Everywhere In Jianghu Is Wonderful Chapter 1

At 22 years of age, Shen Qian Ling won his first Best Male Lead award.

Afterwards just as he, holding the award, was moved to tears, a piece of the ceiling fell down loudly, and accurately hit his head without mistake.

And afterwards he just.....traveled through time!

Qin Shao Yu: If Ling-er is willing, Zhui Ying sect can have the wedding anytime.

Shen Qian Ling: To be honest, I am extremely reluctant about this.

Read first: there's a word play about h.o.m.ophones later on, so I'm clarifying it now to not break the flow.

Gong Zhu: 宫主, 公主 - both are p.r.o.nounced gong zhu, but 宫主 is the leader of a 宫观 (gong guan), a general term for taoist buildings where pract.i.tioners live, train, hold events etc. I will be translating it as 'sect leader', just like the rest of the martial art pract.i.tioner groups.

公主 is princess. To leave the wordplay intact, I will use 'gong zhu' in conversations but their respective english terms in internal thoughts.

[Chapter 1 - Dramatically travelled through time] A very handsome fiancé

The pleasant spring of March; mist-like rain falls on Jiang Nan.

On Qin Huai river, the sounds of qin comes from all directions; the peach blossoms on the banks are in full bloom. This should be a good time to travel around, but something serious happened in Jiang Hu. (1)

Ri Yue Sect's Shen Qian Ling fell from a tree, and lost his memories.

This news is truly out of the ordinary.

The heroes all say, although martial art sects are in trend now, the ones who truly have power are but four sects. In the northeast, Wu Xue Men; in the northwest, Duan Qing Gu; in the southwest, Tang Fortress, and last but not least in Jiang Nan, Ri Yue Sect. (2)

And as for this unlucky Shen Qian Ling, he's the most treasured, youngest son of the leader of Ri Yue sect, Shen Feng; there isn't anyone who doesn't know he is elegance defined.

"My poor Ling-er!" In the splendid courtyard, a beautiful middle-aged lady is currently crying; rouge is spread all over her face.

"Mother." A frail, beautiful youth appeared at the window, "Why haven't you gone back." They have already said their goodbyes seven, eight minutes ago; if she continues crying like this, he himself will get a misplaced "instead of losing my memory, I have already died or else why would mother cry until like this" kind of feeling.

"Mother can't bear to leave you." The middle-aged lady wiped her tears with her handkerchief, "All can be blamed on your jerk of a father; to not even let us mother and son spend more than two hours together; his heart is like stone."

This is why he's my biological father, right? Shen Qian Ling lamented strongly in his heart; or else after seeing her toss and turn and hearing her cry and complain, he will collapse; there's even a chance of him vomiting blood and fainting again.

Just the thought of it is scary.

After sending away his mother with much difficulty, Shen Qian Ling sat on the bed again, and casually grabbed a pastry to eat, continuing to listen to a servant boy talk about past times; his mood so severe that he can't look directly at him.

Because three days ago, he was still the best newcomer at the movie awards; who knew that while he was holding on to the award, and moved to tears, a piece of ceiling hit his head before he could say anything; after waking up his name didn't change, his looks didn't change, but his ident.i.ty has changed to that of the young master of Ri Yue Sect.

Young! Master! When he heard this phrase, Shen Qian Ling instantly turned to stone. He indeed did wish to show off in front of a bunch of sycophants (3) but that is just a wish, how can it just come true just because he said so; also getting knocked to the point of traveling through time when he just got his award; this entire situation is simply too pitiful.

"Don't worry Ling-er, even if I have to dig three feet(4), father will find out who's the mastermind behind this!" As he just woke up, the sect leader held his hands with overflowing feelings, and stared at him and said, "When the time comes, whether it's to flay, flagellate, braise or fry them, it's all up to you."

A s.h.i.+ver went down Shen Qian Ling's back, flay and flagellate?

