Chapter 486 Extra: Winter Wheat and Yun Niang (Part 9)

Everyone in the capital knows that there are two concubines of special status in the Duke of Dingguo's mansion.

These two women were concubines whom the old Duke Dingguo took in one after the other when he was still alive.

It is said that when the old Duke Dingguo was still alive, the two of them were constantly bickering and causing chaos.

After the Duke of Dingguo passed away, the two of them became as close as if they were one person.

Everyone in the Duke of Dingguo's mansion, regardless of who they were, treated these two with respect and courtesy.

After all, in the entire capital, there are very few concubines who can dine at the same table as the mistress of the house...

In the Duke of Dingguo's mansion, there was none other than Prime Minister Shen, the foremost civil official in the land.

She was still Princess Ping'an, who commanded the Weiyuan Army and struck fear into the hearts of all.

Upon seeing these two concubines, one would address them as Concubine Dong and Concubine Xin...

The concubines in other households all regarded these two concubines as their lifelong goals.

Look, they're both concubines, but why is she so successful at it?

But they could only suffer the mistreatment from the mistresses and young masters in the mansion...

These two concubines had no children and lived in the Duke of Dingguo's mansion their entire lives.

The young masters and ladies of the Duke of Dingguo's mansion, like their fathers, all treated these two concubines differently.

In their eyes, these two were not concubines...

Rather, it was their elders...

Even Emperor Wu, who achieved the greatest success in the Great Yu Dynasty, bestowed a plaque upon these two concubines in his later years.

A plaque that was once only bestowed upon men!

Success and fame!

When the two elderly women, who were already old and needed canes, and whose eyesight was so poor that they could no longer thread embroidery, saw the plaque sent from the palace...

They were as happy as children...

"Look, we've been rewarded by the Heavenly Court!"

"Yes! The imperial family still remembers us!"

"Hey! Let's go, have someone take it to Miss! She'll definitely be happy for us."

"Yes! Take it to Madam and she will surely be pleased."

Oh, and I also painted a portrait for the Madam and the Duke; I'll take those with me too.

"You've been painting? When did that happen? We live in the same courtyard, how come I didn't know!"

"Can you still draw with your hands shaking like this?" Dongmai joked with a laugh.

Aunt Xin, whose hair was completely white, whose teeth had mostly fallen out, and whose face was covered in wrinkles, glared at Dongmai.

"I drew this a long time ago, when you went out sightseeing with your wife and the Duke."

Having nothing to do at the manor, I painted the Lady and the Duke.

It took me almost half a year to paint those two paintings.

I've been keeping it but haven't had a chance to give it to you!

"Let's go, we'll deliver them to the Madam and the Duke together today."

The two of them supported each other as they watched others carry the plaque and the two paintings by Aunt Xin into Shangguan Jin's room.

When Shangguan Jin and the Duke saw the plaque, they were happy for them.

Both of them were taken aback when they saw the two paintings by Aunt Xin.

"Yunniang! Did you draw this?"

Aunt Xin could tell that the lady's voice was trembling slightly and that she was a little excited!

"Yes, it was drawn a long time ago, but I haven't had a chance to give it to you until now."

"It doesn't seem to be drawn very well." Aunt Xin was a little embarrassed.

Shangguan Jin and Shen Huaichen, however, held the two paintings in their arms.

"It's very well drawn! Thank you!" Shangguan Jin said with a smile.

Aunt Xin was even happier.

So it turns out my wife really likes my paintings!

I should have painted a few more and sent them to my wife sooner.

Having received praise from Shangguan Jin, the two returned to their own courtyard.

It's summer now, and the two of them are enjoying the cool evening air in the courtyard.

"Dongmai, why didn't you go out when Madam wanted to let you go?"

"I don't want to go out! I've already said it, Miss bought me, so I belong to Miss, and I want to stay with Miss for the rest of my life."

Don't ask me anymore, didn't the young lady also ask you to leave?

The lady even said she'd help you register your household registration, why aren't you going out?

"If you get out, you can remarry!"

"I'm not going out!"

Why get married?

Actually, everyone would be fine without men!

"Dongmai, you told me the story of the Kingdom of Women last time, could you tell me it again?"

"Okay! I'll tell you again..."

......

The next morning, the Duke of Dingguo began to hang white banners.

Just last night, the late Duke Dingguo's wife and the late Duke Dingguo passed away peacefully in their sleep.

The two left with smiles on their faces, each carrying a painting in their arms.

Meanwhile, the people in the Shen family also discovered that the two old concubines who had served the two for many years had also passed away in their sleep...

On the day of the funeral, everyone in the capital came.

Just outside the city gate, a large group of people dressed in mourning clothes knelt on both sides of the road.

When those people saw the four coffins, they all kowtowed to the ground.

From sixty-year-olds to seven- or eight-year-old children, everyone kowtowed with sorrowful faces.

Everyone knows that this is someone from the charity hall on the outskirts of Beijing.

A charitable institution that the Duke of Dingguo's family had been supporting for nearly eighty years...

"May the Madam rest in peace! May the Duke rest in peace! May the two concubines rest in peace!"

At the very front of the funeral procession, Shen Xiang's face was covered in tears!

Mother, Father, Aunt, we all remember you!

If you had any idea, you would be happy!