When the breeze blew, all the lotus flowers in the pond shook up. The graceful lotus flowers that filled the pond were more than one, and each one had its posture.
As they stood by the lake, Yuxi instructed Zisu, "Ask Auntie Guo to make beggar's chicken for lunch." Beggar's chicken was one of Yuxi's favourite dishes, which she always asked the cook to make from time to time.
Yuchen smiled at the situation and asked Shiqin to instruct the cook, "We can't let Si Meimei monopolise the limelight. We will have lotus leaf congee for lunch."
Lotus Leaf Congee
Yuxi felt that Yuchen had become very strange during this time. Before, Yuchen would ask a maid to call her to Tingyun Pavilion to see her. Now, Yuchen would come by herself if she wanted to do something with her. Before and after, the change in attitude was so significant that it made Yuxi tense her nerves at first. Later on, when she saw nothing unusual about Yuchen, plus the Old Lady didn't blame her for it, Yuxi started to relax.
However, Yuxi pursued give-and-take, and Yuchen had often visited her. So when Yuxi was bored or couldn't read any more books, she would go to Tingyun Pavilion.
Yuxi said with a smile, "Lotus leaf congee has the effect of cooling and relieving summer heat, but San Jie, are you sure that Momo Gui will let you eat it?" Momo Gui was capable, but she was too controlling. If it was Yuxi herself, she would definitely be unwilling to have such a Momo.
Yuchen lightly smiled, "As long as Momo Sha says it's fine, Momo Gui won't have any objections." Since that night, Yuchen had taken the initiative to approach Yuxi. After which, the content of their conversation was no longer limited to music, chess, calligraphy and painting. They would talk about the house's internal affairs, food, jewellery and clothes. Occasionally, they would also talk about outside gossip and critique the temperament of other family young ladies. This was unimaginable to Yuxi in the past. It felt like Yuchen had fallen from the altar back to earth.
Yuxi put down the grapes in her hand and somewhat sighed, "San Jie, I envy you for having many capable people around you. Unlike me. I wanted to find a managing mama, but after looking for so long, I couldn't find a satisfying one." It wasn't that Qiu Shi hadn't given Yuxi some recommendations, but Yuxi's requirements were just too high for any of them to meet. As for the Old Lady, ever since the incident that night, she no longer interfered with Yuxi's affairs, and she just left her to her own devices.
How could Yuchen not know Yuxi's thoughts? "You can't find someone like Momo Quan so easily. If you ask me, you might as well invite Momo Quan back." Managing mama was not only capable and resourceful but also trustworthy. It was challenging to find a person who could meet these three requirements at the same time.
Yuxi also wanted Momo Quan to be by her side. The problem was, Momo Quan was not the type who was willing to submit to others. Everyone had their aspirations, so she wasn't going to force it. "For this kind of thing, let nature just take its course!" After saying that, she gave out a smile, "This is really rare. We've been sitting here for so long, and Momo Gui didn't even come to urge you to practice writing and playing the qin?"
As the two people talked and laughed, half a shichen had passed. Just as Yuxi was about to tell Yuchen to go back, an old woman servant came over and informed, "Third Miss, a messenger from Marquis Pingqing Residence has come."
Yuchen didn't mind. Marquis Pingqing Residence would send people to deliver things now and then, so she was used to it. But in the end, it was a token of her Waizumu's and Jiujiu's goodwill. Thus it was not good to give them the cold shoulder. "Yuxi, let's talk again at another time!"
Yuxi stood up with a smile and said, "Okay." When she was tired from reading a book or felt a little agitated, it was also quite pleasant to have someone to chat with, taste some tea, listen to the qin or eat fresh and delicious fruits.
On the way, Kufu couldn't help saying, "Marquis Pingqing and Old Lady Chiang truly love Third Miss." There was nothing that Marquis Pingqing wouldn't send, not to mention food, clothing and anything that Yuchen needed. Especially after the disaster that night, Marquis Pingqing Residence had sent a lot of things as soon as he got the news. Incidentally, he also sent two girls who knew kung fu to protect Third Miss.
