Rulan's return banquet was also very lively. Six tables were set up inside and outside. Not only many relatives and friends came, but also Molan and her husband and Aunt Kang came. The old lady was very unhappy. During the meal, she stared at Wang with cold eyes for a while, which made Wang lower her head and dare not speak. Aunt Kang sat next to Wang, still looking gentle and delicate.
After the meal, the old lady and Wang took Rulan aside to ask her if she was happy after marriage. Then the three sisters left to talk and have tea.
Molan and Rulan went back to their own rooms to reminisce about the past, and then gathered together in Minglan's Mucangzhai. Minglan was frightened to see these two enemies in her room, but she had no choice but to bite the bullet and ask Danju to serve tea.
The fragrant Changqing melon slices, after two brews, turned a beautiful green. Mo Lan, draped in a light, lake-blue silk jacket, looked quite charming and elegant in the early spring sun. Facing the peeling white porcelain tea bowl, a touch of poetic melancholy crossed her features as she said leisurely, "Sooner or later, our yard will be occupied by someone else. I didn't expect it to be vacated so soon, without a single vestige of its existence. It's like spilled water, after all."
After Molan got married, Shanyueju was emptied out one after another, leaving only a little maid to look after it and clean it. The embroidery pavilion, which was once full of laughter and joy, was now deserted. In fact, Taoran Pavilion had also started to move, but there was not enough time.
Rulan was like a fighting cock when she saw Molan, her feathers standing on end, ready for a fight. She was about to retort when she heard what she said, but Minglan quickly snatched her away and said with a smile, "My eldest sister-in-law is about to have her second child, and my third and fourth brothers are also getting married. As we all get married, the house will eventually be given to our nephews and nieces. Isn't it a good thing to have a prosperous family?"
Molan looked at Minglan intently for a moment, then chuckled softly, "Sixth sister, you're becoming more and more articulate. No wonder you were able to marry into a wealthy family. You're probably the luckiest among us sisters."
Minglan immediately straightened her expression and said, "When it comes to marriage, my sister will only obey the instructions of our parents."
Rulan covered her mouth and chuckled, then immediately said, "That's right! When it comes to matters of marriage, you have to listen to your parents. How can you make your own decisions?" Minglan couldn't help but look at her. This girl had obviously forgotten how her husband came about.
Molan was surprisingly calm and said with a smile, "You two sisters are absolutely right... By the way, my fifth brother-in-law has finished his palace examination. I wonder what his plans are?"
Rulan's face flushed slightly, and her plain face revealed the beauty of a newlywed, with joy in the corners of her eyes and eyebrows. Minglan tilted her head and began to daydream, thinking that their sex life was probably very harmonious.
"...First, I will be appointed as a scholar in the Hanlin Academy, and then I will slowly look for a job. I don't know what the future will be like." Ru Lan's cheeks were as red as rouge, and she looked proud. Although brother-in-law Wen was not able to be appointed as a scholar like brother Changbai, he was able to enter the Hanlin Academy, and his official position in the future would not be bad.
Molan's eyes flickered as she smiled sweetly, "That's not difficult at all. You can rely on Sixth Sister later. Let alone becoming a county magistrate or prefect, you can definitely get a higher position!"
Rulan's expression immediately changed, and she glared at her angrily. Minglan quickly swallowed her wild thoughts and put on a serious and dignified face. She said, "Fourth sister, please don't talk nonsense. The management of the six ministries is a major national task, how can you joke about it? If someone heard you say that, they would think that your fourth brother-in-law... Oh no, your fourth brother-in-law's family got their official positions by proxy!"
Now it was Molan's turn to change her expression, while Rulan held the handkerchief and laughed.
Seeing that it was almost time, Minglan didn't want to humiliate Molan too much, so she quickly changed the subject and said, "The mansion was so lively on the day of Fifth Sister's wedding, but Fourth Sister didn't come. What a pity!"
A strange look appeared on Molan's face, a mixture of happiness and anger. Then she said calmly, "Something happened at home... It's Aunt Wan's business, so I can't leave."
Minglan was still wondering who this Aunt Wan was, but Rulan reacted immediately and asked excitedly: "Has Aunt Wan given birth? Is it a boy or a girl?" Molan smiled and took a sip of tea, and said slowly: "She gave birth a few years ago, it's a girl." Her smile was very forced, and she kept one thing hidden. When she took Chun Ge's pulse yesterday, she found out that she was pregnant again.
Rulan breathed a sigh of relief, looking disappointed. Minglan finally remembered that Aunt Wan was Miss Chun Ge.
Molan put down the teacup, slowly put her handkerchief to the corner of Le's mouth, and said with a look of concern and sorrow: "The doctor also said that because of the difficult delivery, Aunt Wan might have some difficulties in giving birth in the future; hey..."
