A Blessed Daughter

by Usui Takumii

not mine, Moonlight Teatime until chapter 43, after that is MTL from novel cool. 577 chapters and ongoing.

1. 00 to 10

Description

Wei Ruo, a highly skilled doctor, was time traveled as a female supporting role in a novel. She was left neglected in the countryside for ten years and returned back when she was thirteen years old.

Seeing that she only knew how to grow flowers, grass and vegetables all day long, everyone thought that she was a peasant woman.

As the female supporting role, Wei Ruo did not want to fall in love with the male lead, nor did she want to compete with the female lead. All she was thinking about was to make money, make money, and make money!

When the fake daughter was still worried that Wei Ruo's return would affect her status, Wei Ruo had quietly saved up a private fund.

When the fake daughter was still trying to attract the male lead's attention, Wei Ruo had already made a big fortune.

If you want money, you have money, if you want food, you have food, The shop was opened one after another.

Later, her brother became the first minister, her father became the general, and the one sitting on the emperor's chair was her husband.

Associated Names

ABD

Chapter 001 – Saving people

Among the highlands, a narrow path crossed through the mountains.

Wei Ruo walked along the path with a bamboo basket on her back. The weather in early spring was perfect, and the sunset glow reflected on her fair face.

Although the distance to Yunping Mountain was far, there were surprisingly many rare wild medicinal herbs in the mountain, so it was worthwhile for her to come all the way here early in the morning.

Not long after coming out of the path, at the foot of the mountain and turning into the main road, Wei Ruo heard noisy voices nearby.

A luxurious carriage was parked by the roadside, accompanied by several attendants in large troops.

Wei Ruo stopped, pondered for a moment, and then, with her principle to better avoid unnecessary trouble, she pretended not to see them, lowered her head and continued walking forward.

However, these people still discover her presence, and a well-dressed man quickly walks over and stands in front of Wei Ruo, saying, "Where is the nearest medical clinic?"

His voice was impatient and his expression was somewhat frightening.

"There is no medical clinic nearby. The nearest one is in Xiancheng*, which is also 70 or 80 miles away." Wei Ruo replied with her head bowed.

*Xiancheng: refers to the town where the government is located.

"What about a midwife*? Is there a village around here that has a midwife?" The man asked again.

*Midwife: women who used to deliver babies in the old days.

"No."

Wei Ruo's answer made the man's expression darker.

Seeing that the man did not ask any more questions, Wei Ruo didn't want to meddle in other people's business, so she turned around intending to leave.

Just two steps away, a woman's scream was heard from inside the carriage, along with the anxious voices of the maids:

"Madam hang in there, madam is fine, we will find a doctor soon."

"Hand, I see a hand, what should I do? It is a hand! We are in a dire situation!"

"Water, bring hot water and ginseng tea!"

Wei Ruo frowned and could not help but stop walking away.

The person in the carriage should be in labor and the situation was very critical.

Did she want to interfere?

It was better not to care about it, since it could easily cause trouble. This group of people was not to be messed with!

Just as she decided to continue walking, there was another scream of a woman.

How could she go? Lives were at stake, furthermore a child!

Wei Ruo glanced back at her bamboo backpack, pondered for two seconds, but finally could not resist and chose to turn around and walk back.

Seeing Wei Ruo approaching the carriage, the attendants immediately stopped her.

"I know a bit of medical skills, and there are some freshly picked herbs in the bamboo basket. If you choose to believe me, let me get into the carriage, or I will leave now."

Wei Ruo concisely gave the man two options.

Hurry up and answer. If he said he would not give her permission, she would immediately turn around and leave, simplifying matters!

The man's mind was dazed at the moment. He heard the maid say she saw the hand, if a hand came out first in labor, it would be like half of the body had gone into the gates of hell!

At this time, there was another screaming sound from inside the carriage, which struck the man's heart.

The man did not have time to think anymore: "I will give you a chance to try to save my wife and children. If you succeed, prosperity and wealth are inseparable from you!"

With approval, Wei Ruo strode onto the carriage.

Inside the carriage, a woman dressed in a gorgeous dress was moaning in pain. Her head was covered in sweat, and her hands were clutching the maid next to her.

Wei Ruo looked down at the woman and found that the amniotic fluid* had already broken, but the fetal position* was not correct and difficult to give birth.

*Amniotic fluid is a protective fluid for the fetus that is in the uterus and amniotic sac during pregnancy. In addition to allowing the fetus to move freely in the uterus before birth, amniotic fluid also functions to support the development of fetal organs, and to maintain a stable temperature in the uterus so that the fetus feels comfortable.

-fetal position is the positioning of the body of a fetus as it develops. Ideally for labor, the baby is positioned head-down, facing your back, with the chin tucked to its chest and the back of the head ready to enter the pelvis.

Thankfully, the amniotic fluid had not yet run out and the baby's hand had not yet fully entered the birth canal*.

*Birth canal: The muscular canal that goes from the uterus to the outside of the body. During birth, the baby passes through the birth canal. Also called vagina. During labor and delivery, the baby must pass through your pelvic bones to reach the vaginal opening.

Wei Ruo dug out a cloth bag from the bamboo basket, which contained acupuncture kits and some commonly used medicines.

She took two slices of dried ginseng and took them out for the woman to swallow, and told the maid to get some water, preferably syrup or something similar, to feed for the woman.

Wei Ruo calmed the woman's emotions and said: "Don't cry, don't shout. Save your strength. I will give you an acupuncture to relieve the pain now, and then help you to correct the fetal position. Don't be nervous and try to relax as much as possible."

What? Correct the fetal position?

Correct the fetal position at this time?

Furthermore, acupuncture?

The maids on both sides heard this and their faces turned pale.

This was something that even the most experienced midwife in the capital would not dare to do! It was too dangerous to correct the fetal position at this time!

Without any nonsense, Wei Ruo quickly washed her hands with the hot water on the carriage, opened the acupuncture bag, picked up the long, thin silver needles, untied the woman's clothes and accurately injected the acupuncture in several positions.

After a while, more than ten silver needles were inserted into the woman's body, easing her pain.

Then, under the disbelieving gaze of the two maids, she tucked the child's outstretched hand back in!

The pupils of the maids trembled, and they almost cried out in fear.

Wei Ruo then put her hands on the stomach, gestured like Tai Chi, and pressed the fetus in the abdomen to rotate slowly.

The two maids inside the carriage who saw this scene were once again too shocked to speak, the baby inside the belly was really moving!

As the minutes ticked by, the people waiting outside the carriage became more and more anxious, as if they were being baked on a stove.

Was the girl from earlier really able to do it?

She could do it, right? What if it did not work?

God bless us, Buddha bless us!

An hour later, a baby's cry broke through the gloom that hung over everyone's heads.

The people looked at the carriage in great surprise, and then burst into cheers.

Accompanied by the cheers from the people outside, Wei Ruo in the carriage took care of the child's umbilical cord, and then cleaned up the mother from the bleeding.

Wiping the sweat from her forehead, Wei Ruo let out a long breath before dragging her tired body out of the carriage.

After being told he could go in to see the lady, the well-dressed man couldn't wait to get on the carriage to see his wife.

After a while, under the kind reminder from his wife, the man got out of the car to look for Wei Ruo, wanted to thank Wei Ruo and give her a big reward, but found that the woman who had just saved his wife had disappeared…

He clearly promised to that woman that he would give her prosperity and wealth, why did she leave without saying goodbye?

As we walked down the path home, Wei Ruo began to feel the pain.

She just gave the woman ginseng slices and used herbs to stop the bleeding. It was worth a lot of money!

Wei Ruo secretly thought, next time something like this happens, she must ask for some reward!

Wei Ruo was carrying the bamboo basket towards her home. She could have walked home in an hour or so, but she had used up too much energy saving people and could not walk any further.

Three hours later, a separate courtyard appeared in front of Wei Ruo.

This was the place where Wei Ruo lived for ten years: pitch black roof tiles, gray walls, greenish black bricks, faintly showing signs of decay.

2 – Birthright

The maid, Xiumei, standing at the door like a watchmen, saw Wei Ruo from afar and trotted up to her, seeing Wei Ruo carrying a bamboo basket of herbs, she said in a distressed and slightly complaining tone:

"Miss, why did you go to the mountain alone again? How dangerous it is!"

While speaking, Xiumei had skillfully picked up Wei Ruo's bamboo basket and carried it on her back.

"Dear Meimei, I did not go up the dangerous cliffs, really! There are so many rare herbs on the mountain that are worth so much money, it would be a waste not to pick them!"

"That won't work either! Your body is not as strong as mine! Even if you want to go, you have to take me with you! The master you hired has taught me so much kung fu, I have to put it to good use!"

"Who's going to cook for me when I bring you up the mountain? My five fiscera* are counting on you!" Wei Ruo pouted.

*Five fiscera: heart, liver, spleen, lungs and kidneys.

Today's trip was exhausting for her, she had depleted her stamina after running all the way to collect herbs, and she even helped a woman give birth, which drained her body.

"I will cook for you when I get back! You're wandering off to the mountains alone like this, I'm so worried at home to the point that I can't cook rice properly and can't differentiate salt from sugar!"

