Aristocratic Family - Chapter 10

Chapter 10 : Planning

The cicadas outside were chirping nonstop. August was already sweltering, and the constant chirping of the cicadas added to the annoyance. Lian Yueyao leaned against the bed, seemingly oblivious to the cicadas’ chirping outside. She was quietly lost in her thoughts, and nothing outside could disturb her.

Hua Lei saw that Lian Yueyao’s expression was fine and cautiously said, “Young Lady, there’s something I don’t know if I should say or not.”

Lian Yueyao snapped back to reality. Hua Lei was loyal to her, and if she had something to say, it was definitely for her own good. Lian Yueyao nodded at her, “You and Mu Qiu are the people I trust the most. Just say it.”

Hua Lei said, “Young Lady, Yu Mama is gone. Our Lanxi Courtyard is short of a managing mama. We’ve been busy, so we haven’t mentioned it yet. In a few days, the first lady will definitely send a managing mama over. Miss, do you think we should ask for Deng Mama to come back and serve you? It would be a great help to you.”

Yu Mama was originally Lian Yueyao’s managing mama, but she left the courtyard due to some matters. This happened just a few days ago.

Lian Yueyao was taken aback, “Deng Mama?” Only then did she remember. Deng Mama was her mother’s former personal maid, who came with her as part of her dowry and later became her mother’s trusted servant. However, after returning to the capital from Jiangnan, Deng Mama fell ill and went to her mother’s dowry manor to recuperate. Later, Lian Yueyao wanted Deng Mama to come back, but Gu Mama said Deng Mama’s illness wasn’t cured, and the matter was put off. Later, she received news that Deng Mama had passed away.

Lian Yueyao thought for a moment and shook her head, “No, it’s not possible. The reason our courtyard doesn’t have a managing mama isn’t because the first lady is careless; it’s probably because grandmother is choosing someone for me.” If Madam Mo didn’t send someone over, it must be because grandmother had spoken up. Otherwise, Madam Mo would have installed someone long ago. In her past life, a managing mama did come, but she couldn’t remember the details because it was too far away.

Hua Lei was disappointed for a second, but soon became delighted again, exclaiming, “Young lady!” The young lady had actually thought that the reason for not having a managing mama was because of the old lady.

Lian Yueyao saw Hua Lei’s disappointment and smiled, “However, Deng Mama can still come back.”

Seeing Hua Lei’s puzzled expression, she continued, “I plan to bring Tingzheng over and teach him personally once I’m feeling better. Although Tingzheng’s origin isn’t good, he’s still my younger brother. In the future, the second house will still rely on Tingzheng.”

Hua Lei was overjoyed, almost clasping her hands together in excitement, muttering, “Heaven bless us, the madam and the master must be blessing us, making the young lady realize this so quickly.”

“The young lady has finally seen the light, it’s great. Tingzheng and the young lady are biological siblings, and in the future, the young lady can only rely on Tingzheng.”

Hua Lei had always wanted the young lady to take care of Tingzheng. If possible, bringing him to the courtyard would be the best. If the young lady personally taught Tingzheng, their bond would be stronger.

More importantly, when Tingzheng grew up, he would be the young lady’s true reliance. However, the young lady had refused to listen to this, obsessed with copying scriptures. Filial piety was important, but people were more important than scriptures.

Lian Yueyao’s smile was bitter. She hadn’t thought things through like Hua Lei. She only had one brother left, and they had to rely on each other. Why hadn’t she realized this simple truth before? If she had thought it through, she would have made more effort to keep Tingzheng by her side, and he wouldn’t have died so young. She wouldn’t have been left with no one to turn to when things went wrong.

“Yes, let’s talk to grandmother about bringing Tingzheng over in a few days. I’ll ask grandmother to let Deng Mama come back to be Tingzheng’s managing mama. I think grandmother won’t refuse. This way, it’ll be a win-win situation.” Both of them would be in the courtyard, and they could observe the mama sent by grandmother. If she was useful, they would keep her; if not, they would discard her.

In her past life, grandmother had sent a managing mama over, but her courtyard was controlled by Gu Mama. Later, grandmother passed away, and the managing mama left for unknown reasons. Lian Yueyao didn’t want to think about what happened after that.

Hua Lei nodded enthusiastically, “The young lady’s idea is excellent.”

