The Old Madam closed her eyes and reclined on the ta[1]. She remained silent as she pressed her thumb against her temples, obviously signified that she was getting a headache. The Fang family made a huge ruckus and they couldn't be dissuaded. The Li family was renowned as a family of scholars. They treasured their feathers[2] the most, and they quickly annulled the marriage. The easiest solution would be to marry Yu Si Yu off and then send them out of the capital.
But she was still her biological granddaughter. How could she knowingly push her into a fire pit? The Old Madam couldn't make up her mind. Nevertheless, it was better to wait for Yan'er to return. Yan'er will surely find a way to resolve this! Her expression eased at that thought.
Yu Miao Qi was paying close attention to her expression. She guessed that she was about to give in and immediately tugged Lin Shi.
Lin Shi scolded Yu Xiang, and then ordered someone to send the delirious Yu Si Yu back. She put on a gentle and kind expression like a good mother, then turned back and pleaded, "Mother, things have been blown out of proportion. It's better to send someone to pacify the mother and son quickly. Aren't they just coveting for that little dowry Yu Si Yu has? Let's send a sedan chair stuffed with a few hundred taels of gold and silver to them, and get them out of here! What do you think, Mother? As long as they remain in the capital, our Marquis manor will never be at peace, and many people will be watching and treating us like a joke behind our backs."
The Old Madam appeared to be persuaded by what she had said. She thought that her grandson was already busy enough. As an elder, these kinds of family affairs should be handled by her instead of distracting her grandson. She thought that her grandson was already busy enough.
As she was about to open her mouth and agree, Yu Xiang spoke, "There's no hurry. Elder Brother will have a solution. We can't let anyone just defile the daughter of Marquis Yongle manor for nothing."
As soon as she said that, the Old Madam seemed to have found her pillar of support and nodded her head without any hesitation.
Lin Shi gnashed on her teeth in anger while Yu Miao Qi looked down and secretly snickered. Asking Yu Pin Yan to personally handle that Fang family's mother and son? If that's the case, it's just as well that she had already prepared the next bucket of 'dirty water'[3] to be of use.
She supported Lin Shi and returned to the main courtyard. Then, she took a box of expensive bird's nest and went to the east courtyard, where she saw Yu Si Yu lying on the bed, quietly weeping and appeared dejected.
"Elder Sister, you must pull yourself together." She ran over in a few steps and helped Yu Si Yu up. Then, she asked a maidservant to bring a soft pillow to place it behind her back. She lowered her voice and said, "Wouldn't it bring pain to your loved ones and joy to your enemies if you behaved like that? Have you given thoughts to whom would be the happiest if you fell?"
"Naturally, it's that bitch, Yu Xiang!" When Yu SI Yu heard this, she appeared to come back to life. The brocade blanket was scrunched in her hands until a few strands of silk brocade fell off.
"Exactly." Yu Miao Qi gently patted the other's hand and continued, "I believe my Elder Sister is innocent and wouldn't do such a thing. However, why did Elder Sister's Dudou[4] appear in Fang Zhi Chen's hands? Who secretly gave it to him? His family was already in ruins and they can't even afford a meal, so where did they get the money to go to the capital? They had also rented a three-room courtyard in Bai Hua Jing alley. Elder Sister, please think about who you have offended to have done so much harm to you. Don't be so melancholy and fall into that person's trap!"
After she said that, she picked up the scissors and held them in her palm tightly. It was as if she also sympathised with her and said as she choked with emotions, "It's regretful that I don't have much footing since I just returned home. Otherwise, I will definitely look for that person for the sake of Elder Sister's reputation."
'Kacha' - a sound of fabric tearing echoed, the handkerchief she was twisting in her hand was ripped into two pieces and fell to the ground.
A flash of light flickered through Yu Si Yu's eyes. She seamlessly took the scissors and turned to reassure her, "Good Younger Sister, it's good that you have a good heart. I'd rather seek justice on my own. You are no match for her."
"Does Elder Sister know who it is? Is it really..." Yu Miao Qi seemed startled and pointed towards the south courtyard.
"If it is not her, who else could it be? Could it be Grandmother? You have to be careful too after I leave. She is very treacherous and vicious." Yu Si Yu advised with good intention. She immediately ordered the maidservant to send Yu Miao Qi back and changed her jacket. She tidied her disorderly hair and headed towards the south courtyard with the scissors hidden under her sleeves.
When Qiu Shi saw the murderous intent in her eyes, she returned to the room and discovered a pair of scissors had gone missing from the sewing box, and darted towards the shorter route to provide a warning.
