I Am This Type of Woman

Ban Hua entered Marquis Rong residence, she could see joy on everyone’s face, yet noone lost their composure. She inwardly nodded in approval, they deserved to be the servants of an aristocratic literary household, equipped with such finesse ingrained in the bones.

“Junzhu,” The steward who came out to welcome her saw the oil paper bag in her hand. It looked like ….. candied fruits?

Ban Hua nodded to him and walked to the courtyard where Rong Xia stayed. He was now able to sit down to read or write, he just could not move too much to prevent the wounds being stretched open again. When Ban Hua entered, he was sitting straight on a stool reading a book, he did not dare to lean on anything. Ban Hua felt herself suddenly became tired just by looking at him.

“Today is a big day, and you still have the interest to read a book?” Ban Hua moved straight to open the half-closed window, “I met Wang Xizi from the Palace on the way here. I don’t bring a gift, but I saw candied fruits on the road, so I bought you some to try.”

Rong Xia put the book down, gave Ban Hua a face full of smiles.

Ban Hua placed the thick oil paper bag on the table, she approached Rong Xia and from behind and pulled his collar to peek inside the clothing. “It’s good to be young. I heard Yao-daren suffered a lot and almost lost his life.”

Rong Xia looked at her, “Hua Hua, why did you send the doctors to Yao-daren?”

“Originally it was nothing to do with us, but Third Miss Yao came and cried so sadly. Also, you and Yao-daren were punished together, if you are fine while Yao-daren is not, people may start to talk. It won’t be good in case anyone takes this against you in the future.”

Rong Xia was stunned, he did not expect that part of the reason for Ban family to get into the water was for himself.

“Let’s not talk about other people.” Ban Hua pulled out a skewer of candied fruit from the bag. Actually at this time of the year, fruits used in such skewer dipped in simmering liquid sugar could be sour. The liquid sugar was very sweet, so whether it would taste good or not depended on luck.

By buying him candied fruits as a present, Ban Hua was like a mother buying candies on the way to the market to coax her children at home.

Rong Xia took the skewered fruits, he froze, unable to put it in his mouth.

“What’s wrong?” Ban Hua saw him staring at the fruits. She took another skewer out of the bag and bit down. It was so sour that she felt her teeth were falling out, “Phew, phew, phew.”

Rong Xia threw his skewer away, picked up a cup of tea for her.

Grabbing the cup for a few mouthfuls of tea, Ban Hua tossed the fruits back into the bag. “Don’t eat, doesn’t taste good.” Ban Hua poked her face in shame, “How about this, I’ll bring you another gift tomorrow.”

“No, this is good.” Rong Xia bit the fruits. It was indeed very sour, but after the sugar mixed with the fruit, it became less difficult to swallow.

“Don’t eat.” Ban Hua snatched the skewer from his hand, “Aren’t you silly. Told you not to eat, and you still eat.”

“Not sour, it’s very sweet.” Rong Xia swallowed the one already in his mouth. His tongue came out to lick the sugar crumbs on his lips, “I like it.”

“Cough!” Ban Hua’s eyes shifted away to the side, but from the corner of her eyes, her vision was still drawn to the corner of Rong Xia’s lips.

Sinful. Sinful.

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—

Their peaceful moment did not last long, a servant knocked on the door.

“Master, Minister Yan residence sent a congratulatory gift.”

“Master, Count Zhongping residence sent a congratulatory gift.”

“Master, Changqing-wang residence sent a congratulatory gift.”

The gifts kept coming in, one gift list after another was presented to Rong Xia. Almost everyone who was someone in the Capital sent a gift.

“A golden toad?” Ban Hua was reading a gift list, “Toads represent wealth, this is a blessing for great fortune.”

“And this one, the genuine work of a last century’s poet?” She was confused, “Isn’t the authentic one still in my house? Where does this one come from?”

Rong Xia smiled, “They likely to have bought a conterfeit.”

“That’s not certain. It’s also possible the one in my house is the counterfeit one.” Ban Hua put the list down and yawned, “You’ve been in contact with only a handful of people this past half month. These people are…..”

Ban Hua laughed in mockery, “..… the boats that go wherever the wind blow, the grass that grow on top of the wall.”

* Setting the helm of a boat according to the wind 见风使舵 = to act pragmatically, to be flexible and take advantage of the situation.

* The grass on top of a wall 墙头草 = to go whichever way the wind blows, to be easily swayed, to be an opportunist / a fence-sitter.

“Can’t blame them.” Rong Xia thinly smiled, “The sovereign’s heart is difficult to gauge. Everyone has their own difficulties. It’s been this way throughout the history, there is nothing to be upset about.”

“You might be big-hearted, but mine is narrow.” Ban Hua stood up wearily, “You have many guests today, I won’t disturb you longer.”

“Ay.” Rong Xia caught her wrist. Ban Hua was wearing a thinly woven clothing for early summer, so Rong Xia could still feel the warmth beneath the fabric. “Why are you leaving, I am injured now. If you don’t help, I will have to take care of these things alone.”

