Chapter 3: Examining closely the reasons of the delicate heart’s grievances, Part 3 — Three Marriages by Ming Yue Ting Feng (三嫁, 明月听风)

June 20, 2015 by inno 11 Comments

Chapter 3: Examining closely the reasons of the delicate heart’s grievances, Part 3 of 3

Long Er is indeed not wrong with his estimation, Ding Yan Shan recognized Ju Mu Er, indeed also intended to give Ju Mu Er a lesson. After Long Er went home that day, she sent for the palanquin bearers to bring her to the Yun Residence.

Ding Yan Shan’s elder sister, Ding Yan Xiang, married Yun Qing Xian three years ago, the couple’s relationship is harmonious, but Ding Yan Xiang has not gotten pregnant until now, even though Yun Qing Xian always comforted her not to worry, but in her heart she still has a knot.

Ding Yan Shan’s personality is intense and aggressive, but Ding Yan Xiang is gentle and gracious, typical of a genteel beauty.

Ding Yan Shan arrived in the Yun Residence, confronted her sister, and bluntly said that today she met the blind seductress**. Ding Yan Xiang was shocked, asked Ding Yan Shan what she was talking about.

“Shan Er, in everything you must give some allowances, show people more tolerance for the sake of propriety.”

“That’s depends on the person,” Ding Yan Shan said angrily: “Today I went to the Sheng Long Tea House, was having a nice chat with Er Ye, then came this vixen, she seemed to have something to request of Er Ye, but Er Ye did not agree to it, she actually spilled hot tea over Er Ye’s body, and now you’re telling me, I should graciously save this woman’s face, she who has no sense of shame at all?”

Ding Yan Xiang frowned and asked: “What did she ask Er Ye?”

“I do not know.” Ding Yan Shan curled her lips, asked: “Elder Sister, did you talk with your husband? What does he really want to do?”

Ding Yan Xiang had a faint anxious look on her face, in all respects Yun Qing Xian is good to her, but she’s afraid that Ju Mu Er changed his sincerity. Husband and wife, are two people who are most intimate to each other, but his thoughts, naturally he hides the truth from her.

Ding Yan Xiang said these things, Ding Yan Shan then jumped up: “Bah, he really wanted to marry that vixen?”

“My husband told me the young lady declined,” Ding Yan Xiang remembered at that time the expression on Yun Qing Xian’s face when he spoke about this, the memory made her heart ache. If he’s not really sincere towards that blind young lady, his face wouldn’t be so sad.

Ding Yan Shan was madly hopping around the entire room: “That vixen’s scheme must be thwarted, I have asked around too, originally she cancelled her marriage to her childhood friend, did everything to attract brother-in-law’s attention, everyone knows brother-in-law is fond of qin, she took advantage of this, she’s blind and she pretended to be pitiful, most men swallow this act and now she refused to marry, I’m afraid that she’s just unwilling to be a concubine, secretly wants to compel brother-in-law to ill-treat you, or she wants to be a wife of equal level with you, or wants to have brother-in-law entirely for herself. Really despicable! She doesn’t even consider her own status! Elder Sister, you absolutely must not allow her, if you don’t speak, I’ll tell father and mother. She’s a commoner blind woman, even if brother-in-law’s heart is captivated, she even dares make an Imperial Court Minister’s Residence to lose face.”

“Shan Er, you must not bother father and mother, I can take care of this matter myself.”

Ding Yan Shan refused to listen: “Elder Sister, you are too soft-hearted, originally if it were not for father who recognized his talent and backed him, brother-in-law where would he be today, he was able to marry you, afterwards was able to climb the social ladder. Now that he has everything, he started a cunning plot to look for another woman outside. If today, in the light of this, he makes a mess of things, afterwards how will the rest of your days be spent then?” Ding Yan Shan grew more and more angry: “It won’t do, I must tell father, and that fox, I will not let her off,” she said, turned around and walked out of the house.

“Shan Er!” Ding Yan Xiang got anxious, she held her, and raised her voice: “This is something you must refrain from meddling.”

“Elder Sister!” Ding Yan Shan stamped her feet in anger.

“Shan Er, this matter is difficult to contain from spreading in the imperial court, do you honestly believe father is unaware of it? If he wanted to get me out of this predicament, why would he wait for you to look for him?”

Ding Yan Shan was shocked, opened her mouth to say something but no words came out.

Ding Yan Xiang moreover said: “Father, himself, has three concubines, mother is quite a capable person, if not for the support of our maternal grandfather, it would not be possible for father to have done that, when I married my husband mother talked to me privately and told me, father at that time considered my husband’s ability, expected his career as an official will ascend in the future, so he got him working in the Ministry of Justice, I fell for him, so father prepared, so long as my husband preserves my position as his wife, he can ask father’s support. If he has other women, as long as they do not give birth to his flesh and blood, threatening my position, it is fine by father.”

Ding Yan Shan bit her lips, slumped into a chair, muttered: “Father? Mother? Father and mother, how can they do this?”

Ding Yan Xiang held her hand: “Shan Er, even if she’s a commoner, her family is wealthy, to take a concubine and raise children, besides like father, my husband as an official has the power and right. Since I’ve known the plan of my husband, I pondered a lot, actually my husband treats me well, at the very least he did not make me feel troubled, he has promised that if I do not give my approval, he will absolutely not marry and bring another woman to enter our household, and never let the other woman bear his children.”

Ding Yan Shan waved her arm: “Humph, as if that’s something, if he’s really sincere to you, he will not look at other women with half eye. When I get married to Long Er, I will forbid him from taking another woman again.”

Ding Yan Xiang smiled, stretched out her hand to pat Ding Yan Shan’s cheek: “Look at you, you ought to be ashamed, still elder sister will say this, I’m looking forward to the marriage.”

Ding Yan Shan blushed, but raised her head confidently: “I want to marry him, the other girls, they’re certainly inferior to me.”

Ding Yan Xiang smiled and embraced her: “Yes, my younger sister is the best.”

Ding Yan Shan leaned her head on Ding Yan Xiang’s shoulder, overflowing with tenderness, then asked: “Elder Sister, brother-in-law said this matter will depend on you, what are you intending to do?”

Ding Yan Xiang sighed: “I’m still mulling over the matter.”

Ding Yan Shan kept silent, but was actually intending in her heart: “No way can I let that seductress have an easy time.”

** Huli Jing can also be translated to fox-spirit, vixen or enchantress; the fox spirit of China, Huli Jing, literally “exquisite fox”, is modern Mandarin/Cantonese profanity for a woman who seduces another woman’s romantic partner (source: EsoterX.com)