Chu Wang Fei-Chapter 7: Nitpicking

Glossary

奴婢 nubi – slave servant girl

奴才 nucai – slave servant

丫头 yatou – girl/servant girl

老爷 laoye – old master; the head of the house, the master of the xiangfu would be Yun Xuan Zhi; because he’s a minister, he can also be called 相爷 xiangye; same meaning, really

爷 ye – I, grandfather, master; in this chapter, Yun Xuan Zhi uses it to refer to himself

Gold Medallion 金牌 jinpai – this was given the Shui’er and Bing’er by the Empress Dowager; it carries some status, as the people who carry one are usually related to the imperial family; no one will mess with them

(TL Note: This chapter used many Chinese proverbs to describe things. Many adjectives!)

(Edit: I made a huge mistake! Housekeeper Zhang’s name was actually housekeeper Zhao! Even if he doesn’t deserve to have his name remembered correctly, all instances of Zhang have been replaced with the correct reading of Zhao. My apologies!)

(Edit: I was advised that Zhao’s position 管家 guanjia was more equivalent to the role of a butler in feudal China. It certainly makes sense, since he seems to hold a rather high position amongst the servants. Might take a bit to get used to it.) 😅

“Young miss, it’s dinner time!” The moon had risen and it was almost nine o’clock before Mu Chun carried the evening meal into Qi Luo Yuan.

Yun Qian Meng glanced across the barely furnished room, her eyes flashed with an understanding brilliance.

“Heavens! How is this food even fit for young miss? Out of the question! Nubi will look for the kitchen manager right away!” Mu Chun opened the boxed meal to find only two small plates of vegetables and a bowl of rice gruel. Her anger flared up immediately and she turned to leave……

“Mu Chun!” She was unexpectedly stopped by Yun Qian Meng.

The three girls saw her calmly sit at the round table, slowly and gracefully pick up the chopsticks to eat the small plates of bean sprouts and cabbage, then elegantly finish drinking the gruel!

“Young miss, laoye just scolded butler Zhao this afternoon, but these nucai are really too much! They will actually go so far just to play dirty tricks for even one evening meal!” Mu Chun’s eyes turned red when she saw her mistress suffer such injustice in a calm and relaxed manner.

Even though she understood in her heart that her young miss was enduring hardships every day in the xiangfu, she didn’t expect them to be this impudent!

Right now, they still had the Empress Dowager’s protection; if one day the Empress Dowager was no more…… Won’t the young miss be swallowed whole by those filthy wolves?!

The more she thought about this, the more distinct the anger on Mu Chun’s face.

But Yun Qian Meng had finished the bowl of rice gruel without saying a word, she was presently wiping her lips with a handkerchief. She then smiled at Mu Chun speaking naturally, “Right now, my forehead is wounded. It is wiser to avoid dishes with excessive meat and fish. If you took notice of this now, they will definitely scold you saying that you’re biting the hand that feeds! Wait a few more days. When my wound is healed, and they continue with this treatment, you’re free to hound them!”

Hearing Yun Qian Meng’s analysis, Mu Chun and the others were secretly shocked! They looked at her with a somewhat incredible expression.

Mu Chun’s at the moment was no longer angry but very touched. She looked at Yun Qian Meng with pleasant surprise.

After waiting for so many years, her young miss had finally grown up; thoroughly and maturely thinking things through while maintaining her composure, it seemed that Su yiniang’s days are numbered!

On the other hand, Shui’er and Bing’er exchanged a look. Compared to Mu Chun’s excitement, even though they were quite startled, they still managed to appear much calmer.

Yun Qian Meng observed their expressions carefully without showing any emotion. All of a sudden, she asked, “Shui’er, Bing’er, when I woke up at the imperial palace today, I only saw Qiu Lian. Why didn’t I see you two?”

Their bodies obviously froze. They didn’t expect her to ask them such a question, causing them to stare blankly for a moment.

That said, these two were still people trained by the Empress Dowager. They quickly recovered. Shui’er immediately lowered her head and answered deferentially, “When that happened to young miss, Empress Dowager was terribly furious; both of us nubi were taken for questioning.”

Yun Qian Meng calmly listened to her answer, but did not continue. Instead, she dully looked at the both of them. Only after a quite a while, did she command, “Mu Chun, clean up the table; Shui’er and Bing’er, prepare the water for my bath!”

“Yes!”, the three of them immediately started working. Yun Qian Meng instead got up to enter her bedroom.

Her severe gaze swept across the bedroom to find that it was only furnished with a bed and a dressing table. She slowly waked towards the window. Taking this time when her yatou were busy with work to compose her train of thoughts.

She did not believe Shui’er’s earlier answer, but the way she had answered so naturally, and the fact that she really needed people to serve by her side, meant that there was no reason yet to expose her.

Just think! When their own niece is between life and death, what kind of aunt didn’t even come over to take a look?

Even more illogically, at those critical moments, the Empress Dowager actually had heart to interrogate two yatou?!

She was afraid that the inherited memories of the Empress Dowager being nice to Yun Qian Meng were just wishful thoughts!

