RVW – Chapter 33

Hearing Ru Lan’s question, Ah Nan sighed, then asked someone to notify the gatekeeper to let those three cousins into the Mansion.

Ah Nan let the maids change her clothes and comb her hair once more, trying to show as much grandeur loftiness of a Wang fei—Naturally she couldn’t wear those gold ornaments that show off wealth and authority, it would radiate a kind of nouveau riche temperament, wouldn’t it directly provoke the mockery of her former enemies? She wasn’t that stupid.

In fact, saying they are enemies is also not suitable, it’s just a sense of superiority of the identity they are born in during this era of life. No need to say about Lu Feiting’s status, she is the Lu Clan’s main branch’s Di daughter born in riches and honors. As for Lu Fei’an and Lu Feiya, they were born from their father’s favored concubines, and were favored by Lao Taitai, their life in the Lu Clan wasn’t bad. But Ah Nan’s is a little miserable, Ah Nan’s birth mother is a singer courtesan¹歌妓 (ge ji) are women who performs singing and dancing as a profession. Although it has the word 妓 (meaning prostitute), they don’t really sell sex, but their status is indeed low. In ancient times, some man might also slept with them and make them concubines, which is what happened to Ah Nan’s birth mother. In modern times though, the term 歌妓，歌姬，歌女、歌伎 are also associated with sexual transactions., such fact alone, Lao Taitai viewed it as a slut ruining her son’s virtue. Thus Lao Taitai dislikes her, leading to the whole Lu Clan looking down on Ah Nan. It’s hard to escape being deliberately picked on, not to mention her cousins who would occasionally also seek some conflicts and discord.

However, Ah Nan is now qualified to play big cards. She got up with a slight rustle, moving between rooms leisurely, trying hard to exude the bearing of a Wang fei, calm and graceful. She saw Ru Cui stealthily laugh several times, then hurriedly made respectful appearance when Ah Nan glared at her.

Everything has been straightened up, Ah Nan enthusiastically goes out.

 

*****

 

In the side hall, three young ladies tried their best to show off how graceful their sitting is, dignified, upright, and elegant.

Two Momos, appearing like upright women in their thirties donning married women get up, came in, served them tea and refreshments, paid their respect and were about to retreat.

“The two Momos, please wait a minute.” Lu Feiting called the two softly, smiling amiably and said, “Two Momos, we are the sisters of Wang fei. We haven’t seen her these past few days, is Wang fei’s health alright?” They have been sitting there for a while after being invited in, these two Momos only now came to serve tea and refreshments. It made them doubt whether this was done on purpose by Su Wang fei.

——In fact, it’s really not Ah Nan’s doing. After all, women really spend a lot of time dressing up~~

The two Momos glanced at each other, and one of them stepped forward, bowed, and said, “Lady, us slaves do not serve by Wang fei’s side and do not know Wang fei’s affairs.”

Lu Feiting was obviously a bit disappointed but didn’t show it on her face. She still had a smile on her face, her voice melodious with a delicate aura, giving off sufficient etiquette: “I have troubled Momo, it’s Feiting’s fault.” As she spoke, a little maid behind Lu Feiting stepped forward and stuffed a purse for each of the two Momos.

The two Momos secretly weighed it with their hands, their faces showing a smile and warm expression. Paying their greeting respectfully and said, “I heard from the maid serving Wang fei, girl Ru Bi, that Wang fei should still be freshening herself up and will arrive in a moment.”

Lu Feiting urged the two Momo to speak a little more. She was eloquent, her words easily captured people’s hearts. Her speech perfectly showed her heartfelt concern for Ah Nan, making the listeners emotionally moved. The two Momos who had accepted her gift, also cooperated with her speech. Although they didn’t know what each other was thinking, at the moment the atmosphere was very relaxed.

Lu Fei’an and Lu Feiya sat on the side, observing, curiously sizing up the side hall of Su Wang’s Mansion, comparing Su Wang’s Mansion with the Imperial Chancellor’s residence. The Imperial Chancellor’s residence emphasizes elegance and tranquility. At the beginning, the Imperial Chancellor’s residence, for the most part, was bestowed to the Zhuang yuan²状元 is the top scorer of the imperial examination by the previous Emperor, every grass and trees inside are all extremely elegant and peaceful. While Su Wang’s Mansion has a dignified atmosphere, penetratingly solemn and honorable, causing a hint of reverence rise within the heart of those young ladies who had just come. When they came in earlier, a Momo had led them in, they didn’t dare to look around the whole way, Su Wang’s Mansion had those imperial guards standing on guard. The solemn atmosphere makes them feel extremely out of place.

