Chapter 75 : Cold-shoulder (1)

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Yuxi went to her garden again to wait on her herbs.

 

The herbs planted in the medicine garden were not good looking, as they were too thin and unsightly.
The once proper backyard had been turned by Yuxi into something beyond recognition.
To those who didn’t know, they would have thought that beasts had visited the place.

 

Kufu came over and announced, “Miss, Fifth Miss and Miss Fu are here to see you.”

 

Yuchen had gone to pay respect only on the day Wu Shi returned to the residence, and she hadn’t been there for the last two days.
Yuxi could only follow suit.
Of course, this did not mean that Yuxi did not know the situation in Biteng Courtyard.
She knew that these two days, Wu Shi had been putting her things together and tidying up her courtyard.
Similarly, Yurong and Qiu Yanfu were busy cleaning up their yard these two days.
Now, it was estimated that their courtyard had been cleaned up.
Therefore, they couldn't wait to come out and wander while painting their existence in the residence.

 

When Yuxi went out, she saw Qiu Yanfu dressed in a moon-white dress.
Qiu Yanfu’s appearance was at its peak, and when coupled with a pretty dress, she looked really lovely.

 

It was not unusual to wear moon-white colour clothing.
Yuxi had several clothes of the same colour, but her clothes were embroidered with various beautiful patterns.
While Qiu Yanfu’s dress was plain white without any embroidered decoration.

 

Yuxi looked at Qiu Yanfu in such a dress and asked, “Fu Biaojie, did you come here especially to say goodbye to me?”

 

Qiu Yanfu was stunned.
She did not understand why Yuxi was saying this, but she guessed that Yuxi had no good things to say to her.
So, she just smiled and replied, “I’m here to visit Si Biaomei.”

 

Yuxi said, “I thought someone in your family has gotten old.
That’s why you have come and say goodbye to me.” Having gotten old here meant pass away.

 

Yurong was unhappy that her mouth curled down.
She then said, “Si Jiejie, what are you doing cursing my aunt and uncle? They have never offended you.“[+]

 

Yuxi gazed at Qiu Yanfu in her white attire and said, “I mean, Yanfu Biaojie is the one who has gotten old, not your aunt and uncle.
But it is also rare to see Yanfu Biaojie dress in all white when everyone in your family is doing fine.
You don’t find this as unlucky?”

 

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Qiu Yanfu used to like wearing plain clothes when she was in Hebei.
Wearing such clothes made her look very elegant and beautiful.
Today, she was going to visit Fourth Miss.
She was afraid that she would be intimidated by Yuxi that she decided to wear this dress.
She couldn't help but remember Yuchen’s surprise look when she saw her and the hidden smile in the eyes of the maids in Tingyun Pavilion.
Now that she knew the reason, she felt so ashamed that she wished she could draw herself by jumping in the river.

 

Yurong stamped her foot and said, “Si Jiejie, we have come to visit you with our good intentions, and you treat us like this?”

 

Qiu Yanfu apologised, “Si Biaomei, I’m really sorry.
I didn’t know there was such a taboo in the residence.
I will pay more attention next time.“

 

Yuxi appeared to be hiding her sneer as she said, “It is not only taboo in our house, but it is also taboo in other peoples' homes.
If you go to someone else’s house looking like this and if the host family has an impetuous temper, that family can directly beat you up.“

 

Yurong was obviously unconvinced with these words, “Si Jiejie, you are just saying frightening words to scare people.”

 

Qiu Yanfu said, “Si Biaomei, we have just arrived in the capital and there are still a lot of things that we don’t understand.
Later on, we will ask Si Biaomei to tell us more about the taboos in the capital.”

 

Yuxi sneered in her heart.
‘Wants to treat me as a pedal, dream on.’ However, there was a smile on her face as she said, “Every mama in the residence knows all these things.” After saying that, she welcomed the two people in.

 

The setup of Rose Courtyard had not changed at all.
During this period, Qiu Shi wanted to replace all the furniture in Yuxi’s courtyard, but Yuxi refused.
She said that she was already used to it and preferred not to change it again.
She felt that living in luxury or simple life wasn’t something really important.
The most important thing for her was how to take advantage of each different situation.

