Chapter 274: Climbing Coconut Trees
Author: White Pear Flower
Raws: https://book.qidian.com/info/2386994/
Translated by Gumihou
Proofread by Pill Bug
Gumhou: Logistics! Logistics! Sure, let’s throw logic out the window, but logistics?!!!
In his heart of hearts, Jin Fengju knew that the people of this island had also suffered greatly from Japanese pirate attacks. Therefore, they were especially grateful and courteous to him. He smiled and said magnanimously, “Tell the island master that we are just here for a little sightseeing. We want to explore the island, and would be happy if he could arrange a few locals to guide us.”
Naturally, the island master was more than happy to agree.
Jin Fengju turned to Jin Ming and said, “One thousand of the navy troops, stay onboard to guard the ship. The rest may explore the island freely. However, they must return by the next day at noon.”
It was already late autumn. Back in the capital, the trees were already a desolated sight. However, Dongfan Island remained lush and green and the sea breeze made one feel relaxed and happy. Jin Fengju hoped that Fu Qiuning would enjoy herself here on this wonderful island. After all, his dear wife loves green things and plants the most, right?
[1] “Although Dongfang Island is small it would take some time to explore it fully,” Jin Fengju began. “It would take at least 10 days to half a month at least.” [2] Fu Qiuning stared at him for a moment, more convinced than ever that this could not be ‘Taiwan’. She had once checked how long it takes to walk across the island before. It would take 15 to 20 days to walk from north to south if the person covered 20 to 25 km per day, not taking the terrain, breaks, weather conditions or other factors into consideration. [2] 10 days? Half a month? That was probably possible for a tiny island like Singapore but for Taiwan??!!Thinking of all the walking just tired her out, therefore she suggested finding a beach where the children could safely play on the sand and maybe have some barbecued seafood for lunch. They could also purchase fruits from the locals and maybe spend the night at a farmhouse or something.
After listening to her plans, Jin Fengju couldn’t help but shake his head and smile, “I don’t understand why you are so fond of grilled food. Whenever we go out, your first thought is always about grilled dishes.”
Fu Qiuning paused. Did he not hear about the rest of her plans? Never mind, let’s just repeat it again, “I’m thinking of the children. They are at the age where they like to play with fire. So, it’s best to let them do it where adults can watch and supervise.”
Jin Zhenyi piped up eagerly, “That’s right! I’ve only had roasted rabbit and deer meat, and I have never tried roasted seafood.”
Fu Qiuning was patting the precocious little boy on the head when Jin Fengju cut in to say, “I have never heard of roasted seafood. Are you sure seafood can be roasted?”
[3] “… how do you think people by the sea cook their food?” she asked reasonably. [3] “Er, boiling?” Jin Fengju guessed. “No, wait, did you learn about roasted seafood in the countryside? Goodness, while others suffered, you met all kinds of people and tasted all sorts of delicious things instead. If I had known, I should have spent a few years in the countryside when I was younger.” [3] Since he was clearly baiting her, Fu Qiuning merely smiled politely and said, “It is not too late for Lord Husband to spend a few years in the village.” [3a]“Mother, look! What kind of tree is that? I’ve never seen one before!” Jin Changjiao shouted as she tugged excitedly at Fu Qiuning’s sleeve.
Fu Qiuning looked and squinted her eyes in surprise. It was a… coconut tree. In fact, there were a few of them growing together, two were taller than the rest, with coconuts growing on them.
[4] It was the first time Fu Qiuning had seen a coconut tree in person. She had seen the fruits in markets before and pictures of the fruit on the ‘special drinks’ aisle. However, she had never really tasted fresh coconut before.“How curious…”
Jin Fengju chuckled indulgently and said, “So, there are still things that Second Madam Ning doesn’t know…”
[2] “…it looked like Lord Husband knows and cannot wait to tell us,” said Fu Qiuning evenly.“Ha ha ha, that is a coconut tree, found only in places south of Lingnan. It’s surprising to see it here on Dongfan Island. Yes, the things hanging on the tree are coconuts. They have coconut water inside that you can drink, and the coconut flesh is also delicious. You haven’t tried it yet, so you must taste it today.”
The children cheered, and Jin Zhenyi volunteered, “Father, I want to climb the tree and pick those big coconuts…” Before he could finish speaking, he was scolded by Jin Fengju, who sternly said, “Nonsense! You are the eldest son and heir, how can you climb that coconut tree? Moreover, how tall is that tree? What if you fall? No way.”
