“Enough. Fourth one’s wife, take the children and stay behind together with Wan Wan. Everyone else can scatter.” The old madam finally spoke. The others, even if they wanted to comment, didn’t dare to say much either.
As soon as they were out the door, Luo Jing Ying immediately grabbed Luo Jing You and lowered her voice, “Damn girl, your guts have fattened, huh? Daring to talk to me like that? Can’t sort out Luo Jing Wan, I can’t even sort you out?”
“Fourth big sister what are you doing?” Little nine, Luo Jing Wei, saw her own big sister getting bullied and immediately stepped forward to push Luo Jing Ying away. Without reservation, she pulled up Luo Jing You’s sleeve at once, seeing a large greenish bruise, “Fourth big sister, how can you be so malicious?”
Being caught off guard, Luo Jing Ying was pushed into a stagger. She opened her mouth, wanting to loudly curse, but Liu-shi quickly stretched her hand out to cover her mouth, “You good-for-nothing, don’t you know girls’ bodies are delicate, just a bit of strength can leave an injury. Even if you’re in a hurry to talk to your fifth sister and don’t want to make a ruckus to bother your grandmother, you should still be a bit more gentle when you pull her. Quickly apologize to your fifth sister!”
After getting roared at by Liu-shi, Luo Jing Ying’s brain finally was a bit more clear-headed. She looked to Luo Jing You’s arm, and seeing the people in the surroundings, she hastily obeyed her mother’s words and apologized to Luo Jing You in a soft voice, even reddening her eyes and putting on an ‘injury on the younger sister’s body, pain in the older sister’s heart’ appearance.
Luo Jing Wei still wanted to say some more, but Luo Jing You pulled her back, “Fourth big sister, I’m fine. It’s just, I only found out today that fourth big sister was actually born with super strength. Just, in the future, you should be more careful. Injuring our own family’s brothers and sisters is trivial, but if you go outside…..then it wouldn’t be good.”
If a guy was naturally born with super strength, then it was a good thing. But a young lady of a noble house being pinned with this kind of label, the damage was too high. Nothing else said, just regarding marriage, if the groom’s side knew that the bride was a powerhouse, he would have to consider, in the future, if he were to talk back, will there be the possibly of getting beaten? Who would be willing to marry such a person?
Liu-shi firmly held Luo Jing Ying, and with a gentle smile, she tenderly looked to Luo Jing You, “Fifth girl, your fourth sister isn’t some natural born super strength. She was just a bit anxious just now and wasn’t careful with her strength. If third aunt has to say, fifth girl is also too delicate. Don’t get angry alright, when we get back third aunt will properly discipline her, make her not dare to be this rash again in the future.”
“Third aunt is too serious, this niece really isn’t angry.”
“Then that’s good.”
Zhang-shi stood at the side, not uttering a sound, yet her complexion wasn’t that good either.
Liu-shi looked to her with a light smile, “I still haven’t congratulate second sister-in-law for about to become a mother again.”
Everyone all curiously looked towards Zhang-shi, unconsciously glancing to her stomach. Pregnant again after a ten plus years gap? Already a thirty some year old person, wouldn’t this be an old oyster producing a pearl? Such a fortunate life!
Zhang-shi felt uncomfortable being looked at, “Not me, it’s our branch’s Bai-shi. Oh that’s right, I still haven’t….” Told the old madam. Because she allowed Bai-shi to not have to come pay her respects, after informing the servants to properly serve her, everything went to the back of her head.
Before she could finish speaking, a hand stretched out from behind and coiled around her arm, “Grandmother said, the days are still short, wait until after three months, then mention it again. Though third aunt is rather well-informed.” Jing Wan said with a smile and blocked Zhang-shi’s unfinished words. “What’s the matter here? Grandmother told me to come see.” Jing Wan changed the topic. Want to cause their second branch to have an inner dispute? Want to cause grandmother’s dissatisfaction? Have to see if she agrees to it or not first.
“Third big sister, there’s nothing wrong. It was just me and fourth big sister messing around. Did we disturb grandmother? That would really be an offense.” Luo Jing You unexpectedly spoke first, carrying a bit remorse.
Since Luo Jing You herself didn’t pursue it, Jing Wan only nodded her head and didn’t say much. She then sent off this group of people with her eyes.
This fifth younger sister of hers was really an honest person to a fault, but occasionally when she’s incisive, it was practically like a split personality with her fighting strength in full force. Jing Wan had already experienced it before many years ago. Don’t look at how ninth sister knows how to be demanding. When her fifth sister wants to suppress her, that was just a matter of a single word and a single motion. Though it’s not bad to let the others experience it too, so as to avoid everyone thinking their second branch are all easy to bully.
