Da Mo Yao Chapter 28: Illness

Do you guys know what empowerment entails? It means doing something rather than just complaining. My imagination is mine, my facility with words are mine, and my love for Da Mo Yao is all mine. Rather than have it taken away from me with hack drama casting, I choose to keep the novel all mine. I was waiting for a Jiu Ye casting to insert pictures of that actor, but now the novel will be narrated with the dream casting of Hu Ge as Huo Qu Bing, Liu Shi Shi as Jin Yu, and Wallace Huo as Jiu Ye. If HuHuoShi can’t happen in real life, it can happen in our vibrant imaginations. Let’s let this wonderful drama live on with the cast we deserve, and pay no heed to the things that are beyond our control. Chapter 28 pushes the OT3 to interact in a life-and-death situation, and Jiu Ye really steps up. I might have been annoyed with his emotional reticence in the past, but I’ve always loved his unending capacity for kindness and selflessness. He shows me, and Yu Er, that he’ll always be the man she fell in love with, even if she is now in love with someone else. Life – it’s so not fair. Me and you both, Jiu Ye, me and you both.

Chapter 28: Illness

A few days have passed and still Huo Qu Bing hasn’t shown up. Hong Gu, Xing Yen, and none of the maids understand what could have happened. Hong Gu tries to ask me but I refuse to say anything. I feel the mood is getting so tense and soon everyone around me talks less and their voices get lower. Until the end, when the maids see each other, they simply communicate via their eyes. One would shoot a look to the other while the other returns a look. I have no clue what they are communicating and how they are able to understand each other.

I point to Xing Lan and Xing Yen, who are delivering a meal, and ask Hong Gu “Do you have any idea what they are saying to each other?” Hong Gu replied “What’s so hard to understand. Xing Lan asked Xing Yen “Did she eat today?” Xing Yen shook her head “Nope.” Then Xing Lan followed with “I haven’t eaten either, I’m so hungry!” Then Xing Yen snuck a peek at you and nodded to Xing Lan “Later let’s get something to eat behind Yu Er’s back!” and then the two girls agreed.”

I spit out the tea in my mouth, coughing and laughing at the same time “Hong Gu, looks like your visual communications with Xing Yen after you entered the room was also all about whether I’ve eaten, and making plans to go eat later.” Hong Gu calmly sipped her tea “My question was not “Has she eaten today?” but was instead “Has she drank anything today?” I wiped my lips with a handkerchief “You go on talking nonsense!”

Hong Gu lowered her cup “If I don’t talk nonsense how can I get you to laugh. These past few days your expression has been just terrible. You’re hurting and we are also suffering for you. Yu Er, why are you so hard on yourself? You clearly miss him terribly and are filled with lots of worries. Why don’t you go see him?” I lower my head and say nothing when Xing Yen walks in “Ms. Yu Er, Housekeeper Chen from the Huo Estate is here to see you.”

Hong Gu quickly invited him him in and walked out “The mediator is here so I can let out a breath of relief. If you two don’t make up, you two might be able to withstand it, but none of us can any longer.”

Uncle Chen walked in and immediately kneeled before me without even saying a word. I try to duck “Uncle Chen, please talk directly, I can’t take such a courtesy from you.” He continued to kneel, his face completely bleak, like he hasn’t slept all night

“Ms. Yu, that day when the Big Boss of the Shi Enterprises came to see me to ask about you, he made a total of three trips. Each time I kept him out, and I also…..I also was quite rude to him. Even though young master ordered that we hide the driver of the carriage and conceal all information related to the inn at Liang Zhou, all he did was ask me to keep your whereabouts secret but he never asked me to be rude to Jiu Ye. Young master is arrogant and now he’s trying to protect me, so he’s not bothering to explain to you. I can’t watch the two of you fighting over something I did all on my own, causing a rift between you two.”

Mu hurt came forth “Uncle Chen, why did you do that? What’s happening right now, is this the happiness you wanted for Qu Bing?” Uncle Chen was silent and only bowed his head to me three times. I continue to try and avoid his courtesy but he managed to bow at least once to me “Please get up! What can I do now since everything has already happened. Even if I rage or ask for punishment, there are no do-overs. Please get up and talk. I’m not used to talking to someone kneeling to me.”

Uncle Chen continued to kneel and said nothing. Moments passed and I stared at him quizzically. He suddenly avoided my eyes and appeared to be summoning his courage. It took him a long time to say it “Yesterday the young master was out riding and he suddenly tumbled off his horse. He’s been unconscious since then.”

His words were so unbelievable that I couldn’t comprehend what he just said “What? What did you just say?”

Uncle Chen spoke in such a low voice “The Palace physicians have been by many times but none of them have any solution. Normally they are all proclaiming themselves miracle healers fighting for recognition and respect. But once they face a genuine illness, they start hemming and hawing, trying to pawn it off on each other. The Palace is already in an uproar and the Emperor is in such a rage that he’s threatened to kill the entire lot of them. If killing them means the young master will awaken, I don’t care if a hundred heads roll. But right now we need them to save a life.”

I only understood a few words of what he was saying, but it was like the sky had fallen on me. My shock, fear, regret, and pain all bubbled forth. I pay no heed to what he’s saying and my foot is already out the door. Uncle Chen rushed behind me and kept calling me “Ms. Yu, please slow down, I’m not done talking yet.” I see the carriage outside belongs to the Huo Estate and I leap inside “Immediately return to the estate” I ordered.

