Note: The names are retained in traditional Chinese characters as the RAWs I’m translating from are in traditional Chinese and it also makes it easier for me when I’m translating. The new vocabulary terms on the other hand are in simplified Chinese.Characters Shown / Mentioned in this Chapter:葉璃璃兒 – Ye LiLi er – Main Female Protagonist – first di (嫡 – legitimate / of the official wife) daughter of the Ye family, but the third child in the family.
清霜 – Qing Shuang – Ye Li‘s yatou (丫头 – young maidservant)
定王墨修堯 – Ding w.a.n.gMo Xiu Yao – Imperial Prince Ding
黎王 墨俊黎 – Li w.a.n.g Mo Jun Li – Imperial Prince Li
Ye Family Members:葉尚書 – Ye Shangshu – Ye Li‘s father who has the t.i.tle or position of official in charge of presenting memorials to the emperor and official correspondence
(夫人 – furen – lady or madam of the house / wife)
(太太 – taitai – married woman)
葉老夫人葉老太太 – Ye laofuren Ye laotaitai – Ye Li‘s grandmother from her father’s sidethe old madam of the family
(氏 – shi – clan name / maiden surname)
徐氏 – Xu shi – Ye Li‘s mother
王氏 – w.a.n.g shi – the current main wife of Ye Shangshu and current zhumu (主母 – owner ‘mother’ / mother in charge of the household) of the household
(葉夫人 – Ye furen – can refer to either Xu shi or w.a.n.g shi)
趙姨娘 – Zhao yiniang – a normal concubine of Ye Shangshu
葉昭儀 (大姐 / 大小姐) – Ye Zhao Yi (Da jie / Da xiaojie) – Ye Li‘s eldest sister
葉瑩葉兒 – Ye Ying Ying er – 4th daughter in the family
Bold - Names of people, placesItalic - Chinese terms in pinyinUnderline - UnknownBlue - definition bracketsFu Imperial Capital
Chapter 8: Gaining Advantage By Striking Last – w.a.n.g shi Vomits Blood((*Note: The common idiom is “先发制人 – xianfazhiren“, which means to take the initiative by striking first, but instead of using “先 – xian” meaning ‘first’, the author replaced the first character with “后 – hou“, which means after / behind / back.))“You see what good thing you’ve done!”
Laotaitai‘s (老太太 – elderly lady) face was gloomy as she threw the ledger at the side of w.a.n.g shi‘s (氏 – clan name / maiden surname) feet. w.a.n.g shi couldn’t imagine how it had originally started with wanting to punish Ye Li and yet with a few words from Ye Li managed to turn the matter towards her own self. Holding up the ledger with both hands, the closer she flipped the pages towards the end, the more w.a.n.g furen‘s (夫人 – lady or madam of the house / wife) hands began to shake. In her heart she deeply resented herself in the past for having looked down on this yatou (丫头 – young girl), she had clearly never taught her about the matters of being in charge of managing a home, but based on this ledger, unexpectedly not even the slightest trace could be hidden from her. Even the hidden accounts were all uncovered, which clearly shows that the means of the person creating difficulties in doing things weren’t at all ordinary. “Laotaitai…laoye (老爺 – master / lord of the household), qieshen (妾身 – a deprecatory or modern appellation for a woman referring to themselves)……”
Laotaitai gave a cold humph and said, “No wonder when letting you manage the dowry you said that the fu was unable to bring out money, emotional money was even taken back to subsidize your niangjia (娘家 – married woman’s parents’ home or family)?”
“Laotaitai, xifu (媳妇 – daughter-in-law) is being accused wrongly. It’s all because the people from below had gotten greedy, xifu doesn’t know at all about these…”
“Don’t know? Don’t know that that tangxiong (堂兄 – paternal uncle’s son / paternal cousin) of yours is working at Shen De Xuan as the shopkeeper? Don’t know how you hastily had several shops’ shopkeepers changed?” Laotaitai fixed her gaze on w.a.n.g shi; laotaitai‘s whole life had been for this family, what she hated most was that w.a.n.g shi had taken the Ye family’s money over to subsidize her own niangjia, this matter was what any popo (婆婆 – husband’s mother / mother-in-law / grandma) would be unable to put up with at all, not to mention w.a.n.g shi wasn’t officially wedded but had come up from the ceshi (側室 – sideroom / concubine). “Li yatou, where are those chilipawai (吃里扒外 – idiom that means living on somebody yet secretly helping others / lit. eat inside but digging outside) inhuman beings?”
