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Kou Yuluo
T/N: Translated by Jen on Broken Jinsei! Please do not repost my translations! All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
Hearing this long awaited address, an ordinary mother probably would all be emotionally moved for a moment. However, Qi-shi, who was sitting in front of Yu Lingxin, was like as if sitting on needles, also like sitting on a pile of fire, uncomfortable from head to toe, anxiously burning and unbearable from the inside to the outside.
She naturally had prepared what to say in advance, and it’s not like she didn’t have various grievances and anger that have accumulated and fermented over a long period of time. Just, Qi-shi couldn’t figure out, that vigor to cause a ruckus and curse in a rage that she has never once restrained before in the past, whether it’s at home or outside, exactly what blocked it at this time.
As well as, the daughter before her eyes, Yu Lingxin, whose appearance clearly had sixty-percent resemblance to hers, graceful and soft, her tone and mannerism also still gentle and virtuous, seemingly not that different from that little girl in her memory who was gentle and weak the great majority of the times, and only starting from the year before last, suddenly became somewhat stubborn.
But, there was still something that wasn’t the same. The dark umber hair was coiled into an extremely plain cloud bun, only having a tassel that didn’t contain any pearls and a simple hairpin. By her ears were two pearls, and on her wrist, there was also just a pair of bracelets, the amount really not much. But, Qi-shi ultimately was born from the Chang’de Count Manor, not unable to tell exactly how much that glistening ruby on the tassel was worth, as well as that smooth and lustrous jadeite on the hairpin and wrists, the perfectly round pearls on the ears, and so on.
It really was any random one was all more than enough to purchase an entire set of presentable head ornaments for her, this mother. And what further made Qi-shi both shocked and alarmed was Yu Lingxin’s natural and easy-going mannerism, seemingly as if every single item on her truly couldn’t be more simple and plain, a casual at home style, common to the point of completely not caring, further having her status as the Wen’an Marquis Manor heir’s madam blended into the bones.
For the first time in her life, Qi-shi really felt that when talking to Yu Lingxin, she needed to reconsider, even somewhat faintly fearing.
However, after stammering for a moment, the numerous memories of being poverty-stricken in the Jiang province still gained the upper hand in the end. Qi-shi still became angry again after the shock gradually faded———-Yu Lingxin is already wealthy to this degree, yet only let someone bring her four hundred taels of silver every year!
“Cough, cough, my meaning just now, I’ll just say it directly. You’re being too distant with your maternal uncle and maternal aunt-in-law.” Even if already making up her mind again, Qi-shi still unconsciously tugged her brand-new satin sleeve. She truly hasn’t worn this kind of palace satin in too long, “Living in the Jiang province truly isn’t good for my body, your mother, I, has still decided to return to the capital to live with the maiden family for a few years. In the future, you should also visit me more. If your maternal uncle and maternal aunt-in-law are well, then you yourself will also have a bit more confidence. Your father’s official post hasn’t progressed all these years, what does he have to back you? On the contrary, your maternal uncle at least has a noble title. If by chance the son-in-law bullies you in the future, you will also have someone to back you. Additionally, your father-in-law is away all year round, and the son-in-law is still young, so how can you not have any relatives helping? If you don’t listen to mother———-”
“Stop.” Yu Lingxin had the teacup placed down, directly waving her hand, softly interrupting Qi-shi’s words, “These words, you’ve already said once earlier, needless to say again. I also don’t want to have my words repeated again. I want to hear your true purpose in coming, or perhaps……..” She paused for a moment. On her pretty face, that last bit of polite yet mocking smile finally thoroughly disappeared without a trace, just leaving behind cold silence. She turned towards a mama dressed in brocade next to Qi-shi, precisely one of Chang’de Countess’s dowry servants, Shi mama.
But, Yu Lingxin didn’t continue speaking, instead slightly glancing to the side. The first rank servant girl by her side, Jianjia, immediately went forward half a step, her expression similarly very calm, “Perhaps, Shi mama can have your manor’s meaning passed on in your place. Our young madam doesn’t want to waste anymore time.”
Shi mama was initially a house-born servant of the Xun family, having followed the Chang’de Countess to the Qi family. All these years, she didn’t go between the two families with her master any less, so has always remembered Yu Lingxin as a gentle and good-tempered new wife that was good at managing the household and lenient towards the servants. However, in this moment, looking at Yu Lingxin’s expression, she actually somewhat resembled Xun Che. Shi mama’s heart immediately shivered.
