Lady Kelpi Translations

Chapter Twenty-Nine:
No one can shelter her from the wind and rain forever, she will eventually have to face the world on her own

Minglan was very clear that the benefits of living in Shou’an Hall was not only to increase her food and clothing, but it also had a comfortable rhythm of life. She didn’t have to look up at people’s faces and could live a simple and comfortable life. After living in Shou’an Hall for many years, Minglan never suffered from Madam Wang’s difficulties, and she only said a few words with her brothers and sisters. She got used to being with Old Madam Sheng every day, reading and writing or sewing in front of her, and slept next to her at night.

Every time Rulan was feeling irritable, she wanted to find some trouble for Minglan. But if she wanted to get to Minglan, she had to go through multiple levels, including the Shou’an Hall gate, Fang Mama in the main room and Cui Mama in the side room. If she manages to get to Minglan all the way in the Pear Blossom Cabinet, Old Madam Sheng would be reciting scriptures next door. There was no way in. Even paying her respects to Madam Wang was temporarily exempted by the old woman because of her young age and poor health.

No one had ever been angry with Minglan since moving into Shou’an Hall. Old Madam Sheng’s various maintenance of her was clear to Minglan and she was deeply grateful. However, as Molan moved into Wei Rui Xuan, Minglan knew those happy days would be coming to an end.

“…The girls are getting older and have their own residences. Wei Rui Xuan is still empty, why don’t you let Minglan move over and let the sisters spend more time together? We don’t know how much they can see each other once they get married.” Madam Wang said a day after Changbai returned home before she went to Shou’an Hall to greet Old Madam Sheng.

Minglan was practicing calligraphy in the side hall when she heard the conversation, her heart skipping a beat. She glanced at Danju sitting opposite of her of the kang table, helping her grind ink. The girl looked shocked as well. For a while there was no sound coming from the other room other than the low cough of Old Madam Sheng. Fang Mama suddenly spoke up, “Madam said it right. Yesterday, Old Madam was telling me that she should let Sixth Miss have her own residence…. However, Madam, you also know that in recent years she has been fortunate enough to have Sixth Miss. This Shou’an Hall is much more lively and cheerful now. Old Madam’s health is good now, but…”

Fang Mama drew out her words. Madam Wang’s expression became somewhat awkward. “It was my negligence. Of course, Old Madam’s health is important. It’s just if others found out that Minglan didn’t have her own residence, they’ll think I’m mean to Minglan…”

“What you’re saying is also reasonable,” Fang Mama quickly said. “Not only do the sisters have to leave when they marry, but they also have to learn how to manage their own households when they are older. A girl shouldn’t be by her grandmother’s side forever. So, Old Madam said we should clean up the row of empty houses on the east side of Shou’an Hall for Sixth Miss to live in. It is close to both Shou’an Hall and Wei Rui Xuan.”

The proposal was a good one, and Madam Wang agreed. She immediately instructed people to tidy up the houses. Minglan nervously came out of the side room and walked to Old Madam Sheng, holding her old grandmother’s hand and shaking it. Old Madam Sheng pulled the little girl onto the kang bed and hugged in distress. She held onto her for a long time before saying, “You have to learn how to live by yourself, how to control your servants, how to handle money, and how to communicate with your brothers and sisters… Grandmother can’t stand in your way for the rest of your life.”

Minglan looked up at Old Madam Sheng’s wrinkled face and greying elderly eyes, a sour feeling in her heart. She burst into tears and buried herself into her grandmother’s arms. “…Minglan will be obedient and won’t make Grandmother lose face.”

…

The décor where Minglan now lived was mostly in a southern style. Northerners liked to be in tall and open spaces, so independent small courtyards were really popular. The small courtyard east of Shou’an Hall was originally just a separate courtyard for snow and lake viewing and was half the size of Wei Rui Xuan. Madam Wang had it cleaned three times yet Old Madam Sheng still wasn’t satisfied, saying it was too simple and uncomfortable to live in.