[5] Fu Qiuning unconsciously glanced over at Jin Changfeng and Jin Zhenxuan. Jin Changfeng had a serene resolute expression on his face, but Jin Zhenxuan… Jin Zhenxuan looked mutinous. Tsk, tsk, so much for Jin Fengju’s plan to ‘get closer’ to his children after getting rid of an annoying wife. [5] Politically speaking, he would not be able to get rid of Jiang Wanying, the granddaughter of a duke, so easily. One way was to prove that she was a traitor. Fu Qiuning had to wonder just how much of his excitement of finding out that Jiang Wanying was a traitor was due to this golden opportunity to be rid of her.Jin Zhenyi lowered his head, muttering, [5] “What eldest son and heir? Aren’t I just the son of a concubine? I’m not even the eldest…”
[5] “You!!” Jin Fengju’s face flushed red with anger and embarrassment before flashing a quick look at Fu Qiuning.Instead of helping him, Fu Qiuning just looked curiously at him, waiting to see how he would dig himself out of the hole he had so eagerly thrown himself into.
[5] “… HA HA HA you’re right, of course, Qiuning, ah! Children are such mischievous things. That’s right, even if we try to confine them within the walls of studies, they would inevitably get out to climb trees and steal bird eggs. Which child hasn’t done that? Well, well, it is normal for children to climb trees and walls, it’s just that there are risks involved in daily life. Now that I am here, with my martial arts skills and so many people around, it’s fine for the children to climb the tree. What about it, Zhenyi? You want to climb the tree?”“Yes!!”
[5a] While Jin Zhenyi got ready to climb the tree, everyone else was left speechless.Clearly, Jin Zhenyi was the ‘no thoughts, fun only’ kind of person. If this son of a concubine truly became the head of the family one day, who knows what would happen to the Jin family’s fortune and dignity…
[5] “Look, even Brother Xuan is influenced by you and wants to try!” [5] Fu Qiuning glanced at Jin Zhenxuan, who stepped back hurriedly and practically hid himself behind Jin Changfeng. Nope, that did not look like the face of someone who wants to climb this pole-like coconut tree. Fu Qiuning had no idea what Jin Fengju saw, but that was not the face of someone eager to climb trees.While Jin Zhenyi was climbing the tree, Jin Fengju started talking again, [6] “Strict father, loving mother. I am responsible for disciplining the children and you are responsible for spoiling them. Feng’er should join in as well. The three brothers can compete to see who can climb the fastest and pick the coconut. Oh, right, even the old cat could climb trees, perhaps compared to it, all of you will lose.”
Mister Cat had followed them to the island, while the other cats were left at home because it would be difficult to take care of them all during the journey. Fu Qiuning asked Yu Jie to take the cats to the house where she and Ling Yun were temporarily staying, for fear that Jiang Wanying might secretly harm the cats for whatever reason.
Mister Cat, perhaps sensing the attention on him, looked up. He must have noticed Jin Zhenyi struggling to inch up the tree and swiftly ran forward, loping along the tree as though it was a flat surface and soon nestled itself between the green foliage among the coconuts.
“Woah! Mister Cat is too fast!” encouraged, Jin Zhenyi inched faster along the trunk. [5b]
The guards watched from a distance. They saw the boys gathered around the coconut tree, and look, one of the boys had taken off his outer robe and was climbing the tree wearing only a sweatshirt and pants. [5c]
Climbing coconut trees was a common activity for children at the seaside. However, at that moment, there were no children on the beach, only a few figures in the shallow sea, either fishing or collecting clams and shellfish.
With so many people to feed, Fu Qiuning called over a servant and said, “Take a few people with you and go ask those people in the sea if they would be willing to sell us the fish or clams and shellfish they catch. It’s fine to pay them a little more, they must not be having an easy time now. Buy as much as you can, understand?”
The servant agreed, took the money from Jin Fengju, called a few companions, and ran towards the shallow beach. Meanwhile, Jin Fengju completely ignored Fu Qiuning’s actions and just kept a close eye on Jin Zhenyi. He knew that his wife had just tasked him to perform a rescue mission at any time. If his son really fell down and he acted too late, it would be embarrassing.
Jin Zhenyi was indeed daring. After climbing for a while he finally reached the top of the tree. [7] First, he tried tugging, then yanking, causing the entire tree to sway and the children below him to scream in fear. His father shouted, “Twist it! Twist it!”
[7] Twist? However, it was difficult to twist these large and hard fruits with just one hand while the entire tree swayed with his movements. All the while, Mister Cat stared at him from the upper branches, tucked nicely between the leaves and looking very comfortable. Therefore, Jin Zhenyi climbed higher and set himself up more comfortably before reaching down to try and twist the fruit. [7] At first, he tried twisting left and right, but the fibres attached to the fruit were too tough. Finally, he tried twisting it round and round. It took a long time before the fruit finally detached itself, nearly hitting his father, who was just right below him. Unfortunately, the man caught the fruit before it landed on his face. [7] Well, too bad, let’s twist another one.After a while, Jin Fengju shouted, “Come down now!”
