After seeing Gu Tingye off, Minglan listened to the housekeepers' reports: the wall between the two mansions had been demolished, and the construction could begin as soon as the wood and bricks and tiles arrived... The monthly salary had been paid, and there were some discrepancies in a few accounts... The cotton fabrics had been purchased, and the purchasing department asked Minglan to check the goods. The needlework department said that they could start making winter clothes for the mansion tomorrow... The kitchen staff at the construction site outside came to report their accounts... There were also people who came to check the cards as usual. There were a lot of miscellaneous things, and Minglan patiently dealt with them one by one.
With a quick glance, I saw Danju sitting by the window checking accounts. She had become more and more skilled at using an abacus over the years, and she could check several accounts in no time.
Liao Yong's wife is well-known and has already found some good young men suitable for marriage. She has already made some decisions: there are well-off families, farm families with abundant land, and stewards from the mansion who are looking for marriage partners for their sons. They all have people to serve them after they get married. After the New Year, the shopkeepers from outside will also gather in Beijing. Then she will see if there are any promising young men or those with ambitious sons.
Minglan was having a headache thinking about it, so she wanted to ask Danju for her personal opinion, but she blushed with shame and turned away. When she was caught and questioned, she got angry on the spot and refused to pay attention to anyone out of spite.
"It's your fault, madam. How can a girl speak on her own about her son-in-law and marriage?" Mother Cui said with a smile.
Minglan wrinkled her tender cheeks. "It's okay to tell me. Otherwise, how would I know what kind of person she likes? Someone who's gentle, straightforward, steady and down-to-earth, or someone who can joke and be considerate? This is a lifelong thing, why should she be embarrassed?"
What if their personalities don't match after marriage? Uh... maybe she's just overthinking it.
"Back then, the old lady was just as busy worrying about the servants. Now that Madam has learned everything, the servants in this mansion are truly blessed." Mother Cui's eyes were gentle, and she looked at Minglan with even more affection. Minglan had no experience, and fearing she would miss out on Danju, she asked Mother Cui for help with matchmaking. Judging by the marriages she had found for her own nieces, she seemed quite capable.
"Don't worry, ma'am. I raised her and Xiaotao. Ma'am has given me some instructions, and I'm just reflecting on myself," said Mother Cui.
After Madam Cui left, Minglan reclined on the Xiangfei couch, holding a scroll of accounts as if she were a collection of poetry, her brow furrowed in a daze. Qin Sang was the most worry-free and effortless. A while ago, her family had come all the way from the countryside, begging the steward to pass on a message to Minglan, saying that Qin Sang was old enough to marry, and begging the master to show mercy and redeem her daughter. Minglan readily summoned someone to meet them.
Qin Sang's parents and elder brother all looked like kind people, dressed simply and cleanly. They walked into the house trembling with fear, and when they saw Minglan, they knelt down and kowtowed, crying bitterly, which scared Minglan.
Minglan asked them what kind of family they had found for her daughter, and was relieved to learn that the man's character and family background were good.
"...God has been merciful and has blessed me with a noble family. I've been well fed and well clothed, and even been allowed to learn to read and write." Qin Sang's mother's face, wrinkled and red from the sun, was filled with humble gratitude, simple and kind. "Madam and the old lady of the Sheng family have been so kind and generous. We will remember this life and repay them in the next."
She repeatedly explained that selling her daughter was out of her choice. The separation of flesh and blood, and the uncertainty of where her daughter would end up or what would become of her, left the family feeling like they were simmering in agony. Qin Sang's father and brother were both honest, unassuming farmers, not very talkative. They wept and kowtowed, and only after much persuasion did they rise, hesitatingly standing aside.
When Minglan said they didn't need to pay for her freedom, the three of them all knelt down in unison, prostrating themselves in gratitude. They wept and thanked her profusely, kowtowed profusely. Minglan had never been kowtowed to so much in her life, and her scalp tingled. After a few more casual words, she quickly sent someone downstairs to speak to her daughter. With Minglan's words, Qin Sang's family thanked her profusely and returned home to prepare Qin Sang's boudoir and the wedding. They would be ready by the middle of next year when they came to pick her up.
"I wonder what kind of family he's found for me? What kind of character he has?" Minglan rested her head on the pillow and talked to herself.
Luzhi came in holding two pillows that had just been sun-bathed and were fragrant. Hearing this, she smiled and said, "Don't worry, Madam. Before you got married, didn't you let Qin Sang go back to visit her family? She asked my mother and me to accompany her and went to see her herself."
Minglan was slightly surprised: "Qin Sang has already seen it herself?"
