Chapter 118 Luo Baiqiong seduced her elder cousin
Madam Luo became happy immediately, “Both Shi and Jian came? It’s a pity that I can’t greet them in person. Last time when Chuanbei came to visit me with them, the elder one was only 3 or 4 years old, at the same age as Zhu. Now ten years had passed, they must have become big boys.”
Mammy Tang who was out of breath also laughed, “Alas, Ms. Chuanbei had come to me before and said that both the Madam and Mistress of the West Yard of Luo’s Family wanted two Young Masters of Peng’s Family to live in their mansion. However, when she saw over 60 concubines of Lord Duheng and Lord Chuanwu of the West Yard, achoo… some of whom dressed strange clothes in types of Tang Dynasty which had a big opening in the chest, she was afraid that one of them might have an bad influence on the two Young Masters…” Madam Luo hurriedly stopped Mammy Tang from continuing with a cough. She thought it was inappropriate to speak out such words in front of Yi, a little girl.
Feng Jiugu reminded Madam Luo, “Sister, we should focus on important matters. Where should we arrange those two guests? I think it’s better to send a message to Second Mistress Luo first. And about Fourth Miss…”
“Yes, the Xi Chang Yard in our mansion has plenty rooms and it’s elegant. There also possesses the fun of the wild. Just take them there.” Madam Luo ordered, “Take good care of their daily uses and provide them the same service as Qian. We must treat these two young guests very well.”
Behind the curtain, Mammy Tang said with a bit of amazement, “Madam, Xi Chang Yard and Tao Yao Yard are built next to each other. I’m afraid that they might be too close…”
Madam Luo laughed, “Don’t worry. Yi is too young to care much about this. Chuanbei and Chuanxiong are cousins. And Shi and Jian are Yi’s elder cousins. Besides, their father Peng Haoguang is a Shujishi (a temporary position in the Hanlin Academy) who can communicate with the Emperor… Yi, Shi and Jian would become close playmates very soon, and I’m happy to see that!” Then Madam Luo raised her voice towards the curtain, “Yi, if you want to marry one of them, just come to me and I will help you.”
Peng Shi and Peng Jian? He Danggui couldn’t help laughing in her mind, “It’s a nice move, but Madam Luo, you chose a wrong person.”
In the previous life, after returning from the Taoist temple, He Danggui heard maids taking about Luo Baiqiong who had fell in love with Peng Shi, a Young Master of Peng’s Family who was 2 years older than her. Therefore, Luo Baiqiong begged her mother Sun Meiniang to propose a marriage. At first, Sun Meiniang disagreed because she thought the social level of Peng’s Family was lower than Luo’s Family, so it would be inappropriate for Luo Baiqiong to marry Peng Shi. He Danggui understood that, at that time, Sun Meiniang planned to arrange Luo Baiqiong to attend the selection of Xiunv (women in the Imperial Harem), so her marriage would not be decided too soon.
However, Sun Meiniang couldn’t stand Luo Baiqiong’s “entanglement”, so she put her proud aside and asked a matchmaker Biddy Jiao to propose a marriage for her daughter. But Peng’s Family refused directly. Sun Meiniang got angry but secretly sent someone to pry into the reason. Then she found that Peng Shi and Peng Jian were going to be reading partners of Zhu Yunwen, the Eldest Legitimate Grandson of the Emperor. It meant that they would have a bright future because several reading partners of the late Crown Prince had become grand preceptors and officials of the Eastern Palace above the third grade.
Therefore, Sun Meiniang then asked for Madam Luo’s help. But this time Madam Luo failed as well. It was said that Peng Shi firmly disagreed. All in all, those matchmakers from the East Yard were all sent back in frustration and the East Yard lost their faces badly. While Peng Shi and Peng Jian said goodbye to Madam Luo after studying in Chengxu Academy for less than half a year. As a result, He Danggui didn’t see them when she came back.
Then, Lord Luo Dusong of Luo’s Family in the capital heard this and didn’t want to have a rift with the East Yard. He took his two grandsons and paid a visit to Yangzhou City. Sun Meiniang was so delighted that she organized a tea party in Bao Qin Ge to make a match between her two daughters and two Young Masters of Peng’s Family. But He Danggui was not invited, so she didn’t know what exactly happened in that party which was in a mass and had an unhappy ending. Until Luo Baiqiong married to Liang’s Family in the north, there were still some people in Luo’s Family talking things like “Luo Baiqiong seduced her elder cousin” and “overshoot herself”.
