That night, Sheng Hong rested in Wang's room. While asking the maid to take off her outer clothes, he listened to Wang chattering about the visit of the lady of the Gu Mansion today.
"...That lady is gentle and noble, without a trace of arrogance. She speaks in a reasonable and logical manner. Compared to the one from the Wen family, they are truly worlds apart. Sigh... Sixth girl is truly blessed!" Wang personally took a Ru kiln cup the color of rain-soaked sky blue from Cai Pei's hands. "Here, this is the Maojian tea that the lady sent today. Master, please try it."
Sheng Hong changed into casual clothes and sat on the kang, saying, "The old lady likes this too, so don't intercept it all." Don't blame him for speaking harshly, because Ms. Wang has a bad record.
Wang felt a pang of frustration, then said angrily, "Look at what Master said. Do you still think I'm young and naive? Half of it was left in Shou'an Hall, and the rest was divided among Master and his brothers and sisters."
Sheng Hong nodded slightly, took the cup handed to him by Wang, took a sip, and a slight smile appeared on his face. He praised softly: "Good tea, I'm afraid even the advanced ones can't be as good as this."
"Alas - the sixth girl doesn't have to worry, but poor my Ru'er has to live with a powerful mother-in-law." Wang sat on the other side of the kang, stroking the gold and jade rings on her fingers, with a worried look on her face; she sighed like orchid and praised Qin's virtue and kindness.
The more she thought about the good qualities of Madam Gu, the more she despised Old Lady Wen's vulgarity and sarcasm. The more she despised Old Lady Wen, the more she felt that Madam Gu was a really good person. She was so confused that she couldn't stop talking. Sheng Hong, who was standing beside her, just kept drinking tea without saying a word.
"Master, please say something!" Wang Shi had been performing a monologue for a long time. Seeing that her husband completely ignored her, she couldn't help but shout, "You don't even worry about Rulan. It seems that my daughter belongs to me alone!"
Sheng Hong slowly put down his teacup and turned to Wang Shi. Wang Shi also leaned slightly to the side, listening attentively. Sheng Hong said, "You must be more cautious in your interactions with this lady in the future. Leave three points... no, leave seven points. Don't tell her everything. Be careful to avoid regrets in the future."
Wang was extremely surprised and asked in astonishment, "Why is that? I think she's a very kind person, and Master has never met her, so why would you say that? What is there to regret?"
Sheng Hong stroked his short beard and shook his head, saying, "I know this without even seeing her. If you think she's good, then she must be a formidable person."
Wang's head was in a mess. She felt vaguely that her husband was mocking her and shouted, "What are you talking about, Master?!"
Sheng Hong seemed to be in a very good mood. He laughed and said, "Back in Quanzhou, you and the prefect's wife were almost sworn sisters. Later, for some reason, you had a falling out. You scolded her at home for two hours. In Dengzhou, you and Princess Pingning were so close that you almost became sworn brothers. Now, what about you? If it weren't for the abbot of Guangji Temple persuading you, you would have made a doll and cursed her! And the aunt from the Kang family, after you and your sisters met again after a long separation, you had no words to praise her to me and urged me to help you. Now, what about you? You almost skinned her... Haha, madam, your husband has seen it all. Anyone you think is good will eventually turn against you. It's better to be prepared!"
After he finished speaking, Sheng Hong's shoulders shook with laughter, and his beard fluttered wildly. Wang Shi's face flushed red with anger, and her mouth opened and closed like a river crucian carp out of water, but she could not utter anything to refute. In the end, she could only say angrily, "Master, you are in such a good mood that you even have the leisure to tease me!"
Sheng Hong had been living a very happy life these days. Every night he was invited to banquets by colleagues, peers or superiors. Everyone was trying to make friends with him, either openly or covertly. How could Sheng Hong not be happy? The more he thought about it, the more proud he felt. Wang's laughter made him even more angry. He could only keep a stern face, his chest heaving, and be angry to himself.
After laughing for a while, Sheng Hong stood up and turned to Wang Shi and asked, "How are the marriage plans for the two girls going?"
