The central room of the main courtyard was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood.
The Old Lady leaned on a semi-old green back pillow with Yuchen hitting her leg and said, "This child, don't you know how precious the double-sided embroidery is? How can you give it to Fourth Girl just like that?" She wasn't that angry at Yuchen. She just felt that Yuxi had shallow eyes. When Yuxi saw other people's good things, she immediately wanted to take those things as her own.
Yuchen explained with a smile, "Grandmother didn't see her at that time. When Si Meimei1 saw the double-sided embroidery, she looked at it as if it was the world's greatest treasure. Since I saw how much she loves it, I just sent it to her." She knew how precious the double-sided embroidery was, but she wouldn't consider it a unique item.
The Old Lady shook her head and said, "I'll ignore it this time. But you should stop giving away the items your mother left for you."
Yuchen smiled and nodded. "I know, Grandmother."
Naturally, Yuxi wouldn't rush to see the Old Lady just like she did in her previous life. Besides, the Old Lady even forbade her to come over. Despite having so much free time, Yuxi wasn't idle either. Early every morning, she would pay her respect to Qiu Shi2, and when she returned to her courtyard, she would learn to embroider from Moju.
Moju started teaching her the basics of embroidery, such as how to use the needle or embroider in a line. After a short period of teaching, Moju knew that her Miss had a natural talent for embroidery as Yuxi quickly grasped all the basics of embroidery.
When Qiu Shi2 learned about this, she smilingly asked Yuxi on her next visit, "Fourth Girl, Aunt heard that you started to learn to embroider. Is this true?"
Without a word, Yuxi took out a headband that she had made. "Eldest Aunt, this is what I had embroidered. As you can see, I didn't do it well. I hope Aunt won't dislike it."
Lately, Yuxi felt that Qiu Shi's attitude towards her had significantly changed. In her previous life, Qiu Shi2 took care of her like she was one of her routines. In this life, though, her aunt had become more caring and more concerned towards her. She knew that it resulted from her insistence to pay Qiu Shi2 a daily visit.
Qiu Shi2 took the headband and took a good look at it. "Did you really embroider this?" asked a surprised Qiu Shi2. The pattern was a bit messy, but the stitches were done delicately. It was impossible for a person who had only studied for half a month to make them.
Moju, who stood beside Qiu Shi2, was the one who answered, "I don't dare to deceive my Lady, but this headband was really embroidered by Miss. We didn't even lend her a hand."
Yuxi blushed and said, "Eldest Aunt, I will make you another once my skill has improved." She deliberately embroidered the patterns disorderly. Because of her past life experience, her learning process became much faster now. However, if she went beyond the normal range, she was afraid she would be regarded as a monster. That was why she started to embroider slowly.
As Qiu Shi2 heard Yuxi's promise, she was no longer doubtful of her skill. Then, she smilingly said, "This work is excellent. Aunt likes it very much." It was rare for this child to always think of her, but as Yuxi's elder, she should also remind her, "When your embroidery skills have improved, you should also make one for the Old Lady."
When Yuxi heard this, her smiling face turned gloomy. She bowed and said, "I'm afraid Grandmother won't like it." If your heart truly disliked something, it would be shown in your attitude.
Qiu Shi2 went silent for a bit and said, "How can Old Lady not like it? That's you, showing your filial piety to her. She should be pleased to receive it."
Yuxi reluctantly agreed.
At this moment, Mama Wang stepped forward and muttered a few words in Qiu Shi2's ear. With a smile, Qiu Shi2 informed Yuxi, "Tomorrow, a group of new maids will enter the residence. You should come over and pick out some that you like." Usually, the maids in residence were the offsprings of the currently employed servants and were seldom bought from outside.
Yuxi nodded and replied, "Okay." In her previous life, new maids would be directly sent to Rose Courtyard. But now, the situation was different. Her aunt had given her the option to choose her maids by herself.
When Yuxi returned to her courtyard, she immediately told Mama Fang about it, and then she inquired, "Mama, did you find anything strange about Moyun and Moxiang?"
