Chapter 16: To Provoke Di Elder Sister, In Need of a Spanking!
The matter of impeachment due to the emperor's ordinary punishment seemed to have reached its end, but the influence that followed was far from finished. After Ye Shangshu[1] had left the imperial court and still hadn't returned home yet, the morning court's matter had already spread among the entire capital's influential families with the speed of the wind.
What he was even more unaware of was from where it was spread that Ye Shangshu had betrayed his daughter for personal gain when he saw that Li w.a.n.g[2] didn't like his own family's unremarkable third daughter and prompted his fourth daughter who had the name of being the number one beauty in the capital to entice his highness Li w.a.n.g.
One person said that it was a groundless allegation. One hundred people said that it indeed seemed to be the truth. No matter where he went, Ye Shangshu seemed to feel that the gaze with which other people looked at him was different from usual. In the end, he could only endure his melancholy as he hurriedly finished dealing with government affairs so that he could return to the fu[3].
When Qing Shuang with a face that rejoiced in others' misfortune told Ye Li of the rumors from outside, Ye Li only smiled indifferently and paid no heed to it. It was only on the inside that she was somewhat worried that this action would because of jiujiu[4] bring trouble. Except second jiujiu wasn't at all the reckless sort who was unaware of propriety; since he had done it like this, he naturally had his own reason and idea.
But as for fuqin[5] not taking his anger out on her because of this time's matter, Ye Li was actually somewhat surprised; after all, when Ye Shangshu had angrily and hurriedly returned to the fu yesterday, even w.a.n.g shi[6] and Ye Ying were scolded. Perhaps it wasn't at all that he didn't plan on taking his anger out on her–after all, he had already rushed into Qing Yi Xuan yesterday. It was just that she didn't know why but after just entering the room, he didn't say anything and just turned around and left.
Perhaps it was the rarely seen kind of sudden guilty conscience? Indifferently sweeping a glance around the room's plain and simple furnishings, Ye Li casually wondered.
Leisurely sitting in front of the window with her head lowered as she did her embroidery, a violet iris gradually begun to take shape in her hands. Embroidery was the kind of matter that required patience and what Ye Li who was a sniper in her former life lacked in the least was patience. And in this life, muqin[7] had personally started teaching her to embroider from the age of six; these years, she had also gradually fell in love with this skill. Because of the former memories she once had, Ye Li naturally possessed more experience and knowledge compared to the people from this era; the things done by her own hand had always had somewhat more unique charm and ingeniousness compared to other people.
From within the yuanzi[8] came the vague sound of noise. Ye Li's eyebrows were knitted as she lifted her head, "Qing Xia, what's going on outside?"
"Replying to xiaojie[9], it's Rong shaoye[10] who came back. He's outside the yuan[11] making noise about wanting to see xiaojie." Qing Xia respectfully answered.
Ye Li faintly smiled, conveniently pinning the embroidery needle into the silk cloth before standing up, "Let's go take a look." The only male in the entire Ye fu—Ye Rong, aged thirteen[a] this year, was studying in an academy that was famous in the capital. Ye Rong was influenced by w.a.n.g shi; since he was little, he didn't like Ye Li this di[12] elder sister. Ever since Xu shi had pa.s.sed away, as the fu's only male child as well as being the di son, he looked at Ye Li even more straightforwardly with his nose turned up. Being able to see him several times in a year already wasn't bad; when was there ever a situation in which he had to personally run over to want to see Ye Li? There was no need to say it; it was naturally because of yesterday's matter when w.a.n.g shi and Ye Ying were scolded by fuqin. He had just come back from school yesterday and today he was in a hurry to fight for justice on the behalf of his muqin and elder sister.
She had not even gone outside when she heard the sound of Qing Shuang and Ye Rong quarreling, "Impudent! You are just a lowly yatou[13] and yet dared to block this master! Be careful this master will have you sold into a brothel!" Ye Rong glared very fiercely at the yatou in front of him.
Other people would perhaps be apprehensive towards this fu's only da shaoye[14], but Qing Shuang wasn't as courteous. Her beautiful eyes staring far off and with her head held high, she sneered at Ye Rong and said, "Even if I were to become even more lowly, I am still xiaojie's yatou. Having to beat or to sell, it still wouldn't be your Rong shaoye's turn in taking charge. To enter the di elder sister's yuanzi without permission, this is the etiquette that Rong shaoye learned in school? Truly taught well and also learned it well!"
"Lowly yatou! Have her beaten for me!" Fl.u.s.tered and exasperated, Ye Rong commanded the xiaosi[15] behind him to teach Qing Shuang a lesson.
"Rong er[16], what are you doing?" Ye Li walked out of the yuanzi as she faintly looked at the hostile youngster before her, her gaze landing on the hand with which the xiaosi was holding onto Qing Shuang, "Still not letting go?"
The two xiaosi holding onto Qing Shuang promptly withdrew their hands as though they had been burnt and hid behind Ye Rong. Seeing his own people at his side being useless in this way, Ye Rong really felt as though he had lost face. Giving a dissatisfied humph towards Ye Li, he said, "Third elder sister, this yatou of yours exceedingly has no sense of propriety, I'm helping you to teach her a lesson."
Ye Li coldly looked at him, "For the people at my side, I myself will discipline. If you have the free time, it would be better to properly study the rules a couple of times."
((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))
Seeing this appearance of Ye Rong, Ye Li knew why fuqin would love as well as hate this son. For the one and only scion, it just had to be one without a brain. w.a.n.g shi actually went so far as to still indulge in the fantasy in a.s.suming that this own son of hers would be able to compete with that second gongzi[17] of the Liu family.