He Danggui thought that the reason why Madam Luo arranged them to live beside her was to strengthen the connection with Luo’s Family in the capital. And in this way, if her granddaughter married into Peng’s Family successfully, these two families would be much closer and those masters in Luo’s Family could even become officials one day. But when hearing Madam Luo’s words, He Danggui didn’t feel astonished, or she didn’t care about it. She thought, “Now that Peng’s Family looks down upon the beautiful Luo Baiqiong, they would never like me. Madam Luo’s plan and banter are nothing but her own satisfaction.”
Hearing no replies outside the curtain, Mammy Tang thought Third Miss must be shy. In order to disembarrass Third Miss, she sneezed, interrupted Madam Luo and talked about Peng Shi and Peng Jian’s funny stories in their childhoods that Luo Chuanbei mentioned. He Danggui sweat and thought, “Mammy Tang, Zhu is still lying inside half-dead.” Feng Jiugu also didn’t want to hear it and said, “I will send Shi Liu to respond to Second Mistress Luo and arrange two young masters to live in Xi Chang Yard, at First Master’s standard.” Then she turned away and left.
Madam Luo also thought of something important and restrained herself, “Jingyang, Guang Hang, you two quickly go to the Medicine Room in the South Yard and knock out Shao. Don’t let anyone see you… Be gentle but don’t let her wake up easily. Then you wrap her up with a soft quilt, put her in a gharry and drive to Shui Shang Temple as soon as possible!”
He Danggui was surprised that Madam Luo could be so decisive. She thought, “Knock her out at where no one could see? Send her to Shui Shang Temple as soon as possible? Ha-ha. It seems that Luo Baishao is carried with poisons all her body.” Pan Jingyang’s expression was beyond surprise, “Knock Fourth Miss out? Why?”
At this time, Feng Jiugu walked in and said, “I’ve sent Shi Liu to Bao Qin Ge to report. Third Miss, your maid Chan Yi has come back and she is waiting for you at the gate.”
“It’s good for her. Just do it.” Madam Luo said decisively to Pan Jingyang. She had always listened to Mammy Tang’s advice, and the reason why she kept putting off this was that she couldn’t bear to see her granddaughter suffering in the Taoist temple. But now she determined to do so, she wouldn’t do that sloppily. Then she started to give orders, “Listen up! Considering Shao’s future, I will send her to Shui Shang Temple for half a year. Each one of you must keep this as a secret. Don’t talk to the Second Branch or anyone in this mansion about Shao’s whereabouts.”
Guang Hang couldn’t help asking, “What did Fourth Miss do wrong that Madam would punish her like this?”
While Madam Luo and Mammy Tang were explaining the story of Diaoshanyao Powder, He Danggui left the main hall silently and found Chan Yi with mud on face in a corner. She frowned and asked, “What happened? Why did you get so dirty? Are you hurt?”
Chan Yi rushed to hug He Danggui and cried, “Miss, I saw that blood-sucking monster. He has purple eyes. It was so scaring!”
He Danggui turned around and took a glance at Mammy Li and Mammy Pin who whispered at the gate of the main hall. Then she pulled Chan Yi to the corner to make sure that she didn’t get hurt. He Danggui asked, “Did that ‘monster’ see your face? How did you get away? Have you mentioned this to anyone else?”
Chan Yi tried to touch her eyes with her dirty hands but was stopped by He Danggui. Then she pouted and shook her head, “I was hiding behind a stone tablet so the monster didn’t see me. But I yelled out when seeing that monster sucking blood. The monster heard it and walked towards me to suck my blood. And then two weird guys called Feng Yan and Feng Yu came out. They took me to escape. Miss, I’ve heard before, although that monster didn’t see what exactly our appearances are, that once it smells us, it would…”
He Danggui signed to Chan Yi to stop her strange talking and lowered her voice, “Remember, don’t mention this to anyone else, even Huai Hua. It’s better to let lesser people know this. Don’t be scared. Go back to your room and take a hot bath. I will ask you about this later. Be relax. Monsters don’t go out in daytime. Go back!”
After Chan Yi left, He Danggui returned to the main hall and found that Madam Luo was telling others the explanation of Luo Baishao’s whereabouts to outsiders.