Then, recalling the instructions she received when going out, as well as hearing Qi-shi’s endless ramblings just now that still didn’t get to the main point even after two cups of tea, she could only harden her head and respond, “This…….young madam, the lady merely has the intention of returning to the capital, thinking of you, also thinking of the little young master, while also feeling that our two manors these days, due to various circumstances, have a bit of a misunderstanding, visiting one another too little. The lady still cares for you, also hoping that the two families can be closer. This relationship upon relationship, both the paternal aunt and also the maternal uncle, it’s only natural to be more intimate. Especially, recently, with Miss Yuluo in our manor, the whole family all adore very much, even hoping that young madam can bring the little young master over for a look. Although the outside seemingly is a bit chaotic, but family is ultimately family, even if breaking the bones, the tendons are still connected……..”
The honey was pasted layer by layer. However, Yu Lingxin still didn’t have the slightest smile on her face. Her line of sight occasionally swept onto the haggard-looking Qi-shi, also not easing in the slightest, making Qi-shi both strangely resentful and also increasingly indignant. Just as she was about to follow along Shi mama’s words and continue telling off Yu Lingxin, she just heard Jianjia directly sneer and say, “So, your manor’s meaning is just, with Miss Yuluo in your hands now, let our young madam be ‘intimate’ with your manor?”
“What kind of saying is this!” Qi-shi immediately frowned, also raising her voice, “Ling’er, what is your servant girl sayng!?”
Hearing this line, Yu Lingxin’s heart actually sunk a little.
Kou Yuluo although was her younger sister of a different father, but their relationship in the past life was nevertheless very good. In this life, due to etiquette and status, she truly was unable to look after her. Originally, she was thinking of waiting until everything have all settled, and once Kou Yuluo was a bit more older, think of a way to arrange a good marriage for her, letting her marry a good person, and at the same time, marry bit farther away. That way, she naturally will be able to stay far away from their mother, and she, this older sister, can also add a bit more dowry for her.
However, looking at things now, the Chang’de Count Manor long made a move, actually bypassing Xun Che’s spies, having Qi-shi and Kou Yuluo brought back to the capital. This simply didn’t have anything to do with familial relationship. If the Chang’de Count Manor really wanted to help Qi-shi, then Kou Xian wouldn’t have gone to the Jiang province back then. This was just blatant coercion. Just, what was clever about it was that Qi-shi was probably self-willing, because she has had enough of getting angered and being poor in the Jiang province. That’s why, she was willing to return to the capital and cooperate with her maiden family in coming over to cause trouble.
TN: All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
But, the young Kou Yuluo was innocent.
Others perhaps felt that Kou Yuluo and Yu Lingxin merely just have a half-blood relationship, their time together also very short, and Qi-shi was also that violent and selfish, so completely not worth caring about the Kou family that much. But, Yu Lingxin was unable to cut ties. She still remember, in the past life, in those years of living under someone else’s roof in the Jiang province, suffering in silence, how lovable and considerate Kou Yuluo was, as well as afterwards, after she returned to the capital and married into the declining Wen’an Marquis Manor, later becoming a widow, Kou Yuluo also did everything she could to accompany her and help her.
Right as Yu Lingxin was thinking of Kou Yuluo, thus slightly lost in thought for a moment, Qi-shi had already started blabbing non-stop out of habit, “……….Being close with the maternal family even need coercion? How deranged of a line is that? Being close with the maternal family is only right, visiting one another more and mutually helping is what’s proper, only then will the deities protect. You’re also a mother now……….”
“Bai Guo!” Hearing this line, Yu Lingxin finally returned to her senses, ordering with a frown, “Madam Kou is probably ill, unknown as to whether it’s having gone mad, or having gotten possessed. Invite an imperial physician over for a look, then arrange a guest room for her to stay, letting her nicely recuperate.”
After saying this, she directly got up, waving her hand and letting Ganlu support her back to her room.
At first, when hearing Yu Lingxin call Bai Guo, Qi-shi thought that she was referring to Jianjia. Just as she closed her mouth, thinking that Yu Lingxin had gotten convinced by her, about to go scold that servant girl, in the next moment, she just heard Yu Lingxin’s instructions, becoming stupefied for a moment, “Ill? What? What stay?”
Shi mama who was next to her actually reacted a bit quicker, her entire body shivering. However, this turn of events was also completely unexpected, so didn’t know how to explain or deal with either. And at the same time, Bai Guo and Jianjia were like as if having long been prepared, waving their hand and calling in the others. At once, four strong and sturdy looking ‘young girls’ came in from the outside, seemingly female soldiers. Each and every one all had a perfectly straight back, their gaze sharp, their two hands like iron. Upon entering, they just directly had Qi-shi and Shi mama picked up by the arms and headed outwards.