Xiumei stomped her feet.

"I'm hungry." Wei Ruo tilted her head up and looked at Xiumei eagerly.

"Miss, you changed the topic again!" Xiumei said helplessly.

"Don't let me starve, look how thin I am." Wei Ruo touched her stomach, and hinted precisely.

When she was in such a critical situation, she didn't even bat an eyelid, but now she was being cute and nice to her maid in order to get a meal. She was like a completely different person.

"Okay, okay, I have already cooked it, and it is all simmering on the stove. It's still hot! I'll go and serve it to you."

Xiumei had a knife mouth and tofu heart*, she turned around and entered the kitchen while muttering.

*Knife mouth and tofu heart: It is a metaphor for harsh words and sharp words, but a soft heart, generosity and kindness. What you say is not the same as what you say in your heart (when you speak harshly).

She could not help it, who to blame if her young lady's eager eyes for food were too painful to look at? She could not withstand it!

The courtyard where Wei Ruo lived was filled with all kinds of plants, from ornamental flowers to medicinal herbs and crops.

The only space left stands a stone table. Wei Ruo liked to eat, drank tea and basked in the sun at the stone table when the weather was good.

This was a separate courtyard of the He family, there were only two people living here, Wei Ruo and her maid Xiumei.

Wei Ruo time traveled and became a supporting role in the book.

In the original book, she was the young lady of the Wei family, a government officials family, who was mistakenly carried away by the He family, a merchant family.

When she was three years old, she was told by a fortune-teller that her fate was harming her parents, so she was sent to this courtyard.

The only people who came with her were Wei Ruo's nanny and her maid, Xiumei.

After that, the He family sent five taels of silver every month, and they stopped asking about her well being.

Even during the holidays, Wei Ruo never saw them again.

Now Wei Ruo was thirteen years old, and had lived in this Zhuangzi* for ten full years.

*Zhuangzi: a cultural village in China.

For Wei Ruo, she really enjoyed living in Zhuangzi and interacting with the villagers.

She didn't want to go back to the He family, nor to her biological parents' house, because in the original book, her life there was very difficult.

The next morning, after having breakfast, Wei Ruo and Xiumei went out together.

The separate courtyard where Wei Ruo lived was backed by the hills, and a wide expansion of farmlands stood outside of its gate.

During the busy farming season, the villagers were busy planting rice seedlings in the fields.

When Wei Ruo passed by, the villagers greeted her one after another.

"Ruoruo, my boss went up the mountain to hunt a rabbit today, and I left a rabbit leg for you. Remember to ask Xiumei to bring it back later!"

"Miss Ruo'er*, I've picked some water celery today, and I'll share it with you. Ask Xiumei to take it."

*'Er's meaning is 'child' and is used as a term of endearment.

"Miss Ruo'er, the medicine you gave me last time really works, my son got better after taking it!"

"…"

Wei Ruo greeted them, and then came to her field.

Like everyone else, she took off her shoes, stepped barefoot into the muddy rice field, and began to plant rice seedlings.

Xiumei persuaded Wei Ruo several times to rest beside her and let her do it, but Wei Ruo insisted on doing it herself.

She had reasons why she had to plant it herself.

Wei Ruo had a 'space', which appeared during her time travel. The entrance of the space was a red spot in the palm of her left hand, like a cinnabar mole.

There was a shabby thatched cottage in the space. At first, the cottage was empty.

Outside the shabby thatched cottage, there was also a void, a vast expanse of white, as if she was shrouded in a thick fog.

Later, Wei Ruo began to decorate the thatched cottage, adding furniture, making decorations and storing items from the hut over a period of several years.

As Wei Ruo built the interior of the thatched cottage, the thick fog outside the house subsided a little and a square piece of land about two meters by two meters appeared. Then rice was planted on the land.

So Wei Ruo started planting rice, and when the rice was ripe and harvested, Wei Ruo gained experience points.

After planting a few times, her experience points were full. The space was upgraded, and the thick fog in front of the house subsided again. A new piece of land of the same size appeared. At this time, sweet potatoes were planted on the land.

At this time, Wei Ruo understood that her own 'space' can be upgraded, and the experience needed to upgrade is obtained through her planting. After her experience point was full, she could upgrade. After the upgrade, new land and new seeds would appear.

This was very similar to an online game "Happy Farm" that had been played for many years. You could gain experience by planting, and after the experience point was full, you can upgrade to get a new plantable land and new seeds.

Later on, Wei Ruo took out the rice seeds in the 'space' and planted them. After harvesting, she also had experience, but only if she personally planted them, and the part that was distributed to the villagers to plant would not give her any experience points.

So whether she was inside or outside the 'space', she needed to do it herself.

The master and the servant were busy when suddenly two Mo mo* and a group of people appeared on the field beside Wei Ruo.

*Mo mo: The honorific title for the nanny. A generic term for an old woman, and also refers specifically to a wet nurse.

Seeing Wei Ruo standing barefoot in the mud, her face stained with mud, a look of disgust crossed the faces of the two Mo mo in unison.

What kind of look was this? Even the maids in the house were more decent than she was!

"We are the servants from the Colonel's Mansion and we come to pick up the young lady to return to the mansion, by the order from the Master and Lady." The Mo mo made her intentions clear.

Colonel's Mansion? Xiumei looked surprised, and asked: "You are mistaken, my young lady lives in Xiancheng, and she does not know any military officers."

"It used to be, but from now on, it has changed." One of the mo mo said, "The master has already made a clear investigation. When they were in the Haining Mansion, the He family and the master's wife gave birth at the Guanyin Temple at the same time. They met bandits who went into the mountains, and in a panic, they picked up the wrong child."

Another Mo mo added: "Your adoptive parents' family, the He family who do business in Xiancheng, have agreed for us to take you away."

3– The biological parents came to pick me up

Wei Ruo looked at the two Mo mo and remained silent for a while.

Just when the two Mo mo who came to pick her up thought that Wei Ruo was too surprised and overwhelmed, Wei Ruo opened her mouth and replied in a calm tone: "I see."

Knowing that she was not an abandoned child of the merchant family but a daughter of a Colonel, her identity and status suddenly rose a big step. How could her reaction be so calm?

"Miss, listen carefully, we are from the Colonel's Mansion. The Wei family has a long history of meritorious service, and you will be an official lady from now on if you go back with us." The Mo mo repeated, thinking that Wei Ruo did not understand what was the Colonel's Mansion meant, and that was why she behaved calmly.

"Well, I heard that." Wei Ruo's expression still didn't change.

Wei Ruo was so calm because she had known that this day would eventually come.

What else could she do but calm?

The He family, who had sent her to live on her own, had no feelings for her at all. They were eager to establish contact with the Colonel's Mansion due to this relationship.

And the Wei family was actually a family of government officials. Once they knew that they had made a mistake, they would definitely not let their biological daughter wander outside and cause trouble.

As for Wei Ruo, she naturally didn't want to go to the Wei family, but in this world where there was a strict hierarchy of monarchs, ministers, fathers and sons, Wei Ruo could not go back just because she wanted to.

"Then you should go with us, Miss, we will take you back to the Colonel's Mansion to meet your real parents. You don't have to go to the He family either, our master has made it clear to them, they have no problem with you coming back to the Colonel's Mansion with us." Seeing that Wei Ruo had listened clearly, the Mo mo urged.

This countryside was full of snakes, rats and insects. It was dirty and poor, not a place for people to stay.

Of course Wei Ruo knew that the He family had no opinion on the matter; they had no feelings for her and were eager to seek the connections with Colonel's Mansion, so naturally they would obey whatever the Colonel's Mansion said.

"I need to go back and pack my things first."

"You do not need to take anything here, you have it all in the Colonel's Mansion."

What good things could she have here? It was better to throw it away and use a new one at the Colonel's Mansion.

"I am used to using my own stuff."

Although the two mo mo had their doubts, they could not express their dissatisfaction in front of the future master of the house and could only obey her wishes.

Wei Ruo came up from the rice field after planting the seedlings on her hands, tidied up, and then led Xiumei back to the house to pack.

Unlike the dilapidated exterior walls, the furnishings in the house were much more exquisite.

After packing up her things, she brought all the valuables, as well as the jars Wei Ruo stored in the warehouse, and all the dried medicinal herbs.

Finally, the newly planted rice field was entrusted to the old couple of Li's family at the village entrance, and left a letter for them to hand it over to her nanny.

Upon seeing Wei Ruo's packed luggage, the two Mo mo showed an ugly expression, especially the few black broken jars.

If you really grew in the countryside, you only saw and experienced a little. Even a few broken jars were considered good.

She wanted to persuade Wei Ruo not to bring it. It would be useless to bring it to the Colonel's Mansion, but then she thought that Wei Ruo did not have much knowledge, so she might not understand it even if they explained it, it would be a waste of energy, so they let her be.

Under the arrangement of the two Mo mo, Wei Ruo's luggage was loaded into the carriage. Wei Ruo and Xiumei got on the carriage and set off for the Colonel's Mansion.

