A concubine-born young miss without support. Now, it seems like the fever burned her head, blankly and foolish, not saying a word. The servants completely do not regard her, in addition, this period of time, all h.e.l.l has broken loose1 in the Sheng household. If they are not busy moving house, it is busy sorting out the money.
A few of the maids are busy to the point of running like the wind therefore there is no one to look after this group of young maids and most of them are born within the house2, not very old, lacking guidance yet the clearest. These third cla.s.s maids originally do not have strict rules, not avoiding any topic during their free time. This however is advantageous to Yao Yiyi, this ten days was like listening to a serial drama. Even the trivial matters of the Sheng household, sufficient to the ears.
Sheng Minglan’s biological father, also this Sheng household’s Master, named Sheng Hong. Coming from a successful palace graduate background, currently following the path of a sixth ranked official, about to be promoted to a senior provincial official. Originally concubine-born, the Old Madame in the west courtyard is his legitimate mother, he has one wife and numerous concubines, do not ask Yao Yiyi how many concubines there are, those few maids have no order in their story, making her unclear.
First talking about that one wife, Sheng household’s legitimate Madame, w.a.n.g shi3, the young miss of the left a.s.sistant minister of revenue. This marriage is considered to be Sheng Hong climbing the social ladder, the w.a.n.g family is an high-ranking official clan for many generations. The then Sheng family’s Old Master, which is also Sheng Hong’s father was already hanging4. He was merely a small small graduate. But never mind, with Old Madame Sheng around, her background was better than the w.a.n.g family. She is first legitimate young miss of the Marquis Yongyi household, in addition to the late Old Master’s world astounding name of Tanhua5. Therefore the w.a.n.g family’s Old Master scratched his scalp, considering again and again, this marriage is to be done.
After marriage, w.a.n.g shi had the eldest daughter, Miss Sheng Hualan, at the age where marriage talks can be said. Eldest son, Mister Sheng Changbai, approximately the age where he just graduated elementary school. Below them there is still one daughter, Sheng Rulan, seems to be the about the same age as this body of Yao Yiyi.
Speaking of those numerous concubines again, the first would naturally be the country’s name shaking Concubine Lin (fresh flowers making a request to applaud), although she is also surnamed Lin, yet more powerful than Younger Sister Daiyu6, not limited to any points. Both their strength is practically not in one quality, just like distance between Ye Yuqing and w.a.n.g Zuxian7. Younger Sister Daiyu only has the shelter of her paternal grandmother and her father’s riches, drifting along and ultimately becoming a beauty pa.s.sed away8
. Looking at Concubine Lin, entered the Sheng household in a poverty-stricken state, building up from scratch. Stubbornly turning a oppressed semi-feudal and semi-colonial into a tentative developed nation. Successfully transformed into a well-off person from from an impoverished state, simply more astonishing than the result of reformation. This lady has a son and daughter, Mister Sheng Changfeng and Miss Sheng Molan. Ages not quite clear, probably between Sheng Changbai and Sheng Rulan.
Seems like there is still Concubine Ping and Concubine Xiang, among the two, Concubine Xiang has a son named Sheng Changdong, his age is still not auspicious. As for the rest of the concubines who have no children, Yao Yiyi does not know. Please do not blame this inactive and lazy time-travelling behaviour of Yao Yiyi, really when she time-travelled it was a little pressing sorrow.
Have you watched Hongkong’s drama ‘File of Justice’9? A battle of words, you come and I go, love and hate, friendship and enmity. How challenging the workplace, seen the lawyer gown draped on that beautiful woman? No, no, Yao Yiyi is not that lawyer. Seen that upright and plainspoken judge ahead? No no, Yao Yiyi still is not qualified, please follow that line of sight, more towards below. On the judge’s right side, there is a brethren engrossed in writing, correct, Yao Yiyi is exactly a glorious employee of the people’s court.
Since graduating from XX Political Law University, Yao Yiyi joined the exams for office-bearers. Killed thousands of men and horses10, squeezing through on a single-log bridge11, finally succeeding in taking up a post in a nearby district court. This iron bowl rice12 made her close female cla.s.smates envy her endlessly. Filing for a case in the courts, criminal court, civil court, supervising in court and implementing the const.i.tution. Yao Yiyi has the fortune of being fancied by a deeply committed and established madame of a military, appointed to be an employee in the busiest court, the civil courts.