Hua Lei had always known the young lady was intelligent. However, after the old lady’s sudden passing, the young lady was deeply affected and didn’t want to do anything except copy scriptures. Now, it seemed the young lady had finally come out of her grief. The young lady had been clever and resourceful since childhood, but previously, she had focused too much on those things. Now that she had a plan, Hualei wasn’t worried.

Lian Yueyao turned to Hua Lei, looking straight at her. Hua Lei felt her palms sweating, “Young lady, what’s wrong with me?”

Lian Yueyao shook her head, “Nothing, I was just thinking about something. I don’t know if you can help me with it.” Lian Yueyao wanted to get rid of Gu Mama, but she couldn’t do it herself, so she needed to find a subtle way.

Hua Lei was surprised, “The young lady has something to do, just give the order. As long as it’s within my power, I won’t refuse.” This was the first time Hua Lei had seen Lian Yueyao look like this. Whatever it was, it must be a big deal.
Hua Lei felt curious.

Lian Yueyao whispered something to Hua Lei. Hua Lei’s mouth dropped open in shock, and it took her a long time to say, “Young lady…” What was the young lady thinking?

Although Hua Lei knew the young lady disliked Gu Mama, she didn’t expect her to want to get rid of her entirely. In Hua Lei’s opinion, someone who betrayed their master deserved punishment, but getting rid of her wasn’t a bad idea either. However, the young lady’s decision still surprised Hua Lei.

Lian Yueyao knew she needed to give Hualei a satisfactory explanation, or it would be difficult for her to operate with suspicious servants around her, “You’re wondering why I’ve changed so much lately, aren’t you?” She knew she needed a convincing reason to dispel Hua Lei’s doubts. If the reason wasn’t convincing, it would cause trouble in the future.

Hua Lei nodded involuntarily.
The young lady had indeed changed a lot recently. Hua Lei was happy about the change, as it meant the young lady wouldn’t be easily deceived. However, the young lady’s transformation was sudden and raised suspicions. It was as if she had changed overnight.

Lian Yueyao stood up, looking out the window at the swaying green bamboo and the bright blue sky. Her gaze wandered far, far away, as if she could see through the clouds to her parents in heaven, “You heard Mu Qiu say that I had a nightmare the night before you came back. That day, I wasn’t just having a nightmare; my mother was visiting me in my dreams. She told me that Madam Mo didn’t have good intentions towards me, that Madam Mo’s kindness was only for the wealth of our second house. My mother also warned me that Gu Mama was treacherous. She told me to protect myself and that if I continued to spend all my time copying scriptures, she wouldn’t be able to rest in peace.”

Hua Lei covered her mouth with both hands, which was considered impolite for a maid in a noble household. However, she couldn’t help it; she was too shocked and covered her mouth to prevent a scream from escaping.

Lian Yueyao thought Hua Lei wouldn’t believe her and was about to say more, but she saw Hua Lei snap back to reality, laughing and crying, “I knew it! The master and mistress must be watching over the young lady from heaven. I didn’t think it was really the master and mistress’s spirits.”

Ancient people were superstitious, and since Lian Yueyao said her mother had visited her in a dream, Hua Lei believed it without question. Otherwise, she couldn’t explain the young lady’s unusual behavior these past few days. After speaking, Hua Lei couldn’t help but clasp her hands together and chant “Amitabha.”

Seeing that Hua Lei didn’t doubt her at all, Lian Yueyao felt relieved, “Gu Mama is treacherous and can’t stay by my side anymore. However, she’s my wet nurse, and if I send her away, it won’t look good. So, we have to do it this way.” It’s essential to be open with those you trust, so they can better follow your instructions.

Hua Lei nodded repeatedly. As long as the young lady’s mind wasn’t focused on those things, she believed no one could deceive her. Now, whatever the young lady said, she would listen.

Lian Yueyao instructed, “Money isn’t a problem. We must ensure that everything is done perfectly and discreetly, without anyone finding out. Do you know someone who can help us?”

Hua Lei nodded, “Young lady, my uncle is a reliable and honest person. If the young lady trusts him, I think he can handle the task.” Hua Lei was a household servant, and most of her relatives worked in the mansion. Her uncle currently worked in the outer courtyard, but he held a minor position with no benefits. All the lucrative positions were held by Madam Mo’s people.

