In the first month of the second year of Chongde, General Gu Tingye, who was appointed as the commander-in-chief, led 3,000 infantry and 1,000 cavalry from the outskirts of Beijing to the south, set up an ambush at Luqiao in Yang County, Shandong Province, and used cavalry to penetrate the rebel army three times. With lightning speed, he cut off 30,000 rebels in front and behind, and the rebel army was in chaos. Then the King of Jing personally led the elite vanguard to rush north to Zhuangzhou.
In February of the same year, Gu Tingye divided half of his soldiers to fight against the enemy with the defenders of Zhuangzhou, and he led light cavalry to continue southward, traveling day and night, and got to the route that the defeated army had to take first. He set up an ambush in Lingyan Valley south of Xuzhou, and relying on the terrain advantage, he surrounded the larger force with a smaller force, completely wiped out more than 13,000 fleeing rebels, and captured the rebel King Tan alive. Later, he ordered the Yuezhou and Ma Long garrisons to command the troops to wipe out the remnants.
By the end of March, Gu Tingye marched back north and joined forces with General Shen Congxing, the younger brother of Empress Shen, to attack the remaining troops of Prince Jing at the foot of Zhuangzhou City. Prince Jing was badly defeated and his remaining troops fled. From then on, the garrisons in various places opened the city gates to clear out the remaining remnants of the rebel army. In April of the second year of Chongde, Prince Jing fled to Xiaoshang Mountain and was assassinated by his personal soldiers. Thus, the "Jingtan Rebellion" that lasted for nearly half a year ended.
…
By May, spring has arrived and flowers are blooming. The rivers are clear and peaceful. Bandits and robbers have been gradually eliminated. Old Lady Sheng takes Minglan and Changdong back to Beijing by boat. The journey was shocking, but the departure was peaceful. The weather is warm, and the river banks are lined with red flowers and green willows. Swallows are flying north in the clear sky. The scenery is unique and the mood of the journey is very different.
The three generations of grandparents and grandchildren often sat in the cabin on the second floor of the big boat, brewing a pot of fragrant tea, setting out a few plates of fruits, opening the window to look at the scenery, chatting and laughing, watching the busy river workers on both sides of the river and the boatmen loading and unloading cargo back and forth, as if the incident a few months ago had never happened.
"Dong'er, after drinking this cup of tea, you can go back to your room and study. Don't come out until you return home. Study hard." Old Lady Sheng sat on the couch, facing the scenery outside.
Little Changdong blushed, and Minglan intervened, "Grandma, Fourth Brother hasn't dropped his books lately. No matter how chaotic things are outside, he's always studying hard."
"I know," Old Madam Sheng said calmly, "Your father told me that after returning from the funeral, he was going to ask Dong'er to take part in the February children's exam. But with this incident, he missed the chance to practice."
Minglan glanced at little Changdong with pity. He was only twelve years old. Little Changdong also put down his tea bowl obediently and looked at Minglan pitifully. Old Madam Sheng ignored the glances of the siblings and continued, "Master, I'm sure you won't be unhappy about missing this year's exam. He might test Dong's academic performance as soon as he returns. But he'll be back in a few days, so it's good to cram at the last minute."
Little Changdong was very sensible and knew that this was the old lady's reminder. He bowed respectfully and went back to his room to study. Minglan looked at his back and sighed, "I have studied the classics for a lifetime, only to realize that all the poetry and books are useless. Alas..."
The old lady snorted heavily, and Minglan quickly added: "When you start painting with a yellow bun, you must know that playing with brush and ink requires intention."
The old lady smiled and said, "Sweet talk! You've been studying for a few days just to show off your eloquence? Have you packed your boxes? Don't forget to sign everything."
Minglan nodded, peeled half an orange for the old lady, and put the slices into her mouth one by one. She smiled and said, "Of course, I've been cleaning for several nights! The coming-of-age gifts for Fourth Sister and Fifth Sister, as well as the gifts for Madam and Sister-in-law, have all been distributed."
