Chapter 2 (Part 2): An idiotic aunt’s awakening
The one at the lead was a married woman in her forties, dressed luxuriously and had great care of her health such that she was still dignified and beautiful like a peony under the bright sun in her forties. It is obvious how remarkably stunning and moving she was when she was young. Beside her stood a slim girl in green who appeared to be in her twenties, had delicate and pretty features and a sharpened chin. That girl in red nestled against her chest and both mother and daughter were glaring at me together with deep-seated resentment. Apart from them, there was also a delicate and pretty maiden who seemed to be sixteen or seventeen years old, standing behind the madam a bit timidly.
Once Madam Xie saw me she shouted, "Xiaohua*, why are you drenched, how did you end up like this? What about Yunxiang(Yúnxiāng)? How come she didn't look after the Fourth Miss well?"
*T/n: Referring to Xie Zhaohua, the owner of the body
A skinny girl ran out hastily, "Ma…Madam please quell your anger. It's this…this servant who did not protect…protect Miss well. This servant will now bring Miss to…to go have a change of clothes."
Madam Xie was unexpectedly rather concerned and walked closer to take a look, "The skin of your hands have already been abraded, how did it happen? Like a small beggar."
Juan-er along with Dama and Xiaoma chuckled behind.
Since I was already not silly and also did not have the talent in acting, I decided not to pretend anymore. I cleared my throat and tried to say as gently as possible, "This daughter has let Mother worry."
Madam Xie seemed to have her acupuncture points hit instantly and looked at me stupefied with her whole body trembling. All the older female servants behind her also turned into rocks with only that Juan-er shouting loudly, "See see! I already said that Little Aunt has been possessed by a monster."
Madam Xie was after all someone who has seen much of life and was the first to recover. She shouted at her granddaughter, "Don't speak nonsense." After that, she looked towards me puzzledly.
I rapidly typed out a draft in my head and opened my mouth to say, "Just now when I fell into the water from the rockery, I don't know what I hit and felt that my mind suddenly became clear, as if a blindfold has been removed. It's just that all the memories of the many past years seemed to be as transient and ephemeral as the clouds, so it's all fuzzy now. Mother, what is wrong with me?"
This speech was even more fake than lottery ticket in Xi An, but Madam Xie had clearly believed what I said, with sparkling and translucent tears gushing forth from her two eyes, glistening. The beautiful women in ancient times were extremely delicate where they are too weak to stand against the wind, thus the older female servant immediately came over to support her as she cried.
"Heaven has eyes, our Xie Family has hoped for more than ten years, finally we have hoped until your illness has recovered. In the future when I go underground and meet your mum, I can also have something to account for."
It turns out that this Madam Xie is also not my biological mother.
Once Madam Xie, everyone else also joined her in crying, even that elder sister-in-law of mine also couldn't help but use her sleeves to dab her tears. Madam Xie even instructed the butler to quickly inform the senior master and two young masters of this happy occasion.
She turned her head back to see me looking confused and said, "You don't remember a lot of things right? Don't be scared, I will tell you one by one."
I was first led by the maid called "Yunxiang" to take a bath and change clothes.
The Xie Family's house was very massive, I followed Yunxiang in turning left and right, passed through many beautiful sceneries of the courtyard and only came to a desolated courtyard with great difficulty, named "Yang Xin(Yǎng Xīn)* pavilion".
*T/n: It means something like easing the heart
I laughed, a Miss's building is not plants and flowers but easing the heart, it could be seen that the Xie family members really had a headache with this idiotic maiden.
Yunxiang seemed to not have really gotten used to my recovery and the look she gave me contained both surprise and doubt. When I smiled at her, she would be frightened until she kept trembling, as if I would really eat people.
I said, "Yunxiang, it can't be that you really believed Juan-er's words and think of me as a demon right?"
She shook her head fiercely, "Miss…Miss is not a demon."
I asked, "It must have been tough on you all to serve me in the past right."
She kept shaking her head, "It's not…It's not tough, just needed to make sure that you are full, warm and don't run all over the place." It appears that when this child is nervous, she will stutter when she speaks.
