You have to take care of everything inside and outside the house, and you have to take care of yourself. This time I bought some donkey hide gelatin and bird's nest for the family, for you to eat, don't give them away to others."
Grandma He laughed and said, "Why are you thanking your husband and wife? I'm in good health."
Doctor He smiled slightly, said nothing more, and lowered his head to eat.
Doctor He is only in his early thirties now. He has handsome features and is usually indifferent. Time has not left many traces on his face, but his eyes have become old, and they always show a sense of fatigue and numbness.
Grandma He looked at her husband for a moment, and suddenly she remembered something from many years ago. She and her husband were both quite old when they got married.
Grandma He's father was originally a low-ranking military officer stationed in Beijing. After Grandma He came of age, he arranged a marriage for her with a family of equal status. The other family was not only a neighbor for many years but also a colleague, a true family friend.
I don’t know whether what happened next was good or bad.
Starting from the late years of the previous Emperor Renzong, several princes and vassal kings plotted rebellion one after another. The current emperor ascended the throne, and then the rebellion was suppressed. A few years later, there was another rebellion, and then the rebellion was suppressed again. There was chaos inside and outside the capital.
Grandma He's father and brothers made great contributions in this series of turmoil. They did the right things and stood on the right side. They were promoted rapidly within a few years. She went from being the daughter of an inconspicuous low-ranking military officer to the daughter of the deputy commander of the South Gate of the Five Cities Army. Her brothers also had good futures - but her fiancé died in the war.
This delay dragged her into her twenties, until the He family came to propose marriage.
Her husband was a good man, having learned excellent medical skills at a young age, and the He family was also a prestigious family. Although it had been rumored that Doctor He had a cousin as a concubine (the Cao family had made several fuss about this), Grandma He was no longer picky, so her parents agreed.
Life after getting married was not difficult. Aunt Cao was not difficult to deal with. What was more important was that the head of the He family, Old Madam He, was still energetic and had a loud voice. She had set an iron rule early on - one of her daughters-in-law, Madam He San and Madam Cao, must live with her in her hometown of Baishitan.
Without her mother-in-law's support, the sturdy Madam He was more than capable of dealing with the concubine Cao, and without Cao by her side, the mother-in-law, Madam He San, could do nothing about her grumbling. She only returned to Baishitan every year for New Year's celebrations, and the presence of Cao and her mother-in-law at the same time was a bit annoying. Fortunately, her husband was a sensible man, and he was mostly perfunctory with his mother. He didn't show as much pity for this cousin Cao as the rumors said, but for his mother's sake, he would visit Cao's room from time to time.
As time went by, Grandma He even felt that her husband actually hated the Cao family deep down in his heart. In order to sow discord between them, Cao had vaguely revealed that her husband had originally had an excellent marriage.
Cao was wrong. Grandma He didn't care at all because she had been engaged herself. And knowing this was even better, she became more and more certain that her husband actually hated Cao in his heart, so she became more and more ruthless in dealing with Cao.
She deserved to be scolded and beaten. She grew up in the city with only two servants in her family. Sometimes she had to follow her mother to the street to buy things. She could curse out all kinds of nasty things at will. Cao was no match for her.
Moreover, as long as he had a legitimate reason, no matter how he dealt with the concubine, Old Lady He would agree with it. Madam He San could only wipe her tears and dared not say anything.
Only then did Grandma He understand why Old Madam He wanted to invite her to be her grandson's wife. Faced with such a shameless cousin and concubine, the Cao family who were like sticky candy and asked for money every day, and such an unreasonable and unreliable mother-in-law - if a young lady with a dignified demeanor, who was either gentle, timid, or dignified, came into the house, I am afraid that not only would the family be in chaos, but the couple would also have fallen out long ago.
It was only like this in my family. Not only was my family background decent, my wife's family could give my son-in-law a certain amount of support, and I myself had a rough and strong personality. I could deal with the concubines first, squeeze out the mother-in-law later, and then turn around and act like a loving couple with my husband.
Before the New Year, Grandma He's mother-in-law, who always said she was about to die but never did, finally died.
With the help of Onion, she acted like a filial wife in front of others, and her crying was so touching - in fact, only a fool would be sad. If it weren't for such a confused mother, with Dr. He's character and talent, he would have been able to marry a noble lady early and revitalize his own family. Would it be her turn?
And the husband didn't seem to be very sad about the death of his widowed mother.
Grandma He could understand. After all these years, she'd long since exhausted her sentimentality. As for Cao... she'd be keeping her in the palm of her hand from now on. If Cao behaved well, she wouldn't make things difficult for her. But if she dared to make a fuss, hmph...
Thinking of this, Grandma He was in a good mood. She smiled as she helped her husband serve the dishes, and occasionally talked about her recent experiences in Beijing.
