You say, would my husband offend all of this for you, and embarrass himself in front of his noble, talented, and unconventional poetry friends, classmates, and peers?! ..."
Xiuqiao could no longer remember what the two people quarreled about next. She only vaguely felt that the unpleasant sound was getting weaker and weaker, and then she felt dizzy and fell asleep again.
When she woke up again, she saw her third sister-in-law, looking dignified and noble again, sitting beside her bed with a smile: "Look at you, useless boy. Don't run around today. Go back home first."
Xiuqiao nodded repeatedly without saying a word about what she had just heard.
When she was helped out of the house, she saw a rough, middle-aged woman standing at the door. She was bloated and fat, and her beautiful features could be vaguely seen on her face covered with flesh. She was somewhat similar to her third brother and fourth aunt. Two maids tried to pull her back into the house, calling her "Auntie Lin" and so on.
So this is Aunt Lin? Xiuqiao felt slightly disappointed.
She had heard that when Concubine Lin first committed the crime and was banished to the farm, she remained restless, constantly plotting suicide and looking for an opportunity to escape. Wang Shi was in power at the time, and it would have been easy for her to deal with this former enemy. So, under the pretext of preventing Concubine Lin from committing suicide, she was imprisoned in a small mud house with only a single high window, and was given only three bowls of lard mixed with board every day.
Of course, Aunt Lin didn't really want to die, so she had to eat. Since she had nowhere to move, the more she ate, the more she wanted to eat. After half a year, she became a fat pig.
Xiuqiao shuddered secretly.
How vicious and cruel! He destroyed the beauty and gracefulness that a woman valued most.
I heard that this was an idea given by Wang's mother-in-law's sister. Later, this aunt disappeared and even the Kang family had little contact with them. Xiuqiao was relieved. She was very afraid of meeting someone who could come up with such an idea.
She didn’t tell anyone about what happened that day, and only told Shen’s mother when she returned to her parents’ home.
Mother Shen sighed and said, "Your third sister-in-law has had a hard time too. You don't have to be too sympathetic to that Lin guy. People like him are just getting what they deserve." She added, "Don't worry about all this nonsense. The most important thing right now is that you have to get pregnant quickly!"
Xiuqiao's eyes quickly dimmed.
Her family was wealthy, her lineage distinguished, and she enjoyed dignity wherever she went. Her mother-in-law wasn't around, her great-grandmother wasn't around, her eldest brother and his wife weren't around; her father-in-law was kind, her third brother was kind, and her third sister-in-law was even kinder. She didn't have to follow rules, no mother-in-law to serve, no sisters-in-law to bother with, and no philandering husband to worry about.
The only flaw in such a comfortable and leisurely life is that she is still not pregnant after nearly two years of marriage.
Her husband and Concubine Xiang treated her so well that she felt sorry for them. Xiuqiao tearfully suggested that she find a good-looking maid to start a family with. Before she could finish her words, Concubine Xiang scolded her back.
"Silly child, there are many women who wait three or four years after marriage to get married. How old are you? Besides, there are so many children and grandchildren in the family, so we don't need you to carry on the family line. Why are you in such a hurry?"
Xiuqiao was touched, yet increasingly remorseful, and she grew thinner day by day. Her husband, unable to bear this, decided to ask the old lady for help and to seek the help of the old lady of the He family in Baishitan. After several letters, the old lady agreed and said that the old lady of the He family would come to Beijing in six months. Then, she would spare her pride and ask her to come again.
"Really, can it really work?!" Xiu Qiao said with tears in her eyes, full of hope.
In order to comfort her, her husband patted his chest and praised the old lady's medical skills.
"You don't know, back then, my eldest sister also didn't get pregnant for five or six years. After asking Madam He to take a look, she had a boy at once, and then she had two in three years. Now she's almost forty, and she can't help it. Look, she's pregnant again! Over the years, the New Year's money we gave to my eldest sister's nephews and nieces alone is a huge amount! So, after asking Madam He to take a look this time, we might as well try our best to have children. At least we can get our money back, otherwise we will suffer a loss!"
Xiuqiao was honest and simple by nature, so she burst into laughter and did not suspect anything.
After Shen's mother learned about this, her eyes were red with emotion. She repeatedly said to Shen's father, "Old man, what did I say at the beginning? This is what we call a scholarly family. They have rules and regulations, and they are loyal and righteous. Those who have three wives and four concubines are just fake and pedantic!"
After laughing for a while, he couldn't help but talk about the daughter of the Zhong family.
