Chapter 159: ‘Counselor’ Fu Qiuning
Author: White Pear Flower
Raws: https://book.qidian.com/info/2386994/
Translated by Gumihou
Proofread by Pill Bug
Gumihou: The entire chapter was an excuse to make Qiuning go kyaa… the crimes of OOC were too many to quantify without a proper overhaul.
[1a] In short, Jin Fengju was afraid that this crime would be linked to Eldest Sister, which would cause the emperor to doubt Brother-in-law’s dumb and filial act and ultimately, cast suspicion upon Jin Fengju and invite the emperor’s suspicion upon all decisions made by this faction.
It was all she could do not to roll her eyes at the fuss Jin Fengju was making. This person openly said that he wanted a peaceful life, and yet, here he was, playing risky politics. He couldn’t even manage Jin Yanfang’s emotions and he wanted to dally with the ministers outside? He should just quit his imperial palace job and be a provincial official instead.
Just then, hurried footsteps were heard from outside and a servant called out, “Greetings to the Marquis, Second Madam and Madam. On the order of Steward Jin, this lowly one has come to report that Miss Qiu Ju’s life has been preserved but that she has fallen into a coma. She has been brought into the prince’s palace and treated by an imperial physician. The prince sent a message to say that he understands the Young Marquis’ intention and asks for Young Marquis to continue with his recovery with an assured heart.”
Jin Fengju said, “I understand. Continue to bring reports as needed. All rewards shall be bestowed on the morrow.”
The servant boy quickly thanked him and retreated. At that, Jin Fengju heaved a great sigh of relief. He beamed and said, “So long as she is alive, there is no need to worry. However, I fear my elder sister will suffer some grievances. I wonder, how much hatred would she nurse against me for this?”
Fu Qiuning said nothing. [1a] Naturally, while saving the woman meant saving Prince Rong and Jin Fengju’s butts with the emperor, it also meant that the woman and her child now has a foothold in Prince Rong’s palace. It would be difficult for the princess consort to drive the woman out without being accused of heartlessness, recklessness, wildness etc etc.
[1] She gave Jin Fengju the side eye. The man looked a little worried and she had to wonder if he had considered that that prostitute’s incredible luck might be a gamble on her side to win favours and insert herself into the palace harem. Well, it looks like Elder Sister-in-law may now have her hands full with a reckless woman willing to bet her life on harem games. Well, with how much Elder Sister Jin resembles Wang Xifeng [2], perhaps she should reserve her pity for the concubine instead. [2] Then again, at the end of the <<Dream of Red Chamber>> the straightforward Wang Xifeng eventually became estranged from her husband over a concubine. So, the Jin Clan had better brace themselves for another emotional blow-up within the year.When dinner time came, Aunt Yu served several new dishes. When she heard that Jin Fengju wanted Shepherd’s Purse Dumplings, she made some with young spinach instead because it was not the season for Shepherd’s Purse. She also made some minced meat dumplings as well, so that the table did not look too shabby. Sure enough, the infatuated Jin Fengju, who was ready to find anything from Fu Qiuning’s kitchen delicious, took a bite and praised everything to the high heavens. Jin Yanfang and the rest had no reason to care so much about these simple fares. After pecking at the food for a bit, they lowered their chopsticks.
[1] Seeing such a contrasting attitude finally convinced Fu Qiuning that Jin Fengju was truly pulling her leg about how absolutely deliriously delicious everything was. Since Old Madam was also doing the same, she had been wondering whether she was truly so supernaturally gifted or that everyone else had broken tongues. However, seeing these noble women who had no reason to hate or praise her give such a lacklustre reaction finally solidified her suspicion. Jin Fengju was truly similar to Jia Lian [3], Wang Xifeng’s fickle husband.While they were sitting at the dining table, each lost in their own thoughts, the patter of rain intruded. Seeing the darkened sky, Fu Qiuning got up and turned to Jin Fengju, “Lord Husband should go and lie down. It is getting late, I shall escort the sisters home.”
Jin Fengju said, “Very well, go with them and have a good talk. Inform the matron guarding the gate that I shall stay here. When you visit Pillow Moon Pavilion, have the night-duty people wait for you. They can close the gate after you’ve returned.”
[1] Fu Qiuning thought: Trying to ensure that I return to this Elegant Mansion and not my beloved Night Breeze Pavilion? She lowered her eyes and said in a subdued voice, “Yes, I understand.”Jin Fengju’s smile grew as he gushed, “Naturally, I am not making fun of you, it’s just a little word of advice.”
[1] “…yes, I understand.”Jin Fengju looked like he wanted a more enthusiastic reply and said cheerfully [3], “It is too bad that we only have ordinary raincoats here. With the rain so light and practically no wind, it reminds me of the time I saw you with an oil-paper umbrella. Seeing a beauty holding an intricately designed oil-paper umbrella while walking the flower garden would be quite the picturesque scene.”
[1] “Of course,” said Fu Qiuning dutifully.Jin Yanfang forced a smile, “Brother really loves my sister-in-law. Isn’t this a special Jiangnan view? When we were in Jiangnan, it happened to be raining as we travelled by boat. On the shore, we saw Jiangnan women walking in the rain carrying their beautifully intricate umbrellas and dressed in willow green and red, looking like flowers themselves. Back then, with the road so vast, we had no desire to appreciate the view.”
Fu Qiuning paused, she had no desire to interact with members of this dramatic family. However, now that Jin Fengju had forced her into the head chicken position, should it be her responsibility to comfort the chicks? Therefore she ventured to say, “How about getting your brother to purchase some pretty umbrellas for us? On perfect rainy days, we could all come out in the garden and flit among the flower bushes like butterflies. Isn’t being the beauties in a garden better than looking at beauties?”
