"It's a nice day, why are you so angry? Heng'er has grown up, and he will feel embarrassed if you beat up the people in his room at every turn." Lord Qi changed into casual clothes and leaned on the kang to talk to his wife.
Princess Pingning, wearing a bean green brocade jacket and sipping ginseng soup from a delicate teacup, frowned at the words, "What a shameless fellow! If he hadn't helped with the chores for his grandfather's birthday, he could have taken the opportunity to get to know more uncles and elders. But he's gone to such lengths to come up with such sneaky tricks. Humph, seeing that no one would bother him, he's been in a daze all day. When we were seeing him off just now, he looked so grim, I thought he was asking for a debt."
Lord Qi also sighed and said, "Don't be angry. You've already sent Chun'er far away, and no one else knows about this. Alas... after all, they are from a family of scholars, and their daughters are very sensible. Let's just let this matter go."
Princess Pingning asked curiously, "Then why are you sighing?"
Lord Qi looked up at the carved cloud patterns on the ceiling beam and said quietly, "You and I only have this one son. He's been sensible and obedient since he was young, and has always been studious. When he was seven or eight, he went out with the young master of the Duke of Lingguo to fight crickets. He came back and asked you to tie him up and give him a good beating. When I went to see him that night, he was propped up and doing his homework given by the teacher."
Princess Pingning remained silent, and Lord Qi continued, "Heng'er has never given us any cause for worry since he was little, and he's never asked for anything. This is the only time he hasn't fulfilled your wishes. Speaking of which, I noticed a few years ago that he was deeply attached to Brother Sheng's daughter. I didn't point it out then, thinking he'd never met many girls and that it was normal for children to have these infatuated thoughts. I figured it would heal in a few years. But now, I see he truly loves that girl..."
Princess Pingning's expression changed several times, and she smiled as she said, "They say that fathers are strict and mothers are kind, but in our family, the two are reversed. I'm a cruel mother, and you're a compassionate father. But are you willing to marry your son to the concubine's daughter of a fifth-rank official?"
Lord Qi fell silent. Princess Pingning glanced at her husband's face and saw that he had drooped eyelids, so she continued slowly, "Although your nephew is frail, he is still doing well. I can't just curse him to die early just so my son can inherit the title. But if I do, we have to think about Heng'er's future! I went to the palace to get some information, and the emperor still prefers the third prince, but he is only worried that he will have no heir. Now the sixth princess's behavior is also being observed by the palace, and the emperor hasn't said anything. Isn't this tacit approval? I think Princess Jiacheng seems to have a good temper. Where can I find such a good match?"
Lord Qi sighed again. He had never been a match for the princess's wife in terms of eloquence. "I just hope Heng'er can come around."
Princess Pingning looked at her husband's kind face, and remembering her son kneeling before her, crying and begging, she felt a little soft-hearted. The couple sat facing each other for a while, and all they could hear was the crisp clinking of porcelain bowls and cups as Princess Pingning stirred them with a spoon. After a while, Princess Pingning's expression relaxed, and she said in a gentle tone, "I feel sorry for my son too. If... he really likes her, why don't we ask for her to be Heng'er's concubine after you marry into the family? She's just a concubine, but she can still be..."
Before he could finish his words, Lord Qi seemed to be choking on his saliva and began to cough. He waved his hands repeatedly, saying, "No, no, no, don't even think about it!... Brother Sheng doesn't say it himself, but his eldest brother seems to have a promising future. He's just made two correct suggestions to the emperor, and he's already been praised once. Brother Sheng is a scheming man. Look at the marriages he's arranged for his son and daughter. He's got a powerful and noble man on one side, and an honest and upright person on the other. How could he casually give his daughter away as a concubine? Will he ever see me again in the officialdom? He even mentioned to me that his little girl has been raised by the old lady since she was a child. You know her better than I do."
Princess Pingning was still unconvinced: "She's just a concubine's daughter, what's the big deal?"
Lord Qi rolled his eyes at his wife. "Let me say one more thing. Don't let yourself get carried away by just a few compliments these days. If Brother Sheng really wants his daughter to be a concubine, why does he have to choose Brother Heng? There are so many princes and nobles in the capital and the vassal states. If he can really put aside his pride and give his daughter away, maybe she can even become a concubine!"
