A middle-aged man dressed in royal blue twill embroidered thin silk walked quickly into the inner room. The maids and old women in the courtyard all showed surprise: over the years, the master would never set foot in the main house unless the mistress invited him.
Aunt Kang was sitting in the hall, talking to her son Kang Jin. Her expression was kind: "Do your job well. I've already told your uncle that when your term is up, I'll arrange for you to be transferred to another place." Kang Jin, nearly thirty years old, with a fair and honest face, whispered, "Mother, don't ask my uncle for help anymore. Yuan'er just wrote to me, saying something bad about my aunt. If you keep doing this, my uncle will be in trouble again."
"Don't worry about it. As long as your grandmother is alive, your aunt won't be in charge of the Wang family."
Aunt Kang was about to say a few more words when she saw her husband standing at the door. She was stunned for a moment. Kang Jin quickly bowed and said respectfully, "Dad is here." Master Kang glanced at his eldest son and said coldly, "Go out first. I have something to say to your mother."
Kang Jin had always been in awe of his father, so he didn't dare to say anything more and just turned around and left.
"What a rare guest! What wind brings you here?"
Aunt Kang looked coldly at her husband who was like a stranger to her. She saw that he was nearly fifty years old, but he was as elegant and refined as a man in his thirties. She couldn't help feeling depressed when she thought about how she had been worrying about the family day and night, but had gray hair and looked old and ugly at such an early age.
Master Kang walked in a few steps, waved his hand to dismiss the maids on both sides, and his face immediately darkened: "If I don't come again, I'm afraid you will sell all my children without knowing it!"
Aunt Kang's heart skipped a beat, but she managed to say, "It's not uncommon for families with financial difficulties to sell their children."
Speaking of silver, Mr. Kang couldn't help but blush and shouted, "Where did you take Zhao'er?"
"She is not feeling well and has been sick for a few days. It is hot now and I am afraid that she has contracted an epidemic and will endanger her family, so I sent her to the farm to recuperate." Aunt Kang was well prepared and spoke without blushing or panting.
"Bullshit!" Master Kang couldn't help but curse. "Even today, you're still full of lies. You treat a proper girl from the Kang family as a servant, selling her at will and making her a concubine at will! Do you still have eyes for me?!"
Aunt Kang knew the truth had been revealed, so she sank into a deep rage and sneered, "Master is acting like a father now, even caring about his daughter. I wonder how many times he's seen Zhao'er in the past ten years? I'm afraid he wouldn't even recognize her if they were to meet face to face!"
"Don't talk about other things!" Master Kang's eyes were fierce. "Just tell me, where is Zhao'er?"
"I think the master already knows, why ask more! I have found a good future for Zhao'er."
"You, you..." Master Kang pointed at his wife, his long beard trembling incessantly, clearly furious. "You actually asked Zhao'er to be your concubine! You've brought shame upon our Kang family!"
"Shame on you?" Aunt Kang snorted coldly, raising her voice. "I'm afraid I'm not the one who brought shame to the Kang family! The master's good second brother gave away his illegitimate daughter as a servant two years ago. Why don't you act like the eldest brother and blame them for the shame?"
Thinking of his younger brothers who were disrespectful to their eldest brother, Mr. Kang became angry again.
"What's more..." Aunt Kang softened her tone, "I'm doing this for the Kang family. Wasn't the master trying to get reinstated a while ago? If Marquis Gu could help the master, wouldn't it be twice the result with half the effort?"
As early as she decided to wade into this muddy water, she had prepared an excuse. "Before, our relationship with the Gu family was only a tangential one, and we had to look down on my sister and brother-in-law. Didn't you always look down on your brother-in-law, saying that he was cunning, always seeking personal gain, and had lost the character of a scholar? Now, as long as the Gu family accepts Zhao'er, although their reputation will be a little unpleasant, they will gain benefits. My niece, out of consideration for our relatives' face, will not treat Zhao'er unfairly. As long as Zhao'er can give birth to a boy or girl, we can also have direct contact with the Gu family. Isn't that the best of both worlds?"
