红尘梦里 hóng chén mèng lǐ The mortal world is an illusion 凌云可与天下弈 líng yún kě yǔ tiān xià yì High aspirations will let me move against the world 生死皆为棋 shēng sǐ jiē wèi qí The matters of life and death is akin to a chess game

无奈断痕终难续 wú nài duàn hén zhōng nán xù Helpless and broken, it is difficult to continue 故人长忆 gù rén zhǎng yì The people of yore always remember 横空坐观云伏低 héng kōng zuò guān yún fú dī I watch from above as the clouds settle down 浩渺雾岚起 hào miǎo wù lán qǐ A far-reaching fog starts to haze up

阴谋诡辨中翻覆 yīn móu guǐ biàn zhōng fān fù Overturning conspiracies and fallacy 何人堪与并书 hé rén kān yǔ bìng shū Who is worthy of writing this legacy with me? 金戈战影中沉浮 jīn gē zhàn yǐng zhōng chén fú Rising and falling between the ranks and war 何人曾与同沐终是殊途 hé rén céng yǔ tóng mù zhōng shì shū tú Those who were allied in the past will remain together in the end

百川皆归魂梦去 bǎi chuān jiē guī hún mèng qù Returning to the past seems an accomplishment only feasible in dreams 细数此残局 xì shù cǐ cán jú Carefully count the number of devastating tragedies, 贪嗔本心易移 如是而已 tān chēn běn xīn yì yí ; rú shì ér yǐ How easily swayed a greedy and hateful heart is

战鼓鸣动猎猎旗 zhàn gǔ míng dòng liè liè qí War drums are a chanting ; The banner flag flutters 八方来敌 bā fāng lái dí Enemies hail from all eight directions 倾覆前尘本无意 qīng fù qián chén běn wú yì Originally only wanted to overturn the past 奈何不由己 nài hé bù yóu jǐ But now I can’t help myself

真假皆化作虚无 zhēn jiǎ jiē huà zuò xū wú The matter of truth and falsity melt into nothingness 沧溟千堆不溯 cāng míng qiān duī bù sù Can’t even recall the thousands of changes that happened 爱与恨孰为错付 ài yǔ hèn shú wèi cuò fù The price of love and hate is always wrongly paid 参商永隔两处终入尘土 shēn shāng yǒng gé liǎng chù zhōng rù chén tǔ Orion and Antares at two ends of the world will return to dust in the end

恍惚南柯见穹碧 huǎng hū nán kē jiàn qióng bì Splendid dream ends, disappointed ; dazed eyes search the azure skies 苍野飞一骑 cāng yě fēi yī jì One rider flies across the grey fields 匆匆红尘东去 cōng cōng hóng chén dōng qù The mortal world rushes to its end 似无留意 如是而已 shì wú liú yì rú shì ér yǐ It seems to not have the intention of staying

A/N: This has got to be the HARDEST song to translate among the ones before it... I had this sitting in my drafts for a week *cries* I don’t know how to explain why it’s more difficult.

You know the way Yoda speaks? In this song, there are many lines that sound reversed, and actually make sense either way. Some lyrics also pull one or two words from idioms and phrases and expect me to know the whole meaning T_T I’m glad it’s done! Thanks so much to the people at the langya hall Discord server, their opinions really made me learned a lot :D

This song is incredibly depressing. In many paragraphs, the singer is feeling hopeless or at a loss what else he could do, because righteous deeds are hard to fulfill, but immoral / evil deeds are so easily done by the heart (of others or his own even). The main meaning of this song is that, everything good or bad will turn to dust in the end with time.

