A large round mahogany octagonal table with peony relief patterns was decorated with a variety of food. In the middle was a basket of steaming dumplings, surrounded by red bean and cornmeal steamed cakes, goose fat fried red bean paste sesame balls, four-color scallion steamed buns, fried twisted dough sticks, and jujube and yam cakes. On the small table next to it were sweet and savory porridges, golden rice pumpkin porridge, and mushroom and chicken porridge.
Minglan's appetite immediately grew, but she kept reminding herself that she was at her husband's house and she had to pay attention to her demeanor.
The old lady took her seat first, looked around, and asked with a smile, "Where's Miss Can? Her sisters-in-law are all here, but she hasn't come out yet?"
Mama Xiang, who was serving porridge nearby, turned and replied, "Seventh Miss said she had eaten with Miss Sun and the young master, and would come back to pay her respects to the Second Madam later."
Madam Shao sat down beside the Madam Dowager, with a faint smile on her face: "I've been so grateful to Seventh Sister these days. I feel relieved to have her accompany Sister Xian."
Zhu had already pulled Minglan to sit down and was quietly asking her what kind of porridge she wanted. Upon hearing this, she smiled and said, "My sister has the best temper. She's respectful and filial, and she loves children. I wonder who will be lucky enough to get her in the future!"
The lady scolded lightly: "Don't talk nonsense, you are making your sister-in-law laugh at you."
Minglan took the mushroom and chicken porridge, which was filled with fragrance. She smiled and said, "You're not right. I heard at home that the Seventh Young Lady was the most talented and one of the best ladies in the capital. Now I know that Sister Tingcan is not only talented in poetry and prose, but also kind and friendly. She is truly rare." This was not nonsense. Once, Lian Jie'er and Molan had quarreled, and Lian Jie'er had loudly said, "My Seventh Cousin from the Ningyuan Marquis' Mansion is much better than you in poetry, calligraphy and painting."
The lady's face was filled with joy, and she kept saying, "Don't praise her too much! That girl is very ignorant!"
Minglan smiled and lowered her head to eat. The salty and fresh porridge was paired with crispy fried dough twists and glutinous rice balls, and her mouth was full of fragrance.
If she remembered correctly, this Miss Gu Tingcan was a few months older than herself. In a noble family like the Gu family, which had lived in the capital for a long time, the daughters of the family had arranged marriages long ago, but why was she still unmarried? If she had been in mourning for the late emperor, it would be normal for her to have been delayed for a year, but from her tone, it seemed that she had no intention of marrying anyone.
The reason was nothing more than a change in the family that had originally favored them. Either they looked down on the Gu family, or the Gu family looked down on them. In the two or three years since the late emperor's death and the new emperor's accession to the throne, more than half of the dignitaries in the capital had been implicated. It was not surprising that the status of noble families had fluctuated greatly.
Don't talk while eating and don't talk while sleeping. Gu Tingye couldn't do the latter, but his stepmother did the former. After the female relatives finished their meal, the maids came in one after another carrying basins, bowls, and handkerchiefs. After Minglan washed up briefly, she took a sip of tea.
She raised her hand, pinched her fingers, dipped them in water, rinsed her mouth, and served tea. The whole set of movements was gentle and warm, like flowing water, extremely elegant and beautiful. Zhu, who was watching from the side, was a little surprised: this concubine's daughter of a fourth-rank civil official was well-educated. No matter the noisy pomp of wealth and status, or the solemn and strict etiquette and regulations, she seemed to pay no attention to them at all. She was always calm and fearless, and not in a hurry. She smiled when she stood and was leisurely and contented when she sat.
I heard that the old lady of the Sheng family was the eldest daughter of the Yongyi Marquis of Jinling, and was extremely noble and arrogant. The Xu family is not doing well now, but it was very prosperous in the past. Thinking of this, Zhu understood. I heard that the new lady was raised by the old lady since she was a child, no wonder her manners are so extraordinary.
On the other side, Minglan was struggling to hold the tea saucer with three fingers, with a subtle smile on her face. She thought to herself that when Madam Kong came to the Sheng family to teach, she probably never thought that three of the four girls would use what she taught.
Elite educators are different, they are very efficient!
