Han Jianming had been busy with outside matters these days and hadn't paid much attention to the inner courtyard. When he heard from his little page boy that Yuxi was already asleep, he casually asked, "What is the Fourth Miss doing these days?"
As a page boy, his eyes had to watch four roads, and his ears had to listen in all directions. In this way, when Master Shizi asked, he wouldn't be at a loss on how to answer. The little page boy replied, "Fourth Miss fainted today. When the physician came to check on her, he said that she had been too exhausted. After using too much of her energy, she passed out. The physician told her maids that Fourth Miss should take proper rest."
Before Han Jianming could open his mouth, his aide, Mr Zhao, asked in bafflement, "Too exhausted? What did Fourth Miss do that made her too exhausted?"
The little page boy answered, "I heard that she was so engrossed in reading that she fainted. When the physician came to check on her, he said that Fourth Miss had overworked herself, so she required a proper rest."
Han Jianming roughly knew the reason why Yuxi is overworked. She was afraid that Heshou Xianzhu was still thinking of killing her, so she looked for a solution. Reading was only her pretext. "You can withdraw." [+]
When Mr Zhao looked at Han Jianming's appearance, he asked, "Master Shizi, is it true that Fourth Miss fainted after reading a book?" Mr Zhao had been drawn to Han Jianming's side just recently. Thus he wasn't too familiar with the people and events happening in the State Residence, but he could feel that Shizi seemed to treat this Fourth Miss a bit special.
Han Jianming shook his head and said, "I've just asked her to come over tomorrow, then we can inquire about it from her." For such a trivial matter, he didn't have the mental energy and time to guess. Hence he would just directly ask her. However, he only hoped that this girl, Yuxi, wouldn't disappoint him.
Mr Zhao smiled and stopped talking about it.
That night, Han Jianming once again discussed official business with Mr Zhao until midnight. He also didn't return to the backyard and just stayed overnight directly in his study.
The white part mixed with blue is what they called the whitish colour of a fish belly.
From what I read, it mostly happened in early summer and at the end of winter, and before 5am.
Image Credit | 股上行 at WeChat
From what I read, it mostly happened in early summer and at the end of winter, and before 5am.
Image Credit | 股上行 at WeChat
Yuxi opened the door, walked into the yard, then took a deep breath before she began her morning exercises. She had been busy reading books for the past few days that she hadn't stuck to her wuqinxi. As a result, when she did them now, she felt sore all over her body.
After half an hour passed, Yuxi stopped and panted heavily as she took the towel handed by Zisu. As she wiped the sweat from her face, she said, "I must stick to it in the future, and I must not stop." After she stopped doing them for a few days, all of her muscles ached when she started to practice them again today.
Zisu took the already damp towel and complained, "In the past, Miss used to remind us not to go fishing for three days while drying the nets for two days, but now, it's Miss herself who doesn't set a good example."
Yuxi smiled and said, "This time, things happened for a reason, and it won't happen again next time." This time, the matter was unique, and there was no way the issue would happen again.
After her morning exercise, Yuxi noticed the fine weather, and the air was very fresh. Therefore, she simply brought out her medical book and memorised it in the yard.
Zisu helplessly shook her head as she no longer tried to advise her Miss, and she just went directly to the kitchen.
It was only after their breakfast did Zisu let Yuxi know about the little page boy who came over last night. "Master Shizi asked Miss to make a trip to his study once Miss had finished with breakfast. From what I see, Master Shizi must have something to find Miss."
Yuxi also wanted to find Han Jianming, so she immediately went over once she got the information.
Han Jianming looked at Yuxi's rosy cheeks and good spirits, which didn't look at all like she had been overworked. "I heard you fainted after reading a book? What book did you read? And why did you become this obsessed?"
Yuxi was speechless. "Who's talking nonsense? I was just too tired from reading and fell asleep. How could I faint from reading a book?"
Han Jianming got interested and asked, "What book managed to make you this obsessed until you pass out? Don't tell me it was a medical book?"
Yuxi rolled her eyes and replied, "I won't tell you."
Just like a little kid. Han Jianming had a smile on his face as he said, "If you don't want to say it, then don't say it. But why did you tell your Er Ge yesterday evening that I had found the mastermind behind the scenes?"
Yuxi tilted her head and asked with a look of surprise, "Am I wrong? Didn't Dage already find the master behind the scenes?" [+]
Han Jianming was not going to take this kind of behaviour from Yuxi and asked, "You know that's not what I meant. Tell me, why did you do this?"
When Yuxi looked at the serious Han Jianming, she also put away the smile on her face and explained, "I remember that Dage once said that you would like to revitalise the State Residence with Er Ge. But if you look at Er Ge's current behaviour, can he afford this heavy responsibility?"
Han Jianming knew that Yuxi wouldn't say those words to Han Jianye without rhyme or reason, "If you have something to say, just say it. There's no need to waste time by going round the curves and skirting the corners in front of me."
Yuxi criticised him in her heart, 'You're the one who had long wasted your time', "Er Ge has been learning martial arts from Master Yang in the mountains all these years, and yet he also developed this simple temper. Er Ge is a person who wants to walk on the road of an official, which is filled with people fighting and scheming against each other. Dage, with Er Ge's temper right now, it will surely become his fatal weakness when he starts to work as an official."