I can hear Uncle Chen calling me “Please wait” and the driver doesn’t move. I want to grab the reins and drive the carriage but Uncle Chen calls out to me “Ms. Yu, I’m not done talking. I’ve heard that the Big Boss of the Shi Enterprises is a talented healer. I was wondering…..” I now realize why he didn’t start by telling me that Qu Bing was ill, and why he was on his knees and bowing to me. So this was the whole story.

Uncle Chen ran in front of the carriage and was out of breath “Hiring a doctor requires the doctor to be willing to heal the patient. I know Ms. Yu’s personality hates that I’m beating around the bush right now, and I am so embarrassed and ashamed about it as well. But if I don’t explain everything, I cannot ask you to help. If young master Meng Jiu can heal my young master, if he wanted my head, I’d hand it to him without blinking an eye.”

I angrily huff “You underestimate Jiu Ye!” My heart was churning with anxiety to go see Qu Bing immediately, but I have to push that urge down. I tell the driver “Go to the Shi Estate.” Uncle Chen said he would return to the estate and wait for us.

Jiu Ye sat there reading a novel and when he raised his head and saw me, his book dropped to the ground. He looked incredulous and his dark eyes were shining with happiness “Yu Er, I’ve waited for so long, and you’ve finally decided to walk back into the Bamboo Residence willingly.” My heart ached and I wouldn’t meet his eyes “I’m here to ask you to heal Qu Bing. He’s been unconscious since yesterday and word is that none of the Palace physicians can heal him.”

The light in his eyes slowly disappear until his eyes are simply dark with disappointment, sadness, and pain. He didn’t ask anything and just said one word “Yes” and then pushed his wheelchair out the door. Uncle Chen was waiting outside the estate and when he saw Jiu Ye, his old face was bright red. He bow low and Jiu Ye graciously asked him to get up. But Uncle Chen’s face was still beet red with shame. Two servants came with a bamboo pallet and Uncle Chen explained that the estate was not made for wheelchair access and this would be faster.

Jiu Ye smiled “Please have them hold the pallet still, I can get on myself. Have the wheelchair brought inside, I’ll need it later.” I see the way Uncle Chen is behaving and I’m angry to think about how poorly he must’ve treated Jiu Ye before to be so polite and courteous now. I sarcastically say “I wonder how he was able to move about the estate in his wheelchair in previous occasions?”

Uncle Chen said nothing and just led the way, while Jiu Ye looked at me and the coldness in his eyes seeped away. He murmured in a low voice “I thought you only cared about him now, and no longer care about how I feel.”

The moment we enter the room, Wei Shao Er has been standing vigil next to the bed and she looks up in alarm. She rushes forward to greet Jiu Ye like a drowning person seeing a branch. Hope mixes with despair in her eyes, whereas I’m the opposite reaction. I don’t even bow to her before I rush to the side of the bed.

He lays there quietly, his lips tightly pressed together and his brows furrowed with worry. It appears he has a lot on his mind. Since I’ve known him, he’s been as bright as the sunshine, always so full of life and energy. This is the first time I’ve seen him like this, so still and seemingly helpless. I use my finger to rub his forehead, my nose starting to redden and before I know it, my face is wet with tears “Qu Bing, Qu Bing…..Yu Er is here! I was wrong. I shouldn’t have engaged in a temper battle with you.”

Jiu Ye pressed his hand on Qu Bing’s wrist but he couldn’t reach a pulse. “Have the servants bring a basin of ice water, I need to clean my hands.” The maid flew out the door and then Jiu Ye wiped his hand on an ice cube and then dried it. He appeared to be calming himself down on the ice before once again placing his hand on Qu Bing’s wrist.

Wei Shao Er and I stare at Jiu Ye without blinking, unconsciously pleading with him to wake Qu Bing up. Jiu Ye closed his eyes and focused all his attention on his finger tips. Everyone in that room held their breaths, it was so quiet we could hear the ice in the basin melting. The more time that passed, the more my fear increased. Why did he need so much time? Jiu Ye’s expression was calm and I couldn’t tell what was happening. Finally Jiu Ye pulled his hand back and I stared at him. My voice was filled with abject fear and pleading anxiety “He’ll be fine, won’t he?”

Ju Ye’s eyes were as calm and impossible to read as ever, and he hesitated before nodding “He’ll be fine. I’ll do everything I can to make sure he wakes up.” My heart, which had been perched on the tip of a needle, finally returned to its normal spot. He looked at Qu Bing’s visage and pressed his ear to Qu Bing’s chest to listen for quite some time. He then placed his finger on Qu Bing’s wrist once more before asking “What did the Palace physicians say?”

Uncle Chen looked at a row of men standing to the side, and one white haired elderly gentleman stepped forward “All of us cannot diagnose the problem. His heartbeat is weak but it’s steady. Usually we can use medicine to shock him awake, but the General’s situation is beyond odd. Usually an unconscious person can be forced to drink medicine, but the General refuses to accept the medicine. We cannot force feed him, and acupuncture does not work either. We’ve flipped through all the books and cannot find a treatment.”

Jiu Ye nodded and turned to Wei Shao Er “General Huo is emotionally stressed, which is normally not a big deal. But this has caused all his hidden ailments accumulated from years on the battlefield to arise. Because General Huo is different than a normal person, the split second before he tumbled off the horse, his self-preservation instinct is so strong that it’s caused him to shut himself off from any outside attempts to force feed him medicine. Madam, the Palace physicians are right in their diagnoses, and they’ve tried all the treatments already. I can do no better. But….”

