Chapter 10: Confusing True and False (Part 2)

Translator: Tygris
English proofreader: 247Reader

“How can you be so careless?” she scolded as she bent down to pick up the cherries with Xiaoxue.

Xiaoxue stammered, “Elder Sister, I… I did not do it on purpose…”

“It’s fine,” Lichun said irritably. “Wash them clean and take them down to be shared among the little maids.”

Xiaoxue repeatedly sounded in agreement and left the eastern side room with Lichun. The room fell quiet at once. Seventh niangzi gazed at Lichun’s departing figure, lost in thought.

“Every time Second Madam comes, I would come to the eastern side room to play.” Ninth ge muttered quietly, seemingly intentional, yet seemingly not.

Seventh niangzi’s hand slipped and the blocks collapsed. Ninth ge immediately loudly shouted at Seventh niangzi to compensate him for the little carriage that he had built.

Seventh niangzi could only apologize again and again, picking up the colorful blocks with a smile. “How about I build you a house instead?”

Ninth ge lifted his eyes and stared at her, tilting his head slightly before responding solemnly, “All right.”

Seventh niangzi thus bent her head and began building.

Ninth ge toyed with a green rectangular block in his hand, hesitating for a long time before quietly asking, “Where is Ninth yiniang buried?”

Seventh niangzi froze before she fully registered his question, and for a moment a rush of various emotions swept through her.

In the end, blood was thicker than water, and the bones and the flesh were connected. ^[1]骨肉相连 (gǔ ròu xiāng lián) means family members by blood are always connected.

“They said she would be buried behind the ancestral hill.” Her voice was so quiet that it might as well have been a whisper. “Right next to Wang yiniang of the previous generation’s Seventh Branch. When Wang yiniang was laid to rest, I was there. The location is actually quite close to the front.” Ninth yiniang’s coffin was already on its way to Baoji.

The Yang family was prosperous and wealthy. The burial hill lay just behind the ancestral shrine. That Ninth yiniang was able to be buried in the forefront of the hill was considered a great honor.

Ninth ge remained silent for a long time before nodding. His small face was filled with unspoken thoughts.

Seventh niangzi wanted to speak some more when Ninth ge suddenly lifted his head and said, in quick succession, “Is the house finished building yet? This piece should not be placed like this.”

He had just finished his words when Liang mama walked into the eastern side room with a smile, bringing Seventh niangzi and Ninth ge two bowls of tea. “Everyone has gone to serve at Eldest Madam’s side. In the end, it fell to me, this old pozi, to pour tea for you.” She was Eldest Madam’s dowry maid, and had always been very respectable. Therefore, her tone towards the young masters and mistresses held something of the attitude of an elder.

Seventh niangzi hurriedly smiled along with her. “Many thanks to mama.”

Ninth ge, however, grinning and laughing, snatched over a bowl of tea to drink, then ordered Seventh niangzi, “Hurry up and build.” His tone carried a sense of impatience.

Seventh niangzi thus focused her efforts on the building blocks, and the eastern side room quieted down. One could even faintly hear Second niangzi’s and Fifth niangzi’s voices as well as Second Madam’s laughter. Not long after, chaotic but light footsteps sounded towards the eastern side room. Second niangzi and Fifth niangzi entered the eastern side room. 

Seventh niangzi hurriedly curtsied in greeting to Second niangzi and Fifth niangzi. Ninth ge also jumped down from the warm alcove, pulling Fifth niangzi over to his building blocks. “Fifth Elder Sister, come build with me.”

But Fifth niangzi replied, “I am busy with various matters and only came to pay respects to Second Aunt.” ^[2]婶 (shěn) is used to refer to Father’s Younger Brother’s Wife. She did not acknowledge Seventh niangzi’s curtsy.

Second niangzi calmly returned Seventh niangzi’s greeting. “I hear that Teacher praised you for your characters.” There was a measure of affection in her voice.