In fact, this was only half of the reason. The other half was to embarrass Minglan on purpose. Seeing that little concubine's daughter was so arrogant, she got angry and vented her anger.
Mr. Kang listened to the whole story, his face turning pale, then red, as if he were both moved and furious, his beard trembling. "You, you've done something wonderful!" He managed to hold it in for a long time before slamming a piece of paper in front of Aunt Kang. "Take a look for yourself!" Aunt Kang, suspicious, slowly picked up the paper and read it. After reading only a few lines, her face changed drastically.
"I've done more harm than good!" Master Kang paced the room, cursing. "I asked my brother-in-law to look after me at the Censorate, hoping to avoid another impeachment like last time! Everything was going well, but a few days ago someone accused me of my bad behavior, and yesterday the Ministry of Personnel rejected my petition."
Aunt Kang's mind was in a mess, and she said in panic, "Didn't they say that my brother-in-law has been transferred to the Ministry of War to be in charge of grain? Maybe the affairs of the Censorate cannot be suppressed." This was the first time in her life that she spoke for the Sheng family.
"What do you mean by transfer? That's a promotion!" Master Kang was filled with jealousy and resentment, his anger rising. "According to normal rules, left and right assistant ministers must be of the third rank to be appointed, and Sheng Hong has only been promoted to the fourth rank for a year! He's also in charge of military affairs and food supplies, and he's taking on a lucrative position. Do you understand what this means?"
He took a deep breath, jealousy burning in his chest, "This means that the higher-ups want to use him! The emperor treats him as his own, that's why he is placed in an important position!" As for why the emperor treated Sheng Hong as his own, Aunt Kang did not ask this question.
"Everyone in the officialdom is very cautious. Sheng Hong is currently on the rise and has just left the Censorate, so everyone should give him some respect. If he was determined to suppress the rebellion, how could anything go wrong?!"
Mr. Kang grew increasingly angry as he spoke. He walked over to his wife and began to rail against her, "With this noble marriage, the Sheng family is so proud of themselves, how could they share their wealth with others? And you're so eager to offer your concubine to share their favor? Isn't this poaching? You're stealing the chicken but losing the rice. You didn't get to eat the mutton, but ended up smelling like sheep!"
Aunt Kang was shocked and frightened. The paper in her hand was shaking constantly. She was speechless and could only say, "You, why didn't you tell me earlier? You only said that you asked for help from a family friend, but you didn't mention that you also asked your brother-in-law for help!" If she had known earlier, she would not have put herself in danger at this time.
Mr. Kang was stunned. He had always disliked Sheng Hong for his inferior family background and performance in the imperial examinations, yet his career was better than his. In addition, Mrs. Kang liked to act pretentiously, so he was very reluctant to tell his wife that he had something to ask Sheng Hong.
Aunt Kang took a few deep breaths, her eyes darkening with rage. She gritted her teeth and said, "It's already like this. I've already offended my brother-in-law, so I might as well go all out and make this happen!" She suddenly remembered the Dowager's promise: that if Zhao'er married, she would help her gain favor and have children. Recalling this, like a drowning man grasping at a lifeline, Aunt Kang muttered, trying to convince herself, "Don't be afraid. It's a little difficult right now, but it will be fine in a few years."
Anyway, her husband and she are not on the same page. If he gets promoted and gets rich, it will only embolden those little devils. It would be better to make plans later, and then, after Zhao'er has established his foothold, he can also benefit his children.
Slap! A slap landed heavily, leaving a mark on the fair cheek.
Aunt Kang covered her face and looked at Mr. Kang in disbelief, her voice hoarse: "You, you dare to hit me?!"
"Stupid!"
Master Kang's face was gloomy and terrifying, and he put down his hand, "How do you think I know this! Your proud son-in-law just came and said that he couldn't bear to see his wife's sister become a concubine. If we get permission, Zhao'er's marriage will be up to him and his wife. I am so ashamed that I have nowhere to put my face." He finally understood why Sheng Hong suddenly refused to help. He was so angry when he thought that his hard-planned career was ruined again!
