CH 75.1

Daughters of respectable families did not normally use gauze-covered palanquin, this was the means of transportation for working girls such as singers and dancers.

The palanquin stopping in front of him, Rong Xia patted his horse impassively to let it pass around the palanquin.

“Nujia Yunniang greets Count Cheng’an.” A woman clothed in snow-white gauze stepped out, her figure was voluptuous like a fully ripen honeydew, exuding the sort of feminine charm attractive to men, her face was slightly not as outstanding in comparison to the figure. The whole person was filled with the air of a working girl, but she was thoroughly reserved in front of Rong Xia.

* nujia 奴家 = Your Servant (humble self-reference by young female)

Rong Xia silently faced the unfamiliar woman in front of him.

Du Jiu still had an impression of this woman but last time Yunniang was dressed like an ordinary woman with her hair simply wrapped in cloth. She had changed to different person in just a few months, a plain camellia transformed into a bewitching snake girl.

“Miss,” Du Jiu spoke up, “Is there an urgent matter?”

“Nujia is returning from offering incense at the temple. Having met Count Cheng’an by chance, Nujia wishes to pay a respect.” Yunniang gently curtseyed to Rong Xia, “Thanking Master Count for helping Yunniang last time.”

The last time she was in the Capital, after waiting for Xie Qilin for over a month, she tried to visit Xie residence but the guards wouldn’t let her in, even ridiculed her as a cheap working girl who dreamt of marrying into Xie family.

Yes, she was ridiculous, she was deluded. But wasn’t it Xie Second Gongzi who had led her on?

Yes, she was a working girl, she was not worthy of entering Xie family door. But wasn’t it Xie Second Gongzi who had asked to elope, it wasn’t her who begged him. So who was more shameless, who was more ridiculous?

That was why she was unreconciled, she wanted to talk it out clearly with Xie Qilin. But as a working woman with no support, no backer, who had left the Capital for years, every door was shut to her, where else could she find Xie Qilin?

Just as she lost all hope, a guard from Count Cheng’an residence took her to meet Xie Er-lang.

That time in memory, when he painted her eyebrows, when she called him Er-lang, that time he said she was a fresh lotus, the most beautiful and pure one. This man whose mouth was full of honeyed words had turned a deaf ear when Xie family servants humiliated her, as if the feelings in the past had been a passing fog.

T/N – Xie Er-lang is Xie Qilin. Er-lang means the second boy.

—

When they met again, he was in a poetry gathering with some literati, he wore a silver mask which didn’t lessen his elegant air even a bit.

He seemed to never expect that she would appear. After a long time of being stunned, he walked up to her but his gaze was unfamiliar.

There was annoyance and some guilt, but more was awkwardness.

“Yunniang,” The first thing he said was, “How come you are in the Capital?”

Yes, a woman with noone to lead her way, who had limited money on her, how did she get to reach the Capital?

Yunniang laughed coldly, “Er-lang, as a woman, what else do you say I should do?” She could see his face worsened upon hearing these words. Then he seemed to worry that other scholars would see her, he took her to a secluded place.

“Yunniang, I have wronged you.” Xie Qilin gave her a purse. Plenty of broken silver and a few banknotes in the purse, it was enough for a few years of comfortable life including the purchase of a small one house courtyard in the Capital.

“It is indeed better to be the second gongzi of Xie family again.” Yunniang smiled as she accepted the purse, “Just this purse must be a few dozens liangs, unlike that time when you had to beg people to buy your calligraphy and painting to support me, this useless woman.”

“Yunniang……”

“Xie Second Gongzi, no need to say more. Yunniang is lowly, but Yunniang still knows how to write propriety, righteousness, integrity, and honour.” Yunniang curtseyed to Xie Qilin, “Master Xie has gifted me a wonderful dream. Now that Yunniang has woken up from the dream, it is time for Yunniang to take her leave.”

T/N – ‘propriety, righteousness, integrity, and honour’ = fundamental principles of conduct 四维.

