Didn't Know General Was Female Chapter 5

[Thanks for all the support! Nice to know the yuri audience isn’t as desolate as I thought it’d be, lmao.

I… have no idea what the update schedule for this is going to be like. I’ve decided on “definite update on Sundays”, and maybe another update in the middle of the week if my buffer is big enough. Like today. Enjoy!]

When he returned home, Rong Jiaze should have gone into his clan studies, but he went off course from the usual, as this return had the addition of Zhongli Luo. Jiaze still finds him none too pleasing to the eye and really wants to find someone to beat him up, but yesterday, when his big sis was in the middle of giving him sweets, she suddenly s.n.a.t.c.hed the dish and threatened him into promising that he wouldn’t provoke that guy anymore. If he did what he was told, she would sneak him two pastries every day, but if he didn’t, he didn’t even need to think about seeing the afterimage of another piece of those again!

When had his sister ever been so fierce towards him?! He glared ferociously at the one surnamed Zhongli. He didn’t know what kind of magic spell that person had put on big sis to have her protect him like this when he’d just arrived here!

Sensing his scorching gaze, Zhongli Luo can’t help but turn in his direction to look. Jiaze’s eyes promptly restrained the sparks flying from his eyes, humphed, and inclined his head.

As for Rong Jiahui’s early morning, after casually eating a few things, she was stuffed into a carriage by her mother. Yu s.h.i.+ had become terribly frightened because of her falling into the water and transmitted wailing letters to her family in Duke Jingguo’s home. Though nothing had ended up happening, the old folks over there still had their stomachs tied in knots. Now that she’s rested for a few days and is completely fine, it’s time to go see the old lady and settle her home’s heart.

Jiahui had never been too fond of going to her maternal grandmother’s house to play. It’s not that her grandmother isn’t good to her or that her uncles and aunts treat her harshly, it’s just that she naturally mixes like oil and water with all the other girls, and very rarely gets on with them. She and her female cousins in Duke Jingguo’s home aren’t very close, and this not being her own home makes dealing with this very uncomfortable. The elders like to stuff her into that pile of sisters that have nothing to say, too… how very dull.

Their two families didn’t live far apart. They got swayed around for half an hour before the mother-daughter pair were welcome to Duke Jingguo’s residence. When Jiahui saw Old Madam Duke Jingguo, she was about to kowtow, but just got pulled into the Madam’s embrace. The Madam hugged her, carefully looking her over from back to front, then touched her nose. “Bull-headed girl, you’re really going to scare your grandmother into an early death. Are you alright? You mustn’t make such trouble again in the future.”

Jiahui cutely snuggled into the Madam’s arms, saying softly, “I’m fine. This was your granddaughter’s fault, she was being too careless. If it happens again later…”

“It’s going to?”

Jiahui stuck out her tongue impishly. “No, no, it won’t. Granddaughter will stay far away from those ponds. After all, her little life is very precious, and needs to finish growing up to be properly filial to grandmother.”

The Old Madam couldn’t help but pinch this little girl’s face. Jiahui giggled, burying herself into the Madam’s embrace.

Yu s.h.i.+, who was watching her parent and child speak like two sisters-in-law, suddenly broke out into a smile. This unruly girl sure is lovable.

After Jiahui had monopolized the Old Madam’s words for a long time, the Madam grew tired. Her mother and both aunts had a huge heap of things to discuss in private, so she was naturally driven away into the heap of sisters. There are altogether three daughters in the Jingguo household, the eldest of which is first-wife born 14-year-old Yu Yixiang, the second is first-wife born 11-year-old Yu Yimei, and the third is second-wife born 7-year-old Yu Yilian.

The four sisters are now sitting quietly, sipping their tea and saying nothing to each other.

Jiahui hasn’t been able to handle her cousin Yu Yixiang very well since childhood, both sides looking upon each other with loathing and unable to go three sentences without bickering, neither of them one to easily submit to bullying. They can reluctantly maintain politeness in the public eye, but once their mouths start flapping in private, not resorting to fists would be pretty good. Her second cousin Yu Yimei is Yu Yixiang’s little sister, and naturally her big sister means the world to her, the spitting image of a loyal little puppy. Her third cousin Yu Yilian is even younger than they are, and there isn’t anything else to say about her.

