A month after he left, Chang Bai came back with a green face and shaky steps. After seeing his grandmother, parents, he went straight into his room and fell asleep. This time, Sheng Hong did not get arrogant and lecture him. He had taken the exam himself and knew that the provincial exam was completely different from the county exam, prefectural exam, and imperial exam for the scholar. It was really a tough exam.
The provincial examination was held in Jinan, the provincial capital, and the results were announced a few days after the exam. Therefore, the good news had already reached Dengzhou long before Changbai returned home. Changbai's brother ranked more than tenth, and his results were quite good. In order to appear worldly-wise, Sheng Hong did not spend lavishly. He only invited some colleagues and friends and Mr. Zhuang to host a banquet at his home to celebrate.
At the banquet for the ladies, Wang was also in a good position. The wives of officials were full of flattery, and those with daughters of marriageable age were hinting at the desire to get married. Wang played dumb and only told Sheng Hong about it that night. Her pride and joy were beyond words, just like a farmer's wife whose cabbages she had worked so hard for many years to harvest were appreciated by others - it was all because of the good land.
Sheng Hong flatly refused, "Madam, don't be anxious. Bai'er is the eldest son, and his marriage should be serious. Don't rush into marriage with him now. Wait until the next spring exam. If he is on the list, then we can find him a marriage with a good reputation and good family background. That would be the right thing to do."
Wang hesitated and said, "What if I don't win? Do we have to wait until I win the first place in the imperial examination before getting married? We mustn't let Bo Ge'er's age be wasted."
Sheng Hong said, "Just wait until next year. If I don't pass, I won't wait three years. Madam, please think about Bai'er. I have no hope of entering the cabinet or the central government in this lifetime. At best, I can become a court official and retire with a respectable third-rank rank. Even if Bai'er has a mentor and peers to help him in the court, it's better for him to find a wealthy in-law. Those noble and scholarly families at least choose a Jinshi for their son-in-law."
These words were originally said by Old Lady Sheng to Sheng Hong twenty years ago. At that time, as soon as he passed the imperial examination, many people came to propose marriage to him, but Old Lady Sheng rejected them all. She said that his father had died early and the Sheng family was a business family. Except for a few of his deceased father's classmates who were nostalgic, there was no one in the court to help him. So it was not until Sheng Hong passed the imperial examination and ranked high the following year that he married the second daughter of the Wang family. Although Sheng Hong made progress on his own afterwards, he also received a lot of help from his wife's family.
Now that he thought about it, Sheng Hong had a smooth career in the officialdom and had never been bullied or harassed by his superiors. He was also very respectful in his interactions with people in the officialdom. He didn't know that it was not because of the face of his mentor Yang Ge Lao and the Wang family. Mrs. Sheng was indeed a wise and insightful person.
Qi Heng's result was about 100th on the list, but for the children of a powerful noble family like the Qi family, Qi Heng was simply an oddity. It was said that since the time of Taizu, no more than 40 children of families with titles in the entire Zhou Dynasty had passed the imperial examinations. Although many of them became officials, most of them inherited the titles or donated money to get the positions later. They always felt a little ashamed in front of their colleagues who came from the regular imperial examination system. This time when Qi Heng passed the exam, Lord Qi and Princess Pingning were overjoyed and quickly sent a message to the Qiguo Mansion and Xiangyang Marquis Mansion in the capital. For a time, Qi Heng became one of the outstanding representatives of princes and sons in the country.
Compared to the Sheng family who only held a few banquets, the Qi family held a buffet that filled half the city. The firecrackers at the door alone cost hundreds of taels of silver, and they also carried several baskets of white flour buns to give to the poor. The next day, Lord Qi and Princess Pingning brought their newly minted son Qi Heng to the Sheng Mansion to build relationships.
Minglan had just gotten up early in the morning and was yawning in front of the dressing table. When she heard that the other girls were also going to see Lord Qi and his wife, she immediately asked Danju to loosen her newly combed pigtail hair and change it into a double bun, and insert a pair of small tassel hairpins with red gold and agate flowers. She put on a cross-collared satin jacket with light rose red embroidered with tender yellow magnolia branches on the front and back, and paired it with a moon-white satin long skirt with fine pleats. She still wore the same golden necklace and jade locket on her chest. After she was dressed up, she showed it to Old Madam Sheng. The old lady thought it was too simple, and asked for a pair of gold-thread bracelets inlaid with pink hibiscus jade for Minglan to wear. However, Minglan's hands were small and it was difficult to wear them. The old lady sighed and replaced them with two pairs of red gold twisted shrimp-whisker bracelets inlaid with South pearls.
