The two sisters chatted for a while, and then Minglan took Hualan to Xuanzhi Garden to pay a visit to the dowager. The dowager was very polite to Hualan, speaking warmly and trying to make friends. She even praised Aunt Kang for being "gentle" and "dignified and respectful." However, Hualan immediately lost her temper and did not respond much.
In her view, her younger sister, Rulan, was driven to despair by her disgusting aunt, forcing her to abandon herself to an impoverished scholar. So what if he was a Jinshi (imperial scholar)? He still depended on the Sheng family. So what if he was an editor in the Hanlin Academy? While her cousin from the Wang family was only a scholar, he had already bought an official position thanks to his family's influence and wealth. Whether she could survive into the Wen family was another matter, and who knew how long it would take. She couldn't compare to the Wang family's immense wealth and connections. If she wanted to do business, she had the connections. If she wanted to become an official, she had the family connections.
The Kang family is like a piece of taffy to the Sheng family, who both want to take advantage and love to burn bridges after crossing them. Yuan Wenshao finally got a horse-breeding business with a ranch outside the city, but Wang was quick to speak and Aunt Kang wanted to join in the deal, which made Hualan so angry that she fell backwards - these days, even her own mother can't express her feelings.
Seeing that Hualan was not feeling hot, the lady said a few words and then left unhappily.
After Minglan sent Hualan out, she got off the sedan chair seeing that the weather was fine today and walked slowly back to the house. Lvzhi beside her kept nagging, "Madam is in heavy condition now, why did she walk so far?" Xia He said softly, "Don't worry, sister, I'm counting. Madam has only walked about 300 steps. It's okay." Minglan couldn't help laughing when she heard this. Six months is the most stable time for pregnant women. Not to mention walking a few steps, even squeezing into the bus is generally no problem.
As they walked, they were nearing Jiaxi Residence. Minglan, too lazy to say anything beforehand, continued her pace. From a distance, she could hear what sounded like an argument inside the courtyard. Startled, Minglan glanced at the two maids beside her. Xia He and Lu Zhi were also surprised. Jiaxi Residence had always been a harmonious place, and lately, with Minglan pregnant, even arguments had been rare.
Cai Huan's sweet voice came from inside: "...Sister Danju, Sister Xia Yu is young after all. She just broke some small things, and you're shouting and calling for her to be beaten and killed. Not to mention reporting to the Madam and having her monthly salary deducted, even a beating would be too much. I think you're too harsh."
Hearing this voice, Minglan inadvertently curled the corners of her lips slightly. This girl has become quite lively recently.
Danju's voice was faintly angry: "Xia Yu is in charge of daily utensils. She just knocked over a Ru kiln bowl and plate yesterday, and just now she smashed a jade porcelain beauty gourd. These are not ordinary bowls and plates, they are all valuable items. Shouldn't she be punished?"
Cai Huan laughed crisply: "Oh, sister Danju, whether this is valuable or not depends on the place. If it were an ordinary family, these things would naturally not be affordable. But we are a family of this size, and these things are nothing special. If no one points it out, I'm afraid Madam won't care, right?"
Then came Xia Yu's flattering and low voice: "Sister Danju, I've told you long ago that I've always been careless and can't handle the work of managing utensils, but you just didn't listen, and now..."
Danju's voice, suppressed with anger, said, "You're such a smooth talker! When I asked you to sweep the floor, you said you were the first one chosen by Madam Chang and you didn't want to do rough work. When I asked you to be on duty, you said you couldn't sit or stand all the time. What exactly do you want to do?"
"Hehe, is there any need to say more? Of course she wants to go into the room and serve the master and the mistress closely?" This was Xiao Cuixiu's clever voice, "Bah, is she worthy?!" Then there was laughter all around.
Xia Yu was so anxious that she kept saying, "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare. My job is to clean clothes, bedding and other delicate things. If Sister Danju asked me to do that job, I would definitely not make any mistakes."
Caihuan was still there, saying slowly, "Danju, when you first assigned the tasks, didn't you think carefully about it?"
Minglan, who was obedient outside the door, frowned slightly. She never liked strangers touching her underwear. In addition, couples often have to deal with family matters after marriage, and things like bedding are the easiest to cause gossip. Xia He is cautious, Xia Zhu is honest, and they were all bought from outside. They have no relatives or friends in the mansion. Apart from Danju and Xiaotao, Minglan never lets anyone else touch her clothes.
Luzhi, standing beside Minglan, was already furious, eager to jump out and curse. Minglan glanced at Xia He, who was smart and immediately stepped forward and shouted, "What are you arguing about? Can't you see the lady is here?"
