As it turned out, after the storm, the biggest beneficiary was Sheng Hong.
Ancient scholars valued integrity and moral character. Sheng Hong, a civil servant who passed the imperial examination through the proper channels, had three daughters who married into noble families. Even though the Zhongqin Marquis's Mansion had been neglected for a long time, and even though Liang Han was only the youngest son, the upstart Gu Tingye was no fake. In the eyes of the civil service group that prided themselves on being noble and upright, this would inevitably give him the reputation of "clinging to the powerful."
But Father Sheng was quite lucky. The boat straightened itself before reaching the bridge.
"You want to marry your third daughter to that scholar Wen?" Sheng Hong's old boss, Mr. Lu, the current deputy minister of the cabinet, was quite surprised. He and Sheng Hong got along very well when they were in the Ministry of Works, and he knew that the third daughter of the Sheng family was the legitimate daughter.
Sheng Hong nodded heavily, then bowed and said, "I lost my father when I was young, and my clan elders are not in the capital, so I ask you to be the matchmaker for my two girls."
Mr. Lu was willing, but he still couldn't help asking, "I thought..." The characteristic of scholars is to leave half of their words unsaid.
Sheng Hong's face was filled with regret and grief. "I'm so ashamed. I broke my promise and feel deeply guilty towards Wen. I've long wanted to renegotiate the engagement, but this is just to live up to the saint's words."
Mr. Lu was deeply moved and immediately agreed to be a matchmaker for the Sheng family's daughter. After this news spread, everyone in the capital was stunned. After a while, they all praised Sheng Hong's character.
Long before Molan and the Wen family were engaged, Wang Shi thought it was a done deal and had let everyone know. Many people knew the Sheng family intended to marry Molan to a scholar who had passed the imperial examination. Unexpectedly, a storm arose and Molan married into the Liang family. While everyone secretly sighed at Molan's good fortune, they also felt sorry for the unlucky scholar who had been left out. Even more unexpectedly, Sheng Hong insisted on marrying his daughter to this unfortunate scholar. Weren't the Sheng family afraid of angering Gu Erlang?!
Who knew that after waiting for so long, the Gu family still hadn't shown any signs of action. Instead, they were busy preparing for the wedding, which made everyone waiting to watch the show feel very disappointed. The most depressed were the Peng family - they were always using concubines' daughters to replace legitimate daughters, so why was it okay for the Sheng family, but not for my family?! Gu Tingye, look at them serving dishes!
From the famous scholars to the officials of the six ministries, everyone was very happy and praised Comrade Sheng Hong's "character". Old Man Sheng gained both fame and fortune, and had both face and substance.
Generally speaking, husband and wife are enemies and their fates are often opposite. When Sheng Hong was praised by his superiors and admired by his subordinates, Wang was having troubles. In early December, the old lady of the Wen family finally prepared enough betrothal gifts and came to the Sheng family to make the betrothal. When the Wen family first mentioned Molan, Wang thought everything was fine with the old lady of the Wen family, but when it came to Rulan, she felt distressed everywhere.
Sometimes she felt that the betrothal gift was too little, and sometimes she felt that the old lady of the Wen family was mean and stingy. All the women in the family could see through her thoughts. Hai cleverly said that her morning sickness had not yet ended, so she hid in the house and refused to come out. Wang didn't dare to speak to old lady Sheng, so she was unhappy all day long, and her temper became ten times more irritable.
The old lady was already angry with Wang because of Minglan's matter. Seeing Wang like this, she couldn't help but feel secretly relieved. However, Ruolan was her granddaughter after all. After a few days, she really couldn't bear it anymore and had to speak up.
"Why didn't you discuss such a big thing with your family? You just do it as you say?!" The old lady sat on the kang, speaking sternly.
Wang stood at the bottom, with a look of dissatisfaction on her face. She defended herself, "Mr. Wen's family is not very good. I couldn't bear to see my daughter suffer so much, so I gave her more money."
