*wistful* That would have been nice. But the gimmick might have distracted attention from Zuo Xiaoqing's acting.
Happi Endo #1
In a sleepy hamlet in the middle of nowhere there one day appeared a white- robed gentleman and a lovely maiden, refined in manner and appearance. It's a strange place for such personages to turn up, but they kept to themselves and soon the villagers thought no more of them, nor of the fact that the gentleman would sit for hours under the same tree cradling a scabbard to himself. Such a shame, a fine-looking gentleman like that a poor fool.
One day years later the gentleman was not to be seen under the tree. The curious villagers went to their abode but there was no trace of the couple, nor any sign that the place had ever been inhabited. The villagers murmured that it was a good thing they never had much to do with the couple, who knows what would have come of associating with fox spirits.
But this minor stir was soon forgotten with the news that the old king had passed away and a new King crowned. A new King, yes, surely that's something worth celebrating. _____
A lone man, robed in white, watches the frothing river. Few now know that the clear waters once stank with the blood of a thousand warriors; even fewer know that this unremarkable granite boulder was where the King of Yue decided the fate of the nation, so many years ago. But this man standing here, he knows.
"So you really did turn up, Fan Li." An amused voice, accompanied by a light tap to the shoulder.
"Your Majesty!" Almost by reflex, Fan Li whirls and drops to his knees. "Your Majesty, I came as soon as I heard the news, but I never thought... Your Majesty would turn up too."
"Certainly, since I have given my word. Or have you forgotten that night in the cell?"
Fan Li flushes as the King watches in amusement. He lets Fan Li fidget a while more, and continues, "I can overlook you leaving without a word, but you stole my scabbard as well. I've been carrying an unsheathed sword all these years, you little thief. Now that I've finally caught you perhaps it's time you return the scabbard to me."
Torn between tears and laughter, Fan Li notes that the sword at the King's hip is indeed unsheathed. As warmth spreads in his chest, he starts to hold draw out the sheath, but retracts it at the last moment.
"Your Majesty's scabbard is indeed with me, but I do not intend to hand it over gracefully. Your Majesty will just have to make me."
"Cunning as ever, I see."
"I thank my lord for his regard."
[There be a smexing scene set that night when Gou Jian apologises to Fan Li. I do not care for it.]
I assume so. No idea about Xi Shi, didn't say. (who cares she's not important)
Happi Endo #2 starts off the same way except it has the villagers discovering Fan Li's bloody corpse and shell-shocked Xi Shi when they nosily visit their home. Of course this is the day Gou Jian died. Fan Li's suicide note says "I'm sorry." 2500 years later reincarnated (!!!) Fan Li i.e. Liu Dongbei has a minor accident and is sent to the hospital, there he meets reincarnated Gou Jian Dr. Song Jianping, Dongbei flirts shamelessly with Jianping and it is the start of a Beautiful Friendship.
I suppose it's too much to ask for an ending that's happy but not easy.
Er not sure if I'm reading this correctly but there is a passage in the first ending (after 范蠡张了张嘴却不知该说什么才好 i.e. Fan Li making like a goldfish) which says: 他虽在大王有归隐慨叹之意的时候提出了诈死脱身的计策，并趁着胆色还在时定下了约见之地，但在彼时彼地又是那种境况下说出的话，他却也不曾奢望大王会记在心里。所以当他得知越王驾薨的消息后，也只是抱着姑且一试的心态别过西施，单人独骑等在河边。事实上，他本已打算好日落后便投身于河水中殉身的，只是万万没有想到，大王，竟还记得他的话，并且真的来了。
"...although he had proposed the strategy of faking death to escape when the King had expressed a wish to retire, and had set a meeting place while he still had the courage, it had only been the talk of *that* time and place, and he had not dared to hope that the King would remember it. So when he had received the news of the Yue king's demise, he had bidden farewell to Xi Shi and ridden alone to the river, just to to try. In fact, he had already planned to throw himself into the river at sunset to follow his King in death, and he had never, never, thought that the King would actually have recalled his words, and really come."
OKIC. Thanks. For reasons best known to himself Gou Jian finally fakes his death (err- how?) and slips away to be with Fan Li. And Xi Shi vanishes because she never existed in the first place. (Oh. Plot bunny comes and nibbles on my shins. Must consider it.)
(dunno - maybe AU!Wen Zhong was in on the plot XD. IIRC historical!Gou Jian lived for 8 years after his final conquest of Wu and was succeeded by one of his many sons.)
rabbit pie, glorious rabbit pie! we're anxious to see it :p
It finally registers that 31_days isn't a *drabble* community but a *fic* community. Much more room for ideas. I think the rabbit fricassee may be done by the 16th.
Also, maiden? (for serious, story calls her 姑娘) Even asssuming she was, oh, twelve or something when Fan Li picked her up she'd be in her thirties when they reached the village. Hmm. Maybe she really is a fox spirit; might explain why men find her irresistable.
(fox spirits are known to be fiercely loyal to their benefactors but make fearsome enemies if betrayed.)