Yu Si Yu strode into the courtyard with pent-up anger and saw a group of pozis[1] and maidservants with wooden boards used for punishment in their hands staring at her. Her legs immediately went soft. She held onto her imposing manner and slowly walked into the room step by step. Yet, she saw Yu Xiang lying on the couch eating melon seeds and her dark, shiny eyes drifted over revealing 30% pity and 70% sharpness in her gaze.
Qiu Shi knelt at her feet and surreptitiously shrank into a corner.
"Great ... It's you, the old dog again! Do you think Yu Xiang is someone who is easy to handle? She is someone who wouldn't even spit out your bones[2]. She will kill you the instant you know about her nefarious secrets and no longer useful!" What else was there that Yu Si Yu didn't understand? Her face scrunched up as she yelled at Qiu Shi and how she wished that she could swallow her alive.
"Enough. Qiu Shi is a loyal person who knows how to protect her master, but it is merely because you don't appreciate it." Yu Xiang straightened up and leisurely patted the melon shells off her skirt and sighed, "Discard the scissors in your sleeves, or I will have them break your arms. Do you believe my words or not?"
As soon as the words were spoken, Tao Hong forcefully hit the board she was holding in her hand against the ground, the remaining people looked over at her like 'devils and monsters' viciously[3].
Yu Si Yu's fingers trembled and the scissors in her hand were thrown to the ground, the sharp point of the blade almost pierced her foot, causing her to immediately break out in cold sweat.
Yu Xiang leaned over with a lazy smile on her face and spoke slowly, "Tell me, what nefarious secrets does Qiu Shi know about me that makes me want to kill her?"
"You...You have caused harm to your family member and ruined my reputation! You are selfish, cruel and vicious! You are not even human!" Yu Si Yu was a bit guilty at first, but gradually straightened her back and shouted.
"Speak with more detail. How do I frame my family member and ruin your reputation?" Yu Xiang placed one elbow on the soft pillow and gently held her cheek. Her big eyes twinkled as if she was very eager to learn.
Yu Si Yu was quite flustered at the sight of her brilliant gaze. She secretly swallowed a mouthful of saliva and then complained, "Did you send the old dog to steal my Dudou in Fang Zhi Chen's hand? The reason why the Fang family's mother and son went to the capital to cause trouble was also on your orders, right? You gave them travelling allowance and rent for the courtyard, didn't you? You've really gone great lengths to hurt me!"
As if she heard some hilarious joke, Yu Xiang burst out laughing so hard that the blouse on her shoulders slipped off, revealing half of her snow-white arms. She didn't care that her mannerism was provocative, her expression darkened and flicked her index finger at Yu Si Yu, "Come over here!"
The originally clear and melodious voice was slightly hoarse. It contained a heavy, heart-stopping sense of oppression, and several women with sticks took a few steps forward as they gave off a threatening attitude. The anger and complaints that had been drumming up in Yu Si Yu's chest escaped with a 'hiss' like a deflated ball. What's left occupying her entire heart was trepidation.
She was extremely reluctant, but she was unable to control her feet from moving forward. She reluctantly moved forward as she stared at Yu Xiang's gloomy face with timid eyes. Yu Xiang leaned in to scrutinise her, her sharp eyes were like steel knives slicing through bones, cutting her exposed flesh one by one.
Just when Yu Si Yu couldn't stand it any longer and wanted to retreat, the corner of Yu Xiang's lips suddenly quirked and smirked. She slapped her so harshly that she fell to the ground.
Yu Si Yu was in pain. She covered her swollen cheeks and yelled, "How dare you hit me? You caused me harm yet you still dare to hit me? Heavens is watching from above, sooner or later you will be punished!" Tears welled up as she spoke.
At this moment, she felt helpless. Having struggled for so many years, even though she refused to face it, she had to admit that she was jealous of Yu Xiang. More than that, she was afraid. She liked to provoke her, but was afraid of really making her angry, because she was aware she was incapable of going against against Yu Xiang
However, at this moment, Yu Xiang seemed to be really furious.
Yu Xiang was indeed furious and clasped Yu Si Yu's jaw with her five fingers. She lifted her chin up and spoke in a deep voice, word-for-word, "Yu Si Yu, do you know that you are really extremely stupid? I'm going to shed some light for you. That Dudou was stolen by a second-rank maidservant named Jiang Xue, who was your personal maid and in charge of your daily living needs[4] in your courtyard. She handed it over to Jin Momo, who in turn gave it to her second-in-law to take down to Yangzhou. Her son-in-law hired a thug to lobby the Fang family, saying that he had been ordered by me to destroy your reputation and to create a scene, the bigger the better. Come and tell me, how did you offend Yu Miao Qi for her to set up such a venomous plan to harm your marriage? Do you think that the antique jades and even the farm lands that you took away from her were all blown away by the wind? She's so quiet and obedient on the outside, but she'd stab you to death on the inside!"
