Qiu Shi had brought Yujing to the Song family banquet as a guest to promote her. However, she did not expect that Yujing, originally in the backyard, had somehow managed to sneak into the front courtyard. Luckily, she fell into the pond and was saved by the Seventh Young Master Song. Many people saw this incident then, and it could be said that the Han family had lost all their faces.
When Yuxi found out about this, she said, "It's silly to use such a self-defeating method." It was true that Yujing had used this trick to find a good marriage, but using such an unorthodox method would not give her a good end even if she succeeded in her plan.
Zisu, however, thought much further than Yuxi and at once expressed her concern: "If Second Miss makes such a mess, it will implicate you too, Miss." If Yujing acted like this, outsiders would definitely question the educational upbringing of the State Residence, and the rest of the young misses inside the residence would also be questionable.
Yuxi took a set of aqua-coloured clothes from the wardrobe and changed into them. Then she reacted to Zisu's worry, "There is nothing I can do about being implicated. This matter is something that I can't solve." This matter had to be resolved by the Old Lady. The only way to leave no loose ends was to settle the marriage between Yujing and Seventh Young Master Song.
With these words, Yuxi went to the Master Courtyard.
After what happened to Yujing, Qiu Shi didn't know how much ridicule she had received. She was so angry that she wished she could tear Yujing's heart apart as soon as they returned home even before the banquet was officially over.
Yuxi comforted her aunt, "Eldest Aunt, don't be angry. It's useless to be angry over something that has happened. What we should do now is to find a way to settle this." The best solution was for the two families to settle the marriage between the two. Although the scenario was a disgrace, at least this solution can be used to cover it up.
However, to Yuxi's surprise, the Fourth Madam Song sent a matchmaker to the Han family the next day, saying she wanted to take Yujing as her son's concubine.
Yuxi laughed in exasperation, "Fourth Madam Song even dares to think like this." The Fourth Master Song was a shuzi who held no official government post. Thus, the Fourth House of the Song family depended on the Main House to survive. Even if Yujing had misbehaved, she was still a young miss of the State Residence. Fourth Madam Song even asked a matchmaker to come to their door and say that she wanted Yujing to be the Seventh Young Master's concubine, which was truly a brainless thing to do on the Song's side.
Qiu Shi was currently so moody that she did not want to meet the matchmaker. Hence she left the task of receiving the matchmaker to Mama Li. Mama Li initially thought that the matchmaker had come to the house to talk about marriage, but she didn't expect the Song family's arrival to their residence was just to slap them in the face. Mama Li asked with a sad face, "The matchmaker is still in the main hall, Miss. What should we do now?" Mama Li did not dare to tell Qiu Shi about this for fear that she would be so angry that she would vomit blood. So Mama Li came to find Yuxi to discuss the matter. This was also because Yuxi usually took care of the household management properly.
Yuxi sneered, "Beat this matchmaker out and then tell Grandmother about it. Let Grandmother sort it out.".
After thinking about it for a while, Yuxi went to Tingyun Pavilion to seek out Yuchen and inform her about it, "San Jie, Fourth Madam Song is trying to push our Han family into a pit." Not to mention the State Residence, even ordinary official families would not allow their daughters to become other family concubines. This was because, once their daughters were taken as concubines, their family would be lower in rank than others when they socialised in the capital.
Yuchen had followed Qiu Shi and the others to the Song family banquet, so she knew all that had happened there. But at that time, it was inappropriate for her to interfere in this matter, so she took the approach to just wait and see. But Yuchen didn't expect Fourth Madam Song would come to make terms with them. "Leave this matter to Grandmother and Dage to resolve!".
Yuxi asked, pretending to be worried, "San Jie, what do you think will happen if Fourth Madam Song is unwilling to let Seventh Young Master Song marry Yujing?"
Yuchen had an indifferent expression, "It's not a hard thing to do. Just let her (Yujing) spend the rest of her life being a vegetarian and pray to Buddha to atone for her sins." Yuchen was a person who always put her family's reputation first. What Yujing had done had completely disgraced the entire Han family. Since she dared to do such a thing to damage the family, she had to be prepared to bear the consequences of being abandoned by the family.