Being small, Yu Yilian doesn’t have a deep impression of Rong Jiahui, only knowing this taciturn cousin fell ill some time ago. She took a sip of tea, and after stealthily raising her eyes to look at Jiahui, and clumsily broke the silence. “Cousin, have you gotten better?”

Listening to the soft and sweet voice of this little girl could calm any heart, and it warms Jiahui’s. She smiles lightly, “I’m much better. Thanks for your concern, third cousin. I remember you were still getting down writing something like ‘people at birth‘ the last time we met. Have you read any books lately?”

What she said is bunk, of course. Who the heck’d remember a thing like that?

Yu Yilian lowers her head, feeling somewhat embarra.s.sed. “I’m pretty stupid. I’ve only just finished learning the Three Character Cla.s.sic. Some characters have too many strokes in them and they’re really easy to forget.”

Jiahui laughed gently. “You’re not stupid, not at all. That’s just human nature. Let me tell you, your big sister was still reading the cla.s.sic when she was your age, same as you. I had happened to be in for a short stay to visit Grandmother; every time she learned a new character, she showed off to her younger siblings, but it’s best not to get complacent. One day, she learned the yun (韞) character from Xie Daoyun, and after she proudly wrote it in front of us, suddenly forgot how to read it. She usually pushes herself to be better, and after thinking and thinking of it, she really couldn’t remember it, and ended up p.r.o.nouncing it wrong. Guess, cousin – what did she end up saying?”

Yu Yilian can’t stop a pfft from escaping, likely guessing what it is. She looked at her own ever-dignified, ever-earnest big sister Yu Yixiang and restrained her smile as she asked, “Big sis, is what Cousin said true? Did you… read it was wen (温)?”

At this moment, even the corners of Yu Yimei’s lips can’t stop from lifting as she looked at her older sister’s face. She had recorded the incident when it had happened, so of course she remembered it.

Yu Yixiang doesn’t answer Yu Yilian, merely containing her smile and stroking her head, voice soft. “Third sister, as I recall, isn’t this your favorite osmanthus cake with lotus root starch? Here, it’s for you.”

Yu Yilian’s attention was diverted in an instant. She smiled sweetly. “Thank you, big sister.”

She then picked up a piece and popped it into her mouth.

Jiahui stuck her tongue out at Yu Yixiang, then was all smiles to Yu Yilian. “Third cousin, if ever in the future you ever want to know more of the things your big sister did before, just ask me. I know all there is to say, and will say all I know.”

Yu Yilian nodded, then asked in confusion, “Cousin, what do you mean by saying all you know?”

Jiahui was just about to explain when Yu Yixiang interrupted with a smile. “Dear third sister, it doesn’t mean anything.”

She looked at Rong Jiahui after saying that, her gentle expression rapidly shaking from the strain of maintaining it. “You haven’t been here for a long time, as I remember. How about I show you around?”

Jiahui smiled with full sincerity. “It would be rude to decline.”

She took Bai Lu’s hand and stood.

The two shrugged off their maids and ladies, walking shoulder to shoulder on the way to the garden. Seeing no one was in the vicinity, the scowl on Yu Yixiang’s face could no longer be concealed, and she turned her top half around to interrogate Jiahui. “Did you specifically run over here to make me lose face in front of my little sister?”

Rong Jiahui said innocently, “Yu Yixiang, don’t be so vicious, it won’t be good if someone sees. I only told my cousin about a fun little tale from my childhood, that’s all, and it’s not as if it was a made-up one. Ah, really, right now you aren’t a bit as cute as you were back then.”

Cute, yeah right! Yu Yixiang huffs coldly, “You’re going to stay far away from my little sister from now so the nonsense you spout from day to night doesn’t teach her wrong.”

