Guizi
Red dates, peanuts, longans, and lotus seeds—all good things meant for the early birth of a son. In the East Courtyard, small baskets of them were always placed around the room, sometimes scattered in corners. Everyone kept this a secret, and no one dared to expose Mrs. Qin's little wish.
After staying in the Liu Mansion for a few days, he found out that the third son of Madam Qin was born with congenital deficiencies. He had sought medical treatment and tried many methods over the years, but to no avail. Even the Taoist priests in Fengqing Temple on the outskirts of the city were familiar with the Liu family. It was feared that the third son of Liu was in great danger.
Yulan had always heard her mother say: "Children are the flesh and blood of a mother, and they should be cherished especially." Fathers could be hands-off, as if the child had nothing to do with them. They simply had a child for no reason in their happy moments. If one wasn't enough, they could have more. If this woman wasn't enough, they could find another.
Master Liu is just like this. He relies on his many wives and concubines and is not afraid of the women in the backyard who cannot give birth. He does not take it seriously at all. Therefore, Madam Qin has been keeping a close eye on the backyard over the years. But even so, the fourth and fifth girls still appeared in the backyard one after another.
And Aunt Yun who just announced the good news.
Seeing that Concubine Yun had become more plump and beautiful these days, and no longer as decadent as before, Yulan guessed that she was pregnant. However, she didn't dare to think too much about it. After all, she still remembered the man who climbed over the courtyard wall that time, and his coarse linen clothes always had the stench of horse urine.
"What are you thinking about?" Bao Fu tapped Yulan's forehead, holding a handful of beads in his hand. "These are the gifts from Aunt Yun's courtyard. Don't just stand there, go quickly. Maybe you can still pick up some now."
Yulan cursed him inwardly, saying it was no wonder he'd been assigned to the North Courtyard for so many years. But then she curled her lips and forced a smile, "Brother Fu is definitely well-informed. I'll go claim the reward when I'm done."
"Okay, you have to hurry up after you finish your work! If you're late, they will be gone." After Bao Fu finished speaking, he held the beads in both hands and ran back to the room in small steps as if he was holding an "imperial edict". His clumsy body was tripped by the raised bluestone slab, and the beads were scattered all over the floor. He frantically lay on the ground and groped around, picking up the beads one by one. These were the beads he was saving for marrying a wife.
Yulan couldn't bear to see Bao Fu so foolishly, so she helped him pick them up. The beads were dull in color and of varying sizes, not worth much, and she looked down on Bao Fu even more.
While the Liu family wasn't considered a prominent family, they were connected to the imperial merchants of the capital. They didn't have any wiles and connections, but they were still quite wealthy. Those working there had to have some perspective and not look like beggars. Yulan, feeling upset, casually gathered a handful of beads from the ground and returned them to Bao Fu. "Brother Fu, count them. Are there any missing?"
"Sister Yulan is very careful in her work, so there will be no shortage of beads." Bao Fu's face turned red after this ordeal, and he carefully brought the beads back to the room.
Looking at the round figure, I found myself in the remote north courtyard. The good things in the west courtyard flowed in and out like water. The things that came in were genuine goods, and the things that came out were worthless.
Originally, she should have a share of those rewards, and it had to be the most decent and largest one.
She used to be the one favored by Concubine Yun, and she was the one who served her in and out. Before, Concubine Yun was not favored, but she was just there for face, to be a cut above the other little girls. Now she was pregnant, favored and rewarded, but Yulan was "exiled to the frontier".
Because of that wild man, she has ended up in this situation now, and all her efforts over the years have been in vain.
The beads that hadn't been picked up in the corner, scorching under the sun, stung the resentful Yulan at the moment. She looked around and her eyes fell on Liu Er's room.
Liu Er's health had improved somewhat, but Madam Qin still refused to let him out, citing his frail health as an excuse. This was practically the same as house arrest. After all, there were only two sons in the mansion, Liu Er and Liu San, and Madam Qin would rather neither of them inherit the family fortune than let an illegitimate child take possession of it.