[chiyanjun]

When Wind Blows | 风起时 fēng qǐ shí

Nirvana in Fire | 琅琊榜 láng yá bǎng

Listen here: ver 胡歌 Hu Ge

变幻 　风云几卷 biàn huàn ; fēng yún jǐ juǎn How much of the world’s calamities can be chronicled? 乱世起惊澜 luàn shì qǐ jīng lán The chaos brings forth fear and shock 血仍殷　何人心念 xuè réng yān ; hé rén xīn niàn The blood is flowing, but the people have forgotten 烈火清平愿 liè huǒ qīng píng yuàn Strong fire razes life’s hope to the ground 

慧剑　借别红颜 huì jiàn ; jiè bié hóng yán To use the sword of wisdom, I must separate myself from my loved ones 无意续余年 wú yì xù yú nián I have no wish to prolong my life 帝阙巍　豪气仍在 dì quē wēi ; háo qì réng zài The emperor’s palace is still towering, pride is still abound 冰心誓破长夜天 bīng xīn shì pò cháng yè tiān Unsullied oaths split the night sky

昔年朱弓　壁上空悬 xī nián zhū gōng ; bì shàng kōng xuán The red bow of yore hangs empty on the wall 征途望断　铁甲犹寒 zhēng tú wàng duàn ; tiě jiǎ yóu hán A long march without the end in sight ; steel armor still bears injustice 明眸在心　青山难掩 míng móu zài xīn ; qīng shān nán yǎn My heart’s convictions cannot be hidden by the universe 江山如画　是我心言 jiāng shān rú huà ; shì wǒ xīn yán The world must be beautiful again, I believe

关山横槊　谁可补天 guān shān héng shuò ; shéi kě bǔ tiān The mountain lays across like a fallen spear ; Who can mend the heavens? 碧血长枪　昨日少年 bì xuè cháng qiāng ; zuó rì shào nián It is he, the youth of yesteryear, who bears a matyr’s blood and held the long spear 孤影归途　不见烽烟 gū yǐng guī tú ; bù jiàn fēng yān The lone shadow returns home ;  No more beacons of war in sight 一笔千秋　后人心间 yī bǐ qiān qiū ; hòu rén xīn jiān History is written for the next generations to behold

风起 ; 云散 fēng qǐ ; yún sàn Wind rises and scatters the clouds

A/N: I used a lot of the meanings and research from dr myri’s post, as I do not agree with much of the public translations on the internet. Give it a read!

[chiyanjun]

The Dawn is Coming | 天将明 tiān jiāng míng

林宥嘉 lín yòu jiā | Listen | Video

风正萧萧天未破晓 夜太凉 fēng zhèng xiāo xiāo tiān wèi pò xiǎo ; yè tài liáng The wind is rustling before the break of dawn, the night is too cold 人离散 梦难想 rén lí sàn ; mèng nán xiǎng The people are dispersed, dreams become unfathomable 但每个胸口却更烫 dàn měi gè xiōng kǒu què gèng tàng But every chest burns hotter

人间用多少沧桑 rén jiān yòng duō shǎo cāng sāng The shfiting of the world’s events 换多少人的疯狂 huàn duō shǎo rén de fēng kuáng has traded for (much of) the people’s sanity 乱世早晚会赶上 luàn shì zǎo wǎn huì gǎn shàng The chaos of the era will catch up sooner or later 已来不及感伤 yǐ lái bu jí gǎn shāng And it would be too late to feel the consequences

让黑暗黑到吞没所有希望 ràng hēi'àn hēi dào tūn mò suǒ yǒu xī wàng Let the darkness blacken until it engulfs all hope 才能找到血液里的光 cái néng zhǎo dào xiě yè lǐ de guāng Then shall light be found in the blood 那么孤单 又那么不息而倔强 nà me gū dān ; yòu nà me bù xī ér jué jiàng It is so lonely, yet so utterly endless and relentless

让黑暗黑到失去所有方向 ràng hēi'àn hēi dào shī qù suǒ yǒu fāng xiàng Let the darkness blacken until all directions are lost 才能感到谁还在身旁 cái néng gǎn dào shéi hái zài shēn páng Then shall we feel who still remains by our side 还一起等待那一个 hái yī qǐ děng dài nà yī gè And together we can wait for that 遥远却痛快的天亮 yáo yuǎn què tòng kuài de tiān liàng Far off but satiating break of dawn

