The main room of the main courtyard was filled with fragrance of sandalwood.
The Old Madam leaned on a semi-old green back pillow with Yuchen hitting her leg, and said, "This child, don"t you know how precious the double-sided embroidery is? How can you give it to Fourth Girl just like that?" Actually, she wasn"t that angry at Yuchen. She just felt that Yuxi had shallow eyes. When Yuxi saw other people"s good things, she immediately wanted to take those things as her own.
Yuchen explained with a smile, "Grandmother didn"t see her at that time. When Si MeimeiSi=Four/Fourth, Meimei=Younger Sister¹ saw the double-sided embroidery, she looked at it as if it was the world"s greatest treasure. Since I saw how much she loves it, I decided to just send it to her." She knew that the double-sided embroidery was precious, but she wouldn"t consider it as a unique item.
Old Madam shook her head and said, "I"ll ignore it this time. But you should stop giving away the items your mother had left for you.”
Yuchen smiled and nodded, "I know, Grandmother."
Naturally, Yuxi won"t rush to see the Old Madam just like she did in her previous life. In addition, Old Madam even forbid her to come. Despite having so much free time, she wasn"t idle either. Early every morning, she would pay her respect to Qiu Shimaiden name/clan name² and when she returned to her courtyard, she would learn to embroider from Moju.
Moju started to teach her the basic of embroidery, such as how to use the needle or how to embroider in a line. After a short period of teaching, Moju knew that her Miss had a natural talent for embroidery as Yuxi managed to grasp all the basics of embroidery in a short time.
When Qiu Shimaiden name/clan name² learned about this, she smilingly asked Yuxi on her next visit, "Fourth Girl, Aunt heard that you started to learn to embroider. Is this true?"
Without a word, Yuxi took out a headband that she had made. "Eldest Aunt, this is what I had done. As you can see, I didn"t do it well. I hope Aunt won"t dislike it."
Headbands
Lately, Yuxi felt that Qiu Shimaiden name/clan name²"s att.i.tude towards her had changed a lot. In her previous life, Qiu Shimaiden name/clan name² took care of her like she was one of her routine. In this life though, her aunt had become more caring and more concern for her. She knew that it was the result of her insistence to pay Qiu Shimaiden name/clan name² a visit every day during this period.
Qiu Shimaiden name/clan name² took the headband and took a good look at it. "Did you really embroider this?" asked a surprise Qiu Shimaiden name/clan name². The pattern on it was a bit messy, but the st.i.tches were done delicately. It was absolutely impossible for a person who had only studied for half a month to make them.
Moju, who stood beside Qiu Shimaiden name/clan name², was the one who answered, "I don"t dare to deceive Madam, but this headband was really embroidered by Miss. We didn"t even lend her a hand.”
Yuxi blushed and said, "Aunt, I will make you another one, once my skill has become much better." She deliberately embroidered the patterns disorderly. Because of her past experience, her learning process was much faster now. However, if she went beyond the normal range, she was afraid she would be regarded as a monster. That was why she started to embroider slowly.
As Qiu Shimaiden name/clan name² heard her promise, she no longer being doubtful of Yuxi"s skill. Then, she smilingly said, "This work is very good. Aunt likes it very much." It was rare for this child to always think of her, but as Yuxi"s elder, she should also reminded her, "When your embroidery skills have improved, you should also make one for the Old Madam.”
When Yuxi heard this, her smiling face turned gloomy. She bowed her head and said, "I"m afraid Grandmother won"t like it." If your heart really dislike something, it would be obviously shown in your att.i.tude.
Qiu Shimaiden name/clan name² went silent for a bit and then said, "How can Old Madam not like it? That"s you, showing your filial piety to her. Obviously, she should be very happy to receive it.”
Yuxi reluctantly agreed.
At this moment, Mama w.a.n.g stepped forward and muttered a few words in Qiu Shimaiden name/clan name²"s ear. With a smile on her face, Qiu Shimaiden name/clan name² informed Yuxi, "Tomorrow, a group of new maids would enter the residence. You should come over and pick out some that you like." Usually, the maids in the residence were children born from the current employed servants and they were seldom been bought from outside.
Yuxi nodded and replied, "Okay." In her last life, new maids would directly be sent to Rose Courtyard. But now, the situation was different. Her aunt had given her the option to choose her own maids.
When Yuxi returned to her own courtyard, she immediately told Mama Fang about it and then she asked her, "Mama, did you find anything strange about Moyun and Moxiang?”