This journey lasted three days. Three days later, Wei Ruo walked from the small mountain village of Huaibei Town, where she had lived for ten years, to Xingshan County, Taizhou Prefecture.

Wei Mingting, Wei Ruo's biological father, held the position of Colonel here.

The ancestors of the Wei family had military generals and were granted the title of Bo Zhongyi*, but it ended with the generation of Wei Ruo's grandfather. If the descendants of the family didn't make any achievements, the title of Earl would also be revoked.

*Bo Zhongyi: loyal and righteous Earl.

And the Wei family had three sons in the generation of Wei Ruo's father.

The eldest son Wei Minghong only passed the examination of scholar, but until this day had not passed the imperial examination. But he had found a job in the capital as an eighth-ranked* official.

*Eight-ranked: During the Jin and Northern and Southern Dynasties, there were eight ranks: Supervisory Censors, Military Commanders, Teaching Assistants, and Soldiers.

The second son Wei Mingyong was a commoner. These days he only helped to manage the family property, but he had been in a state of continuous loss over the years.

Wei Ruo's father, Wei Mingting, was the third son who had joined the martial arts in his early years, and now he was the most accomplished of the three brothers. He was a sixth-ranking captain of Zhongxian, who was assigned to guard Xingshan County.

Wei Ruo was led by two Mo mo to enter through the side door, passed through the hanging flower gate, walked along the corridor, and finally arrived at the courtyard where Wei Ruo's mother, Yun Shi*, lived.

*Shi is a surname. After marrying, a woman often disappeared in terms of her name, known by her father's surname and the affix "shi," meaning "clan." A woman whose father was surnamed Yang would be called Yang Shi. That kept her an outsider in her husband's family.

This changed with the fall of the Qing, the last imperial dynasty, in 1911. The wife uses her original surname, but the family name is her husband's name.

Wei Ruo had just stepped over the threshold of the main room when Yun Shi rushed up and embraced Wei Ruo in her arms.

Wei Ruo's body stiffened and her limbs were as immobile as if they had been filled with lead.

Yun Shi didn't speak, but touched Wei Ruo's face while crying. Her eyes were red.

Feeling her neck being soaked by warm liquid, Wei Ruo was slightly taken aback.

She was crying?

Even though she had been mentally prepared, when she felt Yun's genuine tears, Wei Ruo still felt an unexpected throbbing in her heart.

Perhaps it was influenced by the memories of the original protagonist, or perhaps it was the memory of her own mother who died tragically in the previous life.

"Mother, don't be sad. Isn't it a good thing for my sister to come back? We should be happy."

Wei Yichen, the eldest son, came forward to soothe Yun Shi and prevent her from grieving too much.

It had been ten days since she learned that she held the wrong child, and she cried a lot.

Usually, their mother seldom shed tears. But this time, she cried and cried.

With the eldest son's persuasion, Yun Shi eased up.

Looking at Wei Ruo carefully again, seeing that she was wearing burlap clothes and her figure was slender, Yun Shi said distressedly: "You have suffered all these years! Mother will make it up to you!"

At this moment, Wei Qingwan walked up and knelt down towards Wei Ruo.

Before everyone could react, she kowtowed*.

*kowtow: to kneel and touch the forehead to the ground in token of homage, worship, or deep respect.

Seeing this, Yun Shi hurried over to help her up.

"Wanwan, what are you doing?"

"Mother, do not stop me. I owe this to my sister. I know that no matter how long I kneel, I can not counteract the fact that I have taken advantage of my sister's blessing all these years, but at least… I should do something…"

Wei Qingwan's eyes were filled with tears and her words were sincere.

Seeing her like this, Yun's heart ached.

What sin did this innocent child commit? Both children were innocent! It was fate's fault, otherwise it should be them, the parents!

Wei Ruo looked at Wei Qingwan that was kneeling in front of her and recognized her as the delicate female protagonist from the original story based on her behavior and words.

The book portrayed her as delicate, soft, shy and tender as water, that men could not help but feel pity for her.

Wei Ruo remembered the scene of Wei Qingwan kneeling down when the original protagonist entered the house for the first time in the original book. But the original protagonist was not so calm, and angrily accused Wei Qingwan of taking over her identity and taking over her parents and family.

Then Wei Qingwan cried even harder, being scolded and holding back her grievances, saying that she deserved it. It made Yun Shi, who initially felt sorry for the biological daughter who had just been brought back, pity Wei Qingwan, who had been accused and abused.

4 – Family members

In fact, Wei Ruo felt that although the original protagonist was a bit reckless, she was not wrong. The ten years she was thrown in the countryside by the He family were very hard. She had no money, no food, no warm clothes, no one to educate her, and no relatives to accompany her. That kind of pain and that kind of resentment could not be perceived by others.

Wasn't it understandable for her to be angry when she saw someone that had replaced her, lived so well?

However, Wei Ruo's current thinking was that as long as the female protagonist did not not take initiative to provoke her, she would not actively look to trouble the female protagonist.

One of the survival principles of a cannon fodder* female supporting role: don't compete with the female lead for the male lead, and don't compete with the female lead for favors.

*Canon fodder: someone who is sacrificed to benefit the others, someone who is easily disposable.

So Wei Ruo said to Wei Qingwan who was kneeling on the ground: "Don't kneel to me, I'm not a Bodhisattva in the temple, I don't need anyone to kneel to me! It's not like I can grant you a wish. When we hold temple fairs in the countryside, everyone rushes to kneel to the Bodhisattva and make a wish!"

"But I owe it to my sister. Doing this will not change the past, but at least it will make my heart feel less guilty."

"If you feel that you owe me something, then you should pay me back. If you are thinking about how to make yourself feel less guilty, shouldn't that be the case?" Wei Ruo asked in return.

Hearing this, Wei Qingwan was startled.

Yun Shi and Wei Yichen were also shocked. It was true that Qingwan's actions did not help Wei Ruo.

Although both Yun Shi and Wei Yichen believed that Qingwan does not need to blame herself or feel sad, but from Wei Ruo's point of view, Qingwan's actions really bothered her.

After pondering for a moment, Wei Qingwan asked Wei Ruo: "What does my sister want me to do to make up for it? As long as my sister asks, I am willing to do it."

Wei Ruo said, "First of all, you get up first, If you are kneeling like this, people who don't know will think I am bullying you."

Wei Ruo cleared their relationship first. Kneeling was Wei Qingwan's own doing. Do not let Wei Qingwan be wronged, otherwise the blame would be put on her. She would lose her reputation!

Wei Yichen stepped forward to help Wei Qingwan up.

Wei Qingwan got up slowly, raised her head softly, looked at Wei Ruo, and asked softly: "Does my sister have any orders?"

Wei Ruo: "Don't worry, the future is long. I've only just arrived and I don't know anything yet. You just started calling me sister, sister. I don't even know who you are and what exactly you owe me."

Hearing this, Wei Qingwan was stunned again.

"Yes, yes, yes, don't rush, take your time." Yun Shi wiped a handful of tears from her eyes, adjusted her emotions and said to Wei Ruo, "Ruo'er, let me introduce you to your siblings first."

"Your father is not here today and he really wants to see you. But nowadays that the Pirates Invaders are rampant and causing trouble outside the city from time to time, your father really can't leave."

Xingshan County was near the sea. Recently, the Pirates had been invading. As a military officer of this place, Wei Mingting was very busy.

This matter was not like anything else, it was related to the safety and security of the people in the city. Wei Mingting should set an example and leave his family behind for everyone. Even if his own first biological daughter had just arrived home, he could not take a leave.

Then Yun Shi introduced: "This is your elder brother Wei Yichen. At our home in the capital, he was the third brother. But now you call him elder brother here."

The man next to him, who was as gentle as jade and with a tender gaze, smiled at Wei Ruo: "Younger sister, if you have anything to say to me in the future, just let me know."

Wei Ruo nodded.

Then Yun Shi turned to the boy sitting on the chair next to her: "This is your younger brother, named Yilin. He is seven years old this year. He is the youngest among his family in the capital, and he is the eighth in line."

Wei Yilin, who had been named, pursed his little mouth and made a cold face, not really wanting to greet Wei Ruo.

It was only when Yun Shi gave him a stern look that he reluctantly called out to Wei Ruo: "Elder sister."

After calling, he immediately turned his head aside and stopped looking at Wei Ruo.

Yun Shi continued: "Besides, you have an elder brother born from concubine, Jinyi, who doesn't come out much during the week and is now inside his own courtyard."

Yun Shi did not really want to mention this concubine son, Yun and her husband Wei Mingting had always had a good relationship and he had never had a concubine in all their years of marriage, but this concubine son alone was a thorn in Yun Shi's heart.

Immediately afterwards, Yun Shi looked at Wei Qingwan again.

At this point Yun Shi hesitated, if she ignored Qingwan and did not make a formal introduction, then Qingwan definitely would be upset. She had said that even if she was not her biological daughter, she was still their Wei family's daughter. Since she was the Wei family's daughter, how could she not be introduced?

But if she introduced her and told Wei Ruo that Qingwan would also remain in the Wei family afterwards, she was afraid that Wei Ruo, who had just arrived home, would not feel comfortable.