Minglan raised her arms and saw two jingling bracelets hanging on each of her round, white arms. She felt a strain.
Lord Qi was not as elegant and dignified as Sheng Hong, but he had an air of nobility and seemed easier to talk to than the princess. He asked questions to all the children of the Sheng family one by one, and then asked the princess to distribute a heavy brocade purse. After receiving the greetings, Mrs. Sheng went back to rest, leaving the two couples to talk to the children. Since the Qi family and the Wang family were somewhat related, they were cousins, so there was no need to avoid suspicion.
"...It is thanks to Mr. Zhuang's hard work and teaching that my son is where he is today. I wanted to thank him very much, but he took leave recently to visit relatives and friends. I have to wait until next time to come and thank you." Lord Qi stroked his beard and looked very cheerful.
Sheng Hong laughed and said, "Mr. Zhuang taught them both non-stop during that time, and they were really tired. As soon as they left for Jinan, Mr. Zhuang lay down. When he got up, he said that they should go for a walk before they came back for the exam, otherwise they would be too busy for the class. When Mr. Zhuang came back, we would set up a table and have a nice drink."
Master Qi clapped his hands in agreement, then sighed, "Mr. Zhuang truly embodies the ancient sages' passionate and rigorous teaching style!"
The princess smiled and said, "...Lord Sheng is so kind to invite Mr. Zhuang to Dengzhou. It's a great favor to my Heng'er. Heng'er has been bothering us a lot these days, and Madam has been taking great pains to look after him. I feel really bad for him, and I'm afraid he'll miss out on my son's studies."
Wang also smiled and replied, "It's better for several brothers to study together than to study alone. Heng brother is a sensible and polite child. He won't be a nuisance to you. Your Majesty can rest assured."
The princess adjusted the pearl hairpin on her temples, glanced at Changbai, and her eyes were full of satisfaction: "That's right. It's better for your eldest brother to have Heng'er study together." She spoke very politely, but her expression could not hide a sense of pride, as if Qi Heng's study in Sheng Mansion was giving them face. Wang lowered her eyes and said nothing.
It was at times like these that Sheng Hong's true abilities were revealed. Minglan had witnessed her father's behavior in front of his superiors for the first time. He was neither humble nor overbearing, gracefully handling affairs with ease, speaking appropriately and respectfully. He spoke aloud, "Studying relies heavily on one's own diligence. Those scholars from humble backgrounds wouldn't have such a keen eye for detail. The two prime ministers during Taizu's time, Liu Bei and Li Yu, and the Three Yangs during the late emperor's time, were both skilled in strategic planning and strategizing. They were truly admirable, even though they all came from humble backgrounds."
The founding emperor, Prime Minister Liu, was Qi's maternal grandfather. Qi had always admired this ancestor the most. Upon hearing this, his face brightened and he praised, "Indeed! Although our two families are in better circumstances, you must not slack off and bring disgrace upon our ancestors."
These words were addressed to the boys. The three boys of the Sheng family and Qi Heng stood up together, bowing their heads in response. Lord Qi saw that Sheng Hong's three sons were all handsome and could not help but say, "Brother Sheng is so lucky. All three of your sons are handsome men." He then looked at the girls and said, "Having many children is a blessing for the whole family."
The princess's expression suddenly became a little uncomfortable, but it was only a fleeting moment. Seeing that the princess was unhappy, Wang Shi, who knew the whole story, smiled and said, "Although it is said that having many sons means more blessings, we are not like those peasant families who are anxiously waiting for male offspring to work and fight for inheritance. As the saying goes, it doesn't matter if you have many sons. If they are promising, one is enough. If they are not, the more you have, the more headaches you will have."
The princess's eyebrows opened and she smiled, "That's right, sister."
As he spoke, he casually pulled Rulan over to the side, taking a closer look, praising her elegance and grace, saying he liked her very much. He then took off a jade bracelet from his wrist and put it on Rulan. Rulan's face flushed bright red at the praise, and she looked quite pleased. She deliberately glanced at Molan and Minglan, her eyes a hint of defiance. Molan's face was pale. Since she entered the room, she had only said a few words when she accepted the gift, and she hadn't had a chance to speak since then. Her delicate white hands were tightly clenched on the handkerchief. Minglan was pinching the embroidered purse, feeling it carefully, guessing what was inside, and she didn't see Rulan's expression at all.
