Chapter 19

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:

葉文華 葉尚書尚書大人 葉老爺 – Ye Wen Hua Ye Shangshu Shangshu daren Ye laoye – Ye Li‘s father who has the t.i.tle or position of official in charge of presenting memorials to the emperor and official correspondence / Minister of Revenue

徐氏 – Xu shi – Ye Li‘s mother

王氏 – w.a.n.g shi – the current main wife of Ye Shangshu and current zhumu of the household

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

Staff and Servants

雲兒 – Yun er – One of Ye Li‘s six new yatouSelected by Qing Shuang

清霞雪燕 – Qing XiaXue Yan – One of Ye Li‘s six new yatouSelected by Ye Li to be a da yatouUsed to be named Xue Yan but was changed to Qing Xia

靜文 含情 – Jing WenHan Qing – One of Ye Li‘s six new yatouSelected by Ye Li Used to be named Han Qing but was changed to Jing Wen

翠竹 – Cui Zhu – the da yatou working at w.a.n.g shi‘s side

Xu Family Members:

徐夫人 – Xu furen – Ye Li‘s second jiumuwife of Xu Yushi

Ding Guow.a.n.g Fu Members:Staff and Servants

孫嬤嬤 – Sun momo – Steward momo

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

Fu Imperial Capital

Chapter 19: Ding guow.a.n.g fu guests

w.a.n.g shi[1] had indeed very quickly sent over the clothes and head ornaments that she had prepared for Ye Li. Seeing the arrogant-looking yatou[2] and momo[3] who came to send over things, Ye Li didn’t at all get angry. She only swept a cursory glance over the things on the table and looked at the women with a smile that was not like a smile as she casually instructed the yatou at her side by saying, “Qing Xia, receive the items.”

Seeing this look of Ye Li‘s in playing it down and not paying it any attention like that, the yatou holding up the box of head ornaments was dissatisfied. Raising her chin as she shot a glance at Ye Li, “Third xiaojie[4] , this was what our furen[5] *specially* prepared for you.”

Her quiet and indifferent but beautiful eyes blinked for a bit and with a smile on her face, Ye Li looked at her and said in a mild tone, “I know, is there anything else?”

That yatou was surprised for a moment. She was the favoured da yatou[6] at w.a.n.g shi‘s side; in this fu[7] , who wasn’t courteous towards her? She didn’t know what was the matter with this third xiaojie; the words she spoke were very polite, but when it entered the ears, it made the person find it particularly harsh-sounding. Remembering w.a.n.g shi‘s command, she once again mustered up the confidence to say, “Furen had instructed that on the day of the Hundred Flowers Event, third xiaojie has to wear these clothes and head ornaments newly made by furen so as to avoid people from thinking that the xiaojie of the Shangshu[8] fu doesn’t even have new clothes.”

“Has to?” Ye Li half-leaned against the back of the chair, her right hand languidly supporting her lower jaw as she indifferently looked at the yatou before her eyes who had a look of arrogance on her face.  “You’re called Cui Zhu?”

“Replying to third xiaojie, nubi[9] is indeed Cui Zhu.” Not knowing why, the yatou named Cui Zhu suddenly felt as though her back felt somewhat cold. Seeing the young lady sitting languidly yet gracefully before her eyes, she was somewhat uneasy as she spoke.

“You are sure…furen told you that you must have me wear these clothes?” Ye Li indifferently asked.

Cui Zhu hesitated for a bit, but still answered resolutely, “Yes. This was specially prepared for third xiaojie by furen, could it be that third xiaojie wants to go against furen‘s painstaking effort?”

Ye Li looked at the yatou whose appearance was delicate and pretty and yet looked arrogant before her eyes and suddenly started laughing. Extending a luxuriously white finger to raise a sheet of clothing material amongst the clothes in a brocade box place on the table, she drawled, “This kind of stuff (can also mean ‘trash’)…would be better than wearing my former clothes?”