“A trifling skill.” ^[3]雕虫小技 (diāo chóng xiǎo jì) is used in a self-deprecating or dismissive manner, saying that the skill in question is not worth boasting about/a small trick with little value. Seventh niangzi was somewhat shy. “Just the product of random practice.”

“Do not say that.” Second niangzi shot a glance at Fifth niangzi. “Our Yang clan has been steeped in the fragrance of books for generations. ^[4]世代书香 (shì dài shū xiāng) is used to describe a family that has been steeped in learning and literature for generations. Only if you are able to write skillful characters can you be considered a daughter of the Yang family.”

Second niangzi had always been so solemn and proper, so imposing that one instinctively felt intimidated. Seventh niangzi lowered her head and meekly responded in the affirmative. 

Fifth niangzi, unable to resist Ninth ge’s coquettish requests, had already settled down cross-legged in the warm alcove, playing with the building blocks alongside him. Seventh niangzi glanced over several times, feeling that facing the difficult and unreasonable Fifth niangzi was a lot more relaxing than being in front of Second niangzi.

Second niangzi was amused.

“Go on.” She shook her head with a smile. Her words, for the first time, contained a hint of playful reproach. “After all, you are still young, and a bit lacking in patience. Do not be so careless when you practice your calligraphy.” She rose to her feet and called out to Fifth niangzi, “Yang Wu, are you still yet to return?”

Fifth niangzi had been absorbed in her fun. Pouting, she was about to protest, but, glancing at Seventh niangzi, she swallowed her words and rose to trail after Second niangzi, exiting the eastern side room. Second niangzi chided her as they walked. “…one moment you act maturely but the next you are like a little child again. Even Seventh niangzi knows to practice her calligraphy, but what about you? You just spoke of your determination to be diligent, but now you are fooling around again…”

Seventh niangzi could not help but feel envious: although Second niangzi did not present much warmth on the surface to Fifth niangzi, it was undeniable that she truly doted on this younger sister.

The eastern side room quieted down once more. Liang mama had long been called back to take care of matters by a young maidservant. She was the main housekeeper and had always been so busy that her feet barely touched the ground. That she would spare a moment to come over to attend to Ninth ge for a bit showed how high in status he was. Seventh niangzi could not help but ask, “Where is Xiaoxue? Why does she not come in and serve?”

In a wealthy and grand household such as the Yang Clan, the young masters and mistresses have always had attendants around them at all twelve shichens of the day. Even if it had taken some time for Xiaoxue to distribute the cherries, she should not have been gone for so long.

Ninth ge also found it strange, and then shook his head. “It is just as well that she is not here—she never stops chattering, it is so annoying.” He beckoned at Seventh niangzi. “Come over and continue building the house!”

Seventh niangzi could only continue to sit cross-legged in the warm alcove and build the house with Ninth ge. Ninth ge asked, “You recognize a lot of characters now?”

Seventh niangzi smiled. Ninth ge muttered, “How come you were still able to learn characters in the Northwest?” The implication was that he doubted Seventh niangzi’s words.

“Ninth yiniang’s father was a xiucai who worked as a tutor.” ^[5]秀才 (xiùcái) referred to a scholar who had passed the second level of the entry-level imperial examinations in imperial China. See: Imperial examination – Wikipedia Seventh niangzi could only explain. Ninth ge responded with an ‘Oh’, a faint look of wistfulness crossing his small face. The two of them fell quiet for a moment. 

Not long after, Lichun came in to attend to them. Seventh niangzi could only make harmless, inconsequential chatter with Ninth ge—this one complaining that the other took their block, and that one saying that building this is very fun.

Second Madam sat for an entire afternoon before leaving. Third niangzi, Fourth niangzi, and Sixth niangzi had also come to pay their respects, but did not enter the eastern side room. When she left, Eldest Madam, with Liang mama trailing behind her, entered the eastern side room to change clothes and rest. Seeing the pair of twins sitting cross-legged atop the warm alcove, she could not help but smile. “They look exactly the same. Truly a pair of jade children.” The self-satisfaction in her tone had multiplied, while the suspicion had diminished.