After waiting for the Momos of Su Wang’s Mansion to leave, only the few maids they brought were left in the side hall. Lu Fei’an suddenly felt sour, saying, “Qi jie is really lucky, she was actually able to claim a Wang ye. Apart from Er jie who had married into the palace, who else has a good fortune like her?”

Hearing that, both Lu Feiting and Lu Feiya all turned to look at her.

Lu Fei’an generously let them look, shrugging and said, “What are you doing looking at me? Don’t think I’m the only one with this sour grape mood, otherwise we wouldn’t be here now. But this blessing is also from Qi jie. Everyone has their own predestined relationship, it cannot be forced.” she said, looking at the two people across from her with a hint of meaning.

Lu Feiya was not as straightforward as her, her cheeks slightly turned red, softly said, “I just miss Qi jie a bit.” saying that, she restlessly pulled at the belt hanging from her waist³Hanfu usually have some part of the belt hanging, like this.

Lu Feiting felt that Lu Fei’an was implying something, furrowing her brows slightly but did not get angry, gently and elegantly saying, “Ah Nan is our sister. Her marriage was respected and honorable, with good fortune. We should be happy for her.”

Among these three, Lu Fei’an is the most outstanding. She is only fifteen years old, with exceedingly beautiful facial features that could be said to be able to cause the downfall of a nation. Not only men, even women would lose their composure when looking at her. Her body are also well-developed, excitingly sexy⁴The word used is 火辣劲暴. 火辣 (means sexy or alluring), 劲暴 (refers to something cool or flashy that can evokes joy/excitement or similar emotions) . On the other hand, she also has a lively and refreshing personality. The contrast makes people feel comfortable when looking at her, thinking she is really a candid and frank lady. Lu Feiting’s beauty is somewhat inferior by a few points, elegant melon-seed⁵Means oval face face, skin white and tender, with graceful and refined temperament, highlighting the grandeur of a huge clan’s first branch’s⁶长房 or first branch refers to the lineage from the eldest son, remember that Lu Feiting is Imperial Chancellor’s eldest brother’s daughter. Di daughter. And Lu Feiya, just like her name⁷The ya (雅) in Lu fei ya (陆菲雅) means elegant, is elegant and refined, exactly the model of a classic wise and virtuous woman. Although these three have different temperaments, because of they are close in age, they are assembled together and brought by Lao Taitai to show their presence⁸The RAW said Lao Taitai likes to 带到跟前 (bringing them together to the front), as in she wants to show them off to the people Lao Taitai meet and might take fancy in them and offer marriage deals.. Contrary to the normal times where they walk side-by-side being intimate sisters, they are not actually entirely close to each other. Each one among them fights openly and secretly⁹明争暗斗 (fighting openly and manoeuvre covertly).

Lu Feiting’s words were impeccable, contrasting with the two little sister’s ungrateful words. Lu Fei’an pursed her lips, secretly cursing them for being hypocritical and pretentious. Making her think they are good people even though these people are all bad people. Lu Feiya looked up at the two older sisters, her face showing a shy and pleasant expression.

After a while, after two rounds of drinking tea, the master of the imperial mansion still did not appear. Lu Fei’an frowned, repeatedly looking out in the outside direction. Lu Feiting and Lu Feiya peacefully drank their tea, looking comparatively calm and unhurried. The Momo passing by the door nodded secretly at the sight, thinking that the young ladies from the Imperial Chancellor’s Mansion were not bad.

“Why hasn’t Qi jiejie come yet? It couldn’t be that there is some purpose, right….” Lu Feian mumbled out softly, speaking out the thoughts of everyone present.

“Maybe there are some affairs delaying her,” Lu Feiting tried her best to find an excuse for Ah Nan.

“Qi jiejie is very kind person, she must have been delayed by something,” Lu Feiya said softly.

Upon hearing their words, Lu Feian couldn’t help but stare. Although she also had some ulterior motives, she couldn’t achieve the constant meticulousness of these two people, especially the ability to endure. Sometimes when she is furious, her refreshing temperament can also break and erupt. Thus Lao Taitai doesn’t really like her, and if it weren’t for her outstanding appearance, Lao Taitai wouldn’t have brought her by her side.

The three young ladies were speaking softly when suddenly they heard footsteps outside the door.

The three of them quickly got up and saw a group of maids and Momos crowding around a young girl wearing gorgeous brightly refreshing clothes, coming in. Seeing Ah Nan’s attire, the three of them leaked a little of envy and jealousy on their faces.

