Man Man Qing Luo Chapter 04

Dear readers, 

Thanks for coming to this blog, I appreciate for your comments as well. We are still in drama within Ah Luo family. The description was quite detailed. And now we know why her beautiful mother was looked down by other wives. We all know how unpleasant to life in the ancient era (anywhere! yes anywhere) as a woman. If she wasn't submissive, how will she live. It's quite saddened that she had to rely on her daughter, Ah Luo.

Well you will know more after reading. Happy reading guys~~

Man Man Qing Luo

Chapter 04

The sky brightened as the sun rose. It was around five or six in the morning, Cheng Qing (for later story will be called as Ah Luo) rose from the bed. Then she looked her attires on her body which was a thin and straight (on her chest) dress, this clothes weren’t suitable for sportswear.

Xiao Yu also woke up and asked Ah Luo: “Young Miss, why do get up so early in the morning? It is still around 5-7 in the morning (mao shi). Normally, you wouldn’t get up until around 7-9 in the morning (chen shi)”

Ah Luo secretly started to recite the twelve months in her mind, thought, she had to familiarize herself with the timing method that was used here. She smiled and said: “I passed the test yesterday, so I was so happy that I couldn’t sleep. Xiao Yu, can you help me with my clothes?”

Xiao Yu carried over a bowl of water for Ah Luo to wash her face, and then combed Ah Luo’s hair as she replied: “What kind of clothes does Young Miss want? Xiao Yu will attend your clothes beautifully.”

Ah Luo smiled: “I will give a sketch of clothes design to you later. Oh by the way, Xiao Yu, in the morning, do I need to... do I have to pay my respect as well?” Ah Luo still couldn’t get used called Seventh Madam as her mother.

Xiao Yu’s mouth pursed while laughed: “Seventh Madam fond of peaceful and quiet place, se likes to be alone and embroider things to pass her time. During chen shi, she will head over to Great Madam’s place to pay her respect and afterwards, she will just stay in her room. There is no need for Young Miss to pay her respect.”

Ah Luo baffled as she continued to ask: “To whom I have to consult if I want to learn something?”

Xiao Yu was very surprised before she started to reply : “Young Miss, when Eldest Miss and Second Miss wanted to invite a teacher, they would rush over no matter where they came from are, Third Madam and Fourth Madam are also proficient in the chess and calligraphy. But, Young Miss, you have chased off several teachers.  Madam said that when the time comes for you to want to learn, she will invite teachers over. Actually... Young Miss, our Madam is actually a very talented woman, and she knows everything.”

Ah Luo laughed. How wonderful! She actually had a great teacher close by! She said to Xiao Yu: “I feel sick lying down for a long time. I want to get up and move around. Take me around for me to explore things! Once my beautiful mother comes back, I will asked her to teach me!” After adding “beautiful” before the mother word, Ah Luo found it much easier to say. 

Xiao Yu laughed as she agreed. When she got her hair done in presentable manner, Ah Luo couldn’t wait to pull Xiao Yu out to the own courtyard. Xiao Yu was infected by Ah Luo’s excitement. She couldn’t stop smiling. “Young Miss, in the past, you never wanted to leave from the room, as you preferred shut alone in your room. What made you change so suddenly?”

Ah Luo looked up at Xiao Yu: “I can’t bear seeing my beautiful mother with tears all the time. In the future, I will not let her stay cooped up in this courtyard, aging slowly while waiting for death. Xiao Yu, you must help me, we can’t let others take advantage of us.”

Xiao Yu’s eyes reddened as she listened to Ah Luo words. As she led Ah Luo around, patiently told Ah Luo the current state of the Li’s Family. Ah Luo suddenly realized that she didn’t even remember her name is, much less the other family members. She tried piece together the information as she discussed with Xiao Yu: “My eldest sister... Li.. err something.. Li Lei. She is Third Madam’s daughter. There’s also Fourth Madam’s daughter, Li... umm.. Li Fei. Both of them are awfully arrogant yesterday”

Xiao Yu looked around her to check there’s no one listening to them before she softly answered to Ah Luo: “Young Miss, Third Madam and Fourth Madam both come from influential family. You shouldn't address your sisters by their names, it’s improper. If others hear us, they would think Seventh Madam didn’t teach her daughter basic proper manners”

Ah Luo then took this opportunity to get more information about Third Madam and Fourth Madam. She found out that one of them was actually a concubine’s daughter from Zhang Yuan Wai, one of the major merchants in Feng City. The other one was the younger female cousin of the current Minister of Labor. As the other wives, they came from ordinary families. Only Seventh Madam that came from the lowest background, a pleasure house. It was said that one evening, an official whose surname was Qing, purchased her to be gifted over to the Li Father as a wife. It is no wonder why all the other wives looked down on Seventh Madam so much.

