LWSL Chapter 25

That day, deep into the night, when everyone had fallen asleep, Wu Qianqing quietly got up to soak in the herbal bath. Wu Ruo sat by his side recording Wu Qianqing’s reaction to the herbal bath with a pen and paper, and at the same time, he secretly took his pulse to see if the herbal bath really had any effect on Wu Qianqing.

After monitoring for four nights and confirming that the cultivation field had signs of healing, his heart that had been stuck in his chest could finally relax. However, on the sixth morning of coming back to the Wu estate, Hei Xin already sent someone to inform him that Hei Xuanyi had returned.

After Wu Ruo ate breakfast, he took Shi Jiu and the rest with him to leave Shuqing Garden. At the main entrance, he met two tangdi who had just come back from going outside; his ershu Wu Qianbin’s youngest son, Wu Shi, and his xiaoshu Wu Qiantong’s youngest son Wu Bo¹Smashing a few footnotes together again: 堂弟(tangdi) refers to younger male cousins from your father’s side of the family.

Over here, the author uses ershu to refer to Wu Qianbin. Remember how I said usually the number prefix indicates absolute birth order, rather than relative birth order? For some weird reason, the author doesn’t comply with that here and oddly enough refers to Wu Qianbin as second/er.

Even if we’re not using absolute birth order here, Wu Qianbin is technically Wu Ruo’s first shushu in relative birth order (which, btw, 叔叔 shushu refers to your father’s younger brother). I am not sure if I have misunderstood something or if the author made a typo, so I have left it as the original text.

To be clear, Wu Qianbin is fourth in absolute birth order out of the five sons/brothers of the Southern main estate (Wu Ruo’s father, Wu Qianqing, is third). He should be referred to as sishu/fourth shushu but for some reason, he is not. At least at this point in the text.

Xiaoshu just means Wu Qiantong is the youngest shushu.

Also, there are two ways to read the character in Wu Bo’s name. 乌柏 can be read Wu Bai or Wu Bo. I’ve chosen to use the bo pinyin for reading his name, simply because I like how it sounds better and that’s how I read his name when I was reading the original text..

Wu Shi and Wu Bo saw Wu Ruo and excitedly called out: “Liuge!”

Wu Ruo was sixth in birth order among the sons of his uncles²Just to note, in text, it actually says 叔叔伯伯 (shu shu bo bo) instead of a general term for uncles., so the tangdi who were younger than him addressed him as liuge.

Wu Ruo asked, smiling: “Where have the two of you come back from so early in the morning?”

Wu Bo was still young, and couldn’t manage his own tongue: “We just came back from the gambling den³赌乐坊 (du le fang): more directly translated as “leisure betting shop”, when I used ‘gambling den’, I don’t mean to imply that it’s some sort of shady back-alley business. It’s just a store for gambling/betting. There are usually restrictions for government officials/royalty, but it isn’t illegal for noble people and commoners. The kind of gambling going on is probably card games like blackjack, or shaking dice in a cup and betting if it’s going to be a “big” or “small” number, etc..”

Wu Shi huffed angrily: “Wu Bo, didn’t I already say not to tell anybody? If my dad finds out I’ve gone to the gambling den, and that I even brought you along, he’ll definitely give me a beating.”

Wu Bo giggled: “Sibo⁴Over here we’re back to business as usual with terms of address. Wu Bo refers to Wu Qianbin as his fourth bobo. wouldn’t bear to hit you.”

Wu Ruo smiled and replied: “Relax, I won’t tell on you to the shushus, but the gambling den isn’t a good place, it’s better if you go less in future.”

Wu Bo replied: “Liuge, jiuge⁵九哥 (jiu ge): the ‘jiu’ here means 9, so Wu Shi is the 9th male cousin in absolute birth order in Wu Ruo’s generation. and I only go once every half a month.”

Wu Shi rolled his eyes: “Wu Bo, great lord Wu⁶乌大公子 (wu da gong zi): gongzi refers to the son of a nobleman. Wu is their family name and the da prefix on gongzi is meant to indicate that the word it’s prefixed onto is “great”. I think I’ve seen gongzi be translated as young master in other media (dramas, other webnovel translations, etc.) but I’ve chosen to modify it here a little to differentiate from shaoye, which also translates to young master., do you or do you not realise that you’ve completely sold yourself out?”

Wu Bo stuck his tongue out sheepishly: “It’s because I’m happy after winning money that’s why I want to tell someone about it.”

Wu Ruo smiled but didn’t speak, and he didn’t ask how much they had won either.

Wu Shi worried that Wu Bo would say something he wasn’t meant to say again, and hurriedly left while dragging Wu Bo along.

Wu Ruo looked at the two teenagers who were leaving, the smiling expression of his lips deepening: “Actually, the gambling den is a good place, isn’t that right?”

Shi Jiu and the rest very harmoniously chorused back: “Yes, madam⁷They don’t use the actual word for madam here in text, I have written it in to maintain the air of politeness/respectfulness that doesn’t translate as well..”

