When she returned to the capital a few months later to reunite with Sheng Hong's family, someone asked Minglan what kind of person He Hongwen was?
Minglan thought for a long time and replied: Good man.
The He family is a famous family. The great-grandfather of the He family founded the Baishitan Academy and was a pioneer among scholars in the world. He led the elite for decades. Although the descendants are not as prosperous as their ancestors, they are also rich. Old lady He married into a branch of the He family. Her third son died early, leaving only one son, He Hongwen, who was very favored by his grandparents.
He Hongwen has been studying medicine since he was a child. Soon after they set sail, he brewed a herbal tea for Minglan to soothe her spleen and stomach. Although it tasted bitter, it was effective. Minglan felt much better after drinking only one dose. However, she firmly believed that cultivating her own immunity was the best way, so she refused to drink it anymore. But she was embarrassed to reject the other party's kindness, so she just poured it out secretly.
One day, He Hongwen came to visit Minglan and casually asked, "Have you taken the herbal tea I just brought you?"
Minglan said with a serious face: "I just finished drinking." Unexpectedly, at this moment, Xiaotao came in from outside with a cup, saying, "Don't worry, girl, no one saw us..." Xiaotao saw He Hongwen and stopped talking halfway.
Minglan followed He Hongwen's gaze. On the white porcelain bowl with lotus pattern, there were still traces of the familiar green medicinal juice. He Hongwen turned back to look at Minglan quietly. Minglan suppressed her guilty conscience and said calmly, "Xiaotao, why are you taking so long to wash a cup?" Xiaotao was stunned and could only say, "Cups...are difficult to wash."
Minglan laughed dryly, her scalp tingling. She avoided looking at He Hongwen and said, "Haha, it's hard to wash, hard to wash."
He Hongwen acted as if nothing had happened and smiled, "Everything on the boat is not as convenient as on land."
Minglan...=＿=, Danju, who was accompanying her, was not so thick-skinned and turned her head away.
The next day, He Hongwen brought two large bowls of herbal tea. In front of He Hongwen, Minglan bravely raised the bowl, gulped down the dry herbal tea, and then showed the empty bottom of the bowl to He Hongwen for inspection.
He Hongwen smiled and nodded, as if the head teacher was praising a primary school student who had just finished copying as punishment.
Strictly speaking, He Hongwen was the first outsider that Minglan really came into contact with. Their grandmothers had met a close friend for a long time and hid in the cabin to catch up on decades of conversation. Under the care of a group of old nannies and maids, Minglan and He Hongwen actually met several times.
In ancient times, when young men and women first met, the conversation would usually start like this: "What books has Xiaoming read?"
Minglan thought the passage sounded familiar; she had been required to memorize it from her high school textbook, the passage from "Lin Daiyu Enters the Jia Mansion." So she followed Lady Jia's classic response, covering her sleeve with her hand and saying subtly, "I only recognize a few words; I don't act blind."
After answering, I felt like a lady from a noble family.
He Hongwen raised an eyebrow, unable to deny it. He turned his gaze to the right and looked intently at the pile of rice paper used for calligraphy practice on the desk. It was stained with ink, obviously a lot of words had been written on it. Minglan was embarrassed and added, "I just read "Female Rules" and "The Book of Filial Piety."
He Hongwen remained silent. He turned his eyes to the left and saw several well-read books piled up in a disorderly manner on the bookshelf, with the covers wide open. They were books on medicine, divination, astrology, astronomy, and geography. They were all idle books that Minglan had begged Changbai and Changdong to help her get.
Minglan was caught again and forced a laugh: "...My brother at home asked me to take this to my cousin."
He Hongwen seemed to understand and smiled, "Your brother is truly well-read."
The corners of Minglan's mouth twitched, and she smiled a few forced smiles - Oh my God, Brother Changbai who only reads serious books, Brother Changsong who only reads account books, and Brother Changwu who faints at the sight of words, please forgive her!
The most kind thing about He Hongwen is that even after he exposed Minglan on the spot, he could still pretend to be stupid and nod sincerely, and act very convinced of all Minglan's bad excuses. Since he was so kind, Minglan couldn't pretend anymore and treated him with sincerity.
As they approached Jinling, the weather gradually became warmer. The last time Minglan went north to Dengzhou, she had just arrived. She was weak and short of breath and was at the lowest point in her life. She had no leisure to appreciate the scenery. But now she was in a different mood. The scenery along the coast became increasingly delicate and soft. Minglan sat on the windowsill and looked at the scenery along the coast and the busy canal boats and sampans transporting goods. He Hongwen had seen this many times when he traveled back and forth between the north and the south, so he smiled and gave instructions and explanations.
"Big white bird, toucan,... sack boat!" Minglan pointed blankly and said with very poor words.
He Hongwen explained with a smile: "That's a cormorant, the best at catching fish; ...that's a seagull... No, that's a grain ship..."
Minglan is cheerful and playful, while He Hongwen is reserved and steady, and the two get along very well.
"...My mother wanted me to take the imperial examination and become an official, but I wasn't very ambitious and only liked to tinker with herbal medicine and acupuncture." He Hongwen said with a blush.