"Why is it not going well?" Rulan asked.
Molan sighed softly, "The doctor said that girl is too big..."
Minglan's heart tightened. She had also heard at home that Molan was very virtuous in the Liang family. She was always concerned about Chunge's well-being, served her with bird's nest and ginseng every day, and delicacies from land and sea for every meal. Sometimes she even used her own dowry to supplement Chunge's income, which made everyone envy her.
However, Minglan clearly remembered that Aunt Wei lost her life because the fetus was too large and she had eaten cold food, which led to premature birth, and she did not find a midwife in time.
Minglan lowered her head and didn't want to talk anymore.
Rulan naturally didn't understand and found it boring, so she found a new topic and asked, "Sixth sister, why is Aunt Kang here again? Didn't mother say that she would never be allowed to come over again?"
Minglan sighed, "It was because of your marriage that Aunt Kang took the opportunity to come back. I didn't see her, but I heard she cried and talked for a long time in the Madam's room. It seemed... well... Cousin Yuan'er wasn't doing well in the Wang family. Anyway, they are sisters after all, so the Madam finally relented."
"What happened to Yuan'er?"
"Why is she so bad?"
Molan and Rulan had a particularly good understanding at this time. They both grasped the key points and spoke in unison. Then they looked at each other, coughed twice embarrassedly, and looked at Minglan to wait for the next words.
Minglan was speechless. After a moment's thought, she said, "It seems like it was Cousin Yuan'er—oh, I should call her sister-in-law—who contradicted my aunt or something. My aunt was furious and had several of her servants and mothers beaten and sold. My grandmother was also furious and made Cousin Yuan'er learn etiquette. She was punished by copying the 'Instructions for Women' hundreds of times and making her stand in front of me every day to observe the rules. She wasn't given food if she wasn't honest... That's what Aunt Kang said."
Rulan immediately calmed down, her face full of satisfaction, and said, "I told you! Cousin Yuan'er is impatient and irritable, and is far from being a good daughter-in-law. How could my aunt like her?"
Minglan sighed, "It would be fine for anyone else, but I heard from the old lady that Wang's grandmother is very fair and generous. If even she is angry, I'm afraid it's really my cousin's fault."
Molan curled her lips in disdain, her eyes rolled, a plan came to her mind, she sighed suddenly, and said sadly: "Yuan'er did something wrong, he still has a chance to correct his mistakes, but it's a pity... my aunt..., I heard that she can't eat or sleep well in the farm, now that we are all married, she has been punished, and I don't know when she can come back! Sixth sister, you are of noble status now, can you please plead for me in front of the old lady and the lady!" As she spoke, her eyes were filled with tears again.
Rulan sneered and said contemptuously, "Sis, you're already married. It's best if you don't interfere in your parents' affairs. Instead, take care of your own little piece of land first! I heard the Liang family is having a hard time these days, having been reprimanded twice in a row by imperial edicts. They were once a good family, but I don't know what kind of disaster has befallen them to keep suffering from such misfortune!"
Molan's face flushed red, and she was furious. She retorted, "I'm a loser, but no matter how loser I am, I still live by working hard for my husband's family. Unlike some people, I have to use my dowry to support my husband's family. No wonder people say that daughters are a waste of money!"
"What did you say?!"
"Human language! Fifth sister, don't you understand?"
——Minglan sighed to the sky. This was her last sisterhood gathering before her marriage, which ended with Molan and Rulan parting on bad terms. After the battle, when the damage was counted, it was found that two teacups, three tea saucers, and a pair of dessert plates with the same pattern were lost.
"That was a close call!" Danju patted his chest. "Luckily, I was quick. I saw Fourth and Fifth Aunts coming from afar and quickly put away the exquisite crabapple jelly stone banana leaf tea set that the old lady had just given me. ... But Xiaotao was scared. She had just taken a sip of tea in the room when I snatched the teapot and teacups away. Haha, I'm sorry I broke your things, Xiaotao, don't be upset."
Xiao Tao slowly wiped the table, looking a little embarrassed: "Um...actually, I used your teacup."
Minglan: ...
A few days before her wedding, the old lady called the manager of the dowry farm and asked Minglan to recognize everyone one by one.
"You have followed me for quite a while. Let me tell you this in advance: don't take advantage of your seniority to put on airs in front of the master. If you do anything wrong, the Sixth Girl will punish you immediately! I won't give you any face at all!" The old lady looked dignified and scolded clearly.
A group of people knelt below. A square-faced old man in the middle came out and kowtowed, saying, "What are you talking about, old lady? From today on, Miss Sun is our boss. How dare we neglect her?"