 

Plantain or cooking banana.
Plantain is a family of bananas, but a bit different from bananas.
Banana will turn yellow when it ripe, but plantain will still have green colour even when it ripes.
For more difference between plantain and banana, please click here.
Source | Dickelbers via Wiki

Qiu Yanfu and Yurong saw nothing inside the courtyard except for roses and plantains on one side.
Entering the living room, there were no other decorations that could be seen except for a desk and a chair.
To compare here with Tingyun Pavilion, was like comparing mud and heaven.[+]

 

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Qiu Yanfu’s eyes flashed with doubt.
If she was not mistaken, Yuxi ought to be quite favoured, but why was the setup in this room so simple?

 

When they got into the bedroom, they saw the room to be rather unduly simple.
There was big red bedding with wash painting mosquito nets hanging on the bed frame.
Everything put inside the room was not very valuable.
The only bright colour things in there were probably a few pieces of jewellery placed on the dressing table.

 

Yurong felt that this place was really shabby.
Not to mention Tingyun Pavilion, even with her Shuixiang Courtyard, it was still incomparable.

 

Qiu Yanfu purposely asked with a smile, “Don’t you have a study, Si Biaomei?”

 

Yuxi responded also with a smile, “The study is on the other side.
If you want to see it, follow me!” Her study had changed a lot now, unlike its state in the beginning.

 

Lucky Bamboo Bonsai
Source | 花花世界 (富贵竹盆景怎么养 富贵竹盆景的种植方法(图), June 19, 2016)

As they walked in, the first thing they saw was the large yellow rosewood desk by the window.
There were many books on the desk, a few square ink-stones, and various kinds of brush pots.
The numerous writing brushes inserted inside the brush pots were like a mountain forest.
There was also a ‘lucky bamboo’ bonsai on the desk.

 

In the middle of the western wall, hung a long piece of paper written with big characters, which read ‘heaven rewards diligence’.
On the right side of the wall was a whole wall of books, neatly arranged.
As one stood in the room, one could smell the thick odours of books and ink.
As for the wall used for Yuxi’s daily calligraphy practice, it had been covered up, so the two could not see it.

 

Qiu Yanfu looked at the four characters and asked curiously, “Who wrote these four characters?” The reason she didn't believe it was written by a famous expert was, these four characters were somewhat written immature at first sight.
Although she was born in a merchant family, she had already seen many good things made by famous people.

 

Yuxi smiled and replied, “I wrote it myself.
Not for people to appreciate, but to remind myself that I should never slack off when it comes to learning knowledge.”

 

Qiu Yanfu felt astonished in her heart that she asked incredulously, “This is written by Si Biaomei?” She also dabbled in painting and calligraphy a little, but these four words were written strongly and forcefully, not at all like a girl’s handwriting.[+]

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Yuxi smiled, “I wrote it, but the teacher said that all the words I wrote were just in shape, without their spirits.
So, I can’t go far in calligraphy.”

 

Qiu Yanfu could not help but ask, “The teacher whom Biaomei talks about, was she Teacher Song?” She had heard her aunt talked highly of Teacher Song which made her heart filled with admiration towards the said person.
She wished she could learn from her.

 

Yuxi smiled and shook her head, “No, I have resigned from her classroom.
I only learned superficial knowledge from Teacher Song.
But San Jie is the last disciple of Teacher Song, and she is Teacher Song’s true legacy.”

 

Yurong did not know whether Yuxi’s words were unintentional or intentional, as she commented, “San Jie’s handwriting is much more beautiful than Si Jie’s.” When she saw San Jie’s meihua xiaokai, she felt very envious.
As for Si Jie’s scrawly handwriting on the wall, she would rather not give any comment.

