It's a new year again. The sisters from the academy have all arrived early. Tao Chun'er took Mi Niang's hand and gestured: "Have you grown taller? Why do I think you have grown taller?"
"My mother also said that I have grown taller!" Mi Niang was very happy. She could now walk around frequently and no longer had to bind her feet like in her previous life and was unable to move. So sometimes she would secretly practice dancing in the room and even pull the door frame, which was the secret to growing taller.
Guo Yaoyu couldn't help but laugh when she saw Mi Niang's happy expression: "You are nine years old now, and it is normal for you to grow taller. You will be a big girl next year, and I am afraid you will have to talk about your in-laws soon, haha."
Everyone laughed. Mi Niang stomped her feet and pointed at Guo Yaoyu and said, "I thought you were a serious person, but I didn't expect you to be such a liar."
“Ahem.”
Seeing Mr. Xue coming in, everyone sat down quickly, and Mr. Xue did not expose them. The days when the girls can relax are few and far between, and playing like this may be the best memory of their lives.
At lunch, Ji Chunfang sighed: "My dad said that after the Dragon Boat Festival, we will go north."
"So soon?" Mi Niang knew why Mr. Ji wanted to take his daughter to the capital. It was because Ji Chunfang was twelve years old, and her father wanted to take her to the capital to find a good marriage for her, and maybe even wanted to marry her into a family of officials.
And she is the eldest daughter in the family. If she marries well, her younger sisters can take advantage of her. Otherwise, the Ji family can only stay in Jiangling forever.
Just when Mi Niang felt that Ji Chunfang was leaving too quickly, she didn't expect that she would also be leaving.
"Your father said that he was famous for his provincial examination and wanted to try his luck in Beijing. He didn't pass the examination this time, so he will come back soon to pick up the three of us."
"Pick us up? Are we going to Beijing?" Mi Niang felt that going to Beijing was not a good idea. Even though her family was a little wealthier now, they did not have enough money for the trip to Beijing.
Second Madam Ding shook her head and said, "No, it's the Li family, the family your father saved. It just so happens that your father has rented a small courtyard, and Madam Li can teach you to play the pipa. The famous teacher your father worships lives in Hanyang, so it's a win-win situation."
So that's how it is. Mi Niang's attitude towards the Li family is average, neither good nor bad.
"Mi Jie'er, mother also thinks it's better to go to Jiangxia. Your grandparents have always been sucking our blood, but these two old people complain every day that they are uncomfortable here and there, but in fact they are in good health. I selfishly don't want to pay attention to them, but the court values filial piety. When they heard that we bought servants, they planned to come and live here, and I really don't want to live with them." In the past, this old couple treated them like old shoes, but now they are so shameless.
And the father-in-law was shameless. When he saw the tender little girl they brought back, he even pulled her to sleep with him. It is said that there are no bad parents in the world, but how can such parents be respected?
What's more, Mi Niang and Heng Ge'er are still so young. If they saw such a disgusting thing, it would be her fault as a mother.
"Mom, I don't want to live with our grandparents either." She looked at her mother with heartache. She had been separated from her husband for years and had to endure her in-laws' excessive demands. She had no way to resist, because if she did, it would be considered unfilial.
Even if you are right, as long as you do not obey your parents-in-law, you are still unreasonable. This is really helpless.
"I calculated the days, and your father will probably be back soon. We can start packing up now."
Knowing that she was leaving, the sisters in the school were all very sad. Ji Chunfang said to Mi Niang, "I thought I would be the first to leave, but I never thought you would leave first."
Then I heard Guo Yaoyu say, "Actually, we sisters are also going to Beijing."
Huh? Everyone looked at them.
Ji Chunfang explained: "Uncle Guo passed the imperial examination and is now observing government affairs at the Ministry of Rites. It is convenient for us to do business and the ship is fast, so it is just right for them to go to the capital with us."
So that's how it is! Everyone looked at Sister Guo Yaoyu with envy. No matter what, she was already the daughter of an official.
This is different from Ji Chunfang. Although Ji Chunfang also went to Beijing, his merchant status was not high. Whenever a noble family wanted to marry, they would mostly choose an official family.
This is where people are cruel to each other. It is not obvious in daily life, but sometimes in marriage and socializing, it will be completely different.
