Having made up her mind, Minglan felt a sudden sense of relief, and she immediately, with a smile, told Rong Jie'er to go back. Sending one's children to school is just a matter of registering and paying; but in this shabby place with all the red tape, there's also all sorts of hassles involved.
At the dinner table that day, Minglan talked about this matter with the girl's father. She had carefully listed out five chapters and twelve sections in her mind, and was ready to explain to Gu Tingye the importance of sending Rong Jie'er to school from all angles from four aspects and six levels, such as "teenagers need an environment of peers to improve their personality." However, as soon as she started the proposal report, Gu Tingye dismissed her with five light words.
"You decide."
The man wiped the corner of his mouth gracefully, rinsed his mouth, washed his hands, then raised his hand and touched Minglan's face which had become much plumper recently. His eyes curved into a beautiful arc with satisfaction, "You continue eating, I'll go to discuss matters." Then he smiled gently, brushed off his robe, turned around and strode to the outer study.
To Gu Tingye, this was a perfect example of "knowing people well and employing them wisely, trusting them." However, to Minglan, it was clearly irresponsible and despicable (what, because I'm not favored, my daughter won't be close to me?). Perhaps it was the dry autumn air, and Minglan was inexplicably angry. That night, at bedtime, she turned her back to her husband. Unaware of this, Gu Tingye returned in the middle of the night. He casually put his arm around her waist and pressed against her back. Her skin was smooth and soft, her back was petite and graceful. He rubbed his chin against her, feeling the touch so pleasant that he nibbled on it a few times before falling asleep. A good sleep indeed.
The next morning, Danju was shocked to find several neat circles of teeth marks on Minglan's shoulders, neatly arranged in a military formation. She immediately looked at the mirror on the dressing table and wanted to complain on the spot, but then she remembered Fang Mama's warning, swallowed her anger, and gritted her teeth to help Minglan get dressed.
Minglan, who was also completely unaware of the situation, did not notice it. She just felt that her clothes were a little prickly on the back, but she did not think much of it. After breakfast, she saw that the sun was shining brightly outside and thought it was a blessing from God. She happily ordered Danju to go to the warehouse to find some high-quality leathers and four seasonal gift boxes, and asked the doorman to get a carriage and set off.
The late autumn sun wasn't too strong, but rather warm enough to make one drowsy. Before Minglan could even fall asleep in the carriage again, she finally reached the Zheng residence in the middle and back section of Lianou Hutong. Little Shen had just finished sewing and was feeling rather bored. When she heard Minglan was coming, she happily rushed to the front of the courtyard to greet her. "The sun is rising from the west today? You're so surprised you're willing to come and see me."
Minglan had no choice but to break her fantasy and said with a chuckle, "The sun still rises in the east. I've come to see your sister-in-law for something."
Little Shen was horrified: "You came to see my sister-in-law?!"
Her expression and voice fully demonstrated the ferocity of Madam Zheng.
Before they could say a few more words, a maid came hurriedly from behind and said clearly, "Greetings, Second Madam. The First Madam heard that the wife of the Marquis of Ningyuan had arrived, and has already placed tea and fruit in the hall. She invites you and the Second Madam to come over."
Little Shen had no choice but to put aside her doubts and walked inside with Minglan's arm around her. Minglan took the opportunity to whisper in her ear, "Weren't you still the 'Second Wife' a few days ago? How come you've been promoted to a higher rank now?" Little Shen tilted her head and whispered, "My eldest nephew is talking about marriage. This family will soon have a new daughter-in-law."
After a few steps, they arrived at the door, where Madam Zheng stood tall. Minglan was a little frightened by her solemn demeanor, so she quickly put on a smile and stepped forward to bow. Madam Zheng also politely returned the greeting. After exchanging pleasantries, they sat down.
With the eldest sister-in-law at her side, Little Shen sat upright, not daring to laugh or joke. She just kept winking at Minglan. The Gu and Zheng families were not familiar with each other, and after a few words, they ran out of things to say. Madam Zheng sat quietly, neither asking Minglan why she came, nor telling her to let Minglan and Little Shen go shopping on their own. The atmosphere was a little cold.
Minglan wasn't flustered. Having dealt with her elder brother, Changbai, she knew that such silent and solemn people were often talented individuals. They might not talk much, but they were clear-headed and insightful. Rather than beating around the bush, she decided to get straight to the point. Taking a deep breath, she said, "To be honest, Minglan, I came here today to ask for a favor."
Madam Zheng did not even raise her eyebrows as she put down her teacup without a word and stared at Minglan.
Minglan tried to sound sincere as she continued, "I have a daughter, eight years old this year. Although innocent and pure, she's unlearned in writing, much less in the ways of the world. I felt it would be a shame to let her education be delayed like this, so I decided to teach her some lessons. Yesterday, I overheard some of my sisters talking about it when they came home, and I heard that your daughter was also going to a private school. So, Minglan has decided to send my daughter to school as well. I'll need your help, Madam."
