Both granted titles for their contributions to the founding of the nation, the Duke of Qi and the Marquis of Ningyuan had long enjoyed a close relationship. However, the Qi family had been more shrewd than the Gu family, having long ago realized that it was easier to earn a living by dint of literary talent than to subject their children to a life of constant hardship. Thus, within the first sixty years of the founding of the nation, the Qi family had already produced one Jinshi (Tong Jinshi), two Juren (Juren), and three Xiucai (Xiucai). While their quality left much to be desired, their spirit was commendable.
The Qi family's love for literature is evident to all, but most of their wives are from military families. This results in the men in the Qi family becoming weaker and weaker with each generation, while the wives are becoming more and more fierce. In this way, fear of one's wife is inevitable.
However, the real reason why the name "Hedong Lion's Roar" came about was because of the old master of the Qi Mansion.
The specific reason why he was henpecked is unknown as the time was too long ago. We only know that when Emperor Wu's concubines became spoiled and Empress Jing'an lived in seclusion behind closed doors in the palace, the old lady Qi not only treated her husband as if he were in jail, but also often felt indignant on behalf of Empress Jing'an and ordered her husband not to have any contact with the families of those "fox spirits". Old Lady Qi was so afraid of his wife that he actually did as she was told.
People at that time jokingly said, "Suddenly, a roar was heard from the east of the river, and the pedestrians in front of the door trembled three times."
Because of this, the Qi family suffered a lot of hardship and neglect at that time. However, when Queen Jing'an passed away, even honest and kind people like Gu Tingye's grandparents were caught in the tail of the typhoon and almost lost their titles, but the Qi family was safe and sound.
Not long after, the previous emperor Renzong ascended the throne and praised the Qi family for their integrity. Taking advantage of this momentum, the two elders of the Qi family selected the most outstanding noble ladies of the time as wives for their two sons. At this point, the three tigresses gathered in Hedong Prefecture.
The mother-in-law was already a burden, but her two daughters-in-law were even more troublesome. One was the daughter of a general, said to be able to draw a 200-stone bow with two hands, while the other was the only daughter of a powerful noble, enjoying great favor within the imperial court. The old couple couldn't afford to offend either, so they could only quietly make a fortune. Overall, however, Princess Pingning had a better reputation than Madam Qi.
That day, after Gu Tingye finished his court session, he came to take Minglan with him. After getting off the sedan chair, Gu Tingye threw the reins and went straight to the front yard. Another maid led a soft slipper to carry Minglan to the inner courtyard.
There weren't many female guests in the reception room yet. As soon as Princess Pingning saw Minglan come in, she left the women she had been chatting with and walked over, smiling, saying, "Oh, oh, I was wondering who you were. It's only been a few days since I last saw you, and you look so much better. I almost didn't recognize you!"
In fact, she felt very embarrassed every time she saw Minglan before. After all, she had called her "Aunt" for several years, and in the blink of an eye, her niece became a sister of the same clan. How to address her in the future really troubled her for a long time.
"Princess, please stop making fun of me... If you keep teasing me like this, I, I won't come again." Minglan blushed and bowed, feeling grateful countless times in her heart for the title of Princess Pingning given by the late emperor.
Seeing that Minglan was still honest and shy, Princess Pingning became more relaxed and talked and laughed, and led Minglan to the inner room. She saw an old woman with silver hair sitting on the Luohan bed in the middle of the room. Several women, old and young, were chatting and laughing around her, and Shen was among them.
"Grandpa, come and take a look. This is the brother and sister-in-law of the Ningyuan Marquis that I often mentioned." Princess Pingning said loudly.
The old woman said, "Come here and let me take a look."
Minglan knew that this was Madam Qi, so she quickly went over to pay her respects and said, "Greetings to the old ancestor."
Old Madam Qi's eyes were bright, and she seemed still strong, but her speech was not clear, as if she was an old person who was easily tired. She looked Minglan up and down and nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes, she is a well-behaved and good child."
Princess Pingning pointed to a middle-aged woman beside the old lady and said, "This is my sister-in-law. Just call her as I say."
The woman was about forty to fifty years old, tall, with a face like a full moon and eyes like the sharpness of golden blades. Minglan quickly bowed and said respectfully, "Greetings to my eldest sister-in-law."
Madam Qi smiled faintly, her expression rather kind: "We are already five generations apart, so you can address us however you want. Closeness or distance is not determined solely by the name."
Princess Pingning's expression froze, knowing that she was implicitly mocking her for clinging to the powerful and wealthy. Since the death of the late emperor, her father and husband have been much worse than before; as for the two Empress Dowagers, she used to have some affection for Empress Dowager Shengde, but she was indifferent to the Emperor's biological mother, Empress Dowager Sheng'an. Now she didn't know what to do.
