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Eating Inside and Clinging to the Outside
Translated by atsam
Edited by atsam
“Mother, Gu Jiu, that damned girl, is going against the heavens! How dare she make you angry? I’m going to find her and beat her up!”
San guniang, Gu Yue, said in a rage, feeling indignant for her mother, Xie shi.
Xie shi’s was happy in her heart, but pretended to be solemn on the surface, rebuking her angrily, “Presumptuous! How many times have I told you, whether facing someone or behind their back, you must call Gu Jiu ‘er jiejie‘! Even if it is for appearance’s sake, it is important to do so in this family!”
Gu Yue stuck out her tongue, pulling Xie shi’s hand and leaning against her. “Mother, daughter knows her mistake. Daughter is just dissatisfied with er jiejie for being impertinent and arrogant. I feel wronged for my mother. I spoke only out of worry.”
“You, a!” Xie shi poked Gu Yue’s forehead, her eyes filled with love. Gu Yue was half a year younger than Gu Jiu. When she was born, Xie shi was raised to the wife’s status.
And so, she doted on Gu Yue exceedingly. She considered Gu Yue to be her lucky star. The family flourished, the mother flourished.
Gu Yue wielded her mother’s doting like a weapon. Her words and deeds were somewhat unbridled and unrestrained.
“Mother, daughter pays her respects.”
After her san jiejie and her mother finished speaking, si guniang Gu Shan stepped forward to salute.
Xie shi looked at her faintly. “Shan’er, you’ve come. Sit down.”
“Thank you, mother.” Gu Shan abided by the rules and sat on a chair.
Gu Yue muttered, “Did er jiejie eat a bear’s heart and a leopard’s guts? She even dared to make such a big noise.”
Xie shi coldly snorted. Gu Jiu, this little slut, let her be proud for a few days.
Immediately after, two boys entered Shang Fang. One was the liu shaoye Gu Cheng and the other was ba shaoye Gu Gong. Both were Xie shi’s sons.
Gu Gong, a little boy, shouted as soon as he entered, “Mother, did Gu Jiu make you angry? I will immediately go and beat her up!”
Xie shi had a headache. Gu Gong and Gu Yue had similar temperaments. With a stern expression, she said angrily, “Gu Gong, settle down a little. Did you forget your father’s beating?”
Mentioning his father’s punishment, Gu Gong suddenly felt his butt ache terribly.
His temper immediately vanished as he weakly said, “Son is merely  dissatisfied with er jiejie’s noisy matter, which made mother embarrassed.”
Xie shi felt gratified. “I know you feel distressed for mother, but you can’t act recklessly. I know how to deal with this matter.”
Gu Cheng said, feeling concerned, “Mother, is everything alright?”
Xie shi felt proud looking at her outstanding son. She said, “It’s good that your er jiejie made such a scene! I will take advantage of the situation and drive out all the vermin.”
Gu Cheng asked, “What does mother need this son to do?”
Xie shi smiled. He was worthy of being her son, both steady and smart.
She asked, “Have you finished your schoolwork?”
Gu Cheng nodded. “I’ve completed them.”
Xie shi said, “Your father is in the study, now. Both you and Xiao Gong take your schoolwork and show it to your father. Remember, don’t mention anything apart from the schoolwork. Don’t disappoint your father!”
Gu Cheng nodded, agreeing. “Son understands. Son will go see father at once and will not let father down.”
Gu Gong didn’t understand. “Mother, why won’t you let us mention this matter to father? Er jiejie made such a big scene. Don’t tell me we should let her go!”
Xie shi glared at Gu Gong, hating iron for not becoming steel. “Reckless! You are a man! If you accuse your sisters in front of your father, will it have any benefit? Follow your brother to learn well and use your brain a little. If both of your schoolwork has no problem, your father will feel glad and naturally calm down.”
“Mother speaks correctly. Ba”di“, follow me to see father. When the time comes, you shouldn’t speak nonsense,” Gu Cheng said, showing the demeanour of an elder brother.
Xie shi nodded, her eyes flashing with satisfaction. Gu Cheng was indeed worthy of being her proud son.
Gu Gong was still unconvinced but he didn’t open his mouth tactfully, going out with his brother.
Once they left, Gu Yue said, “Once father calms down, mother must severely punish er jiejie.”
Xie shi laughed and didn’t speak.
