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

  Jinjiang time-travel novel, please log in actively. Thank you for your understanding and support!

  "I told you I'd go back by myself, what are you doing here?"

  In a three-wheeled carriage with a thin blue awning, Minglan held a teapot and asked in a low voice with a stern face.

  Because the woman had not yet left her month of confinement, the third day celebration was mostly attended by female relatives and did not involve a big feast. The Wang family only slightly set up lunch to entertain them, and after lunch, they took a short rest. As the women from various families were leaving one after another, just as Minglan was about to bid farewell, Gu Tingye arrived. He chatted with Sheng Hong for a few sentences before he and his wife left together.

  Gu Tingyan's smile was not genuine. Just now, he went to the Sheng Mansion to pick up his wife. Minglan had a blushing and demure expression, like a young daughter-in-law, and she tactfully hinted to him, "Husband, riding horses back and forth is too tiring, why don't we take a carriage back to the mansion?"

  Looking at Minglan's powdered face turning red, her bright eyes like water, Gu Tingye's heart suddenly felt a rush of heat, and he excitedly got on the carriage, but as soon as he did, he was doused with a basin of cold water...

  "It's just a coincidence, what's the big deal?" Gu Tingyan couldn't help but find it amusing to see Minglan getting flustered, and his fingers itched to pinch her.

  "You think I don't know the way." Minglan felt her IQ had been insulted, and immediately took out three tea cups and placed them on the small table, "The imperial city is here, our house is here, my mother's house is here...... how can you 'happen' to pass by?!"

  The Gu family is roughly located in the first ring, the Sheng family in the second ring, and Gu Tingyun's workplace is in Zhongnanhai.

  Gu Tingyan gazed at Minglan's plump cheeks, fiddling with the tea cup as if she were a child playing with building blocks. She couldn't help herself and pinched Minglan's cheek, laughing: "After breakfast, I accompanied General Lin to inspect the Western Mountain Garrison. When it was almost time, I came looking for you... Isn't giving you face at your maternal home good enough?"

  "It's not good." Minglan covered her cheeks, her face serious, "You'd better keep a distance from me in front of others, as long as we go through the motions on the surface, it's best not to show any other concern."

  Gu Tingyan stared, looking at Minglan in surprise. He vaguely remembered that he hadn't gone to pick up Yu Yanhong from her mother's house that year, and later she had made a big fuss, almost blowing the roof off - it was said that his first marriage had left him with many profound lessons.

  "Didn't you just see the faces of my wife's aunt and sister? They were as black as a pot bottom!" Fortunately, there was still Wen's husband, who had once taken a half-day off from the Hanlin Academy to meet his wife at the mountain gate after she finished burning incense. As a result, Xianglan didn't react much, but self-satisfiedly boasted for a few sentences before playfully teasing Minglan a few times and then stopping.

  Minglan looked at Gu Tingye with a surprised face and explained patiently, "I wasn't born as the madam, but I married better than several of my sisters. Not only was I granted a noble title, but also given a separate residence. Now that I see my husband treating me well, don't all good things seem to be mine? Is there such an easy thing in the world? If things are unfair, resentment will arise; it's better for me to endure some idle anger!"

  This principle was heard by Gu Tingyan for the first time, he thought for a moment and remembered the middle-aged woman with an acid face standing beside Wang Shi, who seemed to be called "Kang Yima". The woman had a jealous look in her eyes, Gu Tingyan looked at Minglan and said in a low voice: "Someone... is jealous of you? Bullied you?"

  Meilan shook her head: "One more thing is not as good as one less thing. What's called harmony and unity, we are all family members, everyone lives a similar life, it's best not to stand out too much. Firstly, if I appear too dignified in front of you, then someone will come to me to ask for your help with promotions, exams, external appointments, recommendations and whatnot, should I help or not?"

  A married-out daughter should still be low-key in front of her natal family's relatives, don't show off randomly, even if you really have the capital, don't boast wildly, otherwise, those who borrow money, borrow a place to live, ask for favors, ask for this and that... will slightly make things difficult for you, and unwillingly agree, then there will be volcanic-like sarcastic remarks waiting for you - who told you to brag in the first place!

  Gu Ting Yan hesitated for a while before saying: "So... I shouldn't have been so strict with you at your mother's place?"

  "That's right." Minglan saw that he had finally come to his senses, and was delighted, "It would be best if you looked even more severe, with a fierce expression."

  "Then what about your face?"

  "Relatives and elders come to tell on you, will you scold me?" Minglan asked with a smile.

  "No." Gu Tingyan vetoed in one word.

  "I'm in charge of household chores, will you come and dispute my authority?"

  "I'm so full I'm about to burst?!" Gu Tingyan couldn't help but laugh.

  "I want to make new clothes, wear new accessories, and do what I want to do. Will you not allow me?"

  "As long as you don't harbor evil intentions, everything will go smoothly!" Gu Tingyan's face was stern, but his eyes were smiling.

  Minglan waved her sleeve, smilingly embracing her husband's sturdy arm and said: "That's settled then. With the inner family taken care of, we can do as we please with our social face! Outsiders will think it's not easy for me to make a living under your care, who knows, they might even treat me better!"

  Gu Tingyan's eyes flickered slightly, his eyebrows raised lightly, and he pulled the smiling Minglan in front of him, holding one hand on each side. He smiled and said: "Let me summarize for you. Your meaning is that you want your husband to get a white sheepskin for you, so that this cunning little fox can put it on tightly, right?"

  Minglan's pair of clear and bright eyes sparkled, very innocent and naive: "When the husband leads the army, he should be compared to the military law, that is, 'the enemy is clear and I am hidden, this is the best way'."

  This is also related to the art of war! Gu Tingyan was both angry and amused, he pulled Minglan into his arms, his double arm exerted force, only to find that Minglan was like a young beast that had not been weaned, making "wu wu" sounds, struggling slightly, then burying her head in his shoulder, touching a warm, soft and fragrant spot, he couldn't help but laugh.

  He smiled and said, "Is lunch ready?"

  Minglan pushed away his iron arm, trying to collect her makeup: "Occasionally returning to her mother's house, how can she eat like a starving ghost." —— Moreover, there was still a sharp-tongued Mrs. Kang sitting opposite her.

  "This is great! The old rules of the Thin Old General for forty years, in the military camp, must eat and drink with the soldiers, I used the excuse to go to the armory to hide, and now I haven't eaten yet! I'll take you to the Tianxiang Building to eat!" Gu Tingyan laughed loudly.

  Ming Lan's face was playful, using her slender index finger to point at the man, with a deep smile on her lips. She deliberately spoke in a soft and gentle tone: "You, a young master, can't even bear a little hardship. Be careful that Old General Bao finds out, or he'll deal with you severely!"

  "Is there anyone else as brave and capable as me?! " Gu Tingyan glared with feigned anger, "Stop wasting words, are you going or not?!"