Wang said gloomily, "Rulan has already been engaged. After the spring examination results are announced, regardless of whether Mr. Wen passes or not, the wedding date will be set for the end of February. Ming girl, as a younger sister, cannot skip Ruer, so we are planning to set the date around the beginning of March."
Sheng Hong nodded slightly, then suddenly thought of something and said to his wife, "We have to hold weddings at the beginning of the new year. Let's be frugal this time. Firstly, don't be too ostentatious and draw attention to yourself. Secondly..." He paused and said to Wang Shi in a serious tone, "After the new year, you can take care of your family and your daughter-in-law, and then go to Fengtian."
Wang was surprised and asked, "What are you going to Fengtian for?"
Sheng Hong was silent for a while, then sighed softly and said, "Go to Fengtian, apologize to your mother-in-law in person, and inform her of the marriages of the two girls."
Wang thought of her own mother, and her heart choked. She muttered, "I'm afraid mother is still angry with me. I've apologized many times. They say mother and daughter don't hold grudges overnight. Mother is too cruel."
Sheng Hong's expression was solemn and stern as he advised Wang: "What happened last time was indeed our fault. No wonder mother-in-law is angry. She and her uncle have been supporting us all these years, yet you are so disrespectful to your own family. After all, your nephew is the eldest son and grandson of the Wang family. How can they not be angry? Now that the Wang and Kang families have been married, things have changed. We can't just keep this stalemate. When you go back, make a sincere apology. If mother-in-law is free and well, you can just invite her to stay for a while so that we can have some fun together."
Sheng Hong respected his mother-in-law very much. When he went to the Wang family to propose marriage, Old Master Wang did not approve of it at first because he was born a bastard and had no family background to rely on. But Old Lady Wang took a liking to him at first sight and insisted that Sheng Hong had a kind character and would have a bright future. That's why she betrothed the second daughter of her family to him. For this, Sheng Hong has always been grateful for Old Lady Wang's kindness.
Wang's eyes welled up as she recalled her mother's kindness over the past decades. After her marriage, she encountered the crisis with Aunt Lin, and Old Lady Wang sent people and scolded her to help. Tears slowly flowed down her face, "It's all my fault for being unfilial. Mother cared so much about me, yet I made it difficult for her in front of her sister-in-law!" She quickly wiped away her tears with a handkerchief and smiled, "I'll listen to the master. This time I'll personally kowtow and apologize. At worst, I'll ask my mother to give me a beating!"
Seeing this, Sheng Hong also smiled and sighed, "That's right! Alas... it's easy to add icing on the cake, but it's hard to help someone in need. These days, when I see those who come to make friends, I often think of the friendship I showed my Yue family in the early years. Now that my family seems to be doing better, I can't forget my roots."
Wang was deeply moved. She looked at her husband with tenderness in her eyes and her voice was filled with excitement: "Mother was not wrong about you after all. You are a sentimental man."
Having said the good, it was time to talk about the bad. Sheng Hong, a seasoned official with many years of experience, was well-versed in conversational tactics. He picked up his teacup, took another sip, and asked, "How much dowry do you plan to prepare for each of the two girls when they get married?"
Speaking of this topic, Wang's face froze. She lifted the heating basket on the kang table, took out the teapot and filled Sheng Hong's tea bowl with water. Her movements were slow and drawn out. "Didn't we agree on this a long time ago? Just do it the same way as before. It's as much as it should be." Seeing that Sheng Hong was staring at her, Wang knew she couldn't be vague, so she said reluctantly, "But to be honest, Ru'er should be richer. First, Ru'er is of noble status, and second..." Wang bit her lip, "Ru'er married with grievances, so she should have more to rely on."
"Stupid!" Sheng Hong shouted without hesitation, and slapped the table on the kang, causing some water to spill out of the tea bowl that had just been filled.
Wang was not convinced and immediately retorted, "Ming girl has already got such a noble husband, why should she be dissatisfied?"
Sheng Hong raised his voice and said sarcastically: "So it was you who found that noble husband for Ming girl? Or was it Ru'er who gave him to her own sister?" Wang was immediately speechless.