Wei Shao Er was so anxious her voice turned high pitched “But what?” Jiu Ye continued “I can try something different, and it’s something I’ve only been researching and have never actually performed before.” Wei Shao Er quickly asked him to explain. “A person has five senses, and taste is but one of them. The sense of touch, the skin is tied to all the major organs. If we can’t get the medicine in through his mouth, we can try another entry point. Take off the General’s clothes and lock him in an airtight room and use a steam method to boil the medicine and have it enter his body through his skin.”

Wei Shao Er looked at the Palace physicians and they all exchanged looks before one spoke up “Steaming the medicine into the body would make the room exceedingly hot. From a medical standpoint, the heat is not good for the patient and might exacerbate the illness. But this method also sounds like it could work. We cannot authorize it and will need Madam to make the decision.”

Wei Shao Er glared at them and then looked at Qu Bing with hesitation, unable to make up her mind right away. No one dares make a noise, afraid that if anything were to happen, they would be held responsible. Wei Shao Er looked at her husband for guidance, but since it’s not his own son, he is anxious but still unable to step forward and says that he will support whatever she decides to do. I get up and bow to Wei Shao Er “I beg of Madam to please consent, the longer this drags out the worse it’ll get.”

Wei Shao Er’s voice cracked “But what if Qu Bing gets worse?” I reply “If Jiu Ye says he can wake Qu Bing up, then he will wake Qu Bing up.” Wei Shao Er still couldn’t decide and I got more anxious. But right now I’m considered nobody to Qu Bing, and at this moment I realized how important a proper title can be. Even though he’s as important to me as my own life, I cannot speak up at this moment and can only beg and plead with Wei Shao Er.

Jiu Ye’s eyes are filled with tender pity and he suddenly turned to bow to Wei Qing “What does the Great General Wei think?” Wei Qing, normally a man of few words, couldn’t believe Jiu Ye turned to him to speak “Second sister, since things are what it is, we have no other choice. We have to take this risk, so let Mr. Meng perform his treatment! The Emperor is very concerned about Qu Bing’s illness and Mr. Meng would never be anything but careful. He must have thought things through before giving his treatment suggestion.” Wei Shao Er nodded her head, finally agreeing.

It’s no wonder he’s the man even Liu Che is wary of. Wei Qing said little but his every word was like a hidden knife. He made the decision but also placed all the risk on Jiu Ye, completely thorough. Jiu Ye ordered Uncle Chen to prepare everything. When the door to the room closed, I stood outside and just stared without moving. From morning until it was pitch black outside, there was still no movement in that room. After a long time, Jiu Ye asked for ice and it was passed inside to him.

Wei Shao Er was so tense her lips were colorless, and I walked over to her to offer my hand. She hesitated and then grabbed it, our hands are both icy cold. But when we held hands, a warmth slowly seeped through. In that moment, among so many people, we understand each other’s pain.

She gripped my hand more and more tightly and her demeanor appeared to be shaky. She looked at me asking for some assurance, and I looked at her with the conviction that Qu Bing would wake up. She couldn’t sustain herself any longer and put her head on my shoulder. My back was ramrod straight as I stared at that room. Qu Bing, you must be fine, nothing must happen to you!

The door silently opened and Jiu Ye came out with his face white and his lips blue. He grabbed the door weakly and nodded his head. Everyone cried out in happiness and Wei Shao Er rushed inside the room and then she cried “Why is he not awake?” All the Palace physicians ran inside but I turned back to Jiu Ye. I discovered he had passed out in his wheelchair, and one middle-aged physician noticed as well and rushed over to Jiu Ye.

My heart was half ice cold and half burning up. The pain and the guilt was tearing me apart. I was in such a rush to see Qu Bing that I didn’t even notice Jiu Ye had passed out. What must he had felt the moment he fainted?

“Congratulations, Madam. He’s awake. Mr. Meng lit some sleeping incense when he was treating General Huo, so it’ll take a bit of time for him to wake up. But right now he’s just sleeping and no longer unconscious.” Wei Shao Er was so happy her knees buckled and she sank to the ground. I hear that Qu Bing is fine and half of my heart calmed down, but the other half hurt even more. Jiu Ye was slumped in his wheelchair and his hands are so pale I can see the blue veins. I pick up his hands and it feels like ice “What happened to him?”

The middle-aged physician put down Jiu Ye’s other hand “He’s naturally of a weaker constitution than most people, and the steam inside that room was astoundingly hot. A normal person could barely withstand a few hours, plus he had to keep using ice to cool down the General’s body temperature. The hot and cold mixed together, it was already a miracle he could endure it for so long.”

I rub Jiu Ye’s hands and use my mouth to breath warm air to try and heat it up. Uncle Chen bowed to the physician “Will doctor please treat Jiu Ye. When the General awakens he will surely greatly reward you.” The physician responded “A doctor who risked his life to save another is something I have never seen before. I don’t need you to ask me, I will do my best to treat him.” I tell Uncle Chen “Please prepare the carriage, we need to take Jiu Ye back to the Shi Estate.”

Uncle Chen turned to look at the sleeping Qu Bing “When the General awakens, he will surely be anxious to see you.” I look at the crowd of people surrounding him, like stars around a moon, filled with royal relatives, doctors, and servants alike “I’ll hurry back, but whether I’m here or not makes no difference right now.”