"Despicable, to actually target Ling-er, if this revenge is not fulfilled, how can I still be his older brother!" (5) A youth, wearing exquisite clothes, also couldn't restrain his anger. He even drew out his sword and chopped the redwood table into two; he's very furious.

Under the crisp sound of china hitting the ground and breaking, Shen Qian Ling is instantly tearful. A glance at this family and it's obvious they are violent people; if they know that this person in front of them has been secretly switched, it's not unexpected for them to immediately a.s.semble a bunch of wood and burn him as a demon. No matter what, self-preservation comes first; losing one's integrity is better than becoming a roast duck.

And he held the sect leader's hand, and whimpered, "Father, I think I lost my memories." There's truly a professional actor's feel.

Once he finished his sentence, the world around him immediately quieted down.

Shen Qian Ling looked at the others innocently; his heart uneasy. It can't be they don't believe it, if he's discovered he will die; at this kind of moment, one must be calm.

"Lost your memories?" The sect leader repeated skeptically.

Shen Qian Ling exerted his acting muscles; aggrieved eyes full of tears, a stunned and lost expression, "Yes, I can't remember the past."

"What kind of fate is this......" The sect leader's wife said, and promptly fainted.

Shen Qian Ling: "......"

"Can't remember anything at all?" The sect leader can barely hide his worry.

Letting an elder worry over him, Shen Qian Ling feels a bit guilty; but even if he's guilty, he's not so stupid as to admit to everything. Moreover, no matter what it's still better than directly telling him "I think your son has already died", and so he nodded.

The sect leader sighed, "Probably b.u.mped your head when you fell off the tree."

Just as he finished his sentence, the aforementioned youth with exquisite clothes drew out his sword again, and angrily split a chair in half.

Shen Qian Ling looked at him with a complicated expression.

Do you have a vendetta with the carpenter.

"Don't worry Ling-er, older brother will find you all the famous physicians in the world!" The youth vowed.

"...... Uh, it will be hard on you."(6) Saying more means slipping up more; Shen Qian Ling decides to be a man of few words.

Luckily no one called the situation into question; Shen Qian Ling successfully pa.s.sed the first level, and even gained a servant boy, a standard of time-travel - he's reportedly his servant that has accompanied him since childhood. And so in these few days, Shen Qian Ling frequently pulled him over to ask all sorts of things; no matter how the future will be, it can't be wrong to know more about this world.

"You losing your memories is truly extraordinary." the servant boy said while helping him to ma.s.sage his thighs(7), "Jiang Hu is in an uproar after hearing the news."

"Why?" Shen Qian Ling said, surprised, "Could it be that he.....I was previously a famous figure in Jiang Hu?"

"Of course!" the servant boy said delightedly, "In today's martial arts world, who doesn't know about young master Shen of Ri Yue sect."

"How am I famous?" Shen Qian Ling becomes interested; could it be that he's a highly skilled user? If that's the case, it's still a bit refres.h.i.+ng.

"Because young master is good looking!" the servant boy begin to talk without end, "When you were appreciating the scenery at Xi Hu (8), a lot of young ladies ended up fighting in a bid to get a glance at you; some even lost their embroidered shoes!"

Shen Qian Ling almost choked on his saliva.

"The second head of the northwest's Duan Qing Gu even personally brought pearls and jade here to propose, hoping to tie the knot with young master." the servant boy, delighted, continued, "I'm not boasting here, from three hundred years ago to three hundred years in the future, someone with the looks like young master is the rarest of the rare; it's as if a deity has descended, how can an normal person have such good looks?"

"Are you just flattering me?" Shen Qian Ling asked.

"Of course not!" The servant boy seems to be greatly insulted, "Although my status is low, I still have my own principles, why would I be such a bootlicker?"

"Oh right, I haven't asked for your name." Shen Qian Ling is a bit apologetic; from the time he woke up, he just saw him busy bringing tea and water; the family members just say he's called Ah Dou (9), and did not say much else.