At this time, Madam Qi suddenly said to Shen and another young daughter-in-law beside her: "This is the new daughter-in-law of the second brother's family. According to seniority, it is your turn to go and pay your respects."
Shen took a step forward and said gently, "Greetings to my aunt."
Madam Qi seemed a little hesitant, and after a pause she said, "Hello, Madam Gu."
Before Minglan could speak, Princess Pingning chuckled again, "Oh, old ancestor, my brother's son is almost a year old, and you still call her your new daughter-in-law?"
Madam Qi had a cold expression on her face and glared at her daughter-in-law unhappily. Grandma Qi shrank back a few steps. Minglan stole a glance at her figure and behavior. Not only did she not look like she had given birth, she seemed as if she had not yet lost her virginity. Could it be that Master Qi's body was really so weak?
Princess Pingning still refused to give up and smiled at Minglan, "Come to think of it, my daughter Yu and Han are only a few months younger than your son. They can play together in the future."
A few months ago, Shen gave birth to a pair of twins, a boy and a girl. Of the two branches of the Qi family, one was unable to give birth, while the other gave birth to twins at once. It was like heaven and hell, no wonder there was so much fighting.
At this time, Old Madam Qi yawned and waved her hand sleepily: "I am old and useless. Don't all gather here and don't neglect the guests outside. Apart from my old sisters, you can greet the others."
The two pairs of sisters-in-law from the Qi family hurriedly apologized and said a lot of respectful words. Then the female family members withdrew and went to the hall outside. They saw that many female guests had arrived. Madam Qi glanced at Princess Pingning coldly and took her daughter-in-law to greet the guests.
Princess Pingning watched Madam Qi and her mother-in-law walk away before turning to Minglan and saying blushingly, "Please sit down for a moment. I'll be right back." Minglan smiled and said, "We are relatives. Princess, there's no need to be polite. It's more important not to neglect other guests."
At such occasions, the guests were either royal relatives or the wives of powerful cabinet members. It was a time to make friends with them and win them over. Seeing Minglan's understanding, Princess Pingning was very happy and quickly took her daughter-in-law Shen away.
Minglan was not restrained either. She found a ventilated and warm place by the window and sat down. Soon, two maids came to serve her tea and snacks. While she sipped her tea, she looked around the hall. She found that the hall was bright and spacious, and the decoration was elegant and refined. It was clean, with only dark wooden dowels to build the window frames. The walls were whitewashed, with a few calligraphy and paintings hanging sparsely. In the four corners, there were emerald green Clivias in large celadon pots. They did not smell fragrant, but made people feel elegant and refined. The maids and servants shuttled among the crowd in an orderly manner.
After all, they are a wealthy family, Minglan nodded secretly.
"Madam Gu."
Minglan quickly came back to her senses after hearing the calm and quiet greeting. She saw Madam Liang, the Marquis of Yongchang, standing before her. Minglan quickly stood up and bowed. "It's been a long time since I last saw you, Auntie. How are you?"
Mrs. Liang was still the same, with a cold and calm expression, but a hint of fatigue between her brows. The two of them had little to say to each other.
"Is your brother going to leave now?"
After a long while, Madam Liang finally asked, and Minglan quickly replied, "He can only move a few steps, but he crawls very nimbly. Even if he's placed on the ground, he can still climb up onto the kang along the Marquis's legs, like a little monkey."
Minglan had no intention of showing off; it was just something she saw every day, and it just came out of her mouth. Madam Liang smiled and said softly, "You are a lucky person." Then she sighed softly, "It's my family that is unlucky."
Madam Liang was having a rough time. The Yongchang Marquis's mansion was finally emerging from its previous gloom, and the Emperor had summoned him twice. Sadly, the one who had played a significant role in this was the Liang family's eldest son. Everyone praised the Yongchang Marquis's eldest son's abilities, but few mentioned the Liang family's eldest son. One could imagine Madam Liang's frustrations—the eldest son had a formidable rival, the second son's academic achievements had yet to earn him a degree, and the youngest son's chambers were still bustling with embroidery, the wives and concubines bustling with activity, yet there was still no child.
Piers, the wife in the "wives and concubines" is Minglan's elder sister, Ms. Molan.
"If you have time, visit your sister often and talk to her..." Mrs. Liang chose her words carefully.
Minglan was silent for a moment before she whispered, "Fourth sister won't listen to me."
Madam Liang sighed softly, her face growing even more worried. Minglan hung her head, refusing to speak. Someone approached and said, "What are you talking about? It's a beautiful day, and you two are so gloomy. Be careful the master will chase you away with a broom!"
