Chapter 6, "I only want my mother's dowry."...
Wen Lingzheng entered Shou Kang Hall under the guidance of Granny Ren.
The curtain inlaid with pearls and jade had just made a sound when a playful child's voice came on the wind.
"Grandmother is clearly favoring my eldest sister!"
You can faintly hear Grandma Wen's hearty laughter.
Wen Lingzheng paused, then looked up into the room.
Early spring has just arrived, but the chill remains.
The Shou Kang Hall was filled with the warmth of burning charcoal, and even with one window half-open, the air was not chilly.
On the side table are fresh flowers in full bloom.
Because of Mrs. Wen's Buddhist beliefs, a faint sandalwood fragrance permeated the room.
It was probably still early, as the second and third wives had not yet arrived. Only Madam Xiang was leading the first wife's family in the house, chatting with Old Madam Wen.
Besides his deceased first wife, Qi, and his second wife, Xiang, Wen Tongwen also had three concubines.
Lu Xiaoniang has a daughter named Wen Lingsheng;
Zheng Xiaoniang has twin sons, the seventh daughter Wen Lingdi and the fourth son Wen Shixuan;
Even the dough-like Yu Xiaoniang has a fifth daughter, Wen Lingxiao.
At this moment, Wen Lingsheng, who was most favored by Old Madam Wen, was sitting beside her, with the remaining younger generation also surrounding her, creating a harmonious atmosphere.
Wen Lingzheng's gaze finally settled on a charming and playful face.
In a daze, she seemed to have returned to that spring banquet from that year.
In the ninth year of the Xuanren reign, at the spring banquet personally attended by the Emperor, the heir of the Marquis of Xiangyang was plotted against in broad daylight.
The decadent music emanating from the peach grove cottage was unbearable to hear.
The Emperor and Empress's faces were frighteningly gloomy.
A large crowd gathered in the hall.
Amidst the cacophony of voices, a timid voice drew everyone's attention.
The little girl stood in the corner, her beautiful features wet with tears, her eyes filled with disbelief.
"Fourth Sister!"
"Why hasn't my fourth sister come back yet..."
His words were startling, sparking much speculation.
"What's wrong with Fourth Sister?"
When she saw Wen Lingzheng stop by the door, Granny Ren was taken aback.
"It's alright."
Coming to her senses, Wen Lingzheng pretended to rub her eyes.
"The wind was so strong that it blinded me."
Upon hearing this, Granny Ren's tense expression relaxed.
She smiled apologetically, echoing Wen Lingzheng's words, "It's windy outside, Fourth Miss, please come inside! It's warm inside!"
Wen Lingzheng smiled and responded.
Yao Guang lifted the curtain before the girl.
The sounds emanating from the jade were crisp and melodious, drawing the attention of everyone in the room.
She took a slight step, and Wen Lingzheng lowered her head slightly.
"Greetings, Grandmother."
"Greetings, Madam."
Grandma Wen was slightly taken aback when she saw Wen Lingzheng.
In her memory, this child was sensitive and fragile, prone to crying and fussing at the slightest thing, and physically weak, making him quite unlikable.
But looking at this well-mannered young girl in front of me...
Grandma Wen found it hard to connect them.
"Fourth Sister has finally arrived!"
"Grandma has been talking about you for ages!"
Wen Lingxiao, who was sitting on the outermost edge, was the first to stand up and walk towards Wen Lingzheng.
With her charming appearance and sweet voice, everyone in the Wen family adored this fifth young lady.
Wen Lingzheng was one of them.
Looking at Wen Lingxiao, who was holding her arm, Wen Lingzheng's eyes flashed with a hint of mockery.
She knew that Wen Lingxiao was still smiling on the outside, but his heart was cold.
At the spring banquet that year, it was clearly Wen Lingxiao who said she couldn't hold her liquor and wanted to go to the peach grove to sober up, and persuaded her to go with her. It was also clearly Wen Lingxiao who made an excuse to leave, leaving her to wait for her in the grove.
But in the end... why?
Wen Lingzheng still couldn't understand it.
Distracted by Wen Lingxiao, Old Madam Wen came back to her senses.
She looked at Wen Lingzheng with a kind smile.
"Fourth Sister, why don't you come and sit next to Grandmother?"
Wen Lingzheng responded softly and sat down to the left of the old lady, as she wished.
Wen Lingsheng remained as courteous as ever.
She sat to the right of Old Mrs. Wen, her whole being as elegant as willow catkins and a gentle breeze.