Princess Pingning recalled the scene when she saw Minglan today. Even she couldn't help but look at her twice more. With such a person's appearance and character, it wouldn't be difficult for her to become a concubine. Thinking about it, she suddenly chuckled. Lord Qi asked curiously, "What's wrong?"
Princess Pingning gently put down the bowl and said with a smile, "I'm laughing at you two, father and son, for being the same. Heng'er just came to me, begging me with a bunch of nice things and swearing at me. I couldn't resist him and even suggested taking Minglan as my concubine. He panicked and kept saying no, but Minglan is a very stubborn person. She almost knelt down in front of the broken porcelain pieces on the ground."
Master Qi snorted, "Of course. The old lady of the Sheng family was so resolute back then."
The princess also sighed, "Of her three sisters, that child is the most attractive. She's well-behaved and sensible, with outstanding character and appearance. Seeing how obedient and filial she is to her grandmother and stepmother, I like her too. It's a pity that they're not destined to be together."
After a while, Lord Qi suddenly remembered something and turned to his wife, "So, you're leaning towards the Sixth Prince. What about Concubine Rong? Her eldest brother has come to inquire about it several times."
Princess Pingning trembled with anger at the mention of this, and the pair of gold bracelets with phoenix patterns inlaid with gemstones on her wrists jingled together. "Bah! Eight generations of her ancestors were slaves to the masons, but they relied on their youth and good looks to please the emperor. How vulgar that family is! How dare they covet our family! Dream on! Now that the emperor is getting old, and she hasn't given birth to a son or daughter, her good days can be counted on one hand!"
Lord Qi pondered for a moment, then interrupted, "That's fine, but you shouldn't be so harsh. Simply push this matter over to the Sixth Princess. Act as if it's difficult, and let the two families fight it out. This way, you won't offend anyone, and the Sixth Princess will know we're not asking for anything. At least show some dignity, so Heng'er won't be embarrassed in front of the County Master in the future. Keep the matter between Heng'er and the Sheng family's daughter a secret."
Princess Pingning smiled and said, "I'll do as you say."
…
After returning home from the Marquis of Xiangyang's mansion that day, Minglan slept in Shou'an Hall that night. She recounted the entire story of Qi Heng and, incidentally, expressed her feelings. Old Madam Sheng embraced her little granddaughter and said nothing, only sighing deeply. The two of them lay down with their eyes open and fell asleep. In the stillness of the night, Minglan, half asleep, suddenly heard the old madam say softly, "You're a smart child. You know the road ahead is a dead end, so you won't go down that road again."
Sleepiness and fatigue suddenly came over Minglan, and she felt moisture in the corners of her eyes. She rested her head on her grandmother's arm, letting the fabric absorb all her weakness and hesitation. She told herself that when she woke up, she would continue to live a good and happy life.
On the second day of the twelfth lunar month, Wang invited a tailor from the Tianyi Pavilion to come and take measurements for her children. Changbai, without even blinking, picked out a few dark colors. Changfeng, as usual, picked out the most expensive and elegant fabrics. Changdong only dared to pick up the less impressive ones. When the tailor arrived at the three sisters' place...
"It's already this late. Even the maids and servants are wearing new winter clothes, and we are just making new clothes now." Molan casually checked the fabrics, her words hinting at something.
Rulan was extremely alert and immediately said, "You don't only make new clothes once a year. When did you run out of clothes for all seasons? You just moved to the capital and your mother was busy, so you're delayed."
Molan covered her mouth and chuckled softly. "Oh, I didn't say anything, sister, why are you so anxious? ... But, I think, since mother is so tired, why not hire someone to help with the housework? It would save her some time and not delay anything, wouldn't it be better?"
Wang has been very busy lately, attending social events and preparing for the wedding, so she inevitably neglected some housework. Aunt Lin took the opportunity to ask Sheng Hong to share some of the responsibilities. Sheng Hong thought it was feasible, but Wang refused.
Rulan knew what Molan was planning and sneered, "You'd better stop calculating. Just be a peaceful young lady, and be thankful that your wife is safe and sound." Molan looked worried. "Sister, that's wrong. I'm just worried about my wife's health. How can children worrying about household matters be considered 'calculating'? Sixth sister, what do you think?"
The muzzle of the gun turned and circled back to Minglan. Rulan also looked at Minglan with wide eyes. Minglan had a headache. This was the problem with the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. No matter what happened to those two, she was always involved.