I smiled gently, "Don't be afraid until this extent. I won't make things hard for you. Next time when I'm well, you all also won't be given supercilious looks by others."
Yunxiang's eyes turned red instantly, relaxed a lot and asked, "How does Miss know that we were bullied by others?"
Does this need to be asked? Even I being a Miss was already being chased around the whole courtyard and beaten by those wimpy kids, not to even mention these servants.
I took a bath and since the minor wounds on my body was a little painful from getting contact with water, Yunxiang obtained some ointment and applied for me. Seeing how practised she is, it seems like me getting injured was like a common occurrence. Upon closer look, there were past traces which remained on my body. I thought in my heart that this Xie Zhaohua was really pitiful, since I have already borrowed her body to use, I must definitely cherish and protect it.
After applying the medication, Yunxiang took out a set of pale green gown and wanted to get me changed. Only now did I thoroughly understand why the females in large households in ancient times needed people to attend to them. Not mentioning the others, just this clothes alone, there are three inner layers three outer layers, once you grab this part the other part will drop, if you don't have one or two helpers, you really will be tormented.
After finishing in wearing the clothes with great difficulty, I was sweating profusely again. This time, I sat down for grooming.
In the copper mirror, was a young girl's immature face.
How old? Fourteen? Fifteen? Very thin, thick eyebrows and thick eyes, a rather stubborn straight nose and thin lips. There was a kind of unchiseled beauty. Just that the age was still too young and still appeared childish. The complexion was actually rosy and it could be seen that the Xie Family did not mistreat her too much.
Since I have yet to come of age, Yunxiang combed me a hairstyle with two buns. I have just come to this place for the first time and it wasn't good to voice my objections. I only felt that I was full of pure local flavor just like the small child in New Year pictures.
Madam Xie who just came and saw that I have dressed and ready was very elated She pulled my hand and said, "Xiaohua has really completely become another person like shedding one's mortal body and changing bones."
Elder sister-in-law echoed at the side, "That's right, only now then I noticed that Xiaohua is this elegant."
The shy maiden by her side called Bai Yan-er(Bái yàn-er) was Madam Xie's niece and have been engaged to the Second Young Master of the Xie Family since young. Her mother passed away recently and she was lodging at the Xie Residence. After her mourning period has passed, she was going to get married with the Xie's second child.
The little maiden was bashful like a snail, as soon as there is grass swaying with the wind and any disturbance, she would immediately withdraw into her shell to hide.
Madam Xie pulled me to sit beside her and started to enumerate matters as if she was very familiar with the subject.
Currently, I have turned into Xie Zhaohua from Xie Huaimin, turned into a fifteen-year-old and unbethrothed miss from a third year Traditional Chinese Medicine university student.
Xie Zhaohua's biological mother is Madam Xie's younger cousin sister, because she was concubine-born, in Dong Qi which was strict with family rank and status, when she married over she could only be a concubine. The two madam's were unexpectedly on very close terms like sisters and got along harmoniously. As Second Madam left the world not long after Xie Zhaohua was born, Madam Xie doted on this daughter a lot. However, when Xie Zhaohua turned two, everyone gradually realised that there was a problem with her brain, she was born stupid. Since there was no cure, they could only look after her and provide for her until she was old.
The did not expect that Xie Zhaohua got well on her own instead.
While talking, a breeze of rare perfume drifted in, it seemed to be both orchid and jasmine. I raised my head in surprised. Madam Xie smiled, "Ke-er*(Kē-er) has come. Ke-er, quickly come look at your younger sister!"
*T/n: "er" is a term of endearment usually attached to the last character of someone's name.
As a maiden dressed in purple and light muslin walked in, the interior of the room seemed to be brightened with rays of light.
As soon as I saw her features, a verse from a sorrowful poem automatically emerged in my mind, "If it is not meeting at the summit of Mountain Qun Yu, it is chancing upon under Yao Tai Yue*." My composition was very lousy and didn't know how to express. My intuition told me that this maiden was really beautiful like the immortals and it wouldn't be over the top to pile up even more adjectives on her.
