concubine's sister

After finishing breakfast, as soon as they stepped out of the depressing main courtyard, Zhao Mingyan took Tan Linshuang's arm and said in a feigned intimacy, "Husband, accompany me to the garden to take a walk to digest the food."

Tan Linshuang raised her right eyebrow slightly and said tenderly, "Okay, my lady."

The spring courtyard has a different morning scene, with dewdrops and flowers swaying in the wind.

There were very few servants in the garden at this moment, so it was a good time to talk in private.

Zhao Mingyan and Tan Linshuang walked side by side in front.

Xiaozhu and Ayun followed behind, deliberately keeping a distance of half a meter from the two people in front.

However, Xiaozhu stretched his neck and raised his ears high.

Ayun glanced at her and folded his hands.

"From what grandma said, do you want to bring your aunt back to live with us?" Zhao Mingyan couldn't wait to speak first.

"You want to ask about my aunt, right?" Tan Linshuang was frank and didn't hide anything, nor did she feel there was any need to conceal anything.

"I originally had three aunts. The eldest and second aunts died of a plague many years ago. I was not even born at that time."

"This aunt married when I was three. I don't have a deep impression of her, not as deep as my stepmother's... Oh, and they are not mother and daughter. My aunt's biological mother also died of the plague."

"About eight years ago, her husband died. Since she had no children, her situation in her husband's family became even more difficult. My grandmother didn't want her to continue to suffer there, so she sent her to the Chastity Hall."

"hehe."

Zhao Mingyan couldn't help but sneered, "I don't know whether it's more aggrieved to be in my husband's house or in the Chastity Hall."

Tan Linshuang heard the sarcasm in her words, but remained silent, saying, "My aunt is indeed quite capable, otherwise she wouldn't be alive today."

He raised his head slightly and looked at the sky, his thoughts drifting away...

That night, Tan Linshuang's aunt Tan Moxiang was sent back to the Tan Mansion and arranged to live in the vacant South House.

Perhaps to the Tan family, this was a shameful thing. Not to mention mobilizing a large army, it was no different from committing a crime of stealing.

It was past three o'clock in the morning when Tan Moxiang's carriage arrived at the side gate of the south courtyard. Two maids helped him get off the carriage, one on each side. After entering the side gate, they headed straight for the south house.

The South House was built inside the South Courtyard and was a courtyard within a courtyard. However, it also had an independent door that allowed one to enter without passing through the South Courtyard. That day, Zhao Mingyan entered through that door.

Originally, the South Courtyard was the residence of Tan Linshuang's parents. The South House was built to accommodate their future children, while Tan Mozhu used to live in the North Courtyard.

However, before Tan Linshuang had even lived in the South House, her parents passed away unexpectedly. She was then taken in by Fan Wenlan to the main courtyard to be raised until she reached the age of 15, when she was moved to the North Courtyard.

At that time, Tan Mozhu had already moved to the South Courtyard, and the South House has been vacant ever since.

Bang--

As the gate in the south courtyard was closed, the south house became quiet again, as silent as if no one was still there. The sound of the door closing just now was just another noise.

The entire backyard of the Tan Mansion was as silent as usual.

But Zhao Mingyan, who couldn't sleep for a long time, knew that many people were probably like her and couldn't sleep well.

Zhao Mingyan turned over again and glanced at Tan Linshuang, who was lying on his side with his back to her. She stretched out a finger and poked his shoulder, "Husband, are you asleep?"

"Asleep." Tan Linshuang's calm voice sounded faintly.

Zhao Mingyan laughed in silence, then asked, "Grandma, are you planning to keep my aunt locked up in the South House forever?"

Tan Linshuang was stunned for a moment before saying, "It depends on whether it can be locked."

"Will my aunt escape over the wall?"

"Her last name isn't Zhao."

Now it was Zhao Mingyan's turn to be stunned.

After a while, she finally reacted. She smiled angrily and patted Tan Linshuang's shoulder, muttering, "I'm quite curious about you, my aunt."

"Don't!"