Your excellent translation has all the important bits, though ^_^
(I found the preceding parts of the original a tad tough to read, what with the EXPOSITION and the ELUCIDATION of everything that might possibly be going through Fan Li's head >_<)
I must say, this translation sounds better than the original. I actually kind of liked the second one -- who needs happily ever after when you can *really* be happily ever after in all your incarnations.
Speaking as one who has canon reincarnation in a main fandom, it only works if you both remember who you are. Otherwise it gets a bit heart-breaky. But reincarnating as all your other roles ain't a bad way to do it.
Happi Endo #1
In a sleepy hamlet in the middle of nowhere there one day appeared a white- robed gentleman and a lovely maiden, refined in manner and appearance. It's a strange place for such personages to turn up, but they kept to themselves and soon the villagers thought no more of them, nor of the fact that the gentleman would sit for hours under the same tree cradling a scabbard to himself. Such a shame, a fine-looking gentleman like that a poor fool.
One day years later the gentleman was not to be seen under the tree. The curious villagers went to their abode but there was no trace of the couple, nor any sign that the place had ever been inhabited. The villagers murmured that it was a good thing they never had much to do with the couple, who knows what would have come of associating with fox spirits.
But this minor stir was soon forgotten with the news that the old king had passed away and a new King crowned. A new King, yes, surely that's something worth celebrating.
_____
A lone man, robed in white, watches the frothing river. Few now know that the clear waters once stank with the blood of a thousand warriors; even fewer know that this unremarkable granite boulder was where the King of Yue decided the fate of the nation, so many years ago. But this man standing here, he knows.
"So you really did turn up, Fan Li." An amused voice, accompanied by a light tap to the shoulder.
"Your Majesty!" Almost by reflex, Fan Li whirls and drops to his knees. "Your Majesty, I came as soon as I heard the news, but I never thought... Your Majesty would turn up too."
"Certainly, since I have given my word. Or have you forgotten that night in the cell?"
Fan Li flushes as the King watches in amusement. He lets Fan Li fidget a while more, and continues, "I can overlook you leaving without a word, but you stole my scabbard as well. I've been carrying an unsheathed sword all these years, you little thief. Now that I've finally caught you perhaps it's time you return the scabbard to me."
Torn between tears and laughter, Fan Li notes that the sword at the King's hip is indeed unsheathed. As warmth spreads in his chest, he starts to hold draw out the sheath, but retracts it at the last moment.
"Your Majesty's scabbard is indeed with me, but I do not intend to hand it over gracefully. Your Majesty will just have to make me."
"Cunning as ever, I see."
"I thank my lord for his regard."
[There be a smexing scene set that night when Gou Jian apologises to Fan Li. I do not care for it.]
[Ending #2 later]
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Mh yes OK happi endo just... mh well stock slash happi endo complete with coy allusions.
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Happi Endo #2 starts off the same way except it has the villagers discovering Fan Li's bloody corpse and shell-shocked Xi Shi when they nosily visit their home. Of course this is the day Gou Jian died. Fan Li's suicide note says "I'm sorry." 2500 years later reincarnated (!!!) Fan Li i.e. Liu Dongbei has a minor accident and is sent to the hospital, there he meets reincarnated Gou Jian Dr. Song Jianping, Dongbei flirts shamelessly with Jianping and it is the start of a Beautiful Friendship.
I suppose it's too much to ask for an ending that's happy but not easy.
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Er not sure if I'm reading this correctly but there is a passage in the first ending (after 范蠡张了张嘴却不知该说什么才好 i.e. Fan Li making like a goldfish) which says: 他虽在大王有归隐慨叹之意的时候提出了诈死脱身的计策，并趁着胆色还在时定下了约见之地，但在彼时彼地又是那种境况下说出的话，他却也不曾奢望大王会记在心里。所以当他得知越王驾薨的消息后，也只是抱着姑且一试的心态别过西施，单人独骑等在河边。事实上，他本已打算好日落后便投身于河水中殉身的，只是万万没有想到，大王，竟还记得他的话，并且真的来了。
"...although he had proposed the strategy of faking death to escape when the King had expressed a wish to retire, and had set a meeting place while he still had the courage, it had only been the talk of *that* time and place, and he had not dared to hope that the King would remember it. So when he had received the news of the Yue king's demise, he had bidden farewell to Xi Shi and ridden alone to the river, just to to try. In fact, he had already planned to throw himself into the river at sunset to follow his King in death, and he had never, never, thought that the King would actually have recalled his words, and really come."
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rabbit pie, glorious rabbit pie! we're anxious to see it :p
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(fox spirits are known to be fiercely loyal to their benefactors but make fearsome enemies if betrayed.)
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(I found the preceding parts of the original a tad tough to read, what with the EXPOSITION and the ELUCIDATION of everything that might possibly be going through Fan Li's head >_<)
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(Same. Skipped right to the happi endo and smex.)
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But reincarnating as all your other roles ain't a bad way to do it.
Just as long as they don't reincarnate as the Jasmine Flower roles, that's really heart-breaky.
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