Madam Qin probably didn't expect that even with her vigilant guard day and night, she couldn't prevent a concubine who hadn't been favored for many years from getting pregnant. She didn't know if it was the Sixth Young Lady or the Sixth Young Master who was pregnant.
At this moment, everyone in the East Courtyard was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. Given Madam Qin's personality, she would definitely not let Yun have an easy time. Seeing how ostentatious she was, it was still a question whether the child could be delivered smoothly.
Yulan went into Liu Er's room again to show her courtesy. Seeing that Liu Er treated her more kindly these days, she became more and more presumptuous.
"Come here." Liu Er leaned on the bed and moved his fingers to let Yulan come over.
Yulan also followed Liu Er humbly.
"Can you comb your hair?"
Yulan nodded and went to boil some hot water.
Ever since Liu Er attempted suicide, she had only been given a simple scrub and no proper grooming, and these days had been truly difficult. She felt remiss in not noticing her master's discomfort in time, and a vague sense of regret welled up in her heart.
The apricot blossom oil was given by Aunt Yun in the past. Yulan was reluctant to use it on weekdays, so she put a few drops in the copper basin for Liu Er to wash his hair.
Liu Er's hair was fine and soft, like silk, and it shone black in the water. Looking at Liu Er's handsome face, resting with his eyes closed, Yulan didn't mind the dirty water in the copper basin. She carefully combed and washed his hair, then set up a rattan recliner in the yard for Liu Er to lie down and let his hair dry.
If Liu Er hadn't wanted to comb her hair, Yulan wouldn't have noticed that the weather was so good today and the sunshine was warmer than usual.
"May I have your name?"
"Second Young Master is so forgetful. My name is Yulan." Yulan smiled helplessly.
"I asked you your real name."
"I entered the Liu family when I was nine years old. I don't remember anything before that."
Liu Er closed his eyes and remained silent for a long time, as if thinking about something. He slowly said, "I haven't read much since I returned to the Liu family. I'll give you a new name after I read more."
"Don't you like this name, Second Young Master?" Yulan thought to herself that it was just as Mr. Zhang said back then, the richer you are, the more trouble you think about. Second Young Master Liu was in such a difficult situation that he still had to think of a name for a servant like her.
"I don't like it. Like an object."
Yulan was startled, unable to tell which string had been plucked. Then she smiled falsely and asked, "Aren't we originally belonging to the Liu family?"
Liu Er opened his eyes, his dark pupils fixed on Yulan. He said nothing, but Yulan felt uneasy under his gaze. She turned to leave but was grabbed by the sleeve.
"Don't worry, I won't abandon you easily, like throwing away an object." Liu Er's words were inexplicable, but his eyes were extremely sincere. His pair of black and translucent pupils were filled with a faint light as he looked up at Yulan.
Yulan felt disdainful in her heart. In this situation, it was not certain who would abandon whom.
"Then Yulan and Brother Fu would like to thank the Second Young Master first. We are short-handed in the courtyard, so I have to go and get busy. I will come back to help the Second Young Master comb his hair later."
She found an excuse to quickly get away. The scene had frightened Yulan. She touched the cuff of her sleeve, which had been pulled, and glanced back in confusion. Liu Er's grip on her sleeve was quite strong, but his eyes were full of pity. She admitted that looking into those eyes made her heart ache; she saw herself through them.
Liu Er was still basking in the sun with his eyes closed, his mouth slightly open, a travelogue in his hand, letting the wind turn the pages. The wind blew gently, ruffling his hair, which was still wet, and the faint scent of apricot blossoms was as warm as if he was still in the spring in Yangzhou.
He thought he was missing his mother.
The three aunts who managed the East Courtyard, Qingfang, Chuanfang, and Lanfang, were brought over from the Qin family by Madam Qin. The three sisters lived up to their names: Qingfang was more cheerful, Chuanfang more articulate, and Lanfang more gentle.
