When Yurong saw Yuchen, she took Yuchen's hand and said, “Third Elder Sister, please help me beg Grandmother not to sell my wet nurse. Third Elder Sister, please help me beg Grandmother!“

However, Yurong did not dare to beg by herself.

Thinking of Yurong's temper, Yuchen anxiously said to Momowet nurse¹Gui, “If Fifth Younger Sister continues to act like this, she won't even realise that she has offended people when she goes out to socialize in the future.” Her bad impression of Yurong had already turned to worse as Yurong couldn't even bear a bit of hards.h.i.+p, full of lies, and wouldn't a.s.sume responsibility of her own wrongdoings. Thank G.o.d, she didn't found out about her bad att.i.tudes now rather than in the future. Though, she didn't put any hope on Yurong's good future with her current bad manners.

Yuchen remembered his half-brothers and gave out a wry smile, “Just forget it. It's useless for us to even be worried.” Not only Wu s.h.i.+'s two sons didn't like to study, even two of the second house shuzison of a concubine²were not good in learning. If one wasn't good literally, then one would not also be good in martial art skills.

Wu s.h.i.+ heard that Han Jingyan had returned and felt uneasy. Seeing his ugly face, she knew it was not good.

Wu s.h.i.+ resisted the feeling of fear in her heart and still wanted to argue stubbornly, “Lord, Fourth Girl had beaten Yurong's face badly, and still dared to defy me when I was just saying a few words to her. Thus, at that time, I became so angry that I lost my sense of propriety.” She had always known that being a stepmother was a difficult thing to do, but because she had been staying a long time in Hebei, she didn't directly contacted Yuchen and Yuxi, so, as a result, she felt nothing for them. Now, she truly agreed that being a stepmother was really difficult. If she had accidentally hit her own children, she certainly would not have caused such big disturbance.

It was the first time Wu s.h.i.+ saw Han jingyan showing such a huge rage. Her heart felt very scared, “I didn't know what Yurong had said at that time. If I knew, I would definitely have restrained her.”

Wu s.h.i.+ was too frightened to speak. She also didn't realise, when she was just talking to Mama Chen about the old story of the state residence that day, they would be heard by Yurong, and somehow she remembered Fourth Girl's story the most.

Thinking of his eldest son whose intelligence and wisdom was no less than Yuchen, made him felt that it was such a pity that he had died young. None of his four living sons was as outstanding as him. He could not explain what he currently felt in his heart, but, it was already too late for him to regret it now, “During this period of time, you have to properly follow Mother in learning the rules. About Yurong, she will be confined in her courtyard to carefully examine her wrongdoings. Until both of you understand the rules, none are allowed to step out of the residence.“ When he was in Hebei, everyone had been busily taken care of his face that even if Wu s.h.i.+ acted improper, they would not fuss so much about it. However, the capital was different. The residence may seemed to be a big brand, but it actually had no real power. In addition to the recent turmoil in the court, he didn't wish to be drawn into the royal dispute. Therefore, he was determined not to let Wu s.h.i.+ and Yurong went out during this period of time.

Yuxi was about to have dinner when she heard the maid outside said, “Miss, Master requests you to make a trip to his study.”

Book of Han carved in Ming dynasty in Tian Yi Chamber Library collection.

Image Source

 Gisling via Wiki (Book of Han)

As Yuxi stood outside the study, she was suddenly in a trance. She had come to this place once in her previous life. That time, she came to ask Han Jingyan to refuse Jiang family's marriage proposal. As a result, he poured dogs blood onChinese idiom : to curse or berate⁴her and threw her a white silk. His affection for her upbringing had been paid off in her previous life, so she never treated him as a her father after her rebirth. Except that, since she was still unable to leave the Han household for now, she had to lower her headyield⁵to a lot of things.

Seeing that Yuxi did not move, the page at the door reminded her, “Fourth Miss, Master is waiting for you in the study.”

After carefully looking at the inside of the study, it reminded Yuxi of Yuchen's Tingyun Pavilion. All the furnis.h.i.+ngs here were exquisite and valuable. Even the most obscure porcelain vase in the corner was an antique.

The pen/writing brush holder that Han Jingyan's had probably looked like this. Except his are made of Ru Kiln, one of China 5 Great Kilns.

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Yuxi gave Han Jingyan a polite salute and called out, “Father.”

Over the years, with the support of Duke Han's state residence and Marquis of Pingqing's residence, Han Jingyan had been able to climb from a small official of 7ᵗʰ grade to the present 4ᵗʰ grade, but despite that, his personal ability should never be underestimated.

Han Jingyan noticed that Yuxi's eyes were red which made her appearance looking very pitiful. He slowly said to her, “Father knows that you have been wronged today.”

When Han Jingyan looked at Yuxi acting like this, he felt somewhat unnatural instead. “Yuxi, don't worry, it won't happen again,” he said with a stiff face. It was very difficult for him to speak soft words (expressing apology, sympathy, etc.) to her, so he picked up the easiest one to say.

Han Jingyan was very satisfied with Yuxi's behaviour and asked, “I heard you like to play chess?” As far as he knew, Yuxi's biggest hobby was playing chess, but her talent was limited and her chess skills were still average.

Han Jingyan nodded and said, “Playing chess is just your pastime, since it isn't a time consuming and need so much of your energy.”

Han Jingyan asked Yuxi many questions, just to show that his was being concern of her.

After Han Jingyan asked several questions, he did not know what else to say. Besides, Yuxi did not show much enthusiasm when answering him. He suddenly felt rather bored as he said, “You should return first.” Till the end of their meeting, they still couldn't get along well.

Not long after Yuxi returned to Rose Courtyard, someone came to send her something. It was a complete set of rosewood chess.

The weiqi pieces from the new weiqi set might look like this, as these ones are really made of agate.

Image Source

Even Zisu was surprised, “Miss, this piece of chess is really beautiful.” It was several grades higher than the set of chess used by Yuxi herself.

Noob Translator's Musing Yuxi becomes materialistic because of her poor previous life. So, she doesn't mind to sc.r.a.pe off some treasures from Han Jingyan, her blood father she doesn't want to accept as her father.

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