Mama Fang hesitated for a moment and answered, "Miss, there's nothing strange that could be found about those two." Of Yuxi's four senior maids, Moju and Motao were bought by Ning Shi2. Their servant deeds were in Miss' hands. If Miss had an unfortunately short life, their future would also be affected. Thus they had the lowest possibility of bringing harm to Miss. While Moyun and Moxiang were the children of the residence's senior servants, the likelihood of them being responsible for Miss's previous illness was relatively high.
Yuxi was not that disappointed, either. After all, she had spent more than a month in Qingzhu. That would give enough time for the culprit to clean one's track.
Mama Fang continued, "Miss, right now, Moyun is busy looking after her sick mother. Why don't we take this opportunity to let her off?" Although there was no solid evidence against the suspected Moyun, the safest way to act was to lay her off when she wasn't around.
Yuxi shook her head and said, "It's not the right time, Mama." Moyun's family was in a difficult situation right now. Besides, she wasn't Moyun's actual master; she had no power to let her leave the residence permanently. If she did have that option, it would bring more trouble to Moyun's family. If Moyun left this place, Yuxi's investigation of the real mastermind would also turn cold. Only Moyun knew the actual person behind her incurring smallpox.
Mama Fang thought for a moment and felt Yuxi was also worried about the same thing; that's why she decided not to act recklessly.
Yuxi continued, "Mama, let's send twelve taels of silvers each to Moxiang's and Moyun's families." Moxiang had passed away because of smallpox. As for Moyun, since her mother had fallen ill, she needed to spend a lot of money on her mother's treatment. Unfortunately, Yuxi didn't have much in her hand, so she couldn't give her more than she had.
Mama Fang awkwardly said, "Miss, we only have not more than twenty silvers left. We won't have much if we send some to their families." Yuxi had no other income except from the twenty silver allowances she usually received yearly in the second and sixth months. From that allowance, one or two pieces of silver had to be rewarded to the courtyard servants and some for miscellaneous expenditures. It was challenging to keep these twenty silvers without proper planning.
Yuxi shook her head and said, "No matter how difficult it will be, those taels of silver still need to be sent to both of their families."
Although Yuxi's mother, Ning Shi2, was an illegitimate daughter, she was married to the Han family to fill the empty Third Han Household. Since her husband came from a noble family, her family gave her a lot of dowries to save her face. However, when something terrible happened to the Ning family later on, Ning Shi2 sold all those dowries to help them. Despite all that, her maiden family still couldn't be saved. At the same time, she was already heavily pregnant. As a result of her inability to sit still during her pregnancy, she faced difficulty giving birth. Because she lost a lot of blood then, she passed away as soon as she gave birth to Yuxi.
Mama Fang felt a terrible thump in her heart. At that time, she advised Ning Shi2 not to sell all her dowry, as she had to leave some for the child in her belly. But Ning Shi2 would not listen. Without silvers, how would she be able to reward the servants? Without any rewards, the servants would look down on her, despite her being their master.
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 site stated, it has been taken without the translator's permission. Please don't support this kind of act.
Yuxi asked, "Mama, please find an opportunity to exchange last New Year's golds and silvers given by Grandmother and Eldest Aunt for broken silvers and copper coins!"
Mama Fang was somewhat reluctant as she said, "Miss, you will need these things in the future. You should save them." If Miss had no money, she couldn't afford to do some social mingling and reward her future servants after she was married out. She would indeed be criticized as a penny-pinching. Outsiders would not have a good view of her once she had obtained that reputation.
Yuxi smiled and said, "There's always a way to find the money. Don't worry about it."
Mama Fang felt that Yuxi became more decisive after she recovered. It was a good change for her, so Mama Fang decided not to argue with Miss.
Yuxi was very satisfied with Mama Fang's attitude. Then she said, "Tomorrow, mama will come with me to the master courtyard to help me choose some good maids." The new maids sent over to her courtyard in her previous life were not to her liking.
The next day, on the way to the main courtyard, Yuxi met Concubine Rong and Second Miss Yujing.
Concubine Rong was so charming that when she looked at people, her eyes were full of amorous feelings. It was no wonder she could still cling firmly to Duke Han.
Today, Yujing wore a yellow dress with a prominent reddish-gold collar and the same coloured jewel hairpin in her hair. The ruby in the middle of the collar shone blindly, making her look rich and impressive. She also had an outstanding appearance, with a pointed face and slender eyebrows. Nevertheless, with traces of arrogance and cruelty in her eyes, one could see at a glance that she wasn't a good person.
