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The Cruelty of the Innocent? (2)
T/N: Translated by Jen on Broken Jinsei! Please do not repost my translations! All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
Jing Wan pulled along Yu Yao Wenzhu’s hand and began to stroll around, “Yu Yao, how come just see you alone? Where are your parents?” The Grand Elder Princess and Jiang-fuma scaling the gates, there was no reason for the people outside to not inform them, and only small c hildren, due to sometimes being unable to restrain, running too fast, not having any threat, would they let in.
“Still at home. Because don’t know how long I still have to wait for them, I just came over first.” Yu Yao giddily laughed, “Cousin-in-law, your maiden family, when will they come?”
The Grand Elder Princess Manor, because of their political standing, weren’t close with many people, and Yu Yao, in essence, was actually somewhat similar to her mother, prideful and laid-back. Those that they were able to fancy, they were naturally close to, but aside from this, even blood relations all wasn’t able to make them do anything.
The Luo family’s sixth miss and seventh miss, for Yu Yao to have been willing to bother with them in the beginning, perhaps had the factor of Jing Wan, but afterwards, they really ended up playing together.
“Afraid, will still have to wait a little longer.”
“Oh.” Yu Yao was a bit sad, but in an instant became happy again, “Cousin-in-law, how come there’s this many little animals in your manor? What all are there? So many I’ve never seen before. They all look very cute.” Leaning against the specially made exquisite and aesthetically pleasing fence, her eyes were particularly bright, hating that she can’t run up and have them all taken into her arms, vigorously petting.
“You know how it’s my birthday, your older cousin specially sought them out for me.” Even though she was clearly facing a little girl, Jing Wan still somewhat had the intention of showing off. And after saying it, she finally realized in hindsight, inwardly scolding herself.
“Oh, older cousin’s birthday present for you….” Yu Yao’s little face sunk again.
If she was a little rabbit, her ears would all be drooping down.
“Yu Yao likes? Then, I’ll give you two, what do you think?”
“Can you?” Those rabbit ears most likely erected again.
A child’s face like the sixth month’s sky, really changing very quickly.
“But, this is from older cousin, won’t it be not too good?” Yu Yao was a bit hesitant. Her mother said, for a woman, as long as it was something from their husband, even if as an esteemed wenzhu, still can’t easily ask for. That isn’t as simple as just a beloved object. Yu Yao actually didn’t understand very well, but it didn’t get in the way of her listening to her mother.
As for why the Grand Elder Princess said this kind of thing to her daughter, cough, it was purely ‘using herself as an example’.
Jing Wan instantly understood inside. Yu Yao, as the Grand Elder Princess’s youngest daughter, was greatly doted on. Perhaps she was a bit spoiled, but all in all, she was actually raised very well by the Grand Elder Princess. Perhaps because she was disappointed by her first daughter, as such, on her youngest daughter, she poured in even more effort.
“It’s fine, cousin-in-law has a lot here, but after taking back, Yu Yao must properly take care of them, and in the future, even if you don’t like anymore, can’t casually throw away, instead having them given back to cousin-in-law, alright?”
Yu Yao was full of promises, and afterwards, with her eyes sparkling, began to go pick the beloved pets she wanted to take back.
TN: All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
Speaking of which, the cats and dogs in the Grand Elder Princess Manor weren’t few either. Just, the great majority were all relatively common breeds.
Yu Yao in the end was just a little girl. In the capital, even if there were people that raised rare animals for the high officials and nobles to play with, Yu Yao still hasn’t come in contact with before. This while, seeing all these different kinds, she just started asking Jing Wan what they were one by one.
Jing Wan patiently answered, thinking to herself, in many aspects, sure enough, it was still the world of her past life that further possessed an advantage. For example, the various different kinds of fascinating species in the natural world, even very small children were able to see, and even if unable to see in person, they can still learn from tv or the internet. But, at present, even the people of the wealthy upper class, in their lifetime, they all may not necessarily be able to see that many.
