Rebirth of the Treacherous Official’s Madam

After feeling both annoyed and amused for don’t know how many times in this day, in the end, Yu Lingxin still had that pair of white jade water lily hairpin carefully stored into the drawer.

In the past, she never knew that sometimes, even if not saying a lot to someone, it would also feel like having said a lot.

Carefully recalling their conversation, it was merely just a cup of tea’s time from beginning to end, but regardless whether it was then, or recalling at this time, it all felt like as if they’d spoken for half a day.

The intersections of the past life, the path in front in this life, her feelings, and his plans……..

Although seemingly not a single word was direct and explicit, she still felt that everything seemingly was all very clear. Just like Xun Che’s gaze in the end when leaving, she unexpectedly felt that she’d understood.

This kind of feeling truly was very peculiar. She also couldn’t figure it out, but the smile on her lips subconsciously just grew increasingly deeper, and everything else in her eyes seemingly all became much cuter.

For example, the account book that was still spread open on the table, those densely packed numbers and markings, the accumulated mess over the years, and the dilemma and crisis at home that she doesn’t know how to resolve, for the Yu Lingxin in this moment, all weren’t that difficult to deal with anymore.

However, just when Yu Lingxin’s heart was full of clear and boundless skies here, the other parts of the Yu Manor was nevertheless filled with gloomy dark clouds.

The main reason being that there was new news in regards to the six ministries’ evaluations. The Ministry of Works have finished the investigation on the evaluations first. Yu Bocheng in the end ended up with a high evaluation.

However, he was unable to be happy, because his Majesty Xuan Emperor’s original intention of building a new palace hall in the imperial palace was temporarily suspended. Half the allocated money got returned to the Palace Affairs Department, while the other half got transferred to the imperial tombs renovations. Yu Bocheng, as one of the only three that received a high evaluation in the Ministry of Works this time, just got appointed to go supervise this matter.

The project in the imperial tombs will start from the tenth month. Starting from then, Yu Bocheng will probably have to frequently head to the Cheng Tian Tomb north of the capital to go supervise the project. Even the court meetings, he just needs to participate once every ten days.

Hearing this, Yu Lingxin practically relaxed a huge breath, hating that she can’t thank the heaven and earth.

What she hoped for the most at this time was just for her father to be able to stay far away from the soon to start battle of the throne. Because her grandfather, the former Head Minister Yu, has passed away for several years already, the Yu family was long just left with an empty reputation as a scholarly family.

The second prince Wu Wang, for many years, has always put on a look of ‘being deferential towards the able and virtuous, and respecting the wise’ in front of Xuan Emperor. For the sake of this kind of surface reputation, coming to rope in the Yu family, it couldn’t be more normal.

Now that her father needed to go renovate the imperial tombs, and this kind of project will take at least a year and a half, during this period, his involvement in those changes and conflicts upon the imperial court certainly will be low to the point where it couldn’t be more low.

But, towards this matter, Yu Bocheng clearly was very unhappy. As the Yu family’s eldest son, he naturally had ambitions and aspirations. Even if similarly supervising a project, constructing an exquisite palace hall for his Majesty and a favored consort ultimately had more of an achievement and contribution compared to maintaining the imperial tombs.

The former, once liked by his Majesty, will certainly let one progress a step further in one’s official career. But, the imperial tombs renovations, how fancy can the renovations get? Not making any mistakes was only to be expected, and at most, can be considered a laborious task. Moreover, for matters involving the imperial family’s resting place, if by chance there is the slightest mistake, then perhaps one will easily get pinned with the crime of disrespecting the imperial family. This truly can’t be considered a good assignment.

TN: All translations outside of are stolen and reposted without permission!

And just when Yu Bocheng was endlessly feeling troubled over this matter, the second miss Yu Yunxin and the young Yu Zhenghua both fell ill. These two children have been raised by Su-shi’s side since birth, their personality all somewhat taking after their mother, not a very fierce temper. Although they missed their mother, they still didn’t dare to cause a scene, just depressed and worried all day, unable to eat much.

Yu Yunxin that liked poetry actually wrote quite a few poems, while the seven year old Yu Zhenghua just cried. In addition to the heavy summer heat, over time, these two children just both became somewhat sickly.

