Do you know? Do you know? Should be green fat red thin

  Minglan still had a drowsy expression, sitting alone at the breakfast table, holding her spoon as if in a trance. Danju shook her head repeatedly: "Fortunately, Madam gave birth to a daughter, if it were a son, he would have been reading books at three o'clock and attending court at four o'clock, how could Madam be okay?"

  Minglan almost burst out laughing. A small, flying, silk-spitting man told us that with great power comes great responsibility, and ancient men had so many privileges compared to modern men, so they naturally had to work harder. He said that in her past life, she wasn't unfamiliar with staying up all night to study and getting up early in the morning.

  Sigh... I really miss the old days. Back then, although the sky was gray, the ground was black, and the rivers were colorful, but at least husbands who had affairs could still be divorced, mistresses could be confronted, mothers-in-law could be argued with, and best friends who betrayed you could be abandoned; most importantly, even if you got pregnant out of wedlock, you wouldn't have to drown in a pig cage.

  Alright, Minglan withdrew her fanciful saliva and returned to reality.

  The ancient famous Sanba Hongqi hand Wang Xifeng comrade is an unattainable peak for Minglan, what a struggling talent this is! No extra salary, no promotion prospects, although she can make some money by taking advantage of her position, but it's not enough to pay off debts. Every day, getting up in the middle of the night, before dawn, managing everything, supporting a big family, and yet she still worries that she won't be able to exhaust herself, rushing to Ningguo Fu to find work! Ridiculous.

  Finally exhausted her body, lost all her dowry, didn't even give birth to a son, and was ridiculed by others for being childless, and then got a concubine You Erjie, is it all for the so-called 'sense of accomplishment'? Unbelievable.

  Minglan's personality and work style are incompatible, so she lets Liao You's wife and a few other mothers take turns being in charge of the morning shift. She then arranges the day's work for them. After breakfast, she checks on things, clears up accounts, and assigns tasks for the next day before dinner. So far, it seems to be working quite well.

  Cui's mother was very dissatisfied with Minglan's 'laziness', always pinching her ear and nagging, but unexpectedly Minglan retorted: "Since the results are generally the same, why bother to torment yourself?"

  "Work hard when you're young, and once you have a wife and children, you can rest easy."

  "No, no." Minglan shook a finger, "Mother, who do you love more now?"

  Minglan's eyes were bright and clear, while Cui's mother's gaze was evasive: "Not very fond of sleep."

  "This can't go on like this! As the saying goes, 'when there are flowers to be picked, pick them, don't wait until there are no more flowers and you're left with empty branches.' Sleeping in late is also not something that waits for people. Other families' young wives don't have this kind of opportunity, if I don't take good care of myself now, wouldn't it be a waste? Mom, you say, isn't that right?"

  Mrs. Cui was not good at speaking, so she usually didn't say much and could only glare at Minglan with anger. Everyone said that the sixth daughter of the Shi family was the most well-behaved and gentle, but only she knew that "well-behaved" should be replaced with "cunning", and "gentle" was actually "hypocritical". With a belly full of seemingly reasonable but twisted logic, a smiling face that could deceive you, and big curved eyes that seemed to be asking for your opinion, she would "discuss" with you while laughing.

  Cui's mother reluctantly admitted that since Minglan was nine years old, she was no longer a match for her.

  Minglan, who was observing from the side, knew that it was almost time, so she smiled and persuaded: "I know mother's intentions, but on such a good day, I don't know how many days we can enjoy. If one day we return to Ningyuan Houfu, I will have to get up early to pay respects, maybe even stand at attention, so let's take advantage of the present and rest well."

  "Will he come back?" Mrs. Choi wondered.

  Minglan smiled and said: "After all, we are a family, who knows whether he will come back or not."

  Choi's mother sighed and didn't say much, but strictly restrained a group of servant girls in the mansion.

  This Minglan had no opinion, she was from the internet age and knew the power of rumors and gossip. If she let things slide in the inner house, who knows what would be said about her. After all, there were many people watching her at Ningyuan Marquis's residence.

  The most important thing is Jiaxi Ju Zhengyuan.

  There are three sources of indoor maids: those brought by Minglan, those bought from outside, and those born in the family.

  In the past, Granny Wang had selected two batches of maids for the inner courtyard. Those chosen in summer were called Summer X, regardless of whether they were bought or born into the family. Among them, Summer Bamboo and Summer Lotus were among the first batch that Granny Wang had personally selected and sent to the inner courtyard. Later, another batch was selected, which were all named Winter X since it was winter at the time. Minglan thought this method was good, so now that it's spring, she decided to name the newly selected batch Spring X.

  Xiao Tao rolled her eyes at her.

  In accordance with legislative tradition, a few chickens must be killed to intimidate the monkeys.

  These young maids were mostly newly trained, and it was also a time when they were young and playful. Seeing the luxurious food, clothing, and utensils in the mansion, especially those who entered Minglan's courtyard, seemed to have become young ladies, with each one wearing silk clothes and eating chicken, duck, fish, and meat. The delicate porcelain and beautiful jade utensils that were rarely seen before are now as common as everyday objects.

  Every time Minglan sees these expenses, she secretly sighs: no wonder the maids in Daguanyuan would rather "die" than go out; no wonder girls one after another want to be concubines; on one side are the poor common people with coarse clothes and humble houses, on the other side are the mistresses who are supported like princesses with fine clothes and delicious food, the temptation of material life is indeed boundless.

