Chapter 111 : Ke Minjie (4)

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Ever since Yuxi took the sachet, Ke Minjie's heart had been so anxious, but she didn't dare to let other people see her objection, so she had to bear it with incredible difficulty.
Upon returning to Ye Residence, Ke Minjie immediately went back to her yard under the pretext that she was not feeling well when she was actually telling Old Woman Cui about what happened.

 

Old Woman Cui soothingly said, “Miss, don't worry.
All the herbs in the sachet are ordinary herbs.
Even if Fourth Miss smells them, there will be no problem.” The herbs in the sachet would be harmless to ordinary people.
It was a pity that men could only propose, and God dispose.
She wouldn't think that Yuxi would know pharmacology, thus making her able to see the clue.
To be exact, Yuxi had long suspected that Ke Minjie had a malicious mind.

 

Old Woman Cui's words calmed Ke Minjie, who quickly adjusted her mood and went to accompany Madam Ye after lunch.
When Old Woman Hua arrived at Ye Residence, it happened that Ke Minjie had gone back to her courtyard to change her clothes.

 

After a short rest, Ke Minjie went to the main courtyard with some pastries.
As soon as she arrived at the main courtyard, she felt the atmosphere there was wrong.

 

Ke Minjie stuffed a pouch into a maid's hand and asked, “What happened?” When she changed clothes just now, everything was fine, but now the atmosphere had changed into a depressing feeling.

 

The maid accepted the bribe given by Ke Minjie with great pleasure as she replied with a smile, “It was nothing.
Madam just felt somewhat out of sorts.
Madam is very fond of Miss.
If Miss goes in and talks to her, Madam's state of mind will surely turn back to good.”

 

Old Woman Cui wanted to accompany Ke Minjie to the main house, but Madam Ye's personal mama stopped her from going in.
She only let Ke Minjie enter the main house by herself while she talked with Old Woman Cui about the family’s daily lives.

 

Ke Minjie entered the main room, which was very bright because of the lit tung oil lamps.
She looked at Madam Ye, who was sitting at the seat of honour, as she smilingly went up to her and greeted, “Aunt.”

 

Madam Ye stared at her niece, who was smiling like a flower.
Ke Minjie felt like her aunt was scrutinising her; thus, she asked, “Aunt, what's the matter? Is there something wrong with my body?”

 

Madam Ye returned the sachet in her hand to Ke Minjie and said, “Fourth Miss Han had returned this sachet to Old Woman Hua.”

 

Ke Minjie's face changed a bit, but soon, her smile returned to her face as she stated, “Didn't Fourth Miss Han say she liked the embroidered butterflies on this sachet so much? Why did she return it now?”

 

Madam Ye stared at Ke Minjie as she said, “Minjie, Fourth Miss Han has studied pharmacology for a long time.
She only snatched your sachet when she smelled a peculiar fragrance from it.” She could see from Fourth Miss Han's behaviour that she was very suspicious of Ke Minjie.
Although her suspicion was a bit strange nevertheless, others had managed to detect the problem.

 

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Ke Minjie turned stiff.
How was it possible? How could a well-bred girl like Han Yuxi learn pharmacology? She pretended to be calm as she explained, “Aunt, my sachet is only filled with refreshing herbs.
I do wear it myself, and there is no harm so far.”

 

After waiting for Ke Minjie to finish her explanation, Madam Ye added, “Old Woman Hua had already shown the sachet to the Imperial Physician.
He said that if Qing-er had sniffed the sachet, she would have a miscarriage in less than a shichen…” Old Woman Hua deliberately shortened the time to make Madam Ye worried so that she would not spare Ke Minjie.

 

Ke Minjie's whole body froze.
After a while, Ke Minjie was able to respond by throwing herself in front of Madam Ye and cried, “Aunt, I don't know, I really don't know that the sachet will be bad for Dajie.
If I knew, I would have never worn it.
Aunt, please, believe me, I really didn't mean it.”

 

Madam Ye patted Ke Minjie on the shoulder and said, “I know.
I know you didn't mean it.
I just want to remind you not to wear any sachet when you visit your Dajie next time.
You should also know that your Dajie is weak.
It was not easy for her to conceive this child.”

 

After listening to Madam Ye's words, Ke Minjie's heart finally settled, “Aunt, don't worry.
When I go to the State Residence next time, I won't wear sachet any more.”

 

Madam Ye smiled and said, “Well, you're a good child.
Look at this crying face, like a *flower cat.
Somebody, bring over a basin of water.”

 

After Ke Minjie had done cleaning herself up, Madam Ye had someone send her back to her own yard.