Jing Wan turned back, and accompanied the old madam for the morning meal along with fourth aunt and the fourth branch’s younger tang[1] brother and younger tang sister.
Liu-shi had Luo Jing Ying brought back to the third branch. Soon after, she had someone go to the home study to ask for a vacation from the teacher for her.
Liu-shi drank her tea, not saying a word. Luo Jing Ying was somewhat nervous at her solemness. “Mother?”
“Kneel.”
“Mother—”
“Kneel down.” Liu-shi, who originally just had a displeased look, directly smashed the cup.
The crowd of servants were all quite frightened, with each and every one shrinking back their necks, wishing they could find a crack to squeeze into and just disappear like that.
“All of you get lost.” Liu-shi coldly swept a glance over them.
As if receiving a great pardon, they all competed to get out like they were running away.
Luo Jing Ying had never seen her mother this angered before. Because Liu-shi’s anger was directed at her, she was even more frightened and obediently knelt down, “Mother, don’t be angry anymore, before it was all because……”
“All because you’re stupid. If you weren’t stupid, would everyone all know that you’re a short-sighted one, eyeing your older tang sister’s recipe? If you weren’t stupid, would you do something like that right outside the main courtyard? Before at Qi’an Fu, you were already stupid like a pig then. But because you were small, when you made a mistake, you could still be forgiven, so I indulged you. These few years, I’ve spent a lot of hard effort to teach you. Originally I thought you were still learning quite well, but once you saw Luo Jing Wan, your old ways sprouted again and forgot everything, just like an insane person.
I’ve already told you before, the old madam is bias to the point of heartlessness. You competing against Luo Jing Wan, even if she’s in the wrong, with just one word from the old madam, then it’s still your fault. I’ve told you again and again, don’t fight her head on, but this pig-brain of yours just doesn’t listen. You clearly have more advantages than her, but you don’t know how to use them.
As a young lady, all you speak of is money. Even if you want to scheme, still need to hold it in for me. And even if you secretly succeed, you can’t let anyone know either. But you always insist on making a scene, so even if you do succeed in the future, the first person Luo Jing Wan will think of is you. Even without evidence, just based on today’s matter, you definitely won’t be able to come off cleanly either.
I did my best to find for you the best teacher, invite the best etiquette mama, hoping for you to be composed, gentle, virtuous, and not be irritable when you talk and do things. In some situation, when you shouldn’t interject, you better give me a smile and stand there. When you should show you’re face, you also need to be magnanimous to a degree and reveal your talents as much as you can. When trying to win an opportunity, it needs to be appropriate. You can’t be annoying. You need to have these beautiful things bit by bit integrated into your bones, and become the most outstanding woman. Let those noble madams know, even if you don’t have a very good family background, you as an individual is still worthy of them to have high regards for, worthy of them to flatter.
Also that mouth of yours. On normal days, in your own courtyard, you cursing a few times, I pretend to not hear. But precisely because you’re used to speaking without thinking, when you’re outside, with just a moment of carelessness, your cursing comes out. Starting from today, no matter where, you dare say another improper word, I will directly have your etiquette mama slap your mouth. If you can’t control your temper again, I’ll lock you in confinement, not letting you take even half a step out of the courtyard.”
“Mother…..” Luo Jing Ying went from feeling wronged in the beginning to shocked, then to the current ‘not daring to believe’.
“Luo Jing Ying, right now, you better properly kneel here for me, and properly think about what I’ve just said. Any less than two hours, you’re not allowed to get up.” Liu-shi stood up and smoothed her sleeves, then headed towards the door.
Luo Jing Ying reached out and grabbed her clothes, “Mother, daughter is wrong, don’t……”
Liu-shi shook her off, “Xuan’er, go call over fourth miss’s etiquette mama, let her watch over fourth miss. If fourth miss doesn’t behave obediently, then just slap.” Liu-shi really was determined to have her sorted out.
“Mother…..” Luo Jing Ying watched Liu-shi’s heartless and cold back, still not daring to believe that this was that same mother, who’d loved her, pampered her, and always listened to her on everything. How could she be this heartless?
Luo Jing Ying’s etiquette mama very quickly came. In the very beginning, when Luo Jing Ying learned etiquette from her, she had no less been severely reprimanded by her before. It was the to the extent that she still remained a bit scared of her. Even when she later became her room’s managing mama, she didn’t use her much either. But when she saw her, she still unconsciously straightened her back and properly kneeled upright. Since her mother has spoken, she really would dare to slap her.
[1] Tang – same surname cousin from patrilineal line; father’s brother’s children
T/N: Ironically, the ‘Ying’ in Luo Jing Ying’s name can have the meaning clever or gifted. Sadly though she doesn’t live up to her name…..Luo Jing You is a fun character too, so rare seeing a good shu sister to a MC.
