Chapter 182 – Eliminated
They stopped their conversation and waited smilingly for Gu Xi to enter.
Gu Xi wore a dual blue and green woollen vest, her jet-black hair was casually put up in a bun with a gilded pearl hairpin. Her cheeks were white with a reddish hue and her eyes were shining brightly, looking to be in the pink of health.
Grand Madam Pei nodded her head and chuckled, “It looks like your health has improved greatly!”
Gu Xi smiled and bowed to Grand Madam Pei and Grand Madam Yi, saying, “Thanks to both Grand Madams’ blessings, I’ve recovered well.”
Grand Madam Yi was also relieved, remarking “That’s good”, and invited Gu Xi to sit down and talk, saying, “You can’t afford to be careless even though you’ve recovered. You should recuperate for a couple more days.”
Gu Xi thanked Grand Madam Yi and sat down beside Yu Tang, just as Second Madam arrived with Second young Miss and the others.
The room was instantly abuzz with activity.
When Fourth Miss saw Second Madam and Fifth Miss gathering in front of Grand Madam Pei for a chat, she quietly beckoned Yu Tang to come over.
Yu Tang looked around and saw that Gu Xi, Second Miss and Third Miss were also at Grand Madam Pei’s side, listening to the conversation between Second Madam and Fifth Miss. She then quietly walked over and whispered to Fourth Miss, “What’s the matter?”
Fourth Miss then whispered to her gleefully, “The marriage between Second Sister and Gentleman Yang is finalised – the Yang family will send someone to discuss the betrothal with our family tomorrow!”
That smug little look of hers was so cute that Yu Tang wanted to pinch her cheeks.
“You’re really well-informed!” She went along with Fourth Miss’s words.
Fourth Miss was very pleased with herself. She raised her chin and said, “I heard Second Sister and Third Sister whispering about this yesterday.”
Yu Tang bit her lips and held in a smile.
Fourth young miss continued, “Actually, it’s not second sister who has a crush on Gentleman Yang, it’s third uncle who has his eye on Gentleman Yang!”
Pei Yan actually managed such matters?
How would he know if Gentleman Yang and Second Miss were suitable for each other?
Yu Tang couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.
Fourth young miss thought that she didn’t believe it and hurriedly added, “It’s true! Gentleman Yang knew that Third Uncle was also at Bitter Nunnery, so he went to see Third Uncle first. Third Uncle spoke to him for half of an hour. Later, Third Uncle’s Grand Aunt sent someone to ask Third Uncle about Gentleman Yang, and Third Uncle said he was fairly well educated and knowledgeable, so Second Sister agreed.”
This, wasn’t this a little too reckless?
Back then, Li Duan was also very good in his studies but he turned out to be a scumbag!
Yu Tang inwardly sweat-dropped and furtively look towards Second Miss.
Second Miss was speaking with Grand Madam Pei and Yu Tang caught a few bits and pieces, “Don’t worry, I’ll definitely help Third Sister in making the incense.” After saying that, she also pulled Gu Xi in, saying “If you can’t trust me, isn’t there still Sister Gu? When the time comes, along with Sister Gu’s help, there is nothing to be worried about.”
Grand Madam Pei laughed and remarked, “It’s about to be the New Year’s, how could Sister Gu always stay with us? You know that your father and mother treasure you in the palm of their hands and are always thinking of you. Don’t you think that sister Gu’s parents would miss her too?”
The room grew quiet.
Grand Madam Pei had never brought up the subject of Gu Xi returning home to spend the New Year’s.
This was the first they’ve heard of it.
Gu Xi’s face was burning hot, feeling as though Grand Madam Pei was driving her away, causing her to feel ashamed and upset, but she couldn’t say a word.
She stood there at a loss for words and stammered, “I, I’m also preparing to head back in the next two days, I’m afraid I can’t do much to help Second Young Miss……”
Second young miss also felt embarrassed and quickly held Gu Xi’s arm and apologised, “Dear me, I forgot about the New Year’s celebrations. Sister Gu felt like a real sister to us living in our home. It would be nice if you could come over more often in the future.”