Han Jianming put his hands behind him and asked, "Do you have any good ideas?"
Yuxi shook her head and said, "Dage, you have been overprotective of Er Ge until he doesn't know about the current situation of the State Residence and the hardships that he will face outside. If Dage really wants the best for Er Ge, you ought to be the one who tells him about it. Not only that, but you should also let Er Ge know how hard you have worked to revitalise the family line of business. Even to the extent that it makes you feel less capable than desirable. Only then will Er Ge truly mature and work with you to revitalise the family line of business." Yuxi said these words based on her personal experience as well. In her last life, she didn't know how nasty the surroundings she was in while she only knew how to feel remorse, where in the end, she ended up in such a terrible situation. She felt that only by letting her Er Ge know how bad the surroundings of the State Residence was currently, he would start to take on his responsibility.
Han Jianming was deeply moved by her talk. Every time he talked to Yuxi, he regretted why Yuxi was not born with a male body but rather born as a girl. "I also realise the problems that you've mentioned, but you have to eat your food one bite at a time, and things must be done step by step. If you pull the seedlings to help them grow, the seedlings will wither and die."
Yuxi nodded as she agreed, "I know." Han Jianye had matured a lot more in a few months compared to before, actually, but as Han Jianming had said, it was impossible to change one's temperament in an instant. This incident had made her lose her peace of mind, and she had become a little anxious.
Han Jianming stopped talking about Han Jianye and asked, "Do you have any opinions regarding Heshou Xianzhu's matter?" From Yuxi's appearance, it seemed like she also had something to say about it.
Yuxi nodded, "I do have some ideas. But before that, I would like to know Dage's plan. Do you think long-term like Grandmother and my Father, or do you have other plans?"
Han Jianming didn't answer Yuxi's question but instead said, "Tell me what you're thinking."
Yuxi looked at Han Jianming with a depressed expression. Dage was only seven years older than her. Why did she always feel that she was facing an old fox every time she faced her Dage? "San Jie said that Heshou may have the ability to predict since she and us know that San Jie and I will pose a deadly threat to her before she would do it again next time…." At this point, Yuxi paused to look at Han Jianming's expression.
Han Jianming urged, "Keep talking. I'm listening." He felt that this reason was a bit ridiculous. What with Heshou being able to foretell the future? The one who could foretell the future was an immortal, so how could a woman who has a heart as malicious as snakes and scorpions like Heshou be able to do it?
Yuxi carefully said, "I just listened to what San Jie said and thought of 'taking away the firewood from under the cauldron' method." The method that she thought was quite simple. It was to publicise that Heshou Xianzhu had bribed the bandits to sneak into the State Residence to burn, kill, and loot on the night of the palace rebellion and then spread why the Heshou Xianzhu did it as well.
Han Jianming didn't find Yuxi's strategy as useful. "I don't see any use for it other than making people think that the State Residence is incompetent." For the dignified Duke of the State's Official Residence to easily let bandits sneak into the residence to kill and loot, what could it be other than being incompetent?
Yuxi felt that Han Jianming's thoughts were too one-sided. "Didn't Heshou Xianzhu make Monk Liao Tong prove that she had opened her all-seeing mind? We helped her confirm this matter by letting the world knows how Heshou Xianzhu used her all-seeing mind."
Han Jianming glanced at Yuxi. This method was indeed taking away the firewood from under the cauldron. Still, it would also bring a fatal blow to Heshou Xianzhu. "Do you mean to let the world know that Heshou has taken advantage of her ability to predict the future to harm others so that people will be on guard against her?" Not only would people be on guard against her, but they would also even want to get rid of her quickly.
Yuxi nodded, "Yes."
Han Jianye calculated the feasibility of this matter in his mind.
Upon seeing this situation, Yuxi added, "Dage, Heshou Xianzhu is not only hostile towards San Jie and me, but she also has a deep animosity towards Yu Xiyu. I'm sure Yu Xiyu can feel it once this news spread out, and I don't believe she will be indifferent when she hears it." After a pause, Yuxi continued, "Even if Yu Xiyu treats it indifferently, it doesn't matter. I believe that with these rumours, Heshou Xianzhu won't be able to be the 9th Prince's Imperial Concubine."
Han Jianming's head was full of black lines after hearing her words and asked, "Who told you that Heshou will be the 9th Prince's Imperial Concubine? Did you hear it from Yuchen again?"
Yuxi was dumbfounded. After a while, she managed to ask in a low voice, "Isn't it?"
Han Jianming shook his head. The women in the inner courtyard have limited insight after all. "Of course not. Even if Monk Liao Tong said that she had opened her all-seeing mind, she was not qualified to be the Prince's Imperial Concubine with Qiao's family status. At most, she can just be a Ce Fei." When he noticed Yuxi was staring at him, Han Jianming explained, "The Qiao family has gone downhill since former Old Lord Qiao passed away. No one in the Qiao family is good enough. In addition, with Qiao Meng being profligate, the Emperor can’t let Heshou be the Zang Fei."