After hesitating for a long time, Yun still chose to say to Wei Ruo: "She is Qingwan, that… is the one who swapped identities with you… I think on the way here Mo mo Zhang and Mo mo Li have already told you about your situation. I have already discussed with the He family, from now on you all will stay by my side, you are all my Wei family's young ladies."

As she said this, Yun Shi looked at Wei Ruo with a worried expression.

"En." Wei Ruo agreed, but the reaction was somewhat dull.

She did not know if it was too dull, but it made everyone feel strange.

Wei Yichen immediately said: "Mother, sister had been on the road for three days and exhausted, it is better to let sister rest first."

"Yes, yes, yes, then let's take her to her room to rest first." Yun Shi hurriedly said.

As she spoke, she took Wei Ruo's hand and led her towards her courtyard.

The Colonel's Mansion was not large, there were only six courtyards in the backyard.

Normally all five courtyards were occupied, leaving only the smallest and most remote courtyard empty.

Wei Yichen offered to give his courtyard to Wei Ruo, and because he liked to study quietly, and the remote yard was suitable for him.

So Wei Ruo was now being taken to live in the courtyard that originally belonged to Wei Yichen.

On the plaque at the entrance of the courtyard, there were three vigorous and powerful characters, "Tingsong Garden", which were named by Wei Yichen. The plaque had not been changed yet.

-Tingsong Garden is a famous garden in the suburbs of Guangzhou in the Qing Dynasty. This garden, with clear ponds and lush flowers and trees, is quite elegant

The courtyard was bright and spacious, and the layout of the garden was still decorated to Wei Yichen's liking, with pines and cypresses clinging to each other in a fresh and elegant way.

Yun Shi led Wei Ruo into the room. Although the time was short, the room was decorated according to a girl's preferences.

There were also many brand new clothes placed in the wardrobe.

Wei Ruo and Wei Qingwan were about the same size now. They are thirteen years old and they haven't grown up yet. So they took some and gave it to Wei Ruo to use it first.

Yun Shi gave Wei Ruo a few more words, and then walked out of the room and asked Wei Ruo to rest first, and then she would come to pick her up at dinner time.

After Yun Shi left, Xiumei moved Wei Ruo's personal belongings into the room, and all the other things had already been moved into Tingsong Garden by the servants at home. They will be sorted out one by one tomorrow.

Looking at the furnishings inside the room, she couldn't help but sigh: "If the young lady hadn't been switched, she would have grown up in such an environment."

Comparing Colonel's Mansion with the He family's other courtyard in the countryside, the difference was simply worlds apart.

Comparing the attitudes of He's parents and Yun's towards Wei Ruo, Xiumei couldn't help feeling unfair for Wei Ruo.

Without the presence of outsiders, Wei Ruo immediately slumped on the bed, sprawled out on one's back and not caring about her image.

She was being dignified and beautiful outside. But when at home, Wei Ruo still prefers to be more free and unrestrained.

5 Showing power at the beginning

Xiumei poured water over and gave it to Wei Ruo to drink, "Miss, I feel that living in this Colonel's Mansion is quite good. Madam and your elder brother are both very kind to you. Otherwise, you would have wanted to leave. If you have more support, you will have an easier time in the future."

"Hey, they are good to me, as long as there are no conflicts with the protagonist."

"The protagonist? Who is the lady miss talking about?"

"No one, I'm babbling. Sort out the plums, those that are eye-catching should be kept, and don't put them out." Wei Ruo instructed.

"Okay, miss, you should take a rest first." Xiumei said.

Wei Ruo also felt that she should get some sleep to replenish her strength, otherwise she wouldn't have the energy until later tonight.

Just as she was about to fall asleep, Mo mo Li, one of the two Mo mo who went to Huaibei Town to pick up Wei Ruo, came.

Xiumei wanted to dissuade her, but Mo mo Li ignored her and walked straight into Wei Ruo's bedroom.

"Why is the miss sleeping at noon?"

The Mo mo stood in front of Wei Ruo's bed with a stern expression.

Wei Ruo got up and stretched: "Is there something you need, Mo mo?"

"Madam sent me to teach Miss how to familiarize herself with the affairs of the mansion. Please tidy up and follow this old servant to the courtyard."

After finishing speaking, Mo mo Li turned around and walked to the yard to wait for Wei Ruo. She acted quickly without giving Wei Ruo a chance to think and refuse.

"Miss…" Xiumei furrowed her brow and said, "Why is Madam… you just arrived home and she did not let you take a rest".

She just praised Madam for being kind to their young lady, why did she immediately slap her in the face*.

*Slap in the face: someone confidently concludes the development of the situation. But after that, there is a completely opposite result. At this time, everyone will complain. It's like a slap in the face.

"It should be my mother's instruction to let Mo mo teach me the rules. But it is definitely not my mother's idea to teach me right now. Mo mo Li must have her own ulterior motives in doing so."

Mo mo Li was a Mo mo from Bo Zhongyi's Residence, and in terms of status, her status was a little higher than the average servant in the Mansion.

Because of this relationship, she considered herself to have a higher status than the ordinary servants in the family. Thus, she had more rules. She had already shown dissatisfaction with Wei Ruo's lazy habits on the journey back to the Mansion.

At the same time, Mo mo Li was the Mo mo who took care of Wei Qingwan when she grew up. Mo mo Li's daughter, Cuihe, was also the first maid beside Wei Qingwan.

And Wei Ruo, who had read the original book, knows this clearly.

"What does Miss intend to do then?" Xiumei asked worriedly.

"It's okay, I know what she wants." Wei Ruo got up and walked into the courtyard.

Upon arriving in the courtyard, Mo mo Li first gave some guidance on Wei Ruo's attitude.

"Miss Ruo'er, now that you have arrived at the Colonel's Mansion, you are no longer the same as before. You must pay extra attention to your every move, every word and behavior. You can no longer be so casual and careless, otherwise you will make a fool of yourself, and then you will not only lose your own face, but also the Colonel's Mansion, and the capital's Bo Zhongyi's* residence. Do you understand?"

*Bo Zhongyi: Loyal and righteous Earl.

"I'm not used to it." Wei Ruo refuted it directly.

"Miss Ruo'er, what do you mean by that? "Mo mo Li's expression immediately turned serious.

"Am I not the young lady of the Colonel's Mansion? Why should I care what others think of me?" Wei Ruo spoke aggressively and arrogantly.

"Miss Ruo'er, you must not say this outside, or you will be laughed at!"

"Just laugh then. What else can they do with me? Isn't my grandfather Bo Zhongyi? Isn't he very powerful? Then why am I afraid of them?"

Mo mo Li's eyes became dim, and she slowly said: "Anyway, in the future, the elder miss will learn the rules from me. The elder miss will firmly remember the rules I told, learn everything you can in terms of speech, and try to look like a lady of the Mansion."

"Got it." Wei Ruo looked very impatient.

"Then let me introduce some basic rules to you today, so that the young lady won't lose your manners when you see the Master tonight. I will teach the rest slowly."

Mo mo Li rambled on and on to Wei Ruo for half a day, but Wei Ruo looked around and didn't have any intention to listen properly.

"Okay, it seems that Miss Ruo'er is not interested in continuing to study now, so let's stop here."

Mo mo Li finished teaching Wei Ruo and instructed Xiumei to take good care of Wei Ruo and not let her run around. Then she left Tingsong Garden.

After Mo mo Li left, Xiumei asked Wei Ruo puzzledly: "Miss, why did Mo mo Li not teach you much after you deliberately pretended to be unruly and ignorant?"

"Because she doesn't want me to be so outstanding! On her trip today, she first showed her power, then tested me, and finally taught me. Teaching me is not her main task." Wei Ruo chuckled.

In the original book, Mo mo Li also taught Wei Ruo to follow the rules, but she never really taught them genuinely. The original protagonist behaved poorly, and Mo mo Li never punished her.

On the surface, she seemed to be tolerant towards the original protagonist. But in fact, deep down, she did not want the original protagonist to become excellent and outstanding, taking Wei Qingwan's light away.

Anyway, she had followed the process and said everything that needed to be said, and it was Wei Ruo's fault that she hadn't learnt well, not her problem as a senior Mo mo. The masters would only think that it was Wei Ruo who was so bad that she couldn't be taught at all.

After wasting half a day with Mo mo Li, Wei Ruo returned to the room to take a nap. When she woke up again, it was already evening. Yun Shi personally came to pick Wei Ruo up to the dining hall.

Along the way, Mrs. Yun held Wei Ruo's hand, earnestly asking if Wei Ruo was used to it, and if there was anything dissatisfied about the room.

Entering the dining room, Wei Ruo saw Wei Mingting, who had not been seen during the day. He was tall, had good looking features, and had deep eyebrows. Like the original book, he was a very dignified father.

Upon seeing Wei Ruo, Wei Mingting was moved and unconsciously took two steps forward, before quickly stopping again.

It seemed as if he felt he was acting too emotional to be the head of the family.

"Ruo'er, this is your father." Yun Shi led Wei Ruo to Wei Mingting.