Ah Lei's full name was Li Qing Lei, Ah Fei’s full name was Li Qing Fei. And naturally, Ah Luo’s full name was Li Qing Luo. Ah Luo sighed again, and said nothing. She couldn’t help but think that her own mother was from pleasure house, her social status was low. If Great Madam owned a dog, maybe that dog would have higher status compared to Seventh Madam. It was really depressing

After walking for a long time to visit all over inner hall and listening to all about the inner circumstances of Li’s Family. In general, she, more or less, understood her background and where her position was she in this family. Then, she grab Xiao Yu’s hand to led her back to her room and instructed her to check whether or not Seventh Madam had returned.

In her room, she picked up a brush to draw a very detailed map of the entire residence on a paper sheet. As expected, her Crabapple Courtyard was in the remote location. Beside her courtyard was a vegetable garden. And the back houses were surrounded by a bamboo forest, afterwards were walls that surrounded the entire residence. Ah Luo was quite satisfied. In such position, if they wanted to escape by climbed up the walls, no one would find out considering how isolated they  were.

Bamboo Forest

When Seventh Madam heard that Ah Luo had woken up early and wanted to learn some skills, she rushed over immediately. She wanted to know what made her child change her mind. 

“San er, what do you want to learn? Why do you want to learn? Please, answer the mother!”

Ah Luo could tell by Seventh Madam’s facial expression was filled with excitement and her eyes shined with warmth. She slowly walked towards her to tugged at the hems of her sleeves, swinging it back and forth.

“Mother, I don't want become the best at my studies just adequate enough. I can’t let others to look down on us anymore!”

Seventh Madam’s eyes were tinged by redness as her heart warmed : “I knew it... I always knew it... how could my daughter be a brainless idiot as they said! The begonia in the courtyard really make such a great poem. Three children, you have hidden talent within you.”

Ah Luo forced a bitter smile. Even if she didn’t have hidden talents, she could start learning diligently.

Form this day onward, Seventh Madam taught Ah Luo to learn four arts every day. Ah Luo discovered that this child’s brain had a photographic memory. Combined with her 22 years old of wisdom, she was able to comprehend everything that Seventh Madam taught immediately. After learning zither instrument, Ah Luo found herself enjoyed playing the instrument music and realized her taste in modern music was replaced by the sounds and tones of current era. However, she didn’t think it was a bad thing at all which encourage her to sing a few lyric along with the music.

Until one day, Seventh Madam listened to her playing a song called “Water Melody” (水调歌头) and burst into emotional tears. Tears were streaming down her face as choked and sobbed. “San er, this song is truly pleasant to be heard. You are able to convey so many feelings in your song. The way you play the zither is much better than your older sisters.”

Ah Luo was unconvinced as she responded back: “I think it’s the song itself? It's not due to my own zither skills.” As she spoke, she also thought about another song that was called “Three Variation of Plum Blossom”. If you could compare the two, the contrast was very clear.

Unexpectedly, Seventh Madam proudly said: “Your mother started learning zither at the age of four. No one in the Feng City would dispute this. Are you unable to trust your mother’s hearing? Just like this one song called “Three Variation of Plum Blossom”, the sound from your zither also has a bit of haughtiness. Your mother is very proud of you”.

Ah Luo lamented with sigh. If Feng City’s number one zither expert complimented her the it must be true. She really was good at playing the zither.

“Mother, please don't let others know about this. Is it okay if I just play the music for you?”

Seventh Madam’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “Are you afraid stealing your older sisters’ limelight? Or the trouble that comes with it?”

Ah Luo had a serious expression as she said: “It’s better if my zither skills are considered inadequate. If others knew that my skills were better than others, I would be forced to play in front of noble guest all the time. How could I be able to stand it?”

Seventh Madam pinched her cheeks and hugged her to her bosoms. “San er is smart! It looks like Mother can’t adore you more”.

Ah Luo became more and more fond of her beautiful mother. Her mother was not only kind and gentle, her heart was also in the right place. In the future, she would definitely find a way to look after this young mother of hers.

