After sleeping through the day, Yuxi couldn't fall asleep that night. Through the window, she could see some bamboo plants outside; their fresh green colour was full of vitality.
The Third Duke was obsessed with bamboo, so he spent a tremendous amount of money cultivating this bamboo forest and built a courtyard in the middle, which was the origin of the Green Bamboo Cottage. However, the bamboo forest was located in a remote area, and all the people who lived there did not have a good end. Over time, the courtyard was deemed unlucky and fell into disuse.
Because of its remote location, Green Bamboo Cottage was exceptionally quiet at night. When Qiu Shi and her party of over ten arrived, the sound of their footsteps was particularly distinct.
When Mama Fang heard their footsteps, she immediately went outside.
Qiu Shi did not enter the courtyard but briefly conversed with Mama Fang outside. She was pleased to hear that Yuxi had woken up and was able to eat. The fact that her fever had subsided and she could eat meant that she had overcome the hurdle. Qiu Shi assured Mama Fang, "Rest assured, I will invite a physician tomorrow."
Knowing that Yuxi was fine, Qiu Shi felt relieved. She instructed Mama Fang to take good care of Yuxi and then left with the others.
Mama Fang entered the room and informed Yuxi, "Miss, the Lady came by just now and was very happy to hear that you had woken up."
Yuxi nodded. Although she knew that her Eldest Aunt was treating her well out of gratitude, she was still deeply grateful for the extent of her kindness.
The next day, Qiu Shi discovered that Concubine Rong was the mastermind behind this incident. Anger flickered in her eyes as she muttered, "That despicable woman." If there was anyone Qiu Shi despised the most, it was undoubtedly Concubine Rong.
Concubine Rong was born and raised in the Duke's residence. At the tender age of six, she began serving Han Jingdong, who was still the shizi1 at the time. Han Jingdong was very fond of Concubine Rong. Shortly after Qiu Shi arrived as a newlywed, Concubine Rong was found to be pregnant. Had it not been for the Old Lady's explicit instructions that no shu2 child should be born before an eldest di3 son and her forcible administration of an abortifacient to Concubine Rong, the first shu2 child would probably have been born. Yet Concubine Rong had still managed to enjoy herself to this day!
Mama Wang couldn't understand and wondered, "Why did Concubine Rong target the Fourth Miss?" Fourth Miss's death wouldn't benefit her mistress at all.
Liuyin was genuinely frustrated by Mama Wang's lack of intelligence. It was evident that Concubine Rong was targeting her mistress by attacking the Fourth Miss.
Born into a family of military generals, Qiu Shi's family environment was simple, without the complexities of intrigue and power struggles. After marrying into the Duke's residence and facing Concubine Rong, who excelled at manipulation, Qiu Shi suffered numerous hidden losses. "Let's put this matter aside for now. Liuyin, go to the storeroom tomorrow and send the two boxes of newly acquired bird's nest to Green Bamboo Cottage📌." Mama Wang might not be intelligent, but her words were not wrong. The Old Lady was extremely worried about the Third Young Master's illness, and it was not the right time for Qiu Shi to cause a major disturbance. It wouldn't benefit anyone to provoke the Old Lady at this critical time.
The following day, the Old Lady's confidante, Mama Luo, learned that Yuxi had regained consciousness. Overjoyed at the news, she immediately informed Old Lady Han: "Fourth Miss woke up early yesterday morning. I heard she even ate two bowls of porridge." Mama Luo couldn't help but marvel at the Fourth Miss's resilience, having survived without medical care while the Third Young Master was still unconscious.
Upon hearing the news, the Old Lady held her Buddhist prayer beads silently for a long time. "What did Imperial Physician Zhang and Physician Bai say about Hui-er?"
Mama Luo hesitated before answering, "Imperial Physician Zhang and Physician Bai said that if the Third Young Master doesn't regain consciousness today, then..." She couldn't bring herself to utter the words, 'please prepare for his funeral'.
The Old Lady's hand holding the prayer beads stopped. After a long pause, she softly said, "Don't tell Yuchen about this." Yuchen, the Third Miss, was the Third Young Master, Jianhui's twin. A few days ago, when Yuchen heard that her elder brother had contracted smallpox, she fell ill from anxiety.