生死飘渺爱恨断肠谁来管 shēng sǐ piāo miǎo ài hèn duàn cháng shéi lái guǎn Life and death so incomprehensible ; Love and hate so poignant ; Who is governing? 琴声乱 剑光寒 qín shēng luàn ; jiàn guāng hán Sounds of the zither become distorted ; The sword’s light becomes chilling 但总算我们还有伴 dàn zǒng suàn wǒ men hái yǒu bàn But at least we still have each other

人间用多少沧桑 rén jiān yòng duō shǎo cāng sāng The shifting of the world’s events 笑多少执迷疯狂 xiào duō shǎo zhí mí fēng kuáng Have laughed at too many’s obsession and madness 乱世把我们赶上 luàn shì bǎ wǒ men gǎn shàng The consequences of the chaotic era has caught up to us 就还它一点光 jiù huán tā yī diǎn guāng So let’s return the world a little bit of light

A/N: What I find really interesting about this song is that the author makes 人间 ‘mortal world’ very real in these lyrics. As if The World itself is a tyrant / cruel emperor that is using the skill ‘The hand of Fate’ to drive its citizens crazy. A powerful entity is watching us and laughing at us as we tumble through life...

Simply put, people lose themselves while the world advances, be it going up their career ladder or sacrificing their morals for the bigger picture. Only in times of intense suffering then we can know who is true to us, unfortunately. Though the light at the end of the tunnel is far, far away, we know that upon reaching it, we will be stronger and wiser.

[chiyanjun]

Flower Blossoms in our Youth | 花開年少 huā kāi nián shào

Love Is More Than A Word | 识汝不识丁 shi rǔ bù shí dīng

Listen Here: ver 韓磊 Han Lei | ver 晏紫东 Yan Zidong | ver 蒋梓乐 Jiang Zile

一夜風雨飄落情多少 yī yè fēng yǔ piāo luò qíng duō shǎo How deep are the feelings that flow in a night of stormy rain? 只知當時正青春年少 zhǐ zhī dāng shí zhèng qīng chūn nián shào I only remember the times when we were young 你回眸一笑 nǐ huí móu yī xiào You smiled back at me once 心已上九霄 xīn yǐ shàng jiǔ xiāo and my heart already soars to the ninth heaven 不問前程只問你 bù wèn qián chéng zhǐ wèn nǐ I ask not of the future, but only of you 如此多驕 rú cǐ duō jiāo And how noble you are

醒也好 醉也好 xǐng yě hǎo ; zuì yě hǎo Whether in wakefulness or while drunk 兩情相悅又豈在 liǎng qíng xiāng yuè yòu qǐ zài Our mutual love is inadvertently still 盛世伴飄搖 shèng shì bàn piāo yáo Being swayed by the flourishing world 喜也好 怒也好 xǐ yě hǎo ; nù yě hǎo Whether with joy or grievance 紅衣丹砂長街宴 hóng yī dān shā zhǎng jiē yàn The red gown is donned, the cinnabar banquet commences, and the streets are filled with feasts 叩拜一生徹夜聊 kòu bài yī shēng chè yè liáo Talking through the night ; We knelt to the ceremony and promised our lives to each other

紛紛擾擾是紅塵喧囂 fēn fēn rǎo rǎo shì hóng chén xuān xiāo Chaos is the pursuit of the world 夢裡夢外明月總相照 mèng li mèng wài míng yuè zǒng xiāng zhào Beyond our dreams, the moon will always illuminate one another 守你到花開 shǒu nǐ dào huā kāi I will guard you until the flower blooms 陪你垂暮照 péi nǐ chuí mù zhào I will sleep by your side at the end of time 一席美談醉今朝 yī xí měi tán zuì jīn zhāo A beautiful story weaved by drunkenness this day

美談醉今朝 měi tán zuì jīn zhāo

A/N: Ah.... the beauty of the classical Mandarin language... it lacks alot of “and”s and verbs. Everything seriously sounds nicer and cleaner in Chinese.