“Where are you going to?” Xie Qilin said, “You are a weak woman, you have noone in the Capital, I’ll let someone arrange a place for you……”

“Does Xie-gongzi intend to keep me as an outside mistress?” Yunniang laughed coldly, “When Gongzi took Yunniang to elope, Yunniang had hurt a woman. Should Yunniang hurt your future wife too? Even if Xie-gongzi is willing, Yunniang doesn’t have the heart. That sin, Yunniang has committed once but there won’t be a second time.”

Xie Qilin stared at Yunniang in astonishment, he didn’t expect that she would say that. After a long while he said, “The past has nothing to do with you, it was all my fault. Don’t be angry with me, I just want to find you a safe place to live, I am not trying to set you up as an outside mistress. You have noone in the Capital, how can I leave you alone?”

“Even if Gongzi has no intention, others’ tongue can speak. Who can be sure that your future wife wouldn’t misunderstand?” Yunniang laughed softly, it was unclear if she was laughing at Xie Qilin or at herself. “I have lived by myself in Xuezhou for almost 2 years, am I not fine now? Moreover, a woman’s heart is soft, please Gongzi be compassionate to the future Furen.”

“Then where are you going?”

“Back to where Yunniang comes from.” Yunniang squeezed the purse tightly, “Nujia is someone whose arms are for hire to rest on, whose lips are for hire to taste. Gongzi has given nujia a sweet dream, but after waking up naturally nujia should return to be herself.”

“Gongzi, nujia bids farewell. Wishing Gongzi a lifetime of good health, a prosperous house with plenty of offsprings.”

“Yunniang!” Xie Qilin grabbed her hand.

Yunniang turned to him, “Gongzi can’t bear to see Yunniang go. Does Gongzi want to take Yunniang home as a concubine?”

Xie Qilin’s hand was like scorched by fire. He instantly let it go, looked at her in guilt, “I am sorry, Yunniang.”

“Xie-gongzi need not speak more.” Yunniang’s eyelids lowered at her squeezed and wrinkled dress. It had been a long time that she could not bear to wear it, today she had specially put it on. The embroidery on the skirt was his favourite lotus flower but at that moment he would not have noticed this. “If Gongzi truly feels like owing Yunniang, please Gongzi answer one question.”

“Go ahead ask it.”

“That time when you took Yunniang to elope, was it really because you liked Yunniang?”

Xie Qilin was silent and didn’t speak.

Yunniang laughed, her face paled, “Nujia understands.”

—

Seeing Du Jiu for the second time, the memory deep in her mind reappered on the surface, but Yunniang smiled as if nothing had happened. She turned to look at the plaque on top of Ban family gates, “Nujia has no other intention. Nujia is fortunate to meet Master Count today, and wishes to say thank you.”

“Also…….” Yunniang’s smile was enchanting with the full charm of a working girl, “Fule Junzhu is a good woman, please Master Count treat her well.”

She did not do a full salutation when thanking Rong Xia, but after the last sentence Yunniang performed a deep one with full sincerity.

Noone knew that in her eyes, the only fortunate thing of that past travesty was meeting a good woman. Had Ban Hua been a little more ruthless, a little more unreasonable that time, her ending would have been tragic. How could she expect to have lived until today?

She had thought more than once, perhaps Fule Junzhu had known she and Xie Qilin would not last long, so instead of resenting her, she had given her some money.

It was that money that made it possible to reach the Capital, to find the man that had once made her intoxicated.

—

Creak.

Ban residence gates opened, Ban Heng came out of the door. Seeing the group of people in front of the gates, he looked at Rong Xia with confusion.

How big is your gut that you talk to this kind of a woman in front of our family door, are you trying to pick a fight?

“Why are you blocking the door, going out or not?” Ban Hua behind saw him being dumbfounded at the door. She poked him then stuck her head out.

“Sis!”

Ban Heng couldn’t stop her in time, he could only rubbed his face helplessly and followed behind her.