Originally, Shen's mother had wanted to marry a daughter of the Zhong family, but Mrs. Zhong had instead set her sights on the son of the Guangdong and Guangxi Governor, Mr. Zhou, who was currently studying in the capital. The family was a distinguished one, but the Zhou family had four generations living under one roof, with three branches sharing the same household. There were so many uncles, brothers, sisters-in-law, and cousins in the family that Xiuqiao couldn't remember who was who after hearing the name several times.
The elder sister of the Zhong family has always been good friends with her. After she got married, she often went back to her parents' home to cry about the difficult life in her husband's family. She was so tired from morning to night every day that she had no time to rest, no good food to eat, and no good sleep to sleep. She was almost unable to hold on.
Xiuqiao felt that it was not the Zhou family's fault. They were just that kind of family and should have married daughters-in-law like the eldest and third sisters-in-law; they had been well-trained since childhood and knew how to deal with things appropriately, and could handle a large group of relatives with ease and without showing any timidity - how could families like hers and the Zhong family, which had become successful late in life, compare to them.
I remember that year the whole family gathered together for the New Year, and it also happened to be the old lady's birthday. We had a three-day banquet at home, and there were singing performances, acrobats, monks and nuns chanting sutras and praying for blessings. About fifty or sixty families came to celebrate the birthday.
What is the origin of each family? What is the generation of the female relatives who come to visit? How should they be addressed? How should the seating be arranged? Which families are at odds and shouldn't sit together? Which families are related by marriage, blood, or descent and should sit together? Which old ladies can't smell what kind of fragrance? Which ladies can't eat what kind of food? How should the carriages and horses be parked in front? How should the fodder be fed? How should the servants and drivers be greeted? How should the maids be greeted? How should the maids be accommodated? What are the personal belongings?
Her amazing sister-in-law, not even a hair out of place, not even a drop of sweat on her face, always had such a polite and friendly smile, and easily arranged everything inside and outside the house perfectly. While giving precise instructions to a dozen maids outside the door, she could also go to the banquet to serve food to the old ladies and tell jokes to entertain them. Many old ladies praised her.
At that time, Xiuqiao was stunned.
There was also my third sister-in-law, who was pregnant during the Mid-Autumn Festival that year. She had just come in and didn't know anything, but she smiled, shook her head and sighed, and with her big belly, she took care of everything with ease; she only needed to pick up her chopsticks, sit at the table and start eating.
Not to mention the master, even the subordinates are far inferior to him. The experienced mothers and daughters-in-law around the eldest sister-in-law and the third sister-in-law are all experts who can fight ten people at the same time. This is the result of the accumulated training of generations of servants.
Her family wasn't short of money, but how could they afford all that? She only had a few silly girls around her, only two years old, chosen for their honesty and kindness. Her only useful wet nurse had recently gone home to recuperate.
Forget it, I won’t compare anymore. Comparing yourself with others will only make you angry.
Besides, Xiuqiao has no competitive spirit, so she gets along well with her two sisters-in-law.
With this mentality, Xiuqiao continued to live her simple and happy life, embroidering, making sachets and clothes every day, eating and sleeping when she was fit to take care of her body, and counting the days until Old Lady He came to Beijing.
Perhaps it was because she had relaxed a lot, she had been gaining weight quite easily recently. Her husband was only happy to see her like this. As he watched her gradually become plumper, she loved to eat and sleep, and on this day he had even eaten more than a dozen apricots in one go.
Just then, Aunt Xiang came to deliver something. Xiuqiao enthusiastically stuffed half a basin of plump apricots into her arms and said, "Aunt, please eat, please eat. The apricots this time are especially delicious."
Concubine Xiang couldn't refuse, so she smiled and picked up one and took a bite. She immediately burst into tears because of the sourness and exclaimed, "How could you eat it when it's so sour!"
Xiuqiao said foolishly, "Is it sour? I don't think it's sour." It's so delicious.
Xiang Yi Niang's eyes gradually showed a radiance of joy. She touched her hair and said with a smile, "Silly child!" Then she turned around and asked the little maid, "Silly girl, how long has it been since your grandma changed her clothes?"
The little maid was stunned. "Oh, this, Madam taught me. I have memorized it. It seems to be quite a long time ago. Auntie, please wait a minute. I will go back to the room and look through the notebook."
Extra three green cicadas
"...At least considering the friendship we have had since childhood, please talk to grandma on my behalf. My brother and I will remember your kindness." A middle-aged woman stood in the corridor, whispering to a neatly dressed housekeeper's wife.
The daughter-in-law whispered, "I don't need to. Second Madam has been busy lately. Otherwise, even if you didn't mention it, she would have remembered it. Think about it, in all these years, with studying and going to school, when has Second Madam ever neglected my eldest brother?"
Although the middle-aged woman was well-dressed with silk and satin all over her body, she looked very timid and said a few embarrassed words when she heard this.