  "Let's go, let's go!" Minglan said hastily, her face filled with joy. "Everyone says that the fragrant pigeon and Buddha-jumping-wall of Tianxiang Tower are the best in Beijing, but I've never had a chance to try them." Tianxiang Tower was a famous wine tower in Beijing, specializing in entertaining high-ranking officials and nobles. The tower had special rooms for women's banquets; Wangshi had taken Rulan there before, and Lin Niang had also taken Molan there. Hualan had wanted to take Minglan there too, but on the day she was about to leave, her mother-in-law suddenly made a fuss about something, so they had to cancel.

  Watching Minglan's joyful face, Gu Tingye felt a slight discomfort in his heart, but he didn't show it on his face. He just hugged Minglan and smiled: "The capital city gathers the best food from all over the world. Next time, I'll take you to other restaurants. The 'Four Seas Fragrant' bean paste fish and spicy flower pepper chicken are truly delicious. And there's also the 'Drooling Pavilion' Dongpo pork and honey sauce roast...". He went on and on, enthusiastically recommending dishes. Minglan laughed and clapped her hands in delight, secretly pleased - calling this guy a spoiled brat wasn't unfair at all. If she weren't his wife but his buddy, he might be taking her to explore the red-light district right now. Who knows, he might even rank the famous brothels in the capital based on their service attitude, pricing standards, and product quality, creating a Bloomberg-style ranking chart.

  "But...” Minglan suddenly thought of something and hesitated, “At this hour, is there still a seat available at Tianxiang Lou? If she were a man, she wouldn't mind sitting in the main hall, but in this world, how could a woman show her face so boldly, and who knows if there's still a private room available.

  Gu Tingyan was speaking with great enthusiasm and pride, but upon hearing this, he burst out laughing and said with a proud and arrogant tone: "Who do you think I am? Even if I didn't have it, I would still have to have it!"

  This sentence has a bit of the flavor of the heroic outlaws of Mount Liang, who robbed the rich to help the poor. Minglan suddenly had an epiphany and couldn't blame her for having a poor imagination. Unfortunately, in her past life, she hadn't even seen a living aristocrat before sacrificing herself on duty and being reincarnated. After that, Sheng Hong cherished his official reputation and never dared to take a step beyond the bounds of propriety. Who would have thought that this lifetime he would actually be lucky enough to become one of the privileged class?

  Her face was flushed with excitement, her two chubby little hands patted on Gu Tingyan's arm, and the light in her eyes jumped with excitement as she leaned in stuttering: "Could it be, could it be that we... can drive away the guests of Tianxiang Building and take their seats?"

  "I can drive the chef out of Tianxiang Building and let you cook fish soup inside!" Gu Tingye sneered, looking down his nose at Minglan, scolding her, "Think about your own identity, have some self-respect!"

  Minglan's eyes lit up, and she became even more spirited, struggling to stammer out: "Th-then... can we eat without paying?" Eating at the tyrant's table is the second most essential course for all spoiled and evil villains in movies and TV dramas. What's the first one? Do you need to ask?

  Gu Tingyan almost choked on his saliva, staring at Minglan for a full minute before sighing and saying: "Madam, can't you be just a little bit more... respectable?"

  ……

  After that dinner, Gu Ting Ye saw Ming Lan eating happily and would often bring back signature dishes from famous restaurants on their way home. One moment it was steamed ribs in a green lotus leaf package with sauce and ginger juice, the next it was fish maw and tripe soup in a bamboo tube, and even sometimes there were duck blood noodle soup and wild mushroom-filled dumplings that he had found at some street stall in a remote corner. The flavors were rich and savory to the extreme, Ming Lan almost swallowed her spoon. Gu Ting Ye indeed lived up to his reputation, never bringing back the same dish twice until now.

  Minglan sighed deeply as she ate: Indeed, the world is not lacking in beauty, but rather lacks the eyes to discover it. Marrying a young master also has its advantages - at least Langbo would never be able to find such delicious stir-fried silver pomfret like this.

  Every time Minglan was eating with gusto, Gu Tingye would stand beside her, smiling and watching her eat. Minglan was too busy eating to notice the strange inquiring gaze of her husband, which seemed to be hiding a sly intention. In their leisure time, the couple chatted about everything under the sun, from rumors on the streets to court politics. Gu Tingye loved this warm and playful atmosphere, often dragging out trivial conversations that would go on indefinitely. Meanwhile, Gong Sun, who had been waiting for a long time in the outer study, couldn't help but send someone to summon Gu Tingye.

  Several times later, Mr. Gong Sun couldn't help but sigh: "I wonder why Mr. Fang Weng's mother insisted on divorcing Tang Wan!" When a couple's feelings are too good, the man often forgets to strive for progress.

  Who would have thought that Minglan's eyes lit up, and she hastily asked: "I heard that the husband of Mrs. Tang, who remarried later, is better than Luoyou in terms of family background and talent, is this true?" Yao Yiyi vaguely remembered hearing about this gossip.

  Mr. Gong just wanted to speak, but saw that Gu Tingyan's eyes were piercing, so he could only clear his throat and say seriously: "Absolutely not, after Tang Wan married for the second time, she was always unhappy and missed Lu Wuguan every day."

  Gu Tingyan smiled and refilled Mr. Gong's cup of tea.

  Gongsun Baishi was originally from a middle-class family in southern Shaanxi, and after failing the imperial examination, he indulged in traveling to scenic spots. With his elder brother taking care of their filial duties and their family being wealthy, he had no worries about making a living. He traveled extensively, visiting famous scholars and discussing current politics. Over the past twenty years, he has visited all the famous historical sites, but as time went on, he became more and more eccentric. A few years ago, while traveling through a remote mountain pass, he encountered a group of bandits who not only robbed him but also tried to kill him. Fortunately, Gu Tingyan happened upon the scene and saved his life.

  Mr. Gong Sun, after repaying the kindness, became a teacher for Gu Tingyan. Later, he heard that his elder brother had passed away and his younger nephew, Gong Sun Meng, didn't like to study for the imperial examination. His grandparents couldn't manage him, so they sent him over to be taught by his uncle. Incidentally, he followed Gu Tingyan to learn some skills. This was just a leisurely work, intended as a rest during travel, but unexpectedly, Gu Tingyan's fortunes rose, and Gong Sun Baishi also benefited from the association. Now he is Gu Tingyan's chief aide and has some reputation in the capital.

  After taking office, Gu Tingyan, who was confident in his martial arts skills, was not bothered to bring bodyguards. However, due to Gong Sun's persistence, he would always have a group of soldiers from the army follow him whenever he left the city, and when walking within the city, there would be guards following him. The brothers Tuliutu followed him with a group of skilled men. Gong Sun then followed the Tuliutu brothers to learn some martial arts, and in his free time, he would read books.