Afterwards, Ah Luo started to change her daily routines. Every morning, Ah Luo would wake up early and went to run by wearing a trouser and outer garments that Xiao Yu made for her.. After jogging around Cradapple Courtyard and the bamboo forest, to the bamboo forest behind the house, she would practice her modern kung fu skills while Xiao Yu guarded the entrance. During the evening, she would also do yoga for half an hour before going to bed. In the beginning, Xiao Yu thought her actions were very strange. Ah Luo cautioned Xiao Yu: “If you really want to repay my mother’s kindness then don’t tell others what I am doing. It’s okay if you don’t understand what I am doing. As long as you know that whatever I am doing will help us in the future.”

Xiao Yu nodded as she promised. Seeing that whatever Ah Luo’s did was helping her to improve her health, she didn’t have any reason to against it. Ah Luo’s complexion became more and more rosy and her footsteps became lighter.

In the blink of an eye, three months has passed by. It was time for trial test again. Ah Luo watched with indifference as Eldest Sister and Second Sister showed off their zither and poetry talents. When it was her turn to came up, she kept her head down and sang a pretty good melody for a while. Initially,  Father Li was under impression that the poem Ah Luo recited last time was taught by her own mother to gain his favor again as he hasn’t visited her courtyard for quite some time. Yet, he heard that his wife didn’t allow Ah Luo to learn poetry anymore. Now, after seeing that his third daughter learnt how to sing, it made him happy so he gave her a few word of encouragement.

All of the other six wives couldn’t help but think that this is one of Seventh Madam’s scheme. Thought that she used her own daughter as a tool in attempt to gain a favor with her husband It was shameless of her and made them to hate Seventh Madam more. Fortunately, Father Li rarely visited Crabapple Courtyard. He only came once to twice. Perhaps, it was because Main Madam has constantly watched his movement and pestered him to other concubines or perhaps, he felt that Seventh Madam treated him coldly and didn’t felt welcome. Either way, it was such a relief for other wives. Otherwise, the would have plotted against Seventh Madam from the beginning. These wives snickered to themselves when they found out that this method only did so much to move their husband’s heart.

This time test resulted Ah Luo to be tested by her father every 10 days. One time was for chess, one time for embroidery, another time was for zither. But no matter what skill she was tested, she lacked proficiency. Father Li saw that she learned variety of skills, yet she unable to master any of them. No matter how Ah Luo reprimanded by him then she demonstrated the progress of her new studies, she would explain in pitiful voice: “Ah Luo will sincerely comply with father’s instructions to study diligently in the next three months and tested by father again”.  Since her skills were average, Father Li would only nod his head, agreeing to give her more time to learn. He wanted her to mastering her skills but it looked like she need more time before she could be at the level of her sisters : Qing Lei and Qing Fei.

Seventh Madam asked Qing Luo when no one was nearby: “San er, how long do plane on hiding your talents?”

Ah Luo grinned: “Mother, in the art of war, one have to appear weak while in fact they are strong. Did mother realize that beside Main Madam, all the other Madam who don’t have any children yet actually like me more than Eldest Sister and Second Sister?”

Seventh Madam felt as though a big burden was lifted off from her chest, she could rely on the daughter of this clever fairy for the rest of her life.

♣♣♣♣♣

In the midst of realization, it’s been three years since she came to this world. She had given up the thought of returning back to the modern day world. The only thing she prioritized was how to protect and establishing a foothold here while preserving herself. But She needed money. Ah Luo thought for a long time and settled on opening a restaurant. Once they made enough money, she thought about taking her beautiful mother, Xiao Yu, and Mother Zhang to tour around four nearby countries. She wasn’t able to experience touring to another country back then when she was still in her modern world. But perhaps, the heavens had plans for her and she would ended up marrying someone else. And if she was married, so be it. If not, then became a restaurant owner and living a carefree life was not bad either.

By embracing this principles,  it was as if Ah Luo’s knowledge had transcended through time and space. Now that her modern knowledge had merged with her ancient knowledge,  Ah Luo felt that, even if, she was able to go back, she wouldn’t do anything else except opening an antique shop and earn money like crazy.

As time passed by, Ah Luo was twelve years old now. Li Qing Lei was sixteen years old, and Li Qing Fei was fourteen years old.

Li Family had two talented daughters whom their reputation had spread out in Feng City unconsciously. Two years ago, the amount of suitors sought Li Qing Lei and Li Qing Fei to betrothed were numerous. If one gathered them in front of doorstep, they would nearly burst open the front door. As for Third Young Miss, Qing Luo, she was rarely known to anyone outside the Li House. Father Li could only shook his head and said that his daughter was still rather young. It was too early for her to marry a man

However, during the spring of this year, there would be Peach Blossom Banquet to be held in Feng City. And Li Family received an invitation from Princess Hu Guo.

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