MYSIOAMEWTMMAlTWOAM: Chapter 84

 Glossary

·Qin Yuan (秦鸢): The female protagonist, Marquise of the household.

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

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

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

·Lu Mama (卢妈妈): The stewardess in charge of the needlework room.

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Chapter 84: For Her Son's Sake

Hongye hurried into the inner chamber, lowered her voice, and asked Qin Yuan, "What did you say to upset the Marquis, Miss? I saw his face looked awful when he left just now."

Cuiming also rushed in behind her.

Qin Yuan looked at the two young maidservants. Hongye's face was full of tension, while Cuiming looked like a startled bird.

Clearly, Cuiming was overthinking again.

She smiled and said, "The Marquis wanted to get Cheng Ge'er into the Imperial College."

Hongye asked, "Did you refuse?"

Cuiming also looked at Qin Yuan.

Qin Yuan couldn't help but laugh. "It's not like I own the Imperial College; how could I refuse? The Marquis wants to secure Cheng Ge'er's future, feels it's not good for him to stay with Zhao Niangzi, yet he can't bring himself to let go."

Unable to lift it, unable to put it down.

Just six words.

Gu Jinghui was a decisive and resolute general on the battlefield, yet he was also extremely sentimental.

If it were Lin Ziqi, for the sake of his own future, he could abandon anyone.

Hongye frowned.

Cuiming said, "But why was the Marquis's expression so grim?"

Qin Yuan said, "I just hit upon his preoccupation."

Cuiming seemed to want to say more but stopped herself, merely frowning with worry. Hongye also lost her smile.

Qin Yuan instructed them to clear the table, then walked into the inner chamber, lit a stick of incense, and picked up the account book she hadn't finished reading last night, seemingly completely unaffected.

---

Cuiming whispered to Hongye in the outer room, "My heart has been hanging in the air since last night. The Marquis's expression just now was truly frightening, yet the Miss remains as steady as Mount Tai."

Hongye said, "There's no one our Miss can't placate. I suspect the Marquis won't stay angry for long."

Even as she said this, both their faces remained stern, devoid of smiles.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Not long after, the attendant who had left with the Marquis came running back in, panting, a horsewhip still in his hand. He asked a young maid to call Hongye out and whispered to her under the eaves, "Sister Hongye, where are the clothes the Madam packed for the Marquis?"

Hongye hurried inside to fetch the clothing trunk that had been packed just that morning. Without time to speak to Qin Yuan, she ran back out and handed over the trunk woven from xiangfei bamboo, complaining, "Why didn't you take it when you left?"

The attendant smiled apologetically, his face scrunched up. "The Marquis called for me urgently and hadn't mentioned it before. He was already on his horse when he remembered and ordered me to rush back and get it. Actually, there are clothes at the camp too."

Half of Hongye's worry dissipated.

The attendant added, "The Marquis also said he wants to take the books he left in the side room. And he asked if the Madam has any books to send him, to bring them along; otherwise, he'll have nothing to do at the camp. 'Don't trouble two masters for one task' (meaning: Since I'm already here, handle it all). Please make another trip, Sister Hongye."

Hongye's other half of worry also settled.

The Miss was indeed the Miss.

Had the Marquis gotten over it by himself?

She said with a smile, "Alright, wait here. I'll go ask the Madam."

The attendant waited under the eaves, holding the clothing trunk.

Hongye couldn't suppress the smile at the corners of her mouth. Covering her face, she let out a small, stifled squeal, rushed into the inner chamber, and said to Qin Yuan, "Miss, the Marquis remembered to send someone back for the clothing trunk after he was already on his horse!"

The corners of Qin Yuan's lips lifted slightly. "Mm."

Hongye said, smiling, "Miss, the Marquis also said he wants you to send him a few books. He has nothing to do at the camp; he might as well read to pass the time."

Qin Yuan also couldn't hold back a "pfft" of laughter. "Alright, I'll go look."

Hongye said, "Then I'll go to the side room to get the Spring and Autumn Annals the Marquis specified."