The old lady looked at Wang's face, furious. She slammed the head of the kang and shouted, "You fool! Do you think I'm nagging you because I'm worried about that little bit of money? You've been married for so many years, and the master and I have never thought about your dowry in the slightest! Who are you showing off to with such mean-spirited thoughts?!"
Seeing that the old lady was really angry, Wang Shi hurriedly knelt down and said repeatedly, "Don't be angry, old lady. It's all my fault. I should have come to you first to tell you. Ru'er is really wronged..." As she spoke, Wang Shi couldn't help but moisten her eyes. She took out a handkerchief and wiped her eyes. "Old lady, you haven't seen that Wen relative. She is really a vulgar country woman. I feel sorry for Ru'er, so..."
Seeing Wang's motherly kindness, the old lady couldn't help but soften her tone. "Mr. Wen's father was also a scholar. He was truly unlucky. He had just passed the imperial examination and died of typhoid fever before he could be appointed to an official position. If your wife wasn't more capable, how could she support the family? I know you were worried that Ru'er would be wronged in the past, so you bought her a house in the city, but you're doing the exact opposite!"
Wang wiped away her tears, looked up in confusion, and looked puzzled.
The old lady felt helpless in the face of Wang's stupidity. She lowered her head and stroked the azure-grey mouse-fur trim on her sleeve, taking a deep breath before she could calmly say, "Although I've never met your wife, I think of her as a widow raising two sons. And considering how much Son-in-law Wen used to eat, wear, and spend, I can tell she's definitely calculating when it comes to money. You saw that too, and that's why you're so worried, right?"
Wang nodded vigorously and quickly interrupted, "Mother is right. I heard that my mother-in-law has always favored the youngest son and gave a lot of money to him. On the day of the engagement ceremony, I tried to test her, but she actually said that there was not enough money. She wanted Ru'er and her husband to get married and rent a house for themselves! So, I..."
Wang shi shut her mouth awkwardly under Madam Sheng's glare. The old lady turned her head and sighed before she began to speak: "Although the house you bought for your son-in-law was a bit extravagant, it wasn't too bad. It's common for officials and noble families to sponsor their poor and ambitious sons-in-law to study. But your mistake was buying him a large house with two entrances and three rooms in one go. Can they use it for the young couple?!... Your eldest son has a large house in the city, why don't you, as his mother, come and enjoy it? Just wait, your in-laws will move here from the countryside outside the capital with their whole family, and then Ru'er will be asking for trouble!"
Wang thought about it and realized that this was exactly the case. Her lips began to tremble and her face turned pale.
Old Madam Sheng was so disappointed with Ruolan that she shook her head repeatedly, saying, "You've always had this temper, loving to take power and make decisions arbitrarily. That's nothing, as the mistress of the house, who doesn't like to have the final say? But you have to make people feel at ease! But when it comes to the most important things, you get confused! If you had been willing to discuss this with me beforehand, how could it have come to this? Even if Ruolan is useless, I still have a big opinion of her. Would I harm her?... If you really want to help Ruolan, just turn it into silver and land, and then buy them a small house. My wife-in-law will feel embarrassed to squeeze in because of the small place, and Ru'er will be comfortable then!"
Wang's face turned panicky. She was speechless for a long time before she said, "What should we do now? ... My wife has already ordered people to prepare the new house and even hired maids and servants. The Wen family knows about it too!"
Old Madam Sheng was angry and said angrily, "She's your own daughter, you make your own decision."
Wang Shi finally realized how serious the situation was. She knelt down and begged the old lady for a long time, repeatedly apologizing for her faults and pulling at her sleeves and crying. Although the old lady was indignant, she couldn't ignore it completely. Finally, she said, "You don't have to worry too much. No matter how powerful the in-laws are, they won't live with your daughter-in-law's dowry and bully her to death. Besides, Rulan's temper is probably not going to take any harm. Don't say anything yourself. You'll only make things worse if you open your mouth. Ask Bo Ge'er to talk to the son-in-law and tell him to be smart. If there is any disagreement between me and my wife, he must distinguish right from wrong and not take sides. Let it be... Humph, after all, our Sheng family has a daughter who divorced!"