Jiahui smiled again. “She’s your sister, and she’s also my sister. I’m her cousin on the mother’s side, you’re her cousin on the father’s side – there’s not much difference in blood relation to her, so why can I not speak to her as much?”

“Between me and her, I’m naturally closer to her by blood.”

“Where is it closer? My mother, your father, and her father are all born of same mother, and the same blood flows through them. As that’s so, with you and I to her, our sides of the shared blood are not the same. You feeling you’re closer to her… is that not looking down upon my mother, and thinking that her lineage is impure?”

This is naturally not what Yu Yixiang meant, but she’s typically a klutz with her words, and towards Jiahui is unable to retort her even after half the day’s pa.s.sed. She angrily stamped her foot, then harshly reached out and grasped Jiahui’s braid.

“I said that you’ll keep your distance from her, so you’ll keep your distance from her! Don’t you play at being a smart mouth with me!”

Jiahui isn’t good to bully. She takes her own hand and s.n.a.t.c.hes Yu Yixiang’s hair bun, saying, “This is how you are, time and time again, trying to pick a fight with me, then using your hands when I’ve only used words – do you know how old you’re supposed to be this year?”

“When have you ever not been the one to stir things up first?! It’d be great if I never ever saw you!”

After saying that, she exerted some more force in hand, the pain causing Jiahui to cry out.

Jiahui huffed with rage, “Let go! You- you- you- grabbing hair is the only mean trick you have! You tigress! You’ll definitely never get married in the future!”

Hearing this, it was as if she was jabbed where it hurts. Yu Yixiang’s face slackened, and her whole body instantly became like a frozen eggplant, visibly wilting…

Seeing her like that, Jiahui’s hand that originally wanted to give a tooth for a tooth softened a bit around her hair bun.

She released Jiahui’s braid, seeming to have a tiny bit of tears in her eyes.

Jiahui had never seen her self-satisfied cousin with such a forlorn appearance. She released Yu Yixiang’s bun with some guilt. Did she go too far just now? There’s no way that Yu Yixiang hates the thought of marriage, as she wasn’t like that before.

“What do you know?” Yu Yixiang suddenly asked.

Jiahui didn’t respond and stared blankly. What is this? Is she talking about what she said just now? She only blurted that out. Who could have guessed it would have actually given Yu Yixiang such a strong reaction?

Rong Jiahui didn’t want to poke fun at her anymore. She said sincerely, “I don’t know anything. You can be at ease, you’re pretty and the most able to put on an act. You’ll definitely get married.”

Remembering her past life, Yu Yixiang married quite well, with her own father’s cousin becoming her mother-in-law. That could be called comfortable.

Who?

“Which Young Master Liu?” Jiahui asked, perplexed. Looking at Yu Yixiang’s increasingly darker face, Jiahui covered her mouth that never gave out a shriek when she suddenly came to a realization.

“Is it that one so-and-so Minister Liu?” She probed.

Yu Yixiang still said nothing. Jiahui knows the girl has a thin face and would find it embarra.s.sing to say it directly, only willing to give her tacit agreement. It’s hard to imagine that this person she’s avoided like a snake is actually a popular little dessert in the eyes of others.

Also, that Surname Liu is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. He looks like he comes from a good family background, and after hanging out in his house, he’d currently seem to have clean hands, but that’s wrong. Up until she choked to death, that surname Liu appeared to have only one wife and one concubine, but as for what sort of intimacies went on outside of the house, she was unclear. What a scheming man!

She’s always disliked Yu Yixiang, but she’s still her cousin, and she was bullied for so many years like that. How could she look on unfeelingly while Yu Yixiang dived into a living h.e.l.l masquerading as a wondrous heaven? It’s a shame that she can’t say some things outright. She’ll have to say a few words of minor advice.

“Yu Yixiang, let me tell you this – that Liu family is no good. Don’t be fooled by his looks. He’s gold and jade on the outside but crummy on the inside, and isn’t worthy of the shoes on yours or my feet!”