Concubine Rong looked at Yuxi. Her eyes flashed as she said, "I didn't expect Fourth Miss to look so well. It's like seeing a new person." Yuxi used to be as thin as a bamboo pole and talked with her head bowed down. She even acted timid around her own family and also had a lack of self-confidence. However, nowadays, she looked a bit chubbier, with a healthy skin tone and no longer acting timid. It was like she had turned into another person.
Yuxi answered with a light smile, "My Mother never stopped blessing me from heaven."
Concubine Rong laughed touchingly. "I heard that Fourth Miss has begun to learn embroidery. If Fourth Miss does not dislike it, you can come to my Pleasant Courtyard, and I will personally teach Fourth Miss." Her needlework was so excellent that even the royal embroidery lady couldn't be a match for her.
Yuxi answered straightly, "No need."
Yujing's expression turned nasty. She glared at Yuxi and snarled, "My mother would love to invite you to our Pleasant Courtyard, but you made it like this invitation rarely happened. You should just come over. "
Yuxi glanced at Yujing and said, "Actually, it is also quite rare for me to deny your request." She was smart enough to know that she couldn't be someone who didn't have a mind of her own. Concubine Rong and Eldest Aunt Qiu Shi2 were sworn enemies. Since she was on Qiu Shi2's side, she couldn't have any close relationship with Concubine Rong. So, Yuxi always ignored Concubine Rong's advice and suspected it was her who tried to kill her. Therefore, she wouldn't leave even a shred of sympathy for Concubine Rong.
Yujing was furious. She tried to rush over to Yuxi and gave her a lesson herself.
Concubine Rong's eyes were fast, and so were her hands. She caught hold of Yujing and smiled at Yuxi. "Fourth Miss, please try to reconsider. If not, then just forget about it." Yuxi stared at Concubine Rong and replied, "I would never ever reconsider it." She did an excellent job of embroidery herself. Even if she didn't do it well, she still would not go to Concubine Rong. Even her current status wouldn't allow her to learn from Concubine Rong.
The smile on Concubine Rong's face cracked. She didn't realize that Yuxi's speech had become so ruthless. When she saw Yuxi's eyes remained deep and serene, she also decided to maintain her usually calm face.
After they departed, Mama Fang whispered to Yuxi, "Why did Miss offend her? If Miss doesn't want to learn from her, just politely refuse." Although Concubine Rong was only a concubine, she was still deeply favoured by the Duke. It wasn't worth it for Yuxi to make enemies with Concubine Rong over something trifle.
Yuxi said expressionlessly, "Mama, who is the most likely the culprit behind my recent illness?"
Mama Fang's complexion changed, "What does Miss mean? That's impossible. Second Miss' side has no grievances against Miss. How can they plan a malicious scheme against Miss?" She thought that Yuxi was just merely overthinking.
Yuxi said, "Mama, do you remember when Er Ge3 had an accident, and my Eldest Aunt fell ill? If he had left the world then, Eldest Aunt would surely lose any will to stay alive." It wouldn't be good for a sick person to receive that massive blow as it would only ruin the patient's spirit to live.
Yuxi later learned that her Er Ge3 nearly drowning incident was not an accident. It had been orchestrated. She suspected that Concubine Rong was behind it. She was also quite sure that Concubine Rong had a grudge against her mother. Now that her mother had gone, Concubine Rong transferred her revenge toward her.
Hearing Yuxi's words, Mama Fang's face slowly turned blue.
Footnotes Full List
- Si=Four/Fourth, Meimei=Younger Sister
- maiden name/clan name
- Er=Second, Ge=Older Brother, short form for Gege
Noob Translator's Musing
This is my first time translating a Chinese web novel, so I'm sure there will be a lot of mistakes here and there. Mostly because I'm not Chinese and never learned how to speak or understand the words spoken or written in Chinese. That's why I added a link to the raw version in every chapter. If you find any mistakes, please don't be shy to tell me. I will correct it.
Some of the translated words would be slightly different from Vin's version. Like Rosebush Courtyard, I changed it to Rose Courtyard. My heart prefers Rose Courtyard. Don't ask me why...
Tags:
The Rebirth of Han Yuxi