  "If it were peaceful, I wouldn't be so troubled. But now the Emperor... " Mr. Gong Sun's heart was heavy with worry, and he slowly moved a white piece on the chessboard, hesitating to make his next move. "The Supreme Court, the Ministry of Justice, the Imperial Prison - they're all working day and night, every month they have to bring in people for interrogation, some... never come out again, directly thrown into prison."

  Minglan thought for a moment and said, "The King of Jing is planning to rebel, and the Jie slaves are coming to attack. It's a critical moment, but three major camps have been mobilized, which is not very beneficial. The situation is obscure and involves half of the capital city. Fortunately, the emperor has left some room for maneuver, so it was a surprise without danger. I'm afraid the emperor won't let things go like this."

  Mr. Gong Sun nodded: "Now, the one in charge of the imperial prison and the Forbidden Guard is Liu Zhengjie. He was originally a personal bodyguard of the Eighth King's Mansion and had gained the emperor's trust. He handled matters with great severity; when the emperor borrowed the excuse of mourning for the former emperor to dismiss a batch of nobles, it was meant to be intimidating. Unfortunately, some people did not see clearly and instead became even more arrogant. Yesterday, the emperor merely pointed out a few mistakes made by some high-ranking officials, and the court immediately erupted into heated debates, showing that there are deep undercurrents at work. Furthermore, in the military camps, as soon as the new commander took office, he discovered many problems: soldiers were drawing empty salaries, stealing military rations, occupying civilian land, using military salaries to lend money at interest, and privately engaging in border trade... All these issues are shocking to hear!"

  Minglan smiled, seemingly nonchalant: "The previous emperor was benevolent and lenient, with light labor and low taxes. He was frugal, humble, and kind to the people, allowing them to live in peace and prosperity. He treated officials and nobles well, and had a bit of the style of Emperors Wen and Jing. Now the national treasury is full, and the common people are still relatively well-off."

  However, Hao Qiang became more and more tyrannical, exploiting the people's wealth, seeking only personal gain, filling his own pockets...

  "So, by confiscating their family properties, we can reap a rich harvest!" Minglan hastily added, "One sweep is a big fortune! The wealth of an Anhui governor can offset half a year's salt tax. By confiscating the properties of those two earls and one marquis who rebelled against us, it would be equivalent to half a year's national revenue surplus!"

  Mr. Gong Sun couldn't help but laugh, his whiskers flying up in several strands: "This is indeed the case! After being beaten twice, the national treasury is still not empty."

  Minglan smiled and teased: "Under the prosperous era, there are always some minor problems; The former emperor's policy was mainly based on benevolence and thickness, but the current emperor is strong and bold, with a balance of leniency and severity, which is exactly the atmosphere of our dynasty's prosperity. The 'Jing Yan Rebellion' affected three provinces and four regions, but the emperor allocated the land of several vassal kings and rebels to the people in one breath, isn't it gradually recovering now?" Those who engage in politics always love to worry about the country and the people with a worried face, she said: "Moreover, if the governor does not follow the emperor's lead, what else can he do?"

  Mr. Gong Sun thought for a moment and could only smile wryly and nod - without the Eighth Prince, Gu Ting Ye was just a heroic customer in the rivers and lakes.

  "Just be careful with your actions, don't rush forward too hastily, offending too many people is never good." Minglan said in a low voice. Chairman Mao's words are good, strategically we should underestimate the enemy, tactically we should take them seriously.

  Mr. Gong Sun smiled easily: "This is not a problem, the governor is a rough man with a delicate mind, and he has also dealt with all kinds of people, so he's not that kind of inexperienced young man."

  They drew in three games, with Minglan and Gongsun each winning one game, losing one game, and drawing one game. Both were dissatisfied, as they had both thought themselves to be superior players. Still fuming, the two agreed to meet again the next day to decide the winner! Old Gongsun relied on his good memory, muttering to himself as he walked away with his hands behind his back. Minglan was more humble, having Xiaotao carry the chessboard back to their room, intending to study the final moves of this game.

  At this time, someone outside came to report: Cuiwei brought her husband and children.

  It's been years since we last met, and Cui Wei has given birth to a daughter. She has gained weight, her round face is rosy and looks healthy. As soon as she saw Ming Lan, she burst into tears, and then pulled Xiao Tao, Green Branch and others to cry together. They laughed and chatted, saying they missed everyone so much that it was unbearable. The girls were all overjoyed, asking each other about their recent situation in a flurry of questions.

  "I thought the old lady would keep the girl for a while longer before marrying her off? It should be next year at least, who knew the girl would get married so early, it's even made me rush back to Beijing!" Cuiwei wiped away tears, smiling.

  "Who made our lady so charming! The old master came to propose early in the morning and is eager to get married!" Green Branch said with a smile.

  Cui smiled and glared: "Your tongue is still so sharp, be careful that you won't be able to get married in the future!"

  Lu Zhī's face turned red with rage, and she went to beat someone. Dān Jú immediately showed a sincere expression and comforted her: "Don't worry, Green Branch sister, Madam will definitely find you a good husband!" Green Branch became even more embarrassed and chased them around the ground, fighting.

  After a burst of laughter, the maids retreated, and Minglan called in Cuiwei and her husband to talk. Cuiwei's husband was named He Youchang, originally the son of Old He, the steward who took care of the old mansion in Jinling. He had a round face, neat and tidy, with a loyal and considerate appearance; the couple standing together looked quite alike.

  "Your father is an old lady's person, I've always been trustworthy. You're still young, start from the gatehouse and learn to manage things later. See how you behave, speak politely, at least get familiar with the outer courtyard first." After some small talk, Minglan held a bowl of tea and smiled slowly, "Your children are still young, Cuiwei can't leave for days and nights, so she'll help me by assisting Liao Yong's wife. She's an understanding person, knows what to do."

  Cuiwei and He Youchang were both intelligent people, well aware of the situation in the Gu household. Now that Minglan had no one to trust in either the inner or outer courts, they would be her ears and eyes, helping her get a clear understanding of each servant's character and temperament, as well as the connections between internal and external events, which would eventually lead to promotions and rewards.

  The couple came out and smiled at each other as they looked at the scenery of the Gu's residence, whispering to each other.

  "Madam is a nostalgic person, I heard that the original madam wanted to send another servant to accompany Madam as a dowry, but Madam asked Old Madam and insisted on bringing us over from Jinling." He Yuchang sighed, he was in his prime and naturally knew how different it was to work in an old mansion in Jinling versus serving in a noble family in the capital, "It's also thanks to your good fortune."

  "We should be more careful and help Madam with her worries." Cui Wei looked at her husband gently, then continued, "That year when I went to her courtyard, she said in front of me and Dan Ju, 'I entrust you with the power to manage these young maids, it's both a restriction on them and a test for you.' Now it seems that she had already seen through Yan Cao's unsuitability; we must handle things impartially, if we make mistakes or mess things up, it's easy to explain, but if Madam finds out that we have ulterior motives... Madam has sharp eyes, she won't tolerate any deceit!"

