Chapter 349: A Fundamental Solution (I)
Translator: Ning LL
Danju closed the two large lattice windows which faced south gently, leaving the east-west windows open for ventilation. After that, she stood behind Minglan with a large fan in her hand and fanned Minglan gently. After Xiaotao confirmed that the temperature of the tea was just fine, Minglan took a sip of the tea and then put down the tea cup. Having glanced at Kang Zhao’er who was standing tremblingly, Minglan said, “Your blood mother’s last name is Zhou. She was bought from the outside and began to serve my aunt at the age of fourteen or fifteen. A few years later, my aunt made your blood mother a concubine. Then you were born. Am I right?”
Kang Zhao’er raised her head tardily, with sweats or tears on her face. It was hard to tell if she was shocked or scared.
Minglan smiled, “Uncle Kang has a lot of concubines, but only Concubine Su could live a decent life and has given birth to a son and a daughter, who are your fifteenth sister and eleventh brother. Is that right?” Uncle Kang was very capable in certain area and had a full house of concubines and lots of children. Tu Hu’s head had been in a mess when he had done the investigation, then he had decided to number those children instead of inquiring their names.
Kang Zhao’er cried out, “… my cousin, how did you know that” Then she realized how impolite she was and lowered her head again right away.
“Among all of your sisters, there are three who are old enough to get married. It’s you, your fourteenth fifteenth sister whose blood mother is a formal concubine coming from Aunt Kang’s parents family, and Concubine Su’s daughter.” Minglan had met the Fifteenth Lady of the Kan family and been greatly impressed. That girl truly was charming and gorgeous, a real stunner.
“So, why did my aunt choose you to be the concubine of the Gu family?” Minglan gave a lazy smile.
Kang Zhao’er showed an indignant look on her face and bit her lips hard.
“My uncle has a lot of illegal children. Except for the few ones who are respected in the family, most of you have to put your fates in my aunt’s hand. Your blood mother does not come from a powerful family, nor does she have any support or my uncle’s favor in the family. So she could only be manipulated by others. Am I being right again?”
Kang Zhao’er raised her head with dried out eyes as if all of her tears were drained. Then she said in a daze, “My cousin, every word of yours is right.”
“I believe that you didn’t intend to hurt me with this pair of scissors. Then, what were you planning to do?” Minglan took up the teacup and took a sip to wet her throat, “Tell me, what did my aunt tell you to do?”
With a flustered look on Kang Zhao’er’s face, she tried hard to hold back her words, seeming very reluctant. Her contradictory feelings were so obvious. After all, she was only sixteen years old and had been locked in the inner yard of her family since her childhood. Never had she experienced anything like this. Her blood mother was a weak, timid and also ignorant woman who was unable to teach her well. Now, the girl, utterly confused, nearly tore the hem of her clothes to pieces.
Minglan said with a light smile, “Even if you don’t say anything, I can still dig it out. Why don’t you do me a favor now?”
Kang Zhao’er opened her mouth and then closed it. After she hesitated for a while, she was still wearing that restless expression. It seemed that she didn’t know how to say it.
Minglan wasn’t in a hurry and guided Zhao’er slowly, “How did my aunt describe me to you? Nothing good, I assume.” Kang Zhao’er stammered, “… Madam said that you… you loved to curry favor with others and show off cleverness, that you valued your reputation a lot. She also said that you didn’t… didn’t dare to behave too jealous…” She looked at Minglan’s face cautiously, being afraid that the latter would lose her temper.
Minglan didn’t show a single sign of anger and still smiled gently, “And? What’s with this pair of scissors? Was it you or my aunt who wanted to bring it here?” Kang Zhao’er said in a low voice, “… Madam ordered me to do it… she said that if you kept me here, I should find a chance to stab myself. Then she would come over to argue for me and threaten you. She told me that my life in the Gu family would be better since you would have scruples by then.” Minglan couldn’t help nodding and then smiled, “But now I don’t even allow you to enter into this family.”
Kang Zhao’er bit her lips with her face turning deadly pale, “… Madam said that if you refused to let me in… I should kneel on the ground for the whole time to hurt your reputation. Then you would either accept me or lock me down. Then I could still look for an opportunity to stab myself. After that, Madam could still come to bring justice for me. By then, she could claim that you have forced me to hurt myself. Then you would have to keep me here.”
