“Ouch…it hurts…”
In the evening, Mi Niang, who had just finished washing up, heard the sobbing of a little girl from next door. She couldn't help shaking her head. Then, she took out some jasmine paste, picked up a little with an ear pick, and applied it carefully on her skin.
Seeing that Mi Niang didn't say anything, Xia Lian couldn't help but say, "It was Grandma Zhu next door who bound her daughter's feet. It sounds really heartbreaking."
Mi Niang said coldly: "What else can we do? If we persuade them, they will probably say we are jealous. It is not wrong to go with the flow. If people in this world are not too determined, they will be more miserable if they don't bind their feet now and bind them in a hurry in the future."
She was powerless to stop others. Unless the emperor issued an order to abolish it, it would never be possible. Fortunately, the Yong Dynasty was not like the previous dynasty, where the emperor personally issued an order that all women, except those of prostitutes, had to bind their feet.
Recently, she has been doing more needlework during the day, but not at night. When she lies down, she can only hear the sound of groaning and swallowing...
When she woke up again, it was daybreak. She rubbed her temples and said, "Xia Lian, help me get up."
It is very lively here at Ding Ernai's house. Yuheng is four years old this year. He studied in the Li family for a period of time and is now studying in a nearby private school for scholars.
All the children who go to school have to get up early, and he is the same. He is afraid of being late, and everyone is terrified when he eats an egg, fearing that he might choke.
My younger brother Yu Han is only one year old. Second Aunt Ding followed Mi Niang's advice and just stopped breastfeeding, so she asked Qiu Ju and Dong Mei to feed him porridge.
After Dad passed away, the house became quite lively because there were several children at home.
It's a pity that without her father at home, it's not easy for her to go out, and she can't attend Tao Chuner's wedding.
"Mi Niang, come and eat quickly. You said yesterday that you wanted to eat red bean porridge. Mother asked your mother-in-law to soak the red beans last night and stew them for two hours." Seeing her daughter in a daze, Mrs. Ding urged her.
Mi Niang pinched her little brother's face and laughed to herself: "It's hard for my mother and my good mother-in-law to remember me. I have to eat more today."
The soft red bean porridge with two spoons of sugar is so delicious.
"Mom, sister, I'm leaving first. The teacher said that if we're late, he'll give us a beating." Yu Heng couldn't wait any longer and ran out in a hurry.
Hu Zi followed quickly with his school bag on his back.
Mrs. Ding said angrily, "He was lying in bed when I told him to get up, but now he is in such a hurry. How can he be so annoying?"
Mi Niang advised: "Children, if they don't act like this, then they are not good."
"I just feel sorry for him."
All mothers are like this; they wish their sons could work harder, but they are also afraid that their sons will work too hard.
Mi Niang quickly finished a bowl of red bean porridge and ate an egg before stopping. She was very satisfied. In the past, when she was in the palace, she rarely added icing sugar even when she drank porridge. Sometimes she really found it funny that others thought that you would be well-dressed and well-fed after becoming a royal concubine, but you didn't know that you were no better than a commoner girl.
Yu Han was taken by Qiu Ju to play in the yard. Mi Niang stood there for a while and then continued to do needlework with her mother.
This time, it was not clothes that were made. Her underwear, handkerchiefs and girdle were all made by Chunju and Xialian. Most of them were purses, forehead wipes and sachets to be given as gifts.
“Do more while the weather is warm. When it gets cold, you won’t be able to even lift a needle, and it’ll be a waste of charcoal.” Mrs. Ding was afraid her daughter wouldn’t understand, so she gave these instructions.
Mi Niang pouted: "Then you can't let me do so much, this is too much."
Mrs. Ding Er laughed and said, "Silly girl."
Seeing that Mi Niang still didn't understand, Hao Po and Zhong couldn't help laughing. Mi Niang was even more confused, but the adults all shut up at the same time and didn't continue talking.
Making a purse is not difficult, but embroidering flowers requires a lot of effort. Mi Niang is always very dedicated in her work. She just said a few words, but later she was immersed in it.
But someone outside said that Miss Guan was coming. Mi Niang was very surprised, "Why is she here? I don't have any friendship with her."
I met Kwan Wai-hing once at the end of last year. It has been nine months now and I still don't know why she wanted to see me.
Soon Guan Huiqing came in, and Mrs. Ding spoke a few words to her in a gentle manner. Seeing that she seemed to be hesitant to speak, Mi Niang took her to her room.
After Chuntao served the tea, she tactfully left. Guan Huiqing looked around the Ruan family. Her courtyard was very ordinary, even the courtyard of Ruan Mi'niang's concubine was not as good as hers.
She was wearing a half-worn shirt and an ordinary handkerchief.
Mi Niang took a sip of tea and looked at her calmly: "Miss Guan, what do you want to talk to me about?"
Guan Huiqing stuttered and said a little embarrassedly: "Oh...oh, I..."
"I want to ask if you have any contact with the Li family recently?"
Mi Niang smiled and said, "Everyone knows the relationship between our family and the Li family, so of course there is some interaction."
In fact, she knew what Guan Huiqing wanted to ask by looking at her expression. However, she also felt that Guan Huiqing was not very smart.
As expected, Guan Huiqing asked, "Then do you know when Madam Li will be back?"
"I don't know about that." Mi Niang shook her head.
"Will they come back in the future?" Guan Huiqing continued to ask. She felt that Mi Niang was not telling the truth, but she could not tell her about herself and Li Guan.
Mi Niang smiled and said, "Why are you asking me? How would I know?"
Guan Huiqing frowned: "Aren't you Madam Li's disciple? How could you not know?"
That's not a polite thing to say. You haven't even been promoted to a full-time employee yet, but you're acting like the young lady of the Li family.
