Minglan didn't know about other places, but according to the custom in Youyang, those without little JJ are not allowed to make a fuss in the bridal chamber. In addition, the amount of information received that day was too great, so Pinlan and Minglan went to bed early.
The new second sister-in-law Kang has a very Korean name - Yoona. When she was serving tea to the two old ladies and her parents-in-law early the next morning, Minglan observed carefully and found that she was indeed gentle, shy and lovely. Then she looked at her second brother Changwu next to her, who was grinning like a big pumpkin. It seemed that last night was very harmonious.
Sheng Wei and Li both liked the new daughter-in-law very much, and rewarded her with a thick red envelope and a pair of jade dragon and phoenix bracelets with excellent water color. Kang Yun'er accepted it with a blushing face, shaking the five-phoenix rising sun pearl hairpin on her head. Li was concerned about her eldest daughter-in-law, so she didn't say anything about having more children, but only said a few words of "harmony between sisters-in-law" with a pleasant face.
After paying their respects, Pinlan secretly told Minglan that the dowry Kang Yuner brought was not as much as the one Shulan brought when she married Sun Xiucai. Minglan glanced at Pinlan, who was innocent - it seemed that the Kang family was really in decline, no wonder Yuner, whose parents were both from aristocratic families, would marry down; but as the saying goes, "Misfortune may be a blessing in disguise", seeing that her elder sister-in-law Wen had not had any children for several years but her parents-in-law and husband still protected her, Yuner was also blessed.
Minglan couldn't help but sigh at the thought. Oh my God, why were the only good men she knew from ancient times all collateral relatives within three generations? She didn't know what her future husband would be like. If she ended up with someone like Sun's brother-in-law, then she would have to choose between red apricots and lilies. Woohoo~~~ Judging from his performance over the next few days, Mrs. Sheng had done a good job as a matchmaker this time. Kang Yun'er was humble and polite, respectful to her eldest sister-in-law and gentle to her younger sister-in-law. She was just too reserved and shy, but she looked good with the carefree Changwu.
Yoona was particularly respectful to Old Madam Sheng. Once, when she was serving the dishes, she noticed that she had a vegetarian arugula dish that the old lady liked, so she kept adding more vegetables to her plate. Sheng Yun, who was also eating, joked, "They say that when a couple enters their wedding night, the matchmaker is thrown over the wall. But my niece-in-law hasn't forgotten the matchmaker at all! She's a good girl who never forgets her roots!"
Yun Er was so embarrassed that her ears were burning and she wanted to crawl into the ground. The old lady hit Sheng Yun twice and couldn't help laughing. Pin Lan, who was eating in the next room, hated that she was not there and couldn't get involved. She especially liked to tease her shy new sister-in-law. Ming Lan always came to her rescue and stopped Pin Lan from bullying her, but with Chang Wu chasing after her and teaching her a lesson, Pin Lan was rarely able to succeed. The two siblings often quarreled.
Mrs. Li was very pleased to see the harmony in her family, but when she thought of her eldest daughter Shulan, she couldn't help feeling sad. She could only chant "Amitabha" in her heart, hoping that her children could live happily and harmoniously.
On the seventh day after the marriage, the entire Sheng family went to the ancestral hall to worship their ancestors. After the men cut the sacrificial meat and offered the sacrifice, they left and let the women go in to worship. The main task was to introduce Yoona to the Sheng family tablets and the living clansmen. After becoming a naturalized citizen, Yoona became a member of the Sheng family.
The Sheng family rose to prominence late, so there are not many ancestors to be traced back. Minglan followed them in a daze, burning incense and kowtowing. Suddenly, when she was dizzy, she remembered that after Yuner was written into the family tree, the eldest lady and her grandmother talked to several elder female relatives of the clan, and then the clan leader Sheng Wei added a few words. What did he write?
On the way back in the carriage, Minglan couldn't help but ask Old Lady Sheng, but she casually dropped a bombshell: "You will be registered under your mother's name. From now on, you will be the same as Rulan."