Sheng Hong glared at Wang several times, then waved his sleeves, realizing they were half soaked with tea. He twisted his sleeves, his face sullen, and scolded her, "The old lady didn't want this marriage in the first place. You didn't teach your daughter well, allowing Ru'er to do such shameless things. And then, when you couldn't find the solution, you put Ming'er in the blame. How dare you say that?!"
Every time this matter was brought up, Sheng Hong couldn't help but criticize Wang Shi in a sarcastic way. After all, for a civil servant who prided himself on his morality and writings, his legitimate daughter having an affair with a man outside his family was like a slap in the face. And every time this happened, Wang Shi could only listen obediently. After all, it was a mother's duty to educate her daughter.
When Sheng Hong thought of Rulan and Wen Yanjing, he felt as sick as if he had swallowed a fly. He couldn't help but scold Wang again. After calming down a little, he got back to the point: "I'm going to make it clear to you! This time, whether it's overt or covert, including the house you gave Ruer the other day, you must provide the two girls with equally generous dowries!"
Wang's lips moved a few times, but she didn't say anything, but her face was full of indignation.
Sheng Hong stood up, looking at Wang's reluctant expression, and said in a deep voice: "Since you married into the Sheng family, have I ever thought of your dowry? You want to leave it all to your three children, and I won't say a word. But think about it with your conscience, your sister is so lucky, where did her dowry go all these years! Not to mention Brother Kang's extravagant spending, there are also a lot of illegitimate sons and daughters in the house, and every marriage didn't rely on your sister's dowry. Did Aunt Kang go around crying and complaining?!"
Compared to Aunt Kang, Wang's luck was indeed good. Wang was speechless.
Seeing her expression soften, Sheng Hong stared at her intently and said, "Mo'er and Dong'er are fine, but Ming's daughter is registered under your name! Therefore, no matter how much you buy for Rulan, Ming's daughter will get the same! If you want to blame someone, blame yourself for not raising your daughter well enough. You let her become a disaster that almost brought down the whole family! Just tell your mother-in-law about this and see if she agrees with you! When you sisters got married, my family was far less prominent and wealthy than the Kang family. Could it be that your mother-in-law divided the dowries between you two sisters?"
Wang was so upset that she could not express it. She collapsed on the kang, twisting a handkerchief in her hands.
Sheng Hong looked at Wang's expression coldly, and then slowly added: "Not only that, you are not allowed to ask how much the old lady gives Minglan for her dowry!"
Wang's heart tightened. She suddenly looked up at her husband and said angrily, "Why is this happening? I dare not disobey the master's order. The two girls' dowries should be the same, so why not? But they are both the old lady's granddaughters! Is there any difference between them?!"
Sheng Hong said coldly, "Although the old lady has clearly stated that each maid should give 1,500 taels of silver for her dowry, when Hualan got married, she gave much more than that! Do you think I don't know?"
Wang then argued, "But Hua'er was raised by the old lady!" She shuddered and stopped talking. To be honest, Minglan was raised by the old lady.
Sheng Hong stared at Wang Shi, his eyes unable to conceal his disappointment. He slowly said, "The old lady raised me and spent a lot for my future. Now, she can give away the remaining personal belongings and money to whoever she wants. Don't hold it against anyone!"
Wang was secretly complaining in her heart, but no matter who she was given to, they were all Sheng Hong's flesh and blood, so of course he didn't mind.
Sheng Hong stared at Wang, took a deep breath, and continued, "The old lady is a person who values friendship. She raised Hua'er and Ming girl, so it's only natural that she wants to give them more. Now that we have disobeyed her wishes and are using Minglan as a scapegoat, you are not allowed to say a word about how much the old lady wants to give Ming girl! Otherwise..."
He slammed the table hard, shocking Wang. He said sternly, "Over the years since you married into the Sheng family, you've been disrespectful to your mother-in-law and unvirtuous towards your concubines and children. You've endured your faults only to save face for your mother-in-law and your uncle. Do you really think I'm completely clueless? Besides, weren't you at fault for Wei's death back then?!"
