きつね (kitsune): I'm thinking of using a new style for the footnote. So I'm using this chapter to test it. The new footnote has a dotted dashed (updated: 07.03.21) line under it, so just hover it. I want to see if it will be convenient for mobile readers also. Let me know which one you prefer by voting at the end of this chapter.
As Yuxi rose early the next morning, she could hear the pattering sounds of rain from outside.
When she pushed open the window, some raindrops drifted in. She groaned, "Why is it raining today?" Whenever she decided to go out to socialise, she was most afraid of encountering rainy days, as her clothes could easily get wet in this weather.
Hearing Yuxi's words, Zisu laughed and replied, "Miss, since God wants today to rain, no one can stop it." It was good for her Miss to go to the Duan family as a guest and act a little more casually.
Since it was just a gathering of a few girls of the same age, Yuxi dressed up much more informal. Apart from a few beaded flower decorations on her hair, she only wore a peacock hairpin and a pair of silver ear studs on her ears. She didn't wear any necklace or bracelet.
Zisu had no objection to this. It was just a gathering of a few friends, so there was no need for her Miss to dress up in a fancy way. "Miss looks beautiful when dressed up like this."
Yuxi smiled a little, "It's rare to hear a word of praise from your mouth. For today, just let Bingmei follow me." Bingmei's position in her yard was special, thus it was not good to treat her coldly.
Zisu nodded in acknowledgement, "Bingmei is clever. I am relieved to have her around Miss." This indirectly indicated that there was no estrangement between her and Bingmei.
The rain finally stopped when Yuxi arrived at the Duan residence.
When Zhou Shiya saw Yuxi, she grumbled, "Every time we get together, you are always the last one to show up. Chiang Xin and I have already drunk two cups of tea." It meant that they had arrived a long time ago.
Chiang Xin added, "And the most difficult to be invited. Yuxi, you can count on your own fingers, how long has it been since we've all gotten together?"[T/N]It's nice to know that Chiang Xin is one of Yuxi's friends right now. She's a good girl.
Yuxi responded cheerfully, "It's all my fault for being too busy."
Zhou Shiya bristled, "That's the excuse you use every time at any rate. Busy busy busy. You are even busier than my Father who is an officer in the yamen." Her father at least had a few days off in a month, while Yuxi had been busy all year round.
Bingmei interjected with a smile, "My Miss is learning to play the flute these days, and she also has to help the First Lady with managing the household, so it wasn't easy for her to get away."
Chiang Xin and Zhou Shiya were both in-laws of the Han family, hence they knew that Yuxi was currently helping Qiu Shi's in managing the household, "Oh, you're learning to play the flute? Have you learned it yet?"
Duan Xinrong inquired with a smile, "Yuxi, didn't you say that you didn't have the talent to learn musical instruments? Why are you thinking of learning to play the flute right now?"
Yuxi answered with a helpless-looking face, "I don't know what kind of stimulus my San Jie had received that she had been so adamant to make me learn to play the flute. If I didn't learn it, I would be forced to stay at Tingyun Pavilion and listen to her play. Ah, I had no choice but reluctantly follow her lessons."
Zhou Shiya pinched Yuxi, "You're still reluctant to do it? Don't you know how many people want to learn poetry and musical instruments from Chen Biaojie? It's a pity that they are not up to Biaojie's preference. You live in plenty without even appreciating it." Those many people that had been mentioned also included Zhou Shiya.[+]This noob translation was translated by a noob translator, きつね. Please read this chapter at xin-shou.blogspot.com.
Chiang Xin was much more direct, "Xinrong Jie, do you have a flute here? Let her play it for us to hear. We have to verify it ourselves." The verification she was talking about was not to verify whether or not Yuxi had learned the flute, but rather to verify how good she was.
Duan Xinrong smiled, "There is. I'll ask my maid to fetch it."
As soon as the maid left, Zhou Shiya began to ask for a purse from Yuxi, "You promised me a purse a year and a half ago. Shouldn't you honour your promise now?"