"Who says it's not?" Luzhi tucked the warm, soft pillow under Minglan's waist and said with a smile, "That guy is a wealthy family in the village. The whole family is kind. They have a lot of land and tenants. He's also handsome."
"Silly girls, she's willing to talk to you, but she's like a clam that keeps its mouth shut in front of me!" Minglan felt a little relieved, and then whispered, "...I wonder if people will dislike her for being a maid." She sold herself at a young age and had been in the capital for nearly ten years. She wasn't familiar with her parents and brothers, and she didn't know much about her marriage. Minglan was unable to do anything about it.
Luzhi laughed and exclaimed, "What are you talking about, Madam? They know she was a personal maid to a daughter of an official family in the capital, and now she's been accepted into the Marquis's mansion as a maid. And look at our Qin Sang's demeanor and manners. She's not pretentious, but honest and kind. They all like her like nothing else. And you still dislike her? You think she's one of those sour scholars from the outer courtyard!"
Minglan glared at her, knowing exactly who she was referring to. Luzhi was a capable and straightforward girl, a decent person, but she lacked a certain leniency and was known for her sharp tongue. Ruomei, on the other hand, was also a person who refused to give up. The two of them were constantly at loggerheads, but fearing their master's anger and reprimand, they never dared to bicker openly, only competing in secret and denying any conflict between them like children, which was both infuriating and amusing.
My brain has been getting less and less useful recently. I just got up early in the morning, but I'm sleepy again. Minglan dozed off on the couch with her head drooping. Luzhi was tidying up when she realized that there was no sound while she was talking. When she looked up and saw this, she smiled to herself, tucked the thin quilt in for Minglan, and tiptoed out.
I slept so soundly that my whole body ached and I was in a dark and endless dream. It was not until the middle of the night that I regained consciousness. Danju came in just in time, lifting the door curtain. She said with a smile, "A guest has arrived. Madam, please get up quickly."
…
"We just came out of the palace. We were afraid of making mistakes because we followed the rules, so we dared not move. We came to you to ask for a cup of tea." Little Shen had charming cheeks, smiled brightly, and her voice was as clear and youthful as a silver bell.
The waterside pavilion was filled with tea, fruits and snacks. It was autumn, and the water on the pond was shimmering. There were a few red-leaf trees transplanted from the West Mountain planted by the pond. A slight breeze blew by, and a few bright red petals fell sparsely, some dotted the yellow-green dry grass, and some floated on the rippling clear water, which was really refreshing.
"You're still following the rules? You don't dare to move?" Madam Geng, who was sitting nearby peeling oranges, glared. "From childhood to adulthood, whether you were climbing hills or rolling in mud, the Empress wouldn't even touch you. How dare you say that?"
Little Shen smiled happily, frowning, "Isn't the Empress Dowager here today? If Queen Shan were here, you'd be so sullen. My sister is such a kind and tolerant person. She's never been too restrictive." Turning to Minglan, she smiled, "They've been standing for over an hour, and I see they're all tired, so I suggested they come to your place to rest. What do you think? Don't be unhappy."
Hearing this, Minglan smiled bitterly and said, "I am honored that you, Madam Zheng, have taken a liking to my humble home. I feel honored to be here. Please feel free to come and don't be polite." Little Shen did not answer, but just smiled complacently.
People were walking around in the pavilion, and seven or eight maids were carrying hot water to wash their towels.
Madam Duan took the warm handkerchief from the maid and handed it to Madam Geng, her eyes kind and gentle. "Hurry up and wipe your neck. You've been sweating so much that your makeup has all smudged, making you look ridiculous. You might as well just wash your face."
"Thank you so much. Why don't you wash it too?" Mrs. Geng took the handkerchief generously, pressed her shoulders and neck, and asked the maid to wrap a towel around her chest. Another maid held a mirror and a basin, and carefully washed her face and put on makeup for her.
Mrs. Duan thought about it and said generously, "That's fine." She also sat down with her back bent, lowered her head and asked someone to help her wash.
Mrs. Zhong, standing by, watched the maids serve with respect and grace, their movements smooth and skillful, their movements silent, only the rustling of clothes. Pressing a wet handkerchief to her forehead, she turned to Minglan and said, "I was about to say this the last time I came to see you: even if you have a servant, you're better off than the maids I have in my room." Her eyes swept over the pleasant-looking girls, and a smile crossed her slender face. "She's beautiful, she's talented, and she's even better behaved."