"Father." Wei Ruo said.

"En." Wei Mingting responded with a deep voice, as if suppressing a certain emotion.

His gaze lingered on Wei Ruo for a long time. Wei Ruo thought he wanted to say something to her, but he didn't. His reaction was much colder than that of Yun Shi.

"Take a seat." Wei Mingting asked everyone to take their seats.

This was not in the capital city, and now they were the only ones in the room, so many rules had been removed, and there was no need to divide the tables between men and women. Everyone came to the table.

Yun Shi pulled Wei Ruo and asked her to sit next to her.

When everyone sat down, they found Wei Qingwan standing next to them.

Wei Mingting and Yun were both startled, and the atmosphere was a little awkward.

At this moment, Wei Yilin jumped off the chair and ran to Wei Qingwan, pulling her to the table: "Sister, let's eat!"

"Yilin, It… It would be better if I do not go to the table…" Wei Qingwan replied in a small voice.

"Why not? You are my sister! We are a family!" Wei Yilin stated boldly.

6-Who is the oldest daughter and who is the second daughter

"But…" Wei Qingwan looked up at Wei Mingting cautiously.

"Come and sit down, don't think about anything else. Your mother and I have already said that regardless of blood relationship, you are the daughter of our Wei family." Wei Mingting stated clearly.

"Yes, your father is right, don't think foolishly, no one can shake your status as the Wei family's young lady." Yun Shi also expressed her opinion.

It was only after everyone's persuasion that Wei Qingwan slowly made her way to the dining table and sat down.

Then Yun Shi looked at Wei Ruo beside her, and was relieved to see that her expression was normal.

The process of the dining was very quiet, and everyone looked at Wei Ruo several times, worried that she would behave recklessly after being raised in the merchant's house for thirteen years.

Unexpectedly, the process of her meal was slow and orderly, perfectly meeting the standard of a lady.

After dinner, everyone sat together again to enjoy tea, while also discussing a more urgent matter.

Seeing that the atmosphere was good, Wei Mingting opened his mouth and said to Wei Ruo: "Ruo'er, you have worked hard all these years. Your grandfather and two uncles who are far away in the capital already know about the matter of us taking the wrong child, and your name will soon be added to the family tree."

Wei Mingting had already received the letter from the capital yesterday, and he was going to reply to the letter in two days, so he had to tell Wei Ruo right now.

"Yes." Wei Ruo agreed, without revealing the expectation and joy that everyone expected.

Wei Mingting looked at Wei Ruo with a slight frown, pondered for a moment, and then said: "We have decided to add your name after Qingwan, and from now on you will be the second young lady of the Wei family, okay?"

Hearing this, Wei Ruo raised her head and met Wei Mingting's eyes.

Those eyes were clear and bright, neither sad nor happy.

As a general, Wei Mingting had always been dignified, and even at home, he was more powerful than ordinary people.

The children in the family were a bit afraid of him since they were young, and even Wei Qingwan, who had even been favored deeply before, did not dare to look Wei Mingting directly in the eyes when his expression was serious.

Before Wei Ruo opened her mouth, Wei Qingwan suddenly stood up and knelt down in front of Wei Mingting and Yun Shi:

"Father, Mother, daughter* earnestly requests that Sister Ruo'er become the oldest daughter in the family!"

*Daughter here means she calls herself 'daughter'.

"Wanwan, what are you doing?" Yun Shi's eyes were filled with pain.

"Father and Mother, over the years, I have been able to grow up in the Wei family and become the daughter of you to be loved and cherished, I am willing to continue to stay with you. I am already very satisfied, and I dare not take on the position of this eldest daughter anymore. Do not say it's the second young lady; even if I am a slave or a maid servant, I would be happy."

Wei Mingting and Yun Shi frowned tightly, their eyes filled with pain and awkwardness.

Wei Qingwan kowtowed again and said: "Please grant this request."

The knock was very loud, and the sound of thud was very clear.

Yun Shi quickly rushed up and stopped Wei Qingwan from continuing to hurt herself, saying: "Wanwan, do not kowtow. Your parents* know your intentions."

*Your parents mean they call themselves ' your parents'.

"Father and Mother are so kind, daughter does not deserve it…"

"Silly girl, what foolish things to say! You are not allowed to say such shameless words again. You are our daughter, we are a family, and this will never change."

Yun Shi held Wei Qingwan in their arms, deeply stressed.

Wei Yilin also jumped down from his position and ran up, hugging Wei Qingwan and Yun Shi together.

"Sister, you will always be my sister, you are not allowed to say that kind of thing! "Wei Yilin pursed his mouth, his eyes were red.

Seeing this scene, Wei Mingting's face was tense, and his complexion was clouded.

Wei Yichen was also touched by this scene, but he did not come forward to express his opinion. Instead, he glanced in the direction of Wei Ruo, worried that Wei Ruo would feel uncomfortable seeing this scene.

After a while, Yun Shi let go of Wei Qingwan and asked the two children to return to their seats.

Wei Qingwan stood up with the help of Wei Yilin, unsure if she had been kneeling for a long time or feeling weak. Her body swayed and she almost fell back again. Fortunately, Wei Yilin supported her.

Afterwards, Yun Shi also returned to Wei Mingting's side.

After several people sat down, Wei Mingting and Yun Shi's gaze returned to Wei Ruo.

Wei Ruo had a faint smile on her lips, and her crisp voice broke the silence in the hall.

She asked Wei Mingting, "Did Father and Mother make this decision because I was born at a later time?"

"It's not…" When Wei Mingting replied, his voice had a rare hint of weakness.

According to the time when the two wives gave birth, it would have been Mrs. Wei who was a little ahead of Mrs. He.

Then, as Mrs. Wei's biological daughter, Wei Ruo should have been born a little earlier than Wei Qingwan.

"Then, why?" Wei Ruo continued to ask. Her clear, bright eyes gazed at Wei Mingting.

Not knowing whether it was because those eyes were too clear or for some other reason, Wei Mingting remained silent.

Yun Shi helped her husband to explain, "It's like this, Wanwan is already in the family tree, so to avoid the trouble, your name will be put directly at the end, there is no need to make any other changes."

Wei Yilin interjected, "My sister is the eldest sister, the eldest daughter of the family. You came later, of course you can not steal sister's status as the eldest daughter!"

The first and second houses of the Wei family had no daughters. Before Wei Ruo came, Wei Qingwan was the only girl in the family, the eldest daughter.

Although she was not the eldest son but a daughter, she had the word "eldest". In the capital, where the importance of birth was very significant, the word "eldest" still carried some weight.

"Yilin! What are you talking nonsense about! "Yun shouted fiercely, preventing his youngest son from continuing his nonsense.

Wei Yilin, who had been scolded, pursed his lips, feeling aggrieved and stubborn.

Yun Shi turned her head and explained to Wei Ruo: "It's not about the status of the eldest daughter and the second daughter. It's because everyone is used to calling it that way, whether it is here at home or in the capital city. If we change it temporarily, I'm afraid everyone won't get used to it."

"Is that the only reason?" Wei Ruo asked again.

Wei Mingting said with a serious expression: "This is a decision that I made after discussing with your mother and careful considerations."

Everyone looked at Wei Ruo, waiting for her answer.

Just when everyone thought that Wei Ruo would continue to say something to fight for the position of the eldest daughter for herself, Wei Ruo gave everyone an unexpected answer.

"Okay, then I will be the second young lady."

Hearing this, everyone looked at Wei Ruo in surprise.

Wei Ruo's questioning made people feel that she was very dissatisfied with the small arrangement she was asked to make. But now she suddenly agreed to it?

"Ruo'er, you really don't mind?" Yun asked hurriedly.

"Let's do it conveniently, it's quite troublesome for everyone to change things around. Father has also been quite busy lately and should not be bothered with such trivial matters. Do Father and Mother intend to change their minds if I disagree anyway?"

Wei Ruo asked back, with a slight smile on the corner of her mouth, and a sly look in her eyes.

7– Both the eldest and second daughter are the same

This question made both Wei Mingting and Yun Shi's eyes flashed with a hint of guilt.

"It will be useless for me even if I disagree with it, so I don't mind. It can't be helped, I can only blame fate for these thirteen years I missed with my parents after all." Wei Ruo said in a lighter tone, as if she was really sympathetic to Wei's family.

Everyone in the hall fell silent, especially Wei Mingting and Yun Shi, who had been aching for Wei Qingwan, but at this moment they felt that this child's non-competitive behavior made people feel sorry.

Yun Shi was moved and said to Wei Ruo, "Ruo'er, you are the biological child of us. We are connected by blood. Now that you are back, whether you are the eldest or second daughter, your position in our hearts is very important. Father and Mother will make up for the missing thirteen years of affection."

"Okay." Wei Ruo agreed happily, but she had other plans secretly.

Wei Mingting said in a deep voice: "It is settled. From now on you siblings get along well. Yichen, Wanwan, Ruo'er has just returned and doesn't understand a lot of things, so you should take care of her more."

"Father, don't worry." Wei Yichen replied.