 

As soon as she arrived at her own yard, Ke Minjie drove the others out and said to Old Woman Cui, “Mama, the secret of the sachet has been discovered.
Both my aunt and my Da Biaojie know about it.”

 

Old Woman Cui's complexion kept on changing, “How could it be discovered?” Even if the Fourth Miss Han saw that there were herbs in the sachet, these herbs had a weak fragrance, so she would not be able to smell anything strange.
As long as she didn't go to a physician, especially, she wouldn't find any problems with them.[+]

 

Ke Minjie was almost gnashing her teeth when she said, “Han Yuxi had learned pharmacology.
She snatched my sachet because she smelled something wrong with it.
Mama, what should I do now?”

 

Old Woman Cui asked incredulously, “What did you say? Fourth Miss Han studied pharmacology? Why haven't we heard of this?”

 

Ke Minjie felt quite frustrated as she questioned, “How much do we know about the affairs in the State Residence?” She only heard that the Fourth Miss of the State Residence had excellent chess skills, but Ke Minjie didn't know that she also knew pharmacology.
It was clearly a perfect plan but eventually fell into the hands of Han Yuxi.
Ke Minjie truly hated this situation that she couldn't help gnashing her teeth.

 

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Old Woman Cui calmed herself down and asked, “What did Madam say?”

 

“Fortunately, my aunt only thought it was an accident.
She told me not to wear any sachet next time I visit my Dajie in the state residence, so as not to cause misunderstanding anymore again,” she answered.

 

Old Woman Cui breathed a sigh of relief, “Fortunately, Madam believes in Miss.
However, since we have lost such a good opportunity, it will not be so easy for us to act next time.”

 

When Ke Minjie thought that the graceful and handsome man might have nothing to do with her in the future, her heart was unwilling to accept it.
“Mama, is there no other way?”

 

Old Woman Choi shook her head and said, “Nothing for the time being.” When she saw Ke Minjie's depressed expression, she tried to comfort her, “Don't worry, Miss.
It will take her ten months to deliver a baby.
She is only pregnant for a little over a month now, and with eight more months to go, there is no guarantee that the baby will be born smoothly.
Even if it is born safely, it doesn't mean that she will have a son.”

 

Ke Minjie clenched her fist and said, “What Mama meant was that I shouldn't rush it.” She must hold on.
Otherwise, she would really have no fate with him.

 

Ke Minjie's thought was too glorious.
For such a big thing, how could Madam Ye have no doubt? She said that way just now was to appease Ke Minjie, and it wasn't because she believed in her.

 

Not long after, Madam Ye questioned Ke Minjie's personal maid.
In those days, when Ke Minjie ran to Madam Ye for shelter, she only took Old Woman Cui to the capital.
The maids served beside Ke Minjie were all from the Ye family.
This maid was the child of the Ye family servant.
All her parents and brothers had been sent to the state residence to serve her daughter.

 

Madam Ye's confidant, Old Woman Feng, asked Ke Minjie's personal maid, Xiaoyan, “Is there anything strange with Miss Ke's schedule recently?”

 

Xiaoyan was scared, but she still shook her head and answered, “Miss has always been proper.” Miss Biao had been very kind to her over the past few years, and after getting along with her for so many years, she also had a feeling of wanting to burn incense for her.
For some things, she faintly surmised that she should also help to hide. [+]

 

Where would Madam Ye bother herself with an askew maid as she said, “I will sell you to a brothel tomorrow.
As for your parents, it is not bad to let them go to Liaodong to mine.”

 

The affection Xiaoyan felt towards Ke Minjie was incomparable to her love towards her family members.
Now, she was scared to walk on the opposite path.
“I'll tell you, Madam.
I'll tell you everything.
I only ask Madam to spare my family.” Xiaoyan finally knew that she couldn't escape from being damned.
After all, she should have told Madam about this thing a long time ago.
Except that she was worried it would ruin the close relationship between master and servant, thus she kept silent.

 

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Ke Minjie had also been wary of the maids who served her, mainly because their life contracts weren't in her own hands, so she never told her secrets to the maids.
Even though Xiaoyan got her heart the most, she could only tell the essential things to Old Woman Cui.
But no matter how hard she tried to conceal it, the people who served her closely could always see the signs.

 

Xiaoyan stated, “Ever since Miss Biao met Da Guye that day, she has no thought for tea or rice.
Over the past two years, every time Da Guye accompanied Da Gunainai back to Ye Residence, Miss' mood would be especially good.
Besides that, Miss Biao has often asked for information about the state residence.” This meant that Ke Minjie took a fancy to Han Jianming more than two years ago.