Liu second gongzi at the age of sixteen had already had a prominent reputation in the capital as a gifted scholar youngster. What was even more was that this year, he alone went ahead to Lishan academy by himself to seek knowledge; whether it was the Liu family or his teachers and fellow schoolmates, they all had high hopes for him. It was just like the talent of the future top scorer of the palace examination. Whereas this own yimu[18] younger brother of hers–it was clear that in the capital he was only a pair of silk trousers (refers to a rich, aristocratic child) who was unable to get a number in line.
Since he was young, Ye Rong had been raised in the palm of the hand by Ye laofuren[19] and w.a.n.g shi; in this family, both second elder sister at that time and the fourth elder sister now also didn't dare to talk to him like that. Ye Rong suddenly jumped up like a cat whose fur was continuously being burned, pointing angrily at Ye Li as he said, "You have a lot of nerve, you actually dared to talk about me like that. I'm going to tell zumu[20] to absolutely humiliate you!"
To dispute with such a child truly would have been a disgrace. Ye Li had always been unable to understand it–although the Ye family wasn't a hundred-year-old large and influential clan, it could still be considered a household that carried weight in the capital; how was it able to raise Ye Rong with this kind of moronic character? Feeling too lazy to pay attention to the boy who was quick to anger, Ye Li turned around, planning to go back to the room, "Asking Rong shaoye to please get out."
"Ye Li, stop right there!" Ye Rong was furious, "You really don't want face, it was clearly Li w.a.n.g jiefu[21] who didn't want you. You actually went so far as to have your jiujiu say bad things about father in front of the emperor, causing mother and third (typo?) elder sister to get scolded by father. Serves you right that you treacherous woman would be abandoned by Li w.a.n.g, serves you right..."
"Evil creature! Still not shutting up!" Ye Rong who had been eagerly cursing didn't see the coldness in Ye Li's eyes nor the quick trace of a smile at the corner of her lips. It was only until the bellowing sound that came from behind him that he somewhat stiffly turned his head and saw that each and everyone of the people at his side were lying p.r.o.ne on the ground, trembling. Whereas the fuqin who had alway been affable in the past now looked livid as he glared at him, "Father....."
"This Shangshu fu indeed has a good upbringing. The mere son of a jishi[22] who was formerly a concubine promoted to a wife status actually dared to revile the first wife's di daughter in broad daylight, I have truly been educated." Among those who were at Ye Shangshu's side, a handsome young man sneered as he spoke.
After hearing this, Ye Shangshu's complexion turned even uglier, "What are you still looking distracted for? Still not seizing this brute! Have him heavily flogged twenty times!"
Hearing Ye Shangshu's words, Ye Rong immediately started shrieking miserably in fright. Towards the two underlings at the side coming over determined to sort out the problem, "Father...father...this child knows his mistake..." It was a pity that his young strength was too weak to resist again these underlings who were right in the prime of their lives; he was very quickly dragged over to a place not far away in order to carry out the beating with wooden staves.
Ye Li's expression was tranquil and calm, but carried a rare look of happiness as she quickly stepped forward, "Greeting fuqin. Jiumu[23], biaoge[24], why have you come?"
When Ye Shangshu saw his own daughter paying respects to him deferentially but showing a rare intimacy towards outsiders, he felt somewhat uncomfortable on the inside. However, recalling the simple and crude furnishings in Ye Li's yuanzi, he was unable to flare up in any way. He could only smile in front as he said, "Qing Feng and your jiumu came to see you, so this father accompanied them on the way over."
Xu Qing Feng coldly smiled and said, "You can say that again, if today we hadn't come, we still wouldn't know that little sister went through this kind of days in the Ye fu."
The smiling expression on Ye Shangshu's face turned rigid; seeing the cold face of Xu furen[25] and unfriendly face of Xu Qing Feng, he was somewhat embarra.s.sed.
Ye Li faintly smiled and stepped forward to pull Xu furen's hand, smiling as she said, "Jiumu, don't stand at the doorway. Let's go in and have a cup of tea."
Glossary: Shangshu (尚書 – t.i.tle or position of official in charge of presenting memorials to the emperor and official correspondence) w.a.n.g (王 – imperial prince) Fu (府 – official residence / family residence compound / household / term for family and home put together) Jiujiu (舅舅 – maternal uncle) Fuqin (老爺 – master / lord of the household) Shi (氏 – clan name / maiden surname) Muqin (母亲 – respectful or intimate way of addressing mother) Yuanzi (院子 – a small residence within a family residence compound) Xiaojie (小姐 – Young miss / lady) Shaoye (少爷 – young master / male equivalent of "小姐 – xiaojie – young lady or miss") Yuan (院 – a residence within a family residence compound) Di (嫡 – legitimate / of the official wife) Yatou (丫头 – young maidservant / young girl) Da shaoye (大少爷 – eldest young master / male equivalent of '大小姐 – da xiaojie') Xiaosi (小廝 – male servant) Er (儿 – term of endearment for one's child / child) Gongzi (公子 – son of n.o.bility / young man) Yimu (异母 – used to describe a half-sibling who has the same father but different mother) Laofuren (老夫人 – old madam / t.i.tle for the mother of a n.o.ble or an official) Zumu (祖母 – respectful or intimate way of addressing grandmother) Jiefu (姐夫 – elder sister's husband) Jishi (继室 – second wife of a widower) Jiumu (舅母 – aunt who is the wife of maternal uncle) Biaoge (表哥 – elder male cousin via female line) Furen (夫人 – lady or madam of the house / wife)