For example: 紅衣丹砂長街宴 literally is Red Shirt Cinnabar Long Street Feasting

To transform that into English that is both beautiful, concise, and sensible, was really hard. I went for a “formal speech feel”, because if not beautiful then it should at least sound Really Important™ xD

Now... that last line 一席美談醉今朝 causes me alot of headache, but I went for a translation that fits better to Gu She | Xian Zhi’s art show. The cinnabar banquet required all guests to wear red to conceal the fact that it was an actual wedding. It was not known publicly to be a wedding, just an art gallery. If not, why do you think his master Sir Yi Chiu and his wife wasn’t as elated as parents hearing news of their son getting married? Wife was more shocked that Gu She revealed that he is Xian Zhi, instead of exclaiming “He’s marrying the magistrate!?” So, I conclude, very little people knew it was a wedding. But when people are drunk, they’d speak all sorts of stuff like “This looks like we’re all marrying each other hahahha” etc.

[chiyanjun]

Faded Beauty |  紅顏舊 hóng yán jiù

Nirvana in Fire | 琅琊榜 láng yá bǎng

Listen Here: ver 刘涛 Liu Tao | ver 蕭憶情 倫桑 Male | ver Live | Video

西風夜渡寒山雨 xī fēng yè dù hán shān yǔ Western winds sail through cold mountain rain in the night 家國依稀殘夢裡 jiā guó yī xī cán mèng li The remains of home and country passing vaguely in dreams 思君不見倍思君 sī jūn bù jiàn bèi sī jūn Missing you but not seeing you, twice does the yearning grow 別離難忍忍別離 bié lí nán rěn rěn bié lí Separation is hard to endure, but still I must tolerate 狼煙烽火何時休 láng yān fēng huǒ hé shí xiū When will the flames of war rest 成王敗寇盡東流 chéng wáng bài kòu jǐn dōng liú The concept of win and loss eventually flows into nothingness 蠟炬已殘淚難幹 là jù yǐ cán lèi nán gàn The torch wanes, yet tears cannot dry 江山未老紅顏舊 jiāng shān wèi lǎo hóng yán jiù The land is still young but she is not 忍別離 不忍卻又別離 rěn bié lí ; bù rěn què yòu bié lí Separation must be endured ; Even if I don’t want to bear it, we must still part 托鴻雁南去 tuō hóng yàn nán qù I plead the birds to bring my message south 不知此心何寄 bù zhī cǐ xīn hé jì But how do I send my heart with them? 紅顏舊 hóng yán jiù The beauty is growing old 任憑斗轉星移 rèn píng dǒu zhuǎn xīng yí Despite the turning of the tides of battle, and the shifting of the stars 唯不變此情悠悠 wéi bù biàn cǐ qíng yōu yōu This love in my heart will forever remain unchanged

A/N: I’ve searched for various translations for this song, but there is few that I can agree with, especially with regards to the last paragraph. Though the lyrics are not explicit in their meaning, but we know (from watching countless martial arts series) that birds flying = some message is being sent. Relating this to Nihuang and Lin Shu battling at opposite ends of Da Liang, I’d reckon they (or she) did send each other letters.

Additionally, there is no 飞 “fly” in the lyric, so I’m pretty sure it has less to do with the action of flight among birds, and more to do with messages being sent, hence why my translations will be different than others.

I mean come on, you don’t need to 托 “plead” birds to fly, right?

[chiyanjun]

A heart of loyalty will never be extinguished | 赤子之心永生不灭 chì zǐ zhī xīn yǒng shēng bù miè

Nirvana in Fire | 琅琊榜 láng yá bǎng (originally posted on my RP blog)

Listen here: W.K. Walker

男 male： 梅岭飞雪火焚天 Méi lǐng fēi xuě huǒ fén tiān At the plum blossom ridge (Meiling), snow storms and fire burns the sky 埋葬赤焰　七万冤 Mái zàng chì yàn ; qī wàn yuān Burying the Chiyan (army), all seventy thousand injustice 地狱之门走一圈 Dì yù zhī mén zǒu yī quān A round trip returning from the gates of Hell 化名梅郎江湖远 Huà míng méi láng jiāng hú yuǎn Taking on the title of Plum Blossom Gentleman, he hides in the pugilistic world

合 together： 琅琊榜上的传言 Láng yá bǎng shàng de chuán yán The Langya Hall of Fame bears a rumour 麒麟才子百难见 qí lín cái zǐ bǎi nàn jiàn The Divine Talent escapes the eyes of a hundred 帝都金陵生硝烟 dì dū jīnlíng shēng xiāo yān The emperor of Jinling is alarmed 揭开尘封十二年 jiē kāi chén fēng shí'èr nián Twelve years worth of dust will be uncovered

合 together： 换了容颜　谁还记得谁 huàn le róng yán ; shuí hái jì de shuí Physical features changed, who still remembers who?

