Perhaps because she had been living in comfort for too long, her alertness was not as high as before. It was two days before Minglan realized something was wrong.
Gu Tingye seemed to be becoming more and more sarcastic. He was joking with her one moment, and then he became silent the next. He would stare at her for a long time with unclear intentions, which made her feel numb. If he was free, he would not play with her like before, but would often be alone holding his son in a daze.
When asked what was wrong, the man replied indifferently, "Nothing."
Mr. Gongsun has been quite free these days, imitating the ancients in playing drums, making music and singing songs. It doesn't look like anything is happening in the court. Minglan is becoming more and more worried. After thinking about it carefully, she realizes that something went wrong at the birthday banquet at the Duke of Qi's mansion that day. She is immediately shocked.
That day, when Gu Tingye went to court, Minglan called Gu Lu over and said directly without hiding anything, "It seems that the Marquis was not very happy in the Qi Mansion that day. What happened?" Gu Lu always had a good memory, but he thought about it for a long time and didn't think there was anything wrong. Minglan asked him to tell her everything that happened after Gu Tingye entered the Qi Mansion that day.
"The Marquis first wished the old Duke a happy birthday and chatted for a while. Later, the Duke of Ying and the Duke of Fu arrived, and everyone talked about old times. Several adults praised the Marquis as a thousand-mile steed... After they sat down, the Duke of Han kept coming over to talk to the Marquis, and the Marquis kept urging him to drink. Eventually, the Duke of Han passed out. Someone then said that the old Duke was blessed, with four generations living under one roof. The old Duke was so happy that he had his two great-grandchildren brought in to show everyone..."
Minglan suppressed her pounding heart and asked, "Did the old Duke mention the names of those two children?"
Gu Lu thought for a moment and replied, "He only said that the boy was called Hanming. The old master was so fond of his only great-grandson that he even wrote his name on several pieces of paper and posted them outside for people to call him by."
Minglan remained silent and didn't ask any more questions. She just praised Gu Lu gently and asked Xiaotao to send him out. As usual, Xiaotao put her arms full of fruits and snacks for him and then took him out.
The spring breeze blew on her face, and she broke out in a cold sweat. She spread out her wet palms and stood in front of the window, feeling very upset. The more she feared something, the more it would come true. At this moment, she wanted to beat Qi Henghai a thousand times!
Gu Tingye already knew about her affair with Qi Heng. When they first met, he was the only audience for the drama they performed. Later, as time passed, Qi Heng got married, was cuckolded, and took the imperial examinations. Gu Tingye got married, was cuckolded, and lived in the underworld. Even if she was beaten to death, Minglan never expected that she would marry her second uncle Gu, who was well-known in the Beijing playboy circle!
So, it was He Hongwen that she was worried about at first. After all, they were the ones she had seriously considered marrying. Who could have known that Qi Yuanbao, whose ancestors had accumulated no virtue for eighteen generations, would be so crazy?!
What should I do now? He didn't just find out about her past with Qi Heng today, so why should he still be bothered by it?
Minglan held her head and wailed, rolling around on the couch but unable to come up with any ideas. She grabbed Tuan Ge'er, who had just woken up, and held his little face in front of her, "You should also think of a solution for me!"
Unfortunately, the little fat boy didn't understand and kept pushing himself into her arms, rubbing his chubby face against her chest and opening his little mouth to search everywhere. Minglan was so embarrassed that she pushed his forehead open with her index finger and said, "You foodie!"
——She’s still a stupid little foodie, she should have been sold out long ago!
The problem has been identified, but how to solve it next becomes a difficult problem. Minglan, who has always been quick to make decisions, was stunned for a moment; thinking about it carefully, she was indeed a rookie in her previous life, and in fact, she had never handled such things well in this life. Regarding Qi Heng, He Hongwen, and even Gu Tingye, it is more of a survival issue than an emotional issue.
Minglan looked at her husband leaning against the head of the bed, mustered up the courage to smile, and tried to find the words to say: "Since you have such a bowl of food today, do you want a midnight snack?" But Gu Tingye shook his head and said, "It's getting late. It's easy to get indigestion if you eat and then go to sleep." He spoke very briefly, then handed Tuan'er, who was already staggering in his arms, to the wet nurse and went to the desk to find a book to read.
Minglan couldn't help but curse in her heart: "No time for midnight snacks, but time for reading? Forget it, I'd rather starve to death! Be careful not to act too cool and become a fool!"
After thinking about it, she felt that it was not right. This was not the time to be angry. Minglan tried to talk about the trivial matters of the day, but the man just said "oh" casually a few times, and his perfunctory attitude was obvious in his words.
Minglan was at a loss and had to go to the bathroom. After she came back from washing, she found that Gu Tingye was still in the same posture, with his middle shirt on and his long hair loose, leaning against the head of the bed reading a book. Minglan squinted to see, and fortunately, the book was not upside down.