The courtyard quickly became quiet. Minglan walked slowly past the crowd without saying a word. The maids all bowed their heads and dared not speak. After Minglan entered the house, a moment later, Luzhi came out and called Danju and Caihuan in.
Danju looked ashamed, and when she saw Minglan, she stammered, "Madam, it's all my fault. I didn't take good care of her..." Minglan interrupted her quickly, "I told you before that it's important to be compassionate, but you can't indulge her blindly. From what I heard today, this is not the first time Xia Yu has acted like this. I don't know why it's so difficult to find a maid with nimble hands and feet among all the maids in the mansion. Does she have to be the one?" Danju's eyes were full of tears. She had actually wanted to punish her for a long time, but whenever she wanted to, Caihuan would come out to disrupt the situation.
In terms of seniority, she had entered the inner chambers earlier than Danju and Xiaotao, and in terms of status, she was the top maidservant to Wang Shi. Back in the Sheng family, the maids around Minglan had to flatter Wang Shi's entourage when they met them. Now that she was at the Gu residence, she was being outshone by Danju, and Caihuan naturally felt dissatisfied.
"Caihuan." Minglan called out unexpectedly, and she responded quickly.
Minglan looked kind and said with a smile, "I heard that you've been talking to Concubine Gong a lot recently."
Caihuan shuddered. She had prepared a lot of excuses, but she had never expected Minglan to say this: "This, this, what's the big deal..." Minglan didn't get angry at her quibbling, and just said lightly: "Yesterday you talked for two incense sticks by the lotus pond. Three days ago, you went to Gong Yi Niang's room to drink tea for a quarter of an hour. Six days ago, you went to Rong Jie'er to deliver new materials, and you turned back and talked for half an hour." Caihuan was sweating profusely, and her vest was quickly soaked. For some reason, her knees softened and she knelt down, saying repeatedly: "Madam, it's all because of my ignorance. I..."
Actually, breaking a few things was a minor matter, as were the quarrels between the maids. What was annoying was that Caihuan was deliberately stirring up trouble, disrupting the harmony. Minglan's smile grew even gentler, and she asked Luzhi to help her up. "Look how scared you are. What's the big deal? Concubine Gong is bored, and since you two get along well, why don't you go and chat with her often?" Caihuan's heart trembled. She was always articulate, and even though she knew it was nothing, she was still afraid.
"There are other people to take care of the affairs in the courtyard. If you have time, go and play with Aunt Gong often." Minglan said gently, but there was no smile in her eyes. Caihuan's face turned pale, and she said she didn't dare, but she couldn't say what she meant.
Minglan turned her head and glanced at Danju. Danju understood what she meant. She puffed out her chest, turned around and walked out of the house. She scolded Xia Yu loudly, and as usual, fined her monthly salary and beat her with a stick. She was also fired from her job and punished to sweep the floor.
"...I hope you won't drop even the broom handle." Danju spoke with full energy.
Listening to the cries and pleas for mercy outside, Caihuan bit her lips. Xia Yu had always been on good terms with her, and after hearing this, although she didn't dare to say anything, she felt deeply indignant in her heart.
Wang Shi didn't believe Minglan didn't know why she had been brought in as a dowry. She hadn't wanted to be married off to anyone, to be honest. Her parents were doing well in the Sheng Mansion, and she was a second-class mistress there, so why would she want to go elsewhere? But after entering the Marquis' Mansion, she saw such immense wealth and power, and saw that the new son-in-law was young and strong, and treated his wife with extreme care, and she couldn't help but feel a surge of love.
When Minglan was newly married, she didn't dare to have any thoughts. But now that she was pregnant, she wondered if she could hold them captive for half a year, even if her fingers were tight. If she wanted to give the girl a face, she would be the best choice.
Unexpectedly, day after day passed without a single movement from the Madam's room. Everyone in the Sheng family used to say that the Sixth Miss had a good temper and a gentle disposition, but they hadn't expected that to be the case. She was so jealous that even after a year with Minglan, she still wouldn't allow her to enter the main room, and wouldn't even be allowed to serve tea or clean the main room on weekdays.
Marquis Gu was a straightforward person. He never even glanced at the maids. No matter how she dressed up or put on heavy makeup, she never attracted the attention of her brother-in-law. How could she not be annoyed?
Minglan watched Caihuan respectfully leave the house, supporting her chin with her hand and thinking deeply.
Caihuan walked slowly back to her room. Just as she closed the door and took a few steps, she saw Ruomei sitting in front of her bed, looking at her coldly: "Your sister Caichai said a few good words to me in front of the lady the other day. Today I want to remind you a few words."
