Chapter 3 The operation
At noon on the fifth day she had time-traveled, Chen Hui who had only eaten plain congee and steamed buns for the whole day yesterday; when she saw that today was plain congee and steamed buns again, she got angry. After resting for five days, her body was much better and she began to think about her quality of life.
At first, she thought that after three days of imprisonment, she could live normal days and eat normal meals. If that was the case and under the circumstance that she couldn’t go back home, muddle along and waiting to die at Li residence was better than enduring the hardship of being homeless. However, she never imagined that after three days of forbidding her to eat, the result was that she got this tasteless and difficult to stomach meals! To fill her stomach, it was okay to let her eat one or two meals, but to let her continue to eat this forever, she would go crazy!
Chen Hui who was full of anger quickly stopped the old woman who brought the food over and who was about to leave. She said softly, “Grandmother Xu, my body haven’t been well these days. Can you give me some meat to supplement?”
Xiao Tiao stood at a side while holding the meal that grandmother Xu brought. She looked very obedient. Her personality was timid and afraid of getting into trouble. These few days, she had been subdued by Chen Hui. She quietly became a background when Chen Hui was speaking.
Grandmother Xu was the old lady who came to open the door and lead Xiao Tiao away these past few days. After, she came to deliver the meal yesterday, she gave two servings each time. She didn’t even let Xiao Tiao out anymore. In the past, Xiao Tiao also had eaten almost the same kind of food. She didn’t have any complaints. However, Chen Hui was the kind of person who would eat a good meal outside occasionally. Having lived in “luxury”; how could she endure such treatment?
Previously, it was Xiao Tiao who had been dealing with grandmother Xu. This was the first time Chen Hui had come face to face with the other party. She didn’t know her own name and couldn’t figure out how to address herself. So, she simply used “I” to address herself.
Although, she had been imprisoned by that exasperating eunuch, but he let people bring her food these past three days. He didn’t want to starve her to death. Those three days were only simply teaching her a lesson. After all, she was the woman that he had snatched. There was always a chance that she could get higher up. These servants should leave themselves a way out, right?
Grandmother Xu looked about fifty-year-old. There were so many wrinkles on her face that it could trap mosquitoes. After listening to Chen Hui, she opened her mouth. A smile that was ugly like chrysanthemum appeared on her face. She said dully, “Lady Chen, your body is not so well. You can’t eat meat because you wouldn’t be able to digest it.”
“Nonsense, I won’t get well if I don’t eat meat,” Chen Hui hurriedly said. Her tone was soft, but the content attacked the moment it was said.
Grandmother Xu was startled for a moment. She was probably accustomed to talking in circles. Facing Chen Hui who hit the ball straight, she could only force a smile after a short while, “Lady Chen, you are still young. I don’t know from where you have heard that. Look at the wound on your forehead. I heard that it was a very big wound. It will leave a scare if you eat meat.”
Chen Hui said, “My father said that one would get well quicker if one eats meat. My father had always been right. Grandmother Xu, don’t worry. I‘m not afraid of leaving a scar.” She smiled softly again.
Originally, grandmother Xu thought that she could stir Chen Hui up at the mention of the wound on her forehead, but she didn’t expect that she had no reaction at all! Although, she didn’t personally saw that scene, but after the incident, the residence was in chaos. It was said that the blood on the ground could’ve become a river. Tsk, tsk, not to mention how scary that scene was. She never expected that this Lady Chen did as if nothing had happened and was asking meat from her. This already could be considered out of the ordinary!
Grandmother Xu retrieved the smile on her face and replaced it with ridicule and irreverence that fitted those wrinkles more, “Lady Chen, presumably you haven’t figured out your situation yet. Master was kind to spare lady’s life. It’s better for lady to be more disciplined lest master gets fed up with lady and end up with an egg on your face while trying to be clever. Perhaps, if lady is more well-behaved, master would remember you.”
Chen Hui looked at grandmother Xu for a while and then she smiled softly again, “What grandmother Xu said made some sense. Then, I will not disturb grandmother Xu any longer.”
Knowing that she couldn’t persuade the other party, if she continued to argue, it may develop in an even worse ending. Chen Hui naturally wouldn’t do that.
Grandmother Xu raised her spirits and planned to battle with the hopelessly muddled Chen Hui to her hearts content. Who knew that she already prepared the disposition of troops well to charge, the opponent would beat the gong to recall the troops and retreated at a lightning speed? It made her feel like she was punching cotton and she had no way to relieve the uncomfortable feeling all over her.