"...Spring will begin next month, and there will be several happy events in the capital. The most important of these is, of course, the Ningyuan Marquis's eldest daughter getting married..." Before she could finish her words, Doctor He suddenly interrupted, "Didn't the Gu family's eldest daughter get married two years ago? How come there's another young lady?"
Grandma He was a little surprised. Her husband was a slow-paced person, or to put it bluntly, he was very slow-paced. He would even interrupt others when they were talking.
She smiled and said, "My husband, you don't know that the one who got married two years ago was Marquis Gu's biological daughter, and the one who is getting married now is the daughter of Marquis Gu's deceased brother. Speaking of which, she is also the Marquis's legitimate daughter. This Miss Gu is betrothed to the eldest son of the Yongchang Marquis's mansion. They are truly a perfect match, both rich and noble!"
Doctor He leaned on his chopsticks for a moment before nodding.
Grandma He continued with a smile, "Hasn't our family always provided medical care to the Liang family? This time, we must give a good gift. Oh, it's really Madam Liang's ability. She personally asked the widowed eldest wife of the Gu family for this marriage. Lord Liang is an honest man and doesn't know how to deal with things, but the Liang family's main branch has become increasingly prosperous in recent years. Madam Liang is so gentle and kind. She almost cried several times when she told me about her difficulties. Haha, now it's great, I'm married into the Gu family..."
She was so happy talking that she didn't notice that Doctor He was slightly displeased. He only heard him say, "If the Liang family has such thoughts, wouldn't the Gu family be dragged into it?"
Grandma He was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, "What are you talking about, sir? If it weren't for a good match, Marquis Gu wouldn't agree. It's that Prince Liang who's good. He's not as honest as his parents and has a promising future. But..."
She paused, lowered her voice, and said, "In my opinion, Miss Gu's marriage two years ago was the best."
Doctor He raised his head and said hesitantly, "One is the son of a hereditary marquis, and the other is a newly minted scholar. Although they are both newly minted, they are still a bit weak." He paused and added, "But Miss Gu is a concubine's daughter, so it's almost the same."
Grandma He laughed and said, "My husband, you don't understand. Although the Liang family has a title, most of their money has been emptied over the years. There are many people in the family, with five wives and six sisters-in-law, and the brothers are not on good terms. There are disputes between legitimate and illegitimate children. There is unrest every other day, and the wife of the Marquis of Liang has almost turned gray. Look, the girl from the Gu family has entered the family, and she has something to be busy with. The Chang family is different. Mrs. Chang died early, and there is only a grandmother and a married sister in the family. Miss Gu has become the head of the family since she entered the family. In recent years, Lord Chang has been successful in his career, and when the female relatives entertain each other, who dares to look down on the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Gu?!... Tsk tsk tsk, they say that the wife of the Marquis of Gu loves this concubine very much. I didn't believe it at first, but now it seems to be true. It's rare, rare."
Doctor He was silent for a moment, picked up the chopsticks again, and slowly fiddled with the food in the bowl.
"Marquis Gu is stationed at the border, and Madam Gu is a widow. How should we arrange this marriage? ... Two years ago, Madam Gu rushed back from the south and personally arranged the wedding."
Seeing that her usually taciturn husband was interested in this matter, Grandma He also became excited and talked about everything she knew.
"This time, since Marquis Gu's wife isn't coming, it's the youngest son of the Gu family, along with his brother, who married off their cousin in their father's place. Tsk, tsk, my husband didn't see it. Young Master Gu is fine, he's already so imposing at such a young age. And Second Young Master Gu, he's just a picture. That day, he didn't take a carriage, but rode past Desheng Gate, and the young ladies and wives went crazy, clamoring for sachets, handkerchiefs, and other gifts! They say Marquis Gu's wife was a top-notch beauty back then, and Second Young Master Gu's mother is so handsome and graceful. I wonder which girl would be so lucky to have such a husband; I'm afraid they'd wake up laughing in the middle of the night even with their pillows. I heard that Uncle Shen and Duke Yingguo, their father-in-law and son-in-law, are very fond of the Gu brothers and want to find one for each of them..."
…
After dinner and tea, Grandma He sat on the kang and did needlework, while Doctor He stood quietly in front of the window. After a moment, he suddenly said, "It's snowing," and then pushed the door open and went out.
There was an old plum tree in the courtyard, with yellow plum blossoms trembling softly on its branches. Fine snowflakes were floating down from the sky. Doctor He stood under the tree with his back to the door, looking up at the snow-covered plum petals.
Grandma He pushed open the sewing cage and slowly stood by the door to admire the snow. Under the soft moonlight, the thin snow petals reflected silver fluorescence in the air, hazy like a piece of gauze.