Before she could speak, Ruomei said coldly, "I know what you're thinking. But if you want to learn from Sister Caizan who accompanied the eldest lady, I'm afraid the Madam will give you the same advice."
Cai Huan's heart was exposed by this sentence, her face flushed red, and she complained, "What nonsense are you talking about?"
"You'd better understand!" Ruo Mei glared sarcastically. "Back then, the eldest daughter had been childless for three years and had a difficult mother-in-law, yet she only raised the hairpin. What gives you the right to do that now? Madam, can you still extend your hand so far?"
Caihuan felt a surge of embarrassment and turned her head away without saying anything. Ruomei, however, was stubborn and would say nothing if she chose not to, but if she did say something, she would finish it. She walked up to Caihuan and said firmly, "Don't think that the Madam will be afraid to punish you because of Madam. Do you know what happened between Madam You and Yancao?"
Caihuan looked at her in disbelief. Ruomei said, "Mother You is greedy and loves wine. Madam has wanted to punish her for a long time, but because she had no excuse, she endured it for a year. Finally, she had enough faults accumulated and was caught with a big flaw, so she was punished all at once! And then there was Yancao. Madam was very unhappy at that time, but she continued to treat her well because of their long-term friendship. How could Madam still want such a wicked thing, so disloyal and unrighteous? It's ridiculous! As long as you serve her well, Madam will definitely find a good marriage for you in the future."
Caihuan's face shifted several times, secretly cursing Minglan for being so kind to her. She was so shameless. With such a big belly, she still didn't care about him resting in the house with his arms around her, sometimes even getting physical. Those other women were just bullying. Except for Cui Mama, who tried to persuade them, no one dared to speak up, intimidated by their master's power. She had wanted to tell Wang Shi about this and ask her to persuade Minglan to be more virtuous and generous, but Liu Kun's wife, having benefited from Minglan's favor, blocked everything, preventing her from succeeding. How hateful!
She was unhappy and couldn't help but sneer, "You want to marry a scholar, so do you think everyone is like that? ... Even if you go out and become a wife, what's the use? If you can't stop trouble, you will still be bullied. How can it be as comfortable as staying in the mansion?"
Ruomei's face flushed red, she sneered repeatedly, said "OK" three times, turned around, opened the door and left.
In the early spring of the fourth year of Chongde's reign, even the beautiful spring sky could not shroud the gloomy atmosphere over the capital. The emperor was determined to reform and reshuffle the distribution of power, but it was extremely difficult. The imperial inspector appointed by the emperor to inspect the salt industry had not even reached the borders of Lianghuai when he was attacked twice.
First, they'd been attacked by bandits in Jizhong. Upon hearing this, Gu Tingye's eyes flashed with murderous intent, and he remarked bitterly, "If the Emperor hadn't urgently dispatched me north, we could have wiped out the bandit problem in just two months!" He'd led his troops to quell the rebellion of the two princes, marching northwards, leaving rivers of blood and countless heads tumbling, and pacifying the region in a matter of days. Minglan, as usual, cheered, wondering, "Isn't Jizhong a plain? There aren't many deep mountains or dense forests. Where did these courageous bandits come from?" She had excelled in geography in high school.
Gu Tingye's eyes were dark and unclear: "...Yes, there is not even a mountain, where do the 'bandits' come from?" His tone was full of deliberate ridicule, and there was a hint of blood.
A few days later, another report arrived from the imperial court: the imperial envoys had once again encountered bandits in Xiong County, eastern Shandong. Thanks to the desperate efforts of General Geng Jiezhong and his men, Censor Lian Zhengcheng was spared, but many of the accompanying soldiers were killed or wounded. Not long after, Comrade Geng was carried back to the capital. Before even a doctor could be summoned, he was summoned to the palace for further questioning by the emperor.
That night, Gu Tingye returned home and said in a deep voice, "This matter is indeed not simple." During the day, Madam Geng, her eyes red, had just come to ask for medicine. Minglan already understood a little, but she could only sigh, "Just to obstruct the salt administration, how dare they be so audacious?!" Gu Tingye gently stroked the black jade ring on his thumb and said sarcastically, "Money makes the world go round. Millions of taels of salt tax have been collected every year for who knows how many years." Minglan couldn't help but see a flash of silver in front of her eyes. She was lost in thought for a while before she said, "Oh, by the way, Sister Geng came here this afternoon. I gave her the two taels of tiger bones left in the warehouse."
"Well done." Gu Tingye praised, then sighed, "Old Geng's family is poor, and they don't have many relatives or friends in Beijing. Let's help as much as we can." As he was speaking, he saw the girl at the opposite table frowning slightly, so he asked, "What's wrong?"
