MYSIOAMEWTMMAlTWOAM: Chapter 49

Glossary

 ·Gu Jinghui (顾靖晖): The male protagonist, Marquis Gu.

 ·Old Madame Gu (顾老夫人): Gu Jinghui's mother.

 ·Zhao Niangzi (赵娘子): The widow the Marquis brought back.

 ·Bai Que (白雀): A maidservant serving Zhao Niangzi.

 ·Rong Mama (容嬷嬷): Old Madame Gu's trusted attendant.

 ·Cheng Ge'er (程哥儿): The twin boy.

 ·Yu Jie'er (玉姐儿): The twin girl.

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Chapter 49: Easier to Invite the God Than to Send Him Away

Gu Jinghui felt as if he were sitting on pins and needles.

If this were before, upon hearing these words, he would have immediately gone to see the two children, setting everything else aside.

Now, however, he felt that Bai Que's soft, delicate words were weaving a large net that would tightly entangle him if he weren't careful.

Bai Que, meanwhile, kept her eyes lowered, her long, slender neck slightly bent, waiting for the Marquis to speak.

In her desperation, she had used her trump card.

No matter when she used this trump card, it would always take immediate effect.

The Marquis would immediately inquire about the twins.

Her failure to report Zhao Niangzi's feigned illness would then naturally be forgotten.

"Bai Que, you go back first. Take a pack of the newly arrived Longjing tea with you."

Old Madame Gu, who had been watching coldly from the side, spoke.

Her heart had grown quite cold; this maid probably couldn't be kept any longer.

Rong Mama spoke on Old Madame Gu's behalf, scolding, "Zhao Niangzi is a guest. Old Madame sent you to take care of her. If anything happens to the guest, it is your failure. Your parents are still in the Marquis' household."

Bai Que stood up, thanked her for the grace, and replied, "This servant will remember and dare not forget."

Rong Mama waited a moment, but seeing Bai Que still glancing at Gu Jinghui from time to time, clearly still hoping the Marquis would go to Fengxuan Pavilion.

It's hard to persuade someone doomed to die with good advice.

Rong Mama said no more and stated, "Come with me."

Bai Que had no choice but to follow Rong Mama to select tea.

Old Madame Gu snorted coldly and said, "So this is how they've been manipulating you."

Gu Jinghui's face flushed crimson, but he couldn't speak.

He wasn't stupid. If he still couldn't see it by now, he would have lived his life in vain!

However, Old Madame Gu had no intention of letting him off. "It's easier to invite the god than to send him away. Now, think how difficult it will be for you to ask Zhao Niangzi to leave."

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Gu Jinghui said in a low voice, "Please, Mother, think of a way for your son."

Calling her 'Mother' might have been a bit embarrassing at first, but after doing it more, it became smooth.

He didn't realize at all that he was also acting spoiled towards his mother, just like his young wife.

Outer Room.

Bai Que followed Rong Mama to select tea. She picked up one package, then put down another, dawdling and not wanting to leave.

She strained her ears, trying to hear what was being said inside.

Rong Mama frowned and said loudly, "After you return, don't mention any of this for now, lest Zhao Niangzi feel even more embarrassed. The physician will arrive later. If you act like this again in the future, Old Madame will definitely not allow you to serve anymore."

Bai Que agreed verbally, but the corners of her eyes still kept darting towards the inner room.

"Have you chosen?"

Rong Mama impatiently tapped the table.

"Chosen... I've chosen."

"Then go. I have matters to attend to now and won't keep you. You should know what to say and what not to say around Zhao Niangzi."

Bai Que agreed and lingered a while longer, but seeing that she really couldn't wait for the Marquis, she finally left.

Rong Mama quietly spat out, "Shameless wench with lofty ambitions."

After Bai Que left the main room, she hurried straight to Fengxuan Pavilion. She ignored anyone she met and rushed directly into the inner room. Addressing Zhao Niangzi, who lay listlessly on the bed, she said, "Old Madame knows about your illness. She said she'll call a physician to see you. Because of this, she gave me a good talking-to, saying that if it happens again, she won't let me serve anymore."

Zhao Niangzi, her face pale and her hair disheveled over her shoulders, asked coyly, "Is the Marquis coming?"