Yu Yao’s understanding towards many of these animals also mostly came from books. Right now, seeing the image described in the text matching with reality, she repeatedly exclaimed in admiration. Just, looking at these little guys, she very much suspect, were they really those fierce, powerful, and valiant wild beast that would even eat people? Although cousin-in-law said that these were all young, still having yet to possess predatory senses, but the disparity between a fully grown beast and a cub was just this big? Little Yu Yao’s heart began to stir, wanting to see their fully grown form.
“Cousin-in-law, give me a little lion an a little tiger, alright?”
Jing Wan blinked. Shouldn’t little girls like cats, dogs, and such? “Yu Yao, lions and tigers just look very cute right now. In the future, when it grows up, it’ll look completely different.”
“I know, I just want to see their fierce appearance after they’ve grown up.”
“Then, Yu Yao can wait until after they grow up to come look at again.”
“But I further want to watch them grow up. ———–Cousin-in-law, can they not be given to me?”
“Rather no, Yu Yao, it’s like this. If it’s just a little cat or dog, I can directly give to you, but lions and tigers are too dangerous, so need to wait until after asking your mother, and she agrees, can I give to you.” Jing Wan stared at Yu Yao. Could it be that this little loli actually had a valiant heart?
“Alright.” Yu Yao was well-behaved, not throwing a tantrum.
Yu Yao also saw that perfume fox, for a moment, also very elated, petting it again and again, unwilling to let go, entirely emitting air of fondness.
The perfume fox was extremely hard to obtain. The energy spent on this one perfume fox alone, perhaps even exceeded all the other animals. As such, afraid she can’t give away. Of course, this wasn’t because it was rare, thus unwilling to give, but rather, because she can’t betray the feelings of the man that gave it to her. Jing Wan contemplated how to refuse Yu Yao that also won’t make her sad.
Afterwards, even if looking at other little guys, Yu Yao still carried in her arms.
All the way until, “Wangfei, Luo family’s old madam, madam, young madam, as well as the young misses and young masters have arrived.”
“Ah, they’ve finally come.” Yu Yao just was about to put down the perfume fox, but was immediately somewhat reluctant again. However, in the end, she still put it down.
Jing Wan lightly lifted her brow. This is completely not planning on wanting?
“Yu Yao doesn’t want?” Jing Wan purely was curious about Yu Yao’s thoughts and not deliberately teasing, even though not planning on giving.
“Want, but, there’s just one. If I take away, cousin-in-law won’t have one anymore. Mother said, regardless of what, even if one likes, still can’t forcibly take other people’s beloved things.” Yu Yao was just like a little adult, putting on a serious look.
Indeed, for the lion and tiger previously, there wasn’t just one, “Yu Yao really is a good child.” Jing Wan stroked her head, “This perfume fox cousin-in-law indeed can’t give you. Your older cousin finally found this one after great difficult. Look, if your mother agrees, I’ll give you two little lions and two little tigers, alright?”
“Thank you cousin-in-law.” Yu Yao smilingly nodded, “Then, cousin-in-law, can I take one to the front to play with right now? Didn’t you say that they’re still small right now and have been trained before, so won’t harm people? I will properly look after it.”
Seeing Yu Yao’s eager little gaze, Jing Wan hesitated for a moment, but ultimately agreed.
Yu Yao picked up a little tiger cub and happily went to look for her playmates.
Jing Wan let someone call over the person that specifically took care of the little lion, and surprisingly, it was actually a delicate and pretty young boy, appearing at most thirteen years old. Standing in front of Jing Wan, he was somewhat reserved.
Jing Wan faintly nodded, “Bai Shao, take him over, just watch over Yu Yao and them from the side, don’t let the tiger cub hurt anyone.”
The place prepared for the children to play around in, for the most part, was entirely their playground, and might also have a few womenfolk. Although an outside male, but a half-grown young boy, including having someone to watch over, wasn’t that big of a deal.
“Yes, wangfei.” Bai Shao tacitly understood.
On this side, Jing Wan also went to go see the Luo family, all having been led in already.