Perhaps because the meal was taking a while, he turned to his mother, checked the time on the clock, and said softly, "Madam, it's almost time. I'm afraid the Fourth Old Master and the others are already waiting. I'd rather ask the Seventh Young Lady and the others to go by themselves. It's closer to where they eat."
The Madam thought for a moment and nodded, "That's right." She turned and smiled at Minglan and the others. "We've all worked up an appetite with the impending wedding. We've actually been waiting for so long. Let's go now. We wouldn't want to keep everyone waiting."
Minglan and the other two bowed their heads and stood respectfully, responding one after another, and followed the lady out.
After taking a few steps, they saw Gu Tingye and another young man standing in the courtyard. When Minglan and the others came closer, they saw that the man had bright eyes, red lips and white teeth. He looked very similar to Gu Tingyu, but with a bit more bright and heroic spirit. When he saw the lady and her group, he immediately bowed and said with a bright look, "Mother, I was just talking to my second brother about this garden. When can we learn from the Jingning Marquis family and plant it full of locust trees?"
The old lady couldn't help but smile when she saw her youngest son. She scolded him lightly, "You are a useless boy. You only know how to play all day long. You don't know how to study hard or learn martial arts to make progress. You are really making your second brother laugh at you!"
Gu Tingwei stretched out an arm and placed it on Gu Tingye's shoulder, smiling brightly, "Mother, I've been like this since I was little. When has my second brother ever laughed at me? When I was little, I climbed a tree to rob a bird's nest and couldn't get down. I was afraid of being punished, so I didn't dare tell you. So every time, my second brother would secretly carry me down! Right, second brother?"
Gu Tingye smiled and glanced at him: "You are a father, it's time for you to learn something about economics and official career."
The lady's smile widened. "I'll feel more at ease if you supervise this monkey more." Then, turning to Minglan, she said, "The one who hasn't made any progress is your third brother."
Minglan moved slightly, took a half step forward, lowered her head, and said softly, "Third brother."
Gu Tingwei solemnly bowed, "Second sister-in-law."
The two groups huddled together. Zhu consciously walked over to her husband's side. Minglan was slow to react. Gu Tingye waited for a long time before finally walking over to stand beside Minglan. He couldn't help but glare at her, only to see her big, watery eyes blinking in confusion. The morning mist in the courtyard had just dissipated, leaving her long eyelashes slightly damp. Gu Tingye's heart softened, and he whispered, "Are you full?"
Minglan made a bitter face and shook her head slightly, looking sad and angry.
Gu Tingye said softly: "Let's eat when we get home."
Minglan nodded immediately, looking flattering. If she had a tail, she would have wagged it. Gu Tingye's lips curled slightly, and he slowly turned his head back, looking serious.
Mrs. Shao supported the lady-in-waiting as they walked in front, followed by two couples. They walked around the Begonia Gate with hanging flowers and went along the gravel path in front of the east wing courtyard. After a while, they entered the main courtyard and walked around an extremely large and tall marble screen with a thousand horses galloping. Suddenly, the view in front of them opened up and they saw an extremely spacious corridor. After walking about fifty steps in front of them, they saw a very large and bright hall. A row of sixteen bright vermilion lacquered wooden doors were all opened. On top of them was a plaque with the words "Rui Xuan Hall" in large characters, which were thick and powerful, as if it had the aura of metal and stone.
Minglan then looked around and saw simple and heavy furnishings everywhere. Compared with the luxurious and magnificent Xiangyang Marquis Mansion, this place had a sense of simple and noble pride, and was truly magnificent.
As they approached, a steward in his forties came forward and bowed his head. He had a sharp face and said in a clear voice, "Madam, Marquis, Second Master, Second Madam, Third Master, Third Madam, please come in quickly. The two old masters have arrived."
The Madam nodded slightly. Madam Shao glanced at her sideways before turning and saying, "Thank you for your hard work, Manager Qin. Please go and inform them."
Manager Qin responded and went in.
Minglan stood beside Gu Tingye and suddenly felt that the aura around him was inexplicably cold. She couldn't help but glance at him, only to see that his expression was indifferent, with his brows slightly raised in an upward arc. Minglan lowered her eyelids and suddenly saw that his hands in his sleeves were clenched into fists, and his knuckles were slightly white. Fortunately, his scarlet sleeves were very wide today, covering a lot of it.
