Midnight Translations

The Treacherous Concubine's Guide to Whitewashing Chapter 11, Pt 2 - Li Jie Yu "How is her condition?" "I heard from imperial doctor Tian a few days ago that Li Jie Yu was frustrated, possibly because an old illness that has yet to heal." Yuan Luo frowned, "This palace will go take a look." Bringing everyone northward, she discovered that the place where Li Jie Yu resided was really cold and desolate and that it was in the far northeast corner of the imperial palace. The yard in front of the palace was full of overgrown weeds. Yuan Luo and her party approached, but the palace did not even have a door keeper to greet them. After entering the main hall, the medical officer in charge of diagnosis and treatment came out to kneel and kowtow. Yuan Luo entered the inner palace hall and immediately saw a slender girl lying on the bed. Her eyes were closed and her expression was gloomy. The room was clean and tidy, but the smell of medicine was strong and suffo...

The Treacherous Concubine's Guide to Whitewashing Chapter 11, Pt 1 - Li Jie Yu Yuan Luo finally sat, as was her right, by Empress Wei’s side. She smiled sweetly toward the palace hall: "You should all sit. You don't have to be restrained in front of this palace." Everyone just sat down. No one dared to speak for a while. It was as if they had seen a strict school principal instructing elementary students severely. They all sat nicely. Empress Wei bit her lip. With this imposing manner this hunting household’s daughter regarded herself as Empress? Realizing that the atmosphere had become too embarrassing, Concubine Zhuo smiled and said: " "The imperial concubine has been busy serving the emperor these past few days.  How do you have free time to visit Kunning Palace?" Yuan Luo said: "I remembered that I hadn't met all of the sisters for many days, so I came to have a look." And as she said, her gaze swept around the hall. All the concubines...

The Treacherous Concubine's Guide to Whitewashing Chapter 10, Pt 2 - Kunning Palace Feeling depressed for nearly half a day, Yuan Luo put aside her prior concerns. After eating lunch, she ordered Si Xi to summon the palace artisan workshop’s chief eunuch. A few nights ago, Yuan Luo had discovered that Sikong Lin’s playful life was really not healthy. It was really not a good thing for a teenager whose mental and physical development were both immature, especially with a limited IQ, to have the right to control life and death. According to his intellectual age, Yuan Luo tried to recall the developmental toys she knew from her previous life for kindergarten and elementary school children, especially those educational games that cultivate intelligence and judgment. She summoned a dozen master artisans and talked about several designs for playing equipment. In this era, the artisan workshops in the palace are all very talented. They quickly understood Yuan Luo's ideas and drew desi...

The Treacherous Concubine's Guide to Whitewashing Chapter 10, Pt 1 - Kunning Palace After resolving Shen Dong Liu’s trouble, there was also the trouble that was lying down in the back garden. Thinking about the East China Sea king’s slander, she knows he can’t continue to recuperate in Zichen Palace, but Gu Yi’s injuries have recovered more slowly than she had anticipated. That day, Yuan Luo went to Gu Yi’s cottage. The two apprentices in charge of waiting on him were anxiously crouching by the fire Seeing Yuan Luo, they hurriedly knelt to pay their respects. Yuan Luo asked: "How are his injuries these past few days?" One of the apprentices replied: "The injuries have improved to some extent." "How much longer will it take for them to heal?" "This..." The apprentice hesitated, not daring to answer. Yuan Luo assumed that his medical expertise was lacking and was unable to judge, but noticed that the apprentice’s complexion looked very strange....

The Treacherous Concubine's Guide to Whitewashing Chapter 9, Pt 2 - Lian Yan Qui This person was exquisite and transcended worldliness, which made it difficult for her to reconcile the sinister and cunning henchman in the book with the man before her. However, she sized up the man in his ochre red eunuch apparel. Lian Yan Qiu, who was able to climb up to his current position by the age of thirty, give or take, was absolutely a capable person. Previously, she had asked why there was no trace of Lian Yan Qiu. Si Xi had said he went to the north to inspect military affairs. On account of Gu Liang Yong’s big defeat, reinforcement troops and horses were urgently deployed to the front lines. Originally, he was supposed to have returned after a year, so she hadn't expected him to return so soon. "The local commander has worked hard. How is the situation at the northern border?" "Rest assured, Empress, the front line officers and soldiers are loyal and brave. Soon there ...

The Treacherous Concubine's Guide to Whitewashing Chapter 9, Pt 1 - Lian Yan Qiu Leaving Qianqing Palace hall, Yuan Luo returned to her palace. After finishing the day’s palace affairs, she commanded people to prepare a fragrant hot spring bath. To the west of Zichen Palace was a spacious bath, where water vapor hung in the air and the temperature was moderate throughout the four seasons. The jade floor is carved with lotus shaped anti-skid patterns and the bright, clean walls are hung with pearl lamps. Yuan Luo comfortably soaked in the bathing pool, squinting her eyes against the mist. There was a crystal plate on a white jade platform full of fresh fruit. Some of the fruit included, such as  grapes and cherries,  were impossible to grow at this time of year without a greenhouse. Si Xi directed more than a dozen palace maids, taking advantage of this labor to clean Yuan Luo's palace bedroom hall. They replaced worn-out bedding and scrubbed the tables and chairs. The hall, wh...

