chapter 100

Yuxi noticed Yuchen’s look of concern, so she bowed her head, looking as if she had been hit hard, “San Jie¹san=three/third, Mother told me to bring along Qiu Yanfu to get acquainted with more people, but Qiu Yanfu is only a daughter of a merchant. How could I introduce her to others? What will others think of me then?“ After a pause, she added, “At that time, there were so many people in the courtyard, but Qiu Yanfu still had to ask me to accompany her to change clothes. When did I become her maid that I should do whatever she told me to do? Father didn’t even give me a chance to explain, and he just punished me by asking me to kneel down for more than a quarter of an hour.“

Yuchen’s brows wrinkled so much that they could even catch flies. “Dad didn’t even listen to your explanation?” Dad had gone too far this time. Was Qiu Yanfu his daughter or was it Yuxi?

Yuxi gave out a wry smile, “San Jie¹san=three/third, I really don’t understand, am I really Father’s own daughter? Otherwise, why would Father embarrassed me so many times for an outsider? San Jie¹san=three/third, I have been thinking all these years. Was I a child that had been picked up by this family? If not, why aren’t Grandmother and Father that fond of me?“ Under Momo²wet nurse Quan’s persuasion, she had tried hard to please the Old Madam over the years. Unfortunately, the Old Madam’s attitude towards her didn’t even change for a bit. It was neither too cold, too hot, nor too close. After seeing her efforts didn’t bring any effect, she would no longer waste her time pleasing the Old Madam.

Yuchen was taken aback by Yuxi’s words, “What nonsense are you talking about? This isn’t something you can just casually say, and you should never say such stupid things like that again.”

Yuxi lowered her head, as her tears fell down again. She was really pitiful.

Yuchen’s heart also felt very uncomfortable. She knew that if it weren’t for Eldest Aunt took care of Yuxi over the years, Yuxi would not have been living so comfortably in the residence. However, Grandmother and Father had always treated Yuxi in a cold and indifferent way. “Don’t think too much. You should take good care of yourself. No matter what happens, you should not be hard to your body.“

Yuxi gently nodded her head. This statement was true. This body was her own. Even if she lost everything, she won’t lose herself. “San Jie¹san=three/third, you should stay away from Qiu Yanfu in the future. Otherwise, you will only suffer.“

Yuchen’s eyes became cold as she said, “Don’t worry, she won’t have the courage.” If Qiu Yanfu aimed at her, she would definitely make Qiu Yanfu unable to stay in the state residence anymore.

Mama Fang was extremely happy when she got the news that she was allowed to enter the state residence to see Yuxi.

Lian Shan felt that something was wrong when he heard the news. Ever since he married Mama Fang, although Fourth Miss often asked people to send things or letters over, but because of some certain misgivings, Mama Fang had been disallowed to enter the residence again. This time, they allowed her into the residence without any indication, which made his instinct questioned their move. He wasn’t worried about these people would cheat Mama Fang once she went into the residence. After all, Mama Fang was now a family member of the Lian family. Even the Han family members were not so daring to treat her. What he really worried about was that Yuxi had gotten into an accident.

Baozi³steamed stuffed bun with fresh meat and green onions filling. For the resipi,

Mama Fang was busy from the moment she got the news, by preparing this and purchasing that. The next day, she got up before dawn to make Baozi³steamed stuffed bun with fresh meat and green onions filling which Yuxi loved the most.

Lian Shan looked at Mama Fang in her excitement. He was somewhat worried and thought about it for a moment, “Let Dalang⁴da=eldest, lang=youth accompany you to the state residence.” Just in case Fourth Miss was really in trouble, Dalang⁴da=eldest, lang=youth could lend his hand.

Lian Shan’s impression of Yuxi was very good. Not because she gave Mama Fang a generous dowry, but because he knew it was her who persuaded Mama Fang to remarry him. When he wanted to marry Mama Fang back then, how many people laughed at him and said that rather than marrying a virgin unmarried young woman, he wanted to marry an attractive middle-aged lady. Now, who didn’t envy his unique vision? Not only Mama Fang opened a Baozi³steamed stuffed bun shop in the street near their home, she had also managed his family properly and treated his two children as if they were her own. After she married into his family for a few months, she took the initiative to let the two children learn to read in school. For the two children, Lian Shan was a good father but he wasn’t as thorough as a mother should be.

