Yuchen felt very upset because she did not stand up for Yuxi’s justice back then. So, when her mood wasn't good, she would also lose her appetite.
When Momo Gui saw Yuchen’s moody face, she asked, “What’s wrong, Miss?” From what she knew, today's incident had nothing to do with Third Miss.
Yuchen gave out a wry smile as she retold Momo Gui regarding the incident all at once, “I feel very sorry for Si Mei.” Her Si Mei had suffered so much injustice, but she somehow wanted to gloss over Si Meimei's problem for the sake of Second House reputation instead.
Momo Gui thought for a moment and then said, “Miss, if I have not guessed it wrong, about today’s incident, it should have been calculated by Fourth Miss.” She thought that Yuxi was the type of girl who loved to kick up a row. If Yuxi wanted to calculate against Wu Shi, then that was her matter, but she should not drag Third Miss along!
Yuchen had never thought in this direction. She asked, “What does Momo mean by saying something like that? Why would Yuxi want to calculate against mother and Yurong?“
Momo Gui answered Yuchen with one word, “Hate.” Yuxi hated Wu Shi. Since Yurong was related to Wu Shi, Yuxi hated her too. This time, both mother and daughter had been calculated together.
Yuchen did not agree with Momo Gui’s answer, “Then, why don’t you tell me, what good does Yuxi get by doing this to them?” Wu Shi’s reputation had been tarnished and so did Yurong’s reputation, which didn’t bring even a wee bit of benefit to Yuxi.
Momo Gui remarked, "Miss, have you noticed that Fourth Miss has been targeting Qiu Yanfu from the very beginning? Fourth Miss and Qiu Yanfu have no grievance nor enmity with each other, so, why would she aim at Qiu Yanfu? It’s nothing more than to use her to strike back at the Third Lady."
Yuchen disagreed with Momo Gui’s words, “Impossible. I know Yuxi well. She won’t be holding a grudge against Wu Shi just because of those gifts. Momo, don’t forget, Yuxi was unwilling to teach Yurong at first. It was her mother who forced Yuxi to promise. Moreover, it is still true that Wu Mei has gone too far in this matter.“ She didn’t believe what happened today was calculated by Yuxi. She truly believed that it was only a coincidence.
Momo Gui never believed it was a coincidence, since there were too many continuous coincidences to be regarded as merely coincidences.
Yuchen sighed slightly and said, “Momo, you have too much prejudice against Yuxi.” She had never denied that Yuxi was a shrewd person, but Momo Gui regarded Yuxi as a kind of person who had deep shrewdness and always try to make her became wary of Yuxi. She really believed that Momo Gui was merely thinking too much. [+]
What else could Momo Gui say? What she could say was that Momo Quan had taught Yuxi so well that she couldn’t even catch Yuxi’s fox tail. However, thinking of MomoQuan’s abilities, Momo Gui felt relieved. If it wasn’t for the fact that MomoQuan didn’t want to get involved in any quarrel, and decided to be a wise man looks after his own hide, she would not have retracted herself like a turtle drawing in its head and legs in the Food Service Bureau. If Momo Quan wasn’t in this situation, it would be unlikely for her to be released from the Imperial Palace this early. It was also the luck of Fourth Miss. How many people had tried to curry favour with Momo Quan before, but none had entered her eyes. However, Momo Quan somehow was quite devoted to Yuxi and she had taught Yuxi her special ability.
Wu Shi returned to Biteng Courtyard with a frosty face. Today's incident had made her a laughing stock inside the residence. Living to such an age, she had never been so humiliated as she was today.
Qiu Yanfu had another notion on what happened today, “Aunt, Rong Meimei, if my guess is right, we have been calculated by Han Yuxi.” She stopped calling Yuxi as her biaomei, and called her by her full name instead. She knew, from today onwards, her aunt, Wu Shi, would thoroughly detest Yuxi.
Although Wu Shi had a rash temper, she was not a brainless person, “Don’t talk nonsense without any evidence.” This matter had made her completely understand that here was not Hebei. The real master of the state residence was actually the Old Lady, then followed by Qiu Shi. While she could not even be said to be ranked third.
Qiu Yanfu’s face turned white as she said, “Aunt, I’m not talking nonsense. Aunt, think about it. If Han Yuxi had clarified things when she came here, would Aunt still be angry till Aunt would throw the teacup at her? But after Han Yuxi stepped through the door, did she not say those words to deliberately provoke Aunt? Aunt, if Han Yuxi is rash and rude, how can she be loved by the Old Lady and First Lady, and even learned from Teacher Song? Also, Han Yuxi has studied with a nurturing momo for five years. Can she not know the crime of contradicting her elders?“ What she wanted to point out was, Yuxi was a very calculative person and not as harmless as she appeared on the surface.
Qiu Yanfu was a little bit scared now. If it hadn’t been for the incident today, she would have thought that Fourth Miss was harmless. That person was too good at pretending and managed to hide her real self really deep.
When Wu Shi thought of it carefully, it was indeed like what Qiu Yanfu had said. That damned girl, from the moment she entered the door, every word she said had been provoking her. However, another problem had arisen. How could that girl know how to provoke her by saying those things, which could make her lose her mind and used her discrimination to even hit her?
Before Wu Shi could understand it clearly, Yurong ran in and cried on her thigh, “Mother, those people are going to take my mama and Luyi away. Mother, I don’t want them to go.“ At this moment, Yurong was scared. Her wet nurse was the closest person to her. While Luyi and other maids had been following her for so many years, and they had become close like they were sisters.
