Reborn: Revenge of the Concubine's Daughter

Chapter 58 Unromantic Gao Jue

He Danggui wiped tears and shook her head, “Well, I don’t know. I just heard Su Mei Yard belonged to the first wife of Third Uncle. After she passed away, Third Uncle planned to lock it. Because it would be Second Brother’s study when he grows up. However, the whole family of Third Uncle went to the north for business, so Su Mei Yard was empty. I don’t know when Second Sister settled into Su Mei Yard. I just heard from my maids that almost 10 maids and mammies coming from West Lateral court went to Su Mei Yard to work. And they also said Second Sister is fond of the flowers in Su Mei Yard, so she begged Second Aunt for the key of the Yard.”

Mammy Tang said nothing but signed, “Alas, Second Miss is doted on by her mother! But I believe Second Mistress Luo can distinctly keep separate between public and private. She knows it fairly well that what she can touch and what she can’t. It’s impossible for her to settle into Su Mei Yard without saying a word to the Third Brunch. I think they may have discussed it, so she can live here for several months. And after Second Miss enjoys the flowers, Third Lord would come back from the north. It’s not a big deal.”

He Danggui nodded convincingly and said, “Mammy, you’re right. Second Aunt is always professional and loves our family.”

Mammy Tang comforted her, “Third Miss, take it easy. Second Miss is spoiled, but she is kind. I guess she didn’t know these maids are from your yard, so she kept them. I will talk to her later and she will give them back to you. Also, I’ll request Madam Luo to clean up the whole West Lateral court so that you can have the same yard. OK?”

He Danggui’s eyes outside the veil were full of fear. She waved her hands to refuse, “No, please don’t talk to my Second Sister about this, Mammy!”

“Why?” Mammy Tang frowned, “Second Miss is easy-going, so don’t worry about it, Third Miss.”

He Danggui lowered her head and said desultory, “My maids said, there are hearty male at Su Mei Yard and their master eats less than me. I can eat up two bowls of dishes and one bowl of rice every time they sent me at midnight. At Su Mei Yard, there are tables of delicacies, and the master eats a bit before she rewarded the meal to them… In addition, the maids can have a lot of reward. Dozens of brocades will be sent in their house monthly. And they will have new clothes if their master doesn’t like the color or design of brocades… Besides, their pouches will be filled with silver and cash within days, jingling on their waists, which sounds great… And they also said the differences between the stingy peasant girl like me and their new master are so huge…”

Mammy Tang’s hands itched again. She got mad as she scratched, “Those bitches gossip too much, but not serving their master. How terrible! I will teach them a lesson afterwards. They won’t dare to disrespect you ever again!”

He Danggui stopped her again, “Don’t stoop to their level and let them go. They had served me before. And they have suffered a lot before I came to the Taoist temple. Certainly, after I was ‘dead’, they went to other yards to serve new masters. But I don’t want to call them back for serving and separating them with their masters when I come back home.”

Mammy Tang thought for a moment and promised, “I don’t want those ingrates to serve you, either. I’ll send someone to Qingcaoniu market, picking out some new ones for you, Third Miss, and finding some good ones to serve you in your daily life.”

He Danggui refused, “The new maids who are purchased outside also don’t know each other. It will take more energy to get along with them. I’m sure I’m passionate and sincere to people, but even if I give more than 1 liang silver ingot monthly allowance to people, I can’t get a true heart. In the end, I’m reduced to the laughingstock of others, and I will feel very sad. Therefore, I would like to ask Mammy to make a decision, and don’t send any new maids to the West Lateral court. I like to be quiet and don’t need to be served. Chan Yi is good enough for me.”

Mammy Tang thought she was pitiful, so she comforted her instantly, “Third Miss, don’t be sad. Some time ago, Madam Luo asked the Master Prophet, Qi Xuanyu, to tell your fortune. The master said that you would have a good future and marry a good family. The good days are still ahead! Don’t take those snobbish people’s words to heart. It’s better to slow down the selection of maids. We can talk about this after Madam Luo recovers the 400 liang silver ingot for you. And you said just now a Taoist nun in the temple also wants to be your maid? Is she called Gui Zhi or Gui Hua?”

“Her name is Huai Hua. She’s 17 years old.” He Danggui said slowly, “Although I’m not familiar with her, she’s quite respectful to me and obedient. Every time I command anything, she runs to do it immediately. It’s very different from my former maids. They don’t always hear what I said. Besides, I didn’t promise to take her away. But she doesn’t care about it very much. She just asked if I would ask around for her. If I can’t, she will make another plan.”

Mammy Tang nodded, and clapped her hands, “It seems that the nuns here are still simple and unsophisticated. Unlike some little girls in the mansion, they only know how to prick up themselves all day. They are full of bad ideas. In this case, I will make a decision without authorization. As long as you like the nuns in the Taoist temple, Third Miss, you can take her home and she will be your maid after she resumes secular life.”