Minglan stared blankly, then stammered after a moment, "Why, why is it like this...? Does Madam, uh, Mother know?" Old Madam Sheng glanced at Minglan, her expression unmoved. "I've already informed her."
Minglan's mind was in a trance as she sat in the carriage in a daze. The old lady had acted so neatly and efficiently, without any prior rumors, and had played it down afterwards. Minglan had so much to say but didn't know where to begin. In the end, she just hugged her grandmother's arm and rocked back and forth, burying her head in hers, and whispered, "Thank you, Grandma. I'm sorry for your trouble."
Old Madam Sheng half-closed her eyes and uttered, "...nonsense."
The dark blue velvet brocade roof of the car shook slightly. Minglan looked up quietly. She knew that only children named under the original wife's name were considered legitimate children. In fact, this was just a nicer name. Her relatives and friends all knew that she was a concubine's child. But at least she could be more decent when she got married.
Minglan suddenly laughed to herself. Rulan could no longer call her "a young mistress's daughter"... Minglan was startled and tugged at her grandmother's sleeve, asking softly, "What about the fourth sister? Is she also registered as the wife?"
Old Madam Sheng didn't open her eyes, but said calmly, "You are not competing with Rulan. Molan...it depends on her own luck."
Minglan pondered, half understanding. Even if the property was registered under Wang's name, it didn't mean she was truly on equal footing with Rulan. She was still one level below Rulan. If there was a conflict of interest between her and Rulan, then...
Minglan smiled bitterly. It turned out to be a copycat version, but it was okay. It was better than nothing.
Another fortnight passed, and Changwu was due to return to the capital to take up his post as governor of the Zhongwei Guard. Though Li was reluctant to let her son go, she knew how many people had fought for this position, and it was only thanks to Sheng Hong's tireless efforts that it was finally granted. Kang Yun'er, however, was apprehensive, fearing her mother-in-law would ask her to stay. How could Changwu, alone, survive the glamorous world of the capital? She feared that when the couple met again, there would be several more children, reminded of their mother's grievances.
Thinking of this, Yoona felt a chill in her heart, and she had to serve her parents-in-law even more respectfully and attentively, getting up early and going to bed late, and being humble in everything, which made everyone in the Sheng family like her even more.
One day, when she went to pay her respects to Old Madam Sheng, Li mentioned this and couldn't help but sigh, "My brother wants to pursue a bright future, and as a mother, I can't stop him. It's a pity that he has to leave his parents at such a young age. When he returns to Beijing, I'll need your aunt to take good care of him."
Yuner stood by, beads of sweat on her forehead. Li turned around to look at her and said slowly, "Brother Wu's daughter-in-law has only been married for a few days. I'm a little worried. I want to keep her to train her for a few more days. What do you say, Yuner?"
Yoona's heart was cold and her eyes were hot, but she still forced a smile: "With my mother's guidance, my daughter-in-law is so happy."
Minglan had been dozing off on her grandmother's bed, but now she was somewhat awake. She couldn't help but interrupt, saying, "Aunt, why don't you let my second sister-in-law go to the capital with my brother?" Li deliberately asked, "Why?"
Minglan said embarrassedly, "Well, I can't bear to part with my new sister-in-law." This reason was too stupid and no one believed it. Minglan added softly, "Well... actually, Brother Wu is even more reluctant."
Yoona's face flushed with embarrassment. Although she knew Minglan was just talking childishly, she was grateful in her heart and secretly expressed her gratitude with her eyes.
A few days later, the eldest daughter-in-law, Wen, was found by the doctor to be three months pregnant. Sheng Wei and Li were overjoyed and said it was a blessing brought by Yuner. Wen believed it and was very grateful to her sister-in-law. The two sisters-in-law held hands and talked for a long time.