Jin Zhenyi was having fun, but he could tell that his father was exasperated, so he reluctantly skittered down the tree.
As for Jin Changfeng, he was not too bad at climbing trees. Back at Night Breeze Pavilion, aside from light gardening, farming and swimming, tree climbing was something that the twins did to pass the time. Someone had to climb the trees to pick fruits after all, and bird’s eggs were a rare treat in their meagre diet.
After Jin Zhenyi leapt down, Jin Changfeng took off his outer robes and even kicked off his shoes. Then, instead of hugging the tree like Jin Zhenyi did, he climbed the tree using both hands and feet, practically walking up the tree while maintaining a firm grip.
[8] Jin Changjiao pouted, “I’m the better tree climber…” However, considering how anxious her cheap father had looked when Zhenyi was in the tree, there was no way he would allow her to climb too… [8] In fact, if Jiao’er had been the one to cast off her shoes and clamber up the tree, none of the children would be surprised. It was rare to see the normally calm and studious Feng’er expertly manoeuver himself up the tree. Jin Zhenyi was especially shocked.He turned to Fu Qiuning and said almost accusingly, “Mother, looks like Elder Brother is quite naughty too!”
[8] Jiao’er elbowed him slightly. “That’s nothing, I can climb faster!” [8] “No way!” [8] “Can!” [8] “Can’t!” [8] “Can!” [8] “Can’t!” [8] “Can!” [8] “Can’t!!!”When Jin Fengju gave Fu Qiuning a questioning look, she maintained her silence as she kept her eyes on Feng’er. [7] Instead of climbing all the way up and carefully twisting the coconut off like Jin Zhenyi, Feng’er gripped the tree with his legs and leaned backwards to twist off the coconuts that had been out of Jin Zhenyi’s reach.
Just like that, a few coconuts were dropped to the floor. Not only that, instead of inching down like Jin Zhenyi did, he merely loosened his grip on the tree and did a controlled slide down. Even the guards around them cheered as he leapt swiftly to the ground.
[8] “I want to go up too!” Jin Changjiao cried, but was stopped by her sisters.Instead, Jin Fengju gave Jin Zhenxuan a meaningful look and the child sullenly dropped his outer robe and started to do his best to climb the coconut tree.
[Gumihou: I guess the author had never climbed trees before. Also, coconut trees are difficult to climb. Moreover, considering how precocious Jin Changjiao is, are you sure she won’t try to insist on climbing the tree?]
[1] Words describing this place were given to JFJ, because FQN should know better. She had better. [2] Fu Qiuning giving him the stink eye because she does know better. [3] It was meant to be a cute ‘hahaha, oh my, this young master never had seafood bbq~’ moment, but let’s just have FQN roll her eyes at him [3a] Deleted 50 words of teehee moment. [4] Crackdown on another ‘wow, I can’t reveal Imma transmigrator, wink wink’ moment. [5] Consequences of Jin Fengju’s careless words. He called Jin Zhenyi ‘大家子’ which means ‘eldest son and heir of a noble family’. Are you seriously saying that this has no consequences? An emperor has to watch his words, and so does the head of a noble family. Why do you think Oda Nobunaga is described as taciturn and mysterious? He does not waste his words unnecessarily.
Also, I abhor this cute 100-word scene. Like, what the F?
-and Fu Qiuning hurriedly said, “Sir, you are too conservative. Mischievous children are common, and the eldest son and heir is no different from ordinary children. What haven’t those children played with in their childhood? Our children are always confined to the study room to study. Even if they are from a prominent family, does that mean they must always be well-behaved? Hasn’t sir ever climbed trees or collected bird eggs as a child? I think it’s fine for the children to climb trees and walls, it’s just that there are risks involved in daily life. Now, with so many people here and with your martial arts skills, can anything happen to them? Let Brother Yi have some fun, what harm could it do?”
[5a] Jin Fengju was left speechless by her words and knew that Fu Qiuning had a point.Let’s have everyone (but Zhenyi) be speechless by JFJ’s shamelessness.
[5b] Deleted 40 JFJ flattery words from Jin Zhenyi [5c] Deleted 70 JFJ flattery words from random guard [6] JFJ talking nonsense to cover his ass is practically canon by this point. Sigh. There’s no way I’m letting actual Qiuning speak this nonsense [7] Give more description beyond ‘pluck’ because for those who have never ‘plucked’ coconuts before, let me tell you now, you can’t ‘pluck’ a coconut tree like an apple or a berry.Basically, expanded up to 250 words from this one line ‘he reached the top of the tree, plucked a few large coconuts, and threw them down’.
[8] Give the children more presence, especially Jiao’er, since she was the one who drew attention to the tree in canon.
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