Sheng Wei and Sheng Yun, brother and sister, were born to be businessmen. They made money quickly and were generous with their money. The old lady had given Pinlan a pair of silver cups inlaid with emerald jade lotus petals as a coming-of-age gift, and they had given Molan a gold phoenix hairpin with filigree and pearls as a coming-of-age gift. Sanyueli Rulan's coming-of-age gift was a gold hairpin engraved with plum blossoms and inlaid with rubies, and Minglan had a pair of gold cups inlaid with filigree, gems, and jade with the Bagua pattern. In addition, they had given Wang and Hai many other gifts.
It is worth mentioning that after a period of time, the refugees gradually dispersed, and the wealthy families began to visit each other again. Aunt Li's maternal uncle came to visit more frequently. Every time, she held Minglan's hand and looked at her non-stop, from the patterns on the embroidered shoes to the pendants on the earlobes, praising them endlessly. Before leaving, she also gave Minglan a pair of white jade round bracelets, the jade color was very good, and it was faintly watery.
Minglan originally refused to accept it, as girls in ancient times were not allowed to accept gifts from others casually. It was only after her aunt spoke up and said that it was just a gift from an elder that Minglan accepted it.
"I heard that Yu, the son of the Li family, is studying at Songshan Academy. He is very knowledgeable and will take the imperial examination this autumn." Old Madam Sheng said slowly, "It's a pity that Miss Mo couldn't wait, otherwise I think he would be quite good."
Wang Shi had clearly refused to keep Molan any longer, and was unwilling to wait until Li Yu passed the imperial examination before discussing marriage. It was unknown how the marriage talks between Molan and that Wen Juren were progressing. Minglan, remembering her own affairs, hurried to the old lady and whispered, "Grandma, I will never let my granddaughter go to the Yongchang Marquis's mansion."
The old lady glared at her amusedly and said sternly, "I haven't said anything yet! Stop flattering yourself!"
Minglan said awkwardly, "Isn't this just preparing for a rainy day? It's best if there isn't one, but if there is..." Minglan bit her lip and threw herself on the old lady's knees, saying with a mournful face, "If Madam insists on getting married, Grandmother, you have to stand up to her! With my granddaughter's weight, I'm no match for her. I'm afraid she'll be defeated in one round!"
The old lady glared and scolded, "You're a young girl, what are you talking about?! Your elders have their own ideas about your marriage, so just stay put! They won't harm you anyway!"
Minglan rubbed the old lady's neck in a flattering manner and giggled foolishly.
After Changdong flipped through the books he brought, Minglan and her group arrived at the shore. The three generations of grandparents and grandchildren got off the boat in high spirits. They saw that the housekeeper Lai Fu and a group of servants were already waiting at the dock. They changed to a horse-drawn carriage and headed for the capital. After a few days, they arrived at the gate of the capital. Unexpectedly, it was Hai who came to greet them in person.
Both Old Lady Sheng and Minglan felt something was a little strange, but they changed carriages without saying a word. The first one was a stable large carriage with a flat roof, blue silk and copper lamp corners. When they changed carriages, several maids deliberately welcomed Xiao Changdong and Minglan to a carriage at the back. The old lady glanced at Hai and saw that her face was slightly yellow and her expression was haggard.
"Let your sixth sister come along. She will be coming of age in a few months. Let her know everything she needs to know." The old lady said lightly.
Hai lowered her head, her face slightly red, and asked the maid to help Minglan to the carriage.
After checking the pass at the city gate, several carriages of the Sheng family slowly headed towards the Sheng Mansion.
"Tell me, what happened at home?" The old lady leaned back on a large autumn-scented brocade pillow. Minglan came over to straighten the pillows and mattress, and took out some lily incense from a small box beside her and threw it into the incense burner.
Hai's expression remained relatively calm, but her tone couldn't conceal her fatigue. After a moment's reflection, she said, "About this... I had intended to write a letter to the old lady, but after the master calculated the date, he said that since the old lady had already left, it wouldn't be wise to send a letter without permission. It would be a shame for others to find out."
The old lady's eyes suddenly opened and she said directly, "Is something wrong with your sister? Which one?"
Hai was slightly surprised, then her eyes turned red and she choked out a sob, "Nothing can be hidden from the old lady. It's...it's...Fourth Sister."
"Stop talking nonsense and speak quickly! Make it clear before you go back home!" The old lady has a temperament like ginger and cinnamon, becoming more and more spicy as she gets older.
