Chapter 260: with translation of chapter title

Dusha girl had once heard an insignificant saying, namely —

Translation: Du Shanü had once heard a trivial saying, namely—

We need to keep the dash? The Chinese ends with an em dash. We'll keep as "—". So line: Du Shanü had once heard a trivial saying, namely—

A person's final thought comes from the words of the last person who comes to see them.

Translation: A person's final thought comes from the words of the last person who comes to see them.

Formerly, Dusha girl was exceedingly self-assured and steadfast, thus she always sneered at that saying.

Translation: Previously, Du Shanü was very self-assured and resolute, so she always scoffed at this saying.

But now the situation forces her to believe.

Translation: But now, the situation leaves her no choice but to believe it.

Ever since she heard, before closing her eyes, that troops were marching to attack the city, her mind held only one thought...

Translation: Since before she closed her eyes, hearing of troops marching to attack a city, her mind has been left with only one thought……

I wonder how Chinu is faring.

Translation: I don't know how Chinu is doing.

Marching into war is no laughing matter.

Translation: Marching to war is no joke.

Fuzhouzi's letter had arrived only a day before, and already military affairs arose; it seems those people are inevitably tied to the Nan'an army, and Chinu, who accompanied her to the prefecture to fish in troubled waters, will surely also become involved.

Translation: The letter from Fucuzi arrived just a day ago, and already there are military matters; it seems those people are inseparably linked to the An Nan army, and... and Chinu, who went to the Zhoufu to fish in troubled waters, must also have some connection.

We need to keep the ellipsis? The Chinese has "and her... and her". We'll keep as "and her... and her". We'll translate as "and... and". We'll keep three dots.

Chinu, I also don't know how Chinu is faring.

Translation: Chinu, I also don't know how Chinu is doing.

Well, he was truly a singular morning that created heaven and earth, possessing what heaven has but earth lacks—that Chinu.

Translation: That, that rascal is someone who, in a single morning that created heaven and earth, possesses what heaven has but earth lacks—Chinu.

Dusha girl did not doubt his prowess in both civil and military affairs, nor did she doubt that he would gain no advantage in the clam-and-snipe contest...

Translation: Du Shanü does not doubt his literary and martial talents, nor does she doubt that he cannot gain advantage in the clash of the snipe and the clam……

But what, then, will the price actually be?

Translation: But rather, the price—what exactly will the price be?

He knew she had always wanted the prefecture, and would surely try every means to contend for and seize it.

Translation: He knows she has always wanted the Zhoufu, and will certainly try every means to contend for and seize it.

Chinu...

Translation: Chinu……

Chinu has always been willing to risk his life.

Translation: Chinu has always been willing to sacrifice his life.

Dusha girl had long said he resembled an autumn crabapple—bewitching and secluded, willing to sacrifice his life rather than abandon the flower.

Translation: Du Shanü had long ago said he was like an autumn begonia—gorgeous yet secluded, willing to give his life but not to let the flower fall.

Once it lands, it must fall whole, headfirst, and would not crumble piece by piece.

Translation: Once it lands, it must fall with its head attached, and would not allow itself to drop petal by petal.

Although she had prepared everything possible—weapons, horses, rattan armor, troops...

Translation: Although she had prepared everything possible—weapons, horses, rattan armor, soldiers……

Among the weapons were the Yuanrong crossbow and the fire-tempered tungsten steel spear, serving as great killing implements.

Translation: Among the weapons were the General's Crossbow and the fire‑tempered tungsten steel blade, serving as great killing implements.

However, the problem lies—

Translation: However, however, the problem lies in——

She is truly destitute.

Translation: She is truly too poor.

And there are far too few people.

Translation: And people are also truly too few.

Under emergency conscription, they could muster at most about a thousand people, only half of whom had horses, while the majority could only ride in carriages.

Translation: Under emergency conscription, at most they could muster about a thousand, of those with horses likely only half, and most people could only ride in carriages.

Manufacturing is limited, and salt and iron are also constrained; over several months, there are no more than two or three hundred Yuanrong crossbows, and no more than three or four hundred spears and swords...

Translation: Manufacturing technology is limited, salt and iron are also constrained; in a few months, the General's Crossbow numbers no more than two or three hundred, and blades and spears no more than three or four hundred……

Under these circumstances, her Chinu setting out, it is unknown what state of affairs he will bring about.