"If it weren't for the fact that you have been in mourning for your parents-in-law for three years, I would have given you a letter of divorce!" Master Kang gritted his teeth.
"Stop laughing so hard!" Aunt Kang stood up and screamed, "If you have the guts, divorce me right now! Are you just reluctant to part with the support of our Wang family? Do you think I want to live like this?! You're constantly asking for concubines, and this huge house is almost full! Just kick us out as soon as possible, and live a good life with your little devil!"
Master Kang was furious: "It's common for a man to have three wives and four concubines. You're so jealous and vicious, so stop talking about this! A virtuous wife brings less trouble to her husband. It's because of you that I've been depressed and frustrated for half my life! If it weren't for my parents' orders, how could I marry you!"
"Kang Haifeng! You only have three wives and four concubines?" Aunt Kang, like a mad woman, stepped forward and tugged at Mr. Kang's sleeve. "You lecher, do you think others can't see your evil heart? If you were a mature person, able to manage the family, so that I could live a peaceful life without worrying about the future of my children and money, even if you took a hundred concubines, I wouldn't say a word! But you pretend to be righteous and have no ability at all. Today you beg my brother for help, tomorrow you entrust my brother-in-law to you, and you even use my dowry to fill the hole!"
She beat her husband hard, crying and cursing, "You are such a loser! You should at least treat us mother and daughter better! You only know how to act so arrogantly and plot against my dowry every day. My whole life has been ruined!"
“That’s unreasonable!”
Master Kang was annoyed and disgusted by her crying, so he pushed her away and strode out of the house without looking back.
Aunt Kang collapsed on the ground, covering her face and sobbing. She didn't know who to blame.
Her father was kind and had never been adamant about marrying into the Kang family. Her mother had never looked down on this conceited and arrogant son of the Kang family. It was she who had spotted him behind the screen. Sheng Hong, whom she had sneered at in the beginning, became increasingly outstanding, while her foolish and incompetent sister became more and more successful. After her brother, who doted on his sister, got a wife and children, he gradually became less responsive to her requests.
She felt that the world was blind. She was beautiful and capable, but she had such a miserable life. She cried alone for a long time. Suddenly, she remembered an important matter. She quickly wiped away her tears, suppressed her sadness, fixed her makeup, and asked someone to prepare the car to go out.
Driving north for about half an hour, we arrived at the gate of a quiet mansion. The small and exquisite three-courtyard house was elegantly and cleanly decorated, with green willows and red flowers in the courtyard, a beautiful scene of midsummer.
"Madam, even if you didn't come, I would have gone to look for you." A maid led Aunt Kang inside. "Something terrible has happened. Our grandmother has been crying since this morning and hasn't even eaten."
Aunt Kang was extremely anxious and didn't want to say a word. She just walked in quickly. Once she entered the inner room, she saw Kang Yuner's expression was listless, and her eyes were red and swollen like a big peach. She suddenly felt distressed and held her daughter in her arms and kept coaxing her.
"Ever since I received the letter from Youyang at midnight yesterday, he refused to talk to me and left early this morning. I read the letter and then I knew what was going on." Kang Yuner burst into tears and gasped for breath, "Mom, why did you do this?"
Aunt Kang angrily said, "This foolish boy doesn't know the difference between relatives and strangers! You are his bedmate and you have given birth to his children, and he is going to get angry with you because of your cousin?! I will go and scold him to wake him up!"
Yun'er was kindhearted. She knew her mother was wrong, but she didn't dare to blame her too much. She just cried, "I told you long ago that the two brothers in the Sheng family are better than the brothers of ordinary families, not to mention that my great-aunt has been kind to the eldest branch. I asked the servant who brought the news this morning, and he said that my father-in-law flew into a rage when he received my great-aunt's letter, and Aunt Yun even scolded me! Your son-in-law is such a filial son-in-law, how could he go against his parents' wishes!"
Aunt Kang knew this was absolutely true, but she couldn't help but curse, "They're just a merchant family. If it weren't for your age, it wouldn't have been their turn! Don't be afraid, I don't think anyone in the Sheng family would dare to take it out on you!"
