Chapter 13

Note: The names are retained in traditional Chinese characters as the RAWs I’m translating from are in traditional Chinese and it also makes it easier for me when I’m translating. The new vocabulary terms on the other hand are in simplified Chinese.Characters Shown / Mentioned in this Chapter:

葉璃璃兒 – Ye LiLi er – Main Female Protagonist – first di daughter of the Ye family, but the third child in the family.

清霜 – Qing Shuang – Ye Li‘s yatou

定王定國王墨修堯 – Ding w.a.n.gDing guow.a.n.g Mo Xiu Yao – Imperial Prince Ding of the highest rank

黎王 墨景黎 – Li w.a.n.g  Mo Jing Li – Imperial Prince Li

Ye Family Members:

葉老夫人葉老太太 – Ye laofuren Ye laotaitai – Ye Li‘s grandmother from her father’s sidethe old madam of the family

徐氏 – Xu shi – Ye Li‘s mother

(葉夫人 – Ye furen – can refer to either Xu shi or w.a.n.g shi)

葉昭儀 (大小姐) – Ye Zhao Yi (Da xiaojie) – Ye Li‘s eldest sister

The Xu Family

徐夫人 – Xu furen – Ye Li‘s second jiumu

Imperial Family Members + Subjects:

賢昭太妃 – Xian Zhao taifei – An imperial concubine of the previous emperor

Bold - Names of people, placesItalic - Chinese terms in pinyinUnderline - Unknown

Fu Imperial Capital

Chapter 13: Garden Verbal Sparring

Although Ye Li wasn’t fond of b.u.t.ting in, she also knew that a young woman in the boudoir (refers to a woman still waiting to get married) and a married woman weren’t the same. During the time of waiting in the boudoir and being unwilling to take part in the gatherings of well-bred young ladies, outsiders would at best feel that this guniang[1]  was introverted and liked things quiet or that perhaps the health truly wasn’t good.

But after getting married, the wife would especially need to take charge. If the person was still unwilling to blend in among the others and doesn’t stay in contact with people, other people would feel that this person had eyes higher than the head (refers to having really high standards or metaphor for being arrogant) and fails to appreciate others’ kindness; it would be so serious that it would even affect their own fujia[2].

Ding guow.a.n.g[3] fu‘s[4] current owner is precisely the already handicapped Ding w.a.n.g[5]  Mo Xiu Yao; although there were also some womenfolk in the fu, after she marries in, she would have to take charge of the Ding guow.a.n.g fu. Thus, hearing Ye laofuren‘s[6] words, Ye Li also agreed with a smile on her face, looking as though she were very much looking forward to this year’s Hundred Flowers Event.

After sending off Xian Zhao taifei[7]  and the rest, Ye Li asked laofuren to be excused to return to Qing Yi Xuan. Ye laofuren  and w.a.n.g shi[8] were both currently ecstatic over the honour of Xian Zhao taifei personally dropping in to send betrothal gifts, and so didn’t keep Ye Li there any longer. Ye Li exited Rong Le Hall, absent-mindedly walking in a cloister while recalling the way Xian Zhao taifei looked at her before leaving. She didn’t know why but she always felt that that look from taifei had a really profound feeling to it.

“Xiaojie[9] , look.” As they pa.s.sed by the garden, Ye Li was thinking pensively when Qing Shuang whispered into her ear to get her attention.

Raising her head to take a look, she saw a beautiful couple currently in the middle of something inside the pavilion at the wayside of the garden. The man was handsome and looked respectful while the woman looked remarkably beautiful and delicate; if not Mo Jing Li and Ye Ying, who else could it be?

Ye Li was somewhat puzzled; if these two people didn’t go to be amidst the flowers beneath the moonlight (romantic surroundings), what were they doing in this garden intersection where there would be people pa.s.sing through? It looked as though they were specially waiting here for her in general. Stepping forward, “Greeting His Highness Li w.a.n.g.”

Mo Jing Li looked at the several yatou[10] behind her and smiled coldly, saying, “You actually would arrange a show of extravagance.” Mo Jing Li had previously seen Ye Li several times at a moderate distance; everytime there would only be one yatou following behind Ye Li, making people feel narrow-minded from looking at it. Now that she had just recently been bestowed a marriage, this Ye Li not only dared to embarra.s.s him, but even exhibited ostentation. He didn’t know why but Mo Jing Li always felt somewhat angry and adverse when seeing Ye Li. Recalling how he had lost almost twenty thousand taels of silver at Ye Li‘s hands, it made Mo Jing Li grit his teeth in anger. It wasn’t that his Li w.a.n.g fu was unable to afford this sum of money, but that Ye Li‘s action clearly showed that she didn’t care about him and therefore very magnanimously demanded payment from him.