"I'm called Qi Bao Dou Fu!" (10) The servant boy stuck out his chest proudly.

Shen Qian Ling laughed out loud, "Why do you have the name of a dish?"

"I was named by you, young master." The servant boy muttered.

Shen Qian Fan, fascinated, "I named you this kind of funny name?"

"How is this name funny!" The servant boy protested, "Clearly, it's nice to look at and good to eat, young master even told me a literary quotation at that time; it was so touching."

"Still, we should change your name." Shen Qian Ling thought for a bit, "Why don't we call you Bao Dou?" (11) It's nice to hear, simple, short and explosive; it suits his boisterous personality.

"Bao Dou?" The servant boy thought for a bit, and felt that it's not bad and so he happily accepted it, "Good! I will be called Bao Dou!"

"Then let's continue talking about the past." Shen Qian Ling said, "I know quite a bit about the sect matters already, is there anything else? Such as....between me and second brother, whose martial arts is stronger?" Since the second master can split a redwood table, chair with one sword swing, so he's not weak, but Shen Qian Ling later found out that he has the weakest martial arts skill among all the young masters.

"Since second brother has the weakest martial art skills among all of father's sons, then I should be pretty decent, right?" Shen Qian Ling is full of antic.i.p.ation.

"Young master, you think too much." The servant boy said gravely, "The reason why the second young master's martial art skill is considered the weakest, it's because they have never taken you into account in the first place."

And then Shen Qian Ling calmly accepted this?

Absolutely not.

In fact, the whites of his eyes immediately appeared, and he fainted.

Reality is cruel.

"Young master!" The servant, frightened, quickly shouted for the physician.

How can he just faint like this.

Half an hour later, Shen Qian Ling's bedside is surrounded by ten physicians, and outside the bedroom, the sect leader Shen Feng is in distress.

"My Ling-er!" The middle-age lady begin to cry to the heavens while hitting the floor.

The servant boy kneeled on the ground, trembling with fear, "I don't know what happened too, we were chatting pleasantly, and after I said he doesn't know martial arts, young master promptly fainted on the bed."

Sect leader Shen sighed deeply, "When he was asked to practice last time, he cried and screamed and resolutely didn't want to train; why did he faint because of this now?"

"If something happens to Ling-er, I don't want to live either!" The middle-aged lady is still tearfully wiping her eyes; the scene is certainly very moving.

Sect leader Shen is beginning to have a splitting headache.

After being seen by the physicians, no diagnosis can be found; they can only conjecture that since he hurt his head previously, and got a shock just now, and hence he fainted. After an hour, all the people in the sect received verbal instructions from the sec leader — from now on no matter how the young master asks, everyone must say that he is a highly skilled martial arts user. It's just that he was targeted by someone, and lost his internal energy temporarily.

However this situation is a series of misunderstandings; after getting his head hit, Shen Qian Ling still hasn't fully recovered, and so he may faint without warning; it's simply a coincidence this time.

He is truly wronged this time.

"Really?" After Shen Qian Ling woke up, he has his suspicions about "I was formerly a highly skilled martial arts user!"

"Of course." Bao Dou said sincerely, "Young master defeated thousands with one move, and battled with the demonic sects alone; you were very great."

Shen Qian Ling is visibly shocked by this news.

"It's only that young master has always been indifferent to fame, and so to outsiders these were all attributed to the first young master. " Bao Dou bragged, "In reality they were all done by you."

Shen Qian Ling lowered his head and looked at his slim arms, and felt that they are suddenly full of power.

"Ling-er." A tall and attractive man pushed the door open and walked in; with elegantly shaped eyes and brows, and wearing an azure robe, he cuts a sleek figure; he's very handsome.

"First young master." The servant boy quickly stood up from the bedside.

"Big......brother?" Shen Qian Ling tried calling him.

"On the way here I only heard you lost your memories, how can you forget even me?" The man sighed, "I should hit you."

Shen Qian Ling shrunk his neck a little.

