Chapter 17 Returned to the West Courtyard

Outside the class, Su Zipei held a book and peeped through the door quietly. Three people immediately appeared in her sight: the old teacher, her fourth young brother, and a very beautiful strange girl. “I don’t have any clothes made by satin with the pattern of iridescent clouds... Who is she? Why is my second sister not here?” Su Zipei murmured. Suddenly, Qi Xianqing shouted from the classroom, “Who is making noise outside? Come in!” Su Zipei was so scared that the book in her arms fell to the ground and her body was exposed. When Qi Xianqing saw Su Zipei, he held his breath and said in a low voice, “Third Miss, the butler has already told you that you must wait in the classroom every day from five a.m. to seven a.m. Today you have broken my rules. Don’t do it again. Find a seat to sit down.” “Yes, Mr. Qi,” Su Zipei replied with grief. She was angry in her heart. He was just a poor teacher invited by the Su Family. How dare he scold her. She would tell her mother to help her punish him! Qi Xianqing did not care about whether Su Zipei had learned some words or not. From the start, Mr. Qi ask her to recite some poems. She was beaten on her hands because of several mistakes. But Su Erya did not make any mistakes. Su Zipei was much angrier now, but she did not dare show it. She still remembered her father’s words. Soon, class was over. At noon, Qi Xianqing stood up and left the class. “The teacher of martial arts center is still waiting for me. I’m almost late!” Su Qinghao ran away anxiously. Su Zipei opened her mouth and was about to say something, but it was too late. She turned back and saw that the girl with a nicer skin than her was packing her books. Su Zipei’s face filled with a smile that she thought was kind, and then she said softly, “My name is Su Zipei. What is your name, pretty sister? Did you see my second sister? She always wears the linen clothes and looks thin...” “Third sister, Mr. Qi is still waiting for me outside. Talk to you later.” Su Erya turned her head with a smile, and left. Su Zipei sat stupidly in her position. She couldn’t speak a word for a while. “Mum! Something bad happened. Erya...” Back in the West Courtyard, Su Zipei hastily pushed the door of the First Madam. The First Madam was embroidering. The sudden scream of Su Zipei frightened her. The needle almost stabbed into her finger. She hissed and put down her silk cloth, then said angrily, “How many times have you been taught that don’t be panic when you’re in trouble? Are you like a girl from a respectable family with such a show?” Su Zipei curled her lips and said, “But the change of Erya is scary. I don’t recognize her. I almost thought she was a girl from a noble family. Mother, you must have a look!” A girl from a noble family? The First Madam’s scalp was slightly numb. What Su Zipei said annoyed her so much that she couldn’t just sit and do nothing. She immediately put on a cloak and took some people to the East Courtyard. Since Su Qingtan left home, few people came to Su Erya’s small yard. Qi Xianqing came to warn Su Erya to practice Xuangong occasionally. After the lunch, Nanny Li made a pot of scented tea and put it on the stone table in the courtyard as usual. Second Miss liked enjoying the sunshine while drinking tea in the yard. Suddenly— Boom!! The door was forced open. Nanny Li came out from the kitchen and saw the First Madam and some other people. Her face was pale like a piece of paper. Then she said with the cold sweat, “First Madam and Third Miss.” The First Madam was expressionless. Looking at the tea with aroma on the stone table, she was even less happier. She sneered, “Su Erya, come out! How dare you to drink the scented tea. You never changed yourself. Where did you steal them?” After hearing these words, Nanny Li was angry and felt sorry for Su Erya. Why the First Madam still considered the Second Miss to be a thief? Obviously, it was Su Zipei who had done bad things! But she was just a servant. How could she contradict the First Madam? At that moment, she could only bite the bullet and say, “First Madam, Second Miss is not in the courtyard. Mr. Qi called her out just now. I don’t know when she will come back.” When she was talking to the First Madam, a puzzled voice came from behind the First Madam, “Mum, why are you here?” The crowd looked back and saw Su Erya who was holding the Copybook of Dahan in her hands was standing at the entrance of the courtyard. Nanny Li secretly thought, “if Second Miss had come back late, she might have avoided this.” The First Madam amazedly looked at the girl who was standing in front of the door. The girl had smooth skin and a pretty appearance with luxuriant clothes. The First Madam was fascinated for a moment before she came back to her mind. This was Su Erya. Was she actually Su Erya? She hadn’t seen her for a few months. She...had became so beautiful. Even though Erya wore no make-up, her face still looked more beautiful than Su Zipei! “Mum, why don’t you talk to me?” When the First Madam heard the word “mother”, she felt so disgusted that she wanted to vomit. Also, she almost lost her mind. The reason why she tried her best to torture Su Erya was to make her suffer like a ghost, so that even her relatives could not recognize her. But now the temperament that Su Erya naturally revealed was clearly ten thousand times nobler than Su Zipei! As long as her relatives were not foolish, she would be recognized immediately. Su Qingtan, that small beast, ruined all that she had done! “Erya, are you all right now? The East Courtyard is the place that men in the Su family live in. Come back to the West Courtyard with me.” Then, the First Madam ordered the nanny to rush into the room and pack her clothes without Su Erya’s approval. Nanny Li also could not stop her. Su Erya had few belongings. Soon Nanny Zheng walked out with a small parcel and threw it to her. She opened the parcel and saw that the silver inside had disappeared, and some expensive silk was gone, too. What came to her sight were all the clothes made of linen! “Just go. What are you waiting for?” Zhu Yan gestured Nanny Zheng to push Su Erya. Su Erya moved forward, but did not fall or hit the door as before.