Yuxi glanced at Yuchen. She used to think that Yuchen was a gentle and kind person. But now that she saw such a cold Yuchen, she realised for Yuchen to become an Empress who was praised by everyone and, at the same time, favoured by the Emperor, how could she be a gentle and kind person? Rather than openly showing her shrewdness, Yuchen had it hidden very well.
Yuchen didn't continue to talk about Yujing since she didn't prefer to talk more about it, "How is your flute playing? Have you been practising it these days?".
Yuxi smilingly answered, "Yes! I'll play it for San Jie next time. Then you can point out the mistakes for me.".
Yuchen nodded her head and said, "After learning the flute, you can learn how to play the guzheng too. In fact, the guzheng is not that difficult to learn." Speaking of this, she remembered what happened back then and sighed, "If you had learned guzheng with the teacher back then, you would have been able to play it very well by now.".
Yuxi smilingly responded, "Just forget about the guzheng. I'm already satisfied if I can learn the flute well." Playing the flute was just a way for her to relax and unwind. Thus, there was no need for her to learn the guzheng also.[+]
When the Old Lady knew that the Fourth Madam Song had no intention of settling the marriage with the Han family, she told Mama Luo, "Send Yujing to the family temple." She originally had the same thought as Yuxi, thinking that it would be better if the two families settled the two's marriage as a cover-up for the matter, but she did not expect that the Fourth Madam Song would be so bold as to want Yujing to be a concubine for her son.
Old Woman Luo was worried, "This Second Miss' matter, will it also affect the Third Miss?".
Hearing these words, a stern look flashed in the Old Lady's eyes, "The older one was already a scourge, and the younger one is also a scourge. If I had known today, I would not have been softhearted and let her out in the first place." Both Song Guifei and Qinxin Gongzhu liked Yuchen. The 10th prince was also very fond of her. So if nothing went wrong, their marriage should be sanctioned next year. But with such a mess done by Yujing, things might have changed.
Old Woman Luo pointed out, "Old Lady, even if we send Second Miss to the family temple, the effect on the reputation of the State Residence will just be the same." To be precise, it would have a great impact on the Third Miss and the Fourth Miss. After all, Eldest Miss had settled her future married much earlier and Fifth Miss was still young.
The Old Lady sneered, "The master of the Song family affair is not Chao Shi (Fourth Madam Song). What happened today was certainly Chao Shi's own idea." Old Madam Song was not a muddle-headed one and she would not let the Song family become enemies with the Han family. The Song family already had many enemies, and there was no way they would want to add up one more.
Old Woman Luo understood at that moment that the Song family would surely let Seventh Young Master Song marry the Second Miss, as now the Han family had put forth their stance on the matter.
Yujing looked at the two big, burly old women servants who had barged into her room. They were holding ropes in their hands, so she immediately questioned, "What are you doing?".
At this time, Old Woman Luo came in from the outside, saying, "If Second Miss willing to obediently go out with this old servant, then this old servant won't have to be rough with Miss. If Miss resists, don't blame this old servant for offending Miss.".
Yujing snapped, "You dog slave, how dare you disrespect your superior?".
Old Woman Luo would no longer be polite to Yujing. She had the two big, burly old women servants tied Yujing up and gagged her with a handkerchief. She was then carried by one of the old women servants to the carriage outside, and she afterwards was sent to the family temple up on the hill. As for the maids around Yujing, several of her personal maids were sold out, and the second and third class maids were all punished to varying degrees. However, all these things were done in private, hence the matter did not come out in the open.
Kufu said to Bingmei and a few other second class maids, "The many times Second Miss made mistakes over the years, that was how much the maids around her have been changed. It's miserable to be assigned to the Second Miss' side." All the servants of the State Residence knew that Yujing was just like Wenshen, and those who followed her would 100% be implicated along. Those who had some connections would try their best not to be assigned to Yujing's side. Even if they were working as cleaning maids in the garden, they would not want to work in Yujing's courtyard. Therefore, those who ended up working for Yujing were either they had no other choice or those who had been bought from outside.
