It was at the early second lunar month, and the cold was just beginning to recede, so it was still rather cold. Yuxi did not dare to practise in the courtyard in the morning. Thus, she did it inside the house as she usually did recently.
After her morning practice, Yuxi wondered, "I don't know how Zijin is doing right now?" Last time, she had asked someone to send a letter to Zijin, but at that time, Zijin happened to be out with Master Yang. When Zijin came back, things had already been taken care of on Yuxi's side. So Yuxi didn't let Zijin return.
Zisu smiled and said, "If Miss wishes to see Zijin, just tell her to come back during the Dragon Boat Festival. She has been in the mountains for so long. It's time for her to come back and see Miss." Zisu's heart ached as soon as she thought of the six hundred taels that quickly flew away every time Zijin had to pay her fee every year. But when she advised her Miss, she said that money was only a small matter as it was important for Zijin to learn the skills to protect her in the future. Zisu wondered, given her Miss' status, why would anyone ever plot against her. What happened the night of the palace rebellion was, after all, a special circumstance. It was unlikely that it would ever happen again. Zisu could never understand Yuxi's inner panic. As for Yuxi, as long as she could achieve her goal, it didn't matter how much money it would cost her.
Yuxi thought for a moment and said, "That's good. I haven't seen her for so long. I wonder what has become of her?" Yuxi had never doubted Zijin's loyalty to her, but they still needed to get in touch. It wouldn't affect Zisu's training even if she returned home for just a few days.
After Yuxi freshened herself up, Zisu reminded, "Miss, it's almost time. It's time to go to the Main Courtyard." Concubine Jia had entered the house this day and would be greeting everyone for the first time this morning. Her situation was a bit special so that she would make her greetings in the Main Courtyard.
When Yuxi arrived at the Main Courtyard, she realised she was the last one to come. As soon as she entered the room, she found another unfamiliar face inside.
If others were late, they might be embarrassed, but Yuxi, with a calm face, stepped forward to greet the Old Lady and Qiu Shi. Then, she stood by Qiu Shi's side.
Old Woman Luo winked at the two maids beside her. A maid then fetched a kneeling mat and spread it on the floor. While the other maid brought a cup of tea and handed it to Concubine Jia: "Please offer them tea, Madam."
The yellow dangling thingy over the skirt is called 'phoenix tail skirt'.
Image Credit | Fashion Hanfu
Image Credit | Fashion Hanfu
Lily Bun
Yuxi nodded inwardly. This woman was a smart one. She just hoped this woman wouldn't be an ambitious one, or the State House would be really lively.
Bai Zi Qian Sun Tea Bowl
Image Credit | Taobao
Image Credit | Taobao
The Old Lady held the tea bowl, took a symbolic sip, and then put it down. The maid beside her brought over a tray with a pair of hairpins inlaid with thousand pearls in the colour of pomegranate seeds. The Old Lady kindly wished her, "Branch out and spread leaves for the Han family as soon as possible."
Concubine Jia bowed her head, answered softly, and served Qiu Shi's tea afterwards, still holding the cup over her head with both hands.
It was unknown for whatever reason, but watching this action from Concubine Jia, Yuxi's heart went a little sour. She was unable to explain why it felt that way, though.
Qiu Shi took the tea, gently took a sip and said with a smile, "It's a good tea." After saying that, Liuyue brought a mulberry coloured tray, which had a little silver wrapped in a red packet and a small box.
When Yuxi heard this, she reflexively looked towards Ye Shi and saw that her face was not looking very good. Yuxi sighed slightly in her heart. This battle between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law was really difficult to avoid. She only hoped that it would happen a bit later.
Qiu Shi didn't feel anything was wrong with her doing this; instead, she said to Aunt Jia with a loving face, "This silver is for your private savings. You can use it to buy whatever you want. In the box, there are a few pieces of jewellery as a gift. Now, I only hope that......"
