chapter 27

On her way back, Qiu Shi felt strange and asked, “What does Yuxi meant? Why do we need to buy maid from outside?”

Mama Li answered with a smile, “The relationship between maids in the residence is very intertwined and complicated that it is better to go outside and find a new maid with innocent life experience. That way, you can handle her easily in the future.” With prior murder attempt by Concubine Rong and frequent humiliation by Second Miss, Fourth Miss must had really hated both of them. She was no longer the meek child of the past and Mama Li didn’t know what Fourth Miss would do. She sometimes felt unimaginable that Fourth Miss had changed so much after she was cured from her illness.

Yuxi’s feet were relieved of swelling the next day, proving the doctor’s medicine was indeed really good. However, because the doctor told her to lie in bed for a few days to fully recover, all the maids and old women around her wouldn’t let her get out of bed. Yuxi was thinking of going to school the next day, so she asked Mama Shen to find four strong old women to carry her to Magnolia Courtyard tomorrow.

Mama Shen tried to persuade Yuxi, “Miss, studying is important, but currently, your leg situation is much more important. It’s not too late for you to go once your leg is completely heal.”

Yuxi replied, “One day of teaching by Teacher Song is equal to four or five days by other teachers. Do Mama think I can keep up with her when my leg is completely heal?” She wouldn’t be able keep up with her homework for one day, let alone for several days. It was not easy for her to get this chance so, she won’t give up that easily.

Moju anxiously said, “Miss, now you can’t walk with your legs. You can’t also listen to teaching when you go to class!”

Yuxi couldn’t help laughing and said, “I hurt my leg, not my head nor my hands, so why can’t I listen to lectures in class?” For her servants, it was best for her to lie on soft couch rather than walking or carrying things.

Old Madam Han and Qiu Shi did not oppose Yuxi’s decision. For them, it was a good thing that children were willing to make progress where adults usually would try to stop them.

The next day, Yuxi was carried to Magnolia Courtyard.

Teacher Song came back to the residence in the morning, so, she did not know about Yuxi’s leg injury. When she heard Yuxi being carried over, she immediately went out. As she just saw Mama Shen holding Yuxi on top of the chair, she moved forward and asked, “Fourth Miss, what happened to your legs?”

Yuxi explained somewhat sheepishly, “Teacher, I accidentally sprained my foot yesterday. Please forgive me, Teacher. The doctor told me not too move so much, so I can’t salute Teacher in return.” Teacher Song could easily asked others the reason behind her injury, but it would not come out from her own mouth.

Teacher Song took an unexpected look at Yuxi. She had been teaching for so many years, and those girls who couldn’t stand her teaching method, would use various reasons to escape, such as illness or injury. It was the first time that a student brought her injury to class. “In this case, you should take good care of it. Why do you still come to school?”

Yuxi said, “I’m afraid I could not keep up with my studies. Furthermore, I just hurt my leg, but it would not interfere with me listening to lectures. It just that I won’t be able to finish the homework assigned by Teacher. However, when my leg is finally heals, I will definitely make up for them.” It was okay for her to recite lessons, but she couldn’t write too many words.

Teacher Song’s look was good as she said, “That’s not a problem.”

During class, Teacher Song did not prevent Yuxi from memorizing the text because of her leg injury. Fortunately, Yuxi did not slackened off despite her injury, otherwise she would have to be beaten to death. Speaking of which, she had already been hit once.

In the middle of the break, when Moju saw Teacher Song left the class, she immediately rushed into the class like an arrow. Looking at Yuxi packing, she hurriedly asked, “Miss, does your leg hurt?”

Yuxi answered with a smile, “I’m fine.” It was just like usual time in class, except that she had to write slowly this time.

As Yuxi thought of this, she asked Yuchen, “Third Sister, can I borrow your notes?” She wrote too slow till she couldn’t keep pace with Teacher Song.

Yuchen nodded with a smile, “Okay, I’ll give it to you after class.” Because Yuxi went to school with an injury, she was very satisfied with her. Yuxi’s behaviour proved that the Miss of the residence was not so weak.

After class, Teacher Song said to Yuxi, “At noon you can rest in the next room. No need for you to go back and forth.”

Although the room next door was humble and simple, Yuxi knew that there was a kang (a brick bed that could be heated) that she could lie on, as long as there was bedding around. “Thank you, Teacher.” Teacher Song still had some human touch in her.

Not long after lunch, old woman Ding told Teacher Song the news she heard. “The Fourth Miss’ leg was not hurt by herself, but was sprained by Second Miss who had pushed her.”

Teacher Song let out a cold snort, thinking that, no antidote was possible (Chinese idiom : beyond redemption) for this kind of act. She thought of something and asked, “Why has the Fourth Miss’ temperament changed so much?” The difference between what she heard and what she saw made her could not help but felt suspicious.

Old woman Ding hesitated for a moment, then she whispered to Teacher Song, “At the beginning of the year, when Fourth Miss had smallpox, Old Madam Han had called off the doctor who treated her halfway. People in the residence said that Fourth Miss had a hard life but despite that, she would not die easily anyway.”

Teacher Song asked, “Tell me, what’s going on?”

Old woman Ding repeated the information she had learned, “The Fourth Miss used to be weak and cowardly. When she was being bullied, she didn’t say a word. However, after being cured from smallpox, her temperament changed greatly. This is also why the information we got was so different from the actual situation.”