Gu Xi couldn’t help but look towards Grand Madam Pei.
Grand Madam Pei’s smile turned kinder as she agreed, “It’s fortunate that all of you sisters can get along and have fun together. If Lady Gu is free, please come and visit. The girls are all fond of lively occasions and will definitely welcome Lady Gu.”
“That’s right, that’s right.” Second young miss re-iterated.
Gu Xi, however, barely managed to control her expression and did not reveal her shock or disappointment.
Previously, when she wanted to establish seniority with Yu Tang, a single word from Grand Madam Pei turned their relationship into “Lady Gu” and “Lady Yu”. Now, Grand Madam Pei took the initiative and allowed the Pei young ladies to call her sister. If it were an ordinary person, they probably would have thought that they had impressed Grand Madam Pei, and she was showing her affection. However, she was not just any ordinary person, she grew up in a complex household like the Gu family. There are things that do not require others to directly point it out in order to see the implications – on the surface, it seems that she is close to the Pei family. But implicitly, Grand Madam Pei showed that there was a generational gap between her and Pei Yan.
Was she already eliminated by Grand Madam Pei after Pei Yan rejected her?
But why?
What had she done wrong?
That made both mother and son dislike her?
Gu Xi couldn’t figure it out, but her face instantly turned white as a sheet of paper.
Second young miss couldn’t help but ask worriedly, ”Sister Gu, you, what’s wrong with you? Are you feeling unwell?”
Gu Xi shook her head and forced herself to smile as she warmly said, “I’m fine!”
Second Young Miss looked at her face and hesitated, “But your face ……”
Gu Xi knew that she hadn’t managed to remain completely unaffected, so she quickly replied, “Do I look listless? Perhaps I was too tired yesterday.”
Although second young lady was sceptical, but she was good friends with Gu Xi, so naturally she wouldn’t make things difficult for her on this kind of occasion. She smiled and changed the topic, teasing third young lady, saying ”Yesterday, third young sister made so much noise that I hardly slept all night. She wrote half a day’s worth of words on her desk in the middle of the night, and I have no idea what she wrote. When I asked her, she only said that she wanted to write down the process of making incense first, so that she could verify it against the books at home. I think she’s not confident about it. Sister Gu, when are you going back? I want to take advantage of the fact that you’re still in our house these few days, and ask for your help in making some Buddhist incense for Third Sister and I beforehand, what do you think?”
Gu Xi didn’t want to help Yu Tang at all.
In her opinion, even if the Pei family didn’t broadcast Yu Tang’s merits in this, in the minds of the Pei family’s ladies, the matter involving Bitter Nunnery was all Yu Tang’s work. For her to do anything related to Bitter Nunnery, it would be akin to adding more credit to Yu Tang.
“I’m going back in the next two days,” she politely refused, “I’m afraid I won’t have the time to make it. Besides, I’ve seen Lady Yu’s incense recipe, it requires a lot of ingredients, and it’s difficult to gather all these in a short period of time ……”
Second and third young misses both revealed looks of disappointment.
Yu Tang, however, felt that it would be fine with or without Gu Xi.
Making Buddhist incense or anything like that was a fun thing for young girls to do, but to actually sell it and earn a profit was not an easy feat. Just controlling the cost of the item was not something they could do. If, as Grand Madam Pei said, the nuns and residents of the Bitter Nunnery would only be responsible for making the incense, then sales of the Buddhist incense would require an experienced shopkeeper to manage it.
She just stood at the side silently.
Grand Madam Pei and Grand Madam Yi, however, looked at each other, then Grand Madam Pei smiled and said to second and third young ladies, ”There is no rush. I’ve already sent someone to talk to your third uncle, who said that this is a wonderful thing to do and that he’ll find a way to help you. You also know that your third uncle is a man of his word. Since he promised, he would definitely make arrangements. You only need to follow Lady Yu’s incense recipe and make it. If you can make it, it’ll be good, but if you can’t, it’s only a small loss in front of your third uncle, so you don’t need to be overly concerned about it.”
Being embarrassed in public is already a difficult thing for people to handle!