When Yuxi heard this part, she coughed vigorously.
In response, Qiu Shi immediately shifted her focus and pulled Yuxi to her side. She felt her forehead and found that her body temperature was normal. However, she didn't dare to take it lightly as she said, "It's better to have Physician Bai take a look at you later."
Yuxi shook her head and replied, "I was fine when I got up this morning. Maybe I got affected by the chill wind on my way over. I'll be fine after drinking some batches of syrup when I go back."
Qiu Shi didn't know why Yuxi was coughing, but how could the Old Lady not know. Qiu Shi had shown in front of everyone that she paid particular attention to Concubine Jia. Hence, where would Ye Shi put her face in this kind of situation? Thinking of this, the Old Lady said, "Since the rites have been met, Ming-er's wife, you take Jia Shi back to your courtyard. Eldest daughter-in-law, you stay behind. Everyone else, you can go back." There were some things that she had to remind Qiu Shi so that Qiu Shi would not be confused and favour Jia Shi. This blatant favouritism would only cause discord between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law in the future.
Yuxi was relieved to hear this. If the Old Lady were willing to intervene, this matter would not end up too terrible. [+]
After leaving the courtyard, Yuchen invited Yuxi, "Yuxi, come and sit in my Tingyun Pavilion?" An already engaged Yuxi was still as busy as she was before.
Yuxi shook her head and answered, "I have things to do. Let's do it some other time!" As the weather became warmer, Yuxi was ready to fulfil her promise in embroidering a fan for Zhou Shiya.
Yuchen was a little disappointed. "Alright then!" It wasn't a good thing for Yuxi to be too diligent. Yuxi didn't even have the time to at least talk with her.
On their way back, Zisu asked, "Miss, why did you interrupt the First Lady's talk just now?" As Yuxi was coughing, everyone in the room, except for Qiu, basically knew she was faking it. It was just that Zisu didn't quite understand why Yuxi had done that.
Yuxi replied, "If the rules between wives and concubines are messed up, the residence will not be quiet either." Concubine Jia was a concubine, and even if she had a son in the future, she would still not be able to rise above Ye Shi. If Mother were to intervene, this would only muddy the waters and even repeat what had happened in her previous life, which was not what Yuxi wanted to see.
Zisu frowned and raised a question, "Miss, it's not good for you to interfere in the strife between the two of them, is it?"
Yuxi asserted, "I will not interfere in the fight between them, but I will persuade Mother not to intervene in it either." The fight between Ye Shi and Concubine Jia was one in which Yuxi would not get involved, nor would she want Qiu Shi to get affected.
Zisu shook her head and said, "That will be even more difficult. Concubine Jia is not stupid. She will think of ways to please the Lady. With Lady's affection, she will have a benefactor in residence."
Yuxi smiled a little and said, "I won't let Mother become her benefactor." The so-called benefactor was, in fact, just a shield. If Concubine Jia was capable, she could fight Ye Shi independently, but if she was not, she could just stay in the courtyard and live her life in peace. Yuxi would never allow Concubine Jia to use her mother as a shield, nor use her mother to deal with Ye Shi.
Although Ye Shi was somewhat displeased with Qiu Shi's temper, she also knew it made Qiu Shi do whatever came to her mind without thinking about the embarrassment she would cause herself by doing so. It was a good thing that Yuxi had stopped her at the right time. Otherwise, Ye Shi would not have any face left.
When Ye Shi returned to the Songxiang courtyard, Concubine Jia served tea and greeted her according to the rules. Ye Shi didn't make things difficult for her, and after giving her a gift, she said, "You had a long day yesterday. So, I won't keep you here long. Just let someone tell me later if you need anything in your house.
"Thank you, Da Nainai." Concubine Jia went back to her kneeling mat and kowtowed again before she left with her maid. The maid was called Shui Ping, and she was a maid brought in by Concubine Jia. They had grown up together since childhood, and she was Concubine Jia's die-hard maid.