Wang was as if struck by lightning, her whole body was shaking violently, her face was as pale as a death. Ever since she became a devout Buddhist and listened to the masters talk about Buddhism more often, she began to really believe in the existence of cause and effect and retribution. In addition, Aunt Lin had already suffered retribution and was living in poverty on the farm, and Molan was not having a good time in the Liang family either. She wondered where her share of sin would be laid.
She looked ashen and whispered, "Everything is up to you, Master."
Although Wang was a little narrow-minded and not very generous, she was still straightforward. Once she agreed, she agreed.
The next day, she went to entrust her daughter-in-law with household chores: "...I'm going out at the start of the new year. Your two sisters and I need to prepare their dowries these days. Please keep an eye on the house. If you have any questions while preparing the New Year gifts, come and ask me. After I'm gone, you can ask the old lady. You're pregnant now. If you feel unwell or don't want to move, go find the two Lan girls to help."
Hai had already been in charge of most of the household chores and was familiar with them, so she naturally obeyed all the chores. However, seeing Wang's red eyes, she was secretly suspicious. In the next few days, when Hai heard that Wang was going to open the warehouse, take out the silks and precious wood that had been accumulated in the early years, and divide them equally into one and two parts, she immediately understood what was going on.
Hai was always sensible and immediately said to Wang, "My two sisters are getting married, and as their sister-in-law, I can't go home empty-handed. I'll give them some makeup as well, as a token of my appreciation for them and their brother."
Wang quickly stopped him. She was a good math expert, and this calculation was clear. If Hai's dowry remained untouched, it would belong to her grandson. If she gave Ruolan a share, then Minglan would have to have one too. Now, every day when she counted the belongings and dowry, she felt a pang of pain. How could she bear to shed more blood?
"The Hanlin Academy is a poor place, and the children are still young. You will have many expenses in the future! Don't worry, I will take care of your sisters' dowries. It's not that we can't afford it. Besides, our Sheng family doesn't like to worry about our daughter-in-law's dowry!" Wang held Hai's hand tightly and interrupted her daughter-in-law's thoughts.
Having said that, Hai knew it very well in her heart. After going back and discussing with Bo Ge'er, she still prepared a lot of precious and exquisite jewelry ornaments to add to the beauty of the two Lans.
…
Perhaps dowry is an eternal topic, always involving the mother-in-law, daughter-in-law, and sister-in-law. Compared with the warmth and beauty of the Sheng family, the Yuan family looks ugly.
The main hall of the Zhongqin Marquis's mansion had its doors and windows tightly closed on all sides. Tiny pieces of porcelain were scattered on the ground, and tea had spilled all over the floor. The room was filled with a faint scent of tea, and the overturned incense burner emitted a faint sandalwood fragrance, which mixed into an indescribable smell.
Old Master Yuan's face was ashen, and he pointed at Madam Yuan, who was standing below him, and trembled non-stop: "You, you, you, how could you possibly think of this?! You actually thought of using your daughter-in-law's dowry to support Ying'er! You've lost your mind!"
Madam Yuan glanced at Yuan Wenshao standing beside her, unable to hold back her pride, and said stubbornly, "She's married into our family now! What do you mean by dowry? Everything is Yuan! Since her mother-in-law asked for it, she should have honestly given it to her. How dare she complain to a man?! What family education?!"
With a loud bang, Master Yuan slammed his palm on the square table, shocking everyone's heart. He roared, his beard trembling, "Shut up! How dare you talk about your daughter-in-law? Over the past few decades, not to mention your dowry, how much of my Yuan family's money have you used to support your mother's family and the Zhang family? Why don't you consider that we all have the surname Yuan?!"
Madam Yuan was choked. Seeing her husband's sharp eyes and revealing his true self in front of their son, she was obviously really angry. She could only pull out a handkerchief and cover her face with it, pretending to cry: "Isn't it all for Ying'er? There are so many brothers in the Shoushan Marquis's Mansion. If Ying'er doesn't have a generous dowry, what will happen when her sisters-in-law look down on her?! Master, don't just feel sorry for your daughter-in-law, think about your own daughter too. She is our only daughter!"