Grandmother’s Xu’s expression was a bit uncomfortable. It could even be considered suffocating. The meat on her face shook a bit. She forced a laugh and after a while did she say, “Then, Lady Chen, enjoy your meal. This old slave will retreat.”
Having said that, she looked at Chen Hui.
Chen Hui also looked at her with a smile. Unwillingly, Chen Hui could only retreat and looked at how grandmother Xu locked the door once again.
Xiao Tiao came closer to Chen Hui and asked carefully, “Lady Chen, will you have the meal?”
Chen Hui said, “Of course! Only after you are full can you think of a way!”
Confusion appeared on Xiao Tiao’s face. What way will she (CH) think of? She never took the initiative to ask anything. Even if she was puzzled at this moment, she only nodded. She placed the lunch and the two finished their meal quietly.
“We can’t go one like this any longer.” Chen Hui finished her portion. When she looked up, she discovered that Xiao Tiao had long finished her meal and was looking at her obediently. It was Chen Hui who had made Xiao Tiao sit down no matter what and eat with her that got Xiao Tiao to eat like this with her. It was not that Chen Hui thought that everyone was equal. She only felt that if someone was standing at a side watching her eat, she would feel uncomfortable.
Xiao Tiao was surprised, “Lady Chen, what, what’s wrong?”
Chen Hui said, “Xiao Tiao, do you want to eat simmer-fried pig trotters, steamed scallops in broth, pork strips stir-fried with yuxiang, stir-fried pig belly, mutton soup, chili chicken…Peking…cough…roasted duck?”
- Yuxiang: a seasoning of Chinese cuisine that typically contains garlic, scallions, ginger, sugar, salt, chili peppers etc.
Only by listening, Xiao Tiao already felt that she was salivating. She didn’t know what Chen Hui’s intentions were and only nodded.
Chen Hui said, “Good. I need your help.”
Xiao Tiao looked at Chen Hui blankly.
Chen Hui crossed her arms. The delicate eyes were slightly lowered. She said, “The most powerful person in this residence is that exasperating eun…cough cough, I mean master. Whoever, he put importance on can live well. Now, I’m locked here without any chance to act freely. It is difficult to even take one glance at master not to mention fawn upon him to let him treat me a bit better.”
Xiao Tiao asked startled, “Lady wants to fawn upon master?” There was a hint of joy in her surprise. In the past, the sisters and grandmothers that she served had been extremely harsh on her. It was the first time that she had encountered a master that treated her so gently. From the bottom of her heart, she wished that Lady Chen could live well. Now, she was naturally happy seeing that lady didn’t think anymore about committing suicide. Whether it would be good or bad for Chen Hui to follow a eunuch was not something that she could think through.
Chen Hui had a sensible appearance, “Right. I’ve come round. In fact, master is very good. I can’t be so insensible and make master unhappy. I’m happy if master is happy.”
After hearing that, Xiao Tiao nodded repeatedly.
Chen Hui said, “Therefore, for your and my future, Xiao Tiao, I need you.”
“Lady has just to say it. This slave will certainly help lady!” Xiao Tiao was a bit excited.
Chen Hui said, “Very simple. I plan to sneak out to meet master and explain myself with deep emotion to let master be moved. He probably wouldn’t lock me anymore then.”
Chen Hui had only seen that exasperating eunuch once and the impression of that time wasn’t good. If she could, she would stay far away from the other party. However, it happened that her life was now tied with the other party. Even if she was unwilling, she had to curry favor from him. She didn’t have to become pleasing to his eyes. It was fine as long as he didn’t dislike her like now. She wants meat! However, recalling that harsh appearance of that exasperating eunuch, she felt that it was a difficult task. She could only curry a little bit of favor from the other party and pull back the negative number of favorable impressions a little. This was a difficult task, but in order to eat meat, she wasn’t afraid of anything.
“Then, should we tell grandmother Xu…,” Xiao Tiao’s head was full of rules and automatically ignored the word “sneak” that represented a bad behavior.
Chen Hui said, “She…presumably won’t help us.”
She and grandmother Xu could be considered to be on bad terms. How could grandmother Xu let her (CH) have an opportunity to step on her (X) head? Presumably, she wanted her to be locked inside this yard for all her life. In this short period of time, she couldn’t see that grandmother Xu would be substituted. It was better for her to play with excitement. After all, it couldn’t be that bad.
