Yeux charmants

Chapitre 6

"Yes, Qing'er looks just like Liu Lang when he was a child. When I look at her, it's like seeing Liu Lang again. If it weren't for the deep friendship between Si Lang and Qian Shi, I would really think that Qing'er is..." The old lady's voice was low and hoarse as she recalled the past. Now that she was separated from her beloved grandson by death, she couldn't help but feel sad.

Seeing her mistress's distress, Zhang Ma said, "It's my fault for bringing up such a sad memory. You've been working hard all day, why don't you get some rest soon?" The old lady nodded, and Zhang Ma helped her lie down before turning and leaving thoughtfully.

A night breeze blew in through the window, causing the candlelight to flicker a few times before finally succumbing to the wind and being extinguished, plunging the room into darkness, leaving only a faint sigh...

(Ahem, still asking for recommendations, favorites, and comments~~(*^__^*))

Chapter Thirteen: Living in the Middle Courtyard

When Mu Qing opened her eyes, it was already bright daylight. Madam Qian had already come to pay her respects and was sitting in the outer main hall chatting with the old lady. The old lady told her about letting Mu Qing live in her courtyard and personally teach and raise her. Although Madam Qian was unwilling, she nodded in agreement out of respect for the old lady, and said that she would have someone move Mu Qing's daily necessities over when she returned.

After Mu Qing came out, Madam Qian gave her a few words of advice before taking her leave. Mu Qing knew that the fact that she was being "fostered" couldn't be changed, and she couldn't help but feel annoyed. But when the old lady said that she could return to her own courtyard to pay her respects to her parents in the afternoon after finishing her needlework during the day, she figured that her calligraphy and reading wouldn't be delayed, so she agreed. She reluctantly saw Madam Qian off, thinking that she must find a way to persuade the old lady later, otherwise secretly studying couldn't be a long-term solution.

The next day, the brothers Chen Qizheng and Chen Qiwen returned. They busied themselves entertaining the guests and settling them in the courtyard. They only briefly visited the Old Madam and Mu Qing before leaving again. Mu Qing only learned that Chen Yu had also been called to help when she returned to her own courtyard in the afternoon. When Mu Qing asked who it was, Madam Qian said she didn't know. Mu Qing was completely baffled. What kind of guests had arrived that required such a large family effort?

Mu Qing thought that it was none of her business who came, so she didn't bother to ask. She settled down in the old lady's courtyard and spent her mornings learning embroidery and her afternoons practicing calligraphy in Qian's room, keeping her schedule full.

The needlework tutor that the old lady hired for Mu Qing was none other than Zhang Ma, who served her closely. Zhang Ma's given name was Mingyue. Although Mu Qing wasn't quite used to hearing a woman in her fifties called Mingyue, after witnessing Zhang Ma's skill, Mu Qing felt that the name Mingyue suited Zhang Ma very well. Zhang Ma's embroidery skills were exquisite; her embroidery was natural and ethereal, like a gentle breeze and the bright moon.

Mu Qing's initial aversion to trouble and her desire to merely get by had long since vanished. She was determined to master a skill so that she wouldn't starve if she ever ran out of rice. To put it more nicely, her passion for pursuing beautiful things had been ignited, so both emotionally and rationally, Mu Qing studied with increasing seriousness. Zhang Ma had initially thought that Mu Qing, with her limited intelligence, would become too tired after a while, but to her surprise, she could sit still for an hour or two. She was quite impressed and paid even more attention to this young apprentice.

Three days of basic instruction were given, covering topics such as selecting patterns, choosing embroidery fabric, drawing patterns, matching colors to samples, and selecting threads. Mu Qing began practicing drawing patterns. Although she had some drawing skills, she couldn't show them and had to hide her shortcomings, making it even more difficult and time-consuming. In the afternoon, Mu Qing returned to Madam Qian's room to practice calligraphy. When she came back in the evening, she kept the old lady company, telling jokes and amusing herself. She fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow that night, but as a result, she couldn't get up to greet the old lady the next morning.