Yu Tang thought exasperatedly.
Fifth young lady called out, “Grandmother, you just said that you would leave the incense making to us, so why did you change your mind so quickly?” At this, she went up and took hold of the hands of second and third young misses, and said with conviction, “We stand firm by our words and will definitely create a pleasant-smelling, one-of-a-kind Buddhist incense.”
Grand Madam Pei, Grand Madam Yi and Second Madam all laughed heartily, and Grand Madam Yi even coddled them by saying, “Good, very good. You are all fine children with great ambition. If you can really make a unique, pleasant-smelling Buddhist incense, I’ll reward each of you with a bag of silver ingots for all your hard work.”
“Yes!” Fourth Miss cried out joyfully, as if the bag of silver ingots had already fallen into her hands without a doubt.
Everyone was entertained by her and laughed again.
Gu Xi, who was silent all this time, suddenly said, “Grand Madams, I won’t be participating in the incense making. I think I’ll pack my bags and return to Hangzhou City in the next two days. Counting the days, my brother should also have sent a letter asking me about my New Year’s plans. If I were to return late, my reply to my brother won’t be able to make it to the capital before the year ends.”
Entering into the 12th month, major post offices would be crowded with people, as everyone busied themselves with the New Year’s matters.
Grand Madam Pei smiled, “You have a point.” Then she asked Chen Daniang to get the calendar and said, “Tomorrow is not a good day to go out, the day after tomorrow… is a good day. It just so happens that we’re about to return to our residence as well. Then Chen Daniang should tell the stewards to arrange a boat and send Lady Gu back to Hangzhou City. As for us ……” Grand Madam Pei flipped through the calendar again and said, “We’ll return to the main residence in six days.”
Gu Xi’s heart felt like it was burnt to ashes.
Fifth young miss, however, exclaimed, “We’re going back to the main residence so soon? What about our Buddhist incense? Sister Gu is going home, and Sister Yu will be home soon too……”
Grand Madam Pei chuckled, “Lady Yu lives in Lin’an City, so if you want to ask Lady Yu about incense making, you can send someone to fetch Lady Yu, so what’s all the fuss about?”
Fifth Miss blushed and said, “Wasn’t I just thinking that Sister Yu will also be celebrating the New Year?”
Fourth Miss cleverly replied, “Third Uncle didn’t say that we need to have the Buddhist incense done by tomorrow, so we can take our time. I heard my mother’s attendant say that business is at its best after New Year’s, so we can wait until after the New Year’s.”
Third young lady countered, saying “Aunt’s dowry is a silk store. As spring begins, everyone would be making new clothes, of course it’s the best time for business. Buddhist incense, however, business is best before the fifteenth day, as everyone has to go to the temple to pray.”
The young ladies started arguing.
Grand Madam Pei didn’t know if she should cry or laugh as she quipped: “Dear me, you girls are all so hard-hearted, this incense has not yet been made, and already you are thinking about profits. If I let you all manage the store, all the shopkeepers would be forced to jump into the river!”
Several juniors giggled embarrassedly.
Yu Tang, however, mentally calculated that as they would be leaving the mountain in six days, so she should be able to go home after staying at the Pei’s Main Residence for another one or two more days at most.
She dearly missed her mother, father, brother and eldest aunt …… she even missed Old Auntie Chen, who wore an apron and cooked in the kitchen every day.
I find it funny that Grand Madam Pei is ‘concerned’ about Lady Gu’s parents missing her yet isn’t bothered about Yutang’s family missing her. XD
xkurohana 
Gu Xi’a greed is just too obvious.
I also miss Yu Tang’s family. Their scenes are always so good! What have they been up to lately?
Gu Xi… poor baby. She doesn’t want to go back as a failure but can’t catch their eye in a good way. I know we see her through Yu Tang’s lens and that’s colored by years of covert and overt bullying, but at this point, Gu Xi is just a clever young lady. She doesn’t know that she should bow down and thank her for preventing the marriage into the Li family that would’ve caused no end of suffering. She doesn’t even know it was the Yu family that prevented it, I think.