After these words, Xiao Shen was surprised at first. What did she mean by "having a daughter"? Minglan had been married for less than a year, and even the first wife had been married only three or four years before. This eight-year-old girl was definitely a concubine's daughter. Thinking of Gu Tingye having a daughter before marriage, she couldn't help but feel contempt in her heart. She suppressed a frown, but she was surprised that Minglan would actually come to her sister-in-law for help on this matter.
Madam Zheng was also slightly startled, but her expression remained unchanged as she said, "The Ningyuan Marquisate is a long-established family, so prestigious and reputable. How dare I show off my skills in front of them? Why don't you hire a female teacher yourself?"
Minglan knew this question would come up, so she answered immediately, "Madam, you don't know. There are only two girls in my family right now: my own girl and my eldest sister-in-law's niece. It wouldn't be nice to mobilize so many people just for two girls. Secondly…" She smiled, "To be honest, I'm young and don't know many people. How can I know of a female teacher with high moral character and good learning? Even if I did, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to hire one."
Madam Zheng raised a hint of disapproval and said calmly, "It's better to have a large family when you're at home. If you had known this would happen, why would you have rushed to divide the family?"
Minglan's heart skipped a beat, but she didn't hesitate for a moment. Her voice was as clear as jade: "A prosperous family is good, but it also requires unity of mind. Otherwise, it's just like chanting sutras in one temple, each with their own practice."
"Madam Gu is so eloquent." Madam Zheng's expression remained indifferent, as if she hadn't wavered. "I've long heard that Madam is sharp-tongued. After speaking with you today, I can see that her reputation is truly well-deserved. No wonder even your Madam has to avoid your sharp edge."
Minglan's chest surged with anger. She knew that the old white flower's reputation of the past twenty years wasn't earned in vain. He must have been putting on a show these days. She tried her best to suppress her anger and after a moment, she calmed down. "Madam, although we are not familiar with each other, I have always respected you as a person. I believe that the school you can trust your daughter to must be excellent. That's why I was so lazy and shamelessly came to your house, hoping to let my child borrow your influence. This is one of my reasons."
Flattery never wears thin. As expected, after these words were spoken, Madam Zheng's expression brightened slightly, and she seemed to soften a little. The next words were the most important. Minglan continued, "As for what Madam has heard..."
She slowed her breathing and looked up to meet Madam Zheng's eyes. "When Minglan was young, she followed her grandmother to worship Buddha and firmly believed in the cycle of cause and effect. In life, if you dare to do something, you should dare to take responsibility for it. No matter who makes a mistake, there will be a place on earth or in hell where they will receive their due retribution. No one should cry out for injustice. Minglan can take this seriously!"
You could hear a pin drop in the room, and Xiao Shen even breathed softly. The words were vague, but at least she understood them.
Madam Zheng looked at Minglan for a moment before her lips softened. This was the first expression Minglan had seen on her face today: "Why don't you repay evil with kindness?"
Minglan's voice was soft, but her eyes were firm: "If we repay evil with kindness, how can we repay kindness? Only by repaying kindness with kindness, can we know that there is good and evil in the world."
Madam Zheng sighed slightly and stopped talking, but her expression was completely different from the indifference just now.
Minglan frowned and said slowly, "And that girl, there are things I can do or not do. A drop of water falling from a leaf is but a drop of sweet dew to an ant. A simple gesture of someone's hand can change the fate of another. Minglan isn't particularly kind, she's simply doing what needs to be done to find peace of mind."
If Rong Jie'er was gentle by nature, perhaps she wouldn't have to worry so much. She could just be well educated and find a good family. But unfortunately, she was wild and stubborn, and if she wasn't careful, she could easily go astray.
Madam Zheng stared at her without blinking, but she saw Minglan's sincere voice and calm eyes. Her face, which had been as hard as an iceberg for thousands of years, finally showed signs of melting. After a while, she said gently, "Everyone says you are very knowledgeable. Why don't you teach the children yourself?"
Seeing her expression, Minglan knew that the matter could be accomplished, so she smiled mischievously: "Madam, are you not well educated?" Xiao Shen once said that her elder sister-in-law, who was like a living devil, was also very talented before she got married.
Madam Zheng finally smiled. She knew Minglan's concerns. This kind of mother who was not just a good stepmother was actually real and trustworthy.
She shook her head helplessly. "Forget it, forget it. I'll take care of it. The girls' school is right behind my eldest uncle's house. The principal lecturer is my eldest cousin's sister-in-law. It was originally run in my hometown in Xunyang."
"Xunyang?" Minglan's eyes lit up. "But the one known as 'Master Xue'?"
Madam Zheng smiled and said, "It's her."
This Ms. Xue was once a talented woman famous in the capital. After she became a widow at a young age, she despised the attitude of her husband's relatives, so she relied on the support of her natal family, and supported her family with her son, running a school and managing the housework.
When she taught girls, she didn't just teach them the classics. She also covered medicine, astrology, finance, housekeeping, law, and even the ways of the world. As time went by, she became quite successful in Xunyang and gained a certain reputation.