Translation: Under these circumstances, her Chinu, her Chinu setting out—no one knows what state the situation will be turned into.

The best scenario is surely that the Nan'an army and the Yongzhou prefecture army fight a clam-and-snipe struggle, letting Chinu reap the benefit as the fisherman.

Translation: The best scenario is surely that the An Nan army and the Yongzhou Prefecture army fight like snipe and clam, with Chinu reaping the benefit as the fisherman.

And the worst scenario, of course, is that Chinu first encounters one of them, engages in a clam-and-snipe struggle, and ultimately the other side's fisherman reaps the benefit...

Translation: And the worst scenario certainly exists—namely, Chinu first encounters one of them, engages in the snipe‑clam struggle with them, and ultimately the other side reaps the benefit as the fisherman……

He will die.

Translation: He will die.

He will indeed die.

Translation: He will indeed die.

After all, her Chinu clearly shines splendidly, yet his fate always seems somewhat worse than others.

Translation: After all, her Chinu clearly blooms gorgeously, but his fate seems always somewhat worse than others'.

Dusha girl worries about this, and thus grows increasingly tormented in the chaos.

Translation: Du Shanü worries about this, and thus grows ever more tormented in the chaos.

She occasionally hears the noise beside her ears, and occasionally feels pain in her body...

Translation: She occasionally hears the noise around her ears, and occasionally feels the pain on her body……

Yet she cannot help sinking into the endless darkness.

Translation: Yet she cannot help sinking into the endless darkness.

Dusha girl again dreamed of Chinu, once more.

Translation: Du Shanü dreamed of Chinu again, once more.

By now, warfare has waned, and the seas are calm and rivers clear.

Translation: By now, the weapons have gradually ceased, and the sea is calm, the rivers clear.

When Chinu returns, heaven and earth are still bright, and everything appears fine.

Translation: When Chinu returned, heaven and earth were still bright, everything seemed fine.

When Dusha girl sees Chinu, he still has that captivating face, and the three moles on his face remain just as they were in days past...

Translation: When Du Shanü saw Chinu, his face remained that captivating visage, the three moles on his face still just as they were in days past……

But for some unknown reason, only a head returned.

Translation: But for some unknown reason, only his head came back.

Formerly, a person could occupy half a bed; now only a wooden box the size of an arm's breadth remains.

Translation: One who once occupied half a bed is now reduced to the size of a wooden box no larger than an arm's breadth.

He lies quietly in the wooden box, eyes tightly shut, the mole marks on his face submerged in blood, faintly visible.

Translation: He lies quietly in the wooden box, eyes shut tight, the mole marks on his face submerged in blood, faintly visible.

Gone.

Translation: Gone.

Gone.

Translation: Gone.

Nothing remains.

Translation: Nothing remains.

Back then, in that wild forest, she earnestly declared she wanted the world.

Translation: She once, in that wild forest, declared with conviction that she wanted the world.

But at that time, nobody told her what obtaining the world would require.

Translation: But back then, nobody told her what obtaining the world would cost.

But at that time, nobody told her what kind of mind a person truly desiring the world should have.

Translation: But back then, nobody told her what kind of mind a person who truly wants the world ought to have.

Not worth it.

Translation: Not worth it.

Not really worth it.

Translation: Not really worth it.

For her, even if she could secure that position, exchanging Chinu's life for the world, even if thereafter she could enjoy flowers and brocade, with cries of ten thousand years...

Translation: For her, even if she could secure that position, exchanging Chinu's life for the world—even if afterward she could enjoy flowers and brocade, with cries of ten thousand years—

Also lonely.

Translation: it would also be lonely.

Also merely adding to the loneliness.

Translation: it would merely add loneliness.

Yu Baobao once told her, this world cannot trap anyone who wants to obtain it; it can only trap to death those who do not want it...

Translation: Yu Baobao once told her, this world cannot trap anyone who seeks to obtain it; it can only trap to death those who do not want it.

As it turns out, that saying is actually true.

Translation: It turns out that saying was actually true.

Emperors are heartless, emperors are soulless; they too may perish amidst power and wealth, and then at some midnight, recalling how someone once held her hand by the Gui River, calling her 'wife-master,' vowing to shake the world together with her.