Yu Miao Qi was dumbfounded and a bolt of lightning flashed past in her head. In the last few sentences, she suddenly realised. If one ask how she offended Yu Miao Qi, wasn't it because she knew about her pedigree? Yes, if she were to marry to a family in the capital, how would she survive if she couldn't keep her mouth shut and spread the news about her pedigree? What's more, she has asked for things from her three or four times privately, and everything is worth a fortune. It would be a wonder if she doesn't hate her!
If the two had exchanged position, Yu Si Yu would have trouble sleeping and eating racking her brain to deal with her.
However, on second thought, she hesitated and shouted, "Yu Xiang, you don't need to sow discord between us. Qi'er is gentle, obedient and sincere. She would never harm me! You, on the other hand, squeeze me and force me all the time..."
Before she could complete her sentence, Yu Xiang smacked her again, clasping her jaw even harder and sighing, "Why can't you wake up even after being slapped? Your life is a life of being sold and counting money for others! At least we have been together for so many years, you should know something about my character. I like to set fire openly and I dislike to play dirty tricks behind one's back. In addition, let me ask you, in all these years have I ever framed you behind your back?"
The corner of Yu Si Yu's mouth slowly oozed out a trace of blood. She furrowed her brows for a moment, and reluctantly replied, "No."
"Have you ever had a servant give you a hard time?"
After a moment of silence, she shook her head. "No."
"Has anything ever been withheld from you?"
The silence grew shorter and shorter, "No."
"Have I ever embarrassed you in front of an outsider?"
"No." That's because you are going to disgrace me immediately when you get home!
However, after she thought about it following Yu Xiang's trail of questions. Yu Si Yu suddenly realised that she had been living a very comfortable life all these years, except for the bit of reluctance in her heart, and what she wore on her body and head, the things she ate, even though they weren't expensive or exquisite, but they were so much better than the other Duke or Marquis' di daughter. Moreover, she had never been subjected to glares and disrespect from the servants. It was just that Qiu Shi, who was a bit annoying. However, most of the time, she bowed to her knees, buried herself in her work and never went wild in front of her. Although Yu Xiang was sharp-tongued and sometimes vicious, she never did anything behind her back. If she liked something, she would like it. If she hated someone, she would never disguise herself, unlike the duplicitous Yu Miao Qi.
As she recalled the memories, it became clearer and Yu Si Yu was rendered speechless. It turned out that her life all these years were not bad at all.
Yu Xiang let go of her bruised jaw and sneered, "Besides, if I wanted to harm you, I should have urged you to marry into the Fang family in the first place. Why would I need to stop you repeatedly? If you had married there, you would now be the Madam of the Fang family, and you would have a share in the disaster of your family properties being confiscated. Staying in prison would be a better outcome. The worst would to be forced into slavery and your dowry being confiscated. I'm not sure where you got your arrogance from, but you charged in with scissors. I treated you with kindness and you treated me as if I am an evil spirit. But Yu Miao Qi was obviously trying to set you up behind your back, and you still develop a deep sisterly bond. Do you think you are stupid or not? What's the point of having these two-face tricks? Might as well dig it up!"
These words were simply too reasonable that she couldn't even find the slightest flaw in what was said. Yu Si Yu was deep in thought for a long time and suddenly covered her face and cried. The words came out of her throat, "I'm stupid! I really don't know how to judge people!" If she had stabbed Yu Xiang today, she probably would have immediately been thrown by her Elder Brother to the mother and son of the Fang family, and disowned. Yu Miao Qi was really scheming!
In an instant, her hatred for Yu Xiang, Yu Pin Yan, and even for the Old Madam was all transferred to Yu Miao Qi, expanding and fermenting exponentially.
[1] 婆子 (pó zi) - old woman / old maidservant
[2] 吃人不吐骨头(chīrénbùtǔgǔtóu)- One who wouldn't even spit out other's bones. It refers to someone who is vicious and greedy.
[3] 凶神恶煞(xiōngshén'èshà)- It refers to fiends/devils and monsters. Originally, it refers to vicious gods. Later, it is used to describe very vicious people.
[4] 盥沐钗钏(guàn mù chāi chuàn)- This means that the maidservant are responsible for the management and safekeeping of the Young Lady's accessories (i.e. hairpin and bracelet), as well as the Young Lady's daily bath and washing of hands and face.