This time when Minglan returned to the Sheng family's ancestral home, the joyful atmosphere was no longer there as it was when she came two years ago. The servants who entered and left the inner house were all very careful and did not dare to make any noise or laugh.
Minglan first paid her respects to the pale and thin Sheng Wei couple. Li looked haggard. It is said that there will be no filial son by the bedside of a long-term patient, but the old lady is not an ordinary mother. She went through many hardships with her weak son and young daughter to exchange for the prosperity of the Sheng Mansion today. As the eldest daughter-in-law in the eldest house, Li has devoted herself to the family and has been exhausted in the past few months.
"Father and mother have worked so hard taking care of grandmother at her sickbed. I'm so late!" Changwu wept before Sheng Wei and his wife, with Yun'er also kneeling beside him. Li quickly helped her son and daughter-in-law up, then pulled Yun'er to sit beside her, saying repeatedly, "My son, you are pregnant and must have been tired on the journey. After you see the old lady, go and rest. The family won't mind."
Yun Er firmly refused, and Sheng Wei also said, "Listen to your mother. This is also what the old lady originally instructed." Li turned around and took Minglan and Xiao Changdong's hands respectively, saying with pity, "Good children, you are tired too. Come with me quickly."
Walking into the old lady's bedroom, Minglan smelled a pungent smell of Chinese medicine. In the middle of the room stood a five-story gilded eight-treasure lotus-shaped heater, with the silver charcoal inside flickering. It was cold outside, but the room suddenly became warm as soon as she entered. Little Changdong couldn't help shivering, and Minglan gently stroked his back.
Old Madam Sheng was sitting at the head of the bed. When she saw her granddaughter and grandson, her originally solemn expression broke into a smile. She nodded slightly but did not speak. Chang Wu had already stepped forward and threw himself in front of the bed, crying mournfully, "Grandma, our grandson is here!"
Minglan walked closer and saw that the old lady had a head full of neatly combed white hair, her eye sockets were deeply sunken, and her nose bridge was a little collapsed. She was lying weakly with her eyes tightly closed. When she heard Changwu's voice, she could only slightly open her lips and move them, but could not make any sound. Finally, with the help of the medicine woman, she nodded with difficulty, and soon fell into coma again.
Wen, who was serving beside her, wiped away her tears and choked up, saying, "Grandma has been unable to speak for a few days and can only eat thin porridge. Today she is feeling better." Changwu quickly bowed and said, "Sister-in-law, you are tired."
For fear of disturbing the eldest old lady's rest, everyone withdrew and returned to the main room to sit down. Changwu and his wife, Minglan and Changdong, greeted Old Lady Sheng. Old Lady Sheng asked a few questions about the capital, and Changwu answered them one by one. Li saw the large number of boxes and baskets outside and felt strange. Changwu hesitated, "...I have reported it for nine months..."
Mrs. Li felt distressed. After her son was promoted to captain, she had become much more powerful in her natal family and husband's family. Now her family was rich and powerful. Although it was hard to serve the old lady, she endured everything thinking that her children and grandchildren would be filial to her in the future. But this did not mean that she was willing to let her son sacrifice his future for filial piety.
Li scolded him, "You are acting on your own! Just do your job well in Beijing. We and your brother and sister-in-law are at home! The court has no express decree that grandchildren must also observe mourning!" What if someone else takes over the position he had worked so hard to get?
Sheng Wei glanced at Old Madam Sheng and said sternly, "My son told me beforehand. Although there's no explicit order, it's always good that Wu Ge'er has such filial piety! Don't get involved. I know what's going on!"
Old Madam Sheng was holding Minglan's hand, examining her precious granddaughter's weight from left to right. Upon hearing this, she smiled and comforted Li, "Don't worry, niece-in-law. His uncle has already made arrangements with the commanders and deputy commanders of the Zhongwei Guards. The position will be reserved for Wu Ge'er. If the country needs help, the higher-ups will be willing to recall him."
The Sheng Wei couple were overjoyed and immediately asked the Chang Wu couple to kowtow to Old Madam Sheng. Minglan was very clever and immediately stepped forward to help her cousin and his wife up, saying repeatedly, "Sister-in-law is pregnant and can't move around. Please sit down quickly. Second brother Wu is filial and will surely be successful in the future, regardless of his career or offspring."
Seeing that Minglan was so tactful and spoke so sweetly, Li was very pleased. She took two purses that had been prepared in advance from the maid beside her and stuffed them into Minglan and Changdong respectively. She also took off a pair of jade bracelets from her wrist and put them on Minglan.
Minglan saw the bracelet's emerald green color, translucent crystal, and soft touch. Without a trace of other colors, it was truly a rare, top-grade product. She immediately declined, but Li Shi refused. With a loving face, she said, "My dear child, you will be coming of age next year, and your aunt won't be able to attend the ceremony. Consider this an advance gift to you. Don't refuse."
