Plan A
Old Shadows of the Republic of China 6
Conversation
Su Xin thought it was fortunate that girls born now don’t have to bind their feet because that was really too frightening.
Su Xin thought that three-inch golden lotuses1 wearing shoes indeed look incredibly beautiful, but if you take them off, wouldn’t they be very hideous?
Luckily, her feet weren’t bound; otherwise, Su Xin would definitely have been left with psychological scars.
The Second Concubine also didn’t bind her feet; she used to follow the opera troupe traveling south and north, and bound feet were too inconvenient for moving around. Fortunately, her feet were naturally small, not much different from three-inch golden lotuses even without binding.
The first wife had bound feet, the eldest young lady had bound feet, and the second young lady couldn’t avoid it either. Su Xin recalled the way they walked slowly and felt a pang in her heart.
Su Xin was once a girl who could run with the wind in high heels, and if she had to walk slowly, it would make her feel miserable.
“Hurry back to your room to change clothes and wear your own shoes to go out; if the servants see you like this, someone will gossip again.”
The Second Concubine urged Su Xin, and Su Xin had to put on her small high heels again and stomp out.
Returning to her room, she found her maid Mei’er standing at the door, and Su Xin let her follow inside.
“Get me a set of more comfortable clothes.”
Su Xin felt that, compared to foreign dresses, her own close-fitting cotton silk garments were more comfortable.
Su Xin did not mind that there were still servants in the room and began to change clothes; after all, she was still wearing some things on her body.
Moreover, being a girl, changing clothes in front of other girls is not wrong.
Su Xin had memories of three blurry worlds, knowing she had once loved three people, who were probably three good people, but she considered herself a bad person.
Su Xin now also somewhat cannot figure out her own preferences.
It seems like a kind of feeling; when she sees that person, she has an urge to sleep with her; her three lovers were all because of this feeling.
Mei’er kept her eyes straight ahead, holding Su Xin’s clothes with her head lowered.
After Su Xin changed her clothes, she pushed open the door, walked into the courtyard, and bumped into a woman.
“Fourth Miss.”
The woman saluted Su Xin, her expression timid.
“Zi Han, why did you come out?”
This woman is Wei Ting’s maid and also an unofficial concubine, with a very weak character, not suitable for formal gatherings, but merely a bed companion. The Second Concubine thought it was fine, as someone too capable isn’t needed; for a concubine, being nimble and able to serve is enough. Someone too capable would only cause trouble for future daughters-in-law.
Zi Han generally stays in the room embroidering and rarely comes out.
“Today’s sun is very nice, so I came out to bask in it.”
Zi Han showed Su Xin a smile, obediently sitting on the stone bench where the sun could shine.
“Zi Han, how about we chat?”
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“What does Fourth Miss want to chat about?”
Zi Han looked very cooperative; she wasn’t a talkative person, well-suited to being a listener.
“Do you know what kind of girl my brother likes?”
Su Xin also sat on the stone bench, facing Zi Han.
“This… what kind of girl the young master likes… I can’t say for sure.”
Zi Han was stirring her handkerchief, not looking into Su Xin’s eyes.
Su Xin sensitively sensed a trace of an unusual atmosphere, feeling something was up.
“Whether you don’t know or don’t want to say, I don’t have any other intentions; I just want to inquire a bit. After all, my brother isn’t getting any younger, and I want to see if there’s anyone suitable for him among the friends I know.”
Although Liu Shiqing said Wei Ting likes obedient and sensible girls, no one can say for sure. After all, tastes can change, just like she, being his sister, really doesn’t know what kind he likes.
Who would know better about preferences than the person beside his pillow?
“I really don’t know.”
Zi Han’s face turned somewhat pale as she uneasily looked at Su Xin.
“Don’t be so nervous and scared. I have a strange feeling; it’s nothing, I’m just asking.”
Su Xin stood up and took a couple of steps in the courtyard.
Although Wei Ting gives the impression of being flirtatious, with a reputation outside, actually at home there’s only this one maid who has been with him since childhood. As for what’s going on outside, Su Xin actually doesn’t know much.
“Next time you want to sunbathe, come out earlier. At this time, the sun has already set.”
“Yes.”
Zi Han lowered her head obediently, looking exceptionally compliant.
Usually, mealtime is when the family gathers most completely. They don’t eat separately in different rooms but gather together as a whole family.
Since Master Wei was injured, he has been eating dinner in his own room, with servants attending to him. According to the rules, the Third Concubine also has to eat at the dining table with the others.
This time is generally the most tense, with a few women who don’t get along sitting together, with undercurrents flowing beneath the surface.
Since Master Wei was injured, the struggle between the First and Second households has become more intense. Although no one has openly mentioned it, everyone is putting their utmost effort into competing over who manages the master’s business better.
What makes Su Xin feel relieved is that this family hasn’t dropped below the national intelligence level. Even in such a situation, they compete over who does business better and more excellently, rather than trying to undermine each other’s business.
