Time flies. In the twinkling of an eye, it was finally the end of the year. Annual gifts from Hebei had also arrived.
Qiu Shi looked at the list of gifts and said with a smile, "The Third Lord is getting bigger and bigger, but the gifts are getting fewer and fewer." The more money the officials made, the more stingy they became.
Mama Li said, "Don't look at it, My Lady. Let this old servant put them in the warehouse!" Looking at them would only make her Lady angry over something trifle. What the eye didn't see, the heart wouldn't grieve over[1].
After receiving the gifts list, Mama Li said, "My Lady, I heard that this time, the Third Lord sent two large boxes of gifts to Fourth Miss."
Qiu Shi responded, "The Old Lady must have said something to him!" The only person who had the position to advise others in this household was the Old Lady, which made it easy for her to guess.
The one who received the gift, Yuxi, looked really calm. Others couldn't see any joy or even sadness in her expression. She looked unenthusiastic as she ordered someone to open the boxes, "Look at what they have sent."
Inside the two big boxes, one was filled with Zanhuang golden silk jujube, dried apricot plum, and dried duck pear[2]. While inside the other box were several paintings made of white reeds. The pictures were very distinctive. There were pictures of a red-crowned crane, old man fishing, and a tercel[3] spreading its wings.
The only reeds painting image of a tercel that I could find. It was created by Zhou Hang.
Source | Xinhua News
Source | Xinhua News
Yuxi ordered the people to put everything away, "Put all the food in the kitchen. The red-crowned crane will be hanging in my study. Also, 'Old Man Fishing' is given to Dage[4]. The 'Tercel Spreads Its Wings' shall be kept first. I will give it to
Er Ge[5] when I meet him."
When one received some gift, there was nothing wrong with giving away those extra ones, as long as they were not from a single item. However, the problem now was, Yuxi didn't look excited at all despite this being the first time she received gifts from her father. Instead, she could calmly distribute them. Her attitude caused others to ponder deeply over it.
As usual, Yuxi went to Tingyun Pavilion in the afternoon to learn etiquette. Seeing Yuchen smiling face, she asked, "Did San Jie[6] get anything good?"
Yuchen smilingly answered, "It's not really such a good thing. It's just a bone china tea set. What did Si Mei[7] get?"
Yuxi evaded the serious matters and took up trifles[8] as she said, "Father sent me several paintings, all of which are very distinctive. I picked the one with the crane to be hung up in my study."
Yuchen's mood was somewhat complicated. Her father had never sent her a painting. In her mind, the paintings her father had sent to Yuxi must have been painted by famous artists. "Really? Can I go to your yard later and see the paintings that Father gave you?"
Yuxi hesitated a little but finally nodded slowly. "Naturally, you can."
When Momo[9] Quan saw Yuxi, she did not immediately start the class, but instead, she asked, "The annual gifts from the Third Lord arrived today. Third Miss was very happy with hers. Didn't Fourth Miss also receive a present?"
Yuxi nodded and answered, "Yes, two big boxes of them."
Momo[9] Quan asked Yuxi to sit down. She also sat cross-legged in front of Yuxi and questioned, "Then, why didn't I see any joy in your face?"
Yuxi no longer bowed her head because she had been instructed by Momo[9] Quan not to act petty, so she had to sit face up while facing Momo[9] Quan's inquiry. She may not bow her head, but she did not speak either. She just sat there while remaining silent.
Momo[9] Quan asked, "Do you have resentment in your heart? You resent the Third Lord for not paying attention to you over the years, and even if he did send something to you this time, you would still resent him."
How could Yuxi bear this kind of reputation, "I have no resentment? He is my biological father who gave birth to me and raised me. I am also pleased to receive the present today, but I can't be as happy as San Jie[6]." After a pause, she explained, " San Jie[6] got a complete bone china tea set. My two big boxes are not even worth a cup from San Jie[6]'s gifts."
Momo[9] Quan was taken aback for a moment. Still, with a straight face, she quickly reprimanded Yuxi, "Don't say that your father sent you two big boxes of things, even if it was only a feather, it is still out of concern for you, and it's a piece of your father's compassionate heart."
