The Rebirth of Han Yuxi

Chapter 65 : The Gift Is Trifling But The Feeling Is Profound

Time flies. In a twinkling of an eye, it was finally end of the year. Annual gifts from Hebei had also arrived.

Qiu Shi looked at the list of gifts and said with a smile, “The Third Master is getting bigger and bigger, but the gifts are getting fewer and fewer.” The more money the officials made, the more stingy they became.

Mama Li said, “Don’t look at it, Madam. Let this old servant put them in the warehouse!” Looking at them would only make her Madam be angry over something trifles. What the eye didn’t see, the heart didn’t grieve over (Chinese idiom : out of sight, out of mind).

After receiving the gifts list, Mama Li said, “Madam, I heard that this time, Third Master sent two large boxes of gifts to Fourth Miss.”

Qiu Shi responded, “Old Madam must have said something to him!” The only person who had position to advise others in this household was the Old Madam, which made it easy for her to guess.

The one who received the gift, Yuxi, looked really calm. Others couldn’t see any joy or even sadness in her expression. She looked unenthusiastic as she ordered someone to open the boxes, “Look at what they have sent.”

Zanhuang golden silk jujube

Source | 赞皇枣元果业 via Taobao

Dried apricot plum

Source | 西安市未央区海永邦百货店 via 1688.com

Dried duck pear / Chinese white pear

Source | Taobao

Inside the two big boxes, one was filled with Zanhuang golden silk jujube, dried apricot plum, and dried duck pear (Chinese white pear). While inside the other box, there were several paintings made of white reeds. The pictures were very distinctive. There were the pictures of a red-crown crane, old man fishing, and a tercel (male eagle) spreading its wings.

Red-crown crane

Source | 东方白 via Sina.com

Old man fishing

Source | 东方白 via Sina.com

The only image of a tercel in reeds painting that I could find created by Zhou Hang.

Source | Xinhua News

Yuxi ordered the people to put everything away, “Put all the foods in the kitchen. The red-crown crane will be hanging in my study. In addition, ‘Old Man Fishing’ is given to Eldest Brother. The ‘Tercel Spreads Its Wings’ shall be kept first. I will give it to Second Brother when I meet him.”

When receiving gift, there was nothing wrong with giving away extra one, as long as the gift received was not a single item. However, the problem now was, it was Yuxi’s first time receiving gifts from her father, but she was not excited at all. Instead, she could calmly distribute them. This attitude caused people of the residence had no choice but to ponder deeply over.

In the afternoon, as usual, Yuxi went to Tingyun Pavilion to learn etiquette. Seeing Yuchen smiling face, she asked, “Did Third Sister get anything good?”

Yuchen smilingly said, “It’s not really that good thing. It’s just a set of bone china tea set. What did Fourth Sister get? ”

Yuxi evaded the serious matters, and took up trifles (Chinese idiom : avoid what’s important and dwell on the trivial) as she said, “Father sent me several paintings, all of which are very distinctive. I picked out the one with the crane to be hanged up in my study.”

Yuchen’s mood was somewhat complicated. It seemed that her father had never sent her a painting. In her heart, the paintings her father had sent to Yuxi must be paintings painted by famous artists. “Really? Can I go to your yard later and see the paintings that father gave you?”

Yuxi hesitated a little, but then, she finally lowered her head, slowly, “Naturally, you can.”

When Momo Quan saw Yuxi, she did not immediately started the class, but instead, she asked, “The annual gifts from Third Master arrived today. Third Miss was very happy with her gift. Didn’t Fourth Miss also get a gift?”

Yuxi nodded and answered, “Yes, two big boxes of them.”

Momo Quan asked Yuxi to sit down. She also sat cross-legged in front of Yuxi and asked, “Then, why didn’t I see any joy in your face?”

Yuxi no longer bowed her head, because she had been instructed by Momo Quan not to act petty, so she had to sit with face up while facing Momo Quan’s inquiry. She may not bow her head, but she did not speak either. She just sat there while remaining silent.

Momo Quan asked, “Do you have resentment in your heart? You resent Third Master for not paying attention to you over the years, and, even if he did sent something to you this time, you will still resent him.”

How could Yuxi bear this kind of reputation, “I have no resentment. He is my father, the biological father who gave birth to me and raised me. I am also very happy to receive the present today, but I am not as happy as my Third Sister.“ After a pause, she explained, “Third Sister got a complete set of bone china tea set. My two big boxes are not worth as much as a cup from the gift that Third Sister received.”