She stood there in a daze for a while, and in a trance, she remembered that year, on a night like this with light snow falling and bright moonlight, a handsome and heroic young man was lying on the wall, staring at her infatuatedly, and she was also standing under the old plum tree in her home, looking up at him.
The boy's eyebrows were so thick and straight, and his eyes were so fiery. There was only her own reflection in his bright black eyes. She was unaware of the cold snowflakes falling on her face. Her heart had been burned by the boy's fiery gaze, and she felt that it could melt all the snowflakes in the world.
The two were childhood sweethearts, and finally their parents promised them a lifelong marriage. What a happy day...
"... Tomorrow morning, I'll set off with Daddy and my brothers. When I come back, we'll have the wedding. From now on, we... we... will never be apart. Even if our teeth fall out and our hair turns white, we'll always be together!"
"Sister, I, I... I only have you in my heart... always, only you."
"Don't worry, I will come back safely. For you, I must come back safely too."
——The words are still ringing in my ears, but the man in my springtime dreams has become a cold corpse in the grave. No longer are there those fiery eyes, no longer are there those hearty laughs, no longer are there those warm and strong arms...
Suddenly, a wave of moisture welled up in her eyes, and Grandma He quickly lowered her head to wipe it.
It took her many, many years to slowly get over her grief. She turned down countless marriage proposals from her father and brothers. She missed the age of beauty and missed a better marriage opportunity, but she never regretted it.
Suddenly one day, looking at her nephews and nieces playing in the courtyard, she realized that she still wanted a home, the happiness of having children around her, and in order not to cause trouble to her parents, brothers and sisters-in-law, she agreed to get married.
Her husband was a good man. Although he did not love her - she knew this very well, he treated her and their children with care and tenderness. The couple treated each other with respect and dignity. Their life was rich, peaceful and busy, and she was already very satisfied.
A woman who has experienced such sincere love in her life is truly blessed and her life in this world is not in vain.
Grandma He focused her attention slightly, looking at her husband standing under the tree in the courtyard, and a trace of guilt and curiosity suddenly arose in her heart.
Did this calm and indifferent man have someone in his heart who he would remember for the rest of his life?
Extra Chapter Six Locks of Fragrant Sandalwood
My family is the famous Youyang Sheng family in Jinling. My great-grandfather was fortunate enough to pass the imperial examination but unfortunately died young. When my great-grandfather Sheng Hong retired, he had already reached the second rank. His three sons were all Jinshi in the two lists and entered the government. Among them, my grandfather Sheng Changbai was a veteran of two dynasties who was named in the Famous Ministers' Pavilion. He entered the cabinet four times, was appointed prime minister three times, and served in six ministries and thirteen provinces. His students and former officials are spread all over the world.
And I am just a little concubine's daughter in this noble family, born to an unfavored son.
My grandfather was very strict in managing the household. He required his four sons to cultivate themselves and manage their families first before governing the country and pacifying the world. However, if they behaved improperly, they would be punished immediately according to the family rules. The first three sons all did as he was told, with my father being the exception.
When my father was young, my grandfather was transferred to the northwest as a frontier official. As usual, my grandmother accompanied him and had to leave the frail young son to be raised by my great-grandmother, Mrs. Wang. The old lady doted on him a little, and by the time my grandparents returned to Beijing, her father had already raised him to be spoiled and indulged in play.
Later, my grandfather tried to discipline my father several times, but my great-grandmother would cry and scream like she was dying. After all, my grandfather was busy with court affairs and could not fight with an old mother and young son every day. So my father lived in this mediocre way until he got married and had children.
What does it mean to be neither up nor down? If you say he is ambitious, he is only a student of the imperial court in the Sheng family, which is known for its rich family. But if you say he is a scum, he would not dare to hang out with the dandies in the capital and cause trouble with concubines, mistresses, or even little actors.
When I was old enough to walk and jump, I could often see my great-grandmother holding my father, who was already grown up, in her arms, and howling at my grandfather, who was in charge of the family law: "...Who says that our Ah Huan is not good? It's hard for ordinary families to produce a Jinshi, but the ancestors of the Sheng family burned incense and had excellent children and grandchildren who were educated, making Ah Huan inferior in every way. What's wrong with taking in a few more maids! I know you don't like me. Seeing that I love Ah Huan a little more, you want to torture him to death. Oh my god, I might as well just hit my head and die first..."
Faced with the grandparents and grandchildren crying together, the grandfather had to give up even though he could do anything; the embarrassed grandmother turned around and comforted her daughter-in-law with a few words, and the matter was over.
My stepmother and my father didn't have much affection for each other. After giving birth to a son and a daughter, the couple basically kept their distance from each other. Their biggest pastime on weekdays was to satirize my father in artistic forms, sometimes writing doggerel, sometimes drawing, and often using my father as a negative example to teach my brother to study hard and cultivate himself.