Minglan was alert and kept a close eye on things.
When he stepped inside, the place was already packed with people, a buzz of chatter. On either side, men and women sat in order of seniority. At the top sat two elderly couples, with a vacant seat in the middle, presumably reserved for the Madam. Everyone, from the top seat down, stood up to greet her and her group. The Madam smiled and said, "I'm sorry to have made you laugh, uncles. A bunch of women, talking so much, have kept us here for so long. I'm truly sorry."
The middle-aged woman on the right stood up and said with a smile: "Sister-in-law, what are you talking about? It's just a moment's wait. What's wrong with that?"
The old lady came forward and sat down, Madam Shao sat in the first seat on the right side of the female attendants, followed by Mrs. Zhu, and Gu Tingwei sat in the left row of men's seats. Then it was Gu Tingye and his wife who paid their respects to the elders. The maids and old women had already prepared futons and teacups. Gu Tingye and Minglan both knelt down to pay their respects, and the old lady introduced them warmly on the side.
Since they were not direct relatives, Minglan did not have to kowtow this time. She only had to offer tea and call her elder. Of course, she gained little with little effort and only got two purses as a token of her appreciation.
After paying their respects, they stood up and greeted their brothers and sisters of the same generation. Those older than Gu Tingye had to bow and perform a blessing gesture, while the younger ones had to bow to Minglan in return. This time the narrator was Zhu, who spoke clearly and in a crisp and fluent manner, and her explanation was very detailed and clear.
In fact, long before she got married, Mrs. Sheng had given Minglan a brief introduction to the internal affairs of the Gu family. Minglan, adhering to the spirit of tireless learning, took careful notes. There are now three branches in the Ningyuan Marquis' Mansion, namely the first branch, the fourth branch, and the fifth branch.
In fact, the family property had been divided when the old marquis' father passed away, and the concubines' children had moved out long ago. Some of them lived in Ningyuan Street and depended on the main branch for survival, while others, after making a name for themselves, simply set up their own houses and lived separately.
Originally, the fourth and fifth houses were also going to move out, but because the old marquis was away on border duty all year round, the mansion had to be left unattended, so they let their two younger brothers stay. After the old marquis was transferred by imperial order and returned to the capital with his family, the people of the third house got along well with each other and lived together again.
The fourth old master was born plump and solid, with the appearance of a wealthy gentleman, except that his eyes seemed a little cloudy. The fifth old master was dressed like a scholar, with a long beard with five strands of hair, which made him look quite noble and elegant. He was one of the few scholars in the Gu family. He passed the imperial examination in his youth, but never became a Jinshi. He served as a court official for several terms. Now he is unemployed at home. He writes poems and paints in his spare time. He is quite famous in the capital.
Minglan barely remembered them.
What followed was a series of 'Gu Ting X', both male and female, each with a family and many entanglements. Minglan was so upset that her brain short-circuited. She remembered that she had given away a total of eight gourd purses and five lotus purses, plus a large bag of gold ingots and three or four jade ornaments. Minglan was so distressed that her eyes were dizzy.
When Zhu finished her explanation and picked up the teacup, Minglan only understood her immediate family. The old marquis had three sons and two daughters in total. The sons were born to each of his three wives (he really treated everyone equally, which Minglan admired very much); the daughters were the married illegitimate daughter Gu Tingyan - Today's Future, and the unmarried legitimate daughter Gu Tingcan - a beautiful girl with an oval face, bright eyes, three parts cleverness, three parts dignity, and four parts reserve, with a bit of the arrogance of a talented woman.
In addition, Minglan also knew that the "Sister-in-law Xuan" who was chatting and laughing in the bridal chamber on the day of the wedding was the eldest daughter-in-law of the fourth old master.
Danju stood at the side of the hall, veins bulging on her forehead, her eyes wide and ferocious. She was gritting her teeth, memorizing these relatives, preparing to review them with Minglan when she got home. Minglan, distressed by the heavy bleeding she had suffered today and ashamed of her own confusion, muttered a few words under her breath. Xiaotao, who was accompanying her, heard this and quickly encouraged her, "Young lady, you are a person who knows everything and is kind."
