MYSIOAMEWTMMAlTWOAM: Chapter 74

Glossary

·Qin Yuan (秦鸢): The female protagonist, Marquise of the Dingbei Marquis Household.

·Xiao Hong (小红): A young maid from the main house.

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

·Hongye (红叶): Qin Yuan's personal maidservant.

·Cuiming (翠茗): Qin Yuan's other maidservant.

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

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

·Cheng Ge'er (程哥儿): The twin boy.

·Yu Jie'er (玉姐儿): The twin girl.

·Sixth Madame Gu (六夫人): Wife of the sixth son, Gu Jingjun.

·Gu Baozhu (顾宝珠): Gu Jinghui's younger sister.

·Gu Jingjun (顾靖钧): The sixth son.

·Zheng Yiniang (郑姨娘): Concubine of Gu Jingjun.

·Manager Leng (冷掌柜): Manager of the Gu family's spice shop, Ranxiang Ju.

·Lin Manager (林掌柜): Manager of Qin Yuan's dowry shops.

·Prince Qi (齐王): A royal prince.

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Chapter 74: How Did You Know?

Xiao Hong said, "When my younger brother misbehaves, Mother has me help manage him. The Madame wants Xiao Hong to help advise Young Master Cheng and Young Lady Yu."

Qin Yuan nodded.

That was essentially correct.

"And do you know what you should advise them?"

Xiao Hong replied, "Guests are not masters. Young Master Cheng and Young Lady Yu are ultimately guests. If they make an unseemly scene, both host and guest lose face."

Qin Yuan looked at her in surprise. "I truly didn't expect you to understand this level of nuance."

Xiao Hong accepted the praise without false modesty. "Thank you for the compliment, Madame. It's all due to Rong Mama's excellent teaching. If the Madame finds Xiao Hong capable, please assign her to Wutong Yuan."

"Ha ha ha ha!"

Both Hongye and Cuiming couldn't help but laugh.

Rong Mama smiled. "This child! Ever since she accompanied this old slave to Wutong Yuan that one time, she's been determined. She's always saying she wants to serve the Marquis and Madame here, finding every opportunity to make herself noticed."

Qin Yuan studied the eager young face. "Then follow Rong Mama's instructions. Find a way to help Cheng Ge'er and Yu Jie'er understand proper conduct, so as not to put the Marquis in a difficult position."

Xiao Hong nodded earnestly. "Understood, Madame. Xiao Hong will remember."

Rong Mama stood up. "This old slave should return now to attend the Old Madame for her meal."

Qin Yuan didn't press her to stay.

With two extra children in the Main House, the Old Madame was likely overwhelmed and truly needed Rong Mama and Xiao Hong's help.

After taking two steps, Rong Mama remembered something. "The Madame's scented pills are very effective. This old slave used some while the Old Madame was performing her devotions, and she found them most agreeable and praised them several times."

Qin Yuan said, "I have plenty more here, all prepared myself. If they are useful, please feel free to take more. You mustn't stand on ceremony with me."

She instructed Hongye to fetch the scented pills immediately.

She then asked, "Might I ask what scents the Old Madame prefers? Ranxiang Ju has a complete selection of spices. I have some family recipes and can prepare many useful blends. In this hot weather, if the Old Madame suffers from poor appetite or restless sleep, I can prepare specific scents to address those issues."

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Rong Mama's interest was immediately piqued. "I had no idea the Madame possessed such skills! The Old Madame has been carrying many worries for the Marquis lately. Not only is her sleep light at night, but she also suffers from the summer heat during the day and cannot rest properly. If you have corresponding recipes, Madame, it would be wonderful to try them."

After a moment's thought, she added, "The Old Madame favors scents of lotus, plum blossom, and Buddha's hand. Even common incense with these fragrances pleases her greatly."

Qin Yuan smiled. "Then I shall experiment. I will send them over once they are prepared."

Rong Mama departed happily with Xiao Hong. Hongye asked curiously, "Can you really create such scents, Young Lady?"

"I can try," Qin Yuan replied.

Hongye didn't dwell on it. Qin Yuan had blended scents back home, though with limited funds she could only use common, inexpensive materials. Now, with access to Ranxiang Ju and the Marquis's approval, the possibilities were vast.

Cuiming asked, "Has the Young Lady been reading the medical texts left by your mother?"

Knowing her maid's perceptiveness, Qin Yuan saw no reason to hide it. "The medical books my mother left are my maternal grandfather's family legacy. He was a physician in the Imperial Medical Bureau and had considerable expertise in medicinal fragrances. I've seen recipes for the Old Madame's symptoms in one of those texts."