"Mom~~~~!" Yuner cried out mournfully, choking for a moment before saying, "The letter said that my mother-in-law asked me to go back to Yuyang!"
Aunt Kang didn't react for a moment and said blankly, "Why did I ask you to go back? Who will take care of Changwu's daily life, and who will arrange the transportation of officials and their families in the capital?"
Yun Er cried, "The letter said that my hometown would send another useful maid to serve. They asked me to take the child back, firstly to fulfill my filial duty, secondly to let my parents-in-law see their grandchildren, and thirdly, if my father agreed, to find a husband for Zhao Er's younger sister. My parents-in-law said that after all, they were a generation apart, and that they wanted me, their biological sister, to go there so that they could find a relative for my younger sister..."
"You are not the eldest daughter-in-law, why do you have to serve your parents-in-law?" Aunt Kang herself felt that this was unreasonable.
Yun Er's tears fell like pearls, her eyes tearing up. "Mother, I've been the head of the household since I got married. My mother-in-law originally wanted me to stay in my hometown and serve as a proper official for a few years. Besides, many officials who were sent to other places originally had the daughter-in-law stay at home to serve the parents-in-law, while the man took concubines with him. It was only because of my great-aunt's intercession that I can live so comfortably and have a son and a daughter. Now that my mother-in-law has spoken, how dare I disobey? After all, I haven't spent a few days being filial to my husband's elders!"
Aunt Kang felt dizzy for a moment, and after a while, she gradually regained her composure. "My son-in-law didn't say anything?"
"He only said one sentence." Yuner kept wiping away her tears and said sadly, "Before my grandmother passed away, while she was still conscious, she repeatedly held my parents-in-law and Aunt Yun's hands and told us to be filial to my great-aunt, otherwise she would not rest in peace after her death!"
Actually, this choice wasn't difficult for Changwu. On one side was the rather unremarkable Yue family, and on the other, the beloved and benevolent Old Madam Sheng. The two families shared a deep bond and close ties (officials and businessmen supported each other), and there was also a legitimately powerful cousin-in-law. To offend his childhood best friend and take care of the Marquis's wife for a concubine's younger sister, whose favor he hadn't even met, was like throwing away a watermelon to pick up sesame seeds, and there was no telling if he would even find any.
Whether from an emotional or practical point of view, he did as his parents' letter said without hesitation. Of course, he still liked his wife, but the Sheng family's rationality told him that in the officialdom, the crime of being unfilial was no joke.
Only then did Aunt Kang feel a deep sense of guilt towards her daughter. She mumbled for a long time, unable to speak. Yun'er couldn't bear to see her mother like this, so she offered a few words of comfort. Aunt Kang, like a madman, her eyes red, croaked, "I won't let them go! Just wait and see, just wait and see..." She cursed repeatedly, referring to Old Lady Sheng and Minglan.
Upon hearing this, Yuner screamed, "Mother! Please don't be so foolish! Even though my parents-in-law are furious right now, as long as I serve them well and do my duty diligently, your son-in-law's pleas will eventually be resolved. If you do anything else... I'm afraid I'll never be able to reunite with my husband again!"
In fact, Sheng Wei's family has a good tradition. The eldest daughter-in-law, Wen, has not had any children for several years, but her parents-in-law have never asked her to take a concubine. It's okay in the short term, but if it takes more than ten or twenty years, or even until the parents-in-law pass away, before the couple can be reunited, then it is hard to guarantee.
After hearing this, Aunt Kang fell back and fainted. Everyone in the room was in a panic. Yuner pinched her Ren Zhong again and poured tea. After a while, Aunt Kang finally woke up and uttered through her teeth: "How dare they use you to threaten me!"
…
Upon hearing the news that Yun'er was going back to her hometown, Minglan felt a surge of guilt for no reason and whispered, "Grandmother has always loved my second cousin's wife, but now, for my sake, she's even ignoring her."