"Daughter understands." Wei Qingwan lowered her head and softly agreed.

As this matter was solved, Wei Mingting returned to his study room to reply to the capital, explaining the situation to them.

After drinking tea and discussing the matter, Wei Ruo was personally sent back to Tingsong Garden by Yun Shi.

Not knowing whether it was because Wei Ruo accepted the identity of the second young lady or not, Yun felt a bit guilty. She had been telling Wei Ruo all the way that she wanted to buy things for Wei Ruo, from clothes and hair ornaments, to maids and Mo mo, and arranging everything.

The Colonel's Mansion was not actually considered wealthy. They almost spent all of their ancestors' fortune. As a colonel, Wei Mingting did not have much salary. But, there were some things that Wei Qingwan already had, and It was not easy for Yun Shi to favor one child over the other.

Wei Ruo agreed to receive money and things, but Wei Ruo politely refused for the staff arrangement. She said that for the time being, with one maid, Xiumei, was enough. She also did not like other people going in and out of her room.

Yun Shi followed her wishes and didn't force on such matters, saying only that she would make arrangements for Wei Ruo when she wanted to.

When she returned to Tingsong Garden, went into her room and closed the door. Wei Ruo, who was so dignified and calm one second before, was slumped after.

Who knew drinking tea took too much effort! With this effort, I would have finished cutting a crop of wheat!

For some reason, Wei Ruo felt that when she worked hard to earn money, although tired, she was enjoying it. But this kind of tiredness she felt for coping with social occasions was depressing. It was as if there was a huge amount of foul air filling her lungs.

In fact, Wei Ruo, who knew the original plot, had already known what Wei Mingting and Yun Shi were going to say to her today.

The original protagonist had a quarrel with Wei Mingting over this matter. The original protagonist felt that it was originally hers, Wei Qingwan had already occupied her identity, status and affection for thirteen years. Why should she continue to occupy her status as the eldest daughter?

In the end, the original protagonist succeeded and became the oldest daughter. However, Wei Qingwan, who had been wronged in this incident, was pitied by others and had a grudge against the original protagonist.

In fact, the original protagonist made such a fuss and wanted the status of the eldest daughter so much. But why did she only want the position of the eldest daughter?

What she wanted is actually the attention and affection from her biological parents.

It was just that the way she expressed it was a bit clumsy.

The past experience made Wei Ruo feel that it is better to rely on her own efforts to strive for her own identity and status, rather than to expect others to give it to her.

Not betting on others and not having high expectations of others; especially those who do not care much about themselves, will make your life more enjoyable.

If given the opportunity, Wei Ruo wanted to break away from the Wei family and set up her own business.

As for the matter of the eldest daughter and the second daughter today, Wei Mingting and Yun Shi might not be able to make the decision.

The only person who could really make a final decision was the great uncle in the capital.

In the original book, the great uncle was a man who was very concerned about the family's heir. After learning that Wei Qingwan was not a legitimate bloodline of the Wei family, he became very cold towards her, and might not agree to let Wei Qingwan, who was not related to him by blood, be his eldest granddaughter.

So instead of arguing with Wei Mingting and Yun Shi here, it was better to leave the problem to the great uncle, and let Wei Mingting and her wife argue with the great uncle.

For the next three days, Wei Ruo lived a fairly peaceful life and got a general idea of the overall situation in the mansion.

The economic situation of the Wei family was not very good. The wealth of Bo Zhongyi's mansion had been squandered for a long time, and now it was just supporting the Wei family's prestige.

And in Xingshan County, her father Wei Mingting was still only a sixth-rank Colonel. With a limited salary, he had to support this big family.

She heard that the progress of the anti-Pirates war was not going well, and the emperor was very dissatisfied with the officials in Taizhou Prefecture. Wei Mingting was lucky enough not to be dismissed, not to mention getting promoted.

Of course, even a scrawny camel is bigger than a horse* and it was still better than her adoptive parents, the He family.

*even a scrawny camel is bigger than a horse: even after suffering a loss, a rich person is still better off than ordinary people.

Yun Shi would visit Wei Ruo every day, bringing her some food and clothes.

Wei Mingting was very busy and did not come home for several days. Not only Wei Ruo could not see him anymore, even Yun Shi could not see him.

The elder brother Wei Yichen was busy with his studies, so he did not come often. But every time he came, he always brought Wei Ruo some local snacks from Xingshan County, and told Wei Ruo about the customs and traditions of Xingshan County.

Wei Yilin had never been here before. Once, he passed by Wei Ruo's door and exchanged a distant glance with Wei Ruo. With just one glance, he arrogantly turned his head away and walked away quickly.

Wei Qingwan came several times and always brought something to give her. But every time she came, she looked like she was about to cry, so Wei Ruo urged her to go back.

In the remaining time, Wei Ruo saw Mo mo Li the most, who was ordered to teach her the rules.

But Mo mo Li didn't teach her sincerely. And if Wei Ruo behaved lazily, she didn't care much and just let it go.

On the fourth day, Wei Ruo had a free day and did not have to learn the rules from Mo mo Li.

Wei Ruo had breakfast in her room and asked Xiumei to find her a hoe.

She took a look at a vacant area on the west side of the yard and planned to use it for growing vegetables.

This could not be helped. Her space required her to plant in order to gain experience, and if she just planted in the land within the space, the upgrade experience would be too slow.

After she left Mojiazha*, she didn't know whether the field she planted there would be considered as her planting if it was ripe and harvested, and whether it would have experience points.

*Mojiazha: village where Wei Ruo previously lived. The village is under the jurisdiction of Daixi Town, Wuxing District, Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province.

No matter what, although she would not receive much experience points, what should be planted should still be planted.

Tingsong Garden was quite large, and she did not completely damage it. She only planted a little in the west corner, which should not have a significant impact on the overall aesthetics.

Wei Ruo tossed the soil one at a time, the sound was loud and rhythmic.

Within a short time, a two-meter square piece of land had been cultivated by Wei Ruo. Then they split a pile of bamboo with Xiumei and set up a shelf next to the fence, preparing to plant luffa, pumpkins, and gourds here.

Wei Ruo stopped to rest and sat on the stone bench in the courtyard to take a sip of water.

A young servant came knocking at the door, and Xiumei went to answer it.

Wei Ruo stopped and heard the young servant talking to Xiumei. The servant said that the sound of chopping bamboo on her side disturbed the second young master next door who was studying, and hoped that they would keep their voices down.

8-– The second young master who lives next door

Second young master, Wei Jinyi, was the most special person in this family apart from her.

There was not much description of him in the original book, he was like a person who did not exist in the Colonel's Mansion.

She only knew that when Wei Mingting was alive, Wei Jinyi had a pretty good life in the Wei family, and he had everything a legitimate young master had.

Wei Mingting also gave him permission not to dine with the rest of the family and set up a small kitchen in his own courtyard. Although to a certain extent this was to avoid giving his wife Yun a hard time, on the other hand, it was a manifestation of his affection for Wei Jinyi.

After the death of Wei Mingting in the war, the Wei family fell to the bottom and was devastated until the male lead appeared. It was estimated that Wei Jinyi's life would not be easy during this period.

In the original book, there was no scene between Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi. One of them was like a person who did not exist at home, one was a cannon fodder* female supporting role. The main task of the female supporting role was to give the female lead a hard time. Naturally, there was no need to write about her interactions with other insignificant supporting characters.

*Cannon fodder: refer to a girl who has been eliminated and ignored (or even died for the sake of plot development). A girl that has no significant effect in the novel, only serving as a passerby or as a background for the female lead.

Thinking of this, Wei Ruo had some thoughts in her mind. She got up and returned to the room, while Xiumei was still talking with the servant. In her room, she picked up a jar she had brought from Mojiazha and came out.

She came to the door and said to Wei Jinyi's servant: "I'm really sorry for disturbing my second brother's rest just now. I'll go over and apologize to him right now."

"Ah?" The servant looked at Wei Ruo in surprise, then waved his hands and said, "That's not necessary, it's not that serious, the second young master just asked me to remind you, miss. To keep your voice down."

"It's not only for an apology. I just returned home and haven't seen my second brother yet. As a younger sister, I should pay my respects."

Wei Ruo had made up her mind.

She walked out the door with the jar in her arms, the servant could not stop her even if he wanted to.

The Tingsong Garden where Wei Ruo lived now and the Yingzhu Garden where Wei Jinyi lived were next to each other, separated only by a wall.

Wei Ruo took two steps out of the courtyard gate and arrived at the entrance of Yingzhu Garden.

Tingsong Garden was fresh and elegant, while Yingzhu Garden was duller than Tingsong Garden. With few decorations, it looked desolated and a bit shabby.

The only thing that looked beautiful were the lush bamboo in the courtyard.

There was an octagonal pavilion next to the lush bamboo, and Wei Ruo immediately saw Wei Jinyi sitting inside the pavilion reading a book.

He was dressed in plain clothes, and the fabric used was not satin. The moment before Wei Ruo came in, he was quietly reading a book.

He raised his head when he heard some movements, and his eyes met Wei Ruo's.

Those were a pair of excessively cold eyes in between the eyebrows, and his skin was a little fair for a man.