Minglan bit her lip, hesitant, and stammered, "Actually... Sister Geng went to the Prince's Mansion first." She didn't know what to say next, and Gu Tingye's expression darkened. "Why?" His tone was chilling. Minglan sighed, "When it comes to precious medicinal herbs, the Prince's Mansion naturally has the most. Unfortunately, Madam Zhang happened to be back home today, so it was Aunt Zou who entertained the guests, and Sister Geng went home empty-handed." Gu Tingye slammed the table and said angrily, "Such a shallow woman! Brother Congxing is too...!"
He forced himself to hold back his words and let out a long sigh, "Oh, forget it!" It is difficult for an honest official to judge family affairs, and it is not easy for outsiders to say such things. He then changed the subject, "Fortunately, the emperor was wise and later sent brother Cheng Yong to lead a battalion of troops to catch up, so as to avoid a major disaster." If the salt inspector died before he could accomplish his mission, who knows how long the salt investigation would be delayed.
Seeing her husband's displeasure, Minglan went over to him, stroking his arm and gently admonishing him, "Don't be so impatient. It's not easy to get rid of all these years of accumulated problems and start anew in one day." She then said self-deprecatingly, "Forget about the affairs of the court. Even my little piece of land at home is still quite leisurely."
Gu Tingye put his palm against Minglan's belly, his eyes suddenly softened: "Don't get tired, tell me if anything happens, I will help you." Minglan was very moved, but seeing that the man's eyes were looking at her belly affectionately - she was standing and the man was sitting at this time, she was very confused whether Gu Tingye was talking to her or to the one in her belly.
The little bastard in her belly was very well behaved, generally stretching out at three times: after a nap, after dinner and a cup of tea, and around midnight. Minglan had figured out this pattern, and Gu Tingye would often come to interact with him according to the time. Sometimes, when he was talking to Mr. Gongsun, he would excuse himself to go back to his room. He loved to press his face against Minglan's belly, carefully feeling the powerful fetal movements. Minglan half leaned against the headboard, gently stroking his coarse hair. By the lamp beside him, she felt a sense of peace and warmth in her heart.
The situation outside was not good and it was a time to hire people. Given the man's fiery temper, he had already gone out to work. She knew that he was reluctant to leave Beijing for her sake.
"If... the emperor needs you,... you don't have to worry about me. There are more important things." Minglan felt as if her tongue weighed a thousand pounds. She spoke a short sentence in a stuttering and intermittent manner, with a bitter taste in her mouth; she didn't want him to leave.
Gu Tingye raised his head, his solemn face was incredibly gentle, like the sudden spring light slowly spreading in the distance across the frozen river. He stroked her belly and smiled slightly: "You are my big thing." It is the biggest thing in his life.
He stared at her intently, her eyes flickering, her soft skin gleaming with a fleeting beauty, like a fleeting flower. Her face held a dazed, lost expression, like a lost child, bewildered and even a touch distressed. As he stared intently, a sudden image of an elderly figure surfaced in his mind. Everyone said he and his son were alike, their appearance and temperament strikingly similar. But as soon as this thought crossed his mind, he felt a sense of foreboding and quickly shook the thought off.
It was raining heavily and windy outside, and he only wanted to protect her under his wings and build a warm and safe nest with all his strength, so that the wind, rain and snow would not scare her and let her live a happy and worry-free life.
By mid-April, the court struggles intensified. Several censors jointly filed a memorial accusing Weibei Marquis Shen Congxing of abusing his power for personal gain, listing eleven crimes, including appropriating civilian land, plundering by trickery, and forming an illegal clique. A mere false accusation would have been fine, but the upright and impartial Left Censor-in-Chief Liu Suyang even filed a petition to denounce the emperor. The emperor ordered Liu Zhengjie to conduct a thorough investigation, but the investigation revealed more than just anecdotes. Among the accusations were the bullying of Shen Congxing's eldest son and the alleged usury of his relatives, the Zou family, which had resulted in a fatal loan sharking scheme.
For a time, memorials were submitted one after another and criticisms continued.
"If it's a stern and upright person, he should be objective about the matter and not the person. But if it's a treacherous villain who wants to do bad things, he should do the opposite and be objective about the person and not the matter." Gongsun Baishi said, stroking his sparse beard.
"That means they're actually angry about the Emperor's actions, but because of the relationship between the Emperor and his subjects and the principles of righteousness, they can't speak out. So, they've turned their swords on those closest to the Emperor." Simply put, it's like I can't obstruct your policies, so I'll slander those who are implementing them, thereby undermining the established course. Minglan held her belly, worried. The Emperor seemed furious this time, having issued an imperial decree blaming the Shen family. Little Shen had come to cry once, so she had no choice but to seek advice from Old Man Gongsun.