The First Wife’s appearance is dignified, looking every bit the head mistress, very impressive.
The Eldest Miss was already married before the New Year, so only the Second Miss sits at the dining table.
The First Wife’s side seated the Second Miss and Fifth Young Master, while the Second Wife’s side seated Wei Ting and Su Xin, with the Third Concubine sitting next to Su Xin.
In the living room, there was only the sound of overlapping bowls and chopsticks. Su Xin felt as if her body was about to be pierced through, and Wei Ting beside her seemed eager to swap seats with her.
Fifth Young Master Wei Xuan still looked very youthful but also exuded a calm aura, not giving off a restless feeling.
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He sat opposite the Third Concubine, and Su Xin observed that he always took the opportunity while picking up dishes to glance, intentionally or unintentionally, at the Third Concubine by her side.
The Second Miss also seemed to be someone who didn’t like to talk, as if all the somewhat influential women in this house didn’t like to talk, giving the space a very dull and oppressive atmosphere.
The oppression made it hard for people to breathe.
While picking up dishes, Su Xin slightly turned her head and saw the Third Concubine looking at her. They exchanged a glance and then looked away as if nothing had happened.
Shen Xiangting, with Su Xin, gave a not very obvious smile and picked up a dish that Su Xin had just picked up.
The next day, Master Wei called Su Xin over.
“Why did your father suddenly call you over? Did something happen?”
The Second Concubine looked at her daughter.
“Probably not. Perhaps because Dad saw me yesterday and misses me, his daughter, so today he called me over to see me again,” Su Xin said with a smile.
“You’re talkative. Go on, lest your dad becomes impatient waiting,” the Second Concubine urged her to go.
Su Xin roughly knew what the situation was and also knew what Master Wei wanted. After all, she had said such things to Shen Xiangting yesterday. Shen Xiangting must have mentioned it to Master Wei, so today he was in such a hurry to call her over.
“Xiangting.”
Shen Xiangting was still standing in the corridor at the door like yesterday. Su Xin walked over slowly, nodded to Shen Xiangting, and greeted her.
“Your dad is waiting inside, go in.”
Su Xin pushed the door open and walked in. Master Wei was half-sitting, with a smile on his face.
“Dad, is there anything else you need me for?”
“Must there be a reason to seek you out? I thought that we, as father and daughter, have not seen each other for so many years and have not really gotten close, so let’s chat.”
Master Wei showed Su Xin a fatherly smile.
Su Xin had no objections; her lips maintained a smile, cooperating with his words.
After discussing some family matters, Master Wei shifted the topic to the Third Concubine outside the door.
“Fourth girl, I married the Third Concubine; are you all unhappy? Actually, I do know the proper limits; it’s just that she’s quite special.”
“We’re not unhappy. This is a matter for father, and we as children have no right to interfere, as long as father is happy.”
The original Wei Zhi also felt this way.
“I heard her say that you can make weapons.”
After circling around the topic, Master Wei returned to the point he ultimately wanted to discuss.
“As long as I have enough raw materials, I can indeed make them. However, with my current conditions, there’s simply no way to access these things, so it’s talent without a way to showcase it. Although it’s possible, I can’t conjure it out of thin air.”
Su Xin, with an expression of no surprise, displayed extreme calmness, stating the facts she wanted to convey.
“What do you need?”
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Now their conversation was not like the usual exchange between father and daughter, but rather like that of friends, or even in the tone of cooperative partners.
“Raw materials for making weapons, a very secure and standard laboratory base, and assistants or colleagues who understand this field; otherwise, I cannot make them alone.”
In her modern work, she could access a large variety of weapons, so she remembered their structures well. Although high-tech ones cannot be made, if given enough refined materials and equipment, she can manufacture weapons that exceed the scope of this era.
Master Fourteen, is it okay?
【It is okay, as long as it does not exceed the world’s scope too much, and such things cannot be produced on a large scale. If it’s just one or two, there is no problem, but if there are too many, they might be erased. For example, those weapons might become unusable.】
Okay, I understand.
Master Wei was somewhat troubled; he could not completely provide these things. Although he has money, such special things cannot be bought with money.
“I am very happy you did not study yourself into foolishness, nor are you living in a rigid way. I was actually a bit worried before that when you returned, your thinking would be too radical.”
Many young people are like this nowadays, especially easily incited.
“Rest assured, Father, I have my limits. Actually, if you carefully analyze it, you can see some clues, but they don’t seem to think in this direction, just assuming you are bewitched by beauty.”
Su Xin appeared calm, still the same as when she came in earlier, but her image in Master Wei’s heart had greatly changed.
Footnotes
- Three-inch golden lotuses: refers to the idealized, small, bound feet of Chinese women, created through the painful practice of foot binding, which was considered a symbol of beauty and status in historical China. The term “golden lotus” emphasizes the aesthetic value placed on these artificially small feet.