Ye Li covered her mouth as she laughed, her gaze faintly roaming over the two people. “w.a.n.gye[11] is making a joke, this is just the standard of what a guniang should have. I know fourth younger sister and w.a.n.gye have an affinity with one another and naturally will find it hard to avoid…but in the end, you still aren’t married yet. It’s still for the best for fourth younger sister going in and out to have yatou following you…even if they followed from far away, it would also be good. It would also avoid other people from making thoughtless remarks.”

“Third elder sister, how can you talk like that…” Hearing Ye Li‘s words, Ye Ying‘s bright and beautiful limpid eyes immediately turned red, crystal clear teardrops starting to gather in her eyes as she looked at Ye Li while looking very much like she was being wronged. “w.a.n.gye and I are completely innocent, even if it is younger sister who has let third elder sister down, but…this isn’t at all younger sister’s meaning, why does third elder sister want to….”

Ye Li slightly raised a hand, unhurriedly planned her words and asked, somewhat amused, “Fourth younger sister has misunderstood, who said that you and w.a.n.gye aren’t innocent? You just say it out loud. Even if zumu[12] and fuqin[13] won’t take responsibility for you, third elder sister would still take responsibility for you.” Finished talking, she swept a glance over everyone behind her questioningly.

Qing Shuang covered her mouth as she laughed, saying, “Nubi[14] never heard of it. But since fourth xiaojie said it like that, presumably there is. It is better to return to laofuren to investigate thoroughly; it will inevitably be able to draw out the people slandering fourth xiaojie and His Highness Li w.a.n.g.”

Ye Ying‘s expression changed, holding back her resentment as she glared at Qing Shuang and then turned to face Mo Jing Li, looking lovely yet pitiful, “w.a.n.gye……”

If zumu were allowed to know about this, she was sure to reprimand her. If it were to make a big noise, she only feared that what originally didn’t have rumours will turn into something that has.

“That’s enough! Ye Li, whatever you do is useless, benw.a.n.g[15] won’t take an interest in you. You should just give up on this.” Mo Jing Li reprimanded in a cold voice, the gaze with which he stared fixedly at Ye Li seemingly br.i.m.m.i.n.g with contempt and loathing.

Ye Li was bewildered that she was somewhat unable to recompose herself. What was Mo Jing Li talking about? Could it be that he thought that this look of hers was ‘loosening the reins only to grasp them better’? Where did this person get such a good perception of his own self?

Being sized up by Ye Li‘s examining stare, Mo Jing Li was somewhat ashamed into anger and in cold anger, said, “Have you looked enough yet, have no sense of shame!”

Ye Li helplessly rolled her eyes to the sky on the inside and held herself back from saying the words “You should take medicine” out loud. She curtsied[a] towards Mo Jing Li to give salutations, “Enough. w.a.n.gye and fourth younger sister, chat slowly (means ‘take your time chatting’). I’ll take my leave first.” Not even waiting for Mo Jing Li‘s consent, she straightforwardly turned around and walked in the direction of her own Qing Yi Xuan.

((This translation is originally found on: h t t p : / / g u q i n t r a n s l a t i o n s . w o r d p r e s s . c o m))

From behind, Mo Jing Li fixedly stared at the meager figure walking off without a second thought for those left behind, looking gloomy. Taking this in, Ye Ying‘s heart tightened and she softly said, “w.a.n.gye, third elder sister had always been like this, you mustn’t bother with her.”

Seeing the person before him whose beautiful facial features had worry and entreaty written all over them, Mo Jing Li‘s face relaxed somewhat, pulling Ye Ying and giving a humph as he softly said, “Be rest a.s.sured, since she is your elder sister, benw.a.n.g will look upon your face (reputation/honour) and not get bothered with her.”

The expression in Ye Ying‘s eyes slightly flashed, lowering her head as though containing her bashfulness, “Many thanks to w.a.n.gye.”

They had just entered Qing Yi Xuan when they could already hear several idle little yatou responsible for heavy labour chattering in low voices to marvel at the lavish betrothal gifts sent over by the Li w.a.n.g fu and that fourth xiaojie being able to marry Li w.a.n.g to become a zhengfei[16] was truly of good fortune and so on. Of course it also couldn’t be avoided that they also conveniently talked about how unfortunate third xiaojie was in getting married to what the entire capital knew as the w.a.n.gye of wasted material.

