Brother Changbai was probably very popular among middle-aged and elderly women. Mrs. Hai's letters were more enthusiastic than the last. At first, there was a condescending tone in her letters, but later she kept calling them "father-in-law and mother-in-law". Seeing that Changbai lived alone in the Sheng Mansion in the capital, she wished she could let Changbai live in her own home. Sheng Hong thought that his term of office was about to expire, so he simply asked the servants to slowly take care of the mansion in the capital so that the whole family could live there when they returned to the capital in the future.
More than half a month later, Changbai finally came back. He said goodbye to his mother-in-law and was immediately greeted by his mother's enthusiasm. Wang touched her son's head and felt that her ten months of pregnancy and more than ten years of emotional investment were not in vain. She was so excited that tears filled her eyes. In fact, she had prepared a tall white horse and a big red silk bouquet, intending to parade her son in the streets to show his honor. Changbai refused to comply, and Wang was inevitably depressed. In fact, Minglan understood Wang very well. Marrying a husband who is like a boss and giving birth to a son who is like his father, anyone would be depressed.
As compensation, Sheng Hong chose a cool and warm day to hold a banquet in his mansion, which happened to be a holiday, so he could invite his colleagues to join in the fun.
In late spring and early summer, the scenery in the garden was dark green and bright red, with rugged rocks and beautiful scenery, which was perfect for entertaining guests. Wang originally wanted to invite a group of small actors to perform a few songs, but Sheng Hong thought it would be better not to be too ostentatious, so he only set up a few tables for the banquet. The male guests drank in the front, and the female guests had a banquet in another place in the backyard. There were many families in Dengzhou City who were on good terms with the Sheng family, and some of the close ones arrived early. Unexpectedly, the first to arrive was Princess Pingning.
It wasn't that Wang's personality was too charismatic, but rather that in Dengzhou, there were few women of comparable rank to a third-rank imperial princess. The other women of officials were only capable of fawning, and Princess Pingning, after a while, was starting to tire of the flattery. Wang, after all, came from a prominent family, had mingled in the inner circle of the capital's inner court, and was no slouch. The middle-aged women's gossip about the royal family, the royal family, and the wealthy, was as passionate as dry firewood and a fiery flame. Though somewhat overbearing, Wang didn't dare to act superior in front of the princess, especially after she stopped promoting her daughter. Her straightforward nature actually suited the more evasive Princess Pingning.
Princess Pingning first congratulated Wang, then lamented her son's failure in the imperial examination. Wang was originally very happy today, but facing the princess's sad face, she couldn't show it too much. She racked her brains and finally came up with a sad story: "...It is said that rich families marry their daughters to poor families, but the Hai family is such a family with such a high status and family tradition. How can I discipline this daughter-in-law in the future!"
Wang's noble sentiment of sacrificing herself to entertain the other party immediately paid off. The princess burst into laughter and said, "You too! You want to marry a daughter-in-law from a good family, and you also want to discipline her properly. Where in the world can such a good thing happen?"
If someone else had ridiculed her like this, Wang would have flipped the table long ago, but facing the princess, she could only secretly tug at her handkerchief, then laugh dryly and let it go.
Soon, more and more guests came. The room was filled with pearls and jade, and the sound of rings and pendants jingled. Old Madam Sheng sat at the top, and three Minglans, dressed in new clothes, stood shyly by to entertain the guests, letting a group of aunts and grandmas touch and pinch them. Minglan's face was almost cramping from her fake smile, and the fragrance of powder made her dizzy. Next to the old woman from the family of Yu Ge Lao, who had retired, stood a girl of fifteen or sixteen. She was wearing a bright purple narrow-sleeved waisted gauze shirt and a lotus-colored Xiangjiang long skirt with green patterns. Seeing Minglan's fake look, she smiled secretly and gave her a playful look. Minglan was furious and secretly bareed her teeth at her.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Old Lady Sheng took Old Lady Yu to Shou'an Hall to talk. After Wang and the other ladies had been intimate for a while, they wanted to talk about some adult topics such as marriage, but out of consideration for the girls beside them, they let them go and play by themselves.
Molan is very capable and has the most close friends. As soon as she goes out the door, she is surrounded by four or five girls and starts laughing and chatting. Ruolan is proud of her status and is only good friends with the legitimate daughters of the two Tongzhi families, Liu and Li. Minglan was stopped by Old Madam Sheng from meeting guests very often, and she had to pretend to be honest in front of Wang, so she didn't know many girls. Only the old lady from Yu Ge Lao's family often came to worship Buddha with Old Madam Sheng, so she became familiar with Miss Sun Yanran.
Yu Yanran was tall, slender, gentle and charming. At one point, Mrs. Sheng wanted to marry her to Changbai. Unfortunately, Yanran's father, a fifth-rank assistant minister in the Ministry of Revenue, thought it was a waste to marry his daughter to Sheng Hong, who was of the same rank, so the matter was not mentioned again.