"Knowing people and assigning them to the right positions." Minglan felt much more comfortable.
After the recognition ceremony, a series of maids came in with tea trays and fruits. The men were still sitting in the hall drinking tea and chatting, while the women stood up and walked a few steps inside. The hall was very spacious, and was slightly separated on the side by a wooden lattice fan with floral carvings and lacquer. Voices and laughter could be heard and faces could be seen on both sides.
Several round tables had been set up inside, with a lot of four-color tea and fruits on them. Minglan was pulled by the enthusiastic Zhu to sit next to her. Several young wives and ladies came up to talk to Minglan. Minglan couldn't recognize who was who, so she responded to them with shy smiles. Fortunately, it was their first meeting, so there was nothing substantial to say.
When someone complimented her on her new clothes, Minglan would just laugh, "No, no, no."
Complimenting her on the exquisiteness of her jewelry and hairpins, Minglan continued, "Thank you so much."
When someone praised her for her bright and elegant appearance, Minglan blushed and continued, "How dare I."
...and so on.
After a few words, all the young wives and girls felt that Minglan was boring. They could not tease her or say a few words to her, so they dispersed and sat together to chat and laugh. Only the lady-in-law, the fourth old lady, the fifth old lady, Mrs. Shao, Sister-in-law Xuan and Mrs. Zhu were left at Minglan's table.
"...I think my eldest sister-in-law is really lucky. All the daughters-in-law here are outstanding. Look at Brother Ye's daughter-in-law, she is really a beauty that fell from the sky. I like her!" The fourth old lady smiled and kept looking at Minglan. She was wearing a purple and gold brocade double-breasted jacket, which was quite luxurious. "Compared with my niece's wife, the ones in my family are nothing compared to her!"
Mrs. Xuan took a sip of tea and swallowed it hard, saying, "Oh, my mother-in-law, if you want to praise this angelic sister-in-law, I will do it without hesitation. She is so good, but you should also save some face for your daughter-in-law!" As she said this, she fell into the arms of the fourth old lady. The fourth old lady laughed and scolded, "You shameless monkey, you also want face today?!"
Everyone laughed. Minglan acted shy, smiled and lowered her head. Seeing how affectionate the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were, no one could have imagined that the fourth old lady was the second wife, and Gu Tingxuan was the son left by the previous wife.
In contrast, the Fifth Old Lady was much more gentle. She simply held Minglan's hand and spoke quietly for a few words: "You've just arrived, so you don't know how hard your mother-in-law has worked these past few years. She's gentle and kind to everyone in the family, compassionate to the poor and humble, kind to the elderly and loving to the young. She's the most appropriate person."
The fourth old lady also said, "Who says it's not true? She has to take care of Yu'er's health, she has to help Yu'er's wife and the housekeeper, she has to look after Xian'er, she has to worry about the whole family inside and outside, it's really hard for her!"
The lady smiled and said, "Look at you two. Well... well, I'm thick-skinned and not shy. Keep praising me."
This sentence made everyone laugh again, and Mrs. Shao looked at the lady-in-waiting with a look full of gratitude.
The Fifth Old Lady had a thin face and a gentle temperament. She whispered to Minglan, "Don't blindly believe outsiders. Your mother-in-law has had a hard time. Now that you're married, you should persuade Ye'er more. A harmonious and happy family is the key to a prosperous family."
The fourth old lady said "yes, yes" enthusiastically; Minglan naturally nodded enthusiastically.
As they were chatting and laughing, they suddenly heard a loud argument outside. The fourth old master shouted angrily, "...Gu Tingye, you are so good! You have become successful now, but you don't give your uncle face! I'm not asking you to go through fire and water. It's just a dinner out tonight. It's also the kindness of your uncles and brothers. Why do you look down on them like this?"
Gu Tingye sat quietly, neither humble nor arrogant: "I haven't sorted out the military affairs in the camp yet, and I still have several important matters entrusted by the emperor to deal with. After lunch today, I will return to the Governor's Mansion. This wine... let's drink it later."