Minglan grumbled slightly, pretending to be pleased, and said with a smile, "Sister Zhong is so sweet, and her words make people feel very happy. I have a few baskets of fresh bamboo shoots just sent from the mountains. I hope you can bring some back to try later."
Mrs. Zhong laughed, and before she could say anything, Little Shen interrupted, "You're such a soft-hearted person! When people say something nice to you, you're so happy. But we, who are dumb at speaking, have no chance at all."
"Yes, yes, yes. Whoever sees it gets a share. Isn't that enough?" Minglan quickly waved her hands and begged for mercy, looking like she was being robbed. Xiao Shen and Mrs. Zhong laughed together.
Madam Geng had already washed her face and was now tilting her head to have someone put on her hairpins, rings, bracelets, and necklaces. Finally finding a moment to speak, she quickly said, "A while ago, I went to a few human traffickers again, asking for this and that good maid. It turned out to be a complete joke! They say that the best maids in respectable and wealthy families are all trained from a young age, their character and morals observed along the way, and only after a few years are they picked out for the young masters and young ladies. Alas... I just hope to find a few capable, well-mannered nuns to slowly train them."
Everyone burst into laughter at her funny story, and little Shen was especially amused, clinging to the armrests of her chair and shaking her shoulders. Madam Duan suppressed her laughter and quipped, "Why bother looking for it? You're the worst scoundrel yourself!"
Duan Chengqian and his wife both came from famous families in Shu. Although they were from a side branch, they had received all the necessary education and knew all the necessary rules. This time, when they followed their husband to the capital, the relatives from both her husband's family and her mother's family sent many useful family members, which made the journey smooth.
After laughing for a while, Mrs. Geng frowned again and sighed, "Coming to the capital, there's nothing much else to worry about except that it's hard to make ends meet, so I've been trying to buy help from everywhere. But the older ones, the smart ones, are too cunning, the honest ones are too stupid, and the younger ones are hard to get their hands on. The capital has its own rules. Last time I hosted a banquet, I made mistakes here and there, and it was almost a joke."
"I'm afraid your standards are too high, sister. You buy and sell girls five or six times a month. It's not that difficult. Although it's not very good, it's okay." Mrs. Zhong lowered her eyes to look at the lake and said softly.
Madam Geng curled her lips and snorted, "Could it be that that scheming, troublesome vixen has corrupted the young masters?!"
"It's common for a man to have three wives and four concubines. You are almost old enough to find a wife, but you are still so depressed." Mrs. Zhong smiled half-truthfully.
It is said that General Zhong and Comrade Lao Geng were as close as brothers and had a deep sense of loyalty to each other. After they got married, Zhong Dayou couldn't stand the miserable look of his good brother being bullied by his wife, and even Mrs. Zhong would often make sarcastic remarks about him in front of Mrs. Geng.
"Alright, alright, you're here again!" Seeing that Mrs. Geng was about to lose her temper again, Mrs. Duan quickly came to smooth things over. "What's the point of a woman serving dishes? You have to wait for the man to accept your words. Every family has its own way of living. Just keep quiet!"
This topic was a generational issue, and it was difficult for the childless young wife to interrupt. Minglan and Xiao Shenshi simultaneously covered their faces with their tea bowls and sipped their tea in silence. Minglan pretended to be timid for a long time before remembering that she was the host today and couldn't just play dumb. She cleared her throat and changed the subject: "Why did you take so long to come to the palace to express your gratitude this time?"
The last time she went to thank him, it only took half an hour, which included the intermission and commercial breaks.
There were rules for expressing gratitude. Except for major celebrations during the year, people could not enter the palace in a large group on ordinary days, as it would disturb the tranquility of the palace. They had to come in batches. As a newly-appointed first-rank lady, Minglan received additional imperial gifts during the festival. She was able to be among the first group to enter the palace, happily basking in the emperor's grace, and incidentally making a cameo appearance in a soap opera.
He was supposed to be summoned the next day, but... uh, a small accident happened.
"What else could it be? The one in Yining Palace has been unhappy these past few days." Madam Geng was straightforward and spoke quickly. "The ladies above are holding the line. How dare we move? We've been standing there for quite a while."
Mrs. Zhong blew the tea leaves politely: "Geng family sister, please be careful with your words."
"Why be so cautious? When you left the palace, your face was longer than the face of the horse tied to the front of the carriage!" Mrs. Geng snorted coldly.
Mrs. Zhong's face flushed and Mrs. Duan coughed repeatedly.
Minglan almost sighed, turned to Xiao Shen and said, "What happened? I haven't been out for the past few days, so I don't know anything... Is it convenient for you to tell me?" She deliberately lowered her voice for the last sentence.