The clothing in the brocade box was indeed truly new clothes; furthermore, they were new clothes that used the famous and valuable Yun brocade to be made. However, that splendorous and majestic colouring and stiff style–if she were to really wear it when going out, one only feared that others would think that she wasn’t going to take part in a gathering for the capital’s well-bred young ladies, but that she was in a hurry to get married.

Could it be that w.a.n.g shi thought that due to her having never taken part in gatherings these past several years that she truly didn’t understand anything? This kind of crimson (deep red) colour and complicated branch-wrapped pattern would only cause the host of the banquet Zhao Yang Chang gongzhu[10] to be displeased, as well as cause the capital’s unmarried n.o.ble daughters to look down on her even more.

纏枝(花樣) – chanzhi (huayang) – a decorative branch-wrapped pattern often found on porcelain

“Third xiaojie! You…how could you dare……” Cui Zhu‘s eyes widened, as though she didn’t expect that third xiaojie who had always been taciturn and wouldn’t fight over things would actually speak out such daring words. The people who followed her also revealed expressions of shock and dissatisfaction one after the other.

“Since it was specially prepared by furen, have these taken back to give to fourth younger sister. Tell her, if she were able to go, to use these so as to avoid wasting furen‘s kind intentions. As for me…presumably furen also doesn’t know my preferences, so furen need not worry about it.” Ye Li spoke indifferently, conveniently putting the clothes back into the brocade box.

Cui Zhu‘s face flashed a trace of aggravation, forcing herself to squeeze out a smiling expression as she said, “Furen had already prepared for fourth xiaojie, this is for third xiaojie.”

((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))

“Xiaojie.” In a crisp voice, Qing Shuang who was standing behind Ye Li smiled and said, “Xiaojie, since furen had prepared it, it also wouldn’t be good for xiaojie to brush off furen‘s kind intentions. If xiaojie doesn’t fancy it, it would be better to award it to nubi.”

Ye Li turned to look at Qing Shuang and nodded with a smile, saying, “Do I normally treat you, this yatou, unfairly? Never mind, you guys pick up what you like to pick.”

Qing Shuang also forwent the courtesy and stepped forward to pick out a pair of gilded gemstone earrings from within, “Nubi thanks xiaojie for the reward.”

The other several yatou weren’t as brazen as Qing Shuang; seeing the gemstone earrings in Qing Shuang‘s hands, they all revealed a look of envy and hesitation. Cui Zhu also didn’t expect that third xiaojie would actually dare to have the things prepared by furen to be bestowed to the yatou right in front of her, her complexion also becoming unsightly. At the same time, she also felt jealous of Qing Shuang for following third xiaojie, this kind of generous master. It had to be known that in time she was the most favoured da yatou at furen‘s side, yet furen had never awarded her such a precious head ornament.

When Qing Shuang saw the other several yatou‘s expressions, her eyes rolled as she smiled and said, “Qing Xia elder sister, xiaojie is bestowing an award, why aren’t you coming to pick a piece? If you don’t pick, Yun er[11] and the others would also feel embarra.s.sed to do it.”

Qing Xia very quickly glanced at Ye Li and saw that she didn’t seem to be angry at all; the gaze with which she looked at Qing Shuang on the contrary somewhat carried a trace of an indulging flavour. It was only then that she stepped forward to pick a golden hairpin and thanked Ye Li for the reward.  The several little yatou saw that even Qing Xia had taken something, they then also followed in stepping forward to choose one or two kinds of things that they liked with a look of delight all over their faces. One had to know, these kind of little yatou weren’t like the da yatou at the master’s side who often had the opportunity to get a reward from the master. Although xiaojie didn’t fancy this kind of exquisite and luxurious accessories, but in their own future when they get married–even if there was one piece that was to be used as dowry, it would still be an honourable matter.

“Third xiaojie, you used the things that furen prepared for you to award the yatou, is it possible that you still need furen to prepare an additional set for you? Every single xiaojie all only has one set, wouldn’t third xiaojie doing it like this be making things difficult for furen?” Cui Zhu‘s complexion looked unsightly as she spoke.