  He Youchang greatly respected his wife and smiled, "This is natural! Before we left home, Father lectured me for two whole nights. He said that if I could meet a kind and understanding master, it would be best; as long as I had a loyal heart, I wouldn't suffer any losses."

  Actually, Minglan hopes that Cuimiao won't be too busy. The daughter is young and needs to be taken care of, let alone having a few more sons while she's still young, so there will be hope for the future; no choice, it's ancient times after all. For example, if Hai Shi and Hua Lan only had one son, Minglan would choose to let Hua Lan give birth to a son and Hai Shi give birth to a daughter. Nothing else, Hua Lan's situation is even more miserable, while Hai Shi's life is relatively comfortable.

  In just a few days, someone came to report that Hualan had indeed given birth to a son.

  To avoid being late, Minglan got up early on the third day of the month and dressed in a simple yet elegant outfit. She wore a moon-white silk blouse with a subtle pattern, over which she wore a crimson-colored jacket with a hidden pattern. On her head, she styled a slanted bun, at the base of which peeked out three or four large, round, and luminous pearls. On top of that, she secured a delicate golden hairpin inlaid with purple gemstones, shaped like a butterfly whose wings seemed to flutter. Little Peach brought over some freshly cut flower buds, still trembling with dew from the morning. Minglan chose a jasmine flower about the size of a teacup and tucked it behind her ear; as she gazed into the mirror, the subtle fragrance wafted up, adding a touch of freshness and charm to her already lovely complexion.

  Minglan's nth deep sigh, accompanied by her random thoughts: This physiognomy is really eight mistakes! If she wore it to the chaotic world, she would probably become a demon queen without any problem. The only question was whether she would end up with the foolish king or continue serving the new king.

  The Zhongqin Manor was located in the third ring area, and Minglan had been jolted around in the carriage for almost two hours before they arrived. Xiaotao climbed into the carriage to help Minglan tidy up her makeup, and only then did the mistress and servant get out of the carriage. When Wangshi saw that Minglan had come quite early, a faint smile appeared on her face. Kang Yima still had an air of mystery about her, but as soon as she saw Minglan, she grabbed her sleeve, leaned in close to her ear, and whispered with a smile: "Today, my husband will come to pick me up!" After finishing speaking, she glanced sideways at Minglan with a smile all over her face, looking pleased with herself.

  Minglan was almost speechless, gritted her teeth and leaned in close to her ear: "It's not in vain that you ran out to meet him in the middle of the night."

  Rulan's face suddenly turned bright red, glaring at Minglan with a mixture of anger and suppressed laughter, and could only forcefully pinch Minglan's arm twice. Minglan couldn't help but let out a soft "ouch", the bruise from that wolf-like pinch yesterday hadn't healed yet.

  Mo Lan stood by and watched coldly.

  Waiting to see Hualan, Minglan was shocked at once. She saw Hualan reclining on the bed, with a spring-colored brocade scarf wrapped around her head. Although she had been deliberately tidied up, her clothes were clean and neat, but she couldn't hide her pale yellow complexion, haggard and thin; compared to Hai's white and plump appearance, Hualan simply didn't look like she had given birth, but rather as if she had suffered a serious illness.

  Wang's family rushed up at that time, calling out "son" one after another. Hualan just smiled: "...this pregnancy is not very good, it will be fine if you take care of it slowly." Her words were weak and she couldn't stop panting.

  Look at the little baby, also weak and sickly, thin and frail, even his crying voice is barely audible. After changing his clothes and washing him for a while, he only let out a few faint meows like a small cat, then didn't move much; Minglan remembered Hai's daughter when she was washed as a child, her chubby little hands and feet struggled and splashed water everywhere, what a lively scene!

  Everyone present looked suspicious, turning their heads to look at Mrs. Yuan and her daughter-in-law, only to see the latter looking somewhat constrained, lowering her head to talk to her mother, Zhang Yima, while Mrs. Yuan was calm and collected, seeing others' doubtful expressions, she even casually said: "I've already told my second daughter-in-law that this pregnancy doesn't look good, we need to be more careful, but she insisted..."

  As they spoke, Hua Lan suddenly began to scold herself for not coming earlier, and the other women didn't dare to interrupt, only smiling and listening. Wang Shi secretly hated her, but since there were many people present, she couldn't confront her on the spot, so she could only grit her teeth and endure; Mo Lan quietly lowered her head to drink tea, feeling quite pleased.

  Minglan slightly shifted her gaze to look at Hualan, but saw that she was lowering her head, with a hint of resentment in her eyes. Minglan felt distressed and sat down beside Hualan's bed, gently stroking the back of her thin hand. Suddenly, it became scorching hot, and only then did she see a drop of moisture on the back of her hand.

  Minglan felt a pang of sadness and bitterness, tightly grasping her hand.

  Like Orchid, she was a bit slower than others in reacting, and it took her a while to notice that something was off about Hua Lan. As soon as she did, she immediately blew up, standing up abruptly and loudly asking Mrs. Yuan, "Why is my sister so thin? Is she ill?"

  As soon as this was said, the room immediately fell silent. Sometimes it's just that people are afraid of being bullied; Rulan stared with her eyes wide open, looking straight at Mrs. Yuan and her daughter-in-law. Mrs. Yuan's face immediately sank: "How can you speak like that, Auntie? Women who are pregnant have their own good and bad fortune! Wait until you give birth to a child yourself, then you'll know!"

  This phrase is usually effective in shutting up young wives, but unfortunately Yu Lan isn't one of them. She's a modern-day Cui Yingying who would sneak out at midnight to meet her lover. As she stepped forward, her voice grew louder: "No need to wait, I'll ask you myself! Did you stuff another bunch of concubines into my sister's room?" — This was Mrs. Yuan's masterpiece when Hua Lan had her first miscarriage.

  "What are you talking nonsense?!" Mrs. Yuan's face turned red, the tea bowl in her hand clinking, and the surrounding area was already filled with snickers.

  "That's you again, forcing my sister to stand at attention with a big belly!" Rulan's finger almost touched Mrs. Yuan's nose tip - this was Hualan's creation when she was pregnant with her younger brother.

  "How dare you! You're also too deceitful!" Madam Yuan's whole body trembled, and the mocking gazes of the womenfolk became even more blatant.

  "Otherwise, are you forcing my sister to get pregnant and take care of the household for you?" Madam Yuan was not as intimidating as Sheng Hong, and Lan was not afraid at all - this move was a new trick that Hua Lan had come up with when she was pregnant with her brother.

  "Ah ah ah..." Mrs. Yuan had never met such a straightforward and outspoken woman before, and for a moment, she didn't know what to say. Minglan secretly felt delighted.