Jianjia at this time actually displayed a courteous smile of a marquis manor servant girl, “Madam Kou, you’ve just returned to capital, so presumably worn out from the travel, truly very ill. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be yelling and making a scene in our Wen’an Marquis Manor like this. Our young madam has long prepared a guest room for you, why don’t you go over first for a rest. The imperial physician will very quickly arrive. Come, Miss Dayan, when taking Madam Kou over, it’s best to not let Madam Kou shout and scream, so as to avoid biting her tongue, harming her body.”
The tallest one of the four female soldiers immediately bowed, “Yes.”
Shortly after, she just squeezed with her hand, and Qi-shi immediately dislocated her lower jaw, only able to hum. All the shock and overflowing anger all got directly cut off, and her feet under her legs were further beyond her control. Two female soldiers had her propped up, practically getting forcibly taken out with her feet off the ground.
Even if Shi mama flaunted herself as someone who has seen all the inner manor battles, the competitions between the wives and concubines, and even the changing of dynasties outside, with the neighbors getting seized and the noble titles getting stripped, she still has never seen anyone directly deal with their own mother like this. For a moment, she was scared to the point of going limp, “About that, young ma—–”
Before the word madam could come out, following the same steps as above, her lower jaw also got dislocated while she herself got dragged out too.
After having these two ‘arranged for’, Jianjia returned to Qingyu Pavilion’s main room to report. And at this time, Xun Che also just happened to come back. The servant girls perceptively withdrew according to their usual habit, just leaving the two of them in the room.
“Huijun, are you alright?” Seeing his wife’s complexion completely the same as usual when bringing him clothes to change into, Xun Che was instead even more worried, immediately reaching out to hold her, “About your mother………”
Yu Lingxin slightly lowered her eyes, letting him hold for a moment before looking into his eyes again, “I’m fine. Perhaps, I should thank the Chang’de Count Manor. In the past, you’d said that you wanted to keep Kou Xian from returning to the capital for life. I’ve always had a bit of a hard to describe guilt inside, as if I’d voluntarily blocked my mother’s chance of returning to the capital to live originally, more or less owing her. But, now that she has come back on her own, and moreover, came back through colluding with the Chang’de Count Manor, then I don’t have anything to feel remorseful about anymore. Just, I’m a bit worried about little radish…….”
Xun Che lightly nodded, also squeezing her hand, “You don’t need to think too much either. Your mother probably doesn’t know exactly what intentions the Chang’de Count Manor has towards her, probably just thinking that they want to mediate the two families relationship through her. As for little Yuluo, she actually might not be in the Qi family’s schemes. After all, in other people’s eyes, your relationship with her is merely a temporary surface relationship. How can her weight compare with your own mother?”
Yu Lingxin also silently nodded. The two greatest source of Qi-shi’s tragedy in the past life and this life, one was her violent and headstrong temper, while the other was just her own stupidity. Qi-shi thought that because her daughter married high, her maiden family thus came over to curry favor, so as to repair the various families relationship and whatnot. Her naivety was comparable with Xun Cong and Xun Ying.
But, how old was Xun Cong and Xun Ying? Qi-shi, having lived for this long, still wasn’t able to understand. The Chang’de Count Manor was merely playing the card of asking for a favor on the surface while grasping her in hand. Once it was the crucial moment, that was just using Qi-shi’s life to negotiate, threatening Yu Lingxin and thereby influencing Xun Che, regardless whether it’s asking the Xun family to change their political stance, or ask to at least save the Qi family as well as Qi Pei when the jade mountain topples. Even if unable to completely fulfill their wish, they will certainly still cause an enormous disturbance and even impact towards Yu Lingxin as well as Xun Che.
And if by chance Qi-shi really can use motherly love to persuade Yu Lingxin, having the chance to do something to An’er, then that will further be a pleasant surprise for them, or perhaps the chance to make a comeback!
“Huijun?” Seeing her fall silent for a good while again, her hands even slightly cold, Xun Che softly called out to her again, “Did you think of something?”
Yu Lingxin threw herself into Xun Che’s arms all of a sudden, tightly clenching her teeth. A few breaths later, she finally relaxed again, “Just now, I suddenly thought, if I was still my past life self, getting grasp by my mother that easily, and if my mother were to also get incited by someone, having some thoughts towards An’er………”
Xun Che understood. Although clearly knowing that this won’t happen, his back still grew cold in an instant, tightly holding his wife for a moment out of instinct. Afterwards, he went to kiss her hair, “It won’t happen. An’er and you, and also Ying’er, nothing will happen, don’t worry. Your arrangement today was very good. First interrogate Shi old woman, and also question Madam Kou. If the Qi family really has thoughts towards An’er, then I will go explain to them in advance. They really must hate having a long life.”
“Shenzhi.” Yu Lingxin lifted her head to meet his eyes, her clear eyes filled with firmness, “The Qi manor this time, I want to personally go.”
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