Little Shen has been in high spirits lately. Upon hearing this, she said proudly, "What's there to be ashamed of? The Emperor has already issued an edict this morning, finalizing everything. There are two thousand palace maids in the palace."
"This is a good thing, it benefits the country and the people." Minglan smiled happily. Half of the palace was empty, which could save a lot of expenses.
Madam Duan nodded gently, her tone gentle, "It's indeed a good thing. Those low-ranking palace maids have been waiting for their old age in vain, with no place to go for their whole lives. Those who have family to rely on are fine, but most of them are still pitiful in their old age. The Emperor is wise, and the Empress Dowager and the Empress are kind and magnanimous. It is truly a blessing from heaven for the harmony between the people and the country."
"But this time, it's not just the low-ranking palace maids who are released." Madam Geng lowered her voice, her eyes shining with excitement.
Minglan smiled, revealing two cute little white teeth: "Of course, how can we gather two thousand low-ranking palace maids? If that were the case, then there would be no one to do the rough work in the palace." The normal and reasonable way to lay off employees should be to cut a little from each level.
Mrs. Zhong couldn't help but laugh. The face of the girl she called Minglan flashed. She often saw this childish and cunning smile on her five-year-old daughter's face. She laughed and said, "The Empress said that now that they are using troops to repair the river, money is needed everywhere. Not only will the palace staff be reduced, but the number of palace masters will also have to be reduced. From the Emperor and Empress to the concubines, as well as the princes and princesses, only a certain number of palace maids will be retained. The rest will be dismissed. Of course, the same applies to the two Empress Dowagers."
"But... aren't the maids and eunuchs in Yining Palace the most..." Minglan was a little confused, and her heart moved. As a senior palace leader, Empress Dowager Shengde had far more people around her than the newly appointed Empress Dowager Sheng'an and the Emperor and Empress.
"Who said it wasn't?" Mrs. Geng's tone was full of gloating.
"The Queen Mother... agreed?" Minglan was surprised and timid.
"I heard there's been a debate in the court for a few days," Madam Duan said softly. "But now the treasury is empty, and the audit of the silver hasn't yielded any results. The Emperor is willing to voluntarily cut palace expenses. How many people dare to speak out against it? Besides, the two Empress Dowagers can already retain the most people, more than the Emperor himself."
Minglan felt relieved and could not speak for a long time, she just stood there frozen. The emperor's move was really cruel.
The pavilion was quiet for a while before Xiao Shen spoke.
"The Yining Palace has been bustling with activity these past few days. Several beauties are particularly attached to their mistress, crying and shouting, unwilling to leave the palace. They're practically dying." Her voice was so brisk that it seemed to fly. "This morning, the Imperial Household Department went to Yining Palace with an imperial decree to pick up someone. Oh, and first among them were those two charming ladies—" she drawled happily. "But didn't the Empress Dowager say the other day, 'They're getting old, and it's not good to delay them.' Now their wish has come true."
The pavilion fell silent again. After a while, Minglan said quietly, "I wonder who they will marry?" Why did she keep worrying about this problem today?
Madam Geng was extremely indignant towards any woman who aspired to be a concubine. She sneered, "What else can life be like? Working, giving birth, and taking care of the household. Every woman has lived this way. As long as you are willing to live a good life and don't have any evil intentions, you will be safe and sound. If you can get a chance to marry a woman in the palace, it won't be too bad. Otherwise, hmph..."
This "hum" was extremely powerful, and it probably violated the provisions of the Marriage Law regarding the prohibition of domestic violence.
Speaking of which, even if we were to truly arrive in the far northern borderlands, becoming the wife of a minor military officer wouldn't yield any significant results. If she were an ordinary woman content with her life, that would be a good thing. But if she were one of those extraordinary women who measured happiness by material possessions and took it upon themselves to manipulate the powerful, then it would be hard to say. Furthermore... Minglan glanced quickly at Xiao Shen. If she were to come out, the marriages of those special women would no longer be decided by the palace.
Mrs. Duan smiled and chatted about some more family matters, and the atmosphere became harmonious again. After talking for a while, Minglan invited them to lunch and said with a smile, "The Marquis said he wouldn't be back today. Let's set up a table of delicious food and some game from the mountains. Let's just have some wine."
The invitation was sincere, but who knew they all declined.
"No, no," Mrs. Duan waved her hands repeatedly, laughing heartily. "I know your food is delicious, but I have something to do this afternoon, so I have to go back." Mrs. Zhong smiled and said, "That's right. I just arrived at the palace today, and everyone at home is waiting to hear news. I have to go back." Mrs. Geng also said, "Next time, when your garden is finished, we can choose a date and have some drinks together."