  She didn't mention the exquisite food, clothes and daily necessities, not to mention the numerous gold and silver jewelry rewards. Her daily life was not busy, and when she saw Minglan, who was a gentle mistress, she didn't feel too constrained.

  There are those who quarrel and argue because of their temper, some fight over clothes and jewelry, some hide and forget to take turns or slack off at work, some sneak into the bright orchid room, and there are also some with unscrupulous thoughts... However, in just seven or eight days, they ran into Green Branch and Ruo Mei's hands, not less than five or six offenders.

  The law is an art of punishing people, Minglan decided to be a third-rate artist.

  Clearly define the responsibilities, first determine each person's duties, and then write in black and white what cannot be done, where cannot go, what should not be said, and what dress is not suitable. If there is a violation, light reprimand, heavy slap on the hand, heavier penalty of monthly salary, even heavier will be driven out, from the inner house to the outer courtyard is also not allowed to stay, either called back by parents or sent to the farm to work; while driving and selling is the last reserved program.

  Each time an offense is committed, a record is made of the reason, the punishment received, and the attitude towards admitting mistakes. All are noted down so that they can be accumulated and checked against each other. If someone repeatedly commits offenses, no matter how small, it's not good to keep them around. Otherwise, some clever girls might start making excuses, and everyone will follow their example, causing trouble.

  In fact, the most severe punishment is not selling, but being beaten to death. However, Minglan does not appreciate this method, which not only hurts her reputation, but also easily ruins her own name. Being sold to remote and poor areas or even barbaric regions would actually be a more miserable outcome.

  Apart from confiscating monthly silver and expelling which requires reporting to Minglan, the rest are controlled by a group of senior maids who mete out punishment. Among them, only Danju holds the ruler, she is relatively stable in temperament and will not enforce the law unfairly or lightly slap the board, causing chaos; the other senior maids are responsible for supervision and reprimand according to their seniority.

  Minglan watched with a cold eye, seeing that Dangui was becoming more and more strict, and she felt somewhat at ease. At first, she had always thought that Dangui was too soft-hearted, not authoritative enough, but now she realized that it wasn't entirely Dangui's fault; after all, back then Minglan herself was just a sixth daughter of the Sheng family, not even a legitimate child, and her own backbone wasn't strong either, so how could she expect Dangui to be strict and powerful?

  After a few days of strict rules, those who should be beaten were beaten, and those who should be fined were fined. Even several troublemakers were driven out, and the Jiaxi Residence became much more peaceful and tidy. Looking at the quiet and clean courtyard, Minglan also felt quite satisfied. Xiaotao ran over to flatter her: "Madam is really capable, Madam is really clever!"

  "It's not difficult to deal with a few servants in a wealthy family, the difficulty lies in the masters behind them." That's why the water in these aristocratic families is so murky, and can never be stirred clear.

  Xiao Tao didn't quite understand, but that didn't stop her from continuing to flatter: "Madam is so clever, Madam is so capable!"

  Minglan turned her head with a straight face: "Can't you come up with some new words to praise your wife?"

  Xiao Tao's mouth twitched with difficulty: "Madam... as long as the intention is there, isn't that enough? Didn't you say not to look at appearances?"

  Minglan stared at her for a long time, sighed, and patted her: "So is she."

  Before long, someone came to report that Madame Hai had given birth to a daughter.

  Minglan took out two strings of dazzling small golden coins, each string having nineteen exquisite little golden coins with different auspicious phrases engraved on them, strung together with red silk threads, and a small round golden ingot hanging down. Minglan said proudly: "Fortunately I had the foresight, elder sister is also about to give birth soon, when it's time for the third day after childbirth ceremony, I'll give one string each to elder sister and sister-in-law."

  "Isn't it... a bit too little?" Danju reminded cautiously, the Gu family is now richer than the Liang and Wen families, "And, are they all giving the same thing?" Danju bit her lip, in her opinion, Hai Shi was much better to Minglan than Hua Lan.

  "Stupid Danju, whatever is sent out in public should not be too eye-catching, or else people will think you're a nouveau riche. And what about Fourth Sister and Fifth Sister? What are they supposed to give? With Big Sister's and Big Aunt's production days so close together, if I don't make the washing gifts the same, won't it just cause trouble? When giving gifts, both host and guest should be happy; we can prepare a thicker gift for the full moon wine later."

  The Sheng family's third-day celebration was on a sunny and warm day, Minglan had made an appointment with Gu Tingye in advance, so she went there in a small sedan chair. Today happened to be Sheng Hong's rest day, so Minglan went to pay her respects first. When she entered the house, she saw Sheng Hong scolding Wang Shi for something, while Lan stood aside with her head down, looking dejected.

  Ming Lan got up with a smile after the ceremony, and cleverly smiled: "Dad, your beard has grown again; hum, it's almost as good as Sheng Shou Fu's beard."

  Sheng Hong couldn't help but curl up the corner of his mouth, and with a self-satisfied expression, he stroked his carefully maintained long beard, saying: "What nonsense are you talking about? You're all married women, yet you still act like children!"

  Minglan took a step forward, smiling sweetly: "Father is right, I recently found a small comb made of Yunnan rhinoceros horn, and I'll send it to you later - isn't this sentence childish?"

  Sheng Hong's face turned red with rage, and he cursed with a smile: "Leave it for your uncle!" Minglan shook her head and said: "No way, he's a military officer. Except for Guan Er Ye, I've never heard of anyone with a long beard who can fight well? It's so cumbersome to ride a horse! Your uncle is far from Guan Er Ye's skills!"

  Sheng Hong couldn't help but burst out laughing, shaking his head and pointing at Minglan.

