Chapter 18: Biased Grandmother
Until Ye Li had personally sent off biaoge[1] and jiumu[2], Ye Shangshu[3] hadn't made anymore appearances; Xu furen[4] obviously already didn't have anymore hope towards the Ye family's etiquette and practices. Anyway, if there still wasn't Ye Li this waishengnu[5] around, the Ye family who had caused the daughter to be depressed to death and the Xu family wouldn't at all have had anymore to do with one another.
Ye Li also didn't get angry. When she turned around to head back to Qing Yi Xuan, she indifferently glanced towards w.a.n.g shi's[6] Fang Yi yuan[7] , the corner of her mouth raised in a rare sneer of ridicule: was this w.a.n.g shi giving her an initial show of strength?
"Third elder sister......"
She hadn't entered Qing Yi Xuan yet when Ye Ying who was supported by a yatou's[8] hand swayingly meandered over. Ye Li halted in her step and calmly studied the number one beauty before her; it would seem that in these several days that didn't seem to have anything much on the surface, the reality was that Ye Ying also didn't have it easy.
The small face that was exquisitely beautiful in the past now had an added bit of paleness and haggardness to it, the watery eyes that were staring at Ye Li also had a bit more hidden bitterness and moisture in it, gratuitously causing Ye Li to be unable to hold back from trembling.
"Born with a pair of worried dimples, a lovable body wracked with illness. Drops of glistening tears, breathing faintly[a] ...." With no reason, Ye Li thought of that sentence in the incomparable and monumental work "Dream of the Red Chamber" describing an otherworldly, immortal pretty woman; it was just a pity that seeing again the trace of a gleam flashing within that pair of watery eyes, how was it the least bit like the n.o.ble and unsullied Crimson Pearl Fairy that was beyond worldly standards?
"What's the matter, fourth younger sister?" Ye Li softly asked, "If you are feeling unwell, why aren't you in your room taking a rest?"
"Many thanks to third elder sister's concern, nothing's the matter with Ying er[9]." Ye Ying's soft voice said; it was just that look of hidden bitterness and grievance indeed didn't at all look as though it were nothing.
Ye Li nodded with a look of understanding clearly, "Since it's nothing then fourth younger sister take your time walking, third elder sister will go back first."
"Third elder sister..." Seeing Ye Li about to turn around and leave without the slightest hesitation, a trace of vexation flashed through Ye Ying's eyes but very quickly disappeared once again without a trace. Lightly nibbling on her lip, she stared at Ye Li and said, "Ying er had wanted to ask third elder sister, has third elder sister received the invitation for the Hundred Flowers Event?"
Ye Li nodded, she had received the invitation yesterday morning. The Hundred Flowers Event was to be held in seven days' time at the capital's largest Mudan (tree peony) garden. Seeing Ye Ying's appearance, Ye Li's mind took a turn and just then understood what Ye Ying had blocked her path for, "Fourth younger sister still hasn't received the invitation yet?"
Ye Ying shook her head in grievance, though she was full of resentment towards Ye Li standing before her eyes on the inside. If it hadn't been for her jiujiu[10] accusing father of misconduct at the imperial court, how could she as the di[11] daughter of the Minister of Revenue as well as the future Li w.a.n.gfei[12] not have an invitation to the Hundred Flowers Event? "Third elder sister, you...will you also not be going this year?"
Ye Li laughed involuntarily; surely Ye Ying wasn't planning on taking her invitation to go to Mudan garden was she? But that's right, she was the future Li w.a.n.gfei; even if someone were to recognize that the name on the card wasn't her, there absolutely also wouldn't be anyone who would dare to drive her away.
"My health is much better this year. I naturally would need to go." Finished speaking, Ye Li clearly saw that Ye Ying's face sank. Not wanted to be entangled anymore, Ye Li said, "I still have matters to attend to, I shan't accompany fourth younger sister."
"Third...."
Seeing that Ye Ying still wanted to say something, Ye Li's eyebrows raised as she said, "Fourth younger sister might as well go request to see Xian Zhao taifei[13]. This year's invitations were personally sent out by Zhao Yang Chang gongzhu[14]–if I didn't go, wouldn't it cause Chang gongzhu to think that our Ye family wasn't giving her face?"