Lian Yueyao thought for a moment; she had no one else to turn to, so she had to rely on Hua Lei’s uncle, “Hua Lei, don’t tell your uncle the details yet. Just ask him if he can do it discreetly.” Lian Yueyao didn’t want to take any risks, so she needed to test Hua Lei’s uncle’s abilities first. If he agreed without knowing the specifics, she couldn’t trust him. But if he had a clear plan, she could consider letting him try.

After all, it wasn’t a matter of life and death, and as long as they were cautious, they wouldn’t expose themselves.

After going through her past life’s experiences, Lian Yueyao didn’t care much about her reputation anymore. However, she didn’t want to tarnish her name unnecessarily.

Hua Lei stared at Lian Yueyao in amazement, impressed by the young lady’s careful planning, “Don’t worry, young lady. I won’t reveal the details. This isn’t a trivial matter, and it affects the young lady’s reputation.” If people found out that the young lady had dismissed her wet nurse without reason, it would damage her reputation.
Hua Lei needed to be cautious.

Lian Yueyao was satisfied with Hua Lei’s response, “Let’s not rush to find your uncle. We’ll discuss this when the time is right.” If they approached him recklessly, it would likely attract Madam Mo’s attention. It was better to find a suitable opportunity to discuss the matter. Lian Yueyao was impatient with Gu Mama’s presence, but she still needed to be cautious.

Hua Lei replied hastily, “I understand, young lady.” She wouldn’t take any action without the young lady’s approval. She couldn’t make decisions on her own.

Lian Yueyao tried to calm her heart, but she wasn’t sure if she could truly face everything with a peaceful mindset. She didn’t know how she would react to this group of people, but she would try to control herself and avoid any previous incidents.

After adjusting her mindset, Lian Yueyao’s first task was to pay respects to her grandmother. Mu Qiu brought her a set of moon-white clothes, which looked elegant and refined.

Lian Yueyao frowned, “Get the light blue dress instead. This one is too plain.” If she wore clothes that resembled mourning attire, would grandmother’s mood improve? A bad mood could affect grandmother’s health.

Hua Lei nodded to herself; the young lady was considering everything now. A single dream had made the young lady mature overnight.

Outside the old lady’s Yisong Courtyard, Lian Yueyao encountered two handsome young men. Her eyes flickered, and she quickly curtsied, “Eldest brother, second brother, greetings.”

Tingli, the eldest son, was destined to bear the family’s responsibilities, so he looked a bit mature for his age. After returning, he had heard about the recent events in the family from the servants. When he heard Lian Yueyao’s greeting, he looked at her with a discerning gaze.

The second young master, Tingyi, looked surprised, “Third sister used to call us Eldest brother and second brother. Why are you being so formal¹ today?”

Lian Yueyao’s expression faltered; she had forgotten how she used to address them. After hearing Tingyi’s words, she adjusted her tone, “If second brother feels it’s too formal, I’ll call you Eldest brother and second brother as before. Eldest brother, second brother, greetings.”

Tingli noticed that Lian Yueyao seemed more lively and felt suspicious. The servant had said that third sister was acting strangely, and indeed, she was a bit different. However, it was nothing more than that.

Tingyi didn’t notice anything unusual and, being his usual lively self, happily pulled Yueyao into the courtyard. Yueyao forced herself not to shake off Tingyi’s hand, but inside, she felt extremely uncomfortable. She wanted to avoid anyone associated with Madam Mo, but she couldn’t.

The old lady saw Yueyao and scolded, “You’re still not fully recovered; you should rest for a few more days. Don’t rush to pay your respects. If your health isn’t good, it’ll worry me, and that’s the most unfilial thing to do.”

Yueyao knelt down and massaged the old lady’s legs, “Grandmother, don’t worry, I’m much better now. The doctor said I need to move around more, and it’s good for my health. Grandmother, the weather is nice today, and I’d like to accompany you for a walk outside.”

The old lady smiled when she heard Yueyao’s words, and her face brightened up. She was relieved to see that the child had relaxed a bit. “Good, good, with what you’ve said, I’m reassured.”

Tingli and Tingyi waited for Yueyao to finish speaking before paying their respects to the old lady, “Greetings, grandmother.”

The old lady looked at her two grandsons. Tingli was raised by the old master, and he was perfect in every way. Tingyi was raised by her, and they were close until he moved to the front courtyard for school. Although they were apart, their bond remained strong.

The old lady held Tingyi’s hand, looking at him with concern, “You’ve lost weight. Is the food in school not good?”