Teacher Song’s expression didn’t looked good, “Unexpectedly, there is exist an elder with this much bias.” For the sake of a grandson, an elder could even ignore a granddaughter’s life. This kind of elder was really terrifying.

Old woman Ding was actually worried. The Third Miss grew up with the Old Madam. It wouldn’t be great if she learnt on how to deal with others from Old Madam Han. “Ma’am, the Third Miss is one in a million in term of looks and talent. With that kind of grandmother, I’m afraid that she will also be affected.”

Teacher Song shook her head and said, “The Third Miss is still young. Even if she is influenced by Old Madam Han, it is still limited. As long as I teach her well, there will be no problem. But Fourth Miss… “ After a short pause, she asked softly, “Did she knew about the doctor or not?” The reason why she asked this question was that some servants would help hide this from their masters.

Old woman Ding replied, “Of course she knew. I heard from an old woman servant said that the day when the doctor did not come was the day when Fourth Miss woke up.” Even if Fourth Miss was ill and unconscious at that time, someone would certainly have told her afterwards.

Teacher Song felt into a deep thought.

Old woman Ding added, “Ma’am, after the Fourth Miss was well, the Old Madam sent out her mama, who was left by her biological mother to her. Now the mama of the Rose Courtyard and a maid close to her are both the Old Madam’s people.”

Teacher Song’s expression slightly changed. She felt that the Old Madam Han’s behaviour went just too far. “How did Fourth Miss settled down her former mama?” Looking at Yuxi’s behaviour, she wouldn’t ignore her former mama’s situation.

Old woman Ding ruefully said, “The baozi (steamed stuffed bun) made by this mama were delicious, so Fourth Miss opened a snack shop for her. It is said that the business is very good, and now it can earn thirty to forty taels of silver a month! I heard that all the silvers were given to Fourth Miss.” In name, it was a snack shop for Fourth Miss’ former mama. However, in reality, it was to earn private money for herself.

Teacher Song said in a low voice, “After hearing what you said, I actually can’t see through the Fourth Miss at all.”

Old Madam Ding also felt that Yuxi had frightened her a bit, “Yes, it’s really not easy for a child to behave so calmly after being informed of such unfair things.” Her Master’s family was also precocious, but not as horrible as the Fourth Miss’.

Teacher Song also thought Yuxi was a little premature, but if she thought about what had happened to her, it was not hard for her to understand. “Judging from the way she handled her former mama’s matter, it shows that she still had a good heart.”

At this time, Yuxi was not aware that Teacher Song and old woman Ding were talking about her. As in this moment, she was just woke up. Her afternoon nap was not long, only for half an hour, then she woke up at this point.

She usually wrote big characters if she had free time after taking a nap, but she couldn’t do it today, so she changed it to recite her lessons. However, no matter how low her voice was it still could be heard and seen by the maids in the courtyard.

When old woman Ding heard Yuxi’s recitation, she asked Teacher Song, “Will Ma’am accept Fourth Miss as a student?” Although Yuxi’s performance was very good, she still thought Yuxi’s mind had too many ideas.

Teacher Song didn’t answer her question. Yuxi was not poor in talent and worked very hard, but there was still a big gap between her and Yuchen.

Yuxi’s injured leg took ten days to completely heal.

Today after class, Teacher Song didn’t immediately leave but instead asked Yuchen and Yuxi to stay. Then, she gave both of them timetables.

Yuxi looked at the timetable, which read : learning musical instruments in the early morning; learning calligraphy and listening to lectures in the morning; In the afternoon, studied chess and painting.

Teacher Song looked at Yuxi and said, “Fourth Miss, which musical instrument are you going to learn?” Third Miss had learned the qin, so she didn’t need to choose, but Yuxi had never touched any musical instrument.

Yuxi shook her head, “Teacher, I don’t know which instrument to choose.” She had never gotten in touched with musical instruments in her previous life, so she would not choose them carelessly. She would rather have Teacher Song helped her chose them.

Teacher Song thought for a moment, then said, “Then choose the guzheng!”

In this video, the guy was playing guqin while the lady was playing guzheng. Both the musical instruments are from the zither family. Despite that, they are quite different in size, sound and method of playing.

In size, guqin is much shorter than guzheng and a bit thinner since guqin has only 7 strings, while guzheng has 16 to 21 strings, making its size a bit wider than guqin.

The sound of guqin is a bit low tone compared to guzheng high tone.

While guqin is focusing more on your left hand movement, the guzheng focus on your right hand movement.

Yuxi was not really that interested in musical instruments, but since Teacher Song wanted to teach her, she would certainly not refusing. People like them, even if they were not proficient in music theory, had to know at least something about it.

Yuchen said, “Teacher, I want to learn to play flute again.” It was too monotonous to learn only the qin. She had to learn at least two subjects to get good at it.

Teacher Song shook her head and said, “Master the art of qin first, then you can learn other musical instruments.” Too many skills wouldn’t pressure the body (Chinese idiom : It was good to learn so many skills), but they must also be equally proficient.

Yuchen nodded.

Before she left, Teacher Song said, “Starting from today, you will write one hundred characters every day. You don’t have to give it to me after you’ve written it.” This meant that writing them was entirely voluntary, but she didn’t worry about them being lazy.