After the two separated, the daughter-in-law turned and walked out of the courtyard. The other daughter-in-law beside her hurried to catch up, muttering, "Cui Chan, you are too kind. If we don't explain this matter, what will happen if the Second Mistress suspects you?"
Cui Chan sighed softly: "Forget it, after all, we grew up together, and it's not easy for her now."
"Humph, it's not easy for her. She didn't think about standing out in the beginning. Isn't she more respectable than us now?"
Cui Chan shook her head and said, "This is not something we should discuss. You should go and do it." The daughter-in-law smiled and said, "Okay, then I'll ask you to do something..." Cui Chan smiled and said, "I won't forget it." The daughter-in-law thanked her repeatedly and left with a smile on her face.
After watching the daughter-in-law leave, Cuichan continued walking towards the main house. The maids and old women she met along the way all hurriedly put down their work and nodded and bowed to greet her.
As soon as Cui Chan stepped into the main room, she heard voices from the inner room. After careful consideration, she realized that it was her mistress and Mrs. Wu from the Sheng family's main house who were talking. She immediately stopped and stood by the door holding her breath.
"...Cousin, please help me. My children have been away from me since they were born." Grandma Wu cried softly and intermittently.
"Don't cry so much! I've tried everything I could to persuade you over the years, but you ignored me and just thought I was trying to scare you. Well, now you've finally provoked the aunt in the main hall to get angry. This matter, to put it bluntly, is a matter between the mother-in-law and the daughter-in-law in the main house. Not only am I just a married woman, but even my brothers can't interfere. On a more personal note, as a grandmother, I want to personally raise my grandchildren, and who can argue with me?"
Mrs. Wu was not a fool and understood all the reasons, but she still cried sadly: "Mom is angry with me, but, but what can I do? After all, she is my biological mother, cousin..."
"Yes, my cousin is filial and knows how to think about her biological mother. My biological mother is still alone in the ancestral temple in my hometown." The second grandmother suddenly interrupted coldly.
Second Madam Wu knew she had spoken out of turn, and quickly said, "Don't blame me, cousin. I can't speak, I'm stupid! My aunt has always loved me, and my mother has worked so hard for her. I, I really don't know how to make amends." As she spoke, she began to cry again, "My mother has committed serious sins, of course I know that. But that time when I went to see her in the Ministry of Discipline, she was so overworked that she looked like a nobody. She kept crying in front of me, and as a child, how could I bear to see that..."
"I told you not to go, but you insisted."
Second Grandma Wu cried, "Since my grandmother passed away, my uncle and aunt no longer want to take care of my mother, and my brother is being held captive by my sister-in-law. Besides me, who else can I...?"
"So Brother Changwu's promotion actually gave you a chance to visit your mother at the Ministry of Discipline!" Second Madam scoffed, then changed the subject, "Speaking of uncle and aunt, I heard that cousin Wang recently had another son? Aunt has good judgment; the second madam brought in is indeed a blessing to her husband and son."
Second Madam Wu was startled. She looked up and saw her cousin's meaningful gaze. She said in panic, "Cousin, cousin..."
"You should be content. My uncle and aunt have treated you very well. Although they are resentful, they have never taken their anger out on you. Think about Yuan'er. Her parents-in-law are still our uncle and aunt! But you are so greedy, one moment you go to visit your mother, the next you beg the old lady for forgiveness. The old lady rarely returns to Beijing, and you kneel at the door of Shou'an Hall on New Year's Day, crying and begging, which only brings bad luck!"
"Now that the old lady is well, she has asked my aunt to come back. We are all rich and prosperous, and the family is happy. What's more, she is my mother..." Mrs. Wu was about to continue speaking when she was interrupted again.
"I know that's your mother. Everyone knows that's your mother!" Second Mistress' voice was filled with sarcasm. "I don't bother to talk about that old lawsuit anymore. The old lady is fine. That's because she was blessed. It's a foregone conclusion that your aunt has evil intentions. The friendship between the first and second branches of our Sheng family has lasted for many years. It's better than that between brothers who have separated. This friendship must continue. Your uncle and aunt will never let the two branches have any grudges because of you! You better understand. No matter how much you are right, you can only choose one side. Don't expect everyone to understand and accommodate you! You are smart and know what to do!"
After saying this, Second Madam seemed tired and wanted to send the guest away. Second Madam Wu had no choice but to wipe away her tears and walked out of the door sobbing. Cuichan quickly stepped back a few steps and stood at the main door, holding up the curtain with one hand and kneeling to salute.
After seeing off Second Lady Wu, Cui Chan slowly entered the inner room and saw the mistress sitting on the kang with a bad look on her face. As soon as she saw her, she said, "Why did you come back just now? You kept me waiting for so long."