  Xing Lan turned her head to look at Wang Shi, smiling: "It's been a long time since we met, Madam looks much younger! Yes, people say that daughters are debts and worries, and our four have been driven out. Madam is indeed relieved."

  Wang's tightly pursed lips relaxed, and like an orchid suddenly seeing the curtain of the inner room lifted, Liu Kun's family desperately gave herself a wink. She guessed at Sheng Xiang's expression and also smiled: "That's natural, you're the last one to give your mother a headache."

  Minglan turned her head to look at Rulan up and down, suddenly enlightened: "I suddenly remembered that after Fifth Sister got married, Madam immediately became more relaxed." Rulan playfully scolded Minglan: "Bad girl, you're making things up about me again!"

  The tense atmosphere in the house dissipated, and Liu Kun's family secretly admired her. It turned out that this Sixth Girl was also remarkable. Facing Sheng Hong and Wang Shi, she had never been restrained, no matter when she was with the old master and mistress in the same room, she always smiled and spoke naturally, with a natural demeanor.

  Especially to Sheng Huan, Minglan has never been resentful of his thin treatment, nor has she ever been estranged due to his coldness. It's as if he were a kind father, always happy to see her and eager to please her. Over the years, Sheng Huan has indeed been quite fond of Minglan, and whenever there's something good, he never fails to share it with her.

  After saying a few words, Wang Shi led the group to Hai Shi's house. Along the way, Wang Shi still had a gloomy face and was surrounded by maidservants walking in front, while Ming Lan and Ru Lan walked behind, arm in arm, whispering softly into each other's ears.

  "What's wrong with you? You've just come back and made Father angry?" Minglan glanced at Wang Shi in front of her, deliberately taking a few steps back.

  Rulan sighed: "The Hanlin Academy is a humble place, and recently there's an opportunity for an external appointment. I think the young master is quite interesting, but that's in Sichuan, which is a rich and prosperous land... I'm afraid..." Minglan seemed to understand, pulling Rulan as they walked slower: "So you came to ask Father and brother?"

  "No, I just complained to my mother for a few sentences, who knew that my mother personally mentioned it to my father, and even implicated me in being scolded. Like Lan lowered her small face, with a hint of blaming Wang Shi for 'not accomplishing anything but causing trouble'."

  Minglan glanced at Wang Shi, who was walking ahead with her shoulders wrapped in a scarf, and silently sighed. This woman really...

  Yu Lan's heart was vexed, and she pulled Ming Lan's sleeve, saying: "You say you say, Father is also like that, if he can help, then help a bit, if not, then forget it, why scold me?" Ming Lan was her sister who even knew about her midnight trysts, so Yu Lan spoke to her in a straightforward manner.

  Minglan leaned in close to Rulan's ear: "Did Fifth Brother-in-law ever mention wanting Father and Eldest Brother to help out?"

  "No."

  "Was he deliberately hinting at something in front of you? Like sighs and frustration for you to see?"

  "No, there isn't." Rulan shook her head. "My husband doesn't hide anything from me. That day he was on duty, but he mentioned this matter to me with a smile and said, 'I wonder which of my colleagues can run through this door.'"

  "So Fifth Sister was wrong." Minglan nodded: "Firstly, Fifth Brother-in-law may not have intentionally asked his wife's family to intervene in this matter; secondly, you didn't get his consent and came to ask Father for help on your own, which might make Fifth Brother-in-law unhappy, who knows if he has his own way of handling things?; thirdly, if Elder Brother and Father think it's a good idea, they will naturally help Brother-in-law find a solution, but if they don't think so, you forcing the issue would only make Father and Elder Brother think that Fifth Brother-in-law is incompetent and can only rely on his wife's family to get things done."

  Minglan said in one breath three reasons, stunning Rulan, who murmured: "You... seem to make sense."

  Minglan looked at the person in front of her, who seemed to be getting farther and farther away. She reminded him in a voice as soft as a mosquito's hum: "When I was young, I heard an old lady mention that a long time ago, Mother and Father were extremely good to each other, respectful and harmonious, but because Mother liked to interfere with Father's outside affairs, Father later became estranged from Mother. That's why Lin Yiniang was able to take advantage of the situation."

  It's not uncommon for a wife to interfere with her husband and son's business, the problem lies in whether the interference is good or bad, appropriate or not. Someone like Wang who doesn't understand the greater good and only thinks of personal gain probably caused a lot of trouble for Sheng Hong at first.

  This case is too classic, and the result is also too tragic. Lan Ziran felt that she was the most severely affected person in this matter. She suddenly woke up like a dream, clenched her fists and pounded her palm, saying: "I've vaguely heard of this before... then... Sixth Sister, what should I do?"

  Minglan is now living a good life, so she sincerely hopes that Rulan can also live a good life. She says: "First, let's see how Wu Jiafu brings it up again. If he mentions it again, you go find Da Sao and tell her. As the daughter of the Hai family, she knows the ins and outs best. Then she'll discuss with Brother whether they can help or not, and there will be a way to deal with it. From now on, you can do it this way."

  "This method is good!" Rulan smiled and nodded repeatedly, she still trusted this elder sister Hai very much. Then she asked again: "What if Master doesn't mention it again?"

  Minglan gave her a glance: "That just shows that Brother-in-law Wu doesn't really like this job, so you shouldn't interfere; don't always think about the hardships of the Hanlin Academy. If you even want to take charge of Brother-in-law Wu's career, be careful he won't like you!"