Uncle Chen looked at Jiu Ye’s ashen white face and blue lips and sighed “Ms. Yu, please go with no worries! We will take good care of the young master.” When getting on the carriage, the servants want to help but I wave them off and gingerly carry Jiu Ye on the carriage myself. The physician followed “What splendid martial arts, you barely jostled the patient at all.” I force a smile “Thank you, and what is your surname?” He replied “I am Dr. Zhang, and we’ve actually met before. That day it was General Huo who summoned me to the Shi Estate to treat the young miss.”

I answer “So I’ve already burdened Dr. Zhang before.” He shook his head “With Mr. Meng’s medical skills, I was not needed. But having a chance to listen to him talk medicine is something I ought to thank you for.”

Dr. Zhang personally brewed medicine and helped me feed it to Jiu Ye. He also carefully told me and Tian Cao all the things we need to be aware of before finally departing. When I left here with Jiu Ye, he was perfectly fine, but he came back unconscious. Shi Buo was clearly not happy, but each time he wanted to say something to me, Tian Cao silently asked him not to.

Because I was worried Jiu Ye would need water or anything else, I stayed beside him while he slept fitfully on the pallet. It was like he was worried about things even in his dreams. His eyebrows would twitch and a look of pain would pass across his face.

This is the first time I’ve studied him in such close proximity, and it is also the first time he doesn’t try to conceal anything about himself by using pleasant smiles to hide his real feelings. I rest next to his pillow and start humming a herding song.

Jiu Ye’s furrowed brows start to loosen and his sleep deepens. I hum this ballad over and over and tears come to my eyes. This is a very popular Xiong Nu folk song that talked about a royal lady named Yi Zhu and a slave named Ba Ya Er and their love story. When I was a child, I often heard Yu Dan’s mother the Queen sing this song with a look of sadness and unshed tears. I didn’t understand back then why the song initially had Yi Zhu staring at Ba Ya Er’s back from a far away place, and ended up with Ba Ya Er staring at Yi Zhu’s back from a far away place.

I feel a hand caressing my cheek and I immediately snap out of it, unsure of when I went into a daze. My face was resting on the pallet and at this moment Jiu Ye had turned on his side and his face was directly opposite mine. We can feel each other’s breathing. His fingers were tracing my face, from the eyebrow to the eyes, the nose, the lips, the chin, as if he wanted to commit it to memory and carve it into his heart. His eyes were filled with earth shattering pain, rivers and oceans of regret and longing, of pain and agony.

I’m lured in by his eyes and my mind was shaken. He’s always so calm and placid, all the sadness he usually brushes away with a smile. Right now in the depths of his back eyes I can see two little versions of myself, with my face shocked but stubbornly unmoving. He slowly pulled back his hand and smiled. It was the usual smile like a Spring breeze, sweeping away the stormy clouds to return everything to sunshine, but obscuring the things hidden in his eyes.

After some time, he smiled at me “Can you sing the ballad you were humming earlier again?”

I woodenly nod my head and clear my throat and sing it again. After my song has finished for some time, the two of us are still frozen to the spot. His voice was so low it was barely audible “Why was Ba Ya Er so stupid? Why did he never turn back to look at Yi Zhu? Why did he keep forcing Yi Zhu to try and read his feelings? Why couldn’t he have told Yi Zhu how he really felt? He’s smarter than the wiliest fox on the plains, so why couldn’t be understand that Yi Zhu didn’t care about his humble birth and was willing to endure hardship with him?”

I had thought he didn’t understand the Xiong Nu language which is why I sang this song. I forgot how how well-learned he was, and that during the heyday of the Xiong Nu power, all the Xi Yu kingdoms bowed down to the Xiong Nu so the language was widely spoken in Xi Yu. I was so shocked I asked “You understand Xiong Nu? And you know the folk love story of Ba Ya Er and Yi Zhu?”

He hummed the last refrain “The cloud chased the moon and Ba Ya Er accompanied Yi Zhu. Ten thousand nightingales on the plains could not sing enough about their happiness.” His eyes stared at me without wavering “Even though Ba Ya Er did hurt Yi Zhu, but the ballad tells us that they did end up together happily ever after. Do you believe what this song said?” I don’t answer the question and tell him “I need to get going.”

He turned his head away from me and lightly said “I had hoped that I would never wake up, then you will stay here forever and take care of me. But then you would be worried and sad.”

All the tears I was supressing when I was singing came forth at last so I quickly turn around and wipe my tears “Please take care of yourself and get better. I’ll come visit you when I get a chance.” I finish talking and am about to walk out when he urgently grabbed my hand and said very slowly and carefully “Yu Er, tell me! Who do you care about more? Forget promises and vows. Without taking into account anything else, who do you think about just that little bit more. Who do you want to be with?”

I bit my lip and want to pull my hand back, but he refuses to let go. He asked the same question one more time, each word just as carefully spoken as before. I want to say something, but seeing his fatigue and worn out visage, I was torn between wanting to tell the truth and then not having the heart to tell him. I can’t say it out loud so I just jerk my hand out of his.

He sees me like this and the pain in his eyes is so visible, combined with so many other emotions. Finally it all just distills into dead silence. He suddenly let my hand go “Seeing you like this today, I actually already knew the answer. You can go now!”

I’m afraid to turn around and fly out of the room. I’m facing the cold bitter wind as I run into the dark night, my heart unable to calm down.