Yuxi only smiled. She truly did not envy these kinds of things. [+]
When Yuchen returned to Tingyun Pavilion, she was shocked to see Old Woman Min waiting in the living room. "Mama Min, what are you doing here?" Old Woman Min was the closest servant of the Old Lady Chiang, and she wouldn't come here unless it were crucial.
Old Woman Min swept a glance at other people in the room.
Yuchen immediately ordered everyone else to leave the room and then asked with a solemn look, "What's going on?" At first, Yuchen presumed that Old Lady Chiang was unwell, but that wasn't the case now. If Waizumu was indeed sick, there was no need to hide it from anyone.
Old Woman Min asked, "Miss, the Old Lady asked me to ask you, have you ever offended Heshou Xianzhu?" This matter was so important that Old Lady Chiang even had to let her confidant come over.
Yuchen was unable to make head or tail of this question, as she shook her head and replied, "No! I've only met with Heshou Xianzhu three times in total, and although we didn't become friends, I didn't act hostile with her either. We only have regular contacts with each other."
Old Woman Min frowned. "That's strange." After uttering that, she asked again, "Did Miss never ever offend Heshou Xianzhu? Think about it more, Miss."
Yuchen's intuition told her that there was something wrong, and it was a big deal. "Mama, I never offended Heshou Xianzhu. The first time I saw her was at Marquis Taining Residence! However, speaking of which, I still feel puzzled about this. The first time I met her, she was the one who first acted hostile against me?"
Old Woman Min immediately grasped the keyword. "Being hostile? Did Miss have any enmity with Heshou Xianzhu?"
Yuchen shook her head. "No, it was my first time to meet Heshou Xianzhu in Marquis Taining Residence. Hence, how could we suddenly become enemies? We also didn't get along badly at the next two of our meetings."
Old Woman Min asked again, "Then what about Miss Yuxi? Did Miss Yuxi have animosity with Heshou Xianzhu?"
Yuchen shook her head without even thinking for a bit, "No. Yuxi was very respectful towards Heshou Xianzhu and did not overstep her bounds at all. At that time, when Yuxi won against the Young Lady Yu in a chess game at the Gongzhu's residence, Heshou Xianzhu even held Yuxi's hand and praised her fiercely, showing special closeness."
Old Woman Min frowned so deeply till the place between her brows turned into the character 川 (chuan).
Yuchen had bad thoughts in her mind, "Mama, what is actually going on? Why did you keep on talking about Heshou Xianzhu when everything is fine between her and me?"
Old Woman Min's expression turned ugly as she explained, "Miss, the Lord Marquis has already caught the bandit leader who had sneaked into the Duke of the State Residence that night. The bandit leader has confessed, saying that someone spent huge sums of money to let his people break into the Duke of the State Residence on the night of the palace rebellion and take advantage of the disorder to kill you and Miss Yuxi. According to his confession, Lord Marquis found out that Heshou Xianzhu was responsible for the incident. Therefore, the Old Lady especially asked me to come and ask you about it."
Yuchen felt that this was a ridiculous thing she ever heard. "The mastermind behind the scenes was Heshou Xianzhu? Why would she do that? As far as I know, there is no enmity between our residence and the Qiao family! Moreover, even if Yuxi and I ever offended her, she shouldn't have gone as far as paying the bandits to come to our house to kill us and set our home on fire, should she?" Not to mention, if they did quarrel, or Heshou Xianzhu wanted to make trouble because she wasn't happy with them, she wouldn't go as far as scheming to kill them.
Old Woman Min shook her head as she said, "Lord Marquis and Master Shizi Han have gone over everything. The Han family with the Qiao family and the Gongzhu Residence have always been like river water that did not interfere with well water. Not to mention that there had not been any quarrel that would cause such great enmity and deep hostility. So, Lord Marquis surmised to the Old Lady that Heshou Xianzhu must have been driven by her grudge." The so-called personal grudge was the enmity between the two, Yuchen and Yuxi, with Heshou Xianzhu.