Mi Niang congratulated Guo Yaoyu: "I am here to congratulate you." She thought to herself, no wonder Guo Yaoyu was in such a good mood recently. She always worried about her future before. There were only a limited number of good young men in Jiangling, and Luo Qiujun's brother was one of the best, but he was valued by the Tao family who was quick to act.
But now, Guo Yaoyu no longer has such worries. Her father is a Jinshi, and she is going to Beijing, where there are many talented people and more people to choose from, which means more opportunities. Of course, she is in a good mood.
Guo Yaoyu smiled and said, "Don't say that. My father also took the exam several times before he passed. Your father has already passed the second list. I heard that he was also ranked second in the imperial examination. He will definitely pass the next time."
The so-called "double list of Jinshi" means that those who passed the provincial examination were ranked in the second list, and those who passed the Jinshi were ranked in the first list. The officialdom attaches great importance to academic titles, and if you pass the double list of Jinshi, your future will be better.
Guo Yaoyu's father passed the imperial examination and was recommended by the provincial school as a student of the Imperial Academy, and then participated in the imperial examination.
As the saying goes, a man is worth a gold medal, and a Jinshi is worth a silver medal. Those who can pass the imperial examination are already outstanding, and it is unknown whether they can pass the imperial examination in the future. Mi Niang was also very pleased to hear Guo Yaoyu's words: "Then I will accept your good words, sister."
Tao Chun'er was reluctant to leave them, but she didn't know what to say. She just silently memorized everyone's faces in her heart. It was a pity that she didn't have good painting skills, so she drew them all and could only remember them in her heart.
She was born and raised in Jiangling, and she had never been far away from home. She had no sisters at home. Other sisters sometimes stayed in bed and deliberately didn't come to the private school, or wanted to drop out because of heavy homework, but she looked forward to coming to school the most every day. There was the dignified section chief who could always coordinate everything, the cold-hearted Luo Qiujun, and the smart and capable Ji Chunfang.
The one she liked the most was Ruan Mi Niang, who was not only stunningly beautiful, but also well-behaved, talented, and the most attentive to others.
In her entire life, no one had ever painted such a beautiful portrait of her, nor had anyone been able to help her solve her problems and to tell her whatever was on her mind.
Mi Niang didn't expect Tao Chun'er to be so reluctant to leave. She smiled and said, "Sister Chun'er, maybe we will meet in Beijing in a few years. I think it will be soon."
This means that if Brother Luo Qiujun passes the imperial examination, Tao Chuner will definitely follow him to Beijing, and it will definitely be possible for them to meet again.
Tao Chun'er obviously heard the hidden meaning and blushed.
At the moment of parting, everyone had a lot to say, but they didn't know how to start. Mr. Xue's eyes were red as he said, "Mi Niang, you are the most hardworking student I have ever taught. I wish you a peaceful and happy life in the future."
The Guo family is going to Beijing, so Mr. Xue must also close his house two months in advance. I heard from Guo Yaoyu that Mr. Xue has already found a new employer in Suzhou.
Mi Niang said seriously: "Sir, I will always remember you."
Before the Dragon Boat Festival, Ruan Jiading returned to his hometown to worship his ancestors, and then prepared to take a boat to Jiangxia with his wife and children.
Although he failed the imperial examination, Ruan Jiading was very happy: "As soon as I arrived in Beijing, I stayed at the Huguang Guild Hall. I didn't expect the two princes from my family to be so polite. I went to pay a visit to Prince Cheng'en and Prince Bohai, and I also met the old lady. They gave me a lot of gifts."
Duke Cheng'en was conferred by the Empress's father, while Duke Bohai was conferred by the Nguyen family. Although Duke Cheng'en was the eldest son, he was born out of wedlock, while Duke Bohai was a legitimate son.
Grandma Ding Er asked curiously, "Is their house very big?"
Men tend to care more about whether the family's offspring are promising and whether they can take advantage of the situation, while women are more interested in these scraps.
Ruan Jiading smiled and said, "Of course the mansion is huge. It would take days and nights to walk around it!"
"Daddy, I miss you so much." Mi Niang saw Ruan Jiading standing in front of her intact and still able to speak so confidently. Then she looked at her mother who was no longer with us in her previous life. She was really grateful to God for giving her this opportunity.