It was Aunt Qingfang who came to the North Courtyard today. With a smile on her face, she invited Yulan to the East Courtyard for questioning. Yulan had already guessed that she was going to ask about things going on in Aunt Yun's courtyard, and she had already planned what to say and what to do.
Unexpectedly, the apricot blossoms came with the wind and blocked the entrance to the north courtyard.
"Aunt, if you have anything to say, just ask here. We are short of staff in the North Courtyard and don't have time to spare." Yulan looked in the direction of the voice and saw Liu Er walking towards her with his hair loose and not yet dry.
He stayed in bed most of the time and rarely got out to walk around. When he walked, he was weak most of the time, like a willow branch in the wind. But today, maybe because he had eaten ginseng, he seemed to be in high spirits.
"Second Young Master, please excuse me. It's Madam who has something to ask you." Aunt Qingfang still answered with a smile.
"What's the next question, Mother? I'm sure Mother knows everything about the death of a bug in our North Yard, right?"
"Madam treats the Second Young Master with great kindness. Don't let the gossip of others damage the mother-son bond." Aunt Qingfang continued with a smile, "Don't worry, Second Young Master. Madam is just asking a few questions. Madam knows that Yulan is highly regarded by you, so she will not embarrass you."
Liu Er knew he was powerless within the Liu family, and any words he said were merely a way to keep Yulan in good stead. He wanted to let those people know that their North Courtyard members were not without protection, even if he was currently powerless...
Watching Yulan follow Aunt Qingfang out of the North Courtyard, Liu Er felt a mixture of emotions and stood at the door, not wanting to go back. He was not Liu San, and he had no one to protect him, nor could he protect anyone.
"Second Young Master's hair isn't dry yet, be careful not to catch a cold." Bao Fu put a shawl on him and held him up to the sun. "Miss Yulan used to serve in Madam Yun's courtyard. Madam probably only wants to ask about Madam Yun's affairs. She won't make it difficult for her."
"I hope so."
The east courtyard of the Liu family is where Madam Qin lives, also known as Pomegranate Residence. According to Madam Qin's instructions, many pomegranate trees were planted in the courtyard.
As Yulan expected, she was kneeling in the main hall waiting for Madam Qin to ask about Aunt Yun. When she looked up, she could see a plaque with peeling paint hanging in the middle of the main hall. On the plaque was carved a pattern of melons and melons, and the four big characters "Wei Rui Fan Zhi" were written in gold paint.
Mrs. Qin took a sip of tea and sat condescendingly. She didn't say a word. It was Aunt Chuanfang who spoke.
"Don't be nervous, Miss Yulan. I have a few questions for you."
Yulan nodded.
"Why were you punished to move from the West Courtyard to the North Courtyard on the fifth day of the third month of the New Year?"
"Maybe it's because I'm clumsy and I made my aunt unhappy." Yulan shook her body pretending to be nervous.
"You have been with Yun Shi since you entered the mansion at the age of nine. As her personal maid, you should know her habits very well. How did you offend your master?"
Yulan wiped her eyes, sniffed, and replied, "Madam, you are the one who makes the decision. I don't know what I did to offend Auntie, but I was punished to go to the North Courtyard. It's cold and remote there. Please forgive me, Madam, for letting me serve in the West Courtyard."
"That's enough, why are you crying?" Madam Qin hated women crying. Seeing Yulan about to burst into tears, she stood up, smashed the cups and dishes, and went back to the inner room, leaving Aunt Chuanfang and a few servants behind.
"Can you write?"
"Not really."
"Thank you Miss Yulan for taking the trouble to orally describe Concubine Yun's daily eating and living habits. Now that she is pregnant, we in the East Courtyard cannot fail to take good care of her." Aunt Chuanfang ordered the servants around her to take out the writing materials that had been prepared at the beginning and spread them on the table.
Yulan understood everything and described it in detail, only talking about what she had done and knowing nothing else. As for the key points, those who were attentive would naturally be able to see the clues, and Yulan was just telling the truth.
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