- Other than being a bit stoic and eccentric, Gu Nan Yi in the drama looked fairly normal but that’s not the case in the novel. Gu Nan Yi in the novel is truly devoid of emotions when Zhi Wei first met him. In fact, our heroine had even wondered if he was like a zombie or something.
Here the hilarious first conversation between Zhi Wei and Gu Nan Yi:
“Hey…Hero.”
Not moving at all, the man stares at the air in front of him and says “Hey, hero.”
“……”
“Who are you?”
“Who are you?”
“……”
“…I am Wei Zhi”
“…I am Wei Zhi”
“……”
Unable to keep going, a crestfallen Zhi Wei wonders if this guy is really a zombie? A beautiful zombie?
The man stands quietly, seemingly to be pondering then suddenly shook his head.
Her eyes brightening at the man’s first “human like” gesture, Zhi Wei decides to change the topic. “Hero, there is no grudge between us so why did you grab me?”
Finally responding normally, the man replies “Grab person.”
…what does that mean?
“Grab who?”
“Person.”
Fuming, Zhi Wei thought, Of course I know I am a person.
Trying again, Zhi Wei asks “The one you wanted to grab is me?”
“To grab the person in the house.”
Taken aback, Zhi Wei asks after a moment “No matter who? As long as it is someone in the house? The problem is that there were lots of people in the house at that time.”
Seemingly thinking for a moment, the man replies slowly, his voice completely flat while keeping his gaze level at the ground in front of him as if he is someone who is short of a few fuses but Zhi Wei knows someone like that can’t possibly be as good at fighting as this man is. (Unlike the drama, in the novel, very few people in that world could win Gu Nan Yi in a fight.)
The man answers “They said, to grab the person in the house.”
Blinking blankly for a few moments, Zhi Wei finally figures out a few things. Apparently, the man was sent on a mission to grab the physician. Since the physician always lived alone so this man was told to just grab the person in the house. Unfortunately, she showed up at that time. The man had tried to grab the physician but he ducked out of the way, so she ended up getting grabbed. What bad luck!
After standing in the cold for hours, Zhi Wei finally yells in frustration.
“What are you doing?!”
“Wait.”
“What for whom?”
“Them.”
Groaning, Zhi Wei knew it was pointless to ask about “them” so she asked instead “Why aren’t they coming?”
“Don’t know.”
Fuming, Zhi Wei looks around at the wilderness that seems to be without any discernable features until it suddenly dawns on her “Your meeting point is out here in the wilderness? Did you make a mistake?”
Turning his neck to look at his surrounding the man finally replies “Maybe.”
Zhi Wei finally convinces Gu Nan Yi to leave with her thinking it wouldn’t be bad to get a free bodyguard…and that’s how our poor heroine ends up getting stuck with a very stubborn Gu Nan Yi.
Later that night, while washing up by the river, Zhi Wei finally noticed a drop of blood on her forehead. Realizing belatedly that Ning Yi had been hurt…and that he must’ve been hurt because of what she did to his saddle, Zhi Wei stares at her reflection for a long time until she finally wipes the blood away.
I liked this little scene here a lot because it showed that while our hero has repeatedly stopped himself for doing the wise thing- kill Zhi Wei, Zhi Wei herself is starting to have some mix feelings towards Ning Yi…who until this time is someone she would’ve gladly gotten rid of if it was in her power to do so. Unlike the drama where there was almost an instant sizzling attraction between our two leads the moment they met, the vibe between our two leads in the novel was more like two people destined to be lifelong nemesis.
- With nowhere to go, Zhi Wei ends up at Qing Ming College. Thanks to Xin Ziyan’s little jade stamp which gave people the misunderstanding that she is somehow connected to Xin Ziyan (who is the headmaster at the college), Zhi Wei has no problem becoming one of the college students. (Like in the drama, Gu Nan Yi went everywhere with Zhi Wei in the college as well.)
- Remember the bit in the drama where Zhi Wei was put on the spot to answer a teacher’s question about what to do concerning a situation with a prince bringing a horse into the Capital? While everyone came up with various countermeasures, Zhi Wei’s answer was to do nothing. This is also the scene that caused her to end up on Princess Shao Ning’s radar. The next part will continue from this scene after Xin Ziyan has quietly listened to Zhi Wei’s answer and left without drawing attention to himself to greet a guest.
“How did you find time to come today.” Pouring a cup of tea for his guest, Xin Ziyan gaze suddenly focused on something “How did you get hurt?”
“I wasn’t careful.” Obviously unwilling to divulge more than that, the guest pulls down his sleeve and changes the subject “Headmaster Xin is becoming such a cheapskate. You have hidden away all the good teas, if I didn’t come here I would’ve not been able to enjoy this.”
“You did miss something good, but it wasn’t the tea. There was something quite entertaining you missed.” All smiles, Xin Ziyan laments.
“Oh?”
