Chapter 8: Locusts Passing Through

The reason Mo Yi didn't give any to Mo Yuan...

Was because: she knew for a fact that one pot wouldn't be enough to satisfy her.

If she had haggled and let her take one, Third Aunt would have been here in the blink of an eye. And after that, Mo Qing certainly wouldn't have been left out.

With a splitting headache, the moment Mo Yuan left, she immediately ordered her two maids—one to go find the Eldest Aunt, and the other to help her hide the private work she had been doing in the inner room.

Sure enough...

Before long, footsteps sounded

"Mo Yi! You get out here right now!" The voice was sharp and shrill, laced with irritation...

She opened the door to see, and well...

Madam Liu was glaring, looking aggressive.

Mo Yuan followed behind her, wiping away tears. And she was actually crying! Her eyes and nose were both red!

"Third Aunt is here, please come in..." Mo Yi tried her best to remain calm.

She thought helplessly to herself: It’s a once-in-a-century event for the flames of war to reach my little dilapidated courtyard.

Madam Liu cast a sidelong glance at Mo Yi, flicked her handkerchief, and marched into the room indignantly, only to suddenly freeze.

She never imagined that the room Mo Yi lived in would be so shabby, small, and cluttered... It didn't look like a young lady's boudoir at all!

The Third Branch’s courtyard was occupied only by Madam Liu and Mo Yuan, so it was the most spacious.

At the very least, there were two small side courtyards sitting empty.

As for the First Branch, ever since the two young ladies had married off, Madam Zhuang had begun tidying up to prepare a new bridal chamber for Mo Fan.

The Second Branch had the most people; there were five children alone. Mo Da had even gotten married.

Years ago, Madam Wang and Madam Zhuang had wanted Mo Yi and Mo Qing to move into the Third Branch’s courtyard.

They had only just mentioned it to Madam Liu, before even bringing up the benefits, and Madam Liu had already flown into a rage.

So, it never happened.

At this moment, looking at this room, which was even dimmer than the outside, Madam Liu’s mockery was undisguised.

"Oh my! I say, Fifth Girl, how can you live in a place like this!" She clicked her tongue as she circled the room.

"That mother of yours is biased beyond measure. Honestly, the maids in Third Aunt’s courtyard live in more spacious quarters than you do. A young lady living like this, what is the meaning of this... Oh!" Before she could finish, she stumbled, nearly tripping over a flowerpot.

Startled, she plopped down onto the kang. She first glanced at the narcissus, then squinted at Mo Yi.

"Little Five, I heard you sent the narcissus you grew to your Third Sister. Your Fourth Sister came in person to ask for a pot, yet you refused to give her one?"

Mo Yi hoped the Eldest Aunt would arrive soon, so she stood respectfully and replied, "Third Aunt. I already explained it to Fourth Sister just now. Although these narcissus are kept here with me and tended to by me, I am not the one who makes the decisions. The flowers and the red sand pots were all bought by Eldest Uncle. At the end of the year, they are to be taken out as New Year’s gifts. If Fourth Sister wants one, she can only wait until Eldest Uncle has finished distributing them, and if there are any left over..."

Madam Liu sneered, "Oh! Mo Yuan just told me: the moment she opened her mouth, you blocked her so she couldn't get a word in for a long time. It’s a good thing I didn't believe her!"

She crossed her legs and glared at Mo Yi sideways. "Usually, you’re so quiet and reserved, I thought you were an honest child. Now I know, it’s just because the trouble hadn't reached you yet! Look at you, so articulate and sharp-tongued!"

Mo Yi lowered her head and said nothing.

"When all is said and done, why were you able to give some to Mo Wen? Isn't it just because you’re closer and more partial to her?!" Madam Liu questioned as if she had the moral high ground.

Mo Yi felt helpless again. What kind of logic was this?

Besides: that is my own sister, is it wrong to be closer to her?

I’m willing to give them to her! Is that not allowed?

The affairs of the Second Branch—is that any of your business as an aunt from the Third Branch? When you give things to Mo Yuan, did I say anything?

But she only dared to grumble internally; she didn't dare say it aloud, so she just stood there sullenly.