All the girls were led into Weirui Pavilion for tea. The maids had already brought out various brocade cushions and embroidered chairs, a tea table, and placed exquisite snacks and covered bowls on the table. Rulan smiled and said, "This is the white tea my uncle brought from Yunnan. Sisters, please try it. Is it delicious?" The girls were very interested and took a few sips of tea. Molan raised her eyes slightly and chuckled, covering her mouth with her hands, "Fifth sister, you are really something. You show off such rare and precious things like treasures, making it seem like you sisters have never seen the world! Don't even mention this Yunnan white tea. Even the brick tea from the Tibetan border, the sister from the Wu family brought us last time!"
Rulan's face immediately turned unhappy, but she held back her anger. It was no secret that the sisters were at odds in their boudoir. The other girls sitting around remained calm, sipping their tea and chatting amongst themselves. Wu Baozhu was the most understanding and said with a smile, "Sister Mo, please don't mention it. Last time, that crap left a bitter taste in the mouths of the sisters. I really regret it. Today's white tea is very good, light, elegant and warm."
The young lady from Liu Tongzhi's family also smiled and said, "Everything has its own flavor. If there is something good, why don't you take it out for the sisters to taste? Sister Rulan is really hospitable."
Chen Xinya was the prefect's only daughter. She had always been arrogant and spoiled, and she didn't get along with Rulan. However, as the legitimate daughter, she was happy to be flattered by Molan. She put down her tea bowl with a pout and said, "It tastes just so good to me. It's too bland and tasteless. It's not as good as the white dew my father brought from Mount Lu."
Rulan pouted and suddenly said to Minglan, who was sitting in the corner, "Sixth sister, what do you think?"
Minglan was getting closer and closer to the door, just as she was about to slip away when no one was paying attention, she was suddenly called. She was stunned and said, "The taste is a little bland, but the fragrance is refreshing and lingering, with a unique flavor. I am grateful to you sisters for this. Fifth sister has been hiding this tea for several days, and she didn't even want to let her own sisters drink it, so she waited until today to treat you sisters!"
The gift was small but the sentiment was great. The girls around her all expressed their gratitude, and Rulan was very satisfied.
Over there, Yu Yanran was entangled by a concubine's daughter from the Tongpan family. She took the opportunity to stand up, walked over to Minglan, and tapped Minglan's forehead with her scallion-like index finger, saying angrily, "You little girl, why didn't you say a word to me today? You have no conscience!"
Minglan frowned and said, "Last month, I saw the weather getting warmer, the flowers were red, the grass was green, the water was warm, and the fish were alive. I asked you several times to come over to fish and make fish soup, but you just said you were busy because you called someone. You didn't even give me a reason. I don't want to pay any attention to you!"
Just as she finished speaking, she saw that most of the girls in the room had strange expressions and were making faces. Minglan looked at Yanran, confused, but she saw that she was a little uncomfortable. Chen Xinya turned around and joked, "Sister Molan, you are so tactless. Sister Yu has caught a big fat fish now, so how can she have time to come to your house to catch those small fish!"
Most of the girls giggled but said nothing. Only the youngest, Hong Qingyu, remained innocent and clapped her hands, saying, "I know, I know. Sister Yu is getting engaged to the second son of the Ningyuan Marquis Gu family in the capital!"
Minglan was surprised: "Really? Congratulations, sister." Congratulations, some real and some fake, rang out around her, but Minglan felt that the atmosphere was a little strange, as if... something was not right. She turned to look at Yanran, only to see that she was too embarrassed to even raise her head. She smiled awkwardly and changed the subject: "Which Gu family? Isn't Princess Pingning's maiden name also Gu? Are they related?"
Rulan quickly said, "They are indeed our family! Marquis Xiangyang and Marquis Ningyuan were brothers. They fought together for our great grandfather and were later granted the title together!" Minglan was very happy for Yanran and said with a smile, "That's really great. Such a family must be very good."
Just as he finished speaking, Mo Lan suddenly interrupted, "But... I heard that the second young master of the Gu family has a somewhat erratic temperament."
Whispers were heard all around again. Yanran hid behind Minglan, feeling extremely ashamed and not daring to say a word. Minglan forced a laugh and said, "Don't listen to my fourth sister's nonsense. We sisters have never been to the capital since we were old enough to understand. How would we know all this?" She gave Molan a fierce look, and Molan pouted contemptuously and said no more.
Yanran's eyes showed gratitude, but Chen Xinya said coldly, "We don't know the rest of the story, but there is one thing. When I was a child in the capital, I heard that the old Marquis Ningyuan almost tied him up and took him to the clan house to be questioned for disobedience."