Ban Hua was also taken aback to see the people crowding at their door, but Yunniang came into her eyes first instead of Rong Xia.

“It’s you?” Ban Hua looked at Yunniang with surprise. It had been 2 years and Yunniang looked flashier than before but she could recognise her at once.

“Junzhu.” Yunniang respectfully bowed at Ban Hua, “Nujia happens to see Count Cheng’an here. As Count Cheng’an has helped Nujia before, so nujia came down from the palanquin to say thank you.” Yunniang was explaining why she was with Rong Xia there.

Only then Ban Hua noticed Rong Xia. She looked up to the sky, “It’s almost night time, have you eaten yet?”

Meal time was very important for the Bans.

Rong Xia got off his horse and walked up to Ban Hua, “I am not hungry. I heard someone came to give you trouble, so I am here to have a look.”

Trouble?

Ban Hua was confused for a while, then she remembered who Rong Xia meant. Coughing drily she said, “I didn’t meet him. Someone from Yan family has taken him back.”

Rong Xia smiled, “I know.”

However this time his gentle smile failed to mesmerise Ban Hua because her focus has switched back to Yunniang. She walked up to Yunniang, looked at the small palanquin and the make up on her face. Ban Hua didn’t ask where Yunniang live, she only asked, “You….. when did you come to the Capital?”

“Arrived in the Capital last year.” Yunniang did not mention the time she almost hit count Cheng’an with a window rod, “Is Junzhu all well?”

“All is well.” Ban Hua remembered what happened after Xie Qilin and Yunniang eloped, she sighed, “You shouldn’t have come back.”

“Yunniang grew up in the Capital, even if other places are good but they aren’t my hometown. Living alone by myself is also pointless.” Yunniang smiled with her head bowed, “Yunniang is glad that Junzhu is fine.”

Ban Hua understood what she meant, she sneered, “The past is like wind, no need to mention again. Let it pass.”

“It is true.” Yunniang also smiled, “Back then nujia didn’t know any better and have caused Junzhu so much trouble, afraid can’t pay it back with my whole life.”

“What does it have to do with you.” Ban Hua shook her head, “The one who wronged me hasn’t admitted the guilt yet. Why should you?”

Yunniang raised her head, Rong Xia was not far from them. Afraid that Rong Xia might misunderstand if she mentioned Xie Qillin again, Yunniang stopped. She felt guilty towards Ban Hua, and with the rumours outside, she worried that Count Cheng’an would not treat Ban Hua well.

The biggest fear for women was marrying the wrong person. Fule Junzhu and Count Cheng’an were so different, she was anxious that Count Cheng’an minded Junzhu’s past.

Conscious of her lowly status, Yunniang was afraid that being seen with Ban Hua would cause another rumour, “Junzhu, it is not early anymore. Nujia will take her leave.”

“It is quite late,” Ban Hua saw Yunniang’s palanquin was not very well-covered, she called two guards, “These two are Ban family good people. The streets are dark and empty, let them accompany you back.”

Yunniang hurriedly shook her head, “How can nujia accept it?”

“Don’t reject it. I won’t feel at ease if I let you go like this.” Ban Hua waved her hand, “Let’s do it this way.”

Ban Hua’s tone was a despotic one that didn’t allow refusal. Yunniang felt her heart warmed up, she didn’t refuse anymore. After a salute to Ban Hua, she entered the palanquin.

At first the palanquin bearers disdained Yunniang because she was a working girl, but seeing her acquainted with a Junzhu and the noble person still sent some guards to escort her, they couldn’t help to feel awe and they dared not offend her. In the eyes of commoners even the guard of a noble residence was already quite impressive.

T/N – I am glad this chapter tells the story of Yunniang and makes her human.

BTW, what a duo they are: Ban Hua gave Yunniang money that enabled her to return to the Capital, then Rong Xia picked up the baton by taking Yunniang to confront Xie Qilin.

T/N – This chapter is long with 6942 characters so split into 2 (normally only around 3200 – 3500). The chapters are getting longer .