In reality, Li wasn't being mean. She was simply worried that Yun'er, born into a wealthy family, would become spoiled without her in-laws' control and, with Wang's support in the capital, might look down on her son. Now, she'd decided to let it go. If things didn't work out, she could just call her daughter-in-law back. Yun'er was nearly in tears of joy, but she didn't dare show it. She obediently listened to Li's instructions on how to socialize and take care of her husband in the capital. A few days later, she accompanied Changwu to the capital.
The Sheng Mansion gradually became quiet. One day, the autumn wind died down and the sun became warm. After breakfast, Old Madam Sheng suddenly said to Minglan, "Ming'er, accompany Grandmother to go for a stroll in the city."
Minglan was standing at the table, cutting cloth. Danju was measuring with a ruler beside her, Cuiwei was flipping through a few pattern books, and Xiaotao was watching the tea stove. Pinlan had been detained by her aunt to look over the account books, and Minglan, in her free time, had been planning to make a child's bellyband for her eldest cousin, Wenshi. She looked up at the words, but didn't react. "Going into the city? Aren't we already in the city?"
Isn't Youyang a county town? Could it be the countryside?
Old Madam Sheng smiled and said, "Silly child, once you get to Jinling you'll know what the city is like. Let's go back to our house and take a look. We haven't been back for years, and there are so many old things we don't need that need to be sorted out. The ones we don't have are all rotten and eaten away."
When Grandpa Sheng divided the family property, he left a house for each of his three sons. Because the second son had completed the transformation from a businessman to a scholar, before marrying the daughter of the Marquis's family, the Grandpa built a house for the second son in Jinling.
Old Lady Sheng and Minglan got on the carriage together, taking half of the maids and servants with them. Sheng Wei was worried that he couldn't take care of them, so he sent seven or eight strong servants to drive the carriage and get it ready. They slowly headed towards Jinling. As soon as they entered the Jinling city gate, Minglan felt that it was extremely lively and noisy outside the carriage. However, it was not convenient for a young lady to lift the curtain to look out. Minglan could only learn from the martial arts masters, squatting in the carriage to listen to the wind and distinguish sounds, and relying on the shouting outside to judge what was happening on the street.
Old Lady Sheng felt itchy when she saw Minglan's squirrel-like expression. She forced herself not to turn over the curtain and just put her little face against the wall of the carriage and listened carefully. She felt it was funny in her heart, but deliberately did not point it out and just let her bear it.
When they arrived at the Sheng residence, Danju helped Minglan get out of the car, and then Minglan turned around and helped her grandmother get out of the car. A dozen old servants were already waiting at the door to greet them. The old man who looked like a steward came forward and knelt down to salute, and said loudly: "We are here to welcome the old lady and the sixth lady back to the mansion!" Then a row of maids and servants behind them all knelt down and kowtowed, and their shouts were very uniform.
Old Madam Sheng nodded, seemingly satisfied. She waved her hand and asked everyone to stand up. Then, supported by Minglan, they filed into the mansion. The steward was very excited to see the old lady and stammered non-stop all the way: "It's been many years since I last saw you, master. I'm so happy. This house is so empty. Madam, would you like to sit on a bamboo pole and walk around the mansion to take a look? Oh, this is the Sixth Miss! I've never seen her before. She's like a pearl flower and a jade tree. She's so magnificent!"
Old Madam Sheng also smiled and said, "This house is deserted, so it's okay if it gets quiet. There's no need to look around. You and I are trustworthy, and your boy will be useful to Bo Ge'er as a clerk."
When the old steward heard that his grandson was appreciated by the master, his face was delighted. He happily welcomed everyone to sit down in the main hall. The steward asked the servants in the mansion to kowtow to Old Madam Sheng one by one. Minglan received several cartloads of compliments, which made her ears buzzing. She couldn't even remember who was who. After being busy for a long time, she finally calmed down.
Old Madam Sheng led Minglan to the inner hall, turned a few corner rooms, and went around the back of the storeroom before finally arriving at a secluded and deserted room. Fang Madam was already waiting there. Seeing her, Old Madam Sheng said calmly, "Have you taken out all the things?"