“Just now, Teacher Hu was holding a political discussion and I listened in for a bit. I actually heard a brilliant discussion.” His smile widening, Xin Ziyan continues “The best part is that the person’s answer was actually the exact same answer you gave years ago.”
Pleased when his guest seemed mildly surprised, Xin Ziyan tap the man’s shoulder with his fan and asks “So, do you have any interest to see this student?”
Silent, the guest stands in front of the window as the bright afternoon sunshine sheds light on his unreadable expression.
Prince Chu, Ning Yi.
(In the drama, Zhi Wei entered into the college under the full knowledge of Ning Yi and Xin Ziyan but in the novel, neither men are aware of her identity at this point thanks to her super disguise.)
All text copyright @ www.Ninja-Reflection.com
I know you guys are getting impatient for scenes between our two leads, but I just need to cover some background before we get there. Luckily, we will get there very soon.
Yes!! Can’t wait for those scenes… Thank you so much for your work 😀
I’m so impatient but some background is actually essential as well 🙄 I’m willing to go through those hard time especially since i love scenes between NY and XZ haha.
i’m waiting for the next chapter
i more like the novel version than the drama version
especially the ending
the drama ending is too sad
i think the novel ending is more logic,
bethink our two leads have outstanding brain
Totally enjoyed your translation this week! Keep up the excellent job! You are helping us keep TROP alive in our hearts. This background on Gu Nanyi and Xin Ziyan is really helpful and somewhat different from the drama.
I am confused what did ZW did to Ning Yi saddle, that he got hurt? And how did ZW got Xin Ziyan stamp? In the drama, he gave it to her, is that what happens in the novel as well? Question, in the novel, ZW enters the college dress as a man, are you saying that neither one of them knows that?
She has various hella good face disguises like, you know, fake/animal skin face put on and some makeup haha
The novel doesn’t explain exactly but it sounds like perhaps our heroine had loosen the clasp on the saddle so that when Ning Yi made a big movement it immediately came undone. Again, the author didn’t tell us why our heroine did it but my assumption is that it was our heroine’s little way of getting back at our hero. Judging by Zhi Wei’s reaction later, she obviously didn’t mean for him to get hurt but had only meant it more like a prank.
Remember the part when our heroine helped Xin Ziyan at the brothel to avoid his wife and he didn’t have any money to pay her except the jade stamp? That’s when she got it.
Yap, our hero nor Xin Ziyan knew of our heroine’s true identity. Like I said, this is set in a much more supernatural universe than the drama portrayed so when we say disguise we mean serious business. None of the tie your hair up then you are a “man” like in the drama. In most WuXia novels, disguises usually involves an ultra skin like mask that will instantly transform the person’s feature. Zhi Wei didn’t do much to her body other than changing her mannerism (posture and the way she walks) so that she just looks like a small guy…which is why Ning Yi kept starring at her, feeling like her figure reminds him of a certain someone.
I’m absolutely obsessed with this! Thank you for your incredible effort and work doing the translation of scenes from the book. I understand that you’re setting up right now for future translated scenes, so there’s not as much interaction as yet. I look forward to the sizzling scenes between the leads!
I’m also especially interested in whether or not Ning Yi ends up near-death with the epidemic in Minhai, and if Zhiwei was as beside herself with panic as in the show. I feel like the show may have skipped a few more heartfelt and romantic scenes in that segment.
Thank you, thank you and thank you again!
Bravo! This was an excellent translation. I love reading about Gu Nanyi’s interaction with Zhi Wei as well. I was moved by their friendship in the drama and would love to read more interactions between them. Thank you so much for your efforts. You rock!
Wait, so Xin Ziyan thinks ZW is a male student? Also, I wanted to ask if in the book, the last empire ended because there was a bad apple who abused his power and the people revolted like in the novel. From the few hints you’ve translated it sounds like in the book, the last empire was eons ago, not one generation ago. Could you say a little more about the context of how the new empire came to be? TY!
The last empire ended because those in power were getting more and more corrupted…and as the two leads in Fuya foretold, every empire’s time to end will come eventually. (The author didn’t elaborate on how all that came about but it was clear that the people weren’t exactly too upset by change.) The last empire ended when the current Emperor (Ning Yi’s father) came into power so nope, not that long ago. If you remember the bridge scene (in the novel translation), Ning Yi talked about how his father stood triumphantly on that bridge while all the court officials from the last empire bowed to him.
Love it 😍
100 episodes made. Only 70 released. Any plans to release other 30 in future?
I am guessing there is little hope of that. I am assuming they actually didn’t complete the 30 episodes, so it would take a whole lot of reshooting and editing before they could release them. Not to mention the difficulty it would take to get all the actors to clear enough in their schedule to just do reshoots… I don’t see it happening.
Thank you for all the work you put in. Appreciate translation of novel.
Wish more interest in having English edition of novel.
Waiting for Monday!!
Looking for #6
looking for #6 too
o_o