Comments

Da Mo Yao Chapter 28: Illness — 112 Comments

  1. *jumps up and down with glee* Ms. Koala – you are absolutely amazing <3<3<3 Will come back with a more coherent comment when I'm done fist pumping the air. Where is the best eucalyptus sold? Must get you some!! ^^

    ……… or would a side of Yuan Hong be preferred? 😉

  2. Ms. K!!!!!!!! Welcome back !!!!!! Have to pinch myself here. O.k. gotta read now. Love you! I am grinning from ear to ear with joy.

  3. Ahhhh Koala!! Thank you sooooooooooooooooo much!!! This story is so beautiful, I’m so glad you translated another chapter. This totally made my day!

  4. OMG…THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!!…I never thought I would get to read another chapter…you’re amazing…I’m so graceful for your kindness and determination to continue the translation of the novel…

  5. Thank you so much for continuing! I know this must be hard for you with the news and all and I really really appreciate you continuing this wonderful story.

  6. “I had hoped that I would never wake up, then you will stay here forever and take care of me. But then you would be worried and sad.”

    This is too sad, I can’t bear it. I don’t know if the thought of Hu Ge playing Jie Ye is coloring my emotions but this part just broke my heart.

    Oh, why can’t there be 2 of her? One for each man? 🙁

    • And then, they time traveled to a time when cloning of humans is commercially available and lived happily ever after. The end. >:)

  7. I literally just fell out of my bed. Yay to not having to watch the evil adaption and being able to stick with the novel.

  8. just finished reading the chapter and my tears are running…I don’t know if it’s because my belove HuGe is playing MJ…but right now I’m so emotionally depress for MJ…

    “I had hoped that I would never wake up, then you will stay here forever and take care of me. But then you would be worried and sad”…. “Seeing you like this today, I actually already knew the answer. You can go now!”

    …broke my heart to pieces :'(

    • OH! I forgot…

      To Ms. K or anyone who would know the answer

      I read a few comments from Ms. K and she had mentioned a few times about her “LoverBoy”…just curious…can someone or Ms. K herself tell me who’s the “loverBoy”??

      ie: this is the quote I got from Ms. K comment on chapter 27…”On a side note, my loverboy weibo’d about the DMY press conference and all he said was “It’s all love” about three of his favorite people – HG, LSS and Eddie. Awwww, he truly is mookie and my stupendous champ, always so gracious and positive”

      THANKS!! in advance 😀

      • @Jolene, we actually posted the same quote. 😉

        and re: Loverboy, see my post above. that’s him. Yuan Hong. (is love) *silly grin*

      • I guess just no yuan fen… oh wellz… I have heard some people say that if you really love somebody, then allow them the freedom to do what they want and don’t restrict them too much. After all, if there is yuan fen between you two, no matter how far the other party runs, they will always return to you… kinda like the Sun Wukong in Buddha’s hand analogy… his hand is always relaxed, never tightly gripping. I think Jiu Ye kinda embodies that and probably will continue to.

  9. YAY!!!!!! yayayayayayayaayyay yippppppeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

    Thank you so much for continuing your translations!!! I was afraid to hope but thank you a million times!

  10. OMGgggggggg!!!! Thank you so much! You are….. I can’t find words…. I have to thank you first & read after this. I… Am… You… Hahaha… Me soooo happy… Gotta read now:)

  11. yes, the trio huge, shishi and wallace are just so perfect.. i was imagining hu ge as Jiu Ye when he was lying down after he healed HQB and it’s just not right, so Wallace it is for me as Jiu Ye. I’ll just pretend i never hear about the casting and live in my imaginary Da Mo Yao.

    Thanks again Koala for such a splendid job.

  12. Ms. Koala…thank you sooooo much. I’m sooo happy and thrilled you decided to continue translating the novel. Thank you so much for all of your hard work.

  13. I can’t decided who I want YE to be with. I love both guys, and they both love her so passionately and deep. But it might not be so bad if she choose MJ. I think that HBQ can live without her right? I really love HBQ, but seeing MJ like this, I just feel so bad for him and thinks that he might need her a wee bit more than HBQ.

      • Actually, I was one of those people, lol. My ultimate shipping was 4th& RX, but I also ship RX with all of the princes, except for 9th.

    • For me, it’s clear the YE should be with HQB. Only with HQB, she can be her natural bratty and lovable self. I want her to throw caution to the wind and let the gentle giant of HQB take care of her.

  14. After this roller coaster ride we’ve been on for the past two days, all I can say is THANK YOU. I am grateful.

    P.S. I’m soooo glad both guys woke up. It would have been a cop-out for either of them to slip away in a coma.

  15. O….M…G!!!!!!!

    THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU………… I can’t say it enough!!! Seriously!! This is better than X-mas!!! And that’s saying something from somebody who never really wants anything on gift-receiving occasions!!

    awww…. this chapter is so…. ehh…. emmmm…. errrr…. can’t say it’s sad and can’t say it’s happy but I can say it’s beautiful and it moves us along sooooo far…. I would argue even farther than some of the steamier ones in this novel…

    At least there seems to be some sort of closure and final understanding to Yu Er and Jiu Ye’s relationship…. and hopefully, the emperor will lighten up on them in the next few chapters… C’est la vie…

  16. I really really love HBQ, but I also really really like MJ too. Maybe because I haven’t read the whole novel yet, but seeing MJ like this, I just feel that maybe MJ needs YE abit more than HQB. I think that HQB might be able to move on from YE, if given him enough time.