Bai Que shook her head: "I don't know."

Seeing the hope in Zhao Niangzi's eyes dim, she added, "Just now, I mentioned you and the young masters in front of the Marquis. He seemed very upset."

Zhao Niangzi grabbed her hand happily and said, "The Marquis dotes on them the most. I'm afraid he'll be here soon."

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Bai Que sighed and said, "With just one dose of the physician's medicine, your illness will probably be cured. The Marquis won't think…"

It was particularly difficult to make Zhao Niangzi's illness appear pitiable.

Before, they weren't sure if the Marquis would come.

Now…

Zhao Niangzi, as if thinking of something, said firmly, "The Marquis won't think that."

A faint, seemingly smiling arc appeared at the corner of Bai Que's lips as she changed the subject. "Old Madame still cares about you. She said I didn't take good care of you and had me choose a pack of new tea, saying the Marquis newly acquired it. I chose West Lake Longjing. See if you like it, Zhao Niangzi."

Zhao Niangzi said delightedly, "Old Madame and the Marquis still remember me."

Not a single word of comfort for Bai Que.

Bai Que didn't mind. She showed her the tea, exchanged a few more words, then went out to busy herself.

Zhao Niangzi lay on the bed for a while, then slowly got up, dampened her inner garment with cold water from the copper basin on the stand, and huddled under the covers.

Main Room.

Old Madame Gu was still lecturing her son: "She's still a guest now, and she's already this difficult. If she becomes your concubine, plus two children you value, and her former husband had kindness towards you, how do you expect Yuan'er to manage her? An empty title? She doesn't care about propriety even before her mourning period is over. Later, would she even regard the rightful wife? What main wife would like having such a concubine standing in the inner courtyard, an eyesore?"

Gu Jinghui's face grew hotter and hotter.

Old Madame Gu said, "You should also keep some distance from those two children from now on. In the future, help Cheng Ge'er secure a good future and help Yu Jie'er find a good marriage. Ensure they grow up safe and smooth, without worries about food or clothing. With the status of the Dingbei Marquis's adopted son and daughter for protection, that should be enough to be worthy of their father."

Old Madame Gu was also a daughter raised in a military merit family, having personally watched the old Marquis navigate bloody storms.

If you look back three generations among the hereditary servants of their noble family, which one hadn't followed their masters on the battlefield, shedding blood and earning merit?

Gu Jinghui hesitated somewhat.

"Your son has watched them grow up…"

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

This meant he couldn't bear to part with them.

Old Madame Gu sighed and said, "Think about yourself. How old were you when you started practicing martial arts? You were so small, not even as tall as a table leg. Your brother would come wake you up at cockcrow to practice horse stance together. I couldn't bear it at the time; I shed two big bowls of tears. What did you say to me then? You said a real man has ambitions everywhere and cannot cling to a warm bed."

Gu Jinghui lowered his head.

The Gu children started practicing martial arts at four or five years old. At six, they had to go study at the outer school of the Imperial College, starting a year earlier than children pursuing civil service and the imperial examinations.

Considering their age, Cheng Ge'er was almost old enough to enter the Imperial College.

"Did you have much time to be close to your father?"

Gu Jinghui could only be close to his father on rest days. Later, his father went to Saibei, and father and son wouldn't see each other for years.

"After seven, boys and girls do not share the same mat. Not even an adoptive father, but even a biological father must keep some distance."

After this speech, Gu Jinghui had nothing to say.

Old Madame Gu added, "Zhao Niangzi first used the health of these two children as a pretext. Now, she doesn't even care about her own life. Since she has set her sights on you, can these two children grow up without illness or pain?"

"I won't even talk about you having Cheng Ge'er practice martial arts. Our Gu family has it too hard. My grandsons can practice martial arts to strengthen their bodies later, but their official ranks must come from the imperial examinations. Whether Cheng Ge'er wants to follow his father's path is for them to decide themselves. No matter what they choose, the Gu family will try its best to help him."

After hearing these words, Gu Jinghui felt too restless to sit or stand, and the places where his mother had beaten him felt particularly painful.

Old Madame Gu asked him, "Well, aren't you going to say something?"

(End of Chapter)

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