Minglan pressed her temples and sighed, "The Tianyi Pavilion has excellent goods and exquisite stitching, making it the best in the capital. Business is so brisk that orders for new clothes are placed in September and October every year. We arrived late in the capital, so we're lucky to be able to make them now. The maids and servants' new clothes are all made with great care. It's because Madam is so meticulous and wanted us to look good in front of her new sister-in-law for her eldest brother's wedding, so she refused to settle for ordinary needlework."
Molan's face immediately darkened. "It's not just this one thing. Is everything so hasty? Sixth sister, why don't you think about the future?" Minglan smiled and said, "The future? I'll have a new sister-in-law in the future."
Molan gritted her teeth secretly. Everyone in the mansion praised the Sixth Young Lady for being amiable and rarely getting angry with others, but when she got serious, she could never find any way to catch her.
Rulan smiled brightly and took Minglan's hand, saying, "Sister, you're right. Come on, I have a lot of fabrics here, take your pick!"
As the wedding date approached, the Hai family's dowry was carried into the Sheng Mansion at a flowing price. The furniture, including beds, tables, chairs and screens, were all in a beautiful red color. There were dozens of large boxes of clothing, and various decorations. There were also hundreds of acres of land and countless shops as a dowry. Minglan was stunned by what she saw.
"...What the ancients called a ten-mile red makeup means preparing all the money, clothes and supplies a girl would need for her entire life, including toilet bowls and washbasins, and even funeral clothes. That's what the old lady did back then." Mother Fang's face was beaming, and she spoke with pride.
Minglan stammered, "So much dowry? Is it really necessary?"
Mother Fang nodded vigorously: "A girl will be three inches shorter when she becomes a wife. If the dowry is generous, she can stand up straight, because her food and drink are all from her own family, and she does not rely on her husband's family for support."
Minglan counted on her fingers and said, "These things can support not only my sister-in-law, but also my eldest brother and a few concubines. They say the Hai family is a clean family. Well, it seems that the clean in clean family and the clean in poverty are not the same word."
Mother Fang's face twitched a few times.
There is nothing an unmarried girl can do at a wedding. First, she cannot drink for the groom, and second, she cannot make a noise in the bridal chamber. It was not until the second day that the three Lans clearly saw their new sister-in-law, Hai. After kowtowing to the old lady, they went to the main room to pay their respects to their parents-in-law.
Hai was wearing a red brocade cup with embossed gold patterns, a skirt with flowing clouds and bats, and a golden phoenix with filigree beads on her head, ready to take flight. When she bowed to Sheng Hong and Wang Shi, the nine-section gold bracelet on her wrist didn't even make a sound.
Minglan sighed inwardly: What a great technique!
When she raised her head slightly, Minglan looked at her carefully and saw that she had a long face and thin eyebrows. She was not as pretty as Hualan or Yuner, but she had a noble bearing. To use a literary saying, she was "a man of learning and learning". Minglan saw that Changbai was quite protective of his new bride in the actions of the young couple, so she knew that her brother was satisfied with his sister-in-law.
However, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Wang was a little dissatisfied. She felt that with her son's appearance and character, even if he was not worthy of Chang'e in the moon, he should at least be like Wang Zhaojun or Xi Shi. After taking the tea offered by her daughter-in-law, Wang gave a red envelope with a very noble look. When she saw Sheng Hong's eyes sweeping over her, she took off a white jade bracelet and gave it to Hai, which meant a perfect reunion.
Sheng Hong cleared his throat and praised his son and daughter-in-law with a few words of "respecting each other and having many children". Minglan remembered that when the eldest uncle of the Sheng family said this to Changwu and Yuner, Yuner was so embarrassed that she couldn't raise her head. But now, the sister-in-law of the Hai family was very open and confident, with only two faint blushes on her face. Even the maid who accompanied her was dignified and well-behaved.
Minglan glanced at Wang with a hint of pity, and she suddenly had a premonition: this sister-in-law is not a good person.
After paying respects to their parents, it was the turn of the three younger sisters and two younger brothers to pay their respects to their elder brother and sister-in-law. Hai had already prepared five exquisite carved silk and thick brocade purses: two gourd-shaped ones in stone blue and indigo, and three lotus-shaped ones in silver red, lotus purple, and rose purple. According to the order of seniority, Minglan was the second to last to pay her respects, so there was nothing for her to choose from.
Within a few days, Minglan's premonition became reality.