Gu Shan put her tea cup down and said, “Mother, I’m afraid relying on our brothers to cool father’s temper is not sufficient. Daughter thinks that you should arrange for Bai yiniang to serve father tonight.”
“Si meimei, what rubbish are you saying? What is your intention in telling mother to let Bai yiniang serve father?”
Gu Yue was angry and criticised Gu Shan loudly.
Gu Shan looked at her indifferently. “San jiejie, calm down. I’m also being considerate of mother. Li pozi is mother’s dowry servant. Since she made such a mistake, father must also be furious and he might take his anger out on mother.
“Now, it’s important to let father cool his temper. Bai yiniang is witty, alert and graceful. She understands the situation and acts tactfully. If she serves father tonight, it couldn’t be better. Other matters need not be spoken about for the time being.”
Gu Yue pointed at Gu Shan. “How do you know that we can’t rely on liu ge and ba di to calm father down? Do you think you are very smart? Letting Bai yiniang serve father, you are clearly eating inside and clinging to the outside!”
Gu Shan bowed her head, covering the anger in her eyes.
She inhaled deeply, looking at Xie shi. “Mother, daughter isn’t eating inside and clinging to the outside. Daughter is sincerely planning for mother.”
Xie shi’s complexion was calm. “I know, Shan’er is considerate.”
Xie shi always knew that her daughter Gu Shan was very intelligent, even too intelligent. But Xie shi didn’t like it.
Both her daughters were planning for her.
Gu Yue hadn’t made a single useful suggestion but Xie shi still felt that she was very considerate. She was very gratified. Her daughter was worried and anxious for her so much so that she impulsively threatened to teach Gu Jiu a lesson. But this also showed her sincere filial piety.
And even though Gu Shan, who was clear-headed and rational, gave a very pertinent suggestion, she didn’t make her feel even the slightest bit emotional.
Gu Yue looked at Xie shi anxiously, “Mother, do you really want to let Bai yiniang serve father? That woman…”
“What do you mean by ‘that woman’? That’s your father’s concubine. You have to call her yiniang.” Xie shi felt suffocated in her heart, her tone very heavy.
Gu Yue pouted. “Daughter feels sorry for mother.”
Xie shi hugged Gu Yue. “Yue’er, relax. Mother is fine. Tonight, I will let Bai yiniang serve your father. Shan’er is right. Now, the most urgent thing is how to calm your father down. We need not bother about other things.”
Gu Yue said resentfully, “Bai yiniang really took some small advantages. I still blame er jiejie. She didn’t make any fuss before. Because she made such havoc today, it even implicated mother.”
Gu Shan said, “I think Tao Hong forced er jiejie making her have no choice but to make a scene.”
Gu Yue stared at Gu Shan. “You are speaking for er jiejie again.”
Gu Shan immediately explained, “I am not speaking for er jiejie. We knew that Tao Hong’s misdeeds at Zhilanyuan were not little. If san jiejie were in er jiejie’s situation, could you tolerate her for three years? I’m afraid you would cause havoc not even three months later.”
Gu Yue said arrogantly, “Naturally! Er jiejie is so weak and easy to take advantage of that she even let a maid ride on top of her head. She has no ability and indulged Tao Hong blindly, finally being forced to dire straits by her. She deserves it.”
Gu Shan had a different opinion. “Er jiejie was being cautious. Tao Hong was sent by mother so she naturally had to give her some face. It’s a pity that Tao Hong didn’t do her duty, forcing er jiejie to take extreme measures. Er jiejie endured Tao Hong for three years and put Tao Hong to death in one fell swoop.
“She endured what an ordinary person couldn’t and acted decisively borrowing power to eliminate Tao Hong. Such an er jiejie, if there is no mishap, will certainly cause big events in the future.”
Xie shi sneered, “What can a little girl like her do? After two years, the right family will be found and she will be married out. When she arrives at her husband’s home, there will be her parents-in-law on top and sisters-in-law below. I don’t believe she can still raise wind and waves.”
Gu Yue nodded. “Mother is right. Er jiejie should be married out as soon as possible so that she doesn’t continue to be an eyesore.”
Gu Shan opened her mouth to speak but hesitated. Seeing her mother talking intimately with her third sister, she tactfully didn’t speak.
But she didn’t agree with her mother. Er jiejie made a move and eliminated Tao Hong as well as Li pozi and other pozi. How was that so easy to do?
She inwardly sighed but was also worried about er jiejie’s next step.