Chu Wang Fei

楼 lou – building with multiple floors

堂哥 tangge – elder male cousin from father’s side; cousin brother

During dinnertime, the few yiniang all went to visit the old madam. Even Su Qing who had always considered everyone else beneath her had, with Wang mama‘s help, carefully come over to Bai Shun Tang!

However, compared to the others, Su Qing was quite late. Even the family head, Yun Xuan Zhi arrived five minutes earlier than her!

The old madam was a clever person. She didn’t say a word of disatisfaction and only drank tea while chatting with Yun Qian Meng, Yun Yi Heng, and the others. It was until Yun Xuan Zhi had stepped into the room when she finally put down her teacup and put away her smile, dully saying, “Su yiniang really knows the rules more and more! There isn’t a woman in charge in the fu, but you still won’t let other people take the responsibility!”

Su Qing knew that her late arrival had caused the old madam to be unhappy. But she was pregnant right now. Her bodily strength could not be compared to the other around her. So, she smiled and said, “laotaitai, don’t joke with nubi! It’s only that nubi is carrying laoye‘s flesh and blood. Naturally, nubi had to be careful, and couldn’t walk too vigorously. Because of that, nubi was a little later than the other yiniang. laotaitai, please don’t blame me!”

“Mother, this is the first day you’ve come back to the fu. We should talk about some happy things! Just a while ago, er’zi found a teacher for my nephews. He will be able to come tomorrow. This way, erdi can also be reassured!” Yun Xuan Zhi went forward to support the old madam, leading her to the dinner table while he speaking with a smile.

Sure enough, when the old madam heard that he was so caring towards Yun Xuan Mo’s children, her cold expression eased up slightly. She nodded and took a seat, temporarily letting go of Su Qing!

Yun Xuan Zhi knew that the old madam had never been pleased with Su Qing. Today, Su Qing was trying to throw away their previous biases by coming to pay respects, causing Yun Xuan Zhi to feel like a spotlight was pointing at his face. Hence, at the old madam’s nitpicking, Yun Xuan Zhi couldn’t obviously side with Su Qing. Instead, he used his actions to obscurely make his intentions known!

As the juniors sat down in succession, the old madam surveyed the surroundings. Unable to see Yun Ruo Xue‘s figure anywhere, a feeling of discontent couldn’t help but rise up in her heart. She held her ivory chopsticks unmovingly and shot a severe glare at Su Qing, asking, “Su yiniang, where is Ruo Xue? Qian Meng the di xiaojie came early to pay respects to me; yet she, a shu daughter has such a big ego! Don’t tell me that this old woman needs to go and invite her!”

After her voice fell, the entire room became silent. Su Qing who was being treated coldly in front of everyone had her complexion alternate from green to white. Tightly forming fists under her sleeves, she forced a smile and apologized, “laotaitai, please quell your anger! er xiaojie has made a mistake, so laoye had sent her to kneel in the ancestral hall!”

Hearing this, the old madam suddenly slapped the table with her chopsticks. The rosewood table immediately produced a crisp sound, causing the servants serving beside her to jump in alarm. They only saw the old madam speak with a severe expression, “Punished by kneeling?! Her mistake can be settled by just kneeling? If you can’t teach her well, then let her follow beside me in the future! A noble xiaojie who grew up in the capital actually acted like those sly ! Even though lao er‘s family’s Yun Yi Yi isn’t fifteen yet, she is far more dignified and composed!”

Su Qing‘s heart was already filled with anger when she listened to the old madam keep talking about Yun Xuan Mo’s family. Hearing the old madam mention Yun Ruo Xue, a proper xiaojie to Yun Yi Yi, a country girl on equal terms, she was speechless with rage. The smile on her face paled somewhat as she loosened and tightened her fists. After repeating the action few times, she forcefully restrained her anger and lowered her head to accept the old madam’s scolding!