Over here, the princess and Madam Wang were talking to Rulan, while over there, Sheng Hong and Lord Qi were testing the four boys on their knowledge. Lord Qi had also been an ambitious young man in his early years, but unfortunately, he was demoted before he could even take the imperial examination. Although he later held a high position, he always felt insecure when seeing those officials from legitimate backgrounds. Therefore, he was very appreciative of young men with good academic performance. After asking a few questions, he found that Changfeng spoke eloquently and eloquently, while Changbai was very frugal with his words and seemed to be very reserved. Lord Qi could not help but say to Sheng Hong, "Your eldest son has the character of the old master of the Wang family."
The old man of the Wang family he mentioned was Wang's deceased father and Changbai's grandfather.
This Wang family's maternal grandfather was one of the few capable officials who enjoyed a good ending. He served through three dynasties, remaining unfazed and composed, unperturbed by both highs and lows. No matter which emperor he served, even if he had initial grievances, he was ultimately appreciated and reused, truly a true hero of his generation. Unfortunately, the Wang family's uncles weren't particularly talented or knowledgeable, but thanks to Zu Meng and the emperor's care, they managed to hold down positions in government, a position Sheng Hong deeply envied.
Changbai actually looked like Sheng Hong, but his personality was strangely different, having copied a quarter of his maternal grandfather. While Sheng Hong didn't particularly like Wang, he was very pleased with the excellent genes she brought him. However, when he faced his second son, Changfeng, who resembled him in both form and spirit, his mood inevitably shifted subtly. Sheng Hong said, "It would be great if he truly resembled Old Master Taishan, but I'm afraid it's just a copy of a tiger." No matter how pleased he was, a father often couldn't express his son's true image.
Sheng Hong and Lord Qi talked about Changbai, recalling the voice and smile of Old Master Wang. Wang and Princess Pingning talked about Rulan. Wang kept talking about her own business and couldn't help but praise her daughter's good qualities. When Wang praised Rulan's needlework, the princess's eyes flashed. She caught a glimpse of the young and innocent Minglan beside her, and her heart moved. She suddenly said, "I was just about to say this; speaking of which, I should thank your Sixth Miss."
Wang was stunned. Princess Pingning smiled and called Qi Heng over. Qi Heng saw Minglan sitting next to him. The little girl looked confused. Qi Heng found it funny and told her the whole story in detail. That day, after Old Lady Sheng asked Minglan to do some work for Changbai, Minglan immediately carried it out. She found out that all clothes in the examination room must not be interlayered. Thinking of the cold autumn, she found a large piece of thick velvet from the warehouse, cut it open carefully, and made a pair of knee pads (similar to stockings) that went from the toes to the thighs. Qi Heng, who came to eat one day, saw it and thought it was interesting, so he asked for a pair. After Qi Heng presented an out-of-print copy of "Mirror Flower and Wrong Needlework", Minglan reluctantly agreed.
"It was fine for the first two days after arriving in Jinan, but the day before the exam, the weather suddenly turned cold. When I was sitting in the stone room, a chill spread up from my feet. Fortunately, I had the knee pads made by my sixth sister, so I didn't feel cold at all." Changbai also came over at this time, stood next to Wang, and said gently.
The princess smiled and said, "Heng'er, why don't you thank Sixth Miss? She is so smart at such a young age, it's really rare."
Qi Heng raised his eyebrows and said, "Thanks must be given, but accounts must also be settled."
"What account?" Rulan looked at Minglan in surprise.
Qi Heng walked up to Minglan and snorted, "What did you embroider on my kneepad?"
Minglan spread her hands and said innocently, "It's nothing. There's no writing allowed in the exam room. I just embroidered a mark on my kneepad to avoid losing it."
Qi Heng smiled with his beautiful white teeth: "I knew you would cheat!" Then he turned around and gave a few instructions to a little girl, then continued, "She embroidered a small pine and cypress tree on each side of Brother Zecheng's kneepad, which looks vigorous and upright, but she embroidered mine... hehe..."
At this time, the little maid came back. Qi Heng took the furry thing from the maid's hand and brought it in front of everyone. They saw a small piece of something shining on the neatly folded ball of velvet. Everyone came over to take a look - there was a small gold ingot embroidered on it, which was round and chubby, cute and very interesting.