Mu Qing slept soundly until 9 AM before getting up. Yun Cui heard the noise from the inner room and knew that Mu Qing was awake, so she hurried in to help her dress and wash.

"I overslept today and missed my morning greetings. Why didn't you wake me? And has Zhang Mama arrived yet?" Mu Qing dressed neatly, slipped on her shoes, and got out of bed.

Yun Cui poured water into the basin with the copper kettle, making a splashing sound. Yun Cui smiled and wet a cloth to wipe Mu Qing's face. "Young lady, it's because the old lady cares about you that she doesn't want me to call you that. Don't worry, the old lady will waive your morning lessons this day."

Mu Qing breathed a sigh of relief. She knew that the Old Madam still held the reins of the household. Keeping the Old Madam happy would make her life in the mansion easier, and naturally, the people around her would also be the ones to curry favor with. Although she was a young mistress, she dared not neglect elderly people like Zhang Ma who had served the Old Madam for many years. Everyone knew that one word from Zhang Ma could sometimes be worth ten words from the Old Madam's children and grandchildren.

"Oh! Is the old lady in the Buddhist hall?"

"No, the matriarch is receiving guests in the main hall now."

Upon hearing this, Mu Qing hurriedly asked, "Are they guests staying at the Northwest Maple Blue Courtyard? Who is accompanying them?"

“That’s right. Zhang Ma is here now, and everyone else has been sent away. Originally, Second Madam was also coming, but the Old Madam turned her away.” Yun Cui chuckled twice, seemingly pleased with Second Madam’s setback.

"Second Aunt? What's she doing here?"

"Second Mistress's brother received an imperial decree last year and was appointed governor of Yangzhou. I heard from Xiao Hong in Second Mistress's room that he will probably become the prefect in another year. This guest was welcomed by the two masters in Yangzhou. He must be an important person. That's why Second Mistress came here so eagerly after hearing about her brother. I wonder what kind of high-ranking official he is, and whether his position is higher than that of our old master?"

Mu Qing heard it clearly; so this was why the old lady turned a blind eye to the second daughter's arrogance. After the old master's death, the Chen family gradually shifted towards commerce. The old lady's original surname was Li, and her family had been merchants in Chengdu for generations. Under her management, the Chen family's business flourished, and now their tea shops and pharmacies were scattered throughout the various prefectures of Liangzhe Road. This official family probably married their daughter into the Chen family because of their wealth; Zhou Shi still retained her inherent pride. But this was normal; after all, in the hierarchy of scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants, commerce came last!

Mu Qing had heard from Madam Qian that the late patriarch of the Chen family, Chen Dong, had served as the Prefect of Bazhou. Although it was a nominal fifth-rank official position, Madam Chen held the title of County Lady, so everyone now addressed her as Madam Taijun. However, among the sons of the Chen family, the eldest and second eldest were idle playboys in their youth, while the youngest son, who had passed the imperial examination, died young. It wasn't until the grandson generation that a third son, Chen Yi, emerged, passing the imperial examination and being appointed as an official. Mu Qing couldn't remember exactly what official position he held, but it certainly wasn't a high-ranking one, otherwise she wouldn't have forgotten him.

Hearing Yun Cui's words, Mu Qing became somewhat suspicious. If it was a high-ranking official, he would want to keep a low profile, and the Chen family wouldn't either; if it was a minor official, there was no need for everyone to give way when they paid their respects. In short, he was definitely not a simple person.

Yun Cui tidied up Mu Qing. Mu Qing originally wanted to go back to see Qian Shi, but seeing that it was almost lunchtime, she thought she would wait until after lunch. Yun Cui was going to the backyard to do laundry, and Mu Qing felt bored being alone, so she simply followed her.

In the backyard, two maids from the small kitchen, finding the kitchen stuffy, sat under the shade of a tree, working while enjoying the cool air. One, sleeves rolled up, straddled a long bench, a small millstone in front of her, turning the handle to grind yams. The other, on a stool, sat before a stone platform with a small stone pot, placing tea leaves, shelled and steamed mung beans, and ground yams into the pot, adding herbs like borneol and musk as needed, grinding with a pestle. A row of white porcelain jars lay on the ground; each time a maid finished grinding a potful, she ladled it into a jar and sealed it.

