chapter 75

Yuxi went to her garden again to wait on her herbs.

The herbs planted in the medicine garden were not good looking, as they were too thin and unsightly. The once proper backyard had turned by Yuxi to something beyond recognition. To those who didn’t know, they would have thought that beasts had visited the place.

Kufu came over and announced, “Miss, Fifth Miss and Miss Fu are here to see you.”

Yuchen had went to pay respect only on the day Wu Shi’s returned to the residence, and she hadn’t been there for the last two days. Yuxi could only followed suit. Of course, this did not mean that Yuxi did not know the situation in Biteng Courtyard. She knew that these two days, Wu Shi had been putting her things together and tidying up her courtyard. Similarly, Yurong and Qiu Yanfu were busy cleaning up their yard these two days. Now, it was estimated that their courtyard had been totally cleaned up. Therefore, they couldn’t wait to come out and wandered while painting their existence in the residence.

When Yuxi went out, she saw Qiu Yanfu dressed in a moon-white dress. Qiu Yanfu’s appearance was at its peak, and when coupled with a pretty dress, she looked really lovely.

It was not unusual to wear moon-white clothes. Yuxi had several clothes with the same colour, but hers were embroidered with various beautiful patterns. While, Qiu Yanfu’s dress was plainly white without any embroidered patterns.

Yuxi looked at Qiu Yanfu in such dress and asked, “Cousin Fu, did you come here specially to say goodbye to me?”

Qiu Yanfu was stunned. She did not understand why Yuxi was saying this, but she guessed that Yuxi had no good things to say. She smiled and replied, “I’m here to visit my Fourth Cousin.”

Yuxi said, “I thought someone in your family has gotten old. That’s why you come and say goodbye to me.” Had gotten old here meant passed away.

Yurong was unhappy that her mouth curled down. She then said, “Fourth Sister, what are you doing cursing my aunt and uncle? They have never offended you. “

Yuxi gazed at Qiu Yanfu in her white attire and said, “I mean Cousin Yanfu who has gotten old, not your aunt and uncle. But it is also rare to see Cousin Yanfu to dress in all white when everyone in your family is doing fine. You don’t find this as unlucky?”

Qiu Yanfu used to like wearing plain clothes when she was in Hebei. Wearing such clothes made her looked very elegant and beautiful. Today, she was going to pay Fourth Miss a visit. She was afraid that she would be intimidated by Yuxi that she decided to wear this dress. She could not help but remembered Yuchen’s surprise look when she saw her and the hidden smile in the eyes of the maids in Tingyun Pavilion. Now she felt so ashamed that she wished she could drawn herself by jumping in the river.

Yurong stamped her foot and said, “Fourth Sister, we have come to visit you with our good intentions, and you treat us like this?”

Qiu Yanfu apologised, “Fourth Cousin, I’m really sorry. I didn’t know there was such a taboo in the residence. I will pay more attention next time.“

Yuxi appeared to be hiding her sneer as she said, “It is not only taboo in our house, but it is also taboo in other people’s homes. If you go to someone else’s house looking like this and if the host family has impetuous temper, the family can directly beat you up.“

Yurong obviously unconvinced with this words, “Fourth Sister, you are just saying frightening words to scare people (Chinese idiom : sensationalist).”

Qiu Yanfu said, “Fourth Cousin, we have just arrived in the capital and there are still a lot of things that we don’t understand. Later on, we will ask Fourth Cousin to tell us more about the taboos in the capital.”

Yuxi sneered in her heart. ‘Wanted to treat me as a pedal, dream on.’ However, there was a smile on her face as she said, “All the mama in the residence know all these things.” After saying that, she welcomed the two people in.

The setup of Rose Courtyard had not changed at all. During this period, Qiu Shi wanted to replace all the furniture in Yuxi’s courtyard, but Yuxi refused, saying that she was already used to it and prefer not to change it again. In fact, she felt that living in luxury or simple wasn’t something really important. The most important thing for her was how to take advantage in each different situation.

Plantain or cooking banana. Plantain is a family of banana, but a bit different than banana. Banana will turn yellow when it ripe, but plantain will still have green colour even when it ripes. For more difference between plantain and banana, please click .

Source | Dickelbers via Wiki

Qiu Yanfu and Yurong saw nothing inside the courtyard except for roses and plantains on one side. Entering the living room, there were no other decorations could be seen except desk and chair. To compare here with Tingyun Pavilion, was like comparing mud and heaven.

Qiu Yanfu’s eyes flashed with doubt. If she was not mistaken, Yuxi ought to be quite favoured, but why the setup in was this room was so simple.

When they got into the bedroom, they saw the room to be rather unduly simple. There were wash painting mosquito nets hanging on the bed frame and big red bedding. Everything in the room were not very valuable. The only bright colour things in there were probably a few jewelleries placed on the dressing table.

Yurong felt that this place was really shabby. Not to mention Tingyun Pavilion, even with her Shuixiang Courtyard, it was still incomparable.

Qiu Yanfu purposely asked with a smile, “Don’t you have a study, Fourth Cousin?”

Yuxi responded also with a smile, “The study is on the other side. If you want to see it, follow me!” Her study had changed a lot now, unlike its state in the beginning.

Lucky Bamboo Bonsai

Source |(, June 19, 2016)

As they walked in, the first thing they saw was the large yellow rosewood desk by the window. There were many books on the desk, a few square ink-stones, and various kinds of brush pots. The numerous writing brushes inserted inside the brush pots were like a mountain forest. There was also a ‘lucky bamboo’ bonsai on the desk.

In the middle of the western wall, hung a long piece of paper written with big characters, which read ‘heaven rewards the diligence’. On the right side of the wall was a whole wall of books, neatly arranged. As one stood in the room, one could smell the thick odours of books and ink. As for the wall used for Yuxi’s daily calligraphy practice, it had been covered up, so the two could not see it.