*T/n: From a poem by Li Bai, a well-known poet of the Tang Dynasty. This verse is to compliment how beautiful the maiden is by likening her to fairies. To summarise, Mountain Qun Yu and Yao Tai Yue are both places where immortals/fairies live. Please forgive my mediocre translation of the poem. ><
Madam Xie said, "You sisters don't see each other much, I'm afraid you are blur, this is your Third Elder Sister, Zhaoke(Zhāokē)."
Miss Xie Zhaoke looked at me using those pair of eyes that seemed to have been soaked in spring water. There were stars sparkling inside and her voice was also extremely moving, like the yellow oriole which has left the valley*.
*T/n: Usually used to compliment female's voice
"Xiaohua, you have recovered. This is really too good!"
Such a simple sentence accompanied by her moving expression, I excited as if I have successfully narrowly passed the College English Test Band 4 and 6*. No wonder the directors liked to find handsome guys and beautiful girls to act, I have to admit that sometimes, a good appearance transcends thousands of words.
*T/n: An English test for university students in China
Elder sister-in-law made a footnote, "Now our Zhaoke won't be lonely anymore right? There is finally someone to talk to."
Xie Zhaoke was cold and indifferent to her and grabbed my hand to exchange conventional greetings at one side.
Madam Xie again led me to meet my father and brothers.
Grand Tutor Xie was around fifty years old, with frosty temples, handsome and thin and cool and clear pair of eyes, had a traditional image of a scholar with good moral standing and reputation. He did not seem to be very enthusiastic when this daughter who has been silly for more than ten years have recovered. He only politely told me to be properly well-cultured and be filial to Mother.
I still have two brothers above me. Eldest Brother Xie Zhaoyu(Xiè Zhāoyú) was a man of striking appearance, it is said that at a young age he was already a calligraphy master. He was extremely affectionate with me, touched my head and said, "Now that Xiaohua has recovered, our family is in harmony."
My second brother, Xie Zhaoying, I did not see him this time. The supposed handsome guy is said to visit brothels, spend a thousand ounces of gold to buy the smiles of women, often angering Grand Tutor Xie that he almost received a stroke.
The Xie Family's four children, other than the me now, everyone else was given birth by Madam Xie and all inherited her beauty. I think that the Xie Family's intention is to send Xie Zhaoke into the palace.
The maids are also discussing about this matter secretly. Yunxiang told me, "Since the Crown Prince passed away, the Emperor's state of health haven't been too well and I heard that he is very ill this year. Senior Master and Madam originally wanted to send Third Miss into the palce but wanted to rest the case first after that and marrying to a suitable prince would also be fine."
So pitiful, if you're born beautiful, you become a good. Being presented by your father and brothers to exchange for reputation, wealth and power.
I wondered, "Then what about me?"
Yunxiang was extremely sad, "Miss's silly and crazy illness has already been spread to all big streets and small alleys many years ago, a lot of people…, that's why no one comes to our door to propose…"
I was very happy instead. People were scared of marrying a fool while I didn't want to marry yet.
I climbed up from bed, covering myself in blanket and said to Yunxiang, "Do you want to travel extensively and see the world?"
Yunxiang was very confused, "Miss, us women should stay in the house and we can't casually go out."
I had no way with her, "Just say whether you want to or not? Take a look at the mountains and rivers from the words of scholars, take a walk at the places where heroes and martyrs have fought before. Receiving some patriotic education, enriching your knowledge and culture will be beneficial to educating the next generation to be outstanding."
Yunxiang listened until she half-understood, thought for very long then spoke in a small voice, "I want to."
I said excitedly, "I swear, when I have my freedom next time, I definitely want to tread across all the green hills and clear waters of the country. Are you willing to follow me?"
Yunxiang hurriedly nodded, "Wherever Miss go, I'll go." I returned to bed in a pleasant mood. Anyway that great immortal had said that I temporarily can't go back to my original body, then I might as well live through these days properly and completely take it as a vacation. The first night I transmigrated to Dong Qi's Xie Family, I slept especially sound. In my dream, Zhang Ziyue was holding a big bouquet of roses and telling me lovingly, "Minmin, marry me." I shouted that I was willing that I was willing and leapt over excitedly to embrace him.
Translator Corner:
For those of you looking forward to the medical stuff, a little bit of it is coming soon!