It is said that a daughter is like a mother's warm little cotton-padded jacket. Hualan knew exactly what Wang was thinking. For this reason, Hualan actively inquired about Molan's situation in Yongchang Marquis Mansion. There was no need for post-processing, and the process was as exciting and ups and downs as an American TV series.
Molan's life in the Yongchang Marquis' Mansion was indeed not easy. On the wedding night, the concubine Chun Ge complained of stomachache and asked her trusted maid to rush into the bridal chamber to find Liang Han. If this happened to Ruolan, she would probably have beaten her out on the spot. Fortunately, Molan was good-tempered and endured it. She held down Liang Han who wanted to run away, and gently advised Liang Han, "You are sisters from now on, and it is not convenient for men to see a woman's problems." Then she left the groom in the bridal chamber, and went to visit Chun Ge in person, asking about her health and showing great concern. She called a doctor and boiled some medicine. Molan personally guarded the door and did not sleep a wink all night. Even the most picky grandmother in the Liang Mansion was speechless.
Wang's face turned ashen with anger, and she slammed her palm heavily on the rattan lacquer tea table, causing the tea bowls to clink a few times - in the past, Aunt Lin often used this trick of pretending to be sick to call Sheng Hong away from her room, and it was obvious that Molan had been prepared for this.
Hai quickly brought a bowl of new tea to her mother-in-law. Rulan was fascinated by what she heard and kept urging Hualan to continue.
The wedding night was wasted, Miss Chun Ge was still unwilling to give up, she had a stomachache on the second night and sent someone to find Liang Han again. Molan was moved and patient, and did not show any displeasure at all. She even tried to comfort Liang Han, "It is hard for a woman to be pregnant, and there are bound to be many disasters." She went to visit Miss Chun Ge in person again, and took care of her all night as usual. She also asked Mrs. Liang for some high-quality old ginseng for Chun Ge, and was so tired that she looked haggard.
Two days after the new bride got married, she was prevented from consummating her marriage with the groom by a concubine. As a result, everyone in the Yongchang Marquis's mansion started talking about Miss Chun Ge's faults. The gossip reached the ears of the Yongchang Marquis. The Yongchang Marquis got angry and called the eldest daughter-in-law to scold her. Madam Liang even implied that the eldest grandmother's aunt's family had no upbringing, which was why they raised such an rude girl. She hadn't been married for a few days, but she dared to compete for favors with the main wife!
He had a beautiful woman at his fingertips, but failed to succeed for two consecutive nights. Even Liang Han was a little dissatisfied with Chun Ge.
On the third night, Chun Ge suffered another stomachache and sent her maid to find Liang Han. This time, public opinion was against Mo Lan, and Chun Ge was in dire straits. According to reliable sources, Liang Han, enraged, ran out in his undergarments, kicked the maid over a dozen times, and sent her away on the spot. He also severely punished the maidservant who was looking after Chun Ge.
"If you feel unwell, just call a doctor. If you miss a man, just say it directly. What's the point of keeping a man confined all day long? Is our master a doctor who treats women? He can do such a despicable trick! Don't you mind the embarrassment?" The housekeeper of the Liang Mansion deliberately spoke coldly and loudly; Molan, however, acted virtuous and said a lot of good things about Chun Ge.
After that, Liang Han was both apologetic and tender to Molan, which led to the situation of returning home three days later.
Although Rulan disliked Molan, she was still shocked after hearing this: "This cousin...oh no, Aunt Chunge has gone too far! How dare she do this? The wife of the Marquis of Yongchang doesn't even follow the rules!"
Hualan took a sip of plum tea steeped in well water, poked Rulan's forehead with her index finger, and said leisurely, "Silly girl! I've said so much and you still can't hear! Now that the Marquis of Yongchang's eldest son is capable, and there are rumors that the Marquis intends to make him the Crown Prince, his eldest wife will naturally be proud. To avoid suspicion, Madam Liang can't touch that cousin."
Rulan seemed to understand, but Minglan let out a soft "oh". She knew in her heart that if Madam Liang took action to deal with Chun Ge, it would inevitably lead to gossip about the dispute between legitimate and illegitimate children, but if Molan took action, it would just be a matter between wives and concubines in the inner chamber.
Wang sighed deeply, feeling a bit complicated. She didn't want Molan to have a prosperous life, but from the perspective of a legitimate wife, she admired Molan's methods and scheming. If she had been so patient and scheming at the beginning, it would not have been Aunt Lin's turn to enjoy such glory.
Minglan glanced at Wang's somewhat gloomy face and turned to ask, "Big sister, how are Fourth Sister and the others in the Liang Mansion? Parents-in-law, sisters-in-law, uncles, aunts, etc."