Ye Li lowered her eyes and respectfully answered, saying, “Li er (儿 – term of endearment for one’s child) had personally taken the initiative to act accordingly and had those people detained in custody. Each one with a signed slave contract were flogged ten times, while those who were hired from outside are about to be sent to the authorities.”
Laotaitai‘s eyebrows creased and said, “You yatou are still too softhearted. What can getting flogged ten times do? Get someone to have Shen De Xuan and Cang Zhen Ge‘s (藏珍 – treasure阁 – pavilion) shopkeepers brought up here.” Shen De Xuan and Cang Zhen Ge, one was a store of antiques and the other of jewelry, they were precisely the most profitable among the twelve shops, almost taking up half of the entire income.
In a short while, several people who had been wuhuadabang (五花大绑 – to bind a person’s upper body, with arms tied behind the back and rope looped around the neck) were dragged inside by other people. Once that w.a.n.g shopkeeper saw w.a.n.g shi, he started wailing, “Younger sister, meifu (妹夫 – younger sister’s husband), save me…..”
Ye Shangshu‘s complexion looked ashen as he stared at w.a.n.g shi, but didn’t open his mouth. w.a.n.g shi was angry as well as furious, repeatedly said, “Impudent, still not letting go of jiu laoye (舅 – maternal uncle 老爺 – master / lord of the household)!”
Ye Li smiled apologetically, saying, “So it truly was the w.a.n.g family’s jiu laoye, Li er had treated it as though fourth younger sister was joking. Although not all are from the w.a.n.g family but many of them are serving as government officials, how is it that one unexpectedly became Shen De Xuan‘s shopkeeper. However…Shen De Xuan‘s shifu and shop a.s.sistants had reported to shopkeeper w.a.n.g years ago of corruption in Shen De Xuan worth over eighty thousand taels of silver. Don’t know….”
“This is definitely a case of those lowly people slandering. Why would my tangxiong be embezzling* silver taels?” w.a.n.g shi said firmly.
((*Note: The characters used here are “贪墨 – tanmo” which actually refers to ‘corruption’ or ‘corrupt officials’, but since it’s specifically talking about handling money in this case, it seems more accurate to put something along the lines of misappropriating / embezzling funds here.))Ye Li looked at laotaitai but didn’t retort, saying, “Since furen is willing to guarantee on shopkeeper w.a.n.g‘s behalf, how could Li er dare to distrust? In awhile I ask that shopkeeper w.a.n.g and Shen De Xuan‘s shifu as well as the shop a.s.sistants to take a trip to the capital’s magistrate and be confronted in front of them.”
w.a.n.g shi‘s face changed and quickly said, “But it is just a small matter, where is it necessary to bother the capital’s magistrate?” The capital’s magistrate who had newly taken office Qin Mu was known as the iron-faced judge (meaning he is an upright and selfless person), falling into his hands wouldn’t have a good outcome.
Ye Li placated w.a.n.g shi with a smile, saying, “Furen be rest a.s.sured, if jiu laoye was indeed accused wrongly, Li er naturally will personally kowtow and offer my apologies to jiu laoye. Someone come, have these chilipawai (吃里扒外 – idiom that means living on somebody yet secretly helping others / lit. eat inside but digging outside) inhuman beings dragged outside to get flogged fifty more times!” Turning around, Ye Li pointed towards Cang Zhen Ge‘s shopkeeper as she said it coldly.
The complexion of the shopkeeper who had just been flogged ten times not long ago immediately turned the shade of earth (meaning a look of panic), “Third xiaojie, spare my life! Third xiaojie…furen, save me…” w.a.n.g shi‘s face darkened and didn’t say anything.