Once Sheng Hong found out about that, he immediately hired a mud tile carpenter to renovate the inside and outside of the small courtyard, having it repaired and repainted. It was not until the new year that Old Madam Sheng finally nodded and said Minglan could move in. After this battle, everyone in the Sheng family knew that Sixth Miss Minglan was the apple of Old Madam Sheng’s eye and, even after moving out of Shou’an Hall, no one dared bully her.

Because of this, Minglan was particularly depressed while celebrating the New Year. Her eyes were full of tears when she kowtowed to the ancestral plaque. She shed tears in vain while watching the fireworks. She twisted and refused to let go of her grandmother every day, even sleeping in her room. When she woke up, her face was often wet. Old Madam Sheng sighed every time she saw this but didn’t speak.

In the month after New Year’s, Old Madam chose a sunny and clear day. Fang Mama ordered all the troops and organized Minglan’s affairs, and she was moved in a grand manner. Minglan bid farewell to Old Madam Sheng and left Shou’an Hall, turning back to look at her every few steps. She was the first, and perhaps the only, safe haven in this world, where there was a grandmother who selflessly cared for and loved her. However, no one in this world could be sheltered from the wind and rain forever. She eventually had to face the world herself.

The day before she moved, Minglan visited Sheng Changbai with a newly made fan cover, wanting to ask him to give her a name for her small courtyard. She had thought of some good names ­– Xiao Xiang Hall, Hengwu Garden, Autumn Shuang Zhai, Dao Xiang Village, and Lu Xue An. Each one felt more elegant, but then she remembered the fate of those women and thought it was better not to play with bad luck.

Brother Changbai received his fee and immediately began to think of names. He picked up his brush and presented the name, Azure Dusk Study.

There were three large rooms facing the south in Azure Dusk Study. The center room served as the main hall and living area. The left room was Minglan’s bedroom while the right room served as a study. There were two side rooms on each side of the main hall, and there were two rooms in the front and back for the maids and servants to live in. It was very close to Shou’an Hall; it was basically wrapped in a garden outside of it and connected by a corridor. If Minglan screamed loudly, Old Madam Sheng would be able to hear and come to put out the fire. Minglan was deeply moved by Old Madam Sheng’s good intentions.

The Sixth Miss of the Sheng family had Cui Mama, two big maids, four to six small maids, and a handful of servants for the outer room, including Xiao Yao. In all, they were inferior to Molan and Rulan’s residences, but Azure Dusk Study was already small and Minglan was afraid more people would cause more trouble. She was happy to have who she had and not add others. Besides, Sheng Hong was a prominent official and refused to indulge in extravagance. Because of that, the monthly salary of the girls in the Sheng family was two taels of silver, but that was just on the account. Rulan had the support of Madam Wang, Molan had the support of Concubine Lin, and Old Madam Sheng sent additional money to Minglan every month. The two taels of silver were just a matter of public concern.

On the day of the housewarming, Old Madam Sheng sat in the main hall and all her brothers and sisters came to congratulate her. Brother Changbai gave a jade-like flower pot, with several fresh and tender red plums inserted in it. Rulan gave a painted carved flower and bird marble brush pot. Changfeng sent the complete set of “Records of Mountains and Seas.” Molan gave her a pair of handwritten door couplets, and personally painted a picture of a fisherman fishing. Finally, Changdong timidly took out his housewarming gift. Concubine Xiang had personally embroidered a complete set of curtains for the four seasons. Pink, green, orange, and blue curtains were embroidered with colorful flowers, birds, fish, and insects of the four seasons. It was very exquisite. Minglan saw Changdong’s embarrassed expression and leaned into his ear, “Tell Concubine Xiang I really like this.”

Little Changdong immediately flushed happily.

The next morning, Minglan made an exception and decided not to sleep in. She arrived at Shou’an Hall early to pay her respects and saw that Old Madam Sheng also had swollen eyes. The grandmother and granddaughter hugged and had a good conversation. Old Madam Sheng looked over Minglan three times, as if her granddaughter had lost weight after sleeping outside of her residence. She kept asking if the warm pavilion was leaking air, if the heated floor was too hot, and how her kang bed heated up.