Minglan smiled, turned to look at Xiao Shen, and said with a smile: "What about you? You don't have a family to take care of!"
Unexpectedly, Little Shen also shook her head and sighed heavily, "I have to go to Ziyanzhai. My little niece is going to the inner chamber school. I agreed to accompany my sister-in-law to look at the four treasures of the study for girls in the boudoir. I specially ordered a set of Qingyu."
"Oh, what a lovely sister-in-law!" Mrs. Duan said jokingly, "The Zheng family can be said to have married a virtuous daughter-in-law."
Little Shen blushed and said embarrassedly, "The eldest sister-in-law is like a mother."
What made her most depressed and speechless was that her mother-in-law was frail and kind, and not difficult to serve at all, but she had a sister-in-law who was one of the most etiquette-abiding people in the whole capital, who was taciturn and solemn, and also old; all her relatives and friends respected Madam Zheng for her dignity and virtue, and when she gave her a stern look, Xiao Shen was more afraid than seeing the emperor.
Minglan personally saw them all off, and finally said goodbye to Xiao Shen with sympathy: "You know I'm the laziest person and don't like to go out. If you're bored, come and talk to me."
"Nonsense, you lazy bum. I came to see you three times, and you got out of bed two times."
Xiao Shen was touched. She came from a remote area, and it was difficult for her to integrate into the circle of noble ladies in the capital, whether it was getting used to the accent or the rules and etiquette. She had to act reserved in front of others for fear of being laughed at, but she could relax in front of Minglan.
Minglan immediately withdrew her sympathy: "Nonsense, that's just the Xiangfei collapse."
Before Xiao Shen could even ask "Does it matter?", she asked Minglan, who had a stern face, to push the carriage forward.
After lunch, feeling somewhat irritated, Minglan decided she couldn't be too lazy, so she skipped her nap and sent for Rong Jie'er to come over so she could check on her homework. She eagerly prepared to do so, but Rong Jie was hesitant and didn't know the answer to any of her questions.
Asked about phrases from books, she couldn't answer, and the most outrageous thing was that she couldn't even answer the Twenty-Four Filial Exemplars. She stuttered and made up a few, finally getting a third of the answer. There was "tasting excrement and worrying about it," so she made up "tasting excrement and worrying about it"; there was "burying the son to serve the mother," so she made up "killing the daughter and eating the meat."
Minglan nearly collapsed. Without Sister Xian'er's encouragement and support, Sister Rong'er's grades began to decline rapidly again.
"...Maybe these things really happened." Rong Jie'er looked anxious and said in a low voice, "It's just that it hasn't been spread out."
Minglan looked at the little girl weakly, not wanting to sleep at all. Well, it's not entirely the child's fault.
She had long since discovered that Gong Hongxiao's knowledge was limited. Not only was her teaching dull, her scholarship was limited. She couldn't handle questions, and even sometimes made mistakes. Even if she had learned some in her childhood, she probably didn't have much left. Consequently, students lacked both respect for the teacher's character and admiration for her knowledge, and the teaching process naturally failed.
In fact, Minglan herself was quite capable of this task. She diligently studied the complete set of "Four Books for Women," "Rules for Women," "Biographies of Virtuous Women," "Odes of Heroic Women," and a host of other feudal tidbits that women in the boudoir should learn. She also benefited greatly from auditing Mr. Zhuang's classes.
It was more than enough to teach a little girl, but she didn't want to.
The longer they spent together, the more Minglan realized that Rong Jie'er resembled her father in nature: wild and stubborn, full of a voracious appetite for challenging established rules, and full of twisted ideas. The other day, she had been reciting the chapter "The sun is three feet high, yet I still haven't left my bed" from the Analects of Women with Rong Jie'er, and the little girl had immediately stared at her with interest.
Minglan was embarrassed for a moment, and it took a lot of effort to explain to her the importance of "learning and applying".
In her previous life, Yao Yiyi often dealt with simple-minded victims and scheming defendants. She seriously lacked experience in getting along with children. Even if she gave birth to a child now, she probably wouldn't know how to raise it; let alone this illegitimate child?
After thinking for a long time, Minglan was entangled in the matter. In addition to the little information she had just heard, for the sake of her own brain hygiene and mental health, and for the overall development of her child's personality, she decided to let professionals handle this problem.
"Well," Minglan let out a long sigh, "you go to school."
Sister Rong blinked her big, bright black eyes, simple and innocent, as unrefined as a wild animal.
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