男 male： 换江山从前　换不回 huàn jiāng shān cóng qián ; huàn bù huí (wanting to) Right the land’s past, but what happened can’t be undone

合 together： 爱恨难绝对 ài hèn nán jué duì Love and hate cannot be determined with certainty 一腔热血还沸 yī qiāng rè xuè hái fèi A chest of blood still boiling hot 今生为赤焰　心不悔 jīn shēng wèi chì yàn ; xīn bù huǐ Dedicating this life for the Chiyan (army), heart bearing no regrets

女 female： 隐藏过去　人心都算计 yǐn cáng guò qù ; rén xīn dōu suàn jì Hiding his past, the heart schemes 火寒之毒　难磨心中信念 huǒ hán zhī dú ; nán mó xīn zhōng xìn niàn Poison of the Bitter Flame cannot touch his heart’s conviction 用余生力气　洗雪赤焰冤屈 yòng yú shēng lì qì ; xǐ xuě chì yàn yuān qū Using the rest of his life and strength to wash away the injustice dealt to the Chiyan (army)

合 together： 留一颗赤心　永生不灭 liú yī kē chìxīn ; yǒng shēng bù miè All that will be left is a loyal heart that will live on forever

男 male： 他来时素颜白衣 tā lái shí sù yán bái yī He came first in mourning robes of white 一身病骨掀风雨 yī shēn bìng gǔ xiān fēng yǔ Body filled with sickness shoulders the wind and rain 他去时遥望　狼烟 tā qù shí yáo wàng ; láng yān When he went out, he was looking into the distant smokes of war 跃马　扬鞭笑苍天 yuè mǎ ; yáng biān xiào cāng tiān Riding his horse and laughing to the sky

合 together： 江左一隔江湖远 jiāng zuǒ yī gé jiāng hú yuǎn The Jiangzuo Alliance is renowned 琅琊榜首谁比肩 láng yá bǎng shǒu shuí bǐ jiān Who can compare with he who ranks first in the Langya Hall of Fame? 生死离别　一瞬间 shēng sǐ lí bié ; yī shùn jiān It is just a thin veil between life and death 赤焰之魂永不灭 chì yàn zhī hún yǒng bù miè The soul of the Loyal will never be extinguished

合 together： 世间太多劫　谁在步步深陷 shìjiān tài duō jié ; shuí zài bù bù shēn xiàn The world has robbed him of much ; still his steps go on deeper 满腹机诡只为忠魂昭雪 mǎn fù jī guǐ zhǐ wèi zhōng hún zhāo xuě All his deeds and schemes are for exonerating the Chiyan (army) 用毕生所学　平定北境狼烟 yòng bì shēng suǒ xué ; píng dìng běi jìng láng yān He used all that he has learned to suppress the Northern invasion 还大梁安定好几年 huán dà liáng ān dìng hǎo jǐ nián Returning a few more years of stability to his home country (da liang) 

女 female： 翻云覆雨间　默默隐忍一切 fān yún fù yǔ jiān ; mò mò yǐn rěn yī qiè Amidst the rolling clouds and stormy skies ; quietly tolerating everything by himself 儿女情长　转眼生死离别 Ér nǚ qíng cháng ; zhuǎn yǎn shēngsǐ líbié Pair of lovers seperated by death in the blink of an eye 用最后心血　还天下晴天 yòng zuì hòu xīn xuè ; huàn tiān xià qíng tiān Using the last of his breath to give the lands under heaven another day of peace

合 together： 留一颗赤心　永生不灭 All that’s left of him is a loyal heart that will live on forever

A/N: This piece was extremely tiring to translate, because it uses many expressions that more often than not, pulls single words from various phrases. I wanted to give the full imagery of the chinese language, so instead of using the meaning of the phrase, I opted to give literal translations for expressions like:

翻云覆雨  rolling clouds and stormy skies - A single word could have translated this: chaos. You can see why I didn’t wanna use just one word, because it loses the imagery even though it’d provide the reader with sound meaning at onc glance.