Tingyi smiled, “No, the food is fine. Mother sends food over every now and then. Don’t worry, grandmother.”

Tingli and Tingyi both attended the most prestigious Bailu Academy in the capital. Bailu Academy had strict admission requirements, with three exams to pass. Even with connections, one couldn’t get in without passing the exams. Moreover, the bottom ten students were dismissed every semester, and ten new students were recruited.

Tingli and Tingyi’s admission to Bailu Academy was a relief to the Lian family, as it meant they would likely pass the imperial exams. Students from Bailu Academy were guaranteed to be at least provincial graduates.

Yueyao looked at her cousins, both of whom were outstanding. Tingli, although not among the top three, was the first in the second rank. He married Peng Shi, whose father was the Minister of Personnel, a significant boost to Tingli’s career.

Tingyi was also exceptional, a double Jinshi who married Zhao Shi, the eldest daughter of the Yongchang Earl. His future was bright. The first branch of the family produced talented individuals with promising futures. In contrast, Yueyao and her brother Tingzheng were either deceased or living a miserable life.

Outside, an old woman announced, “Old lady, eldest young lady, second young lady, and fourth young lady are here.”

Yueyao snapped back to reality and looked at the three sisters entering the room. Suppressing her disgust, she approached them and apologized to Yuebing, “Second sister, I was wrong that day. You can punish me as you see fit.” She knew she had been wrong and needed to apologize.

Yuebing was taken aback, her face showing displeasure. She thought Yueyao should have apologized in private, not in front of their grandmother. However, seeing her eldest brother’s stern expression, she walked over and took Yueyao’s hand, “You explained everything to me that day. I’m not that petty. But I want you to draw a pattern for me!”

Yueyao’s embroidery skills were lacking, but her drawing skills were exceptional. The patterns she drew made the embroidered items look particularly beautiful.

Yueyao put on a sheepish expression, “Second sister, I’m still in the middle of copying scriptures and don’t have time. Can it wait until I’m out of mourning?”

In her past life, she wouldn’t have hesitated to do such things during the mourning period. However, living with Yuebing now, she used to draw patterns for her, and the finished products were always exquisite and unique. But now, not only was she still in mourning, but she also had to avoid bright colors. Even after the mourning period, she wouldn’t be in the mood to draw patterns for Yuebing.

Yuebing’s face turned unpleasant when she saw Yueyao’s refusal. Last time, Yueyao pushed her to the ground and scraped her hand, but she didn’t hold a grudge. Now, Yueyao couldn’t even be bothered to draw a simple pattern for her. Their mother had told her to be more generous, but how could she be generous to someone like Yueyao?

Tingli saw the impatience in Yueyao’s eyes and felt even more puzzled.

Tingyi didn’t think much of it and exclaimed, “Third sister, it’s just a pattern. Don’t be so petty. You can embroider it and give it to second sister.” As the second son, Tingyi was less restrained and more straightforward, so his words didn’t come as a surprise.

Yueyao lowered her head, showing her reluctance.

The old lady watched from above but said nothing. However, she could tell that Yueyao was very resistant to the idea.

Yueying smiled and said, “Second brother, third sister is still in mourning. Activities like music, chess, and painting aren’t suitable for her. Let’s wait until she’s out of mourning, and she can draw a pattern for second sister then. Third sister, don’t you think so?”

People in mourning shouldn’t engage in such activities, especially painting, which required bright colors that were considered taboo during the mourning period.

Yueyao smiled shyly, “Yes, I’ll draw for second sister after I’m out of mourning.” This expression matched Yueyao’s previous demeanor, which was always shy and reserved.

Yuebing glanced at Yueying with disdain.

Yuehuan thought to herself, but didn’t consider getting close to Yueyao. She knew her mother’s temperament well, having come from the same household as the lady of the house. Therefore, she wouldn’t befriend Yueyao or take her side.

Everyone chatted for a while, mainly Tingyi talking and others chiming in. Even so, it made the old lady smile happily.

Before long, the old lady dismissed everyone. Tingli and Tingyi left first, followed by Yueying and Yuebing. However, Yueyao remained seated and didn’t leave.

—
Formal ¹ – When they mean difference between Eldest Brother before and now, before she uses ‘Da Gege and Er Gege’ which means Eldest older brother and Second older brother, ‘Gege’ is more intimate and close compared to the ‘Ge meaning brother’ she used in ‘Da Ge and Er Ge’ that are formal.