Hai wiped her eyes with a handkerchief and recounted the story slowly, "My fourth sister was originally confined to her room, exempted from even paying respects to the emperor on weekdays. Seeing her honest character, the mistress devoted herself to arranging a marriage for her. She met Mr. Wen, a scholar, and both the master and Quan'er's father were pleased. She had originally made an appointment to meet the old lady of the Wen family, but a war broke out outside, making travel difficult, so the marriage was delayed. Finally, the rebellion was quelled, and it was last month... last month..."
Hai's eyes filled with tears again. She hurriedly wiped them away and continued, "Since the rebellion had subsided and the capital was intact, many families whose men were serving in the army went to temples and monasteries to burn incense and fulfill their vows. That day, everything was fine. Suddenly, just before nightfall, the gatekeeper came with a message saying that the Yongchang Marquis's mansion had sent servants to bring back the fourth sister. The mistress was stunned, and her granddaughter-in-law hurried to Shanyue Residence to check, but there was no sign of the fourth sister. Furious, she tied up the maid in the yard and asked about it. It turned out that the fourth sister had run away early in the morning!"
Hai was sobbing softly. She was in charge of many things in the mansion now. After something like this happened, she must have been scolded a lot. Minglan felt sorry for Hai's exhausted look and went over to her and gently stroked her back to calm her down.
Hai glanced at Minglan gratefully, wiped away her tears, and continued, "...I went to the door to pick up Fourth Sister, and after some inquiries, I found out... Fourth Sister had gone to Longhua Temple on the Western Hills early that morning without permission. Young Master Liang Han happened to be accompanying Madam Liang on an incense-burning pilgrimage, and somehow, Fourth Sister fell from the carriage and nearly rolled down the slope. Young Master Liang Han happened to be riding beside her, and he saved her. Everyone saw that Fourth Sister had someone carry her back!"
Having said that, Hai lowered her head, and Minglan and the old lady looked at each other with complicated eyes, not knowing whether they were happy or sad: Yu Minglan, there is no need to make Sheng Hong and Wang unhappy. Yu Old Lady, save her a lot of words, but for the Yu Sheng Mansion, this is not a good thing.
"To be able to accomplish this, there must be connections between the inside and the outside. Have you found out?" The old lady stared at Hai and said slowly.
Hai stopped crying and looked up, saying, "As soon as the incident broke out, Madam had everyone at Shanyueju tied up and tortured them according to the family rules. From Yunzai, who had pretended to be sick in bed in place of Fourth Sister, to the gatekeeper who had prepared her carriage, they soon found out about Concubine Lin. This time, Master was really furious. He had Concubine Lin and Fourth Sister severely beaten and locked them in the woodshed for three days and three nights, only giving them one meal a day."
Minglan was astonished. This Aunt Lin was really powerful and had great planning skills. First, she had to find out when the ladies and sons of the Yongchang Marquisate would go to burn incense and what route they would take. Then she had to bribe all the servants inside and outside to help cover it up. Finally, she had to keep it secret for a whole day. She was determined and resourceful. She was quite a character.
The old lady was also a little angry, her chest heaving a few times, and then asked: "What are we going to do with that shameless thing?"
Hai's face was gloomy. She whispered, "After this incident, there has been no news from the Yongchang Marquisate. Aunt Lin has been kneeling before the master, crying day and night, begging the madam to propose marriage to the Yongchang Marquisate, otherwise the fourth sister will die. The madam is so angry that she's sick."
The old lady sneered, "You are such a useless mother-in-law. Such a small thing has already collapsed. Where has the original enthusiasm gone? It's just a death. If they have the nerve to do it, they should have the courage to take responsibility! Why bother with her?"
Hai's eyes showed embarrassment, and she said softly: "Madam is not sick because of this."
"Anything else?" the old lady asked briefly.
Hai twisted her handkerchief, raised her face resolutely, and said, "The Prime Minister, Lord Shen, has taken a liking to the second son of the Duke of Qi's mansion, Qi Heng, the son of Princess Pingning. He came to propose marriage not long ago, and the Duke's mansion has immediately accepted it!"
The old lady tilted her lips slightly, her eyes seemed to be full of sarcasm: "So what? What does it have to do with my family?"