After climbing onto the bed, she went inside as usual, but she saw that the man showed no intention of putting down his book. After a while, Minglan couldn't help but ask, "My Lord, are you going to rest?" Gu Tingye was silent for a moment before he hummed a low "hmm," turned off the lights, and cleared the curtains.
With nothing else to do, someone rustled in the darkness, groping for the man. Her slender fingers slipped over the quilt and into his collar. Slowly exploring for a moment, the skin on his chest gradually grew hot. She quickly leaned in and rubbed against him—if this didn't work, she'd be at her wit's end. Luckily, the man wasn't acting like Liu Xiahui. Before he could even catch his breath, he rolled over, pressing her down and unceremoniously enjoying himself.
The next day, someone who had a sore back was secretly happy that his skills had been sold. However, when the man returned to the house, he was back to his old self, with a dull expression and not willing to talk much, as if he was in a "eat the sugar coating and hit the bullet back" attitude.
Faced with this half-dead attitude, Minglan suddenly remembered a saying - a dog bites a turtle, but it has nowhere to bite.
After several days of hard thinking, Minglan still couldn't figure it out. She felt quite exhausted. Seeing that the weather was getting hotter day by day, she asked someone to pick some water chestnuts from the pond and catch a few fat fish. Then she went to visit General Zheng's mansion to relax.
Little Shen's belly was gradually growing bigger. This pregnancy was not easy for her. Her mother-in-law, sister-in-law and husband refused to let her go outside. She was feeling bored and anxious, but she was overjoyed to see Minglan coming to visit.
"...These past few days, I feel like I'm infested with bugs. My sister-in-law won't even let me walk in the garden for a while..." Little Shen complained bitterly. Minglan looked at her closely, noting that her face was round and healthy, though she looked bored.
Little Shen lowered her voice, "I think my sister-in-law is being too cautious. Back when the Emperor was still in the feudal vassal state, I saw women there running around even when their bellies were huge. And they still gave birth to lively babies. There were even women of the second and third ranks who were still strolling around the garden half a month before giving birth! The capital has so many rules!"
Minglan lectured her sternly, "Other ladies, when they go out to visit the garden, sit and drink tea in a proper manner. You are a monkey incarnate. Once you leave this house, how can you behave yourself? Your sister-in-law has figured out your character!"
This was somewhat true, and Little Shen sighed softly. Minglan found her frustrated expression amusing, and tapped her forehead with a finger, jokingly saying, "Just be quiet. Besides, this baby isn't just yours, so why would you be so irritable?"
Little Shen's face flushed slightly as she whispered, "I know, for the sake of this child, my husband also..."
Minglan feigned surprise. "I mean, your mother-in-law and sister-in-law prayed to countless bodhisattvas, read countless scriptures, and pledged countless incense money for your pregnancy... What are you thinking? Yeah, but General Zheng did contribute quite a bit, too."
Little Shen was so embarrassed that she threw a cushion at Minglan and tried to pounce on her, but Minglan quickly interrupted her, saying, "Don't move! You're so precious now. If you lose even a single hair, I'd shave it bald and I wouldn't be able to pay it back!"
Little Shen couldn't do anything to her, and she didn't dare to act rashly. She could only tremble her fingers and said, "You...you..."
Madam Zheng, who was outside, heard the laughter and noise inside, smiled and shook her head, then stepped in and said, "How old are you two? I've only been out for a moment, and you've acted like this? What bad words are you saying? You even sent everyone away."
Little Shen quickly sat down, not daring to move. Minglan saw a middle-aged woman following Madam Zheng, so she asked gently, "Sister-in-law, who is this..."
Madam Zheng pointed at the woman and said, "This is my cousin from my mother's side. She lived away from home in her early years. Now that her children have settled down in the capital, she has taken them in to live with us."
Little Shen seemed to know her and called her "cousin" with a smile, but did not stand up. Minglan nodded and politely said, "Please sit down and the maid will come to serve tea."
The cousin's clothes were unremarkable, and her appearance was even a little rustic, but her manners were graceful and unflinching, and her voice was loud: "Look at what you're saying. You are rich people, and we are country people. The little things of a small family are not enough to be laughed at in the eyes of you nobles."
Madam Zheng didn't seem to dislike her cousin and said very kindly, "Regardless of whether one's family is large or small, filial piety to one's parents is paramount. Your cousin's children are all filial, and she is truly blessed."
My cousin grinned and said, "That's right. These guys still have some conscience and haven't forgotten the hardships their parents have endured. Even their sons-in-law are filial. That's why I'm running this errand for them."
Minglan noticed that there was a small bamboo basket on the ground next to her, with the veil pulled aside, revealing dozens of red eggs inside.
Madam Zheng turned and smiled, "The Qi family has been blessed with good fortune lately. The old Duke had twin great-grandchildren a few months ago, and he celebrated his 70th birthday a few days ago. Now, the family has another member added to their family." Seeing Minglan's bewildered expression, she added, "My cousin's daughter married into a branch of the Duke's family."
When Minglan heard about the Duke of Qi's Mansion, her brows twitched and she smiled, "Congratulations."