"I heard that my sister was sick a while ago. Is she fully recovered now?"
"Thank you for your concern, big sister. I'm fully recovered now."
Slightly turning her head, Wen Lingzheng's gaze fell on Wen Lingsheng.
Her eyebrows resembled mountains shrouded in mist; her lips were like the moon reflected on the river; her smile was like a gentle spring breeze.
She wore a simple blue dress and a hairpin, her figure slender and delicate.
Wen Lingsheng is a true beauty from Jiangnan, and her looks are rare even in Shengjing City.
One may use beauty to please others, but ultimately, beauty fades and love wanes.
Wen Lingzheng sighed deeply.
Wen Lingsheng's words drew criticism from Wen Lingyun.
"Is she faking illness?"
"Otherwise, how would we have time to meddle in other people's business..."
Recalling what happened in front of the mansion gate, and then thinking about the private school spots at the Grand Princess's mansion, Wen Lingyun's face puffed up with anger.
Her discord with Wen Lingzheng had a long history.
The winters in Lin'an are damp and cold, and Wen Lingzheng, being born with a weak constitution, is prone to illness.
Although Xiang was not a heartless stepmother, she simply could not treat the children who were not her own as her own. Moreover, due to her mother's reputation for harming her illegitimate children, there were always rumors and gossip circulating outside.
From the time Wen Lingyun could remember, Xiang Shi had suffered a lot of grievances because of this.
The deceased is gone, and Wen Lingyun, feeling sorry for her mother, blamed all of this on Wen Lingzheng.
Wen Lingzheng used to be a stubborn person.
The two were like oil and water, and even when they just met, they couldn't help but exchange a few sarcastic remarks.
Neither side was willing to back down first.
Most elderly people dislike discord among their children and grandchildren, let alone the emperor's unpredictable mind!
Grandma Wen is a sensible person.
No sooner had Fourth Sister made a name for herself at Yuqing Temple than an invitation from the Grand Princess's private school arrived at the Wen residence, thoughtfully including Third Brother in the invitation.
Even when the old woman came to deliver the invitation, she praised the Wen family for raising such a fine girl.
One thing after another happened.
Although she couldn't directly determine the emperor's thoughts, she could at least glean some clues.
Her unassuming granddaughter is probably very fortunate!
Old Madam Wen and the entire Wen family have always maintained a neutral stance, but Wen Lingyun's words reveal a tendency to easily believe rumors from the outside world!
This is something that gives people ammunition to criticize!
Grandma Wen was furious.
Seeing that Old Madam Wen's face darkened, Xiang felt a chill run down her spine.
Wen Lingyun is the youngest daughter of the Xiang family. She has been spoiled since childhood and is neither as sensible as Wen Lingsheng nor as good at reading the old lady's mood as Wen Lingxiao and Wen Lingdi.
She had suffered a lot because of this in the past.
Xiang had tried to reason with her countless times, but she just wouldn't listen.
Xiang was anxious.
"I have long heard that the clothes from Liu's brocade shop are the best in Shengjing."
"I never get a chance to see it."
"Thanks to Grandmother today, Xiao'er will definitely have to see it for herself!"
Wen Lingxiao timely disturbed the tranquility of Shou Kang Hall.
The monkey's charming yet slightly ingratiating voice made Old Madam Wen both amused and exasperated. She exclaimed that she should make two more sets of clothes for the monkey so that she wouldn't complain that her grandmother had mistreated her.
The tense atmosphere inside the hall dissipated almost entirely in an instant.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Xiang called Wen Lingyun back to her side, and she cast an appreciative look at Wen Lingxiao with great satisfaction.
Yu Xiaoniang, standing to the side, looked at Wen Lingxiao with a worried expression.
A very familiar tone.
Wen Lingzheng sized up Wen Lingxiao.
Her smile was as charming as ever, her smiling eyes crinkling with a sweet and approachable quality.
Even if it's the first time meeting, they can quickly close the distance between each other.
Maintaining a smile, Wen Lingzheng chimed in, "Fifth Sister is so clever! This is great, she's got two more outfits!"
Wen Lingxiao pretended to look young, but after being teased by Wen Lingzheng, even her earlobes turned pink.
"My fourth sister always teases me!"
Grandma Wen couldn't stop smiling.
Just then, Madam Xue from the second wife's family and Madam Lu from the third wife's family arrived with their children, making Shou Kang Hall even more lively.
Old Madam Wen took Wen Shichen, the fifth son of the second wife, from the maid and held him in her arms.