Ah Nan was wearing a crimson palace embroidery inlaid¹⁰The word used here is 钿, implying that the garment was inlaid with embroidery of silvers ot gold with flower festoons and butterfly brocade upper garment, paired with similarly colored crimson hundred-pleated skirt, covered with a layer of bright red thin silk silk brocade fine grain silk gauze. A few sparkling pearls were embroidered on the collar and belt. The snow-white pearls scattered adorning the bright red brocade appear extremely stunning. Her long hair was coiled up and styled in a flowing cloud bun¹¹流云髻 is like this, wearing a hairpiece as akin to tranquil water rising mist¹²So apparently the RAW (水澹生烟冠) might be quoted from Li Bai’s 云青青兮欲雨, 水澹澹兮生烟 from his poem [梦游天姥吟留别]. The excerpt means the clouds are dark and heavy like it was going to rain (remember the hair is in a cloud bun and is black), the water rippling and giving rise to mist. The 水澹生烟冠 in this literature here said the water is quiet (bcz its a still obj) giving rise to smoke (or mist) with Haitang flower ornaments embedded in the middle. Long purple jade Ying luo¹³璎珞 or 纓絡 is a actually a necklace, but it had expanded to refer to jewelries, made of gemstones/jewels, and textile pattern, so just think of a hair accessories. I put the picture at the end of chapter because the note somehow isn’t working here hung on both sides, reaching her shoulders. The jade crescent moon¹⁴RAW: 弯玉月 here is from Zhu Shuzhen’s poem [忆秦娥·正月初六日夜月], from the excerpt 弯弯曲，新年新月钩寒玉 describing the new year’s crescent moon hooking cold jade. still hung on her forehead. Hanging from her ears are Bi jade of Cangshan¹⁵RAW: 苍山碧玉 might have come from Mei Yaochen’s (a poet) 寒溪翠拖碧玉带，苍山晴卧蜕骨龙 taken from his poem [送宣州签判马屯田兼寄知州邵司勋]. This excerpt describes the Bi Jade (碧玉, a type of jade, mostly green-ish) having cold stream trailing and belt of white (玉带 also refers to white peony), Cangshan (might be referring to Qingshan mountain range that is covered with lush trees or to Yunling mountain’s main peak, cangshan peak) revealing the bone of the dragon. So the description here is of a green Bi jade with white lines basically.. Although there are no gold ornaments symbolizing the influential background, this get up still dazzles the eyes of the three people.

Obviously the person is still the same, it was just the person dressing up, yet it made them feel a bit inferior. Such emotion was because of that kind of imposing aura, the young lady surrounded by a group of Momos and maidservants, that imperceptible construct of loftiness shook them deeply.

“Liu jie, Ba mei, Jiu mei, how come you all come here? Hurry have a seat ah!” Ah Nan walked inside with her smiling face, greeting them.

Lu Feiting and those few people were a bit embarrassed, but quickly recovered, only smiling somewhat reluctantly.

After they were seated, Lu Feiting said, “Today us sisters have been permitted by grandmother to come out to buy some rouge and jewelry. We heard that the capital’s Yanyu Pavilion’s rouge is the best one, so we looked for you to go strolling around together.”

Lu Feiya glanced at Anan, face red as if she had applied rouge, softly saying, “Qi jie, we are not familiar with the capital, so we want-, want…..”

Lu Fei’an continued with a smile, “What Feiya meant was wanting to go together with Qi jie to explore the capital. Qi jie, you grew up in the capital city and are more familiar with this place. Do you mind accompanying sisters?”

Three young girls spoke and smiled tenderly, at the age when they are similar to flowers¹⁶This is commonly used when talking about young women, usually like 16 to the early 20s, with bright and beautiful smiles, similar to perfectly done landscape painting.

Ah Nan thought inwardly, Why didn’t you go find Lu Feirong instead of coming to me? Do I look like a tour guide?

Ah Nan silently cursed, pursing her lips into a smile, sitting at the side hall’s master seat. Ru Cui and Ru Lan retreated back to her side after serving tea. Ah Nan took a sip of the tea and smilingly said, “Actually, I’m also not very familiar with the capital. After all, mother wished us sisters well before marriage, restraining us extremely strictly. On every single outing, I went together with older sisters, and couldn’t see much when sitting in the palanquin. The farthest I have gone was offering incense at the Baima Temple.”

When the three young ladies heard it, they immediately followed up and accommodatingly¹⁷The word used here is 凑趣 meaning to flatter someone or accommodating someone. asked about the Bai Ma Temple.