Everyone agreed with these statements, "It is good that we are assigned to Miss.".
Kufu repeatedly nodded her head, "Yes! Miss never scolded us and she also gives us many rewards. When we reach the age of marriage, she will help us find someone to marry and give us a generous dowry. We are so lucky to be able to serve Miss.".
Zisu smiled as she watched the crowd around her, praising how good Miss was. This was good. Since everyone knew that Miss was good to those around her, the more they would do their best to serve her.
Even though the Song family elders were still alive and well, neither of them had managed the family affairs that often. This time, even Wen Shi, the current family household manager, could do anything about the matter.
When Old Lady Song heard what Chao Shi had done, she ordered in a cold voice, "Go and call the Fourth Madam over.".
As soon as Chao Shi walked into the room, Old Lady Song scolded her head-on, "How dare you ask a matchmaker to go to the Han family and said that Second Young Miss Han would be offered as Lil Seven's concubine? Are your head filled with tofu, huh?".
Chao Shi was dumbfounded by the scolding and said in a resigned voice, "Mother, it's not like you don't know what happened yesterday? How can such a woman be allowed to marry Lil Seven?" Chao Shi was very afraid of Old Lady Song, her husband's dimu. It was really because Old Lady Song was too authoritative and fierce, and had overpowered her so much over the years that she did not dare to speak up.
Old Lady Song snorted coldly and said, "So many people saw what happened yesterday, so Lil Seven has to marry her. Unless you are trying to make the Song family have a feud with the Han family.".
Chao Shi didn't think much of the Han family. Otherwise, she wouldn't have done something that slapped the Han family on their face, "If we end up being their enemy, so be it. Do we, the Song family, still need to be afraid of them...".
Without waiting for Chao Shi to finish her words, Old Madam Song grabbed the cup on the table next to her and threw it towards Chao Shi. The cup hit Chao Shi's forehead, making her dizzy and almost fainted.
Old Madam Song rebuked, "You're such a foolish thing.".
Chao Shi had been married to the Song family for so many years, and this was the first time she had seen the Old Lady so furious. Although her head hurt, she still knelt on the ground and begged, "Mother, don't be angry. This daughter-in-law won't dare to talk back again.".
Old Madam Song coldly said, "Don't think that I don't know about the dirty things you do in private just because I'm not involved with this household management. It's enough that you both can't help resolve Xi-er difficult situation and leave his worries behind, but you're still trying to hold him back while bringing trouble to our Song family." Not only were Chao Shi and Fourth Master Song becoming loan sharks outside, but they were also doing shady business with people that were detrimental to their morals. In short, the two couples dared to do anything as long as they were making money. It was a good coincidence that Old Madam Song found out about it two days ago.[+]
If Yuxi was here, she would have said that if the upper beam was not straight, the lower beam would also be crooked. It was not uncommon for the rest of the Song family to do things that are detrimental to their virtue, since the head of the family could even collude with the enemy and betray the country.
When First Madam Song Wen Shi saw this situation, she hurriedly said, "Mother, don't be angry. Anger will only hurt your body. Si Dimei is indeed at fault in this matter, but the Second Miss Han is not the only one hurt in this matter. It is only natural that Si Dimei does not want Lil Seven to marry her.".
Old Madam Song did not look kindly at the Fourth Madam, "Tomorrow you will take the official matchmaker to the Han family to propose marriage in person. Also, stop all your shady businesses within two days. If I find out that you dare to go against the law, I will kick you out of the Song family." When she was young, Old Madam Song was a violent person. However, over the years, she had cultivated herself and was able to restrain her temper. However, it was easier to change rivers and mountains but it was harder to change a person's nature, and when one lost one's temper, one's original identity would be fully revealed.
How could Chao Shi dare to disagree, "Yes, I will go and find a matchmaker now.".
PS (Author): If you run into such a pig-like fellow, you'll have to admit you're unlucky.
Noob Translator's Musing
People back then: No, we won't allow our daughters to become your concubine!
Also people back then: (telling their daughters) It's good to be the Emperor's concubine. You can fight to raise your rank!
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The Rebirth of Han Yuxi
Thanks for wrriting this
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