Mother Cui was very upset and tried to comfort her, saying, "We are not going to beat or scold her. We are just asking her to go back and serve her parents-in-law. This is what every daughter-in-law should do. Besides, a daughter should pay off her mother's debts. This is only fair. If you want to blame someone, blame her mother who doesn't do good deeds for her children!" She was not very eloquent, and even Minglan told her to stop.
After instructing Danju to prepare some things to send to Yoona, Minglan was still unhappy, with a gloom in her heart that could not be dispelled.
What does the lady want to do?
This man was shrewd and calculating, far superior to the flamboyant and shallow Aunt Kang. Even if Kang Zhao'er were to marry into the family, would that guarantee her favor? Furthermore, this whole thing had numerous flaws from beginning to end. If he put his best foot forward, there was a good chance he'd be able to debunk the scheme. That old woman was so hypocritical, so good at playing nice and docile. Now, was she risking her life to rip everyone off, just to disgust him in such a trivial way?!
Minglan became increasingly confused.
At this moment, the person whom she couldn't see through was listening to the response calmly.
"So, the Kang family's path is a failure?"
In the darkness of the room, the lady lightly lit a stick of incense and slowly inserted it into the incense burner. On the table in front of her was a sandalwood Maitreya Buddha with a dim light.
"Mrs. Kang has fallen ill. It was Mother Wang, who was beside her, who came out and told me." Xiang said to his mother with his head down.
"That's formidable! We've met our match." The lady spoke softly, as if she wasn't angry at all. "What a great trick! Even if I had exposed her, the person has already left, and I wouldn't have been able to bring up another relative to cause trouble anytime soon. Humph, that useless thing! I wasted all my time and energy, yelling loudly, but it was all good for nothing!"
"I can't believe Second Madam, despite her young age, is so skillful and has concealed her actions completely without revealing any flaws." Xiang Mama sighed, casually glancing at her master, and hesitantly said, "It's better to just call it a day."
The lady shook her head: "It's too late. Now that the gong has started, the show must go on."
"lady……"
The old lady raised her hand, silencing Xiang Mama. She turned to face the Maitreya Buddha, her eyes suddenly becoming dazed. "This Buddha was brought in by the old Marquis from a renowned monk from the South Seas that year. They say a constant smile can clear all traces of dust. What do you think the Marquis prays for, worshipping here all day long?"
Mother Xiang was stunned and smiled bitterly: "How come others don't know this?"
"I'll tell you." The lady's voice was as cold as ice. "Maitreya is the future Buddha. He wants to continue his relationship with my sister in the next life."
A stifling silence fell in the room. Xiang Mama looked up at the girl she had breastfed, her aged eyes reddening. The Madam gazed at the Maitreya Buddha, barely half a foot tall, and said calmly, "The Marquis knows full well that Sister is not a good match. She's infertile, poor at managing the household, and won't live long. But he simply likes her. No matter how good or virtuous someone else is, it's useless."
At this point, she suddenly smiled, a strange glint in her eyes. "Over the past year, seeing how enthusiastic they are over there, I've finally realized that, just like his father, the second son is also born stubborn. No one can do anything about it."
Xiang Mama felt sad, but she smiled and said, "Don't be so stubborn. The old marquis treats you so well and loves you very much."
Unexpectedly, the lady snorted self-deprecatingly: "Like? You don't know, in fact, he also likes the impetuous one in the Bai family, and he also likes Tingyan's biological mother, but this is different, this is not..." None of them is love.
"He is obsessed with my sister to the point of blurring his mind. It's a debt from the previous life. We will never have the same feelings again." The old lady was stunned, her tone extremely bitter.
Suddenly, a terrifying gleam flashed in her eyes. "Do you know why we've been constantly frustrated these past few days? It's not because those two are incredibly smart, but because they're a couple, united in purpose and trust each other. No matter how outsiders try to manipulate us, they can't undermine our foundation. This is the key!"
"So, this time, I only want Sheng Minglan's life!" The lady looked up at the Buddha statue, her tone suddenly became hot, "Second brother also likes that actor outside, and also likes Qiu Niang. Humph, men, for the sake of their beloved ones, can't care about anything! Even if Second brother marries another one in the future, there will be no such love. Humph, as long as the husband and wife are not a solid block, it will be easy!" She alienated and instigated. Even if the child in Minglan's belly could survive, it would have a good life with her stepmother in the future.