Yuxi screamed in her heart, 'Yuxi-ah, you had spent your mind thinking for a long time till you exhausted your mind and body for nothing ah'. Heck, she was the one who trusted Yuchen too much and thought her information wouldn't be wrong. "It's me who’s been too presumptuous."
The corner of Han Jianming's mouth raised. The attitude of admitting one's mistake was very upright. "You have an excellent idea. If we really used this strategy, Heshou can't even think about being the Prince's Ce Fei." In fact, as long as this news of Heshou took advantage of the palace rebellion incident to buy off local bandits to slip into the Duke of the State's Official Residence was verified, the Emperor would never match this woman who had a heart as malicious as snakes and scorpions with the 9th Prince. However, Han Jianming had his concerns. If this incident spread, it would greatly impact the reputation of the State Residence.
Yuxi looked at Han Jianming's face and roughly guessed what he was thinking, "Dage, one only need one thousand days to be a thief, but where one had time to wait a thousand days to prevent the thieves. With Heshou scheming to get us killed and since she had known about the palace rebellion in advance, it was not shameful for us to be caught off guard. At least, there weren't any major casualties in our home."
Han Jianming asked, "Have you ever thought that if this matter is spread, your reputation will be damaged, and your marriage will become very difficult?"
Yuxi's attitude was apparent, as she questioned him back, "Dage, have you ever thought about that if Heshou becomes the 9th Prince's Ce Fei, she will be the Prince's moneybag? If we deal with her at that time, it will be the same as we go against the 9th Prince." The 9th Prince was always the second person that the Emperor held dearly in his heart until the 9th Prince passed away. It would not give them a good end if they had to confront the 9th Prince by then.
Seeing Han Jianming being silent, Yuxi knew that her words had worked, and she continued, "On the night of the palace rebellion, many families had been attacked by bandits. The law can't take action against masses, so no one will deliberately target us sisters."
Han Jianming suddenly changed the subject as he asked, "What exactly have you been reading these past few days? What kind of book would have the words 'take away the firewood from under the cauldron'?" He didn't have to think about it. It must be a book on the arts of war.
She had been seen through, and it was useless for her to hide or make up any story anymore. Yuxi honestly admitted, "I was reading «Thirty-six Stratagems in Sun Tzu's Art of War». 'Taking away the firewood from under the cauldron' is one of the thirty-six stratagems."
Han Jianming looked depressed. That book of his was for Han Jianye, but he didn't expect that Yuxi would be the one who was obsessed with it. "I didn't think you would delve into the book on the arts of war."
Yuxi immediately said, "My books were all burnt, and I had no books to read, so I went to Er Ge's side to borrow some. Not only did I borrow «Thirty-Six Stratagems in Sun Tzu's Art of War», but also «Comprehensive Mirror to Aid in Government», «Zuo Zhuan», and «Guoyu»."
These books were picked out by Han Jianming for Han Jianye to read. Han Jianming said, "I have this feeling that you have taken all of your Er Ge's book."
Yuxi wisely said, "Er Ge doesn't look at them anyway, so I might as well read them to pass the time. But speaking of it, the book «Thirty-Six Stratagems in Sun Tzu's Art of War» is fascinating and useful."
When Han Jianming heard Yuxi say that she read books on arts of war to pass the time, he once again regretfully said, "It's a pity that you're not a man since it's useless for you to learn this." The one who should learn about them didn't want to learn, but the one who didn't need to learn them took them seriously.
Yuxi silently disagreed in her heart. 'Who said that it was useless for me to learn them when it was clearly useful?' She just didn't dare to say it out loud, and she instead came with, "Being Idle is being idle, and just by reading a book can I pass my time."
Han Jianming's eyes flashed with a smiling expression, "You're quite special. Other girls pass their time by watching birds and flowers, but you pass your time by reading medical books, history books, and books on the arts of war. You're really special for having a particular hobby like this. By the way, when did you start reading history books?" Han Jianming now sort of knew why Yuxi could see problems so thoroughly.
Well, Han Jianming couldn't help but sigh in his heart. If Han Jianye were as thorough as Yuxi, he would not have hidden the truth from him.
Only a fool would answer this question. Obviously, Yuxi was not a fool. "Dage, I don’t know yet. I haven’t finished reading my medical books until now, so there is no time to read history books. Other than that, no book’s worthwhile for me to read this time. That’s why I took all the books from Er Ge."
Han Jianming didn't force Yuxi to answer. Anyway, what should be known, he had already known, and what wasn't known, he could always know about it later. At that moment, he said, "There's nothing more for you to do here. You can go back."
Noob Translator's Musing
If Yuxi were a man, Han Jianming would have taken her as his aide. But Yuxi is a girl. You can't change the fact, Han Jianming. - pat his shoulder -
Oh, one more thing, the poll in the last chapter, the majority chose the new footnote counter. Complying to democracy, from today onwards, I'll use the new footnote pointer. Sorry to those who love the number footnotes. Old chapters will still maintain the numbers footnote pointer.
Tags:
The Rebirth of Han Yuxi