Mrs. Yuan was just pretending to cry at first, but when she thought of her daughter, she couldn't help but burst into real tears. The more she spoke, the sadder she became. Then she cursed angrily, "This bitch, I'm going to tear her mouth off right now! Tell her to instigate my son to disobey! The daughter-in-law doesn't listen to her mother-in-law and wants to rebel!" She turned around and rushed to Yuan Wenshao who was standing beside her. She clenched her fists and beat him, crying and cursing as she beat him, "...Why is my life so hard? I raised you with great difficulty, but now you have a wife and forget your mother! I just want some dowry for your sister, and you come to sue your father! You evil creature, I might as well beat you to death!"
Yuan Wenshao didn't dare to push his mother and could only dodge. He was hit several times for no reason. Uncle Yuan was furious. He was not a scholar like Sheng Hong. He took two big steps forward, pulled his old wife away who was throwing a tantrum, and hit her with his hand.
Bang!
Madam Yuan was hit hard on the face. She covered her face in disbelief and looked at the old man: "You, you actually did this in front of our son... I won't live anymore!"
She was about to throw herself at him while crying and shouting, but Uncle Yuan tugged her hard, throwing her to the ground and saying coldly, "Do you still remember what the old lady said when she passed away?"
Yuan Wenshao was confused by what he heard, but Mrs. Yuan suddenly became quiet, with a look of fear on her face.
Uncle Yuan's expression was stern. He spoke slowly, "Mother once told my eldest sister, you, and me in person that you were foolish and greedy, that you were obsessed with small profits and forgot about greater principles. You were unfit to be my heir, but we already had children. Before she passed away, Mother asked me to write a letter of divorce. She herself wrote a message on the back, saying that it was truly difficult for the Yuan family to regain their title, and it was a blessing from heaven. No more mistakes could be made. If you were a piece of rotten wood that could not be carved out, and a burden to the family, then there was no need to worry about you observing three years of mourning for the elders. You could just be divorced! The letter of divorce is still locked on the altar in the ancestral hall!"
Yuan Wenshao was shocked. He had never heard of such a thing. Madam Yuan had stopped crying and was shaking like a sieve. A trace of disgust flashed in Master Yuan's eyes. He scolded, "Look at yourself now. Are you worthy of being the mistress of the Yuan family?! Ever since you married two daughters-in-law, I have tolerated you for a long time to save your reputation as a mother-in-law, but you are getting even more unreasonable!"
Madam Yuan was so frightened that her face turned pale. Yuan Wenshao slowly helped his mother up and sat her down on a square chair beside him. In fact, he knew in his heart that the divorce letter should be used mainly for deterrence. If he really divorced his wife, it would be embarrassing for the Zhongqin Marquis's family.
The room was silent except for Mrs. Yuan's soft sobs and Old Man Yuan's angry breathing. At this moment, the door of the hall was slammed open, and Yuan Wenying rushed in with tears on her face. She saw that the room was in a mess, her father was shaking with anger, and her mother was covering her cheeks in despair. She burst into tears and knelt down with a plop, kowtowed to her father and mother. Yuan Wenshao saw that something was wrong and rushed to the door and closed it.
Yuan Wenying's face was covered with tears as she choked up and said, "My sister-in-law has already told me that I am being unfilial and causing my parents to argue over me!"
Uncle Yuan always doted on his daughter. Seeing her like this, he just sat down silently and snorted coldly, "She's really good at spreading rumors! She has no other skills, but she's always good at gossiping!"
When Mrs. Yuan heard that her husband was displeased with her niece, she rushed over, hugged her daughter and cried, "My poor Ying'er, your father and brother are so cruel!"
Yuan Wenshao's face showed a look of surprise, and he couldn't help but say, "Mother! If it was anything else, it would be fine, but you asked for Hualan's dowry farm. That's more than ten hectares of fertile land in the suburbs of Beijing. Moreover, the Sheng family is nearby. If there is any change in this land, don't you think they will know?! You, you, how can your son hold his head up in his wife's family in the future? How can Hualan return to her parents' home in the future!"