  Ruolan attaches great importance to this 'love', in comparison, being a humble Hanlin lady is nothing, she nodded vigorously upon hearing the words.

  After a while, Ruolan suddenly thought: "Right, I can also ask for your help! They say that Sixth Aunt's husband is very capable now! Hey, will you help me?" She slanted her eyes, put her hands on her hips, and became arrogant again, just like before she got married.

  Minglan raised her arm, smiling and saying: "Who's going to follow who? You speak up, I'll naturally go along with it. However, you'd better think it through clearly, civil and military officials are in charge of different things, for the same matter, if Father or Brother were to handle it, following all the proper procedures, it would be like a breeze on calm water, leaving no trace at all. But if your brother-in-law were to handle it... Hehe, by that time everyone will know about it, don't blame me then."

  Like Orchid's uneasy heart, literati love their reputation. Being promoted by the Yue family is already a big deal, but also needing help from relatives is even more so, and if everyone knows about it, that's just too much.

  Ming Lan smiled as she looked at Ru Lan. In this ancient era where everyone had eighteen crystal hearts, it was truly not easy to meet someone like Ru Lan who was so straightforward.

  "Sister Liu, although I'm stupid, I'm not a person who doesn't know good from bad. What you said was all kind and sincere words for my own good. You've been treating me well, I know that. Sometimes I have a bad temper, don't take it to heart." Rulan suddenly spoke softly, quietly grasping Minglan's hand.

  Minglan suddenly felt a little nervous, also holding her hand, and said warmly: "What's the matter with our own sisters talking about fate? By the way, how is your husband treating you?" As she spoke, she went to take a look at Yulan's appearance. She saw that she was wearing a bright red embroidered silk jacket with a hundred butterflies, which was a bit too elaborate, but it made her face look like a peach blossom, and her complexion was very good, thinking that she must be doing well.

  As expected, with a proud toss of her head, her face flushed red, she said shyly: "It's all good. Husband has been very good to me, and whenever he has time, he writes poetry and paints with me."

  "Is this painting of you?"

  "It's natural for me!" Lan glared fiercely, "Respected Brother said I have a refreshing face and natural demeanor, the best in painting!"

  "Yes, yes, yes, not a bit wrong." Minglan hastily added, "Then... where's your mother-in-law?"

  Ruolan was also pleased: "That old woman would bother me, and my husband would hide in the Hanlin Academy. If she scolded severely, he would say 'You don't think highly of other people's daughters, how can you have the nerve to live in their house? Hurry up and move out!' The mother-in-law wouldn't dare say much then."

  Minglan couldn't help but laugh out loud, attracting the attention of Wang Shi in front of her. She quickly suppressed her laughter; women had a hard time in this era, and she was genuinely happy for Rulan's happiness. Wenyan Jing was after all chosen by Sheng Hong and Changbai, so he shouldn't be too bad.

  Alas... If all her sisters were like Rulan, it would be easy to deal with and happy and straightforward. However, this is impossible. Minglan soon met another sister of hers, Molan.

  Mo Lan sat in the Hai family house, chatting with other women who came to congratulate her. Her delicate and elegant face looked a bit dull, wearing a purple-red peony embroidered jacket, which was luxurious enough, but it made her look several years older. A large five-phoenix golden hairpin shone brightly, dazzling everyone's eyes in the whole room.

  As soon as Rulan saw her, she curled up her mouth and deliberately leaned into Minglan's ear: "What is she pretending to be? Who in the whole capital doesn't know that the Yongchang Marquis Manor is having a hard time now? The Emperor has reprimanded them several times, even the military post of the Yongchang Marquis himself was suspended. It's already good if her husband can keep his original position, let alone get promoted."

  Mo Lan also saw them, and she stiffly nodded her head, seemingly wanting to come over and chat with Ming Lan, but was subtly blocked by Ru Lan. Ming Lan's face didn't show any expression, and she just exchanged a few words of laughter with the women in the house before going to see the newborn baby girl. She saw that the baby had delicate eyebrows and eyes, and a slightly upturned mouth, quite resembling Hai Shi.

  Mrs. Liu from the Dali Temple looked at the little baby and smiled: "This little girl is born well, like her mother, she will definitely be a knowledgeable and reasonable lady in the future."

  Hai's head was wrapped in a cloth strip, leaning against the dark purple longevity mountain auspicious flower velvet cushion, smiling: "What's good about me? It's like her several aunts who are all beauties."

  Another Mrs. Liu smiled and said, "It's all good, you sisters-in-law are both blessed." She couldn't help but glance at Minglan, everyone knew that the Hai family hoped their daughter would be like Minglan.

  Yu Lan looked at the baby and suddenly thought of something, pulling Ming Lan aside to whisper: "In a while, big sister will also give birth to a child, have you made some small clothes and shoes? Uh... is there my share?"

  Minglan glared back at her, lowering her voice: "You're already married, and you still come to sponge off my needlework? I'll tell your mother-in-law!"

  Like an orchid, she rushed over and threatened in a low voice: "You dare?! I'll pinch you to death!"

  "Alright, alright!... But you promised, just this year, next year is over!"

  Mo Lan watched as the two sisters laughed and joked, her hand clenched into a fist with the handkerchief, secretly seething with anger.

  There were about seven or eight women in the house, all of whom were talking but couldn't help glancing at Minglan. Everyone knew that the youngest daughter of the Sheng family was married to the best husband. Not only was her husband a high-ranking official, but they also lived separately from his parents and had no sisters-in-law to contend with. The large mansion was hers to decorate as she pleased, and the silver and money in the account room were at her disposal. No one dared to interfere with her. Recently, she had even been granted the title of Second-Rank Lady by imperial decree, which was considered extremely good fortune.