Qing Shuang was angry to the point that her face turned white; not waiting for Ye Li to speak up, she sternly reprimanded, “Impudent! Who gave you the nerve to make comments about the master?!”

Those several yatou could be said to be too invested in their conversation that they didn’t even know when the six or seven people arrived behind them. Hearing Qing Shuang‘s voice, they only then turned around and got frightened and weakly kneeled on the ground.

Ye Li‘s face was tranquil and calm as she walked past the yatou kneeling on the ground from the side and just when the yatou thought they had got away with it and rejoiced in their hearts by letting out a sigh of relief, they only then heard Ye Li say, “Go down and receive twenty floggings.”

“No…Xiaojie, please forgive us, us nubi don’t dare do it anymore….”

Even though this yuanzi[17] Qing Yi Xuan wasn’t favoured inside the fu, there honestly wasn’t too big a difference for these yatou who were intended for heavy labour. Anyway the yatou intended for heavy labour wouldn’t have a turn in any good thing happening in other yuanzi, whereas the third xiaojie happens to be the best master to wait upon in the entire Ye fu. Normally she would never bring up any excessive requests to make things difficult for the people below, nor would she take her anger out on the yatou‘s selves, so much so that she basically hadn’t punished the people inside the yuan[18], therefore these yatou inevitably felt third xiaojie to be softhearted and so became carefree themselves. But they didn’t think that today after they only said a few things, they would be punished with twenty beatings.

“Go down!” Disinclined to listen to those kind of words of begging for forgiveness, Ye Li indifferently left behind a single sentence before storming off in displeasure.

“Xiaojie, what need is there to get angry with those lowly people? Getting angry to the point of harming one’s self for no reason isn’t worth it.” Qing Shuang followed behind Ye Li as she quietly tried to persuade her.

Ye Li turned around to shoot a glance at her and smiled, saying, “You thought I was angry?”

“Xiaojie…then what?”  These past several years, she had seen very little of xiaojie punishing the yatou.

Ye Li laughed grimly and said, “I punished them not because they were gossiping, but because they had turned their backs on their master.”

“Huh?”

“If you were a yatou, when gossiping about the master, would you stand in a place inside the yuanzi that’s right at the entrance?”

Qing Shuang only then suddenly realized and somewhat puzzled, asked, “Then who on earth instructed them? It couldn’t be furen; what benefit could she get from doing it like this? Apart from making xiaojie angry.” Not only that but it was also not necessarily able to make her angry.

Ye Li‘s beautiful eyebrows creased, shaking her head towards Qing Shuang and said, “Tomorrow, go in person to the Yushi[19] fu, help me send a letter to second jiujiu[20]. On the outside, just say that there are some things I do not understand and want to consult second jiumu[21] and to invite her to come over when she has time. Oh right, tell jiumu, no need to be in a hurry.”

Glossary:Guniang (姑娘 – young lady / girl)Fujia (夫家 – husband's family)Guow.a.n.g (国王 – former appellation for '亲王 – qinw.a.n.g' which is the highest rank of a prince, used from Han to Ming dynasty)Fu (府 – official residence / family residence compound / household / term for family and home put together)w.a.n.g (王 – imperial prince)Laofuren (老夫人 – old madam / t.i.tle for the mother of a n.o.ble or an official)Taifei (太妃 – imperial concubine of the previous emperor)Shi (氏 – clan name / maiden surname)Xiaojie (小姐 – Young miss / lady)Yatou (丫头 – young maidservant / young girl)w.a.n.gye (王爺 – term for addressing an imperial prince)Zumu (祖母 – respectful or intimate way of addressing grandmother)Fuqin (父亲 – respectful or intimate way of addressing father)Nubi (奴婢 – slave servant / term used by servants to refer to themselves)Benw.a.n.g (本王 – this imperial prince / term for an imperial prince to refer to himself, subst.i.tuting 'I')Zhengfei (正妃 – main imperial consort / official wife of an imperial prince)Yuanzi (院子 – a small residence within a family residence compound)Yuan (院 – a residence within a family residence compound)Yushi (御史 – imperial censor)Jiujiu (舅舅 – maternal uncle)Jiumu (舅母 – aunt who is the wife of maternal uncle)More Info