Speaking of this Bai Ma Temple, no one in the capital wouldn’t know about it. It’s similar to the existence of a sacred place. Bai Ma Temple is one of the royal temples, overseen by a senior monk who had achieved enlightenment. Although the enlightened senior monk’s age is unknown, he was already there even before the birth of the late emperor, and knowledgeable in the matters of the past, present, and future. Who knows how many people have come for a visit just to see¹⁸The see here can also mean meet. him. However, not everyone can see the enlightened senior monk, and with the protection of the royal family, had caused the common people to think of Bai Ma Temple similar to that of a sacred place. Except for the nobles with status who could go in, the common people and those of similar status are not qualified to enter. Therefore, although the Bai Ma Temple is a well known to be sacred, very few people have ever entered it, the incense burning¹⁹usually how many incense burnt can be used to “measure” a temple’s “prosperity.” If you read a lot of novels with Gods and Goddess settings, you might be familiar with the system where the gods with more incense are more powerful is still less than that of ordinary temples.

“Why don’t we go to the Bai Ma Temple today?” Lu Feiting said with a smile, “I would like to go to the temple to ask for blessings for grandmother, father, and mother. Qi mei surely would also want to ask for blessings for Wang ye?” Right now, they represent the Imperial Chancellor’s Mansion, so they naturally can enter. But they still want to invite Ah Nan in, after all, it is more convenient over there with Su Wang fei’s identity.

Ah Nan looked at her in surprise. Could she have known that Su Wang would leave the capital for Tongcheng in two days? Was it not said that the Emperor would only declare a decree on this morning court. Even if the public already knew, these girls, being ladies locked in the boudoir, wouldn’t know so quickly, would they?

Seeing Ah Nan’s expression change, Lu Feiting was somewhat puzzled, “What’s wrong? Qi meimei, did I say something wrong?”

Ah Nan smiled, not saying anything. She didn’t tell the “sisters” about her man’s affairs. Even in the open modern society, some affairs between husband and wife are not good to be shared with sisters²⁰As in biological relatives, can also mean ‘sister’ with really intimate relationships but usually refers to biological ones.. She had a few points of apprehension, sharing something in its entirety is only something a fool would do.

Lu Feiting’s proposal was supported by the two young ladies. The three of them talking to the sole me, trying to persuade Ah Nan to go along with them. They understood that Ah Nan was no longer the former Shu daughter with filthy birth mother status, but the Su Wang fei beyond their reach. Therefore, right now, they are trying to build a good relationship with Ah Nan, which is favorable and harmless to them. As long as Ah Nan didn’t give them small shoes to wear²¹Meaning deliberately troubling someone as a retaliation, everything else was easy to deal with.

Ah Nan originally didn’t want to go, thinking that Chu Baning would set off in two days and she still had to pack his luggage. She was so busy she didn’t have the mind to offer any incense. Just as she was about to dismiss these three people, An Momo came over and hinted at her to go out with the sisters to relax her heart, the rest of the matter can be taken over by her.

An Momo was originally a personal Momo who only served Su Wang. After Ah Nan became Su Wang fei, An Momo also had an additional master. Although Ah Nan, for most of the time, usually only retained personal maids to serve her, she would also have several Momos from the imperial mansion come to serve her, and An Mama was one of them. An Momo is a senior in the imperial mansion, and she is also intelligent and conscientious. Ah Nan is young and sometimes didn’t understand some things, at such times she would go and ask for her guidance. Most of the time, when Ah Nan couldn’t handle the Imperial Mansion affairs, she also relied on An Momo. Therefore, Ah Nan was surprised by An Momo’s suggestion, then understood that An Momo probably received some order from Chu Baning to let her go out and relax.

Wang fei was about to go out, some preparation had to be done, the servants of the Imperial Mansion started to move.

Ah Nan only have to move her lips to have a group of people rushing forward to serve, making the three Lu Feiting²² I decided to keep Lu Feiting there. Sometimes, in Chinese, the authors would refer to a specific group of people with something like ‘Lu Feiting three person’ (referring to three people including Lu Feiting). It’s just the way it is in Chinese, I decided to keep it onlookers secretly envy her in their hearts. Every time they looked, the jealousy in their hearts went up a few points. Lu Feiting recalled what happened not long ago in the Imperial Chancellor’s Mansion, when Ah Nan suffered injustice, Su Wang had defended Ah Nan then, she didn’t know what kind of feeling she felt.

When the servants were preparing, Lu Fei’an and Lu Feiya enthusiastically strolled around the garden in front of Su Wang Mansion’s side hall. When they were interested in some scenery, they would ask Ah Nan. Ah Nan also upheld her status, smilingly dealt with all of these three people’s questions, as if the previous conflicts between sisters no longer exist. However, whether they exist or not, only they themselves are clear about it in their hearts.