Mi Niang said very rudely: "Miss, if you want to find out about someone, go find the right person. You and I have only met once, why are you looking for me? Who are you to the Li family? Why should I tell you about the Li family? Don't say I don't know. Even if I know, I won't tell you."
Hearing this, Guan Huiqing felt as if she was cut by a knife. Her face turned pale. The maid beside her said hurriedly, "Miss Ruan, please don't speak so rudely. We girls need to have a reputation after all. If you continue like this, you will suffer a lot in the future."
"Haha, you don't have to worry about my affairs." It was impossible for Mi Niang to kiss in this place.
At that time, Guo Yaoyu's grandfather was the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, and her father was a student of imperial examination. She wanted to marry into the Luo family, but the Luo family chose Tao Chun'er instead. If Guo Yaoyu's father had passed the imperial examination, how could the Luo family have chosen Tao Chun'er?
Now Mi Niang has neither family wealth nor family background, so what is she talking about here?
To have a good marriage, her father had to be a Jinshi, so that her beauty and talent could add great brilliance when she competed with others.
Seeing that Mi Niang was not moved by her persuasion, Guan Huiqing left in tears. After the master and servant left, Guan Huiqing felt that she could not hold on any longer and almost fainted.
She saw the contemptuous look in Ruan Mi Niang's mouth just now. She was actually laughing at her.
In fact, she was not convinced by Ruan Mi Niang. She always felt that why Lady Li would rather marry her than herself, she was better than her in every way. In terms of family background, her father was a great scholar in Huguang, with many students all over the world. In terms of family wealth, although she could not compare with the wealthy family like the Wang family, she could still afford the dowry of one thousand taels.
Not to mention, she and Li Guan were childhood sweethearts.
But somehow Mo Hu heard from Aunt Sun that Madam Ruan had rejected Madam Li. At that time, she thought that the Ruan family was self-aware, but she never thought that the Li family was actually planning to arrange a marriage for Guanlang in Beijing.
It has been a year since they last communicated with each other. She was really worried. She was already sixteen years old, and now even her mother was dissatisfied. If it weren't for the opportunity to visit her sister today, she was afraid that she would never see Li Guan again in the future.
What if he becomes a doctor next year and comes to marry her in a rich man's house, and she is forced to marry by her family? What should she do then?
Guanlang told her not to worry, but how could she really not worry.
She prayed secretly, hoping that Li Guan would pass the imperial examination and she could marry into the Li family smoothly.
She was just waiting for the day to slap Ruan Mi Niang in the face.
At that time, she was on the rise, while Ruan Mi Niang was a girl despised by the wealthy families in Huguang.
When Mi Niang saw Guan Huiqing and her servant walking away, she went downstairs and told Mrs. Ding the Second.
When Mrs. Ding Er heard that Miss Guan really came for Li Guan and was aggressive, she sneered and said, "What a joke! She has a father and a mother, not an orphan. Why did she come here to ask about men?"
"I'm afraid he's worried about gains and losses. I feel sorry for him. If Li Guan were here, even if he was the best man, there would be a stalemate or even a quarrel." Mi Niang knows men too well. A wife is not as good as a concubine, a concubine is not as good as a secret lover, and a secret lover is not as good as not being able to steal.
It is not necessarily that Li Guan will really be with her through thick and thin, but people's desire for something they cannot have is greater than the reality.
Second Madam Ding shook her head and said, "Your female classmate Tao Chun'er got married before she even reached the age of marriage. Why are you in such a hurry? It's because you're afraid that Mr. Luo will be picked as a son-in-law in the capital. Even those who are engaged in the Tao family still have such doubts, let alone Li Guan and Guan Huiqing, who are just having a private affair."
Sure enough, the next month, when Mi Niang went to the Li family to celebrate the second wife's birthday, she heard the news.
The second wife smiled and said, "The first letter was sent in June, August 15th is a good day. It was delayed on the way, and the second letter happened to arrive at the same time as the first. It said that Guan'er's daughter-in-law, Mrs. Wu, is generous and virtuous, and the couple is so happy."
They got married in August, but told everyone in November. The Li family may have waited until everything was settled before announcing it to everyone.
I only heard Second Madam Ding laugh and say, "In that case, even if we prepare a gift, it's too late to send it. This is truly a match made in heaven. Congratulations to your family."
"Since Ruan Xiaolian has come to Beijing, he will definitely come to our house. Why do you need to worry about giving gifts? Even if he is a man and forgets for a moment, it will be the same when you come to Beijing next year." The second wife joked.
This is also a good intention, implying that Ruan Jiading won the title of Chan Palace, so his family members can go to Beijing.
Mrs. Ding waved her hands humbly and said, "How could I expect this?"
Mi Niang thought that Li Guan was not married at this time in his previous life, but he got married several years earlier in this life. Well, that's it. He was so stubborn and delayed before because of Guan Huiqing, but now he is so affectionate with his new bride...
Although Mi Niang didn't really trust men, she thought Li Guan had changed too quickly. She thought that Li Guan would at least be indifferent for a while, and then treat his new bride with respect and their relationship would sublime!
As they were returning, Xia Lian said, "Miss, I just seemed to have seen Miss Guan's car driving."
Mi Niang said calmly, "Tell the doorman from now on that she won't be seen again when she comes."
Xia Lian asked curiously, "Does she know about what happened with Master Li?"
"It's not too late for her to know now. I'm just afraid she will continue to be obsessed with it."
In the previous life, the marriage between Mi Niang and Li Guan was not recognized, so Mi Niang immediately found a way out. Li Guan married Guan Huiqing in glory. In this life, Li Guan married someone else. I wonder if Guan Huiqing will make the same choice as she did back then?
The law of cause and effect never fails.
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