Seeing Mu Qing staring wide-eyed, Yun Cui knew she had never seen anything like it before, and explained, "Young lady, is this the first time you've seen scented tea? After the tea is ground, it needs to be stored in a jar for three days to steep before it can be brewed, just like decocting medicine. This method comes from the north, where there isn't as much tea as in the south. The tea they get tends to stagnate, and they think it doesn't taste good, so they mix in some other things to brew it. However, if you add some appropriate medicinal herbs to the tea according to this method, it can indeed be used for emergency treatment, and drinking it regularly is also a good way to maintain health. That's why there are many people in the city who sell scented tea. Our matriarch in the courtyard also likes to drink it, so she often has the servants make some to store for easy access."

Mu Qing nodded earnestly, looking like a student who had learned something. Yun Cui chuckled at this, attracting the attention of the two maids under the shade of the tree. Seeing that it was Yun Cui and Mu Qing, they quickly stood up and bowed. Afterward, the two maids pulled Yun Cui's sleeves and walked to the side, as if they wanted to ask something. They looked at each other but neither of them spoke.

"What are you doing, making faces? Speak up!" Yun Cui said impatiently.

A young maidservant, holding her breath, asked in a low voice, "Sister Yun Cui, did you see the guest that the Old Madam was meeting earlier? The sisters in Fenglan Garden who saw him said he was a young official, and very handsome."

"Yes, yes, Sister Yuncui, did you see him? Isn't he even more handsome than Xun-ge'er from the third branch of the family?"

Yun Cui, busy serving Mu Qing, naturally didn't even get a glimpse of him. Hearing the two maids talking about it, she was itching to peek and regretted not having done so herself. She pouted and said, "What's the point of seeing him? Since he's a distinguished guest personally welcomed by the masters, it's not something we maids should be thinking about. Go, go, go, get back to work! What are you shouting about for no reason!"

The two maids, having been turned away and unable to hear the gossip, turned back dejectedly to continue grinding tea, while idly chatting about what the young master outside would look like.

Mu Qing stood to the side, ears perked up, secretly thinking to herself, "Women throughout history have always had the potential to be paparazzi, just as gossipy!" At that moment, she completely forgot that she was actually one of them.

(Still asking for recommendations and comments~ Hehe~)

Chapter Fourteen: The Shop

Inside, the guests had already left.

The old lady addressed the head of the household, Chen Qizheng, who was seated below her, saying, "Has there been any progress on the matter that Young Master Ma asked for this time?"

"The message has been sent to all the shops, and we should receive a reply in the next few days. I just wonder if Young Master Ma told you privately why he was unwilling to involve the authorities?"

The old lady closed her eyes, holding a string of tourmaline prayer beads in her hand, turning them one by one. "You've been in the business world for so long, and dealt with the government for so many years. Don't you know that the officialdom is ever-changing, and that the powerful are sometimes more cautious than ordinary people? Since he's acting this way, it must be because of orders from above. How could I possibly tell him? Do your job well. If you can lend him a hand, it will be of great benefit in the future."

"Yes, son has remembered," Chen Qizheng replied respectfully. Having spent years in the business world, he was now a prominent figure in the Zhejiang business community. Yet, his mother's admonitions were still commonplace, and while he respected them, he sometimes felt constrained in his actions. However, regarding today's matter, his mother's words made a lot of sense, so he didn't argue. He also knew that a word from a powerful figure in the capital could sometimes be far more effective than offering gold and silver. Doing his best, even if he couldn't succeed, was worthwhile in leaving a good impression on the powerful figures above him.

The old lady opened her eyes and looked at Chen Qiwen and Chen Yu sitting on the other side. "Qiwen, I don't usually expect you to sit quietly and watch the shop, but this is important business. Don't take every opportunity to run to the market and the entertainment district and delay the important business by trying to find some junk."