Other than Yun Xuan Zhi, everyone in the room was indifferent towards Su Qing while she was being ridiculed by the old madam. They were actually all laughing in their hearts!

Yun Qian Meng didn’t glance away from the tableware in front of her. Her expression was exceptionally serene, not allowing anyone to peek into her thoughts!

Yun Xuan Zhi only felt that the old madam was already like this on the first day of her return; was simply giving him a slap across the face. But if he spoke up to help Su Qing once again, he worried that it would incite the old madam to retaliate even more intensely in the future. Hence, he cast his gaze towards Yun Qian Meng who sat opposite him, giving her a meaningful look!

Yun Qian Meng inwardly sighed. Truly, even the sitting pawn could get hit by a bullet. She could only put away her calm expression and made a slight smile while she said, “zumu, let’s not keep talking! sunnü is already hungry; our two tangge who had to rush over on such a long journey must surely be tired. Why don’t we quickly eat and let them go back to rest? Otherwise, they might not have enough spirit to greet the teacher tomorrow!”

The old madam heard Yun Qian Meng, originally planning to diss Su Qing a bit more. But seeing that her two darling grandsons seemed slightly weary, she nodded, saying, “After eating, everyone can go back to rest! Meng yatou as well, these days have been tough on you!”

Yun Qian Meng smiled and shook her head, saying sweetly, “Not hard at all, these are all things that sunnü should do! sunnü still plans to go out tomorrow to buy some of Tian Fu Lou‘s jade emerald mung bean cakes for zumu!”

Sure enough, when the old madam heard the name of the pastries, a trace of joy flashed across her eyes. She was immediately even more satisfied with Yun Qian Meng!

The next day, early in the morning, Yun Qian Meng finished paying her respects to the old madam and brought Mi mama and the others to go out of the xiangfu!

AFter the carriage had stopped in front of Tian Fu Lou, Yun Qian Meng put on her muslin veil and told the coachman to return to the xiangfu before coming back after one o’clock in the afternoon to pick her up. She then alighted and walked into Tian Fu Lou!

“xiaojie, the carriage has left!” Mu Chun pulled back her little head that had poked out the window and announced mischieviously!

Yun Qian Meng looked at her crafty expression and couldn’t help but smile under the muslin veil before nodding towards Mi mama. She only saw Mi mama lead them familiarly through the backyard of Tian Fu Lou until they arrived at a rather remote alleyway. At the end of the alley, she stood before a single-storey house and knocked on the door frame three times. A quiet question immediately came from inside, “Who is it?”

“It’s me.” Mi mama used a similarly low voice to reply. When the person inside heard her voice, they immediately opened the door.

They only saw a seventeen or eighteen year old pretty young girl. The girl immediately bowed upon seeing Mi mama, saying, “nubi greets Mi yi!”

“Has mama gotten better today?” Mi mama nodded to her, then led Yun Qian Meng into the tiny courtyard, asking the girl as she walked.

“Somewhat better, but the physician said mama‘s illness had dragged on for too long, afraid that he could only treat the symptoms but not heal the roots!” The girl saw that Mi mama was treating the other girl in front with such respect, and felt somewhat curious, but still honestly answered Mi mama‘s questions!

“You can return to your work then!” When everyone arrived before the main room, Mi mama sent the girl away and then pushed open the tightly closed wooden doors!

Before Yun Qian Meng stepped into the room, she told Mu Chun, “Tian Fu Lou will only make fifty packages of jade emerald mung bean cake by noon. Mu Chun, you should go and wait in line! We will meet at Tian Fu Lou at one o’clock!”

Mu Chun sounded her agreement, then bowed towards Yun Qian Meng before she left the small yard.

Yun Qian Meng finally focused her attention inside the room. She only felt the strong smell of Chinese medicine assault her senses. The smell of the blended herbal medicine caused the two of them to unwittingly frown!

“Cough, cough cough……” At this moment, a violent coughing sound came from within the room……