If not for not having yet found a reason for it, she really wants to tell her parents to call off the wedding! This is, after all, not something she can solve with a thrown tantrum; the marriage of their two families has been determined for more than a decade, and everyone knows this. How could they rashly call it off? Careful deliberation is needed.

Yu Yixiang is completely unable to feel that Rong Jiahui’s words are coming from her true heart, instead feeling that Jiahui probably wants to tell her that she doesn’t value the one Yixiang fancies at all. Not only does she not value him, but she’s also very disgusted by him, and is acting as someone who’s in high demand… thinking like this, Yu Yixiang’s eyes go red around the edges. Unwilling to pay anymore attention to Jiahui, she broke into a little run and left.

Jiahui called out at her retreating figure a few times. She didn’t acknowledge her.

Yu Yixiang is thinking and feeling more and more aggrieved. Grandmother has always dearly loved her granddaughter Rong Jiahui much more than she does the three sisters, her son’s daughters, and that’s that. Who made Grandmother be so fond of Rong Jiahui’s sweet look when she smiles? In any case, that Rong person doesn’t live in their home, only occasionally taking a trip there and blocking her line of sight, nothing more.

Besides, Grandmother’s doting isn’t that important to her.

But, Young Master Liu…

She’d had a chance meeting with him in a Buddhist temple several months ago. After she’d led the maid to lighting incense and her mother was in the middle of talking to the abbot, she was rather bored. Upon seeing a cute little monk, she ran over to talk to him. That little monk was ten years old, delicately featured, and severely adorable. Hearing him call her a ‘patroness’, she, for some unknown reason, got the thought to make fun of him. She asked him with a smile why a man is only called a patron, but when it’s a woman, the -ess contrarily has to be added. Buddha said that all living things are equal, and this is his temple. ‘Patron’ and ‘patroness’ are inherently unequal terms, therefore, men should either be called ‘patroners’, or everyone, regardless of gender or age, should be a patron. [1]

It was a rare instance of elocution for her, causing the little monk to be at a loss for what to say. He was naive, and therefore unaware that this was meant to tease him, taking her words to heart and reaping the ideological gains from it. From then on, he took to calling men patroners, which was a big spectacle.

She was only having a bit of fun at the time, not yet discovering that everything she’d said had fallen on the ears of a teenager not too far away.

She looked at the little monk’s dazed, moment-of-enlightenment type appearance, and couldn’t help but let out a giggle. At this moment, a bright and clear voice sounded out from somewhere near her, seemingly from a youth with a light laugh; which family is this mischievous young lady from?

The interior of the temple is quiet and serene, and though his voice is as soft as a little boy’s, she can still hear him.

She angrily turned her head to look. The youth was only about 15 or 16 years old, wearing wondrously snow white clothes on a slim and tall body, a face like crown jade, lightly swaying a folding fan painted with the beautiful scenery of the West Lake. If someone else calls her mischievous, she will naturally take offense, but in this moment she is unable to say a single sentence, a blush creeping on her face.

The youth hadn’t expected that his own words would be heard as well, also losing his nerve, an even bigger blush on his own face.

The two stood stiff like this for ages. She was ultimately the one to break the stand-off; as the Young Mistress of a governor’s residence, how could she let herself just stand there like a fool with a strange man? She lowered her eyes and looked no longer at that Young Master, turned her back on him with all the manners she could muster, and said nothing, fleeing from the trouble with her maid.

However, because the splendid thoughts of a maiden haunted her, she sneakily inquired about who that Young Master was. She regretted that soon after, as he was the Minister of Rites’ son, and that Minister only has one son…

Why is everything good in this world always taken by Rong Jiahui? This is what she thought at the time.

[1] Fun dumb English fact: because patron is based off the latin word pater, for father, patroness literally means “female father”. I thought it was appropriately stupid. (Patroner is a nonsense word I got from widower, the only male suffixed English word.)

The original text referred to 施主 (contributor), which is gender neutral but defaulted to male, and 女施主 (female contributor) – same stuff, different language.

One of my least favorite things about Chinese is being confused about a set of words, translating it as best I could, then putting two and two together later on with a “…wait, that was a NAME?”