  Everyone looked back, only to see Minglan wearing a light blue silk gauze lotus-patterned jacket and a long skirt with embroidered green smoke willow, her hair styled in a neat curved bun, adorned with a flowing golden silver thread-embedded coral plum blossom hairpin, from which hung a small three-tasseled flowery tassel, each tassel ending in a bright red coral bead that swayed against her cheek.

  This outfit is very low-key, with only a pair of white jade bangles on each wrist making a crisp sound. At first glance, they are all made of pure sheep fat white jade, warm and elegant. What's most rare is that the four bangles have the same color and texture, truly a precious treasure worthy of being offered to the emperor.

  Everyone took a few glances, and they all thought that Minglan was born to be beautiful, with a clear and elegant appearance between her eyebrows and eyes. Every frown and smile of hers was full of innocence and charm, shining brightly with a lovely glow, and the women couldn't help but secretly praise her.

  Wang sat at the top, looking at Minglan's elegant and dignified demeanor, then saw the women all unintentionally gathering around Minglan, speaking with flattery and fawning, couldn't help but feel a surge of anger in her chest; however, seeing Minglan and Rulan chattering away together, giggling and whispering to each other, displaying a close sisterly affection, her heart eventually calmed down a bit.

  However, Mrs. Kang, who was sitting next to her, had been neglected for a long time. The women in the house were not very willing to talk to her, and Hai Shi was indifferent, looking at Minglan, a commoner's daughter, being so glorious, she was unhappy.

  "I'm telling you, girl!" Aunt Kang suddenly said in a cold and loud voice: "You have today, but don't forget your mother and the Sheng family. Don't think that just because you've received an imperial decree, or even if you're very proud of yourself, you can put on airs here! Otherwise, it's forgetting one's roots."

  Minglan slightly raised her head in surprise, looked at Mrs. Kang, and saw that she had an unnatural smile on her face, with the corners of her mouth twisted. The other women also looked surprised, glancing at each other. It was only then that Minglan smiled and said, "Oh, I understand now."

  Aunt Kang saw Minglan's respectful attitude, but her tone was cold and distant, which made her even angrier. She cooled her voice and said: "Although you are now living in another house, you must not lose your manners. Your mother-in-law lives nearby, and you should visit her every morning and evening to ask about her well-being. You should also be close to your uncles and brothers, and be filial to your elders. Don't think that just because you have a noble title, you can ignore your elders! If you don't follow the rules in your own house and lose face for your mother and the Sheng family, I will be the first one to blame you!"

  Yu'er's face turned white with fright, and she kept tugging on Mrs. Kang's sleeve, but Mrs. Kang ignored her and continued to speak freely.

  The room suddenly fell silent, and the women looked at each other in dismay. Only Aunt Kang continued to scold Minglan nonstop, while Wang Shi remained silent on the side. Minglan slowly sipped her tea, seemingly oblivious to the commotion. When Aunt Kang finally paused for a moment, Minglan calmly replied, "Auntie, I've taken note of everything you said; it's just a pity that Yuan'er is in Fengtian now, otherwise we sisters could have had a nice gathering together."

  As soon as this was said, Kang's mother-in-law was like a punctured balloon, instantly deflated. Yan'er's face turned extremely ugly. Kang Yuan'er and her mother-in-law Wang Shu'ma had three quarrels in one day, making a big fuss, which made Wang Lao Tai Tai so angry that she fell ill, and even the divorce papers were almost out.

  Minglan stared at Mrs. Kang with a cold smile, her mouth slightly raised. If Mrs. Kang dared to be presumptuous again, she would not tolerate it; since coming to ancient times, she had endured this and that, endured east and west, now even such a cheap aunt had to endure, she didn't have to mix anymore.

  Kang's aunt was anxious and turned her head to look at Wang for help. Wang received the cue and immediately frowned, saying: "Ming Yatou, you..."

  "Sister!" Rulan interrupted Wang Shi at the right moment, laughing and saying, "Stop talking about irrelevant things, hurry up and perform the three bows ceremony, don't let my niece catch a cold, or else Father and Brother will settle accounts with you later!"

  Although she smiled happily, her eyes stared at Wang Shi with great force, emphasizing the words "not related" and "father and brother". Wang Shi understood his daughter's meaning. Xun Su had always disliked the Kang family. He turned around and asked someone to say a few words. He was afraid of being scolded again; he gritted his teeth and stopped talking nonsense, directly announcing the start of washing three.

  Everyone laughed and rushed forward to watch the ceremony, leaving only Kang Yima behind, which made her extremely angry.

  After the ceremony, Minglan went alone to Shou'antang, still elegant and secluded, still with a faint scent of incense. Standing under the large Osmanthus tree, she took a deep breath, feeling her spirit lift, and smiled as she ran lightly inside, almost colliding with Housekeeper Fang at the door.

  "Sixth sister! Don't run, don't run, be careful someone sees you~~~" Fang's mother called out softly while looking outside the door.

  Minglan buried her head in the old lady's bosom, twisting like a sugar cane, and coquettishly said: "Grandma, Minglan missed you so much!"

  "Who's bad? I'm perfectly fine!" Old Lady Shen's normally tranquil face also broke into a joyful smile as she hugged Minglan tightly, laughing and pinching her. Housekeeper Fang hurriedly went to serve fruit and snacks.

  After chatting for a while, Minglan asked about everything at home, and Old Lady Sheng talked with relish.