 

Although Han Jianye and Han Jianming were brothers, they did not look alike at all.
Han Jianye looked precisely like the Qiu family, big and tall; however, Han Jianming was like Han Jingdong, the Lord Duke of the State.
Han Jingdong owned perfect skin.
Otherwise, he would not have attracted Qiu Shi's eyes.
However, Ke Minjie took a fancy to Han Jianming not only for his appearance but also for his identity and status.

 

When Madam Ye heard that Ke Minjie had an improper thought on Han Jianming, she became furious.
She now confirmed that Ke Minjie played an important part in trying to hurt her daughter.

 

Old Woman Feng was much calmer, “What else? Do you know about Miss Biao's plot to harm my daughter?”

 

Xiaoyan's face was horrified.
She thought she told them what she had known for so long because no one had discovered it until today.
It turned out that Miss Biao had been obsessed with the murder plot.
“Madam, I really don't know.
If this handmaiden had known, she wouldn't have dared to hide it.” Having said that, she cried once again, “I thought it was because Da Guye was a good-looking man and the Shizi of the State Residence.
So, it was normal for Miss Biao to fall in love with him.
However, over the past two years, Miss Biao had adhered to etiquette and had not made any unusual moves.
Otherwise, this handmaiden would have told Madam.”

 

Old Woman Feng believed Xiaoyan's words.

 

Xiaoyan suddenly remembered something and said, “Madam, I once poured water for Miss, and because I entered the house without her permission at that time, I vaguely heard about her wanting to be Da Guye's concubine.” On that occasion, because she entered the house without permission, she was fined three months by Ke Minjie.

 

Madam Ye shivered with anger.
She had thought about it all the time.
It was unexpected that Ke Minjie had taken a fancy to her son-in-law.
She slapped her hand on the table as she said, “I dug my heart out for her but didn't expect that I have been raising such a white-eyed wolf.”

 

Old Woman Feng also did not expect that Ke Minjie's heart was so big that she wanted to be the concubine of Da Guye.
“Madam, the only thing that we can rejoice right now is that the discovery was timely and Da Gunainai was not hurt.
Madam, the top priority now is how to deal with this matter.
Since Madam in-law knows about this matter, why don't Madam make a statement.”

 

Madam Ye wiped her tears and said, “Tomorrow, I will personally go to make amends.” It was she who had led the wolf into the house and nearly made her lose her daughter forever.

 

Old Woman Feng also said, “Madam, this is all thanks to the Fourth Miss Han.” What she meant was that they also had to express their gratefulness.

 

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Madam Ye nodded and said, “Go to the warehouse and pick out more good things.” She had prepared for Yuxi and also as an apology to Qiu Shi.

 

Old Woman Feng nodded and asked, “Madam, what about Miss Biao?”

 

“What about her?” asked Madam Ye.
“After all, she's not my daughter, and it isn't appropriate to publicise it.” Seeing the bewilderment on Old Woman Feng's face, Madam Ye sneered and said, “Her father is still alive.
Her father should decide her marriage so that I won't do it on her behalf.”

 

Ke Minjie's mother died of illness eight years ago.
His father married her stepmother a year later.
That woman started well, but when she gave birth to her birth child, she began to regard Ke Minjie as a thorn in her side and wanted to take away Ke Minjie's mother's dowry.
Thus, Ke Minjie couldn't live at her own home and just took Old Woman Cui as they ran to the capital to ask for help from Madam Ye.

 

Master Ye held military and political power in his hands, let alone Ke Minjie's father, a low-ranking official.
Even the most powerful Song family had to give him three-tenths of courtesy.
Under the shelter of the Ye family, Ke Minjie had a very comfortable life over the years.

 

Old Woman Feng nodded as she thought that this method was indeed excellent.
Not only did it make people choose not to make mistakes, but it also helped them undo their hatred.
With the character of Master Ke and Ke Minjie's stepmother, it was impossible for them to find any good family.
There was nothing better than letting Ke Minjie fell into the fiery pit.

 

 

NOOB TRANSLATOR'S MUSING

 

* the words used here was 花猫 (hua mao) / hua=flower, mao=cat.
When I tried to find the term 'cry like a cat', I found 'Cat' Cry' or Cru-Du-Chat, a type of illness.
It couldn't be that, right.
When I tried to search with the term 花猫, it gave me a type of hybrid domestic cat in China called li hua mao (fox flower cat), in short, hua mao, while in English, it is called Dragon Li.
Chinese do love their dragons, don't they? So, I'm thinking, should I maintain using 'flower cat' or change it to 'hua mao'?

A Li Hu Mao
Image Credit | Pretty Litter

 

Back to the story, if Ke Minjie didn't do all those evil things to her cousin, Madam Ye would have fought for her marriage.
Although it won't be as high as her cousin's marriage, it sure would have been higher than her father's position.