Yuchen said resolutely and decisively, "Nothing happened like that. Not to mention about us becoming enemies with her, Yuxi and I have never been disrespectful towards Heshou Xianzhu."
Old Woman Min also thought that this matter was weird. Of course, in the eyes of the Chiang family, it was Yuchen that Heshou County wanted to kill, and Yuxi was just incidentally. Mainly because Yuchen's fame was too big, while Yuxi's reputation was not yet sufficient to even be considered.
Yuchen was silent for a moment before she asked a very crucial question, "Mama, how did Heshou Xianzhu know about the Crown Prince's plan to rebel that night? Has Jiujiu found out about it yet?" Even her Jiujiu, an influential minister in the court, didn't know such a confidential matter. Still, it was too weird for a young lady who was in a deep boudoir like Heshou Xianzhu to know it. Of course, Heshou Xianzhu had always been an abnormal person.
Old Woman Min shook her head, "Not yet. This is truly evil nature. In the ordinary course of events, Heshou Xianzhu shouldn't have known about such a confidential matter." [+]
Then, Yuchen said something that she had hidden in the bottom of her heart all this time. "Mama, I always feel that Heshou Xianzhu is a bit strange. Look at all the things she has done in the past two years. I have no comment on those juices and fresh cakes. But she also made soap and perfume. Mama, as far as I know, Heshou Xianzhu has never studied about perfume, nor has she ever come into contact with such things. Then, how did she know how to make these things?" If there were only one or two, they could still be considered a coincidence. However, for there to be so many things that came out, how could they still be considered a coincidence?
Old Woman Min asked, "What does Miss actually want to say?"
At this time, Yuchen did not want to hide anymore, nor would she make up any trick, "Heshou Xianzhu is not clean." The so-called not clean meant that something or someone had been possessed by an evil spirit.
Old Woman Min didn't respond to Yuchen's statement. Still, she said, "Miss, do you know, during the time the Crown Prince plotted a rebellion, many families that supported him were destroyed, and their properties had been taken over? Heshou Xianzhu took this opportunity to buy many shops and real estate. Besides, she also bought a lot of antique calligraphy and paintings. I heard that she had spent up to 700,000 to 800,000 silvers that she earned in the past two years." This passage was a side response, supporting the statement that Heshou Xianzhu was abnormal. As to whether dirty things indeed possessed her, any oral expressions could not be taken as evidence.
Yuchen asked, "What should we do then?" If this was just a quarrel with a young lady's family, it was okay for them to suffer some grievances and eat some losses. However, since this incident by Heshou Xianzhu was the same as making the Duke of the State Residence her enemy, it was impossible for them to just forget about it.
Old Woman Min shook her head, "This old servant doesn't know." She was only in charge of delivering the message. As for the follow-up, it was not for her to intervene nor to say anything.
After sending off Old Woman Min, Yuchen spent a long time in her bedroom. She didn't know why Heshou Xianzhu was trying to kill her. But, because of Heshou Xianzhu, many people were killed and injured in the State Residence. As a result, she was haunted by nightmares about it these days. Even her grandmother felt guilty about those who had died.
No matter for what reason, Heshou Xianzhu was doing all this. No matter what kind of a demon Heshou Xianzhu was, she and Heshou Xianzhu were enemies from today onwards. They would fight to their last gasp as enemies.
Noob Translator's Musing
Luckily, Yuxi didn't continue making sausages when she first bought the farmland. If she did, she wouldn't be able to explain how she got the idea. She couldn't just say she read it in a book since sausages hadn't yet been made at that time. If this happened in modern times, she would have been called an innovative inventor. But people back then were very suspicious people, especially when a 10-year-old 'girl' could even think something like that.
Tags:
The Rebirth of Han Yuxi