The Fourth Lady

Qingyan brought Qingcong to the gardens and headed straight for the wayside pavilion. There, the ink and brush, leftover from yesterday, were still there. She ordered Baizhi to prepare some snacks, that way there was something to eat when they got hungry.

"Miss, there still some of the calligraphy paper you left from yesterday. What do you plan on teaching the young master today?" Zizhu looked to Qingyan and began to grate the inkstone with familiar hands. Qingyan helped Qingcong up onto the stone stool and warmly said to him, "Cong'er, have you ever heard your fifth sister recite any poetry?"

Qingcong listened to Qingyan and shook his head, "I've never heard."

Qingyan picked up the brush and dabbed some ink, after pondering for awhile she wrote down Cao Zhi's [Seven Step Verse], this was the first poem Minning learned. Perhaps at the time Minning didn't understand the meaning behind this poem, but by now he should understand it.

"Burning the beanstalk to boil the beans, the beans in the pot cry out; originally born from the same root, why must we be at each other's throat?" Zizhu read the poem out loud in a light voice, "Miss, I recall this is Cao Zijian's [Seven Step Verse] from the Three Kingdoms period."

(TN: Cao Zijian is Cao Zhi's courtesy name)

Qingyan placed down the brush and nodded at Zizhu, "That's right, this is Zijian's [Seven Step Verse]." The placed this sheet of paper before Qingcong, "Read with me a few times, then Cong'er can read a few times, what do you think?"

Qingcong warmly smiled at Qingyan.

Burning the beanstalk to boil the beans, the beans in the pot cry out; originally born from the same root, why must we be at each other's throat!

Deng Yan struck the wooden fish* with a devout look, all the way until the servant girl by her side cried out, then did she put down the instrument. She stood up and looked to Linghua and expressionlessly said "What's the matter?"

(TN: Those instruments used in reciting buddhist sutras to help keep the rhythm)

"Yiniang, just now I heard that the fourth miss took young master to the gardens to practice writing. Should I head there to retrieve the young master?" Linghua looked to Deng Yan as she said this.

Deng Yan was clearly doubtful of Linghua's words, "Are you sure it's the fourth miss?"

Linghua looked to Deng Yan still in a docile manner, "That's right, it's precisely the fourth miss."

Deng Yan still shook her head, "How could that fourth young miss be interested in our Cong'er." As if recalling something, she immediately widened her eyes. When she looked to Linghua she cried out in an urgent voice, "Hurry, take me to find Cong'er."

When Deng Yan arrived at the gardens, she unexpectedly heard the sound of Qingcong reciting the [Seven Step Verse]. She stood to the side and carefully observed them, she discovered that Qingyan didn't have even a bit of ill intent towards Qingcong.

"Yiniang are you worried for Cong'er, that's why you especially came to see?" Qingyan said plainly as she looked to Deng Yan who was hiding behind the rock formation.

Deng Yan never expected that Qingyan had already noticed her presence. After tidying her clothes, she walked out from behind the rock formation. When Qingcong saw Deng Yan he ran up to her with a smile, "Mother, fourth sister is teaching me how to reach and write."

Deng Yan lovingly flicked his nose, "Cong'er do you still remember what I've said?"

Qingcong dropped his head at once, "Yiniang."

"Cong'er, it's not that I don't want you to call me mother, it's just that my status here is such." Deng Yan casually said this.

"Cong'er, since Yiniang is here, why don't you recite the old verse I taught you to her?" Qingyan said this as she walked up next to Qingcong with a smile.

Listening to Qingyan, he recited the [Seven Step Verse] for Deng Yan. Although Qingcong didn't understand the meaning behind this poem, but how could Deng Yan not understand.

Originally born from the same root, why must we be at each other's throat!

"Fourth miss, do you have time tonight?" Deng Yan looked to Qingyan with a smile.

"Naturally" Qingyan looked up to meet with Deng Yan's eyes as she ate the red bean cake.

"Fourth sister, can I come find you tomorrow to teach me how to read and write again?" Qingcong, who was in Deng Yan's arms, turned his line of sight towards Qingyan.

"Ok, big sister will wait for you here tomorrow." Qingyan looked to Qingcong still with a smile, and then as if remembering something she said, "Big sister has to go school tomorrow, how about come find me after school is over."

Qingcong nodded his head at Qingyan, then he left the gardens with Deng Yan.

"Miss, I heard that Deng Yiniang has always wholeheartedly devoted herself to buddha, why did she think of coming to win miss over?" Zizhu said in a low voice as she watched the figures in the distance. "Zizhu have you ever heard of the saying 'having your back to a big tree will bring good shade', if Deng Yiniang is a decent ally, then why should I be against it?" As she said this, she picked up her brush and began to write on the paper.

The habit of practicing calligraphy was something Qingyan developed after she became empress. She naturally wrote on the paper:

Arriving at where there's little water, sit and watch the cloud rise.*

(*TN: This is a literal translation of the proverb for optimism, it roughly means that there's better days to come.)

After Qingyan finished practicing her calligraphy, she sat at the pavilion for a while, before returning to her Yingshuang residence.

Some things couldn't be rushed, she was only 14 right now, she still had time to slowly lay things out. However, presently the most important thing was to find a accomplice. Let them have a taste of what it's like to be backstabbed by a so-called loved one.

"Miss, you've returned, tonight let Lue make Chicken and shredded bamboo shoot soup, that Huixiang taught, for you." As soon as Lue saw Qingyan step into Yingshuang residence, she went up to greet her. "Alright, I'm quite satisfied with Lue's skills." After she returned to her room, before even properly sitting down, the little fox had jumped into her arms.

"Miss, this little fox is quite intimate." Baizhi said this as she flicked Yaoyao's head, "Yaoyao, are you unsatisfied with what I feed you!"

Yaoyao looked to Baizhi with it's round eyes, then rubbed itself on Baizhi's arm.

"My, this little thing sure knows how to charm others." Baizhi said this as she petted Yaoyao's soft fur.

Qingyan pulled Yaoyao into her arms, "Our Yaoyao is naturally charming."

"Zizhu, tomorrow I need to go to school, help me prepare my things." Qingyan looked to Zizhu who was standing by the desk, she carried the fox with her and walked out into the courtyard, "Yaoyao, how about we go to school together tomorrow."

"Miss!" Baizhi's voice reluctantly cried out, "The school doesn't allow pets."

Before Qingyan could even reply, another voice sounded, "Miss, this old servant heard miss has recovered, so thought of coming to bring miss some things." As this was said, the basket in hand was handed to Qingyan.

Qingyan looked to granny Ruo with a smile, "Granny Ruo, thank you for the trouble." She turned to the side to Huangcen, "Hurry up accept granny Ruo's basket."

Huangcen unwillingly accepted the basket from granny Ruo. Last time, it was precisely because miss ate something from granny Ruo that caused her to have diarrhea. She didn't know what kind of trick granny Ruo was playing at this time.

"Ah Miss! The General and madam are never home year round, this old servant has the duty to take good care of miss." Granny Ruo set her sight on Qingyan and giddily said, "The four servant girls by your side are no good, how about I switch you some better ones."

When Huangcen wanted to interject after hearing granny Ruo's words, she saw Qingyan take a step forward and said to the little fox in her arms, "Yaoyao, what do would you do if you don't like someone?" As if hearing an order, the little fox extended it's sharp claws and instantly clawed granny Ruo. The servants behind her couldn't hold in their laughter at her appearance grimacing in pain.000