Second Master Chen Qiwen was playing with a Longquan snuff bottle when his mother suddenly called him. He quickly stuffed the item into his sleeve, saying, "Oh, oh, I've been busy running around to various shops these past few days and haven't been to the city..."

The old lady was quite helpless. Her second son's grandson was already grown up, but he was still so useless. She turned to look at the fourth son sitting next to her second son, and a trace of relief appeared in her eyes. "Qizheng, you don't need to pay me for the two tea shops that I just opened. It's such a headache to look at those account books every month."

Chen Qi was overjoyed that the old lady was letting go of the shop, but then he heard the old lady say, "Yu'er has returned but hasn't been given a proper job. Let's leave him to look after it for now."

Upon hearing this, Chen Qizheng immediately understood. Because his son had taken over the business in Shu, the old lady, fearing resentment from the second branch of the family, had specially allocated two of her own shops to him. Considering that the income from those two shops was far less than that from Chengdu and Meizhou, Chen Qizheng was reluctant, but he couldn't bring himself to object. After thinking it over, he figured that since it wasn't a shop under his own name that had been allocated, it wouldn't hurt to comply with the old lady's wishes.

Chen Nian, the eldest son, knew that this was all because his younger brother wouldn't listen to advice and had instigated their father to take over the second branch's business. This made the old lady favor Chen Yu more, saying that she was temporarily managing it, but in reality, it was under the second branch's name. On the surface, the shops in the city didn't generate as much income as those in Meizhou, but it wasn't a good thing that the old lady favored the second branch. He complained inwardly, but could only sit there silently drinking tea.

Chen Qizheng remained silent, Chen Nian hesitated to speak, and Chen Qiwen, whose mind was elsewhere, naturally didn't respond.

Chen Yu was quite surprised. When had the old lady valued him so much? He quickly said, "I know my own limitations. Those two shops are under your name, and I'm afraid..."

“What are you afraid of? There’s no business where you only make money and never lose. You’ve been in Danling for so many years and have opened more than one shop on Fulu Road in Chengdu. How come you can’t do it now that you’re back in Hangzhou? I’m just trying to relax and told you to take over temporarily. You better agree to that right now.”

"Yes, grandson understands. After I finish dealing with Young Master Ma's business, I'll go to the shop."

"Alright, you've been busy all morning. It's too much of a hassle for you to have a meal here. Go back now!" The old lady waved her hand, and the four of them took their leave.

...

With five days to go until the Old Madam's birthday on the 28th of July, the entire household was mobilized.

During the Song Dynasty, high-ranking officials and wealthy merchants were very particular about the scale of their weddings and funerals. A large family like the Chen family already employed four departments: setup, tea and wine, table service, and cooking. For a small celebration, they could easily gather enough people from their courtyard to form six departments. However, this time it was the old matriarch's seventieth birthday, and there were more relatives and family members from out of town than in previous years. Most importantly, the noble young master residing in Fenglan Courtyard was also there. The Chen family was determined to hold a grand celebration this time.

Suddenly, a multitude of tasks piled up, keeping Liu extremely busy. Zhou was unwilling to take on these trivial matters, finding them troublesome, and young Liu, being aloof and disliking involvement, was also unreliable. Therefore, she had to ask Qian for help. Qian, knowing the birthday banquet was imminent and couldn't be delayed, readily agreed. She and Liu discussed it and had capable people specially hired from the Hangzhou market. After selecting them, they worked with the servants in their own courtyard to prepare six items: fruit, candied fruit, vegetables, oil candles, and incense. Qian worked diligently and efficiently, resolving all six items in a single day. With everything on track, Liu finally felt at ease.

Besides serving the Old Madam, Zhang Ma was also invited by Liu Shi to help prepare for the birthday banquet, so she had no time to attend to Mu Qing's lessons, only leaving her a few patterns to practice on her own. Mu Qing finished her homework in one day, secretly hiding them away, and would draw a few strokes each day to pretend it was done. Because Yun Cui was also frequently called to help, and the Old Madam had to go to the Buddhist hall to chant sutras every day, Mu Qing spent more time alone in her room, so she could find a moment to sneak out for a stroll.