  "...This time your sister-in-law is not feeling well, her body has been a bit ill, and she needs to rest for a while. So the mistress is taking care of the household again, and your brother has put him in my charge." The old lady's complexion was much better, and her hand lightly pointed to the curtain in the inner room.

  Minglan hastily ran to the inner room and took a look, only to see a white and plump baby lying on the old lady's bed. A small fist as white as jade, about the size of a date, was placed beside the tender and delicate face. The baby slept with even breathing, still slightly snoring.

  Minglan hastily came out and sat beside the old lady, who was overjoyed. She said to the old lady, "This is great! With Brother Quan keeping you company, you won't be lonely anymore! But... how could Madam be willing?"

  Old Mrs. Sheng was delighted and recently Wang's family suffered a loss.

  Lin's wife fled to Mai City, her daughters all got married, and Wang didn't have to take care of the house anymore. Suddenly, she found that her daughter-in-law was living a very comfortable life, and suddenly felt sour in her heart.

  Because Hai had a pregnancy, Wang thought of giving his son a concubine, saying that he was tired from studying and working hard, and should have someone who knew the cold and heat. Chang Bai said that Father's earning money to support the family is even harder, you have good ones first for Father; then it is unknown who spread the news, Sheng Hong immediately expressed his fondness for the two maids serving in the study.

  The Wang family was half dead, and the chickens and dogs were in an uproar for a while; in the end, Sheng Heng got two more rooms, and Mrs. Wang got a few more wrinkles.

  Then, Wang wanted to give the sheep a lift and press down on Hai's mother. Zhang Bai asked his father where several rooms went that year; Wang's face turned green, slapped the table and scolded you little boy dare to provoke me, are you tired of living? Zhang Bai said okay he is the son he can't provoke but he was really curious so go ask dad and grandma.

  Wang almost vomited blood, but Hai heard about it and was depressed for a while, causing her pregnancy to become unstable. She asked the imperial physician and also sought help from Old Lady He, and it took several days before things settled down.

  Sheng Hong attaches great importance to Hai's family, so he also attaches great importance to his eldest daughter-in-law. As a result, he doesn't get along with Wang Shi. Seeing that Hai Shi has no energy to take care of her grandson, he simply sends his son over to Shou'An Hall and asks a trustworthy old lady to raise him instead.

  The Wang family had an objection, or went to find fault with the Hai family, and Sheng Hong would immediately show his agreement. He also discovered a few talented and idealistic young women who were born into poor circumstances, so the Wang family had to shift their attention to fighting on the front lines of the wife-concubine struggle, without any energy left to bother with children.

  Minglan laughed so hard that she fell over, burying her face in Old Madam's arm and shaking with laughter. When she lifted her head again, her face was bright red, and she wiped away the tears of laughter. Changbai's wings were already formed, and Hai Shi had a rich dowry, plus Wang Shi's family background, even if Sheng Hong had several more illegitimate children, it wouldn't affect his position.

  Moreover, with Wang's door god and Mei's favored concubine, it's unlikely that those few maids will easily give birth.

  The old lady hugged her little granddaughter and couldn't stop smiling, she talked about Quan Ge again, saying he was clever and sensible, cheerful and loving to laugh, a very considerate good child, often playing with children for fun, feeling relieved in her heart, when talking excitedly, her eyes were warm and joyful.

  Minglan watched and felt a mix of sadness and joy in her heart. The old lady was able to spend her later years without loneliness, truly the heavens were watching over her.

  "Your elder brother told me that nowadays, my daughter-in-law's body is not good and cannot raise two children. Whether it's a boy or a girl, one of them will have to be sent to Shou'An Hall. His temper is difficult to deal with, I had to say many nice things to him, saying that he would trouble me to take care of it." Old Lady Sheng spoke in a leisurely tone, her expression calm and serene, with a hint of a smile at the corner of her mouth, compared to before, she was less haughty and more gentle.

  "Grandma, this is really great!" Minglan said sincerely as she leaned on the old lady's knees. The character of Sheng Lao Tai Tai was that she disliked forcing people to do things the most. Even if she liked something in her heart, if others didn't speak up, she would never ask for it.

  The grandmother and grandson chatted for a while, then Housekeeper Fang brought out bowls of tea and fruit. After that, she fetched a small box from the inner room, which Old Lady Shen accepted and opened, revealing a small, thick booklet inside. She handed it to Minglan: "Here, this was sent by Old Madame He."

  "What is this?" Minglan asked strangely, taking it over and flipping through it.

  "A medical book, specifically discussing women's diseases." Old Lady Sheng smiled and said, "Inside, it specially talks about how to regulate the body before pregnancy, how to protect the fetus during pregnancy, how to care for the child after childbirth and maintain one's own health, as well as dietary precautions. She is most meticulous about these things, I've already looked at it, it's written very clearly and easy to understand; on the last page, she also recommends several doctors who are good at treating women's diseases, including a few daughters-in-law from her husband's family, so if needed in the future, we can go ask for their help."

  "......Thank you, Old Lady He." Minglan flipped through it briefly and knew that this thing was very practical, and she couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration.

  Old Lady Shen saw Minglan's nostalgic expression and said slowly, "You don't have to feel guilty towards Old Madame He. She is a very understanding person. To be honest, when you agreed to marry into the Gu family, she was afraid that someone else would immediately take a liking to you."

  Minglan nodded and said with a sigh, "Madam He knew that it was futile to entangle things, so she simply made the matter look good and let our family remember the kindness of the He family. She is clever and thoughtful, considering everything carefully, anticipating every move, truly remarkable."