  Among the ladies present, except for Shoushan Bo's wife who couldn't come due to family matters and Yuan Wenyi who had married out, many were familiar with the inner workings of the Zhongqin Bo household. Several of them knew the truth about the Yuan family and couldn't help but secretly laugh at the farce, while a few furrowed their brows slightly.

  Yuan's grandmother quickly supported her mother-in-law and said in a sharp voice, "Sister-in-law, you should also accumulate some virtue. Can it be that if something good or bad happens to my younger sister, it is all our fault?"

  Who would have thought that Rulan's face was so natural: "That's natural! Anyway, if my sister has something wrong with her, it must be you two who bullied her! Look at the two of you, eating so white and fat, your chin is already double-layered. If you really treat my sister well, you should also take care of her and make her thin!"

  Minglan almost burst out laughing, meeting such an unreasonable person, Wang Shi didn't stop her, and Yuan Dainai could only be speechless, secretly touching her own chin, too ashamed to speak, she turned around and sat down with her head lowered; Hualan weakly said: "Ruer, don't say anything else..."

  Madam Yuan regained her composure and said sternly, "You Sheng family's young lady is too precious, our Yuan family can't afford to serve you. Take her back quickly!"

  Everyone saw that things had come to this, knew it was not good, and urged her repeatedly, calling on Mrs. Yuan to calm down, but Mrs. Yuan's face was cold and stern, Jiao was angry and anxious; Minglan stood up, staring at Mrs. Yuan with a cold gaze: "Can you explain clearly, madam? What do you mean by 'taking her back'? Are you going to issue a divorce letter?" Her tone was icy and hard.

  Madam Yuan never dreamed that the Sheng family would dare to directly interrogate her, and thought that they would just say a few nice words and then let the matter drop. She was momentarily stunned, unable to say yes or no without losing face.

  Ming Lan narrowed her eyes, her gaze sharp, and spoke slowly: "Madam Yuan, make yourself clear! Are you asking for a divorce?"

  With the current momentum of the Sheng family, although it is not as good as before, it is still better than the Yuan family; Mrs. Yuan knew in her heart that if Hualan was kicked out, she would be next; she turned her head away in anger and didn't speak anymore.

  Aunt Zhang hastily intervened, "What's wrong with what Auntie is saying? My older sister just meant to say that it would be good for the daughter-in-law to go back to her parents' home to rest and recover."

  "So that's how it is." Minglan's eyes were filled with disdain as she smiled lightly, "I was mistaken after all."

  Minglan slowly walked over, pulling down the puffed-up Rulan to sit down, and smiled warmly: "Ladies, please don't mind my sister's tactless words, she is straightforward and can't hide anything that puzzles her."

  Minglan is now a noblewoman of the second rank, and among the seated women, her status is the highest. The other ladies only try to curry favor with her, who dares to question her? A few even chimed in with a smile, "Yes, yes." Madame Yuan turned her back on them, huffing with anger.

  Minglan smiled slightly and said, "It's no wonder that my fifth sister made a wild guess. However, it's also too coincidental. Every time my older sister becomes pregnant, there are always some stories to be born. Those who know will say 'what a coincidence', while those who don't know will think that our aunt is being deliberately cruel to my older sister and biased towards her own niece! But we ourselves know that our aunt would never do such a thing!"

  Nonsense! Even if the mother-in-law was unintentional, the daughter-in-law had already taken it to heart after several incidents during her pregnancy. How could she be so eager to pick a fight? Mrs. Yuan's chest heaved with rage, her heart on the verge of bursting, yet she couldn't say anything; the surrounding women either looked at her indifferently or mockingly, their various gazes making her even more furious and on the verge of fainting.

  "Mother-in-law is indeed sharp-tongued," Mrs. Yuan said with a venomous tone, "Marrying a daughter from the esteemed Sheng family, what great fortune!"

  Minglan smiled and said, "I don't dare to accept your praise, I just spoke the truth. If there's anything inappropriate in my words, please don't blame me, dear Auntie, just point it out and I'll make sure to correct myself next time!"

  Mr. Wang's face improved greatly, and he secretly let out a sigh of relief, feeling somewhat more at ease. He said loudly, "Don't worry about my family anymore! My family has just the right number of daughters - not too many, not too few. Last month, we just finished marrying off our daughter! Now, in Old Shen's household, there is only one girl who is still waiting to get married, and that is my own plump granddaughter who is only ten or so days old. It will be a long time before she gets married!"

  After finishing speaking, there was a burst of loud laughter in the house. The women saw that the atmosphere had eased and quickly gathered together to chat and laugh.

  Madam Yuan looked at Rulan, who was about to scold her, and then at Minglan, who had a warm smile on her face. One was a fallen family, the other a smiling tiger. She knew that today would not end well, so she stopped talking. Because she was angry in her heart, she didn't even stay for lunch, but only shouted that she had a headache and her body was uncomfortable. The female guests saw that the Yuan family had issued an order to drive them away, so they all retreated one after another.

  Minglan watched with a cold eye, seeing that many of the female guests were showing signs of discontent, and several even spoke out to mock her, knowing that this Mrs. Yuan's relationships weren't very good either.

  Wen's brother-in-law indeed came to pick up Rulan, Minglan suspected that he had been secretly waiting nearby, specifically to give Rulan a boost; under the envious gaze of the crowd, Rulan left with a pleased and proud expression. Just as Minglan was about to leave too, suddenly a young servant from the Yuan household came to deliver a message:

  "Second Master said that he will return with Director Gu soon; only today did we hear that General Bao's wife is ill, so we invited Mrs. Gu to stay a while longer and wait for Second Master and the Director to return to the manor before going together to visit her."

  After returning the military token, Bao Tianxiu was in a state of semi-retirement and lived in his suburban villa, enjoying his later years. He was actually closer to the residence of Zhong Junbo; Minglan hesitated for a moment before going to see Madame Yuan, smiling: "What can be done about this?"

  Wang hastily added fuel: "If Auntie is inconvenient, my Minglan can wait at the door."

  Madam Yuan was furious today, her anger almost causing her to have a stroke. If Minglan had indeed waited at the door yesterday, then the Yuan family would become the laughing stock of the entire capital tomorrow. She gritted her teeth and barely managed to hold back her temper, turning to scold the maid beside her: "Still not going to prepare tea for Madame Gu?!"

  ……

  14th floor

  Minglan walked slowly back to Hualan's house, where Hualan had already received the news and was smiling as she called her sister over to sit beside her. As she ordered the maids to bring tea, fruit, and pastries, she kept asking Minglan if she was doing well after marriage. When Minglan shared amusing stories about her life, Hualan covered her eyes with a handkerchief, taking pleasure in her sister's happiness. Whenever Minglan mentioned something that troubled her, Hualan offered words of advice, and the two sisters chatted warmly for quite some time.

  Minglan looked down and signaled Cuiyan to go to the door, then said in a low voice: "Sister, what's going on? You really don't plan to say anything? Since Old Lady He instructed you about important matters, you wouldn't take your body lightly during pregnancy."