Momo Quan was taken aback for a moment, but with a straight face, she quickly reprimanded Yuxi, “Don’t say that your father sent you two big boxes of things, even if it was only a feather which is also still out of concern for you and it’s a piece of your father’s compassionate heart.”

Yuxi wanted to laugh when she heard the words ‘a piece of her father’s compassionate heart’. Han Jingyan ignored her for 16 years in her previous life. For all that 16 years, he had treated her as she was nothing. When he heard that she didn’t want to marry Jiang Hongjin, he threw a white silk cloth to her. It was really a great irony that a compassionate father was even used to describe Han Jingyan. Unfortunately, she couldn’t laugh, as she started to cry, with tears trickling down her cheeks.

Momo Quan had spent more than three months in the state residence, so she was quite clear of Yuxi’s situation. It would not be something surprising if Yuxi did confessed that she did feel resentment towards her father. This time, seeing Yuxi cried in front of her, she did not sooth her, but she instead just sat there watching her cried. When Yuxi’s crying started to end, she handed Yuxi a handkerchief, and her words were very gentle, “Please wipe away your tears.”

After Yuxi regained her calm, she shyly said, “Momo, please don’t take offence.”

Momo Guan did not blame her, but gave her some advices, “Fourth Miss, filial piety is the foundation of human beings. If filial piety is lost, no matter how talented you are nor how good are your appearance, you will never be tolerated by others in this world!” After a pause, she added, “Moreover, a woman will have a very difficult time without the support of her father and brother before and after marriage.”

Yuxi gave a wry smile, “I do know everything Momo said, it’s just …” After a pause, she said, “I also don’t want to conceal this from Momo. I actually haven’t seen my father since I was born. People around me and my own father don’t like me and my mother. They said I was superfluous. Therefore, I think the gift I received this time should have been prepared by my stepmother, and somehow, my father did not know about it. “

“Fourth Miss, that’s your mother,” Momo Quan said with disapproval. “Fourth Miss, I know the Third Madam is a secondary wife and despite that, she is still your elder. When you face her, you must be courteous enough to make no mistake.”

Yuxi understood what Momo Quan meant. “Momo, I will correct it.” She still had a lot to learn.

Momo Quan directly omitted Third Madam from the household hierarchy. She had stayed in the residence for so long. She knew that there were Old Madam Han and Madam of the household, Qiu Shi. Even when Wu Shi came to the residence, Yuxi would not be easily bullied. As long as Yuxi thoroughly commanded her etiquettes, she had nothing else to worry about. Momo Quan said, “Fourth Miss, everyone in this world has parents. You must remember that Third Master is not only your closest relatives, but also your greatest dependence. You must be respectful and filial to him.” Being respectfully dutiful and thoroughly courteous, although they felt like they shared the same meaning, their actual meanings were actually very different.

When Yuxi heard this, she painfully said, “Momo, I don’t know what to do.” She knew that if she wanted to live well in the state residence, she must suppress her resentment in her heart and tried to please the Old Madam and her father. But, she could not do it. She could not pretend to like it even though she hated it. She could not even show her actual emotion.

Momo Quan looked at Yuxi, and her mind couldn’t help but sigh. She was being too demanding. After all, this child was only five years old, and had been treated unfairly. It would have been very hard for Yuxi to do this now. “I will teach you how to do it.”

Yuxi’s face showed a relieved look, “Thank you, Momo.”

Momo Quan shook her head and said, “You’re welcome. Nurturing momo not only teaches rules and etiquette, but also teaches young ladies on how to deal with the world, how to manage the family and how to control it.” She couldn’t guarantee whether Yuxi would be able to be wholeheartedly filial, but what she wanted to ensure was that Yuxi conducted herself respectfully in public and must not cause other people to easily pick out her mistakes.

Yuxi was stupefied. So, an actual original nurturing momo would teach so much thing. No wonder when Yuchen went out to socialise in her last life, she had been praised highly. Later on, when she became the Empress, she was praised for having her mother, the first Third Madam’s demeanour. Though, it was actually the nurturing momo who had put so much in nurturing Yuchen. While, the old woman who had taught her in her last life did not deserve to be called a nurturing momo at all.