When Lu Fei’an and Lu Feiya surrounded a gorgeously blooming chinese rose²³The rose here is a chinese rose (Rosa chinensis or 月季), regular rose is called 玫瑰 (latin: Rosa), chatting and laughing, Lu Feiting stood beside Ah Nan. Lu Feiting looked at the exquisitely decorated garden of Su Wang Mansion and casually said, “Has Wang ye not left the court? When we had just gone out, San shu had already left the court and arrived home.”

Ah Nan said somewhat indifferently, “Wang ye is really busy with government affairs and usually doesn’t come back at noon²⁴午时, referring to the noon, in ancient times refers to a time between 11 am – 1 pm. He won’t come back until evening.”

Ah Nan thought to herself, only after marrying this one Wang ye did she realize how busy a Wang ye who holds great authority was. She had been deceived by a certain online novel website with water character on the side²⁵I assume Ah Nan here is referring to JJWXC (晋江文学城), the second character (江, river) has three dots on the left side representing water., thinking that a Wang ye should resemble what those authors wrote, just having to smile charmingly devilish, take advantage of his authority to chase after the female pig’s²⁶Means female lead (女主, nu zhu), the RAW however used different zhu (猪, pig), it is either a slang (chinese have the habit of replacing similar sounding words online) or a typo. I’m keeping it as pig to keep the… atmosphere hehehe) butt and then become a member of the female pig’s harem.

Looking back now, really want to shed a tear of shame for her once young Chuni²⁷中二 or 8th grade (Chuni) is short for 中二病 or chunibyo, refers to teens with delusions and want to stand out like a main character girl period.

“Isn’t that very exhausting? I have seen that San Shu sometimes were not so busy and could go home to rest at noon, and then go to work in the afternoon.” Lu Feiting looked anxious, “Qi mei, you should be more caring to Wang ye. San shu once said that Wang ye is the person he admires the most in this life, also saying that Wang ye is a responsible²⁸In fact the RAW said Wang ye is a 担当 kind of person. This actually means a person who likes to do things by himself, taking responsibilities upon himself person, putting all his efforts into anything he does. Having him here is a blessing for our dynasty…”

Ah Nan blinked her eyes, after listening….. She felt disgusted.

This girl, does she really think of her as a fool?!

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Translator’s little theater:

Ah Nan: *Who* are you to tell me that?! ლ(ಠ益ಠლ)

Ying Luo: (left: necklace yingluo [this is what you will find if you searched for it], middle and right: you can think of the yingluo referred in this chapter as those kind of hairpiece that hangs from the head)

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Random trivia, because I felt like it hehehe

Where does ‘making someone wear small shoes’ come from?

It was said in Song dinasty, there was a girl named Qiao yu who refused her determined betrothal. Her stepmother betrothed her to a wealthy but ugly and mute man, so Qiao yu refused him. At the time, daughters should obey their family and marry whoever they chose, thus the stepmother became really angry.

But then a matchmaker heard about Qiaoyu and told a scholar. Qiaoyu was interested in the scholar and wanted to marry him.

At the time there was a custom of foot-binding, the smaller the bound feet the ‘prettier’ they are. During the matchmaking process, matchmakers would ask for the woman’s shoe as a proof of this foot-binding and and size and give it to the man’s side. If the man agree to the marriage, he would make a pair of shoes according to the woman’s feet size and send them to the woman’s home, along with betrothal gifts. Otherwise, the marriage talk is considered unsuccessful or abandoned. After the woman’s side got the shoes, she would have to come to the husband’s house wearing those shoes during marriage, thus the shoes have to fit them. However, the man can also give the woman a pair of shoes too small for her to wear if he actually doesn’t want to marry but unable to express it to the matchmaker due to the matchmaker’s status or other factors. When the woman received shoes too small for her, naturally she couldn’t go to the husband’s house in them and get that there are disagreement, they naturally get what the men mean and were too ashamed to wear it on their wedding.

Qiao yu’s stepmother, wanting to “punish” Qiao yu, decided to cut Qiao yu’s shoes, making it smaller, then gave it to the matchmaker to be relayed to the groom. Naturally the shoes the scholar prepared were too small for Qiao yu. Qiao yu couldn’t put the shoes on on her marriage. Ashamed and angry, Qiao yu then hung herself.

Therefore, people nowadays refer to retaliation by shaming or making trouble for them as “wearing small shoes.”