  17. Ms. Koala, you are truly beyond awesome! Thank you so much for continuing with your hard work, despite the crap TR pulled. I’m so with you, our love for the DMY book is ours and the characters will live on in our imaginations – no-one can take that away from us!

    Thanks for keeping our dreams alive and yes, let’s have our dream cast of HuHuoShi in our minds and I look forward to the last chapters! 😀

  18. HELL YEAH!!!!!!

    WOOHOO!!!! *dances around like crazy*

    Thank you for changing your mind. Mad respect to you for this.
    It also means I no longer have to translate chapter 29. Haha. \o/ ^^ After personally spending hours on translating chapter 28, I can only be amazed at your skill. How can you write so appealingly? So quickly? So well? The way you write really reflects Tong Hua well.
    I even put your link at the top of my own chp 28 translation and told people to go to you instead. kkk. ^^
    I TOLD my friend she should have waited that damn girl. But she didn’t listen and bugged me to translate. ^^””” I knew I was right. 😀 Oh well, I don’t mind. It was a good chinese exercise. Plus now, my first two posts in my blog is about DMY. kkk. Not a bad topic for the opening of my blog. kkk.
    Anyway, mad props to you. I can really appreciate how much work is put in the translation. 🙂

    • By the way.. I have a question.
      Could you direct me to your version of the novel? It seems as if mine is missing some pieces. I just thankfully noticed because I just did the translation. Otherwise, I would probably have missed this. For example, “Seeing you like this today, I actually already knew the answer. You can go now!” in my version, there’s only “Go!” (niquba). don’t know why it’s incomplete like this. 😮 I want to get my hands on the complete one. kkk.

      • I own my hard copy of the novel. 🙂

        You mean this line:

        他见我如此,眼中痛苦不舍,各种感情夹杂一起,最终全部变成了死寂,一下松开了手,“看到你今日的样子,其实我已经都明白了,你去吧!”

      • Gah. Lucky you. ^^ Haha.
        Do you mind sharing the edition? Like publishing company or something? I think I’ll get it. Because seems like maybe Tong Hua modified her book in the printed version. Hopefully, I can order it.

      • The latest edition of DMY just got released last week. I would buy that instead if you want to buy it. I would if I didn’t already own it. I don’t think she modified it, I pulled that line from a random online edition and it was the same.

      • Oh. So it IS online? I guess Sina just messed their thing up or something.
        I just checked, and it is indeed online as well. It’s interesting though because on Sina, it’s chapter 12 of book 2, but on the other version it’s chapter 13 of book two. I wonder how that happened.
        Anw, thank you for your advice. Will do.

      • Hmm. Seems like the two versions ARE sort of different. and in several places too. not just that cut part.

        我紧咬着下唇,想要抽手,他却不放,又把刚才的问题慢慢地重复了一遍,我嘴唇哆嗦着想说什么,却一个字也说不出来,只身子不停地抖着。
        他见我如此,眼中心疼怜惜加不舍,各种感情夹杂一起,一下松开了手,“你去吧!”

        In the version above, there’s no mention of Yu Er taking out her hands and causing JY to see that. But in the version there is, the hand thing is there. Somehow the small modification changes the nuances a bit. In the first version, there’s no outright rejection from YuEr. In the second out there is. Same with JY. Unlike the first one, in the second one, he clearly states his defeat while in the first one, it seems less permanent. At first, I thought it was only a cut error, but seems like maybe it’s abridged or something? Seems like I just discovered something new today. ^^ and u dont have to reply to this. I just thought it was interesting to see how the scenes could feel different.

        我紧咬着下唇,想要抽手,他却不放,又把刚才的问题慢慢地重复了一遍,我嘴唇哆嗦着想说什么,可看到他的憔悴疲惫,不忍和理智挣扎,实在说不出口,只是狠力抽手。

        他见我如此,眼中痛苦不舍,各种感情夹杂一起,最终全部变成了死寂,一下松开了手,“看到你今日的样子,其实我已经都明白了,你去吧!”

  19. My heart broke when you decided to break up with DMY, so now that you are translating it again, I am completely whole again!!! Thank you.
    This chapter hurts me so bad just because I love Jiu Ye so much! It doesnt help that HQB deserves her just as much… and there’s only one of her. Oh heartache and angst! DMY, please no more pain for my Jiu Ye!!!!!

  20. The imagination is a wondrous thing, it is limitless and the only boundaries it has are the ones the we put on it.

    who says Hu Ge can’t HQB? in our hearts and imaginations, as we read your translated chapters, we are already imagining Hu Ge’s fine form as HQB, and as fine as Eddy may be he will never be more suited to play HQB than Hu Ge.

    I suppose now that Eddy’s on the cast along with Hu Ge, the more appropriate one to play MJ is actually Hu Ge. So I will still follow DMY, but with less expectations from the OTP. Hopefully Hu Ge will be enough of a pull for me to follow this serie all the way through.

    Koala – keep up the good work!

  21. I was so devastated last night when you announced that you would be discontinuing your translations of Da Mo Yao. Your work has me completely hooked and I’ve been scouring the internet for more information about the novels, to little or no avail. Thank you so much for reconsidering!! I was seriously elated to see this post.