Wang stood on the ground with tears in her eyes.
As a habitual eavesdropper, Minglan, who was dozing in the inner room, had woken up long ago and shook her head repeatedly as she listened.
Ms. Wang is like a lousy coffee table director. When she makes a comedy, the audience often cries bitterly, but when she makes a tragedy, the audience laughs loudly. Although the film is a hit, it always makes people laugh and cry. Fortunately, the investors and producers are reliable and they grasp the general direction, so the overall film does not lose money.
Wang wailed a few more times before finally leaving in a state of despair. Only then did Minglan dare to come out. She couldn't help but ask, "Grandma, is the old lady of the Wen family really that troublesome?"
The old lady was furious with Wang. She sipped her tea slowly from her cup. Upon hearing this, she snorted softly, "There's no such thing as a troublesome mother-in-law in the world, but this depends on the husband. Your brother-in-law isn't as understanding as Bo'er, and he's caused your sister a lot of hardship. Fortunately, it was Hua'er who endured for so many years. As time goes by, your brother-in-law has gradually come around. Now he's willing to help his wife in every way, and he's now looking down on his mother."
Minglan clapped her hands in admiration: "Big sister is truly amazing, and big brother-in-law is quite filial, as he was able to help big sister slowly turn the situation around." She had not had the chance to meet her mother-in-law in her previous life, and she admired Hualan's abilities very much. If every modern woman had Hualan's abilities, Yao Yiyi's workload would probably be reduced by half.
The old lady sighed softly and said, "The most difficult thing is simply the word 'tolerance'. No matter how filial the eldest brother-in-law is, or how loving his brother-in-law is, he can't stand his mother's partiality. She wants to give all the good and expensive things to the eldest wife. The eldest brother-in-law is, after all, ambitious and wants to save face. He also has to attend social events and manage things. When he's in trouble, his mother shirks responsibility and doesn't help. He can only turn to his wife and ask for help. But when the eldest wife needs help, my mother urges and forces him to help. Everyone in this world has selfish desires, and the eldest brother-in-law has a wife and children too. If this continues year after year, even her own son will become alienated."
Minglan immediately flattered her: "Grandma, you're right. Even this word 'forbearance' is so rare. Big sister is such a strong-willed person. To be able to be so moved and patient is all thanks to Grandma's good upbringing!"
The old lady glanced at Minglan and saw her fawning smile, revealing two lovely dimples. Ever since she had revealed everything about Gu Tingye, she had felt she had let her grandmother down and had been sincerely admitting her mistakes and trying to make amends. The old lady was secretly amused and deliberately said, "Speaking of which, you're quite lucky. Your mother-in-law is the second wife. You won't have to worry about her much more in the future."
As soon as she finished speaking, the old lady looked at Minglan with interest. Minglan showed no sign of blushing and shook her head calmly, saying, "No, no, unless you have personally heard or seen it, you should not jump to conclusions."
The old lady took a long time to say "oh".
As a legal worker, Minglan has always advocated using evidence to speak for itself.
At present, the Ningyuan Marquis Mansion is in a state of decline. Not only has the plaque been removed, but the censors have also been submitting memorials continuously, accusing the Ningyuan Marquis Mansion of "forming cliques and acting recklessly, and behaving improperly", with great certainty. Some of the nobles who have been detained and interrogated have confessed that the Ningyuan Marquis Mansion is also involved. The Dali Temple, which is responsible for thoroughly investigating the conspiracy, has proposed that even if the titles are not stripped and the men are not imprisoned immediately, they should be detained for questioning.