"Brother He, you underestimate yourself. Reading books of sages is only to assist the wise monarch to uphold the country, and to bring honor to the ancestors and descendants. However, all rivers return to their roots, and practicing medicine to save the world can also benefit the people and bring honor to the family. Brother's grandmother's father was an outstanding doctor with great medical skills and ethics. When he was young, he went to the epidemic area to save lives and help the needy. When he was old, he was in charge of the Imperial Hospital and issued medical canons. How much the world admired him!" Minglan was very sincere. Being a doctor is really a noble profession. If you do it well, you can also earn a lot of money.
He Hongwen's eyes lit up and he looked at the girl opposite him with a smile.
"My father passed away early and my mother is frail. I cannot go to school according to her wishes. I am truly unfilial." He Hongwen's melancholy was shrouded in the autumn like a veil.
Minglan spread out her delicate white hands, needle holes visible on them. "I've never liked embroidery. My grandmother has hired several masters to teach me, but even now the butterflies I embroider still look like flies. It's really unfilial when I think about it."
He Hongwen smiled and said, "Sister, you're still young. You'll get better with practice. My cousin Jin'er is the best at embroidery, and she's also learned it through daily practice." Minglan touched her fingers and asked casually, "Oh? She lives in Jinling too?"
He Hongwen's expression was gloomy. "No... A few years ago, her father was convicted in the 'Xiaoliangshan Mine Case' and the whole family was exiled to Liangzhou."
Minglan fell silent. A few years ago, a mine collapsed in Xiaoliangshan, killing more than a hundred miners. Unexpectedly, the mine owner colluded with local officials, withheld pensions, and instead arrested and punished the orphans and widows whose husbands had died. This almost aroused public outrage and caused chaos.
When the emperor learned about this, he was furious. He actually knew that this was just the aftermath of the struggle for the throne, but he could only punish the main culprits and let the matter go. The accomplices were all punished, so not many officials were implicated. He didn't expect that his cousin's family was one of the few cannon fodder.
"...Well, since it's exile, the crime is probably not serious. Serious crimes are beheaded. There's a general amnesty, so your cousin will come back." Minglan could only console him this way. A new emperor's accession to the throne grants amnesty, and generally, exiled criminals are pardoned unless they're guilty of the most heinous crimes. By now, everyone knows the old emperor's days are numbered.
He Hongwen was very grateful for Minglan's kindness. After a while, he said, "My uncle was also at fault back then. He deserves punishment, and it's not unjust. However, it would be a good thing if he could be pardoned." He paused, then said, "I have some homemade snow clam ointment. Please apply it to Xiaoming's hands. It's hard to sew in the winter, so applying it will help to invigorate the blood circulation and relax the meridians."
The boy's words were gentle and his eyes were warm, just like the last ray of pale golden sunlight in the late autumn when the coolness began to rise, slowly climbing up Minglan's face, making her face feel a little hot.
After sailing for another five or six days, they finally docked. There were many people dressed as servants and stewards standing on the dock, all craning their necks to look over here. Half of them were Sheng Wei, who had come to pick up Minglan and her group to go to Youyang, and the other half, with sad expressions, had come to pick up Old Madam He to go directly to her parents' home in Nanjing to visit her seriously ill father.
Old Madam He held Old Madam Sheng's hand and talked for a long time before letting go. He Hongwen gave Minglan a sincere warning: "Ming-sister, please take care of yourself. The long journey and the fatigue of the car and boat will easily make you sick. After you return, you should rest for a few days before going out to play."
Minglan nodded vigorously.
Sheng Wei and his eldest son, Changsong, came to meet the boat. It was Minglan's first time meeting this eldest cousin. He had a dark complexion, thick eyebrows, large eyes, a loud voice, and a cheerful demeanor. He looked very much like Changwu. As soon as he saw Minglan, he smiled and said, "This must be my sixth cousin, Minglan. Father has been talking about you to my sister Pinlan all the time. She's been clamoring to see you for the past few years!"
"Sister Ming, you haven't been to Youyang, right? It's a great place. Our Sheng family's old house and ancestral hall are all there. It only takes an hour by carriage to get to Jinling. I'll take you and Pinlan out for a stroll later."
"There are too many high-ranking officials in Jinling. We businessmen don't want to join in the fun. It's better to stay in our hometown. The place is big and the scenery is beautiful. Doesn't Sister Ming like fishing? I'll prepare fishing gear for you later. You can catch fish in the fish ponds dozens of miles away with just a fishing rod!"
"The mountains and forests are most beautiful in autumn. Before winter comes, my sister, you must go and see the maple trees all over the mountains. They are different from those in the capital, not as noble, and mostly wild."
It was a sunny and warm day with a refreshing autumn breeze. Even sitting in the sedan chair, she did not feel stuffy. Sheng Wei was talking to Old Lady Sheng, while Brother Changsong was riding a horse outside Minglan's sedan chair and kept talking to her to entertain her. Minglan felt as happy as a child going on an outing.