Hai looked at the old lady in embarrassment and stammered, "Old lady, you don't know, but a few days ago, Princess Pingning told Madam that she was interested in marrying my fifth sister. Madam was very satisfied, and although she didn't say it explicitly, it was tacitly understood. But who knew that Princess Pingning would change her mind so suddenly! Madam sent someone to question her, and the Princess only replied, 'How is your fourth young lady's marriage going?'"
The old lady slammed the table and cursed angrily, "Shameless thing, you are always bringing trouble to our family!"
Minglan was also very depressed. This kind of ancient family was really disgusting. If one girl lost face, the other sisters would suffer as well. It had nothing to do with her if Molan had an affair outside.
Hai was still hesitating, and the old lady grew impatient and shouted, "Anything else? Come on, tell it all! I'm so old I can still take it!"
In fact, Hai was originally a straightforward and bright person, but in recent days, a series of sudden changes have come like thunder, which really makes people unable to calm down. Hai calmed her breath and made up her mind to finish her words in one breath: "The master wants the wife to go to the Yongchang Marquis's Mansion to propose marriage, but the wife refuses to do so. At this stalemate, the wife of the uncle of the Wang family sent a letter saying that the cousin of the Wang family and the cousin of the Kang family, Yuan'er, are already engaged, and even the small engagement has been made! ... The wife was shocked and sent someone to Fengtian to ask overnight. "My aunt replied with a letter, saying that since my aunt had already found a son-in-law from the Duke's Mansion, her unfilial son had married off on his own. The messenger also brought back the words of the old lady of the Wang family, saying that the old lady was also angry with my aunt. My aunt was so fickle and didn't regard the legitimate grandson of the Wang family as anything! Old lady, my aunt never told anyone about the marriage between my aunt and Princess Pingning. How did the Wang family in Fengtian know about it? My aunt was so angry that she went to Aunt Kang to argue with her. She came back half dead and fell ill.
Minglan took a deep breath. The reason why Wang was so tough on Molan's matter was that she relied on the fact that Ruolan had already arranged a marriage with the Wang family. After all, it was her own family and they would not care about anything. Since Ruolan's marriage was not a problem, Wang was able to sit back and relax. Who knew that she would be intercepted by her trusted sister!
For the old lady of the Wang family, although her daughter is very lovely, her grandson is closer after all. Wang's picky behavior seriously hurts the self-esteem of the Wang family. Coupled with Aunt Kang's unremitting efforts, the girl from either side is her granddaughter anyway. In this way, the lifelong problem of cousin Kang Yuaner was successfully solved.
After hearing all this, the old lady didn't want to talk anymore. She just sighed and looked at her little granddaughter who lowered her head and gently massaged her legs. She suddenly felt fortunate. After all, considering Old Lady He's character and their friendship, Minglan's marriage should not change.
Alas...how can I understand this mess?
At this moment, Wang was probably thinking of eating Aunt Lin and her daughter alive.
"Apart from these, everything else at home is okay." The old lady said tiredly, and tilted her body slightly.
Hai put down her handkerchief and forced a smile. "Everything is fine. Brother Quan has grown teeth and can call a few people now. I'll show it to the old lady later. Oh, and also, this New Year, I followed the old lady's instructions and sent New Year gifts to the He family. The old lady of the He family was very good-tempered and thanked me repeatedly. Not long ago, I heard that the He family was looking for a suitable house. It was said that Brother Hongwen's uncle's family came to Beijing, and my cousin's wife happened to have such a courtyard, with two entrances in the front and back. It's not very big, but it's clean and tidy. There's no need to renovate it, just move in and you can live there. I want to wait for the old lady to come back to discuss whether I should talk to the He family..."
Minglan paused for a moment, looked up at the old lady, and saw that the old lady's eyes were also flickering slightly.
He Hongwen's mother has only one sister, so He Hongwen also has only one uncle. In the early years, the two families often visited each other. After interacting with the He family over the years, Mrs. Sheng also knew that He's mother was quite concerned about the Cao family. She wondered whether the climate and soil of Liangzhou could support her.
The old lady took a long breath, her fingers clenched the rosary, her knuckles turning slightly white. Things had to be done one by one, and she had to cheer herself up.
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