Minglan turned around and saw Mrs. Sheng nod slightly before accepting it. She bowed respectfully to express her gratitude. While bowing, she thought to herself: Aunt, actually you don't have to worry. Men in officialdom are very smart. Although there is no need to observe mourning for grandchildren, a big difference between military generals and civil officials is that in peaceful times, the presence or absence of military generals does not make much difference. It is better to observe mourning for nine months to gain a good reputation. Anyway, Sheng Hong and Changbai will keep an eye on his official position for him.
Next, the adults had something to say, so the children came out first. Little Changdong rode a horse for two hours. At first he thought it was fun, but later he suffered. The muscles on the inside of his thighs ached. Changwu had already asked the maid to prepare ointment for him to apply.
Minglan originally wanted to go in and take care of the bird, but was driven out by Xiao Changdong with a stern face. Minglan looked at the door slamming shut in front of her and complained in her heart: It's just a little bird, what's the big deal? Do you think she has never seen the world?
As soon as she went out, Pinlan was waiting for her outside. When she saw her, she pulled her sleeve and said fiercely, "Hand over the bracelets!" The pair of bracelets were Li's favorite for many years, and Pinlan had been thinking about them for a long time.
Minglan snorted in dismay: "I've been so unlucky lately. I encountered pirates a few days ago and bandits today!" In fact, Li had already prepared coming-of-age ceremonies for the three Lans in the capital.
Minglan took off her bracelet and handed it to Pinlan. Pinlan asked excitedly, "I heard from my second sister-in-law, what about those pirates? Did you see them?" Minglan raised her head proudly and said, "More than that! I fought ten of them alone and repelled a whole ship of pirates!"
Pinlan rolled her eyes at her, took the bracelet, looked at it in the sun with a smile, put it on her wrist and compared it for a long time, and then gave it back to Minglan. Minglan only took one and stuffed the other back: "Let's each have one!"
Although Pinlan liked it in her heart, she was embarrassed and hesitated, "This was given to you by my mother, what should I do..." Minglan patted her shoulder and teased, "Take it. Share it in half when we meet. Isn't that the rule in your underworld?" As a result of her talking nonsense, she was rubbed by Pinlan's powerful diamond claws.
After dinner, Minglan went back to the house with Old Madam Sheng to rest, and only then did they have a chance to talk properly. But just as Minglan clung to the old madam's arm and said a playful word, the old madam's face turned cold and she shouted, "Kneel down!" Minglan was stunned. The old madam said sternly, "Kneel down!"
Minglan quickly jumped off the old lady and knelt down. Then Fang Mama came out from behind with a stern face, holding a terrifying ruler in her hand.
"Left hand!" The old lady said coldly, holding the ruler in her hand.
Minglan timidly extended her left hand. The old lady raised the ruler high and said solemnly, "Do you know where you went wrong?"
Minglan looked at the gleaming brass ruler and thought to herself, "I often make mistakes. Could you give me a hint?" The housekeeper beside her kindly reminded her, "At noon, Second Madam Wu told me about the pirates we encountered on the road."
Minglan closed her eyes helplessly. Yuner was really quick-witted. This time she knew where she had stepped on a landmine and admitted in a low voice, "My granddaughter knows she was wrong. She shouldn't have acted recklessly and put herself in danger."
"I'm glad to know." The old lady was impartial. Admitting the mistake was only the first section of the first chapter of the punishment regulations. There would be beatings, lectures, reasoning and copying of books as punishment, a series of processes. If she refused to admit her mistake, there would be sequels. However, considering Minglan's good attitude towards reform, she was given a reduced sentence.
"Silly girl, the old lady punished you because she loves you!" Housekeeper Minglan, her palms smeared with a layer of gardenia-scented ointment, grumbled slowly, "You're lucky this time. They're all family, and the incident happened outside, neither the capital nor Yuyang has anything to do with it. But once everyone is dealt with, there won't be any gossip. When Second Madam Wu told the old lady about it, she was so scared that her hands were shaking and she couldn't even hold the lid of the bowl. Although the matter is over, you really need to change your temper. You can't keep doing this. The old lady won't be at peace even when she closes her eyes."
Minglan was an adult mentally, so she naturally knew what was right and wrong. She knew that she had angered the elderly and felt very sorry, so she applied a thick layer of ointment and slipped into the old lady's room with a smile on her face. She tried to please the old lady like a little dog wagging its tail, sometimes bowing, sometimes kowtowing, and finally crawled onto the old lady's kang, clinging to her like taffy.
Over the past few years, Minglan had become extremely adept at acting like a spoiled child. The old lady had never been able to handle it, and no matter how angry she was, she would calm down. When she was really mad, she would grab Minglan and slap her a few times to vent her anger.
Mother Fang estimated that the force was just enough to kill a mosquito.
After all, the old lady was seriously ill and bedridden. Otherwise, according to Pinlan's personality, she would definitely drag Minglan to the trees and rivers to catch birds and fish. But now she could only stay in the inner house honestly. When Minglan was writing and copying books, Pinlan kept accounts on the side. When Minglan was embroidering, Pinlan used an abacus. One of them had a beautiful and elegant posture while embroidering, while the other was very mercenary as she counted copper coins and silver bills.