  The old lady smiled, seemingly with a hint of mockery: "She is indeed extraordinary. The emperor has already approved Old Man He's request for retirement, and she will be leaving the capital soon. However, the He family still has sons and grandsons on the path to officialdom, and they still need to find some helpers. Now that we all appreciate her kindness, how can we not help in the future? This is the way intelligent people behave."

  Minglan's heart was moved, and she nodded heavily, then sighed softly: "In any case, Old Lady He is always kind to my family, it's just a pity that something like that happened in our household..."

  The old lady laughed lightly again, pointing at Minglan: "You're really a silly child! Do you know what kind of person Old Lady He is? She married into the He family at 15 years old, her husband was self-proclaimed to be romantic, but she still managed to stand firm on her feet. Now, with children and grandchildren all around, they are all her flesh and blood; the whole family respects and reveres her, how could it not be so?"

  Mrs. Fang, who was standing aside, couldn't help but interrupt: "That's a truly formidable one, with a face as gentle as Maitreya Buddha, yet swift and clean in her actions; unlike us old ladies, whose faces look fierce but are actually kind-hearted."

  This remark earned a withering glance from Old Mrs. Shi, who turned to Minglan and said: "I never liked her ways when I was younger, but now it seems there's no choice! She often says one thing, 'If others want me dead, then I'll make sure they die too - that's just the way of heaven!' You'd best listen up!"

  "What about now?" Minglan nodded blankly.

  "Now? Now that Old Master He has retired with honor, and Hongwen is far away in heaven, the face of his daughter-in-law has also been given, and Cao's cheap maid has also become a member of the He family. She has plenty of ways to shut the door and slowly clean up." The old lady sneered, "The Cao family thinks that by relying on their sister and daughter, they can take advantage of the He family's wealth, but it won't be that easy."

  ……

  The He family, who were just discussing the New Year's greetings, are now busy packing and sending gifts, which has been going on for several days and is almost done; but in the main hall of the He family's house, there is a cold atmosphere.

  There were five people in the house, Old Mrs. He sat at the top, with a trusted maid standing on either side of her, and two women kneeling below, He Mu and Cao Jinxiu, their faces already streaming with tears.

  "Mother, I beg of you!" He's mother cried, "What has the daughter-in-law done wrong? You can punish her as much as you want, but don't treat Jin'er like this!"

  "How dare I punish you?" Old Lady He's face was as cold as ice, "You are the birth mother of Hong Ge, and whatever you say goes. If you want to marry someone, you'll marry them; if you want to take in a concubine, you'll take one in - I wouldn't dare stop you! However, now that Concubine Cao has entered our household, I can manage her affairs too. Alright, Concubine Cao, don't just stand there blankly, hurry up and pack your things, we'll set off together in a few days to return to the old family home at Baishi Lake!"

  Cao Jinxiu's face turned pale with fright, she had never thought things would turn out this way. She trembled and said: "No, no, old lady, please, I don't want to leave my aunt, now that my cousin is not here, I have to take care of her!"

  Old Mrs. He sneered: "This doesn't require your concern, your uncle has been traveling far away for years and months, but you haven't seen your aunt not being able to survive, even if this niece of yours is more important than her own son, she must be able to survive too!"

  He Mu felt that the voice was extremely cold and slightly raised her head to look, only to see He Lao's eyes like solid ice, full of anger. She knew she was no longer liked by her mother-in-law, and the 20 years of relationship between them had come to an end. She couldn't help but collapse to the ground, but no one came to support her, except Cao Jinxiu who wailed loudly.

  "Today, I'm going to make things clear. Aunt Cao, I must take her away; she ruined a good marriage for my son, and I won't let her ruin his whole life! I've already arranged a marriage for him with a girl from a medical family. Although their family isn't prominent, the girl is smart and capable, and can support our household well. The only thing is that her father passed away recently, so she's still in mourning. I've calculated the timing, and when my son returns in a year, it will be just right for them to get married."

  Cao Jinxiu's heart was about to break, and she stared at Old Lady He in disbelief: "You...you've spoken of marriage for my brother?" So soon?!

  "That's right." Old Lady He gazed at her with disgust, "So I can't let you stay here, causing trouble for the young couple and stirring up trouble in the He family."

  "No, I won't be a burden to Brother and Sister-in-law!" Cao Jinxiu immediately came back to her senses, repeatedly kowtowing, "I will serve Brother and Sister-in-law well, living with them like sisters."

  "Mother He also pleaded: "Niang, Jin'er has already said so, you just..."

  "I don't believe it!" Old Lady He said bluntly, "I don't believe either of you."

  Cao Jinxu and He Mu looked at Old Lady He in terror, only to hear her say slowly: "I remember it clearly, when Cao's wife entered the door, the Cao family swore an oath, saying that they would never come to trouble the He family again; but just a few months later..." Old Lady He stared at He Mu, "Third daughter-in-law, how much silver did you give to the Cao family again? Humph! You thought I didn't know, the Cao family wrote a letter begging Cao's wife, and then you gave the silver to Cao's wife and passed it on to the Cao family. You're clever, taking advantage of my words!"

  Mother He knew that Mother-in-law had always been meticulous, and at this time she did not dare to argue back, but only cried and said: "After all, it's my own sister, can't bear to see her starve to death! Mother, you have a kind heart, please pity them..."