The job is the courts and the one in the Hong Kong drama are two quite different things. In the court, Yao Yiyi is not required to speak, must not judge, apart from continuously recording proofs, she is practically an invisible person. However in the final judgement book, her name is recorded, the most type of cases to deal with are dividing family properties and striving for inheritance. This allowed Yao Yiyi’s young spirit live through many changes.
However occasionally, Yao Yiyi also would meet a handsome older lawyer brother and a very cla.s.sy older judge brother, unfortunately in the presence of a beautiful female lawyer, Yao Yiyi does not have the slightest chance to shine. Therefore that day when news came that those two older brothers have girlfriends, The quick-witted Yao Yiyi, who will be promoted, bravely expressed that she is willing to go develop the borders with the old judge madame for a year.
There is a type of courts known as ‘Horseback Courts’, with regards to those impoverished mountain area, transportation is extremely inconvenient, to enter into the town, must wait for a few days even a week. If the plaintiff does not have the perseverance of the autumn chrysanthemum lady13, normally they would keep peace. Thus there is this kind of ‘Horseback Courts’, in the early stages, a judge will bring a small group of employees, leading a few horses or mules to fight against those necessary doc.u.ments and stamps etc. Walking on foot to villages, moving through mountains, those places where cars cannot enter, beginning a court session according to summons. In short, it is a tough a.s.signment. Local courts often lack manpower therefore requiring the a.s.sistance of surrounding cities’ courts.
Yao Yiyi’s immediate supervisor, could become a deputy manager at a stretch therefore she clenched her teeth to go. Those in the department, other than those girls who are unwilling, those without boyfriends are urgently looking for one, those with boyfriends are following tightly. No one is willing to go, Yao Yiyi bravely stepped forward, the old madame was moved to the point of tears.
When Mum Yao, director of the local committee of the Women’s Federation for ten over years, first heard this decision, immediately wanted to drag her daughter to check her head at the hospital. The capable brother working hard at a big city called in a big rage. Only Dad Yao, working for the government, thought it was splendid, felt that his daughter extremely has ideal and virtue. After detailedly a.n.a.lysing the pros and cons of developing the borders, Mum Yao has gradually come to terms.
Actually Yao Yiyi is not rushing to go for the promotion a year later, she only felt that in her lifetime she followed a pattern accordingly, following the nation’s fixed plans. Studied elementary school, middle school, university and after that work, starting a family in the future. Living in the prescribed environment the whole lifetime, the days admittedly comfortable but yet lacking necessary life experiences. She hoped to go to different places, to look and walk, understanding the lives of others that are different from hers.
A year later, Yao Yiyi suffered enough hardships, with a satisfied heart and pride, finally could return to the city. Suddenly the local had rainstorms for several days continuously. With great difficulty, the rain cleared, old madame hurriedly brought the employees in a van to hurry on, mid-way, they met with a d.a.m.ned landslide.
Lying in bed, Cla.s.smate Yao Yiyi who changed her sh.e.l.l, wishes to say: protecting the mountain and forest, everyone has the responsibility. Chopping and cutting randomly, may you die without sons.
1. 鸡飞狗跳 (Ji Fei Gou Tiao): Interestingly it literally means chickens flying, dogs jumping
2. 家生子 (Jia Sheng Zi): Family-born, it most possibly means that the group of maids’ parents are also servants of the Sheng household
3. 氏 (Shi): Referring to a married woman by her maiden surname, currently left as 氏 due to the lack of word to express this meaning
4. 挂 (Gua): Hanging; has also the idea of to be finished
5. 探花 (Tan Hua): t.i.tle given to the person who came in third for the Han-lin examination
6. One of the main female characters from Dream of the Red Chamber by Cao Xueqin which is considered one of the Four Great Cla.s.sical Novels
7. They are both Hong Kong based actresses
8. 香消玉殒 (Xiang Xiao Yu Yun): Literally means fragrance disappears, jade perishes
9. It is a Hong Kong legal drama first aired in 1992 and five seasons have been released
10. 千军万马 (Qian Jun Wan Ma): Impressive display of manpower
11. 独木桥 (Du Mu Qiao): Difficult path
12. 铁饭碗 (Ti Fan Wan): Secure employment
13. Not sure what the author was referring to when lady but one possible reference is to an idiom, 秋菊傲霜 (Qiu Ju Ao Shuang), meaning the autumn chrysanthemum braves the frost