Qiu Yanfu looked at the four characters and asked curiously, “Who wrote these four characters?” The reason she didn’t believe it was written by famous expert was, these four characters were somewhat written immaturely at first sight. Although she was born in a merchant family, she had already seen many good things of famous persons.

Yuxi smiled and replied, “I wrote it myself. Not for people to appreciate, but to remind myself that I should never slack off when it comes to learn knowledge.”

Qiu Yanfu felt astonished in her heart that she asked incredulously, “This is written by Fourth Cousin?” She also dabbled in painting and calligraphy a little, but these four words were written strongly and forcefully, not at all like women’s handwriting.

Yuxi smiled, “I wrote it, but teacher said that all the words I wrote were just in shape and not with their spirits. So, I can’t go far in calligraphy.”

Qiu Yanfu could not help but asked, “The teacher whom cousin talks about, is she Teacher Song?” She had heard her aunt talked highly of Teacher Song, made her heart was filled with admiration. She wished she could learn from her.

Yuxi smiled and shook her head, “No, I have resigned from her classroom. I only learned superficial knowledge from Teacher Song, but Third Sister is the last disciple of Teacher Song, and she is Teacher Song’s true legacy.”

Yurong did not know whether Yuxi’s words were unintentional or intentional, as she commented, “Third Sister’s handwriting is much more beautiful than Fourth Sister’s.” When she saw Third Sister’s meihua xiaokai (plum blossom small regular script), she felt very envious. As for Fourth Sister’s scrawly handwriting on the wall, she would rather not give any comment.

Yuxi was not angry either. She just smiled and said, “I’ve been practicing writing everyday. By the way, what did Fifth Sister do every day in Hebei?“

Remembering what her mother said, Yurong revealed a sour expression on her face, “In Hebei, embroidering and writing were common things that I did everyday. Fourth Sister, I hate embroidery the most. You embroider so well that you can even do double-sided embroidery. Can you teach me?“

Yuxi smiled but declined, “I want to teach Fifth Sister, but I have too much to do, so I don’t have the time. If Five Sister really wants to learn needlework, ask Mother to get you a good embroiderer lady.” All jokes aside, she was already busy with her own things, so she had no spare time to teach Yurong.

Yurong was unhappy at the moment that she said, “Can Fourth Sister be as busy as Third Sister? She has just promised to teach me qin, chess, calligraphy and painting. Why can’t Fourth Sister do the same?“ Her tone was really blunt, but it also showed that Yurong had no subtlety. This was also a naivety of a child doted on by one’s parents.

Yuxi was not angry, but responded with a slight smile, “I can’t compare with Third Sister. Third Sister can immediately be proficient on new things as soon as she learns about them. It takes me several times more to be as proficient when learning the same things. This is also why I wrote those four big characters on the wall. “

Yurong said unhappily, “If you don’t want to teach me, then just say you don’t want to. Why find so many excuses? Well, I don’t care if you don’t teach me anyway.” Then she left angrily. (T/N : Can somebody please slap this rude girl?)

Originally, Qiu Yanfu wanted to talk more with Yuxi. Although Yuxi was very blunt when she talked sometimes, she was as frank as the Madam of the residence had said. Yuxi spoke harshly but without any bad intention. This kind of person was much easier to be deal with. Unlike Third Miss who always looked like she was set on high (Chinese idiom : not in touch with reality), which made her felt inferior instead. This feeling was really terrible.

Kufu was rather worried as she stated, “Miss, if Fifth Miss complains to the Third Master, then you will suffer.”

Yuxi shrugged her shoulders and said indifferently, “It is unlikely for me to teach her, so if she wants to complain, good for her.” Anyway, Han Jingyan had never asked her to teach Yurong, so she didn’t want to trouble herself from volunteering.

Yurong was not stupid, but she hadn’t suffered either. In Yuxi’s previous life, Yuxi had become Yurong’s scapegoat, moreover, Wu Shi’s operated properly. Everyone said that Yurong was really lovely. In this life, Yurong would only be her and Yuchen’s foil. The taste of being a foil was not something pleasant. If you were not careful, you would feel inferior and drown in self-pity.

As Kufu expected, Yurong really complained to Han Jingyan.

Han Jingyan was not even angry, “Your Fourth Sister did all the embroidery work by herself. Moreover, she has little experience and is really not suitable for teaching you. If you really want to learn, just invite an embroidery lady. “

Yurong pouted and complained, “Third Sister has promised to teach me qin, chess, calligraphy and painting. So, why can’t Fourth Sister also teach me?”

Han Jingyan’s face was not very good-looking. He asked, “Did you ask Yuchen to teach you how to play qin, chess, calligraphy and painting?” Yuchen had a lot to learn. Every day, she had to learn from early morning till late at night. It was impossible for her to take the initiative to teach Yurong. The only possibility was that Yurong had demanded her to do it.

Han Jingyan did say that day for Yuchen to look after Yurong more. But he was merely asking her to look after Yurong in terms of rules and etiquettes, and also how to be merciful young miss. Not to teach her the four arts. For these kind of things, he would personally invite someone to teach.

When Yurong noticed that Han Jingyan had a bad looking expression, she hastily said, “I just saw my Third Sister’s proficiency in the four arts. I told her that I envy her so much. When she heard this, she said she could teach me personally.“

Wu Shi tried to mediate, “My lord, Yurong also wants to have more contact with Third Miss. This way, it will be easy to enhance the sisterhood connection between them.”

Han Jingyan thought for a moment and compromised, “You can go to Tingyun Pavilion, but in the premise that you must never affect your Third Sister in any way, okay?”