Although the Sheng family's surname is Sheng, they weren't originally prosperous at all; rather, they were rather run-down. It wasn't until Old Man Sheng seized the opportunity of a dynastic change to become wealthy, courting several high-ranking officials and colluding with businessmen that the family gradually prospered, building ancestral temples and ancestral halls, and even a large mansion in their hometown of Youyang. Merchants often embraced a culturally inclined lifestyle, and Old Man Sheng's first act after striking it rich was to marry a young woman from a declining scholarly family, with whom he had three sons.
The eldest brother inherited the family business but was greedy and lustful. He fell in love with a concubine who was a singer, and committed a farce of favoring the concubine and neglecting his wife. It is said that the family property was almost squandered when he died; the second brother was Minglan's grandfather, a handsome and elegant scholar who won the third place in the imperial examination. He met the fiery daughter of a marquis, and the couple almost became enemies. He died of a cold before he was thirty years old; the third brother was the worst, he indulged in drinking, whoring and gambling, but he still lived to this day.
Minglan sighed deeply: the introduction of genetic modification failed and the entire army was wiped out.
A servant had gone to the old house to announce the news. When Minglan and her group arrived, the main gate of the Sheng residence was wide open. A row of well-dressed women stood at the door. When they saw Old Madam Sheng and Minglan get out of the sedan chair, a middle-aged woman with a round face came forward and bowed to Old Madam Sheng. She said with a smile, "Aunt is finally here. My old lady has been looking forward to it for a long time. I haven't seen you for all these years. Seeing you in good spirits, your niece-in-law is more happy than anything else!"
As she was speaking, she saw a pretty little girl standing behind Old Lady Sheng, so she asked tentatively, "Is this my niece?" Old Lady Sheng smiled and said, "It's this little monkey. I've raised her since she was little, and she's just the right companion for Pinlan."
Then he glanced at Minglan.
Minglan immediately moved her feet, stood in front of her respectfully, and bowed obediently: "Greetings to my aunt, may I be well."
Li's eyes narrowed into a smile as she kept saying, "Good, good, good child." She carefully stroked Minglan's face, her eyes revealing praise, "This child is truly well-born and well-behaved. You should stay with her for a few more days this time and teach your naughty cousin Pinlan a lesson. She's like a wild horse without a bridle." Then she pointed to a young woman beside her and said, "This is your eldest cousin's wife. If you need anything while living here, just tell her."
Minglan bowed again and said, "Hello, Madam."
Wen immediately helped Minglan up and said softly, "Sister, don't be so polite. Now that you've met the old lady, take a look at the room we've prepared for you. Do you like it? If not, we can move right away. This is your own home, so please don't feel constrained."
Li was dressed in a wealthy manner, friendly and amiable, yet steady and dignified. As she spoke, she had already led Old Madam Sheng and the others inside. They passed through the second gate and the tea room and gatehouse, walked along the corridor into the inner house, walked around the wall, and entered the main hall where the eldest old lady lived. Minglan went in and saw an old woman with silver hair sitting in the middle. Her face was thin and withered, but her eyes were bright and lively. When she saw Old Madam Sheng, she immediately stood up and opened her hands to help her.
Old Madam Sheng hurriedly took a few steps forward and called out, "Sister-in-law."
The eldest old lady warmly returned the greeting, "Sister-in-law, it's been many years since we last met. You're not in good health, and you've been traveling with Hong'er on his various assignments. I don't want to burden you all the time. I only hope to see you again in my lifetime. It's truly the Buddha's blessing that my wish has come true today."
As she spoke, her voice choked with emotion. Old Lady Sheng was quite moved and said a few affectionate words. Then she asked Minglan to kowtow and pay her respects. The eldest old lady took Minglan's hand and looked at her carefully, nodding repeatedly: "This child is well-born, pretty and blessed."
This was the second time today that someone had praised her beauty. Minglan tried very hard not to touch her face. How could a twelve-year-old girl be so beautiful? It was probably a compliment only given by relatives. You couldn't just say "Why does your child look like a pumpkin" when you meet her.
Chang Wu, who has always been straightforward, was a little shy today. Ever since Minglan came in and said "Congratulations, Brother Wu", he was like a cooked Paul. After shyly replying to Old Lady Sheng for a few words, he stood aside with a red face and lowered his head, cultivating the reserved temperament of a groom.
Seeing Old Lady Sheng talking to the eldest old lady, Li pulled Minglan over and pointed to a girl of the same age standing nearby and said, "This is your cousin Pinlan. Actually, you are the same age."
Minglan looked at the girl. She had a round face and big eyes, and looked quite like Li. Her eyebrows were straight and heroic, and her face was full of life. She was also looking at Minglan. Minglan met her eyes and smiled slightly, saying, "Hello, Sister Pinlan."
The girl's eyes sparkled as she replied, "Sister Minglan is also nice."
As she spoke, she stole a glance at her mother, and seeing that Li went over to serve the two old ladies, she winked at Minglan with her left eye. Minglan was startled and quickly glanced around. In a playful mood, she also winked at the girl in return, then quickly lowered the corner of her mouth, with a look of obedient obedience.
Pinlan opened her eyes wide, her big eyes filled with smiles.
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