“Hong Jiang has proposed an explanation which I think is quite proper. Now keep in mind. I will tell Shao’s mother that Shao asked to go back to the capital with her Aunt Chuanbei to see new serials and take part in competitions with those childes and misses. But because Chuanbei left in a hurry, and Shao had no time to ask for her mother’s permission, I agree to let her go to the capital. She has been to Luo’s Family in the capital 3 times before, so her mother would not feel too strange.”
He Danggui sat on her small stool and asked, “Is my Fourth Sister going to stay at Luo’s Family in the capital as ‘a guest’ for half a year? Won’t my Second Aunt send someone to pick her up? I’ve remembered that my Second Sister likes to watch serials as well. What if she knows that and becomes envy, and then runs to the capital to find Fourth Sister?”
Mammy Tang smiled and replied, “I’ve thought about your concerns. After one mouth, Madam Luo can tell Second Mistress Luo that Fourth Miss finds a famous tea art master and determines not to go home until she masters the tea art. Second Mistress Luo must be delighted hearing Fourth Miss being so devoted, so she would definitely allow Fourth Miss to stay at Luo’s Family in the capital. And this would give us at least a year’s time.”
He Danggui nodded slightly and thought, “Learning tea art is indeed a nice excuse. Since the end of Yuan Dynasty, some amusements and entertainment of Tang and Song dynasties have been flourishing. In southern areas, tea art is loved by nobles. Highly skilled tea girls are much more popular than beautiful female entertainers who only sings. A noble lady who has skilled tea art would be more favorable and attract more attention from noble families, which equals to the effect of 3 years’ learning in Chengxu Academy. Therefore, tea art masters are famous and valuable in Yangzhou City. On this matter, the East Yard of Luo’s Family couldn’t compete against Guan’s Family and Sun’s Family. As a result, the misses in the East Yard of Luo’s Family couldn’t get the chance to learn tea art. Sun Meiniang often sends Luo Baiqiong to live in Sun’s Mansion for a few days just for giving her a chance to follow her female cousins and learn the tea art from the Master Huang who had the reputation of ‘Cha Wu Xiang’.”
Meanwhile, Madam Luo added, “Don’t worry. I would never allow Qiong to find her sister in the capital. The first day of the next lunar mouth is the opening day of Chengxu Academy, and Qiong will be busy studying and have no spare time to see serials. Yi, you’re familiar with Shui Shang Temple. What suggestions do you have to tell Guang Hang?”
He Danggui shook her head, “Anyway, I disagree to send Fourth Sister away. But if Grandma insists, I have nothing more to say.” Pan Jingyang and Guang Hang respected Second Mistress Luo very much, and they might be her spies, so it was better for He Danggui to say nothing.
Mammy Tang was not satisfied with Third Miss’s answer. She recalled what she heard in the Taoist temple, so she replied for the kind Third Miss, “I’ve asked around in Shui Shang Temple. Both Master Tai Shan in charge of the temple and her disciples are considerate and smart. They would try their best to meet our requirements. How about we write a letter and ask Guard Pan to carry it? Well, I also heard that those masters don’t like money. If we bring much silver, it would be counter-productive, so we can donate until we pick Fourth Miss back. Madam, we haven’t let Fourth Miss to pour tea and apologize to Third Miss. Fourth Miss had made Third Miss suffer a lot in the past half year!”
He Danggui didn’t want cause more troubles, so she hurriedly refused, “It’s not necessary. We’re sisters and I don’t want her apology.” Those damage needed more than just an apology.
Seeing Third Miss being so kind, Mammy Tang and Madam Luo didn’t talk about it anymore.
After Mammy Tang dictated, He Danggui milled the ink stick and Feng Jiugu wrote, a letter marked “To Master Tai Shan” had been completed. Madam Luo thought carefully again and found that the reason for sending Shao to cultivate herself in the Taoist temple and the explanation of her whereabouts to the outsiders were all fully prepared without any flaw. Then she ordered, “Jingyang, Guang Hang, make this quick. When you return, you go search Tao Yao Yard thoroughly in the name of ‘helping Third Miss move and decorate’. Find out all the poisons and destroy them!”
After Pan Jingyang and Guang Hang left, He Danggui lifted her head up and stared at the spider net hanging on the beam, and asked in concern, “Dr. Wu, Nephew Zhu just ate the slightly toxic knockout drops. How could his symptoms become so severe? Will he be alright?”
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