Madam Wang, who sat beside her, held her tea with a somewhat complex expression. In her early years, before mother-in-law and daughter-in-law had fallen out, she had been a good daughter-in-law for a while. In fact, Old Madam Sheng was quite difficult to serve, with a proud and aloof nature. She had an arrogant and cold demeanor, making it difficult to talk with her. She found others interfering with her business more troublesome than anything. Even when she was raising Concubine Lin, she didn’t see much warmth coming from her, either. Madam Wang didn’t want Rulan to be treated coldly at Shou’an Hall. She didn’t know what incense the Sixth Miss had burned so they were favored. She hadn’t taken Mrs. Liu Kun’s reminder that Minglan should be moved out, but upon closer reflection, it was reasonable.

If Minglan had to be recorded in one’s own name in the future, then one must also bring up the funds of their legitimate daughter. If one should cultivate emotions, they should cultivate emotions, if one should teach, they should teach. Moreover, she was getting older and was always in Shou’an Hall and it wasn’t good for Qi Heng to be coming and going.

Madam Wang recently discovered that under the tutelage of Old Madam, Minglan behaved appropriately and was an obedient student. On the contrary, Rulan was still naïve and straightforward, spending her days in fighting with Molan and making no progress at all. Moving Minglan out might have a good impact on Rulan, and it would also make Madam Wang’s reputation outside better.

Thinking of this, Madam Wang took a sip of her tea and felt much more relaxed. Three daughters looked more flashy than two.

The second day after moving into Azure Dusk Study, Minglan had to fulfill her obligations. After having breakfast at Shou’an Hall, she left Danju to take care of her residence and went to the main courtyard with Xiaotao and Yan Cao to greet Madam Wang. She saw the two sisters were already sitting in the room and a kang covered in brocade and cotton at the front of the room. Molan and Rulan sat side by side, occasionally giving the other girl a cool look like a tortoise and a mung bean.

Minglan sighed inwardly, readying herself. She smiled as she walked in and said, “Hello sisters. It looks like I’m late.” As she spoke, she quietly sat beside Rulan. The Old Madam had kept her longer than expected at Shou’an Hall, which was far from Madam Wang’s place. If she had been able to show off her 800-meter dash skill, she could have arrived on time. Unfortunately, young ladies these days couldn’t even take a big step while walking. Minglan could only secretly practice calisthenics and yoga behind closed doors.

“Sixth Sister is the flesh of Old Madam’s heart,” Molan immediately sneered. “Even if you are a little late, why bother? How dare we punish our younger sister for being so late?”

Minglan touched her sleeve and smoothed out the front of her dress as if the motion were calming her own mood. “Fourth Sister, you’re so angry early in the morning,” she said slowly. “If Madam doesn’t punish me then she has no courage, but if she does chastise me, Old Madam might feel unhappy. Your words have put our two elders in a tough spot.”

Rulan’s eyes widened and she turned to look at Minglan, her eyes filled with disbelief and joy. Molan nearly choked. Because she wasn’t the original, Minglan didn’t really know about her younger years, but Molan clearly remembered how scared and bullied Minglan had been before the age of five. She had bullied her more than once, and Rulan also shouted and barked orders at her countless times. Once Minglan was taken to Shou’an Hall, she rarely interacted with them for several years except for their daily greetings, and then they would only exchange a few polite words. She remembered that Minglan had been honest, cowardly, and foolish.

Molan’s gaze suddenly sharpened. “What… what did you say? You’re slandering me!”

Minglan chuckled inwardly. Like Concubine Lin, Molan was indeed weak on the outside and strong on the inside. If she really was weak, how could she survive today? Minglan chuckled lightly and said, “Oh, it seems I misunderstood. It turns out that Fourth Sister didn’t want Madam to punish me.”

Seeing Molan become infuriated made Rulan feel very happy. She gleefully took Minglan’s arm and affectionately said, “Sixth Sister used to be in poor health, so Old Madam told Mother she didn’t have to come and pay her respects. It’s her first day, it should be okay for her to be late right? Liu Mama has something to do with Mother after Concubine Xiang served her breakfast. She hasn’t come out yet, so it’s okay!”

