Chapter 80: Han Family’s presumptuous young master (2/2)

Han Yunxi ignored him. “Chen Xiang, go to the justice courts and say that Han Family’s Han Yuqi offended his superiors and spoke conceited claptrap to insult this wangfei!”

“Yes!” little Chen Xiang left immediately.

These people had the eyes of dogs[8]. When the justice court’s people arrived, they’d get to see esteemed wangfei’s ferocity!

Justice courts?

Han Yuqi suddenly laughed out loud. “Justice courts, aiya! This young master’s so frightened! What should I do!?” His peculiar speech goaded everyone else into laughing with him.

Quickly, Han Yuqi recovered and gave Han Yunxi a disdainful glance. He wasn’t afraid of the justice courts. Of course, he had no idea what happened last time with North Court Official He Ze, but from what he heard from the magistrate’s people, his grandfather had been summoned for an inquest. Afterwards, his grandfather had personally recommended a new official for the justice courts, Official Ouyang.

The justice courts and the Ministry of Appointments both held third-rank officials, so his grandfather had awe-inspiring authority.

Han Yuqi allowed Chen Xiang to leave unimpeded as he sat calmly on one side, eyebrows raised at Han Yunxi. “This young master’s in a good mood today, so I’ll wait for your people to come!”

Han Yunxi ignored him and looked towards the trembling child. She even felt pain for his sake and wanted to move forward, but the servants barred her way. Neither did the pageboy by her side dare to speak, but only retreated to one side to look.

It was a deadlock.

Seeing the boy huddled up in a ball, Han Yunxi couldn’t help but grow anxious. This child was so young that if things continued, he’d die from the pain if not the cold. She tried a few more times, but the servants formed a human wall and refused to budge an inch.

Han Yunxi didn’t have the strength to shove them aside and grew angry. She warned, “Han Yuqi, you better not regret it!”

“Regret? Heheh, Han Yunxi, you’ll be the one to regret!” Han Yuqi laughed loudly. He only heard of the young general’s poisoning incident but didn’t believe it. How would he know the details? He only expected the justice courts to send their people over.

Han Yunxi’s phoenix eyes narrowed into slits. This place wasn’t far from the justice courts, so she’ll wait! But just as they were locked in stalemate, a shrill voice carried over.

“Yi’er[9]! Yi’er!”

The voice belonged to a young woman just over twenty years old, running over in fright. It was none other than the child’s mother, Seventh Madame Helian Zuixiang[10]. As soon as she saw her son’s state, she forgot everything else and went wild with wailing.

“Stop her!” Han Yuqi said sternly, getting to his feet.

Helian Zuixiang was but a weak woman who was blocked by a single servant that knocked her to the ground. But she quickly got up and denounced Han Yuqi. “Han Yuqi, are you still human? If it’s anything, come at me instead! What kind of man picks on a little child?”

“Heheh, come at you? Fine then, give up the storehouse key and this young master will let you go right over,” Han Yuqi smiled coldly. Hearing this, Han Yunxi understood everything.

“I don’t have it! I’ve told you so many times, I don’t have the storehouse key. How could the old master give it to us? The old master suddenly ran into trouble, so the key must be with him!” Helian Zuixiang said seriously.

“Heh, you think I’ll believe your lies? Ever since you came into this house, my father’s been sleeping in your rooms and teaching that boy medical knowledge. You think I don’t know? Even if my father didn’t give you the storehouse key, you definitely know where he’s hidden it!” Han Yuqi gave a cold snort.

“I don’t know! The old master came everyday to make sure Yunyi was studying well. He was personally tutoring him,” Helian Zuixiang explained in a rush. As she spoke, she took advantage of the servant’s distraction to go towards her son, but was dragged back and thrown to the ground.

This time, Helian Zuixiang had trouble climbing to her feet and sobbed at the sight of her son’s horrifying back. “Son, what’s wrong with you? Answer your mother!”

“Son, don’t scare mother, answer me, look at me!”

“Son, son, please don’t frighten your mother!”

-o-

[1] Second Consort Lady Xu (二夫人 徐夫人) – er furen xu furen, in which Xu is a surname that also means ‘slowly, gently.’

[2] Third Madame Li (三姨娘 李氏) – san yiniang lishi, in which Li is a surname that also means ‘plum.’ Shi is a suffix used after a married woman’s maiden name.

[3] Seventh Madame Helian (七姨娘 赫连) － qi yiniang helian, in which Helian is a two-character surname. He means ‘conspicuous, grand.’ Lian could mean ‘link/join/connect’ or ‘continuously, in succession.’

[4] Madame (姨娘) – yiniang is the original term here, which refers to a father’s concubine as called from Han Yunxi’s perspective.

[5] Cloud Water Pavilion (云水阁) – name for the living quarters and courtyard of Madame Helian.

[6] Han Yunyi (韩云逸) – Yun means ‘cloud,’ Yi means ‘ease, leisure, flee,’ or ‘excel.’

[7] Han Yuqi (韩玉骐) – Yu means ‘jade,’ Qi means ‘a black horse.’

[8] the eyes of dogs (狗眼看人) – gouyan kanren, meaning someone who is arrogant and looks down upon others. A type of expletive.

[9] Yi’er (逸儿) – nickname for Han Yunyi. Er is a common suffix attached to a name to indicate affection or youth.

[10] Zuixiang (醉香) – Madame Helian’s first name, meaning ‘intoxicating fragrance.’