The fourth old master was so angry that his beard was puffing up. He slammed the table loudly: "Don't use the errand as an excuse! Do you think I have never seen the world? Your father was ten times busier than you. He always answered his brothers when they called him? How dare you not answer your uncle when he spoke?!" As he spoke, he was about to pounce on him, as if he wanted to kick him a few times. Gu Tingxuan on the side hugged his father tightly and whispered a few words in his ear. The fourth old master then remembered that this was not his son and he could not beat or scold him, so he sat down angrily.
"Tingye is not as capable as my father, and cannot take care of both. Please forgive me, fourth uncle." Gu Tingye looked at the fourth old master coldly, and his fierce eyes suddenly became stronger, and then retracted in an instant. The fourth old master saw that he was suddenly full of murderous aura and his face was gloomy. He was a little scared for a moment, and did not dare to be presumptuous. He turned his face away and did not speak.
Seeing this, the Fifth Old Master was quite dissatisfied. He stroked his beard and frowned, saying, "You have official business to attend and can't attend the banquet, which is fine, but why do you have to move out of the mansion? Wouldn't it be better to live in your own home? Why do you have to cause rumors outside to make you happy?"
Minglan's heart skipped a beat. She remembered Gu Tingye saying last night that the Madam had agreed to let them move in. How could there be another change? As she pondered this, she stole a peek at the Madam. She saw a troubled look on her face. She stood up and said worriedly to the outside, "Fifth Uncle, forget it, forget it! Don't say anything! Brother Ye must have his reasons for moving out!"
The fourth old lady pulled the lady to sit down and said politely, "What's the logic? The mother is still alive, but a son is not around to be filial to her. How can this be logical? No matter how successful Ye'er is outside, being unfilial to his mother is the first sin." As she spoke, she went to see Minglan.
Minglan continued to lower her head, thinking, Come on, who are you trying to fool? Do you think I'm a fool? Yes, disobedience is indeed a serious crime, and any official who commits it will be punished with death, but this only applies to the biological parents or stepmothers recognized by etiquette and law! The person in front of her is a stepmother, okay? It's a borderline case of etiquette and law. Since ancient times, when there was a quarrel between stepmother and legitimate son, the patriarchal court did not care much.
Back in Dengzhou, Sheng Hong was judging two cases, both involving his mother's seduction and the murder of his father. The illegitimate son who murdered his stepmother was sentenced to death and imprisonment, but this was later commuted to forced labor. The legitimate son who murdered his stepmother was only sentenced to exile several hundred miles away, with a return home for a few years. For his judgments in these two cases, Sheng Hong was highly praised by the local elders and gentry, who presented him with a plaque that read, "A Clear Mirror Hangs High."
——It’s just that I can’t say this explicitly. Woohoo, second uncle, you are so pitiful.
Sure enough, Gu Tingye was speechless for a moment, his brows furrowed in deep anger, his hair disheveled with anger. But the Fifth Old Master was a noble scholar, unfazed. He stared straight at him and continued to scold, "Your Governor's Mansion was given by the Emperor. It's up to you whether you live there or not. Why do you have to live there? As the saying goes, filial piety is the most important of all virtues, and the grace of raising a child is greater than the grace of giving birth. You were educated when you were young, so how can you be so confused?! Why don't you apologize to your mother quickly and tell her you won't leave?!"
Gu Tingye clenched his fists, his face gradually becoming solemn and stern. He stared at the Fifth Old Master for a long time. The Fifth Old Master glared at him. After a while, Gu Tingye slowly stood up, standing tall, with an imposing presence, and said calmly, "It's difficult to disobey the emperor's order. I will leave in the afternoon."
After saying just ten words, Gu Tingye clasped his fists respectfully, flicked his sleeves, turned around and left, leaving everyone in the hall looking at each other in bewilderment. The Fifth Old Master was so angry that he almost died - just as Gu Tingye couldn't say it openly, he couldn't really go to the government office to sue Gu Tingye for disobedience. Gu Tingye was a scoundrel who was very good at playing tricks!
Minglan couldn't help but applaud, but——
Gu Tingye's departure was too abrupt, which made Minglan, who stayed behind, very embarrassed. The female relatives looked at her with dissatisfaction. Minglan also wanted to retreat, but her seat was a blind spot, which was blocked by Zhu and the fourth old lady. She felt her scalp numbing under the gazes of everyone, and cursed Gu Tingye in her heart for being unfair. He only cared about his own retreat and left her to cover his retreat!