However, the current Ningyuan Marquis Gu Tingyu is already terminally ill and often in a coma. For the sake of Gu Tingye, the emperor kept all the memorials criticizing the Ningyuan Marquisate and did not send them out. The precarious Marquisate was thus able to stay out of the trouble among the other noble families implicated.
Gu Tingye is now on the rise. Not to mention that he has been living in the imperially granted Governor's Mansion since returning to Beijing, he even asked General Bo and his wife to come forward to propose marriage to the Sheng family. In this way, outsiders can't help but speculate without saying anything. Some people with ulterior motives slowly dug up the old things of Ningyuan Marquis Mansion in the past, and rumors spread, hinting that Gu Tingye was bullied a lot in the past.
In fact, Mrs. Qin, the wife of the Gu family, has always had a good reputation in the circle of noble ladies in the capital. She is gentle, respectful, virtuous, and often takes care of orphans and children. Even now, no one has directly pointed out that her stepmother has evil intentions. Except for those who want to flatter Gu Tingye, most people secretly sympathize with Qin.
However, the result suggests a reason. Qin's own sons were all well, married and had children. Even Gu Tingyu, despite his illness, had managed to survive for so many years. Only Gu Tingye had left home, wandering for years without returning. If this were spread, it would be unpleasant. But what was the truth? Minglan looked up at the rooftop. This... probably... was complicated.
It seems that the heavens heard Minglan's heartfelt wishes. A few days later, Gu Tingye sent someone to send an invitation, saying that Madam Qin would come to visit the mansion. Upon hearing this, Minglan was stunned. The old lady was silent for a while before sighing, "That's good. Regardless of the past, it's always better to be thorough when arranging a marriage." After a pause, she added, "Gu... he is thoughtful..."
Minglan said nothing, she knew what the old lady meant.
According to normal marriage procedures, the selection of brides and even the betrothal gifts were handled by the parents, and any changes to this step would be unsightly. Even though Qin Shi had once tried to influence Gu Tingye's marriage, she had no more to say after being thwarted in such an embarrassing way by Gu Tingye. Now that Gu Tingye was willing to give in, Qin Shi had no choice but to back down.
However, Madam Qin did not use a donkey, but a four-horse carriage with a green forged and dark red roof, so she came very quickly.
The next day, Minglan lay on the kang with a full belly, lazily holding a red brocade mandarin duck pillowcase. She had just embroidered two pieces of water plants when Cuiping came hurriedly to say that the wife of the Ningyuan Marquis had arrived and was talking in Shou'an Hall.
"The old lady told the girls to dress smartly!" Cuiping saw Xiaotao holding a plain home coat in a daze, and hurriedly told Danju. The girls immediately went into the cupboard and rummaged around.
Minglan changed into a Japanese satin jacket with a slanting collar and red embroidered apricot and pomegranate flowers, and a rose pink skirt with deep pleats. Her hair was neatly combed into a crescent bun, and only a pair of long hairpins with double happiness and double ruyi patterns inlaid with kingfisher feathers were inserted in it, making her look bright and elegant.
The group hurried all the way to Shou'an Hall. When they reached the door, Minglan took a deep breath and adjusted her hair. Following the announcement from the maid at the door, Minglan stepped in, lowered her head and walked slowly. She saw the old lady sitting at the head of the table, with a woman in brocade clothes sitting beside her. Wang was sitting at the bottom. When she saw Minglan come in, she pointed at her and said with a smile, "This is my sixth daughter." Then she pointed at the woman in brocade clothes and introduced her, "This is the dowager of Ningyuan Marquis's Mansion. Minglan, come and greet her."
Minglan bowed respectfully, her skirt not swaying, her posture not swaying, she looked graceful and dignified.
Mrs. Qin's eyes flashed with astonishment at first glance. She quickly asked Minglan to stand up, then pulled her to her side to examine her carefully. She felt that the girl's fair skin and beautiful face were beyond description, and she couldn't help but praise her, "What a beautiful child! How could she be born so beautiful?"