Minglan looked up and saw Mrs. Zhang, the Duke of England, walking towards her with a smile. She said in surprise, "Aunt is here. I was just wondering when you would come. Please take a seat." The savior has arrived!
Madam Zhang sat down next to Minglan and said with a smile, "You come early." Minglan said modestly, "Today is our old master's birthday. As the younger generation, we should have come earlier." Madam Zhang said to Madam Liang, "Sit down too, sister. We haven't spoken for a long time." Madam Liang shook her head and said gloomily, "You guys talk among yourselves. I'll go pay my respects to the old lady." Then she slowly walked away.
Seeing something was amiss, Minglan tentatively asked, "Are you old acquaintances of Madam Liang?"
Madam Zhang stared at Madam Liang's back in a daze: "Our families are old friends and we live close to each other, so we grew up like sisters. Later, she... forget it, it's all old news." She turned around and smiled, "I haven't thanked you yet. What did you say to Aunt Zou? She has been depressed for several days since you left. My useless silly girl has now had an appetite and is smiling again. Alas..." She smiled bitterly as she spoke.
Minglan was slightly stunned, feeling quite unexpected: "It's nothing, I just told her a story." Then she briefly repeated the story of the prince consort and the concubine, omitting the last few sentences.
Madam Zhang was silent for a long time, then sighed, "You have good intentions. If Aunt Zou could understand your good intentions and get along with my daughter, it would be a good thing."
Minglan nodded, afraid that things would not be that easy.
At this moment, there was a burst of laughter at the head of the hall. Two maids came in, each holding a swaddling cloth. A noblewoman sitting next to Princess Pingning laughed and said, "Oh my God, I've been with your sisters for all these years and have never been able to see your grandchildren. Now you're finally willing to bring them out?!"
Princess Pingning apologized repeatedly, "My dear sister, it's my fault. There's nothing good about a baby who hasn't grown up yet."
Another noblewoman said, "You have a rare and precious pair of twins, a boy and a girl. Why don't you show them off? Why didn't you even treat us to a full moon banquet? You're such a stingy person!"
Princess Pingning said, "It was my old man who told me not to show off too much, kid. Just have a drink at home."
The woman continued, "What do you mean by a little wine? Did the palace give you two golden lockets? With such a gift, do you have the nerve to shut yourself in and enjoy yourself alone?"
Princess Pingning had a wide circle of friends, and while these women weren't always able to offer immediate assistance, they were more than willing to add icing on the cake. They began praising the children to the highest heavens, and Princess Pingning repeatedly declined, never once sounding arrogant or complacent. Even so, Madam Qi's face had turned livid, and Grandmother Qi, standing beside her, was at a loss, on the verge of tears. Minglan felt a pity for them.
Mrs. Zhang remained motionless, her smile quite meaningful: "At the beginning, I thought the Qi family would hold a full-moon banquet, and I even prepared the gifts. But they only had a drink at the Marquis of Xiangyang's mansion, and didn't invite anyone from outside. I thought it would just pass by quietly, haha... The Shen family still has face." When the rewards were awarded, the oral instruction specifically mentioned the "outstanding contributions" made by the old fox Shen in the past.
Minglan also knew this, she just smiled and didn't say anything.
Come to think of it, Princess Pingning can truly be considered a hero among women. Although she was born with honor, she has never been blinded by the wealth and glory and become arrogant. She is clearly aware of the future crisis - the emperor is old, her biological father is old, she has no brothers, her husband is only the second son, and she has a strong sister-in-law. Whether it is the Duke of Qi's Mansion or the Marquis of Xiangyang's Mansion, it will be difficult for her to rely on them for the rest of her life.
So, she started planning early. Whether it was the Princess Jiacheng at the time or the current Shen, she actually made the right choice.
If she were a man, she would probably be a remarkable person.
"There have been many good things happening in the capital lately. I guess Sister Zhang is about to give birth." Minglan casually chatted about family matters.
Madam Zhang frowned with a hint of worry: "It will be soon. I just don't know if it's a boy or a girl." Minglan said immediately: "It must be a boy!" Madam Zhang was surprised: "How do you know? You can't see it."
Minglan pursed her lips and smiled. "Let's get some good words out of the way first! Let me make my aunt happy, and..." She deliberately dragged out her tone, "Even if it's just a girl, who wouldn't like her?"
Mrs. Zhang burst out laughing and couldn't help pinching Minglan's cheek: "You mischievous ghost! You know how to please others!"
As long as my daughter is fine, the gender of her daughter doesn't matter much. Any woman who becomes a mother will probably be more open-minded in the future and won't be as stubborn and stubborn as she is now.