Otherwise, why would Empress Dowager not give her the Gold Medallion, instead choosing to give it to Shui’er and Bing’er? There’s no way Empress Dowager wouldn’t know that the medallion had even more influence if it was in her own hands!

No, Empress Dowager knew clearly; her heart was very clear! She feared that the Empress Dowager had other plans, hence the unwillingness to give her the Gold Medallion!

Looking at how the sky suddenly darkened, Yun Qian Meng expression flashed with ferocity. If seems that the xiangfu and the palace were both full of danger. The people that you thought were the closest to you, are actually the ones that harbor the most evil intentions! If you didn’t advance step by step with extreme caution, then you would only become the food in their mouths!

“Young miss, should I help you undress for the bath?” Mu Chun came over at this moment, supporting Yun Qian Meng to the dressing table and prepared to help her undress!

Under the light of dusk, Yun Qian Meng saw a fourteen or fifteen-year-old young lady in the mirror. This was the first time she could evaluate the appearance of her current body. She only saw that even though her complexion was pale, it could not hide the beauty underneath. A pair of glittering black eyes adorned her meager egg-shaped face. Under the gloomy lighting, her eyes were even more dazzling than diamonds; her lips had lost some color, but were still tender and full. Coupled with naturally full and dark eyebrows, her face seemed to form a beautiful painting!

At this moment, Mu Chun had helped her let down her long hair. Just looking at the supple, silky, bright black hair that collapsed like a waterfall on both her shoulders, the contrast with her delicate facial features made her appearance even more lovely!

Even though she was wearing old clothes, there was no difficulty noticing how her figure had elegant curves in all the right places, especially her slender waist that can be grasped easily; it seemed that her figure was far above and beyond the norm!

Unfortunately, Yun Qian Meng had been malnourished for a long time. Although her skin was pale white and soft, it didn’t have any gloss or shine to it, resulting in a lifeless and spiritless atmosphere; completely lacking in vigor or vitality!

Especially now, with gauze still wrapped around her forehead. Noticing that the gauze was not wrapped neatly at all, she realized that when she had fainted, she had been carried off hastily and carelessly!

Perhaps none of the people there had any thoughts about the condition of Yun Qian Meng who was at death’s door!

Sensing that Mu Chun wanted to continue taking off her white inner clothes, Yun Qian Meng unsteadily leaned from side to side, then walked behind a screen by herself before saying, “Go to the study, report to father that I want to hire a physician to prescribe some medicine!”

“Yes! Nubi will ask Shui’er and Bing’er to help young miss bathe!” Mu Chun could not help but worry about her young miss not having people by her side.

Yun Qian Meng paused while unbuttoning her clothes, then immediately said, “No need, have them stand guard at the entrance!”

“Yes! Nubi shall withdraw!” Under her persistence, Mu Chun didn’t speak anymore. She turned around, helped close the door properly and walked towards the study……

At that moment, in the study, Su Qing was panting heavily while lying on Yun Xian Zhi’s body. She lightly drew patterns on his stomach with her slender fingers and mumbled, “Xuan Zhi, that daughter of yours seems to have changed! Earlier today she embarrassed us at the gate of the xiangfu, then you even commanded that her matters no longer needed my approval. I fear that the after today, the xiangfu will be turned into a terrible mess by her!”

Yun Xian Zhi obviously knew what Su Qing was thinking in her heart, but still, he had never entered Yun Qian Meng’s courtyard before. When he saw it today, he realized that she was very much pitiful!

It was often said that children without parents are the most pitiful. Even though there was Su Qing, they were still separated by flesh and blood, how could she love Qian Meng with all her heart?!

Additionally, Empress Dowager had clearly spoken, he himself did not have the freedom to do as he pleased; even if he didn’t have much parental affection for Yun Qian Meng, he still had to keep up good appearances!

Holding Su Qing’s hand in his, he spoke in a low voice, “Just bear it for a while! She can’t stay in the xiangfu for the rest of her life, sooner or later, Empress Dowager will find her a match and she will be married off!”

Hearing his speech, Su Qing showed extreme displeasure and sat up from his bosom. Her face seemed to say that she was being wronged. “What do you mean with those words? As if I can’t even tolerate her?! You saw how she was today, that girl looked like she could eat people! Xue’er was terrified, even now she hasn’t eaten her dinner!”

When she finished, she collected the garments scattered all over the floor and started to dress herself……

And Yun Xian Zhi, hearing that his favorite daughter did not have dinner yet, immediately expressed a pained look. He quickly hugged Su Qing from behind and promised, “I’ll go see Xue’er in a while! Can’t you see that I still love you? If I really wanted to confine you, would you be in ye’s study?”

Done persuading, he reached out and pinched Su Qing’s delicate face. Both of them were laughing playfully when Mu Chun’s voice sounded from outside the door……

“Laoye, young miss wants to hire a physician, what does laoye think about it?” Mu Chun evidently heard the voices from the couple inside, hence she did not rudely enter the study and only asked from outside the door!

“Allowed!” Yun Xuan Zhi’s calm and unhurried voice traveled out from within the study, then he took no more notice of Mu Chun……