Gongsun Baishi smiled and nodded, glancing at Minglan's big belly, hoping that the future young marquis would be as smart.
"What's the big deal?" Minglan cried out in a panic. She remembered that the eldest son of the Shen family was only twelve or thirteen years old this year. Little Shen kept saying how honest and sincere her nephew was. What kind of trouble could he possibly cause?
"Nothing more, just profit sharing." Gongsun Baishi's lips curled up in a sarcastic arc. "The salt administration, border trade, maritime shipping, the Maritime Customs, and the six ministries and nine officials at the checkpoints are all important and lucrative positions. The emperor wants them to move out so he can install his own people. First, to fill the treasury, and second, to make future orders more efficient. But they refuse to do it, that's all."
"They too, with so many lucrative positions, what's wrong with them paying out some money?" Minglan hopes for a harmonious society where everyone can talk to each other in a friendly manner.
Gongsun Baishi sneered, "Take Duke Qian, for example. His son married Empress Dowager Shengde's daughter. He and several other families have controlled maritime trade for nearly fifteen years, bringing in at least two to three million taels of silver annually. How much have they turned over? Humph, are they willing to give it back? Even if they did, the emperor has his own trusted aides to promote."
Another burst of silver snowflakes danced before Minglan's eyes. After finally calming herself down, she whispered, "It's been so many years, it's time to eat and drink enough. So what if I stop!"
“If people are content, they will never want more.” Gongsun Baishi summed it up succinctly. How can greed for money have an end?
Minglan nodded helplessly. It was indeed rare for a corrupt official to realize his mistake. However, if Gongsun could see clearly, then naturally others could too. As long as Uncle Shen could remain calm, and with the full support of the Yue family and the Duke of Ying's Mansion, it seemed that there would be no major problems.
But flies don't bite cracked eggs. Uncle Shen's targeting of him was a sign of lax household management. While some of the stories were fabricated and exaggerated by his enemies, some were true. Gongsun Baishi casually let slip that the Zou family had recently attempted to interfere with the procurement of military rations, a truly audacious act. After disparaging the Shen family, he focused on praising Minglan, praising her clear-headed management and effective control over her servants. Furthermore, given Gu Tingye's reputation for being ruthless, the Gu clan hadn't sought to uncover anything.
Old man Gongsun has always been mean-spirited, with his eyes looking up, and he rarely says a nice word. Minglan was overjoyed by the compliment, and immediately found this wrinkled old man more pleasing to the eye. After asking him about his well-being, she gave him half of the high-quality fresh walnuts that Xiao Shen had sent her yesterday, and also took out a Ganoderma lucidum from the warehouse to help the old man improve his increasingly thinning baldness.
Feeling cheerful, they strolled back to the house. The vines hanging down in the spring air carried the fragrance of plants. Minglan was about to reach out and pick a bud when Xiaotao, standing beside her, quickly plucked a bunch. The master and servant exchanged a smile. Just then, Luzhi hurried over, sweat dripping from her forehead, her face a mixture of surprise and joy. She took two steps at a time and quickly leaned into Minglan's ear, whispering, "Madam, we've caught that little bitch doing something wrong." Minglan raised an eyebrow. "What's the matter?"
Seeing that only Xiao Tao was beside her, Lu Zhi whispered, "Your snow pear bird's nest is stewing on the stove, but she ran away."
Minglan closed her eyes and sighed, "Come on, let's go."
Luzhi couldn't hide her excitement, but hesitated: "Then... Madam..." She was referring to Wang.
Before Minglan could say anything, Xiaotao started to cry out, "We've tried to persuade her as much as we could, and Madam has given her the necessary advice, but she won't change. What can we do? Madam is angry, but there's nothing we can do. Besides, we're not eating Madam's food anymore."
Luzhi's eyes lit up, and she nodded vigorously. She hadn't been irritated with Caihuan for a long time, and fearing Minglan would think she wasn't tolerant enough, she'd asked a question with pretense, proving that she was, in fact, very loving. They'd grown up together, so it was natural for them to treat a newcomer as one of their own. Furthermore, Caihuan's voluptuous and pretentious demeanor was a classic villain from Fang Mama's classroom, causing them to reflexively develop a physical aversion.
Minglan sighed, looked at her bulging belly, and stroked it gently; if it was just for herself, she could just let it go, but for this, how could she keep someone with ulterior motives by her side? She couldn't take the risk.
After slowly walking back to the house, Xiao Tao helped Ming Lan change into a pair of soft slippers. She then leaned against the headboard of the kang before seeing Dan Ju lead the group in. This time, she didn't hesitate at all and walked ahead with dignity, followed by the aggrieved Cai Huan and Xia Yu.