Minglan lowered her head shyly, but secretly glanced at Madam Qin. After taking a look, she couldn't help but be secretly surprised.
Mrs. Qin was wearing a dark rust-colored double-breasted jacket with chrysanthemum patterns and a honey lotus-colored cotton skirt. Her hair was tied into a simple bun, which was held in place by a translucent white jade longevity pendant. Her skin was fair and smooth, and she had a dignified smile on her lips. She looked amiable, gentle and kind. She was actually an extremely beautiful middle-aged woman. Only the fine wrinkles at the corners of her eyes gave away her age.
In terms of age, she was a few years older than Wang, but in terms of appearance, Wang would definitely be embarrassed to approach her and call her "sister".
Mrs. Qin took Minglan aside and began to ask her questions in a friendly manner. She asked what she liked to eat, what books she read, and what she did on a daily basis. Minglan answered each question politely. Mrs. Qin seemed very satisfied. She took off a pair of jade bracelets from her wrist and put them on Minglan's hands. She smiled and said, "What a good-looking child! Could she have come from a painting?"
Minglan blushed slightly, lowered her head, and stood with a shy look. The old lady glanced at her calmly, then turned around and replied humbly, "Zhenzhen is still a child, very ignorant."
Madam Qin smiled and said, "You are too modest, old lady. This child's elegance is not fake. She is smart and bright, and has a keen understanding. The girl in the mansion is really well raised."
Wang was quite proud and couldn't help but say, "I'm not bragging, but my family raises girls with more care than boys. They are taught reading, needlework, and managing the household in great detail."
Mrs. Qin's eyes flashed, and she agreed with a smile; Wang was very satisfied with what she heard.
Qin's voice was very soft, whispering like a whisper, and she could convince you without you realizing it. She was noble and dignified in her words and laughter. If the nobility of Mrs. Liang, Marquis of Yongchang, was accompanied by a kind of aloof indifference, then she was gentle and expressionless.
She knew how to speak very well. When she spoke to the old lady, her tone was elegant, and her words were refined and elegant, just like a young lady from a marquis's mansion. When she spoke to Wang, she laughed freely and spoke easily and casually. After talking for a while, the old lady was fine, but she added a bit of intimacy and courtesy. Wang gradually let go of her initial wariness and became more and more interested in her as they talked.
The women chatted and laughed for a while, then Mrs. Qin hesitated for a moment, glanced at Minglan, and hesitated to speak. The usually slow-witted Ms. Wang suddenly became alert and said hurriedly, "Mrs. Qin, please speak frankly. There's no need to be shy."
Madam Qin smiled cheerfully, no longer hesitating. "Since that's the case, I won't hesitate. I've come to bother you this time to present my Erlang's engagement letter." As she spoke, she pulled a piece of bright red paper adorned with gold from her sleeve and handed it to the old lady with both hands. Then she added, "If you two don't mind the Gu family's meager gifts, I'll shamelessly ask for Miss Ming's engagement letter."
Minglan lowered her head with all her might, feeling deeply troubled. She should be blushing and bashful, but...her face wouldn't blush at all! She couldn't just slap herself hard.
The old lady took the engagement letter, flipped it open and glanced at it. A look of satisfaction appeared on her face. She glanced at Wang Shi, who understood and immediately turned around and said with a smile: "What are you talking about disdain? The Ningyuan Marquis's family has made great contributions to the founding of the country and has established their prestige in defending the border. Who in the world doesn't admire them? I'm just afraid that we won't be worthy of them tomorrow!"
In fact, what Wang said was just politeness, which was just an expanded version of "no, no". Unexpectedly, Mrs. Qin's eyes suddenly became hot and her expression was a little sad.
Wang Shi took one look and quickly questioned. Madam Qin wiped her eyes with a handkerchief and forced a smile, saying, "It's nothing, but... I came here today to tell you something. I hope the old lady and Miss Wang won't blame me for being rude."
