B: Young Master!

B: Hm? What did you say? I spaced out.

B: A messenger arrived just now, saying the Empress will arrive tomorrow and meet the young lady.
B: What… would she have with Cong Xin?
B: But she might not only want to meet the Young Lady. // After all, there will be many women arriving
here tomorrow.
B: It is a custom, and it is almost New Year.
B: Can we say she’s sick?
sfx (left half): restless, worried
sfx (right half): rise
B: It’s best not to. // It’d be more troublesome if she were to request a private meeting later.
B: Don’t worry, I’ll accompany her tomorrow.
B: If you aren’t back in a day, my heart won’t be at ease.
B: Cong Xin.
N: Xuan CongXin
B: Don’t be afraid, it’s just like a normal banquet.
B: I understand, it’s cold here, you should go back to the carriage.
sfx: take out
B: This is our lady’s first time here, // if there is any improper courtesy, please take care of it.
B: Master Zhong is also invited, the Lord would like to see you.
N: They’re obviously still uneased, are they going to scold me?
B: Please lead the way.
B: My Lord, Young Master Zhong has arrived.
B: Cao Ming Zhong has returned from afar, to see the Emperor.
B: … These past years, how have they treated you?
B: It’s not bad, at first, I wasn’t used to the climate of the south. // But now I’m unfamiliar with the harsh
cold of the north, and I fell ill upon arrival.
B: You were raised here, but now you’ve become distant? [he says “the land and water unfamiliar”,
meaning he’s foriegn]
B: Since I arrived in southern Xinjiang, I have repeatedly fallen ill. My body has been terribly weak.
B: Back then… Now, are you still a slave?
B: Yes.
B: Your contract of ownership… // Ziyou will also arrive at the palace, I will have him look into it and send
you it.
N: Should I pretend to be flattered?
N: Forget it, it’ll sound like mockery.
B: It will also be convenient for you to live around Qian’an in the future.
B: Thank you, My Lord!
B: Grand Tutor Shi loved you dearly. [TLN: In the Han Dynasty, there were three civil posts: Grand
Preceptor/Master(太师), Grand Tutor(太傅) and the Grand Guardian(太保). These were considered the
highest positions one could obtain in government after the title of Emperor, and they were named the
“Three Excellencies”.]
B: Before he passed, he told me that GuiYuan was difficult to manage,
B: And if you made any mistakes in the future, // to pray to the saints to be more generous.
N: The Grand Tutor treated me like a parent would their child, // and it was a blessing to be able to
worship the Grand Tutor when I went home.
B: I… Thank you!
B: It is nothing, you may leave. // There are some manuscripts, calligraphy and paintings by Grand Tutor
Shi in the library. You may choose one or two to bring with you.
B: Young Master Zhong, we are here.
B: All handwritten documents made by Grand Tutor Shi are here, // please choose the ones you want,
Young Master Zhong.
B: Understood, thank you.
B: ?!
sfx: pull back
N: Yu She?