"I am your oldest brother, Shen Qian Feng." The man sat by his bedside, "You really can't remember anything?"

Shen Qian Ling nodded with a sincere expression.

"Oh well, all those troublesome stuff from the past, it's alright if you don't remember them," Shen Qian Feng rubbed his head, "it's better for Ling-er to be a bit foolish."

Shen Qian Ling: "....."

After a bit of small talk, a servant came over hastily, saying that the sect leader wants the first young master to go over to discuss official business.

"I will come to see you again later." Shen Qian Feng stood up.

Shen Qian Ling nodded, saw him to the door with his eyes, and turned to ask Bao Dou, "My relations.h.i.+p with big brother is very close?"

"Yes." Bao Dou nodded, "Although everyone in this sect is specially concerned about young master, but young master has always been the closest to first young master."

Shen Qian Ling swiftly placed him as the first person he can rely on.

"Since first young master has come back, then Qin Gong Zhu should be arriving in two day's time." Bao Dou looked at him with a worried expression, "I think young master also doesn't remember Qin Gong Zhu."

There's even a princess? Shen Qian Ling, surprised, said, "I really don't remember."

"Ugh." Bao Dou sighed, "If not for the demonic sect's hindrance, young master could have been married to Gong Zhu last year, and wouldn't have lost your memories now."

Wait, a large part of this information seems to have been omitted!

Shen Qian Ling's head is a bit muddled, "Did you say....married "to" just now?" Shouldn't be it be marrying?! (12)

"To become related to Qin Gong Zhu by marriage, of course we will be marrying to there." Bao Dou earnestly said.

Shen Qian Ling consoled himself; there are probably conversational taboos in the palace. (13)

If he looks at it from another point of view, fate actually treated him quite well, not only did he time traveled to a rich family, he even has a princess as a fiancée. In his previous life he was an orphan; to suddenly have such a large number of relatives, strictly speaking, this can be counted as good luck right?

Shen Qian Ling slowly accepted his new ident.i.ty.

But this ident.i.ty quickly crumbled to pieces two days later.

Because sect leader Qin has come back.

Today in the early morning, Shen Qian Ling was already dragged out of bed by Bao Dou, and had his hair washed and combed and his clothes changed; he even had a petal bath; he was still not done after spending an hour cleaning up.

"Does it need to be so formal?" Shen Qian Ling is surprised.

"To see Qin Gong Zhu, naturally it must be a bit more grandiose!" Bao Dou helped him to straighten out his hair, put in a white jade hairpin, and changed into a white brocade robe. The second young master happened to be pa.s.s by the window after he finished wearing it, and stuck his head in to praise, "What a alluring and beautiful man."

Shen Qian Ling was successfully shocked into becoming numb.

"Since young master has now met with misfortune, Gong Zhu shouldn't be mocking you without care like in the past." Bao Dou urged while tying his waistband, "But if he still is talking carelessly, young master can pretend that he doesn't exist; as long as you don't cry and run away like in the past." That was deeply embarra.s.sing.

"Ke ke." Shen Qian Ling choked on his own saliva, let's not talk about crying while run away for the time being, but mocking.....could it be that the princess is a hooligan? Shouldn't she be a shy and gentle daughter of a prestigious family. Shen Qian Ling frowned, it seems like there's a bit of a difference from his impression. How can there be such an unrestrained princess; this is irrational.

But scenes that are even more irrational coming up; after an arduous wait till noon to have lunch, Shen Qian Ling weakly made his way to the dining hall, held by Bao Dou. Upon looking up, he sees that there's a young man in red clothes sitting beside his father; he is currently smiling fervidly at Shen Qian Ling.

Where is the princess?

"Sit." Shen Qian Feng, helping him to pull his chair out, "Is your head still dizzy?"

"Thanks big brother, I am already fine." Shen Qian Ling said negligently while continuing to search for the princess; he is really extremely dedicated to this.

"Who is Ling-er finding?" The red-clothed man smiled and asked.