The Old Lady had only two sons: the Duke, Han Jingdong, and the Third Master, Han Jingyan. Han Jingyan had three wives. His first wife, Chiang Shi, was the di3 daughter of the Marquis Pingqing's residence and the mother of Yuchen and her elder brother. His second wife, Ning Shi, was Yuxi's mother. Both women died in childbirth. His third wife, Wu Shi, whom he married while on official duty, had never been to the capital. The people at the Duke's residence only knew her name, not her person.
Concubine Rong was furious to learn that Yuxi was still alive. "This Fourth Miss is truly resilient." Even after contracting smallpox, she refused to die. If that was not sheer resilience, then what else could it be?
Her maid, Ah Juan, whispered, "Mistress, Ah Zhong's wife has been sent away. Mistress, I'm afraid the Lady will find out..."
Concubine Rong chuckled lightly and replied, "So what if she finds out?" She had no fear of Qiu Shi. Without the Old Lady's support, even ten Qiu Shi would be no match for her.
Mama Fang watched Yuxi finish a bowl of red jujube millet porridge and said happily, "If Miss continues like this, Miss's health will improve in less than two days."
Before Yuxi could respond, she heard the clear chirping of birds outside, which immediately lifted her spirits. "Mama," she said, "the weather is beautiful today. Please open the windows and doors." The bright sunlight and fresh air from the open windows and doors helped her feel refreshed.
Mama Fang hesitated. "It's windy outside, and Miss has just recovered a bit. What if Miss catches a cold after opening the windows?" What Yuxi didn't know was that Mama Fang had come in several times last night while she was asleep, touching her forehead to check if she had a fever. It wasn't until dawn that Mama Fang went into the kitchen to prepare porridge for Yuxi.
Yuxi was determined not to give in. "Mama, the smell in the room is too strong; it makes me uncomfortable." They hadn't opened the windows for several days, and the room was filled with a medicinal smell that she could hardly stand.
Unable to resist Yuxi's insistence, Mama Fang could only comply with her request.
When the newly appointed Physician Lu arrived, the window in Yuxi's room was still open. Physician Lu said nothing and, after checking Yuxi's pulse, said, "There's nothing major. A few more doses of medicine, and she'll be fine." This child seemed to be in poor health, but he didn't expect her to survive this ordeal.
Yuxi recovered, but Third Young Master's condition worsened.
After Imperial Physician Zhang finished examining the Third Young Master's pulse, he went out and said to the Old Lady, "Old Lady, there's nothing more I can do." This meant that they should prepare for the worst.
Physician Bai also expressed that he had done his best.
The Old Lady clutched the Buddhist beads in her hand tightly for a while before finally summoning up the strength to ask, "Is there really no way? In reality, she had mentally prepared herself, but when the time finally came, she still found it hard to bear.
A noob translator, きつね, translated this noob translation. Please read this chapter at xin-shou.site. If you read this in another location other than the site stated, it has been taken without the translator's permission. Please don't support this kind of act.
Both physicians stated that even if Hua Tuo were still alive, he could not save him. In truth, the survival of smallpox victims depended on both the physician and their own luck. Only when both factors were present could they survive.
When Yuchen heard that her elder brother had passed away, she immediately fainted. Chaos reigned in the main courtyard, and it wasn't until midnight that things calmed down.
Qiu Shi was the busiest person. Third Young Master couldn't have his funeral in the residence because it was so early in the morning, but they certainly had to invite monks to chant scriptures and perform rituals. With so many deaths in the capital, it wasn't easy to find and invite them. Dealing with these matters was incredibly exhausting and involved countless details. When she finally had some free time, Qiu Shi asked Mama Wang, "How is Yuxi doing?"
Mama Wang replied, "The physician said that Fourth Miss is fine and will recover after taking a few more doses of medicine." The precious Third Young Master didn't survive, but the Fourth Miss, who wasn't even worth the physicians's attention, managed to pull through. That was fate.🦊
Although Qiu Shi had many grievances against Mama Wang, she no longer doubted her loyalty. She instructed, "Keep a close eye on everything in the residence. We can't afford any more slip-ups." The previous incident had been a lesson.
Mama Wang promptly acknowledged and busied herself. These days, she made sure the kitchen sent over carefully selected items to the Green Bamboo Cottage, fearing another mishap.
