chapter 6.2

Yu Si Yu had been severely frightened from the day before. It was now late morning, and she was still lying in bed sullenly sick with a damp towel draped over her forehead.

A little maidservant came in with a wash basin and softly called out, “Elder Miss, it is time to get up.”

Yu Si Yu rolled over and ignored the little maidservant. However, she suddenly heard the ringing thud of the copper wash basin striking the floor and the maidservant’s surprised exclamation: “Feng Momo, why are you here?”

This Feng Momo was Yu Pin Yan’s wet nurse that unconditionally raised him, earning her the respect of many other servants in the Marquis manor. Yu Si Yu could not afford to offend this Momo thus, quickly pushed herself up to welcome her.

“Elder Miss’ complexion is rather awful. Have you fallen sick? Why didn’t someone go find the doctor?” Feng Momo asked amiably, a smile on her face.

Yu Si Yu lowered her head and softly replied, her eyes reddening with tears, “The doctor had gone to my younger sister’s place. He did not come even after someone went to look for him yesterday. It’s alright. I will just use the towel to save the trouble.”

The smile on Feng Momo’s face faded and she inwardly shook her head. Even under these circumstances, she was still trying to tell tales on the Second Young Miss; how genuinely stupid. Although Second Young Miss was not the Marquis lineage, she still occupied the venerated position of a Di daughter. Competing with her was precisely the intent of the Shu trying to suppress the Di. How was it possible for Old Madam to tolerate this! Furthermore, Second Young Miss saved Marquis’ life, which had caused her disability. How could the Marquis possibly mistreat her? Being hostile with the Second Young Miss equated to being at odds with the Marquis. She truly had no idea what the Elder Young Miss was thinking.

With these thoughts in mind, Feng Momo did not wish to continue this conversation. She decided to just go straight to the point. “Elder Young Miss, this time Lao nu was ordered by the Marquis to come on behalf of Second Young Miss to claim back her properties. I’m requesting you to make this easy.”

“Claim back her properties?” The feeble Yu Si Yu immediately raised her voice, “What properties to claim back?”

“Precisely those that Elder Young Miss took from Second Young Miss in the past. This is the detailed list. Elder Young Miss, please have a look.” Feng Momo retrieved a piece of paper from her sleeve pocket and passed it over.

Yu Si Yu took the list and scrutinised it. Her beautiful face distorted and she sharply questioned, “These were things that were gifted away, so how could she want to claim them back? How can elder brother indulge younger sister when she is being so unreasonable?” Of the things that had been taken, some had been placed in the room, some had been used to bribe the servants, but the majority had been pawned for money to give to yiniang. How could she return them now? Never in a million years would she have expected Yu Xiang’s temperament to become so unreasonable after she broke her legs, and now she was being tormented with no one to turn to.

“Second Young Miss was maimed because of Marquis and the rest of her life is ruined. Not only would Second Young Miss just want her own things back; even if she wants the stars in the sky or pearls from the sea, the Marquis will certainly get it for her. For the sake of Second Young Miss who is suffering a serious injury and is emotionally upset, Lao nu kindly requests Elder Young Miss to not haggle over this matter. The Marquis is still waiting for Lao nu to report back with the outcome. Elder Young Miss, do send someone to retrieve them.” Feng Momo bowed slightly, seemingly gentle but unyielding in her request.

Yu Pin Yan had already issued the orders, hence Yu Si Yu dared not disobey and sent someone to gather the things. After an hour, only one tenth was accumulated, while eighty to ninety percent was nowhere to be found or accounted for. Yu Si Yu was just a young miss dwelling in the boudoir where monthly allowances were given and fully provided with all the basic necessities thus, realistically, she should not be able to spend three to four hundred silver liangs a year. Feng Momo was unconvinced that there was nothing fishy about this.

She must have taken them to aid her yiniang. Feng Momo inwardly noted this down, then commanded those few pitiful things be lifted away and delivered to the Second Young Miss’ courtyard alongside the many chests of valuables given by the Marquis.

After Feng Momo had left, Yu Si Yu fell onto the divan in a daze. Half a day later, she absently looked around the empty room and felt an immense surge of humiliation well up inside her. Those things were properties of the manor, and as a bastard, what right did Yu Xiang have to take them? She was the true young miss of the manor, so why did she have to be subjected to bullying and humiliation from a bastard?

Both Madam and her elder brother must be confused. She did not believe that the Old Madam was confused too, and bent to the tyrannical wills of a bastard in the manor.

Thinking of this, Yu Si Yu immediately changed her clothes and hastily ran into the main courtyard with reddened eyes.

In the main courtyard, Old Madam was seated cross-legged on the divan with a scripture placed next to her. With her eyes closed, she twirled a string of rosary in one hand and reposed. Her personal maidservant, Ma Momo, quietly came in and whispered, “Old Madam, Elder Young Miss is kneeling and weeping outside, saying that she wants to see you.”

“Kneeling and weeping? Why?” Old Madam did not even open her eyes.

Old Madam opened her eyes only after Ma Momo informed her of the demand from the Second Young Miss to claim back her properties. “Yu Xiang is finally enlightened. I have been watching her with detachment for many years. Now, she has finally carried herself with a constitution expected of the Di daughter…” Mentioning this, she thought of her wandering in destitute biological granddaughter and became silent.

Ma Momo dared not disturb her and meekly waited by her side.

A moment later, Old Madam beckoned with her hand. “I will not see her. Convey a message to her. Slandering Yu Xiang means ruining ‘Yu Xiang’. If she dares upheave the balance of Di and Shu, and bring ill repute to the manor, I can be ruthless despite being a reverent Buddhist and practising vegetarian for many years.”

Ma Momo undertook the task, bowed and left. She then paraphrased the warning to Yu Si Yu without missing a word.

Yu Si Yu returned to her room in a trance. She was finally able to figure out the meaning behind Old Madam’s words after pondering the whole afternoon: the real ‘Yu Xiang’ was wandering in destitute somewhere beyond, the current state of her life or death was completely unknown. She could be living tolerably well without mishap, or she could have possibly become a bond servant or maidservant, or might even fallen into prostitution. They could silently wipe out her past and maintain the manor’s reputation when she returned by safely sealing off this matter. Should Yu Si Yu stir up trouble and ruin both Yu Xiangs, which was of secondary concern, as there might be a possibility that others would seize this opportunity to attack the Marquis manor. If that happened, not only Old Madam but even her elder brother would not have mercy on her! This so-called ruthlessness would not simply mean sending her for penal servitude in the village.

Yu Si Yu was startled by the revelation and covered with cold sweat. That evening she fell sick and only recovered after a fortnight.