Our Second Master Chapter 1
Pure: Hi guys, this has been one of my most favorite novels in the world. I just went back to it the other day and saw the original translator had locked their website.
I decided to share it on mine, but tweaked a few things to my own style. Although its slightly different from the original, if the previous translator does not want it shared, please let me know.
Translated by One Second Spring
Translate Checked and Edited by Pure
Chapter 1: Our Second Master was a Pair of Silk Trousers
The whole city of Hangzhou knew that my household’s Second Master was a pair of silk trousers[1]. The Yang Family operated the biggest silk business in the whole country, the richest family in town with two sons.
Anytime our First Master, Yang Yi Fang, was mentioned, the speakers would raise up their thumbs in approval. He was one of Hangzhou’s top scholars, well-learned, and a successful candidate in the imperial examinations. In addition, Yang Yi Fang’s appearance was elegant. Old Master Yang always liked to bring Yang Yi Fang along when he went for business gatherings because of his handsome demeanor.
With a stroke of a brush, he could create a stunning painting and with a single chant, he could recite an exquisite poem. In the uncouth world that revolved around money, his noblesse stood out like a stem of plum; like white snow in spring.
As for our Second Master, Yang Yi Qi, well, he was also a character — after all, there weren't many people that could cause others to furrow their brows after hearing their name. Second Master was just younger than First Master by one year, but their emotional maturity was on drastically different levels.
There’s a saying that a person’s personality was fixed at the age of three.
When Second Master was three-years-old, the Yang Residence held a huge New Year’s Banquet that covered the whole street. They invited the most famous opera troupe to perform. When the actress was singing halfway on stage, she suddenly let out a huge cry. Everyone looked over and realized that a person had rolled out from under her skirt — that’s right, it was our Second Master.
From that day on, everyone in the city knew: the Second Master of the Yang Residence already knew how to climb an actress’s skirt and touch her leg at the age of three. Old Master Yang and Old Madam Yang completely lost their face and almost lost their life’s breath.
Later, Old Master Yang invited five tutors, senior ones, junior ones, strict ones, benevolent ones, but all of them couldn’t control Second Master. Second Master had effortlessly made them resign in frustration.
Luckily, First Master was determined not to fall short, so slowly Old Master Yang and Old Madam Yang did not bother about Second Master anymore. Every month, they allocated him a certain allowance and let him do whatever he pleased. They then devoted all their efforts into cultivating First Master.
Ah, I forgot to introduce myself.
Since I called Yang Yi Qi as ‘Our Second Master’, I am obviously part of the Yang Household. Indeed, I am Second Master’s maid.
When I was eight, I was sold to the Yang Residence. In the beginning, I was assigned to working the dirty chores in the kitchen, but later I was transferred to the Second Master’s courtyard.
I was personally transferred by Old Madam Yang — if you thought I was transferred because of my beauty and became his chambermaid[2], then you are truly mistaken. It was precisely the opposite, I was transferred because I was ugly.
Personally, I do not think that I am ugly.
My height may fall a little bit short, my face a little bit too round, my eyes a little bit small, and my calves were a little bit thicker. Besides that, I was a pretty decent looking girl. However, once I entered Second Master’s courtyard, I immediately knew I was wrong.
With my looks, I could not even be considered a human in Second Master’s courtyard. Compared to everyone else, I was closer to a monkey — like a wild monkey from the mountain.
Later, someone told me that I was transferred because Second Master had already slept with all the women in his courtyard. All the maids were fighting and scheming against one another, so no one was properly doing the chores.
The first day I arrived, I paid my respects to Second Master. Second Master was drinking tea at the time. But his expression after seeing my face was as frightening and fierce as could be. He waved his hands to let me quickly go off to do my chores.
Inwardly, I retorted: Can you be less exaggerated?
But, that was the first time I saw Second Master.
It was no wonder all the young maids rushed to find Second Master.
Second Master was indeed good looking. I had seen First Master before. Although First Master was not bad, compared to Second Master, he lacked that extra something.
Although First Master was well versed and was extremely likable, he gave me a wooden feeling.
Second Master was completely different.
Everyone in Hangzhou knew that Second Master knew how to have fun.
His pair of bright eyes gleamed from day to night. Strutting around in his loose robes, whenever he walked by the West Lake waving his fan, the entire street of maidens would look over.
The Yang Residence was enormous and the courtyards of the First Master and Second Master were situated far apart. However, all the servants of the Residence knew that the people in the two courtyards did not see eye to eye.
Second Master’s servants disdained the looks of the First Master’s servants while the First Master’s servants scorned the Second Master’s servants for being uncultured.
And, as someone who has dragged down the standards of Second Master’s courtyard, I did not live comfortably in the courtyard.
All the dirty and tiring work was done by me. Of course, I did not mind this.
The problem was that all kinds of ridiculous faults were also blamed on me.
For example, Second Master’s latest maid Chun Xue. While admiring the flowers in the garden, she had accidentally stepped on the foot of the previous favorite, Lu Liu.
Because of this trivial matter, the two girls started to fight in the garden.
I was only nearby sweeping the floor. With nothing better to do, I watched them fight.
Later, when Second Master arrived, the two ferocious fighting lionesses immediately became gentle sheeps. They both leaned onto Second Master on each side, taking turns to cry and complain.
Second Master hugged them both, coaxing here and coaxing there. Since the both maidens would not back down, they cried out how much grievance they suffered and asked him to punish the other.
Second Master couldn’t bear to hit either of them. Helpless, he looked around and happened to glance at me.