It was Madam Xuan who couldn't stand it any longer and came out to help. In the silence of the room, she chuckled and said, "Oh, sister-in-law, you see, your Second Master has this stubborn temper! You better be careful next time!"
Minglan nodded repeatedly.
Only then did the atmosphere relax a little. The fourth old master outside slammed his teacup and said unhappily, "If you don't know etiquette like this, no matter how great your achievements are, they will be in vain!"
As soon as these words were spoken, many people inside and outside the company began to criticize Gu Tingye. Although their words were very obscure, the general meaning was the same.
Seventh Miss Gu Tingcan was particularly furious. She was shouting, "Mother treats Second Brother like this, and Second Brother is so unfilial." Seeing Minglan lower her head and remain silent, she raised her voice, "What do you think, Second Sister-in-law? ... I heard that Second Sister-in-law has been well-versed in poetry and etiquette since childhood. I believe she understands filial piety. Please give your opinion on what happened today! Do you think Second Brother did the right thing?"
Mrs. Xuan frowned at that moment and looked at Minglan worriedly. Everyone's eyes turned to her, and even the men outside fell silent. Minglan sneered in her heart, slowly raised her head, her expression calm and relaxed, with two small dimples at the corners of her mouth. The female relatives were quite surprised.
Minglan didn't answer directly, but spoke loudly, "Two years ago, the former Minister of Works, Mr. Lu, was commended by the Emperor for his 'diligent, cautious, vigilant, and distinguished virtue in his advanced years.' Not only was he promoted to the position of Vice Minister of the Cabinet, but shortly thereafter, he was also awarded a mansion within Xifu Gate."
"Why are you talking about this..." Gu Tingcan couldn't help but interrupt, but was immediately suppressed by Mrs. Shao.
Minglan counted on her fingers and spoke slowly, "Actually, Old Master Lu's old residence was quite nice. Although it was a bit far from the Imperial City, it was surrounded by picturesque scenery. The best part was, all of Old Master Lu's old friends and even some of his relatives lived there. They'd gather there every day to relax and enjoy a drink and chat, which was a truly wonderful thing! I heard that many of his friends and relatives advised him not to move, and to just stay where he was. After all, it was a gift from the Emperor, so how could he leave the house?! Alas...but after receiving the imperial decree, Old Master Lu moved in without a second thought. He said, 'The Emperor's grace is like heaven, and to refuse would be disrespectful.'"
The halls inside and outside grew increasingly quiet. Only the sound of the Fourth Old Master flipping the lid of his teapot and the crisp tinkling of porcelain could be heard. The Fifth Old Master was so angry that his chest felt heavy, but he remained silent. With this stern hat on his head, no one could curse him anymore. The room remained silent for a long time before the Lady sighed, "It's hard for the two uncles and Ye'er. They've been upset because of me, an old woman."
Zhu was the most clever. She quickly stood up and said with a smile, "Yes, Second Uncle is loyal to the emperor, Fourth and Fifth Uncles are doing it for filial piety. They are all right. I'll go and take a look. We have to have lunch before we leave. I'll prepare a few cups of good wine. The uncles and Second Uncle can have a drink and talk it out!"
The fourth old lady also hurried to smooth things over, saying loudly: "Brother Wei's daughter-in-law is very thoughtful. Let's set up a table and have some wine. We are all family, so there is nothing to be ashamed of!"
After these few words, the atmosphere became much more relaxed. Everyone gradually started talking again, and the room was full of joy again. Minglan breathed a sigh of relief and lowered her head to chat and laugh with Mrs. Xuan. After just a few words, a timid maid suddenly came in from the door. She carefully slipped into the inner room. Minglan squinted and saw that it was Xia Zhu. She saw that her face was pale and she whispered tremblingly: "... Second Madam, the Second Master asked you to come over. He said that there are so many boxes and cages and he doesn't know what to do with them..."
The women in the inner room all looked very strange, staring at Minglan with strange smiles on their faces. Minglan's face flushed with anger, and she was furious: "My lady is already cleaning up the battlefield, and do I still need you to save the situation?! Rely on you? I've already been cannon fodder?"
Men are really unreliable?!
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