Wu Shi seriously scolded her, “This is not Hebei. So, you should stop acting recklessly like you always did before. Otherwise, we will suffer big losses in the future.“ If her daughter hadn’t deliberately deceived her and had told her everything at that time, would they end up like this? The fact remained that she had been spoiling Yurong too much, till she had no sense of propriety.
Yurong was really scared, “Mother, I know, I will definitely change later. But can you not let my mama go?“ That was her wet nurse. For her, she would rather be scolded by her birth parents than losing her.
Wu Shi actually had some feeling of dislike towards Mama Qu. Since her daughter had been taken care of by Mama Qu, she had become more intimate with her than with her real mother. However, she couldn’t find a suitable opportunity before, but now, she was given a chance to send off Mama Qu, which was all she could wish for, “Even your Father can’t disobey your Grandmother. Do you think it will be useful for your Mother to intercede instead?” She felt a headache when she suddenly remembered the Old Lady instructing her to go to the main room at maoshi tomorrow. How old was she that she even needed to learn the rules from the Old Lady? This only made it hard for her to think about the days to come. [+]
Yurong went back to her yard with a face full of grieve. Since that moment, she hated Yuxi the most, and no other. If it weren’t for Yuxi, she wouldn’t have been separated from her wet nurse and Luyi.
Wu Shi looked at Qiu Yanfu, who had not yet left, and said, “You should go back to your yard, too!” Although she loved Qiu Yanfu dearly, there were many things she didn’t want Qiu Yanfu to know.
Wu Shi then turned her head to the side, and asked Mama Chen, “Do you think that girl really calculated this incident?”
Mama Chen shook her head and said, “Lady, I think this should be a coincidence. If it was really calculated by Fourth Miss, then she must have a thorough understanding of Lady’s and Fifth Miss’ temperaments.“ Her Lady and Miss had only been back to the residence for half a month, and they had not been in touch with Fourth Miss regularly, so how could Yuxi understand their temperament that clearly?
Wu Shi agreed with Mama Chen. “I don’t think it’s possible, either.” Her reason was the same as what Mama Chen had said.
Yuxi, who was considered by several people to be scheming deeply, was now in her study, quietly reading a history book.
Kufu circled outside the door several times. Finally, she could not help but ask Zisu anxiously, “Zisu Jiejie, will Miss do foolish things when she is alone in that room?”
Zisu shook her head and said, “No. Miss is not a foolish person.“ This incident had been Miss’ calculation, so how could this resulted in making her do foolish things instead?
While the two were talking, Yuchen came in slowly from outside the yard. When Yuxi heard Yuchen had come, she quickly replaced the history book in her hand with a medical book.
Shang Han Za Bing Lun / Treatise on Cold-induced and Miscellaneous Diseases
Image Credit | Beijing Digital Museum of TCM
Image Credit | Beijing Digital Museum of TCM
Yuxi smiled and said, “Please sit down, San Jie. Kufu, please serve some tea.“
Yuchen looked at the medical book on the table and asked, “Why are Si Meimei still reading the medical book?” She knew Yuxi studied medicinal diet, but it was not necessary for her to study the cold-induced and miscellaneous diseases. This was what a medical student usually did.
Yuxi explained, “It is necessary to avoid many things when making a medicated diet, and it is always good to read more books.” There was no need for more explanations since it would be useless for her to say so. She knew that Yuchen had always criticized her for studying pharmacology. Yuchen believed that since she was a young miss of the residence, there was no need for her to learn it.
Yuchen really couldn’t understand Yuxi. She didn’t want to learn qin and painting skills, but wanted to learn pharmacology instead. Yuchen had tried many times to persuade her but it was still useless. What was the use of learning this stuff? If she wanted to recuperate her body, she only had to pay people to do it, since people like them could afford it. However, no matter how she tried to persuade her, Yuxi had already determined to do it and could not be persuaded, “Si Meimei, please don’t take to heart with what happened just now.”
Yuxi smiled and replied, “I was a little angry at that time, but Grandmother had already punished Wu Meimei. So, my anger had already disappeared. It’s settled already. So, let’s not talk about it anymore. My hamlet has just brought over some fresh vegetables. Will San Jie stay for dinner?“ Her hamlet sent things to the baozi shop and the grocery store every day. She simply asked her hamlet to send her a fresh vegetable every day too, to save the kitchen from making other purchases on vegetables. As a result, they would also spend less of her money.
Yuchen smiled and shook her head, “Please don’t bother yourself. Since you want to read, then, I won’t disturb you anymore.”
Yuxi also did not urge her to stay, and personally sent Yuchen out of Rose Courtyard. Looking at a group of people behind Yuchen, Yuxi’s mood became very complicated. Over the past few years, she truly regarded Yuchen as her sister. Only that, today’s incident had brought her back to her senses. It was her naivety that made her forget that Yuchen was completely different from her. Yuchen placed too much importance on her family, clan and reputation, and put them above everything else, including herself. There was a good saying ‘persons who walked different paths could not make plans together’. She didn’t walk on the same line as Yuchen, so their hearts were destined to never intersect.
Yuchen did not sense any changes on Yuxi. After several years of being taught by Momo Quan, it would be very difficult for ordinary people to really perceive what was on Yuxi’s mind.
Zisu hesitantly asked Yuxi, “Miss, do you want me to check it?” She didn’t say what to check, but she believed Yuxi knew what she meant.
Yuxi shook her head and said, “No need to check. Next time, when I see Mama Fang, I will ask her myself.” No matter what had happened in the beginning, her mother had paid it back with her life, so, in this life, she, on behalf of her mother, owed no one.
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The Rebirth of Han Yuxi