Chinese use weather like 风 (wind) and 雨 (rain) in a lot of expressions to denote chaos, trouble, turbulent times. This is probably due to the fact that the Chinese language was first seen before it was spoken. While English uses countless adjectives and play on words / irony, Mandarin uses more metaphors as descriptors. Word riddles are more interesting and varied in mandarin =D

Also, this song truly sings like how the story plays out! Let me see if I can do some light recap so that we can relive the heartbreak that is Nirvana in Fire.

1st Paragraph: Episode one opened with the Meiling war without much context, and someone who should have died is actually still alive and recuperating at the Langya Hall. Oh! And his face changed too!

2nd Paragraph: The Langya’s myth is heard across the lands, about this Divine Talent (he who has him will have the world!). Even the Emperor knows of Mei Changsu due to his sons preparing large gifts and travelling towards Lang province. He quizzes the air, are my lands that easy to “have”? yes, yes it is.

3rd to 5th: Mei Changsu met his old friends like the duo-surnamed son of Marquis Xie, Jingrui, prince of Jing, Jingyan, and the Duchess / General / Marquis of Yunnan, Nihuang yes she has three official titles, but none of them can recognise that he is Lin Shu. And we also get to know more of why he is back in the capital as he meets Grand General Mengzhi. Cue the Crown Prince thinking Mei Changsu is on his side.

I’ll stop here xD

[chiyanjun]

Loyal Blood Runs Forever Red | 赤血长殷 chì xiě zhǎng yān

Nirvana in Fire | 琅琊榜 láng yá bǎng (originally posted on my RP blog)

Listen here: ver 王凯 Wang Kai | ver 慕寒 五色石南叶

青砖黛瓦 故景如旧 qīng zhuān dài wǎ ; gù jǐng rú jiù Azure bricked, umber black tiles ; The scenery seemed as of yore 草木无情 不解凡忧 cǎo mù wú qíng ; bù jiě fán yōu Grass and timber do not have emotions ; Not knowing any worries 当时烽火骤焚尽几多残留 dāng shí fēng huǒ zhòu fén jǐn jǐ duō cán liú The flames of war then incinerated all and left little behind 一袭白衣祭故人 陈情此时休 yī xí bái yī jì gù rén ; chén qíng cǐ shí xiū A robe of white in respect for the deceased ; Heartfelt affections laid to rest

霁月清风 琅琊榜首 jì yuè qīng fēng ; láng yá bǎng shǒu Fair and clear is he who ranks first on the Langya Hall of Fame 谁记昔年 策马风流 shuí jì xī nián ; cè mǎ fēng liú Is there any who remembers the past times of riding and frolicking upon the hills? 十载倏忽过 几回魂梦旧游 shí zài shū hū guò ; jǐ huí hún mèng jiù yóu Ten years flew by in a flash, many times did memories and dreams travels to the past 又多少冤魂织就 那缓带轻裘 yòu duō shǎo yuān hún zhī jiù nà huǎn dài qīng qiú And still how many wrongful deaths weave through his coat of fur?

尔虞我诈斗 无论缘由 ěr yú wǒ zhà dòu ; wú lùn yuán yóu A cycle of anticipation and deception battles on even without reason 本唤作成王败寇 běn huàn zuò chéng wáng bài kòu It has always been this way ; ‘to the victor go the spoils’ 这风雨一路 他只影独走 zhè fēngyǔ yī lù ; tā zhī yǐng dú zǒu This path of wind and rain ; Only his shadow follows him as he walks alone 抛却欢喜悲凉感受 pāo què huān xǐ bēi liáng gǎn shòu Throwing away all feelings whether joy or sorrow 尘埃落定后 提缰回首 chén'āi luò dìng hòu ; tí jiāng huí shǒu After the dust settled, he looked back 万千过往烙心头 wàn qiān guò wǎng lào xīn tóu Heart ached with the force of ten thousand as he remembered the past 暗香幽幽 江山皆没入一眸 àn xiāng yōu yōu ; jiāng shān jiē méi rù yī móu The fragrance, the landscape ; he took it all in