Mama Fang hesitated for a moment and answered, "Miss, there"s nothing strange could be found about those two." Out of Yuxi"s four senior maid servants, Moju and Motao were bought by Ning Shimaiden name/clan name². Their servant deeds were in Miss" hand. If Miss had an unfortunate short life, their future would also be affected, thus they had the lowest possibility of bringing harm to Miss. While, Moyun and Moxiang were children of the old servants in the residence, so the likelihood of them being responsible for Miss previous illness was quite high.
Yuxi was not that disappointed either. After all, she had spent more than a month in Qingzhu. Obviously, that would give enough time for the culprit to clean one"s track.
Mama Fang continued, "Miss, right now, Moyun is busy looking after her sick mother. Why don"t we take this opportunity to let her off?" Although there was no solid evidence against Moyun, but since there was a suspicion on her, the safest way to act was to lay her off when she wasn"t around.
Yuxi shook her head and said, "It"s not the right time, Mama." Moyun"s family was in a difficult situation right now. Since she also wasn"t Moyun actual master, she didn"t have the power to let her leave the residence permanently. If she did have that option, it would bring more trouble to Moyun"s family. If Moyun left the residence, her investigation on the real mastermind would also turn cold. Only Moyun knew the real person behind her incurring smallpox.
Mama Fang thought for a moment and felt that Yuxi was also worried about the same thing, that"s why she decided not to act recklessly.
Yuxi then said, "Mama, let"s send twelve taela unit of weight used in east Asia approximately equal to 1.3 ounces³of silvers each to both Moxiang"s and Moyun"s families." Moxiang had pa.s.sed away because of smallpox. As for Moyun, since her mother had fallen ill, she needed to spend a lot of money for her mother"s treatment. Unfortunately, Yuxi didn"t have much in her hand, so she couldn"t give her more than what she had.
Mama Fang awkwardly said, "Miss, we only have not more than twenty silvers left. We wouldn"t have much if we send some to their families." Yuxi had no other income except from the twenty silver allowance that she usually received in second month and six month every year. From that allowance, one or two pieces of silver had to be rewarded to the courtyard servants, and some for miscellaneous expenditures. It was not easy to keep these twenty silvers without proper planning.
Yuxi shook her head and said, "No matter how difficult it will be, those taela unit of weight used in east Asia approximately equal to 1.3 ounces³of silvers still need to be send to both of their families.”
Although Yuxi"s mother, Ning Shimaiden name/clan name², was an illegitimate daughter, she was married off to the Han family to fill the empty third Han household. Since her husband came from a n.o.ble family, the Ning family gave her a lot of dowry to save her face. However, when something bad happened to the Ning family later on, Ning Shimaiden name/clan name² sold all her dowry to help them. Despite all that, her maiden family still couldn"t be saved. At the same time, she was already heavily pregnant. With her being unable to sit still, as a result, she faced difficulty during her delivery. Since she lost a lot of blood at that time, she pa.s.sed away as soon as she gave birth to Yuxi.
Mama Fang felt a terrible thump in her heart. At that time, she advised Ning Shimaiden name/clan name² not to sell all her dowry, as she had to leave some for the child in her belly. But, Ning Shimaiden name/clan name² would not listen. Without silvers, how would she be able to reward the servants. Without rewards, the servants would look down on her, despite her being their master.
Yuxi asked, "Mama, please find an opportunity to exchange last New Year golds and silvers given by Grandmother and Eldest Aunt for broken silvers and copper coins!”
Mama Fang was somewhat reluctant as she said, "Miss, you will need these things in the future. You should save them." If Miss didn"t have any money, when she was sent out to marry in the future, she won"t afford to do some social mingling and rewarded her future servants. She would certainly be criticized as a penny-pinching. Outside people would not have a good view of her once she had obtained that kind of reputation.
Yuxi smiled and said, "There"s always a way to find money. Don"t worry about it.”
Mama Fang felt that Yuxi became more decisive after she recovered. For her, it was a good change, so she decided not to argue with her Miss.
Yuxi was very satisfied with Mama Fang"s att.i.tude. then she said, "Tomorrow, mama will come with me to the main courtyard, and help me choose some good maids." The new maids that were sent over to her courtyard in her last life was not to her liking.
The next day, on the way to the main courtyard, Yuxi met Concubine Rong and Second Miss, Yujing.
Concubine Rong was so charming that when she looked at people, her eyes were full of amorous feelings. It was no wonder that she could still cling firm on Duke Han.