When Yuxi heard the news of the Third Young Master's death, she was not surprised at all, as she had known the outcome long before. Yuxi looked at the bright red brocade quilt she had made and said, "Mama, replace this quilt with a plain one." Although this quilt hadn't attracted any criticism in her previous life, it was better to be careful.
The Green Bamboo Cottage was located in a remote area, and now its advantages had become apparent. Yuxi wouldn't be disturbed by the affairs of the Duke's residence, allowing her to recover in peace.
After lying in bed for three days, her bones felt as if they were falling apart. Taking advantage of Mama Fang's busyness in the kitchen and her lack of attention, Yuxi got dressed and walked outside. As soon as she stepped into the courtyard, she caught a whiff of a pleasant aroma and exclaimed, "Mama Fang, what delicious food are you making out here?"
Fang Mama was startled. "Oh my, little ancestor6! Miss, why did you come out? It's windy outside. What if you catch a cold?"
Yuxi smiled and said, "Mama Fang, there's no wind today, so it'll be fine. Besides, Mama Fang, I wouldn't play with my own health."
Mama Fang felt that Young Miss had become well-behaved and sensible since her illness, and she couldn't bear to refuse her. "All right, but you must go back inside if it gets windy later."
Yuxi nodded. "Alright. Mama, what are you cooking in the kitchen? It smells so good."
Mama Fang replied with a smile, "The kitchen sent over an old hen today to help you regain your strength. I've just slaughtered it and put it on the stove to stew. It'll be ready to eat soon."
As Yuxi smelled the aroma, her stomach rumbled. Thinking back to the half month she had spent escaping, Yuxi felt like she was in heaven now. However, when she took a sip of the chicken soup, her face contorted in confusion. "Mama, why isn't there any salt in it?"
Mama Fang chuckled and said, "Miss, you don't know this, but old hen or duck soup is most nutritious when cooked without salt."
Yuxi was quite curious and asked, "Is this a common belief? Who said that?"
Mama Fang smiled and replied, "It's what the older generation says. When the elders speak, they are unlikely to be wrong. Miss, I've skimmed oil off the soup, so it won't be greasy. Please eat more."
Seeing Yuxi finish the bowl of chicken soup, Mama Fang couldn't help but smile with joy. "Miss, let me massage your belly."
Yuxi wasn't actually four years old, so she didn't let Mama Fang massage her belly. "No need, I just need to take a walk."
With a relieved heart and an improved appetite, Yuxi had gained some weight in the past few days. She was no longer as thin as a twig as she was before. Mama Fang was greatly pleased with Yuxi's transformation and kept mentioning how the late Lady must be blessing them from heaven.
In contrast to Yuxi's improved health, the Duke's wife, Qiu Shi, had become noticeably thinner from exhaustion. In addition to running the household, she had to take care of those who were sick.
Imperial Physician Zhang spoke to the ever-anxious Qiu Shi, "My Lady, rest assured, the Old Lady is no longer in danger. However, considering her age, she should avoid worrying excessively and experiencing extreme emotions. Strong emotions are indeed not good for the health of the elderly."
After hearing that the Old Lady was fine, Qiu Shi breathed a sigh of relief but then asked, "How is the Third Miss doing?"
Imperial Physician Zhang hesitated for a moment and replied, "Third Miss is suffering from a heart ailment. If she can ease her mind, her illness will naturally improve." He implied that heart disease could not be cured by medicine alone.
Qiu Shi felt somewhat helpless when she heard this. She had tried to persuade Yuchen many times but to no avail. Now, her only hope was that the Old Lady could somehow comfort and guide Third Miss.
Footnotes Full List
- heir of a noble house
- born to a concubine; illegitimate
- born to a formal wife; legitimate
- The author actually wrote 庆祝小住 (qìngzhùxiǎozhù), which means 'celebrating a short stay'. I was confused. Whose short stay were they celebrating? The smallpox patients? Were they celebrating their death? That was sick! Sorry for the pun. But when I read the pinyin, I realised that the author actually meant 青竹小筑 (qīngzhúxiǎozhù), Green Bamboo Cottage, where Yuxi was currently recovering. 🤦♀️It must be the autocorrect function, and the author didn't even notice it.
- Yup, she was also reborn.
- It is used as a term of endearment for a child or someone who is being playful or mischievous. It conveys a sense of both exasperation and fondness.
きつね's Musing
Tags:
The Rebirth of Han Yuxi