The Treacherous Concubine's Guide to Whitewashing Chapter 12, Pt 2 - Out of the Palace Not seeing Yuan Luo reaching out for a long time, Gu Yi's expression was tense and the hand holding the embroidered shoe tightened. What could be this woman’s meaning? Don’t tell me you want me to put the shoe on for you? Stuck in a stalemate, a hand stretched out and took the embroidered shoe "Retreat." Lian Yan Qiu commanded flatly. He then bowed, knelt in front of the carriage door, raised Yuan Luo's calf, and put the embroidered shoes on for her. "Empress, be careful." There was a smile in his tone. Seeing that Gu Yi had already retreated to the back of the imperial guards, Yuan lowered her voice and said angrily: "Transfer him to another position. Don't let this palace see him for the time being." Lian Yan Qiu laughed lowly: "I thought the Empress was thinking about him." What did this damned eunuch mean? Yuan Luo turned her head and glared...

The Treacherous Concubine's Guide to Whitewashing Chapter 8, Pt 2 - East China Sea King The corners of Prime Minister Wei's mouth twitched. When did the nation’s military affairs need a woman to make the decision. He objected: "Your Majesty, the defeat of the Gu family involves the deaths of tens of thousands of elites at the border, not to mention that hundreds of thousands of people in the three border cities have been taken into slavery and innumerable valuables and goods have been destroyed. How can this crime be forgiven so easily." Several officials one after another also stepped forward to respond. Gu Liang Yong's defeat was indeed tragic. After each battle, he retreated step by step and several cities were occupied by the Beirong. He was completely failing to uphold the standard of a generation’s famous general. Then the follow-up reinforcements went through a bitter struggle only recovering a portion of the lost territory and the invaders still had not be...

The Treacherous Concubine's Guide to Whitewashing Chapter 8, Pt 1 - East China Sea King Returning to the main hall, Yuan Luo crawled back into bed wanting to make up for lost sleep. When she woke up, she discovered that the day was already bright. The treatment of the favored imperial concubine was good and no one cared about how long she slept in the Qianqing Palace hall. She lazily rose from the bed. Si Xi and several maid arrived to help her dress in a neat and orderly fashion. Liu Xiu Chun entered and asked for instructions: "Is Empress returning to Zichen Palace to dine, or is she waiting here for the Emperor to conclude government affairs and have a meal together." "The Emperor is dealing with government affairs?" Yuan Luo asked. "Yes, East China Sea king and Prime Minister Wei are both in the front hall reporting matters to the Emperor." Hearing East China Sea king’s name, Yuan Luo’s instantly became lively. This was her future number one enemy ...

The Treacherous Concubine's Guide to Whitewashing Chapter 7, Pt 2 - Loyalty Was this considered to be a tactful plea for leniency? He was worried. Would he still have to punish these failed imperial bodyguards? Yuan Luo smiled bitterly. She turned her head to instruct a palace maid, "Go to the storeroom and fetch cinnabar and hundred year ginseng as a reward for the imperial bodyguards who were wounded tonight. Tell them it was granted to them by the Emperor." Miao Zi Fang’s shining eyes flashed with a hint of surprise. Both of the medicines that Yuan Luo referred to were very valuable and used almost exclusively by persons of high rank. It was difficult to find the money to purchase them, yet, unexpectedly, she was willing to bestow them as a reward on a few low-rank imperial bodyguards and in the name of the Emperor. He knelt down to thank the imperial concubine for her favor: "Your servant thanks the Empress for her grace on behalf of these subordinates." Yua...

The Treacherous Concubine's Guide to Whitewashing Chapter 7, Pt 1 - Loyalty The cold moon hung suspended high in the sky and the four plains were silent. What kind of bad luck beginning is confronting me right now? Admittedly, I’m a boss-level character, but this situation is leaking on all sides and discharging smoke in all directions. There is a crisis everywhere and just a moment of  distraction will cause this ship to capsize. The East China Sea king and the aristocratic families who supported him are occupying the majority of the court and are covetously eyeing the other side. There is a harem full of imperial concubines wanting to cause trouble. In addition, there is Sikong Lin’s capability bomb, which would be difficult to conceal. Oh, and the largest bomb is the one hidden in the cabin behind my bedroom. Yuan Luo held onto a banister for support. She felt ridiculous from the bottom of her heart. At that moment, a few figures hurriedly walked past her down the corridor. The ...

The Treacherous Concubine's Guide to Whitewashing Chapter 6, Pt 2 - Serving Sikong Lin, it was simply not possible. Was it because he was so young and his mind was foolish that he still didn’t understand these things, or was it because of a physical reason. It should be the latter. After all, Sikong Lin was sixteen years old now and there were a lot of teachings on sex and desire in the deep palace. In the original story, after another six or seven years the male protagonists liberated the country and it was rumored at that time that Sikong Lin, who was well into his twenties, still didn’t have an heir. However, Liu Xiu Chun’s actions made it clear that he didn't want the truth of Sikong Lin's failure to leak out. After all, in addition to presiding over a country’s government affairs, the Emperor also had another important responsibility, which was to produce an heir. Sikong Lin was mentally incapable and in this aspect would be unable to do so. Very likely the majority of...