The old lady nodded and said, "You are a wise person. If you take good care of yourself, Ming girl will not treat you unfairly."
Afterwards, Old Cui led his two sons, Cui Ping and Cui An, to kowtow to Minglan, and Minglan nodded in response.
Old Cui is actually not very old, he is less than fifty years old. Due to years of exposure to the sun, his face is dark and wrinkled. He is very good at taking care of crops and farm products. His two sons also look strong and sturdy. One helps his father manage the crops, and the other grows some fruit trees in the mountains. In addition, there are two companions. One is called Liu Mangui, who looks smart and capable, and never smiles or talks. The other is called Ji Qiang, who speaks stutteringly and has dirt in the cracks of his fingernails. Upon closer inquiry, it turns out that he is Luzhi's brother.
Minglan was quite surprised. These two siblings were so different.
"My parents died early, and my brother is a simple-minded person, often being bullied. All the hard, dirty and tiring work is pushed onto him. When something goes wrong, my brother is blamed. If it weren't for Mother Fang, I don't know if my brother would still be alive!" Luzhi recalled the past gloomily, "I'm already 25, and I haven't even found a wife yet."
"No wonder Sister Luzhi is so powerful." Xiao Cuixiu said with a smile.
"What do you mean by impressive? That's called sophisticated." Qin Sang smiled gently and poked Xiao Cuixiu on the forehead. "When you get back to your son-in-law's house, don't dare to say anything careless. Otherwise, not only will you embarrass me, but people will also think that our Sheng family is uneducated."
Xiao Cuixiu covered her forehead and nodded, then said, "Ah...it's a pity that Sister Yancao and Sister Jiuer can't go together. We have been together for many years, and I always feel like something is missing."
Ruomei sneered softly and said, "They are both blessed. My parents love them so much. Why are you worrying about them for nothing?"
Bisi covered her mouth delicately and said with a smile, "Don't talk about Jiu'er. Madam Liu didn't plan to ask her to take a dowry. She just wanted to let her live comfortably in our courtyard for a few years. As for Sister Yancao, haha, her parents were afraid that she would suffer if she followed the young lady to her husband's family, so they went to Madam Fang early to ask for a matchmaker. But as fate would have it, man proposes, and the young lady's husband's family is much better than her own! It's too late to change her mind now. Our young lady is such a person, how could she not see anything?!"
Danju listened to their increasingly outrageous remarks, her face darkening as she scolded, "Do we have the right to discuss the master's affairs?! The young lady is kind-hearted and doesn't want to separate the family. And I heard that Yancao's parents found a very good son-in-law, so that's why they kept Yancao. What are you talking about?!... What sister Qinsang said just now is right. After the young lady leaves, everyone should be careful with their words and actions, and keep their mouths shut. Don't follow those gossipy old ladies! You know the young lady's temper. She's not someone who's soft and cowardly and can be easily bullied!"
Danju is the head maid in the courtyard. She usually controls all the girls. Although she is kind and gentle, she has become a bit majestic over the years. Bisi pouted and kept silent, and Ruomei also lowered her head and remained silent.
Although small, Xiao Cuixiu was clever and intelligent. Seeing the tense atmosphere, she quickly went over and tugged at Danju's sleeve, coquettishly saying, "Sister, there's something I don't understand. Please explain it to me! ... I heard that when the eldest daughter got married, she only took four maids with her. Later, when the fourth daughter got married, she also took only four. Why do the fifth daughter and our daughter have so many maids?"
Danju smiled at her, saying, "How can they be the same? The eldest and fourth uncles are from noble families, and their mansions have everything. Bringing more maids with them would be a disadvantage. The fifth uncle is from a scholar family, and his family is simple, so it would be easier to have more people with him to serve him. As for our girl... I heard from Madam Fang that General Gu is a new family, and he's only been here a short time. He doesn't have many reliable servants, so it's a good opportunity for you, a little girl, to go along and see the world."
Xiao Tao, who had been munching on a peach with her head down, finally looked up, her mouth full of juice. She asked innocently, "But... I heard that the young lady's wedding was held at the Ningyuan Marquis' Mansion!"
Danju turned around and smiled, "The wedding will be held there. After paying respects to our ancestors and relatives, we will return to the Governor's Mansion to live."
Everyone sighed in unison, suddenly realizing what was going on. Then, everyone's faces lit up with joy. Without the elders in charge, wouldn't Minglan be able to call the shots in the Governor's Mansion? Their lives would be much easier.
On the tenth day of March, just as the sky was getting light, General Bo's wife rushed over. Danju immediately presented her with two big red envelopes, saying "thank you for your hard work" repeatedly. The maidservant beside Mrs. Bo took them.