"You are?" Shen Qian Ling hesitated.

"I am Qin Shao Yu." The red-clothed man smirked.

All the people around the table looked at him nervously.

What kind of situation is this even? Shen Qian Ling is also very nervous; could it be that previously he had a good relations.h.i.+p with this man, and he should be uncontrollably elated?

"Please don't blame him Qin Gong Zhu, Ling-er fell and hurt his head a few days ago." The sect leader sighed.

"Sect leader worries too much." Qian Shao Yu has not stopped looking at Shen Qian Ling for one moment, "There isn't even enough time to dote on him, how can I bear to blame him?"

The tone was gentle and excessively fawning; almost everyone at the table were moved!

Except for Shen Qian Ling!

He looked at the red-clothed man in shock!

He couldn't even say a sentence!

There seems to be something wrong with this conversation?

"Has Ling-er remembered me?" Qin Shao Yu asked earnestly.

Shen Qian Ling continues to be stunned!

And Qin Shao Yu continues to affectionately say, "If Ling-er is willing, my Zhui Yingsect can hold a wedding anytime."

Thunder rolled across the sky.

Shen Qian Ling dizzily grabbed the hand of his big brother; he really needs to calm down.

"Don't be scared." Shen Qian Feng urgently comforted him, "If you are not prepared, the marriage can be delayed without consequences; Shao Yu absolutely won't force you to marry him."

Sure enough, it's like this!

Shen Qian Ling's vision faded to black, and dramatically fainted.

The heavens can prove, that this time he really, really fainted from shock.
 

(1) Jiang Hu: 江湖 - To put it simply, it’s referring to people who do not have average lives eg. wanderer etc. Can also mean the entire world in general, depending on context. Goes deeper than this.

(2)Explanation of the various sect names

Wu Xue Men: 无雪门 - lit. no snow door.

Duan Qing Gu: 断情谷 - lit. broken feeling valley.

Tang Fortress: 唐家堡 - lit. Tang family fortress.

Ri Yue Sect: 日月山庄 - lit. Sun/Day Moon Mountain Village. Although it means village, in this context it's a place where people have to get admitted into so I translated it as sect instead.

Comes later but I'll put it here too:

Zhui Jin Sect: 追影宫 - lit. place of chasing shadows. 宫 usually means palace, but in this case it refers to the taoist place where they train, live etc.

(3) sycophants: the exact word is 狗腿 - lit. dog leg. There's a couple of meanings but in this context, it's most likely minnan dialect for "people who curry favor".

(4) dig three feet: 掘地三尺 - lit. dig three feet into the ground. Means to search thoroughly, to the point of not being able to search anymore.

(5) older brother: 二哥 - more specifically, second oldest brother.

(6) hard on you: 有劳 - lit. have labor. To acknowledge that someone has/is going to do much work/exert much effort.

(7) ma.s.sage his thigh: 捶腿 - lit. to thump the thighs with fists.

(8) Xi Hu: 西湖 - lit. west lake. Should be the one in Hangzhou, one of China's top ten scenic spots.

(9) Ah Dou: 阿豆 - lit. Ah Bean. I supposed an english equivalent is Beanie?

(10) Qi Bao Dou Fu: 七宝豆腐 - lit. seven treasures bean curd....literally the name of a dish.

(11) Bao Dou: 宝豆 - lit. treasured bean.

(12) married to and taking a wife: 嫁 (jia) is getting married "out into the spouse's family", while 娶(qu) is marrying someone "into their own family" . It can be generally a.s.sumed their children will take the surname of the person who married their spouse "into their own family." Usually 嫁 is used for women marrying their husbands and 娶 is the other way round, which explains Shen Qian Ling's confusion.

(13) Shen Qian Ling is consoling himself because, as a guy, he 'lost face' marrying into the woman's family, as per (ancient) chinese prejudices. He means to say that people won't bring up that he was the one who married into the family instead of the princess, so it's not too bad.

Let me know if there's any mistakes!