Laotaitai‘s old eyes slightly squinted and indifferently instructed, “Do it according to third xiaojie‘s command.” The gaze with which she looked at Ye Li had a somewhat deep meaning, Ye Li naturally knew that laotaitai was sizing her up, but didn’t mind it as she coldly stared down the shopkeeper and said, “You and shopkeeper w.a.n.g are not the same, you had sold yourself into slavery into the Xu family and was then given as a nucai to my mother’s dowry. During the time when my mother was still alive she didn’t treat you coldly, but within these short few years you actually dared to turn your back on your owner like this. Even if you were beaten to death, there wouldn’t be anyone who’d dare say anything! Have him ruthlessly beaten!”
The shopkeeper feebly fell to the ground, unable to stop trembling. The hearts of everyone present couldn’t help but have some palpitations, they had originally believed that this silent and unknown third xiaojie was someone who was incapable of scheming and was easy to bully, but as it turns out it was these people themselves who had made an error in judgment.
“No…third xiaojie, spare my life…furen, save me…furen, more than half of the money that I’d taken greedily had been given to you, you can’t see death and not save*!”
((*Note: The characters “见死不救 – jiansibujiu” mean ‘to see death and not save’. It’s an expression for seeing someone in trouble and not helping them.))“Scoundrel! What nonsense are you saying. Still not quickly dragging him out.” w.a.n.g shi shouted, utterly discomfited.
The shopkeeper was dragged out and soon enough, the sound of anguished wailing outside could be heard. The inside of the hall on the other hand was silent, Ye Li‘s refined voice indifferently sounded out, “Qing Shuang, have someone lead the way for shopkeeper w.a.n.g as well as all the people of Shen De Xuan to go to the capital’s magistrate office. Have someone send word to Qin daren (大人 – adult / grownup / t.i.tle of respect toward superiors), it is always heard that Qin daren was strictly impartial and incorruptible, still request that Qin daren be able to give back justice to our Ye family.”
“Understood!” Qing Shuang answered with a clear voice.
“Wait…” Ye Ying came forward and said, “Zumu, father, this matter absolutely cannot be done. If we were to go to the government office and this matter spreads outside, Zhao Yi niangniang and Li w.a.n.g fu‘s reputations definitely won’t be ensured…Ying er…Ying er also wouldn’t have face to get married. I beg father and zumu to think thrice (equivalent to ‘think twice’ in English)……”
“Muqin……” Ye Shangshu looked at laotaitai, he naturally didn’t approve of going to the government office. Right now the most urgent matter was Zhao Yi niangniang in the palace and Ye Ying‘s marriage.
Laotaitai studied Ye Li, her eyebrows creased and with a face filled with loathing looked at shopkeeper w.a.n.g and said, “Since it’s a relative, the two families also shouldn’t tear face. But the shops belong to Li er, so also cannot let it go just like that. The missing silver needs to be quickly compensated back. After all…Li w.a.n.g cannot be offended, Ding guow.a.n.g fu will also want an account for the past.”
“Compensated back?!” w.a.n.g shi cried out involuntarily. More than a hundred thousand taels of silver wasn’t at all a small figure, how could she compensate it all back?
“Shut up! As a jishi (继室 – second wife of a widower) corrupted over the silver of the first wife’s dowry, would it sound good if you don’t say it? You don’t need face but fourth yatou still needs face, Zhao Yi niangniang in the palace still needs face. Later bring the ledgers of the fu over to me, I’d like to see exactly how you are managing the household!”
w.a.n.g furen‘s face went deathly pale, this move of laotaitai‘s was to seize her power over managing the household. “Laotaitai…”
Ye Li stepped forward and interrupted w.a.n.g shi, softly saying, “Laotaitai, the w.a.n.g family at the very least is second elder sister and fourth younger sister’s ancestral home*. Originally, giving some of this money to them doesn’t really matter. It’s just that…when she was still alive, she had instructed to leave some to support zumu as well as leave some to be given to younger sisters for their dowry. Li er doesn’t really want much, at home now there is only fourth younger sister, fifth younger sister, and sixth younger sister who are still waiting to marry, each person can have ten thousand taels. Also give zumu thirty thousand taels as private savings. Altogether that would be sixty thousand taels.”