As soon as she saw Minglan, Madam Bo smiled and said, "Good, she's a blessed child. Your family is truly blessed, with both your son and son-in-law being accomplished men!"
Wang's face was full of smiles, and she replied respectfully with a few words, "Thank you for your good wishes."
After Minglan finished her bath, she was pressed in front of the mirror and dressed up neatly. Although Madam Bo was old, her hands were very steady. She kneaded Minglan's face quickly and neatly. Before Minglan could even cry out, thick ointment was smeared on her face, and then four or five layers of white powder were sprinkled on her like painting a wall, followed by drawing eyebrows and applying rouge.
Minglan sat there resigned to her fate. She didn't even have the heart to look in the mirror after the incident. Having seen her three sisters get married, she knew very well that she probably looked like a piece of white dough with rouge on it.
But…Brother Bao is truly a perceptive person. Even with this ultimate makeup technique, even though everyone looks the same, he can still tell Sister Bao from Sister Lin. Sister Bao, if you put on a thicker layer of powder, maybe you can pull off the wedding night. At least get Baoyu to bed first, so a bunch of overly self-absorbed x-scientists don't have to pretend to be serious academics and speculate on gossip like "Is Baochai in a sexless marriage?"
Yu Minglan was completely confused by the following process, as if a lot of heavy objects were pressing down on her head. The slightest movement would cause a loud clanging sound, and her neck would immediately become three inches shorter.
After taking a few mouthfuls of the sweet bird's nest and red date porridge, a large group of women, old, middle-aged and young, came into the room and chattered about auspicious things. Minglan didn't need to answer anything, she just had to lower her head shyly. Xiao Taozi was holding a small porcelain jar next to her, which contained snacks and ginseng slices in case she needed them; Danju was busy looking after Minglan's personal belongings, hoping that nothing was missing.
I don’t know how long it took, but there was a crackling noise outside and the wedding procession arrived.
Gu Tingye was wearing a bright red wedding gown and riding a tall horse. On his left was the newly crowned Weibei Marquis Shen Congxing, and on his right was Qiu Shu, the eldest son of the Wuying Palace Grand Secretary and also the newly crowned third place winner. Behind them followed the commander-in-chief of the Imperial Guard, Zheng Jun, and the Queen's brother-in-law, Zheng Xiao.
Changbai stood in front of the door, his mouth twitching. Very good, very good. The new civil and military officials, the royal relatives, are all here.
As usual, the groom will be given some embarrassment.
As soon as Liang Han put forward his experience in using the spear, the young general Zheng Xiao immediately rolled up his sleeves and said that he was very willing to experience these experiences through practical actions.
Brother-in-law Wen cleared his throat and asked two questions. Qiu Tan applied his knowledge to other questions and answered them fluently. Brother-in-law Wen knew when to quit. The two newly-minted scholars embraced each other and chatted cheerfully, their first words being, "I miss the palace examination back then." Actually, the examination had only been over a few days, so there was no need to dwell on the past. Chang Feng, the failed student, was feeling melancholy.
Brother-in-law Yuan was the most sensible. He had an upright face, but he moved to the door calmly, secretly pulled out the bolt, and gave a secret signal. Gu Tingye was smart and quick-witted. He whistled, and the men received the order and rushed forward with shouts. The gate of Sheng Mansion was thus lost.
Changbai made a closing statement. The first line reads: There are traitors inside, and the fighting will is not firm enough. The second line reads: There are powerful enemies outside, who are cunning and fierce. The horizontal banner reads: It's thundering and raining, so everyone should quickly put away their clothes, wash up, and go to bed.
Xiao Changdong, who was beside his legs, gently rubbed the red envelope he had just stuffed into his hand. The rustling sound of the banknotes inside euphemistically expressed the deep affection of his new sixth brother-in-law. He couldn't help but say, "But, big brother, you didn't help to block the door just now!"
Although those few did not work hard enough, they at least did their job. They were nothing like Changbai who just stood aside pretending to be a door god.
Changbai still cupped his hands as he spoke slowly, "Because I accepted a painting of 'Fishing on the Wu River' by Qian Xiuzhi that your sixth brother-in-law sent me."
"Ah?!" Changdong opened his mouth wide and stammered, "Then, then...you also mentioned my brothers-in-law..."
Changbai, with a serious expression, admonished his younger brother, "I accepted the painting, so I can't stop you. What does it have to do with them whether I tell them or not? Dong'er, you must remember that when dealing with people, you must distinguish between right and wrong."
After saying this, he turned around calmly and left slowly, his clothes fluttering in the wind, showing the elegance of the black-robed young men of the Wei and Jin dynasties.
Changdong stayed behind, his face full of admiration.
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