My father couldn't afford to offend my stepmother, so he had to keep his distance from her. Except for the few days of the month when he was supposed to be there as required by family rules, he usually stayed at Xiaoxing's place. My aunt only had three or four days of her turn every month.
With my father's courage and wisdom, he didn't dare to get to know some extraordinary woman who was "lowly in status but had lofty ambitions", and no one would give him a good concubine, so all his concubines were maids in the mansion.
My aunt was neither up nor down in my father's group. She was not as favored as the later aunt Li, nor as lonely as the prematurely aged aunt Zhao. Her biggest competitor was the aunt Qiu who lived across the street.
They were sold to the Sheng Mansion one after the other, and entered the inner house to become maids of the young master one after the other. My aunt was born two weeks earlier, but my aunt was born three days earlier. They even gave birth to daughters only half a month apart. It can be said that they are in a life-and-death struggle and are evenly matched.
The maids and servants on both sides, and even the cats they keep, never interact with each other, so much so that even the seventh sister born to Concubine Qiu looks at me like a black-eyed chicken - their biggest competition now is to see who can give birth to a son first.
Why bother?
I'm not saying why the two concubines bothered. Giving birth to a son is the biggest proposition and pursuit in a woman's life, so of course she should try her best. I'm saying why the seventh sister bothered.
My eldest cousin, who was born out of wedlock, had already married. At that time, my great uncle was a sixth-rank official, and with the influence of my grandfather, she was betrothed to a scholar from a wealthy family. So, based on this calculation, my father was just a student on government academy scholarship and was not favored by my grandfather. It was estimated that in the future, my seventh sister and I would either become the wives of a scholar or the wives of a gentry, or maybe even the wives of the proprietresses of a merchant family.
It's just a matter of half a catty and eight taels. It depends on whether Seventh Sister prefers knowledge and status, or silver and gold ingots. Anyway, it doesn't matter to me. With our family background and family tradition, we will not use our daughters to curry favor with the powerful, and we will not allow the stepmother to deliberately marry the concubine's daughter to someone too inferior. But due to limited conditions, Dad can basically be considered a commoner. Everything is almost destined. What is there to argue about?
My seventh sister was too stubborn to accept the fact. From appearance to knowledge and education, she tried to surpass me in every aspect and won overwhelmingly.
My aunt was very disappointed with me and kept nagging me about it. I was annoyed by her and couldn't help but teach her a lesson: Why should a concubine's daughter be so outstanding? Competing with the legitimate daughter is just asking for trouble. It's like you concubines, if you behave more virtuous than the main wife, and are more capable, well-known for your talents, and have a deep love with the master who is willing to spend life and death with you - then you are probably not far from death.
My aunt couldn't win the argument with me, so she could only beat her chest and scold me for not making progress: "What kind of devil has possessed you? You are so stubborn and unwilling to make progress."
I said I wouldn't dare, I'm just good at observation.
My grandfather's generation had produced two extremely famous illegitimate great-aunts. One of them, Marquis Gu, not only married into a prestigious family but also dominated her husband to such an extent that the court would tremble with a single stomp of his foot. He was completely devoted to her for his entire life. It was said that from the day my great-aunt married, he refused to ride even a mare. That year, my great-aunt fell ill and was dying. It was said that Marquis Gu, a man of many years of experience, cried as if his father had died—of course, his father had died long ago.
They are already in their sixties or seventies, so what's the big deal?
Such exclusive favor would inevitably cause criticism from the powerful and noble families in the capital, but my great-aunt was a very good person. From the concubines of the Duke of Yingguo's Mansion, the Marquis of Weibei's Mansion, to the Zheng family, the Bo family, the Fu family, the Duan family... many noble families were on good terms with her, and everyone followed her. Which woman with a tendency to talk would dare to say anything? Moreover, facts have proved that my great-aunt was a blessing to her husband and sons. She gave birth to four sons in one breath, and they were all very promising. Their success rate was higher than that of my grandfather.
The youngest uncle of the Gu family, the fourth uncle, neither learned literature nor martial arts, and refused to marry. He traveled extensively throughout the country, completing his "Complete Geography of Jiangshan" at the age of thirty-six. Presented to the emperor, it caused a sensation throughout the land. He catalogued the customs and people of the two capitals and thirteen provinces, along with the breathtaking landscapes of the land. The text was elegant and vivid, bringing the reader to life, making it a highly sought-after book. The illustrations and colors were so breathtakingly detailed and dreamlike, the scale so precise that standing before the painting, four or five people wide, the vast landscape seemed to come alive, leaving the viewer breathless. The chapter on customs and local customs was hung on the inner wall of the main hall of the Qianqing Palace, while the chapter on military affairs was secretly stored in the Ministry of War.