Cuichan knew her mistress's temper, so she stood in front of the kang with a smile and said, "Oh my, my Second Madam, the masters are talking inside, and I can't rush in to answer them. It's a pity that I have to run a long way and still have to wait outside."
Second Mistress was amused by her excellent singing and acting, and her expression lightened up a little.
Cui Chan observed her expression and said with a smile, "If you ask me, it's because Second Madam is too kind and tolerant. That's why Second Madam Wu keeps coming to her house to complain. If it were someone else, they would either turn her away or scold her outright."
Second Madam was a cheerful woman, her tempers coming and going quickly. Upon hearing this, she smiled and sighed, "I just feel pity for my cousin Yun'er. Over the years, she has been kind to the elderly and the weak, giving out porridge and rice, and doing a lot of good deeds. Alas... a white phoenix flew out of the black crow's nest, what's going on..."
Cui Chan asked cautiously, "This time...what happened to Second Madam Wu...?"
Second Madam snorted coldly, "My cousin's wife from the Kang family was getting so annoyed with her that she said, 'If we want to release someone from the Shenjie Division, only the Marquis of the Gu family can do it. Why don't you ask Marquis Gu's wife?' My cousin took it seriously and actually pricked her finger, wrote a letter in blood, and wanted to send it to Shu. Fortunately, the housekeeper that my aunt left in the capital was clever and stopped her. When the news got back to my hometown in Youyang, it scared my uncle to death. If this letter had really been sent out, my sixth sister would have been fine, but my brother-in-law would have thought it was the intention of the Changwu brothers!"
Cui Chan was also shocked: "Second Madam Wu is so bold."
"Hmph!" Second Madam looked at her with a look of resentment. "When the incident first happened, I advised her to be more clear-headed and not to gamble herself against the entire Second House. No one in the First House would bet on her. Four years ago, my aunt detained her in her hometown for a whole year. After she came back, I tried to persuade her not to cry endlessly, but my aunt was already furious. Last year, she knelt at the door of Shou'an Hall. My aunt was so angry that she fell ill. Two months later, she brought in a concubine from a good family. Alas, she never changes her ways. I'm too lazy to waste my words on her."
Seeing that her mistress was so angry that her mouth was dry, Cuichan silently poured her a bowl of warm tea and handed it to her.
"Actually, I knew about this a long time ago." Second Madam drank her tea, took a deep breath, and then slowly said, "My aunt originally wanted to call my cousin back home and never let her go. She wanted to make that good concubine her second wife and help Brother Wu arrange things for her. Fortunately, Brother Wu took pity on her and persuaded my aunt that 'this is not right', so my cousin was saved."
Cui Chan sat on the kang, gently patting Second Madam's legs, and said softly, "Grandma, don't be angry. In my opinion, the eldest lady of the main house asked Second Madam Wu to send her children back, not necessarily to punish them. Let alone our old lady's kindness to the first house, after all, the main house is a merchant family, and they only have one Second Master Wu who is an official, and he is a military officer. But how many people are there in our family, both civil and military? In this generation, our two houses are still as close as one family, but if Second Madam Wu continues like this, and she takes the children to the Shenjiesi from time to time to see the suffering grandmother of the Kang family, and learns from her words and deeds, won't her brothers and sisters secretly bear a grudge when they grow up!"
Second Grandma clapped her hands on her thigh and said, "You've hit the nail on the head! I was worried about this, too. Fortunately, my uncle and aunt understood and took the children home to raise them while they were still young. But this time, Brother Changwu has already promised Auntie that if it happens again, he'll send his wife back home and find another wife."
She sighed and continued, "A vicious person like my aunt must never be allowed to come out. I heard that she curses our whole family every day. Well, come to think of it, it was the old lady who arranged Yuner's marriage. I wonder if she still remembers the old lady's kindness."
After talking for a long time, Second Mistress saw that Cuichan was silent for a long time and could not help laughing and said, "What's wrong with you? You suddenly became mute."
Cuichan endured it again and again, but finally said it out loud: "After listening to grandma talking about conscience, I don't know whether I should pass on a message for someone."
Second Madam thought for a moment, her expression darkening as she replied, "Yun'er is soft-hearted, and you are too. What did she ask you to tell me?"
Cui Chan smiled bitterly and said, "Mrs. Song said that my eldest brother is growing up and it's obvious that he is not good at studying. He likes to wield swords and guns. Our master doesn't have the skills to do that. Can you please find a sword and stick master for him, Grandma?"
Second Mistress snorted coldly: "She is quite disgusting and dares to say anything."
Cuichan stood quietly by the side, without saying a word.