He Danggui was grateful sincerely, “Thank you very much, Mammy. The more considerate people around me are, the more troubles I could save.”. com

“I often say to the servants that the masters of Luo’s Family are the best. We are very lucky to meet such good masters. The first thing to be a servant is loyalty. People can be stupid, lazy, greedy, and the masters won’t blame them for that. But if a servant doesn’t take the master seriously and has two faces, he will break his job and have no face to eat the meal that the master rewards.” Mammy Tang’s words turned sharp, staring at He Danggui’s eyes, and said sternly, “I plan to go back to Luo’s Mansion immediately. I will report to Madam Luo what happened to you, and then bring Fourth Miss to the Taoist temple to make amends for you. But Third Miss, you scared me really. You said you saw in your dream that Master Zhu would die. You can’t talk about it again when you go home!”

He Danggui nodded hesitantly and promised, “I will keep it in my mind, Mammy.”

“I’ll take this cloth back as it is, and I won’t leave the make-up for you, either, Third Miss. I’ll take it back and ask Jiu Gu to have a test and see what they are.” Speaking of this, Mammy Tang felt heartache. When did the innocent and lively Fourth Miss learn to use poison? She used to be a na?ve and lively girl.

He Danggui said apologetically, “It’s all my faults. Now Mammy Tang suffers itch and has to go home hastily in the evening. I will get upset for letting you run back and forth four times.” Then she took out a small wooden box and opened it, “I found a prescription in a book accidentally, and made 4 pills for avoiding motion sickness and allaying tiredness according to that prescription. I was going to use it with Mammy on the way back. Since I will stay at the Taoist temple for two more days, I will make more pills for us. Please don’t abandon it. You can eat some on your way home.”

Mammy Tang accepted it with both hands and smiled, “You are so considerate, Third Miss. Thanks a lot.” Though she thanked Third Miss, she didn’t take it to heart and thought a pill made by a child, like Third Miss, wouldn’t be that effective. She would eat these pills as candies.

He Danggui thought for a while and enjoined, “I remember it is said on the book that this pill should be sucked. You don’t need to take it with water or chew. They will melt after a while.”

“OK, I get it.” Mammy Tang enjoined her, too, “Third Miss, take a good rest. If you feel itchy, try not to scratch your hands. It will be worse if you break the skin. I will go back home and ask Jiu Gu if there are any method to relieve itching. By the morning of the day after tomorrow at the latest, I’ll come back and pick you home. Please wait patiently, Third Miss.” After finishing, she left.

He Danggui followed her to the door of the yard. She waved her hanky gracefully and said friendly, “Take your time and bon voyage, Mammy!”

Seeing Mammy Tang’s figure disappeared around the corner, she removed the veil and ordered, “Chan Yi, we will leave here tomorrow. I need to chat with Sister Zhen Zhu. You and Huai Hua pack up our luggage quickly and bring some snacks and Hawthorn tea on the way home. Don’t forget to bring the cotton-padded mattress. We can put it on the gharry. Or you will feel uncomfortable during our journey for several hours.”

※※※

In the morning, Gao Jue got off the boat. There were reflections of sceneries of Qin Huai River on the water, such as the roofs, ornamental perforated windows and barges, accompanied by the waves. Though it was cold at this season, verdant willow branches still danced with the wind and formed a highly characteristic country landscape. Across the bridge, you could see a red house through bushy willow branches. This was the only one red building in Yinma Town.

Gao Jue went into this manor at ease and went straight to the main hall.

This manor was built leaning the mountains. It was not big but very imposing and unique. While this was not its most attractive feature. The most attractive feature was that there were a lot of white sands on the manor’s road, which only could be seen on the beach. It was very unique and suited the flowers and trees on the manor.

Gao Jue went across the main hall, the curved corridor, and then got to another yard. The yard was silent and its windows and doors of the north side were closed. But you could smell wine aromas wafted up from this yard. The wind rolled up the fallen leaves.

“Gao, catch the wine!”

After the voice, the yard’s window was opened. A black stuff flied toward Gao Jue’s head. He didn’t look up but avoided it. Then that stuff flashed a graceful arc and fell on the ground. “Bang!” It broke into fragments. And the mellow wine aromas wafted through the atrium.

Liao Zhiyuan was so angry when he saw the 9-year aged Jiaxing wine spilling on the ground. He caught the window frame and yelled, “Why don’t you catch it? You are so lack of romance!”

Gao Jue went into the yard, poker-faced. He sat by the table and caught up the half-left wine. Then he poured the wine into his mouth. Using the word “pour” was because he was too hurried that a lot of liquid wasn’t being drunk but poured at his black-beard chin. He only drank a little, while the rest was spilled on his long robe. The robe made by black brocade was with a round collar.

After drinking, he threw the empty wine jar from the window and then lay on the bed. He faced the wall and started to catnap.