Mother Fang bowed respectfully and answered yes, then left with Cuiwei, Danju and other maids and servants, leaving only the grandfather and grandson in the room.
Minglan was bewildered by these actions. Seeing her grandmother's mysterious demeanor, as if she was about to explain something, she turned around and saw Old Madam Sheng sitting on an old wooden chair in the middle. She pointed to seven or eight boxes neatly arranged on the ground and said to Minglan, "These are your grandmother's original dowry." She raised the corner of her mouth slightly, as if with a hint of sarcasm, and added, "These are all that's left."
Minglan stared blankly at the boxes. Old Madam Sheng gestured for her to open them. She went over and opened the already unlocked boxes one by one. A musty smell hit her nose, and she coughed. "Damn! These haven't been opened in at least thirty years!" She wondered if they'd gotten any bacteria or mold. She forced her eyes open and looked. They were pitch black and covered in dust, some with cobwebs hanging from them. She could only vaguely make out some porcelain, bronze, or antique items. The last two small boxes were even more tightly wrapped. There seemed to be another iron box inside the heavy mahogany box.
Old Madam Sheng's eyes were deep, as if she were recalling many past events. She said quietly, "There were dozens of boxes of fine materials, silks, brocades, velvets, and leathers, but I burned them all. I also turned some into silver. Bribery and bribery require money, and it would be a shame to let your father go through officialdom empty-handed. These are all that remain of what he brought from the Marquis' Mansion... I'll give them to you."
Minglan's cough had just recovered, but she almost choked again. She quickly replied, "Grandmother's things will be passed on to my brother. Haha, just give me some silver." Don't joke, if she gets married with all this, she will be strangled to death by Wang, and even Brother Changbai may not like her.
Old Madam Sheng seemed not to hear and continued, "Sisters, besides the dowries your father gave you, I will give each of you one thousand taels of silver as usual. There are distinctions between legitimate and illegitimate children. For your eldest brother's marriage, I will give one thousand five hundred taels, and for the two younger ones, eight hundred taels each. I've been in the Sheng family my whole life, and the debt your grandfather owed me is now paid. But these boxes have nothing to do with the Sheng family anymore."
The words were plain, as if he was making arrangements for his funeral. Minglan felt sad. You know, all of Yu Yanran's dowry added up to only 1,500 taels of silver, which was given to her by Lord Yu out of pity for her marrying far away. Of course, this also reflects from another perspective that Lord Yu is very honest and Lord Yu is very stingy.
Minglan went over and tugged at her grandmother's sleeve, gently advising her, "Grandma, give it to my brother. He's our eldest son and legitimate grandson." Old Madam Sheng took a long time to come back to her senses. She looked at Minglan with a strange, frightening look, then slowly said, "I wouldn't say this box is priceless, but it's enough to keep you worry-free for the rest of your life. Don't you really want it?"
Minglan sighed and opened up, "To be honest, everyone likes nice things, but it's only right that they belong to me. What's mine is mine, and there's no point in snatching it away. These treasures would be extravagant even for my eldest sister's husband, so how can I afford them? And…" Minglan trailed off under her grandmother's intrigued gaze, ending awkwardly, "Anyway, I'm still young. If I'm lucky, I'll have a good life. Let's forget about these bronze antiques."
In ancient times, money wasn't everything. Without the necessary skills and family background, wealthy merchants were vulnerable to extortion and blackmail by officials and the powerful. Sheng Wei's wealth had grown steadily without incident, thanks to his cousin, a government official. Yuyang's seventh-rank magistrate, who had succeeded several successive governors, had always remained harmonious with the Sheng family. The Li family's insistence on their son's education and officialdom was similar; they already had enough money. If they offended Wang and Changbai over these boxes, it would be a loss.
Old Madam Sheng looked at Minglan with amusement: "Who said that all these seven or eight boxes were given to you?"