Jin Yanfang felt a little cheered by the suggestion. Even so, her mood was still a little gloomy and the journey towards Pillow Moon Pavilion happened in silence.
At the Pillow Moon Pavilion.
When Feng Yuanzhan and Feng Yuzhi saw there were guests, they quickly came over to give their greetings. They were accompanied by Concubine Mei. It was clear that the children had a very good relationship with her.
“This little brother and little sister must surely be a little more familiar with the estate by now, right? I believe that in a few more days, they should be allowed to walk around outside. What does Little Sister think?” Fu Qiuning smiled as she handed the children an auspicious gold coin each and rubbed their little heads before letting Concubine Mei take them away.
At the mention of her children, Jin Yanfang’s frown finally relaxed a little. She said softly, “Yes, it should be time. However, I am still a little concerned. Aih, no matter what, surely it should be fine for them to walk around the estate a little more.”
Knowing that she was probably worried about her children being bullied, Fu Qiuning smiled and said, “As the saying goes ‘a child from a poor household grows up to manage a household early’. Have you noticed how many children from rich families grow up to be pampered louts? A little tempering is not bad for a child.”
Jin Yanfang lowered her head and whispered, “Indeed, it is as Sister-in-law says.” A short while later, she raised her head and in a soft, but firm voice, said, “Sister-in-law must know the matter clearly, I wish to know what is happening.”
Fu Qiuning thought: As expected, I, the head chicken, am now in charge of the mental health in the harem. Am I a counsellor? What should I say to them? F*ck the patriarchy? Not only am I supposed to regulate my own mental health, but I have to fix their women as well, what a joy.
[1c] To be fair, she had done her fair share of counselling as an ex-teacher of opera singing. She was the one who had to advise parents about their children’s talents (or lack thereof) and speak to students about managing their home life. So this was not too different. She just had to think of Jin Yanfang as one of the many anxious parents at her table. [1c] Thus, she put on her business smile and said, “Indeed, I do know of the matter and understand that Little Sister wishes to know everything about it. I must ask, though, once you know everything about the matter at hand, what is your plan? The official called Chu had already read out the memorial before the emperor and your brother had already dealt with the repercussions. Even if you commit suicide now, nothing would change at court.”Stunned by Fu Qiuning’s bluntness, Jin Yanfang found herself blanking out. Finally, after some thought she gritted her teeth and said, “A-anyway, I just wish to know the truth…”
“If so, the truth is that a shameless surnamed Chu minister decided to throw rocks down a well and make further trouble for Prince Rong under Prince Lie’s banner. Having nothing to pull the Jin family down, he decided to target the Jin estate women instead. Let me ask you, has the state of the harem ever influenced court politics? This was clearly just some shameless court minister out to create trouble and, it is unfortunate that you and girls became their scapegoat.”
When she was done speaking, Jin Yanfang bit her lip, tears streaming down her cheeks. The girls from the Feng side of the family were also sobbing. Finally, she choked out, “Then, wh-what should we do? Now that Second Brother is punished by the emperor for this sin, we… aside from causing trouble, there is nothing we can do. This… what should we do?”
Fu Qiuning said, “[1d] Why should you do anything? Isn’t the court a place where men deal with national matters? If the Jing Dukedom’s harem could be dragged out and paraded before court, what of the harems of other men of power? Though people said that Lord Husband had been punished, is this even true? Who knows the thoughts of the emperor? If matters eventually become serious, what then? If death by hanging could solve all problems, the Young Marquis would have paid more attention to me six years ago. However, as you can see, this is not the case. Therefore, you must survive and live well for yourself and your children.”
[Gumihou: Have Fu Qiuning give real advice instead of 600 words of ass polishing]
[1] Remove the AR Qiuning: [1a] Remove the overly long and winding narration of the whys and hows designed to make AR Qiuning appear intelligent, but is really just tedious because, like we know already.
Enough with the whole chunk o’ text gushing about how clever your MC is.
[1b] Remove big chunk o’ text about how JFJ acknowledges his twins, whom he had abandoned, but look, they are so much better now after being abandoned and he likes them. Isn’t it great? She should thank him for that. [1c] In place of lovely benevolent good wonderful Hail Qiuning, we have a tired ex-teacherI think author wanted FQN to be ‘close’ to JYF to give advice, forgetting that teachers also often give advice to virtual strangers in the form of anxious parents of students
[1d] Fu Qiuning smiled and said over 400 words in one breath before sighing wryly and yacked on for another 150 words.F*ck this.
[2] Wang Xifeng – a character in <<Dream of Red Chamber>>– known for her wit, intelligence, vivaciousness and great beauty etc etc
– she is also self-assured, straightforward and does not quite fit with the traditional female role of that time
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wang_Xifeng
Although it might seem like a good thing to be compared to Wang Xifeng, this woman eventually forced a low-status, pregnant concubine to lose her child and commit suicide, thus, ruining her relationship with her husband who had once been ‘infatuated with his new bride’
Oh wait, is this a foreshadowing? Ufufufu, thank you for the ingredient, dear author. I shall make use of this knowledge well.
[3] Jia Lian – He was described as sybaritic, a notorious womanizer who had affairs with men and women.In the beginning of the story, he was ‘infatuated with his new bride, weeping hysterically when she got ill from a voodoo curse’, but he eventually ‘grew tired of Xifeng’s stringent control’
While JFJ is described as ‘restraint’ the ‘infatuated’ part of the characteristic still applies and it would not be strange for Fu-opera-singer-Qiuning to compare the people in this era to a known popular novel
[3] Gumi’s special skill: Dialogue redirect! FQN > JFJ