Chapter 6
The Yunxiang Xuanfusi Mansion was at the end of the street they had entered the city from. Facing the street was a large, three-paneled screen wall with flying eaves. From the left and right doors, there were steps made of decorative tiles and a horse pavilion leading directly to the second screen wall. In the middle of the second screen wall was the Zhengyang Gate, flanked by crouching lions. There were side doors on the left and right, a corridor in front, and flower beds on both sides. Inside the building hung a plaque that read "Hereditary Yunxiang Xuanfusi."
Yueming’s first reaction when he saw the Xuanfusi Mansion was its grandeur; his second reaction was that it could still be inherited?
She turned her head and quietly asked Changsheng, "The Qing Dynasty has been gone for many years. Can this thing still be inherited? Will the Nationalist government agree?"
Changsheng almost laughed out loud, covering his mouth and laughing for a while before saying, "Even without this thing, his family has inherited it, so how can he give it to someone else?"
Feng Er led them in through the right door, and after passing through an alley, they entered the backyard of the Tusi Mansion. Hydrangeas were blooming on both sides of the path. Bao Dai loved hydrangeas the most, and when she saw so many of them, she almost couldn't walk.
Watching her dawdling without a proper routine, Lan Yingde felt as if he had been transported back ten years. The first time he brought her to the Tusi Mansion, she'd been reluctant to leave when she saw the hydrangeas, telling him to run his own errands and pick her up when he returned. The tiny figure, barely taller than the flowers, looked adorable in front of the hydrangeas, which were bigger than her head.
My heart softened as I stroked her head and said to her, "When we have time, let's plant some in our new home."
Yueming bargained: "Then you have to give me some alkali, I want to plant a lot of colors."
"Well, just be careful not to burn your hands. I'll buy a big pot and plant some water lilies in the middle of the yard, and plant bananas in the four corners. They'll be lush and green, refreshing to look at, and you can eat them too."
Yueming thought of the roses back home in Kunming. In April, the walls of their house would come alive with vibrant blossoms, their delicate fragrance overflowing. The maid diligently watered and fertilized them, and the flowers seemed to reach heavenward.
She said to Lan Yingde, "Plant some roses and wild roses. They look good and protect you from thieves."
As they walked, the parents discussed how to renovate the yard of their new home.
Arriving at the Flower Hall, Feng Er ordered Changsheng to drink tea in the side hall. Although Changsheng was nominally Lan Yingde's apprentice, the people in the Tusi Mansion considered him no different from a household slave, and his status was even lower than Feng Er's. Therefore, he was not qualified to dine with the nobles. The fact that he was allowed to drink tea in the side hall was because the Tusi was giving Lan Yingde face.
After entering the flower hall, Lan Yingde asked her to bow to the chieftain and Yin Tai.
Yueming hesitated. Her father hadn't taught her anything when she came here. What should she do? Should she kneel down like the others did this morning?
Lan Yingde saw her hesitation and knew what she was struggling with. He said to her softly, "Bow."
Yueming breathed a sigh of relief, then lowered his head and bowed to the chieftain and Yintai.
Yin Tai looked at the girl standing before her. She was wearing a dress with a large collar and a white scarf tied around her chest. Her hair was pulled short and past her ears, and she looked like a student from a modern school. Although she was still young, she had inherited her mother's good looks. When she grew up, she would be a beauty. However, her eyebrows were like Lan Yingde's, stubborn and stubborn.
Because she was of the same generation as Li Yang and Yun Kai, Yin Tai exempted her from bowing to them.
He turned sideways to the chieftain and said, "This child looks exactly like Mannu, very handsome."
Tusi Han didn't care whether Yueming was pretty or not. He winked at Yin Tai, hoping that she would mention Yuyan's matter as soon as possible.
Yin Tai was helpless. The mother and daughter didn't even show their faces when a guest came to their house. Wasn't their attitude obvious? He was the only one who was so eager to get the job done.
Then there was Lan Yingde, a man with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, a handsome appearance. Although there were a few gray hairs at his temples, the 30-something exuded a mature demeanor tempered by the years. She would have been willing to marry her own daughter to such a man. However, the third brother was short-sighted, clinging only to rules and status.