Wang laughed and said, "What do you mean?"
The princess understood: "Oh, Heng'er's name is Yuanruo, the Yuan in Yuanbao, so you embroidered this?"
Minglan nodded with a red face, shrinking a little bit behind Changbai, and Changbai also stood in front of her loyally.
Everyone looked at the handsome and elegant Qi Heng, and then at the fat and big-eared little Jin Yuanbao, and they all laughed immediately. Even Rulan and Molan covered their hands with their handkerchiefs and laughed, and little Changdong covered his mouth and giggled.
Qi Heng deliberately pinched Minglan's ear and said, "Even if I can't compare to your brother, I'm not as good as a gold ingot! Little girl, you're too partial! Just wait and see if I can bring you anything fun in the future!"
Minglan's ears were pulled in public, and her chubby little face flushed red with embarrassment. She pulled Qi Heng's hand away and argued desperately, "The 'yuan' in your name and the 'yuan' in 'yuanbao' are the same character! The gold ingot is so big and fat, it cost me a lot of gold thread! If you don't like gold ingots, then I'll embroider Yuanxiao next time!"
Everyone almost fell down laughing. Lord Qi and Sheng Hong also heard it. Sheng Hong pointed at Minglan and said with a smile: "You little girl, you are almost as fat as Yuanxiao!"
Minglan covered her ears and acted silly, stealing a glance at Wang Shi and finding that she didn't seem unhappy, which made her feel relieved. She then looked at Rulan and Molan, only to find that their faces were a little stiff. Minglan's heart sank, for she knew very well that her days of playing the role of an ignorant child were numbered.
Chapter 29 No one can shelter her from the wind and rain for a lifetime, and she has to face the world by herself in the end. Minglan knows very well that the advantage of living in Shou'an Hall is not only the improvement of food, clothing and daily necessities, but also a comfortable rhythm of life. She does not have to rely on others for food and clothing, and can live a comfortable and carefree life. During the years she has lived in Shou'an Hall, Minglan has never been troubled by Wang Shi, and has rarely spoken a few words to her brothers and sisters. She spends every day with Old Madam Sheng, reading, writing or doing needlework in front of her, and sleeping next to the old lady at night.
Whenever Rulan felt unbalanced, she wanted to cause trouble for Minglan, but if she wanted to find Minglan, she had to go through many checkpoints, including the gate of Shou'an Hall, Fang Mama in the main house, and Cui Mama in the side room. When she broke into the pear blossom cabinet and caught Minglan, Old Madam Sheng was chanting scriptures next door, so how could she find trouble? Even when she went to pay her respects to Wang, the old lady said that she was young and in poor health and temporarily exempted her from the request.
Since moving into Shou'an Hall, no one has ever given Minglan the cold shoulder. Minglan is fully aware of all the ways that Old Lady Sheng has protected her, and she is extremely grateful for that. However, with Molan moving into Weiruixuan, Minglan knows that these happy days are about to end.
"...The girls are growing up and it's time for them to have their own rooms. Weiruixuan is still empty. It would be better to let Minglan move in so that the sisters can spend more time together. After she gets married, who knows when they will see each other again." One day after Changbai came back from passing the imperial examination, Wang came to pay her respects and said to Mrs. Sheng with a smile.
Minglan, who was writing in the inner room, heard this and her heart skipped a beat. She glanced at Danju, who was grinding ink for her across from the kang, and was also startled. There was silence in the outer room for a moment, only the low cough of Old Madam Sheng. At this time, Fang Madam smiled and said, "Madam, you are right. Yesterday, the old lady told me that the Sixth Young Lady should live on her own. ... But, Madam, you also know that Shou'an Hall has become much more lively and lively these years thanks to the Sixth Young Lady. Although the old lady is in better health, if..."
Fang Madam dragged out her words, and Wang Shi looked a little embarrassed: "It was my negligence. Of course, the old lady's health was more important. But if other families knew that Minglan was the only one without her own room, they would think I was mean to Minglan..."
The housekeeper quickly took over the conversation, "What the madam said makes sense. Not only do the sisters need to live in more places, but the young lady also needs to learn to manage her own room when she grows up. She won't grow up if she stays around her grandmother all the time. So the old lady said, why not clean up the empty row of rooms on the east side of Shou'an Hall and let the sixth young lady live there? It's close to Shou'an Hall and Weiruixuan, right?"