Tan Linshuang turned over to face her and solemnly reminded her: "Although you have married into our Tan family, you should still keep a proper distance from our family members. Apart from me and my grandmother, it is best not to get too close to others."

"Our Tan family is more complicated than your Zhao family."

After saying that, without waiting for Zhao Mingyan's reaction, he turned over and lay on his side facing the wall.

The night is getting darker.

Outside the window, the wind rolls the clouds and sways the grass and trees.

"Miss, did you hear any crying last night?"

The next morning, on the way to the main courtyard, Xiaozhu clung to Zhao Mingyan's arm and spoke timidly.

"Crying? Is that the rustling sound made by the wind blowing through the bamboo forest?" Zhao Mingyan said.

"Ah? The sound of bamboo forest?" Xiaozhu wiped the boogers from his eyes.

Zhao Mingyan said meaningfully, "The wind started blowing in the second half of the night, and it was quite strong."

"Have you heard that Sanniang was brought back in the middle of the night?"

"In the middle of the night? You don't want us to see you, right?"

"That's right! But if you think about it carefully, Sanniang didn't do anything wrong. Why is she being treated like the sinner of the Tan family?"

"It's said that she led the chaste women of the Chastity Hall to start a Shu brocade business, and even took away a lot of business from brocade vendors. If it hadn't been reported to the prefect, the old lady would probably have turned a blind eye. But now it's become a big deal, not only has it offended several brocade vendors, but it's also caused trouble for the prefect. Isn't that the same as committing a crime?"

Along the way, one could hear the servants whispering.

This was the first time Zhao Mingyan saw the servants of the Tan Mansion gathering together to discuss something. It can be seen how boring the Tan Mansion is usually. To put it nicely, it is like the calm surface of a lake. To put it bluntly, it is like stagnant water with difficulty in causing ripples.

But is it really so?

Zhao Mingyan vaguely felt that there were undercurrents in the Tan Mansion. Whether it was Tan Linshuang, Fan Wenlan, or even Tan Mozhu, who she had the least contact with, they all had secrets.

Now, there is another one, Tan Moxiang.

I believe that the servants will no longer be bored in the days to come.

"Good morning, Grandma."

During breakfast, Zhao Mingyan discovered that Fan Wenlan looked better than yesterday, his brows were no longer furrowed, and his eyes showed a sense of relief. He thought that the trouble caused by Tan Moxiang had either been temporarily resolved or completely settled.

As the head of the family was in a better mood, the atmosphere at the dinner table became harmonious. Zhao Mingyan ate three bowls of rice in one breath. After the meal, he supported his waist and went for a walk to digest the food.

When she took a walk today, she didn't go to the garden, but walked around the backyard casually. She found that the servants were indeed whispering to each other, with different expressions on their faces, like a series of vivid and interesting paintings.

Zhao Mingyan couldn't help but sketch out the shapes of a revolving lantern in her mind.

"Miss, that Sanniang is living well in the Chastity Hall, why doesn't she want to do business?" Xiaozhu suddenly asked.

Zhao Mingyan retracted her gaze and asked her, "Do you think living there and doing nothing is good?"

Xiaozhu said without thinking, "I don't have to worry about food and drink, and I don't have to wait on anyone, what's wrong with that?"

Zhao Mingyan smiled and said, "If you go to jail, you won't have to worry about food and drink, and you won't have to wait on others. So, are you willing to go to jail?"

"That's different."

Xiaozhu waved her hand. "How can the food in prison compare to what we have in Chastity Hall? Besides, we have to do heavy labor."

"The food and accommodation in the Chastity Hall are definitely better than in prison, and you don't have to do heavy work, but that's all." Zhao Mingyan said.

She thought of the poorhouse and the two of Xingzi and Meizi, whose combined weight was only as much as one small candle.

Both places are under the jurisdiction of the government, but it is obvious that the money spent is certainly not much. The Chastity Hall may be better, but in reality, what is the difference between it and being in jail?

Xiaozhu seemed to understand what Zhao Mingyan meant. "Can I leave Zhenjietang by starting my own business?"

