chapter 21.2

Soon, the courtyard was quiet. There were only sounds of the rustling of the cold wind blowing through the leaves.

Yu Xiang closed her eyes and took a nap. After half an hour, she hugged her shoulders and shouted, “Somebody come, I’m cold. Bring me a set of clothes.”

Her surroundings were extremely quiet. She waited for a moment and began to shout again. There was no response even after shouting till her throat was dry. Cui Ping and Cui Xi hid in the aisle in the East quarters. They were playing cards with several girls and women while they laughed as she shouted for help.

“No one is allowed to answer! Let her stay in the cold!” Cui Ping spat some melon seed shells.

Several pozi nodded in agreement. Yu Xiang’s legs were maimed, and due to the fact, she was weak and easily bullied. For months, they didn’t regard her as their master, but they felt immense pleasure of trampling on the legitimate daughter of the Marquis. It has to be said that bullying was the root of inferiority that most people can’t get rid of.

Only a little maidservant asked anxiously, “She is shouting so loudly. What if she could be heard outside? We’ll be finished if the Little Marquis heard this!”

“It’s nothing. It’s nothing.” Cui Xi waved impatiently. “It’s so far from the main courtyard that no one will come. Madam doesn’t care about her life or death. The Old Madam must be receiving some morning lessons in the Buddhist hall now. She doesn’t have any time to worry about her. It will be fine. She is only strong in appearance. But in reality, she is weak. She is good at talking and putting on airs. Whenever we bully her, she will cower in fear. She won’t dare to complain to the Marquis. She’s afraid of Cui Ping and me! “ As she spoke, she laughed smugly.

The little maidservant thought it made sense and continued to play cards at ease.

Yu Xiang shouted continuously, as if she was furious. Her voice was hoarse. The two little children who were responsible for cutting firewoods and carrying water for the West Chamber passed by and hurriedly ran to the window to ask Cui Ping on what should be done.

“Let’s continue playing. Ignore her. If there’s anything wrong, I will be responsible.” Cui Ping took complete charge as she waved her hand.

The two little children were used to cheating and playing tricks. They have pushed their responsibilities to Pang Fu, to do it alone. When they noticed Pang Fu was not around, they thought that he went to fetch water. They didn’t give it another thought, flattered Cui Ping and they ran away. All of them continued playing cards, and the sound outside still didn’t stop. It was as if they were competing with each other. After half an hour, Yu Xiang’s voice was as dried as a dead branch across the ground, but her voice kept drilling into their ears, which was annoying.

Cui Ping threw the card on the table and shouted, “So irritating! Let’s go and find a quiet place somewhere else so that she can shout all she wants!”

“Yes. I’ll keep the cards in the pouch.” a pozi agreed at once.

“What if someone comes to the yard after all of us left?” The young maid knitted her eyebrows and asked.

“Little Marquis is not in, and the Old Madam is also having morning lessons, who will come?! You are so timid! I asked Liu Lu. She said Tao Hong and her will be buying rice cake at Quan Fu Ji for that disabled person and will be back soon. That’s all. They should be returning soon. They will take care of the disbaled person naturally. We have nothing to do. Let’s go. Let’s go.” Cui Xi urged.

All of them no longer hesitated. They swaggered to the gate in front of Yu Xiang. When Cui Ping and Cui Xi walked towards her, they even dug their ears. When they saw her blue face and angry expression, they covered their mouths and snickered. After months of indulgence, they seem to have forgotten who had given their names.

“Come back here! Come here now!” With Yu Xiang shouting, a group of people walked away gradually. The cold wind blew past, blowing up some yellow leaves.

Yu Xiang’s angry expression disappeared instantly, and her lips slowly curved into a malicious smile. She chided, “If the god wants to exterminate them, he must first make them unbridled. They must have forgotten that they signed the slave contract. I, Yu Xing, am essentially their god.”

She took out a piece of rice cake wrapped in oil paper from her sleeve. She broke it off and ate it slowly. The wind was blustery. She kept pulling her skirt. The skin exposed in the open was cold and gradually lost its colour. Another half an hour passed, and the sun peeped out of the clouds. There was a sudden ray of sunlight, and it was mercilessly gone. The temperature was always so cold.

Two magpies fell on the branch, chirping and frolicking, just like the scene in her dream. Her heartstrings gently stirred signalling that the most familiar person was approaching.

The magpies above her head were making noise which should have meant that they are leaving. She rolled the oil paper into a ball and threw it far away. Then she yelled, “Somebody come! I’m cold, would someone quickly come!” Her voice was completely hoarse. It sounded like a broken bellow.

Yu Pinyan finished his work a few days in advance. He got off the horse and walked straight to the West wing. When he was at home, he didn’t feel anything. When he was outside, he couldn’t help but think of Xiang Er, guessing what she was doing now, whether she had drunk her medicine, whether she had a good meal, whether the silver charcoal that he has bought was sent into her room, whether she had worn the thick dress and fur cloak he purchased or if she liked it.

He was running about, but his heart was always thinking of her.

But what did he see now? His younger sister, who he doesn’t dare to touch, sat in the yard in thin clothes. Her face was as white as paper, her lips were dry and chapped, and her voice was raspy from shouting. That’s how the servants were looking after her when he wasn’t there? Let her grow and die without outside interference?

Well done!

The bottom of his black eyes exuded an intense ominous look. He walked quickly to embrace his sister, who had begun to cry. He took off his cloak and wrapped her cold and rigid body with it. Then he kicked the wheelchair to the side and quickly returned indoors.

He carried Yu Xiang and sat down on the soft couch. He shouted towards the servants outside the door, “Light a basin of coal. Hurry up. Find all the people in the yard in half an hour.”

“Elder brother, Tao Hong, Liu Lu, Xi Qiu, Rong Ma and Pang Fu are all good. I think they had been working hard for days, so I gave them a day off. When they left, there was no one in the yard. Elder brother, don’t blame them.” Yu Xiang said weakly.

“I know. Don’t worry.” Yu Pin Yan placed her cold hands under his clothes and rubbed her pale lips.

Yu Xiang buried her face in his chest and took a deep breath. She smiled cunningly. She can’t walk, but that doesn’t mean she didn’t have the power to control the servants who are not in their right state of mind. After a few months of indulgence, she can see who was loyal or treacherous. She was too lazy to play the trick of killing one to make an example. They can be tamed momentarily, but they can’t be tamed forever. It was better for all of them to follow Cui Ping and Cui Xi and leave. No one can escape from this by luck!

If Yu Pin Yan did not return home like what she had dreamt of, Liu Lu, who had greeted Ma Mo Mo before she left, would have arrived soon.