Yu old madam was endlessly worried over this matter, and Yu Lingxin also felt very unbearable watching her. Since they sooner or later need to let Su-shi out again to take charge of the household affairs, then there was no need to just hold up like this to the point where both sides suffer.

As such, she just personally went to talk to her grandmother and father. Su-shi has been ‘recuperating’ for more than half a month. It was already more or less enough. To continue like this, never mind the two children falling ill, she was further afraid of tiring out Yu old madam. That really wasn’t worth it.

Yu Bocheng was still a bit hesitant. After all, Su-shi’s actions at the time can already be considered wanting to ruin Yu Lingxin’s future.

Regardless of what kind of ‘helping the mother-daughter pair’ bullshit was pulled out, as long as one contemplated a little, one will just know, Yu Lingxin, a thirteen year old young lady following her stepfather’s family to the Jiang province, will she be able to discuss marriage in the capital? Will she still be considered a Yu family daughter?

From the perfectly fine eldest di daughter of the Head Minister Manor, to the extra luggage from the Jiang province Kou family madam’s first marriage, Yu Lingxin’s life can be considered ruined. This kind of matter, just letting Su-shi be locked up for a little over half a month, seemingly was still a bit light.

But Yu Lingxin was nevertheless very insistent, “To not look on the bad side but the good side, no matter how wrong the madam was, there’s still younger brother and younger sister. Most importantly, can’t tire out the old madam. To put it unpleasantly, if father doesn’t have the intention of divorcing the wife and remarrying, then it’s better to just let the madam out to handle things.”

Since it was already said like this, Yu Bocheng could only agree. The old madam sent Wen mama to talk to Su-shi, specifically telling Su-shi, originally according to the old madam and Yu Bocheng’s intention, it was letting her ‘recuperate’ for a few months. At present, with Yu Lingxin pleading on her behalf, they thus let her out early.

Su-shi was actually someone that was very steady and patient, else in these ten plus years, she wouldn’t just have this one slip-up. Hearing Wen mama’s words, she just repeatedly blamed herself with a face full of guilt, also saying that she needed to thank the eldest miss. As for exactly how she thought on the inside, it was hard to say.

When Yu Yunxin and Yu Zhenghua returned to their mother’s side, they were naturally very happy, their sleep and appetite also much better. After recuperating for a few days, the two children became lively again. As for Yu Bocheng, he still didn’t enter the main courtyard much, yet also not staying at the concubines’ place, instead just resting in the study. It can be considered giving Su-shi the cold shoulder for a while as a way of compensating his daughter.

Su-shi was actually able to stay composed. The incident this time indeed scared her, for a time, becoming increasingly careful and cautious, just focusing on taking care of her children and the household affairs everyday. The Yu Manor from top to bottom seemingly returned to that initial harmonious atmosphere on the surface. The only difference was that Su-shi completely didn’t dare to get involved in Lianyi Residence’s matters. Yu Lingxin was also able to be at ease.

In the blink of an eye, it was already the end of the seventh month. The news previously in regards to Wenhua Academy and the private school for young ladies gradually started spreading again. Practically all the official families above the fifth and fourth rank all started preparing recommendation letters for their family’s children, as well as preparations for the verses and essays. For a time, the private schools of the major family clans, as well as the scholars for evaluating poetry and literature all became very high demand.

Hearing these news, Yu Lingxin was actually completely unconcerned. She knew that the reason why Su-shi wanted to cooperate with Qi-shi to have her taken out of the capital back then wasn’t because of hating her, wanting to kill her, but rather because she wholeheartedly felt that this Wenhua Academy’s private school for young ladies can become the stairway to heaven for Yu Yunxin’s future.

Just like many of the family members of the other mid-ranking officials, because their own family clan’s position was neither high nor low, both unable to be like the high-ranking officials, very naturally just having countless opportunities to enter the palace, coming in contact with high nobility and the imperial family, while also having a hard time being like those low-ranking minor official families, content with just having dealings with the people of the same rank.

Especially given that the deceased Yu old master once resided in a first rank position as the Head Minister of Rites in life, entering the cabinet circle assisting in politics. At present, when mentioning the Yu family, others can still politely address as the Head Minister Manor. As such, Su-shi just wholeheartedly want to let Yu Yunxin fly onto a high branch becoming a pheonix.

This bit, during the Su family’s visit a few days later, got reflected very clearly.