Because his third uncle, who liked to sail east, had gotten there first, his fourth uncle had no choice but to travel west, following the ancient road that Zhang Qian, the Han envoy, had walked on. Along the way, there were yellow sand mountains and the heart-stirring desert sunset. On the barren sand where bones were buried, there grew moving flowers, standing proudly and stubbornly, unchanged for a thousand years. Even I, who have always been heartless, couldn't help crying when I read this.
The latest news about my fourth uncle is that he seems to have charmed the only daughter of a king in the far western regions at the age of forty, and plans to stay there to enjoy the young girl, find a son-in-law and inherit the throne.
Inspired by their third and fourth uncles, ambitious young men all over the world were proud to follow their example and traveled east and west to explore the world.
For the girls of the Sheng family, this great-aunt was their idol, their role model, and their guiding light. Whether they were concubines or legitimate, they all wished they could follow in her footsteps. Unfortunately, that hasn't happened yet.
As the saying goes, a skilled warrior never achieves great feats. This great-aunt's life in the boudoir was ordinary and low-key. She was never particularly distinguished by her talent, reputation, or reputation for kindness. She was said to be extremely filial and deeply devoted to her great-great-grandmother. She repeatedly challenged my grandfather to support her, but was repeatedly repelled, leaving her bitterly defeated. Even when she became a grandmother herself, she still harbored this evil intent. Fortunately, my grandfather, still in good health, fought back and succeeded in keeping my great-great-grandmother here until her death.
——From the rumors, this great-aunt seemed to be completely unknown in the boudoir. How could she learn from her?
What chances can a girl have to stand out? She can only work hard on her studies. The most favored fifth cousin once spent a whole year writing a 60-line poem "Ode to the Plum Blossom" to celebrate her grandfather's 60th birthday. Unexpectedly, she only got a short half sentence from her grandfather: "Ladies in the boudoir should study to cultivate their character and improve their temperament." The fifth cousin's eyes were red at that time.
In fact, the best poet was my fourth cousin. That year, she received a lot of praise for her five-character quatrain at the chrysanthemum viewing banquet held at the Princess Fuyang's mansion. However, after returning home, she was scolded by her grandmother and punished to copy Buddhist scriptures and women's precepts for three months.
"The princess obviously wants her daughter to be in the spotlight, and she specially invited that nerdy third prince to listen so that the cousins can cook. Why is she causing trouble?" - the third cousin who has always been at odds with the fourth cousin said proudly.
My grandfather hated girls reciting poems and painting the most, while my grandmother hated girls showing off in public the most. The reason was that my other equally famous great-aunt was dissatisfied with the marriage arranged by my great-grandfather, so she went out to find a man on her own, and she did not behave herself in public. Although she finally got married, people still occasionally talk about her.
In the end, she didn't end up well, giving birth to five daughters, all of whom married down from lower social status. The reason I know this so well is because my great-aunt from the Liang family searched the world for a son-in-law but couldn't find a good one. She wanted to marry her daughter back to her parents' family. My father, three uncles, and my great-grandfather's three uncles made a scene, and even after the whole family knew about it, they were all rejected.
Only this great-aunt's biological brother and sister-in-law reluctantly accepted one, and he was a bastard. However, I heard that the couple had a good relationship, and now he has gone to his eldest uncle in his hometown to learn business.
Since the daughters of the Sheng family are already so colorful and lively, there is no need for me to join in the fun. I just eat and sleep every day, do little needlework, and don't study very hard. I think that knowing that Li Bai and Li Taibai are the same person, and Li Guang and Li Guangli are two different people is enough.
When I was nine years old, my seventh sister next door was growing taller and more slender. She was very pretty at a young age, with a nice waist and legs. But I was growing fatter and fatter. With a small frame and full of flesh, I looked like a chubby pig.
My aunt looked at me with tears in her eyes, thinking that I had let her beauty down and that I had given up on myself, fallen into depravity and brought about my own destruction. My aunt only knew a few idioms, which she had learned while flirting with my father in the study, and she used them all on me.
I patiently continued to educate her: girls get married in their teens, then serve their parents-in-law, please their sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, take care of their husbands and children, deal with concubines and maids in the back house, watch others eat, stand while others sit, no matter how bitter her heart is, she must smile on her face... She endures this for decades until she becomes a mother-in-law herself, and can finally vent her anger by bullying other people's daughters - but if the mother-in-law is not dead yet, it is not over yet, she has to continue to endure.
The only truly comfortable years for a woman in her life are those when she is a girl. Although I am a concubine's daughter, I am fortunate to have a strict grandmother and a good aunt who manages the household. The servants dare not watch others serve dishes. Even a concubine's daughter does not need to compete for favor for food, clothing and other expenses. In this case, why don't I enjoy this rare life?