It wasn't until a few years ago, when her son became an official and married, that she finally stopped studying and began to enjoy a comfortable life at home. Piers said her daughter-in-law was one of her former favorite students, and because she had personally taught her, the relationship between them was extremely harmonious.
When Minglan was at the Sheng family, she had heard the old lady mention this woman and praised her highly.
Little Shen was silent for a long time, but finally she had a chance to speak out. Seeing that her eldest sister-in-law's mood had improved, she came to add some information, smiling: "She was originally in Xunyang. However, her son was sent far away, and they were worried that his mother would be tired from the journey, so they didn't let her go with him. The Xue family couldn't bear to separate their son and his wife, so they simply asked their daughter-in-law to go with him. My eldest uncle's family has many girls and is in need of someone to train them. Seeing this opportunity, my eldest sister-in-law quickly invited her to the capital to look after them between the sisters, so that Master Xue could rest assured. There are also music masters and needlework masters."
Minglan was delighted, clapping her hands and laughing. "This is truly incredible luck. Minglan would like to thank Madam so much." Then she remembered something else, and, taking advantage of the situation, she said, "I have a niece at home. Would she be able to come along?"
In ancient times, information was not well developed and the reputation of a good teacher had to be spread by word of mouth. Even Mr. Zhuang was difficult to invite, let alone a female teacher who was ten times more remote and unpopular. It was even rarer.
Madam Zheng smiled and said, "At most one more. If there are more, it will tire Madam Xue."
"Thank you very much. I will tell my sister-in-law when I get home. She will definitely be happy." Minglan smiled happily like a child.
The atmosphere remained harmonious, and the three chatted and laughed for a while. Minglan said her goodbyes, and Little Shen came out to see her off. On the way, she said with a feigned anger, "You are so brave, Gu Shengshi! You even fooled my sister-in-law!"
After being out for so long, Minglan was truly exhausted. She said weakly, "If your sister-in-law doesn't understand, it would be useless for me to talk her out of it. Sigh...some things are not good to argue about, and not to argue is not good either. It's really a headache."
Little Shen knew a little about the situation from her brother, and said sincerely, "Don't worry, people are not all blind. We can't just follow what others say." Minglan curled her lips, "Not necessarily."
After getting on the carriage, Danju quickly placed the heated cushion behind Minglan's waist. Seeing Minglan's exhausted face, she couldn't help but say with concern, "The Zheng family's eldest lady, too. Why are you talking like that? It makes it seem like we're in the wrong."
"That's not surprising." Minglan narrowed her eyes, her voice soft and gentle, as if she were talking to herself, "I've thought of this a long time ago, and today I finally found the opportunity..."
She knew what the lady did and said outside, but it was difficult for her to fight back.
Most of the women in the Gu family's long-standing friendships had already established friendships, some deep and some shallow, with the Grand Madam. They'd been friends for decades, and yet you, a newly arrived concubine's daughter, were actually the Marquis's wife. There were probably many who were jealous and resentful. Why would they trust and respect you?
Besides, the lady didn't say anything explicitly. She only needed to act aggrieved to win sympathy. If she also mentioned some family affairs incompletely, it would be even easier to cause misunderstanding.
A partial fact is still a fact. She hadn't said a single bad word, so how could Minglan refute it? After all, her stepmother was still her elder. Defending her stepmother frantically and refuting the Madam's words would only make people think Minglan was an arrogant person with no sense of etiquette. But she couldn't just leave it alone. If the criticism really accumulated and became devastating, it would be a disaster.
So, this is a difficult matter.
Instead of trying to plug the loophole, it's better to find another way to attack. Minglan thought about it for half a month before vaguely thinking of Madam Zheng. But she couldn't just go to her house and tell her, as it would seem too purposeful and contrived. Now she had an opportunity.
First, she came from a well-off family, both her parents' and her husband's families being prominent and prestigious. Second, her character and virtue were renowned throughout the capital. Third, she had a unique personality and was not known for her small talk, so few could be her friends. If such a renowned Beijing noblewoman acknowledged her, wouldn't Minglan have achieved twice the result with half the effort?!
The most important thing is that the two families have the same stance, and Mrs. Zheng is clear-headed. Through various channels, she can obtain some inside information about the Gu Mansion, which makes it very likely that she will be able to convince the other party.
Minglan felt reassured after her initial victory today. In this world, socializing isn't just about being nice, being friendly, and calling each other sisters. She'll have her own circle, and more friends to speak for her.
No introductions to her social circles? No problem, she's not interested. She'll just walk on her own two feet, steadily moving forward, carving out her own path.
The carriage swayed slightly, and she closed her eyes, almost falling asleep again due to exhaustion.
Before she fell asleep, she suddenly thought that it was unfair to say that she was a lazy bum who only loved to sleep. She had a good salary and she didn't sleep all the time. Work should be a combination of work and rest. If she was too meticulous and calculating every day, she would die early.
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