At that time, people were not used to express their feelings so openly. Ruan Jiading felt very embarrassed when he heard this, "Ahem."
"Dad, ever since I had that dream, I have been worried day and night. Fortunately, everything is fine with you now."
It turned out to be because of that dream. Ruan Jiading sighed: "Yes, Dad has owed you a lot."
The Yu family embezzled so much money and exploited the people. If he came back, not only would he be aiding and abetting the evil, he might also be imprisoned and his family might be exiled as well.
What a blessing!
Mi Niang once again reminded her father: "My daughter hasn't been dreaming much lately. I'm afraid that fate is limited. Dad must think twice before doing anything in the future."
"Okay, Dad got it."
The fact that he had these opportunities had actually saved his life several times, and one should not be too greedy.
Mi Niang also knew that her father was a very enthusiastic person, a rare person who did not care about gains and losses, and would help even strangers. This was a good thing, but she still hoped that her father would think twice before acting, and be cautious, after all, it is better to be safe than sorry.
Two-year-old Yuheng felt it was too hot and wanted to go out to play, so Ruan Jiading took his son outside the boat to get some fresh air.
Mrs. Ding looked at Mi Niang and carefully examined her clothes. Nowadays, the Ruan family no longer makes clothes for one or two cents as before. All the coats for going out to visit guests and meet people are made in the shop.
She asked again, "Have you prepared the work that mother asked you to prepare?"
"Don't worry. I have prepared some. One is white drinking deer water, and the other is fairy crane pine and cypress."
One represents fortune and the other represents longevity, both have very good meanings.
Before, other people had embroidered yellow deer, but she embroidered pure white, which was more refreshing and lovely.
Girls usually socialize by giving purses to their elders. The one Mi Niang was wearing was a jade-colored peony purse that she had embroidered herself.
In addition to hanging sachets, girls also wear taboos and silk sashes around their waists for beauty. Mi Niang usually wears half-worn home clothes, and only puts on nice clothes when she goes out.
This time, Second Grandma Ding only made two sets for herself, but I made six sets for her in one go.
"Well, it's very well done. Mother's current craftsmanship is far worse than yours." Second Madam Ding took it in her hand and examined it carefully.
"Alas, if it weren't for going out, my daughter would be reading a book right now."
Mrs. Ding Er smiled and said, "In the future, you can just learn pipa and come back home. It's better to go to a girls' school now. You can still read books if you want and do whatever you want."
Mi Niang was relieved, "That's true."
Although she was a little worried about going to a strange place, she was not afraid of anything when she thought about her parents and brother being with her.
In the evening, the boat arrived at the ferry, and Mi Niang's personal maids Chun Tao and Xia Lian helped her get off the boat. Er Niu, who used to serve her, now took care of Yu Heng. Second Madam Ding had promised Zhong that she would find a marriage for Er Niu, and Zhong thanked her profusely.
Chuntao and Xialian were specially bought to serve her. Chuntao was of a gentle nature, while Xialian was more aggressive. After more than half a year, she was not very well-behaved, but she was pretty decent.
They both wore the same light-colored vest and pants. The red shirt made Mi Niang look even more bright and beautiful. In fact, Mi Niang knew that this was the situation of her family. They were not a wealthy family. If she forced herself to dress too elegantly, it would be inconsistent with her status.
The Li family lived together in Jiangxia and had intermarried with famous Jiangxia families such as the Huang, Kang, Song, and Meng families for generations. Because Li Tan strongly recommended the emperor to rule the country personally, he offended the nobles and was demoted from a Hanlin Academy scholar to the magistrate of Yunzhou County. He did not take up the post because his father Ding You had been at home in mourning for 27 months. Now that the mourning period has passed, he is waiting to be reinstated.
Looking around, they saw that the stretch of houses was all Li family residences, which was amazing. The person who came to pick them up from the Li family was a manager named Lin, who was very polite in what he said and did.
After entering the second gate and walking along the winding corridor, I saw that the grass and trees beside the Li Family Road were lush and full of vitality. The servants did not look around and were very well behaved.
Coming into this life as a stranger, Mi Niang had a different view of the Li family. She passed by a courtyard where someone was singing an opera.
A servant of the Li family laughed and said, "Our second wife has guests today, and the troupe at home is singing!"
The Li family even maintains a theatre troupe, which makes them a worthy family, Second Mistress Ding thought.