This proposal was very harmonious. Wang agreed and immediately ordered the staff to clean up the house. Minglan came out from the inner room anxiously and walked to Old Madam Sheng. She lowered her head and took her grandmother's old hand, shaking it. Old Madam Sheng pulled the little girl onto the kang bed and hugged her lovingly. After a long time, she said, "You must learn to live your own life. How to manage the maids and servants, the income and expenditure of money, and the interactions with your brothers and sisters... Grandmother can't stand in your way forever."
Minglan looked up at Old Madam Sheng's wrinkled face and her gray, aged eyes. Her heart ached, and tears began to fall. She buried her head in her grandmother's arms, "...Minglan will be a good girl and will not embarrass Grandma."
…
The embroidered pavilions where the young ladies lived were mostly southern specialties. Northerners, with their traditional preference for spacious and airy houses, had become popular with independent courtyards. The courtyard east of Shou'an Hall was originally just a separate courtyard for enjoying the snow and the lake, less than half the size of Weirui Pavilion. Wang had renovated it three times, but Old Madam Sheng disapproved of it, saying it was too shabby and unfit for living. When Sheng Hong learned of this, he immediately hired a mason and carpenter to renovate the courtyard inside and out, repainting and repairing it. It wasn't until the Chinese New Year that Old Madam Sheng finally agreed and ordered Minglan to move in at the beginning of the new year. After this saga, everyone in the Sheng family knew that Sixth Miss Minglan was Old Madam Sheng's favorite, and even after moving out of Shou'an Hall, no one dared to neglect or disrespect her.
Because of this, Minglan was extremely depressed that year. She had tears in her eyes when she kowtowed to the ancestral tablets, and would shed two tears for no reason when she looked at fireworks. She would twist Old Lady Sheng every day and refused to let go. She even stayed in her grandmother's room to sleep, and often woke up with a wet face. Every time Old Lady Sheng saw this, she would sigh but say nothing.
After the first month of the lunar year, the old lady picked a sunny day, and Fang Mama gathered the troops, packed up Minglan's affairs, and moved in a grand manner. Minglan bid farewell to Old Lady Sheng and left Shou'an Hall, looking back every few steps. This was her first and perhaps only safe haven in the world, where she had her grandmother who cared for and loved her selflessly. However, no one in this world could shelter her from the wind and rain for a lifetime, and she had to face the world on her own.
The day before moving into the new house, Minglan went to Sheng Changbai with a newly made fan cover and asked him to write a name for her courtyard. In fact, she had a lot of good names in mind, such as "Xiaoxiang Pavilion", "Hengwu Garden", "Qiu Shuang Zhai", "Daoxiang Village" and "Luxuean", each one more elegant than the other. But when she thought of the fate of those unfortunate women, she thought it would be better not to touch this bad luck.
After receiving the fee, Brother Changbai was immediately inspired and wrote with a flourish - Mu Cang Zhai.
Mucangzhai had three large rooms facing south. The center was Minglan's main hall, serving as her living room. The left and right rooms were her bedrooms and her study. There were two side rooms on either side, and two side rooms in front and back for the maids and servants. This place was very close to Shou'an Hall, and was basically surrounded by the garden outside Shou'an Hall. A corridor connected the two places. If Minglan screamed here, Old Madam Sheng would immediately hear it and rush to put out the fire. The old lady's thoughtfulness touched Minglan deeply.
The basic configuration of the sixth young lady of the Sheng family consists of one Cui Mama, two senior maids, four to six junior maids, and various servants in the outer rooms. It is far inferior to the grandeur of Molan and Rulan, but Mucangzhai is originally small, and Minglan is afraid of too many people and gossip, so she is happy to be humble and not add more people; besides, Sheng Hong has always valued his reputation as an official and is unwilling to be arrogant and extravagant, so the monthly allowance of the young lady of the Sheng family is two taels of silver, but this is the account on the surface. In fact, Rulan is sponsored by Wang, Molan is sponsored by Aunt Lin, and Old Lady Sheng also gives Minglan extra money every month. Everyone knows it.