Yuyan's previous marriage was to a man of high status, but not only did he lack real power, he also died young. At her age and a widow, she would either be a second wife or a concubine. It would be better for her to marry Lan Yingde, who would only have one daughter. Even if Lan Yingde valued his daughter, he would still marry her off when he was old enough. As long as Yuyan could give Lan Yingde a son or daughter, she would have the final say in the Lan family.
After Yueming returned and sat down next to Lan Yingde, Yintai sighed and said to Lan Yingde, "You raised the child so well. Mannu's spirit in heaven should be pleased."
Thinking of his wife Lan Yingde who passed away young, he was moved and said bitterly: "Mannu is gone, and all I have left is this child. When she was young, I was worried that she would not grow up. Now that she has grown up, I am afraid that she will be disobedient. I am worried about her all the time. I am afraid that I can only rest after she gets married in a few years."
Yin Tai brought up the topic and was about to discuss in depth with Lan Yingde about the fact that getting a wife and raising a daughter were not in conflict when the Third Madam's maid came to tell her that the Third Madam's health was still not improving and the Third Miss wanted to serve her and would not come to eat.
Yin Tai swallowed the words that were about to come out of his mouth and ordered the maid who served him personally, "Serve the meal."
After dinner, Han Tusi, Li Yang and Lan Yingde went to the study to discuss something. Yin Tai was going to visit the sick Third Madam, so the task of accompanying Yueming was given to Yun Kai.
Before leaving, Yin Tai worriedly instructed, "Don't take her to the streets to join in the fun. The streets are crowded and chaotic these past two days. Be careful not to bump into her."
Yun Kai was completely reluctant. What was the point of not going out to play during the holidays? Besides, what could a grown man like him do with this half-grown girl? Catch a ball or swing?
Although the girl from the Lan family has eyebrows like painted distant mountains and is as pretty as a peach in spring, she is still a child. What's the point of playing with her?
After racking his brains for a long time, Yun Kai asked Yue Ming, "Do you want to see the elephants?"
Yueming noticed Yunkai as soon as he entered the door. He felt that this mother and son were the best in the family. The mother was graceful and dignified, while Yunkai reminded her of what her Chinese teacher said, "The man is so handsome and unique, there is no one like him in the world." He was really like a handsome young man on the stage.
Yueming is now at the age where she is not quite sure about matters between men and women. When she sees a good-looking man, her first reaction is not to try to strike up a conversation with him, but to awkwardly pretend to ignore him, and then secretly observe whether he notices her.
But as soon as Yun Kai opened his mouth, she could no longer pretend.
Yueming: He actually speaks Chinese? And there are live elephants? Of course I have to go.
She didn't care about pretending to be a girl, and nodded quickly: "Yes, yes."
Seeing that she was willing to go to Yunkai, he heaved a sigh of relief and ordered the servant to prepare the carriage. He secretly planned to take her to give the elephant a bath, so that the whole afternoon would be over.
After dinner, the Third Wife was drinking tea and eating sunflower seeds in the house while she lectured her daughter: "Don't be so foolish as to believe Yin Tai's lies. If Lan Yingde is really capable, why doesn't your father give him an official position? He just wants him to help haul goods and make money. Yin Tai, on the other hand, wants to use you to win him over. Dream on. I'm afraid Lan Yingde is not worthy of it. He doesn't even think about his status. A lowly barefoot doctor with a child wants to marry the noble Miss Xiangkan from the Tusi family. He's blind."
Seeing her mother's words were outrageous, Yuyan asked the maid to leave. She picked up the teapot and refilled the tea for the Third Madam, saying, "Why are you blaming Mrs. Yin for this? She was just delivering a message for Father. This was Father's wish."
"Pah." The Third Wife turned her head and spat out melon seed shells. "What did your father mean? It wasn't her who was spreading rumors that your father would have such thoughts. Our custom has been not to marry commoners since ancient times. The chieftain of Mengmeng fell in love with a commoner and insisted on marrying her. As a result, he couldn't be a chieftain anymore and could only work as a magistrate in the government. If you marry that commoner widower, all the beggars at the gate of Yunlian City will laugh at you."