As soon as she saw Minglan, she knelt down and said, "Madam, I know I was wrong. Please forgive me this time." She kowtowed repeatedly and kept explaining, "We were watching the stove properly, but someone came to talk to me, and Xia Yu went out to relieve herself... I just left for a short while... Madam, please forgive me..."
Xia Yu was also frightened and kowtowed along with him.
Minglan sat quietly, her gaze drifting from the small celadon jar with a Buddha's hand-shaped pattern of two fish and lotus flowers on the kang table to the legs of the small ebony table inlaid with silver filigree, and then to the colorful rings. She felt a touch of pity; this time, she was doing it on purpose. It wasn't difficult to punish a maid; all it took was a master to have the intention and find evidence to prove it.
Caihuan harbored resentment and had recklessly made friends with people outside the hospital, making it easy for those with ulterior motives to take advantage. Now that she was pregnant, she had to be extremely cautious. She could not keep Caihuan, who was neither loyal nor full of improper thoughts, by her side.
"Who wants to talk to you?" Minglan's voice seemed to float in the air.
Caihuan wiped her cheeks, hesitating and unable to explain clearly. Danju sneered and said for her: "It's a girl next to my mother, named Linglong."
Minglan smiled softly, and Caihuan kowtowed vigorously, saying repeatedly: "Madam, I shouldn't have done that. I was wrong..."
"I heard that when you were chatting in private, you always blamed me for not letting you serve me closely, and always kept your distance and treated you coldly." Minglan stated slowly. Caihuan's pupils tightened and she glared at Luzhi and Danju hatefully. Xiaotao looked at them and said quickly and honestly, "I told the Madam." Caihuan turned to glare at her angrily.
"Madam, I did have some thoughts in my mind that I deserved a beating." Seeing that her plea for mercy was futile, Cai Huan began to defend herself, "But I was serving Madam at the time, thinking of being loyal to her and serving her well. I didn't expect..." She wiped away her tears, "Madam refused to treat me as her own, so I said some more..."
Minglan slowly straightened up, then bent down, looking directly at Caihuan. She spoke word by word, "You're a clever woman. It's been a year since you entered the Gu family. You really don't know what the situation is like there?" Caihuan stopped crying and stared at her mistress. Minglan raised the corner of her lip. "You keep saying you want to serve me for the Madam, but what am I afraid of? What am I wary of? You've been watching me for so long, don't you understand?"
The color on Caihuan's face gradually faded. Except for a few older maids who often had to do things, all the girls in the courtyard were respectful and cautious. They rarely interacted with outsiders. Whenever people from the lady's side came to make friends, everyone would try to avoid them as much as possible.
"I don't like outsiders knowing what's going on in this courtyard, but you know how much you have let out these days." Minglan said slowly, "It's not that you don't know how powerful I am, it's just that you have other ideas." Caihuan didn't consider herself the master in her heart, so she looked for backers and helpers everywhere, hoping to use their power to get to the top.
Caihuan's lips trembled like a sieve, and she was trembling and speechless. She suddenly remembered Ruomei's warning. Could it be... that Madam was going to punish her?! She was terrified and hurried forward to tug at Minglan's skirt, pleading loudly, "Madam, I really know I was wrong. If Ruofu had said this earlier, I would never dare to do this!"
Minglan shook her head. "You got the order wrong. It's not that I have to trust you first, and then you can be loyal. You have to earn everyone's trust first, and then I can treat you as one of my own."
Caihuan was in a panic, tears and powder mixed together, and her face was immediately stained. "But, but..."
"But you can't wait." Minglan finished for her, "You are not young anymore, you are one and a half years older than Danju." She was afraid that Minglan would marry her off before she could become a concubine.
"This is really difficult for you."
Minglan concluded leisurely. She wasn't angry at all, just a little helpless and disappointed. Caihuan had been quite cautious, having waited for over half a month before catching this mistake. The room was silent for a long time, with only the sobs of Caihuan and Xiayu to be heard. Minglan gathered herself and turned around, saying, "Let's ask Madam Cui and the others to come in."
Madam Cui led two stout maids in. Minglan glanced over and saw that their sleeves were bulging, probably hiding ropes and gags. Caihuan and Xiayu were already terrified at the sight.
Minglan's expression became solemn, and she said in a serious tone, "Being punished is also a lesson learned. Mother Cui, please tell me."