Looking at Yuxi’s stupefied face, Momo Quan asked, “Why? Do you think it is too much?”

Yuxi shook her head and replied, “No, I’m just very happy. I’m very happy that I’m going to learn so many things from Momo.” These were all practical things that would benefit her all her life.

Momo Quan said slightly, “I will teach you, but how much you can learn, and to what extent, depends on your own.” There was a good saying, the master led you to the door, the rest was up to you (Chinese saying : you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink).

Yuxi hastily nodded and promised, “I will certainly study hard.”

At the end of the day, Yuxi’s class was finally over. Just outside of the room, she saw Yuchen’s personal maid, Shiqin waiting in the courtyard. Shiqin was left behind by Yuchen to invite Yuxi for dinner, “After dinner, my Miss would like to go to Rose Courtyard together with Fourth Miss to look at paintings.”

Yuxi’s face flashed oddly. Looking at paintings? What was so good about paintings made of reeds? At this time, it never crossed her mind that Yuchen would think that Han Jingyan had sent her famous paintings. “Okay.” Now that she was invited to stay, she could also take the opportunity to try the medicated meals made by Momo Quan.

The large table was filled with dishes and they were served inside blue and white porcelain plates. While, the chopsticks that were placed on the dishes were now glowing with warm lustre. On closer inspection, they were all made of ivory.

Yuxi thought that this was too luxurious and confirmed her thought that Yuchen was indeed the granddaughter the Old Madam loved the most. Even the plates and chopsticks were so exquisite. However, wouldn’t it be too wasteful to fill the whole large table with dishes for both of them? There was an unspoken criticism in her heart, but she wouldn’t be glib enough to speak it out loud.

Yuchen examined her clothes and then went to the dining hall. When she saw Yuxi, she smiled and asked, “Have you been waiting long, Fourth Sister?”

Yuxi shook her head, “No, I’ve just arrived.”

At this time, four maids came in, with the first carrying a glass of water, the second an empty basin, the third a copper basin of water, and the fourth a handkerchief.

Yuxi saw Yuchen gargle first, then spit into the second basin. After that, she washed her hands in the copper basin. Finally, she took the handkerchief to dry her hands.

Yuxi’s eyes flashed. She had never been attended by a maid, as she wasn’t in a position as high as Yuchen. She did not say anything. She just received the tea handed over by another maid. Her action was the same as Yuchen.

After the two sat down, Yuchen smiled and said, “I don’t know what kind of dishes Fourth Sister likes. Next time, I’ll ask cook to prepare them. This time I’ll have to ask Fourth Sister to make do with these.”

Yuxi’s Chinese dinner was usually consisted of four dishes and one soup. Even with this specification, she still thought it was a waste. She did not know how much would it cost to have this much dishes on the table, “Third Sister, I’m not picky about food. I eat everything.” People who had experienced hunger would never be picky with foods.

The dishes on this table were not only full of colour, but full of fragrance and the taste was also very good. They were much better than the meals made by Old Madam’s cooks.

Yuxi ate till seventy percent full and was not going to eat any more. However, she didn’t expect the maid to bring another bowl of medicated food. Under this circumstance, one must eat it, even if one did not want to eat anymore.

After the first bite, Yuxi nearly lick her bowl. It was really delicious. It was the first time she ate such delicious food. After living for more than 20 years in her previous life, she had never tasted such delicious food. She had really wasted her time back then.

After dinner, the maid brought tea for rinsing and cleaning their mouth again. Yuxi asked, “Third Sister, this medicated meal is really delicious. Who made it?” In fact, she could clearly guessed that it was made by Momo Quan.

Yuchen smiled and said, “This was made by Momo Quan. She will make a bowl every day.” Even she who was used to eat good things, was shocked when she first ate the medicated meal made by Momo Quan.

NOOB TRANSLATOR’S MUSING

I just knew that any wife a man in ancient China married to after his main wife had passed away would be called his secondary wife. No matter if she was the third, fourth or even the eight woman he married to. Her title would forever be ‘a secondary wife’. Her children would have the same benefits as the main wife’s children. However, the main wife’s children would always have the priority in everything over secondary wife’s children.

Oh, and the title of this chapter was based on a famous Chinese saying. It is equivalent to a saying, ‘it’ s the thought that counts’. Though, in this chapter, it’s kind of a sarcastic remark towards ‘Han Jingyan’ s gifts’ to Yuxi.