“You still have the steward.” Ban Hua pulled back, but he wouldn’t let go. “I am not helping.”

“Fine if you don’t want to, but can you sit with me for a while?” Rong Xia said dejectedly, “You don’t have to look at the gaudy stuff from these opportunists. As someone who is made for greatness, how can I bore you with trivials?”

T/N – The phrase used here is 敢爱敢恨 lit. ‘dare to love and to hate’. Baidu describes such trait as ‘being bold to make decisions and follow it through’, I settled with ‘someone made for greatness’ – but you can see the author makes a word play on ‘love and hate’ here!

“You are the opportunist.” Ban Hua sat back down, “Opportunists are not pleasing, but their gaudy stuff are welcome.” Ban Hua herself also liked flashy stuff, she never minded the vulgarity of pearls and gemstones.

Rong Xia’s eyes slightly lit up, “There are a lot of beautiful and sparkling jewelleries in the residence storeroom. If Hua Hua likes, you can go pick them out. Whatever you wear will be extra beautiful.”

Ban Hua was interested, but then she remembered the mourning period, “Then keep the prettiest ones for me.”

“Alright.” Rong Xia nodded repeatedly.

—

A middle-aged steward was at the door, bowing, “Master.”

“Wang Qu?” Rong Xia glanced at Ban Hua, then he turned to the middle-aged man outside. “What is it?”

“Something happened outside.”

“What happened?”

“The eldest son of Count Zhongping’s was drunk and got into a fight with a local thug. The thug was very bold, Eldest Xie Son was stabbed three times.”

Ban Hua was surprised, the gift from Zhongping residence came just a few moments ago, and something like this happened?

Her dream was too obscure, she could not recall anything like this in the dream. Probably because…. she did not care a whit about Eldest Xie Son?

“Has the thug been caught?”

“It happened in the downtown. The place was crowded and too many people were watching, the thug escaped.”

“How is Eldest Xie Son now?”

“Eldest Xie Son was injured on his thigh and…..” Wang Qu hesitated, as Fule Junzhu was present, he used a subtle answer, “The injury is such that he won’t have a descendant.”

“I understand, you can go.” Rong Xia fell silent, he waved Wang Qu away.

“Yes.” Wang Qu retreated quietly.

“So,” Ban Hua leaned forward, curiously whispered next to Rong Xia’s ears, “Xie Chongjin has become a eunuch?”

“……”

“Why don’t you say anything?”

Rong Xia nodded with difficulty. He really couldn’t bring up the matter of a man’s self-esteem with Ban Hua.

“Xie family…. what kind of rotten luck is this?” Ban Hua could not resist starting to sympathise with Xie family.

“Maybe they have done something unethical, and this is the retribution.” Rong Xia pressed her fingertips, “If you are going to care about other man, I will be sour.”

“What it is to be sour about for a man who has become a eunuch.” Ban Hua patted the back of Rong Xia’s hand as a comforting gesture, “Don’t worry. Noone looks better than you in the Capital. My eyesight is high because of you.”

Rong Xia was not sure whether to laugh or to cry, was not sure whether this was a compliment or something else.

—

Rong Xia had her stay until noon for lunch, then he had to reluctantly sent servants to see her off. When she has gone, he called his subordinates, “Have you found the reason why the Emperor promoted my title?”

The guard in front of him had a somewhat troubled expression, “Master, shuxia is incompetent, shuxia hasn’t found the real reason yet. However, there is an interesting rumour emerging among the officials.”

“What rumour?”

“His Majesty summoned Fule Junzhu yesterday, and it was how the promotion came about.”

Rong Xia recalled Hua Hua’s visit yesterday was delayed until noon time because she went to see His Majesty at the Palace. What had she done to make Emperor Yunqing who was normally stingy with titles to suddenly promote his?

Seeing Rong Xia was silent, the guard thought the rumour had made him unhappy. The guard hurriedly said, “It’s just a rumour, it can’t be true. The Emperor can’t possibly make such a major decision just because of a woman’s words. The officials are just gosipping out of jealousy.”

“No.” Rong Xia shook his head, his face was serious as he said, “If it’s someone else, it’s definitely impossible. But this is Hua Hua, she does have the charm.”

The guard:  ???

Does Master understand that people are saying that instead of him taking a wife, Master is about to be taken to be a matrilocal husband?

Wrong, this was nothing new, the rumour has never stopped going around since Master and Fule Junzhu first became engaged. It’s just become louder this time.

For other men they said ‘a husband’s glory is his wife’s splendour. For Master it’s ‘a wife’s glory is her husband’s splendour’ even if the said wife has not even entered the door yet.

Who wouldn’t be angry to hear that?

T/N – Who do you think has done that to Xie Chongjin?

T/N – I am back, it’s been a while. The renovations to my place is done, thank you for your patience! Anyone misses Hua Hua?