But his facial features were very beautiful, and every part was like a carefully sculpted work of art.

Wei Ruo couldn't help but sigh silently that the Creator was so powerful, he could make a man look so beautiful.

After Wei Jinyi clearly saw his visitor, his eyebrows furrowed, showing a strong rejection.

"Xiaobei." Wei Jinyi called the servant over.

"Second young master, miss said she came to apologize to you, but I…I could not stop…" Xiaobei apologized.

Wei Ruo took the lead and quickly stated her intentions: "Don't worry, I won't disturb you for long. I just want to express my apologies. The sound of chopping bamboo today was indeed loud, and I didn't consider it thoroughly enough. So I came here to apologize to you."

She offered the jar she carried as an apology gift.

Wei Ruo's action made the master and servant in front of her a little confused.

The second young master was born from a concubine, and his biological mother was unknown. The madam of this house was not happy, so there was almost no sense of his existence in this mansion. Even the servants seized the opportunity to make him wear tight shoes*.

*wear tight shoes: to make life difficult for somebody.

Although Wei Ruo had just been taken back, she was a legitimate young lady. How could she be so polite to the second young master? Could it be that she had not figured out the situation yet?

"I am not angry with you, and I don't drink wine. You go back." Wei Jinyi only glanced at Wei Ruo, and that cold gaze returned to the desk in front of him.

"This is not wine."

"No matter what it is, you take it back. I'm not angry, I just asked Xiaobei to remind you. You don't need to specially prepare an apology gift."

"It is soy sauce, not something valuable. If you don't need me to apologize, you can consider it as a gift for you."

What? Soy sauce?

Wei Ruo saw Wei Jinyi's suspicious expression and explained: "This is the fermented sauce I learned from a grandma in the countryside. It tasted good, and the most important thing is that some tonics were added during the fermentation process, which has a nourishing effect for the body."

Fermented soy sauce from the countryside grandma? Also had a nourishing effect on the body?

Why did it sound so mysterious?

The method of fermenting soy sauce was a family secret that was not easily passed on to others.

And those with additional medicinal value were rarely known. Most people had never even heard of them.

Wei Jinyi also did not want to get entangled with Wei Ruo, so he stopped asking.

"I see. I accept the apology gift, you can go back."

Wei Jinyi just wanted to quickly send Wei Ruo away, so he let Xiaobei take the dark jar in Wei Ruo's hand.

"Well, good, remember to use this soy sauce. It is also delicious when dipped in seafood."

Taizhou Prefecture was near the sea, and before the Japanese pirates caused trouble, many fishermen went out to sea to fish. The dock sold a large amount of fresh seafood, and nearby residents couldn't live without seafood.

After saying that Wei Ruo didn't stay any longer, she turned around and left.

Xiao Bei was at a loss holding the jar and said: "Young master, what should I do with this jar?"

"Put it wherever you like." Wei Jinyi also didn't want to waste time on such meaningless things.

Seeing that his young master's attention was already on the book in his hand, Xiaobei could only find a way to deal with it by himself.

Finally, he chose to put it in the corner of the small kitchen in Yingzhu Garden.

Regarding the act of sending soy sauce, Xiaobei found it very odd.

When other people gave gifts, they all gave something elegant; If not flowers and spices, a fine wine. This young lady was very unique, it was so rare to give someone a jar of soy sauce as a gift.

However, he heard that this young lady had been in the countryside for a few years, farming and working on the land, and it was understandable that she is a little different from other young ladies.

9– She is just a village woman

Knowing that Wei Ruo had made changes to the courtyard, although Yun Shi felt it was a bit inappropriate, she did not say anything.

After all, her daughter grew up in the countryside and it was normal for her to not get used to it for a while. She could teach her slowly in the future.

But Wei Yilin was not very happy about this and ran to his elder brother Wei Yichen to report it.

"Elder brother, that Wei Ruo had made a mess of your yard! It was a waste for you to give her that courtyard, she has ruined a good and refined yard."

"What has she changed into?" Wei Yichen was curious. He was busy with his studies these days, so he didn't know much about Wei Ruo's affairs.

"She's planting vegetables in your courtyard! It's so vulgar! How could a young lady do that! It's too shameful!" Wei Yilin felt more and more uncomfortable.

"Planting vegetables? Although it was not very elegant, it is not a big deal. So there is no need to feel ashamed." Wei Yichen smiled.

"Why should we not feel ashamed? I've heard people say that the woman we invited back is a shameful village woman! She doesn't look like a lady at all!"

Wei Yichen's expression became serious: "Who is gossiping in private? How can a servant speak ill of the master behind his back? Yilin, if you encounter such a thing next time, you should directly step forward and scold them."

"I don't want to! I won't speak for her! She is so shameful!" Wei Yilin pursed his lips, not realizing that he was wrong. "Elder brother, aren't you angry? She made a mess of your yard!"

"That is where she lives now, and it is her business to make any changes she wants. I should not interfere. And you, Yilin, I understand that you like Wanwan. It is also necessary to protect Wanwan, and I cherish Wanwan just like you. But Ruo'er is also your sister, and she has not done anything wrong. You should not treat her like this." Wei Yichen taught him.

"I don't want her to be my sister! I just need Wanwan to be my sister! She made my sister cry several times when she arrived! My sister took the initiative to go find her and give things to her, but she didn't even pay attention to her. She let her go without saying a word, which made my sister very sad!"

"Yilin, these words end here. In the future, I don't care what you think, but you must never say it again. Whether it is in front of me or your parents, the most important thing is that you can not say it in front of your elder sister! If you don't listen, I will take you to father to be punished. "

Wei Yichen was so strict, no matter how unwilling Wei Yilin was, he could only pout and agreed.

"Understood… if I can not say it, then I will not say it."

Wei Yilin obediently reading the Analects of Confucius* next to Wei Yichen.

*Analects of Confucius: It is a collection of quotations compiled by the disciples and descendants of Confucius, a thinker and educator during the Spring and Autumn period, to record the words and deeds of Confucius and his disciples. It was written in the early Warring States period. The entire book consists of 20 chapters and 492 chapters, mainly in the form of quotations, supplemented by narrative, which reflects the political propositions, ethical ideas, moral concepts, educational principles, etc. of Confucius and the Confucian school in a more concentrated manner.

Wei Yilin had a lively personality, and only when he was around Wei Yichen could he be more composed.

After about a cup of tea, Wei Qingwan's personal maid, Cuihe, came over with a snack in her hand.

"Young master, third young master. Miss made some osmanthus cakes and asked the maidservant* to deliver them to the two young masters. She also asked the maidservant to bring this message to the young master; the young master should pay more attention to rest. Do not just focus on studying and tiring your body."

*Maidservant here refers to herself.

On the white porcelain plate, there were milky white osmanthus cakes neatly arranged, adorned with golden osmanthus flowers, which Wei Qingwan personally made when osmanthus bloomed last year.

Wei Yilin looked happy and said, "My elder sister is really kind to us. We have delicious osmanthus cake to eat!"

As Wei Yilin spoke, he reached out and took a piece, putting it in his mouth with a satisfied expression on his face.

"Mmm, it's really fragrant~ really sweet~"

Wei Yichen didn't move.

"Eldest brother, why don't you eat it? Don't you really like the osmanthus cake made by elder sister?"

"Yilin, take this plate of osmanthus cake to Tingsong Garden and give it to Ruo'er." Wei Yichen instructed.

"Why? This was made by my elder sister herself!" Wei Yilin was shocked.

"Ruo'er has been back home for so many days, and you have not gotten along well with her." Wei Yichen said seriously.

"But why give her the things made by elder sister?" And why should he get along with that peasant woman? Wei Yilin did not dare to say the latter sentence in front of Wei Yichen again.

"It is precisely because Wanwan did it that you should share it with Ruo'er. It will not only fill your heart, but it will also fill Wanwan's heart." Wei Yichen said.

"But…"

"Just do what I say." Wei Yichen's expression was particularly serious.

"All right."

Although Wei Yilin was reluctant, he did not dare to disobey Wei Yichen.

Half-heartedly, he carried the osmanthus cake to Tingsong Garden.

As soon as he entered the gate of Tingsong Garden, Wei Yilin saw Wei Ruo climb onto the ladder, and Wei Yilin's dissatisfaction with Wei Ruo immediately surged up:

"How can you climb so high? If people see you like this, you'll definitely be laughed at!"

Wei Ruo looked down at the sound and saw Wei Yilin standing next to the ladder, staring angrily at her.

"Why is it indecent to climb a ladder?"

"Of course it's indecent. No lady would jump up and down like you do!"

"Don't meet me if you don't like me, you can go now. Bye, I am not seeing you off." Wei Ruo replied straightforwardly.

This wimpy brat did not like her from head to toe, from the inside out. So she did not need to waste time with him.

"You! You think I want to see you?!" Wei Yilin said angrily.

"Then why are you still here? Since you don't want to see me, you can just go. Why are you doing this?" Wei Ruo asked back.

Wei Yilin wanted to leave at once, but when Wei Ruo drove him away, his reverse psychology* came up and he refused to leave.

