Chapter 41 : Tingyun Pavilion

Tingyun Pavilion was built near clear water in the garden. It was said to be an attic, but it was actually a waterside pavilion with half of its surface stretching forward into the water. It was built with the beauty of a quaint scroll of small gardens in the south of the Yangtze River, and its interior was also beautifully decorated.

As soon as Yuxi entered Tingyun Pavilion, she smiled and said admiringly, “ San Jie, this Tingyun Pavilion you live in, is really beautiful. If I don’t know this place is yours, I will feel like I was in the fairy palace!” Naturally, there was an exaggeration in this statement, but this place was a much higher grade than Yuxi’s Rose Courtyard.

Yuchen saw that Yuxi was only saying it as it was, without the look of envy, jealousy or hatred in her eyes. She smiled and said, “ Si Mei can often come and play here in the future.”

Yuxi answered with a smile, but she would not take the offer seriously. Apart from the fact that the maids around Yuchen had been guarding against her like she was a thief, the Old Lady was also not happy when she knew that Yuxi often looked for Yuchen.

Shishu came in from the outside, bowed, extended a salute and said, “Miss, Eldest Miss is here.” Today was the first day for Yuchen to move in. So, it was normal for people to come and visit.

When Yuru entered Tingyun Pavilion, she felt that her eyes were not enough to see everything inside. She had always known that Tingyun Pavilion was the best courtyard in the residence, but she did not expect it to be so rich and exquisite, “It is a great blessing for San Mei to live in such a beautiful loft.”

Hearing this, Yuxi felt that it was not right. In order not to embarrass Yuru, she smiled and said, “We are all blessed to say that we all are truly lucky. Otherwise, if we were born in a common people’s home, where would we have such a good life as this, and perhaps, we will still worry about our three meals!“ These were also her sincere words. Although she lived a humble life in her previous life, she never had to worry about food and clothing. Even if she was sent to a remote hamlet by the Jiang family, she still didn't have to worry about eating and drinking, but it was also because of this that she knew the ordinary people were having a much harder life than her.

Yuru choked, but soon she smiled again and said, “ Si Mei meant that being a young miss of state residence is already a great blessing for us.”

Then, Yuchen took both of her sisters to look around Tingyun Pavilion.

To the west of Tingyun Pavilion was Yuchen’s private residence. The layout of this place wasn’t only managed to make Yuru feel hot, even Yuxi couldn’t help but sigh. The Old Lady was really too biased.

Several rooms in the east were unoccupied, but they were not idle either. They were arranged as a study room, qin room, painting room and chess room.

Yuxi looked at the surface of the yellow rosewood writing desk and at the paintings on the wall which worth several cities. As for the exquisite tea set placed on the table, no need for her to mention their worth. She was speechless. She was also a young miss of the residence, but the pay gap between them was too wide. Fortunately, she had lived for more than twenty years and managed to relax her mind. Otherwise, she would certainly be jealous.

The silk handkerchief in Yuru’s hand had been twisted till it changed its form. She felt angry, hatred and resentful.

Five Saints via Guoxue on 中国历代著名道观、道长简介（四）article.

Then, they went to the painting room and looked at the picture hanging on the wall. Yuxi couldn’t help but ask, “ San Jie, is this picture of the Five Saints a genuine one?”

Yuchen nodded and said, “It’s the real thing.”

Yuxi said with a smile, “ San Jie, you must be able to get some insight from looking at the masterpiece painting of the Saints every day.” The painting of the Five Saints was priceless in the market. If she got this kind of painting, she would put them all away and treat them like the apples of her eyes.

Yuru knew that this was a painting by Saint Wu Daozi and she couldn’t bear it any longer. She said, “Grandmother really loves San Mei dearly. She often gives everything good to San Mei. All pictures in my yard can’t compare with a picture in San Mei’s room.“

A trace of awkwardness appeared on Yuchen’s face. Some of these things were her mother’s dowry, and some were given to her by her grandmother.

Yuxi didn’t seem to hear the jealousy in Yuru’s words. She smiled and went to an easel. She looked at the unfinished painting and said, “ San Jie, this peony flower painting is really good!”

Yuchen responded to Yuxi’s words, “ Si Mei is too modest. I can’t paint flowers as well as Si Mei.” Yuxi’s landscape painting standard had nothing good to be said about. However, the gorgeous flowers that she painted were fabulous, which Yuchen could not be compared with. According to Teacher Song, this was Yuxi’s natural talent.

Yuxi said with a smile, “Where can I be compared with San Jie? When I draw pictures, I only draw for my amusement.” She even hardly wrote in her spare time.

Yuru almost vomited blood when she heard this. What was this about Yuxi only painted for her own amusement? Was this a sneer at her inability to do anything? She had never missed Yujing as much as did right now. If Yujing was here, she would surely make a scene and asked her not to hold herself back so much.

After Yuxi completed her walk through around Tingyun Pavilion, she was ready to go back, “ San Jie has just moved in and I’m sure there are many things to do, so I won’t bother San Jie anymore. I’ll come back when I have free time.“

Yuchen would be really busy with the move, so she didn’t ask for Yuxi to stay either.

In response, Yuru also left with Yuxi. Once outside, Yuru didn’t return to her yard but instead suggested tagging along with Yuxi to Rose Courtyard.

How could Yuxi not know what was in Yuru’s mind, which was nothing more but to see if her courtyard furniture arrangement was no better than her, “Today, I’m actually quite free, so, Dajie, you can come with me!”

Qingxuan was very worried about her Miss. She had already offended Third Miss. Was she going to offend Fourth Miss next? If she continued doing this, she would surely not be able to request a helping hand from them in the future. Qingxuan thought until here, and her heart turned powerless. She didn’t know why, but her Miss temper had become more and more wrong. If she kept on like this, Qingxuan was worried that she would lose control.