But in my heart I thought that the marriage between a branch of a big family and a cousin of the big family from afar was a good match.
Xiao Shen quickly asked, "Has it been born? Is it a boy or a girl?"
My cousin's broad face was filled with smiles. "It's a boy, weighing seven pounds and six ounces, very heavy! We're a small family and don't have much good stuff, so I sent you some red eggs. If you eat them, I guarantee you'll give birth to a big fat boy!"
Little Shen loved hearing this, but because she was too shy to respond, Madam Zheng thanked her on her behalf: "Thank goodness, cousin, for remembering us so well. Your family has so many children and grandchildren. Isn't it wonderful that we can share in the joy of having so many children and grandchildren?" Then she turned to Minglan and said, "Don't just smile. I'm offering you some flowers today. You can take some away later."
Minglan was momentarily stunned, and Little Shen quickly seized the opportunity: "You think you're done with just one child? Hurry back and have more!"
Everyone laughed, and Mrs. Zheng thanked her cousin again.
My cousin laughed and said, "Madam, please stop talking. A few red eggs are worth nothing. To be honest, it's all thanks to you. Otherwise, Guan Ming and his wife wouldn't be in this situation today! After they finish their confinement, they will come and kowtow to you personally."
Madam Zheng smiled slightly. "It's your son-in-law who has made a name for himself. I'm not responsible for anything. Even his younger brother Siming is said to be highly praised by the master."
Minglan's heart stirred, and she blurted out, "Guan Ming? Si Ming?" Seeing their slightly surprised looks, she quickly smiled and said, "I went to the Qi family's birthday party a few days ago. The old Duke's great-grandson seemed to be named Ming."
Little Shen pointed at her and laughed, "You, since your name has the character 'Ming' in it, don't you allow others to be called by that name?"
Minglan felt embarrassed.
Madam Zheng smiled, unfazed, and softly explained, "You didn't grow up in Beijing, so you don't know this. The Qi family used to have single-named children and double-named children. Now, the generation should have double-named children." She turned around and scolded Little Shen, "You grew up outside, too. What do you know? You just love to show off your half-knowledge."
Little Shen smiled mischievously at her eldest sister-in-law.
Everyone in the room was still talking and laughing, and Minglan tried to keep up with the conversation, but her heart was filled with turmoil.
The word "Ming" in the names of Qi Heng's children has nothing to do with him!
She didn't know about this, but Shen knew about it, and she did it on purpose!
I've been tricked!
Shen's life wasn't bad; the only flaw was her husband's lack of affection. She wasn't happy, and she didn't want to make others happy. Her words were fabricated and difficult to suss out. If she knew the inside story, she might have been able to resist. But she was completely unaware of the Qi family's hierarchy, and, feeling guilty, she simply jumped in.
In the final analysis, Shen just wanted to let Minglan know that she was feeling aggrieved, and to let Minglan feel aggrieved as well - she finally got to know the dignified and generous Qi Shen!
But then, another question surfaced, a bigger and more troublesome question.
Until dinner, Minglan was still staring at Gu Tingye in a daze, troubled by this problem, still in a trance - Gu Tingye grew up in the capital, and even knew the old stories of Hedong Mansion, so how could he not know the seniority of the Qi family?
Since the word "Ming" in Qi Heng's children's names was not because of him, why was he angry?
Could it be that the characters "玉" and "翰" together sound like the homophone for "regret"? No.
For example, my cousin I met today has two sons-in-law named Guanming and Siming. Could it be that they miss me because they see me? And their father gave his sons these names. Could it be that they are childhood sweethearts?
Since the character "Ming" is included in the Qi family's generational list, similar connotations are inevitable. Gu Tingye is an open-minded person, not so narrow-minded as this - Minglan intuitively knows that he is not angry with her because of the name.
As her thoughts wandered, Minglan suddenly realized she had wronged Qi Heng. Was Qi Heng forced to name his children "Clever" or "Invention" to avoid suspicion? Ami Doufu, I hope he keeps his head clear and doesn't change his children's names!
Gu Tingye noticed that Minglan was unusually quiet during dinner today, as if she were distracted. Her face was alternately one of deep thought and hesitation, a tangled expression. She simply ate her rice, unsure of what she was thinking about. He found this quite amusing, and reaching out to touch the rice grains at the corner of her lips, he smiled and said, "What are you thinking about? You're not even eating properly."
Minglan woke up with a start, realizing that she had spilled rice all over the floor. She was embarrassed, "No, it's..." There seemed to be nothing more to say about this topic, so she shook her head and said, "I'm not thinking anything. ... My Lord, the turtle soup today is excellent. Please have another bowl."
Gu Tingye's smile gradually faded away: She is always like this.
The two of them were silent for the rest of the meal. Just after they finished their meal, someone came to report. It was the breathless maid from the second gate. She was standing outside and reported that the fourth old master was not feeling well and asked them to go and check it out quickly.
The couple looked at each other, what happened?
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