Speaking of this, Master Yuan became furious again, pointing at Madam Yuan and cursing, "That's exactly what I mean! Over the years, do you think I don't know how much of my second daughter-in-law's property you've secretly and openly connived at?! My in-laws are so kind and amicable that they don't bother with us! Not to mention that the dowry is the daughter-in-law's private property, even if the husband's family is in a hurry to make ends meet, they shouldn't go too far! And you're so good as to almost rob her! Do you still have any shame?!"
Uncle Yuan grew increasingly angry as he spoke. Suddenly, he remembered something and shouted, "The other day, two younger brothers from the third branch came to me to complain, saying that several marriage proposals had fallen through. It's you who has brought shame upon our Yuan family. People say that the Yuan family mother-in-law is mean and habitually seizes her daughter-in-law's dowry. Who would dare to marry into our family? You still have the nerve to act like the eldest sister-in-law in the family. I'm so ashamed for you!"
Thinking of his older brothers, Uncle Yuan's face was filled with guilt. The Yuan family was neither high nor low in status, so it was not easy to find a suitable marriage partner. Thinking of how he had implicated his family members because of his old wife's stupidity, he became even more angry and cursed a few more times.
Mrs. Yuan looked aggrieved. The wife of the Marquis of Shoushan had always looked down on her brother's wife, but she wanted to gain respect in front of her.
Yuan Wenying was very perceptive and knew exactly where the problem lay. She knelt before Madam Yuan and pleaded with her, "I know you're doing this for my daughter's own good, but... think about it, Aunt is a daughter from the Yuan family. How could she not know our family's financial situation? Aunt has always doted on me. Even if I don't bring a penny with me, would she think I'd let her down? If I marry into the family with my second sister-in-law's farm or the money it could generate, I'll be looked down upon by Aunt!... Ever since my second sister-in-law came into the family, she's treated me like her own sister. She's always given me the best food and clothes first. By acting this way, you've hurt my second sister-in-law's feelings. Won't that make things difficult for us, my sister-in-law?"
Seeing that everyone was on the side of her second daughter-in-law, Mrs. Yuan felt as if she had coptis in her mouth and could not utter a word.
Yuan Wenshao felt a little relieved. After all, this girl was a sensible person. Uncle Yuan looked at his daughter with satisfaction and sighed deeply. Remembering that his son had just said that he had something to go out for in the evening, he quickly winked at his son. Yuan Wenshao saw it and slowly walked out along the edge of the door, but did not go to the main gate, but went straight to Hualan's place in the small courtyard on the west side.
As soon as he stepped into the house, he saw Hualan wearing a half-worn emerald-bottomed, brocade-padded jacket with a velvet edge and small floral patterns. Yuan Wenshao felt a pang of guilt, remembering the box full of brand new clothes Hualan had when she first got married, and now... Hualan was sitting on the edge of the kang, leaning on her elbows on the kang table. Seeing her husband coming, she said calmly, "Is it over?"
Yuan Wenshao nodded.
Hua Lan smiled sadly: "It's like this every time, and it's like this this time too. A good family must be in turmoil. I really want to ask mother, what's wrong with me that she must find fault with me? If mother really can't tolerate me, she should write me a letter of divorce as soon as possible, and I will divorce you. Why make me suffer like this!" As she spoke, tears flowed down her cheeks.
Yuan Wenshao stepped forward and hugged his wife, saying softly, "What nonsense are you talking about? We are going to grow old together. Even if you want to leave, I won't let you go!"
Hua Lan burst into tears. "It's not that I'm unfilial. I just want to ask, when will this end? The silver I brought as a dowry is long gone, and the fine materials and items in the suitcases have all been taken away by mother every day. Now she's thinking about the farm. Mother, mother...what do you want?! It's not like our family can't make ends meet, right?"
Hualan burst into tears and sobbed in her husband's arms. Yuan Wenshao was extremely angry. In fact, he knew very well what his mother was thinking. It was just that Hualan's family was capable, and she was liked by her father-in-law and loved by her husband. In comparison, he, the mother-in-law, was overshadowed.