Ninth ge broke into a silly grin. Eldest Madam came over and patted Seventh niangzi on the shoulder. “Your younger brother is willful; you will need to give way to him more often.” There was more than a simple touch of affection and familiarity.

At the side, Liang mama also smiled. “She even invited you to go to Hanshan Temple ^[6]Hanshan Temple – Wikipedia to offer incense together… If you were to ask me, you really should not go.”

Eldest Madam waved her hand. “I go every year on the second day of the second month. How can I not go this year?” She paused, then asked Ninth ge. “Niang is going to go offer incense, will you come along?”

Ninth ge’s face lit up immediately. “This year I am allowed to go as well?”

Eldest Madam’s gaze brushed across Seventh niangzi, and she smiled. “Why would you not be allowed to go?”

Ninth ge immediately grew excited, and hugged Eldest Madam while acting cute.

Just then, Wang mama hurriedly entered the room, her footsteps anxious and quick. She whispered a few words into Eldest Madam’s ear. Eldest Madam’s expression instantly changed.

Lichun came to pull at Ninth ge and Seventh niangzi. “Why not go play outside? It is stuffy inside.”

Ninth ge and Seventh niangzi reached the courtyard. Seventh niangzi looked up at the sky—it was nearly time for dinner. She did not think that Eldest Madam was willing for Fourth yiniang to see her current getup. With some matters, it was enough for everyone to understand in their hearts, but on the surface, matters must still be done properly and elegantly. “I need to go back and change clothes.”

Ninth ge wore an expression of reluctance, and he lowered his head without speaking. Seventh niangzi gazed at him, her heart pierced with pain. She gritted her teeth, then softly said, “Why not go play at Fifth Elder Sister’s place…”

Ninth ge dejectedly made a sound of agreement, then turned and ran off towards the corridor leading to the eastern side courtyard. Seventh niangzi slowly walked towards the western side courtyard. Bailu moved closer and spoke with some surprise, “I thought Ninth ge would come and have a look.” Several types of pastries had already been laid out on the table in the main hall.

Seventh niangzi revealed an expression of confusion. Bailu explained, “Ninth ge loves running around and exploring the most. Eldest Madam prevents him from going to Baifangyuan often. He has already gotten sick of exploring the eastern side courtyard. When he heard that the western side courtyard was going to be cleared out, he already made a fuss multiple times that he was going to come take a look. Originally, I thought that since he and Seventh niangzi were playing together this afternoon…” She did not continue her words, but Seventh niangzi already understood the implied meaning.

She slowly shook her head and softly said, “I am but a concubine-born daughter… If Ninth ge and I were to be too close, there would not be any benefit.”

If Bailu was wholeheartedly working for Eldest Madam, then when Eldest Madam heard these words, she would feel more at ease.

If Bailu was wholeheartedly following Seventh niangzi, then, upon hearing these words, she would only feel sad for her sake.

Indeed, Bailu showed a sorrowful expression. She moved onto other topics. “It is almost time to pay respects. It is better to change clothes first.” This was a clever and clear-headed maidservant.

Seventh niangzi gave her an appreciative glance. “It is impressive that you serve indoors all day yet still manage to know everything.”

Although Lixia was standing right beside the two, she looked completely bewildered, with no clue what sort of verbal sparring they were engaged in. Bailu beamed and, along with Lixia, assisted Seventh niangzi in changing into a fresh set of clothes.

Just as they were about to leave for the main courtyard to pay respects, a few pozi came to instruct Bailu. “Madam is somewhat unwell. There is no need to pay respects tonight. Dinner will be served separately in each courtyard.” Upon finishing those words, they hurried off, as though there was an impending storm.

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