Miss Liu pretended to be surprised and took a loud breath, which attracted the discussion of the girls nearby. Minglan was stunned. She turned around to see Yanran's ashamed and angry expression, and then looked at the girls around her who were either gloating or staying away from her. The most kind-hearted ones just said a few lukewarm words of comfort. She was furious in her heart: she knew why they were like this, it was nothing more than "jealousy".
Speaking of which, Yu Yanran has the most distinguished family background among all the girls. Although her father is only a minister, her grandfather is a prime minister of his generation, with a good reputation throughout the world. The late emperor once personally wrote the four characters "diligent and cautious" as a reward for him, so she is qualified to directly discuss marriage with the second son of the Marquis's Mansion. Back then, it took a lot of effort for Hualan, the eldest daughter of the Sheng family, to marry the second son of the impoverished Earl's Mansion.
Minglan wanted to help Yanran out, so she pointed at herself and shouted, "Boys are all naughty when they are young! Besides, most rumors are unreliable. Before Sister Liu met me, she 'heard' that I was eccentric, but look at me, I'm so beautiful and kind-hearted!" Miss Liu smiled awkwardly, and the other girls burst into laughter. Minglan continued shamelessly, "What's wrong with what I said? Am I not beautiful? And not kind-hearted?"
Rulan pointed at Minglan and said, "You, you, you..." She fell on the machine laughing, holding her stomach and unable to speak.
The quiet sneers in the room turned into loud laughter. Minglan saw that Yu Yanran's almost burning cheeks beside her had slightly subsided. She felt very sympathetic and simply played the whole trick. She said, "Sisters, you are too weird. Sister Yanran is just talking about marriage. I also want to arrange marriages for Xiaohong and Xiaobai in my fish tank!"
Everyone laughed even louder. Minglan said with a serious face, "Xiaohong and Xiaobai have been with me for quite a while. They're getting quite old now, so as their head, I have to consider their future well-being!"
The girls were laughing so hard that they were staggering. Wu Baozhu leaned on one girl's shoulder, her face flushed with laughter. She wiped her tears and asked, "Did it work?" Minglan shook her head and said, "It was quite difficult."
Chen Xinya laughed so hard that her stomach hurt. She managed to squeeze out a few words, raising her voice, "...Why is that?" Minglan looked serious, shaking her head, and said, "Marriage is a matter of parents' orders and matchmakers' words, but I, I...where can I find a fish father, fish mother, and a matchmaker for those fish couple?"
Chen Xinya laughed: "Why don't you just be their parents, and I'll be the matchmaker! Let's get married right away!"
The girls were almost laughing like crazy. Rulan ran over and twisted Minglan hard, "Little girl, you're the only one who makes so many jokes. You've made all the sisters laugh. How are you going to explain this?" Seeing Rulan like this, the girls rushed over and surrounded Minglan, kneading her. Minglan struggled hard, but she was too small and weak, so she was pinched and ran all over the floor. But she still shouted, "Be serious, be serious. We're talking about marriage here!"
The girls were even happier, playing around the room. Seeing everyone's attention now on her, Minglan breathed a sigh of relief and winked at Yanran, who had already moved to the door. Yanran nodded, then slipped away when no one was paying attention. Minglan finally managed to free herself from the girls, her clothes tangled in a mess. She excused herself to tidy up, and before she left, she could only hear Rulan still laughing: "My little sister is fun, isn't she? My father and brother love her very much..."
Then came Molan's voice, with a hint of sneer: "Little girl, you have a sharp tongue!"
Then I heard the voices of several other girls: "I think the little sister of the Sheng family is very good, funny and kind."
Another girl said faintly: "...He's a nice person,...cheerful and interesting..."
Minglan ignored them and asked Danju to accompany her straight back to Mucangzhai. As expected, Yanran was already there when she entered. Minglan raised her eyebrows and pointed at her, cursing, "How dare you say I have no conscience? We're sisters, and I asked you to go fishing but you didn't come. You said I didn't know about your marriage, and you're being laughed at and you want me to cover up for you! Look at what I'm wearing. Tell me, how are you going to compensate me?!"
Lifting the wrinkled hem of her skirt, she walked up to Minglan with an indignant look on her face. She clasped her hands together and bowed repeatedly, saying repeatedly, "My dear sister, my dear sister, this is all my fault. If I had deliberately concealed this from you, I would have had a big boil on my face. I would have come to tell you this today. My dear sister, I am really grateful to you for what I did just now. Otherwise, I would have been teased by them all!"
As they spoke, Cuiwei had already brought out a new light green, gold-embroidered cotton jacket with a side opening and a green embroidered skirt. Minglan went behind a four-fold ebony wood screen with carved and embroidered satin to change her clothes and came out with a stern face, "Tell me, what's going on? Tell me the truth."
