Manor Qu. Fourth miss´ courtyard.

  The courtyard was not big. It wasn´t even given a concrete name. The arrangement inside it was even more out of question. It wasn´t elegant nor delicate. On the left side was planted a peach tree. Living here for so many years, Qu Tang´er has not even once seen it blossom, let alone produce a fruit. In the middle stood a little fake mountain and also a small pond. What fish they raised, that fish died.

  A cold breeze blowed over, without leaves making noise.

  With only doors of a room tightly closed.

  From inside were coming out sounds of laughter.

  Just listening to the laughter one could judge that it´s owner was unusually happy.

  „Hahaha. Jing Xin, I tell you-ah. It was such a waste that you weren´t in main hall just a moment ago-ah. You don´t know. Old Qu got so angry he had to blow his beard and glare at me[1]. All it needed was just him waving with machete and chopping my head. Fortunately, you can still see me coming back alive, otherwise I believe you would need load of handkerchiefs to wipe your tears.“


  Due to being overly happy, Qu Tang´er´s voice was also a little louder than usually.

  One servant girl in blue-green clothes came from the inner room. She was about the same age as Qu Tang´er. A helpless expression showed on her delicate face. She, with a low voice, reminded, „Miss, ninth madam said you can´t speak so loundly and you also can´t speak so roughly.“


  „Oh. Ok. But……No one will see it anyway. What´s there to be afraid of?“


  „Ninth madam said, even if there was no one miss still has to act properly.“


  „Ai[2]. Ok, ok. I got it……cough. In that case what does Jing Xin think about my current manner of speaking? Are you satisfied with it? It should be blamed on me. I was too careless. In the future I will certainly bear in mind mother´s teaching. It won´t happen again.“ Qu Tang´er lazily waved her hand, paying no attention to it. She has just spoke the half. Seeing Jing Xin attentively watching her, without no other choice, she softened her tone; let kind of deceptive gentleness, virtuous and warm att.i.tude come out.

  She was going to pa.s.s out! She was not material for this. Yet she still had to at all times act in this kind of manner. She was very sure sooner or later she will die on this kind of code not like code, conduct not like conduct´s family precepts.

  „Miss……“ Jing Xin, once again, called.

  „What?“ Qu Tan´er walked with long strides then turned around. With a thud her but sat on chair before the mirror. Then she comfortably raised one leg and put it up on another chair. Her tiny face puzzlingly looked at Jing Xin.

  „Not turning head while walking. Not lifting lips while talking. Not moving knees while sitting. Not rocking skirt while standing. Not even one of them can be missed.“


  „Ok-ah. It will be just this once. Let´s forget about it for today.“ Ai, if she had known earlier Jing Xin would say this, yet……she had that heart but lacked strength-ah. There was a sentence that said rivers and mountains were easy to change but it was hard to change one´s nature[3].

  „Furthermore……“


  „(a groaning sound). What furthermore?“


  „Miss, the way you are currently sitting is already incorrect. Fix both of your legs and don´t sway your skirt.“ Jing Xin went over, attentively instructing.

  „(grunt)“ Ai, as expected. It was really hard to act like a young lady from a rich family. It´s truly not something for ordinary people to be subjected to.

  Jing Xin suddenly thought of something. She asked with a fright: „Miss, have you just a moment ago made master angry again?“


  „Cough. It could be considered like that. But fortunately he didn´t got so angry to spurt blood……“ Qu Tang´er just wanted to laugh loudly but seeing Jing Xin´s black face, her lips pulled just that little. Holding back the laugh, she unhurriedly spoke: „Ai, you don´t know. Just a moment ago I could almost get out of inferno. The result was on the halfway appeared one Cheng Yao Jin[4]. It´s enough that he didn´t help, unexpectedly he even stood aside and watched the show. It caused me to fall and have my bones almost all broken up.

  [1]idiom describing someone who was very angry

  [2] interjection of surprise or disapprobation

  [3] idiom meaning odd habits die hard

  [4] this idiom was used to describe when a plan was scuppered by the intervention of an unexpected individual