Yuan Wenshao didn't know what to say, so he could only offer soft words of comfort. Hualan suddenly stood up from her husband's arms, her expression firm as she said loudly, "Shao Lang, if it were just me, I would follow you and never complain even if I had to eat coarse food! But...but..." She began to cry, "I just feel sorry for these children! They...they are still so young!"
Yuan Wenshao felt a sharp pain in his heart as he watched his wife weeping bitterly. Hualan sobbed, "This title will belong to my eldest brother in the future. Looking at Mother's attitude, I'm afraid we won't get any of the family property. What will happen to the children?! My mother was already suspicious the last time she came. I tried to trick her by saying that pregnant women find old clothes more comfortable, but Zhuang Jie'er's clothes couldn't deceive anyone. So she sent me two rolls of bright red brocade! It's understandable that a grandmother gave something to her granddaughter, but if she gave me something else, wouldn't it be a slap in the face of the Yuan family?"
Yuan Wenshao suddenly became alert, his jaw tightened, his eyes flashing with cold light. He said, "...from now on, don't obey mother in everything. If mother asks for anything again, tell me! And..." He paused, then said harshly, "If you feel comfortable, sell Qiu Niang's four maids tomorrow!"
Hua Lan was shocked and said in a trembling voice, "That... that's the concubine that mother gave you. It's not good..."
Yuan Wenshao's eyes were filled with anger. "Didn't mother say that the family was struggling financially? She also said that she was short of money to arrange a wedding for my sister. Why keep those girls for nothing? You can sell them later. You can save some money on servants and women. Give the money to mother! Let her say she has no money again?!"
Hua Lan was overjoyed, but she didn't dare show her feelings. She only stammered, "Is this okay?"
"What's the problem?! I've been worried about those enchanting things for a long time!" Yuan Wenshao came from a military family and was always clear in his words. He made the decision right away.
Hualan wiped away her tears vigorously, knowing that her husband was being considerate of her. She gently leaned over to him. The couple spent a little time together. Hualan pushed her husband away and said with a smile, "Isn't Lord Dou going to have a banquet tonight? Shaolang, don't delay and hurry over!" As she spoke, she took a heavy small bundle from the head of the kang and stuffed it into her husband's hands, saying gently, "Take it."
As soon as Yuan Wenshao took it, he knew it was a bag full of silver. His heart tightened. He looked at Hua Lan and asked hurriedly, "Where is your gold necklace?"
Hua Lan smiled shyly: "You're already a mother, why would you still wear a gold necklace?"
Yuan Wenshao knew that the gold necklace belonged to each of the Sheng family's daughters, and that Hualan now had to pawn it to afford it. He felt even more resentful towards Madam Yuan and said in a deep voice, "Don't worry! I will make up for your dowry bit by bit in the future!"
Hua Lan smiled gently: "Shao Lang is a man of his word and never breaks his promise."
After the couple said goodbye, Hua Lan smiled and watched Yuan Wenshao leave. After he walked away, the smile on her lips slowly cooled, and she sat with a serious expression. After a while, a young wife came in through the curtain and said with a smile, "Miss, your son-in-law has gone out."
Hualan nodded. The woman attentively helped Hualan lie down on the kang, folded the bedding, and then said with a smile, "Miss, you have won again. In the past two years, the son-in-law has always been on your side. If the old lady knew, she would definitely be happy."
Hua Lan's expression was cold, and she said slowly, "I've endured for almost ten years, and finally there's something to look forward to. Cui Chan, my legs are a little sore."
Cuichan quickly leaned over to the edge of the kang and gently massaged Hualan's calves. Hualan half-closed her eyes and asked, "Have you found out everything?"
Cuichan knew what Hualan was asking about and whispered, "There's no need to pry. The uncle's voice was very loud and many people heard it. The uncle scolded the lady severely, and Miss Ying also helped to persuade her, and said... Oh, there was also a letter of divorce." Then she immediately repeated the story that Uncle Yuan had written a letter of divorce.