When the guests had almost arrived, Madam Qi invited them all to the table. The women in the household toasted each other, urging them to drink. Even with Madam Zhang's encouragement, Minglan couldn't refuse and forced herself to drink several glasses of wine, her pretty face flushed.
The dinner lasted until 3:30 PM. Minglan thought it was almost time, so after drinking her tea, Cuixiu whispered in her ear that Gu Tingye had gotten up, and Minglan wanted to leave as well. But Shen insisted on seeing her out, and Minglan had no choice but to endure the dizziness and chat with her intermittently, hoping to reach the second gate quickly.
"...After having these two children, I know what life is all about. As long as they are well, I don't care about anything else." Shen spoke slowly and calmly, and Minglan had no choice but to respond half-heartedly.
"Aunt, do you know what the names of my twin children are?" Shen suddenly stopped.
Minglan held her forehead and tried to recall: "I think it was called... Yu Jie'er, Han Ge'er."
"That's the nickname." Shen said with a hint of melancholy, "There's also a full name, which was given by my husband. One is called Yuming, and the other is called Hanming... Ming means clear." Then her eyes slowly stared at Minglan.
Minglan was stunned for a moment before she understood what Shen was talking about. She sobered up a bit, and thankfully, she was quick to react. She said calmly, "It's a really nice name. It means wisdom and understanding, and tranquility leads to far-reaching goals. I hope these two children will have a happy and fulfilling life."
Shen looked at her, and Minglan glared back fiercely - you two are crazy, please stay away from me!
The two looked at each other for a long time, and finally Shen softened, retracted her gaze, and sighed softly: "It's a good name."
In reality, she knew it all: her husband was young, handsome, talented, and hardworking. He came from a wealthy, aristocratic family, and had a promising future. He wasn't a womanizer, and even when she was pregnant, Qi Heng had never taken a concubine. Aside from his unsettling heart, he was impeccable. Compared to her sisters, she was already far more fortunate. Why should she be so greedy?
But if she didn't let Minglan know, she would feel uncomfortable.
After that, the two of them said nothing and walked to the second gate in silence.
After saying goodbye to Shen, Minglan decided to walk all the way back to the gate: "No need for a sedan chair, I want to take a few steps to get rid of the smell of alcohol." Seeing that she looked unhappy, Xiao Cuixiu didn't dare to ask more questions, so she followed behind with several maids.
The layout of the noble houses was similar: along the narrow inner alley, all the way to the main gate. She had remembered it when she had just arrived. At this moment, Minglan was filled with rage, and she wished she could immediately capture Qi Heng and beat him up.
—What’s wrong with that idiot? He’s living a good life, but he insists on looking for trouble and even getting himself into trouble! He’s been living comfortably for too long, huh? He’s looking for trouble, huh?! The more Minglan thought about it, the angrier she became. She walked faster and faster, her steps hurried and heavy, as if she was filled with unhappiness. The others behind her didn’t dare to follow closely, leaving only a distance behind them.
When they reached the corner, Minglan took a step forward and almost bumped into the person who came. The person quickly stopped his momentum, and the two of them suddenly met face to face, both of them were shocked.
Qi Heng seemed to have just seen off a guest. He was also drunk, his cheeks were red, and his fair skin was as white as if rouge was showing through, which made him look even more handsome like jade and beautiful like a delicate orchid.
"...Sixth sister..." He called out habitually with his eyes still blurred.
Even after becoming a father, he still doesn't stop! At this moment, Minglan's heart was no longer filled with joy. She just wanted to beat him up. She immediately shouted six words viciously - "Shut up! You idiot!"
Then he walked away, and a moment later he turned back, his eyes gleaming with ferocity as he added in a low voice, "Hurry up and change the names of your son and daughter!"
The interval was only ten seconds. Qi Heng was stunned and had no time to react. Minglan had already walked away quickly, striding forward. The maids and servants who caught up with her hurriedly saluted Qi Heng, and then went after Minglan, not knowing what had happened in between.
After just a few dozen steps and a turn, there was the concierge. Gu Tingye was already waiting there. The faint aroma of wine wafted from his dark blue silk robe, but the man's expression remained calm.
Minglan put down the hand that was supporting her forehead and greeted him with a smile: "Excuse me for waiting for a long time, my Lord."
Gu Tingye frowned slightly, staring at her movements: "You drank a lot, do you have a headache? I'm afraid that if you get in the car, the bumps will make you even more uncomfortable, why not rest for a while before going."
Minglan was stunned for a moment, then couldn't help but laugh. "That's all right, it's nothing serious. Let's not delay any longer and go now."
Gu Tingye stared at her for a while and said briefly, "Wait a minute, I'll go get a sedan chair."
Without waiting for Minglan to refuse, he turned and left.
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