Qin Yuan gave Hongye a sidelong glance.

This girl was all gloom and worry just moments ago, now she's grinning from ear to ear, even having the mind to tease the Marquis.

Really…

Qin Yuan had no time to scold her and called Cuiming to help look for books.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Cuiming's expression lightened. "What books does the Madam intend to give the Marquis?"

Qin Yuan smiled. "The Marquis is worrying over Cheng Ge'er's matter, right? Then give him a couple like Standards for Being a Good Student and Child and The Classic of Increasing Wisdom."

Cuiming couldn't help but laugh.

"But Madam, you didn't bring those."

"Right, this isn't the Qin family study. I actually forgot. Then give the Marquis this instead."

Qin Yuan pulled out three volumes of Romance of the Three Kingdoms. "Let the Marquis read this to pass the time."

The corner of Cuiming's mouth twitched, but she took them anyway. "That works too."

When they returned to the main room, Hongye was already waiting with oilpaper and cloth wrappings.

Seeing Qin Yuan had chosen Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Hongye chuckled softly. "This is good."

With great enthusiasm, she wrapped the two books separately in oilpaper, then bundled them together in cloth, carefully tying the strings before taking them to the attendant waiting under the eaves. "The Madam said, let the Marquis read these two books to pass the days."

The attendant hefted them in his hand. "Sister Hongye, I'll be off now. Does the Madam have any words for the Marquis?"

Hongye was taken aback, then laughed after a moment. "Wait a moment."

She hurried back into the room and asked, "Miss, the Marquis asks if you have any words for him?"

Qin Yuan pursed her lips into a smile. "Yes. Tell him to eat and change clothes on time, and not to read too late, lest he strain his eyes."

Hongye hurried out again to relay the message.

Only then did the attendant leave.

---

Hongye walked back into the main room and slumped onto an embroidered stool. "That was exhausting."

Qin Yuan said, "There's more to do in a moment."

Hongye: "…"

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Sure enough, a young maid came in and announced, "The stewardesses have arrived."

Cuiming pulled herself together. Today, she had to follow the Miss's instructions: select a matron from the needlework room to replace Lu Mama and find a way to placate Lu Mama so she wouldn't panic and cause trouble.

Qin Yuan set down the account book in her hand and stood up. "Let's go."

---

The stewardesses had completely shed their listless appearance from the day before yesterday. Each was neatly dressed and standing in an orderly manner.

Hongye nodded inwardly. They had been cowed by the Miss's handling yesterday.

She proceeded with the roll call as usual. Both the caller and the respondents were full of energy.

Lu Mama stood at the lower end, glancing now at Cuiming, now at Qin Yuan. The anxiety and entreaty in her eyes were so palpable they seemed about to solidify. Anyone who saw her couldn't help but sigh, If you knew today, why did you act as you did then?

Qin Yuan inquired about affairs as usual. This time, no one dared to be perfunctory. Having learned from Lu Mama's lesson, they had all long since sorted their account books and established practices clearly and methodically.

They were all afraid of accidentally making a mistake and ending up in the same situation as Lu Mama.

Seeing there was nothing major, Qin Yuan said, "You may all go about your duties. Cuiming, take Lu Mama to the needlework room for the handover. Hongye, go supervise at the tea-water room. If there are any issues, you may all come to me."

With that, she went back inside.

The others scattered in a bustle, each going to their own tasks.

---

Lu Mama's body was hunched, her spirit seemingly completely drained. "Miss Cuiming, does the Madam truly not intend to let me off?"

Cuiming both soothed and applied pressure. "Lu Mama, why not sort out the past matters first before speaking? The Madam has just arrived. 'A new official burns three fires' (meaning: A new leader makes sweeping changes). Lu Mama was just unlucky enough to be the first one burned. I heard your son serves under the Marquis, and the Marquis intends to put him in an important position. Lu Mama surely wouldn't do anything to damage your son's standing over this, would you?"

(End of Chapter)

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