  Hua Lan was taken aback, her eyes suddenly welling up with tears. Remembering that a pregnant woman shouldn't cry, she hastily held back her emotions and choked out: "I knew it... others might not notice, but you, I couldn't hide it from you."

  "What's going on?!"

  "Hualan suddenly shouted loudly: 'Cuicui, go and bring Shige over, then lead Zhuangjie over; Yinjie, make sure the doors and windows are tightly closed!'"

  Outside responded.

  Hua Lan grasped Ming Lan's hand tightly, her voice trembling with sobs: "That... that dead old woman! She's really gone too far! Ever since I got pregnant, she's been insisting on raising Sheng brother in her own home!"

  "Really?" Minglan exclaimed.

  "Hua Lan resentfully said: 'In an ordinary family, a grandmother raising her grandson is a common thing; but, that dead old woman has always been intentionally bullying me, how can I put my mind at ease?!... Your sister's husband also refused, and it dragged on until two months ago, when this dead old woman suddenly pretended to be ill, and even found a Taoist nun, saying that Sheng Geer's eight characters were auspicious for her. If she wanted to recover from her illness, she had to have Sheng Geer by her side! A big hat of 'filial piety' was pressed down on him, how could your sister's husband resist?!'"

  Quiet and unassuming, this move is really shameless!

  When Hualan's body was at its weakest, she had a relapse. She didn't know whether the child in her belly was a boy or a girl. Shige was Hualan's only son, and if Shige were to be taken away, Hualan would have to worry day and night, how could she take good care of her pregnancy? Her mother-in-law had given orders, how dare she not obey?

  Hua Lan wiped away her tears, looking sorrowful, and continued: "Those two months, I don't know how I got through them. Every time I closed my eyes, I dreamed that Shi Ge had something happen to him. I couldn't eat or sleep well, and I almost went crazy!"

  Minglan's heart was filled with compassion, and she gently stroked one of Hualan's hands; although she knew that Mrs. Yuan would not necessarily be unfavorable to her own grandson, but if there really was a chance, could she still ask her grandmother to pay for her grandson's life? However, a careless remark had settled the matter, and this mute girl had been wronged.

  "About ten days ago, the front yard suddenly became noisy; I asked and almost fainted." Hualan's face was pale, "That group of black-hearted women actually let Shige sleep alone in the afternoon without leaving anyone to watch him, they all went outside to drink tea and chat! Shige is very good at crawling now, after he woke up he crawled all over the bed, and there happened to be a brazier placed by the bedside, the child didn't know any better, knocked over the brazier, and rolled under the bed, the ashes from the brazier fell on Shige's body!"

  "Ah!" Minglan cried out in alarm, "Is anyone hurt?!"

  "My poor brother cried for a long time, but no one paid attention to him." Hualan's voice was filled with fear, and she trembled slightly as she continued, "Fortunately, there was Zhuang sister..."

  "What's going on with Guan Zhuang's sister?"

  Hua Lan's face flushed with shame: "...it was all my fault, I only thought of Shi Ge, and neglected her; this child knew I was worried, so she often pushed away her wet nurse, every day sneaking to the front yard to see her brother. She was small, and others were not on guard, so no one noticed. Her wet nurse came to report, I was annoyed, and severely scolded her. That day, Zhuang Jie again snuck out, she heard Shi Ge crying in the house, rushed in to take a look, only to see her brother rolling on the ground, crying, with burns all over his head and face! Zhuang Jie couldn't carry her brother, so she had to brush off all the sparks from his body... alas, poor child's hands were also burned in several places...... Ah, come quickly, Zhuang Jie, come see your Sixth Aunt!"

  A little girl rushed in hastily and Minglan hugged her tightly, kissing her forehead: "Good child, let Auntie see your hand."

  The young girl's face also showed a fear that only adults have, and she hesitantly stretched out her two small hands. On the tender white palms were several deep rose-colored bruises. The little girl shyly withdrew her fingers and said in a childish voice: "Auntie, I'm not hurt anymore, it's my brother who got burned badly."

  Minglan hurriedly went to see the boy in Cuicui's arms, who was sleeping soundly. On his delicate and pale face, there was a red swelling on his forehead, which must have been caused by a fall. Along the right eyebrow down to the cheek, there were fine, deep-red burn scars. The most shocking one was precisely on his right eyelid! If it had been a little worse at the time, he might have lost the use of one eye!

  The boy seemed to be awake, and made a low humming noise twice. Zhuang Jie hurried forward and gently patted her brother twice, cooing softly: "Good boy, good boy..." The little boy seemed to recognize his sister's voice and fell back asleep.

  Minglan's heart ached, and she could no longer hold back. She tightly hugged Zhuang Jie'er, tears streaming down her face. Hualan looked at the two children, feeling sorrowful, and buried her face in the bedhead, also sobbing uncontrollably. Cuijuan hastily handed the boy to the nurse beside her, and busied herself helping Hualan wipe away her tears, repeatedly saying: "Second Madam, you absolutely mustn't cry, or it will lead to a lifetime of illness!"

  Minglan hastily wiped away her tears, hugged Zhuang sister and said with a proud face: "Good child, you can help your mother share her worries, save your brother, you are the best daughter, the best sister! Sixth Aunt is very happy for you! Don't be afraid of bullying and difficulties, you are the eldest daughter of the Yuan family, the eldest granddaughter of the Sheng family! Who dares to bully you!"

  Zhuang Jie'er smiled slightly and nodded vigorously.

  Cui Cui took the two children out, Minglan saw them off at the door and turned back with tears in her eyes, smiling: "Sister has raised the children very well, sister will have good fortune in the future! ... Uh, what happened later?"

  Hua Lan was also filled with pride, relief and laughter. After calming down, she slowly said: "I thought that old woman would feel guilty in her heart, but unexpectedly she bit back, saying it was Zhuang Jie who knocked over the incense burner and hurt Shi Ge! And she even wants to punish Zhuang Jie!"

  "Nonsense!" Minglan also cursed, "No matter how you put it, if there's no one serving at home, something will go wrong. If someone is around, even if Zhuang sister knocks over the incense burner, it won't hurt Shigong!"

  "Who says it's not!" Hua Lan sighed, "The family is in a mess, your brother-in-law came back and was so angry that he almost died, wanting to whip those women to death with a whip. He was stopped by his mother, who scolded him for being unfilial and said she would go to the ancestral temple to kneel! After the grandfather found out, he immediately punished those women and wanted to send the grandmother to the countryside to 'rest'. The grandmother didn't know where she learned it from, but she actually took a rope to hang herself, saying 'there's no reason in the world for a mother-in-law to be mistreated for her daughter-in-law', which almost made the grandfather faint! This matter was dropped, fortunately, the son is coming back..."