While, today, Yujing wore a yellow dress with a reddish gold prominent collar and a same colored jewel hairpin in her hair. The ruby in the middle of the collar shone blindly, making her looking truly rich and impressive. She also had an outstanding appearance, with a pointed face and slender eyebrows. Nevertheless, with traces of arrogance and cruelty in her eyes, one could see at a glance that she wasn"t a good person.
Concubine Rong looked at Yuxi. Her eyes flashed as she said, "I didn"t expect Fourth Miss to be looking so well. It"s like seeing a new person." Yuxi used to be as thin as a bamboo pole and talked with her head bowed down. She even acted timid around her own family and also had a lack of self-confidence. However, nowadays, she was looking a bit chubbier, with a healthy color skin tone and no longer acting timid. It was like she had turned into another person.
Yuxi answered with a light smile, "My mother never stop blessing me from heaven.”
Concubine Rong laughed touchingly, "I heard that Fourth Miss has begin to learn embroidery. If Fourth Miss does not dislike it, you can come to my Pleasant Courtyard and I will personally teach Fourth Miss." Her needlework was so excellent that even the royal embroidery lady couldn"t be a match for her.
Yuxi straightly answered, "No need.”
Yujing"s face turned bad. She glared at Yuxi and said angrily, "My Concubine Mother would love to invite you to come to our Pleasant Courtyard, but you made it like this invitation rarely happen. You should just come over.“
Yuxi glanced at Yujing and said, "Actually, it is also quite rare for me to deny your request." She was smart enough to know that she couldn"t be someone who didn"t have a mind of her own. Concubine Rong and Eldest Aunt Qiu Shimaiden name/clan name² were sworn enemies. Since she was on Qiu Shimaiden name/clan name² side, she couldn"t have any close relationship with Concubine Rong. So, she always ignored her advice and now she suspected that it was her who had tried to kill her. For that reason, she won"t leave even a shred of sympathy for her.
Yujing was furious. She tried to rush over to Yuxi and gave her a lesson herself.
Concubine Rong"s eyes were fast and so were her hands. She caught hold of Yujing, and smiled at Yuxi, “Fourth Miss, please try to reconsider. If not, then, just forget about it.” Yuxi stared at Concubine Rong and simply replied, “I would never ever reconsider it.” She did a good job of embroidery herself. Even if she didn"t do it well, she still would not go to Concubine Rong. Even her current status in the residence wouldn"t allow her to learn from Concubine Rong.
The smile on Concubine Rong"s face cracked. She didn"t realize that Yuxi"s speech had become so ruthless. When she saw Yuxi"s eyes remained deep and serene, she decided to maintain her usual calm face as well.
After they departed, Mama Fang whispered to Yuxi, "Why did Miss offend her? If Miss doesn"t want to learn from her, then just politely refuse.” Although Concubine Rong was only a concubine, she was still deeply favoured by the Duke. It wasn"t worth it for Yuxi to make enemies with Concubine Rong over something trifle.
Yuxi said expressionlessly, "Mama, who is the most likely be the culprit behind my recent illness?”
Mama Fang"s complexion changed, "What does Miss mean? That"s impossible. Second Miss" side has no grievances against Miss. How can they plan a malicious scheme against Miss?” She thought that Yuxi was just merely overthinking.
Yuxi said, "Mama, do you remember at that time, when ErgeEr=Second, Ge=Older Brother⁴ had an accident and my Eldest Aunt fell ill? If at that time he had left the world, she would surely lose any will to stay alive.” It wouldn"t be good for a sick person to receive that kind of huge blow as it would only ruin the patient"s spirit to live.
Yuxi also later learned that her ErgeEr=Second, Ge=Older Brother⁴ nearly drown accident was not actually an accident. It had been orchestrated. She suspected that Concubine Rong was behind that incident. She was also quite sure that Concubine Rong had a grudge against her mother. Now that her mother had gone, Concubine Rong transferred her revenge towards her.
Hearing Yuxi"s words, Mama Fang"s face slowly turned blue.
Noob Translator"s MusingThis is my first time translating a Chinese web novel, so, I"m sure there would be a lot of mistakes here and there. Mostly because I"m not a Chinese and never learn how to speak nor understanding words spoken or written in Chinese words. That"s why I added a link to the raw version in every chapter. If you find any mistakes, please don"t be shy to tell me. I will correct it.
Oh, some of the translated words would be a bit different than Vin"s version. Like Rosebush Courtyard, I changed it to Rose Courtyard. My heart prefer Rose Courtyard. Don"t ask me why...
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