Although she was now Second Mistress's most trusted servant, originally, Concubine Song was Second Mistress's personal maid, raised by her since childhood. Other women might be happy to give their maids to their husbands, but Second Mistress had grown up watching Concubine Lin's domineering ways, and deep down, she didn't believe in harmonious relationships between wives and concubines. Therefore, even when Second Mistress was anxious and angry, she didn't set her sights on them.
Who would have thought that when Aunt Song saw that Second Mistress was injured when giving birth to the eldest daughter, she had a different idea - since there would be no legitimate son, then the eldest son born out of wedlock must be the most precious, and she took the initiative to offer to "share the worries for the mistress"... After that, although Second Mistress said nothing and everything was as usual, Cui Chan knew that she was sad.
The Second Mistress's original idea was to find a second or third-rate maid who had the indentures of her parents and brothers in her hands. After all, she was the one who would give birth to the Second Master's eldest son, so it would not be good to get too close to her. If it went well, everyone would be happy. If it didn't, she would be arrogant because of her son, and if they had to fall out, it would not hurt the friendship they had since childhood.
Cuichan often thought, if even she could see through Second Mistress's thoughts, how could Concubine Song not know? Yet she continued to say, "Others are worried, not as close as me and Grandma. The boy I gave birth to is no different from the one born from Grandma's belly."
When the eldest son was just born, the second wife was relieved, and Concubine Song seemed very proud. However, man proposes, God disposes. Later, the second wife recovered and gave birth to legitimate sons one after another. The couple became more and more loving.
As a result, the existence of the eldest son from a concubine became embarrassing, and Concubine Song became more and more uneasy.
After a while, the Second Grandma said quietly, "Tell me the truth, have I treated them and their son unfairly over the years?"
Cui Chan whispered, "God is my conscience. It was Concubine Song who hurt Grandma first. Grandma has done her justice. They were both promoted from maids to concubines. Look at how our Concubine Xiang and the Sixth Young Master eat, wear, and spend their money... They should be content."
Tears flickered in Second Mistress's eyes, but quickly disappeared. She took her hand and sobbed, "Thank goodness the old lady gave you to me before I got married. You encouraged and comforted me every day during the most difficult time, and I was able to get through it."
Cui Chan said sincerely, "The old lady said it long ago. Grandma is kind and warm-hearted. I will never go wrong if I follow her."
The master and servant talked and laughed for a while, and Cui Chan suddenly remembered something: "Oh, grandma hasn't asked me how the errand is going."
Second Madam rubbed her forehead and bit her lip, scolding with a smile, "It's all your fault. I told you to talk so much, and you've ended up talking all over the place. Come on, tell me, didn't I tell you to deliver the ginseng this morning? How's Fourth Sister? Has she given birth yet?"
Cui Chan smiled and said, "After a whole morning of hard work, Fourth Auntie has given birth to another girl."
Second Mistress exclaimed in surprise, "Why is there another girl? There are already four of them!"
Cuichan also sighed inwardly, four in a row, this really made Tiantian silent.
Fortunately, Fourth Aunt inherited some of her biological mother's true skills. Even though her mother-in-law doesn't like her, she can at least seduce her husband. I just hope that Aunt Lin's ability is reliable so that Fourth Aunt can continue to seduce her husband and have children.
Second Madam sighed for a moment and said weakly, "What kind of thing is this? Sixth sister gave birth to sons one after another, but fourth sister gave birth to a girl with every leg she had."
Cui Chan whispered, "I heard that the first child that Fourth Aunt aborted turned out to be a boy."
The second wife curled her lips and said regretfully, "Not only that, she had another miscarriage two years ago, and it was a fully formed male fetus." Molan's fertility was actually very strong. Her tragedy was that all the babies she miscarried were sons, and all she gave birth to were daughters.
"After so many years, I no longer have any resentment. I just hope that Fourth Sister will be more sensible and stop fighting with the concubines. She should take good care of herself and give birth to a son next time." The Second Wife kept sighing.
Cuichan's eyes were filled with smiles. Over the years, Second Madam had become more and more kind-hearted. Even the grudges she had with Aunt Lin in her early years had gone with the wind. She was wholeheartedly doing good and wanted to accumulate more blessings for her children.
"Fifth Aunt is still the best. She has a daughter and a son, staggered together. Sixth Aunt is envious."
"That's also a troublesome person. Sixth sister envies her, and she also envies Sixth sister."
Second Mistress spat softly, "Sixth Brother-in-law treats Sixth Sister like the apple of his eye. He holds her in his mouth for fear she'll melt, and holds her in his hands for fear she'll fall. He refuses to part with her for even a moment, while Fifth Brother-in-law has to constantly berate her. A while ago, Fifth Sister's superiors gifted her a concubine, and she made a scene. I don't know what's happened to her now."