  Minglan was speechless, while Hualan's mouth curved into a faint smile: "Your brother-in-law saw the wound on Shi Ge and was frightened to the point of breaking out in cold sweat. He was furious but had no outlet for his anger, so... hehe," she smiled strangely, "that old hag sent seven or eight concubines to my place, and your brother-in-law beat up the two most prominent ones that night, each receiving fifty slaps, until they were half dead before being thrown out of the Zhongqin Duke's mansion! He also stripped two others naked, making them kneel in the courtyard all night, and the next day they fell ill and were sent away. The remaining few are now very obedient, not even daring to show their faces, fearing that your brother-in-law would vent his anger on them."

  Minglan's smile faded: "How could this be?"

  "After the old lady found out, she came to make another scene. At that time, I was holding a hairpin and pointing it at my throat, saying 'If she dares to mention taking away my child again, I will die on the spot.' She had no choice but to go scold her son, beating him until his face was covered in bruises, and he couldn't leave the house for several days."

  After finishing a thrilling and heart-wrenching past, the two sisters were speechless for a long time, leaning against each other with their heads together, both of whom were heartbroken. After a long while, Hualan finally said: "When will this finally come to an end? I'm afraid every day that she'll play another trick."

  "It's...not like there's no way to cure it completely." Ming Lan said slowly.

  Hua Lan immediately straightened up, her eyes shining brightly as she grasped Ming Lan and whispered urgently: "What's the solution? Quick, say it! Say it!"

  Minglan was silent, and Hualan grew anxious, asking one question after another until Minglan's head spun. Minglan found it difficult to say: "This isn't a good thing, it's just a silly idea."

  "What a wonderful idea! Just right for that old hag!" Hualan's eyes gleamed with excitement.

  Minglan gritted her teeth, fine, she began her first large-scale conspiracy in her life; She said: "Recently, I heard that something happened at home. The madam...she wanted to take a concubine for the eldest brother, and Eldest Sister immediately fell ill."

  Hua Lan smiled slightly and said: "My younger brother's wife is so lucky, much better than me, even if she takes a concubine, it won't kill her."

  Minglan sighed inwardly and could understand Hualan's mindset, continuing: "Not to mention brother not being willing, father also thought that madam was making a fuss over nothing, so... cough, he took in several concubines."

  Hua Lan seemed to understand somewhat and asked softly: "So...?"

  Madam is too busy to take care of her sister-in-law now.

  Hua Lan's eyes widened in understanding.

  "This... will it work?" Hualan hesitated.

  Minglan calmly said: "Is it possible that the Yuan family will divorce your mother?"

  Hua Lan suddenly sat down, shaking her head: "Impossible, she has given birth to children, the Zhongqin Duke's mansion can't afford to lose this person, that divorce letter was just meant to scare her."

  "Then is it possible for your husband to leave your wife in the countryside for her whole life to 'rest'?"

  Hua Lan's eyes were desperate: "It won't work either, let alone others; even if it were your brother-in-law, I wouldn't bear the thought of my mother-in-law suffering forever in the village."

  "What else can you do?" - Actually, turning it around, the Yuan family wouldn't be able to fire Hualan either.

  "That's right! That's right!" Hualan pounded the bedboard heavily and said in a low voice, "Let her live such a comfortable life! It's time for Master to take in a few young and beautiful concubines! ... But, all the concubines in Master's room are being watched by Mother-in-law until they're dead!"

  "Firstly, where has a daughter-in-law ever given her father-in-law a concubine? Wouldn't that be the laughing stock of everyone if it got out? Secondly, don't just take in any concubine, you need to take one that your mother can't easily bully."

  Hua Lan was so clever and after a moment's thought, she understood: "You want me to go find Big Aunt?"

  "Yes." Minglan said, "Go find Madame Shoushanbo."

  "Will she help me?" Hualan wondered, although she liked herself very much, but...

  "Isn't helping you, it's helping her own mother's family! When she comes back from her hometown, she will definitely come to see you. At that time, you dismiss the crowd and tell her everything. First, talk about your hardships, your grievances, show her the wounded child, and exaggerate the injury! Then tell her the story of Zheng Zhuanggong and Gongzi Shuang..."

  "I know!" Hua Lan's eyes finally lit up, "In the Spring and Autumn period, Zheng Zhuang Gong and Gong Shu Duan were also biological brothers born to the same mother! However, due to Wu Jiang Tai Hou's favoritism, she one-sidedly supported Gong Shu Duan, acting contrary to reason and morality, ultimately leading to a fratricidal struggle between the brothers! In the end..."

  "In the end, Zheng Zhuang Gong personally killed his brother Gong Shu Duan! In truth, this is also a fault of Wu Jiang Tai Hou!" Ming Lan added, "This is no longer just a dispute between you and your daughter-in-law. If you let Madame Yuan continue to be so hysterical, the two brothers of the Yuan family will become estranged. Eventually, the Yuan family will inevitably break apart."

  As soon as this was said, the whole thing immediately rose to a new height and became a matter of maintaining family unity.

  Hua Lan weighed the matter back and forth twice, feeling that it was quite feasible. She would have Shoushan Bo's wife find a poor but respectable woman from a good family background, beautiful, gentle, and clear-headed, who would know that the second room was her support. As the older sister, she would send a concubine to serve her brother with poor health, as long as Old Master agreed, no one else had the right to say anything, if Madame Yuan made trouble, it would be considered 'seven outs' - whenever she gave her son a woman, she liked to use this to shut Hua Lan up.

  Yuan Laobo, who had a hard life for most of his years, would probably like that woman. Even if she gave birth to an illegitimate child, it wouldn't matter, because whether or not there was an illegitimate child, the second wife wouldn't get any property anyway. In the end, as a mother-in-law, you can make things difficult for your daughter-in-law every day, but as a daughter-in-law, it's not good to go and find fault with her husband every day; so let's just wait for a strong gust of wind to blow by, and see if Yuan Furen still has the energy to come and provoke trouble every day!

  Hua Lan Yue felt more and more satisfied, in high spirits, and almost wanted to jump for joy.

  Minglan smiled as she looked at Hualan.

  Firstly, since Hualan doesn't mind Changbai taking a concubine, it's likely that Shoushan Bo's wife, who has a bad relationship with Mrs. Yuan, won't mind her brother Zhongqin taking a concubine either; Secondly, the young master of the Yuan family is not good at studying and martial arts, only likes to idle around, while Yuan Wenshao is clever and capable, with a bright future ahead of him, Shoushan Bo's wife should know that in the future, she and her children will rely on which household.

  This is the final key.

  "This matter can only be known by three people." Minglan couldn't help but remind, "You, Shoushan Bo's wife, after the matter is done, you can still tell your brother-in-law about it. Your relationship with your husband is not bad, don't get hurt because of this."