  "Starve to death?!" Old Lady He sneered, "When they left the capital, you gave them enough silver. If they had invested in land, they would have had over a hundred acres by now. Adding what you gave them later, it's not impossible for them to become wealthy landlords in the countryside! But what did they do? I've already asked around, the men of the Cao family spend their days whoring and thieving, while your good sister indulges in luxuries and lends money at usurious rates, forcing people to sell their children! You want me to pity them? Let me tell you something, I pity pigs, dogs, and even beggars under the city walls, but I will never pity this family!"

  Cao Jinxiu's face turned deathly pale, and she almost bit her lip until it bled. She couldn't help but argue: "Old lady, have you misunderstood? My parents said they've been farming well all along..."

  "Oh, really?" Old Mrs. He suddenly smiled, "This time you and I will return to our hometown, on the way we'll pass by your mother's home, you can go take a look, if I'm wrong, I'll immediately send you back, but if what I say is true, then for this lifetime you'll stay in Baishi Cave forever, how about it?"

  Cao Jinxiu was choked with sobs, stuttered a few times, and then said no more, kneeling down with her head bowed.

  Old Mrs. He's disgust was written all over her face, and she scolded angrily: "You two-faced, three-hearted cheap servant girl! Even a toad from the stinky ditch is more dignified than you! You dare to talk to me? And still want to accompany Brother Hong? Dream on!"

  Cao Jinxiu fell to the ground, her face flushed with shame and anger, and she began to sob quietly.

  "Old Third's wife, you may have been widowed at a young age, but the He family has never owed you anything. In every aspect, it is your household that takes the lead. I am not a narrow-minded person, and remarriage of concubines is nothing unusual. However, she and her entire family are people of low character, base and shameless. If Brother Hong gets entangled with them, his whole life will be ruined!"

  She took a deep breath and raised her voice, saying: "Today I'm telling you clearly, although Hongge is your son, he's also the descendant of the He family, and you can't just take him away to do favors for the Cao family!"

  He Mu's face turned pale, and she trembled with anxiety. She looked up at He Lao Fu Ren with a sorrowful expression: "Mother, how can you say such things about your daughter-in-law? How can I have the face to live on?!"

  "You will naturally live on!" Old Lady He said coldly, "Aunt Cao, I must take him away. Rather than watching Hong brother being held back by filial piety and being dragged to death by you, I would rather be a wicked mother-in-law and watch you die!"

  He Mu could no longer cry, and looked at He Lao in a panic. She saw that she was smiling very strangely: "Perhaps you think the Cao family is more important than your own son, but I'm a heartless person who only thinks my grandson is the most important!"

  "Listen carefully, I'm only going to say this once. You're just a daughter-in-law of the He family, not the mistress of the house! Don't think you can use our family's money to help out the Cao family! Our family's reputation has already been tarnished by your actions, and I don't trust you anymore! From now on, hand over Hong's inheritance to me, and I'll give it directly to his wife. You can keep your own dowry as a favor, but let me make one thing clear: if you don't have any dowry left for our son, then we He family won't want you around anymore! And another thing, if the Cao family comes knocking on our door again, I'll report them to the local authorities and have them punished. Mark my words!"

  Madam He's imposing manner was awe-inspiring, and she stared straight at Madam He and Cao Jinxiu, who couldn't utter a single word. They could only tremble with fear and plead pitifully, but unfortunately, Madam He's heart was as hard as iron, and she didn't even listen to a single sentence. Cao Jinxiu couldn't help but want to curse, "You this old...!" and was hastily covered by Madam He's hand over her mouth. Cao Jinxiu might not have known, but Madam He did - her mother-in-law had blood on her hands, and many concubines and children had silently disappeared.

  Old Lady He smiled and looked at the two of them, opening her mouth: "You also don't be too sad, I'm not going to keep Cao Niang confined for a lifetime. When Hong Ge has children and grandchildren, after ten or eight years, I'll send you back, and your family will reunite."

  He Mu looked at her mother-in-law's eyes, and her heart turned cold. She knew her own body, she would not live for more than ten or eight years. Originally, she wanted to take advantage of herself still having breath, let her son and Cao Jinxiu cultivate their feelings well, and after her death, Cao Jinxiu could also stand on her own feet. But now, her mother-in-law was going to exhaust herself to death?!

  By then, I'll be dead, my son and daughter-in-law will be loving each other, with children of their own. Even if the old Cao Jinxiu is sent back to me, what's the use? It would just be a mouthful of food, enough not to starve to death.

  His mother was bewildered and didn't know what to do, but suddenly she had a thought, as if she had remembered something.

  Old Lady He looked at her face and knew what she was thinking, so she calmly picked up the teacup and slowly said: "You'd better not instigate your brother's daughter-in-law to come ask me. If your daughter-in-law or son comes to tell me they want to take back Cao Niangniang, I'm a foolish old woman who doesn't care about right or wrong, and I'll just send your niece directly to the nunnery to settle the matter. Hmm, speaking of which, there's also a place like Tong Zhang An in Baishi Tan that specializes in housing women who have committed errors..."

  Cao Jinxu could no longer hold on and fainted, while He Mu's eyes were dull and she stood there stupidly.

  Announcing some bad news, the author has been entrusted with a heavy responsibility by our beloved leader and needs to complete the task before May 20th, so the updates for the next two weeks will be irregular.

  I really can't help it, I don't know when I'll have time, if I have time I'll update more, if not then everyone shouldn't wait anymore. Anyway, the goods will be delivered on May 20th, and after that, certain things can be updated normally again.

  Apologies to everyone, but after returning from a business trip, I've been working overtime non-stop. Just look at my innocent and helpless eyes... how pitiful and resentful they are! So, please forgive me!