Though she had studied them not in this life, but in her previous one as a Chancellor's wife, she thought to herself. The Old Madame's symptoms were likely common. Perhaps she could prepare some targeted scented pills for Ranxiang Ju to sell on consignment. Manager Leng was an expert perfumer and might offer valuable suggestions.

Cuiming couldn't help but sigh in admiration. "The Young Lady is truly gifted and wise. If I could ever attain even one-tenth of your ability, it would be enough."

Hongye said, "I don't think that way. We don't need too many clever people. Having the Young Lady alone be clever is sufficient. I only need to be obedient."

Qin Yuan laughed. A nice sentiment, but Hongye was hardly the picture of obedience.

"Do you obey?" she teased. "You don't listen to my words, and you brush off the Marquis's instructions. I wonder whose words you do heed?"

Flustered, Hongye prepared to argue her case.

Cuiming joined in. "The Marquis told you to address her as 'Madame,' yet you insist on 'Young Lady' in his presence. The Madame urges you to be cautious with your words, yet you can never hold your tongue. What were you about to say in front of Rong Mama earlier?"

Hongye: "..."

Fortunately, a young maid entered just then. "Madame, the duck soup from the small kitchen is ready. Shall we fetch the meal from the main kitchen now?"

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot

Qin Yuan nodded.

The young maids went to the kitchen to collect the meal.

"Pity the Marquis won't get to taste the duck soup from the small kitchen," Hongye lamented.

"He won't starve," Qin Yuan said dismissively.

With silver in his pocket, a grown man like the Marquis could surely find a meal.

"The Marquis leaves for the camp tomorrow," Hongye persisted. "If he wants duck soup, he'll have to wait ten days for his next break. Who knows if the small kitchen will be preparing it then?"

Qin Yuan ignored her and said, "Why hasn't Manager Lin sent word yet? I wonder what news Gu Shiqi has gathered. Their account books should have been delivered by now."

"Shall I send someone to inquire?" Hongye asked.

Most of the dowry attendants had little to do; sending them on errands would be good. If those managers remained uncooperative, replacing them was always an option.

"Let's wait a little longer," Qin Yuan decided.

Cuiming thought Hongye was a busybody for no reason, but didn't say so in front of her mistress. "First, let's serve the Young Lady her meal properly. Even the emperor doesn't send out troops on empty stomachs. Everything can wait until after the midday meal and rest."

By now, Hongye was already staring fixedly at the pot of duck soup, paying no attention to Cuiming's words.

With the Marquis absent, Qin Yuan once again had her two maids eat with her. Any leftovers were for them to share.

Some time later, Hongye returned and reported, "Young Lady, it turns out the Marquis went to Sixth Madame Gu's place. He had the two matrons guarding Seventh Young Lady's courtyard tied up and ordered Sixth Madame Gu to discipline them properly. Several matrons were punished and reassigned to guard the second gate."

Qin Yuan nodded.

So this was how the Marquis handled Gu Baozhu.

Hongye continued, "I also heard the Marquis instructed Sixth Madame Gu to supervise Seventh Young Lady's spinning and embroidery. He said if Seventh Young Lady loses the competition at the Qixi Festival's Begging for Skill Pavilion, he will punish the Sixth Master."

"Oh?" Qin Yuan's slender eyebrows rose. "Why?"

"They say the Marquis doesn't strike women," Hongye explained. "Since Sixth Madame Gu failed to manage Seventh Young Lady properly, he'll punish the Sixth Master instead."

Qin Yuan laughed heartily. "Is the Marquis simply looking for an excuse to strike the Sixth Master?"

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Gu Baozhu hardly seemed the type to sit still for needlework. Even the Old Madame worried greatly whenever her embroidery was mentioned.

Hongye giggled along.

"Young Lady, I also found out that the pipa player the Sixth Master fancied was originally a sworn sister of Zheng Yiniang from their pleasure quarter days. Zheng Yiniang had only enjoyed favor for a few months before facing neglect. Yesterday, she even threatened suicide! The Sixth Master skipped the boat excursion to comfort her, which is how the Marquis caught him."

Cuiming asked, astonished, "How did you know that?"

...

At the Sang Family Pleasure Quarters, the largest entertainment district in the northern city.

"How did you know?"

The Marquis's face was like storm clouds, his sharp eyes fixed intently on Prince Qi, who sat across the low table.

Since returning from the northern frontier, he hadn't seen this childhood friend of his.

(End of Chapter)

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Translator's Note: check out my other work— The Marquis’s Beloved is a Black-Hearted Lotus and Rebirth as the Matriarch of a Noble Family (⁠*⁠＾⁠3⁠＾⁠)⁠/⁠～⁠♡

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