Cui Chan listened and smiled: "It's not that Fifth Aunt is intolerant, but if Master Wen wants to take a concubine, he has to get her approval. The two we have here are quite good, honest and dutiful."
"She's trying to compete with Sixth Sister!" Second Mistress said, "How can she compare with Sixth Brother-in-law? He's suffered so much in his first half of life and has a very stubborn temper. He hates outsiders interfering in his family affairs."
I remember that year the King of Shu gave two beauties as a gift, and my sixth brother-in-law gave them to the soldiers under him who could not find wives; later he gave four dancers as a gift, and my sixth brother-in-law kept them well fed and well-dressed, and whenever there was a banquet at home, he would call them out to sing and dance. Half of the dignitaries in Shu had seen this, and they praised the King of Shu's palace for its ability to train people, and said that each of them was both beautiful and talented.
Thinking of the girl named Fengxian from the Ningyuan Marquis Mansion, the second wife smiled secretly and shook her head.
Later, the King of Shu got angry and tried to make trouble, but ended up having Gu Tingye file a memorial first. His third brother, Changfeng, once vividly explained the gist of this memorial: Your Majesty, I gave away the woman the King of Shu had sent me, angering him. I know I was wrong, but how could I casually pass on something given by the royal family, even a toilet? So the second time the King of Shu sent me the woman, I kept her and used her regularly. The guests at the banquet all praised her, but the King of Shu was unhappy again, saying that he hadn't understood the correct way to use the woman he had sent me. Your Majesty, now that the King of Shu wants to control how I use the women in his household, will he control how I use the army in the future?
Your Majesty, I truly do not wish to take a concubine. In my early years, I suffered enough for domestic unrest, leading to the destruction of my family. You know all this. I do not want to take a concubine, but the King of Shu is forcing me to do so. What good will it bring me to the King of Shu? I have been so dedicated to Your Majesty's work that I haven't even had time to teach my youngest son his lessons. If this continues, he will have to be sent to the capital again. Like his older brothers, he will be by the prince's side, with the royal tutor watching over him. I am at ease. Your Majesty, do you think...why not take another one?
[The emperor's imperial edict to Gu Tingye: The quota for the prince's study companions is full, and your family has taken up two places. Many old comrades have expressed their dissatisfaction, so you should keep the remaining son for yourself. PS: Your eldest son is good, mature for his age, and capable of handling affairs. He is highly valued by me and the eldest prince. The second son is too quiet, which makes the teachers very tired. When your brother-in-law Sheng Changbai returns to the court to take up his post as an official next month, you can return him to him. He deserves to be trained well.] This is what the emperor was waiting for. He immediately issued an edict to severely reprimand the King of Shu - even the princes should not associate with officials casually. What is your intention as a vassal king to make friends with high-ranking officials again and again?
The subtext is, I came to the throne from a vassal king, and I dealt with two vassal kings right after taking the throne. Do you want to follow my example?!
In the following years, the emperor cut off two-thirds of the Shu King's guards, took away his power to make coins and mine in the vassal states, and also bestowed several "Royal Palace Chiefs" on the Shu King's Palace.
Whenever she thought of the letters from her sixth sister sent from afar, Second Grandma wanted to smile, and her heart felt comfortable and warm.
Cuichan glanced sideways and saw that the second wife had a smile on her lips, as if she was thinking of something interesting and had completely forgotten the unpleasantness just now. She felt relieved. Whenever she mentioned the sixth aunt, it would always make the mistress happier.
Seeing this, Cui Chan redoubled her efforts and said with a smile, "Just now when I returned home, I saw Old Getou unloading goods at the side door. He said our master had brought back some things from outside the border. Among them was a wild fox skin with colorful patterns. It was so beautiful that it dazzled me. Old Getou said that our master had forged and peeled the skin himself, and had found a top-notch craftsman from outside the border to have it nitrated. He was preparing to make a new windbreaker for Second Madam for this New Year."
Second Grandma felt sweet in her heart, her cheeks slightly red. "You are an old couple, and have become grandparents. Why are you still making trouble? It makes people laugh at you. It's really important that he returns before the New Year. Nothing else matters."
Cuichan felt relieved when she saw her mistress smiling.
Second Mistress counted the days on her fingers, saying, "Come to think of it, there were quite a few things to do before the New Year. It's time for Shi'er to find a proper teacher. Even if he doesn't want to be as good as Mr. Zhuang, he can't just spend all his time at home studying with the other kids. I'll have to talk to Mrs. Changbai about it. Third brother needs an education. Concubine Song wants to hire a sword and stick master, so we should build a bigger martial arts arena. Maybe the other kids will be interested in learning martial arts in the future. I don't think Shi'er and the others are cut out for studying..."