With Luo Old Madam in the lead, they all bowed to Jing Wan. Although it was her birthday, but because she was still young, there naturally didn’t exist things such as ‘congratulating her longevity[1]‘ and so on. If she really were to let a bunch of di related elders ‘pay respect to her’, then that was purely shortening her lifespan. However, because of her status, auspicious words were still necessary.
After going through the formalities, Jing Wan hurriedly went forward to support Luo Old Madam up, “Grandmother………….” Shortly after, she addressed her family one by one, saying with a smile, “I was still thinking when you all would come. This timing is rather perfect.”
“Was just thinking about coming over early, seeing whether or not one can help out. In the manor, there’s just you and wangye, and didn’t see you all call over people from the Department of Internal Affairs.” Luo Old Madam said.
“The staff in the manor is plenty with more to spare, so didn’t go ask for people from the Department of Internal Affairs. Just, later, when receiving the guests, might need to trouble grandmother to help receive the various manors’ old madams.”
“This is only natural.”
[1] 拜寿 – ‘Bai Shou’ means congratulating an elderly person on their birthday, essentially celebrating their long life. For important elders in the family, or members of nobility and the imperial family, bai shou usually involves personally going to pay respect to the birthday star.
T/N: Yu Yao’s part here is to create a juxtaposition to what’s about to come.
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Of course, author-san would give us a dose of Yu Yao cuteness before stuff’s about to get real messy.
Oh! I wonder who will come and show their annoying and selfish tendencies.
This whole pet saga has made me hate LHY. If those tiger and lion cubs are small enough for a child to play with, it means they haven’t started eating any meat yet. There is no specialized milk formula in that era, so they’re likely being fed cow’s or goat’s milk, which is like feeding a human infant super watered down formula. If the cubs manage to survive to adulthood, which is unlikely, they will have SEVERE health issues which will result in them have very short lives full of suffering. And I’m guessing the ‘pets’ will be mentioned throughout the birthday chapters, so I want to know how many chapters I have to skip to avoid this, because I’m starting to feel like dropping this novel, I am THAT upset with the animal abuse.
You remind me of PETA protesting animal crossing
ouch, that’s gotta sting.
Let me tell you about to lion brothers, George and Yame, rescued a few years ago by the Lion Whisperer Kevin Richardson. Up until they were 6-8 months old, they were held in a petting zoo in Spain. They would have been taken from their mother at around the age the cubs in this chapter likely are. They were then fed cows milk to keep them small so they could be used as petting cubs longer. When they were rescued, they were nearly blind from cataracts due to vitamin A deficiency, were severely underweight and undersized, and the Achilles tendons of George had sheered away from his ankle bones, which were malformed. They were also in very poor health, and vets predicted that had they not been rescued, they wouldn’t have made it to their first birthdays. The cataracts were resolved by a lengthy course of vitamin A supplements, though they did think surgery would be needed. The Achilles tendons of George couldn’t be repaired, but because lions are four-legged animals he is able to walk though can’t form any muscle on his hind quarters and can’t jump up onto things. These two brothers are only alive today because after being of modern veterinary medicine.
……what does this have anything to do with a fictional novel though? It’s one thing to comment on what has been stated in the novel, and another to comment based on your own assumptions. Yes, in reality, you are correct, but in a fictional setting anything the author says goes. This setting literally has time reversal, reincarnation, and ghosts. It’s not that unbelievable for the animals of this setting to be unaffected by real world problems.
Heck, if the author wanted, these animals can even become mythical tigers that can shapeshift into human, which is very fitting to chinese mythology. It’s not healthy to constantly conflate fiction with reality. And a bit of a spoiler, there’s going to be an animal that will act very human-like in future chapters, which totally can only happen in fiction.
Can only see, can’t touch, can’t pet… Probably can’t even interact/spend much time with them.
Might as well as open a zoo and share the joy.
Also, JW already has a botanical house, now a zoo, what’s next? A planetarium? XD
Technically it is a zoo just on a smaller scale, but ancient times don’t really hav zoos so it’s called an animal garden or animal park.