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Striking the Mountain to Shock the Mother
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!
T/N: The title is a play on the idiom ‘striking the mountain to startle the tiger’, meaning to deliberately give a warning, causing others to be shocked.
Shuangye lightly nodded, but then immediately shook her head, “Seemingly yes, but also seemingly no.”
“What does this mean?” Yu Lingxin couldn’t help but blurt out, but immediately realized that she still lost her bearing a little, promptly changing to a somewhat curious tone, “Those skillful imperial physicians from the palace also weren’t able to figure out?”
“This is just a bit hard to say.” Shuangye explained, “This matter, when it first passed on to the old madam’s ears, it was even because of having invited the relatively familiar Imperial Physician Zhang over to take the old madam’s pulse at the start of the month. Imperial Physician Zhang had just carelessly mentioned a few words, saying that the Xun family heir was making a ruckus in the manor, indeed somewhat appearing as if having gone mad. But, afterwards, after taking the pulse and examining, it seemingly wasn’t the case.”
“Could it be that he ate something bad? And it even has something to do with that paternal aunt that had married to the Chang’de Count Manor?” Yu Lingxin slightly contemplated and just roughly understood the relations within.
Shuangye’s eyes lit up, “Eldest miss, you’re truly clever! Previously, already heard that the Xun family old madam doesn’t like the first branch that inherited the noble title, further favoring the second branch. Among the relatives, it is also considered common knowledge. Reportedly, this time, it was precisely when that heir went to pay respect to Xun old madam, eating the dessert that the Chang’de Countess had sent back to her maiden home, and afterwards, something bad just happened. However, counting the days, it was also in the beginning of the month. A few days ago, heard that he has already fully recovered.”
“That is only natural. If the Wen’an Marquis Manor’s heir had gotten poisoned, going insane, then first setting aside who poisoned him, this position as heir will first have to be shifted.” Yu Lingxin hooked the corner of her lips, “Regardless of how the Xun family fight internally, towards the outside, they still need to say that he’s recovered. Moreover, the Chang’de Count Manor’s banquet, they also have to attend, in order to show that their family indeed didn’t produce animosity, so as to avoid getting gossiped.”
“Eldest miss, you and the old madam said the exact same thing!” Shuangye this time sighed even more, “Since you’re able to see clearly, then presumably it won’t be difficult for you to deal with the relatives. Besides, when time comes, Madam Kou will also be present. She’s your mother after all, so certainly will look after you.”
The first half, Yu Lingxin still approved, but the latter half, she could only bitterly smile. Her inquiring about the Qi family’s matters, even borrowing Shuangye to her side, it was all for the sake of guarding against her own mother.
Just, it wasn’t good for the child to criticize the parent. At the time, when she requested to borrow Shuangye to help out from the old madam, she also didn’t say that Qi-shi wanted to kidnap her from the capital, so as to cheat her of her dowry. After all, that just sounded both insane and unimaginable. If not for personally experiencing in her past life, who would’ve thought that a mother, after a divorce, would have her own daughter from the first marriage tricked over and harmed as such.
At the time, Yu Lingxin just told her grandmother, her mother Qi-shi’s temper was irritable, so sometimes might not necessarily be able to look after the two families’ face thoroughly. Moreover, her own face was thin, if there’s some words that weren’t good for her to refuse, having a first rank servant girl slightly advise a little, adding a way out of a difficult situation, the two families’ face will both be pretty, and won’t go as far as to hurt the relationship too much.
That’s why, in Shuangye’s mind, she probably was just coming over to give the weak eldest miss a bit of confidence, or when not knowing how to deal with the situation, help smooth out the situation. Although in this moment, Shuangye also vaguely sensed that the eldest miss might have other plans, just no matter how she contemplated, she probably will never expect that she will be going up against the eldest miss’s mother Qi-shi.
“En, you’re right.” Yu Lingxin, at this time, also has no intention of explaining more, “Older sister Shuangye, why don’t you go rest first. Once Caixia has the account books brought over, I’ll invite older sister over to help out. Additionally, the Chang’de Count Manor’s banquet the day after tomorrow, will also be troubling you.”
Shuangye agreed to it one by one, and then curtsied before retreating out.
Yu Lingxin finally had the teacup placed down, letting out a long sigh. Ever since her rebirth three days ago, her entire mind has been on how to refuse Qi-shi, and how to save her father’s official career and the Yu family from declining.
(T/N: Don’t ask me how it’s been three days, I have no idea either.)
The various past regarding the Xun family, she actually still hasn’t had the time to carefully think over.
TN: All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
After all, the Wen’an Marquis Manor’s tragedy in the previous life was completely different from the Yu family’s where it was just having gotten too involved with the Zhu family, thus getting implicated.
Xun Che has been the eldest imperial prince Qin Wang’s study companion ever since childhood. Afterwards, in the battle for the throne, the support that Qin Wang relied on the most was precisely the Wen’an Marquis Manor, Xun family. If the Yu family’s decline in the past life was because of getting caught in the crossfire of the princes battling for the throne, then the Xun family’s tragedy in the past life was because Xun Che from beginning to end was all at the heart of the struggle, even the one that influenced the entire imperial court’s direction afterwards.
This kind of big matter, Yu Lingxin believed that she was unable to participate in. She occasionally would have those moments where she would think of the Xun family, and think of Xun Che, but in the end, she still just temporarily pressed down those thoughts.
After all, the things within her power right now were just the present problems regarding her own mother Qi-shi. The path in this lifetime, she still needs to walk step by step.
Just as she was contemplating, she saw Caixia lift the curtains and enter, her face filled with an eager smile, “The account books have been organized. Eldest miss——”
Yu Lingxin waved her hand, “Wait a moment, Ganlu, go invite Shuangye over.”