After thinking for a long time, the Second Mistress suddenly remembered something and instructed Cui Chan, "Oh, don't forget to give one each of those leathers to Madam and Eldest Sister-in-law. Make sure they're presented in a conspicuous manner so they look nice. And give one to Concubine Zhang, but don't make it too conspicuous; it should be something practical and useful. Why didn't Madam say anything today?"
Although the opportunities for direct communication between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law had been greatly reduced since the old uncle took away the old wife's housekeeping power and told the daughter-in-law not to pay her respects every day, the mother-in-law would always be like a hound sniffing out the scent when something was delivered, sending people to inquire about the contents, and would be restless to come over to check, fearing that the daughter-in-law would take it all for herself.
In fact, the mother-in-law was originally crying and yelling, asking her son to deliver the things directly to her so that she could distribute them to the daughters-in-law in each room. However, she gave up the idea after being pointed at and scolded by the old uncle.
Cuichan smiled and whispered to Second Mistress, "Last night, Madam had another quarrel with Concubine Zhang. During the fight, she scratched Master's face, and Master slapped her in the face. Madam is now lying on the bed in a rage."
The Second Mistress had no feelings for this mother-in-law. Upon hearing this, she asked in a low voice, "How many days will you be lying in bed this time?"
Cui Chan hesitated for a moment: "How about I go and find out how heavy the slap mark is?" We have to wait until the mark disappears.
Second Grandma gently poked her forehead and said jokingly, "When Madam Fang said you were naughty, she was absolutely right."
Extra Story Si Ling'er
Ling'er hurriedly walked through the corridor and headed towards the cold and quiet row of courtyards on the west side.
It was a scorching August outside, but inside she felt a bone-chilling chill, as if she had fallen into an icy cave. People said that among the imperial princesses, Princess Qingning was the most formidable, but in her opinion, her own master's mother-in-law possessed the skill of remaining impassive. The princess and her husband had four sons, but only her son-in-law had studied and achieved academic success. If things went wrong this time, she wondered what Princess Qingchang would do to her.
Tingcan paced back and forth anxiously in the house. Three or five lazy maids were yawning in the courtyard. When everyone saw Ling'er enter the yard, they immediately laughed and said, "Oh, isn't this our Third Grandma's favorite? Where have you been for so long? Third Grandma is about to grind the ground inside into a human shadow." The people around laughed.
Before Ling'er could speak, the door creaked open and Tingcan stood coldly at the door, suppressing his anger and saying, "I have something to say to Ling'er. It's hot today. All the mothers should go down and have a rest." She had never said such polite words to a servant.
One of the maids slowly stood up, putting on a fake smile. "Look at what Third Madam said. We servants aren't that precious. Hot or cold, aren't we supposed to serve our masters? Well, let's just endure it, life or death. Otherwise, Third Madam will start making a scene all over the mansion, saying, 'The servants are neglecting you!'"
Tingcan bit his lip, wishing he could give the women a good thrashing. He recalled how he'd never been bullied like this when his mother was still alive. Ling'er, sensing something was amiss, quickly stepped forward before Tingcan could say anything. She pulled a purse from her pocket, not daring to check how much silver and copper coins were inside. She gave it all to the woman who had spoken, smiling flatteringly, "Mom, you're joking. Our grandmother is always straightforward, and she often speaks without meaning. Take this, moms, and go get some wine."
The old woman weighed the purse and smiled with satisfaction: "Since Miss Ling'er is so polite, we have no choice but to obey your order. Well, let's go and stretch our muscles."
After watching the maids walk out of the courtyard, Ling'er quickly followed her master into the house and closed the door.
Ting Can sat down behind his desk in anger, slammed his hand on the table, and cursed, "This bunch of black-hearted people, now that they see that bitch is favored, they don't take me seriously! Humph, they praise this little bitch so much, and the conscienceless person dares to call himself a scholar, a royal relative, it's so disrespectful, and the princess..."
Seeing that her mistress was getting more and more out of line and about to bring up the mistress's mother-in-law, Ling'er quickly coughed loudly, glanced at the little maidservant standing by her side, and said with a smile, "Madam, you're here again. It's hot and I'm not in a good mood. What are you talking about? Aunt Yan is also the daughter of a good family. I heard that the young master of the Yan family has also passed the imperial examination. It's not surprising that the princess and the third master will look upon her a little more. Besides, shouldn't the boy born to Aunt Yan call you mother?"
Ting Can was about to curse, "Who cares about that lowly creature calling me mother?" when he suddenly noticed Ling'er's strange look. He then glanced at the little maid in the corner and swallowed his anger: "Ling'er, come with me into the inner room." He then shouted at the little maid: "You go to the corridor outside the door and watch. Don't let anyone in, or you'll be in trouble!"