Autumn has arrived, but the lingering heat of late summer is still fierce. With about twenty days until the Mid-Autumn Festival, the weather remains unbearably hot and humid. A light rain finally arrived, but it only drizzled for a few drops before stopping. However, the time after the rain is the perfect opportunity to catch cicada nymphs. Mu Qing recalled going to the countryside with a group of children to catch cicada nymphs when she was a child in her previous life. Her childlike heart was stirred, and before the weather turned cold and no one was watching, she quickly went to the backyard to see if she could catch a few.

Mu Qing greeted Yun Cui, saying she was going back to the Qian family's courtyard. Then she ran to the kitchen, found a jar, and went to the back garden.

In a secluded corner of the backyard, under the sycamore tree, a few leaves lay scattered on the ground washed by the rain.

Mu Qing picked a spot where the soil was soft, crouched down and looked for a small hole. Soon she found a hole about the size of her little fingernail, covered with a thin layer of soil. She picked it up with her hand, but it wasn't big enough, so she looked for two or three more before finding one that she could pick up a little bigger. She pulled up some grass from the side and stuck her hand inside.

Mu Qing held her breath and waited quietly for the cicada pupa to crawl onto the blade of grass. A moment later, the blade of grass moved, and a small, blackish-yellow creature crawled up. Mu Qing was overjoyed, and with a swift movement, pulled the blade of grass up, easily succeeding!

Mu Qing lifted the blade of grass and watched as the little creature's serrated claws gripped it tightly. "Haha, it's here! Invite it into the trap!" With that, Mu Qing placed the cicada pupa into the jar and continued her quest to find the burrow.

Unexpectedly, someone behind her suddenly asked, "Little sister, what are you doing?"

Mu Qing was startled and turned around to see a baby face with peach blossom eyes narrowed into two crescent moons, red lips parted to reveal two rows of white teeth, and a smile as bright as the morning sun, illuminating one's heart.

Chapter Fifteen: A Peach Blossom Blooms

"Catching cicadas! Judging by your attire, you're a servant?" A person suddenly appeared, and Mu Qing was suspicious. This servant was twelve or thirteen years old, but he seemed to be fair-skinned and didn't look like someone who would do hard labor for others.

The servant smiled and said, "Exactly!"

Mu Qing frowned slightly, turned her head and pouted, "Since you're a servant, you must be a laborer, so your family must not be wealthy. You don't even know what the children often catch on the ridges of the fields and by the big trees after summer begins? Which courtyard are you from? How come I've never seen it before?"

The servant was taken aback by Mu Qing's question. He noticed that although the girl's voice was childish, it was firm and resolute, unlike that of an ordinary child. She had sensed something was amiss the moment she saw him, and he couldn't help but marvel at her. He then took a closer look. The girl was about six or seven years old, dressed in a peach-pink dress. She had delicate features, fair skin, and rosy cheeks that seemed to glow. Her almond-shaped eyes were particularly striking, with a glint of light in their deep blackness, shimmering in the sunlight. She was truly a beautiful, exquisitely carved doll.

The servant was stunned by Mu Qing's repeated questioning. After a short while, he recovered and smiled at Mu Qing, saying, "I came to the Chen family as a guest with my young master and am staying at Fenglan Courtyard. I grew up in my master's house since I was a child, so naturally I have never seen these things before."

Mu Qing was momentarily stunned. This guy was really handsome; his smile was like a pink-faced, white-budding peach blossom! Unfortunately, Mu Qing felt that her current small body was still a long way from the "sun," so of course she wouldn't radiate any light or heat. The little peach blossom's bright smile was suitable for flirting with young maids just beginning to experience love, but to Mu Qing, an immature adult, he was at best a cute, tender little boy.