"Madam, please speak." The old lady's eyes lit up and she said quietly.
Madam Qin lowered her handkerchief, her smile still gentle, only tinged with a hint of sadness. "Erlang has had a temper since he was a child. Ever since he had a falling out with the old marquis and left home over the years, he's gradually become alienated from his family. His eldest brother and I are both deeply distressed. The Gu family is his home after all, and now that he's getting married, I'm thinking... at least the wedding should take place at the Ningyuan Marquis's residence."
Wang hesitated slightly. As a mother-in-law who hadn't officially been promoted yet, she couldn't speak out about the grievances between her stepson and his stepmother. The old lady thought for a moment and then said, "Not to mention that the marriage hasn't been finalized yet, even if Ming girl married, it's not our place to interfere in the Gu family's affairs."
Madam Qin sighed softly, looked straight at the old lady with frank and sincere eyes, and whispered: "Ye'er's eldest brother is very ill now. He lies on the couch all day long thinking about Erlang. He said that he has to ask his brothers for help with all these things. The younger ones are useless. If Ye'er can return home, in the future..." Then she sighed softly.
Wang's eyes lit up. It was no secret that Gu Tingyu was now childless and critically ill. Marrying into a marquis's mansion and becoming a marquis's wife were two completely different concepts. The difference in status between the mother-in-law of a marquis's son and the mother-in-law of the marquis himself was even greater. What's more, the Marquis of Ningyuan really needed Gu Tingye to support him. Thinking of this, she couldn't help but say, "Of course it's better to go home..." The rest of her words were interrupted by the old lady's gaze, and Wang slowly retracted the conversation.
The old lady withdrew her gaze from Wang and smiled, saying, "Commander-in-Chief Gu is a wise man. He will surely understand the Marquis's difficulties and Madam's painstaking efforts."
Madam Qin Tai didn't seem displeased at all. She turned to glance at Minglan standing beside her, then turned back to the old lady, looking straight at her again, and said slowly, word by word, "Since ancient times, stepmothers have had a difficult time. Everyone knows my Erlang. He was naughty and mischievous when he was young, and later he wandered around the world. His temperament is inevitably a bit left-wing. He once said, 'I will not marry anyone but a legitimate daughter.' Now... I think Minglan is very good. If I were here, I wouldn't dare say anything else, but I will never let anyone bully her!"
At the end of his words, his voice was almost choked with sobs. Wang was quite moved and felt that what he said made sense. She sighed and nodded.
The old lady frowned, as if puzzled. She turned to look at Minglan, only to see Minglan slightly raising her head. There was nothing on her face, but her big eyes were shining. Minglan immediately lowered her head, not daring to let anyone notice the subtle change in her expression. She knew what the problem was!
Gu Tingye expressed his intention to marry the Sheng family, and the news reached the emperor. Everyone assumed the daughter of the Sheng family would be the one to marry. However, a surprising twist of fate saw Rulan marry someone else, and Gu Tingye quietly accepted the daughter of the Sheng family's concubine. Why were the civil servants so pleased? Because they saw this as a sign of compromise and respect from the new nobles, hence the widespread praise.
Minglan felt clear-headed. Most people would probably think that Gu Tingye had given in, but in fact, only she and the old lady knew that the situation was just the opposite. She was the one who was being plotted against.
According to the general thinking mode, with the reputation of Gu Tingye and the Qin family, what Madam Qin said just now was actually very convincing, but... Minglan showed an undetectable smile on her face. She finally knew where her biggest advantage was - she knew a Gu Tingye who was unknown to others. Few people, especially those in the Gu family, would not know him.
Minglan slowly raised her head and met the old lady's gaze. The old lady seemed to gradually understand, and a hint of hidden joy appeared on the corner of her mouth. She turned to Madam Qin and replied, "Madam, I'm afraid you are mistaken. My sixth sister is originally a legitimate child."
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