When Dalang⁴da=eldest, lang=youth heard this, he happily said, “Okay, I’ll go with Mother.” After several years of getting along together, the two children had treated Mama Fang as their mother.

Mama Fang couldn’t resist the suggestion, so in the end, she had to agree to it. Lian Shan called over a carriage and sent the two people into the carriage before he went to work in the yamen⁵government office in feudal China.

The jubilant Mama Fang felt something was wrong as soon as she entered Rose Courtyard. When she saw Yuxi lying sick in bed, her tears immediately fell down, “Miss, what’s wrong with you? What happened to you?“ She thought Yuxi was seriously ill.

Yuxi smiled and soothed her, “Mama, I just accidentally affected by the wind and caught myself a cold. I feel much better now, and after I have two more patches of medicine, my illness will be cured.“

Mama Fang was skeptical. “Really?”

Yuxi laughed, “When did I ever cheat Mama? If you don’t believe me, you can ask Zisu, or Doctor Bai.“

This words finally made Mama Fang fully convinced. “Miss also, didn’t know how to treasure Miss’ own body.’

Yuxi said to Zisu, “You go to the door and stand guard. No one is allowed to get in without my permission.” It was inappropriate to let others know about the questioning she was going to conduct later.

Zisu knew that her Miss had something in her mind when she had requested Mama Fang’s entrance into the residence. As expected, she said, “Yes, Miss.” Then, she went out and stood outside, in front of the door.

Only then did Mama Fang reacted, “Miss, what’s going on?”

Now, there was no one else in the room, and Yuxi no longer kept the secret from Mama Fang, as she told her what had happened after Han Jingyan and Wu Shi returned to the capital. When Mama Fang heard Yuxi’s words, her face turned to liver-coloured with anger. “Even if Wu Shi is malicious, why does Third Master act the same? Miss is his own daughter. How can he be hard hearted enough to treat you like that?“

After Yuxi done telling everything to Mama Fang, she asked, “Mama Fang, does Father particularly hate Mom? Otherwise, why does he hate me so much?“ She had been holding back everything until now, and her skill of restraining herself was already superb.

Mama Fang didn’t know how to begin.

Yuxi asked the question that she had buried in her heart for several years, “Mama Fang, why did Mom marry Father?” According to the news she had heard over the past few years, her mom has a general appearance and no talent at all. It could be said that she was a very ordinary looking girl without any special characteristics. Even if Han Jingyan wanted to take a second wife, it was still impossible for him to marry her mom. The two were not matched at all. After hearing the news, she thought that nine times out of ten Han Jingyan did not ask her mom to marry him. There must be some unknown secret regarding this marriage.

Mama Fang was in a bit of a quandary. It had been so many years, and besides, the reason was actually not good.

Yuxi persuaded, “Mama, I just want to know why Father does this to me?” When she saw Mama Fang still hesitating, she continued, “Mama, please tell me! No matter what the reason is, I can stand it.“ In the worst case, her Mom had calculated Han Jingyan and forced him to marry her.

Mama Fang hesitated for a moment before she finally said, “In fact, it was also a mistake for Madam to marry Master. In those days, the Ning family befriended the Wei family, and Old Master Wei was a mentor for Third Master Han, who often went to the Wei family residence.“

Yuxi felt that her guess was wrong. If her Mom could do it again, it was impossible for her to calculate Han jingyan in other people’s homes, “Then?”

In fact, the incident was actually simple and ordinary rather than what had been told as something complicated and complex. Although Ning Shi was a shu⁶born from concubine daughter, she was raised like a di⁷born from formal wife daughter by her dimu⁸term of address used for their father’s official wife by the children of a concubine. This happened because there were not many daughters had been born in the Ning family, which made them became something really rare and precious. Because of her sudden change in status, Ning Shi’s marriage had also been decided immediately after her birth. As the Ning family was on good terms with the Wei family, they often visited each other around, which resulted in a close friendship between Ning Shi and Third Miss of Wei family.