When his spring-like dewy eyes glanced at me, my heart immediately jumped. Immediately, I had an ominous feeling.
It turned out that my gut feeling was right. With quick steps, Second Master walked towards me and gave me a slap.
The slap wasn’t light, nor was it heavy.
If you really wanted me to describe it, it was the greatest energy that Second Master was willing to put on his monkey-like maid.
I was a wise monkey, thus after this slap, I immediately knelt down and admitted my wrongs.
Thereafter, with his signature languid voice, Second Master said to the two maids, “This should be enough.” And that was it.
Until now, I still did not understand why Second Master gave me that slap.
Maybe it was deterrence, or it was to pacify. Or maybe he found me an eyesore and wanted to do something about it.
But, that was the first time Second Master touched me.
I often heard the chambermaids gossip about how powerful Second Master was, and how in that moment, it was as amazing as ascending to Heaven.
The night after I was slapped, I unconsciously agreed: Indeed, I ascended to heaven.
One day, Old Madam Yang arrived at the courtyard and spoke to Second Master for a day. All the maids gathered together and mourned in sorrow.
I was curious so I asked what happened.
Normally, they would not speak much to me, but they were truly upset this time. Without the energy to despise me, they told me what happened.
I immediately understood.
It turned out that Old Madam Yang wanted to find a wife for Second Master.
First Master had already married for more than three years and already had one son. Second Master was always playful and didn’t take care of his own matters.
Old Master Yang had slowly over the years passed his business to First Master, and after passing on most of the matters, suddenly remembered about Second Master’s (lack of) marriage.
Second Master was a spoilt silk trousers, playful and philanderous, his reputation was truly bad. But, the Yang Manor had great power and so much money that could not be spent in a few lifetimes, so the people who came asking for marriage were plentiful.
Old Madam Yang asked for Second Master’s opinion on his future bride-to-be. He did not say much and only told her to find a beautiful one. Old Madam Yang gave a sigh at his disappointing response and left.
Later, Old Master Yang and Old Madam Yang found a daughter of a tea businessman for him.
This was not an ordinary tea businessman, he was one of the top tea merchants in Hangzhou.
His youngest daughter just passed her sixteenth birthday, at a blossoming age.
On the day the two families arranged for a meeting, Second Master rose up late and did not groom himself – he messily went to the meeting. However, the tea businessman's little maiden was immediately attracted by Second Master’s unconventional and unrestrained poise.
Although her parents were still a little doubtful, thinking about how big Yang Residence’s business was, they weren’t too worried. After all with all that money, Yang Family should be able to afford their second son’s thrifty spending, thus they agreed.
Immediately afterwards, Old Madam Yang started clearing out the maids in Second Master’s courtyard.
In that half month’s span, there was crying and howling all over the courtyard, day in and day out.
I was deprived of sleep for many days. My face became so skinny that I resembled a monkey even more.
But, it was also thanks to my monkey face, that when Old Madam Yang cleared the courtyard, she didn’t even spare a glance at me. I safely and securely remained in Second Master’s courtyard.
Besides me, there was also a fifty-plus year-old female servant. Other than the two of us, the courtyard didn’t even have a female mouse.
The pageboy, the guard, the housekeeper, all of them were male; Second Master was extremely displeased by this arrangement.
You must know that our Second Master was extremely tempermental. When there were women to coax him, it was still ok, but when there were no women, it was like a wild dog was unleashed — no, a wild stallion.
The old female servant, Granny Feng, was deaf, so I was the only one left for Second Master to torture.
In the two years I was serving in Second Master’s courtyard, I didn’t interact with Second Master as much as I did in those two months. Even if he was playing with birds in his courtyard, when he got bored, he would come and give me a couple kicks.
Did I dare to rebel? Of course not.
So, I was used to vent his anger from day to night. Inwardly, I would only hope the year would pass sooner.
Why?
Because Second Master’s wedding was after the new year. After the new year, there will be a female mistress in the courtyard and Second Master will have no time to kick me.
Just as I was counting for the days to pass, something happened to Second Master.
Strictly speaking, it was not that something happened to Second Master, but something happened to the Yang Residence.
Old Master Yang needed traveled to Jiang Su for business. Coincidentally Second Master ran out of the house to go to a brothel because he could not hold it in anymore. He got caught by Old Master Yang and Old Master Yang had pulled him along in anger.
After they left, something happened during their trip.
A small maid like me could not fully know the exact details.
I was washing the clothes when I heard the shouts from outside the courtyard.I thought it was strange when a troop of guards rushed in and started to ransack the Residence.
Their movements were rough and smashed most of Second Master’s treasures.
That night, after the guards left, I heard all the female Yang family members gathered together to cry.
Their cries were unbearably sad and it lasted one whole night. I did not know what happened, but all I knew was that from that day on, Yang Residence was no more.
That big Residence was sealed and all of us went to the small courtyard house arranged previously by Old Master Yang outside the city.
Old Madam Yang gathered all the family servants, gave each of them a little money and asked us to leave. It was the first time I saw Old Madam Yang wear shabby civilian clothes like ours. But Old Mistress Yang was still the Old Madam, whatever she wore, she was still pretty.
After receiving the money, I curiously asked — “Old Madam, where is our Second Master?”
Old Madam Yang heard me and both her eyes turned red. She covered her mouth and began to cry.
.
.
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Footnotes:
[1] silk trousers - negative term for a rich man’s son
[2] chambermaid - A maid in name but concubine in reality.