The enemy of my enemy is my friend was the concept that Madam Wang had passed down to Rulan. In her daily fights with Rulan, she would lose seven out of ten times. Now, with the help of foreign aid, she immediately regained her spirit. Minglan didn’t know the twists and turns of the inner residence, but the most taboo thing was to stand by the side and see which way the wind blew. With Concubine Wei’s death in mind, she and Concubine Lin’s side were no better off.

Rulan found her a comrade in arms and spoke to Minglan about everything. At one point, she said that she had new robe meat that was delicious and would send some to Minglan. At another point, she said she had a new painting called “Nine Nine Degrees of Cold” and wanted to share it with Minglan. “When I was a child, Sixth Sister lived with me but unfortunately, we weren’t very close before you went to Shou’an Hall. If only we could live together.”
[I have no idea what robe meat is. If anyone knows, let me know. My google skills have failed me.]

Molan had already calmed her anger and gently used the lid of her tea cup to stir the tea leaves. “Fifth Sister must be joking,” she said. “Sixth Sister was enjoying delicious food in front of Old Madam. How can she come to Wei Rui Xuan? Aiyo – speaking of it, I am unlucky. I could have entered Shou’an Hall at the beginning, but Fifth Sister is much stronger than us. Why can’t Old Madam look down at me?”

When it came to abilities, Rulan was indeed not as good as Molan. She was good at cursing, but this delicate bickering often tripped her up. She held Minglan’s arm and immediately tightened her grip. Minglan winced and mourned her sore arm. “Fourth Sister is really funny,” she said. “Fifth Sister and Madam have a deep relationship as mother and daughter and couldn’t bear to part with each other. Fourth Sister is very filial, but Old Madam didn’t want to separate you from your mother. That’s why she picked me.”

“That’s right!” Rulan burst out laughing as she remembered. “Fourth Sister is very filial and was willing to give up Concubine Lin, but Old Madam couldn’t bear it!” She then relaxed her hand. Minglan pulled back her pitiful chubby little arm.

Molan stood up and turned to look at Minglan. “How dare you talk about your elders and older sisters like that?”

“How did I talk about it?” Minglan asked, smiling. “Can you tell me which sentence I said wrong, so that I can correct it?” What she really meant was, try and find any fault in her words if you have the skills.

In her past life, the judge once said, “The court is the legal place to press people.” Start with clauses and regulations when starting the argument. It might seem that the lawsuit is not about people, but it really is. Those who fight lawsuits are people, and others cannot say a word. The handsome lawyer Yao Yiyi had a crush on in her previous life could bring the plaintiff to the brink of death in anger but also displaced a face of sincerity and seriousness.

Molan stared at Minglan, eyes wide in surprise. Minglan calmly looked back at her. She didn’t mean to fight against Molan, but as soon as she walked through the door that day, Molan had to aggressively pick at her. If Minglan was too weak now, not only would she be looked down upon by Rulan, but she would also have to be prepared to be bullied in the future. She just showed her claws to let others know that she wouldn’t offend someone if they don’t offend her, even if she didn’t have any real brothers or concubine mother. She was not entirely dependent.

The two girls stared at each other, the air in the room filled with electricity. Rulan’s eyes gleamed with excitement. Minglan gently closed her eyes and pretended to be afraid. She stood up and walked over to Molan, obediently bowing to her. “It’s all my fault,” she said respectfully. “If it’s not too late, I won’t be naughty with you. Don’t be angry Fourth Sister. Let me make it better for you.”

Rulan cursed in her heart that Minglan was indeed useless and had poor resistance to the attack. She clenched her sleeves, preparing to participate in the war. At that moment, the curtain outside the door was lifted and a voice said, “Madam is here.”

…

I have a question for people. Do you prefer the original pinyin names or an actual translated name for the residence names?

Next Chapter: The Sister’s Confrontation and Madam’s Calculations