Minglan paused. Well, she had been too proud, so she could only smile awkwardly. Old Lady Sheng pointed to the last two boxes and said, "Those are for you. They are all jade and jewelry I've used. A hat that fits your head. Grandma knows this and won't let you overstep the bounds." Then, softening her voice, she said, "You are wise and discerning, and you haven't coveted money. Grandma is very happy. Giving these things to you is not in vain. Those boxes are not for your eldest brother either. Grandma has other plans for the future. You can see the world today. They are antiques from the previous dynasty."
Minglan twisted herself towards Old Madam Sheng in a flattering manner and whispered, "How could I understand? Grandma, please explain it to me."
The old lady glared at her and reluctantly pulled her little granddaughter to the boxes. She told them the origins and names of the boxes one by one. Minglan listened and suddenly said, "Why don't you keep these two boxes for yourself, grandma?"
The old lady was genuinely surprised this time, glancing at her granddaughter. Minglan hesitated for a long moment before finally saying, "Father, Mother, and my brothers and sisters are all naturally very filial! But Grandma, you should at least save some money for yourself. With food in hand, you won't be worried..."
In fact, what she wanted to say was that thousands of sons and daughters are not as good as the money in your hand, not to mention that you are not your biological child. This is the heartfelt words of a young clerk who has worked in a civil court for many years.
The old lady's heart moved, and she said softly, "Don't worry, my dear child, grandma's coffin is very thick."
Many of the maids left in the mansion were the old lady's former companions. The old lady wanted to talk to them, and was afraid that Minglan would be bored, so she sent her to stroll in the garden. Minglan pouted and said, "I don't like strolling in the garden." She wanted to go shopping.
Old Madam Sheng shoved a small abacus at her with a stern face: "Then practice it. If you can't even defeat Baizi, be careful that you will get married and ruin the family." Minglan looked at her grandmother with resentment, weighed the pros and cons, and said bitterly: "Then I'd better stroll around the garden."
They have attended Olympiad classes in elementary, junior high and high school, and the basic skills are mental arithmetic!
Minglan walked around half of the lake without any interest, then sat on a white stone under a withered willow tree, supporting her cheeks with her hands, staring at the lake in a daze: the lake water in Jinling is clear, very different from that in Shandong, reflecting Minglan's wrinkled and bitter face. Minglan suddenly acted like a child, picked up a handful of stones, and threw them into the lake one by one.
Even her dowry was ready; it seemed her grandmother had a plan for her marriage, but she refused to let her ask. No matter how much she loved her, no matter how much Minglan coaxed her into submission, Old Lady Sheng refused to let Minglan discuss the matter. It was rumored that she had made the decision about her marriage, only to find out... at a flower-hair banquet, she secretly saw the newly crowned third place winner, heard him recite a few lines of poetry, and fell in love with him. She defied her doting parents and married into the Sheng family. A few years later, their love faded, and they fell out.
It sounded like a story from a Chinese folk tale. While the saying that art originates from life is true, she was a rational legal professional. She wouldn't fall in love at first sight and then get married rashly! Minglan continued to throw pebbles, feeling very sad. She really wanted to know who her future Ana Da would be.
"Sister Minglan." A clear young voice sounded.
Minglan looked up blankly, looking around randomly before she saw a handsome young man standing by the lake. He was walking towards her. Seeing Minglan's stunned look, He Hongwen smiled as he walked over and said, "Sister, don't you recognize me?"
Minglan smiled brightly, stood up and bowed playfully: "Brother Hongwen, I am honored to meet you!"
He Hongwen walked three steps away from Minglan and stopped, then bowed and said, "I'm so sorry for bringing you here today, Grandmother."
Seeing He Hongwen's plain mourning clothes and scarf, Minglan restrained her expression and said, "Your great-grandfather's funeral is underway. My grandmother and I wanted to go, but..." He Hongwen quickly waved his hand and smiled gently, "You came here to attend the wedding, and you're staying at my uncle's house. It's not good to have weddings and funerals conflicting with each other. You were right not to come."
Minglan whispered, "Mrs. He must be very sad."