Hearing this, Ye Ying finally pushed back the words she had wanted to say. Zhao Yang Chang gongzhu was the present emperor's elder sister, the only daughter of the previous emperor and empress. However, she was famous for her bad temper; there were times when she also wouldn't give face to the current empress nor even the empress dowager. Ye Ying didn't dare to make trouble in front of her. For her not to have received the invitation till now, it clearly showed that Zhao Yang Chang gongzhu was dissatisfied with her.
"Third xiaojie[15], fourth xiaojie, laofuren[16] has requested the two xiaojie to make way to Rong Le hall." Ye Li was just about to return to the house when the momo[17] who worked at Ye laofuren's side came over to pa.s.s on a message.
Today when Xu furen had paid a visit, Ye laofuren had straightforwardly claimed that she was feeling unwell and hadn't even sent anyone over to come see her. Ye Li naturally knew that this behaviour of Ye laofuren's was due to being dissatisfied these days with the Xu family's conduct. She indifferently nodded and said, "I got it. I have troubled momo to make this journey."
The momo said that she didn't dare and turned around to return to Rong Le hall.
Inside Rong Le hall, Ye laofuren faintly squinted her somewhat turbid old eyes as she studied the two sunnu[18] who had entered side to side. Since childhood, Ye Ying had her fill of being doted on; not only was she clever and gentle, she had turned out to be even more of an outstanding beauty. Whether it was Ye laofuren or Ye Shangshu, they had both placed high hopes on her. If they hadn't first already had Ye Yue to enter the palace to become Zhao Yi, Ye Ying inevitably would have also entered the palace. Now that she was able to marry to the emperor's blood-related younger brother Li w.a.n.g[19] to become a zhengfei[20], naturally it could help make the Ye family take it up a notch.
((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))
Whereas for Ye Li who was originally the Ye family's most respectable first wife's di daughter, Ye laofuren had always had a bit of sore spot towards the original Xu shi; ever since Xu shi had pa.s.sed away, she didn't particularly pay attention to this sunnu. Now as she carefully sized her up, she discovered that she indeed wasn't lacking in anything when compared to Ye Ying. So much so that she even had the additional bit of the imposing manner and calmness of a literary family. Ye laofuren knew this was inherited from her muqin[21] who came from the hundred-year-old influential Xu clan and this was also exactly the reason why Ye laofuren didn't like Ye Li and Xu shi.
"Zumu[22]." Ye Li and Ye Ying chorused in paying respects.
Ye laofuren with a look of affection on her face beckoned the two people to sit beside her and in a mild tone, asked, "After a couple of days, it'll be the Hundred Flowers Event. Has your muqin properly prepared for you both?"
Ye Ying lowered her head, looking sad, "Sunnu hadn't received the Hundred Flowers invitation. Even if mother were to make preparations, it still wouldn't be able to be used."
Ye Li raised her eyebrows, puzzled as she said, "Zumu, does joining the Hundred Flowers require preparing something?"
Hearing this, the expression in Ye laofuren's eyes slightly flashed, looking pensive as she studied Ye Li's expression. "It's nothing really...daughters always having to dress up prettily when going out would be best. Later have your muqin help you make some new clothes and head ornaments."
Ye Li looked serene as she allowed her to size her up; w.a.n.g shi indeed hadn't prepared anything for her, so much so that she didn't even mention a single word of it. It could be foreseen that if she wore her usual clothes at the Hundred Flowers Event on that day, for sure she would've been laughed at by people and would have lost face. "Many thanks to zumu for mentioning it, Li er knows now." Ye Li revealed a trace of delight, a suitable expression for a daughter's fondness and happiness towards new clothes and head ornaments.
Ye laofuren nodded and didn't say anything more. She wasn't unaware of how w.a.n.g shi secretly treated Ye Li, but as long as the trouble didn't make its way over in front of outsiders and cause the Ye family to lose face, she also wouldn't want to care much about these things.