Once they arrived at Rose Courtyard, Yuru looked at its interior decoration and her expression loosened up. All the things inside the interior of the courtyard all fell short of the ones she was currently using.

Yuxi knew Yuru came to find a balance, so she didn't spare a look at Yuru’s happy face.

The Rose Courtyard was pitifully small, not as big as the east of Tingyun Pavilion, and there was nothing much for anyone to see. In a blink of an eye, the walkthrough of the courtyard was over.

Before leaving, Yuru remembered one thing and asked, “ Si Mei, I heard that San Jie’s Tingyun Pavilion will have a small kitchen. Do you know that?”

Yuxi nodded. Then she smiled and said, “I know it is convenient to have a small kitchen, since it is also convenient to have a cup of hot tea at night, so I am also going to build one in the Rose Courtyard!”

Yuru’s complexion turned stiff, “Did Grandmother agreed?” If Yuchen had a small kitchen, she could forget it. After all, Yuchen had a powerful backer and quite well-off, but if Yuxi also had a small kitchen, she felt it was unfair. Who in the residence did not know that Yuxi’s mother had lost all her money?

Yuxi smiled and said, “I haven’t mentioned it to Grandmother yet, but San Jie’s small kitchen money is from her private savings. If I set up one too, Grandmother wouldn’t refuse. Dajie may not know, at the end of the twelfth month last year, Motao went to the big kitchen to get my breakfast. She fell on the way and had to take care of her injury for more than half a month. With a small kitchen, there will be no more such incidents. “

Yuru looked a bit embarrassed, but she quickly hid it and said, “ Si Mei, our monthly allowance isn’t enough to build a small kitchen.” Mother must have promised to give Yuxi some subsidiaries, otherwise, where would Yuxi be so forthright. Thinking till here, Yuru had a bad taste in her heart. Her mother had treated Yuxi like her own daughter, however acted indifferently towards her daughters from the same house.

Yuxi said with a surprised look, “Naturally, it is not enough if I only used my monthly accounts, but the baozi shop opened by Mama Fang is doing better and better now. She earns at least thirty to forty tael of silver a month, which is enough for me to spend.”

The smile on Yuru’s face could not be maintained, “Mama Fang is a loyal servant.” Why didn’t she have such loyal servants who could make money for her?

After sending off Yuru, Hongshan angrily said, “Eldest Miss is too much.” Whenever the three girls felt frustrated, they would come to her Miss courtyard to find a sense of superiority, which for her was akin to an act of bullying.

Yuxi began to feel that Yuru was very good at hiding her true self. She looked at Yuru’s gentleness and amiability, but when she knew her more, she found that all these gentleness and amiability were just a facade. Yuru was actually very small-minded. Previously, Yuxi couldn’t see her true self not because Yuru hid it well, but she was very foolish to even notice.

Soon, Yuxi received news that the Old Lady had agreed for a small kitchen to be built in Rose Courtyard.

When Mama Shen heard the news, she was very worried and said, “Miss, to build a small kitchen will cost a lot.”

Yuxi carelessly said, “How much money can I eat by myself?” She had been worrying about money recently. It only took half a month for her to prepare the ointment but she could not sell it yet. Otherwise, she would have taken it out a long time ago, and let Mama Fang sell them.

The next day, Yuxi arrived at Magnolia Courtyard on time, exactly two quarters till maoshi hours, and so did Yuchen who stepped in at that point. There was nothing Yuxi could do right now. She had to make herself presentable, but if she went back now, she had to walk a long way back to her courtyard and she had to rush back here.

Teacher Song looked at them both wearing thick coats and said, “From today on, you will learn wuqinxi from me.”

Yuxi was filled with joy that she crisply responded, “Okay.”

Yuchen, who had been educated as a lady, said at the moment that she did not want to learn it. What did these wriggle movements look like! If people outside knew about this, they would laugh to death at them.

Teacher Song shook her head and said, “Third Miss, learning wuqinxi is for you to learn to exercise since you are not in good health. It’s useless to learn anything more without making your body healthy first.” Seeing Yuchen who still couldn’t make up her mind, she continued, “Yuchen, I’ve already told the Old Lady about this. She already agreed and there will not be many people who will know about it. So, you don’t have to worry about this being spread out.”

Yuchen was still reluctant.

Under Teacher Song’s strong request, Yuchen reluctantly followed her to learn wuqinxi. Strangely, Yuxi had already learned it like a model student, while Yuchen was still missing the point.

Learning had always been a pleasure for Yuchen, but now, every minute felt like torment for her. In the next wuqinxi class, she told Teacher Song that she would not like to learn it anymore and would rather spend that time practising two more pieces of music.

This made Yuxi finally set her mind at ease. As expected, in all walks of life, in every trade, a master appeared, Yuchen also could not learn everything well.

Teacher Song didn’t force it on Yuchen either, as she said, “You can’t just study every day. If you don’t want to learn wuqinxi, you have to exercise in other ways.” She could not think of any particularly good method for the time being, other than to let Yuchen go out and walk more on weekdays to exercise her muscles and bones.

After saying this, Teacher Song looked at Yuxi, whose face was flushed. After letting them both into the room, she said to Old Woman Ding, “Now I don’t know whether it is good or bad to allow the Fourth Miss to sit in.” Yuchen was gifted and had a good character, but her actions and thoughts were framed by a framework from which she refused to move out. While Yuxi was the opposite of Yuchen. She completely did not care about other people’s thoughts. She would do it as long as it was good for her.

Old Woman Ding had some doubts, “Ma'am, what do you mean?”

Instead of explaining, Teacher Song softly said, “Maybe I’m thinking too much about it.”