Everyone one in the room went furious hearing that. Mama Cui, trembling, was slow in speech, and also the angriest one. Minglan stood in front of Kang Zhao’er and patted the latter. After Minglan went around the room for a while, she suddenly turned around and said to Zhao’er tenderly, “You have witnessed my aunt’s type of behavior since your childhood. Do you really believe that this method would offer you a good life in the Gu family?”
Kang Zhao’er lowered her head with her body suddenly shaking. Having thought of her blood mother’s fawning face, she looked up sadly and stared at Minglan with tears in her eyes, saying jerkily, “I have to. My mother is still there…”
Aunt Kang was even more domineering than her sister and didn’t have an elder in her family to restrain her. Therefore, sometimes she didn’t even care about decency and the rules. The concubines and illegal children who weren’t favored by Uncle Kang were even looked down upon by the stewards and servants of the Kang family.
Minglan shook her head with a wry smile. Aunt Kang had combined threats with inducements. What a great effort!
Zhao’er observed Minglan’s face carefully—That was a habit she had got into since childhood. However, Minglan was still wearing a gentle look and it was hard to tell if she was angry or not, which scared Zhao’er even more. Then, she sank, weak-kneed, sobbed, “My cousin, please show mercy on me.”
Lvzhi was simmered with rage, wishing to slap on Zhao’er’s face. However, Minglan had a strict rule which forbad the maids to say any extra words in front of the guests. Thus Lvzhi could only restraining her anger.
Minglan put one of her hands on the arm of the chair while tapping with her index and middle finger with a serious look, seeming to be thinking something. After a while, with a resolute expression in her eyes, she suddenly gave Zhao’er a sympathetic look and said tenderly, “You know that I wasn’t given birth to Madam Wang either and my blood mother died when I was a little girl. I always thought that my life would be like the duckweed without my grandma’s care…”
Her voice sounded soft and depressed, making Kang Zhao’er shed tears again. Then the latter lowered her head and wept.
“We are all illegal daughters, so I can’t bear to see you like this. I’ll give you two options.” Minglan’s eyes looked tender and her voice was with sympathy, “First, you can join this family and serve Master with me. Your life as a concubine wouldn’t be bad.”
After she had said that, everyone in the room, astonished, looked to Minglan surprisedly. Kang Zhao’er was also stunned and even forgot to cry.
“If you don’t want this, there’s another option for you.” Minglan knitted her pretty eyebrows, seeming quite concerned, “The Sheng family still has some impact in our hometown, Youyang. I’ll ask my grandma to send you there and my aunts can find a husband for you. Your sister and your brother-in-law will support you there, so no one would dare to bully you. However, they might not be able to marry you into a very rich family.”
The others were even more shocked than before and continued gazing at Minglan. Kang Zhao’er opened her eyes widely with her eye sockets dry.
“Then, what about… my blood mother?” It took a while for Zhao’er to react.
Minglan chuckled and comforted her, “Aunt Kang would assume that I send you there by force, so she might not put your mother through. Also, my second cousin and Sister Yun’er can put in a good word for you and settle the engagement. As long as your father acknowledges that, your blood mother would be fine.”
For a moment, the look on Kang Zhao’er’s face changed rapidly. She seemed puzzled, hesitant and also at a loss.
“What do you think? Just give me an answer.” Minglan said smilingly and then uttered those sincere words, “A woman doesn’t always have a chance to make a choice. Just do what you got to do.”
Kang Zhao’er’s irregular breathing, long and short, rapid and fitful, was the only sound in the room. Minglan waited patiently.
“—No, I don’t want to!” After a long time, a sharp scream sounded in the room. Kang Zhao’er raised her head with her pupils dilated and her face so pale that it nearly turned transparent. “I don’t want to be a concubine!”
Kang Zhao’er slipped and staggered to Minglan, shouting, “My mother told me that I should never be a concubine even if I can only live a simple life! No one is born to be a menial. She wanted me to marry a good man and be a wife!” She pulled the hem of Minglan’s clothes and nearly cried her heart out as if she was venting out all her grievances of her life, repeating those words.