*Reverse psychology: one of the social psychological phenomena refers to a strong resistance mentality that arises when the objective environmental requirements do not match the needs of the subject.

"This is my home. I can come whenever I want, and leave whenever I want."

Wei Yilin did not leave, but also sat down on the rattan chair that Wei Ruo put in the courtyard.

Wei Ruo thought she would not be able to drive Wei Yilin away for a while, so she climbed down from the ladder and walked up to Wei Yilin.

Wei Yilin glared at her unconvincingly.

"Whatever."

Wei Ruo was too lazy to argue with Wei Yilin. Her core as an adult felt that she did not need to argue with an eight year old child.

"Wait a moment, I am here to deliver something to you."

Wei Yilin shouted to stop Wei Ruo who was about to enter the house.

He opened the food box he brought and brought out the osmanthus cake inside.

"This is a sweet scented osmanthus cake. It is made from glutinous rice flour and wheat starch, white sugar and oil to make this cake soft. Coupled with delicious osmanthus honey, it is delicious and sweet, soft and glutinous."

Wei Yilin introduced the cake to Wei Ruo proudly.

"Do you think I have not eaten osmanthus cake before? "Wei Ruo wanted to laugh.

"I don't know if you have eaten it or not, but you definitely have not eaten the osmanthus cake made by my elder sister. The osmanthus honey she makes is different from other places, which is unique. And every time she makes it, father, mother and elder brother rush to eat it!"

"Does her delicious osmanthus cake have anything to do with me?"

"Being able to make osmanthus cake is just one aspect. My elder sister is very skilled in playing piano, chess, calligraphy, and painting. She is also worthy to be called a talented woman, recognized by all the county officials!"

"So? What are you trying to tell me?"

"I want to tell you that my elder sister is very outstanding and excels in all aspects compared to you. Regardless of whether she is my own sister or not, in the eyes of my parents, elder brother and me, she is a well-deserved eldest daughter of the Wei family. I hope you will recognize your own place in the future, do not bully my sister, and do not make my sister angry. Accept your identity as the second sister obediently, and don't compete with my elder sister, can you do it? "

Wei Ruo laughed out loud.

"What are you laughing at?" Wei Yilin raised his face and frowned.

10 A change in the matter of eldest daughter

"You can say that you hate me, you're quite straightforward right? I will tell you what is on my mind; you are funny. Everything that you've said is unreasonable and nonsense."

"Why is it unreasonable and nonsense?" Wei Yilin denied it.

"Think about it yourself."

Wei Ruo really didn't intend to continue arguing with Wei Yilin this time, so she turned around and walked towards her room.

Wei Yilin ran up to Wei Ruo and stopped her: "Explain clearly!"

"You say you do not like to see me, right? Now you stop me from leaving and not letting me go… Could it be that you like me? Why don't you just admit it? Dummy, your words are deceitful!" Wei Ruo's eyebrows curved, and smiled delicately.

"What are you talking about! Don't talk nonsense!" Wei Yilin hurriedly replied.

What 'dummy'? It gave him goosebumps!

"No? Then why are you stopping me from leaving? Do you want to have a good chat with this sister and improve our relationship?"

"No, no, no! "Wei Yilin quickly shook his head to deny it.

"If you are not, then you can obediently go back to play with your favorite sister. Otherwise, I will really suspect that you are acting spoiled like this to earn my favor!"

Wei Yilin's body froze.

Wei Ruo chuckled and turned around to enter her room, leaving Wei Yilin staring at Wei Ruo's back with a sullen expression.

After a while, Wei Yilin ran to Wangmei Garden to find Wei Qingwan and express his dissatisfaction with Wei Ruo.

"Sister, tell me, isn't that Wei Ruo really a village woman?! What kind of a lady grows vegetables in her own courtyard and climbs up the ladder to the wall?!"

"Lovely Yilin, she may have acted a bit wrong but we, as a family, shouldn't talk about her like that." Wei Qingwan comforted him.

"But she is so irritating!" Wei Yilin couldn't help but think of Wei Ruo's shameless words earlier, saying that he liked her and wanted to take the opportunity to improve their relationship. The more he thought about it, the more angry he became, and the more depressed he became.

"Yilin, do not be angry. Since you know what kind of person she is, there is no need to get angry with her about these things. If you make yourself angry, this sister will be sad."

Wei Qingwan patted Wei Yilin's head, and her gentle voice flowed into Wei Yilin's heart like a clear spring.

Wei Yilin felt relieved in an instant and said: "Sister, you're so kind! Two people were born at about the same time, yet one like heaven and the other one like earth. The difference is too big!"

"You!" Wei Qingwan nudged Wei Yilin's forehead with her index finger, "Don't be so reckless and say such bad things again. Elder brother is right, those words must not be said in front of outsiders. If people know, they will try to find out your faults. Sister does not want you to be punished by Father and Mother for making mistakes."

"Understood, sister. I will restrain myself next time."

"It's not only about restraining yourself, but also don't bother her. If she does something wrong, Father, Mother and elder brother will teach her. You are a younger brother, so you shouldn't talk to her like that, okay?" Wei Qingwan taught him softly.

"It is because when the elder brother asked me to send her the osmanthus cake, she did not even appreciate it, so I could not hold it for a moment! I swear when I first went there, I really planned to have a good conversation with her!"

"En, I know Yi Lin is a very good kid."

"Fortunately, Father and Mother did not let her be the eldest daughter of our family. She is not even qualified to be the eldest daughter of our family!" Wei Yilin secretly rejoiced.

"Actually, this "eldest daughter" should be given to her. I am really ashamed to be treated generously by Father and Mother."

"Not at all, I think Father and Mother's decision is the fairest. Sister, you should be the eldest daughter! Our whole family approves of you!"

Wei Qingwan stroked Wei Yilin's head: "Thank you Yilin, for believing in me this much."

"Of course. Since I can remember, the one who has accompanied me the most and taught me the most is you, my sister. If I don't believe you, who should I believe?"

Not long after Wei Yilin was born, Wei Mingting was transferred to Xingshan County. He was busy with the official duties, and the Yun family was also busy managing many family affairs. Wei Yichen was busy with reading, so Wei Qingwan was the one who accompanied Wei Yilin the most. His relationship with Wei Qingwan was the closest.

Wei Ruo's small courtyard renovation plan was progressing smoothly. Early this morning, Wei Ruo cut the sweet potato vines that were sticking out, and planted the luffa seedlings.

Sweet potatoes were seeds in the space, and planting them could help her gain experience points. Whereas luffa, pumpkin, and gourds were just in the planting season. Wei Ruo liked the feeling of them crawling all over the shelves and hanging fruits.

After working for a while, Wei Ruo sat down and took a sip of water.

Cuiping, Yun Shi's personal maid, came over and asked Wei Ruo to go to Yun Shi's room. She said that Yun Shi was looking for her.

Looking at Cuiping's expression, Wei Ruo sensed that something was going on.

When she arrived at Yun's room, she saw that Wei Qingwan was already there.

Looking at Yun's solemn expression again, Wei Ruo concluded that something had indeed happened.

Seeing Wei Ruo entering the door, Yun waved her hand, signaling her to come to her.

Wei Ruo came a bit closer, but still maintained a little distance.

"Ruo'er, there's a letter from the capital. The elder has added your name to the family tree, from now on your official name will be Wei Qingruo."

Yun Shi's brows were furrowed. Judging from her expression, it did not seem like that was the only thing to say.

"Mother, what is the matter with you? Is there something bothering you?" Wei Qingwan hurriedly asked softly.

Yun looked at Wei Ruo and then at Wei Qingwan, hesitating to speak.

After pondering for a long time, she spoke: "Wanwan, there is one more thing that my mother wants to tell you. Don't feel sad after listening."

"Mother, tell me, I am fine."

"The elder means that he wants Ruo'er to be the eldest daughter and your name to be written after Ruo'er."

Hearing this, Wei Ruo was somewhat surprised. Although she thought that the great uncle might have different opinions on this matter, she did not expect the great uncle to make such a straightforward decision and did not discuss it again with Wei Mingting and Yun Shi.

Wei Qingwan was immediately stunned, her face was pale, and then tears filled her eyes.

"Wanwan…" Looking at her daughter like this, Yun Shi's heart became heavier.

"Mother…" Wei Qingwan threw herself into Yun Shi's arms. Tears were rolling down one after another like a broken pearl necklace.

Yun Shi's heart ached, and she did not know how to comfort her heartbroken daughter.

Wei Ruo helped her by saying: "Actually, the eldest daughter and the second daughter are not very important. The love of the father and mother is the same and will not be less."

Yun Shi was stunned for a moment before realizing that this was what she said to Wei Ruo two days ago.

Wei Ruo continued: "Moreover, this was what sister Qingwan requested in the beginning, and now that her wish has come true, sister Qingwan should also be happy."

These were the original words of Wei Qingwan.

Wei Qingwan lifted her head from Yun Shi's arms and looked at Wei Ruo in a daze, looking like a wounded little rabbit.

"Isn't it?" Wei Ruo asked rhetorically.