 

Yuxi was not angry either.
She just smiled and said, “I’ve been practising writing every day.
By the way, what did Wu Meimei do every day in Hebei?“

 

Remembering what her mother said, Yurong revealed a sour expression on her face, “In Hebei, embroidering and writing were common things that I did every day. Si Jie, I hate embroidery the most.
You embroider so well that you can even do double-sided embroidery.
Can you teach me?“

 

Yuxi smiled but declined, “I want to teach Wu Meimei, but I have too much to do, so I don’t have the time.
If Wu Meimei really wants to learn needlework, ask Mother to get you a good embroiderer lady.” All jokes aside, she was already busy with her own things, so she had no spare time to teach Yurong.

 

Yurong was unhappy at the moment that she said, “Can Si Jiejie be as busy as San Jiejie? She has just promised to teach me qin, chess, calligraphy and painting.
Why can’t Si Jiejie do the same?“ Her tone was really blunt, but it also showed that Yurong had no subtlety.
This was also a naivety of a child doted on by one’s parents.

 

Yuxi was not angry, but responded with a slight smile, “I can’t compare with San Jie. San Jie can immediately be proficient in new things as soon as she learns about them.
It takes me several times more to be as proficient when learning the same things.
This is also why I wrote those four big characters on the wall.“

 

Yurong said unhappily, “If you don’t want to teach me, then just say you don’t want to.
Why find so many excuses? Well, I don’t care if you don’t teach me anyway.” Then she left angrily. [T/N]

 

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Originally, Qiu Yanfu wanted to talk more with Yuxi.
Although Yuxi was very blunt when she talked sometimes, she was as frank as the Lady of the State Residence had said.
Yuxi spoke harshly but without any bad intention.
This kind of person was much easier to deal with.
Unlike Third Miss who always looked like she was set on high, which made her feel inferior instead.
This feeling was absolutely terrible.

 

Kufu was rather worried as she stated, “Miss, if Fifth Miss complains to the Third Lord, then you will suffer.”

 

Yuxi shrugged her shoulders and said indifferently, “It is unlikely for me to teach her, so if she wants to complain, good for her.” Anyway, Han Jingyan had never asked her to teach Yurong, so she didn’t want to trouble herself from volunteering.

 

Yurong was not stupid, but she hadn’t suffered either.
In Yuxi’s previous life, she had become Yurong’s scapegoat.
Moreover, Wu Shi had operated the plan properly.
As a result, everyone said that Yurong was remarkably lovely.
However, in this life, Yurong would only be Yuxi's and Yuchen’s foil.
The taste of being a foil was not something pleasant to experience.
If you were not careful, you would feel inferior and drown in self-pity.

 

As Kufu expected, Yurong really complained about the matter to Han Jingyan.

 

Han Jingyan was not even angry, “Your Si Jie did all the embroidery work by herself.
Moreover, she has little experience and is really not suitable for teaching you.
If you really want to learn, just invite an embroidery lady.“

 

Yurong pouted and complained, “San Jiejie has promised to teach me qin, chess, calligraphy and painting.
So, why can’t Si Jiejie also teach me embroidery?”

 

Han Jingyan’s face turned bad.
He asked, “Did you ask Yuchen to teach you how to play qin, chess, calligraphy and painting?” Yuchen still had a lot to learn.
Every day, she would learn from early morning till late at night.
She couldn’t take the initiative to teach Yurong.
The only possibility was that Yurong had demanded her to do it.

 

Han Jingyan did say that day for Yuchen to look after Yurong more.
But he was merely asking her to look after Yurong in terms of rules and etiquettes, and also how to be a merciful young miss, not to teach her the four arts.
For these kinds of things, he would personally invite someone to teach her.

 

When Yurong noticed that Han Jingyan had a bad looking expression on his face, she hastily said, “I just saw my San Jiejie’s proficiency in the four arts, so, I told her that I envied her so much.
When she heard this, she said she could help teach me.“[+]

 

Wu Shi tried to mediate, “My Lord, Yurong also wants to have more contact with Third Girl.
This way, it will be easy for her to enhance the sisterhood connection between them.”

 

Han Jingyan thought for a moment and finally compromised, “You can go to Tingyun Pavilion, but on the premise that you must never affect your San Jie in any way, okay?”