She hurriedly asked Granny Ren to invite Tailor Liu, exclaiming that if Tailor Liu didn't come soon, she didn't know how many clothes these little monkeys would steal.
The table was laden with brocade and brocade, a dazzling display, but fortunately, with Wen Lingsheng leading the way, the young ladies and gentlemen of the Wen family managed to keep things in order.
Liu the tailor moved among the young men and women, taking their measurements.
She looked to be no more than a girl in her late teens.
She had a round face with smiling, squinting eyes and shallow dimples. She wore a dark green cross-collar blouse and a pleated skirt, which was the most fashionable style at the time.
She was very eloquent, and with just a few simple words, she made the young men and women of the Wen family very happy. Wen Lingse, the sixth daughter of the second wife, Xue, blushed with pride.
Wen Lingzheng looked Liu the tailor up and down, amazed.
Although people valued commerce at the time and there were quite a few women engaged in business, there were very few like this Lady Liu.
Unfortunately, this extraordinary woman ultimately perished due to the power struggles within the royal family.
Wen Lingzheng couldn't help but sigh with regret.
"Fourth Miss Wen".
"Your turn."
When Liu the tailor approached, Wen Lingzheng finally came to her senses.
She nodded slightly, letting Liu the tailor take her measurements.
After selecting the brocade and taking the measurements, Liu the tailor received a generous reward from Old Madam Wen and left.
Inside Shou Kang Hall, the children from the three families gathered together.
The youngest son in the family, the fifth son Wen Shichen, was held in the arms of the old lady Wen.
His chubby little face had a pair of bright eyes that were darting around, taking in his surroundings.
Wen Lingsheng sat next to Old Madam Wen as always.
The three sisters-in-law, Xiang, Xue, and Lu, took their seats in turn, while the young women were seated behind a screen.
Most of the young men and women sat beside their respective wives.
However, Wen Lingzheng, Wen Shizhen, and Wen Shirui from the second wife's family were all summoned to Old Madam Wen's presence.
This time, Grandma Wen did not beat around the bush.
"You must already know about Princess Mingzhu's birthday banquet, right?"
Seeing the four nod, Old Madam Wen continued, "Our Wen family has truly had a stroke of good luck this time; otherwise, we probably wouldn't have even been able to get past the threshold of such a banquet."
"You four must be careful with your words and actions on this trip!"
"It's good to have a chance to show your face, but it's not a big deal if you don't. The key is not to do anything wrong and make others look down on you."
The four of them lowered their eyes slightly and all said, "Grandchildren will remember their grandmother's teachings."
Grandma Wen nodded in satisfaction.
Her aged yet sharp gaze swept over her grandchildren before finally settling on Wen Lingzheng.
After handing the fifth son back to the maid, Old Madam Wen straightened her back and sat forward a little.
"The Kong brothers are of the same blood and are connected by blood."
"Fourth Sister, can you understand these eight characters in the Thousand Character Classic?"
Wen Lingzheng raised her head to meet the gaze of Old Madam Wen.
She slightly curved her lips: "In response to Grandmother, I began my studies at the age of four and have read the Thousand Character Classic no less than a hundred times."
With a barely perceptible furrow between her brows, Old Mrs. Wen knew exactly what was going on.
—Wen Lingzheng was just giving her a perfunctory answer.
She was somewhat annoyed, but Old Mrs. Wen ultimately didn't want to be known for forcing her orphaned daughter to give up her life.
She used an excuse to send Xiang Shi and the others away, leaving only Wen Lingsheng and Wen Lingzheng behind.
Inside the room, the incense burner on the incense table had already gone out.
The medicinal scent gradually overwhelmed the lingering aroma of sandalwood, leaving a slightly bitter aftertaste.
Wen Lingzheng sat on the stool that Granny Ren had brought over, her back straight, her hands resting on her knees.
That was the dignified and elegant demeanor she had cultivated over the years as a general's wife.
Looking at the composed Wen Lingzheng in front of her, Old Mrs. Wen had a headache.
She would say one thing, and Wen Lingzheng would just give her a perfunctory reply. This back-and-forth was really pointless!
Gently pushing away the spoonful of medicine that Wen Lingsheng was offering to her lips, the old lady took a deep breath.
"In the past, I was the one who neglected you."
"Fourth Sister, with your intelligence, you surely understand what I mean."
Reaching out to gently stroke Wen Lingsheng's hair, the usually stern Old Madam Wen finally revealed her gentle side.