Little Lotus is only twelve years old this year, but she is already very sensible. Upon hearing this, she quickly said yes without saying another word.
Before she left the house, Ling'er stopped her and stuffed two small silver coins into her hand. "It's very hot out. I wonder if there are any green beans left in the house. I'll talk to Grandma later. Go to the kitchen and ask Mom for an ice bowl to eat."
Little Lotus looked at Ling'er's gentle and kind face, feeling touched. She took the hand and hurried out.
As he walked, he pondered: "People say the Third Madam is the most difficult to serve. It's true. Not only is she spoiled and prone to making fun of others, but she's also inconsiderate. The maids who came with her as a dowry are nowhere to be found now. Only Ling'er remains, the only one left. She works like a slave for her master, putting on a smile, saying nice things, and enduring humiliation. But the Third Madam still orders her around." Ling'er is approaching thirty, and all these years, the Third Madam seems to have never considered finding a marriage for her. She's just wasting her time like this.
I heard that many years ago, Manager Han's son, who was a shopkeeper outside, saw Ling'er and wanted to marry her, but Third Madam flatly rejected him. I wonder if this is true...
Thinking of this, Xiao Hehua couldn't help but sigh secretly, and was glad that she had her mother and father, and her brothers were also promising. She just had to wait for a few years, and then she could ask for grace and go out to marry.
In the inner room, Tingcan grew increasingly angry. He sat down heavily on the kang, stunned for a moment, and suddenly burst into tears: "If my mother were still alive, she would see me in this state now. Even a little maid has to say good things to me. I don't know how distressed she would be."
Ling'er poured a cup of tea and, without bothering to wipe the sweat off her face, offered it to her mistress, "Don't be angry, grandma. It's unavoidable that a tiger in trouble is bullied by a dog. Anyway, the Third Master still has some affection for you. He's provided you with food, clothing, and a monthly allowance for all seasons. We should look at the bright side, right?"
After a long period of coaxing, Tingcan finally perked up and asked, "...Stop talking nonsense. How about that? Did you go out and see Sister-in-law Xiang?"
Ling'er wiped her forehead and whispered, "I saw him. My sister-in-law told me that although the censor surnamed Xu is not of high rank, he has a very good reputation among the scholars and his words carry weight. Since he received financial support from our lady, he must repay her kindness. He is willing to submit the memorial for us, but..."
"But what?" Tingcan asked hurriedly.
Ling'er looked embarrassed. "Grandma, if you think about it, since they need financial support, you can imagine their financial situation. This memorial can't be submitted to the emperor in one go. It has to go through several hoops, and it requires some arrangements..."
Ting Can already understood what was going on. He slapped the table and snorted, "It's just some small things! Fine, as long as you can avenge my mother, I'll pay you whatever you want!"
Ling'er felt a chill in her heart: "...Grandma, this...you should think twice. If the princess finds out, what will we do?"
"What should I do?" Tingcan didn't care. "Can she kill me?!"
Looking at her master's perpetually willful and ignorant appearance, Ling'er wanted to remind her that over the years, the once generous dowry had long been reduced to meager amounts by the Qin family's extortion and other expenses. However, her master never cared about such mundane matters, always believing that her money was inexhaustible. Thinking that such behavior was tantamount to hitting a rock with an egg, Ling'er couldn't help but look gloomy.
Seeing her expression, Ting Can smiled and said, "Don't be afraid. This dynasty governs the world with filial piety. No matter what my mother does, she is still Gu Tingye's stepmother. If he dares to disregard human ethics and poison his stepmother, I will make him pay for it!"
Ling'er couldn't help but say, "Grandma, please listen to my advice. We can't just ignore everything for the sake of revenge. Your most urgent task is to quickly give birth to a legitimate son with the Third Master. Put everything else aside for now!"
Upon hearing this, Tingcan stamped his feet and cursed, "Don't mention that heartless person! Look at how Dad treated my aunt back then. It took almost ten years for my eldest brother to be born! If he really cared about me, he should have treated me the same regardless of whether he had a son or not! After only a few years, he's so anxious to have a son that he welcomed that bitch into the family without caring about my life or death. I can see through it now. That heartless person is not even worthy of carrying Dad's shoes!"
Every time this is mentioned, the master always compares it to the late Marquis Gu, and Ling'er has nothing to say. The third master of the Han family got married late, so how could he not be anxious to have a son? Besides, the master does not know how to be a daughter-in-law, and quarrels and makes trouble every other day. Who is Princess Qingchang? How can she be an ordinary mother-in-law who cares about her daughter-in-law's face? It's not like the old days.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