    For weeks, I’ve been dreading news of the final casting for the drama (even though I’m completely unfamiliar with Chinese actors and have actually never watched a mainland Chinese drama) since I sensed your continued translations might depend on the outcome. I am so happy that you rose above the unsatisfactory casting. As an avid reader, I feel that rarely do the drama and/or movie adaptations of any novel ever do the original work justice. Even Twilight was better as a novel. And there can be no comparison between Twilight and Da Mo Yao!

    Your translations so vividly bring to life the story of Da Mo Yao, I don’t think we need a drama. They’ll probably just edit out the good parts anyway ;). Looking forward to more of your fantastic work. Thanks again!

    • i believe we do need d drama, if only to further highlight how good koala’s translations of d novel are! i liken that to harry potter novels vs films… lets start a forum/thread when d drama starts to air so we could continue our DMY fever in english & with a common love of koala’s DMY!!! xp

  22. Yes ! I had a feeling you will reconsider ! Thank you ! Hope it will be smooth-sailing from now on and we can reach the end of the voyage with DMY …. Yes , nobody can dictate us who to imagine as HQB , Yu er or Jiu ye … it’s all in the state of mind ….* hugs Koala san *
    I’m sad for the 3 of them …. this chapter is heart-breaking esp. for Jiu ye …..

  23. It has been rumoured that Chinese Entertainment Shanghai will make changes to the ending of the novel so that Huo Qu Bing dies in the war, Jin Yu leaves with her and Huo Qu Bing’s child, while Meng Jiu is alone and reminiscing his and Jin Yu’s past.

    is it true????!!!

  24. Thank you MsKoala for continuing your eloquent translation. I was loss for words when you decided to stop. I’ve always been reading DMY when nursing my baby. So I can see how much passion you put in this project because I keep reading over and over, n can trace no details were lost in your translation.

    Thank you again. 

  25. Thanks koala, I full with happiness when I open your page and new chapter already there can make me feel the fresh air to breath. I Love U :-))

  26. Bravo Ms Koala!! You are a true lover of DMY and loyal to your fans, no doubt about it. I’ve never read any novel in another language other than in English & Malay. I’ve followed your writings from the begining of DMY and was pretty upset when I read that you’re not continuing the translation due to the frustrating events brought about by TR.I know it was rather selfish of me but I had truly hoped you’ll get over your frustration soon and continue with the translation. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for being so magnanimous. Do continue with your good work & may God bless you for bringing joy to most of us here. <3

  27. Thank you a thousand times, Ms.Koala.

    I was sooo sad when I read the previous chapter and the news that you won’t be translating.
    I need your translation desperately as I have become addicted to this novel. I can read Chinese but with limited understanding so your translations are very important to me for understanding this novel.

    After I took a look at the promo pictures, IMO, I dont think Eddie Peng is suitable to play HQB based on appearance. Maybe I am wrong but that would have to wait until I watch it. Yes, I intend to watch this drama !

    • eddie’s face looks too friendly…. even when he doesnt smile, he still looks friendly.
      none of the arrogant kickass vibe that HQB gives me. if they really wanted a taiwanese actor, i tot Mike He can do a pretty good General role since he can look arrogant kickass when he doesnt smile, and look like pure sunshine when he does. =D

      • Oh yeah, Mike He. He’s really badass goodlooking. Physically, he would be a perfect HQB.

      • i hate when he smile.all i can see is how big his chin was.
        Eddie is a charming boy no doubt about that, but i think the hair and the custome didnt suited him quite well.

  28. Just as any drama or novel, has its fans, this book translation has its fans as well. And we’re your fans. So yes, thank you for continuing with the translation and keeping your fans happy!

  29. You are a wonderful person! I am so keen on the novel that I am seriously thinking about learning Chinese so that I can read the original work.

  30. Thanks Tons dear msKoala 🙂 you made a bored ahjumma very very happy. Bless you for sharing your genorosity. its only human to err….but, its too LOW barking Crabby Crap! who needs to watch a drama with Crappy Casting? I’d rather re-read your translation to death with your casting in mind….Seriously.

    Hooraaayy! *licks msK ears*….or *pawing her face* he he he 🙂

  31. Koala…. you’ve made my day….. in fact, I have 3800 more words to write for my essay and your blog is keeping me company as I bang the words out. So imagine how I shrieked and danced around my room when I saw u posted a new chapter. =D =D =D

    while I totally love HQB and how he is so devoted towards Yu Er, I am also a big Jiu Ye fan. And hence cannot help but wonder if Jiu Ye actually had a tiny tiny sliver of a chance, a very small window opening when Yu Er returned to Chang an. And if he had been a tiny bit more proactive after she almost froze to death in the icy waters, instead of waiting in the Bamboo Grove for her to come to him, maybe maybe maybe, he cld have a decent chance. And of cos true to his nature, he sat on his wheelchair and I think the window closed, for good this time. My poor poor poor Jiu Ye.

  32. THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TRANSLATING!! You are the best, most awesome person ever!!! <3 <3 <3

    I'm still not caught up but I'm totally addicted! Can't wait to read more!!

  33. OMO….I wake up and turn to this site and voila…next chapter. I can barely contain my emotions at seeing the next translated title.

    Respect!

  34. wow…. ms. Koala you are too generous!!! Thank you soo much and respect indeed!