Yuyan felt that what the Third Wife said was wrong, but she couldn't find any words to refute it, so she could only sit aside and pull her handkerchief angrily.
The Third Madam knew that she was not convinced and was about to teach her a lesson, but the maid ran in to report that Yin Madam had arrived.
The third wife was also a paper tiger. She was cursing happily just now, but now she panicked when she heard that Mrs. Yin was coming. Yuyan quickly helped her up and went to the door to greet Mrs. Yin.
When the Third Wife saw Yin Tai, she bowed and called out respectfully, "Yin Tai."
Yin Tai nodded, stepped into the room, and frowned when he saw the sunflower seed shells scattered all over the floor. He glanced at the Third Madam and said, "It seems that the illness has been cured. I can even eat sunflower seeds now."
The third wife looked embarrassed and didn't know what to say.
Yuyan quickly helped Yin Tai sit on the Luohan bed in the room and ordered the maid to bring some fruit. She excused her mother by saying, "I was just talking to her and got greedy, so I asked the maid to bring me some melon seeds to eat."
Yin Tai looked at Yu Yan. Although she was the Third Madam's biological daughter, she did not inherit the Third Madam's wild and beautiful looks, nor did she inherit her fierce and shrewd personality. She had a pretty appearance and a gentle personality.
Although she took off her black clothes after returning home, she still looked worried. After all, she was widowed at such a young age, and her mother was such a lunatic, how could she not be worried?
The weather was too hot, and Yin Tai was sweating lightly after walking here from the flower hall. She pressed her nose lightly with a handkerchief. Yuyan quickly took a fan and fanned her gently.
Yin Tai took her hand, asked her to sit beside him, and said to her, "With so many servants, why do we need you to do this?" Then he scolded the servant, "You are a bunch of unruly people. The lady is so kind that she has allowed you to lose your dignity and forget who is the master and who is the servant in this family."
Yin Tai's words were obviously a scolding of the servant, but in fact he was accusing San San of being too unruly and unmanageable.
This indirect criticism made the Third Wife's breathing quicken. She was also the daughter of the dignified Mengding Tusi Mansion, yet she had been oppressed and beaten by Yin Tai for over twenty years. She had no say in this family, no say in anything, not even in her own daughter's affairs? But she couldn't afford to offend Yin Tai's family, so she swallowed her anger and whispered, "I really am not feeling well today, not pretending to be sick to avoid meeting guests."
Yin Tai glanced at her and said, "I scolded the servants, why are you coming out to admit your fault?"
Seeing that she had tried to apologize silently but was still being rude to Yin Tai in front of the servants, the Third Madam immediately covered her face with a handkerchief and burst into tears: "Yin Tai, please be kind! Nalan Yingde is about the same age as me, and I can't bear to marry Yuyan to such an old man! Please have mercy and refuse this!"
Yin Tai was so angry that her eyes turned black. It was clearly Tusi Han's decision, but now she was the one taking the blame. She shouted, "Shut up! Do you have any manners as a Tusi's wife? Do you have any upbringing as a Miss Xiangkan? You come from a wealthy family, but when things go wrong, you just cry and throw a tantrum."
The Third Madam showed no sign of stopping. She ignored Yintai's attacks on her background and upbringing and continued to wipe her tears, talking to herself, "Whenever I think of my Yuyan becoming a stepmother to a commoner, my heart aches. My other sisters married princes or chieftains' grandsons, but my Yuyan married a grandfather who died young. Now she's marrying a lowly country doctor. She might as well have married a witch doctor."
Yin Tai was so angry that she lost all her composure and slammed her palm on the small table of the Luohan bed. "Shut up! You dare to say anything? Who arranged Yuyan's marriage? It was your own brother who gave his daughter to Fang Tusi as a concubine, and then came to persuade you. Fang Tusi's youngest brother hasn't married yet, right? At that time, I asked the master for permission and asked my nephew from my mother's family to come and see the bride. Didn't you pout and say that my mother's family was almost British and didn't want Yuyan to be a foreign wife? Why are you blaming me for not letting her be a foreign wife now?"
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