“Sheng’er grew up on my lap since she was little.”
"She was both talented and beautiful, but her family background was somewhat lacking."
"I know your father best."
“Sheng’er is not as fortunate as you to be favored by the Grand Princess. As her grandmother, I should do my best to help her.”
The Grand Princess's favor?
Wen Lingzheng lowered her eyes slightly.
It seems there were probably still people from the Forbidden City inside Yuqing Temple at that time.
Does the Emperor truly suspect that the Marquis of Dingbei's household has ulterior motives?
Wen Lingzheng carefully recalled the few palace banquets she had attended in her previous life.
She vaguely remembered that the Emperor was a very kind and gentle gentleman. Even when an old and arrogant minister tugged at his robes to remonstrate with him in court, he never lost his temper.
He was even too lenient, allowing his brother to rebel, and the Zhou dynasty changed hands overnight.
Would such a forgiving person really doubt the Dingbei Marquis's mansion, which had been so supportive of his ascension to the throne, before the truth of the matter had been fully investigated? Especially since Pei Lin was his study companion.
Wen Lingzheng was somewhat puzzled.
But people's hearts are unpredictable, and so is the heart of a ruler.
Wen Lingzheng became heavy-hearted.
Grandma Wen was unaware of Wen Lingzheng's complicated thoughts.
She paused briefly, then said directly, "Sister Sheng is thirteen years old."
"It's a pity that my Wen family is not prominent enough to secure a good future for her. If you are willing to help Sheng'er this once, I will grant you a request."
Grandma Wen's words pulled Wen Lingzheng back to reality from her fantasy.
She looked at the elderly woman before her, whose hair was white yet still perfectly styled, and unusually caught a trace of sorrow on her face.
She couldn't help but think of Wen Lingsheng's fate after marrying into the Funing Marquis's mansion. How could Old Madam Wen, who loved Wen Lingsheng so much, be willing to let her be a concubine?
After a moment's thought, Wen Lingzheng looked at Old Madam Wen and said, "Whether the Grand Princess favors me or not is just your guess."
The old lady smiled, stopping Wen Lingsheng from speaking.
"You can't force luck."
"If you are not fortunate enough to have this, then it is my fate as Sheng-jie'er, but what I promised you still stands."
Nodding slightly, Wen Lingzheng said, "I don't want anything else, just my mother's dowry."
A note from the author:
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Abridged version of the Wen family genealogy (sorted by age)
Grandpa Wen and Grandma Wen (whose original surname was Lu)
Children—
Eldest son: Wen Tongwen (born of the principal wife, first wife Qi, second wife Xiang) [First wife's branch]
Second son: Wen Tongwu (born of a concubine, married to a woman surnamed Xue) [Second wife]
Youngest son: Wen Tongfu (born of the principal wife, married to Lady Lu) [Third wife]
Youngest daughter: Wen Jinghao (born of the principal wife, married into the Lin family of Luzhou)
Grandchildren—
Eldest daughter: Wen Lingsheng (born out of wedlock, eldest daughter of the first wife, born to Lu Xiaoniang)
Eldest son: Wen Shirui (born of the legitimate wife, eldest son of the second wife, born to Xue)
Second daughter: Wen Lingkong (born out of wedlock, eldest daughter of the third wife, born to Yan Xiaoniang)
Third Sister: Wen Linghou (born out of wedlock, second daughter of the third wife, born to Hua Xiaoniang)
Second son: Wen Shizhuo (born of the legitimate wife, eldest son of the third wife, born to Madam Lu)
Fourth Sister: Wen Lingzheng (born of the eldest son, second daughter of the first wife, born to Qi Shi)
Fifth Sister: Wen Lingxiao (born out of wedlock, third daughter of the eldest son's wife, born to Yu Xiaoniang)
Sixth Sister: Wen Lingse (born of the legitimate wife, eldest daughter of the second wife, born to Xue Shi)
Third son: Wen Shizhen (born of the eldest son of the first wife, born to Xiang).
Seventh Sister: Wen Lingdi (born out of wedlock, fourth daughter of the first wife, born to Zheng Xiaoniang)
Fourth Brother: Wen Shixuan (born out of wedlock, second son of the eldest son's wife, born to Zheng Xiaoniang)
Eighth Sister: Wen Lingyun (born of the eldest son, the fifth daughter of the first wife, born to Xiang Shi)
Fifth Brother: Wen Shichen (born out of wedlock, second son of the second wife, born to Zhong Xiaoniang)
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