    .. and hello again awesome novel ^^

    ending of this chapter is heartbreaking!! For the first time i really feel for Jiu Ye…

  35. Hi Ms Koala, this is my first ever post to you and i wanted to thank you for your simply fantastic translations of DMY. I adored bu bu jing xin and decided that i wanted to read the novel version of DMY before watching the drama version. Kind of like reading harry potter before watching it onscreen.

    Because you said that you wouldnt be translating anymore, i went to hear the audio version. What i can say is, after reading your translations, we dont need to actually read the novel itself or anything like that. Your translations are IT.

    I mean i understand chinese and all, but there are some phrases or words that i might not understand or even some paragraphs because i guess we dont really use some of the words in the novel in our normal daily lives.

    Just wanted to give my appreciation to you for doing all this… It must be hard work. Thank you Thank you Thank you….. 🙂 😉

  36. I really really like Hu ge, Shi Shi and Wallace together too. Its really a pity that TR cant acede to what we want. I was pretty upset when i heard the casting too…… But i have 2 favourite sayings…. 1) The only constant is change and 2) Make the best out of it….. 🙂

  37. There was this variety show that Hu Ge and Liu Shi Shi were in when they were in taiwan and i cant understand what they were saying…. Ms Koala or anybody else, could you help me translate it? Its HG’S and LSS’s favourite sayings…. 云在青天水在瓶 and 世界上有两件事情是最征喊人心的。一件是天上的星空还有一件就是我们心里高尚的道德标准. Thank you so much…. 🙂

    • The second one is from Immanuel Kant I think. It looks similar.
      Immanuel Kant said something about 2 things that fill the mind with admiration and awe, one being the starry heavens above and the other about the moral law within oneself. Something along those lines.

    • Wait til the next chapter…. I literally want to bundle up Jie Ye whisk him away to happy happy land where I can sit and gaze upon his pretty face and he’s not in pain anymore.

      • I really really feel for MJ. If only he was a a wee bit faster in catching up with her. How different would that be. But I guess, if that were to happen, the person I feel sorry for now would be HBQ. Both guys are great. I would feel for both. But what can you do when there’s only one of YE. Even if there is a duplicate of YE, I bet both men will probably won’t fall for the duplicate YE, because essentially, that’s not the YU that they are in love with.

        What I like about the heroines in TH’s stories is that we can understand why the men for the heroines. It’s about blind love or superficial love at first sight. The love is romantic in storytelling, but it’s also legitimate. The heroines are just as caring to the heroes, and it’s not all one-sided only. It just that the caring being displayed is different, according to the recipient.

        In BBJX, I can understand why all the princes (exception of 9th) falls in love with RX. Just as I understand both MJ and HBQ falls in love with YE. To me, they are both unforgettable heroines. However, I like RX a bit more.

  38. thanks ms koala for continuing with the translation. now i am officially differentiating the book from the screw-up piece they called a tv adaptation. *laughs sarcastically* what a bunch of bull!

    hu ge has more of a commanding presence in his mj costume than eddie during the conference. i really hope the fans following the adaptation will at least get a decent series to watch (which it doesn’t sound like it if any of butchering are going to be done). ha!

  39. This is my first comment here. I really want to thank you for translating this novel and giving us the chance to read this wonderful story. I love YE and HBQ relationship and I`m always sooo happy when I see a new chapter. THANK YOU! 😀

  40. Dear Koala,

    I was fully prepared to write a “thank you for as much as you’ve translated, I’m sorry you are so distraught comment” to your last DMY post. As much as I was biting at the bit for another chapter translation, I understood how disappointed you were and how betrayed you felt.

    Then I checked your page on a whim today, and my shrunken heart grew three sizes when I discovered another chapter. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your decision to keep translating! I cannot picture HQB as being played by anyone other than HG either, but life sucks sometimes, and then you get over it. And in this case, I mean you Koala, and I mean it with the highest possible degree of respect, because I absolutely am LOVING DMY and cannot wait to find out what happens in the next chapter. Thank you, and thank you again for your decision to keep translating the text.

    Again – I cannot stress enough how much I appreciate your translations. Koala HWAITING!

  41. thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!!!!
    Ms.K, u’re trully da best!! after reading your parting letter 2 days ago,i fell so depressed bcoz I really love your translation. please keep your wonderful work Ms K, you are the only hope for us the Chinese-illiterate to enjoy this wonderful novel ^^ we are trully appreciate it.
    on the chapter, i’m a HQB-YE shipper through and through bus this chp did make me feel sorry for JY. the triangle love story in DMY is tike a breeze of fresh air in the middle of so called fated love story with capital F which I find like over-used in drama, especially in K drama (hint: moonsunstarsflameraincloudwhateva). both HQB & JY are deserves her,its just the miss-chance factor. I like it.

  42. GOSH! ms. k! almost gulp down all of my whole lotta cup of coffee upon refreshing and voila! chapters! i mean chapters are hear after saying my goodbye to Da Mo Yao last thursday. mind you, i totally said goodbye to this novel last time you have the breaK up letter ha ha!. i have the whole week end mopping. not opening my lappie is the best option ever. but since its monday now, why not try snooping again . hehehe. and there you go! missed all the week end fun lol! anyways. THANKSSSSSSSSS! coz, i know deep inside, we cannot altogether say good bye to this wonderful world of DMY. again thank you for continuing this journey with us. Bless you more miss K!

  43. It truly interesting .A big thanks to u . I have read it over and over again . Thanks for making it a reality for those of us that aren’t aware of DMY and not able to read it our self . U did a wonderful job .

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