Chiang Xin bantered, "Yes, you can't put it off this time around. If you delay any longer, we won't be able to see your purse even when we get married."
Yuxi smiled, "What? Is your marriage already fixed?" The three of them Zhou Shiya, Chiang Xin, and Yuxi were the same age. None of them had yet been betrothed.
At the beginning of the year, Duan Xinrong had been betrothed to the son of one of Master Duan's colleagues, who was the second di son of Hong Daren, a prefectural magistrate.
Chiang Xin said without changing the colour of her face, "By the time you finish embroidering the purse, my marriage will definitely be fixed." It was truly not an easy task to ask for a purse from Yuxi!
Yuxi considered for a moment, then said with a smile, "Like this, ah! Then, when you get married, I will give you the finished purse."
These words made Zhou Shiya's and Chiang Xin's eyes light up. Zhou Shiya pounced straight at Yuxi, "You've done embroidering the purses? Where are they?" As she screamed, she dug into Yuxi's sleeve, but unfortunately, she couldn't find anything.
While on the other side, Chiang Xin had managed to get her hands on two purses. The two purses, one had been embroidered with peony flowers, whilst the other with wintersweet flowers.
Zhou Shiya took the pouch embroidered with peony flowers and smilingly said, "It's so beautiful. I've been waiting for so long!"
Duan Xinrong, who was two years older than the other two, acted much more calmly. She stood at the side and asked with a smile, "Yuxi, how about my gift?"
Yuxi begged for mercy, "I have not yet finished embroidering Xinrong Jiejie's flower and bird folding fan." She hadn't finished embroidering even half of it, and it would take at least another half a year to be completed.
When Zhou Shiya heard this, she quickly said, "I want one too."
Chiang Xin also hurriedly stated that she also wanted a folding fan embroidered by Yuxi. When it was time to take the fan out, it would be an extremely high-esteem moment, and at the same time, it could help in hyping Yuxi.
Yuxi shook her head and rejected, "I don't have time to do any more embroidery work." Seeing the two's disappointed faces, she added with a smile, "However, when you're going to get married, I will fulfill your wishes."
Zhou Shiya shook her head, "You're going to send us off with a pair of embroideries just because we're getting married? Ahem, how stingy you are!"
While they talked, a maid brought a flute over. Since everyone was already so familiar with each other, Yuxi didn't feel embarrassed, so she started to play a simple tune right away. She had been learning this tune for more than a month now and was already very proficient in playing it.
Duan Xinrong was the first to express her opinion, "It's not bad that you can play a full tune after only learning it for such a short time." Yuxi didn't play this piece very well, but the tones weren't wrong.
The group joked and laughed as time passed exceptionally quickly. In the blink of an eye, it was time for lunch, which was served in the garden pavilion.
Duan Xinrong's marriage had been settled, and she would be married in two years, thus she would not be able to act so comfortably and free once she went to another family. So Madam Duan didn't hold her back and let her relax.
As they ate, it had been stressed to them to not converse when they were eating and to not speak when they were in bed. Even if the four of them knew each other well, they would not speak while they were eating.
Before they could finish their meal, a maid ran over. Because she ran too fast, she fell down outside the pavilion. The maid quickly climbed up and called out, "Miss, it's not good. The government troops have come and surrounded our residence, Miss."
Yuxi's heart skipped a beat. Whoever's family had been surrounded, it was a prior indication of searching and confiscating possessions from the residence, as well as the extermination of an entire family. Thinking of this, Yuxi looked at Duan Xinrong and noticed that Duan Xinrong had already passed out.
Philtrum
Image Credit | Inka.cn (面相看人中平坦的人有何命运特征)
Image Credit | Inka.cn (面相看人中平坦的人有何命运特征)
At this time, both Zhou Shiya's and Chiang Xin's maids came forward and urged, "Miss, let's hurry back!" The Duan family was obviously in trouble, and it was such a big matter. This was the right time for them to depart from the Duan family residence.