Yuxi wanted to laugh when she heard the words 'a piece of her father's compassionate heart'. Han Jingyan ignored her for 16 years in her previous life. For all those 16 years, he had treated her as if she was nothing. When he heard she didn't want to marry Jiang Hongjin, he threw a white silk cloth at her. It was a great irony that the words 'compassionate father' was even used to describe Han Jingyan. Unfortunately, she couldn't laugh since she started to cry, with tears trickling down her cheeks.
Momo[9] Quan had spent more than three months in the state residence, so she was pretty clear about Yuxi's situation. It would not be surprising if Yuxi did confess that she did feel resentment towards her father. This time, seeing Yuxi cry in front of her, she did not soothe her, but she just sat there watching her. When Yuxi's crying started to end, she handed Yuxi a handkerchief, and her words were very gentle, "Please wipe away your tears."
After Yuxi regained her calm, she shyly said, "Momo[9], please don't take offence."
Momo[9] Guan did not blame her but gave her some advice, "Fourth Miss, filial piety is the foundation of human beings. If filial piety is lost, no matter how talented or good your appearance is, you will never be tolerated by others in this world." After a pause, she added, "Moreover, a woman will have a tough time without the support of her father and brother before and after marriage."
Yuxi gave a wry smile. "I do understand everything Momo[9] said. It's just..." After a pause, she continued, "I also don't want to conceal this from Momo[9]. I actually haven't seen my father since I was born. People around me know my Father doesn't like my mother and me. They said I was being superfluous. Therefore, I think the gift I received this time should have been prepared by my stepmother, and somehow, my father did not know about it."
"Fourth Miss, that's your mother," Momo[9] Quan said disapprovingly. "Fourth Miss, I know the Third Lady is a jishi[10], and despite that, she is still your elder. When you face her, you must be courteous enough to make no mistake."
Yuxi understood what Momo[9] Quan meant. "Momo[9], I will correct it." She still had a lot to learn.
Momo[9] Quan directly omitted Third Lady from the household hierarchy. Since she had stayed here for so long, she knew that with Old Lady Han and the household's mistress, Qiu Shi, around, Yuxi wouldn't be easily bullied even after Wu Shi had returned to the residence. As long as Yuxi had her manners in order, there was nothing else to be worried about. Momo[9] Quan said, "Fourth Miss, everyone has parents. Remember that the Third Lord is your closest relative and your greatest dependence. You must be respectful and filial to him." Although being respectful and filial might have the same concept as being well-mannered, they were actually as far removed as heaven from earth[11]. [T/C]
When Yuxi heard this, she painfully stated, "Momo[9], I don't know what to do." She knew that if she wanted to live well in the State Residence, she must suppress her resentment and try to please the Old Lady and her father. But she could not do it. She couldn't pretend to like it even though she clearly disliked it, let alone show her actual emotion.
Momo[9] Quan looked at Yuxi, and she couldn't help but secretly sigh. She was being too demanding. After all, this five-year-old child had been mistreated. It would have been tough for Yuxi to do this right away. "I will teach you how to do it."
Yuxi's face showed a relieved look. "Thank you, Momo[9]."
Momo[9] Quan shook her head. "No need to mention it. Nurturing momo[9] not only teaches rules and etiquette but also acts as a guide on how one should behave and socialise with others, how to manage and take control of one's household." She couldn't guarantee whether Yuxi could be wholeheartedly filial, but what she wanted to ensure was that Yuxi conducted herself respectfully in public and must avoid causing other people to easily pick out her mistakes.
Yuxi was stupefied. So, an actual nurturing momo[9] would teach so many things. No wonder Yuchen had been highly praised when she went out to socialise in her previous life. When she became the Empress later, she was glorified for having her birth mother, the first Third Lady's demeanour. Though, it was the nurturing momo[9] who had put so much into nurturing Yuchen. While the old woman who had taught Yuxi in her prior life did not even deserve to be called a nurturing momo[9].
Looking at Yuxi's stupefied face, Momo[9] Quan asked, "Why? Do you think it is too much?"
Yuxi shook her head and replied, "No, I'm just very happy. I'm very happy that I will learn so many things from Momo[9]." These were all practical things that would benefit her all her life.
Momo[9] Quan said slightly, "I will teach you, but how much you can learn and to what extent depends on yourself." There was a good saying, the master led you to the door, and the rest would be up to you[13].
Yuxi hastily nodded and promised, "I will certainly study hard."