Mother Cui had already sharpened her knife, her brows furrowed like inkstones, her face expressionless: "The rules here are that the Madam's health is precious, and all her diet and medicines must be taken care of carefully." Minglan's three meals and snacks were prepared by Mrs. Ge herself. After she made her own, they were taken over by the older maids such as Danju, and they never passed through second hands in between. The rest of the stews and medicines were all cooked in a small stove in this courtyard, supervised by special people. There were usually two people in each shift. Even if one went out, the other had to watch over it, and was determined not to let the stove out of sight.
"You two were watching the stove today. Xia Yu told you to go to the bathroom, but you slipped into the house to get some snacks and chatted with the other maids for a while, delaying the work for too long. Cai Huan was even more outrageous for venturing out of her duties without permission." Mother Cui said sternly, "If I don't punish you today, I won't be able to control others in the future. You can no longer stay in this courtyard..."
Before she could finish her words, Xia Yu burst into earth-shattering sobs. Cai Huan, on the other hand, calmed down, straightened her back, and said loudly, "Mother Cui is right, but I was sent here by the Madam to serve the Madam. Mother Cui has chased me away like this. When the Madam asks about me later, I wonder how Mother will answer."
Mother Cui was furious and was about to start cursing when she heard a deep and majestic male voice coming from the door: "What's going on?!"
Everyone turned around and saw Gu Tingye wearing a scarlet official uniform, holding a black and gold gauze winged hat in one hand, his face as gloomy as water, standing there. Minglan was startled. She saw that it was still early today, so she chose this time to attack so as not to upset Gu Tingye.
"The Marquis is back." She quickly jumped off the bed and tried to drag herself over.
Gu Tingye strode forward, took a few steps, held Minglan down, and softened his voice: "Sit down, don't get up in a hurry."
Xiao Tao, who was standing by, stepped forward very cleverly, took the official hat with both hands, put it away happily, and resolutely refused to come back. She just hid at the door and secretly watched the scene.
Gu Tingye sat beside Minglan, one hand hanging on the kang table, his face calm: "Mom, continue to talk about how to punish me."
Mother Cui looked at Minglan with embarrassment. After all, she was a maid from the Sheng family. Punishing her like this in front of her son-in-law seemed to bring shame to the Sheng family. Even Minglan was a little hesitant and didn't know how to start.
Under Gu Tingye's intimidating gaze, Mother Cui had no choice but to tell the truth: "Caihuan will go to the west corner to check for empty rooms, and Xiayu will go to the second gate to do the work..." Her voice became softer and softer, and Minglan quickly took over the conversation at her pleading eyes. "It's not a big mistake, but if we don't punish them, it won't be enough to restrain others. All right, you can go now."
She didn't have any deep hatred towards Caihuan. Well, actually, she had neither the courage nor the guts to kill anyone. She would wait until she gave birth to the child and had time to find a husband for her.
"My Lord!" Caihuan cried bitterly, and miraculously broke free from the two maids' control, and threw herself at Gu Tingye's feet, "Please have mercy on me and ask Madam not to chase me away. I will definitely serve you wholeheartedly in the future. It was Madam Sheng who sent me here. If I leave like this, how can my parents raise their heads to face people in the future!" She was so strong that she actually pulled the hem of Gu Tingye's robe askew.
Mother Cui became anxious and stepped forward to grab Caihuan's arm and tried to drag her away. Luzhi was furious and stepped forward to grab Caihuan's other arm and dragged her out with force.
"Wait." Gu Tingye said, looking at Caihuan in confusion, "Is it you?"
Slowly searching through her memory, she recalled a certain evening when the girl before her seemed to have served her tea, and then had Taozi hurriedly sent her away. Caihuan's face suddenly lit up with hope, her brows furrowed in an unusually charming frown. She looked up and was about to say something when Gu Tingye frowned and scolded, "Why are you here again?! Didn't I tell you last time that the Madam is pregnant and cannot tolerate the smell of cosmetics, and that no one in Jiaxiju is allowed to wear cosmetics? Why are you like this again today?!"
As soon as these words were spoken, Mother Cui and Luzhi immediately relaxed. Danju, who had been anxious and worried, also breathed a sigh of relief. Minglan looked up at the skylight. She really wanted to yell at Caihuan, "You are too unprofessional. If you want to seduce a man, at least study the target!"
She, for example, diligently sought to understand her husband and boss's preferences and habits in order to better complete her work. She inquired with the servants of the Marquis's mansion and learned that thanks to a caring stepmother, Gu Tingye already had a houseful of beautiful women at the age of fourteen, a truly diverse array of beauties. Furthermore, at the age of nineteen, the Second Young Master Gu even spent a full fortnight living in a famous entertainment venue in the capital. Not to mention the countless romantic encounters he had during his time as a traitor.