Like my seventh sister, who obviously loved eating butter cakes to death, but she resisted the urge to eat them, letting her sad saliva flow back into her stomach. She watched me sip them mouthful by mouthful, her eyes almost spitting fire, her face turned blue, her nostrils flared, and she looked like a big hungry frog.
As I said, why bother? Once you get married, you might not even be able to eat what you want.
My aunt couldn't argue with me, so she said I was talking nonsense, but I still insisted on doing what I wanted. Seeing that I wouldn't listen, my aunt had no choice but to put all her enthusiasm into currying favor with my father and giving birth to a son.
When he was ten years old, his grandfather's old friend, Duke Qi, finally ended his more than ten years of exile and was ordered to return to Beijing to serve as a cabinet minister in the six ministries. He and his grandfather had been friends since childhood, classmates, classmates, colleagues, and they were as close as brothers.
During the Lantern Festival that year, because the children, grandchildren and daughters-in-law of the Qi family had not yet returned from other places, the old man came to our house to celebrate the festival with my family. My grandfather then asked all the children and grandchildren in the house to kowtow to the old man and pay their respects to him.
As usual, I wore a festive red jacket, wrapped up like a meat dumpling, with a gold locket on my chest like all my sisters, and two round and plump buns on my head, simply tied with red coral beads - it was not that my aunt didn't want to wear a bun and hairpins for me, but it didn't suit my chubby little face, so she had to give up.
Looking at the seventh sister in her exquisite peach-red waisted long coat sprinkled with gold and embroidered with broken branches of flowers, with a small pearl hairpin hanging gracefully on her temples, as beautiful as a lark, my aunt looked at me again, and she was so annoyed that she almost wanted to cry.
I squeezed in among my brothers and sisters and paid my respects to the Duke of Qi. My grandfather and the old master were talking to a few cousins about academic matters. I began to feel sleepy and slowly and quietly moved to an inconspicuous corner.
"That fat girl in the bright red dress, come here and let me take a look."
The voice was old and clear, like a breeze that blew away the stagnant air in the room. Everyone's eyes turned to me. I shuddered and woke up immediately, and was pushed to the front.
I raised my head timidly, first looking at my grandfather—his expression was complicated, frowning as he glanced at his friend beside him, as if lost in thought. But the old Duke Qi was very kind, patting my fat pig's feet and asking questions about my age, what I was studying, and what I liked to eat. When he found out I was six, the old Duke was especially delighted, saying repeatedly, "Good, six sixes are all going well, good!"
What's good about it? There are many girls in the family, so we didn't give them proper names. We just called them "Wu Niang, Qi Niang" and so on according to their age order. My second cousin who loves to joke sees that I am easy-going and rarely gets angry, so she calls me "Xiao Liuzi" to make fun of me.
I am a typical bully at home. Except when educating my concubine, I don't talk much outside. I answer every question asked by the old Duke, and I am dull and wooden. But the old master treats me with great patience, and listens to my stammering and silly words with a smile. My fifth cousin standing next to me almost pops her eyes out of her sockets - she is obviously the smartest, most talkative and most likable girl in the mansion!
Before the old Duke left, he took out a palm-sized piece of mutton-fat jade pendant and gave it to me. The jade pendant was crystal clear, clean and warm. Although I didn't know the value of it, judging from the gasp of my third aunt beside me, it must be quite valuable.
After that day, my third cousin was incredibly sarcastic about me, saying things like, "Ugly people are always acting strangely" and "You're so fat and stupid, you're bringing shame to the Sheng family." Even my fourth cousin, who was generally friendly, ignored me. As for my fifth cousin, she deliberately tried to be friendly with my seventh sister, constantly making indirect accusations. I felt so sad. I hadn't done anything wrong—to be more precise, I hadn't done anything at all, yet I was being bullied.
My aunt was very happy and kept saying that Duke Qi had a good eye for talent. Half a day ago, she thought I was a "pig", but now I have become a "pearl". Power and wealth are really good, they can change anything.
My aunt asked me what my husband looked like, and I couldn't answer. At that time, I was just afraid that I would be blamed for being inappropriate and impolite. Later, I thought about it and found that the old Duke of Qi was about the same age as my grandfather, with a white face and a long beard, and he was gaunt but majestic.
But they are not entirely the same. My grandfather has always been serious and his eyes are stern and sharp, but the old Duke has a bit more elegance. When he smiles, his smiling eyes lift up slightly, just like the breeze flowing along the river bank, blowing on my face, refreshing and comfortable.
I never knew that an old person could be so beautiful.