Hua Lan's eyes lit up: "Really?!"
Cui Chan nodded vigorously, covering her mouth with her hands and laughing secretly, "This time, Madam is really embarrassed. Let's see how she can act so arrogantly in front of Grandma from now on!"
Hua Lan lay down with a smile on her face, eyes closed, and said leisurely, "Maybe this time I can stay quiet for a while longer. Grandma is right. Women, you must use your brains to get by. You can't let others bully you without thinking, nor can you just act on your temper, get angry, or sulk."
Cuichan listened with a smile, gently pounding her legs. Seeing Hualan's exhausted face, she couldn't help but wipe her eyes with her sleeves and whispered, "It's really not easy for the young lady. Every time we go back, Madam Fang always pulls me aside and asks me for a long time if she's doing well."
Hualan thought of Old Madam Sheng, and her eyes moistened. She sobbed, "It's all because of my unfilial behavior that I've made Grandmother worry about me. This time, because of Minglan's matter, she must be angry with me."
Cui Chan said hurriedly, "How could that be?! The old lady will only be angry for a moment. When she sees that Sixth Miss is doing well, she will be fine. Didn't the mistress say when she came last that the old lady now likes the Gu family much more?"
She was originally from Shou'an Hall. When Hualan got married, Fang Mama personally picked her out to send as a dowry. Later, she married a manager who was in charge of Hualan's dowry. Now she is a very trusted assistant to Hualan.
Hualan burst into laughter: "That's right! Gu Erlang is really impatient. It's only been a few days since the engagement letter was exchanged, but he's already in a hurry to send New Year gifts to my house. Boxes of fine materials, not to mention the gauze, silk and satin from Jiangnan, but also leather from outside the Great Wall, lynx, purple lamb, fox fur, snow bear, and even half-foot-long snow ginseng. My mother's hands are so weak from receiving them. It turns out that he has been saving them for a long time, just waiting for the right time!" Hualan couldn't help laughing as she spoke.
Cui Chan was filled with envy when she heard this, her mouth wide open: "So many good things! Even if the old lady doesn't care about these material possessions, she should understand the Gu family's serious intentions."
Hua Lan nodded and smiled, "That's right." When she lowered her head, she suddenly saw her half-worn clothes and felt sad.
Cuichan stole a glance at Hualan's face and knew what she was thinking. She quickly leaned over and whispered, "Don't take it to heart, young lady. The Sixth Young Lady hasn't even married yet, and the Gu family is quite deep. You won't know how many situations you'll have to deal with in the future, and it will be very hard. But you're about to get through it. Didn't the old lady say it? It depends on what your son-in-law is like. If he's heartless, you should keep the money and take care of yourself. If he has a conscience and loves you, you should think about him wholeheartedly and don't be stingy with anything!"
Hualan's spirits brightened, her face lit up with joy. She took Cuichan's hand and said gently, "Thank goodness the old lady gave you to me. You've been my comfort all these years. Well, I haven't given away all my dowry after all! ... Now Shige'er's father knows what's good for him and is no longer willing to give all his money to my mother-in-law. As long as he agrees with me, I'm willing to give him any amount of money. I'll seek a few more posts outside the capital, and then life will be better."
Cui Chan heard this and asked with a playful smile, "Didn't you just get promoted to the deputy commander of the Wucheng Military Division? You're so thoughtful, young lady. You've just had your fill of food and you're already thinking about what's in the pot."
Hualan tapped Cuichan's forehead with a finger and said with a smirk, "You little bitch, you're here to tease the master!" After glaring at Cuichan, she showed a hint of worry and sighed softly, "Speaking of which, now I just feel so sorry for the old lady, but..."
Hua Lan's eyes were filled with tears as she whispered, "Being a daughter-in-law is so difficult! Besides, I have to deal with such a mother-in-law. I didn't mean to scheme against Ming girl. Commander Gu's status and appearance are not disgraceful to the daughter of the Sheng family. She is my own sister, so I am willing to give her up. Alas - I just hope that Sixth Sister will have a good life in the future, otherwise I will not be ashamed to see the old lady."
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