Ye Li stood up and said, “The things that furen send to me are precisely my things. Since every sister all only has one set, I naturally wouldn’t be an exception. Or is it…you still want to insist that I or fourth younger sister put on this kind of traditional clothing?” Looking at her with interest, Ye Li deliberately emphasized the two words “traditional clothing” somewhat more scathingly.

“Nu…Nubi doesn’t dare.”

“Not daring to is good, go back and thank furen on my behalf.”

“Xiaojie, furen has arrived.” The temporary embroidery girl who had her name changed to Jing Wen reported from outside the door.

Ye Li still hadn’t been able to open her mouth in time when w.a.n.g shi had already entered with the people she brought with her. It was just that her originally smiling face had turned rigid for a bit when she saw the things on the table and in the hands of the several yatou, “Li er…is this because you don’t like the things muqin[12] prepared for you?”

“I have troubled furen to worry about me, but jiumu[13] had already sent over a set to Li er two days ago. It also wouldn’t be good if Li er wasted furen‘s kind intentions, so I gave them as presents to Qing Shuang and the others. Most likely they are all grateful to furen.” Ye Li said carelessly, her gaze landing on the several momo and yatou who followed w.a.n.g shi in entering; it was obvious that these people weren’t at all the Ye family’s people.

Qing Shuang brought over several yatou and cleverly thanked furen. w.a.n.g shi forced herself to squeeze out a smiling expression towards Ye Li and said, “It’s still Li er who is compa.s.sionate. These several individuals are Ding guow.a.n.g[14] fu‘s steward momo. Come meet them, Li er.”

Not waiting for Ye Li to step forward, the leading momo stepped forward with a solemn expression and saluted towards Ye Li, saying, “Lao nu[15] pays respect to third xiaojie. Lao nu is the steward momo at w.a.n.gye‘s[16] side, my fujia‘s[17] surname is Sun. Respectfully presenting w.a.n.gye‘s command in sending some things to third xiaojie, I still request third xiaojie to kindly accept.”

The momo reached out to two pozi[18] and two yatou holding up a brocade box who stepped forward to salute towards Ye Li, “Greeting third xiaojie.”

Qing Shuang and Qing Xia promptly stepped forward to support that Sun momo. Ye Li nodded with a smile on her face as though she hadn’t seen that meaningful glance of Sun momo vaguely sizing her up and with a shallow smile, said, “I have troubled Sun momo, please thank w.a.n.gye on my behalf.”

Sun momo‘s astute old eyes swept a glance over the things on the table and also took in the sight of w.a.n.g shi‘s expression; her eyes flashed a trace of satisfaction and her solemn face had an added trace of a smiling expression. Towards Ye Li, she once again bowed in blessing and said, “In this way, lao nu will first ask to be excused.”

Ye Li nodded and towards Qing Shuang, she said, “Qing Shuang, send off Sun momo in my place.”

Qing Shuang verbally complied while Yun er and the several other yatou stepped forward to receive the items. Qing Shuang then personally led Sun momo and the rest to go out.

Glossary:Shi (氏 – clan name / maiden surname)Yatou (丫头 – young maidservant / young girl)Momo (嬤嬤 – old maid / wet nurse)Xiaojie (小姐 – Young miss / lady)Furen (夫人 – lady or madam of the house / wife)Da yatou (大丫头 – major or higher-ranked maidservant)Fu (府 – official residence / family residence compound / household / term for family and home put together)Shangshu (尚書 – t.i.tle or position of official in charge of presenting memorials to the emperor and official correspondence)Nubi (奴婢 – slave servant / term used by servants to refer to themselves)Gongzhu (公主 – imperial princess)Er (儿 – term of endearment for one’s child / child)Muqin (母亲 – respectful or intimate way of addressing mother)Jiumu (舅母 – aunt who is the wife of maternal uncle)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)Lao nu (老奴 – this old slave or servant)w.a.n.gye (王爺 – term for addressing an imperial prince)Fujia (夫家 – husband's family)Pozi (婆子 – old maidservant / old woman)