After entering Yan Xitang, two maids came out to greet them. At this time, a middle-aged woman came out. She was of medium height, with sharp eyes and a very kind face.
The two sides introduced each other, and Mrs. Ding smiled and said, "I will bother Madam Li in the future."
Madam Li first glanced at Mrs. Ding Er. This Lu was pretty and slender, a potential beauty, but not generous enough. She looked like a weak and delicate girl.
When her gaze turned to the little girl standing next to her, her eyes suddenly lit up, and she even subconsciously stared at her for a long time. What kind of face was that? She forgot where the saying "as fair as autumn water, as delicate as jade, as fair as snow and as beautiful as plum" came from, but it was not an exaggeration to use it to describe her beauty.
Looking at her eyes again, they were clearly black and white, she saluted very beautifully, and she was a sight to behold even when she was standing.
Madam Li exclaimed: "I am amazed that there is such a beautiful girl in the world!"
Mi Niang suddenly realized and immediately said, "Mrs. Li, thank you for your compliment."
Even her voice was so pleasant, which made Madam Li even happier. The servants were good at reading people's faces, and when they saw Madam Li's happy expression, they all treated Mi Niang with great courtesy.
Although the Li family looks like a wealthy family, the meals they serve are very simple. The dishes on the table are far inferior to those of the Ji family, which shows that although they are rich, they live a simple life.
After finishing their meal and rinsing their mouths, Mi Niang and Ding Er Niang were ready to say goodbye. Although they lived in Li's mansion, it was a separate house along the street, so they lived alone and did not live in the same place.
Mrs. Li said, "I have already arranged for someone to build a stove over there. I will have someone deliver the rest of the household items later."
Mrs. Ding was flattered and surprised: "How can this be so embarrassing? I heard from my husband that the rent for this yard that was rented to us was like living here for free. Now you are asking you to give us your belongings. It's really unnecessary."
Madam Li said with a smile, "You are too polite. Ruan Xiaolian saved my son from the glacier. You don't know that there are two branches in our Li family, and Guan'er is our only son. If anything happens to her, I will die and I will not be able to face the ancestors of the Li family."
"Since you say so, I accept it." Second Madam Ding also asked her mother-in-law to bring a sandalwood box. She said, "This is my first visit, and I don't know what you like. This is a jade toad. I heard that the young master of your mansion is going to die this year, so I wish him success in the imperial examination." Second Madam Ding returned the favor in a blink of an eye.
This was a gift from the government when her husband was in the capital. It was priceless. Even though Second Madam Ding was reluctant to give it up, she still had to do the necessary favor.
Mrs. Li nodded secretly in her heart. Although this Second Mistress did not look very generous, she was quite generous in her actions.
Then Mi Niang presented more needlework. Madam Li took it in her hand and looked at it: "What a bright work." The white deer in particular was snow-white in color with dewdrops embroidered on it that looked like the real thing, and it didn't look like a tacky purse at all.
She couldn't help but say to Mrs. Ding: "I really love your daughter. I heard that she wants to learn pipa from me. When I was young, I just played it for fun in the palace. Now there are many things to do at home. It would be better if she came every three days. If I have other things, I will ask the maid to tell you."
"That's great." Mi Niang didn't need a master-disciple relationship. She didn't even know how good Madam Li was at playing the zither. In her heart, the only person who could be called a master was Mr. Xue.
However, Mr. Xue should be preparing to go to Wuzhong now.
That's what it's like to be a private school teacher. You have no fixed place to live, but you can make money with your own ability and you're respected. There's nothing wrong with that.
"It's getting late, I won't keep you here any longer. We can visit each other more often in the future." Mrs. Li said with a smile.
The small courtyard of the Li family was just big enough for the four of them to live in, and they didn't have many servants, so after a day of running around, everyone fell asleep as soon as they touched the pillow.
They were sleeping comfortably here, but Mrs. Li was tossing and turning unpredictably. The confidant beside her was Mrs. Li's aunt's dowry grandson. She had already made love, but she had no children. She only helped Mrs. Li's housekeeper and usually only stayed with Mrs. Li.
Because Mr. Li was staying somewhere else today, Mrs. Li and Aunt Sun slept together and talked.