The second uncle of the Gu family is also very handsome, but his temperament is completely like his grandfather. He either doesn't speak, or when he speaks, he always says something bad. It's really a waste of a natural talent. The older he gets, the more powerful he becomes. Many third and fourth rank officials become weak in the knees when they see him, and no one dares to pay attention to his appearance.
Later, I heard from my second cousin who occasionally visited my mother's home that Duke Qi was the most handsome man in the capital at that time, and no one can surpass him to this day. Her tone was very melancholy, as if she regretted that she was born decades too late and could not see the demeanor of this peerless handsome man.
The sisters in the room giggled, which made the second cousin's husband very unhappy. He strode through the screen, grabbed his wife and dragged her home overnight.
After that, we both served as officials in the capital. Duke Qi would come to the mansion from time to time to play chess and comment on poetry with my grandfather. Every time he came, he would see me, and every time he saw me, I would give him a gift - a red rhinoceros horn pen holder from Lingnan, a thumb-sized Hainan pearl, a purple cloud stone inkstone made by Fan Dacheng, and a large Dongzhu from the snowy ridge outside the Great Wall... Even my father rarely saw such good things.
The concubine's eyes widened, the concubine Qiu and her daughter next door turned green with envy, and the most favored concubine Li narrowed her eyes.
"They say the Qi family's wealth is hard to describe, and it's certainly true," Dad said. "The old Duke has no daughters or granddaughters, so he probably treats the sixth girl as his granddaughter."
A tree that stands out in the forest will surely be bullied.
When I was doing the rope jump, I would trip and fall hard. When my third cousin came to help me, her arm would be twisted hard. If I cried out in pain, she would pretend to be surprised and say, "Oh, you fell so hard."
If you walk along the edge of the pond, you will accidentally fall into it. Fortunately, the pond is not deep, but half of your dress is wet. In addition, you catch a cold and stay in bed for six or seven days. Your seventh sister leans against the door opposite, smiling sweetly.
While you are enjoying the cool air in the pavilion, a familiar slingshot will emerge from the bushes. The half-wet mud balls will hurt when they hit your body. The ninth cousin and the fifth cousin are full siblings and have always been good friends.
My fourth cousin sat next to me in the girls' school. Several times I saw my fifth cousin winking at her. My fourth cousin bit her lip, looked at my fifth cousin, then looked at me, raised her hand holding the inkstone, put it down again, sighed softly, lowered her head, and recited her newly written poem.
My second uncle is devoted to learning and his official position is not as high as that of my third uncle. I am very grateful to my fourth cousin.
I secretly packed up the purple stone inkstone and sent it over, but the next day the small package was sent back intact, along with a small bottle of plaster for bruises.
A long time later, my fourth cousin was betrothed to the third prince as a concubine. A few years later, the third prince's sick wife passed away, so he made my fourth cousin, who had given birth to many children, his wife.
very nice.
After rubbing the bruises, I collected the treasures that the old Duke had sent me one by one, locked them up with a big lock, and said to my aunt earnestly, "If I marry poorly in the future and cannot take care of you, you can use these things to exchange for silver to support your retirement."
My aunt's eyes were red and she hugged me and cried for half a day.
No one likes to swallow their anger, but what should be endured must be endured. What's the harm in making a big fuss? The fifth cousin is a legitimate daughter, and some of her brothers are legitimate brothers. The third uncle is valued by the grandfather. The quarrels between sisters can be a big or small matter, so it's better not to make things difficult for yourself.
Only that time, the water in the pond was so clear that you could see your reflection in it. I saw a big bruise on my face caused by the slingshot. I covered my face and hid in the rockery, squatting and crying for a long time. Big tears dripped into the soil, forming a small wet spot - Xiaojiu did it on purpose, his slingshot has always been very accurate.
What should I do? What should I do? I can't hide it now. I can't let my aunt see it. My aunt will go to my father to complain, but my father dare not argue with my third uncle. My great-grandmother has been ill and mentally ill for the past six months. No one will support my aunt and me. Even if my fifth cousin and ninth cousin are punished, my aunt and I will not suffer any good consequences.
I endured the pain and rubbed my face desperately, trying to wipe away the bruises, but my sore eye sockets refused to obey. I felt extremely aggrieved and could only cry and cry... Finally, I could only come up with a stupid idea. I deliberately fell on the rocks again and broke my forehead so that I could deceive my aunt.
"You naughty child, how are you going to get married in the future now that you've hurt your face?" The aunt's scream was as powerful as ever.
However, evil will be punished. A few days later, my grandfather, seeing that Xiaojiu was too naughty all the time, decided to send him to Songshan Academy and ask a friend to raise him. My third aunt cried until her eyes were red and swollen when she saw her most beloved youngest son going on a long journey, but she didn't dare to say a word.