Mother Xiang felt sad and choked up, saying, "But this way, you can't escape unscathed. Why don't you wait a little longer? Maybe something bad will happen over there."
"There are only two options. Either I ask the second son to slowly cook me over a low fire, or I can choose to die quickly." The old lady said nonchalantly, "As long as he can't find any evidence, the most he can do is kick me out. Wait? Humph, wait until the children over there have grown up? By then, even if something happens to that couple, it won't be Wei'er's turn."
"Besides, will there be such a good opportunity in the future?" The old lady thought of her arrangements and couldn't help but feel excited. "There are so many people in the south who want to kill the second brother. He thinks he is secretive. As long as his companions leave some traces along the way, we can see which group killed him! Even if he doesn't die outside, when he returns, he will only see Sheng's corpse."
Gu Tingye is a man who clearly distinguishes between gratitude and resentment. Knowing that Gu Tingwei is completely ignorant, he will definitely not take ruthless action. In these troubled times, swords and guns are merciless on the battlefield. Who knows if Gu Tingye can leave behind an offspring before his death!
As long as Gu Tingwei is fine, it's fine. If she doesn't take action now, it will be difficult to take action later! When Gu Tingye is over his grief, he can marry a concubine. She may not be as difficult to deal with as Sheng Minglan. Who knows how many years it will take to give birth to a legitimate son. A husband who misses his deceased wife and a family that may not be harmonious. She can then use tricks to instigate (this is something she has a lot of experience in), which is far better than having no idea where to start now. What's more, she is old, while Tingye and his wife are young and strong. If she dies like this, she will never be willing to die.
The lady took a deep breath and sat down slowly. "How has the second son's wife been doing these days?"
Xiang Mama calmed down and said clearly: "Although the Kang family's matter is over, she is still worried. I have observed carefully and it doesn't seem like she is pretending."
"He's a smart man, he knows things aren't that simple." The lady laughed. "It's good to have so much on your mind, to think and worry so much, it's really good! It's a pity we can't wait, otherwise she'll be bothered for a while longer... By the way, how's it going over there?"
"Don't worry, everything is settled. Like mother, like daughter. Same idiot. Just the right person to be a pawn!"
【Author has something to say】
In fact, Wang’s situation is easy to understand.
Sheng Hong was originally a promising young man. His greatest desire at that time was to get promoted and make money, so he could basically tolerate all the shortcomings of his wife (her appearance was plain, and she was stubborn and confused). But later, the couple had more and more frictions, and he gradually gained a foothold in the officialdom. As a result, his emotional needs rose to the same level as his career needs, and thus, the beautiful and dexterous concubine Lin came into being.
Everything makes sense.
——It seems that most men follow this life trajectory. When they are struggling, they hope to have a hard-working and dedicated wife to work with them. When they have achieved success in their careers, it would be best to drive away the old hag and replace her with a delicate mistress.
I think those angry young men who can't find wives don't need to resent the materialistic ways girls are these days. Just look at how many wealthy men in China still manage to find wives, and that's enough to serve as a wake-up call for young girls. Before you criticize women, first examine the bad habits of men (I'm not advocating for mistresses, remember!).
Aunt Kang’s situation is also easy to understand.
A normal heart doesn't become twisted like that overnight; it accumulates over time. Her misfortune began with her marriage, but in contrast to her was Old Lady Sheng.
When a person encounters misfortune, attitude is the key. Should he face it bravely, fight with strength, and still face others with a kind heart, even those who make you feel unfair; or should he maliciously hurt innocent people, vent his anger on others, and harm others?
After all, Aunt Kang has her own children, and they are relatively filial. However, Old Madam Sheng has actually turned from a carefree daughter of a marquis into a young widow. The most fatal thing is that she has no children of her own. In that patriarchal society, this is the real fatal blow!
Her tragedy also stems from marriage, but what is her situation like?
A truly noble and kind character will not change because of the unfairness of fate.
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