On the day of the housewarming, Old Madam Sheng presided over the main hall, while the brothers and sisters all came to congratulate. Brother Changbai presented a jade-like Ruyao flower vase with a few fresh red plum blossoms in it; Rulan presented a carved and painted marble pen holder with flowers and birds; Changfeng presented a complete set of "Records of Mountains and Seas"; Molan presented a pair of handwritten door couplets and a hand-painted picture of a fisherman fishing; and finally, Changdong hesitantly took out the gift: a set of curtains for the four seasons, spring, summer, autumn, and winter, embroidered by Concubine Xiang herself. In four colors, pink, emerald, blue, and apricot, they were embroidered with colorful flowers, birds, fish, and insects of the four seasons. It was very exquisite. Seeing Changdong's embarrassed look, Minglan whispered in his ear, "Tell Concubine Xiang, I like it very much."
Xiao Changdong immediately showed joy on his face.
The next morning, Minglan made an exception and did not sleep in. She went to Shou'an Hall to pay her respects early. Seeing that Old Lady Sheng also had swollen eyelids, the two of them hugged each other and had another good chat. Old Lady Sheng looked at Minglan from head to toe three times, as if her granddaughter had lost three pounds of weight after sleeping outside all night. She kept asking about whether the warm room was leaking, whether the floor heating was warm, and how the kang bed was heated.
Wang, who was sitting on the side, was holding a tea bowl with a complicated expression. In the early years, when the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law had not fallen out, she had been a good daughter-in-law for a while. In fact, Old Lady Sheng was quite difficult to serve. She was arrogant and cold. She found it annoying if she talked and laughed too much, and annoying if she was too attentive. She felt that she was being interfered with if she was more caring and considerate. Even when Aunt Lin was living with her, she didn't seem to be very enthusiastic. It was because Wang didn't want Ruolan to be treated coldly when she came to Shou'an Hall. She didn't know what the sixth girl had done to be so favored. She didn't take Liu Kun's family's reminder that Minglan should be moved out seriously. It made sense when she thought about it.
If Minglan must be registered under my name in the future, then I must act like a legitimate mother, nurturing affection and teaching her as needed. Furthermore, now that the girl is older, if she's constantly in Shou'an Hall, Qi Heng's frequent comings and goings will be implicated, which is not good either. More importantly, I've recently noticed that under the old lady's guidance, Minglan has become more well-behaved and has made significant progress in her studies and needlework, while my own Rulan remains naive and straightforward, constantly fighting with Molan and showing no improvement. Moving Minglan out would allow Rulan to spend more time with her and have a positive influence on her. Finally, Wang Shi would also have a good reputation outside.
Thinking of this, Wang felt much more relaxed. She picked up the tea bowl and took a sip. It seemed more grand to have three daughters paying their respects than just two.
On the second day after moving into Mucangzhai, Minglan actively fulfilled her obligations. After having breakfast in Shou'an Hall, she asked Danju to look after the house and took Xiaotao and Yancao to the main courtyard to pay her respects to Wang. She saw her two sisters already sitting in the room. In front of them was a kang bed covered with brocade and piled with cotton. Molan and Rulan sat on either side facing each other, glancing at each other coldly from time to time, like a turtle and a mung bean.
Minglan sighed, thinking that it had finally begun; she walked to the middle and said with a smile, "Hello, sisters, it seems I'm late." As she spoke, she sat down next to Rulan calmly, but the old lady pulled her aside to talk a few more words. Shou'an Hall was far from Wang's place, but if she could muster the strength that made her run the 800 meters back then, she could get there in time. Unfortunately, young ladies these days couldn't even take a big step, so she could only close the door and secretly do some radio gymnastics and yoga to exercise.
Molan sneered, "Sixth sister is the apple of my eye. Even if she's a little late, what's the big deal? Do you think Madam would dare punish you for a moment's delay?"
Minglan touched her sleeves and smoothed the collar of her dress, as if calming herself down. She said slowly, "Fourth sister is so angry so early this morning. I heard from you that if Madam doesn't punish me, it means she's too cowardly. If she does, the old lady will be unhappy. You've already mentioned two elders in one sentence."
Rulan opened her eyes wide and turned to look at Minglan, her eyes full of disbelief and secret joy. Molan on the other side was also choked. As a time traveler, Minglan might not remember much, but Molan clearly remembered how cowardly and easy to bully Minglan was before the age of five. She had ordered her around more than once, and Rulan had yelled at her countless times. But after Minglan was brought into Shou'an Hall, they had not gotten along for several years. When they met on weekdays, they only said a few polite words. Molan only remembered that Minglan was very honest, cowardly, and stupid.
Mo Lan's eyes suddenly became sharp: "What... did you say? How could you slander me like that!"
