**坑爹 kangdie: be cheated; to take advantage of; fraudulent, dishonest, deceptive
Towards this simpleminded, her own mother, Gu Qianxue considered (her) to be admirable, her concerns will always be different from normal people.*
*her = mother; the way the mother thinks is always different from how others would
Zhao Shi does not pay attention to Gu Qianxue’s correction, she started to show off her power and openly taking care of her, “Quickly, support the Young Miss to return to her room… … No, no, send her to mine, the Madam’s Mudan*courtyard. Still so slow! Is it that you want to be beaten up?” she yelled at the small servant girl.
*Tree Peony courtyard
“Husband… … hus… …” Zhao Shi just wanted to turn her head to look for Minister Gu, but she finds out, she did not know when Minister Gu has already brought people to leave. Looking at Minister Gu’s long and slender figure from a distance, Zhao Shi’s face was obsessively infatuated.
Gu Qianxue looked from the side of her eyes at Zhao Shi, from the bottom of her heart she coolly thought, if herself was Minister Gu, she would also unable to like Zhao Shi, but soon after, Gu Qianxue’s expression however also became gentler, because in her heart warmth took over.
In her previous world, very early on she lost her mother, so actually to have the feeling of having a mother to love her dearly in this way, it is wonderful.
Right when the crowd dispersed, at no time from afar behind the decorative rock walked out two famous young women.
The female who is leading, has a good set of appearance, her figure was sweet, fair, graceful and seductive, but her gaze however was incomparably vicious, she tightly kept her eyes on Gu Qianxue’s figure. “This idiot unexpectedly did not die.”
The person who spoke, is Pei concubine’s daughter, Pei Chengxiang’s granddaughter, the Empress’s sister’s daughter, Gu Residence’s second Young Miss, Gu Qian Rou.
The other person is Gu Qian Rou’s personal servant, Cui’er, at this moment her face had a ingratiating smile, “Young Miss, be reassured, that idiot slut will not die now, two days later when she arrives at Prince Li’s Residence, she also will have to die.”
Qian Sha* Warm Pavilion was filled with the thick fragrance of rouge cosmetics, every blade of grass and every tree* all were cultivated with the utmost care and finely meticulous placed, a brick, a rooftile all were shining, the furniture were all rosewoods, etc, all rare and precious woods, work that surpasses nature, it was an extreme utmost luxury, (and) makes one astonished to see.
*Qian Sha = Thousand Yarns [t/n: may be translated as this later on]
*every small thing
From the top of rosewood beam and wooden columns hanged down cotton fabrics, perhaps green or pinkish-white, it was simple, elegant and light as if it was a fairy’s place, but however, the fairyland was disturbed by a noisily sound.
The original Warm Pavilion had a hallway outside, the hallway had red and green tiles, one does not have to say it is delicately beautiful, (I) only will say at the long hallway’s top ledge hangs a whole party of copper birdcages, what, there are Chinese hwamei*, hongzi*, larks, nightingales, there are also what, hou pi*, common redpolls*, it can be said that it is popular for rich people to raise whatever sort of birds, (this place) conveniently have whatever sort of birds.
*birds from Chinese origins
t/n: her monologue was a bit tricky to understand; she’s basically saying it’s extremely luxurious that they have so many different sort of birds, she’s also mocking by using “what,”to list the ridiculous amount of birds.
To raise birds one must be able to listen carefully to appreciate the sound of bird chirping in order to add on to their refined taste, perhaps raising one kind, perhaps raising two kinds, if (one) raised many kinds, then isn’t* it no longer elegant but instead a bird market.
*she’s exclaiming with her word choice, making it sound like a question but is still a statement when she says “isn’t it no longer..”
It is a pity, Zhao Shi however does not understand, she only thinks that if other raises birds, she herself as well must raise birds, other people raises a kind, she insists on raising a variety, it is more important for her to have more than other people, she in comparison will be higher than them, as a result, now there is a magnificent view.
Petal bath, red jujubes ginger soup. (t/n: it’s literally what it is written/no other words)
After Gu Qianxue finished cleaning herself up, she looks at her own new appearance in the copper mirror. The moment she meets her own appearance, she is again surprised by this, when she is dreaming she herself could not think one day she will become as beautiful like this appearance.
It is a pity, she did not have the time to admire oneself, if she doesn’t think of a survival method, she will go from a gorgeous beauty to become a dead beauty.
At this time, Gu Qianxue changed to an embroidered light green colored cotton cheongsam and sits by the window, her eyes closed, it seems as she is resting her mind, but in fact she is going over her memories.
In a short while, Gu Qianxue covered her ears, took a breath, then no longer able to bear, faced Zhao Shi bellowing, “Can you put these birds away? They’re noisy to the point I’m stressed, how can I think carefully?”
Zhao Shi was startled, the big-bellied ran over, reached her hands and placed it on Gu Qianxue’s forehead, “My precious daughter, what exactly happened to you, how can you make a fuss with mother, if you have something you are not happy with mother, tell me, don’t place it in your heart.”
“Things that I’m not happy with?” Gu Qianxue didn’t know whether to cry or laugh, only it was towards her own cheap mother’s unique characteristics of her habits in her concerning others. Enduring her own temper, she said, “the things that happened to me just before, what sort of consequences will there be, do you know clearly?”
Zhao Shi thought about it, then nodded her head, “I have a general idea.”
Gu Qianxue embraced a little of hope, “then do you have a way to solve this (matter)?”
Zhao Shi promptly offered a valuable piece of advice and said, “Mother will write your grandfather a mail, ah, as long as your grandfather knows, he absolutely will help us, women settle this matter.”
Gu Qianxue’s eyes blackened, she has the sort of desire to faint, “Previously, you only wanted to stir up trouble, now changed to writing grandfather a mail?” As expected, she should have not put her hopes onto a basically incapable person who is unable to carry her hopes.
Zhao Shi nodded, “Yes-ah, this you do not know?”
Gu Qianxue closed her eyes, reached her hands to rub the sides of her head, “How many times have (you) written?”
She cannot help to sigh with sorrow— Marshal Zhao, whose family’s ancestral tomb in his previous lifetime did he dig, how did he implicate, be cheated* with a daughter like this in this lifetime?
*坑爹 kangdie: be cheated; to take advantage of; fraudulent, dishonest, deceptive