Yanran said with a bitter face: "That's it, my father's Shang Fengbao is the matchmaker..." She was about to say something but stopped.
Cuiwei and Danju were very perceptive. Seeing that their masters were about to speak intimately, they withdrew together after Xiaotao brought up tea and snacks. Minglan glanced at the door, sat down next to Yanran, and said softly, "Sister Yanran, I'm not saying anything bad about you, but we're just discussing marriage and haven't even made an engagement yet. How can it be spread throughout the city? If this doesn't work out, what will you do?"
Yanran was moved and held Minglan's hand, saying: "My dear sister, no wonder my old lady always praises you for your kind character. I have many good sisters, but you are the only one who says such thoughtful words! It's a pity that my mother passed away early, without even leaving behind any brothers and sisters. It is said that if there is a stepmother, there will be a stepfather. After my father remarried, he took only my stepmother and several brothers and sisters to take up his post, leaving me here alone. Fortunately, my grandparents have mercy on me, otherwise..." Her voice choked with sobs, and her eyes filled with tears.
Minglan was dejected. She lowered her head and gently rubbed the corner of Yanran's clothes. Yanran sniffed and continued, "This marriage wasn't originally intended by my grandparents. It was my stepmother who hooked up with some unknown relative of the Ningbei Marquis, and she urged my father to agree to the matchmaker. Luckily, my grandfather said he needed to think it over and make some more inquiries, so it's not finalized. But that woman...that woman...made a scene known to everyone."
Yanran could no longer speak and only began to cry softly. Minglan felt sorry for her and could say nothing to persuade her. She only gently stroked the back of Yanran's hand and took out a new handkerchief to wipe her tears. After a while, Yanran wiped away her tears, took a breath, and nodded heavily. She smiled and said, "Look at me. It's such a happy day for your family, but I'm like this. I make my sister laugh! I don't think daddy would cheat his daughter. Girls have to get married. I tell grandfather not to make any more inquiries. Just marry her anyway."
"Don't worry!" Minglan, who had been listening quietly, suddenly cried out in surprise at this, "You can't just get married rashly! A woman can only marry once in her life, and only one man at a time. If you don't be careful now, you'll regret it later! Tell your grandfather to investigate, investigate thoroughly, and don't marry anyone who's not good enough!"
Yanran burst into laughter and said, "You little girl, why do you keep talking about getting married? I wonder if you are thinking about getting married too!"
This level of teasing wasn't enough to fill Minglan's teeth. Her expression didn't change at all, and she said sternly, "Sister Yanran, I know you don't want your grandparents to compete with your father, but you should also think about yourself! Although I haven't met your stepmother, I have heard some things about her. She's not an easy person to get along with. To be frank, if you marry someone you like, she will definitely rush to take advantage of your influence. If you are wronged, do you think she will support you?"
Yanran's face turned pale, her heart in a turmoil. Minglan stood up, walked to the middle, slammed her palms, and said sternly, "Sister Yanran, don't blame yourself from now on. Although you lost your biological mother, you are still a legitimate child, and your grandparents are still alive. But what about me? I am a concubine's daughter, and I only have a grandmother! However, although I am inferior to you in every way, if someone forces me to marry a bad man, I will fight to the death!"
Yanran stared at Minglan in a daze. Her soft and bright face was calm, yet a hint of determination and courage was revealed. A surge of courage suddenly arose in Yanran's heart. She went over and held Minglan's hand intimately, whispering, "My dear sister, don't worry, I will definitely not belittle myself! You treat me so sincerely, I will never forget your kindness even if I die!"
Minglan felt embarrassed by what she said, so she looked at her. Seeing that she looked calm, she said with relief, "Stop talking about life and death! From now on, avoid hanging out with those chatterboxes. My old lady doesn't let me socialize with them much. She always says, 'You don't need many close sisters, just a few are enough.' Now I realize how discerning she is!"
Yanran smiled and said, "Your old lady's intentions are more than just that. My grandmother told me that your old lady has already made up her mind about your marriage. Unfortunately, they both have clam mouths that I can't pry open no matter how hard I try."
Minglan was very curious, but couldn't help but feel a little hot on her face: "I'm only a few years old, you should worry about yourself first!"
In fact, Minglan quickly understood Mrs. Sheng's intentions. There were only these boys of marriageable age in Dengzhou City. Everyone who had been there knew about it. There were two older sisters of similar age there. Wang and Aunt Lin were not pushovers, so Minglan would not get the good ones even if they had any. So they simply did not let Minglan show up in public and found another way.
It's just that Mrs. Sheng usually talks about everything with Minglan, but she won't say a word when it comes to marriage. Minglan doesn't want to ask too hastily, so she just has to wait and see. I hope Mrs. Sheng will be more discerning in choosing her grandson-in-law than she is in choosing her own daughter-in-law.
Ami tofu!
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