"The Second Madam invited Madam Huang to come and listen to the opera today. She ordered a banquet from the Yellow Crane Tower. It was a grand ceremony. In my opinion, the Second Madam has taken a fancy to Miss Huang."
Madam Li snorted coldly: "She wants to marry the Huang family girl to Guan'er so that they can be in cahoots with each other in the future. Who doesn't know that Madam Huang is her cousin?"
The Li family has two branches, but only one son, Li Guan. The old lady has an ambiguous attitude and does not make any comments. Therefore, the two branches must choose someone who is impeccable so that the other party cannot accuse them. Otherwise, even though the old lady Li said nothing at this time, when the time comes, she feels bad and chooses the other side, which is related to the status of the harem.
If Guan'er's wife is only close to her second aunt, then there will be no way to stop her from adopting a grandson into the second house.
It would be fine if Guan'er gave birth to several sons in the future, but if she only gave birth to one, and her sister-in-law took advantage of it in advance, wouldn't she be making wedding dresses for others?
Aunt Sun said, "Madam, don't worry. Although Miss Huang has a good family background and is from the Huang family, she doesn't have her feet bound. Our old lady always said that it is proper for women to have bound feet, and those who don't are wild girls."
"That may not be the case. Look at the behavior of Miss Ruan just now." Mrs. Li said with a smile.
Aunt Sun said hurriedly, "I think she is very well behaved. When she bowed, she looked like a flower bud blooming. It was very beautiful."
"But she didn't bind her feet..."
"That's different." Aunt Sun said subconsciously.
Mrs. Li laughed: "It seems that people are not picky about rules, but look at appearance and temperament."
Aunt Sun couldn't help but ask: "Could it be that you have taken a fancy to this Miss Ruan?"
Madam Li shook her head: "What are you talking about? Although she is from the Jiangling Ruan family, she is a branch of the family, and her father is only a groom. Can she provide two sets of dowry? If I say anything about her, my second brother and his wife will be ready to refute me."
That's a huge difference.
Aunt Sun also nodded: "Then I feel relieved. Just now I saw that you seemed to like her very much at the banquet."
"The one I picked is the fourth daughter of the Song family. This girl has a rare appearance that makes her suitable for giving birth to a son. Her father is an editor in the Hanlin Academy, and her brother is also an excellent student. She grew up with her grandmother and has a very well-behaved character." Mrs. Li announced her candidate.
The Song family is also a big family in Jiangxia, and the dowry is not small, which means they have no shortcomings in any way.
Aunt Sun was delighted: "It's really hard for grandma to pick out such a perfect person. I was so worried. But today, a few people who are not very knowledgeable saw that you were a little better to Miss Ruan, so they tried to curry favor with you."
"However, you should be more polite to Miss Ruan. It's only the first day and I like her from the bottom of my heart." Mrs. Li instructed.
Aunt Sun smiled and said, "Of course, we in the Li family will never treat our guests harshly."
After that, Aunt Sun joked, "It's just that we have a beautiful lady living here, and I'm afraid the door will be trampled down. Mr. Ruan is also a filial and honest official, and I heard that he is also valued by the princes in the capital. Our family is not that kind of person, so we can't guarantee that others will come to our house!"
"That may not be the case. After all, she did not bind her feet, so it is inevitable that people will look down on her. Haven't you heard people say that a pair of bound feet like golden lotus is better than a beauty like Xi Shi?" Mrs. Li sighed.
Although men want to marry beautiful women, they care more about women's obedience. The three-inch golden lotus is more attractive to them. Not to mention other things, the master's new concubine is favored because of her well-wrapped feet.
Madam Li disliked Mi Niang and didn't mention it, but she didn't know that Second Madam Ding also said to Ruan Jiading: "I think the Li family you mentioned is not suitable for our daughter. Their son shoulders two wives, and the pressure of having children is too great. Madam Li is also a shrewd person. Whether our daughter can live a good life after marriage depends on the mother-in-law, the children, and the man. It took me six or seven years to give birth to Heng Ge'er after giving birth to Mi Niang. If Mi Niang is like me, how can she live a good life. Besides, Madam Li is not a gentle and kind person. You clearly said that you want your daughter to learn pipa from her, but she didn't mention becoming her apprentice. It is obvious that she looks down on us from the bottom of her heart. Two of the three conditions I mentioned have been met now. Do you think our Mi Niang can live a good life?"
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