He Hongwen walked over, looked at Minglan, and said kindly, "Grandmother is open-minded. They often say that everyone has to live and die. This is the way of heaven. My great-grandfather lived a long life and passed away in his sleep. It can be considered a happy funeral. Why should we fear death?"
Minglan was stunned for a moment, then nodded and said, "What Madam He said is very reasonable. I am not afraid of death, I am only afraid of living an unhappy life."
He Hongwen was moved by what he heard and said with a smile: "I'm not afraid of death, I'm just afraid of not living long."
Minglan finally laughed. He Hongwen saw her smile and asked, "Why were you so sad just now, sister? Didn't your cousin get enough red envelopes at the wedding banquet?"
Minglan shook her head and said with a bitter face: "I don't know how to use an abacus. My grandmother said I would ruin the family." Of course, she couldn't say that she was worried about a blind marriage, so she had to make up something.
He Hongwen laughed: "What's the big deal? When I was a kid, I used ginseng paste to feed goldfish. I wasted so much of it. The goldfish even rolled their eyes. My father chased after me and scolded me for being a spendthrift." Thinking of his deceased father, Hongwen's face darkened.
Minglan shook her head: "Uncle, you are wrong. This is not a waste of money, this is a quack! Our mistakes are completely different. Please don't drag me down with this."
He Hongwen chuckled and couldn't help but smile, pointing at Minglan and shaking his head. The young man was gentle and calm, with a warm and hearty smile. The scenery of lakes and mountains, and the autumn wind blowing a faint fragrance of grass leaves, made Minglan suddenly feel open-minded.
【Author has something to say】
Regarding family trees, I looked at several ancient ones and found three situations.
One is that there are no daughters recorded in the family tree, but there are daughters-in-law.
One is that daughters are also recorded, but only legitimate daughters are recorded.
The last type is to record both legitimate daughters and illegitimate daughters.
There are also three ways to record legitimate births.
One is that regardless of whether the child is legitimate or illegitimate, the name of the child is written under the name of the wife of the main house.
One is to clearly indicate whether they are legitimate or illegitimate. Children born under the name of the wife of the main house are considered legitimate, and children born under the blank column of the mother are considered illegitimate.
Another type is where the concubine’s name is also mentioned, such as So-and-so (concubine X).
…
These messy recording methods represent the inheritance habits of different regions and social classes.
It is rare for a concubine's son to be registered under the name of the stepmother because the stepmother is unwilling to weaken her son's rights for fear of inheritance chaos, and the maternal relatives are also unwilling to do so. However, it is more common for a daughter to be registered under the name of the stepmother because she can marry into a higher position and build connections for the family.
Generally speaking, the bigger the family and the more prominent the status, the easier the life of a concubine's daughter. If it is a farming family that can barely make ends meet, or a merchant family that is less polite, then the concubine's daughter will have a hard time, and it is not uncommon for her to be sold by her black-hearted stepmother.
…
Here's a piece of gossip. It took me a long time to find out that Lin Huiyin was born out of wedlock. Her father, Old Man Lin, had no children with his original wife, so he took two concubines. One gave birth to Lin Huiyin, and the other had a son and a daughter.
However, all these children were registered under the name of the first wife. Of course, this was also because Lin Huiyin was very outstanding and her father loved her very much. The Lin and Liang families were also open-minded, so she later married Liang Qichao's legitimate son (I don't know if he was the eldest son).
Of course, it was also because it was the Republic of China at that time and the New Culture Movement was emerging.
My friend Bajie once said that when comparing the choices and behaviors of Lu Xiaoman and Lin Huiyin during their marriage, it has to be said that Lin Huiyin was more rational than Lu Xiaoman (not to mention her character or whether she was a mistress), especially Lu Xiaoman's choice after Xu Zhimo's death, which was really lamentable.
Only Lin Huiyin herself knows whether she was happy or not, but from the perspective of outsiders, her life was successful. She managed her love, marriage and career very carefully (I only just learned that she was the main person involved in the design of our national emblem).
Now that I think about it, could it have something to do with the fact that she was a concubine's daughter?
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