When the two of them returned to the Guihua Courtyard, Concubine Jia sat down on a chair. Her nerves had been tense from the time she woke up early this morning until just now. Now, at last, she could let out a sigh of relief. [+]
A little maid brought over a cup of tea. Concubine Jia took it and drank it all, then waved the little maid down.
Only then did Shui Ping say, "Miss, the Old Lady and the Lady don't seem to be difficult people to get along with. It's Da Nainai, however, I can't make out her depth yet."
Concubine Jia let out a bitter laugh. "The Old Lady is a person of high moral character and will only watch from the top of the well. Although Da Nainai looks kind on the outside, she must be very scornful of me on the inside. As for the Lady, with the Fourth Miss around, we can't rely on the Lady's side either." The only people she could rely upon were herself and Master Shizi. [T/N]
Shui Ping remembered what had just happened and was a bit confused. "Miss, it's strange to say that the Fourth Miss was the last one to arrive today, but the Old Lady wasn't even angry. Didn't people say before that the Old Lady didn't like the Fourth Miss? The way she looks today is inconsistent with the rumours?"
Concubine Jia said, "Take what you hear to be false, only believe it when you see it. Moreover, the Fourth Miss only arrived a little later than I did, so she could not be considered late."
Shui Ping spoke with some exasperation, "Why did the Fourth Miss interrupt the Lady just now? It's not like we've offended her."
Concubine Jia shook her head and said, "Don't you remember? The Fourth Miss is betrothed to the Chen family of Marquis Taining Residence, and Lady Chen is Da Nainai's direct Gumu. It's normal for Fourth Miss to side with Da Nainai." Ye Shi's maternal family was powerful and valued by the Old Lady, so her position in the residence was strong. Therefore, she was unable to shake Ye Shi's position. Sighed. If she hadn't been forced into a corner, how would she be willing to be a concubine?
Concubine Jia had no choice but to marry Han Jianming as his second room. She had attracted the attention of Fourth Young Master Jiang*, a family member of the Imperial Merchant families. That wastrel wanted to take her as his concubine. In desperation, Concubine Jia sought help from the same **Zhou Daren, whom she had once sought refuge from. Zhou Daren was reluctant to go up against the Jiang family. Still, he told her that the shizi of Duke of the State Residence wanted to take a second room. Her qualifications were just right. Hence, Zhou Daren asked if she would be willing to. Being a second room to the shizi of the Duke of the State was better than being a concubine to the Jiang family. Fourth Young Master Jiang only knew how to spend his time with wasteful things and even had several concubines at home. She was desperate, so she agreed to give it a try. To her surprise, Han shizi took a liking to her and promised to help her get back her family properties that her clansmen had swallowed up. If she could get the fortune back, her mother would have no worries for the rest of her life. As for her, she thought that she would be able to live well in the State Residence if she was careful and discreet. But after the morning's events, she didn't feel so confident anymore. [T/N]
Shui Ping sadly asked, "Madam, what should we do then?"
Concubine Jia said, "There is no hurry. We should take our time." When Master Shizi got back the family properties snatched away by her clansmen, she would eventually have money on hand. Then she could slowly gather up people to be on her side. Once she had enough people, kept herself healthy, and had a son, she would have a firm footing in the State Residence.
Noob Translator's Musing
- *I don't know if the author has made a mistake here. The only Imperial Merchant I read was the Wang family. So I was surprised when I read the Jiang family as the Imperial Merchant family. But...I kept it as it is since I couldn't confirm if this were intentional or just a simple mistake.
- **Maybe related to Zhou Shiya since they shared the same character for Zhou (舟).
- I hope Concubine Jia doesn't fight with Ye Shi. It's better if she takes the wait-and-see approach than to fight head-on with Ye Shi. She would have the worst outcome if she did.
Tags:
The Rebirth of Han Yuxi