Hualan reached out and scratched Minglan's nose, then smiled and said, "Sixth sister is really smart. She hit the nail on the head."
Mrs. Liang was indifferent to Molan, not particularly affectionate, nor did she make things difficult for her. Molan offered tea to her parents-in-law the day before, and Mrs. Liang also gave them enough gifts. However, anyone with a discerning eye could see that Mrs. Liang did not like Molan. Not to mention her legitimate daughter-in-law, even the concubines' daughters-in-law, because the concubines' sons had been raised in Mrs. Liang's house since childhood, often brought their wives to talk and drink tea with them, but rarely paid any attention to Molan.
Wang suddenly perked up and said with a sarcastic laugh, "She'll have to rely on her own abilities from now on. Her mother-in-law is unreliable anyway." Hua Lan curled her lips and smiled with disdain, "Fourth sister is very virtuous. She's only been married for a month, and she's already taken in all the maids around her."
Minglan sighed inwardly: This is the true strength of Madam Liang. With Molan having no one to rely on, she throws all her energy into her husband. From Hualan's description, Miss Chun Ge seems to be a Third Sister Yu-like figure. Though as beautiful as a peach and plum, with a fiery temper, she might not be able to withstand Molan's subtle tactics. Madam Liang has long been wary of her eldest son and his wife. How could she bear to let Chun Ge stay with her legitimate son and add fuel to the fire? It would be best if she could use Molan's hand to deal with Chun Ge. Even if the fight ended in a loss, Madam Liang would not lose anything.
It is true that when the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman benefits.
Minglan was still feeling a little down. As she was seeing Hualan off, she took her arm and said softly, "Big sister, the Yuan family's aunt, the wife of the Marquis of Shoushan, is on good terms with the Marquis of Yongchang. If you have the chance, you might as well give Fifth Sister a little advice."
Hua Lan's face darkened and she snorted coldly, "You are a kind-hearted person. Even if you have forgotten that she beat you, you should not forget how Aunt Wei died!"
Minglan shook her head seriously and said to Hualan sincerely, "My younger sister is useless. She was beaten with a stick by Madam Kong and I still remember it. No matter how bad Fifth Sister is, she also has the surname Sheng. If she really does something out of line, what good reputation will we sisters have?" Ruo Molan's methods were too radical and cruel, but the first thing she was criticized for was that she had a bad upbringing in her family.
Hualan's expression turned serious. She was very smart, but she had a deep grudge against the Lin mother and daughter, so she couldn't see clearly at the moment. After thinking about it, she understood. She put her arm around Minglan's shoulders affectionately and said with a smile, "My dear sister, you are very understanding. I will remember this."
Minglan smiled, two playful dimples appearing on the corners of her mouth. "Are Zhuang Jie'er and Shi Ge'er wearing the little shoes I sent you last time?"
"All right, all right." Hua Lan's expression softened immediately when she mentioned her children. "That rag doll you made for Zhuang Jie'er, she loves it like nothing else and won't let anyone hold it. Children's feet grow so fast, so shoes are the most expensive. Next time, please don't do such delicate embroidery. It's such a pity. You think of me so much, I won't forget your kindness. When you get married, I'll give you a generous dowry!"
Minglan looked at Hualan's blooming smile and knew that she had been doing well recently, and she was very happy for her.
…
As soon as August arrived, the Autumn Examination was approaching, and students from all over the Northern Zhili area came to Beijing one after another. The Sheng Mansion welcomed five guests, three of whom were sons of Sheng Hong's old friends, and two were nephews and nephews of Sheng Hong's fellow townsmen. They went to Beijing to take the exam but had no relatives in Beijing. Every three years during the Autumn and Spring Examinations, the prices of post stations, guild halls, and inns in Kyoto would increase ridiculously. Not only was the baggage expenses huge, but they could also not concentrate on their studies.
Sheng Hong and Wang decided to allocate a row of houses next to the back garden of Sheng's house for these students to study and live in temporarily. The reason why Wang was so generous this time was obviously that she had other plans. Among these students were many children of officials with wealthy families.
By mid-August, Changwu's nine-month mourning period was over, and he went to the capital again with his wife and daughter. His cousin Li Yu also came with him. This time, whether it was Li Yu's taking the exam or his own reinstatement, he had to rely on Sheng Hong. As soon as he settled down, Changwu went straight to Sheng's house. Yun'er went to see Wang earlier and apologized with tears and snot, saying that her mother had let Wang down and she was extremely ashamed.
Wang was angry, but she couldn't stand Yuner crying so hard that she presented boxes of generous gifts. Then she thought about it and realized that it was not her fault. It was also because she trusted Aunt Kang too much. She didn't know what kind of person her own sister was, so she had to blame herself.