Hai's training in women's clothing was very successful. She served Wang respectfully and respectfully. Not only did she visit Wang every morning and evening, but she also stayed by Wang's side from the moment she opened her eyes in the morning until Sheng Hong and Changbai returned home in the evening. When Wang ate, she stood while serving the dishes. When Wang drank tea, she tested the temperature first. When Wang washed her hands and face, she held the basin and wrung the handkerchief. She always had a smile on her face, without any sign of fatigue. Instead, she never complained, and was always laughing and talking, as if serving Wang was such a pleasant and joyful thing.
Molan wanted to find fault, but couldn't find any. Rulan tried to act like a sister-in-law, but was coaxed back in a few seconds. Minglan was horrified: "Is this how all daughters-in-law should be? Is my elder sister like this at her husband's house too?"
Molan Rulan immediately thought of herself and couldn't help but sigh anxiously.
Even Wang, who had intended to intimidate his daughter-in-law at the beginning, could not find any fault with her at all. Sometimes she would find fault with her and say a few words, but Hai accepted it sincerely and thanked Wang for her advice with a look of gratitude. Her expression was so sincere and her attitude was so gentle that it either came from the heart or she was the queen of all movies.
"Silly child, who likes to suffer? But it's okay that she can do this." Old Mrs. Sheng hugged her little granddaughter and snuggled on the kang, talking with a smile.
In fact, Wang soon realized how powerful she was. After a few days of good fortune, Sheng Hong couldn't help but say a few sarcastic words. Although he didn't say it directly, his meaning was that you used to serve my mother so well, and now you are a mother-in-law and feel at ease being served by your daughter-in-law. Not only Sheng Hong was like this, even the elderly mothers and maids in the house saw it. They all praised the eldest young lady and couldn't help but secretly ridiculed Wang. There were so many rumors, how could Wang not know about it.
In fact, Wang was also very guilty. She grew up with her uncle and aunt until she was a teenager, and then got married without staying with her mother for two years. Her uncle and aunt had no daughters of their own, so they treated her like their own flesh and blood. Her mother felt guilty about her and never strictly disciplined her. After she married into the Sheng family, the old lady didn't act like a mother-in-law, so she has been living like this until now.
Now that she had a living example to compare herself to, she felt truly uncomfortable. Finally, on New Year's Eve, when the Sheng family gathered for dinner, the old lady looked at the busy Hai, smiled at Wang, and said slowly, "You are more fortunate than I am. You are destined to have a daughter-in-law."
These words were so profound that Wang immediately broke out in a cold sweat.
As soon as the New Year was over, Wang hinted to Hai that she should no longer serve her. Hai pretended not to understand at first. After a few days, Wang changed her hint to an explicit statement, but Hai refused to comply, saying that it was against the rules and she dared not be unfilial. Wang almost vomited blood, and with Aunt Lin fanning the flames, Sheng Hong had recently come to Wang's place, almost using the comparison between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law as a preface, and he was getting happier and happier with the more they compared.
Finally, Wang became angry and insisted not to allow Hai to accompany her all the time. She asked her to go to Shou'an Hall to serve. Hai then gave half of her filial piety to the old lady, and Wang finally breathed a sigh of relief.
The old lady naturally would not be harsh on her granddaughter-in-law. She often asked Hai to rest by herself, or to play chess and read with Minglan, or to play cards with Fang Mama or Rulan. After winning several strings of money from Hai, Minglan immediately felt that her new sister-in-law was kind and generous. Although Hai had been well-read since childhood, she was not jealous at all. She treated her brother-in-law and sister-in-law in an easy-going, open-minded, sensible and friendly manner.
Changdong also secretly told Minglan that since Hai took over some of the housework, Xiang Yi Niang and he had a much better life. The monthly allowance was no longer delayed, and the clothes and snacks were all of the best quality.
"Sister-in-law, you were so filial to Madam when you first came. Aren't you tired? Or do all new daughters-in-law have to be like this?" Minglan pretended to be an ignorant child and asked Hai tentatively.
"It was your elder brother who told me to do that." Hai whispered. She had been with Minglan for almost two months and knew that she was gentle and lovely, not a troublemaker. Moreover, she was not born in Wang's womb, so she spoke more casually than Lan Molan, and the relationship between the aunt and sister-in-law was quite harmonious.
"He said that I would be able to pass the test in less than half a month." Hai blinked mischievously.
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