Wu Ruo turned around to get onto the carriage, saying to Shi Yuan who was helping him up: “After we get back, change the driver.”

“Understood.”

Before Wu Ruo returned to Hei Manor, he first made a trip to the Ruan estate and only returned to Hei Manor when he found out that Ruan Zhizheng was still unwilling to see him. Alighting from the carriage, he saw a crow flying over, stopping on Shi Yi’s shoulder.

Shi Yi took the small letter tied to the crow’s feet, and vanished it immediately after reading it once. Only after passing through the main entrance into Hei Manor did he say in a low voice: “Madam, Young Master Anrun has arranged to go to Xishan Theatre tomorrow with his friends for a show.”

After Wu Ruo found out that Wu Anrun was about to get married, he let Shi Yi inquire about Wu Anrun’s whereabouts. If Wu Anrun left the Northern main estate, Shi Yi was to immediately inform him.

He nodded his head: “Go and arrange it. Tomorrow, I will also go to Xishan Theatre to watch a show.”

“Understood.”

Shi Yi turned around and left Hei Manor.

At this moment, Hei Xin walked over: “Madam, Master is currently waiting for you in the main hall.”

“Waiting for me?” the space between Wu Ruo’s eyebrows twitched: “Is he looking for me about something?”

“Master has brought someone back, and wants to introduce them to you to get acquainted with.”

Wu Ruo asked: “Do you know who this person is?”

“I do not know.”

Wu Ruo walked towards the main hall, and even before he entered the building, he could already hear bright and clear laughter coming from the main hall: “Little Hei⁸黑小子 (heixiaozi), where Hei is Xuanyi’s family name and xiaozi is a way for older people to refer to someone younger, kind of like calling someone “youngster”. I have translated it as Little Hei so that it sounds smoother than Youngster Hei., you bought such a big residence in Gaoling City, you’re not thinking of settling down here, are you?”

When Wu Ruo heard this voice, his whole body froze, this sounded a lot like his master⁹师父 (shi fu): someone who takes someone else in as an apprentice to teach a specialized craft or set of skills.‘s voice.

• 1
  Smashing a few footnotes together again: 堂弟(tangdi) refers to younger male cousins from your father’s side of the family.
  
  Over here, the author uses ershu to refer to Wu Qianbin. Remember how I said usually the number prefix indicates absolute birth order, rather than relative birth order? For some weird reason, the author doesn’t comply with that here and oddly enough refers to Wu Qianbin as second/er.
  
  Even if we’re not using absolute birth order here, Wu Qianbin is technically Wu Ruo’s first shushu in relative birth order (which, btw, 叔叔 shushu refers to your father’s younger brother). I am not sure if I have misunderstood something or if the author made a typo, so I have left it as the original text.
  
  To be clear, Wu Qianbin is fourth in absolute birth order out of the five sons/brothers of the Southern main estate (Wu Ruo’s father, Wu Qianqing, is third). He should be referred to as sishu/fourth shushu but for some reason, he is not. At least at this point in the text.
  
  Xiaoshu just means Wu Qiantong is the youngest shushu.
  
  Also, there are two ways to read the character in Wu Bo’s name. 乌柏 can be read Wu Bai or Wu Bo. I’ve chosen to use the bo pinyin for reading his name, simply because I like how it sounds better and that’s how I read his name when I was reading the original text.
• 2
  Just to note, in text, it actually says 叔叔伯伯 (shu shu bo bo) instead of a general term for uncles.
• 3
  赌乐坊 (du le fang): more directly translated as “leisure betting shop”, when I used ‘gambling den’, I don’t mean to imply that it’s some sort of shady back-alley business. It’s just a store for gambling/betting. There are usually restrictions for government officials/royalty, but it isn’t illegal for noble people and commoners. The kind of gambling going on is probably card games like blackjack, or shaking dice in a cup and betting if it’s going to be a “big” or “small” number, etc.
• 4
  Over here we’re back to business as usual with terms of address. Wu Bo refers to Wu Qianbin as his fourth bobo.
• 5
  九哥 (jiu ge): the ‘jiu’ here means 9, so Wu Shi is the 9th male cousin in absolute birth order in Wu Ruo’s generation.
• 6
  乌大公子 (wu da gong zi): gongzi refers to the son of a nobleman. Wu is their family name and the da prefix on gongzi is meant to indicate that the word it’s prefixed onto is “great”. I think I’ve seen gongzi be translated as young master in other media (dramas, other webnovel translations, etc.) but I’ve chosen to modify it here a little to differentiate from shaoye, which also translates to young master.
• 7
  They don’t use the actual word for madam here in text, I have written it in to maintain the air of politeness/respectfulness that doesn’t translate as well.
• 8
  黑小子 (heixiaozi), where Hei is Xuanyi’s family name and xiaozi is a way for older people to refer to someone younger, kind of like calling someone “youngster”. I have translated it as Little Hei so that it sounds smoother than Youngster Hei.
• 9
  师父 (shi fu): someone who takes someone else in as an apprentice to teach a specialized craft or set of skills.