"Forget it. Just bring your daughter here next time. Since she is both my niece and my niece's daughter, she must get double the red envelope." Finally, Wang said indifferently, forget it.
It was Li Yu's first time meeting Sheng Hong and his wife. Just as he was about to kneel and kowtow, Sheng Hong quickly helped him up and said, "We're all family, let's not be so formal."
Old Lady Sheng looked Li Yu up and down. He had a handsome face and delicate features. He looked even more handsome in his right-side-opening, light silk shirt the color of rain-soaked sky blue. She smiled and said, "I haven't seen you for a few years. Brother Yu has grown taller."
Li Yu bowed respectfully, smiling broadly, and said, "The old lady seems to be in better spirits. This time, my mother asked me to bring a few white ginseng from Yunnan. It's mild and nourishing, so I'll give them as a token of my filial respect." Then, turning slightly, he said to Wang, "My mother also prepared some small gifts for Madam and my sisters. I hope you won't despise them."
The old lady nodded in satisfaction, and Wang Shi also smiled slightly. Sheng Hong was very pleased with Li Yu's thoughtful words and appropriate attitude. He said, "Very good! Study hard first. I'll ask Brother Bo to take you and your brothers to visit teachers and meet friends. The provincial examination is different from the imperial examination. There are not so many tricks. Several of the teachers at Songshan Academy have served as examiners. You just need to work hard and you'll be fine."
A look of joy appeared on Li Yu's face, and he bowed his head repeatedly to express his gratitude.
Rulan stood aside, bored. Wang pulled Yuner to talk to the old lady. Minglan was surprised to find that Sheng Hong seemed to like Li Yu very much. After looking carefully, she understood why the old lady said that Li Yu was a bit like Sheng Hong when he was young.
Although Chang Feng resembled Sheng Hong, he had grown up in luxury, and had a bit of the air of a noble young man. On the other hand, Li Yu, a merchant from a different family, had pursued a career in government. They were both full of energy and had a strong desire to make progress. Moreover...
Minglan narrowed her eyes.
Ever since Sheng Hong and Chang Wu talked about Fu, Li Yu had been stealing glances at her from time to time. Once, their eyes happened to meet, and he actually smiled at her with affection. Minglan was shocked and quickly looked at Rulan next to her. Seeing that she was looking out the window with a dull look, as if in a daze, Minglan was relieved.
Well, this guy does look a lot like Sheng Hong.
The old lady often said that Sheng Hong was not a bad person. When he and Wang Shi first got married, they sincerely wanted a happy marriage. He also respected and trusted his wife, and let Wang Shi do whatever she wanted to the two concubines who had served him since childhood without saying anything. If Wang Shi had not relied on her family background to be domineering and interfered too much in exceptional matters, or if she had been more gentle, more virtuous, and understood more about romance, even if Sheng Hong had two concubines in the future, the incident of Aunt Lin would not have happened.
To put it in modern terms, although Sheng Hong is utilitarian, he also has emotional needs; so even though he knows that it will offend the Wang family, he still dotes on Aunt Lin without thinking clearly.
Just like Li Yu.
In the current situation, it is obvious that Rulan, the legitimate daughter, is more worthy of pursuit than himself. Considering Sheng Hong's admiration and love for him, as long as he passes the exam successfully, the possibility of marrying Rulan is as high as 80 to 90%. But this useless guy is glancing at him shyly. Does he understand the truth?
You know, beauty is easy to find, like the skinny horses of Yangzhou and the rouge of the north. After you achieve success, you can marry her to seventeen or eighteen beautiful concubines. But having a capable Yue family is more practical than anything else! Young people are just ignorant; Minglan felt very regretful.
…
The old lady had been quite busy recently, and she often sent for Changbai to inquire about Li Yu's condition, his interpersonal relationships, his manners, and so on. It wasn't until the day of the Autumn Examination on August 28th that Changbai finally uttered, "This man is diligent and sincere, with a sharp mind. Although he's young, he's very experienced and tactful. He's sure to achieve great things in the future."
The old lady's eyes flashed several times.
Minglan knew that the old lady was becoming more active. Ever since she met the mother and daughter of the Cao family, although she didn't say anything, her enthusiasm for the He family had obviously declined. Minglan understood what the old lady meant. No matter what she said, it all depended on He Hongwen's attitude. If he was as confused as He's mother, then there was no need to say anything.
The Autumn Examination consisted of three sessions. Early the next morning, Minglan was sewing in Shou'an Hall when the housekeeper suddenly came rushing in, beaming. "Young Master Hongwen of the He family has returned. He just delivered a few carts of goods to the pharmacy and hasn't even left for home yet, but he's coming straight to our house! He said he's got some things for the old lady and dropped them off on the way."
Minglan stopped what she was doing and looked up at the old lady. She could clearly see satisfaction in her eyes.
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