At the end of the day, Yuxi's class was finally over. Just outside the room, she saw Yuchen's personal maid, Shiqin, waiting in the yard. Shiqin was left behind by Yuchen to invite Yuxi for dinner. "After dinner, my Miss would like to go to Rose Courtyard with Fourth Miss to look at paintings."
Yuxi's face flashed oddly. Looking at paintings? What was so good about images made of reeds? At this time, it never crossed her mind that Yuchen would think Han Jingyan had sent her famous paintings. "Okay." Now that she was invited to stay, she could also take the opportunity to try the medicated meals made by Momo[9] Quan.
The large table was filled with dishes, served on blue and white porcelain plates with chopsticks placed inside glowed with warm lustre. On closer inspection, all the chopsticks were made of ivory.
Yuxi thought this was too luxurious and confirmed her thought that Yuchen was indeed the Old Lady's most beloved granddaughter. Even the plates and chopsticks were so exquisite. Isn't it too wasteful to fill the large table with dishes just for the two of them? There was an unspoken criticism in her heart, but she wouldn't be glib enough to speak it out loud.
Yuchen examined her clothes and then went to the dining hall. When she saw Yuxi, she smiled and asked, "Have you been waiting long, Si Mei[7]?"
Yuxi shook her head. "No, I've just arrived."
At this time, four maids came in, the first carrying a glass of water, the second an empty basin, the third a copper basin of water, and the fourth a handkerchief.
Yuxi saw Yuchen gargle first, then spit into the second basin. After that, she washed her hands in the copper basin. Finally, she took the handkerchief to dry her hands.
Yuxi's eyes flashed. It wasn't like she had never been attended by a maid before. It was just that she didn't have such a big disposition as Yuchen.Without saying anything, Yuxi also took the tea handed to her by another maid and did the same as Yuchen.
After the two sat down, Yuchen smiled and said, "I don't know what dishes Si Mei[7] likes. Next time, I'll ask the cook to prepare them. This time I'll have to ask Si Mei[7] to make do with these."
Yuxi's Chinese dinner usually consisted of four dishes and one soup. Even with this specification, she still thought it was a waste. She did not know how much it would cost to have this many dishes on the table. " San Jie[6], I'm not picky about food. I eat everything." People who had experienced hunger would never be fussy with food.
The dishes on this table were not only full of colour but full of fragrance, and the taste was also delicious. They were much better than the meals made by Old Lady's cooks.
Yuxi had eaten seven per cent and was not going to eat any more, but to her surprise, the maid brought another bowl of medicinal food. Under this circumstance, one must eat it, even if one did not want to.
After the first bite, Yuxi nearly licked her bowl. It was really delicious. It was the first time she had eaten such tasty food. After living for more than 20 years in her previous life, she had never tasted such delicacy. She truly wasted her life back then.
After dinner, the maid brought tea for rinsing and cleaning their mouth again. Yuxi asked, " San Jie[6], this medicated meal is really delicious. Who made it?" In fact, she could clearly guess that it was made by
Momo[9] Quan.
Yuchen smiled and replied, "This was made by Momo[9] Quan. She will make a bowl every day." Even she, who was used to eating good things, was shocked when she first ate the medicated meal made by Momo[9] Quan.
Footnotes Full List
- Chinese idiom: out of sight, out of mind
- Chinese white pear
- male eagle
- eldest brother
- er=second, ge=elder brother, short form for Gege
- san=third, jie=elder sister, short form for Jiejie
- si=fourth, mei=younger sister, short form for Meimei
- Chinese idiom: avoid what's important and dwell on the trivial
- A term for an elderly lady
- new wife in place of the deceased
- Chinese idiom: be vastly different
- Really? Doesn't being respectful and filial to your elders mean you are well-mannered? 🤔
- Chinese saying: you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink
Noob Translator's Musing
I just knew that any wife a man in ancient China married after his primary wife had passed away would be called jishi[10]. No matter if she was the third, fourth or even the eight-woman he married to. Her title would forever be 'jishi[10]'. Her children would have the same benefits as the primary wife's children. However, the primary wife's children would always have priority in everything over jishi[10]'s children.
Oh, and the title of this chapter was based on a famous Chinese saying. It is equivalent to the saying, 'it's the thought that counts'. Though, in this chapter, it's a sarcastic remark towards 'Han Jingyan's gifts' to Yuxi.
Tags:
The Rebirth of Han Yuxi