The fifth cousin was probably too sad. After her younger brother left home, she fell seriously ill and could not even go to school. Her grandmother felt sorry for her, so she moved her to her room and took care of her personally. It took her half a year before the fifth cousin recovered.
After her serious illness, my fifth cousin never bullied me again; no matter how my seventh cousin tried to please her, she just ignored her coldly.
Not long after, my great-grandmother passed away and my grandfather began to mourn, and his contact with Mr. Qi became closer. Nine months later, I turned thirteen and my father finished mourning for his grandson. Suddenly, the Qi family came to propose marriage. The old Duke wanted to marry me to his second grandson.
Grandfather agreed calmly.
However, other people in the mansion were not calm.
This incident was like a bolt from the blue, shocking everyone except my grandparents. Everyone looked at me in surprise.
In terms of family background, although the old Duke is not as powerful as his grandfather in the court, he is almost the same. Moreover, he has a hereditary title, so he is even better overall.
In terms of family wealth, the old duke's mother, Princess Pingning, gave almost half of the Marquis of Xiangyang's wealth to her son. The old duke's father worked as a salt official for more than ten years, and the old duke himself served in foreign posts for more than ten years. This does not include the accumulation of several generations of the duke's family.
Although the Sheng family was also wealthy, they could not compare to the others; moreover, the Sheng family had many descendants, and the old Duke had two sons and three grandsons, so there was more than enough money no matter how he divided the property.
In terms of character, the groom is only sixteen years old and already holds the title of scholar. His father is the second son of an old duke and currently holds the rank of a third-rank official. And my father...
There is no need to compare anymore. Only my third uncle's legitimate daughter, my fifth cousin, or my second uncle's legitimate daughter, my fourth cousin, are barely worthy of such a noble young man. Even my eldest uncle's illegitimate daughter, my third cousin, is better than me.
While everyone in the Sheng Mansion was in a daze, the engagement ceremony presided over by my grandmother and my uncle's mother was being prepared in an orderly manner.
My life afterwards became very strange.
I don’t know what my cousins were thinking, but they remained polite and courteous. My aunts were in shock and puzzled, and my grandparents looked mysterious, and no one dared to ask. Everyone pretended to be happy and came together to congratulate my stepmother (fortunately, my eighth sister got engaged early, otherwise I really wouldn’t dare to look at my stepmother’s face).
This is what a smart person does; a dumb person's approach is much more brilliant. Seventh Sister looked at me as if she wanted to eat me alive. If her gaze could be turned into a sharp sword, I would have been riddled with holes.
A month before my official engagement ceremony, the decade-long battle between my aunt and Aunt Qiu finally came to a head. My aunt was completely lost because of my recent engagement, so much so that she wasn't even diligent enough to curry favor with my father, allowing Aunt Qiu to give birth to a son first.
My father is very happy and loves his new brother very much. Aunt Qiu took advantage of my father's happiness and put forward a whimsical suggestion. In order for the youngest son to have someone to rely on in the future, he must find a good marriage for his sister. Since the old Duke Qi does not despise the identity of the sixth girl, he will certainly not despise the seventh girl. It is better to talk to grandfather and give this marriage to the seventh girl.
——I have to say that Aunt Qiu and my aunt are indeed equally powerful. No wonder they have been fighting for more than ten years.
My father was so happy that he actually went to tell my grandfather about it, and then he was so happy that he ended up in tragedy.
Without my great-grandmother to stop him, my grandfather, feeling very relieved, used the family rules to severely punish my father. My father was unable to get out of bed for more than half a month. Even my engagement gift was paid by my great uncle, just as a token of his appreciation.
"Do you think Master Qi is interested in you and is willing to marry your daughter to his grandson?! Don't you even look at yourself? I'm so ashamed for you!"
This is what my grandfather cursed when he beat my father, and actually he also said it to my six uncles and aunts.
This marriage is strange in every way. My three aunts are all smart people, how could they act so rashly? Only my unlucky father and the even more unlucky concubine Qiu are so stupid.
After my great-grandmother passed away, my grandfather was in mourning at home. He was bored and had been thinking about dealing with my father. But my father didn't notice it at all and actually walked into the house to get beaten. Isn't this asking for trouble?
Originally, my grandfather's training for my father was simply to work as a clerk in a remote village, to temper his dandy ways. He didn't expect him to become famous, but at least he wouldn't ruin the family. But after this incident, my grandfather discovered that my father's stupidity far exceeded his expectations, so he upgraded his treatment. As soon as my father recovered from his injuries, he would be sent to a small city in the northwest desert to serve as a part-time teacher.
My father's legs went weak at that moment, and he was escorted to the car crying and shouting for his parents. Before leaving, my stepmother was in a good mood and gathered a bunch of my father's women together and asked them
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