((*Note: “外祖家 – waizujia” means ‘ancestral home’ according to Google Translate, but I personally think that it’s specifically referring to one’s maternal family since the “外祖 – waizu” are the same characters used in “外祖父 – waizufu“, which refers to one’s maternal grandfather.))When she finished talking, she inclined her head to look at Zhao yiniang at the side and said with a smile, “Yiniang be rest a.s.sured, if in the future there’ll be a younger brother and/or younger sister, Li er will also make up for younger brother and/or sister’s share.”
Zhao yiniang was surprised for a moment, she had originally felt somewhat regretful and unreconciled, but hearing Ye Li talk this way made her feel delighted on the inside as she covered her mouth and laughed, saying, “Then I will borrow third xiaojie‘s auspicious words. Third xiaojie is indeed worthy of being our Ye family’s dichu (嫡出 -legitimate / of the official wife) xiaojie, genuinely having n.o.ble manners.” Whether or not Ye Li will honour her commitment in the future was another thing, only Ye Li‘s words have already made her happy.
Sixty thousand taels compared to more than a hundred thousand taels really didn’t sound like much, but Ye Li knew that most of that money had already been used by the w.a.n.g family on clearing the way for official careers or have otherwise been squandered. Now wanting w.a.n.g shi to take out sixty thousand taels in one go was enough to make her vomit blood. Anyway as long as Zhao Yi was still around and as long as Ye Ying was still going to be Li w.a.n.gfei, laotaitai couldn’t possibly do anything to w.a.n.g shi at all. Then may as well just make her vomit blood.
Once Ye Shangshu heard this, he indeed felt that Ye Li was very magnanimous and nodded with praise, saying, “What Li er said was reasonable, you can handle it like that.”
Although for the sake of family he couldn’t do anything to w.a.n.g shi, but on the inside he was after all displeased with w.a.n.g shi for taking the household’s money for her niangjia (娘家 – married woman’s parents’ home or family) to use and couldn’t help but recall that year when his first wife had helped clear the way for the Ye family in all respects, thus the gaze with which he looked at Ye Li became even gentler.
Laotaitai was also very much in favour of this as it could save both faces of the two families as well as save several ten thousand taels of silver for dowry. As for the w.a.n.g family…the w.a.n.g family still didn’t have the capability of contending against the Ye family. Not to mention, it was originally the w.a.n.g family who was in the wrong. Even if Ye Zhao Yi was born from the daughter of the w.a.n.g family, in the end she was still also the Ye family’s daughter, she absolutely wouldn’t point out the bad things going on in her home.
She affectionately looked at Ye Li, nodding with praise and said, “The way Li er handles things is magnanimous, indeed the morality and conduct of a zhumu (主母 – owner ‘mother’ / mother in charge of the household) managing a household. In the future when you enter the Ding guow.a.n.g fu, waizumu (外祖母 – maternal grandmother) wouldn’t need to worry. It is still the Xu family who educates well.”
When w.a.n.g shi heard this, her face became even uglier. The Xu family educates well, then that was saying that her w.a.n.g family’s way of educating wasn’t good? Ye Ying glanced at Ye Li, and lowered her head in grievance. What more did w.a.n.g furen want to say, laotaitai looked askance at her and said coldly, “Or is it that you really wish to go the capital’s magistrate office?”
“Qieshen (妾身 – a deprecatory or modern appellation for a woman referring to themselves) will do as you bid, I will definitely make up for the silver as quickly as possible.” w.a.n.g shi grinded her teeth as she said unwillingly.
“After a couple of more days, Ying er will be getting married. Within these days, you best stay inside your yuanzi (院子 – a small residence within a family residence compound) to properly educate her on how to be a wife.”
“Understood.” This was to restrict her from making a move, even the opportunity for her to go into the palace to complain to Zhao Yi niangniang was gone.
Glossary RECAP:Popo (婆婆 – husband’s mother / mother-in-law / grandma)
Ceshi (側室 – sideroom / concubine)
Chilipawai (吃里扒外 – idiom that means living on somebody yet secretly helping others / lit. eat inside but digging outside)
Waizumu (外祖母 – maternal grandmother)