"Oh, so he's the servant of the distinguished guest of Fenglan Courtyard." Mu Qing feigned surprise, thinking that since he was the servant of that distinguished guest of Fenglan Courtyard, she didn't need to worry too much. He was an outsider and wouldn't guess who she was, so naturally she couldn't complain or gossip. After saying that, she went back to her work.

Mu Qing's actions surprised the servant. He stared at Mu Qing for a while and saw that the little girl was digging a hole but the cicada nymphs did not emerge. He couldn't help but ask, "May I ask, little sister, what are you catching these cicada nymphs for?"

Mu Qing raised her head, her red lips slightly pursed, her two thick eyelashes fluttering like small brushes. "If you catch it, you can eat it!" Then, Mu Qing felt the grass under her hand move. She raised her hand and picked up another one, waving it at the servant.

The servant looked at the yellowish-black substance covered in red mud, his throat bobbed, and he seemed about to vomit. "Is this stuff edible?"

"Nurtured by heaven and earth, absorbing the essence of plants, they are non-toxic and harmless, dispel wind and clear the lungs, relieve fever and calm the nerves, so why can't they be eaten?" Mu Qing glanced at the servant and casually threw the cicada nymphs she had just caught into the small jar. "The simplest way to eat these things is to fry or roast them, then sprinkle some salt on them, and they'll be crispy and delicious! You don't seem like a bookworm, so why are you asking questions you already know the answer to?" As for the fact that cicada nymphs are high in protein and nutritious, she dared not say such things, because he wouldn't understand anyway.

The servant blushed to the roots of his ears after she spoke, his face turning from a pink peach blossom to a bright red plum blossom. He snorted, "Even if we spend our entire lives, we may not be able to see all the things in the world. It's not wrong for me to ask. As the saying goes, ignorance is no excuse..."

"Alright, alright! I didn't blame you, you really are a bookworm!" Mu Qing interrupted the servant, pouting as she asked, "Since you're free, why don't you give it a try?"

The servant, teased by a little boy, was about to retort indignantly when he saw Mu Qing point to the porcelain jar. He immediately understood and stopped arguing about whether he knew or not. "Since you're so young, I'll give you a hand!" he said, rolling up his sleeves and joining in to help her catch cicada nymphs. Mu Qing wasn't annoyed. She watched him clumsily searching for the holes from behind, secretly chuckling to herself. "So what if he's young? It's good that he's here to help."

The two busied themselves for a while. Mu Qing directed the servant to search and fish, and the servant became increasingly adept at catching cicada nymphs. After catching five or six, he said that this method was time-consuming and laborious, and it would be better to use a "water attack." Mu Qing secretly admired his quick thinking and ability to apply his knowledge to new situations. Many children in her previous life knew how to use this method to catch cicada nymphs, but now she felt that although that method was fast, it lacked some fun and could not compare to the joy of waiting, surprise, and success when catching them one by one.

"What's the point of pouring water all at once? It's much more interesting to wait quietly and watch the silly thing fall into the jar!"

The servant pondered for a moment and nodded in agreement with Mu Qing's words, "That's very true! Although it's easier that way, digging a hole and waiting quietly to fish with grass is like fishing. You need to find movement in stillness and avoid arrogance and impatience. It can also cultivate your character. It seems that you can gain some insight from such a small matter!"

After hearing what the servant said, Mu Qing was speechless. She was just looking for fun out of boredom, for the sense of accomplishment and the satisfaction of returning with a full load. She didn't expect the servant to rise to a theoretical level, which she really admired. Thinking about it carefully, his words did make some sense. However, she also felt that the servant's identity was increasingly suspicious.

Mu Qing probed, "Why do you sound so refined? The more I look at you, the less you seem like a servant and more like a rich young master!"

The servant was taken aback, then chuckled awkwardly. "I am the young master's page, so I am naturally different from ordinary servants. Besides, you are so young, yet you speak with such reason and logic, unlike most children."

"Oh! Mother said I was precocious, so the old lady chose me to serve the young lady of the Fourth Master's family. Look, here I am again, hurry up and bring me up!" Mu Qing changed the subject, and the servant did not continue.