"Hmph! Usually, I’m the one who makes the most noise, as if I’m doing something terrible. But in private, all the benefits are taken by you Second Branch folks. Your mother went out by carriage yesterday. And she went out by carriage again today! Is the carriage supposed to be the Second Branch’s private property now?"

Madam Liu had been making a scene about the carriage for a long time, but Madam Zhuang had ignored her!

Just as she had returned to her room in a huff, Mo Yuan came back crying, and once she heard about it, she immediately exploded!

All her anger was vented on Mo Yi.

Mo Yi kept her head down, silent. Madam Liu’s lips flapped incessantly.

But at this moment, Mo Yuan had stopped crying! She was pacing around Mo Yi’s room.

She looked leisurely and full of curiosity, looking at this, touching that...

She even picked up the needlework Mo Yi had been doing to look at it. She even casually flipped open the chest on the kang...

"..." She was actually rummaging through things?!

Mo Yi felt her foresight was brilliant: thank goodness she had put everything away. It seemed she would have to be doubly careful in the future...

The more Madam Liu spoke, the more agitated she became, and she stood up, insisting on taking four pots of flowers.

"No!" Before she could take them, she changed her mind.

"There are about twenty pots of flowers. Eight pots per family." Madam Liu decided she would take eight pots.

She planned to put two in her room and two in her daughter’s, and then send four back to her maiden home to curry favor with her eldest brother.

Mo Yi was speechless. She tugged at Mo Yuan’s sleeve, "Fourth Sister, please persuade Third Aunt. These belong to Eldest Uncle; they really aren't that easy to take."

Mo Yuan, who was looking at a phoenix-tail button, acted as if she hadn't heard. She looked at it earnestly, measuring it against herself. Oh my, this purple satin phoenix-tail button was truly beautiful!

The clothes she had just made would surely look stunning with it.

Must say, this quiet little thing had clever hands! To think she could make such a beautiful and complex button!

What else was there?

She began searching around again—the paintings on the wall, the books on the shelf. She even opened the ginger jar to sniff it, completely ignoring Mo Yi.

While they were arguing, Madam Zhuang walked in, frowning.

When Madam Liu saw the Eldest Sister-in-law arrive, she became even more agitated, pointing at the narcissus, "Eldest Sister-in-law, there are clearly so many pots! Mo Yi clearly gave some to Mo Wen! Why is it that when our Mo Yuan asks for one, she refuses to give it!? I came in person, wore my tongue out, and she still won't give! This girl has no respect for me, her elder! Mo Yuan is her sister, isn't she? Could it be that all these years, we’ve been doting on her for nothing?"

Mo Yi almost burst out laughing: Third Aunt, if you saw me on the street, it would be a miracle if you even recognized me.

Doting on me?

When did that happen? How come I didn't know?

Madam Zhuang frowned, "Alright! Your Eldest Brother mentioned this matter when he returned yesterday. He needs sixteen pots to give away. There will be guests coming to the study for the New Year. We need to display a few pots there too. And here is..."

She began counting them off one by one.

Mo Yi wanted to speak even less.

Eldest Uncle had only bought fifty narcissus bulbs. Father had bought twenty for her.

Second Brother had swiped some from a close friend...

That was how they had managed to grow these twenty-some pots.

So, it was all considered communal property now?

She was furious, but if she spoke up... she feared they would all turn on her.

It really was a thankless task!

After arguing for a long time, the final outcome was that Madam Liu and Mo Yuan each took one pot.

The mother and daughter left, still not very happy.

Madam Zhuang turned around and scolded her irritably, "You really are something. Eldest Uncle hadn't even spoken yet, why did you give some to Mo Wen first? If you hadn't given them to her, none of this would have happened!"

With that, she directly ordered the maids to move all the remaining flowers away.

It was only because Mo Yi had a strong heart that she didn't burst into tears on the spot. But looking at the empty space, she felt very sad.

Xiangzhi hadn't had a chance to speak in the room; she had been standing outside the whole time.

When she came in to tidy up, she fumbled for a long time before saying indignantly, "Miss, the buttons we made were also taken by the Fourth Miss."

At this, Mo Yi finally couldn't hold it back, and tears streamed down her face.