A cruel contrast photo. Pinlan is depressed, and Minglan says sincerely: "Actually, I prefer your work."
Every few days, Sheng Yun and Tai Sheng would come to visit the old lady. Sheng Yun would cry and wipe her tears at the bedside as she looked at her dying mother, while Tai Sheng would be responsible for comforting his sad cousin.
Not Minglan.
Pinlan has indeed grown up. She knows to blush when she sees Taisheng, and she no longer speaks in a rude and rude manner. She also knows how to act gentle and cute in front of her aunt Shengyun. Well, considering Minglan's professionalism, Pinlan still needs to practice.
The cold wind was like a knife, and it was the depths of winter. Dense snowflakes covered the entire courtyard. The old lady could not hold on any longer. A charcoal fire was burning in the house, and the atmosphere was solemn and sad. The old lady had been completely unconscious since last night, and only the slight beating of her chest showed that she was still alive. Sheng Wei and his wife stayed by her bedside all the time.
A silver tray containing a few soft feathers sat on a small bedside table. The medicine woman would occasionally place the feathers under the old lady's nose to check for any faint breaths. Sheng Yun lay hunched over the bed, weeping softly and calling out "Mother." Her children, grandchildren, and daughters-in-law were all around her, sitting or standing around. Only Yun'er, fearing she might pass away, had been excused from her bedside care.
Suddenly, the old lady took a quick breath, and the sound of her short gasps filled the quiet room. Sheng Wei rushed over and supported the old lady: "Mom, do you have anything to say? My son and little sister are here!"
The old lady's eyelids moved with difficulty, and she suddenly opened her eyes. Her bony hands grabbed Sheng Wei and Sheng Yun, and she struggled to get up. A strange blush appeared on her sallow and skinny face.
"Mom, what's wrong with you? Tell me." Sheng Yun quietly hugged the old lady's body and asked crying.
The old lady's eyes were empty, and no one knew what she was looking at. She muttered a few words, and suddenly shouted loudly: "...Hong'er! My Hong'er!" The shrill scream frightened all the children and grandchildren in the room.
The old lady seemed half-mad, her voice hoarse, "Hong'er!... It's all my fault! I couldn't protect you!"
The faces of Sheng Wei and his sister were already covered in tears. The old lady coughed violently and fell backwards as if exhausted. A series of intermittent hoarse words broke out in her throat: "... Hong'er, you, don't worry, mother has avenged you! That lowly servant who harmed you, mother has found her! Mother has gone to several provinces to search for her... found her! She thought that she could be happy after taking away the money, hahahaha... no way! Mother sold her to the most lowly coal mine brothel, and after her death... her bones will be ground into dust and scattered into ashes!... Revenge... revenge..."
The laughter was even more unpleasant than the crying. Minglan couldn't imagine that the old lady, who was always kind and gentle, would have such an extremely vicious tone. How deep was her resentment at that time?
The old lady's breath became weaker and she gradually couldn't breathe. She was still growling softly: "...Sheng Huaizhong!...You, you favor your concubine over your wife, you are obsessed with sex, and you disregard the lives of your children. I will sue you even if I go to the King of Hell!" Her words were full of hatred.
After a sharp gasp, the old lady trembled a few times, then closed her eyes and was silent.
The medicine woman used a feather to check her breath and shook her head at everyone. Sheng Wei and Sheng Yun looked at the old lady's withered face, thought of the hardships their mother had endured in her life, and burst into tears. The younger generations also followed suit, and the maids and servants serving outside heard the crying inside and started wailing along.
Minglan lowered her head and leaned on Old Lady Sheng's knees, crying softly. She had never suffered that kind of hardship, but she felt an indescribable pain in her heart. A woman's life just passed like this.
All the funeral arrangements had been prepared long ago, including washing, changing into mourning clothes, setting up the mourning hall, the funeral procession, and the burial. Li and Wen took care of everything properly. Sheng Wei was well-known for his virtue in the town. He was compassionate to the weak and the elderly, and was always willing to provide relief. He was always the first to do good deeds. The Hu family was also a wealthy merchant family, so the funeral was held in a grand manner. Fifty-one monks were invited, and a thirty-five-day water and land ceremony was held.
All the prominent figures in Youyang City came to pay their respects, from the prefect to the small merchants. Sheng Wei wanted to wait and see, hoping that Sheng Hong or Chang Bai would take leave and come, but he did not expect that they would be buried before the day of the funeral.
Several families who had always been on good terms with each other set up roadside sacrifices along the way. Fancy sacrificial sheds were set up all the way. The coffin-carrying team circled Youyang for a full circle and was finally buried in the Sheng family's ancestral tomb in the suburbs.
On the second day after the funeral, news came from outside that the Prince of Jing, who was enfeoffed in western Anhui, had raised the flag of rebellion, directly accusing the current emperor of usurping the throne. The Prince of Jing had been planning this for a long time, and his court had a large reserve of weapons and supplies. For a time, Anhui was full of flames, and the rebellious flags were pointing north to the capital, so all the land and water routes from the capital to Jinling were cut off.
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