As the story reached here, Mama Fang suddenly sighed, “That year, Old Master Wei chose Fourth Young Master of the Wei family for your mother, and they would only be betrothed after he passed the Provisional Examination. But who would have thought that something bad would happen afterwards.“

When Yuxi heard this, she knew that her previous thought had been wrong. Since her Waizufu⁹mother’s father took a fancy to the Fourth Young Master of the Wei family, he would certainly reveal his intention to her Mom. Under such circumstances, why would her Mom design Han Jingyan. “Then why did Mom married to the state government instead?”

Mama Fang answered, “Your mother went to a banquet held by the Wei family at that time. It was unknown how could she just drank a bit of wine and suddenly passed out drunk. When she woke up, she found out that she had laid next to your father while not properly dressed…“ For them to be found sleeping in the same bed, was something that wasn’t easy for her to tell Yuxi. She would just let Yuxi’s mind fill in the space herself.

Yuxi’s eyes narrowed into slits, “Had Mom been calculated?” Having said that out loud, she felt that it was incorrect and added, “It was not only Mom who had been calculated that day, but so did Father.”

Mama Fang nodded her head and said, “Later we knew that Third Miss Wei had a crush on Third Master and wanted to marry him as her second wife, but Madam Wei didn’t want her to marry a widow. Yu Shi, Third Miss Wei just wanted it to be like raw rice was now cooked¹⁰it is done and can’t be changed. Then, Madam Wei would be able to do anything.“ Third Miss Wei was the third di⁷born from formal wife daughter of Wei family. Where would her family give her away as the second wife of a widow? At that time, Han Jingyan already had a di⁷born from formal wife son and daughter.

Yuxi didn’t believe that all of this was just a coincidence. “Then, who calculated my Mom?”

Mama Fang replied, “Madam was calculated by Lin Miao. Lin Miao was Third Miss Wei biaojie¹¹elder female cousin. She had taken a fancy to Fourth Young Master Wei and thought that Madam was a stumbling block to her, so she used the trick of stealing a rafter for a column¹²Chinese idiom : to cheat.“ After that, she said with some emotion, “Actually, Madam and Lin Miao had a very good relationship, but Madam herself didn’t expect that Lin Mao would do such an evil thing in order to get married to Fourth Young Master Wei.”

Yuxi’s face looked very strange. Why did women like to use this move! Didn’t they know that there would be endless troubles after they used this act? Even if one got married as one wish, it would be strange that one could still have a good life with such reputation! Unless one met someone like Han Jianye.

Yuxi was a very keen person, “Mama Fang, was Father unwilling to marry Mom at that time? Did Waizufu⁹mother’s father forced him to marry her?“ The Ning family was not a small family. His Waizufu⁹mother’s father was also a senior official at that time. It was impossible for him to let his daughter became someone else’s concubine. As far as Yuxi knew, Han Jingyan had a deep affection for Chiang Shi. At that time, it was only a year after Chiang Shi’s death, so how would he want to marry her Mom. Thus, nine times out of ten, Han Jingyan had been forced to marry her.

Mama Fang’s face looked unnatural, but she still told Yuxi, “Madam’s reputation already ruined at that time, and there was no other way for her to go except to marry Master.” As for Han Jingyan’s reluctance to marry Ning Shi, it was hard for her to say anything to it.

Yuxi asked, “Does Father still think Mom was the one who calculated him?”

Mama Fang nodded and said, “Yes, Master firmly believed right away that Madam was the one who calculated him at that time. No matter how she explained, he did not want to believe it.” What happened after that, she couldn’t tell Yuxi. Han Jingyan stayed in Madam’s room for only three days after their wedding. After they returned from a visit to Madam’s maiden family home, he never entered Madam’s room anymore, and two months later, he was sent to Hebei.

Yuxi now knew why Han Jingyan hated her so much. He hated her Mom, and even hated her. Other people would love the house and its crow¹³Chinese idiom : love everything about sb, while she was like a fish in moat came to grief ¹⁴Chinese idiom : the bystander will also suffer. This idiom has 2 parts, and the author only took the second part. The original is like this ‘When the city gate catches fire, the fish in the moat come to grief).