  "I know what you mean, once I've gotten into the house, I'll tell your sister-in-law everything. Hualan smiled slyly, she seemed to have returned to her carefree and innocent girlhood days, when her only task was to think of ways to play tricks on Lin's wife. 'Don't worry! From start to finish, it has nothing to do with you.'"

  Minglan felt relieved and it was always a pleasure to work with intelligent people.

  In fact, as long as it doesn't threaten their own interests and status, most sons in this era wouldn't have any objections to their father taking a concubine. Let alone when Hualan kneels down in front of her husband with two children covered in scars, crying and begging, using gentle and clever words, there basically won't be any big problems.

  After a while, Gu and Yuan returned. When Yuan Wenshao smiled and went to invite Minglan out of the mansion, he would never know that in the short time just now, his life trajectory had slightly curved; much later, he had an obedient and loyal younger brother, as well as a very happy and peaceful second half of his life.

  At this moment, Mrs. Yuan, who was sitting on the kang and scolding her bitter fate, would not know that her truly bitter days had just begun.

  At the gate of the foreign mansion, Gu Tingye helped Minglan into the carriage and saw that she was in low spirits and looked dull. He found it strange and turned to see that Yuan Wenshao had not come out yet, so he also got into the carriage to ask what was wrong. Minglan briefly told him about the matter.

  Gu Tingyan slightly frowned: "Brother Wen Shaoqin is also too indecisive, this kind of foolish filial piety not only wrongs himself and his wife and children, but also tolerates the unrest in his household."

  "It's not about being indecisive, it's just a matter of whether it's worth it or not." Minglan leaned against the carriage wall, her expression calm. "Brother-in-law naturally knows that sister is having a hard time, but he thinks his mother, who has always been obedient to him, is more important; men with multiple wives and concubines pretend that their family is harmonious, not because they don't know their wives are sad, but because their own pleasure is more important than their wives' sorrow. ...But this isn't wrong either, in life, one's own happiness is naturally more important."

  Gu Tingyan looked at Minglan with a hint of surprise and unease, his heart stirring up an uncomfortable feeling. He suppressed this feeling and asked quietly: "And you? What should be done when one is heartbroken?"

  Minglan smiled and said, "It's okay, it's okay...it'll be fine, we can get through it."

  It wasn't until I reached this age that I realized the way ancient women lived was actually the wisest. They managed their property well, secured a solid material foundation, and then loved themselves, their children, and their kind-hearted natal family. Occasionally, they would love a man, but not too much - just enough so that if he found another woman, you wouldn't be heartbroken. And just enough so that when you showed him your tender feelings, it felt just right and didn't make you feel sick.

  It's best not to harbor resentment and live a life of loathing with a man you deeply despise, it's an unhealthy way to live.

  Minglan is working hard on her practice. In a few more days, after the Gu Manor has been tidied up, she will have to host an upper beam wine banquet for relatives and friends. After that, she will have to go to the Ningyuan Marquis's manor from time to time to pay respects to her elders. The holiday is about to end, hoping everything goes smoothly then too.

  "How dare you say such things?" Gu Tingyan narrowed his eyes, with a hint of sharpness in his gaze.

  Minglan tilted her head, quietly saying: "You said you like to hear the truth, besides... I also can't hide it from you, making you force me to tell the truth is no better than telling myself."

  "Are you implying I'm living off of you?" Gu Ting Ye raised an eyebrow.

  "No." Minglan spread her fingers, palms up, "I'm counting on you for my daily life, but...". Her calm eyes stared straight at the man, clear and heartbreaking, "If you change your mind, what can I do?"

  Gu Tingyan's eyes darkened, and he suddenly asked: "Then what will you do?"

  Minglan propped up her chin and thought bitterly: "I don't know, let's talk about it then. Probably won't go looking for death."

  Her initial expectation of her sisters was that they would not harm her, and as long as they satisfied this point, Hualan Rulan would be her good sister; Her only hope for Sheng Hong Wang Shi was also that they would not take advantage of herself too much, and as long as they still considered her marriage happiness, then they would be good parents.

  Now it seems that basically, Sheng Minglan's life is still happy; she will definitely find a way to make herself most comfortable, whether or not she leaves him.

  Gu Ting Ye gazed at Ming Lan without blinking, the dimly lit carriage had only a sliver of light peeking through the curtains, casting a glow on her pale face like fine jade, her long eyelashes drooping down to cover the dull crystal-like luster, her curved neck weakly leaning against the backrest, fragile, despondent, bewildered, with an air of helpless resentment towards the world.

  This stunning beauty, full of self-mockery and sentimental wounds, loves life, spurns life, is optimistic and enthusiastic, decadent and apathetic. She seems to be affirming and denying at the same time, a contradictory perfect symmetry. From the moment he pulled her out of the river, he has been curious about her, and he has never been so fascinated by anyone before.

  "What would you do if your sister were in such a situation?" the man suddenly asked.

  Her quiet eyes sparkled, like a beautiful ripple spreading across the lake. She patted the small table and smiled coquettishly: "The officials force the people to rebel, this is unbearable! I'll go get two kitchen knives right away, one pressed against my own neck and one pressed against his, and shout loudly - if you don't let me live, you won't have a good time either!"

  Then she giggled and fell onto the crimson velvet cushion with golden embroidery, mischievously like a child.

  Gu Tingyan looked at her deeply, he didn't smile, he knew she wasn't joking, her eyes weren't smiling - this had happened several times before, on the contrary, there was a strange and absolute determination in her gaze; beautiful like moths flying towards the fire.

  He dragged her up abruptly, roughly and violently pulling her into his arms, holding her tightly, almost choking the breath out of her before slowly releasing her. Minglan lifted her head to gasp for air, her face flushed red from being suffocated, staring at him blankly.

  Gu Tingyan felt inexplicable, he seemed very angry, resenting her for not trusting him, but had to admit that her concerns were also valid. In the end, he could only stroke her beautiful eyelids, sigh softly, and say in a low voice: "No need for a knife, who do you want to chop, I'll go chop for you." Anyway, his own mother was long gone.

  Minglan was confused and didn't know what he was talking about.

  He paused and added: "I'm better at chopping."

  Minglan smiled stupidly a few times, indicating her agreement. Gu Tingye suddenly burst into another fit of great anger, violently overturning the small table in the carriage, and punching the wall of the carriage with his fist, causing the horse-drawn carriage to shake violently, Minglan was frightened into a ball.

  "Gu Tingyan suppressed his anger and said: 'You little scoundrel! We've only been married for less than a month, and you're already thinking of ways to get out of it every day! You little rascal!'"

  As he spoke, he lifted Minglan's arm, quickly rolled up her sleeve, and took a big bite of her snow-white and tender elbow, leaving two rows of neat teeth marks.

  Minglan's face turned pale with fright, her mouth pursed, and she looked at Gu Tingye with tears in her eyes as he angrily got out of the carriage!

  This is a weekly update, and I'll make up for 'Author's Notes' later. Jinjiang transmigration novel