Zhao Mingyan said bluntly, "In this world, powerless women have no choice but to pay for their freedom. If that aunt can expand her business, enough to escape the control of the Tan family, she can leave Zhenjietang and start her own business elsewhere."

"It's a pity that she lacked one of the right time, place and people."

"Because she is not the old lady's biological daughter." Xiaozhu continued.

Zhao Mingyan nodded regretfully, "She's a concubine's daughter. Her biological mother is no longer alive. Plus, her family has close ties with the government. It's destined that she won't achieve anything."

"But once you come back, you can turn things around."

As they were talking, Zhao Mingyan had already brought Xiaozhu to the outside of the big gate in the backyard of the Nanzhai.

"Why does the situation turn around after I come back?" Xiaozhu didn't quite understand.

Zhao Mingyan didn't answer, but walked up and knocked on the door.

The door was opened quickly, but only a crack. When the maid who opened the door saw that it was Zhao Mingyan, her originally unfriendly expression became a little more amiable.

"What's the matter, Madam?"

Zhao Mingyan said calmly, "Last time, I cut some bamboo strips in the servants' quarters inside to make lanterns. Now, I want to go in and get some from the north courtyard."

"this……"

The maid was obviously hesitant. "Someone is living in the servants' courtyard now. I wonder if the bamboo sticks you mentioned are still there..."

Zhao Mingyan understood, did not make things difficult for the other party, and turned and left.

As soon as she returned to the North Courtyard, she changed her previous leisurely pace and trotted to Tan Linshuang's study, asking him to go to the South House to help her get those bamboo sticks back.

"Do we have to take it? The thing we have the most is bamboo. Can't we just chop some more?" Tan Linshuang supported his chin with one hand and looked up at her.

Zhao Mingyan placed her hands on the desk, a sly look in her eyes. "Don't you want to take this opportunity to reminisce with your aunt?"

Tan Linshuang smiled.

Two sticks of incense later, Tan Linshuang, holding a food box, came to the back garden of the South House under the guidance of the maid, and finally met her aunt Tan Moxiang whom she had not seen for a long time.

He really couldn't remember what his aunt looked like, and when he first saw her, she seemed a little strange.

Tan Moxiang also treated his only nephew as a stranger.

The two looked at each other and remained silent.

After the maid left, Tan Linshuang put down the food box and said to Tan Moxiang, "Aunt, this is a snack that my nephew's newlywed wife, Zhao...Mingyan, asked me to bring to you to help you pass the time."

"That's thoughtful." Tan Moxiang nodded.

Her voice was hoarse, making her look a little older, but her face clearly still looked like she was in her prime.

It is said that the biological mother of this aunt was the most beautiful among her grandfather's wives and concubines. Although she was of the lowest birth and was just a weaver girl, she was always loved by her grandfather because of her outstanding appearance. Therefore, she gave birth to the most children, two sons and one daughter. Unfortunately, only this daughter was left in the end, and she herself died young.

So Tan Moxiang has a very distinctive appearance, with a typical oval face, a cherry mouth and grasshopper eyes, and she looks frail and pitiful. If she doesn't speak and changes her makeup and hairstyle to a younger one, she will look younger than her actual age.

"Mother, while Ah Xiang is still beautiful, why not find her another husband to marry into?"

In the main courtyard, Tan Mozhu called the servants away and whispered a suggestion as soon as he closed his mother's door.

Fan Wenlan picked up the teacup and took a sip. "In the past, this would have been a permanent solution."

"But it's too late now. She's grown strong now. If she gets married, she'll become a problem for us. It's better to keep her locked up like this and keep her under our watchful eyes."

Tan Mozhu stopped talking and walked over to massage his mother's legs.

Fan Wenlan put down the teacup and his eyes became deep.

"Go check and see if there's anyone helping her behind the scenes. I don't believe she could build a business in a place like Chastity Hall on her own."

"Yes!" Tan Mozhu nodded.

Fan Wenlan looked out the window, his eyes shifting and losing focus. "Send someone to the villa to check. I have a feeling things are going to change."