It was actually Ye Ying who apologized to Ye Li with a smile as she said, "Mother had already at an earlier time prepared third elder sister's clothes. It was just that when Rong er returned yesterday, she had momentarily forgotten to have someone send them over."
"Is that so? There are still several days till the Hundred Flowers Event, there's no need to be that urgent." Ye Li said with a shallow smile. The topic had finally moved over to Ye Rong, hadn't it?
With one mention of Ye Rong, Ye laofuren's originally smiling face had turned somewhat heavy, looking at the two people as she sternly said, "Rong er is still little, if he had done something that wasn't right in some way, you as elder sisters ought to properly teach him. Today your fuqin[23] had him flogged like that in front of outsiders, how could he as a small child be able to take it?"
Ye Ying's beautiful eyebrows slightly knitted and looking distressed, she said, "What zumu said is right. It's Ying er who didn't teach younger brother well. However, today Rong er also suffered a lesson. Just now when Ying er came out, he was stilling calling out in pain. From now on, he certainly wouldn't dare to provoke third elder sister again. I still request third elder sister not to blame him anymore."
"Wasn't it said that he didn't suffer several times? How is it still painful? Was the doctor summoned?" Once she heard that her one and only sunzi[24] wasn't doing well, Ye laofuren felt anxious, the way she looked at Ye Li also becoming even more and more cold.
Ye Ying promptly consoled her by saying, "Zumu, be rest a.s.sured. Mother had already summoned the doctor to take a look at him. It's just that he would need to lie in bed for a couple of days, I only fear that it will have to delay his studies for a period of time."
Ye laofuren frowned, glaring at Ye Li somewhat resentfully and said, "You are also an elder sister, how could you not yield to Rong er a bit? If on top of his health he were to delay his studies, would you be happy?"
Ye Li sneered on the inside, yet on her face there was hardly the slightest change as she indifferently said, "Zumu is right to lecture. Li er in the future will definitely teach Rong er properly. This temper of his also needs be kept in check[b]. Today he gave offense to Li er, it's naturally nothing much. As siblings in one family, Li er will naturally let him be. If one day he were to give offense to someone of n.o.bility, how could it be good?"
Hearing this, Ye laofuren's complexion became even more and more unsightly. Only by recalling Ye Li's marriage did she just repress the fire in her heart and wave a hand to allow her to retreat.
Ye Li turned around to withdraw, hearing Ye Ying behind her using a pampered voice to talk about how having elder sister and Li w.a.n.g was in this way and that way.......since Ye laofuren wasn't willing to listen to her words, it also didn't matter to her. Only wish that Ye Zhao Yi in the palace and Li w.a.n.g were truly capable of helping Ye Rong take responsibility for a lifetime of shambles.
Glossary: Biaoge (表哥 – elder male cousin via female line) Jiumu (舅母 – aunt who is the wife of maternal uncle) Shangshu (尚書 – t.i.tle or position of official in charge of presenting memorials to the emperor and official correspondence) Furen (夫人 – lady or madam of the house / wife) Waishengnu (外甥女 – sister's daughter / wife's sibling's daughter) Shi (氏 – clan name / maiden surname) Yuan (院 – a residence within a family residence compound) Yatou (丫头 – young maidservant / young girl) Er (儿 – term of endearment for one's child / child) Jiujiu (舅舅 – maternal uncle) Di (嫡 – legitimate / of the official wife) w.a.n.gfei (王妃 – consort princess / wife of an imperial prince or "王 – w.a.n.g") Taifei (太妃 – imperial concubine of the previous emperor) Gongzhu (公主 – imperial princess) Xiaojie (小姐 – Young miss / lady) Laofuren (老夫人 – old madam / t.i.tle for the mother of a n.o.ble or an official) Momo (嬤嬤 – old maid / wet nurse) Sunnu (孫女 – granddaughter) w.a.n.g (王 – imperial prince) Zhengfei (正妃 – main imperial consort / official wife of an imperial prince) Muqin (母亲 – respectful or intimate way of addressing mother) Zumu (祖母 – respectful or intimate way of addressing grandmother) Fuqin (父亲 – respectful or intimate way of addressing father) Sunzi (孫子 – grandson / son's son)