Zhou Shiya and Chiang Xin were also terrified, but it was not right to just leave Duan Xinrong behind, so they were currently in a dilemma.
Although Duan Xinrong was scared to death, when she still saw Zhou Shiya and Chiang Xin around, she urged, "You guys hurry up and go back! Or else you'll also get involved."
Zhou Shiya and Chiang Xin looked at Yuxi.
Yuxi spoke to the two of them, "You guys go back first! I'll help Xinrong Jiejie return to her courtyard and see what's going on before I leave." They were only guests here, not members of the Duan family. Even if the Duan family were to be raided and exterminated, it would be impossible to implicate her also.[+]This noob translation was translated by a noob translator, きつね. Please read this chapter at xin-shou.blogspot.com.
At the urging of their maids, Zhou Shiya and Chiang Xin eventually left. Yuxi, on the other hand, together with Duan Xinrong went back to Duan Xinrong's courtyard. Luckily, her courtyard was close to the garden and they arrived there almost instantly.
When they entered Duan Xinrong's room, Yuxi whispered to Xinrong's ear, "Do you have any silver tickets in your hand? If you have any, give them all to me." Silver tickets were easy to carry around, just like gold and silver jewellery.
Duan Xinrong froze for three seconds, then quickly reacted and said with a bitter smile, "No, I don't have any silver tickets in my hand. I only have two hundred taels of broken silver in my hand." Duan Xinrong was not like Yuxi, who had her own property in her hands. All her expenses were prepared by Madam Duan, so she didn't have to bother with anything.
Yuxi shook her head. The silver was too heavy for her to carry.
Duan Xinrong's eyes lit up, "My Mother gave me two shops for me to practice on. The deeds are in my hands. Can I give these to you?" Before Yuxi could agree, Duan Xinrong immediately took them out.
Yuxi did not reach out to take them, "Xinrong Jiejie, the records of the shops are in the magistrate's office. Even if you give me the deeds to the shops, I won't be able to use it when something really happens." Silver tickets did not need to be recorded, so it was the safest to be taken out. But Duan Xinrong did not have any silver ticket in hand.
Bingmei was frightened at first, but when she saw that Yuxi did not look worried at all, she also calmed down and suggested, "Miss, we can help Miss Xinrong take some valuable jewellery out. If anything happens, we can pawn these jewellery and still have money to use when the time comes."
Yuxi didn't think it was a good idea, but Duan Xinrong was already busy asking her maid to bring her jewellery for Yuxi to choose from.
Duan Xinrong was the only daughter of Madam Duan, so she had purchased a considerable amount of jewellery for Duan Xinrong since she was a child. From these, Yuxi chose a pair of double happiness, double ruyi long hairpins, a particularly intricate and valuable necklace, and a suede jade bracelet. These three pieces of jewellery were all valuable and also matched her dress and hairstyles.
Bingmei also wanted to pick out some expensive jewellery to wear but was stopped by Yuxi. "You can just pick out some gold jewellery." If a maid was found wearing a jeweled hairpin or something like that, was not that show a clear indication to other people that there was something wrong with them?
Just then, a maid's scream rang out from outside, "What are you doing? This is my Miss' boudoir, you cannot enter." Then came the sound of someone breaking down the door.
Soon, more than a dozen men in the clothes of the Imperial Guard broke in. Yuxi knew they were the Imperial Guard because she had seen Han Jianye dressed in one. As soon as this group of people entered the house, their eyes were glowing green when they looked at the contents of the house.
Duan Xinrong originally had a slight chance to escape, but looking at this group of people who looked like wolves and tigers, she knew that the Duan family would not be able to escape this time.
Thinking of this, Duan Xinrong rolled her eyes and fainted again. At this time, the maids around her were all crying in fear, therefore they couldn't care less about her.
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The Rebirth of Han Yuxi