Caixia’s smile couldn’t help but slightly stiffen. Just as she was about to say something, Yu Lingxin got up and entered the cleaning room. And in this time period, Shuangye already came over, taking over the account books and adding, “Taking this long, how are you serving the eldest miss?”
Caixia didn’t dare to directly be stubborn with Shuangye, and could only vaguely respond a few words. Fortunately, a moment later, Yu Lingxin came out again. Caixia finally worked up her spirit again, smilingly looking towards Yu Lingxin, “Eldest miss, Lu mama came over to see you, even bringing your favorite walnut cookies!”
“Lu mama?” Shuangye who’d just flipped open the account book immediately just lifted her head, asking with a frown, “In our manor, which mama has the surname Lu?”
Yu Lingxin naturally was as clear as snow inside. That was the most capable mama by Qi-shi’s side. In the last lifetime, Qi-shi unscrupulously fishing for money, more than half afraid were all this Lu mama’s schemes.
“Eldest miss, Lu mama said that for the dessert, Madam Kou had specially instructed to buy fresh ones for you, even matching with the flower tea that you like.” Caixia’s voice was full of sincerity, “Look at how much Madam Kou thinks of you——”
“Ganlu.” Yu Lingxin leaned back on the chair, lightly ordering, “Go to the corner gate and receive Lu mama’s dessert. Reward her five hundred coins, and let her go back.”
Caixia’s smile instantly just froze, “Corner gate? No, miss, Lu mama is already outside Lianyi Residence’s gate. In such a hot weather, you should at least invite Lu mama in for tea before sending back, right?”
Hearing these words, Yu Lingxin instead laughed, directly looking towards Shuangye, “To have made older sister laugh, seeing such a big mess in Lianyi Residence. In the past, I’m precisely someone that’s just unable to handle others, so didn’t others precisely cause all sorts of trouble.”
Shuangye was already frowning to begin with. At this time, hearing Yu Lingxin’s words, she just further understood, immediately having the account books placed down, scolding Caixia with a heavy expression, “Since it’s not someone from our manor, who let you directly invite to the courtyard gate? This kind of matter, you also dared to not report to the eldest miss and just decided on your own? Is it seeing that your master is good-tempered, so just overturned the heavens!?”
This already was the second time Caixia got scolded in a day. Never mind Ganlu hearing, even the little servant girls in the courtyard were also erecting their ears and listening.
Caixia’s face was increasingly red, but she could only harden her head and explain, “This already isn’t the first time this Lu mama came. The previous few times, eldest miss had all called in, nicely serving good tea and chatting, especially when the weather is hot or cold, just fearing that Lu mama would freeze or burn. If too slow, she would even blame. Who knew that today eldest miss would just become hostile for no reason, even venting her anger on the people below. Should’ve known to not bother saving miss the trouble!” With that said, she was just about to storm off again…..
“Caixia.” Yu Lingxin quietly stared, practically just calling out as soon as Caixia had set one foot out the door.
Caixia already had the door curtains half lifted. The weather was hot to begin with, so the windows in the central room were all open. The voices inside could all be heard outside, and this kind of disturbance, naturally even Lu mama who was waiting under the shade by the courtyard gate could all hear clearly.
“Go kneel in the courtyard.” The eldest miss’s crisp voice was still that steady and calm, not the least bit irritable, and at the same time, not the least bit hesitant either.
“Miss!” The redness on Caixia’s face this time faded, just she began to fear on the inside, “You’re, this is, this——”
Yu Lingxin decided to directly walk over to the corridor, so that her own voice can reliably pass on to the people that should hear.
Caixia naturally can’t continue blocking the door, and as she followed Yu Lingxin out, her knees became somewhat weak.
“Today, you’ve retorted me, given me attitude, and acted on your own without permission twice already.” Yu Lingxin looked to Caixia, still not having any angry expression. Just that quiet look made even Shuangye feel strangely nervous inside. “The first time, tolerating you, it was seeing on behalf of the madam, but this time, if I were to indulge you again, you will even damage the madam’s reputation.”
With that said, she turned towards Shuangye again, “Older sister Shuangye, today, will have to trouble you to take another trip, requesting the old madam to send me a dutiful servant girl. Even if a little young, it’s also fine. As long as she’s loyal and obedient, that is enough. Caixia, this kind of secondary master that’s here to call the shots, I can’t afford to have.”
For a moment, the inside and outside of Lianyi Residence all stood still.
Yu Lingxin also no longer looked at Caixia, and further didn’t want to see the stunned Lu mama who was outside Lianyi Residence’s gate, immediately just turning back inside.
Towards Qi-shi, this kind of muddled person, she didn’t have anymore mother-daughter feelings remaining. Just, after successively striking twice, Yu Lingxin still hoped that if Qi-shi can sober up a bit inside, willing to give up on kidnapping her from the capital, then she can still leave her some more face.
If possible, she really didn’t want to embarrass Qi-shi too much. In fact, as long as Qi-shi is willing to peacefully leave the capital, then in the future, if there really is some emergency or difficulty, directly writing a letter asking for money, she’s still willing to slightly help out a little.
However, it was very much a pity.
As the days peacefully pass by, arriving at the twenty-sixth of the sixth month, the morning of the Chang’de Count Manor banquet, Yu Lingxin just knew that her last bit of hope towards Qi-shi can be considered to have completely fallen through.
That morning, Yu Lingxin had just finished dressing up, and before she could even instruct Shuangye and Ganlu a few words, she just saw another first rank servant girl, Shuangzhi, from Dongli Residence come over to deliver a message, “Eldest miss, the old madam is inviting you over, the Kou family madam has come.”
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