Minglan smiled inwardly. Like Aunt Lin, Molan was indeed weak on the outside but strong on the inside. If she were truly weak, how could she have gotten so far? Minglan smiled faintly, "Oh, it seems I misunderstood. It turns out that Fourth Sister didn't want Madam to punish me."
Molan was furious, her heart hurting. Rulan's mouth opened wide, her heart overflowing with joy. She joyfully took Minglan's arm and said affectionately, "Sixth sister wasn't feeling well before, so she asked the old lady to skip paying respects to Mother. It's no big deal that you're late for the first time today. Just now, after Concubine Xiang served my mother breakfast, Madam Liu came to see Mother about something, and the other concubines were also called away. They haven't come out yet, so it's okay!"
The enemy of my enemy is my friend. This is the concept that Wang passed on to Rulan. Normally, she would lose seven out of ten times when arguing with Molan. Now that external help has come out of nowhere, she is immediately cheered up. How could Minglan not know the twists and turns in this, but the most taboo thing about choosing a side is being a fence-sitter. With the death of Concubine Wei in front of her, she and Concubine Lin's side are not going to be in a good situation.
Rulan found her comrade and pulled Minglan aside to chat about this and that. One moment she said the newly arrived Paozi meat was delicious and she would send some to Minglan later. The next moment she mentioned that she had just acquired a painting called "Nine-Nine Days to Dispel the Cold" and wanted to look at it with Minglan. "Sixth sister and I lived together when we were little, but unfortunately we didn't get as close after she went to Shou'an Hall. It would be nice if we could live together."
Molan had long since calmed down. She politely stirred the tea leaves with the lid of her teacup and jokingly said, "Fifth sister, you're joking. Sixth sister is living a life of luxury with the old lady. How could she be willing to come to Weiruixuan? Sigh—to be honest, I'm unlucky. I couldn't get into Shou'an Hall back then. But Fifth sister is much better than the two of us. Why does the old lady look down on her?"
In terms of skills, Rulan was indeed not as good as Molan. She was good at scolding people, but this kind of exquisite bickering would often be caught. This sentence was countered, and the hand that was squeezing Minglan immediately tightened. Minglan mourned her aching arm and said, "Fourth sister is so funny. Back then, Fifth sister and Madam had a deep mother-daughter relationship, and she was reluctant to part with Madam, so she made things difficult. Fourth sister is very filial, but the old lady always wanted to avoid separating other people's flesh and blood, so she chose me."
Rulan was immediately reminded and burst out laughing: "Yes, Fourth Sister is very filial. She was willing to give up Aunt Lin, but the old lady couldn't bear it!" Then she relaxed her hand, and Minglan hurriedly pulled back her poor little fat arm.
Molan stood up, looked at Minglan, and said word by word, "How dare you talk about your elders and your sister like that?"
Minglan smiled and said, "How did I comment? Fourth sister, please tell me what I said wrong so that I can correct it." If you have the ability, find the fault in her words.
Back then, the old judge had declared: "A courtroom is nothing more than a legal venue for squeezing people." During debates, every sentence was preceded by a clause or clause, seemingly addressing the issue rather than the person, but in reality, it was all about the person. The lawsuit was about the person, leaving others speechless. Back then, the handsome lawyer Yao Yiyi favored could bring a plaintiff back to life with a look of sincerity and seriousness.
Molan stared at Minglan in surprise, her beautiful eyes wide open. Minglan looked back at her calmly. She didn't mean to fight with Molan, but as soon as she entered the door today, Molan was unreasonable and aggressive, and every word she said was harsh. If Minglan showed too much weakness now, not only would she be despised by Ruolan, but she would also have to be prepared to be bullied every day in the future. She showed her claws just to let others know - I won't offend others unless they offend me. Although she has no brothers or aunts, she is not completely without support.
The two girls stared at each other, the air ablaze with fire. Rulan was most excited, her eyes sparkling. Minglan gently turned her eyes away, pretending to be scared. She stood up and walked over to Molan, bowed obediently, and said respectfully, "It's all my fault. If it weren't so late, I wouldn't have said such a naughty thing to you. Don't be angry, Fourth Sister. I apologize to you."
Rulan cursed Minglan in her heart for being so useless and having such poor resistance to blows. She had only held on for so long. She immediately rolled up her sleeves and prepared to join the fight. At this time, the curtain outside the door was lifted by Caihuan, who said, "The Madam is here."
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