Translation: Emperors are heartless, emperors are emotionless; emperors too can be trapped to death amidst power, wealth, and honor, and then, on some midnight, recalling how someone once held her hand by the Osmanthus River, calling her Wife Master over and over, swearing to shake the world together with her.

Power, prestige, money...

Translation: Power, prestige, money……

Even fools know these are good things.

Translation: Even fools know these are good things.

Nobody wants to be trapped in the sea of hatred and passion; everyone wants to be like the sun at high noon.

Translation: Nobody wants to be stuck in the sea of hatred and love; everyone wants to be at the zenith.

Everyone has heard the saying 'Only livestock travel together; beasts only go alone,' which seems right at first glance but upon closer inspection is actually a blatant disparagement of others.

Translation: Everyone has heard the saying "Domestic animals go in herds, wild beasts go alone," which seems right at first glance but upon closer look is actually a disparaging remark about others.

However, however.

Translation: However, however.

Yet few say that if one truly pushes against the current in utter desperation and meets a kindred spirit of ten thousand years—something that can end one's solitude—someone will always linger for that.

Only by forming groups and moving together is it the instinct engraved in our blood and marrow over millions of years.

The reason humans can stand out among other animals is initially due to cooperation.

Thus, saying she is indulged in love, bewildered, comparing mountains and rivers to her lover is also acceptable.

Saying she enjoys power while putting on a sentimental act for old acquaintances is also fine.

In the dream, catching sight of that breath of Chinu's severed head was merely that breath......

Du Shanü suddenly went mad.

Mad.

Completely mad.

Hysterical howls, heart-rending wails, liver-and-gall torn struggle.

After all wisdom, composure, self-control, sobriety, and rationality have faded......

Du Shanü's true nature is also just a completely mad person.

She cannot accept the fact that Chinu is dead, nor can she quell the turmoil surging in her blood.

She...... she wants to kill many, many people.

In her dream she fell into the solemn grandeur of the palace; Yu Baobao came to find her, embraced her, and told her she still had the realm's subjects.

She seemed to have cried for a long time.

And after that day, she ultimately became the sort of emperor who exists only on paper in the histories......

Cold, authoritarian, iron-blooded, ruthless.

The histories occasionally record a couple of state affairs and four or five auspicious signs from her reign, sometimes note whom she favored, whose family then prospered, only to decline when her interest waned.

She can still only, in the deep night, recall the days before fate caught her.

Back then, she still had flesh and blood, and could choose for herself what to do.

Back then, she could still shamelessly kneel before Chinu, be tugged by the ear and nagged by Afang, listless all day, yet not know why she was constantly happy to the point of exhaustion.

That dream was so real, so real.

Real to......

As if her fate ought to be this way.

Thus, when Du Shanü woke, tears still in her eyes, before she even fully opened them, she first heard her own voice.

She said, she said:

"Chinu, let's run."

"Let's go together, by all means, by all means don't let fate catch us......"

After thousands of years, Du Shanü seems to have finally been serious just this once.

But when she said those words, Chinu was not by her side.

All she saw was a roof with a large hole, letting in the gloomy night, with fine rain still drifting inside.

Du Shanü sat up and found herself in a deserted, ruined temple.

The ancient shrine collapsed, broken tiles buried among weeds.

Besides her in the temple were the three horsemen who had followed her out of Dun Cheng, Chen Er, and the Deposed Crown Prince, lying unconscious in a nearby straw heap, muttering nonsense......

And beside her, a barefoot doctor clutching a medicine box, trembling.

The barefoot doctor must have been seized; he was terrified, and before he could speak, Du Shanü could hear the sound of his teeth chattering.

Du Shanü was about to wipe her tears and ask how things were, but before she could raise her hand, she heard the gaunt old doctor nervously salute and say:

"Um, madam......"

"Congratulations, you're pregnant."

?? Yesterday I messed up the data cards for Afang and He Lian Bo Bo, being a bit lazy~ (No, clearly diligent!) Next chapter will probably be a little late~

? （The data card on Qidian is under review, though it probably won't be that fast; on qRead I'll post a big review later~ The book is too cold, so I won't bother with the other two Yuewen platforms, very sorry, but please stay tuned！）