朱墙宫深 人心难嗅 zhū qiáng gōng shēn ; rén xīn nán xiù Deep in the palace’s vermillion walls, it is difficult to percieve the human heart 黑白纵横 杀伐无由 hēi bái zòng héng ; shā fá wú yóu Like a game of chess ; killings were done without care for consequence 权倾谈笑变 妙计敛藏于袖 quán qīng tán xiào biàn ; miào jì liǎn cáng yú xiù Power changing hands as casual as conversation, but wit and strategy is still hidden in sleeves 负手算尽天下事 当饮一樽酒 fù shǒu suàn jìn tiān xià shì ; dāng yǐn yī zūn jiǔ A wicked hand calculates all things under heaven as if he was just drinking wine

病骨一身 未雨绸缪 bìng gǔ yī shēn ; wèi yǔ chóu miào Body riddled with sickness to the bones ; he prepared for a rainy day 心中算谋 几人看透 xīn zhōng suàn móu ; jǐ rén kàn tòu The schemes buried deep in his heart ; few could see through 纵年寿难永 无愧一生所求 zòng nián shòu nán yǒng ; wú kuì yī shēng suǒ qiú Even though his life cannot continue ; no regrets for only wanting a single accomplishment 此去踏关山千重 将前尘挥袖 cǐ qù tà guān shān qiān zhòng ; jiāng qián chén huī xiù With a heavy heart, he departed ; willing his past to become dust

泣血书千轴 悲歌唱彻 qì xuè shū qiān zhóu ; bēi gē chàng chè Books written with blood numbered in the thousands ; songs sang thoroughly of grief 战骨碎尽志不休 zhàn gǔ suì jǐn zhì bù xiū War bones broken shall not rest 且待赤焰归 整军再从头 qiě dài chì yàn guī ; zhěng jūn zài cóngtóu Just wait for the Chiyan to return again ; Entire armies will start once more! 守我山河家国依旧 shǒu wǒ shān hé jiā guó yī jiù To protect our mountains, rivers, and home country like before

横长枪换却离愁 héng cháng qiāng huàn què lí chóu The long spear traded losses 倾余生风骨同守 qīng yú shēng fēng gǔ tóng shǒu Dedicating his whole life to uphold integrity 此血仍殷 cǐ xuè réng yān This blood is still thriving 此身豪情仍未收 cǐ shēn háoqíng réng wèi shōu Pride of ambition is still not reined in

情义千秋 qíng yì qiān qiū Friendship and brotherhood endures several Autumns 在梅岭雪间长留 zài méi lǐng xuě jiān zhǎng liú At the snow covered plum blossom ridge (Meiling) shall it stay

A/N: This song is beautiful and illustrates the character of Lin Shu | Mei Changsu very well. An interesting thing about certain lines is that, when you first hear it without looking at any lyrics, the meaning of them might be completely different but still plausible and will still make sense when related to the context of the show.

For example:

心中算谋 几人看透 xīn zhōng suàn móu ; jǐ rén kàn tòu

看透 has the same general pronunciation as 砍头 which translates to 'chop head’. Meaning, an execution. So, the line could have been heard as ‘The schemes buried deep in his heart ; how many were executed (because of them)?’ and it’d still make sense!! Especially considering how deaths are just a number (*side eyes* the Chiyan Army case... 70 thousand...)

Next example:

在梅岭雪间长留 zài méi lǐng xuě jiān zhǎng liú

I’ll just pick out the two words 长留. Considering that this song’s official (?) English title is Loyal Blood Runs Forever Red, instead of 留 ‘stay’, the last line could have been heard as 流 ‘running’ or ‘flow’ and it’d still make sense :D really interesting and it was also the first meaning I thought of without looking at the lyrics yet.