Xiao Tiao was dumbfounded, “What to do then? The door is locked. There is no way to go out.”
Chen Hui laughed, “I was about to mention this point. Look at that side.”
Chen Hui pulled Xiao Tiao to the outside, pointed at the locust trees outside the yard and said, “The wall is less than two meters…eh? How much is that when converted? Forget it, anyway, this wall is not high. There is a table inside. It was more than enough for me to climb to outside. It would be easy after I climbed on a tree. I will go down from the trunk of tree. And you, you should just move the table back inside or block it with something. If I didn’t return in time, cover for me in front of grandmother Xu.”
Xiao Tiao was timid. After she heard Chen Hui’s plan, her face paled from fright and she blankly shook her head.
Chen Hui had made up her mind. For her future, she must take this risk. Xiao Tiao was timid and it was because of this timidity that she was stubborn. Chen Hui persuaded her for a long time before she reluctantly agreed. However, Chen Hui didn’t expect much of Xiao Tiao’s mentality to be able to cover for her in front of grandmother Xu. She only hoped that everything would go smoothly. By then, it wouldn’t matter whether grandmother Xu was suspicious or not.
Of course, for the sake of safety, Chen Hui chose to wait after grandmother Xu had delivered the dinner before sneaking out.
Seeing that it was still early, Chen Hui grabbed Xiao Tiao and asked her about the situation of the residence, for example, the road etc. Xiao Tiao didn’t know too many things. Fortunately, it was enough. For example, the general layout of Li residence. Li residence was located on Yongfu street. It occupied a large area and was divided into the front and backyard. Eunuch’s Li’s study and the parlor were in the front yard. There were some soldiers guarding there. There were four large courtyards, a kitchen and the rooms of the servants in the backyard. According to Xiao Tiao, not many people patrolled in the backyard. Chen Hui thought that it was just a eunuch’s house on the outside after all. It was enough if an important place like the study was watched carefully. The four courtyards were Plum, Orchid, Bamboo and Chrysanthemum. Chen Hui lived in Plum Yard. The Orchid Yard was empty. That Lady Jiang was living in the Bamboo Yard, but Lady Jiang gave the Bamboo Yard a name “Rely Bamboo Pavilion (it sounds more sophisticated in Chinese)”. And, that eunuch Li was living in Chrysanthemum Yard…When Chen Hui heard this, she couldn’t help but laugh. Of course, Xiao Tiao didn’t understand Chen Hui’s joke that crossed time.
- Chrysanthemum is a slang for anus in Chinese
When inquiring, Chen Hui indirectly asked about her own identity. She asked things like “how the people of the residence think of her”. The answer that Xiao Tiao gave made Chen Hui understand that she appeared in Li residence overnight. Then, she charged into a pillar. The servants basically didn’t know her identity.
Was the original owner really a commoner girl that that exasperating eunuch snatched? Chen Hui maintained her doubts on this.
After roughly memorizing the backyard as described by Xiao Tiao, Chen Hui began to prepare. When the sky was still bright, grandmother Xu delivered the meal with a bad expression and left. Chen Hui immediately started her operation.
The two joined forces and moved the table outside. They placed it under the wall. They saw that it wasn’t high enough, so, they put a stool on the table. Then, Chen Hui climbed the table and the stool under Xiao Tiao’s worried expression. Afterwards, she climbed to the top of the wall and hugged the branch of that flourishing locust tree.
After looking around and confirming that no one was nearby, Chen Hui jumped from the wall and stepped on the branch.
“Who is there?!”
Suddenly came a shout from not far behind from Chen Hui. It scared Chen Hui, making her shook and causing that she almost fell from the tree. She hugged the branch with all her might and looked back.
A tall man in a dark red martial attire stood under the tree and coldly looked at her.
Under the cold gaze of that person, she came down flustered. With a thick face, she whispered, “You have frightened me! I was just curious about how the Lady Chen who lived here looked like. I just climbed on the tree and didn’t have the time to see the person yet when I have been frightened by you…big brother, what is your (sur)name? Why have I not seen you before?”
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It isn’t the first time I read in a chinese novel about suicide by running and hitting your head in a pillar. Was it really a common way for suicide in the past or is it just a creative thing in novels?
That seem to be the case in many chinese novels and dramas. However, I highly doubt that it would get one killed. The force needs to be very great for one to be killed like that