People have seen higher levels of acting weak and aggrieved. This amateur performance of a maid in the inner house really does not require much technical skills. Therefore, she never worries that Caihuan's tricks will work. What she worries about is that after Caihuan fails repeatedly, she will take the initiative or be used by others to harm her.
"My Lord..." Caihuan was also dumbfounded, with her mouth wide open and her face covered in powder, she stood there in a daze.
Gu Tingye was displeased, his face stern. He turned to Mother Cui and said sternly, "What's the point of keeping this incorrigible kid in the manor? Send him back to the farm. If he doesn't behave, just sell him off. I'll go talk to my mother-in-law!"
Mother Cui was overjoyed as if she had been pardoned by heaven. The two maids also regained their energy. They took one of each of them, tied her up with a rope, blocked her mouth, and dragged her out straight. Xia Yu didn't dare to say a word and quickly left.
Luzhi excitedly followed them out, intending to help them pack their "luggage". Danju was stunned and hadn't reacted yet. Fortunately, Xiaotao had a strong psychological quality and came out from behind the door with a smile: "Here is the newly arrived Lu'an Guapian tea. Let's make a cup for the Marquis." Then she came over quietly and pulled Danju away without leaving a trace.
After everyone left, Minglan looked left and right before slowly moving to Gu Tingye's side and whispered, "What's wrong with you, Lord?" He wasn't one to meddle in the trivialities of the inner chambers. Normally, when Minglan was managing the household, he would retreat to the inner room to read. But today, it was clear he was in a bad mood, with a lot of anger to vent.
"Nothing, just a bit upset." The man reached out to loosen his collar, then collapsed exhausted into Minglan's arms, eyes closed for rest. With Uncle Shen at home in self-reflection, Gu Tingye had been forced to take over some of his errands. The tedious and tedious nature of the job only made his face grim, as if he had lost a loved one. No one dared to approach him within three steps.
Minglan slowly helped him undo his bun, running her fingers through his hair and gently pressing his scalp. The man gradually relaxed his frown and let out a comfortable breath. Minglan softly said, "What's wrong? What happened?"
Gu Tingye opened his eyes, his eyes showing hidden anger: "Brother Cheng Yong is in trouble."
"Are there bandits robbing again?!" Minglan was shocked. The frequency of crimes was too high. Eh, that's not right. Didn't they say that the imperial envoy had arrived in Lianghuai?
"No." The man clenched his fist angrily and pounded it on the kang bed. "Brother Cheng Yong has been tricked by that group."
Minglan was puzzled. Gu Tingye slowly stood up and sighed, "The court newspaper said that Brother Cheng Yong was invited to a restaurant for a drink, but he got drunk and woke up to find a woman lying next to him."
"Ah?!" An ancient honey trap? Minglan couldn't help but laugh. "Could it be that after seeing General Duan's talent, they've become interested in marrying up to him and wanting to recruit him as a son-in-law?"
"If that's true, it's actually easier said than done." Gu Tingye's face turned cold, revealing a chilling murderous intent. "That woman claimed to be a good woman with a husband and children at home. She kept saying that Brother Cheng Yong had ruined her chastity and that the only way out was death."
Minglan was horrified. "A married woman?! This is troublesome." Even the physical examination was difficult. "Wait, wait, General Duan is having a drink. How could there be a decent woman in the restaurant?"
"The woman said she came to the restaurant to collect payment for fish. Brother Cheng Yong, who was drunk, passed by and saw that she was quite pretty, so he dragged her into the private room."
Minglan was speechless: "Why is it like a storytelling? Are there dead bodies everywhere in the restaurant? Seeing General Duan like this, no one stopped him? Also, how could this woman sleep until General Duan sobered up..." Why is it so intense?
"There are indeed many doubts." Gu Tingye said, "How could Brother Cheng Yong admit it? Who would have thought that after just two questions, the woman hit her head and died. Now the woman's family and husband are crying out for justice, accusing Brother Cheng Qian of raping a decent woman and forcing her to death."
Minglan sighed deeply. The other party had undoubtedly made all the arrangements for such a huge investment. Duan Chengyong was in trouble now. The couple was silent for a moment. Minglan said, "What should we do now? The imperial envoys are going to the local areas to thoroughly investigate the salt administration. Without strong military support, they can't do it."
Gu Tingye looked at her, his eyes showing some hesitation. Minglan saw this and felt relieved: "Do you want to go?"
"The emperor hasn't summoned him yet." He whispered, "To be able to do such a thorough job, I think it's not just a few government officials, the local guards are probably not clean either. Someone has to go and clean it up. This matter can't scare ordinary people, we have to kill a few to sacrifice to our ancestors!" Since Uncle Shen couldn't go,
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